Tress Talk: Why You Should Have Your Own Style

So today I made a trip to the salon for a wash, DC, flat iron and trim. As soon as I walked in, my stylist said "I'm not flat ironning your hair." ... What the hell?! As a part of my nature, I hate when things don't go my way so I was completely thrown off. This is only my third time coming to this salon and she's telling me she's not going what I WANT??

Anyway, she told me my hair was too dry and that the straight style wouldn't last up to 2 days. Greaaaat, especially since I was planning to have it for TWO WEEKS. Strangely enough, she told me everything I was doing to my hair, without me having to say a word. It's wet about 3 times a week, sometimes four. It doesn't get enough moisture, and I'm always keeping it in a tight puff. True, True, True!! But then, where did I get all this from? Youtube. Tumblr. Hair bloggers. I watched them religiously and tried different combinations or what I see them doing. No harm on their part, they were just showing how they work with their hair. What I was doing wrong was NOT LISTENING TO MY HAIR!! All of that washing and even co washing was drying out my hair and the fact that I wasn't applying enough product to my hair added to that. The moisture got in, but quickly evaporated out because there was barely any product there to lock it in.

This is a something every b/vlogger says: What works for me, may not work for you. I even say it in my own posts. This applies not only to products, but also to the way we care for our hair. It's good to take ideas from others who have the same hair type as we do but it's even better to listen to what your hair needs. That hair butter that your favorite YouTube Blogger uses may work for your hair at all. You might need some silicone in your conditioner, you might not.

If you're anything like me and love trying out new products or just need to see what works for your hair without breaking the bank and buying a ton of stuff, try ordering a CurlBox or CurlKit. Both companies send you a few samples of hair products, different every month for you to try out. It's $20/month for each company and it's a monthly subscription. To this day, I'm still using the shea whip, sulfate-free shampoo and Protein DC that I got from my July Curlkit, although I'm using them sparingly so they can last.

Healthy hair journey's, especially in the beginning, are mostly trial and error. Something might work for your mom, sister, AND auntie but may not work for you. Once you find your balance, everything becomes easier.

Peace & Love,

Dez.

Product Review || Jamaican Black Castor Oil

This product is basically a staple in the regimen's of many naturals and relaxed men and women all over the world, for many years. I've heard a lot of hype about it and so I decided to test it out myself and see if it lives up to the hype.

Ingredients: Jamaican Black Castor Oil


Smell- Regular: Has a smoky type of scent. Lavender: Smells like the Lavender Terresentials Mud Wash (see review here: Terresentials Review)

Consistency- THICK. Definitely try using this with an applicator bottle and a little goes a long way.

True to the hype?- Yes. This definitely helped with scalp irritations. 

Availability- May be available in some Beauty Supply Stores but its hard to find. Your best luck would be online on Amazon or at Sams Caribbean Superstore.

Price- Varies by who is selling it but it's usually over $10 for the 8oz and maybe around $6-7 for the 4oz. At Sams Carribbean Superstore it's about $9.99 + Shipping & Tax.

Final Thoughts-  My first time trying it was when my aunt gave me a little bit to try in an empty bowl. At first, it seemed like it increased my scalp irritations but after a week or so, my scalp felt better than ever. I used it for about a month, and my hair grew about 1inch in that one month. CRAZY!! But pay attention: THIS PRODUCT WILL NOT NOW OR EVER GROW YOUR HAIR. It may stimulate your scalp, but not increase your rate of hair growth. It's probably because since I was applying to my hair, I was massaging it into my scalp (which is very good for growth stimulation, and feels amazing). I would definitely buy this again when my 8oz bottle finishes. I actually just bought it on amazon a couple of weeks ago. It was the Lavender scented one, but some people don't like the smell of lavender so it really depends on your taste. The Lavender scented bottle does not smell as smoky. You can use this with your favorite deep conditioner, or for a nice scalp massage. It's also great for sealing your ends. 

You can watch my video review right below. Rate, Comment your opinions and Subscribe. 

**Like all products, this is strictly my experience. Using it is up to your own discretion.**

Peace&Love!

Tress Talk: Different Views

Saturday was my last day of working for the summer. It was busy and I taking payments when this woman told me she loved my hair. Of course, I thanked her. I love getting compliments on my hair. But I've noticed that when my hair was in a weave, or flat ironned, I didn't receive that many compliments on it at all, apart from my friends who wore weaves, asking me where I got my latest fix done.

So since I was leaving, I asked one of my managers who always had something nice to say about my hair, especially when it was in an afro, why he liked it so much. His reply was: "I don't know, it's ... different. You don't really see that many women walking around with soft fluffy afros. Most people's hair is usually straight or in loose curls, and even that gets boring quickly."

Ever since I went natural, I've been getting a lot more compliments on my hair style and texture from people of all different races whether its fro'd up, twisted out or braided down. A lot of people say I look younger, but somehow more mature with my natural hair and I've actually been noticing that people have been taking me more seriously ever since I quit the relaxer.

Now I'm not saying people with relaxers or weaves aren't taken seriously, this is just me and my experiences.

So here's a question for you naturals, have you seen a difference in how people view you ever since you changed up your look?

Natural Hair Tip #2 - Wrap It Up.

You've heard it ever since 8th grade. Cover up. Use protection. Play it safe. And now I'm about to tell you again. WRAP. IT. UP.

But instead of latex, you need either satin or silk. Oh yeah baby, I'm talkin about that good ol' hair scarf.

Most naturals already know that cotton and hair do not go together. You spend all night getting your hair pineappled or braiding/twisting it down for the night, so it's easier to detangle in the morning. You spray it with water, add that Olive Oil (or whatever you use, this is an example) and twist it down expecting luscious locs in the morning. And then you wake up and you're wondering whether someone beat you with a boar bristle brush in your sleep. But alas, it was just your cotton pillowcase that did the damage.
All that work was for nothing, because you'll find out that the hair did not settle into your hair, but onto your pillowcase. Cotton absorbs the oil and moisture from your hair and leaves it tangled, dry and matted. If you can, invest in a satin or silk hair scarf, bonnet or pillowcase. I have all three. I used the satin scarf but my hair is quite soft so it always slid off at night. I use the satin bonnet now, but I lose things easily and can't bother myself with finding them so I bought a satin pillowcase just in case I get lazy. The bonnet is also easier because all you do is put it on your head. You don't know how many times I've had to tie and re-tie my scarf just to get a good fit that wouldn't fall off at night.

Satin scarfs are cheap and easy to find. You can find them at your local Beauty Supply Store, Walmart or even CVS sometimes. I got my scarf, bonnet and pillowcase there. The prices range from about $3-9 depending on which it is and where you get it. Silk material tends to be more expensive.

So thats it folks. Wrap it up. And don't forget to practice safe sleep. You won't regret it in the morning ;)

In Review || Oils: Coconut Oil.

Okay so you're probably like "What is there to review about Coconut Oil?" but I want to do it, so I will. This review won't be like the others that have Ingredients listed because the ingredient is... Coconut Oil! It has many purposes but is mainly used for cooking, hair and skin. This blog is about natural hair so the facts listed will be catered towards hair.

Moisture Retention:

Coconut Oil is one of the best oils for moisturizing your hair. Unlike water, it does not break down and evaporate easily and therefore keeps the moisture in the hair and leaves it soft. By doing this, Coconut Oil also helps against breakage. Of course, moisture comes from water so using coconut oil on dry hair may help soften it, but you will not be retaining maximum amounts of moisture because there was no water there to begin with. I usually incorporate coconut oil into my daily routine by spraying my Water+Aloe Vera Juice mix into my hair and then applying the coconut oil to each section to retain moisture. As with any other oil, you don't want to use too much.

Conditioning:

One of the things about using a conditioner on your hair is that your hair becomes soft and it helps return moisture and balance to you hair after the stripping effects of shampoo. Coconut oil can be used as alternative conditioner because it does just that. Unlike synthetic conditioners that sit on your hair and make it LOOK nice and soft and shiny for a new hours, coconut oil is actually able to get into your strands and give you a softness and shine that will last! If you're like me and you need to use actual products, you can just add coconut oil to your conditioner for and extra boost and some slip! In my experience, when I found out that I bought a conditioner that doesn't do much for my hair, coconut oil saved the day until I bought a new one.

Pre Poo/ Deep Conditioning:

Coconut oil can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment to protect your strands from the harsh effects of shampoo. When I pre-poo I usually use a 50/50 mixture of coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil and apply it to my hair for about an hour, or overnight before I shampoo. This way, your hair won't be too stripped after shampooing. 

You can also apply coconut oil to your deep conditioner for extra softness. Just get a plastic bowl, add your DC and 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Mix it all up, apply to your hair, and leave in for one hour or for 30 minutes with heat. 

Misc:

Coconut Oil can be applied onto the skin as a great solution for dry skin. Unlike other oils, coconut oil solidifies at 76°F/24°C or colder and liquifies above that. If you find that your coconut oil has solidified, you can run it under hot water or scoop some into a bowl and microwave. You can also just rub it in your hands since it melts easily. In my experience, coconut oil has been a great protector against chlorine. 

Where can I find it?

Coconut oil can be found at most, if not all grocery stores in the cooking section. I buy mine from Walmart or my local fresh food market. You can also buy it online, although those run slightly expensive especially when you add in shipping costs. Coconut oil should be Organic, Virgin, or Unrefined. It should be 100% coconut oil. Unlike Olive Oil however, getting Extra Virgin as opposed to just Organic is not that much of a difference. It ranges from about $5-$20 depending on where you get yours. The price may not reflect the quality.

***As with everything, coconut oil may not work for everyone. Use with your own discretion.


Keep it curly,
Dez.

Review || Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

What it says

Let this rich conditioner indulge you from root to tip, moving moisture through your hair to quench parched strands. It's a sip of satisfaction. Why we love it: serum-infused formula for moisturized softness.
Made in USA
Massage it in, soak it up, rinse it out.

Ingredients

Water , Stearyl Alcohol , Behentrimonium Chloride , Cetyl Alcohol , Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone , Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract (Coconut) , Orchis Mascula Flower Extract , Zea Mays Silk Extract (Corn) , Fragrance , Benzyl Alcohol , Disodium EDTA , Sodium Hydroxide , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Blue 1

What I Think

Smell- It smells lovely. Think coconuts, tropical and Hawaii breeze.

Consistency- It's thick but not too thick, and I love that in all of my products. The color is a light blue.

True to the hype?- Yes. This is another product that definitely does what it says.
Availability- Available online and in-store at Target, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart or your favorite Beauty Salon.
Price- Varies by store but it's cheaper at Target (for me). $2.99/10oz, $4.99/23oz, $6.99/33oz.
Final Thoughts-  First of all, the slip is amazing. My fingers glide right through my hair with no problem so it definitely helps with the detangling. It gives my hair a lot of moisture and my hair is always soft after co-washing with it. It works well for my wash and go's, after deep conditioning and after shampooing. It actually gave me so much moisture even after my hair dried out from 2 days of tons of chlorine water. This is definitely going to be a staple for me. Of course, if your hair can't deal with silicones, you should not use this because only you know what will happen next. However if you're like me and you don't have a problem with a little silicone now and then, this is a great product to try. 
Rate: 10/10