Can Sweet Almond Oil Be Used on Hair?

There are lots of hair oils, and many of these oils can be used for skin care, as well as many other things. Sweet almond oil is one of these versatile oils. It is a light oil that is great for using on your hair and scalp. Most of us want healthy, beautiful hair, and almond oil is one way to help. Hair oil is good for moisturizing, conditioning, and giving hair luster.

Moisturizes Scalp

Sweet almond oil is full of vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which make it good for conditioning. It reduces itchiness and inflammation on the scalp.

To use sweet almond oil — you can use it as a hot oil treatment. Apply it and cover with a shower cap. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then shampoo. You can also put it on before bed, and washing in the morning. A few drops of almond oil can also be added to your regular conditioner to give it a boost.

Tame Frizzies

Another of sweet almond oil uses is, to make hair smooth and shiny, by reducing fizziness and sealing the cuticle. If you are between trims and have spilt ends, rubbing a drop or two on the hair ends can give you a temporary fix.

 When using it, keep in mind that a little can go a long way. Start with only a couple of drops, so you do not end up with a greasy mess.

Hair Growth

Many people use sweet almond oil to prevent hair loss or to help stimulate hair growth. Almond oil is full of nutrients that contribute to healthy hair. It may also be less due to the almond oil and more due to the stimulation of hair follicles by massaging. Regular massage helps the scalp have better circulation, which is good for hair growth.

Use as a Carrier Oil

Many essential oils, like rosemary, have wonderful benefits and healing properties. However, they shouldn’t be used alone in full concentration. Sweet alone oil is a good base or carrier oil for combining with other oils.

How to Reduce Hair Breakage

Strong, healthy is hair is attractive, and many of us like long, silky hair. A major frustration of wearing longer hairstyles is hair breakage. No one wants damaged hair that breaks. If you can’t seem to keep long hair healthy looking and free of breakage, don’t worry because you’re not necessarily destined to wear shorter hairstyles. There are some things that you can do to prevent your hair from breaking.

Treat it Carefully

You must treat your hair carefully to help prevent breakage —always be gentle. Don’t brush it when it is wet —opt instead for a wide tooth comb. Let it air dry, whenever possible. If you do use a hair dryer, use a low setting. When using heated styling tools use a thermal protectant to keep heat damage minimal. Avoid tight hairstyles that put physical stress on your hair. To give hair less friction while you sleep, use a silk pillowcase.

One of the things that I must watch out for is my shoulder bag. So often I’ll just fling my bag over my shoulder. The problem is that when my hair is longer, it easily gets trapped under the strap and tangled. Things that seem simple may need a little more attention, if long hair could get in the way.

Unless you really need to, don’t wash your hair every day. If your hair is dry use a moisturizing shampoo that will help keep hair hydrated.    Look for ingredients that moisturize and soften hair, like fatty alcohols, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. Also look for products that are fortified with protein that will help strengthen hair. Stay away from chemical processes, like perming and straightening, because they can make your hair dry and brittle, allowing it to break easily.

Treatments

Aside from physically preventing your hair from breaking, it’s important to have hair that is strong and doesn’t break easily. Use conditioner after each washing. It will keep hair hydrated and allow combing to be easier, with less chance of tangling. Keep hair moisturized and conditioned with weekly deep-conditioning treatments. Look for treatments that have protein or keratin added to strengthen hair. One of my favorites is Giovanni Smooth as Silk Xtreme Protein Hair Infusion. It is contains shea butter, soy protein, and macadamia nut oil. It rejuvenates damaged and over processed hair, leaving it moisturized, smooth, and soft. Use it after shampooing, leaving it on the hair for about 10 minutes, then rinse.

Hot-oil treatments with olive, coconut, or castor oil are also great for keeping hair conditioned and nourished.

Regular Trims

Get regular trims to your hair to get split ends cut off. This will not only remove the damaged, brittle ends, but keep hair healthy and tidy looking.  Keeping the ends of your healthy will reduce the amount of hair breakage.

updated 3/26/14

Bangs: A Mid-life Crisis?

 In an interview with Raechel Ray, First Lady Michelle Obama attributed her new haircut with bangs to a mid-life crisis. The interview will air on Wednesday on Rachael Ray.

Mrs. Obama is known for her fashion sense and style. it 2006 Essence included her in their list of "25 of the World's Most Inspiring Women" and in 2007 and 2008 Vanity Fair named her one of the "World's 10 Best Dressed People." She is also number seven on Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful Women.

I've often gotten the urge for a new hairstyle when I reach different milestones of my life: a new job, a birthday, birth of a child, etc. A new hair style is a good way to get a boost in self-confidence and feel refreshed. A trip to the hair salon and a new look can also be fun. I don't know if I would necessarily call a switch to bangs is necessarily a sign of a mid-life crisis.

Stopping Hair Loss

Losing hair can be shocking and a blow to self-esteem, but what can you do?  Most people like having a head of thick hair, and it can be devastating when it disappears. Below are some things to try when you are searching for how to stop hair loss.

Be Gentle

Be gentle with your hair. Don’t use hair rollers or wear styles that will put physical stress on your hair. Opt for air drying your hair after washing, rather than bow drying. Extra brushing and styling can make more hairs come out, causing more of an appearance of thinning hair.

Washing

Don’t shampoo every day, instead aim for every other day — or longer if you can. Try a shampoo designed for anti-hair loss. There are many shampoos and treatments for revitalizing the hair and scalp. I’ve benefited from switching to “organic” shampoo that is sulfate free. Look for products that are gentle to the hair and scalp. Avoid chemical treatments, like perms.

Diet

A poor diet can lead to temporary hair loss and slow hair growth. Eat a healthy diet, making sure that you get enough protein and nutrients. Don’t skip meals or crash diet. Decrease your intake of sugar, sodium, fat, and processed foods.  Vitamins and minerals are essential to nourishing hair follicles, the scalp, and hair — so make sure you get enough vitamin A, C, E, K, beta-carotene, and B complex vitamins. Biotin is especially good for promoting hair growth and helping thinning hair.

Stress

If you are going through a particularly stressful time, you may notice hair loss or thin, brittle hair. Stress can impact not only your mental health, but physical health, and your appearance. Stressful situations can’t always be avoided, but try find an outlet for dealing with stress — exercise, massage, or some other way of coping.

Sometimes controlling your hair falling out is beyond your control. Hair can start falling out for medical reasons or hormonal problems. If you try to stop hair loss and are distressed because nothing you try seems to help, then consult your doctor. You may be suffering from an undiagnosed condition that needs treating. Many things can cause hair to fall out.

updated 3/26/14

Getting Ready for a Wedding

Planning hair and makeup for a wedding is exciting for a bride and her attendants. I look back on my own wedding and sort of wish that I could do it over again. My makeup looks great in the photos I have, even though I did it myself. My skin was glowing and my eyes sparkling. My hair in most of the photos looks alright, but is was done as an afterthought. I didn't want an ornate updo, and in the process it was put together at the last minute. Many aspects of my wedding fell into place without much planning beforehand.

My brother is getting married in a couple of months, and it's such an exciting time.

If you're planning an upcoming wedding:

Hair

How to Create Updos with Fine Hair

Edwardian Hairstyles for Updos

Makeup

Five Things to Know About Bridal Makeup

Alternative to a veil and train - fascinators If I were to get married again - which I don't plan to, unless it's for renewing my vows, I would wear something elegant and sassy like this:

Getting Brown Hair With Henna

My latest article is now up on Daily Glow. Henna is not all about getting red, coppery colored hair. Henna is more versatile, with brown, mahogany, chestnut, auburn, and strawberry blond colors available. Henna is a natural, economical way to color hair without synthetic chemicals, peroxide, or ammonia. Read more on Daily Glow.

Soothe an Itchy, Dry Scalp with Organic Shampoo

 "Organic shampoo contains natural ingredients such as botanicals and essential oils that soothe itching and dryness. They are often milder than regular shampoo, which can be drying and irritating. Non-organic shampoos that contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), detergents, artificial ingredients, and perfumes irritate sensitive skin or skin conditions such as eczema."  Read more of this article that I wrote for Daily Glow -- Soothe an Itchy, Dry Scalp with Organic Shampoo

Samy E-sen-cia Styling Mousse Product Review

This past week I've been using E-sen-cia by Samy styling mousse with pomegranate, marshmallow, and yarrow. I don't often use styling products. I tend to have oily hair, and I don't like build up or products that make my hair feel dirty or greasy.

The E-sen-cia line is sulfate free, paraben free, has no artificial colors, vegan, has organic ingredients, and is phthalate free. They are not tested on animals. The styling mousse is 99.1% natural. The essence of pomegranate is supposed to invigorate the scalp and hair. Yarrow provides rich conditioning. Marshmallow adds weightless volume and shine. It also contains other key botanicals & extracts that combine to create a gentle formula that delivers beautiful results with every use.

I used it for casual wear, not for any elaborate styles. At first it feels a little sticky, but after it dries is silky. In general I would recommend it. The smell is not great, but it did make my hair soft, bouncy, and controlled fly-a-ways. It retails for around $6.99. I bought it marked down at Walgreens. I have a feeling Walgreens marked it down because they are not carrying it anymore. It is available for sale on-line at such places as Samy's website and Amazon.

INGREDIENTS: Purified Water, USP, Polysorbate 80, Glycerin, Panthenol (ProVitamin B5), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract**, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract, Pyrus Cydonia (Quince) Seed Extract, Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract, Althaea Officinalis(Marshmallow) Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Root Extract,Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Hordeum Distichon (Barley) Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Aruantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Fruit Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium- 4, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-10, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol.* Certified Organic Ingredient

Natural Hair Color

I've colored my hair on and off since I was 15. My hair was a dirty-dishwater color that I couldn't stand, so I lightened it. Then about 8 years ago I decided to try red. I liked red; it looked good with my skin tone. It made me feel good too, more vibrant.

I made the decision about 2 years ago to use natural products in my hair and stay away from synthetic chemicals as much as I can. After showering there seemed to be tons of hair left in the tub and lots of hair left in my comb after combing my hair. I was getting concerned. I'd seen the older women with thin hair and bald patches. I didn't want that to be me. I switched to a more natural, organic shampoo. (I'd also seen the doctor and had a full blood work-up to rule out thyroid problems or some other medical condition.)

I started using henna on my hair. I loved henna. At first I was turned off by the smell, but I've since gotten used to it. The color is rich and beautiful, plus there's no roots to worry about. I also learned there are more options than just red. There's shades of brown, mahogany, chestnut, sable, and blond. Blond henna doesn't lighten hair, just brings out highlights.

Recently I decided to expand my horizons. I was at the health food store and saw some other "natural" hair care products. I decided to try Naturclolor hair color. I stopped using the henna for a few months. I put some yogurt with lactobacillus like their website suggests to remove the henna.

I opened the container, and "whew!" I smelled a pungent, unnatural aroma. This product is supposed to be natural, but it certainly smelled like chemicals. It may be more natural than the products available at the drugstore and be the "lesser of two evils." I got a shade of color from the "N" series, which is supposed to cover the grey better, but it didn't have any affect on the grey hairs. The hair color made my hair feel dry and straw like. The echinacea hair rinse that was enclosed made my hair feel silky.

After using Naturcolor I decided to stick with henna. It covers the grey, is very economical, natural, and gives my hair more body. It is fun experimenting and trying some of the recipes that are out there on the Internet to make it smell good and enhance the color. 2 of my favorite brands are Light Mountain Natural and Rainbow Henna.

My new favorite shampoo

I'm totally in love with Avalon Organics peppermint shampoo. It smells really great, but more importantly it gives my hair body. It makes my hair feel clean without harsh chemicals. According to the label it "Invigorates scalp circulation and gently cleanses as Babassu Oil restores strength and elasticity for revitalized hair." There are no lauryl or laureth sulfates and no parabens. I had been using Avalon Organics Rosemary shampoo, which I like too. The smell of rosemary is more earthy. The rosemary shampoo is supposed to build body and strengthen hair, which it does quite well.I decided to search for more natural hair care products. As I'm getting older, and after having 2 children my hair is changing. It seems to be getting thinner and has less volume. I was also alarmed at the quantity of hair left in the tub after showering. I decided to shun chemicals. Now I find less hair falling out & my bathtub drain is happier.So far I'm impressed with Avalon Organics shampoo. I look forward to trying more items that they offer.

No Poo?

I read about the no-poo method for hair on the Internet. If you Google no-poo, you will get several sites that explain why shampoo is bad for you. Here's a good article about no-pooing . Some of the ingredients in shampoo reportedly cause cancer. Whether they are carcinogens or not, I don't know. I've found other web sites that say that they don't, so it depends who you trust: Snopes article about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or this About My Planet article about shampooing Supposedly the chemicals used in commercial shampoos strip you hair of natural oils, causing damage. Basically the theory is that oil glands work on a supply & demand basis. Supposedly if you stop washing your hair, then you will stop producing excess oil. I'm not a dermatologist, but I don't think I believe this theory about oil production. Why do some people get acne? Why do some people have oily skin or dry skin? If I don't do anything to my face except splash some water on it in the morning, it's still greasy by evening. That has nothing to do with harsh cleansing products.

The proponents advise to just use baking soda & apple cider vinegar to cleanse your hair. Apple cider vinegar? It stinks. Supposedly the vinegar doesn't smell after your hair dries. I beg to differ, though. I've used baking soda occasionally to remove build up of product from my hair, but it is drying. It's too gritty & abrasive. It seems to me that it shouldn't be used very often on hair.

My hair has been getting thin, and I've been worried about all the hair left on the shower floor when I get done bathing. So I decided to give it a try. Anyhow I managed to go for 4 days without washing. Then I couldn't take anymore. Supposedly there is about a 2 month adjustment period, where your hair goes through a transition, and gets really greasy. Then it gets better. Well I can't go around with greasy, gross hair for that long. I do have to go out in public. After that experience I decided to use more healthy shampoo. Now I use Avalon Organics, and I love it. There is less hair that falls out in the tub after my shower. The drain hasn't gotten clogged, since I switched.

My husband says I spend entirely way too much time surfing the net. I have also learned that you can't believe everything you read. It's worth checking into things for yourself. I figure there's no harm experimenting.