An Authentic Journey from Fruit to Skin

At Karitédiema, every jar of shea butter is more than just a skincare product. It's the result of ancestral expertise, deep commitment, and a story of women. Let's dive into the heart of how this African treasure is made—a process where tradition meets innovation to bring you the best of nature.

A Female Legacy: Shea Butter, a Woman's Affair

For centuries, the production of shea butter has been passed down from mother to daughter—a meticulous and demanding process that requires patience and dedication. It's a sacred bond between generations, where every gesture carries a thousand years of wisdom. The women of Africa are the guardians of this beauty secret; their love and perseverance bring this precious balm to life.

From Bush to Butter: The Key Steps of a Magical Transformation

The journey of shea butter begins in the heart of the African savannas with the collection of nuts. From June to August, during the rainy season, women sometimes travel long distances under the hot sun to gather these precious small fruits—a tough activity done exclusively by women.

Once the nuts are collected, they are carefully washed, sorted by size and quality, and then patiently sun-dried. This is a crucial step that ensures the purity of the final product.

Next comes roasting, a delicate phase that brings out the shea's aromas. Thanks to investments from the Association des Femmes pour la Planète (AFP), this once-manual and time-consuming step is now made easier by the use of wood and cake machines, allowing for better process control.

The heart of the transformation lies in grinding. Imagine this: where the old pestle produced 20 kg of paste in 4 hours, our mills, supported by the AFP, can now reach an impressive capacity of 60 to 80 kg of paste per hour! This major advancement allows the women to increase their production tenfold, significantly improving their income and working conditions.

Then comes churning, a fascinating process that makes the precious white butter appear on the surface. Thanks to mechanical churning, this step is considerably faster, turning hard labor into a more efficient and less strenuous production.

The paste is then cooked to perfection and better controlled with improved ovens. Finally, modern decanting and filtering steps ensure a higher quality finished product—pure and ready to reveal all its benefits.

A Lasting Commitment, to the End of the Chain

At Karitédiema, our commitment doesn't stop with the quality of our products. We ensure that nothing is wasted. The residues from the production process are cleverly recycled into fuel, reducing our ecological footprint and providing an additional resource for local communities.

By choosing Karitédiema, you're opting for exceptional cosmetics made from organic, cold-pressed shea butter, which ensures that all of its precious vitamins (A, B, E, F) and moisturizing properties are preserved. But you are also participating in a virtuous cycle. You are directly supporting the extraordinary women who, thanks to their expertise and the assistance of the AFP, transform shea nuts into a source of autonomy and pride.

It's this story of authenticity, commitment, and solidarity that Karitédiema is proud to share with you—a beauty that nourishes your skin and brightens lives.