Product Review: Aloe-Berry Styling Gel by Alikay Naturals

A major thanks to Chelsyea for sending this product to me to try out. All reviews are based on my personal experience! This is a gel made by Alikay naturals. Gel is an integral part of my hair regimen for hold and when I want to avoid frizz.



Before I get into my personal review, here are some details about this product:



Product Name: Aloe-Berry Styling Gel



Price: $10.00



Amount: 8 oz



Product details: Now you have the freedom to style your hair, without fear of drying from a “traditional” styling gel. This tropical scented gel, is made with Natural Aloe Vera Gel, infused with berries, botanicals and essential oils to hydrate your hair. Aloe Berry Styling gel, is a Alcohol-free blend that offers a medium hold, which keeps hair in place, so your hair gets the benefits of hold and moisture all in one. No more dry, sticky, crunchy hair for you when you have the perfect styling gel in a jar.



Ingredients: Key Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil), Prunus Amygdalus (Almond Oil), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Fragrance (Parfum), Color additives, Botanical Blend Ingredients

My Review:



I really liked this product! I want to try it a few more times to see if I love it or just like it. I did a curl set and it turned out great! My only complaint is that my day 2 hair was a little dry. But overall the product gave me the light hold that I needed!

It smells so good that you could eat it! I'm all about that :) the consistency is similar to flax seed gel or kinky curly knot today. It's not very thick but it has lots of slip. A little goes a long way! You don't need much.



For day 2 hair, I just pineappled my hair and went to bed. I didn't reset or add any additional product.

Overall as a first impressions review I would give this product an 8/10. It does what it claims to do! Like I mentioned before my hair was drier than I expected based on the ingredients in the product. Next time I will re-moisturize my hair first and then apply the gel to see what the results are. Everyone's hair is different so I just may need to try something a little different for more moisture next time.

Click here to view this product online!

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The Mane Objective 10K | 1M Giveaway WINNERS!!!

First of all, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who entered! The responses were overwhelming. Especially those of you who entered here on the blog -- so much love and so many great ideas! I'll be going through every single comment one-by-one and responding -- if you pitched me an idea with a question that I tackled previously, I'll link it to you. If not, I'll put it on my "to do" list to write about.



Please know, that I use www.random.org for each giveaway, unless stipulations are otherwise stated. So for each giveaway this weekend, I put in the max number of entrants per giveaway prize (barring those that entered past the deadline to be fair to everyone), and hand-counted to the number that random.org assigned in chronological order. The first entry is #1, and so on. It's painstaking and takes some time, but I believe in being forthright and fair.



So again, a hearty congratulations to:



Monique Goran and Tasha -- you've won the TGIN Shampoo & Conditioner duos!



@kaylymekay -- you've won the Vitamin Shoppe Ultimate Prize Pack!



@_justasiam -- you've won the TreLuxe trio!



Please e-mail me at info@maneobjective.com with your shipping information, so I can get your goodies out to you! Thank you ALL again for entering, and don't worry -- there will be PLENTY of opportunities for giveaways and goodies in 2015. The year has just begun! A special thanks to the 10K | 1M sponsors: TGIN, Vitamin Shoppe, and TreLuxe!



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3 Protective Styling Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Length Goals

by Geniece



One of the reasons I decided to follow a protective styling and low maintenance regime was because of the overwhelmingly positive effects I saw on women who used this method. Over the past five years, I have largely found that protective styling is indeed very effective in retaining length and allows for easy styling once hair has reached one’s desired length goals.



However I have also learned that NOT ALL PROTECTIVE STYLES ARE CREATED EQUAL. Both the styles you wear and how your care for your hair in certain styles can influence the extent to which your protective style leads to hair health or hair breakage.

Mini Braids That are Too Small and Tight

These styles are a favorite option among some women because it allows for long term protection, while also allowing for one to display length. I have worn this style and experienced mixed results. Mini braids, for example, were a “one and done” style for me mainly because they were extremely difficult for me to unravel after a few weeks.

While taking down my mini braids I had to use a bobby pin to undo some of the braids because the hair was so tightly braided. In this case the style had diminishing returns. In the future I might braid hair in significantly larger sections to make the style more effective.

Mini Twists on Hair that Hasn’t Been Stretched

Overall, I’ve had better experiences with mini twists than with mini braids and can generally say that they meet the goals of protective styling. However, for my tightly coiled hair, twisting the hair without blow drying first can lead to tangles galore. In my experience mini twists on my hair without heat stretching first, can lead to breakage caused by the excessive knots I encounter during the take down process. This is in part due to my current length (a bit above waist length after a recent trim) and my tightly coiled hair type.

Braid Extensions that Tangle and Take Long to Install

One of the protective styling options I get the most questions about via email are braid extensions. Extensions and weaves can be damaging or beneficial depending on how they style is installed. I am not a professional stylist and I don’t personally have much experience with weaves or extensions, so I can’t give directed advice on how they should be installed. However, if you are wearing a long term protective style using your hair, be sure to take the following into consideration:



1) Possibility of tangling

2) Time cost benefits of the style (the length of time it takes to complete the style vs. how much time you save in weekly styling).



Although long term protective styles like mini braids or twists (with natural hair), can make your hair regimen a breeze for a few weeks, it can ultimately lead to a setback.

What are your favorite long term protective styles? Which long term protective styles help you to retain the most length?

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The Trend: Kinky Curly Extensions

The trend for kinky curly extensions is really heating up and I believe that 2015 is the year that the industry makes a huge impact.



There is a lot of talk about the kinky curly weaves and wigs mostly good but some negative or perhaps wary of the impact this will have on the natural hair community. one that prides itself on educating women on growing healthy beautiful hair. The weave v natural debates runs on (and on and on) and I really have no time for it to be honest.



Focusing on the positives is always a better plan. Many of these companies that offer an alternative to silky straight weaves and wigs are natural black women who saw a gap in the market. This can only be a good thing as a lot of our money goes to Asian and Chinese companies that do not cater to our needs as black women. many of the brands are small and black owned.



These brands help you to enhance your god given hair, offering clip ins, half wigs and other protective styles that look like your hair. I see a lot of women wearing long braids using hair that is not there own but are against any kind of weave or wig? it's all a form of protective styling.



Price is often an issue, and yes a lot these brands are expensive because they use 100% virgin hair that is then (usually) steam processed to gain the afro kinky hair texture. there are alternatives to using 100% virgin hair, such as using Marley braid hair. wearing other people hair is not for everyone I respect that but for those who would like to invest in hair that when looked after can last up to 2 years check out Nazuri Curls, they are a UK based brand (there are many great brands but you all know I like to support UK companies).



Nazuri Curls textures range from afro kinky to relaxed straight (so not bone straight). prices start at £60 and lengths range from 8" to 24"



Nazuri curls hair can be manipulated to suit your hair by gently fluffing out the coils. They also offer a custom wig making service for those who are tender headed like myself who still want to rock this as a protective style. Nazuri Curls do not recommend that you heat style the hair however I have done this on a low heat and the coils revert back to the original pattern.



The hair is 100% virgin hair that is steam processed in order to get the varying textures. Steam processing is the is the safest way to create curls. I used the afro textured hair which when fluffed up is an exact match for my 4c hair. Like I mentioned the hair is 100% virgin and is sourced from Asian hair donors, virgin hair means the hair has never been chemically treated meaning coloured or permed.



Nazuri Curls is one of the only UK based afro textured hair brands. they are often at natural hair events this is where I had the opportunity to see the hair and I was sold on it straight away. My custom wig is made from 2 bundles of afro textured Nazuri Curls hair and is a U Part wig, however Nazuri Curls sell closures, clip ins and wefted hair. The wig allows me to look after my hair easily and feel like a bit of a diva! I'm totally sold on this kinky curly craze it has opened up more options for me when it comes to protective styling allowing me to be true to my god given texture and play around with lengths and styles. nazuricurls.com

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The Candle: IWNC.Co Natural Soy Wax Candles

Ever wonder how natural your candles are? Me neither, that was until I was contacted by UK brand IWNC company who specialise in soy candles



So what is Soy wax? Soy wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil which is naturally biodegradable. Soy wax candles do not increase the CO2 level in the atmosphere like paraffin candles do and keep the air in your home clear of petrochemicals.



IWNC company candles are 100% natural if that doesn't sway you the soy candles also burn longer and give off a stronger aroma then regular candles. I'm a lover of scented candles, I'm not a lover of buying a pricey scented candles that smells lovely only to burn it and smell nothing!



IWNC Company also helps you with advice on burning your candle......yup there is a certain way and it actually works.

1. Allow your candle to adjust to room temperature. Just like us they work better when they are warm.

2. If the wick is long, trim the wick to 5mm before use.

3. Never burn your candle in a draft.

4. Each time you burn your candle, allow the candle to burn until the molten liquid wax pool reaches the outside of the glass. If you do this each time you blow the candle out, the wax will set level and allow an even burn right to the bottom of the glass.

5. When burning your candle for a long time, check the wick every few hours and if the wick is longer than 5mm, blow the candle out, trim it back to 5mm and relight.

6. A trimmed wick will allow your candle to deliver a pure fragrance.

7. Before lighting, always read and respect the warning label on the base of the candle.

8. Always store your candle in a cool place when not using it and never leave in direct sunlight.

9. Relax and enjoy.



I'm loving the small family vibe of this brand (all candles are made in a garden shed for heavens sake!) the quality is top notch and the natural aroma is strong (even my postie mentioned how nice my package smelt and he can be a moody sod!) there is definitely a lot to think about when you choose to live a greener lifestyle, I'm still learning and trying to do my bit.



IWNC Company candles are all hand made in small quantities, here in the UK. Scents range from basic vanilla to more adventurous melon & cucumber. prices start at £4.99 http://ift.tt/1Can9Rv

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SHOULD NATURAL HAIR BE TRIMMED WET OR DRY?

By Audrey Sivasothy, author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care

You’ve seen the stylist in your neighborhood salon approach a head of wet dripping hair, with scissors in hand, and start to work his or her magic. But have you ever wondered whether trimming the hair while wet is the healthiest thing to do?

For straighter hair types, wet cutting may not be very problematic. Straighter hair is not very vulnerable to “shrinkage” and porosity issues, all characteristics that are found exaggerated on wet, textured hair. So, for those of us who are chemically relaxed, color treated, or have curl patterns that aren’t exactly uniform– dry trimming is actually the best method of hair trimming . Why?

1.) Imagine cutting a wet piece of paper, and then cutting a dry piece of paper in the same way. You’ll easily see that the cut on the wet paper is not a clean one. Your hair is really no different. Wet trimming can actually damage the (new) ends you create with the trim, leaving them more vulnerable to splitting later on. The damage is even more likely if your scissors are the cheaper variety (less than $ 10-15), non-hair specific shears, or good hair shears that need to be sharpened.

2.) Hair appears much longer when wet. So, a dry cut or trim will give you a better feeling of the actual, final length result. If you trim wet hair, you’ll appear one length while wet and then once the hair has fully dried, you’ll see that your hair is typically much shorter than you would have expected due to shrinkage.

3.) Differences with porosity and texture throughout your hair make dry cutting the better, more precise option. With porous or textured hair, some areas of the strand may lengthen more than others when exposed to water. More porous areas will lengthen the most, while less porous areas will resist that extra lengthening. Also, tighter coiled areas may not “release their curls” fully, as looser curled or coiled areas would. So, if you use your wet hair as a guide, you may end up with uneven hair in some places.

As a final note, if you are chemically relaxed and are some weeks post relaxer, you must take into consideration the differing growth rates in different areas on your head. Some areas, generally the crown, will experience faster or more noticeable growth than other areas like the nape. It is always advisable to relax or straighten your hair first, then attempt your dry hair trim.

Good luck!

Ladies, do you trim your hair wet or dry?

Audrey Sivasothy is a Houston-based freelance writer, health scientist and author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care (available on Amazon.com & Barnes&Noble.com).

For more insight from The Science of Black Hair— relaxed, natural or in between, visit us on the web atwww.blackhairscience.comand on facebook & twitter.

SOURCE: Black Girl with Long Hair

Healthy Me: Postpartum Skin Care

I suffered from really bad breakouts while I was pregnant. Now that Simon is born, I am dealing with clearing up my skin and keeping it as breakout free as possible. This is what specifically works for me but keep in mind that everyone's skin is totally different. But I hope that this is helpful!

Below are the cleansing products that I use:

I just started using the Burts bees brightening cleanser on my face. I am very pleased with this product! I feel like it helps to give me brighter skin. Prior to pregnancy my skin had a really good natural glow. But pregnancy really dulled out my skin over time. So this product helps me to get back the glow!



I use witch hazel with two drops of Tea tree essential oil as my toner. Tea tree essential oil is great for cleansing. It also makes my skin feel invigorated and I can feel that it gives me a very deep cleanse.



Below are the two products I use to moisturize my face:

I use the sensitive hydrating moisturizer during the day and the dual treatment moisturizer at night. I use this one at night because it has salicylic acid which helps to combat breakouts.

Cleansing and moisturizing my face:



-I allow the steam from the shower to open my pores before washing my face.

-After about 3 minutes of steam I rinse my face and apply my cleanser in a circular motion. I continue to work it into my skin for a full minute. Then I rinse thoroughly.

-Once out of the shower I apply witch hazel to a cotton ball along with 2 drops of tea tree essential oil. I cleanse my face in a circular motion paying specific attention to my t-zone (forehead, nose, and chin)

-Then I moisturize accordingly depending on if it's the morning or night

My face before cleansing:

My face after cleansing:

This works great for me right now! What do you use to cleanse and deal with breakouts? Share below!

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