Oils that penetrate the Hair Shaft....

Have you ever found yourself drowning in a sea of hair products, including oils, but wondering why nothing seemed to work as promised?
If so, it may be because the ingredients in your hair products aren’t penetrating the shaft of your hair!!!

Oils are good for hair: they enhance sheen, protect against environmental elements plus nourish the scalp.
Oils are made of fatty-acid chains, some of which are too big to penetrate the hair shaft and hence they help in providing the much-needed protective coating they give the hair.

However, some oils actually have chains small enough to penetrate the hair to the core; thus delivering whatever benefits deep into the strand and nourish it inside out. They also help to strengthen hair by preventing damage (especially protein loss during shampoo and relaxing).

COCONUT OIL;

So far my favourite oil...
Coconut oil is one of the few natural oils that has been proven to penetrate deep inside the hair where it can strengthen from within and protect the outside.
Research (although small-scale and preliminary) shows that hair can absorb around 50-75% of applied oil...
Coconut oil (because of its chemical structure) can actually penetrate to the cortex (the inner part of hair) which can help improve its strength and flexibility.

♦This is also because the fatty acids are drawn to the protein stricture of the hair, and bind with them hence minimizing protein loss!!♦

Another benefit: coconut oil has super staying power. Since most oils and hair ingredients sit on top of your hair, they rinse off when you wash your mane. Coconut oil is "inside" your hair, so it's less likely to rinse away.
If you have dry, damaged hair and are susceptible to hair loss and breakage then you should definitely stock up on coconut oil.
※This is why most pre-shampoo oil treatments recommend coconut oil. ※

OLIVE OIL...

Also another favourite...
Olive oil is scientifically proven to penetrate the shaft of your hair. It is difficult to repair the inner most layer of your hair follicle. But putting olive oil in hair is clinically shown to repair the hair cuticle and cortex.
The hair is said to absorb about 75% of the oil applied.

♠You can boost your hot oil treatment by mixing olive and coconut oils, warm them and let them penetrate your hair and scalp. All you have to do is apply the oil to your hair and let it absorb.♠

AVOCADO OIL...

Quite rare and pricey, but it does deliver!!!
The oil is obtained from the pulp, not the pit of the avocado.
Slightly green in color due to the high chlorophyll content, Avocado oil has an avocado flavor with a hint of buttery mushroom aroma.
Avocado oil is rich in Vitamins (A, B1, B2, D and E) and Monounsaturated fats. (The good type of fat.)
Due to its small fatty acid chains it is also penetrative deep into the hair. Like olive oil, it is capable of nourishing the hair inside-out and strengthen it, plus nourish your scalp intensively!!

~If you cannot get avocado oil, simply mush up an avocado piece, add coconut or Olive oil and apply to your scalp and strands.

So far, I can only confirm on these three, but more studies are being done on most other oils.

Better yet, if you can get your hands on oil infusions, you stand to gain a lot more from your oil treatments because of the added minerals and essential elements to your scalp and hair!!!

※ check out more on herbal oil infusions and their benefits※

Related articles:
※ Healthy hair and scalp: Herbal tea rinses
※ Essential oils: What are they and their uses?
※ Herbal oil infusions: part 2: Carrier oils and their benefits
※ Tretinoin (Retin-A) and Acne treatment
※ Oily skin/Acne treatment

sources;
http://www.naturalhairrules.com/3-best-oils-for-natural-hair/
http://www.curlynikki.com/2013/05/coconut-oil-penetrates-hair.html
http://www.self.com/flash/beauty-blog/2012/04/why-coconut-oil-is-amazing-for/
http://coldpresshaute.com/category/penetrating-the-hair-shaft/

Rosemary Herb skin benefits: How to have glowing skin

The Rosemary herb has been used for very many centuries as a medicinal herb, spice and cosmetic product. It is rich in nutrients, minerals and vitamins as well as having hypo-allergenic properties.
Personally, I love using the fresh herb in my stews, teas and hair rinses.There are many uses for the Rosemary herb, from convectional cooking and essential oils, and I will talk about how to use it to have healthy hair and skin.

 For glowing skin and fighting acne
The herb is mainly used through its essential oils available in the market. The oil is mainly mixed with carrier oils like castor or olive oil, or added to facial rinse product.

• Rosemary is known to have skin toning properties.
• Rosemary has astringent properties and it works to encourage blood flow to the skin. This increases nourishment and helps improve appearance a great deal. It is used in a similar way to the rose water toning rinse. 
• You simply add a few drops of rosemary essential oil to your final face rinse water. Many people use very cold water but you can use warm water too. You can also add a few drops to your bath water and soak in it for a refreshing soak after a busy and tiresome day, especially if your muscles are fatigued and aching.
• If you cant access the oil, you can simply add a stalk to two cups of boiling water(leaves and all - although you can cut them into small pieces to increase release of the essence), cover, and let it cool in the fridge, then rinse off. Or, you can add the mixture into the water in the bath tub and soak in it or use as final rinse.
• Rosemary also helps to  fight infections

• Rosemary has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and it helps reduce  and puffiness on the skin. It also helps relieve itching from insect bites and cleans up wounds really well. 
• You can add a few drops of the Rosemary essential oils to olive oil and rub on the affected area. You can also use fresh Rosemary and make Rosemary tea (just add to boiling water and let it cool while covered) and wash the affected area with it, then apply a balm or Vaseline on the area.
• Rosemary helps to treat acne.
• you can make your home-made masks, lotions and rinses which you can use to treat mild acne at your own time, or just to give yourself at-home spa treatments.
• A popular mask is the cucumber and rosemary mask:



organic face mask

• you will need a cucumber, which you will blend into a smoothie, or grate using a hand grater then mash up with  a pestle and mortar. You will then add three to four drops of Rosemary essential oils, or just throw in your fresh stalk of rosemary and mash/blend them together. Whisk an egg white and add in to the mixture. Apply on your face and leave for 15 minutes and then rinse off. This will leave you with glowing skin. It will take up to two weeks to clear up your acne and even out your complexion.

PS... You are recommended to always dilute your essential oils because they can be very strong and cause some allergic reactions.You should never consume them unless you are given a go-ahead by the manufacturer, or using the fresh herbs in food.
PS ... If you cannot get your pure essential oils, you can always infuse them with organic carrier oils. The benefits will still be maintained, and they won't be diluted. Or, you can mix your pure essential oils with organic carrier oils. If you use the essential oils straight, always exercise caution.
There are many other uses for Rosemary, from cooking to haircare.

Rosemary plant in a pot (Kenya)

Live life, Live well,
This is Serenity!!

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* Scalp hair rinses
* Neem oil 
* Skin benefits of rosemary

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