DIY Mayonaisse Hair Mask

Since I have long hair, I'm always interested in hair masks to keep the ends under control.  

In the past couple of years, I have been washing my hair with homemade soap loaded with argon oil and love the results.  This DIY hair mask seems to be a good compliment to my regular routine.

Click here for the article and the recipe.

DIY Banana Mask for Damaged Hair

Gotta love these DIY beauty recipes that use items we may already have.  And now we have another use for those bananas that have ripened too fast.

The oil I strongly recommend is argan oil.  

A couple of years ago, The Captain treated me to one of those magical hair straightening irons from a mall kiosk where they take time to show you what the product will do for you and how to use it.  

The girl used argan oil before and after straightening my hair with the iron . . . I've never had that healthy looking straight hair in my whole life.  In no time, the argan oil made it possible to get that soft, super shiny hair.  And I can now achieve that look at home.

Since then, I have started making my own artisan soaps.  After doing quite a bit of research, I will not make a bar of soap that does not include argan oil.  We even use our soaps to wash our hair.  It is that good!

If you happen to have some bentonite clay from making other DIY beauty recipes, I would recommend using 1/2 tsp in this mask.  It is also an awesome ingredient for hair.

"Bananas are rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that can help strengthen hair, and potassium, a mineral which helps hair maintain a healthy pH balance." (about.com see source link)

Can't wait to try this recipe!  

For more DIY hair treatments, click here.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil or argan oil
• a shower cap
   

Preparation

Put ingredients in a blender and blend until combined into a paste.

Add a dash of flour if paste is too runny.

Separate hair into 3-5 sections.

Apply mask to each section from roots to ends.

Wind hair into a loose bun if long and place a shower cap over hair. 

Keep it on for 30 minutes and then rinse out, shampooing and conditioning as usual.

Anti-Aging Hair Care Tips

As we age and go through all types of changes, our hair goes through changes too.  We just need to find ways to adjust our hair care beauty routine!

Since I have made the decision to go natural and let the well-earned gray hair shine, my hair seems to get drier and drier.  Actually, it was in better condition when I thought I was damaging it from years of coloring my hair.  Well, it is time to do something about it!

One of my favorite websites, One Good Thing By Jillee, published an excellent article on Aging Hair.  Jillee is known for her DIY concoctions and has come up with some excellent recipes to make aging hair beautiful again.  

Here is an excerpt from the article . . .

Replenish oils and moisturize your hair – this is key! Everyone’s hair is different, so I’ve made lots of treatments for different issues. Check out these DIY products and see which would be best for you:

• Strength and Volume Spray: An everyday remedy to add some moisture and strength.
• Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner: A weekly treatment that you should let sit for about 30 minutes. The oils penetrate the hair leaving it smooth.
• Rice Water: Try making rice water and using it as a hair rinse once or twice a week. It’s really simple to make and so cheap!
• Argan Oil: Try an overnight moisturizing a treatment, make a serum, or use as a leave-in conditioner.
• Leave-In Conditioner: A simple spray helps your hair to retain moisture throughout the day!

Click here for the rest of Jillee's article.

Homemade Hair Treatments

We tend to torture and torment our hair on a daily basis with curling irons, hair straighteners, blow dryers, chemical treatments and exposure to the sun.  Then we spend all kinds of money on expensive treatments to make up for the abuse.

No matter what type of hair you have, there is a natural treatment that you can make at home for a lot less money and just as effective (or better) than those expensive concoctions that contain all types of chemicals.  

Don't you hate it when you spend a lot of money on one of these products and that just don't work for you?

I went on a search for hair care and found an awesome website, Dreamy Hairstyles.  This website has great information on all things hair, but in particular, I loved an excellent article on homemade hair treatments. 

Click here for the post!

Homemade Banana Hair Mask

Love finding new uses for those things
 we usually toss in the trash!

Ripe bananas freeze well too . . .

Ingredients and Directions

Mash a banana in a bowl.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey.

You can also add a few drops of almond or vanilla extract.

Slather the banana mash through your hair

(especially on the tips of your hair).

Leave it on your hair for about fifteen minutes.

Rinse out with warm water.

The banana bits can take a very long time to rinse out of your hair - 

it is recommended that you have a lot of spare time to rinse it out

Bananas contain potassium which
strengthens and fixes damaged hair.

Use this every week to get healthy, shiny hair.

Source: WikiHow

Homemade Hair Conditioner - spray on, leave on

For as long as I can remember, I have used Infusium leave on conditioner. It has worked wonders for me through perms, hair coloring, teasing and using wacky hair products & styling techniques that wreaked havoc on my hair. Conditioner is so important for long hair and I have had long hair forever.

Since I've had to start watching my budget and cutting corners everywhere I can, it was time to start using some of those beauty recipes I've gathered through the years. Why pay more money for something that costs way less that will give you the same results?

The following recipe for homemade hair conditioner that is very similar to Infusium is working just as well for me . . . and at the moment, my hair is way past my shoulders and half way down my back.

The recipe is simple . . . 2 parts water to one part conditioner in a spray bottle . . . I went to the beauty supply house and bought a huge bottle of cheap generic conditioner. Use whatever conditioner you like.

For a quick touch up, all I do is lightly spray my hair and my natural waves and curls magically appear, no frizz even in Florida humidity. It dries very quickly, even in my thick hair, but I don't saturate it for a touch up.

When I'm gonna be in the sun, I keep my hair saturated with this stuff.

Apple Cider Vinegar . . . skin & hair beauty benefits

Who knew that an effective alpha-hydroxy acid sits on the shelves in your grocery store at a very attractive price compared to the expensive products sold at department stores?

Women have used natural apple cider vinegar for many beauty benefits since the days of ancient Babylonia. It regulates the pH of the skin and is rich in alpha-hydroxy acids, promoting a softer, smoother appearance on the skin's surface and reducing scaly conditions.

It is important to use apple cider vinegar made from cold pressed, organically grown whole apples, in which no chemicals or preservatives have been added and is not pasteurized.

Apple cider vinegar is an effective natural hair care product since its acidity is close to that of natural hair. It can be used alone or with certain herbs and essential oils to make a vinegar rinse used to treat dandruff and itchy scalp.

As a hair rinse, it will help balance the pH of your hair, remove the buildup that can result from the use of these hair care and styling products, leaving it soft, shiny and easier to manage. Mix 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar with 1 quart water and use as a final rinse after shampooing or don't rinse it for extra conditioning.

The acids and enzymes contained in apple cider vinegar kill the bacteria that causes dandruff. For a powerful dandruff fighter, mix 1 part apple cider vinegar to 3 parts warm water to balance scalp pH and control dandruff. You can also apply undiluted vinegar to the scalp, allow it to penetrate for a half hour to one hour, then shampoo with a mild shampoo.

The beauty benefits for the skin are varied . . .

Rub a little apple cider vinegar on tired, sore, or swollen hands or feet and feel the soothing difference.

Get rid of blemishes and make your skin more youthful by patting apple cider vinegar on your face before bed for softer, smoother skin in the morning.

Dab age spots with straight apple cider vinegar and leave on overnight to lighten them.

Apply ice cold apple cider vinegar to skin burns to prevent blistering.

Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath and soak for 10 minutes to soothe a sun burn.

Dab insect bites with apple cider vinegar to soothe the sting and itch.

Hands stained from chopping berries? Dab some straight apple cider vinegar on the stains to make them disappear.

For soft feet, combine 1 cup white distilled vinegar to 2 gallons warm water. Soak feet for 45 minutes then use a pumice stone or file to remove dead skin from heels and callused areas of feet.

Fight toenail fungus by soaking toes in a solution of vinegar and water, using 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, 15 minutes per day.


Don't worry about the smell . . . it will disappear as it dries . . .


© Gina Alfani 2007; 2008