23 May 2012
Homemade Hair Gel and Moisturizer
Another thing I felt I needed to do before I packed up my kitchen was make some of my homemade beauty products for my trip...what I'll be able to carry is another matter...
I love making my own stuff. You know what's in it, and I think it's fun. Every bit as much as cooking. There's something about it that simply adds more care into the whole "self care" idea. I know...it's another thing to do...but I find it comforting, like knitting and making my own yogurt. It's all part of creating a warm and inviting space for me. It also save me money and trips to the drugstore. My skin is so much healthier now too.
My friend, Rossana, gave me a quick little recipe for hair gel (cool, right!?) which is basically simmering one tablespoon of flax seeds in 1 cup of water until the amount reduces by half and then straining it and putting it in the fridge. I used some leftover red zinger tea (from enhancing my henna hair dye) in mine so it's a little red and smells yummy.
I also made some detangler...the recipe can be found HERE. I stuck it on my pinterest board a while back and thought I'd try it on my unbearably fly-away hair. It's seems to work pretty well. I believe I was also led to this by Rossana, so thanks!!! Between that and the flax seed gel, my hair has been much more manageable.
The moisturizer is a more complicated, but still easy matter. It requires a few more ingredients and a blender...so I needed to get it made before packing up the old girl. She has been a Godsend.
I learned how to make moisturizer in my herb class. TO tell the truth I can't remember whose recipe it was, but I deviate anyway. No two batches of mine are ever quite the same...and I have taken to adding some of my herbal oils into the mix, but I guess that's part of the fun. My Mother is a big fan of the last batch... :)
You have waters and oils and then you mix them together to form a creme. Easy.
Now you need to choose your oils and your waters.
I used 1 cup distilled aloe vera water mixed with a few drops of lavender essential oil. You can use distilled water, rosewater, aloe vera gel...etc.
Oils: I used grapeseed and then some herbal oils I made myself. This time, dandelion blossom with a splash of plantain. (1/2 Grapeseed and 1/4 "other")
Then 1 tsp lanolin (swoon) and 1/3 cup both cocoa butter and coconut oil (together in the 1/3 measurement). You could use shea too...
1/2 ounce grated beeswax (mmmm).
You melt the oils together over low heat and then let it all cool until it's a little cloudy.
Put oils in your blender, put on high and then pour the waters into the little funnel created by the centrifugal force.
Magic...emulsify! And you have moisturizer.
XO