Member
Idaho Falls, Idaho
(This post was last modified: 10-22-2018, 10:09 PM by Lipripper660.)
A couple of years back I ran onto a thread where Celestino, our BC brother, was touting unrefined Shea butter as an alternative to aftershave balm. I tried it and found it to my liking. In fact it has most frequently become my aftershave routine of choice. We all know the moisturizing benefits of Shea butter and most of our vendors offer it in at least some of their products. What I've learned though is that nutty, smoky unrefined Shea works great for so many other things that I have many jars of it in all my kit.
As a balm it moisturizes like nothing else. It heals the rare nick quickly. It actually makes a fantastic vapor barrier which is super helpful in my cold, dry, Idaho high country climate. Additionally it has none of the "sting" I get when applying scented commercial balms.
As A body balm it clears up and protects against cracked skin. I love to fish for steelhead meaning my hands are subjected to cold, wet windy weather. Since switching to Shea it feels like my mitts are waterproof.
I give a jar to my kids when they give me a new grand baby and it works better than any diaper rash cream available on the market. In fact it's miraculous how it clears up issues and prevents them if the kids remember to apply before diapering.
Unrefined Shea is not unscented. It has what most would consider a nutty/smoky aroma. Not strong but present. The scent does not last long after application though allowing me to choose my fragrance without fear of a clash. A little dab heated in my palm by rubbing my hands back and forth before massaging into my face is all that's needed (pea sized). It goes on a bit heavy but absorbs in very quickly leaving a smooth feeling skin. My wife doesn't like the scent thus uses refined Shea for moisturizing. BUt if you want all the benefits of Shea, seek out unrefined. The scent to me means it's working its magic. I have used both the yellow and off-white colors and both seem to work the same. (Refined Shea is pure white and odorless). Scent does vary a bit from batch to batch but I've never found any batch to be strongly scented. In fact I would say the unrefined scent is about a 3 of 10 making it pretty mild. Some batches are firmer than others. Some are smooth and creamy. Others are a bit grainy but the graininess melts smooth when warmed in my hand. All of it is marvelous. I've heard some state that unrefined Shea can go "off" and that may be the case but I keep it in smallish two oz jars and have never had one go rancid. (Keep the big tub in the refrigerator) I could do without any of my shave soaps but would be sad if unrefined Shea is ever unavailable.
So Celestino, thank you very much my friend. Your guidance has helped my family roll through life with a bit more comfort.
As a balm it moisturizes like nothing else. It heals the rare nick quickly. It actually makes a fantastic vapor barrier which is super helpful in my cold, dry, Idaho high country climate. Additionally it has none of the "sting" I get when applying scented commercial balms.
As A body balm it clears up and protects against cracked skin. I love to fish for steelhead meaning my hands are subjected to cold, wet windy weather. Since switching to Shea it feels like my mitts are waterproof.
I give a jar to my kids when they give me a new grand baby and it works better than any diaper rash cream available on the market. In fact it's miraculous how it clears up issues and prevents them if the kids remember to apply before diapering.
Unrefined Shea is not unscented. It has what most would consider a nutty/smoky aroma. Not strong but present. The scent does not last long after application though allowing me to choose my fragrance without fear of a clash. A little dab heated in my palm by rubbing my hands back and forth before massaging into my face is all that's needed (pea sized). It goes on a bit heavy but absorbs in very quickly leaving a smooth feeling skin. My wife doesn't like the scent thus uses refined Shea for moisturizing. BUt if you want all the benefits of Shea, seek out unrefined. The scent to me means it's working its magic. I have used both the yellow and off-white colors and both seem to work the same. (Refined Shea is pure white and odorless). Scent does vary a bit from batch to batch but I've never found any batch to be strongly scented. In fact I would say the unrefined scent is about a 3 of 10 making it pretty mild. Some batches are firmer than others. Some are smooth and creamy. Others are a bit grainy but the graininess melts smooth when warmed in my hand. All of it is marvelous. I've heard some state that unrefined Shea can go "off" and that may be the case but I keep it in smallish two oz jars and have never had one go rancid. (Keep the big tub in the refrigerator) I could do without any of my shave soaps but would be sad if unrefined Shea is ever unavailable.
So Celestino, thank you very much my friend. Your guidance has helped my family roll through life with a bit more comfort.
