And, the best part is that the oils produced are known to have full moisturizing as well as healing properties that are not lost or diluted by chemically treating them.

The Hexane Extraction

Still, hexane extraction is commonly used for sheabutter extraction and it is widely used in the more industrialized nations in the world and it is now even finding use in the somewhat under developed countries in the world as well. The advantage of the chemical extraction using hexane as solvent for sheabutter extraction is that hexane does not cost much and is found in abundance since it is an offshoot of gasoline production.

Because shea trees are widely found in Africa and because it has become an important economic crop in that part of the world, the sheabutter extraction is a way of providing good employment opportunities to the local population and that is why traditional Shea Butter extraction are preferred in these parts of the world.

The Traditional Extraction

Rural women and children are engaged in Shea Butter extraction and because the traditional methods are being used, there is little organization that goes into sheabutter extraction. Furthermore, the business is opportunistic due to the fact that no one has ownership rights over the trees and even gathering is a free for all activity.

Thus, the traditional method of using Shea Butter nuts goes through several stages including and beginning with gathering, followed by village processing, after which there is improvements made to the village processing.

Next, the shea fruits require to be treated followed by depulping in which fleshy mesocarp is removed and then the nuts are dried and finally de-husked.

The traditional sheabutter extraction starts with the grinding of baked kernel into powdery material after which it is mixed with lukewarm water and the mixture so derived need to be stirred without stopping and can even is kneaded into paste which is allowed to stand with the oil floating on top and the mixture is periodically decanted to leave behind a solid residue that is brown in color and which does not have any oil in it.

This is how the traditional sheabutter extraction process takes place which requires steps such as drying and smoking the kernels, pounding and grinding, mixing with water and treating, kneading as well as churning followed by floating washing and also filtering.

Give Me an "A"

Shea Butter, in its purest form, without any additives or chemicals, earns a Shea Butter grade of A because of its healing properties. Shea Butter processing and Shea Butter extraction methods are factors affecting quality of Shea Butter.

Shea Butter contains vitamin A and E as well as cinnamic acid, which have some mild protective properties against the sun’s UV rays. Some of the conditions that Shea Butter helps through its restorative properties are dry skin, sunburn, eczema, insect bites, blemishes, poison ivy or oak, flaky skin and more.

It is important to note that in order for Shea Butter to keep the sheabutter grade A rank, it must not be refined nor processed. Only unrefined Shea Butter with nothing added retains its healing properties; unlike the refined Shea Butter which can only tout moisturizing properties.

The American Shea Butter Institute

In addition, a sheabutter grade of A is awarded by the American Shea Butter Institute, which performs tests on the Shea Butter to evaluate its properties.

Some of the things they test include the presence of bacteria and mold as well as some metals like copper, iron, mercury and lead. Having the right balance of various vitamins and minerals to ensure that its healing properties are untouched is the reason for the Shea Butter grade of A.

Refined Shea Butter with no additives is still a fine product but don’t expect to see much improvement for your skin other than moisture. Refined Shea Butter as well as Shea Butter with added essential oils or other ingredients are only good for its moisturizing properties and can be used for adding to cosmetic products.

Options B, C, and F

A sheabutter grade of B, C or F means that while they could be useful for its moisturizing properties, they will not have the healing properties that the unrefined grade A has. However, that is not to say that these lower sheabutter grades are not beneficial in other ways. They are perfect for adding moisturizing properties to other cosmetics such as liquid foundation and face and body lotion.

When purchasing your Shea Butter, look on the label for the seal by the American Shea Butter Institute with its sheabutter grade. This is the only way you will know about whether your product is sheabutter grade A quality with healing properties or another grade that just serves a moisturizing purpose.

In fact, pure organic sheabutter requires performing a few things in order to keep it fresh at all times including making sure that the product itself is fresh when you buy it.

Expect A Smell

If you buy organic sheabutter that is unrefined, you can expect it to have a smell to it for which you may be quite unprepared for, though once you get over your initial qualms you should realize that this smell is part of the natural Shea Butter because it has not been refined.

If you find that there is no smell, you can be sure that it has been refined with chemicals and heating so as to remove its entire odor which will only result in removing all or most of its powers to heal as well.

Next, you should look at the color of organic sheabutter which in its pure, raw, virgin, unrefined form looks yellow or even gold and there may also be present some tinges of green while its smell will be similar to that of nuts.

The smell emanates from the Shea nut along with the process of roasting that it has been through though it should not smell bad which would indicate that your organic sheabutter product has become old and rancid.

You must also keep the pure organic sheabutter at about room temperature and keeping it in very warm temperature is not recommended which will only help turn it rancid.

Instead of solid Shea Butter, you can use Shea Butter Olein or Shea Butter Oil

Amazing Therapeutic Properties

Now-a-days, use of organic sheabutter has become very popular and this popularity can be attributed to its many natural benefits and it may also be an offshoot from the age old practice of making your own natural skin care products.

If you can use oatmeal as facial care means or cucumber for making the skin refreshed then it only follows that using organic sheabutter is a logical next step in that direction.

Using organic Shea Butter helps in maintaining the natural beauty of the skin and also makes you lead a healthy life because you should feel much more fulfilled when you don’t rely totally on synthetic products or methods including those known as chemical peels.

And, the best part about using unrefined organic Shea Butter is that it has therapeutic effect and it helps in calming the user as well as her skin.

Shea Butter is currently available in an organic, unrefined form and refined form. Despite both being 100 % Shea Butter, the difference lies in the Shea Butter extraction methods.

The way Shea Butter is produced, affects Shea Butter grade and quality. Post-processing factors like storage and temperature i.e. how to heat Shea Butter can also reduce its quality.

The refined Shea Butter has no natural fragrance and natural color. On the other hand, the organic, unrefined form of Shea Butter is in its natural state. Research has concluded that the refined form of Shea Butter is not as effective as the organic, unrefined one.

Major Uses

The primary use of pure sheabutter is as a moisturizer and as an emollient. Many products carry Shea Butter but not pure sheabutter due to its expensive cost. Many cosmetics mix other ingredients to the Shea Butter to cut expenses. 100% pure Shea Butter has been found to be very effective in fading scars and stretch marks. This in itself is one reason why so many women buy 100% Shea Butter. Other benefits of Shea Butter are keeping the skin elastic and supple.

Raw Shea Butter in shampoos and conditioners also help brittle hair regain its softness and elasticity. It can revitalize and prevent further breakage of the hair. 100% Shea Butter is also used for tribal ceremonies in Africa where the trees are common. Other uses for raw and pure Shea Butter are as cooking oil and conditioner for leather and wood.

100% Shea Butter is claimed to have anti-inflammatory properties, and has a reputation of helping lessen irritation from psoriasis, rashes and other skin disorders.

The Cost

The unrefined version of 100% Shea Butter is more expensive than the refined version. This is because organic products take more time to process and produce compared to those products that are refined and process without any regard for safety. The price for 100% Shea Butter usually depends on the demand and the supply of the product.

The uniqueness of the product means that it will always have a high demand and lesser supply since it takes seasons to grow the nuts and prepare the cream.