Mixology || Shea Butter Conditioner from Scratch

You do not need a lot of ingredients for this mixture nor do you need any hard-to-find ones.  All you need are an inexpensive conditioner, shea butter, and olive oil.

Ingredients:
4 parts cheap conditioner (e.g., VO5, Suave, etc.)
2 parts shea butter
1 part extra virgin olive oil
*Optional: feel free to use another oil instead (e.g., safflower)

Instructions:
1. Melt the shea butter until soft but not until a liquid.
2. Whip the shea butter the safflower oil and conditioner.
3. Apply the concoction to freshly washed hair.  Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse and style as usual.

Healthy Hair on Youtube: Cassandre

Cassandre Beccai is a type 4 natural with uber (yes, uber) long hair. Check out her video below where she describes her hair care regimen and wash routine. Also check out the rest of her channel.

 

Study || Almond Oil Massage for Stretch Marks

Some of you have probably heard that application of cocoa butter (during pregnancy) reduces the likelihood of developing stretch marks.  Well according to a few studies published a few years ago, cocoa butter does not appear to be effective like some believe [1][2].

So how about olive oil?  Well, a study published last year does not support the application of olive oil as being effective either [3].

So what oil/butter might work then?  Research does support is that massaging with almond oil may reduce the development of stretch marks [4].

SOURCES:
COCOA BUTTER LOTION & STRETCH MARKS (2008)
COCOA BUTTER CREAM & STRETCH MARKS (2010)
OLIVE OIL & STRETCH MARKS (2012)
ALMOND OIL & STRETCH MARKS (2012)

Hair Diary || What Will I Do Next?

Throwback from last March (2012).
(Jumbo twist-out on flat-ironed hair.)

I put in a new set of twists a few days ago.  I call them "lazy" twists because they were done ... well lazily.  They are bigger and frizzier than my usual set, but hey ... real life calls.

In mid April, I plan to flat iron for the second time this year (I think it will be the second?).  The question is what to do with my hair from now until then (approximately four weeks).  I could leave these twists until then, and I just might.  Another option is to wear this set for two weeks and a twist-out for the next two weeks.

... I will figure it out in due time.

Now onto some random hair shots:

My current "lazy" twists for the next couple weeks or so.

Small twists french-braided into an updo.
(Taken some time last year.)

Flat twists into twists.
(Taken some time last year.)

Underrated || Babassu Oil for Hair and Skin

Like coconut oil, babassu oil is extracted from a kernel of the palm tree family – the babassu tree, to be exact.  More importantly, it has similar composition and proportions of fatty acids as coconut oil.  (The fatty acids include lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic.) If you desire some the benefits of coconut oil but (for whatever reason) dislike the actual oil, you might want to continue reading ... 

WHY BABASSU OIL IS WORTH TRYING:

1.  It is less/non-clogging.  One downside to using coconut oil is that it is high on the comedogenic scale.  Babassu oil, on the other hand, is supposedly not as clogging (if clogging at all).  If you are prone to getting acne from coconut oil use, try this babassu instead.  

2. It does not leave a greasy feel.  Unlike coconut oil, babassu oil lacks a greasy feel after application. Some even say that it appears to penetrate better than coconut oil.

3. It is not expensive.  Depending on where you make your purchase, babassu oil is comparable in price to coconut oil.

HOW TO USE BABASSU OIL:

1. Use it to seal your ends.  After a fresh wash and condition, apply a little bit of the oil to your ends.  A little goes a long way.

2. Use as a pre-shampoo treatment or to enhance a conditioner.  Use babassu alone or with other ingredients as an overnight pre-poo treatment.  Add some melted babassu oil to your conditioner for an enhanced conditioning treatment.

3. Use it to whip shea butter.  Mix a little babassu oil with shea butter (and other oils, if you wish). 

Protective Style Lookbook || Double Twisted Bun (Great for Bad Hair Days)

By popular demand, this is a series showcasing various protective hair styles.  Protective styling does not have to be boring. :o)

Model: Ambrosia

Style description: Jumbo flat twists in back bun.

Difficulty level: 2/5

Mixology || Easy Non-Drying Henna Recipe for Conditioning

Do you want to try henna for hair conditioning but you do not know where to begin? Or maybe you are afraid of the dryness sometimes associated with henna?  Well here is a recipe worth trying:

Ingredients:

100g+ neutral henna (amount depends on length thickness of your hair)
1/2 an avocado
1 tsp oil of your choice (olive, grapeseed, castor, etc.)
1 tsp honey

Instructions: 
1. Mix all the above ingredients together in a stainless steel bowl.  (Assuming you are using pure henna, a stainless steel bowl should be fine.)
2. Section damp or dry hair.  Apply using plastic gloves or an applicator brush, section by section.
3. Cover hair with a secure plastic cap.
4. Allow to set for a minimum of 4 hours.  (Some ladies, henna overnight.)
5. Rinse hair thoroughly with warm water to remove henna.
6. Follow up with a conditioner wash.
7. Deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner for 20-30 minutes.
8. Rinse, moisturize, seal, and style as usual.

Source: Original recipe on LongHairCareForum