TIPS FOR MAINTAINING HEALTHY HAIR

• Use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush.
• Wait until your hair is dry before combing or brushing, except when applying conditioner.
• Reduce heat damage that comes from styling with irons, curlers, and blow dryers on high heat. Experiment with styles that don't require heat to find one you like.
• Comb or brush from the ends up.
• Use soft, loose ponytail holders for styles that need them. Never use rubber, which breaks hair and causes damage.
• Protect your hair from the elements by wearing a hat.
• Use silk or satin pillowcases.
• Trim your hair every six to eight weeks to keep ends healthy.
• Wash your hair less often and use warm, not hot, water.
• Don't towel dry your hair, because it's more fragile when wet. Instead, blot wet hair with a towel. There are towels on the market specifically made to dry hair quickly.
• Eat nutrient-rich foods that promote healthy skin and hair.
• Apply shampoo to scalp, and wash your scalp in small circular motions to increase blood flow.
• Gently squeeze out any excess water before applying conditioner.
• Apply conditioner and comb through with a wide-tooth comb.
• Clean your hairbrushes and combs regularly.

FIVE REASONS TO DIY

It's hard to conceptualize all the toxic chemicals that are in our skin-care products. When a product comes in a beautiful tube and is labeled “organic oat honey and lavender body butter," it can be easy to think that it's good for us. The front of the label is often used to sell us what the brand thinks we want to hear, or what we're meant to believe, so we slather away unknowingly. When we look closer and read the actual ingredients, sadly we can see the all-natural and organic branding is not the real story. If we were given the same chemicals contained in that lotion in a shot glass, would we drink it? By taking control of what's in our products, we can swap out toxic chemicals in favor of ingredients that are beneficial to our skin and our overall health.

1. You'll save money. Walk into Sephora or Nordstrom, and you're bound to find “luxury" body scrubs selling for $30, $50, or even $70. A lot of those scrubs include a lengthy list of toxic chemicals on their label, which can cause skin damage. On the flipside, the scrub recipes in this book contain ingredients you might have at home or can easily buy in the grocery store and use for cooking, too. Pick up some avocado oil for the Basic Body Oil, and I bet you'll use it to dress salads as well. Mix a few of these oils to make a versatile body oil, stir in some used coffee grounds (they're more effective than unused ones), and add a little sea salt. You'll have a powerful cellulite-eliminating scrub that will save you a lot of money, and not take a lot of time.
2. You control the quality. Would you rather cook with a fresh, sweet, vine-ripened tomato or a canned one? How about indulging in store-bought cookies or warm chewy cookies from the oven? The same is true with skin-care products. A commercial product might tout certain ingredients on its label, but it's hard to know if they used a high-end, organic, and fresh version of the ingredients, or an old or cheaper version. And without having access to their formula you can't know how much of this ingredient is actually contained within the product. When you're making your products at home, you're in charge of everything that goes into the jar and in what quantities.
3. You'll know the products are at their peak. The longer a product sits on the store shelf, the less effective it will be. When you're creating your own products, you'll know exactly when it was packaged and how long it should last. Ingredients have an expiration date, and if you use them when they're fresh, you can use less and get more out of them.
4. You'll be helping the environment. Mass-produced body products contribute to pollution with chemicals when they're being manufactured and are then packaged in plastic and, oftentimes, boxed up in cardboard. A large number of these products will go unused or wind up down the drain when you wash them off, further adding to their toxic effect on the environment. I call it the triple threat. First, during manufacturing, the chemicals pollute the environment, then they pollute our bodies when we use them, and finally, they pollute the environment again when they go down the drain.
5. You can make DIY products into great gifts. When my daughters were school-aged, we loved to make bath bombs and scrubs for their friends and teachers. It was amazing to me how in demand our homemade products became around holiday time. Everyone appreciates a gift made from the heart, and natural beauty products really show the love.

BATH BOMB MASTERY

To ensure you get the best outcome every time you make a bath bomb, follow these steps:

Combine baking soda and citric acid in a glass or metal bowl (do not use wood when making bath bombs) and mix well.

If you are using any additional powders or petals (milk, lavender), add to the bowl and mix again.

If butters are incorporated into your bath bomb, heat until just melted but not scorching hot. Be very careful, as heated butters can burn the skin and cause blisters. If the butter is too hot, let it cool down before using. When the butter is still melted and warm, mix it in with the dry ingredients with a spoon or your hands.

If you are not using butters in your bath bomb:

Add the essential oils, mix with your hands, and wet the mixture with one spray of vodka one at a time. The mixture should start to come together and feel slightly “sticky” in your hands. Continue spraying one quick squirt of vodka at a time into the mixture until it feels sticky and cold when it starts to form (fizzers that do incorporate butters will use less vodka to form).

When the batter is ready, press it firmly into the bottom of your molds (Teflon baking molds work great. They come in a muffin shape; when filled only three-quarters full, they make a nice shape. Any hard plastic mold will work as well). Let dry overnight; then turn the bath bomb out of the mold and use it in the tub.