Herbal Discoveries: Rosemary and Sage Hair Rinse

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     Here's my second Herbal discoveries post I'd like to share with you! I'd like to tell you about an easy Rosemary and Sage Hair rinse that we use. It's great for softening your hair (much like a conditioner would do, but a lot less chemicals!) and also may help with your dry or itchy scalp.

    

     Nothing could be simpler than this recipe! Mostly what you need is a little patience while your herbs infuse into your vinegar! But before we get to the recipe, lets talk about why I chose these two particular herbs.

1. They are readily accessible by anyone who has access to a Grocery store. I have both of these herbs growing in my own yard and I am blessed to live in a place where both of them can survive year round! (I do cover them for the occasional freeze) At least in the US, you should be able to find both of these herbs in your vegetable aisle. Fresh is always better, but if dried is your only option, then it's better than nothing!

2. Both Rosemary and Sage are excellent for your scalp. They both have been known for being a help for dandruff as well as having antibacterial and antiviral properties. Rosemary in particular has some properties that may help increase circulation as well.

Here's how you make it. Choose how much you would like to make. This Herbal vinegar will keep well, I chose to make a full gallon. This is NOT the time to use your more valuable raw Apple Cider Vinegar. The more typical store bought kind is fine in this circumstance.  

Whatever size you choose, you'll want a similar sized glass container. I'm using one of those large pickle jars from a wholesale club store. Fill it 1/2 to 3/4 full of your herbs. This may be a reason to choose a smaller sized container if you don't have it growing in your own yard, since it would be pricey to purchase as much herb as I am using here. If you find that you enjoy this hair rinse as much as we do, you may decide to purchase some of the herbs yourself and grow your own! Fill the jar with your vinegar and put on the cover.

      Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight (I put it in a lower cupboard). You'll want the herbs to soak in the vinegar for at least 2 weeks, more time will not hurt though, I tend to leave mine for at least a month. You should try to regularly shake or turn the jar a little to make sure all the vinegar is well infused with the herbs.

     When it's ready, strain the herbs from the vinegar and discard them. (Still great for your compost pile or if you don't have one, place them under a tree or bush in your yard.) Now your vinegar is ready to use! You can shampoo your hair as normal, we like to use a shampoo bar ourselves such as this one. To use the rinse, it's nice to have a squeeze bottle like this one pictured, but it's not essential.

      You want to dilute your vinegar to be about 50/50 with water. After you wash your hair pour the rinse over your head. I like to do this with my hair forward, especially if I've just shaved my legs. Vinegar on legs that have just been shaved DOESN'T FEEL GOOD, just take my advice on this one. ;) I pour it on my head, being careful to avoid getting it in my eyes, squeeze it through my hair.

      You can rinse with water immediately. Your hair will feel softer right away! If you have a condition like dandruff you may want to leave the vinegar on longer or even not rinse it off. The smell will be slightly stronger, however by the time your hair dries the smell will be mostly gone.

     Some other potential uses for this vinegar:

• it would make a decent bug spray, especially if you add some lemongrass or citronella essential oil to the finished product. (Do NOT ingest if you added either oil) 
• It also would help as a non-chemical solution if you had a bug infestation on a plant. Spray the plant well with the infused vinegar and when the bugs are dead wash the plant off with a hose.
• Certainly, as it is, could be used for and oil and  infused vinegar salad dressing! Sage is NOT recommended for nursing mothers as it can lower milk supply. A little may be okay, but a large amount should be avoided.

          I hope this herbal vinegar is helpful for you and your family! I am happy to try and answer any non-medical questions  you may have and I'd love to hear about it if you try it yourself!

An interesting new product you might like to try from Joyal Beauty is Royal Jelly Serum for Face enriched with Royal Jelly, Bee Propolis, Honey, and Powerful Natural Antioxidants and Plant Bio-actives. You can check it out here. 

In case you are interested these shots were taken with a CanonPowerShot  SD 1200

All medical advice should be asked of a medical professional. I am NOT a medical professional. Not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease according to the FDA.