Shea Butter

Shea Butter

African Shea Butter..What'S The Big Deal ?

<a href="http://www.africansheabutter.blogspot.com/">African shea butter </a>  is obtained from  the Shea tree, which grows widely in Savannah region of Africa. The fruit of the tree, which is small and almond like was traditionally picked from the trees by the locals and ground and pounded and then heated for hours in water to get a film of shea butter. This is obviously the crude and unrefined form of shea butter. It was used for various purposes like cooking and moisturizing, etc. Shea butter that was produced like this had no fix texture or color, as it would depend on the way it was manufactured and on how refined it was. In today’s world, shea butter has found many more uses and applications.

Popularly, Shea Butter is supposed to be anywhere between a dull yellowish-white to ivory white in color. It is a natural, fatty product that is extracted from the fruit of the shea tree by boiling and crushing. It is used as a major component in leading moisturizing agents and other skin care products. Shea butter is edible and is also used as a cooking base. It has also substituted cocoa butter in a lot of products including the chocolate industry.

African shea butter is most popularly known for its moisturizing properties. It is also helpful for the treatment of swellings and inflammations. Various ailments like arthritis, stiff muscles, skin eczema, sunburn etc, can be treated by Shea butter. It is also effective against early signs of aging, stretch marks, and blemishes.

Shea butter is also an effective, natural sun-blocking agent although there is no standard SPF, the most common being 6. The good thing about shea butter is that it gets absorbed into the skin without leaving a greasy film on your face. In Nigeria, it is also used as an antidote for sinusitis or congestion of the nasal passage. The reason for this is that it has emollient properties that help in expansion of skin cells, easing the respiratory canal and unclogging the nose. Just take a liberal dab of shea butter and put it on your nose, around the nostrils and see it work its magic.

The price of shea butter varies from one region to the other. The supply is unstable and the prices vary according to that. African shea butter has a light smell that cannot be said to be unpleasant. It is a slightly nutty, base smell. If kept for a long time, the smell gradually fades away. That’s a sign you can use to detect how old the shea butter is. Also, one thing you need to be careful about is that the butter should not have a strong, sharp odor. Under no circumstances can the butter smell bad unless it has gone bad. Keep it away from your skin and food.

If you do not like the smell of sheaf butter then you can also pick the more refined one variety that is purged of their smell from filtration through clay. One tip to keep in mind: avoid buying shea butter that has been filtered through chemical solvents like hexane. African shea butter has also enhanced the quality of life for most of it's producers.

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Melvita Shea Butter 3.38oz $28 Harvested in West Africa, this organic Shea Butter is obtained using a traditional method of extraction and without the use of solvents. This balm melts at skin temperature and is easily applied to the face and body.Benefits:Helps to nourish and repair skin.Softens and protects all skin types.Deeply moisturizes skin.Repairs chapped lips or hands.100% of the total ingredients are from natural origins.

LOccitane Shea Butter Extra Gentle Lotion For Hands Body 10.1oz $20 With 5% Shea Butter, this lotion prevents the drying effect of frequent washing and leaves the skin smooth and soft. A lightweight texture complementary to the Shea Butter Hand Cream.

LOccitane Shea Butter Hand Cream 5.2oz $28 InStyle Editor's Pick - 2011 Best Beauty BuyBest Hand Cream Enriched with 20% Shea Butter, this super-creamy balm penetrates quickly to protect, nourish and moisturize the skin. Honey, almond and coconut oil are blended with Shea Butter to create this unique and extremely effective moisturizer.

LOccitane Shea Butter Foot Cream 5.2oz $28 InStyle Editor's Pick - 2010 Best Beauty BuyEnriched with moisturizing Shea Butter, soothing lavender essential oil and anti-inflammatory arnica extract, this rich cream smoothes and softens skin while relieving tired achy feet.

CANTU Shea Butter Flat Iron Spray 5 oz $8.95 Cantu Shea Butter Flat Iron Spray is made with pure Shea butter to condition and add shine while heat styling hair. Cantu Shea Butter Flat Iron Spray is use to protect and prevent heat damage from use of hot iron styling tools, while adding a light hold and reducing frizz.

CANTU Shea Butter Daily Oil Moisturizer 13.5 oz $8.95 Cantu Shea Butter Daily Oil Moisturizer is made with pure shea butter and essential oils to replace vital oil in your hair leaving it stronger and healthier with a natural shine. Cantu Shea Butter Daily Oil Moisturizer protects, conditions and restores natural oils and adds moisture to your hair without weighing it down.

CANTU Shea Butter Hair Dressing Pomade 3 oz $6.95 Cantu Shea Butter Hair Dressing Pomade is made with pure shea butter to condition hair while styling and adding shine. Cantu Shea Butter Hair Dressing Pomade is ideal for natural styles as well as adding that finishing touch to moisturize, texturize, lift, control, and add shine to all hairstyles.

LOccitane Pure Organic Shea Butter 4.9oz $40 Formerly known as L'Occitane 100% Pure Shea Butter.This buttery-emollient is a powerful moisturizer. Shea Butter's natural benefits will protect, nourish and moisturize dry and sensitive skin. Contains 100% organic plant-based ingredients, extracted from wild kernels of Shea tree fruits.Issued from fair trade in Burkina Faso (West Africa). Free from synthetic pesticide, artificial fertilizer and preservatives.

DESERT ESSENCE Shea Butter Conditioner 12 oz $13.44 Hydrating shea butter works to restore your hair to soft, lustrous and free of tangles. Meadowfoam seed oil helps to heal and soothe your scalp, and wheat protein strengthens hair follicles. Shea butter also helps maintain moisture in dry, brittle hair, working to repair and revitalize, preventing breakage and split ends. The result is hair perfection from roots to ends.

Frederic Fekkai Creme Luxueuse with Shea Butter 6oz $65 Creme Luxueuse, the ultimate luxury in skin treatment, is rich in pure, natural Shea Butter to help protect from moisture loss. Infused with vitamins and botanicals to provide superior conditioning, skin looks and feels silky, soft and totally indulged.

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