It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you

HELLOOOOO!!! I'm back. Or, like they say in the South BAIKKKK (you know, with the accent). SO, I have been extremely busy post relocation to LA but I haven't forgotten you all or the blog. ......what I want to broach today is the benefits and danger to using castor oil. In experimenting on my own hair, I have found that castor oil, which is supposed to benefit your hair greatly by causing thin hair to thicken can also be dangerous. I say dangerous b/c of its viscous nature. It is incredibly thick and can cause the hair to be tangled and eventually come out in large quantities. Instead of using it alone, try diluting it with a good deal of water. In addition, it is decent to use as a pre-wash treatment. But, again, be incredibly careful because the texture and nature of castor oil is such that if you do not use it correctly, you will loose hair and end up with an even thinner head of hair than what you started with. We'll be talking more frequently, and please send any questions you have to me!

Pureology

So, as a person who makes hair products myself, and a person who is very big on using organic based products on AA hair, I actually highly recommend Pureology products. Although they are super pricey, and I mean super pricey, they are really fabulous. They even have a line of products that contain zero sulfates. Remember, from a previous blog that sulfates are our enemy. Now, getting to the reason why I am recommending to you a bottle of shampoo that is, on average, $25 for a 10oz. bottle? In line with my philosophy, it’s the ingredients and how healthy, light, and smooth your hair feels after using Pureology Shampoo and Conditioner. Especially after using the super smooth and hydrating shampoo and the hydrating conditioner. It’s like giving your hair the milk bath that other products claim to be able to give it, without going to the salon. In fact, getting intimate with Pureology could cause you to become super distant from your hairdresser. They'll start putting an APB out on you at your salon. Let me know how it works for you!!!

Flax Seed Oil

Another of my secrets to having long, fab to the max hair is flax seed oil. It contributes to hair growth because it contains essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. It is, essentially, a healthy fat. In addition to aiding in healthy hair and nail growth, flax seed oil is a really great source of protein and also aids in reducing cholesterol, and works toward overall heart health. So, if you are looking for another supplement to add to your diet to aid in your hair health…..FLAX SEED OIL!!

Best Flat-Irons

SO, I’ll admit off the top that I have not, AT ALL, by ANY stretch of the imagination tried all of the flatirons out there. I haven’t even tried MOST of them. But, have traveled quite a bit and been able to speak with several stylists about which flatirons are the best and which are or are becoming industry standard at any given time. I currently own the brand of flatiron that my stylist in Atlanta (shoutouts to Gabrielle Johnson at Takai) and my soon-to-be (Nikki Wright in Los Angeles) use- BABYLISS. The Babyliss flatiron is one of the most advanced irons out, especially in its price category. It is better than the FHI flatiron (except for perhaps the FHI Runway flatiron) and I personally find it better than Sedu. My only concern with the Babyliss iron is for those (like myself) with somewhat sensitive hair. I have found that over time, using the Babyliss flatiron has made my hair quite straight, and I do miss having my nice curl pattern so that I can switch it up into a curly style from time-to-time. For those who perhaps want a less strong flatiron, there is always still both the FHI and CHI brand or flatirons which can give you a good press. I just can’t bring myself to go back to them after being able to achieve close to salon quality home care with Babyliss.

SIlk Hurrr Rollahs.....answer to the curl defeceit ?

Silk Hair Rollers

So, me, myself, PERSONALLLY, I’m not a big fan of wearing rollers to bed at night. Especially because I do not AT ALL think that there is any man out there who finds sleeping next to a woman in rollers optimal. That’s just my opinion, don’t shoot me. I’d prefer my scarf, or my other solution of just having silk pillow cases. But, for the ladies who love their rollers and love to sleep in them, I beg of you one thing- PLEASE THROW OUT THOSE OLD SCHOOL SPONGE ROLLERS!!! First of all, those sponge rollers do exactly what any sponge is designed to do, suck out moisture. The sponge roller will suck the moisture straight out of your hair. And, as we learned with previous posts, all hair- and especially black hair- needs moisture. So, if you love your hair rollers and need them in your life…..PLEASE…..PLEASE…..PLEASE invest in your hair and buy silk hair rollers. They are not that expensive and they will save you from having hair that is overly dry, and in my opinion they also save you from that old school “soulful” (as I call it) curl pattern that is created by sponge rollers- you know the ultra tight church curl? Yes, that one…..Additionally, for ladies who shower in the morning and don’t want too tight of a curl pattern, try actually rolling your hair when you wake up, and wearing the rollers throughout your shower and your process of getting dressed, applying make-up, and whatever else it is that you do to get ready for the day.

Clip-On Extensions

Now that we’ve broken the sound barrier and addressed weaves in general, let’s discuss a newer method of adding hair that is starting to take hold in the AA community, which is the clip-on hair extension. Now, these extensions are not really for those looking for a protective style like a sew-in. When you have clip-in extensions, you are simply adding length (ad possibly thickness) to your hair in a really easy, non-committal fashion. These types of extensions are gaining popularity due to the fact that one doesn’t have to commit to them over a length of time, like with a sew-in and because they don’t require being glued in like fusion extensions. In addition, most stylists say that they don’t tug on the hair and still allow the scalp to continuously get more oxygen than it might get with a sew-in weave. So, if you are a lady who wants a weave just for a quick fix of added length or thickness then clip-ons may just need to be something that you investigate or put on your Christmas (or Kwanza; Eid; Hannukah, etc…) List.

WEAVES

Now-a-days, so many sisters (black and white and everything in between) sport weave that its almost more common to see a hairweave than to see natural hair. Its funny, often times my black sisters get more grief for wearing weave than our Caucasian sisters b/c of the underlying stereotype (false albeit) that black women can't actually grow long hair. SMH. But, at the end of the day, I think weave is a trend that will stay around.....so....To weave, or not to weave…that is the question. But, the bigger question is the purpose of the weave and the doing of the weave. What do I mean? Well, people get weaves for several different reasons. Some people get weaves to take stress off of their hair (i.e. celebrities whose hair is styled to the max with various heating tools everyday or regular women who need to work out or otherwise go through a period of time where they want to avoid the stress that would be put on their hair to keep it how they want it to be at that time), while others get them to enhance (lengthen or give added thickness) to their own hair, and other women simply like to change up their styles according to their preferences or beauty choices. Now to the doing of the weave…If you are a Caucasian woman or a woman with non-African American centric textured hair then you MIGHT be safe getting extensions applied mainly through glue, tips, or other forms of fusing the weave hair to the natural hair. If you are an African American woman or a woman with more of a kinky textured hair, I implore you…..RUN from this type of application of extensions. Your hair will not benefit from it in any way, shape, or form. On the other hand, if you get a sew-in weave where the natural hair is not braided too tightly and the weave hair is not attached or sewn in too tightly, you’re actually on the start to protecting and growing your hair. In addition, when you get a sew-in, you have to REMEMBER your hair underneath. If you want your sew-in weave to serve as a beautiful AND protective style, then you have to keep the natural hair and scalp underneath the weave moisturized, conditioned, and healthy. All too often, women put in a weave and completely neglect their natural hair underneath the weave. My hair tip: use a good braid spray and make a homemade glycerin/water concoction (1:3 ratio or so) to make sure that scalp promotes healthy hair growth and that your hair underneath comes out of that sew-in in excellent condition!