Sunday, November 1, 2020

Coconut Water


 According to the Cosmetic Ingredients database , Coconut Water is an humectant and an emollient that conditions the hair and skin. When my hair was in locs I used pure Coconut Water to condition my hair and it left my hair feeling soft and moisturised. I would follow up with conditioning oils to lock in the moisture and strengthen my strands. 

Most creamy conditioners contain Cetearyl Alcohol and/or Cetyl Alcohol because these fatty alcohols are emollients which help to soften our hair. Fatty alcohols are beneficial for loose natural hair because they help to detangle the hair making it easy to manipulate and style. However, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol and other fatty alcohols are opacifying, so they can leave a dulling film on locs, twists and braids. Coconut Water is a great conditioner for locs, braids and twists because it rinses out easily and doesn't cause product build up. 

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Hair Growth and Length Retention

                    

The rate at which our hair grows and the thickness of our hair is down to genetics, but on average, hair grows about 1/2 an inch each month. This varies from person to person and is affected by different factors. There are a number of things we can do to ensure that out hair grows at a good rate. The first thing is to drink a sufficient amount of water. Health professionals say that people should consume about two litres of water a day. This includes water naturally present in various foods as well as water found in drinks. When the body is properly hydrated it is able to function well, which in turn allows it to nourish the hair follicles enabling them to produce healthy strands of hair at a decent rate of growth.

A well balanced diet helps to nourish our body which in turn helps to keep our hair in good condition. The World Health Organisation recommends that people should eat at least five different portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables contain a number of vitamins and minerals which reduce the risks of diseases and health problems. In addition to eating well, it is important to get an adequate amount of exercise. Working out helps blood to flow to the scalp which stimulates hair growth. A healthy body is able to produce a healthy head of hair. 


  Scalp massages help to stimulate hair growth as they increase blood circulation to the follicles. Certain Essential Oils such as Rosemary, Peppermint, Lavender and Tea Tree are known to stimulate the scalp promoting hair growth. These essential oils are not suitable for young children, pregnant women, or women who are breast feeding. To make your own growth blend combine 2% Esssential Oils with 0.5% Vitamin E and 97.5% Carrier Oils and massage into the scalp 3 to 5 times a week.

In addition to stimulating the scalp, we also need to prevent hair breakage. Low manipulation styles protect hair from the wear and tear of frequent styling because combing the hair can make it break off at the ends. It's also important to condition our hair according to our hair type because when it comes to hair care, one size does NOT fit all. 


Research has shown that people with afro textured hair produce less sebum than other hair types which can lead to dryness and breakage. Thankfully God has provided a number of natural oils, waxes, fats and butters that can help to lock in moisture and keep our hair in great condition. 


Protective styles are a great way to retain length and there are several styles to choose from including braids, twists, buns, cornrows and flat twists. Wigs and hair pieces can be worn to cover cornrows and flat twists locking in moisture and keeping them protected from harsh elements in the environment. It's important to keep our protective styles moisturised to prevent our hair from drying out. Liquid moisturisers with humectants and oils are as good option for braids and twists.


At night it's important to wrap your hair with a satin scarf or bonnet  because cotton absorbs moisture so it can dry out our hair. If you don't like covering your hair at night you can sleep on a satin pillowcase or bed sheet.

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Yogurt


 According to the Cosmetic Ingredients database , yogurt is a hair conditioner and a skin protector. Yogurt contains Lactic Acid which lowers the ph of our hair helping to smooth the cuticles. Lactic Acid is an humectant which helps to keep hair moisturised by attracting and holding onto water. Yogurt also contains Casein and Whey proteins which may help to strengthen the hair. When using Yogurt as a conditioner it's best to go for zero fat Greek yogurt with no added sugar. Extra ingredients such as oils can be added to help to coat the hair making it easier to detangle.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Locs

There are many ways to start locs, including two strand twists, comb coils, braids, interlocking and freeforming. Loc sizes range from super tiny to super thick. Medium to large locs can be maintained using the palm rolling or interlocking method. Smaller locks are more fragile so it's best to interlock the roots. You can interlock your new growth using a latch hook, a crochet needle or an interlocking tool. There are many YouTube videos which give tutorials on how to interlock new growth. 

Palm rolling produces smooth cylinder shaped locs and it's easier to control the frizz. However, palmrolling causes more tension on the strands and can lead to breakage. To prevent product build up it's best to use water and oil or a very light water-soluble gel to palm roll the roots. You can then twist the hair or clamp it with clips to keep the palm rolled hair in place.  Palm rolling may not be suitable for people who get their hair wet frequently because the roots might unravel. If you're someone who works out, swims or likes to wet your hair frequently you may want to consider wearing your locs in braided or twisted styles to prevent unravelling.

Photo courtesy of @abbylove86

If you are unsure what size locs to go with it's better to start with smaller locs. After the starter locs are installed, if you find that you would prefer the look of thicker locs or you feel that the retightening sessions are taking up too much of your time you can always combine some of your locs and make them thicker. If you are unsure what size to go for it's better to start smaller because you still have the option to make them bigger. If you start too big you won’t be able to make them smaller without unpicking the locs (which is an extremely long process).


In the beginning stages, it is best to loosely braid your hair when washing it to prevent unravelling. This will also prevent shed hair from slipping out of the twists or braid. Once your hair is locked in the middle you will not need to follow this procedure.


I wore micro braidlocs from January 2016 until June 2018 so I have done a lot of research into different locing techniques. I have a strong love for locs and I'm considering locing my hair again in the future.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Mineral Oil

study into Brazillian Oils and Butters found that Brazil Nut Oil and Mineral Oil help to prevent split ends so I decided to experiment with these two oils. I tried Brazil Nut Oil in a leave in conditioner and I found that the product had less slip than my usual leave in conditioner. I recently made a leave in conditioner with Mineral Oil and I absolutely loved it. The Mineral Oil made the leave in conditioner super moisturising without reducing the slip. 

 According to the Cosmetic Ingredients database, Mineral Oil is one of the few oils that have Anti-static (detangling) properties. I previously avoided Mineral Oil because it doesn't penetrate the hair, however, I now realise that Mineral Oil's lack of penetration is the reason why it's so great at detangling.

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Solange Knowles

I featured this picture of Solange Knowles in the Afro Embrace natural hair bookazine that I published in 2012. I love Solange's hair in this picture because it shows that tightly coiled afro textured hair doesn't need to be manipulated to look attractive. I was scrolling through Instagram today and I was delighted to see Solange wearing her hair in a beautiful afro on the cover of Harper's Bazaar magazine. Solange has shown that we don't need to wear silky wigs and weaves to be High Fashion. Afro textured hair is glorious, gorgeous and glamourous in any style.

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Frizzy Ends vs Split Ends


Afro Textured Hair is made up of tiny curls, coils, kinks and waves and frizz occurs when the individual strands are separated from each other. There is a difference between frizzy ends and split ends. Frizz is not necessarily indicative of damage so frizzy ends do not always need to be cut off. Sometimes frizzy hair just needs a styling product to help to smooth the cuticles. 


Split ends are entirely different from frizz. When the ends are split they separate into two and need to be cut off to prevent the split from travelling up the hair shaft. If you are trying to grow your hair long, I advise you to use the 'search and destroy' method to trim off your split ends. This will help to ensure that you're trimming splits rather than frizz. 

Saturday, August 22, 2020

"Good Hair"

India Arie explains the concept of "good hair" on her song ‘I Am Not My Hair’, as she sings; ‘Good hair means curls and waves, bad hair means you look like a slave’. In black communities around the world typical West African features are often deemed undesirable. The brainwashing that occurred during the colonisation of Africa and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade conditioned some people into thinking that looser curls and lighter skin are superior to tightly coiled afro textured hair and darker skin. This brainwashed mindset was passed down from generation to generation and promoted in the media, having an adverse impact on people with tightly coiled afro textured hair.

 I grew up in North West London in an area with a large Afro Carribean community. The word 'picky head' was often used as an insult to describe afro textured hair that wasn't neatly groomed. People with loosely curled hair or straight hair rarely got mocked for having messy hair. It was clear that some people had been conditioned into thinking that there was something inherently wrong with afro textured hair. 
When my son was born he had silky defined curls and people would compliment his hair. As the months went by, my son's hair became coarser and his curls became tighter. I wanted to cornrow his hair but my Nigerian husband was strongly against it. I left my son's hair loose and free to grow into an afro keeping it washed, conditioned, detangled and moisturised. Members of my husband's family criticised my son's hair style because I didn't shave off his hair. It seemed that longer hair was only acceptable for Nigerian boys if it was loosely curled. After my son's first birthday I started taking him to the barber's so they could shave the back and sides of his hair and I would comb out the top into a fro. The above photo was taken when my son was 14 months old and he wore his hair in that style for a year.
  On the day of my son's second birthday party I took him to the barber's for a shape up but the barber took too much hair off of the top. I had to cut my son's hair down to one level and start growing it out again. As my son's hair grew out I would brush out the coils to try and make his hair look neat but it kept trying to coil up. He was too young for me to slick his hair down and wrap it with a scarf to smooth out the coils so I kept brushing it.
The process of growing my son's hair brought back memories from my childhood when people would describe afro textured coils as 'picky'. I would regularly brush my son's coils out thinking 'I don't want anyone to call him a 'picky head' but the coils kept coiling up after I brushed them. One day I got a revelation that the 'picky head' concept was rooted in anti-blackness. People wouldn't refer to my son's coils as 'picky' if his hair was loosely curled. Once I realised that I had been impacted by anti-black conditioning I stopped trying to disrupt my son's natural coil pattern.
As my son's hair continued to grow it formed cute cylindrical coils and he now receives loads of compliments on his hair. My son loves his coils because afro textured hair IS "good hair". Healthy hair is "good hair" and we need to internalise that so we can teach the next generation of children to love themselves completely. There isn't anything wrong with manipulating our afro textured hair to change up our style but we shouldn't be ashamed of the way that our hair naturally looks when it's wet. Self-acceptance brings freedom from shame and embarrassment.

Pretty Dimples Interview ~ 2012


In 2012 I interviewed YouTuber Pretty Dimples for the Afro Embrace bookazine. The contents of the interview are below:

What prompted your decision to stop relaxing your hair? 

 One of the last relaxers I got I realized how thin my hair was. This scared me so much because I didn't want to be a thin haired girl trying to look cute. My mom was talking about going natural and showed me blogs of other girls who went natural and everyone's hair seemed to look good. So I thought to myself either they all so happen to have "good hair" or maybe all black people have "good hair " and we just don't know it so I decided to give it a try. 

 For those people who are not familiar with the term “good hair” can you explain what this means? 

 Well "good hair" can mean different things to different people. The definition has changed for me since going natural. I see good hair as healthy hair. 

 What inspired you to want to become a hair stylist? 

 I always loved doing hair even as a little girl. I became a stylist almost right after high school and by that time I had already become natural.


What inspired you to want to become a hair stylist? 

 I always loved doing hair even as a little girl. I became a stylist almost right after high school and by that time I had already become natural Did your family, friends and significant other support you in your decision to go natural? I was single at the time and was very worried I couldn't "get a man." (Laughs) But I didn't let it stop me. My family was very supportive. I didn't tell friends because I was afraid they wouldn't support me.

 How long did you transition? What styles did you wear while you were transitioning?

 I transitioned for 4 months and big chopped. I bought a curly pony tail and wore that A LOT and I would do roller sets or just wrap my hair to wear it straight. 

 How did your friends react when they finally found out that you had gone natural? 

 My friends loved my hair when I finally went natural and many of them went natural afterwards. 

 In your Coil Out video (uploaded on 29th April 2009), you discourage people from comparing their hair to anyone else's. At 3:10 you say "Whatever you were born with, whatever you got, work with it and it's gonna be beautiful no matter what." Did you always feel this way about kinky hair? If not, what has influenced these thoughts? 

 No I never felt that way until I went natural and dealt with comparing my hair and always wanting someone else's hair. But when I realized my hair is beautiful too I just accepted what my hair will and will not do and worked with it.

 Do you have any advice for ladies who are afraid to go natural because they fear that they won’t find love? 

 If you want to go natural be comfortable in your own skin and love the way you look and not what a man will like and you will find someone who loves your look. 

The Afro Embrace bookazine also included examples of some Pretty Dimple's YouTube hair style tutorials.




Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Strawberry Oil and Antioxidants


I've been experimenting with Strawberry Seed Oil for over three years and I absolutely love the strawberry scented aroma that the oil brings to blends. The Cosmetic Ingredients database outlines that Strawberry Seed Oil has the following functions:
  • Anti-Seborrheic
  • Antioxidant
  • Hair Conditioning 
  • Nail Conditioning 
  • Skin Conditioning 
The function description section on the Cosmetic Ingredients database explains that Antioxidants help to inhibit 'reactions that are promoted by oxygen, thus avoiding oxidation and rancidity'. According to this article 'split ends are more likely to occur in weathered and oxidized hair', making it clear that it's beneficial to use ingredients that function as antioxidants.

This article indicates that Strawberry Oil isn't heat stable so when I'm using the oil in pomades, creams and lotions I add it into the cooldown stage. Unfortunately Strawberry Oil can be difficult to find and it's quite expensive. This article notes that rice and artichokes contain antioxidants that can help to protect hair from damage. However, it would probably be necessary to use extracts to obtain the antioxidant benefits from these ingredients. Vitamin E is a great antioxidant which is readily available in health stores and online retailers. It's important to use an antioxidant such as Vitamin E when using essential oils as these volatile oils oxidize quickly.

Hair Coverings


This article outlines that sunlight and pollution can be harmful to the hair. We can protect our hair by wearing head scarves, hats and other hair coverings. It's important not to wrap head scarves too tightly as this can lead to traction alopecia and breakage. Wigs and hair pieces are also great hair coverings for people who want to change up their style while protecting their hair.
The above picture was taken in October 2017. My hair was in braidlocs at the time but I had a 7 month old baby so I didn't have time to retighten the roots of 600 microlocs. I pulled the locs up into a loose bun and wrapped a curly hairpiece around them. I placed a netted band around the perimeter of my head to protect and cover my roots.
This wig was another protective style that I wore while my hair was in microlocs. I made the wig myself as I needed to ensure that it was large enough to easily cover my locs.
In the past head scarves and netted bands have been a life saver for my delicate edges so I definitely recommend hair covering for anyone who is looking for a gentle protective style. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Preservatives and Emulsions


If your product contains water then you will normally need a preservative to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and microbes. In the UK and the EU before a product containing water can be sold or given away the formula must undergo preservative efficacy testing to ensure that the preservative is effective under various conditions. 

Products containing a small percentage of water and high percentage of glycerin or sugar may be able to avoid the need for a preservative. I use a preservative in all of my leave in products that contain water. However, if I'm making a small batch of conditioner or shampoo that will be rinsed out there isn't any need for a preservative. Anhydrous products such as oils, butters and pomades do not require a preservative but you may need an antioxidant such as Vitamin E to prevent the oils from going rancid. You will also need an antioxidant if you use essential oils in your formula.

A friend of mine recently told me that she had been making her own products using recipes from YouTube. She told me she was using aloe vera mixed with water and a few essential oils. I questioned her on the use of a preservative and she said that she keeps the product in the fridge. I explained that refrigeration only protects the product while it's in the fridge but if you apply the product to your hair and leave it on for more than 24 hours the bacteria would have adequate opportunity to multiply on your head. She asked about adding water or aloe vera to store bought products that already contain preservatives. I explained that preservatives are normally used at approximately 1% of the formula, if you add other ingredients to the formula you are reducing the percentage of preservative and it may no longer be as effective.

The type of product you make will determine the type of preservative that you choose. Some preservatives work better in an emulsion so they would be unsuitable for water based lotions. 



An emulsion is a product that contains both lipids (fats, waxes, butters and oils) and water. Lipids and water do not naturally mix with each other so if you want to create a cream, lotion or conditioner containing lipids and water you will need an emulsifier along with a preservative (a preservative is not needed if you are planning to rinse the product off of your hair quite quickly). Lecithin is a natural 'water in oil' emulsifier which means that it works well when a small amount of water is combined with a large amount lipids. Beeswax and Lanolin also have some 'water in oil' emulsification properties as they are able to hold on to small amounts of water helping to prevent our hair from drying out. Xanthan Gum and Tragacanth Gum are natural water thickeners which allow droplets of oil to be dispersed and suspended in the formula so they can function as natural 'oil in water' emulsifiers. However, these ingredients can only hold onto small amounts of oil before the formula starts to separate. Many formulations combine 'water in oil' emulsifiers with 'oil in water' emulsifiers to produce a stable emulsion.

The majority of emulsifiers found in store bought products are synthetic as these emulsifiers tend to produce more stable emulsions. Some synthetic emulsifiers have been found to have negative side effects so please do your research when experimenting with these ingredients. I have been making products with Behentrimonium Methosulfate (BTMS) since 2009 and I have had great results with this ingredient. BTMS is an excellent detangler so it's often used in hair conditioners. It's normally combined with Cetearyl Alcohol for it's emollient and thickening properties. In the wrong leave in formula BTMS can be a bit drying so it might take some experimenting until you find a formula that works well for your hair.

The bottom line is, if you make your own products containing water, rinse them off within a few hours or use a preservative.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Lanolin


Of all the ingredients that I have tried, nothing moisturises my hair better than Lanolin. According to The European Commission Cosmetic Ingredient Database, Lanolin is a hair conditioner, a skin conditioner, an emollient (it softens and smooths) with antistatic (detangling) qualities. 

Lanolin is secreted by sheep to protect their wool keeping it in great condition. When my hair was in braidlocs I applied pure Lanolin to the ends after spritzing them with water. My hair stayed moisturised for days. Lanolin is too thick to be applied directly to all of my hair so I add it to my homemade hair balms and oil blends. As Lanolin is a surfactant with emulsifying properties it's easy to wash it from the hair with a sulfate-free shampoo.

If you decide to experiment with Lanolin be sure to purchase the BP, USP or EP grade to ensure that it is free from impurities.