"Don't wish me happiness I don't expect to be happy all the time....It's gotten beyond that somehow. Wish me courage and strength and a sense of humor. I will need them all." Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Saturday, 25 April 2015

Horsetail hair rinse

Field horsetail ( equisetum arvense) grows freely amongst my roses. If your not familiar with this plant it looks like a long, lush animal tail and that is no tale. Horsetail has a plethora of uses and if you have any medical/health condition(s) I suggest you google "medicinal uses of horsetail" as that is beyond the scope of this post. There is wild beauty in this mimicking weed. To make my hair rinse I pick a handful of it and put it in several cups of almost boiling water. I let it steep until cool and then discard the plant material. After shampooing my hair I then pour the tea over my head and then I allow my hair to dry naturally. It makes my hair so soft. I have never had a conditioner that can rejuvenate my hair like how this plant does. It's also supposed to encourage hair growth but I can't attest to that as I have very long hair. It may also be beneficial for hair loss and dandruff. If you decide to use horsetail please email me with your experience. I would like to be able to further share with other's. It grows in a wide variety of soils. Some places to look would be roadsides, swamps, stream banks and meadows. When gathering any plant material please take into consideration whether or not the area has been sprayed. I noticed you can also purchase it online.

Sent from my iPhone

10 comments:

  1. I am always looking for new ways to use "weeds" or plants that grow close by. I have not seen "horsetail", but will certainly be looking for it in my area. I would love to use it on my hair. Right now I use an organic rosemary shampoo for my hair, which I really love. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge about this plant! I will do some more research on it to see where it may grow in my area. Have a blessed evening!

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    1. It is common in North America. It has just emerged here within the last few weeks and I am in zone 7 so it may not be up yet in your location. I should clarify that it is the above ground parts you want- particularly the stems

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  2. Ronda, what an awesome share! I wonder if we have this here....i must investigate this. I love natural remedies/beauty aids - it not only seems to be effective, but you come so much closer to mother earth. I must check this out! Happy Sunday, Anita

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    1. Thanks. I hope you are able to find your own patch.

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  3. I just checked and it does grow in WI but north of us a bit. It says it grows in swamps and low areas here. I will have to look for it. Hope you have a beautiful Sunday with your daughter. xo Diana

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    1. I'm glad you were able to locate it's approximate location online. I hope when you do go look for it you are able to find some easily.

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  4. i was told about your blog by nana diana.
    and i have just now finished reading your entire journey.
    every post in the archives.
    what a wonderful life you have... and are making for you and your little daughter.
    to live in a forest like yours...
    you make it all seem so real in the posts... that i can even smell the evergreen!
    you are beautiful and courageous and hard working.
    and it's an honor to meet you.

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    1. Thank you Tammy. You are very kind and generous with your words. I'm glad you enjoyed reading my back posts- maybe someday I will go back and read them. I'm thrilled to meet you and am looking forwards to getting to know you.

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  5. Hi,
    I have natural curly hair. I use coconut oil to soften my hair. I will try this. I know it grows here in Wisconsin. :-) Thank you for the tip.

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    1. I also regularly use coconut oil in my hair. I wish I had a coconut tree in my yard. Let me know how it works for you.

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