Shea butter: Effect on skin and hair

Obtained from the  nuts  of the African shea tree, shea butter has become a popular cosmetic product in Germany. As a component of numerous creams and soaps, but also in raw, unrefined form, it is good for hair and skin with its valuable ingredients. In this article you can read what effect shea butter has, whether you can even eat it and what you should consider when buying it.

What is shea butter?

Shea butter is made from the fruit of the African shea tree. It is therefore sometimes referred to as karité butter. In German usage, however, the term shea butter has prevailed.

The shea nuts, which botanically belong to the  berries  , are harvested from May to October by the so-called “Shea Ladies”. The entire manufacturing process is manual work: the nuts are opened and the pulp is removed from the pits. These are then usually dried in the sun for several days.

After drying, the kernels are crushed and heated. The pieces are then mixed with water and kneaded until they have a pulpy consistency. When the desired consistency is reached, the mass is sieved.

After cooling, this raw, unrefined shea butter is ready to use. However, it is often refined as part of industrial processing. In Europe, it is mainly used in care products

Valuable ingredients with a healthy effect on skin and hair

Shea butter has numerous positive effects on skin and hair. Thanks to its high fat content of around 50 percent, shea butter does not dry out the skin, but moisturizes, has a moisturizing and calming effect. Shea butter is often used as a face cream or as part of it.

The following ingredients contribute to the positive effect of shea butter:

• Allantoin:  This active ingredient is formed from  uric acid  . Allantoin removes superficially dead skin cells and stimulates the formation of epithelial cells, which means that the upper layers of the skin regenerate more quickly. The same effect also has a positive effect on the hair.
• Beta carotene:  Beta carotene is converted into  vitamin A in the  body. This is important for the growth of skin cells and mucous membrane cells. In addition, the retina in the eye needs vitamin A, so this plays a central role in vision.
• Vitamin E :  Vitamin E has an antioxidant effect in the body , which means it protects the cells from free radicals. Vitamin E thus protects against  hair loss  and also counteracts skin aging and the formation of  wrinkles  .
• Omega-3 fatty acids :  They inhibit inflammatory processes in the body. In addition, they stimulate the regeneration and new formation of cells.
• Triterpenes:  These natural substances, such as lupeol and cinnamic acid ester, help to soothe the (scalp) skin and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

If you tend to have dry hair, it is better not to use shea butter for hair care. Since it is very rich, it has a “sealing” effect and can prevent your hair from absorbing moisture and other care products. In general, it is advisable to wash out shea butter thoroughly after using it for hair care.

Effects of shea butter: what else is it good for?

Due to the effect of its different ingredients, shea butter is often used not only in cosmetics for normal body care, but also to alleviate specific skin problems. It is said to   improve the complexion of  stretch marks after pregnancy, have a positive effect on the healing of scars or counteract certain skin diseases such as  neurodermatitis thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties .

A series of tests with mice from 2010, in which Japanese researchers were able to prove the anti-inflammatory effect of shea butter, provided the first concrete indications of the latter effect. However, there is still no scientific evidence of its effect on humans.

Unlike other popular skin care products, such as cocoa butter or coconut oil, shea butter is non-comedogenic. This means that it does not clog the skin pores and therefore does not trigger any  skin impurities such as pimples or blackheads. It can therefore also be used for acne skin care.

Shea butter is also considered to be quite well tolerated, because the butter itself is rarely the cause of  allergies . However, if it is part of a care product, it may contain substances that can trigger an allergy. When buying a product, the ingredients should therefore be checked carefully.

Cosmetic recipes with shea butter

Shea butter is good for skin and hair care. It is very easy to make a cream or treatment with shea butter yourself, for example. We present two recipes as examples.

Hand and body cream with shea butter

For a hand and body cream with shea butter you need the following ingredients:

• 40 grams of shea butter
• 10 milliliters jojoba or  argan oil
• a few dashes of essential oil (e.g. rose, lavender,  lemon )

Melt shea butter in a water bath. Carefully heat jojoba or argan oil in a saucepan. Shea butter and oil should be about the same temperature.
When the butter is completely melted, add the oil and a few drops of the essential oil and mix everything together. Pour into a clean container and let cool.

It is important that all the utensils used are really clean and that no contaminating components such as crumbs or fluff are mixed in. If the cream is free of contamination, it can be stored in a cool and dry place for as long as the shortest specified expiration date of the ingredients used.

Hair treatment with shea butter

Shea butter is also good for hair care. For a homemade cure you need:

• 1 tablespoon shea butter
• 1 teaspoon olive or jojoba oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• half an  avocado

Gently heat the oil and shea butter in a water bath. When the butter has melted, add the avocado and mix everything together.

Once everything has cooled down, apply the hair treatment to dry, unwashed hair and leave it on for about half an hour. Then rinse off the treatment with cool water. Then wash your hair with shampoo.

Can you eat shea butter?

Shea butter is not only suitable as a cosmetic, but can also be used for baking and cooking. This even has a long tradition in African cuisine. Unrefined shea butter has a typical nutty aroma, while the refined form is tasteless. Shea butter is also suitable as a spread. It is often used as a  vegan  alternative to butter. Thanks to its high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, it is also healthy.

However, if you want to use shea butter for baking or cooking, you should make sure that it does not contain any additives that are not suitable for consumption. If in doubt, you should only use shea butter that is offered specifically for consumption.

Refined and Unrefined Shea Butter: What’s the Difference?

Shea butter is often found in a refined form in specialist shops  .  This means that any undesirable substances such as pigments or fragrances have been chemically removed. This has the advantages that the shea butter lasts longer, absorbs more quickly on the skin and its own odor is weakened.

This effect is desired, for example, when shea butter is only used as a component of a product in which a different smell is to dominate. However, valuable ingredients such as beta-carotene are also lost during refining.

Unrefined, pure shea butter  is processed more gently. It can be recognized by its nutty-sweet smell and its yellowish to light brown color. Refined shea butter, on the other hand, is white and hardly smells. Unrefined shea butter is not as heat resistant as the refined variety. If you mix it with other ingredients, such as oils, it also has a shorter shelf life, which makes it less attractive for many manufacturers as a component of mixed products.

However, in its pure form and when stored properly (cool and dry), unrefined shea butter can last for several years. In addition, in comparison to refined shea butter, it scores with a higher content of valuable ingredients.

Buying shea butter: what should you pay attention to?

You can buy shea butter in both refined and unrefined form in drugstores, pharmacies or online shops.

Unrefined shea butter often costs a little more than the refined version. The price varies greatly and is between 5 and 10 euros per 100 grams.

The product is also often available in organic quality, which is also reflected in the price. Nevertheless, it is advisable to buy organic quality, especially if you intend to eat the shea butter. Some shops also offer fair trade products with shea butter.