Alma Oil Update

Yesterday marked the end of my bottle of amla oil...Amazing! This oil lasted me a very, very long time, making it a great oil and a great investment. I made my last purchase of three 4oz bottles back on May 12th, and I received it about a weeks later.

I first tried this oil in a  2 oz size before purchasing the next three 4 oz oils. Ever since, I have been in love... 

This is how I used the oil:

After a cowash or dc, I apply  my leave in spray, leave in cream, and a bit of warm cocoveda oil to the scalp  and lengths of my hair. After my hair has air dried completely or at least 95% , I will moisturize with my cream of choice and then seal it in with the amla oil.

 On days that my scalp needs to be moisturized I will seal it in with this oil as well. 

When my hair feels like it needs a boost I will spritz it with my liquid of choice and seal it in with the amla oil.

At times I  will also use a bit of this oil on my face as a moisturizer. It is great for the winter months too.

 I have used this oil on both of my children, ages 3.5 and 1.5, without any adverse reactions.

I moisture and seal at least 3 to 6 times per week and use it on my face 2x per week  and sometimes on the kids and it has lasted me at least 4.5 months! For $15 and then a 20% off coupon this is not bad! 

Get your amla oil today from hennasooq.com!

Itchy Scalp ...uGhhhhh

As we move into the fall my scalp has become more itchy. But I cannot yet blame it on the colder weather moving in. The past 4 washes or so I have not oiled my scalp with my cocoveda oil, and at times, I didn't moisturize and seal until the following day. This leaves me with a dry, itchy scalp that can only be soothed by re-cowashing, oiling my scalp while damp to seal in the water, and then moisturizing and sealing when my hair has fully air dried.

I did not continue with my usual oiling as a test to see if I really needed to oil my scalp before air drying and then once again after.I do not usually have a flaky scalp, but it was itching from dryness. Once I spritzed my hair with water and then applied warmed coconut oil, my scalp was immediately soothed. I also tried oiling my scalp once before it was wet and this did not do it. So on two more cowash days I did my usual oiling before air drying and the problem was solved again. 

The verdict is my scalp needs to be oiled when wet- period. This step is very important for me and cannot be skipped or else it will take a few tries before my scalp had returned to normal. Here is my usual routine after each wash/cowash on towel dried hair:

* spritz - let sit for 30 secs before I work it through

* apply leave in

*warm cocoveda oil to scalp ( light application) then apply dime size amount to hair. massage through

* allow to air dry

*when  90% dry at least, then moisturize and seal

* style or if going to bed wear a silk bonnet

On wash day ( shampoo day) I have also incorporated pre-pooing with a mixture of mostly castor, coconut and olive oil, with other oils of grapeseed, jojoba, safflower, and almond ( I needed to get rid of them). I added essential oils of lavender, rose geranium, and sweet orange. You cannot imagine how uplifting this mixture is when I apply it. I was inspired by Rene Furterer's Complex 5 oil that I used to pay an arm and a leg for at the Haitian Salon I used to go to. Well now I make my own. If you aren't up to mixing things yourself  Beaux Cheveux Essentials makes and awesome prepooing treatment that smells just lovely!

Thanks for following me on my Healthy Hair Journey

Pre Pooing and Hot Oil Treatments

 

In the past I  did  hot oil treatments regularly but I don't see any use for them at this point in my regimen. My hair is stronger and softer than it's every been. I do, however, pre-poo with warm coconut oil before every service just about, especially an ayurvedic service. I rotate in other  heavy oils such as castor oil, olive oil,  and avocado oil, as well as honey and agave nectar.

I did some much research on Auyervic hair care and there was a commonality in prepooing with oil, coconut oil to be exact. This is a great article that sums it up. I don't follow this exactly, but I've modified it accordingly.

I lightly spritz my hair with a leave-in or anything wet of the sort and part my hair into four sections. I take each section, split it into two, and apply the coconut oil from end to root, making sure to smooth and  separate the hair with my fingers- I will also use a wide toothed comb and or my tangle teezer to disperse the oil through the hair. After my hair is coated with the oil, I cover it with a plastic cap or saran wrap and leave it  in for no less than a half hour, and no more than overnight. When I'm ready to use an ayurvedic powder, I may lightly spritz the hair again and apply the ayurvedic mixture. my hair is left so clean afterwards, noticeably cleaner than if I did not use coconut oil. The oil also helps somewhat with rinsing out the paste. It did sound weird to me at first that my treatment could penetrate oil, but It does!

Hot oil treatments are usually done as a last step and then rinsed out while  some oil remains in the hair, or you can keep the oil in completely.  Pre-pooing usually  refers to washing out the oil/ doing a service after the oil has been applied. Some people us the terms  hot oil treatment and pre-pooing synonymously.  My hair is not in need of any extra oil other that what I give it during the moisturizing and sealing process, so hot oil treatments aren't necessary for me. But if your hair is really dry, even after a deep condition with added oils, you might want to consider doing a hot oil treatment.

So let's Recap

When do I oil my hair ?

*Before Shampooing ( always)

*Before Cowashing ( sometimes)

*Before Deep Conditioning ( sometimes)

*Before Ayurvedic Treatment ( always)

How to do it?

* Lightly spritz hair

*Detangle w/wide toothed comb

*Saturate hair with oil from tip to root

* Leave in no less than a half hour

Sunshyne from Hairlista.com Pre-poos with her 3POs..Check out her post here on Hairliciousinc.com