How to Buy Pure Shea Butter
Shea butter, a beauty cream extracted from the seed of the fruit from the African Karite (Shea) tree, is full of moisturizing fatty acids. For centuries, Africans have used the cream to protect and replenish their skin and hair, and recently people outside of Africa have discovered Shea butter's uniquely helpful qualities. Unfortunately, because Shea butter is now known as a desirable beauty and health item, many inferior products are available on the market. Therefore, when you shop for pure Shea butter, take care to ensure you're buying a quality product.
Instructions
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Buying Pure Shea Butter
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1
Read the packaging carefully. Real Shea butter may come from either West or East Africa. East African Shea butter is softer, more liquid, and often has a stronger scent than West African Shea butter. It also has less vitamin A, is absorbed faster on the skin, and is more rare and expensive.
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2
Read the list of ingredients. Pure Shea butter should be the first ingredient listed. The farther down the ingredients list Shea butter appears, the less the product contains.
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3
Look for an American Shea Butter Institute logo. This indicates the product has been tested for quality.
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4
Check to see if the Shea butter is described as "raw" or "unrefined." This type is extracted with water and is considered the highest quality.
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5
Avoid Shea butter described as "refined" or "processed." Many of its natural and helpful components may be lost in processing.
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6
Notice the color. Good quality Shea butter is either a cream color or is yellowish-gray in color. Pure Shea butter should never be green or white.
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7
Smell the Shea butter. It should have a nutty scent, or smell similar to high quality shortening used in baking. If there is very little scent, the cream is either of poor quality or has been sitting too long.
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Notice the texture. Good Shea butter should be the consistency of whipped butter. It should never be hard.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't worry if the Shea butter looks melted. One of the nice features of using Shea butter on your body is that it melts into your skin easily. This also means, however, that the product can melt easily in its packaging, especially in a warm environment. The good news is this does not damage pure Shea butter. Once you get the product home, just put it in the refrigerator until it solidifies. You might need to stir it so the liquid and the natural fat mix together again.
