Saturday 26 November 2011

Muppet Hair :-S

If you have curly, wavy or kinky hair you know exactly what I mean by the term, "muppet hair".  You watch as all your friends get the latest cuts,styles and you look like a mop.  You TRY as a teenager (especially as a teen) and then as an adult to have the latest do but no amount of stylist promises, hair straighteners, or magic products work. You leave the salon with a new purpose in life and then try the next day to follow the step by step instructions that your hairdresser told you and ...........sproing!  Your hair is back to it's wild, out of control look. Until........
a friend of mine who has beautiful, bountiful curls told me about her hairdresser who was trained specifically to cut curly hair. I  had noticed that my friends hair was looking pretty awesome for the last few months so I though it couldn't hurt to try this new stylist out.
WOW! What a difference!  First of all, Lyndsay at Vibe Salon and Spa, Bedford, Nova Scotia, had a good look at my locks, then started snipping on dry hair. She  explained that wet hair is heavy hair and as a curly-girl, your wet hair turns into dry hair that's not straight so the cut is done dry. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about this snip here and there approach but when Lydsay was finish I had the most fabulous hair cut I have EVER had!!!!  She recommended Moroccan Oil products and a leave in spray moisturizer by Deva Concepts of NYC.  Now these are a bit expensive so I started the hunt for the same products but ones that weren't so hard on the wallet. My shampoo and conditioner have to be sulfate free. Sulfate is a huge no-no for curly, ethnic hair as it strips the natural oils from our already dry hair giving us that tumbleweed look :-s
I found a store called Sally Beauty that carries salon supplies but is also open to the public. I bought a $5.00 membership card and have saved a bundle since. I use Argan oil,Argan Oil curl cream, Silk Elements shampoo and conditioner. My hair has thanked me many times since :-)
www.curlygirldesign.com  & devachansalon.com have some great tips and tricks for curly hair that are life savers.  
The most important things to remember are: no sulfate, alcohol in any of your  products, wash your hair only 3-4 times a week (preferably less if you can), dry your hair with an old cotton t-shirt (never use a terry towel as it frizzes hair......like we need help with that!), comb your hair with your fingers or a very wide tooth comb in the shower with lots of conditioner on. Then don't comb again until the next wash and NEVER brush your hair. Hair brushes are frizzie monsters as well. 
Good luck and embrace your curly, kinky,wave of glory as the Good Lord gave you! :-)


Saturday 5 November 2011

NUTS THAT ARE SOAP!?



This Summer, my daughter and I were shopping in a soapery in her hometown. As we wandered around looking at all the different soaps in the many colours, sizes, fragrances and shapes, we came across a small dish on the checkout counter with some strange looking pods in it. We asked the sales lady what they were and she replied, “Soap nuts.” My daughter and I said,”What are soap nuts?” almost at the same time!
The lady told us that they are Mother Nature’s natural soap and that they are not actually nuts, but the outer casing of a fruit found in the Himalayan areas. The outer casing feels a bit sticky and soapy. She said they were great for laundry, cleaning, dish detergent etc. and really great on cloth diapers.  My daughter and I bought our little sample bags which contained five nuts each and off we went. I was skeptical but for a couple of dollars I thought it was worth a try.
My daughter tried her‘s first on her cloth diapers and she said they turned out better than the expensive cloth diaper detergent she’d been using. AND you don’t have to use fabric softener as that’s all part and parcel of the soap nuts.
I tried mine on the heavy duty wash (mostly jeans) and then I hung them out to dry. Usually I use a bit more fabric softener on the heavy wash as they do dry stiff on the line.  I was surprised when I brought the clothes in and  they were softer than any product I’ve used before and all I did was use my five soaps nuts in the little cloth bag!
I frantically started searching with Mr. Google and came across a few sites that sold them. Being the bargain hunter I am and always looking for a deal, I found Earthsberries and they’re right here in Canada. They’re site is : www.earthsberriesoapnuts.com
Read the info but if you’re short on time, watch the videos. Karen’s passion for great, exceptional products, is very evident as you listen and watch as she gives you a great tour and tutorial of the use of soapnuts.  Her prices are better than others that I could find and her information is straight on without any exaggeration of the products claims. I came across one site in the States that said you could get up to ten large washes with five soap nuts. After using the soap nuts now for almost two months, I would say up to five loads would be the norm. (with one of those loads being a small delicate wash). Then they can be composted in your garden. Gotta like that part! J
I’m happy to say that I haven’t found any laundry detergent, cleaner,  dish detergent etc. in my almost 30 years of household product usage that lives up to it’s claims like soap nuts.
Soap nuts are also great for those with sensitive skin, chemical allergies, or for anyone who is concerned with the usage of chemicals in their home. It’s all natural and totally safe!  Plus no plastic bottles in the garbage if you don’t have a recycle program in your area.
I have figured that a 1kg. bag of  www.earthsberriesoapnuts.com  lasts me about one year. We have three adults in our home (my husband, my mother and myself and the occasional wash of my son’s) and I’m saving a significant amount of cash now. I figured that even with my old detergent on sale plus my fabric softener, I was spending about $50-60 a year in detergent and  $50-60 for fabric softener. I bought 2kg of www.earthsberriesoapnuts.com for $60.00 (which included shipping at that price) so do the math and you’ll see why my wallet is doing the happy dance now!......oh, and your hubby will love the fact that you’re being a thrifty lady and tell you to go to the spa with the money you’ve saved!  Ok, maybe he won’t do that but it’s worth a try! After all, you’re saving money and the planet at the same time!

1kg_bag