Shea Butter?

[afrofaithful]

How many of you ladies are using shea butter? Why are you using it?

I've been using shea for awhile now and I've decided I don't like it!! It just sits on my hair and makes it feel...gucky (i made that word up...i think ). Everything I put it in, every product it's in just makes my hair feel filmy and...gucky. What do you ladies see as a benefit in using it? I've heard a lot of people saying the guck is it coating their hair and sealing moisture and all kinds of other things but I'm just not seeing it...

Tell me what you use your shea for, because at this point I'm fed up with it and I think I'll just use it for my skin...

 

[Tiye]

It probably feels "gucky" (i say gunky) coz you're using too much of it. Try using a pea sized amount on damp hair. Or you can cut the pea sized amount with a dab of grapeseed or virgin coconut oil and work that through your hair. If you have excess rub it in your cuticles or on your elbows or something. The other thing is if you layer a bunch of other glyceriny and/or siliconey type products then shea butter will be overkill and it may feel gucky. But you can always use it as a wash out conditioning treatment.

 

[Nonie]

OP, you're not the only one who hates Shea Butter. I don't mind is a "hand cream" and might use it in lieu of Vaseline, but for hair? Nah suh! Would feel good on application and then turn my hair into hard steel wool. Didn't even like it as a face moisturizer. I even tried a softer blend that I bought that had essential oils mixed in. I really wanted it to work, but nope. So I also don't get the hype.

 

[chebaby]

i use and love shea butter. i use regular unrefined shea butter as well as shea butter mixes. i use it as a moisturizer or sealantand it does not sit on top of my hair. my hair is very fine but sheabutter sinks in and i loveit. it leaves my hair super duper soft and its onle of the few things ive continued to use since ive been natural(2 years in april).

 

[GaiasDaughter24]

I use it only on my ends on wet hair. It keeps my ends incredibly moist. I moisturize with Giovanni Direct, seal with castor oil, braid my hair (I keep it stretched 99% of the time) and add unrefined shea butter to the ends. I don't like it otherwise.

 

[Fhrizzball]

It use to work on me but it doesnt now. I use shea moisture to get my shea butter fix now though. The problem for me is I have my hair slightly damp as opposed to near wet when I use products. That and I tend to be heavy handed.

 

[bride91501]

I started using shea butter on the ends of my conrows to seal them back in September. Haven't seen a split end since then.

 

[reeko43]

I am in love with shea butter. It is the one thing I have found that really has been helping with my transition. I made a whipped mix that is very light. I use it on my hair and body. I use straight shea butter, a small dab, mixed with a couple drops of aloe vera gel to moisterize my face. I have a small amount of eczema. I have a dear African friend who told me she uses the butter on her children's eczema and it has been the only thing that works for them. But I can understand how you feel. A lot of products that others rave about just haven't worked for me. Since it is not working for you, don't force it. Shea butter is not a miracle for everyone.

 

[nik83]

I just started using shea butter in my hair after seeing a twist out tutorial. I use it melted with EVCO to seal in whatever moisturizing product I use. My hair is fairly soft naturally, so instead of using a wax like promade to make it stick up, I use shea butter instead.

 

[AimWard]

I LOVE unrefined shea butter. I use it sparingly on 85 to 100% dry hair as a sealant. It leaves my hair soft, pliable and leaves a nice sheen. I only use it twice a week. If I was heavy handed or used it more often, I would be left with greasy, gunky hair. My hair generally loves heavy oils and butters (ie. shea, castor, olive oil). Light oils like coconut oil and glycerin are the devil in my hair.

 

[GoodMernin]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE shea butter.

When I flat iron my hair after an over night deep condition, I only use heat protectant serum to blow dry and a tiny bit of CHI to flat iron.

I use a tiny bit of unrefined raw shea butter after I flat iron and then seal with a light oil and I do this every night and it keeps my hair VERY soft and moisturized and I have no breakage. I love it.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

Love it on my skin, hate it on my hair.

 

[leiah]

I put it on my ends when I put my wet hair in pocahontas braids to air dry. Or after using it on my skin i'll lightly run the small amount that's left on my hands over the length of my hair. I thought it was too heavy for me but I really like using very small amounts of it.

 

[Amoreofcurls]

My hair just doesnt absorb it right...i love it on my skin though...

 

[NaturalBoss]

I only use shea butter to seal my ends, and even then it is mixed with vegetable glycerin, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera gel. I probably could use something else and get the same results though. I definitely don't get the hype.

 

[Curlykale]

I tried it melted, mixed, pure, alone, with chips, on my hair, on my skin, on my earlobe, white, yellow, blue and striped.
unfortunately.
NO.
not only is it useless on my hair, but it is even counterproductive in every possible way you can imagine. LOL (I do like another kind of butter, though, which is the hydrogenated oils such as avocado butter... they have a different consistency, they sort of look and behave like a light grease in case you haven't tried them).

 

[H0tPinkButtafly]

I love my Shea butter too. I melt mine down and mix it with coconut oil

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[Ltown]

Hate it for my hair, but my skin loves it!

 

[blackmaven]

I like my Shea Butter whipped using some Tea tree oil,Vitamin E and essential oils(Lemon or Sweet Orange) to mask Shea butter scent melted down. I use it all over my body. My daughter loves to use it on her twist out.

 

[TraciChanel]

How many of you ladies are using shea butter? Why are you using it?

I've been using shea for awhile now and I've decided I don't like it!! It just sits on my hair and makes it feel...gucky (i made that word up...i think ). Everything I put it in, every product it's in just makes my hair feel filmy and...gucky. What do you ladies see as a benefit in using it? I've heard a lot of people saying the guck is it coating their hair and sealing moisture and all kinds of other things but I'm just not seeing it...

Tell me what you use your shea for, because at this point I'm fed up with it and I think I'll just use it for my skin...

IMO, it's good if you have natural hair and keep it in a PS where your hair is hidden (especially with a sew-in weave). It keeps my hair moisturized underneath the weave and is great as a sealant. I also have used it as a pre-poo when mixed with EVOO (and sometimes raw honey). BTW, the best is raw shea butter (that's the kind I use). It's super hard and only melts from the friction when you rub it in your hands. DISCLAIMER: If I was not wearing my hair in a PS or hiding my hair...I probably wouldn't use it (except for a prepoo). It seems to be too heavy and would cut down on the amount of bounce I get. I LOVE bounce when I'm wearing my hair straightened

 

[cinnespice]

I like my shea butter mango butter mixed and whipped with oils. I use it when my hair is almost dry to seal. I use a little bit and it works great. When my hair dry its no good it will just make it greasy and sit on my hair. On the body I like using it on my feet it makes them stay soft and ash free.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

I used shea butter when I first BC'd because I heard so many naturals rave about it. It left my hair feeling hard and soooo greasy. My hair didn't like shea butter at all, or oils. I started using more water based products and that really helped me retain moisture. Now I add water to all my store bought products, and if I use oil it's always diluted into a water based product, not just by itself.

 

[silenttullip]

I had this phase... At first it was moisturizing but became buildupy and icky... I used it for moisture. Gave it a break NOW I love it... I use it for sealing after an oil BUT now I only use it whipped or melted and only on my ends to hold in moisture. It's not for everyone like coconut oil does nothing for me so it just depends on you

 

[curlyninjagirl]

For me, it's just okay. I use it to tame my edges when I remember I have it. I wet my hair then smooth in unrefined shea butter and set it with a satin scarf for about 20 minutes. The results are passable.

I used it to seal my ends a couple times. UH UHHH. Felt like greasy hay! "Guck"!! erplexed

 

[butterfly_wings]

Try wisking it in a large bowl with a little olive oil and melted coconut oil, it will be lighter and fluffy!

 

[melissa-bee]

I'm using it right now for the first time.
I use it on damp hair and it works well for me.