Diy Mixtress into the 2020s

[water_n_oil]

That sounds great @ElevatedEnergy. I've been thinking about a milder cleanser for the girls as they don't need something like black soap every week. I've used aritha/soap nuts for laundry but have yet to try it for hair. Lots of people who avoid commercial cleansers seem to love that and shikakai.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

That sounds great @ElevatedEnergy. I've been thinking about a milder cleanser for the girls as they don't need something like black soap every week. I've used aritha/soap nuts for laundry but have yet to try it for hair. Lots of people who avoid commercial cleansers seem to love that and shikakai.

I made a Shikakai & Aritha shampoo on its own and mannnnnn my hair was super clean but when it dried, it was so soft and supple. When I read that the cocamidopropyl betaine fairs better with co-surfactants, Shikakai & Aritha was the first thing that came to mind.

 

[water_n_oil]

Need to try dupes of some of my favorites...or at least come close enough

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

@ElevatedEnergy THOSE SHAMPOO IDEAS!!!!!!!!!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

This is DIY related, so I'll stick it here.

I'll stick the pretty picture in first, before y'all turn up y'all fancy noses at the ugly pictures

This is where my DIY products live..



I dont have much....shampoo, deep conditioner, a leave in and some powders that I am hydrating to make a shampoo with. My shea butter lives on top! She so special!

Now on to the ugly.

Around 2 years ago, my son knocked over a wax warmer that lived on my mini fride in my bedroom. The wax got everywhere...on the outside and the inside. My husband wanted to throw it away after claiming it to be too much work to clean up. I was like nah buddy...I can clean that...but it will be for me only. LOL

Well I got started, and it was too much so we just stuck it in the garage and ignored it. Until this morning.

This is before....



This is after



I scraped the wax off as much as I could with a spatula, then cleaned it with a solution of degreaser, bleach, Dawn & water.

Now she lives in my mom cave and houses my DIY products. Pretty picture again....

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

This is DIY related, so I'll stick it here.

I'll stick the pretty picture in first, before y'all turn up y'all fancy noses at the ugly pictures

This is where my DIY products live..

View attachment 446613

I dont have much....shampoo, deep conditioner, a leave in and some powders that I am hydrating to make a shampoo with. My shea butter lives on top! She so special!

Now on to the ugly.

Around 2 years ago, my son knocked over a wax warmer that lived on my mini fride in my bedroom. The wax got everywhere...on the outside and the inside. My husband wanted to throw it away after claiming it to be too much work to clean up. I was like nah buddy...I can clean that...but it will be for me only. LOL

Well I got started, and it was too much so we just stuck it in the garage and ignored it. Until this morning.

This is before....

View attachment 446617

This is after

View attachment 446619

I scraped the wax off as much as I could with a spatula, then cleaned it with a solution of degreaser, bleach, Dawn & water.

Now she lives in my mom cave and houses my DIY products. Pretty picture again....


View attachment 446613

WOW!!!! Now thats a job and a half.... you did great. It looks so purty!!!!!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Need some packaging, but don't want to buy in bulk? A curl friend turned Sister just put me on to this site, so I'm passing it on to you lovely people.

https://www.containerandpackaging.com

You can request 10 free samples, and pay shipping only which is $7.50 flat.

Here's a few items I snatched up:




I couldn't screen shot the full list, but I gotzzzz all 10 of my free samples!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

WOW!!!! Now thats a job and a half.... you did great. It looks so purty!!!!!

Thank you! I was so tired that I fell asleep after I finished!

 

[Nightingale]

A two days ago I experimented with PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (PEG40), adding a tablespoon to 2 ounces of my DIY leave in. I was hoping to make my leave in more moisturizing, but remain water rinsable. As soon as I mixed it, the texture of my leave in changed from thin gel to something thin and watery. I noted it, but decided to apply anyway (mistake #1). When I applied to my hair it foamed like a shampoo. I remember reading that PEG40 was a foam enhancer, but assumed it would foam in the presence of a surfactant, which my leave in doesn't have. I also noticed my hair felt clean, like shampooed no product clean. Once again, I noted it and kept applying (mistake #2). Despite the foaming, my hair looked smooth and defined, so I applied to my whole head and topped with Wetline gel. As my hair dried it looked decent and I decided to wear it as is and wash again in a few days (mistake #3).

My hair was fine the first day when it was still damp, but once it dried, IT DRIED! My hair was dull, crispy, and extremely dehydrated. I wasn't expecting that result so I went back to do more research. Long story short, I must have confused the PEG40 Hydrogenated castor oil with regular Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Despite being castor oil based they are completely different things. PEG-40 is a surfactant. So basically I shampooed my hair then left it on like an idiot, when all the signs said RINSE THIS OUT!

I washed it out today and my hair was squeaky clean and hard to detangle. I had some breakage, but not as much as I should have. I think the only thing that saved me was the fact that I had done an oil wash before applying the leave in, which thankfully gave me a barrier between my hair and the product.


Next time I'll be more careful.

 

[BeautifulRoots]

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Finished finalizing my "shampoo" which is really just a Herbal Hair Wash.

Recipe:
1 tablespoon Yucca Root Powder
1 tablespoon additional herbs....lavender flowers really just takes the smell to another level. Slippery Elm increases the slip.
2 cups distilled water

I leave it in my crockpot on low for a few hours, turn it off then allow it it to marinate overnight.



Then strain and seperate in 7 to 8 ounce batches. I freeze what I don't use in water bottles. Hood I know...but it works!



When I'm ready to wash:
7 to 8 ounces of the Yucca Root Botanical Blend
(Cleanser)
1/4 teaspoon VegeMoist (humectant)
10 drops peppermint oil



Directions:
On dry & dirty hair, coat hair and scalp...massage in, place my hair in 3 braids, then let it sit under a plastic cap for 20 to 30 minutes to break down all dirt and debris.

Rinse in shower, and continue pouring and massaging the herbal wash in your hair and scalp until its all gone. You hair will be clean. I've used it twice and this mixture has been able to remove gel and shea butter from my hair. I lubs it.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

@BeautifulRoots has inspired me revisit my Black Soap Shampoo. Once I use up my Herbal Wash, I'll clarify with it. I plan on adding some pumpkin and fig powder to the new batch. I'll list the recipe once I make it in a few weeks and try it out.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

The New African Black Soap works really well on my kids hair... I'll stick to my Yucca Root wash for my own hair.

 

[BeautifulRoots]

Finished finalizing my "shampoo" which is really just a Herbal Hair Wash.

Recipe:
1 tablespoon Yucca Root Powder
1 tablespoon additional herbs....lavender flowers really just takes the smell to another level. Fenugreek seeds increases the slip.
2 cups distilled water

I leave it in my crockpot on low for a few hours, turn it off then allow it it to marinate overnight.

View attachment 447233

Then strain and seperate in 7 to 8 ounce batches. I freeze what I don't use in water bottles. Hood I know...but it works!

View attachment 447235

When I'm ready to wash:
7 to 8 ounces of the Yucca Root Botanical Blend
(Cleanser)
1/4 teaspoon VegeMoist (humectant)
10 drops peppermint oil

View attachment 447237

Directions:
On dry & dirty hair, coat hair and scalp...massage in, place my hair in 3 braids, then let it sit under a plastic cap for 20 to 30 minutes to break down all dirt and debris.

Rinse in shower, and continue pouring and massaging the herbal wash in your hair and scalp until its all gone. You hair will be clean. I've used it twice and this mixture has been able to remove gel and shea butter from my hair. I lubs it.

Oooo looks so good! Is it the yucca root powder that has the cleansing properties in this mix?

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Oooo looks so good! Is it the yucca root powder that has the cleansing properties in this mix?

Yes ma'am, it's the star of the show! As soon as it touches water, it releases saponins. Here is a little info about it.

https://www.minimalistbeauty.com/yucca-root-another-natural-hair-cleanser/

 

[snoop]

They will be helpful for oil infusions, tea infusions...the mouth is wide enough to even stick your immersion blender in for mixing your conditioners. You can store your dried herbs/powders/raw ingredients in them. Please trust me on this one. Mason jars....get them.


View attachment 446549

I want to try making my own oil infusions. Can you suggest a ratio of oil vs herb/petal/beans/etc.?

 

[snoop]

Do you think that if I were to infuse ginger or garlic in oil that I would have to worry about rancidity? What about onion (since it has a great water content)?

ETA I think that I'd probably have to dehydrate the ginger and garlic first...???

 

[I Am Number Four.]

I have two Ayurvedic based recipes that I have used with success since my hair is too long to keep up with expenses from store-bought deep conditioners. I do not really have a set amount prepared for each ingredient since I make more or less depending upon how much I think I need for a given week. Additionally, the numbers are based on how much each goes into the mix relative to the other ingredients.

Strengthening Deep Conditioner
1. Base deep conditioner (store bought; my goal is to stretch the number of uses)
2. Cassia powder
3. EDIT: Fenugreek powder
4. Aloe Vera gel or juice (choose based on consistency)
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
6. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (I add 1 tbsp optionally as a "protein" treatment since the soy protein is hydrolyzed)

Moisturizing Deep Conditioner
1. Base deep conditioner (same as above)
2. Cassia powder
3. Amla powder
4. Hibiscus petals (I grind them with water to make a puree)
5. Honey
6. Coconut Oil

As a plus, I recently created a Shea butter mix to replace my old one so that I do not have to follow the LOC method. The mix is smooth, creamy, and has a light nutty smell relative to pure Shea butter.

1. Shea butter, unrefined
2. Coconut Oil
3. Olive Oil and Avocado Oil (roughly the same amount)
4. Jamaican Black Castor Oil

 

[Nightingale]

I've been testing out some DIY moisturizers and finally came up with something I love. I used my DIY Gelly Leave In as a base, OliveM 1000 as my emulsifier, and Avocado and Fractionated Coconut as my oils. The resulting mix has a gel-cream texture that is quite thick in consistency but doesn't weigh my hair down.

Most emulsifiers sit on my hair and leave a white cast, which is why I usually stick to gellies rather than creams for my leave ins. But OliveM 1000 doesn't have that soaping effect and seems to just sink into my strands. I absolutely love this emulsifier! If anyone else has hair that is finicky about certain emulsifiers, give OliveM1000 a shot.

 

[BeautifulRoots]

I've been testing out some DIY moisturizers and finally came up with something I love. I used my DIY Gelly Leave In as a base, OliveM 1000 as my emulsifier, and Avocado and Fractionated Coconut as my oils. The resulting mix has a gel-cream texture that is quite thick in consistency but doesn't weigh my hair down.

Most emulsifiers sit on my hair and leave a white cast, which is why I usually stick to gellies rather than creams for my leave ins. But OliveM 1000 doesn't have that soaping effect and seems to just sink into my strands. I absolutely love this emulsifier! If anyone else has hair that is finicky about certain emulsifiers, give OliveM1000 a shot.


View attachment 448471 View attachment 448473 View attachment 448475

Question, so whenever a leave in has the white cast on hair, that's the soaping effect?

 

[Nightingale]

Question, so whenever a leave in has the white cast on hair, that's the soaping effect?

Yes, when a product initially turns white when applying, that's a soaping effect. Some ingredients or combinations of ingredients can cause it to occur. It isnt necessarily a bad thing if you're able to work it in or it goes clear when drying.

 

[BeautifulRoots]

Yes, when a product initially turns white when applying, that's a soaping effect. Some ingredients or combinations of ingredients can cause it to occur. It isnt necessarily a bad thing if you're able to work it in or it goes clear when drying.

Ahh, that's good to know. I never knew that and wondered why it happens. Thanks!

 

[Artemis24]

Do you think that if I were to infuse ginger or garlic in oil that I would have to worry about rancidity? What about onion (since it has a great water content)?

ETA I think that I'd probably have to dehydrate the ginger and garlic first...???

Yes, you'd have to dehydrate them. Infusing oil with anything fresh will grow mold because of the water.

 

[Artemis24]

I want to try making my own oil infusions. Can you suggest a ratio of oil vs herb/petal/beans/etc.?

I like strong mixtures so I use 2:1 ounces of oil to tablespoon of herbs. I currently have 8oz of oil with 4tbsp of coffee sitting on my windowsill. Oil infusions is the only time I use volume measurements over weight because a lot of herbs are really light.

 

[LavenderMint]

I like strong mixtures so I use 2:1 ounces of oil to tablespoon of herbs. I currently have 8oz of oil with 4tbsp of coffee sitting on my windowsill. Oil infusions is the only time I use volume measurements over weight because a lot of herbs are really light.

I just bought an herb mix intended for oil infusion on Amazon. My oil will be MCT, which my hi-porosity hair really responds well to. What kind of containers are you ladies using for your infusions? My first thought was glass but oily glass isn’t safe.

This is the herb mix

 

[Artemis24]

I just bought an herb mix intended for oil infusion on Amazon. My oil will be MCT, which my hi-porosity hair really responds well to. What kind of containers are you ladies using for your infusions? My first thought was glass but oily glass isn’t safe.

This is the herb mix
View attachment 448669

I use glass canning jars. I've never dropped one even though I'm very clumsy. You can always transfer it to a plastic squeeze bottle when it's finished infusing.

 

[snoop]

View attachment 446547

I'm quoting this image because the formula looks nice and thick...

I want to try my hand at making a deep conditioner. When I make a hair or lotion I use BTMS-225 and Cetyl Alcohol. Water is usually between 68% and 75% depending on whether I'm making a cream or lotion.

I haven't been using deep conditioner on my hair but am starting to because I'm dabbling in ayurveda. I haven't been impressed with any of the DCs that I've purchased in store, which is why up until now, I haven't used one. The question that I have is, do deep conditioners have to be really thick? Are there any additional emulsifiers or thickeners that I should add to make a good DC?

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

I'm quoting this image because the formula looks nice and thick...

I want to try my hand at making a deep conditioner. When I make a hair or lotion I use BTMS-225 and Cetyl Alcohol. Water is usually between 68% and 75% depending on whether I'm making a cream or lotion.

I haven't been using deep conditioner on my hair but am starting to because I'm dabbling in ayurveda. I haven't been impressed with any of the DCs that I've purchased in store, which is why up until now, I haven't used one. The question that I have is, do deep conditioners have to be really thick? Are there any additional emulsifiers or thickeners that I should add to make a good DC?

What makes a good DC to me is that it leaves your hair conditioned after it is rinsed away. (Meaning there is a small deposit left behind without it interfering with your other products) Thickness is just a matter of preference. I can condition with RoseWater and Oil and be fine, so I may not be the right person to answer this question. LOL

Maybe @Nightingale can chime in

 

[Nightingale]

I'm quoting this image because the formula looks nice and thick...

I want to try my hand at making a deep conditioner. When I make a hair or lotion I use BTMS-225 and Cetyl Alcohol. Water is usually between 68% and 75% depending on whether I'm making a cream or lotion.

I haven't been using deep conditioner on my hair but am starting to because I'm dabbling in ayurveda. I haven't been impressed with any of the DCs that I've purchased in store, which is why up until now, I haven't used one. The question that I have is, do deep conditioners have to be really thick? Are there any additional emulsifiers or thickeners that I should add to make a good DC?

No, a deep conditioner doesnt have to be thick. What makes it "deep" are penetrative ingredients. For years, I used rinse out conditioner mixed with oil to DC and that worked much better for me than store bought deep conditioners.

 

[snoop]

@ElevatedEnergy @Nightingale Thanks so much!