Getting the most out of your hair vitamins

How many times have you jumped on the bandwagon when a new hair vitamin hits the market? You take a chance and order a months supply, only to have no visible results once you finish the bottle. Then while reading the hair forums you see other ladies raving about how much extra hair growth they got from the same vitamin you purchased, so you scratch your head as you look through their before and after pictures, and try to figure out why didn't you get any results?

Most people blame the product or accuse the people bragging about the vitamins of working for the company. Then you see lots of people post a familiar sentence I read all the time on forums, "well everything doesn't work for everybody". I always chuckle at this general go no where statement, because in many cases the person saying it,  more than likely was not consistent with the product or did not take the product according to the manufacturers  instructions. Truth is, there are supplements on the market which work. Truth is, there is a method to taking vitamin supplements.

Stop wasting your money!

8 simple rules to get the most benefits from your vitamins!

1. Most important: Purchase supplements which come in a liquid, gel  or capsule form. Big pill vitamins do not absorb well into your system so you reap few benefits.

2. Always take with food.Your body wants its nutrients from food, so taking your supplements with food is tricking the body into believing the vitamins are coming from the food you have just eaten.
3. Drink a full 8 ounce glass of water when you take your vitamins.
4. Take them the same time each day
5. Take the recommended dosage only.
6. Drink at least 64 ounces of filtered water daily.
7. In order to see good results you need to take the vitamins consistently for a minimum of 3 months to a year. Starting a supplement one day and expecting results in 2 weeks is unrealistic. You should start to see results within  3 months of a vitamin regimen, if you have followed all the rules.  
8. People suffer from various vitamin deficiencies based on lifestyle, gender and age. The only true way to know what vitamin you may be deficient in, is to consult your primary care doctor for blood tests.  As always consult your doctor before starting any vitamins or supplements regimen. 

The top 3 hair supplements that actually grow your hair when used correctly.

 HairFinity Vitamins

Beauty Vites by Liquid Gold 

Mineral Rich

Mineral Rich is an very good mineral supplement and it it liquid. Liquid vitamins absorb better and faster into your system, than pills. So opt of a liquid vitamin or a capsule vitamin when looking for a good supplement.

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Gold Star leave in conditioners for 4C hair

What makes a leave in conditioner awesome?

There are several factors when added together make a leave in conditioner awesome.

The cost per ounce.(no more than $2 per ounce)

Must last at least 2 months (which means a little must go a long way).

Must keep hair moisturized for at least 3 or more days before reapplying.

Must work be multipurpose.

Must be easy to find.
(must be able to walk into any drug store or Walmart like store and buy it)

And of course it must feel good on your hair and provide some hold to your style..

My Gold Star leave in conditioners to date

(My Gold Star list is formed considering the criteria above)

Shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie

Cantu Shea butter  leave in conditioner repair cream
(Pictured at the top)

Cantu Shea Butter curl activator cream

Afro stretch creme 

 

TRESemme' smooth & silky conditioner w/vitamin h

Use as a detangler

 

These products have my gold star of approval, because they satisfy all of the above criteria. I have used all of these products for 2 years consistently. If you are looking for a good product which can function as a leave in conditioner these products are a good place to start and in my opinion stop. You want a product which is economical, lasts and softens and keeps your tangles at bay the way a leave in conditioner should. I have never had either of these products flake up on my hair, nor cause build-up. Remember I do follow the CoilyQueens regimen of shampooing my hair bi-weekly, so I keep my hair clean and moisturized on a regular basis. 

Subscribe to the CoilyQueen blog and learn to manage your coily hair better and grow it to great lengths. Try one of these conditioners and come back and let us know how you like it

Coily Queens dry hair factors

Coily Queens™  dry hair checklist

Still fighting your dry hair issues?

Here is a checklist of things you can do:

• Check your porous issues. If your hair is overly porous then you will keep losing moisture.
• Check your products be sure they do not contain the bad alcohols.
• Are you oiling your hair daily? If not start today.
• Do you wash your hair at least once a week? If not start today.
• Always rinse your deep conditioner out with cool or cold water.
• If you are using chemicals then you may need to stop, depending on your hair goal.
• Take an inventory of your treatment products, be sure you are using them according to the directions on the bottle. Improper use of protein treatments can lead to dry hair issues.

Note: you may only need to implement one of these suggestions to correct your dry hair issue. Although all of these are good suggestions for healthy haircare.

Flat ironing tightly coily hair

Three common causes of heat damage:

1. Having the setting on your flat iron to high.

2. Straightening hair which is not hydrated.

3. Straightening hair which is damaged.

 

Coily Queens flat iron method

(read all instructions before you begin)

Use harsh heat responsibly, always schedule your flat iron sessions in advance. This gives you proper time to prep your hair for the harsh heat.

9 day preparation for flat ironing your natural tightly coily hair.

Day one: Give your hair a protein treatment such as aphogee 2-step treatment. Be sure to deep condition your hair afterwards and apply a good leave in conditioner

Day two: GHE over night or 3 hours. Apply natural oils and more leave in as needed.

Day three: GHE ^

Day four: GHE ^

Day five: Shampoo with a moisturizing shampoo and deep condition your hair.

Day six:  GHE apply natural oils and leave in as needed.

Day seven: GHE ^

Day eight:  GHE ^

Day nine: Cleanse your hair with a mud clay wash. The clay wash give your hair strands a thorough cleansing without stripping your hair of needed oils. You hair will feel soft and conditioned after using a good clay wash. Follow your wash with a good moisturizing conditioner, sit under dryer with conditioner for at least 10 minutes, rinse out conditioner with cold water to close the hair cuticle. 

Now your hair is ready, it should feel strong, soft and have great elasticity. No breakage when you manipulate it gently.

4 Steps to straightening your hair

Step 1. Be sure you have done the 9 day heat prep, this will help to keep the heat from scorching your hair. The number one cause of heat damage is flat ironing dehydrated hair.
Step 2. Apply a leave in conditioner followed by a silicone based heat protectant. I recommend Cantu shea butter leave in  conditioner. Braid hair in sections then allow to air dry, do not blow dry.
Step 3. Once hair is dry apply a little more leave in conditioner and heat protection. For extra protection you can use a keratin spray on your strands, Chi and Aphogee make good ones. Section your hair into smaller sections and and remove any tangles using a seamless comb. Allow all product to dry before putting the flat iron on your hair.  If you choose to blow dry your hair, then apply more heat protection after you finish blow drying.  (the heat protection you choose should have silicones in it, these silicones protect your hair strands from the harsh heat of the flat iron)
Step 4. Take each small section and flat iron using the comb chase method. Be sure your comb is a seamless comb. If you feel your hair popping as you run the comb threw your hair then stop and untangle that section some more, to prevent breakage.  If you followed all previous mentioned instructions, you will only need 2 passes with the flat iron. Even if your hair is tightly coily 2 passes should be all that is needed maybe a third pass for clean up. How long your press lasts will largely depend on the time of the year you flat iron and how well you take care of it daily. 

During the Winter months my presses last for 7 days plus.

Important reminders before using the flat iron on your hair:
If your hair is breaking do not flat iron it or add anymore heat
You hair must be detangled before applying the flat iron to your hair
 If you feel your hair popping when using the chase method, stop and untangle some more.
Your goal should not be bone straight hair
Do not set you curling iron above 350-375 degrees
Use a good quality ceramic flat iron that has number heat settings.
Never flat iron dirty dry hair
After you apply the flat iron to each section run your fingers through the section to make sure hair is not scorched or breaking.
On the day you decide to flat iron try not to also use the blow dryer, let your hair air dry when possible.
Most important is to take your time. 

Products to consider:
Aphogee 2 step protein treatment
Shea moisture retention shampoo
ORS heat protectant serum
Cantu styling promade (contains petroleum, which will keep your hair from reverting so quickly) 

What is your scalp health?

Many people deal with issues of dry itchy scalp and slow hair growth, partly because of impaired sebum production due to age, diet and health. Oiling your scalp daily stimulates  our own sebum to produce more effectively. Your hair needs lubrication to thrive. A diet full of foods rich in vitamin A and C will give you healthy sebum production. So it is not just what we put on top of our hair but what we put inside our bodies.

 Is it time to give your grocery list a makeover?

Check out this list of foods rich in vitamins A and C, make a list of the foods you like from this list and eat them daily.

Liver: (chicken or beef) a serving contains 150% of the daily value (DV). And if you are thinking of substituting cod liver oil in place of eating liver, then know that a teaspoon of cod liver oil has on 10% of the daily value. Not a whole lot.

Sweet Potatoes: per one cup of mashed sweet potatoes you get 760% DV. Sweet potatoes pack a punch of vitamin A.

Carrots: 1 medium carrot contains 204% DV and 3 baby carrots contain about 123% of the daily value. SO EAT MORE CARROTS!!!!!!!!!!

Dark leafy greens: 1 cup of kale contains 206% DV fresh or steamed. Turnips 232% DV. Mustard greens 210% DV. Spinach 189% DV. Collards 133% DV.

Butternut squash: 450% DV per one cup! WOW!!!!!!!!

Dried herbs: Parsley, basil, dill and oregano. Sprinkle these on your food daily.

Lettuce: Dark colorful lettuces contain 42% DV per cup of shredded lettuce.

Dried Apricots

Cantalope: contains 120% of daily value of Vitamin A per cup of melon balls.

Pick the foods that you like from this list and start adding them into your diet in a big way. In no time your hair will be more lubricated and your hair growth will increase by 50%. You will also save on product because you can apply less oil to your hair, due to your own sebum increase.

Delicious salads full of vitamins A and C and more!

Crunchy cabbage delight

2 cups of shredded cabbage

1 cup of shredded red cabbage

1 chopped celery stick

1/2 cup of feta cheese

Mix all ingredients together with the desired amount of Italian dressing.

Simple Spinach anytime salad

3 handfuls of baby spinach

1 medium shredded carrot

5 cherry tomatoes

Add the desired amount of Italian dressing. BAM!!!!!!

Juicing is a great way to create a healthy sebum flow and hair growth. 

Coily Queens Green Juice Beauty Cocktail

Kale

Spinach

1 medium carrot

2 chunks of ginger

1 medium gala red apple

The Health & Beauty benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

If you do not have a bottle of organic apple cider vinegar in your kitchen cabinet, you should purchase a bottle on your next trip to the grocery store. I have used apple cider vinegar for years in my beauty regimen and health care regimen.

Dry Hair

Having an issue with dry hair? Does your hair become dry easily? Do you find yourself needing to reapply conditioner on a daily basis? 

It is possible your hair is overly porous and the cuticle is opened and consistently losing moisture. Here is an easy quick solution, make an ACV rinse for your hair. Mix 1/4 cup of ACV with 2 cups of filtered water. After you shampoo and deep condition your hair this will be your final step before applying your leave in conditioner. Pour ACV rinse over your hair thoroughly saturating all your hair strands. Leave on for 3 minutes, then rinse for 3 minutes,using cool water. Then rinse your hair under cool water for another minute. Towel blot dry and feel your hair. It should feel amazing and have great sheen. Proceed with your leave in conditioner and style. You should notice your hair retaining moisture for a longer period of time. During the first 30 days you can do ACV rinses once per week, after 30 days you can do them once or twice per month. Your goal is to get your hair to retain moisture for 3 days without needing to apply more moisturizer. 

Remember porosity changes with conditions so even if you have low porosity you can still benefit from ACV rinses, if your hair is not retaining moisture.

Product Buildup

Do you feel like your hair has product build up? Not happy with harsh clarifying shampoos?  Add a tablespoon of ACV to 1/8 or 1/4 cup of your shampoo, and rub through your hair thoroughly. This will remove build up and create wonderful shine. ACV does not strip the hair nor throw the PH out of balance. 

This is not an ACV rinse

Colds

Tis the season to beware of colds! Do you feel like a cold is coming on? When you first feel the signs of a cold, drink one tablespoon of ACV mixed with one cup of warm water 3 times a day. This will lesson the duration of the cold. Do not take on an empty stomach and brush your teeth after each cocktail.

You can add honey to help with the taste. Always use organic ACV.

Skin

Instead of buying costly toners and astringents. Mix up a solution of ACV and use as your toner or astringent. Work with different solutions to get the right one for your skin type. My skin is not sensitive I can apply ACV straight to the cotton ball without diluting it. It makes my skin beautiful. 

Start with 8 ounces of bottled water and 1/2 cup of organic ACV.

The truth about Protein and your hair.

For all my sisters with slow growing tightly coily curly hair giving your hair a protein treatment such as Aphogee 2-step will make a huge difference in you retaining length. It is the best thing you can do for your hair, in my experience and opinion.

 Protein, whats the real deal?

Frequently the subject of protein comes up on the hair forums, hair blogs and amongst  the youtube haircare gurus. So what is the deal with protein treatments and why are people constantly talking about protein overload and protein sensitivity?

What are protein treatments?
These are treatments comprised of proteins from various sources such as: silk protein, wheat protein, human hair collagen  and other various animal proteins. Forget about the long lists the best protein you can use on your hair is a treatment which contains hydrolyzed keratin protein. Remember the majority of your hair is made up of protein.

What should I expect from a protein treatment?
Hydrolyzed protein is small enough to adhere to your individual hair strands. Your hair will feel different. Why? The different texture is from the tiny particles of hydrolyzed protein which are stuck to your hair strands. These tiny particles instantly make your fine or weak hair stronger. So you are creating an illusion here, because protein treatments are temporary. How long a treatment lasts depends on the quality of the protein treatment you choose. Always follow the directions of the protein treatment you choose to use. Remember anytime you add something foreign to the hair your hair will feel different. When you add extensions your hair feels different. When you add conditioner your hair feels different. Your hair should feel stronger but not like straw. Instantly after a good protein treatment your breakage should decrease by 50% or more after just one good protein treatment.

Who needs extra protein on their hair strands?

Anyone who:

has chemically treated hair  (relaxers, perms and permanent color)

If you use curling irons, or flat irons or blow dryers.

If you style your hair a lot

if you brush your hair a lot

if you have weak hair that tangles

if you are currently experiencing breakage

if you decide to press your hair


Why do I recommend hydrolyzed keratin protein as the best to use?

Because this particular proteins molecular structure is small enough to adhere to the hair shaft and strengthen each strand for up to 6 weeks each treatment. These treatments involve infusing protein which has been hydrolyzed, and when applied to the hair it hardens with the help of heat and your breakage will stop by at least 50% after the first treatment and 70% after the second treatment on average. So look for treatments which have hydrolyzed keratin protein listed as the second or third ingredient on the bottle. If a product says it is a protein treatment or hair reconstructor but the protein is listed as the 5th or 10th ingredient, leave it in the store. You are wasting your money. When your hair is breaking you cannot afford to buy weak products which waste your time and wash off your hair down your drain.

So you think you are protein sensitive? Since your hair is protein, it is less likely that you are protein sensitive.  Here are 4 common reasons why some have a problem with protein products

Reason 1: Using to much protein. You only need one good protein product in your regimen. When you do protein treatments, do not use shampoos or conditioners that contain additional protein. Do not apply treatment more frequently than the directions specify,this  leads to over coating your hair strands, which makes the hair feel hard. If this happens, all you need to do is give yourself a series of deep conditioning treatments.

Reason 2: Your hair is normal and healthy and you do not need the additional protein. Just because its popular does not mean that you need it. Evaluate your hair first. You hair is already protein, and if you eat healthy and take care of it and do not abuse it, you probably do not need additional protein. (Note: because of our standard beauty practices this applies to very few women)

Reason 3: Not applying enough moisture back into your hair after a protein treatment. Moisture, moisture, moisture. Follow the directions of the protein treatment you choose to use, do not make your own instructions up. Your hair will feel a little different after the treatment, that is normal, but it should not be hard nor stiff. It should feel stronger. You are instructed to apply a deep moisturizing conditioning treatment after you rinse the protein from your hair. 

Reason 4: You did not follow the instructions. It is very important to follow the instructions on your bottle and not what someone else is doing.

For more information about protein treatments please look for my other articles listed under Protein to your right>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I recommend the Aphogee 2 step protein treatment if you are experiencing breakage or have relaxed hair. It is the best on the market and cost effective. Subscribe to this blog for more information about protein or hair, and leave your questions below.