MY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS PART I: FIFTY SHADES TRILOGY

“What! Are you kidding me? Wow! Thank you. Come here, let me hug you.” Those were the words that came out of my mouth after receiving fifty shades of grey, fifty shades darker, and fifty shades freed from my sister-in-law. I am probably the only woman in America who has not read these books yet, but I have them now, and I am going to start reading today.

My Thrifty finds: Multiple Strands Necklaces

   
                                                                  Price: $3.99

                                                                     Price: $4.99

Six Great Oils For Natural or Chemically Treated Hair

Natural Oils are a significant and necessary part of healthy hair care they have a variety of benefits and are so important to hair growth because they provide the slip and protection our hair needs to maintain its moisture and prevent breakage.  Oils can be categorized in many ways but for the purpose of this article the two categories used will be Penetrating oils and Coating oils.

Penetrating Oils – Put simply penetrating oils are oils that have the ability to enter the cortex of the hair shaft

1. Coconut Oil – Once coconut oil enters the hair shaft it actually has the ability to patch and protect the hair from the inside out. It is light in weight and non greasy and one of the highest recommended oil for promoting healthy hair. It’s an excellent conditioner, helps prevent dandruff and is wonderful for scalp massages. Refined or unrefined coconut oil acts as an excellent moisturizer. I like to use the Lou Ana All Natural Coconut Oil it is refined, but it works great for my hair.

2. Olive Oil – A light oil that also penetrates the hair shaft. Main benefits include sealing, reducing split ends, strengthening hair from the inside out, and conditioning. Olive oil can be added to shampoo to protect the hair from getting stripped it is also great as a pre conditioning treatment before shampoo (prepoo). I personally love to use EVOO in my deep conditioning treatment, and in my leave-in mixture. I use either Member’s Mark Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Pampa Pure Soybean & Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Dollar Tree.

3. Avocado Oil – Comprised of beneficial nutrients such as vitamin A, E and D, protein, copper, magnesium, iron, folic acid, and amino acids. All these nutrients are vital for hair growth and health; it also conditions the hair and helps with moisture retention. Avocado oil is also a great addition to deep conditioning treatments, I love to use the Olivado: Extra Virgin Avocado Oil which works great.

Coating Oils– These oils Do not have the ability to penetrate the hair shaft, however they sit just outside and ‘seal’ whatever the shaft has in it, this could be water or hydrolyzed protein. These oils are high in polyunsaturated fats which cannot be absorbed by the hair shaft

4. Castor Oil – This is heavy oil that is one of the best sealants because of its structure. It conditions the hair giving it the strength and resilience it needs to stand up to daily care. It promotes hair growth, moisturizes the hair, hair appears thicker with consistent use, and helps tames frizz.

5. Grape Seed oil – Also known as a carrier oil for other essential oils, in other words you can add any strong essential oil that may need to be diluted to grape seed oil. Grape Seed Oil is used to nourish the scalp, prevent against dandruff, it contains Vitamin E and linoleic acid and can also be used as a natural heat protectant due to its properties.

6. Jojoba Oil– the structure of jojoba oil is the closest to the makeup of the sebum that is naturally produced from the scalp. This makes the oil highly superior for nourishing the scalp; it has anti bacterial properties which keeps the scalp and hair healthy.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil Before and After Pictures

JULY 2012 link

DEC. 2012

         This is a quick hair update. I have been using Jamaican Black Castor oil since the beginning of my journey (June 25). It’s been six months now, and the above pictures show the results.

Thanks for reading my blog🙂





Is That Your Hair?

Previously taken picture with my wig on.

        Let me tell you ladies what happened on Christmas day. It was all set for us to leave the house at 4:00 PM on Christmas day. Dinner was at my brother-in-law’s house. So we decided that we would leave the house at four, spend a little time with my brother who had surgery the day before, and also distribute presents to his children. It was around 3:00 PM when I told my husband that I had to go do my hair. His response was, “That means we will never leave the house.” So I went upstairs, spent an hour doing my hair and getting the right clothes to wear. When I finally went downstairs all wigged up to do my makeup, my husband’s question was,  “Is that your hair?” I was shocked.

My natural hair a month ago

        Is that a bad thing that my own husband does not know what my real hair looks like? Has he been paying attention to me at all? I had braided my own hair the night before and I thought that he saw it. Does he think that I can do magic? Can I really turn my 4/c hair into this soft, straight hair in less than an hour?  Was he trying to tell me something? Maybe he was thinking that I look better with the wig on. If that is the case, I guess I will be wigging on until I can get the courage to straighten my hair.

Christmas Is All About Jesus

       I want everybody to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, not you! Christmas is about Jesus’ birthday so don’t get mad if you don’t get a present. Christmas is about giving because God sent his only son to die for us on the Cross. HE gave us Jesus who died for our sins. You give as a reminder of what God did for us, not what you want people do for you. With that said, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

Has Anybody Seen Nicki Minaj’s Real Hair?

It’s hard for me to believe it because I cannot see her face on the picture. It could be anybody else’ hair. But if it is, I am happy for her. Some people are already talking about her making an appearance with her natural hair. Will she be Nicki Minaj without the colorful wigs? I don’t know!
Do you believe it’s her real natural hair?

Organic Homemade Gel For Natural Hair

This one is for the Naturalistas on a budget. Share your homemade product tips if you have any!

10 Great & Affordable Products for Natural Hair

TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray 8 fl oz (236 ml) Tresemme $6.75

Creme of Nature Leave-In Creme Conditioner for Dehydrated Hair, Lemongrass & Rosemary, 8.45 oz. Creme of Nature $9.82

Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner, Weightless moisture conditioner 8.5 fl oz Bottle Giovanni Cosmetics, Inc. $6.84

African Shea Butter raw unrefined 1 poud (100% Pure & White) SAAQIN® $4.00

Nature’s Way Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 Ounce Nature’s Way $11.99

Eco Styler Styling Gel 5 Lb. Olive Oil Eco Styler $9.24

Luster’s S-Curl Activator/Moisturizer 16 oz. Lusters $6.90

Organic Root Stimulator Conditioner, Replenishing, Olive Oil, 12.25 oz. Organic Root Stimulator $8.39

Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil, 4 Ounce $7.00

Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise Treatment, 16 Ounce Organic R/S $9.37

This is a short list as I know that there are other great hair products out there. I was reading a list on Essence.com last night, it surprised me because most the products were $16 and up, with the exception of one of them that was $4.99. These products are great. Some of them have been part of my regimen even before I started my natural hair journey. Please share your list with us. Like they say, “It does not hurt to try.”

6 Ways to Stop Hair Shedding Naturally

Shedding 50-100 hair strands a day is normal, but shedding caused by stress, pregnancy, medications, or hair products can be excessive and may result in baldness or alopecia. Below are six ways you can stop shedding naturally.

1. 100% Aloe Vera Juice. Pour 1 cup in a spray bottle. Spray your scalp 2-3 times a week to add moisture to your scalp. Do not rinse. Store the remaining in the fridge. This is good for shedding caused by dandruff/dry scalp. 
2. 100% Black Tea ( no flavor = antioxidants). Add 4 tea bags to 16 Oz. of hot water. Let it cool off. Rinse your scalp with the tea after you condition/deep condition your hair.
3. 100% coffee. Coffee is a great antioxidants. Any coffee is fine. I prefer regular coffee. Let the coffee cool off. Apply it to your scalp before putting your deep conditioner. Cover your hair with a plastic cap, and let both products sit on your hair for 15-20 minutes. Rinse and style as usual. 
4. 100% pure castor oil is also great. Grease your scalp 3 times a week to remove toxins from your scalp.
5. Avoid shampoo. Some shampoos are cheap because they are made with cheap concentrated products like Sodium Laureth Sulfate. They can dry up your scalp and cause excessive shedding. 
6. Raw garlic. Garlic promotes hair circulation. Chop two fresh garlic gloves , add it to 1/4 extra virgin olive oil, or jojoba oil. Let it sit for 1 week in an applicator bottle. Apply it to your hair 2-3 times a week. You can also do a hot oil treatment with the mixture if you want overnight results. Just heat it up in the microwave, apply it to your hair, put a plastic cap on, and sit under the dryer for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse well. That will also promote hair growth.

Add your recipe or ingredients to our list if you have any suggestions.  Thanks for your comments and participation!