Hair Diary || Mini Twist Takedown AND Future Style

(Summer 2013) Loose twists on straightened hair.

After a little more than three weeks in mini twists (see previous post), I spent almost a week in the resulting twist-out before commencing to finger detangle.  I have to say that this is the EASIEST mini twist experience I have ever had, and I can only speculate why.

• For one, I only kept them in for three weeks and a few days.  In the past, I would wear them from 4-6 weeks.
• For two, I was big on deep protein conditioning (Aphogee 2-Minute) and lubricating my hair while in the twists.  In the past, I would just use my rinse-out conditioner and not as much lubricating.
• For three, I did slightly "stronger" twists (read this post to see what I mean) AND twisted (loosely though) all the way down to my ends.  In the past, my mini twists have been weaker and not twisted all the way down to the ends.

So I think those few things made my wear of mini twists easier this time.  The take-down (for a twist-out) was not bad at all and barely took a couple of hours.  The finger detangling did take time (I spread it across three days while catching up on "Dracula" and "Scandal") but was not all that difficult.  (I remember wearing mini twists for 6 weeks one time and having the most PAINFUL takedown AND finger detangling session ever ... so much so that I wanted to give up and just cut all my hair off.  I almost cried y'all.  However, that was not my experience this time.)  I soaked my hair in a mixture of coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter beforehand.  I also took my sweet time so as to not rip through my hair.

I plan to wear my hair in plaits for a couple of days before washing and re-twisting.  I think I want to do loose twists on flat-ironed hair (again) for my next set.

'Til next time (and with more pics).

Mixology || Rose Petal Scrub

This will make a great, refreshing natural body scrub ... and additionally a Christmas gift!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of brown (turbinado) sugar
• 1 cup of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of sweet almond or jojoba oil
• Petals from one rose (pink or red)
• 1 clean mason jar with a lid

This scrub has to be made a few days before you plan to use it, or to give it as a gift. Pour the coconut oil into the jar, and follow it with a handful of rose petals. Then add the raw sugar, and top with the almond or jojoba oil. When you're ready to use it, mash it all together with a large spoon, slather it all over your body, massage into your skin, and then rinse well.

{Recipe Source}

Healthy Hair on Youtube: KinkyStyles1980

It has been a while since I put up a "Healthy Hair on Youtube" post.  Well here is one featuring a Type 4 natural I just recently discovered - KinkyStyles1908. This past August she did a length check upon becoming 3 years natural. Her growth and length retention are impressive considering that she is only a couple inches from waist-length.  Her regimen consists of various protective styles (twists and mostly braid extensions).  Check out her hair below and view her other videos for more details about her hair care routine.

Study || Oil Pulling + Oral Health

Oil pulling is an old Ayurvedic practice that consists of gargling with (or holding a mouthful of) oil for several minutes to detoxify the body thus eliminating many health issues.  Some of us have heard about it.  Some of us practice it.  But is there any research that shows its efficacy against health issues?  Well, while I could find nothing concerning the effectiveness of oil pulling against migraines, diabetes, asthma, and many other claimed health benefits, I did find a study involving oral health.

This study was conducted back in 2008 with the use of sesame oil, to be exact, and 10 minutes of gargling daily for two weeks.  So what was the conclusion?  Oil pulling prior to brushing was effective in reducing bacteria related to tooth decay (specifically the Streptococcus mutans that was found in plaque).  Thus, oil pulling can be used "as a preventative home therapy to maintain oral health" [1].

SOURCES:
EFFECT OF OIL PULLING ON S. MUTANS COUNT IN PLAQUE ... (2008)
A REVIEW OF OIL PULLING AND OTHER HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO ORAL HEALTH (2011)

Protective Style Lookbook || 2 Quick Styles for Mini Twists

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

Model: Kim

Difficulty level: 2/5

Description: Two rolled and pinned updos on mini twists

10 Household Uses for Lemons

Did you know lemons have household uses beyond cleaning?  Here are just a few of those uses:

- derust brass
- revitalize paintbrushes
- despeckle glass
- polish wood furniture

For more, check out this slideshow on Bobvila.com.

Healthy Hair Feature || Maicurls

1. What made you go natural?  How long have you been natural?
I have been natural for about 3 years. I use to have my hair relaxed from about the age of 14 till I was 24. I simply got tired of using relaxers so I stopped. I was tired of having hair that was damaged, dry, brittle and always shoulder length. I was also using hair dyes at the time so my hair would end up in odd colors because I think the hair dye would react funny to my relaxed hair.

2. Did you transition? If so, for how long?  
I transitioned from mid-2009 to 2010. I was not brave enough to do a big chop so I would just trim my relaxed ends as my natural curly hair grew out.

3. What is your Healthy Hair routine?

At the start of 2013 I decided that I wanted to integrate more natural products into my hair care. So I make and use about 90% natural/organic products in my hair care routines and I am loving the results. It was all the trial and error I did during my Natural Hair Journey that helped me determine common ingredients that my hair liked and I use those for my hair now.

Once a week I Wash, Detangle, and Deep Condition (DC) my hair. I have three different DIY DC’s for different purposes (moisturizing, strengthening and protein).
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/maicurls/

Daily I use my DIY Leave-In conditioners (Spray or Creamy) depending on how dry my hair feels and then I seal in the moisture with my mixed sealing oil. To me the important parts are making sure my hair is well moisturized and my ends are protected. I try to do a lot of protective styles e.g. Twists and Buns but I do have my moments where I love wearing my hair out!

4. Do you have a Healthy Body routine?  If so, what is it?

My new mission of integrating a healthy hair care routine this year also pushed me to do the same for my skin care! I make a lot of the products I use for my skin whereby I focus on using natural/organic ingredients. I always liked doing sports but again with this new mission I bought a few pieces of workout equipment to exercise at home. I also started to eat healthier. I cannot say I avoid ALL “unhealthy” dishes (I have my moments of weakness) I LOVE food but I do try and make sure I have balanced meals, eat enough fruits and vegetables and drink enough water.

5. What advice/tips do you have for naturals?

Stick with it! I can just speak from my experience, it is so worth it! Give yourself the time to get to know your hair. I learnt that I needed to be patient, gentle, not to stress or give up! I think I kept on expecting my hair to miraculously turn into a head full of lovely bouncy curls overnight during especially during my transition (after years of overdoing the chemical treatments). I realized that if I wanted my hair to grow in a healthy way I needed to nurture, protect, understand and love my hair. I also found out it is a new ending journey! I keep on finding out new things about my hair even 3 years later. There are so many innovative and creative people online who are just a click away and I love learning new things with and through them!

6. Where can we find you?  (Include links/urls)

Blog: http://maicurls.wordpress.com

Email: maicurlz@gmail.com

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Maicurls