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where does shea butter come from

what is shea butter? Shea butter is fat that’s extracted from the nuts of the shea tree. It’s solid at warm temperatures and has an off-white or ivory color. Shea trees are native to West Africa, and most shea butter still comes from that region. Shea butter has been used as a cosmetic ingredient for centuries. Its high concentration of vitamins and fatty acids — combined with its easy-to-spread consistency — make it a great product for smoothing, soothing, and conditioning your skin.

How to use shea butter : On skin, You can apply shea butter directly to your skin. Raw, unrefined shea butter is easy to spread. You can use your fingers to scoop a teaspoon or so of shea butter from your jar, and then rub it onto your skin until it’s completely absorbed. Shea butter is slippery and can keep makeup from adhering to your face, so you may prefer to apply it at night before bed.

On hair, Raw shea butter can also be applied directly to your hair. If your hair is naturally curly or porous, consider using shea butter as a conditioner. Make sure your hair has absorbed most of the shea butter before rinsing and styling as usual. You can also use a small amount of shea butter as a leave-in conditioner. If your hair is naturally straight, thin, or fine, consider using shea butter on the ends of your hair. Applying shea butter to your roots may cause an oily-looking buildup.

It’s safe for all skin types : Shea butter is technically a tree nut product. But unlike most tree nut products, it’s very low in the proteins that can trigger allergies. In fact, there’s no medical literature documenting an allergy to topical shea butter. Shea butter doesn’t contain chemical irritants known to dry out skin, and it doesn’t clog pores. It’s appropriate for nearly any skin type.

It’s moisturizing : Shea butter is typically used for its moisturizing effects. These benefits are tied to shea’s fatty acid content, including linoleic, oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids. When you apply shea topically, these oils are rapidly absorbed into your skin. They act as a “refatting” agent, restoring lipids and rapidly creating moisture. This restores the barrier between your skin and the outside environment, holding moisture in and reducing your risk of dryness.

It’s antifungal : Shea tree products have been established as powerful ingredients to fight skin infections caused by fungi. While shea butter may not be able to treat every kind of fungal infection, we know that it kills spores of the fungi that causes ringworm and athlete’s foot.

It may help prevent acne : Shea butter is rich in different kinds of fatty acids. This unique composition helps clear your skin of excess oil (sebum). At the same time, shea butter restores moisture to your skin and locks it in to your epidermis, so your skin doesn’t dry out or feel “stripped” of oil. The result is a restoration of the natural balance of oils in your skin — which may help stop acne before it starts.

It helps promote cell regeneration : Shea’s moisturizing and antioxidant properties work together to help your skin generate healthy new cells.Your body is constantly making new skin cells and getting rid of dead skin cells. You actually get rid of anywhere between 30,000 to 40,000 old skin cells each day. Dead skin cells sit on the top. New skin cells form at the bottom of the upper layer of skin (epidermis). With the right moisture balance on the surface of your skin, you’ll have fewer dead skin cells in the way of fresh cell regeneration in the epidermis.

It offers added sun protection : Shea butter can’t be used by itself as an effective sunscreen. But using shea butter on your skin does give you some added sun protection, so layer it over your favorite sunscreen on days you’ll be spending outside. Shea butter contains an estimated SPF of 3 to 4.

It may help treat dandruff : One way to treat dandruff (atopic dermatitis) is to restore moisture to your dry and irritated scalp. One 2018 reviewTrusted Source found that shea butter, when used in combination with other moisturizers, could help decrease dandruff flakes and reduce risk of flare-ups. More research is needed to determine how effective shea is when used alone.

It may help soothe sunburn and other skin burns : ResearchTrusted Source suggests that oils may be beneficial for superficial (first-degree) skin burns, such as sunburn. Shea’s anti-inflammatory components may reduce redness and swelling. Its fatty acid components may also soothe the skin by retaining moisture during the healing process. Although the researchers in this study established that the use of shea butter, aloe vera, and other natural products is common, more research is needed to assess their efficacy.

It may help soothe insect bites:  Shea butter has been traditionally used to soothe bee stings and insect bites. Anecdotal evidence suggests that shea butter may help bring down swelling that bites and stings can cause. That said, there isn’t any clinical research to support this. If you’re experiencing severe pain and swelling from stings or bites, consider seeing a health professional and stick to proven treatments.

It may help relieve arthritis pain : Arthritis is caused by underlying inflammation in the joints. A 2016 animal studyTrusted Source on shea oil concentrate suggests that it can help reduce inflammation while also protecting joints from further damage. Although this study focused on knee joints, these potential benefits could extend to other areas of the body.

It may help relieve congestion:  A 1979 studyTrusted Source suggests that shea butter may help alleviate nasal congestion. When used in nasal drops, shea butter may reduce inflammation in the nasal passages. It could also help reduce mucosal damage, which often leads to nasal congestion. These effects could be beneficial when dealing with allergies, sinusitis, or the common cold.

Where do all of these benefits come from? The benefits of shea butter come from its chemical makeup. Shea butter contains: linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic fatty acids, ingredients that balance oils on your skin. vitamins A, E, and F, antioxidant vitamins that promote circulation and healthy skin cell growth. triglycerides, the fatty part of the shea nut that nourishes and conditions your skin cetyl esters, the waxy part of the shea nut butter that conditions skin and locks in moisture. Keep in mind that the exact makeup varies according to where the shea nuts are harvested from. You may also find shea butter mixed with added ingredients, such as tea tree oil or lavender oil.

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