Throwback to Mamma's Hair Grease: Yay or Nay?

Hey Lovelies!

As you might be able to tell, I am in constant experimentation mode with my hair products/regimen. I've been back to my natural hair texture since December 2010. From that time, I'm pretty sure I've watched hundreds of YouTube hair care videos and read hundreds of natural hair and black hair blogs.

I've faithfully adhered to many of the hair no-no's

1. No Sulfates
2. No Mineral Oil 
3. No Heat

etc, etc.

I've been careful to read the ingredients label on all my hair products, oftentimes buying more costly items because they are more "natural." I even considered investing in the Miss Jessie's line of products, which runs between about $20-70 per product. 

The thing is, I am a twenty-something with rent to pay, loans to pay off, and money to save. With all the delicious smelling, new, "all-natural" hair products available online and in stores, it is quite easy to be tempted into becoming a product junkie. 

With all of my obsession over products and hair length, I've slowly become frustrated and tired. It's not as though my hair went through a drastic growth phase to the length of many of the hair-fashionistas I admire.

Before the transition period and the big chop, even before the hair-dressers and the creamy crack, my hair was in my mother's hands. She did not have a ton of hair products. These are the products I have the most distinct memory of:

Anyone remember this? I just called it "Pink Oil"

Every morning before school I would use some "pink oil" to slick down the edges of my go-to high bun style. One of the old school brushes to hide frizzes or "ballies" and I was set.

My mom and I experimented with shampoo brands, but I remember this one in particular

When I was little I think my mom washed my hair every other week, then when I got older once a week.

This stuff smelled so good to me lol

My mom loves this pre-shampoo treatment for moisturizing my hair, especially in the winter.

This stuff was amazing!

Every Saturday night my mom would smooth globs of this through my shampooed hair with some olive oil and sit me under the drier for a half hour.

Best Leave-In Ever!

This is how the Infusium 23 bottle used to look when I was little. This stuff made de-tangling my hair soo easy!

Definitely was a staple product in our home

This was the standard grease product at my house.... I used to just sit around and smell it... LOL

                                          

My mom brought in these special forces if my hair was too dry or too itchy. They smelled gross to me, especially the Sulfur 8... but they worked!


I took a moment to recollect the products my mom used in my hair because, prior to going to the hairdresser, my hair was a little past collarbone length. Granted, my hair was relaxed, but considering the number of over-processed heads of hair I've seen... I thought my mom did a great job. For the 2-3 years I went to hair-dressers, my hair shrank to chin-length. I realized that my mom put a lot of tender loving care into my hair that neither hairdressers I barely knew nor I was able to give it.

I've decided to give a yay to Mamma's hair grease. With all the talk of which products we should use or not use, I'm deciding to go with what has been working to keep my hair moisturized and and growing. I'm not saying that I'm going to use all the products listed above, but I think I will take the time to be more open to what has been tried and true to my hair.

Right now, I'm re-trying Dr. Miracle's "Feel It" Formula to "grease" my scalp.

Photo Credit

I like to dampen my hair, at least with some oil moisturizer, before using this. I love the tingling feeling, and so far, I enjoy how it makes my hair feel. My mom used to use this on my hair's scalp too. I know this has mineral oil in it... but it has a lot of other great stuff too. I mention mineral oil because I've read and heard that with repeated application in between hair washes, mineral oil essentially blocks moister from entering the hair shaft.

I don't have this problem because I wash my hair weekly and dampen my hair regularly. Also, I now cleanse, message and grease my scalp just like my mom did. I also add a couple drops of castor oil and mix it into with my finger as I add this product to my scalp.

I don't think it's supposed to be extremely costly and hassling to do black hair. Neither do I think that we have to prescribe to a particular set of products. I think what is most important is that we are doing what we think will give us and our hair nourishment and moisture.

I may change my mind again.... who knows, learning about self-care means to you and how to do it changes. I guess I would call this the nostalgic part of my hair care journey. What hair products do you remember from childhood?

xoxo

P.S. I may go back to red hair y'all!!!

The Harvest Hair Regimen 2014: The Hair Growth Challenge

Hello Lovelies!

So, as a mentioned in my previous post, I've had some hair regimen hiccups that have caused me to change my hair care approach.

I call my new regimen the Harvest Hair Regimen not only because it will take me into the beginning of fall, but because I expect a "harvest" of new growth by the time I complete this challenge.

Basically, my plan is to keep my hair in cornrows throughout the month of August and September. During this time I will be keeping my hair very moist. Basically, my hair growth challenge was inspired by this YouTube Vlogger 7Princess7Noire7's  vid:

I won't be doing wigs, I'll be doing crochet braids, just personal preference. In my recent article I posted a link to a crochet braiding video if you're curious.

I've read two points of advice so many times 1) that protective styling is very important and 2) putting a lot of tension on strands inhibits length retention, but in my case, experience has been the best teacher. I'm being very cautious about my hair during this Harvest Hair Regimen; I'll only have it "out" on special occasions.

So... for the actual regimen:

1. Grease my scalp almost every night with a organic coconut oil, castor oil, blend. 
2. Some nights mix in a little tea-tree oil to my nightly/every other night scalp greasing
3. Keep hair covered at all times: scarves, silk bonnets or shower caps**
4. Wash hair every 2-4 weeks. I know this may be a point of contention for people who stick to washing once a week, however, I would prefer to keep my hair braided up for a long period. 
5. Cornrow wash and conditioned hair to secure moisture. I've found that when I moisturize my hair really well, then put in cornrows, my hair strand stay soft from root to tip. 

** Note: shower caps seal in H2O vapors--it works as a natural steam. 

Yeah, that's really about it. 

Wait! One more thing! This would be an excellent transition style! Why, you ask? Well:

1. It protects that fragile divide between the old, relaxed hair and the growing natural hair.
2. It seals in moisture. 
3. It gives you more growth time before cutting the relaxed ends. 

I will definitely updating you on how this works out!

Don't you love Harvest Season?! (Photo Credit)

2013 Regimen!

Hey lovelies.

I haven't been around in SO LONG. Sorry about that. I just wanted to post my new regimen and a couple little hair discoveries.

First discovery:

My hair does NOT like the curly girl method. Basically, the curly girl method is based on co-washing and finger detangling. No tools, no shampoo. See the video below for a better description:

Her hair is most def that 3/4A while mine is 4 to the max.

Second discovery:

That my hair is 4a/b/c. That means it spirals, but is very fine, wiry, and can get matted and tangled easily. it def matted up when I tried the curly girl method.

Third Discovery:

My hair is low porosity. That means I have to apply product when my hair is damp -- no wetter. That also means that I shouldn't apply a lot of product because it will not absorb. To learn about testing hair porosity see here:

Fourth discovery:

My hair loves twists. It stays moist and detangled this way. Everything I do with my hair involves twists, especially washing. I separated my hair into twisted sections when washing, but now I have refined my washing. I do The Breakdown. Watch this video for the breakdown method:

K, so here's my regimen.

Bi-weekly

• shampoo and deep condition
• detangle and stretch

Weekly

• deep condition
• detangle
• protective style

Every other day

• oil scalp with a coconut oil/castor oil mix

My detangling process

1. finger detangle with conditioner
2. comb out with a wide tooth comb
3. Finish out with the Denman brush

I have to have to HAVE to detangle thoroughly. Tangling/ hair that is not thoroughly combed means snapping and snapping means lost ends. NO NO!

My 2013 goal - 5 inches of growth. let's hope!!

Hairspiration!!!

XOXO

Hair Yoga: Stretching & Twisting for Healthy Hair!

Hello Beauties!

My hair has been stressed and tense lately, and I needed to find a solution. I was fed up with the tangles, knots and uneven growth. When my body is tense, I can rely on yoga to loosen me up and make me less stressed. I thought that if yoga can do such good things for the body, why can't there be yoga for the hair? Then I realized - there definitely is such a thing as hair yoga! It's basically what most naturals in a blogosphere and on youtube have been talking about, but I thought a comparison to yoga works to remind me that I need to "destress" my hair.

Let me explain exactly what I mean. There are only two moves in hair yoga

1. Stretching: This basically means keeping you hair detangled as much as possible. This limits shrinkage and KNOTS. Knots have to by clipped, which limits growth retention!
2. Twisting: Putting your hair in two strand twists or braids as much as possible keeps your hair in a stretched state. Twists and braids also retain moisture (in my experience at least). If you leave your twists or braids in for a week or more, then you will lessen the amount of "handling" (brushing, combing, playing with) that your hair goes through, which then limits opportunities for breakage. 

This is all I mean by twists:

This "hair yoga" analogy is kinda corny, but helps me remember that I don't want my hair to be all tense and tangled. Also, I think it pretty much explains why everyone is so hype over protective styling. Protective styling really does help. Now that I have 5+ inches of hair on my head, I really gotten to know my hair type. Its EXTREMELY curly, and the curls are small, which means endless knots. To be honest, I think this 5-6 inch average height is awkward. I'm struggling with coming up with cute styles, and sometimes I just don't have time. Furthermore, I'm getting tired of knots, so over the passed couple weeks I've rarely been seen out and about in just a wash-and-go afro. I keep my hair in twists. I don't LOVE the twists aesthetically, but I've found ways to make them work for me:

• Tiny Twists: smaller twists tend to "adopt" to my curl pattern, while larger twists just hang.

Larger twists 

I didn't really like how these twists came out, they remind me of spider legs lol

Smaller twists

These took longer (way longer) to do, but I like them better

• Curling my twists: Using Eco Styler Gel and perm rods I simply curl and set my twists. Here's how it looks:

At the end of the week, usually a day or two before I shampoo my hair, I'll probably untwist and wear a twist-out. This works well because the twist-out lasts through Friday and Saturday - the days I might want to go out, socialize etc. 

I really hope this "hair yoga" plan works to retain my growth. I plan to take it on as a hair-lifestyle, instead than just a thing I'll do until I have x amount of new growth. Although... I actually would like to have about 5 new inches of growth by this time in December. *crosses fingers*

While I've been protective styling for a while, this particular blog post was inspired by Kimmaytube's video: "AFRO - Why I won't wear my hair in one!" WATCH it - its very informative.

Be beautiful :)

xoxo

Estelle. so unique and fly!

Defining Your Natural Curls

hello lovelies!

Up until very recently, I was frustrated, because although my hair is naturally curly, oftentimes my curls are disguised by all my frizz. I watched Nikkimae2003's youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Nikkimae2003 and discovered that cold water really helps to define curls! Here's how it works:

If you're doing a co-wash (thats cleansing/conditioning hair without shampoo)

1. Wet/rinse the hair with warm to very warm water. This helps to open the pores in your scalp. Some of you may have heard that using steam (which comes from warm water) is very good for cleansing the pores in your face, well, your scalp works the same way. Open pores are ready to absorb the conditioner that you'll be putting into your hair.
2. Apply some conditioner and let it soak in for as long as you want. I usually let the conditioner sit for about 5-10 minutes. You can also detangle during this time. I personally detangle after I condition, that way I'll have enough time to detangle my hair section by section.
3. Rinse out your conditioner with cold water. Cold water seals in the moisture provided by the conditioner, which really helps to define curls. I just started cold water rinses and I love the effect on my hair. Each curl is springy and shiny, and the frizz is basically gone!

If you're shampooing your hair

• Still use warm water, because the shampoo will be able to do its job even better when your pores are open. Warm water, especially in combination with shampoo, is excellent at removing grease and other residue. After shampooing, follow the steps outlined above.

My hair after a cold water rinse!

I just wanted to add that Nikkimae2003's youtube channel is great. She's pleasant, encouraging, and her tutorials are super helpful.

Be Big & Beautiful!

xoxo

Tia & Tamera Mowry! They've been my role models since childhood :)

Hair Vitamins and Balanced Diet

hello lovelies!

I know a lot of us get impatient with our hair's growth, and just want a quick fix. After my big chop I really wanted my hair to just hurry up and grow, I started to research on hair growth supplements. The most prominent one that I found was Biotin. Biotin is in the B-vitamin family; it is also called B7. Biotin helps in the production and metabolism of fats and amino acids (protein!). So, as you can see, fats and protein have been a recurring theme when it comes to hair health.  The body also needs Biotin for the growth of healthy skin and nails. It is generally advised that people suffering from hair loss take Biotin to replenish their hair growth. WebMD provides more information on the effects of Biotin on the body (WebMD: Biotin)

I when found out that Biotin does so much good for hair growth, I decided to start taking it to see  how it would effect my hair growth over a month. I got a bottle of Biotin pills from the Vitamin store, and I was so excited to try it out. I took one pill a day for about two weeks. I wanted to continue taking it once a day for at least a month, but I had to stop, because I had started to break out. I usually get a few pimples every so often, but with Biotin I got full on ACNE. One of the interesting things about Biotin - or Vitamin B7, is that is helps to maintain and/or increase hormone levels. I guess for me, breaking out is one of the things that come with increased hormone levels. I'm definitely not saying anyone who takes Biotin will have a case of acne, but what I am saying is to try it and see how it effects your body. Biotin is water soluble, which means if your body has too much Biotin and doesn't need anymore, the extra will come out in your pee, so don't worry.

Now, I limit my intake of Biotin to twice a week. Drinking water also helps to counteract the acne. I also rely on other vitamins that are important to hair growth, including: vitamins A,C, and D, most B vitamins, calcium, gelatin, MSM and silica. Multi-vitamins usually have all of the vitamins I just listed. So, take your vitamins, eat healthy and exercise and you'll be on your way to healthy hair, and good health over all.

I also wanted to emphasize the importance of DRINKING WATER. It truly does help. A lot of us have heard that the body is 70% water. Well, that's a very important fact, because our body uses water for most processes, including hair growth. Water is hair''s main source of moisture. This means that the body will always need to be replenished with water. 8 glassed of water a day and you'll be straight.

I definitely say to try Biotin and see how it works for you. Even if you don't, still try to remember to take your multivitamins!!!

Be Big & Beautiful!

xoxo

TLC. They're so awesome. Fly ladies lol

Hair Growth Plan for Fall 2011

hello lovelies!

One of the interesting things that I have discovered about having natural hair is that uneven growth becomes much more noticeable. The hair on the top of my head has always grown faster than the sides and back, but when I was relaxed it was easy to disguise because I would just have my hairdresser cut my hair in layers. Now its different - I don't have that perfectly rounded afro that many people rocked in the '70s. As a matter of fact, when washed and combed out, my hair takes a fro-hawk shape. Well - its not THAT extreme haha, but the top is a little more than 5 inches while the some parts of the sides are between 3 and 4 inches. I know my hair will always grow that way, so my focus is on retaining the growth that does occur and making my hair grow thicker and stronger. 

For this fall, I have decided to add some products to my regimen that I have researched and watched many youtube videos on. To track my progress, I plan on doing a growth check every month. Hair grows about a 1/2 inch each month, so if my hair growth plan works, I should have another 1.5-2 inches of growth my the end of December.

The first addition to my regimen is an Castor & Olive Oil mix. I mentioned this oil mix in my hair regimen blog post, but I wanted to talk about it in a bit more detail. I am using a proportion of 1/4 Castor Oil for every 3/4 Olive Oil. I use Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Wal-Mart brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I bought a color applicator bottle to apply my oil with because it has a tiny nozzle. I really don't want to use a lot of oil at a time because it'll drip and just make my hair greasy and heavy and a tiny nozzle will ensure that not too much oil comes out at a time.

My Hair Growth Ingredients!

Why Castor Oil?

Well, growing up in a Jamaican household, Jamaican Black Castor Oil (I'll be calling it JBCO from now on) is usually in the house. My mother used to moisturize my hair with it when I was younger. When I started taking care of my hair myself, I didn't use it as much, but now that I've done my research on good hair growth products, I've realized why castor oil is a staple in so many Jamaican households. I am biased towards JBCO as opposed to other castor oils because its darker and thicker, and has a stronger scent - for me, that means that it is more natural and has gone through less processing.

Background, Benefits, and Uses of Castor Oil:

Castor Oil is a type of Vegetable Oil derived from Castor Beans. Castor Oil is mostly composed of fatty acids (in my cholesterol blog I said that fats are very good for the hair cuticle).

Benefits:

• It can penetrate deep into the skin and can be used to to treat many skin conditions - and your scalp is skin too!
• Because it penetrates the skin, it can reach the hair's follicle (your roots!) and nourish it. This leads to stronger hair that is more resistant to breakage.
• Helps to prevent hair loss, treats thinning hair and dry scalp
• It also helps to keep the scalp cleansed and healthy
• It is a humectant, which means that it can absorb water from the air - more MOISTURE!
• Castor oil is good for other conditions and ailments. Its other uses can be found here.

Background, Benefits, and Uses of Olive Oil:

People have been enjoying the benefits of Olive Oil since the rise of Ancient Greece. There is even a Greek goddess for Olives & Olive Oil named Athena. Homer called it "liquid gold." Many of you probably use it as cooking oil & eat it in salad dressing, but its great for you internally AND externally. 

Benefits

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an excellent skin moisturizer. It easily penetrates the skin, softening tissue and rejuvenating the cells
• It prevents dandruff
• It can be used daily, as a hot oil treatment and as a deep conditioner. More info on olive oil can be found here.

So yeah! Thats the lowdown on Castor Oil & Olive Oil! I'll be massaging a little bit into my scalp most nights before bed, then covering my hair with a satin bonnet to lock in the moisture.

In addition to applying oil to my scalp, I will be adding water & vitamins to my hair on a regular basis. Infusium 23 Pro-Vitamin Leave-In Hair Treatment mixed with water is my choice for hair vitamins. What I usually do its add 1/4 Infusium 23 for every 3/4 of water. I put this mixture in a spray bottle, and use it to dampen my hair before I twist it or do any other sort of style to it. Then, I detangle with a wide tooth shower comb. I like this treatment because it makes me feel confident that my hair is getting the vitamins it needs, especially if I hadn't been eating healthy and/or forgot to take my vitamins. 

I'll continue my oil & water treatments through the fall and let you know if they affected the overall health when I do my winter hair regimen plan.

I also wanted to add that it's important to remember that what you put IN your body is almost more than what you put ON your body. Look at it this way,

For example, instead of applying more make up when you get a pimple or two, ask yourself:

 - Am I drinking enough water?

 - Am I eating too many fatty foods?

The same applies to your hair, if its breaking too much, or is way too dry ask yourself:

 - Am I eating healthy foods?

 - Am I stressed?

 - Am I sleeping enough at night?

 - Am I taking my vitamins?

 - Do I exercise?

I ask myself these questions, and sometimes the answer is no. And the thing is, all of these things lead to healthy hair. Sometimes we forget the things we apply externally aren't enough, and thats okay, as long as we try to make a change and take care of our insides too.  Love yourself and take care of your body - you'll be surprised at how phenomenal your results will be! Taking care of yourself will put you in a better position to take care of others. Being able to be there for the ones we care about, to support and encourage them is an awesome capability! Love yourself so you can love others,

Be Big & Beautiful

xoxo

MARSHA!!! Love her both solo and as a member of Floetry

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.

Product Review: Silk Elements Mixed Silk Leave-In Conditioner

hello lovelies!

I thought it would be nice to do product reviews every now and then. There is always some new product out there professing to make our hair long and luxurious, and as a person many would call a "product junkie" I often give in to their claims about how awesome their product it. But, before I hit up the beauty store I want to know how a product will respond to my hair, so I usually do my research before investing in a new hair product. I say "usually" because I spontaneously bought the particular product I'm about to review. I guess bought it without thinking because I trust the product line its from. A piece of advice for you - research the ingredients and reviews on a product before you buy a product!!!

I say this because I didn't love the product I'm reviewing today: "Silk Elements Mixed Silk Leave-In Conditioner"

17.25oz conditioner, about  8 inches tall

When I used relaxer, the Silk Elements product line was my staple. The relaxer itself treated my hair well, the shampoo didn't damage my hair cuticle and the cholesterol treatment was (and still is) fantastic. So, when I went to Sally's Hair & Beauty Supply (http://www.sallybeauty.com/) about a week ago and saw that they opened a line of products for people with natural curls I got super excited. They were on sale so I picked up 2 bottles and the accompanying deep conditioner. I thought it was going to be wonderful. A couple days later, when it was time to do my shampoo and deep condition, I added this leave-in conditioning creme to my routine. It's creamy, but a but slick to the touch, and smells kind of like dish soap. It was different than other products I use that are more thick and heavy. I used about 3 pumps and ran it through my hair with my fingers, combed, and did a two-strand twist set. The next day when I untwisted my hair, I wasn't completely pleased with my results. My curls held up ok, but the hair itself was not completely moisturized.  The directions say, "Apply to clean wet hair from roots to ends for an even application. Do not rinse out. Hair can be air dry or use a blow dryer with diffuser." To me, it seemed as if it this conditioning creme could be a stand alone product, but that wasn't the case. The fact that I needed to add oil moisturizer to my hair after I untwisted indicated to me that I shouldn't have used this product on its own. All in all, I will give "Silk Elements Mixed Silk Leave-In Conditioner" a 8 out of 10.

Pros about the Conditioning Creme:

• It has a pleasant scent
• It is not greasy 
• It has natural oils including Jojoba seed oil, Safflower seed oil and Evening Primrose Oil
• It contains amino acids including wheat amino acids and silk amino acids (amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and proteins are very good for strengthening hair
• It is a very good detangling product

Cons:

• It is almost too light. I like products that seal the hair cuticle well and I'm not sure that this does. More "liquidy" products like this one are absorbed by the hairs, but don't seal out dryness
• It detangled my hair, but didn't provide long term moisture, which is very important to me. 

Although I have listed more pros than cons, I still believe this product is a 8/10 because it isn't good at retaining the hair's moisture. I will say that it is a very good base product, and what I mean by that is that its a good thing to apply as a detangler while your hair is still wet and it doesn't clash with the styling cremes I use. Overall,  I would suggest trying it because it's always good to have a leave-in conditioner, especially if you can't deep condition your hair as often as you'd like to. I'll definitely use mine as a detangler (after all, I have two bottle get through lol)

I hope this helps!

Be Big & Beautiful

xoxo

Beyonce: radiant and stunning! (and pregnant - yay!)

Retaining Moisture

hello lovelies!

Whether relaxed, natural or anything between, the number one priority in your hair care regimen is to add and retain moisture.

MOISTURE
MOISTURE
MOISTURE

Yeah, its so important that I will repeat myself. Your hair NEEDS MOISTURE. Why?

1. Well, your hair will look nice, because moisture brings out your natural shine, and for curly tops - moisture defines curls.
2. It will prevent breakage. Hair snaps easily when dry. Breakage is your mortal enemy, and moisture is your best friend.
3. Moisturizing products will nourish your scalp. A healthy scalp is a happy scalp. And a happy scalp grows more hair.

People with type 4 hair are the most vulnerable to dryness and breakage. This is because its very thin and wiry, and has less cuticle layers to protect it. For all of you with type 4 hair - treat it like silk. Your hair is a precious fabric, and if you want it to last you have to care for it properly!

My links (dispersed below) will direct you to some of the different products I've used. Click away!

I've tried many different moisturizers during my transition. Some of them include:

• "Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural for Women of Color Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer" (description here)
• "BB Hair Moisturizer Lotion Maximum Strength" (description here)
• When I was transitioning I used "BB Foam Wrapping Lotion" (description here)

I intermittently researched natural products during my transition period, and the first one I bought was Raw Shea Butter. Shea Butter is actually the bomb lol. Now, anytime a buy a new product, I usually check if Shea Butter is one of the ingredients. I use it to seal in moisture after I condition my hair, and have also found it to be a great styling product. I will create a separate blog post about the wonders of Shea Butter so you can understand why I like it so much. I would definitely suggest it as a staple for any natural hair regimen. I bought my shea butter in bulk (5 lb.) in the Winter of 2009, and I STILL have some left. I got it cheap from a great website called Shea N More. They offer all kinds of natural products at affordable prices. 

In addition to Shea Butter, I discovered that  Natural Oils, and Cholesterol  are very helpful it adding moisture to my hair. 

Products that will lead to moist hair:

1. A good co-wash* conditioner. It doesn't have to be pricy. VO5 or Suave Hair Conditioners would do the trick.
2. A hair strengthening leave-in conditioner. Right now I am using Infusium 23 diluted with water. I put the Infusium 23 solution in a spray bottle and use it to dampen my hair on a regular basis.
3. A nourishing carrier oil. Carrier Oils seal in moisture and protect the hair follicle & scalp. Right now I am using a mixture of olive oil, with a little bit of Castor Oil (article on carrier oils to come later)
4. A good Deep Conditioner. I like hair cholesterol best as a deep conditioner, because it always makes my hair soft & bouncy. My 2 favorites are Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol Conditioning Treatment and Queen Helene Hair Conditioning Cream
5. A great daily moisturizing cream. BB Hair Moisturizer Lotion Maximum Strength works pretty well, but I just started using Shea Butter Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Style Conditioning Milk

To summarize, find some way to moisturize your hair every day. It has really helped me to retain the growth I've had so far, and is certain to help me in the future. If you have any moisturizing methods/routines you'd like to share please do!

Be Big & Beautiful, 

xoxo

Indie Arie - one of the Neo-Soul Moguls. Love her!

My Current Natural Hair Regimen

hello there wonderful people,

One of the things that will lead to the growth of Big & Beautiful Hair is developing a hair regimen that you believe you will be able to stick to. I now have over 5 inches of hair, and with hair as thick as mine now is, I've found it a bit more difficult to take care of than when I had a TWA. So, I have decided to outline my weekly hair care plan. This is especially important to me now that I am starting a new semester. I need to know what I'm doing with my hair on a regular basis because with all my commitments during the year, my schedule gets crammed.

Outlining my regimen is a new thing for me, because I usually just go with the flow when it comes to my hair, but my hair growth has been so encouraging that I want to really follow through on a good plan. So if this is new for you, don't worry because its new for me too - we're on this hair journey together :)

This is 90% likely to be my weekly schedule. The 10% of doubt is because I haven't started classes yet so I don't know which days of the week are going to be my busy days.

SUNDAY:

So, Sunday is gonna be my spa day. That is, I will be shampooing and deep conditioning each Sunday night so that I can be fresh for class on Monday morning. I may change my shampoos to every other Sunday in the winter time. Why? Because the air is driest in the winter, and I don't want to over dry my hair by shampooing too often. Conditioners, which I will be using very frequently, have cleaning agents that can take care of the build up that develops in my hair over 2 weeks. However, I don't know what winter has in store for me so I'll decide how often I want to shampoo then.

Sunday night plan:

1. Pre-Poo! (Before Shampooing) Moisturize my scalp with a blend of olive oil & castor oil,  then go through my hair ends with a dime size amount of Shea butter.
2. Poo: Shampoo with a sulfate free shampoo (we'll talk about sulfates later)
3. Deep Conditioning: Using hair cholesterol, or a really good deep conditioner. Allow to soak in hair for about an hour. If you have the time, you can allow your deep condition to stay over night.
4. Leave-In Conditioner: I use a leave in conditioner to comb out my hair while wet. I only comb my hair once a week, using a wide-tooth shower comb. For the rest of the week I finger comb
5. Detangling and Twisting: after I detangle my hair, I do large to medium sized two strand twists. It should take about a half to twist my hair and in the end I should have about 15 twists. The twist out is my favorite style because it's easy and seals in moisture. They styling product I use to make my twist springy and shiny is a Shea butter based styling creme (I'll list the specific products I use in another post). I add a dab of styling creme to each twist I make to get the best results.
6. Sleep with a satin bonnet and a satin pillow case. Both satin bonnets and/or satin pillowcases can be bought at an affordable price at your local beauty store, or online. Cotton absorbs moisture, which is why its important to use a satin bonnet, scarf, or doo-rag to protect your hair.

MONDAY:

1. Untwist and style! (Then go to class)
2. At night - massage an olive oil/castor oil into into my scalp
3. Add a little styling creme to maintain twists
4. Spray to dampen with water
5. Re-twist 

TUESDAY

Same as Monday

WEDNESDAY

Co-Wash Day!

1. By Wednesday I like to give my pores some air buy rinsing out all the product I've used. Using a cheap, but moisturizing conditioner, wet hair while showering, comb through conditioner, leave in for 2-5 minutes, and rinse.
2. Massage in my Olive/Castor Oil Mix
3. Style (another twist out set with conditioning creme)

THURSDAY

Back to Monday's schedule

FRIDAY

Depending on the dryness, I will do another co-wash. If not, I'll do my Monday schedule again. 

SATURDAY

Another Olive Oil/Castor Oil Massage Day! 

I already have all the products I want to use lined up, and I will be doing a post with details on all the products I use!

Be Big & Beautiful!

xoxo

Alicia Keys back in the day! <3 Her

My BC and Hair Growth Through August 2011

hello wonderful people!

I'd like to share my big chop experience with you. I cut off all of my relaxed ends on December 10, 2010.  I must say, I didn't choose the safest and most professional way to cut off 6+ inches of hair. I was tired of dealing with my relaxed ends - so I just took a scissors out of my drawer and chopped it all off. Prior to my BC, I had thought about cutting my hair a couple times, but I never planned a BC day; it was an impromptu decision. Luckily, it turned out ok! It wasn't too lopsided or anything like that lol.

I started snipping away from the back
because it was easiest to sense the texture difference

Halfway done! There was no going back!

Here's a little side angle. I think I had like 1.5 inches of hair

Top of my head. My TWA!

Side profile. I eventually clipped away any leftover relaxed hair

The final product!!!! Nappy & Happy haha

And there you have it!!! As a college student I didn't have the time to really invest in my hair like I have over the past summer, so wash and go* styles where my staple. I LOVED (and still love) bobby pins and head bands. When I had a bit more growth, I began to rely heavily on twists and twist outs. I was struggling with developing a hair regimen that fit my schedule, so I'm not sure I achieved my full growth potential over the past two semesters. In the summer however, when I had the time to really take care of myself, I did see a difference in length. Take a look:

December 11 - first full day natural! My hair after a perm rod set

Side view! My first Frohawk* :)

December 21, 2010 Two-Strand Twist Set 

January 7, 2011. My curly q's a month after BC

January 7,  Side Profile

Top of my head on February 18, 2011. Two Months Natural!
By this point I had no relaxed ends

February 21st: Hair length check!

June 9. Six months natural! In the summer, I began
 nurturing my hair so it could grow

July, 4 (that's a headband if you can't tell)

August 25th. Twist Out!

August 26th. Same twist out from the 25th lol

I've gone from 1.5 inches to 5.5 inches and its been great. I feel like right now my hair is at its healthiest since my BC because I've been taking care of myself - my body and my mind. I hope to see even more progress by my end of my 1st year of being natural.

Right now, I am in the process of developing a routine that will fit into my schedule. I want to maximize both time and results. You're probably as busy as I am, so I know saving time is important to you too. Another one of my major concerns is money. If I can find I way to save money, I'll do it. Hair care does NOT have to be expensive. its just a matter of making smart purchases. Now that you have a general idea of what my hair journey has been, we can dive into the details of Black Hair Care - So much more to come!

Be Big & Beautiful

xoxo

Jill Scott! My favorite song by her: "Golden"