Happy Good Friday everyone! I am starting a new regular post on here with monthly natural skincare and beauty tips for you! This month's tip is all about HAIR. I know hair care can be tough especially when you're trying to go about it naturally .I've done posts in the past about no pooing and the masks I've tried with that and since I've stopped no pooing I'm way less stressed about my appearance and happier. I wish no pooing had worked for me (I attempted for months), but with my greasy thinning hair and the water in my area I just couldn't make it work which is okay! If you are currently no pooing then please keep in mind that oil masks are SUPER hard to wash out. I recommend mixing a natural clay like THIS one with your baking soda to help wash out the oils and absolutely DO NOT wet your hair before putting the dry baking soda and clay into your hair. Even so the mask I'm telling you about today will probably be a bit hard to wash out, you may find yourself "washing" it multiple times and still needing to wear your hair up because it looks greasy. One day I will try Morocco Method and post about it... They have my 'dream' shampoo and I would recommend them to anyone, especially if you suffer from thinning hair, but as of right now I'm using another shampoo. The shampoo I now use is by Avalon Organics. I use both the Lavender and the Rosemary ones for shampoo and conditioner. DISCLAIMER: I want to mention that I actually do NOT recommend these products because they are not 100% natural or paleo friendly. I personally bought them in a pinch (they were on sale and the ingredients were not the worst) before an event a few months back and I'm using them until I run out. I only wash my hair about twice a week maximum so needless to say I'm going through them pretty slowly despite the bottles being small. Moving on to my AU NATURAL BEAUTY TIP OF THE MONTH!

2 INGREDIENT OIL HAIR MASK

Okay there are only like a million different hair masks out there but honestly most are chemical ridden and not many are very effective, and especially if you're not using conventional shampoos! Even the more natural options are typically just inconvenient, messy, and sometimes even downright gross. Even with oil masks it can be very hard to find a good balance of what works for your hair. You can be left with limp greasy looking hair trying to convince everyone that you DO believe in showers! For me I have thin hair with an oily scalp and fairly dry strands. The mask I use I'm sure won't work for everyone, but I've tried regular coconut oil masks, olive oil masks etc and this 2 ingredient combination below is what I've found to work best (at least for me). These days my hair is soft, shiny, flowy and luscious. Yes, luscious. It is growing back and filling out after thinning for the past few years of crazy hormones and I am super happy about it! I also cut quite a few inches off my hair, balanced my hormones pretty well, and stopped getting highlights very recently (it's currently ombre'd so the top is my natural color and the bottom still has highlights) which of course are all contributing factors in hair health. But I really think this mask is what's making my hair 'go the distance' for me! I hope you at least give this mask a try and more importantly I hope you find success with it!

CASTOR OIL

Castor oil is very thick and for this mask I put it on my scalp only. THIS is the brand I use. I make sure to cover every inch of my scalp really well and really rub it in to make sure the skin of my scalp is getting a nice massage which stimulates hair growth and blood flow. Side note: in general scalp massages are great for your hair, so don't hesitate to rub a dub dub. The hair on your scalp will of course get covered in castor oil but just don't distribute it throughout your hair. Below are just some fun facts about castor oil from castoroilfacts.com.

Antibacterial and Antiviral – The ricinoleic acid in castor oil prevents the growth of many types of viruses and bacteria, protecting the skin and body.
Improves Lymph Fluid Flow – Castor oil exerts a positive influence on the thymus gland and the lymphatic system. It stimulates the free flow of lymphatic fluids, reducing swelling in the lymphatic nodes and easing depression and fatigue.
Castor oil for Constipation – Castor oil is an effective laxative and is even used as an enema agent in hospitals for those who are suffering from constipation. It also eases symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Treats Skin Ulcers and Ringworms – Aside from ricinoleic acid, castor oil also contains undecylenic acid, which has germicidal and disinfectant properties. It helps treat skin ulcers and kill fungi around fingernails and toenails. The same acid can also effectively treat ringworm infestation.
Arthritis Remedy – Castor oil contains anti-inflammatory properties, making it an excellent massage oil for aching joints and sore muscles.
Stye Treatment – An eye infection called stye can be treated by applying a few drops of castor oil. The oil can also be used to remove debris that has entered the eye, causing irritation. For stye treatment, simply apply a small drop of castor oil to the stye 2-3 times daily.
Improves Lactation – Rubbing castor oil onto the nipples of a breastfeeding mother can help stimulate the mammary glands to produce more milk. Wash the area with a mild soap and water before letting the infant feed. Consultation with a doctor is important before using castor oil as a means to increase lactation.
Skin Treatment – Skin infections such as acne, dry skin stretch marks and age spots can be effectively lessened with the application of castor oil. Massaging the body with castor oil before taking a bath can help the skin retain its natural healing properties as well as stimulate muscles and internal organs.
Anti-aging – Castor oil is packed with antioxidants which are responsible for sweeping away free radicals that cause damage to the skin. With the abundance of antioxidants, the skin will remain young looking and wrinkle free.
Castor oil for eyelashes – Rubbing castor oil over the base of the eyelashes before going to bed will stimulate hair growth, leading to thicker and fuller lashes.
Prevents hair loss – The ricinoleic acid in castor oil prevents the occurrence of scalp and hair infections which can cause hair loss. Applying castor oil on the scalp may also cause regeneration of new hair within months.

As you can see Castor Oil is some potent stuff and in my opinion, it's 100% something you should be rubbing all over your scalp! But wait, this oil hair mask isn't complete yet! Here's what to do next...

GRAPE SEED OIL

I typically use about 1-2tbs of grape seed oil and run it through the rest of my hair making sure to cover all the strands. I use THIS brand of grape seed oil although I'm sure there are better options out there. I also use this oil for my oil cleansing and occasionally even for my oil pulling. Make sure you really comb through your hair with your fingers so it's equally distributed and your whole head is now covered in oils. At this point I put my hair up in a messy bun (I have a designated oily hair tie I use every time), put my shower cap on and go to bed. The shower cap isn't necessary but it heats the oils slightly as you sleep for better absorption PLUS it saves your pillows and bedspread from getting oily. Below are some fun facts about grape seed oil from homeremediesweb.com

Grape Seed Oil and its Extract constitute anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-histamine, anti-aging, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, and adaptogenic activity. Therefore, it has been beneficial in the treatment of a number of health issues which include: arthritis, edema, dermatitis, acne, wrinkles, dry and itchy skin, age spots, sun burns, chapped lips, wounds, bruising, stretch marks, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, chronic venous insufficiency, premature aging, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), weight loss, stress, dandruff, hair loss, warts, cardiovascular diseases especially atherosclerosis, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, visual impairment, cataract, and macular degeneration.
Research suggests that the linoleic acid in Grape Seed Oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergen, acne reductive, and moisture retentive properties. It contains 73% of linoleic acid which may be beneficial in the treatment of acne, dermatitis, allergic reactions, atopic eczema and dry and itchy skin.
The rich nutrients in Grape Seed extract have been found to protect against UV radiation, and they have been found to lighten the effects on age spots and pigmented skin caused by ultra violet rays. Threfore simply taking Grapeseed supplements daily may heal and minimize the risk of sunburn and reduce the appearance of age spots.
A few studies suggest that regular oral intake of Grape Seed Extract may suppress the development of different types of cancers and may induce apoptosis - a process that triggers the self-destruction and elimination of damaged and superfluous cells in many cellular systems. It may also help with liver damage and other side effects caused by chemotherapy medication.
A number of intensive studies have shown that oral intake of linoleic acid can reduce the complications associated with Diabetes.
Varicose veins, spider veins and hemorrhoids are caused by damaged blood vessels and compromise the ability of the capillaries to manage blood flow in the veins, which results in pooling of the blood inside the veins. Grapeseed Oil contains oligomeric proanthocyanidin and flavonoids, which are known to help with capillary integrity.
Recent research has shown that Grape Seed may improve damaged blood vessels and help regulate high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
Studies have shown that Grape Seed Oil may improve the production of collagen which is important for maintaining healthy connective tissues in our joints. Its anti-inflammatory activity may also reduce the pain caused by arthritis.
the antioxidant activity of Grape Seed Extract may reduce the damage to skin cells and enhance the production of collagen and elastin which is important for strong and healthy looking skin.

Now that you know way too much about castor oil and grape seed oil I hope I've convinced you to give this mask a try! When you wake from your slumber just take off the shower cap - DON'T WET YOUR HAIR - put shampoo in your hair and work it in well first before you add water. Then just wash as usual. I typically do these hair masks every week or every other week depending on my mood. You can do them as often as you feel necessary! I've seen great improvement in my hair and I hope you experience the same!

To give you a visual... This is what my hair looks like these days...

Not my best photos but I think you get the idea! Of course my hair is styled here, although there in no product in it. Have a great weekend everyone! Friday night is a great night for a hair mask! You can have fabulous hair all weekend!

xoxo Harmony