May Length Check: Six Months Post Chop

May has officially ended and that means another length check! This month marked the end of a long semester for me and it has also brought me some interesting findings. 

While I usually do my length checks using the hair above my nape, I recently discovered that it was not the longest part of my hair. It's actually the hair behind my ear that's the longest. When I measured the hair at my nape this time, it was 7 3/4 inches. The hair behind my ear measured at 8 inches, as pictured below. 

In last month's length check, I mentioned that the hair above my nape was 7 inches, which means that I've had pretty average growth this month. Compared to the growth I had between April 4th and April 30th it was not much, but that doesn't take away the excitement that I feel for having surpassed 8 inches. Not bad for 6 months post big chop! It's amazing that I've been fully natural for half a year, and despite the long wash days and my overall willpower to take care of my hair, I'm extremely proud of myself for the progress that I've made. 

As you can see from the back, I am about to hit armpit length again, this time with unprocessed, natural hair. 

Please overlook my unkempt hair. It was washed this past Sunday and I've just been keeping it banded until I go to the hair salon on Friday to get my protective style for my trip in a few days. I'll be traveling to Boston this Saturday to visit my family and friends, and you guys will definitely get to see the finished results! 

That's pretty much it for today, guys. Thank you so much for reading and I'm wishing you a fun-filled summer. The next time you hear from me, I'll already be in Boston. Peace out! ✌

May 2017 Hair Products Haul + Bonus Product

Welcome to my first ever haul! I know what you're thinking: It's not a mountain of products piled onto the floor. This is more of a mini haul, so go easy on me. 😅 

All except for one is a mixture of hair products, but keep reading to find out what the bonus product is. Since I'm planning on doing tons of experiments with different hairstyles, I wanted to stock up on a variety of products. I also did this because I'm still playing around with products to see how my hair reacts to them. 

Deep Conditioners

I am a deep conditioner junkie. I love trying them out because they all react differently with my hair, yet they always leave my hair soft and moisturized. This is the Creme of Nature Professional Nourishing and Strengthening Treatment. 

I bought this because it has Jojoba and Olive Oil. It's also full of coconut oils, Shea butter, cocoa butter and wheat protein that is supposed to reduce breakage, heal damaged ends and protect against thermal damage. I bought this for $12.99 at my local hair supply store. I can't wait to try this! 

The second deep conditioners I bought were a couple of samples from Kmart. It's funny because I actually came across these packets in Walgreens a few weeks ago but I wasn't sure whether I wanted to try them. But once I saw them again I just had to get them. 

The yellow packet is the Hask Coconut Milk and Organic Honey Curl Care Deep Conditioner. What stood out to me was the Memory Curl Complex, which is actually a fancy name to describe its curl enhancing and frizz control abilities. It's also free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten and alcohol. 

The black packet also stood out to me because, well, the charcoal immediately caught my eye. This is the Hask Charcoal with Citrus Oil Purifying Deep Conditioner. As you know, charcoal has great purifying properties, and this particular treatment promises to clarify the hair, remove impurities and to deliver lots of moisture. These packets cost about $2.00 each, but I think the full bottles cost between $12 to $15. I'm suuuper excited to try the charcoal deep conditioner on my next wash day! 

Gels

Here we have the Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Gel Soufflé with Agave and Flax Seed Oil from Shea Moisture. This line isn't particularly new to me because I have a sample of their Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Enhancing Smoothie, which I purchased about two years ago. It smells so heavenly, but back to the gel. If you're concerned about the ingredients, this gel contains no: 

sulfates
parabens
phthalates
paraffin 
propylene glycol
mineral oil
synthetic 
fragrance or color
DEA

This product is also not animal tested. Its promises include curl definition, hydration and sealing of the hair shaft, and no buildup. I plan to attempt Marley Twists pretty soon so this along with my Hick's Edges might help me achieve smooth results. 

I think we've all used the second gel at some point in our lives, natural or relaxed. It's the Ampro Pro Styl Protein Styling Gel, or "the brown gel" as I call it. The last time this gel was used on my hair was when I was in high school and I still remember the amazing hold. This gel did not move for anything, at least not until I caved at the beach and went for a swim. This island girl NEVER goes to the beach without swimming in the ocean. 😏 This is a gel that won't be used as much as the gels I use on a daily basis, but it will come in handy when I want to keep certain styles firmly in place. 

Leave-In Conditioners 

I love trying out different leave in conditioners, and sometimes, I prefer when comes from a spray bottle. The first is another Creme of Nature product, and it's the Coconut Milk Detangling and Conditioning Leave-In Conditioner. Coconut oil is the magic ingredient I'm this leave-in, which is meant to soften the hair and improve manageability. What I will say is that the fragrance may be too strong for some. It doesn't bother me but the scent did stand out to me quite a bit. I think this product runs for about $8.00 at Kmart. 

This Mane 'n Tail Maximum Herbal-Gro technically isn't a leave-in conditioner. I categorize it as a leave in only because it's applied to washed and dried hair, but it's a grease. This is a throwback to my elementary school days, and although I usually stay away from greases, I thought I could try it to keep my hair smooth whenever I twist my hair for protective styling. Mane' n Tail products are known for promoting hair growth, mainly because many of them contain the ingredient colts foot and horse chestnut, which is pretty self-explanatory. The benefits of this include scalp nourishment and conditioning breakage prevention and promotion are stronger and shinier hair. 

Oils

If this oil looks familiar, it's because I already mentioned the first Reshma Henna oil in my last post. This oil, while it has the same amount of oils, is a little different. This oil is meant for normal skin and the blend of oils are supposed to add shine to the hair, keep it nourished and strong, and has benefits for the skin as well such as softening the skin as well as minimizes wrinkles and ease stretch marks. I shall be the judge of that as I'm actively trying to get rid of a few stretch marks. The five oils in this blend are cinnamon oil, olive oil, almond oil, clove oil and henna extract. I'll be adding it to my Fenugreek-Moringa oil blend. I purchased this oil on sale for $5.00.

Bonus Product

A few weeks ago I shared the Spin for Perfect Skin 70% off sale that Vanity Planet was having on my Facebook page. Well, I took advantage if the sale and purchased the $99.99 skin brush for $29.99! This is my third product I've purchased from them, and yet again, I am one satisfied customer. The system not only includes the exfoliating body brush, but it comes with two face cleansing attachments and a pumice stone attachment.

 I've been wanting to get into the habit of "dry brushing", which is just exfoliating dry skin to get rid of dead skin cells. It can also be used in the shower if need be. What I also love about this product, and my other Vanity Planet products is that the packages always come with a promo code that takes 50% off on your next purchase.

And guess what? The sale for the Spin for Perfect Skin brush is STILL going on! I'm not sure how much longer it'll last, so if you want 70% off the original price, I suggest you buy it now. I have no idea what I might come across next on their website, but I have a strong feeling I'll be purchasing more from them. Let's just say the next Black Friday should be really interesting... 

If you made it to the end of this post, thank you for being such a good sport. It was a lot of information but I wanted to let you guys know exactly why I decided to buy these products in case you were interested in buying them yourselves. I'll definitely be posting updates, whether good or bad, and I'm just looking forward to using them. I hope you're having an awesome weekend so far and join me next Saturday for Smoothie Saturdays. This one will include a yummy yet healthy treat that can be a great substitute for dessert. 

See ya!

Fenugreek-Moringa Oil for Hair Growth & Thickness

In my fenugreek hair spritz post, I mentioned that I took inspiration from some of these concoctions from my favorite natural hair YouTuber, Ife of ife360tv. My latest concoction was inspired by her as well. I used whatever oils I had lying around my bedroom, but the two main ingredients that make this recipe so unique is the mixture of Fenugreek seeds and Moringa powder. 

Consuming Moringa in my smoothies in tandem with using it in my massage oils or hot oil treatments may possibly aid in hair growth. It's pretty impressive considering I haven't had time to care for my hair like I usually would over the past few weeks. One day I'll follow the recipe exactly but for now, I have tons of oils that are in need for use. Here's the link to Ife's recipe. 

If you have different oils than me, feel free to make your own mixture, but don't forget the Fenugreek seeds and Moringa! Make sure to use a glass container to store your oil as well. I started by toasting about 1/4 cup of Fenugreek seeds in a skillet. They brown pretty quickly so just keep stirring them around the pan so that they toast evenly. Let the seeds cool completely before adding them to your glass container. 

I then added 3/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, followed by a heaping tablespoon of Moringa powder. Use a funnel if you'd like to avoid making a mess, and give the mixture a good stir. 

Add in your other oils and stir again. These are the remaining oils I used, which included Peppermint oil and Jamaican Black Castor Oil. I also added a few drops of Rosehip seed oil. 

However, my favorite oil at the moment is this Reshma Henna oil. It has five different oils: basil oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, henna extract, and cedar wood oil, that help to nourish a dry scalp and skin. I love it not only because it's moisturizing, but because it smells like tea! 😍

And there you have it! Your Fenugreek-Moringa Oil. Here are a few tips I recommend before using this oil. 

• After creating this mixture, I was inclined to immediately slap it onto my scalp and start massaging. But I followed Ife's advice and left it out in a sunny area for about a week before using it. The color will change considerably but that's because the oils have had time to settle into each other. 
• Stir before each use, of course. 
• This is a last-minute tip, but use a piece of cheesecloth or pantyhose to strain the oil before applying it to your scalp. I learned this the hard way this past weekend. Because the Moringa powder doesn't really dissolve into the oils, putting it on your hair may leave behind tiny green balls of residue. A regular strainer may not work because the holes are too big to prevent the powder from getting into your hair, so that is why I recommend using a cheesecloth or pantyhose. 

If you try this recipe with different oils, let me know what you used and how it worked out for you. I'll make sure to post an update so you guys can see how much my hair has grown after using it. Once again, thank you so much for reading and happy Hump Day!

April Length Check

Welcome back, guys! What a crazy few weeks it has been. It feels like forever since I've posted. Life happens and sometimes and you gotta do what you gotta do, but I promise I'm back this time. For my St. Thomian readers I hope you all had an awesome J'ouvert and Carnival! 

Yet another month has passed and I've gained some more length. During this monthly length check, I kept track of the maintenance and habits that I kept up with throughout April and I'm still making adjustments as I go. Since I've been so busy lately I haven't had much time to really care for my hair like I usually do, but I think I did pretty okay considering the growth I achieved. 

Right now at its longest point, my hair has finally reached 7 inches. I kept my hair in its usual twists while moisturizing and massaging my scalp ever so often. I suspect that consuming Moringa in my smoothies is lending its hand to my growth as well as my waistline. You'll find out more in my next Smoothie Saturdays post. 😉 

At first, I was going to do my length checks at the beginning of each month however, I changed my mind and decided that it would be best to do it at the end of each month. As this month is halfway over, you'll be seeing another one of these posts in about fifteen more days. As you can see, as I stretched my hair to see it's true length, it's considerably longer than my first length check. I have officially surpassed collarbone length!

Here is me breaking my arm to hold my strands from the back. Hopefully, on the next length check, I'll be able to hold my hair comfortably.

As far as length checks go, it's pretty self-explanatory so enjoy the rest of the pics. 

This post wasn't very long but I'll be back pretty soon with another post. And guess what? I'm now on Snapchat! Follow me at Hair, Health & Heart! I'll be showing all my behind the scenes antics and other fun stuff. Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!

Create Your Own Length-Check Shirt!

Creativity is in my blood, and I truly believe that it runs on both sides of my family. A huge part of my love for crafting is the fact that I have the ability to make certain things instead of spending money to get them. I was not willing to spend money on a length check shirt simply because there are better things I could use that money for and, I really just wanted to make my own. 😁

The other day, I was going over some old clothes that I planned to add to the "Goodwill" bag to donate, and I came across a tie-dye shirt I designed in 2014 at the daycare I used to work at. It was my first time ever doing tie-dye and my co-workers and I had fun creating our own shirts as well as shirts for the kiddies.

This was right after it dried in the sun. The colors were so vibrant!

As you can see, the tie-dye had faded considerably since then. I didn't want to donate the shirt because it reminded me of the amazing experiences I had while working at the daycare, and that's when I decided that it would be perfect for a DIY length check shirt. There's always a variety of craft items in my house at any given time, so I did not have to go out to buy any supplies. If you're planning on doing this yourself, you'll need a t-shirt, a ruler, masking tape, acrylic paint, some cosmetic sponges and of course, paint brushes. 

I created the measuring tool on the back of the shirt according to the average length check chart. In order to get the most accurate measurement, I had my sister help me mark my armpit, my bra strap, the middle of my back, my waist, my tailbone and my hip.

Before you paint anything, make sure to put a piece of cardboard in between the shirt to prevent the paint from bleeding onto the front of the shirt. I forgot while doing the first application but the bleeding isn't too visible on the front. I then used masking tape as a stencil for the lines. I made sure that the edges were as smooth as possible to prevent the paint from seeping underneath the tape, and I used the cosmetic sponge to paint each line. Two coats were enough for me since I used black paint.

Next came the best part: peeling off the tape. Look at those crisp lines!  

Instead of painting the acronyms for each measurement, I decided at the last minute to apply some rhinestone letters for a more glamorous look. 

Although I consider myself to be a perfectionist, I was surprisingly excited to paint my own designs and motivational messages by hand. I also did it by hand because I didn't have letter stencils. So the perfectionist in me said...

Here's the final product!

As for the front of the shirt, I'll be using the blank space to mark my progress each month as well as my length in inches. Since I've recently hit collarbone length, I marked the month and length. This progress is amazing considering I was past armpit length with my relaxed hair not too long ago. I'll regain that length and more in no time!

This DIY was so much fun to do and I can't wait to track my hair growth until I hit hip length one day. Getting there will take years to accomplish but I'm determined to grow healthy natural hair and enjoy the results of my hard work.

Thank you so much for reading and let me know if you plan to create your own length check shirt. Take a picture and post it to my Facebook page or to Instagram using the hashtag hairhealthandheart so that I can see your awesome creations. ¡Adiós, chicas!

Rice Water Rinse Update

Welcome to April, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend and I'm wishing you an awesome week ahead. If you saw my update on Facebook and Instagram, you'll know that I took an unexpected hiatus last week. I've been very busy with school and work, and as much as I would like to shell out a post every day that's just not possible with my daily schedule. But it is what it is. 

I am so excited to give you my thoughts on using the rice water rinse because of the amazing benefits I've been noticing so far. I added this to my hair regimen almost two months ago after stumbling upon an article about the Yao women of Huangluo Hongyao village in China, who use fermented rice water to aid hair growth and to keep their hair manageable and black well into their octogenarian years. You can read more about their interesting traditions here. 

Although I was amazed that all these women had hair that touched the floor, I was honestly very skeptical. So I did more research on the benefits of using fermented rice water on the hair. Rice water has amazing benefits for both the hair and skin, full of antioxidants, minerals; and it is known to restore damaged hair, protect it from further damage and improves elasticity. But what rice water contains most importantly, is the carbohydrate Inositol, which has long-lasting effects on the hair even after rinsing. 

Since I've been rinsing with rice water, I've noticed a huge difference in manageability and softness. Guys, my hair is so soft! And it no longer feels dry when I wear my hair in twists for the week. I've also recently noticed that the shine in my hair has been slowly restored. While everyone does their own rice water recipe differently, here's the recipe that I custom made for myself. 

Now, I just don't use any old cheap rice that you pick up at the store. I chose to buy this organic brown rice from my local bulk store because I know that I'll be using it for my hair. 

I don't want to use just any rice that may contain pesticides, but it may be more economical to use the cheaper kind if you're just using it for your hair. I typically start the process the day before wash day to allow the mixture to ferment. Some people may choose to let it ferment for two days but one day is good enough for me. I use probably a 3/4 cup of rice, which I give a proper rinse in a strainer before adding it to my 64 oz glass jar. Having a glass container is important because there will be some deep fermentation happening in there. Then I add about a cup and a half of water, screw on the lid and leave it in a dark corner for 24 hours. 

This is what you'll end up with the following day. 

Before I use the rice water on my hair, I strain the rice in an old strainer and add the water into a pot and allow it to boil. 

Boiling the mixture stops the fermentation process. If you try this, expect your kitchen to smell like a wet dog. But you can add a few drops of essential oil into the water so that it doesn't smell too bad. Let the hot water cool either until it's warm or cooled completely.  

I tend to use rice water to rinse out either deep conditioner or a protein treatment before the final cold water rinse. It is not advised to use rice water as a final rinse because it may leave behind a residue in your hair. I repeat the process twice by pouring the water on my hair, making sure that it lands in a bowl below my head to catch what is left. I massage my scalp for about a minute, pour the mixture over my hair one last time and massage for another minute before thoroughly rinsing my hair and scalp with cold water. 

I rinse with rice water at every week, leaving out the last week of the month for an ACV rinse. It's also important to mention that you'll see the benefits of this rinse much quicker with a proper diet. A double whammy is what will kickstart the growth. For me, it took probably two weeks before I noticed how soft, shiny and strong my hair had become, and I hope that if you try this rinse, you'll see those benefits as well. 

I finally hit collarbone length! I should probably do an official length check soon. 😁

Let me know if you will add rice water into your hair or skin regimen because you won't be disappointed. I hope you enjoyed reading today and have a great Monday!

Using Fenugreek for Strong, Healthy Hair

As you read in my last post, Moringa is a nutrient-packed plant that not only treats and prevents many ailments but can help your hair reach its ultimate growth potential. Of course, using this product along with a proper diet and regular exercise can help you to get the most out of it.

Speaking of amazing natural products, I purchased a bag of Fenugreek, or methi, seeds to incorporate into my hair regimen and diet as well. After doing my research on its benefits I quickly learned that it can be used for a number of problems. These seeds are an anti-inflammatory, and full of antioxidants, amino acids and fiber, which: helps with digestion, controls blood sugar levels, soothes acid reflux, improves skin problems, reduces the risk of heart disease, increases breast milk production, soothes menstrual cramps, relieves a sore throat, and of course, prevents hair loss and promotes healthy hair! 

Several months ago, I had never even heard of Fenugreek. And while I knew a little bit about Moringa, I did not learn about its amazing hair benefits until I began watching a YouTuber named Ife. In fact, the products that I made for my hair using Moringa and Fenugreek were concoctions that she came up with. My subscriptions aren't filled with many naturalists for the simple fact that many of them do not have the same hair type as me. It was hard to find a YouTube channel with someone who I could relate to in terms of hair maintenance and who also had very useful information. And this girl is doing something right because her hair is #goals! 👐 Check out her channel ife360TV because there's something there that you're bound to find useful.

The first mixture that I made was the Fenugreek spray. It's pretty simple to make. All you do is soak about 2 tablespoons of Fenugreek seeds in a cup of water overnight. 

Then you just strain the seeds and put the Fenugreek-infused water into a spray bottle and you're good to go! I  personally added a few drops of Peppermint oil and a little leave-in conditioner for extra moisturizing benefits. It's recommended that you keep the mixture in the refrigerator, and I use it first thing in the morning and right before I go to bed. I also plan to add Fenugreek seeds to my skincare routine, so you'll definitely see an update on that soon enough. 

Here's the link for the original recipe from Ife's channel. 

Going back to the hair growth oil, I also got this recipe from Ife, but I used what I already had to mimic the recipe because I didn't want to have to buy more hair products. I did not start this recipe yet because it requires you to toast some Fenugreek seeds. Apparently, it will make your house smell like curry for about a week and because I have guests coming over on Sunday, that recipe is on hold until Monday. And of course, you'll get to see how I create the oil using ingredients I already have. Here's the true recipe for this hair growth oil.

She also did a hair growth challenge with this mixture which I'll probably do one of these days, but with my own twist of course. Anyway, I hope you all try adding Moringa or Fenugreek into your hair care regimen and/or diet because the overall health benefits are amazing. I think I'm going to start recording my progress while using these products, so that should be interesting. Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!