The Shea Butter nut

Today, Atlanta reached 95 degrees, the hottest day of the year thus far!  So what this means is us ATLiens may experience dried, ashy, cracked-up, sunburnt, and even ezcema-ridden skin. What’s the solution? That good ol’ African-grown Shea Butter! 

 Trust me, I’m Ghanaian and this has been a home remedy for troubled skin since birth for me.  

What is Shea Butter?
Shea butter is an ivory/cream colored natural fat that solidifies at room temperature.  Shea butter comes from a particular nut from a Shea Tree also known as a Karite Nut Tree.  It actually takes about 20 years for the shea tree to bear its first fruit and takes almost 45 years to reach its full production potential.  Traditionally, Shea Butter was extracted from people picking, cracking, grilling and then pounding the nut.  The nut was then boiled until the Shea Butter rose to the surface.

 Where Does Shea Butter Originate?
Shea Butter is special because it can only be found on one of the world’s most fruitful continents, Africa! It usually originates in the Western region south of the Sahara in such countries as Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Benin.

 How Can you Identify “Good” vs “Bad” Shea Butter?
Many people fall for the misconceptions of Shea Butter.   There is more than just one type.  Shea Butter usually can be categorized as raw/unrefined, refined, or highly refined.  Preferably, raw is the best type simply because it has a higher potency and can be used better for medicinal purposes along with simple uses.  The raw form is usually a grayish yellow and has a strong natural smell.  Another raw form that I highly prefer is Shea Butter mixed with a natural oil known as Palm Nut Oil which when mixed produces a deep yellow/orange tint.  This mixture produces a creamier consistency that is easier to melt in the skin and has less of a natural smell. 
Refined Shea Butter is usually de-odorized, perfumed, and filtered but still has its natural components.  Its usually refined and softened with additional ingredients such as jojoba, cocoa butter, lemon grass, vitamin E, etc….
Highly refined Shea Butter is damn near non-existent in a product.  It has hardly any of its benefits and may not be effective at all.  Usually highly refined Shea Butter products display a label “With Shea Butter” but hardly has any at all.  Beware of products that have these types of labels and check the ingredients to see exactly where the Shea Butter is placed.  If it is towards the end of the ingredient label, chances are the Shea Butter hardly has any effect…Please Don’t Fall For THIS!

Shea Butter mixed with Palm Nut Oil, notice deep yellow hue

 What Are the Benefits of Shea Butter for the Skin?
The most important point of this article is the true benefits of Shea Butter.  ATL is home to so many things especially the humidity.  Even when it is 80 degrees, it can easily seem like 100!  Shea Butter is a life saver in the heat of Atlanta.  In the summer, ATL is extremely hot and humid which can be disadvantageous to our skin and hair.  Shea Butter contains Vitamin A, E, and F which nourish the skin and act as a skin protectant to prevent wrinkles and sunburn.  When even applied lightly, it leaves a silky glow and an even finish to the skin.  Here are a list of benefits to the skin below:

What are the Benefits of Shea Butter for the Hair?
Because Shea Butter consists of a natural fatty oil, I do not recommend this substance for all hair types!  Usually, it works better on people of African descent hence where it originates from.  When melted, it turns into a silkening oil that is good for sealing and repairing broken hair shafts while simultaneously providing moisture and luster.  It also makes a great scalp moisturizer which prevents sunburn (for my sistas who luv their cornrows in the summer), itchiness, and dryness without clogging the pores.  The con to using Shea Butter on the hair is that sometimes it can leave a white residue.  To shy away from this, simply apply a light oil sheen over the coated follicle.

Where in the “A” is Shea Butter Readily Available?
Hummmm, after talking about this beautiful product, you might want to know where you can purchase it….  Most organic/herb shops should carry it by name brand, in a no-name container, or may even cut it by chunks for you.  Shockingly, it is readily available in most beauty supplies and African grocery stores.  A good brand is Erzuli which can be found at The Herb Shop in Greenbriar Mall (on the South end of town), in Whole Foods Market (off Ponce de Leon), and in The Initiators (in Upper Level Cumberland Mall).  There are also two African/Carribean-based clothing stores in the heart of Little Five Points who also carry “chunked” Shea Butter which is available by the pound.

For more tips, rememdies or questions, please feel free to contact me at bonitaapplebum@fem-fatl.com.

Til Next Time, SMOOCHEZ!