Challenge of the Month, JULY 2011: Drink More Water

Hello there beautiful naturals! Here is the challenge of the month- drink more water!

We just do not drink enough water. I have been feeling dehydrated, and my skin and scalp are getting drier lately. I know it's due to a lack of water. In the past I was a competitive athlete so I drank water like a fish. My husband was even worse than me. He used to carry around a gallon of water every day- and he would finish it. I have realized that because of this, my body now craves water! However, oddly enough, I haven't had a taste for it. When I go to drink it, it tastes disgusting to me. So to challenge myself, and hydrate my body- I am going to drink more water!

  

Objective: To drink at least 64 oz of water every day

Long-term goal: To keep our hair, and skin hydrated and glowing!

Suggestions: If you are busy like me, you will want to invest in a nice water bottle that you can tote with you throughout the day. I personally think the tin ones are adorable and they should help to keep your water cooler in the heat.

If you would like to participate, follow these 2 steps:

1. Post a comment below letting me know you will be joining
2. Send me an email letting me know you will be joining. I will be sending emails throughout the month to check your progress and encourage you along the way!

By the end of the month let’s see how we feel! This is more than appropriate to make it through the summer hydrated and healthy!!

 

 

 

Hair Tip #24: Making your own leave in conditioner

Hello ladies, I want to explain how you can make a well balanced and beneficial leave in conditioner for your hair. It is very easy to make! I made mine in 1 minute :)

You will need:

• A spray bottle- you can pick them up from Wal-Mart, Target, a local dollar store, etc. They are very inexpensive from the travel section. I believe I paid $0.88 for mine :)
• Purified water - we have a water dispenser so that is what I use. You can pick up a gallon for less than a dollar at your local grocery store.
• Why do you use purified water? What is wrong with tap water? Tap water is very hard and harsh on your hair. There are many chemicals such as chlorine that dry your hair. Besides, we really don’t know what is really in tap water. Yuck! If I could afford to wash my hair with buckets of purified water, you betcha I would! So when it comes to styling my hair, tap water doesn’t touch it. I have written several posts about water, read them here and   here 
• Glycerin - you can pick it up from your local beauty supply. Mine was around $6 for a 12 oz. bottle. I have used it for 4-5 months and I have 1/3 of a bottle left. It lasts because you use it in small amounts.
• Why do you use glycerin? Personally I enjoy the shine and moisture it gives my hair. It helps to absorb water and keep the hair moisturized. There is a very in depth article about glycerin , you can read it here
• Essential oil - the type of oil you choose is up to you. I have been using jojoba oil that I purchased from Trader Joes for $6.99. It is pure jojoba oil. Other oils I like are: olive oil and tee tree oil.
• Why do you use jojoba oil?  Jojoba oil is very close the sebum your hair produces naturally to moisturize your scalp and hair strands. Therefore jojoba oil helps to regulate the production of sebum on your scalp. This is a great benefit because your scalp produces too much sebum, it will clog your pores and if your scalp does not produce enough, you will have a dry and itchy scalp. Jojoba oil is a great cleanser so it helps to get rid of excess build up on your scalp. Especially if you use it to massage your scalp! It is said to add glow and shine to your hair, which is always a plus.
• Aloe Vera Gel - i picked up a bottle from Trader Joes for $2.99. Want to save money? Grow your own aloe vera plant and use the pure gel from the middle of the plant leaf.
• What can Aloe Vera gel do for my hair? It promotes hair growth by helping to maintain the natural pH balance of your hair. It also helps combat frizz! In addition, it has moisturizing properties that will help to prevent split ends.
• A creme based leave in conditioner - I use bioinfusion olive oil leave in conditioner. I purchased it from Walgreens at $11.99 for 2 bottles. Way worth the price! It is lightweight but lets off an amazing smell and gives me great moisture! While you are at it, select one with organic ingredients. Not sure what to avoid? Read the post I wrote about harmful chemicals here! 

 How to make it:

1. Fill the bottle 3/4 of the way with purified water
2. Add about 1/2 oz. of glycerin
3. Add about 1 oz. of aloe vera gel
4. Add about 1 1/2 oz. of leave in conditioner
5. Add about 1/2 oz. of essential oil

Clearly these measurements are estimations based on just mixing. As a general rule you want the majority of the mixture to be in this order:

• Purified water 
• Leave in conditioner
• Aloe Vera gel
• Essential oil and Glycerin

Enjoy!!!

*Note: My inspiration came from Kimmay Love on youtube. She gives great information when it comes to hair! She has an excellent online store for hair products, www.luvnaturals.com