Magical Shea Butter

Written By Liz Patel

Shea butter is the fat derived from the nuts of African Shea trees.  It is great for your skin, but it also is a product almost exclusively produced by women in Africa.  It carries benefits both for our skin, but also elevates the women who produce it, when it is purchased with fair trade practices.  

The socio-economic benefits of fair Shea Butter trade for Ghanaian women:

As we all know, Shea Butter is sourced mainly from Africa. It is the women who are the central workers for the production of Shea Butter. When we buy directly from them or linked companies, it contributes to their betterment in multiple ways.

The promotion of women empowerment increases as the Shea Butter trade allows them to become independent and earn money for a better livelihood. They learn various new skills like marketing, financing, and get the chance to make technological advancements in their work. This means less labor for the same amount of work. Women can pass on these useful skills to the children in their community. Furthermore, plans have been made for the sustainable cultivation of Shea Butter. Several companies help women reach a larger consumer base taking it globally.

Initiatives that support fair trade, such as Fair Tale Ghana, are so important to these communities, because by empowering the women to produce incomes to provide for their families, they help the whole community.

Skincare Benefits

Shea exists in the form of a creamy white solid that melts to glide smoothly over the skin. Because of the high amounts of vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids present in it, you can use Shea Butter in various ways for the skin and the body. Let’s dive into what benefits it can provide for us.

The fatty acids present within Shea Butter include stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid. When combined, they give Shea Butter the ability to act as an emollient. It will soften your skin and prevent water loss. This will strengthen your skin barrier, too. Shea Butter is ideal for people suffering from eczema, psoriasis, dryness, and flaky skin. Apply it generously to the face and body to reap maximum benefits.

For its antioxidant and anti-aging effectiveness: Shea Butter is chock full of vitamin A and E, both of which fight aging and sun damage. Vitamin A derivatives speed up collagen synthesis which increases cell turnover. They give you texture-free and glowy skin with consistent use. Vitamin E is one of the strongest antioxidants out there. It will aid in fixing free radical damage from the harmful sun rays, therefore it can visibly brighten sun-spots.

For stretch marks: If you’re someone who is suffering from stretch marks, especially post-pregnancy, then Shea Butter is the way to go! Safe and natural, it can effectively fade the appearance of fresh stretch marks over time due to the vitamins present in it. They will help regenerate new skin tissues and heal your stretch marks.

References:

Liz Patel
Previous

The Rich Goodness of Cocoa Butter
Next

A Guide to the Best Hydrating Ingredients