Coconut Oil

My latest venture was making whipped shea butter with coconut oil! I love shea butter, coconut oil, and essential oils, so why not make something great out of all of them? This time around I made sure to take pictures of the process.

What I Used:

• Raw Unrefined Shea Butter
• Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Carrot Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Lavender Essential Oil (EO)
• Lemon Essential Oil

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Using a double boiler, on a medium heat I melt the shea butter and coconut oil. About two parts raw unrefined shea butter was used to about one part organic extra virgin coconut oil. It takes a few seconds for it to melt completely. That's fine, because I don't want to cook the oils; I just want them melted.



Once the majority of the shea butter and coconut oil is melted I turn the heat down to low. Using a plastic knife I gently stirred the remaining chunks until melted. After completely melting, I add in Vitamin E Oil, Olive Oil, and Carrot Oil. It looks like popcorn oil.



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Next, it's time to cool the oil down to stop the cooking process, and so that it may be whipped! I put the entire pot into the freezer for about 3 minutes. After removing, I use a hand mixer (on a medium setting) to whip the oils together.



I mixed the oils for about 3 minutes before returning the pot to the freezer. In the beginning you'll notice that the mixture returns to its liquid state. The friction caused by the mixer reheats the oil, so the process of mixing/chilling has to be repeated a few times.



Soon you'll see froth on top of the oils. This is caused by the air forced into the oils by the mixer. You want to see this; it's what will make the whipped product light and fluffy.



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After repeating this process a few times the mixture will start to thicken up.



At this point you want to start paying extra attention to your mixture. Keep blending, but cut the time in the freezer down so you don't over chill the mix. It'll remind you for a watery pancake batter. If you want a more airy product set the blender speed to high. This will force more air into the oils.



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Now is when I add in any EO that I plan on using. For this mixture I used about 6 drops of Lemon EO and about 30 drops of Lavender EO before blending. Smell the whipped mix, and if the scent isn't to your liking adjust the number of drops you use.



When you see a "skin" forming on the top after putting in the freezer you no longer need to chill the mixture. Continue to blend until you reach a consistency that you like. Keep in mind that the mixture will solidify a little more after it completely chills.



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When the shea butter-coconut oil mixture starts to look like a body butter, or thick lotion I stop blending. This is the consistency I desire. If you keep blending the result will be more airy and solid. Stopping here gives you a creamier product. In the end both ways will melt at body temperature.

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Using my plastic knife I scrape in my whipped shea butter into small glass jars with air tight lids. A piping bag (like bakers use) could be used to help transfer the whipped shea butter into containers.



As you can probably tell, the results resemble a lotion. The consistency will vary depending on the air temperature. The amount of coconut oil you use will help determine this. If stored in a cool place it'll remain soft, but solid.



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Pros of this Mix:

• The acid in Lemon EO will help seal the hairs cuticle trapping in moisture
• Lemon EO acts as a clarifier to your hair helping to remove excess product and add shine
• Lavender EO is great for dry, oily, or damaged hair, because it helps normalize natural oil production
• Both Lemon EO and Lavender EO help fight the causes of dandruff.
• Coconut oil melts at about 75 degrees, so your natural body temp helps it spread. Less product needed
• Coconut oil is a natural antimicrobial
• Shea butter and coconut oil are both great hair and skin conditioners
• Shea butter has many healing properties
• Shea butter is quickly absorbed by the skin
• Carrot oil is high in antioxidants that help fight hair loss
• Olive oil helps improve elasticity (how far hair can stretch before breaking) of dry hair
• The whipped mix isn't as thick as raw shea butter, so people who were turned off by that have a new alternative

Uses for this Mix:

• Apply to wet hair after shampooing, and before styling for a leave in conditioner
• Use to protect the ends of your hair if they're damaged
• Massage into the scalp at night
• Could be used for two strands, finger curls, and other protective styles
• A hot oil treatment since the mix will liquefy with heat
• Use in a wash n go for extra protection
• Treat heat damaged hair

There are a few samples of my whipped shea butter mixtures floating around out there. Hopefully soon I'll have a couple reviews back on it. Try to create your own mixes. What would you use??

Whipped Shea Butter

Going to a salon on occasion is great, but once I figure out the routine that's used for my hair, products, etc. I'm off to doing it myself. Doing this saves me money, time, and helps me take care of my hair the best. This applies to finding a great store bought product. I like to research ingredients, the how's and why's, then I'm off to making it, and usually replicating it cheaper. An example of this is my whipped shea butter mix! I absolutely love shea butter. I've used it for years on my skin, my hair, cuts, itchy spots, light burns, etc. Other things I commonly use is Vitamin E oil, olive oil, and lavender essential oil (EO). I know all of the benefits of these, so why not combine them into one great product?!



The final result!!!

What I Used:

• Unrefined Shea Butter - Great healing and moisturizing properties
• Carrot Oil - Beta carotene helps dry/chapped skin. Great for hot oil treatments, because it helps smooth and strengthen hair
• Vitamin E Oil - Can help prevent scarring, sooth burns, protects against UV rays
• Olive Oil - A deep penetrating moisturizer, natural cell generator, and anti-inflammatory
• Sunflower Oil- Great for mature, damaged, or sensitive skin. It's easily absorbed, and full of omega oil, vitamin A, E and D
• Caster Oil - Rich in fatty acids, a humectant (draws moisture) and natural anti-inflammatory
• Grapeseed Oil - Great for sensitive skin. It's light and good to use as a carrier oil for EO
• Sweet Almond Oil - Skin conditioner that's good for eczema, dry, or itchy skin, and is easily absorbed. It's a good substitute for Olive Oil
• Jojoba Oil - Closely resembles the oil your scalp natural produces. It's actually a non greasy liquid wax.
• Lavender EO- Natural disinfectant of the skin and hair. Helps stimulate blood circulation, and calms the skin
• Ylang Ylang EO- Means "flower of flowers" and is the essence from a flowering cananga tree. Helps normalize sebum (oil) production in the skin, condition hair, and stimulate hair growth.
• Peppermint EO - Contains fatty acids, calcium, vitamin A and C. It stimulates blood circulation, is good for oily skin, and dull hair 

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After carefully melting, mixing, cooling, and blending my Whipped Shea Butter was created!! I'm in love with it. I used this after washing my hair, and before putting my hair on flexi rods. This is day 5 and my curls still look fresh, my hair is super soft, shiny, and smells good! I'll continue to make and use this mix.  There are so many beneficial ingredients and I'm not limited to just hair use. This whipped shea butter can be used as a skin conditioner also, in place of lotions or creams.

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Pros:

• It's a light weight product. The whipped shea butter melts with body temperature
• The scent is light and it smells great
• A little goes a long way
• It cost less than $10 to make about 1 pound of whipped shea butter
• Multi-functional; can be used on hair and the body
• It's non greasy and is easily absorbed into the skin

Alternative Ingredients:
Coconut Oil
Tea Tree Oil
Mango Butter as the base
Coco Butter as the base
Aloe Vera Oil
Cotton Seed Oil
Honey*
Rosemary EO
Soybean Oil

Do you have a recipe for whipped shea butter? What ingredients do you use?

Olive Oil Treatment

Hot oil treatments are one of my favorite things to do to my hair and scalp! They can come in handy in the hot summer time, or during the cold, dry winter. Personally I don't do them more than twice a month, if that often. There are a ton of premixed oil treatments at stores, but you can easily make it with things you probably have at home already. Carrier oils that I like to use for treatments are jojoba, carrot, coconut, tea tree, and olive. To enhance these oils even more I like to add vitamin E oil, vitamin A oil, or even a drop or two of an essential oil (EO) such as lavender. Here's a simple recipe:

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Olive Oil Treatment

1/4 Cup Olive Oil (less if hair is short)

1 Tablespoon Honey

3 Drops of your favorite EO (optional)

*** Mix the ingredients together in a bowl, and then add to damp hair. Make sure to concentrate on your ends. Cover your hair and leave on to condition. If you have a heat cap leave the mixture on for 20 minutes. If you're using a regular shower cap leave the mixture on for 40 minutes. Next rinse your hair well, then continue, and style as usual.

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Benefits of Olive Oil:

• Helps keep the scalp conditioned and moisturized preventing dry scalp and dandruff
• Contains natural fatty acids and can help minimize frizz, dry, or damaged hair
• Adds shine that sulfates (found typical shampoos) strip from your hair
• It's linked to preventing hair loss by stopping production of the hormone DTH
• It's a natural anti-fungal and antibacterial

Benefits of Honey:

• Helps seal in moisture, because it's an humectant (holds water)
• Contains vitamins such as: B1, B2, B6, B5, B3, C
• Trace amounts of iodine, zinc, and copper are found in it
• It's a natural anti-fungal and antibacterial
• Full of antioxidants which help prevent cell damage

** Honey naturally contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide, so over time it can lighten your hair. This would depend on how frequent you use honey in your hair, or mixtures.

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T I P !!

*** To turn this recipe into a hot oil treatment put the mixture into an empty bottle and let it sit in warm water as you wash your hair. The water will warm the oil before you use it.

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This hair olive oil hair treatment is great for anyone who has heat damaged hair, chemically damaged hair, dry scalp, dry hair, dull hair, lifeless hair, and anyone who wants healthier hair! Try it out and let me know your thoughts!! Do you have any hair treatments of your own? Share!!

Essential Oils

Recently I had the pleasure of trying and learning even more about essential oils (EO). I've had some people ask me questions about using essential oils, what they actually were, and their uses. Some answers were provided in a previous EO post H E R E !!  After doing more research, and from the help of doTERRA here's what I've found.

FACTS:

• 50 to 70 times more powerful than herbs
• 1 drop of peppermint essential oil = 28 cups of peppermint tea
• Fight some viruses and bacteria

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There are 3 ways to use Essential Oils

1. Aromatic-- Breath in or use a diffuser. Kills germs in the air, opens airways, affects moods
2. Topical-- Applied to a specific area such as the head, ears, chest, back
3. Internal-- Depends on the EO. Can relieve issues such in the throat and digestive system

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Some oils I own are: 

Grapefruit-- EO are gathered from the rinds of the fruit. The acid in grapefruit can help seal your hair after washings. Try doing a rinse with this and other citrus EO

Lemon-- EO are gathered from the rinds of the fruit. Diffusing this EO can help cleanse a room. With this and other citrus EO you have to be careful if applying topically, then going into the sun. The citrus can magnify the sun's rays and make your skin sensitive to it.

Ylang Ylang-- Often used as a perfume. It has calming properties and can be mixed with coconut oil for the hair. It can also be used as a dandruff treatment

Peppermint-- Often used as a breathing and digestive aid, which is why you find products such as gum, toothpaste, antacids, etc. in peppermint flavor. It also stimulates the scalp, blood circulation, and can be added to a shampoo, or conditioner for added benefits.

Lavender-- Can be diffused and used as a calming aid and can help you sleep peacefully. This EO is good for sensitive skin if used in a water mixture spray for hair. It's also a natural antimicrobial, so it'll help fight germs.

Rosemary-- Another EO used for its abilities to help digestive issues, muscle aches and pains. A rinse made with this EO is good for oily hair and dandruff

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I've never thought about it before, but some EO can be used in food recipes too. The key is to make sure you check the contents of the EO you're using before ingesting it. Some EO out there can contain additives, so be mindful. A recipe I saw using EO was for salsa. Lime and cilantro EO were used in the recipe. I'm a big fan of salsa, so I'll probably try this out. You can find the recipe, and more information including spa treatments using EO  H E R E !! In case you didn't know I have another blog called Skinny Girls Can Throw Down Too, so be on the lookout for this recipe and more!!

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 EO have an almost limitless amount of benefits and uses. Here are some for the head:

Dandruff can be helped with lavender, rosemary, and cypress EO

• dilute the EO with water, massage into the scalp, then rinse after about an hour

Dehydrated Skin can benefit from lavender and geranium EO

• apply topically to the affected area

Dry Skin can benefit from lemon, geranium, and chamomile EO

• apply topically to the affected area

Eczema can benefit from geranium, thyme, and helichrysum EO

• apply topically to the affected area as needed

Hair Loss can be helped with thyme, rosemary, and lavender

• dilute 5 drops EO in a carrier oil (olive, jojoba, etc) and massage into scalp every night

Head Lice can be helped with lavender, lemon, and geranium EO

• dilute and apply to entire scalp, shampoo, and rinse 30 mins later. Repeat daily for several days

Itchiness can benefit from oregano, lavender, and peppermint EO

• apply topically to affected area as needed

Oily Hair can benefit from basil, thyme, and cypress EO

• add to shampoo when washing hair

Psoriasis can benefit from melaleuca, roman chamomile, and helichrysum

• apply topically to affected area a couple times a day

Sunburn can be helped with lavender, helichrysm, and melaleuca

• apply gently to affected area

I'm usually the type of person who sticks to what they know, especially when the "know" is a good one, and works! The usual brand of EO that I buy is Aura Cacia. You can read more about the brand, and learn details on specific EO  H E R E !!  EO by Aura Cacia I usually see at natural food stores, health stores, or just about anywhere that sells organic items, or supplements. The price I usually see for a bottle is about $12.


A new brand I've recently tried and like is by I Heart doTERRA. You can keep up with the happenings of doTerra by following on Twitter @iheardoterra or by visiting the site  H E R E !! On the site you can also get a FREE sample of EO to try.



Have you tried and essential oils yet? Which brands, which kinds, how do you use them? Let me know!!

Quickie: Protective Style

Protective styles in the form of extensions were something I loved while my hair was transitioning. It took some of the anxiety I was having off of my shoulders. A simple but cute age appropriate style was OK in my book.



Simple corn rows


It took the stylist about 30 minutes to complete this style for me. With the ends down they reached just below my shoulders.


To switch up this style here are some ideas:

• Twisted the hanging hair into a bun that was off centered at the nape of my neck
• Add a hair flower just above my ear
• Braid the hanging hair into one big braid
• Make a pony tail that hangs over your shoulder

You can dress this hair style up by:

• Adding chunk earrings with the hair pulled back
• Add a big hair accessory, such as a flower
• Make a pony tail using a decorative scarf
• Form a head band out of a decorative scarf

To extend the life of this style:

• At night put hair in loose pony tail, then cover with a satin bonnet or scarf
• Washing your hair is still possible, just massage shampoo in between the braids, then air dry
• If your scalp gets dry or itchy massage oil on it before bed
• Sleep on a satin pillow case if there's no bonnet or scarf available

This protective style could've lasted a good month or more if I wanted it to. I'm particular when it comes to braids in my hair. These were removed after too much fuzzy hair was showing in the braids from me washing, and from normal wear.

To remove I cut a good majority of the hanging hair off. This made it easier for me to undo the braids. If you do this make sure not to go too high, so you don't chop off your own hair!! Afterwards be sure to deep condition your hair before styling again.

Dandruff vs. Dry Scalp

Did you know that there's a difference between having a dry scalp and having dandruff? There is, and other scalp conditions are often mistaken for having dandruff.

Since skin cells are so small, most of the time your skin cells are replaced, or flake off without you noticing. There are a number of things that can cause skin cells to shed more often in large oily patches. These patches are what make a difference between dandruff and dry scalp.

Some Causes of Dandruff:

• Allergies to hair products, or their ingredients
• Some medications can have a side effect of dandruff
• Eczema, psoriasis, and other dermatitis can cause a form of dandruff
• A fungus called Malassezia
• Certain illnesses such as Parkinson's disease
• Having a compromised immune system

Some Causes of Dry Scalp:

• Washing your hair with hard water can remove needed oils and moisture
• Being dehydrated or not eating right can effect your oil glands in your scalp
• Over blow drying, using curling irons, flat irons, and other heated hair tools
• Over using shampoos, or using ones that contain sulfates (read the ingredients)
• Over using hair products that have harsh chemicals such as a high alcohol content
• Simply dry weather

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Dry Scalp




VS.



Dandruff



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What is dandruff??

Dandruff is a mixture of dead skin cells, and sebum (oil) clumped together. It usually has a yellow tint to it and can be flaky. In severe cases there's actual scalp tissue, bacteria, and/or fungus in the mix too.

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What is dry scalp??

Dry scalp is dehydrated and/or shedding dead skin cells. It usually is white in color and flaky.

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Need Help with Dry Scalp?

• Drink plenty of water. It'll help keep your skin (scalp) hydrated.
• Don't wash your hair daily
• Minimize the use of heated hair tools, or use cool air to if you must blow dry
• Use a shampoo that's specialized for dry scalp
• Try a hot oil treatment of coconut, olive, or caster oil!!!
• Use essential oils such as: tea tree, rosemary, or peppermint, which all help dry scalp

Need Help with Dandruff?

• Try a specialized shampoo that's sulfur, tar, or zinc based
• In extreme cases prescription steroid creams are helpful
• Use lukewarm water to wash hair so no further damage is done to the scalp
• Identify allergens and irritants of your skin, then avoid them if possible
• If all else fails, it may be time to visit a dermatologist
• Stressed? Try to relax. Stress can cause oil glands to go out of whack. Either producing too much oil (causing pimples) or not producing enough (irritating current conditions)

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I've never had to personally deal with dandruff. Knock on wood that I won't have to. Dry scalp is a different story! My favorite way to deal with dry scalp is to use hot oil treatments!! I have a few concoctions that I pull out, so be on the watch for that!!

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Product Quickie

There are so many stores that sell hundreds of products. What's the best store to buy hair products at--I'm not sure. It depends on what you're looking for and your budget. A lot of products I use, or try, I find randomly. I might be at the store for socks, and see there's clearance shelves full of conditioner, and there it is! I'll show you some products that I use, describe them, tell where I found them, and how much.

I've used Eco Styler gel for some time now. Just recently was the variation with Argan Oil was discovered by me. Eco Styler with olive oil was the version that I was familiar with. It was mostly used to smooth down the edges of my hair, for flat twists, and wash n go's. Notice the difference in size of these two containers.

Eco Styler Argan Oil Gel:

• Bought at Sally's Beauty Supply
• 32 ounces
• Cost about $8
•  Alcohol Free
• 100% Pure Argan Oil
• My uses: wash n go's, edge smoother, flat twists

Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel:

• Bought at Dollar General Store
• 16 ounces
• Cost about $5
• Alcohol Free
• 100% Pure Olive Oil
• My uses: wash n go's, edge smoother, flat twists

My favorite way to do wash n go's, and probably the easiest, is to simply use conditioner. If I'm in a hurry, or know that I'll be doing my hair later in the day, I'll use a cheap conditioner. Conditioner is the easiest and quickest way to define my curls after washing/wetting it. I choose a cheap one, because I can afford to use a ton of it at a time. If I pay $15 for conditioner it's not going to be used up in one day--just saying. Suave Naturals is my go to cheap conditioner for quick wash n go's! I like the smell of coconut, so Tropical Coconut is the scent I choose.

Suave Naturals: Tropical Coconut

• Bought at: Dollar General Store
• 15 ounces
• Cost $1
• Water based
• Contains honey, rosemary, and coconut extract
• My uses: wash n go's

Lustrasilk is great for deep conditioning. This helped me a lot while I was transitioning! Your hair feels soft, smells great, and is easily detangled after using this. There are a few different kinds out there, but these are the two that I use the most. I see these often at just about any store I go to that sell hair products. The only difference, like with the Eco Styler, is probably the price. After washing my hair I use a couple of hand fulls of this, and soak my hair, then cover with a shower cap for at least 30 mins before rinsing.

Lustrasilk Tea Tree- liquid cholesterol (blue):

• Bought at: local hair store
• 20 ounces
• Cost: about $5
• Contains vitamin E, tea tree oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, rosehips extract
• Great for dry, itchy scalp
• My uses: deep conditioning, wash n go's

Lustasilk Herbal- cholesterol (orange):

• Bought at: local hair store
• 20 ounces
• Cost: about $5
• Contains carrot oil, rosemary oil, sage
• Great for damaged, relaxed, and chemically treated hair
• My uses: deep conditioning

I try to keep an eye out for clearance bins of random products. When products are super cheap it's a great time to buy and try! Even travel sizes are cool if you're curious about something, but don't want to spend the money on the full bottle. Walmart usually has a clearance isle. I've found tons of hair products, tools, accessories there before. I'll keep you posted if I find a good haul!

Do you have any products to add to the list? Know of any places for hair products? Comment below ^_~"

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