Mixstress Blues and Heat Caps



After much consideration, I have decided that my hair care regimen will stay pretty much the same. After writing the KISS Hair Care Regimen post series, I have decided the following:

• I don't feel the need to purchase only 100 percent all natural products, which are usually available online. I like to order the great bulk of my products from Brick and Mortar locations.
• I don't feel the need so many differnt types of conditioner again, including my Herbal Essences conditioners. Currently my favorite conditioner is Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner. I will continue to purchase Herbal Essences, but I don't use it as much as I thought I would.
• In spite of how tempting it is to experiment with cleansing with different clays (such as bentonite and rhassoul), I will stick with my Giovanni line of shampoos. They're sulfate free and available at Target. Why fix what aint broke?
• Pre-poo treatments will continue to be a part of my regimen, although I may pre-poo with coconut oil or use hot oil treatments as a pre-poo. Hmmm.

I have decided that there is one part of my regimen that needs major revision. That is the deep treatment step. I haven't been getting WOW results with my Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner. At more than $10 a bottle, I need it to be a holy grail. My Suave Almond and Shea Butter (at only $3 for a 32 oz container) is more of a holy grail than the AOHSR.

After doing much research, and deciding to keep it simple and not experiment with cassia, henna, or rhassoul for a while, I finally decided to sing the mixstress blues and make my own deep treatment. I have seen that many naturals, including Curly Nikki, add honey and olive oil to relatively cheap conditioners to give it more moisture power and use it as a deep treatment. I have decided I will go ahead and stir up my Suave Almond and Shea Butter with some honey and olive oil. I am not yet sure what ratio I want to use. The conditioner-honey-ratio may be 2:1:1 or equal parts of all three.

A good friend and fellow natural also suggested I use a heat cap before giving up on the Aubrey Organics. She has a point, since my hair, especially the top portion, is very very thick. I often find myself struggling to get conditioner on every strand. Perhaps more heat will help the conditioner penetrate the shaft and distribute on my hair better.

So, currently I am in the market for a heat cap. I may also try honey and olive oil combined as a deep conditioner, without the Suave Almond and Shea Butter added. I may also go ahead a make deep treatment a bi-weekly routine. Stay tuned for details.

Secrets from an Afrolicious Natural Diva

One of my close friends and natural hair inspirations has a YouTube channel. I asked her if I could embed a video and she said, "Sure!" She has been recently rocking an afro, which I love. Her afro is not picked out completely. It is more of a twist out afro. The Natural Haven suggests wearing afros this way to protect each strand, which is left out on its own when an afro is picked out from root to tip. Check out the video:



Until next time. The link to her channel can be found HERE.

Just So You Know...



Today I celebrated International Hug a Vegetarian day. Oddly enough, this day was not the best. I had some mix ups, mishaps, didn't feel so well, and to top it all off, I have an early morning tomorrow. But at least I received plenty of hugs from good friends. I also had to let many people know that I did not make this holiday up. I have been celebrating this holiday every year since I became vegetarian in 2007, and plan to continue celebrating. For one thing, I love being vegetarian. For another, I love hugs!

Great Linkage: The Honey Coincidence

After writing two posts about the praise worthy benefits of honey, you can imagine my surprise and glee when I visited CurlyNikki.com and saw that she posted an article/link on how to make a great honey deep conditioning treatment. I also learned that September is National Honey month. The link to the post by CurlyNikki can be found HERE.



The original article by Naturally Curly can be found HERE. The NC article also features a honey face scrub recipe. Honey...it's what's being talked on every blog.

Honey, Honey, Honey: An Addendum

I don't remember if I mentioned this in my 20 Items or Less Post, but honey has been purported to lighten the hair. Honey has natural peroxide qualities, hydrogen peroxide to be exact. This lightening may or may not be what you're looking for, but if it is, it is a great alternative to commercial hair colors that bleach the hair with harmful ingredients that dry out the hair.



I found a hair lightening recipe on Associated Content HERE. And Little Golden Lamb, who might have just earned a spot on My Blog List, has a review of honey HERE that inlcudes qualities about it being a hair lightener.

If you don't want to lighten hair, a good alternative to honey, especially its humectant qualities, is maple syrup. It can also be a vegan alternative.

Words of Wisdom: Malcolm X

Words of wisdom from Malcolm X, describing his enlightened reminisce on chemically processing his hair in order to straighten it.



"This was my first really big step toward self-degradation: when I endured all of that pain, literally burning my flesh to have it look like a white man’s hair. I had joined that multitude of Negro men and women in America who are brainwashed into believing that the black people are “inferior”—and white people “superior”—that they will even violate and mutilate their God-created bodies to try to look “pretty” by white standards." -- The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Layering Products for Styling

Product layering. Not necessarily a term you hear often, even in the natural hair care blogosphere, but it is definitely something to know about. Products don't always layer well. I like to keep it simple, but I have found myself more and more inclined to product layering. On styling days, I layer at least three products, not including ones I rinse out such as shampoo and rinse conditioners. On non-styling days, I layer no more than two, but these two are essential.

On freshly washed (shampooed or co-washed) hair that has been rinsed of all shampoo and rinse conditioners, I start my PL with a top quality leave-in conditioner. I apply it to wet hair. Don't worry about build-up. Once you start styling, the white residue will disappear leaving all the good conditioning qualities. 

Current Leave - In Conditioner: Giovanni Weightless Moisture Direct Leave-In Conditioner or Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner

After applying my leave-in conditioner, I start to style my wet hair, using the conditioner as an opportunity to manipulate hair that is far more manageable than dry styling. The product I use as a styler must have a good smell and quality ingredients.

Current Styler: Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding (alternative styler: Shea Butter-Glycerine Mix, Shealoe Mix and other butter-based products)

After styling, I wait for hair to dry completely before I take down or do the next layering of products. The next layers usually are applied the next day after styling and repeated everyday until washing and styling the hair again. It is none other than the essential moisturize and seal routine.

Current Moisturizer: Oyin Handmade Juices and Berries or Greg Juice
Current Sealant: Olive Oil, Castor Oil (for loose styles).

For sealants, I am trying to figure out how to incorporate my newly arrived Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade. I may also break down and use this as an old-fashioned hair "grease" to apply directly to my scalp.

50 Random Things



Although this blog is not random, in the least, but is in fact quite focused, I decided to stray from the focus and post a fifty random things posts in order for anyone to get to know me better without having to get to know me.

1. Of all the animal products, I am most perverted by chicken. Most likely because it still looks like a chicken, whereas a burger doesn't look like a cow.
2. The hardest animal product for me to currently give up is ice cream, my favorite food and ultimate weakness.
3. My favorite flavor ice cream is Vanilla Bean -- not vanilla, but Vanilla Bean. I have to see the tiny specks of vanilla beans.
4. Vanilla is my favorite scent in addition to being my favorite ice cream flavor.
5. I think of food constantly. Probably more than men allegedly think of sex each day.
6. I believe in "nurture over nature", unlike many of my Psychology major friends.
7. Number six is probably because I like sociology more than I ever liked biology or science in general.
8. One of my favorite reasons to tell people when they want to know why I don't have sex is because, "I don't trust anyone." (Not enough to share my body).
9. Another reason that I give to explain my choice of abstinence is, "I don't need the added stress that comes with having sex."
10. Dogs or cats? Definitely a dog person.
11. I was attacked by a dog when I was young, but I still consider myself a dog person. Cats scare me, although I was never attacked by a cat. 
12. I love children, even though I am accused of being impatient with them.
13. My favorite number is four.
14. My favorite letter is A.
15. I don't like to party.
16. I like the taste of alcohol, but at 97 pounds, I am very much a "lightweight". One drink is all it takes.
17. I had 97 locs, and when I cut them, India.Arie's "I Am Not My Hair" came on the salon radio. In the song, she says "97 dreadlocks all gone. I looked in the mirror for the first time and I saw that Hey. I am not my hair."
18. My favorite jazz singer is Abbey Lincoln.
19. My favorite singer, period, is Stevie Wonder
20. I have studied both French and Spanish.
21. Although I studied Spanish longer, I prefer studying and understand French better.
22. I have changed my major since I came to college, and changed my career plans at least three times since I changed my major.
23. I love my major -- Women's Studies.
24. Yes, I am a feminist.
25. No, I am not a lesbian. I have learned, first hand, that not all feminists are lesbians, and not all lesbians are feminists.
26. I feel more beautiful since I cut my hair than when I had shoulder-length locs. I have also received more compliments on my beauty in general since I cut my hair. Maybe it's my new swagger.
27. I don't intend to start locs again any time soon, but it may happen.
28. My favorite fruit is the one I am also allergic to...fresh pineapple.
29. I am also slightly allergic to kiwi.
30. I say I am allergic to coconut, because I hate the taste that much.
31. Coconut oil is one of my favorite oils for my hair, ironically.
32. My favorite genres of music are R&B and jazz.
33. I have dabbled in both knitting and crocheting.
34. I prefer knitting.
35. I like to play Fannie Dooley: Fannie Dooley loves knitting, but she hates crocheting. Why do you think that is?
36. I love waffles, but I hate pancakes. Why do you think that is?
37. I have yet to experience my first kiss. Currently, I am in no rush at all to experience kissing anyone.
38. I had a boyfriend for four months in high school, but we never kissed. If he's reading this, he's probably shaking his head.
39. I believe you can trick yourself into loving someone (I think I have experienced this), grow to love someone (even the wrong person), genuinely love someone, and be in love with someone.
40. I also believe, "Love only those that love you."
41. I would not ever, in a million years, ask a guy out on a date.
42. I don't believe in saying never, so I say "not ever" a lot. Refer to number 41.
43. Why number 41? I have my reasons...
44. Three of my favorite books have "bitch" in the title: Skinny Bitch, Stitch-n-Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook, and Why Men Love Bitches.
45. I am underweight according to my BMI, but I am in no rush to gain the necessary 10 pounds to be a "healthy" weight.
46. I used to want five children, but after watching birthing videos, I want no more than three. It's a miracle I want anymore at all.
47. When it comes to men, I believe both what they say and do. If the two things contradict, I believe in leaving them alone.
48. When it comes to men and women, I believe, "When someone shows you who they really are, believe them the first time."
49. I wanted to name my daughter Malia, but now, for obvious reasons, I believe that name may become too cliche in coming years.
50. I really am having trouble thinking of a 50th random thing. Hmmm. I'll get back to you.

20 Beauty Items or Less...Honey

Ahhh, Honey. To rebound from my hiatus on posting for the 20 Beauty Items or Less, I decided to come back at you with the sweetness, and that is many benefits and uses of honey. In the words of Ani Phyo, author of Ani's Raw Food Essentials, honey may not be vegan, but it's bee-gan. Lame, I know. You may think you know the wonder of honey, but the good news have only just bee-gan.

Honey is a product that bees make from flowers. Everyone should know, but in case you didn't, there it is in a nutshell. It is a animal product, technically speaking, and strict vegans do not believe in using or consuming honey. In actuality, bees are smoked to get this golden amber liquid, which is not a very pleasant experience for the bees. But if you're like me, you may decide to give honey a chance. Good news: The rewards are endless.

First of all, honey is a humectant. It attracts and binds moisture to the hair or skin. If you want to make your own humectant spray, honey or honeyquat are great options. Honey can be added to conditioners and mixed with oils to give added benefits of moisture. It can be used a pre-shampoo treatment or added to conditioner to make it a deep conditioning treatment. Honey is packed with antioxidants and is a natural antiseptic. It also contains many vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B3, which aid in hair growth.

Another great thing about honey: it has a shelf life of forever. You read correctly. Unlike natural oils and water-based all natural hair care products containing no parabens or other preservatives, honey is its own preservative, and keeps indefinitely. It smells great, and can serve as a key ingredient when making a humectant spray.

The antibacterial and antifungal properties of honey make it highly likely to relieve itchy or irritated scalp. Aside from being great for the hair, it can also prove a wonderful addition to your skin care regimen. Aside from being great for the hair and skin, it is a great addition to your diet. One warning: Do not feed honey to babies under 1 years of age. Their systems cannot handle it. Instead of sugar, use honey to sweeten tea or coffee. Consuming locally grown raw honey, which is the best option, can build immunity to allergies to pollen since honey itself contains pollen. Check with doctor before doing this. If you cannot find local honey, buy honey that is at least raw to make sure it contains all its vitamins and minerals.

Go out and buy a bear shaped container of honey and add some goodness to the health of your hair, skin, and body.

Updated 20 Beauty Items or Less List:

1. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap - liquid form
2. Shea Butter, 100% unrefined raw
3. Essential Oils and Oil Blends, organic and/or cold-pressed
4. Witch Hazel
5. Bentonite Clay
6. Castor Oil
7. Aloe Vera, juice or gel
8. Honey, raw and preferably local

Great Linkage: Make Your Own Moisturizing Spritz

Currently, I own Oyin Handmade Juices and Berries and Greg Juice. Both of these sprays I use to moisturize my hair before sealing in the moisture with a butter. They contain humectants and water, providing me with H2O to moisturize my hair and humectants to draw the moisture in.



Well, one day I had found this great blog post on how to make your own moisturizing spritz. I just knew I had to try the recipe. Then, for whatever reason, I couldn't remember where I had seen the article. Well, I stumbled on it again, and this time I am posting the link while I am thinking about it. The article is by The MopTop Maven, and can be found HERE.

Understanding This Rhassoul Ish



What haven't I claimed to want to try since Big Chopping on May 7, 2010. Everything from bentonite clay to cassia. But this time, I may be serious about one product in particular -- Rhassoul Clay. I have in the past, written a post about Bentonite Clay, which I said some naturals use as a form of deep conditioning and/or cleansing, sometimes in place of shampoo. I love my Giovanni, so I did not really take myself seriously when I considered using clay to cleanse my hair in place of shampoo. But why not alternate? Why not go Curly Girl and throw out all my shampoos (more like give them away, maybe) and rethink my use of silicone conditioners (although my Suave Almond and Shea Butter won't be going anywhere anytime soon).

What made me rethink giving Rhassoul Clay a chance? A few things: for one, Naturally Obsessed wrote a rave review and bomb tutorial on the benefits of rhassoul clay. Two, it is purported to add shine to hair, and I am all about the shine. Third, it has been described as easier to rinse out than cassia or henna, and I am cool with not having to spend a long time rinsing out a product. Four, it can be used in a no-poo treatment. Five, it can be used for the hair as well as the skin. Six, it has been around for many years, originating from Africa, present day Morrocco to be exact. There are just so many reasons to give this rhassoul ish a try. I am continuing to research, including the benefits and properties of it and the places I can purchase it from. Expect a future post about rhassoul clay. Cassia, move over, rhassoul may be my new love now.

Also, I forgot to mention that rhassoul clay is great to helping hair to be easier to detangle. Now, I have always professed loving my coils, and I do. But yesterday, when I decided after all to do a twist out, the crown of my hair was so hard to detangle and twist that I said to myself, "What's that clay called again? I may have to give it a try." Also, I love the Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner.

Lazy Hair Day

I had such big plans today for my Sunday Fun Day for my hair, but some of those plans fell through. After doing an overnight pre-poo treatment with olive oil, I attended church this morning with hair that shined like glitter in the sun (olive oil will do that). I then came home, did my laundry, and watched a movie or two on YouTube. After taking out a couple of warm towels from the dryer and borrowing a couple of shower caps from a friend, I shampooed my hair with Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo. Things were going well. I removed excess soap suds from my hair and buffered with Say Yes to Carrots Mud Conditioner. Again, things were going well. I then applied Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner and deep conditioned by first covering my hair with a shower cap, then placing a hot washcloth over the shower cap, then putting on another shower cap to trap the heat from the washcloth, then wrapping a warm towel around my head for all the heat I could manage without actually owning a hood dryer.

After letting the deep conditioner sit on my hair for at least an hour, I rinsed it all out and proceeded to style my hair. First, I applied some Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner. Using the Whipped Pudding, I proceeded to put in tiny two-strand twists. It wasn't long before I got really lazy, and decided to make the twists into finger coils. After transforming the twists into finger coils, I realized I hated the way they looked. Nothing special. Then I decided that I am too lazy to style my hair at this length. Call me a failure, but in the end, I decided to just apply a generous amount of Honey Hemp Conditioner as a leave-in. Once it dries, I will apply some Whipped Pudding on top so my hair can smell like chocolate. In good news, my hair is definitely growing. Until next time...

Above is a picture of the beautiful Lauryn Hill when she had twists. Her hair is gorgeous.

Sugary Sweet Advice (New Post Series)

It has been a while since I wrote a post concerning nutrition and physical health, but don't think I would ever give up discussing one of my favorite topics. In fact, since I recently finished up the KISS Natural Hair Regimen post series, I have decided to start another post series dedicated to a topic concerning nutrition. The topic at hand -- sugar.



In my quest to abstain completely from the Fatal Five (meat, dairy, eggs, white sugar, white flour), I rarely ever consume sugar. I take my tea with honey, and I have lost my taste for candy for the most part. Recently, I back slided and started to eat a blow pop. My body must have gotten used to an almost sugar free lifestyle, because I started feeling crazy. I felt jittery and was immediately overcome with a headache. This may have also been due to the fact that I was eating this blow pop on an almost completely empty stomach. I also began to feel dehydrated, so I stopped eating the blow pop.

The headache didn't leave until I ate some real food much later that evening. But I immediately learned my lesson -- no more white sugar for me. I have read and researched the many harmful effects of white sugar and other sugar alternatives (such as aspartame), which is why it is listed as one of the Fatal Five. I have decided to share that information with you, which will be shared in three posts:

1. Why White Sugar Is Harmful to Your Health
2. The Truth about Aspartame, Phenylalanine, and Other Harmful Sugar Substitutes
3. A List and Description of Healthy White Sugar Alternatives

I'm really excited about this post series, and I hope you enjoy and the information shared. My decision to give up white sugar was not a light one, nor is it an easy one. White sugar and other processed sugar is an almost everything you purchase prepacked in the grocery store. I may also have more blog posts in this series, but three at the least. Enjoy!!!

This Sunday is Fun Day for My Hair

A fourth Sunday has sneaked up on me, which means I will be shampooing and deep conditioning my hair. Every Fun Day, I try to improve on my Fun Day from the previous month in order to get better results. Also, I plan on using some of my newly purchased and recently arrived Oyin Handmade products.



What are my plans? I have listed the steps I plan to take, starting Saturday, but this is highly tentative.

Saturday Evening

• Condition/Detangle using Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner and one of my new combs, including the Cricket Ultraclean or Naturally Curly Shower Comb
• Apply Pre-Poo Treatment of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to sit overnight (I may very well walk into church with a scarf on my head to hide my oily tresses.

Sunday (the Actual Fun Day)

• Shampoo with Giovanni Smooth as Silk or 50:50 Balanced Shampoo
• Buffer/Co-Wash with Say Yes to Carrots Mud Conditioner
• Deep Condition with Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

All the products are products that will be rinsed out of my hair. The following products will be left in.

• Leave-In Conditioner - Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner
• Styler and Sealant - Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding

How exactly do I plan to style my hair. I will be styling it into either very small two-strand twists of finger coils (think comb coils, only I will not be using a comb, instead I will use my fingers).

Goals:
To leave in the mini-twists or finger coils for at least a week, though I doubt I make it to two weeks.
To take and upload pictures of my hair this weekend.

Variations: Aside from changing up the products (last week I used my Giovanni Weightless Moisture Direct Leave-In as my leave-in conditioner), I plan on doing a pre-poo overnight and leaving the deep conditioner in for longer than several minutes. I may leave it in for at least one hour. I also plan to use a towel that has been heated in the dryer over a shower cap while deep conditioning to provide even more heat. I really am considering buying a heat cap as well as a micro-fiber towel.

After my hair is styled, I will refresh it each day with either OH Juices and Berries or OH Greg Juice (pictured above along with OH Frank Juice -- all the same thing in different scents) followed with olive oil to seal in the moisture. I will seperate the finger coils or take down the mini-twists sometime this week, most likely after Wednesday.

I will keep you posted.

Wish Me Luck!! and Until Next Time...

KISS Regimen: A Final Note (what to do when)

I have completed the blog posts on every single step of the natural hair care regimen, including Cleanse, Condition/Detangle, Moisturize, Seal, Deep Treat/Repair, and Style. Now you may be wondering on what to when. In each post, I discussed how often you should do each step of the regimen, but to refresh your memory, here it is again.

• Cleanse - at least once a month or every two weeks
• Condition/Detangle - at least once a week; every time you condition you don't have to detangle; so you can condition twice a week and detangle only once a week
• Moisturize - every single day; again, I repeat, every single day, especially if you are wearing your hair out
• Seal - after every time you moisturize, so that means every single day. Never seal without moisturizing. What exactly would you be sealing in?
• Deep Treat/Repair - at least once a month or every two weeks; even every week if you don't mind the work
• Style - as desired, but try not to manipulate the hair too much and go for protective styles

Now, in what order should these be done? For the most part, the order I have placed them in, with one exception. You should generally Deep Treat/Repair on freshly cleansed hair, meaning after shampooing or thoroughly co-washing. I have always deep treated on the same day as shampooing my hair. So a sample regimen could go as follows:

• Shampoo (monthly) followed immediately after with a Deep Treatment.
• Condition/Detangle (weekly or up to twice a week)
• Moisturize and Seal (daily)
• Style (as desired)

Yet again this can vary, because some deep treatments, such as rhassoul clay or bentonite clay, can serve as cleansing agents, meaning used in place of shampoo. Or you can use them after a light co-washing.

Also, a step I didn't include that is highly optional, though I myself include this step, is a Pre-Poo or Pre-Shampoo treatment, which involves using olive oil or a butter. I may even use my Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner, which finally came in the mail today. YAY!

KISS Regimen: Style

In the original article, by NaturallyCurly.com, on creating a natural hair care regimen, the steps included were the following:

• Cleanse
• Condition/Detangle
• Moisturize
• Seal
• Deep Treat

I have written a detailed post on them all, but felt the need to add another step, which is highly optional. I don't even do this step myself very much. In fact, I have only done it once since my Big Chop, but will incorporate it more as my hair grows and will most likely style with my Oyin this weekend.

This step is style. Because my experience with styling my hair is minimal, I will just provide a brief list of do's and don't's. The main thing is to use a good product.

Do's and Don't's of Styling Natural Hair

• Do style only on detangled hair, whether finger detangled or comb detangled.
• Do use a leave-in conditioner as a styler, with an optional styling gel on top.
• Do work primarily on wet hair, though dry twists are fine. My sister does them on occasion.
• Don't use products containing alcohol and other harmful ingredients that should not be left on the hair.
• Do think beyond the concept of "gel" when choosing a styling product.

Irony is all around the blogosphere. CurlyNikki featured a post today that asked the question, "What is your favorite gel?" The post can be found here to see what people said was their favorite styling gel. I myself have come up with a great idea when considering what should be used to style hair. I am using this step, styling, to also incorporate other steps. My idea is to have products that moisturize and seal (2-n-1) or seal.

If you want to make your own concoctions, I suggest mixing shea butter with some humectants to use as stylers on wet or damp hair. Shea Butter-Vegetable Glycerin and shealoe mix are two great options. You can also use just pure aloe vera gel, all natural, but be sure to seal in the moisture with some oils. I have even heard of naturals using oil only to style their hair, and also the conditioner-only styling method touted by Teri LaFlesh.

My recent order of Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding and Shine and Define is providing me with two stylers to use in my arsenal. Other products you can buy on the ground that I have heard great things about are the following:

• Jamaican Mango and Lime Twist and Lock Gel 
• IC Fantasia Gel (available with Olive Oil)
• Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding
• Oyin Handmade Shine and Define
• Aloe Vera Gel

As you can see, I didn't have much to say about this step, just make sure you use a good product that won't dry out the hair. Make sure hair is properly detangled. Preferably style on wet hair. And that's all I have to say about that...Until next time!!

Great Linkage: Hair Growth and Maintenance

Kimmaytube, a very popular natural hair diva and YouTuber, has many great videos on natural hair growth and maintenance. I was looking at a few of her videos today, and had to post the link to this one video in particular. In this video, Kimmaytube makes a visual diagram of natural hair growth and maintenance and the factors that go into that process. The image she creates is copyrighted, and she says she will be making available a poster of it soon. Put me first in line to buy that poster, because I love visuals.

The link can be found HERE.

Kimmaytube has an online natural hair store that primarily sells hair tools and accessories. The URL is www.luvnaturals.com.

Detangling Session with Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner

Editor's Note (09-18-2010): When I first wrote this post, I said this product only contained one silicone, cyclopentasiloxane. It actually has two, the second one I overlooked. The second cone is listed much further down, and it is dimethiconol. TightlyCurly.com lists this as an "okay" silicone, mainly added to products to provide slip. That's good for me, because I use this as a detangling conditioner, and will continue to use it as such. If you don't like the idea of using any silicones, but are still looking for a detangling conditioner with amazing slip, I suggest Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner.

Meet my new love: Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner. I have had this conditioner for a few months and had only used it once to co-wash. I didn't think it was all that special, though I did think it had some great ingredients for such a cheap price. But since today is my detangling day, I decided to give my Herbal Essences a rest and use this giant bottle of Suave Professionals conditioner I bought. I used it to detangle. I didn't use a comb, because the only one I have is my metal pick, and I am about ready to burn that thing. My Cricket Ultraclean Seamless Comb that I bought from CurlMart hasn't come yet. Finger detangling is what I settled for.

Mind you, I regularly use Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner to co-wash, so I already have an affinity to Suave conditioners. My Suave Tropical Coconut is silicone free, whereas this Suave Almond and Shea Butter has one cone -- Cyclopentasiloxane. I looked up this cone on the TightlyCurly Ingredients Dictionary, and was very pleased with what she had to say. This cone is used especially for providing slip to the hair, making it easier to comb. And although this cone is not water soluble, it does evaporate, meaning it won't build up on the hair.

Also, I love the smell of this conditioner, the fact that it is dirt cheap, and the fact that it is has shea butter and almond oil as ingredients. I used it solely for finger detangling, rinsed it out, then sprayed my hair with OH Juices and Berries and sealed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. In this regard, it worked great. Since the price is unbeatable (I bought the big bottle for about $3) I plan to keep this conditioner in my regimen, mainly for the purpose of detangling. I probably won't continue to buy as much Herbal Essences as I have now. I am currently in the process of deciding which will be my main two conditioners. But along with my Herbal Essences, Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter conditioner is a must-have for conditioning/detangling sessions.

I am not the only natural diva who loves this conditioner. Naturally Leslie wrote a review of it that can be found HERE. This conditioner can be found at Wal-Mart and other drugstore and departments stores.

KISS Regimen: Deep Treat

No matter how meticulous you are about caring for your natural hair, it needs a "treat" every now and then. I don't use heat appliances, cleanse with only sulfate free shampoos, condition regularly, moisturize and seal my ends...but I still keep the deep treat step in my regimen. I may do all the good things, but the environment and occasional back slips (like sleeping without a satin bonnet) garners the need for a deep treatment/repair session.

What does it mean to do a deep treatment? It means different things to different naturals, and does not always have to include an expensive store-bought conditioner. But I would recommend focusing on one of two, or both, of these things -- conditioning and strengthening. My focus is currently conditioning, which is a very common deep treatment. It is known as a deep conditioning treatment. With this deep treatment, you take a conditioner and leave it on the hair, covered with a shower cap, to ensure maximum conditioning. By longer, I mean at least fifteen to twenty minutes. Some naturals deep condition overnight, but it is not necessary. Fifteen to twenty minutes should give adequate deep treatment.

Many use heat to help the conditioner penetrate into the hair shaft. I have currently added heat, but in a less than common way. The most common way is to sit under a hood dryer or use a heat cap. Hooded dryers and heat caps cost money. Until I make that investment, if I ever do, I have another trick. After adding the deep conditioner to my hair and putting on my shower cap, I take a wet washcloth, ring out all the excess water, and microwave it for about a minute or two. Then I take the washcloth, making sure to be careful since it is very hot, put it on top of my shower cap, then wrap a towel around my hair. Another trick is to put a dry towel in the drying machine to heat it up, then wrapping it around your head, on top of the shower cap.

Conditioner is not the only thing you can use to deep treat. Other common deep treatments include hot oil treatments. Make sure the oil is not too hot, or it can literally relax the curl pattern right out of your hair. Another deep treatment is henna, which many naturals say strengthens their hair. If you don't want to commitment of henna but want similar benefits, try using cassia. KinkyKurlyQueen of Naturally Obsessed has done cassia treatments, and loves them. She has also done another type of deep treatment that I myself plan to look into, and that is clay hair masks. The clay chosen can be Rhassoul, Marshmallow, and many others. Clay masks have a tendency to loosen curl patterns, so be mindful of that. It can mixed with many different liquids, including coconut milk, infused water, and herbal tea. The coconut milk will ensure it does not dry out hair, which clay mask have a tendency to do -- another thing to keep in mind. AnitaGrant.com carries many rhassoul clay masks and cassia, with detailed instructions on how to use them.

How often should you deep treat? For one thing, you should only deep treat on freshly washed hair to get maximum benefits. Since I shampoo once a month, I also deep treat on that day. If you shampoo twice a month, you can deep treat twice a month after shampooing or stick to only once a month. Twice a month is what I recommend as the maximum amount of times to deep treat, but I have heard of naturals who deep treat weekly. Just be mindful of what you are using on your hair. Remember, deep treat is a treat, so don't do it too often. There is such a thing as too much moisture on the hair. Another word of advice: Make deep treatment day a real treat for yourself. I don't like to rush through this step of the natural hair care regimen. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight (assuming you are cleansing your hair before you deep treat).

Currently I am using Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner to deep treat, once a month, right after shampooing with my Giovanni. I mix the Aubrey Organics HSR with coconut oil to make it easier to spread in my hair, and also because the AOHSR is soooo thick. I may use olive oil next time, since the AOHSR already has coconut oil, as the very first ingredient no less. I love it so far, and the smell is very floral and definitely lingers. I am considering using Rhassoul Clay Deep Condish cubes (pictured above) purchased from AnitaGrant.com to deep condish. The product and instructions can be found HERE.

The Irony of Conditioner...

On CurlyNikki.com, as usual, and she provided a great link to an article by NaturallyCurly.com entitled "Top 10 Favorite Low-Cost Conditioners". As a self-professed conditioner junkie, I had to check it out. What really proved ironic to me is that I own the first three conditioners:

1. Alberto VO5 Moisture Milk (I have the Passion fruit Smoothie scent, pictured below)
2. Suave Tropical Coconut Conditioner (LOVE this one)
3. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration (along with the several other HE conditioners I own)

Seems like I have made wise investments. After ordering my Oyin Handmade, I was thinking. What if I get hooked on the OH Honey Hemp Conditioner. I guess I will just have to pacify my budget by only using two types of conditioners -- a steal and and splurge. We shall see.

The Naturally Curly article can be found HERE.

Starting Locs with a Tool

This way of starting (and maintaining) locs is considered cultivated by tool. When I started my locs with two-strand twists, I didn't even know that tool-cultivated locs was an option. I had heard of Sisterlocks, which is tool-cultivated and in recent years have heard of Nappylocs (pictured below), which is tool-cultivated as well. There are definite advantages to this method.

• Starting locs this way yields results that looks like your hair is maturely locked. No "baby locs" and "teenage locs" phase that come with other methods for starting locs.
• When maintaining locs this way, you do not have to worry about the new growth unraveling. This means you can go swimming or work out without have to worry about palm rolls or twists unraveling as you do with other methods.
• The use of locking gels and other products used to twist hair is virtually eliminated. This could help save money. It definitely would have saved me a lot of money I gave to Jamaican Mango and Lime.
• These locs tend to look more uniform, and starting and maintaining locs this way makes it possible to have smaller/skinnier locs. Starting and maintaining very small locs with two strand twists can lead to breakage and thin spots.

There are also downsides to this method:

• Depending on which tool cultivated route you take, the start up costs could be high. It could also be expensive to pay someone to do your hair for you using this method. I suggest the tried and true DIY.
• Actually doing it yourself may prove more difficult than using other methods, such as palmrolling. But if you like the way hand cultivated locs look, by all means, just do it.

Another thing to remember is that just because you didn't start your locs with a tool does not mean you can't maintain them with a tool. The tool does not have to purchased online either. I once had my locs tool cultivated using a bobby pin. I have seen many videos on YouTube using other tools, such as crochet needles. If I ever start locs again, I have already decided that tool cultivated will be the way for me. I won't have to worry about not being able to wash my hair or get my roots wet, and I won't have to buy loc gel every few months. That's more than enough incentive for me.

KISS Regimen: Seal

Last post for the KISS Hair Care Regimen series, I talked about the importance of using water and humectants to moisturize hair. Assuming your hair is properly moisturized, you need to insure a way to keep that moisture in the strand for as long as possible. This is where this step comes in. Sealing is the step in the natural hair care regimen that locks in the moisture from the moisturizing step.

Contrary to popular belief, oils are not necessarily going to moisturize the hair since most oils do not penetrate the hair shaft. Please note that I said most. Oils work to seal in the moisture. The best moisturizer is water. Again, water is great but evaporates easily. The only way to ensure that does not happen is to seal, seal, seal. What do you seal with? Obviously, oils work great. Another great option is butters (shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, or any combination thereof). Another option is to mix oils with butters. This mixture will be a lot easier to to work with than just raw butter by itself.

Back to where I said that most oils do not penetrate the hair shaft and therefore cannot possibly moisturize. Some oils actually do penetrate the hair shaft. According to The Natural Haven blog, coconut, olive, and avocado oil all penetrate the hair shaft. So not only do these oils seal in moisture, they can be used on dry hair to add lubrication. Olive and coconut oil are very easy to find, as they are usually available in your local grocery store.

The other beautiful thing about this step is that it can be combined with the step before it. Water + Humectant = Great Moisture. Add a sealing agent to the mix, such as oil, and you not only moisturize but seal and protect the hair at the same time. Sealing also protects the hair from developing split ends.

Because I am revising my hair care regimen, I am also revising this step, sealing. Here is my personal opinion on the sealers I am currently using.

• Coconut Oil -- easy to find, great product, and no odor or a coconut smell. The kind I bought has no smell, but I love it nonetheless. Penetrates into the hair shaft, and the wonders don't stop there. Check out these blog posts from The Natural Haven here and here about the wonders of coconut oil. Caution: Some people are allergic to coconuts, and consequently coconut oil.
• Olive Oil -- like coconut oil, easy to find. Like coconut oil, penetrates the hair shaft. Basically, a great alternative if you are allergic to or can't find coconut oil, since finding olive oil in its cold-pressed, extra virgin form is the easiest oil to find in my experience. Also in my experience, olive oil adds a better shine/sheen to the hair than any other sealant I've used. Watch out for the scent, as some oils seems to have a stronger smell than others, which though not unpleasant, I don't find to be very pleasant
• Shea Butter -- shea butter has the ability to block the harmful rays of the sun. A little goes a long way, so be careful. Too much and your hair could look dull. Not easy to find everywhere, but definitely worth the shipping. Easy for me to say, as I have always bought shea butter from the ground, not from the Internet. Hard to work with, but easily remedied if you mix it with oils or whip it (as pictured above), or add oils and then whip it.
• Castor Oil -- a miracle plant source that does not have to be used as just a laxative. Very thick, so a little goes a long way. In my experience, when put on hair after a humectant, it leads to the softest hair I've ever experienced. Usually can be found in any drugstore. Can be used to treat hair loss or hair thinning

Now, my current regimen is to use whatever I feel like to seal the moisture into my hair. This morning for instance, I used castor oil. If I want shine, I use olive oil. I very often use my coconut oil. I haven't used my shea butter very much recently, but that is because I have decided to only use whipped shea butter. To get the best of all worlds, I may very well whip my shea butter with castor oil, olive oil, and coconut oil. I am also looking into concocting my own moisturizing-humectant-sealing spray, in order to combine the moisturize and seal steps.

If you don't like to mix things and must buy things in pretty packages, I suggest a whipped shea butter of the Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade to seal hair.

How often should you seal? I would say as often as you moisturize, which should be every day. It may seem like a lot, but it really does not have to be complicated. One ingredient you can take out is the humectant, and just ad water to the hair and then seal. A friend of mine even puts water and oil in a spray bottle together, shake it up very well, then spray it onto her hair. Her hair looks great, by the way -- very moisturized. Well, until the next step in the KISS Hair Care Regimen...

KISS Regimen: Moisturize

Curly/coily hair craves moisture. By genetics, the curlier the hair, the dryer it is. This dry nature must be addressed by adding the moisture step in order to have an effective natural hair care regimen. But what exactly is needed to moisturize the hair.

In essence, the best thing to moisturize hair is water, good old H2O. Nature's gift to the world, it can also be an inexpensive gift to your hair. But the step is not quite that simple. You can't just wet your hair and go. You need something that will draw the moisture to your hair strands, and that thing is none other than a good quality humectant.

humectant (noun) a substance used in beauty products to help retain moisture by attracting

So a simple recipe for a high quality moisturizer is WATER + HUMECTANT. You can buy humectant sprays or make one yourself. Oyin Handmade carries three humectant sprays. I currently use the Juices and Berries fragrance. But if you don't mind being a bit of a mixstress (or mixster) yourself, making your own moisturizing humectant spray is as easy as 1-2-3.

Step 1: Choose your humectant. This humectant will be added to water, which can be infused with fresh  herbs if you like. A list of natural humectants are as follows:

• Vegetable Glycerin - very easy to find online and in natural health stores
• Honey (pictured above) - easy to find, just look in your grocery store
• Aloe Vera Gel/Juice - very easy to find in drugstores and natural health stores
• Honeyquat - I have read great things about this, which is touted as being five times better than vegetable glycerin, but it is not as easy to find. It is a derivative of honey

There are more, but these are the easiest to find and the ones I read the most about. Also, these are the most natural humectant ingredients I have read. Some humectants looked like I needed a chemistry degree to understand their pronunciation.

Step 2: Get the correct ratio. Many have complained about the stickiness of using glycerin or honeyquat, but most likely this was due to not having a correct ratio of water to humectant. The rule of thumb for humectants: A little goes a long way. Here are the usage suggestions according to Lotion Crafters.

• Vegetable Glycerin - 2 to 5 percent
• Honeyquat - 2 to 5 percent
• Aloe Vera - can be used more generously, even up to a 50:50 ratio of water and aloe vera

Step 3: Spice up the ingredients (optional). If you want your spray to have a more pleasant scent, add a few drops of fragrance oils. You can also get the added benefits of herbs by infusing your water with fresh herbs.

Another method, aside from buying a humectant spray, is to mix conditioner with water in a spritz bottle. Make sure your conditioner has humectants in the ingredients. A list of humectants, including the complicated sounding ones, can be found HERE. This article also lists proteins and silicones found in hair care products.

How to Use a Moisturizing Spray

I recommend spraying hair with a moisturizing spray every morning. I am doing so using the OH Juices and Berries, but you can easily make your own. I plan to also make my own, perhaps using honeyquat. Because moisture is drawn to the hair when it has humectants, spraying hair before going into the shower is a great way to draw moisture to the hair strands. Another issue, however, is that when the outside humidity is very low, humectants can actually be a bad thing. How? Humectants draw moisture from anywhere they can, including your hair. One way to ensure this does not happen is to seal in the moisture using an anti-humectant. Seal is the next step in the natural hair care regimen. I will speak on that later.

Note: Water is the only thing that actually moisturizes hair. Oils and butters do not moisturize so much as they seal in moisture. The only oils found to penetrate the hair shaft are olive and coconut. This is very convenient, since these two oils seem to be the easiest to find.

KISS Regimen: Condition/Detangle

The next step in the KISS Hair Care Regimen I will discuss is the CONDITION/DETANGLE step. Please note, the order in which I write these steps is not the order in which they are necessarily done. For example, I usually always Deep Treat/Repair my hair after cleansing.

Conditioner, conditioner, conditioner. Oh how I love thee. I went a little overboard with buying conditioner this year, and so I am trying to figure out how to use all of it up. One thing I have done it added detangling as a step to my hair care regimen. When detangling extremely coily hair like mine, it should always be done on wet hair that is loaded with conditioner. When creating a hair care regimen, know that conditioning is a very important step. Not more or less important than any other, but think of it this way. You can use this step to detangle the hair, because conditioner in hair makes it so much easier to work with. And you can use this step to cleanse hair, because conditioner usually has enough cleaning agents to replace how often we use shampoo.

Because I have so much conditioner, I condition/detangle at least once a week. I did not used to detangle my hair with a comb at all, just conditioned (co-washed) as often as I liked. I am still learning how to detangle, since I am not used to this step and it requires a lot of patience. Currently I am using Herbal Essences to condition/detangle once a week. I have been using a metal pick, but plan to upgrade to a Cricket Ultraclean Seamless Comb. Once a week is how often I suggest you condition at the least. Twice a week is also good, but not necessary.

Another thing to consider when conditioning is to realize when you are going to rinse out the conditioner. Because I also co-wash when conditioning/detangling, I use my cheap Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner to cleanse, rinse that out in order to rinse away any dirt, then apply Herbal Essences conditioner to my soaking wet hair. I then detangle my hair with a comb. After I detangle, I rinse out the Herbal Essences and apply my Giovanni Weightless Moisture Direct Leave-In conditioner. At least this was my regimen the last time. You can use the same conditioner for cleansing, detangling, and leaving in, as long as it is a high quality conditioner. If you don't mind silicones, I suggest the Herbal Essences lines. I own many, but a good one to start with is the Hello Hydration (pictured above) or Totally Twisted. A detangling/leave-in conditioner I plan to add to my arsenal is the Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp conditioner.

Another suggestion: You can detangle with your fingers instead of a comb. I warn you to keep your nails filed, because the snags in your nails can snag on your hair. This I know from personal experience. You can also twist each section of hair after detangling to help keep it stretched out and out of the way while you move on to the next section. There are many different things and different products you can use for this step. Another fact in how often you co-wash is how active your lifestyle is. If you exercise a lot, you may want to co-wash after each exercise regimen. Just remember with conditioning and detangling to do it together (never detangle on dry hair), do it at least once a week, and use good products and tools. One final trick: Rinse out any conditioner with cold water to seal the cuticle and lock in the moisture.

KISS Regimen: Cleanse

As part of the KISS Hair Care Regimen, I will discuss each step of the regimen in detail. The first is CLEANSE. Every regimen needs this step, or obviously your hair will become dirty with impossible build-up. The key to this step is to know what to cleanse with, how to cleanse, and how often.

The main caveat is to cleanse with sulfate-free shampoos. Sulfates are very harsh detergents that strip the hair of all its natural oils, making it very dry. Continuous use of these harsh chemicals can only lead to hard, even more brittle hair. Sulfates also serve to create a rich lather that, although pretty, is making your hair unhappy. Since most commercial shampoos have sulfates, what is the other option? One option is to conditioner wash, or co-wash, your hair exclusively. Most conditioners will work just fine with cleansing your hair, and you won't have to experience brittle hair. This option is very good if you stay away from silicone conditioners and use minimal product. But if you do use silicones or your hair tends to have product build-up, your hair will need something stronger to thoroughly clarify your strands. Another gentle shampoo option is a shampoo bar, like the ones sold by Mehandi.com or the one carried by Oyin Handmade (pictured above). These are great for travelling and I plan to purchase one myself.

The other option is to use shampoos with milder detergents, that are not sulfates. I currently use a shampoo made with coco betaine, which gives it soapy action. Coco betaine is a milder version of sulfates, which make it fine in my book, especially since I use silicone conditioners to detangle and the coco betaine rinses away any product build-up. Also, bentonite clay can be used in place of shampoo, sucking out all the impurities in your hair.

Now that you know what to shampoo your hair with, you need to know how to shampoo your hair. Here are the important rules:

1. Focus only on the scalp. The suds and product from the shampoo will make its way down the hair shaft and wash away any dirt or build-up. In the words of Teri LaFlesh, shampoo is for your scalp, conditioner is for your hair.
2. Lather, Rinse, but do NOT Repeat. Lathering and rinsing twice has been unnecessary in my experience. It only made my hair dryer. Instead of lathering a second time, I rinse the shampoo out with conditioner to ensure my hair does not become overly dry. This is another trick I got from LaFlesh's book Curly Like Me.
3. Dry your hair with a micro-fiber towel. I have yet to purchase one myself, so in the meantime I have been using paper towels. You can also try finding micro-fiber materials used to shine a car or use an old t-shirt. I plan to invest in a micro-fiber towel soon.
4. Do not shampoo hair too much. If you feel the need to cleanse gently or you want to wet your hair in order to style or detangle, just co-wash. You can co-wash as much as you want. The gentle conditioner will not dry out your hair, and will add moisture. But cleansing your hair too often with shampoo or other clarifying cleanser will make your hair scream. So how often should you shampoo?

How often should you cleanse with shampoo? This is a good question, but varies from person to person and texture to texture. This is my advice. You should shampoo or deep cleanse your hair no more than twice a month (or bi-weekly), but more on the once a month side. If your hair feels dirty, co-wash every week or so, more if you like. I like to shampoo only once a month because it is the same day I do my deep treatment, which should always be done on wet hair. But if you want to do a deep treatment every two weeks instead of four, go ahead and shampoo every two weeks too. If your hair feels too dry after shampooing, consider doing a pre-poo (pre-shampoo) treatment. I use Olive Oil for my pre-shampoo, but you can also use butters or other oils, like coconut.

I cleanse with Giovanni shampoos, the 50:50 and the Smooth as Silk. I also suggest bentonite clay in place of shampoo and Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap -- liquid form -- as a shampoo. If you don't use cones, I also recommend the Aubrey Organics shampoos and shampoo bars.

Online Shopping for Personal Beauty Products

In a quest to do "clean house" with my beauty care products, I am trying to determine what to buy from where. One thing I am not too keen on is online shopping, but it is looking inevitable at this point. Although I live in a major US city with plenty of health food stores and natural beauty stores, I don't have the time to drive or ride around all over the city, getting bentonite clay from here, cassia from there, fragrance oils from here, and shea butter from there. With the exception of shea butter, I may have to travel quite a bit to get access to other natural beauty products. Also, I really want some Oyin Handmade, and since I don't live in Baltimore where the store is located, ordering if off line is my only option.

I have just accepted the fact that I may become an online shopper very soon. One benefit is that I get to receive mail. It is actually nice to pick up packages from the mail center. Another benefit is that if I like a product, I don't have to worry about finding it in another city. I will most likely be moving within in the next two years. To where? I don't know. At least with online shopping I can get what I want from where I want. So what exactly do I plan to continue buying on the ground, and what from online? I have compiled this list, to give you all clues as to where I will buy things. Note that I have not actually ordered the products from these places. These are just the places I will order products from most likely

Ground Shopping

• Whole Foods -- Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, Aubrey Organics 100% Organic Jojoba Oil*
• CVS or other drugstore -- Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner, VO5 Moisture Milks
• Wal-Mart/Target -- Giovanni Organix shampoos and conditioners, Herbal Essences conditioners
• Kroger -- Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap, Castor Oil, Vitamins
• Sally's Beauty Supply -- various hair care tools, such as hair clips, seamless combs, et cetera

Online Shopping

• CurlMart.com -- Oyin Handmade products, Cricket Ultraclean Combs, micro-fiber towels
• Butters-n-Bars.com -- Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Carrier and Essential Oils
• AnitaGrant.com -- Whipped Butter, Cassia Obovata, Bentonite Clay, Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil, and other all-natural hair care products
• FromNatureWithLove.com -- everything you could think of, including butters, oils, containers and free info to manufacture and sell your own beauty products
• MountainRoseHerbs.com -- butters, carrier oils, aromatherapy and essential oils, and much more
• OyinHandmade.com -- honey-based all natural hair and skin care products
• http://www.nubianheritage.com/ -- tallow based organic soaps and other great products

With these great sites to start, I plan to up my natural beauty supply arsenal. I will continue to visit my local drugstore for my AIM toothpaste (only $1) and my Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner (again, only

The above picture is shealoe butter (equal parts shea butter and aloe vera gel mixed together) sold by FromNatureWithLove.com. This is just one of the many products I want to try through online purchases.

My Hair Hearts Castor Oil

I have already spoken on the wonders of castor oil in my 20 Items of Less Post series, and I have also touched on the purpose of humectants, which is to draw moisture to hair (or skin). When using humectants and other moisturizers on the hair, it is not enough to just draw moisture in. You have to make sure its not lost, that it doesn't evaporate from the hair. The way to do this is to seal the moisture in with an oil or butter. In the past, I have been using a shea butter-coconut oil 50-50 mix to seal in the moisture after washing my TWA in the morning, but in a quest to simplify my regimen, I realized there has to be a better way.

Well, I have found the better way (for me at least) and I think I'm in love. My hair sure is in love. I was growing tired of conditioner washing my hair so much, almost to the point of every other day. I decided that I wanted to cut down to no more than twice a week (at least once a week). But co-washing every morning was about the only thing that was ensuring soft, moisturized hair for me. After reading about humectants and sealers, I came up with this great daily morning routine.

• Spray hair with Oyin Handmade Juice and Berries (a humectant moisturizer) after taking off satin scarf from the night.
• Perform shower rituals with TWA uncovered, to allow the humectant to draw the shower steam's moisture into the hair strands.
• After leaving the shower, apply castor oil to hair to seal in moisture. A little goes a long way. That goes for the OH Juices and Berries as well. Again, I repeat a little goes a long way. Use too much castor oil or humectant with vegetable glycerin, and your hair could become sticky.
• Walk out the door to experience hair that is moisturized and sealed throughout the day

Throughout the day, I took a random poll by asking my friends to touch my hair and tell me how it felt. Everyone agreed, my hair is uber soft and moisturized. One girl even described it as "plush carpet". Also, I was a bit worried because the castor oil had a slight smell that I would best describe as medicinal, but a friend assured me the only thing she could smell was the OH Juices and Berries. My hair hearts castor oil, which is a new staple in my regimen. A regimen which I am revising, because I want to use all natural products as much as possible.

In all honesty, you do not have to do exactly what I did (meaning use the exact products and methods as I) to get the benefits of soft, moisturized hair. The secret is to moisturize then seal. The moisturizing product should include water and a humectant, and the sealing product ensures that the moisture from the water, whic is attracted to the hair strand by the humectant, does not evaporate into the air as soon as you walk outside. Two very common humectants are aloe vera and vegetable glycerin. Common sealers are olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, and shea butter, or any combination of these, just to name a few.

The great hair I experienced probably came from the fact that OH Juices and Berries contains two great humectants -- aloe vera and vegetable glycerin. The other factor may be that castor oil is really a miracle product, that seals moisture in greatly because it is so thick. I mean really really thick. A little goes such a long way. I used no more than a quarter-sized amount for my TWA. Castor oil has just earned a spot on the shelf in my bathroom.

KISS Natural Hair Care Regimen

While browsing my trusty natural hair care blogs, I came across a post by Curly Nikki talking about the importance of having a good hair care regimen. Her article provided a link about creating a natural/curly hair care regimen. The article was by NaturallyCurly.com and can be found HERE. Curly Nikki says she is currently in the process of revising her hair care regimen, probably because she just had a baby and will need a more simplified hair regimen in order to be an active mom. This had me thinking, should I revise my own hair care regimen. I force myself to keep things as simple as possible when it comes to hair care, because, usually, the simpler the better. And don't forget my KISS (keep it simple silly) post on trusty hair care products that are useful for almost all my hair care needs.

After reading the NaturallyCurly post, I have decided that a good simple regimen that does not stray away from the basic steps of hair care can keep many of us from becoming product junkies and making things more complicated than they have to be. Motivated by my KISS philosophy and Naturally Curly's article, I have decided to write a post series about the six essential steps to a natural hair care regimen. Five of the steps are taken from the article by NC.com and I have added the sixth step, which they seemed to have overlooked. The steps are as follows:

1. Cleanse
2. Condition/Detangle
3. Moisturize
4. Seal
5. Deep Treat/Repair
6. Style (optional)

Currently, I do all these steps on a regular basis, with Style being the step I am most likely to skip. Honestly, I can get lazy with my hair sometimes. Never in terms of caring and protecting my hair, mainly in terms of styling and profiling. I also feel the need to go in depth about each step because you need to know which products to use for each step, which steps can actually be combined (Can you guess which two birds you can kill with one stone?) and how often to do each step and what determines how often you have to do so. This is also a good way for me to reevaluate my hair care regimen. With the exception of Oyin Handmade and a new VO5 Moisture Milks conditioner, I am making myself not purchase anymore hair care products, including conditioners, because I need to get back to the basics.

Picture Explanation: Since the first step is listed as Cleanse, I decided to include a picture of my favorite shampoo, Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating-Clarifying Shampoo. Great product which is available at Target, Whole Foods, Ulta, and I even think Wal-Mart is carrying it now.

20 Items or Less...Aloe Vera

Aloe vera, which can be found in the form of a juice or gel, is a miracle plant-based product that can do wonders for the hair and skin. It is often attributed as a soothing ointment for irritated skin and scalp, which would make it a great addition to any one's medicine cabinet. If you ever experience sunburn or suffer from an irritated scalp, use aloe vera gel and see if it lives up to its nickname as the "Burn Plant", meaning it helps sooth burns, not cause them. LOL.

Aloe vera juice can also be taken internally as a digestive aid and supplement of natural vitamins and minerals. Aloe vera is also a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to the hair or skin. Using natural products containing aloe vera in high humidity environments can lead to your hair being a magnet to moisture. A product I currently own that has aloe vera and serves as a humectant is the Oyin Handmade Juices and Berries spray. If you consider yourself a mixstress, or mixster, you can use aloe vera when making your own beauty products. I plan on buying it in juice and gel form from the local Whole Foods. I suggest you do the same.

One of the ways I definitely plan on using aloe vera gel is as a styling gel for twisting my hair. This is a more natural and economical alternative to name-brand alcohol containing gels that dry out the hair. I plan to use aloe vera juice as an ingredient if I ever decide to make my own humectant spray.

Updated 20 Beauty Items of Less List:

1. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap
2. Shea Butter, 100% raw unrefined fair-trade
3. Essential Oils and Oil Blends, organic and/or cold-pressed
4. Witch Hazel
5. Bentonite Clay
6. Castor Oil, unrefined
7. Aloe Vera, juice and/or gel