Shea Butter 101

What's all the fuss about shea butter lately? Continue reading to see why this product is so awesome.

• What is it?? Shea butter is a natural fat from the seed of the shea tree. Shea trees are mostly found in west Africa.
• What type of shea butter should I buy? I strongly encourage you to buy only raw unrefined shea butter. Shea butter that has been chemically refined can lose some of it's great properties. Raw shea butter is usually a cream color, although some may be yellow. It's a solid that has a creamy consistency that melts with your body temperature. It also has a distinctive smell. It smells kind of nutty. Go smell a bag of almonds or walnuts and you'll know the smell you're looking for when buying shea butter.
• What is it used for? Shea butter is mostly used for cosmetic reasons. It's a great moisturizer for dry skin. It's also believed to be useful in treating skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. It can also be used as a hair moisturizer. It is especially helpful in the care of kinky or coily hair. It makes a pretty awesome makeup remover as well! Shea butter can also be used to treat stretch marks, sunburn, and chapped lips.
• What are the other benefits? Shea butter contains vitamins A and E. These vitamins keep skin supple and moisturized from within. They also help prevent the appearance of wrinkles. Shea butter also contains cinnamic acid which acts as a natural sunscreen.
• Where can I buy it? You can purchase shea butter from your local African store and from a host of online stores. My personal favorites are coastalscents.com and butters-n-bars.com.