Day 17

Someone once told me that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Well, no more. I can't keep using the products that I am using and expecting to have my hair and skin look better. So I just spent the better part of the day in search of hair care products. Let me just say it easier to find a set of black albino identical twins married to identical Korean twins in Bangkok, China than it is to find natural black hair care products. SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!! I am not making this up.


The ingredients that I was trying to avoid in my shampoo were Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & TEA Lauryl Sulfate.

These ingredients are very harsh on the hair and scalp and are not needed to truly clean the hair. These items strip oils from the hair. Sodium lauryl sulfate is an ingredient in household cleaners (why would I put the same stuff on my hair/scalp that I use to clean my toilet???). Also, diethanolamine or more commonly called DEA, is a suspected carcinogen and one of its derivatives, triethanolamine (TEA) has also been shown to be carcinogenic.

Additionally, I would like to avoid mineral oil and petroleum products. Both of these things clog pores, suffocates skin, causes skin/scalp/hair to become dry once the application wears off because it acts as an impenetrable layer that also causes the skin to produce even less moisture than it should (which is why the petroleum product is usually being put on it in the first place, what a vicious cycle!?!) and it is possibly carcinogenic (do to the way it's manufactured), is a non-renewable source, and is a by-product of the petroleum/oil industry. Also, mineral oil is a petroleum by product that coats the skin similar to plastic wrap, clogging the pores. This stuff interferes with the skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Honestly, this stuff belongs in your ENGINE, not on your hair or skin.

I was also trying to aviod any products that contain isopropyl alcohol for the obvious reason that it is very drying. This is a solvent and denaturant (poisonous substance that changes another substances natural qualities). This petroleum-derived substance is also used in antifreeze and as a solvent in shellac. Natural hair reacts very badly to isoalcohol and this ingredient should be avoided at ALL costs. It will dry your hair out and break it off.

So this may just be the scientist/chemist in me but I know FO DAMN SURE that I would not eat anything that has this crap on the ingredients list so again, why I am feeding this junk to my skin/hair???

The thing is most of these items were the second or third listed on the ingredients list and in some cases it was the FIRST (petroleum when I was looking for moisturizers).

Now, with all of that being said guess how many hair care products I looked at which contained one of the ingredients listed above as the first or second thing. JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM!!!!! Just because something says natural or organic please don't be an idiot. Read the label. Most of the moisturizers and conditioners out there (mostly leave ins) have mineral oil or petroleum as its first or second ingredient. BAD BAD BAD!!!! I picked up every shampoo bottle in the beauty supply store and could not find one that met my needs. Similarly I went through tons and tons of hair/scalp moisturizers and leave in conditioners (cream based) before I found one that I was happy with. Eventually, I ended up going to Target and I found a shampoo that I could live with. I know that I could have gone to Whole Foods but I am on a teacher budget and can't quite afford that stuff just yet.

Below are the products that I ended up buying.


My shampoo which is sulfate free (it smells delicious. just like cake!) and the deep conditioner. My mom use to use this on my when I was a kid.  It really works well for me.  The conditioner does have mineral oil but it is WAAAAAAAAAAAY down on the list.  Plus, I have used this before with excellent results.

The twist n' loc was for my bantu knot twist that I am going to do and the shea butter leave in conditioner which I am also pretty darn pleased with. DO NOT GET THE SHAMPOO...it has just about all of the bad ingredients that I mentioned above.

Moisturizers.

I mixed the oils together in a spray bottle.  The tea tree oil and shea butter I already had.  The shea butter I put on my hair at night or every other night.  Depends.  I also put the shea butter (scented with lavendar petals) all over my skin after I shower at night.  My skin feels so soft and silky in the morning.

Peace, Love & Organix

~GNH~

Day 16

BOUT TIME!!!!! I am off work for 3 weeks. I am so happy. That was a grueling 9 weeks. I had 3 new preps and it was killing me. I am going to be more prepared for the next quarter. I will try and get at least 5 weeks worth of lessons done before we start back up, however, that will begin next week. Right now, I am basking in the fact that I've got nothing to do and all day to get it done and that is the way that I like it.

That jet lag was a killer. I am still trying to get adjusted which is why I have not posted. So, let's see...uhm, my hair held up nicely until Saturday. I went to the football game and it was a rainy mess out there. I mean it's all good right cause it's just hair. I came home and used a wide tooth comb and gently combed the curls out. I put a headband on and that was the end of that. Today I oiled my hair with shea butter and parted it into two sections (in the back - no part in the front) made two braids and kinda did a bantu knot situation with them. I added a headband and that was that for today. I have no intentions of doing anything to my hair until Monday night or even Tuesday. I am doing really great. I haven't used heat on my hair since I started this process and I really have no intentions of doing so.

This is what I was looking like....and no I did not give a flip.

I am really enjoying getting to know my hair. I truly feel like this is a different kind of spiritual journey. I am learning things about myself and my surroundings. Such as I am a patient person (when it is required), I am becoming more observant of people and things around me and I am paying more attention to the types of products that I use. Funny thing is my husband and I are very heath conscience people and we are food label stalkers but never once had I considered reading the labels of the prodcuts that I use on my skin and hair. Have you ever really read that list? I mean I would never eat something that has an ingredients list that is a mile long so why in the hell am I putting something on my skin or hair that has a list that long? What goes on your skin and scalp eventually get inside of you just like food. Just something to think about.

Peace, Love & Bantu Knots
~GNH~

Day 12

My hair is still holding up. It is super hot here and I was sweating pretty bad so I am going to conditioner wash tonight and do another rod set. My hair is still really soft. However, I do have a good amount of new growth already which is pretty surprising. I feel like it literally happened overnight. Well, as soon as I get home I will post pictures of what it looks like now and once I put all of the rollers in.

Before - It was an itchy mess. This was in the hotel room.

And this is after I did a conditioner wash and rolled.

Peace, Love & Rod Sets

~GNH~

Day 11

Who knew that taking care of your hair while on vacation could be so easy. I mean it has been just fluff and go. I AM LOVIN' THIS!!!

Day 10

Sorry I am just getting around to posting. I decided to go on a business trip with my husband. I must have been high or half drunk. It is the week of trackout and there is no way I could be any busier. Between trying to get report cards done and dealing with two team teachers (and I use the term team loosely) who are world class idiots, I am swamped. However, this is the first time that he has asked me to go on a business trip with him so I figured why not. Not only that but he would go with me if I asked no matter how busy he was plus it is a free trip to Vegas and only an idiot would say no.So anyhow, my hair is doing well and I am liking the less is more approach. Let's see, on Sunday night I thought that the curls around the front could use a little pick me up so I did a reset of that area. First I moisturized the new growth all over my head with shea better. Then I mixed water, conditioner and coconut oil (the real stuff) in a spray bottle. I used the spray bottle to moisten the areas I wanted to redo. I used the purple rods and rolled the front and sides of my head. Now, I did not sit under the dryer this time. I was experimenting and wanted to see how it would turn out. I threw on the sleep cap (good lookin' out Deidre) and went to bed.Well Monday morning when I took the rods out my curls were excellent. I fluffed my curls and headed to work. When I got to work it was compliment city. I was glad because my biggest worry and I know it sounds bad was that I was gonna have to "explain" myself at work. All my students wanted to do was talk about my hair all class. One little boy was like "Mrs. Schnars, you look prettier with curly hair. It is like you were born to have curly hair. Keep it like that. Flat and straight hair is boring." Out of the mouths of babes.

Well, everyone loved my hair but most of all I love it now too.

Day 9

Damn, I have got all kinds of crazy amounts of stuff to do today.  I need to clean my crib, do laundry, lesson plans and report cards, pack.....when does it end!!!So far I have been to the gym, cleaned the family room, done lesson plans and started laundry.  I need either a maid or a personal assistant.I must say, since I have been using natural products on my hair and skin this week I have noticed a dramatic difference.  I can't really explain it but my skin feels different and I feel different.  I have not had any breakouts on my face for the past week and my eczema has not flared up.  When I get outbreaks it is around my eyes and in my head and sometimes on the back of my neck.  Below is a picture of my hair as of this morning.  I have not fluffed it at all.  I woke up, went to the gym and then came in the house and took this picture so that you could see what it looks like after I slept on it and sweat on it.  I know I look scary but remember, I had just finished working out and lifting weights.  I do have a headband on.  Also, there is no make-up no nothing.....

DI

Day 8

So I totally flubbed and didn't make an entry yesterday. Between having a 9am training, football, report cards, napping and Cirque a sista was busy. Anyway, I did finish my hair on Friday along with the book. I took the rods out of my hair on Friday but I did not separate the curls until Saturday. I like it. I learned that it is going to take me a minute to perfect my rolling technique. I forgot to use end papers so it was a little frizzy but to me it made it look more realistic. My hubbie thought I looked SMOKIN' HOT!!! So comment that made me laugh and feel better.


The book was amazing. I enjoyed the little history lesson. It covered everything that social studies and the movie ROOTS left out. Plus there was a lot of just common sense stuff I guess I just never thought about. Good stuff. I recommend that everyone read the book even if you have absolutely no desire to go natural. My husband even picked it up and started reading it.

So for right now with my hair like this I have just been using shea butter and tea tree oil. I use the tea tree oil for my eczema.  I look and smell great :-)

This is what my hair looked like last night once we go back from Cirque.  I had slept on it Friday night and napped on it Saturday afternoon.   All I did was oil with shea butter and fluff with my hands/fingers.