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?

Twist Out Update

As promised here are updates of my twist out. This style originally started as two strand flat twists. I had intended on wearing those over night, then wearing a twist out the following day. When I woke up it was raining, so a hair detour was taken. You can read more about that  H E R E!!

 

Before taking my twists down I put tea tree oil on the parts in between the twists. Besides a little tea tree oil on my scalp no other products were used.

I know I've said it a few times, but I'm going to say it again ^_^"  I am in love with my hair color!!!! Notice how shiny it is. It's also super soft, and manageable. I blame the henna ^_^" Love it!!

If you noticed, when I had the two strand flat twists in I tucked the ends under before pinning. This gives the ends of my hair more curl when I wear the twist out. It also makes a tighter, shorter curl. I'm on day 3 of my twist out, and over time the curls have loosened. 

The right side actually looks longer than the left side right now. My right side has a few curls that are hanging past my shoulder. This is caused by me making the flat twists on the left tighter than the right. The asymmetrical appearance of the curls doesn't bother me. If it's a concern for you, then I'd suggest trying to make the flat twists more uniform initially.

At night I haven't been covering my hair since wearing the twist out. I sleep on a satin pillow case, so my hair doesn't dry out. In the mornings I fluff my hair, and arrange it how I want. Usually some type of hair accessory is added to the from of my head. Above you can see the hair feather I added the first day.

Pros of this Style:

• It transforms over the days you wear it. This minimizes the manipulation on your hair.
• The two strand flat twists are a great protective style that can be worn casually, or dressed up with accessories.
• You can achieve curls without harmful heating tools
• This style can be worn on most hair lengths. If you can two strand flat twist your hair you can rock this.
• It's very quick to style. The flat twists took me 10 minutes tops to complete.
• Two strand flat twists can easily be worn in moisture filled environments. Rain, sweat, and humidity aren't an issue. 
• It's a great style to wear while working out! It's protected, styled, and out of the way.

Have you tried this style before? What were your thoughts on it?? Share!

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!!

Rainy Day Detour

Before I went to bed last night I planned on wearing a twist out today. I'm a pretty good judge on how my hair will behave when it comes to weather. I checked the forecast before bed, and it said 10% chance of rain. So I just knew that spending 10 minutes putting big flat two strands in would be worth it. Alarm goes off at 7:30am and all I hear is pouring rain   O_o 

You can probably see where I'm going with this-- no twist out was worn today. BUT my flat two strands are still in tact and look good! I believe it's suppose to rain the next few days, so I'll keep these in for a little while longer.

 S I D E   N O T E: I LOOOVE my hair color! I definitely plan on sticking with henna. My hair's been super soft and shiny too!

At night I covered my hair with a satin scarf. My skin in general has been on itch mode for the last couple of weeks. Grrr and winters not even here yet!! To help my itchy scalp I put tea tree oil on the parts in between my twists.

I apologize for it being sideways. The computer does not want to cooperate today  >_<

To dress up the style a little I added a hair flower (of course) some earrings, and off to work I went. Whenever I do take the twists down they'll be in loose spirals. You can see this style  H E R E!!  I wore it on my trip to Vegas.

The rain hasn't slowed this style. My protective style has done its job so far. I've been in and out of it today, and my hair still looks the same. I'll post updates later on.

ANNOUNCEMENT: I will be doing my 1st giveaway very soon, so stay tuned, and check back in for info on how to win!!!!!

Protective Style: Senegalese Twists

When I was going through my transition phase I tried to keep my hair braided, or in some type of protective style. My plan was to wear styles like this until my hair was to a length I could work with. Wearing protective styles also help lower the anxiety I was having over transitioning. At the beginning it was extremely hard for me to do my hair since it had two completely different textures. Your hair is prone to breakage during transitioning. The part of your hair where the relaxed meets the chemical free is the weakest. You have to take great care in protecting this area specifically.

Senegalese twists are so beautiful; I love them! Just as their name suggests, they originate in Senegal, Africa. There are a few different variations that I've seen. I had mine hot water curled after they were finished.

I kept these in for a good 6 months at least. You're still able to wash, condition, and style your hair with the twists in. Whenever I felt my scalp needed cleaned I washed the twists. I just concentrating on my scalp with the shampoo to make sure it was cleaned. The remainder of the twists I gently rubbed with shampoo, and made sure to rinse very well. Even though your hair is covered in this style you still need to make sure to keep your hair moisturized. A good leave in conditioner is very important. If your scalp gets dry, or itchy just massage oil such as tea tree into your scalp. Since there are so many twists I wasn't able to put my hair under a satin bonnet at night. Instead I'd pull the twists back in a loose pony tail then tie a satin scarf around my head.

More Style Ideas:

• Pull the twists back into a low sitting bun; add a flower or hair piece for decoration
• Use bobby pins to make a swooping bang and add a colorful headband
• Wear a colorful scarf as a headband
• Make one big French braid out of the twists

Once I removed the Senegalese twists I made sure to deep condition my hair and to use a protein pack. After your hair has been in a style like this you'll notice "a lot" of hair coming out with the twists. You shouldn't be alarmed though. Your head sheds hundreds of hairs a day. Do the math, if your hairs been in twists/braids for a month--that's at least 3000 hairs. If you've been washing and conditioning properly you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

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Pros:

• It's a protective style that's low maintenance
• Not limited to just one style
• Helps ease the stress during transitioning
• Easy styling in the mornings
• Less manipulation on hair
• Don't have to worry about frizz, humidity, rain

Cons:

• Takes at least 6 hours to get done (depending on size) and just as long to remove (recruit a friend to help)
• Can be pricey depending on where you go (may have to pay for service and packs of hair)

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Scrappy and I!!!



Over all I liked this style, and in general I love it. Would I get it again-- I'd have to be ready for it; psych myself up. The only turn off for me is the time it takes to get them in and out. This is the sole reason I refuse to do mini twists on my own hair. Even if I watch movies as I do it I'm just not motivated. I honestly don't want to sit for 6 hours while someone else does it let alone me doing them!

I'd recommend Senegalese twists, or any similar protective style to anyone who's teetering on going chemical free. Like I said before, styles like these really made a difference for me. There were plenty of days I was ready to give up and grab that box of relaxer, and be done. I actually gave in twice before sticking to my decision. If I got Senegalese twists done again, I'd probably get them a bigger size than in the pictures.

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!!

Also don't forget to subscribe and/or follow me   ^_~"   You can now subscribe by simply typing your email into the box at the top and hitting submit!!!

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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Essential Oils (EO)

The essence of plants can be collected in a few different ways, but the end result is always the essential oil of the plant. Essential oil's (EO) smell good and can also be good for you in a number of ways. I like to use them to make bath salts for myself, and gifts for friends. EO gets used as a hair product by me too. Commercially you can find EO's in perfumes, makeup, soaps, scented cleaning products, incense, and aromatherapy products.

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There are 3 ways that EO is gathered from plants:

1- Distillation: Flowers, leaves, wood, bark, roots, seeds, peel all can be used for this process. Most EO's are made this way.

2- Expression: Flowers (leaves, wood, etc.) are pressed, and processed like olives are for olive oil, then collected.

3- Solvent extraction: Method used when flowers (leaves, wood, etc.) are too delicate for distillation or expression. As suggested, a solvent like alcohol is used in the process. Alcohol easily evaporates leaving behind the extracted oil. Supercritical carbon dioxide is used in this method too. This is how decaf coffee is made.

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There are TONS of essential oils for sale out there. Some that I see more frequently than others are:

Lavender- This is probable my favorite EO. It can help asthma, be used as a bug repellent, relieve headaches, and help sooth the scalp.

Myrrh- Can help itchy and chapped skin

Cinnamon- I LOVE cinnamon. I don't use the oil, but the sticks and power I use in abundance. It helps with headaches, stress, and can be added to tea to help sore throats and coughs.

Patchouli- Used to treat dry scalp in oily hair and for chapped skin

Rose- Can be added to shampoo and help with hair loss. It can also be massaged into the scalp for the same benefits.

Frankincense- Helps stop dry scalp

Sandalwood- Great anti-inflammatory and anticeptic

Tea Tree- Another fav of mine! It can help with acne, itchy skin, and dandruff.

Jasmine- Great for sensitive skin that's dry

Vanilla- Used mostly for its sweet scent

Chamomile- This one is very useful, but you should be careful with it. Some people can have allergies or sensitivities to the flower. Even chamomile tea can have this effect. It helps damaged cells from the sun, and can be useful against flakes from psoriasis.

***Tips on buying EO***

~Beware of words such as therapeutic grade, fragrance oils, perfume oil, nature oil, and/or aromatherapy oil. These aren't pure EO's, usually have additives, and other chemicals mixed in.

~The bottle EO comes in should be a dark amber (sometimes blue or other dark shade) colored glass. This helps filter and control the amount of sunlight that can enter the bottle. Heat and direct light can damage the oil and degrade it. The bottles are usually very small, containing only a few ounces. Some oils can deteriorate plastic, and contaminate the oil itself. This is also true for rubber, so avoid bottles that have a rubber dropper for the top.

~Certified organic EO's are very good, but I find are hard to find. As with all things organic they're chemical/pesticide free, which is always a plus.

Uses for Essential Oil:

Conditioner- Take 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil and mix with 3 drops of Lavender EO

• After washing hair with warm water, massage the mixture into your hair. Concentrate on your scalp and the ends of your hair. Leave on for about 20 mins (wearing a shower cap or towel), rinse well, and continue as usual.
• Helps fight dry scalp and hair
• An alternative to jojoba oil could be olive oil, or tea tree oil. The amount of base oil can be modified to your needs, but EO goes a long way so you won't need many more drops of it
• The Lavender EO can be substituted with any EO you enjoy for a different scent

Air Freshener- Use a few drops in an oil heater to scent the room

• An alternative is to heat water on the stove (in a pot you're not using for food) on low. Add a few drops of EO and let the steam scent the room. Don't leave it unattended or on while you sleep. Be mindful of the water level too
• Try different EO's for their therapeutic properties and just relax

Bath Salts- A mixture of EO and sea salts can be used to make bath salts. These are SO relaxing!!

• The salts and oils will help condition and soften your skin
• It can also be used as an exfoliate for feet or hands
• Again, you can substitute Lavender EO for any of your choosing

Here is a batch of bath salts that I made using Lavender EO. I used a seashell for decoration and as a scooper! As soon as I open the jar the bathroom fills with the lavender scent. I love it!! I've made salts with vanilla, and cherry also. All have been successes.

Bug Repellent- I mostly use this for my dog, Scrappy.

• Heart worms and other illnesses can be transmitted by mosquito's, fleas, and ticks. I'm not one for creepy crawlies, so anything safe to keep them, and their disease away I'm for.
• In a handy water bottle I put warm water (for Scraps comfort) and a few drops of my trusty Lavender Essential Oil!
• Spray on Scrap and hes bug free and smells good. My house does too when he runs around it, because I'm squirting him!
• You can also spray it lightly on your pets bed, or spots it lays in a lot to help keep fleas and critters away

Body Mist- Oil can help condition your skin after a shower or bath.

• Using the water and EO mixture, lightly spray yourself after a shower and let your skin absorb the oil.
• You'll smell good and your skin will love you!
• The Lavender Essential Oil can be substituted for any EO that you enjoy.

Hair Refresher- Your water bottle will be your bff soon, if you couldn't tell!

•  When you wake up, or just to freshen up during the day you can spritz your hair with the EO/water mixture instead of plain water
• Leaves a light fresh scent

I'm always experimenting and am sure this list will grow. There are endless ways to use essential oils. Do research and find some you like, or qualities you'd like to explore. Don't let the price tag scare you!! Can't forget to mention that. The bottles of EO are small, and the price tag that I usually see is around $12. This depends on the EO though!! Oils such as lemon or orange will be cheaper, because there's a lot of peel with oil to extract from. Other EO's will be more pricey, because it's harder to extract the EO from the plant. Often times companies will let you buy a sample size for cheap. This is a good way to try out different oils and find what you like!

Are there any EO's that I didn't list that you like? Do you have different uses for EO's? Post them below!!

T(eatree)-G-I-F!!!!

One of my all time favorite oils to pull out of the medicine cabinet is my old faithful tea tree oil! It can be used in many many ways. Tea tree oil is great to use for dry and/or itchy skin--scalp included. It can be used as body oil in place of lotions. To help my scalp, while wearing my finger twists I've been applying tea tree oil to my fingers, then giving myself scalp massages to rub it in. Anytime you massage your scalp (or anywhere on your body) it helps with blood flow, which can help promote healthy cells, circulation and hair growth.


 I once tried to hot comb my own hair..believe I was about 18---BAD IDEA!!! A section of hair at the very top of my head was burned off. It literally was about an inch of hair left. Picture those three hairs standing up on tweety birds head  O_o  Yea, that is what I had going on. EMBARRASSING! The hairs were also a funny beige color, because I literally had burned my hair off! Ran to my mom near tears, who laughed of course, because I was so upset. There wasn't anything she could do to fix it. Tea tree oil became my go to product soon after that. Massaging the area I burned off with the oil a couple times a day really helped that area recover, and grow back healthier. It probably took a good 5 months for the patch to catch up with the rest of my hair. Lesson was definitely learned from this!!!
**You can also do these tea tree oil scalp massages on your temple areas if you have thinning hair there.

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BENEFITS (when used topically):

• Antiviral (blisters, cold sores)
• Antibacterial (acne, yeast)
• Anti fungal (nails, fish tanks)
• Antiseptic (acne, eczema)  
• Helps manage dandruff

If you have an issue going on I wouldn't suggest skipping out on the doc, and subbing oil for an appointment. Do a little research if you're interested in the many uses of tea tree oil. As always, use your good sense when it comes to things like this  ^_^

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There are many many types of tea tree oil's out there. Pure essential tea tree oil usually comes in a small colored bottle and is pricey. I don't often see this in stores, but it's widely available online. The bottle I picked up has tea tree, along with a number of other helpful oils. If you do use something other than pure essential tea tree oil make sure you check the ingredient list. Tea tree oil actually needs to be the base ingredient or close to it, or else you're not getting the most benefits from the product. You also want to steer away from products that have a base of mineral oil. Mineral oil is a product of petroleum and has no beneficial qualities.



Tea tree oil is the 2nd ingredient in this product

Other ingredients: soybean oil, safflower seed oil, rose hips, sweet almond oil, peanut oil (important to look for if you have allergies), aloe, vitamin e, sunflower seed oil, chamomilla, rosemary, sage, lemon peel, indian cress, white nettle, and more! If you're not sure about these other ingredients check back for future posts on essential oils, their benefits, and many uses!!!

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Today marks Day 6 of my finger curls!! They're still holding and going strong! I'm still not covering my hair at night, but I am continuing to sleep on a satin pillow case. This morning I did a scalp massage with the tea tree oil, because my head was itching. Itchy scalp (or anything for that matter) drives me crazy, and I always need to solve it quick as possible. One thing I really like about tea tree oil is that it doesn't leave a greasy feeling behind. It rubs into your skin with little effort.



While massaging I stretched a bunch of curls at once to fluff any spots that I slept on. During the stretching process tea tree oil is being distributed to the curls, giving them a shine!



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With styles like this I don't like hard parts. To make a part without it looking too intentional I used a large bobby pin to hold a section of hair to one side. This is easily done, because of the way I made the finger curls in this area initially.

That's the full extent of this "style"! After this, I hurried out the door to work. T-G-I-F!!



Left: It gets cold in the office!! Thanks for the handy, extra comfy blanket Ma ^_~" Oh yea, I added earrings

Right: Warming up outside on my lunch break, while reading. I <3 my Kindle!

That reminds me. I added a widget to my blog page for Shelfari. If you haven't check it out yet you must! It's an Amazon social network type site. You get your own "shelf", and on this shelf you can put books you love, have read, want to read, and/or own. After doing all of this you can find others who have similar book interests; ask questions before buying a book, etc. Check out my shelf on the left hand side of the blog. Do you have any book suggestions? Share!