Many manufacturers use mineral oil in a majority of products that contain synthetic ingredients because it’s a good preservative. Mineral oil is the result of the distillation of petroleum which acts as a saran wrap against your scalp and skin, slowing down one of the skin’s main job which is to eliminate toxins. On the other hand natural oils are easily absorbed by the skin.
Our blog focuses on nature's own hair and skin care solutions. The Bare Naturels Cosmetics team and bloggers write about their daily lives and experiences, thoughts on the latest hair and skin care trends, and their beauty tips. You will also find some recipes for homemade beauty treatments for those who want some pampering on a budget. Welcome to our online community!
Monday, 23 September 2013
Why natural oils?
Many manufacturers use mineral oil in a majority of products that contain synthetic ingredients because it’s a good preservative. Mineral oil is the result of the distillation of petroleum which acts as a saran wrap against your scalp and skin, slowing down one of the skin’s main job which is to eliminate toxins. On the other hand natural oils are easily absorbed by the skin.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Castor oil benefits
Castor Oil is rich in fatty acids, vitamin E, minerals, and proteins, and has antibacterial and anti-fungicidal properties.
Castor oil benefits for your hair
• Promotes hair growth
• Helps to thicken hair
• Excellent hair and scalp moisturizer
Castor oil benefits for your hair
• Promotes hair growth
• Helps to thicken hair
• Excellent hair and scalp moisturizer
Avocado oil benefits
Avocado Oil is particularly great for natural hair. It is loaded with nutrients, amino acids, essential fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B, D, and E. Avocado Oil is excellent for moisturizing, deep conditioning, improving hair strength, and boosting shine.
Avocado oil benefits for your hair
• It is also known to have natural sunscreen properties that can protect the hair and scalp from the damage caused by the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun.
• Relieves dandruff. It works better when blended with other oils like jojoba oil or olive oil which are also very good for hair care.
Avocado oil benefits for your skin
• Anti- aging: avocado oil increases the production of collagen, and prevents aging of the skin
• This oil is good for natural skin care, as it greatly penetrates the skin, and helps to keep the skin well-moisturized
Avocado oil benefits for your baby
• Relieves nappy rash
• Relieves cradle cap
• Great as a massage g oil when massaging their infants.
Avocado oil benefits for your hair
• It is also known to have natural sunscreen properties that can protect the hair and scalp from the damage caused by the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun.
• Relieves dandruff. It works better when blended with other oils like jojoba oil or olive oil which are also very good for hair care.
Avocado oil benefits for your skin
• Anti- aging: avocado oil increases the production of collagen, and prevents aging of the skin
• This oil is good for natural skin care, as it greatly penetrates the skin, and helps to keep the skin well-moisturized
Avocado oil benefits for your baby
• Relieves nappy rash
• Relieves cradle cap
• Great as a massage g oil when massaging their infants.
Grapeseed oil benefits
Grapeseed oil is rich with vital nutrients like protein, minerals, and vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and other antioxidants, and has many beneficial properties for the hair and scalp.
Grapeseed oil benefits for your hair
• Conditioner
• Helps reduce hair breakage and great at treating dry brittle hair.
• Good moisturiser,
• Relieves dandruff
• Promotes hair growth
Grapeseed oil benefits for your skin
• Massage oil
• Moisturiser for sensitive skin
Grapeseed oil benefits for your baby
• Good moisturiser for baby’s sensitive skin
• Relieves cradle cap
• Massage therapists also recommend parents use grape seed oil when massaging their infants.
Jojoba Oil benefits
Jojoba Oil is an extract of the Jojoba plant. Its molecular structure is similar to sebum (the scalp's natural oil), therefore is readily accepted by the scalp and does not disturb the skin’s natural balance. Jojoba is considered a moisturising oil since its molecules are small enough to penetrate the hair shaft
Jojoba Oil benefits for your hair
• Excellent moisturiser for hair and scalp
• Conditioning
• Prevents dandruff
• Promotes hair growth
Jojoba Oil benefits for your skin
• Excellent skin moisturiser
• Eases the symptoms of skin conditions like psoriasis, dermatitis & eczema.
• Massage oil
Jojoba Oil benefits for your baby
• Good moisturiser for baby’s sensitive skin
• Relieves cradle cap
• Moisturiser for your little one’s hair
• Great massage oil to use when massaging their infants.
Coconut oil benefits
A Plant-based oil extracted from the kernel of the coconut with a high concentration of saturated fatty acids, lauric acid, capric acid and vitamins E and K. It also has antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and soothing properties. In its natural unprocessed state, coconut oil has a high moisture retaining capacity and does not breakdown or evaporate easily.
Coconut oil benefits for your hair
• Excellent moisturiser for hair and scalp
• Conditioning
• Prevents dandruff
• Promotes hair growth
Coconut oil benefits for your skin
• Excellent skin moisturiser
• Eases the symptoms of skin conditions like eczema.
• Massage oil
Coconut oil benefits for your baby
• Good natural moisturiser for your little one's sensitive skin
• Excellent for soothing nappy rash
• Moisturiser for your little one’s hair
Monday, 13 May 2013
The start of an amazing journey
San Francisco - Lombard Street (Crooked Street) |
A son: the one thing I always wanted to give my
husband. When I was pregnant with our first child I was convinced I was having
a boy, I had all the symptoms, according to the old wives tales (For example, I
am a chocolate a day kind of girl, but all I wanted was salty and hot spicy
food). I was so convinced that during the Cesarean (yes I am “too posh to
push”) when the surgeon said "It's a girl!", my response was
"are you sure??". I am sure you are thinking I should probably keep
that to myself, unfortunately my daughter will eventually know about this
because it was caught on camera. I can’t deny ever saying it. Why the obsession
with a son you ask? Well for starters, I’d always thought that if I gave my
African husband a son he would love me for life. I know - dumb right? We all
know that the counts for nothing.
You have to forgive me; I had been contemplating this
idea for a long time, since I was very young. The main reason for my preference
of the boy child was hair.
Yes you read that right hair (vhudzi). Anyone who
knows me will know that I could not care-less for my hair. I was happy and am still
happy to spot a bald hairstyle, it’s simple. I grow my hair and chop it when I
get bored. So the idea of having to deal with a baby girl's hair was a little
bit off putting, surely with a baby boy the haircuts would not be a stress? As
luck might have it, my husband and I have been blessed with two beautiful
girls. Ndana's hair is a big challenge, very kinky (thanks to mum) and sparse
(thanks to paternal genes), Atida's hair looks much better but she is still
young so it's too early to call it.
And so began the journey of discovering #naturesownsolutions, a journey as straight as San Francisco's Lombard Street.
As a mum, I want only the best for my kids,
therefore organic hair products were a no-brainer. I trolled the hair shops and
hair salons for "natural" organic hair products for black babies with
no luck. There are so many different brands to choose from it was mind
boggling. I finally found what I was looking for, I loved the products but it
costing me dearly. The products were a delight, they smelt good and after a few
treatments, the hair was more manageable. Being the penny pincher that I am, I
was not willing to spend that much money on hair products. I had to make a plan
because the mainstream products marketed for Black African children were not an
option. Having done a lot of research on hair care, looking at the various lists
of ingredients, I realised these products were full of "bad
ingredients". According to various sources, mineral oils / petroleum,
parabens, sulphates, fragrance, propylene glycol and others are no good for our
kinky hair. It was back to the drawing board for me and more internet research!
This time the results were more reassuring, the internet is full of natural
hair bloggers advocating for the use of nature's own products to grow and maintain
kinky hair. So, armed with virgin coconut oil, unrefined jojoba oil, extra
virgin olive oil (yes the one from my kitchen) and unrefined Shea butter, I
have the daily care of my girls' hair under control. Every weekend I am in my
kitchen cooking up a storm, no not to eat but to feed the hair. Alternating
between protein and moisturising treatments, the weekends are never dull. The
weekends in our household are now reminiscent of my childhood weekends when
Sundays were dedicated to hair plaiting to make sure everyone’s hair was nice
and neat for school. I have come from knowing nothing about hair to making my
own treatments and plaiting (kuraka mabhanzi) the girls' hair all on my own. We
don’t have it all figured out yet but we are getting there, part of the fun is
finding out what works well for one’s hair and in my case, three people's hair,
yes I said three, because I too have been inspired to grow my hair naturally.
As for the son that I so longed for, I live in hope.
Maybe if we are blessed with a son I can enjoy the same level of excitement
that my husband is greeted with every day when he comes home from work;
apparently mum's arrival from work is a non-event. I need to teach these girls
that mum's the word.
Monday, 15 April 2013
Relaxed hair
Hi! So I am one of the many women out there who couldn't handle their natural hair anymore and decided to relax it. I accepted the challenge of having to maintain it more than I did my natural hair. My hair has been relaxed for 4 years now. At first I struggled with the maintaining and I always used to have my hair in weaves. Then last year one of my friends set me a challenge to see how long my hair can grow in one year. So out came the weave in February 2013 and I got a re-touch.
Thats the current length and i am aiming to get it so BSL (bra strap level) not sure how long that will take but i have started the journey. I use Bare Naturels products to moisturise and seal my hair which i do every night. Castor oil i use on my scalp once every week and on my hairline and nape every night. i use the shea butter mixed with the oils to moisture and then i seal with jojoba or coconut oil which i ever i choose on that particular day. I love the oils because they keep my hair moisturised without weighing it down. i used to use hair grease but this was not for everyday use so my hair always used to be dry. My ends used to be so frizzy, it would look like i had never relaxed them. So i started wrapping and moisturising and sealing every night and now i have ends that listen. Now i can afford not to wrap it for a night or two and still have it in a comb and go condition (which never used to happen) .
i am stretching out my relaxers, so i have not re-touched since February. The re growth is getting a bit much, i am still learning with a lot of help from youtube how to handle it. I still moisturise and seal every night but because of the regrowth, i do more protective styling for bed . Right now my favourite is the two braids which I sometimes rock out to work, lol. They are not always neat, they don't have to be.
then when you take it out, it looks like this,
i am still learning and hopefully soon i will reach my BSL goal. i will let you know how my next re-touch goes, not sure when i will do that yet...i am currently 9 weeks post relaxer.....
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Hair Days Fun!!
So much for this mummy pursuing happiness! I seriously need to get serious. Been having cake and biscuits since my son cried for a HUGE Easter egg decorated cake which he only had a few crumbs of. I have since picked up nearly a kilo and need to get it off me!!!
Besides eating the delicious chocolate cake over Easter, I took the time to bond with my sister-in-law over our girls' hair. First up was a Caramel Treatment I got from this site http://www.blackhairinformation.com/hair-care-2/hair-treatments-and-recipes/the-caramel-treatment-a-natural-hair-softener/ followed by an Avonana (avocado and banana) Deep Conditioning Treatment courtesey of http://beauty.about.com/od/organicbeauty/r/Banana-And-Avocado-Deep-Conditioning-Treatment-For-Dry-Hair.htm. Now as much as we love to cut corners (by we I mean me), I recommend you not do that here. I skipped sieving the Avonana mix and it was so dramaful trying to get the banana out of Mikie's hair! We had tears! So after a bribe (sweets!), she calmed down and I managed to do up her hair in my favourite hairstyle. Wool standing buns! Lol... I know there is a more sophisticated name for these, but its just flown out my head and I will kick myself when I remember. Unfortunately she still had banana bits in there but we had passed her limits so...
Easter Monday and she had managed to unravel my tight knots! Serious, she can be trying. I know its her hair but does she have to mess my work of art? Anyways! I set down and got to work. I still had banana bits to comb out. Her hair was SUPER soft! I mean extremely! Besides the SUPER softness it was straight! Now try it out and see for yourself. Reminded me of when my mum used to stretch my hair with a hot comb heated over an open fire. Without the burnt hair smell of course. True story! So it turned out to be an easy day and we simply sprayed our ACV conditioner and got a fresh batch of a new product in the Bare Naturels Appointed Oils range. It was a smooth gorgeous smelling Mango Mousse! This is rich and creamy and a little applied to the damp hair was more than enough to soak it. Changed our do to 3-strand twists and its so soft and light her hair bounces as she moves about! Now the Mango Mousse, I kid you not, is divine. Tried it on my skin and it was GOOD! Other products have left my skin greasy but this was GOOD! Place your order and feel for yourself!
I never really enjoyed hair days but my advice to you, let Bare Naturels bring fun back!
Besides eating the delicious chocolate cake over Easter, I took the time to bond with my sister-in-law over our girls' hair. First up was a Caramel Treatment I got from this site http://www.blackhairinformation.com/hair-care-2/hair-treatments-and-recipes/the-caramel-treatment-a-natural-hair-softener/ followed by an Avonana (avocado and banana) Deep Conditioning Treatment courtesey of http://beauty.about.com/od/organicbeauty/r/Banana-And-Avocado-Deep-Conditioning-Treatment-For-Dry-Hair.htm. Now as much as we love to cut corners (by we I mean me), I recommend you not do that here. I skipped sieving the Avonana mix and it was so dramaful trying to get the banana out of Mikie's hair! We had tears! So after a bribe (sweets!), she calmed down and I managed to do up her hair in my favourite hairstyle. Wool standing buns! Lol... I know there is a more sophisticated name for these, but its just flown out my head and I will kick myself when I remember. Unfortunately she still had banana bits in there but we had passed her limits so...
Easter Monday and she had managed to unravel my tight knots! Serious, she can be trying. I know its her hair but does she have to mess my work of art? Anyways! I set down and got to work. I still had banana bits to comb out. Her hair was SUPER soft! I mean extremely! Besides the SUPER softness it was straight! Now try it out and see for yourself. Reminded me of when my mum used to stretch my hair with a hot comb heated over an open fire. Without the burnt hair smell of course. True story! So it turned out to be an easy day and we simply sprayed our ACV conditioner and got a fresh batch of a new product in the Bare Naturels Appointed Oils range. It was a smooth gorgeous smelling Mango Mousse! This is rich and creamy and a little applied to the damp hair was more than enough to soak it. Changed our do to 3-strand twists and its so soft and light her hair bounces as she moves about! Now the Mango Mousse, I kid you not, is divine. Tried it on my skin and it was GOOD! Other products have left my skin greasy but this was GOOD! Place your order and feel for yourself!
I never really enjoyed hair days but my advice to you, let Bare Naturels bring fun back!
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Before the After!
This is for perspective sake. Few will ever know where we came from. And this was one of the good days!
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Happy Mummy!
Now that hair worries are seemingly a thing of the past, I have my own worries that I am going to be focusing on. Weighty ones! Lol... It's all about control I know but today I was craving a Napoleon slice from Cafe Nush and I went and bought 3 for me and my two friends. There being comfort in numbers and all! Kikiki... I really wanted to know I wasnt the only one eating that delicious fat ladened treat. They loved it coz it is divine! Anyways, I am trying to change and be more responsible and not undo all the hardwork from gym with a slice. I will document my journey to my happy weight, more for encouragement and to shame me into good behaviour. That said I am still working on a plan and will only officially start my journey on Monday. I'm currently warming up on the sidelines lol... Any tips that have worked please pass on. Need all the help I can get to shed theses 16kgs....
p/s Today was a slow day at the gym and worked off 340calories....
p/s Today was a slow day at the gym and worked off 340calories....
Happy Hair!
So it's been 2 weeks since the rice milk trial and I haven't gone back to it. I guess I should officially declare it a miss! Thankfully Mikie's hair has been thriving inspite of the misses! At the moment we are using a made to order cream from Bare Naturels Cosmetics. It works wonders on her hair and smells divine too with a subtle blend of rosemary and cinnamon. Soft and manageable hair were words I would never have associated with my daughter but now I so proud of it I cant keep my hands off her hair. I even get questions on whether its natural or relaxed. For hair that was on its way to the barber, my little girl's locks are a delight. If you have issues with hair, I recommend Bare Naturels Cosmetics. Get in touch and maybe they will be able to assist you get delightful locks!
Cant wait for our next batch! It so lovely its moreish!
Cant wait for our next batch! It so lovely its moreish!
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Castor oil challenge - will my daughter's hair respond?
So, my eldest daughter's hair is dry, thin and grows at snail's pace so I thought the castor oil challenge might just be the way to go. You might think that I am a little crazy but I am quite serious - I am not even going to try and reinvent the wheel with this one! One of my favourite natural hair bloggers NenoNatural has a well-documented castor oil challenge so I shall just follow hers.
Here are the details of the challenge NenoNatural's Castor oil challenge.
Here are the details of the challenge NenoNatural's Castor oil challenge.
I shall not be using the essential oil for my daughter, I got my castor oil from Bare Naturals Cosmetics. I will document the progress here. Wish us luck!
Day 1 Before the challenge
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
What every man thinks about apart from sex - book review
My husband bought me this book, didnt realise that it was going to be quick read. The pages are blank, yes all blank. Amazon is selling it, people are buy (I live with one of these people) and even leaving book reviews , check this one out http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/RPCBBAFI16UEG/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1849531986&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=266239&store=books.
My comment? #SMH
What say you?
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Coconut oil to treat nappy rash
Bare Naturels Cosmetics Coconut oil |
So my youngest daughter has just turned 1 and we transitioning from formula milk to cows' milk. I have not yet quite figured out why but this just seems to coincide with the onset of nappy rash, it happened with my first daughter as well.
At the first sign of bum redness out comes my Extra Virgin Organic coconut oil (Supplied by Bare Naturels Cosmetics). I apply the coconut oil directly to the affected areas. Coconut oil works well to treat mild cases of nappy rash.
Of course if the nappy rash is severe consult a doctor.
Weekend of pampering - the hair
The hair Shea butter
I love
this recipe because my daughters' hair is extremely dry and responds really
well to this cream. It leaves her hair nice and soft, making it easy for me to
plait it. I have used Shea butter, a great moisturiser and added coconut oil in
addition to the avocado oil.
Ingredients (Supplied
by Bare Naturels Cosmetics )
- 1 cup Shea butter
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 4 tablespoon avocado oil
Whip
everything together until a nice texture is formed.
Directions for use
Apply to
damp hair as often as you deem necessary
Weekend of pampering - the body
I really need a body scrub, back to the kitchen it is then. This weekend lets start with sugar
Sugar and jojoba oil body scrub
Jojoba oil is an excellent moisturiser
The ingredients (I got all my ingredients from Bare Naturels Cosmetics, exception the sugar of course which was in my kitchen)
100ml jojoba oil
500g sugar
5-10 drops of lavender oil
Mix ingredients together.
Direction for use
Rub on skin, massage, relax in a warm bath and rinse. I figure this will be a good one for the relaxing evening bath. Lavender will have me sleeping like a baby.
Comments after first use
Skin felt really silky after a nice soak. Loved it.
The body butter
In my recipe I have used Shea butter, a great moisturiser and added coconut oil in addition to the avocado oil. Coconut oil has many benefits but the reason its in my face cream is because it contains anti-oxidants that help prevent wrinkles. The rosemary will make my cream smell nice.
Ingredients (I got all my ingredients from Bare Naturels Cosmetics)
3 tablespoons Shea butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
I tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoon Glycerin
2-3 drops of rosemary essential oil
Whip everything together until a nice texture is formed.
Directions for use
I plan on using the cream twice a day as I would any other body butter
Comments after first use
Loved the texture and provided the moisture my dry skin needs.
Weekend of pampering - the face
So now that the facial skincare products that I loved have run out, I have decided to make my own. When I was deciding on a skincare brand back then, I remember reading that at my age (I shall not say what the age is) an avocado based face cream is best. Avocado is an excellent moisturiser and contains sterolins which help the skin produce collagen. I am using avocado oil where I possibly can (So no collagen fillers for me hopefully.).
The face cream
In my recipe I have used Shea butter, a great moisturiser and added coconut oil in addition to the avocado oil. Coconut oil has many benefits but the reason its in my face cream is because it contains anti-oxidants that help prevent wrinkles. The lavender will make my cream smell nice.
Ingredients (I got all my ingredients from Bare Naturels Cosmetics)
3 tablespoons Shea butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
I tablespoon avocado oil
2-3 drops of lavender essential oil
Whip everything together until a nice texture is formed. This formula made approximately 115g of cream.
Directions for use
I plan on using the cream twice a day as I would any other cream
Comments after first use.
Loved the texture, I had used the face serum so it was a little hard to judge if it had the right amount of oil.
The face serum
My serum has jojoba oil because its an excellent moisturiser and also helps reduce wrinkles.
Ingredients (I got all my ingredients from Bare Naturels Cosmetics.)
50ml Jojoba oil
50ml avocado oil
5 -10 drops of lavender essential oil
Mixed the oils together, shake vigorously.
Directions for use
I plan on using the serum at night before applying the cream
Comments after first use.
Loved it a lot. It reminded me of a serum I used to pay £48 for (I shall not name the brand.). I am so very excited about this one, I cant wait to see the long term results.
The face wash
Not too sure about the wash, oatmeal has excellent cleansing properties apparently
Ingredients (Can find these at you local supermarket)
1/2 peeled Cucumber
2 tablespoons Oatmeal
2 tablespoons Plain unflavoured Yogurt, with active cultures
Whip everything together until a nice texture is formed.
Directions for use
I plan on using the cleanser twice daily wish me luck
Comments after first use.
This was a lovely surprise. I had used the face scrub below so I wasn't sure how the cleanser was going work. It passed the test, all the sticky honey and sugar was gone after cleansing.
The face scrub
Ingredients (Can find these at you local supermarket)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoons sugar
Mixed the 2 well
Directions for use
I plan on using the scrub twice a week.
Comments after first use.
It was rather sticky but it wasn't rough on the skin, I really expected it to be rough.
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Hit or Miss???
I once more went experimenting in the kitchen with a recipe I chanced upon thanks to my trusted friend Google. Having kids with super kinky hair, anything with "soft hair" grabs my attention. Below is the recipe for the leave-in spray I made;
Rice Milk Spray
In a 250ml spray bottle add
2 tablespoons of rice milk -plain
2 tablespoons rosemary essential oil
2 Tablespoons of an oil of your choice... I used coconut oil
Then fill the rest of the spray bottle with water..
Make sure that this mixture is shaken prior to each use because the oils ,milk and water would separate.
Rice Milk Spray
In a 250ml spray bottle add
2 tablespoons of rice milk -plain
2 tablespoons rosemary essential oil
2 Tablespoons of an oil of your choice... I used coconut oil
Then fill the rest of the spray bottle with water..
Make sure that this mixture is shaken prior to each use because the oils ,milk and water would separate.
When I used this on my daughter's hair, the mixture felt a bit thick and sticky. It didn't soften the hair but made it feel heavy. It was manageable and it was a painless process to get her hair done. I was left a bit disappointed by the whole adventure. This was two days ago...
Today I decided to redo her hair and when I undid the locks, I found really soft hair. It was a pleasant surprise because I was expecting straw like texture. Really confused now about my feelings on the spray... I might just try it again and use a different oil instead. Maybe avocado????
Please try it out and give me some feedback...
Laters...
Monday, 4 March 2013
Banana and honey foot treatment
So being the optimist that I am, I am already looking forward to summer. But my feet are no where ready for sandals, cracked feet are an eye-sore. After search the World Wide Web I was back in my kitchen cooking up a remedy.
Foot before treatment |
The recipe
Ingredients
2 whole ripe banana
4 tablespoon Honey
2 tablespoon jojoba oil
Coconut oil (for massaging feet after treatment)
Preparation
1. Chop the banana and place in a mixing bowl
2. Add the honey, jojoba oil
3. Blend until the mixture is smooth
How to use
1. Soak feet in warm water for 20 minutes
2. Scrub feet thoroughly
3. Massage the banana mixture onto the feet and leave on for about 30 minutes
4. Wash feet with warm water and dry
5. Massage feet with coconut oil concentrating on the cracked areas. Wear socks overnight.
NOTE: I intend to use as often as necessary until you see results, I will update on progress.
Friday, 1 March 2013
Mud fun 2....
So my daughter didn't actually play in mud but school brings its own surprises! From glitter, sand, food particles, you can find almost anything in Mikie's hair. I needed a solution sooner than I expected. I've dumped the store-bought products which are saturated with bad ingredients especially for the kids and its a mission to find something natural. Its not easy! You know how we are! We LOVE the lather but I've had to let go (still on the look out though...). After scrounging frantically all over our lovely resources (=Google), I found something!
Would you believe Bicarbonate of Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar? I didn't as well initially. Thought to myself now that's a whole load of garbage right there! But having dumped all other options into the trash' I just had to go for it. I found these recipes as two separate solutions which you use one after the other. But if you have children you know that repeated thorough rinses are most likely not going to happen. EVER! So to save myself (and the little girl) the trauma of wash-day, I modified it a bit. And it worked well! No tears no fuss and her hair was soft and manageable. AND CLEAN!
Bare Naturels 2-in-1 (patent pending ;-) )
After my success I really wanted to try this out on really muddy hair. I might just get my wish coz it just rained and tomorrow I might just run her head through the mud!!!!
Would you believe Bicarbonate of Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar? I didn't as well initially. Thought to myself now that's a whole load of garbage right there! But having dumped all other options into the trash' I just had to go for it. I found these recipes as two separate solutions which you use one after the other. But if you have children you know that repeated thorough rinses are most likely not going to happen. EVER! So to save myself (and the little girl) the trauma of wash-day, I modified it a bit. And it worked well! No tears no fuss and her hair was soft and manageable. AND CLEAN!
Bare Naturels 2-in-1 (patent pending ;-) )
- 1tbsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 1c Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1c rosewater
After my success I really wanted to try this out on really muddy hair. I might just get my wish coz it just rained and tomorrow I might just run her head through the mud!!!!
Thursday, 28 February 2013
Protein treatment for brittle and breaking hair
This is a protein treatment which works well on breaking hair, restoring shine and control dandruff. Bananas contain carbohydrates, vitamin A and potassium, the combination of which makes bananas ideal for strengthening and softening hair, while promoting hair growth. Honey with its natural sweeteners nourishes the hair and when combined with other ingredients like bananas and jojoba oil, leaves your hair feeling soft.
Click here for more detail on the benefit of;
Vitamin A; http://www.livestrong.com/article/403367-does-vitamin-a-help-to-grow-hair/
Potassium; http://www.livestrong.com/article/317274-what-are-the-benefits-of-hair-products-with-potassium/
The recipe
Ingredients
1 whole ripe banana
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
1 egg
Preparation
1. Chop the banana and place in a mixing bowl
2. Add the honey, jojoba oil and egg
3. Blend until the mixture is smooth
How to use
1. Apply to damp freshly shampooed hair
2. Cover hair with a shower cap for 45 - 60 minutes
3. Rinse hair with clean warm water
4. Apply your usual conditioner to hair and rinse with warm water
5. Dry hair and style as usual
NOTE: Use weekly for extremely damaged hair and monthly to prevent breakage
Results
My little girl's hair was very brittle, after 3 weekly treatments I have seen a big difference. I shall be using it once a month to prevent breakage.
Youtube = Transitioning:)
Youtube - why didn't I think of that?! Amazing ingenuity to constantly bombard myself on how to do my hair! I'm going back to natural - transitioning- as its formally know, and youtube has become my go-to- guru on what to do with my hair! Youtube is good for information gathering but my goodness was it no use to me when my hair tangled as I washed my new growth after having had a weave on for almost a month or two (don't remember). I was close to either a scissors or tears. Thanks to my sister who desperately tried to comb it out, and a trip to the salon, did I manage to salvage my hair! So here's the deal that youtube doesn't fully relay (well, to me!); transitioning is very high maintenance, it requires dedication and full commitment, not forgetting the journey to discovering what works with your locks! Right now I'm just trying to discipline my hair - and 'mabhanzi'(same concept as twist but using thread- to straighten it up a bit) is the the only way I know how. It's fun people you should join me. (for moral support!)
Monday, 25 February 2013
Avocado and honey deep conditioner
This is a moisturising and softening conditioner. Avocado is a well know super food that is rich in mono-unsaturated fats and vitamins, including vitamin E, which makes it a good moisturiser. Honey with its natural sweeteners nourishes the hair and when combined with other ingredients like avocado, leaves your hair feeling soft.
Click here for more detail on the benefit of using avocadohttp://www.livestrong.com/article/410882-avocado-for-hair-growth/
The recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup Avocado
1 tablespoon Honey
Preparation
1. Chop the avocado and place in a mixing bowl
2. Add the honey
3. Blend until the mixture is smooth
How to use
1. Apply to damp freshly shampooed hair
2. Cover hair with a shower cap for 45 - 60 minutes
3. Rinse hair with clean warm water
4. Apply your usual conditioner to hair and rinse with warm water
5. Dry hair and style as usual
Mayonnaise deep conditioner
So yesterday was deep condition day and what the little girl's hair needed was some moisture. So there I was back in the kitchen cooking up a deep conditioning storm. I had never used mayonnaise as a deep conditioner before.
The recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons raw honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
1. Blend ingredients until the mixture is smooth
How to use
1. Apply to damp hair (shampooed if required)
2. Cover hair with a shower cap for 30 - 60 minutes
3. Rinse hair with clean warm water
4. Apply your usual conditioner to hair and rinse with warm water
5. Dry hair and style as usual
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Mud Fun??
Yes mud is fun!!!! I really get the kids now when they are getting down and dirty. Today I had loads of fun at the Husqvarna Mud Run at Innovate Gym. All the proceeds went to Kidz Can so apart from being awesome fun it was for a good cause. Getting washed up was another matter altogether. I think even after 2 showers and a bath I still have mud in several places! Which gave me pause after I had vowed to let my kids enjoy mud and dirt. I saw my daughters' beautiful hair caked in mud, just like all the girls and ladies at the race and I felt like screaming "Noooo!". But I cant deny them these free pleasures which you can only pay for and need to justify when you are older to avoid being called a psycho. Pretty sad really. Anyways, I've decided on a pre-emptive strike. Before I encounter mud-caked hair I am going to have a solution on had to avoid both myself and the girls ending up in tears with scissors in my hand. Any ideas are welcome and I will definetely share what I come up with.
Laters
Friday, 22 February 2013
Welcome to the Bare Naturels Cosmetics Community
Welcome to our blog. This is where the Bare Naturels Cosmetics team and bloggers write about their daily lives, experiences, and thoughts on the latest hair and skin care trends, as well as their beauty tips. Here you will also find some recipes for homemade beauty treatments for those who want some pampering the naturel way. Join us on this journey and you will discover a whole new world of nature's own hair and skin care solutions.
Welcome to our online community!
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