DESCRIPTION
Alternate names are butter, butyrospermum parkii butter, karite butter, shea butter fruit; beurre de karate.
Botany: Shea butter is a vegetable fat (rich buttery oil) obtained from the nut of a tree native to Africa (central Africa), Vitellaria paradoxa (previously Butyrospermum parkii, and also known as shea tree, shi tree, or vitellaria). Shea trees grow naturally on the lateral slopes of the savannah zones of West Africa and throughout that continent`s equatorial region (where rainfall is not too high) and also in parts of southern Sudan.
History and/or folklore: In Africa, the fat (shea butter) is used as an ointment for rheumatic pains and boils. A decoction from the bark is used to facilitate child birth and ease labour pains. The leaf extract is dispensed for headaches and as an eye bath.
Product: Shea butter is a complex fat that contains many unsaponifiable components and fatty acids (oleic, stearic, linoleic, palmitic, linolenic and arachidic acid). It has natural antioxidant properties and is said to contain a small quantity of allantoin that is renowned for its healing qualities. It has good skin absorption properties, is skin moisturizing and improves skin suppleness. The literature describes shea butter as having a slight UV-protective effect.
USES
Skin-Conditioning Agent; occlusive; viscosity increasing agent.
Shea butter
It is an effective skin emollient and skin smoother. It is used for the protection and care of skin cracked and dehydrated by the elements. It is said to protect the skin against the sun rays (the pure material has an SPF value of 3).
Shea butter is a suitable base for topical medicines. Its application relieves rheumatic and joint pains and heals wounds, swellings, dermatitis, bruises and other skin problems. It is used traditionally to relieve inflammation of the nostrils.
TOXICOLOGY
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful.
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin.
ESSENTIQ PRODUCTS CONTAINING SHEA BUTTER
Facial care
- Antiage Eye Cream – Centella & Kelp
- Antiage Facial Cream – Centella & Rose
- Facial Cream for Very Dry Skin – Immortelle & Avocado
Body care
- Body Lotion – Green Tea & Lime
- Hand Cream – Black Currant & Jojoba Oil
- Hand Cream – Mango & Shea Butter
Kids care
- Body Lotion – Aloe Vera & Berries
- Body Lotion – Aloe Vera & Mango
- Body Lotion – Aloe Vera & Oats
- Facial Cream – Aloe Vera & Vanilla
Luxury
Professional
Cleaners
Bases
- 3.1 Cream Base 10% – Low Lipids
- 3.2 Cream Base 20% – Medium Lipids
- 3.3 Cream Base 40% – High Lipids
- 2.5 Natural Oclusive Butter Base
Serums