Shea Butter ~ Africa's
Golden Gift
by
Lisa Maliga © 2004-2008
From department stores to discount and drug stores, shea butter lotions, creams, lip balms, soap, conditioners and moisturizers are becoming more familiar to us. On television, a commercial announcer boasts of a brand name moisturizer containing shea butter, when the fact is that the butyrspermum parkii, the Latin name for this ingredient, is listed near the end of a long list of fillers, petroleum castoffs, and preservatives.
What Is Shea Butter?
With
its growing reputation we are enticed to try this “new” and wonderful sounding ‘butter’ which is not a dairy product. Technically, shea butter is a nut fat, as it is derived from the crushed nuts of the karite tree that grows wild in the African savannah, an area that comprises more than a dozen countries and is approximately the size of America. To a person from Ghana or Burkina Faso, two of the largest exporting countries of shea butter, they are quite accustomed to the benefits of shea butter. They massage it on their skin and hair; they cook with it, and it’s known to help people of all ages with accelerating the healing of minor cuts, burns, and scrapes. Those who try natural shea butter are amazed to discover that applying all natural shea butter onto their skin, a thin protective layer forms, that is non-greasy!
Shea [Karite] Trees Grow In The Wild
Shea butter comes from karite trees, which live for hundreds of
years and only begin providing fruit by the time they are about
25-30 years of age. Most wild [as opposed to cultivated which is
very small scale at this time], karite trees are pollinated by
small fruit bats, which help to ensure the continued existence
for this ‘tree of life’ as those whose livelihood depends on these fruitful trees oftentimes refer to it as. The shea nuts aren’t picked from the trees as they must first mature and fall from the trees where they are then collected. Women are responsible for the gathering and production of shea nuts and helping cultivate them into valuable shea butter. The process of harvesting the shea fruit is time consuming, but the results are well worth the amount of effort that goes into each batch of natural shea butter. While the ripe green, fleshy fruit is rich in ascorbic acid as well as vitamin B; it’s the kernels inside the nut that comprises the shea butter.
Making Shea Butter
The nuts are first
sorted and parboiled, and then left to dry in the hot sunshine
for up to one week. When the shea nuts are completely dehydrated,
they can either be stored for several weeks or months, or they
go to the next step of shea butter production.
Crushing the dried
nuts, either with a wooden pestle, or, in more sophisticated operations,
a special press, causes the nuts and the kernels to be separated.
Next, the kernels are roasted in large metal pots and processed
through a grinder, which results in a brown colored paste. This
paste is processed a second time. The labor-intensive procedure
continues with the mixing and kneading of the kernels after some
water has been added. While this step of the shea butter making
production goes on for several hours, it’s a vital step as this
is what creates the shea butter itself. It’s still unrefined, but
many people prefer the natural shea butter to the more refined
versions. Also, there are places in Africa that have various types
of shea refining machinery, allowing the shea extracting process
to remain easier for all parties involved. For instance, the shea
butter is filtered by a natural cold process method that strains
the shea butter of any debris such as gourd pieces, dirt, leaves,
etc. Most shea butter that is refined in Africa is usually free
of hexane solvents that not only bleach and remove many of the
vitamins and minerals, but also can remain in the finished product.
Unrefined/Virgin Shea Butter
This type of shea butter has a wide range of colors and some differences
in textures. Generally, unrefined, or virgin, shea butter is that
which has been filtered [hopefully] and possibly refined at least
once in the most natural cold process method. Beige, light or
dark green, gray or dark tan are the colors that unrefined shea
butter can end up. The green colors come from shea nuts that
are less mature than the beige colors. Shea colors are also dependent
upon the time of year the nuts are harvested and processed, along
with the region in which the shea nuts are selected from.
While most unrefined shea butter maintains all the
vitamins, especially vitamin A and E, and minerals, it also retains
its aroma. The scent of unrefined shea is what discourages a lot
of people from trying this healing butter, as it can be a rather
earthy combination of smoky and nutty. The aroma, while being somewhat
strong, depending upon the shea butter and your sense of smell,
does disappear after it has been applied to your skin within a
matter of minutes. Unrefined shea butter’s texture can vary from smooth and creamy; think commercial
smooth peanut butter, to hard, waxy and/or chunky, such as a crunchy
peanut butter. Those of you who have never been around shea butter
before would be understandably put off if, upon opening a jar,
you found a smelly and crunchy looking product! But after an experimental
dab or two, you will discover that shea butter does leave your
skin looking and certainly feeling smoother and softer than it
did pre application.
Refined Shea Butter
The type is usually white to cream colored, has no discernable
nutty/smoky scent, and is smooth and creamy. The difficulty with
ultra or even refined shea butter, is in knowing whether that product
has been commercially refined to remove its minerals and vitamins
with a hexane solvent. Also, shea butter can be bleached to make
it appear even lighter. One way to determine a shea butter’s authenticity
is to see if it has been cold-pressed, sometimes called cold-processed
or expeller-pressed.
The Refined shea, which ranges in color from white to beige has
had some of its vitamin/mineral properties removed in the process
of refining, but it does retain a bit of a beige or light tan color
and nutty aroma. The texture can be either creamy or chunky.
The ideal shea butter would feel creamy and smooth and be absorbed
into your skin quickly. Also, the nutty and/or smoky scent should
be lighter. Shea butter can be mixed with fragrances and essential
oils to completely change the aroma, making it sweet, spicy, fruity,
floral, herbal, etc.
While shea butter is added to a myriad of bath & body products,
the best way to sample the delights of this African butter is to
buy a small jar and try it for yourself to learn what is so great
about shea butter.
Shea Butter’s Benefits
Many web sites will sell shea butter in various sizes, containers,
prices, and types. They might have some information about shea
butter on the site, or you may have to do some online research
to discover more about this product. Either way, be well informed
before purchasing shea butter. If a site tells of wonderful things
happening after just one application, other than the fact that
it soothes skin, please use your own judgment. Like any product
out there, a lot of hype can be attached to it. Shea butter, as
you’ve
just read, is a skin soothing nut fat that may be very beneficial
and here are some reasons:
Shea butter can be used as an all-natural
hair conditioner.
Shea butter promotes quicker healing of small
wounds, burns, cuts and scrapes.
Shea butter is an efficient natural
makeup remover.
Shea butter is safe to use on babies, children
and adults.
Shea butter helps prevent and soothe sunburns.
Shea butter is high in vitamins A and E.
Shea butter helps moisturize dry skin.
Shea butter soothes sore, overworked muscles.
Shea butter is recommended for conditioning animal’s coats.
Shea butter makes an excellent natural lip balm.
Shea butter helps restore elasticity of aging skin.
Does shea butter cure serious skin conditions such
as eczema and psoriasis? There have been some testimonials to that
effect, yes. But in actuality, if you were to have a somewhat serious
or persistent skin problem, you should consult with a healthcare
practitioner or dermatologist. Shea butter is not recommended for
people with nut or latex allergies. Or you could find out by trying
shea butter. Whenever considering trying a natural remedy, you
should be responsible and do your research both on and off-line.
The choice to use a “new” product
is always up to each individual.
Lisa Maliga has been designing natural bath & body products since 1998 and this year has launched her company, Everything Shea Aromatic Creations. Her love of shea butter, which is added to all the soaps, prompted her to name her company after the moisturizing and skin-soothing ingredient that comes from the nut of the African shea tree. Learn more about shea butter, whipped shea butter, custom handmade promotional Mini SoapCakes, moringa seed oil products and more at: http://www.everythingshea.com
© 2004-2008 ~ All text
copy and photographs on this entire web site are copyrighted
by EverythingShea and Lisa Maliga and may not be used without
express written permission. Thank you.
Disclaimer: The information
on this web site was gathered from various sources. It is in
no way meant to prevent, cure, or diagnose any medical condition.
The products offered should not be used for purposes other than
that for which they were intended. All products are labeled for
external use only. Everything Shea accepts no liability for the
misuse of these products. Please do not rely on products or information
as a substitute for medical advice. If you have a medical problem,
contact a health care practitioner. Product statements have not
been evaluated by the FDA. Due to fluctuating market costs of
raw materials prices are subject to change without notice.
|