It’s so hard to have an at home spa day with a 3 year old in tow! Mothers out there who feel like there’s never enough time in the day: I feel your pain! However, sometimes you just have to fit it in.
I started off the day with a bentonite clay application to my face. Once that was out of the way, it was on to the hair…
I’ve not been neglecting my hair, but I have not been pampering it in the manner in which it has grown accustomed. Not that I consider these a vital part of my hair care regimen, but I haven’t done a ZSC (see this and this post) or caramel treatment in awhile.
Here was my plan of action:
- Apply ZSC to hair, which was in a twist out. I used about 200 mg, which actually may have been too much. I added about a 1/2 cup of olive oil.
- Let sit for one hour under plastic cap (more to contain the mess than anything)
- Rinse thoroughly in small sections
- Dunk hair in sink full of water a few times
- I then did an oil rinse with wheat germ oil
- Rinsed again. I still had a few bits in my hair. In case I’ve not said this before, ZSC is the devil to rinse out
- I then went on to do a caramel treatment. Fun! I deviated a bit from my normal recipe, using soy butter (ordered from Texas Natural Supply) and wheat germ oil. I used the soy butter just because it’s been sitting in my cabinet unused for what feels like forever.
- I left it on for about 2 hours and then rinsed (thoroughly!)
- My hair turned out nicely moisturized. I then braided my hair with Fleurtzy’s Nourishing Butter while it was wet. I ended up having to undo my hair before it completely dried so I just pulled it back into a puff.
My hair dried a bit oilier than I would like because of all of the oil that I used, but it’s softer than all get out.
Hair with ZSC paste
This stuff really weighs down my hair. It was already stretched out from a twist out.
Freshly Rinsed
Here you can see how the soy butter wouldn't blend with the rest of the treatment. I ended up having to cook it on the stove.
Caramel treatment cookin' on the stove. Cooking it gave it a nice smooth consistency and helped the soy butter blend better
After final rinse, nice and moisturized!
I am going swimming later this week and will be trying out my latest swim cap combo *gulp* without conditioner and wetting beforehand! I want to see if it really is keeping water out. I will probably apply conditioner or oil to my edges that’s it!
Stay tuned!!
Tired of Frizzy hair? Mahisha Dellinger, curly-haired expert and creator of the CURLS organic hair collection lists her Frizz Fighting Tips along with ingredients to avoid and an at-home recipe to Fight Frizz Naturally. (www.curls.biz)
While wavy and curly hair tends to be more frizz prone, due to the molecular structure of the hair follicle, all tresses are equally susceptible to tattered, frizzy tresses. Here are a few great tips for banishing frizz for curly and straight hair alike.
Sweet and sour – honey and vinegar – the key to frizz free hair.
- Pucker Up – a distilled white vinegar rinse is a great in the shower frizz fighting technique all hair types can add to their regime to banish frizz. The technique is fast and easy and requires 1 common household item.
- Rinse hair with warm water to remove product. Skip shampooing. Apply vinegar directly to hair and scalp. I like to use a bottle with spout top for easy distribution. Gently massage. Rinse. Condition as usual. Not only is vinegar great at reducing frizz by sealing the cuticle by restoring it to its natural ph balance, but it also removes build up and adds sheen, leaving tresses feeling soft as a baby’s bum. WORD OF CAUTION; avoid over indulging in this quick fix, straw like tresses will be the result. Do so 1x every 2 weeks for the best results.
- Sweeten the Deal – Honey is also a great natural remedy for combating frizz. Mixed with a little conditioner (for fine hair) or applied directly to your hair, after shampooing and before conditioning, for medium to densely textured hair; honey
Mahisha’s At-Home Recipe for Fighting Frizz Naturally -Milk & Honey Hair Smoothie
(1 can of pure coconut milk ,1 ripe avocado ,2 tablespoons of pure honey ,2 tablespoons of olive oil)
Directions: Add ingredients to blender. Mix at high speed until your concoction reaches a smoothie consistency. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can warm up your hair smoothie in the microwave before next application…just enough do de-chill.
Substitutions:
Feel free to substitute the olive oil for any natural oil of your choice.
Add more oil for extra dry hair, e.g. 1 tablespoon.
Add more honey for hair that needs more sheen, e.g. 2 tablespoons.
Instructions for Use:
Section hair into 4 segments.
Generously apply evenly to hair, from root to ends concentrating on ends…as they are the most prone to frizz.
Smooth hair into a protective style (e.g. braided ponytail, or bun).
Prefer a frizz fighting styler (vs a homemade concoction)?
CURLS offers NEW CURL Gel-les’c (serum like, gel product) – This botanically based, organic curl styler , banishes frizz, imparts brilliant sheen and holds those twirls in place! Available at www.curls.biz $25.
Ingredients found in frizz fighting products that you want to avoid.
- Silicone – Silicone products can smooth down the cuticle, making it appear smoother. However, the negative effects (build up, dryness, brittle hair) of regular use of heavy silicones far outweigh the temporary benefits. Look for silicone replacements instead (e.g. bean tree and jojoba oil). Dryness is the culprit of frizz.
- Drying alcohols – there is a difference in drying and fatty alcohols. You want to avoid the alcohols that are bad for your hair. Fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are actually good for the hair. They are natural and derived from coconut. Bad alcohols are the stuff in hairsprays like isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol. They basically help the product to dry quickly and also end up drying out hair.
- Protein – while protein is great for chemically altered hair, especially after a chemical treatment. Too much protein can cause an adverse affect…dry tresses that frizz out of control.
I was dabbling around with my hair products when I had a peanut butter meets chocolate type of moment. I decided to mix my castile soap with my all time favorite cheapie conditioner Suave Tropical Coconut.
This was my first time using this but here is what I combined:
- 4 tbsp Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap
- Roughly 15 oz Suave conditioner
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
I decided not to go heavy on the castile soap since it’s powerful stuff undiluted!
I put it all in a container and shook the bottle thoroughly. I am still wearing braids but I went swimming in lake water today, as well as a lot of working out early this morning so I wanted to do more than cowash, but not shampoo.
I first thought to use my diluted castile soap per usual. But I thought, what the heck, I haven’t had any hair disasters lately, let’s try it out.
I love the results! It was a bit runnier than I would’ve liked but it sudded up still and cleansed very well without stripping my hair. I also got a lot more of the peppermint benefit on my scalp than I do when using castile soap diluted.
Freshly washed braids. Yes, they are fuzzy but they are nice and clean, with moisture still present!
My braids now smell very pepperminty and are soft without the buildup I was starting to feel. I’m going to try this again a few times, but so far I love it!
Some other things to try with this combination:
- Adding Aloe Vera Gel
- Using another scent of castile soap, maybe unscented with essential oils
- Using another cheapie conditioner
Has anyone out there tried this combo before?
Mahisha Dellinger, curly hair expert and creator of the CURLS (www.curls.biz) natural/organic line offers some End of Summer Hair Tips and an At-Home Milk & Honey Tress Smoothie Treatment to bring those dull tresses back to life. Along with those hot summer months comes the daily assault of taxing chlorine compounds, drying sea salt, and damaging sun rays – not to mention all of the havoc everyone does to their hair from daily styling. If there is a time to be extra gentle on hair, it is now. Chlorine and salt water both dry, discolor, and damage hair. Chlorine binds to the hairs cuticle layer, stripping it of its natural protein, and fills in gaps in the hair shaft with its damaging chemicals. Mineral deposits in salt water make hair brassy and brittle. Both, chlorine and salt water severely dehydrates hair. Imagine how these elements affect delicate curly, kinky, wavy, natural and/or relaxed hair which tends to be much drier than straight hair.
Here are SIX of Mahisha’s summertime tips to help put damaged, split, brittle, frizzy hair at bay!
1. Before entering a pool, lake, ocean, or any body of water, drench your hair with water and apply a coat of conditioner to protect and coat the hair. See below – Mahisha’s At-Home Milk & Honey Tress Smoothie (a pre and post conditioner). Made from pure coconut milk, avocado, olive oil and honey, this delectable delight will fill up the gaps in your hair shaft and act as a barrier from the chlorinated water.
2. Immediately after swimming in chlorinated or salt water, purify your curls with a clarifying shampoo. CURLS Pure Curls Clarifying Shampoo was formulated to rid the hair of these curl killing chemicals. It is the ideal summer cleanser to gently, and effectively remove chlorine. Pineapple extract nourishes as grapefruit extract adds sheen while removing buildup from unwanted chemicals. Follow up with a deep conditioner.
3. Over-shampooing and under-conditioning are common culprits to dry and frizzy hair…especially in the summer months. Shampooing more than 1x a week is not recommended on naturally curly hair. On “shampoo-less” days, simply do a conditioning rinse – rinse hair to remove styling products (this is when using the right products that are water soluble come in). Apply an ample amount of your favorite Conditioner (CURLS Curl Ecstasy Hair Conditioner), comb through, rinse, and proceed with styling. Doing so will pump much needed moisture back into your hair without stripping away essential nutrients, rinse away unnecessary dirt and oil, and give you a fresh, clean start.
4. Avoid products that contain synthetic oils such as mineral and/or petrolatum oil, as they sit on the hair, blocking out moisture further dehydrating your hair. Also avoid products that contain drying alcohol, such as hair spray, mousse and some gels. Instead, opt for a curl creams and lotions.
5. Pay special attention to the ends of your hair; after all, they are the oldest part of the hair. Mix a bit of a conditioner with a natural oil, apply, and comb through ends; leave in for extra protection.
6. Hydrate curls DAILY…this is very important! Quenched Curls Moisturizer is excellent as it softens the hair, eases comb ability, moisturizes and conditions, preps it for the next step, and leaves a little goodness behind. This product can be used daily under any styling product you use. Consider this “underwear for your hair. It is a great “2nd day hair” reviver as it tames “bed head.”
Mahisha’s At-Home Milk & Honey Tress Smoothie – Pre/Post Swim Treatment
- 1 can of pure coconut milk (rich moisturize - hydrates, conditions and de-frizzes hair)
- 1 ripe avocado (natural source of protein – chlorine robs the hair of protein)
- 2 tablespoons of pure honey (conditions and adds sheen)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (hydrophobic oil that acts as a barrier to chlorine and salt water)
Directions:
Add ingredients to blender. Mix at high speed until your concoction reaches a smoothie consistency. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
You can warm up your hair smoothie in the microwave before next application.
Instructions for Use:
- Section hair into 4 segments.
- Generously apply evenly to hair, from root to ends concentrating on ends…as they are the most prone to damage.
- Smooth hair into a protective style (e.g. braided ponytail, or bun).
- Enjoy your day at the pool, lake, or ocean!
I love reading hair books. When it comes to hair care, it’s fun to see what other people do and advise. I loved reading websites when I first began my natural journey. These sites would consist of many ideas, journeys, and product suggestions.
Sometimes you see things that make you nod your head in agreement and sometimes your eyebrows shoot up because you’re thinking “What the heck are they talking about?”
But it’s all good.
Because I know that the most important thing that I can do when reading hair books and websites is to take everything with a grain of salt. What works for Susie, might not work for me. What works for 99 percent of the population, might not work for me.
Here are some suggestions when trying to pick and choose hair care tips with your newly natural hair:
- Try it once or twice, but don’t force it.
A good example for me is the Crown n Glory Method. I so, so wanted to follow this to the letter and have beautiful results. I went out and bought all of the products recommended, except for the Afro Detangler (because I was broke). The Infusium 23 leave in left my hair hard and dry. The Creme of Nature shampoo that was supposed to leave oils on my hair stripped it dry.
I kept thinking it was supposed to work. Nothing is supposed to work when it comes to hair. Different things work for different people and this was not for me. Trying to force something that is not working only leads to thoughts of relaxers and such. Something we want to leave behind 
- Don’t automatically think that you or your hair are the problem.
I really thought I was a complete and utter idiot when something that everyone raved about did not work. Or that my hair was just weird. I’m not saying to give up on it right away, but once you’ve done all of the troubleshooting you can do, it’s time to hang it up. Or at least, take a break from it, regroup, and then try to come back.
Granted, there is a learning curve for everything, including hair care, but you don’t want to drive yourself crazy trying. An example for this one is the Biracialhair.org method of curly primer. Like most newly naturals, I wanted curl definition as soon as I BC’d. I remember trying this and it not working all that great. The front of my hair (with a looser texture) responded much better than the back of my hair (tightly coiled),which did not seem to be meant for that particular method. I haven’t completely given up on it, but for now, I’ve put it aside until I have the desire and time for it.
- Use bits and pieces if you can’t use the whole thing.
Sometimes, you just have to select what works for you and leave the rest behind. It’s like taking puzzle pieces from different boxes and trying to make your own unique picture.
Even though the product suggestions were out of wack for me on C&G method, I still used the ideas of protective styling and the method of combing natural hair. From the curly primer method, I learned the benefits of leaving in regular conditioner, not combing hair dry, and the use of my wonderful Denman. (I know a lot of other methods advise all of these things, but these were where I first read about them).
So in conclusion…
Read your books, your blogs, and your forums, but don’t get disappointed if the latest craze (aka “bandwagon”) doesn’t fit you and your hair. Happy experimenting!
A comment from GiiGii on this post:
I did another ZSC treatment the other day, GiiGii. I’m glad you said something because I’ve been meaning to do one for awhile and just haven’t gotten around to it. I can’t wait to hear how your second use went, so please share if you can!
After my second use, I’ve decided this is something I’d like to use on a regular basis.
This is especially so since I found a few “blond” hairs from my cassia using days
I never thought the cassia affected the few gray hairs that I have until I noticed these blondies popping up. Luckily it’s not that noticeable. But since I want to keep my gray, cassia is a no go for me.
This ZSC treatment was done using the instructions found online. If you read the last post on this subject, you will notice that I had some confusion on how to use this. Here’s what I did:
1. Mixed 50 g ZSC with water until yogurt like consistency. I also added a splash of ACV. Next time I may try adding an oil.
2. Applied to wet hair in sections and wrapped in plastic.
3. Kept on hair for a little over an hour.
4. Rinsed each section thoroughly and then dunked my head in my tub. I got this tip from SBB (check out her fotki here), who dunked hers in the sink full of water. This stuff is a mother to rinse out. So, after rinsing, dunking, and then rinsing once more while fingercombing gently, I had most of it out.There were still a few flakes here and there that disappeared once I did my DC later on that night.
5. Wore my hair naked in a fro. Rinsing upside down gives me major volume and the fingercombing on naked hair really seperated the curl.
ZSC head
Side
I got a lot better coverage with 50g. If you have hair around 3-4 inches or fine hair, 25g will probably be enough.
Further conclusions:
I definitly noticed a sheen to my hair. In my last ZSC post you may remember me saying that I thought I noticed it then, but it was a sure thing this time. I rarely wear my hair naked, without a leave in at least, but I did after this treatment and I could tell a big difference in the sheen. I don’t know if it’s because of it cleaning my hair or what. My hair feels springier and clean afterwards. I am going to continue using this on a regular basis to see if I find long term effects evident.
I did not notice any curl loosening or anything.
Dry, naked hair after treatment
I have to say it felt pretty soft this time too.
I wore it like this for the rest of the day and then did a DC overnight