African Naturalistas Product Line - Nigeria

Hair Butters, Shampoos and Rinses Oh My!

(okay you can indict me for not being original :D)

African Naturalistas Deep Conditioning Mix

Where are the Nigerian natural haired Sisis o!?! This one is for you. African Naturalistas has added some goodies to the hair butters she has been selling. She has painstakingly researched and experimented and all of that has resulted in the addition of more products to her growing product line.There are shampoos, rinses and lots more.

So no more complaining about not being able to find products that you can use for your natural hair. African Naturalistas presents you with an all natural product line. SO CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR MORE DETAILS AND PLACE YOUR ORDER QUICKLY because, as you know, these goodies will not last for long. And to the sisters with relaxed hair: you too can enjoy the products in this product line! There is something for everyone.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Cocoa Butter

We are always looking for effective products, especially the natural ones, that we can use for our hair (and skin). I have heard and read that Cocoa Butter has some awesome benefits for the hair and skin. I met a natural haired lady who told me that she uses 3 products on her hair: shampoo, conditioner and Palmers' cocoa butter on her hair (Palmers' daily). Huh? Yeah that is what I thought. She has been doing this for years and her hair did not look or feel dry. I inspected her hair ;)

As always, try out a new product and observe how it works for your hair before throwing away your regular products. And remember there is no miracle product o!
 
Check out more on Cocoa Butter from Natural Nigerian's blog post here.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Harshness in shampoos: Why?

Some naturals complain about using  a particular shampoo that leaves or left their hair feeling dryer than usual. Some complain about the harshness of a particular shampoo on their hair. O'Naturals did a post on shampoos (Part 1 here and Part 2 here). So check out the posts.

Jc of The Natural Haven answers the question "What causes a shampoo to be harsh?" The simple answer is that the "surfactant used is very effective in stripping oil" from the hair. For a more detailed explanation, check out the post here.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Hair Conditioner Claims: Should you take them seriously?

This article was taken from Jc at Natural Haven and she addresses the formulation question: why do products within a brand have similar ingredients but claim to do different things?

She uses Herbal Essence products as examples and breaks it down well. She concludes by writing "In short, ingredients only tell you part of the story. The second part is the claim and the third and most important part is the actual test. Read the ingredients, read the claim and above all, TEST the product."

Read full article here.

I know we are not all scientists however, it is important to educate oneself and be better informed. When you are better informed, you make better choices.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Natural Nigerian offers some hair products too!

There is a lot of growth taking place in the natural hair community in Nigeria, especially in Lagos. One of the growth areas is the availability of hair products. Natural Nigerian, who we interviewed here, now sells those natural products we love. She has sent us her price list so our readers can order what they need.

Natural Nigerian offers hair loving ingredients and a few more things.

All Prices are in Naira

Herbs
• Horsetail Powder (0.5lb/227g) ____________________ 1,500
• Nettle Leaf (Organic) (0.5lb/227g) ____________________ 2,000

Oils
• Hemp Seed Oil (8oz/237ml) ____________________ 2,100
• Flax Seed Oil (8oz/237ml) ____________________ 1,600

Soaps
• Pure Castille Soap
o Tea Tree (12oz/354ml) ___________________ 1,800
o Peppermint (12oz/354ml) ___________________ 1,800
o Lavender (12oz/354ml) ___________________ 1,800
o Almond (12oz/354ml) ___________________ 1,800

Clays
• Bentonite Clay (0.5lb/227g) ____________________ 1,700
• Rhassoul Clay (Micronized) (0.5lb/227g) ____________________ 2,200

Essential Oils (not recommended for pregnant women or children)
• Holy Basil (Tulsi) (0.5oz/15ml) ____________________ 1,700
• Carrot Seed (0.5oz/15ml) ____________________ 2,000
• Tea Tree (0.5oz/15ml) ____________________ 1,550
• Rosemary (not suitable for hypertensive individuals) (0.5oz/15ml) __________ 1,750
• Lavender (0.5oz/15ml) ____________________ 2,000

Others
• Organic Aloe Vera (8oz/237ml) ____________________ 1,400
• Flax Seeds (0.5lb/227g) ____________________ 1,600
• Vegetable Glycerine (4oz/118ml) ____________________ 1,200
• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (8oz/237ml) ____________________ 1,200
• Tom's of Maine Beautiful Earth Deodorant Stick (Aluminum ' Free) 2.25oz ____ 1,450
• Tom's of Maine Deodorant Stick Unscented (Aluminum Free) 2.25oz _______ 1,450

Tools
• Huetiful Portable Hair Steamer with Facial Attachment __________ 33,000
• 8oz/237ml Spray bottle with trigger sprayer __________________ 650

Book
• The Science of Black Hair by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy ___________ 7,700

Orders and Contact Information
Want to place an order? Write to orders@naturalnigerian.com. If you are wondering how these ingredients/tools will benefit you or how to use them, please send an e-mail with your questions to: info@naturalnigerian.com . We can also be found at http://www.naturalnigerian.com/.

Delivery
Delivery to most parts of Nigeria is available. Just write to us with your location.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Beautiful Model becomes bald after using hair relaxer

Although this is an old story; it is a reminder that relaxers can be extremely dangerous. O'Naturals does not advocate the use of relaxers. However, we are not naive and think that everyone will stop using relaxers. So if you do choose to use relaxers, please use caution and the utmost care. The majority of us who have used relaxers can narrate a similar story to this one even though it may be on a less disastrous scale. You know, that story of getting burned after getting a relaxer.

This link was sent to me by Natureal Rox in response to the post "Mommy is my hair fine?" (Thank you Natureal!). Read the story of Isabella Broekhuizen who was once a Model but cannot do that anymore because of the damage to her hair from using a relaxer.

Isabella before going bald (Courtesy: thankgodimnatural.com)

Isabella: now bald (Courtesy: thankgodimnatural.com)

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Body scrubs and soaps made in Nigeria

There are many teasures in Nigeria. I think the hair and body care tips and regimens used by people all over the country can be counted as treasures. There is a gap when it comes to cataloguing these things and so effective ingredients and beauty tips are being lost.

Natural Nigerian (NN) caught up with a young woman who commercially manufactures skin care products using Nigerian grown ingredients and recipes. NN met Maryam formally at the natural hair meet-up. Maryam recently launched a line of skin care products called Nature Zone. Check out the link below for NN's interview of Maryam (interview here). I have already emailed Maryam to order some products to try for myself.

Maryam is also the sister of "Stella" who was interviewed by Ibhaze for our Nigeria Fashion Show blog post (read it here). Both women have long natural hair. Hmmm ... Maryam may have to look into selling the products they use for their hair. I would buy it!

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Kinky Apothecary Price List

We got lots of queries about the products and pricing for the products that The Kinky Apothecary (read interview here) carries. Nibi has graciously provided us with a price list for the products they carry. All the prices are in Naira.  Contact details: Phone: +01-765-4546 ((Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm) or Email: kinky.apothecary@gmail.com


CLEANSERS

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Shampoo (325ml).………N2,800

Aubrey Organics White Camellia Shampoo (325ml)…………N2,800

Giovanni Smooth-as-Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo (250ml)…N2,800

Giovanni 50:50 Hydrating-Clarifying Shampoo (250ml)…….N2,800

Dr Bronner’s Pure Castille Soap (237ml)…………………N2,000

- Unscented

- Peppermint

Dr Bronner’s Pure Castille Soap (474ml)………………...N3,000

- Tea Tree

- Peppermint

- Almond


CONDITIONERS

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner (325ml)……..N3,100

Aubrey Organics White Camellia Ultra Smoothing (325ml).....N3,100

Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner (325ml)………………..N3,100

Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner (1l)……………….N7,500

Giovanni Smooth-as-Silk Deeper Moisture (250ml)………..N2,800

Giovanni 50:50 Hydrating-Calming Conditioner (250ml)……N2,800


LEAVE-IN CONDITIONERS

Giovanni Direct Weightless Moisture Leave-in (250ml)………N2,800

Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodyfier (237ml)…………..N2,800


MOISTURISERS

Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream (117.5ml)…….…………..N3,000

Kinky Apothecary Whipped Shea Batter

- 250ml………………………………..…………..N1,800

- 100 ml ……………………………………………N1,000


100% PURE UNREFINED OILS

Organic Castor Oil (100ml)………………………………N1,800

Jojoba Oil (100ml)………………………………………N2,200

Avocado Oil (100ml)…………………………………….N1,800

Grapeseed Oil (100ml)…………………………………...N1,500

Sweet Almond Oil (100ml)……………………………….N1,500

Fractionated (liquid) Coconut Oil (100ml)………………….N1,500

Vegetable Glycerine (100ml)……………………………….N1,500

Rosemary Essential Oil (10ml)……………………………N2,000

Lavender Essential Oil (10ml)……………………………N2,000

NB: Essential Oils should be avoided during pregnancy. Rosemary Essential Oil should be avoided y those with High Blood Pressure.


STYLERS

Fantasia IC Olive Styling Gel (591ml).……………………N1,500


TOOLS

Spray bottles………………………………………….…..N500

Satin Bonnets………………….…………………….……N500

Conair Shower Comb.……………………………….……N1,000

Hair Dryer Diffuser……………………………….…….N2,000


DELIVERY INFORMATION

We deliver on Wednesdays and Fridays, provided you have placed your order before 5pm the previous day.

Delivery is free within Lagos for orders above N3000. Orders below this attract a N500 delivery charge to Ikoyi, VI and Lagos Island, and an N800 charge to Lekki and The Mainland.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to arrange a delivery outside Lagos. We might be able to accommodate this.



Keep it natural!

Omozo

Shampoos: Hate 'em or Love 'em (Part 2)

*I AM NOT A SCIENTIST OR TRICHOLOGIST. THIS POST SUMMARIZES WHAT I HAVE READ & UNDERSTAND REGARDING THE TOPIC* 

I had hoped that this 'shampoo' post would be one post but it ain't working that way! Yesterday (see post here), I left off asking the question: What to do when you want clean but not dry hair? To answer that question I would ask another question. What is priority: clean hair or hair that is not dry?

Your answer will determine your decision. Your answer does not have to be static. By that I mean perhaps today you want clean hair because you have major build-up. And then maybe next month you don't want dry hair. Can you have hair that is not dry and still SLS shampoo clean at the same time? I wonder that too but I honestly don't know.

If clean hair is your goal then use a shampoo with SLS to get it clean. According to Natural Haven, There are shampoos out there that combine SLS, SLES (Sodium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl ether sulfate) and cocamidopropyl betaine which produces a suitably cleansing and low irritation formula.


If you do not want dry hair then try doing a pre-shampoo oil treatment like coating your dry hair with coconut oil before washing. I read that it can take as long as 12 hours for the coconut oil to penetrate the hair shaft so you should factor this into your routine. Olive oil is another oil that penetrates the hair shaft. However, you should not neglect using a conditioner after shampooing your hair.

Castor oil

I use a method that I have not proven scientifically. Never-the-less, the results are what I can testify to. I dilute my shampoo with water and add Castor oil to it. I then use it to wash my hair once or twice depending on how dirty I feel my hair is. The result is clean hair that feels softer than when I washed my hair with shampoo only.


I think the main point is this: you need to find what works for your hair which may be a combination of ingredients and techniques. This combination may change over time and that is okay. So sulfates, SLS and surfactants may not be as evil as you thought they were.


Keep it natural!


Omozo

Shampoos: Hate 'em or love 'em (Part 1)

*UPDATE: I AM NOT A SCIENTIST OR TRICHOLOGIST. THIS POST SUMMARIZES WHAT I HAVE READ & UNDERSTAND REGARDING THE TOPIC*

Shampoos! Sulfates! Surfactants! SLS! These are words that float around the natural hair community. Some say they do not use shampoos because they are too drying. Some use conditioners to wash their hair. Some use sulfate free shampoos. And on and on it goes. I found myself getting confused and not knowing what to do about all this stuff. I am not a scientist and just needed some general information to guide my decisions.So I read up on these things and here is what I found out - summarized.

Shampoos are made for cleaning hair. Shampoos contain surfactants that clean the hair. Shampoos clean the hair by breaking down the oils on the hair which allows the oils and dirt to be lifted up and removed from the hair.

Surfactants are used in shampoos and they are responsible for breaking down the oils on the hair. More specifically, it is because of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) in shampoos that shampoos clean hair leaving it without oil.

Washing your hair with warm water and no shampoo will not be as effective. Note: sulfates, surfactants and SLS are usually used interchangeably by consumers although they are not really the same thing.

Now, some women with natural hair complain that regular shampoos dry out their hair. Our natural hair is prone to dryness because the oils do not travel down our strands because of the curls and kinks in our hair. So having to deal with something seems to increase the dryness of our hair is not appealing. As a result, some people wash their hair with sulfate free shampoos or with conditioners (i.e. no-poo method). The challenge with these two alternatives is that they are not as effective in cleaning hair as shampoos with SLS.

1) Sulfate free shampoos usually contain cocamidopropyl betaine which is a less irritating surfactant. It will clean but not as effectively as SLS: meaning your hair will not oil free.

2) Conditioners contain surfactants (like behentrimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate and stearamidopropropyl) which are designed to deposit onto hair, smooth the cuticle and create softness. This means that they do not actually clean the hair. They are designed to be used after shampoos to reduce the dryness shampoos may cause. They are not designed to clean.

Some extra reading here, and here.

So what to do when you want clean hair but not dry hair? We will talk about this tomorrow. Till then ...

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Pre-shampoo oil treatment - via BGLH via Hair Liberty

Quite a few natural haired women are doing the pre-shampoo oil treatment before washing and conditioning their hair. It has been argued that it helps to soften the hair and reduce the harshness of shampooing. I will mention that this is also a technique that women with relaxed hair can use and get favourable results. You can read more on BGLH. There are also more suggestion on how to wash and condition your hair on Hair Liberty here. Try out the suggestions and let's know how they work out for you.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Longer and healthier hair - some thoughts and suggestions (Part 2: Conclusion)

Long Hair!
Long Hair!
My Kingdom for long hair!

Before I continue I will say the following: consult your doctor before you carry out any new hair regimens that have to do with vitamin intake or any other medicinal intake. I am not a medical doctor, dermatologist or Trichologist so this is not medical advice. If you have alopecia, see your doctor. If you have dandruff, see your doctor. If you have unusual hair loss or balding, see your doctor. It is not a bad idea to talk to your doctor about growing longer hair. Remember that genes (and hormones) play a significant role in hair length and speed of hair growth. So be patient and stop comparing your hair with other people's hair. Finally, let your goal be healthy hair instead of long hair, it will reduce the stress you put on yourself.

Suggestions: Please note that the suggestions below do not make up a definitive list
1) Increasing your protein intake is helpful because hair consists primarily of protein. Taking more protein helps to stimulate healthy hair and hair growth. Plus get into the habit of eating a balanced meal while you are at it. Sources of protein include meat, chicken, fish, dairy like yogurt, nuts, soy.

2) Massage your head as often as you can, especially problem areas. It stimulates blood flow and thus hair growth. You can massage itchy spots instead of digging your nails in and scratching. To massage, apply pressure and use the ball of your fingers to make circular motions on your scalp. You can massage while watching TV or just before you go to bed. Try asking your hair dresser to do this before they wash the conditioner off your hair. 2 minutes is sufficient. If your hair dresser looks at you strangely after you make the request, just smile and lean back.

3) Be disciplined in your hair care routine. Wash and condition regularly with products that add extra moisture to your hair. Cover your hair with a satin or silk scarf or use a satin or silk pillowcase while sleeping to retain moisture. Dry hair is more likely to break so moisture is very important especially for natural hair. Deep condition your hair (I deep condition and steam every 2 weeks). Do not underestimate the power of regular and intentional hair care routines. Water is your best source of mositure - it is also inexpensive and very accessible.

4) Take care of the ends of your hair. They are the oldest part of your hair and thus can be drier than any other part of your hair. Dry ends can lead to split ends which leads to damaged hair that needs to be cut. When conditioning and styling your hair, pay attention to your ends. Add a little more Shea butter or Coconut oil or Castor oil (or whatever oil you use) to your ends and encourage your hair stylist to do the same when using conditoners and styling your hair.


5) Take a second and third look ... in fact be weary of "miracle" products that promise longer hair. I am not sure how well they work and they can be expensive. Instead spend your money on ...

6) Simple home made recipes like:

Rosemary spritz: Put 2 tablespoons of Rosemary herb leaves  in 2 cups of boiling water. Allow the rosemary leaves to  steep (i.e. sit in the hot water for about 5 minutes, or longer, to extract the juice). Remove the rosemary from the water (rosemary leaves should be soft after being steeped) then allow the water to cool. Pour into a spray bottle. After washing and conditioning your hair, spray the rosemary water on your hair, especially the root of your hair and scalp then massage well into the hair.You can also use the spray in between washes. Rosemary helps with hair growth because it stimulates the follicles. Do not use heavily concentrated rosemary because it has side effects. You should be able to find rosemary herbs at your grocery store because it is commonly used for spicing food.

Eucalyptus hot oil treatment: Add 9-10 drops of eucalyptus oil to half a cup of olive oil or Shea butter (or any other base oil of your choice). Heat up the mixture. Let it cool but not get cold. It is a "hot" oil mix. Apply to your hair and scalp carefully. Coat your hair completely with it and massage your scalp well. Cover your hair with a shower cap and wrap a towel over your head. Leave for 30 minutes and then wash normally with shampoo and conditioner. Some people leave the oil treatment on their hair overnight and then wash off.
Eucalyptus oil helps improve blood circulation, improves hair shine, stimulates hair growth, reduces dandruff and increases elasticity of hair. Better hair elasticity reduces hair breakage enabling better hair growth. Some people add eucalyptus oil to their shampoo. Do not buy aromatherapy oil o! Buy eucalyptus essential oil. You should be able to find eucalyptus oil at health food stores. For those in Lagos Nigeria, you can get eucalyptus oil in Ojota. There is a street where people sell various oils, chemicals and plastics. A litre costs around N500. Or you can email us at onaturals@gmail.com.

Finally, be patient and try things out to see what works for you and stick to it. Be inspired by the collage below - you too can grow healthy and long hiar.

We would love to hear your stories and comments.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Longer and healthier hair - some thoughts and suggestions (Part 1)

Long Hair!
Long Hair!
My kingdom for long hair!


I have heard that black people cannot grow long hair. I have also heard that black people with long hair are not full black and must have their blood/genes mixed with other races. This is bollocks! It is untrue therefore it is a lie. Black people can and do grow long hair. Black women who keep their hair natural can and do grow long hair. There are so many examples of this around us -  open your eyes and look around. My sisters are daily examples of this.

 Trust me, they are FULL BLACK NIGERIANS with no mixed blood what-so-ever. That's my sister (above) showing the current length (as of yesterday) of her hair.



At some point, I also thought that I could not grow long hair. It was brought to my attention that if I stopped chopping off my hair annually I would have longer hair. Who knew! ;p I do have longer hair (longer than it was before) but it does not show like some other hair textures. So if you want to keep your hair natural and have it cascading down your back you may want to get some form of dredlocs (see pictures) or put your hair in a style that shows the length like threading, twists or braids.

 There is some psychology involved when discussing long hair. Many people equate long hair with healthy hair. I am not sure if this is true. However, I tend to lean towards the camp of healthy hair could lead to long hair. So I advocate that we should aim for healthy hair instead.

There is also the belief that women with longer hair are ... 'better' than women with shorter hair. I was told that this is because of the unconscious (or sub-conscious) need of humans to mate with those that have "superior" genes. Longer hair is generally seen as evidence of superior genes. So this becomes an issue for black women. If it is true that we cannot grow longer hair then it means we have inferior genes then it means ... see where this line of thinking can lead? There is an evolutionary tone to this type of thinking and it can be problematic.


Genes (and hormones) do play a role in this discussion but not in the "good genes" vs "bad genes" tone. Some folks have the tendency to grow long hair quicker because of their genetic make-up. While some of us learn patience through the hair growth process. So two people using the same hair growth technique under the same conditions may get different results because of their varying genetic disposition. I have met women who struggled to grow long hair but got long and healthy hair when they were pregnant and their hair is still very long today. Some other pregnant women did not experience this biological reaction to pregnancy.  So before you run out screaming "I'll never get long hair like her!" you may want to think "I don't have genes like her." OR "My body does not respond to ... like her".

This leads to my final point, comparing yourself with another person rarely brings satisfaction or contentment. So put comparisons in a bag, then put the bag in a dustbin and wait for the garbage truck to pick it up and get rid of it! Do not use comparisons as a hard and fast rule for judging the progress of your hair. Yes, we look at someone's hair and notice it is shiny and soft and we want that. But declaring or concluding that your hair is BAD or NOT GOOD or WILL NEVER BE because it is not like Ms. Shiny Hair over there is just not going to take you any where. Instead, learn about the principles of good hair care and adopt those good habits in a way that your hair will respond. Doing the right thing for your hair is far more productive and rewarding.


Many women have gone to great lengths (pun definitely intended) to grow long hair. They have spent large sums of money, gone to far away places, and put in many hours dedicated to growing long hair. Once again, I advocate for healthy hair. Most of us stopped using relaxers and went natural because we noticed that our hair was unhealthy. Perhaps it is time to go back to the basics.


The next post will contain some suggestions on things you could try to grow healthier and longer hair. So till then ...


Keep it natural!

Omozo

NATUREAL'S Shea Butter Whip & Glycerine Mix recipes

Hi! We did an interview of Ehizogie Ero who is the founder of Natureal Hair products. Read interview here. She has graciously given us two simple recipes we can try ourselves. To order any of her products, please email her at ehirox@yahoo.com. Let us know how the recipes work for you. Enjoy!

Shea Butter Whip 

Add Shea butter, glycerine and any essential oil and whip everything together.

The use of glycerine depends on how your hair reacts to glycerine. Some people’s hair does not respond well to it. However, if you have 4a type hair exactly like mine, your hair will love it and thank you for it.  

Glycerine Mix

You need glycerine, water, coconut oil or any oil your hair loves (my hair does not like olive oil). For every one part of glycerine, you need 3 parts of water. Now, because I go swimming a lot, I add aloevera to my mix.

Remember in my interview I said I make my stuff myself? Well I have an aloevera plant in my kitchen, I take the "leaves" from it, blend it with the 3 part of water I need and use a sieve to strain the skin out.

Mix the glycerine, 10 drops of coconut oil (or any oil your hair loves) with the blended alovera in a spray bottle. Give it a good shake.

Spray your hair with it every morning and lock in the moisture with the Shea butter whip and "your"/ my hair feels sooooooooooooo soft. Mind you the coconut oil does congeal in the winter. However if you have it near a little heat (hot water, hot air in the bathroom while having your bath) it melts like snow.

Keep it natural!

Omozo

Argan + Castor oil - Courtesy Curly Nikki's blog

Hi Friends!

Hope you are all having a fab weekend even though it is ending.

I read a post on Curly Nikki's blog and it is about moisturizing with Argan and Castor oils. You can read the blog post here.

For those of you in Lagos, Nigeria (or Nigeria), getting these oils may be a bit of an assignment. Please, I beg, share with us if you know where we can buy PURE Argan or Castor oil. Another thing to note is that in Nigeria these oils may be called something else so please I beg, share if you know the local name.

Also, we would love to know if there are other oils that work miracles for your natural hair. We all need a little inspiration!

Keep it natural!

Omozo.

Megatek

I think I will let you decide for your self. I have included the link so you can read up on it. You can also find out about it via the tube (you tube). I got a bottle of it, which to me is just bonkers. Why? Well it cost $29 plus shipping and customs duty to Canada (sheeks).

The reason I bought it is because I love to experiment and it can last up to a year. Basically, the Biochemist in me knows this product is packed with a lot of PROTEINS OR AMINO'S aka the building blocks of life and cells. From very basic biochemistry, I know it speeds up the turn over of dead cells fast and also strengthens cells hence less breakage and faster growth. The downside is that since it is filled up with a whole lot of proteins, it can do the reverse of what it is suppose to do if care is not taken and my hair HATES proteins. Aphogee disaster will be discussed in the next post. So this is going to be a challenging challenge :). But I believe I am up to the task and armed with loads of Shea butter, coconut oil and Miss Jessie’s baby butter cream (I swear by it and my hair loves it).


By the way I am so on my Biotin and other vitamins especially while on megatek because I don’t trust the overload of proteins :)


In subsequent posts, I will chronicle my challenge. I am starting small so I will use it for 1 month and the routine is 2ce a week for one month so every other day in the week I will have braids or weaves on my hair :) .So lets see how this goes. Ok folks, I have talked too much lol take it easy

RE: Real Coconut Oil Versus Fake Coconut Oil

So I wrote a post about coconut oil a while back saying that the coconut oil we get in Naija was fake because it does not solidify in cold temperatures. Our resident guest blogger Omozee, made a comment regarding this. Her comment was:

No you have "isale" Agbon which is different from the coconut oil (Adi Agbon), the isale does not solidify, sigh I cant describe it but I will get the info from granny and post it. The isale is the runoff of the oil ... But you dont have the fake one you have "Isale" which is a lot less dense than the coconut oil. I find my coconut oil does not solidify in Nigeria, it will solidify in the fridge-freezer but thats that!
Another thing is your oil may be very old and our people add paraffin to keep it runny (I can go into the organic chm of the thing if you want regarding breaking of hydrogen bonds of the coconut oil due to dipole moments of the paraffin) I digress sorry...

So I stand corrected. The coconut oil is not fake. Sorry for the misinformation and thanks for the correction Omozee

Today we are coloring with Henna

 Omo’s henna recipe taken from SimniCity and modified

Ø  Half pack of henna

Ø  2 eggs - Protein will help strengthen your hair so it is not brittle

Ø  Half tub of full fat yoghurt (I do organic) / or 2 avocados (your choice) – fat to help your hair remain soft and shiny

Ø  1 big mixing bowl

Ø  A spoon to mix

Ø  Cling film

Ø  2 tea spoons of coconut oil or 1 cap  (5mls) of sweet almond oil + 1cap (5mls) castor oil – to help moisturize the scalp and add shine to your hair

Ø  Oven (or somewhere warm)

In the large mixing bowl, pour half the content of henna into it, crack eggs and beat it lightly.

Add half a tub of yoghurt and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil and the other oils, mix thoroughly until it is almost a green brown color (I think this is dependent on the type of henna you buy so just mix until there are no clumps and it looks even. I mixed mine for about 20mins. )

Then cover with cling film and put it in your oven at 50degrees C or lower (or put it somewhere warm) overnight.

Day 2 – part hair into sections and apply using hands or a small comb.

Apply product on hair up to ends if you want. Cover hair with shower cap and a towel around it to retain the heat. Leave on for 3-4 hours (I recommend even longer ‘cos my hair did not retain a lot of color).

Rinse out with warm water, do a warm oil steam, wait 30 mins then wash hair gently with mild sulphur free shampoo.

My hair turned brown or color 33 (a darker shade) and I loved the way it came out in streaks. I did this in April, its October and the color is still vibrant

I took out my braids last weekend and I am putting another one in again. I am happy to say 1.3” of new growth sprung forth.

Have an awesome weekend people don’t hesitate to ask any questions and for those who are in transition, hang in there and please remember; we are here to help you get through this hurdle.

The first picture is the final result with Henna.  The second and third pictures are showing my hair after I took out the braids and the growth, which I am so proud of. 

Also you can read about henna here

Omozee

My first experience with henna was over 15 years, in Malali village, Kaduna. My “bestest” friend for a long time Halima, stole some henna from her mum’s room and taught me how to mix and apply it on my finger tips and soles of my feet.

A few months back, I stumbled on SimniCity (unfortunately she is off youtube at the moment) and her henna recipe for coloring her hair. Halima’s image came to mind so I called Halima up; and asked if I could use henna for my hair. She told me about henna, and how to identify the good ones (there is no trick to recognizing good ones, read the label and make sure it is LEAD AND MERCURY FREE) and where to get it (Most south Asian stores (Indian) and North African Stores (Egyptian) ) and so I am going to share this with you. Let me put a disclaimer saying what works for me, may not work for you!

O shea! O shea O!

First, let us give thanks to God for shea butter!

Shea butter is called: “Nkuto” in Ghana; “Beurre de Karité” in French; and “Ori” in most places in Nigeria. If none of these names mean anything to you – Welcome to the wonderful world of Shea Butter!

Shea Butter comes from the Shea tree which is mostly found in West African countries like Ghana, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso & Nigeria. Traditionally, the nuts from the tree (called Shea Nuts), are picked, roasted, and pounded. They are then boiled for several hours to extract pure unrefined shea butter. Pure shea butter is yellow or ivory in color and does not smell unpleasant. By unpleasant I mean it does not have an offensive “get this away from me or I am going to vomit now” type of smell. Having said that, I guess the issue of smell might be relative in this case. *sigh* It is advisable to use products made from pure shea butter rath

er than those where chemicals such as hexane are used.

The main question is this: Why does it seem like shea butter is the “product” of choice for black natural hair and black hair in general? It is because shea butter has moisturizing properties and it is an emollient. As a result, it adds to and maintains moisture in dry brittle hair, in addition to retaining softness and preventing breakage.

The key words are moisturizer and emollient:

1) Moisturizers: make the external layers softer and more pliable by increasing its hydration (water content) by reducing evaporation. Moisturizers prevent and treat dryness, protect sensitive skin, improve skin tone and texture, and mask imperfections.

2) Emollients: are substances that soften and soothe. They are used to correct dryness and scaling. Emollients have three basic properties: occlusion, humectant and lubrication.

a. Occlusion - providing a layer of oil on the surface to slow water loss and thus increase moisture content;

b. Humectant – increases water-holding capacity;

c. Lubrication - adds slip or glide.

To put it simply, shea butter is great for black hair in general and especially natural/nappy/non-relaxed black hair because it increases the water content in our hair; it also slows water loss in our hair thus increasing the moisture content in our hair.

General benefits of using shea butter on hair include: returns luster and shine to hair; absorbs quickly without leaving greasy residue like petroleum, beeswax or mineral oil based products; doesn't clog and block hair shaft; great moisturizer; protects against harsh weather and; revitalizes and prevents breakage.

**Side note: Shea is also edible, used in cooking oil, chocolates and cocoa butter.

Simple whipped shea butter recipe.

Ingredients:

*4 tablespoons shea butter

*2 tablespoon cocoa butter

*4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

*A few drops of your favourite essential oil for fragrance

Method

Melt the shea butter and cocoa butter over low heat until melted and add the olive oil. Pour the oils into a bowl and at this point, add a few drops of the essential oil. Put bowl over another bowl filled with ice to allow the oils to set faster. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is light and fluffy (you may want to use an electric hand whisk for this). Spoon into a jar and enjoy!

This recipe makes an excellent hair moisturizer and sealer for both natural and relaxed black hair. It also makes wonderful body butter.

Omozo

Omozo's "Home done" curly-doo

This is the follow-up to the post on Lauren’s Curly-Doo. My hair texture is much different from Lauren’s and I wanted to see what my hair would look like after my home done Curly-Doo. Keina, the hairdresser at Curl Ambassadors, suggested I twist my hair with the curling custard since my hair texture is different from Lauren’s. I decided to use the shampoo I have at home (it is a store brand shampoo). I was also overdue for a deep conditioning treatment and added that to the process. Here is how I did my Curly-Doo at home.

1) Clarifying wash using baking soda and store brand shampoo. Mix shampoo with equal amount of baking soda and apply to wet hair. I washed twice.

2) Section hair and apply the deep conditioner (Queen Helene Cholesterol) to each section. I applied the conditioner from ends to roots with focus on my ends. I combed through, placed a plastic bag over my head for about 45 minutes with an additional 5 minutes under the dryer (medium heat). I washed out the conditioner and did not dry my hair and left it soaking wet.

3) Section hair and apply the Knot-today leave-in conditioner to each section. Again my focus was on the ends of my hair.

3) Apply the Kinky-Curly Curling Custard. I applied the product to each section of hair that I twisted. Twisting took me about 1 hour because I made bigger twists than I usually do.

4) I used a regular towel to mop up excess curling custard and sat under the dryer (medium heat) for about 20 minutes. I decided to let my hair air dry overnight.

I think the process (washing, deep conditioning, applying leave-in conditioner, twisting while applying the curling custard and drying the hair) took me about 3 hours.

After taking out the twists the next morning, I noticed better definition to my twists compared to when I use only shea butter to twist. It had some shine also. I did not notice any excess product on my hair. I put some shea butter on my scalp. I also applied some Carol’s Daughter Tui Hair Oil to my strands. My hair did not feel hard at all which was great! I still had some elasticity and there was no stiffness to my hair. I like the result of the process and products and I will definitely do it again. The only thing I would do differently is make the twists smaller.

During the week, for maintenance, I spray a moderate amount of leave-in conditioner and then apply the Tui hair oil to my hair. I also put some shea butter on my scalp every other day. Remember that these are products to help you manage your hair. Try this process out at home if you can or go to Curl Ambassadors for your own $15 Curly-Doo and let us know your own results.

Omozo