Embrace Your Inner Doll (Barbie)!
You and your Curls can be featured on Curls Day Thursday, send a photo of you and your kinks, curls, and coils to callingallcurls12@gmail.com! Tweet
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Hair of the Day...
Last night I co washed my hair, and applied my Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner as a leave In, and then sealed my ends with Olive oil. I allowed my hair to dry slightly to reduce shrinkage.
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Last night I co washed my hair, and applied my Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner as a leave In, and then sealed my ends with Olive oil. I allowed my hair to dry slightly to reduce shrinkage.
Grilled Cranberry-Pistachio Quesadillas
Grilled Cranberry-Pistachio Quesadillas (Makes 2 quesadillas)
Ingredients:
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Ingredients:
- 4 large tortillas (I used burrito-sized)
- 6 ounces Daiya jack cheese, at room temperature ( I use regular Jack Cheese, Im a vegetarian)
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped salted pistachios
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Hair Recipe: Honey OliveYou!
This is a simple and effective hot oil treatment. I try to
do a hot oil treatment once every two weeks. Hot Oil treatments are one of the
best treatments for natural and curly hair gals and gents. I get a lot of
questions, actually more like complaints that oil is too heavy for their hair,
it makes it oily, and heavy. The issue is not the oil its self, not all oil
works for every person’s hair. If you fine hair then you want to use lighter
oils, like Almond oil, Grape Seed oil, Sunflower oil, Coconut Oil, and the best
of them all is Jojoba oil. Jojoba is one of the few oils whose molecular
composition allows it to penetrate the hair, and it mimics the sebum that we
secrete from our scalp. If you have coarse hair you will need a thicker,
heavier oils, Olive oil, Castor oil, mixed with lighter oil. Most people have
this misconception that they have to saturate your hair with the oil. WRONG! A
little goes a long way, using too much oil, has a negative effect. It’s kind of
like drowning your hair. The oil doesn’t need to be hot, just slightly warm;
the heat from your body will produce enough oil to heat the oil.
What you Will Need
Pure HoneyExtra Virgin Olive Oil
Spray bottle with water
Container/bowl filled with hot water
applicator bottle (to put oil in)
Directions:
Before you start break you hair up in to sections and secure with a clip or braid it.
Spritz your hair with water, don't saturate the hair just enough for it to be damp.
Ok now we can begin! The amount of oil you use will be based on the thickness, and length of your hair.
Here is my Mix Ratio: For Every 1/4 cup of olive oil, add a TEASPOON of of honey. If you add more then your hair will fell sticky.
I put this mixture in a plastic bottle with a nozzle, shake gently. This serves two purposes, the first is that I can heat the oil, (and keep it warm) by placing the bottle in a bowl of hot water, and I can get the oil directly on my scalp with a nozzle.
Now all you do is apply to your scalp and massage it down to the length of your hair, focusing on the ends, they are the oldest part of our hair, and need the most care.
Cover your hair with a plastic shower cap and leave on for 30 - 45 minutes (without heat)
Rinse out and continue with you normal hair regimen.
Tip: Keep the bottle in the hot water this will loosen the consistency of the mixuture especially the honey. Honey is a nutural humectant, and antibacterial agent.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Let Me Upgrade You......Ok maybe I can't, BUT I Can Upgrade Your Hair Products.
If you have read any of my blog post
about hair products and my recipes then you might think that I only use natural
products. Not true! I incorporate store bought hair products too. I have used
every product that promises to give me boing-y curls, fluffy, light, bouncy,
shiny, blah, blah, blah, blah. Being natural can be very frustrating especially
when you know the results you want, but aren’t sure what products to use to achieve
the desired results. You spend money and time, on product after product. Trust
me I know I’ve been there. Once I stopped searching for the "Ultimate
Product" and went back to the basics my hair just took off growing. In
order for hair to grow and retain length (specifically natural hair, no matter
what type or texture, kinky, curly, or coily) all you need is moisture. Let
tell you something, the ONLY true moisturizer is Water. Period. Next your hair
is dead once it breaks through the scalp, Period. All you can do is preserve
hair until it reaches in final growth stage. Period. Are we on the same page?
Yes.
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Hair Porosity (Cont'd Part 2)
Hair porosity refers to the hair's ability, or inability, to absorb water or chemicals deep into the cortex. Unfortunately, damage to the hair shaft can affect the hair's level of porosity. Too much porosity reduces the hair's ability to retain moisture, move well, and fight breakage. This article will help you understand why you should be concerned about your hair's porosity levels. It will also describe 4 simple ways that you can correct your hair's porosity issues.
Why Should You Correct Your Hair's Porosity?
In Part 1 of the Porosity Series, I explained that the more damage the cuticle has endured, the greater the hair's porosity will be. Moisture absorption and moisture loss are the primary concerns for porous hair.
Moisture Absorption and Loss
Though porous hair often feels dry and parched, it can absorb LOTS and LOTS of water. Normal hair can absorb roughly 30% of its weight in water when washed, while extremely porous hair can absorb up to 40-50% of its weight in water! Generally, the more porous your hair is, the more water or moisture it tends to absorb. Seems great, right? Not quite. There are two downsides to this high level of water absorption in hair with high porosity:
1.) High levels of moisture loss are also experienced over time. Highly porous hair absorbs more water when wet, but also loses even more as it dries. The moisture loss is a result of a shoddy cuticle layer barrier. Water flows in, and flows right on out just as easily. The cuticles are so lifted or damaged that they cannot adequately hold the moisture inside. This is why when porous hair is fully dried, it often feels swollen, puffy, and rough to the touch.
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Hair porosity refers to the hair's ability, or inability, to absorb water or chemicals deep into the cortex. Unfortunately, damage to the hair shaft can affect the hair's level of porosity. Too much porosity reduces the hair's ability to retain moisture, move well, and fight breakage. This article will help you understand why you should be concerned about your hair's porosity levels. It will also describe 4 simple ways that you can correct your hair's porosity issues.
Why Should You Correct Your Hair's Porosity?
In Part 1 of the Porosity Series, I explained that the more damage the cuticle has endured, the greater the hair's porosity will be. Moisture absorption and moisture loss are the primary concerns for porous hair.
Moisture Absorption and Loss
Though porous hair often feels dry and parched, it can absorb LOTS and LOTS of water. Normal hair can absorb roughly 30% of its weight in water when washed, while extremely porous hair can absorb up to 40-50% of its weight in water! Generally, the more porous your hair is, the more water or moisture it tends to absorb. Seems great, right? Not quite. There are two downsides to this high level of water absorption in hair with high porosity:
1.) High levels of moisture loss are also experienced over time. Highly porous hair absorbs more water when wet, but also loses even more as it dries. The moisture loss is a result of a shoddy cuticle layer barrier. Water flows in, and flows right on out just as easily. The cuticles are so lifted or damaged that they cannot adequately hold the moisture inside. This is why when porous hair is fully dried, it often feels swollen, puffy, and rough to the touch.
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How porosity can help you choose the best products for your hair. (part 1)
Porosity refers to the hair's ability, or inability, to absorb water or chemicals deep into the cuticle layers and cortex. All hair is naturally porous and somewhat permeable to water.
Low or "poor porosity" refers to hair that does not readily absorb moisture and resists chemical treatments. Poor porosity is not exactly a problem that should cause you great concern. It is, however, ideal to have hair that falls somewhere in the middle of the two porosity extremes: hair with good porosity that retains moisture well and accepts chemical treatments.
The Sponge
Our hair has the ability to absorb up to 50% of its weight in water! This absorption and lengthening is why wet hair feels heavier than dried hair. Think of a sponge. When the sponge is fresh and new, it is able to absorb a good amount of water and hold the moisture inside very well. As the sponge ages, the pores become distorted, the fabric of the sponge is weaker, and it begins to lose its shape. Because the old sponge cannot hold the amount of water it once could, it is said to be more porous or have higher porosity than the new sponge.
The following questions will help you determine whether or not your hair is overly porous:
Does your hair continuously soak in moisture without ever actually feeling moisturized?
Is your hair chronically dry despite your best conditioning efforts?
Does your hair appear/feel puffy, frizzy, swollen, or tough to the touch?
Does your hair have a natural, reddish toned cast to it that is usually more pronounced in spring and summer time?
Does your hair hold styles and curl well?
If you've answered yes to any of the above hair characteristics, and these characteristics appear more pronounced toward the ends of your hair, you may have a problem with your hair's porosity level.
Causes of Porosity Problems There are two main conditions that aggravate the physical integrity of the cuticle layer, and thus, the hair's porosity level.
The first is soundness of each cuticle scale along the hair strand.The soundness of the cuticle scales refers to the smoothness of each individual hair scale surface. Weak or damaged scales are often worn, cracked, and may even have holes in them. The more damaged an individual scale is, the more porous that scale will be.
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Porosity refers to the hair's ability, or inability, to absorb water or chemicals deep into the cuticle layers and cortex. All hair is naturally porous and somewhat permeable to water.
Low or "poor porosity" refers to hair that does not readily absorb moisture and resists chemical treatments. Poor porosity is not exactly a problem that should cause you great concern. It is, however, ideal to have hair that falls somewhere in the middle of the two porosity extremes: hair with good porosity that retains moisture well and accepts chemical treatments.
The Sponge
Our hair has the ability to absorb up to 50% of its weight in water! This absorption and lengthening is why wet hair feels heavier than dried hair. Think of a sponge. When the sponge is fresh and new, it is able to absorb a good amount of water and hold the moisture inside very well. As the sponge ages, the pores become distorted, the fabric of the sponge is weaker, and it begins to lose its shape. Because the old sponge cannot hold the amount of water it once could, it is said to be more porous or have higher porosity than the new sponge.
The following questions will help you determine whether or not your hair is overly porous:
Does your hair continuously soak in moisture without ever actually feeling moisturized?
Is your hair chronically dry despite your best conditioning efforts?
Does your hair appear/feel puffy, frizzy, swollen, or tough to the touch?
Does your hair have a natural, reddish toned cast to it that is usually more pronounced in spring and summer time?
Does your hair hold styles and curl well?
If you've answered yes to any of the above hair characteristics, and these characteristics appear more pronounced toward the ends of your hair, you may have a problem with your hair's porosity level.
Causes of Porosity Problems There are two main conditions that aggravate the physical integrity of the cuticle layer, and thus, the hair's porosity level.
The first is soundness of each cuticle scale along the hair strand.The soundness of the cuticle scales refers to the smoothness of each individual hair scale surface. Weak or damaged scales are often worn, cracked, and may even have holes in them. The more damaged an individual scale is, the more porous that scale will be.
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