By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode.com beauty editor
I read a great article about home spa treatments in the August issue of In Style and decided to try the Frizz Tamer. It was an interesting experiment that I’m glad I tried, but mostly, I’m glad I didn’t spend the money to have this done at the salon. I will give you a brief description of the process and just how it worked for me (For the full treatment and other at home spa treats, see the August issue of In Style).
- Cleanse: Saturate hair with equal parts mouthwash and witch hazel, massaging it into the scalp. This natural astringent de-flakes your scalp and promotes healthy hair growth.
Now, since I have never had witch hazel in my house, and probably never will, I did a little research to find a good alternative. Apparently, there isn’t one, so I decided that toner would work and put the combo in a spray bottle to douse my head. I guess water bottles are only made for water because it wouldn’t spray and my spritzer hasn’t worked since. Bummer!
I made do with a squeeze bottle and smelled minty fresh in no time. Here is some random trivia that you might not have known: Listerine was originally created as a dandruff treatment. I don’t know what twist of fight morphed it into mouthwash, but it still works great as a dry skin treatment on you or your dog (I really did read this once, probably in Reader’s Digest or a bathroom reader).
- Condition: Combine one avocado with 2 tbs each olive oil, water, and whipped heavy cream. Comb from roots to ends, clip up hair, and cover with a shower cap.
The shower cap is suggested to create mixture-activating heat, but I would highly recommend it to contain the smell and keep avocado chunks off your furniture. Whew…I do not, and will not, eat avocados…did you know they stink? Maybe it was the combination of the ingredients but it was tough to stomach.
I also had trouble mixing it to a spreadable consistency. At first, I thought I could mush it with a fork or whisk, but that didn’t work, so I got the electric mixer out. This worked better for blending, but when the mixer blades hit a chunk of avocado, it would fly across the room like an airborne missile, much to my dismay and Brandon’s amusement.
I would recommend mixing in a covered blender or food processor if you attempt this at home. Now, the article showed an artful picture of the separate ingredients, so I took a picture of my finished product (pictured above).
After I smeared it in my hair, again to Brandon’s amusement, I donned my shower cap and started cleaning up.
- Rinse: After 20 minutes, rinse hair with tepid water, and wash hair with a gentle sulfate-free shampoo.
I spent my 20 minutes de-avocado-ing my kitchen and then jumped in the shower. I have never wished harder for a more high-pressure showerhead in my life. I have a lot of hair, and trying to pick out every green chunk was impossible. I shampooed twice (and no, I did not use sulfate-free shampoo, because I didn’t have any) and conditioned, but when I got out I still found a few sneaky pieces of avocado. I like to think I eventually found them all, but I doubt it.
I let my hair air dry, which is my summertime norm, and I have mixed reviews. I did notice that my hair was less poofy than normal and the next day I was able to finger comb it with few knots and tangles. But, after one wash, my hair was back to normal. It was fun to try, but too much trouble to have to do on a regular basis. I am going to try some over the counter treatments next and will keep you posted.
If you have any beauty gimmicks you would like me to try for you, send me an email. I don’t mind being your guinea pig!
Have a question for Andi, beauty blogger and fellow mama? E-mail it to mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.
“Beauty Buzz” is sponsored by Hull Dermatology, with offices in Rogers, Bella Vista and at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Dr. Hull has published several scientific papers and has received numerous awards and honors for her work in dermatology. For more info, click here to visit the Hull Dermatology website.
