Monistat or Neosporian for hair growth??

Last night on Twitter as part of Natural Sunday's- we were discussing un orthodox methods of hair growth. I found out that women are applying miconazole nitrate to their scalp to encourage hair growth. Do you know where you get this substance from? You get it from products like Monistat and Neosporin AF. Whaaat?! That's what I said too. Vagistat is used to control skin fungus around the vagina area. Neosporin AF is more commonly used for athletes foot. This is an underground treatment women use that is all the rave on hair care forums. I have seen progress picture after progress picture showing hair growth. Along with giving the hair some thickness. There isn't any experimental proof besides what women have reported on their own accounts at various hair forums. Also FDA has not approved it for hair growth. Some swear that using miconazole nitrate will grow your hair faster. MN use on the scalp is said to have began when women have reported seeing hair growth on the vagina area with the use of this antifungal medicine and someone decided to put it on their scalp.

Be careful the Neosporin AF and some of the Monistat brands contain Mineral Oil (all except Monistat 3 or 7). If you're going to try it many people suggest using 2% Miconazole Nitrate (check the main ingredient) and make sure you're buying Neosporin AF as it is different from regular NEOSPORIN (it's in blue packaging, used to treat athlete's foot). There's also Feet Accompli, it claims to be the Ultimate Antifungal Pedicure Cream. It contains the 2% Miconazole Nitrate but also has Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, and Vitamin E. It's also $34 a tube. I did some research is basically my run down of Miconazole Nitrate.

THE GOOD (According to people that use it)

*Grows hair long
*Grows hair quick
*Can be mixed with oils
*Can be applied daily for optimal results
*Reduces Shedding

THE BAD

*No scientific evidence to support the safety of using on scalp
*Kind of expensive
*Embarrassing to buy
*Cannot be used by anyone pregnant/expecting

THE UGLY

Some have claimed it caused them untolerable headaches (most GENERIC BRANDS except *Family Dollar brand)
*Others claim it's more of a scalp movement than a headache and it's not that bad
*Grows hair so fast that it's scary with some users experiencing as much as 1" of *growth per month
*USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Article courtesy of Mane & Chic

Don't you use this unless you have done your own research or asked a physician. Don't go telling people I told you to try this. If you have tried this or had success with other growth aids, leave a comment and let me know how it turned out for you.

American Apparel Has Policies About Black Hair

The litany of complaints about American Apparel's advertising and hiring policies are so long, someone could write a book about them.

The company is known for chic, trendy, affordable locally made clothes yes...but they're also known for being sexist, judgmental, and discriminatory based on the aesthetic attractions of its owner, Dov Charney (who, by his own standards of appearance, probably wouldn't be welcome to work in his own store).

If you want to work at American Apparel you've got to meet the criteria. You've got to have the right look. You've got to have a strong fashion sense. And if you're black, you need to have the right style of hair. Several ex-employees recently wrote into Gawker about their experiences, and one former manager said she was told this about what types of black women to hire during the American Apparel's open casting calls:

"none of the trashy kind that come in, we don't want that. we're not trying to sell our clothes to them. try to find some of these classy black girls, with nice hair, you know?"


i will remember that forever, especially the "nice hair" part. he was instructing another manager and i on who to look for during an upcoming open call, and i sat there dumbfounded, listening to him speak while the other manager made "uh huh, got it" sounds on her end of the phone. the other manager on the call with me later became a district manager, and at one point instructed me to tell two of my employees (both of whom happened to be black females) to stop straightening their hair. i refused to do this, but wondered if the mentality behind her request was related to what dov had said."

Wait, what?

A company discriminating in favor of black natural hair? Is "nice hair" the new "good hair"?? What does that even MEAN?

I'm not sure what to make of this news from American Apparel, so I'm just gonna keep doing what I do - which means not shopping at American Apparel. Which I couldn't do anyway, because they don't do plus size clothes, either. Ugh!

For lots more, check Gawker - they've been on this story ever since the company was founded, it seems!

What are your thoughts on this latest American Apparel scandal?

Article Courtesy of Patrice Grell Yursik

I've been Blogged!!!!!!

A beautiful sister I had to pleasure of meeting has blogged about me and my shop "Au'Naturale". She had an oppourtunity to try my products through a friend. From thhere she contacted me, made a purchase and wanted to share her ecperience with the rest of the world. There is nothing more beautiful than a group of ladies networking and "spreading" the blessing and benefits of healthy hair care. Zora is the owner and operator of La'Cocoa Natural Hair Salon in Raleigh, NC. She is also the author/blogger of Cocofabo Blog. Please visit her blog to read the post on Au'Nataurale By Mz. Sixx and FOLLOW HER!!!! http://cocofabo.blogspot.com/

Transitioning to Natural Hair: PART 2 - the RESULTS of Two Stranded Twi...

Natural Ways to have Great Hair For Less

Baking Soda
When it comes to personal grooming, too much of a good thing can spell bad news for your hair. But a thorough cleansing with baking soda at least once a month will wash all of the gunk out of your hair. Simply add 1/2 cup of baking soda to 3 cups of warm water. Mix, Pour, then shampoo as usual.

Freshen up your combs and hairbrushes by soaking them in a solution of 3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons baking soda. Swirl them around in the water to loosen up all the debris caught between the teeth, then let them soak for about half an hour. Rinse well and dry before using.


Beer
Put some life back into flat hair with some flat beer. Before you get into the shower, mix 3 tablespoons beer in 1/2 cup warm water. After you shampoo your hair, rub in the solution, let it set for a couple of minutes, then rinse it off.

Castor Oil
For healthy, shiny hair, mix 2 teaspoons castor oil with 1 teaspoon glycerin and one egg white. Massage it into your wet hair, wait several minutes, and wash out.

You can also experiment with castor oil for hair on your ends. This rich, thick oil will help your ends becomes shiny and hide the appearance of frizzy, damaged, and split ends. Over time, as you trim damage away, you'll notice your hair won't develop split ends as easily. Since it is so thick, try mixing it with Sweet Almond Oil to make it a lighter oil that is much easier to spread and gives it a nice scent.

Mayonnaise
Hold the mayo … and massage it into your hair and scalp just as you would any fine conditioner! Cover your head with a shower cap, wait several minutes, and shampoo. The mayonnaise will moisturize your hair and give it a lustrous sheen.

Olive Oil
Is your hair as dry and brittle as sagebrush in the desert? Put the moisture back into it by heating 1/2 cup olive oil (don't boil it), and then liberally applying it to your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic grocery bag, then wrap it in a towel. Let it set for 45 minutes, then shampoo and thoroughly rinse.


Did you get almost as much paint in your hair as you did on the walls in your last paint job? You can easily remove that undesirable tint by moistening a cotton ball with some olive oil and gently rubbing it into your hair. The same approach is also effective for removing mascara -- just be sure to wipe your eyes with a tissue when done.

Vinegar
Want to put the life back into your damaged hair? You can whip up a terrific hair conditioner by combining 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 egg whites. Rub the mixture into your hair, then keep it covered for 30 minutes using plastic wrap or a shower cap. When time's up, shampoo and rinse as usual.

** Recipe**ACV Rinse to remove product Build up-
Make the rinse by mixing 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 qt. of distilled water. Put the mixture in a plastic bottle.

Shampoo hair and rinse well. Apply the apple cider vinegar rinse to your hair. Leave it in for a few seconds. Rinse your hair using cold water to seal the hair shaft and create more shine. Because vinegar is acidic, using the rinse daily is not advised. .

Dry your hair with a t-shirt. If you notice a vinegar scent after you're done rinsing, don't fret. The smell will disappear after your hair dries.

Lemons
For blond highlights, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then sit in the sun until your hair dries. Lemon juice is a natural bleach. Don't forget to put on plenty of sunscreen before you sit out in the sun. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.

Aspirin
Swimming in a chlorinated pool can have a noticeable, and often unpleasing, effect on your hair coloring if you have light-colored hair. But you can usually return your hair to its former shade by dissolving six to eight aspirins in a glass of warm water. Rub the solution thoroughly into your hair, and let it set for 10-15 minutes.

Tea
Turn gray hair dark again without an expensive trip to the salon or the use of chemical hair dyes. Make your own natural dye using brewed tea and herbs: Steep 3 tea bags in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and sage (either fresh or dried) and let it stand overnight before straining. To use, shampoo as usual, and then pour or spray the mixture on your hair, making sure to saturate it thoroughly. Take care not to stain clothes. Blot with a towel and do not rinse. It may take several treatments to achieve desired results.

**Recipe** use after taking out a sew-in weave or braids to decrease shedding:

4 cups of hot water, swish the tea bag around until the water turns color, let it sit and cool. Put on hair and let it sit for a few minutes and comb through hair. Results – easy detangling, less breakage, and less shedding.

The North Carolina Natural Hair Care Expo – June 19th

The North Carolina Natural Hair Care Expo – June 19th