Category: coconut oil

aloe vera, au naturale, bananas, coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut water, curl defining, lupie chick, lupus, miss sixx, mist, natural hair, natural hair styles, potassium, Rihanna

Coconut Water ~ Health~ Skin~ Hair

The Lupie Chick

I have been struggling with maintaining proper potassium levels due to Lupus and some of my medications. The muscle spasms, drowsiness’s, and extreme thirst was too much to deal with and painful ( imagine the worse Charlie horse you’ve ever had then magnify that feeling by 10). I didn’t want to have to take another pill ( supplement) and I’m not a fan of bananas ( a great source of potassium), I sought the advice of my doctor as to what I could do naturally to bring my levels up.

He provided me with a list of good sources of potassium including fresh fruits, vegetables, shellfish, beans, wheat bran, salad, nuts, cereals, meat, and dairy foods. Then he told me about Coconut Water { insert O_o } is that like coconut oil?? Coconut milk?? I’d never heard of it. What is it??

Coconut Water a clear liquid extracted from green coconuts is low in fat and calories, has no cholesterol, and has a natural balance of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium- making it a healthy electrolyte drink. Coconut water is rich in potassium: a typical serving offers 569 mg, which is almost twice the amount in a banana.

The amino acids, potassium, and magnesium that make these tonics such a stellar sip also do wonders for stressed-out skin. You can use coconut water as a facial “mask.” Just apply to your skin and let it rest for 5-15 minutes, then wash off. Otherwise you can use it daily to wash your skin. Coconut water not only cleanses, it also tones your skin. If your skin is oily, you can also add grapefruit or pineapple juice to the coconut water, for added benefits.



Coconut water comes in many varieties ( and price points) and is sold everywhere from grocery stores, specialty markets, to Sephora I had imagined that it would taste like one of those fancy drinks you see people drinking while vacationing in a tropical paradise like Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean. I saw many celebrities pictured drinking coconut water so I thought, yeah… this is going to be good.

Rihanna

I went to Sam’s Club and purchased a case for $15.99.
NOW BEFORE YOU ALL RUN TO SAM’S
STOP….WAIT…. PAUSE…
HAVE A SEAT AND FINISH READING THIS POST
I could NOT drink it- everything I read said it was a ” delicious, cool, and refreshing ” LIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That stuff hit the back of my throat and BABY… EEERRRYYYYTHING I had previous digested came up and out!!!!!!! It’s a taste I cant describe except (IMO) it tasted like a mix of high octane gasoline with a subtle note of coconut.  ( YUKE!!!!!) I have a case of this stuff- and I WASNT GOING TO LET IT GO TO WASTE- what’s a girl to do??

The mixologist in me created a (natural) Coconut Water Curl Refesher!!!!!!!!

Recipe: Coconut Curl Quench
1 (can/box) Coconut Water
1/2-1 can (Goya) Coconut Milk
2-3 table spoons of Coconut Oil
2-3 table spoons of Aloe Vera Juice/Jelly ( which ever you have on hand)
 (optional) couple of drops of Vitamin E

Pour  everything into a spray bottle, shake to mix all indgredients. You can use  this as a curl refesher or if you need to mist your hair before/during styling/twisting/braiding this is perfect!!!!!!

I will have to seek an alternative method for taking in more potassium. because I cant stomach the coconut water, but my hair LOVES IT!!!!. ** Guess I better start with banana smoothies**

au naturale, co-wash, coconut oil, flat twist, lotta body, lupie chick, miss naturale, miss sixx, natural hair, natural hair styles

Today’s Look- Flat Twist Out

The Lupie Chick

Todays Look

Flat Twist Out

To achieve this look:

  • Co wash hair ( I used  VO5 moisture milk Strawberries and Creme Conditioner)
  • Detangle Hair
  • Apply Coconut Oil ( all over pay special attention to your ends)
  • Spray hair with diluted Lotta Body Setting lotion ( 50/50 mix of Lotta body and (rose)Water)
  • Flat twist hair going back ( spray hair as necessary with Lotta Body to keep it wet )
  • Allow hair to air dry over night ( you may also sit under the dryer)
  • apply coconut oil ( or oil of choice) to hair ( before you unravel twist)
  • ** optional: I keep my bonnet on while I’m taking a shower so that the steam can help loosin the twist **
  • unravel twist
  • fluff/separate twist with fingers
  • ** My hair has been cut into layers. This haircut allows for my twist to ” automatically” fall into place. **

Disclaimer: These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Mz. Sixx. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2012 – Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx

almond oil, au naturale, castor oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, lanolin, mineral oil, miss sixx, moisturizer, mz sixx, natural, olive oil, orange marmalade, petroleum, sealant

Moisturizing and Sealing Natural Hair

The Lupie Chick

Moisturizing and sealing natural hair is one area that new naturals often find difficulty in, when they’re initially learning how to care for natural hair. Moisturizing and sealing are two basic steps that can be done in a matter of minutes.


The first thing that you need to know is what should be used to accomplish both parts of the process. Moisturizing should be done with water alone, or water followed by a water based leave in conditioner. Sealing is done with natural oils, to prevent moisture from leaving the hair. Natural oils are not moisturizers because most natural oils will not penetrate the hair shaft.

Below are the steps I take to seal and moisturize my hair:


Step 1Find A Water Based Leave In Conditioner
You want to be sure to stay away from products that contain petroleum, mineral oil, lanolin oil, and alcohol because these ingredients are notorious for blocking moisture from entering the hair strand which causes hair to eventually break. Look for natural ingredients like glycerin and natural oils, with water being one of the first three ingredients listed. I make my own leave in.

Here’s the recipe:


Aloe Vera Juice
Rosemary Essential Oil
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Jojoba Oil
Vegetable Glycerin (optional)
Distilled Water
Spray bottle

Fill up 50% of the bottle with aloe vera juice, leaving space to add the essential oils, jojoba, glycerin, and water. Next add 10 drops of rosemary and lemongrass essential oil and three to five drops of jojoba oil. Add a small amount of vegetable glycerin ( 1-2 cap full). Lastly fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water and shake up

Aloe Vera moisturizes the hair and keeps it soft. It is packed with vitamin B12, vitamin C, amino acids, minerals, and salicylic acid. It has been used for general hair health, hair growth, and also as a hair shampoo and conditioner.

Rosemary Essential Oil stimulates hair follicles, therefore increasing hair strength, hair growth, and for dry and flaky scalps. It has also been used as a remedy for mental fatigue.

Lemongrass Essential Oil stimulates hair follicles and also adds a refreshing citrus fragrance to the leave-in conditioner. It has anti-bacterial properties and is calming and soothing to the body.

Jojoba Oil is the closest oil to skin’s sebum. Therefore, is extremely healing and moisturizing for the hair. It is a non-greasy oil absorbing immediately into the hair. This will help with hair frizz and dryness.

Vegetable Glycerin is known for being a humectant. It is an amazing ingredient to add when air drying hair. It is amazing for curly hair and really dry hair. It should be used very sparingly so that it doesn’t create a sticky film.

Some commercial Leave in conditioners that are worth a try are:
Kinky Curly Knot Today and  Giovanni Direct Leave In

Step 2Choose A Natural Oil
Natural, unrefined, and virgin oils work best. Extra virgin olive oil and unrefined coconut oil not only seal moisture into the hair but it improves the health of hair as well. Jojoba oil is a good sealant for people who are acne prone since it’s lighter and less likely to clog pores. ( I use a mix of coconut oil, Amla oil, grapeseed oil, and castor oil)

Step 3Moisturize Hair
Starting with wet hair, Split hair into 4 sections. take a quarter amount of leave in , spread it between your hands, and distribute throughout your hair ensuring that you saturate all the strands. Use more for longer and thicker hair and less for shorter and thinner. Be sure to pay extra attention to the ends of your hair since they are prone to drying and breaking.

Step 4Seal In Moisture With Your Oil * optimal on (co)wash day(s)*working from the same 4 sections. Spread a dime size amount of oil in between hands and distribute to each section. Avoid applying more than a dime size amount of oil to each section or hair may become too oily.

Continue the steps until all sections are completed.

Step 5

Style as normal. When I’m not in a protective style, my styling choices are twist outs, braid outs, and buns.

au naturale, coconut oil, conditioner, denman brush, dry twist out, generic, mini me, miss sixx, mz sixx, ouchless, rosemary, sally beauty supply, tree tea shampoo, twist outs, water

Monday Look: Me & Mini Me

The Lupie Chick

Mini Me:
Products: Sally Generic Brand Tree Tea Oil Shampoo
Conditioner: Mz. Sixx Mix w/ Banana Baby Food mixed with EVOO
Styling Aid: Mz. Sixx Lemon Twist Souffle
Style: Puff
Tools: Fingers, Denman Brush, Ouchless Head Band

Mz. Sixx
Products: Mz. Sixx Lemon Twist Souffle
Stayling Aid: Water mix with Rosemary EO, Coconut Oil
Style: Dry Twist Out
Tools: Fingers, Denman Brush
** Ignore the little fly away piece at the top- when I straightened my hair I had bangs cut, not thinking they would be super short when I went back to my curly style, and I pinned them over to the side..**

au naturale, coconut oil, homemade hair care, miss sixx, natural hair, natural hair styles, spritz, twist outs

I got a handle on my twist outs-PART 2

The Lupie Chick
Hello Divas,

After the blog post ” Finally! I got a handle on my twist outs”-I was asked to provide pic’s of my hair in twists (for my twist outs). You can read the original posting in its entirely- HERE.

Below are a few shots of the twists – I have permanent parts in my head , so I just “finger ” part the twist, apply a little coconut oil ( if any at all) and twist each section (try not to “borrow’ hair from the twist-make them as even as possible).


Twist Unraveled & Separated

These pic’s are day 2 old twists, finger styled, fluffed, and refreshed with my homemade spritz

Finished Look

au naturale, coconut oil, ecostyler, miss sixx, twist outs

Finally – I got an handle on my twist outs

The Lupie Chick

Divas,
Have you ever made something harder than what it actually is? We’ll thats what I was doing with my twist outs. I realized that I was making the hair “too wet”, using too many products, and just doing too damn much! lol..lol..

I now twist using only coconut/grape seed oil mix and a “small” amount of Eco-Styler gel-I make a total of 12 twist ( 6 on each side). Nightly I make I make a total of 8 twist ( 4 on each side) and cover with a bonnet. THAT’s IT! In the morning- I un twist, separate a few of the “larger twist” and finger fluff- That’s it!!!

Day 1 Twist Out

I like my twist outs most on day 2-3-no work, no worries, no fuss. Basically on the 2nd-3rd day I spriz the hair “lightly” with my homemade spritz and finger fluff and GO!

Day 2 Twist Out

Day 3 twist Out

As you can see, with each passing day, the hair get bigger and bigger- and BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER 🙂

au naturale, baking soda, bantu knot, bobby pins, breast cancer awareness, clarifier, coconut milk, coconut oil, ecostyler, fro hawk, miss sixx, pre-poo, protective style, styling products

Whipping My Hair Back N’ Forth- A’Yianah’s Way

The Lupie Chick

Style: Fro-Hawk

Complete: ( 2 days set/drying time- we do not use heat on our hair- therefore her hair air dried over the course of 2 days) 20 mins-styling

Products Used: Pre Poo Treatment ( Olive Oil/Raw Honey), Baking Soda Clarifying Mix, Yes to carrots shampoo, homemade hair spritz ( Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Curl Activator, Distilled Water), and Eco Styler Gel

Tools Used: my fingers, bobby pins

Reason for style: Protective style for the week

Note: A’Yianah is 8 months into her transition. During most of her transition time, she has worn her hair braided, corn rolled, and two strand twisted. We decided to give her hair a “break” and rock an alternate style for a few weeks. Her hair has already begun to thicken up and her edges are growing back beautifully ( thanks to my own concoction).

It was a wonderful sight as a mom to see my daughter rocking her natural so proudly. She was smiling from ear to ear and couldn’t wait to get to school to show her version of a fro-hawk. If any of you follow her on Face Book then you saw the pic’s that she uploaded this morning. Her out fit today- a black and red punk rocker t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and high top Pastry sneaks.. She was channeling her inner Willow Smith/ Rhianna. Stay tuned for further updates on her transitioning journey.

au naturale, coconut oil, curly lexi, Facebook, frizzies, miss sixx, shealoe, twist outs, Twitter, two-strand twist, youtube

Twist Out- GONE WRONG!!!!!!!!

The Lupie Chick

Okay, yesterday I washed my hair using the Tightly Curly method on tightlycurly.com. Everything was all good until I decided that I was going to stretch/air dry my (still wet and full of conditioner) hair by separating it into sections, detangling it, and then putting it into two strand twists for a twist out. I applied a little coconut oil to my hair and twisted into 9 twists. My hair twisted beautifully and it felt very soft. After completing the twist, I allowed the twist to air dry. At bed time, I put a satin cap on my head for the rest night, and let it finish drying.

Fast forward- 6am this morning-I rubbed a little shealoe butter on the ends, and began to untwist my hair and it looks A MESS. I followed the advice I received from the twist out queens on Face book and Twitter- and mine don’t look anything like theirs!!! I watched Curly Lexi YouTube video 5x’s just to make sure I was doing it correctly. I didn’t separate allot of the pieces- I was told that would encourage frizz, I made sure my hair was completely dry, and I oiled the ends before I untwisted- WHATS THE FABBERNACKLE PROBLEM??

My hair was defined at the root and middle- but a poof ball at the ends!!! URBER UGLY!!! Too Big- Too frizzy- I DON’T LIKE IT!!!! This was my 4th attempt at this.. I’ve tried it on dry hair, wet hair, damp hair, flat twist, conditioned hair- WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?

I had to get ready for work so the best I could do was lightly fluff rock out.. UGH.. HELP Divas.. I wanna rock a twist out!!!!!!
au naturale, coconut oil, essential oils, etsy.com, jojoba oil, miss naturale, miss sixx, peppermint, rosemary

Oils For Hair Growth

The Lupie Chick


Oils have been used throughout history to preserve the life and vitality of hair. Their stimulating, insulating and coating properties make them invaluable in hair care. The proper use of oils can help support hair growth.

What are Oils?

Oils are hydrophobic, or water-repelling, substances that trap moisture within the hair shaft. Water like essential oils applied to the scalp increase blood flow and nutrients to the area.

Functions

Oils promote hair growth in two ways: scalp stimulation and protection of pre-existing strands. Essential oils stimulate the scalp skin to encourage hair emergence. Heavier oils aid growth by fortifying the entire shaft against breakage. Reduced hair breakage over time produces longer hair.

Essential Oils

Peppermint and rosemary oils are scalp-stimulating essential oils that promote growth by controlling the overproduction of sebum, our natural skin oil. They increase scalp circulation by creating tingling sensations on the skin.

Carrier Oils

Jojoba and sweet almond oils are heavier oils that closely mimic the structure of sebum. Carrier oils like these are used to dilute lighter essential oils to reduce scalp and skin irritation.

Fixed Oils

Coconut and castor oils are heavier oils that promote hair growth by reducing hair breakage along the shaft. These softening oils also impart pliable strength to the length of the hair.