Corrine Bailey Rae on natural haircare

Browsing the blogs as I do, and I came across an interview on BET with Corinne Bailey Rae about how she maintains her beautiful head of hair.


Here are her top tips:

Corinne Bailey Rae on Haircare ...

Products...

If you wear your natural hair out, chances are you’re washing it often, which can dry it out and cause breakage. Good products can help hold curls and ward off frizz. “Most of the time when I do my hair I wash it and I use two different Aveda products: Shampure and Aveda Damage Remedy,” 

Maintenance...

As most of us who go natural know, it’s not always as easy as doing nothing. Corinne’s tip for holding up her curls: “Put the conditioner in it, comb it out, then wash out the conditioner. Braid it into four big plats and keep it like that for a day. Then unravel the braids and you have curls that will stay.”

The importance of trimming...

“You have to get your hair cut regularly. Most of the people I know say ‘Oh I haven’t cut my hair in seven years, it never grows it’s been this way the whole time,’ when really it hasn’t been that way, it’s been grown.” 

“If you get the ends cut solid so they don’t split they’re not going to break and your hair’s going to grow. People who think their hair doesn’t grow, it’s not true, everyone’s hair grows. You are cutting your hair with your hair brush and comb if you’re not getting it cut regularly. The breakage at the end makes you think it’s not growing.”

x edF

Evelyn Products giveaway winner!!!

Bonjourno folks!


The way the weekend flew by is still a shock to me! I'm so sure someone is playing a prank on me because I cannot believe my last post was on Thursday! Hmm


Anyway I won't let it drag any longer... I've known the winner of the Evelyn products giveaway since Thursday, but I went on a mini vacay over the weekend (yes kent is still valid as a holiday spot!) and was unable to blog.


Anyway without further a do! The winner is..... #drumroll

-Miss Amaka C Uche-

Thanks to everyone who sent in an e-mail! Like I always say, there are many more giveaways to come!

Do check out the Evelyn products website and get ordering especially if there was a particular product you really wanted to get your hands on ! 


Make an investment for the sake of haircare!

x edF

Worlds biggest afro : Aevin Dugas

Now isn't this something! This is absolutely phenomenal. I heart her hair!

She's even on BBC News!

x edF

yesterday' s hair 14/09/11

I love the look of a healthy bun! In fact seeing this made me feel so much better about my thin ends... they till have to go though! *sigh*

P.s The Evelyn Products Giveaway has now closed!!! I wonder who the lucky winner is!

x edF

(eaudeFiona)

Product Review | Mazuri Organics

PRICE

Cheap ☆

Average ☆☆

Pricey ☆☆☆

LYT RATING

Below average, will not be using again ❤

Nice results, but other products work better ❤❤

Absolutely love it, staple ❤❤❤   

N.B - I only add ingredients if I am able to find them online for all products that I am reviewing.

Mazuri Organics Olive Oil Moroccan Oil Sheen Spray

Price: £1.69 ☆

Claims: Mazuri Organics Olive Oil Moroccan Oil Sheen Spray. Contains organic Olive oil and organic Argan oil. Moroccan oil is one of the rarest and richest oils in the world, and has been long known for rejuvenating moisture in hair and skin. Rich in vitamin E, phenolic acid and carotenes, Moroccan oil is correctly called Argan Oil, an oil traditionally extracted by hand, from the fruit of the argan tree grown in Morocco, hence Moroccan oil.

LYT Rating: Guys this is the best Oil Sheen Spray I have EVER used! Do you remember me mentioning a spray my sister used as air freshener because it was just that yummy? Well this is the one! Even though this product was sent as free to try, I will never say I like something if I genuinely do not. This spray is all you need in a sheen spray. Its adds the perfect gloss to dead dull looking tresses and the smell is out of this world! A bubblegum, flower all spice type scent to be precise! We (myself and my sisters) used this product in the space of 2 weeks. It became a handbag item and whats more acts as your very own hair freshener. Undoubtedly worth ❤❤❤

Mazuri Organics Olive Oil Texturizer Softening Hair Mud

Price: £3.99 ☆☆

Claims: Mazuri Organics Olive Oil Texturizer Softening Hair Mud by Mazuri Products. It revitalizes and strengthens, moisturizes and softens, detangles and shines your hair.

LYT Rating: This hair mud is meant to be used before styling your hair. I used a dime size amount on my hair and found it was too heavy a product for my freshly straightened tresses. On the other hand it worked quite well in adding a softness to a 3 day old twist out on my younger sisters natural hair. ❤

Mazuri Organics Olive Oil Texturizer Finishing Spray 

Price: £3.99 ☆☆

Claims: Mazuri Organics Olive Oil Texturizer Finishing Spray moisturizes and defines your hair, adds shine and manageability to them and it is anti-frizz finishing spray.

LYT Rating: Similar to the Oil Sheen this spray made my hair glam and shiny. It practical coated my strands with a layer of gloss. Having fallen in love with the Oil Sheen spray I must say I won't be needing something that gives me a similar result. All in all it did add shine and aided in making my hair smoother thus more manageable. I give this product  ❤❤

x edF

Big Chop ?!!

O guys... What a miserable post!

I took my 2nd weave install out yesterday and was not pleased. My ends feel so thin and I have three different hair lengths going on, you'd think I had a funky layering experience!

My take out itself was quite a good one, the usual amount of shedding, a smooth detangling and washing experience etc etc but then when I finally did my rollerset and took a look at my ends I couldn't help but grab for the scissors!!

Anyway a day and some pictures later and I don't think I want to hold on to my 'V' shaped fall. It looks so thin to me :(

I'm strongly considering cutting my hair right back to APL. I know my hair grows and have definitely taken the pledge to healthier, thicker hair over long hair! OMG its true I can't believe I said that!

So what do you think guys? Embrace the 'V' or get cutting?

Of course I'll wait till the LYT Protective style challenge is over and then do the deed!

x edF

2 days left!!!

Hey lovelies,


there are two more days left for you to get your hands on some Evelyn goodies. Have you entered the giveaway?!


P.s is it a cheat if i enter too?!!! #just kidding

Evelyn Products Giveaway!!!

Weave take out install #2 : Ayurvedic Coconut relaxer

The LYT Protective style challenge has literally flown by! I cannot believe 6 months are over in 2 months!!! In preparation for my second weave install take out,  I have decided to give my hair a full blown Ayurvedic treatment.

When I first started this hair journey I'll admit I had no knowledge whatsoever on Ayurveda. It wasn't until this year that I began to appreciate the amazing properties of herbal powders and oils.


You all know how fond I am of the famous 'Coconut Relaxer', so I will be giving myself a 30 minute deep conditioning treatment with heat. I made the mix today so that the mix is more potent and the wonderful powders can release their herbal goodness between now and my hair take down next week.

Ingredients

2 cups Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1 tsp vitamin E oil ( 15 vitamin E oil capsules)

10 drops Eucalyptus oil

5 drops Lavender oil

1 tsp Brahmi powder

1 tsp Neem powder

Henna mix- [ 1 heap tsp of BodyArtQuality Henna mixed with 5 tsps water]

Method

- Add 2 cups of EVCO to desired tub/container

- Add Vitamin E oil, Eucalyptus oil, Lavender oil to EVCO and mix

- Add Brahmi and Neem powder to EVCO and mix

- In separate container mix Henna and water

- Add Henna mix to EVCO and mix

- Store in Cool dark place

Hair Benefits

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - Coconut oil has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft

Vitamin E oil - Vitamin E works by stabilizing the cell membranes in your hair follicles, therefore encouraging hair growth. Free radicals can damage your hair cells as well as the other types of cells in your body, therefore vitamin E helps to protect them

Brahmi- When massaged onto your scalp and hair, the antioxidant properties found in Brahmi oil can nourish and replenish hair roots and help alleviate the itching and flaking associated with dandruff

Neem- The Neem tree is a medicinal Indian herb well known for its powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-oxidant properties.

Henna- The henna dye molecule binds with the keratin bonds in our hair thus making our hair stronger and more resistant to breakage. It smoothens the hair cuticle by filling out rough spots on the frayed cuticle, which also results in softer hair. Henna helps to darken hair and give it a richer, shinier look as well as adding a red tint to hair which can be seen in bright light but in normal light makes hair look darker and more lustrous. It is a non chemical dye and therefore safe for our hair.


Lavender oil- Lavender oil has balancing, soothing, regenerative, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Its most common use is for stress reduction and help to soothe and relax the scalp from irritation.


Eucalyptus oil- Eucalyptus oil helps to get rid of dandruff, which in turn helps to promote  healthy hair growth. It increases the elasticity of hair via increased ceramide production. Ceramides create a protective barrier around your hair thus allowing your hair to hold in moisture and protein. Not only does it have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it is also a scalp stimulant.

x edF

todays hair : Weave wash day

After a comment from the BF yesterday asking if the blog was taking a commercial turn due to the giveaways and reviews, it became apparent that I haven't blogged much about my hair lately!

Commercial is definitely not the niche I am going for right now! This blog is my hair haven and despite giveaways and goodies the root of the blog will always be my hair journey and healthy hair. So welcome back Fiona's hair (okay well weave for now!)

I gave my hair a much needed wash yesterday, it had been 2 weeks and product build up was staring me in the face. I can't say washing hair whilst wearing a weave is fun, but I definitely know how to go about it...So here is what I did.

Step 1

j

- I separated my leave out hair from my weave and put my weave in a braid which was held by an elastic band. I then applied Philip Kingsley's Hair Elasticizer Pre-Shampoo treatment to my leave out hair and twisted it.

- After letting the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer sit for 10 minutes I then jumped into the shower rinsed out the Pre-Shampoo treatment and commenced with shampooing my leave out hair.

- After shampooing, I rinsed out the Shampoo (Philip Kingsley) twisted my leave out hair into a section and then commenced to shampooing my weave. Though the weave was in a braid I was still able to use my fingertips to access and wash my scalp and also wash the braid itself. 

- With all traces of Shampoo gone i applied the Philip Kingsley Conditioner all over my hair; both leave out hair and the weave.

- After 5 minutes i thoroughly rinsed out the Conditioner and detangled my leave out hair. Weave braid still in tact, I dried my hair and squeezed out any excess water.

Step 2

- I applied a homemade Leave-In Conditioner spray all over my hair.

- Then i applied a dime size amount of my fave Serum (Pantene Pro V Repair and Care) all over my hair.

- With the slip given by the hair Serum, i then was able to take out my weave braid and detangle the weave using a wide tooth comb. Once detangled I used another dime size amount of hair Serum all over my hair and re-braided my weave.

-Air-dried overnight

- The next day, my hair was dry. I unraveled the twisted section of my leave out hair and straightened it.

- The next step was then to unravel my weave braid, and voila my waves were fresh and hair felt light and bouncy.

NB: Instead of having to re- straighten my leave out hair on a daily basis, I also do pincurls or a bantu knot out. These work perfectly because my weave is wavy! #Less Heat damage wohoo!

x edF

Evelyn products giveaway

It seems we have entered a month of giving! So for everyone who entered the Love Your Tresses Goody Bag Giveaway and did not win, here is another juicy giveaway to get yourselves tucked into. The wonderful founder of Evelyn products, who might I add is featured and highly recommended in this months Black Hair Magazine edition (out September 8th), is offering one lucky winner 3 delightful hair products from the Evelyn products range!!!

Up for grabs...

- Avocado and Mango hair butter 

- Aloe and Honey Haze Mist

- Seaweed Secrets hair and scalp oil

Evelyn products is a natural hair product range which was founded in order to help beautify and maintain natural afro hair. The products are of high quality and free from harsh/drying ingredients as well as petrochemicals.

One of the underlying foundations of the brand is Breast Cancer awareness and avoiding products and chemicals that have been known to be related to such diseases. Having dealt with breast cancer in my family, this range definitely appeals to my inner Hairlover. In fact I must say I'm jealous that I can't keep the products all to myself!!!

How To Win

.:.  Solve the following:

1- Name an oil beginning with 'A' found in the Evelyn products Avocado and Mango Butter

2- Name 3 ingredients that Evelyn products do not use in their products.

.:.  Send both answers to eaudefiona@loveyourtresses.com with e-mail subject 'Evelyn products Giveaway'

www.evelynproducts.com

Conditions

.:. Entrants must be from the UK

.:. Giveaway ends 15.09.11 @ 00:44am 

x edF

Fifty Pounds - three Minutes - All for better hair!

source


Attention all UK HAIR LOVERS! Another fantastic opportunity to get your hands on some free Hair Products.

All you have to do is fill in this 3 minute survey... and Bobs your uncle! You are automatically entered into a prize-draw!

The winner wins £50 worth of luxury hair products from British Curlies!

CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY!!!

Thank you! 

x edF

Hair serum tug of war : Pantene vs Frieda

I can't say I have always been a fan of hair serums. In fact I was unaware of the fact that black women can use them! It was during one of my last (way back) visits to the hairdressers when i came across hair serums. My hair stylist gave my hair a wash and deep condition, and then before putting me under the dryer to roller set she applied some serum to each roller section of my hair... and boy did my hair turn out shiny and silky!

So almost 4 years later and a whole lot more clued up about hair, I can say that hair serum is one of my staple products.

I have been using the Pantene hair serum for almost 2 years now, so deciding to give the John Frieda a try had me real nervous! Word on the street is it is one of the best hair serums and in fact the most widely used by celebrity hair stylists.

So... what's the verdict... Pantene for life or John Frieda steals the show?

PRICE

Cheap ☆

Average ☆☆

Pricey ☆☆☆

LYT RATING

Below average, will not be using again ❤

Nice results, but other products work better ❤❤

Absolutely love it, staple ❤❤❤   

N.B - I only add ingredients if I am able to find them for all  products that I am reviewing.

Pantene Repair and Care Hair Serum
Price: £4.51☆☆

Claims: A leave-in treatment for dry and damaged hair tips. Just as a skin care serum delivers nutrients to sensitive skin areas, this packs a nourishing punch - leaving hair looking and feeling soft, smooth and strong. Use it everyday for tip repair, protection and shine, or on wet hair before blow drying.

LYT Rating: For those of you familiar with the blog, you'll know that I love this serum. I use it to enhance my roller-setting experience, to smooth out my hair and add shine before blow-drying, and also to add some glam to my weave! The major selling point of this serum for me has to be its smell! I am a sucker for sensual scents, and this serum has mastered that to the core! Its smooth velvety touch is definitely also a key to its success ❤❤❤

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum Original Formula

Price: £5.89 ☆☆ 

Claims: Instantly and dramatically transforms dry, frizzy, chemically-treated hair into incredibly smooth, glossy hair. Exceptional blend of silicones immediately smoothes texture while delivering a layer of crystal-clear gloss for perfectly polished, frizz-resistant styles. Repels humidity to help prevent weather-related frizz. Contains a UV filter.

LYT Rating: This serum did live up to its claims. I followed directions and applied the serum to my wet hair (weave). Once dry my hair was silky, smooth and looked very healthy and well kept. Definitely more than worthy of ❤❤❤

So the winner is...

 Pantene Repair and Care Hair serum

Both products were equally as efficient and produced fantastic results, however Pantene beat John Frieda hands down with regards to smell. The John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum Original Formula has no fragrance and smells of nothing, whereas the Pantene Repair and Care Hair Serum is practically edible. At the same time the Pantene serum works out to be cheaper than its competitor. So thats a wrap!

x edF