Product Review: TGIN Shea Butter Line

For the past week or so, I've had the privilege to try out the TGIN Shea Butter Sample Pack. If you didn't know, Chris-Tia Donaldson, author of Thank God I'm Natural, has launched Thank God It's Natural, a line of natural bath, body and home products. Included in the Sample Pack: a 1/2 oz. jar of all natural organic shea butter, 1.5 oz. bar of olive oil Wild Lemongrass soap, and 1 peppermint shea butter lip balm. So here is my breakdown of each product.

[caption id="attachment_2089" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The TGIN Shea Butter Sample Pack"][/caption]

 

Organic Shea Butter
From TGIN:

Our 100% Natural African Shea Butter will keep your hands, feet, lips, and hair soft all winter long. If you like shea butter, you're going to love our all natural organic shea body butter, which has a smooth and creamy texture, no grit, and a light and pleasant scent.
Rich in both vitamin A and vitamin E, shea butter can be used to treat dry skin, sunburns, cuts, rashes, eczema, psoriasis, chapped lips, dark spots, scars, stretch marks, blemishes, diaper rash, dark under eye circles, and fine lines and wrinkles as part of your night-time beauty treatment.
An ultra-nourishing spot treatment to soften even the driest skin.

Since I didn't have enough to use daily on my entire body, I used the shea butter daily primarily on two areas: my feet and elbows. I was instantly pleased with how rich and smooth it was. Trust, you don't need to use a ton of this stuff! It was a great addition to my nightly pedicure routine. After a little buffing with the pumice stone I massaged my feet with the shea butter before slipping on my fuzzy socks. Now they're nice and soft--sandal ready! On my elbows the shea butter helped smooth the spots that rub against the arm rests of my office chair. I also began applying it to a scar that is forming from a recent (and nasty) fall. I'm hoping it will help lighten that dark spot. Overall it worked great, did just what I expected it to do. One word of advice: if you're like me and tend to sweat in 20 degree weather, you may want to avoid using this on your face! In a rush one morning I forgot my moisturizer and thought "well this will do." Honey I looked like I washed my face in Crisco. No bueno. Otherwise, this gets a thumbs up from me.

 

Olive Oil and Shea Butter Wild Lemongrass Soap
From TGIN:

Our luxurious Olive Oil soaps have added organic Shea Butter. Our shea butter soaps are amazing and rich in olive oil, coconut oil and plant botanicals. They produce a rich  lather and will keep your skin soft and supple all winter long.  Contains no preservatives, animal products, petroleum products, parabens or lauryl sulfate.

I didn't really have high hopes for this particular product. After all, soap is soap is soap, right? Wrong! There is definitely a difference with this soap. As soon as I lathered up, I could feel it moisturizing my skin thanks to the natural oils infused into the soap. After the shower, my skin wasn't left feeling tight or dry like it normally does with regular soap. It made me think of the Dove soap commercials, where they show how it's supposed to moisturize your skin. Well I've tried Dove, and TGIN's soap has it beat, IMO.

I do have two minor complaints though. I hoped that this soap would work for my face so that I could possibly skip adding an additional moisturizer after washing. Instead, the soap ended up breaking my face out. Must have been the oils. No biggie; after a day of going back to my usual Clean & Clear my face was back to normal. The other thing was the scent. I think I'd rather have had an unscented bar than the lemongrass scent. If you've never smelled it, it is a crisp, earthy scent. Not bad, just not me. I will be ordering the White Tea & Hibiscus or Ginger Peach scent next time.

 

Shea Butter Lip Balm (Peppermint)
From TGIN:

100% natural lip balm, made with shea butter, coconut oil and olive oil.

The biggest issue that I have with lip balms is that most of them simply sit on top of the lips instead of actually moisturizing them. Fortunately I did not get that feeling with the TGIN lip balm. It wasn't heavy or greasy, which is always good. Would've been nice to get the little tingle that I was looking for, but it's only peppermint scented. It didn't do any miracles, but then again I didn't expect that.  Overall it's a solid product that I would use on a regular basis.

I really like TGIN's shea butter line. Whether you are a stickler for using 100% natural skin and hair care products, or if you just want products that work, I would recommend that you give TGIN a try.

Unexpected Inspiration

I browse through many beauty blogs, most of them specifically about natural black hair. After all, I want to read stories and tips that I can relate to. But occasionally I will run across a site that caters more towards straight-haired girls that still grab my attention. One such site is The Beauty Department. I mostly ignore the makeup posts, since they don't really feature dark skin and I'm smart enough to know that not all shades look right on all skin tones. But I do like to check out their tutorials for up-dos. Since my skills are still pretty limited, I like that they have simple but elegant styles that I can actually do. There are three in particular that caught my eye, but I may have to wait until my hair is a little longer to try two of them out. My hair is currently blown out, and with the weather forecast being kinda icky for the week, I'll be putting one of these styles to the test: The Quick Twist (for medium and short hair).

Quick Twists up do

 

Looks simple enough, right? So we'll see what happens!

 

What are some of your unexpected inspirations?

Morning Quickie: To Cut or Not to Cut?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="203" caption="my short hair inspiration"][/caption]

Lately I've been obsessed with short hair cuts. (And purple hair, but that's a different post.) Maybe because my hair is at a length now where I have to take serious care of it & put thought into styling or it looks a hot mess. Maybe because by the time I did the big chop, I was already past the TWA (teeny-weeny afro) because I transitioned for 10 months. Mostly I think it's because I miss those wash & go days and the time when one bottle of product lasted forever!

Anyway, I'm seriously considering whether to cut my hair next spring/summer. Even though it is growing like crazy (length check coming soon... probably) and I love long hair, I'm just not feeling it as much as I should. So I wanna switch it up. The drawback? People's reactions. For many of us, long hair is equated with beauty. I've previously discussed my own hangups with seeing myself with short hair after having long "pretty" hair be my redeeming feature for so long. And my father and grandmother both exclaimed that I "look so much better" with long hair and said "promise you won't cut your hair anymore" after I got rid of my permed ends. I didn't make that promise, and I know neither of them will have anything positive to say.

But hey, at the end of the day, it's my decision. Other people's long hair hangups don't have to be mine. My only concern at this point is finding a cut that fits my full face.

Are you all "long hair, don't care," "short hair everything," or "whatever works"?

Carol's Daughter Has a New Line: Chocolat

Y'all know I'm really not a product junkie. I have a few staple products and only experiment from time to time. However, I am excited about the launch of a new line of products from Carol's Daughter: the Chocolat Smoothing Collection. From huffingtonpost.com:

The 3-step collection (Smoothing shampoo, Smoothing conditioner and Smoothing Blow Dry Cream) of sulfate-free products is designed to physically rebuild hair structure from the inside out. Whether you chemically treat your hair of have natural tresses, the products will work on all hair types...

There are hints of Ylang, Iris and vanilla to help round out the sweet chocolate base.

"It's a very wonderful experience when you're blowing our your hair to have this chocolate floral thing going on. Usually you just smell hair when you blow out your hair, but with this you have a really great sensory experience in the shower and out of the shower," Price adds.

[caption id="attachment_1708" align="alignright" width="246" caption="Impossibly Smooth Curly-to-Straight Set"][/caption]

On the Carol's Daughter website, there are several Chocolat sets to choose from. The one that I'm ready to try? Impossibly Smooth Curly-to-Straight. It includes Smoothing Conditioner, Smoothing Blow Dry Cream and Macadamia Heat Styling Hairspray. Here are the claims:

 

Deep-conditions and tames curly hair for an Impossibly Smooth blow-out that lasts

This collection straightens out all the frizzy issues that usually come with naturally curly hair—from having parched locks to flaky product buildup. The main ingredient Cacao, found in the deeply nourishing Chocolät Smoothing Conditioner and Blow-Dry Cream, adds extra moisture to each strand to fight unruly flyaways after a blow-out. Finish and protect your new tresses with Macadamia’s lightweight styling spray for added shine and control.

Added bonus,they give instructions on how to properly use the products included for the desired results. That's great for someone like me who tends to buy things and then ask "So what do I do with this now?" (Don't judge me!)

Sounds promising! Since the weather is cooling off (OMG

it was in the upper 30s this morning y'all!) I'll be wearing my hair straight every now and then. Considering my past problems with straightening, I'm looking forward to seeing whether this will make a significant difference in the results. I've only used one other Carol's Daughter product before, the Black Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner. Since I had good experiences with that, I have high hopes for this line.

Anyone else excited to try this line? Already ordered it? Share your experiences with Carol's Daughter products.

Product Review: Kinky-Curly Knot Today

This should have been posted last week. I wanted to show y'all a before and after video using the Knot Today, but my video editing skills are.... Well, I don't have any video editing skills. So I'll just have to go with words for now and add a video should I ever be able to get it like I want it.

Anyway, I finally made my way to Target not long ago and remembered that one of the products on my must-try list was Kinky-Curly Knot Today. Last week I decided to wash and twist my hair, so there was no better time to try it out. I washed it with my usual shampoo (Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus) then sectioned my hair off to make detangling and twisting a little easier. I applied a little of the Knot Today (maybe a nickel sized dollop? Or quarter? I don't know) to about a fourth of my hair and worked it in. Y'all wouldn't believe the look on my face when I was able to finger-comb my hair. I've always had to use the comb after washing because it tangles up like crazy, even when I deep condition and detangle with the conditioner in the hair. But this time my fingers slid through with ease. I was definitely amazed. I even had to go show my mom, who couldn't believe it either!

(This is where the video was supposed to go. Just imagine my hand being stuck basically at my roots, then magically gliding all the way down my tresses. Yeah, that's what happened.)

Knot Today is great, but not without its drawbacks. Once I got to the last two sections, my hair had dried significantly. Although the Knot Today still made it easier to detangle, I noticed that 1) it was not as easy as when the hair was dripping wet and 2) it made my hair feel a little sticky. So even though the bottle says "leave-in" I don't think I'll be able to use it in that capacity. Now that I have taken the twists down, I also realize that my hair is not as soft as it is when I use something like Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. Don't misunderstand me, it's not super crunchy or anything, it's just not super soft.

Overall, I have to say that this product really impressed me. The complaints I have are minor, especially when compared with how much easier and quicker detangling was. Knot Today made the most dreaded part of my routine go a lot smoother, so that makes it a win in my book.

Have you tried Knot Today? Or any of the other Kinky-Curly products? What was your impression of this line? Yay or nay?

Why I Don't Care if Natural Hair is Just a "Fad"

[caption id="attachment_1509" align="alignleft" width="200" caption=""I've BEEN in the game!""][/caption]

"This is just a fad for them; I've been natural 10/20/100 years!" For some reason, this is a comment that I see over and over again on natural hair sites and message boards. Some ladies who have been natural for a while seem to look down at those of us who have decided to go natural within the last few years. To me, it's very sad but a little laughable as well.

With the exception of those who have never had any chemicals applied to their hair, everyone had some starting point for their natural journey. So to say that because you're only x number of months in the game, you aren't "real" about it is rather absurd. But it is rather dashing to realize that there is yet another division among us. Not only do we have natural vs. relaxed and "real" naturals (4b & c) against other hair types, we can add newbie naturals vs. old heads. Why do we do this to ourselves?!

Listen, if it is a fad for someone else, that should have no bearing on what goes on with your hair. And yes, it is a fad for

some. Some ladies will cut all their hair off and rock a TWA, then perm it when it gets a little longer, then dye it some outrageous color, wear a weave for a while, and do any and everything in between. So what? It's their head, their style, their choice. Whether they are natural for a few months, a year, the rest of their lives, or even if they never go natural at all, my only concern is that people (and black women and men in particular) realize that we don't have to have silky straight locks to be beautiful. We don't have to feel that relaxing our hair is the only option to be "presentable." Our hair, in its natural state can be elegant, professional, funky, casual and healthy. As long as that message gets through, it doesn't matter if others think it's a fad, trend, or lifestyle change.

Do You Seal Your Ends?

[caption id="attachment_1489" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="pic courtesy of thankgodimnatural.wordpress.com"][/caption]

Lately when I search the web for natural hair tips, I focus more on what I can do to keep my hair healthy, not just cute styles. One thing that I've learned about is sealing my hair, particularly the ends. Of course the ends of your hair are the oldest and are more susceptible to damage and splitting. Sealing the ends of your hair won't repair splits (only thing to do then is trim those ends off) but it can add protection to healthy hair. That is because sealing helps lock moisture inside the strand. The drier the hair, the more likely it is to be damaged. And when your hair is constantly breaking due to damage/split ends, it seems that the hair is not growing. So you definitely need to take action against that.

Now don't roll your eyes and say "Great, something else to add to my routine!" Sealing your hair is not hard to do at all! I follow these simple steps, courtesy of Curly Nikki:

1. Start with wet hair.
Water is the only true form of moisture, if water is not present, neither is moisture.

2. Apply a leave-in, moisturizer or creme.
Try Direct Leave-In or your favorite water based leave-in. Avoid products that claim to moisturize, but have petroleum or mineral oil in the first five ingredients.
(Now y'all know I'm not averse to using petroleum or mineral oil--they've worked fine for me--so this is up to you. However, I use Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. Y'all already know I love that stuff!)

3. Apply a top coat of an oil or butter.
Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and Coconut Oil, and Raw Shea or Mango butter are all great choices and can be found in most health food stores such as Whole Foods or Trader Joes. (My personal preference is coconut oil.)(source)

 

Do you seal your ends, and if so have you been able to see a difference in the condition of your hair?

I'm Bored With My Hair!

[caption id="attachment_1467" align="alignleft" width="266" caption="yeah, that's kinda how I'm feeling"][/caption]

Maybe it's because my hair is in that weird length where it's too long for a fro but too short for many other styles I want to try. Maybe it's because most of the styles I've tried have really just been variations of the same look. I'm not really sure why, but I'm a little bored with my hair. Still love it; still can't keep my hands out of it. Just not feeling as patient or as happy with it at the present moment (even as I get oohs and aahs over its growth and volume). Now, this is not just a natural hair thing. I had this complaint many times while relaxed as well. That lead to layers, streaks, color, breakage from the color that resulted in a cut, a rush to make it longer, more streaks, more cutting. Since straightening is out (way too humid for that right now) I am leaning towards kinky twists. Hopefully by the time I take them down (my goal is 1.5-2 months) I'll be excited about Big Sexy again. If not, we'll give it some color and see what that does.

How do you handle hair boredom? Do you switch up your look often, or is it pretty consistent? Did your transition from permed to natural arise from being tired of the same old look (like mine did) or have you considered going back to relaxing your hair to do something different?

It doesn't Have to be Complicated

One thing I hear quite often from new naturals and those who are considering going natural is that maintaining natural hair seems "too hard." Admittedly, it is a lot of work, especially when you're just starting out. However, it doesn't have to be complicated. A tendency of natural newbies (and old heads who happen to be product junkies or just serious enthusiasts) is to try this product and that product, this method and that one and the next. That's all good if you choose to do that, but don't be scared off by thinking that you have to do that. As I've admitted before, I am a lazy natural. I don't switch things up a whole lot, and once I found a routine that worked for me, I stuck with it. Some of my products may change since some of them work better in the summer than they do in winter, and vice versa, but the regimen is generally the same.

• I wash and deep condition my hair once every 1-2 weeks, usually closer to the 2 week side. Many people wash weekly, some co-wash a couple of times a week. When my hair was shorter that worked for me, but now I find that I can't just do a quick wash & go and get the same results.

• Often I'll wait to detangle the next day, just because I usually don't feel like doing all that after washing. (Hey, I told y'all I'm lazy!) After washing, most of the time I'll do some crude chunky twists or put it in a puff. Once I feel like detangling, I use a little oil to help get the job done/

• At night, if I'm feeling good, I'll do about 12-16 chunky twists and top it off with the satin bonnet. If not, I just plop the bonnet on my loose hair and deal with it in the morning. Que sera, sera... Usually the steam from the shower will loosen and fluff it up so it's not an issue.

• Occasionally, I'll add something like the Shea Moisture smoothie to soften my tresses, or hit it with a little water/coconut oil mix (add a little glycerin if it's humid).

That's it! Now of course I'm not saying that what works for me will work for you. Every head of hair is different. But I am definitely saying that you don't need to be intimidated by time-consuming processes. Your hair can be as low (or high) maintenance as you want it to be.

 

[caption id="attachment_1374" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="my small arsenal of go-to products: SM shampoo & smoothie (center), Optimum 3-in-1 creme oil (rear left), water/coconut oil mix (rear left), conditioners for DC (packets) & my handy wide-tooth comb"][/caption]

Make-up Break: Sephora Nano Eyeliner

From the site:

What it is:
A highly pigmented eye pencil.

What it does:
Sephora Brand Nano Eyeliner glides on smoothly and comfortably, creating a lovely line of color. Shea butter and rosemary extracts make this formula soft and easy to work with.

What else you need to know:
Make impact with your eye look—this must-have comes in an amazing range of colors, for va-va-variety!

These little eyeliners are heaven-sent, I swear. My first attempt at eyeliner was with a liquid liner and the results were messy, to say the least. While wandering around Sephora one day, I spotted the Nano. The thing that grabbed my attention was that one of the ingredients is shea butter. In my mind, that automatically registered as smooth, so I was with it. And at $5.00, it wouldn't be a horrible loss if it didn't work. So I bought two, in black and blue jean. The best quality about this eyeliner was instantly obvious: it was super forgiving for a shaky handed novice like myself. The way it glided on felt almost like a crayon, and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly and easily I was able to line my eyes. Another great thing about this product was the fact that it didn't take much to get the nice little pop of color that I wanted.

[caption id="attachment_1361" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Blue Jean"][/caption]

I ended up going back for four more colors. My favorite by far is the Azur Blue. I had the bright idea to cover my lid with it and wearing it like an eyeshadow... loved the result!

[caption id="attachment_1364" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Azur Blue... I LOVE it!"][/caption]

(Note to other brown-skinned beauties: the chocolate eyeliner looks great on your hand, like it'll be a nice alternative for when you want to line your eyes but don't want something as bold as black. WRONG! Save your money. It will look like you have nothing on at all. -_-)

[caption id="attachment_1366" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="Chocolate eyeliner on my hand..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1365" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Chocolate eyeliner on one of my eyelids... but which one?!"][/caption]

 

The other colors I purchased were Wild Spirit (a purple which wasn't as wild as it could have been, in my opinion) and Precious Silver, which I plan to use under eyeshadow (like most people do with NYX Milk--I couldn't find a white) but haven't done yet.

The only bad thing I have to say about this eyeliner is that it smudges a little too easily; I tend to rub my eyes a lot during the day and ended up with liner on my hands. The thing that makes it great makes it a little bit of a hassle too. :-/ But I'm not complaining... too much.

If Sephora wanted my advice, I'd tell them that they should expand their line to include more bright, vivid colors. That's it! I'm going to be on the lookout for more of these little gems.

Review: the Tangle Teezer

Yes, I am 100 years behind everyone else, but I finally bought a Tangle Teezer two weeks ago. I'd honestly forgotten about it, but a quick trip to a different Sally's jogged my memory. Lo & behold, they had one! I was super excited since I'd heard so many great things about it since its debut.

As soon as I got home, I tested it on a small section of hair. It did okay, nothing special. I didn't want to go further since my hair was super dry; I decided the time to test it would be when the hair was wet. Fast forward a few days when I decided to wash & twist my hair. After I washed my hair & let it dry just a bit (I hate working with sopping wet hair) I sectioned off my hair and tried to go to work. One problem: I couldn't get a sizable section through the TT. With too much hair, the comb just seemed to glide over the hair instead of actually getting in there and detangling. I had to keep making smaller and smaller sections until I finally had just a tiny bit of hair between my fingers. My hair is too thick and my head is too big to deal with all those little sections, so I said forget it.

Fast forward again to Monday night, when I washed and DC'd (I need not ever go more than three weeks again... Lawd it was a struggle!). While the conditioner was still in, I decided to give the TT another go. This time it was a little better, and I actually got through most of my head. (By the time I got to the crown where the real monster hair is, I was worn out.) I was still a little frustrated that I had to divide my hair into such small sections to make it work. And the hair loss was about the same as when I use my wide-tooth comb to detangle. One pleasant surprise though: after rinsing the conditioner out, the hair that detangled with the TT did not tangle up again as bad as it usually does. The whole re-tangling after detangling thing is my least favorite part about doing my hair, so I was pretty happy with that.

Overall, the Tangle Teezer is an OK product to me, but not the miracle that it was made out to be. It doesn't seem to be made with the super thick haired gals in mind. I'll give it a few more tries before I write it off, but for the time being my old faithful wide-tooth comb has it beat.

(Sidenote: I've been seeing some updates with people saying that after using the TT for a while, they've noticed breakage, damaged ends, etc. Have any of you experienced this?)

Chlorine + Natural Hair = Oh, No...

This weekend I went swimming played around in a pool for the first time in a long time. This being the first time swimming as a natural, I figured it would be okay to not wear a swimcap or anything because there were no chemicals in my hair for the chlorine to interact with. I really figured it would be okay if I just gave it a quick wash after I swam.

(Don't you dare laugh at my ignorance!) I ended up not washing it after swimming (I was in a hurry to get back to the party) and waited until Sunday morning to wash and condition my hair. Let's just say that me and Big Sexy are not on good terms right now. She's not soft at all, and I know I'm gonna have to do some serious work to get on her good side again.

Since I realized that this would not work and I do have plans to swim more this summer, I decided to look up the effects of chlorine and what steps could be taken to prevent this steel wool mess on top of my head. Here is what I found:

 

What is so terrible about pool water? Why is it so damaging? What is chlorine?

From Wikipedia:

Chlorine is a powerful oxidant and is used in bleaching and disinfectants. As a common disinfectant,

chlorine compounds are used in swimming pools to keep them clean and sanitary.

Chlorine being an oxidant, or an oxidizing agent, is what makes it so damaging to hair. How exactly? (If you don’t want to read all this, the main point is that “Chlorine=Bad for Hair”)

According to Chemical and physical behavior of human hair, someone named Allworden was the first to test the effects of chlorine on hair. He used wool fibers and exposed it to chlorine. The chlorine created bubbles and sacs across the surface of the epicutical, or the thin layer of material covering the hair of mammals  (that’s us ya’ll!! ).

These sacs form as a result of diffusion of chlorine water into cuticle cells and weaken the protein of the hair. The product of this reaction is unable to diffuse out, causing swelling which creates the sac. (source)

These chemicals, chlorine in particular, dehydrate the hair and are particularly harmful to natural hair as it is already pre-disposed to dryness.

Chlorine sucks away sebum, the natural oil our scalp produces to keep the hair healthy, and this causes the cuticle to dry out and crack. The end result is dry, brittle hair.

Here are a few tips to protect your hair as you swim!

1. Rinse Thoroughly

Before you jump in the pool, rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water.

Why? Think about a sponge. If you place a dry sponge in a puddle of water, it will absorb the water until it is saturated.

If you place a wet sponge in a pool of water, it will only absorb a small quantity of water. The sponge is already filled with water so there is no need to absorb the puddle water.

We want the hair shaft to be swollen and full of water before we hop in the pool. This way the hair does not absorb the

chlorinated water.

So, hop in the shower or rinse your hair over the sink so ensure it is saturated with regular tap water before hopping in the pool.

2. Apply Coconut oil to the hair.

Coconut oil protects and seals the hair cuticles. It also helps your hair retain moisture by sealing moisture into the hair shaft. I use Tukka Restorative Hair Treatment since it contains ingredients that not only seals, protects my hairs cuticle it also helps my hair retain moisture by sealing moisture into the hair shaft while nourishing and lubricating my hair at the same time.

3. Apply a conditioner

After the hair is saturated, apply a conditioner. Any cheap conditioner will do. Use conditioners that are for dry, damaged, chemically treated hair.

Apply a generous amount of the conditioner to hair, making sure to coat the length, roots and scalp.

Conditioner will not only moisturize the hair, it will also help protect the hair from the harsh pool water.

Do not rinse out the conditioner. We want the conditioner to protect your delicate hair strands!

4. Go for a Swim

If possible wrap the hair with Saran wrap and cover with a swim cap. Even if a bit water gets into the swim cap, the hair is well-protected.

5. Use a Chelating Shampoo

After swimming, rinse out the conditioner and pool water for at least 3-5 minutes and use a Chelating Shampoo. The chemicals in the shampoo “chelate” with the chlorine and rinse it out of the hair.

Popular Chelating Shampoos:

L’anza Swim & Sun Daily Shampoo, Joico K-Pak Chelating, Joico Resolve Chelating Shampoo, Nexxus Aloe Rid (with chelating gel), Nexxus Phyto Organics Kelate Purifying Shampoo, Ouidad Water Works, Artec Textureline Daily Clarifying Shampoo, Kenra Clarifying Chelating Shampoo, Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three, Aveda Detox.

[TORI'S NOTE: If you're like me, you have no idea what "chelate" means. Well according to the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, "'Chelate' means 'claw,' and chelated minerals have been chemically bonded, so that they figuratively hang on, like a claw, to amino acids (the building blocks of protein) or other organic acids. The theory is that this makes them more absorbable."]

6. Apply a Deep Conditioner

Apply a super moisturizing deep conditioner to the hair in sections, cover with a plastic cap and let penetrate for 20-30 minutes.

7. Seal and protect the hair cuticles

Sealing and protecting the hair cuticles helps the hair retain moisture.  Great oils to use are coconut oils and castor oil. Hair treatments that contain 100% natural ingredients are the best to use such as  Tukka Restorative Hair Treatment.

8. Use a Low/No Heat Method of Styling

To combat dryness, try air drying the hair in braids, twists or a bun or try setting your hair on roller, rods or curlers and allow the hair to dry overnight or air dry during the day. Try, if possible, to avoid using both a blow dryer and flat-iron or curling iron as the direct heat is especially drying to those who swim regularly. (source)

Shea Moisture Review (Part I)

 

This particular review should have been done a long time ago... My apologies!

Often times when I'm out, I get asked what products I use. Really, I haven't been loyal to any particular products; I mix & match & experiment. However, since going natural, there has only been one brand that has remained consistent for me: Shea Moisture. Out of their four lines-- Coconut & Hibiscus, African Black Soap, Raw Shea Butter, and Yucca & Baobab--I've tried products from three (the first three listed). The following is a brief review of each product that I have tried so far. This is only part one because I have not used a complete regimen. I'm sure that these products are grouped together in lines for a reason, so I want to see if that will make a difference. In the meantime, here's what I think about the products I've tried so far...

Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Control Shampoo
Confession time: I can never tell a difference with my shampoos. Maybe it's just because I've happened to try some really great shampoos, I don't know. Whatever the reason, I can't say that this shampoo was any different or produced better/worse results than the others. But I do like that it has organic ingredients. And it did have a great smell. *shrugs* That should count for something. I'll use this again when I'm using the whole Coconut & Hibiscus line together, but as a stand-alone product... I'm not completely sold. I mean, the Softsheen-Carson Oil Therapy shampoo gives me the same effect for a few dollars less (although it does contain synthetic ingredients & some 'cones). No complaints about this shampoo though.

C&H Curl Enhancing Smoothie
I have fallen in love with this product. This is the latest that I have tried and so far the results are phenomenal. The Curl Enhancing Smoothie makes my coils so soft it's unreal. A lot of times I'll just work it into my hair while it's dry for a nice, soft puff or fro. However, this product has proven itself to be invaluable when it comes to my twist outs. I'll lightly mist my hair (using my water/coconut oil/glycerin mix), detangle, then add a little of the smoothie to my strands before twisting. When I take the twists down, not only is the hair defined, but it's super soft & fluffy. Bonus: it adds a little shine without being greasy.

C&H Curl & Style Conditioning Milk
This was the first Shea Moisture product I tried. The results were very similar to those that I got with the Curl Enhancing Smoothie. The only difference that I found was that it left my hair slightly oily. However, it wasn't enough to completely write off the Conditioning Milk. I believe this would be best to use in winter.

C&H Hold & Shine Moisture Mist
I was pleased that the Moisture Mist helped battle frizz, but I was a little disappointed that it didn't provide the shine I expected. I haven't tried it on a style that required hold, only on my fros/puffs, so I can't really attest to how well it does that.

Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
The Raw Shea Butter formula is supposed to be for dry hair, so I tried it out when the weather was still cold, figuring that was when it was at its driest. Unfortunately, I can't say that I loved this conditioner. My expectations just weren't met. When used as a leave-in, my hair would end up feeling a little stiff and brittle at the end of the day. When used in my co-wash, it would take forever to get it worked in and then rinsed out. I'm chalking this up to the thickness of the conditioner, but I'm really not sure so don't quote me on it! Of course, it could have just been the fact that I don't have really dry hair so it didn't respond well to the formula. Add to that the medicinal smell and I was turned off. I probably won't be trying anything else from this particular line.

African Black Soap Purification Masque
This was a spur of the moment pick, from when Walgreen's had a 2-for-1 sale on SM products. It came in handy though. I was having a bout of itchy scalp (not sure why) and although I washed it good and was sure to condition it, nothing would relieve it! So I applied a generous portion of the masque to my hair & scalp and let it sit for about an hour. (On the label it says 30 minutes but I kept getting distracted.) Once I washed it out and let my hair dry, my scalp felt sooo much better. It really had the soothing effect I was looking for. I am completely sold on this product and will probably try other products in the African Black Soap line.

Once I try a full line of products, I will do another review. Until then, I'd love to know if any of you have tried Shea Moisture and what kind of results you got. Speak on it! For info on the ingredients, description and usage of these and other Shea Moisture products, check the following link: SheaMoisture_Organic_Hair_Products_Info 8.18.10

Were You Anti-Natural Before Going Natural?

I saw a tweet on my timeline Monday that made me think back to the months prior to my decision to go natural. I was on several sites where women were discussing transitioning, styles they were trying on their natural hair, etc. There were several other ladies--myself included--who would playfully interrupt them with praise for the creamy crack. And after many of my line sisters went natural, I boldly stated that I was in love with the perm and would never let it go!

[caption id="attachment_1261" align="alignright" width="205" caption="pic from a Google search. I have no idea who this young lady is but her hair is gorgeous!"][/caption]

Most of my words were said in jest, but I will admit that some of it came from the jealousy I felt after my first failed attempt at going natural. Now that I am completely natural, I'm a little amused when I hear the same words I used coming back on me. (Side note: many of the other ladies who were professing their love of the creamy crack are going or have gone natural too! LOL)

So that brings me to today's question: Were you (for lack of a better term) anti-natural hair when you were still relaxing? If so, what was your reasoning? And what changed?

REPOST: You rockin’ a fro for the 4th?

July 4th is quickly approaching, and many naturalistas will be wearing big beautiful afros (or fierce TWAs). You can find last year's post on it here:  You rockin’ a fro for the 4th?.

I couldn't make it work last year; my hair was not cooperating! But that won't stop me from trying it again this year. So who is with me? We want to see how you rock it! Be sure to share your pix with us by sending them to submissions@kinxnquirx.com

 



 

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My Hair Won't Stay Straight!

The other day I was talking to a sales lady at AT&T and the subject turned to natural hair. She mentioned flat ironing her hair, and I kinda guffawed because we've had 100+ temperatures this past week and humidity through the roof. I had to ask how long her blowouts last, and guess what she said? She said it lasts til she washes it!! A week, two weeks... It stays straight. She doesn't even have to retouch it. Y'all know I was jealous right? Seriously, my hair starts to frizz up the day after I straighten it. Even when I did my blowout in December (when the humidity is pretty much non-existent) it started poofing up the next day. I did notice that her hair appeared courser than mine, and maybe that had something to do with it. We didn't have time to talk products though.

Now my mission is to find out whether I need to use different products or whether my hair type is just rebellious. Actually, scratch that last part; I know my hair is rebellious. The question is whether or not it can be tamed!

Do you/have you had problems with your hair reverting back soon after a blowout? If you no longer do, what is your secret? Help a sista out!

One Year Natural

DAAAAAANG, really? Has it been a whole year since I chopped off my permed ends? Hard to believe, but yup, it's my one year nappiversary! Honestly, I am very proud of myself for sticking with it (I've got commitment issues!) and more importantly learning my hair. One of my major concerns going into this was maintaining the health of my hair, not just the look. Fortunately I've not experienced any breakage or major shedding, and from looking at the pix I know it's growing!

 

[caption id="attachment_1108" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="the day after the big chop *cringe*"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1109" align="alignright" width="300" caption="i was in love with this curl pattern!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1111" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="today, my 1 year nappiversary!"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1110" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Memorial Day 2011, just because :)"][/caption]

This year has definitely been a learning experience. I've read books, blogs and magazines, but in the end the only way to truly learn about natural hair is to experience it. All of the info in the world couldn't tell me what my hair wanted and needed. Once I got over the fear of not knowing what I was doing (being a complete novice to hair care and all) I found out that it really wasn't that hard.

 

 

I think that a lot of women have a fear of going natural or think they can't because they've been lead to believe it's too hard. While it is time-consuming and takes a bit of trial & error--and patience, of course--it isn't particularly difficult.

There were a couple of things that I focused on: health (preventing as much breakage & shedding as possible) and softness. Tried a few different products and paid attention to how my hair responded. Learned what styles I was able to do and what I needed to leave to others. I found my go-to styles: chunky twist-outs and fluffy twist-outs (like the one I rocked today), puffs and the fro with little accessories to give it flair. Still working on those protective styles; haven't quite got those down yet. :-/

Long story short: This is an ongoing lesson, but it's worthwhile. Don't be afraid to experiment and ask questions!

 

*no length check this post but it'll be coming soon!*

 

 

Another Hair Horror Story

Since I've been completely natural, I've been handling most of my hair care myself. Although it's been challenging at times, it is rewarding. However, I've missed the feeling of laying back and letting someone else pamper me. The last time I stepped foot into a salon was last September to get my ends trimmed, but a few weeks ago I decided it was time to make a return visit.

I went to Ulta Salon and had the same stylist who trimmed my hair before. Let me pause and say that she was recommended to me by another natural whose hair always looks great, so I felt like I was in good hands. I told her "I want to dye my hair a rich dark chocolate color, slightly darker than [other natural's name]'s hair." She said fine. I see her mixing up the color and it is gorgeous in the bottle, just what I'd envisioned. She puts it on, we're talking and laughing with other stylists and customers. She casually asks, "Do you mind if I straighten your hair?" For a split second I almost said no. After all, that's not what I came for. I just wanted a color and trim. But I figured what the heck.

Long story short:

My hair is the same darn color that it was before I went.
STRIKE ONE.

The blowout was frizzy by the second day and didn't last a full week.
STRIKE TWO.

When I washed my hair I noticed a few pieces of hair didn't have the same curl that it used to. So I deep conditioned. Several times. Yet I still have about six pieces of straight, heat damaged hair that stick out like sore thumbs.
STRIKE @!#$%^&*( THREE!!!

 

[caption id="attachment_1009" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="the look on my face only begins to show my pisstivity"][/caption]



I blame myself for letting this happen. I should've been more watchful while she did it. Probably should've asked questions about her straightening methods. Definitely should have listened to my first mind that said don't do it. Then I wouldn't be faced with the dilemma of camouflaging my damaged tresses. Interestingly, the ends of the straight pieces remain curled, even though the texture of the strands has completely changed from root to tip. Also interesting is the fact that they are all on one side of my head, mostly in that weird extra rough patch of hair. My guess is that when that section wouldn't succumb to the heat she turned it up. I also have two sections right up front that are dangling lifelessly.

From everything I've read, there is no coming back from heat damage, but I can't just chop off those pieces and have a little bald spot right at my hairline! Truly, Big Sexy has seen better days. For now she is being kept in a puff. Once there is some more growth I'll have to re-evaluate the situation and decide what to do then.

Oh, to add insult to injury? That was the most I'd ever paid to get my hair done. $110.

Have you ever had to deal with heat damage or some other hair horror at the hands of a professional stylist? How did you handle it?

Morning Rant: Don't tell me I NEED to straighten my hair!

My dad is guiltiest of this offense. When I went to the salon on Monday I ended up getting my hair straightened. Not my intent, but it happened. (Off topic, but not really: I completely wasted my money. The color didn't take because my hair is so dark, and the blowout lasted less than a day thanks to the crazy weather. I was pissed.) He veils his admonitions to go back to creamy crack with compliments:

"You look like a doll with your hair straight."
"Don't you like how it flows and moves when you walk?"
"Look how long it is!"
"When are you gonna get a perm again?"

Fortunately within the months I've been natural, I've learned to ignore him most of the time and give quick comebacks the rest of the time:

"They make dolls with afros."
"I like how my fro stays in it's place."
"Straightening it didn't make it longer."
"Never."

Of course I like the look of straight hair, otherwise I'd never bother to straighten it in the first place. But the idea that I need straight hair makes me want to punch someone in the throat. And that's the exact feeling I had when an ex-FB associate from college tweeted "I really don't understand wht is so wrong wit getting a perm. U realize we think u look much better wit straight hair. Dnt nobody wanna grab ur hair and can't get they hand out cuz it's caught n all that kinkiness."

So many questions, mainly "We who?" Cause my bf loves loves loves my coils and doesn't keep his hands out of my hair, unless it's straightened.  Also, why the hell do you think your opinion matters to anyone? Why are you worried about how attractive other women are besides your baby momma/fiancee? How are you talking this mess but still trying to holla at me and Big Sexy (my fro)?!

Yeah, I got a little heated. My point is, have your preferences, because I certainly have mine. But to tell me what I need to do to be more attractive to you when you and your approval aren't even on my radar in the first place? MFer have a seat.

Falling Off the Wagon

I am one of those people with a horrible propensity to start things vigorously but gradually fall off until eventually I'm not doin' a thing. This is particularly true when it involves some type of regimen. The multi-step teeth whitening process dwindled to just daily brushing, mouthwash rinse and occasional flossing (DJM!) and the skin care routine involving about five different products to be used nightly has come to just a good scrub in the morning and before bed.

The hair is slowly going the same way, but maybe if I put myself on blast I'll be more accountable to myself and to y'all. (Maybe... hopefully.) The slack started in the winter months when I was no longer doing wash-and-gos. I went from co-washing every other day to washing weekly or bi-weekly with shampoo and using a leave-in conditioner. Sadly, I don't condition as I should nowadays and I think I'm paying the price for it. I'm finding more and more of those little fairy knots, and my ends are looking a little rough even though I trim them from time to time. Plus (I don't know whether or not this is a result of lack of care) my hair is just limp, lifeless and won't do anything I want it to do. Not typical of Big Sexy.

I'm going to start babying my hair all over again, but I really need something simpler. A regimen with 50-11 steps just isn't going to work for me. As I stated when I first started, I'm lazy! I guess this is where a protective style would really come in handy, huh? Well I should be getting some just in time for graduation (Big Sexy doesn't play well with the graduation cap) so hopefully that will help some. But then what?

I need help y'all! Do you have problems keeping up with your routine? If so, how do you cope? Have you found something simpler, or do you just say "whatever!" and do pretty much nothing until the spirit moves you? C'mon, help me out!