Sunday, May 29, 2011
From loc'd life Magazine
You can shampoo a lot easier with shampoo bars.
Ashford and Simpson had it right. They must have known something about the latest trend in shampoo—solid.
That’s right. Solid shampoo bars. Some are soap bars that some use as shampoo. Others are specially formulated for hair. They’re great. There's less packaging. You can travel well with them (There’s no agent ready to dump out your expensive product at the airport). They last as long or longer than liquid shampoos because you use less to get a great lather. And they are also mostly natural. Guys, if you don’t like using a “frilly” shampoo, you can use this with ease.
Shampoos are sometimes the ugly stars of the beauty world. Yes they clean our hair, but most REALLY do just that. Most commercial brands completely strip our hair of everything: dirt, oils and our own natural oils our locs need to stay moisturized. Then you need a conditioner and a whole lot of styling products to put back what has been stripped away.
The best shampoo bars are free of chemicals, are vegetable-based and are good for your hair, giving it natural moisturizers, great sudsing properties even in hard water, and a scent that is subtle but lasts. I try to stay away from those that contain sodium hydroxide. Yes it’s the backbone of soap, but we’ve been putting this in our hair for years in the form of relaxers. The more natural, the better.
To use them, wet hair and just rub the soap bar right in and through your locs. I had the pleasure of trying out one yesterday. I was amazed at how easily it lathered all my locs from roots to ends. It rinsed out easily. So I lathered, rinsed and repeated. The bar made the process so easy, it was the fastest I ever shampooed my locs.
Here’s some finds from the web of solid shampoo bars. I have only tried one, but if your scalp is sensitive, or you are allergic to a lot of chemicals used in commercial shampoos, this could be your alternative. Just look around for what’s best for you.
Ashford and Simpson had it right. They must have known something about the latest trend in shampoo—solid.
That’s right. Solid shampoo bars. Some are soap bars that some use as shampoo. Others are specially formulated for hair. They’re great. There's less packaging. You can travel well with them (There’s no agent ready to dump out your expensive product at the airport). They last as long or longer than liquid shampoos because you use less to get a great lather. And they are also mostly natural. Guys, if you don’t like using a “frilly” shampoo, you can use this with ease.
Shampoos are sometimes the ugly stars of the beauty world. Yes they clean our hair, but most REALLY do just that. Most commercial brands completely strip our hair of everything: dirt, oils and our own natural oils our locs need to stay moisturized. Then you need a conditioner and a whole lot of styling products to put back what has been stripped away.
The best shampoo bars are free of chemicals, are vegetable-based and are good for your hair, giving it natural moisturizers, great sudsing properties even in hard water, and a scent that is subtle but lasts. I try to stay away from those that contain sodium hydroxide. Yes it’s the backbone of soap, but we’ve been putting this in our hair for years in the form of relaxers. The more natural, the better.
To use them, wet hair and just rub the soap bar right in and through your locs. I had the pleasure of trying out one yesterday. I was amazed at how easily it lathered all my locs from roots to ends. It rinsed out easily. So I lathered, rinsed and repeated. The bar made the process so easy, it was the fastest I ever shampooed my locs.
Here’s some finds from the web of solid shampoo bars. I have only tried one, but if your scalp is sensitive, or you are allergic to a lot of chemicals used in commercial shampoos, this could be your alternative. Just look around for what’s best for you.
SheaMoisture. (This is a photo of a similar formula bar.) This was great. I tried the Organic Lemongrass & Ginger Shea Butter Soap (w/Orange Peel). This 8 oz bar only took two quick shampoos with not a lot of rubbing through my locs to create a great lather. And my locs had a nice lemony scent. They have other scents to try. The ingredients from this one are lemongrass oil, tea tree oil, orange peel, shea butter, cocoa butter, vegetable glycerin, vitamin E, and soaps of coconut and palm. Great stuff. Available at Walgreen’s and Target and at www.sheamoisture.com
Herbaria Jojoba Shampoo. Jojoba Oil is said to be the most like the natural sebums secreted by our hair follicles. This bar uses jojoba, rosemary and petigrain to naturally cleanse. www.herbariasoap.com
Knotty Boy Dreadlock Shampoo. This shampoo bar is made especially for locs. This is formulated with peppermint to stimulate and tingle, rosemary (which also is known to stimulate hair growth), and tea tree oil, known for its antiseptic properties. All of these tingle for a stimulating clean. www.knottyboy.com
Chagrin Valley. Try the Butter Bar Conditioner Soap, a blend of saponified oils of unrefined cocoa and shea butters, safflower oil and babassu (known for moisturizing and creating elasticity), coconut milk, filtered rain water and other natural ingredients. www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.
com
Friday, May 27, 2011
L. A. D.
What are you doing on June 25th which is loc appreciation day? Please by all means post your comments and pics. Check out you tube for contests and t-shirts!
The creation below was done by Thierry Baptiste.(http://locappreciationday.blogspot.com/2011/05/welcome-to-our-blog.html?spref=t
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187484927940257FB event page:
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Just Some Food 4 Thought!
apples | Protects your heart | prevents constipation | Blocks diarrhea | Improves lung capacity | Cushions joints |
| apricots | Combats cancer | Controls blood pressure | Saves your eyesight | Shields against Alzheimer's | Slows aging process |
| artichokes | Aids digestion | Lowers cholesterol | Protects your heart | Stabilizes blood sugar | Guards against liver disease |
| avocados | Battles diabetes | Lowers cholesterol | Helps stops strokes | Controls blood pressure | Smoothes skin |
| bananas | Protects your heart | Quiets a cough | Strengthens bones | Controls blood pressure | Blocks diarrhea |
| beans | Prevents constipation | Helps hemorrhoids | Lowers cholesterol | Combats cancer | Stabilizes blood sugar |
| beets | Controls blood pressure | Combats cancer | Strengthens bones | Protects your heart | Aids weight loss |
| blueberries | Combats cancer | Protects your heart | Stabilizes blood sugar | Boosts memory | Prevents constipation |
| broccoli | Strengthens bones | Saves eyesight | Combats cancer | Protects your heart | Controls blood pressure |
| cabbage | Combats cancer | Prevents constipation | Promotes weight loss | Protects your heart | Helps hemorrhoids |
| cantaloupe | Saves eyesight | Controls blood pressure | Lowers cholesterol | Combats cancer | Supports immune system |
| carrots | Saves eyesight | Protects your heart | Prevents constipation | Combats cancer | Promotes weight loss |
| cauliflower | Protects against Prostate Cancer | Combats Breast Cancer | Strengthens bones | Banishes bruises | Guards against heart disease |
| cherries | Protects your heart | Combats Cancer | Ends insomnia | Slows aging process | Shields against Alzheimer's |
| chestnuts | Promotes weight loss | Protects your heart | Lowers cholesterol | Combats Cancer | Controls blood pressure |
| chili peppers | Aids digestion | Soothes sore throat | Clears sinuses | Combats Cancer | Boosts immune system |
| figs | Promotes weight loss | Helps stops strokes | Lowers cholesterol | Combats Cancer | Controls blood pressure |
| fish | Protects your heart | Boosts memory | Protects your heart | Combats Cancer | Supports immune system |
| flax | Aids digestion | Battles diabetes | Protects your heart | Improves mental health | Boosts immune system |
| garlic | Lowers cholesterol | Controls blood pressure | Combats cancer | kills bacteria | Fights fungus |
| grapefruit | Protects against heart attacks | Promotes Weight loss | Helps stops strokes | Combats Prostate Cancer | Lowers cholesterol |
| grapes | saves eyesight | Conquers kidney stones | Combats cancer | Enhances blood flow | Protects your heart |
| green tea | Combats cancer | Protects your heart | Helps stops strokes | Promotes Weight loss | Kills bacteria |
| honey | Heals wounds | Aids digestion | Guards against ulcers | Increases energy | Fights allergies |
| lemons | Combats cancer | Protects your heart | Controls blood pressure | Smoothes skin | Stops scurvy |
| limes | Combats cancer | Protects your heart | Controls blood pressure | Smoothes skin | Stops scurvy |
| mangoes | Combats cancer | Boosts memory | Regulates thyroid | aids digestion | Shields against Alzheimer's |
| mushrooms | Controls blood pressure | Lowers cholesterol | Kills bacteria | Combats cancer | Strengthens bones |
| oats | Lowers cholesterol | Combats cancer | Battles diabetes | prevents constipation | Smoothes skin |
| olive oil | Protects your heart | |
Friday, May 20, 2011
Herbs&Spices for cooking eating and seasoning
We all like to eat and taste plays an important part in the consumption of the food we eat. If it looks good and tastes good we eat as much as we can or like so here is just a small sample of herbs and spices for your healthy palate!
Smoochies xoxoxox
Smoochies xoxoxox
Fish Dishes
- Cayenne - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. Very potent. May be added to foods at the table.
- Turmeric - Flavor enhancer. Very potent.
- Garlic minced - Flavor enhancer
- Rosemary - Flavor enhancer
- Garlic powder - Flavor enhancer. May be added to foods at the table.
- Thyme - Flavor enhancer
- Sage - Flavor enhancer
- Fennel - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid
- Arrowroot - Thickener and digestive aid
- Mustard - Flavor enhancer. Very potent.
- Slippery Elm bark - Thickener and digestive aid
- Cinnamon powder - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. May be added to foods at the table.
- Cloves - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. Remove before serving or set aside while eating.
- Ginger - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. You may or may not want to grind it up a bit before using.
Vegetable Dishes
- Cayenne - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. Very potent. May be added to foods at the table.
- Turmeric - Flavor enhancer. Very potent.
- Garlic minced - Flavor enhancer
- Garlic powder - Flavor enhancer. May be added to foods at the table.
- Thyme - Flavor enhancer
- Sage - Flavor enhancer
- Rosemary - Flavor enhancer
- Fennel - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid
- Arrowroot - Thickener and digestive aid
- Slippery Elm bark - Thickener and digestive aid
- Cinnamon powder - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. May be added to foods at the table.
- Cloves - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. Remove before serving or set aside while eating.
- Ginger - Flavor enhancer and digestive aid. You may or may not want to grind it up a bit before using.
- Mustard - Flavor enhancer. Very potent.
Foods that promote hair growth
Healthy Hair Food No. 1: Salmon
When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it's hard to beat salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron."Essential omega-3 fatty acids are needed to support scalp health," says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD, a dietitian in Los Angeles and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "A deficiency can result in a dry scalp and thus hair, giving it a dull look."
Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.
Healthy Hair Food No. 2: Dark Green Vegetables
Popeye the Sailor Man didn't eat all that spinach for healthy hair, but he could have. Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner.Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.
Healthy Hair Food No. 3: Beans
Beans, beans, they're good for your ... hair?Yes, it's true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.
Blatner, who is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends three or more cups of lentils or beans each week.
Are you really what you eat?
The first Lady Michelle Obama has initiated a plan to get us and our children moving into a better state of health by making better food choices and working out to get fit. No there are some who would say that this is government interfering way to much in our personal life but when you take in the fact that we as Americans suffer from the highest rate of obesity in the free world it's not a lot to consider. Either we take charge and get proactive or we continue to overeat and kill ourselves with all the ailments that come along with being vastly overweight.
WASHINGTON -- Michelle Obama had doubts about making a campaign against childhood obesity one of her signature issues.
"I wondered to myself whether we could really make a difference, because when you take on a problem this big and this complicated, at times it can be a little overwhelming," she said in a recent speech.
The anti-obesity campaign Mrs. Obama calls "Let's Move!" celebrates its first anniversary Wednesday. Is it making a difference?
In some ways, yes. In others, it's much too soon to tell.
Advocates who have worked on the issue for a long time say the first lady's involvement is raising awareness about the potential future of the U.S. as a nation of fat, unhealthy people unless the trend is reversed, and Mrs. Obama has been doing it in ways that they can't. "She has been a spark plug," said Nancy Brown, chief executive of the American Heart Association.
Mrs. Obama has addressed governors, mayors, school groups, food makers and other constituencies, urging them to build more bike paths and playgrounds, to serve healthier school lunches and to make and sell more food that's better for you.
She has visited schools across the country to see what changes they are making, from planting fruit and vegetable gardens modeled after her own celebrated White House plot to opening salad bars in their lunchrooms. And she's worked herself into a sweat at exercise clinics with kids, including on the White House South Lawn.
So if you are reading this by all means tell me your feelings on this,I would love to get some feed back and being a veggie head myself I will try and keep you posted on my facts,finds and recipes!
WASHINGTON -- Michelle Obama had doubts about making a campaign against childhood obesity one of her signature issues.
"I wondered to myself whether we could really make a difference, because when you take on a problem this big and this complicated, at times it can be a little overwhelming," she said in a recent speech.
The anti-obesity campaign Mrs. Obama calls "Let's Move!" celebrates its first anniversary Wednesday. Is it making a difference?
In some ways, yes. In others, it's much too soon to tell.
Advocates who have worked on the issue for a long time say the first lady's involvement is raising awareness about the potential future of the U.S. as a nation of fat, unhealthy people unless the trend is reversed, and Mrs. Obama has been doing it in ways that they can't. "She has been a spark plug," said Nancy Brown, chief executive of the American Heart Association.
Mrs. Obama has addressed governors, mayors, school groups, food makers and other constituencies, urging them to build more bike paths and playgrounds, to serve healthier school lunches and to make and sell more food that's better for you.
She has visited schools across the country to see what changes they are making, from planting fruit and vegetable gardens modeled after her own celebrated White House plot to opening salad bars in their lunchrooms. And she's worked herself into a sweat at exercise clinics with kids, including on the White House South Lawn.
So if you are reading this by all means tell me your feelings on this,I would love to get some feed back and being a veggie head myself I will try and keep you posted on my facts,finds and recipes!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Past hair ,Present hair, Our future in hair!
The hair industry is one of the most lucrative and controversial for black women around the world. How we style it if we straighten or go natural it's been all about the hair! Lately the craze has been the locked look be it free formed loc's, sister-locks, or rasta locks there is a growing nation of loced and happy nappy heads arising. In the roaring twenties you know the flapper era sista's were pressing that hair so straight it would look like black glass.
The fear of looking like an African or not fitting in or just not wanting the tight kinky coil of the natural crown was more then enough reason to do something about it. Madam C.J. Walker and her hot comb was the first miracle and then a few decades later the relaxer was born! Chris Rock's movie "GOOD HAIR" is a perfect rendition of what we as black women go through all in the name of "GOOD HAIR"
In this blog you will find my personal journey and the journey of others like me who have chosen to free our selves and go natural or loc it up with out the terror and task of weave or relaxer. This article is one I found to be interesting.
July 23, 2008|By Charisse Jones Special to CNN
Historically, long, straight tresses -- along with pale, white skin -- defined beauty in the United States. Black women, our complexions the hues of a cocoa rainbow and our hair often kinky and short, didn't fit the Eurocentric ideal, and we were made to feel less soft, less lovely, less womanly.
Hair became a thing that we obsessed over, searing it into contrition with hot combs and lye, and assigning it the attributes of good (straight/wavy) and evil (naturally nappy.) Indeed, Madam C.J. Walker, a black woman widely regarded as America's first black female millionaire, earned her fortune devising products and techniques that made our hair "behave."
But while black women may spend the equivalent of a small nation's gross domestic product getting our hair woven, twisted, or permed, it is not sheer vanity that drives us. Rightly or wrongly, the broader world sometimes sees our hair as a window into who we are. Right or wrong, hair does matter. And as Michelle Obama, a black woman who may become the next first lady, undergoes scrutiny, some African-Americans believe there is no better time than now to examine how black women are frequently prejudged and mischaracterized.
Check out the links and product reviews along with hot topics on the journey to nappiness and add your view but please be kind keep in mind that for some this is still a touchy subject. If you are natural by all means give some feed back about your journey if you are still wondering about the trek to nappiness venture into the blogs and webzines and get informed!
In this blog you will find my personal journey and the journey of others like me who have chosen to free our selves and go natural or loc it up with out the terror and task of weave or relaxer. This article is one I found to be interesting.
July 23, 2008|By Charisse Jones Special to CNN
Historically, long, straight tresses -- along with pale, white skin -- defined beauty in the United States. Black women, our complexions the hues of a cocoa rainbow and our hair often kinky and short, didn't fit the Eurocentric ideal, and we were made to feel less soft, less lovely, less womanly.
Hair became a thing that we obsessed over, searing it into contrition with hot combs and lye, and assigning it the attributes of good (straight/wavy) and evil (naturally nappy.) Indeed, Madam C.J. Walker, a black woman widely regarded as America's first black female millionaire, earned her fortune devising products and techniques that made our hair "behave."
But while black women may spend the equivalent of a small nation's gross domestic product getting our hair woven, twisted, or permed, it is not sheer vanity that drives us. Rightly or wrongly, the broader world sometimes sees our hair as a window into who we are. Right or wrong, hair does matter. And as Michelle Obama, a black woman who may become the next first lady, undergoes scrutiny, some African-Americans believe there is no better time than now to examine how black women are frequently prejudged and mischaracterized.
Check out the links and product reviews along with hot topics on the journey to nappiness and add your view but please be kind keep in mind that for some this is still a touchy subject. If you are natural by all means give some feed back about your journey if you are still wondering about the trek to nappiness venture into the blogs and webzines and get informed!
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