Shea Butter: What Is It? And What Are The Benefits?

The History of Shea Butter:

Shea butter is a by-product of shea nuts that are harvested from the Vitellaria Paradoxa tree in West Africa. It is produced through an arduous process of harvesting, washing, and preparing the shea nuts from which oil is then extracted. Shea butter has been used for thousands of years in Africa and can even be documented as far back as the 14^th century.

At Okiki, we use shea butter in most of our leave-in conditioners, soaps, balms, and body lotions.

The Benefits:

Shea butter has incredible moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties. With the majority of our handmade soap bars being packed full of shea butter, they are a perfect sustainable alternative to shaving cream.

There are many benefits to using shea butter. As shea butter is an emollient, it helps to trap moisture in the skin so can be very effective for those who struggle with dry, flaky skin. Shea butter contains Vitamins A and E, along with bioactive ingredients that give it these anti-inflammatory properties, so not only is it great for dry skin, but it can help to alleviate signs and symptoms of mild-to-moderate eczema too.

As well as being anti-inflammatory, shea butter also has antibacterial properties. However, it is important to note that shea butter isn’t always the answer for everyone. Those who struggle with acne should avoid using shea butter in large quantities, especially on the face.

When it comes to hair, shea butter is great for dry scalps or scalp irritation. We recommend using shea butter in the form of our leave-in conditioners if you have thick and loose hair texture. Made with natural argan oil, shea butter and cottonseed oil, our Argan & Shea Conditioner is gentle and mild, making it a great pick-me-up for the scalp, giving you a wonderful glossy glow.

Summary:

Shea butter has a plethora of benefits – it’s moisturising, nourishing and soothing for your skin. It can help prevent against stretch marks, help to fade scars, and assist you in managing skin conditions, such as contact dermatitis and psoriasis.

The combination of components in shea butter also helps neutralise free radical damage, which may help reduce signs of ageing.

Our soap bars are a great way to introduce shea butter into your skincare routine, whilst being sustainable. Use them on the face or body, and they’re also a great for travelling around in summer in one of our Okiki Exfoliating Soap Bags.

Click here to discover more of our Okiki shea butter range.