STORY OF SHEA BUTTER

Ever been to Africa, the land of the Sahara? If you have, you’d have most certainly wondered what the secret ingredient is to their ever so flawless skin.
It would’ve left you mystified as to how one’s skin can be so evenly toned and glowing all through the day without the use of any cosmetics. Well, we’re about to let you in on this little secret that has been the secret weapon in the beauty arsenal of women in Africa for thousands of years.
The Dark Continent is known for its bountiful spread of green. But West Africa is particularly blessed with a lush abundance of the Cocoa tree and the Karite tree. The ancient populace of this land, the wise people that they were, soon discovered the true essence of this treasure their home beheld. They stumbled upon what we know today as the 100% organic best natural moisturizer in the world.

They found that the fruit of the Karite tree-borne 15 years after its growth yielded Shea nuts. These nuts when broken and boiled gave the most natural fat, Shea butter which was also edible. The wise people then combined the natural alkali, Cocoa Potash and the natural fat, Shea butter. This blending, as per the traditional black soap making process of Africa was done by hand when they realized that this alkali was skin-friendly and unlike many others did not burn their fingers. This hand mixed recipe they invented more than 2000 years ago gave us the perfect raw handmade soap that has come to hold a “holy grail” status among the skincare products this present day.

Some historians mention that Queen Cleopatra of Egypt and the most beautiful among women used to keep multiple jars of pure and unrefined shea butter sourced from West Africa.
She believed in the finest beauty secret at that period and at Lovedale we are proud to bring the benefits of shea butter for today’s generation.

Even today the Shea butter comes from the native and wild-growing West African Karite tree that produces a small-sized almond-like fruit with a nut inside. Continuing with the local tradition, the local individuals taking care of the plant separate the nut from the fallen fruit, make it boil where the butter comes floating on top of the surface. This floating butter is milled and filtered to remove all the impurities and then packaged in blocks to further ship to different stores and countries. It is also fondly popular as “women’s gold” in Africa because of the value it carries as a source of income for the women in Ghana.

Shea butter is now been used widely as a cosmetic ingredient for centuries around the globe and is considered the best skin moisturizer naturally available on the planet. It is a perfect pick for people since it is loaded with vitamins, fatty acids along with its easy-to-spread consistency which makes it a perfect product for soothing, smoothing and conditioning your skin. This time the old recipe is now being used to produce two variants

Shea Butter + Coconut oil +Natural Cocoa Potash + Palm Kernal Oil + Natural fragrance (Cocoa, Aloe Vera)

The raw, 100% handmade soap is made from organic Shea Butter and other natural ingredients. The addition of Lime juice with its cleansing properties and Neem oil, its antibacterial and antifungal functions enhance its worth. Coconut oil is added as some of the low molecular fatty acids in it does not react with the alkali element and is left in the soap as a residual fat, a moisturizer that reaches the hair roots to promote its growth. It also contains natural glycerin which contributes to high lathering and natural cleansing of the skin.

If you are still wondering how shea butter can be a regular part of your routine, read on to its top 6 benefits:

• A safe choice for all skin types

It is a tree nut product but unlike the properties of most tree nut products, shea butter carries a very low concentration of protein that is responsible for triggering allergies. As a matter of fact, no medical studies or research has proved shea butter causes an allergy. It is also free from chemical irritants that dry out your skin and it also doesn’t clog any pores making it a perfect choice for all skin types.

Shea butter is widely used for its amazing moisturizing effect which is the result of its fatty acid content that includes palmitic, linoleic, stearic and oleic acids. On applying the shea butter, the oils of it are rapidly absorbed by your skin where they act as “refatting” ageing by rapidly creating moisture and restoring lipids. This helps in restoring the barrier your skin needs from the outside environment while also holding its moisture to reduce the chances of skin getting dry.

• Doesn’t make your skin oily

Since shea butter has a high concentration of oleic and linoleic acid, they both balance each other out. It means that shea butter can easily be absorbed in your skin without causing any oily effect after application.

• It keeps the acne away

Shea butter has a high concentration of different fatty acids and this amazing composition allows your skin to keep away the excess oil (sebum). Along with this, it also restores your skin’s moisture, keeping it locked in your epidermis to avoid your skin from getting dried or stripped.

• Keeps your skin free from fine lines and wrinkles

Shea butter also boosts your collagen production and promotes new cell generation and researchers have concluded that it helps reduce photoaging—fine lines and wrinkles caused by environmental stress and ageing on your skin.

• Helps in the condition of psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis

Since shea butter has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps soothe your skin and relieve itching. This may prove helpful for individuals having inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. It also absorbs rapidly to provide quick relief in flare-ups conditions. Various studies also concluded that shea butter has similar medicinal properties to work well in treating eczema.