Recently I was asked, “What is so good about Shea Butter?”I didn’t have to think about this question at all because I love talking about Shea Butter and its uses.Here in the south, (Columbus, GA) we can easily get excited about anything that works. And to answer the question, I simply said that Shea Butter works. For those who are just discovering Shea Butter they will tell you that whatever area they use Shea Butter on, there is improvement. I, myself, a chronic suffer of dry skin and severe eczema can attest to the healing properties of this butter. After many years of growing my hair chemical free, I opted to place a relaxer on my hair when I turned 40. My virgin hair was so healthy in its natural state and had experienced a growth that I never had before. To add insult to injury, I even added highlights. Within months my thick, bone straight hair had become thin, lymph and if woven together could make a carpet because most of it resided on bathroom floor.
To my dismay and especially my husband(he loves long hair) I was now in what I called “Hair Depression.” After settling in my career and by most standards considered myself successful, I began to disdain all the mannerism, venacular, appearance, an personality that had become apart of my elitist status. Like a rebellious kid, I went natural, embraced my ethnicity,began incorporating natural eating habits and loving all things natural. It took a LOT for me to embrace my natural hair. But, I dared myself and went natural. I began wearing braids and weaves because I still was not ready to cut all my hair off. Baby steps I said because I am a woman and my hair is still part of my glory. I was adamant that I did not want to cut my hair off to go natural. I had been to salons for a trim and have walked out to many times with a little more than an inch of hair or less. For some reason, in beauty school the don’t actually teach units of measure. A trim is less than an inch and never more than 5 inches! All of my previously stylist must have been absent from beauty school on that day.Anyway, I digress.
That brings to the question that was asked of me, Why is Shea Butter so good? A little more than a year ago, I “discovered” Shea Butter. I had heard about but new very little bit about it.more than it did when there wasn’t any Shea Butter in it. It wasn’t until I was in New York and got, believe it or not, pure Grade A Shea Butter from a street vendor. Within days my eczema was gone. I think this bears repeating, it was gone. Like no more. For me, I was cured. Until you have suffered from eczema you can’t begin to understand what that means. I had been on so many drugs and creams and most of them worked marginal at best. But, to look at my chest and breast (TMI intended) and to see no unsightly rash, or to not resist the urge to scratch EVERY WAKING MINUTE of the day was a miracle. I wanted this Shea Butter and I was willing to pay whatever. I began study and researching Shea Butter.I wanted to know all there was to know about it and more importantly I wanted to share it with others. In my kitchen I began formulating all kinds of products. Which brings me back to my hair.I started applying the raw Shea Butter to the edges of my head. I said to the edges of my head because there was no hair there. Within a month,” peach fuzz” started to grow and within several months I could actually slick it back if I had gelled it. Today, I am happy to say that I can rock a cute pony tail slicked back if I wanted to because the Shea Butter has grown the sides of my hair. As a scientist, couriousity has always been the birth of many things that have occurred in my life. I now use Shea Butter is almost all my products that I consume on a daily basis. I launder my clothes with Shea Butter, my body oil, shampoo, facial and body soap all are Shea Butter based. Everyone that knows me know that if you have a problem, I will tell you that in some way Shea Butter can fix it. LOL. This year I give everyone the gift of Shea Butter. This will be a Shea Butter Christmas for my friends. I have formulated Cranberry Shea Butter and next it will be Pineapple Shea Butter.The possibilities are limitless. So, I am so happy that Columbus, Georgia will be the new place of Shea Butter.