Shea Butter for Hair: Experts Explain Benefits and the Best Way to Use It

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

It's time to do some inventory, besties. Take a quick look at your fave haircare products. More likely than not, a few of the must-haves you just can't go without are probably laced with shea butter. You're about to find out why it's one of the beloved haircare ingredients and why it's going viral RN.

Like castor oil and argan oil, shea butter can hydrate and reduce inflammation on your skin and scalp, and it's found in many products, including shampoos, conditioning masks, and curl creams. If you notice your strands have been feeling drier than usual, try adding shea butter to your lineup. The nourishing ingredient locks in moisture, quenches dry, parched strands, and softens the hair cuticle to prevent knots and tangles.

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Azadeh Shirazi and licensed hair stylist and master educator Janell Sands explain the benefits of using shea butter for your hair along with their favorite products with the ingredient.

What is shea butter?

"Shea butter is fat extracted from African shea tree nuts," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Azdeh Shirazi explains to Seventeen. Shea delivers so many benefits because it's filled with fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acid), as well as antioxidants and vitamins D and E to help your skin and hair thrive. "Unrefined shea butter has the highest concentration of antioxidants and bioactive agents to help protect against environmental damage and nourish the hair," Dr. Shirazi says.

If you want to find the best-unrefined shea butter for hair, the derm recommends products with "the A-grade on the label for the highest quality." Unrefined shea butter is typically pale yellow, and it's in a thick, solid form. When you rub it together in your hands, it melts into a hydrating oil. "The oils in shea butter absorb rapidly and act as a refatting agent to restore the moisture barrier to reduce water loss and relieve dryness," she adds. You can reap the benefits of unrefined shea butter in products like shampoos, conditioners, and curl cream, to name a few.

Is shea butter good for hair?

Yes, yes, and yes again. Shea butter is extremely beneficial for your hair and scalp health. You can pull shea butter hair products out at least once a week when your hair is feeling parched and brittle because "it's the MVP when it comes to dry hair types," Dr. Shirazi says. According to the AziMD founder, shea butter's "nourishing properties help plump and soften the hair." Shea butter also has soothing benefits that come in the clutch if you experience dry, flaky scalp because it "reduces irritation and inflammation." Shea butter is just as helpful when applied to the skin. Not only does shea butter moisturize the skin, but it also helps "heal the skin and fade scars."

Which hair types should use shea butter?

Shea butter provides something for everyone and every hair texture. Since it works as a sealant to lock in moisture, shea butter is perfect for besties with textured, curly, damaged, or dry hair types. "Shea butter helps nourish and strengthen the hair cuticle by restoring the moisture barrier as well as adding shine and reducing frizz," Dr. Shirazi says.

Other hair types can reap the rewards of shea butter, but that all depends on its formulation, and the best way to figure that out is by checking out the ingredient list. "If shea butter is higher up on the ingredient list," Janell Sands explains, "then there is a lot of shea butter in the formula." These types of shea butter enriched products work better for thicker curls and coils since it bit on the heavier side."The stylist and master educator adds that when shea butter is featured on the lower end of the ingredient list, then it's "suitable for looser curl types."

Does shea butter help with hair growth?

While shea butter softens and soothes scalp inflammation, it does not promote hair growth. "There’s little research to support shea butter in stimulating hair growth," Dr. Shirazi says. However, shea butter does "help strengthen the hair shaft and reduce hair breakage, which in turn helps with healthier hair that may grow better and longer."

Are you ready to tresses hydrated? Read ahead for the best shea butter products for hair.

100% Pure Unrefined Raw Shea Butter

This one's for the besties who love a good multipurpose product. You can use Buena Skin's 100% Pure Unrefined Raw Shea Butter as a moisturizer for your body or try it on your hair when it's wet as a rinse-out conditioner.

Hair type: Straight, wavy, curly, coily

Key ingredients: Raw shea butter

Customer review: "This is REALLY raw and unrefined - you won't be able to use it unless you are going to melt it down to make your own skincare/haircare products.I wasn't aware of this before purchasing so that's why I'm mentioning it in my review.I like it nonetheless because I am using it to make my own hair mask so it is still useful."

Shea Intense Repair Shampoo

Use The Body Shop's Shea Shampoo to kick off a nourishing and strengthening haircare routine to help soften and repair dry, damaged strands.

Hair type: Straight, wavy, curly, coily

Key ingredients: Community fair trade shea butter

Customer review: "My hair feels great after I used this shampoo. My hair is also fine, and it works great!"

100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil Conditioner

No matter if you're hair is chemically treated, or au naturel, this strengthening conditioner moisturized hair and delivers a stimulating sensation to the scalp thanks to peppermint oil.

Hair type: Curly, coily

Key ingredients: Jamaican black castor oil, shea butter, peppermint oil, apple cider vinegar

Customer review: "I have never used a conditioner as wonderful as this. I don't have damage to my hair and I never use heating products. I use it for detangling my hair. It works like a dream and it smells fantastic for the whole time until you wash again. I actually love the fragrance. Overall this is the best conditioner I've ever used."

Almond & Shea Butter Strengthening Hair Mask

Give your hair a refresh with this softening and strengthening mask that leaves a lingering scent that will have everyone dying to know what you put in your hair.

Hair type: Straight, wavy, curly, coily

Key ingredients: Almond, shea butter

Customer review: "This hair mask is so nice! It made my hair so soft and shiny, I can't stop touching it. The almond shea smell is very nice - sort of a soft, subtle, vanilla-like smell. My hair is color treated and I heat style it almost every day, so this is a perfect way to recondition it!"

Passion Fruit Curl Control Paste

When you're rocking a bun or a protective style like knotless braids, you want your edges and baby hairs to be slicked down and laid in place. Janell Sands recommends this lightly scented, shea butter-laced pomade because it smooths down edges without leaving thick product buildup behind.

Hair type: Curly, wavy

Key ingredients: Castor oil, shea butter, mango seed butter, jojoba oil, vitamin E

Customer review: A+This product is great because it works as a control paste without leaving your hair feeling weighed down, stiff, or sticky. And it smells amazing. Love it!

Hydrating Curl Defining Whip with Shea Butter

Enhance your curls with this hydrating mousse that comes highly recommended by Dr. Shirazi. The dermatologist raves about its frizz-reducing benefits and smooth, silky finish.

Hair type: Wavy, curly, coily

Key ingredients: Shea butter, baobab oil, chia seed extract

Customer review: "This is a fantastic product for my fine, wavy hair. I love that it air dries so beautifully. I would gladly give it five stars except that the nozzle stopped working before I had used much of the bottle."

Shea Butter Curl Defining Gel Creme

Humidity and frizz can wreak havoc on the most defined curls. Fekkai's Shea Butter Curl Defining Gel Creme hydrates, smoothes, and protects against frizz.

Hair type: Wavy, curly, coily

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, monoi oil, coconut oil, rosemary leaf extract

Customer review: "Moisturizing hold that wasn't too heavy; great, familiar Fekkai fragrance. Reduced frizz and helped prevent shrinkage in my long, loose curls."

Shea Butter Oil Sheen Conditioning Spray

Pull out Cantu's Shea Butter Oil Sheen Spray when your strands are in need of a shine boost. Just be careful when you apply it because it can leave oil stain on your clothes.

Hair type: Curly, coily

Key ingredients: Shea, vitamin E

Customer Review: "It serves its purpose as an oil sheen but is a little too oily. It coats your hair (and any object nearby) with oil and sits on the hair. It has to be worked into your hair."

The Bottom Line

Everyone's hair experiences dryness once in a while. Shea butter is a helpful ingredient that hydrates and nourishes thick, coarse, dry, and damaged hair. If you have flaky scalp irritation, you can use shea butter to soothe itchiness and reduce dryness. You can find shea butter in its unrefined form as well as a key ingredient in haircare products, and use it weekly to hydrate your hair.

You Might Also Like

• 18 Best Leggings Brands That Will Make Your Butt Look Like an 11/10

• 37 Selena Gomez Hairstyles to Copy If You're Trying to Level-Up Your Hair Game

• 11 Waterproof Makeup Products You Have to Try