5 Reasons why Shea Butter Should Be Your Go-To Beauty Potion

For centuries, shea butter has been used as a cosmetic ingredient, and until today it is an essential component in most of the skincare and haircare products. Extracted from the nuts of shea trees in West Africa, the butter is off-white, yellow, or ivory in color and is rich in vitamins and fatty acids. Unlike what many would think at the look of it, the consistency of shea butter is easy to spread and melts at body temperature. Shea butter has myriads of benefits which makes it an amazing conditioning, moisturizing, and soothing product. Here is why you need to make it a beauty and skincare staple.

 

1. Shea butter is an excellent moisturizer for skin and hair. It is ideal for dry and dull skin as it helps retain and lock the moisture by forming a protective barrier on the surface of the skin.  Shea butter also helps your hair from breakage, moisturizes the scalp, and can reduce dandruff.

 

2. It won’t make the skin oily. Unlike coconut oil, shea butter will not clog your pores or make your skin oily. The linoleic, oleic, and stearic acids are easily absorbed into the skin and won’t leave any oily residues.

 

3. Shea butter has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. If you suffer from skin conditions such as eczema, shea butter will help soothe your skin and reduce inflammation and irritation. The quick absorption into the skin will give a feeling of relief quicker than you think.

 

4. It heals scars and reduces the appearance of stretch marks. Shea butter is usually found in scar-healing products because the fatty acids content in it softens the scar tissue and helps speed up the healing process. Shea butter is also the base of ointments and creams used to treat stretch marks because it restores the skin’s elasticity and improves collagen production.

 

5. Shea butter has ant-aging properties and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Vitamin A and E found in shea butter nourish the skin and keep it supple, plumped, and radiant. The anti-aging properties and antioxidants found in shea butter prevent premature skin aging and reduce the appearance of fine lines.