Yellow Brick Road 100% Raw Unrefined Shea Butter-African Grade a Ivory 1 Pound (16oz)…

TIME LONG AGO

Shea butter has a long history in Africa. It has been used for various purposes, including beauty, since ancient times. It was employed in ancient Egypt during Cleopatra's reign, where she used it for skin and hair care. According to legend, she received shea butter in large clay pots. Queen Sheba is also believed to have used shea butter. The exact origin of shea is not well-known due to changes in vegetation and continuous semi-domestication. In 2016, archaeologists discovered shea nut shells in houses in Burkina Faso dating back to 100 CE, providing evidence of its historical use. The trade in shea butter can be traced back roughly 4300 years ago to ancient Egypt, and there are documented records of its trade during the periods of 1352-1353 and 1795-1797 by explorers.

WHERE IS IT PRODUCED

Shea trees have a height ranging from 33 to 49 feet and exhibit a well-branched, circular growth pattern. The bark of these trees is thick and spongy, providing protection against wildfires that frequently occur and cause damage to the surrounding vegetation. After approximately ten to fifteen years, the trees start bearing fruit, reaching their peak productivity at around 20 years and continuing to produce nuts for up to 200 years. The shea fruits undergo a development and ripening process lasting four to six months, following the blooming of the trees with creamy white petals that last for a month or two. As they mature, the green fruits transition to a rich brown color. On average, each tree yields 30 to 45 pounds of fruit per year, with peak yields reach…

THE RIGHT SEASON

During the annual season, when food supplies are scarce, shea nuts are collected during the rainy season, which spans from May to August. This process involves several days of careful selection, gathering, drying, pounding, and kneading.

THE CREDIT GOES TO

Shea nuts are gathered and processed using the same traditional methods that have been practiced for thousands of years. Ripe shea fruits naturally fall from the trees and are collected early in the morning. Local women, often with the help of children before school, traditionally carry out the harvesting. Women across Africa, often working together in groups, have embraced the production of shea butter as a means to achieve economic self-sufficiency. In recent decades, the popularity of shea butter has grown worldwide. The manufacturing of shea butter is mostly overseen by women, and it is thanks to their dedicated work that we have shea butter available to us. The women of Africa deserve credit for their unwavering efforts in providing us with shea butter.