CurlBox Natural

Hello there Saints! CurlBox. For $20 (plus $5 shipping) a month you would recieve a pakage with samples and/or full sized products for hair care to try. I learned about monthly hair care subscriptions through various blogs and social media on the web. I am not a full blown product junkie. Lets just say I'm a "watered down" product junkie (Teehee). So, I like to try various hair products here and there. And if you are like me, who is fruggle when it come to spending funds, you are always on the lookout for getting the most bang for your bucks.

The BEST Flat Twist Out EVER!

Hello Saints! Last month I ordered for the first time the Ouidad $5 sample pack which included two gels, a leave-in, shampoo and conditioner. I got an additional free sample of my choice plus free shipping with this offer. At the time of this special, Ouidad was also offering a 5 day Deal of the Day. Each day they had a special package offer or free products with a purchase. On day 4 of the special, with ANY purchase you would receive their Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner 6oz and Sun Shield Sun & Sport Leave-In Spray 8.5oz for FREE. Those two products together is $37. Talk about savings!! So needless I took advantage on this day and ordered my daughter and I the $5 sample pack and received an additional sample and the 2 full size leave-ins for free and free shipping too! I could not pass this deal up! :o)

Protecting the Fruit of My Labor

Hello Saints! I am still faithfully on my transition to natural hair. All is going well. I am getting better at coming up with styles to help blend the two textures and minimize manipulation to prevent breakage. Finding different styles for my transitioning hair is probably the most difficult part of my transition. On days that I do not know what to do with my hair I put on a half wig or drawstring ponytail. 

This photo is my latest transitioning style. This is a flat two-strand twist  style I have been wearing this week. It is quick and very easy for me to do. I have not always known how to do flat two-strand twists until recently.  When you ask the Lord for help, He will always respond according to His will and plan. :o)

New Formula: S-Curl No Drip

Hello Saints! I was in need of my staple moisturizer S-Curl No Drip and found out that Luster's has changed the ingredients. I was kind of concerned because I did not know if the change was for the better or the worse. The new formula is now paraben free which is good. However they have added DMDM Hydantoin (formaldehyde preservative) in it's place. The new fragrance is wonderful. Definitely will take the new smell. The other new ingredients are Argan oil and Olive oil. Those are some great oils for hair care so thumbs up on those as well.

BEE MINE All the Time

Hello Saints! I pray all is well with everyone. The holidays are over but the the hair journey must go one! LOL

So, for a while I was looking for a moisturizing deep conditioner. I wanted it to be protein free since I like use Aphogee Two Minute for my weekly protein treatment and I follow up with a moistruizing deep conditioning. I had tried various sample packs from Sally Beauty and others from department stores like Walmart. I had some great results but I was not too impresed with some of the ingredients. Sometimes my hair would be moisturized after the rinse but once completely dry it was dull and bone dry as if I had not deep condition.

Hair Care: Six Months Later

Hello there Saints! I pray all is well with everyone this day. So sorry for the silence. We had a death in our family right before Thanksgiving so my family and I have been away. To God be the glory. The Lord is still in control. I will be posting details of the death of my nephew Ernest Hoskins, Jr. at a later date.  There are still pending events right now but none the less justice will prevail in the name of Jesus! :o)

So, in May of this year I took the plung and cut my grazing shoulder length hair to ear length. It was a tough decision but a much needed decision. My hair was a mess at the start of my journey in August 2011. My hair broke off so bad in the hair line/edges and various spots in my crown. The right side had broke off the worse. That side broke from

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Hello Saints! When I started my healthy hair care journey I was not too knowlegable about oils for the hair.  In fact the only oil I knew about growing up was grease.  The only grease I really remember seeing used in my house was Blue Magic or Royal Crown Hair Dressing.  Now after a year of being on a hair care journey, I have almost become an oil junky! There are some oils I have still yet to test out but there is no rush there since I am pretty content with the oils I am currently using in my hair care. One  being Jamaican Black Castor Oil.  I knew about castor oil but have NEVER heard of black castor oil.  Honestly what I did know about castor oil was it was used as a laxative and to help induce labor (I do not know if it works for labor though).  I did not know that it could be used for the hair. Now that I am continuously researching on how to properly care for my hair as well as my family's hair as a whole, I started to see castor oil and black castor oil appear.

 

I started using JBCO almost a year ago when I needed some assistance with growing my edges back in when pretty much my whole hair line broke. My edges suffered the most. I came across Hairlicious and read about how JBCO can help with thickening and promoting growth of the hair. There after I began to Google and Bing about all the benefits of JBCO and where I can purchase some.  Here are a few benefits or using JBCO:

My Favorite Moisturizer: S-Curl No Drip!

When I first started my healthy hair care journey in August 2011 I was trying out various oils, conditioners, shampoos and moisturizers. I went through a LOT of trial error my first year especially with finding a good moisturizer.

I have 4a/b-ish hair which anyone with this type of hair texture knows that it runs dry quite often. I live in Florida so our Summers are pretty humid which is great for my hair type but the Florida winters are on the dry side too. Since I started my hair journey at the end of Summer going into Fall I needed to get on the ball to get a good daily moisturizer.

Ayurvedic Friday: Henna Treatment

Hello Saints! I did my second Jamila henna treatment today! However... I did not leave it overnite since I wanted more conditioning then color. I also used coconut milk instead of tea or water.

Side Note: The quanity of henna mix I made is according to the current length of my hair which is ear lenth. As my hair grows the amounts of my ingredients used will increase based on my length

Here are my ingredients:

• 2tbsp Jamila henna
• coconut milk
• 1tbsp Wild Growth oil mix (I had added other oils to it a while back)
• 1tsp Navratna Oil Lite (more for the scent then the benefits)
• 2tsp honey
• 2tsp Maka powder

After mixing, I covered the mix and let it sit for about 3 hours then applied to my dry prepoo'd hair. I covered my hair with a plastic cap and left it in for 4 hours then cowashed it out using Jason Aloe Vera 84% Conditioner. There after I did a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment using Beautiful Textures Rapid Repair Deep Conditioner with heat for 30 minutes. Cowashed that out as well using Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner (you know I had to put moisture back in). After all said and done...drum roll.... IT WAS THE BEST TREATMENT EVER!!. I actually still did get some color but still yet my hair feels sooooo amazingly soft and strong. I love it! I'm going to do this again next Friday (my designanted Ayurvedic treatment day)!

Ear Length = HIGH MAINTENANCE!

So this Sunday will be a month since I cut my grazing shoulder length hair to ear length. Let me tell you, this is a high mantenance length for me! I am doing all I can to keep from using heat on my hair. My first week I was a mess. I was in tears trying to figure out what to do with my hair. I work out 5+ days a week so I cowash my hair every other day. It is a must since I sweat like rain drops. It has been almost 4 months since I texlaxed my hair, so that is an added trial to the situation (yes, it's a situation to me). What did I do? I did the best thing I know to do....I PRAYED! 

Day 21: 21 Day Hair Fast

Hello Saints! Well I did! I made it through a complete 21 days of zero hair heat styling appliances and styling gels or products. That's the first time I ever did some thing like this. I loved every bit of it. I feel my hair has gotten stronger. My newgrowth wasn't so difficult to amanage giving that I'm three (3) months post texlax. The hair fast gave my hair a nice break from all heat, the additives and various ingredients that are not always beneficial to our hair. You know how they can cause build up or strip the hair. I'm thankful I now have incorporated more hair products with natural ingredients so now I do not have too many concerns about the products that I put in my hair. Well now on to the next!

Recommendation: Prepoo Treatment

Hello  Saints! Have you ever did a pre-shampoo (prepoo) prior to washing your hair? If you have GREAT! If not I highly recommend it. It really helps add additional moisture, softness and sheen to your hair. It also will helps turn around damaged hair and put moisture back into dry brittle hair.

Natural Heat Protectants

Hello Saints!

Below you will find a list of natural oils both refined and unrefined smoking points. The spoke points is the highest tempurature as to when the oil will start to break down and began smoking or burning. The oils in this list are great for use when we use heat on our hair or in the kitchen. On our hair they're in protecting our strands from heat damage. Although, some of the temptures are rather high before beginning to smoke, I would not recommend using excesively high heat on your hair. I personally use grapeseed oil and it truly does protect my strands as well as leave an awesome shine. I plan on using avocado oil too in the very near future. Please feel free to leave questions and comments. Be blessed all!

Blends & Recipes for Healthier Hair

Here are some suggestions for basic hair care formulas. All of these are designed for regular daily application, or as frequently as you feel is beneficial to you. These formulas can be massaged into a wet or dry scalp and left for at least 20 minutes, or applied before bed and left overnight. All formulas may be increased or decreased in total volume, thought the ratio of essential oil to carrier oil should stay close to these suggestions. These are general (though potentially very effective) suggestions -- changing ingredients to best suit your hair is encouraged!