FAQ

·         What's the difference between your Gold and Ivory Shea?

       At LIHA we offer two types of vegan Shea butter: ivory and gold. The difference in colour is merely attributed to the region in which the shea butter was extracted and can also be based on the season and production methods. The same amazing skin health properties remain, regardless of the colour, however, depending on your personal usage of the butters you may prefer one over the other. Both are rich in Vitamins A and E and work wonders for multipurpose moisture.

       Ivory shea butter is from Ghana and can be crumbly in texture. It has a nutty vanilla scent... it's perfect butter for keeping small areas such as the lips, hands and feet moisturised on the go. 

      Gold Shea butter is from Nigeria and has a more smoky, earthy smell remnant from the roasting process of the Shea fruit and waxy in texture. It can be seamlessly smoothed into larger areas of the body as well as being the quintessential weapon against dry, flaky and itchy scalps.

·         What is Shea butter?

It’s a multi-purpose Vegan moisturiser made from a single ingredient that can be use from head to toe. 

·         How do I use Shea butter?

Shea has long been used as a base for most cosmetics. If you look on the back of any moisturiser or conditioner you will see the Latin name in the Ingredients list. Rather than cutting it with chemicals or lanolin, like many larger companies, we sell it completely raw and teach you how to make your own creations.

Why not try this very simple recipe for a multipurpose moisturiser?

1 heaped tablespoon Shea butter – mash with back of spoon until smooth

2 heaped tablespoons Kitchen oil of choice ( coconut, hemp or olive) -add in mix with spoon and then whisk until light and fluffy ( around 10 mins)

Add 6-9 drops of your essential oil of choice ( or 3 drops of 3 mixed together) holding at eye level to control flow. Fold in with a spoon, decant into a glass jar and leave to cure in a cool dark place for up to a week.

·         What are the benefits of Shea butter?

Shea Butter is known for its high content of fatty acids and its naturally occurring content of Vitamins A and E. It is known to have anti-inflammatory and healing properties - Shea butter soaks into your skin, creating a smooth and soft barrier that seals in moisture, This moisturizing effect can last several hours.

Traditionally used as a “cure-all” balm, with women in Africa using it on everything from stretch marks and scars to babies' bums. An excellent natural alternative to petroleum jelly.rich tree-nut oils in shea butter can soak into your skin, creating a smooth and soft barrier that seals in moisture, this moisturising effect can last several hours.

·         Does Shea work well for eczema?

We have had a number of rave reviews from customers who have told us that Shea butter has helped massively with their skin condition.

‘When applied topically, Shea butter can increase moisture retention by acting as a protective layer over your skin and preventing water loss on the first layer, as well as penetrating to enrich the other layers.’

Thus Shea butter is known to relieve the itchy, dryness and inflamed skin associated with eczema.

·         Is your Shea 100% natural?

Our Shea butters are unrefined and raw and made from one natural vegan ingredient. So, no additional chemicals or preservatives added during the extraction process thus retaining all of its incredible natural properties.

·         Where does Shea butter come from?

Our Gold Shea butter comes from Nigeria and Ivory Shea butter is from Ghana

·         How is raw Shea butter made?

Shea butter is produced from Shea nuts (Butyrospermum parkii) which is a fat extracted from the Shea kernel. Shea butter is made from one natural vegan ingredient which grows all over sub-Saharan Africa.  Our Shea butters are unrefined and raw, so, no additional chemicals or preservatives added during the extraction process thus retaining all of its incredible natural properties.

·         Can I use raw Shea butter  on my face?

Shea butter is great for hydrating most of your skin, however, we advice to really only use it on dry patches on your face or as face mask. Shea butter is very rich and can make some people break out.

So, need the hit of hydration on your face, leave the Shea butter on for about 10mins and then use a warm flannel or micellar water to gently wipe it off.

·         Can I use Shea on my baby/kids?

Yes, our Shea butter is made from one natural vegan ingredient so it’s great for babies and kids. 100% safe.

·         Are your products suitable for during pregnancy and/or nursing?

As most women prefer to use unscented products during this time, so our Shea butter is a customer favourite to keep stretch marks at bay during pregnancy and as a nipple balm during nursing. It even works wonders as a nappy balm!

·         Which of your Shea butter is good for really dry skin?

They are both really hydrating and nourishing but we would say the Gold Shea butter is slightly more moisturising.

·         Can I use Shea on my lips?

Yes, it great as a lip balm and keeping your lips conditioned and feeling hydrated.

·         Is it vegan?

Yes. All our products are vegan.

·         Why is my Idan oil solid?

Our Idan oil is made from high grade coconut, so anything natural will change texture depending on the temperature. So in hotter climates (above 28 degrees Celsius) the oil will stay liquid but once the temperature starts to cool it will start to solidify – this does not affect the integrity of the product -it’s just what natural products do. It can melt and reform over again and not lose potency.

·         What is the best way to get it out of the bottle?

Place under warm/hot running water or at the bottom of your shower/bath until some of it to liquid. You only need a small amount of liquid that can be applied everywhere - body, hair, hands, and feet.

          How do I use the Idan oil?

We love to use this for absolutely everything from leave-in hair conditioner to body oil, or if we are feeling really indulgent, slathering it head to toe before bed and rinsing off in the morning for truly silky fragranced skin. Some customers have even been known to decant it and use as a solid perfume. Let us know what new uses you discover.

·         How do I add Idan oil to my routine? Use as a daily luxury, fresh out of the shower on damp skin, as a special massage oil. As an intensive moisture treatment massage all over the body, through the ends of hair and layer Shea butter over areas like feet, knees and elbows. Pop on some cotton PJ’s and socks. Wake up baby soft!

·         Can I use it on my face?

As Idan oil is a base of coconut oil. Coconut can be comedogenic on some skin types, which means it can clog pores. So we don’t recommend using it as a facial oil, although some of our customers love using it on their face. It is not recommended for those with very oily skin, however some others swear by it!

·         How do I use it on my hair?

If you have afro / curly type hair you can use it as a leave-in to help with hydration. If you have finer hair, you can use it as a pre-conditioner, so leave it in for up to 15 minutes and wash and conditioning as you would normally. Or, you can run it through the end of your hair if you ends need hydration/ as an overnight treatment and shampoo out in the morning. 

·         The Ingredient list says it has fragrance, can you explain?

Idan oil is 98.6% natural. A small amount of fragrance is needed to stabilise the formulation and ensure lasting scent.

·         Is it vegan?

 Yes! All our products are

·         What is the flower in the bottle?

As well as smelling divine, the night-blooming tuberose flower found in our Idan oil has a sweet heady fragrance, it’s long been believed to have powerful aphrodisiac properties. So intense that in Victorian times, young girls were banned from inhaling its scent for fear of spontaneous orgasms.

·         Can use it on my face?

We advice to use as a facial gentle exfoliating soap twice a week. As it is very cleansing any more than that could be a little too stripping.

·         Soap tends to dry out my skin, is Ose Gidi drying?

No! The reason it is called Ose Gidi is because our blood sweat and tears went into the formulation. It took us over a year to get it to the point where it wasn’t drying. We added some beautiful oils to the traditional Nigerian recipe to add much needed moisture.

·         Can I use it on my hair?

Yes! All our products are multi purpose and many people love to use our soap as a solid shampoo.

·         What are the benefits of Ose Gidi black soap?

Our black soap will cleanse without leaving you feeling dry and having that tight skin feeling. It’s also great for skin brightening and clarifying.

·          Is Ose Gidi good for Acne?

Many customers have reported a marked improvement in their acne and scarring after using Ose Gidi.

•  Orinrin balm cleanser suitable for all skin types?

 Our balm cleanser is generally suitable for most skin types, including dry, normal, combination, and mature skin. However,  it is formulated to be especially beneficial for dry or dehydrated skin types, as they provide additional hydration and nourishment to the skin while cleansing. We encourage oily and acne prone skin types to try our Oju Omi mud cleanser.

•  How do I use it? 

1. Start with dry hands and a dry face.
2. Take a small amount of the balm cleanser (usually a pea-sized amount) and warm it between your palms to melt it.
3. Apply the balm to your dry face and massage it in using gentle, upward circular motions, focusing on areas with makeup or impurities.
4. Wet your hands and continue to massage the balm into your skin. The balm will emulsify into a milky texture.
5. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, making sure to remove all traces of the cleanser from your skin.
6. Follow up with your regular skincare routine, such as toner, serum, and moisturiser.

•  Can I use it to remove makeup? 

Yes, it is formulated to remove makeup

• Can I use it on my eye area to remove makeup?

Yes, it is formulated to remove makeup and makeup around the eye area. However, it's essential to be gentle and avoid getting the cleanser directly into your eyes.

Should I patch test before using LIHA Beauty products?

Yes, we recommend you patch test when introducing new products to your skincare routine as every skin is unique and reacts different to every person.

 To patch test, apply a small amount of product to the outside of your hand and leave for 24 hours.

Are your products made in the UK?

All our produces are formulated and manufactured in the UK by hand with the exception of our Nigerian and Ghanaian Shea butter which is hand poured in the UK . We use small local family businesses to do all our design, printing and artwork.

Are your product for every skin type?

At LIHA we say ‘Skin is Skin’ – so it doesn’t matter you ethnicity, it’s how the products reacts to you skin.  However, if you have any specific skin related questions please contact us; info@lihabeauty.com

I’d like to try LIHA products - do you send out samples?

We have sample and travel sizes for most of our products. Please see link: https://lihabeauty.com/collections/travel-size

Where can I purchase LIHA products?

You purchase directly on our website. If you’re looking to purchase in-store or elsewhere, our full list of stockists can be found…. here