Apple cider vinegar for your hair

Organic apple cider vinegar, aka ACV, is an excellent health and beauty aide. Be sure to purchase organic. ACV is a very important item to always keep in stock.  

1. Apple cider vinegar contains potassium. Potassium is great for preventing hair loss.

2.  It is anti bacteria and anti fungal.It prevents fungus from taking residence on your scalp.  It contains acetic acid, which kills off fungus and bacteria. Scalp fungus is a top cause of hair loss. You may or may not have symptoms. Read more about fungus HERE. 

3.  The low PH of ACV causes the hair cuticle to lay flatter. This enables the hair to retain moisture for longer periods.  When the hair cuticle lays flat your hair will have more vibrancy and shine. 

4. Because ACV makes the hair cuticle lay flatter, you will notice that detangling is a lot easier. You should also notice a reduction in single strand knots. 


5.  When the ACV hits the scalp it stimulate better blood circulation. This increases your hair growth. 

HOW TO BENEFIT FROM ACV

Organic ACV rinse
Mix 1/4 cup of organic ACV with 2 cups of filtered water. This creates a final rinse to use on your hair. On shampoo day after you rinse out your deep conditioner, pour this rinse over your hair.  Use it all and let it sit on hair 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse out with cool water. With soaking wet hair, apply your leave in conditioner.  

Upgrade your shampoo
Add one tablespoon to 1/4 cup of your shampoo. The ACV lowers the PH of the shampoo and helps the shampoo to work better. With this combination you will notice an immediate difference in the vibrancy of your hair and less tangles. 

Anti bacterial growth braid spray
1 tablespoon of organic ACV
7 ounces of water
1 tsp tea tree oil
1 tsp of lavender oil
Use as a braid spray, to keep bacteria from accumulating on your scalp when wearing braids. 

5 possible reasons for your dry, itchy, flaky scalp

1. Products with harsh cheap ingredients:
Using products which contain a lot of unnatural ingredients will lead to allergic reactions on your scalp. Lots of times they are shuttle and many times the product causing the issue is overlooked. This can happen with a product you have used for years. It is best to choose products which have more natural ingredients, such as plant extracts, natural oils and butters. Stay away from cheap brands like: Aussie Moist, Dove, Pantene, Organix, African Pride and others like them. 

GREAT LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS FOR EXTRA DRY HAIR

2. Overuse of products
Whatever you apply on your hair will also seep onto the scalp. Be choosy with the products you use, which you leave on your hair all day. Just because your have Afro hair does not mean you have to use half the jar in one application. More product does not always make your hair style better. Many times it leaves a build up on the scalp, which irritates the scalp after a few days. Start using half the amount of product. Start small and smooth more. Your hair might look like it has soaked up the product but it has not. The majority of products do not penetrate the hair strands. They are cosmetic and sit on top.



3. Not cleansing enough
Lots of women have clogged hair follicles which lead to their slow hair growth. Most times the slow hair growth is attributed to genetics. Daily your hair collects: germs, dirt, bacteria, dust, products and more. Your hair is getting dirty the same way your body is getting dirty, throughout the day. You wash your body then ignore the hair. That must stop. Your dry itchy scalp is begging to be cleansed. Wash your hair with a non sulfate shampoo twice a week. 

HOW TO SHAMPOO AFRO HAIR EFFECTIVELY

4. Fungus
This is a top reason for hair loss and slow hair growth. If your scalp is itchy, scaly, dry skin buildup then you could have a fungus issue. The only way to know is to visit your dermatologist. You can also use a product that contains sulfur and see if your scalp starts to heal. If it does then there was a good chance your issue is fungus related. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR SCALP AND FUNGUS HERE

5. Low sebum production
We are always producing sebum from our hair follicles if they are still open. Sebum is the waxy oily substance that is secreted from our hair roots. Sebum conditions the hair and keeps it growing at it optimum speed. Sebum is why your face becomes oily. Some people produce more sebum than others. Our sebum production depends on our individual health. When your sebum is low then your scalp can become itchy due to low lubrication. A balanced healthy diet which includes 64 ounces of water daily will help you maintain great sebum production. Oil massages with good oils for ten minutes everyday, will also help with low sebum production. 

Help, my hair is growing slow!

PROBLEM:
I have been natural for 3 years. I shampoo once per week. My hair is growing, but it appears to be growing rather slowly, well below the average. I have seen women who have been natural for 1.5 years and they have really  good growth. What am I doing wrong???

SOLUTIONS:
Identify whether you are having a retention issue or growth problem.

Hair retention, how much of your hair growth each month are you able to hold onto. Your hair is growing at the average rate, however it is breaking off  due to various reasons.

Reasons for most hair breakage
Weak hair. your protein have been weakened, thus hair breaks easily. (breakage solution)
Dehydrated hair, due to long term lack of moisture. (dry hair solution)
Untangling hair improper (How to untangle hair properly)
Damaged hair cuticles due to using brushes, combs, flat irons and other heat tools. (heat damage)
Using bad ingredients which damage your hair.
Dry hair due to lack of cleansing and conditioning. (developing a good regimen)
Harsh chemicals such as hair dyes, texturizers and such. (moisturizing dyed hair)

Growth problem. The average rate of hair growth per month is .50 an inch. Some people receive less than this and that is slow hair growth.

Reasons for slow hair growth
Harsh ingredients (bad ingredients to look out for)
Vitamin and mineral  deficiencies (good HSN vitamins)
Scalp fungus (treating fungus)
Health issues and certain medications (health/hair loss)

Once you identify what is getting in the way of your growth or retention issue then you treat that area. For most people it is several areas, they must correct. Select the article next to your length blocker and start your corrective journey today. 

After you have corrected your issue join one or my hair growth challenges to give your hair growth a much needed BOOST!!!

GROWTH CHALLENGES
Gain and inch in 30 days hair growth challenge
40 day New Moon Phase Challenge
CQR-Liquid Gold challenge

Summer care for coily hair

1. Head wraps and hats for sun protection 

Just like your skin your hair also requires sun protection. The absolute best sun protection for the hot Summer days are head wraps and hats. You want to wear one or the other as much as you can in this hot summer heat.

2.  Oils for Sun protection

Sunflower seed oil, protects hair from the absorption of ultra violet rays. In a dark color bottle, mix 1/2 sunflower seed oil, 1/2 grape seed oil and 1/4 cup of unrefined coconut oil. Apply daily during the summer time. Beginning with 1 tablespoon smooth really well through hair being sure to coat all strands. Grapeseed oil and coconut oil also have heat protection properties.



3. Enhance growth and cool down your scalp with coily hair spritzers!!!

Hair growth spritzer

These hot Summer days can leave your scalp hot and sometimes itchy. Hair spritzers  help to cool a  hot and itchy scalp while enhancing hair growth. During the hot months, our hair growth rate increases. You can enhance this growth with Coily Spritzers. 

CoilyQueens growth spritzer

Using a tea ball add 2 tablespoon of good quality green tea to 7 ounces of hot water. Once tea cools add 3 drops of pure peppermint oil and 4 drops of rosemary oil. Shake well and store in the refrigerator. When you come home from a long hot day spray your scalp with this minty cool spritzer. You can also use this spritzer as a wake me up in the morning. Remember to concentrate spritzer on the scalp area this will help stimulate growth. 

CoilyQueens scalp cooler spritzer

Add 2 tablespoons of a good quality green tea to a tea ball. Boil 7 ounces of water. Remove water from heat then place tea ball in hot water until it cools. Once tea has cooled add: 5 drops of sage oil, 5 drops of rosemary, 5 drops of tea tree oil and 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil. The tea tree is antiseptic. The sage and rosemary are anti bacteria and jojoba will help to balance your sebum.

4. Help for frizzy hair and shrunken fros!

Summer time is frizz time if you have curly coily hair. Whether it is a wash and go or a twist out, anytime you wear your hair loose you can expect shrinkage, during the hot months. Our hair shrinks due to the humidity. The hot humidity creates moisture and water makes our curly, coily hair shrink. There are products on the market called anti humectants. These products contain ingredients which help to block the humidity so no moisture settles in your hair. No moisture equals no shrinkage. So when you shop look for the term anti humectant. There are many on the market you have to find the one that works best on your hair. I do not recommend using any anti humectant products if you are experiencing dry hair. If your hair has a hard time retaining moisture an anti humectant will make your it worst. When using an anti humectant apply your leave in conditioner and oils first then apply your anti humectant.

Popular anti humectants:
Aveda Brillant Anti Humectant order here!
Sabino Moisture Blocker  order now!
Bumble & Bumble De-frizz order here!
Anti humectants (made with natural ingredients)
John Master Organic Hair Pomade order here!
Kinky Curly Gloss Pomade order here!

Add some flax seed gel to your regular hair gel to keep the frizz away!

MSM Sulfur and hair growth

If you are experiencing slow hair growth or an itchy scalp, a sulfur based oil could be the solution to your issue. You will find a wide variety of different sulfur based oils on the market.They vary in price an quality. You want to find a sulfur oil which has been infused in good quality natural oils. The Liquid Gold sulfur based hair growth oil is that high quality sulfur oil. This oil is made of a very fine sulfur and amazing high quality natural oils.

What's in the Liquid Gold growth oil?

Liquid gold sulfur hair growth oil contains:
Grape seed oil: This oil is extracted from the seeds of the grapes and is loaded with lots of vitamin E. Grape seed oil treats weak hair, frizzy hair, hair loss and dandruff.
Castor oil: Stimulate the scalp and hair regeneration. Soothes inflamed scalps and prevents scalp from drying out.
Argan oil: Highly moisturizes the scalp. Stimulates growth. Strengthens hair and treats dry brittle hair.
Sulfur powder: Antibacterial which ensures a healthy scalp. Treats fungus activity. Improves scalp circulation which is critical to hair growth. 

Texture and smell

The sulfur in this oil blend is very fine, so when you apply it there is no grittiness , as you sometimes find with other sulfur oils. Shake, pour and apply. A proprietary essential oil mix is used to give this blend a pleasant smell.  No unpleasant smell from this product. 

What does sulfur do for the hair?

  Fungus activity on the scalp causes slow hair growth and baldness. Scalp fungus is one of the top reasons for more hair loss or slow hair growth. Applying a tropical sulfur based oil to your hair 3 times a week will kill fungus activity. Once the scalp fungus is killed your hair starts to grow and thrive as it should and you retain more length.

More information about fungus and your hair

The Liquid Gold sulfur growth oil is the best sulfur based oil you will find on the market. The best price and best quality. You can purchase a 4 ounce bottle for  $9.95. If you apply the oil 3 times per week it will last you for one month. You can also purchase the oil in a refill 8 ounce bottle for $16.95. 

Sulfur oil <<Green Magic Growth Cream>>>Beauty Vites HSN vitamins  order below!

Give your hair growth a one two punch by combining the sulfur oil with the beauty vites hair skin & nails vitamins. The beauty vites hair vitamins are $14.95 which is a one month supply. 

Start your hair growth journey today without hurting your wallet. This is the absolute best deal on a hair growth supplement. Combine the product usage with the awesome Coily Queens Regimen for even better results. Get the regimen here! 

Also check out the Green Magic cream by Liquid Gold. It is a growth cream filled with awesome ingredients. I also use it as a second or third day twist cream. It is non water based so it moisturizes without shrinking the hair. Your twist out turns out defined but with lots of stretch. 

Green Magic Grow Cream Order below!

DHT and hair loss

Did you know that DHT is the leading cause of hair loss in 90% of hair loss cases for men and women?

What is DHT? 
Dihydrotestosterone is a male sex hormone that is the leading cause of hair loss in men, and also affects women.  Based on a persons genetics as a man or woman ages DHT  can start to overproduce.
DHT builds up within the hair root and chokes the hair root and hair eventually falls out and does not grow back. It first starts with thinning and will stay at that stage for months or years. You should seek a dermatologists help at the first sign of excessive hair shedding which continues beyond one week, and there is no current known illness which could cause your hair loss. The earlier you treat any type of hair loss the better your chances of recovering your hair or drastically slowing down the hair loss.

Natural oils DHT blockers
EVOO
Sunflower oil
Emu oil: lowers DHT, keeps hair in Androgen stage longer.
Pumpkin seed oil
Selenium
Zinc
Palmetto extracts 
Green tea: removes toxins and regrows hair
Apple cider vinegar: Dissolves DHT residue, kills fungus and bacteria, removes build up from the hair and scalp and unclogs hair follicles.

Drinking 4 cups of green tea daily help to block DHT

Treatments used to block DHT must be used continuously and ongoing in order to maintain results.

Cold pressed Castor oil is great for treating excessive shedding and fungus. Use daily.

Fungus of the Hair Follicles: another leading cause of hair loss

Using a good quality sulfur oil on your scalp several times a weeks is very effective in killing fungus activity on the scalp. Fungus activity left untreated can cause baldness and stunted hair growth. You may think your hair grows slow when it could be a fungus stunting your hair growth. Liquid Gold products makes a great sulfur oil, I use this product and it has produced amazing growth results for me. Even if you are not suffering from fungus growth this oil will help you grow your hair to longer lengths. Liquid Gold hair growth sulfur oil by Liquid Gold products. 

Other causes of hair loss:

lack of quality proteins in diet

lack of minerals

lack of scalp oxygen

unbalanced hormones

low fatty acids.

A vitamin D deficiency 

Tight hair extensions 

Thyroid issues

Start a Hair Journal today so you can keep up with your hair.

Knowing your hair
Know your hair and how much you normally shed

per day. People can shed anywhere between 50-150 hairs per day. Know what is normal for you, so when you see abnormal shedding you will know to seek medical attention immediately. Before you see your doctor right down everything you can think of concerning your hair and how you have been feeling overall. Do your own research based on the symptoms you are having. Ask for a scalp biopsy so your diagnosis can be more accurate. As previously stated the older the hair loss the harder it is to recover your hair. Early treatment is key with any type of hair loss. 

Hair weave and hair loss
The worst thing you can do when you hair starts to thin is to put weave or hair extensions over it and not visit a doctor.  Hair extensions will make the issue worst, seek treatment first then figure out a style for your hair. Choose a wig over weave or braids, the wig is less tension on your hair and you can remove it nightly for ventilation to the scalp.

There are many reasons for hair loss I have given you the top reasons for hair loss. Prevention is always better than cure. So practice a healthy lifestyle and be proactive with your health.

Should I Shampoo or Co-wash my hair?

Co-washing: when you use conditioner to cleanse your hair in place of shampoo.

What is the purpose of co-washing instead of just shampooing the hair?
To try and cleanse the hair without drying it out in the process. Until recently, there were not a lot of non sulfate shampoos readily available to the consumer. Traditional shampoo has to many harsh chemicals in it, in particular sulfates, these sulfates dry your hair out. Sulfates not only clean but they strip all of the natural oils from the hair and leave most curly texture hair tangled.  For this reason many curly coily naturals turned to washing their hair with conditioner only. They found that using conditioner in the place of shampoo left the hair clean and moisturized.

Does conditioner clean the scalp good?
No, while some conditioners have a small amount of cleaning properties in them, they are not formulated to clean the hair. A conditioner is formulated to be applied to hair that has already been shampooed. Conditioner does not clean just as good or better than shampoo.

Is this a problem?
Yes it is because just like the rest of your body the hair needs to be cleansed properly and on a regular basis. Daily you accumulate dried sebum, salty sweat, dead skin cells, germs from your hands and hair tools, dirt and air pollutants on your hair. Conditioner alone will not remove all of this from your scalp. You need a product which is formulated for the purpose of cleaning the hair. Continuing to co-wash long term can lead to blocked hair follicles, scalp fungus and other scalp irritants. 

Well why do so many people continue to co-wash?
Because co-washing gives you immediate results and people love quick results. Co-washing does leave the hair very soft and way easier to untangle after cleansing. Also many do not know that their scalp is not being cleaned well when they conditioner wash, but once they read this article they will know. 

Shea Moisture shampoos are sulfate free

So if sulfates dry my hair out and conditioner washing does not clean my hair, what are my options?

Today you can easily walk into any beauty supply store, drug store or department store and find a bottle of non-sulfate shampoo. The hair companies have paid attention to the coily naturals and understand that many have figured out that sulfates are bad, bad, bad for the hair, so they stopped buying shampoo. Well now you have a variety of non sulfate shampoos available to choose from. For a few dollars more you can invest in a conditioning cleanser.

What is a conditioning cleanser?
This product is formulated with milder cleansing agents which are non sulfate. So they clean your hair and condition it in one step without drying your hair out. If it is a good conditioning cleanser you will not have to deep conditioner afterwards, thus saving you a step and cutting 45 minutes from your shampoo routine. The conditioning cleanser will give you the result of co washing, except it will cleanse your hair properly. If you suffer from very dry hair I recommend a conditioning cleanser over a non-sulfate shampoo.

Now you know what co-washing means and what it does and does not do. You know the importance of cleaning your scalp daily and what could potentially happen when the scalp is not properly cleansed. So now you decide for yourself which method would be good for you. You already have my recommendation. 
Healthy hair journey to you!


 

Why your hair growth aides are not working for you.

Finding a growth aid that is right for you (Part one)

Many people use growth aids, some say they work others say they do not. Most of the popular growth aids have no scientific evidence of them actually assisting you with hair growth. But we know all to well, science is not always right. Those who do not believe that growth aids help are usually those who have tried growth aids and had no success and those who say they do work are those who have had success with growth aids.

Growth aids do work, the error which most people make is jumping on a bandwagon and not using the right growth aid for their hair issue. Growth aids are not one size fits all. If you are experiencing slow hair growth, you first must try to figure out why your hair is growing so slow. Most people believe that hair growth is hereditary and if you never had long hair as a child then you will not be able to obtain long hair ever. This is one of the biggest hair myths.

Lets look at some of the popular growth aids you read about on hair forums:

Miconazole nitrate, vagina yeast infection cream, is a popular one that many who are brave enough to try, have claimed it grows their hair as much as one inch per month. But their are just as many who say this did nothing for their hair growth. Miconazole nitrate is an anti-fungal medication, it kills yeast found in the vagina area and this is the purpose it is sold for. If you use this product on your scalp and you do not have yeast buildup, then this product will not work for you, it may even destroy some good bacteria that our body needs. Fungus growth is a huge part of the reason some women experience slow growth or hair loss, so it is understandable if someone uses this and their is fungus growth that this product will kill the fungus and the eggs, this will free up the hair follicles to read its maximum growth potential. So if you do not have fungus growth this product will do nothing for your hair growth. These products do not produce more hair from the scalp, it just has the potential to kill fungus growth and eggs on top of the scalp.

Sulfur powder, MSM, MTG:

These ingredients also kill fungus growth on the scalp when applied tropically. These products will not produce additional hair growth or extend your hairs growth phase, it kills the fungus so you hair can reach its full growth potential.

Megatek:

Many use this product to increase their hair growth and claim it works wonders. This is an protein product that you apply to hair (not the scalp) it strengthens your hair follicles and keeps your hair from breaking so easily when manipulated. The main problem with this product is that it is not marketed for human use, so their are no instructions for use on humans. I read about people applying this to their scalp and then covering their hair follicles with a plastic bag. This is only clogging your hair follicles and creating a situation in which your hair will grow even slower. If you make a choice to use this product only apply it to your hair strands and do not cover with a plastic bag. Use at your own risk.

I have covered three of the most commonly talked about hair growth aids. None of these products do I approve or use for hair growth or haircare. Use these products at your own risk. The purpose of this article is to make you think about the cause of your slow hair growth before you jump on a bandwagon of products.

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