Necessary or Not: Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Something really interesting happened to me last night. I co washed my hair and it was feeling really dry. I have been using a protein conditioner, plus I just did a henna, so maybe I need to cool it on the protein?.? Either way, I did NOT do my usual Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. Once I finished co washing, my scalp was a bit itchy.

Needless to say, I probably should continue doing an acv after EVERY hair service...YES, I did say EVERY SERVICE!!!  Many have asked the question as to whether this would be too much, or how many times should an ACV rinse be done in a given period of time. Every one's head is different, so it's best go with with what works for you! I have hard water, so doing an avc rinse is best for me.

Reason's to do an ACV rinse are to:

1. lock in protein and moisture—flat cuticles will not let out moisture and protein through evaporation.


2. add shine to your hair—light reflects off of smooth surfaces. While you may not have as much shine as a person with bone straight hair, shine is an indicator that your cuticles are smooth and closed.


3. flatten the hair for detangling—raised cuticles give the hair that jagged, rough feeling we often talk about with shampoos that “strip.” These raised cuticles are more likely to grab and snag on each other.


4. add elasticity—remember that low pH substances have more hydrogen ions (as opposed to hydroxide ions). The more hydrogen bonds, the more manageable and elastic your hair will be over time.

ACV doesn't smell pleasant, but I can assure you that the smell dissipates quickly! You can try purchasing scented ACV like that from Hairveda, which smells of jolly rancher apples...yumm!!! But for the price and longevity, I'd rather go into my cupboard  and make the easy mix myself.  ***Update*** I could not find the rinse on Hairveda's site, which may mean that it's out of stock for the season OR has been discontinued.

I use 2  tbs of  organic apple cider vinegar to 6-7 oz of bottled or filtered water (Braggs brand or Trader Joe's brand which has a less intense smell).

Try different concentrations to figure out which works better for you and your type of water. 

Go out and get your AVC on!

Natural Deodorant and Secret Scent Expresions Va Va Vanilla

I have been on a quest to find a natural deodorant that actually works. Specifically, it's  not like your regular classic deodorant that you'd find on a shelf at  your local health and beauty store. Those are deodorants and antiperspirants all in one, working to dismiss bad odors and keeping you from sweating, the body's natural way of cooling down.

 The natural deodorant keeps you from doing just that- smelling of an odor! A common misconception is that it will keep you from sweating also....it doesn't!  Sweat is actually odorless, but when it starts to decompose and is attacked by bacteria, the smell can be unpleasant.

I haven't found the perfect natural deodorant just yet, so I've been trying out different ones and racking up a huge bill in shipping charges. I am currently at the end of my last purchase, which was from rainwaterbotnials on etsy.com and can be found here.  I'ts just ok.  The scent is a combination of a feminine powdery tone with manly notes of vanilla musk. It tends get get really hard and dried out if you leave the cap off even for a few hours, so I always have to be sure to cap it tightly.

SOOOO...I did NOT  want to smell like this particular scent for one more day. I immediately had to go down to Walmart and purchase my favorite go to UNnatural deodorant that I fell in love with about two years ago- Secret Scent Expressions' VaVaVanilla!

This deodorant works so well with my body. It goes on smooth and smells lovely. I don't sweat often, but I often  smell this deodorant working hard when I THINK I may be sweating. The only reservation I have about it is that it is very hard to wash off. Many times I have gotten out of the shower only to find that my deodorant remains working strong as ever. It makes me wonder sometimes if my soap is even working to remove dirt I can't see.

Needless to say, this deodorant is natural, but it gets the job don't. I will definitely be reaching for it until my next order of natural deodorant arrives.

I post on why I use natural deodorant is coming soon......

Reformulated: Garnier Fructis Leave- in Conditioning Cream

The last post I wrote on the Garnier Fructis Leave in Conditioning Cream was with what looks like the older formulation. The picture was different and the product worked fine, but when I went back to repurchase it I found that it did not look the same.

Well, what's the difference? It appears that the newer  bottle contains argan and apricot oils. Argan oil from Morocco has recently been a popular oil advertised in many products lines so it's only sensible for Garnier Fructis to follow the hype.

 I love both the older and newer formulas equally. I use this in my Kimmaytube leave in as the leave in portion.  As far as argan oil goes, it's nice but nothing to go crazy over. It is very pricey, but you can buy it cheaper in its natural and organic versions from Hennasooq.com I prefer their cocoveda oil which is much cheaper and my hair loves! Monoi oil is also another great alternative, but I can't understand why such a great oil would use filtered coconut oil- I have yet to find more research on which type of coconut oil is used, filtered or unfiltered.

Here is a comparison picture of the bottles:

Older Version

Newer Version w/ Argan and Apricot oils


All in all, they both impart great moisture and work the same exact way in my opinion.

Freezing your henna

I always wondered what to do with the extra henna I end up with  after an application. I did a bit of research and discovered that freezing the henna will actually INCREASE  the dye release. I’ve tried  this a number of times, but I wanted to take a comparison pic to visually capture the difference in dye release.




Smaller bowl on left is thawed henna. Darker = more dye release.
Bowl on right was freshly prepeared and sat for 4 hours.

 

Remember:

You cannot re freeze thawed  henna.

Freeze the henna only after it has been mixed and  the henna has sat out for the dye release window to take place. The dye release window for my  Nupur is about 3- 4 hours so I freeze it within a half hour after application. Letting it sit out too long will decrease the dye uptake of your hair.

Indirectly defrost the  henna by allowing the bowl to sit in another bowl of really hot water. I had to reheat the water 3- 4x times before my henna was completely warmed. I added a bit more of warm oil and warm coconut milk to achieve that  melted chocolate consistency.

Only add your oils in after the dye release has  taken place. You can add extra oils after it has been thawed, but not too much!

This technique cannot be used on INDIGO, as indigo’s dye release is pretty much immediate. Reusing frozen indigo willl probably not change  your hair color or condition the hair.

The one thing I LOVE LOVE LOVE about henna is that it is all a big experiment. You may have read or may find that these techniques don’t work for all henna. I have tried yemeni, moroccan, jamila, and nupur , and this technique  ( done correctly) has produced favorable results for me every timeJ   Be sure to try what works for you, and don’t  be afraid to make a mistake because with henna, there’s no such thing!

 Find other henna dye release times here.
*moroccan henna should not be froze as it has the shortest dye release and may not produce any color the second time around.

Updates and Henna & Saturation

Hello, my Hennalistas!

I am so sorry for my mini hiatus! I've moved, had a baby, my boys have been sick, and I've started working again. My my, I never knew how hard it was to be dedicated to writing posts until now! I've also had a bit of trouble with my *NEW* laptop which...well doesn’t work! So I've resorted to using my ancient one that isn’t as efficient with downloaded and stuff.

I just had to post because I did nupur henna today and my hair hasn't felt this good in a while. As far as henna saturation goes, there are some things I'd like to discuss. For one, when doing a henna, keep in mind that you need at least 4 treatments for the henna to build on the strand before you will observe any results. This is true for the most part, but when I use nupur henna I can immediately feel that my strands are thicker.

Your hair is constantly growing so you need to use henna continuously to cover the new hair. I like to do a treatment at least every 2 weeks, sometimes sooner.

Henna is very permanent. With that said, once the ends of your hair have been completely

Saturated there really is no need to henna the ends. I do it anyway because it makes the hair feel great, plus it's easier to henna the entire head. The Nupur Henna brand had many other herbs in it that are beneficial to the hair.

Luscious Lips

Ever wanted luscious, silky smooth lips?  Here's a simple recipe you can quickly concoct with natural ingredients right out of your kitchen cabinet. It's fast and easy, and your lips will be sure to thank you!

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Sugar

honey

Directions:

Take about a half  tsp of sugar and stir in a bit of honey  just to coat the sugar. Add a bit of olive oil- be careful, too much oil will dissolve the sugar ( if this does happen, just add more sugar!). Apply a small amount at a time to the lips while rubbing gently in a circular motion.  In no time you will have lightly exfoliated those dead skin cells and reveal irresistible, luscious lips :-)

Skin Care Products & Regimen

Here is a list of the Skin Care Products I use:

CVS Oil Free Acne Cleanser

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne Wash Foaming Scrub

Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Toner

Equate: Oil Free Sensitive Skin Moisturizer

Trader Joe's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Trader Joe's Organic Raw Honey

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay

My Skin Care Regimen:

Wash face with Cleanser and warm water, close with cold water, pat dry

^Apply Toner with natural cotton pad

Apply moisturizer as needed , 1 pump

*Done every day and night

Face Mask:

1 tps or less of Aztec Indian Healing Clay

Add honey to cut down irritation

Mix in ACV

Stir until a smooth, pudding-like consistency is achieved

Apply thin layer, let sit for 20 mins

Remove w/ warm water

Wash face with Scrub, close with cold water

^ continue from here

*Done as needed or 3x per week

**  use plastic bowl and spoon ONLY**

♥♥♥Voila♥♥♥

Healthy, Radiant Skin!

This is MY skin care regimen and the results I get. Please free to try these products and routine for yourself.  Results May vary.