cool to hear benefit of shear butter to your skin and face

21 Shea Butter Benefits and Uses



What is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is a skin superfood that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea (Karite) tree and that is naturally rich in vitamins A, E and F. It offers UV protection (it is SPF ~6) and provides the skin with essential fatty acids and the nutrients necessary for collagen production. Shea butter has been used in Africa and other countries for years to improve skin and hair.

Shea Butter Benefits

Moisturizing: The concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids in Shea butter makes it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for skin. It is often used to remedy dry skin and to help protect the skin’s natural oils.
Reduces Inflammation: A 2010 study found that due to its cinnamic acid and other natural properties, shea butter was anti-inflammatory. (source) One compound in particular, lupeol cinnamate, was found to reduce skin inflammation and even potentially help avoid skin mutations. This also makes it beneficial for some people with acne.
Skin Smoothing: Shea butter aids in the skin’s natural collagen production and contains oleic, stearic, palmitic and linolenic acids that protect and nourish the skin to prevent drying. With long term use, many people report skin softening and strengthening as well as wrinkle reduction.
Shea Butter Uses

Shea butter is one of the most versatile natural beauty ingredients and I use it daily in some form. I’ve used it for years in everything from my homemade lotion bars and original magnesium body butter to homemade lip balms and healing salves.

Some of my favorite uses for Shea Butter:

By itself for face and body as a natural moisturizer
In a shea butter lotion bar stick for easy use
Alone or in a pregnancy stretch mark salve to ward off stretch marks
As the best under-eye wrinkle remover and bag-reducer
For massage butter
In velvety soft whipped body butter
or basic homemade lotion
As a base for homemade deodorant
As an SPF 6 skin lotion
In magnesium body butter
As a natural baby-care product (alone) or ingredient in baby care recipes
By itself on the lips or in homemade lip balms
Or homemade shimmer lip balm
To improve skin elasticity (some even say it helps with cellulite)
On the hair or scalp (in mixture with other natural ingredients)
In homemade liquid creme foundation and makeup
After sun or beach exposure to replenish skin
On the eyelids before applying makeup to make it last longer
As a natural cuticle cream
On scars to naturally help collagen production
On sore/raw noses during a cold or flu