Hair Herbs & Essential Oils for your hair!

Ida at chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com has supplied us with some useful information about the benefits of various herbs and essential oils for hair! Enjoy! 🙂

Useful HAIR Herbs Burdock: great for thinning hair, dry, irritated scalp, dandruff, and seborrhea Calendula: conditions Catnip: Promotes healthy hair growth Chamomile: a healing and soothing herb to soften hair, soothe the scalp, lighten, condition, and stimulate growth Horsetail: Helps brittle hair due to its high silica content Lavender: useful for all hair types it stimulates hair growth, and degreases

Marigold: lightens hair color Nettle: conditions, improves color and texture, helps with dandruff, irritated scalp, and dry scalp Parsley: enriches hair color and gives a nice luster Plantain: great for dry, irritated scalp, dandruff, and seborrhea Peppermint: stimulates the scalp Red Clover: Rosemary: excellent for all hair types and problems it acts as a tonic and conditioner, one of the best herbs to use, gives luster and body, stimulates growth, helps with dandruff, and brings out dark highlights in the hair

Sage: traditionally used to restore color to graying hair, excellent for week hair Saw Palmetto: good for hair thinning and hair loss Thyme: good for oily hair, dandruff, and mild hair loss Witch Hazel: leaves and bark are astringent and cleanse oily hair Yarrow: for oily hair Yucca: Navajos swear by yucca root to prevent hair loss and to cure dandruff.

Essential Oils: You may add essential oils to the recipe above (I would suggest adding up to 10 drops of lavender or 5 drops of rosemary essential oil) or use the essential oil hair rinse recipe below. Some words of CAUTION:

• There are many wonderful essential oils that could be used but you MUST do some research.
• Essential oils are very strong and many can be skin irritants if not used correctly. Lavender is one of a very few essential oils that can be used directly on skin. Others like clove or thyme essential oil WILL irritate your skin if used full strength. Even though the oils are diluted in this recipe–you must be knowledgeable about the amount of essential oil to use in your dilution.
• Essential oils are expensive. But do NOT use the cheaper fragrance oils or “nature identical” oils. These are synthetic, can cause skin irritation and provide none of the benefits of natural botanical essential oils.

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinses

Apple cider vinegar is very acidic in nature. It is often used diluted as a balancing hair rinse after shampooing with a basic shampoo. So what is apple cider vinegar specifically?

Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known simply as cider vinegar, is made from cider or apple must, and is often sold unfiltered, with a brownish-yellow color; it often contains mother of vinegar. It is very popular, partly due to its beneficial health and beauty properties. Due to its acidity, apple cider vinegar can be very harsh, even burning the throat. If taken straight (as opposed to usage in cooking), it should be diluted (e.g. with fruit juice) before drinking.^[3] Others dilute it with warm water and add some honey.^[4] There have been reports of acid chemical burns of the throat in using the pill form.^[5]

Apple cider vinegar smooths the hair and can be used in conjunction with various herbs or honey. So how do you do a well-diluted ACV rinse?
1. Shampoo your hair with the shampoo of your choice.
2. Apply conditioner of your choice for 2 minutes then rinse out.
3. Diluted 1/4 cup of ACV in 500mL of water. Or, you can infuse the diluted ACV with herbs or honey which is explained in the recipes below.
4. Rinse with the ACV then rinse with water. Your hair should feel really smooth because acv lays the hair cuticles flat whereas shampooing temporarily lifts them!

From chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com

Ingredients 2 tablespoon of cider vinegar herbs of choice about 2 cups of boiling water

Directions:
1) Boil the water in a small saucepan.

2) Add the herbs and vinegar. Cover and allow the “tea” to steep for at least 15 minutes. If you want a stronger herbal infusion, add more herbs, cover and simmer on the stove for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes.

3) Allow your infusion to cool. It should be used that day or refrigerated for later use. You may also double or triple the recipe. Just be sure to refrigerate the unused portion.

4) When you have finished rinsing the shampoo out of your hair, pour the rinse on your hair and massage your scalp. If you have very long hair, as I do, you can dip your hair into the jug before pouring its contents over your head. Avoid getting the rinse in your eyes, particularly if you have used essential oils. Also make sure the temperature of your rinse is just right for you.

5) Rinse it out with fresh water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.

6) Make sure you rinse out the shower afterwards, as some herbs can leave it looking slightly tea stained; similarly, watch out for your towels. The staining is only temporary and washes out very easily; it is more likely to occur with extra strong infusions.

Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #2: This recipe makes a larger batch and takes longer to prepare

Ingredients 2 cups of cider vinegar 1 cup chopped herbs of choice

Directions: 1. Place approximately 1 cup of chopped herbs in a glass jar. 2. Cover with 2 cups of vinegar. 3. “Steep” this mixture in a tightly closed jar or bottle in the refrigerator or in a dark, cool place for two weeks. 4. Strain steeped vinegar from herbs through cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a fresh, clean bottle. 5. Refrigerate up to 6 months. (I always leave about a weeks worth in my shower!) Tip: If you don’t want to wait two weeks, speed up infusion by heating the vinegar before pouring over herbs. “Steep” for a few days! When ready to use: dilute 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the herbal vinegar in 1 cup of water. Rinse through wet hair after shampooing. Rinse it out with fresh water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.

Rose Vinegar: 3/4 cup vinegar One tablespoon fresh dried rose flowers One cup distilled water Heat the rose flowers with the vinegar and water. Bring to a boil and steep for 30 minutes. After cooling , place mixture in a jar with a tight fitting lid and let sit for 2 weeks. Strain the rose flowers from the vinegar and use the liquid for your hair rinse. Beauty Secret Vinegar Facial Soak: Heat the rose vinegar slowly until it is a comfortable temperature to apply to the skin. Soak a clean warm wash cloth in vinegar and lay over the face for five minutes. Repeat this procedure four times, each time re-dipping the washcloth to reapply. For best results, keep the washcloth on the skin for a total of 20 minutes. This facial soak is an excellent exfoliant and skin stimulant.

Natural deep conditoning recipes

You guys know how much emphasis we place on natural recipes!! Here ya’ go!

Moisture= BLUE ; Protein= RED

Avocado Hair Treatment

-Mashed avocado
-Coconut Milk 1/4 cup
-2tablespoons honey

Extra Rich Hair Oil Treatment Recipe

Summary:

This extra rich hair treatment can be used hot or cold formulated for thick coarse hair that drinks up lot of oil

Ingredients:

4oz jojoba oil
2oz monoi de Tahiti (Jasmine)
2oz camelina oil

Instructions:

Blend all oils in a glass bowl and pour into bottle.
To use as a hot oil treatment just heat up on stove or microwave in a plastic container.
To use as scalp oil part hair and apply small amount to scalp work through hair with wide tooth comb. Enjoy the results.

Combine all ingredients and let sit on hair for an hour then rinse out well

Basic Deep Conditioner:

Mayonaise
Avocado

Mash together equal parts mayo and avocado until the mixture is a mint green color. Apply to damp hair, cover with saran wrap and a hot towel. Leave on for 20 minutes, shampoo and rinse.

Frizz Fighter:

Add honey and glycerin to above recipe

Lavender Hot Oil Treatment: (soothes scalp, adds moisture to dry hair and scalp)

Lavender flowers
Lavender essential oil
Carrier oil
Glycerin
Vitamin E oil

Same as above.

Egg Conditioner:

Carrier oil
1 egg yolk
About 1 c. water

Beat yolk, add oil, beat again add water. Apply and massage into hair and scalp, rinse. (after shampoo)

Changing your hair color without damage

Women are characters of change..so many of us like to alter our hair color. Well when doing so, you can damage your hair to point of no return. Especially if you have relaxed hair, you must be very careful to care for your color-treated hair. But there is a way to color your hair without the mess of henna and without the worries of chemical box colors such as Bigen and Clairol Natural Instincts. This solution is called a rinse! It is a temporary hair color that is applied as much as the user wants. I strongly suggest Colorshowers Color Rinse, a dominican rinse that can be found at the following link:

Colorshowers Dominican Hair Rinses

I have used Jazzing and Clairol Beautiful and they do not take AT ALL even when using heat and leaving the color on for an extended amount of time. I use Colorshowers in Black and although it costs 20 dollars a bottle, it lasts about a year with prolonged use. This is the method that I take to ensure I have maximum color coverage from Colorshowers:

1. Clarify hair with shampoo: Nexxus Aloe Rid or Organic Root Stimulator Aloe. Then shampoo with moisturizing shampoo: Creme of Nature Dry/Damaged.
2. Apply quickie conditioner then do a rinse with heavily diluted Apple cider vinegar to balance pH out.
3. Apply colorshowers liberally to the hair and put a plastic cap over the hair. Sit underneath a dryer for 20 minutes on high then 10 minutes on medium. Then sit for 20 minutes out of the dryer.
4. Rinse out colorshowers and deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner. I like to use Proclaim Aloe&Shea moisturizing conditioner. Avoid anything with extra virgin olive oil because this will strip your color out. Deep condition for an hour without heat.
5. Rinse out the deep conditioner and style your hair. Your hair should be nicely colored!

How to Conditioner-Only Wash without buildup

Washing with conditioner only and omitting shampoo is a big method for many people. There are a lot of advantadges to this method including increased hair moisturization, decreased hair dryness from sulfates in shampoo, and increased growth.
So how do you conditioner-only (CO) wash?
Well when i started co washing, I would leave the conditioner on my dry hair and slather coconut oil on top then use it as a deep conditioning for an hour then rinse. This however left me with greasy hair a lot of the time. Now what i do, is i jump in the shower, apply my conditioner after wetting my hair, put my hair up in my shower cap and bathe, then rinse for 5 minutes while combing. You must rinse well for co washing to be an adequate cleaning device without leaving you with icky greasy hair.
The conditioners I find the most moisturizing and cleansing are: VO5 kiwi lime, Suave tropical coconut, VO5 free me freesia, and VO5 champagne kisses.

Experiment with the CO washing method and don’t forget to clarify every 4 weeks so that your hair is not weighed down and can respond to products normally. You would clarify by either using baking soda or a clarifying shampoo such as Nexxus Aloe Rid or ORS Aloe.

Happy conditioner washing!

Coconut Milk!

So i first came to know about using coconut milk in your hair about 8 months ago on Longhaircareforum.com. It has been really nice to my hair, particularly, it has made my hair shiny, strong, and moisturized! The only gripe about using coconut milk in your hair is that you cannot use it too much or your hair becomes too rich with protein and is dry.

So what is coconut milk??

Coconut milk is a sweet, milky white cooking base derived from the meat of a mature coconut. The color and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high oil content and sugars. In Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia coconut milk is called santan and in the Philippines it is called gata. It should not be confused with coconut water (coconut juice), which is the naturally-occurring liquid found inside a coconut.

You can pick up coconut milk at your local grocery store in the ethnic food isle or at a latin american, thai or indian grocer in your area.

How do you use coconut milk in your hair??
1. Coconut milk soaks. This involves no other ingredient other than coconut milk coming into contact with your hair. You douse your hair in coconut using the whole can and leave on your hair for about an hour. I have not done this because most people comment that it is so drippy while your are waiting that hour..but they do say it makes their hair feel nice!
2. Coconut milk+Conditioner mixtures. I do this very frequently, about every other week to ensure that I do not have hair protein overload. I mix coconut milk with my moisturizing deep conditioners (not protein conditioners because coconut milk is a protein remember!!). The conditioners that I have had great success with coconut milk are Lustrasilk Sheabutter Cholesterol (in the bottle) and Proclaim Aloe&Shea all of which you can find at your Sally’s beauty supply. I mix coconut milk with these conditioners and add other natural ingredients including coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and castor oil. You can change your recipes based on what your hair wants. The general recipe for the coconut milk+conditioner mixture is as so:

• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup conditioner

Mix all of these ingredients and let sit on your hair for about an hour and rinse out! Strong fluffy hair for the rest of the week!

Is CV Honeybutter soap even soap..dang

I bathed with some honey butter soap from chagrin valley and it hardly lathered! It also smells really weird..like honey peanutbutter. It doesn’t make my skin feel UBERLY soft..just alright. I am gonna try it on my hair tho for sure.

I love the chocolate almond on my skin ♥ that’s one bar I’ll never let go..

Why did i order so much neem tea tree..ARGH. Do they do returns? lol yea just kiddin….but really the neem tea tree was good for my face but baking soda is the real driving force that’s healing my face..and sometimes the oils in the shampoo soap cause my face to breakout a little. For now I’m just gonna use it in conjunction with the baking soda..
And ACV for my face don’t even get me started..it was good for a while but then it caused me to break out i believe..but my diet has been the one thing that cleared up my face FOR GOOD. looking back 3 weeks ago..i mean it’s only been like a month and my face is like CLEAR. no big acne no nuttin. diet makes a biggg difference.

Chagrin Valley Honeybutter Bar

New Product Reviews to Come

* Pantene Relaxed & Natural Mask
* Shea butter
* Coconut Milk
* Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silktouch Leave-In
* Aphogee 2 step treatment
* Aphogee intensive keratin reconstructor
* Avocado Oil
* Organic Root Stimulator No-Lye Relaxer
* Apple Cider Vinegar

detangled and braided

i had some more tangles not a lot most were concentrated in my underprocessed nape..so i detangled it then applied my hair butter in sections..my hair is doused in butter. i will fingercomb again on wednesday. then i braided my hair and put some more butter on my ends.

Courtney’s Ilipe-Mango-Coco Body Butter

4tbs Ilipe butter
1.5tbs mango butter
2tbs Cocoa butter
4tbs coconut oil
2tbs castor oil
1 squirt honey
3squirts aloe vera gel

Put the ingredients into a bowl and whip with a hand/electric mixer. Add fragrance oils if desired. Store in refrigerator. make sure all utensils are sterilized.
Use on body after showers.