Baggie Method Update

I mentioned in my previous post Hair Update: Split Ends that I was going to try the baggie method and it works great! My hair is soft, moisturized and still wet. Though, I'm not certain it should still be wet but anyway this is a good method because my hair has been really dry lately. I have the type of hair that takes a lot of water just to get it wet then when it's wet takes forever to dry. But I didn't drown my hair in water, just misted it and put the oil and some shealoe on then the plastic cap thingy  and etc. Now, it is dry but not as dry as it has been, the oil is still in my hair when I touch it but alas will talk to you guys again later, going to try to post more. Happy New Year!

Hair Update: Split Ends

So, I've been rocking a fro for some weeks now, mostly because I just don't feel like doing anything else. However, I have bee n doing the no-poo method for I'll say a month and I can tell a bit of a difference in my hair. I just have to do a bit better on the keeping it moisturized, now it's not try well it is now but my hair holds stuff pretty well but I noticed I have split ends that hair has grown on and I haven't had a trim since probably this time last year. What do I do? I don't want to cut as I have about inch or two of grown from the split end and another issue I keep having are these darn knot not single knots but curly knots on my ends. I detangle when I wash and stuff but it still happens. UGH!! I talked to one of my friends that is also natural and she suggested I do the baggie method, which is something along the lines of moisture(leave-in or water) then sealing and covering with a shower cap, then proceeding to wrap with the normal sleepy time attire.I am going to attempt that right now before I go to bed. Will let you know how it goes, hopefully I can repair the split ends. Happy New Year and hope you all had A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Avocado Deep Conditoner Part 2: Recipe

I'm back with a recipe and a video that I found on YouTube. I really like the video, it is the best one I saw while I was searching for a recipe. Though I didn't use all the ingredients, I used some of them. I believe the recipe that I was shown at the hair group meeting required the same ingredients, but more oils I believe. The problem is I couldn't remember all the ones she used. Any who, what I used was a combo of what was in the video and what I got from the meeting. The ingredients: 2 large avocados, avocado oil, almond oil, rosemary essential oil, lavender essential oil, honey and mayo. I used my blender for this, a small spoon for the avocado and to stir when it got stuck or whatnot, and a regular size serving spoon for the mayo. Now, in the other recipes, I noticed they used eggs, which I forgot to put in this but it turned out fairly well, a much better upgrade to the runny green poo.I'm sorta of glad that I forgot the eggs because I think that is too much protein for my hair, and I don't think the curls like too much of that. Bu the way this batch had a more creamy firm consistency, and texture. It was much easier to put in my hair....Love it!!! It moisturized my hair so well, I think I'm going to attempt to use this as an after shampoo treatment to see how it does, just curious. I washed my hair with my shampoo I make and then followed that up with the Curls coconut conditioner, then I rubbed a little oil into my slightly damp hair and followed that up with some Shealoe, which I also made.As I've stated before I don't really measure what I make, sorry but you can use the recipe in the video as a guide, and also you can use other oils as well.

RESULTS: TA-DA!!

The Video

Avocado Deep Conditioner

Some weeks ago I went to my first natural hair group, and I felt that it was very helpful. I learned about other natural and transitioning ladies trials and triumphs but my favorite part was the homemade products demos. I diligently wrote down everything as I love learning new things and I love mixing. Well, I tried it, though the lady was putting a lot of different things in it, somehow I lost track and must not have written it down. So, when I went to make it my stuff turned out like green poo, however my hair was so moisturized. I admit I didn't want to wash it out afterwards, but I did. I am going to try it out again before I post a recipe, though that means I either have to ask for it again or come up with my own. Hmmmm, my own sounds good, well I'll think about it. Till next post whenever that will be as I have been devoting most of my time to my other blog but I am going to make an effort to post more to this one. Thanks for reading.

It's been 2 years!!

Two years ago I took a big step and decided to go natural. Though about two years ago I attempted this and let "love" get in the way. Big no no, my hair would be so much longer than it is now. It has been an adventure for me because my style options are so diverse, especially since I am constantly changing my hair. It is difficult for me to maintain a weave in my now, which means I can NOT stand it in my hair for longer than week, if that. I am so glad I made this step and embraced my curls and its natural beauty. Even though, those that love me still have not adjusted to this change, I will stand firm in my decision and they will just have to jump on the on board or shut up about it. Because in the end it is MY hair, my life, not theirs.Someday, I hope they will not be so caught up in the mindset that permed hair is what is considered beautiful and that natural hair is unbecoming, unnatural, and unmanageable. You have to take just as much care of permed hair as you do natural, if not more so. Needless to say whatever you choose for your hair, make sure it's for you because people will always have something to say and you can never make them happy, but you, yourself....you can!Embrace your curls!!

My Favorite Earrings

I love earrings, however I have a tendency to lose one or both earrings. After losing an expensive pair of studs from Kay Jewelry, I only buy cheap ear accessories from the hair store. Now they have some cute stuff at the hair store and some down right ugly stuff at the hair store but we will focus on the cute stuff. I hardly ever buy earrings from jewelry stores like Claire's now, but I do love the hair accessories there rather than at the dollar jewelry store we have in the mall. Some places order the most horrendous hair accessories. But that's another post for another time....back to my ears, at some point I will have to buy an expensive pair of earrings for my second piercing which at the moment remain unadorned. Why? Because fake earrings even the ones for sensitive ears irritate,strangely only the second hole. Hopefully, I will be making my own jewelry soon.I will post some photos of my favorite ear kabobs soon.

Terresentials Organic Wash

I completely forgot that I tried this product until I cleaned my room and found the bottle. I tried the Lavender Garden scent and this product made my hair hard. I did an ACV rinse afterwards to help rinse it all out. I have a friend that braids and she just happens to not like how the product did my hair either. I followed the instruction on the bottle/website that said to mix some of the wash in hair and repeat the required amount times to achieve detoxification. Of course after three days, I didn't make it. Overall, I will not be buying this product again, especially since I have plenty of Bentonite at home to use instead. Not every product works for everybody. Trial and error.

Green Smoothies

I know that sounds gross but I was slightly skeptical myself and decided after doing a bit of research to try it. I found the books Green for Life and Green Smoothie Revolution by Victoria Boutenko, which has some information about why the author chose to go green and some helpful tips for beginners. My first smoothie was the basic one for beginners below.

1 cup kale

1 cup water

1 mango

I think I put too much kale in it and it was a little greener than I expected, however it wasn't bitter. Today I made my second one and it tastes just like a Caribbean Way from Smoothie King. The ingredients consisted of mango, pineapples, banana, spinach and water.

The Recipe

2 cups spinach

1 cup of water 

1 mango 

1 banana

1 cup pineapple chunks

By the time I began writing this post the above cup above in the picture once full now almost gone.What I learned from the books were that you should not eat the same greens everyday because you can get poisoning for the excess alkaloids, so it's better to rotate the variety of greens you eat. You can drink however much you want, but wait about an hour before or after drinking a smoothie when eating regular food. What I noticed immediately was the first day I sleep better and had more energy. I may be going through some slight detox symptoms because my body is trying to adjust to the change in diet. One interesting thing is it is good for bad breath...lol. I mean that my tongue felt cleaner, and I do believe Boutenko mentioned this somewhere in her book as well. Another thing if you decide to read these books is that they suggest an expensive blender Vita-Mix but a regular blender with a high speed works just fine.The author says that organic is best, however personally I know that the fresh fruit will get ghost in my house or spoiled. For some reason frozen they won't touch.I went to the store today and bought organic spinach and arugula, romaine lettuce, frozen mango, pineapple, strawberries, peaches and blueberries.These smoothies are a great supplement for a meal because you feel full and not as hungry. I intend to get my green on for the next couple of weeks. Go Green for your health!

Brown Sugar Hair Scrub

Reading through information about natural hair recipes, I stumbled upon Harmonyonline's Blog. She talks about how she used brown sugar/white sugar to cleanse her scalp by mixing it in her conditioning treatment. I chose to mix it with my shampoo, as I saw some people suggested this or as a pre-shampoo deep conditioner(Glamzini). I think doing the shampoo option is better for fear of the sugar not coming completely out of my hair. I followed my sugar poo with conditioner that I added honey, avocado and olive oil, and then followed this up with an ACV(apple cider vinegar) rinse with rosemary essential in it. I detangled with the conditioner in my hair, which I learned works better for me and then twisted my hair into sections. I have to say my hair felt so silky and soft, I didn't want put product in it to shingle it using my Kinky Curly Custard. I suggest that anyone looking for a good scalp cleanser, give sugar a try, you'll be surprised at the results.

Herbal Essence Hello Hydration

I started using Herbal Essence Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner last week, and I have to say it did pretty well in my hair. So, far it has potential to be a go to shampoo when I'm unable to make my own. Only thing I did was add avocado oil to my hair when I conditioned it, which helped tremendously with detangling. I have never been able to detangle with such ease, well that I can recall, but this was amazing. I know some people mix the conditioner and oil in a container first before they put it in their hair, not me I just rubbed on top of my hair. Overall, I think it worked out well and my friend Nora, who two strand twisted my hair afterwards using some Shea butter stuff I made, said my hair looked great.

Curls Products

I have tried Curls Creamy Curl Cleanser, which was good it didn't strip my hair. However, it is not a lathering cleanser, so if you expect this you will be disappointed. Now,  I really LOVE the Curls Coconut Curlada Conditioner. It's just so creamy, and makes my hair feel soft. The smell is not bad either, I think that's my favorite part about this product. I bought my products from Target and I was also told by another Curly Diva that the product line was different from the Curls sold online. I am not certain how true that is, but they work fine for me. At some point in the future I would like to experiment with more products from the online collection.

Rosemary Oil

I had every intention of talking about Sweet Almond Oil but in my research Rosemary keep popping out at me. So, I figured I would start with this essential oil.In my research, I discovered that the rosemary herb is a producer, meaning that it can create its own energy to reproduce. How cool is that? So, this a great plant to stimulates growth by helping with scalp circulation, so what better oil to use when trying to promote the health of my hair. Rosemary oil is great for itchy scalp(I like this).I'm thinking of mixing it with my scalp treatment.This essential oil is not just beneficial for the hair but the skin, and body. I read that it can alleviate and/or help with bad breath as it is a disinfectant. It can assist with dry skin, relief of pain and breathing issues, which I have asthma so this is good to know.Rosemary oil is great for a brain boost, as it can aid with forgetfulness something I've found I tend to do a lot. Where was I? Oh, yes I'm really liking this oil, it seems to be a great multipurpose oil, and it will be added to my list of go to oils especially for the brain boosting, and hair growth. As with any essential oil take care to do a skin test to determine if you will have any adverse reactions and also remember to dilute them with your favorite carrier oil such as Sweet Almond Oil, Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil and such. 

Scientific Name: Rosmarinus officinalis

Extraction: From the leaves of the herb through steam distillation

Common Uses:Hair and skin care cosmetics, Aromatherapy, Cooking

Blendability: Lavender, Lemongrass, Basil, Clary Sage, Chamomile, Thyme, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Juniper, Tea Tree, and Geranium

Recipe: Haven't tried this yet, so let me know what you think

Energizing Rosemary Hair Oil

Ingredients

3 ounces virgin olive oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops sandalwood essential oil

Directions: Gently massage a few drops of this mixture into the scalp and throughout the hair.

Note: If you intend to take this oil internally, I would suggest doing this with caution as it can cause some serious issues.So, do some research on this and also talk with your....you guessed it HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

Definition?

Who am I? Where do I belong? What should I do with my life? These all questions among many that run in my mind. I just don't see where I fit in this world. Now, I'm not suicidal or anything. I just can't seem to figure what of the many things that interest me and that I am capable of is really what I should do. I went to school twice, the first time I got my degree in Journalism and the second time my degree as a Librarian. I like to bake, music(hearing people sing), dance and photography. I'm sitting here trying to think of a moment when I felt something, happy I guess. All that comes to mind is being on the football field in front of thousands of fans performing during the half-time show. Going natural has given me a new found freedom, it's just my uncertainty about what to do with it. Maybe the fact that I'm about to be thirty in a few weeks is getting to me.

Naturally Me

I have currently been natural for almost two years, and I find that with it I feel more free. Most people think that kinky hair gives me limitations in styling options but it doesn’t. I have a plethora of options whether I wear it curly or straight. I can braid, twist, coil, curl,rod and even straighten my hair just like someone that goes through the chemical process can do. Only thing is they have to worry about the rain, whereas I’m okay walking out in it with my curly fro…lol! I remember those days of the first couple of weeks after getting a perm, avoiding water at all costs. I have noticed that my hair hold styles a lot longer than when it was permed. I used to pay 75 dollars for a perm and a style, which would only last for about that day then the next day, curls gone. So, things I don’t miss about perms. 1. Not having to perm 2. The scalp burns 3. Sitting in the hair shop for the entire day, this should be number one 4. Having to worry about getting my hair wet 5. The cost to upkeep. Now I’m not saying natural hair can’t get expensive, especially if you’re a product junkie but not so much if I create my own products for my hair. Currently, I make my own shampoo, Shealoe(can be used on the entire body) and scalp treatment. Next, I will tackle conditioners and daily moisturizers until then I will embrace, cherish and enjoy the natural me.

Click here to view my Tumblr

Hair Routine Attempt

So, I need to get some sort of hair routine, a consistent one. Not really being a good hair girl. Yesterday I pre-cleaned my hair with the SheaMoisture black soap bar(this worked great!!), then followed it with my shampoo I made. My shampoo has olive oil and tea tree in it and whatever else was nearby that I don't remember at the moment. I like it best when it was just the olive oil, but I'm going to try it with coconut oil next time. Any who, after washing I conditioned with Pantene Pro-V curly dry to moisturized, using my tangle teaser to get the kinks out. Now I only used this because I didn't have any other conditioner on hand and I made a point of not looking at the ingredients until after I put it in my hair. Needless to say it did well in my hair, but I still like my Curls conditioner until I make something of my own. I rinsed the conditioner out and did a scalp treatment for my Seborrheic dermatitis, then followed this with coconut oil on my hair only. My hair soaks up water quickly, so by the time I got ready to shingle it wasn't wet enough anymore. Now, taking my spray bottle and my Kinky Curly Custard(love this, but can become gunky if you're heavy handed) and my Denman brush, I sectioned each part off and proceeded to wet, apply and brush through the product to get my desired style. I not really a product junkie, it's just that sometimes I'm cool with experimenting with other stuff, but as a way to save money I would prefer to make my own. Hopefully, I will get better at having a routine.

Bentonite Clay

I tried bentonite clay for the first time last night as a facial and a hair mask. I must say it was pretty good. I noticed a number of naturals use the sodium bentonite which looks gray in color, but I used the calcium bentonite which is good for internal and external use and is brown. I can't wait to try this out on my little cousin's hair, she is in much need of detoxification. My hair and scalp felt so soft and clean, much cleaner than just shampooing, which I didn't do before or after the clay mask. I did however, this morning put conditioner in it, which some people suggested to do.I will continue to use the clay in my hair for a while to see the differences in my hair from using it over a long period of time. My mama loves it! She can't stop herself from eating it, LOL! As usual I will continue to research and at some point when I can get myself settled, I will be a semi posting maniac.

Seborrheic dermatitis

What is Seborrheic dermatitis? It is quite common inflammation of the skin which causes the scalp to flake in areas that have oil over production. For the longest, I thought I just had regular dandruff, but the itching was just unbearable, so I went to a dermatologist who told me I had this condition. He prescribed me 2% ketaconazale shampoo that I was supposed to leave on my hair for about 5 minutes. I also had to use another regular shampoo after because it would dry out my hair. Of course, I did not like this because as soon I washed my hair, I would feel itchy. Maybe it just a nerves thing. Now, that I am completely natural, I am more particular about what I put in my hair, and I love creating/researching products for all my hair needs. So, imagine my enthusiasm when I happen upon a essential oil remedy for my condition. The recipe consists of using essential oils bergamot, sandalwood and lemongrass(the dominant scent), which are mixed together with a carrier oil. You should never put an essential oil on your skin without a carrier oil. If you have allergies make sure to test on a small portion of your skin to make sure you will not have an allergic reaction. I would start first with about two teaspoons of the carrier oil and maybe four drops of each essential oil and then build it up to the amount you want from there. I currently have about 190 ml bottle of it that I massage it into my scalp a couple times a week, but so far so good.

Little girl, Embrace your Curls!!

I have a younger cousin that has the prettiest long natural hair, but she want to wear it straight. She has not embraced her natural curliness. How can she when people keep saying her hair is unmanageable and that she needs a perm. She most definitely doesn't need a perm, her hair is not kinky but a straight kind of tight coiled curls. And it's really thick. I'm worried about her hair, and the difficulty of getting others to see that using natural products that are made at home are not bad. Buying store bought products is not all there is,sometimes being your own chemist works, especially if you have allergies. Why is this? Well you know what's in the product.Most store bought products have ingredients that are hard to pronounce. I mean how hard is it to say this product contains almond oil instead of Prunus dulcis or Prunusamygdalus, not everyone is a scientist.Anyhow,I've gotten off track. I wish my little cousin would someday love her curls, and not think that straight is the only kind of beauty.

Blow Out and Straightened

I have worn my curls for so long, I decided to attempt to flat iron it straight. My hair when straight is really soft and loves to curl back up when I sweat or get hot. So, currently its pulled back into a ponytail. I had to go get my ends trimmed because of a little heat damage, however it was time for a trim anyway.I used my Conair Infiniti blow dryer that has the comb on it and I borrowed my friends Chi to flatten my hair out. It did a good job, just that my ends were a bit frazzled(heat damage). I'm just lazy and don't want to curl my own hair, and now I'm disheartened about putting heat in it again. Basically, this post is to say find a really good heat protectant, if you intend to use heated tools in your hair. I learned that I really don't want to wear my hair straight right now, I mean that was the whole point of me going natural. Maybe I'll try again another time when I buy or make a good heat protector, or next time just do roller set under the dryer. I know that's still heat but it not the blow dryer then flat iron combination.Now off to wet my hair!!

Hair Type and Texture

Coil-out

 Coil out with braids

 
I have finally identified my hair type and texture. I am a 4A with some strangely straight curls near the nape of my neck.The overall texture is very coiled and cotton-like. I have the type of hair that has to be immersed in water just to get it soaking wet. This type of hair draws up tighter than its actual length, so it looks like I have a short fro, but when I do a textured style like a twist or coil out, I can see that it's actually longer than it is.I'm learning that it helps knowing what the texture and type of hair you have especially when looking for products, as its makes it easier to decide what you need based on this information.

Curly Hair in Poetry

When researching books on natural hair care, I stumbled across this poem by Harriet Jacobs in one the books I had checked out. I felt it best represents how I felt about my struggle with my hair. I am someone who truly dislikes sitting for long periods of time in the beauty salon, as I really don't understand still why it takes so long. Mostly the problem for me was stylists overbooking, anyhow and add to that the price of beauty equals a very disgruntled chica. I am a low maintenance girl, and I love the fact that if I don't want to style my curls I can just rock a fro. I could go on and on about this but will save it for a later topic.
Here is...

On Extending the Olive Branch to My Own Self

what was i doing anyway
was i crazy did i think 
that by beating it into submission
i would win something
i've witnessed other casualties of war
the eyes of madness 
that wandered through my neighborhood
after nam what made me think
self-inflicted war would be 
more merciful
or that oils and lubricants 
metal combs of fire/chemical assault/all the
forces that modern technology could marshal 
would ever win out over mother nature
& tell me this/what made me think 
that would be a victory 
anyway

a postscript
to my brothers and sisters:

it maters not how we wear it 
but if we begin to wrap ourselves 
just as tightly around each other 
& refuse to let go 
if we rise up mighty like a dark cloud 
& resist all efforts to change nature 
of who we really are
when we learn to stand 
just as unshakable 
in the beauty of our strength
and the strength of our beauty 
then

then...

Harriet Jacobs
If you are interested in more African American poetry or in this poem look in this anthology Spirit & Flame: an anthology of contemporary African American Poetry by Keith Gilyard and Black Hair: Art, Style and Culture edited by Ima Ebong

Still here!

At the moment trying to work on a program at my library for people interested in going natural or are natural and want more information on the process. I personally feel FREE! I love my curls. I am still researching the essential oils for hair but an important thing for going natural as with any new adventure, you have got to do your research on the products and ingredients for yourself. Mostly from there it's trial and error.