Hair

Moisturizing Protein Treatment

Hey chicas! I wanted to share the moisturizing protein treatment I recently concocted. It's not like I pulled this recipe out of thin air, for it's mainly formulated products combined. The reason why I made it in the first place is because I was running low on my Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor Treatment, and my hair was long overdue for a deep conditioning, protein treatment.

Hair

I've got that old thing back...

Have you ever searched and searched for something, just to come to the realization that what you were looking for was right in front of you all along?

Q and A Volume 7

Q&A Vol 7: Hair Growth, Goals & No Product Recommendations

The seventh installment of my Q&A Series focuses on hair growth and length retention. For more info on how to encourage hair growth and retain length, check out the posts listed below the video.

• 10 Tips for Healthy Hair
• 10 Foods for Healthy Hair
• Wanakee: My Hair Role Model

Hair

Softsheen Carson's Mango Oil & Cupuacu Butter Whip Coil Cream vs. Elasta QP's Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer

I've been looking for a creamy moisturizer to set my braid-outs and bun-outs. Although I love the Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion by Bronner Bros., that formula is very aqueaous, and doesn't give my hair the lasting hold and moisture it needs. It works great at keeping my straight ends moisturized because it isn't greasy and doesn't weigh the hair down, but just isn't heavy enough for my textured locks. So, as you know, I recently purchased Softsheen Carson's Mango Oil & Cupuacu Butter Whip Coil Cream. This product claims to be great for twists and braid-outs. Well, I used it to set and moisturize my braid-out, and this was the result:

As you can see, my waves are a little wild. As for moisture, the product seemed to leave my hair feeling coated, like a waxy layer was on my strands. The product isn't greasy, and the consistency is pretty creamy, which is why I was surprised by how the product performed. Needless to say, I didn't care for how my hair felt with this product. Honestly, I think it would work great for holding twists or braids, but not for moisturizing twist-outs or braid-outs.

After that little experiment, I decided to purchase a jar of Elasta QP's Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer. Now, I've been meaning to try this for quite some time now, but could never seem to find it when shopping at big name beauty supply stores. Lo and behold, I finally got my hands on a jar after visiting a mom & pop beauty shop. I've heard many great things about this product on other blogs and hair care boards, and am so glad that I've finally had the chance to give it a go. Here was the result:

As you can see, my waves are much more tame, and you can even see the nice sheen this product left on my hair. The consistency is creamy like the Butter Whip Coil Cream, but not deceptive in that the moisture seemed to actually penetrate the hair, and no waxy buildup was felt on the strands. Now, my hair did seem to dry out as the day progressed, but that's because I didn't seal in the moisture like I should have. Next time I'll try sealing with pure coconut oil, and hopefully the moisture and sheen will last longer.

By the way, in order to get elongated waves, I air dry my hair in a banded or Tomb Raider ponytail first. I've also been braiding my hair in smaller sections:

Doing so has provided me with a more controlled, and less wild and wooly look.

I plan to continue using the Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer. I want to see how my bun-outs turn out with this, and I'll be sure to use an oil to seal in the moisture.

Hair

Winter Hair Survival Kit

With winter comes low temperatures and harsh winds, which can wreak havoc on our tresses. We're just entering winter, and I'm already noticing that my scalp is becoming extremely dry. It is therefore imperative that I adjust my regimen to accommodate the change in season. If I had to put together a healthy hair survival kit for the winter, it would include the following items/practices:

#1. A good moisturizing, deep conditioning treatment. True, moisturizing deep conditioning treatments are great year round, but they're especially important during the cold winter months when the cold from outdoors and heat from indoor heaters seek to dry out strands. Deep conditioners not only infuse moisture into the cuticle, but also alleviate a dry scalp. I would recommend using Organic Root Stimulator's Olive Oil Replenishing Pak; Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Neutrogena's Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner (they also have a dry scalp shampoo); and any conditioner that contains tea tree oil (For more info on the healing properties of tea tree oil, check out The Healing Power of Tea Tree Oil).

#2. A Moisturizer to protect the ends daily. There are a plethora of moisturizers on the market to choose from, but I would highly suggest using one that is light enough to use daily. If you choose one that is too heavy, it will weigh down the hair, causing it to look lifeless and limp. Pure coconut oil, Bronner Bros. Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion, and Hawaiian Silky's 14-in-1 Miracle Worker are three moisturizers that I've used that fit the bill. Yet, as I stated earlier, there are several on the market to choose from, so you just need to find one that works for you.

#3. A light scalp oil. I hardly, if ever, put anything on my scalp throughout the year, but my scalp and skin are becoming excessively dry as the temperature continues to drop. Hollywood beauty carries olive, carrot, and tea tree oils that are so lightweight, they absorb quickly into the scalp. Vitamin E oil is also a great option. I would highly recommend using these over a heavy oil/grease that can cause the hair to become greasy and limp. I would also avoid using a water based moisturizer that can cause your hair to revert at the roots if worn straight.

#4. Protective Styles. Although I'm not a big fan of protective styles, as I enjoy wearing my hair out and down and do so most of the time, protecting the ends is crucial during these cold winter months. Any style that hides the ends of your hair, whether it be a bun or even a simple ponytail with the ends tucked under, is great for ensuring that the ends of the hair don't dry out and split excessively.

#5. Ban the blow dryer! The heat from a blow dryer can dry out the ends of the hair on any given day, but it is especially harsh during the cold winter months. Avoiding heat as much as possible will help keep the ends from drying out, as the cold weather is already doing a good job of that! Thus, if you wish to straighten your hair, opt for air drying.

#6. A diet rich in protein. Remember, hair is mainly made of protein, so eating a diet rich in protein will help keep it strong and healthy, not to mention shiny :-). For those of you who don't eat meat, be sure to incorporate protein rich alternatives such as nuts, tofu, quinoa, and beans.

What steps are you ladies taking to protect your hair during the winter that aren't mentioned here?

Hair

Conditioner as a Moisturizing Styling Aid Part II

A few weeks ago, I tried the conditioner leave-in method as advocated by Teri, the author of Tightlycurly.com (To get the full scoop regarding my first attempt, see Conditioner as a Moisturizing Styling Aid?). Although I didn't get the results I was hoping for, I stated in my initial post that I would be trying the conditioner leave-in method again. This time however, I did seal in the moisture using my Vitamin E oil by African Angel. Here's what I did in detail:

Step 1: I washed and conditioned my hair with my Garnier Fructis Moisture Works shampoo and conditioner (Since one of my divas, Nicci, hipped me to the fact that Garnier Fructis, which is actually owned by L'Oreal, has been found guilty of racial discrimination, I will no longer be purchasing this product. I'm just finishing up the bottles I own. For the full story, see "French cosmetics giant L'Oréal guilty of racial discrimination").

Step 2: I divided my hair into four sections and applied a small amount of my Totally Twisted Curls and Waves Conditioner by Herbal Essences to each section. I then combed through each section to ensure that the product was evenly distributed.

Step 3: I added a small amount of Vitamin E oil by African Angel to each section and combed through.

Step 4: I did my Tombraider Ponytail and allowed my hair to air dry for a few hours.
Step 5: I took down my Tombraider Ponytail so that my hair could continue to air dry.
Step 6: Once dry, I applied a little more of the conditioner and the oil to my hair, then created five plaits as I normally do for my braidouts.
Step 7: I noticed that with these products, the ends of my hair would not stay braided. Normally when I do my braidouts with coconut oil (See My Braidout Updated), I don't have to put anything on the ends to keep them together, but this time I had to secure the ends with my Ouchless bands.
Step 8: I wrapped my hair in a satin bonnet, went to bed, then took the braids down the next day. My hair was lacking the sheen I love when I first took the braids down, so I sprayed them with some of my oil sheen by Soft & Beautiful, and this is what I got:
Although I was happy with the results (You'll see more of it in my Simple Tan & Brown makeup post), I'm still not totally sold on this method. Even after sealing with the oil, my hair dried out the following day. I didn't bother reapplying the conditioner or the oil because for one, my hair was looking a hot mess! I sweated it out dancing the night I wore my braidout, so the sweat may have also contributed to the dryness. Either way, I was worn out and didn't feel like doing anything to my hair, including combing it. I may still play around with other conditioner formulas to see if there is one out there that works better than the Herbal Essences, but for now I'm just going to go back to my tried and trues!

Hair

Conditioner as a Moisturizing Styling Aid?

I was reading a post on the Honey Brown Sugar blog a few weeks ago in which Wes, the young lady who runs it, was discussing how she uses Aussie Moist Conditioner as a leave-in treatment. She explained how in order to combat the frizzies, it is essential to impart moisture in the hair, otherwise the hair will suck up the moisture that's in the air and get poofy. Apparently, Aussie Moist Conditioner is her leave-in of choice. Now, Wes stated in her post titled, "Battling Humidity," that she follows the same regimen as Teri, the author of Tightlycurly.com.

At first I found it strange that ladies were actually using regular conditioner -- the kind you normally rinse out, as a moisturizing leave-in treatment. That was until I recalled how I used to use a conditioner by Infusium back in the day as a leave-in treatment. The only difference was that the conditioner stated on the bottle that it could be rinsed out or left in. Now, this was a long time ago, back when I was relaxed, so unfortunately, I don't remember what the name of the conditioner was. I visited Walgreens the other day to search for it, but couldn't find anything that resembled it, although I did see that Infusium has a leave-in treatment, but it appears to have the consistency of a pure liquid, and not that of a creamy conditioner.

After perusing Tightlycurly.com, particularly the section in which Teri lists a variety of conditioners that can be used to comb through curls and leave them soft and moist (See Combing and Setting Conditioners), I decided to try the conditioner leave-in method on my naturally curly hair. I'm so glad Teri has taken the time to research ingredients and their effect on the hair, because this is definitely not something I'm good at. After jotting down the names of a few conditioners she recommends, I headed over to the nearest Walgreens to get a bottle of conditioner. At first I thought I was going to purchase the Aussie Moist, as it came highly recommended by Wes at Honey Brown Sugar, but I actually ended up purchasing the Totally Twisted Curls and Waves Conditioner by Herbal Essences.

After washing and conditioning my hair in the shower, I then towel dried my hair and applied the Totally Twisted Curls and Waves Conditioner. I used my wide tooth shower comb to remove any tangles, then brushed through my curls with a vent brush (I don't have a Denman brush, which is what Teri recommends using, but my vent brush seemed to do a pretty good job at distributing the product and detangling my curls). Since I washed my hair at night, I allowed my curls to hang loose for a little while (it probably wasn't even an hour), then I twisted my hair into six buns (three on each side of my head), secured them with duckbill hair clips, then put on my satin bonnet and went to sleep. The next morning, I took down my buns, fluffed out my hair, and this is what I got:

My hair looked well conditioned and moisturized for most of the day…
Then by the time night rolled around, my hair was looking a dry, crispy mess!
Although I spritzed my hair with water the following day and reapplied some of the Herbal Essences conditioner in areas that needed it most, my hair didn't have that well moisturized look and feel that I so love. On top of it, my curls didn't pass the "Touch Test." I always ask my husband to touch my hair and let me know what he thinks anytime I try a new product. He was not feeling the dry, crispiness that was my hair. Now, Tracyee, the diva who runs KISS, shared how she uses VO5 Moisture Milks daily as a moisturizer, then seals in the moisture with Aphogee Gloss Therapy Polisher or Avocado Oil. Perhaps that's where I went wrong: I didn't seal in the moisture with oil. Seeing that my curls were not looking or feeling lush with this product, I rinsed it out the following day and did a co-wash to remove any dirt/oil/product, and this is what I got:

My hair sans product

My curls felt soft and were well defined thanks to having the conditioner in my hair for a few days. Apparently, the Herbal Essences Conditioner acted as a great deep conditioning treatment, although it wasn't working too well as a styling/moisturizing aid. I can't really say that this method doesn't work for me just yet, as I plan to try it again, but next time seal in the moisture with some oil. I also may want to try a different type of conditioner, as the Aussie Moist has now piqued my interest. It just sounds moisturizing :-). Until then, I'll just stick with my combo of oil and curl activator gel, because it passes my moisture, look, and touch test!


XOXO

Hair

Palmers Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Milk vs. ORS Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion

Y'all know how much I love me some Olive Oil Hair Lotion by Organic Root Stimulator (ORS). Although I consider that to be one of my "tried and true" products, I must admit that there are times when I wonder if there is something better out there. However, even if I were to pursue a different product, I would still look for something that contains olive oil. I posted an article and video in yesterday's post that explains the benefits of olive oil in detail. As I was flipping through one of my black hair magazines, I noticed that Palmers has a line of hair products that contain olive oil. Similar to the ORS line, Palmers has an olive oil formulated shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizing hair lotion. I thought Palmers only made cocoa butter body lotion, but I must say that I am tempted to try their hair lotion. So, I thought I'd post the Palmers product and a description of it so that we can see how it stacks up against my beloved ORS:

Palmers OLIVE OIL Formula Moisturizing Hair Milk


A lightweight hair lotion for silky, smooth styles.

Infuse dry, Frizzy hair with the natural conditioning power of extra virgin olive oil. Penetrates hair strands with moisture, softness and shine for salon-quality style.

-Palmer's Organi- Gro
-Moisturizes and softens
-Helps Strengthen weak hair
-Protects hair before heat styling
-Delivers maximum shine

Directions: On Dry Hair: Place a small dollop into palms, rub hands together and smooth through hair from scalp to ends. On damp hair: Apply evenly, working throughout hair to protect from styling damage caused by heat appliances.

Ingredients: Water, Butyropermum, Parkii Butter, Cyclopenatsiloxne, Cycloheaxasiloxane, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Cetearmidopropyldimonium and others

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ORS Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion


Incredibly rich.

Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion protects, conditions and restores moisture to dry, thirsty hair. Organic Root Stimulator has blended olive oil into a rich moisturizing lotion that conditions and protects the hair from high heat. Organic Root Stimulator Moisturizing Hair Lotion restores the hair's natural moisture balance. With consistent use, your hair will begin to show improved elasticity, hydration and shine.

-Not greasy or sticky
-Protects the hair from high heat
-Long-lasting softness and shine
-Cruelty free products
-No animal testing.
-Protects the hair from blow dryers and curling irons
-Moisturizes the hair and scalp
-Conditions and strengthens damaged hair

Directions: Apply a small amount to hands, rub together and massage through hair. Comb and style as desired.

Ingredients: Water Aqua, Coconut Oil Cocos Nucifera, Sorbitol, Peanut Oil Arachis Hypogaea, Castor Oil Ricinus Communis, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cyclomethicone, Petrolatum, PEG-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cetyl Esters , Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Olive Oil Olea Europaea, BHT, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Methyl Paraben , Propyl Paraben, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance Parfum, Blue No. 1 CI 42090, Yellow No. 5 CI 19140

In summary: I'm not obsessive when it comes to checking for ingredients like some other ladies are, but I must say that I find it a bit strange that I can't pronounce anything in the Palmers' brand of hair lotion. At least I see some real oils in the ORS formula. Oh well, maybe I'll just stick to what I know best…