Shea Butter
What is it?
Shea butter is a yellow-white to ivory colored butter, which has been used for thousands of years by African healers to alleviate maladies of the skin and scalp.
Where does it come from?
Shea Butter is obtained by cold pressing the seeds of the Karite Tree. The tree itself is not cultivated and takes 40 to 50 years to mature. In most parts of West Africa, destruction of the Shea tree is forbidden due to its economic, health and social benefits. (Shea butter is a valuable source of food in Africa). Indeed, many herbalists in Africa regard Shea butter as an invaluable agent for external and internal body purification.
Benefits
Shea butter has soothing, moisturising and protective effects, gentle enough for use on babies and sensitive skin and with almost miraculous healing properties for dry, chapped and damaged skin.
Since it is known to increase the skin’s capillary blood flow, it is considered to be a superior healer and rejuvenator for troubled, dry or aging skin.
Think of shea butter as a fabulous skin food because it feeds goodness back into your skin. Regular users of notice softer, smoother, healthier skin.
It displays a protective role against Ultra Violet Rays because it contains cinnamic acid and can thus be incorporated in solar products. The latex contained in Shea butter would moreover prevent certain sun allergies.
Interesting Facts
Shea butter contains fatty acid triglycerides (mainly oleic and stearic) and a high amount of unsaponifiable matter that can range from 2.5% to 15%. This exceptionally rich vegetable extract contains fatty acid phytosterol and unsaponifiables which stimulate cell regeneration and capillary circulation; these help the healing of small wounds, cracks, crevices and sun ulcers.
Crude Shea butter has natural antioxidant properties due to its content of tocopherois. In the cosmetic field, this property helps to prevent skin aging. Shea butter has restructuring effects on the epidermis. It also has anti-elastrace characteristics, which makes it a good agent to fight against stretch marks. It is very well tolerated by the skin, for it does not result in any allergic reaction and can be used on very sensitive skin areas such as mucus tissues and around the eyes
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