Naturally Random

Lights in Africa

Deep?

Jah Bless

Naturally

Lights in Africa

Deep?

Jah Bless

Naturally

Sesame Street does it again......

I know many of you will have seen this already- It was still a MUST post. This is why I loooooove Sesame Street. Its a tragedy its not on UK tv anymore.

enjoy

Jah Bless

Naturally

Sesame Street does it again......

I know many of you will have seen this already- It was still a MUST post. This is why I loooooove Sesame Street. Its a tragedy its not on UK tv anymore.

enjoy

Jah Bless

Naturally

BHM: Africa-Deep

I at times feel embarrassed by my ignorance. This is deep.

Taken from here

Jah Bless

Naturally

BHM: Africa-Deep

I at times feel embarrassed by my ignorance. This is deep.

Taken from here

Jah Bless

Naturally

BHM:Food for thought

So wrong. Obviously the same thing happened all around the world in the name of 'civilizing' people. the cheek and audacity of people to think they have the right to go into other peoples countries and change their way of thinking and being as it is not the same as ours....... did someone say Iraq.......

its still happening. We have learned nothing over the past 1000 years as a Human race. when is it going to stop?

I wonder...

Jah Bless

Naturally

BHM:Food for thought

So wrong. Obviously the same thing happened all around the world in the name of 'civilizing' people. the cheek and audacity of people to think they have the right to go into other peoples countries and change their way of thinking and being as it is not the same as ours....... did someone say Iraq.......

its still happening. We have learned nothing over the past 1000 years as a Human race. when is it going to stop?

I wonder...

Jah Bless

Naturally

It still hurts...

I got this from here.It  seriously bought a tear to my eye. You wouldnt sell an animal like this would you? I dont know how people expect us to forget-(you have to forgive so you can keep living)  even after all this time. We need to remember so it NEVER happens again.

Jah Bless

Naturally

It still hurts...

I got this from here.It  seriously bought a tear to my eye. You wouldnt sell an animal like this would you? I dont know how people expect us to forget-(you have to forgive so you can keep living)  even after all this time. We need to remember so it NEVER happens again.

Jah Bless

Naturally

Its in the words.......

Taken from here

Jah Bless

Naturally

Its in the words.......

Taken from here

Jah Bless

Naturally

Do you know your moisture, protein balance?

 I got this information whilst browsing Hairsistas. I find these networks invaluable and if you have not already signed upto one, I suggest you do so. It is a wonderful place where sistas literally share hair woes and wonders. You can learn soooo much. As you can see from my sidebar I have joined as many as I can find!

Anyhoo this article was written by Brittany Rivera who is one of the site moderators. I found this useful as I have never done a protein treatment (intentionally anyway) I get confused as some people eg Curlynikki say that their hair hates protein, whilst others swear by it. Apparently it is something your hair needs- this shows you when. 

Know your Moisture & Protein Balance!

If you find hairs on your shirt, bathroom floor, sink etc, you most
likely have a problem with breakage. Breakage normally occurs when
there is an imbalance between your moisture and protein levels

Moisture

 
Water helps provides the hair with elasticity and the ability to stretch. Water is the ultimate
moisturizer that is why water based products are great for moisturizing the hair.

Good moisturizers will not contain cheap ingredients like mineral oil,
lanolin or petrolatum. They do nothing for the hair but sit on top of
it. They seal out the moisture. You don't want that.

Protein

Protein gives the hair structure and strength to fight breakage.
Protein binds to the hair cuticles to help temporarily rebuild any
weakened areas. There are different proteins out there. Some are
stronger and milder than other. Daily or weekly use of milder protein
treatments can throw off your moisture and protein balance, depending
on the individual.

Women with relaxed or color treated hair need more protein
than others. These chemical services have broken down the protein bonds
within the hair. Some may be protein deficient by nature due to genes
or low protein intake so regual protein may be needed to keep the
balance in place. Overall, you have to experiment to get to know your
own hair.

You just can't have one without the other. Moisture and
protein work together in harmony to produce a healthy head of hair.
They need each other!! Hair will properly absorb moisture more
efficiently with adequate amounts of protein on a regular basis. The
water molecules bind easily to the protein structure within the hair.

Here are two situations where achieving the proper balance is essential:

Scenario 1: Kim's hair is breaking like crazy and feels like a
brillo pad. It is just plain crunchy and dry! Every time she touches
it, pieces seem to just pop right off. Snap, crackle, pop. Combing is
impossible without tons of little hairs covering her sink and back. Her
hair feels hard and rough even when wet. She's given it protein
treatments because the product says it is supposed to stop breakage in
its tracks and rebuild the hair. But so far, nothing is working and her
problem is getting worse.

Scenario 2: Trina's hair is breaking like crazy as well. Her
hair feels dry, looks dull, and is very weak. Her hair is too weak to
withstand simple combing. It feels extra stretchy when wet and almost
follows the comb as she pulls through to detangle. Her hair is just
limp and has no life. She's deep conditioned and done hot oil
treatments on her hair once a week. Since her breakage began, she has
stepped up the conditioning but her problem has gotten worse.

Same problem different solutions!

Both of these ladies have breakage issues. Both of these situations
reveal that there is an imbalance between moisture and protein. Too
much moisture can lead to breakage and too much protein can lead to
breakage.

Assess your hair (while wet or dry):

(When Wet or Dry) If your hair stretches slightly and returns to its
original length without breaking, you are balanced! Stick with
maintaining!

(When Wet or Dry) If your hair stretches a little more than normal then breaks, you need more protein in your regimen.

(When Wet or Dry)If your hair stretches, stretches, stretches with no
significant breakage yet, add a bit more protein to your regimen.

(Wet) Feels weak, gummy, mushy, or limp, you need to add more protein to your regimen.

(Wet or Dry) Experiences very little to no stretching, and simply snaps
or breaks, you need to increase the moisture in your regimen.

(Dry) Feels rough, tough, hard, dry, tangly, brittle, or any combination of those, you need more moisture in your regimen.

Unsure? On the side of caution and give your hair more moisture.

When your hair is thrown off balance by too much protein, it will break
easier on wet or dry hair because it lacks elasticity. Elasticity is
what allows us to style, stretch, and manipulate our hair without
breakage.

Too much protein:

Hair that breaks with a little amount of tension/stress is a sign of too much protein with a
deficiency of moisture. Too much protein and structure makes the hair rigid and stiff lacking
elasticity. which leads to breakage prone hair just like Kim.

Too much moisture:

When our hair is super elastic, it will stretch more because it lacks structure (protein).
Overmoisturized hair is "mushy" and overly soft especially when wet. It will feel weak, limp,
soggy etc. Overly moisutized hair will stretch first and then break due to the overabundance of moisture.

So there you have it. I dont think my hair has ever felt aprticularly mushy- but I now feel obliged to try a protein treatment. apparently yoghurt is good for your hair, also mayo and coconut milk....... I am off to the kitchen.

Jah Bless

Naturally

Do you know your moisture, protein balance?

 I got this information whilst browsing Hairsistas. I find these networks invaluable and if you have not already signed upto one, I suggest you do so. It is a wonderful place where sistas literally share hair woes and wonders. You can learn soooo much. As you can see from my sidebar I have joined as many as I can find!

Anyhoo this article was written by Brittany Rivera who is one of the site moderators. I found this useful as I have never done a protein treatment (intentionally anyway) I get confused as some people eg Curlynikki say that their hair hates protein, whilst others swear by it. Apparently it is something your hair needs- this shows you when. 

Know your Moisture & Protein Balance!

If you find hairs on your shirt, bathroom floor, sink etc, you most
likely have a problem with breakage. Breakage normally occurs when
there is an imbalance between your moisture and protein levels

Moisture

 
Water helps provides the hair with elasticity and the ability to stretch. Water is the ultimate
moisturizer that is why water based products are great for moisturizing the hair.

Good moisturizers will not contain cheap ingredients like mineral oil,
lanolin or petrolatum. They do nothing for the hair but sit on top of
it. They seal out the moisture. You don't want that.

Protein

Protein gives the hair structure and strength to fight breakage.
Protein binds to the hair cuticles to help temporarily rebuild any
weakened areas. There are different proteins out there. Some are
stronger and milder than other. Daily or weekly use of milder protein
treatments can throw off your moisture and protein balance, depending
on the individual.

Women with relaxed or color treated hair need more protein
than others. These chemical services have broken down the protein bonds
within the hair. Some may be protein deficient by nature due to genes
or low protein intake so regual protein may be needed to keep the
balance in place. Overall, you have to experiment to get to know your
own hair.

You just can't have one without the other. Moisture and
protein work together in harmony to produce a healthy head of hair.
They need each other!! Hair will properly absorb moisture more
efficiently with adequate amounts of protein on a regular basis. The
water molecules bind easily to the protein structure within the hair.

Here are two situations where achieving the proper balance is essential:

Scenario 1: Kim's hair is breaking like crazy and feels like a
brillo pad. It is just plain crunchy and dry! Every time she touches
it, pieces seem to just pop right off. Snap, crackle, pop. Combing is
impossible without tons of little hairs covering her sink and back. Her
hair feels hard and rough even when wet. She's given it protein
treatments because the product says it is supposed to stop breakage in
its tracks and rebuild the hair. But so far, nothing is working and her
problem is getting worse.

Scenario 2: Trina's hair is breaking like crazy as well. Her
hair feels dry, looks dull, and is very weak. Her hair is too weak to
withstand simple combing. It feels extra stretchy when wet and almost
follows the comb as she pulls through to detangle. Her hair is just
limp and has no life. She's deep conditioned and done hot oil
treatments on her hair once a week. Since her breakage began, she has
stepped up the conditioning but her problem has gotten worse.

Same problem different solutions!

Both of these ladies have breakage issues. Both of these situations
reveal that there is an imbalance between moisture and protein. Too
much moisture can lead to breakage and too much protein can lead to
breakage.

Assess your hair (while wet or dry):

(When Wet or Dry) If your hair stretches slightly and returns to its
original length without breaking, you are balanced! Stick with
maintaining!

(When Wet or Dry) If your hair stretches a little more than normal then breaks, you need more protein in your regimen.

(When Wet or Dry)If your hair stretches, stretches, stretches with no
significant breakage yet, add a bit more protein to your regimen.

(Wet) Feels weak, gummy, mushy, or limp, you need to add more protein to your regimen.

(Wet or Dry) Experiences very little to no stretching, and simply snaps
or breaks, you need to increase the moisture in your regimen.

(Dry) Feels rough, tough, hard, dry, tangly, brittle, or any combination of those, you need more moisture in your regimen.

Unsure? On the side of caution and give your hair more moisture.

When your hair is thrown off balance by too much protein, it will break
easier on wet or dry hair because it lacks elasticity. Elasticity is
what allows us to style, stretch, and manipulate our hair without
breakage.

Too much protein:

Hair that breaks with a little amount of tension/stress is a sign of too much protein with a
deficiency of moisture. Too much protein and structure makes the hair rigid and stiff lacking
elasticity. which leads to breakage prone hair just like Kim.

Too much moisture:

When our hair is super elastic, it will stretch more because it lacks structure (protein).
Overmoisturized hair is "mushy" and overly soft especially when wet. It will feel weak, limp,
soggy etc. Overly moisutized hair will stretch first and then break due to the overabundance of moisture.

So there you have it. I dont think my hair has ever felt aprticularly mushy- but I now feel obliged to try a protein treatment. apparently yoghurt is good for your hair, also mayo and coconut milk....... I am off to the kitchen.

Jah Bless

Naturally

Silicones

Ok so I got this email from naturallycurly and it is old- but still relevant.  Check it out for yourself.

Are silicones water soluable?

The answers are here its quite easy to follow- so please go over and check it out.

I now recognise a couple of the names and will avoid buyinf some condish's if they contain these dodgy ingredients.

Jah Bless

Naturally

Silicones

Ok so I got this email from naturallycurly and it is old- but still relevant.  Check it out for yourself.

Are silicones water soluable?

The answers are here its quite easy to follow- so please go over and check it out.

I now recognise a couple of the names and will avoid buyinf some condish's if they contain these dodgy ingredients.

Jah Bless

Naturally

Minnie Riperton 1947-1979

 Minnie Julia Riperton is probably best known for her 5 octave voice range and the song 'Loving You'. She came to mind as I was watching a documentary about breast cancer recently. I did not realise  that is how she died. It is an issue quite close to my heart at the moment as a good friend and colleague has just finished her chemo for the disease. She has been an absolute soldier as far as I am concerned. She came to work everyday-except when she had her treatment, then she was back straight afterwards. She just shaved her head to save 'the fuss'. She just gets on with it. I admire that.

Anyway, I digress. Minnie had an amazing voice and as it happens,  always had amazing hair!! enjoy the pics.

She was very photogenic, no matter the occasion, that smile was meant for the camera!

   Pics taken from here. also lots of excellent photos and info on Minnie.

Jah Bless

 Naturally

Minnie Riperton 1947-1979

 Minnie Julia Riperton is probably best known for her 5 octave voice range and the song 'Loving You'. She came to mind as I was watching a documentary about breast cancer recently. I did not realise  that is how she died. It is an issue quite close to my heart at the moment as a good friend and colleague has just finished her chemo for the disease. She has been an absolute soldier as far as I am concerned. She came to work everyday-except when she had her treatment, then she was back straight afterwards. She just shaved her head to save 'the fuss'. She just gets on with it. I admire that.

Anyway, I digress. Minnie had an amazing voice and as it happens,  always had amazing hair!! enjoy the pics.

She was very photogenic, no matter the occasion, that smile was meant for the camera!

   Pics taken from here. also lots of excellent photos and info on Minnie.

Jah Bless

 Naturally

10 Natural Hair Commandments

I saw this at the beginning of the year when I was contemplating starting this blog. I found it the other day when I was clearing the desktop on my PC {seriously- there was no room left on my laptop! lol} even though it is old- it will always be relevant. Enjoy.

I  Thou shalt be thankful for the hair that adorns thy head. Your hair is your ‘crown of glory’ treat it as such.

II  Thou shalt not idolize the hair that adorns another’s head. The hair on your head is unique, it’s what makes you you.

III Thou shalt not take the hair that adorns thy head in vain. Be aware of the damage that chemicals and heat can cause, some of the damage is irreversible

IV Remember to take the necessary time to pamper thy hair. Create a routine, set aside specific days for sealing your ends, massaging, trimming, washing, conditioning and styling your hair. A healthy head of hair will be your reward.

V Honor thy mother, father and ancestors for the beautiful traits that they have bestowed upon thee, one of which is your natural crown of glory. Wear your natural hair with pride.

VI Thou shalt not attempt to use a fine-tooth comb to detangle thy hair. Even before using a wide-tooth comb, use your fingers to detangle, and when detangling always start from the ends and work your way up towards your scalp.

VII Thou shalt not be ashamed to wear your natural hair in public. Wigs, weaves, braid extensions etc. are all wonderful temporary ‘protective’ and ‘transition’ styles, but they don’t compare to the beauty of your natural hair.

VIIIThou shalt not kill the hair follicles on thy head – with high heat, harsh chemicals or tight styles. Stay away from pore clogging, dry scalp causing petroleum based products; use natural essential oil based ones instead. Be gentle with your hair, seek out professional stylists who have experience in styling your hair type.

IX Thou shalt not bad mouth thy neighbor’s hair. Be respectful and encouraging to those who have not yet chosen to wear their hair natural. Negative comments will only turn them away from the natural hair community.

X Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s hair; thou shalt not covet it’s texture, nor it’s curl pattern, nor it’s length etc. Appreciate the hair that you were blessed with. Try different styles and accessories that accentuate your very own personality and style

By Laquita Thomas-Banks

Jah Bless

Naturally

10 Ingredients that we should avoid in our hair !!

10 Ingredients that you should never put on your hair

 Most of the commercially available hair care products today use harmful, ingredients.  I am still learning about this, but this was agreat article that I found that lists the most dangerous common ingredients. Its a LOOONG read- but it is worth it. We have to make decisions about what we use in our hair or skin, knowing what these things are

1. ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL: This is a solvent and denaturant (poisonous substance that changes another substances natural qualities). Isopropyl alcohol is found in hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lotions, after-shave lotions, fragrances and many other cosmetics. This petroleum-derived substance is also used in antifreeze and as a solvent in shellac. Natural hair reacts very badly to isoalcohol and this ingredient should be avoided at ALL costs. It will dry your hair out and break it off. According to A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, inhalation or ingestion of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis and even coma.

3. PEG: This is an abbreviation for polyethylene glycol that is used in making cleansers to dissolve oil and grease as well as thicken products. Because of their effectiveness, PEG’s are often used in caustic spray on oven cleaners and yet are found in many personal care products. PEG’s contribute to stripping the Natural Moisture Factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially carcinogenic.

See the rest here[break] GB

4. PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG): As a “surfactant” or wetting agent and solvent, this ingredient is actually the active component in antifreeze. There is no difference between the PG used in industry and the PG used in personal care products. It is used in industry to break down protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of) yet is found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after-shave, deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpaste. It is also used in food processing. Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this toxic substance. The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, as PG has systemic consequences such as brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. Consumers are not protected nor is there a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than that in most industrial applications.Mark Fearer in an article, Dangerous Beauty, says

“…in tests, animals that were exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, along with depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and corrosion and death.” According to the American College of Toxicology states both SLS and SLES can cause malformation in children’s eyes. Other research has indicated SLS may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties. It is possibly the most dangerous of ad ingredients in personal care products. Research has shown that SLS when combined with other chemicals can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens, which causes the body to absorb nitrates at higher levels than eating nitrate contaminated food.” According to the American College of Toxicity report, “SLS stays in the body for up to five days…” Other studies have indicated that SLS easily penetrates through the skin and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain. This poses serious questions regarding its potential health threat through its use in shampoos, cleansers and toothpasteop>

Even though you will not see Chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair.

7. DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (momoethnanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine): DEA and MEA are usual listed on the ingredients label in conjunction with the compound being neutralized. Thus look for names like Cocamide DEA or MES, Lauramide DEA, etc. These are hormone disrupting chemicals and are known to form cancer causing nitrates and nitrosamines. . These are commonly found in most personal care products that foam, including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers. On the show, CBS This Morning, Roberta Baskin revealed that a recent government report shows DEA and MEA are readily absorbed in the skin. Dr. Samuel Epstein, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois said “repeated skin applications of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of two cancers – liver and kidney cancers.” John Bailey, who oversees the cosmetic division for the FDA said the new study is especial important since “the risk equation changes significantly for children.”