Shea Butter - Did you know???

Hey Everyone....

Most of you should have already heard of (or used) Shea Butter. However, for those who haven't, let's go through a quick overview...

Shea butter or Shea nut butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory-colored natural fat extracted from fruit of the shea tree by crushing and boiling. Shea butter is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and an emollient. The shea or karite tree, formerly Butyrospermum paradoxum, is now called Vitellaria paradoxa. It produces its first fruit (which resemble large plums) when it is about 20 years old and reaches its full production when the tree is about 45 years old. It produces nuts for up to 200 years after reaching maturity. The shea tree grows naturally in the wild in the dry savannah belt of West Africa from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, and onto the foothills of the Ethiopian highlands.

Shea butter is marketed as being effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, and stretchmarks. I chose Shea Butter as one of the ingredients for The Body Patisserie's Body Butter Souffle because it was gentle for my eczema ridden skin. Shea butter provides natural ultraviolet sun protection, although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from nothing to approximately SPF 6

But there are a few things you may not have known about this wonderful ingredient.

Did you know that pure Shea Butter is edible? In West Africa, the ingredient is used as a cooking oil and also as a substitute for cocoa butter in the Chocolate industry.

Did you know that toilet paper manufacturer Andrex released a Shea Butter enriched toilet roll to the UK market in Summer 2009? (talk about gentle to the touch)

Did you know that in Nigeria, it is believed to be very effective in the management of sinusitis and relief of nasal congestion? This is due to its emollient properties which helps in relaxing the tension in the face skin thus easing respiration. All one needs do, if one has sinus problems or congestion, is rub a considerable amount of the butter in and around the nostrils.

Did you know Shea butter is used in some indigenous ceremonies? Followers of the Holy Spirit Movement rebel group of Uganda smeared their bodies with shea butter in the belief that it would stop bullets! (ok... this is where the disclaimer comes in! Please do not attempt to use shea butter as a means of repelling bullets -- there is no scientific evidence that supports this practice and is deemed fatal if attempted)... I just thought it was an interesting tidbit, but I have to protect myself, you know???

Anyway, Shea Butter is a great emollient and moisturizer to be used in soaps and skin care! Give it a try... You may like it too... Protect your body. Protect your skin.

With Sweet Goodness...