Here are 4 Absolutely Best Hair Treatments Using Honey

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Hair is pretty incredible. Although technically dead when it is outside of your scalp, it can still be “healthy” or damaged.

Today we put so many products into our hair, apply high levels of heat to it, just to sculpt it a certain way, achieve a certain look, without second thought about what we’re actually doing.

In my opinion, beautiful hair is healthy hair, and healthy hair is not the product of what you find on the shelves in stores, but rather in your own kitchen.

Why Using Honey (and the other stuff) can be the Best Hair Treatments?

If you have dry or damaged hair, honey can help. A natural humectant, honey attracts moisture. It’s also full of antioxidants and nutrients to feed hair follicles that house the live part of hair, encouraging hair growth.

That being said, honey also needs a medium to help spread it around, otherwise you can end up with just a sticky mess, so the recipes include other natural ingredients that help you restore dry hair to a health and luster, from the scalp up.

Below Here are 4 Best Hair Treatments for Dry and Damaged Hair Using Honey

Best Hair Treatments #1 - Just Honey

This recipe contains just honey and water, nothing extra added or needed!

You will need…

-1/4 cup of organic raw honey
-Fresh water

Directions

Mix ¼ cup of organic raw honey with just enough fresh water to thin it out to the point where you can spread it around your hair (add it tablespoon by tablespoon.)

Obviously this depends on how much hair you have-you can up the amount of honey if you need to. When you’re ready, apply as you would shampoo to damp hair and let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Best Hair Treatments #2 - Honey and Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is added here as it leaves hair with lovely shine and acts a natural conditioner.

You will need…

-1/4 cup of organic raw honey
-10 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Directions

Mix together honey and ACV. Apply as you would shampoo to damp hair, and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse out with warm water.

Best Hair Treatments #3 - Honey and Olive Oil

Olive oil can create a big difference in moisture after just a few uses, and promotes a healthy scalp and hair roots. It also helps smooth and coat dry and damaged hair shafts.

You will need…

-1/2 cup of honey
-1/4 cup of olive oil

Directions

Mix together ½ cup of honey and ¼ cup of olive oil, warming the mixture slightly if you need to. Apply to hair as needed.

Best Hair Treatments #4 - Honey and Coconut Oil

Coconut oil, like olive oil, helps moisturize hair and hair roots. It seems to add a little bit more shine (in my opinion) and is a little lighter as well. It’s packed full of nutrients that make it an automatic go to ingredient in hair treatments.

You will need….

-1/4 cup of honey
-3 tablespoons of warmed coconut oil

Directions

Combine coconut oil and honey and blend thoroughly. Work into damp hair as you would shampoo. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse with warm water.

Much of what you see in stores is just different ratios of basically the same stuff with different fragrances. With honey, you know what you’re getting every time, and personally, I love the results.

I like to think of my hair as fairly healthy overall, but with the dry winter months coming up, a little extra moisture and conditioning is always wanted.

Tips for Best Hair Treatments

-Stick to raw organic honey. If you have to warm it a little bit that’s fine, but the ultra-pasteurized clear stuff you buy at the supermarket really doesn’t have many benefits.

-Try adding some honey to your regular shampoo or conditioner if you don’t feel like making up a separate treatment.

-Avoid harsh products and heat treatment (like straightening your hair every day.) Natural is beautiful!

-Be aware of the type of hair that you have. Applying olive oil and honey to limp, thin, hair that is prone to getting oily will probably just make it greasier and heavier.

-There’s no need to use these treatments every day. Once or twice a week should be sufficient.

-Be patient. Applying honey to damaged and dry hair is not going restore it to perfect condition right away.

You can also watch this Video Here for more ideas to get the best hair treatments.

By Claire Goodall (a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic health lover. She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.

It's a Book that she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.

It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.

For more details about her book, take a look at the Everyday Roots Book.

How to Actually Homemake the Best Aloe Face Wash?

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Washing your face feels good. It wakes you up, makes you feel fresh and clean and ready to face the day, and can help clear up certain skin issues. This particular face wash is quite simple, and I have found that it works well on all types of skin, from dry to oily combination (oily and dry at the same time- it defies all reason and is extremely frustrating!)   

Keep in mind two things- first, that everybody is different, and face wash tends to be one of those things that is very personal- I swear people get intense about their face wash, and become fiercely loyal to it. And, why not, if it works?

Second, feel free to tweak the recipe. A nice lemon, lime, or orange essential oil is nice if you’re looking for a wash that will perk you up in the morning. You may need to order a few things since most people don’t have the ingredients lying around there house- but that’s the beauty of the internet isn’t it?

Why Use Aloe Vera Gel: The real question here is, why not aloe face wash? It’s a great go-to for anything skin related, helping to heal abrasions to soothing sunburns.

Aloe gel contains glycoproteins and polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are vital to help with skin growth and repair, as well as retaining moisture.

Glycoproteins are, simply, a carbohydrate attached to a protein. There’s a lot of talk about them reducing wrinkles, but I wouldn’t go that far. But when combined with polysaccharides, they form substances that compose the skins intercellular matrix, which keeps skin cells and structure intact.

Basically, intercellular matrix is a fancy way of saying the stuff that holds layers of skin cells together. It keeps moisture in, and bad things out. For the record, there’s more to the intercellular matrix than just glycoproteins and polysaccharides, but that’s information for another day.

On top of this, aloe helps fight inflammation, which can be useful if you experience painful cystic acne.

Why Castile Soap: Pure castile soap is vegetable oil based, as opposed to tallow (animal fat) based. It’s gentle and efficient, and removes make-up, dirt, sweat, and excess oils from your skin. It’s the main cleanser in this aloe face wash.

Why jojoba wax: Jojoba is actually a wax-not an oil-although many people (including myself occasionally) will refer to it as jojoba oil because of its liquid state.

Jojoba is an incredible skin care product, truly one of my favorites, as its chemical structure resembles human sebum-the natural oil that coats our skin and keeps it supple.

Jojoba contains proteins, minerals, and a waxy substance that mimics collagen (the stuff that basically holds our bodies together.)

Why White Clay: Cosmetic clays are the cherry on your skin care sundae, and white clay is the mildest and most common form of them all. It is mildly abrasive to help exfoliate the skin and stimulate circulation, but is not drying.

Why Lavender Essential Oil: Soothing, relaxing, non-irritating, and healing, lavender essential oil adds all of the above benefits and more to this aloe face wash.

You will need…

-4 tablespoons of pure aloe vera gel
-2 ½ teaspoons of jojoba wax (also referred to as jojoba oil)
-2 ½ teaspoons of liquid castile soap
-1/2-1 teaspoon of white cosmetic clay
-1 drop of lavender essential oil
-A plastic bottle

Directions

Combine all of your ingredients except the clay in your bottle and shake well. Add the clay, and shake well again. For use, wet your face with water and pour a dime to quarter sized amount of cleanser into your hands.

Use it like you would any other face wash-rub in gentle circular motions for a bit and then rinses clean. Follow up with a gentle moisturizer if your skin tends to feel dry after washing.

You may want to watch this Video HERE for more ideas to create your own aloe face wash to remove dark spots, acne scars and pimple marks.

By Claire Goodall (a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic health lover. She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.

It's a Book that she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.

It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.

For more details about her book, take a look at the Everyday Roots Book

6 Ways to Naturally Prevent and Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs

Click HERE to Discover the 215+ Home Remedies, NaturalBeauty Recipes & DIY Household Products

I share my life with many four-legged friends, owning 2 dogs and fostering at least 2 others at any given time. My canine companions make up a huge part of my life so, naturally, I want to care for them…naturally.

Like human medications popular dog medications, such as flea and tick preventatives, are full of strange chemicals that could have potentially harmful side effects.

If you have little ones running around the house, you don’t want them getting into the medication or touching the dog after it’s applied. Since I foster and have rescues coming in from all kinds of places, I have to be up on the flea care year round.

Instead of constantly applying synthetic repellents, there are natural substitutes I can turn to that can help keep the little beasties at bay.

Why the ingredients: The essential oils/ingredients used here are all natural insecticide/pesticides, shown to either kill or deter the pests due to their various compounds/naturally occurring chemicals. Indeed, many of them are found in commercial flea/tick preventative.

Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs #1 - Flea collar

A flea collar is a great way to ward off fleas without always having to reapply something topically, and it keeps the flea control constant and steady.

You will need…

-3-5 drops of cedar oil or lavender oil
- 1-3 tablespoons of water
-Bandana OR your dog’s collar
-an eyedropper (optional)

Directions

Dilute 2-3 drops of your chosen oil in 1-3 tablespoons of water. Some people use the oil undiluted, but I personally feel it should always be diluted, even if it’s only by a little.

Next, pick out a bandana to be the flea collar- I think a bandana is preferable because you can take it on and off and your dog’s collar won’t smell. It’s always fun to get creative with patterns and colors here.

If you go up to ½ teaspoon you can use up to 5 drops of the liquid. Using an eyedropper or other similar means, apply 5-10 drops of the mixture to the bandana and rub the sides of the fabric together, and then tie it about your dog’s neck in a snazzy way.

Reapply oil mixture to the collar once a week. In conjunction with this, 1 or 2 drops of oil diluted with at least 1 tablespoon of olive oil can be placed at the base of your dog’s tail.

Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs #2 - Flea deterring drink- can be used alongside any of these remedies.

You will need…

-1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Directions

For every 40 pound dog add 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar to 1 quart of their drinking water.

We highly recommend using Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar . Not only does it deter fleas, it improves a pup’s skin and coat condition from the inside-out.

Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs #3- Flea comb

This contains lemon and lemon contains something called limonene, which is a chemical that kills and repels fleas but is harmless to us or our pets.

You will need…

-1 freshly sliced up lemon
-1 pot of fresh water
-a comb, sponge, or brush

Directions

Boil a pot of water and add the slices of a freshly cut lemon to it. Turn off the heat after the lemons has been added and cover the pot, letting the mixture steep overnight.

The next day dip a comb or your pets brush in the liquid (make sure it’s sufficiently cool) and run it through their hair. A sponge works as well, especially if you have a very short haired breed.

A quick version is to bring water to a vigorous boil and then pour over a freshly sliced lemon. Then just dip the comb, let it cool, and use as above.

Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs #4 - Flea spray

As a bonus, your pup will get a nice gleaming finish to their coat after using this flea spray.

You will need…

-1 cup white distilled vinegar OR 1 cup apple cider vinegar OR a 50/50 blend of both
-1 quart fresh water
-2-3 drops of lavender or cedar oil
-a decent sized spray bottle

Directions

The essential oil isn’t vital, but it certainly gives the spray an extra edge (and a nice smell.) If you’re using it, add 2-3 drops as you add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar/apple cider vinegar/both to 1 quart of fresh water.

Fill your spray bottle, and mist your dog, being careful not to get it in their eyes, nose, or ears-aka avoid spraying near the face.

To get up around the neck and behind the ears/their chin area, dampen a soft cloth with the mixture and wipe it on. Spray your pets bedding and around it with this mixture lightly as well.

Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs #5 - Flea (be-gone) bag

This little sachet contains things that smell pleasant to us, but that drive pests away from your pet.

You will need…

-Two 6 inch squares of breathable fabric (such as muslin)
-a rough handful of cedar chips
-1-2 teaspoons of dried lavender buds
-the peel of 1 lemon

Directions

Follow the instructions on how to make a sachet here if you need more detail. Cut 2 6 inch squares of fabric and place them together inside out. Sew all but 1 side and turn inside out.

Fill with a rough handful of fragrant cedar chips, 1-2 teaspoons of lavender, and 1 lemon peel. Leave enough room at the top so you can tie it off with a ribbon or sew it shut (tying allows you to reuse it when the contents lose their potency.)

Place under your pets bed/bedding or near it to ward off fleas. Change the mixture every month or so.

Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs #6 - Flea bath - wash your pup with this weekly to deter fleas.

You will need…

-A half a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice*
-1 ½ – 2 cups of fresh water
-1/4 –1/2 cup of mild pet-friendly soap or shampoo

Directions

Stir together a half a cup of lemon juice, 1 ½ cups of water, and ¼ cup of mild pet-friendly shampoo or soap. Bottle and label and bathe weekly to keep fleas away.

*amounts will vary depending on the size of your dog. As a general rule of thumb, use 2 parts water to every ½ cup of soap and lemon juice.

NOTE: You must always dilute essential oil before using them. Pay attention to and read and respect your dog’s body language. It may sound odd, but let them sniff the different scents and see how they react.

Whichever one you think they “like” the most, or will tolerate should be the one you use. It is estimated that dogs can identify scents 1,000-10,000 times better than humans.

Imagine something you hate the smell of, and then imagine it being rubbed all over your body and smelling it 1,000 times stronger!

I cannot begin to say how engrained into my life dogs are. Their wellbeing is of the utmost importance to me, and if I can avoid strange chemicals, I will do so in the same way I avoid them myself. Dogs are natural beings, just as we are, and should rightly be treated as such.

You may want to watch this Video HERE to find out more about other ideas to get rid of fleas on dogs.

By Claire Goodall (a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic health lover. She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.

It's a Book that she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.

It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.

For more details about her book, take a look at the Everyday Roots Book.

How to Use Bread and Lemon to Get Rid of Corns and Calluses on Feet, Toes, Hands?

Click HERE to Discover the 215+ Home Remedies, NaturalBeauty Recipes & DIY Household Products

The pictures of smooth pampered skin that surround us on TV, in magazines, and throughout movies just aren’t realistic.

Reality is that the majority of people use their bodies (you know, walk around, garden, and what not) and eventually our daily routines start to wear on our skin.

After a while this repeated friction forms a hardened patch of skin, known as a callus (or a corn, if it is shaped/behaves a certain way.)

While not generally much of a problem, if you want to get rid of corns and calluses on your skin for some reason, try using these simple methods instead of purchasing store bought creams.

Get Rid of Corns and Calluses #1

Bread & Vinegar “Bandage”

This “bandage” (or paste, if that’s how you decide to make it) sounds strange and off-putting, but works well!

Why bread: The bread is mostly a means of application, and has become the preferred method thanks to it being embedded in natural remedy lore.

Using bread also means you have the option to make a paste as well, and you don’t have to waste a sponge!

Why vinegar: Vinegar is anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, and the liquid with its high acidity level helps to soften the callused skin.

You will need…

-A piece of bread
-1 cup Apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar (roughly)
-gauze or thin fabric
-adhesive tape
-pumice stone (optional)

Directions

If you have one, file the callus slightly with a pumice stone. Pour 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar (or white distilled vinegar) into a bowl. Drop in a half slice of bread and let it soak.

When it is thoroughly soaked through, rest directly on your callus and wrap in gauze, before securing the gauze with adhesive or medical tape.

You can also mash up the bread and form a paste to smear on and then wrap gauze over that. The size of bread and the amount of vinegar can be varied depending on the size of the area you want to cover.

Get Rid of Corns and Calluses #2

Lemon Paste

Rub this simple paste on a callus or corn to soften it as often as needed.

Why lemon juice: The high acidity of the lemon juice works to soften the hardened skin that makes up your callus/corn. It’s a way to soften it other than simply soaking it.

Why olive oil: The olive oil will moisten your skin and counteract the astringent properties of the lemon juice to ensure your skin does not dry out.

Why baking soda: The crystals in sodium bicarbonate will exfoliate your skin, scrubbing away dead cells, while it also has antifungal and antibacterial properties. It also helps the paste retain consistency and stay moist.

You will need…

-several tablespoons of lemon juice
-2 teaspoons of olive oil
-Baking soda

Directions

Mix together 2 or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

Add baking soda until a paste thick enough to stay in place forms.

Store in a container with a tightly fitting lid away from direct sunlight, and apply as often as needed. Cover with gauze or another thin fabric if you don’t want to get the paste on anything.

Sometimes a callus is a useful thing, and sometimes we want to get rid of it.

If you decide you don’t want that little tough patch of skin any longer, these remedies to get rid of corns and calluses are a simple and easy way to get it to go away.

Not only are these methods simple and effective, but they cost much less than store-bought stuff as well.

You can also watch this Video HERE to learn about other ways to get rid of corns and calluses.

By Claire Goodall (a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic health lover. She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.

It's a Book that she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.

It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.

For more details about her book, take a look at the Everyday Roots Book.

Here are 5 Soaks to Treat Smelly Feet

Click HERE to Discover the 215+ Home Remedies, NaturalBeauty Recipes & DIY Household Products

There are 2 things that you need to deal with when it comes to foot odor, and that is bacteria and sweat. It is not actually the sweat that makes your feet smell, but the bacteria that thrives in the moist environment it creates.

Sweat is actually odorless, for the most part, except for the kind that comes from the glands in the armpit/genital area. There are proteins and amino acids in sweat from those glands (called the apocrine glands) that feed bacteria, giving it a particular unappealing smell.

The bacteria on your feet give off a kind of gas as they eat, which is the source of your problems.

If you can keep your feet dry, clean, and fight the bacteria, you won’t have to worry about letting them out to breathe in a room with other people around.

That’s easier said than done though, and when you need a little help, these 5 foot soaks can make it simple for you kick the odor-causing culprits.

Treat Smelly Feet #1 - Simple Epsom Salt Foot Soak

Epsom salt neutralizes odor, and as a bonus, it also happens to be very soothing on aching feet.

You will need…

-1/2 cup of Epsom salt
-8 cups of warm water
-Something to soak your feet in

Directions

Dissolve ½ cup of Epsom salt in 8 cups of warm water and soak your feet for 30 minutes 1-2 times daily. Dry thoroughly afterwards.

Treat Smelly Feet #2 - Sage and Rosemary Soak

Sage has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, and is also an astringent.

Rosemary is antibacterial/antifungal, and is an astringent as well-which means that both help minimize the production of sweat from the sweat glands. Less sweat means a less ideal environment for bacteria to harbor in.

You will need…

-1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
-1-2 teaspoons of dried sage
-A small foot basin or something similar

Directions

Fill a foot basin with boiling water and add the herbs to it. Let it steep until it is cool enough to put your feet in, but still warm. Soak for 30 minutes 1-2 times daily.

Treat Smelly Feet #3 - Bubbly Baking Soda and Citrus Soak

Baking soda has too many uses to list here, but when it comes to foot odor, it can be a true miracle worker. It naturally helps control odor, kill bacteria/fungus, and softens your feet to boot.

Lemon is an astringent, which will help with excessive sweating causing food odor, plus it has a wonderful fresh scent.

You will need…

-¼ cup of baking soda
-8 cups of water
-Juice of one lemon
-Something to soak your feet in

Directions

Place ¼ cup of baking soda in your foot basin, and then cover with approximately 8 cups of toasty (but not hot) warm water.

Squeeze in the juice of one lemon, sink your feet in, and give it a little swish. Soak for 15-20 minutes or so, and then dry completely.

Treat Smelly Feet #4 - Very Vinegar Soak

Apple cider vinegar might not seem like the first thing you want to submerge your stinky feet in, but it actually does a nice job at getting rid of odor.

Apple cider vinegar creates an acidic environment that bacteria have a hard time thriving in, reducing the count and subsequently the smell.

You will need…

-1/2 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
-5-8 cups of warm water
-Something to soak your tootsies in

Directions

Fill a foot basin with 5-8 cups of warm water and add ½ cup of white distilled or apple cider vinegar to it.

Submerge your feet, swish the mixture around, and soak for 15 minutes twice a day. Dry completely when you’re finished-you can rinse them in cold water afterwards if you want.

Treat Smelly Feet #5 - Black Tea Foot Soak

Common folklore often tells of soaking feet in black tea to remove foot odor- thought to be effective because of the high levels of tannins, or tannic acid, in the tea.

The acid would create an unfriendly environment for bacteria, while it also possibly acted as an astringent (contracts body tissues therefore sweat glands.) It’s hard to find scientific evidence of this, but it might be worth a try as many people swear by it!

You will need…

-5 bags of black tea
-4 cups of hot water
-Something to soak your feet in

Directions

Pour 4 cups of very hot or boiling water into your foot basin, and add 5 bags of black tea. Allow them to steep for 10 minutes, and then soak your feet for 20. Do this once a day, drying your feet thoroughly afterwards.

Smelly feet are no fun for anyone (even our shoes suffer), but with a little bit of dedication, knowledge, and some awesome foot soaks on your side, you can triumph over this unpleasant condition.

Looking for more ways to deep clean & pamper your feet? Our friend Marie from Humblebee & Me  has created a great foot mask that will leave your feet feeling silky soft & extra clean.

You will need

-2 tbsp Green clay

-2 tsp kosher salt

-1 tsp citric acid (optional)

-½ tsp camphor powder (optional)

-½ tsp seaweed powder (optional)

-Lemon juice, as needed

-½ tsp vegetable glycerine

-4 drops lemon EO

-4 drops cinnamon EO

Direction

Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable glycerin and essential oils, and then gradually add the lemon juice to make a soft paste. Scrub into your feet and keep them somewhere easily washable (tub/sink/old bucket/outdoors) for about 10 minutes. Rinse off and moisturize. Sock up and enjoy your clean, soft feet!

You can watch this Video HERE to learn about other ideas to treat smelly feet.

Tips:

-Wash your socks often.
-Sprinkle your shoes with baking soda, it is not only totally odor absorbing it helps keep feet dry and has kills off bacteria.
-Wear open toed shoes when possible.
-Avoid synthetic material in socks, which make it harder for feet to breathe.

Fabulous Foot Fact

Out of the 2-3 million sweat glands on our bodies, ½ million are located on are feet. Scientists think this is because way back in the day when we walked everywhere.

In those stone age days, we didn’t yet have shoes, our feet would get hot from walking on ground baked in the sun. The multitude of sweat glands allowed them to cool themselves off more effectively.

By Claire Goodall (a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic health lover. She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.

It's a Book that she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.

It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.

For more details about her book, take a look at the Everyday Roots Book.