Essential Oil Scalp Mask

I said a long time ago that I was trying something new by jumping in to the world of essential oils.  Well, long story short, I am in love with my Young Living oils.  My stash is growing, I'm integrating oils into my daily routine, and I'm noticing big changes in my wellness.

Any reader of this blog knows how much I love crafting, making, and DIY.  Essential oils, along with some products from a local health food store or Amazon, can replace a lot of store-bought products.  It's often cheaper to DIY these products, and you also remove a ton of the toxins and questionable ingredients found in store-bought products from your home.

One of the first places I started integrating essential oils was in my haircare.  My hair is an important part of my identity, and it's not always in the best shape because I color it.  Coloring my hair also limits the products I can use, because some ingredients will strip color.  I've struggled over the years with an unhealthy scalp, but now I have my homemade Scalp Mask.

There are only six ingredients in this recipe!  Three of them are essential oils, and three are carrier oils.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for products:

-With carrier oils, it is important to look for expeller- or cold- pressed oils.  This means that no chemicals were added to pull the oils from the nut or seed

-Make sure your carrier oils are hexane-free.  Again, it means chemicals were part of the extraction process.

-Do a little research on your carrier oil brand and be sure you feel comfortable with them.  All of the carrier oils I used here are NOW brand because it's what my local health food store carries, but it's not neccessarily my favorite brand or one that I'd say is significantly better than others.

-For essential oils, I only use the Young Living brand.  Their Seed to Seal promise makes me certain I'm getting pure, potent, unaltered oils made from plants not treated with toxins.  Young Living oils are grown with therapuetic properties in mind and are tested to ensure those properties are intact.

-There are many store-bought brands of essential oils, but they are often diluted with fillers or made from plants that wouldn't pass Seed to Seal testing.  I've compared other brands side by side with Young Living - I don't buy store brand oils.

Essential Oil Scalp Mask

In a two-ounce bottle combine the following:

1/2 ounce argan oil

1/2 vegetable glycerin

1 ounce almond oil (also known as sweet almond oil)

30 drops each of Cedarwood, Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), and Rosemary essential oils

Shake well before each use.  Apply directly to the scalp all over or wherever needed and let sit for 1-2 minutes before shampooing.  If oil remains, shampoo a second time before conditioning. 

This recipe has been a God-send for me.  I use it each time I shampoo to nourish my scalp.  I'm no longer scratching or dealing with an embarrassing scalp!  And as a bonus, Cedarwood can help promote strong hair growth. 

My hair is thick and a little on the drier side, so these carrier oils working great for me.  I also only wash my hair once every few days.  If you find that this particular combination of carrier oils leaves your hair feeling oily, there are lots of other carrier oils that you can swap in until you find the right balance for you - not all carrier oils are the same!

Trying New Things

Trying new things is generally not my style.

This year, though, I'm trying to focus on a quote from the TV show Blue Bloods:

I have a secure base.  It doesn't get much more secure than living in your hometown and working for the company that gave you your first job.  Whoever said "you can't go home again" really missed the mark.  You can go home again - you just go home changed.

So though I'll admit that what I've been up to lately doesn't really qualify as daring, it is a new year and I'm making some new choices.

First, a new craft.  My mom bought me a sock loom (I adore socks) for Christmas 2013, and I am finally giving it a try.

You're looking at the better part of six hours of work.

I had to start over at one point, and I'm doing this at work, but still.  Slow going.

This isn't my first experience with loom knitting, but knitting socks is very different.  The yarn is extremely fine (I'm currently using a 2 yarn, but most of the patterns call for a 1 weight), so it has a different texture and the finished product grows very slowly.

The yarn I'm using, in Grapes.

Second, a new beverage.  I have had tea once in my lifetime, about ten years ago.  I can't tell you what kind of tea it was - a coffee shop gave it to me because they were out of what I actually wanted - but I hated it.  My friends, on the other hand, are tea lovers, and one of them is hosting a party for a company called Steeped Tea.  I love to support a direct sales business person!  I'm getting one rooibos tea and one green tea, so we'll see how it goes.

http://www.steepedtea.com/

And last, a new supplement.  Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely an advocate of modern medicine, vaccines, and the power of medical science.  I do not approve of turning our backs on the power of medicine - the recent measles outbreak is proof enough that medicine is an important part of quality of life.  The rise of superbugs and antibiotic resistance is proof enought, though, that sometimes it's better to not have a pill and potion for everything.

So, I'm trying out essential oils.  Several acquaintances have been using oils with good results, and I'm willing to see if I can get any relief from my upset stomach and and sinus congestion.  My first trial run will be with peppermint, cedarwood, and lemon.  We'll see how it goes!

Photo credit