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 years and years, 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 an off-white or ivory in colour.
The Process
- Cracking the shell by hand in order to release the Shea nut.
- The nuts are then part boiled for 30 minutes.
- The nuts are then left to dry on a cement surface.
- They are then cracked using wooden blocks.
- The best quality nuts are then chosen.
- The Shea nuts are pounded into small pieces and then they are roasted.
- Shea nuts will sizzle (when water is added) when they are fully roasted.
- There are 3 ways in which the shea nuts can be ground. They are either pounded using a mortar and pestle, ground by using a grinding stone or sent to a grinding mill.
- Then Shea Butter and water are mixed by hand until the Shea Butter separates from the water.
- They put separated oil into a pot and put it on top of fire.
- The pure Shea Butter rises to the top, it is then scooped out and put into a different pot.
- Then it is left to cool and will become the Shea Butter that we all know and love!