Itchy Scalp...

Itchy Scalp...

The last blog entry led to more questions about tools that can be used to struggling with an itchy scalp. 

There are so many factors to consider when dealing with an itchy scalp. Is it dry? Is it dermatitis? Is it stress related? There are somethings you can be doing to help maintain a healthy scalp that can help with all the above. 

From the inside: 

Again, check your diet. If it is high in sugar, this could lead to imbalance in pH and the good bacteria your skin needs to thrive and be healthy. Once more, a quality probiotic, such as Life 9, can support this. Not only, can you take it as directed BUT you can open a capsule up and add it to your shampoo from time to time to support your scalp with some healthy bacteria. 

Another way to get that scalp exposed to healthy bacteria, is with an apple cider vinegar rinse.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RINSE

Supplement the conditioning benefits of our hot oil treatment with our clarifying apple cider vinegar rinse. If built-up product has left you in a hairy situation, use this recipe to help untangle the mess. After you rinse away the excess weight from dead skin cells, pool chemicals, saltwater, shampoo, and conditioner, you’ll notice more bounce and volume to your hair.

In addition to helping, you nail the perfect hair flip, our apple cider vinegar rinse also soothes the scalp and adds luster to your locks.

What you need:

YL tip: For dry hair, use 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; for normal to oily hair, use 1/2 cup.

How to make it:

1. Mix all ingredients together in the spray bottle.

2. Spray mixture all over hair, focusing on the scalp and roots. Lift hair in sections to make sure you completely saturate your hair—your hair should be thoroughly damp, but not dripping.

3. Massage into scalp with fingertips to stimulate the scalp and increase circulation.

4. Let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes.

5. Rinse, then shampoo and condition hair as normal.

6. Use once per week.

 Check out this Lavender Life blog entry for more recipes that support a healthy head of hair.


See the above link for more hair recipes from Young Living.  



Now, let’s chat supporting those over symptoms of an irritated scalp. There is nothing worse than an uncontrollable itch on your head and a pile of flakes on your shoulder. Over time, I have seen really great results using Young Living’s Voluminous Lavender Shampoo (remember, it contains MSM!! 😊) and the addition of some of my favorite oils. 

My favorite blend of essential oils to add to my Lavender shampoo are Melrose (blend), Cedarwood, and Peppermint. Now, you do not want to overdo this and walk away with an oily head of hair. I recommend starting with 1 drop of essential oil per ounce of shampoo. If you need to add more, you can always do so. If you add too much, then you are going to struggle. If your bottle is 8 ounces, add 2 drops Melrose, 3 drops of Cedarwood, and 2 drops of Peppermint. 

Take to topical application up a notch post-shower! Create a scalp mist to spritz on your scalp before drying. See the recipe below: 

4 ounce spray bottle

2 ounces distilled water

2 ounces alcohol-free witch hazel

2 drops Melrose

2 drops Lavender

2 drops Cedarwood

2 drops Peppermint 

Spritz scalp and massage mixture into the root of your hair. Blow-dry as usual! 

If you are interested in trying these recipes and do not have all these oils on hand. Do not hesitate to reach out for assistance with substitutions. 

Here is to a healthy head of hair!


Quarantine Hair

Quarantine Hair
Alright friends! 

When is the last time you had your hair cut? I chopped my hair off in the fall and had my last cut the first week in December. With all of life's events and now the stay-at-home orders, I have absolutely no idea when a haircut will make it onto our schedule. To be honest, I wanted to start growing my hair out after my last haircut. This mama missed the ease of putting her hair in a ponytail. However, I knew I was in trouble with these color treated ends and no haircut for sometime. Over the last few months, I changed a few things in my routine and my hair has absolutely taken off and is looking super healthy! 

I am here to share that with you as I know switching to a plant-based hair care routine can be so tricky! First, in the fall, I started taking an MSM supplement, after attending Silver Retreat. Lindsey Elmore spoke about Sulfurzyme and how beneficial it was for our bodies. She said it should be incorporated into everyone's routine. This got me digging. I started googling MSM and WOW! I get it, we should all look into an MSM supplement. The list of benefits go on and on. MSM has been studied and may support things such as:

  • Inflammation/Arthritis
  • Cartilage Preservation
  • Range of Motion & Physical Function
  • Reduce Muscle Soreness Associated with Exercise
  • Reduce Oxidative Stress
  • Seasonal Allergies
  • Skin Quality & Texture 
I found this article helpful! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372953/ . Rather than go down the rabbit hole of all the supplements available, I went with what I knew and trusted, Young Living. After about three weeks of taking Sulfurzyme, I noticed a difference in my nails, hair, and muscle tightness/soreness post workouts. If you are looking for a starting point with supplements, here is a great one! 

Onto nourishing my actual hair! 
My hair is growing. There is no doubt about that! The question now was how to nourish and make it through all of these months without a haircut.  The big key here, is a plant-based formula. We are trying to nourish the hair and stay away from harsh chemicals and toxins. However, if you have ever tried to make the switch, you know it can be tricky! 

Step 1: Cleansing
I recommend everyone start with Young Living's Lavender Shampoo! It is light and you get a great lather. Another bonus, it ALSO contains MSM. You need no more than a nickle-sized amount! My husband uses less. Only cleanse your SCALP! Unless you have product in your hair, you only need to wash your scalp. Leave those natural oils that are nourishing your hair alone. If you find you need more moisture in your shampoo, then try the Lavender Mint Shampoo. If your hair is extremely dry, over-treated, or breaks easily, I would look into the Copaiba Vanilla. 

Step 2: Conditioning
If you have fine hair that is prone to oil and grease, go with Young Living's Lavender Conditioner. I have color treated hair so I want something with more moisturizing components. I go with the Young Living Lavender Mint Conditioner. You are going to wring your hair out and gather in your hand like you are putting your hair in a ponytail. Massage a dime to a nickel-size amount into the hair you gathered, staying away from the scalp.  The conditioners are as thick as body butter so you do not want to over do it.  Leave in your hair while you finish your shower and then rinse. 

Step 3:  Leave-In Conditioning (optional)
If you have short or thin hair, you may want to skip this step or use a lighter conditioner, such as the Lavender Conditioner. I like to use the Copaiba Vanilla conditioner because my hair is color-treated and my ends need extra nourishment.  A bottle will last you months and months and months if you are only using it for this step.Take a pea-sized amount in your hands and massage conditioner into the ends of your hair. Leave it in and wrap hair in micro-fiber towel. 

Step 4: Healthy Scalp (optional)
I love this step year round. I change the oils I add to this recipe based on my scalp health. If I am dry, itchy, or irritated, I grab Lavender, Melrose, and Cedarwood. If I am looking to promote healthy growing conditions, I grab Rosemary, Cedarwood, and Geranium. If I want an added boost, I add Ylang Ylang. Start with half a dropper to one dropper full of Mirah Lustrious Hair Oil. Drop into two ounce spray bottle. Add 5 drops each of three essential oils of you choice. Top the bottle with alcohol-free witch hazel and shake to mix. Before drying hair, lift hair and spritz mixture on the root of your hair. Comb through and style as usual. 

That is it folks! I swear by this routine. My hair feels AH-mazing. My ends look healthy and my hair is growing. If you aren't ready to jump in at once, start with the Sulfurzyme and Lavender Shampoo. Then slowly build your haircare collection from there. This would be a great time to jump on Essential Rewards, ease yourself into the routine, and earn points back to spend on your oils! 

You will love the results. Here is a YouTube video of me talking about my routine!