The Good and Bad of the SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque
I’ve tried the SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque two different ways. One really impressed me while the other didn’t provide the results I was hoping for.
Both moisturized my dry, flaky scalp, though, so if you’ve never had any luck getting rid of dry scalp, this may be just what you need. There’s argan oil, shea butter, and sea kelp, and the ingredients are natural/organic. I paid about $11 at Target for the 12 oz tub (the only size I saw).
The first way: I apply tons of it (nearly ¼ of the jar at once) to dry hair (my hair is past my shoulders and there’s a lot of it, so you may need more or less than me). I then put it up in a shower cap and leave it for an hour or two. My favorite way to pass this time is with a nap. I like to think the extra heat from being snuggled up under the covers makes the oils penetrate better. That’s what I tell myself, anyway.
When I get up, I rinse the product out, shampoo, and condition the ends again with a lighter conditioner. This method leaves my hair soft, silky, and very manageable, but it doesn’t weigh it down somehow. I find that a little odd since I don’t skimp on applying it to my scalp and the roots. You do have to be careful using this method if you have fine hair because the tugging of the cream against the dry hair shaft, in my experience can cause some breakage.
The second way: I wet and wash my hair in the shower, then apply the treatment. I finish up with showering, shaving, etc, which takes about five minutes or so, then I rinse it all out (no extra shampoo or conditioner).
In this case, the results are disappointing. Even without heat styling my hair, it looks dry and frizzy. It may help to leave this on for about an hour after washing my hair (pretty much doing the same thing as the first way, but starting with wet hair), but that’s never going to happen because I hate getting in the shower to wash my hair only to have to get back in an hour later.
One more thing worth mentioning is the smell. I don’t like it at all, and it’s strong. It lingers just a bit after your hair is dry, but it’s only overpowering when the product is in your hair, before rinsing. It’s a mix of a fresh, clean scent and an earthy, herbal one.
I like this for the most part and recommend giving it a try, especially if you have trouble with dry scalp or like to use hair masks for an hour at a time, whether starting with wet or dry hair. I’ll probably look for something that works a little better in the shower next time instead of purchasing it again.
Photo credit: Target
