Ingredient Spotlight: Shea Butter

Raise your hand if you've been waking up to tight, dry and flaky skin every morning for the last couple of months. Yeah, me too. Winter wreaks havoc on our skin in a number of ways: fluctuating temperatures of our cars, houses and the great outdoors, forced air heating, wind and a lower moisture content in the air. For me, forgetting to put on a moisturizer is one of the seven deadly sins - do it and risk some severe consequences. But what is actually IN my winter moisturizer and why do I want it there?

Shea butter is a common ingredient in body and facial moisturizers. It is derived from the nut of the African shea butter tree and contains saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A and E and unsaponifiable oils. It is these unsaponifiable oils that sets shea butter apart because they have higher healing properties than saponifiable oils. So, in addition to being an incredibly moisturizing, shea butter can also be used to treat blemishes, sunburns, eczema and other skin conditions. Shea butter also offers a low natural UV protection (SPF 6)! This doesn't mean that you should replace your other sunscreens with shea butter though. You aren't going to get the same broad spectrum protection. But isn't it nice to know that when you are slathering your moisture-deprived winter skin with this stuff, you get a little sun protection bonus too?

#ingredients #moisturizer