"Soul" Food Mondays || It's OK to Change Your Mind

It is okay to change your mind ... especially if it makes you happy.  Life is too short for you to stay where you don't want to be.

An old, but timeless video:

 

Oldies, But Goodies

1. Are You Feeling Stressed?
2. Hair Issues || High Porosity (and Low Porosity)
3. Foods to Fill You Up
4. Tips for Stretching Relaxers or Transitioning
5. Chemically Highlight Natural Hair?

Skin Care || Combatting Dry Skin This Winter

There is no need to go shopping for new moisturizers and cleansers.  Here are four quick tips for combatting dry skin this winter.

1. Honey and brown sugar cleanser.
Maybe the facial cleanser that worked so well for you in the summer feels drying this fall and upcoming winter?  Well, try using a mixture of honey and brown sugar to cleanse your face instead.  Pure honey is a natural humectant with antibacterial properties [1].  Brown sugar aids with exfoliation due to its texture.  This combination will not feel as stripping as your cleanser

2. Add jojoba oil (or grapeseed or safflower) to a moisturizer.
Maybe your current facial moisturizer isn't cutting it for the cold weather?  Try adding jojoba oil or using it a substitute.  This oil is light enough to not leave a greasy layer and feel on your skin but it can get the job done in terms of moisture retention.  Another option is to add grapeseed oil[2] or safflower oil, which are also fairly light and moisture retentive.  NOTE: Safflower oil will not clog the pores while jojoba oil and grapeseed oil are moderately low when it comes to clogging[3].

3. Whipped shea-aloe body butter in place of your lotion.
Is your skin still dry or even ashy after using lotion?  Then try mixing your own body butter for the cold weather.  A simple mixture can consist of 50% aloe vera gel and 50% shea butter.  Aloe vera is great for replenishing moisture to the skin while shea butter softens and seals in the moisture.  If you want something a little heavier, add one or more of your favorites oils (about 10-20% of the final mixture).

4. Glycerin may be useful - 30:70 glycerin-water spritz.
There is a big misconception that glycerin is counter-effective (by sucking moisture away from your skin/hair) in cold weather.  (For more on the science behind glycerin, check out this post on "The Natural Haven").  Glycerin is just simply more useful in the presence of water, which could be why it is more effective in humid weather for many individuals.  (If it does not work well for you during cold weather, it is not because it is "sucking moisture away" from your skin/hair.  It could be that it is just not as effective due to the drier weather.)  
If you are not a fan of whipped butters on your body, then try making a mixture of 30% glycerin and 70% water and spritzing it your body.  (Feel free to adjust the ratio to your desired consistency.)  Follow up with your current body lotion, if necessary.  This spritz can also be applied to your face; follow up with your current moisturizer, if necessary.

MORE READS:
HONEY AS AN ANTIBIOTIC
GRAPESEED OIL & MOISTURE LOSS
COMEDOGENIC (CLOGGING) RATINGS
THE SCIENCE BEHIND GLYCERIN - THE NATURAL HAVEN
10 WINTER SKIN CARE TIPS

Mixology || Shea Butter and Hibiscus Deep Treatment

Recipe originator: Laila (FusionofCultures on Youtube).

Ingredients (rough estimates):
2 scoops conditioner (from your stash)
2 scoops shea butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp peppermint oil
1 tbsp castor oil
1 tbsp of amla
1 tbsp of hibiscus powder

Instructions: See video below ...

 

Protective Style Lookbook || 6 Styles for Small or Mini Twists

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

Model: MsTanish

Style description: High bun, beaded updos, mini twist headband, bantu knotout, etc.  (The latter styles are towards the end of the below video.)

Difficulty level: 2/5

Underrated || Lanolin or Lanolin Oil for Hair

Disclaimer: Lanolin is not recommended for use by those who have wool allergies.

Lanolin is a natural, waxy substance extracted from the wool of sheep (and, in rare cases, other wool-bearing animals).  Unfortunately, it has been labeled a "bad" ingredient in certain hair care communities, possibly because it is a barrier to water.  However, outside of this reality, lanolin can be very useful in other arenas of hair care.  If you don't know much about it, you might want to continue reading ...


WHY LANOLIN IS WORTH TRYING:

1.  It seals in moisture.  Lanolin, secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep in order to protect the skin and wool from the harsh environment.  It would then not seem unreasonable that lanolin would work well as an effective sealant on our own hair.  Though this waxy, thick substance locks out moisture (i.e., preventing water from penetrating the hair) it also locks in moisture (i.e., retains water that is already present in the hair strand).  NOTE: If you have fine strands, lanolin may feel too heavy; try the oil form (of lanolin) instead.

2. It has conditioning properties.  Lanolin can be very lubricating.  

3. It can aid in styling.  Due to the waxy consistency of lanolin, it can help to define twist outs, braid outs, and roller sets.  It can also help to smooth down any frizzies or stray hairs and add shine (or sheen).

HOW TO USE LANOLIN:

1. Use it to seal your ends.  Depending on your hair texture and density, lanolin may or may not be too heavy for use.  If it is too heavy, try using it sparingly or opting for lanolin oil instead.

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

3. Use it to make a styling pomade or grease.  Lanolin can be used alone or mixed with butters and/or oils to create a pomade or grease.  Check out this previous post on a hair grease recipe using lanolin.  (The recipe creator is Lola Zabeth.)

4. Use it as an anti-humidity agent.  Because lanolin can act as a barrier between your hair and the environment, it can work well to protect your styles from being ruined by humidity.  

Hair Diary || The Many Facets of Natural

I was going through some photos to submit for a couple features when I was reminded of just how versatile natural hair is.  I pulled up an old collage of my hair back in 2009/2010.  The array of styles ranges from twistouts to coilouts to twists to more:

(Circa 2009/2010.)  From left to right, starting with the first row: 1. kinky ponytail extension,  2.  high afro puff with scarf, 3. afro puff with hairtie, 4. comb coils, 5. air dried rollerset pinned up, 6. mini twistout, 7. braidout with flower, 8. coilout, 9. air dried rollerset.

Then I decided to make a collage of my hair from this year.

(2012.)  From left to right, starting with the first row: 1. twistout,  2. flat-ironed twisted ponytail, 3. frizzy twists in high side bun, 4. flat twistout into twists ponytail, 5. twists pinned up, 6. twistout on straightened hair, 7. jumbo twists on straightened hair, 8. twistout into high bun, 9. twists rolled up into pompadour.

I will admit that I haven't been as creative as in my earlier years, but that's because, as my hair has grown, I've incorporated more protective styling.  However, it was pretty cool to see that I'm still taking advantage of the versatility of natural hair.  In a strange kind of way, these collages inspired me to stay out of the boring slump into which I was falling and continue to have fun with my hair (though, of course not as the expense of health and length).  Hopefully it inspires you too!

2012.  Hair in shrunken wet state (drenched in conditioner).  
No curl definition.  Clumping due to old twistout.