Hi Hi Again Every People! The recipes have each been tested, and the results are in!
Recipes are rated on a scale of 1 – 5 Afro Picks… 1 being the lowest rating, and something I would not use again or recommend, and 5 being the highest rating of something I’d most likely use again within the next five minutes. *lol*
And heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go…
Scalp Scrub = 
I have used this recipe before, with very positive results. Because I only wash my hair once a week during the winter/spring months, my scalp tends to collect a flaky build up of dead skin cells, shampoo or conditioner residue, and what not (NOTE: NOT DIRT!). So the scrub is extremely helpful with revitalizing my scalp and getting those pores some breathing room. I personally use turbinado sugar, which is what I use in my coffee, and the course grains work wonders on loosening all the gunk. The conditioner I used, which works to make the scrub less abrasive, as well as acts a detangling agent, was Garnier Fruitis Moisture Works Fortifying Cream Conditioner.
As you can imagine, the recipe is very simple to mix. Instead of wetting my entire head, I used my spray bottle to moisten my scalp, then distributed the mixture upon my scalp liberally. Like my facial scrubs, I only use this every other washing, as to not over stimulate that scalp.
So, the Scalp Scrub recipe gets a 5 Pick rating for effectiveness, ease of mixing, and ease of use. I highly recommend it.
***
Egg & Olive Oil Treatment =
This was my first time using this recipe, but I really didn’t have any expectations on how well it would work. I know olive oil is good for helping to keep hair moist, as well as smooth the hair shaft to prevent frizzies, and that egg is a good treatment for protein and vitamin, but beyond that I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to be “looking for” in comparison to commercial treatments.
Mixing the recipe was particularly easy, although I realized a bit too late that I should have beat the egg in a separate bowl before adding it to the olive oil. The result was an egg yoke that remained pretty much intact, even as it separated into three different “blobs”. This prevented me from being able to get a lot of the mixture into my hair, as the yoke blobs and oil slid over the surface, and on into the sink. But I was able to get enough into my hair on scalp to make the process worth it.
First thing I noticed almost immediately was how large my coils where once the mixture had been distributed, not the small ringlets that normally occur when I wet my hair. There was no tangling or matting, and I was able to easily run my fingers through my hair to massage my scalp. After the required ten minutes under ye olde shower cap, with egg and oil continuously dripping down the side of my face, I rinsed my hair thoroughly with lukewarm water. In comparison with commercial treatments, my hair did not feel silky soft, but it did feel a bit smoother than normal.
I followed this up with a quick shampoo using Gariner Fructis Moisture Works Fortifying Shampoo, and it washed out clean with very little effort.
Quite possibly it will take a couple of tries to see any “real” results from the treatment, but as it stands now, I only give it 3 Picks. I’ll reserve recommending this recipe for the moment.
***
Honey & Olive Oil Conditioner =
This was my first time using this recipe too, and again, my expectations were nil. Another relatively easy to mix recipe which utilized heat as a way to penetrate the hair and leave behind all its honey/olive oil goodness. The mixture was also easy to apply, although I must stress the importance of making sure you DO NOT over heat the honey. With its syrupy consistency and “sugary” base, honey has the capacity to hold heat way longer than most liquids, and can do some real damage to your scalp if you underestimate its temperature.
Once the conditioner was applied, I threw my plastic shower cap on, covered that with a plastic grocery store bag, and wrapped both in a warm towel to wait out the thirty minutes. After enough time had elapses, I rinsed my hair with luke warm water.
Again, I may have to wait a couple more uses before I can report any “real” results in comparison with the commercial products I use. I only gave this recipe 2 Picks because once all was said and done, I had a lot more oil in my hair than need be, even after the clarifying rinse. Hopefully as my hair dries (I opted t0 put it in pigtails and allow it to air dry) a lot of the left over oil will be absorbed.
I do not recommend this recipe, although with a few adjustments of the olive oil level, it may work out just fine in the future.
ADDITION 23-2008-5 @ 17:24
Even after a night’s sleep, and leaving it in pigtails the majority of today, the olive oil was still so thick I could probably fry fifteen chicken wings with what I could squeeze out of my hair. ICK! Had to rewash it with commercial shampoo for two cycles before it was all out. Adjustments are definitely in order if I ever plan to use this again.
***
Apple Cider Clarifier =
I’ve used this recipe before and experienced very pleasant results, but this particular time it did not do a good enough job getting the majority of the olive oil out of my hair. It did, however, get my scalp fairly free of any residue that may have been left behind in the other processes, so that’s a good thing.
I only rinsed my hair once after the initial application of the clarifier, and as “promised”, my hair was relatively tangle-free when I combed through it to set it for air drying. The vinegar smell wasn’t all that bad either, and was barely noticeable after a few minutes.
I give this recipe 5 Picks because it does work to clear the hair of any lingering products… but for this process it did a very poor job of cutting down the olive oil content from the conditioner. Otherwise, I highly recommend it.
***
Facial Exfoliator =
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!! Very easy to mix, almost effortless to apply. The mixing process would have gone a little smoother had I had my mortar and pestle, but I found the spoon/earthen ware bowl method to be just as effective in grinding the oatmeal to a “fine” powder.
I noticed a difference in my facial skin texture and appearance after using this recipe; there was no “rawness” at all like one might experience with grainier exfoliator, and no irritation as can happen with commercial products. My pores were noticeable smaller, without the tight feeling I’d feel with even the products marketed at “gentle”. I used regular rolled oats that you’d pick up at the grocery store, and a box of Dollar Tree baking soda so not only is it a great cleanser, it is the cleanser that keeps on giving, cause you have the capacity to make plenty of applications for less than you would pay for a 30 day supply of the commercial stuff! Because it starts out dry, you can premix applications and store it in your medicine cabinet or pantry for quick and easy use as well as travel.
No question why this recipe gets 5 Picks, eh? It very well might end up being my cleanser of choice from here on out! I highly recommend it.
***
Oatmeal & Honey Mask = 1/2
Easy to mix, not so easy to apply (which is why it get 4.5 Picks instead of 5), but it smells great and the results afterward are AMAZING!!!
I mixed, and applied, and waited the required ten minutes, then removed the sticky mess with a soft towel and warm water. IMMEDIATELY after my face was cleared I noticed a soft, subtle quality to my skin that was free from tightness or dryness. My skin looked clearer than it had since I was a teenager, with a healthy non-oily shine and radiant glow. My pores remained small and unlike what happens when I use my regular mask, there were no initial “pimples” caused by clay or other products being left in the pores when they closed!
It takes some finagling to get the mixture to stay put, but once the honey congealed and began to set, there were no more clumps of falling oatmeal. Of course, while it was on, I did take on the look of The Thing… but that was only a temporary condition, well worth how good my skin looked after all was said and done.
I recommended it, but I probably would not use it all too often myself simply because of the difficulty in application.
***
Apple Cider Vinegar Toner =
Another easy to mix, easy to apply recipe that helped clear away any remaining honey or oatmeal, and tone the skin. I fell in love with this instantly, as soon as I looked at my cotton round and could not see a trace of ANYTHING! With my regular toner, I could wipe and wipe and wipe some more, and never come away with an applicator that was free of some kind of residue. Nothing clogging up the pores, no oils, no left over skin cells. NADA! ZIP! Not a gosh dern thing! In addition to this, since this tone does not contain an ounce of alcohol, unlike my regular toner, there were no drying after-effects that had me running for the moisturizer bottle. As a matter of fact, I didn’t have to use any moisturizer at all even an hour after I was done with my facial.
Any question why this recipe received a 5 Pick rating? I hope not.
###
So there you have it. As I said with the Honey & Olive Oil Conditioner, if you plan to use any of these recipes, you might want to play around with the ingredient amounts to find the mixture that gives you the best results for your hair type and condition. If you do try any of the recipes out, I’d love to hear your results. You can leave a comment here or send them to me via Email at amichelle@journeyback2me.com.
I wish you happy experimenting!
Healthy Hair Wishes,
mmichelle | 
01 15th, 2010| 
