Gluten Free Skin and Hair Solutions

Some of us react to gluten in skin and hair care products.  Not to mention that using store bought products is often expensive and confusing because it requires a knowledge of chemistry jargon to understand the label.



ARE THERE INEXPENSIVE, NATURAL GLUTEN FREE SOLUTIONS?




I've spent the last couple of weeks testing out some natural DIY recipes for these types of products.  After several uses, I really can't tell if it's improving anything or better than the store bought types, but I definitely don't think they're worse.  And my head was never itchy like it normally is after using store bought shampoos.

So here are a few ideas if you'd like to experiment in your own kitchen.

GF Natural Shampoo:

Mix Baking Soda and water to form a paste.  And gently massage it into your roots while showering.  I tried a few different add-ins.  Cinnamon and cloves for scent. Lavender would also be great.

For Conditioner:  Rinse hair with a solution of 1 part apple cider vinegar and 3 parts water. Again, cinnamon and cloves make the smell much nicer--but over time cinnamon will lighten your hair and cloves can add a red tint. So be warned).

Natural hair Dyes:

For a temporary and natural brown hair dye, mix a few tablespoons full of yogurt with a few tablespoons of fresh ground coffee.  You can also add a bit of brewed coffee to thin it out.  Let it soak into your hair for about an hour.  Cover your hair with a plastic grocery bag and your shoulders with a towel.  This is a very messy way to die your hair, but it was fun.  Though my head smelled like stale coffee for a few days.  I found it amusing.

GF Hairspray (for blonds or for those who like lightening their hair):

Chop up half a lemon and half an orange.  Put these into a pot and cover with purified water.  Add 1 tsp honey and a pack of gelatin.  If you don't want to add the honey or gelatin, this recipe will still work.  Boil this mixture until it's reduced by half.  Cool and strain the liquid then put it in a spray bottle and store it in your refrigerator for one week.  Mine has lasted longer than that.  It works, but I don't want to lighten my hair, so I haven't been using it as hairspray.

GF Hairspray (for dark hair):

You'll need to buy, order or grow Comfrey.  Then you'll just combine a bit of it (1/4 cup) with water and boil it for a few minutes until you get a slimey green/brown mixture that you can strain and put in a spray bottle.  This is great for your skin and hair.  Comfrey is scientifically proven to stimulate cell regrowth.  You might need to add water to get the mixture thin enough to spray out of your bottle.  You could also leave the mixture thick and use it as hair gel for wet hair. I've noticed it takes longer to dry than store bought.

There are so many interesting things you can make from home with things in your kitchen if you're willing to research it a bit first.  Cinnamon and honey lighten hair (overnight).  Paprika can be used as a very light and natural red hair dye (substitute it for coffee in the above mentioned recipe). Turmeric can be used as a paste to stop unwanted hair growth when applied to the place you wish to use it.  Cloves also add a tinge of red to hair. Chamomile Tea can intensify the golden hues of blond hair.  All this without using harsh chemicals.  Personally, my skin is very sensitive to harsh chemicals.  Cleaning products eat me up.

Be sure to use caution.  You don't want to find out that you have a horrible allergic reaction to something after you've used it all over your face or head.  Test it before-the inside of your elbow is a good place.  My general rule is that a burning sensation is a warning from your skin to wash it off immediately.   No store bought face products that I ever felt a burning sensation from turned out to be beneficial to my skin.  Most often, my skin looked burnt or began chaffing later as a result.

Sprouting Lentils

I'm currently on a health kick--they come and go for me.  I've been making blended fruit/veggie drinks that are a cross between fresh fruit juice and a smoothie.  I call this a Smoojie.  Just put whatever fruits you have on hand (even carrots and apples work, if you don't mind the texture) in your blender and liquefy them.  Then drink with a straw.  

I even tried fresh tomatoes, onion and garlic with basil, one day.  Which was...interesting.  Like tomato juice.  Not too bad.  Full of antioxidants, I'm sure. 

I've also switched to Sea Salt and Stevia and tried to cut down on my family's intake of both.  Some studies show that excess iodized salt and processed white sugar can block your body's absorption of important nutrients and 'destroy your health'.  I KNOW, the article says the same thing about coffee, but I conveniently ignored that part.  You gotta start small, sometimes...

Another, actually fun, thing I'm trying out, is growing sprouts:

These are the lentils that I sprouted.  They're not the tastiest thing on the planet, but they're very healthy.  One of my children will eat these, the other two seem uncertain, but find it to be a fascinating process.

This is the Youtube.com video that I followed to make mine.  I love this couple.  They're very...lively and remind me of The Wiggles for some reason.  :D  After living in Los Angeles for seven year, I reeeeeally enjoy seeing cheerful people once in a while.

If you'd like to know more about growing sprouts, this is a great video for learning about the nutritional benefits of sprouts.  It's also filled with beautiful pictures of various types of sprouts.

This is NOT me, in the video, by the way.

Now, if I can just get myself started exercising a little bit... :S