I have fallen in love with my natural hair! So much so that I now give a damn about what my hair products are actually doing to it. It's kind of like during my weight loss journey when I started reading food labels checking its fibre, sugar and fat content - I now check my hair product labels for their ingredients. I try to avoid products with Parabens, Alcohol and Polyethylene Glycol, always searching for the 'All Natural' seal of approval!
Today, thanks to a few plucky Natural Beauty Guru Vloggers, the trend of DIY beauty products is hugely popular, with people starting to understand that it's not just about what you put in your body, its also about what goes on it! Embracing my afro texture hair for me has meant not only educating myself on what chemicals to steer clear of, but also what ingredients, particularly essential oils, can truly benefit me. Essential oils are highly concentrated and aromatic natural constituents that are present in many different plants; they are used in many cosmetics and medicinal ointments. These oils are also affordable and widely available on the high street.
So should we start making our own beauty products? Well YES, though probably not all the time! With our busy lives sometimes it's not practical to plan to make all our own shampoos and conditioners, and there are plenty of new great beauty product lines out there with natural ingredients. But if you feel the urge to tailor make, for your hair type, your own luxury products at cost price then you'll be in for a treat, as well as the fact you can make a large quantity that could last you months!
Here's a couple DIY hair products I've created, take a look for inspiration...
If you're still not convinced then try just adding an essential oil, suitable for you, to your daily routine, you'd be amazed at how much even one essential oil could help you! For example:
- Lavender Oil is an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic commonly used in baby products, and is great for treating dry, flaky scalp. It is even said to reduce hair loss and make the hair soft and shiny.
- Rosemary Oil is amazing for hair growth - stimulating blood flow to the scalp promoting strong and healthy hair. It can even be used to treat oily skin.
- Ylang Ylang Oil with its beautiful fragrance is used worldwide to promote healthy hair growth and balances an oily scalp.
These are just a few essential oils, and a few of their benefits. So even if you solely read up on different oils you'll be able to make an educated choice next time you purchase ready-made products. And if you do catch the DIY bug then please remember to read the instructions about dilution rates and research the quantities of use as a little often goes a long way, and using too much of a pure oil can cause irritations! They are very highly concentrated substances and are best diluted in carrier oils. So get yourself a Carrier Oil like; Grapeseed Oil, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil or good old household Olive Oil, all of which have their own beauty benefits too!
Happy DIYing!