Interesting Blog Award

Special thanks to zainab1 of Au Naturale for my first blog award. The first time I heard of folks blogging, I was like what the heck is that. I never imagined that I'd actually have a blog dedicated to natural hair care and maintenance. I truly appreciate my 93 followers and this site is devoted to you. I'm planning for my first give-a-way when the blog reaches 100 followers so stay tuned.

Please take a moment to visit the beautiful zainab1 at http://aunaturale007.blogspot.com.

I'm passing on the Interesting Blog Award to:
JC at The Natural Haven and Lady Kinnks at Kinnk's Online Directory

25% off Jamaican Black Castor Oil June 22, 2009 through June 28, 2009...

at Sam's Caribbean Market with code 2009-SN.



I ordered the 8 oz. today for less than $15 total.

http://www.sams247.com/detail.aspx?ID=13291

Review: Qhemet Biologics - Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee

From the Qhemet Biologics web site:
Softens & detangles with pure Cocoa Butter and nourishing botanicals!

Product Description:
* Restores manageability, softness and elasticity to normal to very dry hair. Smoothes cuticles, improves combing ability and reduces breakage.
* Natural dark chocolate scent.

Ingredients: Distilled Water, Nettle, Barley, Horsetail Extracts, Pure Cocoa Butter, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, MSM Sulfur, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Butylene Glycol, perservatives (paraben and formaldehyde free)

Review: If you like the smell of pure cocoa, you will love the smell of Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee as it smells very much like an old-fashioned cocoa butter stick.

The product texture is thick and creamy with a slight texture to it.

I used the product as a leave-in conditioner by applying section by section prior to twisting my hair in large twist to air dry.

I was afraid it was going to cause a serious acne flair up because by the next morning. I had a sore spot on the side of my forehead and thought for sure that a big pimple was on the way. Luckily, it passed with and I didn't suffer any major outbreaks.

The product left my hair well conditioned and very moisturized. I found the product to leave my forehead a little oily the first couple of days, which I HATE.

I LOVE Qhemet Biologics Amla/Olive Heavy Cream, Olive/Honey Hydrating Balm, and Amla Oil Pomade and have used all three successfully for quite some time. The retail price is $14 for 5 ounces for so I jumped at the chance to try the product for $10 with shipping when I was contacted directly by a member of Naturally Curly's Curltalk forum.

I will not be purchasing the product again as I didn't like the overly greasy feel but am thrilled that I had the opportunity to try it.

Going Natural with Ease!

Posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
By Azara



Chemicals relaxers and hair coloring are very damaging to the hair. These products cause extensive breakage and hair damage to a lot of women, so in order to revert the damages of these products, it is best to let one’s hair grow natural. Deciding to let your hair grow naturally can be very frustrating and intimidating at first, but overall rewarding. There are lots of benefits in letting your hair grow naturally; one being that you pay attention to what your hair NEEDS, while another benefit is that natural hair grows faster and tends to be healthier due to the absence of chemical relaxers and processors.

Thinking about going natural?
Below are some tips on growing your hair naturally.

1. THINK before you PLUNGE!

a. If you are thinking about growing your hair naturally, it is important to remember to transition slowly. Going natural is not just about “cutting” your hair, you need to do your research first and learn new concepts associated with growing your hair naturally.

b. One of the most important things to do is to know and understand your hair structure, because often times what works for others will not necessarily work for you.

2. Cut your PERM
a. The first step to growing your hair naturally is to cut off parts of your hair that have been chemically treated, because the part where your natural hair meets with your chemically treated hair is a weak point that leads to a lot of breakage.

3. Pick your Transition Style

a. Depending on the length of your hair, as well as your level of comfort, you can choose to either leave your hair as it is, or wear tiny twist or afros. If you are looking for more versatility in terms of styling, you can wear your hair in braids or full weaves, while waiting for your natural hair to grow to your desired length.

b. Other transition styles include Sister Locks that are similar to dreadlocks.

4. Shampoo with CARE

a. It is important that you use proper products to shampoo your hair, most commercial products contain harmful chemicals that strip your hair of its natural oil, leaving it dry and brittle.

b. Be sure to read the ingredients of your shampoo and stay clear of products that contain sodium sulphate because they tend to cause irritation on both skin and eyes.

c. Frequent shampooing of the hair is not necessary, natural hair needs to be washed when it
starts feeling “greasy”, because of the accumulation of the hair’s natural oil and dirt.

d. One of the best alternatives to harmful shampoos is to mix baking soda with a cup of warm water, spray it on your hair and massage. One of the reasons why baking soda works as a great shampoo alternative, is because it acts as a natural cleansing agent that is gentle on both hair and skin.

5. Don’t forget to MASSAGE

a. Massaging your scalp helps in promoting blood circulation, which is vital in promoting hair growth.


6. Always CONDITION

a. This is essentially the key to healthy hair, because conditioning repairs all the damage done to the hair while shampooing and styling. It is important to remember that natural hair is delicate and needs lots of moisture and PROTEIN, so conditioning with protein-based products help in coating your hair with moisture. It is also important to develop a habit of conditioning your hair at least once a week, and deep conditioning at least once a month. Be especially sure to look out for products that contain Aloe and Rosemary because they work well to stimulate growth.

7. Remember to MOISTURIZE

a. Natural hair is very prone to dryness, and adding moisture is an effective way to ensure that your hair stays healthy.

b. When looking for great hair moisturizers, stay CLEAR of products that contain mineral oil and petroleum jelly because they clog up the pores on your scalp, which hinders hair growth. Be sure to look for products that are water-based such as glycerine, because water acts as a good moisturizer.

c. Other great moisturizers include natural oil like that of coconut oil, Shea butter, avocado and mango butter.

d. Serums also work best to control hair frizz and maintain hair luster.

8. Stay away from HEAT

a. Be sure to stay away or LIMIT the amount of heat you put on your hair. The constant stretching and pulling that occurs to your hair, along with the heat of a blow dryer, damages your hair’s elasticity. If you are still adamant on using heat be sure that it is below 150 degrees, to prevent the cuticle layer from burning.

9. Comb with care

a. The Key to preventing hair breakage while combing your hair is to use a good hair detangler with a wide tooth comb. Combing hair when damp also helps to ensure that you put minimal stress on both your scalp and hair. Be sure to take your time when combing to prevent hair breakage.

10. PROTECT your HAIR

a. Be sure to protect your hair while you sleep by wrapping it with a silk scarf, this helps to promote luster while decreasing split ends that also occurs with natural hair.

11. ALWAYS TRIM

a. Just like in relaxed hair, split and damaged ends also occur in natural hair. Split and damaged ends will hinder hair growth in relaxed hair as well as natural hair. In order to ensure that your hair grows properly, be sure to trim it regularly; this reduces the amount of damage done to the hair.

Most importantly, if you are confused about maintaining your natural hair, be sure to seek the expertise and advice of a natural hair specialist, to ensure that your hair is in GOOD hands.
Good Luck!

The original article can be found at http://www.bellanaija.com/2009/05/05/go-natural-with-ease/

My Current Dilema - Broken Hair or New Growth?

I'm currently in the Castor Oil Challenge at Hairlista.com. So, I've been rubbing castor oil into my scalp two and sometimes, three times a week.

Although castor oil is thick and sticky feeling to the hands, it is a nourishing emollient for hair. It assist is helping to maintain moisture. It is also touted toward hair growth.

Two weeks ago, I did my fourth henna treatment. I always follow a henna treatment with a deep conditioning treatment of Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose and Olive Oil.

Last week, I did a pre-poo of conditioner with oil and slept with it over night and most of the next day. After co-washing, I applied a mix of deep conditioning treatment of Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose and Olive Oil. My hair felt great but thinner and more easily manageable while styling.

So, this week, I did a pre-poo and deep conditioned again.

While styling I saw several short sections of hair while styling in one section. It didn't looked damaged at all.

I get an average amount of shed hair while detangling and always see at least a few short hairs due to my styling technique.

I haven't noticed any hair on my clothing and nothing out of the ordinary with my hair.

I have changed my routine recently from Qhemet Biologics Amla Olive Heavy Cream and Olive/Honey Hydrating Balm (Moisturizers) with aloe vera gel (styler) to Ohm Body Sweet Hair Pudding and castor oil. Ohm Body's Sweet Hair Pudding is a base of Aloe, Shea Butter and Castor Oil along with other yummy ingredients so, it's a moisturizer and styler in one.

So, is it shed hair or breakage?

Broken Hair or New Growth

Q: How can I tell if the short hair I see is new growing hair or broken hair?

A: This can often be very difficult to determine, especially if the “short hairs” are in areas where breakage can occur (around the hairline, etc.). Your first task would be to examine the hair closely and look for signs of stress on the hairs – such as split ends, stretching, etc. If there are signs of stress or damage, then breakage is the likely cause. This can be doubly certain in cases where breakage would be expected. For example: an individual wears his/her hair in, say, a tight ponytail and begins to notice short hairs at the forehead and temples.

You also need to consider the condition of your hair. If you regularly subject your hair to chemical processing (color, straightening and/or perming) you are far more likely to experience breakage as these processes can be extremely harsh to the hair and leave it weakened. This is especially true in areas where the hair is stressed by the style worn.

Breakage becomes less likely when the short hairs are found in places on the scalp that aren’t exposed to significant stress from the styles worn. For example if you generally wear your hair loose and parted in the middle, but notice hairs that “poke up” between the other hairs on the scalp that are NOT along the parting, there is a reasonable chance that the hair is simply “new growth” in follicles that have recently shed their hairs.

This new growth of hair will not be found in great numbers. Since only 10% of the hairs on average are in a resting phase at any given time (the rest being in a growth phase) and the hairs are shed following the resting phase as the new hair pushes the old hair out of the follicle, you would generally only see 10% of the hairs on your head as these short, newly-grown hairs. It should also be noted that each individual follicle follows its own cycle of growth, rest and shedding, and these cycles may not be equal in duration.

Regardless of the cause, however, you will want to take care to properly condition and care for the hair to ensure that it can grow in healthy and strong. Remember to condition the hair daily, whether or not you shampoo the hair.

©Hairfinder.com
http://www.hairfinder.com/hair/broken-hair.htm

Au Naturale! Natural hair care for beginners

by mizzdgreen

Hair… The crown of our glory and the center of our frustration. A good hair day will have you feeling fly and fierce, but a bad one may leave you down and distressed. Changing your ‘do can impact your entire lifestyle and the transition back to your natural hair can be downright frustrating. Many black females have had relaxers most of their life (including myself) and the first 2 times I reverted back to my natural texture, I didn’t have the capacity to understand that I couldn’t treat my hair the same way. A different mentality is needed all together and once you wrap your head around the fact that Natural doesn’t mean “nappy”, taking care of your hair is a breeze.

Whether you are transitioning to natural hair or have newly crossed over or even if you have been natural for a long time but find that your hair care is lacking, below are a few pointers or principles that all naturals should adhere to:

* Natural Hair Needs Moisture… way more than any other type of hair. As I sit with conditioner in my hair as I type, I cannot stress this principle the most. If you want healthy hair, you need moisture, moisture, moisture. The curlier your hair, the more moisture you need. This is so, because at every twist and turn at the curl is a week spot in the hair, I place where it can break off. Keeping your hair moisturized will limit breakage which will inturn limit the amount of trims or cuts and help with length retention. Detangling your hair should be only on wet and conditioned hair to prevent excessive breakage. Doing styles at night (braids or twist) will also help to keep moisture inside you satin scarf while you sleep.

* Know your ingredients… because the front label does not explain what is inside the bottle. I have gotten used to immediately flipping over the tube and looking through the ingredients. A lot of products marketed for African Americans i.e. grease, contains mineral oil and petroleum. This two ingredients are cheap fillers with unfavorable properties. They clog the pores and stifle new growth. There are other chemicals in hair products that are linked to illnesses like parabens, which unfortunately are in most hair products. Find a hair database that explains the uses of each ingredient in your beauty products. If you don’t like their purpose, I suggest throwing it out. On the flip side of this, find what products make your hair feels the best and what ingredients gives your hair the most moisture. The most abundant ingredient is first on the list, hence you want the moisturizing properties first and the gunk last.

* Stop using Sulphate shampoo… unless you like stripped, dry and suffering curls!! Most shampoos contain Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate (SLS) which is a harsh cleaning agent and it is responsible for soapy lather you find in the shower. Yes, it does clean your hair, but it takes the good moisture out a well. Bottom line, you don’t need it. There other methods one can use to cleanse the hair. A popular methods most curlies use is to conditioner wash. This is to put conditioner in the place of shampoo. It cleans the hair and adds moisture to your hair. If you decide to quit using SLS cold-turkey, you have to be conscious of a few things. SLS shampoos were developed to combat the tough chemical, ingredients in hair products. Therefore, if you want to use alternative methods of cleaning your hair, you must find other methods of conditioning, moisturizing and styling your hair. You don’t want to clog your pores by using heaving products that your conditioner or non-SLS cleanser can remove. Reminder: healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp.

* Everything in moderation... or pay the price in the long run. Your hair has a natural balance and it will remain its healthiest when it is closest to its own equilibrium. That means, you can’t wear your hair in a tight puff everyday and think you won’t have thin edges a couple of months later. That means you can’t have a wash-n-go all the time and not expect knots and tangles ends. Provide your hair with protein along with moisture and vice versa. Don’t overdue a particular technique because your hair will go far left in result.

* Know your hair type… Girlllll you got that good hair!!! Just kidding, there is no such thing. Everyone’s hair is beautiful and remember, the grass is always greener. You need to have an intimate relationship with your hair and getting to know your type and texture will greatly improve how you treat her. The LOIS hair classification system is an intricate description of your hair which will help you to better understand your hair and how it will respond to different products. However, let your hair roam free and do its thing. You have to find hair styles that allow your hair to be healthy and she will remain cooperative in future endeavors.

Most importantly, know that learning your hair takes time. Don’t expect it to look like everyone else because that only leads to more frustration. Embrace your natural texture first and get used to the idea that it will NOT look like the next girl’s hair. Which is good, because who wants to look like the next chick?

http://masquemagazine.com/2009/04/05/au-naturale-natural-hair-care-for-beginners/