Perfected DIY Conditioner Recipe

Okay so after over a month of playing with methodology and recipes and the like, I've FINALLY discovered the (almost) perfect way to make an all natural, homemade, great conditioner that you can use just like the store-bought stuff! Yay!

A friend was kind enough to give me some of his xanthan gum and I tried it out as an emulsifyer. It worked beautifully and I managed to find the right ratio of water to oil.

Here's how I do it.

You need an oil in your conditioner to help moisturize your hair and keep it soft. For this  you could technically use any oil but I love using my homemade oil conditioner as my oil base.

*NOTE: IF you use the homemade oil conditioner, which has vit. e oil, tea tree oil, and coconut oil (all natural preservatives) then this recipe will keep for several weeks outside of the fridge. If you are using almond oil or something else as your oil then you should consider adding a preservative to keep your mix from spoiling (gross!)

You will also want to have:
Xanthan gum
Filtered water (or boiled water - just be sure there are no hard minerals)
Green tea leaves

Step 1 - Making tea
You could use plain water if you want but green tea has so many benefits, especially for your scalp, that I decided to use it in my conditioner. I just steeped the tea in the water while I got the rest of my stuff ready!

Step 2 - Mixing the oil and the tea
You HAVE to mix everything before you add the xanthan gum so your next step. If you use the measuring system I use for my homemade oil conditioner solution then I would put 1 vial-full for every 1/2 cup of water you use. That's the equivalent to about 1tsp of oil for every cup of water. Mix them together and you're ready for step-3!

Step 3 - Xanthan Gum

Okay so once you have your oil and water (or tea) mixture put together it's time to use the emulsifier. You could try and use a plain old whisk for this but I highly recommend an electric one because, as my friend and I discovered, xanthan gum works VERY quickly and it is VERY potent.

So! For about 4 cups of water I would only use 2 - 3 tsp of xanthan gum. Not even kidding -- it takes that little.

Also, since it works VERY fast, make sure you have the blender running while you add it! You may have to add a little more to make up for the clumps that occur during the blending process.

Step 4 - Getting rid of clumps!
If you get clumps like I do then you should probably strain your mixture so you are rubbing concentrated clumps of xanthan gum in your hair. Thankfully this step is easy.

Sorry for the glare...

Step 5 - Bottle and enjoy!

:-)

DIY Conditioner Recipe

I LOVE conditioners but I still haven't perfected my recipes. However, a friend and I got rather close to at least getting something close to an easy to use conditioner.

Don't get me wrong. The other conditioner recipes I have up on this blog are SUPER wonderful. But they are deep conditioners that are messy and require intense shampooing and ACV vinegar rinses after use. I want an amazing DIY conditioner that I can use AFTER shampooing without much worry of an oily scalp.

Here's the recipe we used!

INGREDIENTS
4oz coconut oil infused with sage, thyme, and rosemary
2oz apricot oil
1oz vegetable glycerin (honey would work too)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp vitamin E oil
10 drops of tea tree oil
5 drops of peppermint oil

TOOLS
Wire strainer
Cheesecloth
Small pan
Bowl
Whisk and/or spoon
Bottles for storage
Applicator bottle

Now, if you've ever used DIY conditioners then I bet you're thinking jeeze that's ALL oils!!!

We didn't have emulsifiers and water-oil blends spark bacteria REALLY quickly. So in order to avoid that we decided to follow a different method.

The oils are all stored in a (dark) glass bottles with a a drip bottle. We drip a small amount of oil into another applicator bottle with a nice spout and then fill it with warm water and shake well before applying.

Here's the step-by-step process for making it!!

STEP 1 - Infusing the coconut oil with the herbs!
We used a hot infusion method (stove-top) because we didn't plan ahead much. We put the oil on the heat (low) and then added the herbs. We let them steep in the warm/hot oil for about 45 minutes and then let it cool slightly.

STEP 2 - Strain the herbs
Straining the herbs was a little trickier than usual because of the sage. Sage has very small leaves so many of them slipped through the wire strainer. In order to catch the extra little sage leaves, line the wire strainer with cheesecloth.

Bad lighting.. sorry!

The resulting coconut oil should be nice and green (instead of the usual clear) thanks to the herbal infusion.

STEP 3 - Blend in the other oils and the glycerin
Now you just add the olive oil and apricot seed oil. My friend also added some sweet almond oil to hers but I avoided it because of allergies.

STEP 4 - Add your essential oils (EOs)!
You don't need to add the exact ones we did. Tea tree and mint are nice for your scalp but you can add others if you'd like.

HOW TO USE
Put your oil mixture in a clean and DRY glass bottle. Preferably a dark glass one. Too much light exposure can mess up the potency of the EOs.

Before showering, put about a teaspoon's worth of conditioner into your applicator bottle and then fill the rest with water. Depending on how big your bottle is you may need more or less oil. Just do a trial run first and then determine the ideal oil:water ratio.

You can use this after shampooing and it works great in conjunction with my vinegar hair rinse!

Enjoy! :-)

Coconut Conditioning Treatment

I love coconut oil and I have recently discovered coconut milk as well! Put them together and you have not only an amazing conditioning treatment but also the best smelling DIY beauty product ever!!

My recipe is very simple. Really I just mix the two together.

- Coconut oil
- Coconut milk (make sure you get unsweetened!!)

You can make your own coconut milk if you'd like but I have not attempted that yet. As soon as I do though I will share my experience and give a step-by-step guide of what to do (and not to do.)

STEP 1 - Coconut oil!
I always put in my oil first because then I can slowly add the milk and blend it as I go. This gets you a much smoother blend. I really recommend that you leave the coconut oil room temperature. Don't melt it down because when you blend the milk it will thin the mix. Having everything already at room temperature will let you know how firm or fluid your mix will be at room temperature. If you melt the oil then it will be harder to gauge how thick the end result will be.

STEP 2 - Milk!

Slowly add the coconut milk and blend as you add. If your coconut milk is chilled then make sure you let it reach room temperature (or put it in the microwave for a few seconds) so that it doesn't harden the oil.

Step 3 - Blend together

I use a whisk because I feel that it blends everything together better. Remember that coconut milk has water in it (if you look at the ingredients it should have water, coconut, and guar gum*) so you have to battle the oil/water separation.

*Speaking of guar gum... that is one reason why making it homemade is better. Cuts out unnecessary things.

Step 4 - Bottle and keep in the fridge

Your mix should last you a few weeks if kept in the fridge. Since its so easy to make, I tend to do this in small bi-weekly batches. I keep my extra coconut milk in the freezer so it lasts longer. Make sure you shake well before you use this on your hair. It WILL separate unless you can find an emulsifier to use in it.

This can be applied to wet or dry hair. If you add honey or vegetable glycerin then be sure to only apply it to wet hair. Otherwise though I recommend you apply it to dry hair and let it sit for a while. I tried putting it on wet hair and it got very runny.

Enjoy! :-)

Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

Olive oil is used in MANY things. From deep conditioning treatments, to body scrubs, to soaps. Rosemary is not only aromatic but it also helps your skin and hair. Rosemary can help to stimulate hair growth and increase blood circulation in your skin. So why not infuse your olive oil with rosemary and use THAT in your products?

Rosemary infused olive oil is actually very easy to make. All you need is:
- Olive oil
- Rosemary
- Pot
- Glass bottle/jar for storage
- Spoon
- (You may also want a funnel if you're using a bottle for storage)

Step 1 -- heat your oil. Do NOT make it very hot. You aren't trying to make deep fat fried rosemary here! Just warm enough so that you can touch it but if you left your finger in too long then it would start to burn. Probably about 105 - 110 F is good.

Step 2 -- chop your rosemary. Don't chop it TOO fine because then you'll get little rosemary chunks in your oil that are hard to remove.

Step 3 - add your rosemary to the oil and stir it well. Let it sit on the heat for a minute or two and then move it from the heat.

Step 4 - after about 5 minutes of steeping, add the oil AND the rosemary to your container. You could use it right away but it's better if you let it infuse for a day or two.

Use it in your soaps, on your hair, and on your skin!
Enjoy! :-)

Homemade, All-Natural Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner

Decided to try making my own conditioner after looking at the all-natural conditioners at the store and seeing how expensive they were. I also figured DIY conditioner would be fun!

THE MIX – What I got for my conditioner
- Coconut oil: 1/4 cup
- Vegetable glycerin: 1/8 cup
- Essential oil: 5 - 10 drops depending on the oil you get and how strong you want it
(Eucalyptus in my case because it’s good for your hair and was on sale for $3/bottle! But really tea tree would be better I think.)
- Olive oil: 3 tbsp

I also purchased some Vitamin E oil but then I noticed that it contained Sweet Almond oil and I have allergies… :-( However, I encourage you to add about 2 – 3 tsp of Vit. E oil to my recipe and it will likely make your hair even silkier! I plan on getting non-almond Vit. E oil for my next batch!

NOTE: Since this mixture contains no preservatives I recommend using it all within about three weeks. If you let it sit out too long without preservatives then it will spoil and that will NOT be good for your hair!

TOOLS
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk (or if you don’t have a whisk and can use chopsticks in the manner then that is fine)
- Bottle to put your conditioner in

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 1 – Mix together your olive oil and coconut oil. You could heat up the coconut oil but I felt that the consistency of the conditioner is better when you put it in thick and then whisk it smooth.

STEP 2 – Add yhour essential oil(s) and blend well. If you have any other oils (jojoba, argan, almond, vit. E oil, etc.) then add those now.

STEP 3 – Blend in the glycerin. It should go in smoothly.

STEP 4 – Add to your bottle and let sit.

TO USE: Put about a dime to quarter sized amount in your hands and run them through your hair. Let it sit for about 5 – 10 mins. at least. I usually put mine in my hair and  let it sit for about 30 mins before showering. Then I use my rosemary and apple cider vinegar rinse with it! I will often then shampoo and conditioner the tips as normal.

I used to apply this to dry hair but then I learned that glycerin is a humectant. Humectants help to retain moisture in whatever they are applied to. If you apply glycerin to dry hair then it has no moisture and can conversely end up drying out your hair, which defeats the purpose of the oils. So for that reason, make sure you wet your hair before using this conditioner mix.

Hopefully this will leave your hair soft and shiny!! Enjoy! :-)

Single Ingredient DIY Hair-Care Products

While blends of oils, crazy concoctions, and all that fun stuff can be beneficial for your hair, you can also get beautiful results with single ingredient rinses and conditioners.

- Olive Oil Conditioner: comb olive oil through your hair. It will look like you haven't washed your hair in weeks so obviously make sure you do this before showering. :-P Massage it into your scalp and run a wide-tooth comb through your hair so it gets evenly distributed. Let it sit on your hair for about 15 - 30 mins and then shower as usual. This will heal your hair and leave it silky smooth.

- Honey-dipped tips: honey does wonders for hair and skin. I never do my entire hair with honey because I just have too much hair and it would not only be expensive but also messy and sticky and gross. So I just do the tips and, when I'm feeling messy, the roots as well. Get your tips (and roots, if you're doing those too) wet with warm water and massage honey into the hair. Let the honey sit for 15 - 45 mins and then shower as normal. It will make your tips feel less frizzy and, if done to the roots as well, promote a healthy scalp.

- Vinegar rinse: if you've already read my henna post then you're familiar with vinegar rinses. Vinegar rinses help to strip your hair of unwanted build-up of chemicals and minerals. Any hair products, including conditioners, can leave minuscule layers of build-up on your hair. Also, if you live in a city with hard water like I do, then you will also have mineral build-up on your hair from the water. Mixing vinegar with equal amounts of warm water and running it over your hair will help clean your hair of this unwanted gunk. Run the rinse over your hair (preferably after you've shampooed it) and let it sit for about 5 mins.

- Beer rinse: yes, that's right, beer. It can make your hair super soft and silky. I can't tell you the science behind this, but I assume it's a combination of the alcohol and the hops/barley make-up of beer. Just grab a can of beer, pour it over your head, let it sit for a few mins, and then rinse it.
Downside to beer rinses: if you don't use perfume or a strong smelling something afterwards, then you smell like an alcoholic. So either be sure to have something to cover the smell or do this on a day you don't have work or anything special planned. If I do this again I'll likely try putting essential oils in the beer to maybe cut the alcohol odor.

- Rosemary infusion rinse: rosemary is known for it's benefits, especially for hair. Rosemary essential oils and infusions can help promote healthy hair growth and can even help delay the onset of hair loss. You can add rosemary essential oils for your conditioners and other rinses, but if you have room outside in your garden, maybe grow a rosemary bush! Fresh rosemary is easy to grow and a much cheaper alternative to buying fresh rosemary from the grocer. But however you get rosemary, you'll need several sprigs for this infusion. Bring some distilled water (tap-water may have minerals that build up on your hair) to a boil on the stove and add your rosemary. Steep the rosemary in the lightly boiling water and then remove from heat. While the rosemary continues to steep, pound it with the back of a spoon, a potato masher, whatever. This helps squish the extra rosemary juices out into the water. Let the infusion cool and then strain so that the sprigs and any loose leaves are removed. Then use this rinse just like the vinegar rinse. There won't be any immediate effects, but over time this could really promote healthy hair.

That's all I have for now. I'm going to be experimenting with other oils and rinses soon though so look out for Part II! :-)

Henna for your Hair!

The first recipe I want to post about is my henna recipe. I have been using henna to naturally dye and strengthen my hair for years and I LOVE it. I've completely abandoned commercial dyes.

Before I give you the recipe though, I few words about henna and why it's amazing:

1) Henna is an all natural hair dye and therefore it will not damage your skin or hair and it is 100% nature-friendly.

2) Henna doesn't just dye your hair, it makes your hair super-hair! Henna makes hair softer, silkier, shinier, and stronger.

3) If you are sick of having to re-do your dye then henna is a nice change! Henna is completely permanent and only fades slightly through sun and chlorine exposure.

4) The color is VERY rich and looks all natural. A lot of auburn hair dyes are obviously fake, but henna makes your hair look naturally red/burgundy. Yay!

That being said, I also feel like I should warn you of the few (potential) cons of henna:

1) Henna is FOREVER. Not only does the color more or less never fade, but it is also near impossible to dye over or bleach out. You can dye over it a little, but the chemical dyes fade away much faster on henna colored hair. So if you pick henna, make sure you can live with auburn until your hair grows out.

2) Henna is VERY messy. I personally find that to be fun, but then again I like crazy things like that. Henna is not only messy to mix up and apply, but you also have to leave this poop-esque mixture on your head for a while.

3) Henna can dye your skin for a short period. Make sure you dye your hair with henna well before any big events. Your scalp and hairline will be an odd orange color for a day or two.

4) Henna takes time. It's worth it! But it is a 5 - 6 hour commitment. I recommend doing this on a weekend if you can.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's begin the actual instructions now! :-)

TOOLS - What you need to mix and apply your henna!
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Steel baking pan
- Rubber gloves
- LOTS of plastic wrap
- Paper towels
- Petroleum jelly or some kind of similar product
- Vinegar hair rinse: 50/50 mix of vinegar (any type is fine) and water

THE MIX - What you're mixing together to put on your head

- 100% PURE henna powder (NEVER use premixed kits). My hair requires about 200 grams of henna powder. My hair is rather thick and hits my upper middle back. (Photo)

This is the henna that I've used for the past 8 years. I've tried other types and brands but this one is still my favorite! I call it "zeppelin-boob-girl henna" because really, who has boobs like that chick?? They look like the front ends of zeppelins...

Anyway...!!

* No Indian stores in your area? Online shopping!
http://www.hennasooq.com/color/
OR
http://hennaforhair.com/

- OJ, Lemon juice, Vinegar, or Grapefruit juice (or any combination thereof.) I sometimes use red wine too!
- (OPTIONAL) Essential oil: tea tree or eucalyptus is best. For overall hair and scalp wellness.
- (OPTIONAL) Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, etc. For the smell! - Be careful though because some spices can tint the color of your henna!
- (OPTIONAL) Honey. A natural hair conditioner

* NEVER EVER EVER put oils in your henna mix! (Essential oils not being 'real' oils). Oil seems like a good idea but it creates a barrier over your hair that the dyes from the henna have difficulties penetrating and thus makes the colors dull.


STEP 1 - Mix the henna
Put the henna powder into your mixing bowl and add any spices you wish to add. Begin adding your acidic liquids (juices and/or vinegar.) Mix together until the goo is about as thick as cake batter or plain yogurt. If it's TOO thick it will be impossible to get into your hair. Too thin and it will run down your scalp, onto your face and back, and be an awful mess! Add a little honey and some essential oils IF desired. For every 100 grams of henna I would add 1 - 2 tbsp of honey and 6 - 8 drops of the essential oil.

STEP 2 - Getting the dye to release
Your henna is now mixed up and smelling awful. It should be an olive-brown color. If you were to try and use this mixture as-is then you won't get much of a result. You have to get the dye in the henna to release before you can use it for dying hair and skin. You have two options for this:

Option 1: Let the henna mixture sit out (covered in plastic) at room temperature for about 12 hours.

Option 2: (I prefer this one!) Put the mixture in your baking pan and put it in the oven on LOW (150 - 170 F) for about an hour.

You will know that the dye has released when the mixture starts to look more brown than green. If it looks like chocolate cake batter (with a tint of green) then you're good to go!

STEP 3 - Prepping your hair for the henna
If you're using Option 1 for the dye release, then begin this process about 1hr to 30min before you apply your henna. If you are using Option 2, which is that I use, then do this while your henna is warming in the oven.

Wash your hair with shampoo as you normally would but do NOT use conditioner. Conditioner creates a layer over your hair so no conditioner means that the henna can dye your hair more easily. After you have shampooed, use your vinegar rinse. Pour the rinse all over your hair and massage it in so that all parts of your hair is covered. Let it sit for about 5 mins and then rinse it out. Why a vinegar rinse? Vinegar rinses help strip your hair of mineral and chemical build up. So the aftermath of any hair products (including conditioner) you use will be stripped away. This rinse will also help strip mineral build up. I live in an area that has hard water, so over time the minerals can build up on my hair. The vinegar strips the hair and prepares it for the dying process.

STEP 4 - Applying the henna
Doing this while your hair is still wet will make your life way easier, especially if you have long and thick hair. Before you apply henna, put your petroleum jelly on your ears and on your forehead right along your hairline. You may also want to put some at your hairline on your neck. Henna will ooze a little and if you do not use this protection then this excess henna can stain your hairline for a few days, which tends to draw confused looks. Also, unless you want orange hands and PERMANENTLY orange nails, be sure to put on your rubber gloves!!

If you have hair clips then you may want to clip up the upper layers of your hair and apply the henna is stages. This ensures thorough coverage. Apply the henna as best you can and massage it into the scalp to get all those roots. Don't be afraid to get henna on your scalp. The orange coloration will not last more than a few days.

STEP 5 - Wrapping your henna-hair all up
Here comes the waiting game. You need to let the henna sit on your hair for 3 - 4 hours. You could just let it sit for 2 - 3 but I really recommend longer. Once henna dries and cracks, the dying process ends. So you have to make sure the beautiful brown goo on your hair stays moist. Here's where the plastic wrap comes into play. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap as well as you can. I tend to blob all my hair on top of my head like a poo-covered bee-hive hairstyle just because it's easier to manage that way. Once your hair is wrapped up, wipe off any henna that is oozing around your hair line, your face, your neck, and your ears.

STEP 6 - Wait 3 - 4 hours
Enough said. :-P I just browse Pinterest, Facebook, and online shopping sites to kill time. Watching a movie or TV is a great idea too though if you're a movie/TV person.

STEP 7 - Washing it all out
Finally! You've made it to the last stage! Now it's time to rinse it all out. If you have medium to long hair then you should probably get in the tub and bend your head under the faucet so the initial rinse can be focused and all the black gunk can go down the drain easily. After you've gotten the majority out, turn on the shower and rinse away! I would wait to shampoo or condition your hair for about 24 hours to allow the dye to really set in. Rinse until the water is a light brown-orange. You won't be able to get clear water, so the 'rinse-until-clear' motto doesn't apply here.

STEP 8 - You're DONE!
Now you can enjoy your henna colored hair!! Avoid resting your wet hair on anything white or lightly colored for the first few days and be prepared to have your hair smell of henna and earth for about a week. (I love the smell personally. Others, not so much.) You can treat your hair just as you always have only now you should be able to tell that not only does it have a rich and beautiful auburn tint to it, but it's also stronger, shinier, smoother, softer, and (if you have curls) more relaxed. If the color isn't a deep and rich as you'd like, henna again after a month or so! The more you henna, the more rich the color will become! :-) Enjoy!!

For your reference - three of my favorite sites:

http://www.hennaforhair.com

http://www.hennapage.com/

http://www.mehandi.com/

Get other recipes for henna mix, ask Qs on the forums, and read about other all natural haircare!