Aunt Jackie's review continued...

After I washed, I decided to just continue the review of the aunt Jackie's products, and use the detangler and the styling product. 

The detangler has a sticky consistency, but a great smell. As far as the moisture it gives, that was ok. When I put it on my hair, it felt ok. I will judge in the morning when my hair is complete dry

Knot on my watch detangler is enriched with Shea butter and olive oil. I didn't actually detangle my hair with this product because I detangle when my hair is wet in the shower. I did run my fingers through my hair to work the product  through, and did so without any issues. This detangler over all gets a 3.5/5 for me. 

The curl lala styler was the same consistency. 

It was somewhat sticky, and had the same smell. It felt ok when I applied it on my hair, but nothing special. Again, I will judge the moisture factor of this product in the morning when my hair is completely dry. I give this product a 4/5 only because i think I will have a very defined twist out! I unraveled one of my twists to redo the twist and it was already very defined! I'm excited to see what it looks like in the AM. 

Both products have good ingredients, and come in large containers which are perks! 

More to come later, I will give my final review soon on these products...

Shampoo review, and my current obsession of deep conditioners!

Hi guys!

So. Remember about 3-4 months back when I told you I was going to review the Aunt Jackie's line?????? Well.... Lol I finally tried the shampoo, anddddd I love it! The aunt Jackie's line comes with 4 different products. 

1. Oh so clean shampoo

2. Knot on my watch detangler

3. In control Deep conditioner

4 curl la la defining curl custard

I bought 3 of the products in a package deal on amazon, one of which was the shampoo. It smells good (smells like candy), it's sudsy, it's moisturizing and it does NOT strip my hair! This shampoo is sulfate free and paraben free, no mineral oils or petroleums! So all in all the shampoo is fantastic. Gets 5/5 stars from me. Does the job, moisturizing and it's a 12 oz bottle, so I have a lot left.

As far as the name... Well uh, I'm not so sure about that lol. As we all know there is a brand out called "Miss Jessie's", so idon't  know if Aunt Jackie's  is somewhat of a knock off of the Miss Jessie's brand. I don't mind much, because Aunt Jackie's costs less, and has better ingredients.

Since I washed my hair tonight, I have to deep condition. I have found another deep conditioner that I am currently obsessed with. It's by "smooth and shine",Olive oil and tea tree oil deep recovery conditioner. I've been using this stuff for about a month now and let me tell you, it's better than Eden Bodyworks deep conditioner and any other deep conditioner I've tried before! I buy the $1.29 packs from Walmart or Sally's!  If only I could buy a bigger bottle of this stuff. Oh well, it's good enough to purchase over and over again! The ingredients are pretty good. No harsh chemicals, petroleums or parabens. 

I apply this to my hair, and then use my heated cap for about 30 minutes to allow the product to penetrate. I love my heated cap, deep conditioning just isn't the same without heat! At least, it isn't for my hair. If you have low porosity, dense thick hair, then you should be using a heated cap when deep conditioning also. The heat from the cap lifts the cuticle of the hair, allowing the product to fully penetrate the hair shaft, which allows the product to do its thing! I've found that deep conditioners works so much better on my hair when I apply heat, rather than just letting it sit. 

 

Tonight, I plan to just two strand twist my hair, and unravel in the morning or pin it up. Depends on how I feel. Let me know if you guys have any questions on products, where to purchase them or any other concerns! Thanks for tuning in!!!!

-Dani

My best friends wedding & roller set woes...

Hi all!

Yes, yes I know. I've been dropping the ball when it comes to my blog! My apologies!!!! Things have been so hectic lately! Work, school, participating in my BFF's wedding and other things. But I promise *scouts honor* to do better when it comes to posting. I will try to post at least once a week and keep you guys updated on my hair, products and anything that's changed.

So this past weekend I was In my best friend India's wedding. It was a wonderful wedding to say the least, and she made a beautiful bride! Now, as far as Janice (my fro) goes, I decided to wear a roller set for the wedding. I did this because: #1 I've never tried this style before, and #2 I needed a low maintenance style due to the weather we were expecting that weekend. (Rain, humidity, wetness. All bad for natural hair styles :-/ ). I went to a best cuts salon, in Cleveland. I went there because since I've been natural I don't have a beautician to see and I THOUGHT it would take a short period of time to get in and get out. Well I was WRONG. I waited 2 hours before I even sat in the chair and it took about 1 and 1/2 hrs to complete the set and get me under the dryer. * I reminded myself once again why I went natural, and why I hate salons* moving on...

The roller set came out ok. It wasn't what I expected, but then again, I'm not really sure what I expected.lol I have fluffy, coily, curly type 4 hair that's shrinks to the heavens when wet. So when the roller set was done I had MAJOR shrinkage. It held up pretty well that day and the next day, which was the actual day of the wedding. I did get a lot of compliments on it, which was surprising because after a while I felt like it was frizzy and limp. Next time I decide to do a roller set, (if and when I do), I will definitely be doing my own at home and not going to the salon EVER again! Not sure what products the beautician used. But I'll post some pics below! 

Hair types. Do you love your hair?

Hair types. In the African American community, women and men put SO much emphasis on hair. Whether is long or short, "good hair" or "bad hair", "nappy hair" or "fine hair", there's always someone comparing your hair to the next persons hair. Because more and more women are starting to wear there hair naturally, and abstain from the use of chemicals to permanently straighten there hair, it is noticeable that women are starting to embrace the hair they were born with. 

There is a hair typing system within the natural hair community that many naturals go by. Personally, I'm not that in to the hair types, because I have so many different textures of hair in my head. Briefly, here are the different hair types ( this type can also have sub/ categories also)

Type 1 hair: straight hair ( this hair can range from fine to coarse in texture)

Type 2 hair: wavy hair, with a definite S pattern to it ( this hair can also range from fine to coarse and be frizzy more than type 1 hair)

Type 3 hair: curly hair, when wet it can appear straight. When dry it returns to its curly pattern. ( this hair can consist of loose curls or tight curls)

Type 4 hair: kinky, very tightly coiled hair. ( can be coily, kinky or wiry, have an S patter or zig zag pattern )

Again, I don't really get to much into the hair typing system. No specific hair type is better than another, and they all must be cared for differently in order to retain length and the healthiness of the hair. I am majority 4a/4b with some 3c in the back. It's taken my almost 3 years of being natural to know what my hair really likes and what it needs. Whether you have fine hair, straight hair, coily hair, frizzy hair, or kinky hair,embrace what you were born with, learn to care for it correctly and you will see amazing results! Let me know if you have any questions! Please comment and subscribe!!! Thank you

-Dani

My new favorite Cowash!!!!!/ product review

So as some of you may already know by following my blog, I LOVE to co wash my hair. Co- washing is the use of conditioner to cleanse the hair and scalp. Many African American women, or women of color with curly hair choose to co wash instead of using regular shampoo. Most shampoos contain harsh sulphates and ingredients that can strip the hair of its natural oils and shine. For my coily 4a/4b hair, co washing works wonders all year around, in every season.  Co washing also works great for weave hair, which I install time to time for protective styling. Co washing weave hair keeps the hair shiny, bouncy and tames fly- always and keeps tangles at bay. 

If you follow my blog, you know I have posted a few times about a co wash that I loved in particular by As I Am, called coconut co wash! I love, love, lovr this co wash because of the smell, the slip it gives me when detangling in the shower, and the moisture it gives my hair after rinsing it out. Well, I kinda cheated on my coconut co wash , lol * sad face* and decided to give another co wash cleanser a try. I've been eyeing this particular product for a long time, and have been very reluctant to try it. 

I picked up the Pantene "truly naturals" co wash from Walmart. It's not in the black hair care aisle, which surprised me, it's in the aisle with all the other hair care products for Caucasians and other ethnicities. 

To make a long story short, I co washed my hair yesterday, because it was in need of moisture and had been in a bun all weekend. I followed my normal routine, parted my hair into 4 sections and went to work. The smell is amazing, has a fresh fruity smell, similar to other Pantene products. When I put this on my hair, it glided right through. It felt moisturized, it was creamy, and I really felt like it was cleansing my hair and scalp. Detangling was a breeze, the comb glided right through my hair!  I'm sorry to say but this product may be replacing my beloved As I am coconut co wash. You get 22.8 oz for 5$ which is AMAZING for someone who co washes once a week! I give this product a 5/5 for the price, and because it gets the job done, quite well I might add! This can be purchased at your local Walmart, target, CVS and Walgreens.  Please comment, leave suggestions and let me know if you guys have tried this! Thank you!

Essential oils for natural hair/skin

Good morning!!!!!

Essential oils are natural oils that are used for everyday things, and can even be used for skin & hair.

Essential oils include: jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, grapseed oil, castor oil, mustard seed oil and etc. My favorite oil hands down is coconut oil. Coconut oil is one of the only proven oils that can actually penetrate the hair shaft and strengthen from within. Coconut oil gives sheen, and also is very light and not  "greasy" feeling.  I usually use coconut oil all year around, and it's a good oil to use when trying to seal moisture into the hair. coconut oil can be used just to give hair extra shine! I purchase my coconut oil from Walmart in the cooking aisle. Coconut oil is also excellent for the skin, and I use it on my body from time to time. There are other places coconut oil can be purchased, including online shops and specialty markets like whole foods or markets. From time to time I use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), when I'm making homemade  deep conditioners and/or doing hot oil treatments. EVOO is great for strengthening the hair also, but it doesn't penetrate the hair shaft, like coconut oil. What are some of your favorite essential oils? Let me know! Comment and subscribe! Thanks guys!!!

Summer hair regimen vs. winter hair regimen

Hey guys! Sorry I've been away for so long. I've been really busy with work, school & my new business ventures.
With winter behind us, spring here and summer approaching, I thought I'd give a quick summary of my regimen for warm weather!

Wash day- I will still continue to co-wash my hair once a week, because I've found the moisture levels in my hair are better in doing this. Still using my trusty As I Am coconut co wash. I use a sulphate free shampoo once a month and do a ACV rinse (apple cider vinegar) once a month to remove buildup.
My usage of products will stay the same. I don't use any products that contain protein, because my hair is protein sensitive as I've discussed in previous posts. I use water based, products, and most of the products I use contain glycerin & oils. I will still be using the "LOC" methods, although I've kind of switched that method around to LCO instead of LOC. I've found that my hair responds better, and holds more moisture if I use liquid, cream & then an oil of my choice, which is usually coconut oil. I have to moisturizer my hair every day or every other day. My hair gets very dry very fast , so it's important to moisturizer often!
I spray my hair everyday with water before I apply any products for moisturizing. In the summer I probably will wear my hair out wet more. Not a wash n go because I hate those for my coily hair, but it takes my hair FOREVER to dry after a night of washing and prepping for the week.
What are your summer hair regimens? What do you guys, do differently in the summer than you do in the winter? Let me know!!!!
-Dani