Shea butter is a type of fat extracted from the African shea nut. After shea butter is refined, it becomes a white color and can turn yellow when palm oil or borotutu root is added. Shea butter is usually odorless, and it has various uses. Though shea butter is traditionally used for skincare, it is also edible. Some African countries use it in place of regular oil or cocoa butter. Shea butter contains skin protecting and emollient properties. Also, because it is rich in cinnamon acid, it protects the skin from UV rays. It is an excellent organic raw material used in skincare products that protect the skin from the sun. It is also used as a massage butter, and a moisturizing agent in soaps and shaving creams, or as a treatment for minor skin wounds and irritations.
5 Benefits of using Sheabutter as an Organic Skincare Raw material
Sheabutter does fantastic wonders on the skin! Below are five benefits of using shea butter as an organic raw material for the skin.
1. Great for all skin types
Shea butter is a product of the shea tree nut, but unlike most tree nut products, it doesn't contain proteins that trigger allergies. There is no medical proof linking any allergy to shea butter. This means that shea butter doesn't contain any chemical that can affect dry or oily skin, and it doesn't clog pores. Shea butter is appropriate for all skin types which makes it a great organic skincare raw material.
2. Protects the skin from UV rays
Shea butter works effectively with other skincare raw materials as an effective sunscreen. Using shea butter on the skin gives you extra sun protection, so layer it over your skin on days you will be in the sun. Shea butter is estimated to contain SPF of 3 to 4, which makes it a natural sunscreen against the ultraviolet rays of the sun. However, the level of protection may vary. Shea butter contains cinnamic acid, a compound that provides UV protection, and the SPF ranges from 6-10 depending on the butter’s quality. Shea butter is handy in soothing the skin and reversing the oxidative damage of a day in the sun.
3. Helps remove scars and stretchmarks
Shea butter is usually used as a cream base in ointments or creams used for stretch mark treatment. This is because shea butter stops scar tissue from reproducing on the skin and encourages the growth of healthy cells in its place. Shea butter also helps prevent and reduce stretch marks formed on the stomach or other parts of the body during pregnancy because of weight gain. Shea butter also restores the natural elasticity of the skin and improves the skin's collagen production. Constant application of shea butter on affected areas of the skin lightens and reduces the appearance of stretch marks and scars.
4. Helps to moisturize and soothe the skin
Shea butter works as a natural skin moisturizer that is devoid. It is gentle and soft on the skin, and also serves as an anti-inflammatory. Because of these properties, it can be used to heal eczema or diaper rash on the surface of babies and toddlers as well as adults. The moisturizing and the anti-inflammatory properties of shea butter work wonders on dry skin and help prevent peeling or flaking of the skin. The moisturizing fatty acids of shea butter help relieve itching by providing the oils the skin needs. It also works on itching caused by skin conditions like psoriasis.
5. Cleans and refreshes the skin
Shea butter contains stearic acid known to have cleansing properties that purge the skin of dirt and sweat and clears the skin's pores. Shea butter contains high emulsifying properties that bind water and oil in the skin, leaving it refreshed and soft.
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