Dancing Paws started this discussion ·
I am trying to rid my life of chemicals (to the best of my ability.) That means no commercial conditioner. How do you ladies use coconut oil as a conditioner? Do you mix it with something and use it in the shower like regular conditioner? or do you just apply it straight? before or after you shower? Any other tips would be appreciated!
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JeHanne ·
Avocado hair mask for a deep condition: http://www.livestrong.com/article/95683-diy-avocado-hair-mask/ I tried straight conconut oil but it was too heavy and I couldn't get it to wash out... took me about three thorough washings over two days to get it out. That's just my hair though... I read reviews from some people that totally loved it. If you are going for minimal chemical you might want to consider lushusa handmade cosmetics. That might be out of the question based on your goals but wanted to mention just in case you might find some of their products useful.
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Reyn ·
One thing I hear a lot is to use Apple Cider Vinegar... however, if you are using a shampoo that is not a lot of harsh chemicals, then you shouldn't really need much conditioner - I use Burts Bees shampoo and conditioner, but I only condition my hair about every other shower, with just a dime-sized amount on my ends.
tacha666 ·
Hi! I stopped to use regular (hair-) cosmetics when my hair started breaking andere looking all messed up. Fortunatly, in Germany, natural cosmetic id a really big thing and you can buy it almost everywhere. But sometimes, I like mixing my own conditioner. Here's my recipe: 1 teaspoon it honey, stirred into 3 teaspoons of warm oil (almond, avocado, argan, coconut, sheabutter, ... You can mix them) 1 teaspoon of hydrogenated keratine 1 teaspoon of concentrated aloe vera 1 teaspoon of panthenol Plus, if you like, add a little bit of your favorite conditioner, but one without silicones! You should get the ingrediants at any pharmacy. The conditioner works better with heat, that will Open the hair structure and make it get deeper into it. For extra shine, use, after rinsing, a so called "sour rinse": 1 part of a mild vinegar (Apple for example) 9 parts of cold (!!!) water This will close the hair structure and will give really nice shine!
I have totally done the olive oil conditioner (haven't tried CO but I'm sure it would be the same) and like JeHanne, it took me SO LONG to wash it out. A little goes a long way! I seriously used way too much and my hair was crunchy. LOL. I use the very mild Dr. Bronner's liquid as shampoo and then an apple cider vinegar rinse . I think may hair is decent. haha. I love your conditioner recipe, tacha! Unfortunately, here in the US we really have to seek out some of those ingredients, but I want to try it. :)
AG, you KNOW I am going to rip on you. There is no such thing as chemical free...you would cease to exist! I have heard great things about Lush also, I have a really hard time justifying their cost though. Although looking at their ingredeint list I would not call them all natural. But they are minimal in their ingredients. I have never had luck with coconut oil but I know someone who used to use coconut milk with good results. You want the stuff in the can that is in the international food section. You may also want to look into either henna, amla or cassia for your hair. A treatment really changes the quality of your hair and gives it incredible shine. I would only recommend the stuff from Henna For Hair, though. http://www.mehandi.com/
Dwiizie ·
Olive oil as a once a week mask is nice, also better if you can plastic cover/hairdry while its on your hair. Takes a lot of rinsing, I use my kitchen sink because of the sprayer hose thing. I do not like apple cider vinegar as a cold rinse or shampoo option, it burns my scalp, but that's just me. Tried the mayonnaise thing, waste of time in my opinion. But I liked the olive oil. Left my thin hair feeling full, and very shiney but not greasy at all.
Miraine ·
Jojoba oil is *apparently* the oil most similar to natural sebum. When I had hair down to my thighs I used to oil the ends of it with that and brush through to try to keep it from getting dry and brittle, it was pretty good, but slightly awkward to get the right balance between enough to be useful, and too much making the hair look greasy. Bit easier to coat the hair in it and leave for a couple of hours, then wash it without using so much shampoo you completely undo the effects.
Reyn - my hair is such a weird texture, so the only way it feels soft is to condition it. I got a weird hybrid between my mom's corn silk hair and my dad's curly head. Hahaha. It left me with a sorta thick, sorta course, now starting to get wavy hair. Chem - yeah, you got me. At least you know what I meant though. I am trying to figure out a way to battle these migraines, so I wantt o eliminate any chemicals that screw with your hormones, like ones that bind to estrogen recepters, etc. Jehanne, Miraine, D Luxx, sparrow, tacha - do I just pour some in my hand and use it in the shower like i would regular conditioner?
Aubrey, Natures Gate and Giovanni are pretty good lines too. You can get them at whole foods.
Miraine ·
If you use an oil as a deep conditioning treatment pre-shower, do it on dry hair, spread it through as evenly as you can, and wrap it against your head to try to get some warmth to help it absorb. Then wash off the excess, basically. If you are brushing it in post-shower, put a tiny bit in the palm of your hand, spread it between your hands, then try to spread just a little on all your hair from the nape of the neck downwards (e.g. not on your scalp). Brush a lot with a bristly brush to spread it evenly, so you don't have any greasy clumps.
Looks like Aubrey would be the only one I could use. I'll pick it up today (and maybe some jojoba oil). Miraine - Thanks! I'll try that!
JeHanne ·
I don't use oil in the shower because my bath surface is really smooth and don't want to slip. I rinse off hair covered in oil in a big kitchen sink.
I don't do oil on my hair at all generally, but sometimes I'll take some almond oil in the palm of my hand (just a a few drops or more if your hair is long) and sprinkle a few drops of water, rub palms together and run through my dry hair.
I have so many oils in my house (olive, coconut, almond, walnut, hazelnut, hemp...) I better put them to use!
now I gotta change my toothpaste too. I'm wondering if it is okay for my teeth to get flouride free...
I don't use fluoride toothpaste. I use almond oil as eye makeup remover and facial moisturizer, fyi. LOVE IT.
As for the fluoride, it is more important during developmental stages of your teeth and also if you drink a lots of things like sodas and highly acidic juices. More than likely your water is fluoridated unless you have a whole house purification system.
AG, have you heard about the surgery for migraines? There is a plastic surgeon here in Cleveland that found that during many eye lifts he releived migraines in his patients and now he has been approved to perform this surgery as a treatment. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/plastic-surgery-migraines-tool-doctors-medicine-bag/story?id=16105176#.UOW656yACjc
ABC NewsSuffering From Migraines? Get a Forehead LiftMichael Calderone ends decades of painful headaches with a forehead lift or decompression surgery.chem - When I lived in CA, the water was floridated, but I'm in OR now, where water floridation doesn't occur. OMG I would be too afraid to get surgery!. It's an interesting trhought though...although a face lift wouldn't be bad. I'm starting to get wrinkles :(
I'm reading the article, and it talks about the trigeminal nerve being the problem. It runs where my migraines are, but the weird thing is that botox supposedly helps, but it didn't help me.
You do not seem like the type to me that is drinking lots of soda or eating crap food. If you have soft teeth to begin I would reconsider, though. Fluoride helps make teeth stronger by binding to calcium and making calcium fluoride. This is also why it is such a deadly acid...at higher concentrations it will rip calcium from your bones and create huge crystals of CaF2 which cannot pass through your system. Worse yet, it is not like other acids where you feel it as soon as you get it on your skin. It will not start to hurt until is is already in your system. (Um, can you tell I work with this crap and wrote our safty policy for handling it?). This is one of the reasons why there is so much controversy regarding it. People tend to not understand that sometimes very small amounts of something deadly can actually be extremely beneficial.
I do not drink a lot of soda, no. My crap food is normally tortilla chips...😕 I think my teeth are good. I had my first cavities last year, so I guess that's good? Yeah, I don't really know enough about the whole flouridation issue to have a good opinion on it. I'm still alive, and I drank CA water for 24 years (although it tastes nasty.)
Try to use natural or herbal products for hair.You should keep your scalp healthy so that, your hair is good.The useful and easy available, cost effective remedy called Apple Cider Vinegar. When you use it on the hair, it cleans and gives your hair a strong texture.If you need natural home remedies you can use coconut oil,olive oil,lemon juice,curd and honey,aloevera etc.To see more details of natural conditioner for hair,check this site out http://www.naturalbraid.com/ for more details.
