Month: March 2018

How to Moisturize Dry Natural Hair: The Ultimate Guide

On By TunessaIn Beauty, HairstylesLeave a comment

Whether you’re growing them out or you already achieved your natural mane, here is everything you need to know about restoring moisture to your curls.

Dry hair is a universal complaint of people with natural hair. The tighter your kinks and coils, the more likely it is for your hair to be dry. Additionally, if your hair has a low porosity, the cuticles are tightly closed and the result is that it makes it difficult for moisture to enter the hair shaft.

There are a number of key practices on how to moisturize dry natural hair. Let’s take a look at some of the practices to boost and maintain the moisture levels that your hair deserves.

Deep condition

how to moisturize dry natural hair

Deep conditioning is absolutely essential for maintaining healthy, moisturized natural hair. Deep conditioning restores moisture that is lost from the hair due to environmental factors such as very hot or very cold air.

In the summer, the heat leaves the hair dry and parched and in the winter, cold air also pulls moisture from the hair due to the fact that cold air lacks moisture. Just think of how your skin becomes dry when exposed to cold air and you’ll understand.

The tighter your kinks and coils, the more often you need to deep condition and the thicker your deep conditioner should be. There are some lightweight, deep conditioners that can pack a powerful moisture punch, however, in general, the thicker your deep conditioner, the more likely moisturizing and nourishing it is to your thirsty hair.

When deep conditioning, ensure that you follow the instructions as described on the product packaging. Deep conditioners are formulated to work within a specific time frame, so while life can get in the way and what was initially supposed to be ten minutes became an hour and a half because your kids woke up or you realized you need to make a supermarket run, do not make a habit of leaving on your deep conditioner for excessive periods of time.

There are no benefits to be obtained from the practice and it can, in fact, lead to negative effects such as product build up.

Use a hair steamer

how to moisturize dry natural hair

Steaming the hair is a process that is hugely beneficial for hair health and moisture retention. Steaming uses moist heat in order to open the cuticles of the hair, which permits all the beneficial, natural ingredients in your conditioner to enter the hair. This means all these ingredients are able to benefit and nourish the hair from the inside.

Steaming helps fight both dryness and breakage and the scalp also benefits from steaming as well. Steaming unclogs the pores of the scalp and also eases scalp irritation that results from dryness. Additional benefits of steaming include improving the elasticity of the hair, enhancing the definition of your curls and making color hair color last longer.

Alternately, during your deep conditioning process, you may cover your hair with a plastic cap and the wrap a warm towel around your hair in order to add some additional moist heat to the hair to assist the process.

Look for moisturizing ingredients in your products

There are certain ingredients that are widely used in moisturizing products such as conditioners, leave in conditioners, moisturizers and certain types of stylers. These ingredients either provide moisture to the hair or attract moisture to it.

They also often help to condition and soften the hair in order to make it more manageable. Ingredients to look for are honey, castor oil, glycerine, panthenol, and aloe vera.

Also be on the lookout for conditioning or fatty alcohols. These types of alcohols are usually derived from natural sources such as coconut and palm oil, hence their inclusion in many products for natural hair. Examples of conditioning alcohols are behenyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol and Cetearyl alcohol (combination of cetyl and stearyl alcohols).

These alcohols are beneficial to the hair and help impart moisture and make natural hair more manageable.

Steps to moisturize hair

Hair does not need to be freshly washed, but it should be free from product buildup. Product build up creates a barrier between the hair and the products you apply. Instead of penetrating into the hair, the products you apply will just sit on top of the build up that’s coating your hair. Here are the steps to follow to moisturize your natural hair.

1. Apply your source of moisture. This can be plain water, a leave in conditioner, aloe vera juice or gel or some other product that has water listed as its principal ingredient.

2. After adding your moisturizer, apply a small amount of oil or butter to lock or seal the moisture into the hair. Since oil and water do not mix the oil acts as a bit of a gate to keep the moisture in and slow its evaporation from the hair. The barrier is a breathable one.

The LOC Method

how to moisturize dry natural hair

The LOC method is a widely-followed way of using and applying specific types of products to natural hair in a designated order. LOC is an acronym for liquid or leave-in conditioner, oil, and cream. The products are added to the hair, layer by layer in that order. Layering the products in this order helps to maintain moisture for longer periods for many naturals.

Liquid

Your liquid can be plain water, rose water, aloe vera juice, leave in conditioner or any combination thereof. The one you chose is largely due to personal preference.

Oil

Oil is oil so this step is pretty straight forward. You may use any oil of your choosing or even blend different oils if that is your preference. Butters such as shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter or any blend of butter may also be used.

Cream

The final step of the LOC method involves using a product that is creamy. It may any type of product as long as the product is creamy in texture. Here your product could potentially be a styler, hair pudding or creamy moisturizer. Ideally, you want this product to be a little on the heavy side to seal the previous layers in well.

Butters and oils are excellent sealants that create a layer on the hair strand that reduces moisture loss to the atmosphere. Using your cream or heavy butter as your last step means that the water stays trapped inside the hair longer. This is particularly helpful to naturalistas who struggle with consistent dryness.

Follow the instructions below to incorporate the LOC method as a part of your moisturizing regimen.

STEP 1 – Apply water, leave-in conditioner to freshly washed hair. Focus on your ends and the areas most prone to being dry.

STEP 2 – Apply your oil to seal in the moisturizer. Keep this layer thin because you will be adding your cream (the heaviest of the 3 products) next and you do not want to weigh your hair down.

STEP 3 – Seal everything in with a creamy, butter based moisturizer

STEP 4 – Style hair as usual.

The density of your hair (how many strands of hair are on your head) and their porosity (how readily they allow products to enter the hair) will play a big role in the effectiveness of the LOC method for your hair type so pay attention to what your hair likes and responds to best.

If you’ve been natural for longer than a second you will have realized that there is no one size fits all. Use the products that work well for your hair and if the LOC method doesn’t work for you there’s a modified version called the LCO method, which switches the order of application of the cream and oil.

Things to avoid

how to moisturize dry natural hair

Avoid heat entirely or use it only sparingly. Heat dehydrates the hair from within and can damage the protein structure of the hair such that hair is unable to bond with water molecules effectively or makes moisture escape more readily.

Avoid alcohols that are drying to the hair. These include propanol, alcohol denat, propyl alcohol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol 40

Avoid wearing your hair out in extremely hot or extremely cold conditions as these conditions pull moisture from the hair.

Getting hair moisturized and helping it stay that way can be a difficult process for some naturals. Sometimes it requires a lot of experimentation and patience. Allow yourself to enough time to assess if your products are working, as improvements aren’t always immediately obvious.

Make changes gradually and don’t change too much at once, as it will make it more difficult to determine the products that are responsible for any change, positive or otherwise.

 

source:youqueen

6 Quick And Easy Ways To Enjoy Avocado

On By TunessaIn Food1 Comment

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll be thrilled to learn that avocado and sugar are a great combination; and if you’re not, salt goes just as well with avocado!

Having recently decided to start eating more cleanly, I have found avocados to be one of my favorite healthy treats. Not only are they good for your physical health, but they also benefit your eyesight and hair growth.

Most of the time, I enjoy eating avocados on their own. However, I have also discovered six other ways that avocado lovers like myself can enjoy them.

1. With salt or sugar

avocado

Add some sugar if you have a sweet tooth and salt if you prefer things more savory.

Here’s how to do it: Cut your avocado into two halves. Remove the seed. Cut the flesh from the two halves into smaller pieces, then put the chopped pieces in a bowl and sprinkle approximately half a tablespoon of sugar on them. If you opt for salt over sugar, add a bit of black pepper as well. When everything is ready, simply grab a spoon, sit back and enjoy your snack!

2. As a base for baked eggs

baked eggs in an avocado

For a heavier snack, you can try “baked eggs in avocado.”

Here’s how to make it: Slice an avocado in half, remove the seed and scoop out a bit of the flesh from each half to make some room for the egg. Then, break an egg into each half. Afterwards, place the avocado halves in a small baking dish. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and let the avocado halves bake for 20 minutes. When they are ready, season them with salt and pepper, and dig right in!

3. In a vegetable salad

avocado salad

I’m not a huge fan of salads, but I figured that adding avocado to them would make them more appealing—and it worked! My current favorite is avocado, lettuce and tomato.

Here’s how to make it: Along with one diced avocado, I use one or two diced tomatoes and 80g of shredded lettuce. Mix these in a bowl, and add a bit of salt, lemon juice and olive oil just to give it a bit of flavor. For the days when I’m a bit hungrier than usual, I add pieces of fried chicken to the mixture or eat the salad with three or four baked chicken wings. Yum!

4. With salmon

avocado and salmon on a toast

Salmon is another of my favorite healthy foods, and nothing goes better with it than avocadoes! When preparing my avocado and salmon meal, I start by cooking the salmon.

Here’s how to make it: First, I season my salmon fillet with a mixture of curry powder, ginger, paprika and flour, then shallow-fry it on the cooker or bake the coated salmon in the oven for about 15 minutes. While the salmon cooks, I slice my avocado into thin slices and sprinkle some salt, black pepper and olive oil onto the pieces. To complete the meal, I make a small cup of rice to go with it; when I want an alternative to rice, I have some roasted potatoes instead. This meal makes for a very tasty and filling lunch or dinner. Try it for yourself and see.

5. As a sandwich filling

poached eggs and toast

One of my favorite things about the flesh in an avocado is how soft it is. This makes it easy to mash, which means that it can be used in other ways, too.

Here’s how to use it: One of the easiest ways to use mashed avocado is as a spread for a sandwich! Forego your usual margarine one morning, and spread mashed avocado onto each slice of your bread instead. If you want a heavier sandwich, you can add a slice of ham, some salami or slices of boiled egg to your avocado sandwich as well. Wash it all down with a cup of tea or coffee afterwards.

6. As Guacamole

guacamole

Guacamole is another favorite of mine simply because it can be enjoyed with a wide range of things. Whether it’s a snack like tortilla chips or a heavier meal like burritos or fajitas, guacamole is one of the tastiest sides to go with it. It’s also quite filling, which reduces the number of tortilla chips I eat with it or the amount of other fillings I put in my burrito and fajita wraps; it also reduces how much I eat afterwards.

Here’s how I make my favorite guacamole recipe: I mix mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and black pepper together. For something a bit spicier, I add some paprika or salsa sauce to the mix.

How do you prefer to eat your avocados? What are your favorite avocado recipes? Share them below to give other queens even more ideas on how to enjoy avocados.

source:youqueen

3 Easy And Delicious Low Calorie Cocktails

On By TunessaIn FoodLeave a comment

Who says all alcohol has to give you the dreaded beer gut! Here are delicious low calorie cocktails that will actually slim down that waist line.

When you set out to have a good time with your friends at night, you never want to have to worry about what each beverage is going to be adding to your increasing waistline. Having a girls’ night should be all about having fun and feeling good!

What if I told you there are some cocktails you can make that will actually burn fat while you drink them? Amazing, right?

I have put together only the most delicious low calorie cocktails using natural, fat burning ingredients, so you can sip them with joy, knowing that you’re actually taking inches off your waistline.

1. Berry Blunder

Berry Blunder - 2

This delicious beverage takes mimosas to the next level. You’ll never even know you’re actually burning fat while getting a delicious buzz on.

How it Works: Cinnamon is the fat burning powerhouse of this cocktail. The fat you store in your belly is called visceral fat. Cinnamon’s main component, the thing that actually gives it flavor, is called cinnamaldehyde.

This component is responsible for revving up your metabolism and primarily burning the visceral fat that gives you that unwanted pouch.

Ingredients

  • Blackberries
  • Oranges (navel oranges if possible)
  • Cinnamon
  • Vodka
  • Champagne

Directions

Throw 5-8 blackberries in a shaker and mull/smash them until there is quite a bit of juice. Juice half an orange (or a full orange if it’s rather small) and add the juice to the shaker. Add 1 ounce of vodka and a ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Add 3-4 ice cubes, and shake for 30 seconds.

Strain the juice into a champagne flute or tall glass. Top it off with any white champagne and garnish with an orange twist and a few blackberries. Sprinkle it with cinnamon.

Enjoy your refreshing, tasty and low fat/cal. beverage!

2. Twisted Minted Arnold

Ready for a twist on your classic Arnold Palmer? Not only is this drink great for hot summer days, but it will help shed that unwanted fat while giving you that buzz you desire.

Twisted Minted Arnold - 2

How it Works: Green tea revs up your metabolism and keeps it burning throughout the day. The caffeine in green tea lightly stimulates your metabolism and keeps it running at a higher speed for hours.

The cucumbers work to keep you more hydrated than if you were drinking any other drink, and the mint actually triggers a release of excess bile in your gallbladder, which stimulates the digestion of fat.

Ingredients

  • Green Tea
  • Mint Leaves
  • Cucumber
  • Lemon
  • Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar, or a sweetener of your choice, and water boiled in a saucepan until all sugar is dissolved)
  • Vodka

Directions

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Turn off the burner, and add 1 green tea bag. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Put the tea in the fridge to cool. Muddle 3-5 pieces of cucumber and 5-7 mint leaves together in a shaker.

Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, freshly squeezed. Add 1½ ounces of vodka and 1 tablespoon of simple syrup. Shake for 30 seconds, and pour over ice. Top it off with green tea. Garnish with a lemon wedge, cucumber slice and a mint leaf.

You’ll stay cool and slim this summer with the Mint Magic.

3. Pom Passion

Pom Passion - 2

If you want the ultimate refreshing drink after a long day and even during a hot, sunny day, then the Pom Passion is for you.

How it Works: Grapefruit is a known fat burner. Grapefruit doesn’t just help your body by burning fat that’s readily available, but also works to burn off fat that’s been stored on your body.

Pomegranates actually prevent fat from being absorbed by your body. It’s been proven that they block triglycerides (the fat that gets into your bloodstream and causes adverse effects).

Basil also contributes to fat loss by speeding up your metabolism and ridding your body of excess impurities that contribute to weight gain.

Ingredients

  • Grapefruit
  • Pomegranate (or pomegranate juice)
  • Basil
  • Vodka
  • Sparking Water
  • Simple Syrup (optional)

Directions

In a shaker, add 1/3 cup of pomegranate seeds and mash them until the crunching stops (you’ll hear it). Then, juice half a grapefruit, and add the juice to the shaker.

Gently chop 3 basil leaves and add to the shaker. Put 1 teaspoon of simple syrup into the shaker, and add 1 ounce of vodka to the shaker. Add a few ice cubes, and shake for 30 seconds.

Strain the juice over ice, and top it off with sparkling water. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge, a basil leaf and 5-10 pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy your ridiculous refreshing, fat burning drink with your friends!

Drinking doesn’t have to mean putting on the pounds! Stay fit and skinny this summer with a few cocktails that are meant to blast body fat. Do you have any specialty, low cal. cocktails?

 

source:youqueen