How much Lovacado oil should be used on hair?

It’s very important to learn how to use oil properly on hair. Too much oil on hair can make the hair look greasy and dull. Learning how to use the correct amount of oil will make your hair beautiful and healthy. So how do we know how much oil to use?

For hair it’s important to determine not only the length of hair, but also the type of hair. For example, if you have very fine thin hair, it would be a mistake to use too much oil and to leave it in the hair all day, as it will make your hair look greasy/oily. In this type of situation, it’s best to use the oil as a pre-treatment before washing. You can put oil all over hair (depending on the length and type of hair) and leave in for any amount of time (1 min is okay if you’re in a rush, or up to a few hours if you have plenty of time and want to nourish your hair). You hair will be smooth and will benefit from this treatment. If your hair is dry and thick, then you can leave in the oil and it will make your hair look great. It will nourish the hair and smooth out damaged dry hair.  Also, keep in mind that when you use the oil as a pre-treatment, you will wash the oil out with your shampoo, and you won’t even need to use a conditioner, as the pre-treatment with the oil will act as a conditioner and you’ll notice the smoothness even after you’ve shampooed your hair.

The best way to get excellent results with the oil is to rub your hands together to make sure the oils spreads evenly on both hands. Once you’ve done that, you can proceed to spread the oil on your hair. 

For hair ask yourself the following questions:

1) What do you want to achieve with the oil?

    a) Strengthen and nourish hair

• Pre-wash oil hair treatment – before washing apply oil on hair and leave in for at least 30   minutes (it can also be used as hot oil treatment as well).

    b) Leave in conditioner 

• After shampooing hair, use a few drops on towel-dry hair. Proceed to style as usual (follow instructions below on how many drops to use)

    c) Add shine and manage fly-away hair

• Use one drop and rub in both hands, then apply to the end to control fly-always and add instant    shine. 

2) What type of hair do you have?

    a) Oily = Apply oil at the ends of your hair

    b) Dry (or treated hair) = Apply oil at the scalp         and ends 

    c) Normal = Apply a few drops to end and roots

3) How long is your hair?

    a) Long = Use 5-6 drops of oil

    b) Medium = Use 3-4 drops of oil

    c) Short = Use 1-2 drops of oil

Remember, a bit of Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil goes a long way.  See you next week, when I’ll explain how much oil to use on skin.

Cold Pressed, unrefined, and refined avocado oil. What’s the difference?

Lovacado is cold pressed extra virgin avocado oil. You can buy cold pressed, unrefined, or refined avocado oil, however, the quality of the product is not the same.  Also, selecting between the three options highly depends on how you are you going to use the product.  Lovacado products are only used for skin and hair care, so it’s important to note that Cold Pressed provides premium quality avocado oil.

If you’re going to use the avocado oil for edible purposes, then you need to know key information. For cooking, you need to use refined oils (which have a higher smoke point). To use as a salad dressing, you want to use unrefined oils as they preserve the natural flavours and colours of the oil.

Price is another important factor to consider. You’ll find that refined avocado oil is usually very inexpensive and mass produced because the shelf life is prolonged when active ingredients are stripped away. Cold-pressed and unrefined oils will always cost more and that’s because the quality of the oil is considered premium, especial when it's extra virgin. In addition, the shelf life is usually no more than 12 months on these types of products.

Packaging is also important to consider when buying any type of oil. You’ll notice that refined oils will generally be sold in cheap, see through plastic containers. That’s because they will not go rancid if exposed to prolong sunlight. Where as cold pressed and unrefined oils will generally be in dark or aluminum containers to avoid sunlight and maintain the quality of the product. If not properly stored, the product can go rancid in a few months. Remember the oils in this category are 100% chemical free.

Here are some important details of all three types of avocado oil:

·     Cold Pressed - the oil is obtained by a method of mechanical extraction, they use a hydraulic press without heat and they utilize the entire fruit (seeds and all), which is then pulverized into a paste then gently heated to liquefy. All saturated fats, vitamins and acids remain intact. Oils in this state are great to use directly on skin and hair because the oil is in its purest state, reason why Lovacado products provide instant results.

·     Unrefined Oil - oil that has not gone through a process to hydrogenate the final product. The oil is obtained by mechanical extraction. All saturated fats, acids and in some cases cholesterol remain. Colour and scent will usually be intense.  Excellent oil for salads or low-heat cooking.

·      Refined Oil – the oils are heat extracted with chemicals (sometimes to 450 degrees) then cooled, to remove strong natural scents, colour and along with that some of the saturated fats. Perfect for cooking at high temperatures. For external use, this type of oil is generally used for body massages.

Hope this information is useful and easy to remember. See you next week with more avocado oil information.

Take care of your skin the natural way….

I can’t emphasize enough the wonderful benefits of Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil. It’s good for the hair and great for the skin! Below you’ll find three ways on how to use Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil on your skin.

As with any natural product, not all skin types react the same. Exercise caution and test small areas (especially when using in the face). A little bit of extra virgin avocado oil goes a long way, don’t over do it. If you use too much, you can clog your pores and your skin might have a bad reaction.

1) Age spot remedy:

• Mix 1 tbsp. of Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil and 1 tbsp. of castor oil in a small bowl
• Stir well and apply it to your age spots with your fingers.
• Massage the oil into the age spot and let it sit for about 15 minutes
• Rinse the oil off with warm water

2) Enhance the quality of your daily moisturizer:

• Mix your daily moisturizer with some extra virgin avocado oil and notice how smooth your skin feels.  Allison mixes her Lovacado oil video

3) Treat extreme dry skin areas:

• Pour a small amount of avocado oil onto particularly dry areas of skin. 
• Sufferers of eczema might find the properties of avocado oil soothing, as it tends to reduce itching and inflammation of the skin.
• Rub on knees and elbows before you go bed, you’ll notice smoother skin the when you wake up in the morning.

See you next week with a wonderful new Lovacado product that will soon hit the market. 

Avocado Oil Hair Masks...

Avocado hair masks recipies have been a family secret passed on by my great-grandmother to my grandmother, then passed on to my aunts, and finally passed on to me by one of aunts. 

Over the years new ingredients have been added…from eggs, honey, bananas, and vinegar. Back in the days my grandmother would mash avocados and then would massage all over her scalp and hair.  She would cover her head with a plastic bag and tend to her chores. After an hour or so, she would jump into the shower and remove it all. Fast forward to 2013 and the recipe is still effective, but less messy and less work.  For the following hair masks, the main ingredient is Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil. No need to mash up avocados.

1) Avocado oil and egg whites hair mask:

Ingredients:

• Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil (1-2oz depending on hair length)
• Egg whites (1-2 egg whites depending on hair legth)

Instructions:

• Mix the avocado oil with the egg whites
• Massage into your hair and leave in for at least 15minutes
• Shampoo and dry hair as you normally do 

2) Avocado oil and honey hair mask

Ingredients:

• Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil (1-2oz depending on hair length)
• Honey (1-2 tablespoons depending on hair length)

Instructions:

• Mix the avocado oil with the honey
• Massage into your hair and leave in for at least 15 minutes
• Shampoo and dry hair as you normally do

Tips:

• If your hair is oily, don’t massage the mixture into your scalp, only use in the ends of your hair. If you have medium/long hair, apply the mixture from the middle of the hair to the ends
• If your hair is oily, it’s also a good idea to only use shampoo when you wash your hair, skip the conditioner

Don’t forget to stop by next week to learn how to use Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil to create fabulous skin masks. 

The skin, the largest organ in our body

Many of us tend to forget that the skin is the largest organ in our body.

After we lather our skin with body creams some of the ingredients are absorbed and passed into our blood stream. We never really think about this and spend a lot of money on expensive creams. Creams that smell very good, but are full of chemicals. Guilty? I've done it too!

However, over the last year, I've tried to be more conscious of the things I put on my body. I no longer use VS body creams or body butters. These days I rely on sheer or cocoa butter to use on my skin, but I don’t use them alone. I’ve learned to mix them with Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil.  By doing this, I’m adding an extra layer of moisture to my skin.  Watch the video and see how Allison mixes her Lovacado oil with her daily moisturizer below.

Lovacado, extra virgin avocado oil can be used alone, or mixed with your body creams to add a soothing and softening effect. Use it right after you take a shower to lock in moisture. No matter how you use Lovacado, it will change your skin for the better. Try it out and let me know. 

In my next blog I'll be showing you how to use Lovacado as the main ingredient for skin and hair masks.  


Claudia M.