This DIY hair butter recipe is perfect for styling curlier hair types and is especially good for type 4 hair, high porosity hair, and winter hair care. You only need a few ingredients and tools to recreate this hair butter at home.
You can use it for braid-outs, twist-outs, sealing in moisture for dry hair, and sleeking back buns.
If you want to use it for low porosity hair, I have included a modified recipe as well.
I started using this hair butter because I wanted a sort of creamier butter for wearing twists as a protective style under my wig.
There’s a how-to card at the end of this article. You can print it and have it on hand for when you’re ready to try out the hair butter recipe.
What is Hair Butter?
Hair butter is a thick hair care product usually made from butter, oils, and other moisturizing and strengthening ingredients.
Hair butter is used to style hair, control frizz, and smooth down flyaways. Hair butter seals in moisture and prevents split ends and breakage.
For the LOC method, hair butter is also very handy and perfect for high porosity hair.
Hair Butter vs Hair Cream
Sometimes, the name hair butter and hair cream is used interchangeably. However, they are two different things.
Hair butter and hair cream have a lot of the same ingredients. However, hair creams usually have water while hair butter doesn’t have any water.
High porosity hair might prefer hair butter while low porosity and normal porosity hair might prefer hair creams.
The two can also be used interchangeably depending on what kind of hairstyle you’re trying to achieve, preferred hold, and how long you plan to wear the hairstyle.
What You Will Need for Hair Butter
- Beeswax Pellets – Beeswax is a natural and safe source for creating hold in hairstyles.
- Shea butter – Shea butter locks in moisture and guards against split ends and breakage.
- Coconut oil – Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft and prevents protein loss from hair.
- Jojoba oil – Jojoba oil is more of a wax and is the closest thing to the natural sebum produced on the scalp. It improves hair strength and elasticity and enhances shine.
- Argan oil – Argan oil promotes hair elasticity, hydrates hair, tames frizz, and makes hair soft.
- Vitamin E Oil – Vitamin E oil softens hair and acts as a mild preservative for this formulation. It also guards against split ends.
- Lavender Essential Oil – Lavender essential oil provides a natural scent, also acts as a mild preservative, and calms the senses.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch acts as a thickener in this recipe.
How to Make Hair Butter
Step 1
Pour some water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Place a clean bowl over the boiling water. You can use a double boiler for this as well.
Step 2
Measure the beeswax and shea butter into the bowl and start stirring until everything is completely melted.
This is a continuous and rapid process so don’t walk away from the stove.
Step 3
Once the beeswax pellets and shea butter is melted, measure the coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, cornstarch, and vitamin E oil into a separate bowl and stir.
Step 4
Remove the melted beeswax and shea butter from the stove and add in the cornstarch mixture.
Step 5
Add in the lavender essential oil and whisk thoroughly then pour the hair butter into a container and set it aside to cool.
Once the mix cools, the hair butter will set and harden then it’s ready for use.
How To Use Hair Butter
You can use this hair butter recipe in the following ways:-
- Apply a little bit to each section of hair when creating braid outs, twists, and twist outs.
- Use it when smoothing down a bun and for your edges and nape area then wear a silk scarf for a few minutes for the perfect finish.
- Hair butter will also calm frizz and flyaways and add a great sheen to your hair.
- Use the hair butter as the “cream” in the LOC method.
You must apply a proper leave-in conditioner before layering over with hair butter.
How Long Does Hair Butter Last?
The longevity of a homemade hair butter recipe depends on the kind of preservatives and ingredients included.
For this hair butter recipe, I have included 2 mild preservatives – vitamin E oil and lavender essential oil – plus there’s no water in the recipe.
This hair butter recipe will last for up to 18 months provided you don’t contaminate it with other things and store it in an airtight container.
For hair butter that contains creamy ingredients like purified water and aloe vera gel or aloe vera juice, you need much stronger preservatives.
FAQs About DIY Hair Butter
Can Hair Absorb Hair Butter?
The hair cannot absorb hair butter because the molecules are too big.
The hair butter’s job is to lock in moisture and prevent it from escaping the hair shaft.
The hair butter also protects the ends and prevents split ends and breakage.
How Often Should You Use Hair Butter?
If the hair butter isn’t water-based, then you want to use it no more than once or twice a week.
Used more often, you will need to clarify more as there will be some build-up.
For water-based hair butter, you can be more generous with the frequency of application.
Do You Wash Out Hair Butter?
Hair butter is primarily styling butter so there’s no need to wash it out immediately.
You can leave it in until your next full regimen day before washing it out.
For instance, when I do my twists, I leave it on for 2 weeks before washing out.
In between, I rinse every few days and moisturize with a liquid leave-in and a little bit of oil.
Is Hair Butter a Leave-in?
Hair butter is not a leave-in conditioner. A leave-in conditioner contains ingredients designed to moisturize your hair.
A hair butter cannot moisturize your hair. However, it can lock in the moisture provided by all the products added to your hair.
Only use a hair butter as a leave-in if it is water-based and the manufacturer specifically states it works as a leave-in on the instructions.
Is Hair Butter a Hair Moisturizer?
As I mentioned above, hair butter is not a moisturizer. Its primary purpose is locking in moisture and preventing hair from drying out.
Some water-based hair butter can be used as a hair moisturizer but follow the manufacturer’s instructions in this case.
What is Creamy Hair Butter?
Creamy hair butter is water-based butter. Usually, the first ingredient in a creamy hair butter is water, aqua, Eau, deionized water, or purified water.
Examples of creamy hair butter include Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream and OBIA Naturals Twist Whip Butter.
Beeswax Pellet Alternatives
Some alternatives to beeswax include candelilla wax, carnauba wax, soy wax, and bayberry wax.
Commercial Hair Butter Recommendations
Keen on trying out commercial hair butter brands for your styling needs? Below are some great recommendations for curly hair:-
- Jane Carter Solution Nourish & Shine
- Soultanicals Can’t Believe It’s Knot Butta
- Qhemet Biologics Castor & Amla Nourishing Pomade
- OBIA Naturals Twist Whip Butter (contains water)
- tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer (contains water)
- Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils Seal It Up Hydrating Sealing Butter (contains water)
- As I Am Double Butter Cream (contains water)
- Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter (contains water)
How to Make Hair Butter for Curly Hair
This DIY hair butter recipe is perfect for styling curlier hair types and is especially good for type 4 hair, high porosity hair, and winter hair care.
Materials
Instructions
- Pour some water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Place the double boiler over the saucepan.
- Measure the beeswax and shea butter into the bowl and start stirring until everything is completely melted. This is a continuous and rapid process so don't walk away from the stove.
- Once the beeswax pellets and shea butter is melted, measure the coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, cornstarch, and vitamin E oil into a separate bowl and stir until dissolved.
- Remove the melted beeswax and shea butter from the stove and pour in the cornstarch mixture.
- Add in the lavender essential oil and whisk thoroughly then pour the hair butter into the jar and set it aside to cool. Once cool, the hair butter is ready for use.
Notes
- Arrowroot powder can be used in place of cornstarch.
- Add in 2 - 3 drops of other essential oils you might want for additional scent. You can also switch out lavender essential oil completely. Jasmine absolute oil and rose oil are some great alternatives.
- Use hair butter sparingly to prevent product build-up.
- Store your hair butter in a cool area to preserve its integrity.
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