H.A.I.R. (Toxins not welcome!)

In this article I am going to focus on giving you some "less toxic" hair solutions. Its often very hard to stay organic due to overpriced items; but I am going to give you some of my personal tips and tricks to outsmart those bottles of animal fat and get your hair looking amazing, as it should. Also ill give you some quick fixes for that pesky hair we all remove every so often. 

CONDITIONER!

Here are some alternatives to conditioner you can make at home.

Home-made Alternatives:

1. Pour 1 cup of warm beer over hair, then rinse with water. (I haven't tried this one but hey, who knows. :)
2. Mayonnaise Conditioner: massage mayonnaise into hair, coating every strand. Cover hair with plastic bag for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. 
3. Dry-Scalp Conditioner: Massage plain yoghourt into hair, especially the scalp. Cover with a plastic bag for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water. 
4. Henna Treatment: Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup of colourless henna and 2 teaspoons of honey. Let sit a few minutes to thicken. Coat each strand of hair, cover with a plastic bag and wrap with a warm towel. Shampoo after 1 hour. 
5. Conditioner: Mix 1 egg yolk, 1 small container of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply to hair, wrap in towel for 15 minutes, then rinse.

OILS. POMADES. ETC.

When it comes to hair oils, pomades, and butters, it is often hard to decipher between all the pretty bottles, which are really gonna work, and which smell you can actually stand. Oils, pomades, daily moisturizers, leave-in conditioner and creams help make the hair feel more soft and flexible. It is really important to add them to permed or straightened hair which has been stripped of some of its ability to build natural oils itself. Mineral oil and other petroleum based products can tend to clog pores. They are less easily absorbed into the hair and attract dust.
Here is a list of prducts i would recomend:

• Jason Shea Butter
• Now Shea Butter
• Jojoba oil
• Sunflower oil 
• Olive oil 

Home-made Alternatives:

1. Hot oil hair treatment: Combine 1 teaspoon soybean oil and 2 teaspoons castor oil. Warm on low heat. Massage mixture into scalp and hair. Wrap hair in a hot towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo & rinse.

HAIR STYLING <3

There has been talk for years as to what our aerosol cans are doing to the atmosphere. As much as I am for being green its not the atmosphere we should be worried about, it's the affects on our own body. Aerosol and pump sprays produce fine droplets which can be inhaled into our lungs and transferred into your bloodstream. Inhalation of spray can also cause respiratory irritation and breathing difficulties. I have a personal friend who has serious breathing problems from styling hair for years. he can't even be around hairspray let alone perfume or anything of the sort. If you must use a spray, choose pump over aerosol as spray droplets are slightly larger. Hair setting lotions are all and all a better choice. 
Home-made Alternatives:

1.  Mix together 2 cups boiling water, and 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin in 1 teaspoon vinegar. Strain through coffee filter, cheese cloth, or even a paper towel; and put in sprayer bottle.
   
2. Lemon Hair Spray - Squeeze the juice of 1 medium lemon into 2 cups of water. Slice up lemon peel and add into water. Boil slowly until reduced to 1 cup. Strain and pour into spray bottle. Keep in fridge. For extra hold use 1 1/2 lemons.
3. Flax Seed Gel - Boil 2 tablespoons of flax seed in 1/3 cup water for 10 minutes. Rub through hair, sparingly.

SHAMPOO...lather, rinse, repeat

Shampoos cause the most number of adverse reactions of all hair care products. They frequently contain harsh detergents, chemical fragrances and numerous irritating and carcinogenic compounds.
Home-made Alternatives:

1.  Castille Soap Shampoo - Mix 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of liquid castille soap (Nature Clean is one brand). To make an herbal shampoo, heat water before adding soap and steep herbs, then strain and add soap. Castille will leave a film on hair which can be removed by rinsing hair with 3 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice mixed with 1 cup of water. 
2. Egg Shampoo - Beat 2 large eggs and massage into scalp. Leave on a few minutes, then rinse with warm water. To cut film left by the eggs, rinse with vinegar (dark hair), or lemon Juice (light hair). Mix 3 tablespoons of vinegar or juice with 1 cup of water and pour through hair. 
3. Also, Baking soda mixed with water to a consistency that can be massaged through hair works wonders. 

HAIR REMOVAL (hey we all gotta do it!)

Next to shaving, waxing is the most popular method of hair removal. Waxes can be made from petroleum (paraffin), rosin or beeswax. Hot wax is spread on the skin and covered in cloth strips which are ripped away when cool, taking the hair with them. Sugaring is a centuries-old technique for hair removal. A sugar and water gel is used as in waxing. Unlike wax, sugar does not adhere to skin so pulling off the cloth strips is less painful. Look for natural sugaring kits that contain only sugar, water and sometimes herbs. Laser treatment, while not a permanent solution, can reduce the amount and thickness of hair. Electrolysis, when administered by a dermatologist, will permanently remove hair, although it could take a number of visits.
Home-made Alternatives:

1. Melt a small amount of beeswax in a small pan until warm but still cool enough to touch. After dusting skin with body powder or cornstarch, apply warm wax with a wooden spatula. Allow mixture to cool for a few seconds, then remove quickly with a light tapping. Sooth with cream or aloe vera gel.  
2. Use skin cream in place of shaving cream. 
3. Aloe Vera Gel - Replace shaving cream with 100% aloe vera gel. Purchase commercial aloe vera gel, or use aloe vera gel from your houseplants. Cut open leaf and rub on skin.

 I hope you find these tips useful. And hey its always fun to try new things, so why not?!  Happy Homemade Beauty!!