Shea Growth And Retention Regimen 2019

[Chicoro]

Here's to all my Shea Sisters: Stay Slathered!

Night night!

 

[Prisangela]

My second batch of coffee oil is going on week 3 of marinating. I still have 1/2 of the first batch I of Shea Coffee Butter that I made. I love to use it after my shower at night. Although I can't smell the coffee, I can smell the lemongrass essential oil I put in it. It is so thick and feels decadent dipping into the jar and slathering it on my skin.

making some now, mines been infusing for a month or so now...

 

[Silverstreaks]

Parting and Sectioning the Hair in Preparation for it to be Shea'd Down or Shea's Up:

This is something that doesn't get much discussion, but it is very important. How and where you part your hair can not only impact your hair style, but the tension/breakage/ and or length gains of your hair.

Remember: Maintaining healthy afro-textured hair requires analysis and it's a thinking game!

This is one of Mrs. Mississippi’s many great videos on hair care for children and adults.

 

[Chicoro]

making some now, mines been infusing for a month or so now...

Let us know how it turns out for you, please.

 

[Lita]

Spritz my hair with warm water & applied Shea Amla on my hair/Brinjgraj oil on my scalp..

Happy Hair Growing!

 

[Bun Mistress]

In another thread I have been trying to recreate my favorite shea butter product and tonight I think i finally got there. Although I needed some help.

This is week 2 or 3 of Shea and I forgot all of the benefits I had from using shea butter on my hair.

 

[caribeandiva]

I met up with a coworker at McDonald’s today. She’s Jamaïcain and natural. She asked about my hair and I introduced her to Queen Shea as well as basic hair care.

All Sheila needs to know is that you a Shea Gangsta and you riding that Shea train fo' Life!
(Or, just until Shea butter no longer works for your hair.)

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Shea butter has kept my press intact and my hair feeling soft but it was definitely time to begin 'wash day'.

Tonight I mixed up my prepoo, with the recipe @ElevatedEnergy so kindly shared upthread, and my hair is in for a pampering. I used my Shea butter mix (this has a delightful lasting mousse texture since I rewhipped it with boabab oil), and Faith in Nature Hempseed & Meadowfoam for my thin, slippy conditioner.

I parted my hair in 6 sections snd worked the creamy mix in, beginning at my ends and working my way up. I let each section fall backwards and loosely twisted. As I moved on to another section, my previous twist would get fat and juicy from reversion and the prepoo. I wrapped my hair in cling film, and now it's bed time. TBC.

Yay! I hoped it worked for you!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Wash day was yesterday, sealed with MyBelovedCrown’s Shea Hair Butter. Still enjoying her product (it just hardened a little).

@ElevatedEnergy Does your 2 ingredient recipe stay nice and fluffy like in the pictures you posted? It seems so nice AND cost effective.

It will firm up just a tiny bit once it settles but as soon as dip my finger in it, it's still rich & creamy. I've played around with tons of recipes/ratios/processes....but that one is my favorite and the one I've stuck to for the past year.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

How Sheila be looking at your hair, with her weave , when you walk away with your gorgeous , fluffy, twist out done on your REAL hair. Don't be stingy, though. Drop some knowledge and some Shea on Sheila. There's plenty of both to go around.

You know what.....Good Night!!!

 

[water_n_oil]

Crushing on my own hair. This is from Jan 2014. I always used shea or Oyin's Burnt Sugar Pomade to flat iron. Pretty sure I used shea in this instance.

 

[Chicoro]

Crushing on my own hair. This is from Jan 2014. I always used shea or Oyin's Burnt Sugar Pomade to flat iron. Pretty sure I used shea in this instance.

LOOK at the thickness of those ponytails!!!

 

[Chicoro]

Shea + Citronella Essential Oil = Natural Bug Repellent!!!!!!!!!!

Stop Blood sucking Mosquitos in their tracks!

​

I made a batch of Shea butter around October 2018. I always like to use lemongrass. Well, I bought citronella by mistake because I got the two essential oils mixed up. My friend stopped by in October and I made her a batch of Shea butter using the citronella. It was all I had and realized upon making her batch that I had mistaken citronella for lemongrass.

Fast forward to today. This same friend told me that she took her cream with her to Mali during her travels. She said the mosquitos are a mess there, BUT with the cream I made, she said the mosquitos pretty much left her alone.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,
Now I have 'discovered' a recipe, that has been tested in a small village in Mali against vicious, aggressive mosquitos! Shea butter can be used as a mosquito repellent. All you have to do is add essential oil of citronella. It's a 100% Natural Bug Repellent! The brand of the oil doesn't matter. I think I may of only put in like 3o to 50 drops in the entire batch. It fit into a 1KG size container.



And I THOUGHT that I had made an error. Hah! It turned out to be so serendipitous and just perfect and helpful for her. That was NO ERROR!

Adding this to page 1 of this thread under recipes !!!

 

[Chicoro]

Cocoa Butter Adds Firmness to Whipped and Creamy Shea Butter Mixes

I bought some edible cocoa butter with the intention of making raw, vegan chocolate. My friend said that she had scars so I decided to add it to my Shea Butter Coffee Mix, for scars. Cocoa butter is one of my favorite butters for scars, especially when I was a growing up. It leaves skin gorgeous.

What I did was melt the cocoa butter down and added it to my softened Shea butter. Then I drenched the softened Shea butter with 1/2 or about 2 cups of my 2 week old soaked coffee bean oil in sunflower oil.

My friend said, "Please give me a Shea butter mix that is for scars, with the coffee oil, but soft and fluffy in texture. I added lots of oils and coconut oil. The result is a fluffy (from the coconut oil), but firm cream (from the cocoa butter). It came out like WHIPPED CREAM!!!!! I drenched it with lemongrass essential oil. It smells gorgeous!

 

[Chicoro]

Shea Coffee Butter: I can smell the coffee in it! ​

I was digging in my Shea Coffee that I made for my body, that I made for myself. I noticed this morning that it SMELLS LIKE COFFEE now! Yummy!!!!!

​

It smells so delicious. I like the fact that I have to bring my Shea Coffee mix to my nose to get a whiff of the coffee. But that seems to make the experience that more personal and sensual (as in using the senses, not sexually) for me.

*It takes about 2 to 3 weeks for the coffee oil to soak into the Shea butter and break through enough for you to be able to smell it. You will need:

• 2 weeks minimum to infuse the coffee beans with the ceramide (sunflower) oil
• 2 to 3 weeks for the coffee oil smell to break through and infuse into the Shea butter mix so that you can smell it.

*** I think @ElevatedEnergy taught us that we needed about 10 days for our mixes to 'cure', when waiting for the smell to break through. I figured the smell was lost forever. But this real seems to apply to not on synthetic fragrances and natural essential oils, but to naturally infused products such as coffee beans.

 

[Chicoro]

Whipped Cream Shea Butter Coffee and Cocoa Butter Mix w/Vitamin E Oil
(Demonstrated by my Malian Friend)
​

I asked my friend to model the cream for me. She is so cute, she was 'demonstrating' the product. I was like girl, "Stop moving. This is a photo!" This is the first time my batch came out this texture.

Whipped Cream Textured Shea Mix Recipe:

• Cocoa butter 8 ounces liquid (1 cup) melted in double boiler
• Shea butter 12 ounces (1.5 cups) softened
• 12 vitamin liquid capsules emptied
• Coffee infused sunflower oil (2 cups)
• Olive oil
• Castor oil
• Coconut oil
• Lemon grass essential oil
• Mix with electric wire mixer for 3 to 5 minutes

*** I made this batch from ANOTHER jar of Shea butter I had. That jar was also gifted to me by ANOTHER gorgeous but different , Malian woman. Thus, although I didn't make my friend's Shea butter mix from the Shea butter she brought me, what I did use smelled and looked like the two containers she brought me. She was happy!

 

[Chicoro]

The first picture is of two containers she brought me. Each one contains 1 kilogram of Shea butter.


The second picture is the front label. It is written in French and English.


The third picture is the side label. This particular batch of Shea butter was
made on December 26th, 2018.


The fourth picture shows the texture of the Shea butter. It is packed tightly with all water removed and it is hard. It has a nutty, earthy smell.


The fifth picture is my little finger digging into the butter trying to show you the texture of it.
It's hard, but if I dig in it with a spoon, it comes out. I use it in this state when I am making a batch of a Shea butter mix. No melting, no softening in the microwave.

 

[Chicoro]

She Didn't Forget to Bring Me My Shea Nuts!!!!!

These are all the Shea nuts from the bag. The shiny brown ones with a smooth
texture are the whole nuts. The roughened, striated, mat textured ones are
the kernels inside the nut.



This is a kernel. This is what is used to make Shea butter.
This is cracked, then boiled. From here, the butter is
extracted in the process.



Three more of the kernels. Some are more textured than others.


Here you can see the size of the kernel in relation to my
hands and fingers.


This is not the 'fruit', as I thought because the time for the fruit is
in April. This is the whole nut. The Shea butter kernel is inside.


When I shook the Shea nut, I could hear the kernel moving
around, like a secret prize inside of a plastic Easter egg! I was
so surprised that it moves and makes a sound!


Here you can see that the Shea nut is not completely round.


Here is a view of the Shea nut lying happily in my hand.
It looks like we have been best friends for years. Both
of us are just so comfortable. This outer shell is so pretty
and shiny!

 

[Chicoro]

At the airport in Mali, you are limited to taking back 3 kilos. If you have a business license that you can show the airport officials, only then will they let you bring out, and bring back more of the Shea butter.

In Mali, no business license: No Shea butter amount over 3 kilos for you!
(I didn't know he said the N word in this meme, until now, so I removed it!
Excuse me, ladies! )


The airport security staff in Mali will drag you if you even try to bring out too much Shea.

But once you get that Commercial Seller's License information...things will
be looking up!

The Airport world will be dancing along with you...or so it seems

But don't get too greedy, though...

And when you get home, the after an especially thick slathering of butter, oh the JOY:

 

[jerseygurl]

She Didn't Forget to Bring Me My Shea Nuts!!!!!

These are all the Shea nuts from the bag. The shiny brown ones with a smooth
texture are the whole nuts. The roughened, striated, mat textured ones are
the kernels inside the nut.
View attachment 442025


This is a kernel. This is what is used to make Shea butter.
This is cracked, then boiled. From here, the butter is
extracted in the process.
View attachment 442027


Three more of the kernels. Some are more textured than others.
View attachment 442029

Here you can see the size of the kernel in relation to my
hands and fingers.
View attachment 442031

This is not the 'fruit', as I thought because the time for the fruit is
in April. This is the whole nut. The Shea butter kernel is inside.
View attachment 442033

When I shook the Shea nut, I could hear the kernel moving
around, like a secret prize inside of a plastic Easter egg! I was
so surprised that it moves and makes a sound!
View attachment 442035

Here you can see that the Shea nut is not completely round.
View attachment 442037

Here is a view of the Shea nut lying happily in my hand.
It looks like we have been best friends for years. Both
of us are just so comfortable. This outer shell is so pretty
and shiny!
View attachment 442039[/QUOTE
Wow! that's awesome!

 

[MizzBFly]

I've found a way to to incorporate Shea butter into my hair while wearing a protective style. I like that I can still get it in my hair without taking down the style or manipulating it. I mist my hair really well with Rosewater, take my whipped Shea butter and rub it in my hands until it returns to its oily state; then pat it into my hair. If I do it at night & tie my scarf on...I wake up to well moisturized hair, that is layed down for the day. My goal is always to reduce manipulation as much as possible, so I may now be able to push my curly hair into 2 weeks washing increments instead of having to wash after one week.

Shea just keeps on amazing me!

What style are you wearing?
I did this the last 2 with Shea and a low bun but I’m only able to do the top and the loose part of the ponytail, I really wanted to get in there but it was too matted for manipulation thus going back to mini twists today

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

What style are you wearing?
I did this the last 2 with Shea and a low bun but I’m only able to do the top and the loose part of the ponytail, I really wanted to get in there but it was too matted for manipulation thus going back to mini twists today

3 twisted ponytails wrapped around each other. The twisted hair is stretched out, so the bulk of my hair is able to get Shea'd up. The inside of the ponytails are still moisturized as well when I take my hair down....probably from my sebum getting to it.







I know I wouldn't be able to pull this off with a bun. When I wear a bun, I take it down around every 3 days because I like to wear it pretty loose. (Think just one big bantu knot)

 

[blazingbeauty]

It will firm up just a tiny bit once it settles but as soon as dip my finger in it, it's still rich & creamy. I've played around with tons of recipes/ratios/processes....but that one is my favorite and the one I've stuck to for the past year.

That’s perfect! I’m gonna try it when I finish my current shea mix.

 

[CurliDiva]

At the airport in Mali, you are limited to taking back 3 kilos. If you have a business license that you can show the airport officials, only then will they let you bring out, and bring back more of the Shea butter.

In Mali, no business license: No Shea butter amount over 3 kilos for you!

The airport security staff in Mali will drag you if you even try to bring out too much Shea.

But once you get that Commercial Seller's License information...things will
be looking up!

The Airport world will be dancing along with you...or so it seems

But don't get too greedy, though...

And when you get home, the after an especially thick slathering of butter, oh the JOY:

 

[water_n_oil]

Shea Coffee Butter: I can smell the coffee in it! ​

I was digging in my Shea Coffee that I made for my body, that I made for myself. I noticed this morning that it SMELLS LIKE COFFEE now! Yummy!!!!!

​

It smells so delicious. I like the fact that I have to bring my Shea Coffee mix to my nose to get a whiff of the coffee. But that seems to make the experience that more personal and sensual (as in using the senses, not sexually) for me.

*It takes about 2 to 3 weeks for the coffee oil to soak into the Shea butter and break through enough for you to be able to smell it. You will need:

• 2 weeks minimum to infuse the coffee beans with the ceramide (sunflower) oil
• 2 to 3 weeks for the coffee oil smell to break through and infuse into the Shea butter mix so that you can smell it.

*** I think @ElevatedEnergy taught us that we needed about 10 days for our mixes to 'cure', when waiting for the smell to break through. I figured the smell was lost forever. But this real seems to apply to not on synthetic fragrances and natural essential oils, but to naturally infused products such as coffee beans.

I have some sunflower oil to use up. Looks like I'm the next passenger on the coffee shea train.

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

@ElevatedEnergy when making the coffee oil do you need a ceramide oil or could like hemp seed or avocado oil do? Also could i just use already ground maxwell house coffee or do i need a special type of coffee?

 

[GGsKin]

My press is washed out, hair is hennaed, conditioned and Shea-buttered up from root to tip. I'm waiting for it to dry a little before putting my two braids back in for the week.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

@ElevatedEnergy when making the coffee oil do you need a ceramide oil or could like hemp seed or avocado oil do? Also could i just use already ground maxwell house coffee or do i need a special type of coffee?

I've only ever used Ricebran oil & Dark Roasted Arabica Whole Coffee beans. (I do take a handful of the beans and grind them up.)

So I cant really speak to the effectiveness of anything else. I'm sure you can play around with different coffee/oils. The fun about DIY is you make it your own & do what feels right to you.

 

[CurliDiva]

Shea Shea has me all up in my feelings and excited about my hair potential!

 

[lalla]

An update :

My hair seems to be elbow length, so past waist length for the first time ever. I relaxed in December after a 5 month stretch but under processed some parts of my hair.
I spray netwurks excel on my scalp, scurl + Shea butter on my hair every three days.