How To Save Time And Money Over Any Holidays And Recover From Money Spent On Them

Updated January 3, 2013. Happy New Year, no matter what your circumstances have been and are and may 2013 see you and yours well.

To help you save time and money this and any year, remember the basics.

Cosmetics do not need to be expensive to work. They just need to work. Marketing cosmetics is about selling you a product at a profit, in many cases, regardless of how well it can work. Often that marketing entails stretching the truth as to how effective that product may be for the purpose intended and contains misleading information, that contravenes regulations, in effect, making the product a drug. Currently, there are only two recognized drugs for hair restoration and growth and they are both government approved and regulated. While scientific researchers are looking for new drugs that are effective for those issues, the hype continues. See this post for more details.

You do not need to pile on products to have great hair or skin. You can save both time and money by using less products more effectively. See this post for more details.

Not all products are best used, when certain scalp conditions or other conditions are present. See this post.

I get feedback from people who email me asking for recommendations for hair and skin care. By far in the majority of cases, simple hair and skin care has worked best. I have heard back from friends and others alike on cosmetic mineral oil being all that has been required to solve issues with both in many cases, whether it is used with other products like less conditioner or alone. It can return hair to a frizz-free softness, shine and manageability not seen or felt in years, even if the hair has been chemically damaged and abused and it is antistatic. Allergic reactions can cause hair shedding. Cosmetic mineral oil is not a known allergen or sensitizer. Cosmetic mineral oil is a natural product that has been purified. It is safe to use and does not clog pores.

"Chemical-free" cosmetics are not possible, since everything contains chemicals. It is a matter of whether the chemicals are safe to use in cosmetics. Not all are in the quantities used in a number of products. Safety also depends on where and how the product is made and preserved and whether regulations in place have been applied. Some countries do not have stringent cosmetic regulations. Some cosmetic products at first escape notification and inspection and later can be put on government advisories, as in this post, or as in the FDA Press Announcement linked below are seized and removed from the market.

While government regulations and actions taken regarding cosmetics and their safety are being improved, the allegation often made by cosmetic marketers, that consumers are unprotected by regulations in place is patently false. What is important to help regulations be enforced is consumer reporting of adverse effects and advertising claims, that go beyond what is regulated. Reporting can help others, by preventing them from having the problems you experienced. That is not restricted to informing the appropriate government agencies.

It is not a good idea, when you have a serious scalp or skin problem that needs medically qualified attention, to seek treatment advice via the Internet. The best advice you can get is to inform your doctor or dermatologist about everything you are using and may have used to self-medicate, which is vital to help them and you get to the source of a problem. A number of natural products are known allergens in scientific research literature available online and to medical professionals.

Consumers can experience allergic reactions and sensitization caused by unsuspected sources, like essential oils used in cosmetic products. Such reactions may also be caused by spice ingredients in cosmetics, even though you have not had problems with them used in small quantities, or infrequent use in food, in the past. If the doctor or dermatologist is unhelpful, get another medically qualified opinion. To me, a good medically qualified practitioner keeps up with the latest medical research and opinions, is willing to discuss treatment options with you and make you aware of possible side effects.

You can research information as well, that you can bring to your doctor or dermatologist's attention and ask questions. Do not be afraid to do so, as you ultimately decide what you are going to do and you are in charge of your health. However, self-medicating is not the way to go when medically qualified help is needed. There is a growing number of unscrupulous vendors, only too willing to help you for a price, that can be far too dear to pay.

The majority of cosmetics on the market are safe and are kept so by government regulations, as well as proper manufacturing and marketing practices, by reputable cosmetic companies. You can make a substantial contribution to that. By simply reporting complete details to your doctor or dermatologist and government agencies, you can protect others and yourself, from future cosmetic-related problems.

See Also
This forum thread, this one and this one
Newspaper article 2012
FDA Press Announcement 2012
Natural Standard Article on the FDA Press Anouncement
Alternative Medicine: Mayo Clinic 2011
Essential Oils and Allergic Reactions: Mayo Clinic 2011
Essential Oils and Dermatitis: Research Review 2012
Spices: Allergies and Cosmetics 2012
ACAAI: Newsroom 2012
Abstract 2011
Contact Allergy: Ginger 2011
Spice Allergies: Occurrence 2007
Spices: Contact Allergies 2002
Lead in lipstick: FDA 2012
Lead in food products: FDA 2011
Sulfates and preservatives 2012

Part 4 of 4 on Innovative Approaches to Hair Care: Honey Lightening

Updated July 27, 2014
This is the last of the 5 Honey threads ("latest" referred to below) I started. The explanations and some of the research that are included with the recipes below was done by me in 2008 and earlier. Beware of other versions of the recipes below online and elsewhere. Although I have been credited, compensated for my work, errors still remain. Raw honey is not necessary! Raw honey is not a factor for successful results. I have been dealing with a number of errors via email lately. There have not been needed replies given by others about how and why honey lightening can work when detailed questions about it have been asked because no research was done, other than skimming over some of the explanations I provided. Nothing was ever called a "honey lightening booster" until I coined the phrase after research I did on honey lightening recipe additives. 

Successful honey lightening can be achieved without it being complicated. You need: a pure honey (there are some types to avoid) and pasteurized is just fine to use, water with a low to no mineral content (distilled water is easiest for that but some tap waters can work well), and the right proportion of water to honey which can be varied because it is about pH. The honey lightening boosters can enhance results considerably. It can get complicated with honey fraud, type, and water choice. No external heat is needed. UV damages hair while lightening it. UV is not a factor in honey lightening either. 

There are pictures of honey lightening results with the new recipes and method I created posted to view. Some may have been lost (they are old by now). I do not take credit for application techniques or hair coverings used. Those vary and are about ease of application and helping to keep the hair wet during the treatment, which I have explained is very important.

The hair does not have to be covered during a honey lightening treatment but it does need to be kept wet with the treatment, for the entire time it is on the hair. Covering the hair can be the best way to achieve that. Innovations in those areas and more by other LHC members, I recognized and credited and there is a post I wrote about them alone, to assist others looking for ideas.

All of my blog posts, forum posts and online articles - are copyright protected. 

Update February 16, 2013
The peroxide value of spices can be found here, with that of cardamom being the highest of those listed, except for black pepper, which is more of an irritant and is not recommended because of that, for honey lightening recipes.

One of the most often asked about topics is red tones and honey lightening. Here is the thread post on what can cause red tones to appear in hair colour, when any kind of lightening is done. It is not included in the information below. It is about the amount and type of natural, or added pigment in hair, as well as other factors, that can affect hair lightening and colouring results.

None of the ingredients in the recipes below have been reported to add a red tone to hair, even ground cinnamon, which has been mistakenly thought to do so by some people. Following a honey lightening treatment with cassia, often incorrectly referred to as neutral henna, or an apple cider vinegar rinse can add a red tone to hair colour. Both have been reported to do so, unrelated to honey lightening.

Honey lightening can be an alternative to lightening hair colour (virgin and colour-treated, all shades from black on up), with conventional peroxide and bleach. It has not been reported to damage hair, even after multiple treatments over extended periods of time. Honey slowly releases peroxide on dilution with a liquid that contains water. Honey was reported to lighten hair colour on The Long Hair Community Boards before the Honey threads were started, to figure out how it worked and why it worked for some people and not others.    ______________________________________________________________________

The following recipes and method I designed are based on my having analyzed accredited research I read. Patch test any ingredient not previously used on the scalp or skin.

1. The new dilution is 4 times the amount of water to honey, calculated by weight. It is now the recommended dilution to be used for honey lightening. The minimum amount of honey to be used is 10 grams. 10 grams of honey would need 40 grams of distilled water. 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup or 1.5 oz) honey needs 6 oz distilled water or 3/4 cup US (1/2 cup Metric), or 12 tablespoons distilled water. You can convert to ml, oz, tablespoons or cups. Here is a link on honey conversions. Another way to use the new dilution is to just use tablespoons, 1 tablespoon of honey to 6 tablespoons distilled water, 2 to 12 etc. It works out to be the same as calculating by weight.

According to reports posted in the latest Honey thread, better results have been achieved with the new dilution in 1 hour, than with repeated treatments using other dilution ratios. Different honeys produce different levels of peroxide. Here is the Successful Honeys List. If one cannot be found, try a dark coloured honey blend (raw or pasteurized, both have been reported to work equally well). Dark coloured blends were reported in research, to have higher peroxide levels than lighter coloured blends. A dark coloured, single source honey, does not necessarily have a high peroxide value - it depends on the plant source.

2. Distilled water is recommended to be used for honey lightening in place of tap water. It is a better choice, for getting the best results from a honey lightening recipe because of its pH (7) and hydrogen peroxide can decompose in contact with certain minerals. Some tap waters are the exception and have been reported to be fine for honey lightening. More information on distilled water can be found in here.

3. Honey lightening boosters are ingredients that add extra peroxide to the recipes. These are ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Spices may be irritating, so follow the "less is more" approach with the new dilution. Start with 1 tablespoon after patch testing; suggested maximum 2 tablespoons. Mix spices into a recipe, after the honey is added, for a smoother liquid. Oils can be difficult to wash out of the hair; suggested amount 1 tablespoon. None of the peroxide containing ingredients in the honey lightening recipes, including the honey and ground cinnamon, has been reported to add colour to the hair. Here is more information on cinnamon and cardamom. Here is information on coumarin.

4. No external heat should be used with honey lightening. Do not use a blow dryer or sunlight. None of the recipe ingredients should be heated at any time. Heat (except body heat) can destroy hydrogen peroxide by decomposing it to water and oxygen. The peroxide produced by honey is not stabilized the way conventional peroxide is and is much more delicate because of that. It depends on the degree of heat and the amount of time that it is applied to it. Pasteurization does not destroy the enzyme in honey (glucose oxidase) that generates the peroxide.

5. Store your honey, ground spices and oils away from heat, light and moisture, at room temperature, in a cupboard, preferably. Opened oils can be refrigerated.

6. No ingredients that contain vitamin C, (except ground cardamom, which has the highest peroxide value for a spice and a low vitamin C level), should be used in the recipes. Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes vitamin C and is depleted in doing so. Some honeys naturally contain higher levels of vitamin C. Avoid using Anzer, buckwheat, chestnut, linden flower, locust flower, mint, or thyme honeys. Most honeys contain very low levels. Here is a list of the Vitamin C content of selected ingredients.

7. Jarrah honey from Australia is known for its very high peroxide value and is a good choice for honey lightening. Information on Jarrah honey and current suppliers can be found here.

8. Conditioner is not recommended to be included in honey lightening recipes. Hair conditioners are too acidic for most honeys and the spices, (it can reduce the optimal pH needed for a honey to produce peroxide), can contain ingredients that interfere with honey lightening and their water content (most conditioners are 70-90% water), if used as part of the new dilution, can effectively reduce the amount of water needed. The same applies to coconut cream and milk (they contain minerals, are acidic and contain Vitamin C, as well as not enough water). You can use conditioner to wash out a honey lightening treatment, instead of using shampoo or just rinse a treatment out. If there is honey residue, shampoo is recommended and has been reported to easily resolve the problem, better than a vinegar rinse or extra water rinsing.

9. The honey lightening recipes can be applied with a tint or blush brush for more control of placement.

10. Mix the honey lightening recipe, at room temperature and let the recipe sit for 1 hour, also at room temperature, to let the honey produce peroxide or use it right away and the honey will produce peroxide while on the hair.The hair should be freshly washed or rinsed first, if there is aloe gel on the hair (aloe gel contains Vitamin C), a Vitamin C containing leave-in treatment, heavy conditioner, a large amount of oil (a large amount of some types of oil will act as a barrier to the water), or styling products on the hair. If there is a lot of residue on the hair, it should be clarified first. If not, a honey lightening treatment can also be applied to wet or dry, unwashed hair. Apply the treatment with a tint, blush or basting brush, spray or squirt bottle. Pin the hair up, cover the hair with plastic and keep the treatment on the hair for about 1 hour. The hair must be kept completely wet with the treatment both before being covered and the time that the treatment is on the hair. Wearing a swim cap is recommended. Also recommended, is to use saran wrap under a lycra swim cap. It does not squeeze out too much water and the treatment does not drip as much with this method. Honey lightening innovations by LHC members.

11. Honey lightening has not been reported to damage hair even with continuous use. What has been reported occasionally is "crunchy" or dry hair. That is a honey residue result and can easily be resolved by shampooing or using a vinegar rinse. Some honeys leave fewer to no discernible residues than others. There is research to support honey lightening not being damaging. The flavonoids mentioned here are all found in honey, the peroxide boosters, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom and extra virgin olive oil. Gallic acid and its esters are found in coconut oil. Gallic acid esters were also found to protect cells from hydrogen peroxide damage. In honey lightening, these natural phytochemicals are in place while the peroxide is being produced. The flavonoids chelate the iron and copper that generate the damaging free radicals when hydrogen peroxide reacts with hair. This research led to using one of the honey lightening recipe ingredients as a pre-treatment before conventional chemical dye and lightening. See Part 1 of this series.

12. This is a Pictures Post of some past and current honey lightening results.