All the benefits of shea butter for skin and hair that you need to know
Shea butter is one of the most well-known ingredients in skin care and beauty. It is used in body creams, baths, hair products, lip balms and much more. The benefits of shea butter for skin, hair and health are well known.
Did you know that you can simply use pure shea butter in your routine? The results will amaze you!
Shea butter is a fat extracted from the African nut of the shea tree. It has an ivory color and is solid. Shea butter is rich in fatty acids: oleic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. Here are some amazing benefits of shea butter that you should definitely know about.
Shea butter is one of the best products to use for your daily care and here's why.
This is a major benefit of shea butter. It is very difficult to find a natural product that is suitable even for sensitive skin because most contain allergens. Shea butter does not contain any allergens. It's a zero on the comedogenic scale. This means it won't clog your pores and is suitable for oily and acne-prone skin .
Shea butter contains fatty acids that are easily absorbed, it restores lipids and creates necessary moisture. Oleic acid and linoleic acid work together and balance each other, shea butter is absorbed into your skin without leaving excess oil.
Shea butter is rich in vitamin A (retinoids) and E. These two vitamins are great antioxidant agents that fight free radicals caused by UV rays and protect you from premature aging. Shea butter can also be used in sunscreens, as it has a natural SPF of 3-4 and the antioxidants work best with the sun.
But beware ! Shea butter is not a sunscreen. A good sunscreen has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.
This is another great benefit of shea butter. When applied to the skin, it inhibits inflammatory cells and triggers cytokines. Shea butter soothes the skin, relieves itching, and may be helpful in treating eczema and psoriasis.
Its anti-inflammatory properties are also useful for treating sunburn. It can reduce swelling and redness, and the fatty acids restore lost moisture and soothe sunburned skin.
Shea butter contains triterpenes (the best known of which is squalene), which help deactivate the destruction of collagen fibers. As we age, collagen production is limited, and this is one of the causes of fine lines and wrinkles. Another benefit of shea butter is therefore to delay aging, reduce photoaging and prevent, but also reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
Some ingredients in shea butter are used to treat certain infections. It is known that shea butter can kill the spores of the fungi that cause ringworm and athlete's foot.
Shea butter prevents scar tissue from reproducing and stimulates the growth of healthy cells. It is therefore ideal for post-operative treatment and postpartum stretch marks.
Shea butter has many potential uses and benefits, including in hair care .
All hair types, but especially curly and frizzy hair, need extra moisture and shea butter is just what your hair needs! Rich in fatty acids, vitamins A and E, it will help you regain lost hydration and treat your split ends. The fatty acids reduce frizz and give you a shiny, silky look.
It can also protect your hair from breakage and heat damage. Shea butter is the right treatment for frizzy hair and very damaged hair. But keep in mind that if your hair is oily or very fine, shea butter can make it even oilier and weigh it down. You can avoid this by using a small portion and washing them very well.
Shea butter is beneficial not only for the hair strands but also for the scalp. Inflammation of the scalp can cause itching, flaking, and damage to the clear follicles. This can lead to hair loss and block the production of new hair strands. So you can use raw shea butter or shea butter shampoo to reduce dryness and inflammation on your scalp.
It is really important to emphasize that you must use raw, unrefined shea butter, otherwise you may not see all the benefits mentioned above. So buy your raw shea butter and follow these recipes.
Use a small amount and simply apply it to your face.
Mix and melt equal parts shea butter, olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil and honey and you will never have dry lips again.
Melt 1 cup of shea butter, ½ cup of coconut oil, and ½ cup of almond oil (jojoba and olive oil also work well). Put the melted mixture in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes until it's not frozen or too soft, then whip everything with a mixer until it resembles fluffy body butter. Store everything in a container in the refrigerator.
Melt a few tablespoons of shea butter, apply it to your hair (or/and scalp) and leave for 1-2 hours or overnight. You can combine it with other effective oils like olive and coconut oil or use it as a base for other natural hair masks.
Put ½ tablespoon of sweet almond oil, ½ cup of aloe vera gel and ¼ cup of soft shea butter in a bowl and mix them in the blender until the mixture resembles pudding. Store everything in a cool, dry place and use it to give your curls the greatest possible definition!
You can find raw, unrefined shea butter at your local grocery store, health food stores, and African grocery stores .
