Twist & Shout featuring OBIA Natural Hair Care

Heyyyyyy!! I know it's been quite a while since the last time you've seen a blog scroll across your screens but I promise I'll be back soon! I've been extremely busy and totally forgot to blog. As you all can see I've updated and posted a new video. This is a detailed Twist Out video for you all. I've gotten A LOT of Q's about my previous video using OBIA Natural Hair Care products so I decided to do another showing you how I do my take down in the morning. I hope you all enjoy. Be sure to let me know what video you would like to see next. I love your suggestions! Comment below and I'll talk to you next time. Smooches!

**To purchase products from this line please visit HERE

How To: Aloe Vera Moisturizing Spray

How to Make Aloe Vera Juice as a Moisturizing Spray for Natural Hair
What you will need:
1. Fresh Aloe Vera leaf
2. 1/4 to 1/3 cup of lemon juice
3. Sharp knife
4. Spoon
5. Strainer
6. Blender
7. Ice cube tray
8. Water
9. Spray bottle
Directions:
1. Remove all the green by cutting away the top and end of the leaf then the spiny sides but leave the bottom of the leaf to hold in the aloe meat. With a spoon scoop out the aloe meat and discard
all the green.
2. Place all the clear aloe meat into a strainer and rinse with cold water
3. Place the rinsed aloe meat into the blender with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of lemon juice depending on how much Aloe Vera meat you are processing. The lemon keeps it from turning brown.
4. Blend for about 30 to 60 seconds and pour into ice tray. All that is not being frozen must go into the refrigerator until ready to freeze into ice cubes. Note: If you are not freezing the Aloe Vera mixture into ice cubes you must keep the mixture refrigerated. It will only last a week in the refrigerator. After a week discard the mixture and make a new batch. Remember the mixture is very concentrated. If you are going to use the mixture in this concentrated form you would use a very small amount, such as 2 tablespoons or 1/4 cup of mixture to 3 cups of cold water to get the desired affect.
5. Once frozen place only one ice cube into the blender with 3 cups of cold water and blend for about 60 seconds. Pour the juice into a spray bottle and use on your hair as often as you like. Keep refrigerated between uses. The juice is good for 7 days. But if you are like me you will be making about 2 spray bottles of juice a week. The juice will be cold on your hair but cold water is good for natural hair :)

Naturalista | Tricks to staying Moisturized during Winter

Have you noticed it's getting cooler outside? Winter is on it's way to us. Even in the Southern region we are feeling the shift in weather and Mother Nature is making it known. Make sure you and your hair are both ready to battle the cold brittle weather that is to come. Here are some tricks of the trade to use towards these Winter months. The way to growth and health is moisturizing your hair. I can't stress enough how big moisturizing is. It's a task within itself to keep your hair nice and moisturized during the cold weather. I've seen it happen where the cold weather takes over your hairs progress. I, myself, am a victim of the cold break! I had to do a 2nd big chop Summer 2011 due to breakage during the winter and how I couldn't bounce back from it. So, don't make the same dumb mistakes I was making that's for sure lol. Let me be the one to make the mistakes and teach you the correct way of how things should flow. With that being said, let's get into it shall we?

Leave-In Conditioners & It's Values
Treat your hair with a Leave-In Conditioner of your choice. I never used a leave-in conditioner until 2 months from now. I never saw a reason for it, it looked like an added/unnecessary step to me. I never knew that a leave in condition would hydrate and protect your hair from the heat/sun as well as dry weather. It is a great balance of moisture added to your hair. It is very necessary in the winter time, especially since it is getting cooler. Take a look at the one I use.

Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-In Conditioner

Although they are just getting their name out there in the curly industry it is a great product to use. For one, the price is amazing! You can find this at your local Wal-Mart in the ethnic section for as little as $5.94. It is awesome for detangling and moisturizing your hair. I have 4b/4c textured hair. As you ladies know that texture is horrendous for detangling. This leave-in does WONDERS for my hair. I absolutely love it! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think :)

Never Leave w/ Wet Hair
Never leave the house with wet hair. With it getting cooler outside you do not, by any circumstance, want to walk out of the house with wet hair. It causes breakage that you wouldn't even believe. I have do this before thinking "Oh I'll just do a co-wash, dry my hair a little, then leave". Oh no, wrong! You want to make sure your hair is moisturized BUT you do not want to leave and walk into the cold air with wet hair. Close to dry is okay but not wet or damp.

Use LOC to Moisturize
Make sure you lock in your moisture using the LOC method. Meaning liquid, oil, cream/butter. You can do something as easily as making a concoction of the 3 in a spritz bottle to tackle everything at once or you can do like myself and do the steps one at a time. By following this method you are ensuring that you are locking in the moisture before heading out into the cold. When I make my concoction I put water, my fav conditioner or leave-in conditioner, and some oil. Give it a shimmy shake and wallah! Something so simple will keep you from having breakage in the end. Be sure to follow these steps. You hair will love you as much as you love your hair :)

Protecting Your Goodies
Not everyone is with the whole "Protective Styling" thing. I'm one that would rather wear my hair out. For those of you who have longer hair you are able to do protective styling with your own hair by doing Two-Strand Twists, Braids, or Bantu Knots. The ladies with the TWA's I suggest going the route of getting Kinky Twists, Senegalese Twists, Box Braids, or Yarn Braids. This way your hair is protected against the harsh cold weather and your hair stays nice and moisturized. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair and need the most care to survive or you will experience breakage thus causing you not to retain the length. With that being said, make sure you protect your hair accordingly. Even if this means using a beanie cap or scarfs. I know those come to aid on days that my hair is wet and/or damp and I can't wait any longer, I have to leave. I do not use heat on my hair so air dry it is.

Hair Regimen Fall 2012

Wash Routine
Wash hair (as needed) w/ Mane & Tail shampoo or my black soap shampoo concoction
Deep Condition using Beautiful Textures Deep Conditioner
Co-wash (as needed) between washes w/ TRESemme Moisture Rich Conditioner or Pantene Pro'V Naturals Conditioner and detangle

Morning Routine
Co-wash (as needed) using TRESemme Moisture Rich Conditioner or Pantene Pro'V Naturals Conditioner & detangle
Use Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-In Conditioner & detangle
Distribute Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Put EVOO on scalp (if needed)
Use Beautiful Textures butter or my shea butter mix as sealant for moisture & style to desire

Nighttime Routine
Massage scalp w/ EVOO or Grapeseed Oil as needed throughout the week
Massage in Beautiful Textures Leave-In Conditioner for added moisture
Detangle hair
Cover hair w/ satin bonnet & sleep :)

**Note I do not braid or twist my hair at night because my hands and wrist won't allow me to do so for as long as it takes to do. This regimen works just fine for me. Enjoy!

The Caramel Treatment – A Natural Hair Softener

The caramel treatment is a product in the E’tae product line. Boasting an all natural line up of ingredients from honey, bananas to olive oil, this product delivers in its ability to seriously soften and hydrate the driest and roughest hair textures. It helps people who relax their hair to ‘stretch’ their relaxer for longer peri...ods and helps people with natural hair by softening its texture for easier detangling and manageability.

The results of the caramel treatment are not permanent; they last for up to 4 weeks so should be reapplied monthly for continued benefits. Many report ‘loosening’ of hair texture as well as less shrinkage after the treatment but this is likely due to the added weight of the product as well as the increased moisture levels in the hair. For this reason, the caramel treatment is excellent for helping to straightening the natural hair as it takes less heat to get smoother results as well as better moisture retention.

No doubt the product is excellent but due to its perishable nature (no preservatives are used), the price tag for monthly treatments can become quite unappealing. Most of the ingredients in the product can be found in many average kitchens so making your own caramel treatment seems a more attractive approach for those who wish to use it on a regular basis.

By understanding the purpose of each ingredient, you can adjust the recipe every time you make it depending on your hair’s needs.

Honey – An excellent humectant good for moisture
Olive Oil – For lubrication and helps with moisture retention
Bananas – Good for moisture and some protein benefits as well
Molasses (Treacle) – Another excellent humectant with some protein benefits
Water – This is the best natural moisturizer and is used to thin the mixture
Apple Cider Vinegar – For the shine it imparts to the hair
Cornstarch – For thickening purposes
Wheat germ oil – For added strength and lubrication

Is your Hair ready for Spring & Summer?

UVA - Ultraviolet A

This is the sun's strong radiation-filled light rays. Ultraviolet A rays have the longest wavelength and they can penetrate into the hair's deepest inner layer, the cortex. The UVA rays disturb the hair cortex's fiber-like cells that gives the hair its strength and elasticity. It can also damage the color pigments that create natural hair color. The UVA rays can also burn the hair cuticle which is the outer hair layer.

The cuticle contains a web of tiny overlapping scales. When the scales are damaged they can not lay flat and will look lifeless, brittle and dry.

UVA rays can also burn and damage unprotected scalp. It is even possible to burn the part of your hair where scalp is unprotected. UVA rays can damage the skin on the scalp in many ways and activate free radicals which accelerates aging. A severe sunburn on the scalp has even been known to cause some cases of hair loss.

UVB - Ultraviolet B

These are invisible rays that also can penetrate deep into the hair's cortex or center damaging the hair fibers. It can also damage the hair cuticle. UVB rays can easily dry out the hair and cause natural and chemical colors to fade.

UVC - Ultraviolet C

These rays are the most damaging but do not reach us because of the ozone layer which currently protects us.

DEEP CONDTIONERS CAN PROTECT YOUR HAIR FROM HEAT DAMAGE CAUSE FROM THE SUN. USING HAIR PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN A SPF BETWEEN 8 AND 10 WILL ALSO HELP TO PROTECT YOUR FROM THE RAYS OF THE SUN. PLEASE READ THE BACK OF THE PRODUCT TO MAKE SURE IT CONTAINS (Octyl Methyosycinnamate Octyl Methyoxycinnamate i, ).LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS CAN HELP ALSO BUT DONT LAST AS LONG. AFRICAN SHEA BUTTER IS ALSO A GREAT PRODUCT FOR HAIR SUNBLOCK . 

All Natural Aloe Vera Juice Pre-Poo

Ingredients you will need:  

1.Castor oil (use amount suitable for length and thickness of your hair)

2.Aloe vera juice (use amount suitable for length and thickness of your hair)

3.bowl and spoon

4.plastic cap/bag

Ingredients you will need:

In a bowl mix

-½ cup of aloe vera juice or whole leaf aloe vera

-1-2 tablespoons of your favorite oil (wheat germ, olive, safflower, walnut etc)

In a separate Bowl melt

-Food grade coconut oil (1/4 cup)

-Sit the bottle or jar in hot water- do not put in microwave or on the stove!

Remember, everyone's hair has different needs. You may need more or less of this mixture. Or, your hair may not like this at all. None of these will irrevocably change your hair. Thus, you just need to wash out the mixture if your hair doesn't like it.

1. Using your fingers, separate your hair into 4- 8 sections. If your hair is caked with hard product, rinse your hair first. Gently handle the first section. First, smooth the hair in a downward direction. You are just trying to make sure that all the hair is going in one direction. You don't need to completely detangle the hair at this point.

2. Dip your hair in the bowl of aloe vera and oil or cup your hands in the mixture and transfer it to the section onto your hair. Work it through. Get the aloe vera/oil mix into your hair from root to tip. Make sure it is moist throughout the sectioned hair. If your hair is long enough, twist it and wrap it around like a bantu knot. If it is not, try to twist it and move it out the way. Repeat until you have done this to each section.

3. You should have a head full of aloe vera mixed with oil twisted sections. Go back to the first twist you did. Undo it, pour the liquid coconut oil in your hand and work through the section. Re-twist it and repeat on whole head. Place a plastic shower cap on your head for 15-60 minutes. Your moisturizing pre-poo is complete!

Treating Dandruff Naturally

To clear up dandruff you need to counter the cause of the problem: your scalp's acidic pH level. You need to use a Apple Cider Vinegar to restore your scalp's natural alkaline pH level, prepare a cup of apple cider vinegar and pour it on your head while on bath and rinse it with water.

This is a good and easy way to overcome scalp.

First, you use flaxseed oil, then you follow with apple cider vinegar which is great at fighting yeast and bacteria.

I love the addition of the sugar to the oil because it acts as a natural exfoliator for dry flakes, but some women prefer to leave the sugar out.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutesIngredients:

• Flaxseed oil (olive oil works if you don't have flaxseed oil)

• Finely granulated white sugar or brown suger

• Apple cider vinegar (preferred) or white wine vinegar

• Hydrogen peroxide

Preparation:

Mix a tablespoon or two of flaxseed oil and a teaspoon of sugar into a bowl. If you don't have liquid flaxseed oil, you can puncture 3-5 flaxseed oil capsules.

Apply the mixture to the scalp and massage in.

Wrap hair up in a hot wet towel and let the flaxseed oils soak in for about 20 minutes. You can also put hair up in a shower cap. Of course if you are short on time, you can skip this 20-minute let-the-oils-soak-in step.

While you're letting the flaxseed work on your dry scalp, mix up 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp hydrogen peroxid and 2 cups lukewarm water. For best results, put it in a spray bottle.

Get in the shower and rinse out the flaxseed oil from the scalp using a small amount of shampoo. Rinse thoroughly.

Turn off the water and separating your hair into sections, spray the scalp thoroughly with the vinegar/hydrogen peroxide/water mixture. Note: AVOID GETTING MIXTURE IN EYES.

Massage the vinegar into the scalp.

Wrap hair again in a hot wet towel or in a shower cap (less messy). Let the vinegar mixture soak into your scalp for 20 minutes to an hour. (Yes, you can skip the marinating if you are short on time, but do let it sit on your scalp for at least a minute).

Rinse thoroughly.

Natural Hair and Water

Water is the single most important nutrient for our bodies. It is involved in every one of our bodies functions.

Did you know........?
*Your body is about 70%water
*Your muscles are about 75% water
*Your brain cells are about 85% water
*Your blood is approximately 82% water
*Even your boness are approximately 25%water

When your body lacks the water it needs, it goes into a ration mode. Think of a sprinkler system whose pressure is too low to reach all the grass on your lawn. Some parts stay green and live, but other parts begin to turn brown, whither, and die. When you live in a drought condition your body smartly manages the water you give it, keeping the vital organs (Brain, Heart, Lungs, Kindeys, and Liver) well watered with nutrients. The body robs and takes away water from other areas of the body to keep the main organs healthy. This results in many health issues such as......
*Joint pains and Arthritis
*High Blood Pressure
*Digestive Problems
*Asthma and the list goes on

Guess what....? A lack of water also results in skin problems, and also dry and brittle hair. Water is the best moisturizer for natural hair. Staying hydrated can help your hair not to become dry, limp and brittle. For example when you are dehydrated the strands of your hair do not hold moisture well, making it easy for strands to snap and break off. So start combating dryness with water. Keep a spray bottle with water in it to give your hair a refresher throughout the day, and drink plenty of water.
If you don't know how much water your body needs, take your body weight and divide it by 2. (i.e 140/2=70) The answer is the number of water ounces you need in one day! Thats easy to do! Right? You can easily accomplish this by drinking 2cups of water when you wake up in the morning, and then drink a bottle of water every hour or so that you're awake during the day!

*Note: Hard water is very harmful to your hair! If you have hard water, please invest in a water softner. Your body and hair will thank you in the long run ;)

An All Natural Protein Treatment

According to experts, protein treatments strengthen your hair and treat weak, brittle hair. The treatments leave hair soft, smooth, full, and healthy. But why do you need protein treatments? Chemical processing, unfortunately, takes its toll. Dying your hair, a chemical treatment, depletes 15 to 20 percent of hair protein. Additional treatments cost you more protein each time. After awhile, your hair looks like straw. It's dry and lacks luster and vitality. A "hair protein treatment" restores over-processed hair. But you don't need to spend big bucks on a protein treatment. Here are some tips on doing a much cheaper but equally effective home protein treatment.

Instructions:

1. Wash you hair. Towel dry and leave damp.
2. Whip three eggs and stick them in the blender. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Whip the mixture for a few seconds.
3. Saturate your damp hair with the eggs/lemon juice mixture. Wait 15 to 20 minutes. (Oh my God! Can I stand to wait so long?)
4. Use cool water to rinse your hair

Tips & Warnings:

• Is your hair shining? Damaged ends fixed? It worked!
• Once you've done a protein conditioner, try another homemade conditioner for extra luster. Mix a small amount (say, a teaspoon) of a clear alcohol, like vodka, with a couple of beaten egg yolks. Wash your hair, towel dry, then work the vodka/egg concoction into your scalp. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then rinse. Hollywood, here I come.
• Still want to try a commercial treatment? Pick a hair protein treatment made for your hair style. Box labels tell you which are a good fit. Follow the directions on the box or bottle. Don't overuse.

How to make your own Moisturizing Protein Conditioner

Protein and moisture are important to healthy hair. While our diet affects the health of the hair and scalp, there are also items we eat that can be applied to the hair to improve its condition externally as well. Think of it as feeding your hair.

Instructions:

1. Place 3 tbsp. of creamy peanut butter into a blender. Peanut butter is a very protein-rich food that will do great things for your hair.
2. Add one egg to the peanut butter. Eggs also are full of protein, and they help moisturize as well. Don't worry about whites or yolks; add the whole egg (except for the shell) to your conditioner. Each part of the egg plays a part in the conditioning of your hair.
3. Place 2 tsp. of honey in the blender. Honey is a natural antioxidant that soaks up impurities while moisturizing and nourishing the hair.
4. Add 1/2 of an avocado (peeled and pitted) to the blender as well. Avocado is known for its nourishing and moisturizing properties.
5. Start the blender on low to mix all of the ingredients. If they are not mixing well, or are making a paste instead of a creamy concoction, add distilled water one capful at a time until the conditioner reaches the desired consistency.

Some Tips & Warnings:

• This conditioner can be used daily in the shower, just like any other conditioner, or weekly as a deep treatment (in which it is left on for 30 minutes). Rinse your hair well with warm water (not hot) until the water runs clear.
• While it may be tempting, do not wash your hair after using the conditioner; as long as you rinse it well, there will be no residue. Store this conditioner in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before you need to discard it and make a new batch.

How to Determine if your hair needs Moisture or Protein

Black hair is prone to breakage. Some amount of hair loss is natural, but most hair loss in black women stems from mistreatment or a disproportionate amount of moisture or protein. Many stylists who focus on healthy black hair will tell you that your hair demands a balance of moisture and protein. Nothing else that you do to obtain a head of healthy black hair will matter if you that balance is thrown off. Follow these steps to test your hair.

Instructions:

• Wet your hair. It is best to do this test after you have shampooed your hair. While it is still wet, grip about an inch of your hair between your fingers.
• Stretch the wet strands of hair, and run a comb through them. Make sure your hair is not tangled when you do this -- you don't want to harm your hair. And remember, it is always best to use a wide-tooth comb in black hair.
• Pay close attention to the way that the hair strands react after they have been combed. Healthy black hair strands will stretch, but they will not break unless they are under an extreme amount of stress. Again, what you are looking for in this step is to see how your hair reacts to the wet stretch.
• Based on how your hair reacted to stretching, determine whether your hair needs moisture or protein. You hair needs moisture if it doesn't stretch at all and then breaks, or if it feels extremely rough and brittle. You hair needs protein if it stretches a long way and then breaks (or doesn't break at all), or if it is limp and feels gummy. If your hair stretches just a little, then returns to its normal length without breaking, the amount of protein and moisture in your hair is well balanced.

Some Tips & Warnings:

• Black hair needs a great deal of moisture because it is very porous. If this test shows that your hair needs moisture, use a moisturizing conditioner or cream, then make sure to seal in the moisture with a light oil sheen.
• There are many protein treatments for black hair. You can also get a protein-based, leave-in conditioner as well.

Healthy Hair and Castor Oil

Castor Oil and Healthy Hair Growth

Castor oil is a great hair oil, but it can be very thick and viscous. So some women may end up having a bad hair experience with the oil. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a woman to get immediately turned off from using this oil because it left her hair all sticky and icky. Still this oil is simply amazing for the health of your hair and scalp. So check out these few tips on how to best use castor oil. Then try out this oil for a few weeks- who knows, you may just fall in love too!

Tips for Using Castor Oil:

1. Moisturize Hair First
Before using any emollient (i.e. hair oil or butter), you always want to make sure that your hair has been wet first (i.e. your hair that has been moisturized first). Emollients don’t “moisturize,” they simply “seal” moisture in. So the best way to use castor oil is on wet hair.

2. Use Less Oil
Castor oil is very thick and viscous so you don’t need to be “heavy-handed” with use. Using a lot of castor oil won’t increase its benefits- it will just make your hair sticky and limp. And with castor oil, as well as many other emollients, you will find oftentimes that when using “less is more.” Also, because it is a “heavier oil,” some women do prefer to only use castor oil on certain parts of their. For example, some may only use castor oil the edges of hair as opposed to using it all over their hair.

3. Mix With Other Oils
Since castor oil is so thick and heavy, it may be best to “lighten” it up with other oils. There’s no law that says you can’t mix your emollients. In fact, I’ve been using a great mixture that includes equal parts castor oil, olive oil and fresh rosemary. This is a wonderful hair oil- and it smells great too!


A few benefits of castor oil:

• Is an excellent emollient and humectant for skin and hair

• Is a treatment for hair thinning and hair loss

• Prevents the dry and itchy scalp

• Has anti-fungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties- so it can be effective for treating skin/scalp infections like ringworm.

A Word On Jamaican Black Castor Oil…

Many women want to know why there’ so much buzz about Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO). So let me give you a brief rundown of what JBCO is and why it’s different from other types of castor oil.

Manufacturers will use different types of processing methods when extracting oils from plants. And an oil will be either unrefined or refined based on how it was extracted from a plant. Unrefined oils retain most if not all of their nutritive properties, while refined oils will lose some (or possibly all) of their nutritive properties.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil is simply a raw, unrefined form of castor oil. So it is a form of castor oil that has retained most, if not all of its nutritive properties. It is simply a high quality form of castor oil. And this is why JBCO is so highly sought after and wildly popular among women.

**You can purchase Castor oil at your local market, whole foods store, or vitamin store. You may also purchase online via Amazon or Ebay. I purchased mine from a Health Vitamin store locally. They range around $10 for an 8oz bottle of Castor Oil. Just an FYI (For your info)

Benefits of Castor Oil

Do you know the benefits of castor oil for natural hair and hair growth in general? Today, many people are using castor oil to help seal moisture and to prevent dry scalp on their natural tresses, and it works for any hair texture.

Here is a list of benefits for using castor oil as a hair care solution:

• Promotes hair growth

• Moisturizes hair and scalp

• Helps reduce damaged split ends

• Helps to tame frizz

• Creates full healthy hair by thickening

The reason castor oil helps in these areas is because of its fatty acids:

The germicidal, insecticidal and fungicidal properties of Ricin and Ricinoleic acid present in castor oil protect the scalp and hair from microbial and fungal infections, the two prime causes for hair loss. In addition, the fatty acids in it nourish hair and prevent the scalp from drying by retaining moisture.

Product Review: Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothy

Product Locations & Pricing:

• Target: $9.99 for 12 ounces
• Walgreens: $9.99 for 12 ounces
• Shea Moisture's Website: $9.99 for 12 ounces

Ingredients:

• Water
• Shea butter
• Mango Seed Butter
• Avocado Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Aloe Leaf Extract
• Silk Protein
• Neem Seed Oil
• Carrot Seed Oil
• Essential Oil Blend
• Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Lonicera Flower Extract, Japenese Flower Extract
• Vitamin E

NOT in this product:

• No Parabens
• No Phthalates
• No Paraffin
• No Gluten
• No Propylene Glycol
• No Mineral Oil
• No Synthetic Fragrance
• No Animal Testing
• No PABA
• No Synthetic Color
• No DEA
• No Animal Ingredients
• No Sulfates

My Personal Review:

I've heard the raft of Shea Moisture products both good and bad but I never believe what I hear until I actually try it myself. With that being said, I've grown to love Shea Moisture's products. At first, with my 1st BC, I didn't use this product vigerously. I would only use it some times and I was mixing products with it not knowing the official benefits of what this Smoothy could do by itself, basically trial and error. With my 2nd BC it has helped tremendously. Not only has it helped moisturize my hair it has also helped retain the moisture and length of my hair. Goodbye breakage! Since my 2nd big chop I've been dedicated to this brand, 100% completely lol. I can tell you that Shea Moisture is definitely going to be in business as long as I have hair. This brand is my staple and I would advise anyone who is having problems with retaining moisture and wanting to stop breakage please try these products. There's lots of different kinds of products by Shea Moisture that you can try. So go ahead and head to your local Target and/or Walgreens and grab you some of these wonderful products.

Ok so today I'm specifically going to talk about the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothy. This product is the bomb.com yall. I'm telling you. As you all know I'm still in TWA phaze. I did my 2nd BC June 4th, 2011. That time I basically shaved my head completely and started all over. With that being said I already knew what problems I had last time and didn't want to reep the same concequences. I already knew how great of a product the Curl Enhancing Smoothy was so I decided to go ahead and go all Shea Moisture products this time around. Low and behold I have yet to have any breakage or dryness in my hair. This Curl Enhancing Smoothy is a God-sent blessing! If I could work for Shea Moisture as a representative or someone to give a testimony by God I would because these products workkkkkkkkkk! I have 3c/4a textured hair and as you know those two textures do NOT go good together. They are kinky, nappy, corse, and most of all hard to keep moisturized. It's a daily struggle but someone's gotta do it. Those textures put together are very rare but guess what, I must be that chosen one because I'm one of the rare. I have it and I'm working it hunny. I'm not ashamed on my nappy kinky loving curls. I embrase them and keep it moving, I advise you to do the same!

My Staple Products

Sorry I've been gone for so long but you know what I'm back bxtchesssssss! I'm gunna be in full effect back at the blogging and vlogging. I haven't been doing either lately it's been so busy at the office for a while now but I'm back and so excited to be back. Yes I am! I've got lots of giveaways, tutorials, how-to's, reviews, etc it's not even funny yall. I've got so much in store for you all. Anywho, I've been doing good. Got a full recovery from my two surgeries last year, Thank God for that! So therefore I'm back to my normal self :) I shot a video this morning of my staple products so make sure you check that out by either clicking the link HERE or by pressing play below.

Also make sure you go and SUBSCRIBE to my channel as well. Oh and make sure you follow my blog too :P Expect loads of reviews of all sorts. I'll be posting via internet on the laptop or the mobile device so make sure you check back DAILY!!!!! I love you all, have a great weekend and safety first!

Peace, Love, & Hair Grease!
-| LuvNKnappiness |-

All Things Protein

Black hair is prone to breakage. Some amount of hair loss is natural, but most hair loss in black women stems from mistreatment or a disproportionate amount of moisture or protein. Many stylists who focus on healthy black hair will tell you that your hair demands a balance of moisture and protein. Nothing else that you do to obtain a head of healthy black hair will matter if you that balance is thrown off.


Follow These Steps:
1) Wet your hair. It is best to do this test after you have shampooed your hair. While it is still wet, grip about an inch of your hair between your fingers.
2) Stretch the wet strands of hair, and run a comb through them. Make sure your hair is not tangled when you do this -- you don't want to harm your hair. And remember, it is always best to use a wide-tooth comb in black hair.
3) Pay close attention to the way that the hair strands react after they have been combed. Healthy black hair strands will stretch, but they will not break unless they are under an extreme amount of stress. Again, what you are looking for in this step is to see how your hair reacts to the wet stretch.
4) Based on how your hair reacted to stretching, determine whether your hair needs moisture or protein. You hair needs moisture if it doesn't stretch at all and then breaks, or if it feels extremely rough and brittle. You hair needs protein if it stretches a long way and then breaks (or doesn't break at all), or if it is limp and feels gummy. If your hair stretches just a little, then returns to its normal length without breaking, the amount of protein and moisture in your hair is well balanced.


Some Extra Tips & Tricks:

-Black hair needs a great deal of moisture because it is very porous. If this test shows that your hair needs moisture, use a moisturizing conditioner or cream, then make sure to seal in the moisture with a light oil sheen.

-There are many protein treatments for black hair. You can also get a protein-based, leave-in conditioner as well.

-Overall you want to make ABSOLUTE sure your hair is in need of a protein treatment. If your does NOT need protein, your hair will tell you by feeling hard during and after the protein treatment. I made the mistake of wondering and ended up having to BC(big chop) again. If your hair does need the treatment, afterwards it will thank you for it by feeling soft and moisturized. Listen to your hair it will not steer you wrong.

-Eggs ARR protein. Mayonnaise HAS protein in it.

-Remember that Mayo is great for hair. It's a combination of EGGS & OIL.

RECIPES: (These are NATURAL protein treatments that don't cost much due to us having these ingredients in our fridge. You can go out and buy a protein treatment as well, like Aphogee.)

1 avocado

1 can coconut milk

1 tablespoon of olive oil

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1 avocado - protein

EVCO (extra virgin coconut oil) - for slip

Raw honey - for shine

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1 avocado

1 cup real mayo

3 tablespoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

3 tablespoons Coconut Oil

**Choose one of these 3 recipes for a Protein treatment and I guarantee your hair will love you! I've tried all three of these and they are, BY FAR, the best treatments for hair protein wise. With that said you need to use a hand mixer or some sort of mixer to incorporate all ingredients well. Put a baggie on your head for about 30-45 minutes and rinse with Luke warm water. Then proceed your styling, etc.**

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. I'm here to help!