Shea butter. Is it pronounced shee-a? Or shay-a? Either one. I used to pronounce it shee-a, but then everyone made fun of me. So now, I pronounce it shay-a.
Shea butter is a main part of many skin care products and lotions. But what is it exactly? Here we go:
Shea butter originates from Ghana and is derived from the pressed nuts of the SheaTree.1 It is generally a creamy, off-white color. The texture is generally very smooth and is more of a softer butter. Occasionally, shea butter will obtain this nasty, grainy texture…kind of like sand. However, this is due to the fact that it is cooled down too slowly and the vegetable oils in the butter crystallize. It’s still okay to use, it just feels like sand. However, there should not be that many of those out there.
Shea butter is a great emollient and it softens the skin, which is why it is added to so many skin care products. Even better, it can be used alone in its raw form.
I use plain shea butter in its raw form every day. For my skin, it works; for others, not so much. I don’t use a lot, just enough to keep my skin moisturized and to help my skin repair itself at night. Shea butter is a very valuable natural skin care ingredient. Always look for shea butter as a valuable ingredient either alone or as a part of a lotion or other skin care product!
Source:
Shea Butter Profile (Refined). (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Mountain Rose Herbs: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/butter/shea.php
