Spritzes: The Quick and Easy Hair Fix

bubblespraybottleSpritzes are underrated in my opinion. I mean, most of us devour the latest news in hair packs, masks and treatments. So it’s easy to overlook the power of the spritz.

 

 

Spritzes Are An Essential Layer in Hair Care

Hair (and skin) care works best from a layering approach. Daily, weekly or bi-weekly hair washing and conditioning isn’t enough to deliver the nutrients and moisture hair needs between cleanings. Regular washing and conditioning are only two layers in your hair care regime.

Here’s what I mean. Say your hair has been breaking lately. So, you give yourself a deep penetrating gelatin or wheat protein pack (that’s layer one).

After the pack, your hair needs moisture to restore elasticity so you condition with your favorite conditioning co-wash (layer two), follow up with a cold aloe vera juice spritz (layer three, see?) to close the cuticle and seal with sweet almond or castor oil (layer four). Two days later, your hair is dry. Fact is, for some people, it may take daily conditioning (layer five) to completely restore your moisture balance.

That’s where your spritz comes in.  A simple mixture of distilled water, aloe vera juice, jojoba oil and vegetable glycerine in a spray bottle will hydrate and condition your hair on the spot.

The Perfect Hair RX

Spritzes can be your best weapon in the fight against dryness, tangling, frizz and hair weakness that can occur within days after your penetrating conditioning treatment.

They are simple formulas that are easy to make yet target specific hair problems. So, you can make spritzes that

  • Detangle
  • Moisturize or hydrate
  • Tame frizz
  • Add curl definition
  • Balance pH
  • Nourish your scalp
  • Add nutrients
  • Strengthen
  • Blot excess oil
  • Revitalize curls, kinks and coils

The only basic ingredients you need is a spray bottle and distilled water. You’d be surprised what combinations of healthy hair spritzes you can make with

  • Juices — such as aloe vera, lemon or cucmber
  • Teas/herbal infusions — green, rose hip, linden flowers, etc.
  • Essential Oils
  • Vinegars — distilled, red wine or apple cider
  • Oils — jojoba, amla, rose hip seed, grapeseed, etc.
  • Humectants — honey, vegetable glycerine
  • Plant gels — flax seed, xanthum gum, marshmallow

3 Spritz Recipes

Horsetail Hair Strengthening Spritz

Horsetail is rich in silica and known to promote hair and nail growth. When used externally, horsetail can also prevent split ends. You can buy tea bags at a health food store or wherever bulk dried botanicals are sold. This is my personal recipe: 

  • 3/4 cup aloe vera juice
  • 1/4 cup distilled water
  • 1 heaping tsp dried horsetail or 1 tea bag
  • 1 heaping tsp dried rose buds or 1 bag rose hips tea
  • 1 heaping tsp dried linden leaves and flowers or 1 bag linden flower tea
  • 3 tbs vegetable glycerine or honey
  • 1 tsp jojoba or avocado oil
  • 3 drops lemon, orange or grapefruit oil

Bring to boil the tea bags or loose leaves in the aloe vera juice for one minute, simmer for about 10 minutes, then cover and let sit until it begins to cool.  Strain with cheesecloth or sieve while warm (add honey when warm). If you’re using glycerine, add to the infusion when it cools. Mix in your choice of oil and essential oil which will act as a preservative. Add water. Pour into a spray bottle and refrigerate. Mist three times weekly to enliven morning curls, detangle or when night setting your hair. Make sure you massage conditioning and nutrient-roch sprays into your scalp. Shake well before using.

Multi-purpose Detangling Spritz

This recipe inspired by Nearly Natural Momma is one of the best detangling recipes I’ve seen. Nothing detangles like apple cider vinegar. Marshmallow root is a natural thickener and reduces to a mucousy consistency when boiled. It adds the slip needed to soften stubborn tangles and reduce frizz. Of course, lavender essential oil strengthens, aids hair growth and prevents fall out. I added the vitamin e oil as a preservative and extra nutrient. This is a great all around spritz for all hair types and textures!!

Add marshmallow root to distilled water, bring to boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Cool, strain through cheesecloth, then mix in the remaining ingredients. Puncture the vitamin e capsule with a safety pin and squeeze contents into mixture. Pour into a spray bottle. Store in refrigerator. Cold spritzes are perfect for closing the cuticle and calming unruly hair. Shake before using.

DIY Beach Wave Hair Spray

This spray by Fit and Fab Living is exclusively for women with straight or wavy hair (mostly type #2 as per the Andrew Walker typing system). It contains sea salt which is too harsh for textured hair types. But it’s wonderful for enlivening and defining waves. The recipe called for any store-bought hair gel. So I substituted it with flax seed and xanthum gum gels.

  • 2 tbs coconut oil
  • 1 tbs sea salt
  • 1 tsp flax seed or xanthum gum gel
  • 1 tbs leave-in conditioner (optional)
  • 1 cup distilled water

First, make your flax seed gel (Boil 2 cups distilled water and 1/4 cup flax seeds until mixture gels, strain, and cool) or xanthum gum gel (gradually mix 1 tsp xanthum gum powder into 1 cup distilled water until it thickens).

Melt coconut oil in the microwave. Add salt, gel and conditioner (optional). Heat the distilled water but don’t bring it to boil. Remove from heat and stir in oil, salt, gel and conditioner. Cool and pour into spray bottle. The salt is a natural preservative. Keep in a cool, dark, dry place. Spray liberally on damp or freshly washed hair and let air dry into sultry, separated waves. Shake before using.

The possibilities are endless!

These three recipes are just the tip of the ice burg. Naturally, I’ll post more inspired concoctions. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, experiment. Let me know what you come up with!

Category : ALFS Recipe Book, Hair