Product review: Alaffia Shea Butter (Lavender/Mint)

I was planning to do to this review long time ago, but I wanted to wait until I use this shea butter up.

I chose Alaffia Shea Butter, because:

• It's hand crafted
• It's fair trade
• It's unrefined
• 10% sales fund community projects

Alaffia shea butter is from central Tongo. Originally I wanted to buy the unscented shea butter, but accidentally I ordered the lavender/mint -spearmint- one.

And I didn't regret it! It reminds me of the smell of a spa:) You know, when you enter into the spa, this is exactly the same smell. I am an esthetician and I got used to this smell through the years.(But it's a strong smell, so if you don't like the lavender/mint smell together, then choose the unscented one.) And the weird thing is, I can't smell the smokey kind of shea butter smell, although my family told me it smells like forest or wet bark/wood chips. (But for some reason I couldn't smell it.) Anyways: I like this lavender/mint smell.

I guess you know already the benefits of the unrefined shea butter. Shea butter is made from the nuts of the Karite nut tree which you can find in Africa. It is very similar to the skin's emulsion, so this is why it works so great. It has lots of fatty acids and this makes Shea butter a very good moisturizer. It containes Vitamin A and E as well.

Shea butter is thick and you have to warm up a small amount in your palm until it is smooth and liquid. It's very oily and it doesn't absorb quickly, so I use it always when I know I am going to stay home. It also has greasy residue.

But it's all worth it and these are not negative properties at all.

Alaffia shea butter comes in a glass jar ( yaay, it's not plastic!) which I really like. (Actually they try to use just glass, but because lotions and hair care items are too heavy, they use easily recyclable HDPE and PETE plastics only!)

When I opened the jar I saw what I wanted to see: it's exactly how the real, unrefined shea butter has to look like: yellowish/dirt white mix color. (On the picture it looks like just yellow, but it's because of the light.) And the best thing: it really works on my dry skin! And believe me, I have a very dry skin.

My skin stayed soft for about 2-3 hours (until it absorbs) and I just reapplied a little bit more for the drier areas (cheeks and forehead), but after 2-3 weeks I realized that I don't use it every day, because my skin wasn't that dry anymore. What an improvement!

This product is gluten free and vegan friendly.

The only negative thing is that the jar is just 59ml (2oz) and it didn't last long. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to help for my eczema, because mine is really tough on my arms and it's need to be treated at least twice a day for months.

Summary:

I am very satisfied with this Alaffia shea butter and I am going to order an other one. I highly recommend to everyone. It met my expectations.

Buy at: http://www.alaffia.com/index.asp/

Now it comes in new packaging, but it's still recyclable: http://www.alaffia.com/store/pc/Handcrafted-Shea-Butter-Lavender-Mint-3p108.htm

I am not affiliated with this company. I purchased this product myself for personal use unless otherwise noted. My opinion is completely honest and based on my own experience.