Rich in moisturizing properties, shea butter is not only an incredible ingredient for your skin,but can do wonders for your hair as well. (Especially if you have thick, curly, coily, or coarse hair.) It’s an incredibly versatile ingredient that moisturizes, hydrates, and adds shine—the three factors that all equal major hair goals. We’ve gathered the experts and got all the insight on what hair type shea butter is best for, all the benefits, and even how you can make your own whipped butter.

Keep scrolling to read how shea butter can help your hair, below.

Benefits of Shea Butter for Hair

If you’ve never used shea butter on your hair before, let’s just say you’re missing out. The nourishing ingredient pulls out all the stops to improve hair and scalp health. That includes both reversing damage done to once-upon-a-time-healthy strands and also helping to prevent said damage from happening in the first place. Here’s how:

• Moisturizes: “My favorite benefits are the sealing properties, added moisture, and softening for hydrated, easy styling,” says salon owner, Robin Groover. Hair expert and trichologist, Shab Reslan, agrees: For reducing friction and locking in moisture in your hair, shea oil is an ideal derivative of the shea tree nut as it provides better coverage on the hair and is more lightweight.” 
• Revitalizes: Dull, dry hair got you down? Reach for some shea butter. “Since shea butter is filled with vitamins A and E and essential fatty acids, it can reduce dryness and prevent split ends while increasing shine and lessening frizz,” comments dermatologist, Stacy Chimento, MD.
• Reduces inflammation and irritation: If you’re dealing with scalp irritation, Groover says the nourishing benefits of shea butter can reduce inflammation and irritation on the scalp—without clogging pores, notes Dr. Chimento. “Its antioxidant properties can protect the scalp from sun damage and fight dandruff,” she adds.
• Protects: We know we need to shield our skin from environmental damage, but the same goes for our hair and scalp. And according to Groover, shea butter can protect hair follicles from environmental toxins and sun damage, and dermatologist, Brendan Camp, MD, adds, “Shea butter also contains antioxidants that help protect hair and skin from inflammation.” (Of course, it’s still important to protect your scalp with SPF—shea butter is not a substitute.)

Hair Type Considerations

Shea butter is ace as a styling and conditioning product for most—but not all—hair types and textures. “Dry, damaged hair will benefit most from shea butter because of its ability to fortify and soften hair. Fine, thin hair may get too weighed down from shea butter, which may make it look and feel greasy,” says Dr. Camp.

In general, those with medium-to-coarse hair that is prone to frizz and dryness would reap the most benefits from using it. “Shea butter is good for natural hair,” says Groover. For styling, she advises, “Consider the hair density, porosity, and texture to determine the amount of butter needed.”

How to Use Shea Butter for Hair

More often than not, when using shea butter on your hair, less is more. Sure, that theory might sound easy enough but when put in practice, challenges may arise. “It’s easy to overuse hair products that contain shea butter, as it does not spread as easily as an oil would,” notes Dr. Chimento. Apart from not overdoing it, she also recommends performing a patch test with shea butter first to see whether it’s right for you. 

• Buy a shea-butter styling product: To protect hair from breakage and trap in moisture, Reslan suggests shopping for a styling product formulated with shea butter (FYI: Her picks can be found further below).
• Combine it with other products: Looking for a customized hair treatment without a lot of effort? Then simply add shea butter to one of your conditioning products. “Shea butter mixed in conditioners and masks smooth the hair, eliminating frizz, tangles, and dullness,” says Groover.
• Use it as a hair mask: For a quick, easy, and mess-free, application method, Reslan tells us, “Shea butter can be used as a weekly hair mask in the shower to be rinsed out.” Dr. Chimento agrees, adding that you should wash it out using a mild shampoo. She advises, “When using shea butter, you should make sure to wash your hair with products that can help deep clean your scalp, rather than sulfate-free co-washes to avoid build-up.” To use, dermatologist, Marisa Garshick, MD, tells us, “Shea butter can be generously applied to clean, damp hair then covered with a shower cap and left on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing.”
• Use as a leave-in treatment: “To use as a leave-in conditioner, you can apply a small amount of shea butter to damp or dry hair, focusing on the ends and areas prone to dryness,” says Dr. Garshick.
• Whip it: In its natural form, shea butter is a bit firm; however, whipping it makes it easier to get out of the container and apply to the hair. You can mix whipped shea butter with a number of carrier ingredients like coconut oil to keep it from re-hardening. Once whipped, you’ll have a fluffy, ultra-moisturizing natural product that will give your hair a healthy sheen. Below, Groover shares her step-by-step guide on DIYing whipped shea butter. It’s a variation of the double-boiler method (perfect for those of us who don’t own double-boilers!).

How to Make Your Own Whipped Shea Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. shea butter
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil

Directions:

1. Scoop out shea butter from its jar or container and place it in a glass or metal bowl.
2. Boil a small amount of water in a pot. Once it’s boiling, remove from heat and place the bowl of shea butter over the pot. You’ll want to remove it from heat quickly, since it will melt almost right away. (If you want, you can opt to microwave the shea butter in a microwave-safe bowl, but you might lose some of the nutrients.)
3. Remove the bowl from the pot and add coconut oil. Mix well. (Note: It’s fine if the shea butter isn’t melted into a complete liquid. The whipping process will break down any chunks of butter).
4. Use a regular hand-held mixer to begin whipping your shea butter/coconut oil combination on medium-to-fast speed for approximately 20 minutes (Take short breaks between mixing if needed).
5. After about 20 minutes of whipping (if you have a large amount of shea butter, it will take longer), your mixture should be light, fluffy and thick, almost meringue-like. Store your shea butter in a cool, dark place in a glass or plastic container. Don’t put it in the fridge as it could become grainy.
6. Enjoy your mixture within six months to a year.