Black people and shea butter go way back. No, really. Way back. Shea butter, the skin cure-all that we've known about for years but is now becoming "trendy", is derived from the magnifolia tree, which is indigenous to Central and Western Africa. And serious fans think of it as a miracle elixer — it's purported to fade scars, clear acne, smooth wrinkles, strengthen hair, prevent in-growns, and of course, de-ashify elbows, knees and heels. I can't say I've ever used it for more than a moisturizer, and I've often found it to be very hard, a bit greasy, and smell a little too earthy.

For those who like their skin to be smooth and smell amazing, Lickadoodles has introduced a line of delicious-smelling shea butter creams ($24, www.lickadoodles.com), which our beauty expert, It Chicks and Shake Your Beauty author Tia Williams, says are softer, easier to apply than pure shea butter, and "definitely more spa treatment than health food store." My favorite flavor? Peaches and Cream, and not just because it makes me think of 112.