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!

A Hair Trial: Amla Powder Mix Part I

Getting ready for a much needed deep condition Saturday morning, I stumbled on a box of Amla powder under my sink. I mentioned a while back that I was going to try it and never got around to it. I hadn't planned on doing it today but I thought, eh what the heck!

So what is Amla?

Product Description

Hesh Amla Powder is a natural astringent and skin toner that works on both hair and skin. In botanical terms it is known as Emblic Myrobalan. The paste of this powder helps promote black and luxuriant hair. Even as it controls hair loss, it stimulates roots and promotes hair growth. This apart, it prevents scalp infection and contr

ols premature greying of hair. When used on skin, the paste of this powder brightens the complexion and removes pimples and grime. Briefly, 'Hesh Amla Powder' has the following advantages: - Promotes hair growth - Controls hair loss - Cures scalp infection - Controls greying of hair - Removes pimple and grime Ingredients: Amla Powder (Indian Gooseberry) Ayurvedic Product - Made in India

My Purpose:
I have been struggling with scalp issues as of late and decided to see what this mix could do for me. I hope it will cleanse my scalp of buildup and leave my roots feeling fresh.

What You'll Need:
1-2 100 gram boxes of Amla powder (I used Hesh brand and only 1 box because I wanted to focus on the roots/scalp area, not so much the entire length of the hair)
1 med-large mixing bowl
1 spoon or other utensil to mix paste
Water


My Mix:
Because this was the first time I have ever done Amla, I decided against adding other ingredients. As with henna, I might do different mixes over time should the desire arise. But for now, I wanted to see what results just the powder mixed with water would produce.


I did not measure, I just dumped the powder in the mixing bowl, and slowly added warm water as I mixed until I reached the desired consistency of a paste.

The Application:
I sectioned my hair (an old twist out) into 4 sections with hair bands. I applied the Amla by hand to each section, focusing on the roots and scalp area. Once I completed a section, I tied it up with a band. After completing all four section, I used the leftover Amla on my edges and the middle of my hair where I have the most buildup issues. I would say the Amla covered 4-6 inches of my hair all he way around with the primary focus of the application being the scalp and roots.

After the application, I covered my hair with two shower caps. I used two because one would not completely cover my hair they way it was sectioned. I then wrapped a towel around my head so I could do other things around the house as I waited the recommended 30 minutes.

I am assuming you could do this without covering your hair if you prefer.


First Impressions:
Amla smells very similar to henna. It looks a lot like henna when mixed with water. The consistency is also basically the same. What was surprising, however, was just how not-messy it was! Both times I tried henna, that stuff ended up EVERYWHERE! It was such a pain to apply, only because the color deposited so fast on my skin (and every other surface it touched) and I was constantly wiping as I went. Since I didn't have to worry about that with the Amla, there was no need for gloves, laying down paper, etc. And, because I was not coating the entire length of my hair, application time was cut to about 10 minutes, if that!


See part two later this week!

Product Review: Pretty Curls White Orchid Shea Butter

One of my favorite parts of being a natural hair blogger is that I have the opportunity to try new products. I was contacted by Jarrai, the owner of Pretty Curls, to see if I would like to try a sample of their shea butters. Of course I agreed and within days I received a package containing a jar of White Orchid scented shea. The ingredients include unrefined shea butter, coconut oil, vegetable glycerine, jojoba oil, orchid and musk fragrance. Also in the package was a tiny sample of their Vanilla Cream whipped shea butter.

Jarrai told me that they are still working on the packaging to improve the appearance of their products. I really like the jar and top and I think whatever they do to the labels will only enhance the current look.

The texture of the shea is much like other whipped sheas I have used before. It melts easily into both my skin and hair.

The scent of the Vanilla Cream is not what I expected but is still nice. It is kind of sweet and a tad strong. The White Orchid, on the other hand, is not as pleasant. Again, I like the texture and I think it would make a great sealant or moisturizer for twists, but I don't like the smell much at all. They have a bunch of other scents that sound more appealing like Lavender Spice and Tropical Twist.

So, overall I think this is a nice shea mix that is worth another try. If I were to order, I would probably try one of the other scents.

Thanks to Jarrai of Pretty Curls for the chance to check them out!

Henna-Take Two

This weekend I decided to skip the Amla and dive right into my henna treatment. I mentioned last week that I went to a local Indian grocer and found some Dulhan henna. I bought 200 grams and on Friday night made a mix to use on Saturday.

The last time I did henna was months and months ago. Part of the reason that I have not done it again is because I ordered the henna from the internet. I HATE ordering things from the internet because I am impatient and like the instant gratification of picking up something from the store. So, I was glad to find some henna so close by and I think I will be doing treatments more often as a result.

To prep my henna mix, I followed this video by the lovely Mop Top Maven.

I used the following:

~ 1/2c Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

~1c Lustrasilk Organic Cholesterol

~2c hot water

~A few squirts of Vatika Coconut Oil before applying

After mixing all my ingredients I covered the henna with plastic wrap and left in the fridge overnight so the dye would release. It was a green sludge when I put it in and a brown sludge with orange-ish droplets on the surface when I pulled it out the next day. I mixed in the Vatika oil right before I applied the henna to my hair.

After mixing in the Vatika, I proceeded to the bathroom where I covered the floor and counter with a dark towel (this stuff gets everywhere so please cover any surface that you don't want ruined!). I parted my hair in 4 sections and started applying it with my gloved hands to the back right section. My hair was dry and had not been washed for a few days. I did no prep to it whatsoever.

Here you can see where I rolled the right side into a bun and am working on the left back portion.

After the henna was totally covering all sections, I smoothed it all together and piled it on top of my head, covering with a few shower caps and then one of the towels. I left the henna on for about 3 hours total. The application process was much easier than the first time I henna'ed because of the conditioners I added.

I made sure to clean off all of the skin around my face and my ears so they would not be stained orange! Clean-up was tricky because henna manages to end up in places you would not even imagine. If it is your first time, you may want to put down extra towels or newspaper. Gloves are NOT an option!

After a few hours passed, I rinsed my head in the tub, using the pressure of the water to loosen the paste from my strands. I gently finger-combed and separated my hair to rinse all the henna out. It took about 10 minutes to rinse clean. Then I followed up with Aussie 3 Minute Miracle DEEEEP conditioner, covering it with a plastic cap. I would have deep treated with heat but my table-top dryer broke the day before... :-(

My hair after rinsing out the henna..curls were definitely defined!

A few strands near the front...

After rinsing the conditioner out, I braided my hair in sections using my CocoShea mix (half shea, half coconut oil) and IC Fantasia gel. You can see where I had a grey hair and it turned orange-ish copper from the henna.

I let them dry overnight then took them down this morning and separated with my fingers. They were not completely dry so I lost some definition but that is ok. I re-twisted tonight with some shealoe mix and hopefully I will have a nice twist-out in the morning.

So there you have it! I plan to henna more now that I know where to get it locally. I am hoping to have stronger hair as a result. What have your henna experiences been like?

Coming Soon...Amla Treatment

I was inspired this past weekend to revisit henna. I have only used it once and I did not really post anything about it. I bought it from a company online for about $7.99 per 100 grams, 200g total. I mixed with some tea and other things, applied it and left it on overnight, then washed the next day. I can't honestly say I noticed a huge difference but I only did it once. So....this weekend I took a stroll into a local Indian grocer to see what they had. I found many different interesting things including some Dulhan henna which I will be trying. It was much cheaper and I've read good things about it so I figure it will at least be worth a go.

While I was there, though, I also scored one box of Amla powder and some Vatika oil. I have heard both of these items mentioned on different natural hair boards and blogs but I never considered purchasing them. It just seemed like one more thing to get my inner pj going. But after reading the description on the back of the box, I was intrigued and figured it was worth a test run.

Here is some info about Amla:

Amla powder is made from the powdered dried fruit of the Indian Gooseberry tree. It is often used in tanning and dying wool and silk and in Indian medicine. Amla can be used on your hair to slow hair loss, increase thickness and slow graying. It also leaves hair soft, silky and shiny. As a facial, it can tighten and tone the skin and balance redness. Amla is a wonderful exfoliant as it has natural astringent properties which help to remove dead skin cells without the chemicals of commercial products.

In addition the box I bough boasts this:

• romotes hair growth
• Controls hair fall
• Cures scalp infection
• Controls premature graying of hair

So this is good for skin and hair. I plan to make a mix of this stuff sometime in the next week and try it for both. I will probably mix with some of the Vatika oil for moisture/shine (in the hair mix only) and see what happens.

So, once I complete my trial I will post pics and the results.

Have any of you guys or gals experimented with Indian powders? If so, what did you think?

Dr. Miracle's: A Review

A few months back I was gifted with a very generous box of Dr. Miracle's products. Inside the box I found the Intensive Healing Oil, Damaged Hair Medicated Treatment, Temple & Nape Gro Balm, Healing Leave In Treatment and Conditioner, Intensive Spot Serum, 2 In 1 Tingling Shampoo & Conditioner, Tingling Intensive Deep Conditioning Treatment. Wow, talk about a gift box!

Over the past few months I have tried the products and I will be giving my review for them a few at a time.

But before I get into the individual products, I want to talk about the packaging, the presentation, and the scent.

Packaging: Each product comes in a brown box. The paperboard containers look old fashioned with the Dr. Miracle's logo printed in black on the front and top. Something about them look serious, not at all fruity or floral like most hair products marketed to women. They seem to say "we mean business" or "we have a purpose and our product is more about functionality than beauty". The red, black and brown color scheme punctuate this ideal, accenting the medicinal or healing theme of the product. These are not for the average girl who wants a sensual hair experience. They are here to fix, cure, or heal damaged hair and scalp.

Presentation: In addition to the packaging, Dr. Miracle's is probably most easily recognized for their ads in magazines like Essence and their commercials. Clearly, these publications are aimed at Black women. As we know, we spend more money on our hair than anyone else in this country. Knowing this, and playing up the good hair/bad hair (although not directly so) debate, Dr. Miracle's tends to do before and afters that aim to persuade Black women that whatever is broke about their hair, Dr. Miracle's can fix. It's not just a hair product. It's actually a miracle! Hmmm... I will give it some points for hilarity (that scream at the beginning makes me laugh each time) but at the same time, it always makes me uncomfortable with how the before and after pics seem to say that something is inherently wrong with Black hair. Especially that one with the woman with the long curly hair. Yeah, it looks a bit frizzy before. Nothing a good leave in/gel/styler couldn't tame (if that is the look you're going for. Personally I like frizz every now and again). And I am not against the straight after pic either. But to imply that the before was unhealthy (read damaged, unruly, just not right) and the after is beautiful (read straight, fixed, cured, whatever) is just the wrong message to send, in my opinion.

Scent: This is what did me in. Ok, I get it. This product is supposed to be the cure. So that means it must smell serious and intense, like medicine, right? Wrong. Menthol, medicinal, just plain strong! I think I put off trying most of this stuff for the smell alone! I am very conscious about the scents that go in my hair and on my scalp. So right off the bat, Dr. M lost major points.

Ok so that is the preview. The first two products I will review are the 2 In 1 Tingling Shampoo & Conditioner and the Intensive Healing Oil. And don't get me wrong. Even though I have some strong opinions about many things about this line, there are some good ones too. Stay tuned...

Nourishing Hair Butter- A Review

Hey guys and gals! A few days ago I received a 2 oz sample of Nourishing Hair Butter in the mail. The company is called Nature's Indulgence and was founded by Dionne Murphy.

The ingredients are listed as:

Herbal Infused Water, Aloe Vera Juice, Shea Butter, Virgin Coconut Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, Sweet Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil, Steric Acid, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax, Glycerin, Optiphen, Vitamin E, Essential and Fragrance Oils and Grapefruit Seed Extract.

As you all know, I have my hair in box braids which I got about a week ago. This past weekend I spend some time in VA where it was really cold and dry. I decided this would be a good time to try out the product and see what benefits it could add to my hair.

The night before I left, I washed it and blotted dry. I added my conditioner on top and let my hair dry. After it was dry, I took a good sized dollop, about a quarter, in my hands and emulsified it. I applied it to the length of the braids on one side and added a little extra to the ends. I repeated this all over my head until each section of braids was moisturized.

The first thing I noticed about this product is the smell. It is light and fresh and almost fruity in a way. The texture is light and whipped. It absorbed quickly into my hair and left behind the lovely scent which was present but not overpowering.

Overall, I like this product. It is a nice light moisturizer but probably not enough by itself if you really like heavy creams for your hair. I would use this under an oil probably. I will have to try it again after I take my braids out to see how my hair like it for twists and other loose styles.

Thanks to Dionne for the sample and good luck with your business.

If you'd like to check out her other products, visit her blog and site!

My New SUPER Moisturizer!

UPDATE: Here are some pics I JUST took of my hair with the SUPER moisturizer. I did not use this on wet hair, I made the mix after I had already done a twist out. So I'll try that next week. Again, I have not used any in two days and my hair feels super soft, moist, pliant, and shiny! All I did was untwist the sections and separate a little.

I think I gained about an inch and a quarter overall with the Afro twists. So I guess that's about average for two months.

I took my Afro twists out about a week ago (I was afraid my hair was starting to get tangled in the Nafy hair and I was right!) and have since gone back to twist outs. Every night I re-twist in big sections to moisturize and re-set the sections. I do this because my hair swells in this humid NC weather, whether I seal or not! Also, when I go to the gym I have to re-twist to prevent a complete frizzy puffy fro (unless that's the look I'm going for).

So....I usually use a light styling cream to re-twist with before bed. I decided, however, that I want to use something more natural since most creams you can buy in the stores have so many chemicals and perfumes.

MzTeaCake created this video about a wonderful moisturizer she mixed up at home using aloe vera, shea butter, a Nubian Heritage lotion, rose water, glycerine, and honey. It looked easy enough and I already had some NH and a large container of shea so I headed to my local Whole Foods and purchased the rest of the products. I also bought some coconut oil and grapeseed oil for other things (which I'll post about later).




I made a batch myself and this is what I used:
1/2 c Shea Butter
1/2 c NH Lotion
1/2 c Aloe Vera Gel
2 oz Rosewater
2 oz Vegetable Glycerin
1 Tbs Coconut oil

Then I mixed with a hand mixer after I added each ingredient and the end product was a light yellow cake batter consistency cream. It smells pretty good, mostly like the NH lotion. I will store it in the fridge and use it nightly or as needed to re-moisturize and refresh twists.

It's very moisturizing and surprisingly, I have not had to reapply since the first day I used it (about 2 days ago). My hair is shiny and really really soft. In another video she talked about using it as a deep conditioner as well so I might try that next week with heat.

Watch here how she combines all the products.

Royal Jelly...A Trial

I hate to say it folks but pure Shea butter breaks out my face! I have given it a few weeks to make sure it was really the culprit of the tiny bumps and whiteheads I have noticed popping up on my left cheek and forehead. I never get pimples except for every few months around that special time. :D I'm sad about it because I really like the idea of using one single product for my face and it's cheap considering such a small amount goes a long way. So....I have discontinued the use of Shea butter on my face and have decided to try a different approach.

I have used Burt's Bees products before and one day while in CVS I saw an end cap with a few of their cosmetic items. I was looking specifically for a night cream and decided to give the Radiance Night Cream with Royal Jelly a try. I have used it for a few nights now and I have to say, it's not like anything I have ever used before. The scent is light and the cream is more of a thick, opalescent fluid. It's slick between the fingers but massages into my skin nicely. When I wake up my face looks dewy but not greasy. And so far so good with the bumps! The ones I had a going away and I have not seen any new ones pop up.

A Burt's Bees description:
While you sleep, nourishing Royal Jelly naturally replenishes your delicate facial skin with essential amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins and key minerals. Almond oil deeply moisturizes while rosemary and pine tree extracts stimulate skin for an invigorating overnight treatment.

Also:

Royal jelly, a not-yet-household name product in the United States, is widely used in Europe where it is known for its ability to enhance skin texture and smoothness, and for its contributions to longevity. In a German medical report, Royal Jelly in Dermatological Cosmetics, Hans Weitgasser, M.D., writes that royal jelly, added to face masks, creams, and lotions, softens the skin, causing fine lines and wrinkles to disappear. "Through local application, as an ingredient in face masks, creams, and lotions, royal jelly has tremendous effects at the cellular level. In regular use, the skin becomes soft and wrinkles disappear. When royal jelly is used topically as a salve on skin damaged by the effects of radium treatment (radiation), the skin heals rapidly and symptoms disappear.
From: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_n5_v59/ai_19357253

Apparently, royal jelly has been used for centuries with many great benefits. Here are some cool sites to check out regarding this wonder substance.

Pure Royal Jelly
Royal jelly: uncovering a nutritional treasuretrove
What's All the Buzz ABout Royal Jelly?
Diet and Health

Miss Jessie's Stretch Silkening Creme...an Update

Hey guys! So I tried this MJSSC and here are my thoughts. I like it for the most part. It has a nice scent and it is pretty light weight. This is not a product I would use every day or week because it does have some hold and it left a bit of a film on the ends of my hair. However, I would use it again to create a certain style or look that I only planned to wear for a special occasion or something like that.
I used it on my hair once and on my mom's hair once, both were two-strand twists. My mom's hair came out pretty nice; her twist-out was defined and shiny. On my hair, I washed, conditioned, detangled, and twisted using only the MJSSC to style. I liked how it defined the curls around my hairline and it laid down the frizz that I get at the crown area. I sat under a hooded dryer to help speed the drying process. Once I took it down, I actually did not wear it out but I pinned it up. That was the night I met up with Curly Nikki and some other lovely natural ladies for dinner. CN posted some shots on her site here. I kept my hair pinned up for the rest of the week so I was not able to really see how it would feel after leaving it out a few days. I have not used it since then so the next time I will try either a braid-out or a twist-out with it.

So to sum it up here were the pros/cons for me:





Pros:
Scent
Texture
Definition
Slight flexible hold
Smooth fly aways

Cons:
PRICE!
Slight film

A Miss Jessie's Trial

Hi guys!!!! I have not been able to post in the last few days, school is keeping me quite busy and exhausted! But, I wanted to post about a new product I am going to try.

In the past, before my second BC and after for my short curls, I have used Miss Jessie's Baby Buttercream, Curly Meringue, and Curly Pudding. I used the CM/CP for twist outs and wash-n-go's and the BB for moisture/twists also. I liked how the CP smelled, although it was strong at times, and I liked the CM because the hold was not as hard as with the CP. The BB was a bit greasy, but in a filmy kind of way (probably because of the mineral oil and petrolatum) and I did not really like the smell after a while. As my hair grew I started experiementing with other products and have not really thought about Miss Jessie since. That was until today!

My aunt just recently did a BC and was interested in products for her short hair. I remembered how much the CP defined my curls when I had about an inch of hair and so I sent her a link to the site. The website is so different since I last visited and I found myself browsing through all the pictures of beautiful curls. Their product line has also expanded a great deal. One of the new products caught my eye - the Stretch Silkening Creme.

Here's the description from the Miss Jessie's site:

Stretch Silkening Crème is a quicker to dry whipped soufflé that delivers an amazing plump curl and a brilliant shine. Fabulous for fingerstyling. The lightest of the curl crème bunch.

I purchased the SSC from a local beauty shop. The total price with tax was around $40. I know, I know! That is a ton of money, and believe me I was hesitant. I wasn't going to get the big size (16oz) but my mom and I share produts and go halfsies. I am hoping it will provide nice hold for two-strand twists/twist-outs as well as some moisture. It smells delicious-kinda like how Pantene used to smell before it changed scents and before the relaxed and natural line came out. There is dimethicone and hydrolized wheat protein, which I know these ingredients bother some people, but I usually shampoo once a week anyway so I don't mind trying things with cones. And I have never had any problems with the wheat protein either. Anywhoo...just thought I would share. I hope to try this weekend so I can post about the results. We'll see!