Banana Deep Conditioner Results!

My hair feels really soft!!! I don't have a great amount of curl definition, but I kind of like my hair that way anyway. Conclusion? I'll definately be doing this treatment again!

Homemade Banana Deep Conditioning Treatment

I came across this article on Beyond Black and White, and it inspired me to get in the kitchen and concoct my own homemade deep conditioning treatment. I chose to do the Banana Treatment because it was the only one in the list that I already had all of the ingredients for :). However, I did tweak the ingredients just a bit.

My Mixture

1 and 1/2 Banana (sliced)
5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil
1/2 cup water
A dash of Vegetable Glycerin and Aloe Vera Gel

I blended that bod boy together (if you don't blend there tends to be lots of banana chunks). The resulting mixture was very liquidy, but I stuck it in the fridge over night and here is my result!

It looks a lot more liquidy than it actually is. Check out that consistency:

Pretty thick! So prior to putting the banana condish on my hair, I warmed my trusty oil bottle in a bowl of hot water until it was warm. I then used the nozzle to properly oil my scalp which led to a relaxing scalp massage.

I then shampooed my hair using Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Shampoo. I hate using a towel, so I blotted my hair dry with an old t-shirt to remove excess water afterwards. I usually wash/ condition my hair in twists for several reasons.

1. My hair just doesn't feel the same if I try to wash/condition it with a regular fro. My hair doesn't feel as moisturized.
2. I want to get my scalp really clean, so twists allow me to shampoo my scalp, not my actual hair.

After my pre poo and shampoo, it's time to get to work!

I added conditioner to each twists by untwisting and then coating the strand in banana-y goodness.

And here's how they looked when I finished each strand.

Now I'm going to wait 30 mins to wash it out and then I plan on conditioning one last time with my staple cheapie V05 Moisture Milk Strawberries and Cream. Yum!

Result pics will be coming soon!

Hair Challenge

My hair has grown a lot over my year of being natural but I feel like I'm ready to take it to the next level. Maybe you'll join me?

I've decided to give myself a hair challenge in an attempt to achieve healthy, shiny, bouncy locs. And yes, I hope this will help it grow a little longer in the process. I understand that hair shininess and length is in part genetic, but there are things all curlies can do to make their hair the best it an be.

My Luscious Locs Challenge

I plan to:

• drink water with every meal (sorry cherry coke, you are no longer my staple)
• do a scalp massage every night
• eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal
• wash/ deep condition weekly

I know other hair challenges include taking a daily vitamin or exercise, but I'm trying to be as realistic as possible (baby steps my friends) and I know those don't jive with my life style.

So what about you? Are there any hair challenges you've tried or would like to?

Length Retention and Protective Styling

Sighs.

I am in love with my hair, curlies, but I've come to the realization that I'm kind of the abusive boyfriend in this analogy. I'm nice and gentle with her. I treat her to deep conditioning dates and deep scalp massages. But every now and then I get frustrated and I start to abuse her. I fall asleep without twisting her ( a big no no for me it gets really tangled) or instead of slowly untwisting my twists from the bottom up, I rip them apart from the top down. (And yes sometimes I even hear that sickening RIIIIIP!)

So today is the day where I'm making a public declaration of love to my hair in hopes that she'll forgive me and give me another chance.

From now on, I vow to:

1. Treat my hair to yummy deep conditioning treatments on a regular basis.
2. not be lazy and co-wash daily or at the most every other day (she is happiest when I do this)
3. Seal and Untwist my ends with oil dipped finger tips
4. More Scalp Massages
5.No more ripping my twists apart in the morning! I will be more gentle!
6. To do more protective styling/ low manipulation


I have a problem with protective styling. The problem is I don't really do it unless I have some form of weave in. My hair isn't long enough and is too thick anyways for a pony tail or bun or any other style that I've seen where you can tuck the ends of your hair away. So I'm more of a low manipulation style girl. But sometimes I forget the "low manipulation" part of the style and I constantly twist/'un twist my hair. As a result I only see lots of hair growth/length retention after a long period of wearing weave. Which sucks.

So I researched some styles that are great for protecting the hair. Unfortunately they seem to include:

• Buns (which I can't do yet)
• Twists (Which I am doing and don't seem to be working)
• Flat twists (Ditto)
• Weaves

Ahhh! Any advice? What is your choice protective style or some of the vows you've made to your lovely locks?

:P

My Chunkier Twist Out Results

I said in an earlier post that I wanted to do a twist out with bigger chunks o hair so that my resulting hair do would be less defined and more fluffy. So here is the result!

Sorry for the bathroom pics lol. I get the best lighting in their tho!

For my chunky twist out I didn't add any more product onto my hair because it was already pretty moisturized. I never really part my hair I just grab chunks and twist. I've been flat twisting the front of my hair to one side to make a kind of part and to keep certain strands from sticking straight up as my hair is sometimes prone to do.

At night I have a satin scarf I wrap around my head (just to keep the twists from sticking up all weird in the morning) and in the morning I just spray my hair lightly with my leave in concoction for a boost of moisture.

And voila! Chunky Twist Out! By far my favorite style thus far.

What are some of your favorite natural styles?

:P



The Differences in Natural Oils

Picture By: netsnake

While reading different natural hair care blogs and websites you might notice that each writer or subscriber has different preferences of oil. Some praise coconut oil, others olive or argon. The reality is that all of these oils are great sealants (oil is NOT a moisturizer!) for natural hair. But there are little differences about these oils that may be helpful to some new or even veteran curlies.

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (commonly referred to as EVOO) is the mega oil. You will hear a lot of positive things about it on various blogs because it can do so much!

Consistency:

This oil is heavier in consistency than other oils, so heavy handed people beware. A little really goes a long way, so don't be tempted to use too much while sealing or styling. This is also another benefit of olive oil. Using a little each time you do your hair will make it last a long time. I'm all about saving money.

Benefits:

Like I said, it is the mega oil. EVOO seals in moisture, is great when added to deep conditioners (or on its own for a hot oil treatment) and it both prevents split ends and improves the strength of the hair. Conditioning? Strengthens? What does that equal? Hair Growth Babeh.

2. Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is another favorite in the natural community. Beware that all coconut oil is not created equal. The best kinds are usually more expensive and it is best to get it online or from a health food store. And don't fall for cheap products in the hair stores with a huge Coconut Oil label on the front. Read the ingredients. It's 90% petroleum and fragrance. Not the best quality.

Consistency:

Coconut Oil is kinda weird because it is solid at room temperature, but when melted slightly, it is a very light oil. A little goes a long way with this oil and the lightness prevents it from weighing down you hair when used in moderation. Because this product is solid at room temperature, some naturals find it easier to use for sealing/stylig and for deep conditioning treatments since it is not as messy as oils in their liquid form.

Benefits:

Coconut oil smells better than most oils naturals use on their hair. This may not be a big thing for some, but others prefer a sweet smelling oil over the not so sweet smell of others. It also is great for dry hair because it conditions and penetrates the hair shaft well. It is also another oil that strengthens the hair which means less breakage/split ends.

3. Grapeseed Oil

Now this oil is my personal favorite on the list. I used this oil to seal my freshly conditioned hair along with my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. The result was ridiculous moisture. My hair felt better than it had my entire natural life.

Consistency:

Light. This oil is super light and you only need a little to properly sel your hair.

Benefits:

There are many benefits of grape seed oil use. The first is that is is odorless, so if you don't like the smell of olive or coconut oil, then grapeseed oil is a smart alternative. This oil works as a heat protectant for naturals who may blowdry or flat iron their hair from time to time. The hair shaft absorbs grape seed oil much faster than heavier oils and is great for deep conditioning or hot oil treatments. It strengthens, adds shine, and once again- it is good for hair growth.

I will do a part two of this post soon because that is all I have time to do now. (I've got stacks on stack of homework lol). But what are some of your favorite oils curlies?

Much Love :)

Transitioning Styles

This one is for my lovely suite mate Shanice who is currently transitioning from relaxed to natural and is having some trouble with styling.

But first!!! Some back ground information.


Transitioning in the natural community is a term often used to describe the process of growing out one's permed hair and cutting it gradually rather than cutting their hair off all at once.

This process can be difficult for a lot of naturals because the line at which the permed hair and new natural hair meet is a very fragile area and there can be lots of breakage as a result.

With that being said it's difficult to find hairstyles that will both protect the transitioning hair from breakage as well as make the two textures blend and look uniform since half the hair is curly while the other is straight.

1. Cornrows

This transitioning style is a good one since cornrows usually allows for hair protection and both textures are able to work with this hairstyle. A word of caution goes with this hair style choice. If the cornrows are done too tightly, then it can do more harm than good. Also some naturals may not like how cornrows look on them.

2.Bantu Knots

This is a good style for both transitioning and current naturals since it allows the ends of our hair to be tucked away which will reduce breakage. Some naturals have and easier time with this than others and the ability to do this depends on hair length (if I'm wrong feel free to correct me). But the style is cute and unique if done right, and you can even do a Bantu knot out, which is like a twist out, but the resulting curl is different and much looser.

3. Weaves!!!!!!!
Lol a lot of naturals go for this option when transitioning because there are so many different options to go with. You can do sew ins or microbraids (though be cautious of tight braiding and edge breakage) or boxbraids- any kind of weave style you can think of. This style choice can be good, since the ends are hidden and therefore protected, which reduces breakage. I would advise you to do your research before you get anything done. I'm not only talking about making sure your hairdresser is certified but also finding out the best ways to care for your natural or transitioning hair while it is in this style as far as washing, conditioning, and maintaining the look.


What are your favorite transitioning styles?

Money Saving Tips for the Frugal College Curly

Me dabbling in photography

I've written articles before about how to save money on college textbooks. But this blog isn't just for curlies in college, but for curlies who need to save a buck as well lol.

I know al ot of people are turned off by the idea of natural hair because they feel it is too expensive and taking care of straighter hair is just less work/time/effort/money. But curly veterans know that this simply isn't true. Please don't fall for the sites that tell you that individuals with natural hair can only use the most expensive products. Natural hair can be just as happy and healthy with these simple tips.

1. Buy the cheapie products.

I know different naturals like different things. Some like super thick conditioners others don't care. Some only want sulfate free shampoos while others prefer to co-wash. Whatever your preference I'm sure you can find a cheap product that will float your boat. Here is a list of some curly favorites for cheap shampoos/conditioners that get the job done:

Herbal Essence's Hello Hydration Shampoo

Herbal Essence's Hello Hydration Conditioner

Aussie Moist Conditioner

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner

VO5 Moisture Milk Strawberries and Cream

Trader Joe's Refresh Citrus Shampoo

2. Another tip on how to stretch a dollar is to stretch your amount of product. You can always add natural oils or honey to your conditioners in order to make them last a little longer. These items also give your products an extra boost so that although cheap, they'll still work great. Just be sure to use oils that will actually penetrate your hair shaft. Some examples of these are:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

Grapeseed Oil

Jojoba Oil

3. My third and final tip is to DIY. Do it yourself.  I know plenty of women in the african american community who spend hundreds of dollars on their hair. I understand that juggling jobs, children, and alone time can be taxing and some people do not posses the skill needed to deal with their own hair. It just seems so much easier to have somebody else do it. But it never hurts to try. Try doing something new or different to your hair. You might surprise yourself with what you can actually accomplish on your own.

I also know some people worry about 'messing their hair up'. But I've found that doing your own hair allows you to figure out what your hair likes, which in turn will even help you communicate with your hairdresser better about what you need.

Yarn Braid Tutorial...Kinda

So I just finished doing my older sister's yarn braids so I thought this time I'd post some pics to show how I did it and what I used.

For this job we used both black and dark brown acrylic yarn.  Some brands of black yarn becomes a dark blue or purple color once its washed. So we used Red Heart Super Saver brand because it's a lot of yarn and other hair blogs say this yarn retains color best after being washed.

We tied a single strong of each color yarn on to a leg of a chair and since she wanted her braids to be long, we wrapped the yarn around all four legs of the chair. If you want shorter braids, you can wrap the yarn over just two or three of the chair legs. Once we  had a good amount of wrapped yarn, we cut the yarn.

Before braiding, I would part her hair and fold two or three strands of the yarn in half. Then I braid it into her hair just like one would do for any type of single strand braid such as box and micro braids. Here is an example of some braids once I did a few.

In this next picture, I'm showing you how much of her hair I'm putting in each braid.

Before braiding the yarn into her hair, I'd spray the yarn with my special leave in conditioning mix. In this bottle is a combination of mostly water, glycerin, dollar conditioner and grape seed oil.

 At the end of each braid, I double knotted the end, and my sister would burn the end with a lighter before cutting the excess yarn off.

And here's the finished product!

Stay Curly!!!! :)

How I Retain Moisture

As curlies, we all know moisture is extremely important for our hair. But in the past I've had major problems with actually keeping the moisture in my hair.

At first, I had the same mentality as many newly naturals have: that water is the enemy. I grew up thinking this for SO long since I dreaded washing my hair once I got a perm because it'd no longer be sleek and straight. But through reading various hair blogs and watching YouTube videos, I realized:

• Water is the only real moisturizer for you hair.

I used to try and pile oil and cream based products on these curls and the results were semi moisture but then it'd be sooooo dry. Then I thought I'd learned a little thing or two about sealing my hair. So I'd wet it and then seal it with some form of oil. Which worked for awhile, and I understand may work for some people. But my hair would STILL be dry after a while. I was beginning to think that I just had freakishly dry hair  before I discovered the best possible way to seal my hair.

• The best way to seal in moisture is to wet the hair with water, apply a cream based moisturizer or leave in conditioner while damp, then seal with oil.

I discovered this method by accident (I was just fooling around with my hair products but when I woke up the next morning with shiny, moisturized locks I KNEW) and a post on another blog I like confirmed that this method is a must, well along with the usual tips such as:

• Sleeping with a silk scarf/pillow so moisture won't get sucked out of out hair.
• Low or no heat styling
• Protective Styling

But I also found another tip that helps my hair stay moisturized: No towel drying. I'm not sure which blog I read this tip from, but instead of using towels that are designed to soak up moisture (and can ultimately make our hair too dry). Naturals and other with dry hair also have the option of using an old t-shirt. It has the same effect (they both soak up access moisture) but the t-shirt method doesn't dry your hair out completely.

Well I've talked entirely too much already!!!

Stay Curly!!

Miracle Worker!

I've finally mastered my frizzy hair! And the solution was right there in my face (or rather on my shelf) the entire time. I'd forgotten all about my Hawaiian Silky 14-n-1 Miracle Worker which is kind of sad. Am I really such a product junkie that I forget what products I already have? The answer is yes, and for that very reason I vow not to buy another hair product just because it's new and everybody else says its great. I have my staples and I intend to stick with them!

Heat vs. Hair

[source]

It's summer time! Which means intense heat on your precious locks. I know the South Carolina heat is heinous and it's humid. So my hair gets frizzy and dry and very crazy looking. So here are some tips I've picked up on how to care for my hair when the heat is unbearable. 

1.Limit your use of heat styling tools. 

I personally haven't had a flat iron in my hair for a real long while, but I know some curlies love having the straight look every now and then. But in the summer, it is especially important to limit the heat on your fragile curls. After all, the sun will do enough damage. Heat on top of heat will do more harm than good since it dries hair out.

2. Stay hydrated! Inside and out.

It's important to keep your hair as well as yourself hydrated during the summer. Be sure to drink plenty of water and keep that hair hydrated with cold co washes for conditioning as well as a good leave in conditioner!

3. Protect your hair!

You can do this by wearing hats to keep the sun from heating your hair directly. What also might help would be to invest in a good leave in conditioner that helps protect your hair against heat damage and humidity.

4. Do More Co-washes!

It's no secret that some shampoos dry out your hair. So  in the summertime another helpful tip would be to do less shampoo washes and more co-washes. Co-washes will not leave your hair feeling stripped like shampoo would and your hair will thank you for the extra boost of moisture. :)

That's all the tips I have for you curlies! Are there any other healthy summer hair tips you use? Fell free to let me know!

Also, Curly Nikki wrote something interesting about hair sealants as well as how where you live affects what kind of heat your hair has to fight against, whether it is dry heat or humidity, and she also explained how different types of heat call for different types of hair products. I'm not going to be as good at explaining it as she is, but you can check it out for yourself here.

Stay Beautiful Curlies :)

Things I Swear By

Here are a few hair tips that I use in my daily routine that I find really helpful for maximum moisture and length retention!


1. No Heat.

I don't put any heat on my hair. Even after I wash it, I never touch a hair dryer. To accomplish this I usually try to  co wash my hair on days where I know I won't have anywhere to go or else I just co wash at night and allow it to air dry over night.

2. No Towels

To get rid of excess water after a wash, I never use a towel. I've found that regular towels dry my hair out and I've read several blogs that state using towels to rub hair dry can cause breakage. Ah! To remedy this I use an old t-shirt to blot my hair and then I allow my hair to air dry.

3. Co Washing in Twists

I very rarely wash my hair without putting it in twists first. I even shampoo in twists to ensure I'm cleansing my scalp well and not just my actual hair.  I'm not exactly sure why this method works for me. Some bloggers state that this method helps their hair grow. I believe that low manipulation allows for this method to thrive. When I co-wash in twists, I leave them in once I rinse and air dry, so I'm not constantly touching my hair and soaking up the moisture. This method also makes my hair feel more moisturized than usual for some reason. There's not a lot of talk about this on the internet, so I guess further research is needed on my part to find out why this really works.

4. Checking Product Labels

This is something serious. I never looked at product labels prior to becoming curly. I never even knew what products to avoid and which to really go for. I just went with whatever sounded healthy and smelled good. This led to many bad product decisions, and I can't stress enough the importance of checking your labels, especially now.

The natural movement is definitely catching, and now there are a lot more products out their nor curly girls and guys. But there are a lot of impersonators as well who claim to have products good for natural hair, while still being just as harmful as the others.

That is why it's important to check at least the first five ingredients in whatever it is you're buying. If the first five are all good, natural ingredients such as: water, glycerin or any kind of natural oil,  then it is a good natural hair car product. But if the first ingredients are mineral oil, petroleum, or any kind of cone or sulfate, I'd advise you to stay away. That's not to say they won't work for your hair. I say don't fall for all the hype and horror stories of cones and sulfates. If it works for your hair then congrats to you! But for a lot of naturals, they are a big no-no.

What are your healthy hair tips?

Stay Curly (:

Moisture Matters

Picture by: Evgeni Dinev

My hair get crazy dry if I don't keep it properly moisturized. I've had a very hard time trying to figure out what routine will make and KEEP Rosy (my lovely hair) well moisturized and non frizzy. Here are a few tips I've picked up from the CG world.

1. Water is the best moisturizer!

     

   When I first began my natural hair care journey, I still carried on old feelings about putting water on my hair. Back when I had a perm, water was the enemy, and just a small splash would cause my hair to poof up- NOT the look I wanted! Washing my hair would always be followed by the flat iron to make sure my roots stayed DOWN. 

Unfortunately, I carried this belief over to my natural hair care system, and I believed water would just give me a poofy frizzy mess. I would only put creme based products and oil on my hair in an attempt to keep it moisturized, all the while wondering why my hair wouldn't stay that way for long.

 Through my research I discovered that oils and cremes do NOT add moisture. They are supposed to be used to SEAL IN moisture. Water is really the only way to moisturize your hair, and my hair loves it. I now rinse my hair daily just to make sure she gets enough!

2. Sealing in moisture is important!

    This one kind of goes hand in hand with my first tip. If you put moisture into your hair, you must be sure to seal it in! The best sealants are olive, coconut, or jojoba oils. There are also others that are good for sealing in moisture if you don't mind the research. :)

3. Protect your hair!

   From everything! This includes harsh conditions such as heat or rough winds as well as rough or cottony materials. The best way to protect your hair weekly is doing a weekly deep conditioning treatment. I also avoid blow drying my hair to minimize the amount of heat she has to endure. Towels and cotton pillows or hats are a no no for my hair. Towels are really rough on my hair, and cause more breakage than necessary. To avoid this, I usually wash my hair before bed and let it air dry over night. Cotton pillows or hats can soak the moisture right out of you hair! So to prevent this, use a satin/silk cap or pillow at night, and if I wear a cute knitted hat, I always stick my satin cap on my head first to avoid dryness or the harsh fabric rubbing against my hair and causing breakage!

These are just a few tips I found that really helped my hair. For another helpful article, you can always click here. 

Stay Curly!! :)

Dry Hair Dilemma

My natural hair care journey started in the fall, meaning that this week when the hotter temperatures finally started to come in, I had no idea how my hair would react.

Now I know. And it is a big problem.

My hair HATES the heat. I've been a dry, frizzy mess for a couple of days now. I've been searching all my favorite sites to try and find some help, but I couldn't really find a lot on this subject.

So how do I deal with my hair in the heat?