GIVEAWAY STARTS NOW!!!

Happy New Year Lovelies,

I'm here to kick off My Fav Five Giveaway!

How do you enter?
Comment below ON THIS POST, and tell me about your biggest hair related setback/struggle, triumph, AND goal for 2012. If you follow this blog for information for your little ones you can apply the same questions to their hair care regimen. Be specific, we can all learn something from each others experiences. I will choose a winner from the COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST

Let's start with the Rules...
1. You must reside in the US, I'm so sorry I promise the next give away/contest will be international
2. You must be 18 or have a parent's permission, as you must provide your mailing address to recieve your prize.
3. You must be Subscribed to the blog
4. Your comment must be posted by 11:59 pm EST on January 15, 2012, one entry per subscription, no multiple entries under the same email address or blogger account will be considered, no late entires will be considered.

NOW... THE PRIZE PACKAGE
My Fav Shampoo: Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo 8.5 oz
My Fav Condish: Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner 8.5 oz
My Fav Leave-in: Giovanni Direct Leave-in 8.5 oz
My Fav Moisturizer (Sealant): My Whipped Butter Mix 8 oz- the winner can customized their fragrance (sweet mint creme, citrus splash, lavender & vanilla, tropical punch, or fragrance free)
My Fav Curl Defining Styler: Eco Styler Gel in Clear 12 oz

I will also be willing to answer any questions in depth about how I use each of these products by email or via SKPE if necessary to assist you in getting the best use out of the products.

Good Luck!
~Happy Hearts and Healthy Tresses~

Combating Brittle Winter Woes

Hi Beauties,

These last couple weeks have been INSANE. My schedule exploded and consumed all my time, and my hair paid the price. My normal wash routine provides for a weekly deep conditioning. However, I simply have not had the time to devote to anything but studying. As soon as things slightly calmed down, I made a B-line home to give Frizzy Izzy some much needed TLC. So what do you do when your hairs gotten a little off track? The combination of the drier, colder air, and my neglect were quite evident. A potent deep conditioning was most definitely in order. Since Izzy had been so patient with me, I decided to do an overnight deep treatment. I love deep conditioning on DRY hair! I just feel like my hair can really soak up all the nourishment from the products this way? The hair is like a sponge. If its already saturated with water I feel as though there is less room in the cortex for all the yummy goodness I'm adding in my conditioning mix.

When deep conditioning I stay way from the synthetics and go for organic or mostly natural blends packed with vitamins that are geared toward building stronger hair and equipping the shaft to retain, rather than release, moisture. I like to alternate between protein rich and moisture rich formulas. Many times I won't opt for a commercial product and will mix something up in my lab (kitchen). You'd be amazed what you have in your fridge that will work wonders on you hair: avocado, bananas, eggs, olive oil, yogurt, coconut milk or coconut cream concentrate, the list goes on and on. If you're interested in my 'hairecipes' let me know. I'll do a post on it! So being pressed for time I did a quick mix: my Giovanni Deeper Moisture Condish, Extra virgin organic coconut oil, jojoba oil, and avocado butter. I whipped it up in a small bowl and applied in about 6 sections, sat under my Huetiful Steamer for 15 minutes, put on a plastics cap, covered that which a satin scarf to hold in my body heat, and headed to bed.

The steamer allows the cuticle of the hair to open up, much like the way steam opens the pores on your face during a facial. This allows the moisture to really penetrate. The next morning I rinsed and lightly shampooed (focusing on the scalp more so than the length of my hair) with a sulfate-free product. I rinsed with cold water to help seal the cuticle shut to allow all the goodies I put into the hair to stay and Izzy had her life back. Bouncy, fluffy and super moisturized, and incredibly soft.

I will be doing a separate  review on the huetiful steamer. I ordered mine from www.BeHuetiful.com  after see a live demo at a natural hair event last year. So stay tuned

Happy Hearts
Healthy Tresses ~~

Beautiful

Why is it women ( in general) have such a hard time simply appreciating the differences in one another? Its so easy to judge someone's outer appearance without knowing anything about their amazing stories or their character. Anything that rejects conformity to societal norms is disregarded as inferior, undesirable or sub par. Maybe its time for us, as women of color, to make our mark in society by accepting our uniqueness rather than masking it.

I was sitting in a coffee shop on campus and there was a table of young women who were chatting very loudly. They seemed to have a catty comment for every woman who passed through the door.
     "Ugh, what does she have on, that is not cute."
     "D@#*, she is BLACK?"
     "Her hair is good and nappy, don't go natural if you ain't got good hair!"

I sat and observed them, annoyed by their blatant disregard for anyone's feelings. Out of the table of four, one fair-skinned, redhead with a face of freckles sat quietly, looking a little sad, nibbling on a scone. She seemed to be tuning out the ignorance around her.  After a few minutes she got up, and walked over to the natural rocking the TWA, with the deepest, coffee bean skin and said, "you have the most beautiful complexion, " smiled and walked out, leaving her peanut gallery stunned and silenced. I couldn't help but smile to myself. The quickest way to combat negativity is with positivity. Where light exists there can be no darkness.

There is beauty in individuality.

There is beauty in confidence.

There is beauty in kindness.

There is beauty is realness. 

How do you display your beauty? How do you acknowledge beauty in other women in your life?

Leave a quick comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts!!!

Happy Hearts ~ Healthy Tresses
SamanthaRenae

7 Tips for Wash Day

Learning to maintain natural hair after years of dealing with relaxed or weaved hair can cause some serious "culture shock". Everything you thought you knew about cleansing and conditioning goes out the window, especially as your hair grows. Thick, long natural hair can be quickly become a jumbled mess of matted coils. Here are a few of my personal favorite tips.

1. Pre-poo with your favorite oil if your hair is dry and not easily manipulated. Let the oil sit for at least 15 minutes before proceeding.

2. Section and finger detangle BEFORE wetting your hair. Water will cause your curls to draw up or coil around themselves, therefore increasing tangles and matting. I have thick AP length hair, I section into six twists and gently pull apart tangles, adding more oil where needed for slip.

3. Wash in the shower with your hair in sections. I take advantage of gravity and let the downward stream of water loosen knots and prevent more tangles. I wash one section at a time, rinse, add conditioner and detangle with a shower comb or denman brush, and retwist before moving on. This sounds like a lot of work but it ensures that I do not spend and hour or two trying to comb my hair out after washing. The entire in shower process takes me about 25 minutes. NEVER pile hair on top of your head like shampoo commercials, it's a set up, a nightmare waiting to happen. That technique is NOT for curly girls. Try to avoid scrunchy or balling the hair into a bundle. Keep hair stretched while scrubbing the scalp and pull cleanser downward from root to tip.

4. Use a moisturizing and/or sulfate free shampoo! Use a moisturizing or hydrating conditioner. Afro textured and/or curly hair needs as much moisture as we can give it. During this process the cuticles of our hair shaft are raised, making this the best time to put the best ingredients into our hair. I tend it avoid silicone based products during cleansing and conditioning, however I will use silicone based styling agents depending on the desired end result.

5. Rinse conditioner with cool water with the twists still in. Gently squeeze the water in and rinse thoroughly, no need to take the twist down and risk adding tangles.

6. Use a leave-in with water as the first ingredient. Seal that moisture in with an oil or butter. The foundation of any style should moisturized and pliable hair. Dry hair is more prone to breakage and splitting. Remember to concentrate on those ends!!

7. Style as desired -- but remember to remoisturize as needed throughout the life of the style. Happy Hearts ~ Healthy Tresses!

Carol's Daughter Tui Line Review

For the last three months I have been trying out some new products from Carol's Daughter's Tui Line:
1. Tui Herbal Shampoo
2. Tui Hair Smoothie
3. Tui Leave-in Conditioner
4. Tui Hair Oil

My first impression upon opening the products --- AMAZING SMELL! It's a great fruity-floral combo that seems to be pronounced enough for anyone in very close proximity to compliment you on your great smelling mane, but subtle enough not to clash with your body fragrance of choice. The four products are not identical in scent but all have the same underlying notes of Calendula flower, Rose, and Lavender.
I have used them all on a consistent basis until the containers are only about 1/5 full or completely empty.

Shampoo: infused with Calendula and Chamomile.
The new packaging on this product says it Sulfate-free, however the older packing I have does not make that claim. Yet, I see no ammonium/sodium laurel/laureth sulfate in the ingredients list, but there is disodium laureth sulfaccinate. This is considered to be a much milder (gentler on scalp and hair without stripping essential oils) cleansing agent. The product does lather and gives me a great clean feeling without the squeaky feeling of stripped hair. However, keep in mind I do pre-poo my hair and scalp with coconut or olive oil the night before my wash day regimen. I am very satisfied with this shampoo and I'd repurchase. But for some, at $12.50 for only 8 oz of product they would consider this a luxury buy, not a staple. The product does everything it claims, but like most of CD's products the price does come into play.

Hair Smoothie: Intense Deep Conditioning Treatment for Normal-to-Dry Hair
I love this product. It has a thick creamy consistency much like Greek yogurt and is rich with butters and oils that literally melt away tangles. I apply to towel dried hair in about six to eight sections and smooth from root to tip, concentrating on the ends. I work the product into the hair and detangle with a wide tooth comb or Denman brush and twist up each section as I go. I got amazing results after letting it sit for about 20 minutes and the rinsing with cool water. My favorite way to use this conditioner is in conjunction with my Huetiful Steamer. Because of the pleasant smell it's like conditioning and an aromatherapy treatment at the same time. At $20.00 for 8 oz, I consider this a splurge item that I would second guess repurchasing. As much as I love this product I'm sure my local BBS is filled with comparable products for a third of the cost.

Leave-in Conditioner - Extracts of Calendula, Lavender and Sage - Blended with the tropical fragrance of Passion Fruit, Guava and Mango.
This is a liquidy spray conditioner. Although its slightly moisturizing, being heavy handed causes the hair to be a bit tacky and sticky. I honestly only see myself using this product while my hair is in twists or braids to refresh my hair and scalp. I actually prefer Oyin Handmade's Juices and Berries or the Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-in if I want a liquid refresher spray. I did use the entire bottle of this product, but mainly as a hair perfume. It smells incredible, but is honestly not one of my favorite conditioners. It's ok for refluffing second or third day hair but at $12 for 8 oz, I don't see a repurchase in the future.

Hair Oil
By far one of my favorites in this line. It also serves as a hair perfume, but gives great softness and shine. The packaging, with flower petals floating in the oil, is brilliantly feminine and chic. I prefer using this product as a hot oil treatment or even mixing a few drizzles into other conditioners or hair butters to enhance their scents. The fragrance concentration in this product is heavier than others so a little goes a long way. I tend to stretch the product by mixing other oils ( ie. grapeseed, sweet almond, or avocado) into a small applicator bottle and then adding the Tui oil to the mixture for a fragrance boost. Using the product in the manner makes it last an incredibly long time, so at $18 for 8 oz I'm getting a lot of bang for my buck. There is no doubt I will repurchase this product.

These products can be purchased at Sephora or in Carol's Daughter retail locations or online. CD sells a Tui Trio Set for $40.00 including the shampoo, smoothie, and leave-in which will offer about a ten percent discount form purchasing the products individually. There is also a set with all four products called Natural and Free Hair Set for $56 Happy Hearts ~ Healthy Tresses

30 Day Challenge!!

So, it is my goal to live the most natural lifestyle I possibly can. It started with my hair but everyone was right. Once you start out with natural hair products is spreads to body and facial products and on to the food and beverages you consume. Over the next 30 days I will be making a conscious effort to replace as many products and practices in my life with a natural alternative. I will be doing in depth reviews on how the natural substitution compares with the product it has replaced. I'm excited to see how I can improve the quality of the products I use and therefore contributing to the overall health of my hair, skin and body.
I will be starting out with that I consider to hopefully be an easy task. I want to replace my facial routine with not only a natural alternative, but also a cheaper alternative. I currently use the Clinique 3-Step system.




It runs approximately $60 depending on the department store. It works well but there are a few flaws. Although my skin is blemish free my face feels dry but looks oily! I have never had oily skin before using this product. Now, my T-Zone - especially my nose and between my brows tends to be extremely shiny. The three steps consist of a cleanser,toner and moisturizer. Over the next week I will seek a suitable alternative that does the following.

1. leaves my face extremely clean and my complexion even
2. tones and tightens my pores
3. moisturizes without oil overload
4. maintains my blemish free skin
5. Costs less than half of the price of my current cleansing system

If you have any suggestions for natural facial care systems please let me know. If they are commercial products, I am attempting to avoid sulfates and parabens.
Feel free to join the challenge with me. Save money and preserve the health and beauty of your natural self!!! What are you search to replace? Let's hear it. We can all learn from each others experiences!

Happy Searching...
S.Renae~~

Jane Carter Solutions - Review

I had the privilege of meeting Jane Carter at the natural hair pre-show meet up discussed in my last entry. I'd seen her products week after week in whole foods, but I was relatively content with my current regimen and wasn't desperate to deviate. After seeing how passionate she was about her products and how driven she seemed to educate the consumer on growing healthy hair, I was glad to give it a try. The next day I visited her booth at the World Natural Hair Show and purchased the following:
Hydrating Invigorating Shampoo SLS-Free
Moisture Nourishing Shampoo
Nutrient Replenshing Conditioner
Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner
Nourish & Shine
Twist & Lock

So, I have been using the products (with the exception of the sulfate free shampoo) since April 10th and must say I am beyond impressed. Even though the Moisture Nourishing Shampoo contains sulfates my hair is not left feeling stripped. The consistency is very thick and rich, a little goes a very long way. It left my hair and scalp clean and refreshed. I can't wait to try the sulfate free shampoo, but I had been using quite a bit of product containing silcones and needed a sulfate shampoo to throughly remove any residue from my hair.

The rinse-out conditioner is awesome!!!! I'm used to using tons and tons of conditioner to coat my hair in order to detangle. I split my hair down the middle in two puffs to cleanse and condition. A half-dollar sized dollop was enough to create slip and soften each section. That alone blew my mind. It's nothing for me to go thru a bottle of conditioner in two or three weeks. This product is so rich and creamy, I could see it lasting for 3 times as long. And the slip is great my shower brush glided thru my hair with little effort. As my hair gets longer the detangling process is becoming more tedious, so a product that cuts the time down tremendously is a god-send.

The leave-in was the product I did not believe would do much for my hair. I tend to need thicker products to coat and kind of weigh the hair down to help control the curls. Boy was I wrong! This liquidy leave-in spray, had my curls popping and left them soft and shiny! Even if you spray the solution on the back of your hand and allowed it to dry and then rubbed the coated area you and feel how moisturizing it really is.

Nourish and shine is the daily moisturizer and to me it's the star of the show. The fragrance alone is alluring enough on it's own, (all the products smell incredible) but the texturizer of this buttery blend speaks volumes. It's thick and rich, filled with nourishing blends of natural butters, vitamins and such that feed your hair, scalp and skin like plant food. I've been using it daily on my hair and body. It's thick but due to all of the butters it melts smoothly when rubbed between your hands and absorbs into hair or skin. It left a great sheen and didn't feel greasy.

Lastly, the Twist & Lock, which I used on dry double strand twists, did exactly as it claims. It left my twist shiny, soft, and held them beautifully. It is a great product however, I am able to get the same results using Cantu Leave-in mixed with olive oil. That is only a five dollar product for 16oz, versus a $22 for half the size. I did love my results however when on a penny crunch, I'd definitely choose the Cantu and olive oil. (SB: cantu does not mix well with gels, but work great with oils.)

There are a few more items from this line I'm eager to try, but as for the ones I've used I'd definitely call myself a Jane Carter fan. The rinse out condish and the Nourish & Shine have made it onto my staple products list and I will be repurchasing soon. I will update this entry after I give the sulfate-free shampoo a whirl.

If you've been considering the line, go ahead and give it a try. I'm sure there's something for everyone to love