Should You Be Using Ghee In Your Skin Care Routine? We Asked Dermatologists

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that has a rich history in Indian cooking but has become a staple in many households worldwide. In the kitchen, this creamy product adds a nutty and herbaceous flavor to any dish, but it has a place in your beauty cabinets as well. 

This buttery substance has been used as a topical skin-smoothing and hydrating ingredient for ages. While it may not be the most common DIY skin care ingredient, it is growing in popularity and even popping up in preformulated beauty products. 

"For skin care, ghee is a multiuse product that most south Asian elders swear by," says Arati Sharma, co-founder of ghee-infused skin care brand Ghlee.

Arati equates it to other fats historically used to keep skin hydrated, like shea butter in the African content and olive oil in the Mediterranean region. 

The product is made by cooking butter down until the fats separate from the milk solids and removing the latter to provide a longer shelf life. 

As a skin care ingredient, the fatty acids and vitamins found in ghee instantly hydrate skin, which is why it's been used to mend cracked lips and even heal minor wounds in many ancient cultures.

Ghee may not be quite as researched in modern skin care as an ingredient like, say, hyaluronic acid, but that doesn't mean the benefits are nil. After all, plenty of people worldwide have used this product with great success for centuries. 

Ghee contains omega-3 fatty acids and phospholipids, which give it that rich texture. "It creates an occlusive coating on the mucosal lip to prevent transepidermal water loss and lock in moisture," says board-certified dermatologist Blair Murphy Rose, M.D., FAAD. 

Ghee even has the power to accelerate skin healing in minor wounds. "As an occlusive agent, ghee creates a barrier that protects skin from environmental stressors, helps retain moisture, and may encourage the re-epithelialization," says board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, M.D.

"There's a reason that so many lip products are called butter balms," Camp says. "Ghee softens lips, provides shine, and seals in moisture," acting as both an emollient and occlusive moisturizer. 

This is one of the most popular uses, which is why the Sharmas launched their ghee-based brand with lip care—a lip mask, lip balms, and lip scrub infused with the super-hydrating cooking staple. 

"In Ayurvedic medicine, ghee is great for gut health, and because the skin microbiome communicates with the immune system, it can help heal you from the inside out," says board-certified dermatologist and founder of Bergen Dermatology Naana Boakye, M.D., MPH, FAAD, about consuming ghee.

The milk that is used to create ghee in Ayurvedic medicine is fermented before it's churned into butter, providing the skin with even more microbiome support. 

Like any naturally derived ingredient, not all ghee is created equal. Some store-bought ghee formulas contain many additives, which may help keep it fresh but could also minimize the benefits for topical use. 

"We recommend trying the closest thing to homemade ghee if you're going to use it for skin care; that way, you'll get the most pure properties," the Sharmas say. Look for a simple formula, like the 4th & Heart Original Recipe Ghee. You can also make it yourself if you feel up for the task (find the Sharmas' favorite recipe here). 

For simple, straightforward skin concerns like dry lips, peeling cuticles, or minor scrapes, regular ghee will work just fine. However, Camp recommends looking to ghee-infused skin care products if you're seeking more healthy aging skin benefits, as these products will contain even more helpful ingredients to elevate the benefits. 

There isn't a large market for ghee-infused skin care products right now. So keep an eye out for advancements in this realm, and in the meantime, add ghee to your skin care regimen as an extra product, not the main one. 

As we mentioned above, you can use it as a moisturizer, cuticle oil, lip balm, and more. Just make sure to keep your ghee fresh, whether it's homemade or store-bought. 

"While pure ghee that is unused and unopened in an airtight container can last up to two years in a cool, dry environment, there's no guarantee for that with homemade ghee, as the environment and the equipment may not be sterile. If the homemade ghee starts to smell funny, it's time to toss it," clean cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline advises. 

Finally, remember that ghee is an ingredient with a long, long history in Ayurvedic medicine. Even if it's not as popular in the West as other Ayurvedic practices, like scalp oiling for hair growth or turmeric masks for hyperpigmentation, it has been used in many households for thousands of years. And it just may begin to pop up on beauty shelves over the next few.