Beauty Out of Africa

We have moved Our Blog

2007-09-10T09:34:00.000-04:00

Come Visit us at our new Shea Radiance location

Natural Remedies for Eczema

2007-08-16T15:14:00.000-04:00

Eczema can be caused by several factors that must be identified in order to minimize future recurrences
Some of these reasons might include:
Allergic reactions to foods such as dairy (Milk, cheese and milk are pretty common)
Reactions synthetic Fragrances & Dyes
Dryness caused by seasonal changes, goegraphic location, heaters or air conditioning

Cleansing
Reduce number of Bath/showers. Frequent bathing can be drying and aggravate eczema.
Avoid hot baths showers as these strip skin of oils and cause additional dryness, instead opt for a warm bath or shower.
Use a natural cold pressed soap. They are full of moisturizing oils and are less drying than commercial soaps

Moisturisers
Moisturize skin while it is still damp from Shower.
Select moisturizers rich in Shea Butter, Cocoa butter and carrier oils such as Jojoba, Sweet Almond, grapeseed, Olive and avocado oils just to name a few.
It also helps if the moisturizer is rich in humectants like glycerin, aloe vera or honey which help retain moisture in the skin

Essential oils
Tlavender, geranium and carrot seed. Others to consider are chamomile, sandalwood, patchouli, rose, hyssop, palma rosa, rosemary, neroli and ylang-ylang. These are all reasonably gentle and nourishing for dry skin. Add about seven to twelve drops total of the essences of your choice to about one tablespoon of the carrier oil of your choice;

Still Counting Down to Grand Opening

2007-08-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you have probably read about my challenges getting our online store open. I think we might e 95% there. We are having a problem with 'curl' files and our checkout modules so our shopping cart is not quite ready. Aaagh!! I will keep you updated

Spa Treatments for the Hurried Mum

2007-08-06T23:36:00.000-04:00

It's quite ironic that as maker of spa products I sometimes struggle to take the time to enjoy the products I make. I am surrounded by the finest oils, butters, fragrances, scrubs and salts that would make any product junkie envious, and yet it takes some effort and planning for me to treat myself to a much needed spa treatment. Like most working mothers with a business and household to run it is very easy to neglect taking care of yourself.

Here are a few things you can do to pamper yourself in little or no time

Cleanse: Always, always use a natural cold pressed soap. You will find that natural cold pressed soaps are rich in glycerin and are further enriched with cocoa and shea butter. Cold pressed soaps are not drying and leave your skin feeling clean and soft

Polish: A good goal would be to exfoliate weekly. You can do this with a sugar or salt scrub mixed in nourishing oils. I like to exfoliate after I take a shower. Exfoliation increases blood supply which in turn improves circulation. Exfoliating also sloughs off dead dry skin. Pay particular attention to rough areas like the knees, elbows and heels. Your skin should feel silky, smooth and moist after exfoliating, never dry.

Moisturize: Slather up with your favorite natural lotion or body butter.

You skin will feel revitalized and refined after this process. Take Care of Yourself

Making Body Butters and Cooking

2007-08-06T14:02:00.000-04:00

I love making whipped butters. It's like making a cake from scratch. You whip your butters and oils together into white frothy mousse, drizzle with humectants and then scent with your favorite fragrances. Making bath and body products using natural ingredients is like cooking. You start off with the freshest and best ingredients you can get and create a thing of beauty that is both nutritious and hopefully delicious.

I was in my kitchen the other day whipping up a batch of whipped body butters for my customers,and I it occurred to me that shea butter is like potatoes, yes I said it, potatoes. They are both very versatile products and they are so good for you. Think about the many things you can do with a simple potato. You can cut it into wedges to fry or bake, you can bake it whole, you can whip it, make a casserole, add it to soups and curries and so much more.

You can do a lot with Shea Butter, you can whip it, make a thick body butter, make a light emulsion or a heavy cream, body scrubs, lip balms, therapeutic balm, soaps and more.

The Joys and Pains of Launching Our Online Store

2007-07-23T23:54:00.001-04:00

Ok I need to vent. I have been working like a lunatic to have the Shea Radiance web site up. The original launch date was February 2007, then we had to revamp the site and planned for May 2007. Well we missed that date and we started gunning for a July 4th 2007 date, was hoping to have a great 4th of July grand opening. That didn't happen because we were having issues with our secure certificate. So we are still in this process of resolving our SSL problems and moving the web site to a different host server.

I am too embarassed to announce another launch date, so I'll just make the announcement when the site is up.

Coming soon to Shea Radiance Online Store

2007-07-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

You are going to love these soaps!!!

Cold Crafted from raw skin softening African Shea Butter - known for centuries for its unique ability to repair, moisturize and nourish skin health - each gentle Bath Bar caresses your skin with its silky touch while aromatherapy essential oils enhance the therapeutic experience by nourishing your senses as well as your skin.

West African Black Soap

You just have to try them. You skin will thank you for the experience :)
Check them out at Shea Radiance

Making Hair Butter & Scalp Conditioner

2007-07-06T20:37:00.000-04:00

1oz Unrefined Shea Butter
1oz Virgin Coconut Oil
1oz Sweet Almond Oil
1/2 Anhydrous Lanolin
1/8 oz Beeswax (Optional to keep butter firm in the the summer months)
Essential Oils

I used Rosemary & Tea Tree with a dash of peppermint and camphor essential oils for some tingle.

Massage into hair and scalp to stimulate circulation and promote hair growth. Great Hair and scalp moisturizer.

Shea Radiance at ACF 2007 National Conference

2007-07-03T23:37:00.000-04:00

The African Christian Fellowship,USA held its Bi-Annual National Conference in Northern Virginia. Members from all over the United States congregated at the Dulles Hilton to Fellowship, Pray and plan economic strategies for the development of the African continent.

The 4 Core foundations of the ACF are:
Building Bridges within the US community
Building Our Families
Passing the Legacy of Faith and Good works to our children and
Reconnecting with the African continent

Meeting and Greeting Customers at the Shea Radiance Booth

Other Vendors

Count Down to Grand Opening - July 4th 2007!

2007-06-17T00:27:00.000-04:00

It feels like the last trimester of a pregnancy. You are just ready to push and be done with it so you can see your beautiful baby. In the meantime, you can't sleep, you're getting kicked in the ribs by the baby and you still have 2 more weeks to go :)

Well that's exactly how I feel as we get close to the 4th of July Grand Store Opening. There is so much to do. We finally got the USPS software working. I am still adding text for some products and revising other items. Most Importantly, I am concerned about how packaging will hold up in the summer heat.

Here are some photos I took of our products. Unfortunately, the pictures do not translate very well on our web page, so we are having them professionally done on Monday.

Africa is Beautiful

2007-05-18T00:18:00.000-04:00

I love Africa, every inch of it, from Cape Town to Cairo, Senegal to Ethiopia. A land so rich in natural resources and beauty beyond imagination. Africa has so much potential in her people. I pray constantly that this potential will be realized in my life time.

Africa A Land of Natural Abundance

What to do If your Shea Butter has a grainy Texture

2007-05-14T23:18:00.000-04:00

To be quite honest, this graininess came as a surprise to me. I never had come across this grainy texture in any of the butters I had used while in Africa.

I did some research online and now I think I know why this happens.

We all know that Shea butter is a tropical product. Most of us who grew up in tropical areas around the world know that it is hot almost all the time. Shea butter in tropical climates is a very soft almost runny butter because of the heat.

I have a very strong sense that grainy Shea butter is a phenomenon that occurs primarily in non-tropical regions.

According to my research, Shea Butter becomes grainy as a result of crystals formed in the butter. Crystal are formed as a result of daytime heat and then a slow cooling during the overnight hours in the delivery vehicle.

Recommendations for getting rid of grainy texture (If it bothers you)
Put Shea in double boiler and heat to 175 degrees. Maintain temperature for about 25 minutes. The heat will melt down fat crystals. It is recommended that rapid cooling after the melt down may prevent crystals from reforming

Agbanga Karite suggests the following:
Melt the Shea until it has just melted, and stir to remove any remaining small pieces. Continue stirring Shea as it cools down to room temperature. For small batches (a few pounds), continue stirring occasionally until the butter has the consistency of thick porridge. The more you stir at this point, the creamier it will be. When the butter has become solid (no longer liquid, but still soft), put it into a large pastry bag and squeeze it into your containers. Hold the tip of the bag near the bottom of the jar so the Shea butter will fill in the jar completely. For large batches, we recommend using a paint stirrer with a hand held drill to mix the Shea butter. Mix the Shea with the paint stirrer for a few minutes after it has cooled, but is still liquid. It will still be slightly warm to the touch, but not hot. Pour the Shea into your containers and place in a cool location to crystallize. This will need to be done quickly, as the Shea butter will crystallize rapidly.

Important Note:
Grainy textured butter is not a sign of a bad product. It’s just the reaction of a tropical product adjusting to a foreign environment. Imagine Shea Butter with goose bumps.

Does your Shea butter look good enough to eat?

2007-05-14T22:46:00.000-04:00

The Shea Radiance Difference – Quality you can see

One of the great frustrations of purchasing online is that you cannot always be sure of the quality of what you are buying till you have received your shipment. If you have ever received a batch of rancid Shea butter you know what we are talking about. We want to take some of the anxiety out of the ordering process so you do not have to worry about the quality of our butters.

This is a photo of the actual batch of Shea Butter you will be purchasing. The texture may be a little harder or softer because of climate changes. The butter in the photos was softened to room temperature and then scooped into a bowl. You can see from the buttery yellow color that this is a freshly pressed batch of Shea Butter.
Shop Now

The Many Names for Shea

2006-08-03T23:43:00.000-04:00

If you can think of any more please feel free to add on to the list

Ori; Okuma; Karite; Butyrospermum parkii

Interesting Facts About Shea Butter

2006-08-03T23:32:00.000-04:00

I found these interesting facts on the web

Did you know that...

The African shea tree was given its name at the end of the 18th century by the Scottish explorer Mungo Park.

In many parts of West Africa shea butter is the main source of fat for cooking and for skin care, the fruits are also eaten.

The Shea Tree is considered sacred in some parts of Africa.

In the hot Sahara shea butter has a life-preserving function. For centuries the people there have used it to protect their skin from the drying wind.

In Germany shea butter products were first imported at the end of the 19th century. The first large-scale practical tests of its use in skin care were performed between 1930 and 1952. The chemists were very enthusiastic about the high fat content of the fruits as well as about their long stability without preservatives.

In the mid-1960s shea butter disappeared from the world markets and was supplanted by the cocoa butter promoted by the industrial countries.

In recent years the valuable raw material has regained significance as structure-giving natural substance in high-quality cosmetics.

Shea Radiance formulates fine quality shea based products for all your skin care needs.

Unrefined versus Refined

2006-07-25T22:38:00.000-04:00

Unrefined Shea butter contains a sizeable quantity of unsaponifiable fats, vitamins, and other active elements, which help cell regeneration and capillary circulation. These properties make Unrefined Shea an asset against skin ageing. Unrefined Shea promotes the healing of small wounds, skin cracks and crevices, and skin ulcers. It provides UV protection becuase it contains cinnamic acid. It is good for dry skin and well tolerated by sensitive skin. It is great at preventing stretch marks during pregnancy. Shea butter has a natural, eathy and nutty scent.

Refined Shea butter is white and odorless. It has been refined to remove the natural scent and color. The refining process unfortunately strips natural shea butter of all it's therapeutic properties. It is still a good moisturizer but lacks the healing component. The process under which Shea butter is refined may involve the use of harsh chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide. Refined Shea butter may be aesthetically appealing, but lacking the true moisturizing, healing, and nutritive properties of true traditional shea butter.
The main selling point for unrefined Shea butter is that it has an extended shelf life, a white, uniform color, and no odor.

You be the Judge and decide which of the two is best for you.

Shea Radiance uses only unrerfined shea butter in all its products. Our goal is to provide the dual benefits of moisture and healing in all our skin care products without any additives

Excellent Reasons to Start Using Shea Buttter

2006-07-22T19:37:00.000-04:00

1. SHEA BUTTER IS NATURAL AND ORGANIC. NO CHEMICALS OR ADDITIVES

2. SHEA BUTTER IS THE BEST MOISTURIZER. CONTINUED USE MAKES SKIN SOFT SUPPLE AND SMOOTH

3. SHEA BUTTER IS THERAPEUTIC AND PROMOTES HEALING OF SMALL WOUNDS, CRACKED SKIN, DERMATITIS AND ECZEMA

Shea Radiance will be opening for business in the Fall of 2006. We will be featuring Unrefined Shea based products to address both beauty and therapeutic needs.