Honey Recipes for Your Hair

Pic from h-o-n-e-y.tumblr.com

Honey naturally attracts and holds moisture. It is also a natural antiseptic and contains antioxidants.

Honey is packed with vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B3, which aid in hair growth. It can be added to conditioners, rinses and pomades.

Several honey hair recipes contain a mix of honey and olive oil. Try using this honey (pre-poo) treatment. Mix honey and olive oil in equal parts, distribute on hair, put on your shower cap and let sit for 30 minutes before rinsing and washing.

Honey Pre-Wash Treatment from Deecoily of Nappturality.com

Use this before shampooing to condition the scalp and repair damaged hair. She suggests that you use it regularly if your hair is dry or ends are split.

You will need 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of honey, 5 drops rosemary, lavender or geranium essential oil, a small cup, a ceramic or glass bowl, a small stainless steel spoon, a plastic shower cap and a comfortably hot towel.

In a cup sitting in hot water, warm the olive oil and honey (or use the microwave but be careful not to scold yourself). Stir in your choice of essential oil and mix well. While the mixture is still warm, apply it all over your hair, massaging well into your scalp.

Cover your hair with the shower cap (or large plastic bag) wrap the towel around your head and leave on for 10-15 minutes. For severely damaged hair, she suggests that you leave the mixture on up to 30 minutes. Remove the towel and shower cap, and wash your hair with a mild or baby shampoo.
Honey Hair Conditioner

Mix 2 Tablespoons of honey with 1/2 of a fresh avocado and 1 Teaspoon of coconut oil. Massage into hair and leave on for half an hour. Works beautifully for dry and damaged hair.

Honey for Hair Loss

To the scalp, apply a paste of hot olive oil, one Tablespoon of honey and one Teaspoon of cinnamon (powder). Keep on for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair.

Honey Hair Rinse

Try this hair tea recipe as an after shampoo rinse for added shine and to retain moisture. Steep two tea bags in two to three cups of water and let cool (try green tea, chamomile, rosemary or your favorite). After the tea cools, remove the tea bags and add one teaspoon of melted honey.

Remember to let the mixture cool before pouring over your hair and do not rinse. Follow with a leave-in conditioner and style. A tablespoon of ACV - apple cider vinegar - can also be added to this mixture.

Peace and Blessings...

More honey recipes and facts

Hair Boutique

Earth Clinic

eHow

Chicoro’s Ten Steps To Gain and Retain Hair Length

The following list was composed by Chicoro, Author of Grow It - How To Grow Afro-Textured Hair To Maximum Lengths In The Shortest Time. Also, see below how you can download a free copy of her 13-page book and receive weekly hair tips.

1. Avoid bleach and hair dye. These degrade the protein on your hair, damage the hair and make the hair strand weaker and vulnerable to breakage.

2. Detangle hair with fingers only enough to section your hair before washing . Do this only if hair is not dry and hard, matted or sticky with product. This will help to smooth hair in one direction and minimize tangles.

3. Detangle hair when wet with a comb, when trying to remove snarls and tangles. Afro-textured hair is more relaxed when wet and less prone to breakage when wet.


4. Air dry hair whenever possible. The moisture level in hair matches the moisture level in the environment. Blow drying dries hair and removes natural moisture from the hair strand. This makes it prone to dryness and breakage.

5. Cover your head in bright sun and windy environments. The sun and air degrade the protein in your hair and break it down. This weakens the hair strands and hair structure.

6. Moisturize and lubricate your hair. Moisture comes from water. Your hair strands contain water and this is what makes the hair flexible and pliable. Lubrication helps the hairs to slide past one another and align in the same direction. Water provides moisture and oil like substances provide lubrication. They are not the same.

7. To hold on to all the length you get, use protective styling. This keeps the ends of the hair from the air and minimizes dryness. Protective styling is not necessary to gain length, but can help you grow your hair past the point where it usually breaks.

8. Put down the scissors. Cutting hair does not make it grow. Trim or cut when hair is split or broken. Most hair grows unevenly. It's natural.

9. Set goals for your hair. Determine what you want to do. Goals help keep you on track.10. Document your hair journey. Take photos of your starting point. Write down what products you use and how you use them.

Photos help you to see true progress. Without photos, sometimes we cut off our hair because we think we have not made any progress. Photos and journals help you to see clearly and serve as a record for what works and doesn't work for you.

For a free 13-page booklet filled with information on how you can gain and retain length as well as to receive biweekly email tips, visit Beauty Bit By Bit and put in your email information.

Chicoro's Info:

Chicoro's Blog




Chicoro on Twitter




Chicoro on Facebook

Avocado Conditioner

Avocados are not only beneficial to our bodies, providing over 20 essential nutrients which include potassium, fiber and Vitamins A and B, but they can also aid in healthy hair.

Avocados, which are fruits by the way and not vegetables, have also been called alligator pears because of their shape and skin color. California produces about 90% of the nation’s Avocado crop.

Avocados are rich in vitamins A, D and E, lecithin (a natural antioxidant, conditioner and moisturizer), beta-carotene (which converts to Vitamin A promoting healthy skin and nails) and more than 20% essential fatty acids.

To prolong the life of you avocados, peel, seed and puree them, add a little lemon juice, put the mixture in an air-tight container and freeze. It will last up to four to five months before using.

Avocado oil is derived from the pulp of fresh avocados. Although the avocado is a fruit, its oil is categorized as a vegetable oil. The oil promotes the regeneration of scarred skin and softens and conditions dry, flaky skin and scalp. Avocado oil has a long shelf life (organic avocado oil last the longest.

Oil expressed from the flesh is rich in vitamins A, B, G and E. The oil contains vital amino acid such as oleic and linoleic, which are essential fatty acids that help eliminate eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and aid in the prevention of hair loss.

Oleic is an omega nine fatty acid, rich in antioxidants which fight the side affects of free radicals, moisturizer and also aids in stronger and thicker hair growth.

Linoleic is an omega three fatty acid, anti-inflammatory and promotes healthy hair growth. Both oleic and linoleic help in the absorption of Vitamins A , E and K, which work with essential fatty acids to provide healthy sheen to your hair and skin as well.

Avocado oil can be used to do scalp massages, as a pre-shampoo treatment, a hot oil treatment, and can even be added to your favorite conditioner to enhance its moisturizing properties.

Avocado Oil Shampoo

To prepare an avocado oil hair shampoo, you will need 1 teaspoon avocado oil, 1/2 teaspoon coconut or olive oil and 6 oz liquid castile soap. Mix all the ingredients together and store it in a bottle for at least 2 days to allow the ingredients to set. Use it to shampoo your hair on a regular basis.

Avocado Deep Conditioner

Peel, seed and mash one avocado and add 1 cup of coconut milk. Combine the ingredients together and mash until the mixture is smooth and thick. I strongly suggest you use a mixer for this or you will have bits and pieces of avocado in your hair that will take forever to rinse out.

Comb the mixture through your hair and wait about 10-15 minutes (you can also sit with a plastic cap on as well), then rinse off, making your final rinse with cool water.

Check out my Avocado and Coconut Milk Deep Conditioner Video

More info:

Avocado Oil Recipes

Avocado Info

Product Giveaway!!!!

It's time for another Giveaway :o)

This is a collab-giveaway between me, here at All Napturual Blog and All Naptural YouTube channel and KeeKee of KeeKee AllNatural YouTube channel and ChiChi Sophistication Blog - this is actually her first giveaway!

We want to thank all of our followers and subscribers - for checking out our blogs and channels, commenting - for just overall support :o)

GIVEAWAY PRIZES!!!!

Although we appreciate each and every one of our supporters - there will be one grand prize winner.

The winner will receive- (from my end) Bobeam Natural Hair Products, which will include a sample set of Bobeam Remedy Shampoo Bars and a full-sized jar of Shea-Moisturizer hair and body butter (and other goodies).

KeeKee's part of the giveaway prizes include - a $20 gift card to Bath and Body Works, and a $20 gift card to Barnes & Noble - and there will be a Thank You card from the both of us :o)

*There is even a possibility of a second place prize winner as well - see KeeKee's video (link below) for details *

Rules are as follows...

You have to be a follower of both blogs and subscribe to both YouTube Channels - that's it! The giveaway ends on February 1, 2011 and the winner's name will be drawn randomly and announced on February 5, 2011 :o)

Check out KeeKee's Video about the Giveaway!!!!

Good luck and thanks for all your support!

Peace and Blessings...

Let's Make Our Own Temple Balm

While ponytails, updos and buns do help with protecting our ends, our edges need pampering as well.

While wearing these styles, most like to smooth their hair back or up, along their temples, to give the style a ‘polished’ look. But as we all know, too much stress - tight braids, accessories, constantly pulling hair back - can cause breakage along the hairline.

There are several products available that proclaim to grow back or fill-in edges, but with a few simple ingredients, you can create your own.

The following list of ingredients will help you do just that :o) By the way, this was previously published in Clutch's sister mag Coco and Creme - DIY Temple Balm for Hairline Protection - it was one of the favorite articles I wrote, so I decided to share it here.

They are ingredients that will enable you to make a DIY temple balm, that will not only give your ponytails, updos and buns that ‘polished’ look, but will protect the hair around your temples, stimulate scalp circulation and promote hair growth.

The first step will be to decide whether you want an oil or pomade type balm. For an oil based balm, you can choose among the following carrier oils:

• Jojoba Oil


• Olive Oil


• Coconut Oil


• Hemp Oil


• Neem Oil


• Shea Oil


• Sweet Almond Oil

For a pomade type balm you can choose among the following butters:

• Cocoa Butter


• Olive Butter


• Aloe Butter


• Hemp Butter


• Shea Butter


• Almond Butter

*If you have a favorite carrier oil or butter that is not listed, you can use them as well*

The next step will be to add essential oils and/or herbs to your oil or butter. Carrier oils can be infused with herbs (see - Annies Remedy.com for instructions). Essential oils can be added directly to your oils or butters. You can also add carrier oils infused with herbs to melted butter.

Essential Oils and Herbs

• Arnica


• Calendula


• Stinging Nettle


• Rosemary (oil or leaves)


• Peppermint Oil


• Sage (EO or leaves)


• Cedarwood


• Saw Palmetto Extract

For those who would prefer a gel type balm essential oils and/or infused carrier oils can be mixed with 3 parts Aloe Vera Gel and 1 part oil.

DIY Basic Temple Balm Recipe

Combine ¼ cup of carrier oil (remember, see instruction link above if you want to make an herb infused oil), or butter in a 4 ounce container with 2 or more essential oils adding ¼ tsp of each. If you are using butter, melt butter before adding oils to make mixing easier, then let it sit to solidify. Feel free to tweak ingredients to your liking.

Use your temple balm as a hairdressing to smooth the edges when wearing ponytails, updos and buns, or just to protect and treat thinning edges. Your temple balm can also be used for scalp massages as well.



For the ‘polished’ look, lightly moisturized your edges with water, then add your balm. Gently brush back and cover with a silk/satin scarf for approx. 20 to 30 mins or overnight.

Here are the places where I shop for essential oils - I usually pull up all three sites to search for the cheapest prices.

Wholesale Supplies Plus

From Nature With Love

Texas Natural Supply

My 2011 Hair Resolutions

Although I'm constantly adding to my list - here is what I have so far - this was also previously published on Clutch's sister mag Coco and Creme - Natural Hair Resolutions Countdown

Like I said in the article, some of these are carry-overs from last year :o)

• Try more styles - For 2011 I’m going to attempt to not have a ‘signature’ style. I’m going to try to stay away from twists or box braids in a bun, and get more creative with my styles.

• Exercise and take supplements - a carry-over from this year. I started taking hair vitamins and actually began to see results, but kept forgetting to take them for weeks at a time. I don’t even have an excuse for not exercising. For 2011, I’m planning to stay on routine with both.

• Attend more natural hair events - There are so many meet-ups and natural hair events announced over the web, next year I’m going to plan to attend more than one or two.

• Keep a hold on product junkism - I actually did pretty well with this one. I stuck to my $20 budget when visiting beauty supplies, most times spending way less. I plan to continue this in 2011 - I have to work on a budget for online shopping though.

• Stay away from the scissors (when it comes to excessive trimming) - At the beginning of the year I would routinely trim/dust my ends every two or three months whether they were split or not.

The last half of last year I only cut knots and when I noticed split ends on certain strands. I saw a big difference when it came to retaining length. For 2011, I’m planning to only trim my ends when necessary.

• Keep up with natural hair social networks/blogs, YouTube videos, etc. For 2011, I plan to stay current with the online hair community - which will give me ideas for my own products, styles, routines etc…

• Keep up with documenting my journey. I find that documenting i.e. taking pictures, blogging, etc… my own journey also helps me to come up with creative styles, and more DIY products and accessories. And it’s a way to ‘give-back’ by helping others as well.

• Continue pampering my hair. I noticed that the more pampering, the better my overall hair health . I plan to try more ayurvedic hair treatments, keep braid washing, once-a-month deep conditioning and wearing protective styles.

• Make more products at home - This will not only ensure what I’m putting on my hair is chemical-free, but help keep the product junkie in me from arousing.

• Clean out cabinets - via using up all of my products before purchasing more and seeking out product swaps. I've started doing this and having my niece who loooves hair products living in the house with me is helpful as well.

Update Kiddie Relaxer Video

I posted the first video here depicting one of my clients who suffered terrible effects from a so-called kiddie relaxer. Thankfully, her hair has grown back.

Back-story...

Almost two years ago, her mother wanted to do something 'different' for Easter. I suggested different braid styles (I had been braiding her hair for years) but she (the little girl) really wanted a straight style.

I 'thought' we agreed on a blow-out/flat ironing, but her mother decided to get a relaxer put in her daughter's hair instead. Needless to say, the result was not a good one. Her hair did appear to be 'fine' for a couple of months, but soon after it began to fall out.

The following video is the second part of her 'Journey Back to Natural'. If you did not get a chance to see the first video click the link above.

Peace and Blessings...

Today is #naturalhair trend day on Twitter!

Happy New Year!!!

Today, January 2, 2011 is #naturalhair trend day on Twitter :o) Tweet #naturalhair all day (with your tips, favorite products, anecdotes or just shout outs). You have to unlock your Twitter account under Settings and Tweet Privacy in order for your Tweets to count.

Come join in the fun :o)

Have a Blessed and Prosperous New Year!