Yes that's right, Shea butter is my favorite superhero and here's why...

As a mom of three beautiful children, I have experienced my share of skin irritations...from diaper rashes, eczema, random rashes, baby acne, cradle cap, hives, cuts and scars. Who rescues me when I am experiencing or have experienced any of those? why Shea butter of course. That's why I formulated our signature Baby Body Butter  with organic, raw, unrefined, Shea Butter.

What is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is a fatty substance extracted from the nuts of the African Shea tree or Karite tree (Vitellaria paradoxa formally known as Butyrospermum parkii). It is indigenous to Africa. The African Shea tree grows in the wild from west Africa, to Senegal, south and western Sudan, and the foothills of Ethiopia. It occurs in approximately 19 countries in Africa including Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea.

What else makes Shea butter is my superhero?

The Powers:

Anti-inflammatory, Anti-bacterial and Anti-fungal

Skin conditioner

Helps with moisture retention

Moisturizer for both skin and hair

Relieves dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, diaper rash

Reduces scarring and stretch marks

Before sun skin protection

After sun skin rejuvenator

Helps boost collagen

Anti aging

Improves skin elasticity

There's more...

The Properties:

Shea nuts 

The moisturizers of Shea butter resemble the lipid(fat) content of our skin, which makes it regenerative and easily absorbed into the skin.

It is composed of five main fatty acids: palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and arachidic, with the highest concentrations being stearic and oleic acids.

Stearic acid gives Shea butter it's consistency and oleic acid impacts how soft or hard it is, relative to the temperature.

It's a rich source of vitamin A and E. 

It is said to have a SPF of about 6-10.

Also emollient and humectant properties.

So when Diaper rash, Eczema or dry skin strikes....It's Shea butter to the rescue!

I have enhanced the powers of Shea butter by adding it to the other awesome ingredients in our Baby Body Butter, for a nutrient dense, healing, rejuvenating, softening, and smoothing moisturizer.

Fun Facts...

Shea butter is edible, it is used as cooking oil in countries like Benin. It can also be an ingredient in bone broth. 

Hershey's uses Shea butter to make the white coating in the cookies-n-cream and other chocolate flavored coatings.

How else is Shea butter used?

It's used in soap making, candle-making and as a waterproofing wax. Traditional African drum makers use Shea butter to increase the durability of the wood of their percussion instruments. 

In the UK it is incorporated in some tissue paper products.

In nigeria Shea butter is used to relieve sinusitis and nasal congestion.

Did you know?...

There are five grades of Shea butter? Grade A- raw, unrefined, extracted using only water, highest quality(used in our signature Baby Body Butter), Grade B- refined, Grade C- Highly refined, extracted using solvents like hexane, Grade D- lowest uncontaminated grade and Grade E- with contaminants. 

Grade A- ranges from a cream to a grayish yellow color and has a nutty smell. Grade C- is pure white and the smell has been removed through the refining process. About 90% of the vitamins are removed from the refined grades. 

Free Recipe!

Try this to keep your newborn's skin moisturized...

1/4 cup of Shea butter

2 tablespoons of Jojoba oil

Blend together either using a hand mixer or whatever you have available (spoon, fork, mortar and pestle, etc)

Apply to their skin daily and as needed.

 

Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts on Shea butter, Is it your superhero too?

Thank you for your support. Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@ziggyspudding.com with any questions or concerns.