Shea butter is an off white or ivory fatty substance that is collected from the fruit of the Shea ( karite ) tree, Which is grown wildly in the west African Savannah region. The small brown almond like fruit that is collected from the tree is where the Shea is extracted.
The African people have perfected this process over hundreds of years. This is actually a main source of income for the tribes of Africa. Most of the collecting and making of Shea is done by the women of the tribes often called "womens gold" because of the great opportunity it has brought to them.