How To: Create Your Own Avocado Hair Mask

Avocados are a nutrient rich fruit that aren't only good to eat, but can also be used topically. Below are two recipes for avocado hair masks. Winter may be doing some damage to your hair, and now would be a great time to rejuvenate it.  Please note that this mask is messy. Also, as with any first time trial, don't try this mask on your hair right before a big event.

Avocado Hair Mask

1 avocado
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil

Peel and mash the avocado. In a separate bowl whisk egg yolk and olive oil together. Put the avocado into the egg and oil mixture and mix with your hands. Run this mixture through your hair as you would a hair cream or leave in conditioner. Put your hair in a bun and wrap in a warm towel. Leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Avocado and Banana Hair Mask

1 avocado
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 over ripe banana
1 egg

Mash the avocado and banana. Mix together. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, honey, and olive oil. Mix everything together and spread through hair. Put hair in bun, and wrap with a warm towel. Leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Friday's Organic Skin Care Tip #11

Organic Skin Care Tip #11 - Need a general all-body moisturizer?  Try coconut oil!  Coconut oil has anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities and will help keep skin moisturized.  Simple rub in the coconut oil right after stepping out of the shower.

Can you use it on your hair?  Sure thing!  Massage into your scalp and hair, and let it sit for 30 minutes.  Wash your hair as usual.  You can also use it, lightly, as a frizz tamer.

We love coconut oil!

Skin Care Beyond the Hairline

When we think of caring for our skin, it often stops at our hair.  Do we need to care for our skin past the hairline?  How do we care for it?  Want this information?  Read the article linked below:

Should Skin Care Stop at the Hairline?

Need More Information on Essential Oils?

As we explore natural options for skin care, essential oils play a big part.  Want a little more information on essential oils and what each one is good for?  Check out the following links for a bit more information!

Mountain Rose Herbs

AromaWeb

Oilganic

Pure Inside Out

Enjoy!

Happy New Year! What are your Goals for 2012?

Happy New Year!  Chi Naturals is back after a short holiday hiatus!

As we embark upon 2012, I know that I am going to be continually working towards living my life as organically as possible.  No, I don't mean hairy armpits and living in a treehouse.  I mean the products that we use on our bodies and in our home.

I am amazed every day all the items in our home and lives that contain chemicals.  From cleaners to hair products to cough medicine and beyond!  As we nonchalantly use these products, we are blissfully unaware of any long-term effects that they could have.

Because I am unaware, I don't think it is the best idea to use all these products willy-nilly.  For this reason, I am going as organic as possible in 2012.  Once again, I mean with products.

What are your goals for 2012?

Friday's Organic Skin Care Tip #9

#9 - Hair Mask

For a quick and easy hair mask, massage coconut milk into your hair, starting at your roots and slowly working down the strands.  Leave in your hair for about an hour, then wash and condition your hair as normal.  This will help nourish and condition your hair, promoting growth.

Coconut milk from the can is fine!

How To: Properly Wash Your Hair

I know, how hard can washing your hair be?  It sounds stupid, but the technique you use to wash your hair actually has impact on the shine and bounce of your strands.

I used to wash my hair with reckless abandon.  It was fun and only took seconds to clean my hair.  But then, I learned better and learned these techniques:

1.  Brush your hair BEFORE you get in the shower.  It seems redundant, but it helps stimulate the scalp and minimizes the amount of hair that comes out while you wash in the shower.

2.  Get your hair thoroughly wet.

3.  Use only about a quarter-sized amount of shampoo and start massaging into your scalp.  Start at the roots and work your way down.

4.  Here's the difference:  take two minutes to massage your scalp.  Use your fingertips and massage your scalp and foots in a circular motion.  Start at the crown and work outwards.  Doing this massage will help stimulate the hair follicles for more hair growth.

5.  Continue to add water to help the shampoo emulsify and work properly.

6.  Rinse your hair so that all the shampoo is rinsed out.  Condition and rinse with cold water to maximize shine!

How To: Dry Brush for Exfoliation

You always need to exfoliate your skin to rid yourself of dead skin cells.  One technique to employ to exfoliate is dry brushing.  You may have heard of it, but never got into it because you weren't sure what it entailed.  Well, here is a great and simple start to dry brushing:

1.  Find a body brush with soft and natural bristles.  You don't want something with really stiff bristles; you don't want to scratch yourself!

2.  Start at the ankles, brushing upwards.  Brush over each spot seven times, always brushing towards the heart:  you're also promoting circulation!

3.  Work over your entire body - avoiding those areas with thinner skin like the chest and face.

Feel free to do this every day!  This helps keep dead skin cells from building up and helps keep your skin glowing!

Does Chewing Gum Cause Wrinkles?

This is a very interesting article about the consequences that chewing gum has on your skin…I bet you didn’t even think of this!  Enjoy this article!

Does Chewing Gum Cause Wrinkles?

How To: Get Your Hair to Last Another Day Before Washing

I know, this seems kind of gross.  However, for busy people, dry shampoo can be a lifesaver!  Fortunately, there are ways to make it last without harmful chemicals as well.  If you find that you need to stretch your hair one more day before washing…for whatever reason…try some of these options:

1.  Baking Soda – Take a little (not a lot!) and lightly sprinkle throughout the roots of your hair.  Use a bristled brush to brush the baking soda down towards the ends and out of the hair.  Warning:  your hair might turn a crazy color of gray before it’s brushed out.  Don’t freak out!

2.  Cornstarch – Do the same things as you did with the baking soda, but be careful – cornstarch has a tendency to poof all over the room whenever you use it.

3.  Cocoa Powder – I know, sounds suspicious.  But this is a better option for those with darker hair.  Use this the same as the baking soda and the cornstarch, being careful again.  Brush out!

You can make your own concoctions with ground oatmeal, the above ingredients and some essentials oils.  There are tons of possibilities, so just play around with what works for your hair!