Shea Butter for Hair and Scalp Health

Dry hair can be a real drag. Not only does it appear dull and frizzy, but it can also become more brittle and prone to breakage.

If you’ve been dealing with dry hair, you’re certainly not alone. In a survey study of over 19,000 people around the world, roughly one-third of men and women reported having dry hair.

A quick search on the Internet can turn up a vast array of products geared toward moisturizing and softening your hair. One you might see is shea butter.

There are several benefits of shea butter for your strands and scalp, including smoothing dry, frizzy hair. Keep reading to learn more about shea butter for hair.

Shea butter is a natural fat that comes from nuts of the shea tree, which is native to sub-Saharan Africa. The scientific name for this tree is Vitellaria paradoxa.

Shea butter is very high in fatty acids. Oleic acid and stearic acid are the two most common fatty acids present in shea butter. Other fatty acids found in relatively high amounts include palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and arachidic acid.

The fatty acid content of shea butter can vary depending on where it’s sourced. For example, oleic acid is dominant in shea butters from Uganda, whereas more stearic acid is found in shea butters from West Africa.

Shea butter also contains vitamin E and vitamin A, plus several other anti-inflammatory compounds.

Parts of the shea tree have long been used in traditional medicine in Africa. Shea butter is also now commonly used in a variety of cosmetic products, including hair and skin care products, as well as makeup.

Adding shea butter to your hair care routine can come with multiple benefits for your hair and scalp. Shea butter might:

• Promote healthy hair

• Moisturize and protect hair

• Support a healthy scalp

Let’s break down these benefits of shea butter for hair now.

1. Shea Butter Promotes Healthy Hair

Each hair strand is made up of three layers. The outermost layer is called the cuticle. The cuticle is basically made up of dead, overlapping cells and serves as a protective armor for your hair.

The hair cuticle is exposed to the environment, including things that can damage hair, such as heat and chemicals. This leads to “hair weathering,” where the cuticle has trouble protecting the inside of hair strands.

Hair weathering affects hair’s ability to hold onto moisture, resulting in hair that’s dull and dry. Over time, it can also impact hair’s structure, leading to issues like frizz, split ends, flyaways, and breakage.

2. Shea Butter Moisturizes and Protects Hair 

Research has generally shown that applying oily substances to hair helps protect it from damage.

The high fatty acid content of shea butter is great for softening hair that’s become dry while sealing in moisture. This helps protect hair from the environment.

The vitamin E in shea oil can also boost hair health. How so? Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can protect hair from oxidative stress, which can happen due to things like excessive sunlight exposure and air pollution.

Vitamin A, also found in shea butter, is important for healthy hair growth. However, the flip side to this is that too much vitamin A can actually lead to hair loss.

3. Shea Butter Supports a Healthy Scalp

The moisturizing effects of shea butter can also extend to the scalp. Skin that’s lost too much moisture can become dry and irritated — and that includes the skin of your scalp.

An irritated, dry scalp can result in a number of uncomfortable symptoms, including flaking and itching. An itchy scalp also naturally leads to scratching, which can have the knock-on effect of worsening scalp irritation and potentially contributing to hair loss.

As mentioned earlier, shea butter has anti-inflammatory properties. This means it may help soothe an irritated scalp due to conditions like:

• Dandruff

• Eczema

• Scalp psoriasis

Further, just as vitamin E and vitamin A can have benefits for the health of your hair, they’re also vital for healthy skin.

If you’d like to use shea butter for your hair, raw shea butter is available for purchase in stores and online. Additionally, many other hair care products list it as an ingredient. For example:

• Moisturizing shampoos and conditioners

• Leave-in conditioners

• Deep-conditioning treatments

• Hair masks

• Hair oils 

Whipped shea butter is another product you may see online or on store shelves. You can also make a DIY version at home using raw shea butter and one or a combination of other natural oils, such as:

• Olive oil

• Argan oil

• Castor oil

• Coconut oil

Consider hair type when using shea butter. Generally speaking, it’s most effective for coarse or curly hair that’s prone to drying out.

Applying shea butter to finer hair may weigh it down. If you have finer hair, consider using a smaller amount of shea butter.

While shea butter can be beneficial for hair and scalp health, it can cause some problems if you overdo it. Too much shea butter may lead to greasy-looking hair or an oily scalp.

Some experts have also expressed concern that applying too much shea butter or hair oils could worsen seborrheic dermatitis (a severe inflammatory skin condition that can cause dandruff) in Black individuals.

If you’ve been using shea butter and have noticed side effects, consult a healthcare provider like a dermatologist or trichologist (someone who specializes in scalp health).

If you’re looking for more ways to fight dryness in your hair and scalp beyond shea butter, try out some of the tips below:

• Use gentle products. Select gentle, moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. When it comes to shampoo, choose one that’s sulfate-free. Sulfates in shampoo can strip away natural hair oils, leaving hair feeling dry.

• Only wash when you have to. Aim to wash your hair only when it’s dirty. If you have greasy hair or an oily scalp, this could still mean washing every day. If you have drier hair, you may only need to wash it every other day.

• Avoid heat styling. Heat-styling your hair, such as through blow-drying, can lead to dry and damaged hair. So try to do so sparingly.

• Drink plenty of water. Hydration is a critical component to growing healthy hair. It can also help prevent hair from drying out, so try to drink enough water every day to stay hydrated.

• Space out hair treatments. If you color or relax your hair, build in more time between touch-ups if possible. Also, try to only have one treatment at a time. That means avoiding dyeing and relaxing your hair in the same appointment.

So, is shea butter good for hair? When it comes to natural ingredients, shea butter is a great bet for boosting the health of your hair and scalp.

Here’s what to remember about shea butter for hair:

• Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, which is native to Africa. It’s rich in several fatty acids, vitamins E and A, and numerous anti-inflammatory compounds.

• There are several ways in which shea butter can improve hair health. For instance, it can add moisture to hair and protect it from damage. Vitamin E can prevent damage to hair due to oxidative stress, while vitamin A is needed for healthy hair growth.

• The anti-inflammatory properties of shea butter may ease scalp irritation. Shea butter can also help moisturize the scalp.

• You can find shea butter in its raw form or as an ingredient in products like shampoos and conditioners, hair masks, and hair oils. You can also make your own whipped shea butter at home.

• Shea butter is typically best for curly or coarse hair that’s prone to drying out.

• There are other ways you can prevent your hair from becoming too dry. A few examples include washing your hair less often, avoiding heat-styling, and staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

If you’ve been trying to tame your dry hair without any luck, reach out to a dermatologist, trichologist, or barber for help. They can recommend products appropriate for your hair type to help with dryness or other issues.

Looking for more info on how to take care of your hair? Check out our guide on how to get healthy hair for men. Our page on scalp care also has valuable pointers for improving the health of your scalp.

And, since shea butter is often best for curlier hair, consider reading over our ultimate guide to 4C hair care and styling.