LIFE

Monisha's Shea Butter

Ever think about getting your hands dirty and making your own beauty product? Meet 15-year-old Monisha White, creator of “Monisha,” a 100 percent natural shea butter.

Opportunity Knocks

How’d she do it? Monisha explains, “I observed my mother preparing batches of shea butter for her patients and our family every few weeks. She wanted people to be able to afford non-solvent extracted shea butter … but it was a chore for her in the middle of her very busy work schedule. Last summer, it occurred to me to offer to take over my mother's shea butter operation. I love cooking and making things beautiful and I'm pretty organized, and she was happy to pass it on.”

“Monisha” comes straight from villages in Ghana. An important commodity in African culture, the shea butter is extracted using a traditional (and manual) method using totally natural ingredients. “I believe that taking good care of your body is one of the most important things in life. It seems self-evident, but many people today do a poor job of it,” says Monisha.

Butter Up

Monisha’s mom, Esther, researched non-industrialized cultures to figure out why there are fewer problems with back pain than in Western culture. What she learned about natural posture and movement has translated into posture education that involves replenishing moisture with shea butter that’s lost from scrubbing with soap.

“In modern societies, we wash ourselves frequently with soap, and then fail to make up for the loss of body oils, resulting in dry and unhealthy skin. Many people take better care of their leather goods than they do their skin,” says Monisha.

Shea butter is the key for post-bathing in Africa, and works just as well in your own home.

Love Your Body

Monisha’s shea butter can be used on the whole body and is super for dry skin. Plus, it can even be used to condition your hair. This rich cream isn’t tested on animals, because Monisha cares about natural and healthy living. She “tried to avoid foods and cosmetics with artificial ingredients,” and says, “I am so proud to be launching ‘Monisha.’”

How can you score some of the good stuff? Just go to egwellness.com/shea-butter to purchase yours.