1. SHEA BUTTER
shea butter is a buttery plant oil extracted from the shea nut tree.
There are two types of shea butter
A.west african shea butter
B. nilotica shea butter (east african)
The diffrence between the two ?
East African shea butter is higher in oleic acid making it softer smoother and creamier than its west african counter part . More olwic acid is also equals to better skin rejuvenating qualities. Its also richer in vitamin A and E
How to use Shea Butter ?
Shea butter is great for both skin and hair .
Below ill outline the benefits of shea butter for skin and hair respectively . Then ill take you through some ways you can use it .
For skin .
Dry skin ,acne , blemishes,wrinkles ,sunburn,psoriasis ,eczema,stretch marks ?? If you have any of these conditions shea butter is the way to go . The oleic acidand vitamin A in shea butter helps repair the skin from the inside . It is easily absorbed into skin and does not clog pores .
Its also great to treat allergies ,insect bites and wounds
How does it do all this ? Shea butter aids the skin cells to produce more collagen . More collagen is equals smoother softer and wrinkle free skin .
Shea butter is also a great sunscreen . It has a spf of 6 .
Do you suffer from pains and aches . Massages with shea butter help relax the muscles and aid in healing the symptoms of arthritis.
For hair
Shea butter for hair can be used for in many ways
1. Its a great sealant for moisture . Use it after using your leave in conditioner to seal in that moisture for longer
2. Remember all those dry skin eczema and psoriasis issues we talked about under skin . Well your hair grows from skin (scalp) and also the scalp can be affected by those skin conditions . If you have ever had eczema then you know how bad it can itch . You scratch till you bleed ( from experience ) Now if its on your scalp and ypu scratch that bad you end up having several bald spots that never grow hair since the skin around is damaged by all the scratching and lesions . Enter Shea butter and bye bye skin condition ....and suddenly the bald spots start growing hair back .
3. Shea butter works on your hair follicles making sure they are healthy and well nourished . This results in better hair growth
4.Softer hair . Shea butter is a natural hair softener . When implemented as part of your LOC/LCO/LOCO method as as part of your deep conditioning it helps keep your hair softer .
Best way to use shea butter
The easiest way to use shea butter is to whip it up into a soft fluffy butterry yummy cakelike butter . ( till it looks soo good you can eat it ) .
To do this put some in a bowl . Add any other oils of your liking . Use the double boiler method over low heat to melt them all up . Cover the bowl with saran wrap (cling film) and place in the freezer for about 30 min ...till it starts to partly solidify . Take it out and use a hand mixer or electric mixer to whipp it up for 15 min till fluffy . Store in containers and happy using .
Remember to add some to your deep conditioner😄
Shea Butter Hair and Skin Review
Motivation: Growing Long Hair After Chopping
This is to encourage anyone struggling with bad hair and is scared of doing a big chop.
Sometimes use of chemicals and excessive heat can damage your hair. That's what happened to me. Av always had full and thick hair, but years of using relaxers, weaving and braiding made my hair thin, brownish and too weak with different lengths on each side of the head.
I was not happy with my hair at all. When i started doing some research on hair, the only best solution I saw was starting all over again. I was scared. I was not five anymore. I believed that only kids can get long hair and that hair only grows faster when you are a kid.
This is not true. Hair grows. African hair grows. Its not about your age. Its about the work you put it. Give your hair some TLC. Get the best products that suit you. Invest in your hair. Invest your time. Invest your knowledge. Invest your money. Yes ladies and gentlemen. Good hair does not come by luck. It takes work.
You might be wondering what products av used or what my haircare routine is. Before I get to that. Let me tell you the truth. There's no secret. I do things you've probably heard of and use products you've probably heard of before. Nothing new.
It all boils down to nourishing your hair and finding out what really works for you. My routine keeps changing. I experiment. Try this and that. Essentially, I make a blend at home for use. I have used this DIY blend since I started my natural hair journey and I just love it. Am not changing it any time soon.
Shea Butter + Castor oil + Argan Oil + Jojoba oil + Virgin Coconut oil.
Make sure all these products are pure without additives, fragrances, colorants and fillers. Get raw shea butter. It has a nutty smell and dirty white or creamish yellowish color. The most important part is the oils. Read the list of ingredients. If it's not 100% pure Argan oil, Jojoba oil and Castor oil, don't go mixing it in your DIYs. Be informed. Educate yourself. Its your hair. Your head.
For all time moisturizing I mix
Aloe Vera gel + Peppermint essential oil + Rosemary essential oil + Lavender essential oil + Distilled water.
Pure aloe Vera gel is not green in color. It has no smell. Don't use aloe vera with synthetic additives and fragrances. But make sure it has a safe preservative. Aloe Vera must have a presevative to stay fresh for long.
I officially cut my hair in January 2016. Then i cut it again on March 2016 to level it well. I really love the progress as of July 2016.
I do protective styles. Mostly very large lines to minimize manipulation which I keep for a week. Don't disturb your hair with frequent combing and styling. Let it be.
I wash my hair at home. I do ayurvedic treatments (henna and amla) every month and deep condition every other week using ingredients in my kitchen like egg, avocado and extra virgin olive oil.
I use a sulphate free shampoo and conditioner. It doesn't matter what brand you use. It does not matter if it costs 300/= or 3000/=. If it works for you and it's sulphate free and parabens free, keep it.
For now am using Creme of Nature argan oil sulphate free shampoo and the controversial Tresemme Naturals conditioner.
Whenever I undo my hair, I pre-shampoo with hot oil then leave it overnight and wash the following day. I mix Virgin coconut oil + extra virgin olive oil + Raw Shea butter.
Warm the oil a little, apply on scalp and hair and massage my scalp for 3-5 minutes then do some large matutas like the ones you see in these pictures.
I don't have the so called satin scarf. I just use a shiffon scarf at night. I never skip a scarf when going to bed and I use any scarf I find even if its made of lace.
This hairstyle was a simple wash and go. I applied a little oil and used those rounded thin black hairbands to pull my hair up.
Start today darling. Your hair will grow.
Good luck to all the big choppers out there!
How to Make Home Made Body Butter
My home made body butter.
Cocoa butter -1/2 cup
Coconut oil -1/2 cup
Olive oil -1/4 cup
Sesame oil -2tbls
Shea butter -1/2 cup
Lavender oil -1 bottle cap
Sweet almond oil- 1 bottle cap
Argan oil -1 bottle cap
Glycerin - 1/4 of the bottle