DiscoveringNatural

This past weekend, I decided to pre poo with Vatika Hair Oil instead of doing my normal and loved  Amla and Brahmi treatment . Why?   Well, I have read a lot about this hair oil and how it makes your hair soft and shiny and also promotes growth. So, I decided to give it a try. I went to my local Indo-Pak store, paid $5.99 for it, and went home to start applying this to my hair. I used Hairscapes' youtube video as my guide for application. Unlike other people, I love the smell of this product. Also, the ingredients were really nice and even contained Amla and Brahmi.  Henna - colorant, hair conditioner & restorative Amla - hair nourishment, delays graying & hair fall Harad - protects from UV rays, delays graying Bahera - maintains hair color Neem - anti-microbial, fights dandruff & hair fall Brahmi - hair vitalizer Kapur Kachari - antiseptic Lemon Oil - astringent, fights dandruff Coconut Oil - promotes hair growth & nourishment...

As we end our African Threading Challenge, we want to thank our friends that joined us on this challenge. This challenge ran for 2 months.  We did 5 styles (including the one on top: Flat twists with threaded mowhawk) Length Results Starting length check : Back: 7 inches Front: 6 and a half inches Crown: 6 and a half inches Sides: 7 inches Ending length check : Back: 8 inches Front: 8 inches Crown: 7 inches Sides: 8 inches My analysis from this challenge is that, for us , threading hair does not promote any growth that would not have been achieved by doing other protective styles and proper maintenance of hair.  According to research, hair grows at the rate of 1/2 inch a month.  Since this was a 2 month challenge, we should expect a minimum of 1 inch growth.  As you can see in the ending length check, the back and sides grew normally adding 1 inch each to the starting length.  The front of her hair seems to have a faster ...

My friend was running some errands some days ago, and as she waited in the checkout, a lady, who was a stylist, started this conversation with her:      Stylist Lady:  "I love your hair." My Friend: "Thank you." Stylist Lady: "How long have you been natural?" My Friend (who has been transitioning for 9 months, and has done several mini-chops) : "Since last November." Stylist Lady: "Your hair grow a lot." My Friend: "Hmm.... thanks" Stylist Lady: "What products do you use to make your puff glisten like that?" My Friend: "I just apply some 'baby oil' to it " Stylist Lady: "Since when have you been wearing your hair like that?" My Friend: "Hmm.. since today." Stylist Lady: "How do you get your puff to stay so full and nice looking?" And to that question.... My Friend answered.... "I just take it from my hair storage area... apply some...

I was recently asked this question on my Facebook page : Is there a reason to use tshirt to dry hair vs towel? Here is my answer:  Yes, there is a reason why I use T-shirt to dry my hair rather than using towels. First of all, when you use a towel, you have a tendency of pulling out hair. It is almost like scrubbing your coils, curls, or kink. Have you noticed when you towel dry, you see some hair locked into the fiber of the hair. Reasons to use T-shirt is that it does not pull your hair, it reduces frizz, creates less friction to your hair. If you still prefer towel, choose a microfiber towel.   What do you use to dry your hair?...T-shirt or Towel?

We are taking a one-week break from our month long African Threading Summer Challenge and doing puffs all week. Big Sis loves ...LOVES puffs, however, I never knew what to do with her hair at night.  After looking online and viewing a couple of YouTube videos, I came up with a routine that worked well for us. Here is what I did to keep her hair moisturized all week long. Section hair into 4 or more parts To each section, spritz the hair with a mixture of water, glycerin, and castor oil Apply Shea Moisture Curl Enhanced Smoothie to the hair, and also the ends Apply Castor oil generously to seal the ends with moisture. Two strand twist the hair and protect the ends by doing it into bantu knots. What is your night time routine when you wear your hair in puffs?

Thanks to my Facebook subscribers and my dear hubby, I decided to get my "kitchen" shaved.  If you are not familar with what I am talking about, read this post .

When transitioning from relaxed to natural hair, you need all the support you can get to make the process an easier one. It is difficult enough figuring out how to handle your two textures.  Sometimes, people that we think will be supportive of our decisions to go natural might let us down. We struggle with what to do to our hair. Many of us fail during the process and go back to the relaxer because we did not have the support we need. This is why having a Transitioning Buddy early in the process can help make the process easier. As someone that plans to do a long term transitioning (2 or more years), I depend on my transitioning buddies to keep me in check. Yes, I do have more than one transitioning buddy.  Pictured above is one of them. Now, you might be wondering, none of my friends are natural... no one in my family is supportive of my decision...how am I going to get a transitioning buddy.   Well, there are several online hair forums that have thread...

Source: Taste of Adventure I have heard about all the health benefits of Kale and decided to buy some and try it out. I wanted something to contrast to the bitter taste of the Kale. So, after researching online, I found this recipe.  Try it out today for an energy-boosting smoothie. Strawberry and Kale Smoothie Recipe Bottoms up! Enjoy!

Here is my night routine for my hair when I have it styled in two strand twists.  This process keeps the twists stretched and keeps the relaxed ends from being disheveled.   All you will need is a couple of bobby pins and your satin/silk scarf. Starting with left part, I gather some of the twists together (includes twists at my bang area), and wrap it along the right side of my face.  I secure that section with a bobby pin. Next, wrap the twists at the back of your head towards the right side of your head.  Secure that section with a bobby pin. Now, gather the twists on the right side of your head and wrap it  towards the left side of your head.  Make sure to secure it with the bobby pin at the right side and back of your head. This is what the back and right side of your head would look like. Here is the front view. Lastly, tie on your scarf to help keep the twists from moving o...

I got inspired to write this post after watching the YouTube video below. This is a test to see if two products, usually a gel and a creamy moisturizer will result in the famous whitish balls of product residue on the hair. Before doing the Curly Girl Method , I use to use Cantu Shea Butter Leave In. This always left whitish residue on my hair. Since then, I have been able to successfully mix different products with this leave in to create a non-white residue leaving Cantu Shea Butter Leave In . View the video below to learn how to test for product compatibility: Here is my test using products that I use on a regular basis. I tested with Big Sis's hair. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Eco Styler Gel (Argan oil) Results: This produced a thick smooth, non tacky, mixture.  She did have a little whitish residue but it went away after a couple of mins. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and ORS Twist and Lock Gel Results: The mixture was much th...

You know.. those little balls of hair at the nape of your head.  Yeah...put your fingers back there... Those balls of hair!  They can be quite annoying. At least to me, they are. Here is a question I saw online: What can I do about these balls of hair that are at the nape of my head?  Is gelling this area my best option? Answer There are different options you can try out. Yes, gelling that area is one of the options. Another thing that you can do is to apply some cream styler to that area. You can also just let it be. If you wear your hair down and that area is covered, you don't have to be bothered with it. If you have styles where you have your hair in an updo, then you might want to slick it down. A method I use when doing updo is to: Spray the area lightly with water Apply some castor oil and carefully loosen the balls. Doing this in a rough manner can cause the balls to tangle up and cause knots. Apply a little EcoStyler Gel (Argan) over the hair...

All this week, I have been loving Bantu Knots out styles!  So, I decided to modify it a little bit for church. Wash Process: Pre Poo  using  Amla + Brahmi Hot Oil Treatment for 2 hrs. Co-Wash   with Tresemme Naturals Condition (Aloe Vera + Avocado). After I co-washed I noticed some whitish brown residue in my hair. I was like...Argh! Come to find out that it was from my pre-poo. I skipped the step to strain the Amla and Brahmi mixture.  Never again!! Deep Conditioner   with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. My hair felt soft, untangled and ... clean. Still doing the Curly Girl Method ... see my curls..yeah! Styling Process: I applied some Generic Paul Mitchell Leave In Conditioner to my hair, and a mixture of castor oil, almond oil, and jojoba oil to my scalp and my ends.  Sectioned into 4 sections Created about 4 bantu knots on the front left quadrant using Taliah Waajid Curl Sealer. Stating with the back left and half...

Since I started transitioning, I have discovered that scarves can be used in many ways and also come in difference sizes and shapes. I have quite a collection of scarves and the one thing that I lack is the process of organizing my scarves for easy access. Here is an easy way of creating a simple scarf organizer with items you probably have at home. You will need Hanger ( preferably a sturdy one. This is actually a coat hanger. You can use wooden ones too)  Shower curtain rings This is the way I use to organize my scarves.  When I pull one scarf for use, the rest usually fall off and then I have to rearrange them again. Very annoying!! Here is how to create your scarf organizer Step 1: Clip the shower curtain rings onto the hanger. Step 2: Loop your scarf into one of the rings and tie it into a loose knot. That's it! Easy as 1-2-.... okay no 3...LOL! ( This Friday Fun is dedicated to my transitioning buddy ( Uninibile ) on CurlyNik...

In the past, I have always done bantu knots with wet or damp hair. Here is one of my previous bantu knots with wet hair . So, I decided to try it with dry hair using whipped shea butter to moisturize. I love the softness and the shine I got from doing the bantu knots with dry hair. I also noticed that there was less frizz and less stiffness of the bantu knot out curls. I must say, when I was doing the knots, I was a little skeptical about how it would turn out. Now, I am quite pleased. Here is the results...

Yeah... I am now on Facebook! All you have to do is like my page on http://www.facebook.com/DiscoveringNatural You can get more interactions and up to date information. Also, feel free to post your questions and I will surely answer back.

This morning, I decided to not use a shower cap to protect my hair while taking a bath.  Usually when getting ready in the morning, I will lightly mist my hair and then apply some oil and conditioner/cream.  By not using my shower cap, I let the mist from the shower do the job. After getting out of the shower, I applied some castor oil and Wild Growth oil to my scalp and a little of the castor oil to my ends. I then applied Shea Moisture Curl Enhanced Smoothie all over my hair. Gave myself a good scalp massage... Ahhhh and that was it. I think next time, I will section my hair into four parts so that the shower mist gets into more area of my hair instead of just the canopy. Are you on Team NoShowerCap?

CurlyNikki posted my #NaturalMoment today.  LOL! I decided to tweet about my scalp massage at the stop light while I was doing my Amla + Brahmi Treatment . As you all know, last Monday, I did this treatment for about 2 hours. While the treatment was "under-wraps".. underneath my plastic cap and black thick knitted cap, I went to the gym, and ran errands. Talk about multi-tasking! By the way, feel free to follow me on Twitter  @sawahtwit Share your #NaturalMoments with me

------------------------------------------------------------ Style 2: Cornrows and Threading Wash Process: Pre-poo for 2 hours with Amla and Brahmi Treatment . I was impressed by how well this treatment detangled her hair. Co-washed with Tresemme Natural Conditioner . Deep conditioned for an hour with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. Final rinse with Aloe Vera Juice to add extra moisturizing. Dry with t-shirt Apply Castor Oil to scalp. Apply leave in - Kinky Curly Knot Today.    Tools used: Moisturizer - Whipped Shea Butter Rat tail comb  Thread Scissors Styling Process: Create groups of thread with four thread strands in a group.  Use the scissors to cut the thread Knot ends of threads and set apart. I used one group of four threads per sectioned hair. I made about 6 groups of thread. Divide hair into two parts, from ear to ear. Cornrow front half of hair Divide back half of hair into 6 sections. Undo one section of ...

July 4th was National Afro Day!  We were not able to do our 'from that day, but today, we decided to have Fun with the 'Fro and ROCK IT! A little history.... National Afro Day was started in 2010, however, the idea was developed in 2009. To view some pictures of cute afros, visit this Facebook page , or just google, "National Afro Day" Big Sis loves wearing her afro when she is not in a protective style...

 My hair strands showing Zigzag curl type  It's been one month since I started the Curly Girl Method on my transitioning hair. Since then, I have learnt a lot about what my hair likes and what it does not like. My hair has been able to stay moisturized longer due to this method.  I bought the Curly Girl, The Handbook , and I have been reading it to better understand this method. What I have learnt, so far ... When using Generic Paul Mitchell Leave In Conditioner , do not use any gel with it Using a mixture of Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner and EcoStyler Gel - Argan gives me less frizz To refreshen my curls, I only need to lightly spritz and apply some leave in conditioner, no need to rewash  I have a mixture of Fractal and Zigzag Curl Type My hair strands showing fractal curl type As, I continue with this method, I hope to increase my moisture level and incorporate techniques I am reading about in the Handbook into my routine.

MahoganyCurls recently did a video talking about all Eco Styler gels... Enjoy!

What is Amla? Amla powder is made from Indian gooseberry fruit.  It has the following benefits to hair: Stimulates growth and prevents hair loss Add shine and reduces grey hair by darken hair Nourishes scalp What is Brahmi? Brahmi powder is derived by a plant from India called the Brahmi plant.  It has the following benefits to hair: Nourishes hair Helps with itchy and dandruff prone scalp Reduces hair loss and breakage Helps with premature greying Preparing for my first Amla and Brahmi Treatment During my research, I read that these powders can be quite drying to the hair. Due to this fact, I wanted to prep my hair to be at its utmost level of moisture using the LOC method.  I did the following: Sectioned hair into 4 parts Spritz each section with a mixture of water + glycerin + aloe vera + Zayd's Eucalyptus Conditioner Applied a mixture of Castor Oil + Zayd's Sweet Almond Oil + Jojoba Oil Applied Zayd's Eucalyptus Conditioner Cover hair with pl...

I'm so pleased with my hair growth so far.  The only struggle I have currently is keeping my hair moisturized at all time. Doing the Curly Girl method has helped a lot with that.  As I continue this transition journey, I hope to learn more about my hair porosity and also the Curly Girl method.  I just ordered the book, so I will be sharing my findings with you as soon as I get the book from Amazon. Thanks for all the encouragement!!