Nightblooming Panacea Salve, Part XVI, and Lilypad Bathworks Protein Spray

I've been so busy with cheerleading, football, a two year old and now wrestling that I haven't had any time to take care of my hair. My hair was so unmanageable and frizzy.

Luckily, while cleaning out my room, I found my jar of Nightblooming's Panacea Salve. I slathered my hair and left it in all day and night. The next day, I washed out and voila! My silky, smooth hair was back!

Have I pimped Panacea Salve lately? It's seriously amazing stuff. It sinks into your hair, without leaving residue.

Recently, Nightblooming expanded her Panacea line to include "Winter Blend," which is protein-free, a Vegan blend, which is honey-free, and her original blend, which is what I use.

My kids have had some interesting hair issues lately. Yesterday, Winnie went into my room (which is right next to the living room where I was sitting,) and was really quiet. Some people might know that a quiet two year old is never a good thing. I walked into my room and saw Winnie with a pair of scissors and a fistful of hair. She had cut off her pigtails. I tried to even it out as much as possible, but it's still obviously a bad hair cut. So I didn't yell and freak her out, I just kept thinking of Sofie's mullet after her brother cut her hair. It's not as bad as Sofie's was, so there's that.

Sofie, on the other hand, has had to have "cheer curls" for her competitions. It took some trial and error to get the curls right since Sofie's hair doesn't hold curls at all. "Pump It Up" was recommended by her coach, but what we found that actually works is Got2B Glued spray. It's seriously like liquid glue. You really have to saturate her hair with the spray and comb it through before rolling, but it keeps the curls tight and in place until after the competition.

I'm fiercely anti-product, but being part of the team means cheer curls. Unfortunately, it's caused some damage to Sofie's thick, coarse hair. In addition to the Panacea salve, I've been using Lilypad Bathworks' Protein Spray.

The Protein spray works great on those tangles and makes Sofie's hair silky and smooth. The nice thing about the spray is that you can pick almost any scent you want. The scent really stays and smells amazing. We use Buttercream Frosting scent, which smells just like the real thing.

I think between the two products, the Panacea salve and the protein spray, we're keeping Sofie's hair in better condition that it would be otherwise, considering all the styling we've been doing.

I Went Red!

Nightshade from Nightblooming on Etsy whipped up a custom batch of henna for me and I applied it last night.

I was seriously stressed about dye release, having never really hennaed before. I kept checking the color in the back of my hand. When the color didn't seem to get any darker, I took the plunge.

The color is absolutely perfect and really compliments my skin. I didn't realize how much my hair blended with my skin tone until I saw the red. The contrast is really lovely.

Please don't mind my ends. They really don't look as bad as they do in the photos. I've been trimming rather randomly, so the ends are thinner than usual. 

I also purchased these pretty combs to tuck into my buns:

In related news, the pictures make me wonder if I've wandered into "Can I call this classic?" length.

Catnip, Cat Mint and Calendula Herbal Rinse

I did an herbal hair rinse this evening after I washed my hair. It's really easy to do yourself, but there are different ways to make them.

I took 2 tablespoons each of dried calendula (also known as marigold), catnip and cat mint. Nightblooming carries catnip and also (I believe) cat mint. I got the calendula flowers from an Ebay seller.

Catnip and cat mint is renown for its ability to help condition hair and to prevent split ends. The calendula I added because I'm trying to impart the copper tones the Hawaiian sun has bleached from my hair.

Place the dried herbs into a pot with about 4 cups of water (I use a lot of water because I have so much hair.) Let the water boil or, alternatively, dump boiling water over top of the dried herbs (like making tea.) Make sure the pot is covered so as not to lose all the water.

Allow the herbs to steep in the hot water for at least 15 minutes.

It smells pretty good and my husband even asked if he could have some of my "tea."

Once you're done steeping your herbs, allow the mixture to cool off so you won't burn your scalp.

Take the strainer of your choice (I like the wire metal ones because I think they work better for herbs, but the baby hid it from me again,) and strain the water into a larger bowl or pot.

I'd recommend doing this in the bathtub or at the kitchen sink, so you'll have less of a mess to clean up. Grab a towel and a small bowl or coffee mug.

If you're doing this at the kitchen sink, just lean forward so your hair is dangling into your large bowl or pot. Take your small bowl or coffee mug and scoop some of the rinse up. Pour it over your scalp and length, making sure to get all of your hair.

You can also choose to recline back (in a bathtub, for example,) and just let your hair soak in the mixture.

I rinse for about ten minutes, then lightly squeeze down the length of my hair. I wrap a towel around my head for a few minutes, then air dry.

I've never personally tried any of these, but I've heard of people doing lavender rinses, walnut hull rinses, violet rinses and chamomile rinses. I almost added lavender to my rinse this evening, but since I've never tried it, I'll wait to do that one on its own.

Always make sure to do a skin test before using herbs (or anything else) on your hair. If using something like walnut hulls, which could darken your color, do a test run on a small patch of hair so you don't end up committed to something you hate.

Final results (still wet):

The rinse was a complete success. My hair was soft and silky and easily combed through, even while dripping wet. This will be a regular treatment from now on.

Length Shot and Saggy Pants

I figured it was time for a length shot. I looked at the new photos and could not figure out why my hair looked so much shorter. It finally hit me!

I've been on a diet for almost a month. I've lost a bit of weight. I'm not sure how much exactly (I don't own a scale), but I do know it's probably between 10-15 pounds. My pants are hanging off my butt and it makes my hair look shorter, since the pockets are hanging lower. Maybe it's time for new pants.

I think it's time to re-henna, so I'll be purchasing my custom blend from Nightblooming. The waves are from wearing my hair in a bun for a while. I think they look kind of pretty.

My sister (the hair stylist) is coming to visit in three weeks and I am so excited. This will be her first trip to Hawaii and I know she's amped. I'm going to see if I can get her to put my hair up in some interesting styles to take pictures.  Any requests? I'll see if she'll humor me.

New Arrivals: Nightblooming Hairsticks and A Bit of Tea in Underland

I got my gorgeous new Nightblooming hairsticks! They're of a perfect length and look a lot like arrows. Of course I have action shots!

I love them! They really do look a lot like arrows!

Friday evening! I bought the movie Alice in Wonderland on Blu Ray. I'm a huge fan of Tim Burton, although I seldom admit to it since it's so cliche nowadays. Heck, I even loved Frankenweenie.

I saw the movie in the theater and loved it. I'm sitting here watching it again, and I must say, I am loving Alice's hair. I'm planning a recreation, just for fun.

The first style she wears is constricted and tightly bound, which fits in well with her Victorian constraints. It looks like two twists wrapped like milkmaid braids and firmly pinned into place.

The hairstyles after she enters Underland gets loose and flowing, like her clothing. Absolutely stunning!

It's so nice to see such gorgeous long hair in a  movie. It's a shame that she cut it into a pixie shortly after the movie premiered, though.

Introducing The New Model, Flexi8s and A Bit of Cuteness

I figured it was about time to introduce our new hair model. My neighbor has graciously allowed me to use her hair to experiment on and take pictures. I really feel I can't honestly recommend anything without getting the opinion of someone who has hair completely different from mine.

Lyndsey has color treated, heat styled hair. The ends are currently dry, but she's giving the Triple Moon Anointing Oil a test run to see if it helps out the condition of her ends. I ordered some more Panacea Salve and she'll be using that as soon as it arrives, as well.

This is her hair as it is this evening, washed yesterday and blowdried (I've been trying to get her to put down the blowdryer. She did shelf the flat iron finally!):

As you can see, it's about arm pit length. I've brought over Flexi8s, Ficcare Maximas, lotions, oils, salves, forks, etc, to try them out on her hair. I'll be occasionally posting pictures to show what's working on her hair to help out you folks with hair different from mine.

Here is her hair in a cinnabun held with a Medium Flexi8:

To highlight the differences in our hair, here is mine in the same style with an XXL Flexi8:

We both like the Flexi8 for holding our cinnabuns. She also commented that it didn't bother her and she wasn't aware of it during the day. Often, barrettes and ponytail holders cause her scalp to ache, as she's pretty sensitive.  So, thumbs up for the Flexi8s!

Random cuteness alert! This is my sweet little baby:

Since she's in so many of my hair shots, I figured I'd give her a hair shot of her own. I think she's pretty cute.

She walked off with my Tangle Teezer today and stashed it somewhere in her toy box. I was planning on doing an indepth review of it today, but it will have to wait until I find out where she put it. I guess I should have known purple glittery plastic was up for grabs in this house.

Anyways, stay tuned for my Tangle Teezer review coming soon!

Dreaming of Autumn and New Hairsticks

I made the mistake of checking out Nightblooming's Etsy store this evening and had some crazy timing. I guess she just put up some stuff because it showed tomorrow's date. I almost wish I had checked tomorrow, because I probably would have spent less money.

I just needed to snag some more Panacea Salve, but then I saw these:

Silver Fletched Arrows of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. I saw them and was done for. They had to be mine!

Artemis, the Moon Goddess, the Goddess of Animals, the Goddess of Women. She's one of my favorite goddesses, and I love and know a lot of them. I love the imagery of Artemis, standing in the glow of the moon with her silvery bow arched, an arrow at the ready. She's strong, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, ready to take down the grown stag with her nocked arrow.

Those hairsticks are not only gorgeous, they're also functional. They'll go with almost anything I wear.

I was sorely tempted by this:

It's called Autumn in Rivendell and it is stunning! It's built on a Ketylo stick, which are incredibly popular, but don't work well for me (and my wallet is thankful for that.) The color of this Ketylo hair stick goes perfectly with this piece and it reminds me of Autumn in my childhood. I remember stomping on fallen leaves. The sound of the crunching leaves, the colors and the smell of the leaves made Fall my absolute favorite. Even today, as an adult, I adore Autumn.

We're planning our count down to moving to the East Coast. We'll be moving right as the leaves begin to turn. Moving can be a major pain in the butt, especially when it's halfway around the world, but I am excited about it. I'm originally from the East Coast and I really miss the four seasons.

My kids don't remember temperatures below 70 degrees and haven't experienced a proper Autumn. I'm looking forward to raking leaves into a pile and letting them jump into the leaves, just like I did when I was a kid. Carving pumpkins here entails doing it right before Trick or Treating because they rot in the heat, which is no fun at all. It's strange; the things you miss when they aren't there anymore.

Nightblooming's Triple Moon Oil and Panacea Salve

My hair's been feeling a little dry lately and I decided to do a treatment.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with my favorite products, I'll have to pimp them out.

Many people use different kinds of oils on their hair. Olive oil, coconut oil and/ or milk, kukui oil, jojoba oil, yogurt, avocado oil, grapeseed oil and rapeseed oil are all common things people use to oil their hair. I personally find olive oil to coat my hair and make it stringy and greasy. I've had good results from kukui, jojoba and coconut oil and, in fact, use coconut oil routinely on my little girls. I still use jojoba to smooth back flyaways.

My personal favorite for oiling my hair is Nightblooming's Triple Moon Anointing oil. The ingredient list is: cold-pressed unrefined sunflower oil, primrose oil, shea nut oil, nettle infused oil, sea buckthorn oil, and essential oils of bay, birch, cedarwood, german chamomile, lavender, red thyme, rosemary, sage, tea tree, ylang-ylang. It smells mostly of rosemary and tea tree to my nose. I love herbally scents, so it works well for me. You can check out my tutorial on how to oil your hair in the YouTube bar to the left.

The Triple Moon Anointing Oil comes in a small sample bottle for a few dollars, or the larger 4 oz. bottle, which comes with a glass dropper for easy measuring.

My other favorite treatment is Nightblooming's Panacea Salve. This stuff is AWESOME! It's creamy and light and smells incredible. It's available in vegan and non-vegan blend. I think that the vegan blend leaves out the honey.

Ingredients are listed as; Certified Organic Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Herbal infusion of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), Pure Refined Coconut Oil, African Wild Honey, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol (pro-Vitamin B5), Vegetable Emulsifying Wax, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid , and the Essential Oils of Frankincense, Myrrh, Sweet Orange, Ylang-Ylang, and Limone.

I use it on the tips of my hair and I really think it's softened them and helped prevent split ends. I've heard raves about using it as a hand cream, too. I've never intentionally just put it on my hands, but after applying it to my hair, I simply rub any extra into my hands.

Nightblooming is truly a joy to work with. She whipped up a custom cassia/henna blend for me, based on the color I was looking for and how much I wanted to spend. She has colorless blends that just condition and add gloss and shine. I personally use them and you can see the before and after results in the previous blog.


*** I wanted to let you guys know that the container of Panacea Salve in my photos is the *old* tin container.  Nightblooming has switched to a new twist-top plastic container that is much easier to open.  Check out her Etsy site here for more information.***

Monistat for Hair Growth

I took some length shots last night and I think I've had some growth. I've been having a growth stall for a little while and gave Monistat a try.

Now, before I go any further, I can hear a collective "What did she do with Monistat?!" Fear not, I do not have a yeast infection of the scalp. On the LHC (see the links to your left) there's a popular theory that Monistat (4%, not that cheap 2%) can help your hair grow. I've read that some people have gotten up to 3 inches of growth in a month. I've seen photos of people with bald spots who have been helped by Monistat.

You can dilute it or not, your choice. I've been taking the cream and applying it straight to my roots. It doesn't cause my roots to look greasy, so I apply after a wash and just leave it on until the next washday.

At first, I didn't notice anything except some growth around my hair line. My hair is certainly a bit thicker now. I didn't think it had done a thing for the length, though, until I took pictures. The difference is subtle, I think, but it's there.

This was taken March 14th, 2010.

And this one was taken yesterday, May 29th, 2010. Think there's a difference?

If you're wondering about the difference in my hair color, I did a henna/cassia gloss last month. Living in Hawai'i has bleached out almost all of my natural copper tones. I contacted Nightblooming on Etsy and asked if she could do a custom blend to help put the color back to the way it used to be. She was amazing and the color turned out exactly the way I wanted it to.

Anyways, Monistat... I think I will continue to apply it until I reach "classic" length (the bottom of my...er...bottom.)

For all you out there that wash every day and want to try Monistat for growth, here's what I would recommend; apply Monistat 4% cream to the roots every other day after washing. Style as usual. If it works for you, I'd love to hear about it!