Shea butter: benefits, harms

There is a huge variety of personal care products on the cosmetic market today. Hand cream with aloe vera, face milk with shea butter, body mousse with sea buckthorn extract. How to figure out which additive is for what? This article will tell you about shea butter, what it is, how to use it and what is good for the skin.

The benefits of shea butter

This oil is extracted from the fruit of the shea tree, which grows in Africa. The tree looks like an oak - a thick bark, a powerful trunk, a long-lived tree. By the way, this plant has many different names. One of them is shea. Thus, shea butter and shea butter are one and the same. Note that shea is walnut. This information is important for those with nut allergies.

Shea butter has a very rich composition, it combines all the main vitamins and microelements that are so necessary for our skin and hair. And more specifically:

• vitamin A;
• vitamin C;
• tocopherol, aka vitamin E;
• protein;
• alcohol;
• fatty acids - linoleic, stearic, oleic, palmitic.

Shea butter is used:

1. For the care of very dry, sensitive or sore skin.
2. Ideal as a gentle moisturizer for the delicate skin of a newborn.
3. It well restores aging, thin and aging skin.

That is, shea butter can be used at any age and with any skin condition. And why is it so useful?

Useful properties of shea butter:

• a powerful natural antioxidant, which means this product slows down skin aging;
• contains the main beauty vitamins - A and E, and thanks to them, is able to smooth out wrinkles;
• retinol in the composition of this oil has a good effect on the complexion, evens it out and makes it fresher;
• makes skin wake up and start producing collagen on your own;
• makes the skin smooth and velvety;
• cares for hair, gives shine;
• perfectly softens especially dry and rough skin areas - elbows, knees;
• improves metabolism between cells;
• can be used while waiting and feeding the baby;
• promotes rapid recovery and healing skin;
• protects the skin from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Shea butter has an excellent track record. And what are his indications for use?

When is shea butter used:

1. Stretch marks.
2. Inflammation of the skin from diapers.
3. Psoriasis.
4. Eczema.
5. Strengthening hair growth with increased fragility and dryness of the hair.
6. Teenage acne and oily problem skin.
7. Skin with age-related changes. For example, loss of elasticity on centuries.
8. Sun protection on the beach.
9. Skin restoration after sunburn.
10. Irritated scalp, itching, dandruff.
11. Split hair and more.
12. Irritation and itching from insect bites.
13. Small wounds and cuts, used as anti-inflammatory and decongestant.

Shea butter harm

Overall, this product is considered completely harmless. Since it is allowed for use in infants. Nevertheless, this miracle cure also has its own contraindications and features:

• an individual allergic reaction to the constituents of the oil is possible;
• insufficient clinical research, not all properties of the oil are fully understood;
• do not leave oil in the sun or store in a room - it will deteriorate;
• it is not recommended to use an expired product.

Since the substance is strong enough, it is recommended to carry out an allergy test before using a pure product. Apply a small amount of oil to the inside of your wrist. If within 30 minutes there are no unpleasant sensations in the form of burning, tingling or redness of the skin, you can safely use butter.

Pure shea butter has a shelf life of about 2 years. But if the product is added to the composition of masks and creams, then the life of its nutrients is sharply reduced to 3 months.

Shea butter: application

Shea butter or beauty products that contain it can be purchased at any beauty supply store or pharmacy. At the time of purchase, you should familiarize yourself with the composition of the oil. A valuable product is obtained in 2 ways:

1. Manual. Allows you to keep the maximum amount of nutrients. Differs in high cost.
2. Industrial. Differs in a fairly low cost and a minimum set of useful properties.

Shea butter has its own classification. The best is considered to be class A. This oil is obtained by hand. Usually unrefined and stored in bars. It looks like a bar of soap with a greenish, grayish, beige or yellow tint. Has a slightly nutty scent and creamy texture. It must be kept in the refrigerator, since at a temperature close to body temperature, it begins to melt.

The lowest class is considered F. This is definitely an industrial oil, even more likely waste from shea butter. As a rule, it has only a moisturizing effect. The color is as close to white as possible.

This product can be included in any household masks for skin or hair care. When using a pure natural product, in conjunction with other quality components, it can give a positive effect after a couple of applications. It can also be used for additional enrichment of purchased cosmetics.

Remember that a quality natural product is distinguished by a high price, storage in a bar in a cold room and a weak nutty flavor. You can buy pure shea butter in organic shops or online stores. Be sure to check the seller's authorization to trade and read the documents proving the right to sell the African product.

Shea butter for hair

Benefits of Shea Butter for Hair:

• restoration of hair damaged after frequent dyeing, perm or weakened in the summer;
• giving hair a natural shine and silkiness;
• moisturizing for dry and brittle ends;
• protection against split ends, brittleness and the harmful effects of high temperatures;
• nutrition of weakened hair, a solution to the problem of excessive hair loss.

Remember that shea is not a panacea, you cannot continue to ruin your hair and believe that a wonderful cream will fix everything. Shea promotes recovery but does not heal.

The easiest way to use quality shea butter is to apply it to your hair as it is. To do this, you need to cut off some oil and melt it in a water bath. It is not worth boiling the oil - vitamins are destroyed when heated. Apply warm oil to scalp and hair, massage gently. Then evenly distribute the oil over the entire head of hair using a comb with rare teeth. To enhance the warming effect, wrap your hair with plastic and wrap it in a towel. Keep this mask on your hair for at least 30 minutes. Then wash your hair in the usual way.

Shea butter for face

It is recommended to use this product for all skin types. But, it is worth remembering the following things:

1. Do not apply regularly to oily skin.
2. Do not use pure shea butter daily - it can clog pores.

It is good to use shea butter as an alternative to night face cream. Take some oil, melt in your palms and apply a thin layer on your face. Wash yourself in the usual way in the morning.

For oily skin, it is good to mix shea with tea tree oil - this will improve the work of the sebaceous glands and will not cause clogged pores.

For dry skin, you can try mixing shea and olive extract. Or avocado oil and sandalwood. It is good to add natural ground cinnamon for a gentle natural scrub.

You can make your own lip balm using shea butter. For this:

• Take the liquid shea extract and whisk it with a regular blender.
• You can add a couple of drops of peach oil, grape seed oil, or jojoba oil. It is also good to add liquid vitamin A. If desired, you can use essential oil to give the balm a pleasant aroma - lavender, orange, cinnamon, rosewood.
• Pour the mixture into a prepared, clean and dry jar and refrigerate.

This homemade balm will not only save sponges from chapping, but will also help soften elbows, knees, flaky hands or heels... Suitable for skin care around the eyes.

Shea butter for body

In addition to the obvious benefits of using this body oil, there is one more, undoubtedly weighty - shea helps to make stretch marks less noticeable. It is quite difficult to completely remove stretch marks, but it is quite possible to make them less bright and intense. It is best to start treatment immediately as soon as they appear. Fresh stretch marks are easier to remove than old scars.

Before applying the oil, the skin needs to be prepared. Take a warm shower, if conditions permit - it is better to sit in a bathhouse. In this case, you need to warm up the application area well with a coarse washcloth. After these procedures, feel free to apply shea butter in a bold layer to problem areas of the body. It is good to stimulate the absorption of oil with an additional simple massage - pinching and patting especially problem areas. Wait a little for the oil to absorb. Or lay down an unnecessary sheet and go to bed.

You can combine this substance with the following oils:

1. Olive.
2. Almond.
3. Sea buckthorn.
4. Coconut.
5. Apricot or peach.
6. Orange.
7. Roses.
8. Juniper.
9. Tea tree.
10. Anisa.

Using this substance for stretch marks on breasts, you can make oil compresses. Dissolve the oil in warm water, dampen a tissue and place it on your chest. Remove the napkin after half an hour. The breast can be wiped with another clean tissue to remove excess oil. There is no need to wash off.

It is good to use this product for the prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy. In this case, it is recommended to apply it on the belly, butt, thighs and chest 3 times a day in a thin layer. Be sure to test for allergies, even if you have used this oil before. The body of a pregnant woman can "throw out" a surprise.

Shea butter cream

We invite you to familiarize yourself with simple and effective recipes for creating cream with shea butter at home.

Night nourishing cream:

• 30 ml rose water;
• 50 g shea;
• 50 g of almond, peach or olive oil of your choice;
• a pair of liquid retinol capsules;
• 5 g lecithin;
• a few drops of chamomile or lavender essential oil;
• some wax.

Melt the wax and shea butter a little, then add the rest of the oils one at a time. Finally, pour in rose water. Mix everything thoroughly. Store the cream strictly in the refrigerator.

Nourishing anti-aging cream:

• 50 g of shea butter;
• 30 g of wax and cinnamon tincture;
• 10 g avocado oil;
• 15 ml orange juice.

Melt the wax and oils, add the rest of the products. Stir well and drain into a jar. Store in the refrigerator.

Shea Butter Masks

1. To save brittle and burnt hair, mix shea, sandalwood oil, liquid vitamins A and E. Keep this mask on your hair for at least 3 hours.
2. To accelerate growth hair mix shea with rosemary oil and castor oil. You can enhance the effect with a plastic wrap, cover your hair and wrap it with a towel. This mask must be done once a week for 3 months.
3. Mask for the face. It is used to combat wrinkles. Mix in a teaspoon each of shea butter, olive oil and almond butter. Apply to face. After 20-30 minutes wash as usual.
4. Mask against dryness and flaking of the skin. Combine the shea with the egg yolk. Add a spoonful of olive oil. Keep this mask on your face for at least 25 minutes. Then wash yourself.

Shea butter: reviews

The girls who used a quality natural product are completely satisfied with their purchase. The oil really moisturizes, removes fine expression lines, nourishes hair and makes stretch marks less noticeable.

It is worth noting that the reviews of girls with oily skin are divided. Some noted a deterioration in the state of the sebaceous glands. Others have noticed the positive effects of the oil.

Anyone who was dissatisfied with the use of shea, bought the product for a penny. This means that they used poor quality oil. As they say, how much they paid, they got so much.