Oiling the Scalp? Good or Bad?

Most people probably haven't had their scalp oiled since they were younger, but it is said to have some benefits in doing so.

CHECK IT OUT...

Timi Komonibo of www.naturallycurly.com seems to think it is worth a 2nd look...

When was the last time you oiled your scalp? We habitually engage in dangerous hair practices that strip our hair of its essential oils and nutrients. Applying excessive shampoos, excessive hair washing and not applying enough conditioner are unhealthy practices for your scalp. Hair oils can moisturize the scalp and stimulate its pores to produce more healthy, natural oils. But keep in mind that however beneficial oiling the scalp may be for many people, it might not be right for everyone. Check out these pros and cons to help you decide if oiling your scalp is for you:


Let’s start with some downsides of using oil:

• Oil gathers the pollutants and dust in the air
• Over-oiling can create greasy-looking hair
• Heavy oils can weigh hair down

Here are many upsides to using hair oil:

• Massaging oil into your hair stimulates blood circulation and relaxes your body
• Oil gives hair extra shine
• Oiling your scalp growth and add moisture
• Oiling scalp can counteract dandruff and dry scalp
• Oil conditions your hair and prevents it from being brittle and dull
• Some oils like castor oil and coconut oil promote hair growth
• Hot oil treatments lock in added moisture, increasing shine, body and bounce.

Many oils can be mixed to create blends for hair conditioning. Here are some oils that promote healthy hair:

• Jojoba oil is good for dry hair. It helps soften hair and can be used to detangle hair before shampooing
• Olive oil strengthens and nourishes hair
• Coconut oil adds lubrication to the hair. It’s useful for damaged hair due to it’s ability to strengthen it
• Rosemary herbal oil is useful for unwanted and flaky dandruff problems.

Remember a few things about hair oils. Not all hair oils are created equal. Try to avoid products with petroleum; they clog your pores and weigh your hair down. Use natural oils instead and only oil your scalp as needed.


XOXO
T E A

Butters, Oils and Serums

• Nourishing Coconut Milk Split Ends Mender: Smells great and it goes through your hair smoothly & makes your hair shine. I lost my full bottle and looking forward to getting another one. I used it on my relaxed hair and it was great so I am curious to see if it will do just as great with my natural hair.

• Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum: I didn’t get to use it long enough to know if it helped with breakage. It gave my hair some shine and smelled wonderful. I lost this bottle also so I am looking forward to getting another bottle soon!

• Vitamin E: Very smooth oil. It gave me a lot of shine and my hair just soaks it up. It is one of my favorite oils! Its hard to find here so when I find some more I will be racking up!

• JoJoba Oil: I love adding this to any product and it just gives it extra moisture. It is not heavy and doesn’t weigh my hair down or create much build up. I may use it to seal my ends after a twist out or just add some water to my hair and run so jojoba through it in the morning.

• Carrot oil: I really like this oil. It gives a lot of shine and keeps my hair soft. It is hard for me to find real carrot oil but the one I have is ok just such a small bottle.

• Grape seed: This oil is in my top 3 favorite oils. It is light and gives you a lot of shine. It has no smell and isn’t greasy at all. Great product, THANK YOU CURLY NIKKI!!!!!

• Avocado:  This oil is a wee bit heavier than the grape seed but it can be added to anything
• Shea Butter: I love it! Its very smooth and melts well into my hair and gives it a very nice shine! I could use this daily

• Coconut oil: I am not too found of the smell BUT it works ok in my hair. it works better when my hair is super wet but it made my hair fell a bit crunchy when used on dry hair.

XOXO
T E A

My Daily REGGIE!!!

Hello Fellow Curlies!!!!

Being that I usually wake up late I need a quick reggie for my morning routine that will get the results that i desire so here is my normal routine....

• I saturate my hair with aloe vera juice I keep in a spray bottle
• Shingle (part hair into small sections to apply product) from the back to the front and heavily apply a mixture of Giovanni Direct Leave In with extra virgin olive oil and a little bit of Jojoba oil.
• I work it through to make sure its not white and I make sure my whole head is covered completely.
• I then  put on a headband or twist the front..

See, Super simple and your hair is receiving all of the mositurization it needs to stay soft and even a little shine too!!! It is quick I am done with my hair within 10 to 15mins tops!

XoXo,

T E A

64th annual Bronner Bros. International Hair Show in Atlanta,Ga

This was the show I sadly missed..sniffle sniffle BUT none the less I will be at the show in August!!! I found it interesting that CNN decided to do an article on the event that took place Feb 18th-20th. Take a look!!

Atlanta, Georgia -- There were plenty of Crayola-colored wigs and long, silky extensions displayed at the 64th annual Bronner Bros. International Hair Show, which drew more than 60,000 stylists, hair enthusiasts and exhibitors who work with black hair this past weekend.

Yet against the backdrop of energetic hip-hop music and among the booths stocked with glossy tubs of chemical relaxers, some black women went back to basics: They wore their own natural hair.

That might be seem like an unexpected trend, with music artists such as Beyonce and Nicki Minaj sporting bright wigs and extensions. Wigs, weaves and relaxers are indeed big business. In 2006, black hair care products including relaxers, shampoos and hair accessories for weaves totaled $1.8 billion, according to The Hunter-Miller Group Inc., a market research group specializing in African-American issues.

But going natural, say several stylists and experts, is making a comeback.

There were education sessions for women who were curious about styling their natural curls in courses titled "Innovative Styling for Natural and Locked Hair" and "The Art of Natural Hair."

Several booths featured organic shampoos and styling tools for customers, many of whom stopped using chemical products after experiencing negative side effects such as hair loss or burns. Bronner Bros. is a family-owned black hair care product empire based in Marietta, Georgia.

It's not just at the Bronner Bros. hair show where discussions on natural hair are bubbling. Websites explaining the pros of going chemical-free and how to wear natural styles have become go-to destinations over the last few years. One of the sites, Nappturality.com, which features forums, tips and advice, has become a place of community support for women who want more natural styles.

Last year, young music star Willow Smith, daughter of musician-actor Will Smith and actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, debuted with the colorful, hair-tossing song "Whip My Hair," which encourages young girls to embrace their who they are -- and their manes.

Click the link below to read the article in it's entirety.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/02/22/bronner.brothers.natural.black.hair/index.html?iref=allsearch

My Simple Wash & Go!

I love my wash in go's but usually there is no time to do them in the morning so I came up with a few short cuts that works for ME so that when I wake up I can have that wash & go look.

THE NIGHT BEFORE: I co-wash and then apply my fav deep conditioning product that I can leave on for hours and it wont OVER condition my hair. Next I put on a plastic bag, apply a little heat and then wrap a towl around my head prevent leakage on my pillow & then I hit the hay!

THE NEXT MORNING: I ashingle my favorite leave-in & ( learning and reading http://www.curlynikki.com/) I get a clump of Shea Butter, put it on the front of my hair making sure I get it all around my hairline and a little on the rest of my hair, tie down the front with a satin scarf and then get dressed!

Once the scarf is off my edges are wavy and shiny and I am out the door with/without a headband or a simple puff!

XOXO

Tea

Twist Outs!!!!!

It takes me about 2 hours to do twists out the reason being is that I have to make my twist small to blend in this patch of hair that refuses to curl, SEE!!!

                                                                  

        

After I take down the twist I style it with either a headband or twists in the front.

This is my FIRST attempt at flat twisting..please dont laugh too hard, lol.

How I do my twist outs...

1. I use  Cantu Leave In with a little EVOO OR  the CURL Smoothie with EVOO. 
2. First I Co-Wash using Hello Hydration & deep condition with either Fructis conditioning mask or Pantene Relaxed and Natural mask.
3. While wet I start from the back and grab several lil 1inch sections of hair, 2 strand twists and seal the ends with castor oil.
4. Once the twist are complete I pin them back them back with ouchless bobby pins to stretch my curls and then put on a satin cap with a satin bonnet.
5. In the morning I spray my hair with a little water and run a little Jojoba Oil across my twists and then begin to untwist. I only untwist them and then divide each half into 2 strands to make them fuller and that is it!

Hope this helps!

XOXO

Tea

Product Review 

Stylers & Leave - Ins

CURLS Crème Brulee: Smells super and somewhat thick. I Did not like it as a stand alone product for a wash n go but it is a good product to mix with extra oil i.e avocado, jojoba or grape seed for my twist out dry/wet. It gave me shine and leaves my hair feeling really soft and smelling great.

Goddess Curls Gel: I have used this quite a few times...the first time i shingled it on wet hair and I loved it. I thought it gave my curls shine and great definition UNTIL I went back to the mirrior 20mins later and discover I had MAJOR shrinkage!!! YIKES!

Shea Moisture Curl Smoothie: Using this product for a wash and go was a NO!  It was too heavy, didn’t promote curl definition and didn’t melt well into my hair very well (stayed white for awhile.) I love the thickness for a twist out & I add a little oil to it for extra shine. The smell is wonderful!

Fructis Leave In: This is one of my favorite and most used products! I added some grape seed oil into it. I use it for my wash n go’s and twist outs! It is light enough to use daily but it gives my curls hold. It is the best thing since sliced bread in my book! If I want a more defined twist out I add a little honey to it and it gives it extra shine and a lot of hold.

Giovanni Direct Leave In: Well this is one of the FIRST products I brought to use for the KIMMAY recipe (I love her) and it was great! It left my hair really soft and the curls were nice and formed. It is light enough to use daily.

Cantu Leave In: One of my cheaper products and the love of my life! It is creamy but not too thick so it can be used for twist outs or wash n go’s! The smell is great and I doctor it up just a little with different types of oils. I can use it interchangeable with the Giovanni Direct or Curl Smoothie.

Giovanni Vitapro Fusion: Ok I am not sure why I purchased this product. I guess I just loved everything else Giovanni and the store had a buy one get one free and it was the only product I haven’t used so I was like “Might as well!!!” Bad choice I should have got some more direct leave in! This product left my hair dry and crispy and feeling like shredded wheat! I even let my mom in which is natural also and she hated it also. I don’t hate many products but I do not see myself using this again. Thank God it was free!

Shea Moisture Leave In Conditioner: Works great for wash n gos. Leaves hair super soft with hold. I may use it on a twist out soon…will keep you posted!!!

XoXo,

Tea

4-1-1 On Shea.

I would like to say THANKS to http://laehshea.com/ & all of the others who did a lot of research on shea butter. If it wasn't for the information on the sites available I would not  have known the differences in the shea butters that are sold at various locations & by various vendors.

Here are some facts about shea:

The shea nut is a small nut about the size of a walnut. The fruit grows on the Karite tree in Africa. Color may vary but pure Grade A, unrefined Shea Butter is typically light beige. If it is a deep yellow and very oily, slippery, and smooth additives may have been added.

For more information Dr. Harris, one of the few Shea Butter experts, will be speaking at the 1st Annual Natural and Organic Hair/ Health Expo. This all day expo will be held on 3/5/2011 at the Pavillion in Phenix City, Al. Please call 706-507-0109 for more information.

 I use Shea Butter in my hair almost daily. I love it and the many ways it can be used. I have learned from http://www.curlynikki.com/ that you can use water and Shea Butter for  fly away edges instead of gels!

XOXO

Tea

The GOOD, The BAD, & THE UGLY!

The truth of the matter is.. a lot of people aren't very accepting of natural hair & it's sad to say but, most people are more accepting of weaves or relaxers.

I started getting a relaxer at a very young age most of my life was spent being a slave of the creamy crack until one day I saw the light & was done with it all! I put my foot down and was like this relationship is over !  i started to transition with sew ins to avoid the Big Chop but sadly I was seven months post relaxer with micros and was not educated about the removal of them. My hair knotted up and when push went to shove I was right back the relaxer.

Fast forward a year I was back at transitioning.  I installed sew in after sew in and finally I was tired of paying money and once I hit 9 months I called over my friend and asked her to just cut it all off! I felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO free! I mean it was just a whole new feeling, BUT my hair wasnt exactly CURLY like I had thought it would be...it was dry...frizzy...and not what I seen on other blogs and websites. 

 I was free yet dissapointed all at the same time but I wasn't going back to the creamy crack so it was full steam ahead. Praise the lord for youtube, blogs and Curly Nikki!!! They helped me work with my hair...

Just when I thought I was gaining a sense of confidence about my hair and finally coming with terms with it WHAM society hits & it hits HARD.

 My first trip with my Teeny Weeny Afro was to NY (I figured I would have no problem there since most are on the natural scene) the first thing I hear from a family memeber is "And what did you do to all of your pretty hair? You cut it off and look like a boy!" Mind you this is coming from a family of mostly natural.. I was shocked by the rude and ignorant comments I was met with for a full week.

Its sad to say but family can be the one who try and hurt you the most...

I have learned sometimes you just have to pull strength from within and just do what makes you happy and me and my natural hair make me OVERJOYED...

Don't let the world steal your joy...

XOXO

Tea