Our Okanagan Families With Children From Africa group had our second Happy Hair Hour last week - what fun! Thanks so much to N for hosting. There were 7 of us ladies… most with kids from Ethiopia and Swaziland, and one Ethiopian lady. The agenda - eat baked camembert, drink wine, be merry, and talk hair (specifically, our kids’ hair).
One of the items I brought to show and tell (this is one of my favorite part of Happy Hair Hour, aside from the gossip and the cheese!) was my Magic Hair Elixir. And today - oh you lucky people - the recipe is going to be shared with the world!!!
So it was born of necessity. The first time I was going to do twists on my daughter’s hair, I didn’t have any holding paste or wax. I don’t like gel staying on there and drying the hair out, and the only beeswax paste I could find, well, it’s main ingredient is petroleum. So after encouragement from my friend, I decided to make my own.
A couple batches in, I can tell you that it works AWESOMELY. The wax gives you a grip on the hair and holds a bit, the butter moisturizes and the oil allows it to be the right consistency for dabbing onto the hair pre-braiding. It doesn’t leave a film on my grils’ hair at all, and it helps it stay nice and moisturized and healthy. Enjoy!
My magical hair elixir
- 1/4 beeswax
I get mine at the farmer’s market, or last last Saturday night, at the honey farm!- 1/4 coconut or shea butter
Both work great. 100% butters are available at your local health food and most grocery stores.- 1/2 oil (olive or sweet almond are good)
The trick is you can’t use any oil that needs to be stored in the fridge after opening.Melt together in a jar over water, then stir several times as it cools. Store at room temperature.
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- Local beeswax - had to buy some honey while I was at it!
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- 100% cocoa or shea butter - I picked cocoa this time for the delectable smell.
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- Sweet almond or oilve oil. Friends have used canola too.
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- "Measure" in the wax and cocoa butter.
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- Fill the remaining 1/2 up with oil.
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- Melt on the stove in 2 inches of water. Do NOT attempt this in the microwave.
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- Stir several times as it cools, as it will try to seperate out on you.
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- Enjoy! Store it at room temperature with the rest of your hair stuff.
April 19th, 2010 at 6:46 am
That is phenomenal! Thanks for sharing your amazing recipe. I also love the idea of your group get togethers-I hope I can find something like that to join- or maybe I’ll have to start a group up!
April 19th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
And the whole thing sounds good enough to eat. LOL !! Minus the bee’s wax :), thanks for sharing!
shirley
April 19th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
I can’t wait for the day when I get to make and use your magic recipe.
April 19th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
Hi [Nicky],
Thanks for this!! Now for the dumb question, can you share how you use it? Just when styling or does it hold and define curls when worn loose just with a head band??
Thanks,
Carrie
April 20th, 2010 at 9:01 am
What a great idea…thank you for sharing your special recipe. It sounds like it will be easy to do. (P.S. My kids loved your kids FB video about vegetarianism!)
April 20th, 2010 at 11:15 am
No problem, Carrie! Not a dumb question.
I use it in place of gel when doing braids or twists. So I take the piece of hair to be twisted, for example, dab a bit on my fingers, then spread it in the hair piece from the base of the ahir up. Then it just works in as I twist it.
It has a soft hold……..
April 20th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Nicky,
Do you think this would work on locs? I just started Selamu’s a few weeks ago, but they are not wanting to loc very quickly (I could still comb most of them out) so I need something to keep them tidy, but that won’t interfere with the locking but giving too much “slip”.
I know you’re not an expert, but wondering what you think.
April 20th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
I am so totally not an expert …
BUT, one of our group has a girl from Swaziland, and she swears by the the kids locks product she gets at the “smoke” shops (only place she can find it!) but I found it online: http://www.knottyboy.com . She buys the tropical tightening gel. It has a lot of aloe vera, and she really likes it.
April 20th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Thank you!! I’ll try some - tightening is exactly what we are looking to accomplish. We are loving the locs - but the upkeep while we are waiting for them to “take” is taking more time than I have to be spending on hair.
April 25th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Nicky, I made this the other day and LOVE it. It really keeps the frizzies down in my daughter’s braids.
I’ve used it on her skin too, and her face has never been softer.
I tried a little as a lip balm and could still feel the lovely effects a couple of hours later - and not in that gross way that a lot of lip products have.
“Magic” is right!!
I think next time I’m going to add a little vitamin E oil as well.
April 25th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Awesome!!! So glad it worked well for you.
It reminds me of the homemade lip balm we used to make in girl guides with beeswax…
April 25th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
OOOOOOOOOOOOOH Must try!!
May 4th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Bought the bees wax this AM and am ready to whip up a batch. Any insight as to whether or not castor oil would work? Web research says it is great for black hair.
Barb
May 4th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Hi Barb – I wouldn’t use it, simply because it doesn’t smell nice. And you’re going to be cuddling up to that castor oil head for a week or two
For more inexpensive options, I would simply use canola. Many people recommend jojoba, but I don’t like it. Olive oil and almond oil are my favourites.
Have fun!
May 5th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
The lady at the bee place suggested that you could also use Grape Seed Oil (and recommended not using Olive Oil as it would go rancid more quickly than Grape Seed or Almond Oil). I guess it depends how quickly you will use it up. I made this on Saturday and then did up our daughter’s hair and it has held nicely! Thanks for this great, natural recipe. I love it and will continue to make it, use it and share it! It’s great to have something healthy for her hair that also keeps the frizzies away!
July 31st, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Hi Nicky! stupid question from a Brit… Do you mean 1/4 of a US cup etc..?
thanks!!! Trudy x
July 31st, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Not a stpid question at all!!! I just mean parts… so if you mix it in a jar, 1/4 of a jar, 1/4 of a jar, and 1/2 of a jar. Whatever portions you like - the ratio is the thing.
Cheers!
August 2nd, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Aha!!! Thank-you so much - got it
Txxx