Shea Butter for Summer

Whatever you’re planning to do this summer, make sure you have plenty of Unrefined Shea Butter handy. If you already use this 100% natural ingredient for your everyday skin and hair care you certainly won’t want to be without it during your holidays. If you haven’t tried it yet, summer is the perfect time to discover just how good Shea Butter can make your skin look and feel from head to toe.

Have a good journey
Travel should be an enjoyable part of your holiday. Make it easier by travelling light and only pack items you really need. If you normally leave home with a bag full of creams and lotions you’ll be surprised at how many you can replace with a few versatile Shea Butter alternatives. And because Shea Butter is suitable for all skin types you can safely share it with the rest of the family or travelling companions, so they’ll be able to lighten their loads too!

Long journeys, especially by air, can be very dehydrating. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water along the way. It’s also a good idea to moisturise your skin with a little extra Shea Butter before travelling.

When you arrive at your destination, take a refreshing shower using a shower gel containing Shea Butter. It’s the quickest way to restore lost moisture to your skin, leaving it supple and silky smooth all over.

Enjoy a break from routine
New places and new experiences make holidays exciting, but if you have sensitive skin it can react badly to a strange environment. Soothing Shea Butter with its anti-inflammatory properties calms irritated skin. Apply it to any dry, itchy patches for instant relief. It can even help to keep skin conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis under control.

Sun, sea and sand
If these are your three essential ingredients for a perfect summer holiday you’re not alone! But whether you’re lazing on a tropical island or making sandcastles on a British beach, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Even if you’re sensible about avoiding sunburn, exposure to sun and wind can rapidly dry and damage your skin.

Unrefined Shea Butter naturally contains a unique mix of fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants and even a mild sunscreen (cinnamic acid) that work together to keep skin in the best possible condition. That’s why it’s been used in Africa for centuries to protect skin and hair against harsh weather.

If you want to enjoy the beach and return home glowing with health – not looking ten years older – be generous with the Shea Butter!

Fun and games
It’s great for children to be able to play outdoors, but all that running around is bound to result in a few bumps and falls. A dab of Shea Butter on small cuts and grazes promotes rapid healing and can reduce the formation of scars. It’s also good for treating insect bites and soothing rashes.

Of course, it’s not only children who might need some Shea Butter first aid. Adults with minor burns from the barbeque, bruises caused by cricket balls, or aching feet from too much dancing will also appreciated the healing qualities of Shea Butter.

Shea Butter: Nature’s own Anti-ageing Skincare Ingredient

Human skin is amazing. Day after day we treat it roughly, expose it to harsh weather, and even allow it to come into contact with harmful chemicals, yet it continually heals and renews itself. But as the years go by, the rate at which new skin cells are formed slows down. Skin becomes thinner, less resilient, and begins to show its age.

There are lots of skincare products on the market that promise to keep skin youthful, but have you looked closely at their lists of ingredients? Some of them read like the contents of a chemistry laboratory.

A truly natural ingredient
If you prefer to treat your skin with 100% natural ingredients, Shea Butter is definitely one you should consider. This creamy, oil-rich substance is obtained from the nut-like seeds of a tree that grows wild in the Savannah belt of Africa. Because the trees are not cultivated in large plantations (although they are protected by the women who use them as a source of income) their fruits and seeds are organic and they have no adverse effects on their environment.

Furthermore, if you want to be sure of using the best quality Shea Butter, with no risk of it containing chemical residues, always choose Unrefined Shea Butter that has been carefully extracted using traditional, environmentally-friendly methods. Few other skincare ingredients can claim to be so natural!

Can Shea Butter compete with the latest anti-ageing miracle creams?
It’s natural, but does it work? Nothing can stop us getting older, but keeping skin moisturised, nourished and protected is the best way to minimize the effects of time. Scientific analysis shows that Unrefined Shea Butter has a unique blend of essential fatty acids, vitamins (including A and E), and antioxidants that all actively promote healthy skin. It also contains lupeol, which inhibits enzymes that can damage skin proteins, and cinnamic acid, which acts as a mild sunscreen.

Shea Butter can be used from scalp to toes, is safe on fragile or sensitive skin, and is especially useful in treating these tell-tale signs of ageing skin:

Dryness
Less sebum is produced as skin ages. Without the protection of this natural oil, moisture is lost from the skin more easily and it can quickly become dehydrated. Shea Butter is an excellent moisturiser. Its light texture allows it to sink easily into the skin leaving it soft and smooth.

Fine lines and wrinkles
Lines and wrinkles form as the production of collagen and elastin in the skin slows down leaving it weaker and less supple. At the same time, the supporting layer of fat beneath the skin becomes thinner allowing skin to sag. Unrefined Shea butter has been proven to stimulate skin cell regeneration and improve the skin’s elasticity, while its moisturising action helps to keep skin plump.

Slow healing
Cuts, grazes and bruises on mature skin tend to take longer to heal than those on young skin, but Shea Butter’s anti-inflammatory properties support the skin’s natural healing systems. It also soothes soreness and calms irritated or itchy skin.

Using natural Unrefined Shea Butter won’t turn back the clock, but it will keep your skin looking and feeling wonderful: whatever your age!

How to Heal Bruises: Naturally

Everyone has bruises from time to time, and people who do a lot of manual work or take part in contact sports such as martial arts or rugby are obviously more at risk than others. They occur when a blow damages the tiny blood vessels in the lower layers of the skin. This allows blood to seep out into the surrounding tissue where it can be seen as the familiar dark mark of a bruise.

For healthy people, the vast majority of bruises give no cause for concern. If left alone they will gradually fade away over two or three weeks as the body’s own defences repair the damage. But they can be painful in the early stages, and if they are on your face or another visible part of your body you might want to try to speed up the healing process.

Natural Healing for Bruises

The most effective home treatments are the simple ones that use natural ingredients.

Cool the skin: The first thing to do is to cool the skin. The sooner you do this after receiving a blow that might result in bruising, the better. Cooling reduces the blood supply to the area and so limits the amount of bleeding. A commercial ice pack used for sports injuries is ideal, or improvise one by putting ice cubes in a plastic bag and then wrap it in a clean cloth. Never put ice directly on the skin as it can cause a freeze burn. If ice is not available use a face cloth or towel rinsed in cold water.

Apply the cold compress for 10 to 15 minutes, remove for the same length of time, then repeat. This won’t always prevent a bruise forming, but it will minimize its spread.

Natural remedy to promote healing: After cooling, you can use a natural plant-based remedy to promote healing. A number of herbs including arnica, calendula, parsley, St John’s wort and comfrey are all useful for treating bruises. If you have the fresh herbs they can be crushed and applied directly to the skin, but it is probably easier to use a cream or gel containing extracts of the same herbs.

Shea Butter: One of the Best Natural Healers for Bruises

One of the best natural ingredients to use on bruises is Shea Butter. In the West, Shea Butter is mostly known as an excellent skin moisturiser, but in its native Africa it has also been valued for centuries for its soothing and healing properties. The creamy butter, extracted from the nut-like seeds of the Shea or Karite tree, contains a range of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that aid healing and stimulate skin cell regeneration. Its light texture enables it to sink easily into tender skin without rubbing, and it is safe to use on all skin types including the most delicate or sensitive.

If a bruise does not fade in the normal way, or bruises appear for no apparent reason, you should consult a doctor in case they are symptoms of a medical condition. But for fast treatment of everyday bruises always keep some Shea Butter handy at home, in the workplace, or in your sports bag.

Nairobi Natural Body Store Opening Announced

We are delighted to announce the planned opening of a new store which will sell a luxurious range of natural Shea Butter Products.

The Tausi Natural Body Store will be set in the heart of Kenya’s bustling capital Nairobi, offering visitors direct access to the company’s vast range of wonderfully natural Shea butter products for the face, body, hands, feet and hair.

The popularity of Shea Butter is rapidly growing and the Tausi range of products, which includes Orchard Fruits and Lavender collections as well as an unperfumed selection, has gone down exceptionally well in Africa, exceeding all expectations and leading to a demand for a centrally located retail outlet.

Try Before you Buy … and Expert Advice

Visitors to the Nairobi city centre based store will be able to try any products before they buy and will have the benefit of the knowledge of fully trained staff who I and Tausi co-founder Nancy Njenga will be personally teaching to ensure their complete familiarity with all the products and their ingredients, and also with as wide a range of skin complaints as possible.

If you have issues with your skin, you will always have in-depth questions about how certain products will react with your condition and how they will help you. Because you need absolute expert advice, we will make sure all staff at the Natural Body Store will be fully trained and able to answer all of your questions, however complex,” she says.

The entire product range will be on offer in the Nairobi store as well as gift sets and other beauty accessories.

The Tausi Natural Body Store is due to open in February 2010. Meantime, products are available online. For more information visit http://www.tausisignature.com/, telephone 01908 764 394 or e-mail shea@tausisiganture.com.

Have a Tausi Signature Shea Butter Party!

Fancy a fun time with your friends? Do you want a chance to pamper yourself and make some extra cash? You can do all these things by hosting a Tausi Signature Shea Butter party. Simply choose a time and place, introduce your guests to the pleasures and benefits of Tausi Signature skincare products, and take the orders.

Tausi Signature began when two friends decided to share their passion for using pure, fairly traded skincare ingredients, especially finest quality Unrefined Organic East African Shea Butter. They created skin creams for themselves, their friends and families, and their hobby soon turned into a thriving business.

One way they like to reach new customers is through parties where people have plenty of time to try out their products in relaxed surroundings. The host doesn’t have to use any hard sell techniques. All the items in this range of 100% natural creams look, feel and smell so lovely that they practically sell themselves. There’s something for everyone – babies, teenagers, men and women of all ages and skin types. They also make great Christmas gifts.

Tausi Signature products are good for:

· All the family’s skincare needs. With the remarkable moisturising and healing properties of natural Shea Butter combined with other carefully selected plant butters and oils, they can be used safely even on sensitive or problem skins. The range includes face cleansers and moisturisers, hand and foot creams, and luxurious body butters and soufflés. Treat the men in your life to Shea For Him. And Shea Soothe-It does exactly what it says on the label!

· Vegetarians and vegans. All ingredients are derived from plants with no artificial additives. The products are not tested on animals.

· The women farmers who produce the Shea Butter. They are paid a fair price that enables them to improve the lives of their families and communities.

· The environment. The trees from which the Shea Butter is produced grow naturally in the dry, Savannah regions of Africa and are not cultivated in large plantations. The fruits are used as food and the butter is extracted from the nut-like seeds. The waste products are used as fertiliser, fuel and to waterproof mud walls. Tausi Signature only uses natural, unrefined Shea Butter produced using traditional methods without the use of chemicals. Although laborious, this preserves as much as possible of the Shea Butter’s therapeutic qualities with no harmful chemical residue.

· Tausi Signature party hosts. Not only do they earn money while socialising, but they also have the satisfaction of knowing they are selling a top quality product that will really be enjoyed and appreciated by their customers.

If you would like to learn more about hosting a Tausi Signature Shea Butter Party contact Tausi Signature today!

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.