As we crank up the heat the air becomes dryer and can rapidly rob our skin and hair of its moisture.
Hair Butters
Hair butters are natural vegetable butters that are extracted from plants, roots, seeds, and trees. They remain solid at room temperatures and consist of solid or semi-solid fat oils. They are superior emollients and softeners for your hair and skin and every butter has unique properties that make it vastly beneficial to the user. Many have anti-inflammatory, soothing, or moisturizing properties that give more than just shine and softness to your tresses.
Some butters are heavier than others and can negatively affect your hair. Knowing your hair’s porosity will help you determine which butter is best for your strands this winter. Low porosity or even fine-haired coilies, wavies, and curlies need to steer clear of the heavier butters because the butter will just create weighty buildup and prevent moisture from penetrating the tight hair cuticle. High porosity hair needs the extra oomph to keep that moisture from escaping once it enters the hair shaft. A lighter butter may be too light to take on that task during winter.
Best Butters for Winter
Shea butter
A favorite among curlies and coilies this heavy butter comes from the fat of the nuts of the African Karite Tree. A rich source of moisture, vitamins, and fat, this butter is thick and perfect for high porosity or thick hair. It can be used on the hair and scalp, is a potent emollient and does provide some skin and hair sun protection.
Shea butter is firm much easier to use if mixed with a carrier oil (e.g. coconut oil”> that will keep it from hardening. Once whipped with a carrier oil, Shea butter becomes a fluffy, ultra-moisturizing natural asset.
This is probably too thick for fine haired or low porosity curlies or coilies.
Cupuacu butter
A much lighter butter than shea butter, this butter is similar to cocoa butter, but has a softer and creamier consistency. Cupuacu butter is from the rain forest and rich in phytosterols that benefit dry, damaged skin and hair. Fatty acids help to moisturize with its power to attract moisture making it a superior hydrator and it can protect skin and hair from UV-rays. Ingredients to Die For says that cupuacu butter is a great butter to try this winter especially if you have low porosity hair.
Hemp Seed Butter
This is a great butter for all hair types and is heavier than cupuacu butter but lighter than shea butter. This non-greasy butter comes from the cannabis plant and is drug-free and non-hallucinogenic in its industrial state. Livestrong says hemp seed butter is a natural sunblock and high in protein, which will improve the feel and appearance of your hair.
There are loads of butters that will give your hair what it needs in the colder months. Finding the right one may take time and research, but as the wind gets chillier and the nights longer, remember that your tresses need to be protected as much as your skin.
Do you have a favorite natural butter you use during winter?
