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African Shea Butter.

Commonly known as: Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (INCI), Shea oil, Butter tree, Vitellaria paradoxa, Karité.
Botanical name: Butyrospermum parkii.
Extraction process: First cold pressure of shea tree kernels from organic farming, followed by a refining.
Family: Sapotaceae.
Part of the plant extracted: Almonds.
Location: West Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Senegal) as well as in Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Uganda.
Flowering: From January to March.
Provenance, origin: Burkina Faso.
Phytochemical composition: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (linolenic acid, linoleic acid), monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, gadoleic acid), saturated fatty acids (myristic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid), vitamins (A, D, E, F), phytosterols (alpha-spinasterol, delta-7-stigmasterol), terpenic alcohols (alpha and beta-amyrin, cinnamic acid, pareol, lupeol, butyrospermol), allantoin, latex.
Sensorial properties: Appearance: Solid butter at 20 °C and liquid at 30 – 35 °C; Colour: Creamy white; Odor: Typical; Touch: Not very fatty and melting.
Physical characteristics: Density: 0,90 – 0,93 g/cm3; soluble in oil and petroleum ether; Slightly soluble in alcohol; Oxidative potential: stable; comedogenicity index: 0; Saponification index: 160 – 200 KOH/g; Refractive index: 1,460 – 1,475; pH: non-aqueous product.
Benefits: Regenerating, softening, soothing, moisturizing, nourishing, softening, emollient, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant.
Concerns: All skin types, especially dry, mature, sensitive and irritated skin; All hair types, especially dry, brittle, and split hair; also recommended in case of sunburn.

Details

Properties

  • Softening, soothing

  • Anti-inflammatory

  • Nourishing

  • Regenerating

Use

  • Face care (lip balm, face creams, eye creams, beard oils, make-up remover oils, BB creams, masks, superfatted soaps);

  • Body care (body balms, scrubs, milks, hand and foot creams, deodorants, moisturizing scrubs, hand masks, sun creams and mists, solid soaps);

  • Hair care (shampoos, hair masks, detangling balms, conditioners, oils).

Preservation

Store the shea butter oil at a temperature < 18 °C away from air, heat, and light.

Contra-Indications and Precautions

There are no known dangers in the normal cosmetic use of African shea butter. Pregnant women and young children can use it. It is considered by the international committee of experts as a safe cosmetic ingredient that can be used up to a concentration of 60% in the finished product, without any particular toxic risk.

Caution! African shea butter naturally contains latex, so beware of allergic people.

Find out more

Shea butter is included in the Senegalese pharmacopoeia to soothe sprains and aches. Today, it is widely used in cosmetic products because of its moisturizing and nourishing benefits. It is also recommended to prevent sun allergies.