Enjoying the Nzuri Experience

Happy Fabulous Friday!

I hope that each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Nzuri is only a week away and I am so excited!!  Go ahead and get your Nzuri Festival Tickets Here. I would like to share with you some things that will make your Nzuri experience a memorable and fun one.  Take it from me, you will need the following items the day of the show:

• Comfy Shoes made for lots of walking
• Wristlet to hold your cash AND card for some amazing shopping
• Large purse or shoulder bag to carry your purchases
• Phone or Camera to capture unforgettable moments
• Patience and understanding as this will be an event with an expected 10,000 attendees

Take a look at the video below to see pics and video footage from our last years Nzuri Festival and events leading up to the 2013 Nzuri Festival.

In addition to the Nzuri Festival, you should check out Nzuri's Saturday After Party!!  For being an avid reader of mine, you get a discount by entering 5Off in the link below.

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/nzuri-saturday-night-after-party-tickets-9218018341?aff=eorg

Here are few things to do before or after the Nzuri Festival.

EAT

The Breakfast Klub

Houston This is It

Lucy's Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge

ADDITIONAL SHOPPING

Melodrama Boutique

The Galleria

Houston Premium Outlets

NZURI FESTIVAL TICKETS

I hope to see  you at the show.  You don't want to miss it!

Until Next Time, 

    

Hair Products That Work For Me

Good Morning Lovelies!

A few months back, I told you all that I was stuck in a hair rut.  But guess what.......I am out of that rut!! Thank God!!  At the end of July, I visited Natural Resources Salon in Houston,TX and I had my ends trimmed.  I prepped my hair before going by washing, detangling, conditioning and sectioning the hair.  My hair felt wonderful after I left the Salon.  The ladies there were very nice and they have great quality of work.  Check them out if you are ever in the area.   Trust me, I will discuss my favorite products soon.  Ha!

I have not visited a salon in years, so this was a nice outing for me as well as a wonderful experience.  I will more than likely visit them again when I am due for another trim.  I usually trim my own hair about once a year, but I wanted to go and have it trimmed professionally just to switch things up a little.
 
After getting my hair trimmed, I was able to run my fingers through my hair without feeling any knots or scraggly ends.  My hair was also full of body when I left.  This was due to the conditioner I used to prep my hair.  You guys, I had never used John Frieda's Full Repair Full Body conditioner prior to getting my hair trimmed, but it was in my stash and I decided to use it on that day.  I am so glad that I tried it.  I have been using it ever since as it has become one of my favorite conditioners.  The conditioner provides me with enough slip to aid in detangling.  It is also great for regular conditioning and deep conditioning sessions.  I love it!  It leaves my hair soft and bouncy.

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in conditioner and Dax Pomade in the green jar are my other favorite products.  Yep, Dax.  I use these products each time I style my hair on wash day.  During the week I will moisturize my hair with spritzes of water and seal it with Dax.  You all, my hair is always soft and manageable.

It is very important that you find what works for YOUR hair.  Too often individuals are more  concerned about the ingredient lists for hair products more than they are about the ingredients that are in their food which goes INTO their bodies.  I am not saying that you need to ignore what you are putting on your hair.  I am not saying that at all, but make sure you don't knock a product just because it is listed on the "Natural Hair Rules and Guidelines" that are floating around out there.  Be mindful of what you are putting on your hair and scalp and listen to your hair to see how the product is affecting your hair and scalp.   

Dax Pomade has mineral oil/petrolatum listed in the ingredients list and I know that some naturals stray away from products that contain such ingredients.   If it works, use it if not leave it alone.

My hair rut was overcome by doing something different.  I went to the salon and had my ends trimmed and I found a new product that consistently gives me results that I love.  My hair is flourishing in its healthiness and its ability to retain length.

What are some of your favorite products?

What products do you avoid?

How did you overcome a hair rut if your were ever in one?

Have a wonderful day!

Indulgenceiskey

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Science Improves The Sheen Level In Natural Hair

Good Morning Lovlies!

Science Improves The Sheen Level In Natural Hair by Terez Howard

“It requires a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious.” - Alfred North Whitehead

I like to believe I’m someone with such a mind. When we look at our natural black hair, many of us lament that our curls and coils lack shine. While we love our hair, we might find ourselves secretly longing for more luminous locks.

I have good news and bad news. Here’s the bad news. Tightly kinky, coily hair will never have shine. Scientifically speaking, shine (when it comes to hair) is a reflection of light. Straight, wavy and loosely curly hair textures reflect light well and thus naturally produce a high degree of shine. The twists and twirls in tightly coiled strands makes reflecting light on a shine level impossible.

I also have good news. This zigzag hair texture can and does have sheen. Between each zag and zig, tiny reflections of light peek through and create sheen. In turn, this sheen can be enhanced by the wonders of science.


The Cuticle’s Role

The outer, protective layer of a strand of hair is called the cuticle. The more flatly your cuticle lays down, the more light those strands reflect, and the more sheen your natural hair emits. Your acidic natural hair has a pH level of 4.5 to 5.5, and you can smooth and close the cuticle layer by using natural products close to your hair’s pH.

But before you decide to only apply products to make your cuticle lay down and close, know that your cuticle must be opened to some degree. The pH level in water is 7, or neutral, meaning that when you cleanse or no poo your hair with water, you lift your cuticle open. This is a good thing because common sense tells us that we humans need water to survive, and water helps natural hair to thrive.

Warm water opens the hair’s cuticle, while cool water helps to seal it. A final rinse with cool water will encourage sheen. Water does even more than that, but let’s first talk about one amazing little plant.


One Must-Have Product That Encourages Sheen

I’m going to assume that most of you naturals have moved beyond the days of slathering your scalps in grease. Did you know that the pH level in mineral oil, the primary ingredient in most hair greases, is 10.5? That extremely high pH level raises your cuticle out of control, failing to moisturize your hair and weakening it to the point of possible breakage.

According to Livestrong.com, aloe vera gel has a pH level of 4.3 and can wonderfully smooth your hair’s cuticle. With a level so close to your hair’s pH, aloe vera gel is bound to make your coils have tremendous sheen.

Remember how I said that water opens the hair cuticle? Well, when you apply aloe vera gel to wet hair, your hair cuticle will not only seal more readily, but will be infused with the nutrients found in aloe vera gel. This penetration into the hair shaft and follicle gives your hair luster and strength.

Aloe vera gel can be purchased in organic, pure forms. I recommend these types of products because if you don’t carefully read the product labels, you might find that aloe vera gel is the 12th ingredient on a long list of ingredients. The farther down on a list an ingredient appears, the less of that ingredient is in a product. That means there could be less than 1 percent of aloe vera gel in a product.

So, it might be obvious that natural black hair appears duller than other hair textures. However, it is not doomed to remain dull. We have science to thank for that.

Terez Howard, who has been researching natural hair for 5 years, endeavors to help ladies learn more about their precious tresses, including remedies for damaged hair.

Be sure to show Ms. Terez Howard some love at Naturalicious Hair.  Thank you Terez for sharing your wonderful article with us!

Until Next Time,

 Indulgenceiskey

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Does Your Hair Like Wax?

Good Afternoon Lovelies!!

The answer to the title of this blog post for me is yes.  I know some people run from beeswax like they run from mineral oil.  But like with any other product or ingredient, what works for one person might not work for the next person.  I don't have any problems with beeswax as long as it is used in moderation.  Continuously using beeswax or a product with beeswax in it in between washes can and will create buildup.  I perfer products that contain beeswax for holding my hair in place for certain styles.  If I am prepping my hair for a braid out, I wash my hair, condition, moisturize and seal it with a beeswax based product.  This keeps my resuls from frizzing as much and it holds the definition of the braid out longer.  I can wear a braidout for about 5 days before bunning it if I use a product that contains beeswax.


What are your thoughts about using products with beeswax?  Have you had any success with using products that contain beeswax?



I want to hear what you have to say so speak up! ;o)




Don't forget to check me out on


Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/indulgenceiskey


Website: http://www.naturesindulgence.net/


Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/indulgenceiskey


Facebook: Indulgenceiskey


Take Care!




Indulgenceiskey

Hair Grease and Ponytails

Have you ever wondered why your hair was so long, thick, and full of life as a child?  Even then, our parents used products that contained mineral oil.......Blue Magic Grease!  They also used rubberbands, shampoos with sulfates, brushes, etc.  So, what's the big deal about mineral oil, sulfates, etc you might ask?  Well, after a few years of being natural I asked myself the same question.  Take a look at my video below and feel free to chime in with your opinions.  Why do you think your hair thrived while being natural as a child?





Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

Can you put a texturizer on new growth even if you still have a perm?

Happy Magnificent Monday to you all!

Yesterday I was asked "Can my friend put a texturizer on her new growth even if she still has a perm?"  Well on the inside I was like heck no, but the words that came out of my mouth were, she might not want to do that.  First of all, those are two chemical processes for the hair and I don't think they were created to interact with each other.  Also, one is used to loosen the curl pattern more so than the other.  In my opinion from experiences with the perm/relaxer, it will loosen your curl a great deal more than a texturizer will.  Now if you let the texturizer process your hair longer than it is supposed to, then you might end up with results similar to a perm.  I have seen this happen with one of my friends a couple of times.  

The lady I was explaining this to was telling me that her cousin is trying to let her perm grow out.  I told her that she might want to get rid of the permed ends first if she wanted to apply the texturizer.  I figure that if she applies the texturizer to the new growth that has quite a bit of permed ends, she will experience breakage, damage, and maybe even and unhealthy scalp.   

Has anyone out there ever tried this during your perm/relaxer days?   Do you know of anyone who has?

Chime in and let me know.

Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

www.naturesindulgence.net

Shea Butter for Sale!

I hope that everyone is having a Thankful Thursday thus far!

I wanted to let you all know that I have a surprise for you all........
Wait for it...Wait for it.... Wait for it......


Here it is!
I now have Unrefined Shea Butter for sale on my website @ Nature's Indulgence by Dionne.
It is going for $7.50 per pound. If you place an order, use coupon code shea4me to receive 10% off of your order!! This code will expire on February 14, 2010.


That's all for now.



Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

Natural Hair and Skin Care Products

www.naturesindulgence.net

My Hair is in Love

I have been on a hunt for a product that gave me twists/twist outs to my liking ever since I BC’d in February of 2006. Some products kind of did the job, but my twists and twist outs wouldn’t last. I’ve read about people making their own gel out of flax seeds, so I went out and bought some a while back. I made my very first batch last month, and I decided to go ahead and put it to the test. Much to my surprise, my hair fell in love and my twists have never been the same.

The flax seed gel concoction left my hair soft, moisturized, and it had a nice hold that wasn’t crunchy or crispy at all. I also sealed my hair with something called “Soothing Foot Butter”. I know it’s geared towards the feet but it's all natural. Everything turned out nice. Hopefully you can see enough of my hair in the pics above to see my results. I didn’t think of taking a close up hair shot of my results at the time, but I will make sure to do so when I twist again.

Flax seeds are an awesome source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids nourish the hair which in turn promotes healthy hair growth and a natural sheen when taken orally. I’ve seen the benefits of applying the Omega-3 fatty acids externally to my strands by way of the flax seed gel. You can use the gel on your scalp as well. It helps combat psoriasis and eczema that may be present on the scalp. You might want to think about adding some Omega-3 supplements to your daily vitamin intake to get your fair share of healthy fats. These unsaturated fats are beneficial to your cardiovascular and brain health as well as your immune system.

My Recipe
½ cup of flax seed
3 cups of water (use 1½ to 2 cups for a slightly thicker gel)
1 oz Avocado Oil
1 oz Aloe Vera Gel

Bring the flax seeds and water to a boil. Stir the flax seeds as the water boils. You will see a frothy type gel begin to form. Continue to stir for about another minute. Remove your pan from the heat and strain the mixture using a strainer with the smallest holes you can find or a tea ball. I’ve found that these work best. It can get a little messy if you use a cheese cloth. After straining, let the gel cool and stir occasionally. Once it cools, add the oil, AVG, and stir. The gel will be kind of slimy and loose if you use 3 cups of water. You may want to place this in the fridge in between uses if you are not using a preservative in your mixture. Apply as needed.



Until Next Time,
Indulgenceiskey
www.naturesindulgence.net

Product Giveaway!

Hi Everyone!



I am hosting a contest that I would like for all of you to enter.


All you have to do is submit your favorite natural hairstyle to me at indulgenceiskey@naturesindulgence.net and the "How to" for that particular style. Entries must be received by February 13, 2009. To select a winner I will draw a name from all of the participants.



The winner will receive an 8oz jar of "Knuckle Butter" from http://www.naturesindulgence.net/.

I know I know, the name is a little funny but it is great for the hair.

Knuckle Butter is a great moisturizer for normal to dry hair. Apply to your hair while it is damp or dry. Make sure you let it melt by rubbing it between your palms before applying to your hair. A little goes a long way. Knuckle Butter is also a great skin moisturizer. Say goodbye to those rough dry areas of your skin. Our Knuckle Butter moisturizes the knuckles, elbows, knees, and in between the fingers. Remember, a little goes a long way.

Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Corn Starch, Vitamin E, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Essential Oils and Fragrance Oil.

Each paticipant's hairstyle will be featured on my blog. So come and join in to get your chance to try this free product!

Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey www.naturesindulgence.net

My Wash-N-Go Video

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to share with you all the way I do my wash-n-go's and what I use to achieve my look. I hope you enjoy it!

My First Henna Experience

Guess what?!! I henna’d this past weekend! I was excited to do so and I like my results! I could really see the amber tones in my bathroom lighting. I did a twist out once I was done and it turned out ok. It wasn't as shiny as I had expected but that may be the result of me using new products (they are mentioned below). I will Henna again next month using my usual butters and compare the new results to these results. (more pics are below)

I used Uttam Henna that I purchased from a local Indian Grocer. I made a paste using the Henna, Lemon Juice, Sweet Almond Oil and hot water. I mixed it all in a plastic Tupperware bowl using a plastic spoon. I applied it to freshly co-washed and detangled hair. I began applying it starting at the back and continued until I made it to the front. I then donned on a plastic cap and let it sit for 3 hours.

To remove the paste, I leaned over in the bath tub and let the water rinse all the Henna. It was very dark while rinsing. When the water began to turn light reddish brown I co-washed 4 times with suave humectant conditioner. I actually used the entire bottle. I then applied a Pantene Pro-V Nourishing Moisture Replenishing Mask and left it on for about an hour. Afterwards, I rinsed it out and had wonderfully soft hair!! I proceeded to do my two stranded twists. I applied Infusium 23 as a leave in and used TRESemme’s Flawless Curls, curl hydration lotion creme and shea butter before twisting. After each twist was done I sealed the ends with shea butter once again.

I took my twists down the next morning and rocked a twist out for the entire day!! It was in between shiny and dull. I won't be using the Infusium 23 and the TRESemme's Flawless curls anymore. The reason being is that I took a look at the ingredient list and did some research after my twist out wasn't what I was expecting. I know I know, I should have done this before I purchased them, but I didn't. I was in Wal-Mart scanning the hair aisles and reading the ingredient labels. I bought those two items thinking I had products with water soluble cones in them only to find out that I was wrong. I didn't have my computer with me(of course) to look them all up and decide whether or not they were good to use. I looked them up after I saw the result of my twist out being in between shiny and dull.

I must say that I will Henna again.

Tell us about your Henna experience.

Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

http://www.naturesindulgence.net/

What is the one hair product and accessory/tool you can’t go without?

We all have at least one product that we have to have in order to keep our strands of hair in tact. I have to have a conditioner, preferably Suave Humectant Conditioner. I say this because I can co-wash my hair with it, I can use it as a leave-in if I need to, I can style my hair with it and I can do a deep conditioning treatment with it. A conditioner can be versatile if you need it to be.

The accessory/tool that I have to have is a wide toothed comb. I use this in conjunction with my conditioner to detangle my hair. I love it! If I didn’t have it my fingers are always an option.

Share your hair product and accessory/tool with us! Maybe we have something in common!

Until next time,

Indulgenceiskey,
http://www.naturesindulgence.net/