Unrefined Shea Butter

Tip: Only grade A unrefined shea butter can offer the healthy benefits mentioned below . At Sommalife we produce grade A unrefined shea butter.

It is obvious that coconut oil and other natural oils have a great benefit for skin and hair, but another all-star natural moisturizer for these uses and more around the home is shea butter. This luxurious butter is very thick and solid at room temperature but has a buttery rich consistency that makes it ideal for use as a natural eye cream, lip balm, or body butter. Many studies show that it is especially good at penetrating the skin and contains 60% fat, making it highly emollient.

Thanks to some other special properties, shea butter does more than moisturize.Â

Benefits of Shea Butter

Moisturizing: The concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids in shea 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. 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 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.

Clear nasal congestion

A study published in the British Journal of Clinical rmacology found that shea butter was potentially more efficacious in treating nasal congestion than nasal drops. Subjects with congestion (mostly associated with seasonal allergy) were given 2-4 grams of shea butter applied to the interior of the nostril “by means of the subject’s right index finger." (Which is to say, you can try this at home!) The airways of those using the shea butter (opposed to those using nasal drops or petroleum jelly) became clear within 30 to 90 seconds of application, and remained so for 5 to 8 hours, besting the other treatment methods. (On a similar note, use shea butter instead of petroleum jelly to fight pollen)

Aid your shave

The jury is still out on this one – some like a shea shave because it’s so nice on the skin; others say that it doesn’t provide enough cushion for the since it doesn’t lather. If you like more of an “oil shave" than a sudsy one, shave with shea. And even if you use a lather to shave with, applying shea post-shave can soothe irritation.

Ditch the itch from insect bites

With its anti-inflammatory magic, it makes sense that shea butter would quell the swelling of insect bites, but if crowds of people across the Web are correct, it also stops the irksome itch of insect bites pretty much on the spot.

Give skin an antioxidant boost

Shea butter is high in vitamins A and E, as well as catechins and other significant plant antioxidants, which may protect skin from damage. There is evidence that suggests that cinnamic acid esters in shea fat also help to prevent damage from ultraviolet radiation.

Repair cracked heels and troublesome cuticles

Many who suffer from painful cracked heels and dry cuticles claim that shea butter solves the problem. For heels that are particularly bad, apply shea butter before bed and slip into cotton socks for the night.