Wash n Go Much? II: The Crew | Wash and Go Hair Product Reviews for Curly Hair



by Cherekana Feliciano

A few weeks ago, I shared with you all my ode to wash-n-go’s. Now, I’d like to share with you lovelies my product review of what’s currently in my natural hair care arsenal.

So here are my wash and go staple products for natural hair.

Cleansers:

Like a good kinky haired chick, I bode farewell to shampoos with harsh sulfate cleansers, opting for the sulfate free life. Here’s my current-though rotating- cleanser stash:

Curls Creamy Curl Cleanser 
Wen Cleansing Conditioner
Karens Body Beautiful Pomegranate Guava Ultimate Conditioning Shampoo
Apple Cider Vinegar- with The Mother

Ok so, the breakdown: The first two work similarly. They smell great and leave my hair fairly supple. KBB is a great option when you just want some suds in your life. Smells delish, too. However, the product build-up struggle gets real after a few weeks and at that point traditional cleansers just don’t cut it. That’s when I reach for the ACV. Yup. Apple Cider Vinegar is an awesome clarifier that melts the product residue & gunk away.

Detangling Conditioners:

This is a tricky category for me because for some reason my hair tends to grow immune from detanglers after awhile, and I have to rotate my detangling products. But here’s my current circuit:

Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa
Herbal Essence Conditioner
Hair Rules Quench Conditioner (not shown)

My Two Cents: You can’t beat the first option. I mean, it’s got natural ingredients, it’s easy to get and the jawn works. Plus, it can double as a leave in if you so choose. The Herbal Essence line of conditioners are just too fun. They smell good, the bottles are cute, they’re creamy...but they are chock full of chemicals. I’m trying to wean myself off conditioners with too many unnatural ingredients but hey, baby steps. And last but certainly not least - Hair Rules Quench. Listen. Listen. This conditioner has my hair feeling some kind of silky something. It costs a pretty penny but, such is life sometimes. It’s worth it!

A note on detangling: Whenever you’re having an unusually hard time detangling, it may not be the conditioner. It may be that time of the year - trim time. Yay!

Leave-In Conditioners:


Ok so, the breakdown: The first is nice, light, smells nice and doesn’t leave residue. When you have fine hair like me, that can be an issue. Aloe vera is super nice for the warmer weather and it leaves my hair soft. Since aloe vera can smell a little weird, I like to add a few drops of essential oil to the mix.

Stylers:


The Lowdown: The first two are easier on the pockets but I. Love. Them. All. They’re clear so they won’t show in the hair, they apply to my hair easily and make my coils pop. The trick is to make sure your hair is nice and fully detangled before applying any styling gel/jelly. It makes the application quick, easy, and painless.

So, there you have it! My wash and go product review. I hope this was helpful and maybe encouraged a few wash and go converts, too ;)


Friday Quick Tips: Best Conditioner for DRY Hair | The DIY Conditioner That Changed Everything




Have you been looking for the best conditioner to turn your dry hair from blah to luscious? Turns out it may be under your nose...

There's nothing like a home cooked meal, cake baked from scratch or a conditioner that makes your hair feel like butter that you can whip up in your own kitchen! In this case, making conditioner at home is the simplest  and greatest luxury your dry hair can get. And you don't have to leave the house and read through those long confusing ingredients on the back of the bottles at your local drug store to get it!

This Friday Quick Tip is quick, simple and sure to upgrade your hair life a notch!

Reignelle's Hair Like Butter Conditioner Treatment for Dry Hair

Here's what you'll need:


Directions:
Pour all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You do not want any clumps in your conditioner (Mash the bananas beforehand if your blender isnt strong). Voila! It's ready.


You can pour your conditioner into an airtight container for up to 4 days.


Apply to freshly washed hair, and leave on for at least 30 mins with warm heat. Sitting under a warm dome dryer works best for me, but a warm towel will work short term.


This is one of my favorite conditioner recipes for dry hair that I absolutely love! The love is in the ingredients!


Try it and let me know what you think! Do you have a favorite hair recipe?


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Meditation: Building Strength from Within




By: Tiffanee Thompson

I’ve heard for many years that mediation is a helpful method when it comes to decreasing stress, refocusing the mind and becoming more in tune with your spirit. The way my mind races with to do lists, business ideas, books I need to read or people I need to call, sitting silently for 10-20 minutes seemed impossibly. It feels like the whole world is concentrated on finding ways to improve in all aspects of life. My personal universe is particularly in overload of that same mentality. Nearly every friend, co-worker and family member has turn on the switch and has become such huge advocates of change. This makes my heart happy, because the amount of resources that have stumbled my way are crazy and I love every bit of it. 

Aside from my efforts of physically improving, mediation (and prayer) have been a big concern for me. With the hustle and bustle of my life, anything that would help me de-clutter my mind definitely gets my attention. Oprah (my aunt in my head) has teamed up with Deepak Chopra for the past few months to present to the world a 21-day mediation retreat via her website. I’m not here to promote her mediation experience specifically, but to tap into why I feel this practice should be added to your daily routine. 

Mediation, for me, is solely about setting my day off properly. I usually meditate in the morning before I do anything else. It allows me to have a level of control over my thoughts and actions (and my day!) similar to the way I feel after I write. It releases that negativity energy and places me in the right head space to deal with anything that comes my way. In the beginning, I could not shut my brain off but I’ve learned that just like running I have to practice it daily. 

Lately, I have been relying on guided messages and online mediation experiences but mediation can actually become beneficial by creating your own experience:


Time and Space 

Understanding the necessity to sit alone is a gift from the heavens and is essential for mediation. If you are like me and find it difficult to clear your mind, finding a quiet and secluded place can definitely help. I have chosen the mornings as my time and a corner in my bedroom to practice this spiritual method because it is usually free of distractions. Do what works for you! 

Music / Instrumental (Optional) 

The sound of waves or light jazz music almost always sets me up for a quiet moment to become in tune with the moment and relax my mind. For me, dead silence gives too much opportunity for thoughts to rain on my parade so try some relaxing sounds of your choice to see the effect it may have on you. 

Mantra 

This is something I have picked up from Deepak and Oprah and some of the YouTube channels I have come across related to mediation. It is simply a word, phrase or sound that is reminiscent of a chant that you can repeat once your eyes are closed, you are sitting in a safe place and your music are all ready to go. It helps to become more aware of that particular moment and essential makes this activity more effective. 


I encourage you all to incorporate some of these tips into your time of solitude each day. It warrants some great strength, so find some “me time” because we all deserve it. The benefits I have received from practicing meditation daily include:
  • decrease in stress, 
  • the ability to let things go when faced with a difficult thought or situations,
  • a shift in thinking from one of discouragement and negativity to positivity and 
  • the ability to become my own cheerleader. 

Mediation allows me to become more in tune with the current moment, understanding that there is always a laundry list of things to do, but developing the patience and clarity needed to purpose the day with calm and peacefulness. 

How do you incorporate meditation into your life?

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Empowering Self: The Series



“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality” - Plutarch

Everyday I look in the mirror and envision the woman that I want to be. I remember the experiences that I have had, and there is a moment that I can see exactly where I want to be and somehow I’ve figured out how I am supposed to get there.  So everyday I tell the world who I am, and speak my truth into existence.

The Empowering Self Series, is truly about getting what you want from life and being the woman YOU want to be. Not to be confused with dreaming, empowering self is something entirely different.

To Empower is: to make someone stronger and more confident especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.

To Dream is: to think or conceive of something in a very remote way

The differences are clear, dreams are remote conceptions of your current reality and thoughts. While to empower, is to directly claim and build yourself in the direction, of your dreams. You have the power, claim it! 

 Everyday I am amazed, impressed and empowered by the women around me. As a result of these amazing women, The Empowering Self Series, will feature women who behold the same manifesto. Along with tips to empower all of us to reach our goals!

So what are you waiting for?

With all things in life, nothing is easy but the fight to get what you want is worth it. 

 "Don’t let your fear of what could happen make nothing happen."

Friday Quick Tips | Get Rid of Your Flaky Scalp Once and For All

Back for another Friday Quick Tip

Has dandruff, flakes and dry scalp become an issue?



I usually experience light dry flareups with my hair, and this quick remedy has saved my sanity!

Before you run for the old school remedy of grease, remember that it is not solving the problem only covering it up!

Instead run and pick up a bottle of  Pure Tea Tree Oil:

Uses:

Make a quick scalp spray:

You will need:
  • Spray Bottle
  • 10 drops of Pure Tea Tree Oil
  • 1 Cup of water (distilled is better)
Shake the mixture together... and voila! You have just created a dandruff destroying machine!

Spray a generous amount of your mixture all over your scalp and massage. Do not wash out. I usually apply after I wash my hair 1x per week.

I love natural remedies that work!

Enjoy!!

If your dandruff persists you should seek the help of a dermatologist.




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