Pros & Cons of Raw Shea Butter for skin

 

Before shedding some light on the benefits of Shea butter for skin and its pros and cons based on people’s testimonials, let’s have a look first at what is Shea butter, where it comes from and what its ingredients are.

 

What Is Shea Butter

Shea butter is the natural fat extracted from the nut of the Shea tree, also called Mangifolia tree, which grows in the semi-dry savannahs of West and Central Africa.

Collecting the nuts and taking the butter out of them is a hard work for African women who usually spend almost 20 hours to be able to produce 1 kg of Shea butter.

Shea Butter has been used in Africa for centuries due to its rich benefits when it comes to protecting the skin and today it is widely used in cosmetology with excellent effects.

 

Shea Butter Ingredients

It contains vegetable fats that boost cell regeneration and cinnamic acid which provides natural protection against the sun.

It also contains unsaponifiables which give shea butter top moisturizing and healing properties.

The Organic West African Shea butter(4 stars) and the Pure Unrefined Shea Butter (4.5 stars) from Amazon gather a lot of positive reviews for you to check more if you like.

Pure and unrefined Shea butter is rich in A, E, F and K vitamins.

Vitamin E helps the skin stay balanced and clear, vitamin A boosts collagen, hydrates and protects the skin from premature aging while vitamin F is known for its revitalizing properties.

 

Shea Butter Benefits For Skin

Shea butter has shown to be beneficial in a large number of skin conditions.

• Moisturizing effectively the face and body, keeping the skin elastic and hydrated.
• Healing fine lines and wrinkles, even those under the eyes.
• Soothing after over exposure to extreme heat or cold.
• Preventing stretch marks during or after pregnancy and weight fluctuations.
• Keeping the baby’s skin soft and protected.
• Treating light or moderate cases of eczema.
• Minimizing blemishes, like acne.
• Helping scars, minor burns and skin wounds to heal.
• Protecting sensitive skin from rashes and irritations after shaving.
• Moisturizing dry irritated scalp.
• Nourishing chapped hands or lips.
• Softening calluses on the feet.

Shea butter is beneficial for oily skin and most importantly without clogging the skin’s pores.

As for dry skin, Shea butter moisturizes deeply, nourishes and rejuvenates instantly, improving the skin’s elasticity.

Different colours of Shea butter

The colour of Shea butter varies due to the nuts used and whether the final product has been undertaken a refinement procedure or not.

Shea butter that is very white has been probably refined a great deal and lost a lot of its healing properties.

How to use raw Shea butter

 

Do not keep it in the fridge because it will be hard to use it afterwards.

Shea butter melts in your hands in ambient temperature and then you can more easily apply it onto the skin.

Pros and cons of Shea butter based on people’s reviews

Pros:

Excellent as a night time moisturizer since it is reviewed as leaving the skin hydrated and smooth.

Effective when preventing fine lines and wrinkles, with a lot of people using it especially in the area under the eyes.

Perfect as a lip balm or as a lipstick base. Especially in cold conditions, Shea butter works very well in protecting the skin.

A lot of people review it very positively in cases of eczema as well as when dealing with rosacea and scalp dermatitis.

 

Great as a nail cuticle cream and for dry patches of skin or mosquito bites.

Very reasonably priced.

Can last even for a year.

You need to use it only in small portion.

Finally, buying Shea butter enables African rural communities to have better housing, food, fresh water and medical care. Moreover, children and especially the females have the chance to go to school.

Cons:

Some people have reviewed that the smell seems quite peculiar while others just swear by its nutty and woody smell. Still, the scent fades away in a few minutes after application.

Reviewed by a few as not very good at using during the day or under makeup since according to them it takes some time to sink into the skin.

Different views on the same matter

Relating to acne prone or sensitive skin most of the people have reported that it has proven very beneficial to their skin, while very few think that Shea butter has triggered cystic acne and itchiness to the skin.

Still testing it on your own skin first to check reactions or diluting it with another natural oil like Jojoba oil or coconut oil, which are both great for acne, would be advisable.

 

Shea Butter in natural skin care products

African Shea butter is an effective natural ingredient in skin care today.

Of course, the quality of it varies, so it is very important to know that the Shea butter used in a skincare product is pure and unrefined.

Skin care companies today claim that they are using natural ingredients but the truth is that they are mixing them with a lot of other chemical synthetic ones that can not only dry and age your skin fast but also harm your overall health as well.

Moreover, the natural ingredients that they claim to be using are in very little portions because natural ingredients cost a lot.

So, the product that you end up buying seems natural from the outside based on the label and graphics but not so pure and effective from the inside after all.

Xtend Life is a company that uses no parabens, allergens, fragrances or chemicals of any kind.

The ingredients that they use are all natural like Shea butter, Jojoba oil, Macadamia, grape seed oil and a lot of others in adequate amounts for you to enjoy the full benefits.

Moreover, they are proven to work in synergy, penetrating deep into your skin to combat the root of a problem at its start, like wrinkles, sagging skin, puffiness or dark circles under eyes.

Their Restorative Night Cream is a real booster for your skin since it is packed with Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Active Manuka Honey and other natural and beneficial skincare ingredients.

6 months money back guarantee is offered to you if for any reason you are not completely satisfied with the product you have purchased.