Shedding the light on DARK spots

Let's talk skin for a minute. After all, it is the LARGEST organ on our body so we should be careful about what we put on it. Because of it's absorbent nature, we should always be aware of the products that we put on it because these very products could 1)prevent other products from entering our body or 2) expose our body to harmful chemicals.  So let's talk about dark spots.
Dark spots can appear because of many different reasons. Over-exposure to the sun can cause dark spots in various stages. The harmful rays from the sun can expose the skin to damaging rays that may result in those nasty dark spots. Although we are of a darker skin complexion, we must also invest in sun screen and sun block. Our skin can be damaged as much as our Caucasian counterparts.
Certain medication sensitize the skin to the sun. If you are taking any of the following: Estrogens,Tetracyclines or sulfonamides, you could be at a higher risk to sun damage than most.
Pregnancy is another cause of dark spots on the skin. Because of the elasticity of the skin, it can be stretched without boundaries, but once the skin is able to return to its natural shape, it can be affected by darkened skin, This results from the skin being stretched.
No matter what the reason is for your dark spots, here are some NATURAL ways to treat those spots. Tart juice from a lemon can help lighten up dark spots on the skin. The acid in lemon juice has a natural lightening affect on the skin. You can dab a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it to the skin after a morning and evening wash.
Mash up a clove of garlic and an onion to release moisture into the skin. Once these 2 are mashed, it will create a paste. You can apply this paste to any affected area and let stand for a few minutes. Unlike the lemon, use this mixture BEFORE you wash due to the smell. The onion has antioxidants that are released into the skin to help with rejuvenation.
Vinegar, just like lemon juice, has the acid that can help lighten up dark spots. Place the vinegar on the skin twice a day(on freshly cleansed skin) and allow the acid to help lighten spots. Because of the potency of this product, it is not recommended for the face.
Castor oil is great in the healing process of the skin. Once you apply an acidic to the skin, apply castor oil, grapeseed oil or olive oil to prevent dryness. Most of your natural oils will aid in the repairing of the skin, but castor oil has been proven to speed up the healing process.
As as always, WATER, WATER, WATER. Remember, what you put in your body plays a big part in the appearance of our skin, So drink plenty of water help take care of that skin!!

Protecting your hair with protective styling

  
I was having a conversation with a new natural and began to talk about the importance of protective styling. It wasn't until I looked at her face that I realized she had no idea what I was talking about. For some of us that have been natural, protective styling is a must, but lets take a little time out to talk about what it is and maybe revisit it for others.

Protective styling is just that. It is designed to protect the hair from various things. It protects from harsh weather(like the dry, rough winter air), protects your hair from your obsession of manipulating your hair(yes, we know you can't help but touch those lovely locs) and it protects your hair from breakage that can come from constantly combing the hair. If you coming back from a damaging accident or style, a protective will give the hair time to slowly rejuvenate itself and prevent constant combing and detangling.

Protective styling come in all types of shapes, forms and fashions. Some of us prefer twists(2 strand and flat), braids(micro, box....the list goes on) or cornrows. But one of the most important things about protective styling is that you have to make sure you are moisturizing the hair. It is easy to forget about our daily moisturizing routine when we don't have to style it everyday. Get some of your favorite oils together and put in a spray bottle. Oil the scalp/hair so that it still retains and maintains it's moisture level. If you neglect the hair while it is in a protective style, it can create dry, damaged hair and breakage. And like always, don't forget to wrap the hair at night!!!!
When wearing constant protective style,it's important that you clip your ends between styles in order to enhance hair growth.

Olive oil and the black hair

If you take a look around the black hair care aisle, you will find plenty of conditioners (daily or leave in) that boast that it's made with olive oil. Walk a little further and you will see some box perms advertised this way as well. So if you're anything like me, you have to wonder, if every product boasts its great need for great hair, why not use it on your own. Olive oil is one of the many staple products that many naturalistas use in their dailly regimen. Olive oil has so many benefits for the hair and scalp that it can be used for your pre-poo, used to treat scalp irritation and dandruf, added to your own butter or used as a conditioner. It's the same olive oil that is sitting in your kitchen cabinet. Rub a little bit of olive oil in your hand and massage it throughout your hair for a quick frizz reducer and shiny tresses. If you want to use it as a deep conditioner, place a generous amount of the oil in your hair and sit under the dryer. With this method, I would recommend spritzing the hair with a little water, detangle, and add the oil from the scalp to the end of the hair. Sit under the dryer, rinse and you will be amazed at the softness of your hair(WATCH OUT NOW!!!)
Another benefit to using olive oil is that it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties which aid in the healing of scalp issues associated with dermatitis. Olive oil is also best for the treatment of dandruff and dry scalp

Black soap hair wash



Black soap is a multi-functional product in my book! Because of the natural ingredients found in this product it is great from head to toe. I use black soap on my skin because of it's non-toxic healing factors which benefit my skin like no other. Its good for thinning fine lines, evening out dark spots, eczema, razor bumps and eliminating blemishes. It is also used to lightly exfoliate and give you healthier looking skin. The soap can also be used on your body or hair or for oily skin, dry skin, skin rashes, scalp irritations, body odors and is good for sensitive skin.
Here's a little bit of history for you. It's made from the ash of locally harvested plants and barks such a plantain, cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, and shea tree bark. First the leaves and bark are sun-dried and then roasted in a kettle or pot at an even, constant temperature, which is important to ensure color, texture and smell. Then water and various oils - palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil (including shea butter and cocoa pod powder) - are added to the mixture and stirred for at least a day. After that, the "soap" is left to set for two weeks to cure.Black soap is traditionally made in west Africa, typically Ghana, from secret recipes. Different tribes and communities have adopted their own specific (secret) blend of oils and cooking techniques, which can be seen in the different color variations among black soap. The ash itself was often used to heal cuts. Varieties of black soap actually made in Africa tend to be pure, while soaps made in Europe or the US tend to have added artificial ingredients.
I currently use black soap on my skin. Once I was introduced to it, I couldn't turn back. Although not terribly convenient to locate(depending on where you stay) it is definitely worth the search. I love black soap because of the purity of the product. I'm able to not only clean my skin without harsh chemicals, I can wash my hair with it sans the sulfates and other drying agents. When I first used the product I was afraid of the consistency. It's not as thick as most shampoos but surprisingly I didn't have to use the entire bottle to get a good amount of sud action. Once it was in my hair it kept created a great wash and once rinsed my hair wasn't hard and brittle. Another benefit of using it as a shampoo, it didn't take an enormous amount to cover my hair(which is greatly appreciated considering the amount of hair I have on my head). Although some people prefer to not use shampoo as all, if you are a shampooer, I would recommend this shampoo.

It's all about the "Poos"

Yes, it about the poo. With so much lingo within black hair care it hard to know what some people are talking about. But lets talk Poo...shampoo, pre-poo and no-poo. Each process can be used for many different reasons and many people have their own preference on maintaining their hair.
SHAMPOO:
We are all fairly familiar with your basic shampoo. It's a product that has been apart of our hair regimen since before we can even remember. Shampoo's main job is to clean the hair. Most of your mainstream brands of shampoos are also filled with sulfates(Soduim Lauryl Sulfates and Soduim Laureth Sulfates) and some even contain Propolene Glycol(antifreeze). Sulfates are one of the main reasons your hair feels extremely dry after shampooing. Nevertheless, the effect varies from person to person. Shampoos are stripping agents which removes all dirt from the hair/scalp, but it also removes the natural oils in the hair. These oils are needed to protect your hair so if they are being stripped too harshly, it can be hard to retain and maintain moisture.
There are many alternatives to shampooing your hair without the harsh chemicals. There are a number of natural shampoos that do not contain these products. They will be advertised as "Sulfate free" shampoos. One difference between these shampoos and the sulfate filled shampoos is the "sudsy" feeling. The sulfate frees may not produce the same amount of suds that we are generally used to so we may feel that it's not getting as clean, but the truth of the matter is that it's getting just as clean as before. We may associate suds with the amount of cleaning agent in the product but I have found that my hair gets just as clean.
Another alternative would be to use ACV (apple cider vinegar) to clean the scalp. Apple cider vinegar can be used to clean the scalp and also helps control itching. My personal experience has proven to me that if I dilute the ACV with water the acidity is not as harsh on my hair. The apple cider vinegar is a staple of mine when I have alot of buildup in my hair. The ACV allows me to completely clean my scalp without the drying affect that comes with using a regular shampoo.
PRE-POO:
The pre-poo is a process that I personally could not wrap my head around for a long time,but I have come to LOVE the pre-poo.The pre-poo is a process that is used before you even apply any type of shampoo to the hair. The reason for the pre-poo is to give your hair an extra layer of protection before shampooing. You can apply a mixture of your favorite oils, conditioners or butters(I prefer to stick to oils and honey) to your dry hair and covering it with a plastic cap. The natural heat from your head will heat up the oils and help them penetrate into the hair shaft. You can leave the cap on for a number of hours or overnight for the best affect. After you remove the cap,rinse out the hair and then you can use a small amount of shampoo to the hair and continue your regular regimen for washing. The layer of oils prevent the shampoo from totally stripping the hair of all oils and allows you to retain some moisture after the wash
NO-Poo:
The no-poo is a process where no traditional shampoo is used at all. Some naturals prefer to avoid all shampoos and use alternative methods. As before, we mentioned the use of ACV, but some also like to use betonite clay as an alternative to washing hair. Co-washing is a popular method of washing the hair with conditioner. It allows the hair to come clean but does not expose the hair to harsh and drying chemicals. Those that tend to have dry hair like to simply rinse the hair and apply oils to the hair.

Some prefer a single method while some like to incorporate all 3 methods. Depending on the hairstyle, season, exercise routine or available time, it's easy to fluctuate between all 3.