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.

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