Shea butter: the benefits of African gold that triumphs in cosmetics

• CREAMS How to know what my skin type is and what ingredients I need

• BEAUTY This is how the sun destroys the skin's collagen and elastin

Shea butter is the

African shea tree (

).

It is widely used in cosmetic formulations and as a substitute for cocoa butter in the chocolate industry.

In fact,

.

It is a solid at room temperature that melts on contact with the body.

Therefore, it is useful for skin care due to its emollient and moisturizing properties.

Studies on its topical use also highlight its

AN ANCESTRAL INGREDIENT

Coconut, argan, soy, jojoba, almonds... And shea butter.

Vegetable oils have been used for a variety of purposes throughout history, watering foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Now that the trend is to recover the essential, they are being increasingly recognized for their effects both on skin diseases and on the restoration of skin homeostasis.

They are true antioxidants,

The interest of the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries for these fats as raw material lies in their

in various fields.

This paper aimed to highlight the optimization of shea butter and present its wide potential for use.

In the tests, no microbiological or heavy germs were detected, giving the shea creams a good aptitude for export and exploitation.

But there is something much more romantic in the so-called

: it

who work it from there.

IN GOOD HANDS

Shea butter comes from Africa and is an excellent moisturizing, emollient and anti-inflammatory product.Shutterstock

In a continent where inequality prevails, in the midst of complex crises (political, climate change, displacement of people, lack of security and access to resources...) it is very important to promote decent wages and the rights of workers.

There are many

, drying it, crushing it and beating it by hand.

A completely handmade process.

"The desire to emerge is present, especially among the new generations eager for opportunities. The important thing is that we do not take their precious ingredients from the West for very little money and take away their purity," explains

, but settled in Dos Hermanas (Seville) for several years for love.

This woman has endeavored to develop a

butter that can help women in chain.

"To the African women giving them real work through the Kanvli

in Accra (Ghana) and to the European women discovering the benefits of an incredible product that has accompanied me since I was little but here it is not really well known", slides with an accent Sevillian and a huge smile.

A bridge of life between two continents.

TWO MILLION FORECAST

Katia Simone, an entrepreneur who has sold 100,000 units of the so-called African gold through the AOKlabs brand.

He had an entrepreneurial soul but he did not think about creating a big business, he says.

Just to present a very good product, which was especially useful for her during the pregnancy of her son, Piero, and different from what is usually done by a good laboratory.

"The Africans make it by first cold pressing, without losing its natural properties,

and quality, because they only select the best nuts."

Despite having no other aspirations than helping her lactating friends and their African

, AOKlabs, an acronym for Ouro Karité Africa, had a turnover of one million euros in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic and only a year after going on the market.

Simone made from the orders with the Post Office of her

store to her marketing five kilometers away, calling door to door.

"We distribute it through

because he is that adviser who tells you about the product well and whom you can trust."

After selling 100,000 units of African gold, it aspires to reach two million euros in 2023.

"I want

That its active ingredients go out to the rest of the world. They are incredible even for the most sensitive skin. It is not the same as giving them a symbolic amount for collecting the nuts and taking them to another country to make the hot butter and put preservatives in it. Ours is produced until the end in an ancestral way through a fair and equitable price", he defends.

In Seville it is simply bottled in the laboratory and dermatologically tested.

He employs 23 people in Spain and 80 from Nakunga and Kanvili in Africa.

"Companies can help transform the world and make it more beautiful," she says.

Firms such as

They already buy shea butter from women's cooperatives without intermediaries.

PROPERTIES

Image of the African shea butter that is packaged in Dos Hermanas, Seville, and is sold online and in pharmacies.

"Shea butter is nature's

and is characterized by its high healing power," explains Katia Simone, who details the benefits of her flagship product, now that she is diversifying her business with black gold soap or cleansing gel by oil.

• "It is suitable for cancer patients, atopic skin or dermatitis."

• "Ideal with

  eczema and psoriasis

  on the hands."

• "It provides ideal fatty acids for altered and irritated skin."

• "It has

  antioxidant

  and anti-inflammatory action in cases of acne and rosacea."

• "Combats premature aging of the skin."

• "The smell is like white chocolate and it melts into the skin, so it's not as greasy as some heavier butters that are only good for very dry skin."

• "Moisturizes, nourishes and protects dry and chapped lips."

• "Treats

  dermatitis and stretch marks

  ."

• "Repairs scars, bruises, spots (caused by age, sun or pregnancy), burns, chafing and redness. Also cracks due to breastfeeding."

• "The containers are 100% recyclable. We only bet on organic and certified raw material"

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more

• beauty trends

• beauty