Monkey See, Monkey (Hair) Do

Okay, so I lied.  I said I was going to tell you about my ceremony and photo shoot this time, but I just had to share this all-important news with you first. 

I decided to do a DIY deep conditioning treatment on my hair, after running across a recipe for one on Pinterest, my new addiction pastime.  The recipe called for:

• 1/2 an avocado
• 1/2 a banana
• 1/2 c. coconut oil
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. honey

All of these are things I already had at home, so I figured, why not?  I probably should have put all of that stuff in the blender, but I just mushed it up with a potato masher, and then whisked it to get it a bit smoother, but there were still little chunks of avocado that I decided not to worry about.

The mixture smelled great but looked, frankly, like vomit. Green vomit.  Complete with chunks.

Since I was already in the kitchen, I decided to just put it in my hair there.  If I was fortunate enough to have a bathtub (and what I wouldn't do for one!), I would have just taken a bath and done it there, but, alas, all I have is a very tiny shower stall.  Sigh.

So I crouched there on the kitchen floor, scooping up handfuls of muck and working it through my hair, with my head bowed over the bowl I had mixed it in.  Engaged in this activity, I suddenly and thoroughly felt like a monkey.

My son walked in at one point and caught me in the act.

hoo hoo hoo hoo ha ha ha

As you can see, I ended up using all of the mixture, which surprised me, since it had seemed like an awful lot.  But I have pretty thick hair, and that stuff was very thick and gooey.

After application, you're supposed to put on a shower cap and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.  A shower cap, seriously?  Who has a shower cap?  So I used a plastic grocery bag instead and congratulated myself for my resourcefulness, and for recycling.

 
The look of near-horror on my face here is due to the fact that within moments of putting on the "shower cap," oil started dripping down my forehead, threatening to get in my eyes.  Actually, "dripping" isn't quite the right word; it was streaming in rivulets that I couldn't wipe away fast enough.  (Note to self:  next time, just wrap it in an old towel.  Not that there will likely be a next time.)

Twenty minutes was about all I could bear of that, so I made a beeline for the shower at that point.  I lathered (and oh, what a lather that was), and then rinsed.  And rinsed.  And rinsed.  And then, yes, I did it - I repeated.  Why?  Well, because my hair felt so greasy and heavy, even after all that rinsing, that I just couldn't stand it.

Unfortunately however, by lathering and rinsing a second time, it pretty much undid any benefit of the treatment.  When my hair dried, it looked dry and even frizzy (and as I brushed it, I discovered little chunks of now-solid coconut oil that somehow had managed to hide from the rinsing process.  Yee haw.)

I've never been much good at the girly stuff, so all of this was a bit of a stretch for me, and one that I don't think I'll repeat anytime soon.  But thanks to Pinterest, I'm sure I'll come across some other deep conditioner recipe that seems a little less elaborate and messy, and give that a shot instead.