Forget true love – we all know the best part of Valentine’s Day is the candy. Cover it in chocolate, and we’re about it! But before you get swept up in all the lovey dovey advertising this month, don’t forget the most important relationship you have – the one with yourself! Here is a great way to treat yourself with a Valentine’s Day Treat for your curls, and two recipes for your sweet tooth!

Valentines Treats For Curls

While we may say the best part of this special day is the open celebration of love, it is really about the chocolate for most of us. Did you know chocolate is actually beneficial for you? It’s true! Eating chocolate in moderation, particularly dark chocolate which is higher in antioxidants, has been proven to offer health benefits such as lower blood pressure, lower risk for heart disease, protection for skin against premature aging caused by the sun, and more. The reason for this sweet treat packing such a punch is because of the high amounts of cocoa used in dark chocolate mixtures. While eating dark chocolate might be a great way to get health benefits while satisfying your sweet tooth, using chocolate in your hair will also give your strands a boost.

Chocolate hair masks are great for restoring moisture to dry hair and can be used by nearly all hair types. If you have normal to dry hair, applying a chocolate mask can be a sweet treat to give your curls a boost. For those with oily hair, you can still enjoy some of the same perks by only applying the treatment to the ends up to about midway without applying it to the scalp.

To create a sweet treat for your strands to show yourself some Valentine’s Day love, you will need a few basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

Dark Chocolate

• About 3 squares of dark chocolate, preferably with a high cocoa concentration for better results. Do not use milk or white chocolate because it lacks the cocoa powerhouse and won’t offer much if any results.

Yogurt

• ½ a cup of plain, unflavored yogurt. This will help keep the mask smooth and easy to apply. For a thicker option, you can use Greek yogurt.

Honey

• 5 tablespoons of honey. Honey will help the concoction stick to your strands without sliding off.

1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave or a small pan on the stovetop on low heat. Make sure you completely melt the chocolate without making it too hot to safely apply to your hair.
2. Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and add your yogurt and honey.
3. Stir until well blended.
4. Apply to hair while mask is still warm. Be careful to make sure it is not too hot!
5. One you have coated your hair, wrap it in saran wrap. This keeps it from being messy and ensures your strands get all the nutrients of the cocoa.
6. After 30 minutes to an hour, remove the saran wrap.
7. Wash and condition as usual.

A Little Something Sweet to Eat

Why should your curls get all the love? We invited Chef Evelyn to whip up two delicious ways to treat yourself: one for the no-bake crew and another for those who don’t mind a little whisking.

The Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream Sundae is a grown and sexy take on a classic dessert. Up your flavor palate with two surprising additions: balsamic vinegar and black pepper. Trust us.

The Chocolate Almond Cake with Fresh Berries is one of those desserts that looks impressive without any of the fuss. Bonus: since the recipe calls for almond flour, it’s gluten free!

Watch our collaboration with Chef Evelyn and follow along. Below are the recipes – pin ‘em! Print ‘em! You could share with your Valentine if you wanted to, but…zero judgment if you keep these sweets all to yourself.

Directions

1. Thirty minutes to an hour beforehand, combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, coconut sugar, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature.
2. Place a serving of the strawberries in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream on top and dust lightly with orange zest.
3. Optional: garnish with a cookie or two. Or three.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 310 F and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Slowly melt the chocolate and butter over a double-boiler.
3. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or by hand, whisk together the melted chocolate mixture, the cocoa powder, almond and vanilla extract, espresso powder, and sugar until combined.
4. Add the almond flour and whisk until combined.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, adding each egg after the first has been incorporated into the mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the spring form pan. Make sure the mixture is level and smooth on top.
7. Bake for about 50 minutes.
8. The cake will rise a bit and then fall back on itself once it cools. The baking time varies slightly depending on your oven, but the cake should be very moist in the center and dense once it cools. Cool before serving.
9. Top with the berries. Make it cute!
10. Dust with powdered sugar.

Follow @ChefEvelyn on Instagram and Snapchat to see what she’s cooking up next!

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