Category Archives: Cleanse

Mar18

Cleanse : : Chagrin Valley Honey, Beer & Egg Shampoo Bar

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Lauren

Cleanse : : Chagrin Valley Honey, Beer & Egg Shampoo Bar

Ciao bellas! Have you entered my Blog-iversay Giveaway yet?! It ends soon!!!

Awhile back, I posted about my splurge on Chagrin Valley shampoo bars (well not really a splurge because they weren’t expensive at all!) and I am posting the final bar. In case you are new to La Coco Bella (heeeeyyyy!!), shampoo bars are the ONLY shampoos I use to wash. I don’t use liquid shampoos..just bars. They are so much fun to use lol and much better for your hair. Less drying/stripping and more beneficial. Plus there are SOOOOOO many kinds out there and they are way cheaper than liquids and last much longer! All around win! :o)

Ok anywho, this bar is actually the one I was most excited about trying from CV, which is why I saved it for last (weird, I know, most people would try it first huh lol). This shampoo bar is the Honey, Beer & Egg shampoo bar. I bought the sample 1.5 oz. size which retails for $2.70. You can also get the full 7 oz. bar for $7.85.

I think the beer is what attracted me most lol and I love anything with honey ***SIDEBAR — I actually started washing my face (yup! Google it!) with raw honey and can for the first time say in years that I have not had a breakout in like 2 weeks. I almost ALWAYS have at least 1-2 pimples on my face on any given day. The honey in conjunction with turmeric powder and this ayurvedic facial bar, I am fading my acne scars as well!! Oh, and in case you missed the other bars I reviews, you can check them out at the links below (I also reviewed a couple of their complexion soaps which are tacked on to the posts below):

Product Description
Beer and egg yolk create a mild, protein rich shampoo that adds shine, bounce and body to your hair. The proteins from the malt, hops condition hair and help repair damage. Vitamin rich eggs revitalize dull and dry hair and improve texture. Enriched with cocoa butter to provide deep nourishment for the hair shaft.

Ingredients
Saponified oils of rice bran, organic palm, coconut, castor bean, cocoa butter, jojoba, mango butter; beer; organic free range eggs; raw honey; aloe vera; rosemary oil extract

This bar has officially made it to my top favs! Look at the ingredient list! I could almost go without conditioner which is amazing to me. I always use conditioner though because I never pass up a chance to use conditioner lol but I was amazed at how my hair felt as I was rinsing it out of my hair. Normally shampoo bars give you that “dry” feeling (which goes away right when you apply conditioner) but not with this! Of course it cleaned my hair really well, and as with all the other CV shampoo bars, I only have to lather up one time and the soap rinses out clear.

Now this shampoo is definitely protein rich due to the eggs and the malt from the beer, so if you have protein sensitivities just beware of that. CV does have an Extra Honey Beer bar without the egg in case you still want the beer and honey benefits without the extra protein from the egg. Since my hair tends to respond well to protein in moderation, this worked extremely well. For those of you who may not know, BEER works wonders for hair lol It makes your hair extremely shiny because it closes the hair cuticle. So in turn, your hair becomes vibrant as protein helps fill in any weak parts of the hair shaft. I also found this bar to be very moisturizing as well since it contains the honey and aloe vera.

LOOOOOOVE Chagrin Valley shampoo bars!!! OH and GUESS what kind of bar they just came out with??? HENNA!!!! DEFINITELY on my “To Try” list hehehe. I am still not sure how I feel about using henna regularly but if I can get the conditioning benefits without the “side effects” lol I am all for it….when I buy the henna bars ya’ll will be the first to know! :o)

Feb16

Cleanse : : Chagrin Valley Mud & Clay Shampoo Bar

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Lauren

Cleanse : : Chagrin Valley Mud & Clay Shampoo Bar

Ok, I know, I know….ANOTHER shampoo bar!! I don’t care! I am passionate about these things lol #DontJudgeMe :o)

I’ma jump right to it, this bar is from my last buy (well, my only buy so far lol) from Chagrin Valley (check out this post and this post in case you missed them!). So far, I have been extremely impressed with all the bars I bought from CV. Their ingredients are top notch and their customer service makes it that much better! I love supporting family-owned businesses like this :o)

So I got the Mud & Clay Shampoo Bar in the 1.5 oz sample size for $2.50 (now $2.70). I selected this one because a) the name sounded like it would be fun! I love playing with clay hehe and rhassoul clay is wonderful for conditioning the hair, so I figured mud and clay would make a perfect combination! Ironically, I had been doing research on the Dead Sea and how it’s known for so many things (historically, spiritually, medicinally, etc.), It’s one of my dreams to visit there one day :o) So I saw this bar contained Dead Sea mud so I knew I had to try it out!

Ingredients
Saponified oils of olive, castor bean, coconut, sunflower, virgin shea butter, rice bran; Dead Sea mud; rhassoul clay; water; sea kelp; essential oils of lavender, lemongrass, lemon; rosemary oil extract

Product Description
A mineral rich spa treatment for your hair. Rhassoul clay and Dead Sea mineral mud stimulate and tone the scalp; help restore luster to over processed, overworked and dull hair; and clean by removing excess oils without removing natural protective oils. Absorbing unwanted residues and depositing natural beneficial minerals, restores volume and leaves hair soft, shiny and healthy.

This is my second fav bar so far from CV (my first is the Babassu and Marsh Mallow but I still have one more to try so we shall see if this is still in the #2 spot hehe) My hair and scalp of course felt super clean, only had to lather up once which helps reduce my shower time. My hair was soft and really shiny. This is a great soap to clarify and “detox” your hair and scalp. It kind of “re-sets” your hair/scalp back to normal for those of us with temperamental scalps that like to act up from time to time grrrrrr. I’ve even seen that Dead Sea mud helps with hair loss, I imagine its because it creates a healthy environment in the scalp which in turn produces growth. I will definitely use this in the summer months when my scalp tends to get oily and itchy since it helps balance the oils levels. I love how all of the CV bars I have do not have overbearing scents and are not too “earthy”. They are actually really pleasant!

Fortunately, I have always found that products that contain minerals always work well in my hair and the Dead Sea mud and rhassoul clay are packed with all kinds of vitamins and minerals. Rhassoul clay contains silica which actually helps grow your hair stronger which I am ALL for! The sea kelp and lemongrass were also selling points for me (I now LOVE lemongrass tea!). A friend of mine put me on to the benefits of sea kelp (sea weed) and told me it makes your hair healthy and strong. I still have to find the courage to start eating sea weed as a snack but for now, I at least have my shampoo bar lol

Since I am obsessed with bentonite clay, this has gotten me SO excited to try rhassoul clay in its pure form (surprisingly I never have!) …some say it’s even better than bentonite!!! ***GASP!!!*** We shall see…..

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****BONUS — I wanted to briefly review one of Chagrin Valley’s complexion soaps while you’re still here :o)

I’ve been on a kick to try and naturally resolve this acne-prone/oily face of mine and I was lucky enough to get a free sample of the Dead Sea Spa Soap along with my shampoo bar haul hehe I figured it would be fitting to review the Dead Sea complexion soap along with the Mud and Clay shampoo bar :o)

Don’t mind the dried bubbles on the bar in the pic below, I had already started to use it by the time I took the pic hehe

Product Description
Mineral Rich Dead Sea Mud stimulates blood circulation, rejuvenates skin, and deep cleans to remove impurities. The fine, natural grain of the mud softly, yet effectively, sloughs off dead skin cells and leaves the skin looking fresh and radiant. Experience a mini-spa treatment for dull, tired skin, with every bath or shower.

Ingredients
Saponified oils of sunflower, coconut, organic palm, olive, virgin shea butter, castor bean; water; Dead Sea mineral mud; Dead Sea Clay; sea kelp; essential oils of lime, litsea cubeba, lavender, rosemary, orange, eucalyptus; organic cornstarch; rosemary oil extract

I mentioned some of the benefits of Dead Sea mud above and the Dead Sea mud also has a ton of beneficial effects for skin as well. It helps with a ton of skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema and of course acne, which I unfortunately have to deal with. The minerals accelerates the speed that your skin naturally exfoliates itself and restores its pH balance. It also improves elasticity and minimizes pores, wrinkles and lines. I can see why people travel from around the world just to bathe in the Dead Sea and cover themselves with this amazing mud!

I’ve been using ayurvedic facial masks and treatments (Reshma multani mitti, Reshma ubtan, turmeric, lemon peel, rose, etc.) about 3 times a week lately and they sometimes don’t rinse off well by themselves so I have been using this to lather up and help get rid of any residue (ESPECIALLY turmeric!) and this soap has done a great job with that. I figure since I am doing a treatment already, the Dead Sea soap is like the icing on the cake. It also helps remove eye make-up as well.

My skin is really starting to clear up since I have been using these all natural soaps!

Feb5

Cleanse : : Chagrin Valley Babassu & Marsh Mallow Shampoo Bar

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Lauren

Cleanse : : Chagrin Valley Babassu & Marsh Mallow Shampoo Bar

Hello!!!!! :o) reading over some of my older posts, I realize how much I use exclamation points and lol’s!!!

I guess I type as if I am really talking to someone. I’m one of those “excitable” talkers lol I used my hands and all that (got that from my mom lol)

Anyway, I have another Chagrin Valley shampoo bar I have to put ya’ll on to (did you read about the Carrot Milk & Honey bar?). I’m going to just jump right into it because you don’t need to hear me rant and rave about my obsession with shampoo bars again (at least not right now hehe). ***Sidebar–if you are wondering if I ever use up all my stuff, I really do! I have a rotation system lol everything gets used! Trust me! :o)

So this is the Babassu & Marsh Mallow Shampoo Bar. I bought the 1.5 sample size bar for $2.50 during my lil shampoo bar splurge back in December hehe (now retails for $2.70). They have a HUGE 7 oz regular size bar for $7.80. Ok, maybe it’s just me but my brain always makes me feel like anything that has marsh mallow root in it is yummy, sweet and gooey lol it’s usually NEVER the case my I guess its just my brain conditioned to associate anything “marshmallow” with warm, melty smores lol I know I know, it’s my inner phat girl coming out lol

anyway….moving along lol

Product Description
Nourishing babassu oil, a great hair care oil for thick, coarse hair, moisturizes and restores hair strength and elasticity, for shiny, healthy-looking hair. Marsh mallow root softens, soothes and hydrates the hair and scalp, providing relief from scalp irritation. A natural moisturizer, marsh mallow helps detangle hair for increased manageability.

Ingredients
Saponified oils of babassu, grapeseed, coconut, avocado, castor bean, jojoba, mango butter, walnut, shea butter, rice bran; organic marsh mallow root tea; aloe; essential oils of ylang ylang, lemon, ginger; rosemary oil extract

I just can’t go wrong with shampoo bars. I have yet to find one I don’t like lol and this one may be in my top favs now :o) I selected this one from their huge selection because it’s good for thick, course hair plus I know how marsh mallow root is a natural softener (and slip!) so i figured I’d give it a shot. It lived up to my expectations!

My scalp had been rather itchy the week prior to first trying this and this definitely relieved the itch most likely due to my beloved essential oils. I love how the lather felt and I only had to lather once because it did a great job at cleaning. I was actually able to do quite a bit of detangling while in the washing process (normally I can’t really do that until AFTER I condition!) I would definitely credit that to the marsh mallow root :o) I read that some people say they dont even need conditioner after, but you know me, I don’t miss a chance to use a conditioner lol My hair was very smooth and soft. This didn’t lift my hair cuticle as much as some of my other shampoo bars which was a nice surprise. It didn’t give me that “waxy” feeling that some bars give so if that is a factor turning you off from trying shampoo bars, maybe give this one a shot :o) You can always do a rinse with ACV if your hair still has that feeling.

Now, I have never used anything with babassu oil but I did do a little research and found out that it’s pretty much a rival of……coconut oil!! I was like OMG how could this be?! (I LOVE me some coconut oil so I got kind of defensive lol) but I guess babassu is a good thing! It has restorative properties for the hair (just as coconut oil does) and it apparently doesn’t leave any greasy feeling once it’s applied. It nourishes, moisturizes and increases elasticity. I would love to get my hands on the oil to see what its like in that form. It’s even solid at room temp just like coconut oil. It’s an emollient so I imagine that’s why this shampoo bar made it easy to detangle my hair and didn’t open the hair cuticle as much.

I really like this bar!! I have 3 more to try from CV so stay tuned!

Jan28

Cleanse : : Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Tea Tree Pure Castile Liquid Soap

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Lauren

Cleanse : : Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Tea Tree Pure Castile Liquid Soap

Hola!

So this post will be devoted to the Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Tea Tree Pure Castile Liquid Soap. I bought this from…you guessed it…Whole Foods! I got this back from my last trip when I OD’d and got the AO GBP Conditioner and the ingredients for my Banana Honey Hair Mask hehehe…. I ended up getting the big ole 32 oz since that was all they had….oh well lol I’ll just plan on having this forever haha. I think I paid around $10 for it which is pretty good since this stuff is SUPER concentrated so you only need a teeny bit PLUS you can use it for a ton of other uses…You can buy Dr. Bronner’s products almost anywhere so don’t worry if you don’t live near a Whole Foods. I know I always rave about shampoo bars (and clearly this is a liquid) but these soaps also come in the bar form (I’ve used the peppermint bar) but I wanted to try the liquid! One drop creates SO much lather! You can seriously OD on this on accident! A little goes a loooooooooooong way!

*SIDEBAR* I actually intended on buying this in the liquid form to wash my doggy, Meyer (he’s a 3 year old mini Dachshund, love him to death :o)) He’s actually what inspired me to get the Tea Tree variation (it comes in Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Almond, Rose, Baby Mild, Citrus and Lavender) because he’s suffered skin problems since he was a lil puppy and I was doing some research and found that lots of dog owners wash with the castile soap and Tea Tree specifically is known to heal skin conditions since it has antiseptic properties. So I figured why not give it a shot! Plus he LOVES taking baths for some reason…he’s weird lol

Description
Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic that helps heal cuts and bruises as well as skin conditions like acne dermatitis and psoriasis. All oils and essential oils are certified organic to the National Organic Standards Program. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

Ingredients
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Organic Olive Oil*, Tea Tree Extract, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol *CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin

*ANOTHER SIDEBAR* I actually read every word on their infamous label. It is quite interesting, a great read actually, and nothing what I expected. You should definitely take the time to read it! So next time you’re sitting on the toilet and have some time….lol….reach over in the shower and grab that bottle lol

Ok so back to point of this post lol so yea there’s a bazillion uses for this soap but I will focus on the use for hair… ok wait…one more sidebar lol…I also use this to wash my face along with my Clarisonic facial brush….OMG!!!! I think I may be curing my super annoying oily, acne-prone skin that I have battled with my whole life!! I think I will always have this in stock for my face. I just LOVE it….

So yea this is great as a hair cleanser! The tea tree is great for clarifying both the scalp and hair due to it’s antiseptic properties, so on those days where I have a lot of oil or product buildup or if I haven’t washed in a while, I would use this. I wouldn’t use this for an “every day cleanser” because it may be too much for my hair to handle and possibly dry it out. The tea tree is also great for those who may have hard water (it can help remove some of the mineral buildup). This cleanser will also increase the blood circulation and unclog the hair follicles on your head, it will help stimulate hair growth which I am ALWAYS for :o)

You only need maybe a nickel sized squirt of this to get a really good lather and PLEASE be warned to keep your eyes closed when washing with this. This stuff will burn!!

Now, I know that some people really hate using castile soap in their hair because of that “drying” feeling you get after you rinse but i don’t mind that because that can be solved by doing a rinse with apple cider vinegar (I keep a diluted mix of ACV and water in spray bottle in my shower) and using a good conditioner that smooths the cuticle. All that feeling is, is your hair cuticle is open so you’ll need something to neutralize it and close it. Check out my post on Hair Porosity if you are confused lol

So overall, this castile soap is handy to keep around for those wash days I want an extra boost of clarification and to take a break from my shampoo bars. If you try it and don’t like it, get your money’s worth and use it to wash your face or your doggy with it :o) (or all the other uses!)

Jan26

Cleanse :: Chagrin Valley Carrot Milk & Honey Shampoo Bar

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Lauren

Cleanse :: Chagrin Valley Carrot Milk & Honey Shampoo Bar

You know I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE me some shampoo bars :o)

I just get SO excited about soaps! It’s so weird to me lol I just LOVE them! I have been using NOTHING but shampoo bars for almost a year now and I will always use them, they just get the job done so much better than liquids, to me. They don’t strip the moisture from your hair and offer more conditioning. The ingredients are always purer. Just an all around win :o)

I will always be a fan of Henna Sooq’s shampoo bars but I wanted to expand my soap horizons :o) I heard about Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve from another natural hair blogger awhile back (I can’t remember her name though) and it’s been on my “to buy” list for quite some time now but I have been waiting so I could use up the other bars I still have (which I still haven’t finished but I just got impatient and gave in lol)

chagrin_valley_shampoo_bars

**SIDEBAR— This company makes me happy because they are a family-owned company that was created by the owner because she started making soaps as a hobby. They really make it a family affair (i.e. mom, dad, son, daughter, grandma, etc.!) and offer GREAT customer service, you can really tell they love what they do. I dunno, it just made me smile and I got good vibes from them :o)

Any who, so I stalked their website for awhile lol reading about all the different varieties and I selected five that struck my fancy the most! Here’s the ones I bought:

Luckily they offer sample size for just $2.70!!! . So I was like YESSSSS I might as well buy them all!! (or just 5 lol) Let me tell you, the sample size is actually a GREAT deal because they are quite large, larger than I expected! They are 1.5 oz. The full size bars are 7oz for $8.25 so I imagine they are HUUUUGE and will last you an extremely long time. So if you find a sample you like, go head and get the full size and you’ll have it forever lol :o)

***NOTE: I bought these back in December and Chagrin Valley temporarily increased their prices this month :o( due to the cost of their high quality ingredients and hope to reduce them back once costs go down. The increase is very minor so no big deal to me. The samples are now $2.70 (I paid $2.50) and full sizes $8.25 (they were $7.80 I believe).

Check out the size comparison of the sample size with a standard size bar of Dove soap so you can gauge how much product you actually get:

Ok so now that I have the introduction over, I’ll move into the first review. Not sure if I will review all of the bars but I decided to try the Carrot Milk & Honey shampoo bar first. I chose this bar because I used to use Carrot Oil back in my relaxer days to help with strengthen my brittle hair and help stop breakage (it worked well too!). The beta carotene is what really strengthens the hair shaft so I figured this would be beneficial.

Product Description
Natural carrot juice, carrot oil, goat milk and raw honey are packed into in this nutritious shampoo bar. Beta carotene in the carrot juice and oil drenches thirsty hair with vitamin A to help rejuvenate hair shafts. Goat milk and honey moisturize and revitalize. Carrot seed essential oil penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen and moisturize damaged hair.

Ingredients
Saponified oils of organic carrot infused sunflower, coconut, organic palm, jojoba, organic virgin palm, castor bean, virgin shea butter; goat milk; organic carrot juice; aloe vera; raw honey; essential oils of lavender, carrot seed, rosemary, lemon; rosemary oil extract

I was really please with this soap. It cleaned my hair REALLY well, I didn’t even have to do a second wash like I normally do! I find that if I have butter and oil buildup on my strands I have to lather up twice to get all the residue off, and I didn’t have to this time! It’s like it cut through the oils/butters with ease. For me, this means LESS time in the shower and LESS water running which is always good. It also lathered well and rinsed clean.

My hair DEFINITELY felt a lot stronger just after one use, I totally forgot how AWESOME carrots are for the hair! I could tell my hair was stronger because I let my hair completely dry without putting any product in and I could easily manipulate my hair without ANY hair breaking, that kind of amazed me lol because I usually get a few snaps, crackles and pops when I do anything to my hair, especially when I am parting my hair.

The only semi-negative thing I can say about this bar is that it didn’t provide as much conditioning as I am used to but that’s ok because I know to just use a good conditioner (or DC) after I wash with this. I just used a regular old rinse-out conditioner and didn’t leave it on long.

This is a great shampoo bar…it’s definitely got me excited to try the rest of the soaps!

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***BONUS: I also received a couple complimentary complexion soap bars from Chagrin Valley so I will tack on the reviews of these soaps along with the shampoo bars so keep reading! :o) (remember I said I may expand the content of La Coco Bella? Hmm… I wonder if this is a new beginning hehehe)

So a little about my skin, I have REALLY oily skin which means I am prone to acne, blackheads, large pores, acne scars, etc. I have suffered acne pretty much my whole frickin life and its really annoying lol. I’ve tried pretty much everything, every brand, every system there is on the market. Since I have really gotten into natural, holistic healthcare over the past year I truly believe I can control my skin without having to spend a grip of money at a dermatologist, prescribed medications, etc. ***SIDEBAR— I am guilty, I have Photoshopped a pimple or two out of my pics on my blog lol!!!! Hey don’t be mad, I’m a graphic designer, I get paid to do these types of things haha. My skin also tends to get used to products so I have to switch up my routine 1-2 a month.

Ok so now you know about my skin, I wanted to share my experience with the Grapeseed Tomato Complexion from Chagrin Valley. Their complexion bars come in the same sizes as their shampoos (1.5 & 7oz) and are the same prices ($2.70 & $7.80).

Product Description
Fresh organic tomato juice, loads of shea butter and white China clay, create a fabulous complexion bar. Tomatoes help balance oily skin, help refine enlarged pores, tighten skin and provide soothing relief for troubled complexions. The mildest of the clays, white China is the choice for dry and sensitive skin as it gently clears clogged pores.

Ingredients
Saponified oils of grapeseed, organic palm, virgin shea butter, babassu, olive, sunflower, castor bean, canola (non GMO); water; organic tomato juice; white china clay; organic tomato paste; essential oils of lavender, geranium, palmarosa, ylang ylang

I selected the Grapeseed Tomato bar because the description basically states it’s for my exact skin type–”oily”, “large pores”, “troubled complexion” lol perfect right?! I’ve been using this for a week straight in both the morning and at night with my beloved Clarisonic Mia that I got for my birthday (I will make a post about this GODSEND!!!!) and I have noticed a drastic decrease in the size of my pores which made me very happy! I love that is contains clay because clays have always worked for my skin.

I am not sure it helped much with my oiliness because my face is/has always been /probably always will be slick by the end of the day. I think it’s my genetics (thanks dad) and I am just learning to be ok with a lil shimmer! (hey and it’s a proven fact that people with oily skin will have significantly less wrinkles in old age!! and black don’t crack soooo heeeeyyyy I’ll be good when I’m 70! lol #GodWilling :o) ) Plus I keep powder and blotting papers(a.k.a. the brown napkins from Chipotle lol) handy so I just use those throughout the day.

Overall, I really can say this bar cleansed well, removed eye makeup and helped minimize my pores. I know with skincare you have to be very patient and be consistent with your routine so I will continue to use this complexion bar for another week or so and then I will move on to the next bar :o)

Dec12

Ayurveda : : Shikakai Powder

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Lauren

Ayurveda : : Shikakai Powder

Hola!

So the other week on wash day (that’s usually Saturday or Sunday for me), I used yet another ayurvedic powder, Shikakai! I used the one by Hesh and bought it from my local Indian Market for just a few bucks a box. Be sure to always check the expiration dates if you buy from a local grocer. I have seen expired products still on the shelves! You always want the freshest powders.

Shikakai is an Indian herb, originating from in the Himalayas, that is ground into a fine powder. You mix with water or tea and used to wash your hair, so it’s an alternative to shampoo. It doesn’t lather or anything though so don’t expect any of that. It is applied like any other conditioning treatment. It is awesome because it promotes growth, strengthens your roots (yes!) and since it is astringent and anti-fungal, it removes dandruff and helps stop scalp issues. It also makes your hair shiny and bouncy! It’s also great because it is pH balanced and helps detangle your hair. It also says it cools your scalp. I guess this may be handy in the summer and warm climates. I know my head gets hot often with all this hair!

Yes the paste looks like mud and yes it can get messy. BUT that’s the fun part!! :o)

Now let me tell you, this was my first time using this kind of powder and I made a HUGE mistake. So I normally don’t wash my hair prior to using ayurvedic treatments since they typically do the washing themselves. But for some reason, my genius self decided to wash AND use the Shikakai back to back! OMG!!! When I tell you that my scalp was on FIRE, I mean, it was burning!!! And to add to it…I used a shampoo bar that had peppermint!! And you know peppermint already makes your scalp tingly….WTF was I thinking!? I swear it felt like I had left a perm on my hair, it was that bad. I had to rinse it out right away! Omg….

I also didn’t realize how abrasive Shikakai is and I was rubbing it into my scalp (I normally rub the other pastes into my scalp i.e. amla, brahmi, neem). Definitely not going to do any rubbing next time lol I was like my hair better not fall out! (it didn’t thankfully lol) Moral of the story, do not wash my hair before using Shikakai (duh!). I also read that some people will pre-poo with coconut oil on their scalp and then wash with Shikakai. I also love that you can mix ayuvedic powders together to get added benefits :o)

All in all, regardless of my dummy experience, I did get great results lol with this ayurvedic paste! My hair was definitely clean, super soft and my twist-outs the following week were super bouncy and springy! It was like it refreshed my hair. It also helped reduce the shed I’d been having. I’ll admit, I slacked off on the ayurvedic treatments for a while and I definitely felt the affects of it. My hair sheds a LOT when I don’t use them. That’s why I call them miracles in a box! lol So I need to continue to do these treatments regularly, at least 2x a month. Just be sure to always rinse really, really well. I have had little flakes of grain from the powders left in my hair a few days after I wash lol It also helps to gently detangle with a comb to help dislodge any particles stuck in your kinks.

I love ayurveda. All glory to God for these gifts of the earth :o)

Aug27

Product : : Henna Sooq Soapnut Shampoo Bar

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Lauren

Product : : Henna Sooq Soapnut Shampoo Bar

Ahhh…..wash days got even better lol. We all know wash days can be a looooong, tedious process BUT incorporating shampoo bars into my weekly regimen has made wash days actually fun and something I look forward too lol ok maybe I’m just weird but I love washing my hair with shampoo bars! The process, the different kinds of soaps, the suds, I dunno, it’s just fun to me lol I wish I could wash my hair more often just so I can use the bars more haha

So my latest bar I went ahead and indulged in is from my beloved folks over at Henna Sooq. I bought the full sized (4.25 oz) Soapnut Shampoo Bar for $7 and it is by far my fav shampoo bar to date! Check this post and this post for other bars I have tried recently.

First of all, the bar looks like a giant cookies and cream bar lol and smells like yummy peppermint! In addition to my love of coconut, I reeeeeeallly love anything with peppermint. I don’t know why I don’t have more products with peppermint in it :o( The peppermint does wonders for the scalp and leaves that signature clean, tingly feeling. Nice and cool and soothing. That was actually the main reason why I bought this bar hehe

Product Description

Our Soapnut Shampoo bar is extra deep cleansing, and clarifies your hair. You’ll hair will feel refreshed, and ready for your ayurvedic hair treatments. You’ll love our shampoo bars because:

they’re extra rich, and moisturizing
100% pure essential oils are used
No artificial, or synthetic scents
100% natural
Handcrafted
These body bars will not strip the natural oils from your body
pH balanced
No SLS or foam booster
No preservatives
No detergents
No petroleum based oils
No residue
Ideal for all hair types

Ingredients

Organic high oleic sunflower oil, castor oil, unrefined shea butter, rice bran oil, sapindus murkorossi (aritha/soapnut), rosemary and peppermint essential oils

This particular shampoo bar cleanses REALLY well because of the soapnut which is also known as aritha or reetha, which is most often used in ayurvedic regimens. It’s a natural deep cleanser and helps balance the oil level in your hair. My thing is making sure my scalp is squeaky clean so the soapnut mixed with the peppermint EO works wonders on my scalp. My hair is soft, never dried out and my scalp is happy. It’s definitely a cleanser I could use weekly because it is not stripping and contains castor oil. So really, I am not losing any oils in my hair, rather replenishing and balancing it with clean oils. I also looooove that is contains rosemary EO because that is another phenomenal ingredient for a healthy scalp. It helps with hair growth (check out this post on Essential Oils for more info on my love for EO’s).

Another reason I really love this particular bar is because it is not the usual dark brown (due to the color of whatever ingredients are in the bar) so it rinses out clearer a lot faster than other bars. This means less time in the shower which is always good.

This bar is literally the PERFECT blend of ingredients. I am in LOVE!! Henna Sooq does it yet again! Oh and I also bought the Sweet Honey bar from Henna Sooq so I will review that one when I give it a whirl :o)

— Although I am forever a Henna Sooq and Bobeam fan, I want to start trying other shampoo bars so if you know of any other companies that have really good bars, leave a comment and let me know! I think I am going to try Chagrin Valley bars next! Which one should I try??