My Baerreis Wee Shell hair fork was finally delivered to me and I love it!!
I got it in Birdseye Maple and the natural wood grain is absolutely gorgeous.
It is so much thinner than my Grahtoestudio hair forks, which makes it feel really fragile; GTS forks are so much sturdier in that regard; I don't dare to toss my Baerreis fork into my handbag (bad habit I know) for fear of it snapping. The upside is that because it is so thin it slides right into my bun and its hold is good, but not tight to the point where it makes my head hurt. That tends to happen with my GTS forks. But then again my GTS forks are all made of heavy, dense woods: ebony, and cardinal wood.
Next on my list is my Nautilus fork... I think I'm going to get it in Cocobolo.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Homemade Fuller's Earth Clay Mask
My commercial clay mask ran out, so I decided to make my own detoxifying clay mask.
Did a little research, and found out about this clay called "Fuller's Earth", which is perfect for my skin's needs because I have oily skin, and I want a mask with skin-lightening properties.
According to MountainRoseHerbs.com, Fuller's Earth is "a sedimentary clay that has been widely used as a skin-lightening agent and is best known for its ability to be applied as a 'facial bleach'. Because of its enormous drawing capabilities, Fuller's Earth is the number one choice for oily skin and those prone to acne. It literally draws oil from the skin and has been used industrially for this exact purpose." Purchased a bag of cosmetic grade Fuller's Earth from MountainRoseHerbs.com, and when I received it I started experimenting with a few ideas on the web to come up with a suitable mask.
Some said honey would be good if you don't want the mask to be too drying, others added tea tree oil, or mixed it with rose water. For my first batch, I mixed the clay with honey, lemon juice and tea tree oil, but I didn't really like the end result because it was a little too moisturising and I did not feel the tightening effect at all. Made the mask again today, and I think I have a winner:
1 heaped tea spoon of fuller's earth clay
concentrated green tea
a few drops of tea tree oil (I added three)
Mix the green tea with the clay till you reach the desired consistency, then add tea tree oil. Apply onto a clean face. When the mask dries completely, rinse off with warm water.
Initially, I decided to go with water and tea tree oil. As I was mixing it all up in the kitchen, it suddenly crossed my mind that I could use green tea instead because of its wonderful benefits: apparently, when it is applied topically, it has detoxifying and antihistamine-like effects. I put a green tea bag into a mug, added a small amount of hot water, and started "mashing" the tea bag with a spoon to get really concentrated green tea really quickly. Added the green tea to the clay in small amounts till I got the consistency I desired, then added the tea tree oil. Applied the mask with my fingers, then sat around and waited till the mask started to dry and I began to feel the tightening effect characteristic of clay masks. The tea tree oil made the mask really tingly and had a "cooling" effect on my skin. One thing that I observed though, was that parts of the mask turned bright green, effectively showing me that the water had evaporated, while parts remained dark green, indicating that it was still relatively high in water content. I put quite a thick layer on my face because I made a little too much, but I think the next time I'll apply a thinner layer.
My skin felt really clean and refreshed after I washed off the mask. I'll probably have to try this a few times to see its long term effects, but for now I am very pleased with it!
Did a little research, and found out about this clay called "Fuller's Earth", which is perfect for my skin's needs because I have oily skin, and I want a mask with skin-lightening properties.
According to MountainRoseHerbs.com, Fuller's Earth is "a sedimentary clay that has been widely used as a skin-lightening agent and is best known for its ability to be applied as a 'facial bleach'. Because of its enormous drawing capabilities, Fuller's Earth is the number one choice for oily skin and those prone to acne. It literally draws oil from the skin and has been used industrially for this exact purpose." Purchased a bag of cosmetic grade Fuller's Earth from MountainRoseHerbs.com, and when I received it I started experimenting with a few ideas on the web to come up with a suitable mask.
Some said honey would be good if you don't want the mask to be too drying, others added tea tree oil, or mixed it with rose water. For my first batch, I mixed the clay with honey, lemon juice and tea tree oil, but I didn't really like the end result because it was a little too moisturising and I did not feel the tightening effect at all. Made the mask again today, and I think I have a winner:
1 heaped tea spoon of fuller's earth clay
concentrated green tea
a few drops of tea tree oil (I added three)
Mix the green tea with the clay till you reach the desired consistency, then add tea tree oil. Apply onto a clean face. When the mask dries completely, rinse off with warm water.
Initially, I decided to go with water and tea tree oil. As I was mixing it all up in the kitchen, it suddenly crossed my mind that I could use green tea instead because of its wonderful benefits: apparently, when it is applied topically, it has detoxifying and antihistamine-like effects. I put a green tea bag into a mug, added a small amount of hot water, and started "mashing" the tea bag with a spoon to get really concentrated green tea really quickly. Added the green tea to the clay in small amounts till I got the consistency I desired, then added the tea tree oil. Applied the mask with my fingers, then sat around and waited till the mask started to dry and I began to feel the tightening effect characteristic of clay masks. The tea tree oil made the mask really tingly and had a "cooling" effect on my skin. One thing that I observed though, was that parts of the mask turned bright green, effectively showing me that the water had evaporated, while parts remained dark green, indicating that it was still relatively high in water content. I put quite a thick layer on my face because I made a little too much, but I think the next time I'll apply a thinner layer.
My skin felt really clean and refreshed after I washed off the mask. I'll probably have to try this a few times to see its long term effects, but for now I am very pleased with it!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Chagrin Valley Soap & Shampoo Bars
My shipment from Chagrin Valley finally arrived! I haven't tried all of them, so I will add the reviews as I use them.
Here was what I bought:
Shampoo bars:
Herb Garden
Neem & Tea Tree
Nettle
Chamomile Citrus
Babassu and Marsh Mallow
Olive Babassu
Summer Sunshine
Soap bars:
Dead Sea Spa
Shea Rose Clay
Others:
Squalane Face & Eye Mousse
Reviews
Nettle Shampoo Bar
After reading all the rave reviews about this bar, I decided to start with this bar from my CV stash. It lathered very well, and did not dry out my hair. I lathered and rinsed three times in total. None of the squeakiness I got from my previous bars. My hair was easy to comb through when wet, when dry it did not feel rough, just a tad dry but that's because of the chemical damage. I did not use an acid rinse, but I don't think there is a need to at all with this bar. Very gentle cleansing. Only problem is that my hair is starting to feel a little oily, and it has been less than two days.
Olive Babassu
I love this bar even more than I do the Nettle bar; this bar is even gentler than Nettle in terms of cleansing capability, which makes for softer hair but also hair that gets oilier quicker. It has a very, very faint scent that goes away minutes after washing,
Neem & Tea Tree Body and Hair Shampoo
I bought this to use on my face and not on my hair. It gives off a very strong smell that I initially found off-putting, but I have gotten used to it. It has worked wonders for my complexion and I am very happy with this bar. It can be a little drying though, so combat the dryness with a good moisturiser.
Dead Sea Spa Soap
It is a dark grey colour which is a little scary but it doesn't have a strong smell at all. Didn't lather very well even after I softened my water. I guess it is an okay bar but I will not repurchase.
Squalane Face & Eye Mousse
It has the texture of whipped cream, it melts easily upon contact with the skin and gets absorbed very quickly. I have been using this as an eye cream and night face cream and I love it. It keeps my skin super moisturised. The only drawback is that this product has a shelf life of only two months so constant repurchase is necessary.
Here was what I bought:
Shampoo bars:
Herb Garden
Neem & Tea Tree
Nettle
Chamomile Citrus
Babassu and Marsh Mallow
Olive Babassu
Summer Sunshine
Soap bars:
Dead Sea Spa
Shea Rose Clay
Others:
Squalane Face & Eye Mousse
Reviews
Nettle Shampoo Bar
After reading all the rave reviews about this bar, I decided to start with this bar from my CV stash. It lathered very well, and did not dry out my hair. I lathered and rinsed three times in total. None of the squeakiness I got from my previous bars. My hair was easy to comb through when wet, when dry it did not feel rough, just a tad dry but that's because of the chemical damage. I did not use an acid rinse, but I don't think there is a need to at all with this bar. Very gentle cleansing. Only problem is that my hair is starting to feel a little oily, and it has been less than two days.
Olive Babassu
I love this bar even more than I do the Nettle bar; this bar is even gentler than Nettle in terms of cleansing capability, which makes for softer hair but also hair that gets oilier quicker. It has a very, very faint scent that goes away minutes after washing,
Neem & Tea Tree Body and Hair Shampoo
I bought this to use on my face and not on my hair. It gives off a very strong smell that I initially found off-putting, but I have gotten used to it. It has worked wonders for my complexion and I am very happy with this bar. It can be a little drying though, so combat the dryness with a good moisturiser.
Dead Sea Spa Soap
It is a dark grey colour which is a little scary but it doesn't have a strong smell at all. Didn't lather very well even after I softened my water. I guess it is an okay bar but I will not repurchase.
Squalane Face & Eye Mousse
It has the texture of whipped cream, it melts easily upon contact with the skin and gets absorbed very quickly. I have been using this as an eye cream and night face cream and I love it. It keeps my skin super moisturised. The only drawback is that this product has a shelf life of only two months so constant repurchase is necessary.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Homemade Beeswax Lipbalm
I've been searching for a natural replacement for Vaseline and chanced upon a recipe from this website.
The recipe calls for 1 ounce of beeswax and 1/2 cup of baby oil. I replaced the baby oil with organic virgin coconut oil because I didn't want to use mineral oil in my lipbalm.
To fill up a 2 oz jar, you will need:
1/2 ounce organic beeswax
1/4 cup organic virgin coconut oil
Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. I just put it in a bowl over a pot of boiling water on the stove. After the beeswax has been melted, stir in the coconut oil. You have to keep stirring till it cools completely, and because I am such a lazy person I put the bowl on ice so that it would cool faster. As you stir, you will realise that the mixture is solidifying. When it reaches the consistency of Vaseline, it is done. The beeswax I used was a golden yellow, so the mixture was pale yellow in colour. Store it into a 2 oz glass jar.
I tried it on my lips last night, and I woke up with very moisturised lips. I am very pleased with this recipe. Other recipes on the web add shea butter, Vitamin E oil, and other essential oils, but this simple recipe does it for me.
I bought my beeswax from here, in case you were wondering! The shipping was quick, and the beeswax is of a good quality; it is a pretty golden yellow colour, with a strong honey smell.
The recipe calls for 1 ounce of beeswax and 1/2 cup of baby oil. I replaced the baby oil with organic virgin coconut oil because I didn't want to use mineral oil in my lipbalm.
To fill up a 2 oz jar, you will need:
1/2 ounce organic beeswax
1/4 cup organic virgin coconut oil
Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. I just put it in a bowl over a pot of boiling water on the stove. After the beeswax has been melted, stir in the coconut oil. You have to keep stirring till it cools completely, and because I am such a lazy person I put the bowl on ice so that it would cool faster. As you stir, you will realise that the mixture is solidifying. When it reaches the consistency of Vaseline, it is done. The beeswax I used was a golden yellow, so the mixture was pale yellow in colour. Store it into a 2 oz glass jar.
I tried it on my lips last night, and I woke up with very moisturised lips. I am very pleased with this recipe. Other recipes on the web add shea butter, Vitamin E oil, and other essential oils, but this simple recipe does it for me.
I bought my beeswax from here, in case you were wondering! The shipping was quick, and the beeswax is of a good quality; it is a pretty golden yellow colour, with a strong honey smell.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Snowymoon's Moisture Treatment
I haven't fixed my hard water problem, and poo bars have been making my hair really dry. I've been avoiding the heavy coconut oiling that I used to do as a hair treatment, because of the trouble I have to go through trying to get the oil out of my hair with the poo bars.
I finally found an alternative hair treatment: Snowymoon's Moisture Treatment from The Long Hair Community forums.
4 parts conditioner
1 part aloe vera gel
1 part honey
I used Renew Skincare Australia's Everyday Nourishing Conditioner because it is SLS, paraben, and cone-free, Fruit of the Earth Pure 100% Aloe Vera Gel, and organic raw honey. Mixed them all together, then nuked the mixture for 20 seconds- when it first came out of the microwave the mixture was watery, but after letting it cool and stirring it a little it got back its thick pre-microwave texture.
Washed my hair with a soap bar because I'm out of poo bars, dried my hair, then applied the treatment. Sat around with it in my hair for about 2 hours, and I've just washed it out. Maybe I've been going with the poo bar and lemon juice routine for a little too long, but my hair feels wonderful. There is that slip I miss SO MUCH from conventional shampoo and conditioners... Kinda makes me wanna go back to them, as much as they are not good for my hair. Sigh. I love this treatment. I'm gonna see how my hair feels once its dry, but if my wet hair is any indication, I'm going to be one satisfied girl.
Update: 06/04/11
My hair is so silky right now that my hair forks aren't holding very well in them! This treatment is definitely a keeper. I'm going to do it at least once a week from now on!
I finally found an alternative hair treatment: Snowymoon's Moisture Treatment from The Long Hair Community forums.
4 parts conditioner
1 part aloe vera gel
1 part honey
I used Renew Skincare Australia's Everyday Nourishing Conditioner because it is SLS, paraben, and cone-free, Fruit of the Earth Pure 100% Aloe Vera Gel, and organic raw honey. Mixed them all together, then nuked the mixture for 20 seconds- when it first came out of the microwave the mixture was watery, but after letting it cool and stirring it a little it got back its thick pre-microwave texture.
Washed my hair with a soap bar because I'm out of poo bars, dried my hair, then applied the treatment. Sat around with it in my hair for about 2 hours, and I've just washed it out. Maybe I've been going with the poo bar and lemon juice routine for a little too long, but my hair feels wonderful. There is that slip I miss SO MUCH from conventional shampoo and conditioners... Kinda makes me wanna go back to them, as much as they are not good for my hair. Sigh. I love this treatment. I'm gonna see how my hair feels once its dry, but if my wet hair is any indication, I'm going to be one satisfied girl.
Update: 06/04/11
My hair is so silky right now that my hair forks aren't holding very well in them! This treatment is definitely a keeper. I'm going to do it at least once a week from now on!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Homemade natural hair mist
My hair has been feeling really dry lately, so I decided to make my own leave-in spray/conditioner. I turned to the Long Hair Community forums, and found this little gem of a concoction.
4 oz distilled water
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon jojoba oil
(If you refer to the original recipe, you can put in vegetable glycerin and essential oils, but I didn't have any of those on hand.)
Sanitise the mister you're going to use, so as to prolong the shelf life of your spray mixture. I just poured boiling water over all the utensils, mixing jugs and bottles I was going to use. This spray mixture works really well, I use all over the length of my hair, but I tend to go overboard so I try not to spritz it on hair near my scalp. It's lovely for moisture, and I go crazy on it for the damaged ends of my hair. It really helps!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Shea butter
Just received my raw unrefined organic shea butter from Beija-Flor Naturals in the mail! I haven't used it because I was rushing out of the house, but I'll definitely post updates after I'm done. I plan on using it as is, instead of whipping it with jojoba/vitamin E oil.
Update:
My shea butter came in a simple screw top container. It was not as creamy as I expected it to be, but rather it looked like it had been smushed into the container by the seller.
Quality and Smell:
Unlike reviews of other shea butter I've read on the web, the shea butter I received was pale yellow, clean (no disgusting hair or other strange foreign matter that I had to pick out of it!), and didn't have an intolerable smell. The smell is pretty all right actually. It is not as fragrant as cocoa butter, but it has a somewhat similar smell that is nutty, and pleasant.
Texture:
The texture is thick, which makes it difficult to spread on arms and legs. If it wasn't such a hassle, I'd whip it with jojoba oil.... I guess that's a small price to pay for high quality, natural moisturisers with zero chemicals!
Review:
As a moisturiser, I love this stuff. It gets absorbed into the skin really quickly, though it leaves a film of product on the skin; my skin definitely feels coated, but not sticky or oily. As such, I personally don't use this as a daytime body moisturiser, because the weather here is hot and humid, and I think it just wouldn't be a good mix. But I love this as a night body moisturiser, especially because I sleep in an air-conditioned room. I wake up with nice, moisturised skin. I have also used the shea butter on the damaged ends of my hair, upon coming out of the shower. A little goes a long way!
Update:
My shea butter came in a simple screw top container. It was not as creamy as I expected it to be, but rather it looked like it had been smushed into the container by the seller.
Quality and Smell:
Unlike reviews of other shea butter I've read on the web, the shea butter I received was pale yellow, clean (no disgusting hair or other strange foreign matter that I had to pick out of it!), and didn't have an intolerable smell. The smell is pretty all right actually. It is not as fragrant as cocoa butter, but it has a somewhat similar smell that is nutty, and pleasant.
Texture:
The texture is thick, which makes it difficult to spread on arms and legs. If it wasn't such a hassle, I'd whip it with jojoba oil.... I guess that's a small price to pay for high quality, natural moisturisers with zero chemicals!
Review:
As a moisturiser, I love this stuff. It gets absorbed into the skin really quickly, though it leaves a film of product on the skin; my skin definitely feels coated, but not sticky or oily. As such, I personally don't use this as a daytime body moisturiser, because the weather here is hot and humid, and I think it just wouldn't be a good mix. But I love this as a night body moisturiser, especially because I sleep in an air-conditioned room. I wake up with nice, moisturised skin. I have also used the shea butter on the damaged ends of my hair, upon coming out of the shower. A little goes a long way!
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