Ayurvedic Hair Cream

This moisturizing hair cream combines soft, creamy Shealoe Butter with Amla Oil and Mahabhringraj Oil, two Ayurvedic Oils that are especially beneficial to hair care treatments.  Amla Oil can help to strengthen hair at the root, improve scalp condition, and encourage the growth of healthier hair.  Mahabhringraj Oil can help to inhibit the frequency of gray hair, and help prevent hair loss.  This mixture has a very soft, creamy texture, and can be used to help condition and style the hair.  Intensely moisturizing, this formula would probably not be helpful to those with oily or fine hair.  I should also note that this formula has a very strong, herbal aroma, which may not be everyone's cup of tea.  You may want to add a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil, or Jasmine Absolute to give this hair cream a more pleasant aroma.

Ayurvedic Hair Cream
Makes about 4 ounces.

Ingredients
1 ounce Amla Oil*
1 ounces Mahabhringraj Oil*
2 ounces Shealoe Butter

Directions
Gently melt the Shealoe Butter over medium heat in a double boiler.  As soon as the Shealoe Butter has softened into a liquid, remove it from the heat and add the two Ayurvedic Oils.  Whip the mixture until it cools. The cream should thicken slightly as it cools down, but will not become firm.  If desired, add a few drops of your favorite Absolute, Attar, or Essential Oil.  Jasmine Absolute would be a great choice.  Transfer the mixture to a clean jar and allow it to cool completely.

Usage and Packaging
This intensely moisturizing hair cream can be used in very small quantities to add targeted moisture, or to help a hair style hold its texture.  Ayurvedic Hair Cream may be especially effective when applied to the ends of the hair, or when it is rubbed into the scalp as an overnight treatment.  Please note that this formula may be too intense for some hair types.  Experiment with a small amount before using a lot of product.  Ayurvedic Hair Cream can be packaged in any 4 ounce jar.  I particularly like using Flat White Cream Jars for this formula.

Comments

[The Skin Care Lady]

Fantastic recipes! Thank you! I have slight hair loss and your article was very much appreciated.

[Emmy Gabriel]

The Ayurvedic Hair Cream is a personal favorite of mine. I hope you enjoy using it.

[jackie]

I was wondering how long does this hair cream last. Do I have to use all of it right away?

[Emmy Gabriel]

While Shealoe Butter does have some preservative in it, the rest of the formula has been left without additional preservatives. Because of this, it makes determining an exact shelf life very hard. If you use the recipe as is, it should remain stable for several weeks. However, it can easily be contaminated during use. One way to keep the cream safe from contamination is to package it in a pump bottle instead of a jar. If you do want to keep it in a jar, make sure to use a clean spoon or popsicle stick to scoop out the mixture, instead of touching it directly.

It should be noted, though, that even while taking these steps, it is possible for the cream to spoil prematurely. If your batch changes in color, smell, or appearance, discontinue use and make up a fresh batch.

[Karla]

Is this cream supposed to emulsify? I made it exactly to specs and it is not creamy. In fact, it is trying its best to separate. What's wrong?

[Emmy]

Hi Karla,

Thanks for contacting us with your question about the Ayurvedic Hair Cream Recipe. As you can tell from the ingredients, this recipe doesn't really entail emulsion. The ingredients are all oil based, with the exception of a small portion of aloe gel contained in the Shealoe. From your description of white specks and separation, it sounds like the Shealoe is separating. This can happen when Shealoe becomes too hot. Shealoe is notorious for being tricky to work with. It's unique texture makes it worth the trouble, but it can be temperamental. If the weather is warm where you are located, it may not be necessary to heat the Shealoe at all. If it is very soft at room temperature, as it often is during the summer, try whipping the oils into the Shealoe as-is.

We've received positive feedback from this recipe so far, but each batch, is of course, a unique experience that can be affected by the quality of ingredients, changes in environment, such as temperature or humidity, and technique. The final product can also be affected by the environment. This particular recipe wasn't formulated for long term storage, or for sale, but instead for personal use in small batches. Due to the nature of Shealoe, it is possible for the mixture to separate after sitting for several days. When I've made this recipe, it usually remained mixed for 1-2 weeks before separating. The texture of the cream is very thin, almost liquid. You can increase its firmness by increasing the ratio of Shealoe Butter in the recipe. That can be adjusted to your personal taste.

[Twinkle]

Will adding lavender essential oil help work as a natural preservative?

[Emmy Gabriel]

While Lavender Essential Oil does have some healing properties, it
wont act as an effective preservative in most formulations.  If youd
like to add a natural antibacterial agent, try including some
Grapefruit Seed Extract. You can learn more about it here:
http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/product.asp?product_id=OTHGSEsearchflag=1

[Carol]

Hi, I followed your recipe, but mine was green and it separated after a while. While is your hair cream white and mine is a light green? Also, can you tell me why mine separated? Thanks, CR

[Carol]

btw, my hair cream wasn't even creamy. I don't know what I did wrong. Cr

[Emmy Gabriel]

Hi Carol. Sometimes separation can occur when Shealoe Butter is overheated.  This is the most common reason for a recipe like this to separate.  If this is happening, try whipping the Shealoe Butter with the warm oils without melting it.  If your home is warm, it should be soft enough.  You could also try warming the container of Shealoe in a hot water bath to soften it instead of using the double boiler.  Another factor is time.  Because this recipe doesnt include an emulsifier, such as emulsifying wax or polysorbate, it is likely to separate if it sits for several weeks.  As for the green color, our batch actually was a light green, but unfortunately the color of the photo doesnt show that very well.  Because the Ayurvedic Oils vary in deepness of color from batch to batch, your cream could be even greener than ours was.  

[nef barnes]

sounds awesome :) I must try it out

[Emmy Gabriel]

Hi Nef. Thanks for visiting the Natural Beauty Workshop. Please do give this recipe a try and let us know how it turned out for you.

[Carol]

Hi, what is the SAP value of the oils used in this hair cream? Also, can an emsulfying wax such as polawax be used to stop the separating?
Thanks,
Carol

[Emmy Gabriel]

Hi Carol,

Thanks for visiting The Natural Beauty Workshop.  Amla and Mahabrhingraj Oil are both Sesame based, which has a SAP value of 186 - 199.  Shealoe Butter does not have a SAP value available since it is a product of two very different ingredients, and is not usually used in saponification. You could certainly re-work this recipe to make a cream type emulsion using emulsifying wax, but getting the new recipe right would take some experimentation.  I think you are on to something, though, and would love to know how your experiments go, and if you are able to successfully rework the recipe.

[napfrocurlzgirl]

Wow, someone's reading my mind. Not only did I make to much shealoe a few days ago but I also made an ayurvedic hair oil, Vedi Oil, that's in test mode right now! I'll use my leftover shealoe to try this! Thanks!

[Emmy Gabriel]

Glad we were on the same wavelength! I hope you enjoy this recipe. Let us know how it works out for you.