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Getting ready for a romantic evening or a fun night out with the girls? After picking out the perfect dress, your favorite shoes and all the right accessories, don't forget to pay some attention to the best accessory of all: your hair! Whip up a batch of shea butter cream to add supple moisture and all-night shine to your hair. Shea butter cream is ideal for all hair types -- including colored hair--and even helps repair damaged locks. You'll only spend a few minutes treating your tresses, but the compliments will come all night long.
1.
Add 4 tablespoons of shea butter and 2 tablespoons of cocoa butter to a double boiler and melt them together low heat. Don't have a double boiler? Fill up a pot with boiling water and then place a glass bowl on top with your ingredients inside. Work your muscles and stir the pot thoroughly to help speed up the process and ensure those butters are blended together.
If you don't already have some at home, you can buy shea butter and cocoa butter at most drug stores.
2.
Add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the mix and stir, stir, stir to combine the ingredients. If you like, you can also add a few drops of an essential oil like lavender or mint to add some fragrance to the final product. Not only will you have the softest locks of anyone around, you'll also smell amazing! Check out any health food store to see what essential oils are available.
3.
Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to sit until the oils are hardened and cool to the touch. Dust off your electric mixer and whip the mixture together until it is light and fluffy, then put it in a resealable plastic container for storage. That's it! Your shea butter cream is ready to use.
Rub some between your palms and apply it to dry hair for instant moisture and shine. If you have more time, apply a generous amount of the cream right after a shower and let it soak in for 30 minutes for a deep conditioning. After applying the shea butter cream, style your hair as usual and then try your hardest to stop running your fingers through your perfectly moisturized locks.
If you opt to use essential oils in your shea butter cream, you only need to add two to three drops. You don't want to smell like a giant bowl of potpourri.
Apply some shea butter cream to your hair before swimming to protect your tresses from the chlorine.
Use shea butter before blow drying your hair to help protect it from heat damage.
At the risk of sounding like your mother, be careful when you melt the ingredients. Soft, silky hair won't hide ugly burns.