Homemade Spritz Recipe

This morning I created a quick and easy moisturizing mist. For those who prefer light mists over heavy butters, this is a wonderful way of refreshing an old twist or braid out or just adding a little moisture first thing in the morning. This is great when you hop in a steamy shower, the steam opens cuticles and using this spritz helps to add/seal in moisture while laying the cuticles down. Remember, aloe vera gel/juice flattens cuticles, prevents frizz, and balances pH levels in the hair.

Last night I trimmed my hair and when I took off my silk cap, my strands were still nice and moisturized. Just to test my handiwork, I took down a twist and I'm happy to say, it didn't go puffy on me!  Yay!!  The definition was nice, just the way I like it and held even after six hours from takedown.

Moisturizing Mist

3-4 parts water

1 part Sunflower oil

1 part Sweet Almond Oil

2 parts aloe vera gel

6 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil

This mist must be refrigerated and will last a few days or a week in the fridge. Make just enough to last a few days so you don't waste anything.

I have some dried hibiscus leaves soaking to gain their essential nutrients and will be adding a little into my mix as well. Hibiscus is great for strengthening the hair, stops hair loss, and breakage. In my next post I'll talk about the oils I use in my homemade recipes and hair care regimen.

Protective Styling Challenge

Hiya!  I've been MIA a bit, but I wanted to give you an update on my natural hair care journey. Yes, I'm sporting a wig, been wearing it for about a week. Her name is Connie and I purchased it at my local beauty supply store. Mine was $29 and some change, but you can purchase online for cheaper, depending on where you buy it from.  I've added a few pictures below.

I also talk about some ups and downs in my haircare journey. Maybe you can relate or draw some info from this. Honestly, I was ready to cut my hair last week. I love my hair but it's frustrating when you spend time braiding or twisting and it doesn't come out the way you want. Yes, co-wash and shampoo regularly , do my deep conditioning and hot oil treatments. I've come to the conclusion that my hair needed some time off. I moisturize several times a day with Care Free Curl Gold activator and seal the ends with a little butter or sweet almond oil. Remember, the ends are the oldest part of your hair. Be good to them.

http://www.wigtypes.com/outre_synthetic_full_cap_wig_quick_weave_complete_cap_connie_futura.php?gclid=CjwKEAjwtIShBRD08fKD1OWSik4SJAAuKLovxclCXSgMbqlVCnXGVW275by0sGqlXxsVuwtlA5VX4hoCaSfw_wcB

Straying From Your Routine and Making Hasty Decisions

Hey Curlfriends! It's been an exciting summer and I can't believe next week my daughter will be in school. Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?

Here's a quick update on my hair. August 6th we headed to Indy for MotoGP (I'll post pics later) and I didn't grab the containers of leave in conditioner and moisturizer with with Aloe Vera Gel and flaxseed, but just the one with flaxseed. I didn't realize it until we arrived and unpacked Wednesday night and I didn't think it would make much difference.

 Boy! Was I wrong! Violet took a nice vacation too. My hair curled up the entire time we were there. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't mind a little shrinkage, but it wasn't the look I was going for. Below is how I'm currently wearing my hair today.

It was frustrating for me because my hair wouldn't cooperate and honestly it didn't occur to me until we arrived home on August 11th that my missing aloe vera gel was the missing ingredient that could have saved me and balanced the pH in my hair. Remember, during summer months, pH balanced products will save your a@@!

Also, usually the MotoGP is towards the end of August and from my past experiences, the humidity wasn't all that high, but it was in the beginning of August! Oh, and it was windy as hell up there in the stands too and the air was full of moisture. We had a few minutes when it drizzled on us (we had windproof umbrellas), but the sun returned. It's amazing how the "little things" can make such a big change in your hair!

Now, flaxseed gel can cause some shrinkage for some, but I honestly didn't experience much of it before leaving Maryland. My hair had a nice soft hold when I was sporting my roller sets, twist and braid outs. In the picture above I applied my product last night with aloe and flaxseed mix.

So, this has been another learning experience on this natural hair care journey. Sometimes we forget about the little things that can affect our hair and we wrack our brains trying to figure out why your fro is revolting.

On the flip side of things, Violet is coming along nicely, thankfully. In May I did the unimaginable and cut my hair because I felt it was too thin the day after washing. Looking back, it was a mistake because I was too hasty in my decision. Yes, I was seeking volume, but I didn't take the time to analyze the situation. Had I waited a day or two or perhaps styled it differently, I would have seen that my hair did have the volume I was seeking and I should have just did a simple trim.

Prior to that day in May, I was very much satisfied with my hair and wore roller sets for several weeks. It just goes to show you that time and patience is the key. Have you ever had an experience where you thought your hair wasn't what it should be and you took drastic measurements?

Protein Shakes, Excerise, and Healthy Hair

Since I workout six days a week, I like drinking protein drinks before and after my program. I'm happy to say I'm in my second round, second month of the Insanity workout. (I'll do a post on this soon.)

Not only is it imperative to have an excellent exercise regimen in place for endurance and strength training, it is essential to help with circulation. Exercise lowers cholesterol, subdues arthritis and combats old age. I'm 42 years old and I'm in the best shape of my life. Insanity will give you definition for sure while blasting away unwanted pounds.

In my family we have a history of high blood pressure, hip, back, and knee problems. During my periods of inactivity, I noticed slight aches and pains. Sometimes in the morning, it was a major production just getting out of bed. When I'm active, I don't feel a thing, with the exception of my knee acting up every now and again. Quitting my workouts is not an option.

I've been a yo-yo exerciser all my life and this year my goal is to continue working out on a regular basis. Now this past week was a little hard, I skipped two days of my workout, so I'm starting week two over again. I guess working out late in the evening took a slight toll on my body. Sometimes switching routines up helps tremendously.

Okay, I'm getting off track here. The purpose of this post is about protein shakes and natural hair. I first started using protein shakes back in 2005 when my hair was relaxed and I noticed a great amount of length retention and thickness in my hair. Unfortunately I slacked up using the shakes back then (as I did with exercising) I believe in conjunction with a healthy diet, fitness regimen, and maintaining the moisture balance in hair, protein mixes can promote the growth of hair.

I've used various shakes over the years. Just a few months ago I stocked up on peanut butter and chocolate Syntha 6 that I ordered from BodyBuilding.com. This was my first time trying this shake and I fell in love with the taste. It also wards off cravings, so if you're a snacker, protein shakes are ideal for you. Syntha 6 can be ordered from bodybuilding.com or the Vitamin Shoppe if you want access to it right away.

I ordered the Gold Whey mix below about a month ago. It has a delicious taste to it as well, but not like Syntha 6. Oh yeah, and the Quest protein bars are awesome too! They're great if you have to roll out the house. Remember folks, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and skipping your meals isn't an option! You need to fuel your body to get through the day!

One scoop of Gold Why has about 120 calories in it, and this is more than enough if your worried about caloric intake and are inactive. My Syntha 6 had about 200 calories per scoop, but that's okay because sometimes you have to up your calorie intake if you're committing to an intense program like Insanity or P90X.

Ladies, please know you're not going to bulk up if you take protein shakes. Protein aids in repairing muscle fibers and you'll find you're not as sore after a workout. If you don't have a protein shake, a simple glass of chocolate milk does the trick too. I know, it sounds crazy but it does work, I've done it before.

Low Manipulation

I've taken the plunge and wore twists pinned up today. Honestly, I'm over styling my hair every day. I work out six days a week at night and in the evening, I must twist my hair to make it look like something in the morning. This is where I wish my hair were longer because I long to pull it back into a nice fat bun. I've achieved great length since 2011 but need to put forth the effort to gain more length. That's the name of the game, having healthy, moisturized hair while adding some length.

Quite often I wonder if I've become obsessive with my man and achieving length more length. When I stretch it out, it is arm pit length.  I recall only achieving this length once when I was relaxed. I colored my hair and it broke off above the shoulders. 

Did I mention I used to have a jheri curl back in the 80's in junior high?? Um, yeah. I'll scan and post some pics at a later date. The moisture made my hair grow so much. Mom cut out the relaxer and I had very, very short hair, but when it grew, it was so thick and luxurious! 

Monday I considered getting locs in my hair because I thought it was unmanageable after twisting and putting flexi rods in the evening before. I think for me, a simple low manipulation regimen is best because I totally refuse to give up on my Insanity workouts just for the sake of hair.

Two Weeks after Nubian Twists

And my scalp has been continuously dry. I've never experienced dry scalp before in my life, however, during past winters I've had problems with itchy skin. It seems like the older I get, the more I suffer from dry skin.

Olive and Jojoba oils have been my best friends and honestly, I should have started this regimen a while back. I'm happy with this natural hair care journey and plan to post pictures in other posts. It will be two years in December since my last perm and I'm now just documenting my natural hair care journey so I have a lot of catching up to do.

Violet (my fro) and I seem to be coexisting very peacefully, especially since I haven't been smothering her with wigs and extensions.