Tips and Tricks to Combat Winter Dryness

Hey fellow Naturalistas,

Being in Northern NY, it has definitely been a bit chilly!  As most of you know I BC’ED on 11/14/2011, so I do not have enough length to do the retro-funky protective hairstyles.  I am really not one to get braids or weaves because of past experiences (being bald headed once I took down the weaves/braids).  My go to style for the week normally consists of rocking a wash-n-go all week long.  No ladies, I do not wash my hair every day that would be asinine!  I wash my hair Sundays and simply spritz every morning for a refresher and I’m out the door!

Since my head is not covered (unless it is SUPER cold, I will rock a hat—with a satin bonnet underneath of course!) I have experienced some dryness lately.  I seal my hair daily with my water/oil spritz bottle every morning and evening.  I was finding that though sealing your hair daily is UBER important, it was not enough, I was still combating dryness. 

Naptural85 has a “baggie” method that has been a life saver for my dehydrated tresses.  All it involves is spritzing my hair with my water/oil, placing a little bit of smoothie behind that and cover my head with a shower cap. I then cover the shower cap with a scarf and go to sleep.  The shower cap provides enough moisture for my hair to stay hydrated, but it is NOT sopping wet.  I am able to sleep very comfortably and the results in the morning are great!  I simply take off the shower cap and scarf, shake my head and style, If needed I will also follow up with some Shea Moisture Curling Soufflé.  By the time I leave the house my hair is dry, hydrated; and soft!  You do not have to do this every night, I advise trying it for three days and see if you notice a difference!

Deep conditioning you hair is very important!  You can either pre-poo OR do a regular DC OR you can do both J.  Pre-pooing consists of applying a conditioner or oil mixture to dry hair BEFORE you wash it.  Personally, I have been pre-pooing with EVOO, Safflower Oil and Grapeseed oil (all found in my local supermarket; pics of the oils can be found under the tab product review) and some of my shea moisture DC, I cover my hair with a shower cap for about 2-3 hours.  I follow up with washing my hair with a sulfate free shampoo and apply my DC such as shea moisture mask to my hair and cover again.  I will then rinse my hair with cool water and style.  You can also choose to rinse with an ACV (apple cider vinegar) and H20 rinse. 

Use a nice, thick leave in conditioner.  By applying a leave in conditioner you will retain moisture.  I personally recommend Giovanni direct leave-in followed up by shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie.

Co-wash your hair instead of applying a sulfate free shampoo.  Co-washing will not strip your hair of moisture,  However, it may cause build-up.  If you are in the habit of washing your hair every day, try to set a schedule.  For example, co-wash every other day and wash with a sulfate free shampoo once per week. 

Air Dry or Limit the use of direct heat
Avoid using hair dryers during the winter months. Blow drying already brittle and dry hair will only make them worse. If you have to, use a cooler setting to dry your hair. It may take your hair longer to dry but the shine in your hair will be well worth it. There are some great videos on youtube that show how to blow dry hair on a cool setting. 

SEAL YOUR HAIR!-- Sealing your hair is SOOOO important!!! The best hydrator for your hair is water.  In order for the water to properly hydrate your hair, you must follow up the water application with applying an oil in your hair.  The reason the oil seals the water in your hair is because the oil molecule is bigger than the water molecule thus, trapping the water molecule to your hair keeping it hydrated. 

Stay Hydrated! It’s simple…DRINK MORE WATER!! Keep your body hydrated starting on the inside first.

Alright Naturalistas, there you have it. How do you ladies combat winter dryness?

***Deep Conditioning Recipes….Under FIVE dollars!!!!***

Good Afternoon Fellow Naturalistas!

One thing I learned when I went natural is that it is SUPER easy to become a product JUNKIE!  Especially with purchasing Deep Conditioner since it is natural for our natural hair to be dry.  Most of this was inspired by reading reviews on different products (Miss. Jessies, Uncle Funky’s) and saying OMG! I NEED this product to make my hair look like HERS!! Or to define my curl pattern! OR to give me some HANG TIME and stop all of this SHRINKAGE!

THEN…..I saw the prices of the products and my jaw dang near hit the floor LOL…I thought to myself that there had to be an in-expensive way to condition my hair (besides using oils, which I talk about in length here: http://curlykinkyqt.blogspot.com/2011/12/can-my-kinkz-ever-be-moisturized.html) and make it look just as fabulously conditioned and moisturized! 

One thing I love about being natural is that you are able to experiment with various deep conditioning techniques that you may not have been able to use when you were permed!  A lot of the techniques and recipes that I am about to list you can make at home with products from your pantry!! These are recipes that I have used and that I have loved (or not, I will give a review if I didn’t like it and tell you why below)

Ladies, please feel free to leave your own recipe in the comments section below and don’t forget to follow me before you leave!!

                                               

                                                                 RECEPIES

1.      Jojoba Hot Oil Treatment-I buy this product from the Beauty supply store.  The bottle is 3.99 and has SO many uses! You can either use it alone by simply soaking the bottle in a hot (not boiling or the bottle with warp) glass of water.  I normally take the cup and set it by the shower.  I apply the oil treatment when I first step into the shower and then rinse it out after I am done with everything else (normally 20-30 minutes so the steam from the shower can get to it)

Another option with the Jojoba oil is to apply it he night before your wash day.  Apply liberally to scalp and hair (ensuring you make it down to the ends).  You can either apply it warm or room temperature.  Give yourself a brief scalp massage (ensuring that you tip your head back slightly so that the blood flow can reach the ends of your hair).  Cover your hair with a shower cap and/or plastic bag and then place your silk bonnet over it.  You can sleep while the oil is penetrating your hair. 

Lastly, another option for this wonderful oil is to use it in your water spritzer bottle mixed with your other essential oils.  You can moisturize your hair daily with this mixture! 

The oil is not GREASY at all!!! I love this oil and it has many benefits to both your hair and skin!

                                                      

2.      Mayo/Egg/Honey Deep Conditioner- Combine in a bowl Half an avocado, mashed (could be a whole avocado for longer hair), 6 heaping tablespoons of Mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons honey (optional—however honey is a great humectant and provides awesome SH!NE).  Mix the products together and apply to your hair after you do a brief co-wash (wash with conditioner instead of shampoo).  I don’t leave this conditioner on for very long due to not wanting the egg to dry in my hair.  This conditioner is protein rich which is essential to develop strong hair!     I normally do this conditioner once every 2-3 weeks, or when my hair seems dry and lackluster! (Real mayonnaise can be used to add luster and vitality to dry hair. Using it as a conditioner also will increase the shine, and it is simple to use. The best part is that mayonnaise is a kitchen staple, so it is always on hand)

3.      Avocado Conditioner- Combine in a blender one half RIPE avocado (much softer and easier to mix if the avocado is ripe) and 5-6 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise.   I only suggest that you Blend oppose to hand mix because it is important that the Avocado is completely blended or you will be picking out chunks of avocado from your hair after it is dry.  This DC treatment provides excellent moisture to your hair.  ( I don’t normally use this conditioner in my hair because of the avocado, but others LOVE it so I thought it would share it <3 )

4.      Tropical Island Conditioner- Combine 1 can of coconut milk and one half of a ripe avocado.  This DC treatment providers UBER moisture to your hair.  This DC should have the consistency of a Suave Ceapie conditioner.  If you find that it is too runny, add some of your own regular conditioner into it.

                                                  

5.      Baking Soda Treatment for heavy product build up- There does come a time where you will have heavy product build-up on your scalp that just cannot seem to be washed away by co-washing.  In this event, don’t fret, used baking soda!  Simply combine the following:

3 tablespoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons creamy honey
1/4 teaspoon water
Cider Vinegar Clarifying Rinse (1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups cool water [the cooler the better])

Mix ingredients together to form a paste. Add additional water, a few drops at a time, if mixture is too thick.  Shampoo hair as usual before applying the concoction.   Apply mixture to hair and leave on for up to five minutes.  Rinse hair as usual.  Poor Cider Vinegar Clarifying Rinse through hair, do not rinse again [the cider vinegar scent will very quickly dissipate].  If your hair is "squeaky clean" apply a light, silicone-free conditioner or silicone-free leave-in conditioner.  The ACV rinse is also awesome on its own as a detangling agent!  I would suggest testing this on a small portion of your hair at first to ensure that it does not dry you out. 

6.      Minty Conditioner- Steep 2 mint tea bags or a handful of fresh mint in 2 cups of boiling water. After the water has cooled, remove the tea bags or strain out the mint. Use the mint tea as a refreshing hair rinse.

7.      Lemon and Yogurt Conditioner- Mix together 1/4 cup plain yogurt, an egg yolk, and two pinches of minced lemon rinds. Massage the conditioner into your hair, rinse it out, and then shampoo. (If your hair is feeling a little brittle or dry, yogurt is going to fix you right up. It’s long been known as a hair softener, and full of protein, which will help strengthen the follicles. It also, I’ve noticed, gives a distinct and head-turning shine to hair.)

                                            Did you know...?

Most shampoos and conditioners are slightly acidic, which helps protect the protein structure of your hair. This is one reason rainwater really is a good rinse for your hair. A little vinegar or lemon juice in a lot of water can give your hair a shine boost too.

STAY BEAUTIFUL LADIES!!!!!

XOXO

NICKIE