Many of us can’t let go of our always-reliable-holy-grail skin care products, but unrefined Shea butter can do wonders for your body and health. Funlayo Alabi, founder of Shea Radiance, said, “Unrefined Shea butter contains a sizable quantityof medicinal properties or bio-actives.” From healing small wounds to eczema to even frost bites, unrefined Shea butter can now be part of your medicine cabinet. Heading to the beach this summer? Alabi says unrefined Shea butter also contains cinnamic acid which provides some level of UV protection.

The problem with the refined Shea butter products found at your convenience store is that they have very little cinnamic acid which lowers Shea butter’s medicinal properties. There can also be a lot of funky ingredients in refined Shea butter, so stick to pure and natural.

“Your skin is your largest organ and what goes on your skin is absorbed to some degree into your system,” Alabi said. “Natural products are more wholesome and tend to be more effective than synthetic products.”

Shea Radiance’s Shea is fair trade which helps African women make their own money. They are allowed to spend it however they want, whether on education or medical needs. “When women prosper, the entire family is impacted, especially the children,” Alabi said. The Shea trade also benefits whole communities, allowing more jobs – trucking, storing, packaging, etc – and reinvesting the money earned.