FOR THE LOVE OF SMOOTH SKIN (focus: stretch marks and shea butter)

Do you have stretch marks? Then you should read this.

FOR THE LOVE OF SMOOTH SKIN (focus: stretch marks and shea butter)

Just like a rubber band, the skin loses its elasticity over time when you keep adding flesh and loosing it. You are stretching your skin like a rubber band. This makes your skin stretch and in the long run elastin, a component of the skin that gives it its elastic nature degrades. So what should you do?

Out of the numerous options you have, I will suggest you try shea butter. Why? It is a natural ingredient, safe, with limited side effect (except you are allergic to it). In as much as creams with shea butter are good, it is better you get the one unprocessed, not bleached or scented. You will have to endure the smell however. You may mask it with a good deodorant.

Shea butter has powerful antioxidants (contains vitamin A, E and F) that will help repair you skin cells from the effect of free radicals; it stimulates collagen production which gives the skin its youthful look. (If you want to look young at seventy you should try shea butter {get the book Withering of Roses by the author of this write-up}).

Shea butter is an excellent emollient (It prevents the skin from loosing moisture) this makes it a good moisturizer for those with dry skin als0. If you however have oily skin, you might want to avoid shea butter as it has Oleic acid and its derivatives which would clog your pores and give you acne. Shea butter is better for people with dry skin.

(Withering of Roses is a book focused on skin and aging and how to slow down the process)

Teju duru is a freelance journalist and a makeup artist (beauty consultant) based in Lagos.