Used in Africa and other countries for years to improve skin and hair, the vitamin A in Shea butter is important for improving a number of skins conditions, including blemishes, wrinkles, eczema and dermatitis, and it reduces inflammation. A multi-purpose, all natural vitamin A skin cream, it is derived from the seed of the Shea (karate) tree and provides stretch mark prevention during pregnancy, a remedy for skin rash, small wounds and sunburn, and is a great moisturizer for naturally curly hair. This superfood is also naturally rich in vitamins E and F. It offers UV protection (SPF 6) and provides the skin with essential fatty acids and the nutrients necessary for collagen production.

Shea butter is unique because its moisturizing properties are the same as the naturally occurring oils our body's sebaceous glands produce. What sets it apart is its moisturizing and healing fractions—valuable phytonutrients required for healing—which can range as high as 17 percent.

Lashay Marion and Dawn Haygood are the owners and creators of BUTTERUp, a local business that provides Shea butter lotions that are 100 percent naturally sourced and handmade. For more information, visit ButterUpBody.com.