Gorgeous Short Natural Hair Twist Out

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The Top 4 Natural Oils for Natural Hair in 2014

 
2014 was big for natural hair. We were seeing more women going natural along with relaxed hair companies jumping on the bandwagon with new products almost every month! You are hearing more about natural oils, creams and every nut from here to Uganda that will give you stronger and healthier strands. All of that has been a direct result from the natural hair movement regardless of what some may say or think.

For years there have been staple products that ruled the natural hair world when natural hair became big business. Miss Jessie’s, Kinky Curly, Shea Moisture or even Curls but as more companies emerge we are seeing amazing lines like Darcy Botanicals, Curl Junkie and Obia Natural Hair Care that are taking the natural hair world by storm.

Just like with natural hair products we have some staple oils from the beginning of this movement that were pretty popular, oils like Coconut oil, Olive oil and Castor oil were all everybody was talking about. They were all the rage and got the most love from Bloggers, Vloggers and naturals all around because they were the wonder oils that could do anything for everybody despite your hair type, porosity or age.

Well, some time has passed and as more women continue to go natural our knowledge has grown and the tried and true has not always worked for everybody.

Take me for instance. I had bought into the hype about the great benefits of Jamaican Black Castor oil and how wonderful it is for growing your edges, strengthen your tresses and moisturize like no other!

All it did for me was give me little bumps all over my forehead whenever I tried to use it in my hair. I was switching up facial cleansers and moisturizers like a mad woman but I finally figured out the problem after I did some research and came across others who also had issues like mine with castor oil. The lesson of the story is that not everything is going to work for everybody.

Another lesson we learned is how amazing our world is with natural resources that benefit our hair. What nature has supplied us with that does not do wonders for you may only be a minor setback because there is something else that will gladly take its place.

As a matter of fact, I have listed four not so popular oils a few years ago that made a huge splash in 2014:

Red Palm Oil

Red Palm Oil, aka crude or Virgin Red Palm Fruit Oil is different from Palm Oil, but often gets mistaken for it. Red Palm Oil comes from the fruit of the Oil Palm Tree or Elaeis Guineensis. It is one of the most nutritious edible oils in the world and gets its rich red color naturally.

Red Palm Oil was put on everyone’s radar after Dr. Oz was praising it but it rightfully deserves the glory with its high concentration of carotenes and because it is rich in vitamins A and E. Actually, it contains the highest amounts of vitamins A and E of any plant- based oil.

This potent oil has been used for body and hair for over 5000 years and it is great for our hair because it promotes cell growth at the hair follicles and this means stronger longer hair. It prevents the hair from becoming weak and brittle and it is the perfect moisturizer for our skin and hair.

Hemp Oil

Hemp Seed Oil is pressed from the seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant and been named nature’s perfect food. This is one of the first cultivated and consumed crops and many wrongly assume it contains the psychoactive constituent of the cannabis plant but it does not.

Hemp Oil is high in essential fatty acids. Omega 6 and Omega 3 are two main families of essential fatty acids that have therapeutic effects. Great for conditioning hair and scalp, hemp oil also has quality proteins that will improve the feel and appearance of your hair.

Hemp Oil a a wondrous natural moisturizer that boosts scalp health, shoring up the inter-cellular matrix, and will protect your strands against moisture loss. Hemp Oil is being more widely used for tresses and will only gain more popularity in 2015.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba Oil is another one of nature’s gold mines. This golden-colored liquid wax is extracted from the seed of the Jojoba Plant, a woody shrub that covers 40,000 acres of desert in the southwestern U.S and contains almost all of the vitamins and minerals essential for healthy skin and hair.

You get an oil that is really a liquid wax that contains nourishing substances such as vitamin E, A, D, and antioxidants. Thanks to its uncanny similarity to sebum, Jojoba Oil works in the same manner as well, and justifies why it is perfect for your hair.

Jojoba Oil is great for treating dry hair and promoting hair growth and with its molecular structure, it allows the liquid wax to easily penetrate skin and hair cells for better treatments. It is anti-bacterial, anti inflammatory, and non toxic, which makes it incredibly useful for the hair and your entire body.

Avocado Oil

Derived from the Avocado fruit, Avocado Oil is high in vitamin E and unsaturated fats and contains more potassium than a banana. It is great at lowering blood pressure and the main ingredient in Guacamole, but more naturals are finding it as a resource for hair growth. It is finally getting some notice in the natural hair world and rightfully so.

The monounsaturated fatty acid content in Avocado Oil is even higher than EVOO, and is one of the main reasons it is so good for your hair. With all the damage we inflict on our tresses with heat styling, chemical alterations from color and relaxing, the monounsaturated fats, when applied directly in a hair mask, can moisturize, nourish and strengthen hair strands, protecting them from damage. It is great for dry, brittle and damaged hair and lightweight, so it can be easily absorbed into the hair shaft and scalp.

It is time to try some new oils if you haven’t and these four should be first on your list, so start the new year off right!

4 Oils to Help Your Natural Hair in the Winter Months (That Aren't Coconut)

Depending upon where you live, the winter air can be dry and unforgiving. Combine that with frequent temperature fluctuations as you travel between car and office heaters, and into the cold, and by the end of the day you're seriously questioning whether or not you even moisturized your hair.

I'm sure you did. But between the weather and heating units, getting hair to stay and feel moisturized can be tough. Your summer/spring oils might not be up to the task, so what do you do? Check out these 4 oils that will help you retain moisture, softness, and shine this winter. You can use them individually, blend them for an epic pre-poo, apply them directly to your scalp for a stimulating massage, or mix them into your favorite conditioner for an extra moisturizing boost!

1. Argan Oil

It took me a while to warm up to argan oil, because it can be pretty expensive. Until very recently, I had difficulty coming across a 2 oz bottle that was under $20. But Vitamin Shoppe changed all that! Nowadays, Argan is one of my staple winter oils because it's lightweight, nourishing, protective, rejuvenative, and $8. Argan oil contains high concentrations of vitamins A and E, Omega 6 fatty acids, carotenes, squalene, phenols, and other phytonutrients. Vitamin A is a potent antioxidant, and along with Vitamin E, helps to fight free radicals to prevent and reverse damage and aging in hair. Additionally, Vitamin A assists in sebum production to effectively coat and moisturize the hair -- helping to ward off breakage. Omega 6 fatty acids control water loss by helping to ciment cuticle layers, stimulate hair growth, and can even provide some relief for dry, itchy, and flaky scalps, while phytonutrients nourish the scalp at a cellular level. Since Argan oil is so nutrient-dense, a little bit goes a long way. One or two pumps per section of hair is plenty enough to impart softness, shine, and moisture.

Click here to head on over to NaturallyCurly.com and see what my other 3 favorite winter oils are! Hint: none of them are coconut!



from The Mane Objective http://www.maneobjective.com/2014/12/4-oils-natural-hair-winter.html

6 Tips To Safely Flat Iron Natural Hair

 

While some naturals decide not to straighten their hair at ALL during their natural hair journey, some, like myself still straighten their hair every once in a while to switch it up or for a length check.

The truth about using heat though is that it can be EXTREMELY detrimental to hair health if used incorrectly or too often. If you decide to straighten your hair, follow these tips to keep your hair as healthy as possible and minimize damage.

Deep condition before and after

When using heat, the keratin in our natural hair weakens. To keep your hair at optimal health, do a protein treatment before you straighten your hair. Tropic Isle has a great JBCO protein treatment because it helps strengthen hair without leaving it hard or brittle. Leave the protein treatment on for an hour max before washing it out.

When you’re ready to wash your hair again and bring those curls back, use a moisturizing deep conditioner. You may notice a dry scalp and dandruff after leaving your hair straight for one – two weeks, so a good deep conditioning treatment for an hour will help restore moisture.

Use good heat protectant

This is VERY important and can make the difference in how your hair turns out. There are a ton of heat protectants out there, but choose one that works well for your hair.

Don’t use a heat protectant that is too watery or too thick, because it can overheat and you will hear your hair sizzling. If you don’t feel like searching for the perfect heat protectant your favorite oil may be a good substitute.

Grape seed oil, coconut oil, and olive oil all have high melting points (400 or more), so they will keep your flat iron from totally drying out or damaging strands.

Stretch hair without heat
It may not seem like much, but blow drying your hair is just more heat and manipulation being added to your natural hair. If you have the extra time, you can stretch your hair in advance before you straighten to avoid the extra step. There are a few ways to stretch your natural hair without heat, here are a few examples:

Braids

Buns

Banding

After washing your hair, seal with a small amount of leave in conditioner and do one of the three styles above. Let it set for a few hours or overnight- just let your hair dry fully. Afterwards, apply your heat protectant and begin straightening!

Create Sections

Honestly, if you don’t create sections when doing your hair, you’re making life WAY harder on yourself. Make sure to separate your hair into sections before straightening and keep those sections separated.

You don’t want to risk straightening the same piece 100 times or even missing pieces. Make sections that are the right size for your flat iron- too big means you’ll have to pass the flat iron through more than once and too small means you’ll be straightening your hair all day.

Flat iron ‘correctly’

Just because a flat iron has a maximum heat of 500 doesn’t mean you should use it that temperature! Although straightening your hair on high heat can lead to sleeker hair and shorter straightening time, it’s not good for your overall hair health. Flat ironing constantly on high heat is a guaranteed way to damage your fragile strands.

Also, try to avoid passing the flat iron over the same section of hair more than once. It may seem like you’re getting it extra straight, especially on low heat, but this winds up giving you heat damage as well!

Try not to re-straighten often

The truth is that your natural hair is not going to stay straight forever. Your hair may start to revert from rain, sweat, too much steam from the shower, and a list of other things that us curly girls are used to. Even so, try not to re-straighten your hair too often.

At night, preserve your hair by wrapping and setting it with bobby pins and a silk scarf. Don’t try to sleep out normally on a cotton pillowcase, because it’s probably not going to work. Keep your hair tied up so that it can last a few days or more. Try to avoid adding any more heat to your hair until the next time you decide to straighten it.

Our natural hair is very versatile, but we still need to take care of it every time we decide to try a new style. Although heat damage is unavoidable unless you stop using heat altogether, there are a few things you can do to keep your hair healthy every time you straighten. Try them, and you’ll worry less about your curls reverting back the next time you wash your hair!

Monistat and Other Odd Hair Growth Methods

By Renae Gylbert

Yes, you have read that right!


Apparently, there are men and women out there who swear that using yeast infection cream will promote hair growth.


According to a recent Black Doctor article, there is no proof that the unusual method does indeed promote hair growth, but it was simply too outrageous to not explore!

Before we pass too much judgement, people have tried all types of things to encourage hair growth. From rotten eggs to carrot juice to God knows what else, people, especially women, will be on the forever quest to find that Holy Hair Growth Grail!

I even read once how a woman used dilated urine to rinse her extremely oily scalp and cure her acne!

(Excuse me while I sip my tea on that last one…)

But odd and unconventional ways to grow hair is nothing new. I mean, the every idea of this entire natural movement is based off of finding new and exciting ways to promote healthy curly and kinky hair without the overload of chemical products.

But while Monistat is a little “out there” for unusual hair growth techniques, it is by far the only off-the-wall sworn methods to get hair roots to sprout.

Unusual Methods To Grow Hair:

Eat a ton of peppers! Capsaicin is a common compound in peppers and is known to increase the activity in hair follicles, thus increasing blood flow and growth.


Pull it! Apparently, occasional yanking and tucking will make follicles more active and prone to growth. This could be associated with stretching.


Any anti-fungal cream. Many people swear by it but I am still trying to figure out how it works. But IF you were interested in trying, it is suggested that you mix it with your favorite hair oil first.

Garlic and Onion juice. It would be a simple matter of make the juice itself and rubbing it on your scalp. Could work…as long as you don’t mind your hair messing like sweaty underarms.


Semen. I promise, I am not making this up. Someone somewhere tried this nonsense and reported success rubbing it on their scalp. Even after trying to find some proof, I still cannot see how any body fluid could benefit hair growth…excuse me while I sip more tea….


Peanut Butter. Mixing it with a leave-in conditioner and oil apparently makes a great protein mask.


Not washing your hair! You know, my Native American grandmother swore by this. She would not wash her hair for months and surprisingly had long, silky hair. I hardly ever heard her talk about breakage or anything. Still, I may have to degrees this one too…

HOW MUCH BREAKAGE IS NORMAL FOR NATURAL HAIR?

In my short time as a blogger in the natural hair community, I’ve come to realize that there is one word that incites an unparalleled fear and universal panic in naturalistas across the board: breakage. The dreaded (accidental) snap, the tiny wisps of hair on the sink, or the awful realization that more of the longer hairs that you thought were shed are actually broken is enough to have you re-examine every hair decision you’ve made in life.

HOW MUCH BREAKAGE IS NORMAL FOR NATURAL HAIR?

I’m exaggerating a little, but breakage is a scary and frustrating thing. It has the potential to bring your natural hair growth and length retention journey to a grinding halt. But before we get into exactly how much breakage is considered “normal” in the average head of natural hair, let’s cover a few bases:

What is breakage? How is it different from shedding?

Simply put, breakage is any hair that comes from your head that does not have a whitish bulb on the end. That whitish bulb is your visual cue that the hair came directly from the root, and nowhere else. If there is no bulb, there is no shedding, period. A common misunderstanding is that longer hair is automatically shed hair whereas shorter wisps of hair are breakage. Breakage nor shedding knows no length. If you can’t see the bulb, feel for it on the end of the hair strand. If you can’t feel a slight bump, then it’s breakage.

Why do I have breakage?

Shedding is a normal part of the hair growth life cycle, whereas breakage is not. Breakage is caused by us and the things we do to our hair. One of my favorite quotes about natural hair breakage comes from Jc of The Natural Haven, “A very common question is ‘why does my hair break’. My very scientific answer is…..because you broke it.” Breakage is typically caused by a number of things — how we handle our hair (combing, brushing), to abusing the cuticle layer (too much stretching or heat), chemical processes (hair dye), environmental factors, and dryness. Our highly textured natural hair is structurally weaker than straight hair, which means our hair is more inclined toward breakage with less force. This also means that we must be much more delicate with our tresses.

So, how much breakage is normal?

Now we get to the good stuff. In all honesty, there is no solid scientific figure for how many pieces of breakage hair are considered normal. Trust me, I looked. In fact, the immediate answer that most sources disclose is that no amount of breakage is considered normal. However, many of those same sources also share that the expectation of zero breakage is unrealistic. No matter how careful and gentle you are with your hair, a few wisps of hair or an accidental snap are bound to happen. The main objective (haha) of your natural hair regimen should always be to minimize and prevent as much breakage as possible, while not beating yourself up if you lose a few wisps on wash day. Professional stylist and healthy hair advocate Lawrence Ray Parker shared, “If you lose a few strands here or there, it’s not a big deal. But hair that is consistently breaking in large quantities is a problem.” From personal experience, seeing 3-6 pieces of breakage hair on wash day is what I consider normal. Some of you may staunchly disagree, but I have found that to be completely within my regular range of hair loss that does not too adversely impact my length retention efforts. I’m sure I could get down to zero breakage if I really wanted to (by incorporating more protective styling), but I have zero interest in surrendering my wash and go’s. In this article geared specifically toward 4b and 4c natural hair, Jc of The Natural Haven shares that 10 or less little wisps of hair on wash day or during detangling is no cause for concern.

Note: this is not my breakage.

Some naturalistas stand firm on the fact that no breakage whatsoever is acceptable, and if you’re one of them and it works for you, wonderful! You’re the real MVP. This article is really for the ladies who while detangling, see a few broken hairs and wonder if it’s worth the panic. You are not alone, I am here with you. Don’t panic, a little breakage is okay. But if the amount of breakage you see starts to increase regularly…then you might want to take a few steps back.

What You Can Do

According to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2007), Black women in particular are at risk for hair breakage due to various practices that weaken the hair shaft, and the dry nature of the hair (our sebum has more difficulty traveling down the shaft than straight hair). In addressing breakage, “the combing and brushing habits, washing frequency, drying process used, hair care products used and how they are applied, and any chemical processes performed on the hair must be researched…at least 6 months before the first observed hair breakage.” Again, if you are experiencing minor breakage, like seeing a few hairs on the sink after not detangling for two weeks, this does not necessarily apply. However, if you are experiencing severe hair trauma with what appears to be significant  breakage every single time you touch your hair, then it’s time to take a look 6 or so months back. Did you change something significantly in your regimen? Perhaps you used to be a devout deep conditioner, and started cutting corners to save time. Or maybe you’re ripping combs through your hair instead of taking the time to finger detangle or work in smaller sections. Did you recently color your hair? How’s your moisture-protein balance looking? How do you layer products in your hair? All of those are important factors to take into consideration when examining the source of breakage. Of them all, Lawrence Ray Parker finds that the most common culprit is dehydrated hair. “When you’re not moisturizing your hair enough, or deep conditioning regularly, that’s when it happens the most. Dry hair is much more prone to breakage.”

So what’s a natural to do? Here are some tips and suggestions:

1. Proper Hair Handling Techniques

If you suspect your breakage may be mechanical in nature (i.e. you’re handling it rough or detangling it the wrong way), then you’ve got the easiest fix. Switching from combs to patiently finger detangling in smaller sections can help you significantly minimize breakage. Also, be sure to examine your detangling method altogether. Hair is weakest when wet, but also more elastic and easier to detangle. Dry hair has greater tensile strength, but also can be more difficult to detangle. Dry, wet, or somewhere in the middle? It all depends on what works best for your hair. Try different methods and combinations until you find your groove.

2. Fixing Dehydrated Hair

If your hair seems brittle, and you don’t have a major medical condition or complication, nor have you had any chemical services (color), your hair is likely begging for moisture. Finding a good deep conditioner that is water-based, and contains lots of butters and oils to moisturize and soften the hair is key. Products like TGIN Triple Moisture Replenishing Conditioner, Giovanni Nutrafix, and Shea Moisture’s Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Hair Masque are perfect for this. Moisturizing deep conditioners will help to greatly improve the elasticity of the hair, lessening the likelihood of breakage.

3. Hair with Cuticle Damage, Protein Loss, or Color

Hair that feels rough, is highly porous, and breaking is often associated with a protein imbalance or cuticle damage. This damage can be cumulative due to certain haircare practices (like frequent blow dryer use or stretching), or from a dye job. This calls for a moisture-protein balance, and relying heavily on deep conditioners that infuse hydration and strengthening while helping to keep cuticles closed and flat. Some of my personal picks include ApHogee’s Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor (it worked miracles after I got my hair dyed in October), ApHogee Curlific Texture Treatment (review), Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask (review), Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Treatment Masque (review), and of course, a good ol’ fashioned apple cider vinegar rinse.

One Last Note…

Although I do believe a good deep conditioning regimen can solve a multitude of hair problems, there are a few other provisions to take into consideration when remedying breakage. If you find that your breakage is primarily on the ends of your hair, keeping them sealed with heavier oils like Jamaican Black Castor Oil can help keep them from snapping so easily. To help ease mid-shaft breaks, in addition to the suggestions above, try incorporating leave-in sprays that contain proteins to help keep hair strong in-between wash days. I like to keep ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer Spray, Infusium 23 Repair and Renew Pro-Vitamin Leave-In (review), and LRC Shake & Go (review) handy for that purpose. If you’re transitioning and experiencing breakage, you must be extra careful with the line of demarcation. Click here to learn more about preventing breakage in transitioning hair.

So ladies, how much breakage do you consider normal? What are some of your tips and tricks for minimizing breakage?

2014 Natural Hair Product Winners and Losers

by The Natural Haven

Love it or hate it, many naturals are product junkies and are generally always looking for new products to usually make detangling easier or to soften, moisturise and style hair better. This is my recap of the products that have been asked about and talked about the most in 2014.

Winners

1. Bentonite Clay – Bentonite clay is winning big! It has cleansing ability and is also a curl clumper. Its reputation has transformed from possible natural alternative but with worries of mess and drain clogging to a must-have product for wash and go aficionados.

2. Qhemet biologics amla and olive heavy cream – Full confession, I have never used this product myself but I have to say that it gets constant raving year in and year out on hair blogs and forums. For those who like heavy creams, this looks like a must try.

3. Aloe Vera Gel – Gels in general appear to be back in thanks to the max hydration obsession and topping the list of affordable and of natural origin is aloe vera gel.

4. Shampoo – For some years now, pretty much every guide to going natural had to include a section on how to eliminate shampoo and co-wash. In 2014, I have seen a dramatic change with more advice on how to select gentler shampoos and even use of occasional clarifying shampoo, so shampoo is back in!

5. Tea rinses – Tea rinsing has been around for a while now but in 2014 it really seemed to take off, possibly because it is a fairly simple additional step of pouring cooled brewed water at the end of the wash. The possible benefits of strength, hair growth stimulation and cuticle smoothing may be possible reasons why tea rinses are winning.

Losers

1. Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner was and to be fair still is one of the most loved products in the natural world. However, things have began to tumble as the company was forced to drop the organic label and the revelation of the full ingredients list showed alcohol as one of the top 5 ingredients. There is hope though because quite a few naturals do feel a tangible difference when using the product compared to other conditioners and therefore vouch for it.

2. Aloe Vera Gel – You may have spotted aloe vera gel in the winners column but yet here it is in the losers section too! It is a product that really does split opinions right down the middle. This is no surprise as most humectants such as honey or glycerin do the same too. For some it may be flaky or may make hair too mushy. Sometimes it is a trick of tweaking the amount or order of product layering but other times, it just does not work.

3. Beautiful Textures Texture Manageability System – There was a serious raucous raised by this product in 2014. Social media icons such as Chary Jay and Chime Edwards as well as natural stylist Felicia Leatherwood were key to the brand establishing knowledge of the product within the natural world. The fascination for the product did begin to wane as naturals questioned whether it was really natural. A scientific analysis of the product ingredients showed that it is a BKT that is formaldehyde free but that would change hair. For some naturals the BKT aspect meant BTTMS needed a wide berth.

Who would you add to the winners and losers list this year?

from beauty hair http://ift.tt/1x8eiPp

4 Scientific Reasons to try Tea Rinses for Natural Hair

by The Natural Haven

Tea rinses are growing in popularity within the natural hair community. Green tea and black tea are generally widely available and therefore are also the most frequently discussed. Could there be some science to tea rinsing? I decided to investigate and discovered some interesting reasons as to why a final rinse with tea after washing hair may possibly be beneficial.

1. Amino acids – Stengthen Hair

Theanine is an amino acid that is unique to tea. A recent study showed that a purified extract of this amino acid could penetrate fully through to the hair cortex of bleach-damaged hair after a 10 minute soak at 30°C (Surface and Interface Analysis, pp 562-565, 2010). The study was designed to complement a previous investigation that related theanine to improving the mechanical strength of bleached hair. Even if your hair is not bleached, it is possible to accumulate damage to the cortex due to styling and combing as well as normal weathering. A tea rinse could be considered as a very mild protein treatment.



2. Polyphenols – Stimulate Growth

Green tea is currently being studied as a possible candidate for treating hair loss. It is preferred over black tea as the roasting of tea to create black tea oxidises the polyphenols. Tests so far have been performed on rats as well as human hair in a petri-dish (not on actual people) with similar results. The polyphenols are seen to stimulate re-growth of hair (J Natl Med Assoc, pp 1164-1169, 2005; Phytomedicine, pp 551-555, 2007). If you therefore have problem spots e.g at the temples, or are experiencing hair loss, then a tea rinse may be worth a trial.

3. Caffeine – Stimulate Growth

Did you know your hair follicles can take up several drugs and caffeine is one of them? Studies done once more on human hair in a petri-dish showed that the hair follicles do rapidly take up caffeine and this stimulates hair regrowth for hair previously showing signs of hair loss. (International Journal of Dermatology, pg 27-35, 2007).



4. pH

The pH of tea actually depends on how it is brewed as well as the water used to brew the tea. In general, figures of between pH 5 and 7 are generally quoted for both green and black tea. For hair, this means that the final tea rinse will be just slightly acidic to neutral. This pH tends not to irritate the skin or disturb the hair cuticle. Naturally, you should not add a squeeze of lemon or orange to fragrance the tea unless you do actually want a more acidic brew.

Have you tried a tea rinse? What were your results?

from beauty hair http://ift.tt/1B2OtAx

Welcome Simon James Thaler!

December 8, 2014

6:47 PM

7 lbs. 10 oz.

20 inches

I am in the process of writing my birth story. It was the hardest, most beautiful and amazing thing that I have ever done! I absolutely adore my son and I love being a mother. The past two weeks with this little guy have been two of the best of my life. I have so much more love and respect for my husband watching how much he loves, cares for and nurtures our son. To walk into the room in the evenings and see him reading the word to Simon and telling him that there is only one God makes my heart swell with joy. I am so thankful that we are able to raise our son in the truth!

from Natural with Kendra http://ift.tt/1zVVAg1

Lazy Practices That Still Help You Retain Length

Cassandre rocking her fro
by Cassandre


I’m not going to lie- I don’t care for my hair every single day and I’m pretty certain that most natural ladies out there don’t care for their hair every day either. It’s not that I don’t want to care for it, it’s just that sometimes it has to take the back seat while other things, like work and mothering, take precedence. But I’m convinced that despite negligence or downright laziness, there are still a few lazy practices that can and do help to retain length.

Washing your hair every 3-5 weeks

Usually when clients ask me about tips on keeping their hair hydrated I always suggest upping the amount of times they saturate their hair with water through the washing process during a month. While I believe this is great advice, especially for the natural who is trying to regain lost moisture from heat processing or trying to see gains in length very quickly, I’ve found that you can do a very decent amount of maintenance and actually gain more length than you lose if you wash your hair less, but intensify your moisture intake on wash days.

So if you’re going to wash your hair less often, on the days that you do wash it you’ll want to be super intentional about getting all the moisture you need and sealing all of that in.

Keeping your braids in a tad longer than you should

It’s that moment most of us dread- the take down of of our 9+ week long protective style. While I don’t condone keeping in synthetic hair for that long, sometimes life just happens and you either can’t take them down now, or well, you’re too lazy to.

To ensure that your laziness works in your favor, I found it best to moisturize my braids twice a week. Mix a little bit of water with more oil on your palms and gently grab your braids and pat your hair down. This technique helps you to minimize potential frizz that comes from adding moisture to your styles, but ensures that when you finally take down you hair it won’t be crazy dry. The less dryness you hair has suffered throughout that “protective period” the more likely it is that you’ll be able to retain length.

Going to bed without taking down your hairstyle

Am I the only one who does this? I’ll wear the same undo for 4 days straight without taking it down once and just wrapping it up at night. While this maybe a strain to some ladies’ edges, this lazy practice doesn’t have to hurt you too much. The key is making sure your hair is well moisturized before you style it into that updo. After that it’s all about maintenance. I really wouldn’t even suggest doing anything more than spraying it with a little oil sheen on the second and fourth day of wear and not wrapping too tightly at night. Make sure you wrap it up with a satin scarf and use a bonnet and you should be fine.



We all make decisions in life based on many factors and sometimes our hair has to come last, but that doesn’t mean it has to ruin our desire for length. Sure, these methods aren’t ideal, but sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got.

What are some ways you help your hair to retain length even when you’re being lazy or really just can’t tend to your hair?

from beauty hair http://ift.tt/1sHo8DG

5 Easy Steps To Start Seeing Hair Growth

Ah! The age old question, how to get amazing hair growth?. 

Now it’s common to hear (thankfully) women say “Black women can have long healthy hair!” but, the question is, how? With so many women touting this fact you would think everyone seeking longer hair would have it, right? Wrong. There is such a thing as too much information. As with all things we make things way harder then they need to be, hair growth is no different. This post is going to simply if all for you in 5 easy steps.

By: coilybynature

If you’re not seeing hair growth, remember these 2 hair facts:

1. Your hair grows. If you are relatively healthy, have no under lying damage to your hair follicles (like Alopecia and/or baldness), your hair is growing. In fact, it is growing about 1/4 to 1 inch a month.

2. Growing your hair is not the problem. The problem is retaining what you’ve grown. If your hair has been stalling at the same length for months or years, your hair is breaking off. More specifically, it’s breaking off at the same rate it is growing out. For example: If your hair is 5 inches long and grows and 1 inch a month but, breaks 1 inch a month (probably little 1/4 inch pieces at a time), your hair will stay 5 inches month after month.

Now here is how to start seeing some hair growth; retaining length:

1. Trim off all damaged, scraggly ends. If you are confident in your own skills, you can trim your hair yourself but, going to a professional for this cut would ensure all the damaged weak hair is cut off. Even if you’re 100% natural, if your ends are breaking, your ends are probably weak and a trim will get rid of split and weathered ends. It’s easier to maintain healthy ends, weak ends will look thin and get weaker over time.

2. Establish a solid hair regimen. This can take up to a month or 2 to establish but, it’s worth it. Find out how often you need to shampoo, condition and deep condition your hair. How long does your hair stay moisturized?  By the end of the month you should have a regimen that looks similar to this (fitting your hair needs of course, this is just an example):

Regimen:
Detangle 1x a week on damp hair.
Shampoo 1x a week
Alternate protein and moisturizing conditioner every other week.
Deep Condition 2x a month
Use spray leave-in, cream moisturizer and seal ends 2x a week.

3. Be consistent. Once you find out what works stick to the same regimen week after week. You can switch up products but, research them first and switch products only AFTER you’ve learned your hair. Learn what ingredients your hair likes and then venture out of your box.

4. Low manipulation. I have to say most women who are able to retain almost all of their length are very low manipulation. Most stick to twist outs, braid outs, protective styles, buns, etc. Remember the more you comb and pull your hair, the more damage you’re doing to it. It’s like wearing and washing the same clothes every week, over time they will get raggedy, same with your hair. When you’re trying to grow out your hair, you want it to be as healthy as it can be to avoid unnecessary trims and breakage due to weak over manipulated ends (that’s what breaks off).

How Much Money You Can Save Doing Your Own Hair

By Renae Gylbert

One of the best things natural love about being naturals is the expensive, reoccurring perms they have to put in their hair. That does not include the amount of shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, gel, hair spray and everything else naturals have to use to keep their hair proper.

Luckily, being a natural means you can do so much at home. You can make your own conditioner, leave-in conditioner, hair mist, curl pudding and hair gel all at home, saving you a butt-ton of money in the process!

This is even true with protective hair styles. Senegalese twist, crochet braids and corn rows are all very pretty styles that you can do right at home. The only issue with protective styling is that you have to have a basic idea of how to do hair.



Let’s do some quick math on how much money you will save in a year’s time giving up on perms and trips to the salon.

If you were still rocking perms, and perms should be redone about every 4 weeks, and perms usually costs around $60 at a salon, that comes out to about a perm per month, costing $720/year. This is not including highlighting, shampooing, conditioning, cutting, etc. You can expect that $720 a year to increase tremendously.

Furthermore, if you get your Senegalese braids (or microbraids, kinky twist, certain corn row styles, etc.) done every 2 months, costing in the neighborhood of $200, you would be shelling out $1200 a year!

So, if you get your hair down routinely, you could be saving $1920 a year by doing your own hair. That’s nearly $2k! I don’t know about you but I don’t have money like that!

Additionally, making your own products at home could make the world of difference between saving your money and making your hair healthier! Homemade hair products usually do not contain mineral oil, preservatives or other things that could doing more harm than good for your hair.

One of the easiest things to make is a do-it-all hair cream. Some shea butter for an organic store, almond, coconut and jojoba oil mixed together will not only give your the sealant/moisture/leave-in conditioner/conditioner that you need, so buying 4 different products will no longer be a problem.

In regards to protective styling, most natural hair protective styles required synthetic hair. Traditional Senegalese twist, for example, required synthetic fibers costing less than $4 a pack as opposed to human hair costing anywhere from $35 a pack to several hundreds of dollars. When I visited a hair store recently, I saw that a pack of Kanekalon hair costs $3.99. This hair can be used to do all types of lovely styles. Take advantage of it!

If you want to look gorgeous while saving your money, stop spending so much time in a salon chair and take advantage of this fun journey by doing some of the things I mentioned above. You won’t regret it!

from beauty hair http://ift.tt/1BQFfbR

Millions March NYC

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, 

but there must never be a time when we fail to protest." -Elie Wiesel

Millions March in New York city on Saturday, December 13th.

Photos by: Cipriana Quann

from Urban Bush Babes http://ift.tt/1yOMJsk