Henna Experimentation Part 2

Hey Lovelies!

So, above is my part two vid. It's already been a month since I dyed my hair using Henna! In all honestly, I don't think it was worth all the hype. The color change was barely noticeable and while I was scared to dye my hair, I did intend for the change to be noticeable. The redness is pretty in the sunlight and all, but that's about as much as it does in terms of color difference. I plan to dye my hair a fun color for the spring, hopefully in March, using an actual boxed dye. (I'll definitely let you know how that goes lol.)

As for the conditioning....

Its nothing to go crazy about. There was a lot of residue which was very annoying. I don't know if that's because the brand of Henna I used was not powdered out well, or if it was because I'm bad at rinsing out my hair, but either way, there was too much residue for my liking. The MOST annoying part has been the SMELL. Days after, whether I was co-washing, shampooing, or styling, I could still smell it.... Finally, my hair was no softer than it would be if I had just used a regular conditioner. All in all, Henna doesn't seem to be a big deal. Experimenting was fun though.

Would I suggest Henna?

Yes, if you want a slight change in color you should try it. Henna has a different impact on everyone's hair, it mostly depends on the porosity of your hair follicle. However, if you just want to condition, I would say to go with your routine deep conditioner or just shea butter & olive oil.

And that's that!

I hope this gave you a little insight on my Henna experience :)

BEFORE HENNA-ing:

AFTER HENNA-ing:

Much love to you!!!!

Marsha Ambrosius!

Henna Experimentation Part 1

Hey Everyone!

This is a video from my youtube channel about Indian Henna as a natural Hair Dye.

I wanted to try some new color on my hair, but I was scared to do a box dye. (However, I will rack up some courage and do it in the spring!) I decided to look for something natural, and Henna was the first thing that came up in my search.

For information on what Henna is and dying naturally curly hair click here >> http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/kinky-hair-type-4a/coloring-type-4-hair

If you decided not to click, its a grounded up plant from India and parts of Africa, that when combined with liquid can be used as either body art or as a hair conditioner/natural highlighter. For more info watch my video/click the link!

In my part 2 video/blog post I will talk in detail about my results and how my hair looked/felt in the days after I dyed it!


Stay tuned!

Be Big & Beautiful

Solange Knowles!

High Cholesterol: Key to A Healthy Hair Diagnosis

hello lovelies!

In an earlier post I mentioned that I really love the effect of cholesterol treatments on my hair. Its my favorite way to condition my hair. Every so often I experiment with homemade conditioners - mostly mayonnaise mixed with olive oil - but I like to buy my cholesterol because it doesn't need to be refrigerated. One of the best things about cholesterol, other than its conditioning and moisturizing effect is the fact that its very affordable and long lasting. The average jar of cholesterol that I buy is about $2.99 and last me for at least 2 months. Great value!

So, what is cholesterol anyway?
Well, it is a soft and waxy substance found in the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and the body's cells. (source) Cholesterol is important to cell membrane creation and maintenance, among its other functions. Most of the time we hear about the dangers of high cholesterol, but a healthy level of cholesterol is necessary for many of the body's functions (see here for more info on cholesterol in the body).

Why is it that hair responds so well to cholesterol? 
Let's break it down. Time for a mini biology lesson!

A hair is composed of: 80% protein, 10-15% water, and 5-10% pigments, lipids (also called fats), and minerals. (source) The cells on the hair follicle are surrounded by a lipid layer and this lipid layer is bonded to the proteins that hair is mostly made of. Basically, there are many fatty acids in the cuticle of the hair (the cuticle is the outmost layer of each hair strand). The fats in hair are responsible for how well the hair locks in moisture and the overall stiffness of the hair. So, if fats are a part of the structure of the hair, and the cholesterol contained in fats is responsible for maintaining the cell membrane, then applying cholesterol to hair is good for the fats that make up the hair cuticle (source). When cholesterol is added, hair gets hydrated and becomes much more supple, or flexible.

****Most important thing to remember: Hair + Cholesterol = Soft & Supple Locks****

Also, cholesterol taken internally won't help hair health. We all should be having low cholesterol diets to limit the risk of coronary diseases. In other words, eat your cheerios!!!

Reduces cholesterol, so eat up!

Ok, enough science talk. I wanted to introduce you to some of the cholesterol treatments I have tried over the years. I will be ranking my top 4 treatments from favorite to most favorite:

4. Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Cholesterol with Shea Butter & Aloe. This stuff is great! The title was enough to convince me to try this product. Tea Tree Oil is ideal for anyone with scalp issues, especially dandruff, and its a natural scalp cleanser. I have a healthy scalp, so I find tea tree oil to be a bit drying, which is why I didn't rank this product higher. The Shea butter is moisturizing and the Aloe is soothing. The one thing I don't like about this cholesterol is it's strong medicinal scent. Grade: B

3. Le Kair Professional Strength Cholesterol This is a nice standard cholesterol. It smells nice and it nice to deep condition with. After shampooing, saturate your hair with this, cover your hair with a plastic cap, heating cap, or hot towel, and/or sit underneath an overhead dryer for about 15 minutes and your hair will love you for it! Grade: B+

2. Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream I LOVE this cholesterol. its cheap, moisturizing, and is just great over all. As a matter of fact, I like the Queen Helene product line in general I like their cocoa butter too! You can do the same things with Queen Helene's as you can with Le Kair. I almost always have a jar of Queen Helene's in the bathroom. Grade: A

1. Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol Conditioning Treatment. YES, yes and yes. This is my favorite cholesterol to date. It smells awesome, and its soooo smooth and soft on to the touch. You can feel the difference right away! It's usually a dollar or ten this is your fix. Also, this conditioner is GREAT for detangling in the shower. Grade A+ 

If you don't know, now you know - the value of cholesterol. It's my hair crack lol! And I already mentioned that I'm a product junkie so you can imagine how much I use haha

I hope you found this to be helpful!

Be Big & Beautiful

xoxo

Lauryn Hill - She is the TRUTH.