Natural Product Wishlist: Rice Bran Oil

Coconut, Olive, Castor, Jojoba, Grapeseed, Sweet Almond -- You'd think I would have enough oils by now, but alas, I wanted to add one more to the rotation. Why? I just do. The initial idea was to use something more luxurious. For reasons that have nothing to do with actual hair health, I wanted to buy a "splurge" oil to treat my hair to a little something extra every now and then. This whole idea started while reading through some Mop Top Maven blog posts. She is both product junkie and divine mixstress. I can only imagine her stash of beauty products and ingredients waiting to be mixed. She did a post, found here, on her favorite oils. The name of the post is "My Top Three Must Have Oils". Ironically, she goes on to list four. After much research, I decided to go with the cheapest, she describes it as dirt cheap, oil listed in the post. It really was process of elimination:

Brazil Nut Oil -- MTM has raved about this oil in other posts. It is described as being super moisturizing for dry, brittle hair. It is not something you would find in the grocery store, and is pretty expensive comparatively speaking to coconut and olive oil. It is absorbs easily and carries a "moisture punch". Sounds great, except for the price tag and availability.

Monoi de Tahiti Oil -- This oil sounded so fancy, I just knew it was going to be remarkable. Not knocking it, but in a nutshell, it is coconut oil infused with Tahitian gardenia flowers. Seems to me like coconut oil is the most popular oil base for other goodies, such as ayurvedic herbs (i.e. Vatika Oil). As much as my hair likes coconut oil, if I'm going to splurge on something, it might as well be something that I don't already have.

Camellia Oil -- Beauty secret of the Japanese, although the secret's been getting out, this oil is expensive as all get out. Aubrey Organics sells a vial, but at a hefty price for a small amount. I have read that a little goes a long way, that the oil is easily absorbed into the hair, and MTM describes it as the granddaddy of all oils. If I were to splurge on an oil for my hair, this one would win out against Brazil Nut and Monoi de Tahiti. In the meantime, I'm going to go with a cheaper alternative.

Rice Bran Oil -- Let me break it down for you, based off of what MTM said and my own further research:

• Dirt cheap -- always nice to know. If it does the job at a minuscule price, why not give it a try.
• Shine Serum Alternative -- Most shine serums are packed with silicones, but RBO is all natural, cheap, and a little goes a long way. If you know me, shine/sheen is a must for my hair on a daily basis
• Comparable to Brazil Nut Oil -- But not as expensive, this oil absorbs just as easily. I have never tried either oil, but for the price of Rice Bran Oil, what do I have to lose. 
• Long Shelf Life -- Always good to have. If I don't use it up in one day, I won't have to worry about it going rancid. 

I plan to purchase my RBO from Amazon, and I plan to use it as a sealant (for added shine/softness), oil rinse, and even perhaps on my skin. As a light oil, it is great for those with  oily/acne prone skin. Also, rice bran powder is purported to lead to softer, smoother skin. We'll see. Check out RBO for yourself. What do you have to lose?

Curls, Waves, and Kinks: The Hair Typing System Revisited

Ahh. The good old hair typing system. In spite of the controversy, I myself don't mind it at all; it's simple, straight forward and a great starting point for hair care. I am a type 4a and proud of it. But there are some things to know about where the hair typing system may fail, and has failed for me personally. So, let's take a look.



The hair typing system was created by hair stylist to Oprah Winfrey, Mr. Andre Walker. The idea is simple. Straight hair is type 1. Wavy hair is type 2. Curly hair is type 3. Kinky hair is type 4. I have, I think, type 4 hair. Straight hair is also described as the most durable, and kinky hair is described as the most fragile. I agree wholeheartedly. In spite of how "durable" kinky hair may look, and I don't even really know what durable would look like, it is as fragile as spun silk and, not burlap wool as many would like to believe. Also, straight hair reflects the most light, is most likely to be oily (since sebum from the scalp travels down easily -- a straight line, of course), whereas kinky hair was born to be dry, and should be treated accordingly. Think moisture, moisture, moisture.

I feel that hair typing failed me simply because the focus for type 4 hair is usually placed on moisture level, and not strength. The thickness of actual strands is not taken into account, and I have some fine strands if ever there were any. After visiting NaturallyCurly.com, I came across such ideas as protein sensitivity versus protein overload and hair porosity level. The hair typing system as created by Andre Walker is a great starting point, but there is much more to hair than how curly, wavy or kinky it is.

I learned this the hard way. My focus was always moisture, moisture, moisture, because I just knew that type 4 hair like mine needed moisture, and life after that was good. But hardly ever did I look into strength, strength, strength. My strands, being fine and fragile, need strength. I am not protein sensitive in the least, but have also never applied a protein treatment to my hair, meaning I have never been in fear of a protein overload. My main focus when conditioning has been protein, but I am looking to adding more protein to my hair product rotation (best believe, however, I'm not putting any egg on my hair. Eww).

I stated to a commenter not too long ago that I am constantly learning about my hair, and will learn more as length comes. I am also learning that whenever a system attempts to place all hair in a box, it may seem helpful at first, but ultimately, cannot address all the concerns dealing with natural hair. Case in point: It actually annoys me when people say I have thick hair. If they only knew how thin my actual strands are, and that my hair density is different on different parts of my head, they'd know better than to call my hair thick. How much is curls or coils does not necessarily reflect how thick or dense it is.

Pictured Above: Model Yaya Dacosta, one of my natural hair inspirations.

More Links on Hair Types:
Naturally Curly Hair Typing Explanation
Curls Product Line Explanation

More OCM Revisions



In the previous post, I discussed some changes to my OCM regimen, primarily concerning the formula itself, or ratio of certain oils. I will be making the following changes as well:

1. Gentler Washcloths -- and more waschcloths in general. I will be in the market for more plush washcloths, as the ones I think I have been using are a bit rough. Great for cleaning the body, but not so much for cleaning or even wiping the face. Also, it is imperative to use a clean washcloth when oil cleansing to reduce the introduction of bacteria. I am looking to have at least fourteen washcloths, one for each day, so I can have time to wash them before using them again.
2. Oil Cleansing in the PM Only -- As much I love OCM, it is time consuming to thoroughly massage the oil in the skin. Think at least five minute per massage, and you should massage at least two times. I find I rush in the morning, cheating myself of the full benefits. So, from now on, I will be oil cleansing at night only, when I have more time. In the morning, I look to wash my face with my Ambi Skin Bar (or Black Soap, something I'm looking into), then applying a light oil (such as jojoba or grapeseed) for moisture.
3. Placing My OCM in a Pump Bottle -- Currently, my oil cleansing formula is in an applicator bottle, but I have decided to use the applicator bottle for oiling my scalp and place the oil cleansing formula in a pump bottle (like the one above) for easy dispensing into my hands. I might just buy a hand soap dispensor instead of a plastic pump bottle.
4. Drink More Water -- Good skin starts from the outside in. I have heard of people taking vitamins and supplements to ensure good skin, but I decided to start with the most obvious change before looking into other dietary changes. I will be drinking more water. Perhaps, I should drink only water as a beverage to ensure I take in enough.

These are my tentative plans. I promised myself to be just as enthusiastic about my skin as my hair, so all this seems necessary.

Oil Cleansing Updates and Revisions

Ahh, oil cleansing. I had read about the benefits for some years before I actually gave it a try. Many may wonder why anyone would cleanse their face with oil, and every day for that matter. As they often say in defense of oil cleansing, like dissolves like (that's chemistry, I believe), so it takes oils to dissolves oils, dirt and other impurities from the skin. Oil cleansing allows you to pick those oils in order to insure a skin care regimen that is natural, chemical free, and effective.

I have oil cleansed with equal parts castor oil and olive oil, equal parts jojoba oil and castor oil, and my latest mix was the most complicated (60% castor oil, 30% grapeseed oil, 10% sweet almond oil). After reflecting on the feel of my skin after all those experiments, I decided that the three favorite oils of mine were castor oil, jojoba oil, and grapeseed oil. Why?

• Castor Oil -- deeply cleanses the skin. It is what really draws out the impurities. Most oil cleansing formulas consist of castor oil. At one time I thought it was a mandatory ingredient, but there are some formulas that exclude it. I will continue to use it simply because it really draws out impurities, it is an economical ingredient, and I find it necessary for any formula I would create.
• Jojoba Oil -- when I used equal parts castor oil, my skin felt the most balanced -- both deeply cleansed and deeply nurtured. My thoughts are that since jojoba oil is appropriate for almost every skin type, it would always have amazing results for most people. The only reason why I looked for an alternative is because jojoba oil is expensive. I figured something must be better.
• Grapeseed Oil -- This oil is very light, with almost no smell. It is praised for its toning and nurturing qualities, and ability to fade blemishes for those with acne-prone skin. It is also considered very gentle, and the price is not that bad.

My regimen was very much motivated by that of Mop Top Maven. In the spirit of MTM, I formulated my own apple cider vinegar toner using rooibos tea. I wasn't feeling this formula very much. The ACV smell is quite strong, even after being masked by the red tea. I also was quite lazy and started skipping this toning step after a while. I decided I wanted an oil cleansing formula that would be cleansing, nurturing, and toning. I know; I want it all.

My solution: up the ante in my formula on the naturally toning oil. Grapeseed oil tones the skin and has slight astringent qualities. I also decided to stop being so cheap and reintroduce jojoba oil to my formula. Castor oil would be the third oil. As for the ratios, I decided on the following:

• grapeseed oil -- 3 parts/60%
• castor oil -- 1 part/20%
• jojoba oil -- 1 part/20%

I might make the jojoba oil ten percent of the formula rather than twenty, and make the castor oil thirty percent, rather than twenty. Reminder: Buy more jojoba oil ASAP because I use it more than I thought I would.

Another addition: a little something extra. I decided I want to add some essential oils to the mix. My essential oils of choice: tea tree and rosewood. Rosewood is described as having a sweet-woody, floral-nutmeg smell. That sounds nice to me. It is also purported to be calming. Tea tree, a very popular essential oil, is cleansing and uplifting.

Unfortunately, I have not yet purchased any essential oils, but I will be formulating the oil cleansing formula without the essential oils, and adding the EO later. I am excited about this new formula, and hope that this will be the last one made. Oil cleansing does take a bit of experimenting. Check out part deux of this blog post to see other changes I make.

My Shampoo Regimen: Updates and Revisions



One of my earlier posts for this blog was entitled Lather, Rinse, but DO NOT Repeat. The post talked about the correct way to shampoo the hair to ensure hair is not left dry and stripped of moisture. In essence, instead of lathering twice, you only lather once. Rather than rinsing the shampoo out completely with just water, you squeeze out the suds, then "buffer" or layer a conditioner on top to leave the hair moisturized. My hair has loved this new method. With even more knowledge, my shampoo regimen has become a little more complicated, but all for the sake of healthy hair. I know detangle before shampooing, rather than after. This step I got from Mop Top Maven. I notice a significant decrease in shed hairs when I detangled before shampooing, on dry hair, versus after shampooing, with soaking wet hair loaded with conditioner.

I always buffered when using Giovanni or Elucence, and will continue to do so. When I used Shea Moisture, however, I did not buffer to see how dry my hair would, or would not, feel afterwards. My hair did not feel stripped at all. I didn't feel moisturized, but I have to remember, I had just washed my hair, not conditioned it. I also have decided to use Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo once every six to eight weeks to, you guessed it, clarify. I will be using the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention to cleanse gently without overyly drying the hair. The Shea Moisture will be used every other week.

Co-washings will resume on the Sunday's when I don't used shampoo, other every other Sunday. I will co-wash mid-week, every week, on Wednesday or Thursday, if I have my hair out (the most likely occurrence). If not, I will wait until Sunday to wet my hair. These are my shampoo revisions. Stay on the lookout for a detailed Spring Regimen coming soon.

Hooray for Shea Moisture!



You may call this a rave, because I am raving about the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo. This shampoo did just what it said, cleansed my hair without stripping it of moisture to a dry mess. To fully measure how moisture retentative it is, I lathered and rinsed without buffering with a conditioner. Of couse, my hair didn't feel as moisturized as when I buffer, but it was not dry and squeaky feeling like it is when I lathered with the Giovanni line. Another great thing about this product is the smell. Great smell, although my friend didn't like it. Remember, smell is very relative. I would describe this smell as earthy yet slightly sweet. Also, the great thing about this product is the price. Only $9.99 for a 12 oz. Great deal for some great ingredients. This product is paraben free, mineral oil free, sulfate free, and other band thing-free. I will definitely be using this as my moisturizing shampoo every couple of weeks.

Mop Top Maven suggests having a moisturizing shampoo and a clarifying shampoo for the Healthy Hair Care Challenge. For my clarifying shampoo, I believe I will use the Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo. For my moisturizing one, you guessed correctly, I will be using the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Shampoo. The shampoo I used I borrowed from a friend, and now I am eager to go out and buy my own. I do think I will purchase the Shea Moisture conditioner, whichever one contains shea butter. Remember, these product are available only at select Targets and target.com. There is another line called Shea Moisture, but I am referring only to the ones available at Target.

My Detangling Routine Revisited



Sometimes, no matter how many other naturals swear by a certain way of doing something, you find out the hard way that it is not for you. I have read the virtues of wet combing or detangling, while hair is loaded with conditioner, so many times. I just knew that it must be the way to go. But I had to face the facts: Detangling my hair while wet, no matter how much or how good the conditioner I used was, always resulted in many broken hairs. This made me dread detangling, but I knew it was necessary. If I went long times without detangling, the shed hairs that kept coming off on my hands while shampooing or cowashing was ridiculous. I had to find another way. There must be a better way.

The answer came to me while last Friday I detangled my hair. Every time I wet my hair with my conditioner-water spray, the shed hairs that resulted were heart breaking. On the other hand, when I detangled my hair dry after I had used some coconut oil to apply on it before, the shed hairs were miniscule to nonexistent. I took the hint. No more wet combing for me. Ever. It is now a natural hair no-no of mine. If you wet comb, this doesn't mean you have to stop, but reevaluate how things are going. If you have never even given dry detangling a try, please do and compare the results to when you wet detangle.

From now on, I will be utilizing what Curly Nikki refers to as mirror/sink detangling on dry hair using a penetrative oil, either coconut or olive. This detangling session will also double as a pre-poo session. I am still going to try detangling on dry hair using the Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp. Her description of this detangling technique, as well as damp and shower (wet) detangling, can be found at this LINK. Other detangling products I may use aside from oils and OHHH are butters and creams. Perhaps I will stop hating detangling so much.

Familiar Product, New Use: Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner



Featured Products: Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner, Oyin Handmade Greg Juice, and

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (from left to right). Other products used but not pictured:

Coconut Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Castor Oil, Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade.



Last night, I decided to do some product experimenting with some familiar products used in new ways. The idea had been lingering with me for some time, but last night I finally decided to actually try it. One of my all time favorite conditioners (I may be guilty of saying that about most of my conditioners) is the Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner. The ingredients are great, and the results never let me down. I have used it primarily as a detangling and co-washing conditioner, and they work great in both roles. I have read on many blogs that people have used this conditioner as a leave-in. There is a Yes to Cucumbers Leave-In, but it is not as easy to find and much more expensive for the amount given compared to the YTC Rinse Conditioner. Last night, I finally gave the YTC rinse conditioner a try as a leave-in.

First, I co-washed with the YTC. I very much had planned to co-wash with my Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut, but remembered that sadly, I am out and need to replenish my stock. Furthermore, I considered co-washing with the VO5 Free Me Freesia, but I didn't want to flowery smell of the VO5 to conflict with the cucumbery smell of the YTC. The smell of the YTC is one of the reasons I love it. After co-washing and rinsing out the product, I oil rinsed with equal parts castor oil and grapeseed oil. I usually use equal parts castor oil and olive oil, but olive oil is another product I am running low on. After the oil rinse, I applied the YTC Conditioner to my hair after mixing in some olive oil with the conditioner in my hand, and allowed my hair to air dry for the rest of the evening. When my hair was almost completely dry, I applied castor and coconut oil (equal parts) to my scalp in honor of my Castor Oil Challenge. As we naturals say, my curls were poppin'.

The next morning, I applied OH Greg Juice to my hair, and let the shower steam work it's moisturizing magic. After I hopped out the shower, I sealed in the moisture with OH Burnt Sugar Pomade. With the smells of Yes to Cucumbers, coconut oil, and OHBSP on my hair, I was sure it smelled great up there. LOL.

My worked payed off with amazing curl definition and several compliments today from fellow college curlies and even of my favorite professors. The curl definition may also be due to the fact that I oil cleansed, but I will give the YTC as a leave-in just as much credit. I plan to use it in this capacity in the future as well. The smell alone is reason enough for me to not rinse it out.  Although using rinse conditioners as a leave-in is quite popular in the natural world, this is the only rinse conditioner which I own that I myself have used as a leave-in. My favorite leave-in conditioners are formulated or advertised as for keeping in the hair. These leave-in conditioners include Giovanni Weightless Moisture Direct Leave-In and Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp. Sorry, I don't have a picture of my actual hair when it dried.

You might be wondering why I don't have a picture of my actual hair. That's because I am still working on mastering the "back of the head" shot that will best showcase my curl pattern. Stay tuned...

Check This Out on YouTube



YouTube is a great resource for natural hair videos, including tutorials and product reviews. I myself love to watch YouTube videos, and plan to delve into making my own videos soon. In the meantime, I shall refer my lovely blog followers to some great YouTubers in my subscription list:

• Kimmaytube - Just for her invention of the Kimmaytube Leave-In alone, which I use quite a bit on my hair, she earns a special place in my heart and permanent spot in my subscription list. She really focuses on the science of natural hair, which is always helpful information, and is most famous for her knowledge on pH balance of the hair.
• MsVaughn - Love her hair, which is a slightly looser texture than mine. She has funky style that comes through in her hairstyles. She also shows her great fashion sense with Outfit of the Day videos and makeup tutorials. It is because of her that I want to try Shea Moisture. Her sister MeechyMonroe just recently joined the YouTube crew. Check her out if you like MsVaughn.
• NappyChronicles - Her beautiful fro makes me want to keep my hair short. She features a lot of tutorials with her daughter who is so cute. Her NOLA accent also makes me like to watch her videos. She also has a great video on how to do an Oil Rinse.
• ElegantNatural1983 - My very own sister, of course I had to represent. Aside from her being my sister and fellow blogger, I give her a shout out for having a great diversity of natural hair styles in the short times span since since she's been completely natural. Her speciality is styling tutorials. If ever you get bored with your hair and think there isn't much to do, check her out. I will definitely be referring to her when I need ideas as length comes.
• MopTopMaven - I am an avid follower of her blog, and love her hair. She gives great advice on ayurveda use for both hair and skin. Speaking of skin, hers is gorgeous. She is definitely responsible for converting to being an avid oil cleanser myself. She also made me rethink how I detangle my hair, converting me to a dry or damp hair detangler. Check out her makeup tutorials as well.
• KinkyKurlyQueen - As first an avid follower of her blog, I discovered her on YouTube. She has gorgeous, healthy 3c/4a hair. She is an avid user of rhassoul and cassia treatments, two things on my "Must Try" list, and has posted vids on how she implements both in her beauty regimen. Recently she uploaded a favorite products video, which should give you some ideas of what to try in you're in the market for new products.

Why Natural Hair Doesn't Have to Be Expensive



I recently saw a post on Naturally Leslie talking about the expense of natural hair. It seems some naturals feel that natural hair is too expensive, or at least significantly more expensive than having and maintaining a relaxer. The truth of the matter is that natural hair is as expensive as you make it. Not everything you need for natural hair has to be expensive. With the popularity of natural hair, more and more brands are emerging claiming to have what will make your hair look great and prove more manageable. Some of these products are expensive as H-E-double hockey stick. And a lot of the time, it may work great, depending on the hair type. However, it can, in my opinion, get ridiculous. I saw a product on Curl Mart that was about $18 for a 4oz. Not in this lifetime would I spend that much on a product, especially for only 4 ounces.

I figured the only way to prove my point was to do some comparison shopping with what I use on my hair and how much is costs. The first thing I purchased when I cut my locs was some cheapie conditioner, Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut to be exact. It costs about 1 to 3 dollars depending on the size. I also use VO5 conditioner, which can cost less than a $1 if you go to Kroger or the dollar store. Shampoo is a different story. My Giovanni costs me about $7 dollars, but I shampoo very sparingly, so one bottle goes a long way. I haven't even used half of my shampoo stash. I am about to purchase the Elucence shampoo, but it costs only $6 on Curl Mart, for a 10 oz. Great price.

Something that saves me a lot of money is my lack of styling products. I don't style my hair but so much, and when I do, I usually do only conditioner styling. Speaking of conditioners, one of my favorite leave-in brands is the Giovanni Direct Leave-In, which is about $7 at Target. I seal in the moisture from conditioner styling with oils. My favorite oils are olive oil, which I can buy from any grocery store for competitive prices. My all time favorite oil is coconut oil, which I can buy from health food stores or VitaCost.com, for very economical prices.

If you find yourself on a budget, here is my advice for what you absolutely need to enjoy natural hair without the expense of many products:

1. Deep Cleansing Shampoo -- How cleansing will depend on the products you use and how often you plan to wash. You don't have to go online to find a quality cleanser. My number one recommendation would be the Giovanni Organic Line, which can be found at Wal-Mart, Target, and other stores. My favorite shampoos are the 50:50 Balanced Moisturizing Clarifying and the Tea Tree Triple Treat. The shampoos are not the cheapest, but are less than ten dollars. Remember, you shouldn't be washing your hair with shampoo but so often anyway. 
2. Co-Washing Cheapie Conditioner -- Great for co-washing, which you can do as much as you want. Great for buffering your shampoo. You will go through a lot of this, so purchase wisely. I recommend Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner. Another great purchase is the Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner (available at Target). 
3. Water + Humectant -- Water, the ultimate moisturizer, is exactly what you need to ensure thirsty hair is well nourished. I myself use the Oyin Handmade Greg Juice, but if you don't have the funds or the patience to wait for this online product, make your own moisturizing spritz. You will need water, a humectant, and a preservative. Vitamin E will most likely be the easiest preservative to find. For a humectant, I recommend aloe vera gel or juice, available at the local health food store.
4. Penetrative Oil -- An oil that actually penetrates the hair shaft will help with both conditioning hair and sealing in the moisture from the humectant spray. I recommend extra virgin olive oil. You can find it at any grocery store and the sheen it gives to hair is unrivalled by any other oil I have used. If you don't like the smell, try extra virgin coconut oil, which takes a bit more searching, but be mindful that coconut oil solidifies in cold temperatures, which is why olive oil is better in my opinion.
5. Honey -- Adding honey and oil to a regular rinse conditioner instantly transforms it into a deep conditioner with a moisture punch. Go for raw honey, which you can find at any grocery store.
6. Styling Gel or Butter -- For hold when styling hair, a gel or butter is the way to go. Butters are not as drying as gels, but gels are easier to find and usually cheaper. For gels, I recommend Jamaican Mango and Lime, Eco Styler Gel, or IC Fantasia Gel. I have used neither the Eco Styler or IC Fantasia, but I hear great things. My sister uses the IC Fantasia Olive Oil gel. I used the Jamaican Mango and Lime when I had locks, but I know a couple naturals who use it for styling twists. A natural alternative for gel is aloe vera gel. For butters, I recommend raw shea butter.

I confess that I own far more products than listed above. For one thing, I have at least four or five oils that I use on both my hair and skin. Also, I have more conditioners than just a cheapie conditioner for co-washing. But this just goes to show that natural hair does not have to be expensive in the least. Anything in addition to what I have listed above is just an added bonus, not a necessity.

I'm Just Saying...My Thoughts on Straightening Natural Hair

Ahhh, straightening hair. Another option for every natural out there. Sure enough, one of the benefits of having natural hair is the increased versatility of hair options. But I'm about to share my opinion, and give it to you straight no chaser (or curly no chaser), about how I really feel about straightening naturally curly hair, and why I personally have no plans to ever straighten my hair (I try to stay away from the N word. Never, that is). Be forewarned, this is my honest opinion below. I usually try to be politically correct when talking about hair straightening when on other people's blogs and message boards. But since this is my blog, I decided to go for raw honesty with how I feel.



As soon as I started obtaining more length, people started wondering if I would ever straighten my hair. When I told them that the basic answer is no, I have no plans of straightening my hair ever, many were shocked and asked why. Well, here are my top reasons.

1. I don't want the compliments. This reason may seem odd. Who doesn't want to be complimented on their hairstyle? What I mean to say is I wear my hair curly 100 percent of the time and receive a reasonable amount of compliments, especially on flat twists and braid outs, and usually from fellow naturals. If I were to straighten my hair, I don't want to hear the resounding, "Your hair is soooo pretty" from people who never compliment me on my curly mane. It is almost sure to happen. My sister Alison straightened her natural hair not too long ago and the amount of attention she received from people who were not as keen to compliment her on her curly hair was disappointing. I don't want to even go there. I'm still getting people telling me I should have never cut my locs. 
2. Heat damage is most times inevitable and often irreversible. The means by which naturally curly hair, especially highly textured hair like mine, must undergo to be straightened are some of the most damaging things that can be done to hair. Blow dryers, flat irons, hood dryers, small tooth combs -- these things don't even have a place in my natural hair tools collection. As soon as I  learned from online naturalistas that heat damage can permanently loosen the curl pattern of your hair I knew straightening was not a real option for me. If I wanted to permanently alter my curl pattern, I could use chemicals such as relaxers and texturizers, although heat can be just as bad. Don't even get me started on keratin treatments. Why would I ever use formaldehyde to straighten my hair. It is just not that serious.
3. Prevention of heat damage is too difficult and time consuming. I already am a wash-n-go type of natural, meaning minimal styling. The steps necessary to prevent heat damage are just too much for me to consider, including maintaining heat appliances at a  low temperature, applying heat protectants (which oftentimes contain silicones), and doing more protein treatments. Heat damage breaks down the actual protein in the hair, which is bad because hair is made up mainly of protein. When heat damage occurs, a protein treatment is the main way to fix it, but I don't wish to cause damage that I can prevent.
4. My curly hair is appropriate for all occasions. This part is when I get really irked. Naturals will straighten their hair for "special" occasions, including weddings, business functions, and other formal events. When did natural hair not become appropriate for all occasions? I just don't agree with this type of reasoning. I am in my last year of college, and when taking senior pictures, most of my natural classmates straightened their hair for the pictures. I know, their choice. But I think this goes with the mindset that natural hair is not appropriate for formal occasions. By wearing my natural hair in it's curly state all the time, I hope to broaden people's mindset about the appropriateness of natural hair.  
5. Natural hair is versatile enough even if you never straighten it. My sister Miss Cee C has been completely natural for less than a year and she has rocked a versatile repertoire of natural hair styles. Straight hair has not been included in this repertoire. She even has a public natural hair photo album on Facebook if you don't believe me. You can look at the pictures HERE. So for those who think natural hair can only be versatile if straightened, think again. Yes straightening is an option, but if you never straighten your hair, there is still plenty to do.
6. Straightening hair is not necessary for length checks or trimming. Two of the top reasons I see naturals straightening their hair, aside from a "special occasion" is for length checks and to trim the hair. When I wonder about my length, I take a section of curls and stretch with my fingers. No heat appliances necessary. Furthermore, one of the most common ways to trim natural hair is to style them in two strand twists and cut off any frayed ends that don't curl with the twist. Again, no heat required. 
7. I am interested in learning how to deal with my natural hair in it's natural state. Straightening the hair but never being open to learning how to style and take care of it in it's naturally curly state builds frustration. You start to think your hair is too much work. If straightening is the main way to keep frustration at bay, the resentment for curls and coils will remain. I even saw a YouTube video recently (no names shall be called) of a natural who suffered from heat damage after straightening her hair. She said she was on the road to recovery and applied a protein treatment. Her curls appeared to have returned. Then, less than a week later, she straightened her hair again. So much for recovery. Her claim was that she was going on vacation, and she wanted to look "glamorous" while at the beach. Hmm. Natural hair and glamorous must not mix, at least not in her opinion. And since when does straightening naturally curly hair become convenient for the beach. I assume she has no plans for swimming. My point is that learning how to deal with your hair in it's natural state will not be as easy if you break out the straightening comb, or weave or wig, every time you get a little frustrated, or want to look glamorous.
8. Are you really natural if you straighten your hair? This question has garnered much debate on many hair forums and blogs, and many opinions have been shared. I don't even know how I feel about it myself. But the coily side of me would say no, or at least you're not 100 percent natural. My godmother says flat out no. But then again, can I consider myself natural, if I don't use 100 percent natural products? Again, a topic of controversy. In essence, as a naturally coily queen who embraces her hair texture, straightening my hair goes against my idea of being 100 percent natural. Ultimately, that is why I have no plants to straighten my hair ever.

Many would call me a revolutionary, Afrocentric, and I might have to agree up to a certain point. But the truth of the matter is that I don't like straight hair on me, because it's not the way my hair looks naturally. Furthermore, I don't have any plans of straightening. It doesn't go with my hair goals, which is healthy hair. And contrary to what many would argue, repeatedly applying heat is not the way to go, ever, if you want healthy hair. 

Product Review: Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo



Finally washed my hair with the Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo, and I loved it. It cleaned my scalp very well, and smells great - like peaches and apricots. If you don't like fruity scents, steer clear. My good friend let me use hers, and I must say I will be purchasing one for myself pretty soon, most likely from CurlMart.com.

The shampoo has a very rich lather, much richer than the smooth lather of Giovanni shampoos. The smell, again, is so great. A little goes a long way. I am sure I used much more than I needed to. The back of the bottle describes the shampoo as concentrated, so just a dime size amount for large sections of the hair should do it. As usual, I lathered only once, after having applied a pre-poo treatment of olive and coconut oil. I then buffered or conditioner rinsed my hair with the Elucence Moisture Balances Conditioner. The smell of this conditioner leaves something to be desired. It is not at all as fruity as the shampoo, and reminds me of a hair salon or beauty supply store.

Both the conditioner and shampoo contain hydrolyzed wheat protein. If you are protein sensitive, steer clear. Even if you are not protein sensitive, do not use this too much, or you could suffer from protein overload. I am not worried about it myself, because my hair is not protein sensitive, nor do I plan to use this shampoo any more than once every other month.

Another great thing about this product is that it claims to have a pH of 4.5 to 5.5, which is the natural pH of the hair. I am open to trying the Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo as well. This product is great. Although it contains a sulfate (sodium myreth sulfate to be exact), I am willing to use it quite sparingly when I need deep cleansing but don't want to overdry my hair.

Why I Now Detangle on Dry Hair



Something I read often when researching natural hair was to always detangle on wet hair loaded with conditioner. It, supposedly, made the process easier and resulted in less shed hairs. Well, that idea was a major fail for me. My coils would shrink up and I would come away with a lot of shed hair, which I would try to convince myself was a normal amount. If you have been following this blog from the jump, you might have realized that detangling is the bane of my existence.

My sister Miss Cee C put me on detangling hair while dry or damp. Instead of detangling after shampooing, during the conditiong phase, you detangle hair before shampooing. This way, shed hairs will be removed before shampooing. I tried this method and loved it. The video of my sister using Mop Top Maven's method can be found HERE.

Furthermore, as if we have ESP, Curly Nikki wrote a post about detangling hair while wet versus dry, and shared how different detangling methods HERE. Curly Nikki herself has moved to what she calls Sink/Mirror Detangling, using oils to detangle, before shampooing her hair. I am going to try this method today, since it can also double as a pre-poo treatment. Also, Natural Haven has shared that hair is actually weaker while wet, rather than while dry. My detangling with dry hair on an old twist or braid out has been my saving grace.

Also, today, I will be shampooing using the Elucence Moisture Benefits shampoo and deep conditioning with the Aussie Moist Conditioner. I haven't used the Aussie in a while. I'll keep you posted.

On My Way to a BAA (Big A** Afro)

When I first cut my locs, I was nervous about rocking a TWA. I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off. I soon became confident enough to walk around proudly. As my hair, I realized I was departing the TWA (teeny weeny afro) club, and moving on up to the MSA (medium sized afro) club. I know, we naturals have a lot of abbreviations and acronyms. This past Friday, I took down the cornrows my sister did in my hair, and followed my usual method of spritzing the very stretched out hair with Greg Juice by Oyin Handmade, then allowing the steam from the shower to moisturize and shrink my afro. I wish I had a before picture, but here is the end result.

I am steadily making my way to a BAA (big a** afro). My growth process is coming along nicely. I am looking to see even bigger improvements because of my new detangling method that is resulting in less shed hair, and my castor oil challenge which I am starting this week.



Upcoming Product Reviews...Elucence and Shea Moisture



Gotta love going to an all female college, with plenty of natural divas representing. Sometimes, when I am wary of buying a product before trying it, especially if the product is not super cheap or I have to order it online, I become nervous about whether I will like it or not. But ask around enough, and I just might find a friend who owns the product and is willing to let me try it out for free.

Such is the case when I wrote some posts back that I wanted to try the Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo. My good friend and fellow natural Tee texted me and told me she owned both the Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo and Conditioner. Furthermore, she offered to let me try it out to see how I like it. Yay for me, and what a good friend Tee is. The Elucence brand is available via CurlMart.com, but if you search some, you may be able to find a salon that sells it. After reading the reviews, I realized that this product is loved by many and hated by some. The only way I would know how I liked it for sure was if I tried it for myself. The price is already on this product's side. It is only $6 for a 10 oz, and also comes in a liter size if you love it that much. We shall see.

In other news, my good roommate Jae also said I could try her Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo.This shampoo is available from Target for $10 for a 12 oz. Again, good price, and hopefully it will be a good product. The interesting this about these shampoos is that they are two very different formulas for two different types of cleansing. The Elucence is what I consider deep cleansing. It contains a sulfate and can be drying to the hair if used too often. I plan to do a pre-poo treatment, as always, before giving it a try. The pre-poo treatment will most likely be olive and/or coconut oil. On the other hand, I have been thinking about trying out my Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp as a pre-poo/detangler. The Shea Moisture is what I would consider a gentle cleanser, which can be used more often in between deep cleansing sessions. It contains absolutely no detergents. From the reviews I have read, the shampoo does not even lather up very much.

I am super excited about reviewing these products. If I love them both, I will purchase ASAP. If I don't like the Elucence, I will stick with my Giovanni shampoos, exclusively. If I don't like the Shea Moisture, I will continue to co-wash as my primary gentle cleanser. Stay tuned for updates.

Hair Confessions: Aussie Moist Conditioner Is Here to Stay



I might be the most indecisive person I know, sometimes. I wrote not too long ago that I was giving up all cone conditioners. Not to say that cones are bad, just that I was giving them all up. The main reason being that I would be shampooing less, moving to a very low-poo regimen of only using shampoos that contain detergents once every six to eight weeks. Cones can only be removed by detergents, including sulfates and cocobetaine. Giovanni contains coco betaine.

Well, put my foot in my mouth. I was successful in the Herbal Essences department. I donated them all to my sister. She was very thankful, needless to say. Then, I went into my bathroom and was about to decide who to donate the Aussie Moist Conditioner to, and I realized that I just can't turn it loose. I love this conditioner, even though I only used it once. The experience was memorable. I also love the smell. In my further defense, this product is cheap, readily available at the local drugstore, contains only one silicone ingredient, and contains aloe vera and jojoba oil. Sure the last two are near the bottom, but they're there nonetheless.

Furthermore, since I know that all cones are not created equal, I did research on the one cone that is present in this conditioner. The cone in question is bis-aminopropyl dimethicone, and it is considered a modified cone. The article that goes into detail about modified cones is HERE. According to this article by Tonya McKay of Naturally Curly, these amine-functionalized cones are great for deep conditioning, target conditioning, imparting gloss and shine, and resisiting build-up on the hair. Sounds great to me.

The use of this cone in my regimen is still in question. I have as a general rule of thumb that I only use cone-free conditioners for co-washing. But I might use the Aussie Moist as an deep conditioning base with some oils and honey added. We'll see, but for sure, it will stay on the shelf.

The use of this product shall be minimal, as it is still a cone conditioner. I don't want to risk the use of build-up on my hair. Furthermore, since I am low-poo, I will only be able to rinse out the cones every one and half to two months. Stay tuned for updates.

Castor Oil Challenge: My Tentative Plans

Tentative is the operative word here. I remain open to the possibility of changing up my plans, with the intent of following the basic guidelines set forth in the previous post. The start date, in the participation time frame, is very tentative. I want to start this challenge on my next co-wash or shampoo day, which I plan to have this weekend.  Below are some "before" shots. I will take comparison pics after the challenge is complete.





Advance Level (apply castor oil to scalp 2-3 times per week)
What Is Your Participation Time Frame: January 16 - April 16 (3 months)
What Brand Will You Be Using: Palma Christi purchased from VitaCost.com
How Will You or Will You Mix: 1:1 ratio of castor oil and olive oil (this is perhaps the most tentative part, I may mix with grapeseed oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil depending on what is available to me, especially coconut oil as the weather gets warmer). The only thing that is certain is that I won't use straight castor oil on my scalp. Castor oil is super thick, and I would prefer a thinner consistency.
When and/or How Will You Apply: After every co-wash or shampoo (Saturday or Sunday) and again on Wednesday night
What Is Your Overall Goal for This Challenge: Thicker hair (especially at the edges), healthier scalp (less drying, itching, and flaking, specifically in the front portion), increased growth

Addendum: I will be using either the castor oil mix or Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade to seal my ends. I will continue to use my castor oil: olive oil mix for oil rinsing the hair. (I really do need to buy a lot more castor oil).

Curly Nikki Forum Discussion on Castor Oil Challenge

Castor Oil Challenge: Background Information and Guidelines



I have heard of many hair care challenges in the natural cyber world, including the 100-Day Hair Challenge in which you wear protective styles for one hundred days, very popular for the winter months and the Mop Top Maven Healthy Hair Care Challenge for the year. The beauty of hair challenges is that it gives you guidelines and goals to help make healthy hair more easily attainable. Deciding as a challenge what to do when helps to maintain a hair regimen that can lead to amazing hair results, including healthier hair and increased length retention.

The hair care challenge I most recently stumbled across on Youtube is the Castor Oil Challenge. I was immediately intrigued, since castor oil is one of my favorite oils and can work wonders for the hair. I have a generous size bottle, and am looking to restock. I use castor oil a lot, including oil cleansing for the skin and oil rinsing for the hair. It is also a necessary ingredient in the Kimmaytube Leave-In Recipe, of which I just made a big batch. Great stuff.

Don't ask me who was the first to start this challenge. I really don't know. The castor oil challenge is really for the scalp more so than for the hair, but we all know (or should know) that healthy hair is impossible without a healthy scalp. Since going natural, I have given up on old school grease which were petroleum and mineral oil based as a scalp moisturizer. But castor oil is great for the skin, hair, and body. I am sure it will be great for the scalp as well. So what is the idea here behind the Castor Oil Challenge?

You are, in essence, using castor oil to "grease", or treat/condition the scalp. This castor oil conditioning of the scalp should help with dandruff and dry, itchy scalp. It should also help with hair growth and hair thickness. Since I have realized that I don't treat my scalp as much as I should with oils (I mainly moisturize my scalp when wearing flat twists or cornrows), I have decided to take on the castor oil challenge. Castor oil can either be used alone or mixed with another oil, such as a carrier oil. The benefits of mixing the castor oil include the consistency can be made thinner and the

Levels and Guidelines (Source)

Challenge Levels:
Basic: Apply Castor Oil to a clean scalp 1-2 times per week.
Advance: Apply Castor Oil to a clean scalp 2-3 times per week.
Ultimate: Apply Castor Oil to your scalp 5-7 times per week. You must deep condition with a 1-2 tsp of your Castor Oil mixed in your deep conditioner and/or use it to seal your ends.

Rules:
1. Your Castor Oil MUST be 100% Castor Oil. Grease cannot be used as a substitute on the scalp. However, it can be used to seal i.e. Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil [or Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade. The first ingredient is castor oil].
2. If you are doing the Basic or Advance level, the Castor Oil must be applied to a clean scalp to allow better penetration so that your scalp can absorb all the nutrients from the oil.
3. One must report any changes, improvements, success in your hair/new growth. This will inspire others!
4. Please upload a photo of your hair progress after the Challenge is complete
5. NO OTHER GROWTH AIDS can be used while in this challenge.

Those are the guidelines. My own plans for this challenge will be posted soon.

On the Prowl...Make Up for Sensitive/Acne-Prone Skin

First off, I love to wear makeup. I enjoy "playing dress up" with make up, when I have the time. After much tutoring from my sisters Alison and Miss Cee C, I consider myself reasonably well rehearsed in how to apply makeup, although I have not yet gotten the hang of liquid eyeliner, or even pencil eyeliner. I have a minimalist approach when I wear makeup. I don't wear foundation. The last time I wore it was when I was in a pageant in April 2010. I opt for pale and earth tone lip glosses over lipsticks in deep reds or purples. I even have an extensive makeup collection. But there is one problem.



I have sensitive skin. Not very sensitive, but sensitive enough that when I wear blush and shimmer powder, my face starts to feel itchy, and I notice breakouts around my chin area. My eyelids even feel itchy when I wear eyeshadow. I have been trying to ignore these signs of skin sensitivity to my makeup for some time now, but I can no longer do that. One of my New Year resolutions is to have an improved skin care regimen. I have decided that my make up collection will have to be chunked for something more suitable for acne prone skin's needs. I abhor breakouts, and make up is supposed to make you look better, not worse.

Since oil cleansing is now part of my regimen, makeup that supports the great results I have been having will help make my skin look it's best. Again, I am a minimalist. My main goals are to purchase some eyeshadows (I lean towards pinks and neutrals), blushes (pale pinks) and shimmer powders (pink or neutral tones). I also need a good quality mascara and brow powder. My goal is to find a makeup line that is suitable for sensitive or acne prone skin, hypoallergenic, fragrance free, non-comodegenic (doesn't clog pores) and preferably vegan. The other preference is something available at a drugstore or makeup store (especially Ulta or Sephora). Lastly, price will definitely be a factor, as always.

The one brand that immediately comes to mind is Physician's Formula, which is a drugstore brand and touted as the dermatologist choice for sensitive skin care needs. I like that is available to purchase from a drugstore, which is very convenient. I also like that it is hypoallergenic, fragrance free, non-comodegenic, and not overly expensive. I will keep you updated.

The above picture is a makeup look I had in the last two years. My sister did it. It was gorgeous, although a bit heavy compared to what I usually would wear on a daily basis.

OMG...I Wanna Try This Look

Ms. Vaughn of Youtube is definitely a great natural hair inspiration and she rocks some pretty cool styles. I was checking out her videos and was amazed at how she defined her curls in this tutorial. In the video, she talks about how her naturally kinky hair is sometimes labeled that "good hair." She shows that although her curls are sometimes very defined, per the method she shares in the video, her hair is actually quite kinky and coily. I would say my coils are even tighter than hers, but this video had me wanting to try this method to see how my own hair would come out.



Mind you, I don't expect my hair to look exactly the same, but I am sure it will look nice. Ms. Vaughn has a slightly looser curl pattern than mine. When watching styling vids and pictures, allow your hair to do its own thing. No two heads are the same. In order for me to do this look, I will need a paddle brush. I would love the have the Denman D83 Paddle Brush, but may have to settle for something I can buy at the beauty supply before I get around to ordering anything from CurlMart.com. Another reason why I like this look so much is beacause she defines her hair using leave-in conditioner and an all natural butter, rather than a gel, such as Eco Styler of IC Fantasia, that so many natural are fond of. I myself do not like the idea of putting a heavy gel on my hair, although I am looking into using aloe vera or flaxseed gel. If I try this video, I will let you know how the look turns out.

Note: The actual tutorial starts at 6:00.

Words of Wisdom: Lorraine Massey



Author of the famous book Curly Girl, which has recently been updated in a new edition. Lorraine Massye made a powerful quote in her new book that I thought I would share.

"It's your mind, not your hair, that needs straightening."

I love this quote. It reminds me of Marcus Garvey, who said, "Take the kinks out of your brain, not your hair." Also, stay tuned on a post in which I reveal my thoughts on straightening natural hair. 

Target Natural Hair Products Wish List

As more and more African American women and women of color start embracing their natural texture, more and more availability of natural hair products can be found in Brick and Mortar locations. Currently, the only product I am using from an online source are the Oyin Handmade products, specifically their Honey Hemp Conditioner, Juices and Berries/Greg Juice, and Whipped Pudding. All my other products tend to come from Brick and Mortar locations.

I have decided to, as funds are available, start giving the products for curly hair sold at Target a try. I mainly purchase the Giovanni and Yes to Cucumbers line from Target. But every time I go there, I stand in awe at the natural hair care line display. The brands featured include Miss Jessie's, Curls, Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly, and Jane Carter Solution. Perhaps I never purchase any of these products because I feel overwhelmed, but I have decided that shipping and handling prices are starting to get on my nerves. Also, I like the instant gratification of buying something today and being able to use it that same day. After some research, here are the products I plan to try from Target.



Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner/Detangler ($11.99 for 8oz.) By far, the product I am tempted to buy the most whenever I visit Target. I love conditioners. The price is not the cheapest for the amount given, but it is not ridiculous. Ravers of this product include Kimmaytube of Youtube and my friend V. The conditioner includes marshmallow root, which is known for adding amazing slip to the hair. The only conditioners I currently use as a leave-in include the Giovanni Direct Leave-In and the Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp. I also use the Giovanni and Oyin Handmade to make the Kimmaytube Leave-In, but I would like to try the KCKT to make the Kimmaytube Leave-In and see how it works.

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo ($9.99 for 12oz.) This price is better for the amount given, and the Shea Moisture line is completely organic. Nice deal. This shampoo is not a very deep cleansing shampoo, meaning not good as an exclusive cleanser for those who use silicones and other products that can build-up over time. Since I have given up on the silicones, I have decided that I am allowed a far more gentle cleanser since I am stretching out how often I use shampoos that contain any detergents. The other shampoo from this line, the Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Control Shampoo, is available for the same price. This shampoo has a gentle detergent, so will most likely be more clarifying. I might give that one a try, but the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Shampoo will win out most likely. MsVaughn of Youtube loves this shampoo.

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Restorative Trauma Masque ($9.99 for 12 oz). Never say never. I said I would never buy a deep conditioner, because they seemed a hoax to me. But after looking at the ingredients list for this product, and hearing so many great things about Shea Moisture in general, I decided this one would be worth a try. The consistency is runny. I say Great! One of the reasons I gave up on Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose for deep conditioning was because the product was too thick to work into my coily, coily strands. I usually just add honey and olive or coconut oil to a rinse conditioner for deep treating, but I have been looking for something with more WOW. It would be great if I don't have to play mixstress and have a ready  made product instead.

Curls Organic Clarifying Shampoo ($12.00 for 8oz) This clarifying shampoo is silicone free yet great for removing product build-up. The Curls website recommends using this once every two months, which is why the price not being the greatest will not overshadow that a little will go a long way. The bottle features a pump top, making it great for use in the shower. I might be mistaken, but this product was not on the Target website, so it might not be sold in Target stores. The other cleanser from this line, the Curlicious Curls Cleansing Cream, is definitely available at Target. If not available at my local Target, I most likely will not give this one a try, but will stick with my Giovanni shampoos instead.

Giovanni Conditioners (prices vary) I have tried three of the Giovanni shampoos and the Direct Leave-In (which I love). I have not yet tried any of the rinse conditioners. I especially would like to try the Deep Moisture Conditioner. They will most likely not disappoint, since Giovanni hardly ever does.

Closed Cuticle, Open Cuticle

When fighting frizzy hair and trying to obtain defined curls that "pop", it is important to know the difference between an open cuticle and a closed cuticle. A more correct description would be a lifted (aka open) cuticle versus a flat/smoothed (aka closed) cuticle.



When and why should cuticles be closed versus open? The main times you want open cuticles is when cleansing or deep treating the hair. For this reason, remember: HEAT = OPEN CUTICLE. When washing hair, you want to wet the hair with warm water to ensure lifted cuticles in order to remove dirt and product build-up. After thoroughly cleansing the hair, a rinse with warm water again will do just fine. Always use warm water to rinse before adding a conditioner that you plan to rinse out again. For example, when deep conditioning, rinse shampoo out (or just rinse hair if not shampooing) with warm water. The lifted cuticles enable the deep conditioning products to penetrate the hair shaft.

If you haven't already  heard of it, there is a technique in the natural hair community known as the cold water rinse. Rinsing hair with cold water, which should be done after rinsing out deep conditioner and before adding leave-in conditioners, rinse with cold water. Why? COLD WATER = CLOSE CUTICLE. This cold water rinse lays down the cuticles that have been lifted by the warm water, ensuring shiny hair. Remember that CLOSED CUTICLE = SHINY HAIR.

So from above you know that heat equals open cuticle and heat equals closed cuticle. You want open cuticles when cleansing and deep conditioning the hair. You want closed cuticles when doing your final rinse of conditioner, before applying a leave-in, to ensure frizz-free, shiny hair with curls that pop. Temperature is not the only factor that affects the state of hair cuticles. In a previous post, I shared that I do not use shampoo bars because the saponified oils lead to a more alkaline product. Saponified oils is another way of saying soap. Soap is more alkaline, whereas shampoo is more acidic. Hair has a pH balance somewhere between 4.5 to 5.5, meaning more on th acidic end. This goes the same for our skin, too. When choosing hair products, remember that ALKALINE = OPEN CUTICLE and ACIDIC = CLOSED CUTICLE. For this reason, I prefer shampoos which are acidic that soap/shampoo bars.

If I were to use a shampoo bar, which I am not ruling out completely in my natural hair care future, I would be sure to use a method that would close the open and vulnerable cuticles. Yes, I'll say that again OPEN CUTICLE = MORE VULNERABLE STRANDS. One very common way of reclosing the cuticle after using shampoo bars is the do an apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse. ACV is acidic of course, which recloses the cuticle. Another acidic product that is very close to the natural pH level of the hair is aloe vera juice, which I use myself in the Kimmaytube Leave-In Conditioner recipe. Aloe vera is also one of the top ingredients in Giovanni Direct Leave-In conditioner, which is probably why it works so well for me.

For more information about pH and the hair cuticle, check out these posts by The Natural Haven, HERE.

For Kimmaytube's Youtube video on pH and the hair, check it out HERE.

I did this post mainly to explain why I am very particular about when I use warm water versus cold water when styling and caring for my hair. Also, this is a way to explain my choice of certain hair products and recipes.

Le Coil for Natural Hair Inspiration

With all the co-washing, conditioning, stretching, oil rinsing, deep treating, cleansing, and not to mention styling, it sometimes gets frustrating to have natural hair. Yeah, I will admit it. But there are a few things I remember to keep my spirits up. For one, doing my own hair will inevitably mean more work. I hardly ever step foot into a salon. The closest I get to treating myself to someone else doing my hair is begging one of my sisters to do my hair for me, usually Miss Cee C. Also, the extra time spent caring for my hair will be rewarded with more length retention and healthy hair.

Another thing I do to keep my spirits up is look at pictures of other natural divas. This may mean visiting a blog of one of my favorite curlies, such as Mop Top Maven or Curly Nikki. One website, however, that is dedicated solely to showing the beautiful pictures of natural hair in its full glory is Le Coil. The website is maintained on Tumblr and I visit it from time to time to get inspired to keep my spirits high whenever I get exasperated with the work that goes into taking care of my hair.

The above picture is just one of the inspiring photos I found on Le Coil. Don't misinterpret me, however; this is not the time for curly envy. Enjoy your own hair, both the texture and the length, and take care of your own hair. I will sometimes become a bit narcissistic and stare at my own coils in the mirror for a while. But when I see others rocking their hair and being confident with it, it inspires me to do the same.

Henna Plans for 2011 (Part 2): Detailed Outline

What are my plans exactly for henna and my hair? As I stated in the previous post, I plan to use it for the volumizing and strengthening qualities and to add weight to my fine strands. I also don't think I would mind the red tint it will leave on my dark brown hair, which may only be visible in the sun.

My exact plans are to apply two henna treatments to my hair, in the months of June (first henna treatment) and July (second treatment). From then on, I plan to apply henna glosses so I won't have to deal with the hassle of a full-blown henna and to get more conditioning/moisturizing qualities from the applications. The henna glosses may be applied every month or bi-weekly. I may also continue to apply full blown henna treatments sporadically and use the henna glosses as treatments in between the full henna applications or when I don't feel like and/or don't have the time to apply a full henna. We shall see. All these plans are tentative, but of course, I will make it my primary goal to apply a full henna by the end of June.

When researching the possible recipes, I decided to turn to who I like to call the Henna Queen of the Curly World. You guessed right, Curly Nikki herself. The pictorial she has shared on her blog along with notes can be found HERE.

From now until June, I will be working to collect the necessary items for my henna and henna gloss applications. Here is my checklist, along with an explanation for each item:

1. Jamila BAQ Henna: Body art quality henna is the only way to go. I decided to go with the Jamila brand because I have heard so many great things about it and it seems to be one of the easiest to rinse out. Rinsing out henna can be a hassle, so fine sifted henna is also the only way to go.
2. Green Tea Bags: Henna must be mixed with some type of liquid that will allow the dye to release and ensure the henna leaves a red tint on the hair. Lemon or lime juice is a common dye releaser, but can prove overly drying to already dry hair (such as mine). Orange juice can also be used, but again the acidity can prove drying. I have decided to go with green tea because that's what Curly Nikki uses, and also because I usually always have green tea lying around somewhere. 
3. Filtered Water: The green tea must be steeped in water, which preferably has been filtered or come from a bottle. I will go with filtered or distilled water for my green tea making.
4. Plastic Bowl with Lid: Well, I have to mix the henna and green tea in something. I decided a big plastic bowl can also double as the container for all my supplies in this list, if it can carry them all.
5. Saran Wrap: After applying the henna, the hair must be wrapped and the henna must be left on for at least four hours. I have decided to use Saran plastic wrap to ensure that the henna doesn't leak and leave stains. Speaking of staining...
6. Old Newspaper: The bathroom floor should be covered with old newspaper to ensure that spilled henna doesn't stain the tiles. 

The above are the necessary tools for applying the henna. Below are the tools needed to successfully rinse out all the henna and treat the hair after it has been rinsed.

1. Rinsing Conditioner: After dunking the head in a tub full or water or letting the water pressure from the faucet remove most of the henna, a good cheapie conditioner helps to ensure the rest is removed. By cheapie conditioner, I mean something such as Suave or VO5. I don't know how much will be needed to remove all the henna, so I wouldn't plan on using anything expensive.
2. Protein Free Conditioner: Henna, with it's high protein, can lead to dry, crunchy hair. It is recommended to always follow up a henna with a deep conditioning treatment, but preferably with a conditioner that is protein free. I have not yet decided what conditioner I will use. As usual, I will add honey and olive or coconut oil to the conditioner to give it more conditioning power. 
3. Leave-In Conditioner: I hardly ever wear my hair now without a leave-in conditioner. Most likely, the product of choice will be Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp or Giovanni Direct Leave-In. 

Henna glosses will consist of a regular henna pasted mixed with a moisturizing rinse conditioner (protein free of course). The application should be easier to apply, easier to rinse, and more moisturizing to the hair. So those are my henna plans. Wish me luck!

Henna Plans for 2011 (Part 1): Background Info

As with Cassia, I have decided to take the plunge into the wonderful world of henna. Henna has great properties, including adding shine, strength, and volume to the hair. Mop Top Maven describes it as nature's protein treatment. Curly Nikki swears by it, and, consequently, has written some pretty informative blog posts about the wonderful effects of henna. She started using it mainly for the volumizing effects, and continues to use it for that reason.

Henna comes in one beautiful color: Red. Ironically, red is my favorite color and again, the only color in which henna comes. The dye does not penetrate the hair shaft, but sits on top of it. Meaning it will add a red tint to whatever color you already have. Grey or white hair will become bright red. Black or dark brown hair will have a red tint, which may only be visible in the sun. Neutral henna is really cassia. And black henna is really indigo. Both of which are two completely different plants. I don't wish to go further into the properties of henna, but will suggest the following articles if you would like to know more:

Curly Nikki Henna Post
The Natural Haven on Henna: Parts One, Two, and Three
Mehandi.com: The Ultimate Henna Website

Another interesting effect of henna is that it has been purported to loosen the curl pattern, and has even been used by some naturals for this express reason. My main reason for using henna is for the strengthening and volumizing abilities and to add weight to my fine strands. I have been a bit concerned about the loosening effects on my curls, but have read that it is not at all permanent and that amla may be added to combat this loosening. Also important to note, the loosening effects are not guaranteed, but vary from one curly head to the next.

Before I get to my individual plans, be warned that the only henna that should be used for coloring/conditioning the hair is Body Art Quality (BAQ) Henna. Other "natural" dyes claiming to have henna often have harsh chemicals in them, including PPD, that should not be used on the hair. Mehandi.com sells BAQ henna. Another popular brand is Jamila (pictured above), which is the one I plan to use and which can be purchased from Butters-n-Bars.com or the Indian Food Store. You may also be able to find in a local Indian store.

Extension Braids and Natural Hair Care (Part 1)

Naturally Leslie, a great natural hair blogger, shared the wonderful news recently on her blog that she is expecting her first child. Congrats to her! I love her hair and I love her blog. While reading her updates, she shared her plans of putting her hair in extension box braids. She was inspired by the following styles from Jada Pinkett Smith and Solange Knowles, respectively.

These pictures definitely take me back to the days when I wore extension braids for extended periods of time. I enjoyed the beauty of crochet braids, micro braids, and corn row and box braid extensions. The last time I had extension braids, however, were in high school. Why so long? Several reasons, the first being I have been embracing my own natural hair and texture in the meantime and also that I been wary of wearing extension braids for fear of them being put in to tightly and wreaking havoc on my edges. 

But Naturally Leslie, who has stated she will be using the Crown and Glory Technique from GrowAfroHairLong.com, has motivated me to look into braid extensions with a new goal. That goal is to maintain the health of the natural hair as much as possible, maintain maximum length, and take precious care of edges. I will delving into doing some serious research concerning this goal, to see if I will every be willing to wear extension braids again. Here are my main concerns:

1. How do I ensure the hair is not braided too tightly? I remember too well my micro braids days, when my edges were braided so tightly that I couldn't even put my hair in a ponytail the first few weeks of rocking the style. Extension braids should never hurt. Finding someone who will braid my hair beautifully, but not too tightly, will be a project. I might have to settle for learning how to do it myself.
2. How do I maintain well moisturized hair while wearing braids? How much I have learned since my school age days. I would wear extension braids for days without moisturizing my hair. When I finally did, I called myself moisturizing them with old school grease. I know better now. My research will assist me in learning to do better.
3. How long is a safe amount of time to wear extension braids? The general idea I have been reading from initial research is 1 to 2 months. That sounds about right. But while my hair is in the braided style...
4. How do I properly wash and condition my hair while in extensions? Especially taking into consideration that I don't want to make my hair look fuzzy or otherwise mess up the actual style. Rinsing out product thoroughly is another concern. 
5. How do I properly take out extensions without breaking of otherwise damaging the hair? As always, the hair must be handled with tender loving care. When taking out extensions, the same applies, and other precautions might need to be taken into consideration. 

Jc of The Natural Haven wrote an article about why extensions should be abandoned. I had never read this article, but I remember seeing it. With this new research in mind, I read the article and realized what Jc was saying that extensions should not be worn so much that you do not embrace and learn to care the actual natural hair on your head. Although extensions are great for transitioning and growing hair, it spoils the wearer into not having to deal with her actual hair for extended periods of time. When I was forced to stop perming my hair in middle school, I wore extension braids so much, many of my peers had not seen my actual hair for years. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that I abandoned the extensions and wore my own afro to school one day, shocking many of my peers. 

Well, I have a new goal in mind. Extension braids are an option that should remain open for natural. Naturally Leslie herself will be wearing them shortly before and after her delivery date. End the end, I might not even actually choose to wear extension braids anytime soon, but I think the information will still prove helpful for those who wish to. Stay tuned for updates...

Beauty Resolutions (External)

Hair Care:

1. Start cassia treatments. I think it is about time I take the plunge. I have been searching for a deep treatment with more WOW factor. I have been thinking about doing cassia treatments for some time now. Hopefully, cassia works for me. I have also decided to not plunge into the world of henna until I have my own bathroom to mess up, rather than a dorm bathroom. I don't want to even risk paying fines. How often will I cassia? I am going to aim for once to twice a month.
2. Be more gentle with my hair. Not very good at practicing what I preach. My sister Miss Cee C has a much more gentle hand when handling her hair. Mind you, I don't rip through my hair, but I could be more gentle. I think my lack of patience with combing and not as gentle hands are why I abhor detangling my hair. No detangling had to be one of major benefits of having locs.
3. Wear protective styles more often. Two strands twists take forever, or so it seems. Furthremore, this resolution would be easier, if I knew how to cornrow and flat twist. Which is why my next resolution is...
4. Learn to flat twist and cornrow hair. I have already started practicing a bit, but patience has not ever been my best virtue. It is amazing how I can knit for hours but not even get the science of braiding my own hair.
5. Stick to my regimen. Now that I have taken on the Mop Top Maven Healthy Hair Care Challenge, I must be committed to my hair care regimen. As I said, my regimen will soon be posted in my bathroom to   remind me of what I should be doing when. 

Skin Care:

1. Oil Cleanse in the AM and PM. I am loving my oil cleansing for the most part. But as I need to see the maximum benefits, I will be oil cleansing both day and night to see the best results. My current Oil Cleasing Formula: 60% castor oil, 30% grapeseed oil, 10% sweet almond oil.
2. Find a great all natural toner. I have been using a water and apple cider vinegar toner. Just so you know, ACV stinks. I am seriously about to switch over to Witch Hazel. The smell is much less offensive. The smell of the ACV also make me skip my toning step more often.
3. Use grape seed oil as my moisturizer of choice. I thought I would prefer jojoba oil over grapeseed oil. I was wrong. The grape seed oil has a lighter feel, has sunscreen properties (which will be great for the coming hot spring and summer months), and is much cheaper than jojoba oil. oh, and grapeseed oil is also great for fading blemishes and scars. 
4. Implement a weekly exfoliant into my regimen. I have not yet tried the aspirin mask, but if I like it, it will be my weekly exfoliant of choice, along with some honey added for moisturizing benefits. 
5. Peruse the Acne.org website for great skin care ideas. This website is a great resource. On here I have found information about the Oil Cleansing Method and the Acne Mask treatment. I have also seen other great ideas for those suffering from mild to severe acne. 
6. Drink more water. Great skin starts from the inside. I don't drink water as often as I should. Miss Cee C is always getting on me about it. I think a cute water bottle purchase might motivate me to drink water more often. I know, lame excuse for a purchase. But I am seriously considering a BPA-free water bottle. 

Other Resolutions:

1. Implement a consistent body care regimen. This will include an all natural soap. I love my Dove and Ivory, but I am looking to purchase a vegetable based bar instead. This will also include a shaving regimen, a more natural body moisturizer (either oils or butters), and body brushing or some other way to exfoliate my skin.
2. Learn to groom my own eyebrows. I seriously could use the seven to eight dollars every two weeks for something else. I just don't know where to begin. Should I jump into the world of waxing or stick to razors. I'll keep you posted. 

Aspirin-Honey Mask (a la Michelle Phan)

I had heard about using aspirin on the skin while surfing the Acne.org discussion boards. I was thinking it sounded odd, but so did using oil to cleanse the face. I have been having great results with my oil cleansing method and remind myself to be open minded about alternative beauty techniques. Why on earth would you put aspirin on your face?

The simple reason is that aspirin contains beta hydroxy acid (BHA), which is also known as salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is available for sale in pharmacies, but if you cannot find it, you can use plain old aspirin. Aspirin dissolves easily when water is applied to it (assuming it is uncoated aspirin). The water and aspirin powder creates a slightly gritty paste that can be used as an exfoliant for the skin. The BHA is great for normal to oily skin/acne prone skin. Salicylic acid is a common ingredient in skin care products for acne prone skin.

If you want something less gritty in consistency, you can use a BC powder. It is already in powder form and will make for a more gentle exfoliant. If you are allergic to aspirin, do not use this mask. The different versions of this mask are endless. Some use aloe vera, others add the aspirin powder to a clay mask. In essence, all you need is aspirin (generic, uncoated) and water.

I found a great video on YouTube by the lovely makeup and skin care YouTuber Michelle Phan. She illustrates how to use an aspirin mask with honey. I have decided to use her method of application. The video tutorial can be found HERE. Honey is great for the skin, and will make for a smoother application. It will also ensure that the skin is not left overly dry from the aspirin. My use of the aspirin-honey mask will be once or twice a week. As great as aspirin can be for the skin, it can overdry the skin. Use less often if you have normal to dry skin. Also, using every day can lead to your skin actually becoming immune to the great benefits of this mask. I plan to use no more than once or twice a week. Remeber also, aspirin is a drug. Using too often on the skin can lead to headaches. (By often I mean twice a day or every day, but you wouldn't do that anyway, since your skin can become immune to the benefits).

You may wonder if aspirin contain BHA/salicylic acid, why not just use straight salicylic acid. My reasons are two-fold: aspirin is a lot easier to find almost for sure from any drugstore, and straight BHA is very harsh and must be diluted greatly--I don't want to bother with the ratio if I can just use aspirin. (Three to five aspirin seems to be the general amount for the mask, with honey added to make a creamier consistency). It also looks to me that aspirin paste can be used as a spot concealer.

Other Great Links:
Aspirin Mask Review from Acne.org