Essential Facts for Essential Oils

Almost every natural healthy hair care "addict" has heard about the use of essential oils. There are so many that can be hard to keep up with them all. I listed just a few of the top mentioned oils and their functions.

Basil - is a beneficial herb that stimulates and promotes hair growth, massaging with this oil promotes healing, health, and improves scalp circulation which, in turn, promotes hair growth. Basil is good when used together with fenugreek and ivy burdock herbs. Basil is used in many shampoos and conditioners that are designed for scalp health.

Burdock: It helps with skin, scalp and hair cell renewal. It also helps to stimulate blood flow to the root of the hair. Burdock Root Essential oil is also supposed to help with hair loss in both men and women.

Fenugreek: Fenugreek has long been used for stimulating blood flow especially to minor capillaries such as those that feed the hair root. Fenugreek makes for a great topical application like in shampoos, conditioners and in hair tonics. Fenugreek for hair care is an excellent choice especially for those that are having problems with hair growth. Fenugreek also compliments sage, lemongrass, lemon peel, burdock and ivy extract.

Lavender can be used in any type of hair product as it does a good job of soothing the scalp and the hair. Effects: Soothing, Relaxing. Aroma: Middle note. Scent: Sweet, Herbal, and Fruity combines well with: Bergamot, Geranium

Myrrh: Myrrh is not typically used in hair care products. If it is then Myrrh is typically used for those have greasy hair and those that want a more purified scalp. It is used in very small quantities.

Peppermint: Peppermint helps to stimulate blood flow to the root of the hair. This helps the hair to receive proper nourishment and to grow correctly. It is a great for hair that is growing slow or hair that is thinning. Peppermint makes the scalp tingle and this is what stimulates the blood flow to the hair. This stimulation can help with hair loss and thinning hair in women and men.

Rose Essential Oil: We love the smell of Rose and love the way that it feels in the hair but the only problem with rose for hair products like shampoo is that it costs a lot of money for rose essential oil.

Tea Tree Oil: Works daily to get to the heart of dandruff other scalp conditions that can be helped with Tea Tree oil as it works to purify the scalp. It is often included with Jojoba oil for hair as the two are used to deep cleanse the scalp. Tea tree oil works extremely well for those that suffer from scalp psoriasis and scalp dandruff.

Thyme essential oils and herbs for great hair! Thyme is often used is deep cleansing shampoo and works well when used with even the mildest cleansing agents. It works well when combined with other anti oily scalp products such as Thyme and sage.

Ylang ylang - Ylang Ylang is from the first part of the distillation process, and is considered by most to be the best. This essential oil has properties: aphrodisiac, anti-depressant, anti-infectious, anti-seborrheic, antiseptic, euphoric, hypotensive, nervine, regulator, sedative, stimulant, and tonic. Historically, it has been used for cosmetic and hair care, skin diseases, and to prevent fever and fight infections. Is also used to soothe insect bites. Ylang Ylang blends well with lavender, sandalwood, rosewood, jasmine, vetiver, opopanax, bergamot, mimosa, cassie and rose. It is non-toxic, non-irritant and a few cases of sensitization have been reported.

Rosemary - has effect in stimulating the hair-bulbs to renewed activity and preventing premature baldness.

Arnica - A hair rinse prepared with arnica extract has been used to treat alopecia neurotica.

Sage - A strong infusion of sage used as a hair rinse may darken hair color and help reduce hair loss.

Bay - helps your hair grow. If you have dull hair, this essential oil can restore it, also well for dandruff problems. For stimulating your hair health you can add three drops of bay essential oil to the shampoo you regularly use.

Jojoba oils – great to use as a carrier oil, has healing properties for damaged and breaking hair.

If you do not have a local store in your area that sells essential oils, they can easily be purchased online: Buy Essential Oils

Resources

Aromatherapy At Home

Ezine Articles

List of more Essential Oils

I'm Obsessed With My Curly Texture!

When I woke up this morning, before I Mega-Tekked, I took more pictures. I'm obsessed with my curly texture. The wet photos are Mega-Tek and Aussie Moist. So far, I can't tell if anything is making a difference in the growing(the vitamins or the Mega-Tek). I can't believe that I'm this obsessed about my own hair. I think I'm just at the stage I was when I was channeling Eva in 2006. I'm not going to dye it until I get some significant length. I'm going to try and cornrow it up for the next application, just for the stretching benefits more than anything else. I haven't officially taken my September picture, eventhough I've been taking pictures all along. Like a week is going to make a difference, but to be fair, I won't take any more "growth" photos until September whenever I put my new app on.

Longer Healthier Hair

The journey to longer healthy hair has officially begun! The main reason that I choose this goal is because.....I had nothing else to shoot for. I have been natural since birth and I have finally learned what my hair likes, what it can take, and and what it hates. I have always been content with it's length but I figure "what the heck" let's see how long I can grow.

On Wednesday, I did a clarifying wash, deep conditioned with Lustrasilk Olive Oil Cholesterol conditioner, and blow dried it out with low heat for an easier trimming.

Thursday I wore my hair up and off my shoulders in a bun. Then Thursday night I trimmed my ends, massaged my scalp, and moisturized downs to the ends. Put my hair in four small buns and wrapped up in satin. Bedtime! :)

I used the blow dryer on my hair prior to trimming. I wasn't going for an even trim I was aiming to eliminate split ends and those annoying little knots.

This is the result of my trim.

I broke down... the hair crack got me!

I had to textlax today. This was my 2nd time; the first time was 5/6/2009 = 17 weeks ago. I removed my hybrid unit last night and just washed my hair. This morning, I tried to comb my hair, and I could hardly pull a comb through it. I really wanted to stretch until December, but there was no way that could be done. My hair would have matted up something terrible. In between doing laundry, I textlaxed. I had to do it in two sections, the front, then the back. I added EVOO to my Silk Elements relaxer - those in the know say it cuts the strength of the relaxer and helps the cream to not overprocess the new growth. After I rinsed out my front section, I slathered it with Silk Elements Mega Moisturizing Treatment to protect it. Then I did the back. Rinsed in about 5 minutes and did another Mega-Tek Treatment, parting and putting it on my scalp. I combed it through, then slathered my head with more SE Mega Moisturizing Treatment. I'm still sitting here with my shower cap on (about to shower). I'll rinse and put more Mega-Tek on, or maybe some Aussie Moist or Humctress. There are some straight ends, and my left and right sides in front of my ears are very straight. I also cornrowed a section of my hair today, just to see... almost there, but not quite.


I must not textlax again until December!
I must not textlax again until December!
I must not textlax again until December! I must not textlax again... I love this curly texture though. I took a million pictures. The relaxer turned the ends a reddish color.

Fabulous colors...

Color, color, color! I love vibrant colors and earth tones. I wish that I could start all over and jazz up my closet with amazing fabrics, that have rich colors and ethnic patterns. Maybe one day I will get that chance. One can only dream.

Vegetable pie.

I made a delicious vegetable pie today, and here's how to make one:



This is what you need (feel free to leave out and add your own ingredients, too): spinach, carrots, paprika, tomatoes, mushrooms, sugar snaps, onion and garlic - and a pie dough. Usually I'll make the dough myself, but sometimes I'm too lazy and will buy those where water is the only thing you need to add.


Mix the spinach in with carrots and onion that you've cut, and grate the garlic ( I love my little mini grater!)...


...then spread onto the pie.


Cut and add sugar snaps, mushrooms and paprika (I also added sun-dried tomatoes).


Also slice tomatoes and place on top of the pie.



Now, for the sauce. I usually mix a lot of things together: soya milk, lemon juice, corn starch and egg replacer. I also add fresh herbs, and spices (pepper, salt, some chili and ginger). Just experiment and find out how you like it.


Pour onto the pie and bake at 200 degrees celcius for 40 minutes.


And voilá!

PS: Sorry for being such a bad blogger lately. I've had a lot on my mind, and I've also been lacking inspiration. Hopefully it'll be better soon.

Product Alert: Cream of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo

While looking for some obscure shoe store,we went to Sally's. I got the Cream of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo. So now I have my protein (Mega-Tek, Mane & Tail) and my moisture (HE Hello Hydration and Cream of Nature). I also got a clarifying shampoo (Suave Daily Clarifying). So I'm good to go. I saw that ORS Hair Mayonnaise. I wanted to get it, but it can wait. I also found the Dark & Lovely Sunkissed Brown (because they didn't have the colors I wanted). That's the bad thing about living in a town with few black people. No products, not even at Target or Walgreens. The manager at Sally's had to get the D&L from the backroom. It wasn't even on the shelves. It was like it was some secret stuff... on the hush hush. Whatever... I'm getting excited about the coloring process. I'm trying to hold off on doing another textlax. I don't really see my hair that often. I hope that's a good thing.

It's time to take this app off. I still have on the hybrid unit. I've had it on since the application video. I may have to trim more lace on the new unit. I may spray some Sun In on the top of it, just to break up the monotony of the #2 (although it looks like a 1B). I want to wear my hair out for a week or two.