The Wonders of Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse~ How to make it work for you!

Apple cider vinegar hair rinse has become a weekly beauty ritual for me, but wasn’t a treatment I was exactly taken away by at first it. What got me to try it out originally was that every book and online resource seemed to have something written about the amazing ACV rinse. At first go I ran into a few problems. The first of those woes were the smell. Even after a washing my hair it still carried that vinegar scent. The second problem was that my hair felt weighed down, the exact opposite in what I wanted the ACV rinse is to do. Third, it was hard to get the rinse to my scalp before most of it ran off. After my first experience, I figured it just wasn’t for me. But in about a year’s time I become in desperate need of something to rescue my flaky, dry, itchy scalp! I am unsure what exactly sent my poor scalp over the edge, but it was in some dire need of TLC. Nothing seemed to work, nothing. And time after time researching, I came across ACV hair rinse as healer of scalp issues. So I took another shot, this time I perfected the rinse and like I said earlier it has become a favorite beauty treatment of mine. Not only does the ACV rinse soothe my scalp but it improved the overall look of my hair. It makes sense~ healthy scalp equals healthy hair.

image~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannonpix?ref=top_trail

1. The perfect bottle is essential~ I found it difficult to get the rinse to the scalp with just pouring it straight onto my head. I came across a plastic bottle used for root color applications and this was the perfect thing to get the job done. The bottle is made with a comb like attachment with openings at the end of each tooth. This sort of bottle can be purchase at a beauty store like Sally’s. 2. The right balance of H2O and ACV is a must! Here is what I came up with and it’s perfect for my hair. As with most recipes you can always tweak it to fit your needs. • 40/60 Apple Cider Vinegar and water~ I wouldn’t go over 50 percent vinegar or it will be hard to rinse out and leave hair dull and limp. • 1-2 drops of rosemary essential oil. Rosemary essential oil is one of those essential oils that have been proven to help stimulate, refresh and soothe a badly behaving scalp. How to use Use this treatment once a week. Just get hair wet like usual in the shower and work AVC rinse into the scalp and to the ends of hair. Let it sit for a minute or two before rinsing it out with warm water and shampoo and condition like normal. But it is very important to make sure you get all of the rinse out. This is when the shower nozzle on high pressure comes in handy. Silky smooth, shinny, full bodied locks!! Please check out UniqueGardenEssences' other wonderful post on the benefits of ACV.

Fleas and Ticks, Oh my!

You are not the only ones that need to protect your skin during the summer months. You can't forget about your pets and their special needs! Aside from the basics of extra, clean, fresh water and temperature control, you need to protect your pets from the insects of summer. Yes, I'm talking about the nasty, dreaded fleas and ticks that are easily acquired from a single trip to the back yard. Certainly there are chemical means to control these pests. You can treat your yards, even your pets with strong, life depleting chemicals. While these are proven to reduce the number of pests that can attack your pet, they can certainly affect the health of your pet too, not to mention that pets tend to build an immunity to them. Many people find that what use to last a month, now needs reapplication every two to three weeks. You may not know it, but there are some herbal alternatives available! There are natural, herbs that are known to help repel insects such as fleas and ticks. They may not be as strong or as reliable as the chemicals, but they do not affect the health of your pet like the chemicals either. You will need to reapply often, and you will need to be vigilant about checking your pets for pests, as well as providing regular bathing and grooming. You can even go to your local herbalist, garden shop, or large chain store and obtain all natural treatments for your yard. If you put together a yard treatment, a soap, a spray, and a dusting powder, you will have a comprehensive, all natural, herbal plan of care that will meet your pets summer needs. I encourage you to look at these herbal alternatives. I personally have to use them for my Gizmo because he has seizures after the application of topical monthly flea treatments. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that the Vet says that he has never known the treatment [for fleas] to cause seizures. However, Gizmo has only ever had a seizure after I applied the monthly flea treatment [on three seperate occassions]. Once I stopped applying the treatments, his sezures stopped, and have never returned. I refuse to take the chance with my little guy, so now I only use herbal remedies on him. Here is a recipe that you can whip up to use for your carpets, rugs, pet bedding and cloth covered furniture. It deodorizes, freshens and naturally repels fleas. To use, simply apply the powder liberally to the chosen surface, then leave on for 15 to 20 minutes, then vacuum as usual. Repeat once per week.

Carpet Dusting Powder

2 1/4 Cups of Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) 2 Tbs. Borax 2 Tbs. Dried Tansy flowers (finely ground) 2 Tbs. Dried Lavender buds (finely ground) 1/2 tsp. Orris root powder 5 drops patchouli oil 1/2 Tbs. witch hazel 1/2 Tbs. cedar leaf oil (some people prefer cedarwood oil) 1/4 Tbs. lemon oil or lemon grass oil Mix all of the dry ingredients together, except for the baking soda. Once mixed, add the essential oils into the powder and mix well. Once combined, store in a plastic, air tight container, preferably one with a shaker lid for easy dispensing. This mixture has a shelf life of approximately 1 year.