Ginger Tea Rinse to Treat Dandruff and Flaky Scalp

It's officially winter! In case being in the middle of February wasn't a good reminder, if you're anything like me then your flaky scalp has pretty much done the trick.

The air outside is frightful...ly dry. It's really dry, and quite brisk. For someone who has trouble maintaining a consistent moisturizing/hydration regimen for their hair, Winter is one of the last things you want to add to your list of concerns *raises both hands in surrender*. The cold, dry air can take the occasional dry scalp problem into "OMG I just washed my hair last week and now when I scratch my scalp there's asbestos falling out. WAHHH😭" territory.

It's for this exact reason that I'll be sharing this DIY remedy for dry flaky scalp that can easily be incorporated into your wash routine for the rest of the season.

This Ginger Tea rinse is great for combating flaky scalp and dandruff due to the natural properties of ginger:
+ Ginger has natural anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. This helps with inflammation or bacterial concerns at the scalp.
+ Ginger naturally stimulates blood flow to the scalp, which encourages and aids in hair growth. You will definitely feel this tingle when you use any at home DIY ginger remedies. Along with the previous benefit, you may want to try incorporating ginger into your hair care routine for a few weeks if you've experienced dandruff-related hair loss.
+ Properties of ginger may help to strengthen hair from the roots, therefore improving not just scalp health but hair health as well.

How I Deep Condition My Waist Length Locs

This post is not sponsored, however it may contain affiliate links. I may gain a commission if you shop through these links. These views and opinions are my own and I will always give an honest review.

Hey Loves,

What's crackalackin'! Last week I showed you my easy peezy DIY recipe for an Avocado Protein Deep Conditioner Treatment. If you missed it, click here for the video of how I whip up this hair smoothie, and a detailed recipe and instructions.

Today I'm sharing details on my application and results of this deep conditioner. You can watch the video, read this post, or both! Whatever you do, leave a comment and let me know if you will try or have tried a treatment like this!

• Application Prep:

First, I shampooed my hair (I recommend a minimum of two shampoos) with OGX Awapuhi Ginger Shampoo. You don't have to go out and buy this shampoo, it's just one that I had on hand and decided to try. I didn't find it life changing, but it did the job and smells quite nice. For a deep clean I made sure to really get in there with my fingers and work the scalp and the roots (where buildup tends to occur). The first shampoo is always a doozy due to oils and build up in the hair, but the second time around you should get a really nice lather. If your hair is as long as mine (waist length or longer) you may find that two shampoos aren't enough because of oils and build up in the length of the locs. So 3's often the charm.

After rinsing, I applied a Garnier Fructis Anti-dandruff Shampoo to my scalp *only*, and massaged that in until I had a nice lather. I use the Mint Cleanse version which I like, but generally find too drying for my hair so I keep it focused on the scalp. However, Garnier also makes a version of this shampoo for dry scalp (I had no idea) that I may have to try when I run out. I also focus on the scalp because this shampoo has fine microbeads that I'm weary of getting into my locs. Disclaimer: I've had this shampoo a while. The way I use it a little goes a long way, so I'm not sure if newer versions of this shampoo contain these microbeads.

• Application:

The shorter your hair the easier, and less messy this application will be. I divided my hair into 4 sections to make application more manageable. With each section I worked with, I first divided it into two parts and applied the avocado treatment from the ends of the hair to the roots. In hindsight it probably would've been smarter for me to start from the roots. I only say that because I almost ran out  and literally scraped the bowl to have enough to apply to my roots in the last section. Despite this little moment of panic though, it worked out. I started at my ends because that"s where my hair was driest and I just wanted to bring my ends back to life.

When I was done I two-strand twisted, then wrapped each section up into a bun, ultimately ending up with 8 buns (looking like a hot mess smh) although 4 would have been ideal. Once my buns were secure I then put a plastic bag over my head and secured. Yes... a plastic bag (Tarjay, you da best *DJ Khaled voice*). Don't judge me. Reuse, Reduce, Recycle #nshit. Plus, I haven't found a shower cap that adequately covers all of my hair. YOU can however do you and use a shower cap. Whatever works! Next I wrapped a head wrap/scarf around my head just to absorb any liquid that leaked from my DIY shower cap set up.

Now ideally, letting this mixture sit in the hair  for a minimum of 30 minutes should do the job to see some results. You could even add a heating/steam cap to really help this treatment penetrate even more effectively. I was aiming for 4 hours because a) I don't have naan heating cap b) I had ish to do while this DC was percolating... BUT I also knew that is was damn near 6 pm by the time I had finished applying; I was tiahd! I took care of some chores and just went to rest my eyes a bit. Well when I woke up it was Tomorrow 😭... yes, the next day.

Look, I just went ahead and rinsed my hair out really well in the shower. You can't cry over spilled milk.  I ran very warm water (DO NOT BURN YOURSELF then come back to this blog to yell at me in all caps! Use your discretion!), and used that washing motion that grandma teaches you so you know how to wash your clothes by hand to work the conditioner out of my locs. If you don't have locs this may not be necessary, but if you do you want to ensure that you rinse this out thoroughly.

After rinsing out the DC completely I applied  Creme of Nature's Argan Oil Pure-Licious Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner to my hair. This co-wash is free of sulphates, parabens, mineral oil, and petrolatum, and it was perfect so as not to strip the hair of all the moisture I'd just put in.

• Results:

My hair felt soft, rejuvenated and moisturized. Prior to this treatment I was experiencing dullness and dryness, and while this obviously is not a one time fix-all remedy, there was a noticeable difference with my hair. There was definitely more shine, and what I refer to as slip with my hair. A better term would probably be increased smoothness. I'm going to try this treatment again soon to see if I get similar results.

Unfortunately I did not retwist/re-loc my hair this time around, I just let my loc-fro do it's thing... something I'm sure I will regret next retwist time because I did not pull these babies apart while they were free. Le sigh.

I hope this post was helpful! Leave a comment and make sure to Subscribe to my Youtube channel so you don't miss a video!

Peace!
Nik

OGX Awapuhi Ginger Shampoo: http://amzn.to/2gx8kIq
Garnier Fructis Anti-dandruff Shampoo: http://amzn.to/2f1z9DW
Creme of Nature w/ Argan Oil Pure-licious Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner: http://amzn.to/2gfF2v8

DIY AVOCADO PROTEIN DEEP CONDITIONER RECIPE pt. 1

This post is not sponsored, however it may contain affiliate links. I may gain a commission if you shop through these links. These views and opinions are my own and I will always give an honest review.

Originally I called this recipe Avocado Pudding Deep Conditioner, then I thought "no, Avocado Smoothie sounds better. However for the sake of not misleading the interwebs, and then having people lament in the comments about this not being an edible recipe, I decided to keep it simple and obvious. 

Now if you decide to only work with the edible ingredients below, you'll actually have the base for a delicious avocado (salad) dressing or a dipping sauce. All you'll need to do is add some herbs, spices, and S&P.

Photo Credit: http://imgur.com/gallery/AZoRxSp

 But that's not why you're here, is it? 

This week I'm sharing this deep conditioner recipe because there's no avocado I know of that deserves to die a dumpster death. Basically, I went on a weekend trip, forgot about this avocado and it was way too soft and too ripe to make for good... anything that needs to be tasted by the time I got back.  So I harkened back to the days before my locs could be put into a ponytail - when all I'd do is play in my hair with endless products and whipped up concoctions.

This recipe is similar to a number of recipes I've tried previously, and avocado is a major key🔑here. This is something you learn after trying this recipe with banana. Spoiler alert! Banana really likes setting up house and home in your locs if you're not careful. If you've got locs... Don't do it! Please don't do it! *Drake voice*

Here are the benefits of the ingredients I used in this recipe:

Dope Sh!t: The Largest Tiny Apartment in NYC

I often fantasize about remodeling shipping containers and making a home out of 'em in a very near hippie future of mine. 

Photo taken from www.quik-build.com

Photo by Jack Thompson via design-milk.com

However the video below took my fantasies of eco-friendly living to a whole new level. My mind was blown the first time I saw this video. 

I am so down for this from an ecofriendly and efficiency point of view. However, I can't help but think how laborious it must be to be that neat allll the time. The space is so precisely designed that there isn't really "room" to forget to put something back. If you forget to make the bed you lose your workout space & entertainment space.

I showed this video to a few people and one in particular was concerned that a drunken night returning to this apartment would make for an interesting story, especially if you get a little disoriented as to the difference between the toilet seat and the privacy seat.

This space is definitely for the person with an acute affinity for detail and ... to be politically incorrect, always having their shit together. That person is also probably aroused by the act of putting everything back after use. I'm just saying.

Could you live here? 

La Nomrah Living: Dos Toros NYC Review

As usual, last Monday I spent close to 30 minutes googling restaurants for lunch near my current freelance gig. To say the least, if I don't bring lunch to work with me, finding something to eat can be quite the exercise. I have to have a taste for something, and if I don't... WELP! Watch how quickly thirty minutes can turn into damned near an hour. To make matters worse, purchasing lunch everyday is not the most financially sound decision; not in the heart of Manhattan where one lunch could add up to 3 days worth of train fare... round trip.

In any case Monday was a quick find. I narrowed it down to Maoz (vegetarian felafel spot which I still haven't tried yet, and rumored to be the best felafels in NYC) and Dos Toros Taqueria (burritos, burritos, burritos!!!! Oh... did I mention burritos?). I love any meal that can be housed in a wrap (except your typical wrap sandwich), and Dos Toros came with high recommendation from my co-worker who raved that the burritos "are even better than Chipotle's ... and taste just like the ones from back home [Cali]." That was about all I needed to convince me - not that I needed convincing - especially since my transplanted Californian friends always seem to unsheathe their authentic Mexican cuisine experience on the West coast like the sword of Zorro, and use it to deflate the lowly Chipotle, Qdoba, and bodega offerings of which we East Coasters are forced to partake.*cough* food snobs *cough*

Photo: www.dostoros.com

I made my way to Dos Toros' Union Square location (137 4th Avenue, New York NY 10003) accompanied by my Cali-native friend.  We were right on time! When we arrived we were able to join the line inside the eatery, and a few short minutes later we were seated and devouring our burritos. Not too long after we sat, the line grew magically and snaked outside, and I was glad to be early for something for once in my life! Plus, I was starvin' like Marvin and probably would have passed out from the furor of and overzealous hunger pang had I needed to stand on that line.

I digress... I was impressed (apparently I'm a poet too) - and it wasn't the furious hunger pang speaking.

I ordered a pollo asado (grilled chicken) burrito with black beans, rice, guacamole, cheese, mild salsa and a bit of verde (green & mild) hot sauce. Listen friends ... the rice was yellow! Yellow and flavorful! The burrito wrap was not pasty, cloying or excessively thick or doughy like I have experienced with other burritos from other restaurants that will go unnamed right here (however you can check out Ed Levine's more experienced tete-a-tete dicourse of Dos Toros vs. The Unmentionable *cough* Chipotle *cough* at SeriousEats.com) The pollo asado was seasoned right - there was a nice balance of smoky and spicy .... and the juices! Oh, the juices of that huge ass burrito! The chicken was succulent. The guacamole wasn't fantastical in terms of flavor - nothing to write home about - but it had a smooth enough texture that didn't take away from enjoying the flavor sensation in your mouth.

I wanted to stop myself, I should have. I really should have only eaten half of it, but I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't *hangs head in shame*. It was just too juicy and delicious for me to leave half of it severed and separated from the the other half that made it's whole life worth something.

Photo: www.newyorksocialdiary.com

But seriously, just as impressive as the food is the ingenuity with which the owners of Dos Toros Taqueria have approached social responsibility. All the tables and seating at Dos Toros is made from repurposed wood and other materials. The high stool I sat on was made of repurposed wood for legs, and repurposed leather straps were interwoven and fastened to the wood to form the seat. They looked sturdy enough to bear the weight of the behind that was growing with each bite I took (I speak of my behind). If you check out their website, you'll see that Dos Toros has made a commitment to low impact on the environment through sustainable practices. Read what they say:

• Our chicken is locally raised, and fed a vegetarian diet with no hormones or antibiotics. For more info go to www.freebirdchicken.com
• Our pinto and black beans are sourced locally and organically through Cayuga Pure Organics. Check them out at www.cporganics.com.
• Our utensils, cups, straws, napkins, bags, and Platos are all compostable.
• We compost our kitchen food waste, and we recycle bottles and cans.
• All our cleaning products are non toxic, and made from biodegradable plant and mineral based ingredients.
• Our tables, chairs, and wainscoting are all made from reclaimed or sustainable wood and we used reclaimed tin whenever possible.

In my opinion, Dos Toros is a great example of what social responsibility, sustainability, and ecofriendly living & business can look like when done right. There is a clearly rugged, rustic yet industrial feel to the restaurant however it doesn't feel cold and unwelcoming at all. Actually the vibe is relatively chill, despite what one would expect from the materials used, and the high traffic. They have successfully tapped into the warmer elements of the wood to create an almost homey environment, and the dope ass soundtrack playing in the background further enhances the experience.

Photo taken from www.gastrochic.com

For those of you who would prefer a less diet threatening option, or just dislike the thought of your fixings making sweet burrito love to each other, there are plato (salad), taco, and quesadilla options available, as well as the vegetarian rice & beans, option.

Above all, I love that I left Dos Toros feeling not only that I made a great decision for lunch, but also that I made a great decision for the environment, my environment. So lovers, if you are ever in NYC and looking for a good bang for your buck in every way possible, head on over to Dos Toros. I think the power you will feel from making a socially responsible choice is enough to balance out the guilt of eating an entire Dos Toros burrito... All. At. Once.


Dos Toros gets <3<3<3<3 4 hearts of La NomRah Love.