Organic body butters made with shea butter

A guide to buying organic body butter, and why it's such a good thing to have in your bathroom closet

I don't use very many cosmetics, but there's one beauty product I definitely wouldn't be without, and that's body butter. I find that for me, ordinary body lotions don't provide enough moisturisation, but body butters are fantastic; they leave my skin really soft and have a great texture - almost good enough to eat. And although body butters are more expensive than conventional body lotion, you'll find that a little goes a long way.

Where to apply organic body butter

My favourite time and place to use body butters is on my feet after a bath, or just before going to bed - that way, the body butter has all night to work its magic! (Some people recommend wearing socks in bed to enhance the moisturising effect - organic cotton socks for preference, because there are no pesticide or herbicide residues in organic cotton.) Aside from your feet, the best places to apply body butter are on your knees and elbows, but all over your body is good too!

How organic is "organic"?

It's worth pointing out that in most cases, only a small proportion of the natural ingredients in an "organic" beauty product such as body butter will actually be organic. And a large percentage of the ingredients will consist of non-natural products: emulsifers, fillers and preservatives (typical preservatives include parabens, which have been shown to mimic oestrogens and therefore cause disruption to hormone function when absorbed through the skin).

Buy Anthology Organic's unscented body butter here

Organic Body Butter - Mother, Baby - Unscented (4fl.oz)

Rich, creamy and chemical-free moisturizer based on organic raw Shea butter. This organic body moisturizer is ideal for mothers to be, new Moms and babies, as well as people ...

Only $42.0

However, there are a few products out there which can genuinely claim to be totally organic, or 99% organic at any rate which is pretty good going! One such is Anthology Organic's unscented body butter, which contains organic jojoba, rice bran oil and whipped shea butter. It contains 99% USDA-certified organic ingredients, and because it's unscented and completely natural, is recommended for pregnant women, babies and anyone who suffers from skin sensitivity/allergy.

What is shea butter?

Shea butter comes from the kernel of the shea tree fruit which is native to Africa. African natives use it to heal/treat muscle aches, burns and light wounds, and it's often credited for relieving skin irritations such as psoriasis and eczema as well as being an all-round moisturiser for dry skin.

Available on Amazon.com

	Slice of Nature© Organic East Africa Nilotica Shea Butter 100% Pure and Raw 8 Ounces Shea butter has been utilized for centuries for its amazing ability to renew, repair and protect the skin. Contains natural healing properties for severe dry skin, eczema, ...
	100% Organic West African Shea Butter 16 oz African Shea Butter 100% Natural African Shea Butter is made from the nut of the African Shea Tree. It contains a rich amount of unremovable fatty acid which render it far ... Only $11.99
	Bath By Bettijo Organic Whipped Shea Butter, Lemon Almond, 8-Ounce Jars The moisturizing power of Shea Butter was once a revered secret of African natives. Now you can enjoy this exotic treasure, Whipped Shea Butter, that will soften and nourish ...
	L'Occitane Beurre de Karitè (Organic Shea Butter), 4.9-Ounce Tin L'OCCITANE en ProvenceProduct 100% from plant-based origin, extracted from wild kernels of Shea tree fruits. Issued from fair trade in Burkina Faso (West Africa).Free of ...

More organic body butters to choose from!

Another 100% plant-based product is L'Occitane's pure organic shea butter (i.e. no other ingredients, just the shea butter all by itself!) This is also fair trade as well as organic, and is made from wild shea tree fruits grown in Burkina Faso in West Africa. Because it's not formulated with any other ingredients, you will need to melt it in the palm of your hand before applying. You get 4.9 oz of product in an attractive metal tin.

Alternatively, try Slice of Nature's 100% pure East African shea butter. It's a more economical option than L'Occitane's product. What's more, butter made from the East African shea tree (Vitellaria nilotica) is rarer and is meant to have a softer texture than the more common butters made from the West African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa).

If you want pure organic shea butter but are on a budget, then Nature & Herbs' 100% organic West African shea butter could be for you. It comes in plain plastic jar, but you get 16 oz of it which should last a good long time!

Not looking specifically for pure organic shea butter but still want a product that contains ingredients entirely of natural origin? Bath by Bettijo's Whipped Shea Butter comes in three varieties - unscented, lavender/cedarwood or lemon almond. Although not all the ingredients are organic, they are all natural so there are no dyes, fragrances, TEA or DEA (diethanolamine or triethanolamine), sulfates, parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, silicone, formaldehyde or carbomer! A full list of ingredients is given in Amazon's product description which is very reassuring.

© Empress Felicity August 2010

More body butters

	Shea Terra Organics Mango Shea Butter Smoothee Rich in vitamins A & E and highly anti-inflammatory, pure shea butter improves skin's elasticity, decreases inflammation and improves aging skin. Shea Butter Smoothie combines ...
	Booda Butter - Handmade, Organic/Vegan Body Butter (Free Shipping!) Prepare to be enlightened by a truly pure body butter experience- completely free of toxic chemicals and preservatives! BOODA BUTTER combines nature's most powerful ... Only $20.0