Little Bit of This, Some of That! My Shea Butter Mixture

I want to apologize this took forever for me to post.  When I initially wrote that I would post what I mix into my shea butter concoction I failed to realize that I had taken my measurements home to the USA during my visit in February.  So what I will do is tell you the things I included in the mix and what they are claimed to do for your hair.  I want to also say that I am no scientist, doctor or even a cosmetologist.  I just did some research for what I wanted out of a hair cream and got in the kitchen mixing!  I really think want helped my hair (and as we all know all hair is different, what may work for me may not work for the next person) was the fact that I stayed out of it.  I had been looking around on the web and reading about all the harsh things that are in store bought products (not all) that are not moisturizing for our hair.  My hair was feeling dry and I have a two year old with really dry hair so we needed something to restore moisture, make our hair soft and manageable.  This mix is heavy.  Your hair will not bounce or fly with the wind lol.  It was really for the health aspect for our hair.  I will post my routine for the fall and winter on another post.  Stay tuned!

Here are the ingredients I used in the mix:

Aloe Vera Benefits

- dandruff prevention- has natural antibacterial and fungicidal properties.  

- conditioning- The gel also has a similar chemical composition to keratin, the primary protein in hair cells, which allows it to more easily penetrate hair along the entire length of the shaft, according to Gage. Once the gel has penetrated the hair shaft and follicle, its combination of essential amino acids gives it strength and luster.

Glycerin 

-keeps hair hydrated by drawing moisture from the air to the hair shaft. As a conditioner, it's especially beneficial for curly hair, which tends to be drier due to the shape of the hair shaft. It helps curls form better and works against that dreaded curse of the curly girl: frizz.

Castor Oil

Regular castor oil use on your hair’s roots and scalp will help:

1. Increase hair growth
2. Thicken hair that is starting to thin out
3. Reduce and prevent hair damage
4. Eliminate dry hair
5. Make the hair fuller and shinier
6. Deeply condition and moisturize hair and scalp
7. Prevents dry scalp
8. Boost your hair’s overall health

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO) - makes hair manageable, seals in moisture, pre-poo

Shea Butter – heavy butter for sealing in moisture, softens hair

• Shea butter provides moisture to dry and damaged hair from the roots to the tips, leaving it healthy and shiny. Because it's rich in vitamins A and E, shea butter soothes dryness, repairs breakage, and mends split ends.
• Shea butter absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp without clogging pores, leaving a greasy residue, or causing a buildup of oil or dandruff.
• Shea butter helps heal a variety of scalp problems, including dry scalp, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Shea butter protects hair from weather damage caused by wind, humidity, and extreme dryness, and repairs such damage.
• Because it's rich in moisture and can shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation, shea butter protects hair from sun damage.
• If your hair has endured chemical treatments, hot irons, and blow-dryers, shea butter can restore its moisture and vitality.

Jojoba Oil - structurally and chemically very similar to the human sebum( natural oil we produce), non greasy, high content of minerals and Vit E, antibacterial and prevents damage from free radicals.  

Extra virgin olive oil EVOO- Used on hair, olive oil can nourish, condition, and improve the strength and elasticity. Moreover, being olive oil a completely natural product, treating yourself with it will help reducing the stress caused by chemical products and therefore improve the health of your hair overall.

Orange Fragrance Oil

A lot of these products don't smell like the nice smelling stuff you can buy in the stores.  That is why I added the Orange Fragrance.  It gave the mix a spa smell, kinda clean and herbal, like when you close your eyes on the massage table.  Here is what it looked like after mixing it by hand:

It is the consistency of cake icing.  I do apologize for not having the measurements.  A tip to remember though you have to warm the raw shea butter to get it soft enough to stir and mix.  I achieved this by spooning it into a small bowl and putting the bowl in a HOT larger bowl of water until it melted.  The coconut oil was solid as well but after a little stirring it became soft.  There are some hair sites on the web to give you a reference to measurements.  Just look around and see what looks good to you.  If you have a question please ask and I will try to get back to you very soon!  Thanks for stopping by and good luck if you decide to make it yourself!  Happy Growing!!!

Grace and Blessings!