At the Beauty Kitchen offices we use Shea, Cocoa and other varieties of butters. However we have been asked so many times whats the difference? So here it is! I prefer Shea, however its a personal choice.
COCOA BUTTER
Cocoa butter is the natural fat extracted from the cacao bean from South America and West Africa. It has to be grown around the equator; no other location will do. Cocoa butter is used to make toiletries, skin care products, cocoa powder and chocolate. Cocoa butter has a delicious subdued chocolate odor, and has natural antioxidants that prevent products containing it from going bad, thus increasing their shelf life for up to two years. It is a favorite in the production of soaps, cosmetics and skincare products. Its emollient properties and its smooth texture make it a perfect ingredient for body butter and lotions. Cocoa butter has been around for centuries. Known as the “ultimate moisturizer,” cocoa butter absorbs into the skin with ease due to its body temperature melting point.
The cocoa butter creates a shield against the environment, and it is very helpful in the alleviating of psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. It works by holding back the production of immuno globulin which is known to aggravate and accelerate the above mentioned conditions.
This butter will soothe the skin, relieve stress, and help you relax. It is useful for pregnant women, when used in regular applications, as a formula to help prevent, and ward off stretch marks. The butter has a very nice smell also. It has been said that cocoa butter may also help to ease arthritis and even help to prevent heart disease. Wonderful claims I must say.
SHEA BUTTER
The benefits of Shea Butter have been enjoyed for centuries. Women in Africa have been using shea butter to smooth their skin and hair far longer than their Western counterparts. Shea butter has tremendous benefits for hair and skin. It comes from the tropics of Africa from the nut of the Karite tree, where the fatty acids are extracted from the the nut container. The quality of the irremovable fatty acid is far more superior to that of the cocoa butter, but unfortunately it can take up to thirty years for a crop to yield the right quality of this fatty acid. It’s a wonder they can actually bring it to us at a reasonable price bearing all this in mind. The women of Africa call it “women’s gold” as many on the continent depend on it for their livelihoods.
Shea butter is known especially for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer and emollient. It is also a known anti-inflammatory agent, although we make no medical claims here! 🙂 Shea butter is reported by many as being effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, eczema, burns, rashes, acne, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, stretchmarks, wrinkles, and in lessening the irritation of psoriasis.
Shea butter provides natural ultraviolet sun protection, although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from none at all to approximately SPF 6. Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. Africans have been enjoying the natural properties of Shea butter for centuries, and they have used it on their hair as a conditioner, and also on their skin for protection against the sun, and the harsh elements of their climate.
Shea butter is a luxurious moisturizer, which leaves the skin feeling silky soft. It works by stimulating the skin’s renewal process, thus revealing a more youthful, fresh skin. It is non greasy, and it is used in many expensive skin products. It is also a wonderful, natural conditioner that makes the hair vibrant, while also protecting it from dryness and preventing split ends. It is also the base of many essential oils. Shea butter works by maintaining the natural oils in our skin, and it can also activate collagen production.
I hope this was helpful! Another fun fact; all of Beauty Kitchens Shea Butter is imported directly from Africa!
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