Self-Care Smells like Christmas!

One of the best relationships that you will ever have and be in....is the relationship that you have with yourself. What I have learned over the past several years of healing from bad connections, is that when we take care of ourselves, by doing things that encourage and strengthen our own self-esteem, we begin to raise the bar for how we expect others to respect and appreciate us. If I am not treating myself unwell, no one else has the right to. Don't ever give someone the go-ahead to feel entitled to have access to your personal peace.

You can earn a degree...maybe several. You can land that perfect job and purchase that brand new car, but if you are not feeling good about yourself, then none of those material things will bring you any joy. You will just be collecting "things", while you are dying inside. In fact, without the joy of the Lord, that surpasses all understanding, even happiness alone is not enough, because happiness is fleeting and often circumstantial. The joy of the Lord stays present, when everything and everyone else is gone.

One of the commands that God gives us is to love. He said in His word, in Mark 12:31 "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." How can we love our neighbors and not love ourselves? That extended love begins within, first. One of the smallest, yet important ways to love yourself, is through self-care. When you take time to take care of you, you feel good. Even your day to day outlook becomes more optimistic. You walk with your shoulders back and your head up. You walk with the confidence that God wants you to have......A person with high value and purpose, whom He paid a high and the ultimate price, for.

One of my favorite self-care routines, is haircare. For me, it is my moment to relax and mentally unwind. Washing and grooming my hair, is like washing away the dirt and stress that accumulated during my week. It is the one thing that only belongs to me, so wash days are long and highly anticipated. This week, I added something new to my routine....CLOVE!

Clove are dried flower buds from the clove tree, used as a spice in recipes, in medicine, and as a fragrance. A lot of people in the US use it during the holiday seasons. In places like India, it is a beautiful spice used in many of the traditional dishes. The aroma is sweet, nutty and spicy and reminds me of Christmas baking. In fact, as I was boiling it for my hair care, my son said; "It smells like Christmas!" One of my favorite parts about using clove, is that the scent of it fills up my home...every single room. It is a natural air freshener. In fact, one of my attractions to international cuisine is the diversity in the aromatic scents that comes from the different spices used.....but I digress.

Benefits of Clove for hair care

1.) Clove has anti-inflammatory agents which encourage hair thickening.

2.) Clove is high in antioxidants.

3.) Clove is high in nutrients, which supports hair growth and strength.

4.) Clove is high in eugenol content, which can prevent premature graying of the hair. Eugenol has antioxidant properties that can prevent oxidation damage to the hair shaft and follicles.

5.) It can be used on all hair types.

How to turn Clove into a hair spray

1.) Make sure you are using whole clove and not ground.

2.) Bring some water to a boil (2-3 cups), and then put 2 or 3 tablespoons of clove in it.

3.) Let the clove boil in the water for 5 to 10 minutes, and then take it off of the stove and transfer your clove boil to a glass bowl, and let it sit (covered) for a few hours or overnight.

4.) Once your mixture is ready, it's time to pour it into your spray bottle!

5.) Separate the clove from the liquid, (be creative if you do not have a strainer and a funnel) and pour the clove water (without the clove), into your spray bottle and you are ready to use it! You can re-use the cloves.

How to use your Clove spray

1.) Part your hair in sections

2.) Spray your clove directly on your scalp, especially where you may be experiencing hair loss. Spray your edges/hair line, where it gets the most stress; i.e ponytails, buns, etc.

3.) Once you've sprayed your scalp, spray the sections of your hair until they are fully saturated...starting at the ends. (Don't forget to massage your scalp after you spray it.)

4.) Either proceed to do your regular styling, or place a plastic cap on your hair overnight to seal in the moisture. (If you do not have a plastic cap, use a plastic bag).

You can wash it out, or you can leave it in your hair as a leave-in spray. It can be used daily or a couple of times a week. I like to store my spray in the fridge because the cool spray stimulates my scalp....which also encourages hair growth.

Before....with my hair saturated in my clove spray, Aphogee Curlific leave-in, and 5-in-1 "Just for me" wonder spray with heat protector. (That last product belongs to my son because I ran out of my own heat protector....but it works very well.)

After.....defusing my hair and using Cantu shea butter super shine, as a finisher.

Raven