Complete guide for using shea butter

Exceptionally rich in unsaponifiables and essential fatty acids, it's ideal
 for daily hair and skin care. The program: softness, comfort, suppleness and protection. You'll find there are many ways to use it. You can even easily make your own shea-based cosmetics! Here's everything you need to know about Butyrospermum parkii butter to get started.

 

 

Contents

• Shea: Africa's age-old butter tree
• What is Shea butter made of?
• What are the properties of Shea butter?
• How to choose a quality butter?
• Our different shea butters
• How is shea butter used on the skin?
• Shea butter in soaps: how to use it?
• How do I use Shea butter on my hair?

 

Shea butter is a fatty substance derived from a tree of the Sapotaceae family: the Shea tree (from ghariti in Wolof). It grows wild in West and Central Africa, where it is mainly exploited by women. Revered by local populations, it can live up to 200 years.

Nicknamed the "butter tree", it starts producing clusters of fleshy fruit after around 15 years. These fruits resemble small avocados. They contain nuts that themselves conceal almonds. When pressed, they release a fatty substance: shea butter. Extraction and pre-treatment techniques vary according to regional know-how.

Good to know: to identify the presence of Shea butter on the INCI list of your cosmetics, look for Butyrospermum parkii butter.

Like vegetable oils, plant butters are made up of triglycerides. Shea butter is particularly rich in unsaponifiables. These substances are extremely valuable, as they give your Shea butter skincare products most of their cosmetic properties. They can represent up to 15% of the overall composition of a quality raw butter!

• Oleic acid (in large quantities), a monounsaturated fatty acid.
• Stearic acid (in large quantities), a saturated fatty acid.
• Palmitic acid, another saturated fatty acid.
• Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated essential fatty acid.
• Triterpene alcohols (rest assured, they have nothing to do with the alcohol in your medicine bag).
• Sterols.
• Tocopherols, including vitamins A and E.
• Latex (to be avoided if you're allergic).

• It is nourishing. Its high fatty acid content forms a protective lipid film.
• It is softening. This is mainly due to linoleic acid.
• Regenerating. Rich in phytosterols and vitamin A, it supports cell growth.
• Soothing. Thanks to its high phytosterol and terpene alcohol content.
• It absorbs UV rays. This is due to its cinnamic esters. Note that it does not replace sun protection.

 

To benefit from all the properties listed above, it's very important to choose your Shea butter carefully. The easiest to find (and the cheapest) is refined shea butter. Refining involves subjecting it to a series of treatments to whiten and deodorize it. This technique relies on processes that are often incompatible with an eco-responsible approach. It also has the disadvantage of causing the finished product to lose some of its virtues. Your choice of butter depends above all on your cosmetic (effects) and organoleptic (smell, color) expectations.

• Raw Shea butter: it can be produced using the manual churning technique (which requires cooking time) or cold extracted using mechanical processes.
• ORGANIC shea butter: this is butter produced by organic farming and certified as such by an independent organization. (e.g. Ecocert Greenlife according to COSMOS standards).
• Deodorized shea butter: this is a butter from which odoriferous substances have been removed by trapping (often with steam). It should not be confused with refined butter.
• Refined Shea butter: this is generally obtained using a solvent extraction process at 60°C. It has lost some of its natural active ingredients - and therefore some of its benefits.

Its effects on face and body

Protects skin from dehydration. It is an excellent emollient ingredient. It helps to replenish the skin's surface, thereby limiting insensible water loss. A scientific study has found it beneficial for atopic dermatitis (eczema). It has the advantage of being well absorbed by the skin, enabling it to be used day and night.

It soothes minor skin concerns. It comforts the skin in the event of superficial burns, tingling sensations, tightness and irritation. It softens damaged, dry or flaky skin. It's also ideal for skin overheated by the sun: it prevents peeling and prolongs tanning.

It combats the signs of aging. It is renowned as an anti-wrinkle and anti-aging active ingredient. It stimulates epidermal cell renewal, helping to revitalize skin tissue. Its ability to absorb UV rays helps protect skin from photo-induced aging. It restores softness and elasticity to the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

 

For which skin types?

For dry skin. To nourish and soften rough areas, especially elbows and knees. Example: lip balm or hand balm.

For sensitized and aggressed skin. Soothe and protect against harsh weather conditions. Example: cold-cream or after-shave care.

For mature skin. To preserve elasticity and reduce the appearance of signs of aging. Example: as a day cream, night cream or regenerating mask.

For the skin of pregnant women. To combat cracks and stretch marks. Example: as a massage oil or nipple repair cream.

 

Shea butter in soaps: how is it used?
Its virtues in cold saponification

Incorporating ORGANIC shea butter into your soaps is an excellent way to enjoy its benefits on a daily basis. To preserve its properties, we recommend cold saponification. As its name suggests, this process requires no heating. It takes a little longer (you have to go through a drying cure), but it offers an unrivalled wealth of natural active ingredients.

• It produces a creamy, enveloping lather.
• Thanks to its saturated fatty acid content, it helps make hard soaps (which don't melt too quickly). Combine it with other fats that contain stearic, lauric, myristic and palmitic acids.
• It cares for the skin during the soaping phase and prevents surface delipidation.

 

Its benefits for hair

It protects hair from external aggressions. Shea butter forms a protective film that seals in moisture to the hair fiber (heat, sea salt, wind, etc.). It helps protect hair against damage induced by free radicals, responsible for oxidative stress. This phenomenon can precipitate dryness and the appearance of gray hair.

Makes hair softer. It repairs the appearance of damaged hair, particularly in the case of split ends. It is therefore commonly used as a conditioning agent to soften and shine hair. It's also an excellent ally for smoothing frizz and disciplining unruly strands, without weighing hair down or leaving an oily finish.

It soothes root discomfort. It can be used, for example, in an oil bath to care for the scalp. It's a great way to soothe irritation on dry scalps. Bringing in "good fat" from outside can also help the skin regulate its own sebaceous production. Think about it if your hair regrays quickly.



For which hair types?