Summertime Recipes

Summertime Recipes

As previously discussed, with the heat well on its way, we must take extra precautions to help keep our scalps clean, moisturized and hydrated. Below are a number of recipes that you can make in your kitchen to aid in your hair health.


Some naturals prefer to not use shampoo, but how do we remove product build up without using a clarifying shampoo or any shampoo for that matter?

Baking Soda Clarifying Rinse
Mix:
 1 tablespoon baking soda
  3 tablespoons curly-friendly conditioner

Spread combined ingredients on scalp and massage firmly, continue to massage the mixture down to the ends of the hair. Make sure it is thoroughly applied to hair. Rinse completely with warm water and follow immediately with an apple cider vinegar rinse.

Note: Baking soda is alkaline-meaning it will raise your cuticle and open up your hair shaft. The apple cider vinegar is acidic and will close your cuticle back down. If you don't follow the cleanse with an ACV rinse, you'll be leaving your hair shaft open and setting yourself up for more frizz than you'd probably like.


In the previous article it was mentioned that we should always take precautions with our curls before entering the pool, but what if we forget? Or what about the exposure that we cannot prevent? Here is a recipe that will help with any chlorine exposure that our curls suffer.

Chlorine Buster
Mix:
  1 egg (beaten)
  2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup pureed, peeled cucumber

Knead well into hair from roots to ends, and then wrap with a plastic processing cap. Let sit for 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then cleanse hair.

Deep Conditioning Treatment
Too busy to spend a day sitting around waiting for your dc to complete? At bedtime, spread a good deep moisture treatment through your slightly damp curls. Envelop your hair completely with a plastic processing cap drift into dream land; you may want to take extra precautions to avoid your pillow becoming soaked in oil. In the morning, rinse out the treatment, and then scrunch in your styling products, style and go. Presto! An overnight dc for the busy curly!

*This is also known as the baggy method.

Hair Growth Oil Blend

Combine:
  3 drops cedarwood essential oil
 3 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops lemon essential oil
3 drops rosemary essential oil
  3 drops thyme essential oil
 1/8 cup grapeseed oil
1/8 cup jojoba oil

Place several drops of the mixture to areas of hair loss each night, knead gently into the scalp for 3-5 minutes. 

Hair Detangling Spray
This concoction can be stored in a bottle and used in the shower to help with detangling.

Combine:
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
  1/2 teaspoon grapefruit seed extract
 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
§  2 drops glycerin
§  8 ounces purified water

Mix together in a spray bottle and keep in the shower. Spray lightly to help detangle hair.

Honey Hair Conditioner

Combine:
§  1/2 cup honey, warmed in the microwave
 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Massage well into hair from scalp to ends, and then cover with a plastic processing cap. Process for 30 minutes at room temperature, and then cleanse hair with a non-sulfate cleanser. For added penetration, sit under a warm (not hot) dryer for 20 minutes.

Heating the honey is optional, but if not heated the honey can lighten your hair color due to its natural properties.

Hot (Olive) Oil Treatment

§  1/4 cup olive oil

Spread well into hair from roots to ends, wrap with a plastic cap. Sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, and then cleanse hair. To intensify, sit under a warm dryer for 20 minutes.

Good for over moisturized and colored hair.  
Protein Pack

Mix:
§  1 egg, beaten
§  1 tablespoon full fat mayonnaise
§  2 teaspoons olive oil

Mold well into hair from roots to ends, and then envelop with a plastic cap. Sit for one hour at room temperature, cleanse hair. To intensify, sit under a warm dryer for 30 minutes.

Another protein treatment.
Egg Hair Treatment 

Mix:

§  1 egg
§  1 tablespoon honey
§  1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1. Crack the egg into a bowl. Mix with a fork.
2. Add yogurt and honey to the bowl. Mix well.
3. Pour the mixture onto clean, damp hair.
4. Massage into the hair, and place hair into a plastic shower cap.
5. Let egg mixture sit in hair for 30 minutes.
6. Rinse the egg mixture out of the hair with cool water. Style hair as usual.

 

And another protein treatment!
Mayonnaise Hair Treatment 
§  2 tablespoon mayonnaise
§  Towel
§  Plastic bag
1. Dampen hair with warm water, and envelop your hair in the towel until mixture is ready.
2. Place mayonnaise into a bowl.
3. Spread mayonnaise abundantly on the scalp, rubbing it in with the fingertips until all hair is smothered.
5. Enclose plastic bag around the hair.
6. Let sit on hair for 20 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly.  
Natural Leave In Hair Conditioner Recipe 
Ingredients:
§  2 Ounces Aloe Vera Juice
§  2 - 3 Drops Rosemary Essential Oil

Add Aloe Vera to a small spray bottle.  Add essential oil and shake. 
Apply to hair liberally to prevent frizz and style hair as usual.
Shake before use and regularly to avoid separation.

Natural Hair Conditioning 
For a conditioning treatment for hair, melt about a tablespoon of Shea Butter in the palm of hands and work through hair.  Leave on 20 minutes to 2 hours.  Shampoo as usual. 
  

These recipes and many other can be found at the following websites:
http://livecurlylivefree.com/home%20remedies.htm
http://www.motherearthliving.com/natural-health/repair-chlorine-damaged-hair-in-your-kitchen.aspx
http://www.soapforgoodnesssake.com/22.html

What products or mixtures do you use for your summertime regimen?

Faux Hawk

Faux Hawk

I like to think that my signature style is my Faux Hawk. When I’m out at events, I am often approached and asked how I manage to keep it all so neat and tight, so I have decided to share my secret with one rule. If you use it, then you must share the results. ;)

What you will need: bobby pins, hard brush, gel or cream, lots of patience and will power

1.  Apply gel or cream to either side of your hair and brush it up, if your hair is long then you will have to brush it higher. I have to brush my hair almost to the middle of my head.

2. Once you have brushed it all up firmly, take one side of hair and hold it as tightly upward as possible. Begin securing it with bobby pins at the point that you have brushed it up to.

a. Now you must know that this will not be easy and you must be patient and maybe even try a few times to keep it all in order and neat

3. If you have completed steps 1 and 2, take a look into the mirror and admire your work!

Remember to share your faux hawks by submitting them to spokenheart_mf@aol.com for Wicked Wednesday!

Wicked Wednesday

Wicked Wednesday

It’s that time of the week again, where we celebrate all things beautiful and natural!

Wedddnnnesssdaaaay!

Ayesha in her vanity mirror looking pretty amazing!

 

Hair Porn

Fiona out and about working her protective style!

Hair Porn

Anomaly with her TWA, making eyes at her husband!

Hair Porn

Hope you enjoyed this week's edition of Wicked Wednesday!

I look forward to posting your pics out on the town rocking your natural do's!

Send all submissions to spokenheart_mf@aol.com, we always need more to keep Wicked Wednesdays wicked!

Quick Protective Style

Quick Protective Style

I am a twist out junkie. Since I colored my hair recently, I realized that I need to start doing more protective styles. I also need to do more protective styles because I have so much hair and am unable to commit to twisting or plaiting my hair every night and I am not ready for another split ends big chop, I’d probably just cut it all off again (which I am considering). But, since I must protect my tresses until their demise, I decided to try a new protective style. It was really simple and quick, I did it in about 15-20 minutes.

What you will need: wide tooth comb or afro pic, rat-tail comb, brush, gel(optional), bobby pin, hairband, marley hair (optional)

Step 1

Part hair into 3 sections, two sections in the front half of your head and 1 section in the back and secure each section separately.

Step 2

Twist each of the sections into a flat twists and secure with bobby pins (or rubber bands, but I prefer not to use rubber bands).

Step 3

Pull all of the hair together into a single ponytail in the middle of the three flat twists.

Step 4

This step is optional, depending on the length of your hair and the desired fullness of your bun. I personally don’t have quite enough hair yet to make a nice full bun, so I used Marley hair. I took a pack of Marley hair and separated it into 2 sections. I twisted each section of the hair and secured the middle of the twist to my ponytail. I then wrapped it around my ponytail and secured it with bobby pins and repeated it with the other half of the hair.

For "Giants & Elephants" I added another twist of hair for a fuller more elegant look.

What is your go to protective style?

My Formal Nails

My Formal Nails

This past weekend was the big show. Michelle Ellehcim’s first art exhibit "Giants & Elephants" was this past Friday night and it was some kind of wonderful. There will definitely be more discussion and picture coming soon, but first a nail tutorial.

Since this was an all black formal event, I wanted to use the opportunity to do something fun but fanciful.

What you will need: nail polish of your choice, glitter polish of your choice (or glitter), top coat

Step 1

Just make a small black strip (or whatever color you choose) on the top half your nails.

Step 2

Pile on the glitter, lol. But seriously, take your chosen glitter(s) polish(es) and make a few strokes leaving the root of the nail clear and the middle of the nail heavily glittered.

Step 3

Repaint a small strip of black (or your color of choice) on the tip of the nail for added effect.

Step 4

Seal with a top coat in order to give it the shine and admire!

What funt hings have you been trying with your nails lately?

The Color Curse

The Color Curse

There has been much debate about color and natural hair. A lot of people argue that dying your hair alters it from its natural state and therefore nulls your natural status. I cannot say that I agree, probably because I, like many other naturals, have a weakness for some color. Part of the reason that I enjoy being natural is because I can easily change my hair and try new things, one of those things is colors.

Today, I plan to try a new color in my hair and will discuss the ways to care for your hair for dying purposes.

A lot of people like to deep condition before and after they dye their hair.

Here are a few ingredients to consider for your pre and/or DC next time you dye your hair.

Hair food

·        Banana: rich in potassium, natural oils, carbs and vitamins that soften air and protect elasticity preventing split ends and breakage.

o   Also enhances the sheen of hair, encourage growth and control dandruff
o   Can be difficult to remove

·        Beets: high in crabs, low in fat, source of folic acid, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C, iron and antioxidants.

o   Also can be a natural dye

·        Carrots: the juice can be added to conditioner to give your hair an extra boost of nutrients.

o   Can be mixed with beets to color hair
o   Can be used to restore limp hair

·        Avocado: rich in several vitamins, copper and potassium

o   Will strengthen air and make soft and silky

·        Yogurt: rich in zinc, calcium, lactic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B-6, B-12, protein and yeast

o   Promotes hair growth
o   Makes easy to comb and get rid of knots

·        Eggs: packed with vitamin A, D, E and fatty acids

o   Used for shine, moisturizer and conditioner

·        Olive oil: smooth, shine, soften and condition

These items are equally good for your hair when ingested and when applied directly. I encourage you to try as many as you can, you may learn something new about your hair!

Choosing to dye your hair is a big commitment to your hair, if you thought the maintenance was tedious before, and then it is definitely not a step you would want to take. But, for those of you who are ready to dye and ready to commit to the upkeep afterwards to help restore the health of your hair and maintain it then I wish you much luck.

Here are my results post dye (which I immediately followed with a dc consisting of: avocado, lemon essence, hone

What are your favorite homemade dc's?