Grandma's Secret: How To Make Cocoa Butter Hair Conditioner

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Your hair complements your personality, irrespective of whether you wear it short or long. If your hair is healthy, it can instantly enhance your appearance. On the other hand, dry hair and split ends can prove to be disastrous. Therefore, when it comes to hair care, it is essential that you follow some basic routine acts very religiously to achieve best results. This is as simple as oiling your hair, a simple hair wash, followed by the application of a hair conditioner.

Speaking of hair conditioners, they work by smoothening your hair, so that your hair looks shiny and soft again. While shampoo opens up the hair cuticles, conditioner seals it back again, locking nutrients in and pollutants out. This, in turn, strengthens hair shafts and prevents split ends, breakage and hair loss.

What Is Cocoa Butter?

Cocoa butter is a fatty substance obtained from cocoa beans and used in the manufacture of cosmetics and confectionaries. Native to Central and South America, cocoa beans are harvested to make natural skin moisturizers. It has a mild fragrance, smooth texture and is ultra-hydrating. Cocoa butter is, therefore, a popular ingredient in most commercial beauty products.

Cocoa butter (also called obroma oil) is a natural oil extracted from the cocoa bean. It is the fat source used to make chocolate, and is the one responsible for lending its melt-in-the-mouth silky feel. Just like other sources of healthy fatty acids such as coconut oil or raw shea butter, cocoa butter is also great for healing dry and sensitive skin, and is often used in lip glosses, skin lotions and other beauty ointments.

But, just as it does wonders for the skin, it is equally good for your hair too. Take a look at some of its benefits for your hair.

How Does Cocoa Butter Help Your Hair?

As cocoa butter is a natural moisturizer, it has immense benefits to offer your hair:

• Prevents hair loss due to breakage
• Moisturizes your hair
• Makes your hair more manageable
• Strengthens hair shafts
• Replenishes oils that are lost due to chemical processes or environmental damage
• Repairs damaged hair strands
• Adds volume and bounce to your hair
• Can protect your hair from damage

How To Make Cocoa Butter Hair Conditioner?

Being a natural emollient, cocoa butter is the ideal ingredient for a good hair conditioner. As you know, our grandmothers never visited a salon or spa for their hair care, and still owned lovely tresses. That is because they made their own hair care products at home. So, why not we follow their steps too, when we have the necessary ingredients available with us in our kitchen?

So, here we have for you a description on how to make a great, but simple DIY conditioner at home with cocoa butter.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of cocoa butter
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• 1 tbsp of jojoba oil

Directions:

1. Melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil together in a double boiler.

2. After the cocoa butter and coconut oil have completely melted add jojoba oil and mix.

3. Allow the mixture to cool until it begins to solidify.

4. Once it becomes completely solid, whip it until it acquires a whipped cream texture. This may take about 5 minutes of constant whipping.

5. So, you have a beauty recipe ready to be used on any part of your body, including hair.

6. Wash your hair with any normal shampoo and use a tiny portion of this mixture as a conditioner. Leave it on for 3 minutes and rinse.

Note: This mixture also works as a great after-shower body moisturizer for dry skin.

How Does This Conditioner Help?

This conditioner can give you super soft, manageable hair, particularly if you have wavy hair. This conditioner actually helps define your waves. Both coconut oil and jojoba oil hydrate your hair from deep within. They are good moisturizers too, and treat hair follicles from the inside. They are also beneficial in dealing with other scalp problems like dandruff and itchy scalp, while also adding shine and softness.

Alternative Ways To Use Cocoa Butter As Conditioner

1. You can also use plain melted cocoa butter as a conditioner. Take just a nickel-sized drop and apply it only to the ends of your hair and do not touch the scalp. In the case of cocoa butter, just a little goes a long way. When you use excess, it may weigh down your hair.

2. Mix together 6 tsp of cocoa butter, 3 tsp of jojoba oil and 3 tsp of honey. Follow the same whipping procedure and application procedure as mentioned above.

Some Essential Conditioning Tips

1. Cocoa butter solidifies at room temperature. In its solid form, it becomes a lot harder than coconut oil, so you may have to melt it before applying it on your hair. Use fingertips to rub it and allow friction to melt it.

• Cocoa butter can be used as a pre-wash. When using as a pre-shower treatment, melt the butter and massage into your scalp. Do not leave it on for more than 15 minutes, as it can solidify.

• It can also be used as a leave-in conditioner. When using as a leave-in conditioner, it helps tame your frizzes. For this, you can use the same cocoa butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil mixture. But, apply it only on the ends of your hair and scrunch it up. Make sure you don't use more, as you might end up with greasy hair.

Remember, your hair will thank you if you keep it free of harsh chemicals. So, go natural with this cocoa butter conditioner, and remain beautiful the natural way!