I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions, but I have decided that 2018 is the year of self-care. I’ve neglected myself over the past few years and want to make self-care one of my top priorities. I haven’t completely neglected myself, but I know I could make self-care more of a priority. In all fairness to myself I am home with a toddler (and another baby on the way) so it’s not always easy to squeeze in that much-needed ‘me time’.

Here is how I can do better in my self-care routine… My number one goal is to switch up my morning routine. For the past few years the first thing I do when I wake up is check my emails. Any wellness article you’ll ever read says that’s a huge NO. Instead I’m going to wake up and move my body in a way that feels good at that moment. I may be craving a high-intensity workout like kickboxing or spinning, or alternatively I may need something as gentle as some deep stretching or restorative yoga. I also want to take more morning walks. After that I want to make a nourishing breakfast (this I already do) and THEN I can check emails. However, I need to make my health and well-being a bigger priority first thing in the morning because how you start your day sets the tone for the remainder of the day.

Another way of how I want to improve my self-care routine is in the beauty department. I can’t tell you the last time I did a hair mask! I also want to make face masks a weekly ritual. Currently I’m lucky if I squeeze in one face mask per month. Pampering yourself just feels so good and gives you an overall sense of well-being.

In my attempt to make self-care a priority I created a nourishing, super clean hair mask! Anyone can make this at home – there’s no need to go buy an expensive one (plus this one is probably better than any that you’ll buy)! This mask contains nourishing whole food ingredients such as avocado, banana, Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey (I used Kfactor 16), coconut oil and spirulina. THAT’S IT! As you can see this mask is so clean you could literally eat it! I tasted it and it was actually really good! I made the switch to all natural skincare, hair care and beauty products 3 years ago and am so proud of myself for sticking to it!

Wedderspoon Honey is always my honey of choice not only for eating, but also for homemade hair and face masks! The reason I added honey into the mask ingredients is because honey is an emollient which helps to regulate, retain and seal in moisture in your hair, which also reduces breakage. Honey is also known to strengthen hair follicles for healthy growth. Also, honey has rich antioxidant, antibacterial and antiseptic properties which prevent damage and infections keeping your scalp and hair healthy. It can also sooth conditions such as eczema, dandruff and psoriasis. Last but not least, putting honey in your hair is known to boost hair growth and also stimulates hair re-growth from dormant follicles.

Now that you know why honey is so awesome in a hair mask, this is why the other ingredients in the mask are also amazing for your hair: Avocado helps rejuvenate and moisturize the scalp and is a rich source of proteins, amino acids and vitamins. Avocado also helps soothe the scalp and promotes long, strong, healthy hair growth. Coconut oil is well-known for helping hair growth by moisturizing and conditioning the hair. Coconut oil contains a ton of vitamins and essential fatty acids that will nourish the scalp and help to remove sebum build-up from hair follicles. Bananas are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, making them great for your hair! Spirulina is a natural source of bioavailable iron, which promotes hair growth (hair loss is also the first sign of iron deficiency, so taking spirulina internally is very beneficial for hair health too).

I’ve done this mask three times now (once per week over the past 3 weeks) and my hair truly feels softer and more nourished than ever! I look forward to ‘mask nights’ because I feel like I’m at an at-home spa. So go light some candles, sip o a nourishing tea and get this mask in your hair!

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