DIY Coconut Oil Hair Mask and Rinse

This past winter was the first time I'd gotten my hair professionally dyed. So, 10 months later, I've noticed that my hair is starting to look a little damaged. I wanted a treatment that I could make with ingredients that I already had in my kitchen. Enter, a hair mask and rinse. 

A coconut oil mask can be as simple as applying 2-4 Tbsps of coconut oil directly to your hair. But if you want a little extra nourishment, you can follow these instructions for a mask and rinse!

Ingredients

• 2-4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5-10 drops essential oils*
• 2-4 tablespoons of honey*
• 1-2 eggs

* Optional

Ingredient amounts will depend on length of hair

Making the mask:

1. Fill a saucepan with water and place on medium heat.
2. In a small bowl combine coconut oil, honey, and essential oils. 
3. Place small bowl into saucepan to heat the oils.
4. Once softened, whisk oils and honey together.

Application

You can apply the mask to dry or wet hair, but I recommend damp, towel-dried hair. Also be sure to brush / comb your hair beforehand. The mask will make your hair slightly tangled, so best to start with a detangled base.

1. Apply generously starting from the top of your hair, working down.
2. Focus on your hair, as opposed to lathering it into your scalp
3.  Throw your hair up into a bun so you don't have it touching anything while it's sticky
4. Relax, throw on an episode (or two) of HIMYM, and let the mask sit for 30-60 min 

The Rinse

An egg rinse is a great way to help get your deep-conditioning mask out of your hair. Eggs are clarifying for you hair, so aid in rinsing out this deep conditioning.

1. Mix 1-2 eggs with 1-2 tablespoons of water.
   1. If you have long hair like mine you may need two eggs.
2. Coat all of the hair that you treated with the eggs and then massage the rest into your scalp. Then leave for 5-10 min.
   1. I did this in the shower, so that I could apply and rinse w/o a mess
3. Rinse out with cool-luke warm water
   • This is very important! If you rinse with hot water you could end up with scrambled eggs in your hair!)
4. Wash your hair as needed, it will be different for every person:
   •  Some people only need the rinse, others just need to shampoo their scalp, and sometimes you need to thoroughly shampoo the hair that you coated with the mask. 
   • I needed to thoroughly shampoo all of my hair, though I normally only shampoo my scalp.

Stovetop Popcorn

My dad really had something against microwave popcorn, so I've been making stovetop popcorn since I was about 9.  It's really simple, and I honestly don't even measure the ingredients out anymore. But if you're just getting started with stovetop popcorn, here are some simple instructions to get you going!

Supplies

• 1 medium sized sauce pan (about 3 quarts) w/ lid
  • you want your kernels to cover the bottom of the pot in an even layer

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp coconut, safflower, sunflower, avocado, or grapeseed oil (you just want one with a relatively high smokepoint)
• 1/3 cup popcorn kernels
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1.  Heat the oil in your medium sized sauce pan on medium-high heat
   • If using coconut oil, allow it to melt completely
2. Throw a couple kernels into the oil
3. Wait until these test kernels pop, then add the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels.
   • They should cover the bottom of the pot in an even layer. 
4.  Place lid on saucepan and remove from heat for about 30 seconds. 
   • you don't HAVE to do this, but I find it helps to pop your kernels more uniformly as the hot oil brings up the temperature of the kernels to near popping so that they are ready to go once back on the heat
5.  Return your pan to the heat. And wait for the popping to start.
6. Once the popping really gets going, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner.
   • You may need to lift the pan slightly off the burner so it doesn't rub too much
   • You will probably need to hold the lid so the steam and popping kernels don't fly it off, but try to keep it slightly ajar to allow the steam to release.
7. Once popping slows, count between pops, and when there's about 3 seconds between each pop, remove pan from heat and immediately pour into a large bowl.
8. Add salt to taste. Sometime I add other spices like curry powder for some extra flavor!

What's that wine label really mean?

What do All these different organic labels really mean?

There are lots of different labels/seals on wines which claim that they are more sustainable, organic, etc. But it can be challenging to understand what any of them they actually mean. So here's a breakdown.

"organic"

A wine labeled "Organic" by the USDA means it has been handled in accordance with the USDA National Organic Program's standards. This applies to the entire production cycle, from the grape in the field to the final bottled wine.

Here are some of the basic qualifiers:

• Growers producing must pass a certification inspection every year
• No synthetic pesticides or chemical herbicides can be used
• No added sulfites
• Native yeasts can be used, but are not mandatory
• No Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

"Made with Organic Grapes"

The only difference between this category and the one above is that sulfites (less than 100 parts per million), and some processing additives can be used. Some vineyards will choose to certify with a state agency, like the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), instead of the USDA. These will bear the state certifying label, not the "Made With Organic Grapes" label. 

“Ingredients: Organic Grapes”

If a wine is made with some organic grapes, but less than 100%, it is restricted to an ingredient statement, including the product’s percentage of organic contents.  An example would be "70% Organic” or “50% Organic ingredients.”

"Biodynamic"

The biggest difference between "Biodynamic" and "Organic" is that biodynamic includes more sustainable farming techniques that usually exceed the standards for certified organic. The philosophy behind biodynamic farming, defined by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, involves a deep connection to and respect for the land. Biodynamic farms involve elements of soil fertility management, crop protection, greenhouse management, and animal welfare. Biological diversity within the farm landscape is emphasized, and requires that a minimum of ten percent of the total farm acreage be set-aside as a biodiversity preserve.

Here's the breakdown:

• No synthetic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or growth stimulants
• No GMOs
• Sulfites may be present only in amounts less than 100 ppm
• Limited chemical additives are permitted
• Only native yeasts are used
• Crop rotation is practiced and biodiversity is respected

Demeter USA is a certification agency that reviews the practices of Biodynamic vineyards using a strict processing standard.

"Sustainable"

Sustainably-produced wine is made with the intention of having as little negative impact on the land as possible. These methods often involve using solar power, have water reclamation systems, and involved recycling programs. However, there is no legal regulation of this label, so they may not be organic or biodynamic in any way. There are some smaller groups, like the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, who promote sustainable grape growing and wine production practices.

"Conventionally-produced"

There's basically no labeling requirement for these, and I wouldn't recommend purchasing anything under this label. Pesticides and herbicides can be used, can be treated with chemicals, and no limit on sulfites (other than the legal 300 ppm limit). 

That was a lot. Just tell me what to do.

As far as the labels go, I would most highly recommend buying wines with a biodynamic label, its the most ecologically sustainable option, even though its not regulated by a federal agency. Organic is second best, since it has similar regulations on chemicals but doesn't regulate any other farming practices. 

There are other certifications that are great to look for on wine bottles as well, or when researching a winery including: B-Corp, LEED® Gold, LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology), The Carbon Neutral Challenge (CNC), Salmon Safe.

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References

• Organic Vineyard Alliance
• Demeter USA

Photo Credits:

• Daniel Spiess