The Easiest Way To Make Shealoe

I finally found my Holy Grail of hair moisturisers. It's only made with two ingredients, shea butter and aloe vera gel=shealoe. It smooths down frizz and moisturises hair ends. You can use it as a hand and body moisturiser too.

Shealoe is easy to make it yourself at home. Make small quantities so it doesn't spoil before you've used it up.  

I make mine in a clean Lush mask container and that's how it's stored. It only takes five minutes to make.  If you don't have a Lush container, any small container will do as long as you can fit a beater from a hand mixer inside with space. 

The proportion of ingredients is 1 part shea butter to 1 part aloe vera gel. Keep that in mind when filling the container because you need extra room for whipping. Allow atleast double the space taken on ingredients for whipping.

1) Place 1 part shea butter in the container and microwave until it's just melted. I put it on high for 20 seconds first and keep checking every 10 seconds.

2) Add 1 part aloe vera gel and mix with a hand beater on a slow setting for 30 seconds. Make sure to hold the container firmly or it will splatter everywhere.

3) Ensuring there's enough height on the container to hold everything, whip at a high setting for 3 minutes. Don't whip any longer because the shea butter will solidify and separate in clumps.

4) Tap off the mixture from the beater into the container and let it fully cool before putting the lid on it.  

5) Clean off the beater with your fingers and apply to your hair or on your hands. Waste not, want not!

This is what it looks like after the initial mixing on slow.

You can see shea butter particles suspended in the aloe vera. 

After a three minute whipping, this is the final product. Creamy and thick like whipped cream. 

You can add a few drops of essential oil like tea tree or lavender for preservation and scent. Keep it in a cool place. I use shealoe after every wash and this is the right quantity to make without the need for preservatives. 

To use, take a small amount and warm it between your hands before smoothing onto the ends of your hair. 

Hope this helps those who want an all natural, cost effective multi purpose moisturiser. This stuff is a life saver for my dry hair.

Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream And Adding Egg For Protein

I've become so obsessed with African hair care that my girlfriend from Barbados thinks I'll be growing an afro soon!

I went to Paks Cosmetics in Finsbury Park for the first time. They have THREE shops on the same street, two for wigs and one for products.

There was so many products I wanted to try. They all promised wonderful things with the words: super grow, hair fertiliser, hair food, and mega thick hair. They sell cosmetics, hair care, toiletries, hair dressing and beauty supplies. My neck almost hurt having to look at everything as I passed through the aisles.

I found Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream which I've always wanted to try and believe it or not, a huge tub was only £1.99! I also bought Jamaican Castor Oil £5.99, an applicator bottle 79p and a Blue Heaven kajal stick 59p. Cheaper than online and better value than anything from the high street. I was tempted to impulse buy and forced myself to leave the store. Although I don't think it will be long before I'm back...

I tried the Conditioning Cream after my gym session today as a deep treatment. I shampooed my hair with Bawang and smothered this thick creamy goop all through my hair and scalp. The instructions says to mix it with a little warm water which helps spread it along. I used two scoops with my fingers. The cream smells like plain cold cream, no added scent.

I put on a shower cap and sat in the steam room for 10 mins, pottered for 5 and rinsed it out. Surprisingly it rinsed really easily for a heavy product. I suspect it's because there's SLS in it.

My hair felt hard as I rinsed out the cream. I wondered if it had moisturised at all. As it dried, my hair felt drier than usual. I put on a little avocado oil on the ends and my hair felt better and it seemed to soften. I had volume, body and shine. Softness too but not the ends. For the price I couldn't fault it. It has no silicones and didn't make my hair flat.

The next time I used it as a protein treatment by mixing it with a beaten egg. It was a 25% egg and 75% cream mix and it was perfect for distributing through my hair. I put on a shower cap, wrapped a towel over it and sat in the steam room for 10 mins. (I really had to be careful not to cook egg in my hair!)

Having freshly shampooed hair is not essential although it's in the instructions. As long as your hair isn't super greasy, rinsing hair with warm water is fine. The treatment rinsed off clean and although my hair was hard, it felt strong. Much better than stretchy and fragile!

When my hair dried (and I picked out a few bits of white membrane), I put a few drops of avocado oil on my ends and my hair was phwhoarrrrrrrr!

That's the only way I can describe the result in one word. My hair was shiny, strong full of body and healthy looking. I love this treatment so much, it's a weekly essential. Who needs a separate protein treatment when you have eggs in the kitchen?

Vitapointe Leave In Conditioner Review

Just a short and sweet post about Vitapointe.

I saw it at Savers and it was really cheap £1.60 for a 30ml tube. It was the right size for travelling and you can also get the 50ml tube for £2.10 (which I bought as a second tube for home after I tried this!)

I like the simple packaging and the fact it's applied like a body moisturiser, only to hair like Vita5 Hair Booster from Australia. Feels more like I'm moisturising and not just using a serum or oil to coat hair. The conditioner is a bit oily looking and you only need a pearl size glop and no more. I spread on my palms and smooth it through my ends.

The stuff smells powdery like baby soap and it really does make dry ends feel softer. It reduces frizzies and makes my hair smell nice. I will always go back to this simple but effective stuff!

Edited to add: This stuff contains mineral oil so I've given it a rest as I'm trying to go all natural. I'm now using coconut oil.

Shikakai Powder For Hair

I was carrying this to the showers at my gym and when someone saw it, her eyes practically popped out of her head. What was in the bottle and why was I taking a shower with it?

I bought a box of shikakai powder from the supermarket after reading about the benefits. It's known to add shine, strengthens the roots, eliminates dandruff and most important to me, reduces hair loss. It was only £1.30 and it's a dried herb powder that you mix with water and clean your scalp with it.

Shikakai contains sapons which are surfactants. It mildly cleanses and the PH is 4, slightly acidic which is the right level for keeping dandruff at bay and closing hair cuticles. Shakakai basically gets rid of dirt and oil and makes hair shiny, similar to doing a apple cider vinegar rinse.

I recycled a nearly empty squeeze bottle of honey which had crystallised. I added hot water and powder to make a runny paste. Honey is good for hair, I figured. The mixture smelt muddy so add a few drops of essential oil for fragrance.

I wet my hair and applied it to my scalp and massaged it in. There were no suds and it was gritty, like a scrub. I let it sit in my hair while I was doing my normal shower routine. When I rinsed, I could instantly feel my hair was softer and smoother. It was amazing!

When my hair dried, it smelt a little muddy (because I did'nt add fragrance) but it subsided after a few hours. Let this be a warning if you're planning to use it when you're going to be around other people-use essential oil!  My scalp felt like it had been scrubbed clean and even though I didn't use conditioner, I didn't feel like I needed to.

I like shikakai because it's all natural, cheap and mild on my hair. Good for gentle and frequent cleaning as my fine hair looks dirty by the second day of washing. As for reducing hair loss, I'll keep using it and let you know how I get on!

Babyliss Pro Cordless Gas Curling Wand

Remember when I bought the BaByliss Ceramic Clampless Curling Wand? I used it twice and sold it on Ebay. I could'nt get the hang of it and as it turned out for me, wands with the clamp is much easier to use.

My girlfriend recommend this curler which she carries around in her handbag. It's about £20 from Argos. The brilliant thing about this is that it's cordless and lightweight. Makes using it so much better as you don't have to worry about fiddling about with a cable. Also you can travel with it and not have to worry about the right power adaptors.

The box says you can carry it on board a plane but I've yet to try this out. The rules are that you can't carry spare energy cells, it must have a safety cover (which this does) and you can't use it inflight.

It comes with a brush attachment but I won't be needing it. To use, just switch it on, start it up by pressing the start button a few times and you'll hear it fire up (there is a little light which indicates that it's on) and gas is softly being expelled. It takes about 30 seconds to get hot and you can clamp the end of a lock of hair and roll it up. Hold for about 6 seconds and pull it off sideways by releasing the clamp.

This cordless curler works a treat and does'nt fry my hair as badly as the clampless. I found it fast to use. The wand heats up quick and the results are good. The curler does the job and the curls last a day or two. My girlfriend has curl resistant hair and she says it falls flat after a night out. If that sounds like your hair, it's not for you.

My only complaint is that because it runs on butane filled energy cells, it emits fumes while it's on. I guess that's normal however it's not pleasant when the wand is close to your face.

However that's a small con when the benefit is convenience. I like using this curler and I'm so glad to have bought it!

Denman Shampoo Brush

I've laid off on shopping because in saving for my trip to The States. The one thing I've bought recently is a simple and not so new invention, the Denman shampoo brush.

It's basically a remarketed palm brush which I used as a kid. But you're meant to massage your scalp with it when you shampoo. For £2.40 from Amazon, it wouldn't hurt to try.

At first I thought this was a great way to really get my head clean but it never made it to the bathroom. I'd forget to use it and it would probably end up collecting limescale.

So now I keep it in my handbag. With the soft plastic bristles, it works as a Tangle Teezer. Just a cheaper version. It's really handy because as I'm growing my hair out, the ends are knotty and the brush sorts it out very easily. I even prefer it to my Mason Pearson!

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo

While it would be wrong to say this shampoo saved my life, it's honestly the best shampoo I've ever used. Hands down.

I was so excited to try this cleansing oil shampoo by Shu Uemura. The concept sounded right because I need something that does'nt strip my hair of oils but it needs to properly clean it. My hair is limp and greasy within two days and I don't want to encourage more greasies by over washing.

It must have been fate because I managed to buy this shampoo from the hair salon upstairs in Selfridges and they don't normally stock this product. A bottle just happened to be there (sent mistakenly) and they sold it to me anyway.

One pump does the cleaning job marvelously and my hair feels soft and full of body afterwards. (I use two if my hair is really disgusting.) It has a pleasing floral scent. And best of all, it's the only shampoo which does'nt get me flakes or itchies. THE ONLY. I LOVE THIS SHAMPOO!

Mine cost £35 which is ridiculously expensive for shampoo so try to get it cheaper on online. You if you have fine oily hair like me, you won't regret it!

Dr Bronner's Soap and Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Recently I bought a huge bottle of Dr Bronner's in Rose and tried using it as a shampoo. The instructions say you need to dilute but I don't bother. I just use it in controlled amounts, like a 50p sized amount. It's runny but very concentrated.

Because it's soap, it's alkaline and I can tell the difference vs normal shampoos. The pros is that it suds brilliantly, my scalp does'nt itch as much and the top layer of my hair does'nt get greasy as quickly. The cons is that it's tangly and strands tends to stick together (mattes easily, not because it's still dirty). My hair is wavy so thin locks form and makes it a little lank and frizzy. I stopped using it as a shampoo, especially because it leaves a residue and it feels worse than it did when dirty! This soap is now a body wash only.

To neutralize the high pH of the soap and help close the cuticle, tried the apple cider vinegar rinse.

There are many variants to this treatment. I filled a drink bottle with 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water. This is to pour over my scalp and it runs down my hair. 200mls of this solution does the trick. I leave it in for a minute or two and rinse. They say for super shiny hair, rinse with as cold water as you can stand. Make sure to keep this out of your eyes because it stings like crazy!

The results are noticeably softer, shiner and less tangly hair. I only do the ACV rinse once a week to clarify my hair and while it's true that the smell disappears when my hair is dry, it stinks when wet.

You can buy 5L of ACV for only £13.50 including shipping on Amazon. That's dirt cheap haircare! OK, its for animals but the acidity and it's origins are the same as the edible kind. As long as you're not taking it internally, who cares?

Biotin For Hair & Nail Growth

Pardon the silly outfit. I just wanted to show you the longest my hair has ever been and I think it's because of biotin. I was trying to regrow it after it thinned out due to stress.

However for few years now my hair's been the same length as below. The ends are dry and brittle. I had highlights and those areas are the first to split so regular trims are a must. I miss having longer hair so I'm taking biotin again.

I take a minimum 1000µg or 1mg a day after food. There are super doses of the stuff like 5mg but I think that's excessive. Some people have reported breakouts when they take too much.

I can already notice my nails growing faster and it's only been a week. So in case you're wondering, I think biotin works!

Will post again in a few months time to show results.

BaByliss Ceramic Clampless Curling Wand

Now that my hair is straightened, I want curly hair.

My hair is fine and needs oomph. I want the freakishly giant locks of Cheryl Cole. But since I can't afford hair extensions, I'll just curl my hair for volume.

Initially I was looking for bendy rollers but for the same price, Argos sells their curling tongs for only £3.82!!! On second thought I bought the BaByliss curling wand from John Lewis for £19.95. Much kinder than the cheap version with the clamp that snags my hair.

The BaByliss curling wand has 5 temperature settings. It's ceramic coated and gets up to 200 degrees. I use it on it's lowest setting of 155 and that's enough to keep my hair curled or wavy for two days. It's clamp-free like the new trendy curling gizmos and the wand is the right length for my long hair.

I need to learn to wrap my hair around it properly but the first attempt is pretty good. I sprayed hair protectant on first and held the hair on long enough to feel it warm up. I finished off with plenty of hairspray. The waves came out shiny and with practice, I'll be mastering curls soon!

The low temperature helped preserve my hair and the ends did'nt touch the wand. Using it is a bit tricker but my hair is too long for the conventional curling tongs. I highly recommend this curler and if you get it, make sure to wear the heat protection glove provided so you don't burn yourself!

Global Keratin Hair Taming Treatment - 2 Months On

It's officially two months and the treatment's still going strong.

My hair is a little kinkier than before but still low-frizz and shiny. As in my previous post, my hair did'nt take the GHD heat well so the ends are quite split now. (Half-because I have'nt had a trim yet.)

I'm using the Global Keratin shampoo with Juvexin religiously and a normal sodium sulfate free conditioner. I wash 2-3 times a week so I assume it helps to prolong the treatment.

At this rate I might not need a re-treatment for another 2 months!

Global Keratin Hair Taming Treatment Review - Real "After" Photos

The "after" photos of Brazilian treatments are most likely taken after GHD-ing the hair for ages. It's done in the final stage of treatment to set the keratin. Beware that those pictures won't necessarily depict the true results so don't be fooled!

The above pics were taken after I washed for the first time (4 days after the treatment). I used Global Keratin Balancing Shampoo with Juvexin and air dried my hair. This is to judge the treatment unaided by heat styling.

As you can see, there is a little frizz and my hair is slightly wavy. But take my word for it when I proclaim that it's far better than before I had the treatment. So you know, my natural hair is brittle, fine, frizzy and very wavy.

My hair is now the shiniest I've ever seen and oh-the-softness! I'm addictively touching my hair and telling friends to touch the back of my head. (Strange, I know.)

I shed more than usual after the first wash and noticed a little heat damage. Nothing too alarming though. When the hairdresser said there would be NO damage, I think it applies to people with thick hair only.

She said the treatment provides full heat protection but I wonder how can any product do that? A chicken basted with heat protectant is still going to cook at the temperature of a GHD.

Anyway I'll get off my soapbox now and contine stroking my new hair.

Global Keratin Straightening & Taming System with Juvexin

Just posted a new Youtube video!

Hope this treatment is the answer to unruly frizzy hair and worth the money. I paid £130 for the treatment including the Global Keratin shampoo. My hair is stick straight now but I can't wait see it after I've washed it for the first time.

Will post the results in 4 days...

Beer - How To Give Body And Shine To Your Hair

There was half a bottle of Peroni in the fridge so instead of pouring it down the drain, I tipped it over my head.

I wanted to try the old trick of using beer to restore hair's shine and bounce. Just to let you know for comparison, my hair is fine with damaged ends. It's wavy and frizzy.

It's believed that vitamin B in beer nourishes and the sugars tighten the cuticle of the hair shaft and gives it shine.

Peroni does not have a strong smell so there was no harm in giving it a try. Once my hair was dry, there was no residual beer smell.

Half a bottle or can of beer is more than enough. Make sure it's at room temperature so you don't get the chills. It does'nt matter if the beer has gone flat.

I shampooed my hair as normal and after rinsing, squeezed out the excess water. Then poured the beer throughout my hair from the scalp. Wrapped the beer sodden hair around my head and left it to "brew" for atleast three minutes.

Rinsed the hair with lukewarm water with a final burst of cold water to seal the hair cuticle. You could use conditioner but I skipped it to gauge the effectiveness of the beer.

I let my hair dry naturally and although it's still frizzy, there is definitely more body and volume. Unlike cream treatments, my hair was not weighed down or greasy sooner than usual. It feels thicker, bouncier and indeed, there was more shine.

The end-result beats chucking out beer. I recommend having a beer rinse every few weeks. It's a fast, effective treatment and natural to boot!

Parachute Coconut Oil For Hair

Maybe it's a summer thing but I've been shedding alot lately. I hate brushing or even combing my hair with my fingers because strands drop everywhere!

I suffered hair loss last year. You could even see my scalp from the top of my head! I saw a dermatologist who recommended Rogaine and a hormone blocker. Suffered side effects from both so now I'm back to square one.

My hair is super fine, frizzy and dry. The drier it is, the curlier it gets. I even gave away my hair straightener because I did'nt want to damage my hair anymore.

A colleague suggested massaging my scalp with pure coconut oil to stimulate hair growth. Apparently it is a common for Indians and Polynesians to do this and they typically have thick hair.

So I bought a small bottle of Parachute Coconut Oil. The oil is 100% natural (edible in fact) and cheap from an Indian grocer. This 200ml bottle only cost $3.50 AUD.

Instructions on how to use coconut oil as a hair treatment:

1) Fill a small cup with roughly 50ml of oil, more if you have thick or long hair. You can also mix in some Jojoba oil or a few drops of lavender or rosemary essential oil as they also improve the condition of the hair.

2) Microwave the oil until it's hot as your skin can stand it.

3) Massage oil onto to dry hair starting from the roots to the scalp. Gently massage the scalp for 5 minutes. As you can see in the picture, the drops of oil next to the bottle is liquid so application is messy. You'll need to wear a plastic cape or be naked in the bathroom!

4) Wrap a plastic shopping bag over your hair and head. You can also use a shower cap but I prefer to recycle shopping bags. You can secure them with a peg or hairclip. Yes, you will need to do this in private, away from those who will make fun of you!

5) Leave in for 2-3 hours. Or wear it as an overnight treatment but cover your pillow with a towel just in case.

6) Shampoo out thoroughly. You might need to do this twice to ensure the oil is washed out. Conditioning is not necessary.

Make sure you don't comb/brush your hair until it's dry because I found my hair tangles easy while wet and more hair would fall out.

I noticed that it took longer for my hair to air-dry. Normally it's quick because my hair is so damaged and my bone-dry ends zaps up the moisture!

I was amazed by the results. My hair is softer, shinier and frizz free than ever before. Days later and it becomes even softer! Also my hair is wavy rather than curly now and believe it or not, is LESS greasy.

So guys, I highly recommend coconut oil for hair. It is also good as a cuticle oil or moisturiser. I will be doing this treatment once a week and will post in later to see how it works over time. Hopefully my hair will grow thicker!

Sebastian Potion 9 - Wearable Treatment

Heard about Potion 9 in a Youtube video from Caffy. Like hers, my hair is fine and curly. She raves about this stuff so when I saw Sebastian products for half price, I had to try it!

I think Sebastian was reduced because they are repackaging their products. The Potion 9 I saw comes in flexible aluminum tubes which tears easily. I bought a travel sized tube (50g) for $9 AUD.

Sebastian calls Potion 9 a "wearable treatment" but considering that you're supposed to use it sparingly, the title is a bit of stretch! I like how it's silicone free. It contains 9 botanical extracts which claims to restore moisture, revitalize damage and rejuvenate hair. The product itself is an orange coloured non-sticky/greasy gel. Some makeupalley reviewers said it smells nice but I hardly notice a scent with mine.

After washing I use a small amount (no bigger than an Aussie 10c coin) to scrunch through wet hair. I'm prone to frizz so I dilute with a little water so hair doesn't stick to my hands. Must be careful not to use too much product otherwise my hair feels crunchy.

I'm convinced that Potion 9 is incredible. I let my hair dry naturally and get soft, defined and shiny curls. While it's a little pricey, it's worth it because of the noticeable difference! I'll buy this product over and over again.