Above: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Marty S.
When you need to effectively nourish your skin, you want something that will provide a lot of relief. Anything that requires multiple applications throughout the day isn’t worth it if your skin is constantly drying out. On the flip side, you don’t want to worry about using something that will make your skin oily and greasy. Your skin might be adequately nourished, but if that product sits on your skin as a thin layer of oil, it will likely be too uncomfortable for you to leave on throughout the day.
Shea butter, however, is different. Shea butter is a long-lasting natural ingredient that is capable of deeply nourishing your skin and making it soft and supple. While there are plenty of lotions and body creams on the market, many of them aren’t as penetrative or as nourishing as shea butter. Today, you will learn 3 reasons why shea butter can help you get nourished, younger-looking skin. By using shea butter regularly, you won’t have to stress out about having dry skin days.
1. Shea Butter Nourishes Dry Skin and Makes It Softer & More Supple
One of the top reasons why you should start using shea butter is that it is rich in fatty acids. It is comprised of several different fatty acids - primarily stearic and oleic acids - but what this means for your skin is these fatty acids are intensely nourishing. Shea butter’s fatty acids are absorbed quickly and deeply penetrate your skin. Shea butter won’t necessarily hydrate your skin, but because it is an emollient, the fatty acids within shea butter will soften up dry skin and help it retain moisture. This means that when you use shea butter, your skin will be far less likely to be dry and dehydrated over the course of the day.
If you love using coconut oil or coconut butter on your skin (and hair), you’re going to love shea butter. Similar to coconut oil and coconut butter, shea butter will warm up and become easier to apply as you massage it into your skin. The key difference is that shea butter works for all skin types. Shea butter can work for people with sensitive skin and is thought to be a non-comedogenic (“pore-clogging”) ingredient. Plus, shea butter is thought to have some sun protection properties; this means that if you apply some shea butter into your skin before going outside, you might experience less dryness as well as less sun damage.
"ROOP is remarkable. It is very hydrating, and it does give my skin the beautiful glow I was looking for. As an add-on bonus, it is remarkable under makeup. I definitely recommend ROOP, and it is worth the investment to get beautiful skin."
2. Shea Butter Can Fade the Appearance of Early Lines & Wrinkles
Shea butter isn’t just for dry and dehydrated skin; it is also essential for aging skin. Shea butter has been thought to improve collagen and elastin production, likely due to the fatty acids and other nutrients found in it. Collagen and elastin are necessary for youthful skin because they make your skin more supple, elastic, and firm. By softening your skin and deeply nourishing it, shea butter can make lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging less prominent. Plus, since dry skin tends to look more visibly aged than other skin types, nourishing your skin with shea butter may lead to a more youthful complexion.
Beyond that, shea butter is an anti-aging natural ingredient because it is a great source of Vitamin A and Vitamin E. Vitamin A has been known to improve cell turnover, and a higher rate of cell turnover can lead to less visibly aged skin. Moreover, Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it - along with other antioxidants found in shea butter i.e. polyphenols - helps neutralize free radical damage. The less free radical damage there is, the better it is for your skin; free radical damage harms your cells and may lead to the development of premature lines and wrinkles. Thus, using antioxidant-rich ingredients like shea butter helps you defend your skin against early aging.
Rubbing your skin with raw, unprocessed shea butter is your best bet to nourish your skin and diminish signs of aging, but if you are unable to find raw, unprocessed shea butter in your local natural foods store, we suggest trying our ROOP Saffron Bright Skin Potion. ROOP not only contains shea butter, but it can also rejuvenate your skin and boost skin glow.
3. Shea Butter Soothes Your Skin & Can Minimize Inflammation
When you massage shea butter into your skin, you might start to feel calmer and more relaxed; shea butter has a similar effect on your skin as well. Because of shea butter’s nourishing and antioxidant properties, it is anti-inflammatory. Reducing skin inflammation is important. Not only is inflammation connected to early aging, but it can also be responsible for scars and stretch marks. For example, acne scars can form from inflammation caused by acne. However, since shea butter is thought to improve skin elasticity and collagen production, shea butter can soothe your skin, reduce inflammation, and minimize the appearance of redness, swelling, and itchiness. Over time, less inflammation can make your scars and stretch marks look less noticeable. Therefore, if you have some shea butter on hand, don’t forget to nourish your body, too.
You shouldn’t neglect your hands when you nourish your skin, especially if you don’t want them to be dry and cracked. Watch this video to learn how to get soft, supple hands with a homemade hand butter. Enjoy and please subscribe to my YouTube channel!
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Go natural. It is good karma!