Shea butter is a natural extract from the fruit-stone of the Shea tree, which grows in the dry Savannah lands of West African countries such as Ghana. The greenish-yellow fruits resemble plums they have a thin, nutritious pulp and contain a large, oil-rich seed. About 50% of this kernel is made up of five fatty acids, plus phenolic compounds with anti-oxidant properties. For many generations in Africa, these natural plant oils have been extracted from the kernel to produce ‘Shea butter’ and used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes, for protecting the skin against the sun, and also as food.
