Mango Butter Hair and Body Moisturizer With Castor oil, Lemongrass and Sweet Orange Essential Oils

I’ve kind of kicked Shea Butter to the curb in favor of Mango Butter about two years ago. Raw, unrefined mango butter is divine for your skin and hair. It’s packed full of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the fatty acids oleic and stearic, which act as emollients that soften and soothe the skin and hair.

Over the weekend I decided to make a batch of mango hair and body moisturizing butter with organic castor oil (natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and is high in Vitamin E, minerals, proteins, and Omega 6 and 9 beneficial fatty acids. Its unusually high ricinoleic acid ratio makes it beneficial to skin and hair),

apricot seed oil (contains vitamins A and E which support skin health and repair. It is a great home remedy for dry scalp, psoriasis, dandruff, and eczema. Restores moisture to dry or flaky scalp or dull and dry hair),

vitamin E oil (combats wrinkles, promotes hair growth, shine, prevents hair loss),

and lemon grass (full of vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate and vitamin C. It also provides essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, zinc and iron. Adds shine to hair, fights dandruff, tones skin, great for fighting blackheads)

and sweet orange (antiseptic and anti-inflammatory which makes this oil an ideal addition to your skin and hair routine. Known to increase the ability to absorb vitamin C, collagen production, and blood flow, all of which are essential for anti-aging) essential oils.

Disclaimer: I don’t measure when making my concoctions, so please don’t be angry with me! I make big batches because I have a family of six and we all use this mango butter mixture regularly, so it’s just me measuring with my eyes, and that’s it. *It is important to use carrier oils with lemongrass essential oil (such as sweet almond oil, apricot, jojoba, coconut oil, olive oil, rosehip or argan oils)  otherwise it can burn or irritate your skin if not properly diluted. Always test essential oils on your skin first before using.* Below is what I did:

Ingredients: 

1 lb of raw, unrefined mango butter

Organic castor oil

Organic apricot oil

4 vitamin E capsules

Lemon Grass essential oil

Sweet Orange essential oil

Tools: 

Large cooking pot

Water

Microwave safe bowl (medium size)

Rubber spatula

Spoon

Hand mixer

Air tight container(s) to store your butter (I used two containers)

Directions: 

Fill up your pot with water and bring to boil on the stove. In your medium size microwave safe bowl, add your mango butter and put it in the hot water. Take the pot off of the stove and allow the butter to melt slowly. You don’t want to cook all the vitamins and nutrients out of the mango butter with high heat. When needed, reheat the water in the pot (without the mango butter in it) to continue the melting process.

Once the mango butter is melted, take it out of the water and add about 1/2 cup of castor oil,  1/3 cup of apricot oil, 20 drops of lemongrass and 20 drops of sweet orange essential oils. Add your vitamin E oil. I only had capsules, but if you have vitamin E oil in a bottle, that’s much easier! (*You don’t have to use 20 drops of lemongrass or sweet orange oils. I used that amount because I wanted my mango butter to have that citrusy scent.)

Place your bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until the oils solidify, but don’t let it get too cold or freeze. You need it to be soft enough to mix.

Take your hand mixer and on medium-high speed, mix the oils until it becomes light and fluffy like a meringue or whipped cream. Once that’s accomplished, take your rubber spatula and transfer the butter to your airtight container(s) and you’re done.

The way this butter melts and absorbs into your skin upon contact is amazing! I especially love to use it after a shower. Your skin is left feeling very moisturized and soft with no greasy feel. It absorbs so well! As for the hair, it definitely makes my 4C hair feel softer.

All of these ingredients can be purchased on Amazon or at your nearest health store such as Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

Happy DIY-ing!

 

DIY Shampoo Using African Black Soap

I’m giddy with excitement because I made my first DIY shampoo and it was so simple! This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time and I finally bought the main ingredient, African Black Soap.

The benefits of African Black Soap:

• Black soap is made with rare tropical honeys that are known for softening the skin and creating a smooth surface.
• Black soap is also a natural source of vitamins A & E and iron. This helps to strengthen the skin and hair.
• Black soap contains a high amount of glycerin, which absorbs moisture from the air and literally deposits it into the skin, making the skin soft and supple.
• For centuries, Ghanaians and Nigerians have used black soap to help relieve acne, oily skin, clear blemishes and various other skin issues. Many swear by it for skin irritations and conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

With that being said, here is a simple recipe I’ve found. Please be aware that you must be the judge of the amount you make based on your needs. I decided to make enough to fill a 32 oz bottle that I had, so here’s what I did:

What you’ll need:

1. Big pot
2. Water
3. Cheese grater
4. Big bowl
5. Funnel
6. 1/2 (or less) bar of African Black Soap
7. Jojoba oil
8. Vegetable Glycerin
9. Vitamin E oil
10. Tea Tree oil
11. Rosemary essential oil

*Feel free to add or substitute oils you desire such as argan oil, lavender essential oil, neem oil, etc. I used what I had on hand.

Directions:

1. Add enough water to your pot to fill whatever bottle or container you plan on storing your shampoo in. Bring it to a boil and remove it from the heat.
2. Take your cheese grater and grate the amount of black soap you want to use for your shampoo. I used half of a bar based on the amount of shampoo I wanted to make. Grating the soft soap helps it to dissolve quickly in the water instead of having to wait hours or overnight like other DIY recipes call for.
3. Add the soap to a large bowl and pour your hot water over it.
4. Add your oils to the water and soap.
5. I used the following amounts for my mixture:
   1. 2-3 Tbsp of Jojoba oil
   2. 1 – 2 tsp of Vegetable Glycerin
   3. 1 -2 Tbsp of Vitamin E oil
   4. 1 Tbsp of Tea Tree oil
   5. 10 drops of Rosemary essential oil
6. Stir your mixture. You’ll notice how quickly your black soap dissolves. Keep stirring until you no longer see any chunks of soap.
7. Allow the mixture to cool before transferring to your bottle. Once your mixture has cooled, use your funnel to transfer the liquid into your bottle. That’s it! Your shampoo is ready for use!

If you’re wondering why so many oils are used, it’s because African soap alone can be very drying to your hair, so that’s why it’s good to add additional oils, especially if you’re prone to dry hair. Oils that help retain moisture such as jojoba and argan are great to use.  Again, use as little or as much as your hair needs.

My Results: The African Black Soap shampoo lathers easily, so you don’t need to use much for a good wash. Your shampoo won’t be thick in texture but will be watery, so don’t be alarmed. After shampooing twice, my hair and scalp felt very clean and soft. I followed it with a sage and rosemary tea rinse, rinsing my hair several times with the tea.

I put my bottle of shampoo in the fridge just to be on the safe side. Prior to washing your hair again, just take it out of the fridge and let it get room temperature before using.

If you’re like me and are looking for the healthiest, natural DIY solutions for your hair that are also money savers, this is an excellent DIY shampoo recipe to keep and use. I apologize for not posting any photos of the shampoo itself. I forgot to take a picture of it while mixing it in my bowl! 😦 Till next time… xoxo

Moisturizing My Dry 4c Hair

Taking my braids down this weekend made me start thinking about how I need to be more diligent about moisturizing me and my girls’ hair, especially with winter coming. I don’t buy a lot of products, so it made me start researching different moisturizing products. I also started to think about the oils I use in my daily or weekly routine and if I needed to make some adjustments there as well. Do I need to stop using certain oil(s)? Do I need to break down and buy a good moisturizer? Could I make my own moisturizer? The following is what I came up with. 

Now granted, not everything here is new to me. It’s just new to my regimen.

Biotin – In addition to being great for hair and nail growth, Biotin or the vitamin B7  is great for skin health, energy, digestive, and nervous systems. I’ve been taking Biotin on and off for the past year and a half. No reason other than me being lazy and really bad about remembering to take them. 😉 I do notice results when I take them consistently.

Homemade organic mango butter with organic coconut oil*, vitamin E oil, and vanilla essential oil –  Mango butter is rich in oleic acid and stearic acid. These fatty acids act as emollients that soften and soothe the skin and hair. It has a high oxidative ability, wound healing, and regenerative activity. It is high in antioxidants and Vitamins A, C and E. Mango butter has similar qualities as shea and cocoa butter but it’s higher fatty acid content makes it a more intensive moisturizer. It  has a lighter feel than shea butter, so if you find shea butter too heavy, give mango butter a try. My family and I use my homemade mango butter concoction on our body and hair and it’s simply lovely.

Jojoba oil – Jojoba oil closely resembles sebum, a waxy substance produced by our skin glands, so it can act as a natural skin conditioner. Jojoba oil controls hair loss by helping the follicles grow new hair. Jojoba oil can easily seep into the follicles and dissolve the sebum buildup, clearing up the blockage and facilitating the growth of new hair. The vitamins and minerals in the oil can nourish the skin and improve the overall health of the scalp. I know jojoba oil is a staple for many naturals, and I’ve used it in the past but not consistently. I plan on changing that after reading about the many benefits this oil has for your hair and skin.

Vegetable Glycerin – Glycerin improves natural hair moisture and elasticity. It also helps prevent hair breakage, stimulate hair growth and improve hair strength. It has been proven that it is a great conditioner for brittle, dry or frizzy hair. There are debates as to whether or not it’s good to use vegetable glycerin during the cold winter months, and I’ll have to look into this more. Winter isn’t here yet, so until then I’ll continue to use it.

Aloe Vera Juice – Promotes hair growth, moisturizes the hair due to it being a humectant, restores the natural pH balance of the hair and scalp, reduce dandruff, naturally conditions the hair, reduce hair shed, promote hair shine, help heal an irritated, dry, itchy scalp. Another great product to use on natural hair.

Distilled Water – I keep a couple jugs handy at all times to use when I spritz me and my girls’ hair. It’s simply better to use than hard tap water that is full of minerals and other chemicals.

*I put an asterisk behind coconut oil because something hit me about coconut oil: I think it’s been making me and my girl’s hair dry and brittle. After reading article after article of the wonderful benefits of coconut oil, I think our hair doesn’t quite care for it. I’ve used it in every homemade shea butter or mango butter mixture I’ve made, and I’ve also used coconut oil by itself on our hair. After reading other naturalista’s experiences with coconut oil, which are similar to mine, I’m going to stop using it on our hair to see how our hair does without it. I’ll keep you posted.

Here is a quick and easy hair moisturizer you can make and use daily:

In a clean spray bottle add:

1. Half cup of distilled water
2. Two tablespoons of aloe vera juice
3. Two tablespoons of vegetable glycerin
4. Two tablespoons of jojoba oil

Shake the bottle well and spritz hair with it. Style as normal. Feel free to adjust the amounts as you see fit, based on how your hair reacts. Always test new products on your skin first to check for any allergic reaction.

 

The Benefits of Using Red Palm Oil

As I take on the battle of breakage, bald spots, and very dry natural hair, I’ve gone back into research mode. I’ve stumbled upon Red Palm oil. There are so many benefits of using this rich oil from cooking with it, using it on your skin, or what I’m more interested in, using it on your hair. It contains the hard to find toctrienols, which are members of the vitamin E family. The common form of vitamin E, tocopherol, has long been used to treat many skin ailments and is found in many anti-aging products. Here are some of the many benefits of Red Palm Oil:

Red Palm Oil is loaded with the following phytonutrients:

• Carotenoids (alpha-,beta-,and gamma-carotenes)
• Sterols (sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol)
• Vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols)
• Water-soluble powerful antioxidants, phenolic acids and flavonoids

Subsequently, the health benefits of palm oil include reduced risk of a variety of disease processes including:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Arterial thrombosis
• Atherosclerosis
• Cancer
• Cataracts
• Cognitive impairment
• Macular degeneration
• Platelet aggregation (blood clotting)
• Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Vitamin A deficiency

What about the benefits for the hair, you ask? Well, it is a wonderful moisturizer especially since it’s loaded with vitamin E and other healthy vitamins. Red Palm Oil can be used as a pre-poo, deep conditioner, or a daily moisturizer. To use as a pre-poo, wet your hair with water from a spray bottle. Make sure you wear an old t-shirt that you don’t mind getting dirty because Red Palm Oil will stain. You do not need to use a lot of the oil unless you have really long hair. A little of this oil goes a long way. Section off your hair and work the oil through from root to tip, finger detangling as you go along. Make sure to massage the oil into your scalp as well. Continue this process until your entire head is done and then put on a plastic shower cap and let it set for 30 minutes to an hour. Shampoo with warm water 2-3 times to ensure that you get all of oil out and then proceed with conditioning.

Others use it as a daily moisturizer, some mix it with their favorite shampoo, while others mix it with their favorite conditioner. Either way your hair will reap the benefits of being very moisturized, soft and have a lot of body. Your hair will stay this way for at least a week or until your next wash.

I plan on incorporating the regular use of red palm oil in my pre-wash routine and then following up with the L.O.C. method every night. Consistency is key! No more being the lazy natural that I used to be. I’ll keep you posted on my results.

If you’re interested in purchasing Red Palm Oil, it’s available on Amazon and in most health food stores.