Aruba Aloe Island Remedy – My Hair’s Holy Grail!

July 25, 2012July 25, 20124 Comments

You know, I said that I wouldn’t buy clothes until August. I didn’t say that I wouldn’t buy hair products! 😉 And with that being said, Aruba Aloe is awesome. I paid, the order shipped out the next day, and the next thing you know, it was greeting me at my front door!

I first came across this brand in April, after my parents took a trip to Aruba – without me, mind you. *sad face* But they came back bearing gifts! Hooray! One thing that they brought back was a shampoo/conditioner set by Aruba Aloe called Island Remedy. And I have been in love with it ever since. I use the one for color-treated hair, even though I don’t use color in my hair. My hair is really dry due to the area that I live in, and this has done an excellent job of providing extra moisture to my parched strands.

All of Aruba Aloe’s products contain 100% Pure Aruba Aloe Gel which is grown and processed right there on the island. Not only do they make hair care products, but they make skin care and body care products as well. While you can find it in stores all over Aruba, it’s presence here in the United States is limited. If I’m not mistaken, there is only one brick and mortar Aruba Aloe store here, and it’s in Colorado. Lucky you, Colorado! *shakes fists in the air* However, you can purchase products directly from their U.S. website at http://www.arubaaloe.com. If you try their products, please let me know how you like them! 🙂

In the Lab: Easy DIY Facial Moisturizing Gel

July 20, 2012November 24, 20124 Comments

Easy DIY Facial Moisturizing Gel

So…this is so easy that it’s ridiculous. 😉 I have oily skin, but the winter makes it do strange things. It turns into combination skin, with my forehead and nose remaining oily, and my cheeks becoming really dry and irritated. None of my storebought moisturizers help with the dry areas, so last winter I figured I would take to the internet and find something, ANYTHING that would help my skin feel and look more moisturized. And of course, the answer was simple – aloe vera gel and glycerin. It’s light, and you don’t need to use much of it to get complete coverage.

*blinks*

Why didn’t I think of that? lol

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What you need:

Aloe Vera gel

Glycerin (regular or vegetable)

A bowl and spoon/spatula for mixing

A clean container to store it in!

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I unfortunately don’t have exact measurements (as in a tablespoon of this, or a cup of that). What I do is use three parts aloe vera gel and one part glycerin. Mix them together thoroughly, and then put it into a container. Use as necessary. Just a reminder, though – you don’t have to use very much of this at all. It spreads really easily.

This time I used an airless pump bottle (1 oz size – you can find them for sale on eBay, Lotioncrafter.com, skin-perfection.com, etc. and they are not expensive!). This is great for me, because one pump is enough for my skin. Maybe two if I’m feeling special. 😉

I’m not sure how this is going to work for my skin with Summer being here (and it brought it’s little friend, Humidity), but for winter? It’s perfect, and my skin totally thanked me for it. 😀

In the Lab: DIY Avocado Hair Conditioning Treatment – Dry Hair

July 10, 2012November 24, 2012Leave a comment

Avocado hair conditioning treatment for dry hair. It’s just that simple!

What you will need:

1 or 2 avocados, depending on the length of your hair

1 egg yolk

1 tsp oil of your choice (olive, grapeseed, jojoba, etc.)

A few drops of silk amino acid or liquid silk (optional)

A container to keep the conditioner in

A spoon and a bowl, or…

A food processor or blender if available (best method)

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Cut open the avocado, making sure to remove the pit. Scoop out the avocado and place it into a bowl or into the mixer. Add the egg yolk, the oil, and the silk amino acid if you so choose. The SAA isn’t necessary, but I just like to add it to as many things as I can!

Mix all of the ingredients together until there are no more lumps. Honestly, the results are better when you use the processor or a blender. It’s kind of difficult (for me, at least) to get a smooth consistency when mixing and mashing these ingredients by hand.

Once everything is mixed, transfer the contents into a clean container for storage.

Apply the mixture from the roots down to the ends, making sure that all of the hair is coated. Cover with a shower cap, and let it sit for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly, then shampoo and condition.

The results? Shinier, more moisturized hair. Normally my hair is really frizzy after blowdrying, but not with this mixture. It’s softer, and the flyaways are somewhat tamer.

My verdict: It’s a keeper. 🙂