Though shea butter has been used for centuries, it’s gained some serious popularity here in the West in the past decade—all for it’s ability to soothe, repair and moisturize skin. Whether used for reducing inflammation or smoothing out rough skin texture, you can count on shea butter to quickly and noticeably help your skin. However, to reap the most benefits, choosing raw and unrefined shea butter is key.
With shea butter’s rich history that dates back to the days of Cleopatra, the list of uses for it only seems to grow. To learn the many ways you can use and benefit from shea butter, read on!
What is Shea Butter?
Derived from the Karite tree mostly found in Africa, shea butter is made from the fruits of these trees, and even more specially, the nuts within the fruit. In producing shea butter, the nuts must first be extracted from the fruits. From there, the nuts are crushed and then gently heated until the shea butter melts. From there, the resulting mixture is strained to remove the shells and any other debris that may have found its way into the shea mixture.
The resulting shea butter is rich in vitamins A, E, and F, as well as essential fatty acids, including palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and arachidic acids. Additionally, since shea butter is more non-saponifiable than similar oils & fats, it’s healing properties for the skin and suitability for making soap are virtually unmatched.
24 Uses & Benefits of Shea Butter
Because shea butter presents a range of uses and benefits for its users, it’s always best to choose raw shea butter, like what we carry here at 24Karite Gold. When left unrefined and processed at a low temperature, shea butter is even safe to consume—and it can even be beneficial! Whether it’s the antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, or essential fatty acids, shea butter is the ultimate solution to an array of skin issues, and can be used in many different way. These include:
- Creating your own DIY lotion
- Using it in a massage cream
- Reducing under-eye wrinkles and bags
- Moisturizing the skin
- Soothing chapped and cracked lips
- Helping to protect skin from harsh UV rays (with sunblock)
- Because it’s free of chemicals (raw and unrefined), shea butter is great for baby skin
- Restoring skin elasticity
- Soothing dry scalps
- Moisturizing dry hair
- Protecting hair from sun damage (just like skin)
- Soothing skin rashes
- Stopping peeling from sunburn
- Using in shaving cream to avoid irritation
- Soothing and preventing cracked skin
- Caring for cuticles
- Preventing/reducing stretch marks
- Alleviating muscle soreness and tension
- Soothing eczema
- Soothing bug bites, or itchy skin
- Soothing frostbite damage
- Softening rough skin
- Promoting healing of small wounds, burns, and scars
- An Alternative to Coconut Oil, Butter, or Olive Oil in Cooking
As you can see, shea butter can be used for a broad range of skin issues, but it’s also great for hair care and even helping to protect your skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays. Plus, you can use it as an ingredient for virtually any skin care product you want to make at home. From massage creams to lotions and soap, shea butter is extremely versatile.
Our Shea Butter
Keep in mind that the uses and properties above are specific to raw and unrefined shea butter. Refined shea butter is often processed with various chemicals to alter the color and scent of the shea butter with the hope of making it more appealing. Unfortunately, these chemicals reduce many of shea butter’s inherent benefits. Here at 24Karite Gold, we only use the most ethical, effective, raw, wildcrafted and unrefined shea butter.
We proudly work with a women’s cooperative in Ghana, Africa to source our shea butter. As a result, the strong women workers of the cooperative can maintain a steady, fair income and provide for their families, while our customers (like you!) get access to raw shea butter straight from the source!
Reap the Benefits with 24Karite Gold!
Feeling convinced? Try it for yourself! If you’d like to experience the benefits of raw shea butter and it’s many uses for skin and hair care, be sure to check out our entire selection of shea butter products at 24Karite Gold. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us.