As you will know if you’ve been following me for a while, I come from Spain and live in Berlin, Germany. Since moving here I noticed and learned many things about this wondrous and weird – in the best possible way – culture. Germans walk on the right side of the street, same as if they were driving. This applies to escalators too, and beware! If you don’t follow suit you might be admonished by the elder population. The most beloved crisp flavour is Paprika – a salt and vinegar lover like me finds this hard to understand -. And don’t be surprised if a company asks you to sign a document and FAX it. That’s right, the fax machine is alive and well in this country, and many companies have email addresses but never use them. In fact, the three most random things that have survived the modern times in Germany are: fax machine usage, video stores and travel agencies.
But I digress. I came here to talk about oils. And water. Berlin has awfully hard water. Never in my life did I ever have dandruff and problems with my scalp until I moved here. The lime in the water leaves marks absolutely everywhere and causes skin problems to many people, including me. I tried special shampoos, I went to the dermatologist, I tried all sorts of store-bought potions and then switched to natural homemade remedies. Nothing worked. For years I slowly accepted that this was it, I was going to have a constantly itchy scalp. Until recently. I have successfully been using Lavender and Frankincense (essential oils from Young Living) for my eczema and it has worked the wonders that western medicine could never come up with. And one evening, as I sat watching TV and scratching my itchy scalp a whacky thought appeared.
I tried special shampoos, I went to the dermatologist, I tried all sorts of store-bought potions and then switched to natural homemade remedies. Nothing worked. For years I slowly accepted that this was it, I was going to have a constantly itchy scalp. Until recently.
I just went for it. I took the little roll-on bottle where I keep my homemade blends, and applied it to my scalp, massaged a bit, and left it until the next morning. Then I washed my hair as usual. Many of the scabs from my head came off while washing, and have not reappeared since. My head no longer itches like a monkey’s armpit, and the dandruff is slowly disappearing. And a bonus side effect: my hair lasts cleaner longer! I have always tried to wash my hair every third day, because of the fact that the water would make my head itchy. I’m now able to go 4 days without washing my hair and I’m still in the testing phase. You wouldn’t say I haven’t washed my hair in three days, would you?
So if you have similar problems, try the following hair mask with all natural ingredients:
- 2 drops of Lavender therapeutic grade essential oil
- 2 drops of Frankincense therapeutic grade essential oil
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp castor oil
- In a small bowl, put the coconut and castor oil and heat slightly so that it melts. It must not be hot though!
- Add the essential oils. I only recommend Young Living essential oils.
- Apply to the scalp with your fingers or the help of a small brush. I use a hair dye brush to make sure I cover every last bit of skin.
- Wrap your head with a towel and leave for at least 30 minutes. Obviously the longer you leave it, the more your skin will benefit from the properties of the oils.
- When you want to wash it, keep in mind that castor oil can be tough to get rid off. You might have to shampoo a few times before it all comes off.
- Dry and style as usual, and enjoy your ad hair!
BONUS TIPS:
- Coconut oil is moisturising, antibacterial and antifungal, which is why it works so well against dandruff. It is also said to help hair grow faster.
- Castor oil contains humectants, is antifungal and antiinflamatory. All of this helps reduce dryness of skin and promote healing of the scalp. Also, it can be really cheap!
- Alternative base oils you may use: almond, jojoba or even olive oil.
- Alternative essential oils: Tea tree, Peppermint or Rosemary.
- If you’re curious about Young Living essential oils, just ask me! Or follow this link!
