Natural Hair: Homemade Mix & A Cornrow Twistout Style

A few days ago I decided to combine some of my favorite oils together with some shea butter. In the past I've combined coconut oil with shea butter and used that to seal my ends. This time, I added a few other oils to the mix.

Here's what I did and what you'll need if you want to try:

Ingredients:

Shea Butter (5+ tablespoons)

Vatika Coconut Oil (2 tablespoons)

Grapeseed Oil ( 1 tablespoon)

Castor Oil (2 tablespoons)

Vitamin E Oil (1 tablespoon)

Steps:

1. Heat shea butter so it is slightly, but not totally, melted.

2. Warm the Vatika oil (or any coconut oil) if it is solid. Measure 2 tablespoons and add to the shea butter.

3. Measure 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil and add to the shea butter.

4. Measure 2 tablespoons of castor oil and add to the shea.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of vitamin E oil to the shea.

6. Blend the oils and shea butter together with a hand-held mixer, whipping until everything is evenly combined.

7. Cover and place into the refrigerator for about a half hour or until the mix has cooled and stiffened.

I like this mix because it melts easily into the skin and the hair. It also made my hair super shiny, defined, not weighed down, and it sealed my ends beautifully. The shots below are from a twistout that I just did two days ago on dry, stretched hair. I left the twists in until I unravelled this morning.

For this style I parted my hair horizontally from ear to ear. I twisted the back using water and the shea-oil mix. I tested my braiding skills and cornrowed the front. It is tough to braid your own hair but I think I did ok. I did not braid tightly and I parted in a way that accommodated for my recovering edges. We'll see how long they last before they get frizzy!

The humidity is out of control right now so I will probably have to re-twist at night to maintain definition. To do that, I will simply re-mist with water and twist, adding more of the shea-oil mix only if needed.

And voila, there you have it! What new mixes have you tried lately?

Hair After Braids...

So...I took my box braids out a few weeks ago. They did not make it as long as I would have liked for two reasons. One, they were super heavy and I felt like I kept hitting my baby with them! I was constantly swinging them out of my face, so much so that I felt like vintage Cher. Two, the ends were cut very blunt and straight across. To me they looked like the ends of shoe laces when they lose that plastic tip. Not cute, imo. Alas, I spent the better part of two days undoing braids, in between baby feedings, changings, and naps.

After the take down, I washed my hair, conditioned and detangled. Before I got the braids, my regimen would then have me set my hair in two low buns to stretch and dry. But I decided to do two-strand twists on wet hair for a defined twist out instead.

Because I am dying to try some new products, but vowed to use up the old ones I have first, I pulled out my jar of Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding to set my twists.

I did medium twists all over, applying a generous dollop of product to each damp section. I only used my fingers to part but I used my denman to smooth. After twisting all the hair I poured a small amount of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in my hands and smoothed it over all the twists. I sealed each end with a tiny spot of shea butter.

I air-dried the rest of the day and that night. The next day, I took down each twist and voila!

Here I am a few days later with a bun (and the baby!) I retwisted the front few twists to redefine in case I wanted to wear it down again.

(Baby and I both LOOOOOVE our green Moby wrap)

Update on Baby & Braids

Baby boy chillin in his favorite position!

So today marks 2 weeks since I gave birth. Time flies for real! My baby is growing really well according to his doctors so I feel very blessed. Breastfeeding did not go as I planned but luckily I am able to pump so he is getting my milk anyway. I am not as exhausted as I thought I would be even though little man eats every 3 hours like clockwork. He has the most delightful temperament, only crying when he's wet or hungry, but otherwise not fussy. He is not colicky at all, thank heavens! When he is not eating or sleeping, he loves looking around at his world and from time to time we lock gazes and it makes me melt! I stare at him all day and thank God for this little miracle.

In other news, the braids are now 3 weeks old. The upside has been that I have not had to worry about my hair in the least! I have only had time to wash it once, hopefully tomorrow will lend me some time for wash number two, and every night I sleep on a satin pillow case. The downside is that I miss my hair! Also, they are starting to get a little fuzzy at the crown because I do not tie them up with any kind of scarf so, while the satin pillowcase minimizes rubbing, there is still some friction while I sleep (read: nap intermittently). I don't know how much longer I will keep them in because they are heavy and are hard to put up. I find that the synthetic hair itches my neck and it takes a lot of work to keep the hair out of my face when they're down. All in all, it was money well spent because it got me through the labor and delivery and allowed me to transition into motherhood without worrying about my hair!

So that is the latest with me. I hope all of you are well! Have a great weekend and we'll see you next week. :-)

Braids & Countdown to D-Day!

Hey guys! I am 2 weeks away from delivery of my little man and I can't wait! Nesting is in full effect and I think we finally got everything in place. Yesterday was unseasonably warm and I enjoyed sitting outside in the sun with the hubby. It's amazing how a little bit of sunshine can brighten your mood and lift your spirits. Spring is definitely on its way!

So on to the hair....

I finally got my hair braided and I am thrilled! Last weekend I remember thinking "I can't do this wash, condition, detangle, twist thing another time!" Luckily, on Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting a really nice young lady who was recommended to me by a co-worker to braid my hair. It took around 12 hours (gasp!) and about 10 pack of hair! I used Kenekelon hair in the color 1B. The price was super reasonable as compared to a braid shop I went to inquiring about prices. One lady took one look at my hair (in a poofy old stretched twist-out) and said "Is that all your hair? Yeah, we're looking at no less than $250." What?!?!?!?!?! Um, no thanks.

So here's how the process went:

Prepping the Hair: I washed and conditioned my hair, applied a creamy leave-in, then put in 10 large twists to dry overnight on Friday. Saturday morning, I got up and took each twist down. I added a little bit of coconut oil and I sprayed a heat protectant. I blew each twisted section out on medium heat. My hair was soft and fluffy and ready to be braided.

Halfway Done: We were about 3 or 4 hours in at this point. The extensions felt super heavy because they hair was really long, like waist-length. It made me think about all the gals out there with waist-length hair goals. I can't imagine having hair that long for real! I think my slightly below BSL is just fine for me!

The final look: So like 12 hours from beginning this was the final product. I was so tired from sitting (although I took many breaks for snacks, bathroom, and stretching). We boiled a pot of water to dip the ends in and that made them super straight and shiny. Now, they can stay loose without unraveling.

I'm not used to having this much hair on my head so I am warming up to the fullness of it. We cut them a few inches so the back is about BSL and the front is a little shorter than that.

I look so tired! But it was worth it :-)

Sleeping, Showering & The Next Day: I pulled the braids low with a large elastic- the regular ones were too small- and I slept on a satin pillow case. It was a little bit uncomfortable but I think it will loosen up over the next few days and sleeping will be easy breezy. Today before I showered, I used one large shower cap and tucked the ponytail under and inside the cap. I had to pull the cap low to cover the bulk of the ponytail so it left the top portion of my hair uncovered. I took a second large plastic cap and put it over the front. So yeah, I double bagged it. Worked just fine!

Sunday, I went to Target to pick up some household items and I grabbed a pack of mini clips in black, brown, and clear. I used a few to pull back the braids away from my face.

Overall, I am very pleased with how they look and feel and the price could not have been beat. I plan to keep them in for about 2 months but we'll see how they look overtime. I purchased two products to use on them in addition to some diluted shampoo for my scalp that I already have. The first product is Elasta QC Feels Like Silk Leave-In H2 Moisture Sealing Conditioner. The second is Fantasia IC Herbal/Vitamin Braid Sheen Spray. I will be using these after I wash weekly or bi-weekly, depending on how my scalp does, as my strengthener and moisturizer.

{Images}

So that's it! I'll try to post updates as they age, depending on how much little man let's me sneak away to the Mac!

A Hair Trial: Amla Powder Mix Part II

Hey guys! The following is Part II to my Amla powder hair treatment. Click here to see Part I. So after I rinsed out the Amla powder, I loaded up my hair with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner and detangled. After detangling, I applied cholesterol conditioner, separated my hair in four sections, added olive oil to my parts, covered with a plastic cap and sat under my hooded dryer for an hour.

The Results
After a final rinse, I was left with soft, fluffy, poofy hair! My scalp looked very clean which makes me very happy!

At this point I was tired of hair for the day! And yet for some odd reason I decided I should do small twists. I applied some Shea Moisture leave in to my whole head and proceeded to twist using Fantasia IC aloe gel on each twist and shea butter on the ends. I lightly oiled my scalp with Vatika oil as I went. So here we go....
A few hours later I had a head full of shiny twists!


Final Thoughts on Amla:
Overall I really liked this treatment. It was inexpensive (about 2 bucks total), it worked like a charm on my scalp, and was easy to apply and rinse. I will probably use this treatment once a month or as often as I feel like a need a deep cleansing of the scalp!

From Ms to Mrs!

Hey guys and gals! Pardon me for the long haitus but thanks for the well wishes! The trip to Cancun was more than relaxing and my wedding went off without a hitch this past Saturday. The weather was beautiful at 10 am when we exchanged vows in front of our close friends and family. It was very laid back and calm, just like we hoped for, and we were really able to take in the moment.

Of all the things to worry about at a wedding- the dress, the cake, the weather- I was most preoccupied with the hair! I just know how humidity can NOT be my friend sometimes and so during the planning process I was at a loss for a style. My husband requested that I wear my hair out in some way so of course I wanted to oblige. I knew that no matter what, I wanted to rock a natural style with no heat! Understanding my hair and how it rarely holds a set in the warm summer months, I was hesitant. But, once I decided on the style, all I could do was hope for the best and let go!

So,the night before, I twisted my hair (dry) with Miss Jessies Curly Pudding. I then rolled each twist on a small perm rod and let it set overnight. I chose not to wash my hair the night before because I wanted it to be full and somewhat stretched. I was not 100% sure how it would turn out and I definitely did not know how long it would hold up over the course of the day. But the MJCP gave it just the right amount of hold and I was very pleased, even as the temp rose outside while we walked around taking pics. My mom bought me the cute flower clips for a but of decoration and bling--- thanks ma!

The wedding itself was perfect for us. Just close friends and family joined us on the day and everything was extremely relaxed. We really got to focus on each other and those around us.

So, in addition to the vacay and wedding, I started my new job. Needless to say, I have been busy! I hope to get back to some sort of regular posting and I really appreciate your patience in my absence. I hope you like the pics and take care!

~NL

Style Trial: Mini Twists

A few weeks back I felt inspired to twist my hair. But I wanted it to look and hang differently than when I do my twists on wet or dry un-stretched hair. So, I decided to blow dry my hair and do mini twists.

I washed and conditioned my hair, sectioned in about 8 sections, applied a leave in and some CocoShea mix, then blew it out all over until it was pretty strait (yet fluffy). Once it was dry, I began to twist very small sections. And I twisted and twisted and twisted. Until 3 hours later I had this:

I loved these twists and my fiance (tee hee that is fun to say!) adored it. He said it was one of his favorite ways I wear my hair. These twists lasted all week and were fun to wear up, down, pulled to the side and pinned up. Here, I braided he front down the side and wore the back in a low ponytail.

The only drawback for me is that I like to wash my hair once a week at least and the time and effort put into these did not seem worth the short shelf-life. So, if I do these again it will be for something special or because I really just want to wear them that way, but not a frequently recurring look. To maintain them, I just wore a satin bonnet at night. I did not add any other product to them before I washed my hair again.

Update: What's Your Opinion? Protective=Unattractive?

You all have had such great comments about this post! It's funny how so many of us go through similar things along our natural journeys. I have often thought about how I feel cutest with my hair out but at the same time, it is not worth dealing with the intense, sometimes hour-long detangling sessions afterwards. Usually not a big deal after a twist out but wash-n-go styles are a HUGE No-No for me at this length. That puff in the post before this one left my hair very unhappy. Granted, part of that was due to some products I used but allowing my natural curls to dry into a shrunken state makes it really difficult to get through once completely dried.

I wanted to add to/respond to some of the comments that caught my eye. I could totally relate to Fina's comment:Now my hair is in a protective style ~90% of the time and I feel slightly unsafe/guilty when I wear my hair out. Sometimes I too have felt almost bad when my hair is out and blowing around, just because I know it will cause more knots/split ends. I've learned to take it easier on myself and not get all stressed out over my hair. Sometimes it was like I forgot that I don't HAVE to have a length or growth goal just because everyone talks about it. And if I fall asleep one night without a freaking satin cap, my hair will still be ok...

And Jc makes a good point here: I understand what she is saying but I do think there are other protective styles that could make her feel cute. For example the classic two french braids. Perhaps a few cornrows in the front and free hair in the back tied into a bun. It is not all twists and box braids, there are alternatives.

Now here is another interesting comment from Deborah Estelle : But I like how some protective styles look like Roshini or even yours in your pictures but for some reason some women end up looking like the slavery era!

Sometimes when my hair was shorter especially, I remember feeling this way about twists. They just seemed so drawn up to my scalp. It did remind me of images I'd seen on tv of folks portraying slaves. It's nuts that those and big 70's afros are pretty much the only images I remember seeing as a kid of natural hair. Luckily that is changing but I totally know what she means.

And sometimes, like Moni said, it's all about practicality based on the environment in which you live: I wear protective styles all winter and wear my hair out most of the summer. Michigan winters are just too cold to leave my hair out.

These are for CocoEuro!

In the end, when it comes to protective styles, some of us like them, some don't. That's ok! It is nice to be able to choose how to wear your hair, whether it be relaxed or natural, kinky or straight, up or out. I guess I would only add that feeling guilty or bad about doing something to your hair is a waste of time and no fun! Hair should not dominate our lives or our self-esteem, although I know that can be easier said than done. Thanks to all who have shared so far and everyone else, feel free to chime in!

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Taking a look around You Tube, I came across a video by SupremeDejhan entitled "I Don't Do Protective Styles..." I was intrigued because in the natural world protective styles are a mainstay, especially for those with length or health goals. I wear protective styles a lot nowadays that my hair has gotten longer. My hair tangles so easily and I get tons of tiny fairy knots if my hair is out for too long or gets blow around in the wind. Sometimes protective styles are less about my hair health and more for the sake of my mental health when I think about how un-fun it is to detangle a ratty mess!

One thing she says in the video is that she does not want to sacrifice her cuteness for more length and that she is fine with the amount of hair she has. My mom even talks about how she does not like how her hair frames her face when it is in twists or other protective styles. She says that she needs "big" hair to frame her face in an attractive way.

My question to you all is, do you wear protective styles a lot? If so, it is for length retention, growth, health?

Do you feel attractive when your hair is in protective styles? If so, what are some of your favorites? If not, what else do you do to yourself (earrings, makeup, clothes, etc) to enhance your appearance?

In another clip of the video, she mentions not wanting to spend so much time with her hair in protective styles that she does not get to enjoy her hair. For some reason it made me think of my grandma's old house in the living room where all the "good" couches were covered in plastic! Like, we were saving them for when company came over but in the mean time we all had to look at that thick plastic. I know, random example, but it was the first thing that came to mind. Is it worth it to you to keep your mane twisted or otherwise "protected" if that means big hair is out for a while?

Please share your love (or love/hate or just hate!) relationship with protective styles! I would love to know what you think about this!

Random Hair Pics...

Just a few random pics of styles I've done over the last few weeks.

This was a low bun I did with Fantasia IC gel. Once the low puff was secured, I two stranded it in small sections then tucked them with an elastic.

Two strand twists- I did these on dry hair with CocoShea mix.

A puff. I used the Dr. Miracle's Leave In for the puff part and while it looked ok, it was dry and crispy. Eeewww...crispy hair! For the edges I used some IC gel and Ampro Ice gel.

A Twist Out... For this I used Fantasia Aloe IC gel and some CocoShea mix I made.Soft, shiny, defined...loved it!