25/06/2020
Shea Butter Benefits
Moisturizing: The concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids in shea makes it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for skin. It is often used to remedy dry skin and to help protect the skin’s natural oils.
Reduces Inflammation: A 2010 study found that due to its cinnamic acid and other natural properties, shea butter was anti-inflammatory. One compound in particular, lupeol cinnamate, was found to reduce skin inflammation and even potentially help avoid skin mutations. This also makes it beneficial for some people with acne.
Skin Smoothing: Shea aids in the skin’s natural collagen production and contains oleic, stearic, palmitic, and linolenic acids that protect and nourish the skin to prevent drying. With long-term use, many people report skin softening and strengthening as well as wrinkle reduction.
The good news is, it’s great to use on kids and babies too!
Ways to Use Shea Butter
Shea butter is one of the most versatile natural beauty ingredients and I use it daily in some form. I’ve used it for years in everything from my homemade lotion bars and original magnesium body butter to homemade lip balms and healing salves.
Shea butter uses and benefits for healthy hair and skin
Some of my favorite uses for shea butter:
By itself for face and body as a natural moisturizer
In a shea butter lotion bar stick for easy use
After sun or beach exposure to replenish skin
Alone or in a pregnancy salve to ward off stretch marks
As a natural cuticle cream
As the best under-eye wrinkle remover and bag-reducer
As a massage butter
In my homemade velvety soft whipped body butter
On sore/raw noses during a cold or flu
Added to basic homemade lotion
On scars to naturally help collagen production
As a base for homemade deodorant
By itself for low-grade sun protection
Whipped into magnesium body butter
As a natural baby-care product (alone) or ingredient in baby care recipes
By itself on the lips or in homemade lip balms
In a homemade shimmer lip balm
On the eyelids before applying makeup to make it last longer
To improve skin elasticity (some even say it helps with cellulite)
On the hair or scalp (in mixture with other natural ingredients)
In homemade liquid creme foundation and makeup
TIP: If the shea butter is too thick for what you’re trying to do, melt it over very low heat and then use. Do not let it get close to boiling or you will lose beneficial properties. You can also emulsify it with other oils using the technique in my lotion recipe.
What Kind of Shea Butter Is Better?
There is a huge variation in the quality of shea butter depending on the manufacturer, so if you’ve tried shea butter before and haven’t liked it, it may have been the brand.
The American Shea Butter Institute warns that one of the main healing components in shea butter, cinnamic acid, is less present in inferior brands. They have issued classifications of different grades of quality, and the best grade with the highest cinnamic acid content is Grade A.
I only use raw, unrefined, Grade A shea butter. There are many refined ones that are odor free and bleached to be completely white, but the refining process removes some of the beneficial properties.
Which to Buy
I order this one and have had great results, but good shea butter brands can also be found at many local health food stores. When it comes to choosing a better butter, just look for one that is:
raw/unrefined
unbleached
organic
Grade A
Caution: Before Using
If you get unrefined shea butter, that means it has not been filtered and may contain trace particles of the shea nut. I often gently heat my shea butter until it just melts and then pour through a cheesecloth or strainer to remove any particles. Once strained, I pour it into these (or any) silicone molds in pre-measured amounts (tablespoons, 1/4 cup, etc.) so that it is ready to use for natural beauty recipes.
Storing Shea Butter
I’m only comfortable using this butter externally. Ask a doc or dermatologist before using, especially with underlying skin conditions. Those with nut allergies should avoid or check with an allergist.
Store shea butter out of direct light or heat. Several sources suggest shea butter may go rancid or expire within 12-24 months, but since it has so many uses I never have a jar of it that long. Leave it out on your bathroom counter and watch it disappear!
Ever used shea butter? How did it work for you?
Shea butter has so many benefits for the skin and hair and is great in homemade beauty products like body butter, natural, unpermed hair, healing balm and moisturizer.
Do you need unadulterated, unrefined African Shea Butter in LARGE quantities, Grade A?
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