Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (Shea butter, organic)
Shea butter ,the true all-rounder, all around body care. We only use unrefined shea butter from controlled organic cultivation.
For our cosmetics, we only use unrefined, pure shea butter.
Shea butter has skin-caring, smoothing, protective, nourishing and moisturising properties and absorbs UV radiation.
In general, unrefined, pure shea butter is considered more effective because it contains more natural nutrients than the refined version. The unrefined form is yellowish-white, occasionally with a slight green shimmer.
Unrefined shea butter is also absorbed faster by the skin and does not leave a greasy film. Another feature that makes unrefined shea butter so valuable is its high concentration of so-called unsaponifiable ingredients. This means that these molecules cannot be dissolved, i.e. "saponified", by contact with water. These unsaponifiable components in butter are substances such as oleic acid (about 75% triterpenes, oleic acid, triterpene alcohols, vitamin E, beta-carotene and allantoin), [15] the proportion is between 8 and 11% - compared to avocado oil 6%, sesame oil 1.5%, olive oil 1.2%. Shea butter contains mainly triglycerides of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids. Among the fatty acid residues of triglycerides, acyl residues of oleic acid (40-55%), stearic acid (35-45%), linolenic acid (3-8%) and palmitic acid (3-7%), hydrocarbons, tocopherols or phytosterols dominate.
Especially the latter are very useful for your skin care: Phytosterols are a natural component of the skin's own fat layer and ensure that nutrients are better absorbed from the outside. They also keep the skin elastic and compensate for moisture deficiency. In addition to these ingredients, unrefined shea butter has a number of other precious ingredients.
These include:
Allantoin: a breakdown product of uric acid, which has anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties Allantoin regenerates skin cells and is a proven ingredient to treat skin irritations and wounds
Vitamin E: An important antioxidant, it ensures that harmful substances are transported out of the body. It can also slow down the ageing process of cells. The body cannot produce vitamin E itself.
Beta carotene: As a secondary plant substance, it controls cell growth and also acts as a free radical scavenger.
Omega 3 fatty acids: Essential fats that regulate hormone levels and can reduce inflammation.
Linoleic acid: Vegetable fatty acid that has skin-soothing properties and improves the moisture balance of your skin.
Depending on the variety, shea butter has a mild, aromatic-spicy smell reminiscent of chocolate. The butter is often refined for commercial processing. This makes its colour pure white. This happens because the beta-carotene is lost during the refining process. The colour alone makes it easy to tell whether the shea butter is refined or unrefined.
The yellowish-white fat is obtained from the fruit of the shea tree. This is why the butter is also called shea butter. The tree, which is native to tropical Central Africa, can grow up to 20 metres tall. The shea nuts ripen in grape-like formations on its branches - despite their name, they are a berry plant.
Shea nuts consist of 50 percent fat. To extract the fat, the nuts are freed from their flesh and chopped in a complex process. The ground kernels are then mixed with warm water and kneaded into a mushy mass. The fat that is separated in the process gradually settles on the surface of the water and can be sieved off. When it cools down, it becomes hard and takes on the final form of pure shea butter.
Sources:
https://www.pharmawiki.ch/wiki/index.php?wiki=Sheabutter