Shea Butter:
It is known as the most effective skin moisturizer and conditioner because of its high content of non-saponifiable lipids (ie. cannot be decomposed by reacting with water). And it is rich in Vitamins A, E & F - because of this, when it is in it's pure unrefined form, it is known to be beneficial to skin rashes e.g. eczema, stretch marks, over-exposure to cold or sun, allergic reactions, ageing, anti-inflammatory... and the list goes on!
Oleic Acid:
An essential fatty acid which so closely mimics sebum (skin's natural oil) it is easily absorbed into and utilized by the skin, it can help the skin absorb other nutrients as well.
Other oils with a significant amount of oleic acid are: Sweet Almond oil, Hazelnut oil, Apricot Kernel, Macadamia nut oil, mango butter etc...
Anti-oxidants:

Examples of anti-oxidants to look out for: pomegranate, zinc, green tea, Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol, tocopherols), coffee, berries etc...
These are only 3 categories I have managed to cover without making it too long. Remember this is by no means prescriptive, but just an eye opener as to what exactly you are actually putting onto your skin daily.
Any questions, please post them in the comment section and I will do my best to answer them.
oh wow very interesting.
ReplyDeleteis it possible to purchase pure unrefined shea butter?
Most definitely is... you can check on Amazon if you want to purchase online, otherwise there a several other sites I've seen with it.
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