Extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, shea butter has long been a natural treasure from Africa. Prized for its moisturising and beauty properties, it has found its way from traditional African skincare routines to the shelves of modern beauty and skincare products.
Residing in Pretoria, Fiona Obeng was introduced to shea butter while working in West Africa. It has since become her go-to haven for good skin.
“What interested me in shea butter was understanding its value and benefits and getting to meet and experience the shea butter-making process by the locals in Ghana. I’ve been using it personally for over 10 years, and it has exceeded my expectations; hence, I’ve ventured into selling it,” she says.
“Medically, I’ve suffered from eczema, and the shea butter cleared that and continues to healthily moisturise my skin with no negative effects to date.”
Perfect for skin and hair
Xondli Nkuna from Pretoria shares that she has been using shea butter for about three years after learning that it’s good for hair and could help her with hair breakage.
“I use shea butter for my hair and also for my four-year-old daughter. So far, the hair breakage has stopped, and our hair growth is amazing. A few months ago, I tried to use it for scratch marks, and it was working slowly, though my laziness stopped me because I had to melt it before using it,” she says.
“Shea butter has a lot of benefits; it treats hair breakage, helps with hair growth, removes stretch marks, and has many other benefits, like treating acne, eczema, and cracked heels.
Xondli Nkuna
“Some even use it as a body lotion. Ever since I started using shea butter, I’ve never had any side effects, not even for my daughter,” she adds.
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Dr Lehlohonolo Makhakhe from Bloemfontein, who is a skin specialist, chief formulator at Epicutis Skincare Range, and CEO of the South African Institute of Dermatology, describes shea butter as the fat component derived from the nuts of karité (shea) trees, which consists of a plethora of well-documented benefits for the skin and hair.
According to him, it is a natural cosmetic ingredient with a high concentration of a few fatty acids, including omega 6, and contains vitamin A, E, and F, all aiding in the prevention of certain skin diseases and skin nourishment, and also playing a notable role in promoting healthier-looking skin.
“The benefits of shea butter include moisturising and soothing effects for the skin and anti-inflammatory properties, thus helping in treating minor skin rashes and reducing the appearance of stretch marks. In addition, shea butter has been clinically found to be useful in preventing or treating dry skin. For the hair, it has been found to help in the locking of moisture, thus playing a critical role in moisturising dry scalps and hydrating hair fibres,” he explains.
“It can also help with dry and itchy skin, especially during the winter season. Conditions like eczema are characterised by dry skin; regular topical use of shea butter can thus lead to better-hydrated skin. Due to its anti-comedogenic (anti-black and whiteheads) and anti-oxidant effects, shea butter may play a role in the treatment of acne and dark marks, respectively.”
He adds that there are no known side effects to using shea butter, except in cases of known allergies to the nuts from which the butter is extracted.
“It is well documented that shea butter can be used by all skin types, age-wise and in terms of race.”
Dr Lehlohonolo Makhakhe
“Shea butter can be applied directly to the skin as is or contained in different formulations, such as lotions, creams, balms, and pastes, in varying concentrations. Because of its natural properties, it is often a preferred ingredient in formulations aimed at sensitive areas such as the face.”
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