Anti-Aging Properties of Shea Butter

Anti-aging lotions make many strong claims, but shea butter lives up to the hype.

Shea butter is the fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion and happens to be edible as well, though I wouldn't scoop out a serving from your jar of lotion.

What sets this creamy wonder apart from other emollients is it acts as a very effective natural anti-aging skin care ingredient. It helps to even skin tone and makes skin softer by eliminating rough, scaly, dry skin. Not only does it improve skin tone and elasticity, shea butter also moisturizes to help skin appear smoother and reduce the visibility of wrinkles. Cinnamic acid, a component of shea butter and natural sunscreen, works great with other sunscreens as it is not strong enough to provide sufficient UVA/UVB protection on its own.

Anti-Aging Properties of Shea Butter
When you want to enjoy the anti-aging properties of shea butter, be sure you select a lotion that contains at least 20 percent of this great ingredient. Products containing less than 20 percent are not the best choices, but Tree Hut Body Butter contains 27% Organic Shea Butter for effective, noticeable hydration in skin.

Raw Shea Butter
By definition, raw substances have not been processed, generally allowing them to offer the highest amount of nutrients.  The same is true for raw shea butter; however, it has an odor that is offensive to many people and needs some refining to make it a palatable product.

Refined Shea Butter
While refining reduces a small amount of vitamin and nutrient content, it is almost odorless.  Also, it still retains many of the great anti-aging qualities lauded in its raw state, making it an excellent choice for scented and unscented skin care products. Tree Hut's Organic Shea Butter is gently refined to help retain all of the beneficial anti-aging ingredients.

Shea Oil (Shea Olein)
Shea oil is the liquid and intensified version of shea butter and is a powerful anti-aging skin care ingredient. The oil is lighter in weight than the butter, which is solid at room temperature, making it a preferred moisturizer for those who dislike the feeling of lotion or cream.  However, each nut produces less oil, making it a more expensive ingredient.

If you are trying to diminish the signs of aging and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, then you should look for products with a considerable amount of shea butter.

Visit TreeHutShea.com to see all of our great products containing certified organic shea butter.