Zillion Twists

How about it. I'm back just like I promised lol


Well, here are a couple of long overdue pics of my recent twiting venture. I entitled this post Zillion Twists because of how my twists look.....like the zillion braid extentions. Although this was done by fluke, I can absolutely see myself doing this twisting style again.


It's much easier and could possibly be faster--if you don't start late and take day long breaks like I did. The only problem is that the method to get to this look could be damaging. These twists come on the heels of my second venture with my new MaxiGlide steam flat-iron. I love that thing so much! It is a tool that will make you want to take more precautions with heat styling more than you ever would before.


Before twisting, I found that my relapse with heat had lead to the inevitable split end heat damage in various areas (mostly in the back....dunno what I did different from the 1st gliding try!?) I mean....this was that damage you could feel and frizz you could see. The side and front areas had some splits too and some were mad horrible yo! lol I decided then that wearing my hair out like that would cease until either the summer or briefly in the fall. I will be doing the Disney College Program at Disney World in the fall so I may or may not have to flat iron my hair for professional events/classes. I don't think i will though as Disney is open to diversity and I've seen employees with twists before. I need to work on my zillion twists w/o the heat part haha




While my ends are still very much exposed and are not curled up on themselves (I didn't use my rods or water for these!) I need to figure out a way other than search and destroy missions to preserve my ends. I'm going to try my shea butter but we'll see.


I give you my twists:











Chaotic Laziness

Hello world,

Sorry about being MIA. Everything has been really crazy and I haven't really had any hair things to share lately. I was gonna post at least for Valentines' Day (great day that day, still rocked the MaxiGlide hair lol) and then I was gonna twist my hair again but I saw fit to MaxiGlide again after my next shampoo. That thing is truly addictive; it's so fun you would probably forget that it's just a flat-iron with teeth and a steamer!

Well, I (almost) made good on my going back to twists for protection and growth yesterday but I got a late start. A late start for me now means that I will NOT force myself to finish my hair and stay up all night doing so. Yesterday was a lazy day b/c my dad's birthday was Saturday. I treated him to dinner and the movie he's been dying to see since finding out it was being released (thanx to me! lol I had to tell him)....The Wolfman. He loves the old horror movies, those were big back in his childhood so he was super excited when he finally saw the trailer. Needless to say, there was no question as to what movie we were going to see lol. Back to lazy Sunday......

Sunday was just a laid back kinda day. We were supposed to make a trip to the laundromat but that didn't happen (today, maybe?). So....I made plans on starting my twists on dry, straightened hair from my last MaxiGlide trial. Yea I should probably wash it first but I wanted to be different this time around. Plus I didn't feel like washing and drying and yada yada. It's such a chore for me to wash my hair and I wish my dermatologist new that washing every week for me is overkill for my strands. My ends are showing damage again (the gliding made it worse I think....but I did use heat protection, so don't go there! lol) so I've been doing search and destroy missions like crazy. I want and need my ends to be healthy again. Back to the story lol Well....like I said lazy day led me to take a little nap and watch The Little Mermaid (I've been driving myself Disney crazy since applying for the College Program Internship ) until I decided to try to twist my hair. I thought that since it took me only 2.5-3 hours to twist back in December on dry hair that since my hair was straightened, it wouldn't take all night. Wrong!!! lol I only have a section on each side and a few twists at the top to make my hair look completely twisted when pulled into a ponytail.

I plan on finishing the rest or at least some more of it when I get home later; if not I'll just go with the flow of the week and twist as little or as much as I can.

Pics coming soon!!!

MaxiGlide Results

Snow Day!!!


Although I should be taking advantage of this wonderful snow day and studying for my next 2 exams (booooh!), I couldn't resist updating with my results.


I hoped that my MaxiGlide would arrive after I got home and I wouldn't have to wait another day.....and it did! I didn't have to wait.....at all...literally lol. As soon as I signed for my package I got that box open and just about leaped for joy. When I opened the Maxiglide box however I was slightly confused though because although everything was in new packaging and seemingly new and unused, my Glider looked weird. The finishing on it suggests that these things are poorly made or I got one of the older XP models. It looks vaguely like the one on the dvd but isn't that how they do us consumers anyway? See one thing, get another.....Now nothing blew up when I tested it and judging from the look of a used plug they must have re-packaged it or they test all of the plugs to make sure they come on and work (willing to bet and trusting it's the second one). I watched the instructional dvd that it came with and as it went along the second time through, I tested a section of my hair.

Fabulosity! My hair had been taken down and combed out/detangled from my pony puffish do. I tested a section on the side and it looked good. I'm not one to heat style on unwashed hair, so I used the maxiessentials maxesse moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and before gliding I applied the beyond straight temporary straightener aka heat-activated protectant gel
It's not pin straight like most would think or hope but I was kinda hoping against pin-pin straight just a little bit. I didn't want to be unrealistic and be disappointed. I love the thickness of my hair and tend to miss it if I have it pin straight from getting it pressed and flat-ironed (I'll post pics of that from Christmas....you would have thought a had a perm! eeeek!!)
I have a hunch that the next time I Glide that if I use a higher setting (I used between 5 and 6 at the most, not really sure how to tell where the number falls b/c there is no arrow.....hmm....) and I go through once like they said (I'm hard headed and I thought the pre-stream part didnt count....or I did it wrong lol) that my hair will be pin straight using this. I've seen it happen on the hsn video but I dunno what the actual thickness of girl's hair is. Looks pretty thick though......


Before

(blown out---look at my henna glow! lol)



After (MaxiGlide)

What do ya think?

MaxiGlide Hair Straightener


No.....your eyes aren't deceiving you. It says hair straightener. Don't get it twisted *haha* I LOOOOVVVVVEE my natural kinks and curls, but I also love versatility. I wanted to be able to straighten my hair myself without it looking as damaged as I know those hot plates make it (protected or not!). I was going to get an InStyler at first but that price!! And too many cons to name!! In my research I kept reading that it blows up and stuff. The pros didn't outweigh the cons at all for me. When I asked about the InStyler on the CN forums a very helpful chica over there mentioned the MaxiGlide.


I had neeeeeeever ever ever ever heard about a MaxiGlide. I was intrigued. She gave a link to a lady's blog who has beautiful natural hair and uses the glide to straighten her hair from time to time. I saw those pics and was sold :) A steam feature? Perfectly spaced ceramic teeth on one of the plates?? For detangling?? Ooooh yeaaaa lol **Don't be fooled though, you still have to do your own detangling before the little teeth do anything, and don't press hard....glide---so I've read**


I wanted soooo bad to be able to go to a store and get one but HSN.com has bundles for the price of just the straightener by itself. It comes with a miniglide for those roots (ooooh! the possibilites), Maxius shampoo and conditioner, an after-shine product, heat protector, an instructional dvd, and a detangling brush :)


I wasn't home to get my package yesterday so hopefully UPS will try again after I get home so I can use this thing asap.


Reviews and HD pics coming soon....Promise


~Later

New Camera


So I finally cracked and bought that new Samsung camera with the dual-view feature lol. I've been needing a new camera forever and I definitely don't see the price on this coming down anytime soon. I have sooo many life events that are gonna be coming up (and of course hair pics to take for posting :) and I don't want to have to deal with the battery on the old one not cooperating or the pictures looking all gross and weird (I hate re-do's with a passion! so time consuming and the moment goes bad). My lil silver baby and I had a good 5 years while it lasted; it will make a decent back up camera.......

New pics coming soon, muahhahaha :)

Henna Pics Part 2

Buenos Dias Chicas!!!


I apologize for the late addition. I know I was supposed to post the rest of my henna pics the day after I posted the first set, but things didn't quite go as planned obviously. Finals are next week (but I have an early one tomorrow....my prof is moving *sad face at both* ) and other things over the weekend kept me from posting.


I wasn't 100% sure that I wanted to do this to myself and put those horrid, messy henna pics up especially with my skin the way it was/is. My skin is improving, but the left-over redness is killing me more than anything right now. That.....and the slow-to-fade dark spots (I read somewhere that those are signs of healing *confused face* isdk.


But anywho, I am going to try to do my next henna session this weekend but seeing as that I may not have enough to do it (100g may not be enough for all of this hair lol)


So.....as promised here are more pics of my 1st henna process.


Hasta Luego!























Henna Pics 1

Hello,

As promised I have returned with pics of my first henna treatment. Because my camera sucks so (and my skin sucks, and my hairstyles are not happening right now--too busy) I don't have any really good pics of my hair after the application. I have many before's though.


Sooo.....drumroll please....lol




I prepared my mix the night before my application:
200 g BAQ Henna from Mehandi.com--from the Yemen crop, 2 cups ReaLemon Lemon Juice, a washable plastic bowl and a stainless steel spoon for mixing:





I mixed the juice and the henna until it was a consistency of mashed-potatoey yogurt stuff lol Some sites said until mashed potato-like...some said until yogurt-like....I compromised; I covered it to let it sit overnight in the kitchen:


Zzz....Zzzzzzzz....Zzzzzz....ZZzzzzzz (after 12 hours--8 hours sleep, 4 hours chill time)

My henna paste is thick and dark green/brownish---it reminded me of chocolate cake batter and pudding at one point haha
I prepped my supplies for battle:



Tomorrow I will post the rest of the pics from my henna adventure......my hair before, during, and after :)













Auburn Angel

Hey Hey......

I finally took the plunge!!! lol I did my first henna treatment on Friday and I.....am.....in....love! My hair is super soft and the auburn tint that I see in certain lighting is amazing. I never thought I would see my hair any other color than dark brown/black but after henna, I have :) My hubby has even noticed a difference--he complimented that my hair looks healthier. After one treatment? Amazing isn't it!!

After my disasterous run-in with my beloved Herbal Essences (I know in my heart of hearts it was one of the reasons my skin was breaking out!) I figured I should stop jumping on product bandwagons and stop thinking that my hair and skin were able to handle everything I threw at them. But....I was determined at some point to try henna treatments to strengthen my hair and obtain the strength and length that I long for.

Instead of trying to create my own special henna mix(i.e by adding honey, oils, spices, etc) I decided to keep it simple and add the recommended acidic juice to my powder. For my 200g of BAQ Henna from Yemen, I added about 2 cups of ReaLemon lemon juice. I let it sit overnight and then I washed my hair and applied. Saran wrapped and shower capped for 4.5 hours and rinsed. And rinsed. And rinsed. Until the water ran clear. I should have tried to wash it more ( really "scratch" my scalp) because I soon found out while twisting my hair that there was still some henna left; my hands are now orange until it fades lmao.

I have plenty of pics to share of my process but the only thing I can't show in pics is my auburn tint; it doesn't seem to want to show up for me lol

Pics coming soon......

~Lena

Product Junky Indeed




So its absolutely no secret that I love to shop lol, therefore you can imagine the almost field-day I coulda had the other night when I was in Family Dollar. I should have known they would have something other than essential household products for cheap.....they had the audacity to have some of my former favorite conditioners for like $1-$2!!! Can you believe it! Well, of course you can but thats not the point lol I was able to get cheapy conditioners for my henna treatment this weekend. The PJ in me is tempted to go back and stock up some more but remember what happened with my beloved Herbal Essences....yea, we don't want that again!


I got a big ol +25% more bottle of Tropical Coconut Suave conditioner and a bottle of V05 Tea Therapy conditioner in chamomile and lavender. Wow.... just thinking about it is making my nostrils tingle with delight. I can't wait til tomorrow when I do my treament. I'm going to mix it up tonight and let it sit overnight so that I can apply it in the morning and chillax with it in my tresses all day.


Idk why I stopped using that stuff but I do remember using it when my hair was longer. They couldn't have been all that bad; I probably just wanted a change and forgot to look back.


Well....I will review which ever one I decide to use and I will def have pics of my henna journey.


~Later

It's Henna Time

Hello all!



I finally ordered my henna the other day so I am expecting my shipment to be here this weekend. Yay!! I won't be able to do it until next weekend though because I will be away for an anime convention. But.....I cannot wait to try this stuff out :) I really want to maintain my length and strengthen my hair so it will grow to its full potential. I want my hair to be pretty lengthy by the time summer rolls around, and definitely for 2011 when we have our wedding ceremony (aren't you already married, you say? long story....meant for another random post)



Anywho....

I ordered 300mg because I have a ridiculously thick head of hair. I can barely oil my scalp properly so I know I better be prepared to slap on tons of this thick stuff. Hopefully I won't have to use it all and the rest can be frozen. I didn't bother ordering any indigo to make my hair any other assortment of brown or black because I'm interested in finding out what reddish hue my hair will take on with henna on its own. It may not show the first time through but if it does, I will know whether or not I will want to add some indigo to the mix.

I can't wait to see what happens :) After I apply my henna and rinse and condish, etc etc I am going to rock my old faithful twists. I can only do so much with my current length and my styling abilities are limited, so twists will have to do for now.

Later people!

Pic A Style...Any Style



Hello all, I have returned!



The past few weeks have been chaotic with exams and what not. So, since I have some free-time this weekend I thought I should make good on my promise for pics of my sew-in.

Unfortunately, this gorgeous style didn't last on me. I loved the look and all but that dayum "human" hair was no friend of mine at all. My scalp itched all the time but I was expecting that. But not to the point where it kept me up at all hours of the night and to the point where my scalp couldn't be soothed. I even washed and oiled to soothe it and it only made matters worse. My style got lovelier and lovelier but my scalp got even more irritated. No oils or astringents could make me attempt a 4-week stint.

I only lasted two weeks. $90 down the drain yes, but I was fortunate to be able to walk away with my hair still attached to my scalp. I'm surprised my scalp didn't say screw me and decide to let all of my hair fall out. I would rather lose $90 than my thick head of hair.


I'm back with my pony puff until I twist tonight. But here are some reminders of what was during my birthday weekend and that following week.


Later~









In a dressing room at the mall; my bangs weren't cut yet


Waiting on hubby to get dressed for our night out



Happy Birthday To Me!!!!!!!!!! (Late Post)


Hello blog world!!! I recently celebrated my 22nd birthday and my 2year anniversary with my dear hubby on September 25th. *Go Libras...whooo! lol* Last post, I was indecisive about what exactly I wanted to do with my hair. Well, with the support of my loving honey I decided to get that sew-in I have been wanting all summer! My sweetie is a natural head himself and wanted me to twist my hair...a daunting task I detest when time is a factor....but I didn't have time or really feel like doing my own hair for my b-day--who does?! lol

But, with his approval I went in early for a 2.5 hour hair weaving session the morning of the big day. I was a little disappointed and scared at first because the place I went to--the African braid shop that did my last set of kinky twists and cornrows--doesn't style or cut your hair after they sew it in. Basically....you have to shell out more money in a regular hair salon to achieve your desired look. Or....you can do what I did and have someone in your family help you out!

I called my sister back after I was finished and she told me to come over so she could cut my bangs and help me out. And help out she did (sort of lol....they were a little uneven on one side but I think she was trying to give me an asymmetrical look or something). She also evened out my ends for me. All for free! No extra hair salon charges over here people. That's how ya gotta work it.

My sweetie loves "my" hair and so do all of my friends and family. They are not judgemental like alot of people tend to be when women don't wear their real hair. They already know I have one heck of a mane. I am just choosing to give my hair (ends and all) a break from the stresses of twisting and being exposed to the elements.

Ciao!

**I'm going to edit this later with photos**

D-Day Approaching......Fast

Or should I say, B-day approaching fast! lol

My 22nd birthday is coming up and I no doubt want to look my best for my day(s) out. The anniversary of my birth is also my 2 year anniversary with my sweetheart (Love ya sweetums ;) so I really have to look great! Not that I don't already but I want that extra umph lol But anywho, my constant personal debate for the past few months has been whether or not I want to keep rockin the natural frock or if I want to go ahead and put these strands into hiding i.e a full weave.

I would love to not have to manipulate and worry about my hair for my birthaversary but my hubby loves my natural hair. Especially when it's all big and fluffy-like. I want my sleek sew-in but I wanna be natural too. I obviously can't rock half straight, half curly.....that would be weird lol So now the battle continues.....

Comb Coils?

Braids with Fro in Back?

Wavy Sew-in?

Straight Sew-in?

We will see.....

Follow Me Like Twitter/My Current Blogging List

Twitter seems to be all the rage nowadays but the only people and things that I follow are natural hair blogs and a select few other blogs that I find interesting in the blogging realm. If I want an update on what people are doing with their lives, I can go to facebook; that's what status updates are for.....others may feel different about that though. I seem to be following alot of blogs but for some reason I can't get my visitors to commit to following me!! Come on chicas, don't leave me hanging! lol I know you're out there, I've read (and responded to) your comments. Follow me, don't be shy ;) {Just click the link that says follow with google friend connect}

I can read as many blogs as I see fit but only a few have really caught my attention to where I want to follow them. So, maybe that's the case for my blog. People like what they see/read but not enough to follow me.....yet....lol I'm sure you'll get there one day.

Right now, the only blog of interest on my list that doesn't pertain to natural hair is What Would (blank) Do???? . Sure, my husband is a natural head like me but his blog is about something deeper than hair problems or celebrations. His blog touches on issues that people face on a daily basis on a spiritual level that affects other aspects of life. I love listening to what he has to say, so following his blog is only right (that and the fact that he's my love! lol) I am going to interview him about his hair one of these days, and get that conversation piece to you guys out there. His hair is locked, so for all my natural heads out there who have locks or are thinking about locking....stay tuned :)

My favorite natural hair blog out of all of the blogs that I follow so far is Curly Nikki. This girl....yes!!! Lol Idk, during my transitioning stage I ran across her blog and have been hooked ever since. It hasn't been that long but I can tell you a lot of stuff on her site has helped me tons. Henna on my hair wasn't something I had considered or really even known about until I read one of her posts and saw how her hair transformed. After doing my own research on it, I know that henna treatments are on my hair-experiment to-do list. Not only is her site great for hairstyle tips and product recommendation, her blog also highlights issues that people with natural hair face because of their hair in the workplace, with family, friends, etc. If my blog doesn't interest you, I'm positive this one will---if you're not already a fan.

The other blogs that I have on my bloglist are also worth looking into; check them out with the others through the links on the right.

Well guys, I'm off to conjure up a new hairstyle for the next few weeks. Whatever it is will be out in time for me to make my trip back to that natural hair salon I went to before, for my birthday!! lol I know for sure my birthday hairstyle will be between comb-twists and a straw/rod-set.

Hasta Luego ;)

New Month, New Regimen


Hola Naturals!

With the Fall semester swiftly approaching, I have been frantically trying to find cures for my ever troublesome skin. I thought my skin issues were diet related, you know--too much of one food group or an allergic reaction of some sort. But....my very observant hubby brought to my attention that it could be the shampoo or conditioner I had been using. Thinking back I do realize that my issues have gotten progressively worse since the addition of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration into my regimen. Prior to using this otherwise heavenly conditioner, my skin was just about flawless. I am now doing an experiment to figure out if this conditioner has caused an allergic reaction in the form of acne. I will discontinue the use of HH as well as the consumption of soy-protein laden foods [ie. my beloved Boca products :( ] Without my HH, I need a new condish right? Right!

Since I have the theory that my HH is causing my skin to spaz out, I have sought out hypo-allergenic hair products. When I went to the store earlier I didn't find what I was looking for (Free & Clear ring a bell to anyone?) but at the beauty supply I did happen upon some of Taliah Waajid's natural hair care products. The label on the Enhancing Herbal Conditioner sang to me lol ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS :) Pure Distilled Water, Anisae, Capsioum Oil, Olive Oil, Wheat Germ, Bees Wax, Aloe Vera, Walnut Oil, Cherry Bark, Calendula, Tyme, Kiola, Quine Seed Complex, Vitamin E, Silk Protein, Apple Extract, Lavender Extract, Balsam Canada, Bay Laurel & Fruit. Doesn't all of that sound yummy?! Lol Well believe me, it is indeed a treat. It smells delicious and it worked wonders after one try.

I can tell the difference between using HH and using this new conditioner. Before my scalp woulod feel itchy in some spots (but that happened every once in a while beforehand b/c my thick head of hair makes it hard to reach my scalp well). I see now that it wasn't just poor rinsing habits and thick hair getting in the way.....something in the HH was making my scalp itch from time to time. I have no problems so far (just washed earlier and air-drying my noticably bigger pony-puff) and I'm loving that. I'm not going to go crazy and buy all of T.W.'s products but I will definitely be making this natural conditioner my new permanent friend given that I don't see/feel any signs of an allergic reaction or anything.

I'll keep you posted on my skin and hair as always,
Lena Jolie

Twist & Shout: Twist Out Pics

*Drumroll*


Now for the event you've all been waiting for......pics from my lovely twist-out from those adorable twists I had last month lol


Enjoy and be inspired ladies :)



Day 1 of Twist-out






Day 4 of Twist-out









Stay tuned, another twist-out is about to happen pretty soon and more pics are bound to be born. Have a great day!!!!

Helpful Hints: How To Maintain Twists Past 2 Weeks



Finding new ways to do things with my hair is always fun. Although I am currently at a loss for a new natural style to rock (straw-set? lengthy sew-in? super short sew-in? cornrows?), I have found a way to preserve my lovely two-strand twists and thought I should share the wealth.


I'm sure my fellow naturals out there with locs and twists and other semi-high-maintanence styles know that washing our hair with these styles can be quite a hassle. I'm not sure if everyone out there has looked into these yet but there are special shampoo caps that you can get at your local beauty supply to help you wash your hair without the fear of unraveling. The one that I have was only $1.99 and it's perfect for washing twists in-between twist outs and regularly scheduled washing sessions. I decided to get this when I saw it because using a stocking cap, which I did with my teeny twists--as suggested by the stylist--, didn't feel right lol It was weird to me and I was glad to see that they make a cap just for that. I needed to wash my hair but I hadn't rocked my twist-out yet nor did I want to give up my twisted lovelies :) With this cap, my beauties look rejuvenated and fresh as ever. Go ahead and find one and give it a try :)



Day 1 After Washing with the shampoo cap

Day 2

Skin Crisis Averted

This stuff is the best!!!!!!



Hello natural night-owls!! lol I am rarely up at this hour (I likes my sleep, 8 hrs please...haha) and I have never blogged this late before either but everyone is alotted a few random moments every now and then. A few posts back (try last month....lol) I ranted about the issues I was having with my skin. I was trying everything. Neutrogena products, Clean & Clear, my tried and true Proactiv (worked wonders when I started having skin issues in 05-06), and anything else in-between. Well, my dear-sweet-fiance' was always raving about the Dudu Osun Black Soap that he uses. I never used it even though he kept telling me to (I'm so hard-headed lol) just like with Shea Butter; he always told me to use it because its 1) it's natural, 2) it has so many healing properties and skin/hair health benefits, and 3) its just the bomb! The thing is, you really shouldn't use things on your body that you wouldn't put into your body (i.e by eating)--I've always known that, and it's something that should just be like "well, duh!" but everyone doesn't see it like that. I finally gave in to the shea thing earlier this year and I loved it! Best thing ever! But....I didn't stick with using it on a daily basis, I only used it every so often and continued using commercial lotions by Jergens, Johnson & Johnson, etc. *Slaps hand* Bad, I know. But that is going to change.


Back to the soap...........

So by a twist of fate--if you will--a very generous and kind friend of ours gave me a bar of the Dudu Osun soap and some Chinese Ginger Tea when I got sick a few weeks ago. My face was still breaking out like crazy (this was way after my 1st skin crisis post) so it only meant that I needed to try this famous black soap. Ladies.....(and Gents if you're there.....) this Dudu Osun is the TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol I kid you not. Using this soap, you won't need to worry about that dry after-feeling you get from processed, chemical-laced soaps. I won't lie, I love Dove to death---why I didn't wanna let go and use my new find---but even the Sensitive Skin formula left my face dry a lot of the time. With the black soap, I can wash my face and not have to worry about putting on lotion, moisturizer, etc. Even without using Shea after washing with Dudu, my skin felt amazing and has a brilliantly healthy and natural glow. I saw my blemishes fade and the dark spots began to disappear. I figure in a few more weeks, my face will be flawless once again. And I owe it all to my newfound loves: Dudu Osun Black Soap and Shea Butter :) I just bought a 32.oz container of dark yellow shea butter (I hear the darker, the better (ie more vitamins, etc)) and two boxes of Dudu Osun from a vendor at the African World Festival in Downtown Detroit, all for $15--2 for $5 soap and $10 for the large shea container, not bad at all)

I can't wait to see how my skin progresses! I'm also going to modify my vegetarian diet to make sure I get all the nutrients I'm supposed to get

Buenos Noches Amigos!


P.S: Below I am going to list the ingredients in the all-natural Dudu Osun Black Soap and the benefits of Shea Butter.



***Everything as listed on the box/label***


Tropical Naturals Dudu Osun Black Soap:

Ingredients-Pure Honey, Shea Butter, Osun (camwood), Palmkernal oil, Cocoa pod ash, Palm bunch ash, Glycerine, Aloe Vera Juice, Lime juice & oil, Lemon juice & oil, Water & Fragrance.

Dudu Osun is the age-long African black soap made the traditional way by hand from PURE NATURAL INGREDIENTS AND HERBS from the tropical rain forest and savannah regions.

No artificial colors; no preservatives; Bio degradable. Product of Nigeria





African Shea Butter:
100% Natural

African Shea Butter is made from the nut of the African Shea Tree. It contains a rich amount of unremovable fatty acid which renders it far superior to Cocoa Butter an other natural vegetabl butters. This fatty acid is crucial to rejuvenating and moisturizing the skin. Shea Butter provides all the essential vitamins needed to make skin look and feel smoother, softer and most importantly, healthier. Its theraputic properties protect the skin from wind, cold, sun, and it helps heal wounds faster. Shea Butter stimulates cellular activity, fights the effects of aging and repairs rough, damaged skin.

Usage:
1. Treatment of dry skin, eczema, and minor burns.
2. Pain relief from swelling and arthritis.
3. Improves muscle relaxation and stiffness.
4. Sunscreen, due to its rich content of vitamins E & F
5. Treats dark spots, skin discolorations, stretch marks, wrinkles, and blemishes
6. Massages, diaper rash, and as a hair conditioner.
Shea Butter does not expire. Store in a cool place.
Product of Ghana






Twisted Up

Oops, I did it again! lol That was supposed to be the title of this post, which I could have sworn I had drafted and tucked away for some editing---but it seems it isn't here :( ----. Oh well. Anywho, after washing my hair last Wednesday, I decided it was too soon for me to put another round of my lock and twist gel in, so I just washed and conditioned (nothing deep, just a much needed cleanse) and let my hair air dry ("big" mistake lol). I decided to do this because I didn't get to run to the beauty supply and get more of my gel, so twisting would have to wait a day. I thought about dry twisting but with my air-dried mess of a fro, but I didn't see that as being a smart choice.

Thursday I rinsed my hair and deep conditioned with my fav deep condish--Neutrogena Triple Moisture of course!--with lots of marination under the cap going on; I had so many things going on at once I think my hair was conditioning for a couple of hours lol. But once I was able to rinse, my hair felt as soft as ever and was wet and ready to be twisted up into perfection once again.

I was scared going into the twists again because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to make my hair as perfect and beautiful as before. I gave it a go with my arsenal of snacks and my little dvd player---I watched 'Secret Life of Bees' and 'Knowing', both great movies---and my hair came out just as cute. Personally, I think the first set of twists was the best but that could only be expected since I wasn't exactly expecting my hair to look so good before, and the second time I had an expected result that I was looking to achieve.

It took a few days for my hair to 'fall into place' and start to grow on me. It's been a week and it's still cute :) I haven't done any photos this time around as of yet but I feel a mini-shoot coming on lol

Have a great day!!
~Lena

Twist-Out & Shout

Hello all!! After a two-week stint rocking those absolutely gorgeous twists that I wrote about in my last post, I am rocking a twist-out! It was only fitting that twists of such beauty would yield the perfect twist-out. I un-twisted last Friday while I was under the weather (summer colds suck!!) and my hair was just as beautiful twisted-out as it was twisted up :)



The first day of the twist-out was flawless and through the congestion and all, I managed to snap a couple of pics to capture the glory. Day two, my hair was bigger and better than ever but I didn't get anything captured.....sorry. Since my hair needs to be cleaned (the horror! the horror! lol) I decided to take some Day 4 pics to capture how much volume my hair got over the days. My hair was a little bigger and had a lot more waves. I appear to have some new growth going on seeing as that I had some visible parts at one point (especially the main one in the middle up front). It may be growth....it may just be from the style being as old as it was....I dunno lol. I probably won't do a real length check any time soon so I won't really know yet.



I am going to wash my hair tonight but I don't know what I want to do. I can't re-twist tonight because I don't think I have enough of my loc and twist gel. So....I'll give my hair a little break tonight by washing the gel and extra stuff out and get to twisting tomorrow. School's out, so I have all day!



Toodles!

~Lena

P.S.: Blogger is acting funny at the moment and won't let me upload my pics :( Hopefully I can get them posted by the weekend......