* NEW HAIR JOURNEYS*
"Make
at Home" Body
Care Recipes - DIY Hair conditioners
This
issue's website review - dianedecosta.com
Holistic Health -
Tips
African American hair
care -
:: New "Make at Home" Body
Care Recipes :: DIY Hair Conditioners
OLIVE OIL HAIR CONDITIONER with honey and rosemary
honey for shine and olive oil for moisture -- enhanced with essential oil of rosemary to stimulate hair growth.
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup warmed olive oil (2 tablespoons for normal to oily hair)
4 drops essential oil of rosemary
1 teaspoon of xanthan gum (available in health food stores)
Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour into a clean plastic bottle with a snug-fitting cap. To use, apply a small amount to your slightly dampened hair. Massage your scalp and work the conditioner through your hair until it is completely and evenly distributed. Next, cover your hair with a warm towel (your microwave or dryer can heat it up) or shower cap; leave the conditioner in place on to nourish and condition for 30 minutes. Remove the towel or shower cap; shampoo lightly and rinse with cool water. Dry as normal and enjoy shinier, softer and healthier hair the natural way.
Protein packed Coco Conditioner recipe (Not for locs/dreadlocks)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons light sesame oil
2 whole eggs
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoons coconut oil
More Great Recipes in our Recipe section
:: This issue's Favorite Natural
Hair website:: www.dianedecosta.com
In this issue we check out Diane De Costa, author of Textured Tresses, who believes that "Healthy hair is happy Hair." Check
out the full review by clicking here.
:: Past web picks
::
dreadconnection.faithweb.com
www.blackmarketproducts.com
www.khamitkinks.com
www.anappyhairaffair.com
www.curlz.biz
www.motowngirl.com - Read our review of this site
www.bigmalk.com
:: Holistic
Health ::
Black Skin Is Beautiful, But Beware Its Darker Side
By Tamar Nordenberg @ http://health.discovery.com
Forget the old-school stereotypes, like black skin's always oily. There's little about African-American skin that is safely assumed, except that it can be supersensitive — its pigmentation, called melanin, may rebel against the wrong products by developing a discoloration that can stick around for months or years.
Take these skin-safe tips to heart. The nation's top dermatologists advise following these rules to preserve your dark skin's smooth, rich tone:
- Stick With a Simple and Safe Skin Care Routine.
Cleanse your face daily — as little as once a day if it's dry, up to three times if your goal is to remove excess oil. Gentle treatment is key for any skin type — avoid abrasive cleansers or irritating cleansing puffs or loofahs. And use moisturizer only if your face feels dry without it.
- Pick the Best Products for Your Skin Type.
Experts' favorites are nothing fancy — drugstore brands will usually do — but use products designed for your skin type. Favor products for sensitive skin, especially if your skin is dry — products with harsh ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid can wreak havoc on certain skin types. Want to try something new on for size? Go ahead, but use it sparingly at first.
- Protect Yourself From Skin Cancer.
Darker skin does provide some protection from the sun's UV rays, but don't count on it alone. Skin cancer is less common, but can be more deadly, in those with darker skin. Begin each day by applying a sunscreen or moisturizer with an SPF 15 to 30. And reapply sun protection often while you're in direct sunlight.
- Mind Your Skin When You're Taking Certain Medications.
Many drugs increase sun sensitivity, making it especially important to apply sunscreen or avoid the sun altogether. Among these medications are birth control pills, antibiotics, acne medicines and cancer drugs. But there are many others, too. Ask your doctor if your medicine makes the list.
- Get Help in a Hurry When Your Skin's in Distress.
Whether your problem is acne or another condition, it's much easier to prevent problems from lingering if you address them promptly. A trip to the dermatologist might save your skin — and even save you money by preventing you from purchasing a panoply of products to wage the battle against the condition.
- Avoid the Common Makeup Mistakes.
Match your makeup with your skin tone for a natural look. "Makeup made especially for women of color has come a long way," says dermatologist Wendy Roberts, M.D., who adds there's nothing wrong with relatively cheap drugstore brands. Have dry skin? Oil-based makeup is best. And for acne-prone, oily skin, water-based is the way to go.
- Seek Out a Specialist for Prescription Therapies or Cosmetic Surgery.
When you want more advanced skin care than you can apply yourself at home, there are professional treatments that might help, both low- and high-tech. Whether you're thinking about a prescription acne drug, facial peel, microdermabrasion, laser treatment or other approach, ask around for an expert in treating dark skin. In inexperienced hands, these more complex skin therapies can end up ruining your look rather than rejuvenating it.
Past
articles
Traction Alopecia and African Americans
State of AIDS in Black America
Old Wives Tales
Vegetarianism
The Importance of Melanin
Breast Cancer
::
This issue's hair care article :: Keeping lint out of Dreadlocks / Locs from ourhair.net
How do I keep loc lint at bay?
Keep your locs covered as much as possible with a non-shedding fabric such as silk or satin. Avoid using blankets and
other fabrics that shed as bed linen. If you wear a sweater, or other knits, wear the kind that you put your arm into or if
you must pull it over your head, put your scarf on first, then put the sweater on. Darker colors are also better if the fabric
is a knit or woolen.
If your locs are uncovered, watch where you lay your head or let them brush up against-even your own shoulders.
Although a bit of style right now, a silk or satin scarf of a dark fabric worn over your shoulders can help.
Always sleep in a cap or scarf. Use dark colors so that if they do shed, it will not be obvious in your hair.
For grooming your locs, make sure your hands are clean and examine the root before you twist. Pick out any debris
before you begin to tighten your roots or the length of the loc.
Invest in canned air. Photographers use it to clean dust from their camera's and it can help with your locs also. Because
the nozzle is a fine straw, it's easy to push it part way into a loc and blow the air through it. Do not do one section for too
long, the air is very cold and can freeze a hair section.
Rinsing the locs daily with a salt water and vinegar solution will help tighten the locs faster and give less space for lint to
form.
Invest in a tape roller for removing lint from clothing. A few swipes up and down a loc daily will remove surface lint before
it has a chance to burrow down into the loc itself.
Cover your hair on windy days, in dusty areas or while cleaning your home. Also, keep your home as dust free as
possible. A good allergy filter will cut your need to dust in half.
Other than the times you wash or rinse and a few hours afterwards, keep your locs as dry as possible to avoid mold and
mildew. Also, lint will come loose from dry locs more easily than damp ones.
Follow these tips for beautiful Dreadlocs.
Past articles
Health Hair by Dr Hoffman
Alopecia
Option for Black Women
Maintaining
Dredlocs - Click
Here for the article.
Tips for African American and
Bi-Racial Hair Care for Kids
THE
ROAD TO LOCDOM... What every locer should
know:
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