New Year and New Homemade Deodorant!

Happy New Year, guys! So thankful to be alive to see 2013. No more drama about the December 12, 2012 'Doomsday', eh? Yay for that.
Well, today, I am starting off the new year with something new... something that does not pertain to hair. I will use this blog for all of my homemade concoctions. I believe in being resourceful and making what we can with natural products and our own two hands.
That being said, I browsed YouTube for natural deodorant videos. I have been meaning to do this for months anyway, but I put it off because I kept ordering an all natural deodorant online or buying it from Walmart (Toms of Maine), but I trust nothing. They say that it's organic, but it might not be. You've got to be really careful with so-called organic products. Yeah, so they take out aluminum, but what else still lies within it? Besides, the prices of these things are beyond ridiculous sometimes. I'm tired of buying something that can easily be created and has the same, if not better, results.

So I found a video about making homemade deodorant and finally tried it. I had all the ingredients already on hand. Yay for me!

Here's a video of where I got the idea and recipe. She also has a blog post about it. http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/02/homemade-all-natural-deodorant.html

 So I followed the recipe with the above products.

Ingredients:

6-8 Tbsp Coconut oil (solid state)
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (arrowroot is preferred)

Directions:

1. Combine equal portions of baking soda & arrowroot powder/cornstarch.
2. Slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon or hand blender until it maintains a firm but pliable texture. It should be about the same texture as commercial deodorant, solid but able to be applied easily. If it is too wet, add further arrowroot powder/cornstarch to thicken.
3. You can either scoop this recipe into your old deodorant dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. Makes about 1 cup. This recipe lasts about 3 months for two people with regular daily use.

When I finished mixing this, it was more runny than I wanted it to be. So I added more cornstarch. That was because my coconut wasn't in it's fully hard state; it was slightly soft when I used it. But I didn't want it as hard as hers was, anyway. Looked like it was hard as hell to mash down. I added cornstarch until I got a consistency that I liked.
Then I tried it on my underarms. It felt good... not sticky or slimy. A tad bit oily, no white residue, overall awesome feeling. Oh, and I added a few drops of my favorite lavender oil for smell. So far, no stinky armpits! I will keep testing this out. If it works, then I'm never buying commercial deodorants again, and not even the ones online that claim to not have any chemicals. This homemade method is cheap as dirt and effective for a lot of people. I am eliminating chemicals and costs one by one.
My next goal is to create home made toothpaste. There are ways. Keep trying me. Hehe. >:-)
I need to research using cornstarch on hair... if that is a good idea or not. I know that baking soda isn't good to be left on hair; it's a cleaning agent. I liked the consistency that it created in the deodorant that I made... perfect for a hair product. I doubt it, but you never know. When you go natural, you should truly go natural... with everything!
It's a great lifestyle change, but it's so worth not depending on companies for everything, thus saving tons of money.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Let me know if you have tried this or something similar, or would like to try it. Peace out till later, curly mamas! Stay natural!

~Epic Realist~

Kid's Length Checks and Routines (Oct. 2012)

I did this after the hair show, but I have been way too busy lately to make a post about it. As I like to do, the pictures speak for themselves. I am way proud that I have nursed Syriah's hair to full health since last year, and Jamian's is following right behind. He's okay, anyway, because he's a boy. But Syriah's hair is awesome right now.

 No breakage, no split ends, no falling out, no knots, and no dandruff for miles. Oh, and it sure is growing! =)

Syriah's Current Hair Care Routine:
~Hair Type: 3A-3B
~Pre-poo: Coconut oil saturation all through head for about an hour before washing
~Wash once every week with Shea Moisture Curl and Shine shampoo (because she likes to keep her precious little head on the floor, practicing gymnastics -___-)...
~Detangle afterwards with water and coconut oil, part into sections with shower comb, twist/braid the sections with my whipped shea butter (which has EVOO, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, lavender oil, and sometimes jojoba oil in it)...
~Daily Care: If we are in the house, I dampen her hair and apply the whipped shea mixture and/or coconut oil and re-twist/re-braid. Sometimes, if her hair isn't dry and frizzy, I'll just leave it alone the whole day. Less manipulation is always best.
~Outdoor Care: If we are going out, I use one of the many curl creams that I have now because of the hair show and style, trying to stick to protective styling most of the time. This can be a challenge sometimes because I have figured out how she can wear her hair out and her curls can look fresh all day, but I know her ends need to stay protected. Bad Mommy.
~Nightly Care: I dampen her hair at night (if I remember and I'm not too tired) and apply coconut oil and whipped shea butter to seal the ends. Then I put a simple stocking cap on her head. It doesn't come off in her sleep... for the most part. Her hair feels like butter the next morning, and not a tangle in sight.
~Deep Conditioning: This step is rare because her hair is so used to moisture that she hardly ever needs a deep condition. But occasionally, I do it anyway. I just use whatever deep conditioner I have lying around, which at the moment is a Tresemme Moisture Rich conditioner. It's not the best in the world, especially because it is kind of laced with chemicals like most conditioners, but it gives her hair more moisture and volume.
Doesn't do jack to my hair, considering that may hair is already way too thick on it's own. I don't need any more volume. O_O
Frankly, she doesn't need any more volume, either. She's got her daddy's silkiness and curl pattern and she got her thickness from me, even though her hair still isn't as thick as mine. Go figure.
So that's my daughter's routine for now. Sometimes, it seems like a lot, but because I am a SAHM, I can afford to spend extra time on her hair, whereas other mothers cannot. For Jamian, it's pretty much the same routine, except I don't put a stocking cap on his head because he'd probably just rip it off. I also don't have to section his hair. All he has are his little curls on the top of his head and that little rat tail, so it's pretty easy to maintain. He still hates getting his hair combed or brushed no matter what, but oh well. It's a part of life.
I am very strict about what goes onto my children's hair and skin, so I have been trying to use all natural products all throughout the border. I still use coconut oil and my whipped shea butter on Symari's delicate skin. All five of us use the same soap, a black soap from Ghana called Dudu Osun. It's so mild; it can be used on a newborn!
Of course, it's always more pricey to make adjustments to go the healthy way, but it is way more beneficial in the long run.
Well, I gotsta' go now and do a little cleaning. Can't let the house be a pigsty because I am only paying attention to everyone's hair LOL! I shall return... soon. =)
Until next time,
Peace out, curly mamas! Stay curly!

~Epic Realist~

Shea Butter and What Nots

New Facebook Timeline cover! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curls-of-Innocence/256662627753918

Sigh... so my daughter has not made her grand entrance yet. I'm almost 40 weeks now for the first time ever. It's completely new to me because I've never gone past 38 weeks. It's been absolutely miserable because I want to have a VBAC and not another C-section, and I don't want to be artificially induced, either. Oh well. Just have to keep waiting. >_<
Anyway, I thought I might as well share a few hair things. The newest shea butter that I created about three weeks ago was a bigger success than the last ones I've whipped up, and I'm assuming that's because I used more oils. Also, this time, I used my hand to whip the stuff and didn't even bother with the blender, so I avoided another mess. It was much easier this time, because I was trying to figure out how to make the butter stay softer after it sits for a while. I mean, it's always going to harden up, but it always hardens to where it isn't easy to get out of the jar. This time, I think I actually figured out how to make it stay softer. =)

I loved the consistency of it after it was done. Super silky. As you can see in the pic above, I  added EVOO, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil (new ingredient), and my classic lavender oil for smell. Because I used coconut oil, the butter smells like both coconut and lavender, which is even more awesome. I was very proud of my mixture this time around.
We've been using it on our skin and hair and it's super awesome! Syriah's hair stays moisturized, not greasy, as long as I don't overload it.
Tip of the Day: Don't focus so much on curls! A lot of mothers are worried about finding their daughter's curl patterns and keeping it curly by all means necessary, even if it means sacrificing moisture. But moisture is the key to retaining length, that plus protective styling, little to no combing, all natural products, and covering the hair at night. Stop worrying so much about keeping your child's hair out and wild just to show off the curl pattern. What's best for a little girl is to keep her ends sealed with oil and protected so that the ends won't get shabby and broken. I had to learn that myself because last year, Syriah's hair health was horrible compared to now... massive split and broken ends, dry ends, dry scalp. Good thing she's not tenderheaded and never cries when I comb her hair, no matter how nappy it may have gotten. Once you find her curl pattern, study it and work with it, but it's not good to keep her hair out and free all the time just to show the curl pattern. You're only going to cause yourself more trouble in the long run. When it's time to de-tangle her hair, you'll have her running for the hills. LOL!
So, there's my little update. I'm just waiting for this baby to come so she can have the best all natural start as far as everything. She's going to be 'naturally spoiled'! We've got this stuff, natural shampoos, natural toothpastes, cloth diapers, cloth wipes, and also a wipes warmer that I've always wanted for my other two children. Hopefully she'll arrive before our anniversary in two days... or at least on it. Wouldn't that be a nice anniversary present? <3
Updates will come when I have something new to share. Stay motivated, curly mamas!

It's a GIRL, Just Like I Thought! =)

I knew it! I'm having another girl! Woot! Her name will be Symari Layne. I'm about to hit 30 weeks now and super excited. I knew it was a girl the whole time. It's just a motherly feeling, and I was right about my other two kids. Plus, that Chinese prediction calendar was also right for me, all three times. How awesome is that? =)
My shea butter and new oils came in yesterday, and I've already made my newest concoction! I haven't taken pictures of it yet. I stored it in a glass jar that my mom bought specifically for me to experiment with. I've already used some in my hair, and tonight I'm going to wash Sy's hair and use some. It smells awesome because I also bought lavender oil and mixed that in.
Pictures will come soon! Been busy getting ready for baby, running back and forth to appointments, cleaning, shopping, everything. Life is pretty hectic, but in a fun way. Things are beginning to come together. Yay! Peace out till later, curly mamas!