Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Choosing Your Products

Okay, so as many of you all know, I'm a mostly homemade, organic type of natural. However, for those of you who are PJ's or just don't have the time to invest in making your own products here are a few tips to choosing products that benefit your hair. Now, please, remember that no one product or products are going to work for everyone. Your hair, just like you, is completely unique! This is just meant to be a starting point and I'd suggest you go for the cheaper products and slowly work your way up the price points. No point in investing $40 in a conditioner that doesn't work the way you want, especially where there may be a $5 option.

Anywho, enough of my blabbing here's the tips:

1. Read ALL product labels.
2. Pay close attention to the first five ingredients! These are what the product is mostly comprised of. Companies are required to list ingredients in descending order. This is especially important when looking for a shampoo, conditioner, or leave-in conditioner.
3. Give your product at least 3 months before you ditch it.
4. If you can't pronounce the ingredient, chances are it's not good for you or unnecessary.
5. Avoid alcohols, petroleum based products (this includes mineral oil as it is a derivitive of petroleum), anything that doesn't list water in the first 5, Pilyethylene Glycol (PEG), Propylene Glycol, DEA, MEA, TEA, Cholrine, FD & C Color Pigments, and Fragrance just to name a few. Not only are many of these products detrimental to the health of your hair but some of them are downright harmful to your HEALTH!


My last tip is the MOST important of all:
DO WHAT FEELS RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR HAIR! Listen to those curls because they are the best guide you will ever have!

Monday, April 14, 2014

Protective Styling

So, lately I've been going back and forth between mini twists and loose twists as go to protective styles. Both are single, two strand twists and both can be worn for weeks on end. Both also allow you to moisture and protect your ends as well as versatile styling options. For those of you who are unfamiliar with either technique, I'll post links to tutorials on YouTube from two lovely ladies and my personal favorites below. So far, I'm loving the length I've retained and the ease of both styles. What are some of your favorite protective styles and what works best for you? Let me know!




Naptural85's Mini Twist Tutorial: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OSBFMjCoZOQ
MsTanish's Loose Twist Tutorial: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eiZqSEBiOJM

Ms Tanish's video also has an awesome routine for length retention. She's a 4B-4C, so she really understands and speaks to kinky girls like me.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Domineque Banks (longhairdontcare2011) Memorial Fund Update

Thank you so much to my readers who gave and/or shared the link to Domineque's Memorial Fundraiser! It's due to that sweeping response from you beautiful souls that allowed Domin's family to not only reach, but, exceed their goal! The fund is still open and if you'd still like to give, you have 36 hours left. I'm sure her friends and family are eternally grateful. There's a message acknowledging and thanking everyone for the rapid response. Again the fundraiser link is: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/rmd4/in-memory-of-domineque-banks

And bless each and everyone of you who read my previous post and responded so swiftly. It shows the strands that bond the natural community are strong, healthy, and globally boundless.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Natural Community Has Suffered a Great Loss! RIP Domineque Banks (longhairdontcare2011)

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I deliver this news: The lovely Domineque Banks or as we all know her, longhairdontcare2011 from YouTube, is no longer with us. She passed away due to complications from lupus yesterday. She was 27 years young. There is a fund set up to cover the expenses for her final rest and I will supply the link below. I'm asking each and every one of my readers to please give to honor her. She gave us all joy, advice, knowledge, and hair envy via her wonderful YouTube Videos. As she suffered from lupus, I'm sure she gave of herself even when she was not feeling the best. As a natural community, I ask that we band together to support her friends and family in their efforts to pay her this final honor. She will be sorely missed. I, personally, enjoyed her videos.

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/rmd4/in-memory-of-domineque-banks