MANE-tenance Talk

In keeping with my theme this year to use and ingest more natural, quality products in my diet, I’ve decided to do the same with my hair.  Having my hair cut short has really given me an opportunity to see what truly works for my hair and what doesn’t.  There have been some surprises along the way. Below are some of the products I’ve experimented with over the past couple of weeks.

Moroccan Oil: Regardless of whether this is still a fad or not, I can honestly say that this doesn’t do anything for my hair. In fact, it really just dries it out. I’ve noticed over the past week or two that not only does my hair lose some of its curl when I use this, but mid-day, my mane is just looking shaggy as anything. I am not a fan.

Coconut Oil:  This was a surprise for me since I’ve been using this for a little while. Shockingly enough, this also does not do anything for my hair except dry it out in the end. At first it seems to really respond, but then it somehow falls flat. I used to put it on my hair the night before I’d shampoo it, but I noticed the last time I did this not only did it just kind of cake on my hair and not soak in, but my hair also kind of dried out a little bit. It was just weird. I am also not a fan.

Olive oil: Finally, something that works! My hair perks up and darkens nicely when I use olive oil. The only downside is I smell like a salad for a few hours.

Macademia Nut Oil: This one’s expensive, but man does it work!!  My hair really responds nicely to this. All of the curl comes back to my hair and it gets dark. I am a HUGE fan. This is my number one oil choice.

Yogurt:  I am also a HUGE fan of treating my hair with a yogurt mask. If you want some extra protein, you can add an egg or egg white to it and then put it in. This really worked. My hair grew a lot within the week after I did that. I’ve also used a yogurt mask with olive oil in it, and that worked nicely as well. What’s nice about the yogurt is that it is a gentle cleanser, it gets rid of dandruff, and if you have curly hair it gives your curls a nice boost. I highly recommend this treatment.

Honest Hair Nothing But Curl Wake-Up Spray: I’ll be honest—I’m not quite sure what this spray “wakes up”. I don’t really see a difference in my hair when I use this product and once I run out (it doesn’t harm it, it just doesn’t help), I probably won’t be buying it again.

Honest Hair Nothing But Curl Pure Pudding:  I L-O-V-E this product. Period. Yes, it does cake on after a few days and you have to co-wash it out or rinse your hair out, but it does what the wake-up spray probably should do.  When my hair is looking more fluffy than curly, I put some of this in and POW! I get some bangin’ curls for my ‘fro. This is a definite keeper.

As I Am Coconut Co-Wash: Perhaps it’s because of the coconut oil in it, but I’m not a fan of this. It really dries out my hair. I’m going to finish the jar, but once it’s done I’m going to be switching to Honest Hair Nothing But Curl’s co-wash and see how that works. Not a fan of this product.

Bucket List: #70 Get a “Different” Hair Cut

Yes, I formed a bucket list.  There’s a ton of stuff on it too, so I hope to live a long life.

Some of you may be asking why something so simple is on my list.  Well, let me give you some background.  I’ve had my hair chemically relaxed since I was 13.  As a result, my hair has always been somewhat long.  Of course, this was mostly in response to the societal cues (in my community at least) that if you don’t have long, straight (and preferably blonde) hair, you’re unattractive. Thus, although not blonde, I tried to fit into the mold with straight, relaxed, shoulder-length hair that often times was scrunched up into a ponytail since I didn’t want to take the time to flat iron it.  It’s not that I didn’t like my hair, but I found it to be a lot more time consuming and difficult to take care of.  Not to mention, my hair can be quite fussy.  In the end, I’ve generally had the same hair style for over a decade. 

After 12 years of getting my hair straightened and noticing a severe decline in the health of my hair and my scalp as a direct result of the chemicals, I felt it was time to move on. Last October after my final relaxer, I vowed to grow out my natural mane and never look back.  The original plan was to leave my relaxed hair in until my new tresses grew out to a long enough length.  I decided I definitely didn’t want a mini-fro and wanted to avoid the fro in general.

Well, as most transitioning individuals know, you reach a point when you just can’t handle the “half and half” anymore.  After my impatience and frustration peaked this past weekend, I decided I’d had enough. I couldn’t style my hair anymore- I couldn’t flat-iron my hair or I’d risk damaging my new growth and I couldn’t pull it back anymore because the new growth wasn’t being pulled back.  Not to mention, I couldn’t get to my new growth to properly take care of it.  I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to do something particularly “daring” and step outside of my comfort zone. Time to upgrade my look and knock off something on my bucket list. I took some scissors and cut out the relaxed hair. For future reference, I don’t recommend this strategy. The next day I got it trimmed up and evened out and now I’m rocking the best afro ever. 

I do confess, however, that I can still feel some anxiety over the whole thing. Over the past few days, this has challenged me in a numerous ways and some insecurities about myself have surfaced. This is why this particular task landed on my bucket list.  I wanted to challenge myself and prove to myself that I’m more than my hair or even my look. I wanted to stop and see how I react to such a significant change. Do I wallow in self-pity, drowning myself in criticism? Or do I own it like the fierce woman I am and meet it head on, seeing it as a learning opportunity to strengthen my mindfulness and Buddhist practice? I’m starting to come around to the latter and to my elation to boot, I have some of the best curls I’ve ever seen.

 

Be mindful. Be strong. Be fierce.

September in Review

I figured I would highlight some of my discoveries of the last month.

Literature: September’s feature was Thich Nhat Hahn’s Peace is Every Step.  Simple yet practical, this book suggests very basic practices for mindfulness. He recommends practicing smiling and concentrating on your breath in order to bring yourself into the present moment. Although written about 15 years ago, I still find this book to be extremely relevant and helpful. I highly recommend it.

Health: As some of you know already, this month came the revelation and the witch hunt to eliminate everything that contains SLS (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate).  What is SLS you may ask? It is the foaming agent found in everything from toothpaste, laundry detergents, dish detergents, shampoos, liquid soaps (hand soaps, body wash, bubble baths, etc.), and even some conditioners.  It is a highly toxic chemical that has been proven in over 16,000 studies to cause cancer, skin abrasions, hair loss, and if in too much concentration, death.  Due to the low concentration found in our cosmetic products, it is not the one time usage that is of concern.  It is years of exposure that is the problem since the skin absorbs so much of the chemical over time.

After making this discovery, I took it upon myself to empty out my bathroom of all of the SLS-containing products.  I threw out the majority of them.  After silently weeping over the vast amounts of money that was literally just thrown away, I did some research on what some good products and substitutions might be.  Below are some of the winners:

Earthpaste: This perhaps is the best product that I have come upon yet. While making your own toothpaste is possible with some baking soda, water, and some flavoring oil for taste, I thought Earthpaste was more well thought out, containing essential oils to kill bacteria and using edible clay as a base so that it wouldn’t be harmful if you swallowed some by accident. All of the product reviews from Amazon and several blogs were positive, and I have to say I have not been disappointed.  I will admit that the color is a bit gross (brown), and it takes some getting used to because it doesn’t foam, but it does clean my teeth and mouth so much better.  It feels like I just walked out of the dentist each time.  Also, I have found that my breath is better.  I absolutely recommend this product.

Sulfate-free shampoo: I have a recipe for a sulfate-free shampoo that I will be trying after I’m done with this, but I don’t really have any complaints about this product. I got it at the Heaven and Nature store on Jonestown Road. It doesn’t have a particular name. You can simply ask for the sulfate-free shampoo and you will receive a scentless, paraben and sulfate free, 8 ounce bottle. You can add essential oil (10 drops per oz) if you want a scent or you want something that will clean the scalp of bacteria (tea tree) or help hair growth (rosemary). 

As expressed in past entries, I have been experiencing severe itching, burning, and hair loss for some time and no clue as to where it was coming from. After trying this shampoo, I will say that I have experienced an improvement-less burning/itching and less hair on the comb (although I had a setback last week after using a protein pack that felt like it was going to burn my scalp off...the rest of my protein packs went in the trash). I’m not 100% sold on this particular shampoo (as I said I will be trying a new recipe after I’m done with this), but I think it is definitely an improvement.

Bar soaps: I don’t have a particular recommendation here, but I have been impressed with the more homemade soaps as opposed to Dial/Dove/etc. I used a goat milk soap that I bought from Heaven and Nature and found that it was gentler on my skin and didn’t have any skin irritation as I have experienced from liquid soaps in the past. I definitely recommend switching to bar soaps.

Soap nuts: [Insert sexual joke here] The jury is still out on these. Soap nuts are pretty self explanatory.  They are nuts that have cleaning qualities and you put them in the laundry to wash your clothes. Supposedly they have been used for hundreds of years (cue cheesy sound effects) in other countries.  When you use them, they leave your clothes scentless and you don’t have to use fabric softener in the dryer.  I purchased a sample and tried them last night. I think I liked them. I will say that they have a vinegary smell to them once they get wet, however, once the clothes go through the dryer they don’t have a smell. You can get soap nuts in liquid concentrate and then add a few drops to water, which I think I’m going to try.  I didn’t like throwing the nuts (which were in a drawstring bag) right in with my clothes because I wasn’t certain that they were washing the whole load.  So, jury is still out and I’m open to other options.

I think that’s about all. Til next month!!

Black Hair Product: Cantu Shea Butter

Before I start this review, I want to say that I think I have *almost* found the key to doing my hair.  I have found in the last couple of months that the less product, the better.  And!! The product that I do use cannot be heavy and has to be some sort of oil or combination of oils.  Otherwise, the petroleum based substances and heavy creams tend to cake on my hair and scalp giving me a dirty, greasy feel in hours after washing/conditioning/flat ironing. It’s annoying and it’s harmful to my hair.

The caveat? I have noticed that my scalp’s health has been deteriorating quickly. While my ends and color has been looking stellar, I’ve noticed that my hair has been thinning at a rapid pace.  I’d rather not go bald at 25.  My scalp gets extremely irritated-tightness, burning, some (painful) itching, which I cure by putting oil on my scalp, but I find that my hair still falls out.  I started using Dr. Miracle’s Hot Gro cream today (petroleum based with oils) and I’m going to give it two weeks with an application everyday (may the divine help me) and see what happens.  I’ll post with my results.

However, my scalp and hair woes are not the point of this post (although, if anyone has any suggestions re: the hair falling out, it would be MUCH appreciated!!).  My point was to review Cantu Shea Butter: No Drip Hair and Scalp Oil.

When I first got it I was attracted by the fact that it was not petroleum based.  It is simply solidified oils. I can tell you right now I have not been disappointed.  It has been one of the best hair product purchases I have made in a very long time.  I primarily use it on my scalp, which I find is the best use for it. It doesn’t drip all over the place (although you do have to watch that sometimes the oils do liquefy in the bottle and when you first squeeze it out it’s all oil) and since it is light oil and not petroleum based, it doesn’t cake on my scalp and hair making it greasy.  I find that it evenly distributes throughout my hair as the days go by to the point that I don’t have to worry about putting on product throughout the week. My hair is shiny and dark and styles really well with it.  It has become a part of my routine.

Downside? The applicator tip is awful and it’s actually really hard to squeeze the stuff out after awhile.  The bottle is a firm plastic so when you have a flat iron or comb in one hand and are trying to put the product on, you can’t squeeze stuff out easily.  I find that I have to squeeze the product out first on the counter top or my hand and then go from there.  Also, as I mentioned before, the oil does tend to liquefy a little bit at the top, but it’s usually not an overwhelming amount.

Overall I really recommend this product.  It’s light, it smells great, it works great.  I will definitely be buying this again.

Grade: A-

Black Hair Product: L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Scalp Relief

More hair products!

The last time I got my hair relaxed, my scalp had an awful time recovering. I was flaking, itching, burning more than I ever had before. I tried some products that contained sulfur, but not only would my hair smell horrible, the problem didn’t go away completely, it just eased it.

Then I got this product. It works amazing. It smells great, so you don’t have to worry about any lingering medicinal or sulfur smells. It is easy to apply because of the applicator tip, and the best part? It actually works. When you apply it, it tingles your scalp in the places that your scalp is irritated, giving you a very refreshing cooling sensation. You won’t have flaking and barely any itching after using it. Furthermore, it gets rid of it, not just eases your suffering (and believe me, I was suffering) for a couple of days.

After using it, I was in a good place to be able to get other petroleum based products to start maintaining my scalp so it wouldn’t be so damaged after my next relaxer. I HIGHLY recommend this product if you are having dry scalp issues.

The downside to it? It isn’t a large bottle, so you use it quickly. It’s not the cheapest thing in the world (but then again, you are paying more for other products that don’t really work), and unfortunately, it’s not all that accessible anymore. For some reason, my local Sally’s stopped carrying it and I had to order it off of Amazon.com. Also, like some other reviews of this product, I have to agree –you can’t use this product by itself. I got Neutragena’s T-Gel shampoo and a couple of other anti-itch/scalp repair shampoos (NOT HEAD AND SHOULDERS!!!), and between that and this product, my scalp was cured in less than a week.

I highly recommend having this product around if you chemically treat your hair often, and don’t maintain your scalp on a regular basis.

Black Hair Product: BB Castor Oil with Aloe

Another product review for my “black hair product” section…Here it goes!

I have been using this particular product for several months now, and I have to say that I’m thoroughly impressed with it. I really think it is a must have for my regularly-used-product collection. It definitely rescued my hair when it was dry and severely damaged.

I have used this mostly in two ways. First, I use it after I’ve shampooed and conditioned my hair and I don’t want to straighten it. I apply it while my hair is wet by parting it in sections and applying just enough to coat my hair, particularly the ends. When I’m done, I put some mousse through it, and voila! My hair looks shiny, dark, and healthy. Moreover, it is soft and it doesn’t break off easily. I love it.

The second way I apply it is when my hair is dry, dried out, frizzy, and just needs to be revitalized. Once again, I part my hair and apply liberally. It softens my hair and moisturizes it, and doesn’t leave it too greasy. I also will apply it to my hair when it is straight, particularly the ends, in order to keep the frizzies at bay. It works great!

I would not recommend putting this product on your hair before you straighten your hair because I’ve found that it leaves my hair greasy and gross in the end and then I have to wash it out, over all damaging my do.

The thing I dislike most about this product is the smell. It’s not strong, but it has a plain smell that almost smells like vasoline. I don’t hate, but I’m not in love with it either. I’ll put it this way, if the product didn’t work as great as it does, I’d probably not buy this again simply because of the smell.

Over all, I highly recommend this product simply because it works. I will definitely be buying this again.

Black Hair: Motions CPR Treatment Shampoo

I finally finished this product after purchasing it awhile ago, and I thought I would write about the results I've gotten from it.

Perhaps it's a "Motions" thing, but again, this product was less than impressive. The shampoo bottle claims that it is meant to help repair and strengthen chemically treated, curly, or frizzy hair. I think I've gotten some of the frizziest hair after using this product. I also didn't get the "CPR" effect (CPR meaning clinical protection and repair) to work out. My hair seemed to break off about the same as if I were using any other product, if not a little bit more.

The thing I can say about this product is that it did do a little better job in the "cleaning" department than the conditioning shampoo did. It stripped my hair of the dirt a little bit better (although it took a lot of shampoo for the full affect) and it had a better and stronger smell than the other shampoo did. I suppose all in all I felt cleaner using this product than I did using the other product.

I wouldn't recommend this product. I simply did not feel as though it did what it was supposed to do for my hair.

I would like to clarify something about this post and the last "Black Hair" post I did. Just because I don't recommend them or they don't work out for my hair doesn't mean they won't work well for your hair. It all depends on the type and health of your hair. For example, the conditioning shampoo worked great when my hair was in horrible, horrible condition, but now that I have it healthier, I've realized that it simply does not fulfill my needs and it is a horrible product for me. Again, though, it could be a fantastic product for you depending upon your hair type.

Black Hair Product: Motions Lavish Conditioning Shampoo

This area of my blog is probably more for me than anyone else (which is perfectly fine), but I figured if I'm going to try and remember which products do and don't work for my black hair, then I might as well share it too in case anyone else wants some insight.

I decided that I would start taking the health of my hair and scalp a lot more seriously since I realized after my last relaxer how much damage I had done to it by not giving it the proper time and treatments that it needs. However, this raised the question of what treatments do I need exactly and what products work the best for me? Unfortunately, while my hair takes on the appearance (mostly) of black hair, it doesn't necessarily act like black hair all of the time since I'm also half Caucasian (aka some products are too much for my hair and create a film of nastiness or some products just don't react like they should). Thus, I have a somewhat unique challenge of finding what works and what doesn't.

About a week after my last relaxer I was left with a scalp that flaked, burned (excruciatingly painful), and itched...badly. My hair was also dry and I could tell at the roots that if I didn't do something I was going to be left with a lot of bald spots. Thus, I began to examine everything that I was using and see what was good and what wasn't. (And for the record- my hair is A LOT healthier right now than it had been for years)

This brings me to this entry's topic- Motions Lavish Conditioning Shampoo. I can still remember when I bought this shampoo for the first time. I bought it in my second year in college (a different bottle mind you, but same product) and I thought it was a conditioner at first until it got all sudsy on my head. I was very impressed with the results at the time. My hair was left VERY soft and moisturized, just what my rats' nest was looking for. Ever since then I swore by this product--until now.

After taking this month to examine the results of this product, I've come to the conclusion that is actually a very poor product for my hair. Granted, it does a great job of actually conditioning my hair and doesn't strip my hair like other shampoos do. However, that's just the problem. It does too good of a job, and it doesn't really feel like it leaves my hair clean. It doesn't have a powerful perfume smell either, so I'm left with hair that still smells the same as before I had stepped into the shower and with almost the same feel, but a little silkier, which can sometimes feel more slimy than anything. Hence, you can see why I don't exactly feel clean after using it. Often times, I resort to using other shampoos to actually do the cleaning and then use this shampoo as a "pre conditioner", which isn't necessary when you have a good conditioning routine.

Between the light and not overly appealing smell as well as the lackluster clean it gives, I have to say that I rate this product pretty low (maybe a D). I definitely won't be buying it again.

Recommend? No.