Guide
Hair butter recipe (curly, coily, 4c)
The Apothecary Os is the first formulation OS built for melanated skin and hair — this guide shows you how to formulate a sealing hair butter matched to your porosity, without the greasy build-up.
Match the butter to your porosity
The single biggest mistake in DIY hair butter is ignoring porosity. Butters that lock in moisture on high-porosity 4c hair will suffocate low-porosity 3b hair.
- Low porosity — 80% liquid oils (grapeseed, jojoba, argan), 20% butter (mango).
- Medium porosity — 50/50 butter + oil. Shea, mango, jojoba, sweet almond.
- High porosity — 70% butter (shea, murumuru, mango), 30% oil (avocado, castor).
Base recipe (medium porosity, 100g)
- 40g raw shea butter
- 15g mango butter
- 25g sweet almond oil
- 15g jojoba oil
- 4g castor oil (thickness + shine)
- 1g vitamin E
Method is identical to body butter — melt, cool, whip. See the body butter guide for temperatures.
Frequently asked
Is hair butter good for 4c hair?
Yes — especially when sealed over a leave-in. 4c hair loses moisture fastest, and butters (shea, mango, murumuru) create the occlusive layer that stops evaporation. Pair with a humectant-rich leave-in first.
Will it weigh my curls down?
Only if the butter/oil ratio is wrong for your porosity. High-porosity hair loves heavier butters; low-porosity needs a lighter blend — mostly liquid oils with 20% butter max. Use our hair porosity tool to match.
Can I use hair butter on my scalp?
Sparingly. Butters can trap sebum and buildup on the scalp. Focus on mid-length to ends. For scalp issues (dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis), use the scalp condition guide instead.
How often should I use it?
Every wash day for high-porosity or 4c hair; 2–3× a week for medium; only on ends for low-porosity hair.