Product Review: Dove Quench Absolute

  I've been my own “guinea pig” for many occasions. Whether it be a new shampoo, heat protectant, curly hair product, or in this case deep conditioner. Many of you may not know this, but I am indeed a deep conditioner JUNKIE, but what natural isn't in one way or another right? I feel as if the deep conditioning is the most vital step in the entire process because it's allowing your hair to be replenished of what it needs and helps to keep the curls bouncin’ and healthy!

  I recently decided the try a deep conditioner that I had heard about through YouTube via GlamTwins.  Dove Quench Absolute. Now I was definitely skeptical at first because I'm used to hearing about their soap, not hair products!? But I finally gave in and tried it out and I can honestly say that I LOVE IT!

  Dove Quench Absolute left my hair feeling super soft and fluffy. It definitely defined my curls and there was so much moisture in my hair afterwards. I could definitely tell the difference in my hair, after one use.

  But what I didn't like is that while is was in my hair, it did leave my hair feeling a little hard, but once I washed it out the feeling went away. So this product gets a two thumbs up from me.

  I definitely recommend this product to anyone with thick hair, (because this DC has a somewhat thicker consistency) and if you don't have thick hair but would like to try it, use a small amount. Let me know how it works for you!

Sincerely,
   A Natural

P.s. What are some of your favorite DC?

Hair after DC is washed out.

Nightly Hair Routine on Natural Hair

Hey guys!
Long time, no talk (not really, only missed one day). But whatevs, even with that short time I've missed you guys and my fellow naturalistas.

This is a long awaited, highly requested post that I've been putting off for a while and I'm not sure why. By the title, you surely know what it is.... MY NIGHTLY HAIR ROUTINE!
So, without further or do here it is.

Step 1: I part my hair into four sections, (doesn't have to be perfect) and then pin three of the four sections up.

Step 2: Working with that first section, I lightly spritz with water (and sometimes aloe Vera juice), until my hair is damp enough to finger detangle, but NOT drenched.

Step 3: I then apply my leave-in conditioner. (A few that I've personally used and liked are Cantu's leave-in, Shea Moisture, Giovanni's direct leave-in, and African Pride's leave-in.) Making sure to evenly distribute it throughout my hair using my fingers.

Step 4: Repeat step 3 on all the sections until the entire head is complete.

Step 5: After applying the leave-in, apply an oil of your choice and two-strand twist each section.

Step 6: I then pull each twist back into a loose ponytail/bun and then wrap my hair with a silk scarf and put my bonnet on top of that.

...then viola! I'm done and ready for bed.

Now you've heard my nightly routine, what's yours?

Sincerely,
 A Natural

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

       This week’s post will just be an update with what's going on with the status of my “natural hair addiction.” However, everything should be right back to normal. As some of you may know, I just so happen to have a LOVE for hair. Thick, fine, kinky, ect. (And if you follow me of social networks then you already know, but if you don't this will be knew information to you.) So therefore, I've decided to start a natural hair channel in hopes that I am able to inform others and have fun while doing so! I hope that you all love it as well and hopefully, you subscribe.

Xoxo

TO KEEP UP WITH UPDATES:
Be sure to follow my Twitter page and  Instagram if you’d like.

Sincerely,
   A Natural

Why I Love Coconut Oil

In the natural hair community, there are many different oils which all have many different benefits. However, the one that will forever be my favorite is coconut oil. Listed down below are a few reasons why this specific oil is a staple product for me.

Penetrates the Hair
1. Coconut oil is one of the few oils that actually penetrates the hair shaft, instead of just lying on top. Because of this, it is great to apply after putting in a moisturizer because It will seal in everything. Personally, I follow the LOC method in order to moisturize. Here is the link, describing how I do the LOC Method: LOC Method

Promotes Blood Flow to Scalp
2. This oil also helps to promote blood circulation to the scalp, and when more blood circulates that means hair growth!

Rich in Vitamins
3. Coconut oil is a one stop shop when it comes to nutrients. It had just about every essential nutrient for your hair in it! (Not really, but it's pretty close) It's rich in vitamin E, K, and iron which helps to keep the hair from thinning.

Helps Keep Scalp Healthy
4. All hair grows from the roots, which is why it is important to keep a healthy scalp. Coconut oil helps make this easier.  It not only helps to get rid of dandruff (I can testify to this myself), but also helps to boost hair growth.

All in all, coconut oil is just and all around great product. While I know it may not work for everyone, it definitely works for myself and if you haven't tried it yet, you definitely should! I can almost guarantee that you'll like it!

Sincerely,
A Natural

(No copyright infringement intended)

All About My Hair (Picture Edition)

Hello everyone!

So this week’s post is going to be something a little different from the norm. It's just going to be a brief description of my hair and mainly pictures because I feel as if it's better to SEE what kind of hair I, myself, am working with so that you can get a better understanding of the person behind the keyboard.

Ok, so let's begin!

I have course hair. Now if you were to ask me my hair type, o could not tell you. I'm not really into the hair typing system, although I'm more than sure that it benefits some (I'll save that explanation for another article). I have different textures all throughout my head. My crown is the most coarse and the sides and the front are more loose textured coils.

Also, I have low porosity hair. Meaning that it is not easy for my hair to absorb moisture. In order to make sure my hair is gaining the moisture is needs, I usually sit under a hooded dryer once I have applied the product that needs to penetrate such as a oil or even a leave-in conditioner.

Now for the pictures! I'm going to show you my hair manipulated in different ways so that you can see for yourself, that it still appears to be healthy and more importantly IS healthy.

Sincerely,
A Natural

Wash Day Routine for Natural Hair

Ahh, the day is here! Wash day. You love how healthy your hair looks after, but you dread how long it takes. So now it's time to start, but you're not sure what to do and how to do it. Listed below, I will explain my wash day routine in hopes that you learn something useful and apply it next time your ready to wash.

Step 1: Prepoo & Shampoo

I always Prepoo before shampooing my hair because it lessens the harshness of the shampoo while also nourishing the hair and helping with tangles (for me). It's believed that the reason for doing this step before shampooing is because of the fact that oil and water do not mix well so when it's done before, it actually is able to penetrate your scalp. Then shampoo and usual. Be sure to only shampoo the roots. When you rinse it out, it'll catch the rest of the dirt as it does down your strands.

Step 2: Condition

Conditioning helps in the healthy hair process by putting certain nutrients back into the hair that may have been stripped when shampooing. However, these are usually only for 3-5 minutes.

Step 3: Deep Condition

Now this is my favorite, and also a very vital step in this process. Regular conditioning only did half of the job, and deep conditioning helps to fill in the gaps. This is meant to be left in a longer period of time than the regular conditioner, so it is better able to penetrate your hair. Deep conditioning helps to restore elasticity, shine, and I my hair even feels softer after one use.
DC that I recommend are the Joico K-Pak Intense Hydrator, Mane and Tail Deep Mousturizer, Shea Moisture Organic Yucca & Baobab, etc. I then proceed to style as usual (which is usually twisting and then wrapping).

It's best to find what works best for your hair and then stick to it. Your hair will thank you for it. Happy conditioning!

Sincerely,
  A Natural

Before Wash Day

After Wash & DC

#1. Curly Question of this Week

I love my natural hair. I love how she  curls, how she feels, the health of her, and just the overall appearance. However, there are some downsides. Many people tend to believe that my hair isn't my own. I've had plenty of people ask me if it is real, or when my hair was straightened, if I have in extensions or a weave and then I tell them that I do not, they look at me in disbelief. Why can't a sista have long hair and not be questioned about it? 

But at the same time, I love it. In a sense, natural hair was once a controversy in itself. With the common many everywhere never correlating a person of color with long hair, until it was proven that it is possible! I know plenty of "black" girls with beautiful luscious locks. 

This particular subject led me to think about all the different questions and statements that I have heard about my hair, which led to this post today.

Listed below are 7 things I have heard number of times from others about my natural hair.

1. Is it real?

2. How many bundles is that?

3. How long does it take you to do your hair?

4. What are you mixed with?

5. No way you're fully black, black girls don't have hair like yours.

6.  How long have you been growing out your hair?

7. Wait, are you sure you're 100% black? You don't have any Indian in your family?

This just goes to show the light that the black community is portrayed in. It amazes me how long hair automatically means that your mixed with something. Now my question to you is, have you ever heard any remarks about your hair? Has someone ever believed that it wasn't real? Whatever the experience, be sure to leave what someone has said to you in the comments below and how you handled it. I can't wait to hear from you!

Sincerely,
A Natural