Natural Hair Care

Lately I have had quite a few people asking me for natural shampoos and about natural hair care products, I haven't come up with anything yet but I am working on it and hopefully will have something ready soon. In the meantime I figured I would share some of my favorite natural hair care recipes and tips. This first recipe is one of my favorites, every winter when my hair starts get dry, brittle and fly away i mix some of this up. Avocados are high in vitamin E and help neutralize free radicals they are also high in natural oils and soothing to sensitive skin. This also works great as a facial mask for dry skin.

This recipe makes enough for 2 treatments, be sure to refrigerate the unused portion and use within 5 days.

Avocado Dry Hair Mask
1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
1/4 cup honey for light hair molasses for dark hair (you can use the honey for dark hair but it may lighten it)
1/4 cup real mayonnaise (not miracle whip)

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor or with a hand blender. Apply to wet (not dripping) hair and cover with shower cap or towel. Leave on for at a minimum 20 minutes (I usually go 30) Rinse out with warm water (not hot,hot water drys the hair out more) and shampoo. You can save the extra for another treatment or you can use it as a facial mask. To use as a facial mask apply to clean skin and leave on for 20 minutes, rinse off.

Lemon Hair Spray (not super hold but it does the job) Lemon does tend to lighten hair especially in the sun so if you don't want your hair lightened try the sugar hair spray below. I have personally never tried the sugar hair spray so I have no idea how well it works, if you try it leave a comment to let everyone know what you think of it.
Zest from 1 lemon ( no white parts only yellow)
1 Tbls. Vodka
1 cup boiling water
place lemon zest in bowl and pour boiling water over it and leave sit 6-8 hours. Strain zest out and stir in vodka. Put into a spray bottle. Can be used on wet or dry hair.

Sugar Hair Spray
1 cup warm water
1 Tbls. sugar
combine sugar and water and put in spray bottle.


Natural Shampoo
This shampoo definitely takes a little getting used to, it will take about 1 week for your hair to adjust and it works much better if you have soft water. You will also need to use an apple cider vinegar rinse a few times a week which will help to balance the ph of your hair and keep it soft and manageable.
2 Tbls. liquid castile soap
1 cup distilled or spring water (I usually make an infusion of herbs such as Lavender, Calendula, Nettle, horsetail, sage and use this for the water portion)
1 tsp. Almond or Olive oil
Essential oil 5-8 drops (good choices would be Lavender, Rosemary, Peppermint or Lemon)
1 Tbls. Honey optional
Mix all ingredients together and place in bottle

Cider Vinegar Rinse
1 cup good quality apple cider vinegar
2 cups distilled or spring water (an herbal infusion works well in place of the water in this recipe also, choose from the same herbs in the shampoo recipe above)
Mix together and put in squirt or spray bottle ( I prefer the spray bottle, less waste and easier to use. You don't want to get this in your eyes as it WILL burn)
Spray or apply to hair immediately after shampooing. Leave on for a minute or 2 and rinse. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.

Rosemary Hair Oil
This oil is wonderful for a dry scalp and rosemary is said to strengthen hair and promote growth.
2 - 4 Tbls. dried rosemary or 1/4 cup fresh
1/2 cup Good quality Olive oil
Combine ingredients in a small pan and heat gently on stove to, Do not boil. Oil should not get too hot to touch. Remove from heat and let sit 2-3 days. Strain rosemary out of the oil and put oil in a glass bottle. To use massage a small amount into scalp before going to bed.