Rosemary

I'm sure you've all heard somewhere in the natural hair community that Rosemary stimulates hair growth and blood circulation. So being the cheap bum that I am, I decided to boil some ground rosemary to extract its nutrients rather than just running to the health food store for its essential oil. I know the rosemary is organic because it was grown in my mother's garden.

What I did is I spooned the rosemary into a coffee filter and ran it through my coffee maker. This was all very experimental since I have never used a coffee maker to make tea (which is what the rosemary is now, essentially). And it turned out to not be fucked up! It smells heavenly and is a beautiful earthy red colour. I'm going to put some of this in my shampoo and daily spray for some added nutrients...... sooner or later I'm going to try drinking the stuff as tea.... =P

My favourite Freeformers on Fotki

Here's a list of some of my favourite (damn you spell-check for not accepting the Canadian spelling of the word) freeformed dreadheads on Fotki. I, personally don't have an account and refuse to pay for one; however, I am a frequent lurker in the darkness of cyberspace.

Yasu last one
Mochalocks
TalkingYam
Statontc2
BlackAngel Playah (my absolute fave!)
Soul-Rebel
Missharvin1
queenjahzara
Kesiah
nappyheadedblackgirl
somethingfree
chococanelleII *she twists occasionally, but I love the thickness of her hair

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Hemp Pure Castile Soap as Shampoo

What works for me may not work for everyone else. But what I've found to be far superior to every shampoo/conditioner/moisturizer/facial cleanser/shower gel I've ever used is Dr. Bronner's castile soap. Diluted (4-5 caps full per 250ml of water), it makes the best shampoo for me. It lathers, clarifies and even seems to condition my hair after a good wash. The feeling of the peppermint on the scalp is also cool and refreshing. Now I can't help but sing Dr. Bronner's praises.

Shampooing is something I do every other day to every couple of days. That's only because I sweat a lot and I'm obsessed with smelling clean =). Using Dr. Bronner's full strength would surely strip my hair of moisture, with the frequency at which I wash it. But diluted, it's absolutely fine for me to do it every other day.

I use it for everything now, from showering to washing my face. I don't think I'll ever buy another special purpose soap, when this one seems to do everything well for me. I have a feeling that I'm going to save a shitload of money in the long run. Goodbye Product Junky-ism.


Ingredients: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut & Organic Olive Oils (w/ retained glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Peppermint Oil, Mentha Arvensis, Citric Acid, Vitamin E.

Simple and few ingredients. All organic. Fair Trade. Pretty economical. =)

And one week passes...

Back in the game

Hey folks!

I'm back in the game! The locking game, that is! I'm going through a transitional period in my life and I'd like my hair to document that change. In a couple of weeks, I'll be the first in my family to graduate from university. And recently, I have been granted admission to a graduate program, which will be starting in the fall. There's probably no better time than now.

I carefully parted my hair on May 17th and twisted it. I've changed shampoos and am now using Dr. Bronner's peppermint castile soap instead of the Druide peppermint shower gel because it's much cheaper and lasts longer. Washing happens every couple of days because of the warmer weather and because I'm a clean freak. When i'm not shampooing, I still allow my hair to get a little wet in the shower.

So far, I'm in love with Dr. Bronner's and his eccentric religious ravings sprawlled all over the label. Of course, I use it diluted: 4 caps full per 1 cup of water, in a spray bottle and that stuff later's like a dream.

When I make my first impression on the people in my graduate program in the fall, I want to make a bold and radical statement with my hair. I think that thick, freeform locks will be the best way to do it... aside from my lefty politics =P

Pictures or a video will come soon.

ALL-ONE!

Update

You've all probably noticed that I am no longer documenting my loc journey. This is because I've decided to begin the journey during an upcoming meaningful period of my life.

I'm going to grad school in the fall and I think that I'd like to begin my journey as I embark on the academic career of my dreams.

So it's my usual fro for now, folks.
Thanks for understanding!

peace

A little bit on coconut oil and vegetable glycerin

I've been experimenting with some new natural products for moisturizing and conditioning. This week, I bought some pure coconut oil to give it a go. When I opened the container it was completely solid; and that was because it was -15C when I was walking home with it in my bag. It's melting point is 24C. I don't think that it will turn into pure liquid in my apartment because I don't keep it that warm. I like it a little chilly in here (yeah I'm a freak). But with a little experimentation, I've found that coconut oil is really easy to work with. It melts right underneath your fingertips if you dip your finger right into the container. It even melts faster than shea butter.

I spooned some out into a smaller container that I can use for finger-dipping because I don't want to spoil an entire container with constant handling: the dirt from your fingers, scalp and hair can make the coconut oil go rancid much faster.

So far, I really enjoy the coconut oil because it's really light, prevents breakage, makes your hair and scalp soft, and goes a long way if you use a little. I would consider it a great daily moisturizer if you moisturize your scalp every day. My only issue with it is using it in the winter. I used it to twist my hair a few days ago; and when I went outside in below freezing weather, the twists became a little bit stiff. My hair wasn't crunchy it was just a little stiff. It kind of feels like a weak gel in your hair. But as soon as I went back inside, it instantly became soft again. The drop in temperature will cause the coconut oil to thicken in your hair. It'll become soft again once you're in room temperature.

I'm not entirely sure if allowing coconut oil to thicken in your hair, in colder temperatures, is a damaging thing; I kind of wonder if it coats your hair from the temperature. I'm no biologist, so if anyone knows for sure, holler at me.

I definitely think that once the temperature is regularly above zero that coconut oil would make a great daily moisturizer for scalp and hair, since it's lightweight, in comparison to things like shea butter-- which is heavier and and needs to be applied less often, lasting longer in between washes.

A tinge of adventure struck me and I tried coconut oil as a facial moisturizer and I must say that I'm rather impressed. It's light and absorbs quickly on a freshly washed face and gives me a bit of a sheer matte glow. I have oily skin and so I've found that a lot of moisturizers make my skin look shiny after several hours; but with the coconut oil, I'm experiencing no shine I think I'm going to continue this and see if I notice any changes over a few days. Can't say if other people would experience the same thing... this is just what turned out for me.

On to Vegetable Glycerin:

So.... for people who use it on a daily basis... do you find it a little bit sticky? Not strong enough to be an adhesive but just a little bit tacky on the hair and fingers. Maybe I'm using too much. I should mess around with the portions the next time I mix up my morning spritz solution. I'm not sure if I'd buy it again; but let me see what changing the water-glycerin ratio does first. It's a little expensive, 15.99 CAD for 16oz. It's not entirely necessary and can be done without. After I finish this bottle I think I won't try it again until the summer. Since vegetable glycerin is a humectant, it draws moisture from the air into your hair. The winter months in Southern Ontario aren't very humid. So i don't know if I'm getting the most out of it.