Vitellaria
- For the baseball stadium, see Shea Stadium
| Shea | |
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| Species: | V. paradoxa
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| Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn.
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Shea is an African tree from the seed of which is extracted shea butter, which is used in cosmetics. The common names are from shétoulou ("tree butter") in Senegal and ghariti in Mali. The tree is perhaps better known as Butyrospermum parkii (the genus name meaning "butter seed"; the epithet honouring Mungo Park, who learned of the tree while exploring Senegal). However, Vitellaria paradoxa is the earlier name and has priority, and should therefore be used (a proposal to conserve Butyrospermum parkii failed narrowly).
Shea butter
Traditionally in West Africa, the slightly greenish shea butter is extracted from its fruit (called nuts), which is much like an avocado, by crushing and boiling. This substance is edible. It is consumed in traditional cuisine and used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter. Raw shea butter is preferable to refined, since refining involves the use of hexane, which is a neurotoxin.
Shea butter is known especially for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer and emollient of skin. Because of these properties, it is used in numerous cosmetics today. It further adds and maintains moisture in dry, brittle hair, in addition to revitalizing, repairing and preventing breakage, and promoting hair growth.
Shea butter is also used in some indigenous ceremonies. Followers of the Holy Spirit Movement rebel group of Uganda smeared their bodies with shea butter in the belief that it would stop bullets.