Women's magazine JustLady found where does this miracle oil, and whether all products with the addition of its benefit.
Where growing shea butter?
In the scientific literature Shea (Shea it is) called vitellariya, Vitellaria Paradoxa (West Africa) or Vitellaria Nilotica (East Africa). The largest plantations are located in Mali, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Uganda. Vitellarii height can reach 15 meters, its trunk and spreading branches covered voskooobraznym dark matter, which protects the wood from the fire. The tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 20 years and can produce a crop until its bicentennial.
In category Beauty: Shugaring at home
Fruits (nuts) shea tree - one of the main resources of the African peoples, living area which can not boast an abundance of natural sources of fat. The tribes of old trees are cultivated and harvested fruits, which in its original form more like a large plum. Fleshy pulp covering them is a treat for people and animals. Africans in general is not lost anything: root extract shea butter they use for cooking healthful beverage, non-bearing trees are cut, dried and burned using ash canvas for painting a dark color.
A special kind of caterpillars living on Shea, is considered a delicacy. Shea fruits are in Africa almost sacred value, symbolizing fertility, life, good luck. They are considered the best gift and serve refreshments at the biggest festivals. Experts distinguishShea Butter from West and East Africa: the second is considered more soft and fragrant, but less saturated fatty acids.
How to extract shea butter?
For many centuries the mechanism of productionshea butter has not undergone any changes. Vintage traditionally collected by women; they clean fruits and lay them in the sun, waiting for the pulp dries and disappear - it will eat. A fruit stones, those nuts, istolkut pestle manually wander off and wash out. After re-drying the nuts ground in a hand mill and the resulting flour poured into vats of hot water.
With constant stirring occurs most importantly - on the surface of oil rises. In chan cold water is added, and brown fat solidifies on the surface. It is collected and calcined in a giant frying pan, choosing large and small debris, and finally filtered. The day ends, and readyShea ButterWho has acquired the color from yellow to cream, packed in bowls or convolution of different sizes. Part of it will go to local needs, and some will go to the "big world" to turn into jars and bottles with the elixir of beauty.
What can shea butter?
Shea butter has a universal cosmetic virtues. Soaking and leaving no greasy, it is known as one of the best emollients (softeners) skin and hair, but that its useful qualities are not exhausted. Unsaponifiable fats in which the composition of shea butter about 15%, have a natural ability to stimulate collagen synthesis. This means that products containing miracle oils have regenerative abilities, help heal and rejuvenate the skin.
Furthermore,Shea Butter With UV (by nature has a SPF factor 6) and a positive effect on this figure as lamination, ie, increases the protective properties of skin. Delaying the epidermal moisture and nourishing it,Shea Butter is widely used as a moisturizing cosmetic component. It is not surprising that Africans adore Shea - without care using magic oils in an aggressive climate of Africa they would have a hard time.
Jar with pureshea butter may with equal right to be in the beautician and medicine cabinet: it means helps with dry skin and eczema, and burns of different origin, and for the treatment of acne and acne. It can be used as a shaving cream and shea butter helps owners of curls easily comb the curls.
How to choose the shea butter?
The main advantage of shea butter - its naturalness. This oil can not be faked, and through the efforts of a number of environmental organizations, the use of chemicals in the manufacture of this product has received publicity and disapproval. However, it makes sense to be alert if a part of the means with the addition ofshea butter present hexane or other solvents, which means that the oil has been "improved" with the accelerated procedure and there is no guarantee that it has the expected properties.
Most people are pleasant natural scentnatural shea butter - It is light nutty. Clean oil does not smell in two cases - if it is "wear" (and probably, confused their properties), or has been processed mentioned solvents (in this case, Shea has an unnatural pure white color). But, no matter how old any oil, its flavor never becomes unpleasant, repulsive. The presence of such a smell - a sure sign of extraneous additives. By the way, lock the oil in the refrigerator or freeze does not make sense - it is well kept 2-3 years in a cool place with limited access of light.
If you preferShea Butter not in its pure form, and as a component of cosmetic products, pay attention to the following points. Firstly, in the composition of shea butter should be given one of the first, otherwise add it as a marketing gimmick.
Secondly, cosmetic proven to be produced by the company. Thirdly,Shea Butter should be the main active ingredient, otherwise most of its useful abilities will be challenged by the "competitors".
Remember - all the amazing beauty and pharmacological properties characteristic of only the pureshea butter, Produced by African peasants old-fashioned way. Any interference in its structure or mixing with other components leads to a weakening of the "magic power". And from the mysterious gift of nature Shea turned into a normal good fat.
Olga mob
Women's magazine JustLady