Shay Buttah's Shea Butter

Source

For this healthy (ayurvedic/natural) hair challenge I've had to rely heavily on my shea butter mix as a moisture aid and a styler. Almost 2 years ago I started experimenting with different recipes to make the most beneficial mix. Know what I found out? You can basically use whatever you like! And that's why I love shea butter mixes. They can be so versatile and can be mixed to fit your direct hair needs. Below is the recipe I've been using to make mine. There are no exact measurements at all. I just add and mix until it...well...feels right in my soul! But you can add and omit anything you want. Experiment with different carrier oils, plant gels, pure plant oils (essential oils) and even scents until you find what works best for you!

Butter:

100% Organic Unrefined Shea Butter | Sealant for moisture, 

soothes irritated scalp, protects hair form weather damage (heat/UVs)

Carrier Oils:

Coconut oil | Great conditioner, light protein used to nourish damaged hair

Castor oil | Stimulates growth, prevents thinning, increase strength of strands

Extra Virgin Olive Oil  | Prevents dryness, conditions, improves strength and elasticity

Amla Oil   |  Conditions hair, strengthens strands, Promotes shine

Pure Plant (Essential Oils):

Vitamin E oil   |  Stimulates growth

Tea Tree Oil   |  Anti-bacterial properties, combats build-up, decreases dandruff

Grapefruit Oil   |  Stimulates hair follicles, fragrance

Tangerine Oil   |  Battles shedding, fragrance

Lemon Oil   |  Repairs hair sebum, adds luster, fragrance

Review: Vatika Hair Oil

I've been really trying to stick to the ayurvedic/natural aspect of my 6 month healthy hair challenge. It's actually been a lot easier than I thought because the products that I have been using are so accessible and CHEAP! One of the products that has actually been a major part of my hair regimen for over a year now is  Dabur's Vatika Oil. I've spoken about it a few times on the blog already. I thought it was about time for me to give you an in depth review.


Vatika (Enriched Coconut Hair Oil)- $3.99 (10.14 oz) : Vatika is a Premium Coconut Hair Oil enriched with Henna, Amla, Lemon and six other trusted herbs. Vatika's unique natural formulation ensures deeper oil penetration to give your hair and scalp complete nourishment for problem free, healthy hair.


Ingredients: Coconut oil, Neem, Brahmi, Fruit extracts of Amla, Bahera and Harar, Terminalia belirica, Kapur kachri, Henna, Rosemary oil, Lemon oil, TBHQ, Fragrance.

[You can go HERE to see the properties of some of these ingredients]

Honestly if I were stranded on an island for the rest of my life and I could only have one oil with me...I would probably choose this one. I LOVE it! It makes my hair feel amazing every time I use it. I tend to use it various ways mostly as a hot oil treatment and a sealant for my ends.

After I shampoo my hair I use it as a hot oil treatment instead of deep conditioning with a conditioner. I place the whole bottle of the oil in a bowl of very hot (yet not boiling) water for a few minutes,  pour the oil on my hair, place a plastic cap over my hair and let it sit for at least an hour (Most times, with my laziness, it's over night) I then rinse it out and style as usual. And when I braid or twist my hair I always seal my ends with this oil. When I take my braids/twists down my hair always feels super soft and looks very shiny .

Coconut oil in general has always been a hair saving ingredient for me but I love that the added ingredients in this oil help promote strong healthy hair which is what i'm always looking for.

The only cons I have are the smell and consistency The smell is definitely something to get use to. I wouldn't say that it smells bad but I wouldn't necessarily want to wear the perfume equivalent  of it either. If you want all of your products to smell like fruits and berries this probably isn't the one for you. Also because the product base is coconut oil it is usually in a solid state, which isn't a problem unless you're trying to squeeze it through the super tiny hole you have to puncture in the protective top. It can be annoying to have to slightly heat up the oil every time you want to use it. I usually just take the whole protective top off of it and let the slighly solidified product run out the larger opening.

Over-all this product is a God-send for my hair. Although I love my Extra Virgin Coconut oil, it's nice to know that I have a product that is considerably cheaper, and has a great amount of ayurvedic properties that  are so beneficial to the hair. You can find it at your local Indian grocer/store or if there isn't one near you check out this link to order it online.

The Ayurvedic Way: Nupur Mehendi

One of the first ayurvedic treatments I decided to use for my 2012 Healthy Hair Challenge , was this one called Nupur that I found at my local Indian supermarket. This conditioning treatment is  a mixture of Brahmi, Shikakai, Aloe Vera, Methi, Bhringraj, Amla, Neem, Hibiscus, and Jatamansi. Each ingredient helps in the overall strength, condition, nourishment and shine of your hair.

This particular treatment is basically an enriched henna (Mehendi). So the actual processing application and time is just as long as if you were to do an actual henna treatment. I added enough water (no real measurement) to the Nupur powder to make a thick paste. I then added Amla and Vatika oil (which I also found at the Indian Supermarket) for extra softness and conditioning. I allowed the mixture to sit over night so that the properties of the ingredients could release.

 

The next morning. I washed my hair with a castile soap, then applied the treatment evenly from root to tip of my hair. I then twisted my hair in chunky two strand twists and let it sit in my hair for 3 hours. 

I made sure to rinse the product out VERY well. When the product was all removed I could instantly feel a difference in my hair. It was super soft and my twist actually looked...better. For experimentation sake, all I added was a bit more of the Vatika oil to my ends and I let the twists air dry that entire day.

That night I went to a party so I did a half pinned up twist out. Let me tell you! When your hair feels great it will look great too. I was really pleased with the results of the Nupur treatment and will definitely be using it regularly within this 6 month challenge. It was only $2 and definitely worth every penny.

Giveaway Winner!!!

I'm happy to announce the winner of the second Miss Jessie's Products giveaway. The winner is...

Fatema!!!

Congratulations on winning your two items of choice. Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme and the Curly Pudding. I'll be emailing you today so I can get your prizes to you!

I want to take this time to thank everyone who entered! There's most definitely going to be much more giveaways/contests in the future, so make sure you stay tuned in. I also want to thank and say hello to my new followers. Thank you so much for the support and I hope you can find some inspiration for your own journey!

*Happy Hair Days*

Giveaway Winner and Another Giveaway??? (closed)

I'm happy to announce the winner of the Miss Jessie's Products giveaway. The winner is...

girlcurly96

Congratulations on winning your two items of choice. Miss Jessie's Quick Curls and the infamous Curly Pudding. I'll be emailing you tomorrow morning so I can get your prizes to you. 


Now I'm in a really giving mood and since the BOGO sale doesn't end until the 17th of December I decided to have a second giveaway with the same chances of winning 2 products of your choice for another lucky subscriber. The rules are the same as last time. The only difference is the giveaway will begin November 29th until December 12th. That's exactly 2 weeks! Plenty of time to scope out which products you would like to try.

Here are the rules in case you missed them before...

1.There will be one (1) winner

2. Visit www.missjessies.com/shop. And pick two products that you would like to try. (not including shirts, gift certificates or gift packs) The winner will receive two (2) products of their choice from the Miss Jessie's line.

3. This giveaway is for my followers, So make sure that you follow this blog (over on the right hand sidebar.)

4. In the comment section for this post ,comment letting me know which two products you would like to try or that you already love.

5. Make sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact the winner.

6. Only one entry per person.

7. The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org

8. You must be 18 years of age or have your parent's permission

9. This is open to followers Internationally

Good Luck to All Who Enter!

*Giveaway* (closed)

It's really hard for me to admit this...but I too am exploring the "Miss Jessie's bandwagon". You guys are all probably familiar with the company that promises "The Best Darn Curl Cremes. Period." I told myself that I would not get caught up in any more bandwagons. Especially ones which leaves my pockets looking slightly non-existent. Although I'm starting to really like some of their products, it is definitely safe to say that there are some very less expensive and probably better alternatives/dupes for some of their staples. But curiosity got the best of me and while I was in Target I decided to pick up two products from the line.

Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue and Miss Jessie's Baby Butter Creme.

I'll definitely be giving full reviews on each product very soon. But before then, I wanted to treat a lucky subscriber with a chance to win a choice of TWO (2) products from Miss Jessie's to try. What's better than a chance to win FREE PRODUCTS which you normally refuse to pay over $40 for?

Entering is EASY! Here's the Rules:

1.There will be one (1) winner

2. Visit www.missjessies.com/shop. And pick two products that you would like to try. (not including shirts, gift certificates or gift packs) The winner will receive two (2) products of their choice from the Miss Jessie's line.

3. This giveaway is for my followers, So make sure that you follow this blog (over on the right hand sidebar.)

4. In the comment section for this post ,comment letting me know which two products you would like to try or that you already love.

5. Make sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact the winner.

6. Only one entry per person.

7. The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org

8. You must be 18 years of age or have your parent's permission

9. This is open to followers Internationally

10. The Giveaway starts today, November 18, 2011 to November 25, 2011 (that's one week!)

11. TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

I hope you ALL decide to enter, and good luck to everyone!

Feeling Moody

(Source)

No it's not completely hair related but I saw these photos and had to share! Talk about FIRECE! If you're wondering where you can cop your own knitted creation check out Feeling Moody. The designer/creator, Sarita Moody, is a fellow natural and blogger as well. Check her out HERE. Me personally? I'm just trying to get my own scarf and have a fly photo shoot as well!

In not-so-perfect harmony

A year ago I won a contest where the prize was a deep conditioning treatment from the brand Curl Harmony. At the time I had just big chopped about a week before I won and I had just started my “Product Junkie” phase. Needless to say I bought so many other products to try I forgot that I even owned this deep conditioner. I tried it maybe twice around the time I received it, but not enough to determine whether it was worth it’s wild. So last night I decided to give it a try.

Curl Harmony Intensive Repair Deep Conditioner:

Curl Harmony Intense Repair is a luxurious deep treatment that strengthens and moisturizes. Essential for curls damaged by heat styling and/or relaxers. Enriched with healing Shea Butter, Coconut Butter and smoothing Jojoba oil. Perfect for reviving damaged, dull or dry hair. For all hair types

Ingredients: Aqua , Behentrimonium MethosulphateCetearyl Alcohol,ﾠCocos Nucifera (Coconut Butter), Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Hydrolysed Corn and Wheat protein, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerine, DL-Alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Silk Amino Acid Powder, Lactic Acid

The consistency is what my hair loves. Because my hair is so thick, it needs a very thick conditioner to coat the strands. Not to mention a little goes a long way. The ingredients aren’t that bad either. A lot of good stuff like jojoba oil, shea butter and coconut butter are inside. Because it claims to help with damaged hair I thought it would be a good idea to try because my hair has been feeling very dry and almost brittle lately (signs that I need a trim and a good protein treatment in the near future).

I used it on some chunky twist and put on a plastic shower cap. The directions say to leave it on for 20 to 30 min but I chose to leave it on overnight.

In the morning I rinsed the conditioner out of my hair and my hair felt…well….real regular. I’ve made deep conditioners myself that gave my hair much more softness and moisture. When I rinsed this DC out It felt exactly like it would if I had just rinsed out a shampoo. Not like I just rinsed out a conditioner.

Maybe next time I’ll incorporate honey, aloe vera juice and some oils to enhance it, but as of right now I won’t be picking this item up, personally. Which isn’t a big deal since the company is based in England and currency conversion and shipping would bring the price of this product WAY over my budget.

What deep conditioners have you tried and loved....or not loved very much?

*GIVEAWAY* (closed)

I hope you're ready for this. It's the first giveaway here on Shay_Buttah. And I'm really excited because the prizes, in my opinion, are GREAT!!!

Most of you are probably familiar with the Shea Moisture Brand. The products are natural and really help with the health of your hair. The lack of chemically laden products ensure that you make your transition into healthy and strong hair easy. They have styling, maintaining, conditioning and moisturizing products for not only your hair but your body as well. There are a few Shea Moisture lines that are designed specially for certain needs.

With this giveaway the winner will be able to try all of the products from two of the lines! The Organic Raw Shea Butter & Argan Oil Repair & Transition line and The Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine line.

The winner will receive two kits containing:

Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Kit

• The Curl & Shine Shampoo
• The Curl & Style Milk
• The Hold & Shine Moisture Mist
• The Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Organic Raw Shea Butter & Argan Oil Repair & Transition Kit

• The Moisture Retention Shampoo
• The Restorative Conditioner
• The Straightening Elixir
• Deep Treatment Masque

Entering is EASY! Here's the Rules:

1.There will be one (1) winner

2.They will recieve two (2) kits

3. This giveaway is for my followers, SO make sure that you follow this blog (over on the right hand sidebar.)

4. In the comment section for this post ,comment letting me know which product from either of the two lines you're excited to try/use.

5. Make sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact the winner.

6. Only one entry per person.

7. The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org

8. You must be 18 years of age or have your parent's permission

9. This is open to followers Internationally

10. The Giveaway starts today, July 29, 2011 to August 19, 2011

11. TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

I hope you ALL decide to enter, and good luck to everyone!

I think I might be in LUSH!

One of my ALL TIME favorite stores is LUSH! It’s really one of the only places that I don’t mind spending a hundred dollars at a time when I go there. (Judge me not!) If you aren’t familiar with LUSH it’s a bath and beauty company originally located in the UK. They use natural/organic/vegan ingredients in their products. They have everything from bath bombs, soaps, lotions, facial products, hair stuff and much, much more! And did I mention it all smells so, so good!?!

Last week I decided to take a trip to LUSH for some retail therapy. The people who work there are always so nice and extremely helpful. One of my favorite things about LUSH is they always give you samples whether you walk into a store or decide to order online.

So the girl who helped me gave me a sample of a hair product. I was sort of hesitant to take it because I was still in the mind-set that everything doesn’t work for everyone’s hair (yea I’m basically saying I don’t think this will work on black folks hair). But she ensured me that it was a great option for all hair types especially tightly, curly hair because it had great moisturizing properties for dry hair. And since my hair tends to suffer from dryness, I decided to take it home because hey, it was free! I looked it up online, and took a look at the ingredients and I still wasn’t sold. But I decided to give it a try.

Trichomania (Solid Shampoo Bar)- $11.75 (3.5oz): Most companies use synthetic fragrance in their coconut shampoos; why bother when you can have the real thing? We mix loads of creamed coconut with soy and velvivert for a thoroughly moisturized shampoo that’s ideal for hair which is curl, dry, tangled, over-processed, tired…

Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Steric Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamide DEA, Lecithin, Perfume, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil

Without a pre-poo treatment or an oil rinse I used it directly on my hair. And let me say…the results were surprising…in the best way possible! I really think I’ve found my new shampoo! Yes it is full of sulfates (it’s the main ingredient) but I really don’t care. The after effects it left on my hair is well worth it. My hair didn’t feel stripped at all. It actually felt very moisturized and soft. A feeling I never get from shampoo alone. I was even able to finger comb my hair easily after washing the shampoo out which NEVER happens unless I have a bottle of conditioner on my hair! It really cleaned and the smell was GREAT.

I never used a shampoo bar before because I thought the cost was not worth the very few washes I would get out of it. Not to mention I thought the application of a bar of shampoo was difficult to use with no lather. But I was proven wrong on both accounts. The Trichomania as well as all the other shampoo bars LUSH has are suppose to last for up to 80 washes. I believe them. I didn’t make a dent in that small sample. And it was super easy to use. Actually it was much move convenient than having to continually go for the liquid soap. And it lathered super fast with great slip!

Would I buy this product…MOST DEF! I actually just went back yesterday and I made sure to pick this one up! Make sure you stop by a LUSH near you and check it out! And make sure to ask for a sample of any of the hair products they have to offer. And if you’re more of the online shopper check out www.Lush.com (*hint* If you decide to order, order from the UK site. It’s actually a lot cheaper than the American one!)

*Happy Hair Days =D*

Regimen/Routine Building

When I’m with some of my fellow newly naturals and especially those transitioning to natural, I’m always asked what regimen/products/styles do I like to use. So I thought it was good idea to share my personal regimen with those who are going through some of the same trials I did. These tips can be used for those with relaxed or natural hair. And I have click-able links to where you can buy the majority of the products listed below. I hope you find it useful, and if you have your own regimen or advice make sure to comment! It’s not a competition it’s about us all being on the come-up! We should help and support each other as much as we can!

The things that’s important to remember when building a healthy regimen is that its purpose is to help reach your personal hair goals. For most of us our goals include healthy hair and retaining length. To meet these goals it’s important to develop a routine featuring these steps:

A Pre-Poo treatment: Because the ingredients in shampoos can be harsh and strip your hair of the natural oils that your hair needs to stay healthy.

Cleanse: Washing out the build-up from the products you use daily.

Conditioning: helps to restore nutrients that may have been stripped from your hair during the cleansing step. Also helps with detangling.

Detangling: So you can prevent knotting and excess pulling on your stands.

Deep Conditioning (DC): Penetrates the strands deeply. DCs Adds nutrients for strength, shine and softness.

Moisturize/Seal: Because African American hair tends to be dryer than other ethnicities it’s important to add as much moisture as possible so your hair maintains softness and less breakage. It is also important to use natural/essential oils to help lock in that moisture.

Style (protective): Use your favorite styling products to create your favorite hair styles. Also try to add protective styles to your regimen. They help protect the ends of your hair which will help you retain length!

My Current Routine:

Every other Saturday or Sunday…

• I first thoroughly saturate hair with water and then divide my hair into 4-8 sections.

• I use a mixture of olive, castor and coconut oil as my pre-poo (also known as a "oil rinse"). I apply the mixture to each section and then cover my hair with a shower cap and keep it on for 30 min. to an hour.

• I then rinse the oils out of my hair (while they are still in sections) and then apply my shampoo (Dr. Bronner’s Magic Pure Castile soap, Carol’s Daughter Tui Herbal Shampoo), and work it through each section.
• I rinse the shampoo out of my hair (while they are still in sections).
• I apply conditioner (Yes To Tomatoes Nourishing Conditioner, Aussie Moist) to each section and using my tangle teezer or a wide tooth comb I carefully detangle my hair starting at the ends and working my way up to the roots.
• While my hair is still in sections I rinse out the conditioner and then add my favorite deep conditioner (Curl Harmony Intensive Deep Conditioner, Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner). I place a shower cap on my head. Depending on how late it is and what I have in mind for styling, I let the DC stay on my hair from 1hr to overnight.
• I then wash it out and add my leave-in conditioner and moisturizer (Yes to Cucumbers Color Care Leave-in Conditioner, Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream, Carol’s Daughter Tui Herbal Leave in Conditioner, water/conditioner mix) evenly throughout my hair.
• I seal in the moisture using either coconut oil or vatika oil. I seal my ends by adding my own shea butter mixture (which I’ll share with you all in a later post!)
• I then style my hair as follows:

-Bantu Knot-out: (Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue)

-Two-strand Twist-out: (Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie)

-Wash and gos: (Kinky Curly Curling Custard, Eco-Styler Olive Oil Styling Gel, Homemade Flax Seed Styling gel, Smooth ‘N Shine Polishing Super Shine Conditioning Gel)

I hope this gives a little insight on regimen building. Don’t feel as if you have to use the same products or exact same steps as I do. Find what works for you! You can only do that by experimenting and playing around with different things. Once you do, let me know your routine/regimen. I’m always looking for tips and better techniques!