Caramel/Carmel Hair Treatment

I have found my go-to hair treatment. Some time ago I was on search for some type of conditioner or hair treatment for my daughter's hair. After many swimming lessons, the dips in the pool started to take a toll on her hair. She wore a swim cap although, water still found it's way in. Over time her hair became unmanageable. It was a nightmare to comb through after each wash using traditional conditioners. So I searched the web to find a solution. I came across E'tae Carmel Treatment on Instagram and thought about trying it although wasn't sure about the price tag since you needed to use it so generously. It seemed that I'd go through the entire bottle in 2 treatments. I still thought about trying it though but started finding YouTubers posting their own caramel treatments. I did a web search and came across a caramel treatment recipe on blackhairinformation.com and decided I would try it. Here's what I found there...

NOTE: Feel free to check out my store to find all of the products I used. CLICK HERE

Find out how to soften kinky and curly hair with this all natural treatment

The caramel treatment is a product in the E’tae product line. Boasting an all natural line up of ingredients from honey, bananas to olive oil, this product delivers in its ability to seriously soften and hydrate the driest and roughest hair textures. It helps people who relax their hair to ‘stretch’ their relaxer for longer periods and helps people with natural hair by softening its texture for easier detangling and manageability.

The results of the caramel treatment are not permanent; they last for up to 4 weeks so should be reapplied monthly for continued benefits. Many report ‘loosening’ of hair texture as well as less shrinkage after the treatment but this is likely due to the added weight of the product as well as the increased moisture levels in the hair. For this reason, the caramel treatment is excellent for helping to straightening the natural hair as it takes less heat to get smoother results as well as better moisture retention.

No doubt the product is excellent but due to its perishable nature (no preservatives are used), the price tag for monthly treatments can become quite unappealing. Most of the ingredients in the product can be found in many average kitchens so making your own caramel treatment seems a more attractive approach for those who wish to use it on a regular basis.

By understanding the purpose of each ingredient, you can adjust the recipe every time you make it depending on your hair’s needs.

Honey – An excellent humectant good for moisture
Olive Oil – For lubrication and helps with moisture retention
Bananas – Good for moisture and some protein benefits as well
Molasses (Treacle) – Another excellent humectant with some protein benefits
Water – This is the best natural moisturizer and is used to thin the mixture
Apple Cider Vinegar – For the shine it imparts to the hair
Cornstarch – For thickening purposes
Wheat germ oil – For added strength and lubrication

Here outlined is a simple recipe based on the ingredients above: 

Honey – 6 tablespoons 

Olive Oil – 6 tablespoons 

Bananas – 2-3 overripe and very soft 

Molasses (Treacle) – 3 tablespoons 

Water – 4-6 tablespoons 

Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 tablespoon 

Cornstarch – 1-2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want the mixture to be 

Wheat germ oil – 1 teaspoon – This can be substituted for any other natural ceramide containing oil of your choice 

• Place all the ingredients except for the water into a blender and process until smooth. You may need to add the water bit by bit if it looks too dry. 

• To ensure that there are no bits of banana in the mixture, sieve it through a fine sieve. 

• Pour the mixture into a saucepan and put it on a medium heat while stirring constantly. You don’t want to ‘cook’ the mixture but you want the cornstarch to cause it to thicken and this will take just moments. You may need to add more water to thin it down if it gets too thick or add a bit more cornstarch if it is still too runny. You want to end up with a caramel coloured mixture that is the consistency of a thick batter. If the mixture is too thin it will start dripping from your hair as soon as you apply it. 

• Decant the mixture into a container, depending on the length of your hair it will likely be enough for two applications. 

To apply, divide the hair into 3-4 sections and clip. Starting with 1 section, part the hair and apply on the roots generously rubbing in with your fingers. Once applied on the roots of the section, apply the mixture all the way to the ends. Complete all sections in this manner and once done, cover the hair with a plastic cap. Let the mixture sit in your hair for 1-2 hours or overnight for really dry hair. 

Wash hair with a sulfate free shampoo, deep condition and style as usual. You can freeze the remainder until you are ready to use it. The treatment is suitable for both natural and relaxed hair. 

- See more at: http://www.blackhairinformation.com/hair-care-2/hair-treatments-and-recipes/the-caramel-treatment-a-natural-hair-softener/#sthash.rf2m87YB.dpuf

Now, I chose not to use water or cornstarch because they seemed like fillers and I used Grapeseed oil instead of Wheat germ oil because it was more easily found. Bought it at Walmart. I will vouch big time for this recipe. My daughter's once dry and unmanageable hair turned around BIG time after just one treatment. After washing her hair I was able to comb through it without a problem. The nightmare was over! This recipe will definitely add shine and softness to your hair. 

Buying tip... buy large bottles of everything this way it's not a costly recipe. The one item you'll run through the quickest is the honey. I always buy my olive oil on sale at Publix. Every now and then, Publix will have their olive oil buy one get one free. Oh and this recipe makes for enough to do one treatment on short hair...and I mean completely saturate your hair. If you have long hair you'll want to pour more of each ingredient.