DIY

Tea Tree Oil for Pests and Mosquitoes {DIY}

Swathy · September 8, 2014 · 2 Comments

Hey Everyone! This is one of the best Mondays for me which I am absolutely enjoying!! Why? Well, I shall reveal that soon enough. Till then, let me talk about a little trick which I used when there was a barrage of mosquitoes at my home.

To get rid of mosquitoes and flies and bugs in the house, use tea tree oil. You can either take a few drops and apply it on the exposed sections of your body (I did this) or you could take a spray bottle and mix a few drops of tea tree in water and spray it on the windows and doors to keep away the pests. May be a repeated procedure would be necessary for a airy place so spray it once an hour or so.

Or, light a diffuser with tea tree or lemongrass in the house. And, use tea tree while mopping the house as well!!! I use tea tree sometimes and sometimes its just ylang ylang or rosemary. But, whichever EO I use, the house smells amazing for quite sometime!

Have you used tea tree oil as a bug and insect repellant?

The Oil Cocktail {DIY}

Swathy · March 6, 2014 · 3 Comments

It has been so long since I have done any DIY!! Anyways, I mentioned in my hair diary that I have been using an hair oil cocktail. So, let me share the recipe with you. Now, it does have some not very easily available things. In fact, I have them on hand right now but even I have no idea how to procure them once they run out.

Ingredients

Mustard oil
Camphor oil
Clove oil
Oil of Wintergreen

Method

You simply mix all of them, right? Ok, so, let me explain all of them.

Mustard oil is the base oil in which all of these other oils go.
Now, all these oils are basically pretty strong oil so they should not be used in heavy quantities. They should be diluted with the carrier oil or the base oil just like the essential oils.
Put 20 tablespoons (20 ml) each of camphor and clove oils in mustard oil (100 ml).
Put only 5 tablespoons (5 ml) of wintergreen oil for 100ml.

And, the oil is done!!

Why?

Now, I have already talked about mustard, clove and camphor oils.

Oil of Wintergreen is basically a naturally occurring salicylic acid methyl ester from the family of aspirin. It is actually a medicinal herb which is widely used to relieve muscle joints and heal the skin diseases. And, it is highly toxic if used in high quantities!!

For our purposes which is how it is beneficial for hair and scalp, it acts like an astringent and helps contracting the hair follicles, there by, strengthening them. Also, since it belongs to the family of salicylic acid, it acts as mild exfoliant and keeps the infections at bay which is why it is used in cosmetics.

The oil stimulates blood circulation and is easily absorbed. It has a warming effect on the area where it is applied which is why it helps with pains. But, the oil should never be taken internally or used in huge amounts on skin or hair or anywhere else!! I think oil of wintergreen (which is also called gaultheria oil) might be available in ayurvedic stores. Will confirm and get back on that.

Btw, I do have EO’s as well in my recipe but it just struck me now that I have no idea how wintergreen blends with other EO’s so it is always best to use it in seclusion instead of blending with oils. Yes, clove, camphor and wintergreen can blend together coz all of them are stimulants and relieve pain.

So, what do you think of this DIY? Does it sound interesting for you to try out?

Clove and Camphor Oil for Hair {DIY}

Swathy · January 8, 2014 · 12 Comments

Ok, I have to say that I am not liking not spending time on my blog but honestly it is becoming difficult for me to concentrate and I am losing inspiration. I am literally forcing myself everyday to think on what I want to write. I wanted to post today but due to huge workload, I could not do it. Anyways, try and try until you succeed.

Now, lemme come to my hair care routine. Well, as you have noticed, my skin and hair care regimes are all on hold so all those series will start once I really get settled. For now, I have started trying something very interesting. My FIL has a collection of some essential oils like clove and camphor.

And, the moment I told my mom I am suffering from dandruff, she asked me to use camphor oil. Now, camphor oil should never be used neat on the skin so I diluted it with almond oil. And, then, I saw clove oil over there. And, I had been thinking about clove since days together coz I like the brownish tinge it gives to the hair and it also is a great stimulant for the hair follicles.

So, I added in a few drops of the clove EO as well in my almond oil and it smells so strongly of cloves now. I have till now used the oil just once or twice but it does really help in reducing the scratchy and itchy scalp. So, try out.

And, if you do not have clove oil, just pop some cloves in a pan till they smoke and then drop them in your oil. Leave them for a week and then start using the oil thereafter.

Have you tried clove oil for scalp?