Top 5 Reasons I love Vinegar

I  LOVE using vinegar, very much! It has become a staple in my home. I recently went to COSTCO so that I could by a 5L bottle of white vinegar for less then $4.00. I felt such a rush scoring that deal that I literally giggled as I hauled it into my cart. That is how much I love vinegar.

I typically use White Vinegar for the home and Apple Cider for my hair and skin however, I will replace ACV with WV when I run out.

Vinegar is awesome because it cleanses hair and is often used to treat dandruff. It’s anti-fungal, disinfecting, and Ph balancing properties are also useful when cleansing/healing your body and cleaning your home.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons I love Vinegar

1. I have reduced the use of commercial cold and sinus medications that are full of so much junk with using this homemade cold and flu formula recipe instead

http://nancyvienneau.com/blog/articles/home-remedy/

2. Being pregnant with my daughters made me want to stop using cleaners with heavy fumes so now I make several mild homemade cleaners.

All purpose cleaner- http://wonkywonderful.com/1/post/2012/06/natural-lemon-vinegar-cleaner.html

Tub cleaner- Use 1 part Dawn, and 1 part warm White Vinegar, spray the tub and leave the mixture on there for several hours. Next, rinse your tub with hot to warm water and see the sparkling results!

3. Natural Feminine Wash. Sometimes a lady needs a little extra sumthin, sumthin when washing her feminine parts (esp. after pregnancy or her menstrual cycle) and I find this method very helpful. http://www.ehow.com/how_5680738_use-vinegar-feminine-wash.html

4. I have used ACV rinses for a long time but now I have added a vinegar/baking soda wash during my shampoo process. My scalp is left clean and my hair is fresh and shiny. When my consultant washes my hair, in a similar fashion as this, it looks as though I have used a shine serum because it is super shiny!!

Step 1- Rinse locs very well

Step 2- Take a 1-2 tbsp of baking soda and water to make a paste and then massage my scalp with it. I also smooth the mixture down the length of my locs

Step 3- I use a spray bottle full of vinegar and spray my hair with it till I hear bubbling

Step 4- After I have massaged my locs I rinse the vinegar and baking soda up

Step 5- I wash my hair another 2 times using a clarifying shampoo

Here is the link where I discovered this method. I use Recipe B and I considering using Recipe C, very soon.  http://dirtyprettythangs.com/2010/07/06/kitchen-kures-natural-clarifiers-for-my-locs/

5. Every so often I add 1 cup of white vinegar to my washing machine to get cleaner and fluffier towels. The vinegar will get rid of detergent build up and any musky smells that you get from forgetting your load of towels in the washer…ooops.

If you have a case of stinky mildew towels use this 3 step process.

Step 1- Wash your towels in only hot water with 1 cup of vinegar,

Step 2- Run the towels again in hot water with a ½ cup of baking soda. This will strip your towels of that residue and mildew smell and will actually leave them feeling fluffy and smelling fresh.

Step 3- Dry as usual

I hope that you find a way to add more vinegar to your life, you will not regret it!

Stay Blessed,

TWI (The Woman Inside)

K.I.S.S. and Hot Oil Treatments

K.I.S.S. = Keeping It Simple Sexy

That is what I am doing folks, I am keeping my routine, regimen, and product use simple. It is so easy to get caught up in wanting to try this or that on my locs but I have Sisterlocks and the beauty of Sisterlocks is that they really don't need much. Actually, using too much on these locs can be detremental ie build up, unraveling and slippage. My locs are maturing and I really thought that by now I would start to use a phlethra of conditioners, moisture sprays, and oils. But oil is the only thing that I have added to my simple regimen. (However, I will use a leave in conditioning spray once I color) I had a hot oil treatment last weekend and it was great. My hair feels conditioned, looks shiny, and is stronger.

Hot Oil Treatments are highly recommended for people with dry and/or damaged hair. They are beneficial because the oils can infuse your hair with keratin leaving it strong, and moisturized. It is so easy to create your own treatment. I plan on using the following oils  for future treatments

Coconut Oil - Even though this oil may not be good for everyday use in Sisterlocks (it can build up and be harder to wash out) it is awesome for a Hot Oil Treatments. It penetrates the hair shaft so it is ultra moisturizing. Also, because of it's anti fungal/antibacterial properties, it is great for people having dandruff and other scalp issues.

Olive Oil - This oil is very nourishing, a great moisturizer for dry hair and scalp but is also very heavy. It strengthens and increases elasticity of the hair shaft.

Jojoba Oil - Is a lighter oil but still gives your hair a nice shine. It mimics the natural oils that we produce (sebum), and helps to distribute that oil so it can help some balance their oil production. This oil is good for people with oily hair.



How to do a homemade treatment: You can do your treatment before or after you wash.

1. Decide which oil/oils you would like to use.
2. Measure out 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil (depending on length of hair) and, if you desire, add a few drops of your favorite essential oils
3. Heat your oil in microwave or pan till warm, you do not want it to be hot BE CAREFUL
4. Add your warm oil to you locs by massaging your scalp and rubbing the oil from root to tip
5. Cover your locs with a plastic cap and either wrap it in a warm towel 30 min, or sit under the dryer for 15min
6. Rinse well with warm water and do a final few minutes with cool water for even more shine


Regimen and products:

Even though I like having a simple routine my only problem is the best shampoo for my locks, so far, has sulfates.  I have tried several natural organic shampoos and either they leave a residue or my ends loosen up. I also noticed that my locs were not as condensed and tight as I like them to be. Now, maybe it's just a coincidence and my hair was just going through a phase but as soon as I stopped using my natural shampoos, and went back to Suave and Dawn, my hair tightened right up. When I am fully locked I may revisit my natural shampoos or look or an even better one.



Shampoo every 2 weeks: At home Suave Daily Clarifying  :  At the salon Gabrel's Lemon Fluff

Hot Oil Treatment: will be every 6 weeks using coconut oil

Spritz- Just water or Seabreeze mix

NOW

Hair is tight and mostly sealed

31 Months

BEFORE
Example of  my ends looking loose and puffy

Side note : Recovering from Post partum Shedding YEAH!!!

Stay Blessed!

Lemon and Olive Oil Treatment

Both my youngest daughter, and I have been having scalp issues, and it is so frustrating. I really wanted to find her some relief  because she is so little, and I do not want her to have discomfort. So, when a fellow blogger/Facebooker mentioned using lemon juice to to solve her dandruff issues and scalp build up, I looked it up.

Lemons are a great cleanser, it has antibacterial properties, and is a very good astringent. Extra Virgin Olive oil can help reduce the production of dandruff, and works as a great moisturizer for dry scalp. So when you use both of these natural elements for scalp build up you can see results.

Mature locs/loose hair:
1. Warm 2 to 3 tablespoons of Olive oil and massage it in your scalp
2. Wrap your hair in a lint free towel (or use a plastic cap underneath) for 30 min
3. Wash your hair with a Clarifying Shampoo
4. Rinse your scalp with Lemon juice, from a fresh lemon, and a cup of warm distilled water
5. Do a final rinse to get the lemon out, using cool water that helps your hair look shiny

Baby locs: use steps 3 to 5 because Olive oil relaxes your curl and really softens your hair. I still only do steps 3-5 but used the full treatment on my daughter and saw the  benefits after one treatment!! It took 2-3 treatments of the lemon rinse to see the improvement on my scalp.

Good luck!

Stay Blessed