DIY: SHEA BODY BUTTER

DIY: SHEA BODY BUTTER

7th Sep 2015


THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF SHEA BUTTER

African healers have used Shea Butter for thousands of years as the ideal treatment for dry or ageing skin. Its high content of non-saponifiables and unique fatty acid profile gives Shea Butter the ability to moisturize and retain the elasticity of the skin.

Shea Butter also helps to protect the skin against the damaging effects of the sun while repairing cellular degeneration. It soothes sun-soaked skin and is known to provide UV Protection. It heals cracks on heels & hands, and relieves dry, itchy & scaly skin. Shea stimulates skin renewal and minimizes stretch marks. It promotes cell regeneration, increases circulation, and reduces fine lines.

THE TAPKO WIDOW'S GROUP IN GHANA 

True Essence Shea Buttercomes from a village in Ghana where the Tapko Widow’s Group harvest the shea nuts and process them into raw butter using traditional methods that have been handed down over centuries. They are paid a premium price and profits from the sale of Shea Butter are donated to their microcredit project, helping them to start businesses of their own. This Shea Butter comes from an area where there are no chemicals or additives. The group is working toward funding for organic certification. In the last 4 years the women have been able to send their children to school and can afford to pay for school supplies, uniforms and school fees. They are able to go to the medical clinic when they are sick and need medical attention. The women and children also now eat a more nutritious diet by being able to afford to buy meat and vegetables at the local market when their own crops fail.

SHEA BODY BUTTER RECIPE

Ingredients

170g Shea Butter

3 Tbsp. (32g) Beeswax

6 Tbsp. (60mL) Jojoba

2 Tsp. (10mL) Vitamin E (acts as a natural preservative too!)

2 mL (approx. 60 drops) Essential Oil *See Staff Tips Below

4 x 65 g Deodorant Tubes

Method

1. Melt Shea Butter in a pot over low heat. Once Shea Butter is melted, add in Beeswax and stir occasionally until melted. *See Staff Tips Below

     Tip: Take the top off of our 170g eco-pack shea butter and push the bottom up to pop out the butter. If it doesn’t pop out easily, give the bottom a tap with a hammer.

2. Measure jojoba and vitamin E into a glass container and place in a large bowl or pot of hot water to warm – approximately 15 minutes.

3. Add oil mixture to the shea butter mixture, mix well and take off heat. Cool for approximately 5 minutes.

4. Whisk in essential oils. Ensure that butter has cooled down for a few minutes; if butter is too hot your essential oil will evaporate out.

5. Pour into deodorant tubes and place in fridge to set. Tip: Once Shea butter is set, often the top can sometimes set a little bumpy or crack. If this happens, simply use a hairdryer to re-melt the top and place in the fridge again to set.

RDA STAFF TIPS

How to Melt Shea Butter

Some instructions on melting Shea Butter say that improper heating can cause the butter to crystallize as it cools. This crystallization can cause lip balms, body butters and other formulations to turn gritty. To avoid this, Shea Butter must be melted and heated to about 175 degrees and kept at that temperature for at least 20 minutes. This will allow the Shea Butter to melt completely so that crystals will not form after it has cooled. In our experience, we melt it at a low temperature, pour and refrigerate. This seems to avoid the graininess that is characteristic of unrefined, unbleached Shea Butter. Natural Shea Butter has a distinctive nutty odour, darker colour, and can vary in texture and appearance from batch to batch.

Essential Oil Favourites

If you have sensitive, irritated skin or rashes try our adding our Sensitive Skin Synergy. Its calming properties also make it great for use after shaving or waxing.

For very dry and damaged skin try adding BenzoinPatchouli or Myrrh essential oils. These oils promote healing and are great to help dry and cracked heels.

To make your own belly butter to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks try LavenderNeroliPatchouliMandarinHelichrysumMyrrh and Geranium essential oils. These oils all have healing, calming and regenerative properties.

SAFETY: Many citrus oils are phototoxic, causing redness, burning or irritation on the skin when exposed to UV light. Ensure that any oils added to body butters or lotions are not phototoxic.