Shea Butter and I...

         Just as some are trained on the job rather than being given lenghty training, I did not learned about Shea butter from the books; NO! My story with Shea Butter was experiential. It was hands-on. Now  my desire to deepen my knowledge about God's creation has led to research more about it. So what is Shea Butter to me?

The 'Shea Butter' I was introduced to in my native land in Benin Republic as a toddler is this raw unrefined stinking butter. Every friday, my hardcore natural hair was submitted to a regiment that was mixed with this butter. A portion would be cut, put in a pan to be melted or grinded in between the palms of her hands in order to become this oil that would then either be used to massage my scalp, or used  in a mix to dwell in my hair either for few hours or for an overnight before being submitted to a wash. Its fruits over the years can be seen for as long as I allowed this practice to be carried; my hair has gone from hardcore natural to being moist and softened. I've gone from not being able to keep my natural for more than few hours out to being able to style it and leave it out naturally for few days if so was my wish. I very much so like Shea Butter, and I do not think there are words to describe how fond I grew and became of this butter that was often purchased from the city mobile business women or at the open air market of Dantokpa.
Eventually coming to North America with Shea Butter also saved my life as for a while, my skin needed to find the right lotion. Every skincare product I used caused my body to react in these early months. Now until my mother was recommended to take me to a dermatologist, Shea Butter rescued my skin. I still remember the early winter months. I applied to my skin; it felt weird. It was hard, but it saved my skin from the cracks and kept it moisturized all day long. This was new to me. It kept me going until I eventually met with a dermatologist who recommended the appropriate skin care.

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Shea Butter! Our family has used it for multiple uses. I still remember when I told that in the North of Benin it was actually used as a cooking oil. I imagined what it would taste like to cook with this stinking unrefined butter, not the fine one that you see sold in stores these days. So there came the season we had little at home, and ran out of cooking oil. I turned to Shea Butter. Since I knew that it naturally melts in the pan, the next phase was to add ingredients. Well, Oh well! it turned out delicious, for the meal was being cooked with a healthy oil. Then Shea Butter became more prevalent in Canada, in products, but as for me I still enjoyed purchased the Raw Shea Butter, whether refined or unrefined.                   (... To be continued ... )

Fanny Magnificat - Check out my Botanica Theologia