Happy New Year!!

Going forward into the New Year, remember: 

1. Be kind. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle ...so when in doubt be kinder than necessary.

2. Practice gratitude.

3. Love. To love is to be free.

4. Forgive...life is too short to be angry.

I'm not one for new years resolutions because I think that you should treat everyday like a new year and resolve to be your best all year round. But since most people do set goals, I wanted to give some food for thought. Also remember that YOU DESERVE every bit of love, success and happiness. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Fill your mind with positive thoughts, because for every 60 seconds you're angry you lose one minute of happiness. In the coming year, let the world know why you're here....and do it with a passion.

Peace. Love. and Happiness.

Merry Christmas!

It's that time of year again: Christmas!

As the years progress, it is no longer about the mad dash shopping trips, or the gifts, or the boxing day deals. I haven't done ANY shopping this year. It's all about the love this time around (and ermmm...work has been super crazy).

My favourite part of Christmas is the time I get to spend with my family. I LOVE Christmas dinner. It's my favourite part of the holiday. Our whole family gets together and we eat, drink and be merry!

So in the spirit, I share with you a photo from last years Christmas dinner:

Merry Christmas!

We are not posing...we're just generally dysfunctional LOL

I also don't know why my sister is holding my foot...

Hug and Touchers

So this post is dedicated to the the "Hug and Touch" and all those "Hug and Touchers" out there!

So how do you know when you've encountered a Hug and Toucher?

A hug and toucher is fascinated with your hair. You can see them eyeing it from across the room. They likely already know you, but it is not uncommon to meet someone for the first time and have them be a hug and toucher.

When they come up to say hello and go in for a hug, their hands end up in your hair (referred to as the Hug and Touch). And not just a light touch, but there's some scrunching action...and what could be mistaken as a head rub. You will likely be taken by surprise but not to worry they are not dangerous. Just fascinated.

The hug lasts slightly longer than the normal 2-3 seconds (due to the hands in the hair) and it is a normal to feel uncomfortable.

The hug and toucher often ends with :"I love your hair!"... "It's so soft!" ...or "Sorry, I couldn't help myself!"


Last week, I ran into 3 hug and touchers. It happens so often now, it doesn't even phase me. But for all you hug and touchers out there: If you must scrunch, please, BE GENTLE as to not mess up the curl pattern!


Take care,


J.

Peace. Love. & Hugs.

:)

xx

It's shea butter! Actually...PSYCH: It's petrolatum.

Now, we've all done it. Gone into the beauty supply store and gravitated towards the prettiest container or to the one that captures our attention:

".....Contains Shea Butter!....."

"....with Natural Oils!"

"....with added Argan Oil!..."

Excited by promises of natural oils and butters, that will promote healthy hair growth....well...PSYCH!! Many companies promise the world in order to get you to purchase their product, but when you read the ingredient list, there are next to no natural ingredients listed. The words are there to grab your attention...it's called Marketing.

It's important to read beyond the label, and look at the ingredients. You may be surprised at what you find...

Things to Avoid:

1. Lanolim, Petrolatum and Mineral Oil - these are cheap fillers that are commonly used in many hair products and offer no true moisturizing benefits. I repeat, they DO NOT moisturize the hair. They form a barrier on the hair shaft (contributing to product build up), and seal moisture out. Not to mention it clogs your pores and can contribute to dandruff and scalp issues.

2. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate (SLS) - used in products that have foaming qualities (i.e., shampoo). It strips the hair of natural oils leaving it dry and brittle. It can also irritate the scalp.

3. Alcohol (i.e., ethonol, propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol)- Products with alcohol can dry out your hair. 

I could go on about all the bad ingredients found in many "natural" hair products, but the list could go on for a while. I've listed some major ones. Generally, my rule of thumb is that if I can't pronounce, or don't know what it is then it's probably not good for my hair.


What to Look For?

Look for natural ingredients like oils and butters (i.e., coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba, castor) and do your research before you purchase. Understand what's in your favourite products and what you're putting on your hair. It's important to be a smart shopper :)



Until next time!


J -

Peace. Love. Summer.

(Yes, summer....please come back soon!)

My 5 Fav Things This Week!

1. TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner

This has actually been my favourite thing for the past 3 weeks. I la-la-la-love it! I use it for my co-washes, and will leave a little in my hair as a leave-in. Smells gorgeous too!

2. Natural Shea Butter

TRESemme Naturals and Shea butter has been my ISH recently. Mainly because I haven't had time to do much else to my hair (work and dance). The Shea butter has been working miracles for me in this bitter cold. I use it to sell in all the goodness from my co-washes with the TRESemme conditioner.

3. Prairie Girl Cupcakes

My client is right across the street from their store and that's a peanut butter jelly cupcake. Enough said. I have a cupcake problem.

Check them out at: http://www.prairiegirlbakery.com/



4. On my ipod:  "Misteriosa - Atim" (Kizomba)

I have been on a Kizomba high for the past few months and I have been listening to this song non-stop all week. Can't wait to get on the dance floor this weekend! In case you guys don't know what Kizomba is, check out one of my fav couples who will be in Toronto in February for the Bachata Festival:

YouTube: Freestyle Tarraxinha with Albir and

5. NAKED - Urban Decay

Love!

xoxo

J

Peace.Love.& all of the above.

5 Non-Hair Related Uses For Your Afro

Click for Pic Link

1. Pillow

My most favourite use! I use my afro as a pillow on the train, or at my desk (shhh don't tell my Manager!). It's so soft, it's lovely. Other people (your boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other) can use it as a pillow too! Sharing is caring, I was told.

What's awkward is when people you don't know try and use your hair as a pillow. Don't ask but it happens all the time lol

2. Helmet

This is definitely not legal...but sometimes when my hair is mad with product build up...I feel like this is possible.

3. Bee catcher

Bee's flying into your hair and getting stuck? Not fun. It's a true story. But if you're in the Bee-business, it's a great tool.

4. Conversation Starter

It's a great conversation starter....most often times people are very intrigued and I hear "How do you get your hair like that?" a lot.
Check out the post:

Sh*t People Ask Black People About Black Hair

5. Height

Comb your hair out really big, and you'll add like 4-5 inches on your height. If you weren't blessed vertically, use your hair!





xo - J

Peace. Love. Afros.

Product Review: Twist N Locs

Name: Twist n Locs Herbal Conditioning Spray
Size? 8oz
Where to find? http://twistnlocs.com/

Product Highlights:

"Non-greasy, itch free herbal spray protects and adds moisture to twists, locs, braids and all natural hair styles. Provides maximum shine and alleviates dry and itchy scalp."

Key Ingredients Include:

Water, Wheat Germ, Indian Hemp, Olive Oil, Aloe Vera, Vitamin A, D & E, Nano Multivatims A, D,E &F

How I Used It

The lovely folks from Twist N Locs sent me a sample of their products to try!

Wet Hair
I don't normally shampoo, but I wanted to try out all the products in conjuction. So I shampooed with the Natural Oil Shampoo, and then applied the Organic Leave-In Conditioner. I then sealed with my regular mixture of coconut oil and shea butter.

Damp Hair
Any type of product application works best for me on damp hair. When I applied the leave-in, it was to semi-damp hair.

Dry Hair

I didn't really use any of the products on dry hair. As a refresher for my twists during the week, I would mist with water and then mist my hair with the Herbal Conditioning Spray.

 

My Opinion:

So I guess first thing to mention, is no my hair is not locked. I normally twist hair during the week for work, and I used the Herbal Conditioning Spray to help seal and moisturize my twists. I noted it also provided a slight hold (almost a slight waxy feeling), which helped to tame some of the mid week frizz and provided a nice twist out (w/no gel). My scalp is very sensitive, so I didn't apply any of the spray to my scalp. I normally try and avoid product application on my scalp and the only product I use on it is jojoba oil.

The shampoo worked well, it didn't leave my hair hella-dry, which I appreciated. I'm not a big shampoo person, as I normally co-wash.

I'm very particular about smell, and I wasn't too fond of the smell of the products. It wasn't horrible, but it was a little too much for me.

I found the leave-in worked okay on my hair, it left it moisturized. My hair was not as soft as usual, but then again it's been in a mood of it's own lately (winter...).

I'll definitely keep the Herbal Conditioning Spray in my rotation, but I'll likely stick with my regular leave-in.


Ta-ta-for-now-folks!

:)


xx
J