It is only natural that the first blog should revolve around our premier product. Two years ago (August 2014), we started this online portal with unrefined Shea butter (Ivory & Yellow) and African black soap.
Growing up in West Africa, Shea butter is a must for any household, applied on new born babies instead of modern formulas. After sustaining light injuries while playing in the neighborhood it applied on strains and muscle aches and my grand parents like to apply it all over the body before going to bed usually mixed with mint/eucalyptus oils especially during the cold weather.
Yes, you might say it is not so soft, yes back then it’s mostly softened with coconut oil and applied on all parts of the body (hair & body).
Briefly, I will try to answer a few questions we often get about Shea butter, first is about the colour. The most “natural” colour of Shea butter is the ivory/off white or beige colour. To make the yellow, a root dye is from borututu tree (Cochlospermum angolensis) is added. By the way this tree has tremendous medical benefits also. When only this dye is added, then the ivory and yellow have the same qualities. However, some unscrupulous individuals add some other chemical additives to create deeper yellow color, which in any case changes colour after a few months.
Second question is about Shea butter being organic or not. Shea butter (Karite tree) grows in the wild hence there is no concept of organic farming. What you can have is “organic” collection of the nuts. More importantly for me is the fair trade where the local communities usually women that produce the shea butter are adequately compensated.
I will leave you with below simple recipe based on what I grew up with that is good for both the hair and dry skin type
170gm Shea butter
50gm Virgin Coconut oil
Any choice of essential oil (20 drops)
Empty clean jar
Melt unrefined Shea butter on the steam using double pot. Put it out of the steam and add the coconut oil while mixing it. When cooled a little bit, Use a hand mixer to whip in Air. Put it in a clean jar and let it cool down on the room temperature. The Shea butter recipe is now ready to use. Keep it in an airtight glass container.
Do leave comments with formulas that work for you.
Thanks