Bug Off!!!! Effective Naturally Ways To Repel Bugs.

So summer is here , and so are the mosquito's, flies & other little critters. (Gotta love them but...)

We also want to enjoy being outdoors without being eaten alive. I am looking forward to going down south this summer, and i know i am going to need some protection. Being that i refuse to use any chemicals on my skin i look for healthy alternatives.

According to Malia Curran, MS MPH a nutrition and health consultant suggest looking for natural products containing citronella, neem, evergreen and eucalyptus.

as well as taking a B complex vitamins, as well as eating garlic and onions which repel mosquito's.

Also Some things i find helpful are making a blend or using separately essential oils (the oil from a flower, plant, herb etc used for aromatherapy). Not to be confused with synthetic fragrance oils.(which contain no aromatherapy qualities whatsoever).

Lavender oil - (dilute with carrier oil first) lavender is considered to be particularly effective against flies
Citronella oil (dilute with carrier oil first)
Eucalyptus oil (dilute with carrier oil first)
Peppermint oil (dilute with carrier oil first) more effective against mosquitoes but also considered to work against flies)
Lemongrass oil (dilute with carrier oil first)

what i do is make a blend or use separately and saturate a cotton ball and place in the corner of each window day & night.

or i place a couple of drops on the liquid wax of a burning candle.

NOTE* For information on how to make a blend for your skin i would suggest read a book on essential oils, or aromatherapy and how to use them effectively.

Awareness: All Of Us

I know this is my natural hair blog, and i'm expected to constantly talk about hair. But since i have your attention every now and then i want to write a post that is also geared towards us as African American woman of color, and mother earth. So i will call it AWARENESS, and the second post will talk about H.I.V., and how it still affects our community as a whole.

I got the idea after watching a documentary called All of Us, and was curious to know what the statistics were for where i live. And the results are staggering!

According to the City Of New York
Far too many New Yorkers are being infected with HIV and dying of AIDS. We must do better.

"New York City remains the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. More than 100,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV, but thousands don’t know they’re infected. New York City has the highest AIDS case rate in the country, with more AIDS cases than Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington DC combined. HIV is the 3rd leading cause of death below age 65 in New York City. HIV is also the health problem with the largest racial disparity; 80% of new AIDS diagnoses and deaths are among African Americans and Hispanics. Prevention, testing, and treatment programs are being expanded, but more must be done."

I encourage all of my sister's to love yourself first! Protect yourself!, and get tested. Below is a Preview of a Documentary entitled All Of Us.


For more info please visit: http://www.allofusthemovie.com/home.php

Awareness: I Am Because We Are

I know this is my natural hair blog, and I'm expected to constantly talk about hair. But since i have your attention every now and then i want to write a post that is also geared towards us as African American woman of color, and as mother earth. So i will call it AWARENESS, And every Monday I will post a new awareness concern facing our community. This first post will talk about a documentary i saw yesterday entitled I Am Because We Are. It gives a glimpse into Malawi a small country in southeast Africa. It tells the stories of the Malawi Orphans devastated with H.I.V.,A.I.D.S, Poverty, Rape, Kidnapping. You name it these Beautiful children have seen it. Below is a preview, and also the full version. I hope you watch, and your heart, and soul move you to do more in your community, if when you cannot help have way across the world.

Thank you for reading.

Key Key

You can watch I Am Because We Are i it's entirety By pressing the play button below.

please visit: http://www.iambecauseweare.com/

The Wigs "The Colored Museum"

I was so happy to come across this video. It is a excerpt from a play called The Colored Museum" A years ago I played the role of the Afro wig in this very play. I wish someone had recorded it because i was sooooo good. LOL! So just want to share this funny skit.

And What!!!!!

I could not have said this better myself. I love this pic. I wish it was on a t-shirt!

More Natural Hair Update Pics!!!

Things I'm Doing To Maximize Hair Growth

Here are just some of the things I'm doing to maximize my hair growth. Please keep in mind these are things i do for my hair. What works for me may not work for you.

INTERNALLY

Aloe Vera juice: Heals inside out.
Cod liver oil: Omega 3 essential for hair and nail growth
Prenatal Vitamins: Has essential vitamins as well as herbs that are essential for hair growth
Evening Primrose oil: GLA+essential fatty acids.Hair is often very dull looking and dry without enough omega-3 fatty acids in the body, flaxseed oil contains these fatty acids in abundance-the use of these fatty acids will restore life to lifeless hair. The use of supplemental flaxseed oil will also reduce the itching and flaking from the scalp which result in dandruff. This oil can also be very useful in the treatment of eczema and psoriasis affecting the scalp. The scalp and the hair are moisturized by regular topical use of the evening primrose oil as massage oil on the scalp

EXTERNALLY

Oils used

Virgin coconut oil: One of the only oils that actually penetrate the hair strand.

Jojoba oil: One of the only oils that actually resembles our natural sebum.

Shea Butter: (not listed)

ESSENTIAL OILS

Rosemary:dry hair and dandruff as well as itchy scalp, aids i hair growth

Sage oil:It deep cleanses impurities away from the scalp and works well with other herbs to heal scalp problems such as scalp psoriasis and helps with falling or thinning hair.

Ylang-Ylang :

Peppermint:helps to stimulate blood flow to the root of the hair. This helps the hair to receive proper nourishment and to grow correctly

Lavender: soothing the scalp and the hair

UN-NATURAL PRODUCTS I STILL USE

Elasta QP Mango Butter : makes my hair soft

Elasta QP Gel: I like the hold.

Elasta QP DPR 11: One of the best deep moisturizing conditioners I have used (will not give up)

I do add honey, rosemary, and a little coconut oil.

ORS Pack (not listed) Must have.

CONDITIONER

I will use this as long they make it. when i cannot buy Aubrey Organics or one of the other brands for financial reasons. It's inexpensive and does the job. Because it is so thick and doesn't have good slip on it's own I add water, honey,

and a little coconut oil. I still use this as a co-wash as well as a conditioner after shampoo.

TOOLS I USE

Large tooth comb or rake
Natural Boar bristle brush
Tooth brush:to control the hair helping it to lay flat.
Hair clips:to hold hair in place during detangling, conditioner faze.

Also I ..........

Follow a healthy dietary regimen.

Use a mild shampoo to wash my hair at all times.

Use a cotton t-shirt to dry my hair when needed instead of a towel.

Protect my hair from excessive wear and tear and therefore try avoiding contact with harsh chemicals. this can include the chlorine in swimming pools, and the high heat from common blow dryers or the heat of curling irons.

Do a weekly scalp massage as a essential component of my every day life. This will lead to the stimulation of blood flow to the scalp; in addition, it will also help relieve stress-a factor known to contribute to hair loss problems in many people.

Hair Update

Finally a hair update! I know it's been a while nothing since my 6-month hairversary. So here goes. My hair is type 4a/4b So when wet it draws up appearing shorter than what it actually is. But i love it anyway. Taken 5/30/09
Taken 5/30/09
Taken 03/09

I cannot get over how much my hair has grown. Even between the last photo i took which is the picture i used for my main blog photo. I blew it out 1 time last week just to see the length, and i didn't do it bone straight so i know if i had it is def on my shoulder. I am so in love with my natural hair.

And to think this where it all began. Honestly if it wasn't for my niece I think i would have grabbed the creamy crack (relaxer). LOL! But I'm glad i stuck with it, and am continuing to stick with it. I just cant wait until it's grow out more.

Happy Mother's Day

Every day is a mother's day. So to all the Strong, superwoman, who put that S on their chest and struggle, sacrifice, love nurture, and teach the children of this earth. Enjoy this special that like you would any other.

Happy mother's Day!

Key-Key

Master Cleanse

Today I am starting the master cleanse by Stanley Burroughs. I wanted to start it at the beginning of spring but, i decided to do it now.

It consist of a lemonade using lemons, water, and grade b maple syrup as well as cayenne pepper.

A laxitive tea

A salt water flush

I will be doing it for 10 days, and i'm excited (locked in and ready to go)

will let you know how its going.

Def Poetry Jam

Love Like by Shihan

I love poetry, and i came across this video to share.

Blackstrap Molasses

Hey Curly's

Wanted to share what I bought today... drum roll please. I finally purchased some Blackstrap Molasses. Yayyyyy! In case you heard of it, but are not sure exactly what it is. Blackstrap molasses is the the dark liquid byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar.

It is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup and is the concentrated byproduct left over after the sugar's sucrose has been crystallized. it is also a excellent source of manganese and copper, and is a very good source of iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. In addition, blackstrap molasses is a good source of vitamin B6 and selenium.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Blackstrap molasses. I know for centuries it was used for dark hair while honey was used for lighter hair. I cannot wait to make a caramel deep conditioner or pre-poo with it. When I do I will post it? Have any of you ever tried Blackstrap Molasses for your hair?

Make Your Carrier Oils For Your Hair Last Longer

How to make your Carrier oils last longer

Hey Curly's

I purchased some vegetable oils for my hair a while ago, and went to reach for one to make my hair oil and to my surprise it smelled funny. No that was a understatement it was down right funky. LOL! It was rancid or spoiled if you will, and i could have kicked myself because thinking back i remembered i didn't do much to try to extend the life of my precious oils. I mean I paid enough for them why not try to make them last? So i remembered what i learned when i would make my homemade soaps that there are steps you can take to preserve your oils a bit. So here's a little of what I know about it.


Carrier oils (soft oils) by nature are unsaturated fats which mean they go rancid after a period of time. Because they are more receptive to oxygen than saturated fats they oxidize and smell funny.

Because solid oils (hard oils) such as coconut oil, palm oil, or nut butters are saturated fats they do not need to be preserved making their shelf life extremely long.

So to extend the shelf life of your liquid oils, as well as extend the life of soap for all the natural soap makers. it is a good idea to add vitamin E oil to act as a preservative. It is best to use a antioxidant such as a mixed-tocopherol vitamin E for the best benefit.


Vitamin E is composed of many types of tocopherols, such as alpha, gamma, and omega,


Alpha are especially good effective for healing the skin, so as a mixed tocopherol vitamin E your getting the optimum preservative in vitamin E oil.



Rosemary extract is an excellent antioxidant



Grapefruit seed oil is not an antioxidant but it does have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

So you paid your money for those oils and some can be costly so extend the shelf life.

How To Detangle Your Curly Natural Hair.

Do you remember when you were younger, and you never wanted your hair combed, because it hurt so muchhhh? You cried, you sobbed possibly got hit with the comb because you just couldnt sit still. Well thank goodness those days are gone. If only mama knew what we know now.

Saying Goodye to Snap-Crackle & Pop
*One thing all natural curly's need to know is never, ever try to detangle or comb through natural hair while it's dry.
*Never, ever start combing the hair from the roots.

What you will need.
-Hair clips (depending on length of hair)
-Detangler of choice (i use a home made mixture)
-Wide tooth comb ( i use a large rake comb)
-Or detangling brush (A lot of curly use a denman brush there are others also).
-Also with longer hair in addition to brush or comb utilize your fingers.


When using a water & glycerin mixture, (also used as a moisturizer)
or a hair detangler.

Step 1 Spray on hair working throughout.
Step 2 Begin detangling at the ends first working up towards the scalp until hair is fully untangled.


When using a conditioner (used during co-wash or as a conditioner)
make sure hair is wet first

Step 1. Section hair and clip. (detangling 1 section at a time)
Step 2. Spray hair with water
Step 3. Spray on or apply the detangler of your choice
Step 4. massage in well
step 5. *start detangling at the ends first working up to the scalp
then place back in clips. clip back up

TIPS
While rinsing your hair, after detangling it, do not wash out all of the conditioner. Leave some of the conditioner in the hair, as it would protect your hair until the next wash.

Moisturizing Your Kinky,Curly,Coily Natural Hair

Do Oils & Butters = Moisturizing?


I remember as a child running to go get the comb, brush, and a jar of grease either Vaseline or Dax because it was time to get my hair done. And it seemed no matter how much was slathered on my hair the combing process was so excruciating, and I was told "your soooo tender headed"
Oh sure water was occasionally sprayed on the hair, and the grease helped some. Well my hair got done but there should have been a better way.

Why Mineral oil is not the best for your natural hair.
Yes Mama and big big Mama used it as well as many other folk, but mostly because it's cheap. If we could have afforded to buy nut oils and butters and if they were readily available I'm sure we would have. But we have always had to work with whatever we had. hence the use of Vaseline, mineral oil, and petrolatum for everything. But this should make you think twice.

Mineral oil is a derivative of crude oil (petroleum) that is used industrially as a cutting fluid and lubricating oil. This commonly used petroleum ingredient coats the skin and hair just like plastic wrap. The skin's natural barrier is disrupted as this plastic coating inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb moisture and nutrition. The skin's ability to release toxins and wastes is impossible through this "plastic wrap," which can promote acne and other disorders. It further hinders normal skin respiration/transpiration by keeping oxygen out. This process slows down skin function and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age. Petrolatum - A petroleum-based grease that is used industrially as a grease component. Petrolatum exhibits many of the same potentially harmful properties as mineral oil. Just know it cost more money to dispose of this oil then to sell cheaply to manufactures that use it in cheap bath and body products.

Moisturizing
The first step in moisturizing the hair is WATER. Water has to be present but, water evaporates too quickly so something more is needed.

This is where EMOLLIENTS come in which are oils & butters.
vegetable,(corn) ex
fruit(olive) ex
nut (sweet almond) ex
seed (sesame) ex
butters (cocoa,Shea) etc.
These emollients work with water to help seal in moisture.
Other natural emollients include jojoba oil (which is considered a wax more than a oil), rosehip seed oil, and avocado oil

Now we need a bridge between the water and the oil.

These are known as HUMECTANTS.
Humectants by definition are substances that are added or applied to another to help it to retain moisture such as glycerin.

Glycerin is a colorless orderless sweet syrupy liquid, and is a natural by-product of soap. It can come from vegetable fat or animal fat.(vegetable is best) Glycerin acts as a humectant, drawing moisture from the air , and holding it to the skin or hair. This makes it emollient and moisturizing. It is also a form of alcohol. A lot of naturals use the infamous glycerin and water mixture for detangling and as a moisturizer and it works wonders for them.


Other natural humectants are used in most hair care products include honey, Lecithin, Panethol (pro vitamin .B5), and vitamin E (mixed tocopherol)

When it comes to moisturizing your tresses these are three things that be included in your moisturizers. as well as any other plant extracts, essential oils etc

So whats in my water bottle you ask?
Spring water
honey
Vitamin E
EPO Evening primrose oil
jojoba
sweet almond
safflower
black Castor oil

Tools Every Natural Curl Should Not Be Without

These are a few of my favorite things.
When first starting out they make things a heck of alot easier.




Large tooth comb

Bobby pins

Hair clips

Spray bottle

Head bands

Ouchess bands

any cute barrettes

Silk or satin scarf/bonnet

My Hair Regimen

My hair regimen is pretty much basic to me, at least i don't think i do too much. :)

Ok here goes



Pre-Poo: .................... 1x week ....................Friday

Shampoo: .................. 1x week ....................Saturday

Deep-Condition: ....... 1x week ....................Saturday & after protien & clarify

Co-Wash: ................... 1x week ....................Wed

Protein Condish......... 2x Month ..................1st &t 3rd week

Clarify .........................2x Month .................. 1st & 3rd week



Moisturize & Seal 2xdaily



Trim every 8 weeks Lunarly



I dry my hair with a plain white t-shirt to avoid picking out fur balls left from towels. so i cut open a t shirt so it can be long and it works excellent.

Do we really need a leave-in conditioner?

So we co-wash with conditioner, we condition with conditioner, and we deep condition. So do we still need a leave in?

Well that depends on what your hair needs. As naturals the one thing our hair needs is the holy grail which is moisture. Leave in conditioners temporarily moisturizes in the same way moisturizers for the face or body do.

Leave-In's help to condition and moisturize, smooth, and protect the hair . Most leave in conditioners often use some form of silicon to coat the hair & make the cuticles lay flat so it appears to be healthy. The main problem with cones is that it doesn't wash off the hair easily leaving a nasty build up on the hair which means your hair cannot absorb moisture from conditioner. Some naturals just leave in their regular conditioner , some use the infamous glycerin and water mixture, and some buy a separate leave in conditioner. Everybody hair is different and we each know what our individual hair needs and what it doesn’t. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.





I decided before I went out to buy a leave in conditioner or any other conditioner for that matter I would use all the conditioners I have hoarded underneath my bathroom sink. Either these conditioners were never used or were just left over, because before I knew better I always ran out of shampoo way before I did the conditioner. ( how many can relate to that one?) So I had a bottle of Nexxus Humectress and Nexxus Headress weightless leave in conditioner. I grabbed a spray bottle and added


1/4 cup Headress (moisture w/protein)
1/2 cup Humectress (moisturizing)
1/4 cup Water (enough to thin )
2tsp olive oil or coconut oil
1tbsp honey (humectant) or glycerin. Because my hair is sensitive to glycerin, I do not use it.
1tsp vitamin E oil
2 Evening Primrose Capsules (I also take them orally daily)
10 drops rosemary essential oil
5 drops sage essential oil
5 drops of Tea tree oil.

After Co-Washing or Shampooing I part my hair in sections and spray, and massage throughout my hair.

No-Poo, Low-Poo, Co-Poo, Shampoo...Which To Do?

O.k. I'm sure you heard the terms and may not know what they mean exactly. So here's a brief description on the topics.

No- Poo: No shampoo is used/ Low Poo: shampoo is limited to once a month
Usually for those who feel their scalp is very dry after using shampoos.


According to Lorraine Massey Who actually coined the phrase and who is the author of the book Curly Girl Suggest baking soda and water be used.
I tbsp of baking soda to 1 cup of water ( doubled or tripled according to hair length). Combine ingredients in cup or spray bottle and spray or pour on hair and scalp. Let sit for 1 minute and rinse out. Follow with a deep conditioning conditioner.

Co-wash - Conditioner is used instead of shampoo


Easy right? Well it basically it is. When I first big chopped I basically didn't use any shampoo. I washed using only conditioner (a very cheap one). I first used Vo5. Now I use Suave Naturals Tropical coconut. For my co-wash. I also used my Nexxus Humectress conditioners left over from when my hair was relaxed. Conditioners contain mild cleansers and are moisturizing so you get the best of both worlds. Co-washes can be done daily if your wearing wash and go hair style, or after a workout. In the summer I did it 2-3 times per week. And at the end of the week I used shampoo (Cream of Nature)

Saturate the hair with conditioner, massage in, rinse, apply leave in conditioner and style as usual.

Pre-Wash / Pre-Poo

Pre-wash or Pre-poo are often done as the name suggest before shampooing the hair. This is the best time to apply your hot oil treatments or sometimes I use conditioner. This treatment helps to infuse your tresses with moisture, and Organic Virgin or extra virgin coconut oil is excellent for this treatment. Coconut oil is one of the few oils that actually penetrate the hair shaft. While others simply coat it. Coconut can be drying for some so i find mixing it with sheabutter,cocobutter,jojoba oil works for me.

It should be applied to the hair then covered with a plastic cap. To make sure the plastic cap stays in place I often tie a band around the edges tying it in the back. Next I wear a bonnet on top of the that. I usually leave in overnight and wash out the following morning. This treatment is done only during my wash regimen

Cantu Shea Butter Review

Cantu Shea Butter

leave in conditioning repair cream

I was mainly excited about this product because it contained shea butter and was in a cream form, not to mention all the hair care forum's raved about it. For me this product didn't really do what i thought it would. When i look for a leave in conditioner I'm hoping it will leave my hair soft.

Cantu left my hair somewhat hard due to the fact it is a protein leave in conditioner containing hydrolyzed collagen and hydrolyzed soy protein. Now if my hair was colored, had heat damage or perhaps had some other chemical service done to it then my hair may have responded better to this cream.

Another thing I'm not too fond of is the fact it contains propylene glycol (4Th,6Th,15Th ingredient) I try to avoid this ingredient as much as I can.

which is a cosmetic form of mineral oil found in automatic brake and hydraulic fluid and industrial antifreeze. In the skin and hair, propylene glycol works as a humectant which causes retention of moisture content of skin or cosmetic products by preventing the escape of moisture or water. The Material Safety Data Sheet warns users to avoid skin contact with propylene glycol as this strong skin irritant can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.

cantu

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/propylene-glycol.html

The third thing that bothered me about this product is that i usually try to avoid any product that has warnings!, and this product contains 5 warnings.

*2 of the warnings are in place for individuals with chemically altered hair.

*1 warning is pretty universal stating not to apply conditioning or styling products directly to new growth( a good tip)

*Now the last 2 warnings are *Hair burns, keep away from open flames (odd for a hair product) and the other *Keep out of reach of children (hmmmmm)

So like i always say what works for me may not work for you. I do like to provide my experience about a product as best and as honest as i possibly can so you can make the decision yourself.