Stylin n Profilin: TWA + New Oil!!!!!

Hello hello to all of my lovely naturals,

So I must admit that I have been a little bit bias, I have forgotten about our natural men and our sista's who have just transitioned. For those of you who are currently rockin' your twa (teeny weeny afro) I wanna so go head wit you bad self. I loved when my hair was super short it was so cute and so sassy. On the other hand I feel your pain cuz eventually you get tired of the wash and go but don't fret it will all be over with in a matter of months. For the ladies that have a twa don't forget to use head bands,flowers,clips, oh and hair combs. You can also pin your hair into a fro hawk. I know that I have been preaching about protective styles, no wash n go, and moisturize but for you all with twa's a wash n go is really all you have. So here are a couple of tips: First remember that you don't have to do a wash and go all the time, after you wash you hair you can apply a leave in conditioner, then on the days that you hair is looking a little thirsty you can add water to rejuvenate. Second water is your friend sometimes whipped shea butter and castor oil are too heavy for your twa, I use to use distilled water mixed with aloe vera juice.Third invest in a light oil moisturizer ie coconut oil, sweet almond oil,jojoba oil, tea tree oil....and mix this with a heavier oil ie castor oil or olive oil...when mixing these oils remember to use more light oil than heavier oil. Keep in mind that this length is only temporary and cherish it cuz the more you hair grows the more time consuming it can be. Okay so on to the hairstyle my friend Xety came over and he is growing his hair out. Now I would be lying if I didn't say that it was a hot mess but fortunately for him I did not take any before pics. His hair was just dry you know to the point where it even looks dry and once this happens you curls just look pitiful. Make sure that you are moisturizing every day and it is super easy when you have a twa. Anyway lucky for him I was just concocting an elixir and had some left over. I was playing around with the whipped coconut oil recipe that I posted last week instead of using aloe vera juice I used castor oil and loved the results. First I sprayed his hair with distilled water and then worked in the elixir. So without further adue here is the recipe and the pics. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Always,

Verano




Whipped Coconut Oil Remix

1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon of Castor Oil

Then Whip It!!

Glycerin and Aloe Vera Juice/Gel

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

Today I want to go over some of my favorite products!!! I use these is almost all of my home brewed elixirs. They not only moisturize but they also bring a shine to my hair. Now you will hear  a lot of people say that you should not use glycerin in the winter time, I say figure it out for yourself use what works on your hair no matter the season! So below you will find the definitions for these products and I hope that this helps you to make educated decisions when it comes to putting products in your hair.

Aloe Vera Juice/Gel: Helps with dry,damaged and frizzy hair. Acts as a natural conditioner and moisturizer. Also has the ability to grow hair in some people the gel/juice will activate an enzyme therefore promoting hair growth.


Glycerin:is a clear, sticky liquid that is naturally produced during the soap making process. As a humectant, it attracts moisture, so is nice to use in products designed to provide additional hydration to the skin or hair. Since glycerin attracts moisture from the environment it will attract moisture from the air and toward the hair. The effectiveness of glycerin in a dry climate is questionable since a dry environment contains no moisture to be pulled toward the skin.

Always,

Verano

Stylin n Profilin: Protective Braids

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!

I hope that you all had a blast for the holiday, cuz I know I did : ) So for most of us it is getting colder outside meaning that the days of the wash and go are over. In order to maintain proper moisture we will need to protect our hair, we can do that by properly moisturizing and wearing it in styles that are no fuss and do not unnecessarily cause our hair to be exposed to the elements. This does not mean that you can not wear the occasional blow out, braid out, afro puff and so on and so forth. This means that you should keep your hair in a protective style for 80 percent of the week at least in order to insure that your beautiful locs will still be able to thrive. Okay so on to my hairstyle...in order to achieve this hairstyle I first sprayed my hair with some water then moisturized it with natures blessing and detangled. Then I begun my braids but I started from the bottom going up, once I was done I pin curled (my fav) the tips and tied it up. In the morning I got up and took down the middle braid by a couple of inches and poofed it up into a mini bouffant. This style can be worn for a week and a half then for the rest of the week you can wear a braid out. Oh and remember that just because you have your hair in braids does not mean that you can relax on moisturizing your hair. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Always,

Verano

My Miracle Elixir: Whipped Coconut Oil

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!

Alright I am not sure which site I got this from but it is the bomb! After I hennaed my hair (well talk about that later) I put it into twists and sealed it with my whipped coconut oil. I loved it because it is not as heavy as my whipped shea butter so I can use this whenever I need something more than my spritzer but less than my whipped shea butter and it adds just the right amount of sheen. Try it!


1/2 cup of virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon of aloe vera juice/gel

and whip it!

Stylin n Profilin: Fat Twist Out w/ Twist Headband

Hello to all my lovely naturals!!!!

Okay so I apologize about not posting yesterday but I was filming my video for youtube which I posted this afternoon so check me out at MzGrimmage!!! and tell me what you think. I know that I have been posting Sun-Thurs but now that I have my youtube up and working (well it needs a little bit more work) I will have to balance or better yet juggle the two, that being said there might be some changes coming; I will let you all know when I figure it out myself. Now that's out of the way I want to show you all this easy hair do that I did for my friend and fellow blogger Metaphor. I co-washed the hair with Trader Joes Nourish Spa Conditioner and deep conditioned it with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. Then I hit it with my whipped shea butter and I applied my natural spritzer on it, detangled, and twisted it into about 7/8 fat twists which then were pin curled. Once everything dried (she slept on it) I put some castor oil on my fingers and un raveled the twists, poofed the hair. I sectioned off the top and twisted from one ear to the next then secured the end of the twist with a bobby pin that I hid behind her ear. In order to maintain this hair style all you need to do is twist the back part of your hair every other day (or everyday its up to you) and un ravel in the morning. Check it out drop a line and tell me what you think.

Stylin n Profilin: How to revamp that braid/twist out!

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,


Since it is winter time and I know that all of you lovely natural divas are in straight protect mode, we could all use a couple of pointers on how to make our styles last just a bit longer. After a couple of days of wearing my twist out the shaft of my hair no longer has any type of curl so what is a girl to do?!

let me know if you all have any questions or any hairstyles that you use to revamp your hair please let me know!


Always,

Verano

To Henna or Not To Henna That is The Question Part 2

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!!!!!!!!!!

And the results are in....drum roll please.......I like it! It has made my hair shiny, softer, more susceptible to moisture, and stronger. Today when I took my braids out I did not have one single hair shed! yall heard me not a one. So I would say that overall this was an awesome experience. Ummm but I am not sure about the curl lost that verdict is still out and I won't be able to clear that up until I wash my hair. I will say this after I co-washed my hair for the umpteenth time I did notice that my curls were looser but that could have been from all of the conditioning of my hair.So this weekend I am going to get some henna Jamila BAQ (Body Art Quality) you want to use BAQ because it is stronger than the stuff that is labeled specifically for hair and mix it with alma powder to retain the curl (for just in case purposes) All in all a cassia/henna mix is a great conditioner and I foresee henna and I having a great love affair. Now if you all love to henna your hair or have had a horrible experience please drop a comment. Oh and if there are any questions don't hesitate.

Always,

Verano


Cassia/Henna mix





The box that it came in

So fresh and so clean

Cassia/Henna in my hair

 

Cassia/Henna all washed out



  

 

 







Oils and Their Properties

Hello to all my lovely naturals,

I was suppose to blog about my results with my cassia/henna mix but I am not sure what they are yet. Last night I washed the cassia/henna mix out and to get the remainder of the grit out I used my trader joe's conditioner like 4 times,then deep conditioned. After that I put my whipped shea butter on my hair and put 6 braids in it, then sealed the braids with coconut oil covered it with my satin scarf and off to bed I went. So once I got up I took the braids down, made 8 sections put my natural spritzer and some more shea butter and braided my hair. After braiding it I pin curled each braid and put my satin scarf back on...so needless to say I can not give a review until tomorrow! So lets continue with our lesson on oils and their properties



Sweet Almond Oil: Easily penetrates your hair,does not clog pores, nourishes and smooths your hair cuticles,is a rich source of vitamin E, and is perfect for dry hair.

Tea Tree Oil: Is an healing antiseptic, cures itchy scalp therefore curing dandruff, unblocks clogged hair follicles, and adds moisture




If you have any questions or if you would like to know more about the benefits of oils please let me know.



Always,

Verano

To Henna or Not That Is The Question Part 1

Hello to all my lovely naturals,


Okay so this weekend I decided to look further into the whole henna phenomenon. So after much research I decided to try it. Before I embark on my journey let me give you all a little info on henna. Henna which is called red henna or by its scientific name Lawsonia Inermis is a plant, the leaves of the plant have a red-orange hue. Real henna only comes in one color which is green. The leaves are ground and that is your henna. Henna does not color your hair it only leaves a tint on your hair. Henna is kind of like a protein treatment in the way that it gives your hair strength by coating it. It deposits into the porous parts of your hair and makes the strands smooth that is why is has a de-frizzing effect. Henna does not color your hair it only highlights it but the color can not be seen unless you are in the light (most of the time) if your hair is light then of course you will see the color but if it is black it might take a couple of treatments (henna has a build up factor). Some people notice that it causes them to lose their curls but you can just add some alma powder to the mix to combat that. Henna also loosens your curls,adds shine,and will make your hair thicker. All in all henna is a awesome conditioning agent! Please beware of products claiming to color your hair using all natural henna, remember that henna can only highlight your hair and only in one tone red. Using other products that have unrealistic claims of what henna can do is not only dangerous but the products are full of chemicals. Sooooo now that you all have the DL of henna lets go over my journey. I decided that I really wanted to give henna a try but I was not comfortable with the red undertones this is where cassia comes in. Cassia Auriculata is a plant and has about the same conditioning agents as henna sans the color oh and it lasts only for about 2 weeks. It is a great start for beginner henna users. So now I bought my mix from Whole Foods it had Cassia and Henna in it, oh cassia is also known as neutral henna. I am scared that I might loose my curl pattern but maybe just maybe it will slightly loosen them so that I have less shrinkage. I mixed my cassia/henna mix yesterday.

4oz of cassia/henna
3 green tea bags
3 tablespoons of honey
12oz of distilled water

VERY IMPORTANT DO NOT USE ANY METAL IN THE PREPARATION OF YOUR HENNA IT WILL CHANGE THE COLOR



boil your water then let your tea seep for 3-5 min then mix your henna with the tea water should be the consistency of cake batter. You will need to let your henna dye release so cover your mixture and place on your counter top for anywhere from 1-3 hours. Once that is done wash your hair (I did not condition) part your hair into 4 sections and apply. After that wrap it up with a plastic cap I used two and cover with a satin scarf. Chill out for about 4 hours then fill your tube/or sink and swish your hair around in it. Once you have loosened the clumps jump in the shower and use your conditioner to get whatever is left out of your hair this might take 3 or 4 times. Now that you have gotten all of the product out then deep condition. Deep conditioning is a must most people that have tried henna and don't like it will complain that it made their hair dry so please please please deep condition! So as I type this out I am sitting here with my cassia/henna mix on my head. I will post pictures and give you all the results tomorrow on my next post...Wish me luck!!!



Always,

Verano

Clipping Your Own Split Ends

Hello to all my lovely naturals!

Just because you hair is natural does not mean you don't need to clip/trim your split ends. By clipping your ends you will ensure that you will have a healthy head of hair. Now that you are natural you are using less chemicals and heat on your hair so you might not need your ends clipped every 3 months, I like to let my hair tell me if I need my ends clipped. So there are two ways that I use to tell if my ends are damaged. First I take one of my twist outs and feel it from the shaft all the way to the end, if the end feels rough then I know that I need to clip my ends. The second way is that I pay attention to the strands that shed. If I notice that 5 strands have split ends then I know it is time. You are probably thinking why don't I just go to a beautician,well there are not many beauticians that know how to do their own hair they have been taught to only do chemically relaxed African-American hair and besides no one knows my hair as well as myself. In order to clip my ends I first wash my hair and condition it then I take a piece of my hair (enough to make small twists) two part twist it and focus on the very end of my twist. Any part that looks scraggley or where the hair thins out I cut. Once I am done I put coconut oil in my hand and un-twist my hair and wear it like that for the day. Oh yeah don't forget to use only hair sheers! Good luck naturals and remember you are the best beautician that you know!



Always,

Verano

Natural Spritzer

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!

I was looking in my natural hair archives and thinking about the products that I love to use and I remembered that I use this spritzer whenever in doubt and in place of water to properly moisturize my hair. Please remember that when I post these natural products you can replace any oil with an oil that works best for your hair. These recipes are only an outline figure out what works for you and go for it!

8 oz spray bottle
3 oz aloe vera juice
1 oz trader joes conditioner (not necessary just about any light conditioner will do)
1/2 oz of olive oil


When I wear my wash and go I put this in my hair or when I am twisting my hair or when I need to re vamp my twist out. Let me know if you have any go to home made products and let us know if this product works for you


Thanks,

Verano

Transitioning

Hello to all of my lovely naturals

Today I want to go over transitioning,this is a subject that all budding naturals are concerned with. So transitioning is when you decide to go natural but you are not quite ready for the bc (big chop) and want to ease into going all the way natural. When I decided to go natural I transitioned with micros at first because my hair was still chemically processed it was not that damaging. Next I went into kinky twists these are easier on your hair and allow for new growth to show without it looking tacky. Then I did the big chop now that was the first time! I really don't suggest that you transition while using braids, I say this because braids well extensions can be hard or damaging to the hair. When you transition you hair is very weak at the point when the natural hair meets the chemically processed hair and when you remove the extensions you can cause a lot of damage. Second I don't know about you all but I really don't like other people in my hair especially the sisters that braid your hair in the braiding shop, and I am willing to say at least 90% of them don't have licenses to do hair. If you decide to style your hair yourself you can better keep track of your ends which will need extra care because remember where the chemically treated hair meets the natural hair is extremely weak. Because of this fact you will need to clip your ends often. Research shows that hair grows 1/2 inch a month I would suggest cutting your ends while transitioning 1/2 inch a month. I know it sounds drastic but remember the idea is not to keep the length it is keep the healthy hair. Please remember to keep your hair in protective styles at all times your hair is very very fragile. When I speak of protective styles for 100% naturals this also includes any style that you don't have to touch for a day or two, but for those transitioning you should only keep your hair in twists or braids (your hair) not touching it for a week and moisturizing it often. Try not to comb your hair if you need to detangle only use your hands it is easier to maneuver through your coils with your fingers. Also don't get overwhelmed by the amount of hair that breaks off it is natural. Once you get at a comfortable point with the length of your hair you should immediately do the bc not only will it help your hair by cutting off all of the unhealthy hair but you will feel so liberated and wonder why you waited so long. Don't forget to deep condition,have a hot oil treatment, and lay off the harsh chemicals ie sulfates,silicone's, and alcohol. Oh and you are doing this for yourself to get to know yourself to see what beautiful locks you have been blessed with!

Honey Rinse Review

Hello to all of my lovely followers

So last week I gave myself my first blow out....ummm I guess I liked it I mean it looked nice. I loved the fact that I could give myself a cool afro puff but I love my curls way too much right now to blow dry my hair. I say this because when I went to wash my hair this week I noticed that my coils were not bouncing back in the front area and I am pretty sure it was because of the heat that I put on my hair. So I decided to try this rinse that I had read about just to give my hair a little extra added moisture. After I washed and conditioned my hair I mixed 1 TSP of honey with 4 cups of warm water stirred and poured over my hair. Well not only is my front doing better but my hair has a nice sheen to it and when I feel it I have this nice little moisture on my fingers (not exactly sure how to describe it) but its not sticky it is just moisturized. Of course I like to take a couple of days to see if the product fully agrees with my hair but for now it was a really nice addition to my hair care product family! Please try this rinse everyone could use a little extra moisture and let me know if you have a positive or negative experience.






Always,




Verano

Oils and Their Properties

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

I know you hear a lot of use this oil or gurl I use this oil but do we really know what these oils do for our hair? Or if this oil will benefit your hair or benefit your body all we hear is this oil is good for your hair. So I have done some research and have compiled a list of different oils that we use for our hair and bodies with their properties.

Jojoba oil- Similar to sebum, which is secreted by human sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect skin and hair. Jojoba oil conditions hair and prevents it from becoming brittle and dull.

Coconut oil- Is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Coconut oil prevents dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. It is an excellent conditioner,helps in the re-growth of damaged hair, and provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.

Honey- Is high in vitamins and minerals, and has wonderful benefits for the skin and hair. Honey is a good humectant and emollient, serving as a good moisturizer and conditioner


I don't want to bombard you all with to many facts at one so this will be a series that I will continue throughout my blog. If you have a request for info on on of your fav oils please let me know.



Always,

Verano

My Miracle Elixir:Whipped Shea Butter

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

As women we are bombarded with so many products that I think we tend to get overwhelmed. Well I know that I do, there are so many different products and oils out there and I want to try them all just to satisfy my never ending quest to find my "miracle elixir".Since we are always on the grind to find newer and better working products we either forget the ones that work for us or we never give them a proper chance cuz its on to the next.With that being said In the winter time I think that we need to go back to the basics. We need to use the products that give us the proper moisture and there is little room for error. That is why I am going to give you all my recipe for whipped shea butter it is my miracle elixir (it took my husband to remind me of this little fact) not only does it make my hair shine but it makes it soft and keeps it moisturized. I am not sure if I included this in my regimen but after I wash my hair and condition it I put my whipped shea butter on my hair immediately. So here it is


2 TBSP Shea Butter
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 TSP Olive Oil
1 TSP Castor Oil
1 TBSP Glycerin
1/4 TSP Honey (remember as a preservative)

Add shea butter,coconut oil, olive oil,castor oil,glycerin, and honey
mix in a food processor for about 5 min then freeze for about 10 min then mix again and ENJOY!!!!!!!

Once you use this let me know how it works for you


Always,


Verano

All Natural Sugar Scrub

Hello to all my lovely naturals,

I know that I have been on a hair kick so I want to balance things out with some other natural products that I thoroughly enjoy. Making your own sugar scrub is amazing and everyone will love it, and I figured with the holidays so close you can give your little home made goodies out for gifts!

1. You will need to acquire some glass jars make sure they are clean and free from tomato sauce ; )

2. Decide on what type of scrub you are making you can use:
    Coffee-Caffine will tighten the skin
    Salt-Kosher or sea salt
    Sugar-Cane sugar or brown sugar (for the face)

3. What oil you would like to use:
    Coconut Oil (my fav)
    Olive Oil
    Sweet Orange Oil

4. You will need a preservative to make sure that the scrub does not go bad
     ie tea tree oil or another of my favorites a drop of honey

5. Add whatever extras you would like be it essential oil, vanilla extract,or maybe even some pumpkin spice...get creative have fun!


Okay so now that you have the basics you are ready to make your scrub remember to only use 2 part exfoliate to 1 part oil. If you decide to use essential oil I think 15-20 drops should do. When I made these for Fathers Day I made a coffee scrub with coconut oil and vanilla extract. It was a big hit and my husband used it like everyday. I also made a brown sugar scrub for my face with coconut oil, a drop of honey, and vanilla. I just recently made a sugar scrub with orange zest,lemon zest, and a drop of tea tree oil. So there you have it making sugar scrub have never been so easy. Just remember that you will need to use tea tree oil or honey as a preservative because if not it will go rancid. I love sugar scrub but I love it even more now that I know the ingredients are all natural.



Always,



Verano

Girl has my hair sweated out?

Hello lovely naturals,


I hear alot of my girlfriends talk about their hair sweating out. Well the great thing about being natural is that humidity can help your hair and hair style! Remember that humidity or sweating is just moisture and moisture is what we all want for our hair. So before I work out I put my hair in chunky twists with my special leave in-conditioner mixture which is half of my Trader Joe's light conditioner, half aloe vera juice, and some olive oil (I love this mixture) and pin curl them place a head scarf over my head and have at it. After I shower I take down the twists and rock my chunky twist afro add some hair pins if you would like. With this hair style you don't have to worry about sweating out your hair while you work out the moisture will help volumize your hair for this cool hair style. Another issue that we have is while in the club you get to dancing and work up a sweat (not too much cuz that would be gross :P ) and now you have to go to the bathroom and double check that you have out of control hair. So this hair style will have to be planned a couple of days before. I twist my hair in medium/small twists and rock that for a week. Now the night before I party I take my twists, moisturize them with coconut oil, and roll them up with rollers. You can rock this curly twists for the day (super cute) the day of the party I un-twist my hair and rock my twist out. Remember that since you had medium/small twists in your hair your twists will be well defined. When you work up a sweat your twists will naturally loosen up but still keep their form. Remember naturals moisture is our friend! Please comment and let me know if you have any hair styles that work well with humidity


Always,



Verano

Hair Type Hair Type What's My Hair Type?

Hello to all of my lovely naturals (yes I decided to change my greeting)

How many of you are fixated on your hair type? How many of you just want a label for your hair? I personally believe that hair type is not important but I do understand where you all are coming from. So I have decided to dedicate this post to hair types. Please keep in mind that we are mixed with a variety of ethnicity's and our hair types can not (in most cases) be assigned to one type, more than likely you will have a mixture of hair types. Not to mention that years of chemically straightening you hair could have changed your hair's curl pattern. What I am trying to get at is that lets not get to fixated on our hair types because it can easily be turned into a good hair vs. bad hair (although neither exsists) type of thing. I can fully understand wanting to know your type for the purpose of identifying products that work best for your hair, but don't limit yourself because something is not for your hair type try all products and hairstyles. You might be pleasently surprised and find yourself rocking a new doo that a type 3a introduced you to! Okay with that said and done I have done a lot of research on finding what hair types exsists and what my hair type is. There is a ton of different information out there some is extensive and some is general. As of now there are two ways to catagorize your hair the numbering system and the LOIS system, the number system focuses on coil pattern and the LOIS system focuses on hair shape. I choose to go with the numbering system which goes from 1-4 with A,B,or C after the numbers. The lettering is to determine the thinckness of the hair strand. Now on to hair types.....oh my hair type is 3c.


Hair Type 1-Straight no curl pattern
Hair Type 2-S shaped waves no curl pattern
Hair Type 3-Has a S curl pattern to it might turn straight when wet but will go back to its S curl pattern once dry does not hold a sheen and is soft to the touch
Hair Type 4-Has a L shape,Z shape, or coils that form O shapes. When wet it will appear the same as being dry. This hair type will not hold a sheen might appear wiry and is fragile.


And there you have it the hair types lets not get hung up on these lets focus on our natural hair. Please let me know how you feel about labeling our hair as "types"




Always,


Verano

Product Review Part 2

Hello to all my lovely followers!

Here is my review on Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. I hope that you find it informative. Let me know if you have used this product and if it worked for your hair. Don't forget to comment!


Always,


Verano