|
Shea butter is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizing, emollient and healing agent with skin softening properties and is an ivory colored natural fat extracted from the shea kernel. Apart from its moisturizing properties it also has anti-inflammatory properties – and it is readily absorbed into the skin, without leaving a tacky or greasy feeling on the skin.
on this page
Apart from the moisturizing and emollient properties, it also contains polyphenol (a type of antioxidant containing a polyphenolic substructure) and antioxidants, and in an unrelated study it even showed promise as an antibacterial agent, and apart from this, it also contains Vitamin E.
The polyphenols contained in shea butter includes gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate-as well as quercetin and trans-cinnamic acid. REFERENCE 5 & 6 The amount of polyphenols vary from region to region, but the main polyphenol is gallic acid which amounts from 27 – 70% of total polyphenol count.
The Shea butter is extracted by pressuring after sun drying the shell of the nut for a couple of days and is then cracked and removed, and the shea kernel inside is sun-dried for another 4 or 5 days. The dried kernels are put through a motorized grinding machine twice, first to break them and a second time to yield a fine powder. The powder is mixed with a small amount of boiling water and is pressed to yield the oil.
The shea tree – also sometimes called the karite tree was formerly known as Butyrospermum paradoxum, but is now classified as Vitellaria paradoxa.
It produces its first fruits – looking like large plums when it is about 20 years old and only reaches full production when the tree is about 45 years old.
The shea tree grows naturally 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, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zaire and Guinea.
Many claims are made regarding shea butter, and although not all have been clinically proven, but rely on anecdotal proof, it is said to help with:
Shea butter provides some natural ultraviolet sun protection, but this level depends on the crop – and can range from zero to approximately SPF 6 – so it is best not to depend on this quality to help prevent sun damage.
This wonderfully emollient and moisturizing butter does not irritate the skin and does not clog the pores nor cause pimples – and can be used successfully on acne and problem skin.
| 
