Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Benefits of Refined Shea Butter



P1030031 The Benefits of Refined Shea Butter


For many generations, African women used Shea Butter to protect and revitalize their hair and skin. This butter comes from nuts of Shea-Karite tree.  These nuts contain fatty acids that give shea butter its unique healing properties especially for the skin. They are picked, cracked, grilled and milled forming a paste. The paste was boiled in water for few hours until the Shea Butter rose to the surface.  Then it was scooped into gourds and left to cool. The product is called raw shea butter.

Shea butter can be refined. This is done by melting raw shea butter and washing it with water.  The mixture of melted butter and water is transferred to reactor where air and steam remove the odor.  The melted shea butter is combined with diatomaceous earth to remove most of the color. It is then filtered by pressing using many layers of paper and cloth.  The final step is involves removing small particles and impurities by filtration.  This yields shea butter which is very pale yellow to white in color with no odor.  Some of the vitamins and nutrients are lost, but excellent results can still be obtained using refined shea butter.

The benefits of refined shea butter is that it is odorless compared to the raw or unrefined shea butter. This shea butter is good source of Vitamins A, E and F.  Vitamins A and E help maintain the skin and keep it clear and healthy.  These two vitamins are particularly helpful for sun damaged skin. They help prevent premature wrinkles and facial lines.  Vitamin F acts as a skin protector and also it rejuvenates the skin. It soothes rough, dry or chapped skin. Shea Butter is high in unsaponifiables (a type of fat) which is about 7-12%.  Avocado oil which is a well known skin conditioner has between 2-6%.  This high level of unsaponifiables is one property of Shea Butter that makes it so valuable in treating the conditions listed above.   Also, Shea Butter can easily penetrate the skin allowing the skin to breathe and without clogging pores.  Shea Butter also contains high level of cinnamic acid which is a natural sun screen.  So, it provides some degree of protection from the sun.  Shea Butter is also anti-inflammatory which is useful in treating rheumatism.

Shea Butter moisturizes the dry or damaged hair from the roots to the very tips, repairing and protecting against brittleness, dryness and weather damage.  It is also quickly absorb into the scalp to rehydrate without clogging pores.  It is particularly useful for processed and heat-treated hair.  It is an excellent treatment for dry scalp. It brings back luster of damaged hair.


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The year when SHEA BUTTER evolved


butter whipped shea1 The year when SHEA BUTTER evolved


In the western region of Africa, a tree known as a Shea nut or butyrospermum parkii grows and has many uses. This tree grows in a Sahelian climate or dry season were the rain is occasionally fall. During the dry season, the fall and when the rainy season starts it only the time where new leaves bloom. The fruit of the Shea usually takes five months to be ripe then it will fall on the ground.  The fruit of the Shea look like an avocado that has a brown and deep green color. Inside the fruit is a nut with a thin shell that contains a white almond-like nut and this is what they call the UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER.

Shea butter was discovering since the early 50’s and some of the known discoverers are now known in the cosmetic industry because of what they discovered on the content of Shea butter. The most widely known discoverer is Mungo Park, believed that he is the first one to discover the Shea butter. He is a Scottish explorer and the first European to go to the Gambia River and other districts of Africa. His experience in Africa was all written in his book, where he even describe the Shea butter as a shea-toulou which means a sweet-smelling gum, frankincense and commodity.

The original discoverer of Shea butter is no other than its native. In a factual manner, these natives of African citizens are using the unrefined Shea butter.  How they used this? Some preparations are initiated before they can actually use the unrefined Shea butter. First, they will need to wait for the fruit to be ripened and then they need to remove the shell so that they will be able to get the Shea butter was it was in capsulated.  Then they will crushed the nuts so that it will turn into a powder. After turning it to a powder form, they will let it oiling water, the butter floats to the top and can then be skimmed off. These simple steps are now ready to use as a moisturizer.  Then everytime there are tourists in the area the citizens tried to sell it and when the effects are good this is now the beginning of the Unrefined Shea Butter to be used.

The popular places of Africa such as the origin and growing locations of Shea trees are found mostly in Africa in areas of tree savannah and the place extends from the Senegalese-Guinean border and into central Africa across Mali then the northern part of the Ivory Coast, the Burkina Faso, the northern Ghana, Togo and Benin and Nigeria.

In these areas, you can found hundred of trees of Shea to supply the other companies worldwide. This is also known as the harvesting and cultivating area. Now, Shea butter evolved and popularly known in the medical industry that has proven to decrease the swelling and inflammation while adding moisturizer into the skin keeping it healthy and for faster recovery.



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Saturday, February 26, 2011

THE HISTORY OF SHEA BUTTER



OrganicSheaButterWhip1  96048 zoom2 300x300 THE HISTORY OF SHEA BUTTER  Shea butter is known in the whole world because it has many beneficial uses in different sectors. These sectors are health, industrial companies and the smallest sector the traditional one. People, did you know where shea butter originates?  Here are some facts you want to know about the history of shea butter.

THE UNREFINED AND REFINED

There are two kinds of shea butter; this can be either a refined or unrefined. When you say refined, this are found as a product or processed already added other kinds of chemicals. These products can be present in as soap, hand and body moisturizers, medicines and other products that change the component of the main unrefined shea butter. For unrefined, means there are no additives on chemicals added, instead, when there is no change in the shape, color and maintains its original form.

DISCOVERY OF SHEA BUTTER

It is being discovered for over a century, but each year there are discoveries about the shea butter. Everyday new items are produce to expand the knowledge and increase the demand of it. For more than fifty years after the discovery, the benefits of it to the customers’ increases that is why many consumers appreciate shea butter.

In the early 1950’s particularly in the western part of Africa there is a tree called shea. This tree has unique appearance, when you first saw this tree you will say that it is similar to acacia but as you go near to it and carefully observe. The fruits look like macadamia nuts when it is set to harvest, but during the stage of transformation, it will appear as a flower. Being compared to macadamia nuts, this contains a nut so that it will be processed and turn to a natural unrefined moisturizer. The process for this is, picking cleaning and drying the nuts then pounding and after that the last step is to kneading.

Did you know that in the early 5o’s this is just an ordinary tree that serves as a shed to the people of the western part especially in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mali.  Due to curiosity, the resident tried to eat the fruit and noticed that there is something different effect to its body. That is why this is expanded and bounded more to be discovered. Now, this is used as cooking oil or just a normal raw nut that can be eaten anytime.

BENEFITS OF SHEA BUTTER

A shea butter contains Vitamin E, A and F which contributes in the skin to be nourished and prevent dryness and act as a moisturizer. This can also be a natural sunscreen.  Although the unrefined shea butter does have an odor and not good when it terms to smell, do not ignore it and never applied it because if the shea butter is not odorless. The only impact is this is the original and unrefined shea butter.

In the market, you will noticed that the price of each product Shea butter will definitely needs something to stretch a dollar on it because this is an assurance that the content is purely made with unrefined shea butter.


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Friday, February 25, 2011

Black Soap – Key to Health and Beauty



black soap Black Soap – Key to Health and Beauty


Natural remedy is the trend nowadays.  We will find several products coming from herbs and other organic resources.  Health conscious individuals look for ways to maintain their good wellbeing or recover from a certain illness through supplements and medications coming from Mother Earth.  We have to consider every single body part, especially the largest organ in our body – our skin.  It covers and protects all other parts within it. The question is how do we cleanse, soothe, exfoliate and heal our skin?

Commonly used is a white soap if not a lightly colored one which really looks refreshing.  Different brands of soap offer various benefits – cleansing, moisturizing, whitening, acne treatment and the like.  But when we use these soaps we’ll later find out that they do not reach our expectations.  Our beauty and healing objectives are compromised because the ingredients are mostly artificial, chemically treated and very much commercialized.  Bottom line is that it is harsh to our skin.

Then, Black Soap is the key!  Black Soap is also known as African Black Soap since it originated in Ghana, West Africa.  It has been used for centuries in Ghana and Nigeria to wash their black hair and skin.  Because of its healing wonders other countries adopted its secret ingredients.  Ingredients somehow are varied and mixed but still upholding its nearness to nature.  With the intention of being natural, artificial fragrances are not added but rather earthly scents with aroma therapies are used.  Even though the black soap originated in Africa and is used by black people it doesn’t mean that only blacks can use it. It is suitable for all hair types and skin types regardless of color.  May it be a normal, oily or a combination type of skin Black Soap fits them all.  Moreover, an infant’s delicate skin and the drying skin of the aged will surely benefit from the therapeutic sensation of the Black Soap.

As users, we normally read behind the soap’s box its ingredients and scrutinize if they are really valuable for skin care and hair care if applicable.  Well, that of a Black Soap is breathtakingly pure – no synthetic components blended in it.  It is made from 7 essential oils (palm kernel oil, coconut oil, unrefined shea butter, neem oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and lemon grass oil), and cocoa pod ash.  To fully comprehend on how our hair, scalp and skin can benefit from Black Soap’s marvels.  Let us discuss one by one its ingredients and how they can enhance our hair and skin’s condition.

1.     Palm kernel oil has anti-aging formula which prevents and treats surface lines and wrinkles.

2.     Coconut oil is known to be the healthiest oil for hair, scalp and skin care.  Coconut oil naturally nourishes hair by preventing dandruff, lice and lice eggs to thrive on our hair.  Further, coconut oil re-grows damaged hair and makes our hair shiny.  As to the skin, coconut oil is a perfect moisturizer for all skin types and has no undesirable side effects on the skin.  It is also known for treating various skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.

3.     Unrefined shea butter being on its uncultured structure contains more vitamins and minerals ideal for treating burns, sores, scars, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, and stretch marks.  Shea butter facilitates eradication of wrinkles by increasing skin’s moisture, renewing cells and enhancing blood circulation.  Shea butter also has an element that shields the skin from damaging UV rays called cinnamic acid.

4.     Neem oil is a type of vegetable oil just right for dry skin.  And, oily skin can also gain relief from neem oil since it has anti-bacterial properties that eliminate the causes of clogged up pores and zits.  Neem oil alleviates dry and itchy scalp, dandruff and psoriasis, and offers silky, shiny, stronger hair and hair growth.

5.     Lavender oil has a calming aroma that soothes the skin.  Lavender oil has antiseptic and antifungal properties – it hastens the cure of numerous skin ailments such as acne, wrinkles and psoriasis.  Lavender oil restores wounds, cuts, burns and sunburns too. When it comes to hair care lavender oil eliminates lice and lice eggs or nits.

6.     Eucalyptus oil similar to lavender oil promotes aroma therapy as well, and constitutes a desirable scent.  Eucalyptus oil being antiseptic and anti-parasitic cleanses the skin, gets rid of skin infections, and aids in the healing of wounds.

7.     Lemon grass oil is ultimate for both dry and oily skin conditions by stabilizing sebum levels in the skin.  Lemon grass oil also has this fresh earthy fragrance that pacifies an exhausted body.

8.     Cocoa pod ash or natural potash is used to convert the oils into soap.  And, being an ash (finer version of a charcoal) also has curative results – gently exfoliates and absorbs bacteria causing germs leaving your hair, scalp and skin clean and refreshed.

Black Soap cleanses, soothes, exfoliates and heals.  Black Soap cleanses from head to toe, from babies to the elderly, and from simple dirt to complicated types thriving bacteria and fungi.  .  Black Soap soothes, relaxes and calms us from exhaustion and discomforts through aroma therapy.  Black Soap gently exfoliates skin and reduces the early signs of aging.  Lastly, Black Soap heals various skin problems, infections and conditions.  Black Soap is indeed the key to health and beauty!



Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The soap that cares, cures and heals all skin problems

900E6038 The soap that cares, cures and heals all skin problems

Black Soap is also known as African Black Soap since it originated in Ghana, West Africa. It has been used for centuries in Ghana and Nigeria to wash their black hair and skin.

Although it originated from Ghana, other countries adopted its secret ingredients which are varied and mixed but still upholding its nearness to nature. With the intention of being natural, artificial fragrances are not added but rather earthly scents with aroma therapies are used. Black Soap is suitable for all hair types and skin types regardless of color. Black Soap fits all types of skin may it be a normal, oily or a combination type of skin. It also benefits infant’s delicate skin and the drying skin of the aged from it therapeutic sensation.


There are two types of black soap; they are normal black soap and Tama black soap. The difference between the two is that normal black soap dries the skin after bathing while Tama black soap keeps the skin moisturized after use and that the disadvantage of normal black soap.


africanblacksoap The soap that cares, cures and heals all skin problems

The ingredients for Tama black soap are different from those of normal soap. These ingredients are Shea butter, Virgin Coconut oil, Neem Oil, Lavender essential oil, Eucalyptus essential oil and Lemon Grass essential oil and each of them have it role and advantages. Shea butter contains more vitamins and minerals ideal for treating burns, sores, scars, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, and stretch marks. It facilitates eradication of wrinkles by increasing skin’s moisture, renewing cells and enhancing blood circulation. It also has an element that shields the skin from damaging UV rays called cinnamic acid. Neem Oil has anti-bacterial properties that eliminate the causes of clogged up pores and zits. It alleviates dry and itchy scalp, dandruff and psoriasis, and offers silky, shiny, stronger hair and hair growth. Lavender oil has a calming aroma that soothes the skin, antiseptic and antifungal properties which hastens the cure of numerous skin ailments such as acne, wrinkles and psoriasis. It also restores wounds, cuts, burns and eliminates lice and lice eggs or nits on hair. Eucalyptus essential oil promotes aroma therapy and constitutes a desirable scent. It is also antiseptic and anti-parasitic and it cleanses the skin, gets rid of skin infections, and aids in the healing of wounds. Lemon grass oil is ultimate for both dry and oily skin conditions by stabilizing sebum levels in the skin.

Tama moisturizing Black soap has passed the quality test by local Food & Drugs Board of Ghana and currently under examination for Ghana National Accreditations board. It is also going through clinical studies to officially confirm its antifungal properties. Tama Black Soap just like all natural soap must be kept dry after use to avoid melting. It may irritate damaged skins with open wounds.

Black Soap cleanses from head to toe, from babies to the elderly, and from simple to complicated dirt thriving bacteria and fungi. It exfoliates skin and reduces the early signs of aging and heals various skin problems, infections and conditions and this makes it indeed the key to health and beauty!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Black Soap History

raw ghana black soap 300x169 Black Soap History

African Black Soap has abundant benefits. It can be used by anyone who wishes to achieve healthy glow of their skin. For centuries, African Black Soap have been used by Ghanaians to achieve beautiful skin by reducing acne, oily skin, clear blemishes, eczema, body odor and various other skin issues. It is also a natural black soap for bathing and can be used as a shampoo. African Black Soap will leave your skin smooth and clear, nourished and healthy. Great for removing make-up, this natural black soap is not scented.
African black soap is now sold all over the world, in the internet, in health food stores and in specialty stores internationally. Although natural black soap roots in Africa, many have already been using it. And due to international exportation, African black soap supplies the income for the West African villagers who produce it. Indigenous techniques of creating African Black soap has been passed down from generations to generations to keep the natural black soaps close to Mother Nature and stay away from imitations and exploitations.
Natural Black Soap is a brownish/black color and supple to the touch. The natural soap includes plantain skins, cocoa pod (husk), palm oil, coconut oil, and essential oils, natural black soap is an excellent source of vitamins A & E and iron.
The skin of the plantain is carefully dried to an accurate texture under the sun. Afterwards, it is roasted in a clay oven. Constant heat must be maintained in order to attain a particular texture, color, texture & smell. The roasting of the plantains determines the shade of the organic soap. To form the natural black soap, palm oil and palm kernel oil is mixed with the roasted plantain skin. Instead of plantain skins, others used Cocoa Pod.
African Black Soap comes in blocks or chunks that can be without difficulty formed into bars or modified to produce personalized black soaps. It is capable of melting and customized by additional moisturizing ingredients like essential oils and unrefined shea butter. By the addition of water, it can also be made into a liquid black soap.
It has been used for centuries in West African regions in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and in Morocco. Originates from West Africa, Black Soap or African Black Soap is also known as Anago Soap or Alata soap. Alata or Anago refers to the people of the Northern Region of Ghana, mainly the Hausa tribe. They locally called it Alata Samina or Anago means Black Soap or African Black Soap.
Countless have tried to produce their version of black soap recipes with all sorts of ingredients. If you happen to find black soap products on the market claiming to be “natural” black soaps and it’s not brown in color, it’s dyed. Black soap should never be hard in texture and all black in color. The fake black soap is loaded only with cheap vegetable oil, can stain clothes and does not incorporate all the natural ingredients. It does not have similar African black soap benefits as to natural black soap. Ghana’s Alata soap is the finest quality black soap.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Tips for a Healthy Skin: Black Soap Secrets

Tips for a Healthy Skin: Black Soap Secrets


skin care Tips for a Healthy Skin: Black Soap Secrets

Ever tried a natural black soap?  If not, you have missed one of the best kept skin care secrets of our time.  Imagine having your complexion that makes you want to stop and look every time you pass a mirror.

Forget about those harsh astringents and toners, soaps with coarse scrubs and high alcohol-based products.  Treat your skin with african black soap and these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to perfect skin.

Step 1: To use organic black soap for a shower or bath, wet sponge or wash cloth and rub the organic black soap on the sponge or wash cloth. Lather up with natural black soap and use shea moisturizer or shea butter to moisturize your clean lustrous skin after a shower or bath.

DreamSkinCare 300x268 Tips for a Healthy Skin: Black Soap SecretsStep 2: Wash your face once or twice a day and use natural black soap. Or better yet, give yourself a facial with natural black soap. Prepare a small towel, dip it into some warm water, squeeze out and place the towel over your face for about 10 seconds or until the towel goes cold. Repeat several times. When you are done, wash your beautiful face with natural black soap. Don’t forget parts behind the ears, under the chin and neck and rinse with warm water. Finally, moisturize with a moisturizer. Acne, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, blemishes, rashes, breakouts and discolorations will eventually fades away.

Step 3: Wet your hair and rub organic black soap in until it lathers. Wash hair, rinse & repeat the process until hair is clean.  When you are done, use regular hair conditioner.
To store unused organic black soap, place it in a cool dry area wrapped in saran wrap or in a zip lock bag or in a plastic container.  It has natural glycerin that will naturally absorb moisture from the air and become darker and softer when left exposed. Do not leave African black soap in water. If you are storing African black soap in a soap dish, make sure that the soap dish is well drained. If it is to be stored on a surface, make sure surface does not have a paddle of water.

B S RAW21 300x240 Tips for a Healthy Skin: Black Soap SecretsAside from using natural black soap for your skin, it will be an added bonus if you will avoid smokes and cigarettes. Proper nourishments will also do well for your skin which includes eating healthy and nutritious foods and minimize eating junk foods. Enough rest and sleep, for at least eight hours is very important. Prolonged sun exposure especially if you have not applied your sunscreen should also be avoided. In addition, be sure to clean your face thoroughly at night, removing every trace of makeup. This will be efficient especially with the use of African black soap.

Use black soaps on your skin and not imitation soaps that have chemicals and coloring added to them. Pure black soaps are available at an international grocery store, African marketplace or online. It comes as a liquid, bar or in an unformed lump.

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