New Regimen

After completing a few tests to help determine my hair's porosity I am now armed with the knowledge of how to manage my hair. I have made a lot of changes over the last six weeks or so and have already noticed a change in how my hair feels and responds to products. You'll also notice my products are now 100% natural, which you all know has been a goal of mine for a long time!


Basic regimen (low porosity):

• Scalp/ herbal hot oil treatment overnight 1x/week
• Shampoo w/ moisturizing shampoo (pH 6.0) 1x/week
• Moisturizing Conditioner (pH 5.0) 1x/month
• DC Moisturizing Conditioner (pH 5.0) 2x/month
• Real Protein Treatment (pH 5.0) 1x/month 
• Henna as needed (approx 1x/6 weeks)

Basic regimen (high porosity):

• Scalp/ herbal hot oil treatment overnight 1x/week
• Shampoo w/ moisturizing shampoo (pH 6.0) 1x/week
• DC Moisturizing Conditioner (pH 5.0) 2x/month
• Real Protein Treatment (pH 5.0) 2x/month 
• Henna as needed (approx 1x/6 weeks)

Additional things:

Oil scalp every other day with JBCO/Jojoba Herbal Mix
Massage scalp daily
Moisturizing spritz as needed
Gently warm up conditioner before applying to hair

Multivitamin, Vitamin B Complex, Iron, Vitamin E and Omega 3-6-9 daily (I take these daily because I am a vegetarian and lack some nutrients)

Products:

• Moisturizing Shampoo: SM Moisture Retention Shampoo (modified), SM Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo (modified)
• Moisturizing Conditioner: AO Camellia Ultra-Smoothing and Argan oil
• Moisturizing DC: Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner (modified)  
•  Protein DC: Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner (modified)  
• Leave ins: Specialized Recipe  
• Moisturizer: Camilla Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter (modified), Oyim Handmade Honey Dew Lotion (modified), SM Organic Curl & Style Hair Milk and SM Hold & Shine Moisture Mist 
• Colorant: Henna 
• Conditioning Oils: Infused Herbal Oil Treatment 
• Sealants: Jojoba Oil (low porosity) and shea butter mix (high porosity)
• "Growth" Aid: JBCO/Jojoba herbal mix  

Infused Herbal Oil Treatment:

Nettle, Calendula, Chamomile and Horsetail
1/2 C each of EVCO and Avocado Oil
infuse for minimum of 8 weeks
*once infused add various EO with each use

Moisturizing DC (modified):

2 tbsp Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
1/4 tsp herbal oil treatment, EVOO and Argan Oil
1 tsp aloe vera juice

Protein DC (modified):

High Porosity
3 tbsp Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
1 1/4 tsp hydrolyzed wheat protein
1/4 tsp herbal oil treatment, EVOO and Argan Oil
1 1/2 tsp aloe vera juice

Low Porosity
2 tbsp Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
3/8 tsp hydrolyzed wheat protein
1/4 tsp herbal oil treatment, EVOO and Argan Oil
1 tsp aloe vera juice

Leave in:

1 tbsp Knot Today

1/2 tbsp aloe vera juice

1/2 tsp jojoba oil

1/2 tsp castor oil

Moisturizer/Styler (modified):

1 tbsp Camilla Rosa Almond Jai Twisting Butter

1 tsp aloe vera juice

1/8 lemon juice (add to lower to 4.0 for high porosity areas)

Spritz:

high porosity

1/3 cup water

3 tbsp aloe vera juice

2 tbsp veg glycerine

low porosity

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water

1 tbsp veg glycerine 

Henna Treatment:

• (After prepping scalp with JBCO) apply henna on hair from root to tip on air dried hair, cover w/ saran wrap, plastic bag, old shirt and let sit for 8 hours/overnight (be sure to cover pillow with an old towel as well).
• Rinse out henna thoroughly and lightly shampoo scalp w/ moisturizing shampoo to remove traces of henna.
• Apply moisturizing conditioner mixed with conditioning oils. Cover w/ saran wrap and let sit for 30 minutes under dryer
• Rinse then apply leave in.
• When hair  is dry oil scalp with oil blend, add moisturizer, seal and twist or bun.

Henna recipe: 

4 tbsp art quality henna (lawsonia inermis)

Filtered water

1/2-1 tbsp of JBCO, EVOO and moisturizing conditioner of choice after colour release

Allow to sit overnight

** I apply oil to my scalp before applying any henna because it seems my scalp is VERY sensitive. Lightly shampooing after application seems to help my scalp as well. I continue to use henna because I really like how my hair feels and looks after I use it.

My Long Absence and Other News

 It's been a minute since I've posted a blog and there are several reasons for that. The two main reasons have been frustration and stress. I'll be honest. For some time now I have been seriously debating as to whether or not I want to continue relaxing my hair because I have just been so frustrated with it. As soon as I hit my stride I have a setback, and not a small one, a huge setback. I know everything takes time, but I am just so frustrated with feeling like I am starting from scratch whenever I hit a snag. I have had to cut--yes cut my hair at least three times in the last year due to breakage and uneven ends. Due to this issue I thought I made up my mind regarding my hair. I even went as far as to post my decision last month, but took that post down because I thought it might have been premature. Regardless of what I decided, at the present moment I am wearing my hair in braids to give it a break. If nothing else my hair will benefit from this very long stretch. In the meantime I am also reading the "Science of Black Hair", which I will be reviewing in a few weeks. So far it has taught me a lot about black hair, highlighting some of the issues I seeing with my hair. It is well worth the read if you have the time.

In other news...after several attempts I have finally made a hair moisturizer that I am happy with. I am happy because this has been a long time coming, almost a year! I tested it out on a twist last week and it felt a little heavy at first (I am heavy handed), but when I took my twist down my hair turned out pretty good: defined and well moisturized. It actually felt a little more moisturizing that the usual moisturizer I use (I did a side by side comparison).

So what does this mean for me now? Well basically that I can save my money while providing my hair with exactly what it needs. Not a bad thing at all. I think the final push I needed to get it done was the inspirational words of this natural sista on You Tube. Similar to her, I believe making your own products can be very rewarding. The best thing about it is you know exactly what is in it, and you can tailor your products to your own hair needs. And here's the best part: it cost a fraction of the price of so many all natural products on the market now--and mine IS all natural. Hearing all these points made by this young lady reminded me of the various reasons I attempted to make my own hair products in the first place. It was definitely the final push I needed to dust off my scale and go back to the drawing board. I'm glad I did because it was a big success. I have no plans to sell my moisturizer, I simply made it to meet my own needs.

The Secrets of Emu Oil

Yesterday I was catching up on some of my subscriptions on You Tube and I was quite impressed with a natural hair diva's progress on growing in her edges with the support of JBCO and Emu Oil. As you know my edges have been a problem area for me for some time so I've decided to add  this area to my hair new growth challenge (starting August 28). Before I take on this challenge I wanted to do some research to ensure I am using the most effective product on this area to get the best results. Now I already know about the various benefits of JBCO and I've posted the results I've received the first time I used it. However, I have never heard about Emu Oil. So I went to work....

To my surprise Emu Oil has gained significant attention in the natural community for sometime, said to provide great benefits for the skin and hair. Sourced in Australia, Aborigines have been using it for years to help alleviate achy muscles and joints and as a salve to heal cuts and burns. Emu's Oil's biggest claims however, lie in its ability to cause cellular regeneration in the skin--sounds good so far. So what does any of this have to do with hair?

As it turns out, hair can also benefit greatly from regular use of Emu Oil treatments. Its regenerative capabilities it said to have nearly three times the normal cellular activity on the scalp helping hair look and grow in more healthier and become more resilient to environmental and hormonal stresses. As well, Emu Oil has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, which help to break down undesirable buildup and residue at the scalp and roots, thereby increasing volume and manageability. 

Now, Emu Oil does not have the ability to regrow hair if the hair follicle has died. So if damaged follicles is the cause of your thinning hairline, it probably will not help much there (some argue otherwise). However, if the hair is simply weakened by environmental or hormonal stress, then Emu Oil has been said to help the skin (or scalp in this case) become alive again.   

As with all products, natural or otherwise, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do your research before attempting to use it. Although Emu Oil is an all natural product, the benefits outlined here are only available if the product has been processed correctly. Unlike EVCO or shea butter for example, this product must be refined to free it of any hormonal contaminants, blood, meat residue or any extraction solvents that may be used while processing the product. The best oils, whether it be Emu Oil or vegetable based oils are made WITHOUT solvent extractors to prevent unwanted tran fatty acids from being produced. As well, pure Emu Oil will  not have any synthetic anti-oxidants or preservatives added to it. One way you can tell the difference between refined and unrefined Emu Oil will be the colour and odour. Apparently refined Emu Oil is a very light (almost white) cream in colour with no odour, while unrefined Emu Oil has a strong odour and is a yellowish cream in colour.

Given the many benefits am I going to jump on the Emu Oil bandwagon? I don't know yet....I don't know if I like the idea of using a animal by product on my skin/scalp with even the smallest risk of contacting some nasty disease/bacteria, especially since I've decided to stop eating meat for that very reason. Refined or not, abstinence is the only guarantee I can get from contracting something, regardless of FDA standards or company promises. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but contaminated products slip by testing machines all the time--can we say food recall. I will stick to my simple JBCO for now and continue to look into it....I just thought this was worth sharing.

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Shea Moisture

**Note: ETA changes/update ratings on July 30, 2011

As I use up the last of my Aphogee Pro-Vitamin, Dove Moisture Mist and NTM I am happy to crack open my newest hair products. I am first and foremost proud of the fact that I refrained  from buying these products before I used up most of the stuff I currently have because I could easily spend a mini fortune on hair products . It was hard, but my wallet appreciated it. I think my hair appreciated the wait as well because now I truly know what is working and not working on her. It also didn't hurt that most of these product are only available in the US and can not be shipped here (as far as I know), which forced me to wait until I could take a trip down (for another matter of course). I figured they were worth mentioning despite the limitation in accessing them since many of my current followers all live in the and you will be able to find these product fairly easy as they are available at your local Walgreens or Target.

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo ($9.99 US)

Promise: Hydrates, smooths and repairs strands. leaving hair manageably soft. For dry, damage hair. Heal, grow and strengthen. Sea kelp trace minerals detoxify hair follicles of impurities and residue. Argan oil restores shine and rebuilds hair elasticity. Shea butter deeply moisturizes and repairs damage to hair and scalp.

Ingredients: Deionized Water , Decyl Glucoside (Sugar Beets) , African Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) , Aloe Vera Leaf Juice , Argan Oil , Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5) , Rosemary Extract , Sea Kelp Extract , Vitamin E, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract (Honeysuckle) , Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract (Japanese Honeysuckle)

Results: First I must say I was soooo happy to finally find an all natural shampoo that lathered and didn't make my hair feel like straw *cough* Aubrey Organics--. I will be honest I had to use this product on two different occasions to really see if I liked it or not, which should not be the case if it is in fact a good product (at least I think so). I did this because I wasn't in love with the product and was concerned it was stripping my hair too much, however I told myself to give it one more try because it wasn't horrible. On the second attempt it felt a bit better. Now the only difference I can think of is the fact that one week I was washing out a protein pre-poo and the second time I was washing out an oil treatment pre-poo. Should that matter? I'm not sure, but apparently it does on my hair because the second time it did not feel as stripped. My scalp did begin to itch slightly in some areas shortly after washing my hair, which truthfully I have not experienced in a long while since changing shampoos. The itchy scalp actually continued days after washing my hair despite oiling my scalp--not a good sign. The shampoo is on the thicker side, providing a rich lather, so a little goes a long way. I used less than a dime size per section (I section my hair in fours) and only needed to wash my scalp once. It felt clean, smooth and detangled. I'm not a fan of the smell, but overall it did a good job cleaning my hair/scalp.  Overall, I will give this product a . I would have given it more, but I still find my Aveda Dry Remedy more moisturizing and the return of the itchies may be an indication that it is in fact stripping (or just irritating my scalp). By the way when I switched back to my Aveda the itchies stopped, so you be the judge. Given these results I highly doubt this will replace my Aveda Dry Remedy. Oh well...

Shea Moisture Organic Curl and Style Hair Milk ($9.99 US)

Promise: Detangles, conditions and controls curls, while restoring body and shine. Provides moisture and body. For thick, curly hair. Coconut oil hydrates and protects hair from heat and chemical damage. Silk protein reduces breakage, strengthens hair and adds smoothness and silkiness. Neem oil and old age ayurvedic oil that strengthens hair and provides brilliant shine
  
Ingredients: Deionized Water , Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Sugar Starch , Silk Protein , Essential Oil Blend , Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil (Neem), Caprylyl Glycol , Sorbitol Esters , Algae Extract , Hlyssopus Officinalis Extract , Salvia Officinalis Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract (Sage) , Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil (Carrot) , Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract (Honeysuckle and Japanese Honeysuckle) , Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

Results: I must begin by saying that this product smells great. Now I'm sure you are wondering, "why are you using something that is made for curly hair", well "just because" I like to try new things. The ingredients looked great, so I figured why not give it a try. It is light, non-greasy and absorbs beautifully in my hair. When my hair dried, it wasn't as smooth, shiny or as soft as I am use to. It wasn't bad, but I am use to a particular feel and look on my hair and as of late it has been air drying a lot smoother and shinier than it has in a long while, that is before I used this product. I also tried it as a daily moisturizer and it worked out much better. My hair was soft and felt very moisturized. With that being said I have to give this product a  because I wanted more from it as a leave in, but it turned out to be a really good moisturizer. I recognize it is a protein based product and I have recently discovered that certain proteins effect my hair differently.  As well, I did use this product with the Moisture Mist initially (see below), which simply may be too much for my hair. This may be the reason it didn't dry as nicely as I would have liked.

Shea Moisture Organic Hold and Shine Hair Moisture Mist ($9.99 US)

Promise: Our all-natural moisture mist eliminates frizz, while hydrating hair and creating brilliant shine and curl control. For thick, curly hair. Coconut oil hydrates and protects hair from heat and chemical damage. Silk protein reduces breakage, strengthens hair and adds smoothness and silkiness. Neem oil and old age ayurvedic oil that strengthens hair and provides brilliant shine

Ingredients: Deionized Water , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) , Silk Protein , Essential Oil Blend , Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil (Neem) , Algae Extract , Hlyssopus Officinalis Extract , Salvia Officinalis Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract (Sage) , Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract (Honeysuckle and Japanese Honeysuckle) , Tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Results: Now as you noticed this is another protein based product so similarly to the above product it didn't do too much for my hair. Again, not horrible, just okay. I didn't have any frizz, so it kept its promises. My hair also felt a bit fuller, so that is a plus. I also tried it with my Giovanni and the results came out much better when it air dried. I guess this is an indication that these products should not be used together. Overall, I will give this product a because it smells great, its a good alternative to my Aphogee Pro-vitamin since it didn't hurt my hair in any way. My scalp itched a little bit with this product however, but eventually subsided.

- = not worth the money, don't waste your time.

- = neither hit or miss; just okay

- = good product; really worth trying.

= amazing product!