Hooray for Shea: Beautiful Buttery Goodness That Soothes, Nourishes & Protects
At Natio, we believe that nature nurtures best. So it goes without saying that we LOVE creating formulas based around nourishing, natural, plant ingredients: oils, butters, waxes and extracts derived from seeds, nuts, leaves, flowers, woods and bark are staples in our skincare and bodycare formulas. In this article, we’d like to give a little glory and attention to one of our firm favourites: Shea Butter.
Typically pronounced SHE-uh or SHAY, Shea is a buttery fat derived from the seeds of the Shea Tree (or Butyrospermum Parkii) which grows wild in West and Central Africa. Rich in fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins and with soothing anti-inflammatory and protective properties, Shea is a balm for even the most sensitive complexions.
A beauty staple for centuries, Shea Butter continues to reign supreme as a natural skincare queen. Here’s why:
Soothing Shield
Boasting natural anti-inflammatories, Shea Butter is a gentle yet effective go-to for sensitive and/or irritated skin. Applied topically, Shea helps to calm redness, soothe itching and further, forms a protective barrier that shields the skin from external environmental aggressors to facilitate natural healing and regeneration. For this reason, Shea Butter features in the gentle formulations of Natio’s Calm range for sensitive skin: Calm Gentle Care Hydrating Lotion, Calm Extra Gentle Eye Cream and Calm Nourishing Night Cream.
Intensive Moisturiser
Shea Butter is renowned for its exceptional moisturising properties. Rich in fatty acids and vitamins, Shea penetrates deeply into the skin, providing intense hydration and locking in juicy, vital moisture. From cracked lips to scaly elbows, flaky feet to dry patches facial skin, Shea Butter is your gal for restoring softness and suppleness and you’ll find her front and centre in many Natio Lip Balms and in moisture-focused formulations for dehydrated skin including: Treatments Hyaluronate Skin Hydration Serum, Treatments Replenishing Neck and Decolletage Cream, Treatments Plant Peptide Firm and Smooth Eye Cream and Treatments Marine Mineral Overnight Repair Sleep Mask.
Anti-Ageing Antioxidant Protector
Packed with protective antioxidants like vitamins A and E, Shea Butter helps neutralise free radicals that can damage the skin and accelerate signs of ageing like fine lines, wrinkles, supporting firmer, more youthful-looking skin over time. For this reason, you’ll find Shea Butter in key Natio formulations made for maturing and mature skin: Ageless Replenishing Cream Cleanser, Ageless Brightening Eye Cream, Ageless Extra Firming Night Cream, Restore Replenishing Day Cream, Restore Day Cream SPF 15 and Restore Nurturing Night Cream.
Skin Barrier Hero
Maintaining a protective skin barrier s a basic universal must for overall skin health. That is, a barrier between skin and the world that keeps the good stuff in and the baddies out. No surprise, Shea Butter excels in this space. By reinforcing the skin's natural lipid barrier, Shea Butter helps prevent moisture loss and protects against external pollutants, keeping skin beautifully balanced and resilient. Shea Butter features in a diverse multitude of Natio products for this very reason.
Truly, Shea Butter is a multi-tasking miracle worker. Beautifully nourishing for normal, mature, dry and unsettled skin types, Shea Butter is 100% a Natio favourite.