Unrefined Shea Butter: A Review
My last blog entry on the benefits of unrefined shea butter was so persuasive that I ended up convincing myself and my roommate to buy it. We received the package from Coastal Scents in a little over seven days, which is about standard considering it was being shipped from Florida. It came in a plastic bag and was in the form of a solid block. We allowed it to thaw a bit (it must have experienced very cold conditions while being shipped), and then we split our pound in half. I started using it two days ago—right when I had a few large volcanic explosions on my face. Having done research on its ability to clear and prevent acne, I was very excited to use it in the midst of my breakout. I took a small amount from my half pound, and it quickly warmed in my fingertips. It felt sort of like petroleum, and while it did take a long time for it to absorb (a full eight hours of sleep), my skin felt incredibly soft afterward. To my horror, though, I felt two new pimples upon awaking. I said to my coupon-loving roommate, “I think this stuff is breaking me out.” Undeterred, I put it on as my moisturizer that day, and discovered it was a bit too heavy to wear during the daytime. My makeup didn’t stay quite as well as it usually does (keep in mind that my skin is a bit oily, so if you have dry skin, this may work for you as a daytime moisturizer). However, when I washed my face that night, I noticed that my zits were drying up. I put a thin layer on my skin that night, and woke to find that my pimples were disappearing. I think the high vitamin A content caused me to develop a few new pimples initially (bringing clogged pores to the surface), but now it’s really working in my favor by clearing all my existing acne and preventing new breakouts. I tried a bit in my hair as a leave-in conditioner, and it proved to be too heavy for my fine strands, but I would recommend it for very thick, dry hair. Otherwise, using it as a rinse-out conditioner would probably work better. I am very pleased with this product so far—not only with the way it’s working for my skin, but also with how much of it I received for so little money. I’m guessing this will last me about a year at this rate!
If you’d like to try this product, go here to place your order