*UPDATE* NEW! Shea-loe recipe

I was so bummed when the last batch of shea-loe I made molded (ewww!), and the aloe vera separated from the shea butter. What a mess! I've since learned a few new things about mixing up this wonder-butter that heals my babies' eczema and softens my dry, winter skin and hair. Read on to learn more.

Recipe
1 C shea butter
1 Tb coconut oil
1/3 C combined oils- I like to mix vitamin E, a natural preservative (5,000 I.U), avocado, olive, almond and castor
1 Tsp honey, preservative
1/4 C aloe vera gel
10 drops tea tree e.o (preservative. no mold!)
10 drops rosemary e.o (preservative)
8 drops grapefruit and lavender e.o (fragrance. helps to balance the smell of tea tree and rosemary)

Create a double boiler by placing a glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water. Be careful not to let the bowl tip into the water. This will ruin your batch.

Add shea butter, coconut oil, 1/3 c oils to glass bowl, and allow to melt. Add honey while oils are hot. Stir gently. Remove glass bowl from heat and place on a surface for mixing. Add aloe vera gel to warm oil and mix using a hand mixer (often used for mixing cake batter).

The key to blending the aloe with the shea is mixing! Blend on low, then high, making sure to get air into the mix. This creates a fluffy, finished butter. Blend for about 15 minutes, then place glass bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from freezer and blend again with mixer for about 2-5 minutes, or until the desired consistency. Add e.o and stir them in by hand. Transfer mixture to a clean, air-tight container with a lid. Place in refrigerator to set-up for a few hours.

I also like to label my batch with the date, so if it starts to look or smell funny, I know when to toss it. My last batch was January 12, so ar so good! Good thing everyone in my house uses it- it's almost gone!

Best of 2009!

Happy New Year, Curlies! Better late, than never, right?

I still love you, I just want to make sure I'm giving you the best information I can, so I write when there's something exciting to write about. 2010 will be full of new product reviews, updates, beauty, skincare, videos and more! Before we jump into the new, let's recap some of the best products of 2009. Here we go......

Overall Hair Care: Curly Girl Method, "Baggy", and Sealing

Eliminating sulfates and -cones in my hair products has been the single best thing I've done for my hair in 2009. It retains moisture better, it's softer, shinier, and it simply looks healthy. For more info, check the tags in the side bar.

Shampoo: Aubrey Organics White Camelia

This cleanser is sulfate-free, but still does a great job cleaning my hair and scalp. I only use this product once every 2 weeks, focusing mainly on my scalp.

Co-Wash Conditioner: Trader Joe's Nourish Spa

Deep Conditioner: Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose

I get much better results with a damp washcloth over my hair, plastic cap, and a hooded dryer for 30-45 minutes. Makes detangling a breeze!

Leave-In Conditioner: Desert Essence Jojoba Conditioner and Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier

Moisturizer: Shea-Aloe (with a KinkyCurly Twist)

Follow the recipe for basic Shea-Aloe. Once the oils have cooled, add 1/4 C of conditioner (must be silicone and protein free) and 1/4 C Taliah Waajid Bodifier. Mix until creamy

Oil(s): Auromere Pre-Shampoo Conditioner

This Ayurvedic oil is a blend of Indian herbs, coconut, and wheat germ oils. It gives my hair nourishment and amazing shine. For an amazing hot oil treatment- saturate hair with oil, pop on a plastic cap, and sit under a hooded dryer for 20 minutes. Wash and style as usual.

Styling Product: Taliah Waajid  Lock It Up "gel"

This product defines curls like a traditional gel, without the drying alcohol. It's also made with nettle, hemp, and Taliah's Black Earth formula.

Routine: Check these    posts

Skin Care (For my dry skin)

Cleanser: Oil Cleansing Method (All skin types)

100% African Black Soap

Moisturizer: I love experimenting with the ingredients that I have on hand. This winter, my skin has been loving shea butter, jojoba oil, and aloe vera gel mixed in the palm of my hand.

Exfoliator: Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel

Worth every penny! Vitamin C crystals and lactic/salicylic acid gel combine to exfoliate and resurface skin revealing glowing, just-had-a-facial skin. This will last months-a little goes a long way.

Five Minutes to Gorgeous!

With two boys, three jobs, and no time, it's sometimes a challenge for me to look as glam-tastic as I would like. These are my absolute must-have products and accessories that keep me looking  my Kinky-Curly best- in a hurry.

1. Moisturizer- If you're opting for a foundation-free face, make sure skin is primed and moisturized. Choose a product that suits your skin type. For my dry skin, I love a mix of jojoba oil, shea butter and aloe vera gel.

2. Groomed Brows- It literally takes seconds to fill in brows. They frame your face and keep your look polished and pretty. I love Maybelline's Define-A-Brow, or a brown eye shadow like Cover Girl's Brown Smolder.

3. Lush Lashes- Simple enough. Curl lashes and apply 2-3 coats of mascara. I love Cover Girl Lash Blast. Go for a brown mascara for a very natural look.

4. Gloss, Gloss, Baby!- Slick on a moisturizing balm, then apply your favorite color. The choices are endless. I'm loving cocoa brown shades of lipstick and gloss this season. Some to try: MAC's Touch l/s, 3N l/g, Mad cap l/g, NYX's Echo l/s, Cover Girl Queen Collection Shiny Cinnamon l/s.

5. A Cute Coif- Check out my hair routine post for details. I love wearing my 2x twists in a retro updo. No need to worry about frizz or weather-worries. Just secure with pins and add oil for shine.

6. A Pop of Color- Scarves are great all year long. A bright orange or purple scarf transforms jeans and a tee into a sophisticated uniform for Curlies on the go. Choose wool blends in winter and sheer cotton in summer months.

Now, I'm ready for errands, playdates, and lunch with the girls- whatever the day brings, I'm game! Make sure you are too. Until next time.....

More Pics!

The Perfect Puff: Nexxus Leave-In, and Curl Activator Gel



Get some Lil' Better Butter and a cute tee at www.knapsgirl.com



Me and Yanicka: She uses Aussie Moist conditioner and Coconut Oil for sleek, smooth, shiny curls


Please be inspired by these beautiful women. And ladies, keep doing what you're doing! Until next time.........

Updates :)

I've done a lot of make up posts these past couple of months, right? Can't a girl love hair AND make up?

No worries, I'm back with a hair update, pics, and recipes just for you!

New Hair Routine: Part 1

Fall is here, winter is just around the corner, and cold air is waiting to suck the moisture from our hair and skin. My first line of defense against dry locks this season will be protective styling. 2x twists on wash day, worn for 1 week. Twist-out the next week, pulled back in a puff, until next wash day.

Wash Day: Part 2

I pre-poo on DRY hair with a combo of 3-5 of my fave conditioners and seal with oil. Pop on a plastic cap, wrap a towel or scarf around that, and wear as long as I can stand it, sometimes overnight. My current pre-poo conditioners:

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose
Burt's Bees Shea & Grapefruit Deep Conditoner
Desert Essence Jojoba Conditioner (vitacost.com)
Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner (Ulta)
Coconut Oil to seal

When I'm ready to wash, I detangle with my fingers as much as I can, then I finish in the shower. I shampoo with Aubrey Organics White Camelia (SLS-free), co-wash with Herbal Essence Hello Hydration or Hydralicious, detangle some more with a shower comb AND a paddle brush, then rinse with cold water. I use a little more of the Desert Essence (quarter size amount) over my entire head as a leave-in. I follow that with a scalp massage using any carrier oil I have on hand (avocado, olive, almond) mixed with a few drops of peppermint and lavender e.o.

New! Hair Mask/Smoothie Recipe: Part 3

I have tried Carol's Daughter Tui Hair Smoothie ($19, 8 oz.) and I don't like the wax that's in it, Jessicurl Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment ($12.75 + shipping, 8 oz.) and I hate to pay for shipping, and I've been eyeing Karen's Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Moisturizing Hair mask ($25 + shipping, 8 oz.). I simply refuse to pay that much money for product that will be rinsed out, and will only last 2-3 uses. So, a sistah got creative. I took the best ingredients from each of them and whipped up my own luscious creation. Here's what's in it:

shea butter
cocoa butter
coconut oil
castor oil
glycerin
*conditioner (cannot have silicones or protein. I use my Aubrey and Desert Essence)
almond oil
olive oil
rosemary e.o.
Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier (will post ingredients)

These are products that I use daily. I simply combined them in one product and it is the most moisturizing treat for my hair. I use it as a DT, I twist with it, I mix it in my palm with a few extra drops of oil and use it as a daily moisturizer. It is the business!

Styling: Part 4

Once my twists are done, I like to pin them up for a sophisticated look. My hair usually stays moisturized for 2-3 days using the smoothie. If it looks lackluster, I remove the pins, use the smoothie (with oil) as a daily moisturizer, seal with oil, and pin it up again. That's it!













My puff: Part 5

Gimme the Luscious

Consistent deep conditioning is the only way I can keep my 'fro juicy. Shiny. Thick. Soft. Luscious.
Here are a few ingredients that you can add to any commercial conditioner to kick it up a notch, taking it from average to A-mah-zing! And your hair will be oh-so-healthy, not 0h-so-krispy.

coconut milk
molasses
honey
oils- coconut, olive, jojoba, avocado
butters- shea, 100% cocoa (melted)
ayurvedic powders- 1 tb each amla, shikaka or brami
baby food banana
whole fat, plain yougurt
aloe vera gel
essential oil- 3-5 drops each rosemary, lavender, peppermint vegetable glycerin

Summer-ize Your 'Fro

Sunday was wash day for me, and after a much needed DT, I had the softest, shiniest 'fro on the block. By mid-week, my hair was feeling a little fried. The sun can do damage to our hair as well as our skin. Some tips to summer-ize your 'fro:

Weekly deep conditioning treatments

Daily moisturizing with water spritz and/or water based product

Add a night time moisture treatment. Try shea butter applied to hair in sections. Braid, twist or pony (depending on hair length), baggy and sleep with a satin bonnet

Add a mid-week co-wash to your summer hair routine

Try wearing protective styles and keep twist-outs to a minimum

Cover up your locks with a silk scarf when out in the sun

Hope this helps! Until next time......

I <3 SHEA BUTTER

Oh, how I've missed you!

I hope you've been thinking of me, too. Where have I been? Well, for starters, I've been falling in love with Shea Butter.

Shea butter or shea nut butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory colored natural fat extracted from the fruit of the Shea tree which grows in 19 countries across the African continent. Shea butter is a remarkable moisturizer and emollient. Shea butter is effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, eczema, burns, rashes, acne, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, stretchmarks, wrinkles, and in lessening the irritation of psoriasis. Shea butter also provides natural ultra-violet sun protection, although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from none at all to approximately SPF 6. Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. Shea butter is known for its skin softening effect, and when applied to kinky/curly hair, it adds moisture to dry brittle hair, and helps retain softness and prevent breakage. WOW!

This Atlanta Curly buys her Shea butter locally. If you can't find Shea butter in your area, here are some great on-line sites recommended by my cyber sistas over at naturallycurly.com.

www.newdirectionsaromatics.com
www.sheabutterhut.com
www.Ebay.com
www.mountainroseherbs.com
www.oilsbynature.com
www.thesage.com
www.brambleandberry.com
www.fromnaturewithlove.com
www.lotioncrafter.com.
WWW.COASTALSCENTS.COM

Shea butter, how do I use thee? Let me count the ways...

My absolute favorite recipe is whipped Shea Butter. Shea butter is a semi-hard butter. When allowed to soften slightly (using a microwave or double boiler), Shea butter can be blended with oils and whipped with a hand mixer until creamy. You can use this heavenly cream from head to toe. I like to add Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Almond Oil, and Vitamin E Oil. Sometimes I add Aloe Vera Gel. The combinations are endless! I've also read where others add coconut milk. Yum! You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. Rosemary and Peppermint oils encourage hair growth. You control the ingredients so you know that what you're using is 100% natural. Here's a recipe that you can adjust to suit your needs:

8 oz. tub of Shea butter
1/2 C Coconut Oil
1/3C Aloe Vera Gel
1/4 C combined oils

Other ways this kinky girl enjoys her Shea:

2. Straight from the tub, I emulsify a liberal amount between my palms and apply it to freshly washed hair after I apply a lighter leave-in conditioner

3. The best eye cream

4. For lips, it's the balm

5. Cuticle and hand cream

6. Melt 2-3 TB with 2-3 TB of coconut oil and add to 4 oz. of your favorite body moisturizer (in another container) to kick it up a notch. I use Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Lotion



7. Smoothed over dry hair to lay down those edges

8. Mix 2 TB melted Shea butter, 1 TB coconut oil with 8 oz. alcohol-free hair gel ( one with moisturizing aloe works well). This cream gives the most ridiculous waves and springy coils without the crunch. I like Fantasia IC Hair Poilisher Styling Gel with Sparkle Lites

9. I use the smallest amount on my dry skin (face) before I brave the low morning temps

You must try this wonderful moisturizer for yourself. Leave a comment and let me know what new ways you find to use it. Until next time...