You usually hear about all the wonderful benefits of shea butter on the skin. Used to help heal and soothe the skin from eczema, stretch marks, and much more shea butter is a natural remedy for healthy skin. The benefits also extend to healthy hair as well.
Shea butter is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins such as A & E to help hydrate and seal in moisture into the hair. Shea butter prevents split ends and breakage that keeps the hair soft and subtle.
What Is Shea Butter
Shea butter is fat. The fat is extracted from the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) and is vegan. It can be found in an off white or ivory tone when it’s in its raw form. It is commonly found in a yellow color after being dyed with borututu or palm oil. You will find shea butter used in a variety of products from cosmetics to even food. We will be discussing the uses and benefits of using shea butter on the hair.
Raw Vs UnRefined
When using shea butter for the hair and skin you have the option of using raw or unrefined shea butter. If you prefer to use shea butter holistically raw shea butter would be your best bet. It will be in its purest form and is a great base for adding other ingredients. Since we are discussing the benefits of shea butter on the hair I recommend using unrefined shea butter. It is nutrient-rich just like raw shea butter however it is softer. When using shea butter on the hair you want the products to melt into the hair and scalp for an easy application.
How To Use On The Hair
I use shea butter on my hair and skin. As mentioned previously, shea butter comes in many forms. I like raw shea butter for my skin and I use refined shea butter in my haircare products. I have a hair butter tutorial HERE on the blog for reference if you are interested in how I make my own hair care products. The great thing about making my own hair care products is that you can add so many things to it. There are a ton of natural additives and essential oils you can use to customize your hair care needs.
How to prepare Shea butter in order to apply to the hair.
- Take ¼ cup of raw or unrefined shea butter and place it in a bowl to melt. (Amount will vary based on hair texture and density).
- Place a pot of water on the stove and add the bowl with shea butter on top of the water. Do not boil the water. You don’t want to overheat the shea butter.
- Let it melt on low heat for 10 minutes until it is in a liquid form. Allow the product to cool before applying to hair or scalp.
- Optional: If you want to add essential oils to your mixture do this once the shea butter is cooling off. My favorites are Lavender, Peppermint, & Rosemary. I also have an article on how I make my own scalp oil HERE.