Vodka in scalp treatments, good or bad?

[Annalouise]

What do you think? I have two recipes for stimulating the scalp that involve cayenne pepper and vodka. It is supposed to be put on the scalp to stimulate it.

I really wonder though if alcohol is good for the skin or hair? And doesn't it get absorbed into the body?

Anyone know? Does this sound like a good thing or not?

[LawyerGirl]

It sounds like a bad idea to me! It seems like it would be very drying. I'm not sure about being absorbed through the skin... I wouldn't experiment if was pregnant or on medication, though!

[angelthadiva]

Are you serious? If yes, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you. ;)

Drink the vodka, don't put it in your hair. Alcohol has a drying effect, but beer is good for your hair. Warm, flat beer makes for a good after wash rinse :thumbsup:

If you are looking to stimulate your scalp to increase blood flow; thus generating more hair growth, you may want to try castor oil (yes, it is an OTC laxative) with rosemary essential oils and sage essential oils help stimulate hair growth and blood flow. Rosemary; though could darken hair, so use caution with it.

[ddiana1979]

I have the same recipe (or a similar one). Haven't tried it yet, because it seems like it might irritate my scalp.

[littlenvy]

:shocked:cayenne pepper and vodka??? Sounds like a first degree burn to me.
Honestly? I would stay away from that, it may be good as a rub for hurt muscles but not for your scalp or hair. And I can't imagin the horror if any of it got into your eyes.

[Dark Queen]

Alcohol is quite dehydrating, so I'd stick to ACV or something else. I'm not sure about the pepper though, but I know capsaicin is a skin irritant (can be used in topical pain relief). I'd take care in using it on the scalp.

[pennylane]

Vodka is for drinking darling!

Don't waste it on your hair!

[kwaniesiam]

Never! I can't even imagine how drying that would be, plus you'd smell like vodka all day :lol:

[ChloeDharma]

I know this recipe and have the same concern about vodka drying the hair. The cayenne is great though, i usually put it in my hennas and herb washes. I think you mentioned wanting to herb wash....if i were you i'd just add cayenne to your mix. You could also put some in an oil used just for the scalp.
One thing i have noticed with cayenne....sometimes when i got wet in the rain the water started making it feel hot on my scalp again....personally i quite like the feeling.

[Annalouise]

I think putting cayanne in an oil and using it on the scalp makes a lot more sense then putting it in vodka. The vodka acts as an astringent removing debri and sebum from the scalp. That is the theory. However, I will pass on it.

I never thought of putting cayenne in my herb washes.:) I like the tingling feeling on my scalp too. Good idea.

Thanks everyone for your input. Its unanimous.:)

[morecowbell]

Confession time:
Long before I found LHC, I was desperately trying to grow out a pixie/shag, and I"VE USED THIS! :O
Honestly, it wasn't bad for my scalp as far as I can tell. I made a cayenne-alcohol by soaking a tablespoon of cayenne in 16 ounces of straight vodka for a month, and then strained it. I applied it by using a cotton ball soaked in the mixture to press onto the scalp skin at my part, and I applied it all over my scalp. I then put a shower cap on to minimize the risk of getting cayenne into my eyes. (which had the added benefit of making my scalp feel all warm and tingly for about 30 mins)
I usually left it on overnight, and it DID work (I went from a 2" pixie to a neck length bob in three months!).
However, I didn't continue with it, because it smelled bad and I needed to wash my hair daily when applying it, which was too much for me. (and because I was worried that I might be growing in damaged hair thanks to the alcohol)

If you are thinking about using this, I wouldn't recommend it. Try a cayenne infused oil instead. It'll have the same blood-bringing powers, but without the drying effects. I made my own with just vegetable oil and cayenne pepper. Mixed together for a month and strained out. It feels really nice and warm to give yourself a scalp massage with it :D

[Annalouise]

Confession time:
Long before I found LHC, I was desperately trying to grow out a pixie/shag, and I"VE USED THIS! :O
Honestly, it wasn't bad for my scalp as far as I can tell. I made a cayenne-alcohol by soaking a tablespoon of cayenne in 16 ounces of straight vodka for a month, and then strained it. I applied it by using a cotton ball soaked in the mixture to press onto the scalp skin at my part, and I applied it all over my scalp. I then put a shower cap on to minimize the risk of getting cayenne into my eyes. (which had the added benefit of making my scalp feel all warm and tingly for about 30 mins)
I usually left it on overnight, and it DID work (I went from a 2" pixie to a neck length bob in three months!).
However, I didn't continue with it, because it smelled bad and I needed to wash my hair daily when applying it, which was too much for me. (and because I was worried that I might be growing in damaged hair thanks to the alcohol)

If you are thinking about using this, I wouldn't recommend it. Try a cayenne infused oil instead. It'll have the same blood-bringing powers, but without the drying effects. I made my own with just vegetable oil and cayenne pepper. Mixed together for a month and strained out. It feels really nice and warm to give yourself a scalp massage with it :D

Yeah!:D Someone tried it. Wow, I would think with all the growth you would recommend it. But if it dries the hair then I see why you would have reservations about it. I wonder though how much role the vodka played in the growth and if you exchanged the vodka for coconut oil if you would get the same amount of growth?
When using cayanne with oil should I heat the oil (probably coconut) and add cayanne and let it simmer for awhile? Then do I strain it or not?
Or should I boil the cayanne in water and then add it to the coconut oil and cook it until the water evaporates?
How do you make a scalp oil with herbs?

[morecowbell]

Yeah!:D Someone tried it. Wow, I would think with all the growth you would recommend it. But if it dries the hair then I see why you would have reservations about it. I wonder though how much role the vodka played in the growth and if you exchanged the vodka for coconut oil if you would get the same amount of growth?
When using cayanne with oil should I heat the oil (probably coconut) and add cayanne and let it simmer for awhile? Then do I strain it or not?
Or should I boil the cayanne in water and then add it to the coconut oil and cook it until the water evaporates?
How do you make a scalp oil with herbs?

Well what I did was just add it to a liquid room temperature oil (regular ole vegetable oil) in a 1:8 ratio of cayenne pepper to oil (So 1 tbsp of cayenne, 8 tbsp of oil). I just let it sit in the back of a cupboard in a sealed container for a month, shaking it up every so often. After a month, I strained it through a coffee filter and bottled it. It can cause a burning sensation on sensitive skin, I've found, so less cayenne could be added initially, or you could dilute the oil once it's made. I use about 8 drops for my entire scalp, distributed with my fingertips, and that's plenty for a nice warming massage.
I haven't been using it regularly, though, so I can't attest to it's growing properties, but it should be bringing extra blood to the scalp, thereby increasing growth.

As for using coconut oil, I was just thinking about that today! :) I want to try and make a cinnamon oil for scalp massages because it'll smell SO much better than cayenne oil. I think if you just brought the coconut oil to a liquid state with slight heat, and then added your herbs to the liquid oil, it would work. You would either want to heat it up slightly every couple of days to liquify it, or you could keep it in a slightly warm spot (like the spot on top of your pilot light on the stove) so that it's always liquid for the first month. After that you would want to strain it through a coffee filter or a few layers of cheesecloth to avoid grittiness.

Anyway, hope this answered your questions :) Do a google search on infusing oils with herbs and you should find some more in-depth stuff (I'm a science geek, but I am FAR from an expert lol) :)

Aw darn, I've been enabled! I'm off to start making cinnamon infused coconut oil!!! :D

[Annalouise]

Thanks! The cinnamon infused oil sounds nice. What I would do is add cloves to that:D. I love the smell of cloves and they have a darkening effect on hair. I've been meaning to add cloves to my herbal washes and I keep forgetting.

I think I'll pick up some ground cloves today.:)

I did make an infused oil with olive oil and peanut oil and burdock root powder and horsetail. I heated the oil and then added the herbs and let them simmer in the oil about 20 minutes. (and I forgot to strain it so its gritty.) I use it as a once a week deep treatment. I used it last night and my hair is soft.

[ChloeDharma]

Yeah!:D Someone tried it. Wow, I would think with all the growth you would recommend it. But if it dries the hair then I see why you would have reservations about it. I wonder though how much role the vodka played in the growth and if you exchanged the vodka for coconut oil if you would get the same amount of growth?
When using cayanne with oil should I heat the oil (probably coconut) and add cayanne and let it simmer for awhile? Then do I strain it or not?
Or should I boil the cayanne in water and then add it to the coconut oil and cook it until the water evaporates?
How do you make a scalp oil with herbs?

Capsaicin (which is the chemical in cayenne and other chillies that gives the heat/vasodilatory effect) is oil soluble. The water part first would be pointless with cayenne (though usefull for other herbs if you heat the oil water mix enough to let all the water evaporate).

The usual method for oil extractions is the one morecowbell descroibed and is called the cold infusion method.
If you want it quickly you could heat the oil bain marie method instead though.
Good luck :)

[Arya]

Capsaicin (which is the chemical in cayenne and other chillies that gives the heat/vasodilatory effect) is oil soluble. The water part first would be pointless with cayenne (though usefull for other herbs if you heat the oil water mix enough to let all the water evaporate).

The usual method for oil extractions is the one morecowbell descroibed and is called the cold infusion method.
If you want it quickly you could heat the oil bain marie method instead though.
Good luck :)

Does that mean that the capsaicin becomes ineffective after being dissolved in oil??

[ChloeDharma]

Does that mean that the capsaicin becomes ineffective after being dissolved in oil??

No, it luckily means oil is great to use as a medium because the chemical is easily extracted into it :)

[Annalouise]

Thanks Chloedharma:)
I'm going to give it a go with coconut oil and cayenne. I'll wait the 3-4 weeks for it. I'll leave the coconut oil somewhere warm as suggested too.

And I'll use the vodka/cayenne mix to clean the shower.

[Cleopatra18]

oh I tried cayenne before,wasnt consistent though but it STINKS BIG TIME!
and trust me I used straight garlic oil (PURE not infused) and i could withstand smell (imagine that) but the cayenne was far too much for me.
as someone else mentioned,cinnamon works the same way as well as ginger oil.they're both stimulating and increase the circulation to the scalp.

[Annalouise]

Hmm, cinamon and ginger smell nice. That would be a better route if it stimulates the scalp. Maybe I'll make one of each.:)

I definately don't like having stinky hair.:p Yuck.

[Arya]

but wouldn't cinnamon (if it's north american) oil lighten your roots?

[BranwenWolf]

Vodka goes into cosmopolitans and screwdrivers, not your hair!

[morecowbell]

Vodka goes into cosmopolitans and screwdrivers, not your hair!


And Caucasians if you're familiar with The Dude... ;)

Btw, I've been even more enabled and tonight I'll probably start a ginger root/coconut oil infusion going! :D

[Shrew]

I use a 'birch tonic' everyday. I don't know how to say that in English because it's something like traditional hair cosmetic in Poland, Ukraine, etc.
Although I have recipes for that and other herbal 'tonics', I buy it in a shop - it takes less time for me.

'Birch tonic' stimulates the scalp and prevent a dandruff, the alcohol helps for herbs to get through a scalp.
A lot of people also say that it makes that their hair grow faster and I believe it :)

On the other hand it can be drying so I don't commend the 'birch tonic' to people with dry skin.

[tiare_petal]

I was wondering - the original recipes for vodka hair tonics came from a time when manufacturing methods were different. It was a slightly different product, I reckon.

[Shrew]

I'm just not sure how to call it.
The better name might be a 'birch alcoholic lotion'.

I mean it's herbal extract with a alcohol base. People in my country have used it for decades (at least).
The most popular ingredient for this cosmetic is birch, but there is used also such herbs as nettle and calamus.

[morecowbell]

but wouldn't cinnamon (if it's north american) oil lighten your roots?

This is a very good point, Arya... and that possible side effect is a little bit concerning, I'll do some experiments/strand tests before I start putting it on my scalp.
Good catch! :)

Anyone else have thoughts/ideas on cinnamon oil lightening your hair?

[Annalouise]

That makes sense Shrew.:) I have a recipe for a willow and birch shampoo.
6 cups water
1 cup willow leaves
1 cup birch leaves
6 tbsp pure castile soap

You're supposed to massage it into your scalp. It says birch leaves are renowned for their unique ability to fortify the hair structure.
I tried to find birch leaves but I couln't find any. (probably they would have to be ordered online).

The thing about alcohol is I wonder if it is really so bad. I ask this because at least alcohol is fit for human consumption, versus all the chemicals in modern products that you cannot eat. Also, if you have an oily scalp then alcohol would help with that. And thirdly, many hair products contain alcohol.

If you are using it in a scalp tonic then its not really being applied to the hair.

Shrew - how do you apply the tonic to your hair? Would you like to share your recipe for birch hair tonic?



I use a 'birch tonic' everyday. I don't know how to say that in English because it's something like traditional hair cosmetic in Poland, Ukraine, etc.
Although I have recipes for that and other herbal 'tonics', I buy it in a shop - it takes less time for me.

'Birch tonic' stimulates the scalp and prevent a dandruff, the alcohol helps for herbs to get through a scalp.
A lot of people also say that it makes that their hair grow faster and I believe it :)

On the other hand it can be drying so I don't commend the 'birch tonic' to people with dry skin.


I'm just not sure how to call it.
The better name might be a 'birch alcoholic lotion'.

I mean it's herbal extract with a alcohol base. People in my country have used it for decades (at least).
The most popular ingredient for this cosmetic is birch, but there is used also such herbs as nettle and calamus.

[Shrew]

The thing about alcohol is I wonder if it is really so bad. I ask this because at least alcohol is fit for human consumption, versus all the chemicals in modern products that you cannot eat. Also, if you have an oily scalp then alcohol would help with that. And thirdly, many hair products contain alcohol. Yes, I have oily scalp. Does it help? I think so.. Lately I don't have to wash my hair everyday.

If you are using it in a scalp tonic then its not really being applied to the hair.

Shrew - how do you apply the tonic to your hair? Would you like to share your recipe for birch hair tonic? My hair also 'gets' some birch tonic/lotion when I apply it. There's no way to avoid it but I always try to not rub too much tonic in my hair.
I heard on a Polish forum that one girl applies birch tonic with a syrigne.. she doesn't use a needle of course ;)
But I think that it isn't comfortable method.
Personally I prefer to do it with my hands. I pour a bit of tonic on my hand and then I rub it in my scalp for a moment. Massage is important because it stimulates hair.

My recipe:
1. Put a few handfuls of birch leaves into a glass bottle or a jar.
2. Pour 100ml of strong vodka (about 80% vol.) and 100ml of water (mineral or boiled) into the bottle.
3. Keep the bottle in dark place for 10 days (at room temperature). Shake it well from time to time.
4. Strain the mixture. At the best do it with coffee filter.
5. Pour your tonic into a clean glass bottle.
That's it. It isn't difficult recipe but it needs time to prepare it.

[Arya]

This is a very good point, Arya... and that possible side effect is a little bit concerning, I'll do some experiments/strand tests before I start putting it on my scalp.
Good catch! :)

Anyone else have thoughts/ideas on cinnamon oil lightening your hair?

Is there a list of all the natural products that change hair colour? I'm really interested in making my own oils/cosmetics/body products, but I'm afraid of doing anything to my natural hair colour. The only things i can think of that I've heard is that cloves darken, ACV can redden, cassia/cinnamon lighten, lemon and honey lighten, and I think I read that EVOO also has a peroxide content? eek.

[Shrew]

I'd like to read something about it too :)
I know also that oak bark and sage leaf darken a hair. Nettle and rosemary darken only fair hair.

[Arya]

I'd like to read something about it too :)
I know also that oak bark and sage leaf darken a hair. Nettle and rosemary darken only fair hair.

Yes, but as a redhead, I have to worry about any lightening or darkening effects, because either will have an effect on my hair. A potentially green effect.

[Shrew]

I didn't think before that herbs could be so problematic for red hair..
But - if I had red hair, it would recompense everything! ;)

[Annalouise]

..
Anyone else have thoughts/ideas on cinnamon oil lightening your hair?

I've never used anything with cinnamon in it so I have no idea?


Yes, I have oily scalp. Does it help? I think so.. Lately I don't have to wash my hair everyday.
My hair also 'gets' some birch tonic/lotion when I apply it. There's no way to avoid it but I always try to not rub too much tonic in my hair.
I heard on a Polish forum that one girl applies birch tonic with a syrigne.. she doesn't use a needle of course ;)
But I think that it isn't comfortable method.
Personally I prefer to do it with my hands. I pour a bit of tonic on my hand and then I rub it in my scalp for a moment. Massage is important because it stimulates hair.

My recipe:
1. Put a few handfuls of birch leaves into a glass bottle or a jar.
2. Pour 100ml of strong vodka (about 80% vol.) and 100ml of water (mineral or boiled) into the bottle.
3. Keep the bottle in dark place for 10 days (at room temperature). Shake it well from time to time.
4. Strain the mixture. At the best do it with coffee filter.
5. Pour your tonic into a clean glass bottle.
That's it. It isn't difficult recipe but it needs time to prepare it.

Thanks for the recipe!:) Now all I have to do is get some birch leaves. I agree that massaging the scalp is important too.

I have another recipe for an oily scalp that you can spray on your scalp between washes to get rid of the oiliness. I haven't used it yet. I made it but haven't tried it out. This is the recipe:

2 Tbsp dried white willow bark
1 cup witch hazel
16 oz of water
Put the willow bark in the boiling water and let it steep for 1 hour. Cool, strain and put in a glass bottle. Put once cup of witch hazel in a spray bottle and add 1 tbsp of the willow bark formula. (add a drop of rosemary or lavender oil to make it smell nice if you like). Spray on roots to dissolve wax buildup. :)


Is there a list of all the natural products that change hair colour? I'm really interested in making my own oils/cosmetics/body products, but I'm afraid of doing anything to my natural hair colour. The only things i can think of that I've heard is that cloves darken, ACV can redden, cassia/cinnamon lighten, lemon and honey lighten, and I think I read that EVOO also has a peroxide content? eek.

The herbs suggested for redheads in my book are: cloves, cochineal, marigold, red henna, hibiscus and witch hazel bark.

I can also tell you what herbs are suggested for black, brown, blonde, gray and white hair if you want.:)

[Finchen]

Hi Annalouise,

could you please tell me what herbs are suggested for blonde hair?
Thanks. :)

[Annalouise]

Sure, :) herbs suggested for blonds include:
acacia flowers, black cherry bark, broom, calamus, chamomile, marigold, marshmellow root, orange flower, orrisroot, quassia chips, saffron, St. John's wort, turmeric, yellow mullein flowers.

[Arya]

I've never used anything with cinnamon in it so I have no idea?



Thanks for the recipe!:) Now all I have to do is get some birch leaves. I agree that massaging the scalp is important too.

I have another recipe for an oily scalp that you can spray on your scalp between washes to get rid of the oiliness. I haven't used it yet. I made it but haven't tried it out. This is the recipe:

2 Tbsp dried white willow bark
1 cup witch hazel
16 oz of water
Put the willow bark in the boiling water and let it steep for 1 hour. Cool, strain and put in a glass bottle. Put once cup of witch hazel in a spray bottle and add 1 tbsp of the willow bark formula. (add a drop of rosemary or lavender oil to make it smell nice if you like). Spray on roots to dissolve wax buildup. :)



The herbs suggested for redheads in my book are: cloves, cochineal, marigold, red henna, hibiscus and witch hazel bark.

I can also tell you what herbs are suggested for black, brown, blonde, gray and white hair if you want.:)
But I thought someone just said that cloves darken hair? Wouldn't that make my hair more brown/darker red? And red henna...wouldn't that just make my hair a totally different red? *is paranoid*
I'd love to hear all of them, you should make a thread on it!

[Shrew]

I agree with Arya!
A new thread about diffrent herbs and their influence on hair color is great idea. Polish books and websites about herbs don't give too many details about it.

[tiare_petal]

I'm a fan too :cheer:

[Finchen]

Sure, :) herbs suggested for blonds include:
acacia flowers, black cherry bark, broom, calamus, chamomile, marigold, marshmellow root, orange flower, orrisroot, quassia chips, saffron, St. John's wort, turmeric, yellow mullein flowers.

Thank you.
I have marshmallow root here so will make a rinse the next time.

I have made my own tincture some weeks ago.

It consists of:

1 tbsp. Amla-powder
1 tbsp. Bhringraj-powder
1 tbsp. Brahmi-powder
1 tbsp. Nettle-powder

I have put the powders into a jar and filled up with 40% water and 60% apple cidar vinegar.

After around 2 weeks I filtered the mixture and use it now on my scalp (on my part).

The above mentioned herbs can help with hair loss resp. stimulate hair growth, thats why I am using the tincture.
However the first 3 mentioned herbs can darken hair, so I am using a Q-tip (cotton swab) to apply it only to the scalp. It works quite good.

The mixture doesnt smell good, but I hope it will help. :)

[Annalouise]

But I thought someone just said that cloves darken hair? Wouldn't that make my hair more brown/darker red? And red henna...wouldn't that just make my hair a totally different red? *is paranoid*
I'd love to hear all of them, you should make a thread on it!


The above mentioned herbs impart a reddish color so therefore they are suggested for redheads and people who want to stay in their "red" hair color range. Its not saying go and henna your hair, its saying that using henna will keep you in the "red" range. There are many ways to use henna besides for dying your hair. I use it in my washes to get red highlights. You could do the same and it would enhance your red hair color when used in small amounts:).


Thank you.
I have marshmallow root here so will make a rinse the next time.

I have made my own tincture some weeks ago.

It consists of:

1 tbsp. Amla-powder
1 tbsp. Bhringraj-powder
1 tbsp. Brahmi-powder
1 tbsp. Nettle-powder

I have put the powders into a jar and filled up with 40% water and 60% apple cidar vinegar.

After around 2 weeks I filtered the mixture and use it now on my scalp (on my part).

The above mentioned herbs can help with hair loss resp. stimulate hair growth, thats why I am using the tincture.
However the first 3 mentioned herbs can darken hair, so I am using a Q-tip (cotton swab) to apply it only to the scalp. It works quite good.

The mixture doesnt smell good, but I hope it will help. :)

That tincture sounds really good Finchen. I also want to get some brahmi and bhringraj and amla. I never thought of making a scalp tonic with apple cider vinegar. Its probably the acv that smells, not the herbs. I have a brahmi hair scalp oil and it smells pretty nice. A bit weird, but good.:)
I think that tonic will be good for your scalp. I've been using an infused oil with rosemary, lavender and lemon essential oils on my scalp nightly and my hair IS growing faster. I'd say I've grown 3/4 to 1 inch in a month. Plus I do scalp massages and wash with herbs that stimulate the scalp.

And I tried the VODKA and CAYENNE tonic on my scalp! It doesn't smell bad, in fact it smells like cayenne which is a smell I like. But the alcohol has a cooling effect on the scalp that I'm not sure I like that much.

I think I'll make a cayanne and oil tonic for my scalp but in the meantime I'll use the vodka/cayanne one.

Or make a castor oil and ? herb tonic for my scalp? I'm not sure how I would use the castor oil but its supposed to stimulate new growth too.:)

[Shrew]

I've used castor oil since September and it really works :)
My hair is growing faster from then on but I use other things too.

And I've also used it for eyelashes and eyebrows for 2 weeks. My brows are thicker and lashes are somewhat longer, especially at lower eyelid.

[smileycat]

I've heard vodka can lighten hair. I am not sure whether or not this method involves the sun, but I went on a canoe trip during which the other two women doused their hair with vodka. At the end of the trip, one of the men commented to them that their hair hadn't changed a bit. My hair, on the other hand, he said was much lighter, and I put nothing in it.

I also read this vodka tip in a natural beauty book, so it might be worth some investigation if you are at all concerned about altering the color of your hair.

[Finchen]

That tincture sounds really good Finchen. I also want to get some brahmi and bhringraj and amla. I never thought of making a scalp tonic with apple cider vinegar. Its probably the acv that smells, not the herbs. I have a brahmi hair scalp oil and it smells pretty nice. A bit weird, but good.
I think that tonic will be good for your scalp. I've been using an infused oil with rosemary, lavender and lemon essential oils on my scalp nightly and my hair IS growing faster. I'd say I've grown 3/4 to 1 inch in a month. Plus I do scalp massages and wash with herbs that stimulate the scalp.

I think it is the combination of acv and the herbs that leads to the unpleasant smell.
But the smell goes away after only a few minutes, so this is no problem at all. :)

I didnt wanted to use oil on my scalp since I wash my hair only every 4 days, also I dont like to massage my scalp because I shed tons of hairs when I do that. :(
Therefore I searched for "tincture / tonic for hair" and found some recipes with acv, so I gave it a try.

I will maybe make a new tincture / tonic today, which will consist of Nettle root and Licorice root with Isopropyl alcohol.

I do have also Rosemary and Sage (fresh leaves), but dont know if I should add them to the new tincture / tonic. :undecided

[Annalouise]

I've used castor oil since September and it really works :)
My hair is growing faster from then on but I use other things too.

And I've also used it for eyelashes and eyebrows for 2 weeks. My brows are thicker and lashes are somewhat longer, especially at lower eyelid.

Do you use castor oil straight or mixed with something else? My recipe says mixing castor oil with white iodine (the kind you take internally) but white iodine is kindof hard to come by. I've also read that this method has been used in India.

What other things are you doing to increase stimulation of the scalp and enhance growth? Do tell.:)

I can't believe your eyebrows and eyelashes are thicker! That's amazing. How interesting. I better start using castor oil on my scalp;).

[Annalouise]

Smileycat -That's why I'm not going to use it on a continuous basis because alcohol is not good for the hair. And its hard to get it on the scalp and not on the hair. However, I think its safe to use in moderation.:)

Finchen - I have the same concern about putting oil on my scalp everyday and then having to wash my hair daily. And if I only put it on every three days is that enough to get the stimulation the scalp needs to improve its growth? Since my books say you must put the herbs on the scalp daily (2x a day), I just decided to go with that. So far my scalp has been in really good condition.

Rosemary stimulates the scalp, but it is also said to darken hair. And sage stimulates the scalp and also reduces sebum, but it is also darkening. I use both of them in my reetha shampoo.:)

[Finchen]

I have often read that castor oil makes eyelashes grow longer.
Also coconut oil should help, thats why I am trying it since yesterday. :D

[sarahramen]

As I am underage so I am going to make a cayenne evoo infusion. im thinking 4 tbsp cayenne pepper powder to two cups olive oil and cold infuse it in a jar shaking it once a day for 2 weeks then strain. use as a scalp massage. any thoughts? ill keep you posted.

[Shrew]

Do you use castor oil straight or mixed with something else? My recipe says mixing castor oil with white iodine (the kind you take internally) but white iodine is kindof hard to come by. I've also read that this method has been used in India.I don't mix it with anything :)
But I put it on wet hair because I find this oil hard to apply.

What other things are you doing to increase stimulation of the scalp and enhance growth? Do tell.:)
I drink nettle and horsetail infusions and I also make herbal hair rinses (burdock root, oak bark and 'recycled' nettle and horsetail).
Everyday I use 'birch tonic/lotion' and every other day I oil my hair with castor oil, coconut oil or cosmetic kerosene (I'm not sure if it's well-chosen name).
Tomorrow I'm going to buy the rosemary and maybe lavender oil, I heard that these oil also stimulate hair to growth.

I can't believe your eyebrows and eyelashes are thicker! That's amazing. How interesting. I better start using castor oil on my scalp;).
That's true.
I hope my eyelashes will even longer then now, I dream about seductive look ;)

[Annalouise]

As I am underage so I am going to make a cayenne evoo infusion. im thinking 4 tbsp cayenne pepper powder to two cups olive oil and cold infuse it in a jar shaking it once a day for 2 weeks then strain. use as a scalp massage. any thoughts? ill keep you posted.

That's funny, I made this today too!:D I put 1/2 tbsp of cayenne pepper in 1/2 cup of heated olive oil. I stirred it and put the lid on the jar. It's ready to use.:)

I found the vodka/cayanne to be too cold on my head. It would be great for the summer.


I don't mix it with anything :)
But I put it on wet hair because I find this oil hard to apply.

I drink nettle and horsetail infusions and I also make herbal hair rinses (burdock root, oak bark and 'recycled' nettle and horsetail).
Everyday I use 'birch tonic/lotion' and every other day I oil my hair with castor oil, coconut oil or cosmetic kerosene (I'm not sure if it's well-chosen name).
Tomorrow I'm going to buy the rosemary and maybe lavender oil, I heard that these oil also stimulate hair to growth.

That's true.
I hope my eyelashes will even longer then now, I dream about seductive look ;)

I never thought of drinking the nettle and horsetail! ;) That is a good idea. I too make an herbal rinse for my hair after shampooing that has sage, rosemary, nettles, horsetail, basil and chaparral. It darkens my hair a bit which I like.

What do you use to wash your hair? I'm curious if you use shampoo and conditioner or just shampoo and the herbal rinse? I'm trying to get off of conditioner but I haven't succeeded yet.

I made a scalp oil today that has coconut oil and castor oil with some rosemary and lavender essential oil.:) The recipe called for 8 parts oil to 1 part castor oil. Then I made another one that was 50% castor oil and 50% coconut oil. I think I'll alternate between the two. And between my olive oil and cayanne oil.

Gee, my scalp willl be on fire after all that!:D

[Arya]

The above mentioned herbs impart a reddish color so therefore they are suggested for redheads and people who want to stay in their "red" hair color range. Its not saying go and henna your hair, its saying that using henna will keep you in the "red" range. There are many ways to use henna besides for dying your hair. I use it in my washes to get red highlights. You could do the same and it would enhance your red hair color when used in small amounts:).



That tincture sounds really good Finchen. I also want to get some brahmi and bhringraj and amla. I never thought of making a scalp tonic with apple cider vinegar. Its probably the acv that smells, not the herbs. I have a brahmi hair scalp oil and it smells pretty nice. A bit weird, but good.:)
I think that tonic will be good for your scalp. I've been using an infused oil with rosemary, lavender and lemon essential oils on my scalp nightly and my hair IS growing faster. I'd say I've grown 3/4 to 1 inch in a month. Plus I do scalp massages and wash with herbs that stimulate the scalp.

And I tried the VODKA and CAYENNE tonic on my scalp! It doesn't smell bad, in fact it smells like cayenne which is a smell I like. But the alcohol has a cooling effect on the scalp that I'm not sure I like that much.

I think I'll make a cayanne and oil tonic for my scalp but in the meantime I'll use the vodka/cayanne one.

Or make a castor oil and ? herb tonic for my scalp? I'm not sure how I would use the castor oil but its supposed to stimulate new growth too.:)

Yeah, that's the funny thing. Everything 'for redheads' is actually 'for people who's hair is not naturally red, but want to have red hair', which is why I'm leery of these things. I like my hair colour, so I want to avoid anything that change the colour at all. Besides, 'imparting a reddish tone' could be any weird shade of red that doesn't necessarily match my own. I think it would be helpful to get a thread going about colour changes and herbs so that those who want to change their colour can find nice ways to do it, and those who want to avoid all colour change can figure out what to avoid.

[Shrew]

I never thought of drinking the nettle and horsetail! ;) That is a good idea. I too make an herbal rinse for my hair after shampooing that has sage, rosemary, nettles, horsetail, basil and chaparral. It darkens my hair a bit which I like. Both herbs, nettle and horsetail, are good silicon sources.
I think that has influence on hair growth.

What do you use to wash your hair? I'm curious if you use shampoo and conditioner or just shampoo and the herbal rinse? I'm trying to get off of conditioner but I haven't succeeded yet.
Before every hair washing (i.e. every other day) I oil my hair overnight.
And in the morning I wash my hair with a herbal shampoo, then I use a conditioner and a herbal rinse at the end.
As a matter of interest, why are you trying to get off conditioner? Is it bad for a hair?

Gee, my scalp willl be on fire after all that!:D
Hope you are still alive - I can't wait for a new herbal thread :D

[jojo]

Ive heard of this before but never tried it!

I much prefer my vodka with lemonade and lime in...on the rocks not my head! :D

But if you do try please share results, oh yeah and be careful with the cayenne pepper, there was a post on here sometime back of a lady who got burns with it dripping down her neck, so do be careful x

[Tressie]

but wouldn't cinnamon (if it's north american) oil lighten your roots?


This is what I was thinking! If you do a thread search on "cinnamon lightens", you'll find some info to that effect, I believe.:D

[Annalouise]

Hi Shrew:) I don't think conditioner is bad at all. I was trying to go totally natural and just use oils and herbs but it didn't work.:( I got a lot of build up on my hair. So I shampooed it and it is better. I am doing an herbal haircare routine right now and it does not have any conditioner in it. I use soap and herbs to wash, and an herbal rinse. And a deep oiling once a week. Maybe I need conditioner too?

You can get silica too in sunflower seeds if you eat those.

I survived the cayanne and vodka treatment.:D But I didn't like it. I think it gave me a headache.;)

[jojo]

or was that a hangover *hic hic* :D

[Annalouise]

:D haha, I swear I didn't drink any but it did give me a headache.

[Shrew]

Annalouise,
I also sometimes think about go more natural. And this is why I'm so interested in herbs, oil haircare, healthy nutrition, etc.
Have you ever washed your hair with a soapwort decoction? I'd like to try it but I can't find soapwort root in my city..

Idea with cayenne & vodka treatment is too brave for me. I prefer my birch tonic :)

[jojo]

:D haha, I swear I didn't drink any but it did give me a headache.

ha ha I believe you, thousands wouldn't:D and don't blame your hair if it gets wavier either, vodka has the effect of making me totally unable to walk straight; heaven help your already wavy hair, it will be a spiraling!

[Annalouise]

Annalouise,
I also sometimes think about go more natural. And this is why I'm so interested in herbs, oil haircare, healthy nutrition, etc.
Have you ever washed your hair with a soapwort decoction? I'd like to try it but I can't find soapwort root in my city..

Idea with cayenne & vodka treatment is too brave for me. I prefer my birch tonic :)

Shrew, I was using aritha to wash my hair for three weeks, (not the whole soapnuts, but the powdered kind) and using herbal rinses and oils to condition. It was going well except I started to get build-up. My hair became crunchy and stiff and tangly. So I washed my hair with shampoo and it got better.

Now I am using a natural shampoo mixed into an herbal tea to wash my hair. I don't want to get that buildup. I'm still not using conditioner but I don't know how long that will last or if my hair will get dry? Instead I oil my hair before washes.

;)Please, stick with the birch tonic! (I don't recommend the vodka).:) I looked online to see how much it will cost to make a shampoo with birch bark (from Poland) and it will cost me 5.00$ for one cup of birch bark, plus 10.00$ shipping. So, I think its expensive.

For that reason I am going to go with local herbs that I can harvest or buy cheap.


ha ha I believe you, thousands wouldn't:D and don't blame your hair if it gets wavier either, vodka has the effect of making me totally unable to walk straight; heaven help your already wavy hair, it will be a spiraling!

Ha Ha, you're a funny one.:D My hair is as straight as I am!:p

[ChloeDharma]

Annalouise,
I also sometimes think about go more natural. And this is why I'm so interested in herbs, oil haircare, healthy nutrition, etc.
Have you ever washed your hair with a soapwort decoction? I'd like to try it but I can't find soapwort root in my city..

Idea with cayenne & vodka treatment is too brave for me. I prefer my birch tonic :)

Soapwort root can be hard to find here too though i think baldwins.co.uk sells it.
If you can get some seeds then maybe you could try planting some. I hear it grows very quickly to the point it takes over an area if not kept in check but it has pretty small pink flowers.
I assume you do mean soapwort and not soapnut aka reetha/aritha? I've never used it myself but i do hear it is good if you don't mind taking the time to prepare the decoction, i THINK museums traditionally used it to clean antique lace.
Sorry, went off topic there but i hope that helps :)

[Finchen]

I have washed my hair with Soapwort yesterday but the result was disappointing. My hair is still a bit greasy and the ends are dry. Not sure if I will repeat it to wash with Soapwort.

[Shrew]

;)Please, stick with the birch tonic! (I don't recommend the vodka).:) I looked online to see how much it will cost to make a shampoo with birch bark (from Poland) and it will cost me 5.00$ for one cup of birch bark, plus 10.00$ shipping. So, I think its expensive. I got confused - do you mean that I shouldn't give up my birch tonic though you disapprove of this? ;)

Wow! That price of birch bark suprised me totally. Although, the birch bark isn't commonly used, so it may be so expensive. I don't know, I haven't checked it yet.
As for herbal hair care, birch leaves and juice are more popular. I pay about $0.60 for 50g of birch leaves here :)

Soapwort root can be hard to find here too though i think baldwins.co.uk sells it.
If you can get some seeds then maybe you could try planting some. I hear it grows very quickly to the point it takes over an area if not kept in check but it has pretty small pink flowers.
I assume you do mean soapwort and not soapnut aka reetha/aritha? I've never used it myself but i do hear it is good if you don't mind taking the time to prepare the decoction, i THINK museums traditionally used it to clean antique lace.
Sorry, went off topic there but i hope that helps :)
The soapnut is out of my reach, I generally buy local herbs - shipping is just too expensive for me.
But your idea to plant a soapwort is interesting, I'll think about it :)

I have washed my hair with Soapwort yesterday but the result was disappointing. My hair is still a bit greasy and the ends are dry. Not sure if I will repeat it to wash with Soapwort.
I was afraid about it..
On the other hand I heard that good soapwort decoct has better lather properties then even a classic soap, so I don't know what to think about it :confused:

[tiare_petal]

I have washed my hair with Soapwort yesterday but the result was disappointing. My hair is still a bit greasy and the ends are dry. Not sure if I will repeat it to wash with Soapwort.

I think with soapwort it makes a difference if the infusion is simmered or not, as the heat releases tannins which can make hair feel dry. I only infused mine in room-temperature, non-chlorinated water for a couple of hours. I let the liquid sit on my hair for a few minutes before washing it off. I was clean ;)



On the other hand I heard that good soapwort decoct has better lather properties then even a classic soap, so I don't know what to think about it :confused:

My infusion didn't lather much, not as much as soapnut liquid. However, I saw pics of a fresh soapwort herb making tons of lather (afair the links were posted somewhere on lhc).

[Shrew]

So I'll try to get some soapwort seeds and plant it at my home.
I found on youtube (;)) something about doing a soapwort shampoo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XktNAsd8v0

In connection with the thread subject: do you know more recipes with alcohol to stimulate a hair growth? :)

[Finchen]

I think with soapwort it makes a difference if the infusion is simmered or not, as the heat releases tannins which can make hair feel dry. I only infused mine in room-temperature, non-chlorinated water for a couple of hours. I let the liquid sit on my hair for a few minutes before washing it off. I was clean ;)

Aha, thanks for the info, I didnt know that. So most likely this was the mistake I did!
I let the infusion simmer for more than 10 minutes.
The next time I wont let it simmer but instead I will infuse the Soapwort in destilled water for a couple of hours (during night).

[ChloeDharma]

So I'll try to get some soapwort seeds and plant it at my home.
I found on youtube (;)) something about doing a soapwort shampoo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XktNAsd8v0

In connection with the thread subject: do you know more recipes with alcohol to stimulate a hair growth? :)

I expect really you would just look up herbs that are used for hair growth and soak them in alcohol. Burdock root and nettle root would be good choices i think.

[Annalouise]

Hi Shrew. Sorry for being confusing, I meant that for me it is too expensive to buy the willow bark online. (Maybe later but right now I'm spending too much on hair recipes;))

I don't know any other recipes for tonics with alcohol to encourage new growth.

[ritza]

You can try cayenne pepper in Castor oil....



Happy Hair Growing!

[varintalonguard]

I'm sure tons of people have said this already but it sound painful...but my scalp can be really sensitive to those kind of things.

[sarahramen]

hi so my cayenne oil mix is finished infusing and I would like to share my results of using it 1 time (so basically to alleviate fears of a 'scalp on fire') I did not strain my oil because I figured more pepper=more irritation=more blood flow=more benefits or at least thats my way of thinking... do i poured some in a pointy tipped bottle and applied to my scalp, someone here mention using a cotton ball I may try that. massage for a few minutes, then just let sit on scalp for at least 1/2 an hour to all night, its all about what you can handle. My tolerance to the oil was really high which surprised me, I have really sensitive skin that cant even use acne face washes without burning, but the scalp oil just felt warm, pleasantly warm, not painful or horrible at all. I will continue to do this the night before I wash which is 1-2 times per week. Do you think this is often enough to see benefits?

[Annalouise]

My recipe says to use daily in order to get the benefits but of course you can use it less often to suit your washing schedual.

I took a break from my scalp tonics and oils because I was experimenting with a new washing product. I think I'll go back to daily use because I did notice my hair grew faster.:)

[Shatam1]

Bad idea..... Void be very irritating for ur scalp.... :rolleyes:

[PolarCathy]

I'm doing this now with onion, and I don't find it drying (so far). I should add that I'm not sensitive, never had scalp problems, flakes or anything.