Healthy 4th of July Recipe that Benefits Hair & Scalp

Happy Independence Day! This weekend we take time to celebrate the hard working people who have dedicated their lives in one way or another to protect this wonderful nation! Today we celebrate Freedom! Now, we know this usually means stuffing your face with Hot Dogs, Chips and other amazingly fatty foods.... but how about throwing in something healthy, tasty AND beneficial to your hair, scalp and skin? We've got a GREAT recipe for you along with a list of all the benefits that you might not have known existed.

This tasty treat is PERFECT for the 4th of July with it's Red, White and Blue colors!

As you can see, this consists of Strawberries, Blueberries and a little whipped cream (which can be substituted with this Paleo Whipped Cream Recipe from our friend Arsy, with Rubies and Radishes.)  But how do these delicious fruits benefit your hair and scalp? Well, let me tell you:

Let's start with Blueberries!

1. Blueberries provides fiber. What in the world does Fiber have to do with your skin? Blueberries are known to help flush yeast and toxins out of your body in a healthy way so that they don't build up in your pores and cause acne and rashes!
2. Blueberries are a great way to reduce signs of aging with antioxidants. This super fruit is a great source of Antioxidants which help to prevent Free Radicals from causing damage to your skin and hair loss!
3. Blueberries are chalked full of Vitamin C. Vitamin C stimulates the production of sebum follicles, which supply your scalp with natural oil. When spread throughout the hair with a boar brush, sebum acts as a great, all natural conditioner!

Next up, Strawberries!

1. Even more Vitamin C: Strawberries are ALSO full of Vitamin C! Did you know that Vitamin C can also help treat conditions like Dandruff?
2. No more Fungus! Strawberries are rich with magnesium that can help prevent fungal growth on the scalp, keeping the pores clear and healthier so that new hair can grow!
3. Strawberries supply Anthocyanins. Now this might sound like a foreign language to some people. In short, anthocyanins are the pigment that render strawberries red. This pigment also has UV protection powers! They work against Free Radicals to prevent skin damage from UV's and pigmentation.

There you have it!

A tasty, Red, White and Blue treat that will help you celebrate this important day while getting health, hair and skin benefits! You can't beat that right?

Top 3 Benefits of Prickly Pear Extract for Hair

While looking through the ingredients list on our website, you may have come across some very strange oils and extracts and wondered how they could possibly benefit your scalp and hair. Perhaps our most asked about ingredient is Prickly Pear Cactus. Prickly Pear Cactus, though unusual, possess some great benefits for your hair and scalp. Here's some of the ways Prickly Pear Cactus can revitalize hair, turning it younger, healthier and more vibrant:

#1: Healthier, younger looking skin

Prickly Pear Extract is a fantastic remedy for damaged or aging skin. The seeds of the Prickly Pear plant can be used as an oil that has anti-inflammatory properties. This can help reduce blemishes, dry skin, acne and much more to help your skin look healthier and years younger. Rich in antioxidants, the oil from Prickly Pear Cactus also helps maintain skin's natural glow.

#2: Replenishes Vitamin E

Prickly Pear is chock full of Vitamin E, which acts as a natural conditioner. This will give you hair shine, and volume. It can also help repair damaged hair and protect your hair from being damaged in the sun!

#3: Natural Sudsing Effect

As you have probably discovered, Morrocco Method products don't foam quite as much as normal products. More than often, the suds produced by traditional shampoos are a byproduct of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), an astrigent chemical that  strips the hair of its natural oils. Prickly Pear is a great natural alternative as it provides a very low sudsing action to our shampoos. This helps spread the products a little better throughout the hair. And as a bonus, it tastes great grilled or over salad! It just goes to show how radiantly healthy hair can be achieved with a little help from Mother Nature's most peculiar ingredients.

4 Benefits of Hemp (Cannabis) Seed Oil for Hair

With all the controversy going on in today's world, we have most likely all heard a thing or two about hemp. Hemp is one of the fastest growing plants in today's industry. Starting hundreds of years ago, hemp  was also one of the FIRST plant to be spun and turned into fiber to be used for sails, canvases and clothing. Today, hemp is still utilized in a variety of different ways, including paper, clothing and food. The seeds from the hemp plant can also produce an oil. Did you know that this oil can have significant benefits on your hair and skin? Keep reading to find out how....

4 Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil for Hair:

#1: Prevents Breakage:

When hair loses moisture, it can become very dry and break more easily. Hemp Seed Oil helps maintain the natural texture of hair, preventing water loss and adding moisture to the hair and scalp. This is especially important in drier climates or weathers, where hair tends to lose moisture more quickly.

#2:  Promotes Hair Growth:

Hemp Seed Oil is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9. These fatty acids are necessary in the production of new  growth and supply proper nourishment to the follicle. Hemp seed oil can also improve blood circulation in the scalp, thereby stimulating new hair growth.

 #3: Conditions & Softens:

Dryness and irritation are some of the most common scalp conditions. Hemp Seed Oil is full of Vitamin E, which acts as very strong conditioning agent to combat these symptoms. The lipids found in hemp seed oil also increase the natural elasticity of hair.

#4: Strengthens: 

Your hair is made of up to 90% protein. Hemp Seed Oil, similarly, contains 25% protein and contributes to keratin formation during the initial growth cycle of the strand. This extra boost of protein from Help Seed Oil ensures that hair grows healthier, more vibrant hair.

Understanding Xanthan Gum: What, Why and How?

There is a lot of controversy in regards to Xanthan Gum. Is it or isn't it safe? What is it derived from? How is it made? Is it Paleo? Today, i'm hopefully going to clear some of that confusion up for you!

Let's start by talking about where Morrocco Method Xanthan Gum is derived from and how it is made.

Here are Morrocco Method, we believe in providing you with the most all natural products possible. This is why our Xanthan Gum is made from Non GMO corn. The process of making Xanthan Gum is similar to the process of making beer, and it all starts with bacteria! Sounds gross right? Well i'm here to tell you, it isn't! Our Non GMO corn is fermented by  Xanthomonas campestris, a naturally occurring bacteria. In order to make this solid after it is fermented, either Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol is added to the mixture. Xantham gum often gets a bad reputation because of the inclusion of Isopropyl Alcohol, a synthetic compound At Morrocco Method, we use Ethanol, the more natural of the two.

How is Ethanol all natural you ask?

Ethanol is just like the alcohol found in whiskey or other drinks. But instead of being mixed with water, it is comprised of 100% alcohol. Ethanol is produced from the fermentation of sugars from yeasts, a natural process that has been practiced for thousands of years. Once the Ethanol makes the fermented bacteria into a solid, it is crushed down to make a powder. When this powder is added to our other all natural ingredients, it gives it a gum like texture that helps to thicken the products to create textures such as our Styling Gel and Pomade! It can also be added to products such as shampoos to make sure they have a thicker consistency than just water to really help spread through the hair and feed it! Studies in the past have shown that this product is safe for humans to ingest. For more information on the safety of ingesting Xanthan Gum, check out this article from Dr. Josh Axe (DNM, DC, CNS, and certified doctor of natural medicine.) [caption id="attachment_11667" align="alignleft" width="333"] Xanthan Gum Powder[/caption] There are many debates as to whether or not Xanthan Gum is Paleo or not. The answer, unfortunately, often depends on the individual's understanding and interpretation of Paleo. However, Xantham Gum is the most popular thickener among the natural and gluten free communities because of its lack of chemical alteration. Lastly, as mentioned a few times above, our Xanthan Gum is Non GMO. What does this mean? GMO stands for: Genetically Modified Organisms. For example, some corns are genetically modified to produce their own pesticide. While this might seem like a great idea, the chemical alterations can be harmful to the body when ingested. Non GMO means that our products such as the corn we ferment, are not genetically altered in any way and are in fact natural and just as Mother Nature made them! There you have it! I hope this helps tame your curiosity about Xanthan Gum and it's uses!