Shea Butter - An Answer To More Than Just Dry Skin

Shea butter, sometimes called shea nut butter, is a natural plant extract from the shea tree. Shea butter is used extensively in cosmetics and moisturizers as an emollient to soften and soothe the skin. Shea butter is beneficial to the skin, and is a natural ingredient that is also edible, being used as a cooking oil and also as a cocoa butter substitute in chocolate. The shea tree does not produce its large, plum-like, fruit until it is twenty years old.

Another use of shea butter is in hair conditioners, as its moisturizing properties helps to maintain moisture in the hair and keep in healthy and revitalized. It has been shown to be even more effective that cocoa butter or jojoba butter in treating dry, damaged hair. Shea Butter is allso helpful for scars and other skin conditions.

Besides being an excellent moisturizer and emollient, shea butter is also naturally anti-inflammatory. Shea butter has been successfully used for many conditions:

-fading scars and stretch marks
-treating eczema skin symptoms, burns, rashes, acne, psoriasis
-lessening blemishes, wrinkles

It absorbs rapidly into the skin, and has also been known to effectively relieve sinusitis and nasal congestion. The softening properties helps to relax the skin and thereby ease tension and increase respiration. The use of shea butter can also be effective in lessening the pain of sore muscles and arthritis.

To obtain shea butter the shea nut is cracked and roasted, and then ground into a paste. Water is added to the cooled paste, and then mixed until the shea oil comes to the top and can be collected. The oil is boiled until the water evaporates. It is them filtered until it becomes a creamy yellow color. In some places in Africa, where the shea tree grows, newborn babies are massaged daily with the rich, natural shea butter massage oil which stretches their muscles and softens their skin.

Terry Christensen is an expert in skin care solutions and natural products. Find out more at http://www.beautifullynaturalskincare.com/.