Shea butter or Shea nut butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory-colored natural fat extracted from fruit of the shea tree by crushing and boiling. Shea butter is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and an emollient. Shea butter is also edible. It is used as a cooking oil in West Africa, as well as sometimes being used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter.
The shea or karite tree, formerly Butyrospermum paradoxum, is now called Vitellaria paradoxa. It produces its first fruit (which resemble large plums) when it is about 20 years old and reaches its full production when the tree is about 45 years old. It produces nuts for up to 200 years after reaching maturity.
Many vernacular names are used for Vitellaria, which is a reflection of its extensive range of occurrence---nearly 5,000km from Senegal (west) to Uganda (east) across the African continent. The nomenclature history and synonymy of the shea tree followed a very tortuous evolution since the oldest recorded specimen collected by a European---Scottish explorer Mungo Park---dated May 26, 1797. It eventually arrived at the name vitellaria with subspecies paradoxa and nilotica. It usually grows to an average height of about 15m with profuse branches and a thick waxy and deeply fissured bark that makes it fire resistant.
The shea tree grows naturally in the wild in the dry savannah belt of West Africa from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, and onto the foothills of the Ethiopian highlands. It occurs in 19 countries across the African continent, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Co^te d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea.
In Ghana (FAO, 1988a), it occurs extensively in the Guinea savannah and less abundantly in the Sudan Savannah. The shea tree occurs over almost the entire area of Northern Ghana, over about 77,670 square kilometers in Western Dagomba, Southern Mamprusi, Western Gonja, Lawra, Tumu, Wa and Nanumba with Eastern Gonja having the densest stands. There is sparse shea tree cover found in Brong-Ahafo, Ashanti, and the Eastern and Volta regions in the south of the country.
Properties
Shea butter is known especially for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer and emollient. Some claim that it is also an anti-inflammatory agent.[citation needed]Shea butter is marketed as being effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, eczema, burns, rashes, acne, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, stretchmarks, wrinkles, and in lessening the irritation of psoriasis.Shea butter provides natural ultraviolet sun protection, although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from nothing to approximately SPF 6. Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. In Nigeria, it is known to be very effective in the management of sinusitis and relief of nasal congestion.This is due to its emollient properties which helps in relaxing the tension in the face skin thus easing respiration. Scarcity of supply results in an erratic market price.Uses
Shea butter can be found in many high-end moisturizing skin products. Shea butter is known for its skin softening effect. It is also used in hair conditioners to add and maintain moisture in dry brittle hair, in addition to retaining softness and preventing breakage.
Shea butter is used in some indigenous ceremonies. Followers of the Holy Spirit Movement rebel group of Uganda smeared their bodies with shea butter in the belief that it would stop bullets.
Handcrafted shea butter is used in Togo, West Africa for ceremonies among the Fulani ethnic group.
Many carvers of djembe shells and other African drum shells use shea butter to condition the wood. Shea butter is also used to condition the goat or cow skin heads of these drums.
Shea butter is also a favorite among soapmakers. It's typically used in small amounts (5-7% of the oils in the recipe). Shea butter is a complex fat that contains many non-saponifiable components (cannot be fully converted into soap.) Thus the shea butter leaves a small amount of oil in the soap, which seals moisture into the skin after washing.
Toilet paper manufacturer Andrex released a Shea Butter enriched toilet roll to the UK market in Summer 2009.
The Famous Brand of Skin Care that use Shea Butter is : L'Occitane
The Best Seller Beauty Items:
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, 5.2-Ounce Tube
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Lotion for both guys and gals, February 8, 2008
By Hongster (Fort Lee, NJ USA)
First of all I am a guy and yes I bought this after some sampling it from one of my friends. I have very dry skin (due to weight training and having sensitive skin) and I have tried a lot of lotions to get rid of my dry skin and so far the only lotion that worked was Eucerin but that lotion was way too oily as it left my hands greasy. Now comes l'occitane which leaves my hand moisturized and no more grease after applying the lotion. It is simply one of the best lotions I have used.
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Every Penny, July 4, 2007
By Dreama D. Rucker "drdreama" (Morehead, KY)
This is the best hand cream I have found. Thick and rich, and not greasy. Absorbs easily. It is the only thing I have found that keeps my hands from cracking in the winter. Never want to be without it.
L'Occitane Savon Extra-Doux Lait (Milk Soap with Shea Butter, Extra Gentle), 8.8-Ounce
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Quality product, August 30, 2009
By Prairie Gal (South Dakota)
As far as soap goes, this is a nice product that I expect will last long enough to make me feel it was worth the money. It has a pleasant, yet very mild, scent.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Soap Ever, March 2, 2009By N. Drayton (NY)
I love this soap. Not only does it lather up really well and last a long time, it soothes my extra dry skin and the smell - amazing. I wish l'occitane made a laundry detergent with this exact fragrance. I will never use another brand of soap - this one is truly the best I have ever used.
L'Occitane Beurre de Karite` (Shea Butter), 0.26-Ounce Tin
Product Description
L'OCCITANE en Provence
This buttery-emollient is a powerful moisturizer. Retrieved directly from the fruit of the African Shea tree, Shea Butter's natural benefits will protect, nourish and moisturize dry and sensitive skin. To use, warm a nickel sized amount in the palm of your hand and smooth onto rough feet, hands, elbows, knees and any dry patch. May also be applied to hair, for a deep conditioning treatment.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great., June 1, 2009
By Marlena (Las Vegas, NV)
This is great moisturizer. It instantly repairs dry skin without greasy feeling. I use on my lips, elbows, heels, fingers. A little goes long way.
