DiscoveringNatural

Last week, I used Nubian Heritage Indian Hemp and Tamanu Grow and Strengthen Masque to braid my hair into 11 braids. I two strand twisted the ends and created pin curls. I kept these pin curled braids in my hair for about 4 days. Crossing my fingers and hoping was a nice braid out . Here is the video on how I created the braid out style: Last night, laziness got the better of me. I did not pineapple my hair, but did 4 VERY chunky braids. Did my beautiful braid out look superb this morning?.... NOPE! I ended up wearing a bun with one large flat twist in the front bangs area.

I would like to connect with my followers and other ladies on Instagram. You can follow me by using my username DiscoveringNatural . Here is a screenshot of my photo map. Leave a comment below with your username and I will follow you.

I was just thinking about this question while visiting one of my favorite blogger/vlogger, Kinky Curly Coily Me  . I decided to post this question on my Facebook page . So, when do you deep condition? Before or After you shampoo? Here are my findings... Why some people deep condition BEFORE: Deep conditioning (DC) before you shampoo your hair is similar to doing a pre-poo . When you do a DC before your hair, it helps with the detangling process. If you use a harsh shampoo that contains ingredients such as sulfates, doing a DC prior will protect your hair against the oil stripping effect of the shampoo. Why some people deep condition AFTER: Doing a DC after you wash your hair allows the conditioner to penetrate into clean naked hair that is free of other products such as gels, thick creams, and oils. Since conditioners work on the outside layer of your hair to smoothen, soften and repair the hair cuticles, getting the surface of the hair as ...

In my previous posts, I mentioned how I was in need of a protein treatment . Well, I did it! Here is how I did my homemade Avocado Protein Treatment Enjoy!

This weekend was so busy for me that most of the time I felt as if I was on " fast forward ". Between taking the girls to their soccer games, with a 3 hour interval in between the games, I got my fair share of sun. It was H-O-T.  After Lil Sis's soccer game, I went back home, spritzing my new growth with some water mixed with leave in conditioner and castor oil, applied some Taliah Waajid Curl Sealer, and two strand twisted my hair.  *** CROSSED my fingers *** and prayed that my hair dried before my hangout time with friends in the evening. While, Big Sis played her game, and Lil Sis ran around with her little friends, the natural dryer AKA "Sun" did its magic. ..... On another note, do you know that sunglasses can be quite dangerous to your hair along your ear area. Who would have thought of it ?  I got new shades some time ago and decided to try them out. The sunglasses totally snagged on my hair! OUCH!     The last frame shows the hinge wear ...

Fall is here , and along with it comes dry and brittle hair. With a consistent hot oil treatment routine, you can avoid the issues of dry and brittle hair. When doing hot oil treatments, it is important to choose oils that penetrate the hair shaft .  Some of these oils are Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and Avocado Oil.  One or more of these oils will be the base of your hot oil treatment concoction. You can decide to mix other oils or just use the ones listed above. Click here to read about different oils and their benefits. When I make my hot oil treatments, I use: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil and Sweet Almond Oil There are two ways   that you can do a hot oil treatment: Heated When you do the heated method, you can apply the oil to either dry or damp hair.  Saturate the hair with your oil mixture, paying close attention to the ends and the scalp. Cover your hair with a plastic cap and...

Fall is here... well..tomorrow is the first day of fall (Sept 22nd, 2012). Anyways, this is my favorite season! I love the nice cool weather and the chance to wear my beanies! Yeah! In the video below, I will show you how I satin-line my beanie hats and other hats, with no sewing . It's SO EASY. Try it out and post your results on my Facebook page: DiscoveringNatural

My hair is sad this week! She is not as happy as she use to be. She feels limp and weak. Something is JUST NOT RIGHT! ~~~~~ I finally figured it out. My hair needs Protein Treatment. Since taking out my cornrow braids , my hair just feels weird . I decided to research what was going on... of course. What I discovered was that my hair needs a protein treatment. How did I find this out? I did a protein/moisture strand test. Take a strand of hair, wet, hold it at each end and stretch. If it snaps immediately or stretches very little, you need moisture. If it stretches 20%-30%, you probably have a good moisture/protein balance. If it stretches much more than about 30% and doesn't shorten up again (strand stays all limp and stretched  out) you may need protein. Do a few hairs just to get an average. So, my results. My hair snapped immediately, meaning that I need to apply more moisture. In some areas it just stretched and stayed stretched...meaning I need a protei...

 What is Avocado Oil ? Avocado oil comes from the avocado fruit. It is very rich in amino acids and vitamins such as A, B6, D, E, iron, magnesium, copper and folic acid. This oil is great because it does not leave any greasy residue and can also be used on the skin as a massage and moisturizing oil. Using  Avocado Oil for Your Hair Your hair can benefit from using  Avocado Oil for the following reasons: Helps promote healthy scalp Great sunscreen that protects the hair and scalp from harmful UVA and UVB rays Humectant that locks in moisture Promotes shine Softens hair Helps treat dandruff Use this oil on wet or dry hair as a leave-in, with conditioners, as a mask for deep conditioning. You can also mix this oil in your shampoo or in your oil mix.

I decided to put together a YouTube video about Hair Product Ingredients. Hope you enjoy watching it. Please subscribe and rate if you have not already done so. Check out my YouTube channel @ DiscoveringNatural

Enjoy!

So... I just got nominated for " The Versatile Blogger " Award, which I humbly accept. I would like to thank Ella11 of Hair Care Guide for this award. Thanks, girl! Make sure to check out her blog by clicking here . Are you wondering what the rules of this award nominations is? Well, check it out below: In a post on your blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award. ( check) In the same post, add the Versatile Blogger Award.   ( check) In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog. ( check)   In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself. In the same post, include this set of rules. ( check) ( check) ( check) Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their   blogs. ( check) Hmmm.... 15 fellow bloggers! Gosh! That is hard to do because I love all the blogs I follow and they are A LOT!! Here goes, if you do...

I was on my favorite hair forum earlier this week, and the question that a lot of transitioners were asking was:         Why is my new growth so dry? While transitioning, you are dealing with two different textures of hair: Your relaxed ends and your new growth. Most of the time, the relaxed ends are much softer and feel more moisturized than the new growth.  This is because the new growth, your natural hair, requires more effort in keeping it moisturizeded. With my hair, I have been able to successfully keep the dryness at bay by properly moisturizing my hair (new growth and relaxed ends). The method I use to moisturize my hair is the LOC method. I was lucky to have found this method earlier in my transitioning journey. The LOC method basically means applying products in the following steps: (L)iquid - (O)il - and (C)ream.  Read more about this by clicking here . If you find that by doing the LOC method, your hair still fee...

What is Jojoba Oil? Jojoba Oil, pronounced Ho-ho-ba,  is a type of oil that can be found in most hair products. It is known for it non-greasy nature and the fact that it is in Vitamin E. It does not cause build up and it is odorless.. Using Jojoba Oil for Your Hair Your hair can benefit from using Jojoba Oil for the following reasons: Strengthens hair Nourishes the hair Moisturizes hair and thereby ensuring less breakage Treats dry and brittle hair Helps prevent against dandruff Helps with split ends Use this oil as your hot oil treatment if you have dry and dull hair. You can also mix it with some conditioner for ultimate moisturizing.  Mix it with almond oil to help reduce frizz and relieve dryness.

Here is a video tutorial on how I maintain my cornrows. Enjoy!

I have been drinking Kale smoothie everyday for the past two months, I have been feeling oh so good ! If you like my Facebook page, you would have read about this in week past. I love it so much, and even Big Sis and Lil Sis drink it everyday. Click here for facts on Kale. Here is my recipe: Ingredients: 2 cups of Kale 1 very ripe banana 2 cups of water 2 cups of frozen fruit mix Directions: In a blended, add banana, kale and water. Mix in liquidfy mode. Add frozen fruits and crush ice mode. It will be very slushy, add more water to your preferred consistency and blend in liquidfy mode. You can add blueberries if you want. Enjoy! 

What is Sweet Almond Oil ? Sweet Almond Oil is an essential oil that has many benefits for the hair, skin, and body health.  It is rich in Vitamin E, magnesium, calcium and fat content. It is not only good as a salad topping, but also for your hair. Using Sweet Almond Oil for Your Hair Your hair can benefit from using Sweet Almond Oil for the following reasons: Promotes shine in hair, which helps against dry, dull and damaged hair Helps control hair loss Nourishes the hair Softens the hair Strengthens hair Use this oil as your hot oil treatment if you have dry and dull hair. After styling my hair, I love to put sweet almond oil on my hair canopy to give my hair some shine.

Wash Routine Every Two Weeks Section hair into four parts Spritz one section with water and then apply Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque mixed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil to use to detangle. Do the detangling with my fingers. Click here to learn how I finger detangle. When all sections are done, cover hair with plastic cap and thick knitted cap for at least 30 mins. Rinse off Co-wash hair with a mixture of Tresemme Natural Conditioner and water  (1 oz TN to 2 oz H20) in an applicator bottle, shake and apply to scalp. Co-wash scalp and then wash hair strands. Rinse off. Deep Condition with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque and Extra Virgin Olive Oil for at least an hour, cover hair with plastic cap and thick knitted cap. Prior to washing DC out, remove cap, and leave off for 15 mins Apply a palmful of Tresemme Natural Conditioner, and leave for at least 2 mins, then rinse off Do final rinse with half a cup of COLD Aloe Vera Juice to seal in m...

Today marks 10 months of my transitioning journey. Here are some pictures of my current growth. Enjoy! Naked hair: No products  My natural curl pattern (in front)  Front hair; stretched Front side; shrunken Back side; stretched Back side; shrunken