6 Month Protective Hair Challenge (Jan 1- Jun 1 2015)

I love challenges. Even though I find it hard to follow through with them all the way (*raise your hand we are all guilty of this) but as the new year approaches I've made it a duty to stick to this one (I've lied about other things too).

Ok, no seriously. I think doing a 6 month protective hair challenge will help me reach my desired goals by my three year anniversary date. Plus, my hair is always in protective hair styles so I might as well utilize it to my benefit right? So if you're looking for something to do this new year join in on the fun and let's protect our hair together !

DIY: Avocado & Palm Oil Intense Moisture Repair Treatment Masque (Perfect for Dry & Itchy Scalp)

Hey guys ! I'm here with another great DIY hair treatment. This time I am combining two of my fave conditioning products to give you guys an intense moisture treatment masque that is perfect for this drying winter weather. I've always been a fan of avocado deep conditioning treatments and decided to revisit it since I would be prepping my hair for a protective style. I decided to add some Palm oil into the mix because of how moisturized it left my hair every time I used it. Hence, the perfect moisture powerhouse.

This treatment masque features just two (& 1 optional) products ! An Avocado and some Red Palm oil. You should be able to find both of these items in your neighborhood supermarket. For all my African & even Asian peeps, these items can be found right in your kitchen (trust me).

Before we go into the recipe, lets check out the benefits of both avocados and palm oil for hair.

Benefits of Herbal Tea Rinses for Hair

I started getting into tea rinses maybe a year after my 2nd big chop and for some reason I can't remember why I ever stopped doing them. My hair in my tea rinsing days was the softest it had ever been. So I'm bringing tea rinses back and I'm here to tell you why you should start using tea rinses too !!

THE BENEFITS 

Caffeine: Many teas (ie green & black tea) have caffeine in them which helps in stimulating hair growth. (However too much caffeine may stunt hair growth ie black teas). 

Moisture: Using tea rinses is a great way to add needed moisture to your hair. You can use it as a mid-week refresher to freshen hair or before or after you shampoo or co-wash.

Strengthening Properties: Depending on the herbal blend you chose, it can help strengthen hair, making hair less prone to breakage.

A Cheapie Herbal Tea Rinse: Featuring STASH Meyer Lemon

Maybe I should do a series of cheap diy natural products/treatments that you can use around the house. There's nothing like finding quality in a good product especially when it comes from your kitchen cabinet and has been staring at you all along. Sigh. I thank God for my mom and her worship of organic products especially herbal teas. We literally have all the teas you can think of and upon further research, most of these teas have great ingredients that we in the natural community love to love !

Today's cheapie herbal tea rinse goes to my favorite tea brand ever ! I love drinking tea and
STASH PREMIUM never disappoints me wit their fantastic herbal tea blends. This particular tea I am featuring is their Meyor Lemon Caffeine free Herbal Tea. The ingredients for this particular tea includes rosehips, lemongrass, orange peel, hibiscus, citric acid, meyor lemon oil and safflower.

Check out the FULL benefits for each of these items below:

1. Rosehips

• Makes hair stronger and healthier 
• These herbs add shine and body to color treated hair, permed hair, or hair that has been damaged by too much sun or cold weather. 
• It moisturizes hair naturally 
• High concentration of Vitamin A which nourishes scalp 

Winterizing your Hair: Part 2

Let's be honest. Our hair just doesn't act the same way all the time. Depending on the season, we more than likely have to switch up our hair routines to meet the demands of our during particular times. As we continue our winter series, here are some helpful steps and tips that will keep your hair moisturized and in great shape during the winter.

1. Deep Condition

When applying your products look for products that have water as their first ingredient and stock up on more heavier products such as water based moisturizers and creams. Be careful of ingredients with humectants in it such as glycerin and honey during this period because they may end up making your hair more dry than moisturized.

2. Protective Styles for the Winter

I cannot stress enough the importance of protective hair styling. All protective hairstyles are not equal so it's important for you to find styles that work for you and to take care of your hair while it is being protected. Styles such as braids, twists, buns, wigs, weaves, are such alternatives you can use. For my sistas who don't like the hair extensions, buns and twists/braids on your hair still have the same effect. So get to protecting those ends !

Deep Conditioning Treatment Bars

Hey loves ! It's another successful day in my kitchen and my deep treatment bars as pictured above can prove it. I whipped up some treatment bars for my hair to use for my upcoming hair treatments.  I made a olive oil and honey bar for hair since the winter is so drying as well as my beloved henna and hibiscus gloss bar that I will be using next week.

I'm finally going to go through and work on my hair care line now that I have time and can't wait to share with you guys the products I come up with.

What do you guys think of the idea of deep treatment bars ?

The Winter Hair Series: Building the Perfect Hair Regimen Part I

Even here in Dallas, we're exposed to cold weather which doesn't quite agree with out hair. Most likely if you live in an area with cold climates you will need to change your hair care regimen to keep your hair moisturized during these winter months. So if you don't already have one, now is the time to build the perfect winter hair care regimen so  you'll be able to achieve maximum for your health until the good weather kicks back in again.


BUILDING THE PERFECT HAIR REGIMEN STARTER PACK 

1. Pre-poo Oil- I recommend using heavier oils such as Castor or Olive Oil to pre-poo or do your hot oil or oil rinsing treatments as these oils are much thicker and will seal your hair better than lighter oils such as coconut oil which may leave hair feeling hard and not as moisturized.

2. The base of your starter pack should include a sulfate free shampoo that you should use on your hair no more than 2 times a month or when you take out your hair styles. You should stay away from harsh cleansers and should clarify your hair less during these cold months.

L.O.C Method vs. L.C.O Method : Which is Better ?

I came across the LOC & LCO method earlier this year and was quite interested to see how these two methods alongside other modifications have taken the natural hair community by storm. Honestly, I've always done the L.C.O method. Ok I lie. When I big chopped my second time I started using this method although I didn't learn it actually had a name lol . Ok so let's start with the basics. Using this method personally has done wonders from my head. Before I just use to apply oil then everything else and soon realized this was a big no-no. Now my strands feel moisturized most of the time and my hair is currently the same length it was before I cut it - in only 2 years !!

A GREEN SMOOTHIE FOR HEALTHY HAIR

Most of the times as advocates for natural hair, we often get lost in the products and pictures of awesome hair length that we tend to ignore the biggest factor of all when it comes to maintaining and growing healthy hair. Our diet. Before all of the natural products and oils, eating and drinking
your way to a healthy body is the most important thing to achieve your goal of healthy long hair. If we put junk in, it's only obvious that we'll get junk out in return. I love making smoothies and juices because it's a fun and easy way for me to get my nutrients and helps me catch up on veggie and fruits I normally won't find time to eat on a daily basis.

INGREDIENTS

• Spinach, Kale, Lettuce (a few leaves of each)
• 1/3 of a cucumber 
• 8 ounces of water 
• 1/3 pineapple 
• whole banana 
• 1 tsp of cinnamon 

Blend all these ingredients first starting with the greens then adding the fruits until you've reached a smoothie like consistency and all the ingredients are well blended. This makes about 2 full servings. 

Enjoy !!! 

Halo Twist Crown: A Protective Hair Style

This is a quick 5 minute hairstyle featuring the Halo Crown that I wanted to share with you guys ! I also posted a video because like most of you guys, I like to see visuals when I do my hairstyles. Hope you guys enjoy !

Garlic Oil for Shedding Hair

  Lately, My hair has been shedding something terrible. I mean like running my hand through my hair and nothing but strands and strands and strands. My hair normally sheds a lot but for the past couple of weeks it's just been ridiculous and has caused me a little concern. So I talked to a friend last week and she told me about this garlic shampoo? or deep conditioner? she has and told me garlic is supposed to help reduce shedding. After doing some research, I finally decided to give it a try and made my own garlic oil !

The Bun Series: The Not So Traditional Bun

I refuse to believe I'm the only human who has trouble achieving a flawless bun with their natural hair. I mean it's not like its short. My Hair is a little past medium length and can go into buns perfectly when its straightened. But in it's truly natural straight it's a whole other ballgame. So I came across this awesome way to achieve a bunned style without actually putting your hair in a traditional bun. This hairstyle is great for those who have a hair texture similar to mine or who have trouble putting their hair in a traditional bun.

Product Review: As I Am Double Butter Cream Rich Daily Moisturizer

The hair gods are alive & they just answered my prayers !! I've spent literally years looking for a product that would be able to give me definition (lawd just a little) for when it came to me achieving twist outs, braid out's and any other style that needed definition in order to pop. I found it in this one product- by MISTAKE !! I was in need of a hair moisturizer during bar study that would be pocket friendly and still have mostly natural ingredients for my hair. I was at the Walgreens by my school and stumbled upon the As I Am Double Butter Cream. I got the 8 oz for about $8 (prices seem to have went up or I just snagged a sale) and it was the best $8 I have ever spent. Here's the breakdown

Protective Hairstyling: Yay or Nay?

I've always been a firm believer that protective hairstyling is the way to go. Especially for us ladies who want to retain length without worrying about the fuss or upkeep that comes with natural hair. With that being said, there is a misconception when it comes to protective hairstyling. Protective hairstyles do not grow your hair. Your hair is always growing, it is just a way to help retain length as it grows, protecting the ends of your hair from breakage and other elements. But of course like all hairstyles, simply putting your hair in a protective hairstyle and leaving it for 6 weeks without any maintenance is a futile effort. Instead of retaining length, you actually do more harm than good because you are not actually taking care of your hair and giving it the TLC it deserves. So check out these tips/benefits on protective hairstyles to ensure as much retention as possible. Make sure you read the follow up post on how to care for natural hair in protective styles.

Im Alive: Greetings from North Jersey

Happy September ! I'm currently In North Jersey, sitting outside on the steps listening to Sza and blogging! Yes I know it's the middle of September but it's been months since I've been on here. My life has literally taken a left turn. Some good, some bad, but through it all I've managed to survive.

I recently graduated from law school this past May and started studying for the bar right after that. Let's just say after graduation, my life became non existent. From sun up to sun down I was either at home, in the library or at the Catholic center in my school studying.

Then the end of June came and unfortunately my Father passed away. Just when I thought life could not get worse it did. I felt like my life went downhill from there. Studying turned into me staring into space or just randomly crying out of the middle of nowhere.

Then July came and I took my bar exam from July 29-31. Although I felt like a burden was lifted off my shoulder after the exam I still had the issue of my dad's wake and funeral which meant me coming down here to Jersey as well as flying to Nigeria because that's where we buried him.

Now fast forward to September. I'm happy that at least that part of my life was done. I don't think I've ever been as stressed out as I was from June - September beginning. Along my journey I've lost some friends, gotten closer to some, started a new fitness and health journey and have just learned to appreciate life as it comes. My life is not perfect but it's all that I have and I am learning to embrace it.

So with that being said, I hope to make my blog bigger and better and keep it running with daily posts.

To all my readers, I just want to say a big Thank You ! And stay tuned !

Love Joy !

Rhassoul Clay: Bliss in a Bar

I haven't blogged in what feels like forever because I came down to what seems to be the flu :/. But I'm getting better know and these posts must continue.

Today I want to talk about my Rhassoul & Honey Deep Treatment Bars I made ! Like my homemade avocado deep conditioner is bomb, but this just took deep conditioners to a whole other level. After I washed my hair and did all the other fancy stuff, I prepared my rhassoul & deep treatment bars and applied it all over my head as I would a perm. I made this bar to tailor the benefits of my hair.

Reality Check: Can't Wear Bundles In Heaven

So today as I was driving to school, I decided to listen to the radio for a change. You know just to see what was happening in good old H-Town. It was all good until all the ignorant people decided they wanted to come out of hiding and address females and their natural hair. What is good hair? Why do we as Blacks/African Americans continue to talk/look down on those who choose to embrace their "naturality" The Black lady that called in on the radio voiced her opinion that females who cut her their hair off and think it's going to grow back all luxurious and soft are stupid. That natural isn't for everyone & females need to give people notice before they do something drastic like that and plus there is no benefit because their hair does not even grow back. Is this true? I think I rock my natural hair quite well. Same way I can rock my extensions or my weaves or even my baldie. It's sad that society has brainwashed us to think that the hair that grows on our head is ugly and preference should be given to weaves for aesthetic purposes. I do not agree with that statement- But I do agree that natural hair should be presentable- just like any other hairstyle you do or the clothes you wear. But to act like natural hair in itself is not presentable when there are people running around the street knotty cheap weaves they've had in their hair for 6 months is games. I'm done tho. #selflove #embraceyourself #cantwearbundlesinheaven 

Hey Naturales! Giveaway !

OH HENNA !

For those that don't know- nothing gets my hair right like a great henna treatment ! It makes my hair stronger and thicker so the benefits outweigh any disadvantages that henna may have on the hair. -Well my hair at least. I did a previous post on my Henna & Amla treatment - so to read the pros/cons of henna make sure you revisit my post ! (http://mykinkyroots.blogspot.com/2013/12/henna-amla-treatment.html#more)

My Hair Regimen: All My Secrets and Tips

Just in case some of you guys are new to my blog. I use this as a forum to document my hair growth and my hair journey in general. I don't wear my hair out all the time but when I do I get asked a lot of questions because of my tremendous hair growth within a short time. July 30th will mark my second anniversary of my big chop & honestly I think my hair is doing pretty good. It's healthy, thick, strong and soft & most importantly it's growing. So here's my regimen on what I do to my hair now.

HAIR REGIMEN (FULL VERSION)

*After I take my hair out after a protective hair style- no matter how short- I always make sure I do an intense hair treatment. This is important because the stress of your hair from whatever protective hairstyle you've done needs to be showered with love ! There is not time to be lazy !

*Next pick a wash day. Mine just happens to be Sunday- so my hair is fresh for Monday : ).