Make It Yourself Monday - Winter Hair Conditioner

I hope that you had a relaxing weekend, and are prepared for the week!  Since it is Monday, it's time to make something! The dogs benefited last week, so this week we are going to move back to treating ourselves.
We all know that the winter wind and cold, or for that matter, the summer sun, wind and heat, wreaks havoc on our skin. What we often times forget about though, is the impact that the weather has on our hair. Over-exposure to the elements, aka that ski trip you took after Christmas, or that tropical vacation you took to get away from the cold, can make your hair dry and brittle. Even when you don't think that your hair is in bad shape, the following treatment is great for maintenance. The best part about it? You can make it yourself!


A hair conditioner that you can quickly whip up at home combines eggs, avocado and oils, and you don't even need to have eggs on hand! Simply peel and pit one ripe avocado and mix it together with one cup of mayonnaise (mayo is simply eggs and oil). The mayo, however, should be the all natural kind. You will be able to purchase this kind of additive free mayo in your local health food store, unless you are into making your own.
Mash the avocado and the mayo in a small bowl until it is well blended, then rub it onto your head and over all your hair. Take advantage of this time by massaging the scalp as you apply. Once you have it all mixed in and slathered on, cover your head with a shower cap (or plastic wrap if you don't have a shower cap) and relax for twenty minutes as the ingredients cook into your hair. Once your time is up, rinse and shampoo as normal.


If you want to be adventuresome, while at the same time saving yourself some money, as well as a trip to the health food store, you can easily whip up some mayo yourself....although you will have to have eggs! To make a simple mayonnaise all you need to do is to slowly add olive oil to an egg yolk (some people use the whole egg), while vigorously whisking. You must whisk hard enough to disperse the oil and continue whisking so that the water from the yolk and the oil will form the base of an emulsion. The lecithin, which is in the yolk, is also an emulsifier, and it will stabilize the mixture.
For the hair this is all that is necessary, but, when making a mayo for eating, you may want to add some salt, cider vinegar, and a bit of lemon juice for taste, as well as a tad of mustard, which will sharpen the taste and  further stabilize the emulsion. Today, many people add various other herbs, such as paprika, tarragon, or red pepper, to create a designer type of mayo.  It's all up to you, your taste buds and your imagination!

*Just a mixing note; when mixing the mayo, if the liquid starts to separate and it begins to look like a curd, just start over whisking another egg yolk, then slowly, very slowly, add in the curd. Keep on whisking and  it will turn into (emulsify into)  mayonnaise. A little patience goes a long way,
.

Ingredients for Making Mayonnaise

Make It Yourself Monday - Honey Mayo Face Mask

Here we go, the first Monday of the new year and the first "make it yourself" recipe of the new year!

This one is for a sweet facial. You should have most of these ingredients in your kitchen, although you may have to purchase the essential oils if you do not regularly use them. This is a make and use recipe and should not be stored.

Ingredients;

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup pure clover honey

4 1/2 TBS. powdered milk (leave it in powdered state)

2 drops rosemary essential oil (EO)

1 drop lavender essential oil (EO)

Warm the honey, then blend into the mayonnaise and add the powdered milk. Once this is well blended, and not too hot, add the essential oils and mix well. Apply to your face and neck and allow to sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with tepid water and pat skin dry.

This is a really a nice, moisturizing mask, for any type of skin. However, if your skin is generally oily, you will want to limit this type of a face mask to no more than 1x a week. Not sure? Try it! If you live in a humid area and/or have extra oily skin, at worst, you may need to follow with your usual toner, but your skin will still enjoy the treat and, either way, your skin will look and feel smooth and soft.

Please note that Rosemary should NOT be used by epileptics. For most people, however, rosemary is a great essential oil. It is considered to be a non-toxic, non-irritating, non-sensitizing oil, and has a long list of benefits. In this application, its most noticeable attributes have to due with its effects on skin, especially skin with acne, eczema, scabies or dermatitis. Rosemary also enhances circulation and helps displace fluid retention. Just the aroma of the EO is said to fight off mental fatigue and reduce or eliminate headaches and migraine pain.

Lavender is the number one non-toxic, non-irritating, non-sensitizing essential oil and, as such, is a basic for everyones' medicine cabinet. It is one of the few EO's that can be used undiluted on the skin, and it has many properties, covering a wide variety of ailments. In this application, it is very toning to the skin and works well for all skin types. Lavender has anti-inflammatory properties, which make it perfect for skin care treatments. It also, specifically, helps with oily skin and acne, as well as skin problems such as burns, rashes (good for diaper rash too), sunburns, psoriasis and insect bites. The inhalation of lavender EO is known to have a soothing, calming, and relaxing effect on the nerves, the mind, and, in turn, one's mood. It is also an effective treatment for headache and migraines, and it promotes restful sleep.

*Remember that you must use therapeutic-grade EO's to reap the benefits, but together, these essential oils will give your skin a great treatment, along with protection, while the aromatherapy aspects will serve to calm and relax you as it rids you of the days stress and headache.

FOOD YOU CAN USE

MORE FOOD YOU CAN WEAR, IF YOU DARE!

Here are some more recipes that utilize the food in your refrigerator to care for your skin. Look through and try a few!

NOURISHING MASK

With carrot, avocado and cream

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 carrot, cooked and mashed

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed

3 Tbs. honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowel and mix well, then spread over the face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Carrots are high in beta-carotene and anti-oxidant vitamins, heavy cream is high in calcium and protein, and avocado is a rich source of vitamin E. This mask will improve skin texture, diminish age spots and rebuild collagen when it is used regularly.

FACE MASK

with pineapple

4 large pineapple chunks or 1/2 cup canned pineapple, drained

3 Tbs. ev olive oil

Put the pineapple and oil in the blender and blend until mostly smooth. Apply to your face and neck with your fingers, relax for 15 minutes then rinse with warm water and pat skin dry.

Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme which helps rid the skin of dead cells and dirt. It also helps counteract histamines, therefore it has anti-inflammatory properties. The pineapple fruit also acts as a mild astringent and skin freshener. The olive oil has excellent healing properties, is a great source of vitamin E, and will help to restore the skin's surface. Together, this masks ingredients combine to make a very beneficial treatment.

HAND MOISTURIZER

with apricots

6 dried apricots

2 cups water

1 oz beeswax

1 cup apricot oil

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup aloe vera gel

5 vitamin E capsules, open and use the gel only

place apricots in a small saucepan, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then set aside and allow to cool. Use a double boiler (put adequate amount of water in the bottom pan) to melt the beeswax, apricot oil, and coconut oil together. Cook, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, then pour into a glass container and set aside. Put the apricots and water into a blender and blend until smooth, then strain through a cheesecloth, trash the solids and put the liquid back into the blender. Add the aloe vera gel and the vitamin E to the blender, then mix on low speed. While still blending on low, slowly drizzle the beeswax into the blender, blending and drizzling [on low] until this mixture has the consistency of cake frosting. You may OR may not use all of the beeswax. Once you have the right consistency, pour the mixture into jars. Store in a cool place. This mixture will thicken as it cools. Apply it to your hands after every washing. This moisturizer is particularly effective on prematurely aged, dry, sensitive, and/or inflamed skin!

HAIR PACK for DRY HAIR

with avocado and mayo

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

1 cup real mayonnaise

Mash the avocado in a small bowel, then blend in the mayonnaise. Once mixed, gently massage into the scalp and hair, then cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Leave on for 20 minutes, then shampoo as usual.

This mixture is a wonderful conditioner for dry hair and can be used as often as needed.

MOISTURIZING HAIR WRAP

with molasses

1/2 cup of molasses, honey or maple syrup

Apply molasses, (you can substitute honey or maple syrup if you want) directly to damp hair, massaging into the scalp. Once worked in, cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, rinse with warm water, then rinse and shampoo as usual.

This treatment is incredibly easy to do and will add shine and moisture to your hair.

PUFFY EYE REMEDY With potatoes and cucumbers

1/4 small raw potato, peeled 1/2 medium-sized cucumber, peeled 2 Tbs sage infusion, cooled *(to make a sage infusion you take 1/4 cup sage (fresh or dried) and pour 1 cup almost boiling water over it, allow to steep for about 30 min. then strain. Throw out the sage and store the "tea" aka infusion in the refrigerator in a glass jar, covered. This will remain good for about 2 months.)* Slice the potato into chunks then mash into pieces in a food processor to get them as fine as possible. Use the food processor to puree the peeled cucumber very briefly. You don't want to over process it. Then strain the excess juice. The whole thing will be runny, but preserve the more pulpy part.Now mix the potato, cucumber and tea together and pour into an empty ice cube tray. Freeze. Next time eyes are puffy, red and sore, pop out one of these ice cubes and place over the eyes. Leave on for 2-3 minutes, or you may just dab them on if leaving on bothers you. When finished, rinse your eyelids off & pad dry. You'll see the difference! The cubes will remain good in the freezer for 2 months. Also, for another, quicker, easier remedy you can throw a few slices of cucumber or just two teaspoons into the freezer before you get into the shower in the morning. After you've gotten out of the shower & dressed, place the frosted spoons or the cucumber slices on your eyelids. Sit back and relax for 10 minutes. The cool of the spoons reduces puffiness, while the cucumber actually possess a natural ingredient that helps to sooth irritated skin.