| What Is Shea Butter? Where Does It Come From?
Shea Butter is a 100% natural multi-purpose cream with vitamin A, E & F . It is a natural plant fat with exceptional moisturizing properties. Shea Butter also contains a significant fraction of unsaponifiables, which are reported to have many healing properties.
Shea Butter comes from the nuts of the Shea Tree, which grows naturally in 20 sub-Saharan Africa countries stretching from Guinea to Sudan and a section of East Africa where it has existed for centuries. It produces its first fruit when it is about 20 years old and reaches its full production when the tree is about 45 years old. It produces nuts for up to 200 years after reaching maturity.
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The Shea Tree |
The Shea Tree up close |
Shea Nuts before picking |
How to Store and Use Unrefined Shea Butter
To use shea butter - take the desired amount, rub into the palm of your hands until melted and apply to your skin or hair. Applying shea butter in small amounts several times a day is most effective. Do not apply shea butter on wet skin or wet hair. Towel dry first.
During the winter, shea butter will be harder due to the cold. Let shea butter thaw out at room temperature before using. During the summer months, shea butter will be softer and will sometimes melt. Shea Butter will solidify once it comes to a lower temperature. The rest of the year, shea butter will be easier to use. Please bear in mind that shea butter is a tropical product adapting to western temperatures, so its nature may vary from season to season.
To store unused shea butter - wrap with saran wrap or place in a zip lock bag or in a container & store in a cool dry place. Shea Butter has a shelf life of 18 months to 24 months. It can still be used after that time but it will not be as effective.
Do not leave unused shea butter in the sun or around any type of heat. It will continuously melt and solidify. Over time, this will change the texture and properties of your shea butter.
Scent of Unrefined Shea Butter - If you are not use to the natural aroma of unrefined shea butter, no problem. Remove the lid or wrapping of the shea butter and let it air out for several days or until you are satisfied. The natural aroma will diminish. Texture and potency will not change. NOTE -The natural aroma of the shea butter does not stay on your skin or hair when applied.
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