Shea Butter



The Shea tree is native to Africa, growing in 21 African countries. It is a wild tree that grows naturally in the dry Savannah regions of the continent. The sweet buttery flesh of the small green fruits is eaten, leaving the large hard nut. The nut holds a kernel inside which is needed to produce Shea Butter.

Shea Butter Production

The nuts from the shea tree are gathered and shelled to remove the kernels. The kernels are cleaned and dried under the sun, then roasted and grounded to form a paste. The shea paste is mixed with water and the mixture is beaten to start the separation process. Heat is then added to this mixture to completely separate the butter from the water and paste, this butter is scooped out and heated a second time to remove any extra moisture or dirt and then packaged for use or sale.

Shea Butter is called "Man-Kadai" (Hausa), "Ori" (Yoruba) and "Okuma" (Igbo) in Nigeria. It is a fat derived from a nut which hardly has an allergic reaction, safe for people known to be allergic to nuts, this is because it contains very little traces of the nut proteins that triggers allergies. However, if you do have nut allergies, try a very small amount on a very small area of skin to make sure its ok to use.
It is mainly used as a moisturizer for skin and hair, and also used to cook in some African communities. In some parts of northern Nigeria, it is used to fry foods like yam, giving a rich buttery taste to the meal.



Classification of Shea Butter

Unrefined raw Shea Butter is ivory-colored, while refined Shea Butter is white, when additives are added to it during production, like roots or other herbs, it may become yellow. Shea Butter naturally has high levels of Vitamins, but it can lose up to 95% of its vitamin levels if it becomes overly refined. However, refined Shea Butter has very little contaminants.
There are about 7 clarification of Shea Butter, based on the processing techniques used.

Grade A is raw, unrefined Shea Butter that has been extracted using water, as described earlier.
Grade B is refined Shea Butter
Grade C is highly refined Shea Butter that has been extracted using solvents like hexane.
Grade D is a lower quality butter, but does not contain contaminants.
Grade E contains some contaminants.
Grade F has lost most of its skin healing benefits (maybe an old stock) but is still a good moisturizer


The Goodness of Shea Butter

Shea Butter is a deep moisturizer because it resembles the oil produced by the skin, it melts on contact with the skin and locks in moisture within the skin, keeping it hydrated for hours. It has been known to help relieve itch and tightness in dry skin, assist with wound healing, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and reduce swelling in the skin.
Note: If you tend to have breakouts, avoid using Shea Butter on your face as it can clog your pores, making you more prone to having breakouts.


Where to Get Shea Butter

Shea Butter is readily available in local markets around Africa as well as in supermarkets.
You can find the goodness of Shea Butter in our handcrafed natural skincare products, under the brand "Pugtha". Try our:
Butter Supreme -  a balanced blend of 9 oils and 3 butters for your skin and hair.
Cream Butter - a luxurious lotion cream that sports Shea Butter, Baobab Oil and Moringa Oil.
Body Balm -  a soothing balm with Lavender, Orange and Peppermint Essential Oils, handy all year round.
Moisture Lip Balm - to soothe and hydrate your lips, preventing or soothing dry cracked lips

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