Shea butter popularly called 'Ori' is a skin super food that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea (Karite) tree and is naturally rich in vitamins A, E and F.
It offers UV protection (it is SPF ~6) and provides the skin with essential fatty acids and the nutrients necessary for collagen production.
Shea butter has been used in Africa and other countries for years to improve skin and hair.

Benefits of Shea Butter:
1. Moisturizing: The concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids in shea butter makes it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for skin.
It is often used to remedy dry skin and to help protect the skin’s natural oils.
2. Reduces Inflammation: A 2010 study found that due to its cinnamic acid and other natural properties, shea butter was anti-inflammatory.
One compound in particular, lupeol cinnamate, was found to reduce skin inflammation and even potentially help avoid skin mutations. This also makes it beneficial for some
people with acne.
3. Skin Smoothing: Shea butter aids in the skin’s natural collagen production and contains oleic, stearic, palmitic and linolenic acids that protect and nourish the skin to
prevent drying. With long term use, many people report skin softening and strengthening as well as wrinkle reduction.

Uses of Shea Butter:
Shea butter is one of the most versatile natural beauty ingredients can be used daily in different forms. It has been used for years in almost everything, from homemade
lotion bars and original magnesium body cream to homemade lip balm and healing salves.
Some of the popular uses of Shea Butter:
1. By itself for face and body as a natural moisturizer
2. In a shea butter lotion bar stick for easy use
3. Alone or in a pregnancy for stretch mark salve, to ward off stretch marks
4. As the best under-eye wrinkle remover and bag-reducer
5. For massage butter
6. In velvety whipped body butter
7. Or basic homemade butter
8. As a base for homemade deodorant
9. As an SPF 6 skin lotion
10. In magnesium body butter
11. As a natural baby-care product (alone) or ingredient in baby care recipes
12. By itself on the lips or in homemade lip balm
13. Or in homemade shimmer lip balm
14. To improve skin elasticity (some even say it helps with cellulite)
15. On the hair or scalp (in mixture with other natural ingredients)
16. In homemade liquid creme foundation and makeup
17. After sun or beach exposure to replenish skin
18. On the eyelids before applying makeup to make it last longer
19. As a natural cuticle cream
20. On scars to naturally help collagen production
21. On sore/raw noses during a cold or flu.

What Kind of Shea Butter is Best?
I only use raw, unrefined, Grade A Shea butter, there are refined Shea Butters that are odor free and bleached to be completely white, but the refining process
removes some of the beneficial properties.

There are various kinds of Shea Butter:

Raw/unrefined Shea Butter
Refined Shea Butter
Unbleached Shea Butter
Organic Shea Butter

TIP If you get unrefined Shea butter, that means it has not been filtered and may contain trace particles of the shea nut. I often gently heat my shea butter until it just melts and then pour through a cheesecloth or strainer to remove any particles.
Once strained, I pour the shea butter into silicon molds in pre-measured amounts (tablespoons, 1/4 cup, etc) so that it is ready to use for natural beauty recipes.
Shea butter is for external use only. Ask a doc or dermatologist before using, especially with underlying skin conditions. Those with nut allergies should avoid or check with an allergist.

source:https://www.infonewsnigeria.com/discussion/377/uses-and-health-benefits-of-shea-butter#latest