Mini Twists

I have enjoyed 2 weeks of bliss with my hair in mini twists, and I'm just about to was to now. Doing mini twists has allowed me to have fun with my hair without getting any tangles, and yeah, it may tak awhile to put it but I felt it was worth it, so worth it that I'm going to put them back in! Puting them in also allowed me to compare my length to other times I had them in. I made sure I moisturised every day with a sprtiz that had a pH between 4.5-5, I know that a lot of natural like to moisturise with just water but it has a pH of 7 which isn't the natural pH of our hair and can cause frizz. I locked in the moisture with Butta' Shine, and used it on the ends of my hair as as well. Here are some pictures of my mini twists before and now.

DECEMBER 2010

DECEMBER 2010

APRIL 2011

MAY 2011

DECEMBER 2011

DECEMBER 2011: UPDO

DECEMBER 2011: MADE THEM EVEN SMALLER

MINI TWIST OUT FRO-HAWK

MINI TWIST OUT PUFF

Natural Noire

BeUNIQUE Hair Care are delighted to be part of an up and coming hair event and fashion show, samples of our hair products will be in goodie bags given out at the event. Please refer to links and flyer for more information

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/213905

naturalnoire@hotmail.com

BeUNIQUE Hairstory

Naturally Fabulous

Braaap, Braaaap, Braaaap! To Angel from The Natural Lounge for putting on a GREAT event on Saturday, I went home with a sense of euphoria after being in the presence of so many natural women and in the company of much positive vibes.

 

I was blessed enough to be part of a weekend long event involving Angel and Naptural Roots magazine, which meant that I was able to meet my ultimate hairspiration Mahogany Boisseau along with the founder of Naptural Roots Magazine LeAnne Dolce and spend the weekend in the company of some beautiful natural Nubian Queens.

The Naturally Fabulous event was great for those who wanted to network, to gain understanding and also encouragement with regard to their natural journey. There was such a positive energy about the whole event and something that really touched me and affected me was seeing Mumplus2 there with her daughter, why? You may ask, because after hearing Mahogany talk about the fact that she does what she does for the children, I realised that right then and there amongst positive Black female roles models was where Mumplus2’s daughter should have been. All little Black girls need to be at events such as The Naturally Fabulous event so that their ideas of beauty and are not always the weavalicious women that they see on MTV Base.

It was great to meet so many YouTube subbies and meet up with my fellow YouTube sisters. The amount of people asking me if I was selling my products at the event has made me realise I need to get my butt in gear and sort it out, and big a big shout out to Fusion of Cultures aka Laila-Jean for rocking her twists and telling everyone that asked that she used Mango Twist, I swear when she loaded her YouTube video I got about 30 new subbies! Of you got Mango Twist in your goody bag please email me and tell me what you think info@beuniquehaircare.co.uk

The event also had a fashion show which I was a part of along with Shereen Corbin, Michelle Doyle, TheNaprika Stacey, Ero aka Natureal Rox and one more lady (whose name I shall include when I remember or when someone prompts me).  I have to say we all rocked the runway wearing outfits and jewellery by Yorubatik and Blackamoor Clothing. A big shout out to Melissa  and Huguette of Bespoke Hairstyles who did my hair and all the models hair for the day.

I really didn't take enough pictures so I've borrowed a few (Thanks Crystal Afro x) and hope you enjoy the video!

Staples

I have to say that I'm in love with Tresemme Naturals hair conditioner! To me it's comparable to Giovanni Smooth as Silk, see the video for more info on my staples.

Triple Bun

Having now gained a bit a length I'm learning to stretch my hair and have fun with it!

Finally a routine!

I haven’t posted in a looong while, and I really should be better at this blogging malarkey , but I just post when I think I’ve something worth writing about, and as for my ingredient a week that’s gone out the window, but also I don’t want to reveal too much about what’s in my products just yet!

Anyhow the reason I’m posting now is because I finally have a hair routine! This will be my 4^th week of my 6 week cycle and I have noticed improvements in my hair. Before I reveal that, something that has drastically changed my hair and the amount I loose on wash day is NOT USING A COMB, BRUSH OR TANGLE TEEZER TO DETANGLE, yes I only finger detangle every week and comb detangle with my Hercules Comb once a month. I don’t get any fairy knots and tangles have drastically reduced. Also since gaining a bit of length I’m enjoying playing with my stretched hair, rather than putting twists in straight from washing, I now braid with a leave in, leave it to dry then the next day play with my hair.

So here is my 6 week routine

WEEK 1

Comb detangle with conditioner, water and veg glycerine – braiding hair into sections - rinse

Leave hair in braids and was with Aubrey Organics GPBShampoo

Undo braids and apply Revive UK’s breakage treatment in sections using Ouchless bands - from Asda (I replace ayurvedic powders that she uses with 5tsp of Kalpi Tone, deep conditioner used Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner) – leave for 30mins and rinse

Apply Giovanni Smooth as Silk braid hair and rinse

WEEK 2 & 5

Wash hair in sections using Afro Shampoo Bar

Apply Hibisculious Deep Conditioner (BeUNIQUE Hair Care) braid hair, leave for an hour and rinse

WEEK 3 & 6

Apply Avocado Glaze ((BeUNIQUE Hair Care) braid hair and steam

Wash with Giovanni 50/50 Balanced Shampoo

Condition with Tresemme Naturals

WEEK 4

Bentonite Clay Mask

1 Cup of Bentonite Clay

½ Marshmallow Root Powder

¼ cup conditioner

¼ of coconut milk

Up to 500ml of water (can be infused with herbs)

1tsp Jojoba Oil

1 tsp. Castor Oil

Other info

I use Shea Passion Milkshake (BeUNIQUE Hair Care) as a leave in and Mango Twist (BeUNIQUE Hair Care) to style. To moisturise daily I use a herbal infusion with brown algae extract and I also may use Nettle Tea Cream (BeUNIQUE Hair Care) to moisturise and soften the hair.

As you can see I’m trying to use my products on my hair on a regular basis to really see what the effects are.

UK Kinky Curly Hair Care (Market Research)

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Vitamins for hair health

This week I started to think about vitamin supplements for hair health, after researching I invested in 

Holland & Barrett - Complete B Vitamin B Complex

I could have also gone for 

Timed Release Busy B Complex with Vitamin C

but the first one had more of the vitamins that are good for hair growth

below is some info I sourced from the internet 

Essential Vitamins for Healthy Hair:

• Inadequate intakes of vitamin A and B7 (Biotin) can result in hair loss.
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B6 (Pyridoxine), B6 (Folic Acid), B12 (Cyanocobalmin), magnesium, and manganese help blood circulation and transport oxygen to hair follicle, they also enhance hair growth.
• Lack of Vitamin C will result in split ends and brittle condition in hair.
• Copper functions in the formation of maintenance of hair pigments. It maintains healthy hair color and condition; lack of copper will result in turning into white hair.
• Iron is an essential mineral for the formation of red blood cells. Therefore, a person with anemia can suffer from hair loss easily.
• Zinc prevents skin follicle infection and prevents hair loss.

The B Vitamins

• Thiamin ( B1)
  Contains the mineral sulfur, the integral element of hair that gives it gloss and sheen.
• Riboflavin (B2)This vitamin is essential for body cell respiration and to ensure efficient utilization of oxygen for cell production and repair. If your eyes are sensitive to light, you may be deficient in B-2, or Riboflavin, present in milk. Unhealthy scalp and hair loss have been traced to B-2 deficiencies.
• Niacin (B3)Has a dilating effect on vessels and capillaries thereby increasing circulation to the scalp and stimulating hair growth. Niacin may also reduce the accumulation of cholesterol which is important since cholesterol on the scalp converts to the enzyme 5 alpha reductase.
  
  *** Vitamins B1, B2 and B3 are energy producers.
  
• Pahtothenic Acid (B5)This vitamin restores color brightness to hair and works with Folic Acid, PABA, Copper and the amino acid Tyrosine in the prevention of gray and white hair.
• Pyridoxine (B6)
  This vitamin is responsible for balance of protein intake, especially Cysteine, and helps to transport amino acids to the proper tissues. It is also needed in the conversion of one amino acid to another such as the conversion of Methionine to Cysteine. It is also a factor in the metabolism of Essential Fatty Acids for healthy skin and hair. It works with Inositol to regulate the flow of oils to the skin and scalp.
• Biotin (B7)
  Also referred to as "Vitamin H", promotes hair growth. Biotin is a common and important ingredient in hair products because it promotes hair health. Biotin is needed for healthy hair and skin and may even prevent hair loss. Biotin-increases the elasticity of the hair's cortex preventing breakage. It also thickenss the actual hair cuticle providing a fuller appearance because of the increased diameter of the hair shaft.
• Cobalamin (B12)
  This vitamin builds rich blood and helps to regenerate red blood cells which are vital for healthy hair.
  

Conditioners

I’m looking for a good rinse off conditioner that I don’t have to order from the internet, I want to be able to walk down the high street and pick up two bottles of a conditioner and not feel like my purse is talking back to me with the words ‘Hell no, may be next month”. So I have 4 conditioners that I’m going to consider. The first is one that I used early on in my journey and that’s Garnier Fructis Repair and Shine, I stopped using this once my TWA stage had passed and I wasn’t co-washing as much. I recently re-purchased it and it has a new formula, so I want to see how it works in my hair. The second conditioner is a winner so far and it’s The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture, I’m on my second bottle and so far so good. The third conditioner purchased today and not used yet is Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture conditioner, and the fourth is Herbal Essences Hello Hydration (and yes I know I’m late), this is one that I’ve picked up and put down on many a visit to the supermarket because it has cones it, but I’m going to give it a try and it has a new formula.

First things first, I’m going to look up ALL the ingredients and then decide if I want to go any further and then I’ll get back on how they fair.

GARNIER FRUCTIS -  REPAIR & SHINE

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palm Oil, Behtrimonium Chloride, CI 19140, Niacinamide, Sugar cane extract, Steaaramidopropyl Dimethylamine, Olive Fruit Oil, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lonalool, Benzyl salicylate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Apple Fruit Extract, Avacado oil, Shea Butter, Citric acid, Butylphenyl methylpropional, Lemon peel extract, Hexyl cinnamal, Glycerin, Fragrance

THE BODY SHOP – RAINFOREST MOISTURE

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethlmonoum Methosulfate, Coconut Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Citric acid, Cetyl Esters, Sodidm Benzoate, Fragrance, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Mongongo Kernal Oil, Salicylic Acid, Honey, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Tocopherol

TRESEMME – NATURALS

Water, Caprylic/Capric Troglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Aspartic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Avacado oil, Aloe Leaf extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Brassica Campestris/ Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Ethyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol

HERBAL ESSENCES – HELLO HYDRATION

Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonoum Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonoum Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, Mgnesium Nitrate, Coconut extract, Orchid Flower extract, Zea Mays Silk Extract, Methylchloroisthiazolinone, CI 42090, Mgnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, Citirc Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

Knowing Your Porosity

Recently I have noticed that when I wash my hair it dries really quickly, the word POROSITY came into my head but I had no idea what it was so I turned to the oracle that is YOUTUBE and found this useful video.

Ingredient of the week: Pracaxi Oil

Every week I will feature an ingredient that is used in BeUNIQUE hair products

This week PRACAXI OIL found in Mango Twist

Pracaxi (or “pracachy”) is a tree widely distributed in the lowland Neotropics. It can be found in South America from northern Venezuela to the Guianas, including Trinidad and Tobago and the Amazon rainforest. The pracaxi tree has fruits that contain seed from which the pracaxi oil is extracted. The oil extracted from the pracaxi seeds is used by the Amazonian riverside populations in several ways. Its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-hemorrhagic properties have made the plant traditional among local inhabitants in the treatment of snake bites, healing of ulcers and surgical sanitation. It also has several applications in the cosmetic industry. As a powerful dermatological moisturiser, the pracaxi oil helps cell renewal and treats stretch marks, skin spots, depigmentation, severe acne, and scars. When applied to hair care products, it provides an excellent conditioning effect, eases combing, and enhances hair smoothness and shine. 

http://www.personalcaremagazine.com/Story.aspx?Story=7738

This oil can be found in The Body Shops Rainforest hair care range and also

Kérastase - Elixir Ultime

BeUNIQUE Journey

So I'm super happy today, I got some feedback on my products from Louloumatou (a fellow YouTuber). I send her stuff primarily because she has tried A LOT of hair products and I feel she is best placed to give valuable feedback, and she draws comparisons to other products which will be useful for some people when the range is released.

I've been in the kitchen today making up other batch of my Moisture Custard, which is highly moisturising, and I have reformulated Mango Twist, hoping to get safety assessment done for 3 products by the end of June. Then I need to sort out the challenge testing.

Hair News #2

I came across 2 new books this week one courtesy of Kimmay Tube, and the second I just stumbled across, I haven't purchased them but they will be on my wish list.

The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy. There is also a useful website http://www.blackhairscience.com/

NOW HAIR THIS! The Destruction of Black Hair by Debe Dene

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Conditioner

Hair News #1

I have dreams of being a hair aficionado, knowing all there is to know about hair and giving outs lots of advice on how to care for it and maintain it, but not really sure how long that’s going to take! So instead I thought that I would share with you on a regular basis articles and hair blogs that I come across. I love surfing the net looking for new ingredients and finding out what others are saying about hair or doing with their hair.

I could find this stuff and claim that it’s mine, but I’m not like that let’s give credit where credit’s due. So what have I come across this week?

Nadia's Notes

Love this blog, I came across it while on my iPad, why mention this? Because it was in a totaly different format compared to on my PC, and that is what attracted me. Nadia comes across as gunially interested in her hair and I wanted  read evwrthing se had bee doing with her hair, I would say that I would love my blog to be like hers but I don't seem to have the time to keep it updated. Definaltey check this blog out!

Chicoro

Many of you have probably already heard of her, I read her book ages ago, but what you may not know os that of you sign up to her website you'll get regular USEFUL emails about hair, looking after it, and maintaining it. For example read below for one of the emails I gt this month:

Five Ways to Get Water into Your Hair

I am a big advocate of placing and keeping moisture, which is water, into the hair. In a worse case scenario, without water being present within the hair structure, you doom the hair to a shortened life span. In other scenarios, dry, thirsty hair tends to be dull and lacks shine. Since water is good for your hair, let's talk about some ways to get it there.

1. Rinse Your Hair With Very Warm Water: The easiest way to get water in your hair is to saturate or rinse your hair with water. Warm water will penetrate hair faster than colder water. You don't want the water to be boiling hot!

2. Steam Your Hair: Another way to infuse your hair with water is to steam your hair. There are four methods or ways you can steam your hair.

1. Most Expensive- Purchase a hair steamer. These can run up to $200 US dollars or more. Steamers add a steady stream of warm, vaporized water to the hair. If you wet your hair first, then get under the steamer, it will keep your hair wet and warm. Sounds delicious!
2. Expensive- Purchase a hair dryer. These can start around $45 US dollars. Dryers use hot air and no water or moisture. You can wet your hair and put a plastic cap over it and then sit under the dryer. Or you can wet towel under hot running water, or heat it up the wet towel in the microwave, put it on your wet hair and sit under the dryer. Don't burn or electrocute yourselves, please!
3. Less Expensive- Purchase a heating cap. They can run about $20 US dollars when on sale. You wet your hair and put this on top.
4. Not Expensive- Got get a towel that is not too large, wet it, put it in the microwave to warm it up, put it around your head and place a plastic bag around or over the towel
5. Cheap- Wet hair and place plastic bag or shower cap on your hair. Leave on from 10 minutes to overnight.
3. Use Water Based Moisturizer- Use a water based moisturizer in your hair. You can place on your hair during the week. You can also use this with a plastic cap.

4. Use Hygroscopic Ingredients on Your Hair- Perform treatments on your hair by adding honey to your conditioner, amino acids or glycerin to your other products.

5. Use Protective Styling- To help hold in the moisture longer. Keep the hair moist and protected.

Solange Knowles

I am loving this girl's hair, I thought that we she cut her hair off it was justa fad but she seems to be sticking with it, and looking good with it too! She says that she has grown 12" of hair in 2 years, GO GIRL!

Midlands (Birmingham) Natural Hair Meet up UK

If you are going to be in the Birmingham area on May 7th then you may want to attend. It's being organinsed by Lorien Hay at Where: Coffee Lounge, 10-11 Navigation Street, Birmingham B2 4BS, WM from 4pm - 7pm.

Macadamia Natural Oil Detangling Comb

Surfing the web I came across this comb retailing for £8.95 not too sure about it though?!

Macadamia Natural Oil Detangling Comb infused with healing oil treatment

 

The macadamia Oil Treatment comb is made using an innovative new process that allows a blend of Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment directly with specially formulated resin. The end result is a unique detangling comb that is infused throughout with our special oil. Regular use will impart cumulative benefits of our wonderous oil treatment without leaving any residue on your hands.

 

Features & benefits:

• Hassel-free nourishment and tangle maintenance.
• Detangles hair while adding shine and smoothness.
• Oil treatment benefits with no residue on your hands.
• Provides even distribution of healing oil treatment.