Fatback Shea Butter

They are loading our Shea Butter with animal fat… You read correctly. The above picture is my actual proof. When I first looked at the white, greasy substance that miraculously appeared in my container, I thought: “This looks like the grease that builds up when you leave a cooked roast in the refrigerator overnight.” I didn’t know how right I was… Cosmetically For most, this butter is an all-natural, topical  alternative that many of us seek for several reasons. It is an excellent source of vitamins A and E in addition to being a natural moisturizer. It also works wonders for various skin conditions and it is great for healing burns and tattoos.

This  fat formed after I let a friend  obtain a few spoonfuls to treat a burn. I put the butter back under the bathroom sink where I usually keep it. It is recommended that you store it in a dry environment at a moderate temperature. I retrieved my shea butter approximately a month later to use on my daughter’s eczema. When I opened it, I was immediately disgusted at what I saw.

After taking pictures and posting them online, a vegan made me aware that the unknown white substance that mysteriously grew in my butter was indeed animal fat. She also informed me animal fat being used as a filler was a normal practice. From her personal  experience, she could tell if her her butter had animal fat in it based off of  how she feels after using it. If it contained any animal fat, the product would normally make her itch.

This is supposed to be that breath of fresh air for people who are conscious about what they allow into/onto their bodies.  What makes it even worse is that the label on the Shea Butter says, “All Natural”. There is nothing mentioned about animal fat, glycerin, tallow, etc listed on the packaging. From the above picture, it is more than clear to see that this tub of “natural Shea” butter isn’t 100 percent pure shea butter, so why label this as “natural”. That is a flat-out lie.

The crazy thing about this is that there is little to no information about this online.  I tried typing in “animal fats”, “Tallow”, “suet”, and “shea butter” all into a search engine and nothing came up. I couldn’t find an explanation for  what  morphed in my container. However, through researching, I did find out that Shea butter is labeled on a grading system of A through F. “A” is the cream of the crop, while “F” is the bottom of the barrel. The “A” quality shea butter is real and authentic. This is true Shea Butter. It handles everything. The healing properties are endless. Meanwhile, the “F” grade of shea butter  usual doesn’t have any qualities and the nutritional value is no longer there. You might as well use lard or bacon grease if you are going to go for the “F” quality.  Most “A” quality butter is unrefined. This simply means that it is in its purest form and still contains plenty of nutrients.  After grade “A”, you begin to deal with unrefined shea butter. When shea butter is unrefined, you are no longer getting just shea butter.  The shea butter may go thru a bleaching process or  even have additives like petroleum added to it.

It’s isn’t the same anymore after this. I almost feel like an abused puppy. All of this time, I thought that I was doing good by using shea butter when in actuality I really haven’t.  I will never purchase processed shea butter again. Out of talking to a few naturalist here in Atlanta, I managed to find one source with good shea butter. Soul Rooted Unlimited has a great supplier for their shea butter. It literally comes straight out of the nut. What’s even better is that Soul Rooted Unlimited is black owned and operated.

Soul Rooted Unlimited

“Nurturing the YOU planted WITHIN” Body & burning oils, incense, natural skin & haircare products, afrocentric clothing & more! Contact: 770-256-4799

They are located inside the Marietta Flea Market

550 Franklin Rd SE Marietta

Follow them on Instagram and Facebook @Soulrootedunlimited