LOC - The Leave-In + Oil + Cream Method

Hello Lovelies!

Today's post is great for all my curly girls out there! Yes say good-bye to frizzy and coarse dry hair that does what it wants and does not listen to you. Do you know my favourite quote...?

'' When your hair won't listen to you and it's a mess and ur just like:
I grew you myself??
I gave you life and this is how you
repay me?? ''

source: un-known genius girl.

I feel you girl. :D So this method is originally invented by my beautiful black afro american haired gals with super curly and coarse hair. And it works like a charm for everyone who's hair is is a similar state of dryness and frizziness. I am not sure who came up first with it, but the girls form naturally curly website have been raving a lot about it. This will work for thick, curly, wavy and dry hair. If your hair is super smooth, straight and silky it may weight your hair down, but why nevertheless give it a try. Just use minimal amounts and you should be fine. You always start with freshly washed wet hair.

The basics of LOC-Method are :

1. Leave in. Use a leave in you love. It is important that is mostly water based. I use Aloe Vera Gel (100% organic I switched it now to Urtekrams, which a great Aloe Gel!) You ca also use a rose-water leave in, line seed gel or even very watered down conditioner (like one drop conditioner and a glass of water). I start at my chin and go down all the length.
2. Oil. It is simple, oil and long hair go together hand in hand, they are the best couple on the planet. My favourite at the moment is almond oil, But there are tons of great oils, just find the one that makes you most happy, have a look at my top 5 hair oils. I apply 5 drops of almond oil starting and my ends and work it up about 25 cm. 
3. Cream. Use a good organic body butter. I have a wonderful one from Bioturm with a Vanilla Scent. It works great on your bumpy legs and dry spots as a real body butter but is also amazing for your hair. There are a few different organic options, even DM has two, one with Avocado and one with Vanilla too. Just stay away from Body Butters containing silicones. make sure your body butter contains generous amounts of shea butter or cache butter. You don't want that on your body and hair - it is like a plastic coat. I just ran out of my original hair butter, I have the DIY recipe here for you. I need to order some shea butter to make a new batch.

Results:

Moistutzed soft hair, defined waves. I usually brush my curls out,
but they were much more defined.

Why LOC? Does it matter in which order I apply?

Well yes it does. Applying a liquid moisturiser first and then applying an oil and cream will help you seal moisture in. You will notice that drying your hair will take much longer when you use the LOC method. But the results are worth it, your hair is much softer and finally moisturised.
If you do it the first time I recommend you to use a light hand when dosing your products, start with much less than you normally would. Otherwise it might be too much and you will end up with limp, oily and sticky hair. All happened before -.-
Let me know how this worked for you, lots of happy hair days to you,

About Loving Your Hair

Me happy and content, at peace.

Hello Lovelies!

I have been planning this post for the longest time and finally found the right words.

About the time I was fighting against my hair..

Some years ago, actually quite a long time ago after I finished high school I just had a moment when suddenly I understood what loving your hair really means. See, I have very coarse curly and thick hair that is super dry when not properly taken care of with sheabutter leave in and coconut oil. 

But my hair type is not really common in Europe - I had no idea what to do with my hair or how to take care of it. The girls in my high school class all had blonde fine and shiny super/straight hair with lots of layers. And you know what - I really wanted to look like these girls! I was flat iron my hair to get my curls and waves out, damaging my hair nearly beyond repair. And this was not enough - I dyed it bleach blonde as well. My structure became even worse of course in between washes and I was never able to achieve the silky smooth look I wanted so badly. Leave alone that when my hair is too short it curls and frizzes even more leaving me with the look of a little hedgehog.

It took some time for me to realise that I should really appreciate what I do have and start making the most out of it. Once I embraced my hair structure, colour and thickness and started growing my hair long, it really only then revealed it's beauty. Before believe me - it was a hot frizzy mess. 

No matter what type of hair you have - if straight, curly thin or thick, firstly you got to start loving it. It will only make you unhappy if you are trying to be something that you are not and it will always look fake as well. 

You can take baby steps, this is what I did. 

1. What hair structure do you have? Straight? Great! Try out hair styles that will not change your structure and give you a silky smooth look - e.g. the lazy wrap bun which does not give you bun waves. Curly? Try to nuture your hair with aloe vera gel, use the t-shirt towel method and try conditioning only to keep your moisture in and your curls crunchy. Wavy? You are like me, I am sure your hair will be very happy about braids at night with some hair oil in it so that you hair can keep it's natural waves. You hair will be most happy when you let it be in it's own natural structure and reward you with shine and non/frizz :)
2. Colour! Are you in the silvery blonde or ashy blonde department? Try a silver shampoo that let's your hair shine and removes yellowing from the sun. You are a golden blonde or dark golden blonde? Wonderfull, try chamomile rinses and if you want to go lighter - lemon rinses to naturally lighten up your hair. You have black hair? You lucky one, normally you don't need to do anything. So many people are jealous because you have naturally the most shine. But why not try black tea rinses to add a burgundy glow to your hair and indigo once your greys start to show up. You are a brunette or red head? Wonderful you can use henna rinses, henna glow or henna treatments to intensify your own redness like I do. I use a hair treatment once a month with 2,5 cups of cassia (''colourless henna'') 1 tablespoon of henna and 1 tablespoon of Amla and 2 tablespoons of Shishakai. It gives my natural auburn just enough ginger shimmer in the sun without really changing my hair colour. 
3. Hair State! Well firstly we need to start pampering your hair. Try to be gentle. No heat please at all costs if possible, unless you live in the antarctica and are inuit. Be nice to your hair - take your time brushing, use a good smooth wooden comb or my favourite - a horn comb. Use good ingredients - there are affordable organic options for all budgets and even good affordable silicone free products.You don't need to spend a ton on expensive salon products or super high marketed organic options. Listen to your hair - is it dry? Do a deep conditioning treatment before each wash. Is it very oily? Use a mild shampoo and try to stretch your washes so it gets used to produce less oil. 

Wise saying. Beauty.

Now, it might be that you are still fighting against your hair in one or another sense. But I do have some tips for you. Believe me every hair type and colour is beautiful. You have trouble seeing that? Go to pinterest and google your hair type, you will find thousands of beautiful pictures of your natural hair state. Make your own inspirational board :) 

I believe that once you make peace with yourself - your hair you will always look beautiful. I find the most beautiful people are the ones that are content and always look at the bright side. Your hair might be super frizzy - but it sure does make a gigantic beautiful thick braid as well. Try to always focus on the good aspects. The bad things will vanish and mostly the things you find vaults in are beautiful for other people. Beauty always lies in the eye of the beholder. Such a very true wise saying. This also applies for other things, like your body type, your colours and complexion, your height and many other things. Never forget that we all struggle to an extent and even the prettiest person might be extremely insecure and awkward in certain areas. Once you radiate your own inner peace - you will always be beautiful. Inside and out. 

5 Basic Natural Hair Care Steps - for long hair

Hello Lovelies!

I know it is hard to establish a long hair care routine. Once I started to take care of my hair I was really overwhelmed with the range of products methods recipes and philosophies. I have been following my hair care routine for over two years now, whenever I skip a step I immediately see negative side effects like more frizz, dry hair or an irritated scalp. I am happy to share my holy grail routine with you and hope you can adapt my routine to your hair needs. All products are replaceable with brands and choices of your own as long as you follow these basic 5 steps for long hair care :) If your hair is shorted you may get away with a minimal routine, my hair is up to my thighs now so no skipping any of these steps for me now. 

1. Deep Condition 
This step is absolutely mandatory for me, I never skip the deep conditioning. At the moment I am using extra virgin coconut oil. You can replace this oil with any oil of your choice. During the winter time I use sheabutter occasionally with very good results as well. Apply the oil from your ears down all the way to your ends to your dry hair and let it sit 30 min. For best results do an overnight treatment. Lately I have been loving hot oil treatments with olive oil as well - just heat half a cup for 20 sec. in your microwave and apply - cover with a towel.

2. Cleanse
Step into the shower wet your hair and gently use a mild diluted shampoo of your choice. Only shampoo your crown never your ends. Let the shampoo water mix sit for 2 mins. I am using the Balea Glossy Brown Shampoo and Alverde Birke Salbei at the moment. I am really loving the Balea Glossy Brown! It is silicone free and smells like caramel. Great for autumn!

3. Condition
Remember all the oil for your deep conditioning? You will remove the oil now with your favourite conditioner! The oil emollients with conditioner and gently rinses away while leaving your hair soft and shiny. I use lots of conditioner and also just from the ears down. I like the formulae of the Alverde Birke Salbei Conditioner because it is really easy to apply and smells very fresh and herbal. If I need extra detangling I will be using the Balea Glossy Brown Conditioner (again silicone free!). 

4. Rinse
Now it is time for your apple cider vinegar rinse! It will close your hair's cuticle and increase your shine to the max! I have a whole blogpost about the how's and why - keep reading! I am using 2 tablespoons with 2 l of cold water. Cold water is an extra bonus because it also increases the shine. It is also good for your scalp. And don't worry the apple vinegar smell goes away while your hair is air drying.

5. Seal 
Now it is time to seal the moisture in your hair prevent dryness. I am using my favourite hair serum that I have been raving about ever since I got it. Sadly there is little left but as I said before a few drops go a long way. I am using 5 drops on my soaking wet hair ends. I let my hair dry naturally without heat and after my hair is totally dry I will use again about 5 drops in all my length and again my ends. It kills frizz, gives shine and protects your ends. If you don't have a hair serum you can use a high quality hair care oil like argan oil. 

Do you have a basic routine? I would love to hear about your routine! I know that a lot of you are using soap to wash your hair - something that has never worked for me - my hair never got clean!

Flechtwerk - Leave In Recipes for long hair

Hello Lovelies! 

I hope you are all enjoying the sunlight and having a wonderful Summer. I have been swimming for the last couple of days and really enjoyed the amazing weather :) I have to apologize, I am having trouble with my Laptop so this post is coming to you through my Blogger App and I can't link my recipes yet and not load all the pics I want. Bear with me I will fix that problem soon. 

Back to our topic! 

I am a big fan of Leave In's! I really always and forever have some kind of hair oil or hair cream in my ends and lengths. It protects your ends from split ends and nourishes between washes. My hair is naturally extremely dry and I do benefit a lot from Leave In Treatments ! Here my braid with a happy cat on the beach, the picture is just a phone pic but it is just too cute. Don't know why some people don't like cats! Currently there is lots of Alverde Hair Oil in my braid :D I know it does take some effort to use a leave in on a daily basis - but don't let me come over here - you do want super long and healthy hair right? So be good and just do it. 

Alverde Hair Oil

Since I am really big on leave in's there are lots of recipes already on my blog!

 Recipes:

• Sheabutter Hair Balm - my favourite during Winter time ❄️
• Rosewater-leave in , lovely scent and refreshens curls!
• Coc-aloe (50%aloe vera juice & coconut oil) extra moisture! Great for hairstyling and my go to in the morning - Post should be coming soon as well.
• Hair oil ( I do love my Serum the most I have to say. I do admit that it is very expensive so why don't you check out - Argan Oil as well ? My hair just soaks it right up! Then pure coconut or infused oil and almond oil) 

Long red hair & ginger cat :)

Leave In Routine 

I wash my hair every 5-7 days and add a Leave In twice a day! Every morning I usually use some coc-aloe after I comb my hair and then braid or bun it. Every night as Part of my nighttime routine I use a heavier hair oil on dry hair, I use a small tablespoon and start at my ends working up to my shoulders. Then I braid my hair and by the next morning - voila ! Oil is soaked up and my hair is nourished and shiny! By the end of the week at wash day my hair is pretty full of Leave in! That's why I use plain high quality organic oil - you don't want Patene Chemicals or Silicone based hair oil build up for a week in your hair! 

When it does not work for you..

What can I do if I do look like a little grease ball after a Leave In?

• First of all you might be doing what we all did once we discovered hair care and the magic of oils! Quantity is not always everything you might be over doing it. My hair is coarse up to my tighs and curly so I do use a tablespoon of hair oil but for normal haired gals a few drops are enough! It is about doing it regularly - not over doing it. Then happened to me too we all ended up as a little grease ball from time to time. Just braid it and no one will see your oil party.
• You might not find the right oil yet. Not every hair likes coconut oil. Some girls hair react with crunchiness! You need to try a few different oils. Look at my article about the top 5 best hair oils for some inspiration! Link is here. 
• Your hair might want a different consistency. Try Aloe Vera Gel, Pure Sheabutter or Cocoabutter. 

I hope my little tips helped you a little, See the girls post under these links, I am so excited because our hair types could not have been more different! Our next topic will be multi braids! Yay! I wear braids 90% of the time so I am really glad to mix things up a little.

wuscheline

Heike

Nessa

Bobby

Lenja

Empties : May

Hello Lovelies,

I have always liked Empties reviews about used up products and their final verdict. A friend just told me latey that there is not too much beauty content on my blog - so why not change it a little and start a new category. I will incorporate all beauty products not just hair products because I tend to use a product for a long time. I think you will never get a better review than one of a finished product. Please let me know if you would like to read more of these monthly posts :). 

Bionike Proxera Body Emulsion for very dry skin. (20 Euro/200ml) Fragrance free, parabene free, nickel free. I did like the body lotion because it did not give me any allergic reaction like red dots and itchiness. My skin is extremely dry and this body lotion really hydrates all your skin layers without feeling sticky. It is one of the most moisturising lotions I have used so far. It does take a little time to soak in though. It is a little pricy and finishes quickly. It had no fragrance but a slight metallic smell that did bother me though. Repurchase? Maybe.

Balea Ultra Sensitive Intensive cream for very dry skin. (5Euro/50ml) This product is as well formulated for very dry allergic skin. It is very oily and does not moisturise well. Unlike most of my beauty products I was very glad when I used up the tiny tube. It is fragrance free and very neutral. After application of the product my skin felt as if there was a film on top - I have to say I did not like the product at all. I noticed more blemishes as well. Repurchase? Definitely no. 

Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde, California Almond (3Euro/100ml) This showergel has a creamy formula and lathers up very well. It did not cause any allergic reaction and has a very slight fresh smell with a little hint of marzipan. It did not dry out my skin and was very mild. Repurchase? Yes, i already got the Organic Aloe Vera Version ! :)

White Camellia Shampoo (15Euro/11oz) Review here. I simply love the white Camelia Series. The shampoo is very rich so I like to use it when my hair feels especially dry - on the beach or during winter time. I have now switched to a lighter shampoo but I love to have a bottle around whenever I need lots of moisture in my hair. Repurchase? Yes.

GBP Conditioner (15Euro/11oz) Review here. I am still in love with the GBP Series. It is heaven for dry ends and an itchy scalp and the herbal scent is great during summer. The only downside of the series is that it is so rich in protein that you need to alternate every few washes otherwise you will have an protein overload which results in dry ends and straw-like hair. Repurchase? Yes, I think this is my 3rd bottle.

Do you have any recommendations for a good face cream for dry itchy allergy-prone skin? As you can see I am still on the hunt :( .

Simple everyday braid

I thought it would be nice to show you my everyday braid after all our hair-care-posts :) I am wearing a simple braid (3/strand, rope braid, 5/strand) almost on a daily basis. It looks pulled together, my hair is out tot the way and I don't get a headache from a bun that's too tight. I can't keep the braid at work so I just pin it up with a wooden hair fork or ficcare clip. My hair looks super red - but that was just the lovely sunlight and a shopping day with my mum, it is still may natural golden brown with the henna lengths. I have been reading a little more into my colour type - I am an autumn though not too sure if I am warm or soft. Have a look at my Pinterest Board where I collect my colours. Hence the orange loop scarf. Orange is among curry yellow the nicest colour on me in all shades - I should switch my wardrobe a little! Current hair length is about 107 cm SSS - pretty much classic length.

Some tricks to keep a shiny and neat braid

• Brush your hair with a horn comb to remove your tangles.
• Use a little hair oil or serum on the length and especially your ends to keep them healthy before you braid your hair. Don't worry even if your hair looks greasy before you braid it , after you braided it it will just looks shiny and neat :)
• After you finished your braid use a little Aloe-vera Gel all over your braid to keep away fly-aways.
• Please never use an elastic on your hair with metal. It will tear your hair and cause split ends. Use a hair-friendly soft elastic. Don't tie your hair at the base of your neck on a daily basis - it will cause split ends there on the long term. And we don't want the short /term we are in for super-long hair right :) ? 

Do you believe in the colour typing? What is your daily signature hair do?

Care: Amla Hair Oil Khadi

I am so happy about my newly found love for Indian Hair Care, Khadi Products and their Amla Hair Oil. It is not a big secret that I am a little hair oil junkie, I am always trying new oils. Check out my hair oil guide here. Using hair oil has been one of the biggest discoveries for me after I started to look into (natural) hair care and care for my naturally extremely dry tresses. I does make the biggest difference in growing your hair! If you are a little lazy and thinking a few drops here and there will not make a difference don't let me come over with a bottle of coconut oil(!) - because actually there will be a huge difference on how healthy and shiny your hair is. 'nough said. 

I wrote a little bit about Amla here and how to wash your hair with dried alma powder while benefitting from lots of volume and shine. 

Amla Hair Oil:

Ingredients (INCI): Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Oil) · Emblica Officinalis (Amla) · Eclipta Alba (Bringaraj) · Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) · Cyperus rotundus (Nagarmootha) · Symplocos racemosa (Lodhra) · Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) · Azadirachta indica (Neem) · Sesamum indicum (Sesame) · Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor) · Lawsonia inermis (Henna) · Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Almond Oil) ·Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

As you can see the main carrier oil is sunflower oil and almond oil. Infused herbs are Amla, Bringaraj, Brahmi, Tulsi, Neem, Camphor and Henna as well as a little Vitamin E to keep it from getting bad too quickly. 

So basically you get the full power of indian herbal goodies all in one bottle! You need to shake the bottle well before usage and the colour is a purplish dark brown. I know that when it comes to Khadi products the opinions rage widely - you either love their scent or you hate it. I personally adore the fragrance! I was afraid that it would be a sickly sweet smell but nope - very yummy herbs. A little fresh and musky. The best thing is that I don't get an allergic reaction! I am very sensitive when it comes to scents. 

As you can see from the picture above, I have been using quite a bit of alma oil - basically as a prewash deep oil hair mask on my scalp and length for 30 min - 2 h before my hair wash. The picture below is purely for your amusement with one of my acrylic hair sticks and my prewash hair oil mask :o) Let is soak for a while. The effect it had on my scalp was very calming and my hair became very soft. When used on dry hair the oil got absorbed easily into my ends. I love this product and I wish I had ordered all their hair oils! I would categorise the oil as a medium to heavy oil. 

The most important thing : I have less hair loss now! I am not sure if it was due to a more healthy scalp or if the alma actually activated something at my roots but I am really glad I am loosing less hair now. The first two weeks nothing happened, but now I am in my 4th week and noticed significantly less hair fall out. Give it a try - the least benefit you will get is shiny hair :o) I was not too sure about it when I ordered so I am pleasantly surprised. 

How are your experiences with Amla products and hair oils? Did you notice less fall out like me? 

Love, Zoey :*

Thanks to Khadi for providing the product free of charge. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced.

Care: How often should you shampoo?

The frequency of hair washing has a big impact on how healthy your hair is - every hair wash means stress for your hair and accumulated wrong washes can lead to brittle and dry hair that will easily break. Now here you should try to find a comfort zone - washing less and less is the best for your hair, but you also need to feel comfortable and confident with your hair. 

Feeling like a little grease ball will not help here. Trust me all done before :D The fell into a frying pan look is not a confidence booster.

How long you can go in-between washes depends on your hair and skin type as well. My skin and hair are extremely dry so if I want I can wash my hair every 10 days. If you have fine hair it will appear greasy quicker. Curly hair is very forgiving and can go long in-between washes. BTW some people actually never wash their hair. It is called No-Wash Method. 

How to start

• First you need to figure out how often you are washing your hair. Every day? Try every second day! If you can't do that during the week try ti give your hair a rest at the weekend. Writing down when you wash can help you keep track of your progress. 
• Try to plan important events accordingly. My hair looks absolutely horrible directly after washing it, it looks best on it's second day so I always try to wash a day before an important event. 
• Are you washing your hair the right way? Are you rubbing your scalp? That's just asking for oil! Dilute you shampoo. Use a water can or an empty bottle and just a few drops of shampoo. You will be amazed by the amount of soap! Let the water run over your scalp and let it gently sit for 2 minutes. Harsh shampoo can strip your hair from it's natural oils completely and activate the oil production as a counter reaction.
• Wear your hair in a pretty and hair friendly up-do when you are in between washes. Try not to pull all your hair back very tightly though - this will just show not so fresh hair. A loose side part is a better idea.
• Use baby powder on a big make up brush and gently tap you temples , brush out directly. All oil gone :) If you are dark haired like me use cacao powder or translucent power to avoid a greyish tinge.
• Use a cup of destilled water and 6 drops of pure lavender oil , mix in a spray bottle and refresh your volume and add a clean fragrance in between.

I hope my little ticks can help you :) As always growing hair super long is more a thing about not doing things! than anything else. I am washing my hair every 5 days, simply because I like to wash it and even if it does not get oily a fresh smell is very important for me.

How often do you shampoo? Do you wish to shampoo less or do you think washing has nothing to do with healthy hair?

Love, Zoey.

Care: Oil + Shampoo = shiny and soft hair!

Hi ihr Lieben!

Ab und zu kaufe ich normale konventionelle Produkte von Balea und Co, ziemlich schnell merke ich aber das meine Haare trocken und sproede werden und an Glanz verlieren. Kein Wunder wenn man sich durchliest was fuer Chemikalien, Weichmacher und Alkoholextrakte sich dort tummeln. Richtige Pflege? Fehlanzeige. Seit einiger Zeit gebe ich also etwas Oel in meine Shampoo Flaschen und Condis, und mache sie so reichhaltiger und pflegend. Die Farbe kann sich von klar zu trueb ändern, weil das Oel sich mit den Emulgatoren verbindet. Die Haltbarkeit ist nicht beeinflusst, es kann aber sein das euer Shampoo etwas duennfluessiger wird, einfach vor jeder Haarwaesche etwas schuetteln. Ich verduenne mein Shampoo weiterhin ganz normal zur Waesche. Diesen Tipp habe ich aus der amerikanische lhc.com. Die Haare werden weiterhin ganz normal sauber, nur eben geschmeidiger und glänzender. Am besten testet ihr es erst einmal an einer kleinen Menge und seht wie ihr zurecht kommt. Ich gebe ca 1 Essl. in mein Shampoo, aber auch ein paar Tropfen haben eine Wirkung - mehr kann man ja immer dazu geben. Ich gebe gerne Arganoel hinzu, weil es ja eine ganze Weile reicht und man jedes Mal diesen super Pflegeeffekt hat, habe aber auch gute Erfahrungen mit Kokos und Olivenoel gemacht.

Ich wuerde mich freuen wenn ihr von euren Erfahrungen berichtet. Macht ihr das schon eine Weile oder seid ihr eher skeptisch?

Liebste Gruesse, Zoey.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Lovelies,

From time to time I tend to buy commercial hair products and I can virtually see my hair quality going down. My hair becomes more dry, has less shine and splits more frequently. No wonder if you have a look at the ingredients - softeners, alcohol, parfum but no trace of real hair care. For about a year I am adding oil to my shampoo and conditioner to enrich the products and make them less harsh. I am getting very good results and am excited to share the news with you! The colour of your shampoo can change slightly from clear to solid because the new ingredients mix with your shampoo and change the texture. The expiry date is not influenced, but your shampoo might become slightly runnier. Just shake well before use. I am still diluting my shampoo as I would do with any shampoo. I read this tip on the lhc.com. And no worries, your hair will still get clean and fresh, it will just be shinier and softer. If you want to try this I would recommend to mix a small amount with oil and then see how you are doing. You can always add more oil, I usually add a tablespoon to a bottle. I like to use argan oil because it is such s high quality oil and a small amount lasts very long in the bottle, but I also got good results with coconut oil and olive oil. 

I am curious about your experience, please keep me posted!

Love, Zoey.

Flechtwerk : My Hair Care Routine

Hallo ihr Lieben!

*english version below*

Ich wurde vor einiger Zeit nach meiner Pflegeroutine gefragt, da es ein sehr ausführlicher Post über meine ziemlich komplizierte Pflegeroutine ist und ich dabei bei Vollmond im Sternzeichen des Wassermanns im Bach meine Haare wasche ;) wurde dies ein Thema unserer Blogging Kooperation! Ich bin gespannt was die anderen Mädels dazu schreiben - denn unterschiedlicher könnten unsere Haartypen kaum sein! 

Heike glatte feine etwas trockene Haare

Nessa sehr dicke sehr seidige glatte Haare

Wuscheline lockige starke Haare meinen strukturell sehr ähnlich 

Bobby wellige Haare

Lenja feine glatte Haare

Über meinen Haartyp 

Meine Haaren waren immer sehr lang und wurden dann in regelmaesigen Abständen deutlich gekürzt, d.h. von Taille auf Kinnlänge, von BSL zu Schulterlaenge usw. Nach meinem Friseurunfall 2007 von Huefte auf Schulterlaenge lasse ich sie bewusst wachsen bzw. habe jetzt die Laenge erreicht die ich mag - Steisslaenge. Sie sind bis zu den Schultern in NHF und ab Schulterhoehe noch hennarot.

Pflegeroutine

Ich wasche meine Haare 1-2 mal pro Woche. Da ich sehr trockene Haare habe die kaum nachfetten, koennte ich sogar laenger damit warten - aber mir macht das Haare Waschen und pflegen viel Spass und sonst werden meine Haare auch zu trockenen über die Zeit. Ausserdem muss es immer frisch riechen. Meistens wasche ich Mittwochs und Sonntags, immer am Abend weil meine Haare lufttrocknen und die ganze Nacht zum Trocknen brauchen. 

Ca. 1-2 h oder auch nur 30 min. vorher, mache ich eine Prewash-Haarkur. Meistens nehme ich Kokosoel und kaemme das Oel in die trockenen Haare. Wenn ich besonders nett zu meinen Haaren sein moechte nehme ich Arganoel oder Sheabutter. Dabei wird auch die Kopfhaut geölt und die Haare werden zu einem Dutt gebunden.

Ich verwende die Conditioner - Wash- Conditioner Methode (kurz:CWC). Dabei werden erst alle Haare nass gemacht, dann wird reichlich Spuelung ab Ohrhoehe in die Haare gegeben. Jetzt verduenne ich mein Shampoo ( ca. 1 haselnussgrosse Portion auf 1,5 l Wasser) und zwar habe ich mir dafuer eine lila Giesskanne gekauft :) . Ich weiss, ich bin seltsam. Diese steht im Badezimmer und hat schon zu einigen merkwuerdigen Kommentaren von meinen beiden Mitbewohnerinnen geführt. 

Dieser verduennte Shampoomix wird dann mittels der Giesskanne (Aha! So laeuft das.) langsam ueber das Koepfchen gekippt - die Haarlaengen werden dabei von der Spuelung geschuetzt die ich vorher fürsorglich in die Haare gepampt habe. Dabei leicht die Kopfhaut massieren damit das Shampoowasser auch ueberall hinkommt. 

Jetzt folgt die zweite Spuelungsrunde, fuer das erste C nehme ich meistens eine günstige Spülung (eine dieser hier ), das zweite C ist hochwertiger dafuer verwende ich Aubrey Organics. 

Meine Lieblingsprodukte sind von Aubrey Organics, da wechsle ich immer mal wieder die Versionen. Ausserdem nehme ich ab und an Balea Professionell Spülungen und auch die normalen Balea Spuelungen. Wenn meine Allergien sehr stark sind und ich wieder die ein oder andere Reaktion hatte, nehme ich das Balea Med Shampoo Ultrasensitiv. Die Alverde Aprikose Spülung mag ich auch gern, ebenso die Granatapfel-Aloe Vera Produkte von Alterra. 

Ich mache einen Dutt mit meinen Acrylstaeben und lasse diese Spuelung ca. 5 min einwirken. Als naechstes kommt wieder meine lila Giesskanne zum Einsatz - und zwar fuer die saure Rinse. Ich nehme 2 Essl. Apfelessig + 1,5 l kühles Wasser und lasse diesen Mix über Haare und Kopfhaut laufen. Haare leicht ausdrücken und nicht mehr ausspülen.

Ich nehme ein ganz normales Handtuch und schlage meine Haare mehrmals ein wie bei einer Banane damit auch alle unter das Handtuch passen. Ca. 30 min trocknen lassen. Als nächstes nehme ich einen Hornkamm mit grobem Zinkenabstand und entwirre meine Haare vorsichtig. Jetzt nehme ich einige Tropfen des  ilikegreen smoothing serums und fange bei den Spitzen an und verteile auch etwas in den Laengen.

Trimmen

Ich bin ein grosser Fan der geraden Kante und trimme seit 2007 jeden Monat meine Haare um 1 cm mit dem Crea Clip. Meine Haare wachsen pro Monat 2 cm. Meine Haare sind extrem trocken, sehr dick manche sagen auch borstig und lockig bis wellig. Eine gute Freundin hat meine Haarstruktur mal mit einem silbernen Topfschwaemmchen verglichen - Konsistenz kommt ungefaehr hin ;) .

Nahrungsergaenzungsmittel 

Seit ich bei Andrea gelesen habe, das Peanutbutter das Haarwachstum verstärkt esse ich jeden Tag einen Essl. und nehme meine NEMs ein über die habe ich auch schon hier einen Artikel verfasst. 

Unser nächstes Thema werden Maerchenfrisuren sein und es wird am 15.Oktober online sein. Fragt mich bloss nicht was ich da zaubern soll - es wird ganz schoen schwierig fuer mich ^^ . 

*English version:*

Hello Lovelies,

Some time ago I was asked about my daily hair care routine - I have been putting this post off because I knew it was a very long one since I wash my hair on full moon at a fairy tale lake ;) - but finally you will not only see my post but also the hair hair routine of my 5 blogging friends! We have very different hair types I am excited to find out how they treat their hair. Check out their posts here : 

Heike fine dry straight hair

Nessa very thick and silky straight hair

Wuscheline curly and coarse just like my hair!

Bobby wavy hair

Lenja fine straight hair

About my hair type

My hair has always been long but occasionelly  been chopped off quite a bit when it was too difficult for me to care for it. My major trimms have been from wait to chin, from bsl to shoulder length and then at a hair dresser unwillingly from hip to shoulder at 2007. This was the last time I visited a hair dresser and I decided to actively grow my hair back and cut it on my own so no one could mess with it again. I am maintaining my length, I recently cut back from classic length to tailbone and am very happy with my current length. My hair is in it's originally hair colour just up to shoulder length and below are still hennaed lengths.

Hair Care Routine

I wash my hair 1 - 2 times a week. I have very dry hair that hardly ever gets dirty so I could wait some more, but i like the fresh and fluffy feeling and the fresh scent as well. Hair care is fun for me. I always wash my hair in the evening since it needs to dry the whole night. I mostly wash it on wednesdays and sundays.

1-2 hours before I wash it I do a deep conditioning treatment with coconut oil as a prewash hair treatment. I mostly use coconut oil since it is cheap , smells heavenly and has very good results on my hair. Occasionally I use Argan oil or sheabutter. I will oil my complete hair as well as my scalp and wrap my hair up to a bun.

I am using the Conditioner - Wash- Conditioner Method (CWC). First I apply conditioner all over my hair, up to the ears. Then I dilute my shampoo, a drop with about 1,5 l of water in my watering can ^^. Yes I brought a watering can just for my hair care, I know I am strange :) . The watering can is living in our bathroom and has caused some funny questions from my two room mates. The diluted shampoo water will just run through my hair and I will gently massage it in my scalp to reach every spot. Now the second conditioning round, I like to use a very rich product and usually stick to Aubrey Organics. For the first C I use a cheap but good product (one of these *click*)

 My Favourite Products
I am a huge fan of Aubrey Organics hair care, I have tried many different versions and have always been happy, I like to use a few different shampoos and change a little. I go though a lot of conditioner ( a bollte just lasts about 2 weeks) so I like to use Balea Professionell and the normal Balea Conditioners. that are very affordable. If my allergies are acting up again I use the Balea Ultra Sensitive Med Shampoo. I also like the Alverde Aprikose Conditioner and the Pomegranate Aloe Vera Series from Alterra.

During the second Conditioning I wrap my hair up to a Lazy-Wrap Bun secure with an acrylic hair stick and let it soak for about 5 minutes. Next after rinsing is the watering can again - I am doing an apple cider vinegar rinse *click* with 2 tablespoons of Vinegar and 1,5 litre of cool water. I leave it in and wrap my hair in a towel by creating a french twist. The towel absorbs with water for about 30 min, I comb my hair then with a wide tooth comb made of horn here and apply a few drops of my ilikegreen smoothing serum.

Trimming

I love a blunt cut and  trimm my hair every month 1 cm with the Crea Clip. My hair grows about 2 cm each month. My hair is very thick, extremely dry, coarse and curly. A good friend of mine has once compared my structure with the little pan scrubbers that are made of steel wool :p . 

Helping it Grow

Since I read at Andrea's that Peanutbutter enhances hair growth I am eating a daily spoon of peanut butter. Moreover I simply love Peanutbutter and I think it's a good excuse to eat more of it ^^ I also take vitamins : fish oil, a hair growth mix containing biotin, zinc, magnesium, calcium, folic acid and so on. You can read here how to make your hair grow faster . 

Our next topic will be fairytale hairstyles and be online at the 15th of October. I have no idea what I can do about that but let's be amazed what we can do to create a fantasy hair style. Er,  hopefully.

I hope you enjoy today's post! I have been very busy since I started my surgical rotation 5 weeks ago, I switched now from intensive care at cardiosurgery to abdominal surgery and hope I will find more time to keep you all posted! I still owe you a recap from my vacation in Canada before I start there at the hospital in two weeks until december. I read all your comments and suggestions and I am sending a lot of love from a quite stressed long haired gal :) . 

Love, Zoey <3

Care: Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse Recipe

Eine saure Rinse gehoert zu den Haarpflege Basics und sorgt fuer Glanz und verbesserte Kaemmbarkeit. Die Rinse ist sauer und neutraliziert damit kalkiges Wasser, Seife und Shampoo Reste. Sie verstaerkt den Glanz indem sie hilft die Haaroberfläche und Schuppenschicht zu schliessen. Die Haare werden weicher und eurer Kopfhaut wird es auch gut gehen. 

Einige Dinge sollte man im Kopf behalten:

• Bitte nicht überdosieren! 1 Teel. auf einen l Wasser ist mehr als genug.
• Nicht anwenden wenn die Kopfhaut gereizt und wund ist.
• Augenkontakt vermeiden.
• Regelmaessige Anwendungen verstaerken die Wirkung: Also nicht gleich die Flinte ins Korn werfen, wenn nach der ersten Rinse nicht viel passiert :)
• Der Essiggeruch verfliegt wenn euer Haar trocken ist
• Ich spuele sie nicht aus, koennt ihr aber wenn ihr mögt.

Natuerlich kann man auch Zitronensaft verwenden - den wuerde ich als Anfaenger aber nicht empfehlen da er von Zitrone zu Zitrone variiert und die Dosierung so schwerer ist. Wenn ihr ein PH Papier habt und nachmessen koennt - super. Die Rinse sollte bei 4,5-5 liegen , der natuerliche PH ist 7 , die meisten Seifen sind alkalisch und liegen bei 8-9. Vor allem wenn ihr eure Haare mit Seife wascht ist sie unverzichtbar damit kein weisser Belag entsteht (Kalkseife) und auch in Wasserregionen mit besonders hartem Wasser kann sie Wunder wirken.

Habt ihr Erfahrungen mit einer sauren Rinse? Wie sind eure Resultate?

Ich mache das schon seit 2 Jahren und bin sehr zufrieden :)

Liebe Gruesse,

 Zoey!

The apple cider rinse (ACR) is a basic conditioning agent that will help to increase your shine. The acidy ph will help to remove build up and balance your scalp and hair's ph by closing the follicle of your hair. Most cleaning agents are bases and the acid will help to neutralise the natural environment. You will especially benefit from it if you live in a hard water region like I do. Your hair will be softer and shinier and your scalp will be happier as well :) I promise. 

There are some important notes to keep in mind:

• Don't overdose , 1 tablespoon on 1 liter of water is more than enough - overdosing can dry your hair out.
• Do not use on open wounded irritated scalp .
• Avoid eye contact.
• Regular rinses will strengthen the effect and shine.
• Don't worry about vinegar smell - it will vanish once your hair is dry.
• Can or can not rinse out the rinse :) I personally leave it in.

You can also use any lemon acid that you have - I will not recommend that since the ph of lemon juice is not constant and you might just overdose especially if you are a beginner. If you have a ph- paper and can measure your mix it is ok. The ph should be around 4,5-5 slightly acidy. Our skins natural ph is 7 and most cleaning detergents have a ph of 8-9.

How are your experiences with the ACR? Do you see effects and benefits? I am doing this on a regular basis for over 2 years and I am very happy with the increased shine. 

Love, Zoey.

Care: Silikonfreie Spülungen

Ich wurde letztens dazu gefragt welche silikonfreien Spuelungen gut sind, es ist manchmal schwierig eine Uebersicht zu finden. Silikone enden auf -(c)one, -conol, -xonol mittlerweile sehe ich sofort ob ein Silikon in einer Spuelung vorhanden ist. Es gibt jedoch auch PEG's und Quat's die hier in den Spuelungen enthalten sind - es sind Filmbildner und Glaettungshilfen. Hier findet ihr eine Übersicht von Weleda aus dem LHN zu den gaengisten Silikonen. 

Anwendungen: 

• Pre-wash Kokos-Oelkuren - Ich habe gerne einen guenstigen Condi um meine Pre-wash Kokos-Oelkuren heraus zu waschen. Oelkuren waescht man am besten mit einer leichten Spuelung aus, die Emulgatoren verbinden sich mit dem Oel und dann werden sie mit den leichten Tensiden einfach herunter gespuelt. 
• Pimp it ! Ausserdem eignen sie sich hervorragend dazu mit Oel versetzt zu werden. In der Garnier Spuelung hatte ich ca. 2 Essl. Arganoel zugesetzt und sie so angereichert.
• Mix it - Honey! Ein einfacher Condi ist prima um damit selbst gemischte Kuren herzustellen. Meine Lieblingskombi ist das Snowy-Moisture Treatment - einfach 1 Teil Honig, 1 Teil Aloe Vera und ein Teil Spuelung vermischen und auf die feuchten Haare auftragen - so viel Feuchtigkeit und Glanz hat die Welt noch nicht gesehen :)
• CWC - das erste C, ich benutzte die CWC - Methode und nehme fuer das erste C gerne einen guenstigen KK Condi, der schuetzt die Haare vor dem herunterlaufenden Shampoo 

1. + 2.  + 5. Balea - Spuelungen

Der Preis ist unschlagbar ca. 65 cent/ Flasche, alle haben ganz gute Incis fuer KK (konventionelle Kosmetik), die Aprikosenspeulung ist ein Klassiker und gibt es schon seit Jahren . Alle Spuelungen sind eher leicht. Mein Favorit ist momentan der Kokoskondi.

3. +  4. Balea Professionell 

Diese Kondis sind besonders genial in der Winter und Herbstzeit denn sie riechen wunderbar nach Marzipan und Karamell. Der Oil Repair Kondi ist mein Favorit - allerdings kann er bei einseitiger zu langer Anwendung die Haare wieder eher trockener erscheinen lassen - also immer mal wechseln. Die Kaemmbarkeit ist unschlagbar. 

6. Garnier Cranberry

Der Garnierkondi eignet sich sehr gut um damit Henna auszuwaschen und um ihn mit reichlich Oel zu versetzten. Die PEGs helfen bei der Kaemmbarkeit. Ich habe immer ca. 2 Essl. Oel hinzugegeben - dann war er sehr gut von der Pflegewirkung.

Kennt ihr weitere gute KK Condis? Verzichtet ihr komplett auf KK und verwendet nur NK in der Haarpflege ? 

Liebste Gruesse, Louisa <3

Note: this post in written only in german because the products are not available abroad. If you still want to have an english translation let me know in the comments :)

Pictures with courtesy of balea.de for demonstrational purposes only.

DIY Hair Treatment - Lemonade for Hair

Huhu ihr Lieben!

Ich habe gestern ein Rezept von Lorraine Massey - dem curly girl Guru ausprobiert und bin einfach begeistert von dem Ergebnis. Ihr braucht nicht mehr als eine Zitrone und eurem momentanen Lieblingskondi und schon geht es los. Meine Haare waren schon lange nicht mehr sooo lockig und glänzend weich. Ich hatte erst etwas Angst vor der Zitronensäure aber meine Bedenken waren unbegründet :) Nur allzu oft sollte man das nicht machen. Ich denke 1 x im Monat ist definitiv genug. Diese Haarkur ist besonders gut für diejenigen unter euch geeignet, die in harten Wasser Regionen leben, denn die Zitronensäure wird den ganzen Kalk von der Haaroberfläche entfernen der die Haare stumpf erscheinen lässt.

Ihr braucht:

• den Saft einer grossen (Bio) Zitrone, am Besten ohne Kerne und Teilchen :) 
• ca. 5 Essl. eures Lieblingskondis ( ich habe den Alverde Zitrone Aprikose genommen)

Anwendung:

Haare waschen und reinigen nach eurer Methode. Ich benutzte die Kondi-Waschen-Kondi Methode (im englischen CWC). Ich verwende auf ca. 2 l  ca. 1 haselnussgrosse Menge verdünntes Shampoo. Dann als letztes C habe ich die oben angerührte Zitronen-Kondi Mischung genommen.  Auftragen ab Ohrhöhe bis zu den Spitzen. Nach 20 Sekunden gründlich auswaschen.

Über die Curly Girl Methode

Die Curly Girl Methode ist für Lockentypen aller Art geeignet und verwendet nur Spülung für die Haarreinigung und spezielle Trocknungsmethoden. Da ich Wellen- Locken habe wäre sie auch für mich geeignet, aber ich mag keinen Kondi auf der Kopfhaut und durch diese Methode brauchen meine Haare Ewigkeiten bis sie trocken sind. Wirklich ca. 10 h. Soviel Zeit habe ich dann bei aller Haarliebe doch nicht. Wer sich dafür interessiert - sie hat ein tolles Buch geschrieben. 

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Hello Lovelies,

Yesterday I tried a Recipe of Lorraine Massey's she is the curly girl guru ^^ and has invented a care routine and written a very nice book about the curly girl method. I was initially afraid of the lemon acid, because this recipe contains addind a large lemon to your favourite conditioner. I tried it and I loved the results. I can not remember the last time my hair has been this shiny and soft, I am so happy about the results. This DIY hair treatment will be especially great if you are living in hard water regions like I do. The lemon juice will remove the build up from your hair which causes your hair to look dry and makes your hair feel hard. I would however not recommend to use this treatment on a daily basis - I guess once a month would be enough for sure.

You will need:

• juice of a large lemon preferably an organic one - minus the seeds and like lemon pieces
• 5 Tblspoons of your favourite Conditioner, (I have been using Alverde Zitrone Aprikose, it is an inexpensive german organic brand)

Instructions:

Clean your hair with the method of your choice. I am always using the CWC Method.  I wash my hair with diluted shampoo, about a hazelnut size of shampoo combined with 2 litres of water. As the last C I used the lemon mixture. Apply from ends to about ear height , leave in for 20 sec. and rinse thoroughly.

 About the curly girl method

The curly girl method has been invented by Lorraine Massey and is great for all types of curly hair. African hair will especially benefit from this method as well as any type of curl. My hair is naturally curly to wavy so the method would work for me as well. I do not use it for some reasons though. First of all i do not like to have conditioner on my roots - it will weight my hair down and make it flat, second - the time my hair needs for drying after I use CO method. It will need to dry about 10 hours - by all the love I have for my hair - I do not have this much time to spare. As mentioned above there are some great websites like naturally curly as mentioned above as well as her book. Give it a try :)

This were my results :

Alles Liebe,

Louisa :)