What’s Shea Butter Good For? Benefits You Should Know About

It's no secret that shea butter is a skin, scalp, and hair care hero. What you might not know is how it works to help you feel your best, most moisturized self.

Below, we'll break down exactly what shea butter is good for. By the end, you'll know how to use it without overcomplicating your routine and why products with shea butter deserve a spot in your lineup (assuming they're not already your MVPs).

What's Shea Butter?

Shea butter starts out as a thick vegetable fat manufacturers extract from kernels of the shea tree. It grows across the savannah regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Before shea butter showed up in skincare aisles, Africans used it for everything from cooking to skin moisturizing. Translation: Its resume is longer than your Amazon order history.

So what makes shea butter so beneficial? It packs in vitamins A and E, which are important for skin health and preventing cellular damage. And a lineup of fatty acids add a protective shield that locks in moisture. Given the benefits of shea butter for skin and hair, you'll find it in everything from haircare products to natural soaps. You can even apply raw, unrefined shea butter directly on your skin and hair.

Shea Butter Benefits for Skin and Hair

Your skin has a lot going on every day, so it's important to take care of it. Fortunately, shea butter delivers a host of nourishing and moisturizing benefits.

Supports the Skin's Natural Barrier

Acting as your body's bouncer, your skin barrier keeps moisture in and unwanted grime out. Shea butter's fatty acids (e.g., oleic and stearic acids) help your skin stay hydrated and elastic.

Features Antioxidant Properties

Your skin takes a beating from environmental stressors like sun and pollution, which can contribute to oxidative damage and premature skin changes. Shea butter naturally contains a host of antioxidant components like vitamins E and A that combat wear.

Delivers Hydrating Lip Care

Cracked, dry lips aren't a good look. To keep your lips in check, the American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends natural lip balms containing an ingredient like shea butter that locks in moisture and softens your lips.

Seals in Moisture To Reduce Hair Breakage and Frizz

When your hair's moisture gauge is running on E, shea butter fills the tank. Its lipid-rich composition penetrates the hair shaft, improving moisture retention and elasticity to reduce breakage and split ends. That's why shea butter is often in shampoos and conditioners.

Those hydrating lipids in shea butter also battle frizz head on. They tame flyaways and can even improve softness by smoothing the hair's cuticle scales flat.

How To Use Shea Butter for Best Results

Using shea butter is simpler than it sounds. Follow these easy tips to keep your grooming game on point.

On Your Face

Your face is delicate territory, so it needs a little finesse. Follow these steps, and you'll get the payoff without the greasy aftermath:

• Cleanse and dry your skin before applying: Cleanse with a non-drying soap, and then dry your face gently. (So don't polish, just pat.) This preps your skin to soak up all the moisture magic without any barriers like dirt or water in the way.
• Use a small amount: A little shea butter goes a long way. So resist the urge to scoop out a golf-ball sized glob of product. Instead, rub a pea-sized amount between your fingers until it melts down into an oil. This makes it far easier to spread.
• Massage into the face: Once it melts into an oil, massage it into your skin using upward circular motions, like you're gently buffing out a scratch on your car. Then give it a minute to fully absorb.

On Your Body

Your body's got a bigger surface area and tougher problem spots. So the approach here shifts slightly:

• Apply immediately after a shower: Even after you towel off, your skin retains some of the moisture from your shower. So apply shea butter within a few minutes to lock in that moisture before it has a chance to evaporate.
• Focus on rough areas: If your armpits are the La Brea Swamp, then your elbows, knees, and heels are the Sahara. Give these spots an extra dose of shea butter.

On Your Hair

Your hair and scalp benefit from shea butter too, so use a dab to complement your natural hair care products. Just be strategic so you don't weigh down your locks:

• Use a small amount on damp ends: The ends of your hair are usually the oldest, driest, and most prone to breakage. So work a small amount of shea butter through your fingers and apply it to the ends as a leave-in conditioner.
• Apply to the scalp: If your scalp is dry, apply a small dollop of shea butter for added moisture. Use your fingertips to massage a tiny bit into your scalp. You don't need much, since your scalp already produces oil – this is just to help it along.
• Style as usual: After you work it into your hair tips and scalp, style your hair as you normally would, and let the shea butter handle the frizz control. Done right, you'll get natural shine without the greasy, bed-head look.

Shea Butter in Dr. Squatch Bar Soap

When it comes to your skin and hair, shea butter is the ultimate wingman. It moisturizes, styles, and shines — and it's been doing so for centuries.

And as it turns out, you don't need raw shea butter to reap the benefits. Dr. Squatch features this buttery powerhouse as one of the star players in our lineup of natural, nourishing soaps. Our bar soaps are manufactured in the USA and formulated specifically for men, so you can look, feel, and smell your best.

Check out the bar soap collection, and get the benefits of shea butter without adding a single extra step to your routine.

FAQ

Is Shea Butter Okay for the Face?

Yes, in most cases, it's safe to use shea butter on the face as a moisturizer. Just double check with your doctor or dermatologist that you're not allergic to it.

Is Shea Butter Good for Oily Skin?

Stand-alone shea butter may be hit-or-miss for oily skin. Its rich, buttery texture can clog pores and lead to blemishes.

How Are Refined vs. Unrefined Shea Butter Different?

Refined shea butter comes from fresh shea nuts and has a light color. Unrefined shea butter is darker and produced from dried shea nuts via a less intensive process. When it comes to beneficial vitamins and nutrients, unrefined shea butter comes out on top, as heavy refinement reduces some of the benefits.

Can Shea Butter Replace Sunscreen?

No, Shea butter isn't a sunscreen — if you're going to be in the sun, use an actual SPF product. From a moisturizing perspective, shea butter cream is good for the face. But it won't properly shield your skin from the sun.