hair – How To Be Myself

How to Make Dry Shampoo

November 6, 2017 3 Comments

My hair is so greasy, it makes me want to scream. I am done with washing my hair every day, so dry shampoo is a must.

I decided to try making my own for two reasons: my current product is white, and a pain to rub into my dark hair; and ever since I downloaded the Think Dirty app (NOT what it sounds, it tells you how toxic your products are and makes you want to throw away everything you own) I have been freaking out about everything. 10 is the worst score something can get.

Bumble and Bumble has some dry shampoos that do pretty well in the app, but of course not the one I happen to have (which cost something like $30). You can make this dry shampoo for super cheap, and you can customize the amount of cocoa powder you add to help it blend into your hair. I started with 1/2 T. of cocoa powder and went up to 1 T. I might even add more. For light hair I would start with just a tiny bit, or maybe even skip it. I simply mixed together the dry ingredients and put a little in my hair to test the color. Then I added more cocoa until I was happy, then stirred in the oils.

Recipe for those who can’t view the image:

Dry Shampoo

1 T arrowroot powder (can substitute corn starch if you don’t have any. It also might be available in the spice section of the bulk bin department at your local store)

1 T baking soda

1/2 t – 1 T (or more) cocoa powder, adjust to hair color

2 drops rosemary essential oil

2 drops lavender essential oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl. When well blended and the color is to your liking, stir in the essential oils. I chose rosemary and lavender because they can help to promote hair growth and decrease dandruff. You can use any oils that work for you! Please see my disclaimer here for more info about the use of essential oils.

When you’ve finished your dry shampoo, you can store it however you like. Some people just use a bowl and apply it with a makeup brush. Please let me know if you’ve tried this method! I didn’t have an extra brush, so I decided to try a salt shaker. If you do this, I highly recommend you put stickers over most of the holes OMG. I shook it over the top of my head and stuff was a little touch and go for a bit. Let’s just say, I didn’t quite realize how quickly it would pour out! The good news is, my new dry shampoo has bears now!

These are definitely not the most flattering pictures of me, but I wanted to show you my hair before and after I tried out the finished product. Pretty good, right?!

Another interesting thing is I tried this last night, then used just a tiny bit this morning for volume. My head doesn’t itch today, and usually it does with my normal dry shampoo. Victory!

Let me know if you try the recipe!

Jillian

Filed Under: Beauty, DIY, Recipes, Young Living Essential Oils Tagged With: beauty, bumble and bumble, dark hair, diy, dry shampoo, essential oil, essential oils, hair, lavender, recipe, rosemary, young living

How To Make Fancy Hair Ties and Headbands

November 21, 2015 5 Comments

I’m guessing that if you have longish hair, you may have heard of this crazy phenomenon. Normally, elastic hair ties come in bags of approximately eight million (okay, 30ish) for maybe $3.99 at most. Sure, it sucks because you eventually lose all the good colors and in the end are stuck with only some kind of hideous day glow orange and maybe a few almost broken random greens, but certainly nothing you want to use at work. Still, you’re only out four bucks to go buy new ones, so no harm no foul. Several years ago some teenagers girls started selling fold over elastic hair ties, which will run you about $2 EACH. For one. I’m not one to hate on an entrepreneurial spirit, especially from a woman, but come on. The price gap here is just absurd.

I did the obvious thing.

I bought two packages.

Isn’t that what any self respecting woman would do? Spend $12 on nine hair ties (see, I got a DEAL)?

The thing is, the marketing got to me. They promise to not leave a pony tail bump or pull out your hair, and they’re soooooo pretty. I ended up loving the thin ones I got, but the thick ones are absurd for my fine hair and I use them for things like holding together markers. I am addicted and I wanted more, but I knew this was absurd and I wasn’t buying them. There are so many guides for this online, but here is my quick version anyway.

Step 1: decide if you have thin or thick hair. I’m positive you already know this. Most people seem to use the 5/8″ fold over elastic, but that doesn’t work for my hair at all. I get the 3/8″. I’ve also given these as gifts to many people, and they seem to work pretty well for them, too.

Step 2: buy fold over elastic. You can buy it at a craft store like Joann’s, but I haven’t had luck finding the 3/8″- or anything not in a kiddie pattern. I buy mine on Etsy wherever I can find the best deal. Five yards will make about 20 hair ties.

Step 3: cut the elastic. The great thing about making them yourself is you can make them exactly the size you want, but standard is nine inches for a hair tie and 18 inches for a headband (use these at the gym, they don’t slip too much and keep bangs out of your face!). Don’t pull the elastic when you’re measuring, just lay it flat.

Step 4: tie a simple knot at the end, then pull it until it’s tight. You can either stop here or finish the ends.

Step 5: I like to cut the ends at a slant so they look cuter, and touch them to a flame (carefully, with a lighter) so that they don’t unravel. People will tell you they don’t unravel anyway, but I am OCD and I respectfully disagree.

Bam, you’re done! I paid $8.95 including shipping for 20 yards of fold over elastic. I had four different colors of five yards each, and made 14 hair ties and three headbands with each color. So, I spent $.11 per hair tie and $.22 per headband!

These would make a great stocking stuffer or birthday gift. Everyone I give them to loves them (or is too nice to tell me differently), and it’s fun to give something useful and handmade. You can put them in a cute tiny pouch, or cut a small piece of cardboard and wrap it in wrapping paper, then put the hair ties around it.

Have fun! Let me know if you try it!

💛 Jillian

Filed Under: Beauty, DIY Tagged With: birthday, christmas, crafts, diy, etsy, Fashion, fold over elastic, gifts, hair, hair ties, headbands, how to

How I Get the Easiest Curls Ever. While Sleeping.

January 31, 2015 12 Comments

I know I’ve mentioned before that I hate doing my hair. I want to have it both ways. I want to do nothing, and still have the cutest hair ever. It turns out it doesn’t really work that way, but I still try.

This is my story of how I accidentally figured out how to get curls in my super straight, thin hair by doing almost nothing.

Step 1: shower, comb out wet hair with a wide tooth comb. I have bangs, so I pulled those out to be blow dried.

Step 2: spray hair with some sort of texturizing spray (I use Sea Spray by Lush) and part down the middle.

Step 3: put in buns. I use a small ponytail holder (my hair is super thin, I’m not kidding) and pull my ponytail through halfway, then halfway again (pictures 2 & 3). Just make two sloppy buns.

Step 4: dry bangs if you have them. Go to sleep. If you have thick hair, you might need to either let your hair dry a little before putting it up, or dry it when you take it out of the buns in the morning. When I get up, I just take the hairbands out and fluff out the curls. I add the Bumble and Bumble pret-a-powder for volume in my bangs and top of my head, then scrunch the curls with more Sea Spray. Done!

I’m not trying to claim this is the cutest hair in the world, but after a life of flat hair, I like having texture. I also like that I don’t have to dry my hair before bed.

Finished product!

Let me know if you try this, or have other easy hair tips for me.

Jillian

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: beauty, bumble and bumble, curls, easy curls, hair, hairstyle, lush

The Evolution of My Bangs

January 8, 2015 6 Comments

Why is it that getting bangs is usually due to miscommunication or some sort of personal crisis where you end up taking scissors to your own hair? It’s such a small part of your hair, but causes so much drama. My sister and I actually get dread in our souls when the other texts “I have bangs”. It’s usually the kind of statement that comes before the unveiling of some huge crisis.

Anyway… this is the first sort. I went in to my hairdresser with long, side-swept bangs. This is the same hairdresser that initially cut said bangs. I don’t usually let her cut my hair, because I’m trying to grow it out (she just does a tiny trim). She asked if she should trim my bangs and I (with hesitation) said “sure”. The next thing I know, I have the bangs to the left. Adorable Zooey Deschanel bangs. Probably too adorable for my round face, and so not what I came in with.

My biggest issue with bangs is I get all inspired to style them once, and after that it’s just over. On the left below you have the bangs I went in with. On the right you have the way I have worn my bangs almost every day since the bang trim. I’m just so lazy! I don’t know why. The dry shampoo helps a lot, but if I don’t style them the first day, they have to be up until the next wash for sure.