What To Know Before Using Pure Shea Butter on Skin and Hair

Beauty enthusiasts are raving about shea butter for skin and hair. Although the popular ingredient has only recently been showing up in the formulas of most lotions, shampoos, and other moisturizing beauty products, it's actually been used in East and West Africa for centuries. Harvested from the nuts of karité trees, the emollient is essentially a hydrating hero — but that's not all. "Shea butter contains a high amount of fatty acids and vitamins," says Dr. Shuting Hu, cosmetic chemist and founder of Acaderma. "It is a fantastic ingredient for the skin and hair."

Keep scrolling to learn all about shea butter for skin and hair.

What Is Pure Shea Butter?

Shea butter is a fat derived from the shea kernel of the African shea tree. Pure shea butter is ivory in color and is unrefined and raw, meaning, it is free of chemicals and preservatives.

What Are the Skincare and Haircare Benefits of Pure Shea Butter?

If your skin or hair is feeling or looking dull and parched, shea butter is an easy way to bring everything back to life. "As an emollient, shea butter locks in moisture to your skin and prevents transepidermal water loss," says Dr. Hu. "Additionally, the oils in shea butter easily melt into the skin and work as an incredible moisturizer."

The chemist adds that it is also helpful to treat inflammation, promote cellular regeneration, soothe irritation and dryness, as well as protect against free radicals, among other benefits.

Which Hair and Skin Types Should Use Pure Shea Butter?

While shea butter is an amazing ingredient to use to combat dryness for skin and hair, it may be a bit heavy for those with fine, straight strands. However, people with thick, coily hair can really benefit from using the ingredient to seal in moisture.

When it comes to skincare, nearly everyone can benefit from using shea butter, mainly in the fall and winter. But there are some who may find the ingredient especially helpful.

"People with dry skin would benefit the most from using shea butter, as it not only replenishes moisture to the skin but seals it in, keeping the skin hydrated for longer periods of time," explains Dr. Hu. "Anyone who struggles with eczema, inflammation, or cracked skin can use shea butter to soothe irritation, which tends to flare up during the fall and winter."

What's the Difference Between Yellow and White Shea Butter?

"The main difference between yellow and white shea butter is that white shea butter is processed and yellow is not," says Dr. Hu. "Yellow shea butter is essentially raw, so does not go through any filtration to remove impurities. White shea butter is processed to remove impurities and is much smoother in texture. You may also notice a strong odor from yellow shea butter whereas white shea butter is odorless."

However, even within the processed shea butter realm, there are variations. For example, unrefined shea butter will still have an off-white tint, whereas the heavily refined variety will be purely white.

"When it comes to skincare, I would recommend using unrefined or raw shea butter," Dr. Hu suggests. "The ingredient in this form has a higher vitamin content so your skin will benefit more from the raw or unrefined version. When shea butter is heavily refined, a lot of the healing properties of the ingredient are removed and will be lost in the filtration process."

Is Shea Butter Most Effective on Its Own Or When Blended With Other Ingredients?

Whether or not it's mixed with something else, shea butter is a powerful moisturizer on its own. But when it comes to how to use it, that really just depends on your preference for texture.

"On its own, shea butter has a very thick, hard-to-use texture," says Dr. Hu. "I would recommend using a moisturizer or cream that has shea butter in it so that it is easier to spread on the skin." However, if you're someone who has been using shea butter in its purest form since the beginning of time, there's no need to switch things up.

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