What Is Shea Butter?

Shea Butter is derived from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea tree also known as the Karite tree. The fruit of the Shea tree has nuts inside them from which Shea Butter is extracted, which is solid at room temperature. These nuts are treated to extract a light-colored, a fatty substance is known as Shea Butter. The nuts which are obtained from the Shea tree are shelled, grilled, and then pounded.  It is then boiled in a vat of water for a couple of hours to obtain Shea Butter which is loaded with skin-nourishing nutrients that make your skin soft, smooth, and well-nourished.

The main components of Shea Butter include linoleic acid, oleic acid, and stearic acid which are responsible for Shea Butter getting absorbed into the skin easily. Shea Butter to enhance the beauty of their skin and hair by utilizing it. The Vitamins and Fatty Acids which are present in high concentrations in Shea Butter are responsible for their moisturizing, conditioning, and nourishing properties.

Shea Butter Ayurvedic Uses :

In Ayurveda, Shea Butter is known to treat Vata and Pitta Dosha-related skin concerns. Shea Butter protects the skin from environmental damage, it has UVB protection which makes it a wonderful ingredient for sun protection. Enriched with Vitamin F and fatty acids, it soothes rough, dry, and chapped skin and is also known as a great anti-aging butter. Shea Butter also has anti-inflammatory and healing properties that can calm redness and sensitive skin.

Uses Of Shea Butter :

Shea Butter is used extensively in many skincare and hair care products because of its moisturizing and nourishing properties. The cosmetic industry is flooded with products containing Shea Butter as its key ingredient. Today we are going to discuss how Shea Butter can be used at home to improve the texture and appearance of your skin and hair.

Types Of Shea Butter :

Shea Butter helps to condition, smooth out, moisturize and nourish your skin as well as your hair which makes it an integral ingredient in most of the skincare and hair care products. Due to its beauty benefits, Shea Butter is used in many moisturizers, creams, lotions, shampoos, and conditioners.  It is interesting to know that 2 types of Shea Butter are available to us.

Raw Shea Butter :

Raw Shea Butter is considered to be the purest and most natural form of Shea Butter which is not processed. As this Shea Butter is not processed, all the essential nutrients such as Vitamins, Minerals, and Fatty Acids are retained in their natural form. The raw Shea Butter extracted from the Shea tree nuts, undergoes filtration through clay, and cheesecloth. The Shea Butter hence obtained, is melted into molds and sold as bars or sticks. Unrefined shea butter is extracted without adding any preservatives or other ingredients. This allows it to retain all its natural properties. Unrefined Shea Butter is usually a shade of light beige or yellow and has an earthy, nutty smell.

Refined Shea Butter :

Refined Shea Butter is known to be the processed form of Shea Butter. After filtration, it undergoes the process of deodorizing by airing or by treating it with other chemicals and the final process is bleaching which results in a white Shea Butter. But the Shea Butter which is obtained after undergoing a lot of chemical processing has got lesser nutritional value.

Thus, raw Shea Butter is known to be packed with essential nutrients which are known to be good for improving the texture and appearance of your skin and hair. Organic Shea Butter is also available in the market, which is grown naturally and the nuts are harvested manually. It is known to be the raw or unrefined version of Shea Butter as it has not undergone any chemical processing. Shea Butter is classified into different grades (i.e from A to F) according to their quality, A-grade being the most superior because of the higher concentration of cinnamic acid which is responsible for the healing property of Shea Butter.