Tag Archives: video

May18

Coconut Milk Pre-Poo

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coconut_milk

A couple of weeks ago, I was fudging around on YouTube and came across this two part series on using coconut milk as a hair treatment. I was immediately intrigued for two reasons. First, I love me some coconut oil! DON’T NOBODY better say nothin’ bad about COCONUT OIL. ‘Cuz that’s when Bonita goes OFF!! *teehee* Second, the YouTuber’s hair is RIDIC!! I mean, long as all get out and so healthy looking without a broken strand visible to the naked eye (whereas I have a ton from a rough, dry winter :()!! Now, I know her hair is not curly, kinky, or coily. However, I have always believed that we can learn things from a variety of sources and different textures/ethnicities as so many of the practices that promote healthy hair are the same, regardless of race/texture/hair type (i.e. moisture, protein, protection). And, given the benefits of coconut oil (did you see this recent article on CurlyNikki about the amazing penetrating capabilities of coconut oil?!?!?) and how great it works for me, I figured coconut milk (which has coconut oil in it) might be just as awesome.

via BeautyKLove

Part I: Extracting Coconut Milk

Part II: Applying Coconut Milk

Now, though I love the IDEA of using fresh coconut milk, #aintnobodygottimeforthat.  *LOL* So, I broke out  a can of coconut milk that I had in the cabinet. I had picked up a couple of cans a long time ago for a post-wash avocado/coconut milk/honey DC that didn’t work out too well (made my hair hard). But, I was ready to give this new use of it a go! However, first, I decided to research a little more to see if I could find naturals who had used coconut milk with success. And, I just so happened to come across these posts by my virtual curlfriend, Petra/Emily CottonTop: Coconut Milk Deep Condition and Results – Coconut Milk Pre-Poo.  In these posts, Petra shares a pre-poo recipe:

The recipe
Coconut Milk  – 4 tablespoons
Honey -2 tablespoon
3 of Your Favorite oils – 1 tablespoon each

… and her awesome results. I was sold!

So, I whipped up a batch of coconut-milk with Vatika Oil and EVOO, using only two tablespoons of oil instead of three. I heated the mix and applied to my dry dirty hair. Then I donned a plastic cap and my thermal heat turban for about an hour. I will say that the application process was messy and a bit sticky. But, my wash process went very smoothly and my hair felt stronger, moisturized and my twists were so plump, juicy and shiny!

Coconut milk from the can.
Dried twists.
Dried Twists
Work-out hair.
Work hair for Mon-Thursday.
Day 5 hair: twist-out.

So, this past weekend, I made a coconut milk pre-poo again with the leftovers from the prior week. This time, I added some Aubrey Honeysuckle Rose conditioner (I was hoping that it would thicken the mix, but it didn’t really) and applied and massaged plain, warmed coconut milk into my scalp too. Though the application process was still a little messy (I think I’ll use a small dye applicator bottle in the future), I had great results again. So, I’m really thinking this will become a staple in my regimen!! I will keep an eye on my hair to make certain that the coconut milk doesn’t begin to make it feel hard or brittle (due to the protein content). If it does, I will reduce the frequency of the treatment.

Finally, I don’t use much coconut milk for the treatment and it only keeps in the fridge for about two weeks it seems. So, I was worried about spoilage and wasting it. Fortunately for me, I discovered that it can be frozen into ice cubes to form convenient “serving sizes” for future use!!!

coconutmilkicecubes

So yeah, all engines are a go!! Coconut milk pre-poo treatments are my new boo!! Time will tell if it results in strands as long, seemingly perfectly uniform in length, and unbroken as that YouTuber!! One can only hope ;)!!

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Do you use coconut milk in your regimen? If so, what’s your recipe and process? How often do you use it? What benefits to you see from using it?

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Feb12

True Life: I Need a Natural Hairstylist

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hairstylist

True story. LOL. Thanks to my sis Shana for sharing these with me and now I will return the favor!! Enjoy!!

Sometimes it really be like that … right? Well, except for the end when he was happy with the cut. But yeah, sometimes it be like that too ;)! LOL!!

Dec1

Hair Journey: Relaxed to Natural … to Relaxed Again!

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Screen shot 2012-12-01 at 12.41.53 PM

Okay, so obviously this is a natural hair blog. That is my focus. But, I know that I have texlaxed readers and also suspect that I may have some followers who are relaxed. And, I think that is GREAT! I am not a person who believes that every person’s walk has to be the same. I believe that everyone has the right to choose what journey is best for them. So, I don’t judge those who choose to wear their hair relaxed, texlaxed, natural but straight, weaved up or with extensions. If it’s healthy and flattering and you aren’t judging others for THEIR choices, DO YOU BOO!!

So, I say all of that as a preface to sharing this healthy hair journey video by a young woman who transitioned from relaxed to natural and BACK TO RELAXED. I came across this video a couple of weeks ago and was soooo impressed by the growth and health of her hair. It also proved something that I’ve suspected. Some women can experience great length retention and hair health with relaxers IF they use them and heat judiciously and practice the moisturizing, strengthening and protective techniques that so many of us only learn upon going natural.

Hope that you enjoy and appreciate the sharing.

via The Happy Hair Show

“All that matters is HEALTHY hair.
Happy Hair Journey to EVERYONE. ♥”

I wholeheartedly concur.

Sep19

August GOC Update: Cococrispecurl (#32)

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Hair
Hi Ladies! Checking in for the month of August! After seeing Adrienne’s Yarn Braids at Shelli’s DMV Hair Meet-Up earlier this year, I became obsessed with them. I researched them on YouTube for months and came to the conclusion that I needed a professional installation; however all the braiders I spoke to didn’t know what I was talking about. I ended up reaching out to my oldest and dearest friend’s sister, Samara, who is a loctitian, and she was happy to give it a try.

The day before I was still scouring YouTube for installation tips, preparation and maintenance and I came across GranolaHeads2010 installation video:

via Granolaheads2010 (aka StayWoo: GOC Contender #1)

I noticed that she was doing something different: Yarn Wraps! I liked this idea better than braids, because my hair would be completely covered, thereby protected from the elements. And, with the length of my hair being what it is, seeing my hair mixed with yarn all the way down may not have been as visually pleasing as I imagined it to be. After a quick text and sending GranolaHeads2010’s video to Samara, I was getting Yarn Wraps!

The first thing I did was to get a trim.

The week prior to getting wraps, I went swimming and the chlorine really stripped my hair. I coated it with conditioner, but I should have worn a swim cap. To get it back on track, I did the following:

  • Separated hair into 2 sections.
  • Cleansed and conditioned with Curls Cleanser and Conditioner (first time use: 2 thumbs up).
  • Deep conditioned with Aveda’s Dry Remedy, under the dryer for 30 minutes (first time use: 2 thumbs down. BOO! I returned it the next day for a refund.)
  • Re-applied Curls Conditioner for 5 minutes in the shower.
  • Rinsed and finished with cool water.
  • Applied a teaspoon of Curls conditioner.
  • Separated hair into 4 sections.
  • Applied Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Butter (mixed with my own oils) from root to tip and braided each section.

It was still damp in the morning, but that’s okay. I don’t like it to be totally dry when I take it out.
At night, I braided my hair into 4 sections and applied hair butter to the ends and edges.

The day before getting braids:

  • Pre-pooed for 15 minutes under the dryer with EVOO and coconut oil. I focused on my edges, kitchen and ends.
  • Shampooed scalp with Head N Shoulders.
  • Cleansed hair with Curls cleanser and conditioner.
  • Deep conditioned with a homemade concoction
  • Applied Bed Head Moisture Maniac for 5 minutes in the shower. Rinsed lightly.
  • Separated hair into 4 sections, and followed the L (water), O (coconut oil), C (Karen’s Body Beautiful Creamylicious) method from root to tip.
  • Loosely twisted each section so it would dry by my appointment.
  • In the morning, applied another layer of KBB Creamylicious to each section.

Installation Day:
After 29 hours (Day 1 = 13 hours; Day 2 = 16 hours), it was finally done! I love, love, love them!! I forgot how tender-headed I am, especially around my edges and kitchen. Samara was careful and used bigger sections. After a week, I was able to move them around and begin playing with styles. Side note: Africa’s Best Organics Itch Relief Cornrow & Scalp Remedy is a lifesaver. I plan on keeping them in for six weeks. Hopefully, I’ll see some growth and my ends will be in good shape.

I’ve been going to Samara weekly for maintenance and styles. My original intention was to try new styles (braids, ponytails, buns) on my own, but after seeing all the styles that can be done with locs, decided to treat them as such and have been getting loc styles. I cannot stop touching them!

Yarn Wrap Regimen:
After two weeks, I cleansed my scalp with a toothbrush and Head and Shoulders and used a mixture of KBB Sweet Ambrosia, Giovanni Direct Leave-in, coconut oil, jojoba oil and water from scalp to ends. Next month, if I wash it again (wraps are painfully heavy when wet), I’ll use my sulfate-free shampoo and add castor oil to the mixture. Head & Shoulders was way too drying.


Health & Fitness:
I’ve started a new meal plan/program and have lost 13 pounds so far.

Happy Growing Ladies!

♦

Check out Cococrispecurl’s other GOC-The Sequel posts here:
Initial Submission
April Update
May/June/July Update

And stay tuned for her September update to learn about the Yarn Wraps take down and hear her final thoughts on this protective style!

Aug30

Happy Birthday Baby!!

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(Insert “Weusi” in where those “Mmmmmmm mmmmmm mmmms” were!! *LOL*)

I know that you aren’t really the birthday/holiday type … in fact, neither am I! But, I just wanted to take a moment to wish you a very happy birthday. You are such a blessing to me and I thank you for all of your love, support (seriously, you write for my hair blog! What brand of awesome is that?), kindness, intelligence, patience and serenity. You truly are my comfort and my solace. I love you with all of my heart. Happy birthday baby!!

UPDATE WITH PICS!!!

So, took the sweetie out for a birthday dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants, Nicole’s 10, last night! We did it up and I TOTALLY broke diet!! We had bread with roasted garlic, oil and a balsamic vinegar drizzle and a crab cake appetizer. For entrees, I had a seafood pasta and Wei had the special, Wahoo fish, and a glass of chardonnay and then … the piece d’resistance, this towering chocolate cheesecake. OMGosh y’all, this thing is absolutely sinfully DELICIOUS!! And I was absolutely ready to EXPLODE!!

Ummm, ummm good!!

Wahoo fish! Never heard of it in my life! It was the special!

“Goin’ Coastal” (sauteed shrimp, lobster, crab & prosciutto over linguine)

Heaven on earth!!!

Don’t get it twisted! He did NOT eat that all by himself! LOL!

Why’d I have the nerve to break out a NuStevia to sweeten the coffee that
accompanied the decadent dessert? LOL!!

Jul17

Curlformer Swooped Bang & Bun Updo

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Came across this really pretty updo on Pinterest (I told you that I’m a lurker there!) while searching for pictures for the new Style Inspiration category. As luck would have it, this lovely natural created a video tutorial for the look too! Enjoy!

via MyNaturalSistas

Hmmm … I really have to get around to trying my Curlformers, don’t I?!

Jul11

Random Silliness: Cookie Monster Rocks!

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Okay, I saw a reference to this last night and then on the news this morning. Finally got around to watching it tonight. The chorus kills me!! LOL!!

Hey, me just met you.
And this is crazy,
but you got cookie,
so share it maybe?!?

#onthefloor

Jun21

The Single Strand Knot Dilemma

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I’ve been getting quite a few questions about preventing single strand knots (SSK) lately, so it seemed like the time to do a post devoted to them. I don’t think that there is any way to avoid SSKs entirely … they are just part of the curly hair package … especially when one is frequently wearing WnGs. However, I do think that they can be minimized, so that they don’t ruin the appearance and feel of your hair or impede your ability to retain length.

Prevention/Reduction
In order to keep SSKs at bay, I do the following:

  • Stretch my hair with TnCs, twist-outs and braid outs.
  • Keep my hair moisturized by conditioning (pre-poo, DC and leave-in) and lubricated (sealed with an oil).
  • Fortify my strands with strengthening protein treatments/conditioners.
  • Conduct search and destroys (S&D) during my pre-poo routine on wash day to cut off any split, damaged or knotted hair that I see/feel in the course of finger detangling.
  • Finger detangle to remove as much shed hair as I can prior to washing as loosened strands tend to get captured in curly hair, knotting and wrapping around unshed hair.

These steps seem to help me to reduce SSK and prevent the collateral damage that can be caused by friction between knotted and damaged ends and healthy ones.

SSKs and WnGs
Recently, I started revisiting the WnG and plan to do it more frequently for the summer months. That being said, this means that the first step in my SSK prevention routine is a no-go … i.e. stretching. However, I will continue to employ the other techniques that I mentioned above.

That being said, let me say that I was a regular WnG girl for the majority of my natural hair journey. And, prior to 2010, I did nothing prophylactically to address SSKs other than getting my hair pressed and trimmed every 6 months. I definitely had them, as the ends of my hair would get difficult to detangle and would feel horrible. However, I was still able to retain a good deal of length with these infrequent trims. The following picture from 2006 shows the length that I reached wearing WnGs on a daily basis and just getting trims every 6 months.

So, if they don’t bother you too much and aren’t damaging your hair excessively, you can opt to leave SSKs alone and just get your ends trimmed periodically (every 3-6 months). But, that’s a decision you have to make based on your preferences, goals and what works best for you.

Finally, whenever I am asked about preventing SSKs, I share this cute video, which I previously posted on a GOC update in response to a cry for help.

via BrwnBarbie24

And, more recently, I’ve also been sharing this interesting article that Chy’s Curlz did on using Oil Rinsing as a post-shampoo step that can help minimize SSKs for those regularly rocking WnGs. Finally, Madame Noire provides several tips for preventing SSK in the article, 7 Ways to Keep Your Single Strand Knots to a Minimum.

So, although eliminating SSKs entirely is probably not possible for those who regularly rock curls, there are a few things that one can do to reduce the numbers. With a little trial and error, you can pick and chose the techniques that work best for you!

HTH!

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What techniques have you found to be effective in preventing/reducing Single Strand Knots?

Jun7

We May Have A Winner! Another Dry TnC

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It’s dry twist-out day on Hairscapades ;)! LOL!! Here’s Tiffany with her most recent dry TnC results!

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by Tiffany Millican

Well, on Saturday, I hennaed. I used apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, green tea and Herbal Essences Hydralicious conditioner. I only applied to the roots. Well, about 20 minutes into the process, my head was on Fiyah! (Yeah that’s how I spell it.) I remember my friend telling me that her head heated up too when she used henna one time in the past (of course I don’t remember the brand). I left it in for about 2 hours and then I couldn’t take it anymore, so I washed it out.

I conditioned and deep conditioned. My hair looked normal, but it itched, hmmmm … IDK. I did a wash and go with a diffuser. It was cute, but too wild for work.

So, I decided to do twists. I saw this video on YouTube using just Cantu Leave-in as a styling crème. I’m like, “HEY! I have some of that,” which I had only used on my daughters Wash and Gos. SO here we go!

This is 3 part video process and I loved her results!

via 101LadyT

Part 1: Twist Out Prep (Summer Routine) 

Part 2: Twist-Out Results w/Cantu

Part 3: Twist-Out Maintenance (Night Routine)

Prep
I did the basic two strand twist set up: Part the hair into sections (approx. 15 twist), coated each twist in Cantu Leave-in and Taliah Waajid African Healing Oyl (my cousin gave it to me; she said it did nothing for her locks), rolled the ends with perm rods, bobby pinned the roots and air-dried.

Product Info

Cantu Shea Butter
Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream

  • Made with real shea butter and essential oils to replace vital oil in your hair leaving it stronger and healthier with a natural shine.
  • Can be used on wet hair as an intensive moisturizing treatment or to tame frizz and fly-aways.
  • Helps moisturize dry brittle hair with deep penetrating oil and emollients soften, detangle and add shine to hair protect hair against heat and sun styling damage provide extra protection from split ends and breakage

Directions for Use:

  • Daily Styling – Apply to towel dried hair. Work a generous amount of product into hair beginning at the roots to the tips. Comb through for even distribution. Do not rinse. Apply more to longer hair at the ends or problem areas.
  • Leave In Treatment – Apply as directed for “Daily Styling” just after shampooing. Re-apply and cover with a plastic cap overnight for maximum absorption and intensive conditioning.
  • Frizz Free Hair – Apply daily to split ends or damaged areas. Comb through and let dry naturally.

Taliah Waajid African Healing Oyl 


  • A multi-use product that can be used on both the hair and body.

Directions for Use:

  • Hot Oil Treatment – After shampooing the hair using the Total Body 
Black Earth Shampoo, towel dry the hair. Section off the hair and apply the 
African Healing Oyl to the hair and scalp. Cover with a plastic cap and sit 
under a dryer for 15 minutes on medium heat. Rinse and condition the 
hair use the Enhancing Herbal Conditioner.
  • Skin – After showering or bathing, apply to body and feet to 
eliminate dry skin. Can also be used as a moisturizer 
for hands and cuticles; simply rub into the skin anytime dryness occurs.

Results
My twists were not that plump and I really didn’t have much shrinkage. I went to sleep hoping that it would look right, because I had to be to work at 6:30 am and didn’t have time to rebound if I looked like Kizzy in the morning.

Well, to my surprise … WE HAVE A WINNER!! I used no product, just untwisted, separated and fluffed. Shine and defined! In one pic, you can see that my front is my problem area; I have waves and not curls. I have to work this section a little harder and I also have this bob look going on where my back is shorter than my front.


The end.