On average your hair grows 1/2 inch per month. However with that
said, what you eat does play a major roll in your ability to achieve even
more growth.
An average does not mean that this is the full extent. There is
always the opportunity for you to grow your hair longer. Part of
that growth ability depends on a whole lot of factors combined
just right.
One of those key factors is what you eat. You can maximize your
hair growth by committing to add certain things into your diet.
Here are some things that can really boost the growth of your
hair.
Nuts – Have a high content of plant protein as well as a lot of
vitamin B. With that said use it in moderation.
Salmon – high in Omega 3, it helps your hair grow softer,
shinier and stronger as well.
Eggs – contain a high amount of protein and truly enhances your
hair growth.
Green Leafy Vegetables – green vegetables are packed with plant
protein, minerals, and lots of vitamin C, which increases cell
renewal creating a strong growth spurge.
Water, water, water – Sure you don’t eater water but it helps
to detox your system and help moisturize your new growth. A
dehydrated body under functions considerability, so drink up for
longer hair.
http://www.growitlong.info
09 March 2012
Some more Facts Tea Tree and Ylang ylang
I have been doing a lot of research and studying various products the way they effect the hair and the body in general and as a whole no matter the extraction method.
Tea Tree latin name melaleleuca alternifolia usually distilled renowned for its remarkable activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses. Research has not shown what if anything it does for the hair...
Ylang ylang latin name canaga odorata var genuina usually distilled has a regulating effect on the heart useful for reducing palitations, welcome for all skin types and said to also promote hair growth... has any one tested this product? On to more research.
Tea Tree latin name melaleleuca alternifolia usually distilled renowned for its remarkable activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses. Research has not shown what if anything it does for the hair...
Ylang ylang latin name canaga odorata var genuina usually distilled has a regulating effect on the heart useful for reducing palitations, welcome for all skin types and said to also promote hair growth... has any one tested this product? On to more research.
02 March 2012
Black women learn to sweat the hair style
KRISTIN TILLOTSON, Star Tribune
To exercise, or to have great-looking hair. For many black women, that is the question.
Sweat and water are the enemies of many a costly, painstakingly achieved black hairstyle. And that has doctors, fitness instructors and even the U.S. surgeon general worried it might be keeping many black women from exercising.
Cecilia Blakey has been a group-exercise instructor for 20 years. She currently teaches aerobics at the YWCA in St. Paul's Selby-Dale neighborhood, which has a significant black population.
"I'd love to have a class full of black women, but the majority of my following is not," she said. "Sometimes a few will start, but they don't hold up long-term, and I'd say 90 percent of it's the hair."
Blakey, 60, can relate. When she first got a job at a US Swim and Fitness club more than a decade ago, "Caucasian women would go out the door looking just as good as when they walked in," she said. "Not me. I couldn't blow-dry or flat-iron or curl it every day without ruining it, and it was frustrating. Mentally it's still an issue for me, but working out is more important. It took me 10 years to accept it, though."
According to recent government studies, nearly 50 percent of adult black women are overweight or obese, compared with 43 percent of Hispanic women and 33 percent of white women. Another study concluded that as girls, blacks also stop being physically active at a younger age.
Of a sampling of 103 black women taken by a medical center in North Carolina, about a third responded that they exercised less because of concern for their hair. Nearly 90 percent of them did not meet the Center for Disease Control's minimum physical-activity guidelines, about 20 minutes a day or 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise.
To U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, that constitutes a health problem. Benjamin, a black woman who wears her hair in a chemically straightened pageboy, said last fall that concern over hairdos is a real deterrent to staying fit. "When you're starting to exercise, you look for reasons not to, and sometimes the hair is one of those reasons," she said.
Tasha Kirk, 39, a commercial loan administrator for Ameriprise Financial, agrees.
"My hair is definitely a contributing factor in why I don't work out," she said. "My straight style is not wash and go, so I can't do it over lunch, and even after work it's too time-consuming to shower and redo my hair every time. I'm lucky I'm skinny."
Kirk's close friend, nonprofit agency director Jessica Rogers, used to avoid exercising for the same reason, but she started up again last year because "I want to be 40 and fabulous. I don't want to be the fat mom at the pool in her gauchos, I want to be the hot mom. And I want to set the right example for the youth I work with."
Another of their friends, Angela Hebert, works out at least six days a week. A mother of four who lost 60 pounds by sticking to a strenuous exercise-video routine, she pulls her hair back into a clip-on ponytail before returning to her job as a receptionist at Vision Loss Resources. "If you really want to do it, you'll find a way," she said. "Hair is just an excuse."
No puffing, please
Dr. Rebecca Alleyne, a Los Angeles surgeon, is conducting an online survey asking black women to answer specific questions about their hair and how often they exercise (www.startribune.com/a968). Among the 1,200 responses she's received so far, she said, "the main trend I've seen is that women with styles that are salon-dependent tend to exercise fewer days a week."
Black women have never had more or better hairstyles and products at their disposal, including a variety of weaves, smoothing keratin treatments, even wigs, which some use as a temporary solution to "workout hair." But even if a woman has the time to sit in a stylist's chair every other week, she may not have the $100 to $250 it can cost.
While "black hair" encompasses a wide range of textures and curl, from thick kinks to fine waves, many black women cannot just shampoo, dry with a round brush and be good to go in 15 minutes. If their hair has been straightened, they need to dry it, redo it with a flatiron and possibly also use a curling iron to get it how they want it.
When their scalps sweat, the roots of hair that is naturally very tightly curled will swell or puff. The same happens when hair gets wet from swimming or in the shower, which is "why a lot of women won't swim," said stylist Yisha Eson.
The most obvious solution, to "go natural," isn't right for everyone. Despite the expense, time and hassle, many women prefer chemically straightened hair for cultural and socioeconomic reasons.
"For African-American women, our hair is really an important part of our image," Blakey said. "If your hair isn't looking right, you just don't feel right."
Rogers also noted a regional influence: "Out East you see a lot more women with natural hair, in dreads, but Minnesota is more conservative and you just don't see it as much."
Frizzy but fit
Michael Cole, who owns Talk of the Town salon in Minneapolis, has specialized in styling black hair for 30 years. Cole said that chemically straightened or "relaxed" hair and elaborate, pricey weaves (including a newer style called the quick weave) can all be difficult to touch up at home between appointments.
"Styles are so intricate today, it's hard to attain the skill set necessary to do it yourself at home," he said. "Anytime you perspire, it's going to put moisture into your hair and it's going to relax any straightening or loose-curl process and revert it to some degree."
Beverly James, an administrative assistant with Hennepin County, exercises three or four times a week, sometimes on an elliptical machine, sometimes at Curves. But there is one day when she refuses to break a sweat -- the day she gets her hair done.
"You can't work out right after you've had your mop whipped," said James, 54. "Not unless you want to ruin what you just paid for."
Shop assistant Dalona Ethridge, 26, said it's an issue that crosses generations. "Most women will work out Monday through Thursday, have their hair done on Friday and not exercise again so they can keep their hair looking good over the weekend," she said.
Barbara Doyle, a social services program manager who at "let's just say 60-plus" looks at least a decade younger, is slim with a chic straightened bob, tinted a burnished red. She puts her health first.
"You can have cute hair and look like you're 80, or you can look 50 and the hair's not perfect," she said. "I've got high blood pressure, and I want to play with my grandchildren."
Doyle said that with their history of being more prone to diabetes and heart disease, black women need to pay special attention to fitness: "Hair can be replaced. Your body can't."
Kristin Tillotson • 612-673-7046
To exercise, or to have great-looking hair. For many black women, that is the question.
Sweat and water are the enemies of many a costly, painstakingly achieved black hairstyle. And that has doctors, fitness instructors and even the U.S. surgeon general worried it might be keeping many black women from exercising.
Cecilia Blakey has been a group-exercise instructor for 20 years. She currently teaches aerobics at the YWCA in St. Paul's Selby-Dale neighborhood, which has a significant black population.
"I'd love to have a class full of black women, but the majority of my following is not," she said. "Sometimes a few will start, but they don't hold up long-term, and I'd say 90 percent of it's the hair."
Blakey, 60, can relate. When she first got a job at a US Swim and Fitness club more than a decade ago, "Caucasian women would go out the door looking just as good as when they walked in," she said. "Not me. I couldn't blow-dry or flat-iron or curl it every day without ruining it, and it was frustrating. Mentally it's still an issue for me, but working out is more important. It took me 10 years to accept it, though."
According to recent government studies, nearly 50 percent of adult black women are overweight or obese, compared with 43 percent of Hispanic women and 33 percent of white women. Another study concluded that as girls, blacks also stop being physically active at a younger age.
Of a sampling of 103 black women taken by a medical center in North Carolina, about a third responded that they exercised less because of concern for their hair. Nearly 90 percent of them did not meet the Center for Disease Control's minimum physical-activity guidelines, about 20 minutes a day or 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise.
To U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, that constitutes a health problem. Benjamin, a black woman who wears her hair in a chemically straightened pageboy, said last fall that concern over hairdos is a real deterrent to staying fit. "When you're starting to exercise, you look for reasons not to, and sometimes the hair is one of those reasons," she said.
Tasha Kirk, 39, a commercial loan administrator for Ameriprise Financial, agrees.
"My hair is definitely a contributing factor in why I don't work out," she said. "My straight style is not wash and go, so I can't do it over lunch, and even after work it's too time-consuming to shower and redo my hair every time. I'm lucky I'm skinny."
Kirk's close friend, nonprofit agency director Jessica Rogers, used to avoid exercising for the same reason, but she started up again last year because "I want to be 40 and fabulous. I don't want to be the fat mom at the pool in her gauchos, I want to be the hot mom. And I want to set the right example for the youth I work with."
Another of their friends, Angela Hebert, works out at least six days a week. A mother of four who lost 60 pounds by sticking to a strenuous exercise-video routine, she pulls her hair back into a clip-on ponytail before returning to her job as a receptionist at Vision Loss Resources. "If you really want to do it, you'll find a way," she said. "Hair is just an excuse."
No puffing, please
Dr. Rebecca Alleyne, a Los Angeles surgeon, is conducting an online survey asking black women to answer specific questions about their hair and how often they exercise (www.startribune.com/a968). Among the 1,200 responses she's received so far, she said, "the main trend I've seen is that women with styles that are salon-dependent tend to exercise fewer days a week."
Black women have never had more or better hairstyles and products at their disposal, including a variety of weaves, smoothing keratin treatments, even wigs, which some use as a temporary solution to "workout hair." But even if a woman has the time to sit in a stylist's chair every other week, she may not have the $100 to $250 it can cost.
While "black hair" encompasses a wide range of textures and curl, from thick kinks to fine waves, many black women cannot just shampoo, dry with a round brush and be good to go in 15 minutes. If their hair has been straightened, they need to dry it, redo it with a flatiron and possibly also use a curling iron to get it how they want it.
When their scalps sweat, the roots of hair that is naturally very tightly curled will swell or puff. The same happens when hair gets wet from swimming or in the shower, which is "why a lot of women won't swim," said stylist Yisha Eson.
The most obvious solution, to "go natural," isn't right for everyone. Despite the expense, time and hassle, many women prefer chemically straightened hair for cultural and socioeconomic reasons.
"For African-American women, our hair is really an important part of our image," Blakey said. "If your hair isn't looking right, you just don't feel right."
Rogers also noted a regional influence: "Out East you see a lot more women with natural hair, in dreads, but Minnesota is more conservative and you just don't see it as much."
Frizzy but fit
Michael Cole, who owns Talk of the Town salon in Minneapolis, has specialized in styling black hair for 30 years. Cole said that chemically straightened or "relaxed" hair and elaborate, pricey weaves (including a newer style called the quick weave) can all be difficult to touch up at home between appointments.
"Styles are so intricate today, it's hard to attain the skill set necessary to do it yourself at home," he said. "Anytime you perspire, it's going to put moisture into your hair and it's going to relax any straightening or loose-curl process and revert it to some degree."
Beverly James, an administrative assistant with Hennepin County, exercises three or four times a week, sometimes on an elliptical machine, sometimes at Curves. But there is one day when she refuses to break a sweat -- the day she gets her hair done.
"You can't work out right after you've had your mop whipped," said James, 54. "Not unless you want to ruin what you just paid for."
Shop assistant Dalona Ethridge, 26, said it's an issue that crosses generations. "Most women will work out Monday through Thursday, have their hair done on Friday and not exercise again so they can keep their hair looking good over the weekend," she said.
Barbara Doyle, a social services program manager who at "let's just say 60-plus" looks at least a decade younger, is slim with a chic straightened bob, tinted a burnished red. She puts her health first.
"You can have cute hair and look like you're 80, or you can look 50 and the hair's not perfect," she said. "I've got high blood pressure, and I want to play with my grandchildren."
Doyle said that with their history of being more prone to diabetes and heart disease, black women need to pay special attention to fitness: "Hair can be replaced. Your body can't."
Kristin Tillotson • 612-673-7046
28 February 2012
When products no longer work...
One thing that I think we can all attest to is finding a product
that you like a lot but after only a few months the product
changes. Your hair no longer responds to the product as it first
did. Many of you complain about this and I know I have.
One reason your hair may be acting up and simply not responding
to the product anymore is that your hair may need a break. Often
times a product may have so many ingredients. Quite a few of
those ingredients may create a seal on the strand. This seal or
coating blocks out moisture from entering the hair causing the
hair to become frizzy and unresponsive to other hair care
methods.
Give even your favorite products a bit of a break from time to
time. Find an alternate product to use even for a bit. Also
rebalance the strands by doing an apple cider and water rinse to
remove the excess product build up.
http://www.growitlong.info
that you like a lot but after only a few months the product
changes. Your hair no longer responds to the product as it first
did. Many of you complain about this and I know I have.
One reason your hair may be acting up and simply not responding
to the product anymore is that your hair may need a break. Often
times a product may have so many ingredients. Quite a few of
those ingredients may create a seal on the strand. This seal or
coating blocks out moisture from entering the hair causing the
hair to become frizzy and unresponsive to other hair care
methods.
Give even your favorite products a bit of a break from time to
time. Find an alternate product to use even for a bit. Also
rebalance the strands by doing an apple cider and water rinse to
remove the excess product build up.
http://www.growitlong.info
23 February 2012
Natural products and Natural Foods
Hair Growth
Hair is an important aspect in one’s physical appearance and plays a vital role in keeping one’s morale and self-confidence. Therefore, there is no doubt as to why the hair growth product market is such a lucrative one. Millions are spent by people all over the world for hair growth products. However, it is best to use natural hair growth products such as herbs, roots, and seeds.
Hair growth could become a major concern if you are losing a lot of hair or exhibit visible thinning or balding hair. However, there are plenty of natural products which you can get in the market to promote fast hair growth. Besides these products, you could also make your own herbal hair growth remedies at home.
Hair Growth Vitamins
Hair growth is facilitated when you consume adequate amounts of vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and D. The other vitamins that are beneficial for natural hair growth include vitamins B1, B2, B6, B 12, biotin, folic acid, inositol, and pantothenic acid. Natural hair growth vitamins can be obtained by consuming green vegetables, soy beans, almonds, dairy products, eggs, and omega 3 fatty acids from fish. These will supply the nutrients needed for fast hair growth. Remember to drink enough water to keep the body well hydrated. Coffee, tea, and alcohol tend to dehydrate the body.
Hair Growth Tips
Drinking green tea is an effective hair growth treatment as it contains antioxidants which help clear toxins and improve blood circulation. Get enough sleep as your body requires sufficient rest for optimal functioning. Sleep deprivation over long periods will show on your health and eventually on your hair. Massage the scalp with coconut, almond, or olive oil boiled with herbs like rosemary, basil, or henna leaves. Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns, or lemon peels can also be added. These will relax you and also stimulate hair growth. Egg white could be used as hair conditioner. You can also rinse your hair with warm vinegar after washing it.
Hair Growth Remedies
Avoid using harmful hair care products. Always use good shampoos and do not wash hair too often as they strip the hair of natural oils. After a bath, wrap your hair with a towel that has been dipped in hot water and squeezed dry. Trim your hair once every few months to avoid split ends. This is an effective hair growth remedy.
Take brisk walks at least thrice a week and exercise well to maintain a balanced life style and to keep healthy. Try and also reduce your everyday stress by using aromatherapy to refresh and relax.
Hair is an important aspect in one’s physical appearance and plays a vital role in keeping one’s morale and self-confidence. Therefore, there is no doubt as to why the hair growth product market is such a lucrative one. Millions are spent by people all over the world for hair growth products. However, it is best to use natural hair growth products such as herbs, roots, and seeds.
Hair growth could become a major concern if you are losing a lot of hair or exhibit visible thinning or balding hair. However, there are plenty of natural products which you can get in the market to promote fast hair growth. Besides these products, you could also make your own herbal hair growth remedies at home.
Hair Growth Vitamins
Hair growth is facilitated when you consume adequate amounts of vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and D. The other vitamins that are beneficial for natural hair growth include vitamins B1, B2, B6, B 12, biotin, folic acid, inositol, and pantothenic acid. Natural hair growth vitamins can be obtained by consuming green vegetables, soy beans, almonds, dairy products, eggs, and omega 3 fatty acids from fish. These will supply the nutrients needed for fast hair growth. Remember to drink enough water to keep the body well hydrated. Coffee, tea, and alcohol tend to dehydrate the body.
Hair Growth Tips
Drinking green tea is an effective hair growth treatment as it contains antioxidants which help clear toxins and improve blood circulation. Get enough sleep as your body requires sufficient rest for optimal functioning. Sleep deprivation over long periods will show on your health and eventually on your hair. Massage the scalp with coconut, almond, or olive oil boiled with herbs like rosemary, basil, or henna leaves. Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns, or lemon peels can also be added. These will relax you and also stimulate hair growth. Egg white could be used as hair conditioner. You can also rinse your hair with warm vinegar after washing it.
Hair Growth Remedies
Avoid using harmful hair care products. Always use good shampoos and do not wash hair too often as they strip the hair of natural oils. After a bath, wrap your hair with a towel that has been dipped in hot water and squeezed dry. Trim your hair once every few months to avoid split ends. This is an effective hair growth remedy.
Take brisk walks at least thrice a week and exercise well to maintain a balanced life style and to keep healthy. Try and also reduce your everyday stress by using aromatherapy to refresh and relax.
22 February 2012
Should You Trim Your Hair Every 6 to 8 Weeks?
A trim is defined as, "To put into a neat or orderly condition by clipping, paring, pruning, etc." A trim is also defined as, "A haircut that restores the previous cut to neatness without changing the hairstyle." Now that we have a common definition of what a trim is, should you trim your hair every 6 to 8 weeks? Let's talk about it.
Trimming your hair based on a time frame, such as every 6 weeks or 8 weeks is not a method to make your hair grow faster. Trimming does not make hair grow. For most of us, trimming the hair this frequently is a way to MAINTAIN our current length.
For some of us, it is way to keep our hair ends neat as the hair gains length, slowly. For almost all of us, trimming the hair based solely on a timetable of 6 to 8 weeks is not the fastest way to gain length.
•Why not? This is because hair, especially afro textured hair, grows in whorls.
•Think of hair used for weaving. It is all the same length. If you take that hair and wrap it around someone's head, around and around, that's a kind of whorl.
•Although that weaved hair is the same length, once you start wrapping it around a head, some of it seems longer or shorter. This is due to the location of the weaved hair on the head. Think of a sea shell. The shell goes around and around, in whorls.
•Our natural hair grows the same way as that wrapped piece of weaving hair and that shell. These are all examples of whorls.
My suggestion is to trim your hair on a time based schedule only when your goal is to neaten up the ends of a style you wish to maintain, at your hair's current length. A trim is for maintenance. A cut is used to CHANGE the hair. A cut is used to give yourself a new style, to completely remove split or damaged ends or to shorten the current length.
If you are trying to gain length, a trim can be useful for your purpose. The caveat or catch is that the trim should not be time based. The trim should be length based.
Trimming your hair based on a time frame, such as every 6 weeks or 8 weeks is not a method to make your hair grow faster. Trimming does not make hair grow. For most of us, trimming the hair this frequently is a way to MAINTAIN our current length.
For some of us, it is way to keep our hair ends neat as the hair gains length, slowly. For almost all of us, trimming the hair based solely on a timetable of 6 to 8 weeks is not the fastest way to gain length.
•Why not? This is because hair, especially afro textured hair, grows in whorls.
•Think of hair used for weaving. It is all the same length. If you take that hair and wrap it around someone's head, around and around, that's a kind of whorl.
•Although that weaved hair is the same length, once you start wrapping it around a head, some of it seems longer or shorter. This is due to the location of the weaved hair on the head. Think of a sea shell. The shell goes around and around, in whorls.
•Our natural hair grows the same way as that wrapped piece of weaving hair and that shell. These are all examples of whorls.
My suggestion is to trim your hair on a time based schedule only when your goal is to neaten up the ends of a style you wish to maintain, at your hair's current length. A trim is for maintenance. A cut is used to CHANGE the hair. A cut is used to give yourself a new style, to completely remove split or damaged ends or to shorten the current length.
If you are trying to gain length, a trim can be useful for your purpose. The caveat or catch is that the trim should not be time based. The trim should be length based.
17 February 2012
Opulence Inc.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Opulence Inc. Hair Extensions, the leader in the human hair extensions industry, is dedicated to providing the professional beauty industry with excellent service and unparalleled products, including their top-of-the-line remy hair extensions, now available in 36 different color choices.
Remy means that the hair cuticle all lies in the same direction, which prevents tangling and offers a more natural, shinier look. Available in both straight and wavy options, the quality of Opulence human hair extensions can't be beat.
"Next to the hair on your own head, Opulence Inc. hair extensions are the highest quality human hair available," said an Opulence representative. "We have the highest quality of hair without the extreme prices of the competitors; yet, Opulence doesn't sacrifice its quality."
Opulence hair extensions come from parts of India where the hair is cut ceremonially. It is then sent to their factory and carefully cleaned, inspected, and processed to the finished product. Because it is 100% human hair it can be curled, straightened, and styled just like the hair on your head.
Opulence offers 36 color choices in their 18" straight selection and 34 color choices in their 22" straight selection and 20" wavy hair selection. Their colors range from natural black, blonde, red, and brunette, to fun and funky colors like pink, purple, and blue.
Opulence fusion hair extensions tend to be the most discreet, however they are also the most time consuming to apply. If you don't want to commit to the time or price of fusion hair extensions, clip-in extensions are a great alternative to other hair extension methods.Their synthetic clip-in hair extensions come in 13 color options.
Opulence Inc. is dedicated to providing the very best in customer service, and offers training classes in Salt Lake City where hair professionals are trained and educated on everything from secrets that clients need to know to hands-on training for the salon.
For more information, or to view the wide variety of hair extensions from Opulence, visit http://www-hair-extensions.com .
Full press release available here: http://www-hair-extensions.com/press-release-opulence-hair-extensions-reveals-hair-extensions-for-every-type-of-hair
About Opulence Inc.:
Opulence provides the best products and services available in the marketplace today - thus enabling the stylist and the end user to benefit from their services, not only by the way you look, but also by the way you feel.
SOURCE Opulence Inc.
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Remy means that the hair cuticle all lies in the same direction, which prevents tangling and offers a more natural, shinier look. Available in both straight and wavy options, the quality of Opulence human hair extensions can't be beat.
"Next to the hair on your own head, Opulence Inc. hair extensions are the highest quality human hair available," said an Opulence representative. "We have the highest quality of hair without the extreme prices of the competitors; yet, Opulence doesn't sacrifice its quality."
Opulence hair extensions come from parts of India where the hair is cut ceremonially. It is then sent to their factory and carefully cleaned, inspected, and processed to the finished product. Because it is 100% human hair it can be curled, straightened, and styled just like the hair on your head.
Opulence offers 36 color choices in their 18" straight selection and 34 color choices in their 22" straight selection and 20" wavy hair selection. Their colors range from natural black, blonde, red, and brunette, to fun and funky colors like pink, purple, and blue.
Opulence fusion hair extensions tend to be the most discreet, however they are also the most time consuming to apply. If you don't want to commit to the time or price of fusion hair extensions, clip-in extensions are a great alternative to other hair extension methods.Their synthetic clip-in hair extensions come in 13 color options.
Opulence Inc. is dedicated to providing the very best in customer service, and offers training classes in Salt Lake City where hair professionals are trained and educated on everything from secrets that clients need to know to hands-on training for the salon.
For more information, or to view the wide variety of hair extensions from Opulence, visit http://www-hair-extensions.com .
Full press release available here: http://www-hair-extensions.com/press-release-opulence-hair-extensions-reveals-hair-extensions-for-every-type-of-hair
About Opulence Inc.:
Opulence provides the best products and services available in the marketplace today - thus enabling the stylist and the end user to benefit from their services, not only by the way you look, but also by the way you feel.
SOURCE Opulence Inc.
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
06 February 2012
02 February 2012
A new kind of hair care...
A pioneer in the Black hair care industry, Madam C. J. Walker worked her way out of poverty and on to become the first woman millionaire in the 19th century. The self-made entrepreneur founded her own business and began selling her products door to door. At the time of her death, Madam Walker’s estate had an estimated value of $600,000 to $700,000 (now equivalent to over $6 million).
In the years after Walker’s successes, Black-owned hair care businesses flourished. Today, Koreans, as well as international big names like L’Oreal Paris (manufacturer of products such as Soft Sheen Carson and Dark & Lovely), dominate the Black hair care industry.
Although Black women make up less than 10% of the U.S. population, they buy 70% of the wigs and extensions purchased in this country. And the vast majority of these dollars do not go back into our communities, or to support our Black businesses. Instead, billions of dollars in revenue is pumped out of our pockets and into the bank accounts of other ethnic groups that, in return, blacklist Black-owned businesses. Koreans control an estimated 80% of the retail and wholesale distribution of Black hair care products, especially professional products that are sold in beauty supply stores only.
In 2006, filmmaker Aron Ranen explored this phenomenon in the documentary, “Black Hair.” He found that one of the ways these merchants ensure the domination of the market is by publishing publications for Black beauty storeowners solely in Korean. Another method is by creating their own line of products, or buying out existing Black-owned companies. Kizure Products, a Black-owned company that specializes in curling irons, was blacklisted by Koreans and told that their products were no longer in demand, when that was far from the truth. “I don’t see a reversal of this at all. It’s just getting deeper and deeper,” Dr. Edward Tony Lloneau, a hair and scalp specialist, told Ranen.
Perhaps Lloneau is right. Perhaps a reversal is unconceivable. But that doesn’t make this a lost cause. Where did we go wrong since the days of Madam Walker, and where do we go now? Many in the “Black Hair” documentary cited the root of the problem as being the lack of Black unity. It’s common for Koreans to band together to help each other build businesses and then exclusively support one another. Others cite the lack of financial education in the Black community.
Whatever the true cause(s), there is no use in pointing fingers. The most we can do is educate ourselves and spread new knowledge to our sisters, mothers and friends. We can finally realize that there is power in numbers. If we each take tiny steps to support Black-owned brands and businesses, our immense buying power will thwart the efforts of others who seek to eradicate what’s left of Black businesses.
The next time you’re in need of a new bottle of conditioner or moisturizer, visit the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA), an organization that promotes and assists entrepreneurs in their goal of owning and operating Black-owned beauty businesses. They have a national directory of Black-owned beauty supply stores.
If you end up making an impromptu trip to the pharmacy or beauty supply store, or even shop online, purchase products by the handful of Black-owned hair companies that continue to thrive including, Johnson Products, Luster Products, Dudley Products Inc., Namaste Laboratories LLC (manufacturer of Organic Root Stimulator), Clintex Laboratories and Kizure.
I’m not suggesting you boycott Korean-owned stores or stop buying your favorite products. But consider looking beyond the price tag, familiarity, and convenience. This is bigger than us. This is bigger than hair. It’s time we start caring and taking action.
-Audra E. Lord
In the years after Walker’s successes, Black-owned hair care businesses flourished. Today, Koreans, as well as international big names like L’Oreal Paris (manufacturer of products such as Soft Sheen Carson and Dark & Lovely), dominate the Black hair care industry.
Although Black women make up less than 10% of the U.S. population, they buy 70% of the wigs and extensions purchased in this country. And the vast majority of these dollars do not go back into our communities, or to support our Black businesses. Instead, billions of dollars in revenue is pumped out of our pockets and into the bank accounts of other ethnic groups that, in return, blacklist Black-owned businesses. Koreans control an estimated 80% of the retail and wholesale distribution of Black hair care products, especially professional products that are sold in beauty supply stores only.
In 2006, filmmaker Aron Ranen explored this phenomenon in the documentary, “Black Hair.” He found that one of the ways these merchants ensure the domination of the market is by publishing publications for Black beauty storeowners solely in Korean. Another method is by creating their own line of products, or buying out existing Black-owned companies. Kizure Products, a Black-owned company that specializes in curling irons, was blacklisted by Koreans and told that their products were no longer in demand, when that was far from the truth. “I don’t see a reversal of this at all. It’s just getting deeper and deeper,” Dr. Edward Tony Lloneau, a hair and scalp specialist, told Ranen.
Perhaps Lloneau is right. Perhaps a reversal is unconceivable. But that doesn’t make this a lost cause. Where did we go wrong since the days of Madam Walker, and where do we go now? Many in the “Black Hair” documentary cited the root of the problem as being the lack of Black unity. It’s common for Koreans to band together to help each other build businesses and then exclusively support one another. Others cite the lack of financial education in the Black community.
Whatever the true cause(s), there is no use in pointing fingers. The most we can do is educate ourselves and spread new knowledge to our sisters, mothers and friends. We can finally realize that there is power in numbers. If we each take tiny steps to support Black-owned brands and businesses, our immense buying power will thwart the efforts of others who seek to eradicate what’s left of Black businesses.
The next time you’re in need of a new bottle of conditioner or moisturizer, visit the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA), an organization that promotes and assists entrepreneurs in their goal of owning and operating Black-owned beauty businesses. They have a national directory of Black-owned beauty supply stores.
If you end up making an impromptu trip to the pharmacy or beauty supply store, or even shop online, purchase products by the handful of Black-owned hair companies that continue to thrive including, Johnson Products, Luster Products, Dudley Products Inc., Namaste Laboratories LLC (manufacturer of Organic Root Stimulator), Clintex Laboratories and Kizure.
I’m not suggesting you boycott Korean-owned stores or stop buying your favorite products. But consider looking beyond the price tag, familiarity, and convenience. This is bigger than us. This is bigger than hair. It’s time we start caring and taking action.
-Audra E. Lord
30 January 2012
28 January 2012
Coconut oil
Coconut oil has long been regarded as one of the best hair conditioning natural health products in the natural world.
Many people worldwide use coconut oil as their sole hair conditioning product as it is relatively cheap and gives remarkable results.
The benefits of coconut oil for your hair are numerous. Coconut oil helps keep your hair fully moisturised, it promotes full growth and creates strong hair whilst keeping the scalp free from flakes. Its main benefit comes from increasing the protein retention in your hair – allowing for fuller and stronger growth.
Whilst many companies use tiny amounts of virgin coconut oil in their high end products a lot of people are now turning to pure virgin coconut oil for the benefits it brings.
The key benefits of using coconut oil or even coconut oil cream in your hair can be exposed by looking at the chemical properties of coconut oil. Often people proscribe coconut oil as a remedy for hair loss - or at least to slow the onset of hairless and we can soon see why.
27 January 2012
23 January 2012
How to Co-Wash Natural Black Hair
If you wear your hair natural, you are probably familiar with co-washing, or washing their hair with conditioner only. Conditioner washing avoids harsh results from frequent washing with shampoos and helps to keep natural black hair soft and manageable. Co-washing can be done as often as you'd like, even several times a day (this is a plus for natural hair wearers in the hot days of summer).
Oftentimes the question of "How do I co-wash my hair?" comes up. The answer would seem simple, but there are some steps you can take to get the most benefit from this technique and do it with ease.
* First, find a conditioner that works for your hair type.
* Get to know your ingredients. The long, hard-to-pronounce ingredients on the label can be overwhelming. But with familiarity, you can learn to spot which ingredients you want to keep and which you want to avoid. Ingredients like propylene glycol, cetyl alcohol and panthenol are common. Search online for ingredients lists. One such list can be found at http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/ingredients.html.
* Recommended: Purchase an extended shower head/hose. Handheld shower heads with variable sprays offer the best control for rinsing the hair and are often well worth the investment.
* Rinse the hair with warm water. Avoid water that is too hot (if it initially stings the back of your hand, it's too hot). Cleansing results from the action of water plus cleanser (shampoo and/or conditioner) and agitation (hand movements through the hair). Warm water will clean hair well while hot water can be damaging. While rinsing with water, gently comb your hair with your fingers.
* Apply your conditioner. This can be done in several ways. •Pour a line of conditioner into your hand (as opposed to pouring a dollop) and apply each line onto parted hair sections. Work the conditioner from the roots to the tips. Continue until all the hair is covered.
•Squeeze your normal amount of conditioner into a large bowl, preferably plastic. With the shower head, add water to the bowl and mix the water and conditioner well with your hands. Bend your head over the bowl. With a cup or other small container, scoop up some of the mix and pour it onto your hair. You can then lean further over into the bowl and wash your hair with your hands directly over the bowl if you'd like. This allows for even coverage, but note that the conditioner will be more dilute.
•Squeeze your normal amount of conditioner into a large clean spray bottle and mix with water. Shake well and spray liberally onto the hair. Again, this mixture will be more dilute than a direct application. This method is great for those who only have minutes to spare in the mornings. Make a large batch of diluted conditioner, spray your hair and rinse out after bathing.
* Comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb with rounded-edge teeth. This step is optional, as there remains a debate as to whether combing while wet does more damage to hair than combing while dry. It has been said that combing while wet can stretch the hair past it's longest point, thereby causing breakage. However, many who wear their hair natural report that combing while the hair is fully conditioned is the best time for them, as the hair is soft and pliable, leading to less breakage. In either case, comb hair gently by grabbing one small section at a time. Comb from the TIPS first, ensuring there are no snags then work your way to the roots. It's ok if you cannot comb from root to tip in one stroke. The main idea is to ease tangles and distribute the conditioner evenly.
* Allow the conditioner to set on your hair for at least a few minutes if possible. Both steam from the shower and the conditioner itself will work on your hair during this time. Give yourself a nice salt or sugar scrub while your hair is being conditioned.
* Rinse your hair well, again with warm water. Ease your fingers through each section while the water flows through to remove any remaining conditioner.
* Optional: Apply your hair products at this step -- while your hair is dripping wet. Many naturals swear by this technique and believe the best absorption is gained at this time. At the least, your product(s) can be more evenly distributed throughout your hair while it is sopping wet.
* It's time to dry. Just as with the application, there are several ways to dry your hair. •Dry with a towel. Avoid rubbing your scalp and hair with a towel at all costs! Instead, simply dab and pat your hair dry, or grab sections and squeeze excess water into the towel.
•Shake and go. Lay your towel across the back of your shoulders (lengthwise shoulder to shoulder). Grab the bottom corners of the towel and raise it up to your head, almost over your head. Think of Batman's cape raised up as he jumps off a tall building! With the towel raised, shake your head from side to side (ear to shoulder) and left to right (like saying no), shaking excess water into the towel. This is what I call the "no touch" method. Sometimes drying the hair directly with a towel can remove products you've just applied, even helping to separate your freshly-formed coils and spirals. You want your coils to group together to avoid the frizzies. This method is perfect for the warmer months when you possibly can afford to go longer periods with damp hair.
•Blow dry, but with care. When blow drying, the use of a diffuser is best. A diffuser will spread the heat from your dryer more evenly and minimize potential heat damage. You can find diffusers at most beauty supply stores at a minimal cost. If you do not have a diffuser, use the low heat or cool setting and blow dry from at least six inches from the furthest part of your hair. Remember, you are not trying to get the hair bone dry -- just dry enough to style and go out.
In summary, with the above methods you'll find shampooing your hair by co-washing is a great alternative to traditional shampooing which can strip your hair of much needed oils and moisture. With just a touch of practice, getting in and out of the shower with a clean head of hair will take less time than applying your makeup, and your hair will benefit greatly from it.
Elle Paris is the owner of My Natural which provides no-nonsense user reviews for hundreds of products for natural hair care. mynatural.com
Oftentimes the question of "How do I co-wash my hair?" comes up. The answer would seem simple, but there are some steps you can take to get the most benefit from this technique and do it with ease.
* First, find a conditioner that works for your hair type.
* Get to know your ingredients. The long, hard-to-pronounce ingredients on the label can be overwhelming. But with familiarity, you can learn to spot which ingredients you want to keep and which you want to avoid. Ingredients like propylene glycol, cetyl alcohol and panthenol are common. Search online for ingredients lists. One such list can be found at http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/ingredients.html.
* Recommended: Purchase an extended shower head/hose. Handheld shower heads with variable sprays offer the best control for rinsing the hair and are often well worth the investment.
* Rinse the hair with warm water. Avoid water that is too hot (if it initially stings the back of your hand, it's too hot). Cleansing results from the action of water plus cleanser (shampoo and/or conditioner) and agitation (hand movements through the hair). Warm water will clean hair well while hot water can be damaging. While rinsing with water, gently comb your hair with your fingers.
* Apply your conditioner. This can be done in several ways. •Pour a line of conditioner into your hand (as opposed to pouring a dollop) and apply each line onto parted hair sections. Work the conditioner from the roots to the tips. Continue until all the hair is covered.
•Squeeze your normal amount of conditioner into a large bowl, preferably plastic. With the shower head, add water to the bowl and mix the water and conditioner well with your hands. Bend your head over the bowl. With a cup or other small container, scoop up some of the mix and pour it onto your hair. You can then lean further over into the bowl and wash your hair with your hands directly over the bowl if you'd like. This allows for even coverage, but note that the conditioner will be more dilute.
•Squeeze your normal amount of conditioner into a large clean spray bottle and mix with water. Shake well and spray liberally onto the hair. Again, this mixture will be more dilute than a direct application. This method is great for those who only have minutes to spare in the mornings. Make a large batch of diluted conditioner, spray your hair and rinse out after bathing.
* Comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb with rounded-edge teeth. This step is optional, as there remains a debate as to whether combing while wet does more damage to hair than combing while dry. It has been said that combing while wet can stretch the hair past it's longest point, thereby causing breakage. However, many who wear their hair natural report that combing while the hair is fully conditioned is the best time for them, as the hair is soft and pliable, leading to less breakage. In either case, comb hair gently by grabbing one small section at a time. Comb from the TIPS first, ensuring there are no snags then work your way to the roots. It's ok if you cannot comb from root to tip in one stroke. The main idea is to ease tangles and distribute the conditioner evenly.
* Allow the conditioner to set on your hair for at least a few minutes if possible. Both steam from the shower and the conditioner itself will work on your hair during this time. Give yourself a nice salt or sugar scrub while your hair is being conditioned.
* Rinse your hair well, again with warm water. Ease your fingers through each section while the water flows through to remove any remaining conditioner.
* Optional: Apply your hair products at this step -- while your hair is dripping wet. Many naturals swear by this technique and believe the best absorption is gained at this time. At the least, your product(s) can be more evenly distributed throughout your hair while it is sopping wet.
* It's time to dry. Just as with the application, there are several ways to dry your hair. •Dry with a towel. Avoid rubbing your scalp and hair with a towel at all costs! Instead, simply dab and pat your hair dry, or grab sections and squeeze excess water into the towel.
•Shake and go. Lay your towel across the back of your shoulders (lengthwise shoulder to shoulder). Grab the bottom corners of the towel and raise it up to your head, almost over your head. Think of Batman's cape raised up as he jumps off a tall building! With the towel raised, shake your head from side to side (ear to shoulder) and left to right (like saying no), shaking excess water into the towel. This is what I call the "no touch" method. Sometimes drying the hair directly with a towel can remove products you've just applied, even helping to separate your freshly-formed coils and spirals. You want your coils to group together to avoid the frizzies. This method is perfect for the warmer months when you possibly can afford to go longer periods with damp hair.
•Blow dry, but with care. When blow drying, the use of a diffuser is best. A diffuser will spread the heat from your dryer more evenly and minimize potential heat damage. You can find diffusers at most beauty supply stores at a minimal cost. If you do not have a diffuser, use the low heat or cool setting and blow dry from at least six inches from the furthest part of your hair. Remember, you are not trying to get the hair bone dry -- just dry enough to style and go out.
In summary, with the above methods you'll find shampooing your hair by co-washing is a great alternative to traditional shampooing which can strip your hair of much needed oils and moisture. With just a touch of practice, getting in and out of the shower with a clean head of hair will take less time than applying your makeup, and your hair will benefit greatly from it.
Elle Paris is the owner of My Natural which provides no-nonsense user reviews for hundreds of products for natural hair care. mynatural.com
My hair won't grow
This is one statement that I get a lot, and see a lot: “my hair won’t grow”. The reason why I am writing this is to let you know that this statement is not true. It is just not correct.
When you noticed that your hair won’t grow, there are basically two things that may happen:
•You have reached the terminal length – which is highly unlikely unless if you have really long hair, at waist level o even longer.
•You are not preserving you ends.
•You are not getting enough nutrients into your system (this is when biotin comes in)
Now, let’s talk a bit about the second factor which is most of the time the cause you are not retaining length – your hair ends. If you feel your hair roots and they feel really raveled or nappy and just feel that you need a relaxer every two or three months, that means that your hair is growing. The problem is that you are not preserving the length because of the hair ends. As you know the ends are the oldest parts of your hair and the most vulnerable.
So, if you don’t see your hair length increasing in a month or two that means that as fast as your hair is growing, your ends are breaking. Thus, the length remains the same, even though your hair keeps growing day by day. You need to moisturize your ends! There are a lot of great products on the market that really help a lot. After moisturizing you can also use oil in order to preserve to moist even better.
Regarding the third bullet point, I always said that nutrition is very important for a healthy body and also a healthy hair. Biotin continues to be the most important vitamin you can think of when it comes to hair growth rate. Biotin can compensate for the lack of nutrients and vitamins that for some reason you just can get into you system. Remember that your hair and nails are the last parts of your body in line for getting the nutrients after the vital organs like your heard, brain, muscles and so on. Biotin is great for hair growth so I definitely recommend it if you are not happy with the current condition of your hair.
Christine is the owner and editor of Biotin Hair Growth dot com a website covering biotin topics ranging from what biotin is to biotin side effects.
When you noticed that your hair won’t grow, there are basically two things that may happen:
•You have reached the terminal length – which is highly unlikely unless if you have really long hair, at waist level o even longer.
•You are not preserving you ends.
•You are not getting enough nutrients into your system (this is when biotin comes in)
Now, let’s talk a bit about the second factor which is most of the time the cause you are not retaining length – your hair ends. If you feel your hair roots and they feel really raveled or nappy and just feel that you need a relaxer every two or three months, that means that your hair is growing. The problem is that you are not preserving the length because of the hair ends. As you know the ends are the oldest parts of your hair and the most vulnerable.
So, if you don’t see your hair length increasing in a month or two that means that as fast as your hair is growing, your ends are breaking. Thus, the length remains the same, even though your hair keeps growing day by day. You need to moisturize your ends! There are a lot of great products on the market that really help a lot. After moisturizing you can also use oil in order to preserve to moist even better.
Regarding the third bullet point, I always said that nutrition is very important for a healthy body and also a healthy hair. Biotin continues to be the most important vitamin you can think of when it comes to hair growth rate. Biotin can compensate for the lack of nutrients and vitamins that for some reason you just can get into you system. Remember that your hair and nails are the last parts of your body in line for getting the nutrients after the vital organs like your heard, brain, muscles and so on. Biotin is great for hair growth so I definitely recommend it if you are not happy with the current condition of your hair.
Christine is the owner and editor of Biotin Hair Growth dot com a website covering biotin topics ranging from what biotin is to biotin side effects.
22 January 2012
How to Avoid Getting Matted Afro-Textured Hair
Matted hair is an enemy to gaining length and retaining that length on afro-textured hair. Getting tangles at the root, middle and ends of hair are big problems for afro- textured hair. I am going to teach you in three easy steps how to avoid getting matted afro textured hair.
1.Detangle Hair Daily Before Retiring: When wearing your hair in loosened styles such as twists outs, braid outs, and puffs, be sure to finger comb them at night before retiring. Gently rake your finger tips through the style to remove any tangles. Make sure to go from root to tip or from your scalp to the ends of your hair. If possible, try to gently and loosely place the free and loose hair into large sections. Secure the hair with a satin or silk scarf. Retire for the evening.
2.Address Small Tangles Immediately: Small tangles only become larger tangles if you ignore them. As with any problem or challenge, the sooner you nip it in the bud or address it, the better it is for you in the long run. A tangle usually begins with a broken hair or hair that has shed and mixed in with some type of styling product or even lint or dirt. If you can't address the tangle right then, try to keep the addition of any styling product to a minimum.
3.Do Not Increase the Tension or Tightness of a Tangle: Rushing to get ready for your work or school day or for an evening event may not leave time for you to provide the attention your hair needs. If you have tangles in your hair that you cannot address at that moment, try to fix your hair using your fingers. Try not to use a brush or comb to smooth the hair down when you have a tangle in your hair. Why not? If you brush or comb your hair and smooth it up to the tangle, you run the risk of squeezing the tangled hair even more tightly together. In addition to this, any residual product that is intertwined within the tangled hair will be pressed down and will spread out to engulf more of the tangled hair into the knot.
By keeping your eye on tangles when they start, addressing them immediately, or styling to not make them tighter, this should go along way in helping you to avoid getting matted afro-textured hair.
Would you like to know more about the care and feeding of beautiful afro-textured hair? Stop on by at BeautifyBitByBit.com
Chicoro
1.Detangle Hair Daily Before Retiring: When wearing your hair in loosened styles such as twists outs, braid outs, and puffs, be sure to finger comb them at night before retiring. Gently rake your finger tips through the style to remove any tangles. Make sure to go from root to tip or from your scalp to the ends of your hair. If possible, try to gently and loosely place the free and loose hair into large sections. Secure the hair with a satin or silk scarf. Retire for the evening.
2.Address Small Tangles Immediately: Small tangles only become larger tangles if you ignore them. As with any problem or challenge, the sooner you nip it in the bud or address it, the better it is for you in the long run. A tangle usually begins with a broken hair or hair that has shed and mixed in with some type of styling product or even lint or dirt. If you can't address the tangle right then, try to keep the addition of any styling product to a minimum.
3.Do Not Increase the Tension or Tightness of a Tangle: Rushing to get ready for your work or school day or for an evening event may not leave time for you to provide the attention your hair needs. If you have tangles in your hair that you cannot address at that moment, try to fix your hair using your fingers. Try not to use a brush or comb to smooth the hair down when you have a tangle in your hair. Why not? If you brush or comb your hair and smooth it up to the tangle, you run the risk of squeezing the tangled hair even more tightly together. In addition to this, any residual product that is intertwined within the tangled hair will be pressed down and will spread out to engulf more of the tangled hair into the knot.
By keeping your eye on tangles when they start, addressing them immediately, or styling to not make them tighter, this should go along way in helping you to avoid getting matted afro-textured hair.
Would you like to know more about the care and feeding of beautiful afro-textured hair? Stop on by at BeautifyBitByBit.com
Chicoro
19 January 2012
Order
HELLO,
MY NAME IS MR BRUCE, I WANT TO ORDER SHAMPOO, PLEASE ADVISE THE TYPES YOU CARRY AND ALSO I WILL LIKE TO KNOW THE TYPES OF PAYMENT YOU ACCEPT WITH CREDIT CARD. LOOKING FORWARD TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.
THANK YOU.
BRUCE
18 January 2012
Natural Hair Myths and Healthier Hair
Healthier Hair
The improved blood flow helps keep your hair stronger and healthier, Dixon says. This blood, full of nutrients, stimulates the hair follicles and promotes growth. “Exercise is also a big stress reliever,” she says. “Lower stress means your hair is less likely to be brittle and, worse, fall out.” Even if you’re as stress free as a cucumber, Dixon recommends checking with your dermatologist about any hair loss to rule out other causes.
As for the best type of exercise for your skin, Dixon says it’s all good. “Every modality will improve circulation and reduce stress,” she says, “but it’s a wise move to mix up your workouts as often as possible.” Try adding 30 minutes of a few simple yoga postures or a brisk walk to your day three times a week, Dixon says, to see the beauty returns in your hair and skin.
Natural Hair Myths!
No. 1 - Natural Hair is Dirty - NOT TRUE, In fact, we women with natural hair wash our hair more often than women who aren't natural, because we must detangle our hair, condition our hair, keep our hair nice, etc. Natural hair is very clean and healthy!
No. 2 - Natural hair is not Manageable - Natural hair is very manageable. It isn’t that natural hair isn’t manageable; it’s that people refuse to learn how to manage natural hair. If you keep up with it, and play attention to you lovely curls, it will show you love back. Wash it, Condition it often, and keep it well moisturized and your curls will flourish and make you proud! WATER/WATER/WATER is key!
No. 3 - You must grease the scalp - Sorry, but this is not true! You do not have to grease your scalp often at all. Most of the time, this is the factor in our hair not growing, because the chemicals in the grease we tend to use clog our pores/scalps. (Bad Ingredients posted Below)Therefore, hair does not grow! Instead, use a natural oil, such as, jojoba oil/sebum. Our scalp produces this same type of oil and this oil will seep into our pores. It's natural, does not smell and will moisturized the scalp and hair perfectly!
Important: Many products you'll find in the ethnic hair care section of your local stores are full of ingredients that aren't the best for black hair
No. 4 - You must trim your hair Often - Nope, This isn't true! Only trim with your hair is splitting. You want to do this so the split does not reach to your scalp. You trim right about the split. There is a difference between hair breakage and slipping.
No. 5 - Natural hair grows Slowly & Does not grow Long - Natural hair neither grows more slowly nor more quickly than relaxed hair. Hair grows on average 1/2 an inch a month. What naturals must take into account is what is known as shrinkage. Yes, as we all know. Strinkage is a huge pain. Like a telephone cord, natural hair coils up tightly, making our hair look shorter than usual. The truth is all people, no matter race, hair grows at about 1/2 an inch a month. It's how you take care of your hair, whether you see this length.
No. 6 - Natural hair is not Accepted in the Workplace - There have been many cases on discrimination around the globe for us wearing the hair God has given us, but not all bosses are downplaying us, most workplaces accept it actually. There are plenty professionals with natural hair. Dreadlocks, twists, braids, etc. Such as doctors, lawyers, artists, business owners, physical therapists, etc. So do not let this myth stray you away from healthy hair.
No. 7 - Natural Hair Is Strong - Natural hair looks strong, which is why so many people accidentally abuse it with rough treatment. In reality, black hair is fragile and needs to be treated with the gentlest of care in order for it to flourish. Wide tooth combs, natural ingredients and your own fingers are the best tools and products for natural hair.
No. 8 - Natural Hair Is not Sexy - Oh Please Quit! Of Course it is. There are millions and trillions of pics to prove that!
No. 9 - You can not comb Natural Hair - Not True! Yes you can comb natural hair. How do you think we get parts in our hair?! You can comb natural hair at anytime. I would not recommend combing it when its dry. Only when it is full of condition and wet with water.
No. 10 - Anyone can go Natural - True! The only thing is that you have to cut off the damaged/permed/relaxed hair first, or you can transition into natural by many different hairstyles.
No. 11 - Men don't think Natural hair is Attractive - This myth is completely untrue. Many natural women say that they attract MORE attention since they’ve gone natural. I seriously have!
Yes, some women have had partners who were against the hair change, but some of these men changed their minds later on and now find the natural hair irresistible and very sexy.
The improved blood flow helps keep your hair stronger and healthier, Dixon says. This blood, full of nutrients, stimulates the hair follicles and promotes growth. “Exercise is also a big stress reliever,” she says. “Lower stress means your hair is less likely to be brittle and, worse, fall out.” Even if you’re as stress free as a cucumber, Dixon recommends checking with your dermatologist about any hair loss to rule out other causes.
As for the best type of exercise for your skin, Dixon says it’s all good. “Every modality will improve circulation and reduce stress,” she says, “but it’s a wise move to mix up your workouts as often as possible.” Try adding 30 minutes of a few simple yoga postures or a brisk walk to your day three times a week, Dixon says, to see the beauty returns in your hair and skin.
Natural Hair Myths!
No. 1 - Natural Hair is Dirty - NOT TRUE, In fact, we women with natural hair wash our hair more often than women who aren't natural, because we must detangle our hair, condition our hair, keep our hair nice, etc. Natural hair is very clean and healthy!
No. 2 - Natural hair is not Manageable - Natural hair is very manageable. It isn’t that natural hair isn’t manageable; it’s that people refuse to learn how to manage natural hair. If you keep up with it, and play attention to you lovely curls, it will show you love back. Wash it, Condition it often, and keep it well moisturized and your curls will flourish and make you proud! WATER/WATER/WATER is key!
No. 3 - You must grease the scalp - Sorry, but this is not true! You do not have to grease your scalp often at all. Most of the time, this is the factor in our hair not growing, because the chemicals in the grease we tend to use clog our pores/scalps. (Bad Ingredients posted Below)Therefore, hair does not grow! Instead, use a natural oil, such as, jojoba oil/sebum. Our scalp produces this same type of oil and this oil will seep into our pores. It's natural, does not smell and will moisturized the scalp and hair perfectly!
Important: Many products you'll find in the ethnic hair care section of your local stores are full of ingredients that aren't the best for black hair
No. 4 - You must trim your hair Often - Nope, This isn't true! Only trim with your hair is splitting. You want to do this so the split does not reach to your scalp. You trim right about the split. There is a difference between hair breakage and slipping.
No. 5 - Natural hair grows Slowly & Does not grow Long - Natural hair neither grows more slowly nor more quickly than relaxed hair. Hair grows on average 1/2 an inch a month. What naturals must take into account is what is known as shrinkage. Yes, as we all know. Strinkage is a huge pain. Like a telephone cord, natural hair coils up tightly, making our hair look shorter than usual. The truth is all people, no matter race, hair grows at about 1/2 an inch a month. It's how you take care of your hair, whether you see this length.
No. 6 - Natural hair is not Accepted in the Workplace - There have been many cases on discrimination around the globe for us wearing the hair God has given us, but not all bosses are downplaying us, most workplaces accept it actually. There are plenty professionals with natural hair. Dreadlocks, twists, braids, etc. Such as doctors, lawyers, artists, business owners, physical therapists, etc. So do not let this myth stray you away from healthy hair.
No. 7 - Natural Hair Is Strong - Natural hair looks strong, which is why so many people accidentally abuse it with rough treatment. In reality, black hair is fragile and needs to be treated with the gentlest of care in order for it to flourish. Wide tooth combs, natural ingredients and your own fingers are the best tools and products for natural hair.
No. 8 - Natural Hair Is not Sexy - Oh Please Quit! Of Course it is. There are millions and trillions of pics to prove that!
No. 9 - You can not comb Natural Hair - Not True! Yes you can comb natural hair. How do you think we get parts in our hair?! You can comb natural hair at anytime. I would not recommend combing it when its dry. Only when it is full of condition and wet with water.
No. 10 - Anyone can go Natural - True! The only thing is that you have to cut off the damaged/permed/relaxed hair first, or you can transition into natural by many different hairstyles.
No. 11 - Men don't think Natural hair is Attractive - This myth is completely untrue. Many natural women say that they attract MORE attention since they’ve gone natural. I seriously have!
Yes, some women have had partners who were against the hair change, but some of these men changed their minds later on and now find the natural hair irresistible and very sexy.
How to Wash Hair and Minimize Tangles in Afro-Textured Hair
Many shampoo commercials show women washing their hair, on the top of their heads, rubbing it around with lots of soap and suds. Although it looks great, it can needlessly increase the amount of tangles in your precious, beautiful hair. I would like to challenge you to try to wash and condition your hair in a way to minimize the tangles
1.Detangle and section your dry hair with your fingers. If your hair is covered in gel, hair spray or is gummy from some other product, rinse your hair first to remove the top layer of product. The goal is to separate the hair in sections. Section your hair into 4-8 braids or twists. No combing or brushing.
2.Cleanse your hair. Dilute your shampoo or your soap in ½ cup of very warm water. Stir it around, pour over your head and rinse your hair. Squeeze your braids and or twists, and work the soapy water through the hair. Repeat until the suds run clean. No combing or brushing.
3.Condition your hair. Rinse the braids or twists with clean warm water. Place your conditioner directly on the braids. Unloosen each braid, rake the conditioner through it with your hands. Now use a wide tooth comb to detangle the first braid or twist, with the conditioner on it. Re-braid loosely.
4.Moisturize your hair. Rinse the conditioner from all the braids. Undo the detangled first braid. Add your leave in product. Work in the product. Style as usual.
This process should help you to minimize tangles when you wash and condition your hair.
Would you like to know more about the care and feeding of beautiful afro-textured hair? Stop on by at BeautifyBitByBit.com
Chicoro
1.Detangle and section your dry hair with your fingers. If your hair is covered in gel, hair spray or is gummy from some other product, rinse your hair first to remove the top layer of product. The goal is to separate the hair in sections. Section your hair into 4-8 braids or twists. No combing or brushing.
2.Cleanse your hair. Dilute your shampoo or your soap in ½ cup of very warm water. Stir it around, pour over your head and rinse your hair. Squeeze your braids and or twists, and work the soapy water through the hair. Repeat until the suds run clean. No combing or brushing.
3.Condition your hair. Rinse the braids or twists with clean warm water. Place your conditioner directly on the braids. Unloosen each braid, rake the conditioner through it with your hands. Now use a wide tooth comb to detangle the first braid or twist, with the conditioner on it. Re-braid loosely.
4.Moisturize your hair. Rinse the conditioner from all the braids. Undo the detangled first braid. Add your leave in product. Work in the product. Style as usual.
This process should help you to minimize tangles when you wash and condition your hair.
Would you like to know more about the care and feeding of beautiful afro-textured hair? Stop on by at BeautifyBitByBit.com
Chicoro
17 January 2012
Black hair 101
This was a phrase that I would search for in my early days of researching about hair because I so wanted to grow my hair to lengths that I never had. I picked up some very important tips and tricks along the way that I want to share with you. When beginning your long hair journey, remember these step-by-step instructions. Please note that everybody’s hair differs. Some of these steps may seem strange at first, but they will be beneficial in the long run.
1.Cut your hair. Cut my hair? Yes, cut it. Whether your hair is natural or relaxed if you have split raggedy ends, you need to give your hair a nice trim before you start out. If it is uneven and ragged or some strands are longer than others just cut it. Split ends can never be repaired, they just keep on splitting up to the hair root. Just cut them off. Hair grows an average six inches per year, you will get back some of it this year if you treat your hair right.
2.Extend your relaxing session. If you used to relax your hair every ten weeks, extend it to twelve. You will have to learn how to embrace your two textures by using moisture and inventive hair styles. The important thing to note is that the longer your natural hair growth is the better it is for processing without overlapping the processing of your new growth and your previously relaxed hair.
3.Start going natural. Not back to your natural hair if that is not something that you want to do but back to natural products. This might prove to be the best thing that you ever do for your hair. Petroleum, mineral oil and similar products do not promote hair growth. Natural products like carrot, molasses, eggs and natural oils can be better alternatives than the stuff that you get in bottles.
4.Dump fine tooth combs and hard brushes. Chuck them in the trash, anything that can snag your ends will do your hair little good.
5.Use only those products that are proven to work for you. Through trial and error many of us have come to discover certain products that we can’t do without. If they make your hair silkier and softer, why switch or experiment? Chuck the rest that are cluttering your cupboard, remember less is more.
6.Deep condition hair with heat every week. This used to be somewhat of a bother for me but it works. Find a good deep conditioner with protein and moisture balance and do it every week. You will see the difference after three or so weeks.
7.Stop shampooing your hair with commercial shampoos. Lather rinse repeat cannot be your mantra for black hair. Not all shampoos are created equal, some of them contain harmful chemicals and toxins that will strip hair and cause excess dryness. The ones that sud the most are the worst. Use regular conditioner to wash your hair instead, find a sulphate free shampoo or make your own hair products.
8.Relax. I am serious, do not be so stressed out, it will make your hair fall out. I had a friend who used to follow every hair tip I told her but her hair would still not budge. Then she got rid of her headache-inducing man and her hair began to grow like a weed.
9.Hair Food. Try to eat those foods which will enhance hair growth and retention. Some of them are foods which contain protein and iron, along with a well balanced diet, you are on the right track. Do not take so-called hair supplements from just any company. If you eat right and exercise you do not need to take supplements at all.
10.Water. Drink plenty of water it is like tonic to your hair, it is great to moisturize the hair from within.
Employ all of these ten steps and you will have your waist length hair. Hair grows an average of ¼ inch to ½ inch per month. It is up to you to retain this hair growth through healthy hair practices.
1.Cut your hair. Cut my hair? Yes, cut it. Whether your hair is natural or relaxed if you have split raggedy ends, you need to give your hair a nice trim before you start out. If it is uneven and ragged or some strands are longer than others just cut it. Split ends can never be repaired, they just keep on splitting up to the hair root. Just cut them off. Hair grows an average six inches per year, you will get back some of it this year if you treat your hair right.
2.Extend your relaxing session. If you used to relax your hair every ten weeks, extend it to twelve. You will have to learn how to embrace your two textures by using moisture and inventive hair styles. The important thing to note is that the longer your natural hair growth is the better it is for processing without overlapping the processing of your new growth and your previously relaxed hair.
3.Start going natural. Not back to your natural hair if that is not something that you want to do but back to natural products. This might prove to be the best thing that you ever do for your hair. Petroleum, mineral oil and similar products do not promote hair growth. Natural products like carrot, molasses, eggs and natural oils can be better alternatives than the stuff that you get in bottles.
4.Dump fine tooth combs and hard brushes. Chuck them in the trash, anything that can snag your ends will do your hair little good.
5.Use only those products that are proven to work for you. Through trial and error many of us have come to discover certain products that we can’t do without. If they make your hair silkier and softer, why switch or experiment? Chuck the rest that are cluttering your cupboard, remember less is more.
6.Deep condition hair with heat every week. This used to be somewhat of a bother for me but it works. Find a good deep conditioner with protein and moisture balance and do it every week. You will see the difference after three or so weeks.
7.Stop shampooing your hair with commercial shampoos. Lather rinse repeat cannot be your mantra for black hair. Not all shampoos are created equal, some of them contain harmful chemicals and toxins that will strip hair and cause excess dryness. The ones that sud the most are the worst. Use regular conditioner to wash your hair instead, find a sulphate free shampoo or make your own hair products.
8.Relax. I am serious, do not be so stressed out, it will make your hair fall out. I had a friend who used to follow every hair tip I told her but her hair would still not budge. Then she got rid of her headache-inducing man and her hair began to grow like a weed.
9.Hair Food. Try to eat those foods which will enhance hair growth and retention. Some of them are foods which contain protein and iron, along with a well balanced diet, you are on the right track. Do not take so-called hair supplements from just any company. If you eat right and exercise you do not need to take supplements at all.
10.Water. Drink plenty of water it is like tonic to your hair, it is great to moisturize the hair from within.
Employ all of these ten steps and you will have your waist length hair. Hair grows an average of ¼ inch to ½ inch per month. It is up to you to retain this hair growth through healthy hair practices.
15 January 2012
Hair and Beauty Show's
America's Beauty Show - Chicago
March 3-5, 2012
For over 80 years, America's Beauty Show has been bringing you the best of the best in the beauty industry. ABS is created by local legends, showcases international icons and delivers your favorite suppliers.
International Congress of Cosmetics and Spa - Las Vegas
March 4-5, 2012
Another great chance so soak up some sun and get schooled about what's hot in the skin care industry, is the International Congress of Cosmetics and Spa in Miami Florida.
Guests walk away with endless ideas to apply in their spa, and tons of free samples!
The Makeup Show - Los Angeles
March 17-18, 2012
The Makeup Show is coming to LA! This show will bring together top brands and inspirational educators, for two amazing days of community, career and craft building events. There will be floor demonstrations, complimentary seminars, workshops and keynote forums presented by renowned makeup artists.
Esthetique Spa International - Las Vegas
April 15-16, 2012
The Esthetique Spa International in the largest even exclusive to aesthetic, spa and medi-spa professionals. This two-day event will showcase products from the beauty and cosmetic industries
IBS - New York
April 22-24, 2012
The International Beauty Show is the fastest growing beauty trade show in the nation. Get recharged with the latest trends, techniques, products and tools from more than 500 exhibitors. Stock up on your salon's needs at the longest running beauty show in the world.
International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa - New York
April 22-24, 2012
International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa New York hails as one of the largest events in the cosmetic and beauty product industry. At this 3-day blow-out you can view professional equipment, instruments and accessories for beauty and nail salons.
March 3-5, 2012
For over 80 years, America's Beauty Show has been bringing you the best of the best in the beauty industry. ABS is created by local legends, showcases international icons and delivers your favorite suppliers.
International Congress of Cosmetics and Spa - Las Vegas
March 4-5, 2012
Another great chance so soak up some sun and get schooled about what's hot in the skin care industry, is the International Congress of Cosmetics and Spa in Miami Florida.
Guests walk away with endless ideas to apply in their spa, and tons of free samples!
The Makeup Show - Los Angeles
March 17-18, 2012
The Makeup Show is coming to LA! This show will bring together top brands and inspirational educators, for two amazing days of community, career and craft building events. There will be floor demonstrations, complimentary seminars, workshops and keynote forums presented by renowned makeup artists.
Esthetique Spa International - Las Vegas
April 15-16, 2012
The Esthetique Spa International in the largest even exclusive to aesthetic, spa and medi-spa professionals. This two-day event will showcase products from the beauty and cosmetic industries
IBS - New York
April 22-24, 2012
The International Beauty Show is the fastest growing beauty trade show in the nation. Get recharged with the latest trends, techniques, products and tools from more than 500 exhibitors. Stock up on your salon's needs at the longest running beauty show in the world.
International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa - New York
April 22-24, 2012
International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa New York hails as one of the largest events in the cosmetic and beauty product industry. At this 3-day blow-out you can view professional equipment, instruments and accessories for beauty and nail salons.
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