Weekend Post!

   
  Here is a beautiful poem I thought id share, titled Washing My Hair. I enjoy this poem; it’s sultry, playful and a little gothic. It invokes the transcending nature of water and reveals the existential thoughts one may have while completely vulnerable.

Washing My Hair

BY ANNE STEVENSON

Contending against a restless shower-head,

         I lather my own.

The hot tap, without a mind, decides

         to scald me;

The cold, without a will, would rather

         freeze me.

Turning them to suit me is an act of flesh

         I know as mine.

Here I am: scalp, neck, back, breasts,

         armpits, spine,

Parts I've long been part of, never

         treasured much,

Since I absorb them not by touch, more

         because of touch.

It's my mind, with its hoard of horribles,

         that's me.

Or is it really? I fantasise it bodiless,

         set free:

No bones, no skin, no hair, no nerves,

         just memory,

Untouchable, unwashable, and not, I guess,

         my own.

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The Benefits of Hemp Oil on Hair

In light of it being April twentieth, a day with a massive sub-cultural following, thought I would post an article on the benefits of hemp oil on the hair. Enjoy!

Photo Credit hemp image by Dmitri MIkitenko from Fotolia.com 

Hemp oil can be used to beautify your hair from within, as well as from without. The oil is rich in essential fatty acids, along with vitamins and protein. Hemp oil is good for people with all hair and skin types, though its nutty scent can take some getting used to, authors Lauren Cox and Janice Cox advise in their book "Ecobeauty." While some folks confuse it with marijuana, hemp oil is legal and does not contain the compound THC that gives people a "high." Though the plants are both classified Cannabis sativa L., they are scientifically different. Industrial hemp is cultivated for its oil, fiber and seed content, whereas marijuana is grown for its THC content. You can purchase hemp oil at health food stores and online.
Conditioning Agent

Use hemp oil to condition your hair and your scalp, recommend the Coxes. Hemp oil has vitamin E, along with a high essential fatty acid content, naturopathic author Linda Page notes in her book, "Linda Page's Healthy Healing." Fatty acids provide emollient action, meaning they prevent water loss and have a softening effect, says Paula Begoun, author of "The Original Beauty Bible." The oil is also a natural moisturizer that boosts scalp health, shoring up the intercellular matrix, which protects against moisture loss, according to Begoun. Keeping the scalp healthy can help prevent dry scalp and minimize irritation. Hemp oil is especially good to use in the winter, when the outdoor air is cold and indoor heating systems are cranked up, say the Coxes, because both of these factors dry out your hair and skin.

Rihanna sporting curly hair
at Coachella 

Nutritional Value
Hemp oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and omega-9 fatty acids, Page writes in "Cooking for Healthy Healing." Consuming such polyunsaturated fatty acids stimulates hair and skin growth, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Hemp oil also has gamma linolenic acid, which is good for combating hair dryness, Page notes. Hemp oil can be used as you would use olive oil or flaxseed oil in dips and salad dressings.

Protein Value
The quality protein in hemp oil improves the feel and appearance of your hair. Your hair is 97 percent protein, Page says. Hemp oil is 25 percent protein. Protein improves the condition of your hair, especially when it has been damaged. In addition to strengthening the hair, protein has emollient and water-binding properties that boost hair health, says Begoun

References
"Ecobeauty;" Lauren Cox and Janice Cox; 2009
"Cooking for Healthy Healing;" Linda Page; 2002
"Linda Page's Healthy Healing;" Linda Page; 2004
"Diets for Healthy Living;" Linda Page; 2005
"Hair Care;" Zoe Diana Draelos; 2005

Article reviewed by Amy Richards Last updated on: Mar 28, 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/189783-the-benefits-of-hemp-oil-on-hair/#ixzz1sabbxPtf

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Thursday ~

Here is another great article forwarded to me by Cerise Fairfax. Its very informative and helpful. Enjoy!

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Is anyone ever happy with their hair? It doesn't seem like it! Either their hair is too wavy, too straight, too thin, too brittle, or some strange combination of those factors. Then, to make matters worse, the things people do to their hair to solve a problem often seem to create another hair crisis.

The first step to sanity is to accept reality. Most hair characteristics, such as texture and color, are genetic. You can't do much to change them, so you just have to learn to live with them -- at least for a while. What you can do is to make some decisions about the way you treat your hair. Learn about common hair problems and do whatever you can to keep your hair healthy and in good condition. FYI... Shampoos today are very effective, but the manufacturers instruct you to wash and repeat simply so you use more of their product.

OILY HAIR
After dandruff, the main complaint of most teenagers is oily, greasy, or stringy hair. Unfortunately, your hair needs that oil. Glands in the scalp secrete oil for each of the hair's follicles. This oil actually allows the hair to slide through the scalp and protects the hair from the elements. The key is finding ways to cut down on some of those nasty oil spills. Wash your hair as often as you like, but use a mild shampoo and wash only once. You do not need to add a conditioner to oily hair. If you really want it drier, you can make it drier by having it permed or tinted.

DRY HAIR
If you have dry hair, your scalp is producing less sebum than it should and you end up with dry, brittle hair. When the layer of oil in the hair is broken down, the moisture trapped below evaporates, leaving the hair to dry out and become more prone to damage. It isn't long before you end up with dry, unmanageable areas complete with split ends and broken shafts. You should wash it as infrequently as you can and use a mild shampoo with a cream conditioner afterwards. Leave the conditioner on for a few minutes before rinsing. Don't brush your hair out too much, try to comb it gently. Dry hair is fragile hair!!!

The good news about hair is that it is programmed and designed to battle the elements. The cells in your hair shaft's thin outer layer, or cuticle, overlap like scales to protect the shaft's inner mass of fiber, called the cortex. This shaft is usually covered with a lubricant called sebum; that is the oily stuff. 

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Hair and Character

Here is a Great article that was forwarded to me by Cerise Fairfax (mom =D) it has a few awesome suggestions on how to enhance you overall character with simple changes to your hair. Enjoy!

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Throughout the course of history, hair styles have been a way of distinguishing people of different groups. It may show that the person belongs to a social, ethnical, racial or a sub-cultural group.
Nowadays, our society has generally blended together and there are no formal social classes in the sense that there have been, say, 100 years ago or more, therefore a hairtype and/or style have become more of a statement about one's character.

A person with curly hair, for example, is typically thought to be nervous, energetic and impulsive. A stereotype, originating from the images of a sea or ocean : when there are waves in the sea, people tend to call it "raging" or "uncalm" due to it's dynamic nature. Hence, the more curly the hair, the more nervous the person is considered to be.
Curling your hair is a good idea if you want to make yourself look spicy or, perhaps, just a little bit on the wild side. Going on a date with a person who you believe likes impulsive people is a great occasion to curl your hair.

Straight hair is reminiscent of a flat surface or a calm sea and represents peace, making it the complete opposite of curly hair. A person with straight hair will give off an impression of being peaceful, perhaps even serene, reserved and generally one that doesn't give in to emotion quite as much. For this reason, straightening your hair may be a good idea for business meetings and other such formal endeavors, where emotion is not required or even unfavorable.
There are, of course, ways to enhance the impression your hair gives off or add some kind of flavor to it by using color.
A red or reddish color will give you a fiery look, drastically changing the image of someone with straight hair, or enhancing the impression if the hair is curly.
The color yellow is often associated with happiness and peace, thus making blond hair an interesting combination for someone with curly hair.

Brown is generally a neutral color, when it comes to hair so it is probably the easiest way out if you are not sure about what statement you want to make using your looks.
Other hair colors, ones that don't exist in nature will typically mark you as part of some sub-culture, but may still be a good idea if one manages to do it with style.

Author: jurgita.com

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Cooking with...Shea butter??

You would say 'ew' but if you try it you'll be saying 'yum'! The smoky taste of Shea goes great with pork and is used in the chocolate industry all the time! You may have already eaten it without knowing and loved the taste. here is an article taken from ehow.com on how to prepare regular unrefined Shea butter (the yellow stuff that smells like bacon :D) for consumption. Enjoy!

With love
Nol

How to Cook Using Unrefined Shea Butter

By Chris Ciolli, eHow Contributor | updated July 05, 2011

Shea butter is an appropriate vegan substitute for dairy butter.

Unrefined shea butter is derived from the seed of the shea tree. Also known as galam butter or karite butter, it's used in cosmetic products, chocolate production and as a cooking oil. At room temperature shea butter should be a creamy solid that easily spreads like dairy butter on bread. Shea butter has a characteristic smoky, nutty smell and should be between cream, beige and yellow in appearance. Unrefined shea butter is an all-natural, vegan-friendly butter and lard substitute that can be used in baked goods -- or just spread on toast. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1.        

1

Spread shea butter on tea sandwiches, toast or pancakes instead of dairy butter or margarine for a healthy, vegan substitute.

2

Substitute shea butter for lard, margarine, dairy butter or cocoa butter in cookie and cake recipes in the quantities called for by the recipe. If you're unsure about liking the smoky taste of shea butter, substitute it a little at a time in recipes. For instance, use a half cup each of shea and dairy butter in a recipe that calls for a cup of dairy butter.

3

Liquify shea butter at medium heat in a skillet to pan-fry sweet and savory dishes or saute fresh vegetables and meat.

4

Use shea butter instead of dairy butter or olive oil as a basis for sauce to pour over pasta, rice, meat or vegetables. Shea butter, garlic and green onions make a simple but tasty sauce that dresses up many dishes.

Read more: How to Cook Using Unrefined Shea Butter | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4700478_cook-using-unrefined-shea-butter.html#ixzz1sIwjLuNy

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Monday, Monday

Currently listening too: Monday, Monday- the Mamas and the Papas

Hey there everyone! Nol, here with a quick little tidbit. Over the weekend I got some interesting questions and thought I would blog about them! Enjoy!

“Natural vs chemical....?” When you hear the word natural you may think hemp, recycled goods and soy beans you may even think of the shredded wheat that your grandmother served you as a child. Or you may think of someone who is going through their “Big Chop”. When we say “natural” we mean “without artificial chemicals or enhancers.”

“What is natural hair?” Natural hair is pretty much hair that is real and not treated by chemicals or altered by hot tools (ie flat ironing, hot combing, etc). That can be anything from dye to perm. Natural hair isn’t hair that has NEVER been treated but rather hair that is not currently treated.

“How it is better?” Where do I start? It is my firm belief that accepting yourself for who you are, is the first step to loving the world, and what better place to start then the top of your head? Maintaining your hair without chemicals is always the better way for the simple fact that you are not putting anything not found in nature in or around your body – I mean what would you rather put in your hair aminomethylpropanol or Aloe?

   Also, not only is it better for you but it’s also better for the environment as well.  Did you know that “there are currently 10,500 ingredients documented by the FDA as being used in personal care products. Only 11% (1,155) have been assessed for safety by the cosmetic industry”? When you hear something like that it kind of makes you reconsider what you are putting on your body every day. Think of it like this: if I were to ask you to pay me to place your own hands in a tank of 10,500 snakes and only 1,155 of them were proven not to be poisonous, would you still put your hands in the tank? It just makes sense to go with the nature of things.

“Who can go Natural?” ANYBODY! It does not matter what ethnicity you are, hair type you have or whether or not you have chemically treated your hair. Deciding to go natural is a winning move for all people of all ages!

“Can I still dye my hair if I'm going natural?” Look, no one is going to tell you what you can and cannot do here. If you want to go blonde then by all means shine like the sun J! There are MANY natural ways of dying and bringing out the hairs natural color, that have been around for centuries (in fact we offer a few =D!) if you want to accentuate your natural beauty with a splash of color, who is anybody to tell you not to be yourself? Remember: those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.

Do I have to do a “Big Chop” to start going natural? It is our belief that anyone can start going natural at any moment they chose. Being someone who has done the big chop and went back to the creamy crack (perm) very soon after, I can say that for me it had the adverse effect it was supposed to. Because I was so young I was more or less worried about the views and opinions of others and not what was really good for me. Though some people prefer to do a “big chop” we believe it is not a necessity. The “Big Chop” is something that is supposed to be empowering to women. You are cutting of the hair society grew and starting over fresh and new for YOU! If it is something you wish to do I congratulate you on your choice and ask you to share your journey with us. If, like myself, you decide against a big chop not I still ask that you share your natural journey with D&A and also the best on your path.

Hope this answered some of the questions about natural hair that you have, and remember you can always email, tweet, facebook or comment here with any quaetions about hair you may have!

With Love 

Nol  

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Its Friday the thirteenth!

So, in light of it being Friday the thirteenth I decided to share a couple of my hair horror stories. A few little tidbits if you will, from before my natural hair journey, enjoy!

    A few years ago I was at my splits end with my hair (get it splits end?), it was out of control! The texture was like straw from so much dying and relaxing and I had no other solution but to smother it in Blue Magic hair conditioner and relax again once the texture of my real hair started to come in.

   One day I was relaxing my hair in a friend of mines bathroom, I began sectioning and combing the product through as usual. The box said the relaxer would take effect in about 20minutes, which was pretty quick in my opinion. After 20 minutes I washed out my hair, styled and moisturised as I usually did and went back into the living room to show the finished product to my buddy. At first everything was ok I turned to show the back and got great responses.

    After about five minutes my friend’s mother said to me “Noli...your hair is on smoking....” I looked at her face to see of she was joking but to my dismay she was completely serious! I jumped up and grabbed the phone “I'm gonna call 911 in that case.” I warned jokingly trying to call her bluff “go right ahead I'm serious”. I RAN to the bathroom and sure enough my hair was FUMING! There were literally yellow gas clouds coming off of my head! I grabbed a bottle of conditioner to try and smother the fumes and wrapped my hair in a hot towel. Thank fully I was not burned and my hair was ok (well if you call crispy hair ok).  

  I’d like to say that after that day I no longer used chemical relaxers, however foolishly I did continue until I decided enough was enough, and started down the natural path!

  If you have hair horror stories, share them in the comments below and you could win and exclusive pre-launch gift!

With Love

Nol

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