Please Pass the Butter…….Hair Butter that Is! Part II

In our last article we shared the benefits of shea, cocoa, and mango butters. In this final article about natural butters, we’ll discuss avocado, hemp and olive butter. However, it’s important to note that shea, cocoa, and mango are the only “true” natural butters, that is they need not have a hydrogenated oil added to complete their processing. Additionally, hemp butter is actually a combination of the natural waxes found in hemp seed and the hemp seed oil itself, much like jojoba.

Avocado Butter – is an ivory to light greenish color, with a creamy, soft texture that has excellent penetrating properties. Avocado Butter has natural sunscreen properties and makes it a wonderful moisturizing treatment for dry and damaged hair and skin. It is also a mild-smelling butter that melts and absorbs into skin and hair very easily. Avocado butter will leave your hair soft, shiny, untangled and rehydrated. It is also a highly effective treatment for preserving healthy, smooth hair ends. Whether you’re using it as a deep conditioner, a leave-in treatment, or a moisture sealant, remember, avocado butter is extremely rich and heavy, so use it sparingly.

Hemp Butter - is known to be an excellent natural emollient, lubricant, and moisturizer. It contains hair healthy essential fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6. Hemp butter brings gloss and manageability to hair as well as relief from dry scalp or hair damage. Additionally, because hemp butter is 35% protein, it is excellent for strengthening weak, fragile strands.

Olive Butter - is very similar to that of shea butter, in texture and performance, with slightly higher melting characteristics. Olive butter possesses all of the natural qualities of olive oil. Olive butter is a nutrient rich, creamy emollient that improves hair elasticity. Olive butter works as a natural hair conditioner. It helps to make your hair softer and more manageable.
Well enough of the facts, on to the recipes.

Avocado Butter – As a deep conditioner, massage a tablespoon into your hair and scalp, and leave in for an hour or more and then shampoo. Or as a leave-in treatment, especially for drier African-American hair, apply a teaspoon or so to dry hair (maybe more, if your hair is long or thick), concentrating on the ends.

Overnight Olive Butter Treatment - moisturize your hair then apply olive butter in your hair before you go to bed. Place shower cap over hair. Leave over night. Shampoo and rinse the next day. Your hair may appear limp or oily for a day or two. However, in the long run, hair will appear softer, shiny, and stronger than before.

Hemp Butter – apply this creamy butter to damp hair before styling to seal in moisture, eliminate frizz, and increase hair’s tensile strength with natural proteins.