In its rawest form, shea butter holds some incredible benefits for the skin. Used for centuries by women in Africa to combat the effects of sun damage and ageing, shea butter is top of our list as a sustainable, ethical, and skin-loving ingredient in our natural soap bars. Want to know what makes shea butter so great for your skin?
What is shea butter?
Raw shea butter is extracted from the edible nuts of the African Karité tree. After harvesting, the nuts are processed in a traditional way by co-operatives in Africa. 100% natural, shea butter has been used in Ghana for centuries to treat the effects of sun exposure and skin damage.
We use pure fairtrade grade 'A' unrefined shea butter sourced from Ghana in our shea butter soap bars for its amazing benefits for the skin. We prefer not to use the cheaper, unrefined, deodorised shea butter that's more commonly used in soap making because refined shea butter is highly processed and the natural healing properties of the butter are removed during its production.
Our shea butter is packed with vitamins and minerals that your skin will love you for, including:
Vitamin A (Retinol)
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Vitamin A is considered one of the most important vitamins in skincare. Its ability to re-programme the way skin cells behave encourages the skin to look healthier, younger, and more radiant
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It can help to promote the formation of healthy collagen and elastin in the skin, resulting in firmer, plumper skin and a more youthful glow
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It can help to speed up the healing process
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It helps balance out the skin's oil production to prevent breakouts (great for acne sufferers)
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It can help reduce pigmentation of the skin.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E holds some pretty powerful antioxidant properties that can help to reduce the effects of UV skin damage. Antioxidants prevent damage to cells by helping to fight off the effects of free radicals (including air pollution and sun exposure) on the skin.
Along with some serious anti-ageing properties, vitamin E holds impressive healing properties for the skin and is known to support the healing of scars and burns, while gently fading their appearance.
More benefits of using shea butter
Our shea butter also contains triterpene and plant sterols which have anti-inflammatory properties. These properties can help calm and soothe the skin, as well as reduce inflammation and redness, making it ideal for anyone who suffers from eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis as well as other sensitive skin conditions.
Shea butter is incredibly moisturising for the skin and is non-comedogenic so doesn't block the pores. A powerful emollient, the butter is absorbed very quickly into the skin so it won't leave your skin feeling greasy or clogged up either. That's why it's so great in our range of luxury whipped body butters.
Why is shea butter so great in soap?
We absolutely LOVE using shea butter in our soap! Shea butter contains natural glycerides which produce high levels of glycerin in soap, making it incredible for use in cold process soap making. Glycerin is a natural humectant that attracts moisture to the skin, keeps skin hydrated, moisturises and softens the skin. So it's a double win for you as your skin will benefit from the amazing properties of the shea butter and from the naturally occurring glycerin content!
Supporting the Shea Queens
Our fairtrade shea butter is produced by a dynamic group of 54 hardworking Ghanian women. These women have been empowered by Akua Wood, founder of Sheabutter Cottage, to form a small co-op with the aim to ensure they are paid a fair price for their product. Working together as a united force, these Shea Queens seek the ultimate goal of female empowerment and income diversification. By purchasing our shea butter soap and whipped body butter you are helping their goals become reality.