What does shea butter do for your hands?

If you have hands like me, you’ll be reaching out for moisturiser or balm every hour, especially during the dry cold months or if you’re in an airconditioned environment. Even if you don’t work with your hands, you lose moisture every time you wash them or use sanitiser. So by the end of the day, your skin simply cannot keep up. And unlike the rest of our skin, our palms do not have oil-producing glands to replenish that moisture.

Enter shea butter. One of the the most effective moisturising agents for your dry paws and here’s why it works as well as it does

How shea butter helps your hands

Loaded with vitamins A and E, shea butter softens skin almost magically. Whether it is rough patches or tight skin, shea butter is an excellent moisturiser. And despite feeling quite thick, it absorbs very well into your skin without making it feel greasy. Unlike store bought synthetic moisturisers, shea butter products have a tendency to last longer on the skin, keeping it supple and hydrated.

A good place to start with shea butter is at the wash itself. Switching to a shea butter soap bar reduces how much each wash takes away. It won't stop moisture loss entirely, but across 7-10 washes in a day, it adds up.

Use shea butter as an overnight hand treatment

The best thing you can do for really dry or cracked hands is treat them with shea butter overnight. Your skin does its repair work while you sleep, and keeping it properly moisturised through the night gives it the best conditions to do that.

Apply a restorative hand balm generously before bed. Pay extra attention to your knuckles, the skin between your fingers, and any cracked or rough patches and massage it in. Then, put on a pair of cotton gloves to keep the balm against your skin rather than on your sheets.

It's worth making a habit of in winter, when cold air can take your hands from dry to cracked surprisingly quickly.

Who benefits most from shea butter on their hands

If you wash your hands frequently — which is normal if you work in healthcare, food prep, or you're looking after small children — or if your skin is just prone to drying out, shea butter is worth trying.

It's particularly good for cracked or chapped skin in winter, rough knuckles, and dry or ragged cuticles.

Who should be cautious with shea butter

Shea butter comes from the shea tree nut, so if you have a nut allergy, patch test before using it.

It's also quite rich. In warmer climates or months, or if your skin is naturally oily, it may feel heavier than you want.

What to look for in a shea butter hand product

Not all shea butter products contain much actual shea butter. Here's what to look for when selecting a shea butter product. 

• Shea butter should appear near the top of the ingredients list. Ingredients run from most to least, so the higher up on the list, the more shea butter in the product.

• Look for unrefined (raw) shea butter if you can. It holds onto more of the natural oils and vitamins that make it effective.

• A balm that combines shea butter with beeswax and coconut oil covers more ground. All three ingredients moisturise, soften, and help your skin hold onto moisture.

Using shea butter beyond your hands

If shea butter works for your hands, it's worth trying elsewhere too. It's just as effective on dry elbows, rough heels, or anywhere your skin needs the same kind of attention, and there are plenty of ways to [use shea butter from head to toe]