Friday 22 April 2016

FAUX LOCS - A FAB PROTECTIVE HAIR STYLE.

Hey Ladies!!!  Do you need a break from the regular braids and weaves? Need a fabulous new protective hair style? Then this post could be helpful. I've got this for you: FAUX LOCS.



Faux Locs is a fabulous protective hair style that resembles permanent locs (dreadlocks). No wonder it is called faux locs. Faux is a French word for wrong or fake. So I call it 'fake locs'.

It's a trendy hair style. Right now, Its almost taking over lagos, but so many are yet to know about it. I know, my west african ladies wont let it rest until they are done slaying and that won't be anytime soon. I  just did mine *smiles* . If you will be trying faux locs, then first, you need to know all that is takes. So gurls, let talk about it.

What to do before
To make faux locs, you need to prepare your  hair by detangling, washing, conditioning, deep conditioning, and moisturizing. You can also use a leave-in conditioner. All of this is necessary because your hair will be hidden in the locs for a while.


What hair to use
You can use different hair types like kanekalon, Marley hair and kinky hair. I also read about using Xpression Ultra braid, so I went for it since it is one I can get very easy at any local store around me. Not like those others are difficult to find. Major online stores do have them. The final looks for each of them are different. I used 5 packs and half. The quantity to use also differs for the different hair types.







Find out how its done
Next, you need to know how it is done, whether you are doing it yourself or your stylist will be doing it for you. Stylists around here are familiar with the use of yarn/wool and currently Brazilian wool for hair styling, so you need to tell them what you want and how want it. It might sound knew to some... So what I asked my stylist to try it out with one small section on my hair. I was okay with it, so I gave her a go ahead.

How my hair stylist made my faux locs with Xpression Ultra Braid

First, she braided my natural hair with the Xpression individually. After which she wrapped taut each braid  from root to tip with another expression so that it does not unravel easily but not so much as to cause hair breakage and severe headaches. In order to have a smoother finish, she did not give a feathered end to the one she used to wrap. Instead of burning the ends like I read some bloggers do, she tied knots close to the end, and twisted the remains. After wrapping, she made the ends such that it left curls when dipped into hot water. The hair felt stiff until it was dipped into hot water to loosen up a bit. Though water made it temporarily heavy.

How long it takes to make
Generally, it does take about 8-10hrs. Mine took 11 hours. It might have been even more than that if not for two others that helped to finish the wrapping. This was actually due to the length of the hair. The longer the locks, the more time spent. Then, also, the longer the locs, the heavier. Pros: you have more styling options later. But the thicker the individual braids, the less styling options.

How long does it last
This protective hair style could last 2 months and more. It all depends on you, shaa...

Whats next
During the period you have your locs on, your scalp and undergrown hair need to be taken care just like you will do for any protective hair style. Massage scalp twice daily, condition hair once a week and deep condition once a month to keep your natural hair at its best.

After about two weeks or more,  when there is an undergrowth, you can now style  and ROCK. Am I missing out something? Hehehe... I didn't talk about the pain and the sleepless nights few days following the installation. Pain relief drugs can help if you can't endure. For me, that's not a deterrent....... I love faux locs!! I'm gonna try it again and again.

If you rock faux locs too, you can tag  your gorgeous pics on my instagram page  or use hashtag #fauxlocsdiva to be featured on the blog.



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#Bits of what happened at the Hair Expo in Portharcourt
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Friday 15 April 2016

DIY - Make your own Aloe vera Gel /Juice



       I remember there was a time, some few years back, most people in this part of the world were so crazy about Aloe vera. It was like missing out on a miracle healing drug if you do not have it planted close to you at home. I guess that was the period my Anty planted the one at home.

   In fact every one who have experienced aloe vera  goodness is still enthusiastic about it. That is also why there are  various brand aloe vera beauty products for skin, hair even health.
 
   If you are interested in making your own aloe vera homemade products like in  hair spray, conditioner, shampoo, face mask etc, then you need aloe vera gel/juice. Will you prefer to buy aloe vera juice or gel or make yours? If you prefer to get aloe vera gel fresh and do not know how to go about it,  then i will like show you how I make my own aloe vera gel/juice.

Things you need
Sharp knife or vegetable peeler
Teaspoon
Clean board.

How to do It
Wash the aloe vera leaf.
Wash your hand with soap and rinse well.
Place the leaf on a clean board.
Holding one end of the aloe leaf use the sharp knife to cut out the edges and the the top green layer of the leaf showing the gel.
With teaspoon, scoop out the gel carefully so as not to add the yellow part.
Here is your extracted aloe vera gel.




   To make it into juice, blend the gel in a blender to a smooth paste. The juice will be foaming on top. Leave to rest.

Your aloe vera gel/ juice is ready for use!

If you are using it for hair, then you need to pour into a strainer and squeeze out only the juice for use, leaving the bits in the strainer. Panty hose or wig cap can serve as strainer.

   If you do not have aloe vera plant very close to you and you happen to stumble on it somewhere and you harvested so many leaves at once. You wish you could use it fresh for a while, extract the gel , store it in a clean glass container and cover and keep it in the refrigerator for a week or so.

   To make it last longer add lemon juice to it (the vitamin C into the juice act as a natural preservative) , then pour it onto ice tray or bags and keep
 it freezes in the freezer to last for couple of months. But if in the course of preservation it becomes rancid or smells badly , then discard it.

Note: Make sure the yellow sap is removed completely. The yellow sap is said to contain toxins and laxatives such as a loin and aloe-emodin that can irritate the skin and cause allergic reactions. You should carry out a patch test like, on the inside of your elbow before use to be sure your skin won't react to it.

I did a patch test for 3days. Result: No skin reactions. So am free!

This article is just for informational purposes. Seek the opinion of your doctor before use especially of you are latex-intolerant .


Hope this article was helpful?


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Wednesday 13 April 2016

The Worries and Fears of going on a Natural Hair Journey


If someone asked me whether, I will ever go on natural hair (thats never relaxing my hair) at the beginning of this year, my answer would have been a BIG NO.

Am aware about the natural hair movement that has been ongoing a long while. All over the world even here in Nigeria, ladies, especially the blacks are embracing the movement.

However, we must admit that it is one journey not everyone can embark on. Some , like I used to be, have worries and concerns about it. I hope you, naturalistas, are understanding and patient with them.

Our worries and concerns are real. Even if you, experts, know that some of this anxieties might be due to misinformation, I will like to give you a mental picture of what goes on in the minds of those who might not have said yes to the (Unrelaxed) natural hair life. Actually, this is how anxious I used to be about going natural.

Worries/Concerns/Fears

1. My very first worry is the pain I do have on my scalp handling my hair even with a very little undergrowth. How on earth will I be able to deal and live with this terrible pain everyday of my life. I fuss and scream a lot at the salon, you can even hear my heartbeat and deep great breathing at each hold on my scalp. If I ever go natural, braids or weaves will leave me in coma (exaggeratingly true)

2. How will my hair look in the early growth stages. I will be looking unkempt on natural hair before my patients in the clinic. Some of mine, might think am going crazy.

3. How am I going to adjust my schedule to make out time/hours to detangle, wash and style my hair. My hair might become all about hair, hair, hair!!!!!! Even God will not be happy with me.

4. Will my hair ever grow that long to make a big bun. Do I need to wait an eternity for what's never gonna be?

5. Then, here comes the fear of running out of products. Will I need to get assorted types of hair products to keep up in the journey. With a limited budget?

6. If my hair will be the 4C type, I might never be able to endure into the journey.

7. I am going to look like a 12 year old primary school girl. I already look quite tooyoung for my age (thats a plus ,tho). But what happens when I get my big chop? These kids are not going to know their Anty.

8. What if it goes out of trend? I do not chase after trends, I go for what's good and beautiful. But it does matter. Will I look old school when it goes out of trend years later?

9. I might end up having a bent back and developed hand muscles that looks like that of a man from constant DIY hair care.

10. Will I have flying insects chasing after me and hovering over me when I use food recipes on my hair.

11. Then the fear of making a single mistake that will ruin all my longterm efforts.


I can go on and on , if you let me.






Yeah! I know what naturalistas might be thinking now, that most of their fears are not real... Anyhow you see it, some might have, at one time,  felt this way..

My advice to all to-bes
Make sure you are emotionally, psychologically, socially, mentally, physically, financially, physically WHOLLY READY before you start your Natural HairJourney.

This was a decision I thought I would never take. Never say Never! 


You can freely express your views. If you had/have anxieties too, share with me and our lovely readers in the comment box below.






Tuesday 12 April 2016

Bits of what happened at the Natural Hair Expo in Portharcourt.


The Natural Hair Expo was organised with the aim to celebrate the beauty and naturalness of the African woman, restore her lost pride and encourage her to embrace her natural beauty.



The talk shows were informative , educating and inspiring. Pertinent issues were discussed about hair loss, retention and maintenance of natural hair, transitional and big chop.



Personally, i was encouraged seeing many naturalistas even kids with fabulously styled natural hair.


Great networking. Sales of foreign and local made products by vendors. Naturalistas connect.

 And I went home with goodie. Thanks to Jenny Walker .

Proudly sponsored by : 
Nuture and Nature
FroNation
DoubleElle/House of Xavier
Finery Hub
Aurora
ENA (Emilia Nyeoma Agbaru)
TBlush

You can be a part of this great network of more than 170,000 naturalistas online. To join, Click  here .Thank me later.




Monday 11 April 2016

When Does My Makeup Products Expire? - Makeup Hygiene #3




As far as I know, makeup products do not have expiration dates. Or do you know? They can even expire immediately you open it. If you want them to last longer then you will need to handle them properly.

Based on their formulation and their susceptibility to contamination from use, professionals in the makeup industry around the world have come up with make up products life span charts such as this :

Foundation.   1yr - 11/2yr

Eye shadow.  1yr - 11/2

Lipstick.         11/2yr - 2yrs

Mascara.        3 - 6 months

Blush.             11/2yr - 2yrs

Lipgloss.        11/2yr - 2yrs

Lip Pencil.      1yr - 2yrs

Bronzer.          11/2 - 2yrs

Eyeliner           6months - 1yr

Eye pencil.     1yr - 2yrs

Powder.          11/2 - 2yrs


Generally, you need to stop using makeup when you see these signs

1. When they begin to smell badly

2. Have water on top eg. Foundation, concealer etc.

3. Looses it consistency, becomes hard and difficult to apply or becomes gloppy like in lip gloss.

4. When you get irritated, itchy or inflamed skin.

If there is anything I omitted under the series Makeup Hygiene, fill it in please in the comment below.


Read also

#Makeup Hygiene - A Must Read For Anyone Who Wears Makeup.

#Makeup Hygiene #2

Friday 8 April 2016

My Overnight Heatless Curls




With all these questions coming my way each day, 'Is that your hair?', 'What kind of weavon or hair extension did you use?', 'Can I touch your hair to confirm?' , I guess, I will soon make a T-shirt with the write up, 'Yes, Its My Hair'. Lol..... That will answer the question before it is asked.

Anyway I ain't complaining. I appreciate all commendations about my hair. I have come to realize that people appreciate clean, healthy well kept natural hair whether it permed/relaxed, fully natural or transitioned hair.

I quit heat styling on my natural hair a very longtime after I learnt that heat styling makes the hair brittle and damages it especially for a relaxed hair that is already fragile. To achieve my gorgeous hair curls I go for the overnight heatless curls.

The uphair do is my favorite easy DIY hair style and it gives my hair that fuller look. That will be the finished look  for the 3 methods in the tutorial on how i get my heatless curls below.

First, start with a damp hair. For me, after washing my hair with shampoo, I use my homemade leave-in-conditioner(Olive oil and coconut oil) on my damp hair not wet hair and then style.

1. Bantu knot
Make Bantu knots in small sections and unravel it the next day



2.a. Use Perm rods / Flexi rods
For more defined curls, use smaller rods/rollers. Twist and roll the hair in small sections from the ends of the hair .



b. Twist two small sections of the hair and roll onto the rods/rollers.




Next, let it air dry overnight while you sleep.

With the bobby pins and a small comb, dress the hair carefully from the back up and hold with the pins to make an uphair do. Be careful not to in ravel the curls to the end with the comb in the process.
Now you can separate the curls with your fingers, fluff , tuck and pin where necessary.

This hair style can stay up a whole week. During the week , you might just need to redress the back of the hair and repin, add shine to it with your hairspray and finger comb a bit, tuck and repin.

How do you make your own gorgeous hair curls? Tell us about it.


You might also be interested in
#Natural Hair Expo in the Garden City, Port harcourt
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Friday 1 April 2016

Raw African Black Soap



   In a conversation with my girlfriend, I wanted to know the secret to her smoother skin lately. She kept pulling my legs that his guy in overseas sent skin products and that was what she used. She later opened up. Guess what ? It  is Raw African black soap .
 
    The raw african black soap comes in less black , brown shades, maybe that's why I prefer to call it native soap rather than black soap. Growing up in west African countries exposed me to various names of the black soap like 'Lagos adi' by the Éwé in Togo and the Volta region of Ghana, 'Alata Samina' / 'Anago Samina' by the Akan who speak Twi dialect in Ghana and 'Ose Dudu' by the Yorubas in Nigeria.

     From what i read about the origin of the black soap, i found out that it originated from the western part of Nigeria which is dominated by the yorubas. So I am not surprised  that the various names when translated informs us of the roots of the soap. For example, 'Lagos adi' means Lagos soap and 'Anago Samina' means Yoruba soap.

  About the black soap
     Black soap is made from roasted plantain skins, palm oil cocoa pod with additions like coconut oil, shea buttter, palm leaves ashes, or honey, did I hear, argan oil, carrot oil, snail lime? ...
      The black soap is so rich in natural ingredients that most people who use it call it the wonder soap. It is a deep cleansing soap, effective exfoliator,  dark spots fader, skin toner, acne and skin disease eliminator and anti-aging special.

       The black soap is worth incorporating into my skin care regimen. I am aware all the while that is 100% natural and wonderful but I've been reluctant to use it. I don't just know why. Though I am currently using three different organic soaps i got from my travel during the December/January holidays. l love to buy good organic skin products anytime i come across a good one and enough that could last for several months. I blame this psychological effect on my longtime struggle with my imperfect skin.

         My memories of the feel of the 'Lagos adi' on my skin as a kid is vague. This time I will be using it and will share my experience about it with you and more on another post.

I will love to hear from you too.

      Do you use the african black soap? Can you inspire me and others with your experience in the comment box below?



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Body scrub that leaves your skin smooth and glowy.
An amazing DIY teeth whitener you need to try

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