Shampoo Feels Like A Co-Wash! Tresemme Karatin REVIEW

Hey, curly mamas! Take a look at this shampoo review that I did. It's the Tresemme Keratin shampoo and conditioner. 

It's not the most thorough review in the world, but it's all good. That's all I had time to do. Still feels amazing. But remember; the shampoo has sulfates, so it's not good to use on a weekly basis. Just because I say that it feels like a co-wash doesn't mean that it should be used like one. It will still dry your hair out in time. So be wise and use your sulfate-free shampoos for most of your hair washes!

~Curls of Innocence~

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First ACV Rinse and LENGTH CHECK!

Heya, curlies! Today is Halloween, but I don't really celebrate that, so sorry; I don't have any Halloween hair ideas or anything. lol
I want to talk about my first ACV rinse that I did in my hair, and my length check!
Video is self explanatory... wish I could embed the YouTube one here but for some reason, that never works out for me in blogger... no clue why. Enjoy, though! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc2lVD8IzvY

ACV is an abbreviation for apple cider vinegar, commonly used by naturals for cleansing the hair of everything in a natural way. ACV also balances the pH of your hair, which in turn makes your curls 'pop'. It closes your cuticles as well... I'm honestly not sure how good that is for your scalp, but that's one of the attributes. ACV is gaining popularity because of the extremely clean feeling it leaves your hair with.
Now don't get me wrong, the stuff stinks to high heavens. When I first heard of it, I was like, apple cider vinegar? I didn't think vinegar belonged in hair! But there are studies that say that vinegar itself is awesome for a total clean.
So I went to Walmart and found the cheapest bottle of ACV I could find. I don't remember the price (I bought it last month), but it was between 5-7 bucks in the salad dressing aisle. I just used it for the first time this Sunday, and it was amazing!
First, I washed my hair with a cheap (VO5) sulfate shampoo to get the last two weeks of gunk out of my hair. I did this over the kitchen sink because I didn't feel like hopping in the shower at the time. Then I mixed the ACV in a small dispenser bottle with less ACV than water, then shook it up. I hated the smell; it smelled like rotten apples that had been sitting in a dumpster for months! >_< Then little by little, I squirted the mixture onto my my whole head, scalp and all. I massaged it in for about five minutes, then rinsed it out. The smell was barely there anymore after rinsing, and my hair felt amazing!

The curls were seriously popping, and I was able to see every hair texture in my head! I have several hair textures. My new red color was popping, too. My scalp felt a little dry, but overall super CLEAN! I love the feeling that the ACV left me with.

Now of course, I wasn't going to leave my hair like this, so I applied my oil mixture to my hair (EVOO, peppermint oil, castor oil) rubbed that in, then applied my Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. I love this stuff; it's so buttery and soft. I like to use it as a leave in. My hair stays incredibly soft when I do that. SO I just twisted and did bantu knots around my head, de-tangling each section while doing so.

Hardly NO hair came out in the detangling process. I was amazed! My hair shed way more than this last week when I washed. I don't know if it was the ACV that prevented the shedding or what, but it's now part of my monthly routine. Probably instead of using a sulfate shampoo monthly to cleanse my hair, I'll use the ACV instead. Hooray for more discoveries! ;)

Hope you guys enjoyed this post! What are your experiences with ACV? How does your hair like it? Tell meh here or on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curls-of-Innocence/256662627753918?ref=hl

Until next time, curly mamas! Peace!

~Epic Realist~

Third Time Around: KCCM Challenge, WEEK 4

So, I'm doing the KCCM challenge yet again. Looks like I'm going to be continuously doing these until I win (hehe), so I might as well same some of my answers here to copy and paste for the future. If there are any changes, I will make them on the challenge page. 

1. There are so many products on the market, what are your favorites for washing? What are your favorites for moisturizing/styling? What qualities does a product have to have in order to become one of your favorites?

I LOVE all Shea Moisture shampoos. They are a staple for me until I actually feel like trying something else. I also love anything Shea Moisture... their conditioners, their deep conditioners, everything. I tend to use their deep conditioners as a leave in, especially the deep treatment masque in the tan packaging. A product has to be at least 90% natural for me to even consider it. No mineral oil, no waxes, sulfates, or parabens, and especially no odd colors.

2. Since using the castor oil, has your hair seen any of the benefits listed in the list above? Which ones?

Oh, yes. I have had lots of growth as usual, as well as baby soft hair. Since the last two challenges I've participated in, I have grown in my baby hairs very well, and dandruff is a thing of the past.

3. How did you use Castor Oil in your hair last week (week 3). Did you find yourself losing momentum or are you still going hard?

I never lose momentum. LOL! I am still going hard, using castor oil on my scalp every other day, on my edges, and on my ends.

4. (optional) Share a pic of your natural hair in one of your favorite styles!

Done! I LOVE braid outs.

• 

I hope that you guys are getting great results as well with this. I love castor oil!

~Epic Realist~

New Facial Routine!

Hey, curlies! I have a new facial routine. Frankly, I haven't taken great care of my face in years because I've been so busy with my kids and hadn't had the money, but it's time for me to get on the ball. I don't get a lot of acne anyway, and I usually just wash my face in the shower with regular soap. But I know that's not good for my face. My diet has been off, too. My face has been occasionally breaking out lately with stress and improper cleaning, and my skin tone is all over the place and blotchy-looking.
I recently tried this new 'oil cleansing' method that everyone's been raving about. Not gonna lie; it did work. I liked the feeling of the 'steam effect'. But much like the hype over co-washing, the purpose of oil is not to cleanse. I don't feel comfortable cleansing my face with oil the same way I don't feel comfortable cleansing my scalp with conditioner. Everyone's trying to get away from soap because of sulfates when all you have to do is purchase something without it!
I haven't had any of the Dudu Osun black soap lately because I couldn't order it and I just now realized that I didn't have to anymore. They sell it right in my local beauty supply store! So when this Lever 2000 soap finally runs out, I can go back to my natural soaps.
I thought about trying a Shea Moisture bar soap as well, but that's when I can find it in a store. Tired of paying for shipping with everything. LOL!
Okay, back to facial biz.I got an Ambi facial bar soap, only because I've always loved Ambi. I used it a lot during my college days, and my face was always utterly flawless. My skin tone was in check and moisturized. Here's the soap I got. In Walmart, it was $1.87. Originally, I thought it was five bucks because of where the soap was placed, but nope. http://shopambi.com/detail/AMB+002232
So I've been using this soap for the last three days, day and night. It's awesome! I love the smell and the softness. It's a very light cleanser, and this huge bar should last me a couple of months. After washing, I use JBCO as a facial moisturizer. A lot of people have been using castor oil for other things besides their hair, like their face, their dry feet, and the muscle aches.
I will keep testing this and see if any problems arise. But as of now, it's perfect.
I'm out! Until next time, peeps!

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~Epic Realist~

Hair Tip #1

Today's Hair Tip: PLEASE pay attention to what you are using in your child's hair. It DOES make all the difference. Stay away from SULFATES, parabens, petroleum, and MINERAL OIL.
I will emphasize sulfates and mineral oil because those two things combined will have your child's hair screaming for epic moisture penetration. Mineral oil and petroleum are basically the same thing, so just be careful. Trust me. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt and the head band, too. ;) #hairtips

~Epic Realist~

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Merry Christmas & a New Shampoo!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I have a new shampoo! Now before you get all excited, this isn't a giveaway or anything. One day, those will come when I can afford it. LOL! But I got this two days ago from Walmart and I am in love with it.
It's another Shea Moisture shampoo, but I like it better than the one I was previously using. I couldn't wait to try it, so on Sunday, which I have officially named as my wash day, I tried it. It was absolutely awesome!
Truthfully, this stuff didn't even feel like a shampoo. It was so silky, it felt like a conditioner, like I was co-washing my hair instead of actually 'sudsing' it up. As usual there are all natural ingredients in it, and no sulfates! I'm so in love with this shampoo.
Wish that I had the money to get the conditioner to try along with it, which was also $9.99. Some people have said that the conditioner doesn't do as good of a job as the shampoo does, but I want to see for myself one day.
So I washed my hair in two sections, towel blotted it, and applied my castor oil and grape seed oil mixture on my scalp and ends. Then I used some of my Tresemme conditioner (which is almost gone) in my hair as a leave in and de-tangled with my wide toothed comb. I don't usually do this, but it has been doing wonders for my hair's epic dryness lately. I did my usual 6-8 twists in and tied it up to in a scarf to air dry.
The next day, Christmas Eve, I spritzed it with water, finger de-tangled it, and applied my whipped shea butter. Replaced the fat twists with braids so I could get the roots pinned up and not knotted together like they always do after one day of wearing fat twists. The JBCO has been making my roots so much thicker, so when I do twists, after one day, not only is there a bunch of frizz near on the top of my head, but the roots sometimes get tangled within one another. Sometimes braiding is better, even though it takes longer. But it creates a lot of stretch!
As of now, we're not going anywhere for Christmas, but I'm still going to play around with my hair and Syriah's and create some 'holiday style' just for fun.  xD

Until next time...
Happy Holidays, curly mamas!

~Epic Realist~

Bantu Knots and Babies

 Syriah has a new style! I'd never done this before, but had been meaning to try it. The famous bantu knots! I've done something similar a few years back, but not this.
These were mega easy. I spritzed her hair with distilled water and used a random product that I had lying around (III Sisters of Nature Lengthening Creme), de-tangled, and coiled the hair around with my finger. Then I wrapped it around itself like a mini bun and secured with a rubber band wrapped around once. She loved it.
The only problem I had, of course, was making sure that they stayed pinned up. Because she's an active 3 year old, she kept bouncing around and the coils kept falling out. But I just re-pinned them. Eventually, when it was almost bedtime anyway, I wrapped her head up with a stocking cap.
I can't wait to see the bantu knot-out when these get old and dried out. Lol!
My little one Symari's hair has been flourishing as well. When I wash it, I use Earth Mama Angel Baby shampoo and body wash (AWESOME stuff, organic, all natural ingredients, no sulfates or parabens) on her hair and body and moisturize her hair and body with my whipped shea butter or plain coconut oil. Sometimes, I use my JBCO/coconut oil concoction in her hair. It's been seriously growing. I'm glad that she's starting off with the right stuff already. Didn't have that opportunity with my other two babies.
I love her adorable little curls! This is how it looks 'stretched out' with shea butter. This is also her first COI hair update picture by herself! Awwwwww!
She cried getting this done because I don't do her hair often. No need for ponytails on a baby all the time. Her hair needs to breathe and grow and flourish without tight ponytails all the time. I didn't use rubber bands in her hair, but still.

Jam's hair is... well, low. I gave him a low haircut a few weeks ago because he couldn't take me combing his top fro anymore. Guess he'll never be able to handle long hair... or at least not now. :-/ All he can handle is his rat tail!
Hope you enjoyed my update. Add me on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curls-of-Innocence/256662627753918

Until later, curly mamas. Peace!

~Epic Realist~

Hair and... Politics!?

I do not view going natural as a political statement, because frankly, I do not care about politics. I believe that politics are fake, and that they only portray into the media what they want the masses to believe.

I went natural for two reasons. For one, I was sick and tired of society's view on bashing black women who did not keep their hair straight and 'manageable', and secondly, I already had a passion for 'naturalness' my whole life but I didn't really know it yet.

I got tired of buying lotions and hair creams that 'didn't work' for my hair and skin because they were full of chemicals. I would complain to my sister about commercial lotions that we'd buy and use, and the next day, we were so ashy, it was as if we put nothing on at all. 

I would get utterly frustrated when I got a cream for my hair, lather my hair in it, twist or braid it up, and the next day, it would be as dry as the Sahara Desert. When I did get perms, I only got them every 4-6 months, so I was pretty much wearing my hair natural and curly, anyway. I went to college with my hair still wet a lot, and people called me 'white girl' because my hair was long and wet, and still looking good, even though it was damaged. So 'big chopping' after transitioning for two years wasn't hard for me and it wasn't a hassle. 

I did, however, have to learn how to really take care of it, and that's what I continuously do today.

The rise of natural hair products has definitely made me feel better as a black woman, knowing that we no longer have to succumb to buying crap in the stores because that's all there is. We can wear our natural hair as we have been so afraid to do for years and not have it break off due to overuse of parabens, sulfates, and petroleum.

Going natural is like going on a choosing a healthier diet; you cut out a lot of the bad things, but you have to learn what healthy things you should substitute for and put into your body as well as how to care for your body. You can't just say, I want to eat healthier but I'm not going to research how to do it, so you continue to eat the same way and not exercise. Sorry, not going to work. You won't get anywhere anytime soon with that kind of mentality. 

It may seem that going natural is harder than being relaxed, because in a way, it is. Everything that we are supposed to be doing right is automatically going to be harder. That's just life. We were born natural, so taking care of our curls is what we were born to do. Growing your own food will automatically be harder than just going to the supermarket and picking up any type of food you want with no hassle, because that's the way the world was originally supposed to work. We've just gotten lazy over the centuries, and we don't want to do any more work then what we are allotted to do. Constantly spritzing, detangling, moisturizing, twisting, parting, and styling seems to be harder than just going to the salon for a relaxer every six weeks or so, but that route has it's share of hard work as well. 

Technically, your hair may require more care with a relaxer than our natural curls, only because the chemicals wear our hair down, but hey. Either way you rock your hair is still work to look nice and be as healthy as we can.

Natural hair maintenance can be super hard work, but it's worth it, ladies! Peace out till later, curly mamas! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curls-of-Innocence/256662627753918

~Epic Realist~

New Shea Moisture Products!

My birthday is coming up in three days! Hubby let me splurge on hair products, which I was never able to do. EVER. So this is what I picked up from Walgreens. Well, the olive oil I always get during grocery shopping at Walmart, and the Burt's Bees chapstick came from there, too. But since I have no clue when Walmart will ever be hip to carrying natural hair products or have a high demand for it, I stopped in Walgreens and got these Shea Moisture products. I cannot wait to try them.
I've heard good reviews about them, and they're ALL NATURAL. Expensive. Ten bucks each.Yikes.

I'm probably going to wash my hair tomorrow, the day before my birthday and see how this rolls. This is my first ever sulfate-free shampoo... very excited. In fact, here's a list of everything it does not contain.

~No Parabens

~No Phthalates

~No Parrafin (wax)

~No Gluten

~No Proplyene Glycol

~No Mineral Oil

~No Synthetic Fragrance

~No Animal Testing

~No PABA

~No Synthetic Color

~No DEA

~No Animal Ingredients

~No Sulfates

So this is a certified organic product, established in 1912. Wow. I just washed Syriah's hair the day before yesterday, so she'll have to wait on the shampoo for another few days. I was using one of the Cream of Nature shampoos, which is still laced with chemicals and was drying out her hair. But I've put an end to that now. This is what her hair looked like the other night when I washed it with the Cream of Nature stuff. The pic of her in the purple shirt is before I even washed it.

 I used my extra virgin olive oil that I've been using for about two months now for moisturizing her scalp and a mixture of unrefined shea butter that I created in the blender a month ago, then slicked her hair back with a boar's head brush. I normally don't put her hair in a ponytail right after washing it, but it was late and I didn't feel like doing the usual several braids in her hair. I'm currently seven months pregnant with our third child, and giving the kids baths in the first place is mad tiring! So I just did a simple braid and wrapped it in this new scarf thing, which actually did not end up staying on her head AT ALL. I took it off in her sleep. -.-

Hopefully, that was the last time that I will be using a shampoo full of sulfates and other things. I've made up my mind to go all natural as far as hair as well as skin. Hubby is working on the natural foods thing, which I have little patience for because I'm not really an 'eater'. Next time, I might do a review of the Shea Moisture stuff on my hair because my hair needs a washing right now. This is how it looked yesterday. Excuse the fat face and non-responding look. LOL!

Stay tuned for the review if you're interesting in trying out this product. Peace out till later, curly mamas! <3