Plant Therapy Organic Shea Butter Raw and Refined Review

 I've had this Shea Butter for quite awhile. I used to make little mixes and concoctions regularly. I think I've just gotten lazy. So there are sometimes weeks in between making up my own blend. I love Shea Butter though and will always have some on hand. It's the ultimate anti-aging moisturizer that actually seems to heal dry skin..unlike a lot of moisturizers on the market. 

Plant Therapy claims:

Use Organic Shea Butter in a wide range of lip balm, creams, lotions, and other body care products. 

Certified Organic Shea 

Product of Africa, Packaged in USA

  I don't think they sell pure Shea Butter anymore- or at least not that I can find on the site I don't know how long it's been. Probably quite awhile. It's no great loss though because their Shea is not my favorite. 

This is "raw" and "refined" shea. Doesn't really make sense. Mainly it's refined. And I don't like refined Shea Butter. This lacks the nutty and smoky scent I've come to appreciate in shea. It just smells very processed. Kinda has a waxy scent to it.

It's not gritty at all. It's actually pretty smooth. The texture is OK. It's not the worst machine processed Shea. But it's just not as great as the quality stuff you can buy. And I also don't think it's fairly traded.

As with most other Shea, it does feel very hydrating. And it's great for the skin, hair, cuticles, anywhere that needs TLC.

It does come with a little plastic spatula. Kinda pointless because it's not strong enough to really scoop the Shea. 

Overall, it's OK. I wouldn't buy it again. I probably won't need to as this seems to be lasting me absolutely forever though. 

Plant Therapy Shea Butter Crude Review

 I finally went to Ikea to buy plants. I really want to fill my space with lots and lots of plants and have been meaning to go plant shopping since November. I finally went back to Ikea but their plant selection wasn't that great. But I did manage to pick out two plants, it's a start. Say hello to Horton (named after Horton Hears a Who since it has elephant shaped leaves) and the mini palm plant that's not yet named. Here's hoping I don't kill them😌

Plant Therapy says:

Shea Butter is naturally rich in Vitamins A and E as well as essential fatty acids and other vitamins and minerals. Shea Butter is an intense moisturizer for dry skin, and is a wonderful product for revitalizing damaged skin. Our Shea Butter Crude is in its raw state and has not been processed or refined.

Commonly used in lotions, creams, balms and soaps due to its smooth, satiny finish. Shea Butter has a strong nutty aroma and can often change the scent of body care products. We recommend using essential oils to cover up this scent. Please note that this butter is hard and will need to be slowly and gently heated to use.

But anyway let' talk Shea Butter. I love Shea Butter. It's a must have. I've been jumping around and trying Shea Butter from different brands. My favorite so far has been the Shea From Out of Africa. But I'm going to keep trying them all.

I'm always placing an order from Plant Therapy so I figured may as well try out their Shea Butter. It's unrefined, they call it Crude, Same thing. It comes in a big plastic container in chunks.

I don't know how much I paid for it since I bought it a little while ago. But not it's listed at $12 a pound, I believe that's the sale price. I think maybe it was $20. Which is pretty pricy. Especially considering it's not fair trade. 

Shea Butter typically has a smoky, nutty scent. This one isn't as smoky and nutty and kinda smells a bit waxy. I feel you mostly get that waxy scent in machine processed Shea Butter. So I doubt this one is handcrafted. It's not as weird.waxy in texture as some machined Shea Butter's I've used. It's Ok.

I do notice it is slightly gritty. I use my Shea Butter in little jars of mixes I made with other oils/essential oils and I've noticed most of the mixes are slightly gritty. Not too gritty and it could have just been this batch. It melts easily and doesn't bother me too much.

Shea Butter is amazing on dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, as a anti-gaining facial moisture, blemishes. It's an amazing all purpose little butter. I love this stuff! If you aren't into mixing you can even just use it straight. It is easy to work with (especially in warmer months). In the winter it may be firmer and harder to work with but it melts at body temperature. 

Shea Butter for me is a must have. And this one is OK. It's not my favorite Shea Butter, will do in a pinch but I prefer the handcrafted, smokier, thicker, nuttier version. 

Nature's Shea All Natural Beige Shea Butter Review

It is the most perfect Friday. The weather is beautiful outside...I feel like I should be outside enjoying the rest of the sunlight...but before that I will go ahead and get this post out of the way. More Shea Butter. If you've read my blog, you know these past couple of years I stay ranting and raving about Shea Butter. I love this stuff. It's great for EVERYTHING. I stumbled across the Nature's Shea website a few years back and really wanted to try out their Shea Butter. I signed up for their emails and as soon as I saw a sale, I jumped right on it. I think it was 20-30% off. I can't remember now.

I bought two types of Shea Butter. 

Natures Shea claims:

100% all natural and organic beige shea butter from northern Ghana. Our beige shea butter has slightly more healing power than our ivory shea butter. Please note beige color can vary from light to dark beige.

 The retail price without any sales is pretty high at $25 for only one pound of Shea Butter. It's pretty high and I most definitely wouldn't order without a sale. Especially since there is nothing on their site to indicate the Shea Butter is fair trade or the producers get a fair wage. It doesn't mention if the Shea Butter is hand processed or machined and those are definitely things I want to know when I buy Shea Butter. 

Not all Shea Butter is the same and I can definitely say it feels different depending on where you buy it. Some are firmer, some smell smokier, some are a little gritty. 

This Shea Butter is pretty firm. Even when my room is warmer I don't notice any difference in the firmness of the butter. It's not the easiest Shea to work with but once you warm it in your hands it melts pretty easily. 

It doesn't smell as smoky/nutty as some Shea Butter I've come across but it does smell like Shea and something a little buttery (in a natural way) . For some reason I think it's because this is machine processed. When I first started digging in it was super smooth but when I dug a little further in it had that slightly gritty texture most Shea Butter has. Not in a bad way....just something I noticed.

For some reason it doesn't feel as moisturizing as some other Shea I've used in the past. It's not as greasy/oily feeling. 

I still feel it's good for most things you would use Shea Butter for...hair, body, cuticles, face moisturizer, feet, etc. I like to mix mine up with some softer oils and essential oils to make it smell nice and spread easier.  

Shea Butter is anti-inflammatory and I find it to be one of the best "carrier" oils for aches and pains. You can even massage it in by itself and it seems to help. For that reason I do know many people recommend it for arthritis. It's also great for eczema, burns, etc. I got a pretty bad burn on my arm a few week ago and the skin grew back quickly and smoothly with the use of Shea Butter. It's still discolored  but feels super smooth and looks great considering what it looked like initially. 

I don't think I would purchase this particular Shea Butter again. Even though it's more expensive per pound, I prefer the Out of Africa Shea Butter over this one. 

Random: 

I'm going on a mini drive tomorrow and wanted to share one of my number one summer car songs. This whole song is quite the pick up line...back in the 90's when everyone was referred to as "Shorty"

Out of Africa Raw Shea Butter Review

I really should be asleep. But it's the start of my four day weekend. And for some reason when I got off work (at midnight), I decided to have a nice big cup of caffeinated tea. I have zero tolerance for caffeine and it keeps me up. It's not as bad as coffee but...I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. So..I'll blog a little. 

Out of Africa claims:

Fresh and Authentic Grade AAA 

Helps nourish dry or sensitive skin including: lips, elbows, feet, and even hair! Helps with fine lines, wrinkles, stretch marks, psoriasis and eczema. Enriched with antioxidants and Vitamins A, E, and F to help with premature aging.

Shea Butter Hand Harvested in West Africa 

I love Shea Butter. I don't think anyone loves the stuff more than me. I use it everywhere and for everything. I've tried a couple of different brands over the years. And I think this is definitely in my top 5. 

It's raw shea butter. I'm not a fan of refined Shea. I just don't get the point. By refining it, they take out most of the nourishing properties that Shea has. Because this one is unrefined, it has that signature smoky, nutty, shea scent. I think it's kinda nice. Especially this one. 

Before this I had a tub of Shea Radiance Shea Butter.  In comparison, the other one was a little more waxy feeling and softer. I think this one is a bit drier but I prefer that. I think I like the Out of Africa Shea more although I did like the Shea Radiance one.  

Shea Butter is the best moisturizer for my hair. I think I prefer the one with Vanilla scent more in my hair though. It gives me the shrinkage I want and makes my hair curl up almost perfectly. It's the best moisturizer on skin and dry spots, just be sure to use a small amount and use it when skin is still slightly damp.

I also love using this on my face. It calms down breakouts, really moisturizes, and I think it helps my skin look more even-toned and naturally glow-y. 

Why use moisturizers that contain Shea, when you can just use pure Shea Butter on your skin? No additives.

You can also use it to make your own hair and body butters, which can be pretty fun!

And it is a great carrier for essential oils, since it is anti-inflammatory it's great for aches and pains. And I've heard it's great for arthritis. 

I know this one comes in a tin, which I haven't tried. With the Vanilla Shea Butter in the plastic jar, it smelled a bit like older Shea while the tin Shea was much fresher. I haven't noticed anything off with this one in the plastic jar. It seems really fresh. Of course, I do like tin packaging better but you get more for your money in the plastic. 

I do really like this brand's Shea Butter. I also like that they seem to support the women that produce the Shea Butter. I prefer to buy from a company that helps to improve the community that produces the product rather than exploiting. It's a brand I feel good buying from. 

Overall, I highly recommend it! 

Check out my review of the Vanilla Scented Shea here.

Out of Africa Vanilla Raw Shea Butter Review

Shea Butter is one of the best moisturizers ever. Any time someone mentions any type of skin problem to me or rash...I'm like "Put some Shea Butter". I'm like the guy from My Big Fat Greek Wedding- I love that movie by the way.

Out of Africa claims:

This natural formula penetrates deeply, to protect, moisturize and nourish your skin, without leaving a greasy residue. It will help shield your skin to prevent premature aging. Shea butter softens all skin, face, lips, elbows, heels or anywhere your skin needs hydration.

• Excellent for many skin conditions, including dry and sensitive skin, cracked skin, sun burn, chapped lips, cuticles, psoriasis and eczema
• Softens fine lines and wrinkles and scars
• Maintains elasticity and tone while it moisturizes and softens the skin.
• Helps prevent and reduce stretch marks during pregnancy and weight gain and loss
• Loaded with antioxidants and vitamins along with healthy fatty acids and valuable phytonutrients
• Our Shea Butter is cold-pressed, no solvents used

Way back in the day I had a vanilla shea butter I ordered from online that I loved. But it wasn't cost effective and the company seems to have disappeared anyway. This product reminds me of that, except this one is much softer. It has the best smoky vanilla smell ever. It really does go well with the natural scent of the Shea Butter. Or at least the Shea in the tin does. The one that comes in the plastic jar doesn't smell as good-which is a bummer because it's a better price. 

The vanilla scent sticks around for quite awhile and nothing makes my feel skin softer. It works for the driest of skin. Some moisturizers really do great for a few hours and then dry up your skin, making you re-apply. This doesn't do that. My skin looks moisturized and healthy all day and all night.

And a little goes a long way so a little tin or jar will last quite awhile! 

Shea Butter is also said to be great for arthritis and inflammatory skin conditions. I used it as a carrier for the essential oils I was using when I had my ankle problems and this worked the best- along with essential oils mixed in to make the discomfort go away. But I used the unscented variety. Can't waste my vanilla scented one for that! 

I like to use it on my face. And in my hair. I get the best shrinkage when I use plain shea in my hair. I just wish the vanilla scent would stick to my strands more. It works the best on dry cuticles and hands but make sure you have time to let it sink in.

I love this stuff so much I have three back up containers. I seem to grab them every time I'm in the BX. 

I want to get my hands on the other varieties. Or learn to make my own scented shea butter!

Highly recommend trying this variety out. At least the tin version. I'm not sure I would get the plastic jar version again. They even look a little different with the tin variety being more yellow. 

Shea Radiance Pure Unrefined Handcrafted Shea Butter Review

It's been awhile since I've had quality Shea Butter. I like to try different brands every time. Just to see what's out there. This is a brand that was new in my local healthy grocery type store and I had wanted to buy it for a couple months, but held off because it was almost twenty dollars.Then one day...a sale! So it went home with me.

Shea Radiance claims:

We gently mixed 100% Natural and Unrefi ned Shea Butter to make it softer and easier to apply. Pure Unrefi ned shea butter with all the bioactives.

Th is butter has NOT been refi ned or stripped through chemical or physical refi ning process. No color or dyes added.

Uses: great for hair and body care.

Bene fits:

• Deep penetrating, long lasting moisture

• Great for cracked heels

• Deep conditioning treatment for hair

• Sunburn relief

• Gentle enough to be used on babies

• Great replacement for mineral oil

 and petroleum gel products

You get 14 ounces of pure, unrefined Shea Butter. With that signature smoky natural scent that Shea Butter has. It has grown on me over the years and it almost signifies to me whether the Shea Butter is good quality or not. When the butter has no scent- that usually means the butter has been refined, often a chemical process that strips some of the healing properties of the Butter.

The last Shea Butter I had was mass-produced, bulk, cosmetic grade Shea Butter. It was cheap and waxy. And I couldn't stand it. It really does make a difference in the quality and this is quality shea butter. Although just a teeny bit gritty. It melts easily though and you won't even notice it after it's rubbed in. 

One of my favorite things about this Shea Butter is it's responsibly and ethically sourced. And it benefits the women in West Africa that produce it. Click the link here, they give you more information on it.

So what do I use this Shea Butter for? Everything. Put it anywhere you have dry skin. It's excellent as facial moisturizer, it even provides some protection from the sun. I haven't found anything better for my hair-although I do prefer the yellow shea (mixed with palm oil) more for my hair, I like this too. I use it as a carrier "oil" for essential oils. On my lips. Just every and any where. 

I highly recommend it. If you are looking for a quality Shea butter, this is a great one. The price is a little bit more, I liked getting it for the fourteen dollars I paid for it, almost 20 is pushing it. But if you can find a sale, pick it up!

Nature's Garden Shea Butter

God bless Facebook! I mostly get on Facebook to watch those little short cooking clips. I've never made anything off those clips, but that doesn't stop me from watching them all the time. The only other thing I get on Facebook for is to be nosy. Except earlier, I was just browsing through and my crush from college just pops in my feed. Talk about fine. Still fine. Tall, dark, and handsome. Again, god bless Facebook! And just to relate this to my actual post...God Bless Shea butter too. I haven't been without Shea Butter since I first tried it a couple years ago. And when I started blogging I wanted to have a review on Shea Butters from all different places. Like a Shea Butter review directory. That didn't happen. I've tried Shea Butter from two different companies (or three) and that's about it.

Natures'  Garden claims:

Shea butter is moisturizing and nourishing to the skin.  When used in soap making, shea butter will add a wonderful creamy lather, great conditioning properties, and some hardness to your soap. Shea butter is used in lip balms, lip gloss, soaps, lotions, scrubs, and other bath and body products

I got this awhile back for about $6 for 12 ounces. Not a bad price at all. I only like unrefined so I bought the unrefined, but they also sell it refined for those that would prefer it that way. It comes packaged in a bag, I just re-homed it in an old jar to make it easier to use and to keep it fresher.

This Shea Butter is waxy and almost like the texture of refined Shea Butter. It doesn't smell as smoky/shea buttery as some of the other stuff I've come across, and it's a pale yellow as opposed to beige or off white, or straight up yellow like most other Shea Butter I've come across. It's also very soft. Even in Winter which makes it easier to work with than a lot of others I've come across. 

There's also a bit of grit to it. Nothing too bad- nothing like Now Shea Butter (the worst!) I've had previously. Definitely workable. And I could probably melt it down and get rid of the grit if I was so inclined.

It's pretty hydrating. And seems to absorb in about ten minutes or so. It's good on lips, elbows, knees, feet, face, everywhere. You can add it to the bath, and mix it into your lotions, hair butters, etc

That being said, this is not my favorite Shea Butter. It's like you can tell it was machined as opposed to other methods of making Shea Butter. It does all the job that Shea Butter can do, but I just don't feel like the results are as great as Shea Butter from other sources. 

In a pinch, this will do.  But I think there is a better butter out there for me...and I will keep trying them all and hopefully will have something to recommend. I used to love Shea Butter from Afrikan Republic, but I'm unhappy with the prices so no longer order from them. I'm thinking of trying Alaffia Shea Butter next , so keep an eye out for that review!

What's your favorite source for Shea Butter? How do you use it? Let me know in the comments!

Afrikan Republic Light and Creamy Shea Butter

Shea Butter is definitely one of my favorite all natural all over moisturizers. I love when it's included in other products and I love it on it's own. It works for hair, skin, just anywhere and for anything. Over the years I reviewed a couple different Shea Butters, mostly from the African Republic website. When I first found that website I wanted to try everything. But now I'm pretty sure this will be the last product I ever review from them. Mostly because of their price. I bought this Shea Butter a couple years ago for around $8 on sale.

Afrikan Republic claims:

African Republic Light and Creamy Shea Butter from Ghana is a high quality shea butter that rubs easily into the skin and hair, effectively fighting dryness ,ashy skin, eczema, psoriasis, wrinkles, and the effects of aging.

There are two types of Shea Butter on the market. Light Beige, White (refined), and yellow (mixed with palm oil). This is the beige one. I hate refined Shea Butter, and I do like the yellow variety for my hair because it's a bit more oily. This one is the beige Shea. It has a little grit to it, but it melts easier when you rub it in your hands. It's softer in the summer and a little harder to work with in colder months. It's definitely softer than the ones they sell that have fragrance like the vanilla and the lavender. This one is unscented but definitely has the "shea butter" smell. Kind nutty and a little smoky.  I'm used to the scent now, and anyway it dissipates quickly. You can always melt it down and add a little fragrance to it yourself if you aren't a fan of the scent. 

I use it for my hair. It's not as greasy as the yellow, but pure Shea Butter is one of the best things I have ever put in my hair for moisture. And it also helps curl definition for me. I usually use it on damp hair. I still prefer the yellow variety just because I feel is holds the moisture in my hair the entire day. By the end of the day with this one my hair isn't dry, but doesn't feel as moisturized as it could. 

I use it as facial moisturizer. I feel like Shea Butter helps with acne, scarring, and moisture. I just love the way my face looks when I use Shea Butter on it. Sometimes I mix it with whatever oil I'm using at the time. 

I also use it as an all over body moisturizer. Nothing makes skin softer. Although it can take a little longer to absorb than most commercially available moisturizers. Just remember a little goes a long way. Its great for any rough spots and can moisturize the driest skin. 

Shea Butter is also great for eczema, psoriasis, and sunburns. If you have fresh Shea Butter, it even has a natural SPF of 10 so it can add a little natural sun protection to the skin. 

I do really like this Shea Butter, and I did really like the brand. But their prices have gone up so much. You can buy the same if not better quality from other companies for a better price...and some are even fair trade! I think they changed the name of this Shea Butter to Afrikan Republic Virgin White Shea Butter but I'm not 100% certain on that. The price is now $15.90 for 8 oz. Alaffia has Fair Trade Shea Butter for $11.99 for 11 oz. on Iherb. That's $1.99 an ounce for African Republic versus $1.09 and ounce for Alaffia. Their prices just aren't competitive enough for me to recommend them or continue purchasing from them. 

So I still love Shea Butter, just not from this brand. Another brand to stay away from for Shea Butter is Now brand. Afrikan Republic has the worst prices and Now has the worst quality Shea Butter. 

Have you tried Shea Butter, where do you order from?

Afrikan Republic Lavender Infused Shea Butter

I love Shea Butter...and these last couple of years you can find it everywhere, and in almost everything. I prefer the 100% natural stuff- no added fillers at all! I bought this awhile ago when African Republik was having a 20% off sale and I think I also got free shipping. When all was said and done I ended up paying $8. The regular price on it is $12. 

Afrikan Republik:

Afrikan Republic's wonderful Light & Creamy Shea Butter is now available infused with the delightful scent of Lavender Essential Oil.

The last review I did from this company was their Vanilla Shea Butter-which I loved- but I had a couple of complaints about the website. I like that they are improving BUT I still don't think I would order again. They are selling the 2 oz scented shea butters for $8 now which I think is pretty ridiculous. In fact, like I mentioned the price on this was $12, it has now jumped to nearly $20, which is completely ridiculous. Especially when you consider it's not fair trade certified or any of that good stuff! I have a local store that supplies scented Shea Butter that IS fair trade, you get more for your money, and it's scented too!

Anyway, let me get on with the review.

I loved the scent of the Lavender Vanilla and the plain Vanilla. Of the three I've tried this is my least favorite. To be honest, I'm just not a fan of pure Lavender scent, although I am liking it a bit better than I used to. It smells exactly like Lavender essential oil...and unrefined Shea Butter. But the Lavender overpowers the Shea scent when you use it. But it doesn't stick around like the Vanilla Shea Butter, I smell it when I'm rubbing it in and then it's gone.

It's basically a hard butter that is a little bit harder than regular Shea- I think due to the the addition of the essential oil. It can be hard to scoop out...and you have to warm it up in the palm of your hards before you apply it. It is also a bit harder to spread on the skin than your traditional lotions and creams. I don't mind but it is something to consider. It's definitely not for everyone!

I love Shea Butter though and use it for a bunch of different things-body moisturizer, on cuticles, facial moisturizer (especially lovely before going to bed because of the lavender scent), and in my hair. I do prefer the yellow Shea butter for my hair, this seems to leave my hair soft yet kinda frizzy. But it performs all these tasks and does it well. My skin is left completely moisturized until I wash it off.

It's all natural. There is only Shea Butter and Lavender oil. It doesn't get any simpler than that. 

It comes in a regular plastic tub- which is another reason I'm dismayed at the price. If you are gonna mark up the product at least have some fancy packaging. Not that I would buy it for the packaging...you get the point!

It is decent but at the current price I would not recommend it to anyone! You can get plain Shea Butter from other companies at much better prices and add your own essential oil. I will use it up- but I won't be purchasing from Afrikan Republic again, and I recommend you don't either!

Afrikan Republic Vanilla Shea Butter

If you read my blog you would know I LOVE Shea Butter and I love Vanilla scented products....so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this stuff. I bought it when the site was having a twenty percent off sale so I paid just over eight dollars for 8 oz of Shea.It normally costs $12.

African Republic claims:

Delight in the heavenly scent of Vanilla Shea Butter from Afrikan Republic. Organic Shea Butter infused with natural vanilla scent.

This shea butter goes on easily and lasts a long time. The scent of this shea butter is truly heavenly. Use it anytime, but if you rub it on after a bath or before bed special things can happen.

When I first gave this product a sniff I didn't really like the scent. It smelled funny..however you should never judge a product based solely on a sniff test. I finally started using it and fell completely in love with the scent. It smells so good. A very nice and warm vanilla scent and for some reason I get a whiff of banana too. It is unrefined shea so it does have a little bit of the "shea" smell, but I don't mind it. 

The best thing about the scent is that is lasts and amplifies when I sweat if I put enough on. I love that! My sweat literally smells like vanilla-nice when I work out!

It's a little bit of a different texture than regular shea butter- I'm guessing that's because of the "vanilla essential oil". It still melts easily but I notice it's not as greasy. Not that Shea Butter is greasy, in my opinion. It actually sinks in super quickly and moisturizes like nothing else! And the moisture lasts and lasts.

The only problem is that it takes a little more work than if you just used a lotion. You have to dig it out and then rub it in. Takes a bit more time but I think it's worth it. It's completely natural and actually good for your skin! 

I love this on my body but not so much for my hair. The vanilla smell get's lost when I used it in my hair...so I save it as a body moisturizer. 

Shea Butter makes a great facial moisturizer...but this tends to smell like straight up butter on my face. Not bad...just strange. I do still occasionally use it on my face though.

Overall, I LOVE this Shea Butter but I don't like the website as much as I used to. I ordered from them years ago when they had a really nice fair trade Shea Butter. At one time they sent me a couple products to review (which I was very grateful for!), but now I just feel most of their prices are to high for what they selling. I would look elsewhere for a yellow Shea butter as their's is priced way too high!  And their Green Tea and Tree Cream was already priced high at around $10 for 4 oz and lately it's gone up to almost $15...not worth it. Plus I'm pretty sure it's a repackage. Anyway, I'm not as thrilled with the company as I once was is what I am saying. But I still love this vanilla shea butter! I wish it was fair trade though...

Afrikan Republic Shea Butter From Ghana

When I bought this I'm pretty sure the price was around $14.00.  They had a 20% off sale and I used a coupon codes so my average price per item was $8.50. Now the price seems to have hiked to almost $20.00. I can tell you that I absolutely would not pay that much for it...they do have coupon codes sometimes so that may be worth looking into. I think they hiked the price up in order to sell it buy 2, get 1 free...but who really needs that much Shea Butter?

African Republic claims:

Afrikan Republic Shea Butter...

• Fights dry skin
• Prevents aging
• Reduce wrinkles
• Moisturizes naturally
• Provides relief of eczema and psoriasis symptoms
• Used by diabetes sufferers for better skin

Afrikan Republic Golden Shea Butter can be applied to your skin and hair and is 100% natural and unrefined. Just dip your fingers into your shea butter and spread it onto your skin or work into your hair for total moisture relief. Afrikan Republic Shea Butter is from imported from the western African nation of Ghana. 16 oz container. M-P917

So one issue I have with this product is that it looks completely different from what it looks like in the picture. If that's the label in the picture- that's the label I want. A couple years ago the products did match up but that seems to have gone downhill lately.

As for the product- I don't believe this is 100% Shea Butter. The texture is way too soft-even in the winter months. I do believe it's shea butter mixed with palm oil. To be fair the label claims it's 100% natural, not 100% Shea Butter.

So like I said, this stuff is soft and easy to work with even in the coldest of weather because I think it's mixed with an oil. Typically there is the ivory/off white Shea Butter which I prefer for certain things, then there is this Shea Butter. It's a little greasier and takes longer to sink in than the ivory one-which makes it great for my hair and not so great for my body. 

Hair- Really adds moisture and definition to my hair. It's one of my favorite things to use in my hair. And while it does have a strong scent I don't mind it in my hair at all. It just smells more "nutty". It works great on dry or wet hair.

Skin- I do sometimes use it all over my body. It provides great moisture- especially if you really take the time to massage it in. But I really can't stand the smell. And it is greasier and takes longer to sink in than the ivory one. 

Face- I love this one on my face. I've been using the Dudu Osun Black Soap and that stuff can really strip the moisture from your face if you aren't adding something extra hydrating back to the skin. This  stuff and that soap are a great combination! I wake up with great looking skin, it helps heal blemishes quicker and it doesn't break me out! 

You can also use it for dry cuticles, feet, hands, whatever your heart desires. I bought this 16 oz but it also comes in the 8 oz and 32 oz.

The packaging is typical of what you find in the Beauty Supply store. It's cheap and it usually cracks somewhere....For almost $20 I do expect better packaging but at the price I paid I can't complain too much.

I almost forgot to mention- I wouldn't recommend this Shea Butter for use in mixes or for scenting. I haven't had good luck at all when trying to use it those ways. It's best to use this particular one as is because of the high oil content. 

As for customer service- it's always been great! No complaints there, it's just the price hike I'm not very happy with but if you are thrifty enough you can wait for a sale and use a coupon code to save quite a bit of money.

I also want to note this Shea Butter is not fair trade- it's best to buy fair trade Shea Butter.

NOW Shea Butter

Shea Butter is my most favorite additive in all types of products from body washes to lotions and lip balms and solo much more. I even love it in it's natural state because I find it great for my hair and skin. I found a recipe for Lavender lotion in a magazine and decided I would try to make some myself. So I ordered this. 

Now Shea claims:

Condition:  Dry, cracked or chapped skin in need of moisture, especially on tougher areas such as the elbows, knees and feet.

Solution:  Natural Shea Butter has a rich, luxurious texture that penetrates deep to condition and moisturize every type of skin. Shea Butter is derived from the tree nuts of the karite trees that grow in Western and Central Africa. It is a wonderful emollient that's perfect for daily use. Can also be used as a scalp moisturizer.

Suggested Use:  Gently apply as desired, paying close attention to dry or chapped areas, reapply as needed.

This product is naturally hard and color/texture will vary depending on temperature. This product will melt when warmed above body temperature and become solid again when cool. This is natural and may affect the appearance, but will not harm the quality of the product. This warming and cooling may produce fat crystals affecting the color/texture making it appear grainy or uneven. If hard, shea butter can be softened by placing in a pan of hot water (e.g. 100 F or warmer) for 30 minutes or microwaved until soft.

Caution for Microwaving: This jar contains a foil seal. Do not place this jar directly in microwave. Before microwaving, scoop out desired mount and place in a microwave-safe container. Allow time to cool before applying.

This product is guaranteed to be Natural. 

Hexane-Free.

I HATE this stuff.

Seriously.

I believe it's refined so it has a very odd scent. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the natural smell of Shea Butter I would rather smell that...than this.

The thing I hate most of this is it is gritty. I've had gritty Shea before when I warmed up my Shea Butter too quickly and let it cool again. It's almost like Shea with sand. Eventually the grit will melt into your skin-but I just don't like it. I prefer creamy, smooth Shea Butter. 

I was going to write the company BUT it says on the jar that the Shea may be gritty so I just left it alone. I will definitely not be purchasing this again though and can't recommend it. There are plenty of other sources of high quality Shea Butter that deserve your money over this.

I didn't get to make my lotion because I'm trying to use this up before I buy any more...but it will probably be awhile because I really hate using this stuff. 

The lowdown-love Shea Butter, hate this! Definitely go with a different brand if you are looking to try or buy Shea. 

Afrikan Republic Golden Whipped Shea Butter Butter

You might remember this from my haul from Afrikaan Republic. They sent me a few products to review. And I'm so glad they sent this!!! 

Afrikan Republic claims:

Now our famous Afrikan Republic Golden Shea Butter from Ghana is available whipped. Whipped shea butter is delightful to use and apply.

100% natural Whipped Golden Shea Butter from Afrikan Republic is the perfect way to fight for your skin and chase away wrinkles, stretch marks, crows feet, eczema and psoriasis. Creamy whipped shea butter is SO EASY to spread on your skin and hair.

All I have to say is "Whipped Shea Butter where have you been all my life??"

I had been using is unwhipped. Which is OK but after trying whipped I don't know if I can go back to the regular. With the un-whipped I had to dig it out, which usually means scraping my nail polish off. With this I lightly touch and get just the right amount. 

It makes putting it on a breeze.

It has that Shea Butter scent, which I like on my hair...not so much all over my body. But nothing beats this as a moisturizer. Hair, Body, Lips, Feet, Hands, Scalp...this stuff does a fantastic job.

The only thing that might be a deter you is the price. It costs $13.95 for 8 oz which is kind of expensive in relation to just buying regular shea butter.

One thing I want to make note of is that this is 100% Shea Butter. Some companies add other things in and this doesn't. So it's 100% natural.

I might try to whip up some of the Shea I have.

Other than that, if you aren't a kitchentician and can't or won't whip your own, I highly recommend it!

You can order your own at www.afrikanrepublic.com!

Afrikan Republic Shea Butter Imported From Togo

So having tried the yellow shea and loving it I decided it was time to try the white. It costs $16.95 for 16 ounces at Afrikan Republic but I would wait until they have it three dollars off as it is often on sale.At this price it's a little bit over a dollar an ounce. Shipping is $6.95 and that three dollars off really helps.

It claims:

Afrikan Republic Shea Butter is a creamy, very high quality Shea Butter. Produced using traditional methods and made using shea nuts gathered in the wild, this is an unrefined Shea Butter - meaning it retains the healing and restorative power often processed out of a more refined Shea Butter. A highly refined shea butter is usually white and no longer has the characteristic smoky smell of unrefined shea butter. (the characteristic odor disappears as the shea butter is worked into your skin or hair)Afrikan Republic Shea Butter has many uses, including...

Dry, rough skinCracked skinTreatment of the symptoms of psoriasis and eczemaGeneral Moisturizer for skin and hairMakes thicker hair more manageableAdds essential vitamins that your skin requires to remain healthyAllows damaged skin to heal more quicklyThe Afrikan Republic brand of Shea butter has been produced in Togo (in Africa) and is shipped to the US monthly. This shea butter is noted for it's exceptional freshness and the high standards of quality during production.

I must say I love the packaging. Most Shea is packaged in ugly cheap plastic tubs but this packaging is really cute. T It comes with an aluminum type lid which I suppose is to keep it fresher longer.

So, it smells like the yellow. And melts the same too. The only difference I could find was that the yellow was a tad greaser which made it more ideal for my hair, but this one is better for my skin.

 It is a superior moisturizer. Once it sinks into the skin (and it does take a few minutes) your skin will be soooooo soft. It does have a nutty smoky odor that I'm not found of when I use it all over but it does eventually go away. It great for feet and hands and it lasts a long time. I've been using this since about the end of July on my body and hair and I've still got half left. I wasn't using it everyday though. If kept in a warm room it is much easier to spread as opposed to keeping it in a cool room. That's probably it's only downfall.

So to sum up this review, I love this shea butter. I love that it's non-comodegenic. I love that it's 100% natural. I love that it's great for hands, feet, face, knees, elbows, lips, and body. I love that this is fair traded. And Afrikan Republic has excellent customer service. But I will say you can probably get this same shea six dollars cheaper on www.agbangakarite.com. I can't recommend it though as I've never ordered from them. Here's the website I ordered from www.afrikanrepublic.com.

Enjoy the rest of the Weekend!!