We’ve seen about Shea Butter a few months back and as promised, here’s the next part on Shea Butter.

Shea Butter is a very versatile ingredient and can be used for different purposes. From lotions, to creams, to body butters and hair care butters and creams or styling mousse, options and choices are many. A batch of Shea Butter is more than just an ingredient with good skin and hair care properties. It is one of my favorites as it is neutral and suits all skin types, including oily skin – it doesn’t clog pores unlike the richer Cocoa Butter.

Shea Facts

Do you know FDA has listed Shea Butter on their list of direct food substances – Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). This means, while it is used widely in cosmetics, beauty, skin and hair care products; it can also be used in foodstuff for example chocolate as a substitute for Cocoa Butter.

According to The Journal of Oleo Science, Shea Butter and Nuts can bring down inflammation.

It is used in a lot of cosmetics and skin care products, and few hair care products for its ability to moisturize and hydrate skin. It is also a conditioning agent and one of the most used and preferred natural skin care ingredients according to a survey.

According to a study done by The American Journal of Life Sciences, Shea Butter curbed ageing skin signs and boosts collagen production.

Do you know it is used to heal and soothe Sunburn, Windburn or even dry and irritated skin? Cracked heels or hands will thank you for a pampering with Shea Butter!

It is well-known for its healing and rejuvenating properties and used for Stretch Marks, Scars, curbing Cellulite, etc. It promotes softer and smoother skin.

So you know you can use it on babies? Yes, you don’t need a diaper rash cream if you have Shea Butter handy! The best part – it heals diaper rash real quick!

History

Do you know Shea Nuts are crushed by hand to get the butter? The nut after removing the out shell is crushed to get the butter.

Once they get butter after crushing, it is then kneaded by hand in a large water container to get the oil separated. The oils or fatty acids are what we use as Shea Butter after it is cooled down.

Do you know it is considered as a sacred tree in some religious sects?

How to Get Good Quality Shea Butter?

The key to getting benefits from Shea Butter is using high quality – unprocessed, raw and chemical-free. I am clarifying you need the Shea Butter to be raw and unprocessed, as processing leaves it with very little benefits and renders it almost useless besides just moisturizing benefits. Do you know the Cinnamic Acid present in Shea Butter is related to the ones found in Cinnamon? That’s why you need pure Shea Butter, as the more pure it is, the higher the Cinnamic Acid Content – remember it is the anti-inflammatory agent that offers most benefits. Fragrances or other additives dilute the concentration of this acid, bringing down the benefits. So, you want the most from Shea Butter? Make sure you look for organic, raw and unrefined versions. Now you know why Shea Butter is a key ingredient in Aya Naturals skin and face products. Stay tuned, we will talk about this more 🙂