Give your hair a special treat for the holidays

Hello everyone, it's been a really long time since I've made a post. You won't believe all the changes I've had in my life... nevertheless, look out for continued posts on my blog.

Whenever the holiday season rolls around, we have family & loved ones in town and everyone likes to look their best. All of you that relax/straighten your hair here are a few really, really good tips:

- use a LYE CONDITIONING relaxer. The container must say "CONDITIONING". If you do not see this word, look for another product. I've used Revlon for years. Hawaiian Silk also is a product I've used and have been satisfied with. Lye relaxers never need to be mixed for any of you that do not know the difference between a lye and a no lye relaxer.

- choose the right strength relaxer for your hair type. Ex. fine hair & tender scalp please use a MILD relaxer. Coarser hair types use the REGULAR or SUPER strength.

- base your hair properly.

- move quickly & carefully.

-leave the product in your hair only for the time the product recommends... any longer causes overprocessing & hair damage. When hair is overprocessed it actually starts getting more on the kinky side, rather than being straight.

- After rinsing out the relaxer completely, use a really good moisturizing conditioner & leave in for about 5 minutes then follow with your first shampoo.

- use a neutralizing shampoo preferrably with the color code option; this way you know when all of the relaxer is washed out. You could follow with a moisturizing shampoo for the second wash.

- Condition again after you have washed your hair. If you're able to & have the time it's best to follow a relxer with a deep a conditioner. If you cannot do it the same day ensure by your next wash you do deep condition your hair.

Follow these tips and your hair will really remain healthy and moisturized with your relxer. Remember the introduction of chemicals to your hair makes it even drier than it may already be.

Excellence in Beauty!

Naturesk

The scales/flakes are gone

Back in July, I made an entry showing you how my scalp looked. For a few years I've had a problem with my scalp, not knowing what was causing this itchiness that nothing seemed to resolve.

I've finally realized what caused it... it's the relaxer chemicals I use to straighten my hair. I'm not sure if there something I've become allergic to or if the formula has changed. I've also tried a few different relaxers, so, I'm not too sure about the formula being an issue. Now I know I have to protect my scalp very well when I relax and I have to calm my scalp down after the process is complete.

So, I've created a blend of oils that I use about 8-10 days after I relax and I have to wash my hair about 2-3 times during the 8-10 day period. After this, the itching and scaling subsides tremendously. If I treat my scalp at least once a week when it's time to wash, then it all goes away.

I'm so happy and so relieved that I found a solution and I could share it with you. I recently trimmed my hair after my last relaxer and enclosed images below of my scalp before & after. The image at the top left is what my hair looks like now.

Tell me what you think.

-------------BEFORE: ---------------------------- AFTER:

Thinning Hair?

Have you noticed that for one reason or the other you seem to be loosing more hair than normal? Ponytail feeling smaller? Seeing more of your scalp than you should? Then you are suffering from thinning hair and that is cause for concern. What do you do now?

First, determine what could be causing the loss then figure out how to correct & treat the problem. If you do not notice a difference, do seek professional, medical help.

If you're around the age 40-50, it's natural to see some thinning of the hair. Our hair follicles produce hair for a specific time and then the could stop or slow down hair production. So, what could you do to ease this problem...

1. Get rid of the stressful hairstyles... the braids, the weaves, the tight ponytails, the cornrows.

2. Check your diet. Are you getting your fair share of required vitamins & minerals? Think about supplementing your diet with vitamins for your hair.

3. Do you have a medical condition? Is this causing the thinning or what about the medication you could be taking? Notify your doctor if you suspect this is causing your problem.

4. Are you experiencing hormonal changes? Recently had a hysterectomy? Once your hormones are imbalanced, you will notice changes to the way your hair behaves and you will most likely notice thinning hair. Typically it takes about 1 year after hormonal treatment before you see improvements in your body including your hair.

5. What type of products are you using? Are they organic or claim to be natural? Look at the ingredients and get to know how good or how bad they are for you. Avoid shampoos with harsh ingredients like sulphates.

6. Do not ignore your hair & think the problem will simply "go away". That would be your biggest mistake. Pay extra attention and take extra care of thinning hair. Condition after every wash & deep condition at least once a month. Consider adding sage essential oil to your conditioner and/or shampoo, that helps to reduce falling hair.

7. Toss the no-lye perm, instead, shop for a conditioning lye perm. No-lye perms can be very drying for the hair & could cause hair loss over time. If you've been considering it or think you could live with it, go natural - ditch the chemicals altogether.

8. Brush your hair or massage the scalp to promote stimulation & circulation of the scalp, this is important to help with the hair growth process. You could also make your own stimulating scalp oil to massage the head with. Be sure to include jojoba oil. There are essential oils that will also help to promote hair growth like lemongrass, basil or rosemary.

Keep your hair on your head because it's beautiful!

Ms. Naturesk
Excellence in Beauty!

Silk Peptide Powder

It was time for me to deep condition and trim. I trimmed about 2" from my ends because it's been a little while since I've gotten around to trimming. I tried a new ingredient in my deep conditioner... silk peptide powder. I've heard of it, but never did purchase it before now. I will say that I loved the results. while my hair was masked with the deep conditioner, it felt so silky soft... I instantly fell in love. I purchased the silk peptide powder from the site: http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/.

Silk peptide powder is rich in amino acids protein which is easily absorbed by your hair and your skin and gives it a silky feel. In fact, it contains 18 amino acids that provide a great balance of moisture, shine and elasticity for your hair. The powder has a very silky feel to it and it is an offwhite colored powder. It also has a wonderful feeling in skin care products.

This product is perfect for your bi-weekly to montly protein fix for your hair. Add it to your deep conditioner mask and leave on your hair for 20-30 minutes under heat or 45 mins-1 hour + without heat. Over time it will help to strengthen hair, help with moisture retention and aid in stopping breakage because it helps with elasticity.

Make time to deep condition... your hair will thank you.

Ms. Naturesk

Excellence in Beauty!

Yogurt Treatment Hair Mask

I know it's been a while since I've put up one of my recipes and I've heard from a few people that have tried some of the recipes I published on the blog and wanted to see some more. So, here's another one that I like because I love yogurt for my hair and my skin. I like to eat it too :)

What you need:
1 egg yolk,
1 tablespoon of plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 tablespoon almond oil

What to do:
Whip ingredients together well. Apply to hair and leave for at least 20-30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Benefits of the ingredients:
Yogurt is rich in zinc, calcium, lactic acid, protein, Vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6 and B-12 and yeast. The nutrients will work wonders for your hair especially because of the protein, zinc and Vitamin B complex which are all nutrients that our hair needs to remain healthy. It also helps to calm frizz and soften dull looking hair.

The almond oil and coconut oils are great emollients.

Honey is a humectant that will help keep & attract moisture to your hair.

The egg yolk is a naturally filled with cholesterol.

Ms. Naturesk

Excellence in Beauty!

Get Natural Looking Curls Without Heat/Great Summer Hair Style

Have you ever seen people with the prettiest natural curls and wondered how you could have the same beautiful ringlets without using any heat? You would not believe how simple it is.

I'm currently 10 weeks into my relaxer and still going (although I'm so tempted to run out to get a perm), nevertheless, it's still better for my hair and scalp. As you could imagine, I have to be very creative with my hair at the moment. So, I decided to give my hair some soft natural looking curls/ringlets. Here's how you could get the same look (you could do this with wet or dry hair)...

If your hair is wet-

1. Use your favorite leave in conditioner, setting lotion or a small amount of styling mouse.
2. Part your hair from the front to the back, allowing for about 5-7 braids going to the back of your neck. Braid your hair from the front using only two-strand twists & secure the ends with barrettes.
3. Let it air dry, preferable overnight.
4. In the morning, release the braids one by one & moisturize the hair & scalp.
5. Separate to add more body.
6. Style as desired.

If your hair is dry-

1. Dampen with a mist of purified water or your favorite leave in conditioner or setting lotion.
2. Part your hair from the front to the back, allowing for about 5-7 braids going to the back of your neck.
3. Let it air dry for at least 4-5 hours.
4. Once dry, release the braids one by one & moisturize the hair & scalp if necessary.
5. Separate to add more body.
6. Style as desired.

I've attached photos...

Nourishing your hair

Did you know that all the hair on your head that you comb and struggle so desperately to maintain is actually all dead tissue? It's actually the hair follicles from your scalp that is alive and produces hair (hair shaft). The hair shaft is really a dead cylinder of keratin. Believe it or not...

Even though the hair is dead, we must maintain it to ensure that it is healthy (even as dead as it is). What do we need to make sure the hair shaft is healthy? The hair needs moisture and necessary vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, Minerals: Iron & Zinc and others like Biotin and Silica are great ingredients to look for in vitamins for hair.

Why is it important to take supplements specifically for your hair? The fact is, most of us do not receive the nutrients we need to maintain healthy hair from our food we eat daily. Therefore, we must supplement our diet with these vitamins & minerals. The same thing applies for healthy skin (ever wonder why more & more people have skin issues now).

Currently, I have some supplements that I use for my skin by Sanitas, called 'Complexion Clear'. Lucky for me, it also has some of the needed nutrients for my hair. In addition, I also take vitamins specifically for my hair.

If you have dandruff, one supplement you may want to add to your daily supplements is organic Flax Seed capsules. Not only is this great for a healthy heart, after a month of taking these capsules twice daily, you will have some relief from your itchy dandruff condition.

Hope you find a supplement that works for you. You will see a difference - I promise.

Ms. Naturesk

Excellence in Beauty!

Tips For Effective (Basic Conditioning)

Have you ever felt like you've been conditioning and deep conditioning, but for some reason your hair is still dry or doesn't appear to be nourished? That has happened to me... until I realized how important it is to use a clarifying shampoo or vinegar rinse to remove excessive build up from the hair's shaft.

I also did provide a vinegar rinse earlier on in this blog that also serves to remove excessive build up to ensure your conditioners are able to deliver all of the nutrients to your hair & scalp. Be careful of the "cones" in conditioners... they make your hair feel so great when you do apply them and they do a great job of sealing your cuticle. However, they are notorious for leaving build up and possible scalp irritants. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you're effectively conditioning your hair:

• Blot your hair to remove excess water before you apply your conditioner.
• Gently massage the conditioner in your hair.
• Use a wide toothed comb to release tangles and make hair more manageable.
• Pay attention to the type of conditioner you have; is it a leave in or rinse out conditioner?
• Remember to leave the conditioner for the time specified
• If necessary, rinse it thoroughly (for rinse out conditioners). Otherwise, you'd be leaving the conditioner in your hair until it is washed the next time (for leave in conditioners).
• Be extremely careful when detangling your hair while it's wet; avoid harsh rubbing, pulling or stretching.
• Stay away from conditioners that have cetyl alcohol because they could dry out the hair.
• Remember to always rinse with cool water to seal your cuticle for shiny hair.

Here are some other tricks to note:

1. If you have severe tangling, do not start combing through from the root of your hair. Instead, start clearing the ends and work your way up. This would make the tangles closer to the root easier to comb through to the ends.


2. If you do not use a clarifying shampoo when you wash, try not to use any hair pomade, grease or moisturizer at least 2 days prior to washing to ensure your conditioner is more effective.

Until next time... EZ conditioning!

Ms. Naturesk

Excellence in Beauty!

Do You Need To Condition Your Hair?

We've talked about cleansing and some tips to pay attention to when cleansing your hair and scalp. To have our hair looking its best, lets see if we do need to condition it or not. I don't know about you, but have you tried styling your hair without conditioning it? Isn't it difficult to manipulate? Don't you have many tangles to deal with? I know you're thinking God bless the person that invented the conditioner.

Life happens to our hair... we style, we dry, we curl, we pull, we gel, we flat iron and our hair looks great! Doesn't it? Meanwhile, the abuse caused by heat, products or rough handling lifts our cuticles, allowing necessary moisture to leave and this causes our hair to be dry, dull, brittle and become prone to knots and tangles. As this type of ill-treatment continues, the cuticles would eventually break or become frayed. That's how our hair breaks off or you end up with split ends.

We want to avoid breakage and split ends if we want to preserve and maximize our length. Not to mention, we always want our tresses to look FABULOUS! So it is absolutely necessary that we not only condition after shampooing, but as I've indicated in previous posts, we have to deep condition at least one a month (2X if your hair is much drier than the average person) and use a resonstructor (for chemically processed hair) to add strength back to the core of your hair shaft (cortex & medulla).

A good conditioner should help to:

• Make hair manageable


• Smooth down the cuticle


• Seal in moisture


• Prevent frizz


• Add shine

If your conditioner is not doing these things for you, then ditch it and find a new one. As always, I recommend an organic conditioner. Be aware of products that advertise their products as being "Natural" when more than 50% of their ingredients are anything but natural. I also have postings on this blog called "Know Your Ingredients", become familiar with the most common offenders. I use different brands, but always read my labels to make sure that harmful chemicals are not included in my products.

More on conditioning coming...

Hair Care Tip - Water Temperature

Why is the temperature of the water important when washing and conditioning your hair?

When washing, you should wash with warm water. This helps to loosen dirt and some build up, but it also allows any excess oils to be removed easily. Clean hair without build up and oil makes your conditioner easier to penetrate. Better penetration means healthy hair.

If you have dry, itchy scalp or dandruff, stay away from water that is to warm or hot. This irritates the scalp if the water is too hot. Ensure that you're washing with warm water and rinse with cool water.

When you rinse with cool water, it allows your cuticle (outer layer) to close and lay flat. This in turn allows light to reflect off of your hair causing it to look shiny and healthy.

Never use cold water because this could cause changes of blood/veins to constrict and give you a headache.

Summer Care for dreadlocks

To answer your request on summer care for locks...

Taking care of your locks in the summer is very similar to that of hair that's not locked, with few variations especially where conditioning is concerned.

Locks are fairly easy to maintain day to day; I know every few weeks you do have the task of locking your new growth and that does take time.

During the summer months while in the sun or part-taking in summer activities, you may be required to wash more often than usual. Make sure that you use a gentle clarifying shampoo to remove any residue or build up that may settle on the scalp from sweat, salt water, or products. Or try to use a shampoo that is designed not to leave any residue behind (this is very important if you have locks).

After ensuring your locks are completely dry by either air drying or sitting under a hair dryer since blow drying will leave frizz. Follow with a light or non-oily based moisturizer created specifically for dreadlocks (like Carol's Daughter Loc Butter); there are many other.

In between washes you could clean your scalp with witch hazel or sea breeze. If you have mature locks, you probably already know that. Remember that you have to keep your scalp moisturized and nourished to maintain healthy locks and a healthy scalp. So, deep condition your hair/locks and scalp using a non-oily based hot oil treatment.

Stay away from alcohol and alcohol based products. Also look out for these ingredients in your hair products, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfates. They will dry out your hair and scalp and/or lead to irritation. Sulfates that are generally found in shampoos will strip your hair of it natural oils.

Locks are usually are thick and heavy and it would be a lot more comfortable if you wear your locks up and away from your neck & face to keep you cool. There are many really creative and attractive styles for locks. Many popular hair style publications do feature a section for natural hair and locks.

Ms. Naturesk

Excellence in Beauty!

Vinegar Rinse (Great for Normal or Itchy Scalp)

I've had quite a few questions about dealing with itchy scalp. I've put together a rinse that has helped me. I used it just this past weekend.

Here is the thing, the base would be the same to help with the various itchy scalp conditions, but based on what the itchy scalp condition actually is, you would need a different essential oil to treat it properly.

It's also important that I let you know that anyone can use the base to help clarify the scalp and better prepare your scalp to absorb nutrients from a deep conditioner or from your oils or pomade that you massage on your scalp. Have you felt that a product that did wonders for your hair seems not to work anymore? That's because product build up and residue blocks the absorption of the beneficial nutrients. So, if you have a healthy scalp then only use the BASE of the recipe. Use this every now and then; I'd say about once every 2-3 months.

What you need:
Base
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
2-3" of aloe leaf, peeled and scraped
1/4 tsp pure vitamin E oil
1 tsp baking soda (expect some foaming; a fun science project)

For Dandruff
add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil (helps tremendously with the itching)
and 3-4 drops of cedarwood essential oil

For Eczema
add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil
3-4 drops of lavender essential oil
3-4 drops of geranium essential oil
1 tbsp of andiroba oil (if you could locate)

For Psoriasis (there is no cure for this, but there is relief)
add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil
3-4 drops of German chamomile essential oil
1/2 tsp neem oil
1 tbsp of andiroba oil (if you could locate)

What to do:

1. Gently massage this mixture on your scalp and leave it on for 3-5 minutes (max).
2. Wash with a tea tree shampoo or a gentle organic shampoo.
3. Follow with a tea tree conditioner or organic conditioner
4. Style as desired
5. Massage organic oil(s) to the scalp only; use one or a combination of jojoba oil, coconut oil, andiroba oil and add a few drops of the tea tree essential oil to your oil mixture.
6. Repeat this at once a week until you see some relief. You could wash more than once a week, but do not use the vinegar rinse more than once a week

Relief is on the way...

Naturesk
Excellence in Beauty!