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.

Damask Rose Hydrosol

Produced from the fragrant blossoms of Moroccan roses, Damask Rose Hydrosol does wonders for skin. Delicate droplets of rose oil remain in the water which enhance skin’s appearance and tone. The hydrosol is very hydrating as well as soothing. Our Moroccan rose hydrosol is made by a women’s cooperative. It is highly concentrated.

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.

Hydrosol, More Than Just Beauty Water

Hydrosols, also known as Plant Water or Plant Distillate, are by-products of essential oil distillation. Basically, plants go through a steam distillation process to extract the plant’s precious essential oils. During this process, vapor passes through parts of the plant and breaks the cells containing essential oil. If a significant amount of essential oil is extracted, the vapor condenses to water and this water condenses at the bottom of the essential oil. Having gone through the hot steam process, this water is sterile as no microorganism can tolerate the hot temperature. In the past, this water was discarded as it was considered a by-product. Nowadays it is packed and sold as floral water, fruit water, condensed water or herbal water for its many benefits. Its significance in the beauty product industry comes from its credential in holding similar beneficial properties as essential oils, albeit being less concentrated. The same cannot be said about teas, infused water, and condensed water as hydrosol is much stronger than these, although hydrosol is gentler than essential oils when it comes to potency and aroma. Plant distillates often have a subtle aroma compared to its pungent essential oil counterpart. However, while it is less potent than essential oil, sometimes it offers benefits that cannot be present in essential oils, such as water-soluble nutrients and components. Hydrosols can be considered safe and gentle for daily and frequent use compared to essential oils. They can also be used for a variety of purposes such as health, skincare, perfumes, and food additives.

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.