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!