May 2010 ~ The Afro Chronicles

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Co Washing

I co washed for the first time last week. I have read about it a lot on numerous blogs and decided to try it, not giving it much hope, and I have to say, I don't think that I will be using shampoo for a while. I instantly fell in love with co washing. It was so easy to do! Washing my hair with shampoo and conditioner took me around 3-4 hours to do. yep that long! Now, when I co wash, it took me about 1 hour 50 mins. to do. I co washed with White Rain Freesia Spirit Conditioner, but before I did that, I moisturized my scalp with some warm olive oil and a few drops of lavender oil because my scalp was a little dry. I part my hair in four, and I Bantu Knotted the ends.

My scalp with the olive oil and lavender oil

I left it on there for about 30 mins, then I washed all I could with water (cold) first (I don't use hot water to wash my hair) I added the conditioner and washed gently.

My hair with the conditioner, can you see how much natural hair I have? Me neither...

I gently massaged my scalp, and let the conditioner run down my hair to clean it. I used to was my entire hair by bundling it on top of itself, but that just caused sooooo many knots and tangles.....

dark times....... dark times...... I rinsed that out and reapplied some more conditioner and I repeated the washing, but this time I lightly "crunched" the ends to help get the rest of the oil out. I left the conditioner in for about 40 mins and I rinsed it out.

My hair in sections, with the conditioner, see my natural hair now??

After I blow dried my hair, BIG mistake! It came out all puffy and trashy at the ends, a sign that I really need a trim! I tamed my hair with some carrot oil, coconut oil and my Bergamot oil mixed together.

I was NOT happy! see one side of my hair is longer than the other side?

It looks a bit nasty I know.

My now tamed hair

My hair looked and smelled great! and that mixture kept my hair moisturized! I think from now on I will be co washing very often!

Product Review: White Rain Freesia Spirit

I have been using this product for about a month now, and I have to say that it lasts a very long time!
I was looking for a product that does what it actually says it does, and I think I found it. It does not strip my hair of its natural oils and it leaves my scalp feeling clean and soft, especially when I mix a little lavender oil in the shampoo.

I don't need to use a lot of the shampoo a little goes a long way. I still have the same bottle for over a month now. But the conditioner on the other hand.... I had to buy another bottle because I used a lot of it just to coat my hair, and now I have to buy a third bottle!

Here are the ingredients in the shampoo:

WATER, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, FREESIA REFRACTA (FREESIA) EXTRACT, CUCUMIS MELO (MELON) FRUIT EXTRACT, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT, PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) EXTRACT, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) EXTRACT, ROSA CENTIFOLIA (ROSE) FLOWER EXTRACT, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE) FLOWER EXTRACT, GARDENIA TAHITENSIS FLOWER EXTRACT, JASMINUM OFFICINALE (JASMINE) FLOWER EXTRACT, VITAMIN E, PROVITAM B5, CITRIC ACID, FRAGRANCE, AMMONIUM LAURETH SULFATE, AMMONIUM LAURYL SULFATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETINE, AMMONIUM CHLORIDE, PEG-7 GLYCERYL COCOATE,POLYQUATERNIUM-10, BENZOPHENONE-4, PEG/PPG-6/20 DIMETHICONE, FRAGRANCE, DISODIUM EDTA, METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE(I have NO idea what that is...), (and this too)METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, EXT. VIOLET 2, BLUE 1.

Ingredients in the conditioner:

WATER, CETYL ALCOHOL, DICETYLDIMONIUM CHLORIDE, STEARYL ALCOHOL, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, FREESIA REFRACTA (FREESIA) EXTRACT, CUCUMIS MELO (MELON) FRUIT EXTRACT, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT, PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) EXTRACT, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) EXTRACT, ROSA CENTIFOLIA (ROSE) FLOWER EXTRACT, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE) FLOWER EXTRACT, GARDENIA TAHITENSIS FLOWER EXTRACT, JASMINUM OFFICINALE (JASMINE) FLOWER EXTRACT, VITAMIN E, PROVITAM B5, CITRIC ACID, FRAGRANCE, AMMONIUM LAURETH SULFATE, AMMONIUM LAURYL SULFATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETINE, AMMONIUM CHLORIDE, PEG-7 GLYCERYL COCOATE,POLYQUATERNIUM-10, BENZOPHENONE-4, PEG/PPG-6/20 DIMETHICONE, FRAGRANCE, DISODIUM EDTA, METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, EXT. VIOLET 2, BLUE 1.

Ok so I know what most of the ingredients are but for some I have no idea! I try to pick up hair products with ingredients I can actually pronounce, but the all natural alcohol-free etc are soooo expensive! and I'm a student so I'm on a budget. These products have worked for me and at a great price too. I paid around JA $250+tax for the conditioner, and around JA $300+tax for the shampoo, I don't really remember how much I paid for the shampoo 'cuz I lost the receipt ^^ but I know I didn't pay more than JA $300 for it. In U.S. dollars, that is about U.S $3.40 for 532mL.

Conclusion:

I will definitely be buying these two products again. They are cheap, the shampoo lasts a long time, conditioner not really but I am willing to buy two extra bottles! The smell is great and I love how it makes my hair feel and smell. I say give it a try if you see it. You might not get the same results as me but its worth a try!

Our First Featured Guest!

We are super excited to have our first Featured Guest! Rachie has been so kind to agree to be featured today. Here's what she had to say:

How long have you been natural?
Rachie: I have been natural all my life.

How would you describe your hair?
Rachie: I have wavy/curly hair.

What do you like most about being natural?
Rachie: Instead of relaxing my hair and having it dead straight, I can wear it curly, or flat iron it for a straight look, or do lots more with it.

What products do you use to maintain your hair?
Rachie: I use Dove Daily Moisture Therapy Shampoo, Tresemme Conditioner, and for my leave-in, I use John Frieda Leave In Conditioner.

What is you hair care routine?
Rachie: Every 1-2 weeks, I wash and condition. Sometimes I might blow dry or air dry.

Anything else you would like to add?
Rachie: To get the best looking hair, try eating as healthy as you can... that's my secret!

A BIG THANKS to Rachie for contributing today!

I've been using this product for a while now and I have to say it is pretty good. It keeps my scalp moisturized,I have to apply again every few days (which I kinda don't 'cuz I forget easily). Use sparingly because it can cause build up on your scalp and it makes your hair feel "heavy" and it will look flat. Not to mention the dust that will be attracted to your hair! It does carry a smell to it. Its not unpleasant, but its not sweet smelling either.

Its a great product to use just not in excess!

Ayana Hair Care

Frank Leyden From balaclava, St Elizibeth has discovered a miracle potion for all hair disorders. Dandruff, hair fungus,balding,spilt ends..you name it he says Ayana herbal line can cure it. so when i saw this i said to myself i just gotta try it ALL NATURAL!! it has to work. so i tried it to help my dandruff problem... WOOW! THIS STUFF REALLY WORKS XD !!

INGREDIENTS:
its made from all natural ingredients. the oil. the shampoo and conditioner. it contains annato, rosemary, hyssop, honey, nettle,castor oil an other "secret ingredients" -_- (they could at least tell us). the shampoo has aloe ( gud 4 dandruff), annatto, basil n more while the conditioner has nettle burdock, rosemary n more.

This product is new so unfortunately it can only be found in jamaica!