My next challenge

Hey there,

So, you must be wondering, what's Sammy's next challenge gonna be? Or, well, there still is a possibility that you're not thinking that, but you're still reading this, aye? So that means you're interested in knowing what it is (or sorta).

Anyways, here's my new challenge (you can tag along if you'd like to):

Making my very own curly pudding.

Gaaaaah! I've wanted to do this for quite some time now.

So, the thing is..... recipe...What recipe will I use?
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Okay! so I was writing the above a couple of days ago, but never got to finish so, I guess I will now:

I tried making my curly pudding today. I heard that a good way to use up products you had a long time ago, but stopped using for some reason was by using it to make other things. So, remember that OLTG (the lock and twist gel? I did a review of it on here? remember? does it ring a bell? even a tiny ding? Okay, I don't know where I'm going with this! Anyways.... :) )
So, here's my recipe:

• Shea Butter
• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Rosemary (sieved out (the water while hot was poured over this and left for several minutes))
• Water
• Organics Lock&Twist Gel (shea butter, rosemary and water are more than this)
• Conditioner (Tresemme Naturals)
• John Frieda Frizz-Ease Heat Protectant (just about 2 spritz)

I mixed everything up manually (with a fork and in a cup). It's final consistency was like that of whipped shea butter, but a bit lighter. Mixed everything up thoroughly till it was so smooth you'd have thought that I bought it that way from some store in some place in some country in some continent in some earth, in some (okay! I have no point in this).

ANYWAYS, I've tried it out. Used it to hold up 2nd day hair (which I have got to wash lol). It held pretty well, didn't leave a white residue, didn't make my hair hard (well, it felt hard-ish for about 10-ish minutes then let up), my hair's shiny, not dry and well....no one can guess it's a second-day puff lol (slept with the puff in 'cause I got home pretty late from a formal dining with a bunch of the people in my grade. Our last formal dining while schooling together 'cause we're graduating this coming June! I remember when I took my braids down, combed my hair out into an afro (using a pick) then held it up (using an elastic head band), people were like "how'd you get your hair to hold up like that?" they thought it was pretty cool.).

So, I'm going to try another recipe when I run out of this (if I run out of it before November). Till then, so far, this has been pretty good. I'm going to wash out my hair before I sleep, maybe use a bit of this on it (but use my homemade secret moisturiser on my hair first) then I just might use a lil more of my curly pudding before I head out tomorrow.

I <3 being a mixtress!

I'm still thinking 'bout that "Sammy's Little Bowls" thing. I just might do it sometime. I'll see how my things do locally first. Also, I'm going to be making hair accessories, bow clips, hair bands, etc. Once I have everything set up, I'll let you guys know and maybe set up an online store (just incase you guys see something you like (and want), you better see something you want and buy it, I order you, I ORDER YOOOOOOUUUU! lol just joking, (bout the whole ordering you thing and that you must buy something)).

Anyways, gotta go,

Gotta study now.

"Love you, Curlies"

~SammyWithTheBigHair

A Note From a Teen Mixtress

Hey everyone!


So, sometime last year, around November/December, I decided to quit using commercial products on my hair. It was sorta like a challenge for me. I was like, "won't all-natural thing be better for natural hair?"
Anyways, Since then, I've made my own hair cleansers, scalp scrubs, conditioners, deep conditioners, gels etc. I did, however, use an Organics Twist & Lock Gel at some point. Besides that (and I haven't used it in quite a while), I've been using all natural, homemade things on my hair and my hair feels SO GOOD!
Using all-natural things means that my hair gets no sulphates on it, no parabens, mineral oils, petrolatum, sodium chloride, formaldehyde, propylene glycol, paraffin, fragrance (parfum), pthalates etc. Therefore, it's in a very healthy state as it it deprived from harsh chemicals found in some commercial products.


So, I guess I'm just going to share with you my favourite recipes (feel free to try them any time):


1. My absolute fav: 
Avocado DC

1-2 Avocados (I usually use quite ripe to very ripe avocados)

Coconut cream

2 table spoons of honey (or more. I usually eyeball)

Rosemary oil, Canola oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Rapeseed Oil (I usually add a bit of all or just about 3 of them, but just in small quantities)

Directions

Mash the avocado(s) till it is smooth or close to smooth. Add all the other ingredients and mix it till it is still smooth, thoroughly mixed and of a good consistency. Get it on your hair and put on a plastic cap then a plastic bag (if needed) then tie a scarf over them to keep them in place, prevent annoying rustling sounds, prevent the DC from leaking, etc. Sometimes, I cover my hair with more than what I stated above, but that's just me. Also, I always deep condition overnight (so, the deep conditioner has about 8 hours or more to work).
*This is my favourite deep conditioner because it combats dryness, moisturises and conditions my hair, leaves my hair feeling soft and looking beautiful and well, it makes it so hard for me to get my hands out of my hair (hehe :) )


2. Hair and Scalp Cleanser (no-poo shampoo)

·         Rosemary

·         Sage

·         Water

·         Jojoba, canola, olive, or rapeseed oil (your choice)

·         Lemon juice

·         Aloe vera gel

Directions

Eyeball all the ingredients. Mix the herbs in a clear plastic bowl (or glass jar), which has a lid. Boil some distilled, filtered or bottled water. Add the mixed herbs into the boiling water. Pull the boiling water and herbs off the stove. Let the herb mixture sit for 30 – 40 minutes. Add the oil after the mix has been sitting for 30 minutes. After 40 minutes, add a bit of lemon juice as you want (make sure there is enough oil to prevent any possible drying effect of the lemon juice. Also, do not use a lot of lemon juice, just a little). Strain the herbal mixture into a bowl and mix in the aloe vera gel. Pour into a bottle and store in a cool, dry place.

3. Leave-in treatment (shine and moisture)

·         1 tsp honey

·         4 cups warm water

Warm up the honey a bit (to let it melt) so it’s easier to mix up (it's not a must you do this, I don't always do it). Combine the honey and water together and mix well. Add a preservative to it or leave it in the fridge preferably in a spray bottle. I usually use up all that I make (I just make as much as needed) so, my advice for you is to do that or well, you can try putting it in the fridge or adding vitamin E oil or somethhing to it as a preservative.

4. Conditioner

Olive Oil

Canola, Rapeseed or Coconut oil

Honey

Combine the ¼ cup olive oil,¼ cup oil, ½ cup water (or less, depends on the consistency you're looking for, 2 tbsp honey and. Mix thoroughly. Store conditioner in a cool place between uses. *I've never used this as a deep conditioner, just a normal conditioner*

5. Deep Conditioner 

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Rapeseed oil

Honey

Shea butter

Mix the honey and oils together thoroughly (note that you shouldn't use a lot of the oils) then add some shea butter to the mix (I used about 2 tablespoons-ish). Place the bowl your mixing this in in a bowl containing hot water (this will melt the shea butter). Mix everything together thoroughly then transfer the bowl with the mix to a cool place and let it sit for a while.

Something I do everyday (for moisture and hair health)

I get some bottled water on my hair (not too much) then I get about a 1p coin size (never more than a 50p coin size) of my oil mix (which is made up of rapeseed, coconut and extra virgin olive oil) onto my hair then I rub some shea butter between my hands and smooth it over my hair concentrating on the ends. My hair has benefited from this daily treatment.

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*Please note that not everything that works for one person will work for another person. It took me months to finally figure out what my hair loves and what it doesn't love.*

*I always deep condition my hair overnight*

*Also, I do not really recommend sleeping with a plastic bag on your head because of reasons like suffocation, etc. I do sleep with a plastic bag on sometimes, but well, if you do, sleep with it on at your own risk*

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Thanks for reading! :)

p.s here's a challenge: try going up to a month without using any commercial hair products (use homemade ones) and deep condition once every week (and overnight only if possible). Compare how your hair feels before you try this with how it feels after you try this (if you want to go longer, please feel free to). :)

Itching During Transition (this is normal, but here's a way to like stop the itching and let the hair still do what it has to do)

Hello everybody!

It's 3:33 AM and I'm like wondering what I'm still doing up lol 


Anyways, itching during transition. Many people have complained about that. I thought it was abnormal when I had to deal with that initially, but from watching my brother closely (lol) I believe that it's normal. Okay! how on earth is itching normal? Has Sammy finally cracked? lol :


Let's say you had a relaxer, your hair's like super straight after the relaxer, so, your scalp's used to that. Usually, after like 6 weeks, you retouch/re-relax your hair so, your head and scalp are still fully accustomed to straight hair. Also, the pores (should I call them that) on your scalp are like tiny dot like things and like curls try to push out of them. This causes like really tiny bumps (like micro-bumps) on your scalp, you may or may not have noticed this. So, your hair starts to itch as the curl tries coming out. If you have dry hair or for some reason, your hair is dry (maybe due to the elements (weather) or something), this'll add to it. But, do not be afraid, I have a couple of things to say about this and how you can stop/minimise the itching:


Someone, who I'd call BDR, instead of her real name said:

"I'm about 5 months in and my scalp itches so badly. I do my own weaves about once a week because I cannot stand the site of the two textures of my hair. Flat irons don't look good because my hair is so dry and everything else just looks BAD! so I'm keeping weave until I get further along in the process. Question: are there any products that I can use once a week on my scalp and hair that will eliminate the dry scalp AND dry hair, that aren't costly, while I'm wearing weave and transitioning? Because I'm really about to give up"

Here are what some people said to her in an attempt to help:

"Maybe you're putting the weave in too tight? I don't know much when it comes to weaves, but I know that is the case when my braids are too tight. If I were you, I would add moisture in every step of my hair care routine(shampooing, conditioning, detangling, and leave-in)...like oils (jojoba, grapeseed, coconut oil, avocado oil, castor oil, and all that good stuff). These oils are not expensive(If I can afford them, anyone can..lol.) And, a little goes a long way with these oils, so they can last you a while. 
I'm in no way telling you to go out and purchase all of the oils I mentioned. Do a little research on them, and see which oils will benefit your hair. You may also want to look into a good creamy and moisturizing leave in(giovanni direct leave-in, shea moisture, etc). These are just my suggestions to you." 

 "I don't have a weave, and I itch uncontrollably too. Dandruff shampoo helps some, but not for long. :/. Very annoying."

(So, don't go wasting your money stocking up on dandruff shampoos!)

"At the beginning of my transition I use to get really bad itching in my scalp. I started doing weekly hot oil treatments with either jojoba oil or coconut oil. So far my dry/itchy scalp issues have been reduced. Using a mild shampoo or shampoo bar also helps keep your scalp/hair retain moisture and remain clean."

(Just so you know, I do not advice people to use shampoo bars. Shampoos, maybe, but a shampoo bar, no. I believe it dries out the hair more than you'll actually notice, it strips of all essential oils, clogs the pores...)

"For the itchy scalp olive oil works nicely and for the dry hair deep conditioning is very important. I personally deep condition once a week and if my hair gets dry throughout the week I will co-wash."

"I agree with those that said oil. My scalp itched so bad at one point and I found that using oil worked. What I do is right after I wash I take a combo of oils (olive, jojoba, coconut, castor) in a color applicator bottle (Sally's) and apply it to my scalp." 

"Depending on how light the oil is I would deem it okay to use after you wash your hair. With heavy oils I usually apply oil to my scalp and hair massage it in then. Leave on for an hour or two. Then like always I wash with a sulfate free shampoo twice to wash excess oil out." 

*Yeah, they have given advice that I'll say are okay and can help minimising (please take note of my...err....notes in bold brackets). So...I've told you what people were saying, but, what was I saying? Here it is (said on two different days):

"I'm transitioning too, I'm about 8 months in and my hair started itching this week and I honestly detest it. I researched on natural things I can use to stop the itching and one that worked for me for two days was lemon juice and olive oil. So, all I did was squeeze out the juice of half a lemon, add some olive oil to it and a few drops of water (for extra moisture), then I got it into parts of my hair, my hair stopped itching a few minutes after. I applied it mainly to the part of my hair that itched the most and that part hasn't itched since then. Another thing I did was to apply quite a bit of DAX Tea Tree Butter too. These helped a lot. I didn't really need to buy anything 'cause these were already in the house, but I believe none of the items I listed above should cost a lot of money."

(I said this a long time ago. I am like way past 8 months of transition. Also, I cancelled out the stuff about DAX Tea Trea Butter because it contains some ingredients now that I do not advice people to use on their hair. Also, it gives just short term results)

"Gaaah! Why didn't I share this earlier!I hope this works for you just how it did for me!

ROSEMARY OIL! Your hair is itchy, you get some rosemary oil onto those itchy bits and by the next day, voila! itching stops! It also stops dandruff that quick too. Isn't that great? I really like it now, but I don't use it as often as I use olive oil.Anyways, I make my own rosemary oil so I'm sure it's 100% natural (I like using 100% natural things...healthy). The first time I made rosemary oil, I put some dried rosemary into a clear bowl, I then added a bit of water to it and a drop of olive oil (covered the bowl) then I kept it by a window to get at least 2 days of sunshine then voila! I had oil in the bowl and it didn't look like the water, rosemary thingy it did the day I made it. Nowadays, I don't bother adding drops of olive oil to it. I just get the rosemary and water, leave it by a window for at least 2 days of sunlight and voila! My mum has asked me to make some rosemary oil for her because it works wonders with itchy scalp and it prevents dandruff.Also, a good way you can use rosemary oil is by getting it into your hair (don't bother if the leaves get in too, they'll fall come out later) and then getting some 100% natural shea butter into your hair too. You can mix them together and get it in all at once, but when I use SB too, I get the RO in first then the SB.
Hope this works for you too! "

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Rosemary oil is still at the top of my list for the best thing to stop this itchy scalp issue. My mum likes me making some rosemary oil for her because when she has itchy scalp, it stops it within minutes and her scalp doesn't itch again for a really long time (I'm not talking about minutes, hours, or days, I'm talking about longer than that). My hair loves rosemary oil, I might add.
Okay! so, something else about rosemary oil: it is an essential oil, it prevents and stops dandruff and it also stimulates/promotes natural hair growth. Seriously, that is like totally true. I can make a lengthy review of rosemary oil if you want me to (and you know, I can type some pretty lengthy things).


Hope this helps you!
God bless,
~Sam


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