Shea butter is an ally in beauty treatments and has become fashionable for its great contribution to improve the health of the skin and hair in a lasting way.
What is shea butter?
Shea butter is a super food for the skin that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the shea tree and is naturally rich in vitamins A, E and f. Shea butter offers protection against ultraviolet rays and provides the skin with the essential fatty acids and nutrients necessary for the production of collagen. Shea butter has been used in Africa and other countries for years to improve skin and hair health.
Benefits of Shea Butter
- It is moisturizing for the skin: The concentration of fatty acids in shea butter and natural vitamins makes it incredibly nutritious and moisturizing for the skin. It is often used to remedy dry skin and to help protect natural skin oils.
- Reduces inflammation: A study conducted in 2010 found that due to its cinnamic acid and other natural properties, shea butter can help reduce inflammation.
- It is anti-inflammatory. One compound in particular, lupeol cinnamate, was found to reduce skin inflammation and even potentially help prevent skin mutations. This is also beneficial for some people with acne.
- Helps keep the skin soft: Shea butter helps in the production of natural collagen of the skin and contains oleic, stearic, palmitic and linolenic acid, which are acids that protect and nourish the skin to prevent it from drying out. With prolonged use, many people find this treatment as an ally to strengthen the skin, as well as a considerable reduction of
Uses of shea butter
Shea butter is one of the most versatile ingredients for natural beauty treatments. It can be used for the body, protection against ultraviolet rays, as homemade lip cream and healing balms.
Ways to apply shea butter:
- By itself, shea butter can be applied to the face and body as a natural moisturizer.
- It can be used by applying it to the abdomen to treat stretch marks after pregnancy.
- As the best wrinkleremover under the eyes and also the bags.
- To perform a massage in any part of the body, it will help to better moisturize the skin with the massage.
- As a basis for making a homemade deodorant.
- As a natural baby care product (only) or an ingredient in baby care recipes.
- To use it only on the lips or in homemade balms to give shine to the lips.
- To improve skin elasticity (to use as a cream for cellulite).
- Beneficial on hair or scalp (in mixture with other natural ingredients).
- How a cream to cleanse the skin.
- To replenish the skin after exposure to the sun or beach.
- On the eyelidsbefore applying makeup to make it last longer.
- Shea butter is very useful in scars to naturally aid collagen production.
- To relieve pain in the skin of the nose after or after a cold.
What kind of shea butter is best?
It is advisable to use it only and unrefined. There are many odorless refined shea butters that become all-white, but the refining process eliminates some of the beneficial properties of this natural product.
The recommended shea butter:
- Pure and unrefined.
- Unwashed.
- Organic.
- Grade A.
Tip: If you have unrefined shea butter, it means it has not been filtered and may contain some shea nut particles. You can gently heat the shea butter until it melts and then cast it into a strainer to remove any particles. Once filtered, pour the shea butter into silicone molds, such as homemade soap mold for example.
Remember that shea butter is for external use only.
