Saturday, January 1, 2011
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
My Knotty Truth- No Lye!
I've been natural since off and on since March 1995. I've rocked everything from a relaxer to loc's and everything in between. Last night as I was responding to a natural beauty on Twitter, it hit me- THIS SHIT IS TIME CONSUMING! There I said it!!!!!! Sometimes its too much! I dont always want to braid, twist my hair before bed- I miss the days of just laying down! Don't get me wrong- I LOVE my natural hair, and I will NEVER- EVER relax again - NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But lets be honest- I've never in my life had to dedicate so much time into hair. I mix everything that I apply to my hair-conditioner, leave-in conditioner, deep conditioner, hair butters, treatment oils, scalp oils, henna, hair moisturizing mask/clays and lets not talk about the ayurvedic treatments. One day the hair is poppin.. looking like a million bucks....the next she feeling herself- just acting up for NO REASON!!!!! I'm tender headed to the 10th power and DETANGLING IS HATEFUL!!!! Saturday I had a Twitter friend educate me on testing the PH balance in my water-and why I should do it -OK-WHAT??? Among checking labels, and having a boat load of ingredients edged into my brain of what not to use- Now, I gotta put my chemist coat on, get the testing strips and test the PH level in my water???? {OK} you know I'ma do it right ( hehehehehe).
I love my natural hair- we fight, we argue, when I really need her to show up and show out- SHE DOES ( whipping my hair back and forth right now). Having natural hair has made me more conscience of what I put on my hair, and surely has given me greater confidence and pride about my culture. Back in the day if you rocked any variation of a natural you was viewed as "earthy" or "Afrocentric" today- we are from all walks of life and we don't have to walk around with the "assumed" impression that we are "earthy" or "defend" our hair choices (BTW: there is nothing wrong w/ being earthy or Afrocentric). There is no greater, stronger bond than the natural ladies who network and bond over "HAIR". The natural movement is growing and getting stronger, and stronger by the day. I love the feeling I get when I sit down, and " do my hair" - when people ask me " who did your hair" I gleam with pride when I say ME! When I go to the grocery store, I have 2 baskets- (1) for my groceries, (1) for my hair crack. I feel a rush when I stumble upon an item in the store that "may " be the answer to any hair woes that I may be having. I've awaken out of my sleep when Ive forgotten to wrap my hair with a silk bonnet- ( lol..lol..) - yes, I m pressed sometimes (lol..lol..) I'm loving how kids (especially my daughter) just marvels at my hair and wanna embrace their coils, kinks, and curls!!! So yes, caring for natural hair is time consuming - it can be hard work, even a little frustrating-BUT I love it and there is nothing else I rather be doing :)
Monday, November 15, 2010
I'm a mixologist......and you can be one too
Product junkies will agree -- you can spend hundreds of dollars testing out the numerous products available on the market, many of which are supposedly intended for natural hair use. However, breaking the bank is really not necessary for a healthy, strong and shiny natural. You already have key ingredients in your own kitchen and bathroom!
Creating your own hair recipes not only saves money, but allows for a more intimate relationship with your hair -- you can gain a much better insight as to what your hair craves, prefers, or rejects with your at-home experiments.
Get creative! There are a few simple rules to follow to find your perfect concoctions:
Don't mix too many things at once-Start out with simple recipes, say, mixing one main ingredient and adding a small amount of another. It's much easier to determine what worked and what didn't when your ingredients list is limited.
Create two-ingredient mixes and try them until you find a mix that works well on your hair. If it's a "perfect" mix, continue using it! If it's a "pretty good" mix, retry the recipe with the same main ingredient then alter the secondary ingredient until you reach perfection. You may find you need to reverse the amounts used, making the main ingredient the secondary ingredient.
If there is one particular ingredient you find most always works well on your hair, make it a staple for your hair recipes, adding it as a standard part of all your recipes.
Alter the way you apply the mixes to your hair. Try dousing your hair with your Super Yogurt Surprise while your hair is drenching wet in the shower. Does it work well this way? Try another time by making it a bit more liquidy and spritz it on your dried hair with a spray bottle. Perhaps your hair responds better to this application.
For ingredients, a general rule of thumb is if it's ok to ingest, it's probably ok to apply to your hair as well. Pureed fruit, honey, apple cider vinegar and many more items are great additions to homemade hair recipes.
Take note of what works for you and how it worked. Some recipes may be better for clarifying while others make for great deep conditioners.
Search and compare! If you're a little timid about applying egg whites to your hair, make use of resources available to you before doing so. Search the Internet for your particular ingredients. You just may find others who have tried the same type of recipe and enjoyed success or experienced a nightmare.
Go beyond your kitchen! Many cities have well-stocked health food and natural stores with a huge selection of ingredients to boost your hair recipes. Experiment with essential oils (a few drops go a long way!), xanthum gum (a thickener, also known as xanthan), as well as conditioners and leave-ins you won't likely find at department stores and drug stores.
Remember, a recipe failure is a good thing. It lets you know what your hair simply does not respond to well. The worst likely thing that can happen with the use of your homemade products is the need to wash your hair again, so get creative!
Note: Use of homemade mixes for coloring of hair is not recommended.
Article Source: www.ezine.articles.com
Creating your own hair recipes not only saves money, but allows for a more intimate relationship with your hair -- you can gain a much better insight as to what your hair craves, prefers, or rejects with your at-home experiments.
Get creative! There are a few simple rules to follow to find your perfect concoctions:
Don't mix too many things at once-Start out with simple recipes, say, mixing one main ingredient and adding a small amount of another. It's much easier to determine what worked and what didn't when your ingredients list is limited.
Create two-ingredient mixes and try them until you find a mix that works well on your hair. If it's a "perfect" mix, continue using it! If it's a "pretty good" mix, retry the recipe with the same main ingredient then alter the secondary ingredient until you reach perfection. You may find you need to reverse the amounts used, making the main ingredient the secondary ingredient.
If there is one particular ingredient you find most always works well on your hair, make it a staple for your hair recipes, adding it as a standard part of all your recipes.
Alter the way you apply the mixes to your hair. Try dousing your hair with your Super Yogurt Surprise while your hair is drenching wet in the shower. Does it work well this way? Try another time by making it a bit more liquidy and spritz it on your dried hair with a spray bottle. Perhaps your hair responds better to this application.
For ingredients, a general rule of thumb is if it's ok to ingest, it's probably ok to apply to your hair as well. Pureed fruit, honey, apple cider vinegar and many more items are great additions to homemade hair recipes.
Take note of what works for you and how it worked. Some recipes may be better for clarifying while others make for great deep conditioners.
Search and compare! If you're a little timid about applying egg whites to your hair, make use of resources available to you before doing so. Search the Internet for your particular ingredients. You just may find others who have tried the same type of recipe and enjoyed success or experienced a nightmare.
Go beyond your kitchen! Many cities have well-stocked health food and natural stores with a huge selection of ingredients to boost your hair recipes. Experiment with essential oils (a few drops go a long way!), xanthum gum (a thickener, also known as xanthan), as well as conditioners and leave-ins you won't likely find at department stores and drug stores.
Remember, a recipe failure is a good thing. It lets you know what your hair simply does not respond to well. The worst likely thing that can happen with the use of your homemade products is the need to wash your hair again, so get creative!
Note: Use of homemade mixes for coloring of hair is not recommended.
Article Source: www.ezine.articles.com
Thursday, November 11, 2010
How to Lighten Hair With Cinnamon
In my on going search to find natural methods to lighten my hair, I came across this interesting article on lighting your hair using cinnamon. I've heard about cinnamon being good to help with baldness, but a hair lighter?? I dont know, But I may try this over the weekend- Have any of you ever tried this? If so what were your results? Inquiring minds would like to know :)
Things You'll Need:
Cinnamon powder
Conditioner
Hair clip
Shower cap
Instructions
1. Combine cinnamon powder and hair conditioner in a one to one mixture. The amount you will need depends on the length of your hair; however, you should have enough to evenly coat your locks from root to tip.
2. Wet your hair and wring out the excess water. Comb your hair carefully to release any tangles which may prevent even distribution of the cinnamon and conditioner.
3. Apply the cinnamon and conditioner mixture evenly to your hair, mixing an extra batch if necessary. While you can't use too much, if you use to little your lightening will end up uneven and streaky. You can comb through your hair periodically to help move the cinnamon and conditioner evenly throughout.
4. Gather your hair in a bun and secure it with a hair clip. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave the cinnamon and conditioner in your hair overnight. Rinse the mixture from your hair in the morning, shampooing as normal. If you would like to lighten your hair a bit more, apply the mixture again with no worry about damaging your hair.
Article Courtesy of Ehow.com
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
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