9 Surprising Benefits Of Shea Butter For Skin And Hair During Pregnancy
17 May 2023 | 6 min Read
Sudeshna Chakravarti
Author | 799 Articles
Did you know that shea butter is often renowned as nature’s best moisturiser? In fact, the benefits of shea butter for skin and hair are numerous, and that’s why this ingredient is found in many beauty products such as creams, lotions, moisturisers, shampoos, and conditioners.
Shea butter has rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help treat common pregnancy skin issues and repair hair and skin damage caused due to free radicals. It also serves as an excellent emollient and moisturising agent that helps soothe dry and itchy skin during pregnancy.
Read on as we tell you more about the benefits that this nourishing ingredient has to offer and the right way to incorporate it into your pregnancy beauty routine.
What Is Shea Butter?
Shea butter is a plant oil that comes from the African shea tree nuts and is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids. This ingredient contains essential acids such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and other nutrients like Vitamin A, phytosterols, Vitamins D and E, and allantoin, all good for healing skin irritations and offering intense moisturisation.
9 Benefits Of Shea Butter For Skin And Hair During Pregnancy
Shea butter is renowned as nature’s moisturiser, which helps address several pregnancy-related skin concerns / Image credit: Freepik
It Moisturises Dry Skin
Shea butter is an ideal moisturiser for your face and body. It has a high-fat content that helps seal moisture and keeps your skin nourished and hydrated for long. Moreover, it can penetrate your skin easily, without clogging pores, thus making it perfect for treating dry and itchy skin during pregnancy.
You can use The Moms Co.’s natural body butter, which is infused with shea butter to heal rough patches on your skin. The body butter also contains other nourishing ingredients like cocoa butter, sea buckthorn oil, and rosehip oil that offer hydration, heal dry and damaged skin, and support collagen formation to keep your complexion firm and taut.
It Reduces Skin Inflammation
Shea butter has several derivatives of cinnamic acid that impart anti-inflammatory properties. This makes shea butter beneficial in improving pregnancy-related inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and dermatitis.
You can apply shea butter-infused body butter to the affected areas to get relief from your skin condition. Shea butter also helps treat the swelling caused by rashes, cuts, scrapes, and sunburns.
It Reduces Stretch Marks
Shea butter can effectively reduce and prevent stretch marks formed due to pregnancy weight gain. This is because shea butter is a natural emollient that helps enhance collagen synthesis and facilitates the wound-healing process.
You can apply The Moms Co.’s natural body lotion to your belly, thighs, and breasts to nourish your skin and lighten stretch marks. The lotion is formulated with shea butter, honey, and rosehip oil that improve hydration, enhance collagen synthesis, and reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
It Restores Skin Elasticity
Shea butter helps promote collagen synthesis and keeps your complexion plump and taut / Image credit: Freepik
Shea butter contains several fatty acids, such as vitamin F (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) which is vital for maintaining skin elasticity. This further helps in promoting the skin cell turnover rate and enhances collagen synthesis.
Therefore, regular application of shea butter can help restore the natural elasticity of your skin besides hydrating and softening it.
It Acts As An Anti-ageing Ingredient
Shea butter is considered one of the best anti-ageing ingredients for the skin. It contains vitamins A and E that stimulate collagen production and keeps your skin supple, youthful, and nourished. If used regularly, shea butter can help prevent premature facial lines and wrinkles.
It Provides Relief To Itchy And Peeling Skin
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make your skin dry and flaky. It can also irritate your skin and cause itching. But don’t fret, the moisturising fatty acids of shea butter can provide relief by delivering your skin with the essential oils it needs.
If you experience itchy and dry hands during pregnancy, you should consider using The Moms Co.’s natural shea and cocoa butter hand cream to soften and moisturise your skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of shea butter will instantly nourish and soothe dry skin, and cocoa butter can help rejuvenate and protect your dry hands.
It Is Pivotal For Lip Care During Pregnancy
Shea butter is easily absorbable and provides extra nourishment and moisture that your lips need during dry or cold weather conditions. Thus, shea butter acts as a perfect lip balm that effectively treats dry and chapped lips. Using The Moms Co.’s natural lip balm with shea butter and vanilla can help retain moisture in your skin and keep your lips soft and hydrated.
It Acts As An Effective Hair Conditioner
Shea butter contains vitamins A and E, making it an excellent choice to moisturise your hair from the roots to the tips. It can serve as an effective conditioner that helps to lock in moisture without making your hair too greasy or heavy.
It Repairs Damaged Hair
The use of excessive styling tools can strip off the natural moisture from your hair. However, worry not, as shea butter can help restore this lost moisture and protect your hair against free radical damage. Moreover, after getting absorbed into your hair, shea butter forms a protective layer on the hair shaft, thus protecting it from harsh weather conditions and UV exposure.
Conclusion
Now that you know all the benefits of shea butter, it’s time to pamper your skin and hair with this moisturising ingredient. Use shea butter to address common pregnancy skin concerns like dryness, stretch marks, signs of ageing, and damaged and breakage-prone hair. Also, don’t forget to incorporate this ingredient into your lip care routine too as it can nourish and hydrate your lips effectively.
Recommended Pregnancy Care Products:
Natural Vitamin C Daily Face Toner
Also Read:
Benefits of using face scrub: Here’s exactly why you should be using a face scrub in your pregnancy beauty routine.
Summer skincare rules: Follow these pregnancy-safe skincare rules to ensure a nourished and healthy complexion during the summer months.
Turmeric for skin: Learn how turmeric benefits your skin during pregnancy and the best skincare products to add to your beauty routine.
Cover Image Credit: Freepik.com
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