Hey All!
I have been out of Shealoe for a good month...or two, and I just decided to stop being lazy and make a new batch.
This batch is slightly different, as I used a blender this time around, so this is Whipped Shealoe, opposed to the
Melt & Blend method.
I also opted to use an oil, in hopes that it would help give this batch a creamier texture. The oil I used is Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil. I originally wanted to use Olive Oil, but I am all out!
The Shea Butter I had, was from
Halo's Homemade Soaps, it was 1 pound (16oz) and came in a plastic baggy. I have ordered from them before, but through eBay. I know it's their Shea because it has their label on it. The Shea is of good quality, at least in my own opinion. The texture is smooth, and smells nutty, as it should! I paid $5.50 USD, and the shipping was $5.00, so altogether I paid $10.50 USD. Here is
Where I buy my Shea Butter.
First I put the Shea Butter in the blender, I used maybe 8oz of that, let it mix a bit, stopped it, then added, my Aloe Vera Gel, which I used about 4oz of, stopped once more, and added my Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil, I did not measure how much I used, but I would say I roughly used about 2oz.
So if you have not caught that it's about..
8oz of Shea Butter
4oz of Aloe Vera Gel
2oz of Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil
To ensure everything was getting mixed in I would stop the blender to mix with a fork, scrape the sides, and continue. This process was so quick, I was done in about 10 minutes.
Here's how it looked in the blender when finished
 |
| I already started scooping some of it out. |
This batch gave me two 8oz batches, yes I said TWO, which I can say that I did not expect in the least. So I am super happy about it!
Here's how the batches came out
Close up of one of the batches
Comparison Melt & Blend- Whipped
So there is a difference in the coloring, as well as the texture. The Melt & Blend batch was a bit thicker, and I found myself having to reheat, and mixing before use. Since these new batches are blended, there is no need to heat or mix.
Another difference is that when using the Melt & Blend Shealoe, I found myself overusing it, and having white residue in my hair from Shea that had not fully blended.
I used new Whipped batch, and I did not get any residue. Though both resulted in soft defined hair.
One last thing that I like about this batch is that it smells nice, as it smells like the Africa's Best Ultimate Oil which smells like baby powder, so perhaps if I used oil when I did the Melt & Blend method, it may have smelled a bit better, and helped with the texture.
I think what also contributed to the last batch not smelling as nice, could have been that the Shealoe was not blended as well. The last batch had a funny smell, and started to go bad.
I am not saying the Melt & Blend method does not work, it is just that you have to work harder to keep your ingredients blended (reheating & mixing) to get the texture that you desire.
What is great about Shealoe is that it is great for Low Manipulation styling, like Twist/Braid Outs, Bantu Knot Outs, or even Protective styling like Buns, Two Strand Twists, etc. It also works great as a Moisturizer/Sealant.
I am undoubtedly a fan of Shealoe, especially because it's natural, and so easy to make. Try making your own batch, to see what all the rave is about!
~Naomi
