Have you tried cocoa butter for natural hair yet? Women have been using it in their hair and skin beauty regimens for centuries. Introducing cocoa butter to your natural hair regimen can be complicated because it is a pure ingredient and the texture will probably be very hard when you take it out of the package.
However, it’s an excellent idea to learn how to use cocoa butter because it protects and conditions the hair. Plus, it smells divine.
In this article, you’ll find helpful information about the butter and how to use it for your natural tresses. If you want to grow soft, shiny natural hair that smells great, keep reading.
Best Cocoa Butter Products
What is Cocoa Butter?
Cocoa butter is a delicious-smelling ingredient that is made from South American cocoa beans. It’s hard, and you’ll need a knife to cut it, but it is well worth the effort and price.
You can use it for both skin and hair for its moisturizing and protective properties, and for its irresistible scent.
Allergies to the bean are extremely rare. In fact, cocoa butter helps to soften the scalp and improve eczema and psoriasis, so it is a solid choice for allergy sufferers.
It has 2-5 years shelf life, and it is one of the most stable fatty acids on the market. The smoke point is high too, making it possible to use for cooking. In fact, you can use the same batch of cocoa butter to make homemade chocolate.
Besides the mass usage in chocolate, women love it for the anti-aging effect on the skin. As you grow older, your skin tends to become thinner and lose some of its elasticity. The scalp is no longer as supple as it was when you were a child, and the collagen loss makes it hard for your follicle bulbs to grow hair.
Cocoa butter helps to improve the softness of the scalp. The polyphenol and flavonoid antioxidants in the butter work to fight the free radical effects of aging and its healing properties help to promote hair growth.
It also contains stearic, palmitic, myristic, arachidic, and lauric acids. This impressive fatty acid profile makes it highly effective at moisturizing the hair shaft.
The concentrated amounts of vitamin E, C, collagen, and magnesium make it a must-have for any natural hair care regimen.
Cocoa Butter Benefits for Hair
Cocoa butter does a lot for the hair and scalp. Here are four of the most crucial benefits. It:
- Strengthens and Protects Hair. Using cocoa butter before shampooing is one of the best ways to enhance and protect your hair. Cocoa butter can moisturize and coat the strand to protect it from the drying effects of shampoo.
If you’re looking for a way to reduce tangling and breakage on wash day, applying cocoa butter 2-24 hours beforehand will help.
- Adds volume. Cocoa butter adds volume by strengthening the strand and protecting the shaft from protein loss. It is an excellent solution if you’re experiencing breakage or hair fall.
Use the butter as a pre-poo, conditioner, or mixed with other protective ingredients for the final cream component in the LOC method.
- Protects from Chlorine and UV Rays. Cocoa butter protects the hair from harmful elements like chlorine and sun rays, making it a must-have for summer days at the pool.
Even if you’re not swimming much, you can benefit from the butter if your city has heavily chlorinated drinking water. Cocoa butter will soften and protect your strands.
- Nourishes the Scalp. Gorgeous hair comes from a healthy scalp. Have you heard about using cocoa butter for hair loss? This high-nutrient butter can penetrate deeply into the scalp to heal the skin. This rejuvenating effect of the scalp will help the follicles to grow hair.
Plus, cocoa butter’s antifungal and antibacterial properties make it an excellent addition to any healing scalp oil. Use it to fight inflammation and aging of the scalp.
Cocoa Butter Vs. Shea Butter
Cocoa butter is often compared to shea butter because the two are very similar and they are both fantastic for the skin and hair. Here are four similarities:
- Moisturizing Properties. Both cocoa and shea butter are known for their moisturizing properties, and they’re praised for their ability to improve moisture retention and elasticity of the hair.
Having elastic hair means that the hair will stretch instead of break when it is pulled. They are both ideal for nourishing the scalp and effective for treating eczema and psoriasis.
- Both cocoa and shea butter protect the hair by coating the strands and stopping the loss of protein from the shaft. They’re excellent for use in pre-poos, shampoos, and conditioners because they prevent the hair from tangling and breaking.
- Hair Growth. Cocoa and shea butter are not mainly known for penetrating well into the hair shaft, but they do absorb deep into the skin.
The deep skin penetration makes them useful for rejuvenating the scalp. Softening the scalp through exfoliation and moisturization is an excellent way to make it easier for the follicles to grow hair.
- Texture and Melting Point. Cocoa and shea butter have a hard texture. In fact, some cocoa butter is also sold in wafer form to make DIY recipes easier.
However, the best cocoa butter is raw and unadulterated. You’ll need something sharp to cut both shea and cocoa butter, especially if you live in a colder climate. Cocoa butter’s melting point is 93-101 degrees F, while shea butter’s is 89-100 degrees F.
You’ll find that cocoa and shea butter have many similarities, but here are three significant differences:
- Cocoa butter comes from cacao beans, originating from South America. However, shea butter comes from Africa, from the nut of the shea tree.
- Cocoa butter smells incredible, and the tropical scent reminds people of something delicious. On the other hand, shea butter has more of a neutral smell. It is unique and is undoubtedly shea, but most users don’t find the scent particularly bad or good.
- You’ve probably eaten cocoa butter a gazillion times because chocolate contains it. You can use it to make your own chocolate, and you can even use it as a healthy replacement for dairy butter.
It is high in polyphenolic components, which make it ideal for heart health and preventing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. However, shea butter is not as yummy as cocoa butter, and it is not used for cooking.
Where to Buy Cocoa Butter for Hair
By now, you’re probably wondering where to buy cocoa butter. It can be challenging to find it locally, and it’s not always a good idea to buy it from a conventional retailer. Most drug stores and beauty supplies will have a version of cocoa butter, but it may come laden with additives that can hurt your hair.
The best way to buy cocoa butter is online, where you can check reviews and quality before you buy. Be sure to look for pure cocoa butter. Pure usually means that it’s raw and hasn’t been destroyed by heat in the manufacturing process. Online has an
that isn’t too pricey.Adding cocoa butter to your natural hair regimen will make detangling more manageable, and it is excellent for improving shine, strength, and manageability.
As you probably already know, shampoo dries out the natural oils from your hair every wash day, making it nearly impossible to detangle without breakage. Even sulfate-free brands can wash away beneficial hair oils.
Use the cocoa butter as a pre-poo to protect the strand from the shampoo and lubricate the curls. Also, use the butter as a conditioner to soften hair and add shine. Regular application will result in healthier hair that is easier to manage.
Now, it’s your turn to discuss. Have you tried cocoa butter for natural hair, and if so, did you notice an improvement in your hair’s health?
Hey Curl Friend, I’m Patrina Haupt the creator and author of Natural Hair Queen. I hope you find my healthy hair care tips helpful in your hair journey. Healthy hair care practices are definitely, what helped me to achieve waist length hair.
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Hello, how do the process work by steps when you use raw unrefined cocoa butter on natural hair? Thanks
Once you make your butter you would apply it to your hair. Be sure not to forget your ends!
good day, I just recently started using a cocoa and shea butter combo on my 4c hair after spraying it with fresh aloe vera gel. I am looking forward to the results in the coming weeks and months.
That’s amazing to hear Andrea!