A New Plan to Help Hydrate Your Strands: Abandoning Shea Butter

I’ve been thinking a lot lately….about hair butter. I’ve tried countless recipes all involving shea as my base, and I’ve been sorely disappointed with the results every time. That’s the problem I’m having. The solution? Here goes:
I’ve been thinking of tossing out my shea butter and getting a butter made from an oil I know my hair loves instead!


To get started, I’ve taken the liberty of researching some of a few butters that I know work well for hair in oil form. There are a couple butters on the list too, cupuacu and murumuru, that I chose simply because they get rave reviews in all the hair care forums I frequent. Read the list below and see which one you think might work best for you, then start hunting it down. Call your local natural food stores first. If you can’t find it there, then look to ordering it online. If you don’t see the butter you want here on my list, just look it up. I bet you can find it.

Argan Butter

As I mentioned earlier, my hair LOVES argan oil. I use
it to soften up my ends and detangle my hair. Argan butter is definitely gonna
be my first choice as a new base for a hair butter. It:

• Argan butter Rebuilds hair’s hydrolipidic natural film often damaged
  by coloring, heat-styling, and UV.
• Restores moisture and strength to dry, brittle hair.
• Adds shine & softness, while frizz is also tamed.
• Helps prevent the formation of split ends, stimulates
  hair growth, and also helps heal scalp conditions; such as seborrhea, dandruff,
  psoriasis, dermatitis, itchy scalp, and oily scalp.
• Can also be used to protect hair from the damaging
  effects of styling tools and chemical treatments.
• Makes it easy to detangle and comb unmanageable hair.

AvocadoButter

As a super-food, avocado has long been known to aid in
improving one’s self from the inside out. There are so many hair, skin, and
body benefits to list that I bet I’d need couple pages to mention all of
them…..so I won’t. I’ll focus on the top ones for using avocado in terms of
hair care:

• Avocado butter Rejuvenates and moisturizes the scalp.
• Exceptional treatment for revitalizing dry, damaged,
  lifeless hair.
• Deeply conditions your hair and scalp, leaving them
  looking lustrous and full of life.
• A rich source of proteins, amino acids and vitamins.
• Helps with promoting the growth of healthier tresses. 

JojobaButter

Jojoba oil is awesome for hot oil treatments, which
made me want to research the butter a bit, and I found a smorgasbord of
different perks to using it, in butter or oil form. Check it out:

• It is readily accepted by the scalp and does not mess
  with the scalp’s natural balance. This is because of its similar molecular
  structure to sebum (the scalp’s natural oil).
• It is reputed to have antibacterial properties. It
  soothes the scalp and can be used to treat dry scalp problems and dandruff.
• It is composed of 98% monounsaturated fats and 2%
  saturated fats so it can penetrate the hair follicle and strengthen hair fibers
  from the inside.
• Jojoba also hydrates hair from the inside of the hair
  shaft. So it works well as an agent for reducing hygral fatigue (the swelling
  and shrinking of hair as it gets wet and dries that can weaken the hair fiber
  over time).
• As a conditioner jojoba helps to add shine, elasticity
  and softness to hair.
• Jojoba can be used to add volume to thinning hair. It
  adds volume and body to hair strands thereby giving an appearance of thickness.
• You can mix jojoba with essential oils and massage the
  mixture into the scalp to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and encourage hair
  growth. I do this almost daily; jojoba is light and non-greasy.
• Jojoba is an emollient – it fills in cracks that are on
  the surface of the hair cuticle, i.e. it helps to repair hair damaged by heat
  and styling.

OliveButter

It wasn’t until recently, when I started doing oil
rinses with olive oil, that I learned what amazing things olive oil can do. I
think this might be my third choice as a new butter base. Here’s why:

• Olive butter prevents DTH Hormones Production. (A hormone called DTH
  is the culprit in many cases of hair loss, as it causes the hair follicle shaft
  to narrow. Olive oil actually stops this from happening, which means you can
  hold onto your hair for longer.)
• Promotes Scalp Health. (Olive oil is loaded with
  antioxidants, which can keep the skin of your scalp in better shape. It can
  even reduce the damage done by hair care products or overuse of styling
  products.)
• Naturally Conditions the Hair. (Olive oil can make your
  hair shiny and soft. That’s why it has been used for centuries as a natural
  hair conditioner.
• Fight off Fungi and Bacteria. Dandruff, head lice and
  other adverse conditions can contribute to hair loss. Fortunately, olive oil
  fights off all of these things, helping keep your hair healthier.
• Improves Blood Circulation. (Olive oil massages can
  improve the blood circulation in your scalp. This increased blood flow can
  stimulate the follicles, which then produce thicker strands.)

Cupuacu Butter

I haven’t tried this butter yet, but I am definitely
curious. It’s supposed to be able to hold quite a bit of water, keeping your
hair moist and hydrated. I’d love to try it out because i can’t use glycerin
where I live. There’s no moisture in the air in West Texas, so water-greedy
glycerin dries my hair out super fast. If cupuacu can hold moisture on its own
without zapping moisture from my hair, we’ll be best friends. here are all of
its benefits:

• Cupuacu butter promotes smoothness and softness to the hair and skin
  increasing the natural moisture and elasticity.
• Proven to be beneficial for brittle, dry hair due to
  its long lasting hydration properties to replenish moisture while promoting a
  healthy shine
• Hydrophpllic (water-loving) with a high-capacity to
  retain water and prevent moisture loss.

 Murumuru Butter

I love the fact that this oil is intended for use on
wet hair. I’m very interested in what it could do if used as a base. Here’s
what I found about its benefits:

• Murumuru butter is known to be a super emollient.
• Promotes moisture retention, restores sheen and
  softness while improving the flexibility of your hair.
• Wonderful for conditioning dry, brittle, damaged hair.
• Creates a permeable barrier that is said to prevent
  moisture loss when applied to wet hair while keeping hair soft and pliable and
  skin super soft.

Which hair butter do you and suggest? Leave comments
below.

[by Shanti Terry of Let Me Let You Know via Global Couture]