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