Shea butter is a seed fat that comes from the shea tree, which is native to the tropical climates in East and West Africa. The shea butter comes from two oily kernels within the shea tree seed.
Shea Tree Fruits
After the kernel is removed from the seed, it is ground into a powder and boiled in water. The butter then rises to the top of the water and becomes solid.
What is Shea Butter?
Shea butter is a creamy fat found in nuts growing on shea trees in African countries. It’s solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin, similar to coconut oil.
And while it’s edible and used in many African recipes, it’s primarily found in skin and hair care products. You can safely apply shea butter to your face, lips, and body. Some body scrubs and hair conditioners also contain shea butter for its moisturizing effects.
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Raw vs. Refined Shea Butter
Raw shea butter is packed with vitamins and nutrients that are good for your skin. Refined (or processed) shea butter loses some of its essential nutrients during processing.
For example, there’s less or no cinnamic acid, an anti-inflammatory substance, in processed shea butter. Raw shea butter is usually yellow or beige, while refined shea butter is white.
Shea Butter vs. Cocoa Butter
Both shea and cocoa butter are moisturizers - emollients that keep water from evaporating from your skin. But shea butter has more fatty acids, vitamin E and, unlike cocoa butter, contains vitamin A.
Another difference is in the scent. Cocoa butter comes from the same source as chocolate - the cacao tree - so it smells chocolatey. Shea butter has a mild nutty fragrance.
Benefits of Shea Butter
Shea butter benefits the skin in several ways. Here’s how it boosts skin health:
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- Relieves Dry Skin: Shea butter contains fatty acids that lubricate the skin and create a barrier that keeps moisture in.
- Eases Irritation: Shea butter contains anti-inflammatory substances, which ease swelling and redness in skin. People use it for any irritation, from sunburns to chapped lips to skin that’s reacting to too many acid peels or scrubs.
- Prevents Cell Damage: Shea butter contains two antioxidants:
- Vitamin A: Crucial for skin health, increasing skin-cell turnover rate, smoothing the skin’s surface, and plumping skin by stimulating the production of collagen.
- Vitamin E: Helps skin by preventing cellular damage and boosting moisture.
- Improves Eczema: Shea butter contains linoleic acid, a fatty acid that’s in skin. Research indicates that linoleic acid plays a crucial role in protecting skin and can significantly reduce eczema symptoms.
- Provides Sun Protection: Shea butter has a sun protection factor (SPF) of about three or four.
- Doesn’t Cause Allergic Reactions: Shea butter is safe for people with nut allergies. Allergens are proteins, and shea butter is made entirely of fat, so it’s allergen-free.
Shea Butter Benefits
Additional Benefits and Uses
- Moisturizing Properties: Shea butter has incredible moisturizing properties, especially for those with dry skin.
- Reduces Signs of Aging: Shea butter also helps reduce the signs of aging and combats stretch marks.
- Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Microbial: It acts as an anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial substance.
- UV Protection: It even blocks UV rays with an SPF of between 3-4.
How to Use Shea Butter
You can use it directly on dry skin to moisturize and quickly improve your skin’s feel. Shea butter is packed with Vitamins A, E, and F, and it won’t clog your pores.
Many people reap the rewards of applying it directly to their hair for a bunch of benefits to their tresses. These include reducing scalp irritation, heat protection, softening hair, and more!
The SECRET to PERFECT whipped shea butter (EVERY time!)
Regularly applying it across your tummy during pregnancy can reduce the formation of stretch marks.
Containing several anti-inflammatory agents, Shea butter is effective when you apply it to sore and inflamed skin.
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Raw Shea butter’s moisturizing properties make it ideal for healing dry and cracked heels.
Shea butter is great for dry and cracked areas of skin. Shea butter is often used for dry skin conditions caused by inflammation, including eczema and psoriasis. The linoleic acid in shea butter is especially restorative for eczema, which is characterized by depleted fatty acids.
Shea Butter for Acne
Acne sufferers know the importance of getting moisture into their skin. Shea butter can be wonderful for acne because it’s readily absorbed into the skin without clogging up your pores.
Not only can Shea butter be beneficial for acne, it has also been known to help with acne scars, the lingering reminders of the acne that was.
Shea Butter Composition and Quality
The benefits of shea butter come from its chemical makeup. Shea butter contains:
- Linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic fatty acids: ingredients that balance oils on your skin
- Vitamins A, E, and F: antioxidant vitamins that promote circulation and healthy skin cell growth
- Triglycerides: the fatty part of the shea nut that nourishes and conditions your skin
- Cetyl esters: the waxy part of shea nut butter that conditions skin and locks in moisture
Keep in mind that the exact makeup varies according to where the shea nuts are harvested. You may also find shea butter mixed with added ingredients, such as tea tree or lavender essential oil.
As you analyze the ingredients of your skincare products, investigate the source of the shea butter used to better understand the quality of the product. First, it should not smell unpleasant. If there is a strong or pungent odor, it is probably rancid. Too much moisture in the product at the end of processing can shorten the shelf life and cause it to go bad rather quickly. Second, it should melt and spread smoothly on contact with skin, and should not have a gritty feel.
Potential Side Effects and Precautions
When taken by mouth: Shea butter is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if taking shea butter by mouth in larger amounts as medicine is safe.
When applied to the skin: Shea butter is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the skin appropriately for up to 4 weeks. There isn't enough reliable information to know if applying shea butter to the skin for longer than 4 weeks is safe.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Shea butter is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking shea butter in greater amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Children: Shea butter is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. Shea butter is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the skin appropriately, short-term. About 2-4 grams of shea butter has been applied to the inside of the nose safely for up to 4 days.
Dosage and Usage
The appropriate dose of shea butter depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for shea butter (in children/in adults). Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important.
On skin, you can apply shea butter directly to your skin. Raw, unrefined shea butter is easy to spread. Use your fingers to scoop a teaspoon or so of shea butter from the jar, and rub it onto your skin until it’s completely absorbed. Shea butter is slippery and can keep makeup from adhering to your face, so you may prefer to apply it at night before bed.
For hair, if your hair is naturally curly or porous, consider using shea butter as a conditioner. Make sure your hair has absorbed most of the shea butter before rinsing and styling as usual. You can also use a small amount of shea butter as a leave-in conditioner. If your hair is naturally straight, thin, or fine, consider using shea butter only on the ends. Applying shea butter to your roots may cause an oily-looking buildup.
Environmental and Ethical Considerations
Shea trees are one of the largest carbon sinks (storage places) in Africa. The shea parklands are considered protective against environmental degradation. Shea butter has been considered an environmentally friendly alternative to vegetable oils (such as palm oil).
More than twenty African nations are involved in the making of shea butter. When business practices are respectful and fair, an estimated 16 million African women stand to benefit from this earning power. Organizations such as Fairtrade International and Global Shea Alliance (GSA) guarantee that workers are paid at least a minimum price for their product.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Origin | Kernels of shea trees, native to sub-Saharan Africa |
| Composition | Fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, palmitic, stearic), Vitamins A & E, Triglycerides, Cetyl esters |
| Benefits | Moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, healing, anti-aging, UV protection |
| Uses | Skin care, hair care, eczema treatment, scar healing |
| Quality Indicators | Mild, pleasant smell; smooth, non-gritty texture |
| Ethical Considerations | Fair trade practices benefit African women |
