Karité is the Wolof and French name for the shea tree, and the butter pressed from its nuts is one of the oldest care products in West Africa. Our jars come from Senegal, made the traditional way. A few things worth knowing before you open one.
1. It grows only in the Sahel belt
The shea tree grows wild in a band across West Africa, from Senegal to Sudan. It cannot be planted commercially with much success, so nearly all shea in the world is gathered from wild trees by local communities.
2. Women's gold
Collecting, boiling, cracking, roasting and kneading the nuts into butter has traditionally been women's work, and the income stays with them. That is why shea is called women's gold in much of the region, and why we buy from women's cooperatives.
3. Raw shea looks and smells different
Unrefined shea butter is ivory to pale yellow with a nutty, smoky scent. Bright white, odourless shea has been refined, which strips out part of what makes it useful. Ours is unrefined.
4. It melts on contact
Shea is solid in the jar but melts at skin temperature. Take a small amount, rub it between your palms until it turns to oil, then apply. A little goes a long way.
5. Uses around the house
Dry elbows and heels, lips in winter, hair ends before washing, cuticles, and the hands after a day in the garden. In Senegal it is also rubbed on babies' skin and used to soothe the scalp under braids.
Store the jar away from heat. If it melts in a hot car it is still fine; let it set again in a cool place, though it may feel grainy until it is worked between the hands.