Chebe Powder For Hair: Benefits, Best Products & How To Apply It Correctly

Ahead, find everything you need to know about chebe powder: the history, the benefits, and how to use it correctly.

As for what comprises the powder itself? "It's not a single ingredient—it's actually a mix of ingredients," says chemist Christine Martey-Ochola, Ph.D., co-founder of NUELE. Specifically, the powder will contain some combination of croton, mahllaba, cloves, and missic (to give it a nice aroma). Seeds from each plant are harvested, dried, and then ground into a fine powder you can use as a base for leave-ins and hair masks. 

Let's break down the powder's impressive résumé: 

"The powder itself doesn't make your hair grow; however, the benefits and properties it has do," says texture specialist Michelle O'Connor, global artistic director at Matrix. Read: The powder won't actually stimulate the follicles and cause hair growth, but its moisturizing abilities help the hair you already have stay healthy and strong (and healthy hair tends to grow longer and faster). 

Generally, you would mix chebe powder with a carrier oil before applying to the hair (don't worry; we offer a tutorial down below), which seals in moisture and delivers fatty acids and antioxidants to the strands. But "the seeds that are used also have different types of oils in them," says Martey-Ochola. "They have an emollient, conditioning activity to them that will allow the hair to maintain its integrity from a moisturization perspective." 

According to Martey-Ochola, the fine powder can "fill in" the spaces on the hair shaft—meaning, it helps seal down the cuticle. This not only helps trap in water nutrients (leaving hair conditioned and moisturized), but a closed, lubricated cuticle also means less friction between the strands. In turn, this also means less breakage: "[The strand] becomes a little stiffer and doesn't break as easily," she notes. 

We should note that if you do use chebe powder on the scalp, you'll want to thoroughly rinse it out after scrubbing—you don't want to let it build up on the follicles. 

As a general rule, healthy, moisturized hair tends to hold on to color for longer. "Healthy hair is better at maintaining the strength of color production." She also notes that chebe powder may contain natural dyes that can help duller strands appear more vibrant—there isn't much research on that front, but you might want to keep it from staining your clothing if you use it.  

The mixture is super thick and clings to the strands, which is why Martey-Ochola suggests skipping the product if you have fine, fragile locks: "If someone has hair that is very thin or they have follicles that are not very strong, it can [potentially] lead to loss of hair," she says. "It's really important to think about your hair texture." 

Whether you concoct your own DIY mixture with the powder or find a buttery, chebe cream for easy application (our recs, below), here's how to use it correctly: 

For protective styles, chebe powder makes a fabulous leave-in. Follow O'Connor's tutorial below: 

To make a conditioning hair mask, here's what Martey-Ochola suggests:

Given its sandy texture, you can use the powder as a scrub, if you choose: 

Other than that, it's generally safe to use on the hair; although, you might want to patch-test before applying to make sure you don't have any allergies or sensitivities to the ingredients. 

Chebe powder is revered for keeping textured hair strong and healthy (which, in turn, can help it retain length). Just make sure you're using it correctly, and it should happily moisturize thirsty strands.