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Headlice Arrrrrrrrggggggggh!!!

January 30, 2011 by Nellie Lee Luhrmann 5 Comments

Now that the kids are back at school will you be like me and checking your childs hair  for lice on a regular basis .

Fortunately  the days of just shaving ones head and dipping it in kerosene are long gone.

Try this concentrated aromatherapy blend to eliminate headlice.

Combine in a glass bottle the following

15 drops thyme essential oil.

15 drops rosemary essential oil

20 drops geranium essential oil

50ml jojoba oil  (or any  light vegetable oil )

Shake vigorously

Apply the treatment oil as you would a hair and scalp treatment  combing it through and leave on for as long as possible.

Shampoo the hair.

Rinse out. As a final rinse add 2 drops of each essential oil to 500ml of water and pour through the hair.

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Comments

  1. Single Life With Kids says

    January 31, 2011 at 12:07 am

    Do you use this as a treatment for current headlice infestation? Or can this be used as a preventative? Can you use this on mattresses and other furniture? We deal with headlice way too often, out here in the country, a really great non-chemical-laden product would be fantastic!

  2. Becky says

    January 31, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    Arrgh! Where was the internet and great ideas like this when we had the Great 3rd Grade Head Lice Epidemic here about 15 years ago! Those critters are evil and resilient. I hope I never need to try this remedy but thanks for posting it!

  3. Glenda says

    January 31, 2011 at 4:13 pm

    Ya know I went through that with mine and all the cleaning, wash and other things. The medicine did no good. The one thing that did work was hair dye. I guess the ammonia in it killed them. I bought the color that was the same shade as their hair and it worked wonderful.
    Hope this helps someone else.
    Glenda

  4. Nellie Lee Luhrmann says

    January 31, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    Exposing lice and nits to temperatures above 125 degrees F for 10 minutes is lethal. Most personal articles of clothing and bedding can be disinfested by machine washing in hot water or machine drying for at least 20 minutes using the hot cycle. Be sure to allow time between loads for water to reheat to the disinfesting temperature.
    Place non-washable personal articles of clothing or bedding in the dryer on high heat for at least 20 minutes, dry clean or seal non-washable fabrics in a plastic bag for a minimum of 10 days.
    Place combs and brushes in a pan of water and heat on a stove to about 150 degrees F for 10 minutes. If heating may damage combs or brushes, soak them for one hour in a phenol solution (e.g., Lysol®). To prevent the spread of head lice, do not share combs, brushes, hats, coats, towels or other articles that come in contact with the head, neck and shoulders.
    Thoroughly vacuum or clean car seats, bus seats, and individual infant and car seats according to manufacturer’s directions.
    Fumigating rooms and using insecticidal sprays on furniture and carpets are not recommended to kill head lice; thorough vacuuming of houses and rooms inhabited by infested persons is sufficient.

  5. mel says

    November 13, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    I’ve worked as a teacher for 7 years now, and in that time I’ve seen WAY too many infestations of nits! One of the big problems with lice is that all often the critters are resistant to the chemical treatments. Along with using natural treatments like the one here, one of the most important ways to stamp them out is to COMB COMB COMB those eggs out! The eggs are almost impossible to kill and combing them out with those horridly fine toothed combs is critical to ending the infestation. If nits are about, I load my hair with conditioner – which temporarily paralyses the adults, as well as making it way easier to get the comb through – and give all the hair a thorough comb. I’d probably do this every day or so, until I feel all clear, and twice a week while they’re rife in the kids. You treat yourself, and the next day another bugger jumps aboard, so keeping at it is important.
    Another great tip is that vinegar dissolves the adhesive that sticks the egg to the hair shaft, so do a vinegar rinse BEFORE combing and that’ll help too. I pour straight vinegar onto dry hair and work it in, but be careful with kids, as if it gets in your eyes it does sting some. Then I rinse thoroughly and then do the conditioner/comb through.
    One bonus – you go through the vinegar rinse/conditioner/comb process regularly for a couple of days and your hair looks and feels awesome!

Have you read?

DIY Witch’s Brew Gift Pack With 3 Handmade Bath And Body Treats

Halloween gifts do not have to involve another bucket of sweets, plastic spiders or tiny toys that mysteriously appear under the sofa until Easter. This DIY Witch’s Brew Gift Pack contains three handmade bath and body treats designed for a properly relaxing night in.

Inside the cauldron, you will find:

  • Witch’s Brew Sugar Scrub for smoothing dry skin
  • Spellbound Bath Salts for tired feet and aching bodies
  • Witch’s Kiss Lip Balm for dry autumn lips

The three recipes are beginner-friendly, inexpensive to make in batches and small enough to tuck inside a miniature plastic cauldron. It is a lovely non-candy Halloween gift for friends, teachers, neighbours, teenagers, coworkers or anyone who deserves a little seasonal pampering.

You could also make several at once for Halloween party favours, craft stalls or “you’ve been booed” doorstep surprises.

Why This Halloween Gift Pack Is Actually Useful

I love a themed gift, but I love it even more when the recipient can genuinely use what is inside.

Rather than filling this Halloween pamper basket with decorative potions that collect dust, each handmade item solves a familiar seasonal problem. The sugar scrub helps remove rough, flaky skin, the bath salts provide a soothing soak after a long day, and the lip balm protects lips that are beginning to feel the effects of cooler, drier weather.

They also share a coordinated orange-and-vanilla fragrance, so the finished set smells warm and seasonal without hitting the recipient over the head with an entire pumpkin spice cupboard.

For more spooky bath-time inspiration, take a look at these DIY Halloween bubble bars. Their black-and-orange swirls would make a fun fourth item if you are creating a larger Halloween hamper.

Supplies For The Complete Witch’s Brew Gift Set

Containers and Packaging

  • One miniature black plastic cauldron, small basket or gift box
  • One 4-ounce jar for the sugar scrub
  • One 4-ounce jar or resealable pouch for the bath salts
  • One small lip balm tin or lip balm tube
  • Black tissue paper or shredded paper
  • Ribbon, twine or Halloween baker’s twine
  • Printable or handwritten labels
  • Small wooden spoon, optional
  • Cellophane gift wrap, optional

Mini cosmetic jars, lip balm tins and small black cauldrons are readily available from craft suppliers and online marketplaces. A set of matching jars makes the gift look polished, although cleaned and completely dry recycled jars work perfectly well too. We are crafters; saving a good jar is practically part of the job description.

Bath And Body Ingredients

  • Granulated white sugar
  • Sweet almond oil, jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil
  • Epsom salts
  • Fine sea salt
  • Baking soda
  • Beeswax pellets
  • Shea butter
  • Cosmetic-grade orange mica, optional
  • Skin-safe vanilla fragrance oil
  • Steam-distilled sweet orange essential oil or a skin-safe orange fragrance oil
  • Lip-safe vanilla or orange flavour oil
  • Vitamin E oil, optional

Only use colourants, fragrances and flavour oils specifically approved for cosmetic use. Craft glitter, candle fragrance and food flavouring do not belong in bath and body recipes, no matter how convincingly the label says “magical.”

Recipe One: Witch’s Brew Sugar Scrub

This orange-and-black Witch’s Brew Sugar Scrub gently exfoliates rough skin while the oil helps leave it feeling soft and moisturised.

You can keep the scrub orange, divide it into orange and black layers, or add just a tiny swirl of black mica for a bubbling-cauldron effect.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 cup sweet almond oil, jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil
  • 8 drops steam-distilled sweet orange essential oil
  • 4 drops skin-safe vanilla fragrance oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon cosmetic-grade orange mica, optional
  • A tiny pinch of cosmetic-grade black mica, optional

This quantity fills approximately two 4-ounce jars, depending on how firmly the scrub is packed.

Instructions

Place the sugar in a clean, dry mixing bowl.

Add the carrier oil gradually, stirring as you go. You may not need every last drop. The finished scrub should resemble damp sand and hold together when pressed without leaving a pool of oil in the bottom of the bowl.

Add the orange essential oil and vanilla fragrance oil. Mix thoroughly so the fragrance is evenly distributed.

Stir in the orange mica a tiny amount at a time.

For a black-and-orange cauldron effect, transfer a few spoonfuls of scrub to a second bowl and colour that portion with the smallest pinch of black mica. Alternate the two colours as you spoon the scrub into the jar.

Wipe the rim of the jar and secure the lid tightly.

Add a label reading:

Witch’s Brew Body Polish
Massage gently onto damp skin, then rinse. Do not use on the face, irritated skin or freshly shaved skin. Take care, as oils may make the bath or shower slippery.

There is already a full Witch’s Brew Halloween body scrub on CraftGossip featuring activated charcoal and a darker, moodier fragrance blend. Use that version when you want your gift pack to look as though it has been scooped directly from a bubbling black cauldron.

Recipe Two: Spellbound Bath Salts

These simple Halloween bath salts are the relaxing part of the gift set. Epsom salts make them ideal for a long bath or foot soak after decorating the house, walking around a Halloween festival or following children from door to door while carrying everyone’s discarded costume accessories.

The baking soda softens the bath water, while fine sea salt adds texture to the blend.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Epsom salts
  • 1/4 cup fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda
  • 8 drops steam-distilled sweet orange essential oil
  • 4 drops skin-safe vanilla fragrance oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon cosmetic-grade orange mica, optional
  • 1 teaspoon carrier oil or polysorbate 80, optional

This recipe fills approximately two 4-ounce jars.

Instructions

Combine the Epsom salts, fine sea salt and baking soda in a clean, dry bowl.

In a separate small dish, combine the fragrance with the carrier oil or polysorbate 80. This helps disperse the fragrance more evenly through the salts.

Drizzle the scented mixture over the dry ingredients while stirring continuously.

Add the orange mica sparingly and mix until the salts are evenly coloured. More colour is not necessarily better; you want Halloween bath water, not a permanently orange bathtub.

Spread the salts onto a tray lined with baking paper and leave them uncovered for several hours so any excess moisture can evaporate.

Transfer the completely dry salts to an airtight jar.

Add a label reading:

Spellbound Bath Salts
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup to warm running bath water and stir to dissolve. For a foot soak, add 2 tablespoons to a basin of warm water. External use only.

You can also use black and orange layers inspired by these Halloween bath bombs from CraftBits. Just be conservative with dark colourants, particularly when gifting the salts to someone with a beautiful white bathtub and a low tolerance for scrubbing.

For a more crystal-like potion ingredient, the chunky bath gems tutorial can be adapted using purple, green or orange cosmetic colourants.

Recipe Three: Witch’s Kiss Lip Balm

This moisturising lip balm rounds out the gift pack and gives the recipient something they can use long after Halloween night.

Shea butter and sweet almond oil soften dry lips, while beeswax helps create a protective balm. A lip-safe flavour oil gives it a gentle orange-vanilla scent without using irritating spices such as cinnamon or clove.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon beeswax pellets
  • 1 tablespoon shea butter
  • 1 tablespoon sweet almond oil or jojoba oil
  • 2 to 3 drops lip-safe vanilla or sweet orange flavour oil
  • 1 drop vitamin E oil, optional
  • A tiny pinch of lip-safe orange or burgundy mica, optional

This recipe makes approximately three small lip balm tins or tubes, depending on their size.

Instructions

Place the beeswax, shea butter and carrier oil in a heatproof pouring jug.

Set the jug in a small saucepan containing a few centimetres of gently simmering water. Make sure no water splashes into the balm mixture.

Stir occasionally until the ingredients have completely melted.

Remove the jug from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about one minute.

Stir in the lip-safe flavour oil, vitamin E and lip-safe mica, if using.

Pour immediately into clean, dry lip balm tins or tubes.

Leave the containers uncovered until the balm has cooled and hardened completely. Add the lids once the balm is firm.

Label each container:

Witch’s Kiss Lip Balm
Apply to lips as needed. External use only.

Do not substitute ordinary fragrance oil or essential oil unless the supplier specifically states that it is lip-safe and provides an approved usage rate. Cinnamon and clove may smell gloriously Halloween-like, but they can be irritating on the lips and are best left in the spice cupboard.

How To Assemble The Witch’s Brew Gift Pack

Line a miniature black cauldron, basket or gift box with black, purple or orange tissue paper.

Place the three handmade bath and body products inside, with the labels facing forward. Nestle a small wooden spoon beside the scrub or bath salts if you have one.

Add a few decorative items around the jars. Good choices include:

  • A small artificial spider
  • Black paper bats
  • A sprig of dried lavender
  • Orange-and-black ribbon
  • A miniature broom
  • A handmade potion label
  • A battery-operated tea light

Keep loose glitter, plastic confetti and decorative botanicals outside the actual products. They may look pretty in photographs, but nobody wants to fish a plastic bat out of the bath drain.

Tie the entire gift in clear cellophane or place it inside a Halloween gift bag.

Printable-Style Gift Tag Wording

Use one of these messages on your handmade Halloween gift tag:

A Witch’s Brew Just For You
A scrub, a soak and a magical little balm for a spellbinding night of self-care.

You’ve Been Booed
No tricks here—just three handmade treats for a relaxing Halloween night.

Something Wickedly Relaxing This Way Comes
Brew a bath, polish your skin and seal it with a witch’s kiss.

For The Good Witch Who Does Everything
Take one bath, ignore the doorbell and allow no one to disturb you.

That last one may be less traditional, but possibly the most useful spell in the entire gift basket.

Halloween Fragrance Variations

Keep the fragrance blend consistent across the scrub and bath salts so the three products feel like a coordinated collection.

Pumpkin Cauldron

Use a skin-safe pumpkin fragrance oil with vanilla. Avoid adding ground cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves directly to products intended for the skin.

Enchanted Forest

Choose a skin-safe blend of cedarwood and steam-distilled sweet orange. Keep the total fragrance concentration within the supplier’s recommended usage rate.

Poison Apple

Use a skin-safe green apple fragrance oil with a little vanilla. Colour the scrub and salts pale green or purple.

Candy Cauldron

Choose a skin-safe candy or berry fragrance and use pink, purple and black packaging. This is particularly fun for teenagers, but label the products clearly so nobody mistakes the scrub for something edible.

Fragrance-Free Friendly Ghost

Leave out all fragrance and colour. Use white jars, ghost-shaped tags and black ribbon to maintain the Halloween theme. This is a thoughtful option when you do not know the recipient’s fragrance preferences.

 

How Long Will The Handmade Products Last?

When prepared with fresh ingredients and stored correctly:

  • The sugar scrub is best used within two to three months.
  • The dry bath salts can last six months or longer when kept completely dry.
  • The lip balm is generally best used within six months.

Discard any product that changes in colour, fragrance or texture.

Make It Into A Larger Halloween Pamper Basket

For a bigger Halloween spa gift, add a handmade washcloth, candle, eye mask or one of these spooky Halloween bath bombs.

A black washcloth tied with orange ribbon is both useful and inexpensive. You could also include fuzzy socks, herbal tea or a small packet of chocolates. After all, there is no rule saying a non-candy gift must be completely chocolate-free.

The finished Witch’s Brew Gift Pack is spooky enough for Halloween but practical enough that every item should actually be used. It is quick to assemble, easy to customise and ideal for making in batches when you need several affordable handmade Halloween gifts.

And, unlike most Halloween potions, this one is far more likely to result in soft skin and an early night than accidental transformation into a toad.

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