[noun] The shea tree is endemic to the African continent. It grows to a height of 10 to 15 metres and is considered sacred by local peoples. Being very robust, it can live two or three hundred years. The fruit of the shea tree grows in clusters. After harvest, these are sun-dried and the fruit is then stripped of its pulp through various fermentation and cleaning operations. The inner kernel is removed and then crushed, roasted and churned to form a paste which, once plunged in boiling water, results in shea butter. With its high acid content, organic shea butter has nutritious properties that create comforting skincare formulas, while having a richer texture than shea oil. The organic shea butter used at myBlend comes from the controlled Fair For Life supply chain.