Tag: natural hair treatments

Mayonnaise Hair Mask for Moisture, Shine and Growth

I have studied herbalism for many years and enjoy using the knowledge that I have gained to create both simple and complex herbal remedies, delicious teas, tisanes and brews, and to make natural skin and hair care products. I get to share a lot of this knowledge in my weekly column on hellogiggles.com as The 21st Century Herbalist. Once a week I like to repost the column here, just in case you missed it!

Original publish date: July 05, 2012

DIY Hair Care Month begins! Years ago I was told the slathering mayonnaise on your hair will make it soft and shiny. I had to try it and it worked. Of course, I couldn’t just leave it at that. I had to improve it! I had to make my own. I’ve lost track of how many versions I’ve created but below you’ll find my favorite Herbal Mayonnaise Hair Mask recipe. For those of you that would like to keep it simple, I’ve also included the “Super-Basic” and “Basic” Mayonnaise Hair Mask recipe. All three recipes follow the same “Use” instructions below.

Super-Basic Mayonnaise Hair Mask

– 1 c. of all-natural, full-fat mayonnaise

Basic Mayonnaise Hair Mask*

– 1 large (or 2 small) egg yolk(s) at room temperature
– 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
– 5-6 tbsp. base oil of your choice (select one or a combination): olive oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed or coconut oil

Follow mixing instructions below.

*This recipe is based on the best benefit for your hair; it is not the tastiest mayonnaise for eating…though you could.

Herbal Mayonnaise Hair Mask

1 large (or 2 small) egg yolk(s) at room temperature – softens your hair
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar – adds shine, restores pH balance, removes residue and product build-up
1 tbsp. powdered** rosemary – encourages hair growth
1 tbsp. powdered** sage – encourages hair growth
1 tbsp. powdered** burdock root – softens your hair
1 tbsp. powdered** nettle – adds shine, encourages hair growth and moisturizes the scalp (good for dandruff)
1 egg white – adds shine

Optional:

For light hair: 3 tbsp. lemon or lime juice
For dark hair: 3 tbsp. walnut hull concentrate***
For red hair: 3 tbsp. alkanet root concentrate***

The 21st Century Herbalist: Volume 1, Issue 15

It’s the last week of One Ingredient…One Great Fix Month and as promised in last week’s post about milk, this week is all about honey! I don’t know who it was that first thought to smear this sticky, golden goo all over themselves, but I’m sure glad they did. Honey is incredibly beneficial to your skin and easy to use. You’ll want to make sure you’re using raw honey because the high heat used during the pasteurization process can destroy some of the naturally occurring compounds that make honey so great for your skin.

Honey as a Cleanser
Honey is a gentle, all-natural cleanser that won’t dry out your skin like soaps can. To use it, keep a bottle of honey in the shower

The 21st Century Herbalist: Volume 1, Issue 14

Milk and honey are two ingredients that just seem to go together naturally. Since biblical times there have been references to the “land of milk and honey”. John Lennon and Yoko had an album called Milk and Honey and Margaret Atwood named one of the stores in her novel The Handmaid’s Tale “Milk and Honey”. (Aside: If Hunger Games has you itching for another dystopia story, this is a good one.) So milk and honey have solidified their place in culture, but why? Why are they so great? There are a lot of reasons, and in this week’s installment of One Ingredient…One Great Fix Month, I’ll share some of the reasons that milk is so great for your skin…it’s not just for cereal anymore! Then next week, we’ll explore the loveliness that is ooey, gooey honey.

Milks Derived From Animals

There are, of course, different types of milk (skim, 2%, whole) from different sources (cow, goat, sheep), but they all contain some

The 21st Century Herbalist: Volume 1, Issue 12

It’s the start of “One Ingredient…One Great Fix” month and I’m starting with one of my favorites, apple cider vinegar. You probably know it best as a culinary ingredient, but it’s so much more than that! I initially intended to give you “one great fix” but apple cider vinegar is so versatile that I couldn’t help myself and I had to give you two great fixes.

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
Remove Product-Buildup, Add Shine, Soothe Itchy Scalp

You know all those crazy hair styles you’ve been sporting lately? Your shampoo can only do so much to remove all of the product that you use on your hair and the product that it leaves behind will build up and lead to dull hair. You can also experience lack luster locks because your conditioner may contain glycerin*, which coats your hair making it soft and shiny. It also attracts dust and dirt, which then sticks to your hair and creates buildup.