1Blessed Natural Mag

1BlessedNatural: Pin Curl Twist-Out, Moisture, and Natural Hair Ad Talk Happy Monday, my blessed naturals, I hope you all are having a great start to your week. Since I haven't done a twist-out in awhile, I decided to do one this weekend. I used the SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothi e and Extra Virgin Olive Oil on my hair before twisting and pin curling it. My hair gets moisturized to the core when I apply a moisturizer, two-strand twist, and pin curl it. Because the hair is clumped together, the moisture doesn't evaporate as quickly; it has more time to penetrate the strands. Because it was unseasonably warm yesterday, I didn't need to moisturize my hair last night.Yes! lol 1BlessedNatural: side and front views of pin curl twist-out 1BlessedNatural: side view of my pin curl twist-out 1BlessedNatural: Delta Air Lines poster with women rocking Bantu knot-out Natural hair is making waves everywhere. Recently, I noticed a Delta Air Lines p...

1BlessedNatural Spotlight: Dominique's Puff with Scarf Style Happy Sunday, my blessed naturals! Many of your may remember my friend Dominique who has been #teamnatural for about 5 years now. When we caught up with each other, she was rocking a cute little puff style that was tied with a scarf. In the back, the scarf was in a bow and the tails hung loose. Since Dominique did not feel like twisting her hair the night before, she worked with the curl definition already present. She used a brush and water to smooth her hair before using the scarf to create a puff . Natural hair puffs are great solutions if you need a cute and quick hairstyle. I thought the scarf gave Dominique's style a very nice touch. 1BlessedNatural: the front of Dominique's puff 1BlessedNatural: The side and back of Dominique's puff with scarf natural hairstyle If you or someone you know would like their natural and/or protective style to be featured in the n...

Happy Saturday, my blessed naturals! It's the time of the year where I reveal my top 5 favorite natural hairstyles of the year. I've had braids, twists, puffs, afros, and more! It's hard to choose, lol. They are not in any particular order of importance. Here are my top 5 favorite styles for 2014:   1. Puff and Flat Twists with Flower Accessory  2.  Saturday 'Fro 3.  Single Braids: Double Twisted Bun   4. Mini Twist Pin Curl Out 5. Chunky Flat Twist, Twist-Out Honorable Mention 1. Mixture of 2 Styles: Linked Cornrows with Formal Puff Up-do   2. Rubber Band Twist Up-do 3. Poetic Justice Inspired Braids What are your 5 favorite hairstyles of 2014? Related Articles: My 5 Favorite Natural Hairstyles of 2013                     ...

1BlessedNatural- Hotel Products Reviews: Best Tressed Shampoo and Conditioner Hey, my blessed naturals, I hope you all had a great Christmas! Have you ever visited a hotel and wondered about their free shampoos and conditioners? You may have wondered if they would be safe to use on your natural hair. Since I had some travel size bottles from awhile back, I decided to give them a try. The products included the True Blue Spa Best Tressed Balancing Shampoo and Volumizing Conditioner by Bath & Body Works. Place: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Price:  FREE Claims: Balancing Shampoo- This spa-tacular shampoo restores balance to your hair. Use daily to gently cleanse while you moisturize and strengthen hair while adding noticeable shine.                             Volumizing Conditioner - Best tressed daily volumizing conditioner gently conditions        ...

1BlessedNatural- Update: ACV and Seborrheic Dermatitis Update-  Here is a picture of my min twists a few days after doing an ACV rinse and washing. Happy Monday, my blessed naturals, Last month, I told you that Apple Cider Vinegar rinses helped to treat my seborrheic dermatitis. It greatly reduced my itching, but I still had issues with the flakes on my scalp. As a result, I decided to add tea tree oil to my ACV rinse. Now, the ingredients include water, ACV, and tea tree oil. The solution lifts the flakes and also treats my scalp! Thank God! Also, I decided to do 2 ACV rinses on my wash day because my scalp often itches after shampooing. After I wash my conditioner out, I use a small spray bottle with ACV and water only to spray on my scalp. After leaving the mixture on my scalp for 15-30 minutes, I rinse it off with cool water. In all, I do 1 ACV, water, and tea tree oil rinse before washing my hair and 1 ACV/water rinse after conditioning my hair.  It may s...

1BlessedNatural: 7 Ways to Save on Natural Hair Products Hey, my blessed naturals, When it comes to natural hair, there is nothing like saving money. No one wants to pay an arm and a leg for their natural hair products!  Here are 7 ways to save on them: 1. Sales and coupons- Sales and coupons are a great way to save on natural hair products. They are a great way to save in general! Check your local circulars for sales and coupons. You can also check out coupon sites. If you are thinking about using one, please be sure to read reviews of the sites first. Also, check the websites of the specific brands of natural hair products you like to see if there are any deals. 2. Utilize dollar stores- You can find many hair products at the dollar store for a little less or more than a dollar. Dollar stores are good places to buy co-washing conditioners like VO5 and Suave. They are also good places to find stretchy bands, bobby pins, wide tooth combs, and Denman brush knock-offs. ...

1BlessedNatural: 5 Tips to Overcome Natural Hair Disasters ( video ) Happy Wednesday, my blessed naturals! I've had my share of natural hair disasters including protein overload, moisture overload, heat damage etc. I know sometimes natural hair setbacks can cause you to be discouraged, especially if you've set hair goals.  Below are 5 tips that have helped me overcome my natural hair disasters. You can also check out the video by clicking the link above or scrolling down to the end of the article. 1. Identify the problem - If your hair is not in its normal condition, do some research to find out what could be wrong. For example, when I had protein overload my hair was hard and straw-like. My ends were also spitting. After doing research online, I found that I was experiencing protein overload . The great news is that there is tons of information on the Internet to help you identify your problem. Take advantage of it. Also, be sure to use your discretion. 2. ...

1BlessedNatural: 4 Solutions for a Sweaty Scalp Between Wash Days Happy Tuesday, my blessed naturals, I hope you all are having a great week. If you workout during the week like me, then you may have issues with a sweaty scalp and/or odor. Here are 4 solutions that have helped me remedy the problem of a sweaty scalp between wash days: 1. Water rinse- Put your hair in big braids or twists. If you are wearing extensions or twists, band or braid them to avoid frizz. Rinse your hair and scalp with cool water. If you have a sprayer, focus it on your scalp. The sweat will rinse away. 2. Co-wash-   Put your hair in sections. Use a cheap conditioner to apply to your scalp ( like a shampoo). Gently massage your scalp to lift some of the dirt and oil from it. Rinse your hair with warm, and then cool water. If you have scalp conditions like seborrheic dermatitis (like me), co-washing may not be the best solutions because you might have scales on your scalp that are hard to ...

1BlessedNatural: Titi Branch, Co-Founder of Miss Jessie's Hair Care Products Passes Away at 45  (photo courtesy of Flickr- Elvert Barnes under the CC-BY-SA 2.0 ) Today, many of us in the natural hair world are at a loss for words at the passing of Miss Jessie's hair products co-founder, Titi Branch at age 45. Although, Branch passed away on December 4, 2014, the news of Branch's passing was announced via NV Magazine on Facebook yesterday. According to the obituary, the cause of Titi Branch's death was due to "an apparent suicide due to asphyxia." Both Titi and Miko Branch were leaders in the natural hair community because they owned their own salon in New York, and were some of the first people to develop and sell products that were dedicated to natural hair in major stores.  I do not know Titi Branch's whole story, but I know that depression is no joke. If you are suffering through depression, please let someone know. Do not be embarrasse...

Happy Saturday, my blessed naturals,  It's Christmas time! I hope you all are having a great day. Shout out to all of you who attended the "Justice for All" rallies and protests around the country! I wanted to let you all know that I have a new video tutorial on my YouTube channel . It's about how to install beads and cowrie shells. Check it out below! If you cannot see the video on your cell phone, just clink the link below. Vid #25: How to Install Beads and Cowrie Shells ( video ) What hairstyle are you planning to wear for Christmas? Related Articles: How to Put Cowrie Shells in Natural Hair                             Beanie and Beads Hairstyle Update

1BlessedNatural: Porosity and Natural Hair Hey, my blessed naturals, I hope you all are having a great Wednesday. Today, I wanted to discuss hair porosity and natural hair because identifying your hair porosity can help you find the right hair products and regimens for your hair.    1BlessedNatural's Hair Porosity Chart What is hair porosity?  Hair porosity refers to your hair's ability to draw in and reserve moisture. Your hair can be one of the following hair porosity types: low, normal, and high.  Low porosity means that the cuticle layers of your hair shaft are densely packed together. As a result, your hair retains moisture for a longer period of time. However, you will have to use products and/or techniques that lift the hair cuticle to allow moisture to penetrate. For example, after applying my conditioner, I use a heating cap to lift my hair cuticles to allow moisture to get through. Normal porosity hair means that ...

1BlessedNatural: Christmas Gifts: 5 Black Businesses with Products for Kids (photo courtesy of  Wikimedia Commons-Paul Halliwell under CC-by-SA 3.0 ) It's Christmas time, and you may be looking for gifts for your little girls and boys. If you are looking for cute, fun, and educational gifts for them, coonsider visiting the following Black owned business websites for their products. "Princess Curl" book by Cherelle Shelton  1. " Princess Curl" book by Cherrelle and Rhys Shelton  It is important to teach our little ones to love themselves, including their natural hair. The "Princess Curl" book shows little girls how to care for their natural hair through a fun and entertaining story. Meet Princess Curl! Shes a fun loving little girl with a head full of wild curly hair. In this story, Princess Curl learns the importance of wearing her bonnet at night. What happens when Princess Curl refuses to cover her curls before drifting ...

Winner of the 1BlessedNatural 2014 Christmas Giveaway Happy Sunday, my blessed naturals! Thank you to everyone who entered my 2014 Christmas giveaway! The winner is...  Winner of the 1BlessedNatural 2014 Christmas Giveaway| Hair Update ( video )   LaTanya T.  Congratulations!!! Blessed Winner, you have 24 hours to contact me at 1BlessedNatural[at]gmail[dot]com with your current mailing address. If you do not contact me, another winner will be chosen.  Thanks again to everyone who entered. God willing, I plan to have more giveaways in 2015! If you would like to sponsor my next giveaway, please send me an email at the address above. Please type "Giveaway Sponsor" in the subject line.   Related Articles: [CLOSED] The 1BlessedNatural 2014 Christmas Giveaway                               [CLOSED] 1Bles...

1BlessedNatural- Natural Hair Kids: Braided Bun and Bohemian Styles Happy Saturday, my blessed naturals! This week, my nieces' mom did the girls' hair. Big Sister Natural's hair was straightened and styled into a Bohemian braid style. She wore two cornrows in the front of her hair. Each cornrow came down along her sides and were connected into one braid above her ears, to the back of her head. The rest of her hair was left to hang loose in the back. Her mom lets her put her hair in a bun or ponytail. Little Sister Natural's hair was put into a braided bun. Prep for Big Sister and Little Sister Natural's Hairstyling Both of the girls' hair were.... 1. washed 2. sectioned- Big Sis had 12 sections 3. Each section was braided and left to dry 4. Their scalps were oiled with Vitamin E. oil. 5. Olive Oil Moisturizer and EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).   Big Sister Natural's hair was... 6.  blow-dried 7. flat ironed using the comb cha...

1BlessedNatural: Adding Aloe Vera Gel to Your Conditioner Happy Thursday, my blessed naturals! I've heard from many of you about adding aloe vera to your conditioner. In the past, I've also done aloe vera juice rinses to restore the lost protein in my hair. Three weeks ago, I decided (at the last minute) to add some aloe vera gel to my conditioner because I didn't have any more protein conditioner. After washing my hair, I squeezed a large amount of Suave Almond and Shea Butter conditioner into my hands. Then, I squeezed a large amount of the Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel into my hands, rubbed them together, and applied it to each of the 4 sections of hair. Afterwards, I sat under a heating cap for onehour, and then I rinsed the mixture out of my hair. My hair felt softer and silky, but I cannot say that the aloe vera gel and conditioner mixture was a good replacement for a protein treatment. My hair is usually stronger after a protein treatment. As a re...