Saturday 17 February 2018

Beast Mode... An Ayurvedic Hair Challenge



Is it possible to have a chilled out challenge? I'm trying.

The rules of the challenge are simple to explain but tricky to find in one place.

1. It is hosted and being run by Curly Proverbz
2. It is an ayurvedic/plant based challenge with a prize for the winner . It runs for 3 months and has two start dates: 1st Feb - 1st May OR 14th Feb - 14th May.
3. To enter the challenge [and the competition, I assume], you post a picture on instagram or facebook with the tags:  #beastmodehairkit #curlyproverbzhairgrowthchallenge, #bellebarorganic .

Prizes:
1st prize 6 months supply of the hair growth kit by belle bar.

2nd prize 3 months
3rd Prize $65 gift card for belle bar organic for email entry

4. If you hate DIY-ing with a passion, she has collaborated with bellebarorganics so you can get some of the products from them. She shows how she uses them here.
5. If you love DIY-ing (or have a ridiculously-sized stash to use up, like me 😅), then the essential videos seem to be:

  • A hair tea [video for DIY recipe here and how she uses it in a week here]
  • A hair oil [video for DIY recipe here, how she applies and uses it here] combined with scalp massage [video here]
  • A deep conditioning mix [video here]
Because I'm DIY4lyfe, I fall in with the budget crowd, whose suggested routine looks like this:
The stuff in italics and bolded are my own personal notes as to how I'm going to modify it for myself.


#BeastModehaironabudget
Week 1
Prepoo with oil [Onion Garlic ] OR Gloss (1 tsp of your favourite ayurvedic powder) and conditioner
Shampoo & Moisturizing DC – Anita Grant Coconut Monoi shampoo & Shea Moisture JBCO.
Leave in conditioner – Shea Butter Cottage leave in or Anita Grant Double Cream
Use DIY tea max 3 days in a week. [See recipe below]
DIY Oil scalp and massage max 3 days in a week. [See recipe below]
Moisturise and seal daily [Using Jasmine oil or Almocado Coco Moisture Butter]

Week 2
Cowash or Clay Wash & Moisturizing DC. Rhassoul Clay or Eden Body Works Coconut Cowash and  Shea Moisture JBCO
Leave in conditioner – Shea Butter Cottage leave in or Anita Grant Double Cream
Use DIY tea max 3 days in a week. [See recipe below]
DIY Oil scalp and massage max 3 days in a week. [See recipe below]
Moisturise and seal daily [Using Strengthening tea or more moisturising tea and jasmine oil or Almocado coco moisture butter]

Supplements



Drink Bamboo tea at least every other day, take Vitamin D, eat lots of veggies 
[She suggests MSM, Vitamin C and a multivitamin]







My alterations & recipes
1. The Onion Garlic Prepoo instead of using the DIY oil as a prepoo.
I caught wind of this video down below and thought it was worth a try every other week. I liked her video on how Ayurveda could be applied to coily hair and how she showed her results using the prepoo over a couple of months.


I always have onions and garlic in the house so I thought, eh what harm can it do?💁🙈 Apparently, it's anti-bacterial so might sort out any grunk causing bacteria and contains sulfur which is good for growing hair follicles.



                                                                        We shall see.

Doesn't the hair tea look pretty??
2. My DIY tea this week consists of 1 tablespoon each of :

  • Catnip - reduces split ends and conditions hair.
  • Green Tea - blocks DHT and reduces shedding.
  • Infused jasmine flowers - Waste not, want not, right? Left over from this successful venture. The leftover oil still on the flowers adds some richness to the mixture.
  • Hops - adds shine, strength and makes hair appear thicker.
  • Calendula - soothing, soothing, and even more scalp soothing! Moisturizes and restore strands, increases collagen production and circulation in hair follicles.
  • Coltsfoot - contains high content of cystine (an amino acid), sulfur and silica (minerals); will strengthen the hair, promote growth. Soothes the scalp,  softens and adds elasticity and sheen to the hair shaft. Guards against microbial infection, and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Red Cornflowers - to make it look pretty and appealing!
  • Lavender flowers - for the smell. The scent of hops is not to be trifled with.


When I made it into a tea, I used 2 tablespoons of the tea mix and I added 1 tablespoon of some ayurvedic powder (I couldn't find my henna) and 1 teaspoon of amla then poured hot water over it and left to steep for 4-6 hours.


DIY fenugreek oil 
Originally, I was going to make a traditional amla oil and then infused fenugreek but I...forgot 
So far I have some fenugreek infused coconut oil and some fenugreek infused sesame oil.

I'll be using both for my head massages and seeing how I like it 'em. 


Are you taking part? On Instagram or facebook?




Thursday 4 January 2018

Do More With Less - Stash Busting 2018

How does this keep happening?



There are layers to this madness. Also, the rest of it is in my room.

Looking at this basket full of...well, stuff, I sigh.
My body feels heavy. 
Why do I keep hoarding? 
I find it so easy to tell myself that I'm actually quite minimalistic compared to some people but I know that the only area of my life that I'm truly pleased with how much (little?) I have is my skin care routine. I half want to push it all into a cupboard for another year, shoving my hand in intermittently for whatever single product I desire (ignoring all others!) and then rinse and repeat for the new year 2019.

Naaah. I can feel that this year is a going to be a year of letting go.

And jeez, isn't that a scary thought? To let go? To release? It's almost easier to stay in the spaces we've set out for ourselves than to explore the frightening liberation of a huge world without the weight. To stay buried under all the things I persuaded myself I needed in order to succeed at my hair goals and thus at life.

This year, I want to get down to mid back length (I'm about an inch or two away from my back bra strap). Having this hoard is definitely not going to help me get there. Lemme strip back and find what works for me, rather than trying to (unsuccessfully) emulate the success of others.

I'm still going to try and I AM going to be more mindful about my hair care. No more rush job on a Sunday because I think I should. I want to do less in general, so that I have the time to really experience the little I will be doing.

So rather than: 'wash deep condition strengthen condition stretch moisturise wait to dry style for twenty years go go go'...I want to just do one at a time and do it well. Does that make sense? I feel really wishy washy here and vague with my ramblings, but I know what I mean in my belly. I can feel the fire starting to crackle there for the fighting and struggling and fear and anxiety coming this year and I'm determined to face it without the weight of somebody else's armour.

The plan  hope/desire hair-wise for this year:

  • Keep using henna.
  • Moisturise regularly using my herb teas.
  • Decide what products I like and will actually use (I'm a sucker for a good smell or a natural hair fad). I am currently building a spreadsheet and dear God, it is a behemoth of a thing. I know I'll be grateful when it's done but right now, it feels like extreme self-flagellation by Excel 😂
  • Get rid of products I'm ambivalent about [including through this blog and instagram]. 
  • Keep my needs and routines simple. 
  • Connect with people, not 'brands', on Instagram. (You know what I mean. Can't have a conversation with an actual person, just getting media snippets and regurgitated niceties. If I don't know where their general interests lay...well, no ma'am, no ham, no thank you.)