OH I COULD JUST DYE!

A nice way to start August! I have been wanting to dye my hair since I my big chop, but was really hesitant. Now I'm up to the task after doing some research I think it would be a good change for me. I decided to do it for a number of reasons, a much needed change, cover a few grays and because my hair is thin I'm hoping color will add depth.

Prep before color:
Day 1 before I applied Cantu Shea butter conditioning cream to entire head and twisted hair into two flat twists.
Day 2 I shampoo.
*NOTE* Before coloring hair, the hair must be clean and free of dirt and product build up so that the color can take and be more vibrant Wash should take place 24 hours before color is added to the hair so that it gives time for scalp to excrete its naturals oils that will help to protect the hair when applying the color
**Never shampoo the day of coloring**
***Don’t apply conditioner after wash***
Creme of Nature shampoo (I didn’t have a non sulfate shampoo so I caved and used their newer brand which does contain sulfates).

Day 3 COLOR:
PREP:Gloves, protection, towel, comb
Use a wax, mineral jelly, petroleum jelly, or oil to apply around hair line to protect against staining of the skin.




COLOR:
CLAIROL Textures & TONES (Made by African American Stylist for African American hair)
1B Silken Black & 4RC Cherrywood
When doing two tones the lighter color should be done first. Protect the rest of the hair from the dye by pinning in knots and securing with plastic clips or tuck hair into itself. *Never use metal clips or pins when dying hair*
Section the area I am coloring first with the lighter shade.
*Note if you wet the other part of the hair when washing out the first color you should wait until it is dry possibly the next day before adding the darker color.
**Follow manufactures instructions completely no matter which brand you choose**Rinse, Shampoo, Deep condition
CONDITIONERColoring the hair is a chemical process. Protein must be added back to the hair after a chemical service
Elasta QP Intense: protein conditioner with hydrolyzed protein
What is hydrolyzed silk protein?
Aids in moisture retention due to its strong hygroscopic properties (silk is credited with the ability to retain 10,000 times its weight in water), resulting in optimum conditioning and increased strength. Provides superior conditioning properties, making it ideal for natural-type conditioners, shampoos, and hair repairing systems. Links hair fibers to improve elasticity, resiliency, and restore the moisture balance.
Leave-In conditioner
Apply Infusium leave-in treatment , Shea Butter

Lets' Talk Shea Butter and it's Benefits.

One of natures best offerings to us. Not only can be used all over the body as a highly effective moisture locker, but used in the hair can lock in water and help the hair to retain moisture rendering the hair soft and easier to comb. This product is a must have staple for every natural diva.

How does Shea Butter benefit the hair?
Shea Butter provides moisture to dry or damaged hair from the roots to the very tips, repairing and protecting against weather damage, dryness and brittleness. It also absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp to re-hydrate without clogging pores. It is particularly beneficial for processed and heat-treated hair. It is an excellent treatment for dry scalp. It restores luster to damaged hair.

What color should Shea Butter be?
The color of unrefined Shea Butter depends on the Shea nuts used. Shea nuts will vary in color from almost white to yellow like rich butter. Therefore, refined Shea Butter will vary in color. You will not be able to determine the authenticity or quality of Shea Butter based strictly on its color. There is even a naturally golden yellow colored Shea Butter. Shea Butter should never be green, extremely hard or greasy. ( A friend bought me some that was green in some spots and smelled rancid, I did not use it)Most Shea Butter is a creamy color. Shea Butter that is pure white is highly refined and may or may not have its healing properties intact depending on how it was refined.

Is all Shea Butter the same?
All Shea Butter is not the same. Shea Butter loses some of its healing properties as it sits on the shelf, so very old Shea Butter is not as beneficial. Refining techniques will vary. Highly processed Shea Butter will not be as effective. Sometimes Shea Butter is mixed with other ingredients that reduce its benefits. Then, there are those products that add very little Shea Butter but prominently display "Shea Butter" on the label.

What's the difference between raw Shea butter, refined Shea butter?
The differences between raw, refined and highly refined Shea Butter lie in how the Shea Butter is extracted from the nut and how it is processed after that. Manual extraction processes leave more of the raw ingredients in the Shea Butter. After it is extracted, it can be further refined removing color and impurities that some people don't like. This further refining can also remove some of the smell. You can think of the difference between raw Shea Butter and refined Shea Butter as being similar to the difference between wheat bread and white bread; the same with pure brown cane sugar and white processed sugar. That is one end of the spectrum. On the other end, there is Shea Butter that is extracted using chemicals that is pure white, has no smell and has lost its healing properties in the process.

What are the benefits of Shea Butter?
Daily skin moisturizer
Dry skin
Dry scalp
Skin rash- including diaper rash
After tanning
Blemishes and wrinkles
Sunburn
Shaving cream to reduce razor irritation
Small skin wounds
Skin cracks
Stretch mark prevention during pregnancy
Minor burns
Eczema
Sun and wind protection
Even skin tone
Reduce blemishes and scarring
Eliminating scalp irritation from dryness or chemical processing
Preventing bumps after shaving
Reducing acne
Absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue
Helps restore elasticity to skin
Restores luster to hair
Soften feet

Micro Twist Out

Products use Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer

 I love the smell and texture of this product not to mention the ingredients but, I will not purchase again after i have used this jar).

Water bottle.

What i did

Use fingers to seperate hair, spray each section with water , add moisturizer then twist 2 strand twist throughout the head.

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!!!