Tammie Umbel, Shea Terra’s founder, has been exploring remote villages throughout Africa for the rarest, power-packed ingredients on the planet since 2000. Shea Terra works with indigenous tribes to discover these potent ancestral plants and minerals and offers these Superhero Ingredients through our concentrated formulas.

Camel’s Milk

Considered one of the superpowers in the milk kingdom, camel’s milk is loaded with protein and vitamins and a powerful boost of lactic acid, which breaks down dull, dead skin and addresses hyperpigmentation to help even skin tone. This nutrient dense milk brightens skin as it nourishes.

Moroccan Lava Clay

We coined it Moroccan Lava Clay, for a lack of a better name, as this clay is found only in Northern Africa. In our opinion there is no better clay in the world. Ghassoul clay, sometimes erroneously called rhassoul clay, has a unique composition. One of its most active ingredients is silica known to enhance the regeneration of skin. Silica is also beneficial for strengthening the hair and nails. Ghasl means cleansing in Arabic, and this is the origin of the word Ghassoul. Not only does the clay purify and cleanse the skin, but it is very effective against blemishes. It can also serve as a wash for skin conditions such as eczema.

Since 2000, Shea Terra has been on a quest for natural beauty wisdom throughout Africa, exploring remote villages, trekking through miles of desert on camel back, and sailing into the depths of Nubia. Our journey has allowed us to tap into a wealth of indigenous knowledge and share these remote beauty secrets with the world. Through our diverse line of skin and hair care products, you can embark on this journey of beauty wisdom with us.

The Ancient Beauty Secrets of the Desert’s Precious Milk

An essential part of Bedouin survival, camel’s milk has enabled desert dwellers to trade exotic skills and spices from the East as they built magnificent empires. Unlike cows, which produce up to eight gallons of milk a day, nursing camels produce only an average of 1.5 gallons of milk making the milk very potent, concentrated and valuable.

Camel’s milk is a remedy dating back to ancient Egypt, when women applied the milk to their faces to brighten skin darkened and discolored by the intense sun. It was also a way to protect their skin from the sun’s UV rays as they traveled through the hot desert. Camel’s milk has been used for centuries to improve health and to keep skin pure and beautiful. Cleopatra is said to have bathed in this precious milk.

This African ancient beauty secret is one of the latest discoveries in skin care. Camel’s milk contains lactic acid, which brightens skin, reduces discoloration and evens skin tone. It’s rich in vitamins, calcium and alpha-hyrdoxy-acids (AHAs), which help exfoliate dead skin, stimulating the production of collagen to reveal new cells. Camel’s milk also contains essential fatty acids that nourish cells, keeping skin moisturized and radiant, as well as copious amounts of vitamins that have antioxidant and anti-aging properties, protecting skin from oxidative stress.

Shea Terra is founded by Tammie Umbel, an enterprising super mom, who built the company while homeschooling 14 of her children. Shea Terra grew out of Tammie’s vision to develop natural skin care treatments that would not only heal and beautify those who use them, but also empower and enrich the lives of many impoverished villages and families throughout Africa.

Since early 2000, Shea Terra Organics has been working with cooperatives and conservation groups to source natural, organic ingredients in a sustainable and ethical way that would create economic opportunities and preserve wildlife. We share these indigenous, time-tested healing ingredients through our breadth of product lines, which include facial care, body treatments, hair herbals and maternity & newborn remedies.