I'm not really into trying to make my own shampoos or conditioners. I don't want to go through all that work and to be honest, I have had a heck of a time finding products that don't irritate my scalp that also won't break my bank. However, as far as hair treatments go, I like the occasional henna and if I feel like doing it again, I might make that hair caramel that was popular some years back (it originated in Philly). The hair caramel doesn't have a long shelf life (you have to freeze it since you'd make quite a bit) but it is really conditioning. If you want a recipe, I can try and find it but.
i'm trying to replace all my store-bought products both for body and cleaning but it does take time. i don't know if i just like the challenge or saving all the money or it being healthier but i find it all rather fascinating and fun.
i do color my grays so will have to forgo the henna but i've read henna is good for hair too. hair caramel sounds cool whatever it is. i've just started reading over at the naturally curly site recently. they do have some great info and i'm realizing there is probably much to learn about hair care. i didn't know there is a difference between moisturizing and protein and all this
Other than that, I don't think I can help much since my hair is on the coily spectrum of curly and I keep my weekly regimen as simple as possible. I also won't shy away from cheaper costing products if they don't irritate me and help hold my styles. And for the record, be careful with the butter hair recipes. I stopped using them a while back since they made my hair very greasy. Coconut oil is better for that purpose and can be used as a hot oil treatment as well.
my hair is probably much more like your coily hair than the a person's with straight hair. my hair is like wrestling an alligator! oh, wish i'd known about not putting too much oil/butter in my hair before i made a greasy/waxy mess. first time i've ever had oily hair, lol.
the only expensive skin or hair product i use is the aveda so i hear you on not wanting to spend a lot on these things. homemade is probably the cheapest and healthiest, at least for skin. hair is a little tricky i'm finding right now.
I use an earl gray hair tonic but am also looking at pomades
i forgot to ask what is the earl gray tonic for? tell us more.
I can't find where on the internet I originally found this recipe for hairspray, but I love it! Lasts for weeks in the fridge.
HAIRSPRAY
2 teaspoons refined sugar
1/2 cup hot purified water
2 tablespoons vodka
3-5 drops essential oil for scent (optional)
Heat water to just under the boiling point
Spoon in sugar and stir until dissolved
Allow to cool, then add vodka and optional essential oil
Pour into a spray bottle and store in the fridge until needed
Pump a few sprays onto the area you want hold and allow to dry for 30 seconds. Continue process until your hair reaches the desired amount of hold.
i make my own hair spray too but have been making small batches i keep in the frige and throw out after 2 weeks once i realized it'd go bad. i think i'll add some vodka like you do to preserve it. i just need to figure out how much i need to use. thanks!
My hair's on the short side to braid. I've never tried aloe vera gel. Is it a leave-in type of thing, or put it on, wash it out? I'm kind of doubtful that it would work, because I don't think my frizziness is as much a factor of damage to the hair as it is a factor of...age. Wahhhhh! Not much that can be done about that. I'm mostly concentrating on keeping it as healthy as possible to prevent the frizz caused by age from getting even worse due to damage. It's much more manageable in the winter, when the air is dry, but boy, in the summer we have some wicked humidity around here, and it's really out of control. :crazy: I always let it air dry, and I don't use a flat iron, but I do color it, and I know that doesn't help, but I'm just not ready to be gray yet!
i think my aveda confixor was my miracle product but i'm experimenting with replacing it. i tried both homemade body butter & pomade in the last few days but obviously used way too much. i was trying to smooth out fly aways so kept adding more. oops!
i did try aloe vera gel this morning as a leave-in styling product. i didn't use too much because i didn't want crunchy curls. it was weird. my hair dried in 5 minutes. i don't know if the air pulled moisture out of my hair or what happened. so, i put a little of my regular conditioner in my hair on top of the aloe and that seemed to help. tomorrow i will try mixing the aloe with the conditioner and then putting it on. baby steps until i find something i can make and not look like a walking chia pet in the meantime.
Oh, but I disagree! You know how some people look for 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioners? Well, here you could be marketing a 4-in-1 product (and maybe more, if DeeAnna's bow string wax and lotion bar could be incorporated)! I can just see the infomercial now... it would be chock-full of 'but wait, there's MORE'! It moisturizes! It conditions! It softens! It greases! It saturates! It dissolves! It cushions! It relaxes! It tenderizes! All for the low, low price of...
exactly! i love the 25 in 1 product. it will work on your car as well i think.
Anyhow, back to hair, I have dry-ish, thick, medium-length hair that blow dries straight, or air dries into crummy, non-presentable quasi-curl-waves. However, recently I discovered if I work a scant little (2-3 drops) of my homemade facial moisturizer into my hair, it comes out softer and less dry-feeling. I have not noticed any greasy build-up, but I also wash my hair daily. The moisturizer is comprised of 2/3 Argan Oil, 1/3 Rosehip Seed Oil, and a few drops of Lavender EO.
your facial oil sounds lovely. i've recently been experimenting with them and a spot treatment that has worked well to clear some skin problems. it really is amazing to me how homemade products work as well if not better than the store bought ones. maybe i'll try using oil the night before i wash so i don't get all greased up again. i thought a pomade would work but no luck yet.
I make my own shampoo and conditioner. The Swiftcraftymonkey blog is a good place for info on hair care products.
that's cool. i did make a sample of a conditioner using oil, distilled water & guar gum to emulsify it. it totally worked, looked like real conditioner and my hair liked it, but i have some scalp irritation and it aggravated that. i was all set to buy a preservative and mix up a batch but no go. if anyone wants the recipe i can dig it up. super easy.
Syndet bar from Swiftmonkey, and leave on conditioner, also from her blog
i do read over on her blog but am hoping to use less processed ingredients. we'll see. it sounds like the syndet bars are quite popular here though.
The only one I do is an ACV rinse. 1tsp ACV, 1/3 cup water, sometimes a scent. My hair can't handle conditioners, but when I use the rinse, I don't feel like I need a conditioner.
the ACV rinse is brilliant. works better than any conditioner i've ever used. i just put undiluted ACV in a plastic spay bottle and keep it in the shower. spray, comb through my hair and rinse it off. i'd like to try infusing some dried herbs or maybe i'll add some essential oil to mine.
