The Truth about Probiotics

With the increasing interest in probiotics (bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of organisms in the intestines), it is important to know the facts.  Check out the following overview on WebMD.

3in6: Prep Week #1

PREP WEEK #1: December 4-10.  To join the challenge, see this post.

Use this week to get a fresh trim or cut.  The following reasons are why:

1. The goal of the challenge is to retain length, and there is no better way to do it than with healthy ends from the start.
2. Trimming or cutting throughout the challenge is a no-no.  It will defeat the purpose of retaining length.

How should one trim/cut her hair?  It depends on your preference.  A trim can be done on dry or wet hair, and straight or coily hair.  I prefer to trim in twists.

Read this post about trimming.

3in6 is Back!

Just in time for the New Year!  This challenge will run from January 1 - July 1 2012.  Below are the details.  Are you in?  Mark your spot in the comment section.

Purpose of this challenge: To retain 2-3 inches of growth in 6 months.

Challenge period: January 1 - July 1 2012

Guidelines:

1. Eat fresh vegetables or fruits with each meal.

2. Take a daily multivitamin.

3. Drink sufficient water.

(Amt of water in oz. = Your weight in lbs * 0.5)

4. Wear twists or braids 2-4 weeks at a time.

5. No direct heat.

6. Absolutely no trimming.  (Start with a fresh cut now if need be.)

Allowances:

Each challenger is allowed two 1-week periods of styling her hair as she pleases (e.g., puff, rollerset, etc.).

Tips on wearing twists/braids long term:

- Do not twist/braid too tightly

- Redo the perimeter weekly or biweekly.

- Deep condition & detangle thoroughly prior to twisting or braiding.

- For more tips, check out posts in the twist series

Winterize Your Regimen!

With winter around the corner, here are a couple of ways to "winterize" your hair and skin care regimens:

Hair:
Winterize Your Washes!
Winterize Your Conditioner!
Winterize Your Moisturizer!
Winterize Your Style!

Skin:
Winterize Your Moisturizer!

Trim & Regimen Experiment

TRIM: 
I'm trimming 3/4" of an inch.  My method is to put my hair in jumbo twists and trim the ends of the twists.  (I recommend doing smaller twists for a more accurate trim.)  This is my first trim in months.

REGIMEN EXPERIMENT:
Normally, I twist my hair for 3-4 weeks at a time during the cooler months.  This time, I'll maintain my summer regimen and twist biweekly.  My hair is getting harder to detangle (as it grows), so doing so 1x every 2 weeks instead of 4 weeks will make life easier.  It'll also be easier on my hair.

Black Friday Natural Hair Sales!

Wasijiru
11/25 thru 11/26
30% off w/ coupon code BLKFRI30

Anita Grant
11/24 7pm to 11/30 7pm
20% off entire store with free global shipping.

Bee Mine
11/25 midnight to 1:00am
30% off w/ coupon code 1HR30

For more sales (Carol's Daughter, Darcy's Botanicals, Butters-n-Bars, etc.), check out this blog.

Natural Remedy for Earaches!

Please pay attention to the disclaimer in the video.