- Is there any harm from shea butter?
“If you want to be beautiful, use cosmetics” - this opinion has taken root among women. This approach really has its advantages: found, ordered/bought, used. There is no need to waste time and effort searching for a suitable way to maintain natural beauty.
However, cosmetologists have a slightly different point of view. They are confident in the great benefits of natural substances and their advantages over cosmetic preparations. A pantry that contains many beneficial natural ingredients is shea butter.
What is shea butter?
This is an extract that is extracted in Africa from the fruits (more precisely, the seeds of the fruits) of the tree of the same name growing there. It is also called the tree of life; in some countries its felling has been banned. The reason is that many African settlements make their living by extracting shea butter, and the shea tree produces its first fruits at the age of 25!
When manually producing shea butter, the process takes a long time, requires a huge amount of effort and resources: first, the fruits are collected, then the kernels (seeds) are released, after which their lengthy processing begins. The result is a solid white, slightly yellowish (ivory) or creamy shea butter that has a subtle nutty odor similar to coconut.
In its homeland, it is quietly used in the kitchen: food prepared using this extract tastes and smells the same as if it was cooked in cow butter. But the product we have is purely cosmetic in nature; food is not prepared with it.
In order for this batter to fully demonstrate all its benefits, you need to approach it seriously: use must be in reasonable doses, and various cosmetic products must be prepared from it strictly according to the recipe.
Side effects
Since shea butter is made from nuts, it is classified as a highly allergenic product. People who are allergic to other nuts should do a test before first use by applying a little oil to the inside of their wrist. If no skin irritation occurs within 24 hours, the product is considered safe.
It is also not recommended to frequently use shea butter masks on thick, curly hair. To remove oily ingredients from curls, you have to use shampoo 2-3 times, which leads to dehydration.
Compound
This extract is of a basic nature, its basis is triglycerides, which moisturize the skin and restore the epidermis. In addition, the use of shea butter is due to the acids it contains:
- stearic;
- oleic;
- linoleic and linolenic;
- palmitic.
There are also so-called unsaponifiable substances - phenols, tocopherols and others. The extract contains the least amount of terpene alcohols, but it is their presence that provides the original aroma used in perfumes and cosmetics for fragrance.
This composition of shea butter makes it extremely valuable in the production of cosmetics. The properties and use of shea butter cosmetics depend on whether refined or unrefined raw materials are used.
In the INCI international nomenclature of cosmetic ingredients, this product is called Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter.
Consumer Reviews
You can find many products on sale, the packaging of which proudly displays the inscription “100% shea butter.” Unfortunately, there are quite a lot of fakes; if you are lucky enough to buy a jar of natural oil, you are lucky.
What do those who have already bought the oil and tried it on themselves say?
Advantages:
- pain from burns goes away quickly, they heal faster, no scars remain;
- protects from sun, wind and frost;
- softens and moisturizes the skin;
- An excellent remedy for healing cracked heels and toes;
- irritation and peeling disappear literally before our eyes;
- relieves itching and discomfort;
- is used very economically, universal;
- helped get rid of the addiction to hygienic lipsticks;
- smoothes out small wrinkles;
- helps treat atopic dermatitis in infants.
Flaws:
- It is very difficult to wash off from the hair, and the hair itself quickly becomes greasy;
- the smell is not for everyone;
- don't expect an immediate effect;
- after application the skin becomes a little shiny;
- there are many fakes on the market;
- it’s confusing that “Cosheaco Shea Butter” is made in Germany and packaged in Odessa;
- It is impossible to find a 100% natural product here.
Cosmetic properties
The cosmetic properties of shea fruit extract are based on the rejuvenating effect of triglycerides and the ability of oleic and other natural acids to protect the skin, restore it at the cellular level, and promote collagen production.
Any cream with shea butter is a valuable cosmetic product that can effectively:
- moisturize the skin, retain moisture in the epidermis;
- protect from the harmful effects of solar ultraviolet radiation;
- protect from unwanted environmental influences at any time of the year;
- smooth out facial wrinkles;
- help reduce swelling, etc.
Active organic matter in shea has a positive effect on metabolism, which, in turn, slows down the aging of the skin and the body as a whole. The same property affects the resorption of edema - most often women suffer from “bags” under the eyes, and to combat this sad phenomenon, cosmetologists have created such a miracle as patches with this extract.
The use of shea butter in cosmetology is enriched by combining it with other natural products - vegetable and essential oils, crushed organic matter (plants, fruits, citrus peels, coffee beans, etc.), nutritional supplements (cream, eggs, etc.). For example, shea butter with rose oil, lemon juice, scrubs with coffee grounds, etc. are highly valued.
Shea butter is very popular in anti-aging cosmetics - anti-wrinkle creams, masks, and other ready-made cosmetics are produced by many well-known brands. The use of creams with this extract, by enhancing the production of collagen, not only makes the skin more elastic, removes fine wrinkles, but also helps against stretch marks - the eternal problem of pregnant women and those who have repeatedly gained and lost weight.
Natural shea butter is highly valued by cosmetologists for its property of not clogging skin pores with the subsequent formation of sebaceous plugs, blackheads (comedones) - in other words, it is not comedogenic. Each cosmetic oil receives its own conditional points for comedogenicity - the ability to clog the skin, expand pores, and create a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms inside the sebaceous plug. This oil has 0 points on this scale - but cosmetologists still warn people with oily skin about using the product carefully.
Precautionary measures
In addition to the fact that oil can provoke the formation of comedones on oily skin, it can cause a feeling of dryness in the dermis. This often happens due to improper use of the product. If shea butter dries out your skin, you probably don’t moisturize your face before the procedure.
Like any other oily liquid, shea only retains existing moisture, so it should not be applied to completely dry epidermis. This applies not only to the face, but to the entire body.
Another reason why oil causes discomfort and can cause harm is individual intolerance. Be sure to test the product before regular use to understand whether it can be smeared on your skin. An allergic reaction is the main contraindication to the use of shea butter. Also, do not apply oil to open wounds, pimples, blackheads and skin prone to comedones.
Opinions about the comedogenicity of shea butter are controversial, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Moreover, judging by the reviews, there are still examples of clogged pores after using oil.
Medicinal properties
Modern medicine readily adopted this medicinal oil from the arsenal of traditional healers and uses it in the treatment of numerous ailments:
- pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (sprains, dislocations, injuries of varying severity, including fractures);
- infectious diseases of viral etiology (influenza and various acute respiratory viral infections);
- psoriasis;
- varicose veins, etc.
This extract is effective for atopic dermatitis, trophic ulcers, acne and other symptomatic manifestations of diseases of the endocrine system. It is used to treat burns (including sunburn), and it is also used to resolve scars and heal wounds.
The benefits of shea butter are also due to its ability to penetrate deep into tissues, warming them, stimulating lymph flow, and improving blood circulation. This makes it possible to use it as a decongestant for thrombophlebitis, varicose veins and other vascular problems.
Shea butter during pregnancy is used not only to prevent stretch marks (striae) or eliminate them, but also to reduce swelling of the face and limbs. It is absolutely safe for expectant mothers to use this product due to its hypoallergenicity. Pregnant women can use this product as an antiseptic and a natural moisturizer for the oral and nasal mucosa for colds.
Video: benefits of shea butter (karite)
Here you can clearly see how to use shea butter and what results you can achieve. The video shows a cream for stretch marks with an explanation of the rules for applying it.
Cosmetologists' opinion
Experts do not recommend getting carried away with oils. After all, there is always a risk of an allergic reaction or the possibility of incorrect use of the product.
Shea has earned a good reputation among professionals, but it has some peculiarities.
Some cosmetologists claim that shea butter can negatively affect the condition of the skin.
Because of this, it is worth using shea or any other similar base product in the hope of making the skin more hydrated. The goal of natural products in this category is to retain existing moisture.
Production
The vast majority of factory-made cosmetics are obtained from shea tree extract, which is also obtained in a factory way. The reason is that the oil obtained through manual processing and lengthy step-by-step extraction is too expensive, and the production cannot be compared with the industrial scale of use.
The current realities are such that women in African villages do not bother with the long process of production (especially since resellers take the finished product from them for pennies), but only engage in assembling fruits and separating kernels, which they sell.
How to choose a quality product?
In order for the product to actually bring benefits, it is important to choose a product in the store that will be of high quality.
To do this, it is important to adhere to the following rules:
- purchasing the product only at specialized points of sale;
- a high-quality composition has only a light nut aroma, without admixture of other strong odors;
- if the oil is heated to room temperature, it will become similar to butter, it will become just as soft and pliable;
- upon contact with the body, high-quality karite begins to melt.
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Shea butter uses
Shea extract can be used in a variety of ways, but its main area of application is facial and body skin care. This product moisturizes, nourishes and restores the skin during age-related changes, environmental influences (low or high air temperature, dryness, ultraviolet radiation, etc.), pathological changes (skin diseases, dermatitis) and others.
If we talk about body care, then unrefined shea butter works wonders with the roughness of the elbows: the skin in this part of the body undergoes changes in people engaged in “desktop” work - keratinization begins on the outer side, the skin becomes hard and rough. Another part of the body that is no less closely monitored is the female breast. For the chest, there are masks with extract, so-called Arabic wraps, massages using this product. Such care is especially important during lactation, when the mammary glands stretch significantly, and during menopause when the epidermis withers.
Facial care products with shea extract are divided into separate lines, since different parts of the face require different care. For example, to prevent lips from becoming chapped and to help cracks heal faster, a balm is used. And the delicate skin of the eyelids and under the eyes requires very delicate care; for this they came up with patches - plate-pads that are applied to the area under the eyes to eliminate swelling, redness, and wrinkles. Shea butter is used separately for eyelashes - it eliminates itching and prevents eyelash loss and redness along the edges of the eyelids.
For the facial skin itself, in addition to masks, shea scrubs are useful, to which are added chopped zest, ground coffee, dried apple peel and ground in a coffee grinder, etc. Women who take good care of their face apply shea butter as a base for daytime makeup and apply it before bed.
Shea butter is used for tanning: before this, you need to scrub the skin to exfoliate dead particles, after which the product is applied to the body. It prevents sunburn and promotes an even, beautiful tan without redness.
A separate women's article is hair and nails. For hair, they came up with masks, balms and shampoo with shea butter, which it is advisable to use in a comprehensive manner - the production of cosmetics in one line is based on this principle. Shea butter for nails prevents splitting of the nail plate, softens the cuticle (this has made the product popular for unedged European manicures), strengthens keratin and makes nails beautiful and shiny.
In medicine
For medical purposes, both unrefined and purified shea butter is used. The finished products indicate the type of raw materials used. The extract is included in ointments, liniments, anti-burn agents, and antibacterial external preparations. It is used for hemorrhoids, applying the ointment directly to the nodes to normalize the condition of the veins.
Since beauty and health are inextricably linked for women, cosmetic problems are treated (and correctly!) as medical ones. Therefore, anti-cellulite massages with shea butter are done in massage rooms and clinics. Women after childbirth use this massage to tighten their stretched abdominal wall, and at the end of lactation they restore the shape of their breasts.
Babies lubricate their plump folds with shea butter to prevent diaper rash - but you need to watch to make sure that the allergic reaction does not go unnoticed.
To treat skin diseases, both pure shea butter and its mixture with other components are used, depending on the nature of the pathology. The oil melts from the heat of the human body, after which it is easily absorbed. But it is better to use it long before bedtime or use fabric bandages on top so as not to stain the bed linen.
In cooking
Recently, this product is increasingly used in the confectionery industry - it resembles cocoa butter and has similar qualities. In their homeland, it is used for frying vegetables and other products - every resident of Burkina Faso has her own signature recipe for a family dish. Americans mainly use edible shea, like other nut butters, to make sandwiches. Our culinary shea butter is quite rare and very expensive, but you can make holiday baking with it.
Since this is a solid oil, it cannot be used to dress salads.
At home
Our household use of shea butter extract is limited to solving minor cosmetic problems that arise in the course of our life - for hands that are chapped in winter, for backs that are sunburned during summer cottage work, and the like.
Or maybe it’s our native Africa... There, the unrefined shea kernel product is used to coat the adobe walls of houses before the onset of the rainy season - it’s an excellent sealant. Windows and doors are treated in the same way, after which they sit dry and wait for the rains to end.
15 more ways to use it
In the homeland of vitellaria, in Central and Western Africa, people eat shea butter. African mothers smear their infants with healing oil from head to toe, believing that this “will make the baby plump.” Many European and American confectionery factories introduce shea into chocolate instead of cocoa butter.
There are 15 more known original uses of shea:
- Lubricate the eyelids before applying decorative shadows to fix the makeup.
- Rub into feet before exercise to soften rough skin on feet.
- Massage muscles after sports training. This relieves fatigue and muscle pain.
- Inject 2 g into each nostril for acute runny nose. Shea butter relieves congestion for 5-8 hours.
- Use instead of shaving cream for legs.
- Use as an ointment against diaper rash in infants.
- Rub on the stomach and thighs during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks.
- Treat your nails. This strengthens the cuticle and adds shine to the nail plates.
- Rub into eyelashes and eyebrows. This will speed up hair growth and increase its thickness.
- Brush your teeth to remove plaque and whiten.
- Mix with aromatic oil and use for body massage.
- Lubricate your face before going out into the cold.
- Apply to areas of the body where perfume is intended to be sprayed. The oil locks in the flavor.
- Add a few spoons to a hot bath to hydrate your skin.
- Lubricate the wings of the nose during a cold.
Manufacturers and prices
The price depends on the type of oil (refined-unrefined), the volume of factory packaging and, of course, the popularity of the brand. A domestic manufacturer (Aromatika) sells a 50 ml jar of cream for 330 rubles, and the L'Occitane company offers only 8 ml of this organic product for 350 rubles. One of the most expensive cosmetic lines with shea butter is the Korean cosmetics brand Elizavecca; it widely uses shea extract in its skin care lines. The price is elite. Therefore, you need to search and compare, try and share your impressions and experiences.
Nail products, shampoo with shea butter and other similar products are purchased only at certified points, then you can be sure that you did not pay for an unknown composition, but for a healing product.
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Wound healing ointment for chapped lips
In order to heal the smallest, but very painful wounds that form on the delicate skin of the lips, you can use the following ointment:
- melt 10-15 gr. shi;
- add the same amount of jojoba oil;
- stir and remove the container from the stove;
- pour 2 drops of lemon oil and at least 5 g. rose water;
- After mixing all the ingredients, transfer the mixture into a jar and regularly lubricate your lips with it.
