Morbid Outlook - Pagan in a Catholic Household & Homemade Hair Care

Recently my mother nearly found out that I was practicing paganism. She is a Catholic and has raised me to be one too, but I don’t agree with everything the church believes in. I feel that paganism has filled an empty part of me, yet my mother tells me if I practice witchcraft in her house I will have to move out. I am 16 by the way, and I won’t be graduating for another 2 years. What do I do: continue to practice witchcraft and pray I don’t get caught, or respect my mother’s house and put my beliefs aside?
– Crimson

Since you are still a minor and living with the family, you will essentially have to go along with their wishes. However, you can always keep in mind that witches in the past managed to worship the Gods and Goddesses by utilizing the Catholic images just as well. Think of it as a sort of costume party and less like something that is a part of that which you no longer subscribe to.

Do keep your beliefs underground though, as too many people knowing your business can come back to haunt you when you aren’t looking.

Hello, Witch Hazel. I am writing to you to share a very simple beauty remedy. My hair is often very dry from repeated bleaching and coloring. I find that maybe once a month a mayonnaise treatment does wonders. I work about half a cup of (real) mayonnaise into my hair and then wrap my head with a plastic bag. The plastic bag traps heat, which helps the fatty richness of the mayo penetrate my hair. After about twenty minutes, I rinse it out and shampoo and condition normally. My hair is a bit longer than chin length, so someone with longer hair may need more mayo. It makes my hair super soft and feel healthier.

Thanks for the tip! I’ve heard of this treatment before, and some folks tend to shy away from it, fearing they will smell like salad. There is a product from Queen Helene called Cholesterol, which gives similiar results without the mayo smell. It should be a product you can easily find in your local drugstore chain.

Olive oil is also very effective for rejuvenating over-processed hair. If you don’t like the way it smells, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

If you ever find your favorite shampoo has stopped working, it may be time for a good rinse to get rid of the residue. For dark hair, mix 1 part cider vinegar with 4 parts water; if you’re a blonde, mix 1 part lemon juice instead and pour this mixture over your shampooed and rinsed hair as a final rinse.

For dry scalps where dandruff is a problem, try a mixture of 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. Apply this to your scalp twice a week, just before shampooing.

For relief from itchy scalps, apply neem oil to your scalp. Now this oil can be really smelly, so you may want to mix about 20 drops to your regular shampoo or look for neem oil in hair treatment products, creams or lotions.

My question is should I wash my hair everyday? By the second day, my hair feels greasy, but I don’t want my hair color to fade. What do you suggest? Thank you, Opaline

Why not? Shampooing everyday can’t hurt your hair, and people with oily complexions tend to want to wash their hair every day or every other day, otherwise it feels dirty. If your skin/hair were on the drier side, you may not need to wash it so often. Our editor admits to only washing her hair once a week to keep her green vibrant.

With a temporary colors, like Manic Panic, Punky Color or Special Effects, the more you wash, the more you will require color touch-ups. You might want to check out Manic Panic’s colorizing shampoos, to help give your color a boost in between dying.