Easy Deep Conditioner for Hair

Olive oil is known for its benefits as a food substance because it is flavorful and is known to help lower cholesterol.  It is also terrific as a topical application for skin and hair.  I love making this easy conditioner recipe listed below and using it a couple of times a week for a deep conditioning hair treatment.

Olive oil is biologically closest to sebum, which is the oil naturally produced by our bodies.  Why don't we just leave the natural oils there?  Well, that sounds great, but unfortunately sweat, bacteria, and skin cells tend to collect in the oils present on our body, so it's necessary for us to take a shower or bath, grab our favorite soap, and get squeaky clean.  Unfortunately, soap tends to strip those natural oils and can sometimes leave us with overly dry skin or hair.  That's where conditioners and lotions come in.

This is another beauty tip that was given to me by my brother.  Use this 2-3 times a week (or less, depending on your hair).  Keep it in the shower for easy use, and make sure that you blow dry your hair afterwards to help the conditioner "set."  Otherwise, you may seem to have an oily residue on your hair. 

OLIVE OIL DEEP CONDITIONER:

1 bottle of inexpensive conditioner, your choice

1 teaspoon of olive oil per 8 oz. of conditioner

(Example:  If your bottle is 12 oz., you will need 1-1/2 teaspoons of olive oil.  If it is 16 oz., you will need 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and so on.)

Open the conditioner and squirt out just enough to give you some "shaking room" in the bottle.  Add the olive oil, and shake for 1 minute. Store the conditioner in the shower or wherever you wash your hair.  Apply liberally to freshly shampooed hair and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.  Try to keep away from scalp.  Rinse well, then blow dry.  Blow drying is a MUST in order for the conditioner to set. 

That's it!  This conditioner will leave your hair silky smooth and well conditioned without spending a ton of money! 

Homemade Soothing Facial Cream

You can buy many types of soothing facial creams in stores, but this one is very easy, works well, and is as close as your medicine cabinet.  This is another tip passed to me by my eldest brother, who was a stylist and cosmetologist.  It has two simple ingredients:  Unscented lotion and aspirin.

To make this wondrous lotion, crush one aspirin until it is a fine powder.  Mix the powder into 1 tablespoon of your choice of lotion.  I used Palmer's Olive Oil lotion for the batch I made in the photo. Mix well, and store in a covered container.  I usually make a couple of batches at a time. Apply at night, before going to bed, and then wash off the next morning.  Your skin will be smooth and soft. 

This is especially wonderful for reducing facial redness, relieving discomfort from blemishes, and it also helps smooth lines in your face.  Use it approximately 1-2 times a week, no more, and you'll find your skin tone to be more even and have fewer blemishes. 

Aspirin contains acetyl salicylic acid, which is a mild exfoliant.  Many skin-clearing creams, lotions, and makeup sold in department stores contain salicylic acid, which is a close relative to aspirin.  Salicylic acid originally came from willow tree bark but was bitter and was known to cause irritation, especially of the gastric lining.  By modifying it slightly to acetyl salicylic acid, it is buffered and more gentle and more easily tolerable in the body.  

**PLEASE, if you are allergic to aspirin in any form, do not use this lotion.  If you're allergic to it on the inside, you'll be allergic to it on the outside, as well.**