How to Make Shea Butter Soap

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Shea butter is organic, non toxic and unprocessed, and it can be used in cooking. As a moisturizer it is known to make an adult skin look and feel more resilient, and acts as a natural product rejuvenating, and is completely non-toxic for babies or people with skin conditions, like skin cracks and ulcers, small wounds, dry skin, eczema, dermatitis, and to sooth aching muscles. Because of the way shea butter restructures the skin, you can use it in the bath as your daily soap, to to help with stretch marks, and in anti-aging formulas. It is expensive to buy, and can be duplicated at home for less the cost.

Steps

1. Boil tap water in a double-broiler. Grate your castile soap until you have two full cups. Add this to the inner double-boiler, with ½ cup of distilled water.
2. Melt it over medium high heat, stirring frequently until the soap is completely melted and stringy when you pull up the spoon. Remove it from the heat.
3. Add the shea butter and almonds, stirring gently until the mixture is well blended. Pour into small plastic food containers and let dry and harden for several hours. They should pop out when completely hard.
4. Place on the drying rack and allow soap to set for 3 weeks, turning regularly throughout the day to prevent the bars from warping.
5. Simply wrap the shea butter soaps in plastic wrap to preserve them, or use them in your next bath.

Tips

• For a faster melting time, use your microwave.

Warnings

• If you are allergic to latex, you will want to do a small patch test before you slather shea butter all over.

Things You’ll Need

• All-natural Castile (olive oil based) soap
• distilled water
• 2 tbsp all-natural, unprocessed shea butter
• 1 tbsp finely ground almonds (optional, but a nice addition for a gentle exfoliating soap with a nice scent)
• A grater
• A double boiler, or a small pot that can be placed inside of a bigger pot
• Small plastic food containers for molds
• A mixing spoon
• A drying rack

Related wikiHows

• How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks
• How to Decrease Eczema Flare Ups
• How to Care for Your Feet and Toe Nails Successfully
• How to Address Aging Skin Concerns
• How to Use Shea Butter

Sources and Citations

• loccitane
• butters
• Natures Shea Butter

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Shea Butter Soap. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

See more Free Trade Organic Shea Butter Products .

See more Free Trade Organic Shea Butter Products .

Shea butter is a natural oil made from compressing and boiling the fruit of the African karite tree, also called “The Tree of Life.” The oil is used for cooking in many parts of its native Africa, but is most commonly used in skin products because of its amazing moisturizing and healing properties. Natural shea butter contains high quantities of vitamins A and E and is known to improve a variety of skin conditions, including wrinkles, eczema, dermatitis, and even some blemishes. More and more skin products containing shea butter are becoming available both on pharmacy shelves and in high-end cosmetic boutiques. If you are thinking of buying a product containing shea butter, read below for answers to commonly asked questions about this natural moisturizer.

What Can Shea Butter Do for My Skin?
Shea butter has been shown to be beneficial for a variety of skin conditions that plague many people. Allergies, eczema, dermatitis, wrinkles, and abrasions are all common skin conditions that have shown improvement when treated with shea butter products. Shea butter also contains active properties that have been shown to treat insect bites, sunburns and frostbites.

Your glands produce oil called sebum to keep your skin hydrated. The moisturizers in shea butter are chemically similar to the sebum your body manufactures naturally, making it one of the best forms of hydration and wrinkle prevention available. This intense moisturization also makes shea butter an accelerant for wound healing.

Shea butter is extremely high in vitamin A, which aids in the skin’s recovery from allergies, eczema, dermatitis, and even wrinkles and abrasions.
Vitamin E is also present in high concentrations in shea butter. This vitamin is known for its anti-aging properties, as it acts as an anti-free radical agent, minimizes the effects of sun damage and increases circulation under the skin’s surface.

How Should I Use Shea Butter?
The uses for products containing shea butter are almost endless. Originally most products containing shea butter were skin moisturizers, but the oil is now a primary ingredient in many shampoos and conditioners as well. Review this list of ideas to learn how to maximize the benefits of shea butter:

- Use it daily to prevent dry skin.
- Use it on skin rashes or dry skin to stop itching.
- Cover sunburns or tanned skin with it to prevent peeling.
- Use it for four to six weeks to see a reduction of wrinkles.
- Coat your feet, then wear socks over night and wakeup to baby-soft tootsies.
- Use twice daily in winter to prevent skin irritation from the cold weather.
- Lather as shaving cream for a smooth shave.
- Dab a small amount on small skin wounds before bandaging.
- Coat cracked skin and cover in plastic wrap for 10 minutes.
- Use daily on pregnant stomachs to prevent stretch marks.
- Use daily after pregnancy to help heal stretch marks and reduce scarring.
- Dab on insect bites.
- Use as massage cream to help soothe muscle aches.
- Apply to minor burns.
The Quality of Shea Butter Products
African shea butters are generally classified on an A to F scale. Class A is premium because the process used to make the butter does not compromise any of the healing properties. Class F is the lowest grade and is given to shea butters that have been stripped of their healing properties due to over processing. Some products are over processed in an effort to make them smell better and feel softer.

The age of the product can also compromise the healing integrity of shea butter. Look for dates on your products and do not use products that are over two years old.

What is Organic Shea Butter?
All organically grown foods and products should be produced following specific production guidelines. Organic food is grown with no pesticides, fertilizers, hormones or additives. In the United States, organic farming is regulated and producers of organic products must be certified organic to market their foods under the organic umbrella. Pay attention to the labels of naturally marketed products because the label “natural” does not mean the product is organic.

Organic shea butter is usually a premium product and fits into the class A category because it has maintained its purity through processing.
Many organic shea butter producers also participate in fair trade programs with African communities. In this case, the shea butter is sourced from self-sufficient, small (usually family operated) farms in Africa. Because these operations are small scale, they usually function within the local community, drawing on locally skilled workers. These families rely on the shea butter for income and hope to do so for generations to come, so they farm it using ecologically sustainable practices. Buying shea butter products made with fairly traded ingredients means you are contributing to an African economy and exercising environmental responsibility. Look for a fair trade logo on the products you purchase.

What is Real Shea Butter?
With a multitude of products on the market, there are sure to be some labeled as shea butter that contain an imitation product. While the imitation product might mimic the fragrance and feel of real shea butter, it will not offer the same healing properties as the real thing. Real shea butter is soft and consistent at room temperature and is naturally a light beige color. It will become liquid in a hot room or spread with a consistency similar to margarine when applied to the skin. Some imitation products are dark brown, yellow, white, or green. While shea butter has a natural, pleasant smell, the fragrance of the authentic oil will fade 20 minutes following application to the skin.
Unrefined shea butter has not been refined to remove natural scent, add artificial fragrance or alter its color. Basically, it is the natural product in its most pure and raw form as it comes from the tree before reaching human hands. It is extracted from the tree without any additional chemicals, unlike refined extraction in which the shea kernels are removed with petroleum solvents and the oil inside is boiled, refined, bleached and deodorized, resulting in an odorless, white, creamy shea butter product. The refined form of the product is what consumers expect when they purchase a moisturizer, because it is more aesthetically appealing. Unrefined shea butter looks more like a chunk of grainy, hardened vegetable shortening than body product, but in this raw form it has the highest concentration of healing properties.

With all of its healing ingredients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fatty acids, shea butter is one of the most effective natural moisturizers available. While it can be used to treat skin conditions and irritations, the oil is useful for healthy skin, too, and will help it stay that way. It even has natural sunscreen to shield skin from the damaging, aging effects of the sun’s rays. Shea butter can be applied to the skin and hair in a number of ways; in its raw, unrefined form, or as an ingredient in body products like lotions, soaps, creams, shampoos, and conditioners. Agreeable with every skin type, no matter what age or race, shea butter is changing the face of skin care… literally!

See more Fair Trade Organic Shea Butter Products .

See more Free Trade Organic Shea Butter Products .

Your skin needs moisture to stay resilient, healthy, glowing, and supple. Amongst the hundreds of moisturizers available on the market today, there is one that is considered the ‘crème de la crème’ of all. Shea Butter is a gift from Africa, and can turn almost any dry skin patch into a smooth and supple surface.Shea Butter has been used for generations in African cultures as a moisturizer, health aid, and healing balm. In its purest forms, it is a solid fat with a high skin absorption rate. This makes Shea Butter a highly valued product for almost all skin types.

It does not have a scent or smell, but today’s products offer a variety of aromatic scents and fragrances added to it. This high-fat butter is chock full of naturally occurring Vitamin A, E, an d F. Many women can apply megadoses of Vitamin E to reduce stretch marks, wrinkles, and skin cracks. Shea butter will prevent bumps from shaving, razor irritation, rashes, and even eczema. Use it sparingly during the summer months as it is very high in moisture; however, winter calls for a different regiment in most states! Shea Butter is a fantastic moisturizer for the outdoor enthusiast who suffers from chapped and cracked skin. Even sunburn in the summer can be soothed and reduced considerably with regular shea butter application. Shea butter has a high level of cinnamic acid, which is a naturally occurring sun screen; it will absorb easily into the skin and pores without clogging. Some additional, and not widely know, secrets of Shea Butter are include:

• Helping to reduce or eliminate scalp dryness or irritation: this is especially important for those who use chemicals and coloring for their hair

• Restoring natural elasticity after a shower or cold season

• Restoring shine and naturally occurring oils to the hair

• Eliminating dry and uncomfortable patches on feet, elbows, and knees

• Preventing sunburn on sensitive neck and face areas

• Helping heal wounds and encouraging the healing process from scars Shea Butter naturally revitalizes and refreshes your skin, no matter what condition it may be in. It is best applied when slightly warmed or melted, and can be a very beneficial massage aid for sore muscles and joints! Frequent use of Shea Butter will keep your skin smooth and supple for hours, without any stickiness or greasy feeling. When selecting Shea Butter, be sure to choose a natural-based form in either an unrefined block, or refined to a point where there it retains most of its natural properties. Any processed versions will likely not have beneficial components left, so do seek out only the best! The extra care you take of your skin now will dramatically improve your skin in the subsequent years. Shea Butter is your best choice for a weekly, if not daily, moisturizer!

See more Free Trade Organic Shea Butter Products visit our Squidoo lens.

Who should be using Shea butter? Everyone! Whether you have white skin, black skin, brown skin, yellow skin, or purple skin this product is for you. Down below are three areas where you can benefit from it:

1. Shea Butter for your Face
The face is the main beneficiary of the daily use of the product. Massage your face using a small portion of the butter. Pay attention to the lower part of the nose, to the corner of your lips, ears and finally your forehead. After shaving, apply it again to avoid bumps.

2. Shea Butter for your Hair
A person with beautiful hair can enhance beauty tremendously. To rejuvenate your hair, massage a generous amount of African Shea butter on your scalp and in your hair.

Not only does it act as a good moisturizer for your scalp after you have washed your hair; it improves hair texture and has even been shown to stimulate hair growth.

3. Shea Butter for your Body
Shea butter penetrates deep into the skin to provide a lasting protection against the cold & the sun. Because of its softness followed by its high nonsaponifiable
fraction,it is excellent for a body massage.

Sun & Summer: Apply it in the evening to regain freshness. Refer to the treatment mentioned for your hair which gets dry in the summer. Do not hesitate to oil hair before swimming and to maintain this treatment after the season is over. Your skin suffers during the whole summer.
Regular use of it in addition to sun screen products, before and after sun exposition, leaves you with tanned skin and avoids peeling. It is no longer popular for men to have lined skin.

Use Shea butter after shaving for a healthy and younger feeling skin. Gentlemen, at least once a week, apply a generous amount from head to foot, with special care for joint (elbows and knees), toes, heels and nails.

Sport and Shea Butter: Shea butter is recommended for people who are active in sports. It has been used by African for centuries to relieve muscles tension and stress. Before an effort Shea butter accelerates warm-ups.

Afterwards it helps drain toxins from sore muscles for a faster recovery. If you do experience pain due to strenuous activity such as running, fighting, or heavy lifting, apply a generous amount of the butter and rub in a circular motion to the area that is under pain. Wet a towel in warm water; squeeze the towel until the towel is lightly damp. Gently press the towel over the affected area.

This allows the Shea butter to easily absorb into the skin to perform its job. Within a moment of time, the pain should settle down. Do not throw away your Bengay or painkillers just yet.

If you find that the butter does not do anything to ease the pain, you can always go back to what you were using before.

What an amazing product. If you are not convinced by the benefits listed above, that is fine; there are more benefits associated with this amazing product that apply to everybody, even yourself.Article Source: http://www.articleblender.com

Joseph Constant is the founder of A.R. Skincare, a company devoted to community awareness of Premium Grade Shea butter. Please visit www.premium-grade-sheabutter.com/Benefits.html to discover what benefits from using the highest quality of this great product.

Have you ever wondered why the average black women of even 60 and over have few if any wrinkles on their face at all?

Well, whilst there are natural oils that are found within black skin, there is still the essential requirement of a dedicated skin care regime.

Integral to that regime for many black women and increasingly men also, is the core ingredient Raw Shea Butter.

Raw Shea Butter is something that has long been used in West Africa for skin care. The fatty acids contained inside help keep skin smooth and rejuvenated. Traditionally it was used to treat skin and scalp conditions, but now it is often found in skin treatments to ward off wrinkles and fine lines.

To make Raw Shea Butter, the nuts from the Shea Karite tree are needed. They get cracked, grilled, pounded then boiled in water for hours. The extracted Raw Shea Butter is then scooped from the water and set aside to cool. Alone and separated from the water, the Raw Shea Butter will keep for about two years.

Within the Raw Shea Butter, there are several compounds responsible for the benefits. Fatty oils help maintain the skin’s moisture and elasticity. Cinnamic acid works to protect your skin from UV rays. Raw Shea Butter also helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks, making it extremely useful for women who are pregnant or have children. With Raw Shea Butter being very neutral in composition, it very rarely causes an allergic reaction.

Raw Shea Butter can be used with great effect in many forms. Soaps made from it are excellent choices to use on skin affected by eczema and dermatitis. It also puts more vitamin A and E into the skin which keeps it moisturized and soft. Lotions are another common way to get Raw Shea Butter. The benefits of a lotion are similar to soaps but are a lot more noticeable and concentrated. This makes it ideal for use in the winter months, when it’s drier.

For skincare, Raw Shea Butter is one of the best anti-aging compounds nature or science can provide. With benefits ranging from retaining skin moisture to protecting against UV rays, there are few things that can match what it does. When looking for your next facial care product, keep Raw Shea Butter in mind.

The true secret is to use a product that contains the highest grade of Raw Shea Butter available and not just any product that displays Raw Shea Butter on the label.

High grade Raw Shea butter is equally effective on women of all colors, white, black and Asian as it meets the
standard you should be looking for in order to obtain, maintain and retain your best skin ever.

To receive further information about obtaining and retaining your best skin ever, go to http://www.nubiannatural.com

Free Trade Organic Shea Butter

This is a fun recipe to make when you’ve got a bit of time to go slowly and melt the butters then whip for a nice consistency that’s easy to apply. You don’t have to use fragrance oil or essential oil but it’s always nice for a scented treat in the winter. Apply some to bare feet then put on socks before you hit the gym. The heat your body generates from working out will help your skin absorb the butter.

Mango Body Butter

Ingredients:

2 ozs cocoa butter (weighed)

2 ozs natural shea butter (weighed)

2 ozs mango butter (weighed)

1 teaspoon wheat germ oil

3 teaspoons apricot kernel oil

1 teaspoon beeswax pearls

Mango fragrance oil (or any fragrance oil)

1/4 teaspoon Vit E. (optional, as a preservative)

Directions: In a microwave safe measuring cup, add all the ingredients except the fragrance oil. Melt, in 1 minute intervals in high until all the ingredients have liquefied. Continue to heat on low for another 2-3 minutes (do not boil). The continued heating will help prevent the butters from becoming grainy once solid. Remove from microwave and stir. Let set to cool for a few hours and stir again. Before the mixture sets (overnight), add your fragrance oil and stir, even whip, to incorporate the scent. Spoon into jars or tins and label.