Does Shea Butter Grow Hair? The nutrients present in Shea butter play a vital role in nourishing and stimulating your scalp and follicles. It has properties that prevent hair damage and keep them in healthy condition. However, there is no scientific proof that you will have new hair growth.
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African Shea Butter
When it comes to beauty, we get mad if we get something that is organic and hyped. We girls truly want to just use it all over our bodies and wait for the magic. We want to see it in every beauty mixture as an ingredient.
Don’t mind, it’s our excitement level!
Very same excitement we have for shea butter…
Well, if you roam very frequently in cosmetic outlets, you may have found that shea butter is a very common ingredient of beauty products, don’t you? I have even literally seen it in moisturizers, masks, lip balms, shampoos, conditioners and whatnot.
Obviously, it’s understood that shea butter is very good in moisturizing and pampering your skin but what about hair? Yeah, it does make your hair smooth and silky but does shea butter grow hair? Or it’s just a useless claim. Well, you have to read the post till the end to figure out the real answer and reasons.
Get set go…
What shea butter is used for hair?
You may know that the fruit of the Vitellaria Paradoxa tree is used to make African shea butter. The fruits include fat-rich kernels that are crushed, roasted, and boiled to form a type of foam that is gathered from the water’s surface.
When the foam cools, it transforms into raw shea butter. The smokey smell, latex, extra water, and contaminants can then be removed using different filters.
As a consequence, we have a very solid material that is tinted from white to yellow and melts easily when heated up.
Moreover…
“You want to use a pure, unrefined shea butter that has a nutty aroma and beige color,” Dr. Axe says. “If the product is ‘refined,’ that means that it’s been chemically altered, and the properties found in pure shea butter are diminished.”
So, if you need shea butter for hair then let me tell you that unrefined shea butter is said to be the finest choice for hair treatment since it has the main most bioactive ingredients. Moreover, natural shea butter can also be identified by its beige shade, distinct nutty aroma, and creamy texture just like the butter we use for cooking.
A-grade shea butter
However, search for the A-grade mark when purchasing high-quality organic shea butter for hair. When searching for a moisturizing effect alone, this snow-white shea butter for hair would be a fine choice. It is likely treated to produce a prettier look and scent but may be devoid of certain healing properties.
B-grade shea butter
The market also provides you with B-grade shea butter. It is lightly refined. Because it is grown and processed without the use of chemicals, minimally refined organic shea butter (B grade) is also excellent for hair care.
Shea butter and hair growth – What’s the truth?
In this section, I will share my personal experience with shea butter as I sometimes use it on my hair. I already got the answer “does shea butter grow hair?”
It’s time to share with you…
After a lot of research, I haven’t found any clinical trial or proof that shea butter grows your hair. But yes, it keeps your scalp healthy which may promote healthy hair growth. However, IT DOES NOT MEAN that you will get a forest of hair on your bald head with shea butter.
Please mind that there is a very thin line between hair growth and healthy hair growth. To make you clear, healthy hair growth includes lots of factors — shine, no dry scalp, no roughness, and combable silky hair.
Dr. Axe says.
“Shea butter works as a skin-conditioning agent,” “It helps retain moisture by forming a protective barrier on the skin’s surface, which reduces the loss of water and keeps your skin hydrated.”
From the above statement, we can say that as shea butter is high in fatty acids, vitamins A and E, calcium, salt, iron, magnesium, and zinc, it’s quite healthy. Furthermore, triterpenes in this fat stimulate collagen creation, while antioxidants safeguard our hair from deterioration. This enables shea butter for hair-splitting reduction and healthy hair enhancement.
Benefits of shea butter on hair
I’ve been using shea butter on my hair for the last 8 months. Well, I didn’t get Rapunzel hair but yes, I can notice a major quality difference in my hair now.
It’s time to reveal some satisfactory results of the shea butter I got on my hair.
1. Scalp conditioning
I normally have a dry patchy scalp. I have to maintain it strictly. Luckily, shea butter worked marvelously for me.
If you have dry patchy skin like me or suffer from eczema, a little bit of shea butter at a time can help you out. In this case, you have to just take a little bit of raw shea butter and rub it on your scalp. You can also apply it to a specific area, like where you have a rough severe dry patch. It will help you heal that part so quickly.
Best part? Shea butter is quickly absorbed into the scalp and does not clog it.
Ross, celebrity aesthetician of SkinLab says;
“When you have skin irritation, natural ingredients that are proven effective are always best, making shea butter a very reliable choice.”
2. Moisture retention
In terms of moisturizing dry brittle hair, shea butter is a perfect choice. It works like a tonic for my rough hair.
With a high concentration of unsaponifiable, this plant fat has excellent water-binding qualities as well as a lubricating influence. A number of these components, such as shea butter’s high fatty acid content, are also known to help give moisture to your hair.
3. Protection from environment
Shea butter gives protection from the UV rays of the sun. Whenever I have to move out on a sunny day I just apply some shea butter on my hair tips and make a bun.
Yeah, it does have a very minor amount of SPF, but it has, and it’s good for hair.
4. Hair softening
For me, shea butter is a natural conditioner. It has the quality of softening dry frizzy hair especially when you have permed or curly hair. It can be either coated on strands of your hair or applied as a leave-on conditioner after a shower.
5. Reduces inflammation
Because certain forms of hair loss are caused by inflammation, feeding your hair follicles with an anti-inflammatory is a prudent move if you don’t know what’s causing your hair loss.
If your hair loss is driven by an inflammatory condition, anti-inflammatories such as shea butter can help reduce or even prevent the thinning.
“Shea butter slows the production of inflammatory cells that contribute to irritation and skin conditions,” Dr. Axe says.
How to use shea butter on hair?
There are so many ways to use shea butter on hair. You use it directly or make a DIY mask depending on you. Some best ways are;
1. Buy a ready-made shea butter product
Reslan, HairClub hair expert recommends using a styling product based on shea butter to prevent hair from breakage and lock in moisture.
2. Mix with other hair products
Hunting for a tailored hair treatment that doesn’t need much push? Simply combine shea butter with one of your conditioning products.
“Shea butter in conditioners and masks smooths the hair, removing frizz, knots, and dullness,” Groover, AfricanPride brand educator claims.
3. Make a DIY
To prevent re-hardening, combine beaten shea butter with a medium ingredient such as coconut oil. Whip up those super duper ingredients in a frothy form to give your hair a healthy gloss.
Apply it for 20-minutes and wash out your hair. SO SIMPLE!
Who should not use shea butter on hair?
Shea butter is an excellent style and nourishing treatment for the majority of hair types and textures, but not for everyone. If you have thin hair, shea butter might weigh it down if you use excessive amounts of it.
Those with medium-to-coarse hair that is especially susceptible to dryness and roughness would benefit the most when they use shea butter.
What does shea butter do to your hair?
Shea butter is packed with nutrients. It hydrates your scalp and gives you hair a shiny, smooth and thick appearance.
How long does shea butter take to work on hair?
It depends on your hair texture. Some people feel the change after just one use, whereas others must wait many days. According to several studies, Shea butter performs effectively when applied to the skin for 7 to 8 hours every day.
Can I leave shea butter in my hair?
Shea butter is safe to use on all types of hair if used in moderate amounts. You can leave shea butter on your hair for 7 to 8 hours. But, we don’t recommend leaving it for 2 to 3 days, it may accumulate dirt.
How do you apply shea butter to your hair?
You can apply a little amount of shea butter to your scalp and massage it. You can also mix it with other ingredients such as coconut oil or conditioner.
Is shea butter good for black hair?
For ages, shea butter has been used to soothe dry, itchy scalps and dandruff in black or African hair. It’s also an excellent source of hydration for dry or brittle hair. It works wonderfully in curly thick hair.
Now, it’s your turn!
Now, it’s your turn to incorporate Shea butter into your hair care regimen and let it handle your dry, tough, and rebellious hair. While shea butter is not a strong option for hair growth, it may be beneficial in maintaining the hair in satisfactory quality so that it does not split and dry your scalp more.
People with excessively dry or tight curls require a lot of moisture, which shea butter may provide. Its buttery smooth nature melts up in your palms and appears to be the ideal consistency for putting into damp hair. However, keep in mind to apply too much shea butter in your hair, it will give your hair a greasy appearance. LESS IS MORE!
Also Read:
- Does Shea Butter Expire?
- Does Shea Butter Darken Skin?
- How Long Does Shea Butter Last?
- What Does Shea Butter Smell Like?
- Does Shea Butter Help With Scars?
- Where Does Shea Butter Come From?
- What Does Shea Butter do for Your Hair?
- Does Shea Butter Help with Stretch Marks?
- Does Shea Butter Lighten Skin: What I Wish I Knew!
- Cocoa Butter for Skin Lightening: What I Wish I Knew!
- Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter: The Ultimate Comparison Guide!
