Category Archives: Mango Butter

Whipped Hair & Body Butter (no Shea Butter & Coconut Oil)

Hello Maicurlies,

I am FINALLY back with a DIY!

I was requested to share a whipped butter recipe that doesn’t include Shea Butter or Coconut Oil but first, I have a few other whipped butter recipes which you can find below:

I replaced the Shea and Coconut Oil with alternative ingredients but the process of making the whipped butter follows the same pattern as the previous mixes I have shared above.

Ingredients/Tools:

  • 3oz Unrefined Cocoa Butter
  • 2.5oz Mango Butter
  • 2.5oz Coffee Butter
  • 4oz Coffee infused Grapeseed Oil
  • 3oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 0.1oz Glycerin (optional)
  • 3 drops Peppermint Essential Oil (optional)
  • 3 capsules Vitamin E Oil (0.15oz)
  • 5 drops Chocolate Fragrance (optional)
  • Double Broiler
  • Spoon
  • Weighing scale
  • Containers
  • Gloves (optional)

(P.s I purchased all my butters from SheaButter Cottage – an awesome company that not only provides superb products but also gives back to local village women in Ghana with every purchase made!)

Ingredient Alternatives:

The EVOO and Grapeseed Oil can be replaced with any other carrier oil of choice. You can replace the butters as well, I suggest using at least one hard butter (if you live in warm climate). The Essential Oil can either be replaced with an oil of choice or omitted altogether. Keep in mind that EO’s MUST be diluted otherwise it can cause skin/scalp irritations and if you are pregnant please refrain from using any EO.

Mixing Process:

You want to first double broil the Cocoa Butter on low/medium heat for no more than 5 minutes. Once the butter melts (don’t melt all the way) remove it from the heat and add the mango & coffee butter along with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and stir. Place the bowl in the fridge for 15 – 20 minutes. Whip the mix and then add the remaining ingredients. I like to replace the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes before I do a final whip till I get it to the consistency I like.

Benefits:

Unrefined Cocoa Butter: is an extremely popular natural ingredient that is used to help increase the hairs manageability and moisture. The butter is known to help reduce hair loss and breakage. Due to its highly moisturizing properties it can alleviate scalp itching and irritation which in turn can eliminate dandruff. Since it is a fat, it can be used to replenish lost oils due to chemical processes such as perms and dye. It is known to effectively strengthen hair, tame frizzy and flyaway hair.

Mango Butter: Mango butter contains high levels of antioxidants and beneficial vitamins A, C, and E. It is a highly moisturizing butter which is able to restore flexibility, effectively treat dry and itchy scalps and therefore aid in the growth of hair (due to a healthy scalp.) Because of its high content of fatty acids it is believed that it might actually be more moisturizing that Cocoa and Shea butter (I cannot attest to that as I have never used it before.)

Coffee Butter: caffeine helps with hair growth stimulation and it helps reduce shedding. The natural butter helps with sealing in moisture, provides shine, makes the hair soft and (p.s is incredible for the skin)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: can be used to help seal in moisture, aid hair manageability but can be a little “heavy” (especially for those with fine hair) therefore it is best to use it lightly so it does not weigh your hair down.

Grapeseed Oil: Another example of an oil that is easily absorbed into the hair and scalp without weighing down the hair or clogging up pores due to the fact that it is an extremely “light” oil. Although it is a “light” oil it gives hair a sheen so those with fine hair can use it without worrying about having greasy hair.  It is known to help heal alopecia areata as well dry and itchy scalps therefore helping fight dandruff. It is great and sealing in moisture and retaining the natural moisture in our hair.

Vegetable Glycerin: Vegetable Glycerin is a humectant since it attracts water in the air (humidity) and directs it to the area applied (the hair.) Due to its oily nature it can also be used as a sealant and “trap in” moisture however should be used sparingly and should be diluted since it is thick and sticky. Vegetable Glycerin is better served when used in humid climate since it attracts that moisture however, if used when there is a lack of humidity in the air it can do the opposite (extract moisture from the hair to the air.)

Vitamin E Oil: Vitamin E is a commonly used oil to help extend homemade products shelf life (however only extends products for a little bit.) This oil rejuvenates and offers protection for the scalp and skin by nourishing both.

Peppermint Oil: Helps to stimulate blood flow to the scalp which results in hair growth as the root of the hair is being nourished.

Chocolate Fragrance: the scent of course!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Thanks

Maicurls

DIY Edge Regrowth & “Tame” Pomade/Balm

Hey Maicurlies,

I want to share my DIY Edge Regrowth & “Tame” Pomade/Balm. I put the tame in quotation marks just because I am not the biggest fan of people thinking they NEED/HAVE to have their edges “laid”. Personally I do not mind a little frizz but will admit there are times when I want a more “polished” look. If I want my edges “laid” I want to do so with a product that I know is not harming my delicate, fragile and super sensitive edges. So apart from using Flax Seed Gel (if I happen to have it on hand) then this is my “go to”. 

One of the the other reasons why I love this product is because it is a 2 in 1 mix. The most important aspect is that the ingredients used in the mix helps to grow healthy edges, takes care of your edges, is all natural and at the same time can help flyaways/edges (while not being damaging or containing chemicals & alcohols). It does not have a super hard hold but will definitely help with flyaways. 

Edge control and tame pomade-balm

Edge control and tame pomade/balm

I will point out that you will only need a little dab of this at a time since a little goes a LOOOONNG way, so you won’t have to remix again for a while. Those with fine hair (e.g. yours truly) will literally only need to glide their fingertip over the product and it will suffice. P.S you can actually use a tiny amount of this on the ends of your hair too to help keep your twists from unraveling & to seal in moisture on your ends too! (So I guess it is a 3 in one product!) 

If you are wondering why is it a pomade/balm, basically you can select how you want the mix to set and depending on which of the two options you go for, you end up with either a pomade or a balm! Personally I prefer using it as a pomade because it is easier to get out of the container, quickly melts upon contact with your skin and you don’t have to store it in the fridge. It will not go off if it’s not in the fridge because I do not mix liquids (e.g. water, aloe vera juice etc) with the oils and butters. The shelf life should be 6 months to 1 year but it will really depend on the shelf life of the oils and butters you use. I have been using my mix for 2 months now and it is still going strong  even though it is not stored in the fridge. 

Ingredients I use: (I use a 3oz container)

  • 0.9oz. Unrefined Shea Butter
  • 0.5oz. Unrefined Mango Butter (you can use any other semi-soft butter) 
  • 0.7oz. Virgin Coconut Oil 
  • 0.4oz. Coffee Bean infused Almond Oil (can be replaced with any carrier oil)
  • 4 Vitamin E Capsules (roughly 0.2oz.) 
  • 0.15oz. Castor Oil
  • 4 drop Citronella Essential Oil (Optional – you can use any Essential Oil of choice, Peppermint is a good choice to simulate  growth).

Ingredient details

  • Shea Butter – acts as an excellent sealant to help “trap in” moisture and moisturizing products applied to hair. Shea butter is highly moisturizing for the hair on its own as well and has the same affects for the scalp. It provides nourishment to dry or damaged hair from the roots to the very tips; repairing and protecting against weather damage, dryness and brittleness. Due to its moisturizing properties it gives hair a natural shine and has  smoothing effect. (“lays” the hair and helps with growth) 
  • Mango Butter –  contains high levels of antioxidants and beneficial vitamins A, C, and E. It is a highly moisturizing butter which is able to restore flexibility, effectively treat dry and itchy scalps and therefore is said to aid the growth of hair. Because of its high content of fatty acids it is believed that it might actually be more moisturizing that Cocoa and even Shea butter! (“lays” your hair and helps with growth).
  • Virgin Coconut Oil –  provides shine and strength to the hair, has conditioning properties and even helps promote a healthy scalp which can result in healthy hair growth. It does not make the hair feel greasy and since it is penetrates into the hair shaft, the oil strengthens from within. Aids in sealing in moisture and works well to stop frizz as well. (“lays” your hair and helps with growth).
  • Coffee Bean Infused Almond Oil – reduces hair shedding and said to reduce excessive hair loss because of the antioxidants present in caffeine. Increases hair growth since caffeine promotes blood circulation in the scalp which promotes growth and is known to darken the hair and slowdown the early onset of grey hairs with frequent and consistent use*. (helps with growth). 
  • Vitamin E Oil – commonly used oil to help extend homemade products shelf life (however only for a little bit.) This oil rejuvenates and offers protection to the scalp because of its nourishing properties which can lead to hair growth. (helps with growth). 
  • Castor Oil (Jamaican Black Castor Oil) – considered as a humectant that also happens to hold anti-fungal properties. It helps thicken and grow the hair while working as an excellent sealant. Due to its thick and sticky nature a little goes a long way (which is why I use so little of it). (helps with growth). 

Mixing Instructions:

  1.  Melt down the butters in a double broiler (no more than 5 minutes required) then take it off the heat.
  2. Add the Virgin Coconut Oil to the melted butter (the warmth from the butters will melt the oil).
  3. Add the remaning ingredients: coffee infused almond oil, Vitamin E oil, castor oil & essential oil.
  4. Mix everything really well and pour into your container 

Letting it set/results:

Edge Regrowth and Tame mix before it sets

                                         Edge Regrowth and Tame mix before it sets

Pomade: To make it a pomade just let the mix set at room temperature overnight. Depending on how warm/cold your house is, the mix can become a little more runny or slightly thicker but it will not become extremely firm or liquid.

Edge Regrowth and Tame Pomade

                                               Edge Regrowth and Tame Pomade

Balm: To make a balm you will want to let it set in the fridge for a few hours (minimum 4 hours – best overnight). In order for it to remain a balm you might have to restore it in the fridge after use, however, depending on how warm/cold you house is it can retain a slightly soft “balmy” consistency outside of the fridge after you have let it set. 

Edge Regrowth and Tame Balm

                                                     Edge Regrowth and Tame Balm

DO NOT CARRY THIS PRODUCT IN YOUR BAG, IN YOUR CAR, POCKET ETC BECAUSE IT WILL MELT AND CAN SPILL OUT THE CONTAINER! 

NOTE: I am neither a doctor, a dermatologist or a medical professional. This recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a medical remedy to hair loss, skin disorders or be used as a replacement for anything provided to you by a professional!

How to use:

All you need to do is glide your finger over the product (lightly) and then rub the product on your fingertips to warm it up. Lightly and gently apply it to your edges with your fingertips and then either brush back your edges or tie down a scarf. 

I would really love to hear if you try this or make your own edge regrowth and tame product!

Maicurls

Maicurls

 

Butters…Butters…Butters

A wonderful Afternoon to you Maicurlies!

Cocoa, Shea and Mango

Today is going to be a Butter day! Chances are that most of you have used some or all of the ingredients below at some point:

  • Unrefined Cocoa Butter
  • Unrefined Mango Butter
  • Unrefined Shea Butter

I have not (shock horror!) I know, I know. I’m probably one of the very few naturals that have yet to try butters. In my “defense” getting my hands on them in my area is IMPOSSIBLE! I do not know why but I just can not find any! So my solution? Purchase some online. I have never been a fan of purchasing things online though. I am the kind of shopper who likes to physically see and touch products. But, seeing as I had this HUGE and I mean HUGE itch to try some whipped butter mixes I gave in and ordered some. 

I have a little bit of information regarding Cocoa, Shea and Mango butter in my Natural Ingredients For Skin page and the Natural Ingredients for Hair page. I will be going more details about each separately in a few weeks because (drum roll please…) my order arrived!!!! 

The company I used to purchase the butters is called Sheabutter Cottage. The owner is a natural head (I love supporting the cause) and I love the concept and feel of her company. In case you are looking to purchase Butters, take a look at the site, they have a number of different Butters and so so much more! Sheabutter Cottage actually donates 10% of your purchase towards the Helping Hand Programme (great concept) and their products are also Vegan friendly and not tested on animals (once again I love this!) Apart from butters, their products range from accessories, oils, herbs, essential oils, soaps, wooded products the list goes on. For now I can only tell you about my experience purchasing the butters because I have yet to mix and try them (that will be Part 2.)

For someone who is extremely nervous about online purchasing I have the say that Ms. Wood (the owner) was AMAZING! I hounded her with messages and she responded back to every single one. She went above and beyond to put my nerves at ease and the ordering process was really simple. 

Since the company is in the United Kingdom I had to get overseas shipping. The shipping price was not too “cheap” but they never are so that is something to take into consideration when ordering abroad. I was told to expect my package to arrive roughly 21 working days after it has been sent , mine actually arrived 17 working days after being sent! It is always better to get packages earlier than expected right? Let me tell you I was impatient and kept counting the days LOL.

When I got the package I was super excited! This is what it looked like:

                        Un-boxing my Shipment

The fun part? Opening up each container and inhaling the gorgeous natural unrefined scent of each.

DSC05433

Cocoa (left) , Shea (bottom right)  & Mango Butter (top right)

Here are the links to Sheabutter Cottage webpage as well as their Facebook page. 

I want to EAT ALL of the Cocoa Butter it smells soooooo good…like chocolate!!! Shea Butter has a definite nutty smell to me (not necessarily bad but strong) and Mango Butter has a slight scent to it. I can not point my finger on it…it does not have a “Mango” smell but it has a hint of a “green” smell. I don’t know the word for it but it smells healthy like a vegetable type smell (if that makes sense.) 

I am in the middle of finalizing my first mix. I am the kind of person who needs to do a TON of research before I mix anything. I also want to ‘test’ the butters for a little bit before I give a verdict on the results. I am so excited!!!!

Please Note: I have not been ask/endorsed by Sheabutter Cottage to mention the company or their products. I paid for everything I received myself. 

P.S: There are a number of other companies you can order butters from of course. For those of you in the United States you might want to look at Butters -n- Bars (a popular site in the natural hair community.) 

Thanks

Maicurls

Maicurls