You can revitalize your hair by making your own leave-in hair products. Does genuinely nourished hair appeal to you? You can use half the amount of products. One benefit I was not expecting when I started this were the brassy tones in my hair faded. My previous ‘color safe’ conditioners contained red and yellow dyes, which I assume contributed greatly to brassiness.
I do color my roots with a semi-permanent ammonia free color and I have noticed no premature fading issues. {Update September, 2015: I am noticing less fading of my color. It may be from the mild baby shampoo, skipping a few washes, or the leave in treatments. I am currently seeking a more natural method to dye roots as well…}
I was never the curly girl that could go a day in between shampooing but now I can. You will no longer have product build up. Now this is hard for me to admit but sometimes I thought I wasn’t rinsing well enough in the shower because I could literally ‘rake’ my fingernail on my scalp and get product under my nail. Gross!
I thought I had an oily scalp and dry hair but I was stripping my scalp and causing it to overproduce sebum. My products were not nourishing my hair, they were simply coating it. Dimethicone is a silicone oil that ‘coats’ your hair-it’s also found in caulking, lubricants, and heat resistant tiles…. And apparently in my shampoo, conditioner, and ‘fake coconut’ hair serum.
An effective and natural option is to mix your own products. It is incredibly easy.
2 oz spray bottle
Jojoba and lavender leave-in hair conditioner {spray serum}:
You will need:
- 2 oz. spray bottle (dark glass to preserve essential oils)
- 1 tsp. Jojoba oil
- 1/2 tsp. Rosehip oil
- 1/2 tsp. Coconut Oil (MCT)
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
Fill the 2 oz bottle half with distilled water. Add 1 tsp Jojoba oil, 1/2 tsp rosehip oil, and 1/2 tsp coconut oil (MCT), 10 drops Lavender essential oil.
You can also add 5 drops Cedarwood and 5 drops Lavender.
Jojoba oil is a quick absorbing moisturizer, coconut oil adds shine and contains medium chain fatty-acids for hair health. Rosehip oil is a ‘dry oil’ that absorbs easily with no greasiness. Lavender conditions hair and can prevent dandruff. Cedarwood stimulates hair growth and aids in a healthy scalp.
I go easy on the coconut oil now, as my first batch had too much and my hair was slightly ‘greasy’ and weighed down. I also had to adjust how many ‘sprays’ I used. I was accustomed to putting so much product in my hair. With with the right oils you can apply sparingly.
Sandalwood is a pricier oil but would add a nice, fresh fragrance. I adore the smell of Sandalwood.
- Experiment until you find the right oil ratios for your hair and a fragrance that you prefer.
- Shake well before each use to incorporate ingredients.
- As you near the end of the bottle if you notice a higher ratio of oils to water, simply add more distilled water.
- This keeps fresh and last for about 2 weeks when used daily on medium length-long curly hair. There are no preservatives in this particular spray, which is great for your hair. Always make your homemade product in small batches and use within a month.
The next step may not always be necessary but on humid days or days I work out I like some extra hold to my curls. You can use 100% Pure Shea butter and then add a little Jojoba oil in your hand, rubbing together and scrunching into hair.
This works great but if you want a pre-made pomade, see recipe below.
If you want to add some definition to your curls without weighing hair down you can make a pomade. This also works well for men with short hair that want some style and hold.
Shea butter curl defining pomade:
You will need:
- 3/4 cup Pure Shea butter (the only ingredient should be Shea Butter)
- 2 Tbsp. Fractionated Coconut oil
- 2 tsp. Jojoba oil
- 1 tsp. Vitamin E oil
Melt Shea butter and coconut oil on low heat until melted, transfer to blender.
Add Jojoba and Vitamin E oil. Blend for 20-30 seconds. Transfer to a heat proof container. Add essential oils if desired, blend for 10 more seconds. Store in fridge or in cool, dry area.
This recipe yields about 3 oz.
Tocepherol Vitamin E oil is a natural preservative (an antioxidant and can prevent oils from becoming stale). It is not antimicrobial though, so you still want to use this product within 1 month and store in a cool, dry area in your home.
Always wash your hands to prevent bacteria from being introduced into homemade products.
- Basic ingredients
-
Melt it on low heat
Add Jojoba and Vitamin E oil
Blend it- Note: Your blender may be hard to clean afterwards. I used Citrus Castile soap and Purification Blend Essential Oil to clean. Consider owning a separate blender for your products.
A little goes a long way- rub in hands to soften to a liquid and scrunch into curls
This is a curly hair method but I urge you to review your products and find a mix that works for you. There are lighter weight ‘dry oils’ that can be used such as
Rose Hip and Hemp oil (hemp oil does need to be refrigerated).
Sweet Almond or Argan oil are also good hair picks.
More tips:
- Once or twice give your hair a break- let it air dry on a weekend or only ‘half’ dry it.
- As the weather the changes (dry air in the winter) you can experiment with different oils. (Update October, 2015: I’ve started adding about 1/4 tsp of sweet almond oil and this is working well to keep my curls ‘held’ all day).
- Once a week mix 1/2 cup of Bragg’s Organic apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water and pour onto hair, massage into scalp. This will detoxify any buildup (rinse thoroughly). Apple Cider Vinegar may also help reduce brassy tones in hair.
So, how did this all start?
One night researching the back label of my shampoo and conditioner was enough. I shudder to think of what was in my hair conditioner alone: 41 ingredients. How in the world can we justify 1 product containing 41 ingredients? I was extremely disappointed with my vapid consumerism. I cannot believe I was putting this on my hair and subsequently on my body.
The ingredients were straight from a horror movie: ‘human skin toxicant or allergen, one or more animal studies show tumor formation at high doses; endocrine disruption; formaldehyde releaser, human skin toxicant or allergen.’
I do currently use a store bought baby shampoo called Shea Moisture Olive and Marula. I also use a conditioner by Acure.
This Shea Moisture shampoo has lasted and has a light fresh scent. I have used this bottle for a month and I’m only down to the line I indicate in the picture below. It’s worth every cent (retails around $10).
Please go to your bathroom now and research what is in one product, just one to start. It is a cathartic process to throw those items out of your life.
I simply love my hair and apparently this sheep statue.
Author’s Note:
Interesting information I found on Argan Oil while doing some research:
This Wikepedia article details how the demand for Argan oil has helped to protect the trees from deforestation. Economy 101: We protect our commodities.
“Employment in the co-operatives provides women with an income, which many have used to fund education for themselves or their children. It has also provided them with a degree of autonomy in a traditionally male-dominated society and has helped many become more aware of their rights.”[21]– Wikepedia- The free encyclopedia-Source
What I discuss on this site has not been evaluated by the FDA, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any particular disease. I am not a registered physician and I encourage you to discuss your health concerns with your own doctor.
Inspired, Natural and Creative 
