Natural Hair: Homemade Mix & A Cornrow Twistout Style

A few days ago I decided to combine some of my favorite oils together with some shea butter. In the past I've combined coconut oil with shea butter and used that to seal my ends. This time, I added a few other oils to the mix.

Here's what I did and what you'll need if you want to try:

Ingredients:

Shea Butter (5+ tablespoons)

Vatika Coconut Oil (2 tablespoons)

Grapeseed Oil ( 1 tablespoon)

Castor Oil (2 tablespoons)

Vitamin E Oil (1 tablespoon)

Steps:

1. Heat shea butter so it is slightly, but not totally, melted.

2. Warm the Vatika oil (or any coconut oil) if it is solid. Measure 2 tablespoons and add to the shea butter.

3. Measure 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil and add to the shea butter.

4. Measure 2 tablespoons of castor oil and add to the shea.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of vitamin E oil to the shea.

6. Blend the oils and shea butter together with a hand-held mixer, whipping until everything is evenly combined.

7. Cover and place into the refrigerator for about a half hour or until the mix has cooled and stiffened.

I like this mix because it melts easily into the skin and the hair. It also made my hair super shiny, defined, not weighed down, and it sealed my ends beautifully. The shots below are from a twistout that I just did two days ago on dry, stretched hair. I left the twists in until I unravelled this morning.

For this style I parted my hair horizontally from ear to ear. I twisted the back using water and the shea-oil mix. I tested my braiding skills and cornrowed the front. It is tough to braid your own hair but I think I did ok. I did not braid tightly and I parted in a way that accommodated for my recovering edges. We'll see how long they last before they get frizzy!

The humidity is out of control right now so I will probably have to re-twist at night to maintain definition. To do that, I will simply re-mist with water and twist, adding more of the shea-oil mix only if needed.

And voila, there you have it! What new mixes have you tried lately?

You Tube:The Science of Shea Butter

Ever wanted a more in-depth view of one of the most widely used butters in the natural hair and skincare world? Check out this vid all about Shea!

'Tis The Season! What'll be in your bag?

Hello ladies and gents! We are officially in Holiday Season mode and now's the time I usually start thinking about gift-giving. There is a lot going on in my world these days and sometimes the thought of running around shopping is discouraging. So, for my immediate family, I decided I would shop around a theme in the hopes of making things easier for myself.

Yesterday, I took a short trip over to Baltimore, MD to check out the Oyin Handmade store, Exittheapple! ( I love their logo, btw)I have been lurking online for months, checking out all the Oyin products and I have been dying to try. I will do another post, hopefully this week, to tell you guys all about my shopping experience and I also plan to do some reviews of the goodies I scored (by scored I mean I bought and payed for full price so yes, the reviews will be my full and honest opinions!).

Long story short though, I left ecstatic that I took care of gifts for my mom, my brothers, and my godmother all with one outing....and I got to pick up some of the items I've been lusting after for me!

So, what are your holiday shopping plans this season? What is your preferred method to find gifts for those you care about? Finally, how do you shop for the naturals in your life?

Product Review: Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter Conditioner

Image from Suave.com

Product Description:

Salon quality shampoo and conditioner system proven to moisturize your hair as well as Aveda Dry Remedy shampoo and conditioner. This moisturizing shampoo is infused with 100% natural almond & shea butter, which are known for their rich emollients. It replenishes lost moisture leaving your hair well-nourished and beautiful.

Product Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice [Aloe Vera], Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil [Lemongrass], Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower/Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Dimethiconol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Lactic Acd, Disodium EDTA, TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, PEG-150 Distearate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

Where to Buy:

I purchased mine from Wal Mart but it is surely available at most retailers (CVS, Target, Walgreens, etc.) You can also purchase online at amazon.com if you like to buy in bulk.

My Take:

I love this stuff. Hands down it is one of the best cheap conditioners that I like to use as a leave in. It moisturized my hair both times I have used it. Combined with a bit of oil on damp twists, my hair was smooth and lightly frangranced for days. It has a very fruity smell, very fresh. It also works nicely as a cowash conditioner if you like to skip shampoo. I was able to detangle my hair pretty quickly with my wide tooth comb and my denman bush. It is not the most slippery conditioner I have ever used, I will probably reserve major detangling sessions for my Herbal Essences. But, it still got the job done and was a great leave-in/styler for my twists. Once dry, there were no flakes or visible buildup. Overall a keeper for the rotation.

My Top 5 Faves for Natural Hair

The other day a good friend of my mom called to ask me some questions about products. Her daughter is going natural and wanted some tips on creating a regimen. I told her that it is trial and error, you really have to get to know your hair and what you want it to do. Ultimately, no two heads are exactly alike. But, have been products that are tried and true for me. She asked for my top 5 must-haves and this is what I came up with:

~1. Sulfate Free Cleanser- Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap (diluted)

~2. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner

~3. Unprocessed Coconut Oil

~4. Shea Butter

~5. Fantasia IC Polisher Aloe Gel

So there you have it. When it's all said and done, those are the top 5 products I come back to again and again. I LOVE trying new things and experimenting with different treatments. But at the end of the day, those 5 cover all of my cleansing, conditioning, moisturizing and styling needs. What products round out YOUR Top 5 Faves List?

Dry Twist N Curl

Hello all! I love my two strand twists and twist outs but I wanted to try something different this time around. So, I decided to try out Curly Nikki's signature style- the one and only Twist N Curl! I have tried it before on wet hair but this was the first time trying it on dry hair. I bought these bigger rollers (perm rods really) at the beauty supply store. Before rolling, I wet the ends with a spray leave-in conditioner and sealed them with my CocoShea mix.

I slept in those huge rollers overnight (was not an easy task!) and when I awoke, these were my results!

This was after it had been down all day en semi-humid conditions. I put a scarf around it to get it off my face since I OD'd on the CocoShea mix. It was getting all over my face and that is a no no!

So all in all I really like it. I had been rocking these twists for a few days and wanted to spice it up before I untwisted them. It was very fluffy and bouncy and I got some compliments. So overall, it was worth it and I will definitely try the dry Twist N Curl again! Thanks Nikki!

Remix-CocoShea

Hey guys! This is just a quick post about a CocoShea mix I made for my hair that I used to do the twists in this post. In the past, I wrote about a concoction I made using shea butter, coconut oil, aloe gel, rose water,glycerin, and some other stuff. While it worked great as a moisturizer for twists, braids, and other "up" styles, any attempt at an "out" style like a twist/braid-out spelled defeat as my hair attracted moisture from the air. My twist outs became puffy and frizzy within a matter of minutes in this NC humidity.

So, I decided to eliminate most of the ingredients except the first two, shea butter and coconut oil. I used a large tub of the African Shea Butter and a few tablespoons of the coconut oil. I whipped it all together with a hand mixer and let it settle. Simple!

For some, this mix might weigh too heavily on the hair. But for my 3c/mostly 4a-4b hair, the consistency and heft are wondrous!

I love the Shea/Coconut oil combo because the shea is a wonderful sealant, especially for the ends, and the coconut penetrates deep within the hair shaft. It is much easier to emulsify in my hands than plain shea and it melts into my hair like butta. Click to read my posts about Shea Butter and Coconut Oil.

How I Use the CocoShea Mix:
After washing/conditioning, moisturizing (with some kind of leave in): I take a quarter size dollop and emulsify inbetween my hands. I then apply this to a sectioned off piece of hair in a downward motion, making sure I coat the hairs from root to tip. I then two-strand twist, braid, or whatever style to set the hair.

During the Week: My hair does not really need any more moisture during the week unless it is really dry out so I only apply more of the CocoShea to the ends of my twists when I retwist at night.

Pros:
*Heaviness of the CocoShea weighs my hair down just enough so I don't get much frizz
*Using this as a sealant on my ends has cut down on some of the knotting
*Hair feels moisturized and protected all week
*Applying this to wet hair makes it feel smooth and super soft once dry
*Considerably cheap for the amount of product
*Can be used on the body as well as the hair

Cons:
*Heavy scent (but is not so noticeable after hair is dry)
*Might be a little greasy for some people
*Umm...can't think of another con just yet!

So in the end, I like the old mix for moisturizing twists or braids but for a style I want to wear out, this CocoShea mix is where it's at!

My Two-Strand Twists

Hey guys and gals! I just took some pics of a hairstyle I have been rocking for the past few days and thought I'd share. They are small two-strand twists that started off as 6 large twists. I did them on wet hair and went to bed. They were NOT dry the next day (I know better than this but I still thought they might be, IDK why) so I took them down then pinned the hair up in an updo. That evening, I two-strand twisted my whole head, re-wetting the roots and applying unrefined shea. I wore that pinned up the next day. Then (I know I know, this is getting rediculous) I took each twist down and separated it two or three times to make even smaller twists. And that is how it has been ever since. So the hair was slightly stretched from all that twist-up/take down action but not really. These pics are from after work today and they have shrunken a little. Yesterday, I wore them in a low side bun that was really cute (sorry no pics). Today I wore it down, then pulled it back as it got in my way.



Total products I used:
Water
Conditioner (left in hair)
Shea Butter (unrefined)/Coconut oil mix (which I made by mixing a tub of shea with a few tablespoons of coconut oil)

(Back View)

I'm thinking to keep them this weekend, wash, deep condition, maybe re-twist a few with Fantasia IC Aloe gel, then rod set them for curly twists. If it turns out ok I will try to post more pics.

What will your weekend do be ?

Reader Question - Aphogee Treatment

One reader asked:

Hi, I had a quick question. You blogged about using the Aphogee 2step treatment in January. I know you liked the results, but did you ever do it again? I am looking for a intensive protein treatment.

Well, like I told her in my response email, NO I did not use it again. The real reason has nothing to do with the results. I cannot stand the stinky smell of that stuff. I figure if I feel the need to protein-it-up again I can find plenty of other sources. Plus, I had a cut on my finger and it burned the living daylights out of me! I felt like I had acid on my head and I was fearful of getting it into my eyes. Many people love the stuff and if you do, great! I just won't be going there again.

Before you do protein though, take a look at this vid. I thought it was interesting because, like InspiredCoils, I did the treatment not really feeling sure that I actually needed it. She raises good points about looking at what you are already using for protein content.



This video is great. She gives a shout out to a bunch of my fave products, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner, Infusium 23, aloe vera gel, vegetable glycerin, castor oil, and coconut oil. She also sort of addresses pj'ism by talking about trying to use all products in the cabinet before buying new ones. Again, this is a great rule, but she brings up a good point. If it ain't working, DITCH IT!!!! It is not worth sacrificing the health of your hair to save a buck.

A lot of people are talking about protein but here are a few links to some blogs I found to be pretty helpful:

http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com
and
http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2009/06/size-matters-protein-conditioning-part.html (check out parts one and two)

http://www.curlynikki.com/2009/02/protein-sensitivity-revisited.html

http://motowngirl.com/

Summer Skin Scrub

It's almost here ladies and gents! The long days of warm summer sun and cool frosty drinks...ahhh I get excited just thinking about it! I am especially looking forward to hitting the beach this summer, a well deserved treat after 14 months dedicated to school. Mmm hmmm.

So to get ready, I thought I would try my hand at a homemade sugar scrub. Lately, my skin has been feeling great since I totally ditched lotion for 100% pure Grapeseed Oil. I LOVE it! But we could all use an exfoliant to shed that layer of "winter skin" before we don our shorts, bathing suits, and tanks.

Here's one recipe I found that I think I will try first:

• 50 percent white cane sugar (note that organic sucanat, while the best choice for food, doesn’t work as well for this recipe)
  
• 50 percent vegetable glycerin to moisten the sugar (or some kind of oil since which can be a successful substitute)
  
• Small amounts of aloe vera gel, vitamin C crystals, or anything healing that dissolves in water
  
• 1 or 2 drops of essential oil if desired (Larry recommends combining orange and lavender)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Scoop some of the scrub onto your hand and massage gently onto your skin for a minute (the scrub will actually tighten onto your skin like a masque). Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing.

I have all the ingredients above from the hair mix I made a few weeks back....so I won't feel any PJ guilt, lol. But, I think I might use EVOO instead of GSO becasue the GSO is much more expensive. I will never buys this from anyone ever again now that I can make my own!

Check out these other links for more sugar scrub recipes:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Simple-Sugar-Scrub-92027
http://www.cancerlynx.com/bodyscrub.html
http://tipnut.com/homemade-sugar-scrub-recipes/

And for those of you who are visual learners (like me!):


Do you have any special summer treats you concoct yourself? If so...do share!

My SUPER Moisturizer...an Update

So it's been almost a week since I made my SUPER moisturizer mix. And I just have to say, it's simply amazing! I don't know whether it is the aloe, glycerin or what but my hair is SUPER SUPER soft, shiny, and even bouncy. I have never bought anything that my hair responded to so well like this mix of shea butter, coconut oil, aloe, glycerin, NH lotion, and rosewater. My hands have been in it all week long because I cannot get over how moist it feels! Also, my ends are really curly and smooth looking. If you have dry or parched curls, you gotta give this mix a shot. Again, I got it off You Tube from MzTeaCake, who also has many other videos about making products at home.

So do YOU have a special homemade mix you would like to share?? I am so excited about this one that I want to venture out and make something else.

Send me an email at naturallyleslie@gmail.com if you have a special hair recipe (conditioner, moisturizer, cleanser, etc.) that works wonders for you so that we can all benefit!

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.

Hair Show Update...

Well, I don't have any pictures up yet from the natural hair show but I was able to find this pic online of a tee I got from the Uncle Funky's Daughter booth. I think it's really cute! Mine is yellow instead of white which I'll post later in an official ATL Natural Hair show update.

Also, the lovely ladies Titi and Miko from Miss Jessie's were there doing consultations and selling product for 1/2 off! They are so cute in person and look just like their site pics. And let me just say their booth was PACKED!!!! It was Miss Jessie's madness. I'll post some pics of them later!
My mom happens to be a natural that LOVES the Curly Butter Cream so I scooped her up a 16 oz jar for half the price (which we all know is not cheap!). She will be happy...it's a surprise ;D

More updates to come.....

For my next Shea butter mix...

I have been thinking about my last Shea butter mix and was wondering what I might do differently next time. I was watching some you tube vids about Shea mixing and came across a comment regarding adding some kind of natural preservative to the mix to increase shelf life. One that was mentioned is honey. Click here to read an article describing why honey is considered a preservative. In my mind honey seems like it might make the mix too sticky, although it's probably be worth a try. I also wanted to add some oils to scent the Shea butter since the nutty aroma is a little strong for my taste.

I realized that in my first mix I added a little water. I now know that adding water and not adding a preservative can render the mix a haven for mold and bacteria to flourish in. EWWWWW! So, if you want to make your own mixes like I do, don't forget to add some kind of natural preservative to prevent mold from growing.

There are other natural preservatives which can be used in making your own mixes. Click here to read how essential oils, neem oil, grapefruit seed extract and more can be used.

So as you can see, there is a wide array of things you can use in your mixes. I might add some lavender essential oil next time which would kill two birds, mold and aroma, with one stone! If anybody out there has a recipe they use and would like to share, email it to me (Leslie22sirena@yahoo.com) and I'll post it for everyone to enjoy. Happy Sunday!

Sweet Almond Oil...an almond update

Selah asks a great question: "This makes me wonder... is Sweet Almond Oil as helpful?"

I have never personally used sweet almond oil although I am contemplating using it in my next Shea butter whip mix. There are so many great natural oils out there that have many uses. Here are a few things SAO is good for:

Sweet almond oil is one of the less expensive essential oils, and it can be used in many ways. High in Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin E, sweet almond oil is wonderful as a culinary oil. It is odorless and comes from pressed almonds. You can use it on salads or sandwiches, but you can also use it as a massage oil or as a moisturizer.

How to Use Sweet Almond Oil

Step1

Use as a carrier oil for aromatherapy. In aromatherapy, you can use different essential oils to achieve different effects. But many essential oils can irritate the skin if applied directly. Therefore, you need a carrier oil, and sweet almond oil makes a wonderful carrier oil.

Step2

Use for making soap. Sweet almond oil is often used for superfatting soaps because it is a great moisturizer. If you dabble in soapmaking, add sweet almond oil to your soaps because it makes stable lather.

Step3

Use as a massage oil. Sweet almond oil is widely used as a massage oil because it is easily absorbed and serves as a great emollient. It also makes a great lubricant, and therefore it helps combat itching and inflammation. Sweet almond oil is also great for massage because it has a high concentration of oleic and linoleic essential fatty acids, which help relieve muscle pain.

Step4

Use for removing eye makeup. Not only does sweet almond oil remove your eye makeup, but it hydrates and softens the skin around your eyes.

Step5

Use as an all-purpose moisturizer. Use sweet almond oil as a moisturizer after you get out of the shower. You can use it on your face as well as the rest of your body, and it can even moisturize dry cuticles.

Step6

Use as a salad dressing. Combine 3 tablespoons of sweet almond oil with 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Check out CurlyNikki's awesome post about using Sweet almond oil in your hair!

The magic of whipped!

Hey guys! So we all know how wonderful pure Shea butter can be for hair and skin. But sometimes, working with it can be a bit difficult, depending on the texture and consistency of the batch you get. Especially when it comes to putting it my hair, sometimes Shea butter can be a bit sticky. So as I was reading about some products online, it occurred to me... why don't you just whip it! I just bought some Shea butter last week but I have only used it as a skin moisturizer, avoiding the task of having to emulsify each little bit to smooth it into my hair. I like the after effect of Shea-buttered strands but the actual application process leaves something to be desired. So......I grabbed my Shea from under the bathroom counter and proceeded to my kitchen cabinet to see what I had on hand to mix with. I didn't have a recipe to go by, I just decided to wing it! I saw that I have some extra virgin olive oil so I went with that. This is what I did:

1. Put all the Shea butter chunks into a bowl.
2. Mix slowly with the hand mixer to create a thick "paste".
3. Slowly add a little water and mix with the hand mixer on medium.
4. Slowly add olive oil and continue to mix with hand mixer on medium.
5. Whip the butter until a fluffy "cake batter" consistency is reached.

Ok, so let me make a disclaimer and say that I did not measure anything. I have no idea how much I added of water/oil, but I would guestimate between 1/8 and 1/4 of a cup. I went searching after the fact for Shea butter recipies and there are many out there. I found this one company on you tube that shows step-by-step how to make a version of whipped Shea butter (see video below!).

I was excited by the soft texture of the butter so I ran to the bathroom to apply to my hair. Well, my hair loves the stuff, as it did when it was just plain old Shea. But this time, I could massage it directly into my hair without all the struggle! It wasn't heavy or sticky and was absorbed almost immediately. My strands feel moist and happy!

When I do it again, I plan to eliminate the water and add some essential oils for scent, maybe somethig vanilla-ish. I might also go with jojoba oil and grapeseed oil instead of olive. There are many versions of whipped butters on the market, especially within the natural hair market, but I figure why buy when you can make your own! So, give it a try, let me know how it goes for you. I plan to keep playing with my recipe until I find something I love for both hair and body. Happy whipping!