Chébé: Definition, Properties, and Benefits

Chébé is the common name for a shrub native to Chad. It comes from the Fulani language and means “to braid”. It is also known as Zambezi croton. Its Latin name is Croton gratissimus, with Croton referring to the genus and gratissimus meaning “deserving of gratitude”. The Croton genus comprises around 600 tropical and subtropical species and belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.

This bushy shrub can grow up to 8m tall. The species is also found in Ethiopia, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and as far south as northern South Africa. It is often found in rocky terrain. The seeds are used to make Chébé powder. In fact, the term Chébé can refer to the plant itself, the powder obtained from its seeds, or a finished product containing other ingredients. The harvested seeds are sun-dried and then ground into a dark-coloured powder. This powder can be used as is or incorporated into a preparation. It can also be mixed with water to make a paste, with oil to create a macerate, or with shea or coconut butter to make a nourishing hair mask. Chébé can therefore be used in a variety of preparations and is found in a range of hair care products. Its traditional use is associated with hair care, including hair-strengthening and conditioning practices.

No studies have actually confirmed the properties of Chébé; only the tradition—presumably dating back thousands of years—of the Chébé hair ritual can attest to its benefits for hair. Its composition, rich in essential nutrients such as fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3), proteins, vitamins (vitamin C and vitamin E), and minerals (zinc, iron), is beneficial for hair health. 

Moisture Retention: When used, Chébé helps maintain the hair’s moisture. By keeping the hair lubricated, it also helps maintain its elasticity. Chébé thus makes detangling and styling easier while reducing the risk of hair breakage

Strength and Shine: Chebé revitalizes the hair and adds shine, particularly by helping to rebalance its pH. It thus helps repair and strengthen the hair fibre. This fortifies damaged hair, facilitating continuous, healthy growth of dry and/or brittle hair

Makes Hair Thicker: By strengthening the hair and stimulating the hair follicles, Chebé helps make hair stronger and thicker. Strengthening the hair fibre and improving length retention (less hair loss) promotes hair density

Hair length: Hair length is enhanced when hair is thicker, stronger, and more voluminous. This helps preserve length, promote hair health, and maximize growth potential under optimal conditions

And for beards: Chébé is also used to benefit beards. In fact, its nourishing properties are equally effective in beard care, resulting in a full, long, and silky beard

In summary, Chébé offers the following benefits:

• Stimulates hair and beard growth

• Strengthens fragile hair

• Reduces hair breakage

• Prevents split ends

• Softens and maintains hair moisture

Whether you have curly, coily, straight, or wavy hair, Chébé is suitable for all hair types. It can be used by both men and women to improve the overall health of hair and beards.

1. Chébé: Chébé is traditionally used by the Basara people of Chad as part of a hair care ritual. Chébé powder is made by mixing ground seeds with other ingredients according to traditional recipes, which may vary between ethnic groups. The powder is traditionally mixed with water to form a paste and used alongside a protective hairstyle, such as braids or plaits. The paste is generally applied to the lengths of the hair, which are then braided, and is left on for 3 to 5 days. In its traditional form, the paste leaves a residue resembling dried brown clay.

2. Chébé Seed Powder: The powder obtained from the seeds can be used to create your own recipes and blends for application to the lengths and ends of the hair, according to your needs and preferences. It can be combined with other ingredients, mixed with water to form a paste, or incorporated into oils, creams, or hair masks. These treatments are applied to the lengths only; do not apply them to the scalp.

3. Chébé Oil: Chébé powder can be used to prepare an oil macerate for application to the hair. You can also combine it with castor oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, or olive oil. Ready-to-use Chébé oil is also available commercially.

4. Chébé Butter: You can make Chébé butter using shea butter or even coconut. This richer texture may suit some people, while others may prefer the more fluid consistency of an oil.

5. Chébé Powder Oil Macerate: Place the Chébé powder in a glass container and cover it with at least 3cm of the oil of your choice. If using butter, heat it first in a double boiler and, once liquid, pour it over the Chébé powder. Leave it to macerate for about 3 weeks in a closed jar, in a dark place, then strain. Stir the macerate occasionally. You can use this oil once a week. Store the Chébé oil or butter away from heat and light. The preparation can be kept for up to 6 months if this storage period has been validated for the specific formulation.

• People prone to allergies are advised to test the product on a strand of hair 24 to 48 hours before use

• Chébé powder stains clothes and towels, so be sure to protect your clothing

• Do not ingest. Do not apply to the skin and use only as a hair treatment

• Chébé powder should not be applied to the scalp but only to the lengths and ends of the hair

• As a precaution and due to a lack of studies on the subject, do not use on pregnant or breastfeeding women or children

It’s important to keep in mind that several other factors play a significant role in hair growth: diet, stress, genetics, environmental factors, and hormonal issues. For more information, check out the article How to Grow Your Hair Faster Naturally.

Catherine is passionate about plants and their properties. She studied natural cosmetics at the École Lyonnaise des Plantes Médicinales in the early 2000s. Driven by curiosity, she has continued to explore the richness and potential of plants. This led her to train in aromatherapy at the École Française d’Aromathérapie Intégrative. She discovered an almost unexplored world in olfactotherapy, and valuable tools for getting to know herself better and practising what she calls inner ecology.