Cult Body Butter, New Retinol: Does 54 Thrones Hold Up?

The verdict at a glance

54 Thrones doesn’t have Sol de Janeiro’s marketing budget or Kiehl’s 170-year legacy. And yet, on formula-to-price value, the brand founded by Christina Funke Tegbe holds up surprisingly well, as long as you know which product fits which skin.

Who is 54 Thrones, exactly?

Behind the name, a reference to the 54 countries on the African continent, is Christina Funke Tegbe, born in Texas to an American mother and a Nigerian father. The brand’s origin story starts with something simple: her paternal aunt regularly mailing her raw shea butter from Nigeria. In 2015, after several years in corporate consulting, Tegbe left her job to travel through Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, and Egypt, meeting the women who have made these ingredients for generations. The brand quietly launched in June 2016.

I really wanted to do trade, not aid.

That’s not just a marketing line: unlike most brands that source raw materials through brokers, 54 Thrones says it works in direct trade with African women-led cooperatives, aiming to pay fair prices rather than run on a charity model. That’s a real point of differentiation from brands like Sol de Janeiro or Kiehl’s, which talk about ingredient origin without documenting the supply chain the same way. The flagship butter is built on shea (Ghana), jojoba, baobab, and grape seed oil, and the new serum adds Egyptian luffah oil as a gentle exfoliant. On the recognition front, the brand gained visibility after a widely-covered appearance on Shark Tank, then landed shelf space at Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, and Credo Beauty, a real signal of credibility in a category where hundreds of independent brands never make it past their own site. You can shop the brand directly at 54thrones.com, or at Sephora.

Product spotlight: the African Beauty Butter

This is the product that put the brand on the map, and by far the most documented in customer reviews: a whipped butter texture, dense to the touch but that melts quickly into skin, formulated for very dry skin, rough patches, and cold climates. A 50mL jar runs $24, built on shea butter (22-34%), jojoba oil (5-7.5%), baobab oil (3.9-5.9%), and grape seed oil (2.2-3.3%). It holds a 4.3/5 rating across 430 verified reviews on Sephora, and scored 75/100 in an independent formula analysis by Skincarisma/WhatsInMyJar.

On paper, the formula matches the promise: mostly emollients and occlusives that form a protective film and reduce water loss. That’s effective for instant comfort, but it isn’t a hydrator in the strict sense, the formula has no strong humectant like glycerin or hyaluronic acid to actually draw water into the skin. On very dehydrated skin, layering it over a water-based mist or lotion first gives better results. The brand’s own marketing cites that 96% of participants in a consumer test reported moisturized skin up to 4 hours after use. That figure comes from an in-house brand test with no published methodology: treat it as a satisfaction indicator, not independent clinical proof.

Facing the body care giants

We lined the Beauty Butter up against four references that dominate US body care shelves: viral phenomenon Sol de Janeiro, heritage brand Kiehl’s, and unbeatable drugstore staple Palmer’s.

54 Thrones lands just above Kiehl’s on price-per-mL, well below Sol de Janeiro.

Product spotlight: the overnight retinol serum

The most interesting launch to watch for 2026: 54 Thrones is stepping outside its historical lane (the body) to offer a dermatology-recognized active, retinol, in a slow-release encapsulated form designed for both face and body. The Silky Overnight Retinol Body Serum runs $55 for 140mL, built on 1% encapsulated retinol, melatonin, magnesium, and Egyptian luffah oil, for PM use only. It holds a 5/5 rating, but across just 16 reviews on Nordstrom, and is frequently reported out of stock across retailers.

Encapsulated retinol, a technology that protects the molecule (unstable in light and air) and releases it gradually, is an increasingly common standard, CeraVe uses it too via its MVE technology. The addition of melatonin and magnesium is more unusual: melatonin is being studied as a topical antioxidant and for a potential role in overnight skin repair, but published clinical data remains limited at cosmetic scale. We’d treat this as a genuine sensory plus, not proof of superior efficacy. The “face and body” positioning is an argument for routine simplicity, but also a limitation: formulas built specifically for the face are generally more refined for fine-skin tolerance than multi-purpose ones.

Retinol comparison: 54 Thrones vs. the big names

Here the competition shifts up a level, into facial retinol territory, where US brands are especially well-armed, from budget-friendly to full prestige.

At an equal 1% retinol concentration, 54 Thrones is roughly 6.4x cheaper per mL than Drunk Elephant.

Formula radar: 54 Thrones vs. Drunk Elephant

We’re pitting 54 Thrones against its closest positioning rival, clean, plant oils, wellness-driven storytelling, rather than The Ordinary or CeraVe, whose DNA is different.

Who should pick what?

What customers are really saying

We deliberately didn’t invent testimonials: here’s an honest summary of what verified reviews published by retailers actually show, with the sample size noted each time, since that’s what tells you how much weight to give them. The African Beauty Butter holds a 4.3/5 across 430 verified Sephora reviews, most frequently praising the scent, softness, and texture on application. The retinol serum shows a perfect 5/5, but on a sample of just 16 reviews on Nordstrom, too small to be statistically reliable. For comparison, mass-market staple Palmer’s shows 4.9/5 across 160 verified CVS reviews, a smaller but more consistent sample.

FAQ

Is 54 Thrones a “clean” brand in the strict sense?

The flagship product carries the Clean at Sephora seal, which excludes a defined list of ingredients including parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and mineral oil. That doesn’t mean hypoallergenic: shea butter and certain oils remain comedogenic for oily or acne-prone skin.

Can the retinol serum replace a prescription retinoid?

No. At 1% over-the-counter encapsulated retinol, it’s in the same category as Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni or The Ordinary, far from the strength of a dermatologist-prescribed retinoid. This is a maintenance product, not a medical treatment.

Can you use the African Beauty Butter on your face?

Occasionally, on very dry spots and outside of breakout flare-ups, sure, but the formula isn’t optimized for daily facial use: its comedogenic profile and lack of a humectant make it better suited to the body.

Our final verdict

54 Thrones isn’t playing in the same league as Sol de Janeiro on brand recognition, or Kiehl’s on longevity. But on the turf where it’s proven itself, body butter positioned between mass market and prestige, the brand delivers on a consistent promise: a legible formula, documented sourcing, and a price that stays reasonable per mL. It’s a great pick if you want a cheaper, less heavily-scented alternative to Sol de Janeiro, or something more ritual than Palmer’s.

On retinol, we’d urge constructive caution: the formula is interesting on paper, but the lack of track record and thin review volume justify waiting a bit longer before choosing it over a safe bet like CeraVe for sensitive skin, or The Ordinary for a tight budget. That’s what puts our overall score at 3.8/5, mainly carried by the mature, well-reviewed butter rather than the untested serum.