Do white clumps and specks constantly ruin your twist out?

1. Reduce the amount of product you use.
Most naturals are to heavy handed with their style products. More product does not necessarily mean better style results. If white product build up is your issue, reduce the amount of product you use by half. As you pour product, make it a habit of putting half of the amount back in the bottle. This will help you so break the habit of overusing products.

2. Test product compatibility before doing your whole head.
You should always use a leave in conditioner under your gel or style product. Unfortunately this is where it can go wrong.  Before you waste time and product, test the compatibility of your products, before doing your whole head. Put a nickel size amount of each product on the back of your hand. Blend the products together. Examine closely how well the two products mix together. Do you see separation? Do you see clumps? Let it settle for 60 seconds. The two products should blend to a clump free smooth consistency. If it does not then do not apply that product combination to your hair. 

3. Stay away from products that are white opaque. 
Buy products that are shear in color. This is a good way to not have white specks form on your hair. Miss Jessie's curling custard is clear color. It also creates great wash and goes and twist outs.This can be a challenge, because most leave ins are white opaque.  Consider using a liquid leave in spray, if this is a constant issue for you. 

4. Dab away excess product when done setting your style. 
A good indication of overusing product, is when you can see excess product oozing out your twists, once you have finished twisting. Instead of leaving that excess product sitting on top of you hair, lightly wipe it away with a mono fiber towel. Or tie down with a scarf so the scarf soaks up some of the product. Tying your hair down with a silk scarf, will also soak up excess product. 

5. Stay away from cheap products.
Cheap ingredients are mostly likely to bead up on your hair. You get what you pay for. Cheap products do not mix well with other products. Invest in all natural products. Purchase your gel and leave in conditioner from the same line. Products from the same line are compatible with each other, in most cases. 

October New Moon Trim Dates

The moon and  stars to  rule over the night, for His steadfast love endures forever.
Psalms 136:9

What is New Moon hair growth?
It is using the power of the New Moon as it increases towards the Full Moon, to stimulate your hair growth. This is done by trimming your hair during the growing phase of the moon. You can trim as little or as much as you desire. 

What supplies do I need to practice this hair growth method?
A pair of hair cutting scissors. and a hair journal to record how much you cut and how much your hair grows every 40 days. This is all that is needed now how great is that!

October New Moon Phase Dates

Best days to trim for increased hair growth

20th

25th

26th

30th

31st

Best days for hair treatments and conditioning rinses

Oct 22-24

28th and 29th

Best days to dye your hair

Oct 13th and 14th

Best day to heat straighten or chemical straighten 

Oct 15th, 16th, 17th

I did the trim now what?
Be sure you have trimmed your hair on the correct dates, many people get it mixed up and believe you trim your hair on the Full Moon. But a Full Moon has already matured, you want to trim your hair so your hair can grow as the New Moon grows. Once you have the right date, then trim as you desire and write down how much you trimmed and the length of your hair now. Then every 40 days record your hair growth in you hair journal. 

Do I have to trim every month?
No you do not. Most people receive results from one new moon phase trim.  I believe you can continue to get results for up to 5 months after one new moon phase trim. Simply follow you regular trim schedule.  you can do it one time if you like. I believe you can get results up to 6 months after your trim. The only way to know for sure is to try it and keep an accurate record of your growth increase.  For accuracy it helps to measure in the same area each time and also keep the hair in the same condition each time you measure. If you did your first trim on stretched hair then remember to stretch your hair when you do your follow up measurements in 40 days. 

Hopefully you have a better understanding of what the New Moon hair growth method is and how to practice it. If you are one of those women who are afraid to cut your hair, fear not, your hair will grow back and you will gain even more. Trimming your hair is a part of a good hair care regimen, you should trim every 4 months that is 3 times a year. Now that is not bad is it? Your hair will love you for it and it will look so much healthier.

My continued growth results from August 

 My results from my new moon trim back on August 17, 2013.

I cut two inches from my bangs on August 17th, as of January 29th, my bangs have grown back 4.25 inches. I gained 4.25 inches of new growth in 5 months. My regular rate of hair growth is 1/4 inch per month. The new moon  method has almost given  me a consistent 1 inch  growth increase over the past 5 months. Four and 1/4 inches in 5 months. The average rate of hair growth per month is 1/2 inch.  I exceeded the the average! Praise God! On January 14th I did another New Moon trim, I cut 1/4 of an inch and that has grown back already. So what are you waiting on? Get your supplies ready and mark your date.

Botanical gels a healthier alternative for your wash and goes

Gels are used for defining curls, holding them in place or smoothing down the hair. Commonly used for the wash and go, buns, updos and sometimes a twist out.  You will use gel anytime you want more hold. 

What you apply to the hair strands, will eventually seep into the hair follicles.  Any product which sits on the hair, should be filled with good ingredients. When a gel is filled with a lot of alcohols, proteins, dyes and harsh ingredients. They cause your hair strands to dry out quick, and break. They clog your hair follicles and retard your hair growth. They also lead to major scalp irritations. 

There are many gels which work awesome on coily hair. But the popular ones are filled with lots of bad dyes and ingredients. 

A botanical gel is not harsh like regular gels. They are filled with plant extracts which give the hair hold, without making it crunchy and drying it out. Always expect to pay more for a botanical gel. Consider it the same as buying fresh vegetables versus fast food. 

The most popular gel used by naturals is the eco styler gel. It is cheap and it works for most. However compare the ingredients on your jar of eco styler gel to the ingredients I have listed below for a few botanical gels. 

BIG DIFFERENCE HUH? 
I KNOW?
THE PROOF IS ON THE JAR.

Here are my top pics for botanical gels and custards. 

Kinky Curly Curling Custard (KCCC)
Ingredients:  Water, horsetail, chamomile, nettle and marshmellow, organic aloe vera juice, agave nectar extract, pectin, citric acid, vitamin E, potassium sorbate, natural fragrance.

• Firm, hold no crunch
• Hold lasts up to 3 days.
• Mixes well with most products
• No flaking
• Not sticky, if you do not overuse
• A little goes a long way.
• Lasts a long time. 

Curly Magic curl stimulator
Ingredients:  Aloe Vera, marshmellow root, chamomile, nettle  and horsetail extract, agave nectar extract, Vitamin E, citric acid, Potassium Sorbate, natural fragrance. 

• Aloe Vera based 
• Long lasting definition 
• Firm hold

Order here!

Mielle Organics Honey and Ginger styling gel
Ingredients:  Water, Glycerin, honey, aloe Vera, acrylates polymer, coconut oil, babassu oil, shea butter, maltodextrin/VP polymer, marshmellow extract, Pectin, parfum, Carbomer, Xanthan gum, Dehydroacetic acid, Benzyl alcohol

• Great definition
• Frizz reduction
• 70% organic ingredients

Obia Curl enhancing custard
Ingredients:  Water, Olive oil, grape seed oil, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, egetable glycerin, Gluconolacton and Sodium Benzoate, Xantham gum, Fragrance. 

• PH balanced
• non alchohol
• nourishing oils
• Non drying
• Does not leave hair crunchy. 

Compare the above ingredients with that of cheaper gels such as eco styler gel.

The right conditioning product for your hair lifestyle

COILY WET SET aka THE WASH AND GO

Your hair lifestyle is that you rock coily wet sets most of the time.  You love your wash and go but you consistently have an issue with product buildup or white balls ruining your wet set. Always apply a leave in conditioner under your gel or hold product, when doing coily wet sets.  Gels can easily dry the hair out and break it. You want the gel to lay on top of the conditioner to protect your hair from breakage.

To avoid product clumps and white particles, choose a liquid leave in conditioner or a lotion type of leave in. Stay away from creamy leave in conditioners, with your coily wet set. The heavier the products the more likely you are to experience white balls forming and ruining your style. In general creams are much heavier than lotions. 

Lotion leave in conditioners :

Karen's Body Beautiful sweet ambrosia leave in

Avo365 leave in conditioner curly

Mielle avocado moisturizing milk

Liquid leave in conditioners:

Jane Carter revitalizing leave in conditioner

Aphogee pro vitamin leave in conditioner

Alikay Naturals lemongrass leave in

TWIST OUTS, BRAID OUTS

For twist out, braid outs and puffs creamy leave ins are the way to go.  To many naturals overdo it with product application. This leads to white particles and buildup on the hair. Use only a little product per section and spend more time smoothing the product evenly through your hair. A little product truly goes a long way. 

Remember the less product you use the less shrinkage you will have. Try to achieve your twist out or braid out with only a creamy leave in conditioner and oil. A good leave in conditioner will function as both a moisture and hold product. 

Products which condition and set the hair:

Shea Moisture curl enhancing smoothie

Qhemet Biologics amla heavy cream

Jane Carter curl cream

HEAT STRAIGHTENING 

When you press or flat iron your hair, you want as much body as you can achieve. No one wants weighed down straight hair. The less heavy products you use the least likely you will have weighed down hair. You want your hair protected and moisturized without being weighed down. To have more body, use a liquid leave in conditioner under your heat protectant. 

Liquid leave in conditioner recommendations

Aphogee pro vitamin leave in

Infusion 23 pro vitamin leave in hair treatment