Scalp Scrub Equals Fluffy Soft Shiney Hair

OMg! I am so happy.  I can't even begin to tell you all what i have stumbled upon.  So, here is my story:

I have curly hair.  Most days it is blown straight to be able to make my life easier and not have to spend a ton of money on product.  The oils in my hair take a while to bounce back so when straight i can go for about a week without washing my hair.  I love that.  However, product buildup and natural buildup of oil and dead skin cells from my scalp are a problem. so I was thinking okay i need to go to the dollar store and get some suave clarifying shampoo.  Problem with that is that i have to deep condition due to the extreme stripping of oils and then the whole buildup thing starts all over. 

So being the fantastic searching gal i am, I stared looking for another solution. Then i remembered, when I'm stressed I heart scalp massages. Not only are they calming but they really make my scalp clean as a whistle and tingly!  So searching how to do a scalp massage without a conditioner or product i have to pay a ton for.  I started seeing recipes for jojoba oil, however i never have jojoba oil on hand.  I'm currently having a love affair with grape seed oil though.  The recipe i found said to use brown sugar and jojoba oil and i wondered if grape seed oil could do the same.

The search continued...

Lo and behold..ladies and gents..yes it can be!  Where did i find this miracle piece of information? well, right here in San Antonio!  There is this beautiful spa called.. Dasa Spa on the Riverwalk.  For $30 they will do a warm oil infusion scalp treatment.

Here is the exact verbage:
      "Using warm aromatic oil on your scalp and hair, the therapist works to release tension and restriction in the neck and scalp. The grapeseed oil stabilizes collagen and elasticity of hair and skin, providing youthfulness, hydration, and nourishment. (For massage as well)
15 min. $30"

 Ha!

Well..that was enough for me.  Maybe for my birthday I'll get a warm scalp massage done at Dasa, but for now home it is.

So my recipe:

Please adjust quantities to your liking.

1/2 cup Grapeseed oil (the greener the better...the lighter the more processed it is)
1/4 cup Brown sugar ( I like dark brown sugar)

If you like gently warm the oil before use.  I did it cold.
You will want to apply this mixture in the shower.
Mix well then apply to scalp after dampening hair.  massage in circles allover scalp.
Exfoliate behind ears and onto the neck.

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to make it all smell nice.   If you have left over scrub you can use it on your face and body.  Be gentle on the face, very very light pressure will polish the skin just fine.

After you have massaged your scalp, rinse away the scrub with warm water and follow your normal shampoo routine.  Your hair should be super soft.


Myself, i shampooed with the Geranium Ylang shampoo from Manor Hall Soap Company. No conditoner necessary with all the oils i added to my hair. Then combed out my locks after it dried a little and went to bed with my hair fanned out on my pillow.

Woke up the next morning with super curly, bouncy and shiny hair.  I've never had all 3 @ the same time!  BTW with my hair very soft and nourished i didn't need any gel or product and my curls are holding strong 3 days later.  This is awesome!

Skin was soft all over from using the scrub on the body and face.

So find some good grapeseed oil and have an at home spa day. Let me know how it works out for you.

Moisturizer Reviews..Moans Groans and finally happiness.

Okay so with my changing skin due to pregnancy, I've had to scour the WWW for a face cream that will hydrate, smell great and feel light on my face without making me greasy or break me out.

I had been using signature Club A by Adrienne Precious Moroccan Argan Oil Day Cream before all my prego hormones changed my skin and found that it started to break me out. This cream was good light and hydrated mys kin beautifully and worked well in winter and summer.

Then i tried the arbonne NutriMinC RE9 Day Crème with SPF 8 and that broke me out..mostly b/c of the sunblock. That's why i use mineral foundation has spf built in and no breakouts. However the NutriMinC RE9 REcover Night Crème, and the hydrating face wash were amazing and the serum for the face were awesome. My skin was hydrated glowed and i woke up refreshed and dewy! However at the prices they are currently out of my reach..and the samples are all gone. <>

Okay then to look for something else. Yes i was frustrated and Tweeted several times about how i hated looking for new moisturizer. A friend recommended the Loreal Active Daily Moisture. This worked for about 2 days before i saw my dry skin coming back and it enlarged pores. Akk! I thought it was going to work, it was light it felt great and had no offensive scent. Sadly no.


Okay so, more researching and going to Totalbeauty.com or makeupalley.com to look for reviews of products that would be great. Again price is an issue. It was agony. I wanted something that i wasn't going to fear putting on my skin and something i felt could help with the dry patches and some now enlarged pores...mainly due to primer with dimethicone in it and worsened by moisturizers that didn't work with my skin.

Off to Etsy and Artfire.com i went. Using the basic search terms "facial cream" as my opening move and narrowing down from there i kept seeing this one brand called La Conchita Naturals. It was a RosewaterFacial Moisturizer. No parabens and promised to hydrate and even be a great base foe mineral foundation. Rosewater is a great toner for the skin to begin with so i decided to try the 1 oz. jar of the product. Wow! is all I can say! This little jar has such potent and great stuff in it that my skin was glowing and happy to be nourished and loved. The cream is light, absorbs quickly and lasts all day.

The primer part, well i need less primer than i did before to get a flawless look. That is great. but by itself i think i would use it only for weekend looks when I'm not going very far or just grocery shopping.

The scent is a light rose scent and not over powering ( great for me because i have heightened sense of smell during pregnancy), this powerful stuff has: Jojoba, Apricot Kernel, and Shea Butter. I add Pro Vitamin B, a generous dose of the antioxidant power of Natural Vitamin E along with Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein and Jojoba Protein to create a truly effective facial moisturizer (straight from the Etsy/Artfire listing for the product).

I am just so happy with this product i can't even tell you. A tiny bit goes a long way! it's just fabulous.

along with my cute jar of miracle cream, came this beautiful pink powder. It is the La Conchita Naturals

Sprinkling Clean - Rose - Natural Face Wash, Exfoliant and Mask.

This is a dry cleanser that you add water to and make a paste of it in your hand. then use it to cleanse to let it set as a mask on your face. It smells wonderfully of oatmeal and rosewater. It is effective and gentle and lovely all at the same time. It may seem strange to have a cleanser that comes in powder form, but it lasts longer and you can customize how wet or dry you need it depending on the day. It takes off makeup with no problem and exfoliation occurs with every wash in a gentle manner, no stripping or abrasiveness. It leaves the skin soft and balanced.

speaking of balancing, another little gem of a freebie was also included..

Jasmine Green Tea - Antioxidant Skin Toner with Organic Aloe Vera

This balancer had a strong scent for me but it does dissipates rather quickly. The toner is great and moisturizes as well. According to the product description:
This All Natural Toner is the perfect way to infuse your skin with 5 powerful antioxidant-rich botanical extracts while removing nasty residue, tightening pores and toning skin! In a base of Jasmine Hydrosol and Organic Aloe it even helps soothe and hydrate skin in preparation for your moisturizer—and it has a light, wonderful scent of pure jasmine essence.

I used this after washing my face and my face felt even softer, even my hubby made a comment on it. I have to say it's a keeper.

La Conchita Naturals is a company that really knows it's stuff. Based in Cotati, CA, creator Conchita really cares about what she puts into each and every single product. Handmade for her is the way to go. Along with quality of ingredients. She has a shop both on Etsy and Artfire.com. I highly recommend her to anybody looking for quality natural skincare. I look forward to purchasing her night cream next and writing a great review on it. It's wonderful to find a greta moisturizer at a price that is affordable and to find a product that is of quality.

My skin thanks you Conchita! Yay!

Moiturizer for oily skin search Part I

On the quest to look for a moisturizer that works for my skin and helps me to not breakout when that does happen has been a challenge with the triple digit heat here in San Antonio I do not want to look shiny or feel my skin producing excess oils.

So i'm trying two moisturizers:

1. Arbonne FC5 Oil Absorbing Day Lotion with SPF 20 Retail value: $39.50 1.7 oz

2. Sephora FACE Hydrating Balancing Cream - Combination To Oily Skin: $18(online) $12(in-store)
1.69 oz

Yes even oily skin need moisture. However the quest to find a moisturizer that does what it claims is the challenge no matter what your skin type.

I choose these two brands based on my track record with both companies. Arbonne has had wonderful products that my mother uses religiously and that i love to use on occasion. The Hybrids Vitamin punch is great for my daughter and the mens line i so want my hubby to use. I still get the 35% discount and used it to purchase the Day Lotion at less than the $39.50 price tag.

The Sephora face brand saved my face when my skin dried out in the winter. Their dry skin line was perfect for my first experience with dry skina fter being oily for years. Now that the hot weather has finally caught up with my face, i have had to use a different moisturizer with little sucess much to my and my skin's dismay.

Claims:

Arbonne claims this moiturizer is oil free and helps to absorb moisture has antioxidants and has SPF 20 to fight the sun's harmful rays while leavign the skin with a fresh matte appearance.

Sephora Face claims their hydrating balancing cream is tripel action: hydrates, regulates oil production and help future breakouts.

Arbonne is vegan and forulated thsi moisturizer without: Parabens,m Phthalates, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, PABA, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Diethanolamine, or Anima-Derived Ingredients. Key Ingredients: Fresh kiwi cells; Matte Fresh Complex of mallow, melissa, watercress, ivy; grapeseed oil, pomegranate extract, vitamins A and E

Sephora: has white clay, zinc, vitamin b-5, however it has parabens. No mineral oil which is great.
-White Clay: Absorbs excess sebum and impurities.
-Zinc: Regulates sebum.
-Vitamin E: Antioxidant.
-Glycerin: Prevents skin dryness.
-Pro-Vitamin B5: Nourishing, softening, and anti-inflammatory.


Aroma:
Arbonne: Pleasant fruity smell though does smell a little like suntan loition.

Sephora: Fresh smell that is light.

Texture and absorption:

Arbonne had a light slippery feel a little like suntan lotion but thinner. The product comes out throught the use of a samll pump and it is a perfect amount for the face. It absorbed into my skin very quickly, lef my skin soft and matte just as the claim goes.

Sephora in a plain tube had great smooth texture and was thin as well. It absorbed into my skin more quickly than the Arbonne product.

Staying power:

Arbonne left my skin feeling hydrated longer while the sephora as soft but not as soft as the Arbonne product. I am sititng here petting my hand withthe arbonne cream on it b/c it's so soft.

Field testing into the Texas Heat is the next test. I need a week with each product to give it a full go. so this posting will have to have a Part II.

If you have used any of the two let me know. If you'd liek to purchase Arboonee with a 35% discount let me know and i can tell you how to get it.

If you haven't signed up for the Beauty Insider card with sephora you need to get it! Rack up points and get exlusive full sized samples. How cool is that!