Shea Butter is an amazing, natural ingredient that has so many benefits for your skin! But, what is it? How is it made? And what are the benefits? Well get a cup of tea, relax and find out why Shea Butter is something that needs to be added to your skincare routine!
What is Shea Butter?
Shea Butter originates from West Africa. The natural butter is rich in Vitamin A, E, D and F making it fab to use on your skin! Shea Butter has been used in skincare for centuries, it is amazing for moisturising skin and is packed with lots of skin benefits!
Shea Butter is derived from the fat that is extracted from the nut of the Shea Tree, which produces fruit for up to 200 years before reaching its maturity. It is solid at warm temperatures and is usually off-white or ivory in colour.
Super moisturising
Shea Butter is usually found in moisturisers, this natural ingredient is amazing for helping your skin feel hydrated, smooth and soft while keeping dry skin at bay. Shea’s fatty acid content including linoleic, oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids, these oils are rapidly absorbed into your skin. Shea Butter restores the barrier between your skin and the outside environment.
Amazing for oily skin
Shea Butter isn’t quite magic but we like to think it is, it has a comedogenic rating of 0 meaning it doesn’t clog up your pores! Shea Butter contains high levels of linoleic acid and oleic acid. The two acids balance each other out making it easy for Shea Butter to fully absorb into your skin. Your skin won’t feel or look oily after using and you can happily apply your make-up!
ECZEMA BUSTING? Anti-inflammatory
When Shea Butter is applied to your skin, the shea triggers cytokines and other inflammatory cells to slow their production. This can help reduce skin irritation that may be caused by the outside environment. If you suffer from eczema then Shea Butter is worth a try, due to its amazing anti-inflammatory properties.
Antioxidant
Shea Butter is naturally rich in vitamin A and E which makes it a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants are important when treating your skin, and help to prevent ageing. They also protect skin cells from forming free radicals meaning they help premature ageing and dull-looking skin. Free radicals can damage your skin by trying to grab an extra electron from atoms in the skin. When atoms are taken away from molecules in your skin, it causes damage to your skin's DNA that can speed along skin ageing. AND no one wants to speed up the ageing process!
Helps to prevent acne
Shea Butter is rich in fatty acids, these help to clear your skin of excess oil (again, amazing for oily skin). Shea Butter doesn’t strip the skin of all its oils as it restores moisture meaning it won’t dry out! As Shea Butter naturally balances the oils in your skin, it could help prevent acne from occurring. It may also soothe the effects of acne due to its anti-inflammatory and healing properties.
Conclusion
Shea Butter is a wonder product with bountiful benefits. It is suitable for all skin types and can help treat many skin conditions including eczema and acne due to its anti-inflammatory and healing benefits.
At Kokoa, our range of Shea Butter-based moisturisers are 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free!
What is your favourite thing about shea butter?