DIY Natural Hair Products: Peppermint Shea Aloe Butter

I have been in search of the perfect hair butter for my coarse, kinky, curly, coily hair that was free of glycerin, added shine, moisture , a nice hold without the crunch and was reasonably priced.  I typically use hair butters to moisturize, style and/or define my natural hair. Below is a list of hair butters that I have tried but did not fully meet my criteria:

1. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie is a great reasonably priced product but contains glycerin so my shrinkage is out of control.
2. Carol’s Daughter Healthy Hair Butter is great for shine, moisture and hold without glycerin but is $17 for an 8 oz. jar!
3. Donna Marie Dream Curling Creme was courtesy of the 1st CurlBox Natural. This product has nice hold and adds shine but the smell was overbearing and the price is $20 for a 16 oz. jar.
4. Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter added shine and hold  as well but also contains parabens and cones. I typically try to stay away from these ingredients and purchase all natural products as much as possible.

Out of this entire list, if I was to repurchase a product it would be the Healthy Hair Butter and I always have a stash of Shea Moisture for the winter time when glycerin can be a benefit. But I really wanted a butter that I could use year round that met all of my criteria and the product junkie in me was determined to find the right one. So while attending Return of the Curls Natural Hair Expo in Greensboro, NC, I purchased two 16 oz. tubs of whipped, white shea butter and decided to use it as my base to create my own hair butter. After watching a few youtube vids, this is the recipe I created. Feel free to adjust as you see fit by using your favorite butters (mango, avocodo, cocoa, etc.),  favorite oils or adding other ingredients for your hair.

These are the exact brands/products that I used.

RECIPE:

Combine 1/2 cup of whipped, white shea butter with 2 tbsp of aloe vera gel, 1 tsp of castor oil and 5-10 drops (depending on how strong you want the scent to be) of peppermint oil in a plastic bowl and mix or whip until desired consistency. Mix shea butter while at room temperature.

• I always purchase pre-whipped shea butter because it cuts down on whipping time at home and guarantees that your products will not separate.
• I prefer the clear aloe vera gel because there are typically no alcohols or fragrance added.
• I’ve always used aloe vera gel for hold instead of using Eco Styler Gel so adding aloe vera for hold and added moisture was ideal for me. I’m not a fan of Eco Styler gel because of the crunch and build up.
• I add castor oil for shine, to stimulate growth and to help create a thick consistency. I also add peppermint oil to stimulate growth and for fragrance. I’m not a fan of the nutty smell of shea butter.
• I only make small batches to last the week to preserve products and use for other mixes (i.e. deep condish, hair spritz, hair oil, etc.)
• I mix with a spatula instead of a mixer. Not using a mixer helps me to see the consistency better in case I want to add more castor oil or aloe vera gel as I mix. From my experience, using a mixer will create a creamier, fluffier texture opposed to my thicker, heavier butter like texture below.
• I store the finished product in a sealed container to keep out additional moisture to avoid mold. Mixing products together can dilute the natural or added preservatives and cause mold, especially if you add water or any liquid based product. This is also why I only mix enough to use for the week.

Finished product!

Results after separating and fluffing my flat twists using my butter. I like a little bit of frizz, I don’t really like perfectly defined curl patterns.

My Peppermint Shea Aloe Butter provides shine, hold without the crunch, moisturizes, does not cause shrinkage and is very economical as far as price. I use it to moisturize my hair on wash day after I apply my leave-in condish and seal with my oil mix. I also use the butter as a moisturizer to seal and re-twist or mini-pineapple throughout the week. Although the product junkie in me is tempted to keep experimenting, I will probably never purchase another hair butter as has become my new staple!

Are you a natural hair mixologist? If so, what ingredients do you use? What kind of products do you create?

 Note: All products were purchased with my money and I was not compensated for my review. All reviews and opinions given are based on my experience with multiple uses on my natural, kinky, curly, coily hair. Results may vary.

Emerge. Life. Natural. Experiences.