Don't Run from Fat; Get to Know It Better (A Long Post

Currently, I am reading The Okinawa Program by Bradley J. Wilcox, MD; D. Craig Wilcox, Ph.D; and Makota Suzuki, MD, Ph.D. The book promotes a holistic lifestyle based on the 25-Year Okinawa Centenarian Study, a study of the longest living people in the world (at least recorded) and their lifestyle choices that contribute to their longevity.

The book is a very technical read at times, and currently I am on the section about fats. I am understanding it for the most part. I decided to do a blog post about the different types of fat. After all, our bodies need fat, especially the essential fatty acids. Our bodies also need fat to process fat-soluble, versus water-soluble, vitamins which include Vitamins A, D, E, and K. All the information below is taken from the book, pages 107 through 113).

There are two major groups of fat: good fats and bad fats. The key to healthy fat consumption is to choose from good fats and to not get the majority of your fats from the bad fats group. Healthy or good fat may seem like an oxymoron, but it is when we consume high percentages and amounts of fat that we increase our chances of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases as well as obesity. I have included mnemonic devices to help you remember whether you should avoid or embrace a certain type of fat.

BAD FATS (BEWARE)


Trans Fatty Acids or Trans Fat (TFA) -- Consider these the bad boys of the different types of fat. Your body can only suffer from this type. This fat occurs very rarely in nature, found only in trace amounts in dairy products. Perhaps its unnatural quality is what makes this fat so terrible. TFAs are made when vegetable oils are hydrogenated, so avoid anything with hydrogenated oil as an ingredient. This fat is found notoriously in junk food, sweets (cake, pies, cookies, margarine), fast food, and fried food. Avoid this fat like the plague, read labels and watch out for hydrogenated in the ingredients list, and greatly limit your consumption of fast food, fried food, and junk food, if you don't eliminate these types of food at all. To help you remember the bad quality of this fat, let TFA stand for terrible fat, avoid. Not only does this fat raise bad cholesterol (LDL), but it simultaneously lowers good cholesterol (HDL). To remember the types of cholesterol, remember that the H in HDL stands for healthy and the L in LDL stands for lousy.


Saturated Fat or Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) -- Saturated fat is another scary fat. This fat is solid at room temperature and can raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) and clog your arteries, leading to a higher chance of heart attack and stroke. They come primarily from animal sources, including red meat, poultry, and whole dairy products. Two plant sources that have high amounts of saturated fat are palm oil and coconut oil, two ingredients found in some cakes and candies. If  you are a vegetarian, you greatly decrease your consumption of saturated fat, unless you eat coconut oil all day. Even if you are not a vegetarian, you can decrease your consumption of this fat by eating a significantly lower amount of meat. Also, you can be vegetarian and still eat junk food, increasing your consumption of TFAs. So throw away the junk food and fried foods. Save the coconut oil for your hair : ). Although not as bad as TFAs, SFAs should be avoided with almost as much fervor. If you never consume saturated fat, your body will not miss it. For SFAs, think scary fat, avoid.

GOOD FATS (EMBRACE IN MODERATION)
Just because these are good fats, found in things like olive oil, nuts, and seeds, does not mean you can go and eat to your heart's content. Fat should be less than 30 percent of your caloric intake, but it can be a bit higher as long as its good fats you're racking up on.

Polyunsaturated Fats or Fatty Acids (PUFA) -- In my opinion, this fat can be best termed as very confusing. It actually involves a little math. It can be good if eaten in the correct ratio, but if not eaten in the correct ratio, it can be harmful. What do I mean by ratio? Well, PUFAs actually include two types of fat, Omega-6 and Omega-3. These two subcategories are known as essential fatty acids (EFAs). When you think EFA, think just what is stands for, essential fatty acid, because I really couldn't put it better myself. Because it is essential, you have to get sources of both these fats. This is also why you should avoid any diet that restricts the consumption of all fats, including PUFAs/EFAs and MUFA (see below), because all fat is not created equal, contrary to what many might say or think. The key to consuming PUFA correctly, is that although you should eat more Omega-6 sources than Omega-3, the ratio should be between three and ten times more Omega-6 than Omega-3. Most Americans consume ten to twenty times more Omega-6 than Omega-3.

The get a better balance, eat more Omega-3 and watch out for how much Omega-6 you eat. Unless you eat a lot of fish, and I would not recommend that since fish has mercury and cholesterol, focus on healthy sources of Omega-6 and Omega-3. When people think the EFAs, they usually think of fish. Fish does have high amounts of EFAs, specifically Omega-3, which we are in need of in higher proportion to Omega-6. But if you don't eat fish, like me, rest assured that there are both animal and plant sources of Omega-6 and Omega-3. The ratio should remain between three and ten times more Omega-6 than Omega-3. Any higher, and you may increase your chances of certain health risks.

Sources of EFAs, vegetarian sources  in italics.

Poly (Omega-3) Sources: flaxseeds/oil, soy/oil, walnuts, fish oil, canola oil, mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna, other fish
Poly (Omega-6) Sources: poultry, corn oil, cottonseed oil, grape seed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil

When I think PUFAs, I think problem understanding but favorable, accept 


Monounsaturated Fats of Fatty Acids (MUFA) -- This fat became widely popular and studied more when it was shown that people in certain parts of the world that eat high amounts of this fat (primarily people of the Mediterranean) have a longer life expectancy and lower incidences of heart disease. Unlike PUFAs/EFAs, there is not much to say about this fat other than that is a good fat. It is found in olive oil (eaten widely in the Mediterranean). So although you can save the coconut oil (a saturated fat) for your hair and skin only, olive oil is good for the body. Buy two bottles. One for the kitchen and one for the bathroom. Other good sources include avocados, walnuts, flaxseed oil, and canola oil*. When you see MUFA, think Mediterranean useful fat, accept


*The more I read, the more I am coming across conflicting and controversial information concerning canola oil. I plan to do an in-depth future blog post after more research. To get an idea of the controversy, ask yourself "If there is no such thing as a canola plant, [and there isn't] where does canola oil come from?"

Review/Conclusion

TFAs should be avoided like the plague. Their sources (fried foods -- esp. french fries -- junk food, sweets, and other foods containing hydrogenated oil) are all bad for you anyway. Eat whole foods, food in their natural state, and you should have no problems.

SFAs should be avoided with almost as much fervor as TFAs. If you are an omnivore, greatly reduce your consumption of animal products such as red meat and dairy products, notorious sources of SFAs. If you are a vegetarian, good for you! But avoid coconut and palm oil, and don't make up in TFAs (as in junk food and fried food) what you are missing in SFAs

PFAs or EFAs should be studied more. I suggest you do your own research and look for even more sources than the ones I listed, so that you can get the ratio correct and so that you can get healthy sources, preferably from plants. lLook for alternative for Omega-3 sources if you don't eat fish or don't like eating fish.

MFAs should be embraced. If you ever get scared of fat or if you hear or read that all fat is bad, think of the people in the Mediterranean. They live long, healthy lives in spite of, or perhaps thanks to, their higher consumption of MFA. We could learn a thing or two from them.

P.S. Buy or check out from your library The Okinawa Program. I am not done reading it yet, but I already recommend it highly.

20 Items or Less...Essential Oil and Oil Blends

Every single natural diva should have essential oils as a part of her hair regimen, especially if you have dry hair. There are so many essential oils to choose from that I decided to put them in one category for the 20 items or less post series, as well as essential oil blends. The same way you can get added benefits by mixing essential oil to your shea butter or other butter, you can create a great product by mixing essential oils together. There are a good number of oil blends on the market, but I suggest you make your own for several reasons:

• You can control what ingredients you use.
• It's cheaper to buy and mix your own oils.
• You can make sure to use cold-pressed, organic, and extra-virgin versions of the oil you add to your mixture.

Just because I placed essential oils all in one category does not mean that you have to go out and buy every top-quality essential oil out there. I myself have only purchased two (the ones I consider the easiest to find) and have some oil from my sister who purchased a particular kind to help with some hair loss she experienced. 

The two oils I recommend for your repertoire are extra virgin olive oil (by far the easiest to find. Just look in any supermarket) and extra virgin cold-pressed coconut oil. Coconut oil can't be found everywhere, but I do know for sure they carry them at most Wal-Marts and Kroger. The other oil I have, which my sister gave me, is grapeseed oil. There are many others to choose from and they all have different benefits. Olive oil and coconut oil penetrate into the hair shaft the best. Since coconut oil is a saturated fat, it becomes solid in cold temperatures, so make sure to store it in a warm place. Other essential oils to use besides olive oil, coconut oil, and grapeseed oil. I have decided to list five essential oils and the benefits of each

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) - an emollient that seals and softens the hair. It adds great sheen to your hair, as testified by my sis Cee C. Check out her natural hair pictures HERE. I love EVOO because it is the easiest to find and is available in many different size containers. 
2. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (or at least cold-pressed coconut oil) - another emollient for sealing moisture into the hair. Unfortunately, if you love the smell of coconuts, coconut oil is virtually scentless. This can be a good thing, since some olive oils can have a strong smell depending on which you buy. I think it may be the darker the olive oil, the stronger the smell. 
3. Grapeseed Oil - this essential oil is thought to help with hair loss/hair growth. It is very thin, does not get hard at cold temperatures (even in the refrigerator), but because of its then consistency may run into your hair. I did not experience this, but my sister did. Test it out to see how it works for you. 
4. Jojoba Oil - an article at Naturally Curly describes jojoba oil as a "natural moisturizer" and says that it blends with the hair very well. For the full article, check out the link HERE.
5. Castor Oil - a humectant that has great anti-fungal properties, helping to ensure a clean scalp and a great aid in hair growth. Castor oil is also the essential ingredient when doing the Oil Cleansing Method. (I plan on doing a future post about this). 

Essential oils are not just good for the hair. They can be great for the body as well. Since these oils are often used to seal in moisture in the hair, use them to seal in moisture in the body/skin. My sister Alison applies an oil blend to her damp skin after showering to seal in moisture. That is a great all natural, paraben-free alternative to skin lotion. Essential oils are also an essential (pun intended) ingredient when being your own mixtress. Add it to conditioners for better distribution and added moisture and body butter for a more malleable consistency. The benefits are endless. Go out and buy your own today. Let's review just some of the ways essential oils and oil blends can be used.

1. Sealer for hair shaft to seal in moisture.
2. Sealer for hair ends to protect hair from split ends.
3. Pre-poo treatment before shampooing hair (esp. olive oil)
4. Massage oil for scalp to stimulate growth and ensure moisture
5. Body moisturizer after leaving the shower to seal in moisture
6. Facial moisturizer
7. Cleanser when using the Oil Cleansing Method

Remember, look for organic, cold-pressed essential oil. Some oils can be irritating to the skin if you don't use them carefully, especially when a little goes a long way, like tea tree oil.

Up-to-Date 20 Items or Less Beauty Products List

1. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap - liquid form
2. Shea Butter, 100% raw, unrefined, fair-trade
3. Essential Oils and Oil Blends, organic and/or cold-pressed

How Do You Determine What Is a Healthy Weight?

My sister and I (Cee C of course) were talking about how, culturally, the Black community embraces being overweight and obese. Many times, people will call someones "thick" or "healthy" (the latter is very misleading) when clinically, the person may be overweight or obese.

This is a controversial topic, but I had to speak out. I am 5 foot 2 inches tall and a whopping 97 pounds. According to the Body Mass Index, I am actually underweight. This has always been an issue for me, since I am a strict vegetarian and I find it hard to gain weight. My body has always been small; I inherited this trait from my mother. I know its possible for me to gain weight, however, since that summer I gained a few pounds after eating omelets and Cup-o-Noodles every day. What is annoying, however, is when I have been accused (falsely) of being anorexic. My high school science teacher accused me of this, which upset me greatly. At that point in my life, I was trying to adopt a healthy vegetarian lifestyle within an unsupportive Southern environment. My teacher took my picky eating and low weight as a sign that I was anorexic. I also have trouble buying clothes, as even a size 0 can be too small for me. Also, I have heard many Black men say how they like their women thick. Well, I don't apply, nor do I intend to apply to that category. Most times, I think most Black men don't find my size attractive. It takes pretty form fitting clothes to see what curves I do have.

My turning point came when I realized I had to accept myself, skinny limbs and all, and just eat healthfully and happily. I am not the type of vegetarian that runs from any food product with fat, unless it is animal or saturated fat. That means I love my share of plant oils, nuts, seeds, tofu, and avocado (YUM!). I also realized that the Black community embraces a size that is sometimes too big.

I have seen people who try to lose weight told that they "wouldn't be themselves" if they were smaller or skinnier. I have seen people reach their goal weight by half, and told they need to "stop right there. Any smaller, and you wouldn't be healthy." In other cultures, too skinny is seen as desirable when it is unhealthy. My question is, "How do you determine if you are a healthy weight?", without the influence of cultural assumptions. If I listened to others, I would go out and eat collard green with fat back to gain the much needed 50 pounds I am allegedly lacking.

My sister told me about the Body Mass Index. I have heard of this before. Currently, I am 97 lbs, give or take, and according to the BMI, I am underweight by about 3 to 5 pounds. I guess I need to eat more guacamole. : ). We should all stop using other people's perceptions of who we are as determinants of how healthy our weight may be. I encourage everyone to go to the Body Mass Index to get an accurate telling of whether you are underweight, a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.

The CDC Body Mass Index for Adults
National Institute of Health BMI Calculator

Don't misinterpret the message. Women are beautiful in all sizes. But beauty should be, above all other things, healthy. I consider it a disservice to not discuss this topic. The Black community should be applauded for embracing "plus size" women, but remember that being overweight and obese is also what is leading many of us to "inherit" the health problems so prevalent in the African American community, including diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Above is a picture of me in a form-fitting evening gown from a pageant I took place in. This picture is only a few months old, and I am pretty much the same size. I can only speak of my experience as a very skinny Black woman who has not always embraced her size. I understand that the experiences of plus size women are different and don't presume to know how they may feel.

My Hair Goals

My sister Cee C did a post on hair goals, and I have been meaning to do the same. Her post can be found here. Goals help direct us in life and focus our behavior. I know I may make sounding hair goals really deep, but knowing what you want with your hair makes sure you do the right things to maintain health and take care of your hair.

My Hair Goals

1. I want healthy hair. First and most important of all, I want healthy hair. Good hair is healthy hair. Healthy hair is good hair. I am making sure I have healthy good hair by moisturizing, not applying bad things on my hair (no sulfates, no mineral oil, no petrolatum, no excess amount of cones), covering it every night, and most importantly, leaving it alone. Right now, my styling routine is low to no manipulation. 
2. I want to love my hair every day, and at every length. As my hair grows, I am trying to love it at every length and every stage. I have experience with this firsthand, after growing locs for four years. Even when the length seems awkward and I don't know what to do with it, it is best to embrace my hair and accept every phase as part of the journey. 
3. I want hair that is long. By long I mean at least mid-back length, without being stretched/straightened/pulled. I like to prove a point, and I want the world to see that Black women do not have to have locs or weave to have long hair. Nothing against locs. Weaves, well, do you. Curly hair can be long. One of my favorite books is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. The protagonist, Janie, is described as having a long braid that runs down her back. While I am loving my short hair, I will also love to have a long braid that runs down my back. 
4. I want hair with a nice shine/sheen. There is nothing I hate more than natural hair that looks like it is need of some serious moisture. The best moisture is water, and I lock in this moisture with silicones, oils, and shea butter. 
5. I want hair with distinct curls and coils. Ever heard of the term afro hair. I hate that term. Afro is hair style, not a hair type. When most people wear their hair in afros, it is after deliberately picking the hair out, seperating all the curls, to give a frizzier bigger look. When I first realized my hair had sections of curls and coils, I was amazed and a bit surprised. Now I want to flaunt those curls. It is hard to keep yourself from seperating or frizzing up your curls, but I am learning a lot from Teri's book Curly Like Me. 

I could not find a picture of the long braid Halle Berry had in the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God. The above is the best idea I could find of what I mean by long natural hair with distinct curls/coils. It is the beautiful songbird Amel Larrieux. 

Caution: Even though it is natural to be inspired by other diva's natural hair, do not get hair envy to the point that you may be dissapointed that your hair is not exactly like your inspiration's. Every step of the journey, every different length, is beautiful. It's you. It's natural. Naturally You. 

What are your hair goals? How are you working to achieve them? 

20 Items or Less...Shea Butter

In my KISS post, I listed shea butter as one of the essentials when taking care of natural hair. My first experience with shea butter, however, was as a skin product. Because of it's great use as a hair and skin product , I decided it earns a spot on the list of 20 Items or Less Beauty Products.

As a hair product, shea butter primarily works as a "sealer", locking moisture into the hair and protecting strands, preventing split ends and breakage. Oyin Handmade makes a Whipped Pudding shea-based cream that can be used for both the hair and body. Shea butter is also a great ingredient for conditioners. One of my recent purchases is the Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner. Shea butter can treat very dry skin, and has been suggested as a treatment of eczema. My sister Cee C tried it for her eczema, but it irritated her skin. Since everybody (and every body) is different, I suggest you try for yourself by doing a skin patch test.

Shea butter is fairly solid when at room temperature, but melts easily when the temperature rises. I suggest melting and then mixing shea butter with organic and/or essential oils to make it softer and easier to work with. I also have a friend who suggested taking a jar of shea butter into the shower with you. The hot steam will melt it down and make it easier to work with. Since adding essentials oils only makes the product better, I mix my shea butter with coconut oil and use it as a sealer for my hair.

I plan to start using it for my body as an all natural moisturizer. Store-brand moisturizers have a lot of parabens. A little shea butter goes a long way, both on your hair and on your body. It may feel greasy initially, but it penetrates into the skin very well.

Shea butter comes from the shea nut tree, found in West and Central African countries, such as Togo and Ghana. Shea butter contains Vitamins A, E, and F. Vitamin E, in particular, does wonders for the skin. I have read that it can also be used as a sunscreen. I have never tried this, but it is worth considering. For more information about the origins of shea butter, click here.

The best thing I can say about shea butter is that it is a wonderful ingredient for making your own hair and body products. Any mixtress's out there, listen up! You can even use it as a lip balm to moisturize and protect lips from harsh cold winds and UV rays. When buying shea butter, purchase only 100% unrefined raw shea butter from a fair trade supplier. It is only fair that the workers who help manufacture this amazing product get paid fair wages.

Good online suppliers of 100% raw, unrefined shea butter are Butters-n-Bars.com and Agbanga Karite.

Updated List of 20 Items or Less is as follows:
1. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap -- liquid
2. Shea Butter, 100% raw, unrefined, and fair trade

Words of Wisdom

"If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't."

--Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and Food Rules

I have heard great things about Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma, and I myself own Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. I don't agree with a lot of Pollan's suggestions (as a strict vegetarian I don't think any meat consumption is healthy), but I suggest both books for anyone who would genuinely like to know where their food comes from. There are many other rules in the book, and since reading it, I have decided to create my own list of 101 food rules, dealing with the Five W's and H of eating (what, when, where, why, who and how). I will share them most likely. I suggest everyone make their own food rules, and hair rules too!!

Too Much Protein...In Your Body?

Writing a post about the effect of too much protein on the hair had me thinking about another way we as humans can acquire too much protein. In the body. As a vegetarian, I am often asked, "How do you get your protein?" My succinct answer is usually that I get my protein from food. All food, not just meat, poultry, and fish, has protein. Eating an adequate amount of calories and a varied diet ensure that even a strict vegetarian or raw foodist consumes enough protein.

I have read numerous vegetarian books about what is beginning to be known as "The Protein Myth". In reality, there are several protein myths. Here are a few:

• Meat and other animal products are the only source of protein.
• Animal protein is "superior" to plant protein because it is "complete."
• Vegetarians must eat combinations of plant foods at each meal (such as beans and rice or peanut butter on whole wheat toast) to ensure they get complete protein.
• There are no plant sources that contain complete protein. 

I will try to keep this reasonably short, since I am obviously very passionate about the subject. First, I will say that animal products are often advertised as being such great sources of protein because, honestly, that is all they are good for and the most they have to offer. Beef is a "good" source of protein, if you don't mind the high fat and cholesterol that comes with this alleged good source. Aside from protein, animal products are often not very good for anything else in your body. Maybe they get credited for being good sources of iron and Vitamin D. There are countless plant sources of iron, and if you want more Vitamin D, just step out into the sun or eat some fortified orange juice. Fruits and vegetables have protein, plus vitamins and minerals, fiber, enzymes (if raw) and minimal to no fat and no cholesterol. Seems to make more sense to get your protein from sources that have more to offer than just protein.

Also, animal protein may be complete, but most of the animals we eat and many other large animals are vegetarians (cows, chickens, hippopotamuses, giraffes). They manage to get complete protein with only incomplete plant sources to consume. The human body can, and does, the same thing. I am sure an elephant is not making sure to eat whole wheat bread with its peanuts to ensure complete protein consumption.

Another thing I like to point out is that I have yet to meet or actually hear of a person who has a protein deficiency. I meet plenty of would be or used to be vegetarians who say their doctors said they were not getting enough protein and needed to start eating an animal product (such as a little chicken or fish). What I don't hear of is an actual protein test to check the protein levels in the human body. I distinctly remember being pricked in the finger to check for my iron level before I went to college. I have never heard of these people being checked with some test that they have enough protein. I am suspicious as to when they are told they need more protein. Before or after they tell the doctor they are vegetarian.

If doctors check for protein levels, they actually need to check to make sure that you are not getting too much, not too little. It is possible to get too much protein even in a vegetarian diet. Imagine the amount of protein that is in the average body of an omnivorous or carnivorous American, living in a nation where the diet is centered around meat and other animal products.

Here is what Frankie Avalon Wolfe, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being Vegetarian (second edition), had to say about too much protein.

[Summary/Synopsis]
Heavy meat and animal product eaters easily get too much protein since they not only get a great deal of it from meat and other animal products, but also from plants containing protein. What's the problem with the body getting too much protein? First of all, the body can't store it. When your body has too much protein, it has to work extra hard to process it, break it down, and excrete its byproduct through the kidneys. A lot of work for the kidneys! Breaking down too much protein can make the body pH to acidic, leading to many other health problems. One of these problems is a loss of minerals in the body, including calcium and sodium. Loss of calcium leads to osteoporosis and loss of sodium leads to stomach troubles (Wolfe 22 - 23).

What this means is that there are many diseases that a vast majority of the American public is suffering from due to too much protein, rather than not enough. I myself am a uncertified nutritionist (at least not yet), because you have to be careful of the misinformation people will give you. Tell someone you're a vegetarian, then all of a sudden that person is an MD. Common sense also tells you that dairy milk, which has a higher amount of protein, may lead to calcium-loss rather than calcium absorption if you drink too much. When it comes to dairy milk, remember: Humans are the only species to consume milk after birth and the only species to consume the milk of another species. Isn't man an amazing animal?

Don't take my word for it. Research it for yourself, but remember to use common sense.

Start here: The Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine (PCRM) article entitled "The Protein Myth"

Too Much Protein...On Your Hair?

I have come across protein and protein treatments on many natural hair sites and blogs. I have also learned that although protein treatments are used to strengthen hair, too much of this seemingly wonderful thing can be bad for hair, even leading to hair breakage since your hair will lack elasticity. The hair is already made up mostly of protein, about 70% keratin protein. Protein can be strengthening, but it can also be drying, a natural diva's worst nightmare.

I am writing this blog because a natural friend of mine asked to do a post about protein moisture balance. I myself don't do protein treatments. I mainly focus on moisture, in the form of water. Remember, I use oils, shea butter, and silicones to lock moisture in my hair and ensure they don't evaporate off the hair shaft. Oils, shea butter, and silicones don't actually moisturize the hair. They protect the hair from moisture loss. To better understand protein, I looked it up in TightlyCurly.com's Ingredients Dictionary. This dictionary is very helpful in explaining even the most complex ingredients you may find in hair products. All the ingredients are listed as either Good, Okay, Caution (may or may not be good depending on how it is used in hair products), or Avoid. Protein was listed as Okay ingredient. This assessment seems appropriate, since protein can do wonders for the hair, but too much can lead to hair damage.

Below is my paraphrase/summary of what Teri of Tightly Curly had to say about protein as an ingredient:
In essence, protein is okay for the hair. It is used primarily as a humectant (an ingredient added to keep something moist), emollient (something that gives a softening effect), or moisturizer. Protein works by coating the outside of the hair (which is made up of protein) by filling in any gaps in the cuticle. This is what makes protein so smoothing to the hair. This smoothing effect, however, is not permanent. Protein cannot repair the hair permanently, contrary to what many think and what many products may claim. Protein can be obtained from animal and plant sources. If you are vegan or want to avoid animal products in your toiletries, read the ingredients carefully.

She further explains protein, but in a way that confuses me, so I will leave it up to you to decided. In essence, what I learned is that protein can make it seem like hair is being repaired, but the effect is only temporary. Furthermore, it would be better to take good care of your hair in the first place, so you won't have to depend on protein treatments. Remember, nothing can fully repair hair once it is damaged. It can only make it seem like the hair is smoother of softer.

At Naturally Curly, they have a term known as protein sensitive. This is used to describe anyone whose hair is sensitive to any protein ingredient. Whether or not you are protein sensitive, if you use a protein treatment but do not follow up with a moisturizing treatment, you can do drying damage to your hair. I don't consider myself a chemist nor an expert on the protein debate (and specifically the protein-moisture balance). Here are some links to articles I found helpful:

This article I found on the Associated Content specifically talks about the issue of protein-moisture balance for Black hair. The writer looks to be relaxed, but the article is informative, so I won't hold that against her. : )

Another article by the same woman about when you may be getting too much moisture. I have heard of this phenomenon as well, so look out for this mistake. Too much of anything can be bad for hair, even moisture.

I found an overwhelming amount of information. If you have any more questions, I encourage you to Google protein moisture balance to see what comes up.

A Look at Longevity...Asia and the Mediterranean (A Long Post)

With all our advanced technology and alleged superior medical field, the United States is lagging considerably behind in the longevity department. According to the UN estimate, the United States has an expected life expectancy at birth of 78 years old for men and 82 years old for women. That may seem life a long time, but expand your horizons and take a look at a few comparisons.

In Japan, the life expectancy for men is 80 years and the life expectancy for women is 87 years. The difference between male and female life expectancy is higher in Japan than in the United States, but the average of Japan is 83.5 years while the life expectancy of the United States is 80 years. Other countries with high life expectancies are Greece and Italy. These countries, especially Japan, are listed higher or lower depending on whose list you look at (United Nations, CIA World Factbook, or World Health Organization). In essence, it has been supported by many statistics that the world regions with the highest life expectancy is Asia and the Mediterranean.

There are many factors that contribute to life expectancy, including health care, infant mortality rate, pollution in the environment, social behaviors, and other factors. The one, most consistent factor, that contributes to life expectancy is diet. If we as a nation, or if you as an individual, want to live as long as people in the Mediterranean or Asia, it would be sensible to take a look at their choice of consumption and see how this contributes to their longevity.

I am no doctor, nor am I a scientist. Many doctors and scientists, however, have researched this topic and concluded that diet indeed has a major affect on longevity (or lack of). Books have been published about them, and a few I would recommend are the following:

What Would Jesus Eat? by Don Colbert, M.D.
The Okinawa Program by Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makota Suzuki
The MediterrAsian Way by Ric Watson and Trudy Thelander

As a person who prides herself in common sense, I will say with authority that diet has more of an effect on longevity than genes. Often, people say diabetes, high blood pressure, and even heart disease run through their family. Ba Humbug! These people often ignore the hamhocks, high fat desserts, and other unhealthy food that "run" through their family. You must take responsibility for your health, and not blame genes for chronic diseases or a general feeling of lack discomfort, both of which is directly correlated to what you eat, not who your family is. A great article I read recently is by John McDougall, author of The McDougall Program, in which he asserts that diet, not genes, controls destiny. The article can be found here. (Note: I do not follow, nor do I support, the McDougall Program. I just like the information shared in this article.)

The above picture is a food guide pyramid as created by the authors of The Okinawa Program. As you can see, meat, poultry, and eggs are listed as optional foods that at the most should be eaten weekly, not daily as is the case in the Standard American Diet (SAD). You can also see that whole grain and vegetables are listed as the basis of a healthy diet.

The pyramid below is a food guide created by the Mayo Clinic based around the Mediterranean diet (I prefer the term lifestyle, since I don't believe in diets). Like the other pyramid above, the consumption of meat is miniscule. I myself am a vegetarian and do not eat any form of animal flesh ever, including red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. I believe, daresay know, that the healthiest diet is vegetarian.

You yourself can take a look at the longest living people and decide for yourself if meat consumption is healthy. If not taken out completely, meat should be consumed very sparingly. I don't mean as in, "I don't eat meat that often. Just at breakfast, lunch, and dinner." I hate when people say that to me. I mean meat consumption in the sense of once a week to once a month.

I would also like to point out that according to Diet Choices: A Classified Encyclopedia of 816 Weight Loss Diet Reviews, The MediterrAsian Diet receives 5 (out of 5) stars. The What Would Jesus Eat? plan receives 4 stars and the Okinawa Program receives 4 stars. Do your own research and reach your own conclusions. Remember, use your common sense.

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap -- liquid form

In the natural hair care world, I had occasionally heard of natural divas using Dr. Bronner's soap to shampoo their hair, but if I had known how many great uses you could get out of this economical, all natural, USDA-certified organic, fair trade product, I would have purchases my own bottle a long time ago.

Basic Information: Castile means that this is an all-vegetable based soap  (versus tallow soap, which is animal based) making it vegan friendly for those who are trying to eliminate animal products from their lifestyle. Aside from being vegan, this soap is also fair trade and USDA-certified organic. The liquid form is highly concentrated, meaning a little can go a long way depending on how you wish to use it. Speaking of ways to use it, this great product can be used for hair, skin, and body as well as household cleaning and other tasks.

The bottle advertises that this is an 18-in-1 product, but the website was vague about exactly what those eighteen ways were. Their specific words in the FAQ section of their website are as follows:

"Although the label claims eighteen uses, we do not have the space to write all these uses on the label and still accommodate for my grandfather's philosophy, as well as the new labeling laws that are typically implemented. In reality, there are fare more than eighteen uses, as people constantly write in to tell us about yet another utility of the soap." Link Here

For everyday body-washing: Get wet and pour soap full-strength onto hands, washcloth, or loofah. Lather up, scrub down, rinse off, and tingle fresh and clean.

For other uses, dilute one part soap into 40 parts water for light cleaning, to cutting this measurement in half or using full strength for heavy-duty grease-cutting jobs.
(These other uses may also refer to using the soap as dish detergent and a general around the house cleaner. This product, unlike others on the market, would serve as an environmentally-friendly household cleaning product.)

For shampoo, wet hair, apply product to hands, and work into a lather directly on scalp. For a gentler shampoo, you may dilute the product beforehand with water.

For the laundry, use 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for one regular load; adjust depending on the hardness of the water, using more product the harder the water.

For pet cleaning, lather up well and apply to their body. Make sure to keep the soap and lather away from their eyes.

For toothbrushing, apply a drop or two to a wet toothbrush (try the Peppermint kind), brush as you normally would, making sure to rinse. Be sure to use no more than a drop or two, or you will create a lot of foam and appear to have rabid mouth.

As mouthwash, a dash in water (especially peppermint) will freshen breath.

Dilute to use as shaving gel. 

Dr. Bronner's also carries bar soaps and products specifically for use on the hair, skin, and body. I decided to focus on the liquid castile soap, because I think it is the most versatile in use. You can find more information at www.drbronner.com.

The bar soap can serve as an airplane friendly, convenient shampoo bar. Each liquid soap is made with extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba, and hemp oils, with other oils added depending on which fragrance you purchase. The fragrances the soap is carried in include peppermint, eucalyptus, almond, rose, baby mild, citrus, lavender, and tea tree. The soap are manufactured quite differently, and in my opinion better, than most commercial soaps. A link to the soap making process can be found here.

New Post Series Coming Soon...20 Items or Less

I came up with the great idea to start a series of posts dedicated to a list of all beauty products and other all natural items that could be used for multiple purposes in beauty. This idea stemmed from how much I hate having to use one item for my face, another for my hair, another to shave, another condition. You get the picture. Often, going to the bathroom, when you live in a dorm with communal showers, can seem like backpacking through Europe with all the things you need.

In the essence of my earlier post about KISS (keep it simple, silly), I decided to create a list of no more than twenty beauty care items that could be used for multiple purposes, including hair care, skin care, body care, and even household cleaning. After creating a list of my own and consulting with my godmother and a few friends, I actually now have a list of about 15 items. I still refer to the post series as 20 items or less because you may want to add your own beauty products you can't seem to live without. Above I have a picture of the first item on the list, Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap in Liquid form. I recently discovered the wonder of this soap after talking with my sister Alison about it. I plan to purchase my own very soon.

Natural Poet...And You Know It: Double Helix

Double Helix

Ever notice

How our hair

Resembles

A DNA strand

From coils come curls

From curls come waves

From waves come straight

Don’t hate

I’m just saying

Ever notice

That for years

Instead of thinking something was wrong with the comb

We thought something must be wrong with our hair

Why can’t the strands just behave

I need to tame this hair

But now if someone brings me a skinny tooth comb

My reply: Don’t even go there.

My hair won’t go there

And there’s nothing wrong with it

“There must be something wrong with that comb”

I say. The comb just up and quit

Ever notice how the main people who say,

It’s just hair

Have straight hair

Ever notice how for Black women

It’s never been just hair

For the relaxer company

It’s way more than just hair

It’s a billion dollar a year industry

To help you straighten, manage, tame, handle

what doesn’t want to be straightened, managed, tamed, handled

Ever notice

How natural hair attracts hands, and stares, and reactions, and compliments, and even ignorance

Must be the static

Ever notice how people think with natural hair, you must be a revolutionary

Maybe I am

Ever notice how people think with natural hair, you must be trying to make a statement

I hope that statement is

I accept myself 

Hair Growth...Practical Ways

A few post back, I suggested cutting hair during certain moon phases to increase growth. You can try it if you want. I just thought it was an interesting topic. I recently decided to share more practical ways (if you don't consider trimming by lunar phase practical) of ensuring growth.

7 Practical Ways to Ensure Hair Growth

1. Massage the scalp on a regular basis. To help you remember, massage your scalp every time you co-wash or shampoo by focusing only on the scalp. You are supposed to be doing that anyway. Also every time I put oil on my scalp, I use it as an opportunity to massage. You can even kill two birds with one stone by doing it while watching television. 
2. Rinse hair with cold water. After co-washing or shampooing, consider rinsing hair with cold water, or at least lukewarm water. Rinsing with cold water closes the hair follicles and ensures you don't leave your strands open and vulnerable to environmental damage. It also leads to shinier hair. Remember: Heat damage can come from hot water and even hot weather, not just flat irons and curling rods. 
3. Drink water. This is perhaps the most practical way to ensure hair growth. If watering plants make them grow, watering your body will make your hair grow. Get at least the recommended eight ounce glasses a day. Drinking enough water will also give you clearer skin and stronger nails.
4. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Our body's nutrients affects our hair growth. If you don't get enough vitamins and minerals, the affect it will have on your hair, skin, and nails will be apparent. Remember: It is suggested you get at least 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables a day. I would suggest at least nine -- four fruits and five vegetables. The CDC once had a campaign known as 5 a day, encouraging people to eat at least serving of fruits and vegetables a day. The campaign has recently been replaced with Fruits and Veggies Matter. I suggest you check out the website for creative ways to eat more fruits and vegetables. 
5. Trim off damaged and split ends. Split and damaged ends travel up the hair shaft. If you do not trim them off, they will break off any length your hair grows. The secret to hair growth really is realizing that your hair grows all the time. When I cut my locs, I said how much I couldn't wait for my hair to grow. The barber responded, "It's growing right now." Remember, unless you have done permanent damage to your roots, you hair is growing right now. Retention of length is what really makes hair seem to grow even faster. Leading me to number 6...
6. Take care of the hair you have. Teri LaFlesh states in her book Curly Like Me and on her website that if you don't damage hair in the first place, you won't have to trim ends. What leads to splint ends and damage hair? Friction from not protecting ends, especially at night. Heat damage, including hot combs, flat irons, blow dryers, curling irons, and even hot water. She has a powerful point. If you don't damage ends in the first place, you won't have to trim them. Hair naturally sheds itself anyway. Take care of the hair you have, to keep it on your head, for even longer hair. To take care of the hair you have:
1. Seal ends with oils and/or shea butter. You can purchase all natural pomades, but it would be cheaper to make your own.
2. Wear hair in protective styles the majority of the time. Protective styles includes braids, cornrows, twists, buns, and head coverings. I have a TWA right now. Until my hair gets long enough to twist and braid, I make sure to apply shea butter and oils to my ends to protect them.
3. Protect hair at night/while sleeping. Wear a satin or silk scarf or bonnet and/or sleep on a satin pillowcase. Even while taking a nap, I wear a scarf. Cotton sheets and pillows can be very damaging to the hair, especially if you are a wild sleeper. 
4. Eliminate all forms of damage to the hair. This means no more harmful brushes, small combs, dry combing, dry brushing, excessive manipulation, tight braids, and especially heat damage. Throw out your hair dryer, flat iron, and pressing comb. 
7. Consider taking a daily multivitamin. If you don't think you eat well enough, consider taking a multivitamin to increase the amount of nutrients in your body. My sister Cee C takes Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin, and Nails biotin supplement, specifically formulated for better hair, skin, and nails. Research different multivitamins and talk to your doctor about the one that may be best for you. 

Note 1: The picture above is of the beautiful natural goddess Amel Larrieux, one of my hair inspirations. 

Note 2: I plan to start taking Nature's Bounty as well. I am currently practicing swallowing large pills, as the only pill I can take comfortably are small pain killers. 

Conditioner...Even More Wonderful Than I May Have Imagined

In the natural hair community, there is a term for people who seem to buy loads of products. These naturals are known as Product Junkies, or PJs. When I became natural, I promised myself I would not become a product junkie. The simplest method is usually best, and I saw a few YouTube videos of naturals who seemed to want to put everything and anything on their hair. As time went on, I did notice that there was one product in particular I kept buying...Conditioner. I thought I was a PJ, but then I realized that I am just a Conditioner Junkie. I doubt I stray away from the Giovanni line for shampooing my hair, and I love my essential oils and shea butter-coconut oil mixture. Conditioner, on the other hand, is relatively cheap, can be found anywhere (not so easy find a sulfate free shampoo in any store) and I almost figure you can't have enough.

My main weakness is any Herbal Essences conditioner. I have purchased the Hello Hydration, Totally Twisted, Hydralicious (though I can't seem to find it) and have every intention of buying the None of Your Frizzness, Tousle Me Softly, and Long Term Relationship. I also purchased the Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner, which smells wonderful and is very economical. I thought maybe I had gone overboard, but after reading Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh, it appears I have chosen to go crazy over just the right product. 

In her book and on her website www.TightlyCurly.com, Teri talks about the many benefits and uses of conditioner. She and many other natural curlies suggest you only comb hair when it is soaking wet and loaded with conditioner. She also suggests that instead of using gels and mousses to style your hair, you leave in the conditioner and style as usual.

It doesn't matter if the conditioner is not marketed as a leave-in conditioner. The product can still be used as a leave-in/detangling/styling conditioner, as long as you have carefully chosen one that will not make your hair feel gunky. For a list of Teri's suggested conditioners for detangling and styling, what Teri refers to as Combing Conditioners, check out the link here. 

Another thing that conditioner can do is weigh your hair down, lengthen tresses, and keep it from frizzing up in humid weather. This is especially true for conditioners with silicones, like the Herbal Essences lines. Weight is something you may or may not want. You may prefer big hair, or a huge afro, in which case, conditioner left in the hair may be a hindrance rather than a help. I am not sure, but I also think cone-free conditioners would not weigh your hair down as much as silicone. This is a complete guess. 

As shared in previous posts, conditioners are also great for a thing we naturals know as co-washing. I prefer to co-wash with silicone free conditioners such as my Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut. Conditioner can also be used in the Lather, Rinse, Co-Wash method of shampooing hair, which I discussed in a previous post. 

In essence, it seems like I will be able to use up my bottles of Herbal Essences. I may even start having to purchase the bigger containers. When my hair grows longer, I plan to do twists, and twist-outs with conditioner rather than gel. In the meantime, maybe I can convince my sister and fellow blogger Cee C to try this method of styling and let you know how it works. 

Caution: If you use conditioner to rinse out shampoo, co-wash, and style (as I plan to) watch out for the number of cones each conditioner has. It can lead to major build-up. My advice is to rinse shampoo and co-wash with cone free conditioners and detangle and style with cone conditioners. 

Thought of the Day:

Just because something has been a certain way for a very long time, does not make it the right way or the only way. 

Lather, Rinse, but DO NOT Repeat

A while back I shared how whenever I shampooed my hair, even with a sulfate free shampoo such as my Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo, my hair would feel too dry after rinsing out the shampoo. I was following the instructions found on most shampoo containers: Lather, Rinse, Repeat. But obviously something was not right. Hair should never feel stripped of moisture after you rinse out the product. I decided to remedy this situation with the following changes, some of which I discovered while reading my recent purchase of Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh.

1. Pre-Poo Treatment: I heard of pre-poo treatments, but I assumed they were an unnecessary step. After experiencing such dryness after shampooing, I decided it wouldn't be as much of an issue if I applied a pre-poo treatment. I use extra virgin olive oil for my pre-poo because it penetrates the hair, rather than just sitting on top of the hair. An e-how article on how to do a pre-shampoo treatment can be found here. Pre-poo treatments are for the express purpose of ensuring your hair does not dry from the harshness of your shampoo. I use a sulfate free shampoo that contains coco betaine, a mild detergent, but detergent nonetheless. This ingredients is perhaps what has been drying my hair out, but I would rather add the step of pre-poo than give up my Giovanni.
2. Shampoo less often. In the first hair regimen post on this blog, I said that I shampooed my hair once a week. This was obviously too often, or my hair wouldn't feel so dry. This was especially too often because I co-wash at least twice a week, which is a cleansing process, and I don't use very many products. I use shampoo primarily to make sure I completely cleanse my hair of silicones, which can cause major build-up if you don't cleanse them from hair and lead to dull hair with no sheen. I now shampoo no more than twice a month, more often only once a month. But when I do shampoo, I make sure to follow a specific order.
3. Lather, Rinse, Co-Wash. As an alternative to doing lather, rinse, repeat, I had been using the pre-poo treatment overnight, than lather and rinsing only once the next morning. Recently, I bought the book Curly Like Me: How to Grow Your Hair Healthy, Long, and Strong by Teri LaFlesh. I haven't gotten far in the book, but I already love it for one piece of sound advice, and that is in the proper way to wash your hair.
1. Focus only on the scalp. After thoroughly saturating hair, apply shampoo only to the scalp. This is not easy for me, since I have a TWA and my shampoo is bound to get everywhere. But the point I take away is, while shampooing, to focus only on the scalp. Don't pile hair on top of the head. Don't actually wash the hair. Wash only the scalp. When you rinse, the shampoo will rinse down the hair shaft and cleanse without stripping or tangling.
2. Rinse, and then apply a light conditioner to cleanse without drying. When I read this, I thought: When didn't I think of that?! Rinsing with conditioner ensure you don't have dry hair that feels thirsty for oil. I will be using the same conditioner for this step when shampooing as I use when co-washing during the week. Unlike the shampoo, you can work the conditioner throughout the hair, but don't pile hair on top of head. Instead, work in sections. This also makes sure that you rinse out all the shampoo, which, if left in your hair, can be very drying and cause an itchy scalp.
4. Well, now my shampoo method is cleansing and a sure way of not leading to drying hair: Pre-Poo, Lather, Rinse, Co-Wash.

I feel a little guilty. Yesterday, I went to the bookstore with the intention of buying Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey, if only Books-A-Million had one in stock. They did! But as I took it off the shelf, I was distracted by the book next to it: Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh. After a little debate and comparison shopping, I decided to buy Curly Like Me, mainly because it looked more information dense and Teri's hair is closer to mine in texture. She looks about 3b or 3c, and I am 4a/b. I do intend to still buy Curly Girl, eventually. In the meantime, I am reading Curly Like Me and will give a full review once I have finished the book.

Stay Coily!!

P.S. Check out Teri LaFlesh's website at http://www.tightlycurly.com/, which is full of information, including a lot of the info she has in the book.

When to Cut Hair to Encourage Growth: By the Light of the Silvery Moon

When I was younger, my mother once said if you wash your hair with the first May rain, it will grow. I never tried it, so I can't vouch for whether this is true. I once saw a bride on reality television who said she cuts her hair on the full moon to make it grow more (her hair was past her waist). All this had me thinking: Is there really such a thing as the best time to cut hair to encourage growth. I am not encouraging anyone to be super anal about when to cut their hair, but I am a little bit interested in astrology. Until recently, I didn't really know there were times to cut your hair to both encourage and retard growth. The Farmer's Almanac, which gives a lot of astrological advice for farmers concerning when to do things such as mow the lawn, regularly updates the days when you should cut your hair, depending on whether you want to encourage of retard growth.

 

The farmer's almanac can be purchased from the grocery store for a relatively cheap price. The website, however, also features the "Best Time To" dates, with guides on when to cut hair, mow your lawn, et cetera. Still skeptical? Think of it this way: The moon affects the ocean tides through the creation of stronger waves. Its effect on water is undeniable, and farmers have used lunar planning for gardening for centuries. Plants are not the ocean, but they are comprised of great percentages of water. The human body is also comprised of at least 60% of our body weight. 

Furthermore, women should also look into the effects the phases of the moon have on our menstrual cycle and fertility, which is something women have known for thousands of years. According to this theory, women are fertile two times out of the month/cycle, when she is actually ovulating and according to her lunar fertility phase. 

I myself don't know yet if I will take heed to the idea of a best time to cut my hair according to the moon phases, but for anyone who is interested, considering a trim or big chop soon, the Farmer's Almanac lists the following days in the next sixty days as the best days to cut your hair to encourage growth. 

Best Days to Encourage Growth

July 20th and 21st

August 16th, 17th, 21st, and 22nd

September 12th, 13th, 14th, and 17th

As you can see, today and tomorrow are listed as best days for cutting hair to encourage growth. Coincidence? I'll leave that up to you to decide, especially if you have been contemplating a big chop or trim. A more in depth article about cutting hair according to lunar phases can be found here at HairBoutique.com.

Contemplating...Cassia Obovata

I have done a lot of research lately on the benefits and uses of three natural hair dyes: henna, indigo, and cassia. One of the blogs I follow is CurlyNikki.com, and anyone who follows Curly Nikki knows that she is a henna head. I wanted to know all there was to know about henna before I considered applying it to my hair, and after much research, I decided it wasn't for me. Not at this point in my life. Henna can be very messy, and I don't want to mess up my college dorm bathroom. I don't have the money for a fine. Henna's conditioning benefits, however, are not something to sleep on, so I decided to look into doing Cassia Obovata treatments.

Not the prettiest looking thing in the world, but it can do wonders for your hair. One blogger that does regular cassia treatments is Naturally Obsessed. Her hair is gorgeous. One immediate thing I like about cassia is that you don't have to wear gloves while applying it. The powder mixture does not stain the hands like henna. It can be difficult to rinse out, but at least you don't have to worry about your tub turning red. Another benefit is that cassia does not change the color of the hair like henna (which leaves a red tint over the hair, depending on your hair color already). Cassia only adds immense shine to the hair. Who doesn't want a nice shine/sheen?

Cassia is also able to make hair thicker. Henna can make hair thick as well, but I have heard many henna heads complain about the dryness that comes with the treatments. Cassia will not leave hair dry. Cassia has been known to lead to a looser curl pattern, but since the effects of cassia are not as permanent as henna (a pro and con), you don't have to live with the results as much. Be warned: The way henna and cassia affects your hair is different for every head. The benefits seem so great, and Naturally Obsessed practically swears by it. I plan to give it a try by the end of the year, and will post my experience soon thereafter.

For more information about cassia, check out the following links:

Mehandi Description of Cassia - Mehandi.com is also a great supplier of pure cassia

Henna for Hair Description of Cassia Obovata -- Henna for Hair is also known for its information about henna, which can be found here. 

Femme Fatale: Feeling Fierce While Rocking a TWA

I notice that since having my hair cut about two months ago, people have been expecting me to wear long earrings that reach my shoulders. I see the trend often...natural divas with short hair wearing big earrings. I have an issue with this because I have small ears, making big earrings overwhelming to my face and even making my ears hurt.

As much as I love earrings, I think big earrings can be overwhelming to my pea-shaped head. Is there a need to do things considered more feminine simply because you're rocking a TWA? Allow me to indulge you, with 8 ways to feel more feminine while rocking a TWA or other short hair style. 

7 Ways to Be a Femme Fatale while Rocking a TWA

1. Wear earrings and other jewelry. Earrings don't have to be ridiculously big, but remember with a short 'do, your ears will be more visible. Other jewelry that might make you feel more feminine include necklaces, and maybe even a nose ring. The main jewelry will be earrings. This is why you see so many women with TWAs wearing big earrings. 
2. Keep your eyebrows arched. If you're wearing a TWA, everything about your face will stand out. This is a good thing, as your natural features won't be obscured by hair. On the other hand, since rocking a TWA, I notice my eyebrows even more when they aren't arched. It can make me self-conscious, so I plan to keep them arched more often. Instead of getting them waxed professionally, consider grooming them yourself with a razor. If you get them waxed, have the look last longer by plucking stray pieces with a tweezer. 
3. Wear makeup. As I said, your face will stand out more. To compliment your groomed eyebrows, wear a bold eyeshadow look. If you don't have as much time in the morning, just wear a bright lip stain and a pale blush. If you're not into makeup, stick with lip gloss and blush. A cute picture of Solange (see above) that I love shows how a bold lip and small earrings can make any TWA rocker into a femme fatale. 
4. Wear form fitting clothes. This does not mean you have to dress provocatively. Form fitting clothes will make you feel more feminine. Think skinny jeans, fitted tops, and bright colors. Also consider wearing casual dresses and skirts more often. A cute Maxi dress or pencil skirt will do the trick. 
5. Accessorize your hair with clips, flowers, and other hair accessories. Once you obtain more length, experiment with headbands*, clips, flower, and even feathers. This tip is inspired by all the cute accessories I see Natural Chica wearing on her blog and Facebook fan page. A YouTube video on how she makes some of her accessories can be found here. 
6. Accentuate your eyelashes with mascara. A deep black mascara that makes lashes look thicker and longer will add a fierce feminine touch to your visage. You may want to consider fake lashes, but since this sight is all about being natural, I would suggest only mascara. You also may want to only wear clear mascara to separate and lengthen the lashes. Clear mascara is also a great way to tame unruly eyebrows until your next arching/eyebrow grooming. 
7. Walk tall and be proud. I need to work on this myself, as my posture could use improvement. When you consider yourself a natural diva or natural goddess, you will exude a level of confidence that no amount of cute accessories or big earrings can. There is much more to being a woman than how much hair you have on your head. Remember to represent for the natural divas that rock TWAs. 

Thought for the Day: 

There is more to being a woman than how much hair you have on your head. Walk tall and be proud!

An In-Depth Look at the Curly Girl Method

Disclaimer: I have never actually read Curly Girl: The Handbook, though I plan to buy and read it evetually. Even if I don't follow the curly girl method completely, and there are many naturally curlies who don't and who consider themselves modified curly girls, Lorraine Massey should be commended for her pioneering work and enlightening information in the revolution of embracing natural curls, coils, and kinks (yes, I said revolution). This information can also be helpful to people with straight hair.

Although I have not actually read the book, there is so much information on the Internet about Curly Girl Method, that if researched correctly, one can follow the routine without having actually read the book. Nonetheless, I encourage you all to support Lorraine Massey by buying her book. I will definitely order mine from Amazon.com soon. 

The Step-by-Step Guide to Following the Curly Girl Method

(Information taken from here)

1. Understand what it means to be a Curly Girl. The main part of being a curly girl is adopting the no-poo method. Poo refers to shampoo, which contains harmful sulfates that strip the hair of its natural hair oils. It also means throwing out your blow dryer, saying no-no to brushes, reevaluating the kind of towels you use, and much more. The best way to know for sure how to follow the Curly Girl Method is to read the book. 
2. Clarify with a sulfate shampoo before beginning. This step is used to completely remove any build-up, especially in the form of cones, that may be on the hair strand. Once you go completely CG, you abandon all sulfates and silicones. 
3. Have your hair trimmed to remove any dead or split ends. You can visit a salon or do it yourself. Many naturals who have transitioned from perms (or locs in my case) may also consider this a big chop (BC). 
4. Stop using a brush. Brushes are damaging to curly and wavy hair, either wet or dry. This includes Denman brushes, which I have heard so many naturals rave about. But if you want to be completely CG, throw all brushes away. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb. I would go further by suggesting you use a seamless wide tooth comb. The seams on most combs can snag the hair strands. I read somewhere they are available at Sally's, but you can also order them online.
5. Stop shampooing your hair. By shampoo, we are referring to sulfate shampoos (sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate). Sham + poo = phony poop. (lol. Completely unoriginal. All credits to Lorraine Massey.) To cleanse the hair, use conditioner (known as co-washing). This will effectively cleanse the scalp without stripping the hair. Shampoos with mild detergents can be used occasionally (as in no more than 2x a month) used. Mild detergents are ingredients such as cocamidropropyl betaine  or coco betaine. All conditioners and other hair products should be silicone-free. Too many silicones can lead to build-up and consequently dull hair. 
6. Give your hair time to adjust. It will take your hair 2-4 weeks to adjust to these new changes.
7. Cleanse your scalp with conditioner. Again, using only cone-free conditioners, massage the scalp with the pads of your fingers, not your fingernails. Fingernails may snag your hair and irritate the scalp. How often you co-wash depends on your hair and your preferences. Remember, you can co-wash with a cone-free conditioner every day if you desire.
8. Distribute conditioner through your entire hair and detangle gently. Use only wide-tooth (preferably seamless) combs. Even better, use your fingers. Start from the ends going up the hair shaft to the roots. You may also wish to detangle and distribute hair in sections. 
9. Rinse out conditioner with cool or cold water. May sound unpleasant, but this step will ensure you seal the hair cuticles, lock in moisture, and increase shine. 
10. Apply products to hair. If your hair is very curly, do this while it is still wet. If your hair is more wavy than curly, wait five minutes for hair to dry a little, then apply products. Do not rub vigorously. Put products in hands, rub hands together to emulsify, then rake through hair in sections. Products to "layer" include conditioner (regular conditioner as leave-in is fine) and clear, alcohol-free gels. 
11. Gently scrunch your hair with a t-shirt, paper towels, or micro-fiber towel. I have been using paper towels off and on, but an investment in a micro-fiber towel seems in order. The micro-fiber towels ensure you do not rough up the cuticle and ensure little to no frizz. 
12. Decrease the drying time of your hair by "plopping." Never heard of this until now, but it looks very interesting. A pictorial can be found on NaturallyCurly.com here.
13. Dry hair. The best and healthiest way (and greenest way) is to air dry. If you must blow dry your hair, use a diffuser and dry only about 80% of the way and let air dry the rest of the way. 
14. Find an appropriate hair stylist. Ask what products they use and make sure they are experienced in styling curly or coily hair. Better yet: DO YOUR OWN HAIR to ensure no damage is done. Better safe than sorry, and you'll be happy with how much money you save. 
15. Trim your hair every 4-6 months. There are many things to consider when trimming curly hair, including shrinkage and various textures throughout the hair. I plan to trim my own hair by wearing mini-twists then trimming off any visible split ends.

All this said, remember to read the book for yourself and plan things accordingly. Whether you adopt all the advice given or become a modified curly girl, there is much to be learned from the text. 

Revised Regimen: Summer 2010

Any natural diva knows how important it is to have a consistent hair regimen. Any experienced natural diva also knows how that regimen may change. Our hair needs change depending on the season, environment, hair style we are rocking, and other factors. Some products you don't think you could ever do without, but then you find a better (and sometimes cheaper) replacement. I went through quite a few changes with my hair regimen, as did my sister Cee C (check out her blog here). My changes mainly came from experimenting with products and finding what I like. I have decided the only thing I am willing to splurge on in a good quality sulfate free shampoo, but that is about it. I love conditioner too much to spend a great deal of money on them. So I have decided that this is my optimal hair regimen for my current needs:

Pre-Poo Treatment (1x to 2x a month or everytime I shampoo) with extra virgin olive oil. I use olive oil I bought because the scent is so strong that I don't like to leave it on my hair. But since olive oil is so good for the hair and I don't want to waste money on something I bought, I decided to use it as a pre-poo since it will be washed out. I apply the oil the night before shampooing, cover my TWA with a satin scarf, then sleep with in on all night.

Shampoo (1x to 2x per month) with Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo. I use this shampoo which contains cocamidopropyl betaine (a milder version of the more harmful sulfates) because I use silicones and need something that will remove them from my hair. Too many silicones on the hair can lead to dull hair over an extended period of time without proper cleansing.

Deep Condition (1x per week) with any of the following Herbal Essences conditioners: Totally Twisted, Hydralicious, Hello Hydration (in order of how often I use them). I love Herbal Essences conditioners, which contain silicones. They are the reason I decided to become a modified curly girl rather than give up on Herbal Essences. Their conditioners are economical and very effective for adding moisture and slip. Often I add coconut oil to the conditioner for better distribution, except the Hello Hydration, which already contains coconut oil.

Co-Wash (at least 2x a week or as desired) with either Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner or VO5 Moisture Milks in Passionfruit Smoothie. Both of these conditioners are cone free. My line of reason is that the only brand I use with cones are Herbal Essences, because I just love them so much that I made an exception to the rule.

Moisturize/Leave-In Conditioner (as often as desired) with my homemade mix of shea butter and coconut oil (1:1 ratio), extra virgin olive oil, grapseed oil, or coconut oil by itself. I usually don't stray from the shea-coconut oil mix.

I don't really style my TWA, I just lift the roots with a metal pick (and to maintain curl definition), pat down for even shape, and head on out the door. I don't apply any heat. If and when I style, I will most likely use IC Fantasia Gel with Olive Oil

DIY Beauty: Make Your Own Hair and Body Butter/Do You Know What's In Your Lotion

Recently I bought a conditioner called Yes to Carrots, which I saw had been reviewed on CurlyNikki.com. I noticed that the description said the product was paraben free. I have heard of the most basic evils when it comes to hair care - petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates, cones (if you're trying to avoid them). I had only heard a little about the bad use of parabens. So I decided to look more into it.

In a nutshell, parabens are cheap ingredients added to toiletries (like lotions and creams) and other beauty products to extend the shelf life at a cheap cost. They make it so that companies make more money and don't have to throw away valuable product. But what is wrong with parabens? They are carcinogenic (cancer-causing), can cause skin irritations and rashes, can mess with the estrogen levels in your body (increasing chances of breast cancer in women) and even interfere with the endocrine system.

Parabens can be found in all forms of hygienic products, including shampoos and conditioners. My primary concern with its presence in lotion is that it lotion stays in contact with the body the longest. Skin is the largest organ, so if you want to mess yourself up from the outside in, just put something bad on your skin. Therefore, paraben-laden lotions are the worst offenders.

Alternatives: Paraben-free lotions. But as with anything healthier and preservative free, these can be hard to find and expensive. Why not moisturize your skin (and hair) with something more organic, nutrient dense, and which can be described with the adage: A little goes a long way. That's right -- hair/body butters.

All natural butters are less likely to irritate the skin. If you buy them from a reliable source, you can get ingredients in their most raw, unrefined, and organic state. The source is often fair trade as well. Best of all, you can make the products yourself.

So what does it take to make a good body butter? Two basic things: body butter and oils. The most familiar butters are shea, cocoa, and mango. (Can be purchased from Butters-n-Bars.com). Good basic oils to start with are olive, coconut, and grapeseed (can be purchased at a health food store and most grocery stores). The butters are usually hard to work with in it's most natural state. Adding the oils makes them easier to spread on skin and through hair. The butter can often be used on hair to smooth edges and seal ends.

With so many butters to choose from and an even more endless amount of oils, the combinations are endless. As of now, I make a butter for my hair that consists of a 1:1 ratio of shea butter and organic coconut oil. I plan to make another kind (using cocoa butter) for my body and another for my face. Remember: A little goes a long way, you can make your own, and it's paraben-free.