*UPDATE* NEW! Shea-loe recipe

I was so bummed when the last batch of shea-loe I made molded (ewww!), and the aloe vera separated from the shea butter. What a mess! I've since learned a few new things about mixing up this wonder-butter that heals my babies' eczema and softens my dry, winter skin and hair. Read on to learn more.

Recipe
1 C shea butter
1 Tb coconut oil
1/3 C combined oils- I like to mix vitamin E, a natural preservative (5,000 I.U), avocado, olive, almond and castor
1 Tsp honey, preservative
1/4 C aloe vera gel
10 drops tea tree e.o (preservative. no mold!)
10 drops rosemary e.o (preservative)
8 drops grapefruit and lavender e.o (fragrance. helps to balance the smell of tea tree and rosemary)

Create a double boiler by placing a glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water. Be careful not to let the bowl tip into the water. This will ruin your batch.

Add shea butter, coconut oil, 1/3 c oils to glass bowl, and allow to melt. Add honey while oils are hot. Stir gently. Remove glass bowl from heat and place on a surface for mixing. Add aloe vera gel to warm oil and mix using a hand mixer (often used for mixing cake batter).

The key to blending the aloe with the shea is mixing! Blend on low, then high, making sure to get air into the mix. This creates a fluffy, finished butter. Blend for about 15 minutes, then place glass bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from freezer and blend again with mixer for about 2-5 minutes, or until the desired consistency. Add e.o and stir them in by hand. Transfer mixture to a clean, air-tight container with a lid. Place in refrigerator to set-up for a few hours.

I also like to label my batch with the date, so if it starts to look or smell funny, I know when to toss it. My last batch was January 12, so ar so good! Good thing everyone in my house uses it- it's almost gone!

Updates :)

I've done a lot of make up posts these past couple of months, right? Can't a girl love hair AND make up?

No worries, I'm back with a hair update, pics, and recipes just for you!

New Hair Routine: Part 1

Fall is here, winter is just around the corner, and cold air is waiting to suck the moisture from our hair and skin. My first line of defense against dry locks this season will be protective styling. 2x twists on wash day, worn for 1 week. Twist-out the next week, pulled back in a puff, until next wash day.

Wash Day: Part 2

I pre-poo on DRY hair with a combo of 3-5 of my fave conditioners and seal with oil. Pop on a plastic cap, wrap a towel or scarf around that, and wear as long as I can stand it, sometimes overnight. My current pre-poo conditioners:

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose
Burt's Bees Shea & Grapefruit Deep Conditoner
Desert Essence Jojoba Conditioner (vitacost.com)
Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner (Ulta)
Coconut Oil to seal

When I'm ready to wash, I detangle with my fingers as much as I can, then I finish in the shower. I shampoo with Aubrey Organics White Camelia (SLS-free), co-wash with Herbal Essence Hello Hydration or Hydralicious, detangle some more with a shower comb AND a paddle brush, then rinse with cold water. I use a little more of the Desert Essence (quarter size amount) over my entire head as a leave-in. I follow that with a scalp massage using any carrier oil I have on hand (avocado, olive, almond) mixed with a few drops of peppermint and lavender e.o.

New! Hair Mask/Smoothie Recipe: Part 3

I have tried Carol's Daughter Tui Hair Smoothie ($19, 8 oz.) and I don't like the wax that's in it, Jessicurl Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment ($12.75 + shipping, 8 oz.) and I hate to pay for shipping, and I've been eyeing Karen's Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Moisturizing Hair mask ($25 + shipping, 8 oz.). I simply refuse to pay that much money for product that will be rinsed out, and will only last 2-3 uses. So, a sistah got creative. I took the best ingredients from each of them and whipped up my own luscious creation. Here's what's in it:

shea butter
cocoa butter
coconut oil
castor oil
glycerin
*conditioner (cannot have silicones or protein. I use my Aubrey and Desert Essence)
almond oil
olive oil
rosemary e.o.
Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier (will post ingredients)

These are products that I use daily. I simply combined them in one product and it is the most moisturizing treat for my hair. I use it as a DT, I twist with it, I mix it in my palm with a few extra drops of oil and use it as a daily moisturizer. It is the business!

Styling: Part 4

Once my twists are done, I like to pin them up for a sophisticated look. My hair usually stays moisturized for 2-3 days using the smoothie. If it looks lackluster, I remove the pins, use the smoothie (with oil) as a daily moisturizer, seal with oil, and pin it up again. That's it!













My puff: Part 5

Gimme the Luscious

Consistent deep conditioning is the only way I can keep my 'fro juicy. Shiny. Thick. Soft. Luscious.
Here are a few ingredients that you can add to any commercial conditioner to kick it up a notch, taking it from average to A-mah-zing! And your hair will be oh-so-healthy, not 0h-so-krispy.

coconut milk
molasses
honey
oils- coconut, olive, jojoba, avocado
butters- shea, 100% cocoa (melted)
ayurvedic powders- 1 tb each amla, shikaka or brami
baby food banana
whole fat, plain yougurt
aloe vera gel
essential oil- 3-5 drops each rosemary, lavender, peppermint vegetable glycerin

I'm A Dirty Girl!

Here's the recipe for the Hair Mask that I apply 1x month.

3 Tb Bentonite clay

3 Tb warm coconut milk

3 Tb plain yogurt

1 Tb honey or molasses

3 Tb oil

Mix well. The mixture may be slightly lumpy. I scoop a small amount into one hand then rub hands together to smooth lumps. Then I apply mask to hair in sections. Once applied all over, I smooth it down the hair shaft (like applying a relaxer). Leave in 20 minutes. RINSE WELL. Co-wash to remove all residue. Deep condition if you like (sometimes I skip this step).