Moisture is necessary to keep hair from looking dry and prone to breakage when dehydrated. In particular, natural curls and waves tend to absorb moisture. For maintaining the natural beauty of your curls, it’s imperative to nourish them with the right ingredients. That’s why Shea Butter can be a great addition to your hair care routine, not only because of its’ moisturizing effect but also because of its’ anti-inflammation effects and many other benefits that we will discuss in this blog.
What Is Shea Butter?
Shea butter comes from the nuts of the Vitellaria paradoxa or ” African Shea Tree”. It is known as “The Tree of Life” because of its numerous benefits to the body, including healing the skin and nourishing hair. It is a natural hair conditioner. For centuries, people in Africa have used this natural emollient as a moisturizer for hydrating their skin and hair. It has been known as “Mother Nature’s Conditioner” because of its large spectrum of benefits. Shea Butter is native to the tropical climate of West Africa, and it grows in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and the surrounding areas. In addition to healing burns and injuries, Shea Butter eliminates surgical marks, dermatitis, and stretch marks.
What Are The Benefits of Shea Butter For Curly Hair?
1. It locks the moisture in the hair.
Herbalists recommend shea butter for moisturizing the hair and scalp. Those with curly or coarse hair textures benefit from applying shea butter as a sealant to keep moisture in their hair and increase softness. Coily hair is probably dryer than other hair types due to the texture. This is due to scalp sebum not spreading evenly across hair strands because of the structure of hair strands. Shea butter is a frequent ingredient in curly hair treatments because of its emollient qualities. This emollient effect makes it excellent for locking in moisture without leaving your hair greasy and heavy. Since it aids in retaining moisture, it is great for preventing damage due to the weather.
2. It relieves scalp irritation.
For centuries, curly hair has been treated with shea butter to soothe dry, itchy scalps and dandruff. Furthermore, it is an excellent source of moisture for damaged or dry hair. It is one of the common basic ingredients for health creams. Many people believe that it has anti-inflammatory properties. The butter absorbs quickly into the scalp and does not clog pores. It moisturizes the hair deeply. As a result, relaxed, colored, or heat-treated hair benefits greatly from it.
3. It builds protection cover on hair.
Shea butter has low UV protection (around SPF-6). Therefore, it’s good for applying to your hair if you’re in a hot and sunny climate or taking a sunbath near the coast. As Shea Butter coats the hair’s surface, it acts as a barrier against the damaging effects of heat, heat appliances, and even chlorine in swimming pools. Suppose you happen to have colored or chemically treated hair. In that case, you want to make sure that shea butter remains a staple in your summer hair regimen.
What should you notice before you use shea Butter?
Generally, before you start using any natural-originated products such as shea butter, you need to understand the different types of shea butter extracts available, your hair texture, and how you should use them.
The quality and the type of Shea Butter:
There are two kinds of Shea Butter: refined and unrefined. The natural goodness of unrefined butter is more concentrated. The butter is refined to remove its natural aroma, which some people do not like. We recommend unrefined butter from Uganda or East Africa if you want a product with less of an aroma. Although it is slightly more expensive, it is also known for making your hair softer and moisturizing slightly better.
How it fits your hair type and texture:
Butters and oils can leave a film on your hair. Thin hair may not suit this since it can weigh it down. Additionally, excessive oil in your hair can cause breakouts if you have oily skin, as it puts even more oil on your face, shoulders, and back. Since shea products come in both oil and butter forms, you must know your hair’s specific needs before purchasing:
If your hair is thin or oily, shea butter can be heavy and make it flat and greasy.
Using shea oil in small portions may be more beneficial if you have a looser hair texture.
How to use Shea Butter?
There are several consumption methods based on your hair needs and your type. Here we will discuss the most common ways of using this product to cover your hair needs.
- If you are suffering from an irritated scalp, melt the butter down in a double boiler over boiling water once it has cooled to a reasonable temperature, spread it onto your fingertips, and apply in small amounts directly onto your scalp. Rub in a circular motion. You can add drops of tea tree oil for an extra soothing sensation.
- Suppose you want to benefit from its emolliating qualities. If so, you can use it alone or add it to your favorite conditioner for extra moisture. In addition, it’s a great additive for shampoos and hair creams.
- For making a good protective cover for your hair, you need to turn it into liquid. Melt it down, and apply lightly before going to the beach, lake, or any situation that exposes your hair to harsh sunlight. You can even add it to a moisturizer spray to easily spray it on your hair.
- You can easily combine it with another carrier oil and use it as your oil phase of the LOC method or as a moisturizer for 2nd or 3rd-day hair.
What are the suggested products?
Shea butter has a widespread consumption in beauty products. It is one of the main ingredients of many hair and skincare products. Today, we will introduce Alikay Naturals Shea Yogurt Hair Moisturiser and INAHSI Island Breeze Hair & Body Whipped Butter.
INAHSI Island Breeze Hair & Body Whipped Butter
This moisture sealing hair whip is rich in Mango Butter and Shea Butter which restores shine and locks in moisture. Couple this with your Leave-in Conditioner & Detangler for ultra moisturized tresses.
Alikay Naturals Shea Yogurt Hair Moisturiser
Shea Yogurt Hair Moisturizer delivers moisture and more moisture to hydrate even the driest hair while using quality ingredients. This specially-formulated moisturizer leaves your hair softer, shinier, and more manageable than ever.
The yummy smelling cream base is light and fluffy so that it won’t cause build-up. Shea Yogurt is also infused with the highest-quality moisturizing botanicals and oils to hydrate your hair from the inside out, leaving it more robust and healthier. Shea Yogurt works great by itself and even better with Leave-In Conditioner sprayed on before applying.
