A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

DIY Beauty Recipe: A Lavender-Infused Coconut Oil Hair Treatment

"Applied topically, coconut oil actually does a few things for your hair. First, it nourishes the hair shaft to create a vibrant sheen. It also conditions the hair to restore moisture and repair damage," explains Wendy Rose Gould beauty expert for hair tutorial and advice site Latest-Hairstyles.com. "Also, when applied at the scalp, it can help reduce dandruff and soothe sensitive or itchy skin." Tip: For beauty uses, choose extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil. "Let’s move onto the lavender portion of this two-ingredient DIY hair treatment. Lavender also has numerous benefits. It’s no secret that it smells amazing, and many simply use aromatic lavender for its calming effects. Topically, lavender, like coconut oil, is antibacterial and therefore helps with dandruff. It also helps to soften the hair." What You Need For This Recipe: Small Bowl 2 Tablespoons of Unrefined, Virgin Coconut Oil Fresh or Dried Lavender Springs (or 2 drops essential oil) Measuring Spoons Step 1: Place Oil Into Your Bowl Measure out 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and add it to your bowl. Depending on your hair length, you may want to add more or less oil to the bowl. For medium-to-long hair, two tablespoons should suffice. If your coconut oil has turned to liquid, just measure it out like normal. Step 2: Add Lavender Remove the greens and/or buds from your lavender and place it in the bowl with your coconut oil. If you want to add a little more for fragrance, that’s okay. A few pinches is plenty. Step 3: Infuse Your Lavender Next, we’re going to infuse the lavender into the coconut oil. To do this, create a bain-marie by placing your bowl over a sauce pan filled with water. Turn your heat to low-medium and allow the coconut oil to melt down, stirring periodically. If your coconut oil is already liquid, you still want to do this, as the warmth from the water bath will expedite the lavender oil extraction. Keep your bain-marie going for 45 minutes to one hour, then remove from the heat. Step 4: Cool and Strain Allow your infused coconut oil to set for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is slightly warm (not hot). Remove the lavender pieces if desired. Step 5: Apply to Hair Work the oil through your hair, focusing on the ends where hair gets dry. You can also focus on the scalp if you’re dealing with itchy, dry skin or dandruff. Let the oil set for 15 to 45 minutes. The longer it sets, the better. Shampoo and style as normal. Step 6: Revel in Softer, Prettier Hair Want to improve your hair even more? Check out Latest-Hairstyles.com's Product + Hair Advice section.

“Applied topically, coconut oil actually does a few things for your hair. First, it nourishes the hair shaft to create a vibrant sheen. It also conditions the hair to restore moisture and repair damage,” explains Wendy Rose Gould beauty expert for hair tutorial and advice site Latest-Hairstyles.com. “Also, when applied at the scalp, it can help reduce dandruff and soothe sensitive or itchy skin.” Tip: For beauty uses, choose extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil.

“Let’s move onto the lavender portion of this two-ingredient DIY hair treatment. Lavender also has numerous benefits. It’s no secret that it smells amazing, and many simply use aromatic lavender for its calming effects. Topically, lavender, like coconut oil, is antibacterial and therefore helps with dandruff. It also helps to soften the hair.”

What You Need For This Recipe:

Step 1: Place Oil Into Your Bowl

 Measure out 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and add it to your bowl. Depending on your hair length, you may want to add more or less oil to the bowl. For medium-to-long hair, two tablespoons should suffice. If your coconut oil has turned to liquid, just measure it out like normal.

Step 2: Add Lavender

 Remove the greens and/or buds from your lavender and place it in the bowl with your coconut oil. If you want to add a little more for fragrance, that’s okay. A few pinches is plenty.

Step 3: Infuse Your Lavender

 Next, we’re going to infuse the lavender into the coconut oil. To do this, create a bain-marie by placing your bowl over a sauce pan filled with water. Turn your heat to low-medium and allow the coconut oil to melt down, stirring periodically. If your coconut oil is already liquid, you still want to do this, as the warmth from the water bath will expedite the lavender oil extraction. Keep your bain-marie going for 45 minutes to one hour, then remove from the heat.

Step 4: Cool and Strain

Allow your infused coconut oil to set for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is slightly warm (not hot). Remove the lavender pieces if desired.

Step 5: Apply to Hair

Work the oil through your hair, focusing on the ends where hair gets dry. You can also focus on the scalp if you’re dealing with itchy, dry skin or dandruff. Let the oil set for 15 to 45 minutes. The longer it sets, the better. Shampoo and style as normal.

Step 6: Revel in Softer, Prettier Hair

 Want to improve your hair even more? Check out the best essential oils and natural products.

Get The Look: Kate Middleton’s DIY Wedding Makeup!

Last week we eagerly anticipated, as did many beauty junkies, the unveiling (hee hee) of Kate Middleton’s wedding makeup at the biggest nuptials in recent memory. Prince William’s new bride has been much emulated in her understated and elegant yet youthful style, and speculation about her makeup and dress on perhaps the most photographed day of her life was rife on the internet.

It’s said that Middleton took the brave step of doing her own makeup for the event, a choice that paid off in a graceful and flawless look:

“She’s had about three or four lessons with Kate at her private flat in Chelsea and has also gone, very privately to Clarence House. Arabella was [supposed] to be coming on the day as well but now she isn’t, because Kate’s comfortable and confident in doing it herself.”

Many commoner brides fear the prospect of doing bridal makeup without professional assistance, despite the lack of paparazzi at most weddings. But if you’d like to get a look like Kate’s, here are some key pointers:

1.) Eyes: If there’s one area Kate’s look is really bold, it’s her daytime smoky eyes. Relatively heavy liner was a huge component- Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner stays put but gives eyes dramatic definition. A slate-y violet like Mac Eyeshadow in Crystal is similar to Kate’s choice. Definitely curl lashes to get this look, and a mascara like Lancôme’s Définicils will define and hold a curl without smudging.

2.) Cheeks and Base: Kate’s matte skin finish didn’t rely heavily on bronzer or tanner, and just looked fresh. Clinique’s Superfit is both dewy and long-lasting, and Clinique Blushwear in Rosy Blush lends the same pinky, petal-bright finish. Blend mainly on apples of the cheeks without contouring for a similar healthy glow.

3.) Lips: The lip component is probably the most subtle of all in Kate’s wedding day look, with no reliance on super-pigmented color or thick gloss. The royal bride selected a pale pink (rumored to be Bobbi Brown Sandwashed Pink lip colour) that allowed her eyes to take center stage without washing out the rest of her face- a difficult balance to strike. Choose a creamy yet long wearing creme formulation to get this look, like Yves Saint Laurent Pur Couture in Beige Tribute. For longevity, line lips and fill in the entire lip area with a nude-pink liner like Chanel’s Aqua Colour Lip Crayon in Spice.

Did you get out of bed early to watch the wedding live? Were you impressed by Kate’s look?