The DIY Hair Mask for Dry, Frizzy Hair

For someone with curly, dry & frizzy hair, finding a moisturizing hair mask can be tough -- especially with the outrageous prices of some of the hair masks out there!

Photo courtesy of Fashion Minutes

I've been experimenting with mixing ingredients for more than a year now, trying to find the most effective & most simple DIY hair mask to leave-in over night -- an inexpensive remedy that actually works! After many mornings of defeat, I have finally found my perfect moisturizing recipe!

When to Make the Mask: An hour before bedtime.

What You'll Need:

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup of coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (optional)
• 2 bowls/containers
• Saran wrap or an old towel

The amounts of egg & coconut oil can be adjusted depending on how long/thick your hair is. 

Photo courtesy of The Actor's Diet

Note: Coconut oil can be found in the healthy food/organic section of your local grocery store. Besides for your hair masks, it can be used for cooking healthy everyday, so the $10-15 investment in that jar of wonder can be used on other things as well! 

Making the Hair Mask: 

1. Crack 1 egg into a medium-sized bowl, whisk or stir until the yolk is broken and mixed up into a solution. 
2. Take another bowl and put 1 cup of coconut oil (in solid state) into the bowl. 
3. Put 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into the bowl of coconut oil. **optional
4. Microwave the coconut oil & lemon juice mix in the microwave for 10-20 seconds (until the coconut oil is melted -- microwave for longer if necessary). 
5. Let the coconut oil/lemon juice solution cool for about 30-60 seconds. 
6. After the solution has cooled, pour the coconut oil/lemon juice solution into the egg. 
7. Stir the solution until it is smooth and "chunk-free"

Applying the Hair Mask:

Photo courtesy of Modern Beauty Blog

1. Go over the sink & carefully apply the mask to your hair using your hands
2. Focus on your roots & your ends, spreading the mask as evenly as possible. 
3. Once you've used up all of the hair mask, take saran wrap (or a towel... or both), and wrap your hair "turban-style" as securely as possible. Be careful to keep the saran wrap away from your nose or mouth. The saran wrap increases the amount of heat on your hair & allows for better penetration of the mask. 
4. Place a towel over your pillow before you go to bed. This is in case the saran wrap or the towel falls out of your hair! This hair mask shouldn't stain your sheets, but it may make them greasy. Let's try to keep those sheets as clean as possible.

Washing out the Hair Mask:

1. In the morning, after a restful 6-10 hour sleep, it's time to wash this hair mask out. The most effective way to do this is by showering. Note: When you feel your hair before entering the shower, it should feel slightly "crunchy," that's normal.
2. Upon entering the shower, shampoo as usual, being sure to wash all of the mask out. This may require you to shampoo your hair an additional time. (Don't forget about the hair close to your ears! That's the part I always forget). 
3. After shampooing, condition just the ends of your hair, starting halfway up the hair shaft and working your way down. 

And we're done! 
What are you waiting for? Give it a try!

After I've followed these instructions to the tee, my hair always feels bouncy & moisturized immediately after I get out of the shower. You can notice the difference much more after it's air-dried. 

If you end up trying this hair mask, please let me know how it works for you! It's now my go-to recipe. I do this once every 2 weeks & it has really improved the condition of my hair. 

Any questions? Comment below!

scent full of love,
Jordyn

Terrifying Effects of Parabens in Beauty Products

You have probably heard of parabens before. Parabens are usually used as antimicrobials in cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and even food (yuck). Parabens are usually absorbed through the skin and through the GI tract and blood system. The problem with parabens is that they mimic estrogen, so they can bind themselves to estrogen receptors by pretending they're the real deal. They can alter the expression of some of your genes, and change your hormone regulation (like by pretending to be estrogen), these kinds of weird bodily shifts create all sorts of dangerous developments, like the creation of breast tumour cells.

At this point, scientific studies have shown that different types of parabens have been found in almost all biopsy samples of breast tumours. The ones found were almost always those used in cosmetics. The downside is that parabens are so common in our products today, almost all commercial make-up, lotions, hair products, etc. that you use probably contain them… just check the ingredient lists on the back of your products!

So what do you do? Make sure you start by checking out the ingredient lists of your products, reading labels isn't just for food anymore. Don't be fooled by products with green or "eco" labels because they're just as likely to contain harmful chemicals, so do check. The safest products are obviously those that are clearly listed as paraben-free or that are certified organic. Here are some of my favourites:

• FarmHouse Fresh -- The whole line is Paraben AND Sulfate free, and the majority of the line is Vegan and Gluten-Free. What more could you ask for? Oh right, it's beautifully delicious scents and whimsical packaging. It's a treat to use these products. Check them out here: http://www.smellypatch.com/category-s/47.htm

• Principessa Beauty --  100% Paraben Free and 100% Feminine. This line is so pink and so pretty AND based in Vancouver, Canada. Check them out here: http://www.smellypatch.com/category-s/33.htm

What are some of your favourite paraben-free products?

Source: http://www.eatdancelive.com/2012/01/paraben-problem-natural-beauty-care.html 

Spring Dresses 2012

This post will definitely be updated as my online creeping for cute dresses continues...


I am so excited to start wearing pretty spring dresses -- it was 20 degrees in London, ON today and I was dying to get my favourite floral dress on! With all the warmth in the air, and dresses on my mind, OF COURSE I went browsing online for some beautiful clothes.

Here are some of the spring 2012 dresses I'm currently coveting:

That's lots of lace and lots of short hemlines! Bring on summer!

Which is your favorite dress? What trends are you loving this Spring 2012? Let me know in a comment below!