To be honest, maintaining skin health is easier said than done! And with more and more of us becoming conscious of what we put on our bodies, in addition to what we put in our bodies, it is only natural (pun intended) to go natural. Sounds like a lot of work, right? We agree! With hectic lifestyles, it’s difficult to take care of your skin, let alone make your skincare regime clean and natural. But what if we told you that nature has you covered with a single product that can take care of almost all your skin troubles be it dryness or acne or wrinkles or skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis or simply the overall health and wellness of your skin? No, it’s not a bluff! Lo and behold… Shea Butter!
Whether you are an enthusiast of the All-Natural movement or not, if you use any skin or hair care products- lotions, creams, soaps, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, etc.- chances are that you’ve already heard of this miraculous natural skin superfood we know as shea butter. As it happens, the raging popularity shea butter enjoys with the cosmetic and the skincare industry is for good reason (well, 9 reasons to be precise), as you are about to discover in a minute but before that let us just fill you in on what exactly is shea butter, in case you aren’t already aware of it.
Shea butter is a naturally occurring fat extracted from the kernels of the Shea nut that comes from the eponymous tree. The Shea tree goes by various local names, the most common of them being Karite which means the ‘tree of life,’ a name befitting of its countless benefits.
Focusing our attention to the many ways shea butter can enrich our skin, here are 9 reasons why this skin superhero is all you need to nourish and take care of your skin…
1. It Is The Perfect Moisturiser…
Shea butter has hydrating, moisture-locking and skin smoothening properties all at once which makes it the perfect moisturiser; the primary reason behind shea butter making its way into most cosmetic and skincare products. While most plant-based oils and butter lose their beneficial properties on undergoing any kind of treatment, even in its ultra-refined form, shea butter works as an excellent moisturiser. Needless to add then that its hydrating and skin-softening abilities are much higher when the butter is used in its unrefined or (single) refined form. To ensure you get the maximum benefit, all Shea Butter XO blends are formulated with unrefined shea butter with White Knight being the only exception to use the refined butter for those who just can’t deal with the butter’s typical nutty fragrance.
2. It’s A Great Treatment For Eczema & Dermatitis-Affected Skin…
Due to its intensive moisturising power, shea butter has proven to be a great treatment for eczema and dermatitis affected skin. Studies have shown that this natural emollient can relieve eczema symptoms such as itchiness, irritated and inflamed skin and redness in mild to moderate cases within days. According to a study performed by the University of Kansas in 2009, shea butter proved to bring down eczema symptoms from 3 to 1 on a scale with 5 being the most severe and 0 being no eczema.
3. It Helps Detox Pores And Reduce Acne…
Shea butter helps unclog pores and thereby reduce acne. Sebum, the natural oil produced by the skin to keep itself hydrated, is comedogenic (pore-clogging) which leads to clogged pores resulting in acne outbreaks. Non-comedogenic in nature, the structure of Shea fat is similar to that of sebum. So when you apply Shea butter you kind of trick your skin into thinking that there is enough oil leading to controlled sebum production and reduced acne outbreaks.
4. It Protects Skin From Oxidative Stress…
Unclogging pores isn’t the only way shea butter keeps acne outbreaks in check, it also helps prevent outbreaks and other skin damage including early-ageing caused by free radicals. Exhibiting rich antioxidant properties, Shea Butter protects your skin from oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
5. It’s The Most Effective Natural Anti-Ageing Agent…
Shea butter has collagen boosting, cell regenerating and antioxidant properties that not only reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles but also slows down the signs of early ageing. It helps skin restore its natural youthful plumpness.
6. It Works Wonders On Uneven Skin Tones…
A rich source of Vitamins A and E, both known for their skin lightening properties, shea butter is known to lighten darker skin patches leaving you with an even skin tone.
7. It Reduces The Appearance of Scars, Marks & Blemishes…
Another skin perk associated with shea butter is its ability to diminish the appearance of scars, stretch marks and blemishes. Its anti-inflammatory properties work towards reducing bumps giving skin an even texture while its skin-lightening ability evens out skin colour drastically fading out scars, marks and blemishes.
8. It Has Healing Properties…
Shea butter is known to have the highest healing fraction of all-natural seeds and nuts. It is owing to this healing fraction that shea butter works wonders on minor burns, wounds, cuts and abrasions.
9. It Provides Protection Against UV Rays…
Shea butter has a natural SPF of about 6-10 and provides some measure of protection from the harmful UV rays. While its healing factor helps cure sunburns, its sun protection factor prevents sunburns. Although it isn’t recommended as a standalone sunblock, adding shea butter in addition to your regular sunblock gives you an added layer of protection from sun damage.
Apart from touting an alluring list of benefits that can help you achieve healthy and youthful skin, what makes shea butter even more covetable is that it can be used on all skin types; from extremely dry to extra oily to that of super sensitive. As if we needed any more reason to love this miracle butter!
Ready to introduce your skin to its best friend? Check out all Shea Butter XO products here.
