African shea butter originated over 2,000 years ago from the Karite Nut tree, found only in West Africa. After 20 years, the Karite Nuts and dark green fruits from June to July, these fruits fall to the ground and harvested for Western Africa. Each fruit contains a nut, but before harvest the fruits and remove the nuts that says a prayer to thank Mother Nature for your gift. This has been the tradition for years in the Republic of Ghana. After the nuts are taken from the fruit are crushed and cooked, resulting in a natural fat that is a little yellow. Since shea butter is all natural which can sometimes vary in color. It has a creamy substance which is edible and sometimes even used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter, but is more commonly used in products for skin care.
Shea butter from Africa has been traced back to Cleopatra, who mentions having filled clay pots this cream for cosmetic use. Some of the benefits Shea butter can have on your skin:
The African shea butter is not limited to cooking and cosmetics. It was traditionally used for sealing wax, to improve the durability of wood instruments, hairdressing, making candles, ointments and physicians.
In Nigeria, African shea butter is used to treat sinusitis and nasal congestion. Its moisturizing properties soothe skin of the face that makes breathing easier. Shea butter has only recently been exported for use in other continents.
Beyond Africa, African shea butter is commonly used in cosmetics such as moisturizing creams and conditioners for damaged hair. The African shea butter has been shown to reduce wrinkles and stretch marks. This is a solid, but becomes liquid at body temperature so you can moisturize deep into the skin without clogging pores, as some other moisturizers. African shea butter is used in many products skin care as anti-aging creams, as it consists of all natural ingredients including vitamins A, E and F, is also gaining recognition for being particularly effective for patients with cancer undergoing extreme dry skin and cracked during chemotherapy. Other uses are more modern African Shea butter:
· Hair conditioners
• The chocolate filling
· Soap
· Sunblock
· Leather conditioners
Apart from the production of shea butter from Africa, the tree Shea was also used for carving coffins for many African kings. Africans felt the need to do what he could with what was left of the tree because they could not be transported and replanted at the time. Recently, shea butter has occurred in parts of East Africa. The Europeans no longer control the export shea butter so the possibilities are becoming endless.
Shea butter is produced from chemicals to mimic the natural butter African shea butter are not as beneficial for the skin. Many of the chemicals clog pores or cause damage to the skin. One hundred percent all natural butter Shea has been found to be most beneficial.
Microdermabrasion / Dermabrasion / Skin Peeling