Oatmeal Facial for Oily & Acne-Prone Skin

All you need are ground oats, buttermilk, egg white, ginger essential oil, and lemon essential oil. For the full recipe and instructions, click here. I have personally never tried the facial, but the ingredients seem promising.



OTHER FACIAL SCRUB RECIPES

REVIEW #1: Coconut Honey Deep Conditioner

Number of trials: three (2x on dry hair prior to wash; 1x on wet hair after wash)

Ingredients - 4 tbs of coconut oil, 2 tbs of natural honey

Instructions - Place coconut oil and honey in a small plastic bag and place the bag in a hot cup of water for 1 minute to warm. Apply to hair, wrap hair in a towel for 20 minutes. Wash then dry hair.

How I prepared and used it:
I used extra virgin (i.e., pure and natural) coconut oil for the homemade mix. I also prepared about 2 times the serving because my hair is thick, dense, and naturally dry.

... as a hot oil treatment - Mixed 8 tbs of coconut oil with 4 tbs of honey in a bowl and heated it in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds to speed up the melting process. (The conditioner may/may not lose some of its benefits by being heated in the microwave; I'm not certain. I recommend that you stick with the official instructions above and I will do the same in the future.) Applied the warm mixture to hair, and wrapped hair with a plastic grocery bag followed by a turban towel. Let sit for 20 minutes. Washed hair with one lather of a moisturizing shampoo.

... as a deep conditioner - Washed hair with a moisturizing shampoo and toweled blotted until damp. Prepared the conditioner the same way as done for the hot oil treatment. Poured the mixture onto hair, and wrapped hair with a plastic grocery bag followed by a turban towel. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinsed 80-90% of the conditioner out with warm water and then followed up with a blast of cold water to flatten the cuticles.

Recipe Source: http://hairrecipes.homestead.com/hotoilrecipes.html

FULL REVIEW:
This mixture makes a good hot oil treatment (used prior to washing) or a great deep conditioner (used after washing). I am not a fan of hot oil treatments in general, so I prefer to use this concoction as a deep conditioner instead. It is moisturizing (honey) and strengthening (coconut oil), so I get the best of both worlds. It is also super easy to make and requires minimal ingredients. I personally used two servings of the recipe because my hair is really thick, dense, and naturally dry. The conditioner is a bit messy to apply; I find it easiest to:

Bend over the tub so the mixture does not drip onto floor; pour the conditioner gradually onto my hair and let it drip into my hand; take the remainder in my hand and massage it into the parts of my hair that the conditioner didn't reach; once I'm done pouring, do a full-on massage of my hair to distribute the conditioner.

Do not expect this homemade conditioner to leave your hair smooth and silky like with commercial conditioners containing cetyl alcohol and cones. It did, however, leave my hair feeling strong immediately after rinsing it out. The moisturized factor kicked in after I let my hair dry for some time; my hair was supple and had a nice sheen. I usually apply a moisturizer after deep conditioning, but in this case, I was able to skip on some of it.

PROS RECAP: Quick and easy to make, Inexpensive, Minimal ingredients, Ingredients with long shelf life, Moisturizing, Strengthening, All Natural

CONS RECAP: Bit messy, No slip like with commercial conditioners

RATING:
Overall, I rate the Coconut Honey Deep Conditioner 4 out of 5 stars. It's natural and inexpensive, it moisturizes and strengthens in one, and it's not a hassle to make. It will become a regular part of my hair care regimen.

IDEAL FOR THOSE WHOSE HAIR:
* dislikes protein but requires strengthening
* is damaged and/or dry

HEADS UP:
*Be sure to wash behind your ears and around your hair line after using this homemade deep conditioner. Coconut oil can clog the skin and contribute to acne.
*Honey, when in contact with water, supposedly lightens the hair color over time. Hair lightening may occur when this conditioner is used on wet as opposed to dry hair.

FOR THE MIXOLOGISTS OUT THERE:
Feel free to experiment with adding an inexpensive conditioner (such as Suave or V05) to your mixture, or an additional favorite oil of yours (such as extra virgin olive oil). I like the Coconut Honey conditioner as is, though!

Hot Oil to Substitute Sebum?

Each follicle contains a sebaceous gland that produces an oily substance called sebum. Sebum helps to remove dead skin cells, lubricate the scalp, and condition the hair. The curlier the hair, the harder it is for this substance to reach the ends of the strands thus leading to dry hair. Can hot oil treatments be the answer? Well, many of us with coilier strands find sufficient moisture in the topical application of a butter or glycerin. However, it couldn't hurt to give a hot oil treatment a try. Below are some recipes OR you can experiment with your own favorite oils. If you are pregnant or have a disorder, please consult your doctor before using essential oils:

In a few weeks, I will give a review of one of the treatments as well.

RECIPE #1: ROSEMARY HOT OIL TREATMENT
Rosemary oil is thought to help fight dry scalp, dandruff, and alopecia.

Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup of dried rosemary leaves
* 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:
Combine ingredients then heat up until warm. Strain. Coat the entire scalp and ends of hair with the oil mixture. Wrap hair in saran wrap and a towel over that, leave on for 15 minutes. Wash hair twice to remove the oil. Use this treament twice a month or when your needs a deep conditioning. Leaves your hair shiny and rehydrated.

Source: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/hotoiltreat.html
VIDEO TUTORIAL (using soybean oil)

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RECIPE #2: HOT OIL CONDITIONER
Olive oil contains antioxidants and is loaded with fatty acids. Some consider it a great moisturizer.

Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup boiling water

Directions:
Combine ingredients then warm on low heat. Massage mixture into the scalp and hair. Wrap hair in a hot towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo & rinse out.

Source: http://styles101.homestead.com/nathairrec.html#anchor_35838

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RECIPE #3: CASTOR-SOYBEAN HOT OIL TREATMENT
Castor oil is an emollient and humectant. Soybean oil and castor oil are loaded with fatty acids.

Ingredients:
* 1 teaspoon soybean oil
* 2 teaspoons castor oil

Directions:
Combine ingredients then warm on low heat. Massage mixture into the scalp and hair. Wrap hair in a hot towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo & rinse out.

Source: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/hotoiltreat.html

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RECIPE #4: JOJOBA HOT OIL TREATMENT
Jojoba oil is said to be similar to our own sebum and collagen. It is also a humectant and feels non-greasy compared to other oils.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons jojoba oil
1 teaspoon soybean oil

Directions:
Combine ingredients then warm gently on low heat. Test temperature on inside of forearm. Massage mixture into hair.Wrap hair in a hot towel or cover with shower cap or plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Shampoo & rinse out. Reciped may be doubled for very long hair.

Source: http://www.longlocks.com/hair-care-recipes-cookbook.htm#cond3

FOR MORE RECIPES, click the following:
Lavender Rosemary Oil Treatment
Hot Oil Treatment for Damaged Hair
Super Deep Hot Oil Conditioner
Hair Regrowth Hot Oil Conditioner
Coconut Honey Deep Conditioner

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Other sources:
ESSENTIAL OILS DESCRIPTION #1
ESSENTIAL OILS DESCRIPTION #2
CARRIER OILS DESCRIPTION
SEBUM
SEBUM & KINKY HAIR