Coconut Milk, Honey, Oils, and Deep Treatments (A Long Post)

I love coconut milk hair soaks. They're a cheap light protein treatment, and I definitely notice less shed hairs after a good coconut milk soak. I have only a couple of caveats with coconut milk. The first is the smell, like baby formula. But its nothing unbearable, so I suck it up and move on. The second is that coconut milk does not last long in the fridge. What is a natural to do with leftover coconut milk? I don't know why I had not thought of this earlier, but why not freeze it? And furthermore, freeze it in ice trays so that I can have coconut milk cubes waiting in the freezer whenever I need them. That way, depending on how much I need, I can just melt a few cubes and save the rest for later. So smart, so convenient.



In other news, I am back to using honey. In spite of wanting to switch over to maple syrup as a vegan friendly honey-like humectant, I am back to using what is easier to find. Also, I miss using Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner. Next time I order from them, I will definitely be using their conditioner as my primary leave-in. Unfortunately, Giovanni has gone from Organic Technology to Eco Chic Technology (whatever that means) and has switched around the ingredients. So goodbye to Giovanni Direct Leave-In as my major leave-in. I will be getting reacquainted with OHHH.

On to the next...I am revisiting which oils I use and why. I have a bit too many for my liking, so I decided to pair down to what I have used that has garnered the best results. And the winners are:

• Castor Oil - a nice heavy oil that is touted for its hair thickening properties. It's also a great non-butter sealant. I also use it for oil cleansing on my face (with equal part jojoba oil) and as an oil rinse for my hair (with equal part olive oil).
• Olive Oil - an all around, easy to find natural oil that penetrates the hair shaft and adds major sheen to the hair. I use it in my oil rinses with castor oil. In a pinch, I would use it for oil cleansing my face. (Jojoba oil is not the cheapest).
• Jojoba Oil - I love this oil more than I would like, because it is not cheap. But the light feel is just what I like when I want a non-heavy oil to seal my hair. It is also great for the scalp. I have been using this mixed with an equal part castor oil for my oil cleansing and for sealing my hair when styling. I also use this oil for moisturizing my face and body. Fortunately, a little goes a long way in that regard. But again, this oil is not cheap. Anyway, I am most likely about to go ahead and buy a large bottle of it for Aura Cacia or NOW Foods.
• Coconut Oil - The king daddy of natural oils. This strengthening oil deeply penetrates the hair shaft. It is a great pre-poo treatment. It acts as a natural sunscreen for the hair and skin. It is pretty economical when buying online (esp. from VitaCost). And most importantly, it smells great. Much better than olive oil and castor oil. (Jojoba oil doesnt really have a smell).
• A splurge oil that I have not ever used but have heard good things about and would like to try is argan oil (aka Moroccan oil). I most likely will mix it with castor and/or jojoba oils to stretch it out. My place of purchase will most likely be Amazon. The ratio I have in mind is 2 parts castor oil, 1 part jojoba oil, and 1 part argan oil. This will be my oil based moisturizer of choice.
• Essential Oils- All the oils listed above are carrier oils that can be applied directly to the skin, hair, and scalp. When it comes to essential oils, which must be diluted in a carrier oil or another liquid, my only EO of choice is tea tree essential oil. It is a natural preservative that I add to mixes I make that have aloe vera juice or water. It is a great antiseptic good for breakouts. I need to mix another batch of toner for the face, which includes tea tree essential oil, ACV, and chamomile/green tea. Another great antiseptic EO is lavender essential oil.

Whew. Last topic of the day is deep treatments. I have used only one store bought deep treatment worth writing home about and that was the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque. In the end, the smell was a bit off to me and I preferred to use it as a styler. I may repurchase. Currently, I am using the SH Curl Enhancing Smoothie as a styler. For deep conditioning, I will return to using homemade mixes: a good store bought cheapie conditioner as the base (Yes to Cucumbers, Yes to Carrots, or Aussie Moist) with additions will be nice. And what do you think the additions will be? You guessed it...honey, oils, and maybe coconut milk. Honey for the humectant qualities, oils for the conditioning properties, coconut milk for the light protein qualities. The ratio has yet to be decided, but here is a link to a deep conditioning mix from the College Curlies/Fabulous and Frugal blog.

That is all. Until next time.