Friday, November 4

MSM- Natural Hair Growth Supplement

I saw this article on Curly Nikki and decided to post this on my blog as well.
I take 1,000 mcg of Trimedica MSM daily by scooping the powder into my Orange Juice.
I have been taking MSM on and off for about 2 years now, but recently I have been taking it consistently.
When purchasing or consuming MSM, I always suggest purchasing a brand that states it's OptiMSM.
OptiMSM is one of the purest forms of MSM and although it is more expensive than the others, it's worth the price.

I have noticed:

Less Shedding- I believe the MSM extended my Anagen Phase
Clearer Skin- Some people experience break-outs or cysts, but my skin actually became brighter and more clear. I do take this with Vitamin C , so that may help. I also drink a lot of water (but should drink more)
Softer New-Growth
Very vivid dreams- I should start a blog about all of the crazy dreams I had since taking MSM. Whenever I tell people about my dreams the next AM, they are surprised how I remember them so clearly and how bizarre they are. This is just one of the side-effects I guess, but I don't mind it.
A Change in my Menstrual Cycle - Whenever I first taking MSM when I haven't for a while, that month, my period either comes a little early or it last a little longer. But it is also very light. I know TMI. It goes back to normal the month after.
No Joint or Muscle Pain- When I was working out extensively, MSM was a must. I never experienced any pain and I believe MSM was the culprit

MSM will probably remain a staple supplement in my regimen because the good outways the bad.

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via DrPhoenyx.com
It’s always a pleasant surprise when you stumble upon a vitamin or supplement that can cure some of the most common health issues, while also giving you a nice little beauty boost. And such is the case for MSM!

I was recently chatting with a newly natural neighbor (try saying that 3 times fast!), when she asked about supplements she could take for hair growth. I suggested MSM. I guess she expected me say something like biotin or a multivitamin, because she instantly looked confused. So I explained that MSM, aka methylsulfonylmethane, is a sulfur-based compound that is naturally found in many foods such as milk, onions, garlic and green vegetables. Next to water and salt, MSM is also the 3rd largest compound found in the human body. Within the medical community, MSM has been traditionally used to treat pain bone and joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and tendonitis. But it also has a really cool side effect. And this really cool “side effect” is hair growth.



How is this possible?
The main ingredient in MSM is sulfur- one of the principle building blocks of hair (and nails). So MSM helps hair growth because it gives your body a building block for hair. But besides just contributing one of the main building blocks of hair, it is also theorized that MSM increases hair growth potential by lengthening the growth phase (anagen phase) of the hair cycle.

Thursday, November 3

Breakage and A Look Back

So, I realized when braiding my hair that some of my nape area has broken off.
It's kind of hard to explain how much and where, but I am quite devastated to say the least.
To try and explain, its on the left side of my head and the length of the broken hair is a little above my collar bone. So, about 3-4 inches broke off. The size of the breakage is about 1 cornrow. So...it's not A LOT, but any breakage to me is disheartening.

                                                                    
                                                                         
The red circle somewhat illustrates where the breakage area is
I know the culprit is the underprocessing of my relaxer and dealing with about 3 different textures in that area.
I'm in repair mode...which I will touch on in another post.
But I know for a fact I can bounce back from this minor set-back.

How do I know? Well simply because I went from this:

June 2009
sorry didn't like my face in this pic. As you can tell my nape area was way above my shoulders!


To This in about 2 Years

So, now I have my edges and nape to worry about. So far, my edges are progressing nicely...I'm more focused on my nape now!

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Review: African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion

I have been using this moisturizer for about 6-7 months now so I decided to give a review...Here you go!

What they Say:
  • Provides a healthy looking sheen
  • Rich in extra virgin olive oil
  • Non-greasy formula
African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion is rich in Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the ultimate in silky smooth deep conditioned hair and a moisture-rich, healthy scalp. Use regularly to help stop breakage, split-ends, and dryness.
African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion is perfect for blow drying, maintaining short hair styles, and moisturizing curly styles. Protects against the effects of chemical processes ands styling tools.

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua,Eau, ) Glycine Soja (Soybean)Oil, Propolene Glycol, Olea Europaea (Olive)Fruit oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter),  Cocos Nucifera (Coconut)Oil,Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed oil, Persia Gratissima (Avocado)Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Equisetum Hiemale ( Horsetail )Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia ( Tea Tree) Leaf Oil,  Hydrogenated vegetable oil, Steareth-2 Steareth-20,Polyquaternium-37, Propolyne Glycol,Dicprylate/Dicaprate,PPG-1,Trideceth-6,Phenyl Trimethicone,Laneth-15, Lanolin oil, Dimethicone, DMDM Hydantoin,TBHQ,Methylparaben,Propylparaben,CI 19140 (FD&C Yellow #5) Parfum (Fragrance)

What Ms.D says : I ALWAYS use this to moisturize my hair whenever I braid it. I also use this as a daily moisturizer but rotate with a protein moisturizer a few days a week.

My Review: When I purchase a moisturizer, I  look at the first 5 or 6 ingredients to see if I am familiar with them and if they are good. If you look at this product, the first few ingredients are GREAT. I have been using this for 6-7 months now and love it.
This moisturizer smells REALLLY good. It has a fruity smell, so for those who don't like that, it may annoy you.
Besides the smell, this is a great moisturizer for the price you pay. It keeps my relaxed hair and new-growth  moisturized all day and I  don't really need to seal with an oil after using it.....but me being paranoid, I do anyway. There is no protein at all in this moisturizer, so if you are protein sensitive...this will work great for you.
It has a thicker/slightly oily consistency, so a little really does go a long way.

Will I repurchase: Of course! I have repurchased this about 4 times and it remains a staple in my regimen.

Price: $2.99 for 12 oz @ Sally Beauty Supply


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Sunday, October 30

Simple Braids Regimen

The only reason why I have cornrows is to make my life easier...so why not have a simple regimen?

  • Spray scalp twice daily with Aloe Vera Mix (80% Aloe/18% Castor Oil and a few drops of Eucalyptus and Peppermint Oil)
  • Spray Length of Braids twice Daily with African Pride Braid Spray
  • Cover Hair Nightly with Satin Scarf
  • *if needed, gel down edges



That's all folks!

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