Top 24 Health Benefits of Shea Butter for Face, Hair, and Body

Updated: 10/28/2019

I – Overvie

Shea butter is rich in fats that have been derived from the karite tree (also known as the shea tree). Thanks to high concentrations of vitamins and fatty acids, shea butter has been widely used in several beauty products, such as cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, and conditioners in the west. In addition, this butter has powerful anti-inflammatory and healing properties, so it brings many amazing benefits for the body, especially your face and hair^[1]. If you’re looking for a great natural product for your skin, shea butter is a wise choice. Keep reading this article on AllRemedies to know why shea butter is good as well as many benefits of shea butter^[2] for the face, hair, and the body.

Learn also: 31 Natural & Easy Home Remedies for Hair Growth Fast

II – Why Is Shea Butter Good?

Many people wonder why shea butter has been widely used in creams, lotions, moisturizers for the face, hair, and the body. In fact, shea butter is high in fats which make it a great emollient and skin nourishing agent. Plus, it contains a large amount of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These are effective in reducing inflammatory skin diseases and damaged skin because of free radicals. For those who are suffering from acne, shea butter is a useful treatment.

In addition, it’s also rich in vitamin A and E, which not only maintain your skin in best health but also protect it against being damaged by UV rays in the sunlight. Apart from offering UV protection, these components provide essential fatty acids to the skin which can help soothe dry skin and boost collagen production. With long-term use, many people have reported skin softening and wrinkle reduction. The amazing news is shea butter is good to use on babies, too.

Find more: Top 18 Natural Sun Damaged Skin Treatment

III – 24 Benefits Of Shea Butter For The Face, Hair And The Body

This superfood typically has amazing health benefits, including for the face, hair, and overall health^[3]. Let’s take a look at the benefits of shea butter for your body.

A. Benefits Of Shea Butter For The Face

1. Treat Acne And Reduce Scars

If you suffer from acne, you may be surprised to know the benefits of shea butter in treating this skin issues. Thanks to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, unrefined shea butter is better for acne. Before applying shea butter, you should use a good quality cleanser to remove excess oil and trapped bacteria. Plus, this skin superfood is famous for healing properties that can help lighten the redness and scars linked to acne.

See more: 31 Ways How to Remove Acne Scars From Face Fast at Home

32 Natural Face Masks For Acne Scars At Home

2. Moisturizes Dry Skin

Do you know that shea butter is a great moisturizer for the face and body? The amount of healthy fat is the main key for moisturizing the skin and keeping it hydrated for long. While dehydration makes your skin rough and scaly, shea butter helps nourish the skin with its fat content^[4]. Also, it softens the skin on your hands and feet. For those who experience cracked heels or rough patches should give shea butter a try.

Read more: 16 Solutions Natural Homemade Moisturizer for Dry Skin

Natural Face Mask for Dry Skin at Home: 38 Solutions

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3. Slow Down An Aging Process

Benefits of shea butter are also proven as an anti-aging agent for the skin. It contains more vitamin A and E that are useful for keeping the skin supple and radiant. These vitamins also stimulate the production of collagen. Using shea butter regularly is useful to reduce wrinkles, facial fine lines, and prevent premature aging process^[5]. Also, its anti-aging agents are attributed to its ability to promote circulation to your skin and boost cell renewal.

The sun’s rays, pollutants, and irritants increase free radicals in your skin, which can damage skin cells easily. Luckily, vitamin A and E, along with amyrin, catechins create an antioxidant agent against free radicals and prevent damage.

Check more: Top 20 Natural Home Remedies for Wrinkles on Face

16 Top-Notch Diy Tips, Natural Face Mask For Wrinkles Skin At Home

4. Restore The Elasticity Of The Skin

One of the amazing benefits of shea butter is restoring the elasticity of the skin. The vitamin F and non-saponifiable substance^[6] in shea butter are great ingredients for keeping the elasticity of the skin. These also help boost the production of collagen in the skin. Therefore, besides hydrating, nourishing, and softening function, shea butter helps restore the natural the skin’s elasticity. As long as the elasticity of your skin is restored, wrinkles, and facial lines can be reduced.

How to use shea butter on your face

The simplest way to use shea butter for your face is to buy cream that contains shea butter at the health food store or online. You can apply it directly to your face before going to sleep. Also, you can make a facial mask by using this butter and other ingredients. Things you need to make a facial mask:

• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of pure shea butter
• 4 drops of grape seed oil

Mix them together and apply to your face. Leave the mask on 10 to 15 minutes and gently wash your face with warm water.

Get more: 33 Natural Sources of Collagen You Might have Never Thought of

34 Health And Beauty Benefits Of Grape Seed Oil

B. Benefits For The Hair

5. Prevent Hair Loss

Shea butter has many benefits, including preventing hair loss. Thanks to high levels of fatty acids^[7], shea butter provides many nutrients that help improve scalp and hair health. Using it for a long time will strengthen your hair follicles and reduce hair loss. Moreover, another wonderful property of this butter is its anti-inflammatory properties which can be helpful to prevent hair loss. Some scalp conditions are also treated by this butter. With benefits of shea butter for hair, your hair will be thicker and have the natural shine.

See also: Top 20 Methods on How to Use Coconut Oil for Hair Loss

70 Best Natural Home Remedies for Hair Loss in Males & Females

6. Repair Damaged Hair

Because of pollutants, dirt, and numerous chemical treatments like perms and straighteners, your hair is lack of natural moisture. Luckily, benefits of shea butter can help bring back this lost moisture and protect your hair from the harmful free radicals in the water and air. Not only that, this butter has a low SPF which is enough to protect your hair from UV rays in the sun. It can also repair damaged hair caused by the sun or harsh weather.

Learn more: Natural at Home Remedies for Damaged Hair – 45 Best Tips for Hair

29 Home Remedies for Shiny Hair Treatment

7. Be Used As A Natural Conditioner

Apart from preventing hair loss and repairing damaged hair, there are many health benefits of shea butter you may not know. It can also be used as a natural conditioner. The high levels of vitamin A and E in this butter will be a great choice for your hair. Thanks to them, shea butter can be used as a natural conditioner that moisturizes the hair from the roots to the tips. It’s also effective in keeping in moisture without causing heavy or greasy feelings on the hair.

Get more: 26 Ways How To Prevent Greasy Hair In The Morning & After Washing

34 Fast Tips How to Grow Thick Hair Naturally in a Month

8. Ease Itchy And Dry Scalp

Have you ever used shea butter to ease itchy and dry scalp? It’s very wonderful for your hair. The anti-inflammatory properties and rich fat in shea butter are great for the hair. These are absorbed into the hair without clogging the pores and causing greasy feeling. Therefore, it’s really effective in giving relief from an itchy, dry scalp, and other scalp conditions.

Find more: 34 Natural Home Remedies for Itchy Scalp and Dandruff

Top 15 Natural Home Remedies for Dry Scalp & Hair 

9. Prevent Breakage

Shea butter has been proven to prevent hair breakage. This butter is not only rich in fatty acids, but it’s also high in vitamins A and E, which makes it easy to penetrate the hair. As a result, this will help prevent breakage.

See more: 24 Best Natural Home Remedies for Split Ends and Breakage

32 Best Natural Home Remedies for Dandruff That Work

10. Hold Rebel Curls In Place

Because of its non-greasy feature, shea butter helps to manage the excess oil in the scalp. If you massage the hair with a large amount of this butter, it can give you silky and soft hair. These benefits of shea butter can also be used for dry, fragile, and curly hair. In addition, it has been widely used in curly hair treatments because of emollient properties. Applying it twice a week is effective for hair growth.

How to use shea butter for the hair

To use shea butter for the hair, you should:

• Take a tablespoon of unrefined shea butter
• Melt it in the microwave about 40- 60 seconds
• Let it cool down
• Apply this butter on small sections of the hair and entire hair length as well as the scalp
• Leave it for about 30 minutes and then wash your hair with a gentle shampoo

Get also: 22 Tips on How to Get Long Hair Fast and Naturally

28 Ways on How to Thicken Hair Naturally at Home

C. Benefits Of Shea Butter For Body

1. Reduce Skin Inflammation

No one can deny the benefits of shea butter for the body. Besides effectiveness for the face and hair, this butter helps reduce skin inflammation. Due to anti-inflammatory properties in cinnamic acid^[8], shea butter is beneficial for the skin improvement caused by an increase of inflammatory compounds. If you suffer from skin conditions like rosacea or dermatitis, using this butter on the affected skin area may help. Besides, insect bites, sunburns, rashes, and scrapes which lead to swelling are also treated with shea butter.

Check more: Top 21 Natural Home Remedies for Rosacea Treatment on Face

18 Tips on How to Stop Rashes From Spreading and Itching

2. Soothe Muscle Aches

Muscle aches typically result from an inflammation because of poor postures and muscle ailment. Fortunately, benefits of shea butter are helpful to soothe the condition. By tradition, this butter has been used in Africa to ease soreness and muscle aches. Although there’s no specific proof for this, people who use it have reported that they had a reduction in pain as well as swelling.

Find more: 13 Best Home Remedies For Yellow Jacket Stings And Swelling

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3. Deal With Arthritis

Arthritis is a chronic joint condition associated with obesity, increasing age and trauma. This condition is very painful, the pain can be constant and mild. Thus, it’s hard for people who suffer from arthritis overcome the pain. The good news is shea butter contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which can ease the chronic joint condition. Many people with arthritis have told about the benefits of shea butter in dealing with arthritis. This butter helps them to relieve the pain and swelling.

See more: 23 Natural Home Remedies for Arthritis in Hands

25 Effective Home Remedies for Joint Pain Relief You Should Know

4. Boost Wound Healing

Because of the variety of phytonutrients, shea butter contains moisturizing and healing properties that can promote wound healing. Cuts, wounds, and abrasions can be healed fast by applying this butter. When applied, shea butter is absorbed easily into lower skin layers to boost the cell repair function. Thanks to that, your wound is repaired rapidly.

Check more: 23 Tips On How To Stop A Cut From Bleeding On Face After Shaving

5. Treat Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common symptom of many conditions or can occur by itself. This condition can be treated by using herbal concoctions and numerous medicines. Based on a lot of amazing health benefits, there’s an increased demand for this butter to dietary-aid products that are aimed at diarrhea treatment. Give shea butter a try if you suffer from diarrhea.

Get more: 29 Natural Home Remedies for Diarrhea in Adults

5 Tips How to Use Raw Apple Cider Vinegar for Diarrhea & Vomiting

6. Lower Cholesterol

As mentioned above, shea butter has been widely used for food preparation in Africa. Other benefits of shea butter for the body are giving healthy fatty acids and lowering cholesterol. Because of more stearic acid, it’s also been shown to lower lipoprotein and plasma cholesterol levels. That’s why many Africans increase shea butter intake in their diet.

Check more: List of 22 Foods High in Cholesterol to Avoid

21 Tips How To Increase Good Cholesterol  & Lower Bad Cholesterol

7. Treat Nasal Congestion And Nasal Inflammation

If you’re experiencing nasal congestion, let’s try applying this butter in your nostril using your fingers. This sounds weird, but it’s very effective. Typically, nasal congestion results from inner lining’s inflammation of the nasal passages. But the anti-inflammatory properties of this butter are potential to reduce the inflammation and cleanse your nostrils.

Read more: 12 Natural Home Remedies for Post Nasal Drip and Cough

43 Best Natural Home Remedies for Nasal Congestion in Adults

8. Relieve Itchiness

One of the great benefits of shea butter for the body is to relieve itchiness. For those who often suffer from itchiness on the skin should give shea butter a shot. The anti-inflammatory properties of this butter have been proven to be useful. While dryness may cause your skin to itch, the moisturizing fatty acids of this butter will give relief by supplying essential oils for the skin. In case you experience itching because of psoriasis, shea butter will work very well to alleviate it.

Get more: 22 Remedies How to Get Rid of Itchy Skin after Sunburn

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9. Improve Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are very common in pregnancy, puberty, and obesity. While getting rid of stretch marks are challenging, shea butter is known as a great treatment for the skin condition. The essential fatty acids and vitamin A, E, and F in unrefined shea butter will restore the skin’s elasticity and promote collagen production. This helps improve stretch marks. Massaging the affected skin area with shea butter can lighten stretch marks. Therefore, if you’re finding an effective treatment for stretch marks, let’s think about the benefits of shea butter.

Learn more: 23 Tips How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks On Butt, Thighs, Breasts

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10. Help With Shaving

Shaving hair by using razors may irritate your skin and cause itchiness. This could develop bumps after shaving because of irritation. Luckily, shea butter can help. Using this butter while shaving may reduce razor burns and ease the irritated skin. You can apply it a day before shaving to smoothen the skin. This helps the shaving process easier and doesn’t leave irritated spots.

See also: Top 11 Tips Using Olive Oil For Psoriasis Treatment On The Scalp

11. Work For Baby’s Skin

Benefits of shea butter are also known as a great natural moisturizer without chemicals. Thus, it’s suitable and safe for baby’s skin. Not only is shea butter ideal for baby care, but it’s also good for sensitive skin of babies. You can apply this butter after taking a bath to smoothen the skin. Plus, it can be used for healing diaper rash on baby’s skin.

Get more: 21 Quick Natural Home Remedies for Diaper Rash in Babies

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12. Moisturize The Lips

If you want to have a moisturizer for the lips, shea butter is a good choice. It provides extra nutrients and moisture which your lips need, especially during the dry weather and cold season. Thus, it’s helpful to treat dry and chapped lips. This butter will form a wall on the lips and keep moisture for the skin.

Read more: 20 Tips How To Get Rid Of Swollen Lips From Cold Sore Overnight

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13. Offer Protection Against Sun Exposure

One of the amazing benefits of shea butter is to give protection against UV rays. The vitamin A and E in this butter is useful to provide protection. Although shea butter may not replace sunscreen, it helps protect against UV exposure. It’s estimated to have an SPF of 6, so it’s not enough for full sun exposure on summer days. But it can be used for a quick outside when it’s an overcast day. Plus, you can apply shea butter as a base coat before applying sunscreen to reduce burning and soreness after sun exposure.

Check also: Top 18 Natural Sun Damaged Skin Treatment

32 Best Natural Home Remedies for Sunburn Relief

14. Alternate To Olive Oil, Butter And Coconut Oil In Cooking

Antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and healthy fats create many benefits of shea butter. These make this butter a better option than other cooking oils. It may take several days to get used to the taste of shea butter, but the benefits of shea butter are wonderful. You can add a few dollops to a morning smoothie or use it for stir-frying. This can alternate to butter and other oils for your toasts, pancake, or sandwiches. But always choose unrefined shea butter for cooking purposes.

Find also: Top 6 DIY Weight Loss Drink Recipes for Breakfast and Dinner

IV – How To Choose Shea Butter?

Shea butter includes refined and unrefined forms. Unrefined shea butter is the most natural form and least processed. Thus, it’s able to retain a lot of minerals, vitamins, and other properties. Unrefined shea butter is often sold in the form of sticks or bars.

On the other hand, refined shea butter is the processed form^[9]. It goes through a deodorizing process by using chemicals or airing. Plus, refined shea butter undergoes bleaching process to make it whiter. All of these will make the butter smoother and whiter. However, these also reduce the natural value of shea butter.

Depending on your needs, refined or unrefined shea butter are available for serving. But of course, benefits of shea butter will be higher in unrefined form because this retains more natural value. No matter what form of shea butter you choose, here are things you should notice when buying them:

• Make sure that shea butter comes from reliable sources and companies
• Check the butter’s smell. The smell should be a little earthy or nutty for unrefined form
• Try a little amount of shea butter on your hands to check moisturizing and smoothing features if possible

See also: 13 Natural Benefits Of Olives Fruit & Oil For Skin, Hair, Health

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V – Side Effects Of Shea Butter

Besides numerous benefits of shea butter, it still has some side effects you should notice:

• Hives
• Itchy rashes
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain

An allergy to shea butter is rare, but there’s a very small chance of having side effects. Therefore, stop using shea butter immediately if you experience one of the above symptoms.

Learn more: Top 29 Natural Home Remedies For Hives On Face & Body

30 Natural Home Remedies for Nausea in Adults

VI – Conclusion

Shea butter is a great skin superfood that has many benefits you may not know. Fortunately, the above information give you an overview of the benefits of shea butter on face, hair, and the body. If you’re looking for an effective ingredient for skin care, let’s give this butter a try. Or, if you know other benefits of shea butter, share your experience with us in the comment box below.

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