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Thread: substitute for shea?

  1. #1

    Question substitute for shea?

    I stay in India, and people here have not heard of shea butter. I was wondering if somebody could suggest a substitute? I've heard a lot about its conditioning properties, but I just don't seem to find it here.

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    Karma Guru sibylla's Avatar
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    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    There are other threads here about this.

    Jasmine oil smells good and is a good alternative. Vatika coconut oil is not so hard to find and I prefer it to shea myself. Amla has a strange smell but is also good for conditioning. Hope this helps!
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    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    You can also order it online if you don't find a substitute that you like. I live in a small town myself and have to order just about everything off the internet.

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    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    Some people have used cocoa butter as a substitute for shea butter in Fox's Conditioning Creme. Cocoa butter seems to soften at a higher temperature than shea.
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    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    Coconut oil is a good conditioning oil, and should be easily available to you. Unrefined oil, if you can find it, is very nice. Use just a drop, rub it between your hands to cover them thinly, then finger-comb through your hair.

    ETA: Also, if you have an African community in your area, you may find shea butter at their ethnic stores. However, I do not know if it will be labled "shea butter" or something else in the local language.
    Last edited by Ursula; October 3rd, 2008 at 08:06 AM.
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    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    Shea butter

    "The shea or karite tree, formerly Butyrospermum paradoxum, .... now called Vitellaria paradoxa.
    Many vernacular names are used for Vitellaria ...."
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shea_butter

    It is also referred to as karite
    http://karitegold.com/non-product-pa...production.htm

  7. #7

    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    oh thanks! I got my bottle of unrefined coconut oil yesterday. Very common in India. I don't know about any African communities here...will try to find out them later. :-)

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    Default Re: substitute for shea?

    You very well might have to order shea butter online. Even in the US, I couldn't find the stuff plain (unrefined, refined, or whipped but plain) at my local health food store. It's kind of a specialty item, I think.
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