THE BAGGIE METHOD

Post from Lisa Jf:

The baggie method. Anyone have any rave reviews? I just learned about this last week and have been doing the baggie method for three days now. Basically what you do is coat your ends in a leave in conditioner of your choice followed by an oil of your choice (coconut and castor oil seem to be the preferred oils). Then you take a plastic bag, shower cap, or saran wrap and wrap around your ends. I personally put my hair in two braids and coat the ends with the oil. then I take two shower caps and wrap each braid end in a cap. I secure the cap with a metal free elastic. My biggest issue is length retention. My hair grows just fine, but i have a hard time having it grow past my mid back. Apparently the baggie method is the length retention fix. I only do this at night. I tried to baggie my whole head the first night and woke up with a wet head full of sweat. Going forward I will only baggie my whole head the night before I wash and DC. During the week, i will baggie my ends each night. So far so good!

SPRING- TRANSITIONAL SEASON

So Spring has sprung! This is the season that wraps up the Winter chill and sends us into the hot, blazing heat we call Summer.

 This is the perfect time to start transitioning if you ever thought about it. You can start thinking of transitional hair styles or think about doing the BC. Either way, it will be new beginnings. So many times we sit around and say we 'woulda, coulda, shoulda' time after time but never take any action....


Whether it's a mental journey or a physical journey for you, this is your time....Don't worry about what everyone say. Worry about what makes you happy. When I transitioned, it wasn't a real 'deep' experience for me.... Meaning I wasn't trying to 'find' myself. The hardest part for me was the first 6 months..battling with those two textures became very annoying. After 17-18 months of semi-torturing myself I said enough is enough, I want it all out...NOW!....The easiest part for me is...........((drawing a blank))........((crickets)).....wow, having natural hair isn't easier for me at all.....BUT, the BEST part about it is I can do what ever I want to it...and that includes scratching my scalp when ever I feel like it. HA!


One tip that I learned and I think it's important to share is that when you're transitioning, you should treat your hair as if you're already all natural. Most of us do the complete opposite and keep straightening out roots out to blend with the relaxed portion. NO, fluff out the relaxed portion to blend in with the roots.


This is not just about hair but about life.....what ever it is that you want to change...change! If you want to loose some weight, start working towards it. if you want to get a degree, get back in school. If you want to save more money, learn how to budget. If you want to better your business, get out and network more...you get my point. Do what makes you feel good....If it's buying that new shade of lipstick, hot pair of shoes,  a whole make over, a new accessory, a new boo (lol), a new bottle of perfume, a book, a candle, a new bra and pantie set, or a new attitude, DO IT.....
Taking small steps is better than taking no steps at all....

LATA,
CHAN, PJ1

TRASH YOUR SLS PRODUCTS

Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.

SLS and SLES are esters of Sulphuric acid - SLS is also known as "Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt", however there are over 150 different names by which it is known - In fact, SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane, a known carcinogen.

Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting.

A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. National Institutes of Health "Household Products Directory" of chemical ingredients lists over 80 products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Some soaps have concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called "highly irritating and dangerous".

Shampoos are among the most frequently reported products to the FDA. Reports include eye irritation, scalp irritation, tangled hair, swelling of the hands, face and arms and split and fuzzy hair. The main cause of these problems is sodium lauryl sulfate.

So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.

In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin.

Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

Source- Natural health information Centre

LATA,

 CHAN PJ-1

BLACK SOAP

What is Black Soap? Where does it come from?

Black Soap or African Black Soap comes from plantain skin. It is a natural source of vitamins A & E and iron. (Plantain is a popular food in Africa, South America & other parts of the world. It can be found in ethnic or international grocery stores such as Latino, Caribbean or African. It looks like banana but much bigger. It does not taste like a banana & has to be cooked before eating) The skin of the plantain is gingerly dried to a precise texture under the hot African sun. It is then roasted in a clay oven. The heat must be constant in order to achieve a particular color, texture & smell. In some recipes, Cocoa Pod is used instead of plantain skins. Others use both the Cocoa Pod and plantain skins. Cocoa Pod is the shell of the Cocoa fruit. The cocoa beans are used for making chocolate or cocoa butter among other things.

 

I love black soap it is very moisturizing try whipped shea butter for mouisture after your bath or shower and see how beautiful your skin looks and feels, so soft.....parben free ladies and gents

 

PJ-4

TOP 10 FOODS FOR HEALTHY HAIR

I always say your hair is like a plant: You have to water it in order for it to grow. It's not always about what you put on your hair but also what you in your body too.Well in this case, you also have to feed it as well.
So here are the top 10 foods that promotes healthy hair:

 1- Salmon
Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.

2- Dark Green Vegetables
Dark green vegetables provide iron and calcium.

3- Beans
Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin.

4- Nuts
Nuts are a great source of zinc

5- Poultry
Chicken have high-quality protein

6- Eggs
Eggs contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients

7- Whole Grains
Whole grains have plenty of zinc, iron, and B vitamins

8- Oysters
Although oysters are known to be an aphrodisiac, they also hair hair-boosting abilities. Oysters provide zinc- a powerful antioxidant.

9- Low-Fat Dairy Products
Theses product have great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.

10- Carrots
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.

LATA,
CHAN/ PJ-1

Spotlight on - Ayurveda for hair

Have you ever seen a bald Indian woman? Not matter how young or old, if you look around, Indian women have some of the most beautiful hair. We even go so far as to buy their hair in order to achieve that look! So many of us have been guilty of visiting our local beauty supply store and asking for  "12" inch, Indian Remy in 1B". About a year or so ago, I became interested in Ayurveda principles for hair care after visiting several hair boards and reading about many women's great experiences with Ayurvedic based hair care principles and products. I then went so far as to ask various indian women that I would come into contact with about these products and all of them confessed to using them. 

Ayurvedic Hair Care comes from ingredients and practices that are staples in Ayurveda which is medicial practices that are native to India.

The principles of the Ayurvedic hair care focus on nourishing your hair from the inside first and then the outside.

This is just a brief introduction to some of the oils, powders available. If this has peaked your interest the following are a few websites that give a lot of feedback on the topic.

- Amla - the Indian gooseberry; comes in different forms and is usually found in oils and shampoos. Used for preventing premature greying and preventing what Indians call "hair fall" or hair loss. It is said to strengthen hair at the root.

- Shikaikai - Also known as "fruit for hair" in Ayurveda; it is used a lot in its powder form, made into a paste and used as a natural shampoo because of it's natural cleansing properties. It is also found in oils. It is said to provide an optimal enviroment on the scalp for hair growth due to its astringent and low pH nature.

- Neem - relieves dry, itchy scalp, cure for dandruff, promotes hair growth; usually found in shampoo formulations and oils; known for it's purifying properties to the scalp

- Brahmi - known as a hair rejeuvenator; usually found in oil form

- Bhringaraj - promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss, known as the "king of tresses" in India; usually found in oil form.

- Coconut Oil - Promotes hair growth; one of the oils that has been said to penetrate the hair shaft. used as an oil base for many of the above items in powder form.

- Henna - (*see previous posts from several members)

All of these products can be found in your local indian store as well as various online websites.

I have to say that I have tried all of these oils and have had some success with them as far as helping with my hair not to shed but I have to be honest in saying that I haven't used them long enough to see any long term results however I do believe in Ayurvedic hair care and I do believe that it can promote hair growth. I've never kept up with an Ayurvedic regimen because it can be time consuming. I do like to use the oils for occasional scalp massages the night before I wash my hair.

I recently purchased an oil based hair serum with Ayurvedic oils that I have found to be vitually weightless.

One of my previous hair idols who converted to using primarily all Ayurvedic products on her hair is a woman in the picture below, she used to post on a blog but sadly stopped a while ago but the pictures have stuck with me to this day! (I couldn't find the before picture to give the full effect).


There is a wealth of information out there on the topic which can be found by just Googling!

A few hair care websites out there geared to "us" but based on Ayurveda are:
http://hairveda.com/default.aspx (*if I had to recommend one product from this site it is the Cocasta Shikakai hair oil - it's the truth", great for scalp massages).
http://www.afroveda.com/Default.asp
http://www.qhemetbiologics.com/

SPECIAL ON HAIR PRODUCT