Optimizing the Summer Growth Spurt

Summer is my favorite time of year. People are happy. No school (well, for some people), perpetual sunshine, summer concerts, and my hair GROWTH SPURT. Woot! Woot! I always get this big hair growth spurt during the summer. I don't know what it is about summer that makes my hair shoot out of my scalp like it's doing a race or something. All I know is by September/October my hair is usually a lot longer than when I started in the summer. This year I've been thinking what if I did things to spruce up and add to my summer growth spurt? Hopefully, you saw my last post on my summer regimen. If not, just click on my summer regimen post and read all about what I plan to do this summer. I figured why not be strategic about my growth this summer and measure the growth on October? Sounds like a plan!! What am I doing to OPTIMIZE my summer growth spurt?

#1. Cleanse my scalp/ condition my hair. Nice scalp massages while I loosen oil and dirt ALWAYS does my scalp good. Then, a generous helping of conditioner after I rinse my hair of soap. For me, dirt doesn't grow hair. It blocks my hair follicles and causes breakage. MY hair grows better when my scalp is clean and not irritated. People with scalp conditions like mine benefit from having clean scalps.

#2. Oil my scalp with Pimento Oil. Everything that I'm doing is for the health of my scalp and hair. Keeping an itch and irritation free scalp, helps me to avoid scratching and digging, which could infect my scalp. I don't use my fingernails to massage, but rather the pads of my fingers. The ingredients in the  pimento oil is soothing and stimulates the scalp. It's a win/win situation!

#3. Twist, pin, and go. My definite go-to style is the two strand twists updo. It keeps me from having "hands in hair" syndrome. I twist, bobby pin up, and go to work. No stress/no mess. While I like having my hair out and curly, I'm minimizing that to optimize my growth spurt. Keeping my ends tucked away and protected will allow my hair to grow without a lot of manipulation.

#4. Snip, snip, and GROW. I just trimmed my hair and now my ends are feeling like the gates of heaven have opened up. Aaahhhh!! Heh heh.. No, but seriously why do people hold on to scraggly, raggedy, ratched ends? All it does is stunt your growth if you have dryness and/or split ends. I'm not even going to try to "repair" those ends. Snip, snip and keep it moving. I won't be trimming again until October. I just realized that I snip every season. Hey! That DOES make sense, doesn't it?

#5. Oh, so GOOD ingredients. I'm a natural hair product diva. My hair loves some of the BEST ingredients that nature has to offer, so why not give Fluffy what she craves? Everything that I use from my luscious oil prepoo (prepared with JBCO Coconut Oil) to my rich deep conditioner contain ingredients that are EXCELLENT for strengthening, conditioning, and moisturizing my hair. No skimping this summer!!

#6. Handle with care. No ripping through my hair rushing through detangling sessions. I'm not trying to rip out hair balls. Instead, I'll be scheduling my sessions on my off days to ensure that I lose the tangles, but not come away with gigantic hairballs.

Dear readers, how are you going to consciously optimize your hair growth this summer?

My Summer Regimen

This summer promises to be hot and sometimes stormy here in my neck of the woods. We've already had several thunderstorms and a tornado touched down just the other day. OK, so how does weather affect my styling plans? I plan to continue cleansing, conditioning, and moisturizing. That part hasn't changed at all. However, I have decided to go back to rotating my shampoo bars as my hair dictates whether it needs extra moisture or cleansing. Like other people in my profession (I am a teacher) I have a summer job working with students. This means that I don't have enormous amounts of time to do my hair.

My Summer Hair Regimen

• Henna Treatment--3-4 more times during the summer to get a deeper auburn hue
• Cleanse my hair every week with a Chagrin Valley shampoo bar.
• Condition with first a rinse out conditioner then a deep conditioner.
• Apply my leave-in to soaking wet hair and air dry. 
• Then, style my hair in two strand twists or braids. 
• Do pin updos, twists, and buns for protective styling. 
• Every day I will spritz with my homemade spritz to moisturize and every week I will oil my scalp with Jamaican Pimento oil.

Recent braid out w/ Shea Moisture
Curl Enhancing Smoothie &
Shea Moisture Curling Souffle

Products I Heart

• Chagrin Valley shampoo bars
• Naturelle Grow Coconut Water Cleansing Cream
• Naturelle Grow Chamomile/Burdock Root Deep Conditioner
• Sunny Isle Jamaican Pimento Oil
• Tropic Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil
• Wild Growth Hair Oil
• Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk 
• Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing smoothie
• Shea Moisture Curling Souffle

Dear readers, what is your summer regimen? What products do you plan to use during the summer to keep your styles fresh?

My Henna Journey- Part 3: The 2nd Time Around

I have become a henna lover and it is growing with each application. There is something about henna that keeps pulling me in like that lover you just can't manage to say no to. But, not in a crazy eyed, hypnotic, weirdo kind of way. It's more of a healthy addiction, if there is such a thing. It's hard to explain, except to say that the more you do it, the more you love it.

I have been reading everything that I can find about henna: how to mix it properly, what to use, the benefits, and the drawbacks. My interest in henna has grown by leaps and bounds as I not only read about it, but experience it firsthand. After this second application, I have had some more epiphanies about this wonderful natural product. And aren't you just anxious to hear more about it? Well, I'm glad you asked! So, here it goes!

#1. Henna isn't just a treatment; it's a lifestyle. Henna heads will tell you that our haircare centers around proper treatment and henna is at the center. Because henna offers optimal strength and conditioning, everything that you do before and after you henna increases your hair's health. From detangling your hair properly to using a proper deep conditioner, EVERYTHING contributes to the best or henna experience. I'm so grateful to all of the ladies on the CurlyNikki Forum that offer the BEST henna advice EVER!

#2. Henna mixes aren't one size fits all. Just because someone else loves lemon juice in their mix, don't expect it to work the same for you. Why? Because what you put in your henna mix must be tailored specifically for your hair's needs. Typically lemon juice is drying for most Afro textured hair, but if you have oily hair and/or scalp then it may not negatively affect you. Keep in mind that the straight haired henna heads can get away with really acidic juices in their mix, because of the natural oils that they have that flow more easily down the hair strand. Those of us with drier hair textures prefer green tea, hibiscus tea, aloe vera juice, apple cider vinegar or (my favorite) coconut milk. It takes practice to figure out what will work best. Some people add oils to their mix and other people keep their mix simple. You have to play around with your mix to get the perfect combination.

#3. The perfect henna mix looks like a paste or pudding not a soup. I learned this the hard way, because my first mix was like a pea soup instead of a paste consistency. It was a messy situation. I didn't share this with you in the article, so I am gonna confess something. I got a few splotches will trying to apply the henna mix the first time. It was like a liquid and so it splashed a little. It wasn't terrible, but this time when I did a paste mixture there were no splotches. Also, the color doesn't deposit as well when you use a thin mixture. The thicker paste sticks to the hair strands and deposits better color.

My 2nd henna-- 06/13/2013

#4. Get good quality henna, because some of the cheap stuff will leave you with crispy, shedding hair. Thank God I didn't experience this myself. I learned vicariously through lurking blogs and forums that the worst henna experiences came from people purchasing el cheapo henna from some place that had poor quality products. Companies like Henna Sooq have organic certified products and top quality henna. You don't have to worry about picking twigs, sticks, and other drags out of your hair. It is packaged well and when you open the package you will know that it is a fresh quality.

#5. Allow the color to release before you apply the henna mix to your hair. I like how the henna will "tell" you that it is ready. When I first mix it I see a green color, but once the dye releases it turns to the color of mud. It is awesome. Oh, and I learned that you can freeze the left over henna. When you de-thaw and use the henna, the dye releases quicker than freshly made henna. Isn't that awesome?

#6. You may want to give henna a try if you have a scalp condition. I have a condition called seborrhea dermatitis. It is usually under control, but when the weather changes or if I experience stress, it may flare up. After applying henna the first time, my scalp became different. Although I still experienced flare ups, it wasn't as intense as my previous episodes. During this second application my scalp had a nice, slight tingle. After rinsing out the henna my scalp felt clean not stripped. I felt as though my scalp had undergone a special treatment. If for no other benefit, I love henna because it helps my scalp condition.

Readers, are you considering joining the henna nation? Do you have questions about the process? Or are you an expert henna head? Share your thoughts and/or questions. 

A Bun, Storm, and Unexpected Surprise

Why Must It Be So Difficult?

I've never been one to bun my hair. It's just not something I did. I used to practically live in twists UNTIL the twists no longer worked for me. So, enter henna and well, I just fell in love with this herbal treatment obviously sent by the Gods. I mean, had I known that henna is definitely for me, I would have used henna a LONG time ago. Anyway, back to the bun. How many people wear their perfectly formed buns that look so sophisticated yet can be easily worn at work or school? I didn't think buns were necessarily for me and then, my lazy side took over.

One day I'm sitting in front of the TV twisting my hair and my arms began to tire. I kept thinking why am I taking so much time to only have skimpy, anorexic twists? So, I undid the twists, and then I began to mess around with my Goody Ouchless band. Lo, and behold my curly bun was formed. I could care less if my bun is exactly symmetrically formed or perfectly sleek. While a sleek bun is definitely attractive, a bun that is nice yet fun isn't so bad at all. Now, I'm not advocating not taking your time to do a bun, but should it be a headache and a half? Nope!

How I Do This Bun Thing

Ok, so here's the breakdown on how I do my perfectly imperfect bun. You will only need a few minutes in the morning and you will be out the door in no time! I did say that I'm definitely a minimalists didn't I?

STEP #1-- Spritz hair with water and/or a water/oil mixture and gently smooth the hair.

STEP #2--Add a good moisturizer. I used Shea Moisture Curl & Shine Mist. 

STEP #3--Pull your hair up into a high ponytail with the Goody Ouchless band. It should be thin enough that you can wrap it twice.

STEP #4-- Separate the ponytail into two halves.

STEP #5-- Bend one side of the ponytail into a little puff then pin.

STEP #6-- Pin the other side of the ponytail into a second puff then pin.

STEP #7--Squish the bun gently to make it look uniform and add more pins as needed.

STEP #8-- Spritz water on your edges and add gel. I used Creme of Nature Argan Oil Perfect Edges.

My first bun as a henna head!

The Bun Saga Continues

I hope this was simple and not a headache, because this method saved me time. I mean, when I say saved time, you wouldn't believe how easy it was to do, once I got the hang of it.

The cool thing about buns is that you can add a scarf for a fun look or wear earrings and a special outfit to jazz it up a bit. Buns can be as big as you would like or smaller and neater. Practice your buns and decide how high you would like it and play around with the form. Oh, and my bun held up VERY well during our extra rainy days during a messy tropical storm. What was the surprise? The surprise is that I was able to actually do a hairstyle and it turned out VERY well.

JBCO: My Liquid Gold and Why It Changed My Hair

I'm going to be honest with you. Being a fine haired curly can be quite challenging to say the least. Fine hair strands make it difficult to avoid breaking the hair when detangling. Also, because my hair is low density, certain styles make me look like a shaven bird. I've tried some of those cut two strand twist styles and frankly, my hair just looks a lot better when it's out. OK, that brings me to another point. When you have fine hair and low density hair you have to work extremely hard to create volume where there is none. Tired of layering twists and trying volumizing products, I encountered Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO).

Hair Trouble and Why I Turned to JBCO
After years of suffering from hair thinning and hair loss, I was at my wits end trying to figure out what to use to stop my hair from falling out. I was losing hair in my crown and edges. I was not feeling very confident, but I always kept the faith that eventually I would find something. As you may have read in my previous posts about my hair journey, I did find great natural hair products that slowed down the hair loss and helped with some regrowth. However, I still saw spots that were thinner than the rest of my hair. This frustrated me and I was determined to find something that would not only regrow hair but thicken up my hair to increase the density. Now, I'm not a scientist, so if you're looking for a scientific explanation then you've come to the wrong blog. I'm just a common everyday person, who is sharing how a simple, natural, inexpensive remedy helped me regrow and thicken my hair.

Why is JBCO so popular? Touted as a miracle oil by many in the natural community JBCO has several benefits including treating skin ailments, increasing hair volume, and eliminating thinness. I won't get into the debate on whether JBCO is better than regular castor oil. I just know that from my experience JBCO changed my hair for the better. It will be a year this summer since I began consistently using JBCO on my hair and scalp. Looking back at my photos I can see why JBCO is one of the most talked about hair oils in the natural community.

How do you use JBCO? JBCO can be used in several ways. I will share with you just a few ways that I like to use JBCO. These uses have helped me go from wimpy, thin hair to va-va-va- voom natural hair that is becoming so voluminous that I get lots of compliments.

The Many JBCO Mixes & Why They Work! I started out using just plain old JBCO. I had to get use to the thickness and stickiness of the oil. But, once I learned that less is more, I began to enjoy the healing therapy and benefits. There are so many different combinations of JBCO and other oils. Tropic Isle Living and Sunny Isle provide quality products with mixtures to fit almost every need and/or preference. Coconut, argan, rosemary, ylang ylang, and lavender are just some of the other oil combinations available. Currently, I am alternating between using the Coconut JBCO and the Rosemary JBCO. There is an added benefit to using JBCO in conjunction with other oils. Coconut oil penetrates the hair strand and rosemary is known to aid in hair growth. Of course, the other oils also have excellent benefits. Choose a plain JBCO or one that has an added oil based on what you prefer and/or need for YOUR hair.

July 2012-BEFORE JBCO

September 2011-BEFORE JBCO 

Add JBCO to Your Conditioner and/or Deep Conditioner

A little goes a long way so just put a couple of drops in your deep conditioner or rinse out conditioner. It will add to the moisture and make rinsing out the conditioner a luxurious experience. It softens my hair and makes it feel so good.

AFTER  8 months of JBCO-June 2013

AFTER 1 month of JBCO-September 2012

Add JBCO to Your Daily Spritz

Just a few drops in your daily spritz to ensure that you are on your way to voluminous hair. I make sure that I add enough so that it is about 1/4 of the bottle. I shake vigorously to ensure that it is well mixed. Since adding JBCO to my daily spritz my hair has a sheen and moisture.

JBCO As a Part of Your Night Routine

I love using just a small dropper bottle to dab JBCO on my thinning areas (my crown and edges). I have a small area right in the front that has grown lots and lots of little hairs in it thanks to JBCO. No more balding areas.


Are you balding, shedding, or have uneven hair due to breakage? Jamaican Black Castor Oil is truly a miracle oil. It REALLY has changed my hair and it may just work for you. I've seen the expensive hair treatments and I've even experienced prescription strength medication. Here's the thing.. I believe that in nature our Creator has provided us with the resources to cure any ailment. Yes, I believe that natural products are the way to go for health problems including hair loss. If hair loss is genetic then of course, there is very little that can be done. But, if you are experiencing hair loss due to allergies, stress, diet, etc. then the cure IS in nature. Yes, JBCO has additives, such as the ash which gives the oil its dark color, BUT, castor oil is derived from the castor bean which is grown.



Where do you purchase Jamaican Black Castor Oil? Check out your local health food store, grocery store, ethnic market, and beauty supply store. If you live in an area in which JBCO is difficult to find then you may order it online.  

Click on the links below to learn more or to order Jamaican Black Castor Oil products.

Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Products

Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil Products

My Journey to Becoming a Henna Head- Part 2 Henna Head In Full Effect

I was so intrigued by henna that I had to use the Red Raj henna from Henna Sooq this weekend.  Initially, I was very chicken and a little apprehensive about the process. I read several blogs and visited Henna Sooq's website several times to make sure that I wasn't doing anything that would result in my hair in my hands. The most confusing part was that almost every natural had their own henna mix. A henna mix is a mixture of henna and then other powders, oils, or liquids to activate and/or enhance the conditioning properties of the henna. Some henna heads use orange juice, lemon juice, or green tea. Still others use coconut milk, aloe vera juice, or apple cider vinegar. Then, there are all of the myriad of different types of Aryuvedic and organic powders that can be added to the henna mix. After reading so much that my head began to hurt, so I just sat down and decided what exactly would I add to my mix?

What Did I Use in My Henna Mix?

Liquid #1 : Raspberry Tea-- It was chosen because the first ingredient in raspberry tea is hibiscus. Hibiscus flowers actually enhance the red tones of the henna. I figured that this was a good choice as I wanted the color to be visible on the first time.

Liquid #2: Aloe Vera Juice-- My hair loves aloe vera juice and I also knows it is a gentle liquid. I added it in there to just give an extra moisture boost.

Powder: Aloe Vera Powder (Conditioning/Softening Agent)-- I chose aloe vera powder, because it is known to aid in conditioning the hair and imparting moisture. There are a whole host of benefits from aloe vera including ridding the hair of dandruff and other scalp conditions.

Oil: Coconut/Jamaican Black Castor Oil-- My hair loves this oil and so, I figured why not? But, please note that oils are not be added prior to the dye release. In fact, it's best to add oils AFTER the dye has been released. For the Red Raj henna that I used the dye release time was approximately 3-4 hours. Therefore, I added the oil right before I applied the henna.

Detangling the Hair Before the Henna

It is VERY important that your hair is not matted and/or tangled. Why? Because having matted and tangled hair will make it especially difficult when you are trying to rinse out the henna. I finger detangled and used a little grape seed oil working my fingers carefully down each section and untangling any sections that were mixed together. The detangling process took me about 20-30 minutes. I took my time and made sure that I did not rip out any strands.

How did I apply the Henna Mix?

Prior to applying the henna mix I had to wait until the dye release. As I stated previously, the dye release time for Red Raj henna is 3-4 hours. I mixed together the ingredients and then I put the plastic top on the bowl and set it in the refrigerator for 3 hours. It was a dark green color when I first put it in the refrigerator. However, after the dye release it turned mud brown.

Before applying the henna mix you must section your hair. I used butterfly clips and made about 6 sections-- 3 on each side of my head. I figured it would be much easier if I made the sections small enough that I could work with them.

Wear gloves and make sure you have on old clothes and cover your work space with towels and/or newspaper. The splotches I made with the mixture were minimal, but I was able to clean up afterwards with no remaining henna stains.

Apply the henna as you would deep conditioner and be sure to get each section. I took my time slathering on the henna. I smoothed each section and then clipped it back up until the whole head was complete.

Once the whole head is done cover with a plastic cap or wrap with Saran Wrap. I used the Saran Wrap method because I didn't have any plastic caps. I made sure I wrapped it tight. I wiped any spilled henna, because I didn't want to have orange dye on my skin! Finally, I put my Turbie towel on top and laid a towel on my pillow. I went to bed and slept with the henna in my hair overnight.

The Big Reveal--Fluffy Gets Color

I am quite pleased with the results. My hair aka Fluffy looks and feels good. She has lots of volume and she is holding a twist out VERY well. Also, she feels soft yet strong. The henna did elongate my curls slightly but it also created better definition. #Winning!!!!

After the henna you can see the red highlights where my gray hair used to be.

Rinsing Out Henna 

After sleeping in the henna for about 6 hours I went to my bathroom and hung my head over the tub rinsing, rinsing, and rinsing! I used just plain water with no product at first. I just rinsed each side of my head until I saw the water run clear. This took a little while and to be honest, it didn't feel like it took long. I just stuck my head under the running water and turned slowly from side to side and rinsed. Then, I paid close attention to the front, back, and sides again to ensure that no henna residue remained.

Next, I applied Naturelle Grow Coconut Water Cleansing conditioner. This is a new product for me and I will be doing a full review very soon. I left the conditioner in for about 3 minutes then rinsed it out. Then, I applied TRESemme Naturals Nourishing conditioner and rinsed it out again. Finally, I applied the Naturelle Grow Chamomile Burdock Root conditioner. I left it in my hair and put a plastic bag over it to seal in the moisture for about 15 minutes. I rinsed it out and applied my leave-in, Shea Moisture Yucca and Baobab Hair Milk. I decided to twist my hairs in preparation for a twist out. I used a small amount of the Naturelle Grow Moisturizer to each section for extra moisture.

My Final Verdict

Well, it's only been a day but so far so good. I will continue to update my blog as I share my revelations. This henna journey is exciting and it has revitalized my natural hair journey. My scalp feels clean, but not stripped. This is very important as I have been fighting seborrhea dermatitis for some time. I won't give a final verdict just yet, but for now henna seems to be pretty darned good. 

I'm a henna head!!

My Supplies

• Red Raj Henna
• Aloe Vera Powder
• Raspberry Tea
• Aloe Vera Juice
• Tropic Isle Coconut/Jamaican Black Castor Oil
• Plastic Gloves
• Naturelle Grow Coconut Water Cleansing Conditioner
• TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Conditioner
• Naturelle Grow Chamomile Burdock Root Deep Conditioner
• Shea Moisture Yucca & Baobab Hair Milk
• Naturelle Grow Moisturizer

For more information about Red Raj, Aloe Vera Powder, or other henna products please visit 

Henna Sooq.

To purchase Naturelle Grow products please visit NaturelleGrow on Etsy.