Day 1: August 7th 2007

I finally received my imported 'Raw Shea Butter'. I quickly opened the package and divided up the pound of Shea Butter into sections. One small chunk I placed in a small container (keeping it refrigerated) the rest of the bulk, I put into the freezer.

I was fairly surprised when I smelt it. I was expecting a unpleasant smell. Instead, I smelled a licorice smell, which was quite pleasant.

I took out my braided hair style and began greasing my hair. Almost instantly, I noticed a difference.

1. I found that the Shea Butter glided quite smoothly along my hair.
2. The butter absorbed very quickly into my hair. Unlike the "Silk Elements" hair grease (as well as other hair food products). I found that they stuck to the hair or felt as though they were sitting on top of it rather than absorbing.
3. My hair quickly became softer and much more manageable.
4. My hair felt lighter, and not weighed down with products.

So, I parted and twisted up my hair, temporarily and waited an extra 20 minutes, for it to absorb into my hair strands and scalp.

At the end of 20 minutes...

WOW!

It felt like new hair! It was really 'buttery soft'. When I combed through my naps, there was hardly any greasy residue and my comb easily glided through my hair.

Parting my hair was like "a butter knife cutting through softened butter".

It was so very easy to style. I wanted to add a small test, so I cornrow twisted the front half of my hair, and left my hair with a 'fro in the back. I went out for a few hours. Through the entire evening my hair remained as SOFT AND MOISTURIZED as it was when I first styled it!!!!

I "night braided up my 'fro" then satin wrapped up my hair and went to bed.

~End of Day~

Introduction

The hair style is a form of expression of an individual. Every style we wear helps determine what group of people we belong to; what gender we are; what our background is; our status in society; political views; and whether we have confidence within our selves.
Whether we are aware if it or not. Our hair style groups us under a human category.

For me, however, I don't view hair as a mere cultural form of acceptance. I see hair as another form of media to be creative.

But I have questions that need answers, like:

" How far will we go for being accepted?" "Are we willing to damage our self for personal vanity and acceptance?" "And if we find the answer, are we willing to accept them?"

So here's the THEORY:

I believe that the hair products we use are actually the reason for causing the damage to our bodies and our hair, rather than aiding it. I believe that the products that claim to help with balding, hair breakage, frizzy hair, tangles, and hair growth are actually the root of the problem.

Well its one thing to make a claim and its another to prove a point.

I intend to prove my theory correct. So, with using my own hair and head I plan to find my answers.

For the record, my hair is "Nappy". This type of hair is actually a perfect specimen to experiment on because "Black Hair" uses the largest amount of hair products, compared to other types.

I have been waiting to try this out, so I have been using a few chemical products. Not as much as if my hair was straightened. But still a good amount.

The products I have been using are as follows:

• Mane 'n Tail Deep Moisturizing Shampoo
• Mane 'n Tail Deep Moisturizing Conditioner
• Mane 'n Tail Daily Leave-in Conditioning Treatment
• Silk Elements Regular Formula (aka Hair Grease)

So how do I test my theory?

Simple. I have to replace these chemical products with something NON CHEMICAL. For this experiment I decided to go back to my roots...

And choose "Raw Shea Butter" as my replacement.

I actually wrote an article about Shea if you wanted to look it up.

Shea Butter is found, in many different forms, in a lot of black hair care product (as well as body care products). On the shelf or ready to go products usually use the refined version. More expensive ones use unrefined Shea, the only problem with that is the fragrance and preservative chemicals kill or annul what benefit you would have gotten if it was in 'raw' form.

While high end hair products start at $38 for 4.9oz and claim to be 100% Pure Shea Butter, the actual Raw Unrefined form of Shea Butter is sold at $10.50 per pound and has a way better benefit.

***

But back to my project:

I will be using just "Raw Shea Butter" as my hair grease (as well as a body moisturizer)...
I want to see for myself the difference of "Ready Made Products" vs "Natural Products".

Lets begin...