• Personal Care

What Is Shea Butter Good For?

For centuries, shea butter has been used as a key ingredient in cosmetic products. Whether it’s used to aid in chapped lips or dry skin, shea butter has many moisturizing benefits as well as other natural properties. If you’ve never used the ingredient as part of your routine, you might not understand how shea butter works to repair your skin and you could be missing out on many beneficial properties.
The good news, however, is that it is never too late to start using shea butter. Here is everything you need to know about this powerful resource.

What Is Shea Butter?

When it comes to natural skincare, you should always ask what the source of the main ingredient is. Pure shea butter is fat that is extracted from the nuts of a shea tree. This shea fat is solid at warm temperatures and has an off-white or ivory colour. Shea nuts are native to West Africa, which is why most shea butter is labelled as ‘raw African shea butter’.

Plant oils, such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, almond oil, flaxseed oil and palm oil, all have a spreadable consistency, which is good for smoothing and soothing the skin. Although you should always store shea butter at room temperature, it also has the ability to be conditioning when spread across the body.

The ingredient is a great source of vitamins and essential fatty acids, like linolenic acids, which contain many different antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties. When added to natural products, like lotions, mild shampoo or shaving cream, shea butter offers many benefits.

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The Benefits Of Shea Butter

Treats Acne Scars And Blemishes

Many people who have acne-prone skin are prescribed medicated creams in order to control breakouts. However, this isn’t always good. If you don’t have tree nut allergies or topical shea butter allergies, shea butter may help you with treating acne scars because of its healing properties. It contains linoleic and stearic acids, which aid in scarring and rashes.

Reduces Skin Inflammation

Although not medically reviewed, shea butter contains properties that soothe skin. If you suffer from irritated skin, the ingredients in shea butter act as an anti-inflammatory and are effective in treating eczema.

Reduces Stretch Marks

Shea butter and coconut oil are used as the base in stretch mark treatments – and for good reason. One of the most important shea butter benefits is the fact that the application can restore natural skin elasticity. While the skin is stretching, its healing properties will help to prevent and lighten marks.

Contains Anti-Aging Properties

Shea butter is one of the traditional African remedies in preventing fine lines and wrinkles. The fat of the shea nut stimulates collagen production, keeping skin supple, nourished and radiant. People spend hundreds on cosmetic anti-aging applications, but this ingredient offers benefits at a low price tag. Whether you have sensitive skin or aging skin, you can use shea butter to look and feel your best.
Shea Butter Is Good For Many Things, As Long As You Use Unrefined Shea Butter Or Raw Shea Butter When you use this ingredient, it’s important to use organic shea butter that is raw or unrefined. Refined shea butter undergoes chemical processes to remove smell and odour, which then also removes its healing properties.

Looking to add shea butter to your skincare routine? Check out Crate61’s Oatmeal Shea Soap.