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Many products claim to do wonders for your hair, but some end up leaving you disappointed. A product that constantly receives accolades among hair stylists is cocoa butter. But is it good for hair? Allow us to explain.
Is Cocoa Butter Good for Hair?
Cocoa butter is excellent for your hair and scalp. It nourishes hair and encourages healthy hair growth, and minimizes dandruff.
Many of us dream of a healthy head of hair, hair devoid of dryness, dandruff, and an irritated scalp. We want to feel good about the hair on our heads.
More than that, we want to nourish it with ingredients that are proven to work for our types of hair — the more natural these products are, the better. Enter cocoa butter. Cocoa beans are not only responsible for bringing us our favorite chocolate treats.
They are also the source of cocoa butter, an oil extracted from cocoa beans. Cocoa butter has multiple applications in the skincare and hair care industry. And you’ll soon want to include it in your hair care regimen.
If you aren’t, here’s a glimpse into all the benefits your hair is missing.
Benefits of Cocoa Butter for Your Hair
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If you’re anything like us, you sometimes have bad hair days or months. These are times when your hair seems to have a mind of its own, and there’s nothing you can do to fix it. What will cocoa butter do for your hair?
Repairs Damaged Hair
If your hair is dry, damaged, and sending you closer to the edge of despair, cocoa butter can help. There’s a reason most hair repair treatments include cocoa butter. Cocoa butter consists of saturated fats and fatty acids as the primary components.
When applying cocoa butter to hair, oils penetrate the hair structure. It seals in moisture in the hair. Not only that, it keeps your hair shafts nourished in the process.
We all know dryness is top of the list of the things causing hair breakage. So grab that can of organic cocoa butter and give that hair the love it deserves. And if you’re holding onto that cocoa butter, wondering what to do with it, let’s help you out.
Use six tablespoons of raw cocoa butter and mix with three tablespoons of jojoba oil and honey. Whip the mixture. Apply to your hair once solidified.
Take this a further step by creating a cocoa butter hair mask. For the mask, you need:
- ¼ cup of cocoa butter
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 5 tsp beeswax
- Olive oil
Melt the cocoa butter, beeswax, and coconut oil to make the hair mask. Add olive oil to the melted mixture and whip. Apply to your hair and leave it on for up to 20 minutes.
Moisturizes Hair
Cocoa butter has a high concentration of Vitamin E, an ingredient often found in most hair moisturizing treatments. The presence of Vitamin E makes cocoa butter a perfect natural hair moisturizer.
It penetrates your hair, locking in moisture and preventing it from drying. It also conditions hair keeping it strong and frizz-free.
Protects Your Hair From Damage
A lot in the environment is terrible for your hair, from the harsh sun to the dry air that strips your hair of moisture. And, to add to the carnage, your hair care habits could also contribute to hair damage.
For instance, shampooing your hair strips it of the oils that keep it healthy and moisturized. Cocoa butter restores the oils lost from your hair.
It penetrates deep into the hair shafts, strengthening it from within. It also provides a protective layer from harsh environmental elements, from UV rays to pollution and dust.
Boosts Scalp Health
The health of your scalp says a lot about your hair health. Taking care of your scalp should be part of your regular hair care routine. To achieve the best scalp health, try massaging cocoa butter into your hair several times a week.
Not only does it stimulate blood flow in your scalp, but it also keeps your scalp from drying out and becoming itchy.
Controls Dandruff
If you’ve tried a lot of hair treatment options with nothing to show for it, maybe you should try cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is a natural antioxidant that detoxes your scalp.
When you massage cocoa butter into your scalp, it softens the dead skin layers that cause itching. Dryness is another common cause of dandruff.
Cocoa butter moisturizes your scalp keeping dead skin from flaking and peeling off, resulting in itchiness. Applying cocoa butter to your hair stimulates your scalp to produce natural oils, which soothe and lubricate the inflamed skin.
Even if your dandruff comes from microbial action on your scalp, cocoa butter can help. It contains natural antibacterial and antifungal properties that keep your scalp healthy and dandruff-free.
Read Next: How to Get Rid of Dandruff Without Shampoo
How to Use Cocoa Butter for Your Hair
Hair needs are different. You may be looking for a hair moisturizer, while another person is looking for hair treatment. Whatever you’re looking for, you may find it in cocoa butter.
Being a versatile ingredient, you can use cocoa butter as a treatment, conditioner, or leave-in cream. Regardless, we detail how you can use cocoa butter for these applications.
Cocoa Butter as a Pre-Wash Hair Treatment
A pre-shampoo treatment is a critical step that locks in the moisture in your hair to keep it strong and healthy. You usually leave the pre-shampoo treatment in your hair for some time before washing it.
Using cocoa butter as a pre-shampoo is a straightforward process. All you need is cocoa butter. Proceed to massage it into your hair and scalp. Leave it on for up to 20 minutes. Wash out your hair with lukewarm water.
Note: If you leave cocoa butter in your hair for longer, it will solidify and become hard to remove, but you can melt it with a blow dryer.
Cocoa Butter Conditioner
You can add a few drops of cocoa butter alongside your regular conditioner to tap into the benefits of cocoa butter. If you intend to use cocoa butter in the shower as a conditioner, apply it strictly to the ends of the hair. Do not apply it on the scalp as it leaves it oily and weighs down your hair.
Cocoa Butter Leave-In Conditioner
If you want the hair conditioning benefits of cocoa butter in your hair for longer, consider using it as a leave-in conditioner. Mix melted cocoa butter with other natural oils such as coconut and jojoba. Apply it along your hair and style as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Should you put cocoa butter in your hair?
It is perfectly safe, even recommended, to put cocoa butter in your hair. It contains saturated fats, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals responsible for strong, healthy hair. Using cocoa butter may help repair any damage to your hair.
Can cocoa butter make your hair grow?
Cocoa butter is beneficial to the skin, including that of the scalp. Keeping the scalp healthy creates a conducive environment for better hair growth. Cocoa butter nourishes hair as it grows, resulting in strong, healthy, and lush hair.
How often should I use cocoa butter for my hair?
You should use cocoa butter two to three times every week. Breaking up your cocoa butter application into these timelines allows your hair and scalp to benefit from the properties of cocoa butter without weighing your hair down.
Does cocoa butter have protein for hair?
Cocoa butter contains proteins that allow it to repair damaged hair. It also contains vitamin E and minerals such as copper, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
Can I mix cocoa butter with other oils?
You can use cocoa butter by itself, or you could mix it with other organic oils that are good for your hair. These include jojoba oil, coconut oil, or coconut oil.
So, Is Cocoa Butter Good for Hair?
Cocoa butter is mother earth’s answer to most of your hair’s problems. It nourishes, strengthens, moisturizes, conditions, and protects your hair from elements, dust, and pollution. It keeps your hair from unnecessary breakage, dryness, or dandruff. Happy styling!