One of natures best offerings to us. Not only can be used all over the body as a highly effective moisture locker, but used in the hair can lock in water and help the hair to retain moisture rendering the hair soft and easier to comb. This product is a must have staple for every natural diva.
How does Shea Butter benefit the hair?
Shea Butter provides moisture to dry or damaged hair from the roots to the very tips, repairing and protecting against weather damage, dryness and brittleness. It also absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp to re-hydrate without clogging pores. It is particularly beneficial for processed and heat-treated hair. It is an excellent treatment for dry scalp. It restores luster to damaged hair.
What color should Shea Butter be?
The color of unrefined Shea Butter depends on the Shea nuts used. Shea nuts will vary in color from almost white to yellow like rich butter. Therefore, refined Shea Butter will vary in color. You will not be able to determine the authenticity or quality of Shea Butter based strictly on its color. There is even a naturally golden yellow colored Shea Butter. Shea Butter should never be green, extremely hard or greasy. ( A friend bought me some that was green in some spots and smelled rancid, I did not use it)Most Shea Butter is a creamy color. Shea Butter that is pure white is highly refined and may or may not have its healing properties intact depending on how it was refined.
Is all Shea Butter the same?
All Shea Butter is not the same. Shea Butter loses some of its healing properties as it sits on the shelf, so very old Shea Butter is not as beneficial. Refining techniques will vary. Highly processed Shea Butter will not be as effective. Sometimes Shea Butter is mixed with other ingredients that reduce its benefits. Then, there are those products that add very little Shea Butter but prominently display "Shea Butter" on the label.
What's the difference between raw Shea butter, refined Shea butter?
The differences between raw, refined and highly refined Shea Butter lie in how the Shea Butter is extracted from the nut and how it is processed after that. Manual extraction processes leave more of the raw ingredients in the Shea Butter. After it is extracted, it can be further refined removing color and impurities that some people don't like. This further refining can also remove some of the smell. You can think of the difference between raw Shea Butter and refined Shea Butter as being similar to the difference between wheat bread and white bread; the same with pure brown cane sugar and white processed sugar. That is one end of the spectrum. On the other end, there is Shea Butter that is extracted using chemicals that is pure white, has no smell and has lost its healing properties in the process.
What are the benefits of Shea Butter?
Daily skin moisturizer
Dry skin
Dry scalp
Skin rash- including diaper rash
After tanning
Blemishes and wrinkles
Sunburn
Shaving cream to reduce razor irritation
Small skin wounds
Skin cracks
Stretch mark prevention during pregnancy
Minor burns
Eczema
Sun and wind protection
Even skin tone
Reduce blemishes and scarring
Eliminating scalp irritation from dryness or chemical processing
Preventing bumps after shaving
Reducing acne
Absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue
Helps restore elasticity to skin
Restores luster to hair
Soften feet
