Category Archives: hair treatment

Washing Hair After Cataract Surgery: The safety swimming goggles hack

Posted in beauty, Hair care, hair treatment, Health & Wellness, lifestyle, Scent, Uncategorized, Wellbeing by
Aveda Botanical Repair and swimming goggles
Aveda botanical repair and swimming goggles

Recovering from cataract surgery required a brief pause in my usual haircare routine. While the procedure itself was quick, the post-operative care required some serious thought—especially when it came to everyday tasks like hair washing.

Having worn contact lenses for years, I was already hyper-aware that getting water into your eyes can introduce unwanted bacteria. Because it is absolutely vital to keep water, soap, and pressure completely away from the healing eye during the first week, the prospect of washing my hair felt incredibly daunting.

Today, I want to share my exact personal experience, the clever safety hacks I used to navigate this transition smoothly, and how I turned a medical restriction into a comforting, holistic self-care ritual.

Post-Op care:

Wooden comb through wet hair

My Step-by-Step Post-Op Hair Routine

If you are nervous about getting your face wet, you do not have to rush into a full wash immediately. Here is the exact, protective routine I used to stay fresh while keeping my healing eye completely dry:

Days 1–3: Refresh with Dry Shampoo

For the first few days after the operation, I didn’t wash my hair with water at all. Instead, I opted for a high-quality dry shampoo. This completely removed the risk of accidental splashes during those critical early days while keeping my scalp clean and comfortable.

Day 4 Onwards: The Swimming Goggles & “Backward Tilt” hair wash

When it was finally time for a proper wash, I came up with a plan using a pair of swimming goggles I had originally purchased for a beach holiday last year.

Swimming goggles create an excellent physical seal to protect your eyes from stray drops of water or running soap. For an extra layer of safety, I placed a couple of dry cotton wool pads inside the lens area over my treated eye before putting the goggles on.

Once secured, I stepped into the shower, turned completely around so the shower head faced my back, and aimed the water stream carefully while keeping my head tilted firmly backward. This ensured that the water splashed exclusively over my forehead and down my back, draining safely away from my face.

Haircare Tip: I repeated this exact process a month later when I had my second eye operated on, and it worked perfectly both times.

Elevating the Experience with Plant-Powered Care

Once safely in the shower, I wanted to use products that offered genuine therapeutic and botanical benefits. For a very long time, I have been a fan of Aveda’s Botanical Repair range. Built on ancient Ayurvedic philosophies, this collection focuses on holistic balance and uses plant-powered, bond-building technology to naturally strengthen hair without heavy, stripping chemicals.

The aroma alone transforms the bathroom into a spa. It fills the air with a calming, blend of lavender, rosemary, ylang-ylang, and marjoram.

Why I Trust This Range (Especially Post-Menopause)

This range has been my absolute go-to since navigating menopause, a time when I noticed my hair beginning to lose its original thickness, strength, and lustre.

Engineered around a plant-based, triple-layer repair technology, the formula works systematically to restore compromised hair:

  1. The Cortex: Micro-molecules derived from corn or sugarcane penetrate the inner layer of the hair shaft to build structural bonds from within.
  2. The Cuticle: A nourishing macro-green blend of sacha inchi, green tea seed, and avocado oils mimics the hair’s natural outer layer to smooth the cuticle and detangle strands beautifully without heavy silicones.
  3. The F-Layer: Coconut and corn derivatives replicate the hair’s outermost, water-resistant barrier, locking in a healthy shine and guarding against environmental damage.

I usually shampoo twice. Because the formula is highly concentrated, a very small amount goes an incredibly long way.

My can’t live without product is the Aveda Botanical Repair Leave-In Treatment. It brilliantly acts as a protective conditioner and a styling product all in one. Because it shields hair from heat damage while smoothing frizz perfectly, I find I don’t need to apply any additional styling creams or gels—keeping my haircare routine wonderfully simple.

Because you want to minimize any tangles, tugging, or pulling anywhere near your face right now, I use a wide-tooth wooden comb to gently detangle your hair, always working mindfully from the ends up to the roots.

From my mother’s garden to mine

Lavender harvest
Lavender harvested from the garden

Every time I open these bottles, the herbal aroma instantly reminds me of my childhood home. Growing up, my mother cultivated both rosemary and lavender in our family garden, harvesting them regularly to brew a traditional, homemade hair rinse. She used it on our hair constantly to give it an incredible, healthy shine, but she also knew the functional secrets of those plants: their powerful, natural antibacterial and protective properties.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these two botanical powerhouses represent a beautiful Yin and Yang balance for total scalp health:

  • Rosemary (Mi Die Xiang 米迭香): A warming herb known to stimulate the movement of Qi (energy) and blood circulation. In TCM, hair health is a direct reflection of blood vitality. By stimulating the scalp, rosemary delivers essential nutrients directly to the hair follicles.
  • Lavender (Xun Yi Cao 薰衣草): A cooling, calming herb that clears heat and soothes cutaneous irritation, perfectly balancing the energetic warmth of the rosemary.

Today, I grow both rosemary and lavender in my own garden. At the end of every season, I lovingly harvest the lavender and tie them into fragrant bundles, placing them in vases all around my home. It acts as a completely natural air freshener that feels exceptionally fresh and deeply grounding all at once. In TCM, these ambient botanical scents soothe the Shen(the spirit and mind), making the entire home feel like a peaceful sanctuary during recovery.

A time for patient healing

Recovering from surgery is a gentle reminder that our bodies deserve time, patience, and protection. By pairing the practical safety of swimming goggles with the timeless, plant-powered wisdom passed down by my mother, a simple shower can transcend a medical chore and become a moment of deep healing.

If you are preparing for your own surgery, take it one slow, mindful step at a time. Put on your goggles, tilt your head back, and let nature lend you a helping hand!

Disclaimer: Always follow your specific ophthalmologist’s instructions regarding when you can safely wet your hair and face after surgery, as individual recovery timelines and protocols may vary.

Sunday Spa Feature – Argan Oil, Aloe Vera, Sweet Orange and Sea Salt hair styling spray

Posted in beauty, hair treatment, spa treatment, Wellbeing by

Hair Styling spray with Argan oil, Sweet Orange and Aloe Vera I debated about whether to post this, given the sombre mood this weekend. I’ve decided to keep with the British Bull Dog Spirit and to keep calm and carry on.

This Post is the regular Sunday Spa Feature for an Argan Oil, Aloe Vera with Sweet Orange and Sea Salt hair styling spray.

It is a very simple to create a styling spray that give you plenty of volume and hold for your hair.

The spray consists of  Dead Sea Salt which will provide the volume and hold. If you don’t have Dead Sea Salt, you can substitute this for Sea Salt, or Sugar, though I am not keen on the idea of using Sugar in my hair in case, well, it might attract bugs!

For moisture, since I have some Argan Oil this will protect hair from heat styling and keep your hair smooth and shiny. I’ve also included some Aloe Vera gel, also known for its mosturising properties.Hair Styling spray with Argan oil and Aloe Vera (6)

To scent the spray, I’ve added a few drops of Sweet Orange Essential Oil, you can of course choose something else. I like the scent of Oranges and since using the spray, I’ve found that the Essential Oil gives my hair added shine, it’s great to combine it with the Argan Oil.

That’s basically, it. Just spray into your hair and style as usual, you can use it for adding volume or texture (spray and leave to dry, as this will add natural definition and texture to your hair).

Not bad for a few ingredients found around the home and best of all, not a single man-made chemical or preservative went into this spray, which means better, healthier hair.

All you need are the following ingredients:

100ml spray bottle

65 ml hot water

35 ml Dead Sea Salt or Sea Salt (about 2 level tablespoons)

1 teaspoon aloe vera gel

1 teaspoon vodka

1 teaspoon argan oil

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Simply combine all the ingredients into the Spray Bottle. It’s easier if you have a small funnel. To make sure the oil mixes in with the other ingredients, I have added a small amount of vodka (you can substitute this for Surgical Spirit or rubbing alcohol but I find that this has a strong scent and I just prefer vodka because it’s scent free).

Just shake to combine the ingredients before each use.

Enjoy!

Sunday Spa Feature – Hot Oil hair treatment for dark hair and healthy scalp

Posted in beauty, hair treatment, inspiration, spa treatment, Wellbeing by

Hot Oil Treatment for healthy hair and scalp

Lately my hair feels like straw. I think it must be the combination of feeling under the weather and the chlorine in the swimming pool on holiday.

In my teenage years, I came across VO5 hot oil treatment and would use this on my hair every Sunday as I was convinced by the marketing that it was necessary for long hair.

With all the natural ingredients I have in my cupboard however, it would be simple to make up a batch of hot oil treatment for my hair, without the hassle of having to go shopping.

To condition and put moisture back into my hair, I have chosen to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, well-known for its health benefits, full of antioxidants. It is also a great hair restorer, it contains vitamins A and E and works to treat damaged hair and promotes a healthier scalp.

Since I also have fresh Rosemary growing in the garden, I have taken a sprig of this herb to use with the Olive Oil. Rosemary tea and Oil is widely used in hair treatments and is known as a traditional treatment to darken hair and slow the appearance of grey hair. Since I now have a sprinkling of white showing through my black Chinese hair, this will be great to slow down the rate at which my hair is going grey. The herb is also great at regulating and re-balancing dry itchy scalps.Rosemary and Sage (1)

One of the most used essential oils I have is Tea Tree, this essential oil has fended off the dreaded head lice that most school kids come home with. Whenever, I receive a note from our kids schools advising of Head Lice, I make sure to add tea tree oil when my kids are washing their hair. In fact they now don’t need reminding to add a few drops into their shampoo.

The oil helps unclog pores that may be blocked due to use of shampoos and hair products that contain fillers and polymers. It’s also great at getting rid of dead skin cells, to help healthy new hair to grow.

Fresh Rosemary and Sage herbs to use in hot oil treatmentFinally, as I have fresh Sage growing in the garden also, I will combine this along with the fresh Rosemary and use it as a herb infusion in the olive oil. It is also known as a herb that helps to darken hair.

Making the hot hair treatment is very simple.

In a pan, gently heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Gently bruise the fresh rosemary and fresh sage with a pestle and mortar and add to the hot olive oil, leave to steep for as long as possible (overnight is preferable) but if you are stuck for time, you can use immediately.

I have simply heated the herbs through in the olive oil, then left to cool until it is comfortable to touch with my finger.

With the oil warmed through (be careful that it is not so hot that it will scald – you should be able to put your finger in the oil without it feeling uncomfortable to touch.)

Add 2-3 drops of tea tree essential oil.

If you also have Rosemary essential oil – 2-3 drops can also be added to the hot oil to give the properties of Rosemary an extra boost.

To apply the hot oil

In a bowl, using fingers massage the warm oil into your scalp in circular motion, until all your scalp has been massaged thoroughly, add the remaining oil and run through the entire length of your hair. (1 – 2 tablespoons should be plenty to cover shoulder length hair).

If you have a disposable shower cap, cover your hair and wrap in a towel so that the warm oil can penetrate your hair.

Leave for as long as possible.

Wash with your usual shampoo and condition as necessary.

Once dried, my hair, which felt dry and brittle, has regained some of its bounciness and shine.

Hmm definitely will need to do this on a regular basis.

If you have lighter coloured hair and want to try this hot oil treatment, try Calendula,  chamomile and lemon peel added to the olive oil, as I’ve read these herbs will help to lighten and add highlights to hair.