Organic and Natural 101: Hair and Face DIY Masks

A fellow blogger, Leigh Simone requested this post (check out her blog! Awesome fashion posts.) 

FINALLY, after many attempts of trial and error, here is my go-to list of natural remedies. I have tried all of these myself. Some recently, some I have sworn by for years. This post is probably the most challenging one for me, as I had to really perfect the amount of ingredients put into each one so that the results are fab-u-lous! Enjoy!

hair
I'm sure at one point most of you felt like your hair had been stripped dry of its natural moisture due to the sun's rays, heat processing, styling, and chemicals in products. And in most cases, when that happens, you usually find yourself trying out different hair masks that will only add more to the 'chemicals' aspect of the damage. It's pretty clear where I'm headed with this; natural remedies restore natural, longer-lasting moisture to the hair. HOWEVER, not every remedy is a cure. The catch is finding the right natural mask for your hair type. If you can do that, then your locks will be nursed back to health in no time!  Below are two of my personal favorites.


For fine, limp hair:
(This mask adds volume, and over a period of time, gives you thicker and fuller hair.)





You'll need:
-Castor Oil
-Honey
-Olive Oil
-Avocado

Basically, what you do, is mix in 1 tablespoon of Castor Oil to a bowl, as well as 1 tablespoon of honey. Cut the avocado in half, and scoop out the insides using a spoon, and at them in, trying to create as smooth a mixture as possible. Lastly, add 1/2 a tablespoon of olive oil to create a smoother texture in the overall mixture, as well as add some moisture to the hair. Mix well, and massage the mixture into the scalp and ends. Make sure you have plenty of time on your hands, as you will keep the mask on for 1 hour. (For best results, apply this mask once a week.) Before washing off the hair mask, take some olive oil into your hands and apply it on to your scalp, so as to make the honey and castor oil wash off more easily. Et voila! I know this sounds contradicting, but this mask is PERFECT for when you have a fancy event, and you want to do a huge blowout to your hair. It adds just the right amount of volume and shine, so paired with a blow dry, it would look fabulous!


For damaged, dry, or frizzy hair:
(This mask gives your hair CRAZY shine, and makes it feel soft and supple... My personal fave)


You'll need:
-Coconut oil
-Honey
-Almond oil
-Mayonnaise 
-An egg 
-Your favorite conditioner (OPTIONAL. I recommend anything from Dove or Garnier, as they fight frizz amazingly.)

Mix in 3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Then, add 1/2 a tablespoon of honey, and 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Mix in your egg, and if you want the mixture to be a bit nicer smelling, mix in 2 tablespoons of your favorite conditioner. APPLY THIS MASK ONLY TO THE HAIR. Applying this to the scalp will make it greasy, and will not do anything with a positive result (trust me, I learned the hard way.)  Keep the mask on for 1 hour, maximum 1 and a half hours. I recommend this mask to be used once or twice a week, depending on how dry your hair is. The difference is remarkable.

skin




For acne prone skin
(This mask should be used once a week as a deep cleansing mask to remove traces of bacteria resulting in sebum production, which LATER results in acne. Eep!)

You'll need:
-Yoghurt (preferably completely plain. As organic and as plain as you find it)
-Strawberries
-Turmeric Powder
-Honey


Mix a tablespoon of turmeric powder into the yoghurt (you can skip this step if you don't have access to any). Blend 3 strawberries in the blender and add them to the mix. Lastly, follow up with 2 tablespoons of honey. Keep the mask on for 5-10 minutes, being sure not to exceed 10 minutes as the mask will dry out your skin if you do so (and that's not what we want). Again, this mask should only be used once a week, maximum twice if you have super oily skin as it is a deep cleansing mask.




For hyper-pigmentation 
(This mask is for people with scarring from acne, and over-produced melanin in their skin causing them to have an uneven tone and discoloration.) 

You'll need:
-Lemon
-Chamomile (in tea or plant form, but preferably plant form)
-Honey


Squeeze 2 whole lemons into a bowl. Make the chamomile into a very highly concentrated tea (leave the water to boil for long, and leave the chamomile in it for about 30 minutes so the tea truly absorbs the chamomile's properties), and add 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix well, and leave it on for 30 minutes, to 1 hour. Use this mask as needed, as it is gentle because of the chamomile and honey's soothing properties.




The "wake-up" fix
(Not really a mask, just a quick fix before you head off to school or work, giving your tired face a more awake feeling and look.)

- Apply thin slices of raw potatoes (I'm not kidding) to your eyes for 10 minutes in order to get rid of dark eye circles.
-Make 2 bags of black tea and apply 1 tea bag to each eye (preferably warm) to get rid of puffiness and that feeling when your eyes hurt while moving them around.  Also great for waking you up when you didn't get enough sleep.
 -Apply slices of cucumber to your eyes to refresh and energize, as well as to de-stress.

 OR

Mix some well-ground coffee-beans (MUST BE WELL GROUND), as well as some hot cocoa mix, and very little milk. (Portions are up to you, but make sure not to add too much milk, or your paste won't be thick enough).  Apply to your face for 5-10 minutes, and voila! You have an anti-puffed, slightly more awake, slightly tanner face!





Hope you guys found this helpful!