When in doubt about the emerging popularity of these DIY ingredients and their benefits for your natural hair, go back to the basics. Shea butter, cocoa butter, and olive oil have all been common staples in hair care for coarse, curly-kinky hair types.
- Shea butter is an emollient found in nature; it deeply moisturizes dry hair and scalp by providing an occlusion to the skin (a layer of oil to slow water loss and increase moisture content”>.
- Cocoa butter does the same thing as shea butter with an aromatic, nutty cocoa bean scent that people love. It is used to soothe rough, flaky scalps.
- Olive oil will penetrate the scalp for intense hydration and seal in any moisture for long lasting shine and bouncy, healthy curl definition. It also naturally protects your curls from potential damage of the elements (sun, wind, chlorine, etc.”>.
Together, these three ingredients will provide your edges with an all-natural edge tamer that promotes growth when warmed up, and a curl definer for your strands that will encourage beautiful clumping and springiness on an old wash-and-go. You can find these ingredients on Amazon in bulk or at your local natural grocery store.
What you need
- 3 tablespoons of Shea butter
- 1 stick (or 10 ounces”> of Cocoa butter
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1/8 cup of Saffron oil (optional”>
Directions
1. Melt Shea and Cocoa butters together over the stove on medium heat.
2. Slowly add the olive oil a plastic tub container.
3. Stir in the Olive and Saffron oils until the container is full. Cover the container with a lid and place in the refrigerator to cool.
4. Once it is cool, take the mix out of the fridge and scoop out a handful. It should be solid when you scoop it out, and easily melt in your hands.
For best results, use this hair balm after applying a leave-in conditioner on freshly washed hair. This will seal in moisture, enhance your curls, and prolong your hairstyle for days. After a few weeks of regular use, you will also notice softer hair in general.
