It’s All About Shea Butter
Shea Butter is a fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. It’s usually yellow when raw, but it can come in various shades depending on the region. The history of Shea can be traced backed to Ancient Egypt, when shea butter was and continues to be used to protect hair and skin from the harsh elements of the African deserts. In some African countries, such as Benin, shea butter is used as cooking oil, waterproofing wax, hairdressing, candle-making, and as an ingredient in medicinal ointments. The American Journal of Life Sciences claims that “shea butter boosts collagen production, demonstrating anti-aging properties.”
Here are a few other benefits of Shea Butter:
- It moisturizes dry skin
- Great for Eczema
- Helps prevent and reduce stretch marks
- Helps softens skin, hands, and feet
- Restores luster to hair
So what’s the process of shea butter exactly? The first process is to crack the shell by hand to release the shea nut. Then the nuts are washed and left to dry to remove moisture. The next step is to pound and crush them into little pieces. Once completed, the shea nuts are roasted and transformed into a dark paste. After that, water is added to the paste and whipped for better mixing. The paste is then purified by washing it over and over with distilled water. Heat is then applied to the purified paste over the fire so the fats can rise to the top, with the oil settling at the bottom. The last and final step is to trim the fat off again, letting the oil sink to the bottom. The oil will become and then used as Shea Butter.
How do you use Shea Butter? Let us know in the comment section. We would love to hear from you.
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