What about your body?

If your care about what you put in your hair

what your hair looks like

your nails

those designer jeans

that outfit

then you should care about what you put in your body and how your body feels and look!!

going natural is not for everyone!

Going natural just doesn't work for everyone, You can still grow your hair if you decide not to go natural.  Below is a youtuber who grew her hair from NL (neck length) to  BSL (bra strap length) in 2 years. 

Her hair regimen

THIS REGIMEN WORK FOR HER

In this video she explains her determination "How I went from Neck Length to Bra-Strap Length Hair in 2 Years" !

Products (Part 1)

Below are products I'm currently using on a weekly basis.

Shampoo & Conditioner by Neutrogena


for my deep condition.....(I apply and sit under dryer for 30 minutes)

NATURAL HAIR LANGUAGE 101

ACV – Apple Cider Vinegar (used to seal cuticle)

BAA – Big Ass Afro or Bad Ass Afro

COWASH – using conditioner to wash the hair instead of shampoo

CONES – are silicon es, or ingredients found in hair care products

CG – Curly Girl

DUSTING – a way to trim your ends

DT – Deep treatment

DC – Deep Conditioner

EC – Essential Oil

EVCO – Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

HG – Holy Grail

NO POO – no shampoo, this is done by CG’ers

PJ – Product Junkie

SEALING – sealing moisture in the hair, especially the ends

Search and Destroy (S&D) – examining those ends…..

SLIP – used to describe how slippery a product is…….the more slip it has, the more effective

SLS – Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, found in shampoos

Transitioning – those who are relaxed and decided to go natural. (You will have 2 hair textures)

TWIST OUT – a style created by using two strands and twisting the hair

TWA – Teeny Weeny Afro

WASH & GO – wash your hair with conditioner only, add a gel or styling cream and go

HAIR LENGTH LINGO (LANGUAGE)

·         CBL – Collar Bone Length

·         APL – Armpit length

·         BSL – Bra Strap Length

·         MBL – Mid Back Length

✿ NATURAL HAIR IN THE WORKPLACE ✿

The workplace is a place where you should always have a professional, polished appearance.

Check out  one of my favorite youtuber on some hair styles as a natural!

Daily Moisturizer

Coarse hair and African American hair is often coarse tends to look dry, even if it's not which can increase the appearance of dryness.  To help with moisture I came up with a spritz that I used to help keep my hair moisturized! (in the spray bottle), I full the bottle with more than half of Water, 1 or 2 tbsp of Aloe Vera Juice, and 1 or 2 tbsp of Vegetable Glycerin because I added Aloe Vera Juice I keep in refrigerator.

THE BENEFITS:

Water: Whether you want shinier hair, younger skin, a healthier body (or all three!), pure, clear water is the world's best beauty elixir.

Vegetable Glycerin: Vegetable glycerin is a compound that comes from vegetable oil, usually palm or coconut. It has strong humectant properties, meaning it is able to retain moisture. It is clear, colorless and very sweet. Because it is soluble in water and alcohol, natural and easily produced, it is beneficial for manufacturing purposes and is one of the most common additives in a range of products from cosmetics to food. There are many benefits to vegetable glycerin.
 Aloe Vera Juice: The succulent Aloe Vera plant is considered as a miraculous plant due to its amazing health benefits and healing properties.  Hair problems like excessive hair fall, dry and damaged hair are quite common these days, owing to high levels of pollution as well as poor nutrition. Injudicious use of hairstyling products can also be held responsible for causing damage to hair. Aloe Vera Juice, with its excellent moisturizing properties can serve as a natural conditioner to deeply moisturize the hair strands. So, if you are struggling with dry, damaged and unmanageably frizzy hair, then aloe Vera juice is the answer. You can use Sloe Vera Juice in place of your regular conditioner to make your hair silky, soft and smooth. It works as an excellent hair conditioner for dry and damaged hair.


Read more:
15 Big Benefits of Water- Health.Com
 What Are the Benefits of Vegetable Glycerin?
Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice for Hair

HOW TO GO NATURAL - Part 11

I decided to go natural but I don't like my hair texture because its nappy, dry looking, and I simply don't know what to do with it! My hair is really nappy!

Those are just some of the stories I've heard from others.
going natural is a journey! You will either love it or hate it that is up to you.
Going natural is a decision only you can make no one can or should make this decision for you.

• You will need lots and lots of confidence!
• You will need acceptance!
• You will have to experiment!

The number ONE thing I've learned about being natural is PATIENCE!

Patience ladies, if you have all of the above go ahead and start your journey because....

Exfoliate!!!

Do you know that exfoliating your skin allows your freshest, most radiant skin to shine through. 
If you want your skin to look smooth, healthy and radiant, you need to exfoliate regularly. 

What is the purpose of exfoliating?   It removes dead skin cells, leaving your skin radiant and smooth.

How often should you exfoliate? this varies, I exfoliate twice a week.   I use the pink gloves above, after exfoliating my skin is so soft, do you exfoliate?

Related Articles:
Skin Clinic: How to Properly Exfoliate / The Dr. Oz Show
How To Exfoliate Skin

HOW TO GO NATURAL?

We all talk about going natural and some of us actually do it many don’t.  So, how do you go natural and what does it mean?

It seems like a simple enough question right; ask yourself these 3 questions to see if you are ready to go natural?

1.       Can I accept my hair texture?

2.       Am I ready to deal with negativity?

3.       Do I have the time to do my hair?

Going natural means letting your relaxed hair grow out so you can enjoy its natural texture. Yup, that’s it simple right.   

So, how do I do that? You will just no longer use a relaxer on your hair!

Then, what do I do with it? You will begin transiting….which means going from relaxed hair to natural hair.  Here are 4 ways African American woman choose to go natural:

·         The big chop (BC) – to cut off all your hair  

·         Braids – crown rows, flat twist, two strand twist, plaits, micros, etc

·         Grow it out – this will require more work you just simple do your hair as you wish and as your new growth come in you cut off the ends of the relaxed hair until you have no more relaxed hair. Some styles used during this process are flexi rods, roller set curls, buns, etc

·         Dread Locks – locking hair together.

I choose to do 2 out of the 4: braids and grow it out and have enjoyed every moment of it. 

Beautilful Black Woman!

Solange Knowles just released her new song "Losing You"  I love her hair!!

1 in 3: Length Retention Challenge

Ladies,

The winter is approaching and what best way to get your hair ready for the winter!!!!
PROTECTIVE HAIR STYLES.... protective styles keep your hair protected from the elements and experience less breakage. 

So, how do we do that, by protecting the ends of your hair!  That's it!

Today, I will be participating in a "1 in 3 Length Retention Challenge" the goal is to retain 1/3 to 1/2 an inch in 31 days.

For this month I will be wearing box braids extensions that I already had for a month now. (see pic below....)

For more information on the challenge guidelines, please visit  HEALTHY HAIR AND BODY

  Healthy Hair & Body is a blog that I have been following for the past year now and have learned so much about my own hair and how to care for it.