MOE YAAEDITION 01 · 2026
THE
Shea
Guide The story, the craft and the daily ritual of Acholi shea, with letters from the three women behind Moe Yaa.
Guide The story, the craft and the daily ritual of Acholi shea, with letters from the three women behind Moe Yaa.
MOE YAAWILD NILOTICA SHEA · ACHOLI, UGANDA
INSIDE
Contents
01What is moo yaa?p. 3
02From tree to jarp. 4
03Letters from our foundersp. 5–7
04The shea ritualp. 8
05The collectionp. 9
"Long ago, the shea trees were never cut. That is why the butter has always been here for us."
ACHOLI SAYING, AS TOLD BY OUR GRANDMOTHERS
01 · WHAT IS MOO YAA?
The softer shea of the Nile.
In the Acholi sub-region of Northern Uganda, shea butter is moo yaa and the wild shea tree is yaa, Vitellaria nilotica. It is the East African cousin of the better-known West African shea, and it behaves differently in the hand.
East African · nilotica
West African · paradoxa
TextureSoft and creamy, like whipped butterFirmer and waxier
At room temperatureMelts easily on skin contactNeeds warming in the palm
Traditional useFood, cooking oil, skin and baby balmSkin and hair balm, cooking
How it growsWild trees, collected by womenWild and parkland trees
LIVELIHOODCollecting wild shea is women's work and women's income across Acholi. Every jar we sell is bought from them.
PROTECTIONLocal cooperatives have applied for geographical-indication protection with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau to safeguard Acholi shea.
02 · FROM TREE TO JAR
Four steps, done by hand.
01Gather & dryFallen shea fruits are collected, never picked from the tree. The flesh is removed, and the nuts are sun-dried and sorted.
02RoastThe kernels are roasted, often mixed with ash or sand so that the heat stays even and nothing scorches.
03Pound & grindThe roasted seeds are pounded in a mortar, then ground to a smooth paste on a grinding stone.
04Boil & skimThe paste goes into boiling water. Pure golden oil rises to the surface, is skimmed off, and cools into butter.
THE SHEA GUIDE04
03 · LETTERS · I
"My grandmother's hands smelled of smoke and shea."
Dear friend,
I grew up in Gulu, where every girl learns the season of yaa before she learns to write. I remember my grandmother sitting at the grinding stone until the paste shone, then standing over the pot to skim the gold from the top. That butter cooked our food, healed our scrapes and kept the babies soft in the dry season.
When I moved to Kampala, I couldn't find anything that felt like hers. The jars on the shelves were firm, perfumed and far from home. So in a borrowed kitchen I began whipping moo yaa with the butters I loved — cocoa, mango and cupuaçu — and gave the jars to friends. They came back for more.
Moe Yaa is our way of keeping that kitchen honest as we grow: the same wild Nilotica shea, bought from the same women's groups, handmade in small batches. When you open a jar, I hope you smell a little of my grandmother's smoke.
With love,Akello
03 · LETTERS · II
"Tradition gave us the butter. Science helps us keep it pure."
Dear friend,
I was born in Nairobi to an Acholi mother, which is how I got my name. I trained in chemistry and spent years making other people's creams before Akello handed me a jar of her whipped moo yaa and asked, "Can you make this last?"
Nilotica shea is beautiful and tricky. It is soft, so it melts at the touch, which is exactly what makes it feel so good. My work is to respect that texture. I balance it with cocoa and cupuaçu so it holds in the tropical heat, add rosehip and grape seed oils for elasticity, and use vitamin E to keep it fresh. Nothing goes into a Moe Yaa jar that I would not put on my own daughter.
Every batch is still whipped by hand and tested before it is labelled. If you have dry, sensitive or mixed skin like mine, I made Platinum for you.
In good skin,Atim
03 · LETTERS · III
"The women who gather the nuts are part of this brand."
Dear friend,
I still live in Kitgum, a short walk from the shea parklands. My mother led a women's savings group, and the season of yaa was when school fees got paid. I learned early that a fair price for shea nuts changes a whole household.
At Moe Yaa I look after our relationships with the cooperatives. We buy directly, pay on collection, and agree prices before the season starts, so no woman has to sell cheap to a middleman in a hurry. We only take fallen fruit, and we never cut a tree. Our elders say that is why the shea has always been here for us.
The next time you see "Handmade in Acholi" on a jar, think of the women singing on the walk home with full baskets. That song is in every jar too.
Apwoyo — thank you,Amito
04 · THE SHEA RITUAL
How we use it at home.
For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. If irritation occurs, stop use.
BodyAfter a warm bath, while skin is still slightly damp, massage a small scoop of Platinum into the skin in circular motions. Give it a few minutes before you dress.
Hands & feetAt night, work Hand Cream into knuckles and cuticles, and rub a thicker layer of butter into heels. Wear cotton socks to bed.
LipsApply Lip Balm before the sun and before sleep. For shine, layer Lip Gloss on top.
Hair endsWarm a pea-sized amount between your palms and smooth it over dry ends to seal in moisture.
Patch testNew to a product? Try a little on your inner arm first and wait 24 hours.
05 · THE COLLECTION
One shea, many rituals.
Platinum
Body Butter · 250 g
Body Butter · 250 g
Body Lotion
250 ml · 400 ml
250 ml · 400 ml
Body Wash
300 ml · 500 ml
300 ml · 500 ml
Hand Cream
50 ml · 75 ml
50 ml · 75 ml
Hair Oil
Lightweight · 30 ml
Lightweight · 30 ml
Lip Care
Balm 4.5 g · Gloss 15 ml
Balm 4.5 g · Gloss 15 ml
SHOP · MOEYAA.COM09
MOE YAA
Handmade with your skincare goals in mind.
Shea Luxury Essentials · P.O. Box 26342, East Africa
+256 706 191 214 · +254 790 418 911
hello@moeyaa.com · moeyaa.com · @moeyaa
+256 706 191 214 · +254 790 418 911
hello@moeyaa.com · moeyaa.com · @moeyaa