Go Bananas!

Most of us that take care of our own hair, spend a lot of time and money on products that promise us to strengthen our hair, make it grow, and give it that beautiful shine. I was one of those women. I have found something that has repaired my hair in one use, enhance my natural hair color, and gave me incredible shine. For a week after I did this treatment, people even my own mother thought I was wearing extensions! Thats how good my hair looks and feels. What am I talking about? BANANAS!

Banana Hair benefits: -Strengthens each hair strand
                                 -Loosens curl pattern
                                 -Protects hair from future damage and sun damage
                                 -Protects ends from splitting
                                 -Enhances natural or chemically colored hair
                                 - Adds vitamins and minerals
                                 -Adds AMAZING shine

How to create a Banana Hair Mask

    Most hair products with banana in it are only sold at expensive spas. Well here is how to make your own.  I will be doing this treatment once a week. I love this mask so much I refuse to spend a penny on a beauty supply product that claims to do the list above.

You will need:
1 banana
Mayo
and Olive Oil or any oil of your choice.
For intense conditioning add honey, and for intense repair and shine add 1/2 an avocado.


How to make:
Take 1/2 a banana and mash it in a bowl with a spoon. If you have really long hair use the whole banana.
Add two scoops of Mayo and add to the bowl, stir well.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin Olive Oil mix well ( I use a cake mixer)

If you would like extra moisture add 1 tablespoon of 100% natural Honey to your mixture.
Need extra repair and strength, add 1/2 an Avocado.



Once mixed well, apply to the hair in sections focusing on the hair shaft and ends. Don't worry to much about getting you root. NOTE: If you leave big chunks in the mixture it will be harder to wash the banana out.


After you applied your hair mask cover your head with a plastic cap or bag and let it set for an hour or two.
Rinse your hair well. Then shampoo and condition as normal. And enjoy your new revived hair!

GET CRULY

Hey everyone its summer time the best time to GET CURLY. This is the best time wear your wash and goes and show your wild side. Here are some tips and products for this summer's curly girls.

1. You can wear your hair in a curly set. This would be for my relaxed women or my natural girls whose hair is heat trained ( Heat trained is when the hair is use to being style by heat and when wet, will not revert back to his/her natural curl pattern). Using rollers is a great way to get the summer curly look Yes you have use heat to achieve this style but your ends will be tuck under so it pretty safe to do. And the plus side, doing a curly roller set style can lasts for weeks. Remember to keep your hair properly moisturized. Hair pudding will help you hair keep its shape and moisturized. When sleeping do the pineapple method. (Click the link sot see pineapple method): http://youtu.be/RKVk8Jb_WHo
    Roller Set link: http://youtu.be/qI8XNh8dHPw

      




           If you are natural and you want to show off your natural curl you will need the right products. You will need a good leave in conditioner, and some type of styling aid/gel. There are a lot of products out there for curly hair especially at Target. When you are using styling aids and gel, product build up is going to happen. Most naturals wash their hair 1-2 times a week. Me personally when wearing my hair natural I washed 1 time a week. Using my Favorite Shampoo SheaMoisture's "Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo." SheaMoisture's products are extremely moisturising. The shampoo alone is so moisturising and detangles my hair with ease and I have some thick hair! You can find this Shampoo and other SheaMoisture products at Target or Walgreens. All SheaMoisture Products are $9.99.

             Washing your hair is very important and the way you style your hair is also important. Naturals must know that combing through our hair on a daily bases is not necessary. When wearing my hair in its natural state I would lightly comb through my hair once every 3-4 days. The only time I would really detangle my hair is before washing and after my deep conditioner when I apply my leave in conditioner. That's it! My hair seemed to get a lot thicker too. The more you mess with your hair when curly and styling it the frizzier it will appear.

Gels and Styling aids: I don't think there is anything wrong with using gel, custards, and styling aids. As long as you can read the ingredients, understand whats in the product, and as long as it doesn't contain alcohol, it should be fine for your hair. If the gel/aid makes your hair hard do not comb through it, it can cause breakage. Wet your hair with a spray bottle before combing through your hair. Gels and aids tend to activate your natural curl pattern. Here's a quick tip. When your hair is wet with your leave in conditioner/water add gel or aid to your hands rub your hands together, flip your head upside down, add the product to your hair by scrunching your hair. Add as much product as desired. Then flip you head right side up, give your head a good shake and your curls should be poppin! Or you can apply your product like this:http://youtu.be/WNbu4zL_0Ws



GOT SHRINKAGE?
    I personally understand shrinkage. When my hair is straightened its right above my armpits, when it gets wet it shrinks up to the middle of my neck. Instead of having a short Jerry curl look you can have a big, full, curly look in minutes by using a diffusing. Check out the links to see how! http://youtu.be/RcbURgM6ukw
                                                                                                   http://youtu.be/dRxhY4davjk

Stop Using Hot Combs

We have come such a long way when it comes to technology and styling tools. I admit back in the day my ma use to press my hair with a hot comb and yes my hair was down my back. Thank God my ma knew that too much heat could cause serious damage to my hair. So she didn't do it often.
       A lot of women/men (who are natural) believe that they have to press their hair with a metal hot comb before flat ironing with a metal CLINK CLINK flat iron in order to achieve the smooth silky relaxed hair look. Well I'm here to tell you, you don't have to do all of that.

Note: This post is for natural women/men but of course relaxed women/men can use these tips as well.

Why Not Use a Metal Hot Combs and or Flat irons.

   You should not use these particular styling tools on your hair because 1. When styling at home you tend to heat up these tolls using your stove which can get very hot. So hot that if you over heat the tool and place it on your hair it can melt your hair right off.... Why would you want to take that risk? 2. The old school hot combs and heat styling tools are made out of metal. And we all know metal and heat cook things, including your hair. Causing your hair to become weak, damaged, and brittle.

(NOTE: Try to blow dry your hair as straight as you can before flat ironing. This will make you straightening process easier and faster.) I recommend using a blow dryer that has ion technology this drys my hair in no time. I got my from Walmart for about $17. Here is a link to show you how to blow dry your hair: How to blow dry hair smooth , Blow drying part ll


So What Should We Use?

I suggest, if you do your hair yourself, invest in a professional flat iron. I have had my share of Walmart and Target flat irons, and the more I became natural the frizzier my hair became and the harder it was to flat iron with them cheap "ceramic" flat irons. Yes you do want to look for a flat iron that is ceramic but most of the flat irons that are $20-$40 are ceramic coated. Meaning in time the ceramic will burn its self off and your iron will be nothing but metal. When looking for a flat iron make sure it says "100% Ceramic" on the box. This means that the ceramic is baked into the flat irons plates and wont burn off.
    Note: Ceramic helps the hair to become smooth and silky  and helps to prevent split ends when flat ironing.


You so want to look for a flat iron that say Tourmaline as well. This is very important for my natural people trying to create that relaxed look. Tourmaline are crystals and when they are infused into the flat iron with nano technology and ceramic its doesn't just straighten the hair, it seals the hair cuticle allowing the hair to become extremely silky and soft. Tourmaline also gives your hair frizz control allowing you to be in humid weather and not become a poof ball! These flat irons can range from $60-$500. Its up to you on how much you are willing to invest in a CHI, FHI, CORTEX, SEDU, HAIRART, or any other flat iron. I personal use the Cortex international it is 100% Ceramic and infused with black Tourmaline. The Flat iron is red and has shiney black plates. This flat iron was $200 but I found it TJ MAXX for $29.99. :)

Remember you shouldn't add heat to your hair more than once every TWO WEEKS. And ALWAYS ALWAYS use a heat protector!

Some of us naturals have really coily hair and when we flat iron it, it just does not get straight. Well try the chasing method. For this method you will need a professional flat iron and a thick rat tail comb.

Here's the link that shows you how to do the chasing method. (I always get the best results when I flat iron my hair this way). Chasing Method

Here are some websites where you can find a professional falt iron

Folica.com 
miskko.com
FHI.com
Chi.com
Amazon.com
overstock.com

Breakage!

   There is one major reason why a lot of African American woman never see their hair grow pass shoulder length and that is because of breakage!

      

             There are three things that WILL cause breakage.
1. Dryness. Our hair texture being natural or relaxed needs moisture! Because of the complicated twists and turns of our hair strands the natural oil that is produced from our scalp does not reach to the ends of our hair. That's why our "Roots" are typically always so THICK & HEALTHY. So since that natural nutrients does not reach all of our hair we MUST add it back to or hair by using water (and water based products), deep conditioners, leave in conditioners, Hair lotion/Shea butters, and oils. When moisturizing our hair the items I just listened are a must for our hair! Not just one of them, but using all of them in conjunction will truly benefit your hair being relaxed or natural. Make sure to moisturize and Seal hair daily


Here a link showing you how you should moisturize and seal your hair every day.
http://youtu.be/QhpHDN-7BfA

2. Protein Treatments. For relaxed women, protein treatments are a must for long strong hair. The chemical in the relaxer breaks down the hairs Keratin (protein) in order to straighten the hair strand. Because the protein is broken the hair is weak and can easily break. SO a week before your relaxer or a week after your relaxer give yourself a protein treatment. It can be simple as a deep conditioner with protein in it ( look for the word "Strengthen" on the bottle), or more complicated by putting a protein shock liquid on your hair drying it until the hair become hard then rinsing it out. Remember after doing a strong treatment make sure you add moisture back into your hair by deep conditioning. Moisture and protein go hand and hand. Natural women if you are not consuming enough protein in your diet you might want to do an occasional protein treatment. Also if you are natural and use a lot of heat on your hair you will definitely need to do protein treatments every week or every other week.

Note: You can also do a protein treatment using mayo, eggs, Avocado, or all three at once as a hair mask leave on for an hour then wash out. Also remember too much protein can cause breakage. Make sure you do a protein check. Take a shedded piece of hair from your comb, tug on it, if it pops easily your hair is lack elasticity and needs protein.

Here is a link that shows the process of a harsher or protein shock treatment. This one is my fav to use on my hair.
http://youtu.be/bsSylgv5ds4

3. Detangling. A lot of us are really rough with our hair. Its important to remember that hair is FRAGILE. By combing it or brushing it too often, too rough, and through knots and tangle our hair will snap and break off. For my natural women do not detangle the hair when it is dry. Add conditioner to add slip or spray some water to moisten the hair. Remember when detangling use a WIDE TOOTH COMB (or a soft brush) start from the ends of your hair then slowly work your way up. From my own experience it truly pays off the take your time and slowly detangle your hair ( Takes me about 30- 40mins). You will notice less hair in your comb and more on your head :). NEVER detangle your hair with a rat tail comb! You should use rat tail combs for styling and when your hair is tangle free. Relaxed women should also use a wide tooth comb when detangling as well. For the relaxed women who are stretching their relaxers, make sure your gentle with your new growth and i suggest using a detangling leave in conditioner to handle those roots. Remember always comb your hair from ends to the roots. This will help your detangling experience be not so painful.

Here is a women who is stretching her relaxer: http://youtu.be/w0Z9vBEbQw                                                                     

Here is a link to show you how to properly detangle your hair. Keep in mind this video is fast forward she is not combing through her hair that quickly.http://youtu.be/gxJZ_7TKmDw

Hope all this information Helps!!!

Relaxer Health!

Some people need a relaxer to manage their tresses. That is fine if you really take care of it. I would say, only allow a professional to relax and touch up your hair, but, most of them just do what they have to do to get that money. Most professionals and people in general think that it is OK to get a touch up soon as they see new growth or when their edges start looking rough. If you get a touch up too soon the risk of your hair being over processed is higher. Over processed is when your touch up is being applied and not only does it get on your new growth but also on the part of the hair that has already been relaxed.

The hair on average without the help of vitamins grows about 1/2 inch a month. If you are receiving a touch up every 4-6 weeks there is a higher risk that your hair will be over processed. A relaxer breaks downs the proteins in the hair to make it straight. If your hair is over processed it is becoming more damaged than before and when your hair get to a certain length it breaks. No wonder why so many women of color have been ear length or shoulder length for years.







So how to help prevent over processing?

Stretch your relaxer. What's that? Do not get a tough up as soon as you see new growth. Wait at least 10-12 weeks before getting your next touch up. I know some women with hair down their backs who stretch longer only relaxing every 3-4 months. That means they only get touch ups 3-4 time a year. By doing this will help your hair will grow thicker and longer. Also by stretching it makes it easier for you or your stylist to see exactly where your new growth ends making it less likely to over process.

What to do with all that new growth while waiting for your next touch up?



      * First moisturize! While stretching for months it will be obvious to see the two textures. The point where the two textures meet is very weak. To prevent the hair from breaking at the point where the two meet keep the hair moisturized daily!


       * Styling. Some of us have thick new growth, and depending on how long you stretch it can grow really long as well. having a mini fro and straight hair can look pretty odd. You can flat iron the roots to match the rest of your hair. Or if you don't want to use heat you can do braid outs. A braid out is when you braid your hair at night using oils, wrap/setting foam ,and your fav hair lotion. In the morning you take it out and wear your hair wavy. This style will help the two texture blend together.

After your Stretch:
          After you  finally get a touch up wait about a week or two and give yourself a protein treatment. Click the April folder above then click on protein treatments I use for more information. HAPPY STRETCHING!!!!

Here are some youtube clips of some women that stretch and their advice.


http://youtu.be/48f9e0knEqQ


http://youtu.be/TZxWhw_a0eY


http://youtu.be/zCUAKmB3gVE


http://youtu.be/pUL3nKAeVls

Braid out tutorial link one of my favorites! http://youtu.be/sdJoMm-m8uI

African American Hair Myths

1. African American hair can not grow long, or past shoulder length. That is False. The cuticles in our hair does not lay flat like other races. That's why our hair naturally looks puffy. The twists, turns, and tight curls of our hair makes it hair for the natural oils from our scalp makes to  makes its way through the hair leaving our hair dry and unmanageable. This is the reason we have to manually add moisture to our hair.

2. Only "GOOD HAIR" or mixed hair can grow long. Not true! You can have to nappiest hair in the world and grow it long, you just have to be more careful with it and take good care of it.

                                           



3. Washing our hair too often will dry out the hair. This couldn't be more false. Water is the main source of moisture which our hair desperately needs! Certain shampoos can dry our hair because of the harsh sulfates. Using a sulfate free shampoo like shea moisture products found at target or walgrees will clean and add moisture back to your hair. I suggest wash your hair 1-2 a week. Don't have the time, to do that wash 1 every two weeks. I suggest not drying your hair with a towel they can be really rough on our hair try using an old t-shirt.

4. Trimming your hair will make your hair grow. WRONG! trimming you hair does not affect the way or how fast your hair grows out of your scalp! trimming your ends keeps your ends healthy so when your hair does grow you will see longer length because your ends are no longer damaged and breaking off.



                                             
5. Wearing breads makes your hair grow fast. Nope not true. Wearing braids is known as a protective style. So your ends are being protected and not breaking off for 1-2 months. wearing braids makes it easier for you to see you new growth, but, your does not grow any faster! your hair still grows at the same past as it always grows.

Vitamins for Hair Growth

The hair Vitamins I recommend you to use if you want longer fuller hair is "Hairfinity". I have used these vitamins once last year and I noticed a great amount of growth in only 2 WEEKS! Real talk! And in a month I saw even more growth. I also noticed I had more energy. I stopped using hairfinity after a month because I thought I could find something cheaper at walmart that would give me the same results. Plus I didn't want to wait for shipping of the vitamins to my house ( you can only order these vitamins online). So I went and bought all the vitamins that were in the hairfinity muti vitamins separately at walmart. I spent a lot of money and didn't get the same results at all! So I started using Haifinity again and I'm seeing great growth! Its also helping with my skin and nails!

        



 Hairfnity vitamins claim to help hair grow up to 200%  faster and longer. That's twice as fast and longer than your hair will grow without using these vitamins. This will cause your hair to grow at least an inch a month. BUT if your hair is damaged while taking these vitamins you will not see the growth because your ends will be breaking off. SO I suggest if you purchase these vitmains give yourself a good trim if needed, lay back on heat styling, keep your hair in a protective style ( styles that hide and protect your ends, buns, braids, etc.) and wash and deep condition your hair regularly! Take care of your hair don't think that the vitamins will do it all. If you do these things you will see growth in no time! Here are some before and after pics on the Hairfinity website.

         These vitamins work. Just a warning of side affects that I personally have noticed! Fuller breast ( that's a plus lol) and Bright when I say bright I mean BRIGHT yellow urine. That is because these vitamins have a large dosage of b-vitamins and your body get rids of some vitamins you don't need its natural and normal. other than that, I haven't notice any bad side affects.


Here are the vitamins in Hairfinity:

Most these vitamins are normal in a multi-vitamin. What make Hairfinity different besides the high dosage? Hairfinity contain MSM. Here is what Haifinity.com has to say about MSM for hair growth.

(Your hair grows in three cycles: Growing, Resting, and Shedding. Each and every hair on your head (even body) is in one of these phases at all times. However, you may not notice significant shedding, because you have many other hairs in the other two phases at the same time.

So how will MSM make your hair grow longer? If your “Growing” phase lasts two years, and your hair normally grows one half inch per month, your hair will only grow 12 inches before entering the resting and shedding phases. (24 months times ½ inch per month).

On the other hand, if your “Growing” phase lasts 3 years, then it will grow 18 inches. (36 months times ½ inch per month).

Since your growth phase is genetically determined, there is no way this will change unless you use a supplement containing MSM. MSM is known to naturally increase the length of your hair’s growing phase.)

MSM is a natural Sulphur. It is not a magic potion that is synthetic. It is All natural and has many other benefits for the body besides hair. But in this case, we are talking about hair! If you are interested in the hairfinity vitamins go to the website hairfinity.com. and order one bottle for $30 I promise if your hair is not damaged you will see results in only 2 weeks! if your still not sure check out the website and do some research of your own. Also check out some youtube clips below.



Lolita's One Month Update using Haifinity http://youtu.be/sEbCzhCD-_0


Lolita's 7th month Update.http://youtu.be/WQAux7sgRe8

Some Celebs that use Hairfinity:  Jennifer Love Hewitt

And Sharon Leal from "Dream Girls" & "Why Did I Get Married" 1 &2