Many cosmetic and hair products tout shea butter as one of their ingredients, but shea butter is not a new discovery. People in Africa have been using shea butter for many years to protect and moisturize their hair and skin. Soapmaker Susan Miller Cavitch says shea butter is gentle enough for babies and people with sensitive skin but can nourish all skin types and especially help relieve rough, dry skin.
History
Shea butter comes from the karite tree, a tree native to Africa and known for its long life span. According to Lisa Maliga, owner of Everything Shea Creations, karite trees don't start producing fruit until they're 25 to 30 years old. Shea nuts are collected from the ground once they ripen and fall from the trees. The nuts are dehydrated and then crushed to separate the nuts from the kernels. The kernels are roasted in metal pots, then processed twice into paste. Finally, the shea butter is filtered to remove any debris.
Uses
Shea butter is rich in vitamins A, E and F. Vitamins A and E help soothe and hydrate skin. Vitamin F is known for its fatty acids, which protect and revitalize hair and skin. The American Shea Butter Institute says the top uses of shea butter include dry skin moisturizer, blemish and eczema cream, burn and scrape treatment, wrinkle reducing cream, dry hair moisturizer, shaving cream and anti-itch cream.
Types
Because shea butter is a natural product and the color of the shea nuts vary, shea butter comes in a variety of colors ranging from white to yellow to light brown. Shea butter is found in three types of extractions. Raw or unrefined shea butter is the original form of shea butter and is processed using only water. Refined shea butter is more highly processed but maintains many of its active ingredients. Highly refined or processed shea butter is usually completely white, and is manufactured using chemical solvents that increase the amount of product produced. Unrefined shea butter is the best to use in your hair to get maximum conditioning benefits because it doesn't require any chemical processing or additional removal of ingredients.
Benefits
Shea butter moisturizes hair and acts as a natural conditioner. It can also repair and protect split ends, and protect the hair shaft against weather damage or brittleness and breakage. Shea butter makes hair shiny and smooth. It's a great treatment for dry scalp.
Application
Massage a dollop of shea butter into your scalp and hair. Warming it first in your hands makes the shea butter into liquid so it's easier to apply through the hair. Wrap your head with a warm towel for 30 minutes, then remove and style as usual. Use shea butter twice a week for maximum moisturization. Shea butter is good to use in your hair before or after swimming to get rid of chlorine or salt, which dry out your hair.
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