The Shea tree or "Shea yiri", meaning "tree of life" in the Bambara vernacular, is a plant native to the arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Unrefined shea butter is the oleaginous substance obtained from the kernel of Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn, a member of the Sapotaceae family, by manual or mechanical methods. Known for thousands of years, this butter is a highly prized resource among African populations, who already used it as a phytomedicine for its anti-inflammatory, anti-hemorrhoidal, relaxing, cough-reducing, antioxidant and healing properties... In addition to these medical properties, shea butter also has other properties, and is used in cosmetics for its emollient, moisturizing, hair care, baby and mother care, photo-protective and stretch mark prevention properties... Butter was also used as a foodstuff and as a raw material in the manufacture of household soaps (kabacorouni in the Bambara vernacular). Today, this fatty substance is highly prized in both the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.