SHEA BUTTER FOR HAIR: 6 USES

Here at BGLH Marketplace we are shea butter *obsessed* and spend a lot of time talking about its amazing benefits for skin. But shea butter is also one of the best things you can put in your hair.

Let’s take a closer look at the ways you can use shea butter in your hair. We’ll be using customer reviews of our whipped shea butters to illustrate the points.

And a quick note, while both raw and whipped shea butter can be used we highly recommend the use of whipped because it’s easier to spread and absorbs more quickly.

1. Shea butter soothes a dry, itchy, irritated scalp

Shea butter is anti-inflammatory, so it eases scalp irritation and is very effective at eliminating dandruff and flaking. You can massage raw or whipped shea butter directly into your scalp.

2. It also seals moisture in dry hair

Highly textured hair can have a hard time hanging onto moisture. Shea butter is the perfect sealant to keep strands juicy and moisturized for hours. To apply, rake shea butter through wet or damp strands.

3. It protects hair against heat damage

Shea butter forms a protective coating on the shaft, preventing damage from flat irons, hot combs and blow dryers. Just rub a small amount down the length of your hair before using a heat tool.

4. It softens rough, coarse strands

Shea butter is a powerful emollient, meaning it softens both skin and hair. Just apply shea butter to dry or damp hair daily and take note of the softness that develops within days.

5. It defines both loose and tight curls

Whether your texture is loose or tight, shea butter is an effective curl definer. Apply it to soaking wet hair in small sections, a practice called shingling, and let your hair air dry or use a diffuser to dry it.

6. It can be a leave-in or deep conditioner.

Many people assume that leave-in and deep conditioners have to be water-based, but they don’t! Apply shea butter to damp hair after a wash or condition and style as you normally would. Shea butter plays well with other products and can be layered with anything — gels, spritzes, creams — and you won’t experience any flaking.

Or you can try shea butter as a rinse-out deep conditioner. Apply it to wet hair in the shower, and cover with a shower cap for 5 minutes, then wash it out with a gentle cleanser or water-based conditioner. Your hair will be soft and shiny!

How will you use shea butter in your hair?

This article was originally published on May 25, 2018 and has been updated for clarity.