Shea Butter

Shea butter is a natural superfood for the skin

Shea butter is a magnificent gift on the African continent to all lovers of health and beauty. Oily (but not heavy) oil penetrates the skin very quickly, delivering vitamins even in its deepest layers. It moisturizes, protects, nourishes and cares for skin and hair in many other ways.

Origin and receipt

Shea butter is derived from the nuts of shea fruit, widely distributed in Africa. With fruits are extracted from the core - nuts, from which several oils are obtained ways. Shea butter can be unrefined, bleached and refined.

Unrefined (crude) product may contain traces of nuts — small particles that need to be filtered before use in cosmetics products. Unrefined oil is a dense solid composition of saturated yellow colors that may have darker or lighter splashes. Uncleaning the oil has a pronounced soft nutty odor. It is believed to be unrefined the product retains more nutrients.

Bleached oil - unrefined. It preserves the heterogeneity of the structure and pronounced nutty aroma. Its main difference from ordinary crude oil - ivory color. White areas may have darker areas, expressed gray stripes.

Refined (purified) oil of a uniform whitish-yellow color. It does not splashes or particles, so extra cleaning before use never needed. The smell of the purified product (light nut) is weaker, but still palpable.

Shea tree oil has been used since ancient times as a cosmetic and medicinal preparation. It makes the skin younger and fresher, protects from the sun and wind. On on the African continent, it is used in food, mixed with palm oil.

Advantages and features

The pronounced effects of shea butter are moisturizing and healing. In some degree it has antibacterial and antimicrobial action.

Shea butter is considered a superfood for the skin because of its high content of unsaturation fats, vitamins, essential fatty acids, phytosterols. The main acting oil components are vitamins A, E, F, D, TOP-5 fatty acids.

Vitamins support the health of the skin and protect it from ultraviolet radiation. Vitamin E is especially useful for dry skin - it enhances its elasticity and soothes irritation. It also helps to slow down the effect of aging.

Shea butter contains five major fatty acids, accounting for up to 95% of all fatty acids in the composition of the product:

• palmitic;
• arachidonic;
• stearic;
• oleic;
• linoleum.

These acids "set" the level of hardness and pliability of the oil. They help the oil faster to absorb and penetrate into the deepest layers of skin, bringing nutrients substances to the youngest cells.

Application and release form

Shea butter is used for:

• reduction of painful effects in muscles, rheumatism, arthritis;
• reduction of brittleness of hair and restoration of cut ends;
• protection of hair from wind, sun, salt, chlorine (when swimming in the pool);
• moisturizing and restoring dry and cracked, flaky skin;
• prevention of hair loss by intensive feeding of hair bulbs;
• treatment of acne, burns, stretch marks, scars, signs of frostbite, age and other
• pigmentation;
• slowing down aging through stimulation of collagen production and improvement
• blood circulation;
• restoration of damaged hair, including chemically treated and
• painted;
• reduction of inflammation in sunburn, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, bites
• insects, cuts and scratches.

It is used for cooking:

• shaving creams;
• lip balm;
• massage oils;
• body oils;
• lotions;
• shampoos;
• sweetheart.

In what proportions is the product used in cosmetics (%):

• from 1 to 10 - in hair conditioners;
• from 2 to 20 - in creams and lotions;
• from 5 to 100 - in balms;
• 5 to 20 miles.

Shea butter is long stored, easy to soften and blends well with other oils. It is convenient to use to create high quality fresh home cosmetics. For example, you can make a simple body lotion with a strong nutrient effect. This requires:

• Take 200 ml shea butter, 100 ml coconut and almond oil;
• melt coconut oil and shea butter;
• add almond oil, mix thoroughly;
• refrigerate before curing (approximately 15 minutes);
• whisk the mixer until thick cream is obtained;
• put in a sealed jar and allow to insist;
• use after shower and bath.

Pure shea butter obtained by cold pressing does not contain GMOs, pesticides and hexanes, safe for health (except dermatological cases) diseases and allergies to nuts).