Science-y Hair Blog Oil Blend or SHB Oil Blend Recipe
This natural oil blend is a pre-shampoo treatment, a sealer, a frizz-controlling shine pomade/serum, can be added to your conditioner for a deep conditioner. This oil blend adds softness and flexibility to your hair. It helps your hairs align with each other for gloss and definition. Adds weight to control frizz or reduce the volume of "poufy" hair.
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This mixture is blended to be similar the fatty acid component of the oils from your scalp, but still using oils that are fairly easy to find. It works differently than any single oil alone.
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Recipe: (makes about 1/4 cup)
Extra Virgin Olive oil 2 1/2 teaspoons (12 ml)
Coconut oil 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons (7.5 ml to 10) (1 1/2 tsp if liquid, 2 if solidified)
Coconut oil 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons (7.5 ml to 10) (1 1/2 tsp if liquid, 2 if solidified)
Shea butter or Cocoa butter * 2 1/2 to 3 well-packed teaspoons (12 to 14.75 ml): for cocoa butter, see *
Jojoba oil ** 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml)
Grapeseed oil 4 teaspoons (20 ml)
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Essential oil or fragrance oil (optional)
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* If you use cocoa butter, you may want to use just 2 teaspoons or even 1 1/2 teaspoons. Cocoa butter is harder than shea butter and may be more likely to cause build-up. If you know your hair loves cocoa butter - go crazy! Otherwise, use caution.
** If jojoba oil makes your hair static-y and flyaway and you want to use this on dry hair, replace it with canola oil or use more olive and grapeseed oil.©Science-y Hair Blog 2013
** If jojoba oil makes your hair static-y and flyaway and you want to use this on dry hair, replace it with canola oil or use more olive and grapeseed oil.©Science-y Hair Blog 2013
Measure oils into a double boiler or a heat-resistant bowl which you can place over simmering water or in a pan of hot water. Allow the shea or cocoa butter (and coconut oil if yours has solidified) to melt and blend for a few minutes.
Remove from heat. Store in the refrigerator. This will become semisolid in the refrigerator, but will melt in your hand. Refrigerating the mixture helps prevent rancidity. Alternatively, keep a small amount in a squeeze bottle at room temperature in a cool-ish, dark place (not in your bathroom). This oil blend should stay reasonably fresh (not rancid) for 2-3 months, depending on how the oils you used to make it were stored. Wipe the bottle to remove drips and keep water out.
Each oil adds something special, mainly they were chosen for their lipid profile. Olive oil contains squalene, and is a good lubricant and shine-enhancer. Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft for softness and flexibility and helps porous hair resist swelling in water - swelling stresses your strands. Shea butter or cocoa butter soften hair from the outside and add "weight." Jojoba oil is a wax chemically speaking and waxes are a natural part of your skin's sebum, it's in this recipe for shine and lubrication. Grapeseed oil penetrates the hair somewhat, softens and lubricates. As with oils from your scalp, this blend is not made for heavy-handed use unless you know your hair can tolerate lots of oils and butters without unhappy side effects.
©Science-y Hair Blog 2013
©Science-y Hair Blog 2013
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| Ingredients prior to melting. |
How to Use SHB Oil Blend:
Pre-shampoo: Apply oil to dry hair before shampooing (or conditioner-washing or whatever you do to wash your hair). If your hair is fine, thin or silky or not very porous, use just enough to make it shine. If your hair is dry and rough and static-y, use enough to make it feel good and greasy. Leave it on for anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight (protect your pillow)! Then cleanse.
This oil blend does not leave a high shine after shampooing, hair should have luster and feel soft and pliable. Experiment with how much to use - your washed hair should not feel overly oily when wet or dry.
Sealer: Apply this oil to damp hair or over a leave-in conditioner to
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| All oils melted and blended. |
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Serum/Pomade: This oil blend is heavy. Applied to dry hair and smoothed through, it will add weight, gloss and definition to curls and coils. Works well to control flyaways and shape styles both natural and "set." But it may flatten fine curls or waves. Be warned if you have allergies, oils on dry hair can accumulate dust, pollen and mold spores. Will add shine to your hair, but the shea butter in the recipe can lead to build-up which dulls hair. If this occurs, a gentle shampoo and plenty of warm water should remove the excess oil.©Science-y Hair Blog 2013
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| Semi-solid, refrigerated oil blend. |
Conditioner enhancer: Add a few drops (or more) of this oil blend to however much conditioner you use, mix well and condition for extra softening and flexibility in your hair. Don't add it to a bottle of conditioner - the oils can go rancid or make the product separate.©Science-y Hair Blog 2013
Protein treatment enhancer: Add a drop or two (or more) of this oil blend to your favorite protein treatment.
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Removing crunch from hair gels: Use a very small amount of this oil blend (1-3 drops), rubbed in your palms, to smooth over your hair as though you are making a ponytail. Squeeze through to the ends to break up the "crunch" of hair gels for a soft finish.
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