Homemade Refresher Spritz -- 5 out of 5

For my first of many product reviews, I will discuss my own amazing hair recipe, which I now swear by over any product you can pick up in a store. Plus it's cheap!

Ingredients:
-- Distilled Water (I usually am lazy and use tap)
-- 100% pure vegetable glycerin
-- Essential Oil of your choice
-- Spray bottle (any size)

Recipe:
1) Rinse out your spray bottle. It can be any size. This recipe will work for any size spray bottle because the key to a successful spray is the ratio of water to glycerine. This ratio is based on what works for your hair. Many recommend that you start at 20% glycerin to 80% water and increase percentage of glycerin as necessary. My perfect ratio is 40% glycerin and 60% water.
2) Add glycerin up to whatever level of the bottle will give you the percentage of glycerin that you've decided to use.
3) Add water up to whatever level of the bottle will give you the percentage of water that you've decided to use.
4) Shake vigorously. Vegetable glycerin is completely soluble with water, so the glycerin should "disappear" into the water.
5) Add 15 drops of the essential oil of your choice. Personally, I like lavender, but many other scents rock!

Usage: I use this spritz as an awesome morning refresher to fluff and fix my coils and curls. After I wake (I sleep in a satin bonnet), I spritz my curls and fluff with my fingers. My coils last 7 days now, but only with the regimen of refreshing with this spray. Using this, there is nothing else that I need to do. Not even "sealing" with other creams and butters, and my ends are healthy.

Hello Blog, I've Missed You!

I would be remiss if I didn't start off with an apology. So I guess I am just remiss:)

Hello world! It's me again. Back. Lots to tell, and many lessons learned.

I haven't written a word since April, so here's the quick rundown of the hair happenings:

1) My hair has grown steadily at approx. .75 - 1 inch per month. As this is the end of July. I would hazard a guess that my hair is b/t 6-7 inches long. It's a guess because I slacked off on measuring and got a trim (HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE, more on that later)! The growth challenge continues.

2) Did I mention I got a trim? And that I left the place with soul glo hair and a wallet lighter by the weight of 100$? Well, consider it mentioned... in fact, that anecdote deserves it's own post.

3) I've settled into a 7 day co-wash and coil-out routine with Kinky-curly with henna every 2-3 weeks. I've really become a pro at it, and I've begun tampering with twists and twist outs.

My current dilemma: what to do with my hair during my 3 month sailing voyage around the world. I am considering a protective style, but too afraid of unintentionally neglecting my hair or going coo-coo missing my coils and henna. Choices, choices!

Be back real soon with product reviews, updates, and stories. Feels good to be back.

Natural Nana does it again! Enjoy...

Word! Be a Smarter Curly

I've promised myself that I'm going to start passing on the good stuff -- so here's Jillipoo's great post today on sites that give the comprehensive skinny on ingredients in products. As Jilli says, rise above the mainstream product junky-ism and be a smarter curly.... read here.

Dluvlylox Reports: Top Hair Lessons of the Week

As usual, I've been more busy learning all I can, reading all my blogs, than I have been posting! But I'm trying to do better.

Here's the plan: a once weekly serial post the Top Hair Lessons of the Week. This is where I share the best of what I've picked up over the week with the rest of the world. Excited? I know I am. Let's get crackin!

TOP LESSONS OF THE WEEK

1. Sample Packs! Wanting to indulge the product junky inside, but lacking the funds and not wanting to order full-sized bottles of stuff only to decide after one application that you don't like? Many natural and organic hair product retailers sell sample packs! These usually include a selection of their most popular products in trial sized packaging and equal the cost of only one of the products. I was over the moon to realize just how many lines offer sample packs. (You do still have to pay shipping). After some deliberation, I ordered the Oyin Handmade sample pack --Look for the review soon! Up next, Karen's Body Beautiful!

2. Raggedy Fingernails! This may seem so intuitive, but it was a revelation in my world. I was reading one of my blogs, and the oh-so-wise sister mentioned that naturals should watch their nails. Unfiled or ragged nails catch on hair and snag, causing a lot of breaks. Considering the emphasis on fingerstyling as a healthy alternative to combing and brushing, this becomes even more important. Since salon manicures are a things of the past for me, I'll have to be extra careful from now on. Word!

3. Spring Flowers! This spring's hair fashion accessory: flower power! I've been seeing an explosion of different flowers in pics, ads, and blogs all over. Not only are sisters pinning flowers behind the ear, but also wearing them attached to barrettes and headbands! Now these are selling for 8-25$, but ya'll know I'm going straight to Michael's!! Watch me work, hey!

Well that's it for now... we'll call this one abbreviated, and shoot for 5 per week in the future. Be on the look out for more reviews coming soon!

First Time Henna Today! 5 out of 5 stars

I did my first henna today! Excitement! Came out great...

My Regimen:
1) Co-wash with Suave tropical coconut +baking soda to clarify.
2) Co-wash with He Hello Hydration to soften to detangle.
3) Detangle with Jilbere Shower Comb.
4) ACV/Cold Water Rinse.
5) Apply 100 g of Jamila Henna mixed with 2 cups green tea + honey (I mixed and let dye release for 7 hours before applying.)
6) Cover with shower cap, white strip around the edges, and headband to seal. I also added a scarf, bonnet, and extra pillowcase to eliminate spillage and dying my pillow doo-doo brown. (I'm a bit paranoid, I know!) Let henna work overnight.
7) Wake up, uncover and rinse in tub under full pressure of spigot.
8) Deep condition with AO Honeysuckle Rose + evoo + honey. Sit under hood dryer for 20 min.
9) Cold water rinse.
10) Apply KC Knot Today leave-in.
11) Finger Coil with KC Curling Custard.

Voila! As I said, it turned out great. The thing I'm most excited about is that I didn't spill or stain anything, although there was a brief panic in the morning when I rinsed out my hair in the tub and the water was really, really brown.

What I've noticed so far: As soon as I began to coil, I noticed some differences in my hair. There was less shrinkage, so there was some curl loosening. I also noticed my hair performing like magic, and there was a dark gleam to it. It was very soft and manageable. Like curlynikki says, the henna color is subtle. It actually makes my hair look dark, but in the light there is a wine-colored red sheen that burnishes the hair. Very classy and expensive looking. All in all, consider me a henna head!

Zulu Hair!

I attended the Zulu Ball this Mardi Gras in New Orleans, a strictly formal event, and spent most of January wigging out about what I would do with my hair. I had a dress all picked out, shoes, purse, and jewelry, but what could I do with my cap of curls that wouldn't be boring or standard?? I found a great solution!

I decided to go with a modified 20's look -- a tight cap of curls with a crystal floral hair piece that I made myself! Brilliant right? :)

To get the look: I performed my first rollerset with the little blue magnetic rollers from Sally Beauty Supply. Since I'd never done it, and didn't know what setting lotion to use or whatever, I went with tried and true: I used Kinky Curly Curling Custard! Besides being a bit gooey and taking a long time to dry (an hour under my beloved hood dryer is not too high a beauty price to pay, right?), it came out wonderfully. I rolled my hair in a "brick laying pattern", back to front, using the roller caps to stretch and hold my hair to the roller. After drying, I coated my fingertips in evoo and pulled the curls apart with my fingers. I also carefully ran my fingers through the roots to erase the parting lines.

To create the piece: I went to Michaels. In the bridal decorations section, I found "crystal leaves" pre-mounted on thin silver wire (I've searched the michael's website for a pic of this... in vain). I also bought swarovski crystals. I went home, pulled the leaves apart and re-twisted them in a 3-dimensional flower pattern, and used a hot glue gun to attach the additional crystals for glitter and shine. I used a simple large bobby pin to attach it to above my left ear (where I always wear flowers).

It was a rousing success! I'm sure I don't have to tell you how wonderful all the sisters looked in all their Mardi Gras finery, but I was the ONLY one rocking a hair flower. I got lots of compliments from men and women, and it was one of those rare zen moments where your outside perfectly matches your inside. Selah.

Mixology: Chlorine Buster

Tiffany @ LiveCurlyLiveFree has a great home remedy for chlorine/chlorine damage removal on her lovely site! I just had to share -- Tiff is a guru on Naturallycurly.com and the new weekly contributing blogger @ the CurlyNikki Blog. Thanks Tiffany! Read below or Go here.

Chlorine Buster

It is always a good idea to rinse your hair with plain water prior to entering any swimming pool to prevent chlorine water from penetrating into your hair shaft; however, this remedy will help reverse any chlorine damage to unprotected hair.

Combine:

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup pureed, peeled cucumber

Massage well into hair from scalp to ends, then cover with a plastic processing cap. Process for 30 minutes hour at room temperature, then cleanse hair with a non-sulfate cleanser.

Haven't tried it yet, but will post a review if and when I do. Bring on the summer pools!

Coconut Oil & Other Disasters...

It's been so long since I reviewed products and posted here, that I'm able to compile an immediate list of what hasn't worked with ease. (I figured you'd want to get right to what you might want to think twice about, avoid, or laugh about.)

Disaster #1: Coconut Oil ---- 0 out of 5 stars
I know what you're wondering. What is she talking about? Well if nothing else my coconut oil disaster proves that every head of hair is different and reacts differently to things, even things that are thought widely to work. I had been diligently trying to get coconut oil to work for me for a month and a half before I finally settled my mind to the fact that it absolutely, positively does not work for me. My hair hates it! HATES it! Every time I apply it, whether alone, mixed in a conditioning treatment, sealed on ends, what have you, my hair wigs out! I get a frizzy, crunchy, hard mess. This is horrifying to me, because for the most part my hair is extremely well behaved -- soft, malleable, easily detangled, stays moisturized well. It could hold a style better, but a sista really can't complain like all that. Well, to my horror, coconut oil transforms my hair into a forest of roach legs, torture to touch. I'm not exaggerating (much). I think it's the protein in it, although I have not shown extreme protein sensitivity using other products. I did have some trouble with the Aphogee 2-step treatment the last time I tried it, however. I won't be trying this again. The most maddening part of it all is that I assumed it would be great and bought a huge canister from Walmart since my hair has responded so well to products using coconut milk! I wound up giving the whole can to my moms... not sure it's working for her twa either...

Disaster #2: IC Olive Oil Gel -- 1 out of 5 stars
My hair is absolutely not fooled. It totally knows the difference between IC and Kinky Curly Curling Custard. It does not seem to like IC gel very much at all. So many people exclaim over the results they get using IC gel for wash n go, for twisting, etc. I've tried it for all of those and got weird gummy textures, dullness, and dryness. The best results I ever got were when I mixed it with shea. And there were still some little matzo balls in there where the shea didn't absorb, and which I was not aware of until my mom exclaimed "Eww! What is that?!?!" loudly and marched across the room to dig one out of the back of my fro and show me. Aargh! I'm almost ready to throw in the towel with this stuff.

Disaster #3: Giovanni Direct Leave-in -- 2 out of 5
The jury's actually out on this one, but the sense of frustration cannot be overestimated. Time and time again I've read rave reviews of this product, and I believe those, but I just haven't seen it. I've tried it as a part of different regimens and even alone, but I am not seeing the moisture lock-in and gleam that I expected. My hair does feel soft and slippy when I first put it in, but inevitably what I put on top feels weird. I still hold out hope with this one, and am not ready to post a final result already but the frustrations is adding up.

At this rate, I won't be re-investing in any of these products. Any suggestions or comiserations? Please comment!

You Might Have Thought I'd Died... (an Apology)

But I didn't. There's no excuse for my militaristic silence on this blog lately! Has my hair stopped growing? Have I stopped experimenting, trying new regimens and products? Of course not. I just let life get in the way of recording it.

No more! I'll be getting up to date immediately...

New NaturalNaNa Video on Youtube -- Enjoy!

ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Pak -- 3 out of 5

Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Pak. These yellow packets should be familiar to anyone who's ever been down the "ethnic hair products" aisle @ the store or to a Sally's Beauty Supply. My aim in testing this one was to start questioning the effectiveness of every product, even ones that people take for granted.

After clarifying/co-washing and rinsing, I apply this product to my wet hair, cover with shower cap, and then sit under hood dryer for 15-20 minutes with heat on medium. (I'm a big believer in applying heat to conditioning treatments... steam would be even better, but oh well...)

After using this 3 times on my natural hair, I've concluded that it's okay, but that I should keep looking. The first time, I used only the packet, and was unimpressed with the softness or moisture of my hair. I also don't care for the smell. It smells so strongly of oranges that if I were wearing a blindfold when trying this, I would try to clean the counters with it!

I had a lot more success with it the second and third times I tried it, where I used it as a base to add additional evoo, coconut oil and honey. When I did that, I had good results for softness and moisture of my hair. Only thing is the smell stayed the same. I'm sure there's something out there that works better, and I'll be looking for that. However, in a pinch, whether temporal or financial, this is an acceptable alternative.

Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner -- 5 out of 5

I finally tried Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner! It's on many a holy grail product list, let me tell you. As far as I can tell, it is well deserved.

It is my pleasure to add it to my list as well! Light as air on my hair (and my wallet), great slip and softness, very pleasant light smell, this conditioner is perfect for co-washing and so cheap that you can glop it on without feeling guilty. I enjoyed it so much that I cowashed twice with it. I felt that it added moisture well to my hair with the water and rinsed out quickly and easily. I can see this as a staple in my bathroom forever more!

It performed as well if not better than HE Hello Hydration, which I loved, and reviewed before and reserved judgment on pending a review of this one. I can (happily) say that they are what and what. (Idea: look for a blog warring the conditioners later!) Is it fair that I gave Suave a 5 out of 5 and hg rating right off? Yes, because there is one place where Suave kicks HH's but -- price. HH costs 2$ more than Suave and seems to be slightly less available, but that doesn't really mean anything because these are both drugstore products and widely available.

Suave is so cheap and available it may make a good base for mixing homemade products. We shall see...

Aphogee 2-Step Protein Treatment -- 1 out of 4

Let me start by saying that I had never heard of protein sensitivity in hair until I started following curlynikki's blog. By that time, I was curious to answer the question in regards to my own hair because it seems so key. When you check the ingredients of most hair products, protein, usually in the form of wheat germ protein, is on the list! I began to get a a little paranoid. Is my hair protein sensitive?! I'm allergic to a million and one things in nature and on my plate, so I am more likely to assume an allergy as the cause of misery than anything else.

I am happy to report that no, it seems that I am not protein sensitive. Yet and still, Aphogee 2-step treatment was too much for me! This is a WHOLE LOTTA protein ya'll. Imagine 12 eggs stinkily frying on your hair. That's about what the experience was like for me.

This is not my first time dealing with protein. I remember when I got my first perms in 7th grade-- I got them because I was a dancer and my mom was tired of me sweating out my press daily. It only took about 6 months to break off badly. The hairstylist I was seeing, slapped several Aphogee treatments on my head at that time. I remembered it being goopy, hard to deal with, stinky, and rock hard. When I read that some people have a lot of success with it and use it regularly as napturals, I was eager to try again since you can get at any beauty supply store. In fact, the one that I went to single-use packets in the box separately. I got mine for 1.99+ tax.

I co-washed then got ready to use. It comes in 2 parts. First the protein treatment itself, under the dryer @ high heat until hard and dry (NO SHOWER CAP). Then the creamy conditioner which you rinse out almost immediately. Well, step one was a mess! The stuff is super runny, about the consistency and color of beaten eggs. I could hardly get it on my head. I was also concerned that there wouldn't have been enough without my hair being a short twa. I got it worked in, and the smell was eye-watering and chemically. I experienced immediate regret. That's when the stinging began....

This reminded me of a perm so bad I could have cried. I got under the dryer like a concentration camp victim, all dogged endurance. It took longer to dry hard that I would have liked. Once again, if my hair had been longer... torture time! I rinsed it out eagerly only to feel my hair hard and stripped feeling. I rushed on...

The second step was better. The conditioner smelled good, and after applying, working it in, and rinsing, my hair felt alot better. I wound up doing a deep conditioner with evoo, honey, and an olive oil packet to get it back to softness. I didn't notice any immediate perking up of m hair, and the hardness left after the dc, but I think it did give me a protein boost. I'm just unsure that I needed one at all. I'll be leaving this packet on the shelves from now on... try if you dare!

Happy Nappy New Year!

It's the start of Very Nappy Year for Dluvlylox! As you can see I'm hella late with this. To stop me from sliding into ridiculous procrastination territory (which would be unforgiveable), I am simply posting my current regimen and a few announcements, as well as pending reviews.

My Regimen:
1) Co-wash every 2-3 days or as needed w/ HE Hello Hydration or Suave Tropical Coconut
2) Clarify w/ ACV rinse or baking soda added to conditioner
3) As little combing as possible, even in shower w/ conditioner (I can detangle w/ fingers)
4) DT 2x/wk -- currently using ORS Olive oil packs w/ added evoo and honey, but still looking for something better
5) Spritz daily with water, seal with oil (amla+shikakai or coconut)

My Goals for the year are:
1) Perfect regimen and get it down to routine.
2) Take multi-vitamin daily.
3) Learn to braid!
4) Experiment with styles for versatility.
5) Keep up blog/fotki!
6) Record results of all hair experiments and products!
7) Try henna!

Look for the following Product Reviews:
1) Aphogee 2-step Treatment
2) Suave Tropical Coconut Conditioner
3) Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Conditioner
4) Coconut Oil
5) The Pre-poo
6) IC Olive Oil Gel
7) IC Olive Oil Gel vs. Kinky Curly Curling Custard

I am also planning to experiment in making homemade products this year! (So exciting!) Look for:
1) Homemade Spritz w/ Vegetable Glycerin
2) Adventures in Shea Butter Land
3) Shealoe and other Goop

Lastly, I am participating in Nappturality's TWA Challenge 2009. This is a year-long hair growth challenge. I've sworn to:
1) Stick to my regimen.
2) No cutting! No trimming!
3) Measure only once and month and post pic in a fotki album specifically for that purpose!
4) Grab a hair buddy and hold on tight for the ride! Mine is jasluv on NP.

We have a ning social network website, Our Journey. You can come visit to cheer us along, or even join yourself. Hope to see you there.

Aight! That's It for Now!