Shea butter and coconut oil are used by millions around the world for supporting hair growth, keeping it moisturised and maintaining strong and shiny locks. However, which one is better for your hair depends entirely on your hair porosity, thickness and specific needs.
Universally speaking, neither shea butter nor coconut oil is better unless the specific characteristics of your hair is assessed to determine which suits which type of hair. They can compliment each other too. Hence, it's important to understand each of these separately to decide which is better for your hair.
What does Shea Butter do to your hair?
Shea butter is the fat component extracted from the nuts of shea tree. It is rich in fatty acids, Vitamin A and E making it a preferred choice for moisturising damaged and dry hair. It benefits your hair in different ways.
-
Moisturises dry hair: Shea butter deeply moisturises dry hair as it establishes a defensive barrier surrounding the hair fibres, effectively sealing in hydration and shielding against moisture loss.
-
Reduces hair frizz: Shea butter reduces hair frizz by closing the hair cuticle. It smoothens rough strands and gives the hair a manageable appearance.
-
Protects from environmental impacts: It prevents the hair from sun rays, pollutants, wind and dry weather.
-
Helps reduce breakage: Moisturised hair has a high elasticity and is less prone to snapping while combing or styling.
-
Calms the scalp: Shea butter’s anti-inflammatory properties help soothe irritated, itchy or dry scalp.
-
Provides softness and shine: Hair becomes smooth when used moderately, staying away from greasiness at the same time.
-
Shea Butter is most appropriate for:
-
Curly and coily hair types
-
Thick and coarse hair
-
Chemically treated and dyed hair
-
Very dry and damaged hair
What does Coconut Oil do to your hair?
Coconut oil, obtained from coconut flesh, stands out due to its high level of lauric acid, a low molecular weight fatty acid. Thus, coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft better than most oils.
The benefits of coconut oil for your hair are many.
Prevents protein loss: Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft and prevents loss of protein while washing and styling. As hair is made up of keratin, retaining protein helps keep hair healthy.
Strengthens hair: Regular use may strengthen hair against everyday damage.
Prevents splits and breakage: Due to the prevention of protein loss, hair will not split and break easily.
Boosts shine: It smooths the cuticle, which gives hair a shining, healthy look.
Improves scalp health: Coconut oil has anti-microbial properties, thus helping maintain healthy scalp. However, it does not serve as a treatment for scalp problems.
Works well as pre-wash treatment: Applying it before washing helps protect the hair from damages caused by repeated washing.
Coconut oil is best suited for:
-
Straight and wavy hair
-
Moderately damaged hair
-
Hair experiencing protein loss
-
People who want to strengthen hair before washing.
Which option is better?
Select shea butter if your hair is coarse, dry, curly or tangled. It is perfect for retaining moisture and protecting hair from drying. Choose coconut oil if you want to strengthen your hair, which includes minimising protein loss, hair breakage and especially if you wash your hair often.
If your hair is too dry and damaged, combining both can be very useful. A common way is to use coconut oil prior to washing hair for strengthening and then to apply a small amount of shea butter to lock in moisture.
Shea butter is not a replacement for coconut oil and vice versa as each oil serves different purposes for hair health. Shea butter serves as a moisturiser and protector for dry and damaged hair. Coconut oil mainly acts as a strengthening oil that prevents protein loss and contributes to hair health.
Browse Dooa Beauty’s hair care catalogue for selecting quality Shea Butter and Coconut oil products for your hair.