Shea butter is a natural fat derivative of the Karite tree, which grows in the savannah belt of West Africa. Used largely in cosmetic and hair care products here in the states, shea butter is also used for cooking in certain parts of its native continent. In addition to its moisturizing and culinary properties, shea butter is also good for fading scars and dark spots, treatment of burns and eczema, improving muscle stiffness, and as a sunscreen.

Here are the multi-tiered benefits of Shea Butter according to the Treasured Locks Website:

For hair: Shea Butter provides moisture to dry or damaged hair from the roots to the very tips, repairing and protecting against weather damage, dryness and brittleness. It also absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp to rehydrate without clogging pores. It is particularly beneficial for processed and heat-treated hair. It is an excellent treatment for dry scalp. It restores luster to damaged hair.

For skin: Shea Butter nourishes the skin with Vitamins A, E and F. Vitamins A and E help maintain the skin and keep it clear and healthy. They are particularly helpful for sun damaged skin. They help prevent premature wrinkles and facial lines. Vitamin F acts as a skin protector and rejuvenator. It soothes rough, dry or chapped skin and helps soften dry or damaged hair. Also, Shea Butter easily penetrates the skin allowing the skin to breathe and not clogging pores. Shea Butter has a high level of cinnamic acid, a natural sun screen. So, it provides some degree of protection from the sun. Shea Butter is also anti-inflammatory making it useful in treating rheumatism.

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

When it comes to hair care products, it is in the in the best interest of cosmetic companies to ensure their items have as long a shelf life and possible, not simply for the financial benefits but to make sure their customers receive the best quality product once it reaches their hot little hands. The time limit between when a product is created, warehoused and finally become a part of your favorite store’s inventory can span anywhere between a few weeks to a few months, so cosmetic companies add preservatives in order to make sure their product does not go to waste in the interim. Not only do preservatives work to extend the shelf life of commercial products by preventing them from becoming victims of microorganism (spoiling), according to the Cosmetic Info Website, preservatives also ward against inadvertent contamination due to consumer use (allergic reactions or irritation due to spoiled materials).

There are several different types of preservatives used in hair care products. Some contain antimicrobials that prevent the growth or mold or other bacteria, and antioxidants prevent breakdowns in the chemical structure of a product when it come in contact with oxygen and/or heat. While we can all agree that the use of preservatives in hair care products and other cosmetics are a good thing, most likely the types that are used in most commercial hair care products are “cheap” and synthetic, providing very little benefit to your hair and possibly rendering the product itself ineffective.

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

In honour of the success of my Examiner.com column, and to celebrate the birth and growth of the CNHE Facebook Fan Page, I’m sponsoring my very first giveaway!!!!

Here’s whats’ up for grabs:

• 2 copies of Columbus author and Nappiologist Extrodinare M. Michele George’s book “The Knotty Truth“

• 2 8 oz. bottle of Yonnea’s Natural Beauty Honey and Hibicus Leave N Condish

• 1 bar of Pegasus Soaps’ Honey and Shea handmade glycerin soap

• 1 bar of Pegasus Soaps’ Oatmeal, Milk and Honey handmade hot process soap

Interested?  Well here are the Rules and Regulations:

1. Eligible giveaway contestants must be members of the Columbus Natural Hair Examiner Facebook Fanbook Page, subscribers to the Columbus Natural Hair Examiner column *AND* a follower of Journey Back 2 Me Hair Blog via Facebook’s Networked Blogs.

2. Only 1 of the above prizes will be given away to 1 of 6 random contestants.

3. In order to keep things fair, relatives of Angela M. Smith are ineligible to win any of the above prizes.

4. The giveaway will run from Monday, March 29, 2010, with a winner chosen each Friday of the following weeks until all prizes are given away.

5. Eligible entries will be considered from replies to the CNHE fan page discussion thread, and 1 winner will be chosen each Friday via random selection using the random raffle generator at www.random.org.

6. Neither the Columbus Natural Hair Examiner, Journey Back 2 Me Hair Blog or Examiner.com assume responsibility for adverse reactions to any of the products offered. It is up to each contestant to read the list of ingredients used in the offered products to determine if they can be used to their satisfaction.

And there you have it! Our very first giveaway to show how grateful I am for my CNHE fans! I plan to have more giveaways in the future featuring a Sephora gift certificate, other hair care products and possibly a free 30 day sponsorship for a lucky business or Blogger!

Be sure to enter today, and don’t forget to spread the word!

Healthy Hair Wishes!

Well isn’t that a sight for sore eyes?  No?  Ah well, moving on. *lol*

Picking up where I left off last week, I started using the Kirk’s Fragrance Free Original Coco Castile Soap to wash my face in place of the Dollar General Oil Free Apricot Scrub, and I really like how “clean” it gets my skin.  The only draw back is, it is slightly drying in tandem with the ACV toner, which made it necessary to use the “Beauty Fluid” moisturizer.  No real worries there, though.  Since I only wash my face every other day (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays unless I plan to wear makeup) I did not have to use the moisturizer too much during the week so that’s good.

Difference in between my skin with the castile soap and the apricot scrub?  Well, those dry cheek patches are noticeably smoother now, even in between washes.  I think maybe the scrub was too abrasive on my cheeks to use as often as I did (like duh).  The soap provides a real mild clean and foams really, really well even with our “hard” water ( I use quotes because I wash with warm water, and hot water is a tad bit softer than cold).  The soap also works well with my seaweed mask, which I use on Fridays, giving my skin a good balance of surface and deep cleaning.

Complexion wise I am noticing my skin tone evening out a bit, whereas I had a few discolourations here and there due to past blemishes:

One discovery I made during this week is I have rather “large” pores on my cheeks as compared to pores on other areas of my face, something I never really noticed before (from what I’ve been reading they come with age).  Now I’m not sure if it’s the large pores that are making that area of my face drier than other or visa versa, but I have noticed they are diminished in appearance with regular use my seaweed mask.  Yaaaaaaaay seaweed mask!

As for the ACV toner, while it’s a natural wunderkind with removing an excess cleanser from my face and tightening my pores, it leaves a “too tight” feeling to my skin and actually stings my cheeks horrible.  Also… the smell leaves a lot to be desired.  So in theory, it is an excellent toner but I think I’m going to stop using it after this week.

So there we have week two.  A whole lot more diligent on the regimen, and a slight increase in my water intake although it’s not nearly as much as I should be drinking. *smacks hands with ruler* I ordered two 2 oz. bottles of Lavender Tea Tree and Chamomile Bergamot facial toners from Pegasus Soaps to see if they work better for me than the ACV.  I’m also flirting with the idea of making my own apricot face scrub if I can find the right recipe.  Since I start both work and school next week I more than likely will be up’ing my regimen to twice every other day (once in the morning and once when I come home from class), but I guess that will depend on what I’m actually exposed to during the day.

How are you coming along with your challenge?  If you haven’t started yet it’s not too late to jump in.  A good facial should be a part of every beauty regimen in addition to your hair routine.    If you also have taken up the challenge, or deciding to do so now, I’d love to hear your progress by comment here or via Email at amichelle@journeyback2me.com.

Healthy Hair (and skin) Wishes,

Branded at the “Best darn products. Period.”, Miss Jessie’s products have had natural hair wearers nationwide singing their praises for how wonderfully they work in styling and maintaining kinky, coily and curly hair in its natural state. Well on Sunday, March 28th, 2010 Miss Jessie’s lovers will have more cause to celebrate when over 200 select Target locations throughout the country begin stocking their shelves with the beloved hair care brand. Hair and Beauty Blogs Netwide have been abuzz with the news for weeks, and the official pronouncement has inspired a shower of excited comments on Miss Jessie’s Facebook Page, and prompted the opening of an Official Fan Page on the site which is bursting at the seams with over six hundred members. “I can hardly wait,” announces one fan comment while another exclaims “I’m so excited!!!!!” slightly above it.

Created in 2004 by sisters Titi and Miko Branch, Miss Jesse’s products were first used exclusively in their New York salon as a means to aid in the manageability of styling textured tresses. Being born of African-American and Japanese ancestry, the Branch sisters know firsthand the challenges most hair care products fail to meet when dealing with coiled hair and committed to providing styling, cleansing and conditioning implements with those challenges in mind.

“We noticed there were not a lot of products that catered to our texture of hair; extremely dry, curly, thick kinky and wavy hair,” explains Titi in a 2008 interview with Getemgirls.com. “We experimented in our salon with different products and realized there really was a nitch and an opening for products for hair types like ours.”

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

I have known today’s feature for a good number of years, going back to my days as a Blogger on Xanga.com many, many moons ago.  I was drawn to  Genoa‘s her uncanny Archeress charm through and open letter entry she wrote, letting LL Cool J know that he had a body of work that proved he no longer had to prove his musical worthiness, and should cease and desist releasing club fodder like “Head Sprung” for radio spins.  It was an entry that had me in stitches and made me like her instantly. Another fascinating aspect about her was her locs.  I was still relaxing at the time and thought her style was bold and daring, as well as pretty and well suited to her carefree demeanour.  Well years passed, and Genoa has moved from the West Coast to the Dirty South, copped the locs and gone full circle from relaxing her naps to coming right back to the natural side of life again.  Here is her story, in her own words.

AM: When and why did you chop your locs?

Genoa: I chopped in in December ’07. Most of my hair changes lately have occurred right around my birthday; December ’07 I chopped my locs and went to a relaxer;  December ’08 was last relaxer, though initially I was going to stretch them.

AM: OMG… The “Dark Side” got you! How did that happen? Just wanted something different?

Genoa: Actually when I started my locks I had a relaxer.  It never even occurred to me to go natural.  I have been on and off relaxers since ’94.

AM: Wow, that’s different. I’ve never heard of anyone loc’ing while relaxed.

Genoa: No, when I started them I was growing out a relaxer.  A few people said maybe I should chop off the relaxer, but at the time I wasn’t trying to hear that.

AM: How long were you loc’ed and what made you decide on that style?

Genoa: Four years.  I started my mother’s locs in 2001.  After her “beautician” retired I became her resident hair dresser.  She’d get me up early in the morning to press her edges.  I grew tired of that and sat her down one day and started her locs.  Two years later I had a friend who was loc’ed.  She was the first person i knew around my age to be loc’ed and hers looked great, all the time.  So with her and my mom’s encouragement, I started mine in September 2003.  I can do hair when I have to, but locs just seemed to a free flowing style without much fuss.

AM: When you decided to un-loc and what was your motivation?

Genoa: I went through a lot of grief in 2007.  I lost my aunt, I was in a new state far far away from home…  Chopping them off was a release.

AM: So, you chopped? Why not comb them out?

Genoa: Combing them out never crossed my mind. I knew it would be too short for me to press.  It wasn’t until late 2008, when I came across natural blogs and sites that I thought, “Yeah, my natural hair… I could do that”

AM: Once you chopped, what became your maintenance routine?

Genoa: Moisture, moisture, moisture!  My tresses love water and coconut oil.

AM: How long is your hair now?

Genoa: I’m shoulder length.

AM: How long was it when you chopped?

Genoa: Very short… TWA.

AM: What styles have you experimented with?

Genoa: Successfully?  Wash ‘n Go’s, I’ve got those down.  Flat twist outs, braid outs, twist outs… Working on my Frohawk, but it needs more work.

AM: Any heat styling?

Genoa: Maybe once every few months, but I prefer my hair in its coily state.   The first time I got it straighten I wore a hat for a week.  Couldn’t wait to get water on it.  I like it better when it’s big and all over my head.  There are enough women with straight hair in Atlanta.  I like being unique.

AM: What products do you rely on most often?

Genoa: Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel, Ion Moisturizing Treatment, henna.  Multi vitamins, you know feed the body from the inside out.  Extra virgin coconut oil and Infusium 23 Leave-In.

AM: What do you use for washing?

Genoa: Currently the Organix Teatree Mint.  I typically use shampoos that specify they are hydrating or moisturizing.

AM: What’s you’re washing/maintenance routine?

Genoa: I use product daily so I typically shampoo three times a week, and deep condition once a week, alternating between a deep treatment and henna.

AM: You are the first feature I’ve had that uses henna. What does it do for your hair?

Genoa: It makes it so soft, strong and keeps my hair from shedding.  And since I have a ton of gray it colors them a nice, warm red.

AM: Is it difficult to mix and use?

Genoa: Not at all.  I watched a few videos on Youtube beforehand, and you can use things that you already have around the house.  The only thing I don’t like is keeping it on my head for six hours.  I don’t like the feeling of a plastic cap on my head for hours.

AM: Is that the typical time limit necessary for the treatment?

Genoa: Some do it up for up to eight hours, or you can do it for as little as three.  I’ve done it for three hours, six hours and overnight. I didn’t see much of a difference in the results.

AM: What are the differences you’ve noticed in your hair between now and pre-use?

Genoa: I’ve retained a lot of length and have hardly any split ends.

AM: You said you’ve gone back and forth between relaxed and natural for a number of years. Any specific reason why, or was it just one of those Sagittarian “I feel like something different” things?

Genoa: I was clueless as to how damaging relaxers were.  I always wore my hair straight and styled with heat, so I figured being relaxed would get me half way there.  It was until last October, after seeing Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” that I became aware of how brainwashed I was.  I thought being relaxed was easier and that it made my hair more manageable.  I was a faithful sat salon patron for all of 2008.  All that time I could have been writing The Great American novel.

AM: Are you planning to stay natural this time?

Genoa: Yes, yes, yes!  For the rest of my life.  Not even so much as hair dye.

AM: In the totality of your journey, what have been some of the high and low points for you?

Genoa: I would say the product trial and error.  I was beginning to have a product junkie problem.  The highs are people around me being inspired to go natural as well.  Women who have had relaxers forever giving up the creamy crack and putting the mixing spatula down.

AM: What would you say you would have done differently knowing what you know now?

Genoa: I would not have gotten a relaxer. Maybe picked my locks loose, although I don’t know if i have that kind of patience.

AM: Living in one of the biggest processed hair cities in the country has it been difficult to do the natural thing there?

Genoa: Yes and no.  The weave exploration is a temptation I’ve never felt before moving to Atlanta. I have trouble creating new styles. I found my groove with the Wash ‘n Go and stayed with it.  Then when my hair got a lil longer I found comfort with the flat twist out.

AM: Any advice for others looking to go natural?

Genoa: DO IT!  Do your reseach, go gradual or chop all at once.  Find a way to get back to natural, and let go of what ever thoughts you have about relaxed hair being easier.

~@~

Genoa’s Progress in Pictures

(click each image to enlarge)

Would you like to hear more from Genoa? You can contact via her Soul Purpose Website at www.soulpurpose.net/esuite/home/gigi.

###

Genoa, it was a joy catching up with you and learning about the many miles you’ve logged on your journey.  Much success to you always!

Healthy Hair Wishes,

NOTE: All pictures used are property of the individual persons featured, unless otherwise noted.  All rights reserved

Well here I am at the beginning of week two of my challenge and let me tell you… I am in LOVE with my results!  Well… on the co-wash side, since I have yet to twist my hair (which I’m scheduled to do tonight… I think. *lol*) because I loved my washout outcome so much.

It has been a week since I started this challenge and honestly, I have to say the results have been remarkable.  I’ve often heard many people say that co-washes leave their hair feeling greasy and unclean I have not had that experience so far.  For me, my hair feels cleaner than when I used shampoo, if that’s possible!  This might be because I use a homemade conditioner that incorporates four different oils and shea butter so I did not have to add add extra oil for moisture once my hair dried, or it might be the ACV rinse and tepid water rinse. *kanye shrug*  Either way, my hair was lush, full of body and ever so moisture rich without feeling heavy.  I don’t think I’ll ever go back to shampoo for cleansing again!  Okay so, not really but the results are to be desired.

After the final rinse my coils were well defined, soft and full of life.  Since I detangled while the I “washed” I came away with absolutely no kinks whatsoever.  The above picture is of my crown while partially damp, full and fluffy and coily.   Even after my hair dried my kinks were minimal and my hair was still soft.  Here’s a closer view:

Note: Admittedly, while my hair was wet my hair was oily to the touch, which isn’t a big thing for me since I work from home (for the moment) and can allow it to soak in as my hair air dries.  This can be avoided by decreasing the amount of oils used or eliminating the shea butter.  The excess oil soaked into my hair by the next day, leaving behind a nice sheen and accounting for the soft, supple feel of my hair.

Scalp wise, I did not experience the same amount of buildup or dryness as I had when using my usual Garnier shampoo and conditioner duo.  This seemed kind of odd to me since the co-washing process doesn’t leave hair “product free” like shampoo is supposed to.  I guess this could be due to there being no chemical preservatives in my conditioner of choice. *kanye shrug reloaded*

Since I wore a wash out for the entire first week the one thing that was a constant concern was shrinkage and how to refresh my style after sleeping on it all night.  Well all it took to pop my style back into effect was a few spritzes of water from my trusty spray bottle and a few run-throughs of my fingers and I was good to go.  The water worked to reactivate the oils already in my hair thanks to the conditioner, so extra added products were not necessary, although I did use a bit of Going-Natural’s Silky Shea-Aloe Butter that I won from Afroglitz Mag‘s giveaway a couple weeks ago to “smooth” my edges (Thanks again!).  This was my week-long style, in a nutshell:

So in conclusion, I am loving the challenge so far and how it leaves my hair feeling nourished and full and curly. I also love the fact that I did not have to use additional products to keep my hair from feeling dry in the week between washing and it has improved my washout success!  I haven’t noticed any growth or strength differences as yet, but I’m sure that won’t be noticeable until at least update four.

Did you take up the challenge too?  Whether you are doing just the cowash part or engaging in the full monty I’d love to hear your results here in the comment, via twitter at @jb2me or via Email at amichelle@journeyback2me.com.  Maybe next week I’ll have more on the twist/twist out side of the challenge to speak of. *lol*

**ADDENDUM**

I actually twisted my hair!!!

Okay so, they aren’t much to speak of since I wear them wrapped up most of the time, but at least I did get that part of the challenge met this week. *lol*

Healthy Hair Wishes,

The building blocks for growing a full, healthy head of hair are adequate water intake, maintaining a well balanced diet, and cultivating a healthy scalp. While the first two steps to success are easily manageable under normal circumstances, the third may prove trickier to retain. For most, dehydration and malnutrition produce warning signs way before major physical issues kick in and can be corrected in record time. But with your scalp, because it is not a part of the body that can readily be seen, certain conditions may either go ignored or be mistaken for nonthreatening maladies and not treated until it’s way too late. What one might think is simply a dry scalp that needs more moisture products to correct could indeed be more serious than first suspected. So what are the most common scalp issues that may be impeding your journey to beautiful hair and how can they be resolved?

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

While it may seem an inanimate structure, the hair that covers your scalp is actually a collection of living, growing strands that develop individually in four unique cycles; anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen. The first phase, anagen, is where the hair strand is actually growing and can last anywhere from three to seven years. For most, approximately 80 to 90% of hair follicles are in the anagen phase with the hair growing consistently at an average rate of half an inch per month. The second phase, catagen, is the part of the cycle where the individual hair strand stops growing, detaches from its blood supply and is pushed closer to the surface of the scalp. It is estimated that at any given time 2 to 3% of hair is in the catagen state, which lasts an average of two to four weeks before hair reaches telogen, the hair’s resting phase. The telogen leg of hair’s journey lasts approximately three months and involves about 10 to 15% of all the hair present.

Exogen is quite possibly the most noticeable part of the growth cycle because it involves hair strands being naturally shed from the head. Coming in on the tail end of the telogen phase, it is estimated that the scalp rids itself of 50 to 100 strands each day through the exogen phase. While this may seem like a lot, consider the fact that the average dark haired beauty is has 110,000 follicles taking part in of all phases of the growth cycle. For red heads that number decreased to 90,000 but for blondes it is dramatically increased to 130,000. Once the hair strand is shed, a new hair replaces it and the cycle begins again. It is believed that the average follicle grows about twenty new hairs in its lifetime.

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

So last Sunday I embarked on a skin care challenge inspired by Veronica of the My Natural Me Beauty Blog, and was whole heartedly excited about getting into the thick of it, the week proved to be a bit too busy so I didn’t get started until Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon I began my regimen with a cleansing scrub using my apricot scrub which left my skin feel ever so luxurious.  Once that was done I applied my kelp mud mask and allowed it to set for a half hour.  Since the directions for the mask instruct me to wait at least an hour before applying toner or moisturizer, I allowed my skin to air dry and set about co-washing my hair.  What’s amazing is, by the time I was done with my hair I found I didn’t need to apply my astringent or moisturizer to complete my facial.  My skin was properly hydrated and exfoliated and my natural oils were popping like Lil Mama’s lip gloss so the dry patches I “complained” about were minimal.  There wasn’t even a cause to apply moisturizer on Friday either, which would be my “off” day per my usual routine anyway.  Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the before or after, but there really wasn’t much difference from the image in my initial challenge entry.

Yesterday morning, because I had a meetup event to attend, I washed with my apricot scrub but left the astringent out of these equation because I didn’t want to dry my skin (I find that the warmer the weather becomes the less I need to use toner, especially since my astringent of choice contains alcohol) but applied very little of the “beauty fluid” since I was planing to wear a bit of make up to the event.  The above picture was yesterday’s results.

NOTE: I do not wear foundation, just a triple shadow, mascara and eyeliner, blush and neutral lipstick.  I also keep my colours on the “earth tone” side.  And while I admit the picture is a bit “fuzzy”  cause my camera sucks, that is the true complexion of my skin. I’ll be sure to try and take “clearer” pictures in future updates.

Now, with the second facial cycle I am finding that whether I use moisturizer or not, the “cleaner” my skin is the more oily it tends to be.  Mind you, it’s not abundantly oily but it is oily enough for me to notice a few “pimple-like” bumps on my forehead and on my cheeks where the dry patches were (which was pointed out to me by a complete stranger who recommended I get  a “liver flush” ).  So more than likely I am going to have to use toner and moisturizer each and every time I cleanse in order to balance the oils out.  However, I no longer want to use my normal astringent, so I’m considering switching to apple cider vinegar for my toning needs from here on out.

When I reconsidered taking the challenge I took a real hard look at the products I’d committed to using.  Although they had all served me well in the past, I grew more interested in using “natural” products for my facial needs.  With that in mind, in addition to my toner switch, I picked up a bar of Kirk’s Fragrance Free Original Coco Castile Soap and will be using it in place of the commercial apricot scrub to see if it balances my oil production.  The routine will be the same: basic cleanse and tone every other day with an added mask once a week.  I’m not exactly sure what I’ll use for moisture, if it becomes necessary to use it with this regimen, but I want to move away from the “beauty fluid” because it contains a few undesirable ingredients (shea and coco butter prove to leave my skin too greasy).  I guess I’ll report more on that in my next update.

Sad to say, my water intake has been rather low this week, which may also account for the increased oils, so that will be tackled more aggressively in the next week.

So there you have it.  My first week of the challenge wasn’t a total wash-out (pun intended) but I do need to be more diligent with caring for my skin, and drinking water as an overall rule.  I might even consider that liver flush thing at some point in the future. *shrug* Whatever keeps the skin and system in the pink, right?

If you also have taken up the challenge, or deciding to do so now, I’d love to hear your progress by comment here or via Email at amichelle@journeyback2me.com.

Healthy Hair (and skin) Wishes,