I Love My Fro

Just wanted to post a few pics of my afro. I love it so much!!

Clean Combs & Brushes: How often do you clean your tools

Another part of taking care of your hair requires clean tools. Combs, brushes, rollers, & clips are all tools we may use while styling and maintaining our hair everyday & they require cleaning often to help us achieve the best results.


No one wants to use the brush filled with hair and caked with product on freshly washed hair so chile
PLEASE CLEAN YOUR TOOLS

You should clean your tools that you use the most like brushes, combs & even hair bands when you wash your hair. I clean my brushes, combs and Afro pics every week because that’s how often I wash my hair. I usually start cleaning my tools about 30 minutes before I wash my hair, so I will have a clean comb when I detangle.

How I clean my combs, plastic rollers & brushes

Fill bathroom or kitchen sink with warm to hot water enough to cover the brushes & combs

Pour a cup of ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) in the water to loosen up the oil and product

Let the combs & brushes soak in the water vinegar mixture for about 10 minutes

If the water is cool add more hot water if you want

Pour ¼ cup of castile soap or soap of your choice in the water (You can make it as soapy as you want

I have a little scrub brush for your nails I use to clean the combs & denman brush bristles but an old toothbrush works too.

Other brushes you can let them soak and uses your hands to get any extra buildup off of the bristles

After you have cleaned your tools lay them on a towel to dry & now you can wash your hair!

So My Hair is Making Me Fat!!!

Today I ran across the most funniest article to me that talks about how the Surgeon General says black women can't loose weight because they don't want to mess up their hair. If my hair is whats keeping me from loosing weight Im cutting my hair off today LOL

That claim is bulla and its just pure laziness if people don't work out because of their hair. If someone said that to me I would give them a quick side eye followed by a Girl Boo!

Please read the article found on the Chicago Sun Times website: http://www.suntimes.com/7393166-417/surgeon-general-gets-it-wrong-black-womens-hair-not-to-blame-for-obesity.html

Brahmi & Neem Treatment

Sunday nights are hair love nights for me. I love to wash and condition my hair to prepare for the next week. So, last night I decided to do a Brahmi & Neem powder treatment on my hair. Brahmi and Neem are herbs found in India and are used for Ayurvedic hair care and medicinal purposes.

 Brahmi is a creeping herb and is also known as the water hyssop because of the habitat it loves to grow. Using this herb in your hair will prevent hair loss, premature graying, controls dandruff, promotes growth, Thickens your hair, & strengthens your hairs root. Another benefit of Brahmi that some see as a disadvantage is Brahmi darkens your hair. After using Brahmi people always ask if I dyed my hair jet black, but it’s the Brahmi and not a chemical!

Brahmi

Neem is a part of the evergreen family and its tree can grow as tall as 50ft. Neem is one of nature’s super plants because it has anti-bacterial, fungal, & viral properties. The powder and oil forms of Neem are very beneficial to external & internal health. Neem can be used to treat burns, eczema, ring worm & rashes. If used on the hair it will help control dandruff and eczema. Taken internally Neem will help purify the body and rid it of parasites and worms ewwww! Herbs like Neem are bitter so if you do take this for cleansing purposes you may want to take it in a capsule or put it in a shake to hide the taste.

Neem

Ok enough education now on to how to apply this treatment


Things you will need:


1 old plastic container (small-medium butter/margarine tub)


1 Plastic shower cap


1 package of Brahmi Powder


1 package of Neem powder


1 spoon


Relaxer Application brush


Gloves


Optional Items


Essential Oils for smell


Carrier oil of choice


Gloves


FYI: Your hair should be sectioned into 4 sections for easy application


If you have TWA to medium sized from like mine you can use about half a package of powder and since we are using 2 powders you want to use & estimate 1/3 of each powder into the bowl

For long hair you will have to use 1 whole package so you will use half brahmi and half neem using a medium sized bowl


Once the powder is in the bowl you want to put water in to make the mixture I use warm water so it won’t be cold on my scalp. I’ve never measured the amount of water I’ve used. Just start slow until you reach the consistency of slightly thick cake batter.

***Oils: If you choose to use oil use a lighter oil and only use a tablespoon you don’t want it to be greasy.


***Essential Oils: You can add oils that promote hair growth and stimulate the scalp like Peppermint, Rosemary, Ylang ylang, & cedarwood. Also to make it smell even better add some lemongrass to the mixture a few drops of each will take away the herby smell from the powders.


Ok now you can apply the mixture to your hair by first taking down one of the sections and apply the mix by making parts in the section like applying perm.


After you have done that to all the sections take the remaining mixture and apply to you hair using your hands.


& be careful not to let it sit on the counter tops too long and can stain a lil bit like henna.


Let the mixture sit on your hair with the shower cap for 30-60mins


Rinse the mixture from your hair in the shower only using water at first


Then use your shampoo or natural soap of choice to wash your hair.


Rinse and repeat about 2 or 3 times to make sure it’s all out then you can condition however you want.


Have fun!!!!


This is a pic from the next day I always sleep in pony tails! Excuse the sloppy parts lol I was sleepy!

Getting It Straight The Brazillian Way: Formaldahyde Confirmed in Brazillian Blowout

 Picture Link

The popular treatment to straighten curly & knotty hair has been confirmed by the FDA of having the dangerous chemical formaldehyde as an ingredient. Formaldehyde is mostly known as embalming fluid when preserving bodies for burial. I looked up the MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheet for this chemical and I wasn’t surprised at the effects it can have on humans. So, many have the desire for long beautiful straight hair, but how much are you willing to pay for straight hair? Your health? I found the original story here on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44428236#.TmfennONp9A.

So, if you don’t know what formaldehyde is he is a brief intro to this chemical.

Formaldehyde MSDS:  http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924095

Formaldehyde is a flammable, colorless and pungent smelling substance that is used in a variety of ways from preserving dead bodies, making cigarettes, making many materials used to build homes & buildings. This substance is also a known cancer causing agent called a carcinogen and has been linked to several different types of cancer. Cancers like leukemia and lung cancer are common diseases that are associated with exposure to formaldehyde. (Formaldehyde and cancer)

Long term and short term exposure to this chemical can cause a lifetime of ailments. Chronic or extreme effects of this chemical on people include:

• Birth defects
• Reproductive issues
• Skin burns & discoloration
• Irritation to the respiratory tract
• Bronchitis
• Convulsions
• Headaches
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Kidney issues

And the list can go on. So why would someone put this chemical in our hair products or any other products we may handle on a day to day basis? (Formaldehyde material safety)

The reason why cosmetic manufacturers are allowed to use such harsh chemicals is because the cosmetic industry is not regulated by the FDA. Other chemicals just as dangerous as formaldehyde are used in product we use every day, but because it works for us we never bother to question why this chemical are in my products.

We can’t demand safe products until we the people hold the companies accountable for using the dangerous substances that they use. In the black community our hair and skin products are laced with chemicals galore and no one says a thing. When a person does question the integrity of the ingredients in a product amongst peers, the person becomes the adversary and common responses from the sleepers are we’ll all die from something or we’ve been using it all this time and nothing has happen. Yet, the truth is lots of things have happen, but we don’t ever think it’s the products we use.

Formaldehyde used in a hair treatment is very scary to me because the product is placed on your head which comes in contact with your scalp and is then absorbed through your skin that covers blood vessels and veins attached to your brain! When will the black community take responsibility for accepting whatever is handed to us? This is more than a corporate integrity problem this is a communal knowledge problem.

People in the black hair world get all up tight when you mention ingredients you shouldn’t use on your hair and body, but shouldn’t they be rejoicing that someone is warning them about the effects of products they use every day.

How may wake up calls will it take before we take a stand against the use of anything in cosmetics….Today I’m taking a stand, what about you?

References

Formaldehyde material saftey data sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924095

Formaldehyde and cancer risk. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde

Pi Nappa What!! My take on the #NaturalHair sorority

So the latest in #NaturalHair news is about this new Natural Hair Sorority Pi Nappa Kappa. 

Pi Nappa Kappa 

Twitter has been in an uproar about this sorority. There have been people who support it and those who don’t and it seems that the main reason why people don’t like the idea of a sorority is because it seems to only single out naturals and shun people with relaxed hair. I personally think it’s a clever idea but I don’t think it’s necessary. There are many #NaturalHair meetup groups that people have available to join and this sorority in my opinion it just seems like another meet up group but on a larger scale. Maybe some want to feel as if they are a part of some type of organization. 

Another reason why I don’t agree with the whole greek org idea is that the letters Pi Nappa Kappa take away from the actual greek alphabet. Nappa is not letter in the greek alphabet. I believe those who are members of a Greek org within the divine 9 have paid their fair share of dues to wear the letters that they do and it’s almost disrespectful. Maybe I’m looking too deep into this, but this is what I feel at the moment. The sorority does foster some good.

The group is promoting some positive behaviors in their pledge listed here:
1. I am a smart, special, valuable person!
2. I respect myself and I respect others.
3. My words and actions are kind and honest.
4. I will respect the dignity and essential worth of all individuals.
5.I will promote the diversity of opinions, ideas, hairstyles and backgrounds which is the lifeblood of the sorority.
6. I will promote a culture of respect throughout the natural hair community.
7. I will not tolerate bigotry, discrimination, violence, or intimidation of any kind.
8. I will practice personal integrity and expect it from others.
9. I will always be proud of my natural born hair.
10. I accept only my best in all I do.
I am PROUD to be ME!

Since, natural hair has made its comeback there has been a divide between women with relaxed and natural hair. This is another reason some say the sorority needs to be stop, but when you think about it the other natural hair meetup groups need to be shut down as well. A website I follow that is a hub for hair of all types is Hairlista.com. Hairlista has done a very good job with keeping the peace on the site between #NaturalHair extremist & #Relaxer extremist. A lot of people like to keep division between natural and relaxed people but there are those who offer advice to all no matter the hair type.