Winter is coming--- in more ways than one since Donald Trump will soon take office.
I will share my thoughts on our impending doom in another post that is still a work in progress. It started as an open letter to our first female President and now is mostly composed of invectives and incoherent sobbing. But I digress.
Winter is my favorite season. Snow is a great equalizer. Beneath its crystalline blanket, every neighborhood looks like a postcard.
Yet winter’s dry air and harsh winds take a toll on my eczema, not to mention my natural hair.
Over the past few years, my hair and I have developed a love/hate relationship with winter. On the one hand, less rain and humidity adds miles to my stretched styles. On the other hand, colder weather and harsh wind often leaves my curls dry and tangled while my scalp gets itchy and flaky. Usually by January I have given up on wearing my hair out and rock a sew in, only to lament the heat damage I caused in my leave out area. I’ve started many a spring with a mini chop.
Sound familiar?
Keep reading.
Nine years as a Naturalista has given me the opportunity to try out just about every DIY treatment on the internets, from rare to ridiculous (Yes I did try fish oil and NO you do not want to smell like that shit for a week). Now I could share all my favorites with you in this week’s hair and now, but if I did that, you wouldn’t have a reason to keep coming back every Friday(I’m getting back on schedule, I promise).
Plus, I really enjoy doling out information like a miserly psychic.
So instead of a top ten list, I’m sharing My Favorite 4: Ridiculously Easy DIY Conditioner Recipes for Naturals that will keep your curls healthy and hydrated all winter long.
Note: You will need a stove, a microwave, and a blender or Magic Bullet to make most of these recipes. These products are all natural and will spoil, so use it all or freeze what you have left. Most ingredients can be found affordably online or at your local Indian or Asian grocer. If you need help sourcing an ingredient, leave a comment below and I’ll help!
The problem: Flaky, dry scalp
Snow belongs on the ground, not your shoulders. Keep your scalp (and sweater) flake free with this all natural DIY deep conditioner. Borage softens and nourishes dry skin, which is why it is a common ingredient in eczema relief products. Rosemary and Tea Tree Oil fight dandruff and Sage has been used to stimulate hair growth.
The Problem: Dull hair days
Dry winter air can lead to dull winter hair. If you want supermodel shine to rival the Victoria Secret fashion show, Mango butter is your new best friend. This three ingredient miracle mask adds shine to hair without weighing it down.
The problem: Heat protecting
Your winter of stretched styles should not result in a spring mini chop. You can have beautiful straight and stretched styles without heat damaged hair if you prepare your hair correctly for straight styling. Curls are very fragile, and curls stretch best when they are properly moisturized. Products that contain softening sweeteners like molasses or honey help add elasticity to your curls so that they can ‘bounce back’ from straightening.
The problem: Color treated curls
Color treated natural hair is especially fragile. It need lots of vitamins and minerals to beef up tiny tears in the cuticle that can cause breakage. Enter Fenugreek. This incredible hulk of a legume is packed with iron, potassium, calcium, selenium, copper, zinc, manganese, and magnesium, not to mention Vitamins A and C. The only drawback? They smell kind of beany. You may want to add a few drops of vanilla extract to the final product for scent.
So there you have it. Everything you need to turn winter hair woes into winter hair Whoa! Give your curls a little TLC this weekend and let me know how it worked for you in the comments below.
And if you want more haircare, skincare, and selfcare products made from only the best nourishing all natural ingredients, check out my Etsy shop. In the meantime,
Keep Shining,
A
