Shea (Vitellaria Paradoxa) is a tree up to 15 meters high in the tree savannas of West Africa. Its fruits are fleshy with a fine-shelled almond inside that, after boiling and crushing, they obtain a vegetable fat called Shea Butter. Cultivation is respectful with the environment, and one of the main forms of social economy in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali and Sudan.
Shea Butter is mainly composed of oleic acid (60-70%), stearic acid (15-25%), linolenic acid (5-15%), palmitic acid (2-6%) and linoleic acid (<1% ). The union of these acids has extraordinary moisturizing properties, which is why it provides numerous repairing benefits for body skin.
Some of the many healthy benefits of Shea Butter are the healing properties that can be attributed to the presence of fatty acids and plant sterols.
Vitamins A and E contained in fat are great plant antioxidants that protect cells against free radicals and harmful environmental agents. These keep the skin supple, nourished and radiant, and prevent dryness and flaking of the epidermis. At the same time, the cinnamic acid esters it contains help prevent skin deterioration caused by ultraviolet radiation, making it a specific protector against the sun's harmful rays. Some of the cinnamic acid derivatives found in Shea Butter have anti-inflammatory properties that, in addition to preventing skin inflammation, prevent it from developing tumors.
Shea Butter, with its moisturizing qualities, is considered one of the best anti-aging agents for the skin since it stimulates the production of collagen, the skin's structural and youthful protein molecule. The non-saponifiable material and the vitamin F of the butter are essential ingredients to maintain the elasticity of the skin and an even and luminous tone, in addition to hydrating, softening and beautifying.
