Illipe Butter: Unveiling the Secrets of Indonesia’s Shea Butter

Illipe butter is the hero ingredient in our latest product – the Illipe Plumping Lip Butter. In this article, we will explore its origins, benefits, and uses. Learn about where and how we source for this remarkable ingredient as well!

Origins:
The illipe nut, sourced from the magnificent shorea stenoptera tree, is endemic to the rainforests of Borneo. Illipe nuts are harvested from the forest floor, dried, shelled, and cold-pressed to extract illipe butter, also known as Bornean tallow. This exotic and luxurious butter is light tan in color, and is often considered the best substitute for cocoa and shea butter due to similarities in texture and composition.

Benefits:
Illipe butter is renowned for its rich composition of fatty acids, including oleic, palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acids. This nutrient profile confers numerous skin health benefits:

1. Moisturization and Hydration: Illipe butter deeply hydrates the skin, making it ideal for treating dry skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. It helps reinforce the skin's natural barrier, promoting moisture retention and reducing dryness.

2. Skin Elasticity and Anti-Aging: The high content of vitamins A and E in illipe butter aids in skin repair and rejuvenation, enhancing elasticity and preventing premature aging. It is effective in reducing fine lines, sagging, and improving overall skin texture.

3. Healing Properties: Illipe butter's emollient nature makes it soothing and calming for irritated skin, aiding in the healing of sunburns and minor wounds. It also provides relief from conditions like redness and itchiness.

Uses:
Illipe butter is versatile and used in various sectors:

1. Cosmetics and Skincare: It is a popular ingredient in moisturizers, lotions, body butters, lip balms, and anti-aging products. Its ability to deeply penetrate the skin without leaving a greasy residue makes it highly valued in skincare formulations.

2. Hair Care Products: Used in hair conditioners, masks, and treatments, illipe butter helps improve hair manageability, shine, and strength.

3. Food Industry: Although primarily used in cosmetics, illipe butter is also utilized in the food industry as a substitute for cocoa butter in chocolate production, adhering to regulations that limit its usage to a maximum of 5%.

Responsible sourcing, empowering communities:
We source our luxurious illipe nut butter directly from forest communities in West Kalimantan. In doing so, we help protect the illipe trees and areas, empower local communities through improving incomes, skills, and health conditions for workers, while maintaining a high quality of the supplied nuts. In the long run, by increasing the overall quantity of illipe nuts traded, we can help provide financial benefits and incentivize the local communities to protect their forests.

Together with our local partner Forestwise, we aim to #StopDeforestation and create #RainforestValue to sustain the rainforests of Borneo, through developing a market for valuable, wild-harvested products without damaging the rainforests. With every purchase made of our Illipe Plumping Lip Butter, you contribute to supporting the local communities of Borneo and help chart the path towards a greener, more sustainable future.