Shea butter on hair: how do I use it?

Shea butter is a naturally occurring fatty substance. It comes from an African tree, the shea tree (Butyrospermum parkii, also known as Vitellaria paradoxa or the "butter tree"), which grows wild in West Africa. It produces clusters of fruit containing one or two nuts. Once crushed and processed, they yield a rich butter that hardens at room temperature.

Shea butter is nicknamed "white gold". It is a very valuable resource for the people of Africa. For centuries, women have used it for its nutritional and cosmetic qualities. It is edible after processing, but that's not all. It contains nourishing and protective properties that are highly beneficial for skin and hair care.

Shea butter can be used directly on your hair. In this case, you only need a small amount. Shea butter hair care products are therefore very economical! Don't hesitate to adapt how much you use to the nature and length of your hair.

There are two types of shea butter: refined shea butter and pure, unrefined shea butter:

Refined shea butter: this is the type found in most traditional cosmetics and is the least expensive. This is because it is extracted using a petrochemical solvent, which is quicker and less expensive, resulting in cheaper products with a longer shelf life. However, refining, which is done at high temperatures and often using low-quality almonds, denatures the butter and causes it to lose a large proportion of its vitamins, fatty acids and natural properties (around 50% to 80%). It is bleached, deodorised and has a lumpy texture (caused by its fatty acids disappearing) which sometimes means it is quite difficult to spread.

Pure or unrefined shea butter: this is the most raw and natural shea butter. It is produced by gentle extraction (whether traditional, artisanal or by mechanical cold pressing) of very fatty nuts of excellent quality (and therefore makes it more expensive). The sun-dried almonds are then ground by hand, the resulting paste is churned with water and then cooked for a long time in a cauldron to separate the butter from impurities. The butter is then filtered and beaten by hand. This method preserves all its properties, particularly its vitamins and fatty acids. Pure shea butter has a true colour (depending on its origin, it can be beige, off-white, pale yellow, etc.). It has a slight nutty aroma, sometimes similar to that produced by roasting coffee. It has a melting texture and penetrates the skin easily.

Before choosing a shea butter, opt for pure or unrefined shea butter, which also has a social and environmental role to play. Shea butter production is the main activity for many people in African countries, but the refining technique, which creates more pollution and is cheaper, effectively takes this business away from them. Choose organic and/or traditionally-produced products.

You're in luck: shea butter is suitable for all hair types. So you can use it in your cosmetic recipes with complete confidence. We've listed the hair types that will benefit most from this wonderful plant butter.

It's our favourite combination! Afro hair is naturally drier than Caucasian hair. Sebum has trouble flowing from the roots to the ends. That's why your hair is more susceptible to drying out. Applying a shea butter hair treatment will help your hair regain its suppleness and softness.

To find out more, see: textured hair: how can I maximise volume?

Do you have curly hair? If so, you may often feel that your hair is dry, fuzzy and unruly. Shea butter is perfect for making your curls lush and shiny again. For example, you can add it to a shea butter shampoo and conditioner and incorporate it into your hair routine. This will nourish your hair right from the cleansing phase.

To find out more, see: How can I get beautiful curls?

Don't worry: you can use shea butter on fine hair. It's an excellent ingredient if your hair is prone to dehydration or dryness. We simply advise you to avoid leave-in shea butter treatments, which may weigh down your hair. Apply it sparingly as a mask before shampooing.

To find out more, see: How to thicken your hair

Want to create a personalised treatment for your hair? Our shea butters can be used neat, but also in combination with other active ingredients. You can mix them with one or more targeted cosmetic ingredients to create a unique treatment. If you browse through our nature booklet, you'll see that we have three different shea butters available. That's simply because they don't have exactly the same composition or the same use. Here's our advice on how to identify the plant-based butter best suited to your needs.