Is Shea Butter Good for Dry Skin?

If the above question is running through your mind right now, then I can probably guess your situation:

One – You’ve been using Vaseline or store-bought lotion on your skin all your life and have just discovered shea butter…

Two – You’re trying to look for a natural alternative to chemical-filled store-bought lotion and one that works just as effectively…

Three – Your skin is super dry like ‘drier than the Sahara Desert’ kind of skin and you’re unsure if shea butter really is good for dry skin that needs a heavy-duty moisturizer…

Did I guess right? 😉 Even if I didn’t, by the end of this short article, you’ll have found the answer to your question!

How Shea Butter Helps Dry Skin

Dry skin usually comes with other unwanted skin problems such as itchiness, redness, skin tightness, pain and inflammation, which can all be managed using one ingredient and that’s pure shea butter! Below is a list showing what makes shea butter good for dry skin:

→ Intense Moisturizer. It’s a known fact that shea butter is a great emollient. With its fatty acid rich content, it deeply moisturizes skin making it soft, smooth and supple. It also takes away that skin tightness and pain you feel when skin is extra dry and dehydrated.

→ Anti-Inflammatory. Shea butter has strong anti-inflammatory compounds such as cinnamic acid esters that heal skin that is dry and inflamed such as that affected by wind burn, sun damage, biting colds and so on.

→ Anti-Itch. Rich in vitamin F, also known as fatty acids, shea butter helps soothe the itch associated with dry skin. These fatty acids such as oleic acid form a protective layer over dry skin, warding off skin irritants like germs and other microbes that can further aggravate dry skin.

→ Skin Healing Properties. Putting shea butter on your skin helps it heal at a rapid rate. So if your skin is dry and damaged or is ever itchy and rashy, then shea butter is your savior. It contains vitamin E that is known as a powerful skin healer (for example it fades scars and prevents premature wrinkles among others).

Secret Tip to Using Shea Butter for Dry Skin

I’ve heard of people who say shea butter makes their skin dry and believe it or not, I’ve been there too! But over time, I found a really good tip to keeping your dry skin moisturized properly with shea butter. It’s very simple, really – most people apply shea butter after washing their faces and drying it thoroughly with a towel but you should actually apply it when your face is still wet before you dry it! This way, the shea butter will seal the moisture into your skin, keeping it moisturized and supple! After application, you can go ahead and pat your face dry.

2 Healing Shea Butter Mix-Ups for Dry Skin

If you have severely dry skin, applying shea butter alone to moisturize your skin may not be enough – you need to mix in other ingredients to make it more effective. Some people add a bit of shea butter to their moisturizers or first apply shea butter then moisturizer on top but I find that mixing natural ingredients that even have more healing powers of their own is a much better solution for dry skin woes. Below are 2 simple mixes you can whip up right now and enjoy hydrated and healthy skin!

Moisturizing Dry Skin Cream. Combine 4 oz of unrefined shea butter and 2 tbsp of avocado oil in a double boiler and gently melt it down. It may take about 3 minutes as you keep stirring to help it melt quicker. Once melted, place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes so it can become solid. Then add 10 drops of lavender essential oil and whip it using a hand mixer for a minute. Transfer to a clean jar.

Ultra Lubricating Salve for Itchy and Irritated Dry Skin. Using the double boiler method, melt 1 oz of beeswax pastilles, 1 cup of olive oil, 4 tbsp coconut oil, 2 tbsp almond oil and ¼ cup of jojoba oil until everything turns liquid. Let it cool for about 2 minutes then pour it into a salve tin or glass jar (not plastic, it’ll melt!).

Final Verdict – Is Shea Butter Good for Dry Skin?

Yes, it is! However, if you have a severe dry skin type, then you have to mix it up with other skin lubricating ingredients like beeswax, olive oil, etc to make it extra moisturizing. Also, the way you apply it for dry skin matters a lot! As explained above, shea butter works best as a sealant, meaning for dry skin types, you’ve got to apply it on wet skin to seal in the moisture.