3 Ways to Prevent Shedding.

1. Tea rinses. The caffeine in black and green tea prevents shedding by penetrating the follice and the result is healthier hair and length retention. Green tea can also help rid your hair of dandruff. Hey, a healthy scalp equals healthy hair. As I mentioned in my previous post, I had an issue with shedding this winter season. Most of it was my fault due to neglect. I just had the worst semester ever. You ain't about that grad school life, lol. So, my hair was really dry and I thought that a green tea rinse would help and it did.

I brewed 3 bags of Lipton's green tea for a couple of hours and then let it cool for a few minutes. I poured it into an applicator that I bought from Sally's for a couple of bucks. I applied itto dry hair that had been separated into 6 sections. After my hair was completely saturated with the green tea, I also applied Africa's Best Herbal Oil, Ultimate, Bonus Size, 12 oz.  I heated up about 4 tablespoons for about a minute in the microwave and then applied the product from root to tip. I love the smell and it has several differents oils in it. For me, it's easier than buying several different oils separately and then mixing the oils myself.

                                                      

$5

 

Ingredients: Soy Bean Oil, Walnut Seed Oil, Kiwi Fruit Extract, Olive Fruit Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Sesame Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Safflower Oil and Calendula Extract and Yarrow Extract and Cucumber Extract and Carageenan Extract and Ginseng Extract and Sage Extract and Comfrey Extract and Aloe Extract, Fragrance.

 

I left the green tea and Africa's Best Herbal Oil, Ultimate, Bonus Size, 12 oz. on my hair for four hours. It was very relaxing. My scalp tingled the entire time. My hair felt refreshed after rinsing it out. I will definitely do this when I want to switch out conditioning treatments or just whenever I feel like my hair needs something different. If you like making your own conditioners, you can add green tea to your own mix. You should do a tea rinse at least once a week to prevent shedding.

2. Protein Treatments.  If your hair feels weak or is breaking easily, then it may be time for a protein treatment. In between henna treatments, I use Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor 8oz mixed with Dabur Vatika Coconut Hair Oil 150ml, 2 Count as a pre-poo. I just apply it to and leave it on for a few minutes before I wash my hair. Coconut oil and Keratin coats each individual strand which strengthens hair and prevents breakage. I purchased Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor 8oz from Sally's and you can purchase Dabur Vatika Coconut Hair Oil 150ml, 2 Count from Amazon here. Again, if you want to make it yourself, you can add eggs and/or yogurt to your homemade mix.  Both of those contain fair amounts of protein.

                               

                                          $8.89                                             $7.88


3. Henna Treatments.  Like protein treatments, henna treatments coat the hair but you won't be able to wash it out. Henna treatments are permanent. Even though henna has great conditioning benefits, it also will color your hair. This is just something you should take note of if you have color treated hair or plan on dyeing your hair in the future. To learn more about henna, be sure to check out my post What You Should Know About Henna. It also prevents dandruff, thinning, and gray hair. I'm a fan of henna and it is great to use to prevent shedding. There is very little hair left in the shower after my hair has a henna treatment. I usually use Jamilia henna but I recently switched to Nupur Henna 100% Natural Powder 1.27oz and I love it! Review coming soon.

If your hair is shedding, then there could be several factors that should be taken into accout like the change in season, hormone fluctuations, medication, etc. Just remember that shedding is a normal process and don't fret unless your hair is coming out in clumps at a time. Then it is best to see a professional. Hope this post was helpful. Thanks for checking out my blog! 




Review of Carol's Daughter"s Monoi Repairing Shampoo and Repairing Hair Mask

I know it's been SEVERAL months since I posted anything but I promise that I'm not abandoning this blog. With a new job, starting grad school, and being a mom things have been quite hectic. In fact, my daughter is climbing my back as I type this.  AND I currently have a 4.0 so, yay! Hopefully, I'll be able to maintain it. Anyway, I have continued to try new products and techniques for my hair which means that I have a great deal of material. The first one is a review of Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo, 8.5 Ounce and Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask - 200g/7oz . I decided to use these products because I started to experience some shedding once winter came along. After one use, you're supposed to have 96% less breakage.

                    

                                                $18                                                       $29

Ingredients:

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo, 8.5 Ounce:
Water (Aqua), Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Coconut Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Shea Butter Glycereth-8 Esters, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Phyllostachis Bambusoides Juice, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus(Sunflower) Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Hydrolyzed Silk, Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5), Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-91, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum)

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask - 200g/7oz :
Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Cetyl Esters, Dimethicone, Fragrance (Parfum), Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oiol, Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Oil, Phyllostachis Bambusoides Juice, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccaride, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Extrac, Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5), Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethiconol, Octyldodecanol, Ceteareth-20, Quarternium-91, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone
                      
Both of these products contain Monoi Oil which is a combination of Tiare Gardenia and Coprah Coconut Oils. These oils are meant to strengthen and repair damaged hair.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo, 8.5 Ounce smells great and texture is similar to any of the other shampoos from Carol's Daughter. It's creamy and very gentle on my hair. My hair and scalp feels clean after I use it. This is very important when it comes to sulfate-free shampoos. Not all of them clean well. It doesn't dry out my hair and since I co-wash and only wash my hair every two to four weeks, the bottle has lasted me several months. I guess that goes for any shampoo in the natural world, lol. If you like any of the other shampoos from Carols Daughter, then you will like this one. This product is decent and it gets a thumbs up from me.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask - 200g/7ozsmells great as well and makes my hair feel awesome. My natural hair is easy to detangle with this conditioner in my hair. My hair feels soft and manageable after use. When I use it, I leave it in for about 15 minutes while I'm in the shower (due to the lack of time). I have yet to try it sitting under a dryer or leaving it on for an extended period of time. I assume that the results would be better. Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask - 200g/7ozis designed to prevent shredding and breakage by strengthening and repairing your hair. Did I notice a difference in my natural hair after one use? Yes, I did. I noticed that the amount of hair that come outs in the shower was greatly reduced after the first use of this product. However, the results weren't maintained after continuous use. After using the product for a few weeks, my hair started shredding again. I still use the product and it does make my hair feel great every time that I use it. I think that my shedding issue is attributed to a great deal of other things like stress, climate, neglect, etc. But, hey, I have a so much material at my disposal now and look for future posts on how I solved the shredding problem. The only thing I didn't like about the Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask - 200g/7ozis that the container is really small. I have really thick hair and I run out of it within a month and a half. That is really quick considering that the product is rather expensive. To help save money, I normally switch it out with other conditioners that I use so that it will last longer. Overall, I like these products and plan to use these products in the future.

You can purchase these products from any Sephoras that sale Carol's Daughter products. JcPenney's, Macy's and other major retailers have Sephoras located inside of the store. You can also purchase the products directly from Carol's Daughter at www.carolsdaughter.com. Find these products for cheaper prices on Amazon here.

My Wash and Go Routine.

As you know, lately, I've been using Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter.  I've been using it mainly for my twist-outs but decided to try it for my wash and gos. I'm still practicing the Curly Girl Method so I started by co-washing my hair with Suave Naturals Juicy Green Apple Conditioner by Suave, 15 Ounce.  I separated my hair into six sections and proceeded to spend approximately 30 minutes finger detangling my hair as I rinsed the conditioner out of my hair. Then, I applied Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter to one small section of soaking wet hair at a time.  Once evenly saturated, then I applied Kinky Curly Curling Custard 16 oz to one small section of hair at a time, making sure that the product is even distributed. After application, like Willow, I whip my hair back and forth a few times and I'm finished.  It's takes a few hours for my hair to air dry. But if you must go outside immediately and, of course,  it's getting cooler these days, then you can just grab a blow dryer or a diffuser and spend about five to ten minutes drying your hair. It will dry it enough for you to go outside without any problems. Tell me what you think.

 

This is my hair fully dry. I like it and it works for me. My hair felt conditioned. Oh a side note, being a mom, working full time, and now deciding to go back to grad school, you may notice that I'm not posting as much.  I just want you to know that I'm not giving on this blog but things are really hectic right now. I will post as much as I can. Please be patience with me.  Thanks.

Review of Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter

$17

As you guys know, I've been using SheaMoisture products for a little over two months now, and my hair started to feel really dry, especially after the last henna treatment. I guess the products weren't moisturizing enough for my hair even though they produced good results.  So, I have returned to my staple which is the Carol's Daughter line.  I'm still practicing the Curly Girl Method. I do use shampoo once or twice a month depending on my hair needs.  This time, I tried the Healthy Hair Butter for the first time. 

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Glycine Soja ( Soybean) Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis ( Jojoba) Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), ( Rosemary) Oil, Cymbopogon Flexosus ( Lemongrass) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis ( Orange) Oil,Lavandula Augustfolia(Lavender) Oil

Texture;
Healthy Hair Butter is thick and has a creamy consistency.  It's not as thick as grease but it's heavier than Carol's Daughter, Hair Milk The Original Curl Definer, 10-Ounce.  This is for you if you're looking for something that is a little more moisturizing than a cream but doesn't leave your hair feeling greasy. The smell is clean and somewhat earthy but I can see how some people may not like it.  I like it.

First, I applied Motions At Home Foaming Wrap Lotion to freshly washed damp hair. Then I applied the Healthy Hair Butter before I two-strand twisted my hair.  After four days, I took down my twists and my twist-out blossomed into a Happy Hair Day for several hair days! My curls were very defined and my hair felt so healthy and moisturized. As you can see, it's great for twist-outs.

This product gets two thumbs up! My advice is when you find a product that works, stick with it. My product junkism is over...for now, that is. 

Review of Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk

$9.99

Ingredients: Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Isopropyl Myristate, Sugar Starch, Silk Protein, EssenQal Oil Blend, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Caprylyl glycol, Sorbitol Esters, Algae Extract, Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, Daucus Carota SaQva (Carrot) Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Conditioning Milk - 8 oz. is certified organic and works on thick, curly hair. It can't be purchased at Walgreens or Target for $9.99. The texture is creamy and smooth. It's comparable to Carol's Daughter, Hair Milk The Original Curl Definer, 10-Ounce. The smell is very coconutty. I like it but I can see how others might not.  It "detangles, conditions and controls curl, while restoring body and shine."

Instructions: Apply as a no-rinse protective and styling cream to damped towel-dried hair as needed.

I co-washed my hair last night with Suave Naturals Juicy Green Apple Conditioner by Suave, 15 Ounce. While my hair was soaking wet, I applied Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Conditioning Milk - 8 oz. generously from root to tip. I finger detangled my hair as I applied the product.  It was OK as a detangler. Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative conditioner - 12 oz. detangles better.  After application, I two-strand twisted my hair into about 10 strands. I untwisted my hair in the morning. My hair felt soft but not that moisturized.  It's probably best to not use this product by itself.  My hair looked good enough for me to walk out of the door but I don't think that it was moisturizing enough. It's very light and would probably work better on finer hair.

My hair looked fine. Side note: While, I was twisting my hair last night, I noticed that my ends felt lifeless and damaged. If my hair looks slightly shorter, then that's because I gave myself a trim.  I cut off about an inch and my hair feels so much better now.  As I was trimming, I discovered why my ends felt the way that they did. I HAD A BAZILLION SINGLE STRAND KNOTS on the ends of my hair.  Were they the result of the Curly Girl Method because I've never noticed them before? Or maybe I just needed a trim because I haven't had one in almost a year. If anybody knows how to prevent these knots, please let me know.  I may try to two-strand twist my hair for a while in order to protect my hair from these evils knots.

Anyway, Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Conditioning Milk - 8 oz. was okay. I wouldn't use it as my primary moisturizer but maybe as a daily moisturizer to refresh my hair. I definitely liked it better than the Carol's Daughter Hair Milk and it seems light enough to use in my daughter's hair. It helps that it's also cheaper than the Carol's Daughter, Hair Milk The Original Curl Definer, 10-Ounce. Basically, if you like the Carol's Daughter Hair Milk, then you will like this product. 

Check Me Out My Big Chop on Hairscapades

This has been posted a little while ago but I thought that I should link it here. Here's my Big Chop Hairstory. http://hairscapades.com/2012/05/29/the-big-chop-toyas-hairstory/.

Adding Hibiscus Petal Powder to Henna

According to avurnaturalbeauty.com, "Hibiscus promotes hair growth, stops hairfall, gives hair a healthy luster with bounce, and delays premature graying."  It's works great by itself as a hair rinse or when added to henna, hibiscus has been known to boost red tones and aid in faster dye release. I decided to try it for the benefits. Originally, I wanted to order a pack from avurnaturalbeauty.com for $5.00 but they were sold out at the time. Instead, I bought a 2oz pack from Ebay for less than $2. www.avurnaturalbeauty.com is more reputable and has been used by other bloggers like Elle from Quest for the Perfect Curl. 

I did my usually henna routine. I boiled 4 packs of green tea for an hour (which is not necessarily needed because the hibiscus provides the same effect).  I mixed in 2oz of hibiscus petal powder with Jamila Henna Powder 3.5oz (100g) and the boiled green tea.  I bought several boxes of Jamila Henna from Amazon but note that the Jamila with the crop date on it is considered to be higher quality.

I let the henna sit for two hours and mixed in 2 tablespoons of honey right before application.  The color of the mix was much darker than normal. After application, I left the henna and hibiscus in my hair for about 7 1/2 hours.  I washed my hair with Suave Naturals Juicy Green Apple Conditioner by Suave, 15 Ounce twice.  It was fairly easy to wash out.  Then I left Carol's Daughter, Tui Hair Smoothie, 8-Ounce in my hair for an hour and washed it out.  My hair felt the same wet. I applied Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative conditioner - 12 oz. from root to tip and two-strand twisted my hair. 

After two days, I took the twists down.

My hair felt very dry afterwards. Dryer than usual.  I applied the Dabur Vatika Enriched Coconut Hair Oil twice a day to counteract the dryness.  That is some good stuff.  I purchased mine from Amazon for around $6. The only positive difference is that my hair seemed to be more elongated.  Overall, I don't think that I'll add hibiscus petal flower to my henna again. It has worked for plenty other naturals but I don't know if it's the type that I purchased or if I used too much (if that's even possible).  Godrej Nupur Mehendi Powder 9 Herbs Blend, 150-gram, which already has the hibiscus and other conditioning herbs added, is something that I'm going to try and see if that works better for my hair. In fact, I've already ordered a pack so look out for that post...