Is Shea Butter Production Environmentally Friendly?

Yes, Shea Butter production is environmentally friendly – if the end product has not been industrially refined.

The Shea trees are not cultivated in large plantations. They grow wild and the seedlings germinate naturally. They can live for 300 years, but do not start producing fruit until they are 15 to 20 years old. The trees are not only valued for their highly nutritious fruits and Shea Butter, but also as a source of high quality charcoal. When clearing land for agriculture some trees are cut down, but villagers have always tried to protect those that yield the best fruit. In areas where Shea Butter production has been encouraged as a source of income, the trees have become an even more valuable asset and more are being conserved.

Traditional methods of processing Shea Butter have little environmental impact and the waste products are used as fertiliser, to waterproof mud walls and are burnt as fuel.

Smooth Shaving with Shea Butter

Gentlemen, does your face feel wonderfully clean and fresh after a close shave, or do you pick up your razor dreading the soreness and unsightly rashes it might cause?

Ladies, do you wish you could have silky smooth legs and underarms but find shaving leaves your skin dry and itchy?

Shaving is the quickest and easiest way of removing hair from any part of the body, but scraping your skin with a sharp blade is not the kindest way to treat it! Shaving removes the very thin but protective top keratin layer of the skin along with the unwanted hairs. The resulting damage can lead to irritation, infections of the hair follicles, razor bumps caused by in-growing hairs, dryness or excessive oiliness. And, once you have a skin problem, further shaving will only make it worse.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of shaving while protecting, and even improving, the condition of your skin, try using pure, Unrefined Shea Butter. This rich, mild moisturiser with remarkable healing properties can make shaving a pleasure rather than a painful chore.

Obtained from the seeds of the African Shea or Karite tree, Shea butter contains a unique blend of essential fatty acids, Vitamins A and E, and natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. On its own, or blended with other compatible skincare ingredients, Unrefined Shea Butter is suitable for all skin types and can be used in a number of ways:

· Before shaving: to soften the skin and hair in preparation for an easy shave.
· During shaving: acts as a lubricant, helping the razor to glide smoothly over the skin.
· After shaving: to soothe and promote the healing of any irritated or damaged skin, and leave it feeling and looking smooth and supple.
· Between shaves: once you’ve experienced the effect Shea Butter can have on your skin you will want to make it a part of your everyday skincare routine. And you don’t have to confine it to the areas you shave. Try using it from your scalp to your toes!

Avoid refined Shea Butte; it is extracted with the use of solvents and heat and can contain chemical residues. It also has greatly reduced levels of the beneficial ingredients your skin needs.
To get the best possible results from your natural after shave balm, always choose Unrefined Shea Butter which has no added artificial ingredients and has been produced by traditional methods to preserve the maximum amount of its therapeutic qualities.

How to Prevent Stretch Marks

Pregnancy is an exciting but slightly anxious time for most women. You want to do what’s best for yourself and your baby, but there’s a lot of conflicting advice out there!

Take stretch marks, for example. Can they be avoided? Do expensive anti-stretch mark creams work better than cheaper alternatives? Every woman’s experience is different, so if you ask your friends you will get a lot of different answers.

Stretch marks are exactly that: scar-like lines that form when skin is stretched to its limits. They are caused by tiny tears in the fibres of the middle layer of skin. They are most often associated with pregnancy, but can occur in anyone who has a sudden weight gain.

Over 70% of pregnant women get some stretch marks. They usually appear after the sixth month, mostly on the abdomen, although they can also occur on the thighs, buttocks and breasts. It is thought that one reason why some women seem to develop stretch marks more easily than others is connected to hormone changes. An increase in a hormone called cortisol reduces the amount of collagen in the skin. Collagen is the protein that gives skin its elasticity.

There is no guaranteed way of completely preventing stretch marks if you are prone to them, but there are things you can do to minimise them. Beginning in the early weeks of your pregnancy you should:

· try to gain weight gradually
· drink plenty of water to keep skin hydrated
· massage your skin with pure, unrefined Shea Butter

Why Unrefined Shea Butter?

· Because it is a completely natural, organic product obtained from the seeds of a tree that grows in the dry Savannah regions of Africa.
· Because it naturally contains all the ingredients needed to keep skin healthy, deeply moisturised and supple.
· Because it is rich in natural vitamin E, the essential skincare vitamin.
· Because it has been proven to stimulate skin cell regeneration and improve the skin’s elasticity.
· Because it is produced using traditional methods that do not involve the use of chemicals.
· Because it contains no artificial perfumes or colours.

Continue using Unrefined Shea Butter after your baby is born to help your skin regain its firmness. If you do have a few stretch marks they will fade naturally over time, but Shea Butter can help to speed up the process. It also works on old stretch marks and other scars and skin blemishes.

East African Shea Butter versus West African Shea Butter

All pure, unrefined shea butter has remarkable moisturising and healing properties, but shea butter produced in East Africa is generally more desirable for cosmetic and pharmaceutical use than West African shea butter.

The differences between the two begin with the trees from which the butter is harvested. The shea tree (also known as the karite tree and by many other local names) grows in the dry Savannah regions of Africa, stretching across the continent from Senegal in the west, to Sudan in the east. The main species is Vitellaria paradoxa and it is from this tree that West African shea butter is made. East African shea butter comes from a subspecies, Vitellaria nilotica that grows in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan.

After the shea butter has been extracted from the nut-like seeds using traditional, labour intensive methods, other differences become noticeable.

The natural, nutty scent of East African shea butter is lighter and slightly sweeter than the West African variety. Once the butter is absorbed into the skin, the scent fades and is often undetectable.

East African shea butter is creamier and softer at room temperature so it is easier to apply and sinks into the skin more readily.

The unique fatty acid profile of East African shea butter helps the skin to retain its elasticity more efficiently.

The main problem with East African shea butter for suppliers and consumers is its scarcity. West African countries produce far more shea butter than East Africa, and past civil wars and unrest in the region drastically reduced both production and trade.

The final difference between the two types of shea butter is found in the price. Most people would expect to pay more for the scarcer, high quality East African product, but they might not realise how their money is distributed. In many West African countries, the shea butter price is decided by multinational companies, and after the middle men have taken their profits the women producers receive very little in return for all their hard work. In Uganda, the women work in small co-operatives that give them more control over the financial side of their business. On average, they receive over five times the amount paid to their West African counterparts.

If you want to experience the benefits of East African shea butter yourself, be sure to look for products labelled East African, Ugandan, or Nilotica Shea Butter - or be sure to buy Tausi Signature Shea Butter products!

The Origins and History of Shea Butter

Although Shea Butter is relatively new in the west, it has been used in Africa for thousands of years. There is even some archaeological evidence that it was one of the goods traded by the Ancient Egyptians.

It comes from the nut-like seed inside the fruit of the Shea tree (also known as the Karite tree), which grows in the dry Savannah belt of Africa stretching from Senegal in the west, to Sudan in the east. Traditionally used as a source of vegetable oil for cooking, it has also long been valued for its healing and moisturising properties and is used to protect the skin and hair from the harsh effects of wind and sun.

Scientific analysis has confirmed what African women have always known; pure, unrefined Shea Butter has everything needed to keep the whole family’s skin feeling and looking good. It is exceptionally rich in unsaponifiable matter and fatty acids, which nourish and moisturise; contains vitamins A and E (both essential for healthy skin), and even has its own natural sunscreen in the form of cinnamic acid.

If you want to experience the benefits of Shea Butter be sure to look out for products labelled Natural, Unrefined Shea Butter. This will have been produced by African women farmers using traditional methods that, although laborious, preserve all of the Shea Butter’s beneficial properties. Refined Shea Butter is extracted in an industrial process using chemicals, which can greatly reduce its quality.

Shea Butter: A Natural Remedy for Acne

There are a number of commercial products on the market that claim to treat acne and heal acne scars but as with anything to do with the skin, natural remedies should always be favoured because they provide much better long-term benefits.

Shea Butter has natural antibacterial properties so works on treating the infection that causes acne flare-ups. It also contains Vitamins A, E and K, a natural sunscreen called cinammic acid and a blend of fatty acids that combine to promote healthy, clean skin. The Tausi Signature face creams also contain rosehip oil, amongst other skin health-promoting ingredients.

To reduce and heal acne scars, rosehip oil is highly effective. Vitamin K possesses natural wound healing properties; Vitamin E protects the skin against further damage and the natural sunscreen will prevent existing acne scars from being made to look worse. Vitamin A helps maintain skin health and strengthens immunity from infections.

Whilst Shea Butter is rich, it can still be used effectively to treat acne and promote a clearer complexion. It is important to select the right sort of Shea Butter; unrefined organic Shea Butter has an abundance of benefits over refined Shea Butter and further, East African Shea Butter is superior to West African Shea Butter.

If you suffer from acne, it is vital to be aware of what you use on your skin. Make sure you take time to choose natural products that have all-round benefits and act as both prevention and cure for your ailment. Read labels; know what you are using. And if you decide to try Shea Butter to treat your acne, ensure you select the very best organic, unrefined East African Shea Butter.

The things people notice about Shea Butter

At Tausi Signature we make a point of taking a personal interest in our customers and always welcome feedback.

One of the best things for me is hearing our customers’ comments after they try our products for the first time; the things they notice are very interesting and I would like to share some of them with you.

Light scent
Many of our customers have used other Shea Butter products and commented on the almost overpowering scent. Of course Shea Butter is a natural product and has its own unique odour but the thing about East African Shea Butter – the one used in all Tausi Signature products – is that is has a naturally lighter scent than the more common West African Shea Butter - and people say this is much more pleasant.

Natural glow
I am not sure if people realise just how healthy their skin will look once they have applied a Shea Butter product. Some people have said they think they are going to look greasy because the creams are so rich, others said they wanted to avoid looking unnatural as you do sometimes with those ‘radiance’ moisturisers. But in actual fact customers have mentioned on numerous occasions that they find their skin not at all greasy, but feeling soft and naturally glowing, lacking the dullness that gets ground in through daily life.

Easily Absorbed
Whilst some Shea Butter products are quite hard and can be difficult to apply, the ones in the Tausi Signature range are far lighter and more easily absorbed; this is another benefit of using East African Shea Butter. Customers say that the body lotion literally melts into their skin and having used other products before, find this quite surprising.

These are just some of the observations that customers have communicated to us. If you have any comments you would like to make about Tausi Signature products, please get involved in our blog; we’d love to hear from you!