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Banana Deep Conditioning Detangler

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Hello Goddess,

 

Have you heard of the L.O.C Method or  The Curly Girl Method?

How about the Max Hydration Method?

 

There are plenty of different natural hair care methods out here in Natural Hair Utopia. A quick Google search of “natural hair methods” will pull up enough to send you down a rabbit hole of natural hair care goodness for hours!

 

Many Goddesses have taken to YouTube to share their great, and in their words — not so great experiences and results. 

 

I’ve used the L.O.C Method and recently started the Water Only Hair Wash Method (I’m on Day 6 as I type this). I’m LOVING IT so far! I’m committing to this method for the next month, and seeing how my hair responds.

 

I have a video coming about all of this soon so today, I have 3 questions for you!

  1. Have you ever tried any of the natural hair care methods out there? 
  2. If so, what were your results?
  3. Will you be trying a new method?

 

Share your results/experience in the comments if you like. Hair care methods aren’t for everyone, but if there’s something that’s worked well for you (or something we should avoid…) let us know!

 

Today’s Activity - GO BANANA DEEP!

On the WOHW Method, I’m using fresh, new food and plant-based recipes that will help with total sebum coverage (a big deal in the WOHM).  

This whole process has me feeling real Badu.

If you have some over ripe bananas, or baby food in your pantry, that’s all you need.

If you don’t, both are easy to find and super inexpensive!

Here are three different variations — all great for deep conditioning, moisturizing and detangling.

 

Banana Deep Conditioning Detangler 

Naturally detangles hair, leaves hair shiny and well moisturized.

4 ripe bananas

optional - 1/2 tsp lemon juice (for freshness - to keep it from turning gunky) & 1 tablespoon raw agave syrup or molasses (to keep it easy to rinse out if needed).

The smoothie texture makes it rinse right out, but if your bananas are firm, it may be an issue.

  1. Blend on high for up to 1 minute in a high speed blender
  2. This recipe makes 16 ounces.
  3. Use within 7 days. Keep stored in your refrigerator

 

For a deeper condition:

Banana Deep Condish

4 bananas (or banana baby food)

1 to 2 tablespoons honey 

1 tablespoon coconut milk

1 tablespoon coconut oil (coconut oil alternatives that are great in this recipe: avocado oil, shea nut oil, or safflower oil)

 

Don’t have time to make this today?

Buy 1 to 2 jars of banana baby food. The number of jars you need will depend on the length of your hair. 

If you have extra, store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

  1. Stir bananas, apply to hair.
  2. Leave on your hair for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Place your hair in a baggy to heat up your deep condition.
  4. Rinse out completely, and style.

 

 

 

 

Lavishly Natural’s Homemade Vanilla Oil + Vanilla Extract Recipe

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Hello Goddess,

You know we make a lil of everything here at Lavishly Natural — from oils to butters, hair teas, let’s not forget my clay fetish, and green juice porn, for maximum hair growth of course.

I often get asked what my ABSOLUTE favorite recipe is, or the one I can’t live without.

If I had to pick just one thing it would be this — homemade vanilla oil.

Why?

It’s luxurious, tells frizz to have several seats, is excellent for skin, and gets even better over time.

When my kids were babies, I used this oil in place of baby oil. I  still use it for deep pressure massage with my son. 

Did you know vanilla oil has some crazy medicinal properties?

Benefits include:

  • it relieves nausea
  • lowers blood pressure
  • it’s an anti carcinogenic that slows and prevents the development of cancer
  • a natural sedative that induces sleep
  • has antidepressant properties that lifts mood, dissolves anger, and promotes good feelings
  • encourages dreaming
  • helps regulate menstruation
  • enhances libido (ahhh yeah)

Recipe Mentioned In The Video 

Calendula Oil | DIY Recipe & Benefits 

 

Additional Ways To Make Vanilla Oil 

Crockpot Recipe

 Add safflower oil, whole vanilla beans, and remaining ingredients to crockpot. Use the warm setting for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and add 10 drops of vanilla essential oil.

(Do not bring oil to a boil)

 

Stove Top Recipe

Put all the ingredients in a quart-sized pot. Turn the stove to the LOWEST setting, and let it simmer for up to an hour.  

Lavish it up with hair lovin dried botanicals like: pink or red roses, lavender, hibiscus, or chamomile flowers — all 4 are wonderful for hair and skin.

 

Bonus Recipe: How To Make Vanilla Extract (or Tincture) 

1 cup vodka 

6 whole, chopped, or ground vanilla beans 

8 ounce glass jar

Shake it once every week, and let it sit for 8 weeks.

 

Homemade Vanilla Oil 

 


 

Video | Yogurt & Honey Deep Conditioner Recipe (Homeschool Edition!)

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Hello Gorgeous!

How has your week been so far?

Mine…one word —

HOMESCHOOL.

Yes, Lavish has become a Homeschooling Goddess to The Greatest Kids In The World…and I’m officially a Crazy Woman!

I’ve obsessed over researched all of the curriculums I could get my hands on, created individual curriculums for my preschooler, 2nd grader, and 4th grader, and have been teaching all of the courses they WERE learning, and a few extras I’ve always wanted to teach.

The King School is alive and well, albeit in the newborn stage. Not bad for a college professor turned elementary school teacher!

I know…I’m waaaaay underqualified for this job. Luckily, the students don’t know! They’re having so much fun, they don’t even realize they’re learning just yet.

Somewhere an angel just got her wings.

 

Shot Caller

In addition to homeschooling, we’ve started DJ ‘The Hugger’ on methyl b-12 shots. This biomedical treatment, along with his mostly plant-based, gluten free, sugar-free diet, (and other therapies) is causing increased speech and social interaction — YEAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Damon is recovering from a speech delay (LIKE A BOSS!) and is receiving treatment for autism. The shots are super easy to give, unless he moves. Then it’s B-12 for anyone close. Fortunately that has only happened once — sorry honey.

We can already see improvements in how he feels (generally ‘back’ to himself - laughing, playing, loving being tickled). His words are becoming clearer and he’s sleeping better (**puts SUPERWoman cape on**).

This is a long-term treatment (2 to 4 years) so it’s great to see noticeable changes so soon.

Still…it was time for a much needed break just 5 weeks into our new year at The King School.

Hubby got tickets for us to see Dwele — gold star for honey:), I increased my alkalizing green drinks, and lost 6 pounds during the first week of Prosperity LIVE!

My kind of school.

4 Ingredients or less…

No clays or henna this week, I needed a deep Deep DEEP conditioner that was easy to make, makes enough for 3 full, thick heads of natural hair, and detangles with ease and grace.

I knew just the conditioner that my homeschoolers could make themselves!

Check out the video below.

The honey is optional — I add it to everything for it’s natural humectant powers!

Use YOUR favorite essential oil. The kids love Vanilla EO which is a calming fragrance that will make you suddenly have a taste for a good smoothie. The girls love citrus oils too but vanilla was in arms reach so it won!

Like Naptural85, I only apply this to the ends and I let it stay on for as long as possible.

I put this conditioner on dry hair and let it condition for about 4 hours. Same for the little ones.

We rinsed with warm water, and used Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle for additional conditioning. Great conditioner to help rinse out any remaining yogurt, and it leaves your hair smelling good & super conditioned.  

Once out of the shower, I used my creamy flaxseed jelly (added coconut oil for the creamy part) and put 10 to 12 braids in each of their hair. In the morning, we took our hair down and bunned it! 

Check us out, and peep the short clip at the end from our evening with Dwele!

 

Let me know in the comments…what’s your favorite product (homemade or not) for your Lil Naturalista’s hair?

 

 
Condition Lavishly:) 

 

 

 

How To Make Sweet Flaxseed Milk

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Hello Gorgeous!

If you like discovering natural products, you’ve probably heard someone mention flaxseeds at some point.

There are flaxseed gels, conditioners, even my personal favorite — the crunchy salad topping,  but have you ever had flaxseed milk?

I know, not your typical first choice for milk. But in my home, nut milks are out (2 nut allergies), cow’s milk is no good (1 food sensitivity) AND it needs to taste good sugar-free for my son’s treatment and recovery (read more about him here and here)!

Coconut milk and hempseed milk are our favorites, and when I saw flax milk in my local farmers market, I couldn’t wait to try making my own.  

It’s the perfect milk substitute whenever you want more vitamins, fiber, and nutrients added to your meals.

Flaxseeds are about $2.00 per pound, easy to find, and can be used as an egg replacer, deep conditioner, and hair growth booster! 

As AWESOME as these seeds are for your hair, it’s what they do for our body that’s even more spectacular!

Flaxseeds reduce the risk of:

  • heart disease
  • cancer
  • stroke
  • and diabetes

What makes flaxseeds so good for you?

WebMD says it’s their omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans, and fiber.

Each tablespoon has 1.8 grams of omega 3.

Lignans are phytonutrients that help regulate hormones. They contain plant estrogen and antioxidants that help with:

  1. hair growth*
  2. breast heatlh
  3. diabetes
  4. ovarian and uterine health
  5. relief from menopause

Here’s what you’ll need:

flaxseeds (brown or golden)

nut milk bag or strainer

purified water

sealable jar, container, or pitcher for milk

Avocado Coconut Cream Deep Conditioner
Oil-free, all-natural, brings hydration and moisture back to crunchy dry strands!
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Ingredients
  1. 1 avocado
  2. 1 overripe banana
  3. 1 can coconut cream (not coconut milk)
  4. optional: 1 tablespoon raw honey
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to your blender.
  2. Blend on high-speed for up to 2 minutes or until completely smooth.
  3. Pour into a bottle and apply to hair.
  4. Allow it to condition for up to 20 minutes. Put your hair under a plastic cap or back for extra heat!
  5. Rinse conditioner from your hair and style.
Lavishly Natural http://lavishlynatural.com/

Quick Vid | Sweet Flax Milk Recipe 

To use flaxseeds as an egg replacer:

For 1 Egg - mix 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal (ground or blended flaxseeds) and add 3 tablespoons of boiling water.

Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Makes a perfect egg replacer for dairy free recipes, gluten-free baking, and vegan cooking. 

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*Lignans Health Benefits (I have not used the products on this site. I do enjoy their use of evidence-based information).

 

Amla & Hibiscus Curl Defining Deep Conditioner Recipe

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Hello Gorgeous!

Last weekend I gave Lavish her first full henna treatment in over 2 years. It was the Henna Mix of ALL Henna Mixes. It had beetroot and hibiscus tea for sumptuous red highlights.  I added cocoa butter for decadent moisture, coconut water for hydration, and this amla & hibiscus conditio
ner that just pushed it way, way over the top!  

Amla’s Not-So-Secret Powers

I’ve used amla powder to add more conditioning power to my clay mixes and deep conditioners. I didn’t realize it could help me keep my curl pattern during a henna treatment. Apparently, this is Henna Head Gospel!  Amla powder can also be used to:

  • tone down red henna highlights
  • strengthen hair
  • add volume
  • promote hair growth
  • enhances curl pattern
Note: If this is your first time using amla powder, do a strand test before applying it to your whole head. Amla can be very drying.

 

Amla & Hibiscus Curl Defining Deep Conditioner

I started with dried hibiscus flowers I had left over from my henna ‘tea.’ Using my blender I created a powder for the mix.

You can buy the powder directly from many online sites. I bought this from Mountain Rose Herbs ($9.50 lb).   

 

I mixed the hibiscus and amla with other hair loving ingredients. 

Added the honey and coconut water…

It looked like this:


 My kids thought I was making red velvet cake:)

I added 1 tablespoon (combined) of melted coconut oil & cocoa butter to this mix:


The honey and marshmallow root powder make this really easy to rinse out. 

amla-rinse

Make some this weekend and let me know what you think!

Carrot Cake Carrot Oil
This oil is great to use for hot oil treatments, styling, facial serums, and scalp massage.
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Ingredients
  1. 3 carrots (2 were kinda small)
  2. 1 cup of olive oil
  3. 1 cup coconut oil
  4. 4 to 6 drops vanilla essential oil OR 1/2 vanilla bean
Instructions
  1. Wash and peel your carrots.
  2. Grate the carrots. Once you've grated them, wrap the carrots in a paper towel and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. You can also place the carrots in a nut milk bag and squeeze excess water out that way.
  3. Once you've removed the excess water, allow the carrots to continue to dry for about 2 hours. Lay them out as flat as you can on a dry plate or paper towel.
  4. They should be dry to the touch. Add them to your crock pot.
  5. Add your oil(s).
  6. Put your crock pot on the warm setting.
  7. I let CCCO simmer on the warm setting for up to an hour. Make sure your oil doesn't begin to boil or burn. Turn of the heat and allow the oil to cool for about 4 hours.
  8. Pour the carrot oil through the strainer to remove the carrots. Discard carrots after use.
Notes
  1. I like to add at least one half of a whole vanilla bean to my carrot oil. This gives it a beautiful carrot cake smell (if you like carrot cake – you’ll love it) but it’s really light and it doesn’t stay.
Lavishly Natural http://lavishlynatural.com/

Condition Lavishly :-)

Lavishly Natural’s Slippery Marshmallow Detangling Conditioner

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Hello Naturalista!

 

Have you ever been traveling and lost, left, or unable to find your well-packed natural goodies?

 

That’s been me for the past week…I didn’t have to throw anything away at the airport (thank goodness) but I did have to leave some of my diy mixing ingredients in storage for our move to Maui.

 

I didn’t cry — much.

 

Almost all of my essential oils made it, along with my Marvelous Marshmallow Root Powder, hibiscus flowers, and of course - my burnt sugar pomade (the whipped pudding made it too - YEZZZZ).

burnt_sugar-scaled500

 

Marshmallow root powder comes from the beautiful marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis).  You may also see marshmallow root referred to as althea extract, marshmallow extract, and marshmallow root extract.

 

Its roots and leaves are used to:

  • heal the skin
  • reduce inflammation
  • get rid of congestion
  • add soothing slip and softness to hair
  • and yes - to top off a good cup of hot chocolate - I am so making these the next time I have hot chocolate - it’s probiotic too - WHAAAATTTT

 

English: Althaea officinalis, Malvaceae, Commo...
English: Althaea officinalis, Common Marshmallow, flower. The root is used in homeopathy as remedy: Althaea (Alth.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Consumed mostly as a tea, marshmallow root* is what gives some of your favorite natural hair products their trademark slip, which can shorten any detangling regime.

 

It comes as a vitamin, extract, tea, and powder.  You can also buy it in bulk.  I bought the powder form and have been using the same bag (1lb for $12 from Mountain Rose Herbs) for 2 years now.  I use it for its slip factor but also for it’s Super Natural Thickening & Conditioning Powers.

 

Like xanthan gum and guar gum, which also thicken soups and sauces, marshmallow root will thicken anything its added to. Think along the lines of a more binding flaxseed gel, but even more soft and slippery.  This is orgasmic for homemade conditioners, moisturizers, and any of your water-based goodies.  I even add it to my clay mixes AND when I add too much liquid to a handmade creation.

 

For all of our Lavish Male Readers (we have quite a few y’all:) this bodacious botanical also makes an excellent aftershave.  Luscious Hubby uses it for this and as a gentle conditioner for his sexy skin.  Many aftershaves have lots of icky toxic chemicals in them - and he’s married to a Gawjus Natural Goddess sooooo…

 

A common recipe you’ll find online, is to add 1 cup of marshmallow root to 3 to 4 cups of hot purified water, with your favorite essential oil.

 

I never use that much in my mixes but perhaps thats because I’m using a powder.  My rule of thumb is to use 1 teaspoon per 1 cup of liquid…or just add it until the conditioner is as thick as I like it.

 

I like to add catnip and whatever I have on hand to make it Lavishly Conditioning.

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freshly made catnip tea 

 

Here are some additional benefits and my recipe for this softening, simple diy conditioner.

 

Marshmallow Root Benefits**

  • Has emollient, soothing and healing capabilities when incorporated into skin care formulations
  • Beneficial in aftershave preparations and in products that treat sunburns and dry skin
  • Natural hydroglycolic plant extract from the althea root
  • Pain relieving
  • Works as an anti-itching agent 
  1. *do not use marshmallow root if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
  2. **from Milady’s Skin Care and Cosmetics Ingredients Dictionary, 3rd Edition, pgs. 90 & 213

 

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Lavishly Natural’s Slippery Marshmallow Detangling Conditioner

2 tablespoons marshmallow root powder

3 cups purified water

2 tablespoons catnip

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Grapefruit essential oil (or your favorites)

Love Synergy Blend essential oil

  1. Heat 2 cups of water to just before boiling and remove from heat.  

  2. Add catnip and let sit for 10 minutes.

  3. Strain catnip roots/leaves from the water.

  4. Bring the remaining cup of water to a boil.

  5. Add marshmallow root powder and apple cider vinegar to boiling water.

  6. Remove from heat.

  7. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

  8. Add catnip infused water to marshmallow root/apple cider mixture.

  9. Add essential oils and have a Lavish Hair Partay!

 

Great for use after shampoo, co-wash, and deep conditioner.  Also good as a hair rinse.  I leave catnip on my hair but this is personal preference.  Some naturalista’s wash it out after use.  I don’t notice any film or residue and my hair LOVES catnip.  There is lot’s of shine! 

 

slippery marshmallow conditioner

If you like this recipe, Share it, Pin it, or Tweet it!

 

Essential Oil Benefits

 

Grapefruit Essential Oil

Natural anti-depressant, promotes positive feelings, hopefulness and relaxation.  Excellent overall health tonic for hair, mind, and body, helps balance oily skin

 

Love Synergy Blend Eessential Oil Ingredients:

 

Clary sage***

Natural relaxant, anti-depressant, reduces muscle spasms, natural aphrodisiac, heals rashes, reduces inflammation, induces feelings of euphoria, joy, and confidence, helpful in breaking addictions.

 

Geranium  

Improves skin, reduces blood pressure, anti-bacterial, helps in the regeneration of new cells, uplifting, strengthen’s mental functioning


Patchouli

Cell rejuvenator, anti-fungal, reduces appetite, conditions hair, eliminates dandruff, enhances sensuality, good for centering and meditation

Rose bulgarian 

Decreases nervous tension, mind calming, boosts libido, improves memory, anti-bacterial, decreases nausea, improves circulation


Sweet orange

Uplifting, cheerful, anti-depressant, relieves cramps, boosts the immune system.  This is my favorite essential for homemade hair and skin goodies for kids.  Team Lavish refers to this scent as Fruit Snacks.  We add it to baths, hair and body oils, and buddas

Ylang ylang

Anger eliminator, dissolves anxiety, helps reduce blood pressure, balancing/centering properties, clears negative thoughts, reduces dermatitis

***Do not use clary sage if pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you are being treated for breast cancer

 

For more marvelous marshmallow root recipes, Google “marshmallow root recipes for hair” and “marshmallow root hair recipes” for a plethora of good stuff!  To research your essentials use “The Google” again for your specific essential oil and one of my favorite sites - Aroma Web to get started.

 

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Condition Lavishly:)