Shea butter is a fully refined and creamy white butter with a mild characteristic odor. African healers have used Shea butter for thousands of years as the ideal treatment for dry, aging skin. Its high content of non-saponifiable fatty acids gives it the ability to moisturize and retain the elasticity of skin. Shea butter also helps to protect the skin against the damaging effects of the sun while repairing cellular degeneration. It has been said to offer some sun protection. Shea butter is extracted and refined without the use of harsh chemicals. It is deodorized and discolored, but not bleached. Shea butter can be used “as is” or in any proportion in formulations for moisturizing the skin and hair.