Mixology || Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioner

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pure cocoa butter (melted)
1 tbs safflower oil
1 tbs sweet almond oil
1/4 cup conditioner of your choice

Instructions:
Melt the cocoa butter on the stove at low heat. In a bowl or cup, stir the melted cocoa butter, conditioner, and oils together. Apply to hair and allow to set for 20-30 minutes. Rinse and style as usual.

Mixology || Orange and Vanilla Honey Shampoo

Do you want softer, easier to detangle hair after a wash?  Then check out this honey-based recipe.

Recipe Source

Ingredients:
1/2 cup castile soap
3/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup African black soap (or just more castile soap)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sweet orange essential oil
1 tsp vanilla essential oil

Instructions:
Mix together thoroughly, wet hair, massage mixture into hair, then rinse out completely.

Mixology || 3-Oil Nighttime Facial Moisturizer

So, I've been using this mix for weeks now, and I'm in love.  The thought of sleeping with oil on my face initially scared me (e.g., fear of pimples) but quickly went away as I noticed my face was doing just fine.

So, why the 3-oil mix?  Well, I wanted to get the researched benefits of avocado oil, olive oil, and grapeseed oil all in one.  *smiles* So, without further ado, here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
1 part pure avocado oil (helps heal wounds, improves elasticity)
1 part extra virgin olive oil (decelerates sun damage, potent antioxidant effect)
1 part grapeseed oil (may lighten UV-induced hyper pigmentation, may reduce blackheads and whiteheads)

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients into a spray bottle and use on face after your night time wash.

That is all!

Mixology || Castor and Coconut Moisturizing Mist

The beauty of distilled water is that it is “soft” water; it does not have the negative effects (e.g., stiffening of the hair strand[1]) like hard water.  Meanwhile, castor oil can improve the shine or sheen[2] of your natural hair, which is a plus for you castor oil lovers out there.  As for coconut oil?  Well, you all should know about its strengthening and moisturizing benefits by now.

Ingredients:

2 oz distilled water

2 tsp extra virgin coconut oil

1 tsp castor oil

a few drops of essential oil (e.g., lavender, jasmine, orange)

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle, and shake vigorously to blend.  Store in a refrigerator until ready for use.  Shake before each use.  SHELF LIFE: ~2 weeks.

References:

[1] Evans AO, Marsh JM, Wickett RR. “The structural implications of water hardness metal uptake by human hair.” Int J Cosmet Sci. 2011 Oct;33(5):477-82. 

[2] McMullen R, Jachowicz J. “Optical properties of hair: effect of treatments on luster as quantified by image analysis.” J Cosmet Sci. 2003 Jul-Aug;54(4):335-51.

Mixology || Recipe for a Conditioner-Based Leave-In

This leave-in is great for reviving a wash-n-go or dry hair.  It can also be used after a fresh wash.

Ingredients:
4 oz distilled water
1 oz Tresemme Naturals Conditioner (the original white label) or Suave Naturals Conditioner
1oz avocado or olive oil

NOTE: If you prefer to use a conditioner other than Tresemme or Suave, just be sure that it is an instant conditioner that is NOT heavy in protein or silicones.

Directions:
1. Pour all the ingredients into a spray bottle or mister.
2. Shake the bottle well to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.
3. Can be used on damp, freshly washed hair or on dry hair.
4. Store in a refrigerator to prolong the shelf life.

Mixology || Coconut Oil Lotion Bars

This is a super easy recipe requiring only 2-3 ingredients!

Recipe Source: Coconut Mama

Equipment

saucepan

lotion mold, muffin pan or tins 

Ingredients

1 part Coconut Oil 

1 part Pure Beeswax

Essential Oils (Optional)

For the instructions, check out Coconut Mama.

Mixology || Making Your Own Aloe Butter at Home

Ingredients:
aloe vera juice
coconut oil
vitamin E oil
beeswax
preservative

For the instructions, check out the video below: 

Mixology || Coconut Banana Deep Conditioner

Here is a yummy recipe (from The BraunSugar Blog) for conditioning your tresses!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 bananas
2 tbsps coconut oil
1 tsp honey

Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in a food processor or blender.
Blend until extra smooth.  Make sure that there are no banana lumps.  (They are hard to remove later.)

RECIPE CARD:

Check out The BraunSugar's post for more details.

Mixology || My Multi-Oil Whipped Shea Butter for Winter

So with the winter being extra cold and drying (and with the luck of my last batch finishing), I decided to whip up a largely oil-based batch this time.  (I actually used to do this in the past but never with this many oils.)  Each oil has its purpose, and my hair is LOVING this concoction for the winter.  It is just what I need!

Ingredients:
½ cup shea butter
2 tbsp coconut oil (penetrates and protects the strands against combing/styling breakage)
2 tbsp olive oil (moisturizing; possibly penetrates the strands)
2 tbsp avocado oil (moisturizing; possibly penetrates the strands)
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (to protect against moisture loss; sealing oil)
1 tbsp castor oil (primarily for sheen and sealing)
few drops of jasmine essential oil (optional, for fragrance)

Instructions:
Break the shea butter into small pieces and place in a bowl.  Using a hand mixer, whip the shea butter until fluffy and the chunks are gone.  (If your shea butter is too hard, melt it only slightly to soften it a bit.)  Add in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly with the hand mixer.  Finito! 

Mixology || Homemade Hair Pomade

Recipe Source: Mommypotamus

Ingredients:
1 ounce organic beeswax
1.5 ounces shea butter
2 ounces jojoba oil – "This is a “dry” oil that keeps the formula from being too greasy." 

1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon essential oil

Directions:

1. When the beeswax is melted, add in shea butter
2. When the mixture is melted, add jojoba and stir until just melted
3. Pour mixture into a container and allow to cool slightly, then add essential oil

Recipe Source: Mommypotamus

Mixology || Egg Oil and Amla Hair Serum with Argan Oil, Etc.

Are you interested in mixing your own hair serum?

This recipe originates from The Natural Beauty Workshop:

Ingredients 
1/2 ounce Egg Oil
1/2 ounce Amla Oil
1/2 ounce Argan Oil
1/2 ounce Broccoli Seed Oil
1/4 ounce Jojoba
10-20 drops Rosemary Essential Oil

Directions 
Combine the oils in a small beaker and stir well. Add the essential oil, then stir again. Transfer carefully to a dropper bottle.

For more details and where to purchase the ingredients, check out The Natural Beauty Workshop.

Mixology || My Latest Whipped Shea Butter Recipe

So I've been mixing my own whipped shea butter since going natural (for over five years now), and it has gone many a transformation, usually for the better.  Below is my latest recipe that I use it to seal my hair after a fresh wash and condition.  (I actually eyeball the portions but will do my best to give you actual ratios based off memory.)

Ingredients:
½ cup shea butter
¼ cup aloe vera gel
1 tbsp safflower oil (or oil of your choice)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp honey

Instructions:
Break the shea butter into small pieces and place in a bowl.  Using a hand mixer, whip the shea butter until fluffy and the chunks are gone.  (If your shea butter is too hard, melt it only slightly to soften it a bit.)  Add in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly with the hand mixer.  Finito! 

Mixology || Simple Detangler Recipe Using Shea Butter and Oils

This recipe is ideal for undoing an old set of twists or braids.

Ingredients: 
4 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp melted shea butter (optional, but makes the process much easier)

Directions:
All you need for this detangler are coconut oil, olive oil, and melted shea butter. Apply this mixture to dry or damp hair, allow it to set, and then proceed to finger detangle. (Leaving coconut oil on dry hair overnight has been demonstrated to reduce combing damage.)

Mixology || Natural Blackhead-Busting Blackout Mask

This recipe is from bodyunburden.com blog.  For more details and more DIY recipes, check out the blog.

Ingredients:
2 capsule of activated charcoal
1/2 tsp of bentonite clay
2 tsp of water

Instructions:
Mix (using a plastic or wooden spoon only) all the ingredients together into a smooth paste, and spot test the mask on your cheek or underside of your wrist.  Wash face with a mild cleanser and pat partially dry.  Apply the mask evenly avoiding the delicate skin around the eyes and lips, and let sit until dry (~7-10 minutes).  As the mask dries, it feels tight on the skin, which can sometimes feel a little itchy.  (If you start to feel uncomfortable, wash the mask off.)  After the mask dries, wash it off, pat face gently with a clean towel, and let the skin breath or apply a mild all-natural moisturizer.

Mixology || Lola Zabeth's Mud Wash Recipe

Are you interested in making your own mud wash?

Ingredients:
3 tbs bentonite clay powder
1 tbs organic powdered honey
1 tbs organic slippery elm powder
3 ozs aloe vera juice

Instructions:
1. Mix the bentonite clay, powdered honey and slippery elm powder in a bowl.
2. Funnel the mixture into a bottle. Pour the aloe vera juice into the bottle. Shake well. The consistency is perfect–loose enough the spread easily without being drippy and messy.

For the full tutorial and/or more details, check out Lola's blog.

Mixology || Making Your Own Carrot Oil

LOO'S NOTE: When making carrot oil from scratch, you will find that you are using a lot of carrots to make a small amount of oil.  The beauty of the below recipe is that the addition of an oil to your process makes the creation easier and increases your yield, though it is obviously a mix of carrot oil and the oil you chose.  A similar process can be applied to make coconut oil and avocado oil.  

RECIPE SOURCE

Supplies Needed

• Veggie peeler
• Hand grater or food processor
• Crock pot
• Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• Glass mason jar

Ingredients

-2 organically or home grown carrots
-olive, coconut, sunflower, or sesame oil, to cover

Method

1. Wash and peel the skin of the carrots.
2. Grate carrots with the use of a hand grater or food processor.
3. Place the grated carrots in a crock pot and pour the oil of your choice to cover. Note: I used 2 1/4 cups of oil or 18 ounces.
4. On your crock pot’s lowest setting, maintain a warm temperature — infusing the oil for a full 24-72 hours. Note: I use the “warm” temperature setting on my crock pot. Try not to allow the temperature of the oil to rise above 100-105 degrees farenheit. You will notice the oil becoming orange in color.
5. Once the infusion process is complete, pour the carrots and oil mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth and strain.
6. Reserve the oil and compost the carrots.
7. Label and store the oil in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator until ready for use. Will keep for 6-8 months if stored properly.

For more recipes like this, check out Frugally Sustainable.

Mixology || Protein Pre-Treatment by Chicoro

Ingredients
1/3 teaspoon each (cysteine, cystine, methionine)
300 grams or 1 block of soft tofu
1/4 cup of aloe vera gel (water based/moisture)
1/4 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup of oil (for lubrication)
melted coconut oil

For details, watch the below video:

Mixology || A More Natural Bug Spray Recipe

Do you want an alternative to the chemical-based bug sprays out there?  Are you interested in making a more natural bug spray?

Recipe Source

Ingredients:

- ½ cup distilled water
- 1 tbsp alcohol
- 6-10 drops essential oil: use any of these alone or any combination – lemongrass, any mint, lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, tea tree, neem, geranium, and litsea cubeba. 

Instructions:
Pour the alcohol into the spray bottle. Add the essential oils and shake well. Add water, leaving enough room at the top so it will mix when you shake it. If you use a large spray bottle, ingredients can be doubled or tripled.

For more DIY Natural Recipes, check out: DIYNatural Blog

Mixology || Homemade Coconut Aloe Leave-In Conditioner

Do you want to create a natural homemade leave-in? I have yet to try this recipe but it certainly looks interesting.  Try it out.

Ingredients:
2 cups of aloe vera juice
3 cups of coconut water
25 drops of honeysuckle essential oil

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle.  Store in a refrigerator until ready for use. (Recipe Source)

Mixology || Coconut Milk Shampoo

Liquid castile soap is generally made from olive oil (and/or other oils) and water. Though some naturals have shied away from it with all the talk of pH, the reality is that other naturals have faired fine using it in their shampoo recipes. If you are interested in giving liquid castile soap a try, the following mixture involves the addition of organic coconut milk (for dilution and additional lathering), distilled water (for further dilution), and safflower oil (for moisture).

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
3 tbsp organic coconut milk
1 tsp distilled water
1 tsp safflower oil (add more if you desire)

Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bottle. Shake the bottle well before use.
2. Save the remainder in a closed bottle for future use (up to a few weeks).
3. Follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse (if necessary) for pH balance.