Kitchen Testimonials: Cpj

Subscriber, Cpj, had this to say about maintaining mini twists:

I agree. In order to preserve any protective style when washing gentle handling is a must! Aside from maintaining the look of the style, I find that gentle handling avoids extreme tangling. What methods have you all found to be helpful in maintaining your twists and other protective styles?

DIY Recipe: Accidental Herbal Hair Rinse

I've been on a quest to make an all natural hair lotion that isn't too greasy but has a thick creamy texture. The inspiration for this quest is my fond memory of Luster's Pink Lotion- you know the one! I looooved this stuff, and swore it transformed my texture each time I slathered it on. Of course it did not, in fact it just created build up and attracted dirt because I piled it on daily. But that first application... on clean hair... with a hard boar bristle brush... couldn't no one tell me I didn't "have Indian in my family." o_O

I don't want to live in that delusional world anymore, but I do want to find the perfect recipe for a thick creamy lotion. The one I'm about to share with you... is not it! I found a recipe online that was inaccurately described as a nettle hair lotion. Then I personalized it by adding horsetail and chamomile. The consistency was not at all creamy... it was basically tea. It did however make a wonderful hair rinse to use after conditioning and I did see an increase in sheen and strength in my strands after using it for about a month. Check it out and tell me how it works out for you!

I used 2 teaspoons each of dried nettle and horsetail leaves.

I added in 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers.

I placed all of the herbs in a tea bag and steeped in boiling hot water for about an hour (long enough for the mixture to cool down).

I used this mixture on one of my "mega-cleaning" days. I also decided to try the condition-first method. I rather liked it. This was my regimen:

- pre-poo castor oil treatment

- coconut honey avocado deep conditioner

- baking soda rinse

- ACV rinse

- herbal rinse

Have you tried any herbal hair rinses? Have you tried any other recipes for hair lotions? Please share them with us!

Kitchen Testimonials: Ellie and Unathi

While hanging with my homegirl Ellie we got onto the topic of hair care regimens (duh!) and she mentioned that she had been making her own cleansing and conditioning products for hair and home. I asked (ok, nudged) her to share what has been working for her and this is what she shared:

Since we're having "church" in the kitchen salon, I thought I'd share another testimonial with you. This is from Unathi who attended my first kitchen salon class at NYC's Cuchifritos via The Trade School. Seems like it wasn't too bad... maybe I should try another?

Have any of you tried some of the recipes from the blog? Let us know what worked, and even what didn't work! If you have a recipe, question or comment send it to submissions.thekitchensalon@gmail.com.

Style Tutorial: Fro Today, Gone Tomorrow | Another Twisted Updo

I love sporting my fro on warm sunny days. This year's early spring weather convinced me to ditch my usual winter protective styling and rock wild twist outs.

Now that my rehearsal and performance schedule is picking up I have to go back to protective styling. Here's a style I reluctantly did to keep my hair up and out the way for a while, yet another twisted updo. What do you think?

DIY Recipe: Lemon Honey Facial Scrub

I love my coffee facial scrub but its too harsh for frequent use. For gentler but equally effective exfoliation I used brown sugar for this facial scrub. Try it and tell me what you think:

2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark, not granulated)

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (I used the juice from a quarter lemon)

Secure your hair so that it doesn't fall in your face. Rinse your face with warm water to open your pores.

Using a quarter of a lemon, rub the pulp side on your face. Lemon is a natural astringent but use sparingly as it can sting sensitive skin or be too drying for dry skin. You can choose to skip this step, but if you have oily skin this should be helpful.

Apply lemon honey facial scrub using your finger tips. I like to massage in gentle circular motions, avoiding my eyes. Rinse with cool water to close your pores. (I'm wearing a shower cap because I was rinsing in the shower.)

DIY Recipe: Pia's Dry Don't Fry All-Natural Heat Protectant

Ingredients
raw shea and/or mango butter

extra virgin coconut oil

avocado and/or grapeseed oil

vitamin E

flax seed oil

soy lecithin

Ratio

To avoid a runny mess use a 2:3 ratio of liquid oils to solid butters. 2 tablespoons (combined) avocado, grapeseed oil, vitamin E, flax seed oil, and soy lecithin with 3 tablespoons (combined) shea butter and mango butter. This fits a 4 ounce container and lasts up to 2 months (for me).

Mixing

Here are the different methods I've used for mixing:

• Lazy Method - Melting and mixing all ingredients together, then allowing to solidify. This method is my least favorite because the shea and mango butters get grainy as they cool down, creating a lumpy mixture. It can take over an hour for the butters to solidify at room temperature, about 20 minutes in the freezer. You have to keep watching the mixture otherwise you end up with something like a chocolate bar when its cold. 

• Thorough Method - Whipping the shea and mango butter at room temperature then adding in other ingredients a little at a time. I like this method a lot, but as I don't have an electric hand mixer it is very tiresome. With an electric mixer you can whip the butter in 3 minutes. Whipping by hand can take up to 10 minutes depending on how soft your butters are. 

•  Compromising Method - Partially melting the shea and mango butters then whipping in the other ingredients a bit at a time as it cools works best for me without an electric mixer. I speed up the cooling process by placing the mixture in the freezer in 5 minute increments. All of the ingredients blend smoothly and I achieve the creamy lotion texture I'm looking for. This usually takes me about 20-30 minutes, but I do this while deep conditioning and making my other products, so the time is not wasted on just waiting.

Kick @$$ Qualities

- Shea and mango butters are excellent deep conditioners; are loaded with vitamins that protect the hair from heat and sun damage; make a great base because of their firm textures at room temperature and interminable shelf life.

- Extra virgin coconut oil easily penetrates the hair shaft making it an excellent deep conditioner. It also adds a subtle but delicious scent!

- Avocado has an extremely high smoke point around 500º, providing excellent protection for your strands when heat styling. Avocado oil is also loaded in essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins A, D, E and B6, magnesium, copper, iron, amino acids and folic acid.

- Grapeseed oil has an extremely high smoke point around 480º, providing excellent protection for your strands when heat styling. is very light, making it an excellent carrier oil for diluting heavier and more potent oils. It helps prevent dandruff, won't cause buildup and is easily absorbed by hair strands for deep conditioning benefits.

- Vitamin E (in my unprofessional opinion) works best for sunscreen protection when applied topically. The other benefits are best achieved when ingested, by eating foods that are rich in vitamin E or taking supplements. It is a very thick viscous liquid, so I'm sure it has some (however little) emollient properties.

- Flax seed oil contains all of the vital omega-3 fatty acids, which add sheen and luster. It also increases circulation in the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

- Soy lecithin contains inositol which is rumored to be critical in hair growth (I haven't read any certified studies). In the heat protectant it is an emulsifier, adding slip that remains even after blow drying. My hair is chronically dry, so I like the light non-greasy coating it leaves. I don't have to reapply any product for 3-4 days. Use sparingly because too much would definitely cause build up.

Give it a try and let us know how it works for you. What other natural items provide heat protection?

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a Magic Potion

Gurrrrrl or Duuuuude! Let me tell you about the new love of my life. Yea the hubby is swell, but apple cider vinegar (ACV) is my boo! Don't laugh at me, I'm seriously professing my love over here.
Ok all jokes aside I really do love ACV, simply because it is a literal cure-all that has been used since the B.C. era!!! This magic potion serves so many purposes; I started using it for a hair rinse and now use it for home and body care!

Unpasteurized organic ACV

When using ACV as a nutritional supplement use the unpasteurized organic version with "the mother." Bragg is the most common brand; co-founder Patricia Bragg has a published book on the many wonders of ACV. The mother is a clump of fibers that occur naturally during fermentation and contains crucial nutrients. I think using the pasteurized non-organic version is fine for household or for topical body care uses.

Here are just a few of the magical properties of ACV:


- Total body care
The solution that I drink twice a day is very popular as it supplies many nutrients and keeps my body's systems running smoothly. I like to call this the Magic Potion: 2-3 tablespoons ACV, 1 tablespoon unsulphered blackstrap molasses, 1 cup of water. The water should be at least room temperature so the molasses will mix, but I prefer to drink it as a hot tea. I drink this every morning and night, and my body has been feeling so much better for it!

- Household disinfectant
Mix a solution of 1 part ACV and 1 part water in a spray bottle. Apply the solution to shower and tub walls, kitchen counters, stove tops, windows, mirrors, etc. The smell will lessen as the solution dries. For tougher stains allow the solution to sit for a few minutes before wiping clean. This can also be done with white vinegar if you are concerned about the color staining.

- Facial astringent and toner
After using a facial cleanser, apply undiluted AVC as a toner using a cotton ball. The ACV will draw out any additional oil or dirt from your pores. The smell will subside as the vinegar dries, but if it it bothers you rinse again with cool water (to keep pores closed).

- Hair rinse
Mix 1 part ACV and 6 parts water for a clarifying and neutralizing hair rinse. The disinfectant properties help remove excess oil, dirt and product buildup (clarifying) and the mild acidity helps to balance your hair's pH (neutralizing).

- Rash and burn treatment
Undiluted ACV may be applied topically to soothe localized skin rashes and mild burns (whether from the sun or other heat sources). For larger affected areas, soak in a bathtub with 1 cup of ACV added to the water. Applying aloe vera after the soaking will provide additional relief.

- Cramps and muscle soreness
Soaking in a bathtub with a few tablespoons of ACV added to the water will help relieve muscle soreness and cramps.

- Women's health
ACV is The Creator's gift to women, I'm sure of it.  Drinking the Magic ACV Potion can provide relief for menstrual cramps and bloating, heavy menstrual flow, ovarian cysts and fibroids, hemorrhoids and morning sickness during pregnancy. For relief from yeast infections you can create an ACV douche with 2 tablespoons of ACV in one quart of warm water. NOTE: Douching should not be done frequently. If the problem persists you can try a bathtub soak mentioned above.

Are there any that I missed? Only a few hundred others... You can check out Bragg.com for further information and more great ideas. Have you been using ACV in your home and body care regimens? Please share them with us!

How To Start Your Own Kitchen Salon

Making flax seed gel.

Do you want outstanding hair without an outrageous price? Want to be able to pronounce all of the ingredients listed on your hair product? Then perhaps you should consider starting your own DIY kitchen salon. If you're considering it but don't know how to start, check out what I've learned.

Basic Tools

This short list of tools to keep on hand will have you set for nearly any recipe.

- A glass mixing bowl or jar. This doesn't have to be large, I use an old 8 oz. jar from a facial scrub I had years back. Glass is best because it can withstand heat. Plastic is known to release toxins when microwaved that can seep into your products.

- An empty spray bottle, or two or three, depending on how many mixtures you like. I reuse leave-in conditioner spray bottles. Its not a good idea to store mixtures for too long because bacteria will grow. I make small batches of a water and aloe juice solution for each use so as not to be wasteful.

- A few containers with screw tops for storing mixtures that are non-perishable or have a long shelf life. I also reuse old containers for this purpose. Placing a layer of plastic wrap tightly under the top can extend the shelf life a day or two.

- An old stocking will serve a few purposes. You can cut it at the top of the thighs, sew or tie the loose ends and use as a stocking cap for sleeping or dryer styling. You can use one leg as a head band or hair tie and use the other leg as a strainer for your flax seed gel. Stockings are as functional as they are fashionable!

Basic Ingredients

These ingredients can be found in most grocery stores and pharmacies. They are either non-perishable or have long shelf lives and all are useful in a variety of ways.

- aloe vera juice

- apple cider vinegar (ACV)

- baking soda

- canned coconut milk (I use half for my hair and half in a meal)

- castille soap (like Dr. Bronner's)

- [extra virgin] coconut oil (EVCO)

- essential oils

- flax seeds

- glycerin 

- honey

- [extra virgin] olive oil (EVOO)

- vitamin E

Excited to get started? I hope so!

Any of you veterans want to share what's worked for you or what have you learned never to do again?

Style Tutorial: Mini Twist Styles 1

Sometimes I forget that having twists, especially small or mini twists, is just like having loose hair. There is an endless amount of fantastic styles that can be created with twists- most anything that can be done on loose hair and more! If you're new to wearing mini twists, take a look at the styles I've done below for a few ideas. If you're a veteran and would like your photos posted, please share what you've done: Submissions.TheKitchenSalon@gmail.com. Either way, please tell me what you think!

Style 1

Pinned to the side.

Pinned to the side.

Style 2

Double rolls pinned at the top with a pompadour.

Double rolls pinned at the top with a pompadour.

Double rolls pinned at the top with a pompadour.

Style 3

Bun with a bang. (Accessorize with a ribbon!)

Bun with a bang. (Accessorize with a ribbon!)

Style 4

French roll with a side bang.

French roll with a side bang.

French roll with a side bang.

French roll with a side bang.

Style 5

One long roll with front rolls.

One long roll with front rolls.

One long roll with front rolls.

2008-10: THE AGE OF NATURAL HAIR ENLIGHTENMENT

This post originally appeared on "NaturalSunshine.com" January 28, 2011.

Asien (from Natural Sunshine) asked me what happened two years ago to change my understanding and maintenance of my natural hair. Well I got a story, like to hear it? Here it go!

In the summer of 2008 I met a beautician who wanted to do only natural hair, she was so happy I came into the shop. I had about 4 inches of hair, that I had never cut and rarely trimmed the 8 years I had been natural by then.

I was telling her of my chronic issue with dryness and breakage, that I was very careful with how I treated my hair but nothing worked. She asked if I were using the same products that I did with a relaxer, and I was. That was the issue! I was applying chemicals to my virgin hair, and they were doing nothing for me. If I looked for natural products I would see better results.

She introduced me to the Caramel Treatment & Jane Carter Solution, and used those products in my hair. I loved the results! I got the CT a second time, but it was too expensive to maintain. It stretched my hair and made it easy to straighten. I had forgotten the name of the JCS line, so it would be a few years until I came around to them again.

I started using Nubian Heritage & Burt's Bees shampoos & conditioners which are generally 97% natural. My hair began to respond immediately. It maintained moisture and was softer. But I still had breakage! Then I started looking up ways to make conditioners with household foods.

If I were going to use products that were as natural as possible, why didn't I just make my own?! The day I met the coconut milk & avocado conditioner... I was enlightened! When baking soda rinse and apple cider vinegar rinse joined in... I was ecstatic! And so was my hair!

I chopped my hair off just before New Year's 2010, down to about 1 1/2 - 2inches. My hair was supple. It had shine. It had bounce. It still had constant breakage... WTF?!

Then I discovered the seamless comb in July 2010. At that time, my longest strands were about 4 1/2 inches. Now in January 2011, my longest strands are about 8 inches. 3 1/2 inches in 6 months, I'd say that's progress!

To wrap up this rather long stroll down memory, the lessons I've learned in the last two years are:
- natural hair benefits best from natural products
- a seamless comb helps to eliminate breakage and lessen shedding
- I really enjoy blocking out a few hours (or an entire day) to make my products, prewash, rinse, deep condition, stretch and style my hair! It is my ME TIME!!

I hope you all enjoyed my story.

In Hair Solidarity,

Pia