The Origin of Shea Butter Shea Butter is from the nut of the Shea Tree, also known as “The Tree of Life". The Shea tree only grows in the savannah region of Africa. It grows up to 60 feet and can live up to 200 years. The Shea Tree produces its fruits once a year. The nut in the center of the fruit when crushed and traditionally processed by boiling and extracting The oil is what yields the vegetable fat known as Shea Butter. Shea butter has been used for centuries in Africa for cooking, and also as skin treatment for its amazing ability to renew, repair and protect the skin against harsh climates. African healers and beauties like Cleopatra have known about Shea butter for thousands of years. The Different Types of Shea Butter Unrefined Shea Butter is traditional Shea butter in its raw and all natural state, with nothing added. It has a soft texture, ivory to light yellow color, and has a mild nutty scent which will fade away within minutes once applied to skin or hair. Unrefined Shea butter is the most effective type of Shea butter because the healing and moisturizing properties are intact, undiluted and unaltered. Refined, Processed Shea Butter Refined Shea Butter has been altered to remove the natural Shea scent and color. In the process, most of the effective properties are also lost. Refined Shea butter is extracted with chemicals or solvents like hexane. The extracted oil is then refined which involves bleaching, deodorizing and overheating it. As a result refined Shea butter is bleach white in color and odorless, but it lacks the true moisturizing, healing, and therapeutic properties of true traditional Shea butter. Some people buy refined Shea butter because it doesn't have the natural Shea scent but they don't know it has reduced beneficial properties.
Many major cosmetic companies have started making Shea butter products including moisturizers, anti-aging, stretch marks and hair products. These products also fall under the category of processed Shea butter because the percentage of Shea butter in these products is very low and not so effective. The Top 10 Uses of Shea Butter Moisturizer for dry skin Eczema cream Blemish cream For softer smoother skin For burns Wrinkle reduction cream Moisturizer for dry hair Shaving cream Anti-itch cream Stretch mark prevention cream The Shelf Life of Shea Butter The shelf life of Shea butter is 18-24 months when kept in a cool dry place. After that time the healing properties of Shea butter are less effective but it is still a good moisturizer. Application of the Shea Butter Shea butter melts at body temperature. For easy application warm Shea butter onto palms until it is completely melted and smooth on. Shea Butter absorbs quickly, penetrates deeply and coats the skin with a fine film; thereby diminishing water loss and leaving the skin softened and protected. The Amazing Properties of Shea Butter
Shea butter is the best natural product to protect, heal and improve skin. It is prized because it contains a real cocktail of elements good for the skin. Among these, is first a very high content of Essential Fatty Acids, more than in all other vegetable butter. These fatty acids are oleic, stearic, linoleic and palmitic acid.
They play a very important moisturizing, softening, and anti-inflammatory role, and help renew the cutaneous cells. Shea butter also contains vitamins A, D, E, and K that have a recognized effect against skin aging. It is also rich in phytosterols with protecting and regenerating virtues.
The manufacturing process has a great influence on the properties and efficiency of Shea butter. If it is refined or processed, it loses its vitamins and part of its efficiency.
The Organic Shea Butter Store brings you a handmade certified organic Shea butter that is a guarantee of purity and higher quality.
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