Natural Shea Butter Produced by African Women

African shea butter, also known as karit, is widely used in cosmetic industry, in many brands, as
a precious ingredient for skin moisturizing creams, eyes creams, lips balsams, shampoos, soaps,
sunscreens, anti aging creams, creams for stretching marks after pregnancy. In medicine shea
butter is used to heal burns and diminish muscles pain. Besides its action over the skin, karit is
used for cooking, for example, in the chocolate industry where it is used as a substitute for cocoa.

Why is shea butter manufactured by African women so valuable? First, because the small area on
the planet where the shea nut tree grows, and secondly, because the manually production of shea
butter implies many procedures and an intense physical effort.

The shea nut tree, also named Butyrospermum parkii, grows in Western African savannah. It can
only grow in those the semi arid zones of south Saharian Desert climate because it necessitate a
long dry period to produce its shea nuts and only around 1000 mm water per year. African shea
butter is made from the nuts of this wonderful tree.

The procedure of transforming shea nuts into butter is known by centuries by the African
women; the most ancient proofs attesting the production of shea butter comes from the
fourteenth century.  African women first produced shea butter for eating and to protect their skin
in the harsh climate of their region and also as lamp oil. Shea nuts have a great percent of fat,
50% and this makes them so valuable for locals.

Producing shea butter is awarded exclusively to women because here, in African culture, women
take care of everything regarding food and house care. The process of transforming nuts into
butter is a hard physical job, needing a lot of energy.  The procedure starts only when the rainy
season comes because it necessitates big amounts of water. The whole process of obtaining shea
butter is manually done by African women and lasts several days, implying many stages:

 First, shea nuts are collected by women.

 After the collection process, nuts are boiled and then are left in the sun to dry.
  Dried nuts will be shelled, each by each, manually.
 After that, shea nuts come to a crushing process, followed by a roasted process.
 The small chopped nuts are than casted in big mortars and mixed with big pestles while
adding water.
 After been knead, shea nuts become a caramel-colored paste.
 While women float the paste, foam will appear at its surface.
 This foam is collected and placed into another recipient containing water to eliminate
eventual residues.
 The cleaning process, using water only, is repeated, four times usually, while the foam
becomes white.
 The obtained white foam is again boiled for several hours.
 Until cooling, the ingredient is skimmed and so the process of producing shea butter is
ended.

There are many places in Western Africa where the only chance to win international currency,
such as dollars, is to fabricate shea butter. Since producing karit has become an industry, African
women have created cooperatives that allow them to work together and earn a better existence.
Some West African countries, conscious by the increased need of shea butter, have augmented
their production for exportation.