Shea Butter

Botanical

Latin name:
Butyrospermum parkii
Common names:
Butter tree, shea tree
Family:
Sapotaceae
Origin:
Common in the African continent from Senegal to Ethiopia

An exceptionally resistant plant

The shea tree has developed defense mechanisms to resist the long dry seasons. Its seeds, scattered at the beginning of the rainy season to increase their chances of survival, go through a form of germination called cryptoge: their exceptional lipid reserves enable them to develop a root pivot instead of seedlings like most plants. Deeply rooted in the earth, it will provide the young plant with the water it needs. When fully grown, to resist against frequent bush fires, the shea tree sheds some of its leaves during the dry season to minimize possible damage by flames and its thick, cork bark gives it a certain protection.

Origin:

The shea butter we use comes from West Africa. We get our supplies from locally committed suppliers to sustainably develop this sector. The shea tree is considered sacred and only women can pick and work its fruit. This unique, traditional know-how is passed on from generation to generation. During the rainy season the women pick the ripe fruit, blown off trees by the wind, from the forest floor. Back in the village, they remove the pulp from the fruit, boiled its pits, sundried then crushed them to extract its nuts. They carefully washed, dried and stored them. These are important moments in the life of the village.

Our extract

Lipids exist naturally in skin and their role is essential. As a result of age or the effects of certain environmental factors, their production can decrease. With fewer lipids, skin is more sensitive to external aggressions. It becomes dry, rough, dull, sometimes scaly and very uncomfortable.

African women’s beauty secret, shea butter developed from a traditional know-how, is well known for its exceptional nutritive and reparative properties. To help the economic growth of its partner, Yves Rocher has financed a 5000m2 shea butter transformation plant in Bougouni. The women bring the nuts to the transformation plant where they are crushed, roasted and ground up. The resulting mixture is cooked and submerged in boiling water which when filtered is raw shea butter. In Europe, its color and odor are removed using steam, and it then acquires the desired cosmetic qualities.

Shea butter can be found in which products?

In our Repair Body Care line, shea butter, thanks to its particularly high content of unsaponifiable compounds, plays a role in softening nourishing and repairing* dry skin. 

To repair extra dry skin, to reveal infinitely more beautiful, soft and comfortable skin, we suggest using formulas enriched with shea butter. From lip balm to lotion to scrub, you’ll find everything you need for a complete and extremely nourishing routine!

*in vivo tests