DIY Natural Hair Care
It’s springtime and its finally time to let your hair down! Winter weather and bulky layers may have caused you to neglect your beautiful locks, but with warm weather in the forecast it's time to give your hair some extra care!
Simple Shampoo and Conditioner Tips
If you are buying store-bought shampoo and conditioner, try to avoid sulfates, which are common in most shampoo products. Sulfates are added to these products because of their lathering effects. Although I have not seen solid proof of negative effects, it is said that they may strip the natural oils from your hair, cause curls to become more frizzy, and hair dye to fade more quickly. It has been recommended to try switching to a sulfate-free shampoo if you are experiencing scalp itchiness or eczema.
When switching to a sulfate-free shampoo you may notice that your product is not lathering as much as you’re used to, never fear, the product is still cleaning your hair sufficiently. Check the ingredients for sulfates by looking for: sodium laureate sulfate (SLES), ammonium laureate sulfate (ALES), sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), and ammonium laurel sulfate (ALS).
Easy Tip! Add rosemary essential oil into your daily shampoo ~ one drop or two per wash. It will not only make your hair smell amazing but can help if you are experiencing and itchy, dry or flaky scalp. It is also said to restore your hairs’ natural shine!
Want More Luscious Hair?
Another way to boost the shine and also help repair dry or damaged hair is to dab a small amount of jojoba or argan oil onto your palms and run it through your hair (especially the ends).
This can be done after showering, or you can add a few drops of either oil into your shampoo or conditioner each time you wash your hair!
- Another benefit of rosemary oil -
Rosemary oil has been scientifically proven to increase hair growth via research that tested whether it could be beneficial
for those suffering with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). So, even if you aren't suffering from AGA, you can give rosemary oil a try for more luscious locks.
There have also been studies that show peppermint oil having positive effects on hair growth!
Hair Growth Stimulating Massage Blend
Make your own hair enhancing oil massage by adding two drops of peppermint or rosemary essential oil to ~1 tbsp of jojoba oil. You could also use coconut or argan oil if you don’t have jojoba on hand. Massage into your scalp daily for about 30 minutes before showering. If you are worried about your skin reacting to the essential oil, do a test on a small patch of skin first.
Easy Tip! Looking for an easier way to incorporate rosemary or peppermint oil into your hair routine? Simply add 2-3 drops to your conditioner each time you wash your hair.
Morning’s Got You Frazzled?
It's difficult to get everything done in a day and sometimes a shortcut is just what we need. Not enough time to wash your hair because of all the things you have going on in your life?
I get it.
Making your own dry shampoo is easy, cost effective and it’s a huge time-saver!
Dry shampoo works because of its oil-absorbing properties. The base you use for your product is the ingredient that absorbs oils from your scalp. Essential oils are optional for dry shampoo but they will leave your hair smelling great, clean or not.
DIY Dry Shampoo
- For a base you can use 1/2 cup of either cornstarch or arrowroot powder.
- Optional : A few drops of any essential oil/s you choose. I like to use either lavender or rosemary.
Note - If using cocoa powder in your recipe, consider the smell interaction with the chosen essential oil.
- Optional : To add color to your dry shampoo (so it matches your hair) use unsweetened cocoa powder. If you have red hair you can use a mixture of cinnamon and cocoa powder to get the color just right.
Mix all ingredients together and store in small jar or container.
Apply dry shampoo using a container/jar with a shaker top or apply the powder using an old makeup brush. Brush hair after application until the powder blends into your hair.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25842469