I love chocolate.
Like, love love. Always have, and I always will. If I could eat chocolate every day, I would. But of course, having a Hershey bar as a pre-gym snack isn't really the smartest thing to do...but anyway, I digress.
As it turns out, there IS a way for me to enjoy the benefits of chocolate, without seeing the results on the scale: in my hair. That's right, chocolate is good for your hair! The benefits of chocolate on the hair include:
- Antioxidants/Flavonoids: Chocolate is antioxidant rich, which combats free-radicals (those pesky little things that can make our hair and skin look aged). Youthful hair has more shine, body, strength, and elasticity - making it less prone to breakage and damage.
- Moisture, Shine & Softness: Cocoa butter is a powerful emollient and softening agent. Not only does it possess amazing healing and soothing properties for the skin (scalp), it softens hair and promotes shine and elasticity.
- Flavanols: Chocolate has flavanols, which are proven UV protectants. Natural sunblock that smells heavenly? Yes, please!
- Vitamins & Minerals: Chocolate is rich in Vitamin A (antioxidants, thickness, strength), riboflavin (B2 = growth), Thiamine (B1 = shine, strength, growth), Potassium (stimulate growth), Phosphorus (prevent hair loss), Magnesium (strength and growth), and more.
- Stress Relief: The aroma of chocolate is proven stress-reliever. Nothing halts hair growth like stress, so if you're feeling the burnout check out a few of the products on this list to help you idle out.
If you like to DIY
If you've got a do-it-yourself spirit and a few ingredients handy, you can up your cocoa intake with these gems.
- Cocoa Butter Hot Oil Treatment: To reap the benefits of cocoa, melt down (microwave not recommended) 2 parts cocoa butter and 1 part coconut oil (or other oil of choice), mix and apply as a hot oil treatment. Be sure to keep hair covered/insulated to prevent the cocoa butter from solidifying at room temperature.
- Chocolate Hair Mask: Get in the kitchen with 6-8oz of plain greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons of your favorite oil(s), and 2 tablespoons of honey. Blend to an icing-like consistency, and apply to hair as either a pre-poo or deep conditioning treatment.
- Of course, you can always take the easy road and just add a few tablespoons of pure cocoa powder to your favorite conditioner.
There are tons of products that contain pure cocoa powder and/or cocoa butter. Here are some of my absolute faves. Note: products with an asterisk (*) next to them have a cocoa aroma as well!
For Cleansing
- Purgasm Shop Cocoa & Yogurt Poo Bar* - Contains pure cocoa
- Brown Butter Beauty Rhassoul Herbal Tea Shampoo Bar -Contains cocoa butter
- Pura Body Naturals Chocolate Hair Smoothie* - Contains cocoa powder
- All Things O' Natural Natty Cupuacu & Rhassoul Deep Conditioner* - Contains cocoa butter and cocoa powder
- Camille Rose Naturals Algae Renew Deep Conditioner - Contains cocoa butter
- Tree Naturals Green Tea & Coconut Conditioner Bar - Contains cocoa butter
- Purgasm Shop Wild Cherry Treatment Hair Truffles* - Contains cocoa butter and cocoa powder
- Qhemet Biologics Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee* - Contains cocoa butter
- Hairitage Hydration Jar of Joe - Contains cocoa butter. Doesn't smell like chocolate, but smells like an AMAZING cup of coffee!
- Soultanicals Knot Sauce Coil Detangler - Contains cocoa butter
Of course, you can always just eat chocolate too. But don't say I told you to do it.
What are some of your favorite cocoa powder and butter containing products?
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