DiscoveringNatural

I have never heard about co-washing until I started reading more about hair care.  Co-washing is the process of washing the hair with only conditioner; no shampoo. There are a lot of naturals that do not wash with shampoo because of the fact that some shampoos can cause hair to be dry and brittle.  You can co-wash during the week before your regular wash day, sort of to  kick in some moisture into dry hair. You can also co-wash instead of shampoo, but still do your regular pre-poo and deep conditioning steps. This is the first time I am doing co-washing. No... I didn't do it on my hair, yet. I wanted to see how it will work on my 4c hair-ed girl. Her hair was a little thirsty looking, so I decided to co-wash her hair.  I used VO5 Conditioner Moisture Milks Passion Fruit Smoothie. At first I did not want to buy this product because of the cheap price ( I paid 98 cents ). I thought it will not work well.  It is not only a cheap product but one that has n...

I'm talking about "Breakage" . We've all experienced this at one time or the other.  But do you know the difference between Breakage and Shedding?  I was totally clueless about this prior to transistioning.  When I was relaxed, I would have a lot of hair breakage and over the years, I thought that was normal.  I just thought if you comb your hair, you should experience seeing hair left on the comb or brush.  I didn't realize that there was such a thing as shedding. Let's understand the differences between breakage and shedding. What is Shedding? Hair that has been shed is one that has come to the end of its life cycle.  It usually contains a white bulb at the end.  This is normal. Research as shown that we shed an average of 50-100 hair strands per day.  Sounds scary, huh?  Well, new hair is suppose to grow where the shedded hair was. What is Breakage? This is the process of the hair breaking, not at the root, but somew...

 What is Organic Root Stimulator Lock & Twist Gel? This product is a light gel used for twisting and locking hair. It can be applied to wet or dry hair.  Benefits of Organic Root Stimulator Lock & Twist Gel   Great hold with no flakes Will not dry out hair Will not flake or cause build-up Perfect for all natural styles What do I think about this product? On 4bc hair:   dry application I used this product for my daughter (type 4bc hair). It provided great hold and I like the fact that it did not have the whitish residue that other products have when combined with other hair products.  I used this just with oil and her hair was lightly spritz with water.  The only thing is that I had to seal her ends with my shea butter mix.  The gel did not hold on to the end.  It worked well for her edges. Her hair was also very moisturized and had a nice shine to it. The gel does help lock the twists to each other, as seen in the p...

I just recently discovered how creative I can be with scarves. In the past, the only use for my silk scarves have been as a head cover for bed.  I have not thought of using them as hair accessories.  Now that I know, there is no limits as to how many ways that scarves can be worn. So, let's have some fun with scarves today.  Here are a few video tutorials not made by me ;) that I love. Partial Head Coverage Scarf bow  Using Large Scarf : Twisted  Using Small Scarf : The Doowap Full head coverage Using Extra-Large Scarf: Scarf-adour Using Large Scarf: The Tuck n' Tie   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here are some simple ways I wear my scarf. Pony Tail Scarf Headband with bling! ( used large clip-on) Bow Scarf Headband with bling! ( used earring or brooch ) Twisted Ends ( used medium size scarf) My ...

I know you've all been there.  You do a style and it does not look like what it was suppose to.       ARGH!!! Well, that happened today. I had twisted my hair and hoped the curls will come popping out! But oh, no! My hair had something totally different it wanted to do. It decided to puff out! not... small friendly puff... The kind of puff that makes you want to just put a hat on it and call it a day.  Instead of giving in to the urge of wearing my Fedora hat, I decided to do something low maintenance.    ....A bun yeah, I know.. I know.. boring... So here it is... short and simple.  Styling process... Spritz hair with water, paying attention to roots Apply my oil mix; coconut, jojoba, vitamin E, castor oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, and BB growth oil Apply Jamaican Black Castor oil to edges Use a generous amount of Eco Styler gel on the front part to tame the frizz. With a soft brush, smoothen hair into a l...

   What is Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Pak? ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Pak is a deep conditioner that helps moisturize and rebuild damaged hair. It leaves the hair feeling soft and very manageable. Benefits of Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Pak Moisturizes hair and scalp Softens hair and makes it more manageable Helps detangle hair Conditions and soothes scalp Nice soothen citrus smell It comes in a small package, so if you don't like it, you will not have leftovers. It is also sold in bottles. How it has helped me First of all, I love the way this product smells.  After washing my hair with shampoo, I applied the ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Pak generously on my hair and used my fingers to properly distribute the product to each strand of hair.  I covered my hair with plastic cap and left it covered for one hour. My hair felt incredibly soft after washing this product off.   I was able to comb my...

I've been wearing my hair unprotected for a couple of days now... so it's time to protect "her" for the week.  I wanted to do something that did not take too much time to style.  I believe it took me about 20 minutes to complete this style. Styling process... Part hair in front from ear to ear.  Divide the part in the middle to create a cornrow braid going from center to ear on each side. For the remaining hair, divide hair into 4 parts going from crown to nape (back of hair). For each sections, do three two strand twists Inter-twist each of these three two strand twists from front to the back.  It should look as if you actually cornrowed your hair from front to back. When all these are done. Put hair in a bun towards the middle of the back of your hair. Attach your favorite hair accessories. Here is a 360 degrees video of my hair

Bantu knots can be worn in or out.  I have done bantu knots on my daughters hair in the past, but I have never tried this on my own hair. Pre-wash Routine: Section hair into four parts Apply a generous mixture of Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque mixed with Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and Jamaican Black Castor oil Cover with plastic cap I left this on my head for 5 hours. This can be left for as little as 1 hour or as much as overnight   Wash Routine: Shampoo hair in two sections (front-back), and detangle . I used Creme of Nature Detangling, Conditioning Shampoo. Deep Condition hair. I used Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replensing Pak.  I loved how it made my hair feel. Worth keeping on the DC list!. Cover hair with plastic cap Sit under dryer for 30 mins or cover plastic capped head with towel for 1 hour Wash hair to remove DC product. Syling Routine: Dry hair with T-shirt to minimize frizz. Using the t-shirt ...

A lot of things are trial and error when it comes to getting a wash routine.  I have learnt this and now found a way of washing my hair that helps reduce breakage and keeps my hair moisturized and detangled.  Here is my wash routine. I wash my hair every 7-10 days. Pre-poo treatment... If my hair is in a protective style like twists or cornrowed, I apply some coconut oil to my fingers and then un-twist or unravel the cornrow braids. Section my hair into 4 parts I make a mixture of EVOO and some conditioner and apply to each section while finger-detangling my hair in that process.  Put a plastic cap on my head for as little as 15 mins or overnight. I usually do the overnight, unless pressed for time. Shampoo process... Shampoo my hair in sections using Creme of Nature Detangling and Conditioning Shampoo. Once a month, I clarify my hair using a shampoo that contains sulfate but also has lots of moisturizing ingredients.  Deep-conditioning process...

Two Strands Twists are one of my favorite styles because of how many different ways it can be designed.  The picture shows these ways. You first start off with your hair all twisted up, you can wear this for a couple of days, or as long as you want to.  When it start looking a little messy, you can use flexi rods or even perm rods to create a Curly Two Strands Twist style. Next, you can also change that style to a twist out.  Create this Tight twist out by only seperate the two strands of hair that make up the twist.  For a loose or fully look, seperate the already seperated strands of hair again until you have reached the fullness you want. Check out this website for ways of maintaining your twists and getting the perfect good hair day. Don't forget to add some hair accessories .

I wanted to freshen up my one-week old two strand twists. So, instead of retwisting, I decided to try something new. I have not tried using Flexi Rods before and decided to do a curly two strand twists using them.  Flexi Rods are also known as Super rollers. You can get these at any beauty shops, and they come in various sizes.  The ones I used was Red 7/16 inches flexi rods . Stying process... Spray hair with water, avoid totally saturating it. Apply your oil to your hair and seal with your cream. Taking a couple of two strand twists at a time, spray some setting lotion (I used LottaBody) on the hair, especially the ends if you are transistioning. Using the Flexi Rods, roll hair in a way so that they do not overlap each other on the rod. I added some perm rods on my bangs section to give smaller curls. I choose to air dry my hair by wearing it like that for a couple of hours. Result...

As I learn how to work with my new natural hair growth and do different transistional/natural styles, I found a style called Shingling.  You might be wondering, What is Shingling? Shingling is the process of defining your curls by applying products to one section of hair at a time. You can do this with either gel or a curl enhancing product, or a combination of both.  It does take trial and error as you will see below. I decided to try this on my daughter's hair. She has more of a type 4a/4b type of hair. I will try this on her sister' hair in the future. Her older sister has a type 4c hair.  I still don't know what my hair type is, but I do see evidence of both types. Shingling is mostly done on all the hair, not on just the ponytail. The reason I did it on just the ponytail was because we were in a hurry to leave the house and I just wanted to try something fast and new. Prior to Shingling my daughter's hair, her hair had been wash a day ago, so it was...

Happy Valentine's day!   I would say I have days that I love my hair and days that I am not so in love with my hair.  On such days, I usually have my hair covered with a hat or beanie. But shouldn't we all love our hair.  We love ourselves, right? So, what does your hair need to be loved ( to look healthy ) ?   Moisture... Moisture is very important for the health of your hair. If your hair is not moisturized, it will break. There is no way around it.  Keeping your hair clean and moisturized will promote healthy hair and growth. One way to moisturize your hair is using the LOC method.   Liquid, Oil, and Cream. Simple. Vitamins... There are several vitamins in the market geared towards hair care. Protein is the number one vitamin that the hair needs.  If you look at the ingredients on your hair product bottles, some may already contain protein.  Protein helps strengthen your hair if it is brittle, and it also coats and ...

I just wanted to share this with you all. I decided to wash my daughter's hair today and since I had not pre-poo her hair in a while, I wanted to give it a try. I normally pre-poo my hair and her older sister's hair. She has very thick curly hair so I kept my fingers crossed that her hair will retain the moisturizing benefit that pre-pooing provides[/URL]. Here is what I mixed for the pre-poo treatement. - Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque - EV Coconut oil - EV Olive oil - Grapeseed oil - Almond oil - Coconut oil - Jojoba oil Valentine day style : Heart shaped bun Results... After letting the mixture sit on her hair for 30 mins (under a plastic cap), her hair was very moisturized.  It also gave her curls more definition and shine. Her hair also had a nice bounce to it and felt SO soft. I was amazed. We will definitely be pre-poo this girl's hair.. ALL the time now. I will try doing this process when doing a "wash and go" still for her. ...

Oils...oils...oils...I love me some good oils! But when is it too much? I was watching a product review of BB's new natural hair line " Tropical Roots " on YouTube by AfricanExport .  By the way, she has such nice natural hair. Love it!. As she read the ingredients of the Tropical Roots' growth oil, she mentioned Canola oil. That got me thinking, wait a minute, canola oil??? I know that extra virgin olive oil is good for the hair, but I didn't know that canola oil was also a good moisturizing product. Gosh! I cook with canola oil all the time ... what have I been missing.  As I researched, I found the following information about canola oil from this website : According to the "Alternative Field Crops Manual," canola oil is high in both oil and protein-- two ingredients that play a role in restoring hair's health. So, let's see how many oils I now use for my hair,....and I do have a good reason for each and every one of these oils.  LOL!!...

I have had my two strand twist protective style now for a week and will have it in for another week. If not properly taken care of twists styles can become quite messy.  I am learning as I go, but wanted to share what I tried this morning. Let's move on... Look at each twists to check if any has untwisted.  Since my hair is still transistioning, it is easy for the relaxed part of my hair to untwist. If I find any twists that have come undone, I spray some water onto the palm of my hands and rub into the untwisted hair.  I apply some coconut oil to the hair and then apply Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie OR Eco Styler Gel to the strands and retwists. I experiemented with both products and found the SMCES to be more moisturized than the Eco Styler. To the remaining hair, I again spray my hands with water and rub over my hair. Apply coconut oil to my palm and run it through my hair. I took a little Shea Butter mix and apply on my hair. For my front...

I have always done a pre-poo treatments to my hair since I learnt of the benefits that it provides.  Pre-pooing is the process of applying oils and/or conditioners to your hair prior to shampooing it.  The shampoo process can strip your hair of much needed oils and by pre-pooing you are doing sort of a hot oil treatment to your hair to lock in moisture prior to washing your hair.  By maintaining moisture, it helps prevent your hair from breaking. It also helps in detangling the hair when it is applied while finger-comb your hair. So how do I pre-poo... Using a small bowl, I add about 2 tablespoons of Extra virgin Olive Oil to about 3 tablespoons of conditioner and mix well. In the past, I have used Suave Professional Sleek Conditioner for dry and frizzy hair. I have also used Lustrasilk Cholesterol Olive Oil. Apply to sectioned hair Cover hair with plastic cap Leave on hair for as little as 15 mins or overnight. I usually leave the mixture on my hair ov...

If you have some bananas that have gotten too ripe to eat, instead of tossing them into the trash, make some yummy banana bread! I promise, this is the EASIEST from scratch baking recipe ever. Ingredients... 1/2 cup of butter 1 cup of sugar 2 large eggs 3 - 4 bananas, mashed 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1 1/2 cups of wheat flour or white flour Optional: 3/4  cup of chopped walnuts Directions... Here are the 5 steps. Preheat oven at 350 degrees Using mixer, mix butter and sugar until fluffy Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition Stir in bannanas Add dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, flour have been mixed together seperately) and mix well Bake for 45 minutes. (check after 30 minutes and 10 minutes afterwards). That's it. 

What is the LOC Method? The LOC method is the three steps of moisturizing your hair and sealing in the mositure into your hair to keep it from drying and breaking.  This method can be done as often as needed.  I like to do this especially to my edges and my ends which tend to be drier than other parts of my hair. But at least once a week, I do this to my entire hair. Step 1:  (L)iquid Liquid can be derived from when you wash or co-wash your hair or simply spraying your hair lightly with water.  What I do on a regular basis is wet my hands with water and just run my wet hands through my hair. I read somewhere that when you wash your hair with water, do so using lukewarm water because hot water actually dries up your hair. Step 2:  (O)ils Oils are SO good for your hair. They are one of the most natural products to use to moisturize your hair. Apply your oils to your hair making sure that it thoroughly penetrates your hair ...

If you are wondering...." What is Bagging ?", then let me give you Bagging 101.  Bagging hair is the process of moisturizing hair without the process of washing it. It requires you to apply essential oils to your hair and covering your head with a plastic cap.  It's quite as simple as that. This process can be done any time of the day, but most people do it overnight.  It sort of gives dry hair that needed moisture boost. I decided to bag my hair differently this time to see if I get it even more moisturized. My process... Instead of applying oils, I made a solution of water, a little Silk Element Luxury Conditioner, and a few drops of jojoba oil. I sectioned my hair into six parts.  One part was for my bangs because I just love wearing my bangs.. LOL! Working through each section, I sprayed the section of hair with the water + conditioner mixture, tied it down with a scunci cloth hair tie, twisted that section and created a bantu kno...

Have you had one of those mornings that you are in such a hurry and have no clue what to do with your hair?  Well, I had such a morning today.  Everyone was ready ... and of course ... waiting on me. I had done my hair in three braids three days earlier, and didn't want to go out in that style. Three brushed cornrows all to the back So, quick thinking took over.... I decided to do a braid out instead of putting my hair in the familiar puff or ponytail. Here is how I achieved my new look: Put a bit of oil (I used coconut oil) on finger tips. Carefully loosen braids so as not to pull too much Since the left side cornrow had the most "brushed" to the side hair, I kept that look Apply some Hawaiian Silky Miracle Worker on hair to add condition and shine. Fold hair in the back into each other and use bobby pins to secure hair, working your way towards the crown of your head.  Fluff the top section to create a cascading hair style

Black Pinstripe Fedora hat Hats are always a wonderful accessory especially for those "bad-hair" days. However, that should not be the case. You too can rock hats, caps, even stylish scarves on "good-hair" days. I love my wool fiddler hats, but now, I am really loving Fedora hats. Fedora hats have been in existence as early as 1891. Classified as men's felt hats, they have been adapted into the ladies fashion wears. What I like most of all is being able to customize them with different other accessories such as brooches, ribbons, and even feathers. Fedora accessorized with a purple flower brooch Do you own a Fedora? How do you wear it?

Aqua, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate, PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Silk Serica......blah....blah......blah.. What are these ingredients?... and even I guess the question we all should be asking ourselves is what are these ingredients doing to and  for our hair.  And why should we care?  Well, if you care about the health of your hair, then you should care. I believe that the health of your hair is equally as important as the health to your body. Some of us, me included, read nutritional facts on foods that we buy. We stay away from high calories food and sugar overloaded drinks.  Why not pay the same attention to ingredients that is in our hair products? About.com: Nutrition I have never read the ingredient panel on the bottles and jars of hair products I buy.... that is to say... not until recently.  When I was researching the process of going na...