hair tips

Wash day has become the bane of my existence. If this is your first time reading my blog then you would not have the slightest clue as to why I loathe wash day. But to make a long story short…. I am Lazy! I call myself a lazy naturalista for a reason, not just for laughs and giggles. If you have natural hair then you know the struggle that comes along with detangling and washing and oh yea you can’t forget the conditioning! It’s so stressful simply because my hair is always and I mean always tangled. How do you prepare your natural hair for wash day? I’ve seen some people do pre-poos and conditioning their hair before a wash, but as I mentioned before, my arms nor drive was built for that so I try to keep my process simple. Wash, Rinse and repeat.  Repeat with conditioner of course, then I’m done! I personally don’t see a need for a 7 step process on wash day because my 4 step process is long enough.  Because tangled hair and dandruff always seem to be my biggest problems on wash day, I try my best to find products that will take care of these problems  simultaneously while I am washing my hair. When Maple Holistics reached out to me to do a review on their Tea Tree Oil Shampoo and Tea Tree Oil Conditioner, I had to say of course because mere tea tree oil itself works heavens. Accepting hair products from an unknown company is always makes me cringe a little bit because our hair strands are just like any other cell in our body and can cause major reactions if it isn’t paired well with a complimentary product. So you all know I’m sensitive about my ishh(In the words of Miss. Erika Badu) What is Tea tree Oil? Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is widely known to heal wounds because of its antiseptic properties. Most people use tee tree oil topically to treat fungal infections, such as acne or dandruff. After this explanation you should have an idea as to why I have a love for Tea Tree Oil.  Maple Holistics Tea Tree Oil Shampoo (8oz) Price: $8.95Claims:Our Natural Tea Tree Oil Shampoo is the hair care solution you’ve been dreaming of! Boasting wonderful therapeutic benefits thanks to the incredible effects of natural tea tree oil, this shampoo can improve hair and scalp health while promoting hair growth and even slowing hair loss. Suitable for men, women, and children, our Tea Tree Oil Shampoo is cruelty-free, parabens-free, GMO-free, and gluten free. Promotes healthy hair growth. Can slow hair loss, shedding, and thinning hair. Helps prevent flaking and dandruff. Capable of soothing an irritated scalp. Potential to naturally eradicates lice. Leaves hair and scalp rejuvenated and fresh.What I think: Upon opening the shampoo, I could immediately smell the tea tree oil, it was probably the strongest I have ever smelled as it mimicked a menthol scent. Menthol doesn’t bother me much, but if you are sensitive to smell then stay clear. The shampoo had a medium consistency and I didn’t have to use much of the product to get a good lather.As I mentioned prior, washing my hair is so strenuous because the knots that form in my head are ridiculously hard to get out. Unfortunately, this shampoo made my hair even more knotted because it didn’t have any slip. Please be aware, the only shampoos that do have slip are moisturizing shampoos. The Tea Tree oil shampoo stripped my hair of any oils and residue that was built up on my strands. To some, this may sound scary, but for me I enjoyed it. I like giving my hair a good clarifying wash every now and then, other wise my hair will appear limp.I can definitely say after my first wash my scalp felt as if it could breathe again! It claims to reduce dandruff however I won’t be able to truly notice results with only one or two uses. But in the present moment, the dandruff has subsided.I probably wouldn’t use this as a weekly shampoo, but on the days I want my hair to be really purified and rid of residue, this bad boy is it!As a curly girl, you have to make sure that you are restoring your hair’s natural PH balance and moisture for optimal health. In this case, if you were to use the Maple Holistics Tea Tree Oil shampoo please deep condition to replenish your strands. Maple Holistics Tea Tree Oil Conditioner (8oz) Price: $12.77 Claims: Maple Holistics Tea Tree Conditioner provides the hair conditioning treatment you’ve been waiting for! By utilizing safe and effective conditioning agents – including our star ingredient, tea tree oil – our Tea Tree Conditioner will condition and soften your hair like no other. Our formula, which features complex plant derived keratin, silk protein amino acids, Vitamin B5, and more, can help you achieve a clearer, healthier scalp with the silky, easy-to-handle hair of your dreams! Made with all-natural ingredients. Conditions for an all-natural and satisfying result. Utilizes quality conditioning agents. Can improve dry, curly, thinning, frizzy, brittle, static, and wavy hair – and more! Therapeutic-grade. What I Think: I applied this conditioner directly after I applied the Tea Tree Shampoo. It applied pretty smoothly and had a thicker consistency. The scent was similar to the shampoo but less potent. It offered adequate slip for the detangling process and added needed moisture back into my strands. A deep conditioning treatment was still beneficial after the shampoo process in order to really restore full moisture. With the use of this conditioner my hair was smoother than it was prior to use. I noticed that the product does include some silk protein so if you’re protein sensitive (as I am sometimes) you don’t want to overly use the product.  Overall, I have mixed feelings about this product. Don’t get me wrong, It was a good product but I

Imagine being in a line up with your fellow curly-girl friends who are auditioning for a Tresemme commercial. They mysterious voice tells you turn left, and then right, in order to have an accurate profile of your hair. That same voice then requests that you step forward and list all the things you do to your hair, in order to weed out the best answers for the commercial. He asks you, “Do you put conditioner on before your oil or after?” What do you say? Do you give the same response your loc’ed friend gives? How do you know what’s the right answer? That’s just it! There isn’t a “right answer” when it comes to hair, however there are some DO’s and Don’t’s that you may want to follow in order to optimize the health of your hair. Do… Make sure you deep condition at least twice a month. Each day out hair loses vast amounts o moisture because of the reaction it has with the air. Deep conditioning at least once a week, or once every other week at minimum helps to restore our hair’ elasticity and strength. Don’t… Overly saturate your hair in conditioner everyday. Depending on the make up of your hair, over saturation can break the protein bonds that your hair holds and can lead to broken hair structures. Protein in our hair produces keratin which aids in hair growth and strength. Overdoing it in the conditioning department is a no go! Do… Be sure to clarify your hair at least once a week. I may get some backlash for this, but before you send in the troops, let’s take in the facts. If your hair isn’t in a protective style, chances are you are applying products like moisturizers or gels to style your hair. Overtime those products promote product buildup. For my avid co-washers, this may not seem like a problem, but trust me, down the road your hair will lose its shine and will become limp. Clarifying your hair gives your hair a fresh stat. That doesn’t mean you have to use harsh chemicals, but try switching over to a clarifying conditioner, or a sulfate-free shampoo to ensure you are rinsing away those products from your strands. Don’t… Overly use products that contain sulfates. Though it may be hard to find products that don’t have sulfates when you want a good shampoo, it is possible! Look for products that contain sodium cocoyl isethionate or cocamidopropyl betaine, which are less harsh on your strands. Do… Know your hair’s porosity. Knowing your hair’s porosity is one of the major players in the world of hair. There are sites like http://www.porosity411.com/, where you can learn more about porosity and take tests to figure out where you fall. Being aware of your hair’s porosity allows you to create a regimen that works for you. Certain products that we use doesn’t always react the same in low porosity hair as it would in high porosity hair. Having this knowledge may even permit you to reduce some of your regimen steps! Don’t… Assume your hair regimen will be the same as a fellow person’s. Yea, you and ‘becky with the good hair’ may have the same porosity levels, but that doesn’t guarantee that her regimen will mirror yours. You may have a different reaction to her Deva Curl Low Poo because you may have a protein sensitivity or even a sensitivity to other ingredients. So now that you’ve just gained some knowledge, picture yourself back in that line up and it’s your turn to speak. You’re not nervous anymore because you know that your healthy hair regimen is perfect just for you!