Guide of Shea Butter for Skin Care and which Shea Butter is Best?

Skincare products that contain harsh chemicals may worsen your skin condition. If you are looking for a natural product for your skin care, shea butter is an excellent choice. If you want to make your dry skin soft and glowing, you need this supercharged ingredient in your cosmetic box. 

If you are unsure of what shea butter is, how it works, and which shea butter is best, here is a guide on all that you want to know.

Shea butter - What is it? 

Shea butter is a botanical product. It is the lipid that is extracted from the nuts of the shea tree. It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and five essential fatty acids. It is available in refined and unrefined form. Unrefined or raw shea butter does not contain any preservatives or artificial coloring, or chemicals. This is the pure form of shea butter and has a strong odour. Refined shea butter is white and odorless. Raw shea butter is more beneficial than refined one. 

Benefits of shea butter 

• It is a good moisturizer. It keeps the skin hydrated, moisturized, nourished, and smooth. 

• It softens rough hands. Shea butter hand cream is one of the best options for getting the soft hands you always wanted.

• It helps in reducing the swelling of acne and the severity of its scars as it is a rich source of vitamin E.

• The fatty acids in shea butter heal cracks and sores in the skin.

• It has anti-aging properties as it induces collagen secretion. 

• Shea butter is not only beneficial for skin but hair too. If you have dry, dull, and damaged hair, you can moisturize and give life to it with shea butter. 

• It has medicinal properties and helps people with arthritis and rheumatism. 

How to use shea butter?

Take a very little shea butter in your fingers and soften it if it is hard. Apply it on your face or hands or wherever you want to. Leave it for some time. It is better to apply it overnight and wash it off in the morning. This is more effective. 

How to store shea butter? 

• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

• Keep away from direct light. 

• Avoid metal and plastic spoons to scoop shea butter. Wooden spoons are the best option.

• If you are mixing it with other products, you should use it within a month. Otherwise, the shelf life is 24 months or two years. 

Which shea butter is best? 

Raw shea butter is better than refined butter. Are you not sure how to identify if it is raw or refined? 

• Raw shea butter has an earthy or smoky smell. If it has no smell or if it has a chemical-like or plastic-like smell, you can identify it as refined or processed butter.

• Refined butter is bright white in colour. Natural shea butter has a yellowish shade. However, the colour of raw butter may vary as the nuts are in various colours. 

• Pure shea butter is solid and hard at room temperature. It melts when exposed to sunlight or heat or when rubbed between palms. If it is melting at room temperature, it is refined shea butter without any doubts. 

Follow this guide and select shea butter that best suits your skin type.