Grow It by Chicoro Book Review

      This book is a great book to read. it is even better to read if you are a new natural or if you are not ready for the no nonsense words of Cathy Howse. Grow It by Chicoro is a book that is one of a kind with great insight on hair upkeep in a unique way. She opens the book discussing why and how she came up with her "Grow It" method. This was great because she gave her experiences and it connected with me in several ways. After this she talks about her famous "grow it" method. She basically breaks it down into 6 steps.
1. Dry Detangle
2. Shampoo
3. Condition
4. Moisturize 
5. Protect Your Hair
6. Grow Your Outlooks and Hair
   Because she also supports washing afro textured hair frequently she uses products with mineral oil and petroleum in them. One of her favorite styling aids IS petroleum! When you open your mind and read and hear other naturals you learn alot of things. it is always best to read a lot and get lots of research, then being narrow minded and listening to one person or a small group of people. 
   Of Course I cannot go into great detail due to copyright, but I sincerely want you to read her book. I think it was another eye opener like Ultra Black Hair Growth II. I think this book is an excellent read because knowledge is power and if you want to grow your hair, this is great!

Twists to This

In a previous post I twisted her hair with Shea Moisture Curl Enhanching Smoothie. She was the young lady on the right. It really defined her curls and did a great twist out!

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Twists w/ Curl Enhancing Smoothie

These are twists using Shea Moisture’s Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I simply parted their hair and twisted it for them to do a twist out. Curl Enhancing Smoothie is so thick and creamy that is smoothes (is that the right word?) the hair cuticles down and gives the hair sealed moisture and shine. I love this stuff and I really enjoy using it for twists of hair with THICK COURSE CURLY HAIR TYPES (what I consider type 3’s and 4’s). I am very happy with the cost as well as what it does to the hair. This is a natural must have!

Baltimore Natural HairCare Show!

OMG!!! I am so excited that this show is coming back to Baltimore!

Plus Size Outfit

So... Yea! 

New Years Day Party Wear
...in the form of a crazy club pic...

Shoes: $29 (avenue), Tights: $12 (torrid), Skirt: $6 (avenue) 

Shirt: $9 (avenue), Jacket: $20 (avenue)

Are Protective Hairstyles Really Protecting?

As you all may or may not know I have been on this protective hair style rant. I vowed to keep my hair in protective hair styles for 1 year! In one of my earlier posts i had taken out some thick braids and my ends were shot. I had to cut off so much hair. So after that my hair has been under corn rolls and wig caps... That's right. But is the hairstyle really helping when you cannot get moisture to your hair? I don't think so. When getting a protective style make sure you can get to your hair to moisturize it daily!!! This hairstyle is a wig cap so i can get under it, take it off, and MOISTURIZE daily! 

Test the PH of Your Hair Care Products

I learned some important things from Cathy Howse and Kimmaytube. I learned it is important to return your hair to its proper ph. Some shampoos can completely strip the natural oils from your hair. You want to make sure you open your cuticles to get moisture in but you have to make sure you close them as well. This is a few reasons why it is important to test the ph of your haircare products. 

4.0-6.0 Wash you hair with a shampoo that is this ph (closer to 6 to open cuticles).  
4.5-5.5 This is the ph that hair is between. 

4.0 Closes your hair cuticles and holds in moisture (close to 4 to close cuticles).

I tested the ph of all my hair products, The original shea buttter I made had a ph of 6.5and 7).
(strip on the left that is between the 6  The new whipped shea butter I made has a ph of 5.5 (strip between the 5 and 6). My hair spray has a ph of 6 and so does my hair oil. This is all great! It means that my products will close my hair cuticles after I sprayed it on. I will add aloe vera juice to my hair spritz tho to bring it closer to 4.5.
 
I will be testing the ph of more of my products and I will let you know the results. 


You can buy ph strips HERE. These are great! Thanks Kimmaytube! 


Read books and do research. Discover what your hair loves. You will be surprised what you can learn. 

Ultra Black Hair Growth II by Cathy Howse pt 2

Yesterday I finished reading the book. i am writing the review today because ti took me a while to absorb everything I learned and how I was going to share it. In the second part I learned about:

1. Conditioning should have moisture, protein, and something to stimulate your scalp.
2. You should be healthy
3. Reasons you should not  hot appliances.
4. How NEVER to use a hair brush.
5. The proper use of chemicals.
6. Recommended readings.
I do not want to give each and every detail because I feel you should highly read this book. If you are a new natural it is best that you learn early. if you are an old natural, perhaps you could learn a few tips. I love this book and as one of my New Years goals, I am going to do her regimen.

Ultra Black Hair Growth II by Cathy Howse

I have been reading Ultra Black Hair Growth II.  This book is a natural hair shocker. It is a black woman’s wake up call as far personal hair care and what we have been taught. She put a “common sense” approach to explain everything. It all makes since and makes me wonder what took me so long to find her. I am only half way through the book but I have learned some valuable things:


1. Trimming your ends does not make your hair grow.
2. Wash your hair frequently. At least once a week.
3. Moisturize your hair daily.
4. if your hair dresser hair is crappy why trust her on yours.
5. PH balance of hair and products.
6. No brushes.
7. Do research and use common sense!!!


I am on chapter 2 and I love this book! I am going to try her regimen The Monday after New Years weekend and Keep track of my journey.But I am going to Keep reading and updating you all. 

Hello Everyone!

Stopping in to say

Happy Holidays

Clip Your Ends: Protective Hairstyle

Just because your hair is in protective hair styles does not mean you do not need to clip your ends or throughly moisturize your hair. Keeping your hair in braids with synthetic hair is hard. It is harder to moisturize it. The synthetic hair takes moisture out of your hair. I assumed that keeping my hair in protective hair styles excluded me from clipping my ends... NEGATIVE!!! MAKE SURE YOUR ENDS ARE HEALTHY!!! Moisturize your hair! I know moisturizing your hair may cause your braids to slip, or you may not be able to throughly get your hair done, but so what! TAKE CARE OF YOUR ENDS!!! Don't end up like me!  My ends were fighting each other. They were so dry and brittle. There were tangles, knots, splits, tears, rips, EVERYTHING. This def set me back 3 months but you live and you learn. It’s just hair anyway… right…

Natural Hair Realization

So over the last day and a half I have been watching Kimmaytube Youtube videos. When I first watched her videos about 6 months ago, I thought she was doing too much. I figured she was rattling on and discussing issues that were really only her problem. 

• I swore that as long as it said no mineral oil, petroleum, parabens, -ates, and cones I was all good.
• Who cares about porosity and lifted follicles. 
•  I knew that braids, cornrolls, and kinky twists was the best way to go for protective hair styles at all times. 
• I knew washing your hair once a week was horrible. 
• Co-washing daily is the truth.
• Wide tooth combs is the best way to go to detangle.

         At first I watched her videos over and over. I absorbed so much of what she was saying. I understood on a more scientific level. But I could not listen to this one woman alone. I knew that I had to do research. She did mention 2 books to read. One was Grow it by Chicoro and Ultra Black Hair Growth II by Cathy Howse. I decided I wanted to read these books on my nook so I was looking for the ebook version when I stumbled across this little booklet about hair. CLICK HERE I read this booklet slowly absorbing everything. I learned so much from this booklet. I learned how my hairs are flat and elliptical shaped. How follicules open and close and you need things with higher ph to close things! OMG! What have I been thinking? What have I been listening to? OMG!!! 

        When we see all of those chemicals on the back of bottles, I understand them now. They are emulsifiers, thickeners, preservatives, and some of them do moisturize. But most of them are good for your skin and not as good for your hair. 

        In order to find out whether is is good or bad for your hair you can also use this site. CLICK HERE Kimmaytube put me on this as well. It is shows what is good and bad for your hair, skin, body, babies, etc. It is a great site. it also explains these products and why they are hazardous. I am so blown, confused, and I really need to rethink my hair teachings. 

Mission Make Up

I am home for Christmas break.  I want to do something epic. I want to practice my makeup skills. I have seen some beautiful things and I want to try it all!

Hair Typing System

Please do not be fooled by everything you hear and see on YouTube. Earlier I put up a post talking do not be fooled by websites that have off hair typing systems. The hair typing system that is in place is the Andre Walker hair typing system and the one that was made from Curls. The Andre Walker hair typing system is the original hair typing system adopted by many. It goes a little something like this:


1a. Straight - Soft, shiny, fine, difficult to curl, thin, oily, and hard to damage. 
1b. Straight - Volume, body, thick
1c. Straight  - Course, hard, to curl, straight. Think Asain.


2a.Wavy - S pattern, thin, fine, can be styled.
2b.Wavy  - Frizzy, medium texture, a little hard to style. 
2c. Wavy - Style resistant, very frizzy, course, thicker waves.  


3a. Curly - Mix of different textures, loose curls, full, thick, frizzy, and S pattern. Hair tends to have a combination texture. 
3b.Curly - Mix textures, medium curl amounts, tight curls. 


4a.Kinky - Tight Coils, soft, fragile, more moisture then 4b, and defined curl pattern. 
4b. Kinky - Fragile, tightly coiled, Z pattern shape, less defined curls, shrinks up, needs moisture and wiry. 

THERE IS NO 4C! 

The idea of 1 and no 1 sub categories is from Curls. And they have added a 4c. I love the idea of the 4c because that specifically defines my hair. Do not believe everything and be ignorant do your research and find whats right for your hair. Thanks Kimmaytube for making me realize this. 

Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner

This conditioner is one of thee best conditioners you will ever buy. It is cheap 100% organic and very efficient. This conditioner is so simple that you could  combine it with other ingredients to make you a deep conditioner..it is not harsh and you can use it as a leave in as well. I love this stuff! I wish I could buy it by the gallons. This kills the Suave Naturals Shea and Almond Conditioner.


Price: 2.99
Texture: Thick
Smell: Light & Great


Ingredients- Purified water, organic rosemary oil, organic valencia orange citrus, organic mango, organic lemongrass, organic ginko biloba, organic echinacea, organic willow bark, organic sea kelp, organic chamomile flower, organic textured soy protein, organic lavender, organic grapefruit citrus, Tocopherol (Vit E), Acetamide MEA, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, propylparaben, botanical fragrance


The ingredients are pure as well. You always want a water based conditioner. Actually with any natural product the first 5 ingredients should be edible or natural. The preserving chemicals do not come until later, but they are not harsh and there is only small amounts. It has no, sulfates, mineral oil, or petroleum jelly. 
NOTE:After doing more research, the parabens in this product are not that good, they are fair. The Cosmetics Database (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/) tells you the harshness of products and ingredients. 

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