My Natural Hair Update

Braid Out (Oh the shrinkage lol)June 10 C0-Wash

Couple of plaits all over head

June 10 June 09

Hey ladies,

Thank you guys for subbing and following. Hope everyone is well. I'm so happy my hair has grown out a lot from my first video on YouTube. I will now be concentrating on length and thickness. I think because i don't have much protein in my diet since switching to a vegetarian diet is the culprit for my thin hair. But i will be trying things to see if i can thicken it up from the inside out. So this is the first day with the braid out so there is shrinkage after a few days it stretches a little more and length is seen even more. Will be putting in twist tonight.

I am also considering dyeing my hair soon, so i will post on that as well.

What I Used

Co-washed with Trader Joe's Conditioner. Added honey, olive oil, rosemary, peppermint, water.

Will be starting a new hair regimen by the end of next week. with daily updates, photos, and weekly reviews.

Coming up Soon

Length & Thickness techniques

Dyeing

Trim

Natural Hairstyles

Product reviews

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