Shea Butter for Moisture

Moisture, your skin needs it, Shea butter is a wholistic option

Hello everyone, we are back again this time to talk about a favorite product of mine that I use for keeping my skin glowy and full of moisture: Shea butter. I’ve used both raw and refined African Shea butter since before I could speak, and still use it till this day. 

Shea butter is a butter or balm if you will, that comes from the shea nut that grows on shea trees in Africa, once processed we get a buttery substance that melts on contact with the skin like coconut oil, is normally yellow when raw and white when refined, I use both; primarily yellow because it’s often cheaper but they have the same benefits overall. 

All-natural African Shea Butter: Left (Refined) Right (Raw)

According to licensed dermatologist Alok Vij, MD, shea butter is helpful for very dry or reactive skin, is edible, and can be safely applied to your face, lips, and body.

While Shea butter can be applied virtually anywhere Alok has stated that it’s not the best for acne prone skin “Shea butter may clog pores and lead to more breakouts.”

Now, if you don’t have acne prone skin, especially in the facial area you are good to go, however I would recommend patch testing, because even all natural ingredients cause allergic reactions, while it is safe for those with nut allergens because it comes from the fat of the shea nut, not the nut itself, though raw shea butter does contain latex; if you have none of these you’re good to go,  you’ll see improvement in cell damage, irritation, vitamin A and E intake, and even the disappearance of eczema according to an article by Cleveland Clinic. 

Overall, if you’re thinking about the best body moisturizer that’s all natural and affordable, I would recommend Shea butter, you won’t be disappointed and it’ll leave you smelling like a subtle chocolatey coconut, I see no cons except for the acne honestly, just don’t put it on your face period and you’ll be fine; it’s also the best at keeping you from drying out in the acrid winter weather, you’ll be soft all day into the next. You can easily order shea butter on amazon, but for authenticity purposes I would find your nearest African vendor to support family businesses, or even try your local hair store, not sally beauty but a "hole-in-the-wall" hair store, you'd be surprised at teh affordable prices.

Well, as always loves, I'll see you next time! And don’t forget to moisturize!

-Zee