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Shea butter is one of the most beneficial and multipurpose products created. It is a fat that is extracted from the nut of the African Shea tree and you can find the product in yellow or ivory color. It is an ivory color when raw and the yellow color is due to it being processed and dyed yellow with palm oil. This one product can be used not only on your skin but in your hair, for cooking purposes. You can even make recipes with Shea butter to create soap, lip balms, deodorant, creams, conditioner, and many more.
Cooking
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I have never used Shea butter to cook, but I learned that it is popular in the African country to use it while cooking. I have read that you can eat unrefined Shea butter. You can use it as a replacement of butter, boil it, or use it for frying. It is believed that Shea butter can also help when someone is sick, where some African recipes add the ingredient to help combat the illness.
Skin
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Shea Butter is the best product for dry skin or skin in the wintertime. The vitamins within the Shea Butter helps soften and soothe the skin. It also consists of anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Shea butter should be able to help with dark spots, scars, blemishes, stretch marks, and many more. This is my favorite product in the colder months due to its thick consistency. I use the raw Shea butter by itself, by scooping out a decent amount and rubbing it in my hands to melt it slightly, then I rub it in a circular motion over my body. My skin feels so soft, moisturized, toned, and hydrated after. I can also go the day without my skin becoming dry. So if you are a person that struggles with dry skin you should incorporate this into your routine.
Hair
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For all my natural girls, Shea butter is your friend. I would use Shea butter only on my skin until I learned that it can also be used in hair. I would struggle with keeping my hair moisturized, which led to complications in my natural hair journey, but I was able to overcome that once I discovered Shea butter. While being natural you have to listen to your hair and understand what it does and does not like. I found out my hair loves thick products and oils, so Shea butter is beneficial for me. I do not use it daily, but maybe at least once or twice a week. I would section my hair, spray it with water, add a reasonable amount of Shea butter, seal it with oil, then put it in braids or twist.
