get some *yum yum* in your hair (natural hair food)

I recently completed an article about 3 key food products that I discovered to be AH-MAZ-ING on your hair. But let me break down the reason I went natural in the first place. I wanted to get a new hairstyle one day when I realized that my hair color was recking havoc on my head. I needed to allow the color to grow out and getting a protective weave seemed feasible. At the time, I was a junior and a broke college kid =( so when I called my beautician and she told me she was going to charge me upwards $100 at the minimum...not only did I drop her as my stylist but I also decided to drop my perm!

€Maybe paying that much for a weave is "cheap" to some people...even now that I make decent money I kind of think that's crazy but to each their own. This is what brought me to my "ah-ha" hair moment. It was time to transition. My then boyfriend just happened to be forced to go on the journey with me, and I became a research addict about hair products. What was in hair products. What reviewers had to say about the products that I was currently using and most of them..not all..were pretty much telling me what my hair was telling me..it's drying your hair out, the pH is too strong for your hair type, this stuff is full of chemicals & it's killing your hair! no need to mention the products but best believe i still have some of those tubes in a box somewhere because i vowed to never use them again! with that being said, i started from stratch and figured that with my budget...the best way to do this was to go cheap & keep it simple!

please reference my article at AC for the named products and some of their components and benefits! the article should become available on the right of the screen soon if not already posted!

here's some of my hair recipes that did a sure help on my head. now that im going to be transitioning once again...my next shopping trip will consist of these!

MOISTURIZING/CONDITIONING (HONEY)

During my transition and after...honey was definately a good way to avoid using conditioners that I didn't quite trust yet. I was still researching products that I was willing to try. Be sure that it's 100% pure honey. I'm not sure if imitation will work as well. I used honey for a moisturizer and allowed as such:

Because the 100% honey is thick, I recommend putting a tablespoon or two of olive oil in the mix of honey in a bowl. Part the hair in four sections and apply to the hair (root to end) as if applying a relaxer. It's good to sit under a dryer but be sure you have a towel around your shoulders. When you're done, put on a shower cap. I allowed this to sit on my head for upward about 30 minutes to an hour depending on how kinky my hair was. Some people I've read have also slept in it overnight. You rinse it and then use a mild shampoo to get out the residue. When I went to research mild AND cheap shampoo I fell for the Suave line. The White Rain line is okay to use as well. Most of the ingrediants were things I could pronounced and recognized as extracts that were safe on the hair like apple and coconut. You can now dry and style it as normal. Added bonus: natural shine of the hair without sheens.

GROWTH (COCONUT OIL/MILK)

Any thing that I use usually has coconut in it. I love the smell, but who knew it could promote hair growth??! While in the process of experimenting with kitchen products, I read an article that mentioned that coconut oil/milk contains fats that are good for you. I'm not sure if the logic is right but I thought: hmm...fats will do what...make you grow! ta-da! Hence, I got into coconut and read other people were using it as well. Coconut has several benefits, but here's one way that I applied it:

Make sure you have a towel handy. Put some of the coconut milk/oil in a bowl and use your fingers to apply it to your scalp and work your way to the end. Continue the process until all of the hair is covered. Apply a shower cap and again let it sit for at least 30 minutes. I have actually slept overnight with the mixture on my head. Rinse and shampoo with something mild and organic/natural in substance. You can dry and style as normal.







MANAGEABILITY/STRENGTH (EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL)

Ever heard the saying, the darker the berry the sweeter the juice? Well, it isn't exactly the case here but close enough! If you're going to use olive oil, extra virgin is the way to go. It's the most organic of the olive oils you can find or at least an organic cold-pressed version is just as good. The darker the green, the more virgin it is. Based on the research, I found that olive oil also contains fats that are great for your skin & easily disgestive in the body. Who knew all these fats were actually on your side? I'll never believe what I hear on tv again! (lol) But out of all the above items I've used, the olive oil was my favorite although I needed some help with the application. In the beginning of my transition, I didn't need think so much. However, when my hair was getting bigger & I was close to having a "BIG CHOP" I was sure my natural & relaxed hair were surely in battle. Olive oil is a great natural hot oil treatment:

Some people heat the oil some don't. The oil is finer when it is heated. I heat mines for just a little bit before I part it in four and apply (root to end) like a relaxer. I keep up the process until the hair is saturated. You can sit under the dryer for about 2-3 minutes to get the oil heated, but it will run down your face. Prepare for it. I'd keep it on for about 30 minutes or more. You can also sleep in it overnight. Be sure you have on a shower cap or two..or three! You'll rinse with a good mild but natual shampoo. Dry and style as usual.

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Many other sites will give you measurements; however, it depends on the size of your head and what works best for you. I never followed the instructions completely. For me, the transition process was a good way to experiment with what worked for ME and exactly some instructions, so I encourage others to do the same.

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TIPS for MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS:

-- ALWAYS look at the labels. Even though I don't find myself having the time to really cater to my hair like I used to, if you HAVE to buy, make sure you know what you're buying. Read the ingrediants on the product labels before you apply them to your hair. I'm very conscious about that. If your shampboo contains alcohol, be conscious of the percentage. My current stylist taught me that! Try to avoid alcohol in your shampoos and conditioners at all costs. Make sure you can recognize the ingrediants. I always go for the ones with the extracts and also names like: Choldohogjshofium <-- can't pronounce that, see?

-- AVOID MINERAL OIL. simple as that. if you buy an oil that you're using for your scalp ro any moisturizers for your hair, mineral oil is a clogger. avoid it. try things with coconut, seed or other fruit based oils.

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OTHER TIPS:

1. Do research on products and things in your kitchen that could be good for your hair!
2. Don't be lazy! Utilize the things that the earch & God have provided. There are also remedies and skin treatments of the items I mentioned above. You should definately check them out by following Tip #1.
3. Protect your hair in every season! What works in the summer may not work in the winter for you. Back to Tip #1!
4. Use protective styles to not overwhelm your hair like weaves, buns, braids, pony tails etc. It will also stimulate growth and allow your hair to go through it's natural process.


Personally, I'm excited to try to natural process of transitioning again! I'm currently experimenting with protective styles (that I perform on my own) and look forward to how it turns out. After I went natural the first time, both of my sisters have transitioned and natural products are the way to go whether from the kitchen or your corner beauty supply! Good luck =)