DEEP CONDITIONING 101

Hello, hair lovers!


It is far too easy to neglect our hair and as the seasons are constantly changing, our hair needs and requires consistent love. There are a TON of reasons to implement this into your regular hair care routine, so if you're someone who cares about your locks tune in as I'm here with you today to talk about the importance of deep conditioning your strands.

SO WHO SHOULD DEEP CONDITION:

Just about anyone who styles, uses products, heat, or manipulates their hair throughout the week. As we constantly use methods to keep our styles looking good, we sometimes tend to forget that as our hair is being done we are slowly taking away its nourishment. Styles like twists, braids, or any protective styling can leave the hair feeling dry and brittle after it is taken out. While using products are necessary, they create buildup causing us to wash/cleanse our hair more often, taking away its moisture and retention. Heat styling is a dead give away as it directly damages our hair from the inside out, and too much manipulation can stress the strands causing them to become weak and prone to breakage. So if you're someone who does any one of these things to your hair, you are a top contender for a deep conditioning treatment.

BENEFITS OF DEEP CONDITIONING

• Penetrates the hair shaft allowing moisture and protein to be absorbed from within.
• Important for the recovery of dry, damaged hair especially heat damaged victims.
• Restores shine, strength, and elasticity 
• Help prevent damage causing breakage and split ends
• Retains shine and bring back natural bounce to curls
• Did I forget to mention it AIDS IN HAIR GROWTH!

Who would have thought deep conditioning once a week could do so much to your hair? Anyone can deep condition but don't feel discouraged if one method doesn't work for you as its a trial and error process!

HOW I DEEP CONDITION

1. I start off with clean hair (normally done on a wash day) and part it into different sections, making it easier to evenly distribute the product.
2. I've currently been using Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Mask and mixing in Avocado Oil & Up North Naturals 8 Oil Blend.
3. I then even distribute throughout then twisting down each section and adding a plastic cap over it.
4. A new trick I've been using is Thermal Hair Cares Hot Head which you heat up, opening up your hair shaft and allowing your hair to absorb more of the nutrients. 
5. I leave it in my head with the Hot Head on for a minimum of 20 minutes then rinse out with cool water.

This usually takes me about 20 minutes to apply and 20 minutes to sit, totalling to about 40 minutes. Can't say that took too much out of my day. Totally worth the work put in, leaving my hair healthier, shiner, and curlier!

If this wasn't enough to get you started, I'm not sure what will be ! Give it a try and let me know what you use and how its working for you!

Have an AMAZING hair week everyone !

Shernette | @hi_shern

I am Done with natural hair

I am done with the Natural hair movement

Natural hair has become a hot topic across most if not all social media platforms. It is a movement that was set to empower black women and it has done just that through how to videos, hair tips and the amplitude of instagram/facebook pages promoting women wearing their God given hair. Simply searching #naturalhair yields 12,205,327 posts on instagram. Yet, some hair types have taken priority over other hair textures. The most successful or glorified pages/bloggers possessing looser curls or occasionally the odd kinkier texture has grown a massive following but usually their hair is more susceptible to manipulation and capable of retaining length. Its clear that the more African your hair is the less representation you will find and if you do find a page showcasing kinkier hair it is usually less successful than that of a page presenting loose curls. In short discrimination of hair textures is rampant within the natural hair movement and 4b/4c hair types are not seen as beautiful.

Screenshot from a natural hair page on Instagram.

 Of course, a movement such as this has become a profitable trend. Often the lightest skinned women with the most voluminous curls are able to attract lucrative sponsorships and opportunities to work with brands, that darker skinned women with the kinkiest hair types would never be presented with. That's not to say that they haven't earned it or to take away from their success, however, its fair to note the privilege they have been awarded in the industry.

Shea moisture advert using a light skinned model with loose curls

The lack of representation isn't the worst of it. Amongst the black community there is still shaming of women with 4b/4c hair types. Derogatory terms are used freely to describe the coiliest textures.

A movement that was supposed to bring women together has created further division and rejection of coarser hair textures.

4c hair

Moving forward I hope to see more inclusion of ladies with kinkier hair types and darker skin tones. It would be a dream to for kinkier hair types to be reflected in the natural hair community and brands. The movement isn't just a trend, I believe that natural hair is here to stay and I hope to see a shift in paradigms.

Until next time

Chengetai Victoria

www.lightofmindx.co.uk

xxx

LOC vs LCO | NATALIE PURSUE:INSPIRE

Hello lovely Naturels! How are we doing?

For the last 3 months or so I’ve been comparing two similar methods after washing my hair: LOC & LCO. For those of you who are not familiar with these acronyms:

L = Leave in

O = Oil

C = Cream

The letters are in order of application to the hair after washing!

But why did I start doing this in the first place? I am trying my best to discover the best methods for moisture retention and after seeing a friend’s snap about LOC I thought I’d try it using the products I had at home at the time!

For about a month I used the Cantu, ORS and Shea Moisture in that order but I didn’t feel like it was of much benefit to my stands. They just felt more or less the same in terms of dryness. Then I remembered that I had also heard about doing the leave in first, then cream then oil so I tried it… and have been doing it ever since. For some reason the slight altering in order works so well for me and I have definitely felt and seen an improve in the health of my hair. In addition, I’m sure my hair has been growing a bit quicker than usual (although shrinkage is real)!

During the week, I will aim to spritz my hair with water every day and every 3 days LCO again, sometimes replacing the Cantu with GroHealthy and the Shea Moisture with Cantu. I do find that using the Shea Moisture Smoothie more than once a week results in quite a bit of build up as it is quite thick.

When doing LCO/LOC I normally split my hair into four sections (the same sections I use when shampooing and conditioning) and apply the leave in, then the cream and finally the oil to one section at a time, before splitting into smaller parts and twisting.

Have you tried the LOC or LCO methods? Which one do you prefer and why? Are there any specific products you would recommend? Let us know below!

Until next time Naturels!

Natalie | @pursueinspire

Mental health

Black women and Mental Health

To begin, I would like to remind all the black women out there that you are strong resilient Queens, but above anything else you are human and mental health illnesses do no discriminate. Once a mental health illness enters you, if you try to ignore it, it will strip you of that bedazzled crown perfectly balanced on your head.

Black women are no strangers to depressive and/or anxiety disorders. In the UK African-Caribbean women are more likely to be diagnosed with severe illnesses such as schizophrenia, compared to other ethnic groups, but have lower rates of common mental health disorders. According to the mental health bulletin, have shown that 5,000 per 100,000 Black British people accessed mental health services in 2015, 12.7% of those in contact with mental health services spent a night in hospital that year which is double the percentage of the white population. Some believe the reason black women's statistics are so high.

Kirsty Latoya Peters  Instagram @kizart

Culturally, there tends to be a shame/stigma surrounding mental health issues in black communities.  In an American study,185 African-American women ages between 25-85 years of age were interviewed and results showed that the majority believed mental health issues are caused by family related stress as well as, social stress due to racism. Prayer was found to be the preferred method of coping, with the percentage of black american women using mental health services being low. Stigma being the main reason why medical health was not sort after, which I presume is also the same reason for the low rate of black British women who access mental health services. As a result they are more likely to enter the mental health services through the courts and police rather than primary care. 

Psychologists have suggested that black women both in the UK and USA tend to feel more pressure to overcome stigmas associated with being a black woman, therefore, change themselves so they don't appear angry or intimidating and to ensure others around them are comfortable. This constant role playing  and diminishing oneself, is what psychologists believe to have affected the psyche, leading to much higher statistics.

Kirsty Latoya Peters  Instagram @kizart

In terms of treatment, black women in the UK are more likely to receive medication rather than be offered psycho-therapy. Research suggests that western approaches to mental health treatment are often unsuitable and culturally inappropriate to meet the needs of the black community.

It is critical that we start a conversation about mental health in the black community and not just its affect on black women. The stigma must be removed and the shame element of seeking help should be eliminated. Its extremely important that as humans we look after our minds body and soul. Just as we would go to the doctor if we had a problem with a physical part of our body, we should to the same for our minds. There is no shame in taking care of any part of yourself.

Again I say to you beautiful black woman: you are a strong resilient Queen, but please don't let a mental health illness knock that crown off your head.

Until next time,

Chengetai Victoria

lightofmindx.co.uk

xoxo

GroHealthy Skin | NATALIE PURSUE:INSPIRE

I love the multipurpose aspect of some products. For example using eyeshadow as a lipstick pigment. Treating your hair with edible oils, using herbs and spices to cleanse skin...

When I received my Shea and Coconut lovelies and read the pamphlet that came with it, I stumbled across something interesting with the oil which was exclusive to the rest of the range. Though it's main usability is for hair, it also said that it was great for skin.

Recently I've been getting back into cleansing my face with pure coconut oil and thought... hey why not try with the Shea and Coconut Oil I have! Keep reading for find out how I use it and my results!

First thing's first... a clean face is essential. I've generally been using baby wipes and found them to work quite well. However I have found when I’ve used make up just using coconut oil and wiping off (via watching YouTube and doing research) to be quicker and more effective.

When my face is clear I put a thin layer of the Shea & Coconut Oil on my face, avoiding my eyes and run my face towel under hot water before squeezing it out.

I place the hot face towel on my face for about 30 seconds to steam and then gently wipe off.

Normally after I do this with just coconut oil I have to use a moisturiser as my face feels a bit dry. It was the same for the Shea and Coconut oil but my skin did feel soft and clean.

One noticeable benefit of the Shea and Coconut Oil over pure coconut oil is the smell! I love the smell of coconut oil but when it’s lingering for 2 days even with washing your face daily... it’s a bit much! With the GroHealthy Oil the smell is minimal and it doesn’t stay. I also think the added benefits of Omega3 and Shea Butter of maintaining smooth and healthy skin is a wonderful bonus!

I find this as affective as pure coconut oil and would definately use it again as a cleanser!

Natalie @PursueInspire | Curls Au-Naturel

Natural Hair in the Workplace: The Natural Hair Movement

Natural hair in the workplace is riding a bold wave of evolution and style among African American women.  Lengthy, silky, European looking hair extensions and weaves are giving way to natural coils, curls, locs, and twists as more and more women of color love on their natural roots.  Only a few years ago, black women might spend hours, days, and weeks contemplating the risks of daring to display their natural hair in the workplace and thus, choose to add a bun or ponytail to conform to traditional European styles.  Black women not only found themselves trying to prove their experiential and intellectual worth but also had to worry about the stigma of wearing natural hair from their co-workers, customers, and bosses.  

Natural Hair Versatility in the Workplace

Image Source: Shutterstock

This naturalista remembers wearing her first few twist-outs in Corporate America. The experience was a positive one, unlike the negative stories one often hears. There were many compliments from fellow employees. Co-workers often spoke in secret about how much they liked the gorgeous, natural style; then as if the area was under surveillance, they would lean in and share their plans of going natural someday.

Nearly a decade later, naturalistas are brazenly embracing the versatility of their natural hair, refusing to hide it beneath wigs, bury it under silky European looking weaves, or damage it with chemical relaxers to conform to a standard. Instead, black women are taking to wearing the hair that is growing from their roots.  Previously, natural hair was thought to be ugly, unkempt, unmanageable, and unacceptable. Today, there is an effort by many to avoid being caught up in ugly stereotypes of what it means to have good or bad hair.

Unfortunately, it requires conversation at times with those of European descent who are curious or seeking to understand the texture of a black woman's hair better. Naturalistas often have to endure discussions that center around fascination and inquiries about their hair’s texture.  While no natural hair diva wants to become a main attraction or exhibition for the ignorant, the conversation around natural hair is, in fact, helping to further the movement.

Natural Hair Education and Products Boost Confidence

Image Source: Shutterstock

The natural hair movement thrives today thanks to the availability and advancement of resources and testimony from the natural hair community. Self-proclaimed natural hair experts on YouTube and via blogs provide natural hair divas with access to tips, tricks, and products which undoubtedly contributes to their comfort level of achieving and wearing their natural locks in the workplace. There are thousands, possibly millions of videos available on YouTube and articles accessible by way of various natural hair blogs that demonstrate natural hairstyles that a naturalista might wear in the workplace ranging from twist-outs to up-dos to perm rod sets to braids, twists, coils or dreads.

For those who are considering transitioning or are in the process of taking the big step to wear their natural hair, it is important to note that no one expects this to be an easy journey in or outside of the workplace, despite the significant accomplishments of the natural hair movement. Novice naturalistas should do their homework and research styles that may be fashionable for Corporate America.

Natural Hair in the Workplace Controversy

Image Source: Shutterstock

Natural hair in the workplace is not without its controversy. While major organizations like the United States Army continue to take steps closer to acceptance of natural hairstyles like twists, there are those organizations who are not ready or willing to accept natural hair. Also, there are those within the black community that do not approve of natural hair in the workplace and can sometimes prove to be just as damaging to the cause as those who do not support natural hair in corporate America. Discrimination against natural hair is alive and well. The youth will undoubtedly have the biggest impact in carrying the movement further than their predecessors.

By: Xotica Hair