SHEA BUTTER

Owing to its wide benefits, Shea butter has become highly popular in western countries. It is used in a number of skin and hair care products like creams, lotions, moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, etc.

Shea butter application on the skin makes your skin really soft and smooth, thanks to its highly moisturizing as well as hydrating properties. And trust me, you too cannot deny this fact upon using it!

What is Shea Butter?

Shea butter which is also known as Butyrospermum parkii is a fatty oil that is derived from the Shea tree (karite tree). Shea butter is a natural beauty product that can do wonders for your skin as well as hair problems. It is one of the main natural ingredients used in various beauty as well skincare products.

Shea Butter – It can just do wonders to your Skin and Hair

According to a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Shea butter as well as Shea nuts are said to feature anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor-promoting properties. Going by one more American Journal of Life Sciences study, Shea butter helps in boosting collagen production which contains anti-aging properties.

Shea butter improves your skin’s health as well as shields your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun, thanks to vitamins A and E present in the shea butter which provides sun protection factor (SPF). Not just this, The Vitamin E of shea butter acts as an anti-aging agent too.

How is Shea Butter extracted?

Shea butter is derived from the Shea tree which is also known as Vitellaria paradoxa. The Shea tree (Butyrospermum parkii) which is native to Central Africa is found in few other countries as well.

The Shea tree bears the fruits and Shea butter is extracted from the nuts present in those fruits. These nuts are crushed by hand and then boiled after which a light-colored fat is derived which is nothing but Shea Butter.

As the Shea butter usually melts at the body temperature, the skin absorbs it quickly when applied. Its important components are stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid. Shea butter is highly beneficial to the skin owing to its healing property. Also, the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of the Shea butter can treat a number of skin ailments.

Benefits of Shea Butter

Shea butter’s usage dates back to ages as it has been highly used as a beauty ingredient. Shea butter is a natural ingredient that is widely used in a varied range of cosmetics, skin, and hair care products.

Shea butter which comes packed with a whole lot of vitamins and fatty acids along with its easy-to-spread texture and consistency makes it a perfect product for your skin which smoothens, soothes, and also conditions your skin.

Although Shea Butter is loaded with many benefits, we are listing below 30 important benefits for your Skin, Hair, and overall health.

1. Acts as a Moisturizer for Skin

Shea butter can be an amazing moisturizer for dry skin as it keeps the skin hydrated for a longer time. It nourishes the skin very well owing to its rich content of fatty acids as well as natural vitamins. It can also heal cracked heels and dry cuticles.

2. Fights against Aging Problems

Raw Shea butter which is rich in Vitamin A acts as an amazing anti-aging product that helps in reducing wrinkles. Raw Shea butter when applied twice a day can help in fighting aging problems and also make your skin healthy.

3. Helps in Lip Care

If you are worried about dry chapped lips and want to have beautiful lips, Shea butter can be one of the best solutions. Owing to its rich content of vitamin A and E, it can keep your lips moisturized well.

4. Takes care of Your Skin Naturally

For beautiful and smooth skin, raw Shea butter can do wonders as it makes your skin healthy and glowing by restoring hydration to the skin.

5. Shields Skin from harmful Ultraviolet rays

Shea butter which is rich in vitamins A and E acts as a natural shield for your skin against the harmful sun’s UV rays. It can also be amazing after sun care solution.

6. Baby Care Products

Babies’ skin is very sensitive and needs to be handled with utmost care. Most baby skincare products contain Shea butter as its key ingredient which acts gently on baby’s skin.

7. Can treat Blemishes and Wrinkles

Shea butter when used in a raw and unrefined manner can help in improving different skin problems like blemishes and wrinkles. It also helps in stimulating collagen production.

8. Helps in Restoring the Skin Elasticity

Shea butter helps in maintaining the elasticity of the skin, thanks to its rich content of Vitamin F. Your skin turns out to be hydrated, soft, and beautiful on regularly applying it.

9. Relieves Itchy Skin

One can get relieved of itchy skin by using Shea butter, thanks to its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties. Shea butter is also bundled with a number of natural components like anti-oxidants, Vitamin E, emollients, and fatty acids which are beneficial to itchy skin.

10. Treats Skin Cracks

Shea butter can be one of the best healers to treat skin cracks. One can apply Shea butter directly on the cracked soles and feet. Shea butter when applied to the skin cracks get absorbed deep into the skin thereby moisturizing it. The best time to treat skin cracks is before going to bed.

11. Strengthens Skin

Shea butter which helps in improving collagen production can strengthen your skin when applied. The skin gets more protein from Shea butter which nourishes the skin making it healthy and glowing.

12. Treats Dry Skin

If you are tired of trying ways to relieve your dry and rough skin, particularly in cold winters, apply raw Shea butter on the itchy dry areas which naturally moisturizes and treats the dry skin.

13. Worried about Skin Rash?

Once again, the raw unrefined Shea butter can be the ultimate solution to treat skin rashes naturally, thanks to its key components – stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid.

14. Treats Scars and Sores

Shea butter not just hydrates the skin but also helps in treating scars and sores owing to its healing properties.

15. Heals Skin Burns

Raw Shea butter application also aids in treating skin burns caused due to some accidental injury or even sunburn by soothing the burnt area.

16. Acts as a conditioner for Hair

One can apply Shea butter as a natural hair conditioner to hair which is otherwise known as ‘Mother Nature’s Conditioner’.

17. Moisturizes Hair

Application of Shea butter to hair moisturizes dry hair owing to its great hydrating properties. It works even on very dry as well as curly hair.

18. Can use it to Treat Dry Scalp

For those who are dealing with dry scalp, dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis-related problems, Shea butter can treat them all, owing to its rich content of Vitamin A and E.

19. Protects Hair Damage

Shea butter repairs damaged hair and nourish it by protecting against harmful radicals as well as direct exposure to heat.

20. Use it as a Massage Oil

Massaging with Shea butter on your scalp improves blood circulation. One can simply massage the scalp with melted Shea butter oil. Then leave it for 20-30 minutes by wrapping it using a towel before washing the hair.

21. Works as a Hair Softener

Use Shea butter to soften the damaged hair and make it healthy as well as improve the hair texture. One can apply it twice a day which helps in softening the hair.

22. Helps in Restoring Damaged Hair

Shea butter can do wonders even on colored and processed hair as its application not only protects the hair shaft but also restores the damaged hair.

23. Soothes Skin and Baby Diaper Rashes

Raw and unrefined Shea butter proves to be a great natural moisturizer as it is free of chemicals. As such, it can be the best product for soothing babies’ skin rashes caused due to diapers.

24. Healing properties of Shea butter

Shea butter can be the right choice for your health owing to its amazing healing and anti-inflammatory properties.

25. Improves Immune System

As Shea butter is loaded with Vitamin A and E along with essential fatty acids, it can help in improving bone growth, eyesight, and the immune system.

26. Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Shea butter

The anti-inflammatory properties of Shea butter aid in healing wounds, cuts, scrapes, sunburns as well as rashes.

27. Helps in Reducing Stretch Marks and Scars

Shea butter is mostly used in the creams manufactured to deal with stretch marks. Shea butter helps in restoring the natural elasticity of the skin as well as boost collagen production. This helps in reducing the stretch marks and the scars.

28. Provides Relief from Cold and Sinusitis problems

Shea butter has been used for ages to get relief from cold and sinusitis. Applying Shea butter to mucosal lining can relieve nasal congestion.

29. Helps in Treating Insect Bites

Shea butter aids in instantly healing the stinging pain caused due to insect bites. The itching and soreness caused due to insect bites can be reduced by applying Shea butter, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

30. Relieves from Joint Pains, Muscle Fatigue

Upon massaging with Shea butter, one can get relief from joint pains, muscle fatigue, and other aches. One can even mix Shea butter with other essential oils like lavender oil before application.