Natural hair help

Nature's Answer! Natural Whitener is it true?

2010-09-19T21:18:00.007-04:00

Is it true does PerioBrite really whiten your teeth?
From my experience.....NO!
I'm writing this post 5 minutes after brushing my teeth and I even used baking soda to give it that extra umphhh! power, but to no avail PerioBrite does not work for me at all.

It really was a waste of money. Next time I should stick to the brand of natural non-fluoride that usually gets the job done right and brightens my day and night.
Going out with yellowish-white teeth is not cool especially when you're taking a communication class and you have presentations to do like I do!

What will I do??

Make my own toothpaste!

More on that soon.

What are you going to do with your hair? you should get a wig!

2010-08-19T21:28:00.003-04:00

My great Aunt who has probably not left her house in years due to poor health decided to ask me, "What are you going to do with your hair?" School is starting soon and some people like my great Aunt are attached to the white phenomena that is straight hair. Natural hair is not a political statement anymore. It is a statement related to the paradigm that one inhabits. The spiritual path that you have chosen for yourself and if you are not on my frequency I can not take you seriously. There is a barrier separating us like we're on different planets.

From my experience black women who rock the weaves and wigs look down upon me and us as a whole who are natural. The looks I've been given attest to that. Looks like: you-really-went-outside-looking-like-that; men-always-love-long-hair-that's-why-I-got-my-bf-and-you-don't, etc. These stares and looks are very detrimental to black women living in both cities and rural areas; more so in rural areas. I bring this up because we all need to find our sangha; our community sanctuary. Please, when choosing who you let into your private club make sure they are on your paradigm or frequency, because my great Aunt sure isn't in mine but I have to live with her at the moment.

Did Carol's Daughter Sell Out?

2010-01-18T22:40:00.002-05:00

This is how Carol's Daughter went from natural to mainstream-sold-their-soul.

Ok, first let's examine Carol's Daughter when they first came out. They were on Tyra Banks, endorsed by Jada Pinkett Smith who loved that Carol's Daughter was all NATURAL.

But now after the recent Disney movie came out and the deal they had with Disney to create a line of hair products for little girls. Those products marketed to little girls do not have a natural substance from my observations. For example let's look at the limited Edition! Shampoo "Beauty Within"ingredients listed below:

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycol Stearate SE, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Fragrance, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Will this seriously create beauty? I think not. I am an advocate of natural, organic products and as always an advocate of TRUTH.

So before you buy these products for your kids, tell me can you read all the names of the ingredients listed without stumbling on the words? Good Luck.

Doing Some Renovations

2010-01-12T19:29:00.003-05:00

I am deciding to change the blogger template.

Make a different impact on viewers with the color schemes and layout.

Allowing change to happen and be fluid, because nothing stays the same.

Every new day is a chance for a new reality.

Review of thankgodimnatural.wordpress.com

2010-01-06T14:30:00.003-05:00

This blog by Chris-tia is taking it into a new direction this year which will emphasize:

a healthier lifestyle for black people
better eating habits
exercise
how to cope with every day problems and stresses

Hot topics I found interesting on this blog included:

Got Milk? Black Women and the BreastFeeding Dilema

"Frustrated" Teacher Cuts off Student's Hair

This blog also included mainstream content such as new movies that are out and as most popular blogs that I've seen showcase natural women whether it is natural chic of the week or other.

Of course there is merchandise to be sold and bought by us consumers!
The creator(s) of the blog, thankgodimnatural.wordpress.com have a book by the same name Thank God I'm Natural. Which I would love to read.

Ultimately the atmosphere/look of the website is a royalty color: purple!

Rating: 4.5/5

Rating Natural Hair Blogs on a scale of 1 to 5

2010-01-06T14:21:00.003-05:00

I will now be rating natural hair blogs/websites.

I will be concerned about:

content
pictures
A feel of community
the look of the website: atmosphere
and other miscellaneous things that catch my eye

My Reflection of the Last year

2010-01-05T23:08:00.004-05:00

I finally decided to do me. To be me. I admire Nikki Yeager for flying with her intentions.

I cut my hair, really short. I didn't want to do twists or braids or anything, I just wanted to brush/comb and leave.

I finally decided to leave a college I hated and go to another school (which I currently do not like). Isn't that wonderful? lol (I never get a break).

I decided to be open to meeting my soulmate and I met him! It took a few trials of a lot of ERROR but I met him! I focused and I received.

I am finally owning up to my life and my goal for this year (2010) is financial independence also including having my own place!

I am currently finishing my poetry book that I was supposed to finish before turning 20 yrs old, but you know, procrastination happens, lol. Just like it happens on this blog!

peace

Did Carol's Daughter Sell Out?

2010-01-03T22:54:00.004-05:00

The Black Man: Can he Love You and Your Hair?

2009-12-30T21:17:00.003-05:00

I like being unique in my blog posts but it has come to mind that women with natural hair or those considering becoming natural are concerned about the men that will like them!

Well, in my opinion, let the man come to you. If a guy I find attractive brushes me off and doesn't seem interested, I let it be.

If it is meant to be, it will be. This ensures that I won't create any opening for a future heart ache that could have been avoided by minding my own business which is to not pursue him if he finds what I represent by the way I dress, act or wear my hair is not his style.

In the past, as I am a college student, I have met and dated briefly a man of my total dreams. The kind of guy that in high school was the big shot, the most popular and who everyone wanted to hang with and yes he is black.
He liked my hair! I wanted to trim it very short and that was the only issue he had, lol.

Overall,
This life you lead is not for a man. I can testify to that because when I get dressed and ready to go in the morning, thinking about what a man or my man would think I look like is far from my mind and I still attract lots of men every day.

One day I wore a head wrap, and was looking my worst in my opinion and this dude tried to holla at me.

It's the inner beauty and confidence that shines or even that I-don't-care-attitude and I-don't-even-notice-you-looking-at-me attitude (but don't include the nasty attitude lol) that sometimes draws men in. Think about that next time you, you encounter this issue: Can he Love You and Your Hair? ;)

My Birth Day passed and I got no closer to my journey

2009-12-28T01:34:00.003-05:00

December 23rd was my birth day and this date is a blessing because I was born on a Saturday (my favorite day) and the number 23 is such a beautiful number to me. So I feel I have a deep connection to my birth date and everything that surrounded it.

However, the days before and after my birth day this year were days that were chaotic and seemed to last for far too long then it needed to be.

I will not bore you with details. As, at this time, that I am writing this post (1:42am), it is hard to even formulate a story that could wrap up all of those days up into a paragraph.

I will simply state that I am unsure of my future. Only dreams are alive.
What is a birth day good for anyways?
I believe it is good to reflect and to think of the past year and what you have accomplished.

I am a college student who moved back home from going to a school 5 hrs away.I do not want to be normal, and have never been normal. I am the weird girl, who's quiet because I do not wish to get my dreams crushed by the robotic thinking that people sometimes have.

So what have I accomplished this past year?

Um... yeah, I didn't reflect, so wait a bit.....uhmm......
I need to MEDITATE on this.
And I suggest you do the same.
If you really are interested. Send me a comment and I will be candid.

Amla hair oil: First to Mention

2009-12-18T14:48:00.007-05:00

I was the first to mention Amla hair oil on the natural scene and I have more news to mention.

Amla hair oil is at times cheap.
The cheapest one probably is Dabur Amla oil which actually contains mineral oil, or paraffin oil whatever you want to call that oil that clogs up the scalp and prevents any nutrients to penetrate the below the surface.

Most Dabur products are not natural or organic so I would not recommend using them. I recently bought Dabur Amla hair oil, only because it seemed like the only option available but as soon as I used it,it felt like a film of wrapping paper was on my scalp.

Years ago,when I first introduced Amla hair oil, I had received it from a friend who bought it for me. The name of it was Bio Amla Hair oil and I recall it had the ingredients mentioned and none were harmful but I have recently bought my own and it doesn't list the ingredients at all. This is very important info to know when purchasing a product distributed by another country. Make sure it is natural and authentic.

I will be receiving pure amla hair oil from a friend who is visiting India and if anyone would like to purchase 2 ounces of authentic amla oil please send me an email. LIMITED TIME OFFER.

Extensions and Natural Hair: How to manage Dirtiness

2009-12-17T00:56:00.007-05:00

Use organic root stimulator cleanser or any cleanser to clean the scalp the first two weeks.

use a blotted sponge, soak it in a mixture of shampoo, baking soda and water

and use it between the braids, on the scalp

After letting it dry, place nourishing serum/oils on scalp.
As well as itch relief for braids. This will greatly reduce the clogged dirt.

Thoughts while Reading "Tenderheaded: A comb-bending Collection of Hair Stories"

2009-12-11T21:09:00.006-05:00

Skimming through this book I realized that some women have serious issues about hair.
A passage titled RELAX YOUR MIND! by Jenyne M. Raines boggled my mind because it is promoting a relaxed mind that accepts the norm. Are we not the original woman? If we are, only intuition can tell you whether you should relax your mind as well as your hair and allow the bald spots to begin forming.

In this passage the author states that "I'll probably never be wild about my nose, but I've always loved my hair" and later on states "I don't look good with braids, and no curly Afro...Relaxed hair is part of how I see myself."

Is that not doublespeak? How can you love your hair, yet not let it breath for a bit.

REAL THOUGHT:

There is no evolving past the imitation, unless you realize you're imitating them while they're imitating you and calling it equal.

Frying: A Poem. Video coming soon!

2009-12-05T16:17:00.000-05:00

Frying

I cook up something every month

It’s the same thing rolled up in the same sauce

I cook up something good, unimaginable

I cook up my tresses, my locks

So It can fit in

I cook up something good

Crack in my kitchen

This is golden

No more kink

Just straight no real story to tell

Just straight and to the point

I want my jungle back

Because I never was a cave dweller

No sun hater/blocker

under construction

2009-03-20T12:59:00.001-04:00

Under Construction

Easy Natural Hair Styles

2008-08-09T01:11:00.000-04:00

I've been wearing my hair mostly in twists for the last ummm........ 2 years and today I tried something really out there for me: Bantu Knots!! And I got the instructions from the youtube video linked under Bantu Knots. I'm sort of a lazy person and didn't part my hair using a comb, just my hands and it came out nice, but a bit tight as my head hurts. Bantu knots are real easy to do.

Take a small section of hair and two strand twist it
wrap it around in a circular motion down towards the scalp
tuck the end of the hair underneath the rest or use a rubber band to keep it in place
Continue to make other sections and make knots.

Tools:

Hands
comb if necessary
rubber bands to keep the hair in place
Aloe vera gel (optional)
That's it!

Sleeping with this hairstyle is another story :(

Other EASY hairstyles to consider:
--->Afro
--->Puffs
--->Wash & Go
--->cornrows

I will have pictures up soon :)

Product Poll

2008-08-07T00:08:00.000-04:00

Summer Hair

2008-07-01T23:03:00.001-04:00

In the summer, hair grows quicker than in the other seasons, why is that?
I attribute it to the moisture and humidity that we receive during the summer months. I thoroughly enjoy it, because my scalp is not dry unless of course I'm sitting next to the AC, which you shouldn't do! It will make your scalp dry and your hair will feel dull.
Every summer without fail, my hair grows longer and suddenly when it reaches October, I feel that my high hopes for natural hair down my neck is gone!! why!! lol

According to ehealthMD under "Facts about Hair and Hair Loss," hair does grow faster in warmer weather than in cold weather. They don't offer an explanation but this must be sought out. To Google!! lol
Even today New York Times has a Personal Health article on body hair, but not on one's head, it's the excessive unwanted hair that's the topic since it's bikini season.
I guess the only reason hair grows faster in the summer is because of direct sunlight, the moisture and humidity we experience in this wonderful, and sometimes unbearable weather.

I've been using MSM tablets, it's working wonderfully for me, more on this later.
Adios.

My new favorite product

2008-01-07T20:16:00.000-05:00

This body that I love

2007-12-22T20:49:00.000-05:00

My hair is who I am. I sometimes want a more defined curly hair but I have to deal with who I am. It’s on my head. Everyone sees me, sees my hair, it is a part of my whole image. It can determine if I’m wild or mild. It can also determine if I am truly in love with myself or not and it seems that I’m not in love with me. I do not take care of my mane, I let it go wild in a manner that may attract but it keeps my self-esteem lowww. It keeps me in the pits, it keeps me wanting to heal, wanting to love my skin but I can never put enough effort to pamper this skin this hair.

I want to say I love me, I want to say I love this body, but where does the love begin when I’m hurting every day where are the vitamins, where are the minerals, where are the fruits and ve-ge-tables? I am going to try better next time, I’m gonna pamper myself like no other, I’m gonna love this body, from the inside out, no self-defeating lies, no feeling of unworthiness cause I am worthy of l-o-v-e. I am worthy!

synthetic dreadlocks

2007-12-21T16:31:00.000-05:00

I would love to know what I would look like with dreadlocks. I’ve always wanted long hair but with I don’t really take good care of my natural hair. There are synthetic dreadlocks which can last up to several weeks. It wouldn’t damage my natural hair. It would give my natural hair a break from my twists.

I don’t know where one can get dreadlock extensions but one can make them using synthetic hair or human hair.

Synthetic hair:

Silky Braid Kanekalon: Coarse yet fluffy texture
Jumbo Braid Kanekalon: Commonly used for temporary/disposable extensions
Pre-Rolled Dreads: Commonly used for repairing natural locks

Human hair:

Cuticle Hair: Highest quality hair you'll ever find.
100% Human Hair: Fine texture with a good look and feel.
50% Human Hair: Coarser than the other two types, but is still quite natural looking. It is also the least expensive of the three.

To me finding a hairdresser that does dreadlock extensions would amount to a lot of phone calls and possibly cost a lot of money if I decided to get it done. Besides, I’m lazy and it’s just a thought. I could possibly do it myself but again, I’m lazy and lazy and don’t really have the time since I’m in college right now and moving to a new dorm since my roommate sucks.

Usher-It doesn't have to do with hair

2007-08-03T19:42:00.000-04:00

I love Usher and I don't usually read gossip about stars but just recently I found out he was engaged and then was expecting a baby and then later on he canceled the wedding. Everything was a surprise to me. I like it when the stars I like stay single, mainly singers that are in the public eye a lot, but I was happy when he was with Chilli. I also like it when my guy friends are single but I shouldn't b/c they have to live and be happy. I realize that Usher's a human being and not just entertainment for my eyes. He needs to get to know himself better and in the future he will choose the right person for himself. I really hope he loves and accepts himself and doesn't have to put up a front when he's with different females or friends.
Loving yourself is not about getting facials, manicures or getting the best clothes it's about looking deep within and figuring out what is great about you and developing confidence to show that to yourself and to others. Doing nice things for yourself once in a while does help you feel good, but it shouldn't overshadow your personality, or your soul.
Back to Usher- I really hope that positivity radiates into his life.

Glycerin

2007-07-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

Glycerin is a colorless, thick liquid which absorbs water from the air and comes from a animal or vegetable fats. Because it attracts moisture to the hair and skin it is found in most hair and skin care products. Why is glycerin so important? It helps feed our curls the moisture it so deserves. Glycerin helps reduce frizz and provides flexibility to the curls.
Use glycerin in shampoos to add moisture to them, you can also use it in a spray bottle with water as the other component.
I recently bought Africare 100% Glycerin. I used it before I washed my hair, in conjunction with lavender water in a spray bottle, my hair was really soft, it still is. You don't need to throw away the products that didn't work for you (as long as they don't have petroleum/mineral oil in them) you can add a bit of glycerin and see if it works for you then. Try it!

Some products with glycerin:
Conditioners:
Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream
Qhemet Biologics Olive Cream Conditioning Instant Detangler
MyHoneyChild Coconut Hair Milk $18.00
Oyin Honey-Hemp Conditioner $9.00

Styling:
Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding $7.00
Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue $7.00
Curl Junkie CoffeeCoco Curl Creme $12.00
Curl Junkie Curl Fuel $8.00
Curl Junkie Curly Boost $8.00

Uninformed people

2007-07-01T16:06:00.000-04:00

Today, some friends and I were talking about one of their baby daughter's (hair) beautiful curls. She has good hair they said and I really took offense to that and the mother said her daughter doesn't have nappy hair and how she has somewhat nappy hair.
This really pissed me off. I don't understand people and their misconceptions or why they don't delve deep into what's real. As long as hair is healthy it will be beautiful, you don't need to label hair as good or bad. Just like you can't call someone evil, you can only call their actions or words hurtful or evil not her/him. I guess we are conditioned to give things and people one word feelings/emotions but that helps no one better themselves. And it's hard to go from saying "oh, you're clumsy" to saying "you're acting clumsy", because we are for the most part not taught to speak like that.
I think when we better the way we talk to ourselves and to others then we can change who we are and what we are. Learning to let go of the every day words we say to ourselves and to others can help us realize that we don't have to stay the same, that change is possible even though at times it's scary. I'm scared of change sometimes, but it's a normal process, every day the weather is different and so should we be.

Apple Cider Vinegar a s a natural hair care product

2007-06-19T10:49:00.000-04:00

I use Apple Cider Vinegar (found at health food store) to cleanse my body, I put 2 tablespoons in a glass of water and drink this almost every day (all throughout the day). I have lost some weight which I contribute to drinking apple cider vinegar and I feel better and look better.
However, apple cider vinegar can also be used to clean the hair, and remove buildup in the scalp.

To find some vinegar hair recipes check out this site that is all about the uses of Apple Cider Vinegar.

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/natural-hair-care-product.html

An example of what this site has to offer:

Apple Cider Vinegar and Dandruff
The acids and enzymes in ACV kill the "bottle bacillus", a bacteria that is one of the causes for many scalp and hair conditions such as dandruff, itchy scalp, hair loss and often baldness.The bacteria clogs hair follicles allowing dry crusts to form that itch and flake.

For a simple home treatment for dandruff and itchy scalp, apply full strength ACV to the scalp, rub in, and leave on for a half hour to an hour before washing your hair.

For an extra strength natural hair care product, apple cider vinegar can be infused with herbs such as stinging nettle, southernwood, goosegrass, plantain and burdock root all of which help prevent dandruff on their own. Tea tree oil is another excellent natural anti-dandruff ingredient, which can be added.
http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/natural-hair-care-product.html