Shea butter

Shea butter in a small tin for cosmetic use.

Shea butter or Shea nut butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory colored natural

fat extracted from the seed of the shea tree by crushing and boiling. Shea butter

is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and salve cream. Shea butter is also

edible, used in food preparation as well as sometimes in the chocolate industry

substituting for cocoa butter.

The shea or karite tree called formerly Butyrospermum paradoxum, is now [[Vitellaria

paradoxa]]. It produces its first fruit (which resemble large plums) when it is about 20

years old and reaches its full production when the tree is about 45 years old. It produces nuts

for up to 200 years after reaching maturity.

Many vernacular names are used for Vitellaria, which is a reflection of its extensive range

of occurrence—nearly 5,000km from Senegal (west) to Uganda (east) across the

African continent. The nomenclature history and synonymy of the shea tree followed a very

tortuous evolution since the oldest recorded specimen collected by a European—[[Scottish

people|Scottish]] explorer Mungo Park—dated May 26, 1797. It

eventually arrived at the name vitellaria with subspecies paradoxa and nilotica. It

usually grows to an average height of about 15m with profuse branches and a thick waxy and

deeply fissured bark that makes it fire resistant.

The shea tree grows naturally in the wild in the dry savannah belt of West Africa from

Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, and onto the foothills of the Ethiopian

highlands. It occurs in 19 countries across the African continent, namely Benin, [[Burkina

Faso]], Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, [[Guinea

Bissau]], Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone,

Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea.

Distribution of shea trees

In Ghana (FAO, 1988a), it occurs extensively in the Guinea savannah and less abundantly in the

Sudan Savannah. The shea tree occurs over almost the entire area of Northern Ghana, over about

77,670 square kilometers in Western Dagomba, Southern Mamprusi, Western Gonja, Lawra, Tumu, Wa

and Nanumba with Eastern Gonja having the densest stands. There is sparse shea tree cover found

in Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, and the Eastern and Volta regions in the south of the country.

Properties

Shea butter is known especially for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer

cream and emulsion . Some claim that it is also an anti-inflammatory agent.Shea butter is marketed as being effective at treating the following

conditions: fading scars, eczema, burns, rashes, acne,

severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips,

stretchmarks, wrinkles, and in lessening the irritation of psoriasis. Shea butter provides natural ultraviolet sun protection,

although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from nothing to approximately

SPF 6. Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a

greasy feeling. In Nigeria, it is known to be very effective in the management of sinusitis and

relief of nasal congestion. This is due to its hydrating properties which helps in relaxing

the tension in the face skin thus easing respiration. Scarcity of supply results in an erratic

market price 2005.

History

European botanists are said to have come across the shea tree recording the genus family

sapotaceae of the plant cirka late eighteenth century as traded by merchants of the age.

Ashanti, Benin, Burkinabe, Malian, and other spice merchants actively traded extracts in early cultures as far as Meroë and [[Kingdom of

Kush]] head way waters by the Blue Nile channeled by Aswan supported rivers.

Uses

File:Hamer girl.jpg

Local woman.

File:Hesoap.jpg

Shea butter soap.

Shea butter can be found in many high end moisturizing personal care products. Shea butter

extract is known for its skin softening effect, it is also used in hair conditioners to add

and maintain moisture in dry brittle hair; in addition to retaining softness and preventing

breakage.

Handcrafted shea butter is used in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Sierra Leone and

Togo for ceremonies among the Fulani and Mano River ethnic groups. It is a acclaimed natural butter derived from the Shea Karite tree growing across Africa and

hoticultured in other regions by agricooperatives.

Many carvers of djembe husks and other african drums used from zouk to [[soca

music]] have traditional instrument gourds using shea extract to condition the wood for

durability; butter oil extract is also used to condition the leather binds of these

instruments.

Shea butter is a favorite among soapmakers it is typically used in small amounts (5-7% of the

oils in the recipe). Shea butter extract is a complex fat that contains many non-saponifiable

components (cannot be fully converted into soap.) Thus the shea butter leaves a small amount of

oil in the soap, which seals moisture into the skin after washing.; the product is widely used

in luxury end cosmetics as a moisturizer salve.

With regular use Shea Butter evens skin tone and returns skin to a natural luster, melting at

body temperature, it absorbs quickly and completely into the skin without leaving a noticable

oily residue. Shea Butter penetrates deep into the skin to rehydrate and promote cell growth.

Toilet paper manufacturer Andrex released a Shea Butter enriched toilet roll to the UK

market in Summer 2009. In North America shea butter is added to some brands of paper tissue (e.g. Puffs Plus) which is

fabric softener to give additional texture. Baby wipes Huggies also use simular tissue

softeners in thier product brands.