Vintage Post: Hair Reversion

My hair after my co-wash and before bentonite clay. I co-washed, because bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar clarify the hair.In my third installment, check out the before and after.  (Make note of my different curl textures and shrinkage.)

It's no secret. I straighten my hair.  I'm aware of the dangers, but hair is an accessory to me. I take caution and I don't overdo it.  I've been checking out a lot of YouTube videos about straightening hair, heat damage, and I realized that there are quite a few things I'm doing right:

• At night, I use coconut oil to do pin curls or wrap my hair. Coconut oil lays the cuticles down and results in a nice, smooth finish.  (Much better option than running the flat iron through your hair again. I only do that in emergency situations.)
• I pre-poo with coconut oil -- either overnight or 20-30 minutes prior to shampooing hair.  Last week, I also put some castor oil on my scalp.  Castor oil promotes healthy hair growth, but it is a heavy oil so DON'T rub through your hair.
• I deep condition my hair.  Based upon some videos I've watched, moisture is key to silky, bouncy hair...without the temptation to put too much heat on your hair.
• I don't put heat on my hair that is over 350 degrees.  Otherwise, you may end up with heat damage or alter your curl pattern.  (When I accidentally ran the flat iron through a small section at 400 degrees, I defintely changed the curl pattern. I've been nursing.  I plan on growing it out and cutting it off. LESSON LEARNED.)
• I revert my hair by running water on hair and rubbing my scalp in circles.  My curls revert in this step alone. If any curls look different,  I focus on those areas during the shampoo and condition process
• I clarify my hair after a week of straight hair. I use a lot of cones in my hair, while it is straight.  I make sure I get them out of my hair.
• I exercise caution.  Whether you use heat, color, or relaxer...exercise caution.

Here are some helpful videos I found:





And this video...

I personally don't follow any instructionals to the letter. I incorporate elements that work for me. 

Does anyone else have any tips, suggestions, or cautions?

Vintage Post: Bentonite Clay &Twist-out

If you can recall, I originally wanted to try a henna treatment.  But I recently learned that there are alternatives to henna, with similar results.  After much deliberation, I recognized that a messy, all-day henna treatment was probably not a sustainable hair treatment for an expectant mother.

Benefits of Bentonite Clay:

• Removes dirt, debri, and buildup from hair; draws excess oils to the surface (also great for skin)
• Defines/Enhances curl pattern
• Imparts shine
• Improves detangling
• Nutrients nourish hair
• Mineral Content:
• Silica- 61.4%
• Aluminum- 18.1%
• Iron- 3.5%
• Sodium- 2.3%
• Magnesium- 1.7%
• Calcium- 0.04%
• Titanium- 0.02%
• Potassium- 0.01%
• Moisture- 7.8%
• pH - 8.3 - 9.1   (I mixed it with Apple Cider Vineger, which should bring down the ph.  Hair products should have a ph of 5.5 -7. But I'm not kimmaytube. I don't test the ph of my products.  So don't take my word for it.)

Tips:

• Don't use metal utensils (It draws impurities from metals; the warning is located on the container)
• It should be gray
• Can be purchased from health food stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Vitamin Shoppe. (I purchased mine at Vitamin Shoppe)
• Be careful trying to open container in store to check the color....you may end up with powder all over your black coat like I did.
• Don't let it harden on your hair!  Leave in for 20-30 minutes. If you forget about it and leave it in longer, have fun taking it out. Don't worry. I only left it in for 25 minutes.

This is my hair after reverting and co-washing my hair.

I guesstimated a mixture of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar.  The result should be a yogurt consistency.  Some people use water, oils and/or conditioners in their mix. I decided to keep it simple.

Clay on my hair. How flattering...

Rinsed out and Conditioned.

Flat twists in the front, regular two-strand twists in the back.  Flat twisting gives me pregnancy carpal tunnel.  So no more flat twists until I pop this baby out.

Twist-out results the next day.

Favorite twist-out products:

1. Shea moisture

2. Coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera gel

3. Bee Mine Curly Butter

*Always seal ends with shea butter

*Thus far, I am pleased with the results.  All of the stated benefits were achieved.  I'm sold :-) I plan on doing this treatment once a month. I will keep you updated on the long-term results.

Need a video tutorial?

Check out BlackOnyx.

Has anyone else tried bentonite clay? What did you think?  Does anyone else have any henna alternatives?

Guest Post: Love Me So Naturally

  Today's guest post is from "Love me So Naturally". In her post, she explains natural courage.

Naturally Courageous

Learning to embrace our natural beauty can be challenging. Often times we aspire to be what we see. Well, I have decided to challenge myself. In November of  2010, I decided to join many others on the journey to care for and grow my hair in its natural state. After much research, I learned that a lot of the issues I have faced with growing my hair to its optimal length was a due to the harsh chemicals I used to process my hair. What a relief it was to find out that once I changed the way a handled my hair, my hair would change the way it responded to me.

I know that true change can only come from within. So today, I will walk the journey of loving myself from the inside out. I invite you to join me on this journey.

The journey to put the elements of who I truly am back into me….the journey to become "Naturally Courageous".

As a bonus... check out her henna mix!

Since I have decided to go natural I have treated my hair with Henna almost every four to six weeks. Henna is a natural hair dye which provides a wealth of benefits for strong, healthy hair. Henna is great for completely covering gray hair and lasts much longer then other coloring agents. For various results, Henna may be mixed with other natural coloring agents such as Indigo to achieve your desired look.

My Henna Mix:

100g of Body Art Quality Henna
1/2 cup of conditioner of your choice (My Preference: Say Yes to Carrots! or Herbal Essence Hello Hydration)
1/2 cup of Distilled water
2-3 drops of Peppermint Oil
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil

Mix ingredients to a thick paste and apply evenly throughout the hair. (It is not necessary to wash hair prior to application) Cover hair with a plastic cap or saran wrap for at least three hours. Thoroughly rinse hair free of Henna residue, and style hair as normal.

Though Henna is a great benefit for naturals, it also provides the same benefits for chemically treated hair. However, it is important to use body art quality Henna if your hair is chemically treated.

There are some rare cases of people who have had an allergic reaction to Henna. Thus, prior to using this product I would recommend completing a test patch to verify you do not develop any of the following symptoms:
a tight feeling in the chest, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and dry cough, after exposure to Henna powder or paste.

As with any product, I would recommend that you do extensive research to ensure that the product is right for you.

You can purchase Henna from the following website: http://www.hennaforhair.com/

As always, leave comments, questions, or add suggestions on how you use Henna.

Until next time, Love Me So Naturally!