Cleopatra’s Beauty Secrets And African Shea Butter
November 21st, 2009 by Trish WilliamsonAfrican Shea Butter is the pride of the women of the Sahel region for it is the result of hard labour as well as a source of income that contributes to their independence and emancipation. It is for this reason that it is called 'The green gold for the women'.
The Shea from Africa is extracted from the pit of a fruit that grows on the Magnifolia tree which begins to bear after about fifteen years, in Central and West Africa. The pits are removed from the fruit, boiled and then sun dried for several days until they are completely dehydrated, and the butter is extracted by hand.
Shea is one of the most inexpensive products on the Ghanaian market so most people takes it for granted. It is also used on new born babies, in line with myths that shea butter will help to relieve them of stress from the unknown world they came from.
The butter is also used in food preparations in Africa. The healthy benefit is mainly derived from its high content of non- saponifiable fatty acids (stearic and oleic acid). Shea butter is very thick and rich, so you don't need to use a lot of it at once. Shea butter can also be used to moisturize dry hair.
Shea butter has a rich history. It gets mentioned in almost all African historical documents, including a reference as early as Cleopatra's Egypt, which mentions caravans bearing clay jars of Shea Butter for cosmetic use. Funeral beds of kings were carved in the wood of old Shea Trees, and Shea Butter has always been a staple of African pharmacology. Shea Butter is made from the pulp extracted from the nuts of the Mangifolia tree in Central Africa. This tree is also known as a Karite tree, the Shea tree and the Tree of LIFE!
Shea from Africa is used in many natural skin care products , including body creams, body butters and hair conditioners. It contains vitamins A and E which nourish the skin and help keep it healthy and vitamin F which provides a degree of protection from the elements.
The butter is used in Africa as a cooking fat and as a skin and hair treatment. In Europe it is mainly used by the food industry in chocolate, margarine, and confectionery products because of its low cost and effective emulsifying properties.
Amongst its many benefits it is also a super dense emollient. Spray your hair with water or a moisturizing product with a high water content. Shea is thought to be a "youth enhancer" and has been treasured for centuries as a superior skin soother, moisturizer and beautifier.
Its production has become an important and sustainable village industry in Africa, providing a source of income where it is much needed. Shea Butter is nature's best moisturizing secret. Shea Butter has been used for centuries for stretch marks, dry skin, cracked heels, lips, hair.
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