You might wonder – does shea butter really benefit hair? This off-white ivory seed fat is rich in vitamin E and hair-loving fatty acids to condition your tresses, soothe scalp inflammation, and give life to your dull locks.
So let’s unlock the potential of shea butter for hair. Read on to discover the incredible benefits of shea butter for hair and its many uses.
What is Shea Butter Made From?
Shea butter is extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, especially found in East and West Tropical Africa. Loaded with vitamins A, E, and essential fatty acids, it has deep moisturising and nourishing properties to take overall care of your scalp and hair.
4 Benefits of Shea Butter for Hair
Shea butter is one of the rare by-products of nature that helps tackle several hair problems. Here are some of the major benefits of shea butter for hair:
1. Revitalises Dry & Frizzy Hair
Shea butter has intense moisturising and soothing qualities to replenish dull and dry hair texture. It helps seal the strands to trap moisture, condition the strands, tame frizz, and prevent split ends giving you a gorgeous-looking mane.
2. Heal Scalp Inflammation
Shea butter is enriched with anti-inflammatory agents to soothe scalp inflammation, irritation, and cure minor infections. It has effective healing and nourishing abilities to maintain scalp health, nourish the hair follicles, and prevent dry & itchy scalp.
3. Prevents Damage and Breakage
Shea butter acts as a moisture barrier between the hair shaft and environmental hazards to protect it against the damage caused by air pollutants or sun exposure. It is also a wonderful hair conditioner to soften the tresses and strengthen the locks preventing hair loss or breakage.
4. Healthy Hair Growth
Enriched with the benefits of vitamin E and fatty acids, shea butter promotes collagen synthesis in the hair which stimulates the formation of keratin, thereby supporting healthy hair growth.
How to Use Shea Butter for Hair?
Ready to incorporate shea butter into your hair care routine? Here are some of the shea butter uses for hair:
Shea Butter for Hair Growth
Take 1 tbsp of shea butter in a small bowl. Heat it over boiling water with a double boiler. Allow it to cool down and add coconut oil to it. Use the mixture to apply and massage it into your hair & scalp. Repeat this process 1-2 times a week to enhance hair growth.
Shea Butter for Dry & Itchy Scalp
Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with shea butter (melted form). Apply and massage the mixture evenly to your scalp. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes. Follow it up with a shampoo and hair conditioner as usual.
Shea Butter for Frizzy Hair
Take 2 tbsp of shea butter in a bowl and whip it for easy application. Make small equal sections of your locks. Start by applying shea butter directly to wet hair, gliding all the way from root to tips. Allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes. Rinse it off using castor oil to loosen up the shea butter. Shampoo and condition your hair as usual.
Things To Remember Before Buying Pure Shea Butter for Hair
If you’re looking to buy shea butter for hair, here’s a short list of pointers to keep in mind:
- Depending on the country of origin, shea butter comes in off-white, ivory, or yellowish colours. While buying pure shea butter assure there is no artificial colour.
- Unrefined shea butter has a nutty smell. So, ensure there is no artificial essence while buying one.
- See that shea butter texture is not so hard or greasy. Unrefined or pure shea butter has small bits of shea nuts, unlike refined shea butter.
- Pure shea butter is highly potent and effective to use. So if you see no effective results in 2-3 weeks of its application then it is likely to be adulterated shea butter.
How to Store Shea Butter for Hair?
Shea butter remains in a stable solid at room temperature. The best way to store shea butter is to keep it in a jar-like container away from direct sunlight or heat. Make sure to place it away from heating elements or sunny windows to retain its solid form and prevent it from becoming liquid. Also, if you keep it in low temperatures, where it becomes rock solid making it difficult to use.
FAQs
Is shea butter good for the hair?
Yes, shea butter has intense hair moisturising and nourishing properties to revitalise dry and damaged locks, reduce scalp irritation, and remove frizz.
What are the possible side effects of using shea butter for hair?
Unrefined shea butter is absolutely safe for hair. But excessive use of shea butter can clog your hair follicles making your hair weigh or limp down due to greasiness.
How long do you leave shea butter in your hair?
You can leave the shea butter for 15-20 minutes as a hair mask for maximised results.
Do you put shea butter on wet or dry hair?
Warm up the shea butter between your palms and emulsify it to your wet hair for maximum absorption.
What happens when you apply shea butter on hair?
Applying shea butter on hair helps remove dryness, tame frizz, and revitalise your scalp and hair making it look healthy and gorgeous.
Can you leave raw shea butter in your hair?
Yes, raw or unrefined shea butter is best for your hair to get the most of shea butter benefits for hair.
Can I put shea butter in my hair after showering?
Yes, it is best to apply the shea butter on hair after shampooing on damp locks so that it absorbs well into the hair shafts.
How do you remove shea butter from hair?
The best way to remove shea butter from hair is to use castor oil that loosens down the shea butter. Then, shampoo and condition your hair as you normally do.
What can I mix with shea butter for hair growth?
You can mix a variety of hair growth oils like castor oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil to increase its benefits and improve hair growth.
Does shea butter clog your scalp?
If you have an oily scalp, applying shea butter can actually clog your scalp. Excessive use of shea butter or residual remains can cause clogging of hair follicles and scalp.
Conclusion
Shea butter’s moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties make it a wonderful ingredient for hair and scalp, especially for people with curly hair.
This was all about the many benefits of shea butter for hair and its variety of uses. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. Do try and inculcate it in your hair care routine and you will never have a dull hair day again!
Related Stories
Home Remedies for Dry Hair – Struggling with dry and dehydrated hair? Have a look at these home remedies for dry hair and transform them into a soft lustrous mane.