What is Shea Butter?
Shea Butter is a fatty extract from the seed of the Karite (shea) Tree. The Shea Tree grows predominantly in the African Savannah grassland. The extract is known to contain a number of natural ingredients with biological activity. These give shea butter its great moisturizing and remarkable healing properties for skin ailments. It is used in the cosmetics, food and healthcare industries in the USA and Europe.
100% pure Shea Butter is a superior moisturizer. The unrefined Shea Butter has the largest healing fractions and contains special natural ingredients that are ideal for healthier skin. Shea Butter contains natural anti-inflammatory agents and a minor sunscreen agent.
The earliest mention of shea butter dates back to the time of Cleopatra, with references to caravans bearing clays of Shea Butter to be used as cosmetics. In 1348, Ibn Batouta, Moroccan historian and ambassador, noted uses of shea butter he observed in West Africa.
Mongo Park, early European traveler to West Africa, described in 1797 the Shea Karite tree and the uses of butter extracted from it, and the industries developed around it. Through the ages, Shea Butter has been an important part of African pharmacology. It has been used in Africa to treat many skin ailments and disorders.
In parts of West Africa Shea Butter has also been used for cooking and lamp fuel. Shea Butter is also sometimes used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter.
Researchers in France, have noted that occurrence of skin diseases among population using Shea Butter were low, and that its use seems to contribute to smooth and supple skin.
Shea butter melts between 86-100 degrees Fahenheit. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct light.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided here or elsewhere on this site is not intended to constitute professional medical advice for treatment. We encourage you to consult your personal physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
OMOLOLU INTERNATIONAL 100% Pure African Shea Butter
GUEYE Karite Shea Butter Herbal Complex
**Some data courtesy of the American Shea Butter Institute
