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One of the star natural ingredients in Y.Wait Beauty skincare is shea butter. Most folks will have heard that shea butter is incredible for the skin — but do you know why?
We've written this article to explain why we use shea butter in our bestselling Multi-Purpose Moisturisers and how you can get the most out of incorporating them into your skincare routine!
Where does shea butter come from?
Shea butter is a fat that is derived from the nuts of the shea tree, found abundantly in Africa. The nuts are found in the fruits of the tree, and are put through an extensive crushing and boiling process that extracts the butter and makes it suitable for use in beauty and skincare products.
It has been used on the skin for centuries! During Cleopatra's reign, shea butter was regarded as women’s gold and people often stored it for use on their skin and hair. The shea tree is still considered sacred to several tribes in western Africa.
Salon manager Kerry-Ann showing off the beautiful texture of our natural shea butter that we use in our Multi-Purpose Moisturisers.
Why do we love it so much?
The butter is packed with various fatty acids, vitamins A and E, calcium, sodium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. All those nutrients mean that shea butter is significantly nourishing for the skin. Plus, research has shown that refined shea nut butter does not pose any known or likely allergy risk to consumers, including those with peanut or tree nut allergies, so it is suitable for all skin types — even sensitive!
Another reason why we consider shea butter just SO good, is how versatile it is, and the numerous benefits that come from using it on your hair and skin. Here are some of the key properties of shea butter:
It is very moisturising due to its fatty acids that are quickly absorbed, restoring the skin's lipids to create and retain moisture.
It is anti-inflammatory, helping to minimise skin irritation, and may even relieve joint and muscle pain!
It has antioxidants, which are important anti-aging agents.
It is antibacterial and antifungal, which can help relieve acne and skin infections.
It contains triterpenes that can help to plump skin.
It promotes cell regeneration, reducing scarring and blemishes, and helping to give you a healthy glow.
At Y.Wait we love to combine our butter with olive oil and essential oils to further nourish and protect the skin. We added a different essential oil with its own special benefits to each variety of our Multi-Purpose Moisturiser, meaning you are sure to find one that is perfect for helping you meet your skin goals!
Here's a fun fact: Our moisturiser varieties are named Marl, Patty, KJ, TJ and Abba after members of the Y.Wait team — our dear friends and family!
What is the best way to use it?
We hand craft our Multi-Purpose Moisturisers in two textures; original and whipped. Which one you choose is down to personal preference! We recommend using them applied directly to the skin, right after a bath or shower.
Massage the butter in upward motions until it is well-absorbed, and concentrate on areas prone to dryness such as your elbows and knees. You can even use a little on your face and lips. If you like, you can reapply some Multi-Purpose Moisturiser whenever your skin feels particularly dry, tight or uncomfortable. Enjoy the scent of the essential oils during the process for a little bit of aromatherapy incorporated into your skincare.
If you want to use the butter to condition your hair, you can apply it liberally to the lengths and ends of dry hair before rinsing out and styling as usual. You can use it on your roots and scalp if you have higher porosity hair, or if you do not have an oily hair type.
We hope you enjoyed this informative blog post! Feel free to leave us your thoughts in the comments, and if you would like to shop our moisturisers, just click here 💛