Category: DIY

Activated charcoal made from coconut shells allows toxins to be grabbed by the charcoal and travel through and out of the body. Activated charcoal uses the chemical process of adsorption (where elements bind to a surface, in this case to the charcoal), allowing toxins to be grabbed by the charcoal.

• Treating a sunburn: When my husband and I get a bit sunburned, we take a bath with 4 charcoal capsules, 1/4 cup manuka honey and 1/4 cup coconut oil. We sit in the bath for 20-40 minutes and follow it with a shower using Dr. Bronners soap to wash the charcoal off our skin. This is the most amazing sunburn treatment!
• Helping with minor skin irritations: pimples or minor stings, bites, or rashes. I used charcoal on a bee sting once and it soothed and healed it remarkably quick. Make a paste with 1 capsules of charcoal and 1 tsp of coconut oil or water and rub it on the skin. Let sit for 30 minutes and rinse off. **
• Brushing as a natural teeth whitener: I like using charcoal to brush my teeth. It helps whiten teeth. After brushing and flossing teeth as normal, I brush them again with charcoal (dip wet toothbrush into a small amount of powder). Then I brush one last time with toothpaste to help get rid of any black in my mouth. I try to do this once a week!

* Make sure to buy activated charcoal made from coconut shells without any additives or fillers. I buy Schizandu organic activated charcoal and I love it!

Both amla and manuka honey are great for hair. They are both high in vitamins and leave hair silky smooth. Amla, along with acting as an awesome hair conditioner, creates body and natural waves on my hair.

I love to do this conditioning hair mask once a month. I also do this the day before any event or party when I want my hair extra bouncy and shiny!

• 1/2 cup manuka honey
• 2-3 TB amla (2 TB if you aren’t using rahua conditioner, 3 TB if you are)
• optional (see note above): 2 TB rahua conditioner (or your non-toxic conditioner of choice)
• optional: 3 drops of rahua hair elixir (this product is amazing-post about my love of Rahua products coming soon)

1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Apply to hair. Gather up in a bun and massage the mask into your scalp.
3. Let sit for 10 min-1 hr.
4. Before rinsing out of your hair in the shower, massage the mask into your hair and scalp. Rinse out in the shower. Shampoo hair once you’ve worked most of the mask out of your hair.
5. Brush your hair with a clean boars hair brush, working from your tips up to your roots.

*please use organic ingredients, if possible. Be wary of processed honey; make sure to use raw honey.

Mixing the hair mask:

Below (my hair before the hair mask):Below (applying the hair mask):Below: (my wet hair after washing out with shampoo and brushing with a boars hair brush):Below (my hair after the hair mask):

 

 

• 3 TB Manuka Honey
• 1 TB Turmeric

1. Mix together and store in a cool dark place in a covered container for 2 weeks.
2. Apply to body, face or hair and massage in. Let sit for up to 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
3. Use a non toxic soap (Dr. Bronners soaps , herbivore botanicals bar soaps or Tata Harper soaps would be my brands of choice) to wash skin and hair 2-3 times to remove the yellow tint of turmeric. Apply nontoxic oil (coconut oil, shea butter or Tata Harper oil) on skin after washing. Skin will be soft and moisturized.

 

I use this mask on my face and body once a week to keep my skin clear!

I use this mask on the tips of my hair when I am applying it to my body. I have dark brown hair so the turmeric doesn’t stain my hair. I am not sure what the turmeric would do to blonde or light colored hair: I would not recommend applying this mask to those hair types.

*please use organic ingredients, if possible. And be wary of processed honey; make sure to buy raw honey.

I no longer use conventional hair dye products. I am so happy I have found a way to color my hair using three natural ingredients. These three ingredients, in these proportions, work on my hair color (medium brown with a bunch of grey). Different hair colors and types will color differently with this recipe.

Ive had to mess around with the proportions, but I am finally really happy with the color!

I buy all three ingredients on Amazon:

• 4-5 TB Amla powder (I use Terrasoul Superfoods brand)- In the pictures I have used 5 TB of amla. I vary between 4 and 5 TB. 5 TB creates are darker and deeper brown and 4 TB has a lighter tint and a slightly reddish undertone.
• 1 TB Henna powder (I use Star West Botanicals brand)
• 1/2 cup water
• 10 TB Indigo Powder (I use Kama Ayurveda Brand)
• 1/2 cup of water (or more if needed)

1. Combine amla, henna and 1/2 cup of water using a plastic or wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 12-18 hrs.
2. Add indigo and 1/2 cup of water. Stir to combine. Add more water if necessary to make a mud-like consistency.
3. Apply to hair immediately. Wrap head in plastic and allow to sit on hair for 1-6 hours.
4. Wash out with warm water in the shower until most of the dye is washed away. Then apply a large amount of conditioner, rub into scalp and rinse. Then shampoo 2-3 times until your hair runs clear.

*this will dye any grout in your bathroom and your towels. Use care not to spill and use a dark colored towel to stand on and to place your tools on when mixing and applying.

Above pictures, mixing hair color. Below picture, coloring just my roots:

Before (below):

 

After 2 1/2 hrs (below):