African Black Soap

Many sing the praises of this natural cleanser. It can be used for face, body and hair care. When I initially found out about black soap, I was interested in using it for skin care (facial cleanser). After about a month, I discovered this was not a keeper for me. However, I’ve used this for hair and have had nice results.

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Carrot (ongoing contest)

“What’s up doc?” I may be grown but I still love my cartoons :-) My daughter doesn’t appreciate carrots as much as Bugs Bunny but maybe she would agree to one of the treatments below quicker than she would gobble up a plate of them. Forgetting about the dozens of products you can buy that are carrot-based, I didn’t think I would find much hair related information on carrots. Indeed I was pleasantly surprised. Hope you enjoy what I discovered.

What’s on the menu for your mane #7 – Carrot

CARROT: A vegetable that is packed to the brim with beneficial nutrients, antioxidants, and beta carotene. Beta-Carotene stimulates the formation of new hair and skin cells and also protects hair and skin from damage caused by the sun and pollution. There are also claims that carrots do a great job of cleaning out toxins and built up residue in hair and skin. Carrots are used to create Essential Oil, CO2 Extracts, Macerated Oil, and Hydrosol. The dried roots are even powdered to create a gentle, nourishing exfoliant. Carrot oil, being high vitamins A & E, is a great hair conditioner and helps to improve scalp condition.

Here are a few carrot recipes to try yourself:

Carrot Banana Hair Conditioner
3 carrots
1 ripe banana
Honey
Mayonnaise
Peppermint
Water
Blender
Container with lid
Towel
Steam or boil 3 washed and chopped carrots in 1 cup of water until tender. Fifteen minutes may be long enough to soften the carrots. Pour the carrot and water into a blender, and blend until almost smooth. Add fresh or dried peppermint to the blender and blend. Add the banana and blend until smooth and creamy. Next, add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise to the blender. Blend all ingredients together, making a smooth and creamy hair conditioner. Spoon the mixture into a jar with a lid, and store in the refrigerator until your next shampoo. Add a generous amount after shampooing, making sure to massage the hair conditioner in well. Wrap with a towel and leave in for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Rinse and towel dry.

Carrot & Avocado Hair Treatment
2 tsp carrot macerated oil*
1 ripe avocado
Prepare the macerated oil with the jojoba oil and carrot (*see below). Mash the avocado, then blend it with the oil to make a paste. Apply the mixture to the hair and scalp and leave for one hour. Wash off, using a mild shampoo with added lemon juice.
* For carrot macerate place the grated carrot in a bowl. Cover the carrot with jojoba oil. Place the bowl containing the mixture over a pan of boiling water and heat for 1 hour. Remove from the heat, strain and repeat with fresh carrot. Strain and pour into a dark glass bottle.

Infused Carrot Oil
2 carrots, peeled and grated
Coconut oil
Place the grated carrot in the crock of a slow cooker. Add sufficient melted coconut oil to cover and pour it over the carrot. Replace the lid on the slow cooker and cook the carrots and coconut oil at the lowest heat setting until the carrots are very soft and the oil is a deep orange color. Remove from the heat and strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve. Pour into dark, glass jars and allow to cool and set. Oil can be used for hot oil treatments or added to hair conditioner.

NOTE: Please lean toward a bit of caution since I’ve heard that some staining can result from using carrots.

~Ongoing contest (click here for details and rules)~

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

Leave your entry below in the comment section.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Cantaloupe (ongoing contest)

I don’t know if you all are enjoying this series but I’m having a ball! It’s so amusing to see all the creative hair recipes for edible items. I’m sure that many may look at these posts from time to and think that I’ve totally lost it, lol. Just trying to get you to “think outside the box”. Get involved and try to figure out what I’m going to cover next week. Let’s take a look at cantaloupe this week.

What’s on the menu for your mane #6 – Cantaloupe

CANTALOUPE: Our hair thrives when we give it what it needs. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that aids in producing healthy sebum in the scalp which keeps the hair and scalp moisturized. Without a sufficient amount of vitamin A the hair becomes dry. Vitamin C maintains the capillaries that circulate blood. Amongst other nutrients, cantaloupe is rich in these two vitamins.

Here are the cantaloupe hair recipes I found:

Fruit Salad Deep Conditioner Recipe
1/2 a banana
1/4 avocado
1/4 cantaloupe
1 tablespoon wheat germ oil
1 tablespoon yogurt
Blend all ingredients. Apply to hair. For extra conditioning, squeeze in the contents of a vitamin E capsule. Leave in hair for 15 minutes. Then rinse.

Natural Hair Conditioner Recipe
2 oz. purified water
1/2 banana
1 tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tsp. honey
1/4 cantaloupe
1 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. wheat germ oil
In blender combine all ingredients and pulse on medium 10 to 20 seconds. Using fingers, apply mixture to hair in downward motion, smoothing as you go. Leave on at least 45 minutes. Rinse with warm water, and shampoo. You can skip your regular conditioner, but do a final rinse with cold water to seal each strand.

~Ongoing contest (click here for details and rules)~

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

Leave your entry below in the comment section.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Bananas (ongoing contest)

Yum - I love this versatile fruit. However, when it comes to using bananas in hair recipes, I learned a lesson that will forever stick with me. As with avocados, I approach using bananas with caution. You may have seen me post before that I prefer using the jarred baby food. Sure I could just as well puree them, but I allow myself to be lazy with this one.

What’s on the menu for your mane #5 – Bananas

BANANA: This fruit is high in carbohydrates; vitamins A, B, and C; and minerals, especially potassium. It has excellent humectant and moisturizing qualities for the hair.

These are only a few banana hair recipes I came across:

Moisturizing Banana Hair Conditioner
1 small, ripe organic banana
1 tablespoon organic honey
1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
Mash the banana together with the honey and sweet almond oil. Apply this mixture to your shampooed hair. Cover your hair with a plastic bag to allow for body heat to accentuate the conditioning effect, and leave mixture on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Banana Hair Mask
1 banana
2-3 dollops of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Put banana in blender and puree until completely smooth (you don’t want clumps of banana in your hair). Then add mayo and oil and blend until smooth and creamy. Apply to hair. Cover with plastic cap and let sit for 15-30 minutes. Rinse with warm water and shampoo as usual.

Fruity Deep Conditioner
Combine ½ banana, ¼ avocado, 1 tbsp wheat germ oil and 1 tbsp yogurt. Also take a vitamin E capsule and squeeze its content into the mixture. This is for extra conditioning. Apply in hair and leave for 15 minutes. Wash with mild shampoo.

Hope you enjoyed this. Now go monkey around with some of these recipes :-)

~Ongoing contest (click here for details and rules)~

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

Leave your entry below in the comment section.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Water is not the ONLY way

I’m still researching my weekly Study Hall post so here is a "sub" to sit in; didn’t want to leave you hanging :-) Study Hall will be back next Wednesday.

Also look for a stimulating post tomorrow where I address a reader’s hair concerns.

I not only enjoy making hair treatments and products, but face and body treatments/products as well. While water is a fabulous liquid to utilize, you can feature others that could give it that extra oomph. With all that is available to us, there is no reason to get stuck in a rut. I persuade you to try something different – you may like the results even more!

Next time you whip up a treatment or product for your hair, face or body, try one (or a combination) of the following to replace all or part of your water.

Water alternatives:
* alcohol (vodka, brandy)
* aloe vera juice/gel
* tea/herbal infusion
* flowal water/hydrosol
* vinegar
* witch hazel
* milk (buttermilk, coconut milk, cow milk, goat milk, rice milk, soy milk - Does that cover them all?)
* yogurt
* cream
* juice (fruit or vegetable)
* honey/honeyquat/agave nectar
* molasses
* syrup
* glycerin
* oil

* tinctures (diluted)

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Avocados (ongoing contest)

It’s getting cold in my neck of the woods! I’ll be gearing up to start sporting some protective styles. This week’s Tasty Tresses is avocados. The flesh can be used alone or mixed with other ingredients for a wonderful hair treatment. The oil from this fruit has the capability to penetrate the hair shaft. And I also learned that you can use the pit as a massage tool! :-)

What’s on the menu for your mane #4 – Avocados

AVOCADO: The flesh of this fruit is 75 percent fat and up to 25 percent oil. Avocado is high in vitamins A, B, and C, as well as minerals, and is an excellent emollient and moisturizer for the hair and skin, particularly dry conditions.

Here are some avocado hair recipes I found that use common ingredients:

Avocado Dry Hair Conditioner
1/2 ripe avocado
1 teaspoon wheat germ oil
1 teaspoon jojoba oil
Combine all ingredients. Work the mixture through your shampooed hair and scalp. Cover your hair with a plastic bag to allow for your body heat to accentuate the conditioning effect, and leave the mixture on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Avocado & Honey Conditioning Mask
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup honey
Scoop out flesh of avocado and mash. Add honey and combine thoroughly. Apply to dry hair. Cover with plastic cap and wrap towel around head. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse and follow with shampoo.

Avocado & Mayo Conditioner
1 mashed avocado
1/2 cup plain mayonnaise
Take mashed avocado and mix with mayonnaise. Massage the mixture into your dry hair and scalp. Put on a shower cap and wait 20 minutes. Rinse the mixture out with cool water and shampoo afterwards with a gentle shampoo.

Tropical Deep Conditioner Recipe
1 peeled and mashed avocado
1 cup coconut milk
Combine mashed avocado with some coconut milk in a small bowl. Heat in microwave for approx. 45 seconds. Stir. Test temperature. Massage mixture into hair. Wrap hair in a hot towel or cover with shower cap for 15 minutes. Rinse out and shampoo.

The ways in which you can use avocado as a hair conditioner are endless. I’m sure you can seek out dozens more recipes if this has peaked your curiosity. I’ve mentioned in a previous post that I puree avocado with some water in the blender to use in hair concoctions – food chucks left in your hair is NOT COOL!

~Ongoing contest (click here for details and rules)~

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

Leave your entry below in the comment section. Stay warm!

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Apples (ongoing contest)

Hope everyone has had a wonderful week. This week’s Tasty Tresses is apples. The beverage we drink internally from this fruit is said to have numerous health benefits. As for hair, I’m sure that we’ve all read about the advantages of using apple cider vinegar for our hair (build up remover, cuticle closer, pH balancer, etc). There are countless concoctions that use this ingredient in hair rinses.

What’s on the menu for your mane #3 – Apples

APPLES: This fruit contains malic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, which works as an exfoliant and emollient to lift dandruff away from the scalp. Used in small quantities, malic acid is moisturizing; in higher quantities, it is exfoliating.

Here is an apple cider hair recipe:

Apple Cider Dandruff Treatment
1/2 cup apple cider (preferably organic)
Massage the cider into the scalp area with your fingertips. Repeat after every shampoo; you will see significant results after several applications. Repeat treatment whenever outbreaks of dandruff occur.

I’ve also seen where you can add apple juice to your homemade shampoo recipes.

~Ongoing contest (click here for details and rules)~

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

Leave your entry below in the comment section. Enjoy your weekend!

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

More kitchen experiments

This weekend I’ve been creating more hair potions. Pictured from left to right: conditioning spritz, herbal acv, herbal hair oil.

Conditioning Spritz: water infusion of the same herbs used in my oil. To this was added, aloe vera gel, vegetable glycerin, grapefruit seed extract, sage essential oil and tea tree essential oil.

Herbal ACV: I put herbs in a glass jar, poured the apple cider vinegar over the herbs and stirred it. The herbs will need to steep in the vinegar for at least 3 weeks. I will stir or shake the jar once a day for the first week. After I strain the herbs, I will use this for hair rinses (diluted in plain water or an herbal infusion). NOTE: You MUST use a plastic lid or put a plastic barrier between the opening and lid if you are using a metal lid!

I used these herbs:

Mint – Wonderfully fragrant, mint is refreshing, stimulating, and invigorating. It is antiseptic and anesthetic in nature, creating a cooling, soothing effect.

Lavender – The flowering tops of this herb have a delightful aroma. Lavender has cleansing and astringent qualities. It is also very beneficial as a cellular regenerator for the skin.

Oregano – This aromatic herb is stimulating, antiseptic, and astringent (having good cleansing properties). Oregano is effective as a hair detangler and softener.

Rosemary (see oil post for info)

Nettle (see oil post for info)

Herbal Hair Oil: This is the result of my infused olive oil from two weeks ago. I wanted to let it infuse for another week but was getting impatient. After I strained the oil, I added vitamin E, peppermint essential oil and lemongrass essential oil.

I am really having fun with the various herbs I’ve purchased for hair concoctions. Hubby teases me when he walks in on my experiments – refers to me as a mad scientist (sinister laugh and all) :-). Hope this will inspire you to whip up a batch of tonic for your tresses.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Information was referenced from Naturally Healthy Hair

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Aloe Vera (ongoing contest)

I had one entry for the first contest. However, this is an ongoing venture so I’m optimistic that it will ignite more involvement. Having said that, this week’s Tasty Tresses is aloe vera. This may be a strange one to see here but aloe vera can be used internally as well as externally. Many people choose aloe vera as a health tonic.

What’s on the menu for your mane #2 – Aloe Vera

ALOE VERA: The gel found within the leaves of this plant has remarkable properties, including healing, soothing, antibacterial, antiseptic, emollient, and moisturizing qualities. Studies have shown aloe enhances cellular regeneration. The juice from aloe vera has been used as a shampoo, hair setting lotion, and condition, with remarkable results for both the hair and the scalp. Diseases of the scalp are often treated directly with aloe vera juice.

Here is an aloe vera hair recipe I found that uses common ingredients:

Tress Rescue Conditioner
2 ounces aloe vera gel
1/2 teaspoon olive, avocado, or jojoba oil
2 ounces organic apple cider vinegar
1 ounce powdered milk
Combine ingredients in a bowl, stirring to blend. Apply to freshly-washed damp hair. Allow to remain on hair for 10-30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Makes enough for one treatment. Discard leftovers.

I’ve also seen countless recipes that use dietary aloe vera as an ingredient in shampoos, hair spritzes, hair butter creams and hair gels. . . way too many to post here!

~Ongoing contest (click here for details and rules)~

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

Leave your entry below in the comment section.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

My latest hair brew

Why did I procrastinate until the last weekend of summer to do this??? I finally got around to infusing oil with herbs – I’ve been wanting to do this for months.

Anyway, the process of infusing carrier oils with herbs is very easy. I have read various methods of infusing oil. I am using the solar method. I would like to infuse the oil for about two weeks.

Although I have an herb garden, I purchased all of the dried herbs used in this experiment. It was hard to narrow them down but I decided on these five herbs:

Chamomile – Extracts from its flowering her are used in preparations for sensitive skin
because of its sedative and emollient effects. The active principle in chamomile is alpha-bisabolol, which is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and nonallergenic. Also used in hair dyes, chamomile has a brightening and shine-enhancing quality.

Coltsfoot – This herb is excellent for the hair. It is valued for its high levels of amino acids (cysteine), phytosterols, and silica. This herb is said to strengthen, condition, and make the hair more resilient – thickening hair strands and enhancing shine. It’s also a great normalize for excess oil production of skin and hair.


Horsetail – This herb is excellent for the hair. Like coltsfoot, it’s valued for its high levels of amino acids, phytosterols, and silica and is said to strengthen, condition, make the hair more resilient, and normalize oil production of skin and hair.


Nettle – Nettles contains mucilage, amino acids, mineral, vitamins, and other beneficial herbal constituents that make this a very nourishing herb. Nettle is tonic (strengthening) and antifungal; it’s also said to stimulate circulation at the scalp, which is beneficial for hair growth. If you’re gathering it in the wild or garden, be sure to harvest before it flowers, and wear gloves so you’re not stung by the glandular hairs along its stalk. Interestingly enough, the burning and irritation caused by nettle plant hairs may be alleviated by dabbing nettle tea on the skin.


Rosemary – Purifying, antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, and stimulating, this aromatic member of the mint family is a tremendous conditioner for the hair. It can also be used at higher quantities in a rinse to darken the hair.


The carrier oil I used was olive oil. From the fruit of the olive tree, this cooling oil is rich in protein, mineral, and vitamins. It will impart a rich, nongreasy emollience and shine to the hair. It nourished, stimulates, and softens the skin. The vitamin E in olive oil is a powerful antioxidant, and the fatty acids make for an oil that is very stable (it resists going rancid). This oil is heavier in viscosity and has a stronger aroma than most other oils, so, depending on your personal preference, you may want to mix it with a lighter oil. Make sure to purchase the “extra-virgin” variety.


After the infusion process is complete, I may add some vitamin E and/or essential oil(s); haven’t decided yet. I will do an update post with pics when the oil is ready to be transferred.

I plan on using the herbal oil for scalp massages, pre-poo/overnight oil treatments and to add to conditioner for deep treatments.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

*Information was referenced from Naturally Healthy Hair

Friday’s Formula/Tasty Tresses: Alcohol (AND A GIVEAWAY!!!)

I’m switching gears for the next few months on my Friday’s Formula posts. When I started this piece, the focus was on the recipe – listing 1 or 2 interesting ones I came across. Now my attention is on the food or beverage. We all know that consuming the right things will give us wonderful benefits both internally and externally. Having said that, those same things we take in can be used for beneficial hair treatments. I’ve made a list of food/beverage items that can be valuable when applied to the hair so let’s get started with the first in this series. . .

What’s on the menu for your mane #1 – Alcohol

BEER: The sugar and proteins in beer are tremendous for bodifying, or volumizing, the hair, adding manageability. It may be added to your shampoo or used as final rinse.

CHAMPAGNE: Like beer, champagne is rich in sugar and protein, which help to thicken the hair and give it more bounce.

VODKA: Vodka is effective in removing buildup from the hair. It has astringent as well as oil-removing properties, making it effective in shampoos for oily hair or scalp.

Here are some alcohol hair recipes I found that use common ingredients:

Beer hair rinse (previously posted here)

Beer Shampoo
1/2 pint beer (any brand)
1 bar castile soap, grated
2 oz glycerin
1 oz hops (tea)
Combine all ingredients and pour in bottle. Use as you would any shampoo.

Champagne hair gel
1 T unflavored gelatin
1/2 C warm water
1/2 C champagne
1 T rose water
Dissolve the gelatin in the warm water and stir well. Add the champagne and rose water and stir well again. Allow to set into a gel (placing in the refrigerator will speed up the process). Remove when set, and allow mixture to reach room temperature before using. Store in an airtight container.


Brilliantine
1/2 C vodka
2 T castor oil
Mix together the vodka and castor oil. Pour into a clean bottle; shake before using. Apply a small amount through your hair and allow to dry, for extra shine.

Now, more good stuff! I promised everyone a giveaway so here are the details.

Can you guess what next week’s hair food (or drink) will be?

If you answer this question correctly, you will be my WEEKLY winner! I will give you the opportunity to guess the next item* on my list (going in alphabetical order). The window to enter a correct answer will remain open until the following Friday. Whoever is first to get it correct will get a “guest slot” on this blog. It can be a topic of your choice (related to hair of course). When the winner is announced, you will be given time to submit the content of what you want posted on BreaKINK New Ground on your behalf.

If you answer this question correctly multiple times, you will be my GRAND PRIZE winner! This series will go through December (possibly January). If you wish to follow through the course of the contest, you could be the winner of a $50 gift card to ONE store** listed below. The person who gives the most correct answers through the Tasty Tresses series will be the gift card recipient. I will do a tie breaker if necessary.

RULES: To properly enter, you must leave your answer below the post in the comments – emails will not be considered. You do NOT have to enter a guess for every single week to be considered but you are limited to ONE entry per week. You do NOT have to have your own blog to take part. You do NOT have to be a “follower” however a follower will receive a bonus gift with the $50 gift card. If you choose to participate “anonymously”, please list your initials and city after your entry to ensure accurate tallying.

* Note: Alcohol was grouped together but most items in this series will be listed individually.


**For the $50 gift card you can select from Curlmart, Honeyfig, or Sistasplace (if you’re into buying products) or From Nature With Love, Mountain Rose Herbs, or Texas Natural Supply (if you want to get your hands on ingredients to make your own goodies).

I hope this makes sense. Leave me a comment below or email me at callalily40@gmail.com with any questions. Let the contest begin – good luck all!

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday's Formula: Oil Treatments (and announcement)

I would like to inform you of a new spin on Friday’s Formula that I will be implementing next week. It will be a fun and interesting series. I’m calling all of you to participate so make sure you tune in next Friday for the update. I’m also going to do a significant giveaway at the end of the series. . .

It’s so nice to just go to the kitchen and get a few ingredients to make your own hair treatments. To control what goes into your products is such a fulfilling process. Hot oil treatments are beneficial in so many ways and preparing them at home is definitely more cost effective. The longer they can be left in your hair the better (preferably overnight if possible). Now, here are some recipes for hot oil treatments I obtained from various sources. Give them a try – your hair and wallet will thank you!

Honey Hot Oil Treatment
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Combine oil and honey in small plastic bag and close. Fill a mug with hot water. Place bag in water mug until oil is warmed. Apply warm oil to dry hair, working from the scalp to ends. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave for 15 minutes. Wash hair as usual.

Jojoba Hot Oil Treatment
2 teaspoons jojoba oil
1 teaspoon soybean oil
Combine ingredients then place on the stove or in the microwave to warm gently on low heat. Test temperature on inside of forearm. Massage mixture into hair thoroughly. Wrap your hair in a hot towel or cover with shower cap or plastic wrap for 15 minutes or longer for extra treatment. Shampoo & rinse out. Recipe may be doubled for very long hair.

Rosemary Hot Oil Treatment
1 bunch of fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup soybean oil
Clean and dry your rosemary and remove leaves from sprigs. Fill 1/4 of a small pan with water and turn heat to medium. Place a large glass bowl on top of the pan and make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Combine the rosemary and oil in this bowl and stir occasionally. When the oil has been warmed, strain the rosemary leaves. Massage oil through hair and scalp. Place shower cap and towel on head and leave oil in for 15 minutes. Wash hair as usual.

Hot Oil Hair Treatment
½ c. olive oil (May reduce to ¼ c. for short hair.)
¼ t. peppermint oil
¼ t. vegetable glycerin
Heat combined ingredients briefly in a pot on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave until warm, but not hot. Standing with your head and hair hanging over the sink or tub pour the warm oil onto your hair and gently massage into scalp and all of hair. Put hair on top of head and into a shower cap. Top with the dry, hot towel. Leave on head for 30 minutes while you relax. Draw a warm bath and wash hair while in the tub. The oil treatment from your hair will moisturize your dry skin while you bathe.

Silk, Shiny Hot Oil Hair Recipe
1 tablespoon Coconut oil
1 tablespoon Almond oil
1 teaspoon Evening primrose oil
1 tablespoon Jojoba oil
5 drops Rosemary Essential oil
5 drops Chamomile Roman Essential oil
Melt coconut oil in a double broiler on low. Add other carrier oils, allow to cool then add EOs. Apply to hair, wrap hair in a towel for 30-45 minutes. Wash then dry hair.

Super Deep Hot Oil Conditioner Recipe
1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
8 drops Chamomile Roman Essential oil
8 drops Myrrh Essential oil
Place oils in a small plastic bag and place the bag in a hot cup of water for 1 minute to warm. Apply to hair, wrap hair in a towel for 20 minutes. Wash then dry hair.

Hair Regrowth Hot Oil Conditioner Recipe
3 drops of essential oil of thyme
3 drops of essential oil of lavender
3 drops of essential oil of rosemary
3 drops of essential oil of cedarwood
1/8 cup of grapeseed oil
1/8 cup of jojoba oil
Apply at night, to scalp in thinning areas. Do not rinse out till morning. Shampoo as normal

Egg & Vinegar Oil Treatment
1 egg beaten (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 teaspoons coconut oil
Mix together and apply to hair. Cover with shower cap and towel. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse and shampoo.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday's Formula: Lisa's Rose Milk Bath - Fresh Version

I’m going to allow myself to switch gears this Friday. Usually, my Friday Formulas are recipes for hair. I realize that we all tend to neglect what we need and want at times for a myriad of reasons – obligations to family, work, etc. This is just a reminder that you should take some time to relax. Doing so will help to recharge your mind, body and spirit. Before you get to the point of feeling run down, schedule some time for YOU!

As you may know from my Wednesday post, I have been reading Success Never Smelled So Sweet by Lisa Price (founder and president of Carol’s Daughter). This is an inspiring read about her “rags to riches” story. In this book, she also offers several recipes for spa-type treatments. I certainly plan on making this one in the very near future. I encourage you to slow down and take a moment to give yourself some TLC.

With its sensual and aphrodisiac qualities, rose oil is known as th queen of all oils. It soothes the emotions, uplifts the spirit and boosts the user's self-confidence. Excellent for skin care, it nourished dry and/or aging skin.

1 quart whole milk
1 fifth of vodka
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
5 roses
50 drops rose frangrance oil
Strawberries, sliced and strained of juice (optional)

1. Sit in a comfortable chair, preferably one with arms or pillows to embrace you. Bring roses to your nose, close your eyes and inhale deeply. Let the aroma take you on a jouney. Be careful not to lose your balance.

2. Gently pull the petals off the roses, throwing away the center and stem.

3. Toss the petals into a large mixing bowl, saving some for floating in your bath or in a bowl near your bath.

4. Pour in the milk (smoothes the skin), followed by the vodka (tones the skin), then the vanilla extract (an aphrodisiac). Stir.

5. At this point you have the option of including sliced strawberries to add alpha hydroxy acids (improves skin texture, cleanses pores).

6. Add rose oil frangrance. Be creative if you dare by adding gardenia (uplifting), honey (attacts and retains moisture) or sandlewood (calming, aphrodisiac, aids in meditation).

7. Close the bathroom door, turn the shower on "hot" and allow bathroom to steam up. Shift water to bathtub nozzel, reducing temperature to warm as not to dry out the skin.

8. Gather remaining rose petals in a decorative bowl. Put some John Coltrane in your CD player, light your favorite candle, dim the lights and sit on the side of the tub. Slowly pour rose mixture into bath, swirling the ingredients in the water with your hand. Set bowl of petals alongside your bath or sprinkle petals atop the water, asking them to help you draw out your most loving feelings. Stick your big toe in the water to test the temperature. Adjust the water as necessary. Slide in.

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday's Formula: Detangler and Gel

I’ve come across these two simple recipes other places but recently scoped them out here. This site has tons of other appealing concoctions and great information so head on over and check them out.

Natural Gel Recipe for Hair

Ingredients:
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon flax seed

Directions:
Combine the water and flax seeds in a small pan, and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Will start to thicken slightly. Strain out as many seeds as you can. Store in Fridge.

Natural Detangler Recipe for Hair

Ingredients:
8 oz. distilled water
1 tsp. aloe vera gel
2 drops glycerin
15 drops Grapefruit seed Extract preservative

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bottle. Shake well before each use

To Use: Apply a small amount to damp hair and work thru with fingers.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

* Other recipes can be found in the "hair recipe" category to the right

Friday's Formula: Beer rinses

Although some of us love to drink this beverage, beer is known to be a hair conditioner as well. Beer boosts to provide shiny, softer, thicker hair. There are claims that it can rebuild damaged hair and even lighten it.

I found the following recipe in a book entitled Recipes for Natural Beauty by Katie Spiers.

Rosemary and Beer Tonic
These two ingredients are reputed to stimulate the hair shaft and promote growth.

Ingredients:
2 drops rosemary essential oil
1 bottle strong ale or stout
1 drop tangerine essential oil (optional)

To make:
Mix the rosemary oil into the ale and leave for at least 24 hours. The beer itself contains alcohol, which is a natural preservative, so this recipe is very simple. If you wish to enhance the fragrance, add a drop of tangerine essential oil (not orange – this could color the hair).

To use:
Use before the final rinse after washing your hair. Beer is a traditional rinse for shiny hair.

There are also more beer rinse recipes found here that are definitely worth checking out. I think I’ll start my weekend off with a six pack. . . what about you???

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

Friday's Formula: Shampoos

Here are two shampoo receipes that I got from Natural Hair Digest.

*Note: This site doesn't seem to be in existance anymore. Has anyone else visited this site in the past and do you have trouble accessing it now?



Natural & Simple Shampoo

Ingredients:
1/4 c water
1/4 c liquid castile soap
1/2 t sunflower or other light vegetable oil
Directions:
Mix together all the ingredients. Store in a bottle. Use as you would any shampoo, rinse well.

Chamomile Tea Shampoo

Ingredients:
4 bags of Chamomile tea (or 1 handful of fresh Chamomile flowers)
4 T pure soap flakes
1 1/2 T glycerin
Directions:
Let the tea bags steep in 1 1/2 c of boiled water for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and with the remaning liquid add the soap flakes. Let stand until the soap softens. Stir in glycerin until mixture is well blended. Pour in bottle. Keep in a dark, cool place.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

Study Hall: Information Overload

I guess I am going to stick with the “homemade” theme this week. With many recent posts on making hair products, I wanted to put out a few online stores that sell raw ingredients. If you can not find certain items locally (at a health food store or specialty market) you can turn to the web, of course. This is a small list for your reference. Feel free to share any that I have missed.

Agbanga Karite

Butters N bars

Essential Wholesale

From Nature With Love

Lotion Crafter

Majestic Mountain Sage

Mountain Rose Herbs

Nasabb

Nature’s Gift

Save on Scents

Specialty Bottle

Texas Natural Supply

The Herbarie

The Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe, Inc.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

*You can click on the “study hall” label in the right-hand column to read posts you have missed

Commercial or Homemade?

Are you a “mixtress” or do you prefer to purchase commercial products? I don’t think of myself as a mixtress but I have come to realize that I have mixed up quite a few hair potions since going natural. As you may know, I devote Friday’s to posting hair recipes for those interested in mixing their own hair brews. So, how many of you like to do that? Do you do it frequently or only occasionally? What type of products do you make? Have you had failures and did they keep you from trying other hair mixes?

In recollecting what things I have attempted to mix up for my hair, here is the list I came up with: pre-poos with honey or molasses added, hair spritzes, hair conditioners using food items, whipped shea butter hair moisturizer (I ended up giving to my mother), baking soda rinses, herbal ACV rinses, henna treatments, bentonite clay treatments and hair oil (mixture of 3 oils known to penetrate the hair shaft – check here and here)

Here is what I learned from those experiments: (1) Honey and molasses are messy! (2) Some foods are hard to rinse out of your hair so now if I need to use banana I substitute for the jarred baby food instead and if I am using avocado, I puree it in the blender first. (3) In the future, I will probably only use unrefined shea butter and coconut oil to make my hair moisturizer. (4) I want to try infusing herbs into my hair oil mix for added benefits.

Mixing up a “hair tonic” can be both fun and fulfilling. If you’ve previously had some unfavorable results, I encourage you to give it another shot. I like making my own products for time to time but I will always purchase some commercial items – hey, I’m still a product junkie in recovery :-)

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

Friday's Formula: Banana Smoothie for hair

Happy Friday everyone! There are many recipes that Naturally Leslie credits getting from this site but I have personally tried this one (with some minor tweaks) and loved the results. Hope you will venture to try this one also.

Combine:
1 mashed banana (I used jarred banana baby food)
1 full egg
3 T honey
3 T milk (I used plain yogurt)
5 T olive oil

Mix together well and apply to hair. Leave for 15-30 minutes and wash out with a gentle shampoo.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily

Friday’s Formula: Chlorine Buster

This is the last Friday in July and my last swimming related hair brew. Tiffany of Live Curly, Live Free offers this antidote for hair that’s been exposed to chlorine.

It is always a good idea to rinse your hair with plain water* prior to entering any swimming pool to prevent chlorine water from penetrating into your hair shaft; however, this remedy will help reverse any chlorine damage to unprotected hair.

Combine:
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup pureed, peeled cucumber

Massage well into hair from scalp to ends, then cover with a plastic processing cap. Process for 30 minutes hour at room temperature, then cleanse hair with a non-sulfate based cleanser.

*We learned last week that you can use club soda instead of plain water.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily