Shea Butter and hair?

[SheilaW]

In the past just about every time I read anything about using shea in your hair as a moisturizer it has been unanimous in saying that NO shea is NOT good for your hair. Well, now VS has a line of hair products touting the benefits of how good a conditioner shea is. My daughter-in-law is a VS and B&BW junkie and it's only been recent that she has become interested in wanting any of my " homemade " stuff since she has noticed that the oils and butters I have been using for several years are now becoming popular in brand name products. ( shea being a good example ). So what do any of you know about using shea in hair products??

[CareBear]

First, is it shea butter or shea oil. Might make a difference. I know that when I work with coconut or other oils like tthat my hair is happy (yes, I get it on my hands, I touch my hair - tiny amounts transfer. When I work with shea my hair is NOT happy - it is sticky!

I guess you could use it in small amounts.

An ingredient list might be interesting...

[Meridith]

I put a small amount of shea butter in my shampoo bars. So far all my testing has been very successful. I also put coconut oil, castor, sunflower and palm. I am trying to work palm out of my soap recipes but still do put it in my shampoo bars. I've been using my shampoo bars now for a few months and my hair feels great. Also, my testers report that their hair feels wonderful too and some have eliminated conditioner all together. I never really used it in the first place. MsDammit is testing one of them for me too. Maybe she'll chime and tell you what she thinks of them. I think, at least, shea is great in shampoo bars.

[CareBear]

Mer, about how much shea do you put in? Just a touch or is it a significant % of your oils?

Also, while you are on the topic, do you use lye or KOH to make your shampoo bars? Wondering what the difference is.

[Meridith]

I use sodium hydroxide which is the lye you use to make solid soap. The potasium hydroxide is the one used to make liquid soaps. My shampoo bars are solid bars just like regular soap. To make sure I keep them separate from my regular bath bars, I make my shampoo bars in round molds. I use 5% shea compared to the CO and Castor which I use at 20%.

[CareBear]

Thanks for the info. As a Lush addict, I've of course been exposed to some solid shampoos....

[Carrie]

I've seen both good and bad posts about shea butter in the hair. I think most of the posts were about afro type hair. Some love what it does for the hair but I've seen complaints about the build up that is hard to get out.

There was a major discussion about it at the Dish about a year ago. When it comes up you might want to check it out.

[Guest Milkmaid]

I don't know anything about making hair products with shea but I can tell you a little story.

On mothers day I went shopping and left the kids with Dad.

When I got home the smell of mango hit me as soon as I walked thru the door. I found my dh in the living room watching tv and my 3 yo in the family room with a jar of whipped shea.

She had taken almost half the 4 oz. jar and rubbed it into her hair. I was horrified! It looked like it was dripping wet from her scalp all the way to the ends of her hair.

Of course we were having pictures taken the next morning and I didnt know how I was going to get her degreased in time.(When she was born she had cradle cap and I used baby oil and a comb to get rid of it and it took about 15 washes to get the grease out) .

I rousted my hubby's butt out of the chair and sent both of them to the tub to get started on the clean up.

They were back about 30 min later and her hair was clean and beautiful ! I asked him what he did and he said he washed it and dried it.

It didnt do anything but make her hair soft and silky.

Maybe you could make a deep conditioning bar or make Kimberlys whipped shea and package it as deep conditioning hair treatment;) .

[CareBear]

Great that some good came of a stressful situation. I can just see it in my mind's eye!

[Guest Milkmaid]

Not to highjack Sheila thread, but why does it always happen at the worst times?

When my oldest was scheduled for her 12 mo well baby check up, I was walking across the room to pick her up to go get in the car and she came running to me and bonked head first into a door frame!

It put a HUGE knot right between her eyes. The only thing I could think was " Oh lord ! The doc is going to turn me in for child abuse !"

I was a very paronoid parent with my first one. I calmed down alot after the next two.

[Carrie]

Not to highjack Sheila thread, but why does it always happen at the worst times?

When my oldest was scheduled for her 12 mo well baby check up, I was walking across the room to pick her up to go get in the car and she came running to me and bonked head first into a door frame!

It put a HUGE knot right between her eyes. The only thing I could think was " Oh lord ! The doc is going to turn me in for child abuse !"

I was a very paronoid parent with my first one. I calmed down alot after the next two.

LOL...the day of my DS 18 month check up he decided to try to climb out of his crib for the first time. He fell, hit his forhead on the small table next to the crib, then flipped and hit his back on the corner. The Dr just laughed and said "He won't try that again for a while". He never tried again. He stayed put until until I converted the crib to toddler bed when he was three.

[carol k]

i have used shea for just alittle while on my long hair, mostly on the ends for split ends and it really has helped. i rub it in 2-3hrs before i shampoo my hair, i just shampoo normally.

[CareBear]

i have used shea for just alittle while on my long hair, mostly on the ends for split ends and it really has helped. i rub it in 2-3hrs before i shampoo my hair, i just shampoo normally.

As a pre-treat. That sounds interesting. I have color treated hair and it's always a bit straw-like. I'll give it a try like that.

[cmille3]

I use a combo of shea butter and cocoa butter as a deep conditioning treatment. I love it. I can't use it as a leave-in because my hair is fine.

[daniedb]

So, for a deep treatment, you do it before shampoo? How long does one generally leave it in? I also have very fine, thin hair, but it dries out terribly, esp. when I'm in the pool all summer.

[MsDammit]

I put a small amount of shea butter in my shampoo bars. So far all my testing has been very successful. I also put coconut oil, castor, sunflower and palm. I am trying to work palm out of my soap recipes but still do put it in my shampoo bars. I've been using my shampoo bars now for a few months and my hair feels great. Also, my testers report that their hair feels wonderful too and some have eliminated conditioner all together. I never really used it in the first place. MsDammit is testing one of them for me too. Maybe she'll chime and tell you what she thinks of them. I think, at least, shea is great in shampoo bars.

Yup, yup- I really like Meridith's shampoo bars-makes my hair really soft, although I still have to use my regular shampoo and conditioner, otherwise I am a mega-static head:rolleyes2 .

[thecandlespastore]

You can melt it down and use it as a hot oil pre-poo treatment. Then shampoo it out. Or you can just a little bit on wet hair after a wash. I use both shea butter and coconut oil on my hair, and my daughter's hair. She has such gorgeous curls, and the shea/coconut combo makes them so shiny, they just pop! Not a very clear pic but see the shine?

[swamp_deb]

I have several caucasian women using shea butter in their hair. It is used as a pre-treat 30 minutes to a couple of hours before shampooing. It is great for moisturizing and conditioning. Just remember, a little is all you need.