Solange at RLife Live

A new shot of Solange and her cute hair as it grows out...

Looks like a great twist out or coil-out. Love it!

Photo Credit

Solange Knowles attends the RLife LIVE launch at R Lounge at the Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel on October 29, 2010 in New York, City. ~Essence.com

A Hair Trial: Amla Powder Mix Part II

Hey guys! The following is Part II to my Amla powder hair treatment. Click here to see Part I. So after I rinsed out the Amla powder, I loaded up my hair with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner and detangled. After detangling, I applied cholesterol conditioner, separated my hair in four sections, added olive oil to my parts, covered with a plastic cap and sat under my hooded dryer for an hour.

The Results
After a final rinse, I was left with soft, fluffy, poofy hair! My scalp looked very clean which makes me very happy!

At this point I was tired of hair for the day! And yet for some odd reason I decided I should do small twists. I applied some Shea Moisture leave in to my whole head and proceeded to twist using Fantasia IC aloe gel on each twist and shea butter on the ends. I lightly oiled my scalp with Vatika oil as I went. So here we go....
A few hours later I had a head full of shiny twists!


Final Thoughts on Amla:
Overall I really liked this treatment. It was inexpensive (about 2 bucks total), it worked like a charm on my scalp, and was easy to apply and rinse. I will probably use this treatment once a month or as often as I feel like a need a deep cleansing of the scalp!

A Hair Trial: Amla Powder Mix Part I

Getting ready for a much needed deep condition Saturday morning, I stumbled on a box of Amla powder under my sink. I mentioned a while back that I was going to try it and never got around to it. I hadn't planned on doing it today but I thought, eh what the heck!

So what is Amla?

Product Description

Hesh Amla Powder is a natural astringent and skin toner that works on both hair and skin. In botanical terms it is known as Emblic Myrobalan. The paste of this powder helps promote black and luxuriant hair. Even as it controls hair loss, it stimulates roots and promotes hair growth. This apart, it prevents scalp infection and contr

ols premature greying of hair. When used on skin, the paste of this powder brightens the complexion and removes pimples and grime. Briefly, 'Hesh Amla Powder' has the following advantages: - Promotes hair growth - Controls hair loss - Cures scalp infection - Controls greying of hair - Removes pimple and grime Ingredients: Amla Powder (Indian Gooseberry) Ayurvedic Product - Made in India

My Purpose:
I have been struggling with scalp issues as of late and decided to see what this mix could do for me. I hope it will cleanse my scalp of buildup and leave my roots feeling fresh.

What You'll Need:
1-2 100 gram boxes of Amla powder (I used Hesh brand and only 1 box because I wanted to focus on the roots/scalp area, not so much the entire length of the hair)
1 med-large mixing bowl
1 spoon or other utensil to mix paste
Water


My Mix:
Because this was the first time I have ever done Amla, I decided against adding other ingredients. As with henna, I might do different mixes over time should the desire arise. But for now, I wanted to see what results just the powder mixed with water would produce.


I did not measure, I just dumped the powder in the mixing bowl, and slowly added warm water as I mixed until I reached the desired consistency of a paste.

The Application:
I sectioned my hair (an old twist out) into 4 sections with hair bands. I applied the Amla by hand to each section, focusing on the roots and scalp area. Once I completed a section, I tied it up with a band. After completing all four section, I used the leftover Amla on my edges and the middle of my hair where I have the most buildup issues. I would say the Amla covered 4-6 inches of my hair all he way around with the primary focus of the application being the scalp and roots.

After the application, I covered my hair with two shower caps. I used two because one would not completely cover my hair they way it was sectioned. I then wrapped a towel around my head so I could do other things around the house as I waited the recommended 30 minutes.

I am assuming you could do this without covering your hair if you prefer.


First Impressions:
Amla smells very similar to henna. It looks a lot like henna when mixed with water. The consistency is also basically the same. What was surprising, however, was just how not-messy it was! Both times I tried henna, that stuff ended up EVERYWHERE! It was such a pain to apply, only because the color deposited so fast on my skin (and every other surface it touched) and I was constantly wiping as I went. Since I didn't have to worry about that with the Amla, there was no need for gloves, laying down paper, etc. And, because I was not coating the entire length of my hair, application time was cut to about 10 minutes, if that!


See part two later this week!

You Tubetorial:A Cool Twisting Method

photo credit
Naptural85 from You Tube shows us a really great way to achieve a perfectly separated twist out without the frizz! What a cool idea!

Instead of doing two strand twists that need to be separated and fluffed for fullness, she does a modified flat twist maneuver that allows each section to set. That way, when you take your twists down to wear out, each section is already separated out. Genius!

Check it out here!

Reader Email: A Big Chop!

Last week I received a very sweet email from one reader. Here is what she had to say:

Ok your blog was one of my GREATEST inspirations...I had literally stressed about my hair for a year and on Sunday I decided I was ready to chop it! I attached a before and after!

Thanks for providing such motivational content!

She attached a few pics to showcase her new do. I was inspired by her chop and thought you all might be too. So, I invited her to share with us all for the good of the group and share she did! Take a look at these shots and read her thoughts on going natural.

Choosing to go natural was stressful, primarily because I am a bit anxious when it comes to decision making. I had so many worries: What will my hair look like? What will people think? Can I look pretty with short hair? Nevertheless, I had my last relaxer on October 22, 2009. After transitioning for a year, I finally mustered the courage to do the BIG CHOP on October 10, 2010. The breaking point: my hair was unmanageable! The two textures were literally at war and I couldn’t handle it. Plus, I am at a place where I feel confident regardless of my hairstyle. Perhaps, the confidence is due to maturity. Maybe it’s because I lived without a relaxer for a year and was forced to manage unconventional hair. Either way, I feel great in my own skin. Throughout the transition, I had an excellent source of encouragement. My closest friend went natural a year ago and her hair is amazing. She is obsessed with natural hair products, styles, etc. She reminded me that I lead a healthy life, so I should have healthy hair. The notion that “nice looking hair” is achieved by damaging chemical treatment is oxymoronic. For inspiration, I searched natural hair blogs, like Naturally Leslie. The beauty of natural women overwhelms me. Long kinks, short afros, tight coils, loose curls, it doesn’t matter; everyone looks absolutely gorgeous with their natural hair. It’s only natural that women glow with their natural hair, because that’s the way we are born and how we are meant to look. I look forward to another rewarding journey as my natural hair takes it course. I am beyond excited.

Thanks for sharing with the NL community!

Hot Hair!

"In its first issue dedicated to hair, ESSENCE highlights the unique relationship between African-American women and their hair with the launch of HOT HAIR, an interactive experience covering all things hair -- from root to tip. This special issue covers all of the beauty needs, questions, concerns and triumphs of African-American hair care and style..." essence.com

First the Race in America issue and now this? Well, I'm a sucker for glossy hair pics so I might have to mosey on down to Barnes and Noble for a chai latte and a quick flip-through! So many hair magazines with "natural" styles have a lot of locs and weaves, neither of which really help me out at all! I hope there are some real natural looks here we loose-haired naturals can try too!

Essence's 'Race In America' Issue

Photo Credit
Kerry Washington graces the cover of November's Essence cover. "The goal of this month's issue is to create a national dialogue on race that will inform, inspire and empower African-American women." Sporting large, lush curls and a red, white, and blue halter, the look in her eye and hands on her hips say she's ready to take the conversation about race in America head-on! I am interested to see what Essence has to say this month about why race still matters . I also want to check out the article described by the top left headline which reads "Love Your Natural Hair: Curl It, Twist It, Lock It, Rock It".

So, will you be reading this November's Essence?