Hello my lovely followers and Happy Halloween!
Now that we go that out of the way,I went shopping for hair products this weekend! So I came back with Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque w/ Sea Kelp,Argan Oil & Shea Butter. Like I mentioned previously I read on the Thank God I'm Natural blog that this was an awesome brand. Not to mention that my friend has some of their products and they work fabulously on her hair and her daughters. If that was not enough
the ingredients are all things that I can pronounce,identify and are natural. So I am going to do my regimen and tomorrow give the results for the product.Hey if any of you all know of any great products or have used this product before please don't hesitate to leave your comment.
Always,
Verano
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Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
My winter regimen
Hello to all my lovely followers
So today I want to let you all know what I do to to keep my hair looking and feeling its best. I wash my hair once every week and a half to every two weeks. I use to only co-wash my hair (natural term for only using conditioner to cleanse your hair) but since I started making my own shampoo that has changed (check out the post on my home made lavender shampoo) I am in between conditioners right now, after educating myself on what silicone's do for your hair I started making my own deep conditioner. Ummm lets just say that I have not mastered that yet :/ So I am going to target this weekend to buy shea moisture organic deep conditioner and I will let you know how it works. Right now I am using Trader Joe's conditioner which is organic and works perfectly for my hair. I do a hot oil treatment once a month with olive oil. Oh and when I deep condition my hair I like to add a little coconut oil in the conditioner or whenever I feel that my hair is getting a little dry I will rub coconut oil on it (especially my twists that are some days old) right before I hop in the shower. Once I get out of the shower I part my hair into four parts then comb each section with my wide tooth comb, this is the only time that I comb my hair. Once that is all done I style and repeat every two weeks, please feel free to post what works for your hair during the winter months.
Always,
Verano
So today I want to let you all know what I do to to keep my hair looking and feeling its best. I wash my hair once every week and a half to every two weeks. I use to only co-wash my hair (natural term for only using conditioner to cleanse your hair) but since I started making my own shampoo that has changed (check out the post on my home made lavender shampoo) I am in between conditioners right now, after educating myself on what silicone's do for your hair I started making my own deep conditioner. Ummm lets just say that I have not mastered that yet :/ So I am going to target this weekend to buy shea moisture organic deep conditioner and I will let you know how it works. Right now I am using Trader Joe's conditioner which is organic and works perfectly for my hair. I do a hot oil treatment once a month with olive oil. Oh and when I deep condition my hair I like to add a little coconut oil in the conditioner or whenever I feel that my hair is getting a little dry I will rub coconut oil on it (especially my twists that are some days old) right before I hop in the shower. Once I get out of the shower I part my hair into four parts then comb each section with my wide tooth comb, this is the only time that I comb my hair. Once that is all done I style and repeat every two weeks, please feel free to post what works for your hair during the winter months.
Always,
Verano
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Silicones,Sulfates and Oils what is a natural girl to do? part 2
Hello to all of my lovely followers,
Alright and I am back! So lets dive into oils!!!!!!!!!! Now I am pretty sure that you all have heard very negative comments about Petroleum. In order to describe what petroleum does to your hair I will compare it to something..Okay so in the winter time once I get out of the shower I apply Vaseline to my skin (petroleum) in order to keep all the moisture in my skin and provide a barrier from the harsh weather. Well this is the same thing that petroleum is doing to your hair and yes it sounds good but petroleum based products clog your pores and hair follicles. Once you put a petroleum based product on your hair it acts as a barrier to anything else that you might put on your hair. You definitely do not want a barrier blocking all your efforts to properly moisturize your hair, keep in mind that petroleum does not moisturize the hair it just coats it and retains what moisture that you already have. On to mineral oil,which plays a trick on you and your hair. Once applied your hair appears to be shiny and well moisturized but give it a day or a couple of hours (depending on your hair type) and your hair will appear very dry but to the touch will have plenty of oil on it. Mineral oil just like petroleum it coats your hair not allowing any moisture to get in, but I think that it is more of a threat because you will think that your hair is moisturized and therefore not properly manage your hair causing it to become brittle and break off. There are people who think that using water based products are the best option because water has the most moisture,but in my experience water based products do not work on my hair. Not only do they not give me a sheen but my hair drinks up the product in one day. My rule is ALWAYS check the labels if a product has petroleum in it or mineral oil in it I don't use it. Now with that said don't go and throw out all of your products this is your hair and your experiences see what works for you. I know how hard it is to find something that works but you have been warned. Using products with these ingredients are harmful to the growth and health of your hair. I do not use any products in my hair with these ingredients because they cause my hair to look grey. Having natural hair is a journey you get to learn and love your hair as you should have done when you were a child. Everything is trial and error and as long as there are no texture changing chemicals involved I say try everything. Personally my hair has done the best with natural products and things that I make. Oh and one more thing when you are reading the labels the first ingredient has the highest concentration in that product.Please comment on your experiences positive and negative with these ingredients and don't forget to follow!
Always,
Verano
Alright and I am back! So lets dive into oils!!!!!!!!!! Now I am pretty sure that you all have heard very negative comments about Petroleum. In order to describe what petroleum does to your hair I will compare it to something..Okay so in the winter time once I get out of the shower I apply Vaseline to my skin (petroleum) in order to keep all the moisture in my skin and provide a barrier from the harsh weather. Well this is the same thing that petroleum is doing to your hair and yes it sounds good but petroleum based products clog your pores and hair follicles. Once you put a petroleum based product on your hair it acts as a barrier to anything else that you might put on your hair. You definitely do not want a barrier blocking all your efforts to properly moisturize your hair, keep in mind that petroleum does not moisturize the hair it just coats it and retains what moisture that you already have. On to mineral oil,which plays a trick on you and your hair. Once applied your hair appears to be shiny and well moisturized but give it a day or a couple of hours (depending on your hair type) and your hair will appear very dry but to the touch will have plenty of oil on it. Mineral oil just like petroleum it coats your hair not allowing any moisture to get in, but I think that it is more of a threat because you will think that your hair is moisturized and therefore not properly manage your hair causing it to become brittle and break off. There are people who think that using water based products are the best option because water has the most moisture,but in my experience water based products do not work on my hair. Not only do they not give me a sheen but my hair drinks up the product in one day. My rule is ALWAYS check the labels if a product has petroleum in it or mineral oil in it I don't use it. Now with that said don't go and throw out all of your products this is your hair and your experiences see what works for you. I know how hard it is to find something that works but you have been warned. Using products with these ingredients are harmful to the growth and health of your hair. I do not use any products in my hair with these ingredients because they cause my hair to look grey. Having natural hair is a journey you get to learn and love your hair as you should have done when you were a child. Everything is trial and error and as long as there are no texture changing chemicals involved I say try everything. Personally my hair has done the best with natural products and things that I make. Oh and one more thing when you are reading the labels the first ingredient has the highest concentration in that product.Please comment on your experiences positive and negative with these ingredients and don't forget to follow!
Always,
Verano
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Home made lavender shampoo review after a day
Hello to all my lovely followers
I just had to blog about the results of my home made lavender shampoo. So as I was getting ready to twist my hair (protective hair styles for the winter time is a must!) I noticed that my curl pattern that usually frizzes away to nothing once the water had dried from my hair was still there, and my hair felt smooth,silky,moisturized and healthy. It really is a must try naturals! and it is something that I will use forever!
Always,
Verano
I just had to blog about the results of my home made lavender shampoo. So as I was getting ready to twist my hair (protective hair styles for the winter time is a must!) I noticed that my curl pattern that usually frizzes away to nothing once the water had dried from my hair was still there, and my hair felt smooth,silky,moisturized and healthy. It really is a must try naturals! and it is something that I will use forever!
Always,
Verano
Silicones,Sulfates and Oils what is a natural girl to do? part 1
Hello to all my lovely followers!
Today lets tackle the natural enemies of our curly hair. I am just joking of course! I will give you some information on these chemicals and my opinion and hopefully help you to come to an informative decision on the subject. Okay so I am pretty sure that you are hearing a lot of negative talk about silicone's and sulfates but sometimes its hard to get to the bottom of these opinions. Lets start at the top with sulfates. Sulfates can be found in shampoos they are a harsh cleaning agent that strips the hair of everything. Now if you are putting heavy products on your hair or using a conditioner with silicone's you will need to use a shampoo with sulfates in them because that is the only chemical that can get rid of silicone's. Sulfates cause the hair to be dry and brittle and will remove all oils from your hair natural and other wise. Now I don't suggest using products with sulfates because they strip your hair and I for one work too hard to keep my hair properly moisturized to have it stripped in one washing. Okay so now on to silicone's there are two types water soluble and non water soluble. For right now lets focus on non-water soluble. Silicone's can be found in conditioners and they coat the hair and like I stated before the only thing that can remove them are sulfates. In my personal opinion I don't want anything coating my hair because then it will not be able to absorb any of the oils that I put in my hair. At first silicone's make your hair look smooth and shiny but this is only temporary many people say that after awhile their hair looks dull. If you think back I am pretty sure that you can recall hearing some hair professional say that after awhile you need to change your shampoo and conditioner. This is because after time the silicone's will cause your hair to look dull and lifeless this happens because of product build up to be more specific silicone build up. Now some people use conditioners with silicone's and they don't have any problem. Non water soluble silicone's usually end in ane,cane,one,and cone. There are a lot of you who only co-wash (natural term for only washing with conditioner) if this is the case for you I don't recommend using a conditioner with silicone's. Water soluble silicone's have a PEG in front of them and they are safe to use in the co-washing process. I suggest before throwing away any of your products keep what works for you and your hair. Now that was a lot! I was going to cover oils but I think I will make that my next post because I have a lot of information on that as well. Please follow and comment and let me know what your take is on the whole silicone and sulfate debate.
Always,
Verano
Today lets tackle the natural enemies of our curly hair. I am just joking of course! I will give you some information on these chemicals and my opinion and hopefully help you to come to an informative decision on the subject. Okay so I am pretty sure that you are hearing a lot of negative talk about silicone's and sulfates but sometimes its hard to get to the bottom of these opinions. Lets start at the top with sulfates. Sulfates can be found in shampoos they are a harsh cleaning agent that strips the hair of everything. Now if you are putting heavy products on your hair or using a conditioner with silicone's you will need to use a shampoo with sulfates in them because that is the only chemical that can get rid of silicone's. Sulfates cause the hair to be dry and brittle and will remove all oils from your hair natural and other wise. Now I don't suggest using products with sulfates because they strip your hair and I for one work too hard to keep my hair properly moisturized to have it stripped in one washing. Okay so now on to silicone's there are two types water soluble and non water soluble. For right now lets focus on non-water soluble. Silicone's can be found in conditioners and they coat the hair and like I stated before the only thing that can remove them are sulfates. In my personal opinion I don't want anything coating my hair because then it will not be able to absorb any of the oils that I put in my hair. At first silicone's make your hair look smooth and shiny but this is only temporary many people say that after awhile their hair looks dull. If you think back I am pretty sure that you can recall hearing some hair professional say that after awhile you need to change your shampoo and conditioner. This is because after time the silicone's will cause your hair to look dull and lifeless this happens because of product build up to be more specific silicone build up. Now some people use conditioners with silicone's and they don't have any problem. Non water soluble silicone's usually end in ane,cane,one,and cone. There are a lot of you who only co-wash (natural term for only washing with conditioner) if this is the case for you I don't recommend using a conditioner with silicone's. Water soluble silicone's have a PEG in front of them and they are safe to use in the co-washing process. I suggest before throwing away any of your products keep what works for you and your hair. Now that was a lot! I was going to cover oils but I think I will make that my next post because I have a lot of information on that as well. Please follow and comment and let me know what your take is on the whole silicone and sulfate debate.
Always,
Verano
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Home made lavender shampoo
Hello my lovely followers
Okay so I am so excited that I just had to do a quick blog. I made some lavender shampoo a couple of days ago and used it today. You talking about something that was awesome when it first went on my head I could tell that it was going to fully moisturize and clean my hair. I got out of the shower and my hair was bouncy and clean without being stripped. I don't use shampoo I co-wash my hair (co-wash or no poo is a term used when naturals only use conditioners to wash their hair) but I wanted to give shampoo a try and ran across this recipe, it was such a pleasant surprise and not to mention totally relaxing because of the lavender. Unfortunately I did not jot down the website that I received this recipe from but a major shout out to whomever came up with this little piece of heaven for my hair! Try it out and see if you like it as always what works for me might not work for you but my motto is as long as it is a natural product there is nothing that could happen, other than I hate it or love it. The recipe is below please let me know if this works for you
Always,
Verano
Okay so I am so excited that I just had to do a quick blog. I made some lavender shampoo a couple of days ago and used it today. You talking about something that was awesome when it first went on my head I could tell that it was going to fully moisturize and clean my hair. I got out of the shower and my hair was bouncy and clean without being stripped. I don't use shampoo I co-wash my hair (co-wash or no poo is a term used when naturals only use conditioners to wash their hair) but I wanted to give shampoo a try and ran across this recipe, it was such a pleasant surprise and not to mention totally relaxing because of the lavender. Unfortunately I did not jot down the website that I received this recipe from but a major shout out to whomever came up with this little piece of heaven for my hair! Try it out and see if you like it as always what works for me might not work for you but my motto is as long as it is a natural product there is nothing that could happen, other than I hate it or love it. The recipe is below please let me know if this works for you
Always,
Verano
Natural Shampoo Base
This is the base I use for making essential oil and spice shampoos. It makes 1/2 cup of concentrated shampoo.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup castile soap
1/2 teaspoon of (extra virgin) olive oil
1/4 cup castile soap
1/2 teaspoon of (extra virgin) olive oil
Method:
Mix together all ingredients and place into shampoo bottle.
Lavender is an time honored aromatherapy treasure. It soothes an irritated scalp and stimulates the hair follicles. Lavender also aids in relaxation and feelings of well-being.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lavender
2 tablespoons of glycerin
1/2 cup Natural Shampoo Base
1/2 cup fresh lavender
2 tablespoons of glycerin
1/2 cup Natural Shampoo Base
Essential Oils:
5 drops of lavender essential oil
Method:
Mix water and lavender together into a heavy bottom pot and bring to a boil.
Let boil gently for at least twenty minutes.
Let cool slightly and add basic shampoo mixture and glycerin slowly to herbal mixture.
Mix well.
Pour shampoo into container and let stand for a few days to allow the mixture to thicken.
Use as you would your regular shampoo.
Let boil gently for at least twenty minutes.
Let cool slightly and add basic shampoo mixture and glycerin slowly to herbal mixture.
Mix well.
Pour shampoo into container and let stand for a few days to allow the mixture to thicken.
Use as you would your regular shampoo.
Winter Seasons...Is Your Hair Fully Moisturized
Hello my lovely followers,
Okay so you were whipping your hair in the summer stunting on folks but now it seems like all your moisture is gone and you can't seem to get it back. Don't fear lovely naturals you can retain the same amount of moisture in the winter months with the right knowledge. First I will give you some information as to why your hair care routine isn't working anymore; in the summer months there is moisture in the air therefore making it easy to retain the moisture in your hair. You will hear a lot of naturals saying that they use glycerin to secure their moisture. Glycerin is a by product of the soap making process it is a humectant and at high concentrations it will attract and hold water from the environment therefore causing your hair to glisten. Since the winter months are cold and dry (in most areas) your hair is most likely loosing all of its shine. In the winter time you hair feels kind of schizophrenic with the constant change in temperature, from the warmth of your car to the harsh cold outside, to the warmth of your office. The best solution is to wear what we like to call protective hair styles. These hair styles include but are not limited to braids,twists,weaves,wigs....whatever floats your boat. In the winter time I like to wear twists and head coverings (fashionable ones of course) oh and remember if you are going to wear a winter hat please wear a scarf over your hair until you reach your destination. Okay so we still need to cover your hair care routine....This is when you hit your hair with your heavy hitters it is all about protecting your tresses. I leave the glycerin on the shelf and exchange it for cold pressed and cold processed castor oil (will blog about the benefits of cold pressed and processed oils later) not only as a hot oil treatment but as a moisturizer..maybe castor oil does not work well for you the object is to use a heavy oil that will coat your hair against the elements. Also invest in a good deep conditioner, a deep conditioner should have to be kept in your hair for at least 15 min. You should also use shea butter (a natural hair conditioner and moisturizer) and last but not least please remember to wrap your hair before bed time. So to sum it all up 1.Don't forget to moisturize your hair with something that will coat the hair shaft and follicles therefore retaining your moisture 2. Give yourself a hot oil treatment at least once a month 3. I suggest only deep conditioning your hair during these times 4. And finding a good moisturizer for your hair ie shea butter or natures blessing (my favorites)
Most importantly remember that getting to know and love your hair is a work in progress what works for me might not work for you so with that in mind try it all until you find what works for your hair. Good luck and remember moisture is a curly girls best friend!
Always,
Verano
Okay so you were whipping your hair in the summer stunting on folks but now it seems like all your moisture is gone and you can't seem to get it back. Don't fear lovely naturals you can retain the same amount of moisture in the winter months with the right knowledge. First I will give you some information as to why your hair care routine isn't working anymore; in the summer months there is moisture in the air therefore making it easy to retain the moisture in your hair. You will hear a lot of naturals saying that they use glycerin to secure their moisture. Glycerin is a by product of the soap making process it is a humectant and at high concentrations it will attract and hold water from the environment therefore causing your hair to glisten. Since the winter months are cold and dry (in most areas) your hair is most likely loosing all of its shine. In the winter time you hair feels kind of schizophrenic with the constant change in temperature, from the warmth of your car to the harsh cold outside, to the warmth of your office. The best solution is to wear what we like to call protective hair styles. These hair styles include but are not limited to braids,twists,weaves,wigs....whatever floats your boat. In the winter time I like to wear twists and head coverings (fashionable ones of course) oh and remember if you are going to wear a winter hat please wear a scarf over your hair until you reach your destination. Okay so we still need to cover your hair care routine....This is when you hit your hair with your heavy hitters it is all about protecting your tresses. I leave the glycerin on the shelf and exchange it for cold pressed and cold processed castor oil (will blog about the benefits of cold pressed and processed oils later) not only as a hot oil treatment but as a moisturizer..maybe castor oil does not work well for you the object is to use a heavy oil that will coat your hair against the elements. Also invest in a good deep conditioner, a deep conditioner should have to be kept in your hair for at least 15 min. You should also use shea butter (a natural hair conditioner and moisturizer) and last but not least please remember to wrap your hair before bed time. So to sum it all up 1.Don't forget to moisturize your hair with something that will coat the hair shaft and follicles therefore retaining your moisture 2. Give yourself a hot oil treatment at least once a month 3. I suggest only deep conditioning your hair during these times 4. And finding a good moisturizer for your hair ie shea butter or natures blessing (my favorites)
Most importantly remember that getting to know and love your hair is a work in progress what works for me might not work for you so with that in mind try it all until you find what works for your hair. Good luck and remember moisture is a curly girls best friend!
Always,
Verano
Saturday, October 23, 2010
My natural journey
Hello to all my lovely followers!
So since this is my first post I just want to let you know the history of my natural hair journey. I did not get my first relaxer until I was about 13 (and it was against my Mothers will) So as I went thru high school I knew that I did not want my hair relaxed so I started getting micros to go thru the transformation process. In college I changed over to kinky twists and I did this for about 2 years. After the two years I took the kinky twists out and just rocked my natural hair this lasted for 3 beautiful years! Until I had a mental breakdown (not literally) but that is was I like to call the stint I did when I dyed my hair honey blonde and relaxed it (I am ashamed!) But seriously it was crazy I got a super bad chemical burn and had to cut all my hair. So still not getting the clue I continued to get my hair processed. All along I really missed my beautiful tresses so after a year of this and my hair hanging down to my neck I went into the transitioning phase. I wore bantu knots and twists with up do's for 1 year and then I did the BC (natural term for the big chop) I cut my hair (yes I did it myself!) down to about 3 inches it was WONDERFULLY LIBERATING!!! and here I am almost a year after that living and loving me naturally! The best decision that I have ever made was to let go of all that dead hair and let my beautiful locks shine through! And now you know how my natural journey began. If you are thinking about beginning yours don't hesitate you will feel better instantly and if you are already natural please share your natural hair journey experiences negative and positive.
Always,
Verano
So since this is my first post I just want to let you know the history of my natural hair journey. I did not get my first relaxer until I was about 13 (and it was against my Mothers will) So as I went thru high school I knew that I did not want my hair relaxed so I started getting micros to go thru the transformation process. In college I changed over to kinky twists and I did this for about 2 years. After the two years I took the kinky twists out and just rocked my natural hair this lasted for 3 beautiful years! Until I had a mental breakdown (not literally) but that is was I like to call the stint I did when I dyed my hair honey blonde and relaxed it (I am ashamed!) But seriously it was crazy I got a super bad chemical burn and had to cut all my hair. So still not getting the clue I continued to get my hair processed. All along I really missed my beautiful tresses so after a year of this and my hair hanging down to my neck I went into the transitioning phase. I wore bantu knots and twists with up do's for 1 year and then I did the BC (natural term for the big chop) I cut my hair (yes I did it myself!) down to about 3 inches it was WONDERFULLY LIBERATING!!! and here I am almost a year after that living and loving me naturally! The best decision that I have ever made was to let go of all that dead hair and let my beautiful locks shine through! And now you know how my natural journey began. If you are thinking about beginning yours don't hesitate you will feel better instantly and if you are already natural please share your natural hair journey experiences negative and positive.
Always,
Verano
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