Straighten hair the natural way!

[Hairyette]

SeaMist,

All I can say is WOW! I'm impressed so far. After I rinsed out the milk mixture my hair was really smooth and very conditioned. I was very skeptical at first....I mean MILK...come on...but I'm a believer now.

I have my mixture of Lotus powder on now (I'm just an experimentin' fool today...). I'll post my results on the Henna thread. I think one of the reasons I got such good results with my last Henna application was due to the lemon juice and yogurt additions...hmm..I wonder if I can add this milk mixture to the henna for a double effect?!

One experiment at a time....Hairyette

 

[Guest]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I have my mixture of Lotus powder on now (I'm just an experimentin' fool today...).

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you mean Hairyette! I'm eyeing a creamy salad dressing because it has alot of healthy ingredients in it and if I ever decide to try, I'll post my results with that one too!

 

[sweetcocoa]

Okay I have the coconut milk and lime juice mixture in my hair...do I shampoo after this or just rinse it out?

 

[Guest]

Sweetcocoa I shampooed my mix out but that was only because I didn't shampoo those two sections before hand. If you already shampooed your hair and applied the mix, I would just rinse and follow-up with a conditioner. If you didn't shampoo, I would shampoo then apply a conditioner.

 

[sweetcocoa]

Thnaks SeaMist! I'll shampoo afterwards....but the next time I'll shampoo first. I'm worried the shampoo will remove some of the effect. I'm gonna do another Hennalucent (with my oils this time)this week then only once a month. If this turns out the way I think it will I'll do this oce a week.

 

[Guest]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Thnaks SeaMist! I'll shampoo afterwards....but the next time I'll shampoo first. I'm worried the shampoo will remove some of the effect. I'm gonna do another Hennalucent (with my oils this time)this week then only once a month. If this turns out the way I think it will I'll do this oce a week.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm thinking along the same lines

Who knew the milk would be in the foray of our haircare regimen! Please post them results as quick as you can, 'cause I'm dying to know the outcome

 

[Mahalialee4]

RE: GrassRoots Hair Care: I have been doing hair research for natural hair for years. I came to a conclusion that there are many nationalities that have bushy thick hair and some have curly nappy hair, just like us. I wanted to find out what made the difference in why their hair looks so much healthier than the average hair of the black woman. What I have learned overtime, and being fortunate enough to live in a very nationally diverse society, is that MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE USING PRODUCTS RIGHT FROM THE KITCHEN! One reason is traditional culture, and the other is financial. Many of these ladies do not have money or support from their mates to buy a lot of product, and if they are a single parent it goes to the kids and the mothers will totally go without. I also observed that some of the ladies who have the most beautiful hair use powders, fruits, spices in homemade combos using eggs, milk, yogurt, lemon peel, oils, clays etc. My own heritage of AA and American Indian on both sides, with a grandmother who was a herbalist, and being surrounded by the use of natural products all my life, everything made from scratch....has impacted on me heavily. I am an avid gardener and grow my own herbs and flowers and currently make all my shampoos conditioners etc. from natural products. I make sure that I test everything on myself. I am also a licensed hair stylist but I am only interested in natural hair. I would recommend that you do a section test when trying out new things. It can be fun but be aware of the preservation issues. I use tea tree oil, Vitamin C, wheatgerm and other essential oils and honey as preservatives and I also store my products in the refrigerator in small jelly jars, and I suggest that if you do this, label and date them and use them up in a reasonable time. Note: You have heard of Amla powder? It is made from the fruit of the Indian GOOSEBERRY!I grow gooseberries, strawberries, soaproot etc. I also grow rosehips and herbs and a variety of flowers ORGANICALLY. I buy honey that still has the pollen in it and can purchase farm eggs and fresh yogurts and REAL MILK. These are some of the things that the East Indian women use and not all of them have naturally straight hair. Some of them have very bushy curly hair, but they know how to maximize it's beauty. I comb the fresh goods markets for ideas and products and use the very best that I can afford in terms of combs, brushes etc. that do not damage my hair. That is the sole purpose of any information that I share, that we may come to a good knowlege of our hair and how to help it reach it's beauty potential. In the past I just went with the general flow and my hair became very damaged and I turned back to what I knew worked best. When you get a chance check out some of the Indian sites and their hair care recipes. You will be surprised at the foods etc they use. The horseradish, cornsilk, sage and ferula is actually a Caribbean thing, but of course, some big names are using this as the base for their straightening balms. But they got it from the grass roots people.

The clays and Henna are African as well as Indian in origin...again the *grassroots thing. (made from roots, seeds, fruits, oils and milk proteins) and acids (limes, lemons etc.. American Indians used the natural products for their hair and you know those ladies have some serious pretty hair. I come from a long line of long haired women. Even the women in their 80's plus have long pretty hair. I watched how my women elders cared for their hair, but being the modern woman that I am...I had my own modern ideas...and now I am returning to these ways with a vengeance. If I had not changed those ways, I would have hair to sit on or longer now! when we do right by our hair, it does right by us....when we do not treat it like a crowning glory, it can be our worst nightmare. So I have grown it from neck length to nearly midback since 1999 using only natural methods to repair all the damage and breakage from illness and poor diet and modern products. Now I nurture my hair like a compassionate woman with a motherless child

. It repays me by growing in very thick, silky and stronger by the month. The range of hair in my relatives is 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, with the 4/s having the longest thickest strongest hair. (waistlength or more) Hope this helps. Happy Hair Growing.

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

Hi Mahalialee
Your hair sounds just beautiful. I would love to see some pictures of your hair!!!! Can you post some please???? I would love to see the effects that henna and all these natural treatments have done to your hair.
Especially since you say you can press your palms together and get straight hair. I think your hair sounds wonderful, strong healthy and shiny and would love to see it before you reach waist length...
please, pretty please? Just a little peek???

thanks
Valleygirl

 

[Mahalialee4]

I want to do a site showing where I started so that you can see it at every stage. But if it helps, right now, when you see Zanna's picture and how it looks, mine looks like that when it is oiled brushed and combed, as far as how straight it looks. If I just leave it alone after that, because of the bulk of it, it is thick like Den 1's but straight. But it is not as long as Your's and I have some layers left. Hold that picture for now and thank you for asking. Hope this helps some. You have such gorgeous hair VG and you are one of my big inspirations!!!!!!!Bonjour.

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

Thanks Mahalilee
I think I have a good mental picture right now. It sounds lovely.
I cant wait to see your website. It will be great to show the different stages of your hair growth.

I also commend you with your different experiments with the different natural products. I am just not brave enough to try some of those things...I am too chicken even if it is natural stuff...
Chat with ya later
Valleygirl

 

[Guest]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
MahaliaLee said:
: I have been doing hair research for natural hair for years. I came to a conclusion that there are many nationalities that have bushy thick hair and some have curly nappy hair, just like us. I wanted to find out what made the difference in why their hair looks so much healthier than the average hair of the black woman. What I have learned overtime, and being fortunate enough to live in a very nationally diverse society, is that MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE USING PRODUCTS RIGHT FROM THE KITCHEN!

[/ QUOTE ]

My mother always tell me that there is nothing new under the sun. What is old becomes new, and the new originated from the old

Thank you for taking the time to do this research! You have become a source of inspiration for me. I admire your tireless drive that's evident in your threads on your discovery of natural ingredients to nuture the hair. I've been reading your posts with a fine-tooth comb and you are very knowledgeable about so many things. I was looking at pictures of various Polynesian nations that include Fiji, Tahiti, Somoa, and Tonga, and I declare many of those people have similar hair textures that approximate that of the black diaspora. I guess I just answered my own question when I said "black diaspora", because we are a major global force, representative in many nations

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I come from a long line of long haired women. Even the women in their 80's plus have long pretty hair. I watched how my women elders cared for their hair, but being the modern woman that I am...I had my own modern ideas...and now I am returning to these ways with a vengeance. If I had not changed those ways, I would have hair to sit on or longer now!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto everything you said! I've always had thick,long hair and my hair would have been waistelength a thousand times over if I had remained "grassroot", instead of wanting to be a "contemporary" lady in regards to haircare.

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I would recommend that you do a section test when trying out new things. It can be fun but be aware of the preservation issues. I use tea tree oil, Vitamin C, wheatgerm and other essential oils and honey as preservatives and I also store my products in the refrigerator in small jelly jars, and I suggest that if you do this, label and date them and use them up in a reasonable time.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have considered this also

I'm going to start buying the majority of my products from health food stores or buy products from companies who only use natural ingredients in their products.

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Now I nurture my hair like a compassionate woman with a motherless child . It repays me by growing in very thick, silky and stronger by the month. The range of hair in my relatives is 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, with the 4/s having the longest thickest strongest hair. (waistlength or more) Hope this helps. Happy Hair Growing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mahalialee, when you start your website I'm praying that it branches out into seminars, and even talk shows! As Valleygirl said, your hair sounds fabulous, and please do showcase the women in your family. I'm especially impressed with the 4a/4b's who are waistelength! Their presence alone would shut the mouths of all the nay-sayers who would go to their graves swearing, that afro-textured hair cannot reach great lengths. A picture is worth all the words in the human language and seeing those healthy, beautiful manes would be enough proof as well as a deep-inspiration for many. Seeing is believing for a lot of people

Thanks for your very detailed posts and I'm looking forward to more of your findings regarding natural haircare. You have a passion for this. I believe this is your calling and encourage you to pursue every avenue on your endeavor to find natural alternatives to address black haircare.

Bonjour until the next posting

 

[Titansgirl]

I agree 100% w/ you Seamist inreference to the knowledge that MahaliaLee has shared w/ everyone.

MahaliaLee it is a blessing to be able to learn from individuals like yourself and the other ladies on this board. I never knew anything about all of these natural ways of treating the hair. My family is wigging out on me at this present moment because of all the different things I have been doing to my hair and my daughter's hair. I'm at the point that I don't care what they think, I'm going to continue to do what's best my our hair, "even if it somes crazy to them"!

Thank you, ladies so much for the wealth of info that it generated here daily....

 

[hairfanatic]

This is a very intriguing thread!

I am always interested in anything natural for my hair and I must say, I will try the milk and lime recipe.

 

[sweetcocoa]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
SeaMist said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Thnaks SeaMist! I'll shampoo afterwards....but the next time I'll shampoo first. I'm worried the shampoo will remove some of the effect. I'm gonna do another Hennalucent (with my oils this time)this week then only once a month. If this turns out the way I think it will I'll do this oce a week.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm thinking along the same lines

Who knew the milk would be in the foray of our haircare regimen! Please post them results as quick as you can, 'cause I'm dying to know the outcome

[/ QUOTE ]
Okay....this really works! My curls are looser(I even have some that dried almost straight...loose and wavy instead of curly). My hair takes ANYTHING easily...so I won't do this again until next week(instead of 3 times the first week as stated in the directions). When I was rinsing this out I could tell it had loosened my natural curls...it was almost like getting a relaxer. I am really surprised. My curls are dry with minimal shrinkage. I usually wear my hair back, but I actually have it out today. This is a keeper.

A moisturizing conditioner is a must, because it can be drying.
P.S. I used a touchup brush to apply top layer of the mix to my roots, then poured the rest of the mixture though my hair. I lightly wrung out the excess(remembering what Cynamonkis said about it stinging your eyes...) wrapped my hair with saran wrap followed by a plasctic cap and then a turbie twist. After an hour I removed the plastic cap and saran wrap and air dried another half hour...
Oh, yea.. I forgot I mixed my coconut milk and lime juice together with a mixer(or blender) and let it set in my fridge over night. It seperated overnight with about an inch of creamy foam on the top...that's what I brushed on my roots. I think I may add an oil to the mix the next time to counter act the dryness.

 

[Guest]

Sweetcocoa didn't I tell you that this milk recipe is awesome?! Didn't I tell ya huh? Didn't I?! I'm so glad everything turned out swell with you

Wow, I really can't believe this. Milk, lemon/lime etc. What's next? I'm telling you I was in the supermarket eyeing some creamy salad dressing

However, my next purchases will come from the health food store. Now, if we ever thought about getting straight hair, all we have to do is use the milk and lemon recipe, and we are all gonna be just fine

No more relaxers for me every again. We have the natural thing!

 

[sassygirl125]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Wow, I really can't believe this. Milk, lemon/lime etc. What's next? I'm telling you I was in the supermarket eyeing some creamy salad dressing

[/ QUOTE ]

Y'all are killing me!

I'm sitting here with coconut milk (no lime!) dripping down the back of my neck.

I only used 1/2 the can--how long will the rest of it keep in the fridge?

 

[Crysdon]

I want to know your results Sassygirl. Can you use the coconut milk on relaxed/texturized hair also to straighten?

 

[sassygirl125]

The milk didn't seem to have any negative effect on my relaxed ends...

I just shampooed mine out. My hair was soft and slippery

, but it didn't look any looser.

I left it in for about an hour and a half. Maybe I'll be able to see something when it's conditioned and dry...

I scooped a blob of cream off the top of the coconut milk and added it to my conditioner (Summit Mend).

 

[Guest]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
SassyGirl said: I just shampooed mine out. My hair was soft and slippery , but it didn't look any looser.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm wondering why this is? Could it be the lime juice was the missing link? I used grocery store milk and with all the additives included in it, I'm not surprised my hair went straight. The two great things that came from out of this is that your hair was soft and slippery---&gt; translation: tangle-free

I'm going to try that salad dressing thingy. I know, I'm just an experimentin' fool, but I'm gonna be sure to post my results on that one... yall can count on it!

 

[sweetcocoa]

I mixed mine with lime juice...I think that had alot to do with it. I think the coconut milk is good for conditioning. I'm gonna wait 2 weeks and do another hennalucent...my hair is feeling a little dry, so I'm gonna do some deep moisture treatments for a while. Plus my curls are loose enough for now...

 

[adrienne0914]

sweetcocoa, how is it helping with the frizz?

 

[azul11]

is the lemon juice only needed for the coconut milk mix? what if you wanted to do the regular milk mix can you just nix the lemon juice? also how do you keep this from dripping all over you? do you use one of those relaxer/color brushes? would i find that at sallys?? God bless you all.

 

[Janice]

Wow, I am so glad to hear all this positive feedback. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to try it. I am glad the results worked out well for you sweet cocoa. I thought that it was really smart of you to use the saran wrap to keep it from dripping.

Seamist or Mahalie,-By the way,do you think that it is okay to dry the mixture unded a hooded dryer or would you just air dry it?

 

[godzooki]

does anyone know what the effects of this are on relaxed hair? I really want to try it and add it to my recipes for later use to either help tame new growth and extend touch up or for if I decide to go natural after reaching my goals. If I do this do you think it will be ok? Even though I'm not natural I'm sorta the guinea pig for my sisters, one being natural and I want to give her my take on it before telling them about it. I'm in wk 11 of my last touch up so have plenty of new growth. Don't know my exact type. n.g. comes in very defined waves. I plan to wash my hair tomm. and want to try it then. Do you just use the creamy foam that's supposed to separate or can you use the rest of the liquid as well. I read someone using a squirt bottle. I got just canned coconut milk that apparently has added water and potassium. is that ok?

 

[CynamonKis]

Azul and Sassygirl -

In case you guys missed the previous posts, the recipe stated that you must use LIME with coconut milk. Not lemon. At first I didn't think this made a difference until Mahalialee brought it up. When I tried LIME with coconut milk it worked, then Sweetcoca tried it -- it worked for her too, although it is supposed to be GRADUAL.

Read the e-mail I posted from "[email protected]" for more details on this natural coconut milk/lime relaxer. The recipe is also posted at bodymindretrieval.com.

 

[Mahalialee4]

I wanted to share some of the grassroots knowledge with you because I believe that we as black women and mothers need to seriously consider the HAIRITAGE we are passing on to future generations. As a stylist, I feel so sad when I see little children getting burned, from the straightening combs and from lye and no lye relaxers improperly applied and on scalps that are really vulnerable and far too young to be subjected to chemicals. I have never pressed anyone's hair or given a relaxer. Ever!!!! It's all natural or no way. You probably remember seeing a few little black girls with long hair, ponytails and twists and said "Why can't my hair or my daughter's look like that?" What I am hoping to promote here is that it can and very simply and cheaply. I believe that milk, herbal products, henna and of course lotus powder are blessings from the Creator, so that all of his children can be beautiful and EVERY womAn can have a crowning glory on her head! It is also encouraging to know that we do not have to spend a lot of money...to buy harmful things...it is possible for every woman. An egg now and then, a glass of milk, a little left over tea, a lime, some black strap molasses, a little honey, a little oil. We have been unfortunately and often willfully ignorant about our natural options and because we have been conditioned that "certain things are not" for us (PRETTY HAIR!), and we pass this negative blessing on to our daughters. Some have "discovered" techniques and "secrets" to beautiful hair and have refused to share or if they did, were quickly shot down with "O but that would not work on my hair!". Why? Because it is TOO SIMPLE, and some brand name did not MANUFACTURE IT and add Lord knows what to it!... So some of the things I share on this board, I do not generally share with the people around me as I have encountered many who are too proud to learn and too stubborn to change and would not even try natural things because they are too "sophisticated" for the simple things. I watch them continue to tear up their little girl's hair, and heap all kinds of abuse on their head trying so hard to "do something with their head!". They comment on my hair and say "You got good hair!" and I reply "So do you...you just don't know it! Have you ever considered natural treatments on you hair?...

(yes, I get the look

)...but I am hoping that those of you on the board, who have small daughters, siblings, or close friends will consider the natural things before putting chemicals and heavy greases on them or burning their scalp and skin "to do something with their hair!" Now you know that you HAVE KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE and can introduce them to hair care that doesn't have to hurt! I posted the websites so that you know that there are others out there that have this knowledge, and that it works as a reasonable alternative to chemicals. Some of us have allergies and are sensitive to chemicals, but that does not prevent us from having successful options... Off the soapbox!

goodnite.

 

[sassygirl125]

I didn't use lime juice. Sea Mist posted that she used regular cow's milk and no lime jiuce and saw results. I figured I'd try it with just cocunut milk. Actually I was afraid the lime juice would be drying... I'll use it next time. I like the way the plain coconut milk made my hair feel, though.

 

[sweetcocoa]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
sassygirl125 said:
I didn't use lime juice. Sea Mist posted that she used regular cow's milk and no lime jiuce and saw results. I figured I'd try it with just cocunut milk. Actually I was afraid the lime juice would be drying... I'll use it next time. I like the way the plain coconut milk made my hair feel, though.

[/ QUOTE ]
The website itself said lime juice...
I'll post it again...

 

[sweetcocoa]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
adrienne0914 said:
sweetcocoa, how is it helping with the frizz?

[/ QUOTE ]
I can't really tell yet...I'm waiting for some humidity to test it out.

 

[sassygirl125]

I saw the site. I just wanted to wait and see exactly how much lime juice and coconut milk people were using. Only a few folks here posted actual measurements.

That's something I've notice on a lot of natural product recipe sites. They will list the ingredients but no measurements.

They will say "Mash one avocado..." I wanna know how big the avocado is supposed to be!