Today I sold my first body butter order and my customer was very satisfied. I can truly say that it was made with the highest quality shea butter and oils. I had the priviledge to order some shea butter from Coastal Scents and it is amazing. I have ordered shea butter from another company, purchased shea butter in my locsl BSS, and I've been given real shea butter from Africa. All of which were different. The butter from my local BSS was a pale/cream yellow color. It was very stiff and firm, and had a nutty smell. It was not too greasy but it had a noticably high oil content.
The shea butter that was given to me was my third batch of shea butter. It was a creamy/ivory color, had little scent, and a little grit. It went on smooth and clean, with a silky velvet feel. I was very confused, I was not used to shea butter of that texture.
My third batch of shea butter was purchased through Amazon.com from a dealer. It also had a cream/ivory color, a heavy smokey scent, and a very smooth consistency. It was in no way oily, or greasy, and left my skin feeling very soft,satin like.
Now my third shea butter is the butter that I recently ordered form
Coastal Scents, and I am pissed off. I think they really should warn you and say that the butter has such a high quality you should buy five pounds. Did you all think I was mad? Far from it. Had I known this butter was this good I would have ordered 5 pounds during the Black Friday sale. It is smooth, has a creamy beige color, and creamy feel, little smoky aroma, and it is soft. The butter emulsifies in hands when rubbed between fingers or palms. It has a good oil content but is non greasy, non shining, and it feels so very good on my skin. This shea butter is the closest I've experienced to going to Africa. I am additionally pleased with the fact that it is fair trade and still inexpensive, and high in quality. I will definitely continue to buy my butter from Coastal Scents. I now feel that I've been ripped off by other suppliers. So if your in the market to buy shea butter this is a really good quality supplier.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
WORLD AIDS DAY
This is an illness that is close to my heart. This is something that has taken numerous family members out of my life and the life of my loved ones. I can count six family members I've lost to this killer that is AIDS. Did it have to be that way? Did the stigma of having the disease kill those that died because they were to ashamed to seek treatment and help? Could one question have saved their lives?
I live in Belle Glade, Florida. A small rural town on the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee. We are a farming community, here the haves really have a lot, and the have nots really have nothing. The gap between the population in economics and education is staggering. We are in Palm Beach County, just 40 plus miles away from Donald Trump's Mara Lago. Yet we may never see it outside of the local news, or magazine. This is the very same community that was once featured in a documentary during the early 1980's about how AIDS had destroyed and taken so many lives in our area, and how we had such a high rate of infection, a fact that made many ashamed to admit they were from Belle Glade, Pahokee, or South Bay. Those people that were lucky enough to move away often told others that they were from West Palm Beach, or simply Palm Beach County. It was hard to say they were from here because people automatically -out of ignorance, placed the stigma of AIDS on them. I was born, raised, educated, and still live in this community with nearly my entire family. Our three cities Belle Glade, Pahokee,and South Bay all sit within a ten mile radius of eachother, and are often called the Glades tri-city area.
It is quite different now and we have so much more information and education on the subject of this illness, its effects, treatment, and contraction. I can't help wonder if the stigma had been removed from this illness, had it not been so taboo, would so many people have lost their lives battling, or not battling this disease. AIDS is proof that silence can be deadly. Not sharing or knowing can kill and cause those still living great pain. At this very moment I know someone in my immediate family infected with AIDS. Their face hasn't turned green. It's not stamped on their forehead. They don't have a number tattooed across their face. If they don't inform you of their status you may very well not know they are infected. That's why it is so important to be tested. It is so important to be treated. I know first hand that this person is a survivor, with an undetectable viral load. The amount of infection in their blood is so low that it is not easily detected on some tests. This can only come from treatment. The only way to eradicate AIDS is to stop the spread. It is important to know your status and that of your partner, or partners. Think of it as if your playing russian roulet. Everytime you have unprotected sex, you are putting a loaded gun to your head and not knowing if a bullet is going to come out and end it all for you. No momentary feeling of temporary pleasure, and superficial love is worth the rest of your life. People do live with AIDS and HIV the virus that causes it, but life is much simpler and healthier without it.
Anyone willing to put a gun to their heads should know if there is a bullet in it. The truth is LOVE. If you are truly loved and you truly love anyone in this world you will tell them the truth. You will know your status. You will not put them in the position my family has been in time and time again having to bury and care for suffering loved ones. You will not put yourself in the positon to suffer. When it comes down to it, be polite to no one. Ask the hard questions that hurt their feelings, make them uncomfortable, and uneasy. Ask them their status, when they were tested, to see results, to be retested. Don't just accept an answer, demand proof. Sometimes hurt feelings can save your life. The person I know that was infected was told that the person who infected them was infected. They believed this person when they said they weren't infected. Trust and not asking the hard questions didn't benefit them. They are no longer in that relationship, but the person that infected them looks better than they did before they were infected themselves. They look young and strong, with beautiful smooth skin, physically fit,and nice white teeth. Thats why you must know for yourself. The face of AIDS belongs to all of us because it doesn't look any different.
I live in Belle Glade, Florida. A small rural town on the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee. We are a farming community, here the haves really have a lot, and the have nots really have nothing. The gap between the population in economics and education is staggering. We are in Palm Beach County, just 40 plus miles away from Donald Trump's Mara Lago. Yet we may never see it outside of the local news, or magazine. This is the very same community that was once featured in a documentary during the early 1980's about how AIDS had destroyed and taken so many lives in our area, and how we had such a high rate of infection, a fact that made many ashamed to admit they were from Belle Glade, Pahokee, or South Bay. Those people that were lucky enough to move away often told others that they were from West Palm Beach, or simply Palm Beach County. It was hard to say they were from here because people automatically -out of ignorance, placed the stigma of AIDS on them. I was born, raised, educated, and still live in this community with nearly my entire family. Our three cities Belle Glade, Pahokee,and South Bay all sit within a ten mile radius of eachother, and are often called the Glades tri-city area.
It is quite different now and we have so much more information and education on the subject of this illness, its effects, treatment, and contraction. I can't help wonder if the stigma had been removed from this illness, had it not been so taboo, would so many people have lost their lives battling, or not battling this disease. AIDS is proof that silence can be deadly. Not sharing or knowing can kill and cause those still living great pain. At this very moment I know someone in my immediate family infected with AIDS. Their face hasn't turned green. It's not stamped on their forehead. They don't have a number tattooed across their face. If they don't inform you of their status you may very well not know they are infected. That's why it is so important to be tested. It is so important to be treated. I know first hand that this person is a survivor, with an undetectable viral load. The amount of infection in their blood is so low that it is not easily detected on some tests. This can only come from treatment. The only way to eradicate AIDS is to stop the spread. It is important to know your status and that of your partner, or partners. Think of it as if your playing russian roulet. Everytime you have unprotected sex, you are putting a loaded gun to your head and not knowing if a bullet is going to come out and end it all for you. No momentary feeling of temporary pleasure, and superficial love is worth the rest of your life. People do live with AIDS and HIV the virus that causes it, but life is much simpler and healthier without it.
Anyone willing to put a gun to their heads should know if there is a bullet in it. The truth is LOVE. If you are truly loved and you truly love anyone in this world you will tell them the truth. You will know your status. You will not put them in the position my family has been in time and time again having to bury and care for suffering loved ones. You will not put yourself in the positon to suffer. When it comes down to it, be polite to no one. Ask the hard questions that hurt their feelings, make them uncomfortable, and uneasy. Ask them their status, when they were tested, to see results, to be retested. Don't just accept an answer, demand proof. Sometimes hurt feelings can save your life. The person I know that was infected was told that the person who infected them was infected. They believed this person when they said they weren't infected. Trust and not asking the hard questions didn't benefit them. They are no longer in that relationship, but the person that infected them looks better than they did before they were infected themselves. They look young and strong, with beautiful smooth skin, physically fit,and nice white teeth. Thats why you must know for yourself. The face of AIDS belongs to all of us because it doesn't look any different.
HOW I STAY HEALTHY!!
Lets face it, no one wants to get ill. But for me illness can mean disability, long term and some permanent because of my Devics Disease. In this season when the weather begins to change the behavior of people changes a nd this causes people to stay indoors, spend more time in re-circulated air and in close quarters. Its true that the weather doesn't cause colds or other viruses, but the behavior of people in close proximity to eachother does. So wwhile all these germs circulate my germaphobia kicks in and I go OCD to the third power.
One way I stay germ free is by using bleach. Bleach is my friend and I love the smell of something just cleaned in bleach especially my dishes and my bathroom. It is a great disinfectant and deodorizer. The best bleach for cleaning is the off brand or store brand bleach. This bleach tends to be less buffered. Most bleaches made for clothing has some type of buffer so that it doesn't cause harm to the fabric with repeated use. It is still good for disinfecting and cleaning but I prefer no brand bleach, just my preference, not scientific.
Another tool that I have in my tool box is to do as much physical activity as I can tolerate. Exercise is really healthy in helping you stay healthy overall, and being sure to drink plenty water. These two things help to boost your metabolism and flush the body of impurities, which may cause illness or effect your well being. It is also important to keep hands washed with soap and water, and to wash thoroughly. I taught my kids to wash while singing a verse of their favorite song. Personal hygiene and cleanliness is very important to staying healthy.
My next tool to staying healthy is to boost my immune system with Vitamin C support. The immune system helps to fight off the things that can cause us harm. It is widely believed, though not supported by the FDA, that Vitamin C helps support good immune health. You should also know that I've discussed my health practices with my physician and received the okay to supplement with Vitamins. I also give my kids supplements too, they come in contact with so many other kids and germs, and need to be protected too. I hope these easy tips help someone avoid a horrible cold or flu this season.
One way I stay germ free is by using bleach. Bleach is my friend and I love the smell of something just cleaned in bleach especially my dishes and my bathroom. It is a great disinfectant and deodorizer. The best bleach for cleaning is the off brand or store brand bleach. This bleach tends to be less buffered. Most bleaches made for clothing has some type of buffer so that it doesn't cause harm to the fabric with repeated use. It is still good for disinfecting and cleaning but I prefer no brand bleach, just my preference, not scientific.
Another tool that I have in my tool box is to do as much physical activity as I can tolerate. Exercise is really healthy in helping you stay healthy overall, and being sure to drink plenty water. These two things help to boost your metabolism and flush the body of impurities, which may cause illness or effect your well being. It is also important to keep hands washed with soap and water, and to wash thoroughly. I taught my kids to wash while singing a verse of their favorite song. Personal hygiene and cleanliness is very important to staying healthy.
My next tool to staying healthy is to boost my immune system with Vitamin C support. The immune system helps to fight off the things that can cause us harm. It is widely believed, though not supported by the FDA, that Vitamin C helps support good immune health. You should also know that I've discussed my health practices with my physician and received the okay to supplement with Vitamins. I also give my kids supplements too, they come in contact with so many other kids and germs, and need to be protected too. I hope these easy tips help someone avoid a horrible cold or flu this season.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Product Review- Blue Magic Argan Oil Leave-In with Vitamin E
It is that time again,product review time. The product I'm reviewing tonight is the Blue Magic Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioner with Vitamin E. I weent out to my local BSS(Beauty supply store) and I purchased the product for $2.99. It comes in a pretty large size jar of 13.75oz. Argan oil is the eighth ingredient, and Vitamin E in the form of tocopheryl acetate is the ninth. the top ingredients include Water, Mineral oil, petrolatum,stearyl alcohol, glycerine, dimethicone, and behentrimonium methosulfate. the directions stat to shampoo, towel dry, and apply to hair and scalp, and style as desired.
Now first of all I do not use products that contain mineral oil, or petroleum on my scalp. I used this product to re-twist my two strand twists. I did not wash my hair before applying it. I simply wet my hair with my aloe vera juice in my sprayer, and proceeded to twist my hair. This product has a thick lotion consistency and is not very heavy. It is oily due to the mineral oil and petrolatum no doubt. I think it has a nice pleasant smell, a mellow vanilla like scent, that is not overpowering.
When I took my twist out , they were very defined, and soft. I can't say they were moist, but they were not brittle either. They had a nice sheen, and didn't feel waxy. I could tell that the product had mineral oil in it because of how it felt on my hair, but it wasn't a heavy waxy feel. Overall I think that if you just want something cheap, especially for a wash and go or to layer with another product that can impart more moisture this is good. I'm not a big fan of it but it is something that I would keep on hand as a fall back moisturizer. It has an awesome price point so it isn't so bad, I mean you get what you pay for. If your not focused on using 100% natural products this just may be a good fit for you. I would also use this when I wear my puff, which is usually close to my wash day.
I fully plan to use this product after a wash on my naked hair to see how it behaves as the sole product, and give some additional feed back. But in my opinion right now it isn't as good as plain old grease. I found nothing fancy about it that would make it a go to product for me.
Now first of all I do not use products that contain mineral oil, or petroleum on my scalp. I used this product to re-twist my two strand twists. I did not wash my hair before applying it. I simply wet my hair with my aloe vera juice in my sprayer, and proceeded to twist my hair. This product has a thick lotion consistency and is not very heavy. It is oily due to the mineral oil and petrolatum no doubt. I think it has a nice pleasant smell, a mellow vanilla like scent, that is not overpowering.
When I took my twist out , they were very defined, and soft. I can't say they were moist, but they were not brittle either. They had a nice sheen, and didn't feel waxy. I could tell that the product had mineral oil in it because of how it felt on my hair, but it wasn't a heavy waxy feel. Overall I think that if you just want something cheap, especially for a wash and go or to layer with another product that can impart more moisture this is good. I'm not a big fan of it but it is something that I would keep on hand as a fall back moisturizer. It has an awesome price point so it isn't so bad, I mean you get what you pay for. If your not focused on using 100% natural products this just may be a good fit for you. I would also use this when I wear my puff, which is usually close to my wash day.
I fully plan to use this product after a wash on my naked hair to see how it behaves as the sole product, and give some additional feed back. But in my opinion right now it isn't as good as plain old grease. I found nothing fancy about it that would make it a go to product for me.
Friday, November 11, 2011
GETTING OVER IT- MY BREAK-UP WITH SHEA MOISTURE
So if you keep up with the blog you've read my review of the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Mask, and can fully understand that it broke my hesart because I wanted so much to love it. It took a lot of nerve calming, planning, and waiting until wash day to fit the next Shea Moisture product into my regimen- Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Souffle. I courted this product for a whole week before wash day. Putting a little here, a little there, some on my twist, the edges, the ends of my hair.
So after I washed and completed my condition routine, I put a quarter sized amount of the souffle onto my hands and applied it to the right side of my head. I then repeated this on the left side of my head. I could see that the curl pattern of my hair was more defined. I liked the way it looked, however I didn't like the way it felt. The initial feel of it way oily, and slick. Having read the ingredient list,I know that the product contains oils, but it felt different in a gel. It didn't however take long for me to get over the feel, and appreciate the oil. Because I am not the wearer of wash and gos, gel isn't my area of expertise but if I used gel often to style I would use this one.
After the application of the souffle, I applied a leave-in conditioner (Cream of Nature Lemongrass and Rosemary)for dehydrated hair, which I will review later, and twisted and sealed with whipped shea butter(nothing added). My twists dried fast, and didn't feel abnormally oily, or greasy. The shea butter didn't leave them with a shine or sheen but it did seal them properly.
Overall I can see this product being a part of my regimen from time to time and even on a regular basis depending on the styles that I wear. I am looking forward to using this product alone on hair and seeing the results. I am also looking forward to comparing it to regular home made flax gel, and my loved EcoStyler Gel with Olive Oil.
So after I washed and completed my condition routine, I put a quarter sized amount of the souffle onto my hands and applied it to the right side of my head. I then repeated this on the left side of my head. I could see that the curl pattern of my hair was more defined. I liked the way it looked, however I didn't like the way it felt. The initial feel of it way oily, and slick. Having read the ingredient list,I know that the product contains oils, but it felt different in a gel. It didn't however take long for me to get over the feel, and appreciate the oil. Because I am not the wearer of wash and gos, gel isn't my area of expertise but if I used gel often to style I would use this one.
After the application of the souffle, I applied a leave-in conditioner (Cream of Nature Lemongrass and Rosemary)for dehydrated hair, which I will review later, and twisted and sealed with whipped shea butter(nothing added). My twists dried fast, and didn't feel abnormally oily, or greasy. The shea butter didn't leave them with a shine or sheen but it did seal them properly.
Overall I can see this product being a part of my regimen from time to time and even on a regular basis depending on the styles that I wear. I am looking forward to using this product alone on hair and seeing the results. I am also looking forward to comparing it to regular home made flax gel, and my loved EcoStyler Gel with Olive Oil.
Monday, November 7, 2011
SHEA MOISTURE DEEP TREATMENT MASK- REVIEW
So Walgreens was having a sale on Shea Moisture products, a BOGO 50%off sale. As you can imagine with any product junkie, I couldn't resist the urge to indulge considering I've been waiting for a sale like this for months, since I missed the BOGO free sale. Everywhere I look I see people talking about the sale on Shea Moisture, and what they purchased. So here is what I purchased- Organic Shea Butter Deep Treatment Mask, and The Coconut Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk. I was in hurry to get home and try these new goodies.
First for the Deep Treatment Mask- It is of a very creamy consistency, and boasts some good ingredients to include argan oil,neem oil,coconut oil, shea butter,horsetail extract. The scent is a very strong perfumed, gardenis , monoi type scent. I wanted so much to love this product. It appeared to be very promising, until I got it on my hair and it just sat there. It did nothing to soften or contribute to the detangling of my hair. My hair instantly felt hard and dry,despite being wet and full of product. The product on my hair was as if I'd mixed Elmer's school paste, and flour to make paper mache. I ended up washing it out and having to use another product to deep condition and detangle my hair.
So then I moved on to the part that recomended the product be used as a styler, or leave in. I applied my regular moisturizer and a little of this on top to do twists. The hair was super soft and super fluffy,but it looked like a cottony unkept afro that hadn't been combed in years even though I'd just untwisted it, so this product really did nothing for me. I hsve since passed it on to a family member who is a new natural.
Now for the Coconut Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk- This product is a thick creamy lotion, that is not greasy or watered down. It has a very pleasant scent that takes on the characteristics of the coconut,hibiscus, and honeysuckle. It boasts a good list of ingredients to include, shea butter, coconut oil,neem oil, sugar starch, silk protein, carrot seed oil, honeysuckle, and horsetail to name a few. Now it is important that I note this product doesn't create curl, it helps to hold and accent the existing curl pattern. So whatever curl pattern you have this is to hold it.
The product claims to detangle, which did not exist in my case. It would be hard for me to see this as a detangler because it has no slip to it. It did nothing to even make my hair feel conditioned, which it also claimed to do. The oils in it are really light and not coating as to seal in moisture.
I will use this product up, but I don't thing that I will buy either of them again. Neither did anything to impress me on the quest to find products on the ground that I could use on my hair. I have the Hold and Shine Moisture Mist, and the Curling Souffle, I plan to fully experiment with these two products and give an honest review.
First for the Deep Treatment Mask- It is of a very creamy consistency, and boasts some good ingredients to include argan oil,neem oil,coconut oil, shea butter,horsetail extract. The scent is a very strong perfumed, gardenis , monoi type scent. I wanted so much to love this product. It appeared to be very promising, until I got it on my hair and it just sat there. It did nothing to soften or contribute to the detangling of my hair. My hair instantly felt hard and dry,despite being wet and full of product. The product on my hair was as if I'd mixed Elmer's school paste, and flour to make paper mache. I ended up washing it out and having to use another product to deep condition and detangle my hair.
So then I moved on to the part that recomended the product be used as a styler, or leave in. I applied my regular moisturizer and a little of this on top to do twists. The hair was super soft and super fluffy,but it looked like a cottony unkept afro that hadn't been combed in years even though I'd just untwisted it, so this product really did nothing for me. I hsve since passed it on to a family member who is a new natural.
Now for the Coconut Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk- This product is a thick creamy lotion, that is not greasy or watered down. It has a very pleasant scent that takes on the characteristics of the coconut,hibiscus, and honeysuckle. It boasts a good list of ingredients to include, shea butter, coconut oil,neem oil, sugar starch, silk protein, carrot seed oil, honeysuckle, and horsetail to name a few. Now it is important that I note this product doesn't create curl, it helps to hold and accent the existing curl pattern. So whatever curl pattern you have this is to hold it.
The product claims to detangle, which did not exist in my case. It would be hard for me to see this as a detangler because it has no slip to it. It did nothing to even make my hair feel conditioned, which it also claimed to do. The oils in it are really light and not coating as to seal in moisture.
I will use this product up, but I don't thing that I will buy either of them again. Neither did anything to impress me on the quest to find products on the ground that I could use on my hair. I have the Hold and Shine Moisture Mist, and the Curling Souffle, I plan to fully experiment with these two products and give an honest review.
ITS JUST GREASE!!!
So here is my opinion on this whole thing about using hair grease. I was reading a blog post by Curly Nikki and how she used hair grease to seal her hair for a twist out. Mind you this is something that was posted by a YT vlogger JCokes, and everyone is screaming that
CN stole her idea, and recreated it into her blog post. In actuality I have seen numerous YT vlogs, blogs, and videos on using good old fashion hair grese and they are older than JCokes' video. So does this mean that she also stole the idea from someone? No, this means that each of these YT postings and blogs are sharing info, opinions, and instructions on their experiences with this method. The people making all of these outrageous accustions are taking it too damn far.
Now, that brings me to this. Who the hell sat down and wrote the natural hair rule book? I thought being natural, as a part of how God made you, being an original, not conforming to an idea of what someone else considers beautiful in straightened hair, gave you a freedom. So now some judgemental chic is telling me that if I use grease or choose not to spend $20 on a bottle of water and shea butter mixed my natural is not good enough. I certainly did not go natural to be bound by some rule book that doesn't exist. The only rule should be to do what's right for you and your hair. Do what keeps you rocking a banging, healthy, natural head of hair. Share all that info, and all of those experiences because there are people that love to hear about new things on a daily basis and we look forward to the sharing.
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