So my skin is so dry but I’m am breaking out like crazy! So of course i’m focusing on what I eat (since I moved my diet is horrible). But I also need to change up my face washing routine for the winter!

So I am now oil washing! Why oil wash? Well, it’s winter.
Regular products strip the oil out of our skin, leaving our largest organ trying to repair itself by replacing the oil stripped away. This leaves me in a cycle of being tight and dry followed by the inevitable oil slick. My nose is horrifically oily midday… Each time we strip the oil away, our skin over-compensates for the lack of moisture by creating more oil and I don’t need it!

So in order to fix that, I oil wash… I use just plain vegetable oil (olive oil would be better but I’m feeling a bit cheap) I also add a drop or two of tea tree oil to help fight my acne on my forehead and nose. But I use only oil on my eyelids (tea tree oil would BURN if it got into my eyes)

Let’s see how this works!

Here’s my forehead today… I’ll post an update in two weeks!

UPDATE: oil washing did help and then I went out of town and stopped -__- and yes broke out AGAIN... I had to stop taking a particular hair growth vitamin...

Okay I confess. I love weave! And I will also admit I stretch the times I wash my hair when I have weave… You know its just not the same after! A weave has a limited life and even worse once you wash it. But I HATE smelly hair and itchy scalps. Also that does nothing for the health of my natural hair :(. So in my years of wearing weave I had to find a solution! And of course after trial and improvement, I’d like to share it with you!

Here’s my solution for Aviyah Li’s weave potion!

All you need is: Castor Oil, Olive Oil, Rosemary, Peppermint, Sage & Lavender

Olive Oil: You don’t want to use many essential oils on your skin without a carried oil because they are often too concentrated and harm the body if improperly used…

Rosemary:  Rosemary oil is a nourishing tonic for those who are bald or have thinning hair, according to Organic Facts.Net, because the oil has a stimulating effect on hair follicles. Graying hair and premature hair loss may both be improved with the regular application of rosemary essential oil. A popular ingredient in hair products, rosemary oil can be used in a scalp scrub to treat dandruff.Rosemary essential oil encourages hair growth, helps alleviate dry hair and is beneficial for helping eliminate dandruff and an itchy scalp. Rosemary oil should never be used during pregnancy as it very dangerous to an unborn child. Rosemary oil is an antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

Peppermint: Peppermint essential oil stimulates blood flow to the hair roots, enabling the hair to receive the proper nourishment it needs to grow. Peppermint has a tingling effect on the scalp and this is what encourages blood flow to the scalp, contributing to the hair’s overall health.

Lavender: Lavender oil is a great protector for hair breakage! Lavender essential oil is known to promote hair growth. It is also used to treat severe hair and scalp conditions such as alopecia areata. According to a 1998 article in the “Archives of Dermatology,” a 7-month contro.lled study, conducted by the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, concluded that lavender essential oil is an effective treatment for the disease.

Sage: Sage essential oil is thought of as one of the best essential oils for clarifying the scalp. It helps cleanse impurities out of the scalp and works well with other herbs to provide healing properties for scalp conditions like psoriasis.

Take a small container with a dropper and fill it 2/3 with Olive oil, a tablespoon of castor oil and drops of the essential oils. 
UPDATE: You can also use coconut oil (it's lighter) if you don't like the heavy olive oil or castor oil

Black Castor Oil is one of those heal all awesome oils. Although it is heavy in consistency it is great for the hair, skin and muscles.  Because of its low molecular weight, when applied to the skin, castor oil has the ability to not only penetrate the skin, but to reach the deeper organs of the body.  According to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing art, castor oil has the ability to warm the body, which can decrease the stagnation of excess bodily fluids and lymph. This stagnation can cause blockages in the body’s tissues, leading to water retention and weight gain. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is common to apply a mixture of castor oil and powdered turmeric to masses and lumps found under the skin in order to dissolve them.  It is an excellent oil to use in full-body self-massage for people of Kapha constitution, whose bodies typically accumulate fluids. It can relax tight muscles, help joints and aid digestion all topically.. Here are more ways to use castor oil!

1. As a night-time moisturizer. Apply a thin layer of castor oil to your face and go to bed. It is rather heavy so you won’t want to do this during the day. Castor oil reduces the appearance of wrinkles and under eye circles. Its antibacterial properties are also helpful at treating minor acne.

2. To stimulate eyelash and eyebrow growth.  Apply a tiny amount of castor oil to the tips of eyelashes and over eyebrows to stimulate their growth. Avoid getting the oil into eyes. (ow!)

3. To heal split ends. Apply some castor oil to the ends of your hair to help moisturize dry ends and prevent splitting.

4. To dissolve cystic acne and other skin masses. Castor oil’s cyst-dissolving properties offer a natural, safe way to decrease these painful, embarrassing masses. Apply a small amount to problem areas and leave on overnight. The castor oil also decreases the pain and inflammation associated with this type of acne.

5. To to help with hair growth.  Applying alone or as a mixture of equal parts Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Jojoba Oil with 8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil helps stimulate the follicle and results in gradual hair growth. You can also use it as a sealant to seal moisture in your hair. It is great for regrowing edges and also aiding in thicker roots if applied to your scalp. Its best if applied daily (although I only do it when my hair is not straight).

6. To naturally deep clean the face. Science tells us that “like dissolves like”, which is why the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) is one of the most effective ways to deep clean pores, removing blackhead-causing debris. Simply combine one part castor oil to one part carrier oil (a light oil like apricot kernel oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil or almond oil) and massage face thoroughly for 10 minutes. The oil enters pores, removing the waxy junk and blackheads that often erupt as acne. After massaging, wet a clean washcloth with very hot water (be careful not to burn yourself), wring out excess water and apply the hot cloth over your face until it cools. It is also a great makeup remover.

7. To detoxify the liver. Create a castor oil pack by applying a liberal amount of castor oil over the liver (on the right side of the abdomen, below the right breast, over the rib cage). Next, apply an old towel over the area and then a hot water bottle. Relax for 30 – 60 minutes, allowing the castor oil to penetrate the liver and gallbladder, aiding in their detoxification. This is a necessary ritual to perform every day while engaging in any kind of dietary of lifestyle detoxification program.

It is not the best smelling oil but I’m sure with a few essential oils it will smell just fine!  Here are a few other ways to use castor oil!