With a rising interest in healthy and natural skin and hair care products, shea butter is taking off as a staple in homes all over the world. Loved for its natural moisturizing capabilities and how nicely it absorbs into the skin without leaving a residue, this butter is simply a reliable and natural way to improve the look and feel of your skin.

What exactly is shea butter, however? It actually comes from the nut of a tree that originates from Africa, the shea tree. Unrefined shea butter is considered a natural emollient and works perfectly as a prime ingredient in a variety of different hair and skin care products. What’s incredible about this all-natural substance is that it is so nourishing and absorbable, it works with or without supporting ingredients. You can use shea butter as is or take advantage of various products that include shea butter as a key ingredient.

Either way, if you want to get the most benefit out of it, unrefined shea butter is generally the better option, as it is the least processed. The refined version is meant to be cosmetic-grade, and is bleached to appear more attractive, deodorized, and may include preservatives. However, the processing often depletes the nutritional value, so if you are interested in experiencing how effective this butter can be or are thinking about utilizing it in some of your own personal care formulas, the unrefined variety is probably the way to go.

Outside of its basic reputation as a skin-moisturizing agent, this butter actually boasts a wide range of other health benefits, due to its unique nutrient profile and fatty acids. If you are interested in learning how to improve your personal care routine with a more impactful product, this quick guide will help you out.

Skin Soothing Properties

Shea butter is widely known as a skin moisturizer, but related to this is its ability to help skin feel silky smooth. This is likely due to the presence of certain vitamins such as A and E. While more research is needed on the subject as to why shea butter is so effective in this area, most of its proponents would attest to how well it makes their skin feel, especially after long term use.

If you suffer from dry or irritated skin, this may be the perfect natural product for you. Not only does shea butter provide plenty of nourishment and moisturization, but it’s completely safe and non-toxic. You don’t need to worry about the butter irritating your skin or making your dry skin even worse like many mass-market creams tend to do. The lack of chemicals and artificial substances means that your skin is receiving nothing but impactful vitamins and fatty acids that are readily absorbable and great for your body.

Mild Anti-Inflammatory

According to WebMD, shea butter contains substances that may help reduce swelling and chronic conditions such as eczema. While research is still being done on the various applications of shea butter and how it might be used to effectively treat certain skin conditions, there does seem to be some indication, based on its nutrient content, that it is effective at helping to soothe skin and calm swelling and irritation.

In terms of taking care of your skin, it’s important to have natural ways to address irritation and swelling without always having to resort to artificial substances. You should remember that your skin absorbs what’s on it, so you have to be mindful of what’s in your personal care products. If you are looking for mild and all-natural relief from basic skin irritation or dryness, pure unrefined shea butter is certainly a great option that doesn’t have any unwanted side-effects.

Natural Skin Protection

On top of being great at potentially moisturizing and softening your skin, shea butter also seems to offer mild protection as well. With a natural SPF of about 6, it does offer light protection from UV rays for general purposes. What’s more, unlike many mass-market sunscreens that contain a wide array of chemicals, shea butter will help keep your skin moisturized at the same time, which is great for the overall health of your skin.

Its natural capacity as a sunscreen makes it the ideal choice for any daily moisturizing lotions or creams that you plan on crafting because they will provide you with basic protection while you are going about your day.

Secret Anti-Aging Cream?

One final benefit of shea butter that is often brought up is its use as an anti-aging product. The verdict is still out on this issue, as the properties of shea butter are still not fully understood, but it is thought that the beneficial fatty acids in this substance help strengthen and rejuvenate skin naturally, which leads to better elasticity and fewer visible wrinkles.

If you are thinking of crafting your own personal care products using high-grade unrefined shea butter, you can find all you need right here in our online store. Take a look at our selection of quality ingredients or get in touch with us for more information regarding the recipe you had in mind!