Merry Christmas Lovelies!

I want to wish you and your loved ones a wonderful and happy holiday!  I was going to do a dinner party over at my place since I do love to cook, but I changed my mind. Going to just cook for my little family, watch movies, have wine and relax. I need it.

This year, I didn't feel like wrapping each individual gift, so I did something I thought was awesome. Each child was given a big gift wrapped box with several gifts in it that were small enough to fit in there.  I simply piled colorful tissue paper over and around each gift.  It worked out great and they were able to use those boxes to throw in their trash with the exception of other large gifts that didn't fit in there.

Work smarter, not harder right?

Enjoy your day, remember why we are a celebrating Christmas...♡♡♡

God bless you all and we'll chat soon!

Determining Hair Length And Landmarks On Your Body

Where does your hair fall on the chart?

People have different body types, long and short torsos too. I have a shorter torso than the length of my legs and I am 5'4. Although I am mid back length (MBL) at the fullest part of my hair, I am almost grazing waist length (WL) at the same time.

Waist Length example:

For some one who is 6 feet tall, it may take longer for him/her to reach WL if we both started with bald heads and our hair grew at the same exact rate.

While we're on WL, not many people know where their waist is, and it is around the navel area all the way around. Because everyone is shaped differently, determining where the waist can be challenging. For example, I do have curves and there is about a 15 inch difference between my waist and hip area.  Before starting my hair journey, I always thought my waist was right above my hips...meaning it was around the bikini line.  I was totally wrong because it was actually higher.

Are You Really Bra Strap Length:

Being Bra Strap Length (BSL) seems to be an important landmark on your body. It's almost a mid point and a point where people feel if their hair is long or not. Either you're almost there or past it.

I know many of us vary in size when it comes to our lovely lady lumps (breasts). I have seen where women who are or claim bra strap length claim it improperly (in my opinion). Are you wearing the right bra? Is the bra fitting you properly?

• A person may have their bra sitting too low for their body and they are really BSL.
• A person may have their bra sitting too high for their body and they are not BSL.
• A person may ALSO have their bra on all wrong on their body and may be MBL...go figure?

See the difference?

Looking at People's Personalized Hair Journies:

Many of us on hair journies document our lengths by putting a chart together as we go along to see and share our personal progress. But that is relative to the person who put it together and so is mine:

• Don't look at someone else's hair length and expect to be at certain points they've reached at certain time lengths. (You will most likely disappoint yourself).

• Do you know where the different land marks fall on YOUR OWN body?  Consider your body shape and size; hair length landmarks will be relative to you.

• The average hair growth rate per month is about half an inch. This is AVERAGE. But some people will have a faster rate and others a slower rate like I do.

• What is your level of patience when it comes to meeting your own length goals?

Here's a video that my "boo thang" Traycee did on determing hair lengths which we also discussed recently and agreed on so many points: The Big Debate About Hair Lengths

What would you like to add?

Happy Growing and we'll chat soon!

Side note:
For health reasons first, get fitted for the right bra for the right support. And if you're length conscious, it will make a difference as to what you really are with your hair too.

Twisted FroHawk on MadiMel's Natural Hair (Mohawk/Fauxhawk)

I had posted a photo of my daughter, MadiMel's hair on Instagram, Facebook and other sites and it has become popular.  I saw the same or similar hair style on so many different sites, many different times, etc. And I know that so many people have done it themselves. I came across a few people whho stopped me and asked about her hair style.  I gave them my Youtube channel information and told them a video will be posted soon.

It was one morning, I did not feel like doing much with her hair after being styled in a bun.  It seemed too much to deal with and I woke up tired.  I decided to try out the style on her hair since she was in between hair styles anyway. And the results were good.  MadiMel is at that age where she is becoming picky, so when she saw this style, she fell in love and couldn't stop staring at her hair.

After posting the photo, I received so many requests to do a tutorial.  I finally posted it today and hope you like it!  Take care and God bless!

Hair Care Tips For The Fall And Winter Season

Want to keep your hair healthy during the winter months?

I wrote this blog post on a joint blog a few years ago and decided to share it here since we can all benefit from it.

We agree that patience and consistency are key to a successful healthy hair journey, but we also have to remember the other factors that change our routines and regimens.  As the weather changes, we need to adjust to it by the way we dress and what we do.  And for the hair, it should also be the same too.

I love the Fall season with a passion! But let us discuss hair and some of the ways you can maintain it to keep it beautiful and healthy.

Deep Condition
Many of our workplaces, schools, homes are heated with artificial heat and can therefore dry the hair along with the cold brisk air outside. Our hair thrives when it is well moisturized. Shampooing less and Conditioning will keep the moisture the hair needs to withstand the changes to the environment. After shampooing, sometimes there is a stripping feeling to the hair where you will definitely need to follow up with a moisturizing conditioner.

Wash-N-Go’s 
Many love the Wash-‘N-Go’s or wearing the hair slightly damp and it is simply simple, especially for those who have natural hair. My daughter has natural hair too.  Let us remind ourselves that one can get extremely sick by wearing their hair wet while being outside in the cold. Another reason why you would not want to do a Wash ‘N Go would be the experience of the hair freezing and easily breaking. So Wash 'N Go's, in my opinion should probably be a no-no. I would suggest doing twist outs.

Hair Breakage 
During the winter we wear scarves, hats and sweaters that are made with fabrics such as wool. For example, wool tends to dry out the tresses and also pull on the hair causing slow breakage. The areas that tend to get affected the most are the edges and the nape of the neck. To avoid these types of problems, you can line the hat with a satin or silk fabric as a barrier to protect the hair. If you’re not crafty, you can simply tie a scarf around the head prior to putting on the hat. Putting the hair up while wearing a scarf will also aid in keeping the hair healthy. The more protected the hair, the less damage.

Protective styling
With protective styles, the hair is usually up and away from the shoulders and it will not rub as much on the sweaters that will cause hair dryness. Tucking your hair ends away during the harsh weather season will keep your hair from damage while staying moisturized. Not to mention that they are beautiful, you can also have fun with different styles to enhance the beauty of your hair.  If you decide to have your hair down, be sure to moisturize the hair a tad bit more.

Oils
We massage certain oils on their scalps, mix it with their shampoos and/or conditioners and use it as a daily moisturizer to help seal in the moisture the hair needs to stay healthy. Not only do oils moisturize the hair and body, but different ones do have several beneficial factors. Research the oils to see what best fits your healthy hair and skin needs. My favorite oils are coconut, olive, castor and tea tree oils.

Hair Products
In some cases, you may have to use a product that will do a lot for the hair this winter season. Something that may have been a bit too much for the summer most likely will be great for the winter. Be sure it keeps your hair well moisturized and it does it's job.

Using less heat to NO heat
Using heat will help the cold air cause more dryness to the hair. Especially DIRECT HEAT. Direct heat constitutes using a flat iron directly on the hair.  Roller sets are okay since the heat is indirectly used and not concentrated on the hair like an iron to a shirt.

Moisture, moisture and moisture 
Moisturizing the hair is not just limited to the summer, but also recommended for the winter too. As mentioned before, between the extreme temperatures of the indoors and outdoors, moisturizing enough will help the hair to stay protected.

Stick to what works for you
There are several ideas when it comes to hair care. But remember to always stick to what works for you! Your hair will be happy and stay healthy.

Notice a theme here: MOISTURE!!!!

Feel free to share what has worked for you, or something I did not mention here that we can all benefit from during the colder months.

We'll chat soon!

What A Hair Journey! 2013 Update

It's been 6 long years - 3 bad set backs and all, but I'm here now.

I have been on my hair journey since late October 2007.

By now, you would have thought that I should have been waist length, or even hip length.  I thought so myself too when I first started my journey.  But I was so wrong!

I can not say that my hair journey was horrible.  It could have been worse than horrible.  I will say that my hair journey was normal except for the set backs I experienced.  And those set backs did set me back where I had to let go of the idea of having long hair for a while.

Let us remind ourselves again that it happens and we must learn to accept it, understand it and learn from it.

Here are the bad set backs I had during my hair journey.

I colored my hair (slightly bleached it and then put on a rinse). My hair started to slowly break off and it was so dry and brittle. Will I color my hair again? No, I will only do color rinses. I don't even want to think about doing henna....at least not yet.

• What did I do: I decided to focus on the health of my hair, clip my ends and while staying at bra strap length. This has been over the course of three years of being bra strap length, trying to get rid of the bleached/dyed hair completely.

I suffered from post partum hair shedding. I lost all of my edges and had a bad widow's peak. My shedded hair looked like tumble weeds on my bathroom floor. 

• What did I do: I did more cowashes, protein treatments, rubbed castor oil on my scalp and styled my hair that would last a whole week.  I was also afraid to comb or even touch my hair, but mostly used my fingers to comb and conditioner to detangle before a wash.  And of course, I kept taking my prenatal vitamins.

After I stopped taking contraceptives (birth control), I went through hair shedding again, this time it was all throughout my head, I did not lose much of my edges...this was just early this year.  It has stopped shedding excessively and is pretty much back to normal again. (Side note: Contraceptive alters your hormones, so when you stop taking them, your body is trying to readjust to it's normal natural state. No baby plans here, I'm getting older and contraceptives does not agree with my body anymore.)

• What did I do: I deep conditioned, cowashed, protein treatments and massaged my scalp with castor oil at times.  And since I do not like my hair down during the summer, I had it in a bun most of the season.

Patience was been key during this whole hair journey. I would have loved to stick to getting my hair long. But you know what...health is even better.  Does not make sense for me to have long unhealthy hair.

For those of you who have been on a real long hair journey, it's okay. I am on one and look where I am now. Instead of giving up and being upset about never have long hair, I decided to shift my focus to wanting healthy hair.  And yes, I had moments of frustrations, moments where I wanted to chop my hair off and moments where I said that I did not care about this whole hair journey thing....those thoughts occupied my mind after I saw how damaging my hair started to become after the hair color. Right now, my focus is still the same to this day...HEALTHY HAIR.  Of course, a healthy diet, vitamins and water too.

I always say this, "A healthy head of hair will always turn heads no matter at what length."

Before Trim & After Trim
(My hair was not colored, the photos were taken at two different times of the day with flash.
The picture on the left is my natural hair color in the sun.)

Thanks for reading, enjoy the pics and we'll chat soon!

FAQ: "Should I Relax My Child's Hair?"

Before I get into why I did not or have not relaxed my daughter's hair, let us address the title to this blog post first.

When is a good age to relax a child's hair? I can not tell anyone that. That course of action is entirely up to the person. But I will say this, If you are not educationally ready or prepared to care for relaxed hair, do not do it.  If your daughter is not mature, is not responsible and old enough to understand what you have learned about caring for relaxed hair, don't do it. If your reasons include relaxing the hair to be a quick fix and a resolution to all, don't do it.

Just because there are relaxers marketed for young girls does not mean it is okay for them.  But consider the care after the relaxer treatment.  Plenty of times I have seen thinned out, severe breakage around the edges and matted hair on young beautiful girls.  It is obvious that the hair was not maintained or cared for properly.

No matter what you do with any type of hair (natural, relaxed, texturized); education, proper care, knowledge and understanding lead to a successful hair journey.

I have been on blogs, forums and facebook fan pages geared to children's hair care.  On several ocassions, the questions from mothers/caregivers wanting to relax their daughter(s) hair and should they comes up.  I have also received the same question a few times, although my daughter's hair is natural. The question is, Why? And I am not asking the question as to why do you want to put chemicals in her hair, obviously there is more to it.  But what are your reasons behind wanting to relax your child's hair?

Here are the reasons I have seen with the question above:

* It will save me time.
* It will be easier to manage the hair.
* It will show my child's hair length.
* It looks better.
* My daughter's hair is so "nappy". (I cringe at the word nappy.)
* Styling is easier with relaxed hair.
* She cries when I style her hair.
* I don't like her hair texture.
* I don't understand why her hair is not like my family's hair.
* The children at school make fun of her hair.
* She wants to be like her friends.
* Her father complains on how the hair looks.
* I want her to be like her friends.
* My family feels that she needs it.
* She is the only/few girls that are (insert racial background here) with afro hair and her classmates have straight hair.
* My friend's daughter's hair is relaxed and it is beautiful.
* My daughter cries because she feels different from every one.

These are just a few I have seen. Just a FEW! My thing is, the reasons above will be relevant to the person and makes sense to them...maybe not to me nor to you.  I know some of you are saying that some of the reasons are shallow.  But to the person, the reasons may be shallow...but valid, emotional or thoughtless to some. But it is what they truly feel, because they have to deal with their own situation at hand.

If you relax your child's hair, are you ready to care for it the way it should be cared for?  Did you do research to see what relaxed hair needs?  Did you consider how it will affect your child's developing scalp? Are you relaxed yourself, with a beautiful head of hair and plan on taking your daughter with you to get her hair done too (extra $$ spent)? Are you going to teach her how to care for it?

Now let us briefly talk about me.

My daughter, MadiMel, as you all know, has natural hair.  Am I planning to relax her? No.  Has the thought crossed my mind? Yes, before I started her natural hair journey (when mine started). I had my goal set on relaxing her hair when she turned 8,9 or 10 years old. My reasons were: Her hair was coarse, it was challenging to manage, thought it would look cute.  Basically, I just wanted to relax her hair and keep it moving.

Since she was a toddler, my train of thought was, How can I care for her hair now before I start relaxing it?  And guess what, I learned and conquered.  Since I educated myself and researched, there was and is no need for it.   It completely changed my mind about doing it at 8, 9 or 10 years old.  I just won't any more and you can see why.

And yes, she just turned 8 years old. I feel that she is young now and does not need it since I have done research to care for her natural hair while she was and is young.  She is extremely active, sits upside down to watch a show or movie, cartwheels, flips...she is too active.  If she decides to do it when she is much older and can afford it, I will share my techniques because I have been doing a decent job with my own relaxed hair.  She is currently learning how to care for her natural hair and she may just stick with it into her adult years.

Things to consider when relaxing your child's hair (some reiterated):

* The child's age
* Scalp sensitivity to chemicals
* Breakage if not cared for properly
* New growth
* Dryness
* Maintenance
* Time
* Knowledge is key, but will you put in the effort
* Money

Think about the things I mentioned above, before you make a big step as to relaxing your child's hair.

What other things would you say to someone who wants to relax their child's hair?
(Please be respectful within your comments below :-) )

MadiMel's Night Time Hair Routine - Natural Hair (Children's Hair)

Many have asked me about MadiMel's night time hair routine.  It is explained in the video below.
Enjoy the video and ask questions!

 

We'll chat later and God Bless!

-Sdestra

Revising A Hair Regimen

We have always heard the phrase, "If it isn't (ain't) broken, then don't fix it."
True.
I had always advocated about using what works for you as long as the technique implemented helps with your hair journey.

Over time, we may feel the need to tweak our hair regimen because:

*we found something better
*our hair doesn't respond the same any more to a product we have been using for several years
*we just want to try something different/new
*we saw or heard someone else talking about a product and we must try it - "jumping the bandwagon"

I just recently revised my hair regimen.  Not much at all.  Too give you some background info, my hair regimen has been the same for several years.  I may have let go of a product or two and also started using a product again.

But me, trying to use it myself...I'm surprised I still had hair!  So let us fast forward, I moved to Atlanta and I still had two bottles of the ApHogee Two Step Protein Treatment, several large containers of 100% Shea Butter that I purchased for $1.00 each working near NYC from an African store.  I was on a rampage, cleaning and clearing things out, that I threw those products out...thinking I would never use them again.

I had purchased the ApHogee products way before my hair journey...spent nearly $100 on all of the products because someone told me about the hair care line.  I really didn't know how to use them.  I wasn't knowledgeable about proteins, and proper moisturizing.  My beautiful sister is a hair stylist back home in Jersey, and I was her guinea pig when she started working at a salon, and it was also an opportunity for her new boss to see her skills.  She followed the instructions carefully and did my hair resulting in a bouncy-full of body, roller set.  Although I didn't have the balancing moisturizer with me, she did deep condition my hair with a moisturizing conditioner.

When I started my hair journey a year later after moving, I smacked my forehead reading and following hair journies with the products I threw out!. Mad and upset!

Anyway, as a protein treatment, I have always used eggs. Now, It is time to let the eggs go and make room for the 2-Step Protein Treatment along with it's partner, the Balancing Moisturizer which works as a pair.

I already have been using two ApHogee products for years, so they were always staples for me (Keratin & Green Restructurizer, ProVitamin Leave-In Conditioner).

I also went back to my old relaxer only because I always loved it and had nothing else but good results for so many, many years.  The Alma Legend, for me...was a great relaxer and I have nothing negative to say about it in regards to my personal experience.  I was fortunate enough to not to feel any burn - it did process a bit quicker in my experience, the product required no mixing either and it smelled amazing....yes, for a relaxer, it smelled awesome.  It was sent to me for review months ago and I did make the choice to try it out.

So what changes have you made in your hair regimen? Was it a good thing, bad thing, or still working on it?

So check out my hair regimen, and feel free to ask questions!

***My Hair Regimen

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Hey Ya'll - I'm Back !!!!

Well, I didn't really go any where...lol.  I took an unintentional hiatus due to life...so here goes:

Hey my lovely ladies and gents!

I am doing absolutely well and praise God for it!  Feeling blessed, great and excited...excited for what?  I'm living and enjoying life.  You don't need the finer things in life to enjoy it, as long as you have what you need, God in your life and love...you're blessed.  Give praises to him all day every day!

I had so much going on within the past three months and haven't had time to sit down and post.  Actually, I'm lying...lol.  I had the time to post but haven't had time to sit.  Makes sense?

Once I finish what I need to do, I basically shut every thing off and indulge myself in some me time.  I am on Instagram more than anything.  Instagram is quick, easy and mobile.  Blogger is mobile too, but I'm still a little leery about how it works.  But I have quite of things to talk about, mainly about events and hair molded into different posts.

Events, trips, holidays and birthdays are slowly coming to a halt soon (temporarily) and I'm going to start catching up on some things with you.  Sorry for rambling...lol.

But I posted a video the other day with some updates and random things.  Watch, enjoy and comment! Subscribe if you haven't done so, follow me on Instagram and like my Facebook fan page too!

God bless and we'll chat soon!

My Son's Hair Cut!!!

Remember the post I posted months and months ago about growing my son's hair?

It was my husband's idea to grow it out.  Not mine.  I went along with it so I can document his hair journey and thought it would be cute.  When were we planning on cutting it?  We had no clue and would do it when he had gotten a little older.

So it was the beginning of his hair journey...I cared for it, braided it, moisturized...basically took care of it to retain length.

The other day, I took his hair down from a set of cornrows that lasted about three weeks.  Usually, I'll give his hair a break for about a week.  Wash, condition and moisturize.  I'll put his hair into two large cornrows to help stretch the hair out for about two days.

On Sunday, my husband looked at our son and said, "I'm taking him to the barber shop."  I paused and had mixed feelings about it.  I was starting to get used to doing his hair.  Then I thought that it would be a good thing because he can go out with his father more than usual and have that extra time to bond together when they get their hair cuts.

My husband dreaded it because he felt that our son would have screamed his head off and flip out.  He told me he have seen from toddlers to young boys around 10 years old in tears.  I assured him that he will be fine and is a trooper.  Although my son does give me a hard time to braid his hair, I think he would sit still for someone else despite the sound and feeling of the clippers on his head.  And recently, he had his teeth cleaned at the dentists' office and did not flinch nor cry.

After about an hour my husband and son left, these photos come in:

The first thing I noticed was his face!  

He was smiling and did not have a look of distress.  Then my husband called me, raving about how our son sat there and did not cry.  Then went on saying that he sat there and smiled the whole time.  Far from what he expected.

So, the hair is gone.  The hair growth journey has ended and I am perfectly fine with it. Did I cry?  Absolutely not.  May be it would have been different if I was at the barber shop.  But I was happy and knew that dealing with one less head of hair would be more appealing and a relief.

Interesting to see how he is a big boy now...it's official and he went from being a toddler to looking like a boy as if he went through a rite of passage into becoming one (laughing).

Thanks so much for reading and here are a few more photos showing his hair from the time he was born to now with his hair cut.  We'll chat again soon!

Happy Mother's Day! (Sorry for the Late Post)

Okay, so the post was not actually late, but I had it scheduled to post yesterday and it never did.  I must have done something wrong?  I am so sorry that it happened.

I so was excited about the post too.  But it is better late than never!

I want to wish you all and hope you had a wonderful Happy Mother's Day!  Whether you are a mother, mother that adopted, step mother, or played a "motherly" role in someone's life...Happy Mother's Day.

Here is a video I posted yesterday along with some of my wonderful friends who contributed to do this with me!  These wonderful ladies were more than eager to participate and from me to them, I thank all of them for sharing a piece of themselves.  These friends are relatives, bloggers, youtubers and/or followers. I did not expect so many to share, but it did overwhelm me with emotion as I received the photos and videos since they were all beautiful and sincere.

Again, Happy Mother's Day and remember that it is celebrated every day through love, dedication, care and our personal teachings that we share and give our children.

Love,

Sdestra

P.S. We'll chat soon!

That Time of Year Again! Recitals, Weddings, Formals, Proms....(With Bun Video Tutorial)

It is about that time again for this season and school-end events (recitals, weddings, proms, formals) for many of our children.  For me, it is my daughter's dance recital.  She has been dancing for 4 years now and absolutely loves it.  This year, she will be in four different dance routines during the recital in June.  This week, was their professional photo shoot and that meant her hair had to be styled into a mandatory bun.

Each year, the requirement is to have the child's hair in a bun (for girls).   For some parents, it may be a challenge to do this depending on the hair the child has. There are many tools that cater to buns.  Such as the donut foam, sock bun, and other hair bun making tools.  Not everything works for every one and here are some reasons why:  short hair, fine hair, thin hair, thick hair, long hair.  Depending on the hair, you need to have something to accommodate what needs to be achieved.  From talking to several parents of all races that bring their to the same dance schools, many face various challenges: coarse hair, short/thick hair, long/thick hair, layered hair, long/thin hair, short/thin hair, curly hair....so many!

MadiMel has thick, coarse and dense hair.  Her hair is mostly coily and a small area where it is a little loose with small waves.  Straightening her hair could have been an option, but I choose and chose not to do that.  From the years since she has been dancing and received the hair style requirement, I have never used heat but opted for another option.  Going heatless.

If she already had a style on her hair such as cornrows and/or twists, I simply take her hair down (after each twist and cornrow), finger detangle and then use a Denman brush to make the hair more manageable.  Considering that her hair was previously styled, her hair would be more likely be stretched out.  Less work but just detangling that would consume my time.

If I shampooed or cowashed, towel dry as much as I can, put her hair into 4 jumbo twists/plaits or loose french braids to let it airdry after moisturizing it.  That also helps to stretch the hair (other ways: conrows, twists, banding, african threading).

Once her hair is dried, I take her hair down.  Her hair is a bit more stretched where it becomes manageable and takes so much less time to style.  And again, I also make sure her ends are well moisturized since that part of the hair, the ends, are the oldest and vulnerable to dryness.

If heat is a plan for you to straighten the hair:

*Be sure that you use a heat protector
*Do not flat iron the hair while wet
*Using too much product(s) and flat ironing may burn the hair and cause damage
*Use the lowest heat setting possible that will just do the job for your child's hair
*To avoid going over the hair several times with the flat iron, use a comb with it to help keep the hair aligned
*Moisturize the hair well - this will restore the dryness the heat caused

Here is a video on the bun I do on her hair for her recital (and other times).
The video was recorded back in Spring 2012.  Since it is the time for various events, several people had asked me for a video like this.  I thank you!



We'll chat soon and have a blessed and wonderful weekend!

-Sdestra

Benefits and Uses of Castor Oil

Many have used and are using Castor Oil in their hair regimens for the past few years when it became well known to help with the hair.

Black Castor Oil (from Haiti)

Castor Oil is a vegetable oil from the castor bean.  The oil contains a lot of appealing things that would make it attractive to use in a hair regimen and beauty regimen.  Another great thing about this oil is that it has healing benefits too.

The oil is usually clear to a dark brown color.  It comes refined and un-refined too which all depends on how the oil was extracted from the beans.  Unrefined in my opinion is better because the properties are not manipulated or stripped from the oil.

Castor Oil has proteins, Vitamin E, anti-fungual and anti-bacterial properties.  The benefits are not only limited to the things mentioned, but it also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Here are some reasons why this oil is great for a healthy hair regimen:

It Adds Shine:
Castor Oil coats the hair shaft, seals in moisture to make the surface silky and smooth.  It is also a great oil to use for hot oil treatments before you wash your hair.  One down side is that if you use it too much or too often, it can weigh your hair down, cause build up and leave your scalp and hair very oily.  Also, let us note, that if the oil coats the hair to seal it, it can slow and/or prevent split ends.  One of the ways to do it, is to mix the oil with a lighter oil for even distribution.

It Helps In Hair Loss, Dandruff & Circulation:
Because of the anti-fungual and anti-bacterial properties the oil has, which I mentioned above...this oil has a high amount of chemical compositions of fatty acids with ricinoleic acid.  With that said, many bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections can be healed using it the oil.  And with the different infections being combated, it fights hair loss to allow the hair to grow.

Castor oil also helps to increase circulation, makes the hair follicles strong and stimulate hair growth.  If hair loss is hereditary, I will go on an assumption that castor oil may not stop hair loss.  In cases of alopecia and post partum hair shedding, this oil can be a great benefit to help restore the hair. Those who are experiencing dry scalp and a lot of dandruff, it also works wonders since it is an amazing moisturizer.

Helps To Thicken the Hair and Moisturize It:
Because castor oil can get rid of bacteria, fungus and stimulate growth do to it's natural properties, it will help make room for the hair to for grow.  Those negative things will block areas of your scalp to suppress and hinder growth.  Using it for hot oil treatments, to massage the scalp and to moisturize will help the hair tremendously in so many ways beside thickening the hair.

My family have always used Haitian Black Castor Oil (HBCO) for years.  The way I know it was used, was of course...for the hair.  Other ways included: Used as a laxative, for massages, for healing and to get rid of skin infections.  It was not until a few years ago, I implemented this oil into my and my children's healthy hair regimen when Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) became well known in the hair world.  The oil is not new, it has been around for years and years from generation to generations.

I experienced post partum shedding twice, but used it during the second, because I was on a hair journey at the time.  It helped me a lot in moisturizing my scalp and to stimulate growth in those areas. I do not feel that it will "make" your hair grow, but it will "remove every hindrance" such as the bacteria, fungus, dry scalp, to allow and make room for the hair to grow and retain length.

I use it for hot oil treatments once a month when I shampoo my hair.  I'll lightly massage it onto my scalp during the week and/or as needed.  On my children, I have a Shea butter mixture that includes castor oil and extra virgin coconut oil to use on their scalp, edges and even on their hair ends.

There are several hair sites online that do sell Black Castor Oil!

How do you use castor oil in your hair regimen?

** Please Note: Do your research on anything that you use including oils on your hair and skin.

Switching To A New Hair Relaxer: Optimum Salon HairCare Amla Legend

I was recently sent a package from SoftSheen Carson to try out some items from their new product line: Optimum Salon Haircare's Amla Legend.  The package included a relaxer kit (no-lye) and a hair & scalp serum.  Of course, I opened everything and smelled them.  Immediately after I smelled the products, I was really amazed.  Everything including the relaxer had such a pleasant scent.  Hair relaxers usually have a "chemical" scent and even after neutralizing, shampooing, deep conditioning etc., sometimes the "chemical" smell still lingers on the hair.  But this one certainly did not.  Also, the relaxer did not require it to be mixed before application.

Many of you know that I have been using Revlon's Fabulaxer No-Lye Relaxer for years.  I will tell you how long....almost 16 years!  I only ventured out twice before in the past, trying a different relaxer and did not like them.  But do not quote me on this...I also recently heard that it will be discontinued.

I applied the new relaxer and did the whole "ritual" (the term they use).  After drying and flat ironing, I was very pleased with the results.  My scalp did not burn, my hair felt great and it felt amazingly moisturized.  I have been married to Fabulaxer for a long time, but it is time to let it go.  So this is my new relaxer, the Optimum Salon Haircare's Amla Legend.  I plan on trying their other products such as the shampoo and conditioner, etc. and see if it would affect, change and/or enhance my current hair regimen.

The Optimum Amla Legend relaxer kit included:

*Scalp Protector Pre-treatment
*No Mix Relaxer
*Neutralizing Shampoo
*Conditioner
*Oil Moisturizer
*Instructions
*Stick for relaxer application
*Plastic gloves








According to the instructions, it is made for all hair types and it also advises on the processing times for each type:

               

The Hair and scalp serum, "Billion Hair Potion" also smelled wonderful too.  This serum was not oily, but more liquid and seemed to dissolve right onto the scalp.  It is to be used twice a day.  If you put too much, your hair will end up wet.  What I also liked about it, is that the bottle comes with a top that is a dropper.  It makes it easy to apply the product onto the scalp.  This item is to promote thicker, fuller hair and conditions it too.  And again, I will add that this also smells wonderful too!

                           

I do not recommend any one switching their relaxer too often because different relaxers will have a variation of different ingredients and it may/will cause damage to the hair. I had a friend that used a different relaxer almost every other relaxer service just because she found it on sale.  Was her hair damaged? Yes, her hair had become weak and thin.  She also relaxed her hair every six weeks, but did a halo touch up (relaxing just the edges), every two weeks so she can have that sleek look all the time.

Please keep in mind that results will vary and this may work for you or not work for you.  For me, it has worked great so far and I am happy with it.

I did a video review on the item, my results and officially claiming that Optimum Salon Haircare's Amla Legend No Lye Relaxer is my new relaxer, which you are more than welcome to check it out.



As always, God bless and we'll chat later!

Post Partum Hair Shedding: Is It Normal?

My daughter, MadiMel and I (2005)

The first time I went through Post Partum Hair Shedding, I was disturbed, bothered and even upset.  I was warned by many women I knew, including my mother by backing it up with horror stories and myths.  But I was not "educated" as to why it was happening about 4 months after giving birth.  My edges were gone and I had a severe widow's peak to match.

Let us fast forward to the beginning of my hair journey.  I started learning how to care for my and my daughter's hair which led me to educate myself about hair care, products and techniques that would help to gain and maintain healthy hair.  In the process, 
I learned more about Post Partum Hair Shedding too.  Thanks to my husband's awesome idea of having another child, we became pregnant and I was already armed with knowledge.

I had found and visited the site American Pregnancy Association to read more about Post Partum Hair Shedding.  It was more understanding because every thing that was laid out in the article made a lot of sense.

Here is what I gathered from reading about this "normal" issue that some women have after giving birth.

Telogen Effluvium is when there is excessive hair shedding from the resting phase that is caused by numerous factors including childbirth which is being discussed here.

With an average person:  Most of your hair is growing at one time and about 10% of it goes into a resting phase.  The hair that are in the resting phase eventually falls out which is then replaced by new hairs.  

With a pregnant woman:   Due to the rise in hormones during pregnancy, "more than an usual amount of hair" goes into a resting phase.  An average of 40-50% of women are affected, but it is only temporary.

I can assure that some of you who had given birth, experienced thick and luxurious hair.  Because of our friend estrogen, who plays a big role in the delayed process of the resting phase; roughly 3-4 months post delivery, the body's hormones tries to reach a point of equilibrium.  While your body is trying to get back to it's normal pre-pregnancy state, the hair that went into the resting phase falls out....almost all at once in a short period of time.  Remember that I mentioned earlier....during pregnancy, more hair is in a resting phase.  Therefore, more hair will shed.  This is the reason why it seems as though some of you and including myself had tumbleweeds of hair on our bathroom floors after having our beautiful blessings of joy.

Pros: This is only temporary.  It does not happen with every woman after child birth.  Keep in mind that every woman is different and every pregnancy is different.  There are those who never experienced it at all.  For example, my friend Traycee (of Keep It Simple Sista hair blog) never experienced Post Partum Hair Shedding after giving birth to any of her sons, whereas, it has happened to me...twice. 

Other things that can cause excessive shedding due to hormones:

* Discontinuation of most contraceptives
* An abortion
* Miscarriage/stillbirth (Missed Abortion)

If you experience Post Partum Hair Shedding, here are some things that has worked for me which I hope works for you as well.  Most of the things mentioned below should also be done during pregnancy too.  I also posted a short Video about it too.

• Patience
• Accept and deal with it
• Using methods as to not cause stress to the hair: no tight ponytails, cornrows and other styles alike
• Protein treatments: to keep the hair I have on my head strong
• Moisturize my scalp and edges with Castor Oil
• Cowashed more, to keep the hair moisturized
• Detangling the hair once a week: This helps to remove the shedded hair so it will not cause the hair to be become more tangled.
• More protective styles (this keeps to help from over manipulating the hair)
• Exercise
• Taking vitamins (prenatal or regular supplemental - be sure to consult doctor)
• Drinking water and having a healthy diet
• Stress less: Organize yourself better, keeping away from negativity and handling it accordingly, allow faith to help you focus your energy on important things

What other things might you suggest?  What was your experience(s) with Post Partum Hair Shedding if you went through it?  How did you maintain your hair?

(Please Note:  I am not an expert nor a doctor. Everything written above is due to things I have read, researched and which helped me understand what I was going through.   If your hair shedding persists, please see a professional because there may be other underlying factors/causes.)

Thanks so much for reading!

-Sdestra

Hair and Make Up: Celebrating My Wedding Anniversary

Husband and I at Ocean Prime in Atlanta

My husband and I have been married for eight years now!!!  Yay!  And with God's presence, it has been an amazing journey for us.  With two children and the both of us being silly at times, there is never a dull moment here at all.  What is the secret?  Keeping God as a focus and every thing will fall into place in all aspects of a marriage/relationship.  Also reinventing yourself in a way where you will surprise and amaze one another by the things you do, changing your look, doing something out of the ordinary and stimulating a different kind of spark.  It is fine if you love each other just the way you both are, but do not be afraid to add a twist to make it things memorable. 



Our wedding anniversary was during the week and we celebrated during the weekend.  He presented me with delicate roses, a silly card and a special gift (not ready to share that just yet.)  I was surprised and confused at first, but it was a promise he kept for several years although I told him that he did not have to.  But, I will share that it was as if I was proposed to all over again...lol!


For dinner, we went to Ocean Prime in the city of Atlanta Saturday evening. Food was great, beautiful and classy atmosphere and the service was very efficient!  It was a perfect way to start off our evening before we go to other "hot spots" in the city.

Let us get into my look for this past Saturday evening.

Before (Day) and After (Evening):
Photos were taken at two different times of the day

Hair

* Co-washed my hair early Saturday morning and let it air dry with the leave-ins: ApHogee Pro Vitamin Leave-In and ApHogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer

* Air dry up to 90%

* Grabbed large sections and ran the blow dryer up and down while on low heat. 

* Flat ironed my hair, running it one time down the length of my hair using Fantasia IC Heat Protector Straightening Serum

* I clipped my ends (just a little bit) but was not aiming to even it out.

* Then I wrapped my hair, tied it down with a scarf.


Face

As far as my make-up goes, I barely did anything in my opinion.  Honestly, I do not use foundation, concealers, etc all over my face.  I have not had issues with breaking out or anything, but my skin feels clogged if I do so.  I have skin moles gifted to me through hereditary by my beautiful mom, but I do not go out the way to cover them up. But I definitely love to accentuate my features.

* To moisturize my face, I used Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 50 Daily Moisturizer

* Filled in my eyebrows with NYX 903 Dark Brown and shaped around it using MAC Studio Tech NC45 (very lightly) so I can flawlessly blend it with my natural skin tone

* Lightly brushed MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (dark) around my eyes, forehead and chin - that evens my skin good enough

* I used colors from two different BH Cosmetics Color Palettes for my eye lids, colors starting from a shimmery lavender shade, to pewter, to charcoal.  NYX Liquid Eyeliner and Cover Girl Great Lash Mascara

* Lips: MAC Lipstick (Fresh Moroccan), MAC Lip Pencil (Chestnut) and MAC Lip Glass (Restless)

Thanks for reading!

-Sdestra

Happy New Year & Happy Haitian Independence Day!

Photo: Heading out for midnight church service in Tampa, FL

First, I want to thank God for his countless blessings and for accepting my glories and praises.
I want to wish you all a wonderful Happy New Year and that it is a blessed and prosperous one.

 
Today, January 1st, also marks the 209th Anniversary of Haiti's Independence.  Our ancestors fought a war with sweat, blood and tears to free themselves of their status as being just slaves.  In the year 1804, they won the war and finally became free.  Although Haiti was the first black nation to win their independence, the country still has so much to over come.  Then, let's not forget the earthquake that happened on January 12, 2010 that even set the country back even further.  The country still needs our prayers and support...

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To celebrate this anniversary, we consume a soup made with squash called, "Soup Joumou" which also became part of the Haitian tradition and culture.  Some people thought it was simply Haitian tradition to celebrate good health or just to simply celebrate the New Year, the Haitian way.  But this is the main reason as to why we enjoy the soup that so many of us get dressed on January 1st each year to house hop to our fellow Haitians' homes:

Soup Joumou was a meal that was forbidden to slaves by the French masters.  As a tribute to the well deserved freedom, the newly freed Haitian slaves consumed the soup.

I thought this was important to share, because certain "meanings" of events, things or traditions get lost after many years and people take it just for face value.

No matter where you are from, just know and understand your culture(s) and why are their certain traditions that still hold value.  Understand and know where you are from. What are the meanings behind certain traditions within your family and/or culture?  How does it play a role in the things that you do today?

Thank you so much for reading!  And again, may God continue to bless you in so many ways where it is needed and right on time.

God bless!

-Sdestra

(P.S. Sorry that this post was late, I thought I published it...but obviously, it never went through.)