Shea Growth And Retention Regimen 2019

[Chicoro]

I'm still doing research with Shea butter. I see a lot of Shea butter vs petroleum based grease questions and comments. Not just in this thread or on the board, but also in videos.

The main difference between Shea butter and petroleum based hair grease is that Shea butter is bio-active. Hair grease is inert and not bio-active.

 

[blazingbeauty]

I'm still doing research with Shea butter. I see a lot of Shea butter vs petroleum based grease questions and comments. Not just in this thread or on the board, but also in videos.

The main difference between Shea butter and petroleum based hair grease is that Shea butter is bio-active. Hair grease is inert and not bio-active.

I’ve definitely had questions about the chemical differences (you know this lol ). I decided to try out sealing with grease on one side and shea on the other and was pleasantly surprised to find the Shea side was a bit silkier (so my twists detangled and separated easier). Surprised tho bc I know mineral oil has the lowest coefficient of friction compared to other plant oils. I think petrolatum being thicker/waxier is still good for keeping tangles at bay and holding moisture, but maybe not as good at reducing friction.

Either way I’ve completely switched over to shea butter mixes (but will have grease on standby for when/if I can’t afford the shea). It just seems more “nourishing” and my hair is less gunky/weighed down.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

@ElevatedEnergy which mixer do you use for your whipped Shea mixes?

I have the Hamilton Beach 7 speed standing mixer. It's like a knock off of the Kitchen Aid just much cheaper. I only use it for my Shea Butter mixes.

https://www.hamiltonbeach.com/7-speed-stand-mixer-silver-63392

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Do you know off the top of your head why this is said?

From what I remember, it was for for split ends....but I could be wrong.

 

[icsonia22]

My Shea butter mix was super creamy before I left for work yesterday but when I got back home, it had solidified a bit again. I had to melt it down again using the double boiler method, put it in the freezer, and re-whip. I let it sit for about 15 minutes and it had already started to harden. The only thing that I added was extra virgin olive oil. How can I make it stay creamy?

 

[Sarabellam]

"However, I used unwhipped pure Shea butter for a long time. I would simply add whatever liquid oils I’m using to my hair section first then melt some Shea butter in my hand and apply. Most of my hair’s improvements were seen during this time."

This is how herlucidsky uses Shea butter: no mixing. That might be a huge part of why of her afro-textured hair is approaching knee length!

Possibly. I remember when I made Shea butter mixes years ago in my naptural85 recipe days I used Argan oil in a few batches then I had to stop. The mixture couldn’t seal in moisture as long. Some ingredients might hinder some of Shea butter’s benefits when you add it to a sealing mix.

I’m going to get a new order of Shea butter soon. Maybe I’ll compare a few months of undiluted whipped Shea vs. my Shea mix with castor and safflower.

 

[Chicoro]

From what I remember, it was for for split ends....but I could be wrong.

Yes, I saw that. Thank you! I was trying to understand the constituents within it that accounted for this phenomenon!

 

[Chicoro]

My Shea butter mix was super creamy before I left for work yesterday but when I got back home, it had solidified a bit again. I had to melt it down again using the double boiler method, put it in the freezer, and re-whip. I let it sit for about 15 minutes and it had already started to harden. The only thing that I added was extra virgin olive oil. How can I make it stay creamy?

Either A: Whip it longer (10 to 15 minutes)

or B: Add more oil

or C: A+ B

"How" are you mixing your Shea? With a fork, a blender, metal whisk..etc?

 

[icsonia22]

Either A: Whip it longer (10 to 15 minutes)

or B: Add more oil

or C: A+ B

"How" are you mixing your Shea? With a fork, a blender, metal whisk..etc?

With a hand mixer

 

[caribeandiva]

I didn't believe @caribeandiva when she said this thread would probably have more folks than the 2018. But it is only January 5th and we've got almost 300 posts already!

Sorry. I couldn’t resist

But for real though, this year’s thread has something last year’s thread lacked: Results and testimonials from the previous year. The 2019 thread is like that meme: “This could’ve been us but you refused to get on the Shea train”.

 

[GettingKinky]

@Bun Mistress this is a bit off topic, but you mentioned using keratin treatments. I’ve been thinking about going this route. Do you do yours yourself or go to a salon? Have you noticed any heat damage from the process? Does the treatment you use contain formaldehyde? I’m still in the early stages of looking into this and I have lots of questions.

 

[Bun Mistress]

@Bun Mistress this is a bit off topic, but you mentioned using keratin treatments. I’ve been thinking about going this route. Do you do yours yourself or go to a salon? Have you noticed any heat damage from the process? Does the treatment you use contain formaldehyde? I’m still in the early stages of looking into this and I have lots of questions.

I mainly do them myself, I have had the salon do them twice and they was the only time I had heat damage, that was years ago however. I have only used the formaldehyde free versions I am thinking of going to QOD max gold as the treatment I previously used was cheap but time consuming (NuNaat). I have very fine hair this also helped me split ends/breakage wiith bradots which I would get with braidoutss before (from tangling).

 

[Chicoro]

View attachment 441113
Sorry. I couldn’t resist

But for real though, this year’s thread has something last year’s thread lacked: Results and testimonials from the previous year. The 2019 thread is like that meme: “This could’ve been us but you refused to get on the Shea train”.

You are so right. I DIDN'T even think about this!

I'm so impressed by your observation and prediction.

 

[syrk]

Considering that shea butter is fairly heavy, I'm curious to know how everyone is cleansing their hair. Do you use a shampoo with every wash (sulfate or non-sulfate)? Does anyone co-wash or use a cleaning conditioner while using shea butter regularly with good results?

 

[icsonia22]

Considering that shea butter is fairly heavy, I'm curious to know how everyone is cleansing their hair. Do you use a shampoo with every wash (sulfate or non-sulfate)? Does anyone co-wash or use a cleaning conditioner while using shea butter regularly with good results?

I have fine 4b strands with varying levels of density in different parts of my head. I am extremely heavy handed with Shea butter and I wash my hair with a sulfate shampoo (Pantene gold) once a month (moreso because the s curl I use makes my scalp itch). I normally don't co-wash between washes but I did the other day due to a henna treatment and I applied a generous amount of shea butter to my scalp and hair afterwards. My scalp did feel a little itchy at first but after a good massage with my finger pads, all is well

 

[icsonia22]

as you can see, I really am heavy handed with the Shea but it'll absorb into my hair eventually

 

[caribeandiva]

Considering that shea butter is fairly heavy, I'm curious to know how everyone is cleansing their hair. Do you use a shampoo with every wash (sulfate or non-sulfate)? Does anyone co-wash or use a cleaning conditioner while using shea butter regularly with good results?

Sulfate shampoo every wash

 

[keranikki]

My experimenting with the DC and Shea is over for now until I wash my hair. And find my frocking Oyin Hair Dew.

I have an unopened Liter of it. Do you want it? I don’t care for it.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Felt like playing in my hair, so I washed it UP & Shea Butter'ed it DOWN!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

View attachment 441113
Sorry. I couldn’t resist

But for real though, this year’s thread has something last year’s thread lacked: Results and testimonials from the previous year. The 2019 thread is like that meme: “This could’ve been us but you refused to get on the Shea train”.

At Obama's "I told you so" face!

 

[keranikki]

Considering that shea butter is fairly heavy, I'm curious to know how everyone is cleansing their hair. Do you use a shampoo with every wash (sulfate or non-sulfate)? Does anyone co-wash or use a cleaning conditioner while using shea butter regularly with good results?

It depends on the water in your area. My water is a little towards the hard side, so I use a sulfate free shampoo mostly. I only use a sulfate shampoo maybe twice a year for mineral buildup.
Co-wash or cleansing conditioners do not work well in my water environment. The buildup tends to happen at a much faster rate.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Considering that shea butter is fairly heavy, I'm curious to know how everyone is cleansing their hair. Do you use a shampoo with every wash (sulfate or non-sulfate)? Does anyone co-wash or use a cleaning conditioner while using shea butter regularly with good results?

I alternate between Curl Junkie's Daily Fix cleansing conditioner and a sulfate free shampoo.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

I have an unopened Liter of it. Do you want it? I don’t care for it.

Ummmmm if she doesnt want it, I do!!!

 

[Soaring Eagle]

Considering that shea butter is fairly heavy, I'm curious to know how everyone is cleansing their hair. Do you use a shampoo with every wash (sulfate or non-sulfate)? Does anyone co-wash or use a cleaning conditioner while using shea butter regularly with good results?

I have not used a sulphate shampoo in years and have been using Shea Butter based products since going natural. I sometimes wash with only water, and that works for me as well. So I'm sure a cleansing conditioner would be fine, or whatever else you choose.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I have an unopened Liter of it. Do you want it? I don’t care for it.

YES!!!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

YES!!!

I was just waiting on you to say no, so I could scoop it up!

 

[sunflora]

Washed and set my hair today. As an experiment, instead of doing LCO + SB on the ends, I slid everything to the right and used my GF Legendary Olive as my leave-in, then whipped shea as my cream and followed with an oil. I'll see in a day how my hair comes out.

Forgot to update this, but it was a total hit. I'll most likely be using shea in this method from now on, in between using up some of my other hair creams. It acts as a very light hold when used on my damp hair, which helps in keeping my hair stretched and clumped without tangling.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I was just waiting on you to say no, so I could scoop it up!

 

[metro_qt]

My Shea butter mix was super creamy before I left for work yesterday but when I got back home, it had solidified a bit again. I had to melt it down again using the double boiler method, put it in the freezer, and re-whip. I let it sit for about 15 minutes and it had already started to harden. The only thing that I added was extra virgin olive oil. How can I make it stay creamy?

Try using oils and butters with a higher melt point. Coffee butter and Avocado butters have higher melt points and they melt into your skin upon contact...theyll melt right into your shea mix and keep it softer. Use good amounts of these softer butters.

If you're already using Olive Oil, you may need to use even more oil to balance out the shea which tends to harden at room temp.

 

[metro_qt]

I made my creamiest blend of Shea butter where today. I've tried the fancy smancy kind from Amazon but nothing compares to the good old yellow Shea butter from my local BSS. I put the container in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes until the outside melted. Then I poured the Shea butter into a bowl and blended. It took maybe 3-5 minutes compared to the 15 minutes it took when I was using the butter from Amazon. I added a little bit of EVOO and slathered it on my blown out plaited hair. My hair feels amazing and the application was super easy.

Hey @icsonia22 is this the batch you did that hardened?
I believe it happened because you heated it first.

Blend your shea butter while it is a solid at room temperature. Cut it into chunks if you have to.

Your whip will stay whipped better this way.