Horsetail Hair Rinse for Shiny, Healthy Hair
If you’ve ever dealt with horsetail in your garden, you know that it’s a nasty weed that’s super invasive and incredibly difficult to get rid of.
Horsetail will literally grow just about anywhere, and once it’s in your soil, it takes nothing less than an excavator to get rid of it. At least, that’s been our experience anyway.
We first noticed it on our own property when we ordered our first shipment of soil last year: We had thick tarps laid out on the ground with the soil spread over top. The tarps were laid out on the ground for a couple months in the spring, and when we finally cleared all the soil, we noticed horsetail had grown right through the tarps!
We’ve battled this invasive weed ever since. It’s taken over our greenhouse, our front and back garden beds, our berry patch, our pumpkin patch… It’s even growing in our fire pit! If that ain’t a testament to the fact that it will grow just about anywhere, I don’t know what is.
In fact, I’ve even read that horsetail is one of the first weeds to grow back after a volcanic eruption decimates everything in its path. It literally grows out of the ashes!
The worst part is that when you pull this weed out by the root, it spreads even more. The best way to manage it is to cut it at the base of the stem with a pair of scissors or garden shears, but that can take ages considering the sheer volume of it that grows in any given area. Not to mention, it grows right back in a matter of days.
Needless to say, we have lost the battle with horsetail on our property, but I recently discovered a way to win the war…
How horsetail can benefit you
For starters, horsetail is actually not a horrible weed to have in the garden, as invasive as it may be. Since it requires very little nutrients to survive, it therefore doesn’t take many nutrients away from other plants growing nearby. So while it can be frustrating and unsightly, horsetail can coexist quite peacefully with most of our other plants as long as we don’t let it get too out of control.
Horsetail is also very high in silica, which is a chemical compound made up of silicon and oxygen that is beneficial to human health. Silica is especially beneficial for healthy skin, hair and nails, keeping these body parts strong helping to prevent brittleness.
You can actually benefit from making a tea out of horsetail, and when taken orally horsetail is said to aid everything from brittle bones to bladder and kidney problems. But horsetail can also be applied externally.
Related: Rosemary Hair Pomade With Essential Oils
It’s been said that First Nations traditionally used horsetail’s abrasive stem as a sort of sandpaper-like file for smoothing carved items and even for filing their nails and brushing their teeth.
I wanted to find a way to put horsetail to work for me, because if you can’t beat it, embrace it, right? I decided to make a sort of extract out of it with apple cider vinegar, which also supports healthy, shiny, strong hair when used as a hair rinse.
How to make and use horsetail hair rinse
By combining both horsetail and apple cider vinegar together, you can create a powerful, all-natural hair rinse that is extremely beneficial for your hair while also putting horsetail to good use instead of just letting it take over your garden.
If you don’t have any horsetail in your garden, first consider yourself lucky. Next, go for a walk n the wild. Horsetail grows just about everywhere (with the exceptions of Australia and New Zealand by my research), so chances are you can find some growing wild somewhere near you. While it can grow just about anywhere, your best bet is to look near watery areas like rivers, ponds and marshes.
To make the hair rinse, simply stuff a Mason Jar about ⅔ of the way full with fresh horsetail and then cover with raw apple cider vinegar. Make sure that all the horsetail is submerged as any horsetail sticking up above the liquid could start to mold. I use a wide-mouth, quart-sized Mason jar to make my hair rinse in and I place a small jelly jar on top of the mixture to push the horsetail below the surface so it doesn’t float above the liquid line.
Store your infusion in a cool dark place for about 4-6 weeks for best results, shaking gently every few days to help it infuse. Strain out the horsetail and discard (I throw it in the garbage as I’m nervous to spread more horsetail in my garden by putting it in my compost). Continue to store infused apple-cider in a cool dark place when not using.
To use, rinse through your hair either after washing or between washes. I like to rinse and leave it in, combing it through my hair. But you can also comb the rinse through your hair and then rinse it outrightly with water. Do not follow with any conditioner or any other products.
Voilà! You’ve got yourself an all-natural hair rinse, beautiful, healthy hair and you’ve put some of that horse tail to good use.
Have you ever used horsetail before? Have you found a way to get rid of it in your garden? Please share any tips you have for dealing with horsetail in the comments section below!
CATEGORIES
14 Comments
Submit a Comment
ABOUT ANNA
You Might Also Like
How It Started Vs. How It’s Going
When I first started homesteading, I had a burning desire to become more self-sufficient and live a more sustainable life. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been a rebel at heart, and learning how to homestead and become more self-reliant was a way for me to...
11 Frugal Ways to Use Kitchen Scraps
Save money, reduce food waste and and improve everything from your soil to your gut health with this list of 11 frugal ways to use kitchen scraps in your home and garden. *** We’re such a wasteful society, especially here in the west. The mounds of waste...
The world is changing faster than ever.
We’ve barely had time to adapt to the “new normal” and still things are continuing to shift, change, and in some cases spiral more each day.
From rising inflation and persistent supply chain issues, to a looming recession and food shortages that are expected to get worse after a very tough farming year, to a war on European soil and the threat of cyber attacks and (God forbid) a nuclear attack, to the future of digital IDs and increasingly pervasive government control over every aspect of our lives, it’s no wonder more people are looking for ways to escape the matrix and “opt out” of the system.
I consider myself an optimistic realist: I hope for the best and I live fully and freely in the moment, but I prepare for the future accordingly based on what I can see unfolding in our world. And honestly, I find this “sweet spot” to be incredibly empowering.
This is why I do what I do and why I share it with you on a regular basis; I WANT TO EMPOWER YOU TOO!
That’s why I created The Society of Self-Reliance: A private membership that connects you with the resources, support and community you need to reclaim your independence and become more self-reliant in every aspect of your life.
From growing and preserving your own food to crafting and using herbal medicine to life skills like how to manage it all and stay calm in stressful situations, how to prepare for emergency situations and much more, if you’re ready to learn invaluable skills that will help you take control of your family’s food security, health and wellbeing, time, finances, and ultimately over your own future, The Society of Self-Reliance was created for you!
I’m okay cited to announce that I’ll be reopening the Society doors for a limited time starting next week, and wanted to give you the heads up NOW so that you can get on the waitlist and make sure you don’t miss out when enrollment opens.
To learn more or get on the waitlist, click the link in my bio @anna.sakawsky or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
It’s October, and that means pumpkin spice season is officially here 🎃
This year, instead of spending $5 or more on a PSL loaded with questionable artificial ingredients, why not make your own pumpkin spice syrup at home with REAL PUMPKIN and all-natural ingredients!
All you need is some puréed pumpkin (I make mine with fresh pumpkins, but you can use canned), some brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice and ginger, a splash of vanilla extract and some water.
Bring everything to a boil and then simmer and reduce. Strain into a bottle or Mason jar and store in the fridge for up to a week or so.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of this syrup to your coffee or homemade latte for a better quality, better tasting PSL for a fraction of the cost of what you’d pay at a coffee shop.
You can also add this syrup to homemade kombucha, or drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, French toast or even ice cream!
Grab the full recipe via the link in my bio @anna.sakawsky or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/homemade-pumpkin-spice-syrup/
#pumpkinspice #psl #homemadetastesbetter #falldrinks
Do you dream of escaping the rat race and starting a homestead far from the chaos of the modern world?
It’s no surprise that in this day and age, more and more people are ready to leave it all behind and move to a property in the country where they can grow their own food, live a simpler life and become more self-sufficient and less dependent on “the system.” But as romantic as it sounds, it’s definitely easier said than done.
In the latest issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, I sat down with Ann Accetta-Scott of @afarmgirlinthemaking to talk all about what people need to know about buying and selling a homestead property.
Ann and her husband Justin recently moved from their two-acre homestead outside of Seattle, Washington to a 40-acre homestead in rural Tennessee. Ann and I sat down to talk about the realities of buying and selling a homestead, moving across the country to pursue your homesteading dream, what to look for when you’re searching for your next property, pitfalls to avoid (if you can!), and what you can do if you’re not ready or in a position to make your move just yet.
Whether you’re looking to purchase your first homestead or trying to sell an existing homestead and upgrade to a bigger property, Ann had some great insights to share that can save you time, stress and money when you’re ready to make your move.
Check out the full interview in the fall issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine: link in bio @anna.sakawsky or visit www.modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to subscribe, login to the library (if you’re already a subscriber) or view a sample of the current issue!
#modernhomesteading #homesteadersofinstagram #escapethematrix #selfsufficiency #selfreliance #selfsufficientliving
This is why people don’t trust our medical system!!!
I very rarely go on a rant about current events but this has me feeling really fired up…
My husband and I each got an Amber Alert on our phones the other night along with millions of other British Columbians, informing us of a child abduction in Vancouver. It made the suspect sound like a dangerous kidnapper and said “do not approach. Call 911.”
As it turns out, it was the mother of the child (a 3-year-old boy), who had refused medical treatment without getting a second opinion and follow up blood tests, so the Ministry of Child and Family Services was called, she was arrested and her son was taken from her and was administered medical treatment in the hospital without consent and without a guardian present.
There’s a lot more to this story than I’m able to share in this video or this caption, so I’ll post some links below where you can hear directly from the mom what happened, and check out other IG accounts that have been in direct contact with her and the father. But the point is this was a GROSS misuse of our Amber Alert system, a GROSS abuse of power (turns out the boy wasn’t sick in the end anyway), and has now traumatized this family for life.
Doctors are not gods and as mothers we do not co-parent with the government!!!
This hits close to home for me because I too have been through the medical system and had my concerns dismissed, was misdiagnosed and given wrong information, and was treated with obvious contempt when I got a second opinion.
In this day and age of rampant medical coercion and the erosion of bodily autonomy over our own bodies and over those of our children, this story highlights the dangers of the very slippery slope we’re on.
As parents who only have the best interests of our children at heart, this could happen to any one of us. We can’t let this be normalized. Remember “first they came for (fill in the blank), and I said nothing. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Check out my stories for the full video that the mom, Wiloh made explaining the details of what happened or check out the comments for links to learn more & support this family.
I’ve hesitated about posting this reel over and over because I know I’ll probably get backlash, hate and vitriol from some people in return. But I wouldn’t be being true to myself if I didn’t speak the truth that’s on my heart and mind…
If you haven’t noticed, there are currently thousands of Canadians sharing their stories and using the hashtag #trudeaumustgo on their social media posts right now in response to the divisive rhetoric and actions of our prime minister over the past few months. But our media has downplayed the issue and has attributed most of the hashtags to “bot” accounts and foreigners trying to influence our politics.
In response, real Canadians are making videos and sharing their stories to show that we are not bots, but real people who have been negatively affected by the words and actions of our leaders, particularly our leader at the top.
I used to consider myself a lifelong leftist and have supported the liberal government and Trudeau over the years, but after what I’ve witnessed over the past few months; After how he has spoken about Canadians who have made a different medical choice or who have protested mandates (which have done nothing to stop the spread of you-know-what anyway); After the hate and division that has trickled down from the top and infiltrated our communities, I can no longer stand silently by.
While I am 💉, a few months ago when I voiced my support for those who stood up against mandates and against the division being pushed on us by our leadership, I suddenly found myself among what our prime minister called the “small fringe minority” of citizens with “unacceptable views.”
I lost followers, friends and even a couple family members. I was told I’d been “radicalized,” although my views have never changed.
So today I’m adding my voice to the chorus of real, everyday Canadians who are taking a stand against tyranny and division in this country. As the saying goes, if we do not stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. I stand for freedom & autonomy, and against division & tyranny.
#trudeaumustgo
(Special thanks to fellow 🇨🇦 homesteader @meggarlandd for inspiring me & giving me the courage to post this:)
What would you do if the grid went down?
Imagine not just the lights going out, but all power, all digital communication and information. Would you be prepared?
A lot of us THINK we’re prepared for a grid down situation, but unless you’re already living off grid, you might not realize how dependent on technology we really are!
In the fall issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, contributor Ashley Constance of @dirtypawshomestead and @alittleselfreliant shares her experience voluntarily going without power for the day, and what she and her husband, Shawn learned from their grid down experiment.
You might be surprised at the things they discovered and missed on their prep list, and it might prompt you to reevaluate whether you’re ready in case the grid goes down, or even just Google 😱
Check out the full story in the latest issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine!
Link in bio @anna.sakawsky or visit www.modernhomesteadingmagazine.com
#modernhomesteadingmagazine #homesteadersofinstagram #homesteading #modernhomesteading #prepping #nationalpreparednessmonth
The other day when I had a few minutes to spare, I was out in the garden doing a little work when my neighbour said hi over the fence.
I lamented to her about how busy we’ve been and how hard it’s been to keep on top of this year. Very sincerely, she replied “wait until you have another one,” referring to our baby on the way.
“You’ll be moving back to the suburbs so quick, mark my words,” she said.
Now, I don’t for a second think there was any ill intent behind her statement, but still, it took me aback.
“We’ll never move back to the city or the suburbs,” I replied with a laugh. “This may be hard work but we love it.”
She then repeated her statement and followed it up with “just you wait and see.”
I decided not to continue the back and forth. After all, I told myself, it doesn’t matter if she or anyone else knows what’s truly in your heart. It doesn’t matter if she understands that there’s no amount of difficulty that would make me run back to the suburbs and leave this life behind. In fact, our dream is to upgrade to a bigger property someday where we can grow an even bigger garden and add more livestock to our homestead!
Likewise, I visited the city last weekend for a family event and as always, I had at least a couple people ask me “so when are you moving back to the city?”
Seven years later, and still we have friends and family members who think this is just a phase we’re going through, and eventually we’ll come to our senses and move back.
I used to get offended by these questions because I felt unseen; I felt like nobody took this life that I’m so passionate about seriously, and thought it was “cute” that I was “playing farmer” for a bit, but eventually I had to grow up and become part of the “real world” once again.
Now I just smile and reply “never:)”
Can you relate? How do you (politely) respond when someone questions your lifestyle choices or implies that you’ll eventually come to your senses and come back to “reality”?
Let me know below 👇
The fall issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue you’ll find:
• Preparedness tips, tricks and advice to help you be ready for anything on the homestead (and in life!)
•The ultimate guide to growing garlic at home and it as both food and medicine
• Drool-worthy recipes that feature garlic as the star!
• Expert advice from A Farmgirl in the Making’s Ann Accetta-Scott on what to look for (and look out for) when buying or selling a homestead property
• Advice on how to learn and grow from perceived homesteading “failures”
And more!!!
Go to modernhomesteadingmagazine.com or click the link in my bio @anna.sakawsky to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue if you’re already subscribed!
When I first started homesteading, I had a burning desire to become more self-sufficient and live a more sustainable life.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been a rebel at heart, and learning how to homestead and become more self-reliant was a way for me to “throw a proverbial middle finger to the system” and live life on my own terms.
As a teenager, I was the girl who drove around town with punk rock music blaring from my car, Misfits sticker on the back and studs around my wrists. I felt misunderstood and angsty and like I desperately didn’t fit in with the world I grew up in.
I always knew in my soul that I wanted something different; Something more.
Today I’m the mama with stretch marks on my belly and battle scars on my heart. I’m the woman who gardens and cans food and makes her own tinctures and believes in something greater than herself and fights every day to stay free in a world that feels increasingly engineered to keep us hopelessly dependent.
Today I feel whole and at peace, and connected to a higher power and a higher purpose. I feel like I’ve finally found the place where I belong.
This journey has been about so much more than homesteading for me, and I've learned, lost, gained and loved so much more than I ever could have imagined.
Because, as I've said before, homesteading doesn't happen in a vacuum. Life is always happening at the same time.
This is the full, raw and unfiltered story of my homesteading journey, and how I've gained so much more than a pantry full of food along the way.
Click the link in my bio @anna.sakawsky to read more or check it out here >> https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-it-started-how-its-going
The news we’ve all been waiting for…
IT’S A BOY!!!
After so many years and too many losses, our hearts are so full and it feels like we are inching closer to our family finally being complete.
I’ve always known in my heart and soul that we were meant to have a girl and a boy. I know, it sounds cliché and very “nuclear family,” but years ago I saw a psychic who told me I would have a girl who loved to be centre stage and had a personality larger than life, very much how our daughter has turned out!
She also said I would have a boy who would be much more introverted and in tune with nature and with his own intuition. That’s yet to be seen, but I’ve always had this unwavering vision of a son and a daughter that fit these descriptions, and my heart has been set on a son ever since we had Evelyn.
Of course, things went sideways for a few years. Shortly after Evelyn was born, I became pregnant again, but we made the heartbreaking decision to terminate that pregnancy at 24 weeks due to a severe medical diagnosis. We lost our son, Phoenix Rain on June 15, 2018. Our hearts were shattered and have never fully healed.
Over the next few years, I had 3 more early miscarriages. None of the doctors knew what was causing them as most didn’t seem to have any sort of genetic explanation. We were told it was “something environmental,” but weren’t given any clues as to what that could be.
After pushing to see several specialists last year (after our most recent loss), and being told once again that there was “nothing wrong with me,” I finally got another opinion and found out I had something called Chronic Endometritis: A low-grade infection in my uterus that I believe in my heart was caused by my c-section with our daughter; A c-section I didn’t want and probably didn’t need, but felt I needed because I was under pressure to make a decision before the surgeon went off duty.
I’ll never know for sure, but when I pushed for more testing and finally got a simple round of antibiotics, the endometritis cleared up. I got pregnant again almost immediately and so far we now have a healthy baby boy on the way.
(Continued in comments…)
My baby girl is 6 today!
For the last couple months I’ve been making a concerted effort to be more present with her. While I try to do this all the time, it’s easy to get caught up with work, the daily to-do list, etc. But with her home from school for the summer, dad working out of the home full time at a new job and me pregnant with a new baby on the way, I knew that not only did I need to take a step back from work and the daily grind for a while, but that this time together, just her and I, is precious and fleeting, and I need to make the most of it while I can.
Over the last few weeks we’ve had many adventures and fun times together. We’ve gone camping, hit the beach, she learned how to ride a two-wheeler, is swimming in the deep end of the pool and in the ocean on her own, and we’ve spent countless hours together just talking, bonding, cuddling and enjoying each other’s company.
Many nights I’ve gone to bed after a long day of fun with dishes still in the sink, emails still unanswered and not one thing scratched off my to-do list. But then I remember that my most important “to-do” right now is to be a mama to my girl, and to cherish this time together because I know it won’t last forever.
She’s an independent spirit who probably won’t always be willing to spend hours hanging out with her mom or invite me to snuggle with her every night before bed. So I’m gonna soak up as many of those moments together as possible while I can.
Today my baby girl is 6, but she won’t be forever. So if you can’t find me here, you know where I’ll be:)
Oh, and maybe from now on I’ll remember to get a few more pics of the two of us together too 😉
We’re living through interesting times. Many people have even used the term “unprecedented times,” and while that may be true in that there has perhaps never been another time in history when we’ve faced so many existential threats all at once (ie. a global pandemic, climate change, political divisions, AI advancing at an incredible rate, cyber attacks, nuclear threats, globalization, food shortages, supply chain issues, hyperinflation, social media and the age of information/misinformation, etc. etc. all converging at once). But despite all of this, we are not the first generation(s) of humans to face hardships and threats of great magnitude, and in fact we’ve had it better than any other previous generations for most of our lives, especially here in the west.
The fact is, there are lots of things we can do to ensure we’re not sitting ducks when these threats come knocking at our door. But it takes action on our part, not waiting around for someone else to fix things or take care of us.
In the Summer issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, I sat down with The Grow Network’s Marjory Wildcraft to talk all about the realities of our current climate, including worsening inflation and looming global food shortages, as well as what every day people like you and I can actually DO to improve our food security, become more self-sufficient, care for our families and communities and ensure our own survival and wellbeing even in difficult and uncertain times like these.
While I don’t believe in fear mongering, I do believe in acknowledging hard truths and not burying your head in the sand. That being said, things may very well get worse before they get better, and we would all do well to start learning the necessary skills, stocking up on essential resources and preparing now while there’s still time.
Check out the full interview in the summer issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine. Link in bio @anna.sakawsky to subscribe or go to www.modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to subscribe or login and read the current issue.
#foodshortages #selfsufficiency #selfreliance #foodsecurity #foodsecurityisfreedom #homesteading #growyourownfood #fightinflation #stayfree
Can this be put In A spray bottle to spray on after a shower?
You could put it in a spray bottle, but I do find it’s best to rinse it out rather than leave it in after a shower due to the vinegar smell.
Can I use pure liquid horsetail extract instead, and what amount would I use? Thanks so much.
Hi Lin,
I don’t suppose you could use a liquid extract, however the vinegar in this recipe acts as the solvent so you’re essentially making a homemade extract. I wouldn’t know how much to use if using a liquid extract as I’ve never used this myself, but a premade extract would be stronger than using fresh horsetail so I would err on the side of less.
Is the vinegar rinse poured on to your hair straight or is it to be diluted in water first?
You can do either or. I usually pour it on straight and then work it in in the shower and rinse it out.
May i just soak in water hours and rinse 3 times a week
Hi Amanda,
You can certainly make a tea with it and save it to rinse your hair. Just pour hot water over the horsetail and allow it to steep for a few hours.
The reason Anna infuses it in raw apple cider vinegar is to combine the benefits of both the horsetail and the ACV.
Can I use dried horsetail
Hi Ana,
For most vinegar infusions you can use either fresh or dried. However, use only 1/3 to half of the amount of dried herbs (horsetail, in this case) as it will rehydrate absorbing the liquid and expanding. And then check within the first few days to see if you need to add more vinegar because of the absorption. Otherwise, that should be fine.
I recently started simply making a tea with horsetail by pouring over boiling water and leaving it for 2 to 3 hours then using that to rinse my hair. I leave it on. I noticed my hair was softer by the second use. Now, each day I make a pot of horsetail tea, drink a small cup of it and leave the rest to infuse so it’s ready when I take my shower
I love the idea of a horsetail tea. It is definitely a very useful plant, but when it’s invading your garden it’s a nightmare! May as well put it to good use. Maybe I’ll try drinking some of it too!
Doesn’t it make your hair smell like vinegar afterwards?
Not once you rinse it out.