Healthy Skin Care

Hello Maicurlies,

Liquid Gold

It has been a hot minute however, I hope you will forgive me with this new DIY mix that is for the SKIN!!! Yes I finally am back with a skin DIY. Ok fine, this can also be used on your scalp (which is part of your skin) and your hair as well but we will be focusing on the skin for this.

Ingredients/Tools Used:

0.5 oz Argan Oil
0.3 oz Grapeseed Oil
0.5 oz Fresh Aloe Vera Juice (AVJ)
0.2 oz Glycerin
3 capsules Vitamin E Oil
3 – 5 drops Alcohol Free Rose Fragrance (optional)
Bowl
Glass Container (with a dropper)
Spoon
Gloves (optional)

Ingredient alternatives:

Should you not have either Argan or Grapeseed oil, either one can be replaced with any lightweight oil (e.g. almond oil, jojoba oil etc). Store bought AVJ can be used in place of fresh Aloe Vera Juice. Should you not want to use glycerin, you can replace it with rose water.

Mixing:

All you have to do is put all the ingredients together in your bowl, stir and pour into your container!

Application:

I like to apply this after I have jumped out the shower without completly drying my skin. The mix helps to trap in moisture (water droplets) while adding moisture. It leaves me with soft, supple, moisturized, glowing and awesome smelling skin!

Ingredient benefits:

Argan Oil: is packed with nourishing and hydrating elements, especially for those with sensitive skin. It can help prevent stretch marks by improving the elasticity, has the ability to prevent the skin from getting dry and/or brittle during both the summer and winter months and leaves the you with a feeling of softness and smoothness.

Grapeseed Oil: an extremely light on the skin and therefore does not clog up pores. The oil has great moisturizing properties and can help regenerate new skin cells.

Fresh Aloe Vera Juice: contains nutrients, minerals, amino acids, active enzymes as well as a number of Vitamins. All of this makes it an effective skin conditioner and moisturizer. It helps cure flaky or dry skin as well as skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. AVJ is known to heal blisters, insect bites and itchy skin. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it is an effective acne fighting agent, reduces redness and is commonly used to help soothe sunburns. AVJ helps to restore the natural pH level of the skin and with the presence of antioxidants, it helps to hydrate, firm and combat premature aging.

Glycerin: a natural humectant that draws moisture onto the skin by extracting it out of the air. Apart from its ability to draw in moisture, it is also known to help retain moisture in the skin. This makes Glycerin a great agent in fighting rough, dry, irritated and dull skin. It also makes it an excellent skin plumping product that helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and aging.

Vitamin E Oil: contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties, help soothe minor sunburns and if that wasn’t enough, the oil is also known to help fade scares and stretch marks if used consistently and frequently. (Can help extend the shelf life of a product but does not “preserve” any mixes).

Rose Fragrance: Use for the beautiful scent!

Let me know if you use this for your skin (scalp and/or hair).

Thanks

Maicurls

Hey Maicurlies,

I am back (finally, I know I have been away) with another DIY. This recipe is for the scalp and is helpful for those of us that suffer from an itchy, dry, irritated, flaky scalp especially when rocking a Protective Style (PS).

While rocking a PS, it can become a little difficult to maintain a healthy scalp while still keeping the integrity of the PS and this mix will hopefully make it easier to keep your scalp clean and healthy while attending to scalp issues. You are of course still going to wash your hair/scalp as normal however whenever you experience itchiness, dryness, irritations etc you can reach for this without having to over wash your scalp to try and sooth the issue.

Note: This mix can be used on your scalp even if you hair is not in a PS but this post was intended to focus on maintaining a healthy scalp care during PS mode.

Ingredients/Tools

1 oz Fresh Aloe Vera Juice
0.2 oz Apple Cider Vinegar (natural/organic)
0.5 oz Plain Water
5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil (EO)*
3 capsules Vitamin E Oil
Spray Bottle

*If you are pregnant please do not use any EO and always consult with your doctor/dermatologist if you are trying something new.

NOTE: This mix is not for medicinal purposes, it is simply for informational purposes. ALWAYS consult with a professional doctor/dermatologist prior to integrating anything new to your routine!

Ingredient Benefits:

Aloe Vera Juice – a natural humectant that attracts moisture in the air to the area applied (the scalp). It is packed with essential vitamins and minerals that helps to reduce dry itchiness on the scalp, stimulates hair growth and is said to help with very mild cases of Alopecia. It balances and conditions both the scalp and roots leaving no traces of “product” build-up, has natural astringent properties to leave you with a clean scalp and aids in moisturizing dry hair.

Apple Cider Vinegar – has natural astringent properties, while diluted (e.g. with water & AVJ) it provides the scalp and hair (roots) with an optimal pH level and is also known for its ability to remove product build up. It helps to not only remove product but also helps to close the pores on the scalp while at the same time closing the cuticle of the hair which provides it with shine.

Peppermint Essential Oil – has astringent properties as well which helps to eliminate product build up and to remove sweat and dirt on the scalp. It helps stimulate blood circulation in the scalp which in turns helps to promote hair growth. The oil is known for combating dry irritated scalps which can help eliminate dandruff. Due to its stimulating properties (it will make your scalp feel fresh and tingly) this can help tackle the issue of itchiness while at the same time cleansing the scalp to eliminate the problem all together.

Vitamin E Oil – in this mix it can help extend the shelf life of the spray (but does not work as a preservative!). The oil is packed with antioxidants that helps to moisturize the scalp, keeps it healthy, less prone to dryness and thus aids in the growth of healthy hair as well. It allows the hair to grow soft, full of shine and suppleness and also can aid in slowing down the onset of premature greying. The oil is known to help generate new skin cells which allows your scalp to remain healthy and thanks to its moisturizing and healing properties this allows for quicker and healthier hair growth.

Water – need I say more? H2o is a naturals best friend since it is a vital source of moisture for both the scalp and hair!

Additional Options/Ratio Alternatives:

The purpose of this mix is to help keep a clean and healthy scalp therefore it is advisable to use ingredients that have cleansing and moisturizing properties while not clogging up the pores of your scalp. Along with the ingredients above you could also add some Rose Water to this mix e.g 0.2 oz of Rose Water for additional moisturizing elements, soothing effects and a wonderful scent! Tea Tree Essential Oil is an alternative EO that can be used in place of Peppermint.

Mixing Method:

Combine all the ingredients together in your spray bottle and make sure to shake well before applying.

Application:

There are two methods that I highly recommend when applying the mix instead of simply spraying onto your roots/scalp. Either spray some clean ear cleaners (unused!) and run them along your partings. The other option is cotton pads/buds which is my favorite.

Storage:

It is highly recommended to store this mix in the fridge for no more than 1 – 1.5 months maximum but constantly check to make sure there is no nasty fungus growing (you will be able to tell especially if you use a see through spray bottle). Keeping it in the fridge also means that it will have a soothing effect on the scalp and will help close the cuticles of your roots and the pores on your scalp!