Shea Butter and I... my discoveries

So in my previous writing, I gave you a taste of my experience with Shea Butter. However, since life is not the sum of what we think, I also sought in finding what are others saying about Shea Butter thus taking this time apart for you to research. Needless to say that there are so many resources that it was not easy to narrow down, nut I hope you will enjoy my discoveries about Shea Butter!

                     Shea Butter, originating from the Savannah Tree also known as the Shea Tree called Vitellaria paradoxa,  is a tree only found in Africa: That is why it is often referred as the African Shea Butter or the African Shea Tree. Present in over twenty countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia,Eritrea, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Guinea) out of fifty three African countries, Shea Butter is usually yellow or white, but can be used unrefined, refined or ultra-refined. The research community defines is as being a triglyceride from stearic acid and oleic acid.

The American Shea Butter Institute is a potential best friend for those who have dry skin, it fights and visibly wrinkles after four to six weeks of use. Mother Nature Network  shares the benefits of its use in haircare products such as its sealing effects in moisturizing, its conditioning of the scalp, its alleviation of dandruff, its voluminous effect when applied to the roots.

Other researchers praise its richness in Vitamin A and E and how compared to other oils its healing effects and is highly recommended for the treatment of blemishes, itching, sunburns, small skin wounds, eczema, skin allergies caused by poison ivy, poison oak, insect bites, frost bite, dermatitis, skin cracks.
In Latin, it is also known as the Butyrospermum parkii, and some researchers suggest that it is incredibly nourishing and moisturizing, and can last  approximately two years on shelf, though I must acknowledge that we've kept it for longer than that.
In French, Shea Butter is known as Beurre de Karite. In Bambara, it is known as shiriyi or shisu (a language from Mali). In Wolof (a language from Senegal), the tree is called ghariti. In Hausa (one of the language spoken in Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Togo, Central Africa and Libya), Shea of Shea Butter is known as Kade or Kadanya. 

Furthermore, to complete these discoveries shared with you, why not watch this testimonial?

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Fanny Magnificat

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.

credit picture:www.amazon.com

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