100% Natural African Shea Butter - Ultra Refined - 16 Ounces
For centuries, shea butter has been used by African cultures as a cooking oil and moisturizer to ward off the intense heat and drying winds prevalent on much of the continent.  Shea butter comes from one of two species of the Karite tree (Vitellaria Parodoxa/Nilotica), which is indigenous only to Africa.  With an estimated 500 million trees in production, it is prevalent in the semi arid regions of both east and west Africa. Although primarily used as a cooking oil in Africa, recent demand in Western society for the shea kernel, or nut, from which the shea butter is extracted, has exploded with primary emphasis in the cosmetics industry for skin moisturizers and hair conditioners.  Traditional harvesting practices are labor intensive and include,• The harvesting of the shea fruit from the tree, the separation of the nut from the outer fruit pulp;• crushing the nut into butter; the crushed nuts are boiled or "roasted" in water in pots over open fire(this is what typically imparts the "smoky" odor);• the roasted nuts are further ground into a paste being kneaded by hand;• the resultant shea paste or butter is further kneaded in large pots of water to release the oil which floats to the top;• the oil is skimmed and left to cool and results in two products; shea butter and shea oil; • the butter solidifies as it cools, and is usually formed into balls.  Within the past two decades, western society has quickly discovered and embraced the many attributes of the venerable shea nut with its many beauty and health benefits.  New markets have quickly sprung from the personal care industry which has expanded at a dizzying pace with the recognition of the therapeutic advantages of shea butter ranging from ultra violet light protection, to anti-inflammatory properties, to tremendous skin moisturizing capabilities.  The Drs. Oz and Mercola have lauded shea butter's many health and beauty enhancing uses and properties.