Shea and cocoa butters

[gazelle]

Hi everyone. I found some shea and cocoa butters available. I bought them thinking that they are pure, but than saw that there is also wax in the butters.
I am using them for my hands at the moment, they are good for hands.

If I use them in my hair recipes, will it be difficult to clean? I actually do not know anything about wax

[ktani]

Hi everyone. I found some shea and cocoa butters available. I bought them thinking that they are pure, but than saw that there is also wax in the butters.
I am using them for my hands at the moment, they are good for hands.

If I use them in my hair recipes, will it be difficult to clean? I actually do not know anything about wax

Both butters naturally contain a fair amount of stearic acid which is waxy. All that means is that the butters cause build-up on hair and at some point you will need to clarify.

[gazelle]

Thanks, ktani. I feel they will not be practical in hair use, because I use very mild shampoo which may not clean them enough. They are too solid and waxy for hair, and may build up as you have mentioned

[ktani]

Thanks, ktani. I feel they will not be practical in hair use, because I use very mild shampoo which may not clean them enough. They are too solid and waxy for hair, and may build up as you have mentioned

They will build-up. If you use conditioner, it will build-up too, as will any styling aid. Clarifying can remove all of them. And you are very welcome. ETA: Your shampoo, depending on what is in it can cause build-up as well.

[gazelle]

I use BS and ACV about every two months, to clarify. And use my old sulphate shampoo (but not clarifying shampoo) sporodically. What do yourself use for clarifying can I ask?

[ktani]

I use BS and ACV about every two months, to clarify. And use my old sulphate shampoo (but not clarifying shampoo) sporodically. What do yourself use for clarifying can I ask?

Of course you can ask, lol. I have never clarified. I have always stopped using whatever has built-up on my hair and let it wash out. The shampoo I use is Sunsilk Lively Blonde, which does not itself build-up, so I can do that. It is not a clarifying shampoo and it is a sulfate one.

I no longer use conditioner, just catnip, and now mineral oil/baby oil drops when not using catnip. Enough catnip washes out when I shampoo that it does not build-up and I reapply it after every wash unless I use mineral oil/baby oil.The mineral oil washes out completely when I shampoo.

ETA: In the past, I never clarified because I did not want to get into the cycle of stripping my hair of coatings, deep conditioning and starting over. That was ignorance on my part as to how drying a clarifying shampoo can be or not. My hair no doubt would have benefited from clarifying then as it was very dry and tangly at times and build-up was the cause, I am sure. When I switched to experimenting with herbs, I had already found the Sunsilk in various versions, that did wash out build-up for me, without adding more.

[Theobroma]

I'm so glad to have spotted this thread! I'm a fan of shea butter for my canopy and my ends, and a recent refugee from CO-washing. I had no idea that shea could build up, but that explains the problems I most recently had with my CO routine, and also the fact that clarifying restored my hair to normal.

I want to continue using shea butter, though, so this thread has me wondering whether my new shampoo will be able to take care of any buildup. Here are the ingredients; will it be strong enough to remove buildup? And/or is there anything in the shampoo itself that can build up?

Water (Aqua), Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Lecithin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Ascorbic Acid, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citral*. *from natural essential oils

I'd be most grateful for any feedback. I feel somewhat at sea rebuilding my hair routine from scratch! (The buildup isn't the only reason I'm quitting CO; there is also the matter of increased shedding, which it's safe to say isn't going to go away.)

[ktani]

I'm so glad to have spotted this thread! I'm a fan of shea butter for my canopy and my ends, and a recent refugee from CO-washing. I had no idea that shea could build up, but that explains the problems I most recently had with my CO routine, and also the fact that clarifying restored my hair to normal.

I want to continue using shea butter, though, so this thread has me wondering whether my new shampoo will be able to take care of any buildup. Here are the ingredients; will it be strong enough to remove buildup? And/or is there anything in the shampoo itself that can build up?

Water (Aqua), Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Lecithin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Ascorbic Acid, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citral*. *from natural essential oils

I'd be most grateful for any feedback. I feel somewhat at sea rebuilding my hair routine from scratch! (The buildup isn't the only reason I'm quitting CO; there is also the matter of increased shedding, which it's safe to say isn't going to go away.)

It is not a clarifying shampoo and is not particularly strong. The lecithin does coat hair and the sunflower seed oil, unspecified as to high oleic is probably the drying oil version. There is not a lot of either in the shampoo though. The horsetail extract may build-up too. Bottom line to me is that most likely, you will need to clarify once in a while.

[Theobroma]

Thank you so much, ktani! What are the criteria for recognising a clarifying shampoo? Would this one do the job?

Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Glucoside, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Sodium Chloride, Malt Extract, Lanolin, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Alcohol, Limonene*, Linalool*. *from natural essential oils

[ktani]

Thank you so much, ktani! What are the criteria for recognising a clarifying shampoo? Would this one do the job?

Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Glucoside, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Sodium Chloride, Malt Extract, Lanolin, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Alcohol, Limonene*, Linalool*. *from natural essential oils

That is not a clarifying shampoo either. Aside from the mild cleansing combination and the botanical, lanolin is a wax. Again, not much of it is in there.

This may help, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=224

The real problem to me is that there are many clarifying shampoos out there by name, that can clarify but only to a point. Cosmetic companies have added polymers (hydroxyethylcellulose), waxy ingredients, (cetyl alcohol) and others to them that coat the hair too and build-up.

Good ones I recommend as examples, are Pantene Ice Shine, Neutrogena Anti-Residue and Prell in the bottle, which is the one linked in my article.

ETA: It does not mean that other shampoos cannot clarify. It just means you have to read lables carefully, look up botanical constituents, see where things are on the label, and in the end possibly try the product. It also means that for many natural products like butters, you need to understand what is in them (constituents) and how that may affect hair in terms of build-up. It can be work intensive.

ETA:2 Unrefined natural shea butter also contains a small amount of latex, which builds-up too.

[Theobroma]

Thanks again. I can probably get hold of the Neutrogena as I've seen the brand around. But I'm surprised to hear that last shampoo described as having a "mild" cleansing combination; I used to use it before going CO and found it quite severely stripping! Maybe I just used far too much of it; the information on the website says it's highly concentrated. (It's Weleda Chestnut shampoo, by the way.)

I suspect that the next time I need to clarify, I'll experiment with a baking soda wash. Thanks for pointing me at your article and reminding me that this is an option. :)

[ktani]

Thanks again. I can probably get hold of the Neutrogena as I've seen the brand around. But I'm surprised to hear that last shampoo described as having a "mild" cleansing combination; I used to use it before going CO and found it quite severely stripping! Maybe I just used far too much of it; the information on the website says it's highly concentrated. (It's Weleda Chestnut shampoo, by the way.)

I suspect that the next time I need to clarify, I'll experiment with a baking soda wash. Thanks for pointing me at your article and reminding me that this is an option. :)

Again, that is the difference between looking at a label and using the product. Many non sulfate shampoos appear from the label to be really mild but after using them and sometimes using too much, thinking they are really mild, they are not.

When I have gone on a shampoo hunt in the past, I bought and tested different products on my hands, to see how strong or not they were and to see how drying they may be. It is not the same as testing one on my scalp but close enough in terms of one being irritating. My hands are not as sensitive as my very sensitive scalp. Anything that can easily irritate the skin on my hands never makes it to the scalp test.

ETA: Ah, highly concentrated makes a difference too on how much to use. However, while things may appear to be stripping and I am not referring to this shampoo named specifically alone, a shampoo can still deposit a coating of its own at the same time that can cause build-up.

ETA:2 And you are very welcome.

[gazelle]

The clarifying article is very helpful. I sometimes do acidic rinses like tea and vinegar, since I have bad water. And lastly I put some vinegar into my shampoo, because I forget to prepare vinegar solution before shower:)

[ktani]

The clarifying article is very helpful. I sometimes do acidic rinses like tea and vinegar, since I have bad water. And lastly I put some vinegar into my shampoo, because I forget to prepare vinegar solution before shower:)

I am glad it helped. :)

[Shatam1]

I use Neutrogena once a week to clarify and I actually love the feel of my hair right after. It is fluffy, shiny and very manageable. I'd doesn't dry my hair at all inspite of the fact that my hair is dry by nature.

[earthnut]

I absolutely love cocoa butter on my skin. It's the best thing I've ever found for my lips.

It's too heavy for my hair though, unless I've dried it out with too much soap.

I use baking soda to clarify. If my hair really needs help, I'll use a little dish soap. There isn't much difference between shampoo and dish soap anyway, and dish soap is designed to cut grease.

[gazelle]

I absolutely love cocoa butter on my skin. It's the best thing I've ever found for my lips.

It's too heavy for my hair though, unless I've dried it out with too much soap.

I use baking soda to clarify. If my hair really needs help, I'll use a little dish soap. There isn't much difference between shampoo and dish soap anyway, and dish soap is designed to cut grease.

I am using the butters only for lips and dry hands at the moment. They are great for this, but heavy and sticky for hair as you have mentioned

I've never thought of clarifying with dish soap, but I thought clarifying with my face cleansing gel :)

[Theobroma]

I wonder whether the effect of butters on one's hair might vary depending on what other products one is using -- i.e. conditioner? When I was CO-ing I found that I had to be incredibly careful not to use too much shea butter. I've now completely changed routines: mild shampoo and a self-made blend of 25% coconut oil and 75% shea butter, applied to dripping wet hair, as my only conditioner, and I find I can use something like three times as much shea now without getting that sticky feeling on my hair.

BTW, my hair feels just as soft and moisturised now as it did with commercial conditioner. Go figure!

[gazelle]

I wonder whether the effect of butters on one's hair might vary depending on what other products one is using -- i.e. conditioner? When I was CO-ing I found that I had to be incredibly careful not to use too much shea butter. I've now completely changed routines: mild shampoo and a self-made blend of 25% coconut oil and 75% shea butter, applied to dripping wet hair, as my only conditioner, and I find I can use something like three times as much shea now without getting that sticky feeling on my hair.

BTW, my hair feels just as soft and moisturised now as it did with commercial conditioner. Go figure!

I think so. Because conditioner coats the hair, and additional shea butter is also coating the hair, maybe it builds up fastly. If you use only shea coconut mix, it directly coats the hair.

I wish ktani were still here, she understands better about this

[Theobroma]

I think so. Because conditioner coats the hair, and additional shea butter is also coating the hair, maybe it builds up fastly. If you use only shea coconut mix, it directly coats the hair.

I wish ktani were still here, she understands better about this

??? Has Ktani left LHC? Or has she just stopped reading this thread?

[gazelle]

I am afraid she left LHC... I hope she just left for a while and will return