Wednesday 20 February 2013

KWW: Hair Rinses & Loc Maintence Ideas

Welcome back to Kitchen Witchin Wednesdays. this week I'm sharing with you the tool I use to keep my hair clean. I have locs and I can't use the regular (I mean I guess I could but I don't like to) shampoos and cleaners for my hair. I don't always have the time or the funds to purchase the super expensive ones i love either, so I have gone back to basics with my most basic of hair supplies.  And you probably have them in your kitchen already.

Doing hair rinses helps to promote scalp health & help to prevent further damage that is done by UV rays, pollution & our hair products.  Since the scalp is maintained by blood vessel that supply it with protein & other nutrients, the best recipes will work on the scalp itself.

When I was younger I learnt that if you had light colored hair( blonde) that using lemon juice on your hair will bring out your highlights.  I have since learnt that it's great for helping eliminate the extra oil from your scalp as well.
@deziner02 via SXC.hu
Highlight Rinse Recipe:
1 lemon with 1/4 cup water in a glass jar, shake well.

Use:
After shampooing, rinse your hair with this recipe then allow to stand in your hair for five mins. Rinse out with cool water.

Beer rinse for body & shine
Of course the most rumored & well known rinse of course is the beer rinse. To add body & shine to your hair, you can use a flat or stale beer to rinse your hair once a month.   The smell won't last long so don't worry about smelling like a brewery at work ( you could also do it on say a friday night or the weekend so by monday the smell will be gone).  The beer will add B vitamins & natural sugar to your hair which is what gives it the added shine.  Ehow, has a great how to guide for making your own beer rinse & explains the science a little more.

Split End Prevention (do this 2-3 times a week)
Olive oil, use a few teaspoon of oil on your hair ends to seal them & leave on overnight. You can rinse out in the morning if you need to.

Use coconut oil on the scalp to help with hair growth & to help release hair so it won't tangle & will be less likely to split as well.

Sub Damage Prevention
Apply Sesame oil to help protect the hair.  The sun can cause serious damage to the hair, especially during the summer months when we are running from ocean/pool to parties or a BBQ without covering out head.  The sun can dry out hair making it prone to being brittle & breakage.  Use the oil before going out, by massaging a few teaspoons (based on hair length, longer means a few more, shorter means a little).

Hair rinses:
Make hair rinse much like making herbal tea. Pout boiling water over a teaspoon of the herbs, steep for 10 mins, then strain. Massage into scalp as evenly as possible, allow hair to air dry. (You don't have to rinse the hair out) Use the rinse AFTER shampooing!!

Sage Rinse: helps to reduce oil buildup & promotes healthy hair. Use this rinse after shampooing for 3 weeks.
Birch Leaf Rinse: Helps to promote a healthy scalp & is believed to help prevent hair loss.  It also softens the hair & adds shine.  don't use on blonde or gray hair, it will darken the color,
Chamomile Rinse: Using the flowers, this rinse soothes & heals the scalp & gives hair a healthy shine,  Can also be used to lighten blonde hair.
Linden Flower Rinse: Best for dried out hair, especially for hair taxed by repeated dying or bleaching and is now brittle.  Promotes scalp health & circulation.  Use for six weeks for best results.

Deep Clean (Purifying Cleanser)
For a deep clean of my hair I use a apple cider vinegar rinse, the recipe I found here:
Can I say I was much like Chesca, shocked at how much gunk was still in my hair even though I washed it only a few days before.  What she didn't say and what I learnt later is that you should wash your hair after doing the treatment.  Since this treatment strips your hair you should only do it a few times a year. Chesca suggests twice a year, when i first learnt about it I did it every three months, by time I did it that last time my locs weren't in such a deep need, because of the next 'shampoo'.

Even if you don't have locs this is like using a clarifying shampoo on your hair, it cleans out the buildup of product that takes place over time.  Once I really learnt about loc maintenance for myself I started doing apple cider vinegar rinse every time I washed my hair.  And that's a simple recipe as well.

You simply need apple cider vinegar & baking soda.

Directions:
  • Many people I know will coat their locs or hair with the baking soda allow it dry a little (first make a paste with water) 
  • then fill a bucket or tub with the hottest water you can stand, then pour in about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cider vinegar (base this on the length & thickness of your hair, for longer hair go for more)
  • then starting with the ends of your hair dip then in the mix and continue adding more of your hair, the baking soda will pop & fizzle, once it stops add more of your hair, keep going until you feel all the baking soda is gone and no more reaction is taking place, make sure to get the front & back of your head as well.
  • Rinse, with plain water, then shampoo/ or co wash as necessary (co-washing is using conditioner to wash your hair instead of shampoo, some claim it prevents the stripping of hair & helps with growth.)

Information gathered from many sources, including my own experience. The herbal rinses recipes & information from the Complete Natural Healing group 7, card 15


So there you have it.  These are some of the recipes in my arsenal for healthy hair.  Have you done any of these before?? Have a favorite recipe?? Share in the comments.

2 comments:

  1. I've had the darnedest time trying to grow locs! The first time I tried to grow them, they snapped off after a certain length. Unable to obtain to what I consider beautiful locs (thick and soft and symmetrical), I just flat out gave up.

    I've seen beautiful locs, but unfortunately, they weren't on me! Of course, I may just try my hand again at growing them. I'm stubborn like that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've had the darnedest time trying to grow locs! The first time I tried to grow them, they snapped off after a certain length. Unable to obtain to what I consider beautiful locs (thick and soft and symmetrical), I just flat out gave up.

    I've seen beautiful locs, but unfortunately, they weren't on me! Of course, I may just try my hand again at growing them. I'm stubborn like that.

    ReplyDelete

I love my readers, and your comments help me to know how you feel, so please share.
Thank You and Goddess Bless.