1. SHEA BUTTER
shea butter is a buttery plant oil extracted from the shea nut tree.
There are two types of shea butter
A.west african shea butter
B. nilotica shea butter (east african)
The diffrence between the two ?
East African shea butter is higher in oleic acid making it softer smoother and creamier than its west african counter part . More olwic acid is also equals to better skin rejuvenating qualities. Its also richer in vitamin A and E
How to use Shea Butter ?
Shea butter is great for both skin and hair .
Below ill outline the benefits of shea butter for skin and hair respectively . Then ill take you through some ways you can use it .
For skin .
Dry skin ,acne , blemishes,wrinkles ,sunburn,psoriasis ,eczema,stretch marks ?? If you have any of these conditions shea butter is the way to go . The oleic acidand vitamin A in shea butter helps repair the skin from the inside . It is easily absorbed into skin and does not clog pores .
Its also great to treat allergies ,insect bites and wounds
How does it do all this ? Shea butter aids the skin cells to produce more collagen . More collagen is equals smoother softer and wrinkle free skin .
Shea butter is also a great sunscreen . It has a spf of 6 .
Do you suffer from pains and aches . Massages with shea butter help relax the muscles and aid in healing the symptoms of arthritis.
For hair
Shea butter for hair can be used for in many ways
1. Its a great sealant for moisture . Use it after using your leave in conditioner to seal in that moisture for longer
2. Remember all those dry skin eczema and psoriasis issues we talked about under skin . Well your hair grows from skin (scalp) and also the scalp can be affected by those skin conditions . If you have ever had eczema then you know how bad it can itch . You scratch till you bleed ( from experience ) Now if its on your scalp and ypu scratch that bad you end up having several bald spots that never grow hair since the skin around is damaged by all the scratching and lesions . Enter Shea butter and bye bye skin condition ....and suddenly the bald spots start growing hair back .
3. Shea butter works on your hair follicles making sure they are healthy and well nourished . This results in better hair growth
4.Softer hair . Shea butter is a natural hair softener . When implemented as part of your LOC/LCO/LOCO method as as part of your deep conditioning it helps keep your hair softer .
Best way to use shea butter
The easiest way to use shea butter is to whip it up into a soft fluffy butterry yummy cakelike butter . ( till it looks soo good you can eat it ) .
To do this put some in a bowl . Add any other oils of your liking . Use the double boiler method over low heat to melt them all up . Cover the bowl with saran wrap (cling film) and place in the freezer for about 30 min ...till it starts to partly solidify . Take it out and use a hand mixer or electric mixer to whipp it up for 15 min till fluffy . Store in containers and happy using .
Remember to add some to your deep conditioner😄
Shea Butter Hair and Skin Review
Motivation: Growing Long Hair After Chopping
This is to encourage anyone struggling with bad hair and is scared of doing a big chop.
Sometimes use of chemicals and excessive heat can damage your hair. That's what happened to me. Av always had full and thick hair, but years of using relaxers, weaving and braiding made my hair thin, brownish and too weak with different lengths on each side of the head.
I was not happy with my hair at all. When i started doing some research on hair, the only best solution I saw was starting all over again. I was scared. I was not five anymore. I believed that only kids can get long hair and that hair only grows faster when you are a kid.
This is not true. Hair grows. African hair grows. Its not about your age. Its about the work you put it. Give your hair some TLC. Get the best products that suit you. Invest in your hair. Invest your time. Invest your knowledge. Invest your money. Yes ladies and gentlemen. Good hair does not come by luck. It takes work.
You might be wondering what products av used or what my haircare routine is. Before I get to that. Let me tell you the truth. There's no secret. I do things you've probably heard of and use products you've probably heard of before. Nothing new.
It all boils down to nourishing your hair and finding out what really works for you. My routine keeps changing. I experiment. Try this and that. Essentially, I make a blend at home for use. I have used this DIY blend since I started my natural hair journey and I just love it. Am not changing it any time soon.
Shea Butter + Castor oil + Argan Oil + Jojoba oil + Virgin Coconut oil.
Make sure all these products are pure without additives, fragrances, colorants and fillers. Get raw shea butter. It has a nutty smell and dirty white or creamish yellowish color. The most important part is the oils. Read the list of ingredients. If it's not 100% pure Argan oil, Jojoba oil and Castor oil, don't go mixing it in your DIYs. Be informed. Educate yourself. Its your hair. Your head.
For all time moisturizing I mix
Aloe Vera gel + Peppermint essential oil + Rosemary essential oil + Lavender essential oil + Distilled water.
Pure aloe Vera gel is not green in color. It has no smell. Don't use aloe vera with synthetic additives and fragrances. But make sure it has a safe preservative. Aloe Vera must have a presevative to stay fresh for long.
I officially cut my hair in January 2016. Then i cut it again on March 2016 to level it well. I really love the progress as of July 2016.
I do protective styles. Mostly very large lines to minimize manipulation which I keep for a week. Don't disturb your hair with frequent combing and styling. Let it be.
I wash my hair at home. I do ayurvedic treatments (henna and amla) every month and deep condition every other week using ingredients in my kitchen like egg, avocado and extra virgin olive oil.
I use a sulphate free shampoo and conditioner. It doesn't matter what brand you use. It does not matter if it costs 300/= or 3000/=. If it works for you and it's sulphate free and parabens free, keep it.
For now am using Creme of Nature argan oil sulphate free shampoo and the controversial Tresemme Naturals conditioner.
Whenever I undo my hair, I pre-shampoo with hot oil then leave it overnight and wash the following day. I mix Virgin coconut oil + extra virgin olive oil + Raw Shea butter.
Warm the oil a little, apply on scalp and hair and massage my scalp for 3-5 minutes then do some large matutas like the ones you see in these pictures.
I don't have the so called satin scarf. I just use a shiffon scarf at night. I never skip a scarf when going to bed and I use any scarf I find even if its made of lace.
This hairstyle was a simple wash and go. I applied a little oil and used those rounded thin black hairbands to pull my hair up.
Start today darling. Your hair will grow.
Good luck to all the big choppers out there!
Natural Hair Growth Aides and How They Work
Natural hair growth aides are those things you apply to your scalp to grow hair.Examples of hair growth aids are: ginger juice ,onion juice cayenne pepper etc to your scalp
So you read about ginger juice for hair growth and immediately went bought it and now you are busy making juice . You have never even tasted ginger maybe. Does it work ? Does any of these things like castor oil peppermint oil rosemary oil ginger juice bla bla bla work ??
The answer can be YES but it can also be NO .
When you apply these things to your scalp ( which is alive ) vs your hair ( which is dead )
it causes a stimulating effect to the skin so you may feel a tingle or some hotish feeling . Sometime you may feel nothing at all but something is happening to the skin cells .
Next your brain tells your body that something is wierd on your scalp (according to my mum ni kama kuita wazima moto ; its like calling in fire brigade ) so your body sends blood flow to your scalp to check it out . The blood of course has oxygen and other nutrients from your diet . So depnding on how healthy you eat your blood will have diffrent types and amounts of nutrients . So when the blood reaches the scalp it dispenses off the oxygen , and nutrients . Then returns to more important areas of your body .
The human body doesnt give much attention to the most exterior parts of our body like our scalp fingers and toes . So they dont usually get as much tlc and thats why when its cold those areas get cold more .
Anyway that was on the side note .
So does it work (all those stimulating oils included )
Yes IF your blood is nutrient rich also . So before you feed your scalp some garlic juice, cayenne pepper and ginger juice make sure your diet actually contains those thing . They have some nutrients called Sulphur vitamin B6 and selenium that are responsible for formation of keratin aka hair and nails. And all those other vitamins C A E K
Best Natural Hair Practices To Help Increase Length and Grow Long Hair
Afro-textured hair grows about 6 inches per year (yap!) so it is possible to grow it long. Retaining length is normally the issue coz our hair is fragile. The secret is caring for the hair that is furthest from your scalp because this is the most fragile. To care for it, moisturize your hair regularly and deep condition often. Detangle gently while your hair is wet. Work in sections using your fingers to take out knots before using combs. Detangling manages knots which cut hair. Massage your scalp regularly to encourage blood flow to the scalp.Take advantage of home-made products like black tea, green tea, rice water, or vinegar rinses which soften and strengthen hair. These products work and there are several tutorials on YouTube that you could follow. Don't be afraid to trim once every 6 months to remove split ends. Don't wear your hair down every day of the year. Instead, use protective styles. Last but not least, commit to your hair-care routine and you'll be looking at a minimum of 6 inches in the next year! All the best
Natural Hair Straw Set Procedure
I did NOT shampoo my hair. I detangled with conditioner, rinsed my hair with warm water, put Organics olive oil deep conditioner for 45 mins(put on a plastic bag on my head) then rinsed that out.
Next I applied Giovanni leave-in conditioner, detangled thoroughly, then sectioned into four parts.
I applied extra virgin olive oil to each section then started parting into smaller sections for the straws. To each small section, I dabbed very little Marini Curling Butter followed by a bit more flax seed gel. Too much curling butter will give you flakes. After that I'd just put the straw on, secure with a bobby pin and move to the next bit.
You can air dry if you have time, but I went to my local salon and sat under a hooded dryer for 35mins.
After removing the straws, I separated the curls with olive oil smeared on my palms to avoid frizz.
So. Tada! I love this hair
5 Great Benefits of Natural Hair Hot Oil Treatments
Hoil treatment is basically heating up some oil and pouring it into ur hair. Letting it do its work for a few min under extra heat or steam then rinsing it out or leaving the oil in depending on what u think best for u. And dont forget to massage your scalp
What are the benefits of hot oil treatments?
1. Restoration of moisture
2. Strengthens the hair
3. Seals your hair
4. Increases blood circulation to ur scalp
5. Relieves dry itchy scalp
My personal experience with hot oil treatments.
I have had faux locs for about 4 weeks now and my scalp and hair have gotten dry. VERY DRY. and itchy. Synthetic hair just dries hair up really badly.
So i mixed up my oils ..mostly coconut oil,JBCO,amla and a bottletop of eucalyptus oil (idealbrand) put these in my applicator bottle (a tomato sauce bottle )🙈🙈 warmed it up in some hot water. And poured in all over my scalp and my locs. Jumped into hot shower so i could benefit from the steam in the shower. After my shower my scalp and hair felt soo good and i had the best sleep ever i guess the scalp massage also induces good sleep. And i said goodbye to dry scalp and itchyness. And my new growth also seems to come out softer.
23 common Kitchen Items to Get Hair Healthy
Here are 23 common
kitchen items to get
hair healthy
1) Extra Virgin
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is one of those must have
ingredients to get hair healthy. It is
also versatile as a beauty product and
makes a great hair care treatment
because of its richness in fatty acids
that moisturize and treat the hair and
scalp.
It is ideal as a deep conditioning
treatment for dry, damaged hair or
coarse hair. It also makes an
excellent detangling and moisturizing
treatment for thick, curly and kinky
hair types.
2) Carrots
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient if
you’re looking to grow and strengthen
your tresses, and carrots are jam
filled with beta carotene, an excellent
source of Vitamin A.
To make your very own carrot oil from
scratch, check out this recipe from
Ygoy . Another alternative is to simply
purchase all natural carrot oil, which
is often more potent.
3) Eggs
To get hair healthy and grow it long,
you need to minimize hair loss and
shedding by strengthening hair
strands. Protein in the hair is the
chemical compound that affects the
strength and structure of the hair.
Eggs are a great source of protein
and make a great weekly hair mask
especially when combined with other
natural ingredients such as yogurt,
honey or avocados.
4) Honey
Honey is another one of those
versatile ingredients that make great
as a beauty treatment. In hair care,
honey helps to retain and draw water
to the hair keeping the scalp and hair
strands moisturized.
It can be combined with other natural
ingredients to create a mask. Or can
be used alone or mixed with your
favorite natural oil as a deep
conditioning treatment.
5) Yogurt
If you’ve ever purchased one of those
hair growth vitamins, then you have
noticed biotin as a top ingredient on
the list, that’s because Biotin plays a
major role in maintaining healthy
scalp and growing healthy hair.
Yogurt is an excellent source of Biotin
and also contains other vitamins and
proteins that make it a great
treatment for hair. To use, simply
blend yogurt with other natural
ingredients or oils to create a hair
mask.
6) Peanut oil
We often hear of olive oil, argan oil or
castor oil to get hair healthy, but one
of the better and lesser known
natural oils for hair care is peanut
oil. Peanut oil is filled with essential
vitamins such as Vitamin E, A and D
that help to grow strong, healthy
hair.
It is ideal for curly hair types, coarse
and dry, damaged hair. It can be used
alone as a hot oil treatment.
7) Mayonnaise
You’ve most likely heard of
Mayonnaise as a homemade treatment
for deep moisturizing, to get hair
healthy. It is filled with protein which
is known to strengthen hair strands
for longer, shinier hair.
8) Avocado
For dry hair and scalp treatment, try
the ultimate avocado mask. Avocado is
a yummy vitamin filled goodness that
can be easily blended with other
natural ingredients such as yogurt or
egg yolk as a luxurious hair
treatment. Its use in homemade hair
care dates far back to the days of
early Egyptians.
9) Raw Apple Cider
Vinegar
Vinegar is another multi-use product
that has a ton of great benefits. It
helps to balance pH levels and bring
hair and scalp to normal acidic levels
which plays an important role in
growing healthy hair.
In homemade hair care, it works
great as a hair rinse, an alternative
to shampoo, as a dandruff treatment
or simply a mixture with other natural
ingredients and essential oils as hair
treatment. To use a hair rinse to
revive dull hair and make it shiny,
simply mix with equal parts water,
spritz onto hair, leave on for several
minutes and rinse.
To use a shampoo alternative, you can
mix with baking soda to create a
paste and apply mixture onto the hair
and scalp. Leave on for a few minutes
and rinse off thoroughly.
10) Baking soda
Baking soda can be used in homemade
hair care to cleanse the hair. As
previously stated above, it can be
mixed with apple cider vinegar and
used as a alternative to shampoo
11) Beer
This might come shocking to a lot of
people as I know it did me, but who
knew that good ole’ beer can make a
great hair treatment. That’s right,
beer works great a hair rinse to
replenish moisture to hair. According
to TruthinAging.com , beer is filled
with B vitamins and proteins that
coat the hair, draw in moisture and
repairs damaged hair. These nutrients
are found in the malt and hops.
To use, simply pour some beer into a
glass and let is sit to room
temperature levels. Then with finger
tips simply apply to hair and scalp in
small sections. Then blow dry as
usual.
Beer also makes a great hair styling
treatment and can be used as an
alternative to hair spray by simply
spritzing onto the hair.
12) Banana
For those with dry, damaged hair,
banana is a great treatment to get
hair healthy again. It is an excellent
source of essential vitamins that
nourish the hair. It can be easily
mixed with other natural ingredients
such as yogurt, egg, avocados etc to
make a luxurious hair mask.
13) Ghee butter
I wrote about ghee butter as a hair
conditioner in a previous article and
from first hand experience, I can
attest to the benefit and
effectiveness of ghee butter. It
works especially well on coarse, dry
damaged hair as a deep conditioning
treatment.
14) Garlic
Garlic is an excellent treatment to
combat hair loss and promote healthy
strands. To use, you can simply cut
garlic into tiny chunks, put into a
glass container with a bit of water
and leave overnight to extract the
juices. Use the tonic as a pre-
treatment by applying it all over the
scalp before shampooing. To increase
the effectiveness, put on a hair cap
and sit under the dryer for about 20
minutes.
15) Lemon
Lemon is an all purpose product that
is well known for its lightning
properties. In hair care, it can be
used as rinse and also a natural, hair
bleaching treatment. To use, simply
mix with a bit of water, apply to hair,
and it is recommended to sit under the
sun for increased effectiveness.
16) Cayenne Pepper
Apparently cayenne pepper is an
excellent ingredient to aid in hair
growth. It is said to work by
improving circulation and blood flow
which aids in regeneration and
growth. It is often mixed in natural
hair oils and massaged onto the scalp.
17) Onions
Similar to garlic, onions work to
prevent hair loss and promote hair
growth. Use in a similar fashion as
garlic, by cutting into small chunks
and extracting juice. Or you can
simply rub cut onions onto sparse
areas of the hair.
18) Rosemary
Similar to cayenne pepper, rosemary
works to stimulate hair follicles and
promote hair growth. It is a powerful
herb that has been used in natural
hair care for decades to get hair
healthy and strong.
19) Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea can be used a natural
way to lighten the hair or as a rinse.
To use, simply apply tea mixture to
the hair and scalp. It can also be
mixed with other essential oils.
20) Red wine
Want to a natural way to become a
red head, well reach for a glass of red
wine. That’s right, red wine can be
used a natural way to add a subtle red
tint to your hair. To use simply apply
red wine to damp hair, put on a
shower cap and wait 10-15 minutes.
Voila! Red hair in an instant.
21) Grape juice
Similar to red wine, grape juice can
be used a natural hair dye to
brighten, dull brassy tones on blondes
and to get rid of the dreaded orange
hair. You can simply mix with equal
parts hair conditioner and leave on
hair for 20-30 minutes, rinse
thoroughly afterwards.
22) Tomato Juice
The benefits of vitamin A in hair care
is stronger, healthier hair. Tomatoes
are an excellent source of this vitamin
amongst others and works as a great
treatment for severely dry, damaged
hair. Simply mash raw tomatoes to
extract juices and apply directly to
hair or mix with other natural
ingredients.
23) Extra Virgin
Olive oil
Last but not least, extra virgin oil is
one of those absolute necessities in
natural, homemade hair care to get
hair healthy. It can be used in a
variety of ways. Apply it to freshly
washed and conditioned hair as a hair
oil, mix with other natural hair
ingredients or use as a hot oil
treatment.
Homemade DIY Natural Hair Conditioner
Recipe 1. The Base : Yoghurt (plain) , Banana (baby food), Avocado (creamed)
The base of your natural conditioner needs to be thick enough such that it does not drip off your hair but at the same time be able to be spread easily enough to coat the hair strands.
2. Ingredients for slip : Olive oil, jojoba oil
If you want to detangle your hair with your natural conditioner, then it would be a good idea to add some oil to the base of your choice. A more liquid oil e.g olive oil or a liquid wax e.g jojoba oil is generally a better option than an oil that is more viscous (e.g castor oil) or one that changes from solid to liquid with low heat (e.g shea butter or coconut oil). However, if you intend to use your conditioner warmed up, then it is perfectly fine to use any oil of your choice.
3. Ingredients for moisture – humectants: Glycerin, honey, aloe vera
Humectants purely for moisture are probably best used during the leave in process rather than during the conditioning process. However, there is no harm in using them during the conditioning process. Glycerin, honey and aloe vera are all natural humectants. You can add any of these to your base in a quantity of your choosing. As you will be rinsing off the hair conditioner, most of the humectant on the surface will also eventually be washed away. Therefore, even if you do not particularly like glycerin in a leave in, you may find that in the conditioner mix, it is perfectly fine.
4. Ingredients for strength – protein: Gelatin
If you would like to have some hydrolysed protein in your hair, then you have to slightly break the rules of non-modification and select gelatin to add to your base. I do know that there are people who promote eggs as a natural protein conditioner but it is not really clear if the size of the protein in eggs can really work as well as a hydrolysed protein.
5. Extras – fragrance (essential oils), increase fluidity (coconut cream/milk)
Finally, if the consistency of your final mix is too thick, consider adding coconut cream or milk to it. The liquid here contains some oils from the coconut and therefore adds both fluidity and slip. Plain water may cause some of the oils added to the base to separate (surfactants in commercial conditioners help prevent this, but we don’t have them in the natural options). If you would like some fragrance, do consider some essential oils.
10 Great Benefits of Yoghurt For Your Skin and Hair
1. Conditions Hair
If you are tired of the chemicals found in store-bought conditioners and are looking for a natural alternative, yogurt can help condition your hair and make it more manageable.
What You Need
4 tablespoons yogurt
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
2 tablespoons coconut oil
What You Have To Do
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Apply the hair pack to your strands, and let it stay for an hour.
Rinse thoroughly using a mild shampoo.
Why This Works
Because yogurt has moisturizing properties, it helps repair dry and damaged hair (9). It leaves your hair conditioned and makes it more manageable.
2. Reduces Hair Fall
Hair fall happens for a number of reasons. One of which is the hair follicles not receiving proper nourishment. Using yogurt, which is full of nutrients that are good for your hair, can help stop hair fall.
What You Need
½ cup yogurt
3 tablespoons ground fenugreek seeds
What You Have To Do
Combine the yogurt and the fenugreek seeds together.
Using a brush, apply it to your strands.
Keep for an hour, then rinse with a mild shampoo.
Why This Works
Due to the presence of vitamin B5 and D, yogurt helps nourish the hair follicles (10). This helps prevent hair loss.
3. Treats Dandruff
Dandruff is a common problem, but which can be avoided with the topical use of yogurt.
What You Need
½ cup yogurt
What You Have To Do
Massage the yogurt into your scalp.
Let it rest for 20 minutes, and rinse with a mild shampoo
Why This Works
One of the main causes of dandruff is fungus. A fungal infection can make the scalp produce flaky skin. Yogurt, which is a natural anti-fungal, helps removes all signs of dandruff
4. Moisturizes Skin
If your skin needs a boost of moisture, you can try using a yogurt face mask to rejuvenate your skin.
What You Need
4 tablespoons yogurt
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon honey
What You Have To Do
Add all the ingredients to a bowl, and mix till the consistency is more or less even.
Apply the mask to your face and neck, and keep it on for 30 minutes.
Rinse with cold water and pat your skin dry.
Why This Works
When yogurt is applied topically, it increases the moisture content of the treated area . This makes skin more elastic and improves brightness.
5. Reduces Wrinkles And Fine Lines
As time goes on, your skin starts to show signs of aging. You can combat the wrinkles and fine lines by using a yogurt scrub on a weekly basis.
What You Need
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 tablespoon oats
What You Have To Do
Add the oats to the yogurt, and wait for it to get mushy. Stir to get an even consistency.
Apply it all over your face and neck, and massage using gentle, circular motions.
Keep the scrub on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
Why This Works
Yogurt has lactic acid, which works well as an exfoliator (2). It removes the topmost layer of dead cells, revealing brighter and younger skin.
3. Fights Acne
Yogurt is considered to be an effective home remedy for fighting acne. Using plain yogurt on a regular basis can help you get rid of pimples.
What You Need
1 tablespoon yogurt
cotton balls
What You Have To Do
Dip the cotton balls in the yogurt and apply it to the affected areas. Once you use a cotton ball on an acne, dispose of it. Don’t use it for application over another area. This may cause your acne to spread.
Keep it overnight and wash your face with cold water in the morning.
Why This Works
The high amounts of zinc and lactic acid present in yogurt make it a potent cure for acne
7. Fades Blemishes And Pigmentation
Acne and pimples can leave behind scars that take a long time to fade. Using a combination of yogurt and lemon juice can help to get rid of them faster.
What You Need
1 tablespoon yogurt
½ teaspoon lemon juice
What You Have To Do
Combine the yogurt and the lemon juice in a bowl.
Apply the mixture to the affected areas. Avoid getting it in your eyes, for it might sting.
Keep it on for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water.
Why This Works
The reason yogurt helps fade blemishes and corrects uneven pigmentation is because of its lactic acid content (4). Lactic acid removes the topmost layer of skin, which promotes the growth of new skin cells. This effectively reduces the appearance of pigmentation.
8. Reduces Dark Circles
A sleepless night and good old genetics are the reasons behind dark circles. Using yogurt can help reduce them.
What You Need
1 teaspoon yogurt
cotton balls
What You Have To Do
Dip the cotton balls in the yogurt.
Gently dab it under your eyes.
Keep it on for 10 minutes and rinse.
Why This Works
Yogurt helps reduce dark circles because it has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduces puffiness. The lactic acid in it also reduces persistent dark circles (5).
9. Treats Skin Infections
Skin infections such as ringworm or athletes’ foot plague a number of people. If you are looking for an all-natural remedy, then you can give yogurt a try.
What You Need
1 teaspoon yogurt
gauze
What You Have To Do
Apply the yogurt over the infected area and warp it with the gauze.
Repeat this procedure twice a day till the infection goes away.
Why This Works
Yogurt has probiotics that help get rid of skin infections caused by pathogens such as yeast
10. Soothes Sunburns
Sunburns are caused by the UV rays of the sun. It damages the skin, resulting in redness and sometimes, blisters. Using yogurt topically can help heal the sunburned areas.
Why This Works
Applying yogurt to sunburned areas cools it down . This is because it is rich in zinc and has anti-inflammatory properties
How to Take Care of Dyed Hair: Do's and Dont's Before Dying Natural Hair
The very nature of how color works has the ability to break of your hair .
Color works by forcing your hair cuticles open and depositiong color . This weakens the hair shaft and affecting your hair porosity
Once you understand that then now you can troubleshoot the issues that arise nely weak hair ,dryness and breakage .
1. Before you color its good to do a light protein treatment to boost the strength pf your hair at least a week in advance .
2. A day before dye application apply a generous amount of coconut oil to the hair since its a penetrating oil and binds protein to hair . It will also
protect from excessive processing of color . And adds to the richness of color
3. After dyeing its recommended to skip shampoo and opt for cowashing instead and follow up with deep conditioning
4. A few days after dye process do another protein treatment to restore strength .
5. As i mentioned above color affects porosity this means hair will be dryer and therefore more prone to breakage . So you need to deep condition at least weekly to keep moisture levels up .
Also you need to moisturize daily even upto 2 times a day and i have noticed i have had to do LOC method more than the once a week i would do it . Now i have to do it 2 times a week with color .
There is a difference btn color and dye..dye is temporary and color is permanent
.you can get away with dye but with color you have to wash with a neutralizing shampoo to stop the process.if you don't.. Color nikama relaxer its process will continue thus causing hair breakage...that's where most people go wrong. Another reason why hair cuts...dye blocks hair pores lowering its porosity thus breakage happens that's why a moisturizer treatment is given as a rule...do it..no excuses...color rips off the hair melanin...imagine our hair is deeeeeep black...how much will the hair melanin be broken to achieve a fair color....treatment.. Treatment!!!?? Treatment!!!!! Is a must rule!!!!
Castor Oil Hair Growth Challenge
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. 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. Castor oil can either be used alone or mixed with another oil, such as a carrier oil.
List of Carrier oils:
Almond, Sweet Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil
Avocado Oil
Borage Oil
Calendula Oil
Coconut Oil
Evening Primrose Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Hazelnut Oil
Jojoba Oil
Kukui Oil
Macadamia Nut Oil
Olive Oil
Peanut Oil
Pecan Oil
Rose Hip Oil
Sesame Oil
Shea Butter Oil
Sunflower Oil
Walnut Oil
Wheatgerm Oil
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.
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 (there will be a particular thread created for this).
5. NO OTHER GROWTH AIDS should be used while in this challenge
The challenge will be for 90 days or three months.
Natural Hair Care Regime for Beginners
1)Pre-poo: The conditioning process before shampooing I find works well especially on transitioning hair, hair that is found to be too dry, on hair that is in dry conditions such as winter climates or excessive air condition environments, just plain damaged hair, or hair that has been stripped and dyed.
Pre-poos of choice : an oil pre poo can be done using one carrier oil of choice or a mix of carrier oils and essential oils. Popular oils of choice include extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, extra virgin coconut oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, avocado oil, lavender essential oil, peppermint essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, and t-tree essential oil.
Conditioner prepoos include the use of a conditioner be it a cheap rinse out conditioner or a deep conditioner mixed with oils. Egs, Queen Helene cholesterol, organics cholesterol.
And then you can use natural ingredients and make your pre poo. One of my all time favourites is the coconut yogurt pre poo: 4 oz of plain yogurt, 2 tbsps of coconut cream, 1 1/2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil and 1/2 tbsp of avocado or grapeseed or olive oil. mix all together and apply on dry hair, cover with a shower cap for 1 hour or more.
These prepoos can be left in the hair anywhere from 1 hour to half day and even over night and they condition the hair so that when you shampoo the hair the shampoo takes out the excess oils and conditioners and leaves your natural oils so that the hair is not stripped and left dry.
2)Shampoos: For regular shampoo sessions you would want to use a sulphate free shampoo but once a month or once every 6 weeks please please please clarify your hair to thoroughly with a clarifying shampoo remove product build up and mineral deposits from your pool water or regular tap water. Good sulphate free shampoo, One n only argan oil sulphate free shampoo, Herbal essence has a great clarifying shampoo as well and the Organic Roots stimulator creamy aloe shampoo is a chelating shampoo that works on a deep level than the normal clarifying shampoos and removes everything.
3) Rinse out Conditioners: these 3 minute conditioners do not add anything to your hair they dont add nutrients nothing they are basically acidifiers that work to smooth your hair cuticles and easy the detangling process so naturals especially should not detangle on dry hair but when the hair has been fully saturated with conditioner and divided into sections. My favourite ones: Aussie moist and Aussie cleanse and mend, Tresemme naturals and curl hydration, Herbal essence Hello hydration.
4)Protein Treatments: These work to strengthen the internal structure of the hair shaft however they leave the hair feeling hard, most times and brittle. The must immediately be followed by a deep moisturising treatment to bring back elasticity to the hair and prevent the hair from becoming brittle and breaking. Some good choices of protein treatments are: IC Fanatasia Reconstructor, One n only argan oil restorative mask, Hair Chemist Macadamia oil Deep Recovery hair masque.
5)Deep Moisturising Conditioning Treatment: As explained above they are ti be used after a protein treatment but also can be used when you dont have to do a protein treatment to nourish and moisturise the hair as needed. Some great choices includes: Neutrogena Triple Moisture deep recovery hair mask, one n only hydrating hair mask, IC Fanatasia deep moisturising treatment.
After this washing process it is best to use a clean old t-shirt to absorb the excess water as the normal terry towels aid in the development of frizz. Spritz the hair after with a mixture of glycerine and rosewater, or glycerin and distilled water, as you progress you may desire to add some of your leave in conditioner to this or even a tsp of carrier oil as well...your choice just make sire when you do you use it out in a week of add a preservative.
6)Leave In Conditioners: These are used to moisturise the hair and the first ingredient on any good conditioner or moisturiser must be water or aloe vera juice. OILS AND BUTTER OR OIL AND BUTTER MIXES DO NOT AND CANNOT MOISTURISE. Water moisturises some oils can penetrate the hair to aid in moisture retention but not properly moisturise. Some good ones: African Pride Olive miracle or shea moisture leave in, Parneavu t-tree growth creme, Soft sheen carson daily humectant lotion and finishing lotion, beautiful textures leave ins, kinky curly knot today, Giovanni direct leave in.
After this step you should seal in the moisture with a carrier oil or a little bit of butter.
Most of the products listed and mentioned here can be sourced at pennywise and the your local supermarket as well as your health food store or eco truffles online. Again to reiterate this is a basic regime that can be used as a foundation upon which you tailor and create one specific to your hair needs and should be used to give you some guidance as you navigate your journey to healthy hair.
This regime is just your basic regime and the products mentioned here can be substituted for other products that you know works for you in this same capacity just as well, this document is just to act as a guide to help persons build their own regime and to tailor it based on the needs of their own hair, its not complex and quite simple to say the least.