28 3 Penetrating Oils My Hair Loves!

I absolutely love Avocado oil, Coconut oil and Olive oil!! Every time I deep condition I'm reminded of how much I depend on these oils. They are a must have in my hair regimen. I know I've talked about these oils before (3 Penetrating Oils - 2009), however, they are so essential in one's hair care journey as they provide strength, elasticity, nourishment, and most importantly they penetrate right into the cortex (up to 90%). Once an ingredient penetrates into the cortex, it has the ability to repair the hair from the inside out.

Over the years, I've noticed a change in the health and thickness of my hair once I implemented these oils into my regimen. I can definitely say that these oils contributed to the health of my hair is partly due to the combination of these oils. I love love love them!

I tend to use these oils (3PO) only in my deep conditions, with heat for approximately 20-30mins. I find this method is the best. It allows my hair to absorb all the nutrients since the heat swells open my cuticles, thus accepting all the nutrients these oils have to offer. I believe that penetrating oils and hydrolyzed proteins are essentially the main ingredients, in products, that have the ability to truly penetrate into the cuticle, thus repair dry damaged hair. Other ingredients help to make the hair feel smooth and soft, however, nothing beats high quality natural oils that enter the cortex to promote healthy hair.

Quick Breakdown:

Avocado oil - Humectant/supports moisture. Contains amino acids & vitamins A,B, D, and E.
Coconut oil - Provides strength & fortifies the hair. Reduces protein loss in the hair.
Olive oil - Fatty acids help increase elasticity & strength.

Which combination of oils works best for you? How do you use them?

6 Product Shopping - Porosity Control & Wave Nouveau

While at the Beauty Supply store the other day, I picked up a couple of products that I needed to restock on. Luckily they were on sale, so that was a huge plus. Roux Porosity Control is an amazing product. Plus the price was so good, I picked up two!!

I usually use it after I shampoo or I mix it into my deep conditioner (2-3 tsp). For those who suffer from highly porous (hair that tends to be dry, doesn't stay moisturized for long) hair, this product is for you. Not only does it lay the cuticles flat, it also smooths the hair out making it feel like silk. With continued use, your hair will feel like it's retaining moisture, which will help combat dryness and breakage. It's always good to have this product in your stash when your hair is being unruly. 

Wave Nouveau is an all time favourite as well. I finished my other bottle, so this is just a restock. Seems like the ingredients are still the same, i.e. No Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein. Since the Scurl No Drip ingredients have changed, I like to keep several daily moisturizers on deck. When walking through the beauty supply stores, it's rare that I see the old formula, which is so heart breaking. However, I'm still on the hunt for the old formula!

3 New Products - Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream & Burdock Root Butter Cream

I recently got these goodies in the mail :) If you follow my Instagram (@hairlicious) you would have seen my post on it's arrival. I'm a huge fan of Qhemet Biologics because their products are predominately natural, effective and rich in quality. I've tried the Burdock Root a couple years back and posted a review on my blog (Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Review). I highly recommend it. They've changed their entire look since 2009. The packaging was much different then. The jar was white and wider, making it easy to scoop up the product.

To my surprise, the ingredients are the same yet slightly different. Seems as though they've rearranged the order of the ingredients to make it more potent (the burdock and nettle are among the first 5 ingredients now). I'm really happy they didn't change the ingredients. The Amla & Olive Oil Heavy Cream is new for me. I've never tried it before so a review will be on it's way. It's creamy, thick and luscious. It's definitely made for coarse dry hair. All I can say right now is that it's a wonderful sealant and a little goes a long way :) 

Have you tried these products before? What's your take on them?

33 Scurl No Drip Curl Activator Moisturizer *New Formula*

Promises: S-Curl "No Drip" Curl Activator & Moisturizer should be used daily to eliminate frizz, condition, soften and strengthen your natural, curly, or wavy hair style. It contains botanical conditioning agents including Argan Oil and Olive Oil, as well as vitamins that strengthen, eliminate breakage, and gives your hair a natural healthy sheen. The special "No Drip" formula is absorbed into the hair-shaft to condition and strengthen your hair from the inside out and it is soothing to the scalp. Never leaves the hair with a greasy feel. S-Curl "No Drip" is great for the entire family. It is also excellent for use on curly, wavy, or straight human hair extensions!

13 My Experience with Postpartum Shedding

What is postpartum shedding?

Sudden shedding that occurs after pregnancy. Most mothers experience this hair loss 3-6 months after giving birth.

How does this shedding occur?

During pregnancy, increased levels of estrogen prolong the growing stage. There are fewer hairs in the resting stage and fewer falling out each day, so you have thicker, more luxuriant hair.

After you give birth, your estrogen levels decrease and a lot more hair follicles enter the resting stage. You'll notice more hair coming out in the shower, comb, sink etc.

How long does it last?

The shedding will decrease and your hair will be back to its pre-pregnancy thickness approximately 6-12 months after you give birth.

My Experience..

The picture above was taken (2011) 4-5 months after I gave birth to my son. I can honestly say that I never experienced postpartum shedding until maybe 9-10 months after pregnancy. My shedding started after I went back to work. My stress increased, my eating/vitamins decreased, breastfeeding decreased and I was inconsistent with my regimen due to lack of time, energy etc. I shed A LOT of hair. The weight of my hair felt so different and light in comparison to when I was pregnant. I was horrified. Being at home for months on end allowed me to keep up with my regimen and I think that's partly why my hair never suffered greatly.

Another reason why I believe my hair thrived after giving birth was because I continued to take the same vitamins I took during my pregnancy i.e. Prenatal vitamins, B Complex, Omega 3's and Vitamin C. From what I've been told recently, B-complex helps extend your growth cycle and circulation to your scalp which helps with shedding. By the time my son was 1 years old, my hair got back into it's normal grove and my excessive shedding decreased.

Unfortunately I did develop problem areas and that was my edges & nape. Some say that breastfeeding causes your hairline to fade/break. I'm not entirely sure how true that is, but mine did! I noticed thinning as quickly as 3-4 months after giving birth. What really helped me was introducing Tropic Isle Living Red Pimento Oil into my regimen through a challenge that took place on Hairlista.com. I would massage the perimeter of my hair line every other day prior to washing. I also left it in my scalp while I deep conditioned under heat for maximum penetration. After 3 months or so it grew back fuller. How's my nape doing? well...that's still a work in progress!

During my pregnancy, I stuck to my original regimen. I changed NOTHING. I stretched to (at max.) 12 weeks for my relaxers, but I usually relaxed at 10 weeks post relaxer. I would moisturize nightly and tie my hair up with a satin scarf before bed. I flat ironed twice throughout my pregnancy and I trimmed my ends every 6 months. I was very strict!

My Advice...

1. After giving birth, try to keep yourself healthy by eating well and getting sleep when the baby sleeps.
2. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins, religiously! 
3. Drink a lot of water to help circulate the nutrients.
4. Try to keep up with your regimen (as much as possible), post pregnancy. If you have to cut down to washing once a week, do it. (Tip: sleeping in conditioner at night and rinsing it out in the morning works like a charm for your busy lifestyle & saves time! I did it at least 1x/week)
5. Shedding after pregnancy is bound to happen, it's just the way it goes.  Just take it one day at a time. Once your baby is 1 years old, hair loss will be finished and your hair will be back to normal :)

25 Scurl No Drip Activator - New Formula and Fragrance!

That's right!

Luster's Scurl No Drip Curl Activator has come out with a brand new formula with a Fresh new Fragrance, minus the Parabens, Frizz and Mineral oil (the old formula never had Mineral oil). Scurl No Drip now contains Argan Oil and Olive oil. Nice! However, I don't like the fact that they added DMDM Hydantoin (formaldehyde preservative). I really don't think that was necessary.

As soon as this product hit the market, I immediately got nervous. You don't understand, this product is my S-T-A-P-L-E!! It has multiple purposes in my hair care regimen (moisturizer, leave-in conditioner, new growth softener etc.) so if this new formula doesn't work for me and they convert all the sizes (8oz, 16oz and 32 fl oz) to the new formula.... I'll go nuts - literally! The good thing is, is that I only saw the new formula in the 32 fl. oz. so if this doesn't work out for me, I have the other sizes to fall back on.  I just pray that they don't discontinue the old formula, in that scenario.

Part of me is curious to see how the oils and glycerin will mix together. I'll be testing the new Scurl for the next couple of weeks and then I'll post my final thoughts. So far, I can say that the scent is a change for the better. It's smells very fresh and sweet (kind of like a Herbal Essences conditioner), however the consistency of the product looks the same - opaque and watery. We'll see how it goes.

Wish me luck!

23 Baggying My Ends For Extra Moisture!

Lately I've been baggying my ends ... sometimes even my entire head for a couple hours each night. My ends are loving it! Since it's so cold outside, this is a great way to re-hydrate the hair and keep it moist. It's so quick and easy to do. All I do is moisturize with S-curl No Drip Activator (and seal if you want, I skip this step) and then place a plastic shower cap over my head. If I'm targeting just my ends, I moisturize my ends, put it in a bun and then place the plastic shower cap over it (secure it with a scrunchy). Done. I usually baggy for 2-3 hrs 2-3 times a week. It's my staple!!

How do you keep your hair/ends moisturized during the Winter months?

7 Healthier Hair with Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil Hair Care System

The 7 Steps to Longer, Stronger, Thicker & Healthier Hair

with

Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil Hair Care System

            So many of you have been asking, and I guess wondering, just how to use the Tropic Isle line of products to get the best results for your hair.  I am pretty sure that this article will not minimize the inquiries but will at least be your place of reference, when using our products, and give you added confidence as you embark upon the ‘BE – TIL (Tropic Isle Living) experience,  “A Natural and Traditional Way to a Healthy Beautiful You”. So in the spirit of BE – TIL, we will be sharing with you a series of blogs on the Tropic Isle Living Hair Care System and the ways in which you can use our products to get thicker, longer, stronger,  - and even more beautiful hair.

            As a working mother, wife, and business owner, who can’t seem to find the time to wait four hours, or longer, in a hair salon every week to have my hair treated and styled, I know that for a health care system to work, over time at least, it must first provide obtainable results and most importantly, be simply doable. Who has all that time and money? I know that most of us don’t.  So let’s do this together! Let’s get the look and feel we have so longed for in our hair – let’s ‘just do it’. How do you do it? Okay – I was just about to tell you.

            First up, moisture, moisture, moisture – that’s the key to the success of our T.I.L Hair Care System.  For the past twenty years I have been following the hair care system below, and have learned through experience, feedback, and your inquires of course, that hair that is continuously moisturized will remain strong and healthy despite the stresses we subject it to -relaxing, coloring, heating, weaving, and even braiding.  Yes ladies, I said braiding. So moisturize your hair…I just cannot stress that enough!   Are you ready? OK.  Here goes!

Step One:

TROPIC ISLE LIVING JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL HOT OIL TREATMENT

Above: Pre-treated hair

1.      Apply a hot oil treatment of TIL JBCO (Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil) before washing your hair - preferably overnight (Hint: moisture :)

Step Two:

TROPIC ISLE LIVING SHAMPOO

1.       Shampoo hair with TIL JBCO Shampoo.

2.       Two washes will do the trick. Thoroughly comb hair through before the second wash.

3.       Rinse hair with cold to lukewarm water. This helps to keep the moisture that was left behind by TIL JBCO shampoo.

  

Step Three:

TROPIC ISLE LIVING JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL PROTEIN CONDITIONER

1.       This is my favorite step…the rebuilding and fortifying phase.

2.       Use a towel to remove excess water from your hair. Do not towel dry. Retain some of the moisture by leaving hair slightly damp.

3.       Add a generous amount of TIL Black Castor Oil Protein Conditioner to hair (see photo above).

4.       Place a heating cap or a lovely plastic bag over your head for 20 – 60 minutes and go ahead…read a book, watch a movie, do the laundry, or even take a nap. 

5.       Rinse hair with cold to lukewarm water.

Step Four:

TROPIC ISLE LIVING JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL CONDITIONER

1.    Apply a generous amount of TIL JBCO Conditioner to hair.

2.    Place the same heating cap or plastic bag over your hair for 20 – 60 minutes. Then go ahead … polish your toe-nails, prepare dinner, or just lounge around.  

3.    Rinse hair with cold to lukewarm water.

  

Step Five & Six:

TROPIC ISLE LIVING JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

TROPIC ISLE LIVING JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR HAIR FOOD

1.      Use a towel to remove excess water from your hair. Do not towel dry.

2.      Apply a mist of the TIL leaving Conditioner to your slightly damp hair.

3.      Apply a generous amount of TIL Hair Food to scalp as shown above. 

4.      Cover every inch of your scalp with the TIL Jamaican Castor Hair Food as shown above.

Step Seven:

Style as desired – see below

     

Before and After Experience

                                        Atara: Before and After              Karen: Before and After

  

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The BE – TIL experience

            As a child, the washing and combing of our hairs was an experience that I shared and enjoyed with my own sisters. We laughed, talked, and just plainly had fun.  Bonding and growing together.  So it was no surprise to me that an even closer relationship developed after I treated my co-workers hair.  We too had bonded and grown from that experience, that simple act of kindness. It is through these friendships and connections that we, as women, are encouraged, strengthened, and at times have found a place to relax and unwind after a long hard day at work or school.  So the next time you are planning a get-together with your girlfriends, sisters, mothers, cousins or aunts, make it a BE-TIL experience, and have fun treating your hair and becoming an even more beautiful you.

Happy Hair Trails

Lois Reid-Hines

VP of Tropic Isle Living, LLC

25 "Start With The End In Mind" - How To Maintain Healthy Ends!

In the beginning of my hair journey, I constantly sought after thick, even, healthy ends. Who wouldn't? But no matter how long my hair grew, the ends always seemed to get thinner and uneven, which led me to do a Big Chop (4"inches off) on my ends back in 2008. After that, I vowed to never cut off my ends like that again, but to find a way to maintain healthy ends. One year into my hair journey, I figured out a great combination of tricks and they've never failed me! Here are a couple tips on how I achieve and maintain healthy ends.

1) Hydrate - Moisturize and seal daily! I can not stress how important it is to develop a healthy habit of moisturizing your hair (with a water based moisturizer) from the ends to the roots on a daily basis. I highly suggest you start by applying the product to the ends first, and then apply it to the rest of the length. Working in sections will ensure proper coverage. Moisturizing and sealing (with a natural oil) in sections (6 in total, 3 on the left, 3 on the right) transformed my hair. Every inch was getting attention and my hair responded accordingly. Tip: Try baggying your ends at night with a plastic shower cap to trap in moisture.

2) Condition - Deep condition with heat (30-45mins) at least once a week to nourish and protect the hair. Deep conditioning with heat is important as the heat opens up the cuticles to allow the nutrients from the conditioner to penetrate into the hair shaft. It's vital in repairing damaged hair and preventing further breakage. Deep conditioning provides the hair with elasticity, strength and moisture which helps in retaining length over time. I highly suggest applying your deep conditioner in sections as well (6 in total, 3 on the left, 3 on the right). Start applying the deep conditioner to your ends first, then work your way up. Your ends will thank you!

3) Trim - Trim thinness frequently. I noticed that small frequent trims (1/2 an inch), with every relaxer or every other month, help to reduce the appearance of thin ends and maintains a full hem line when the hair is down. Trimming thin ends adds thickness and prevents split ends from appearing. Stay on top of your trims!

4) Protect - Protect your ends from the elements (clothes, harsh weather, pollution etc). Wearing protective styles aid in preserving the health of your ends. Frequent exposure (without proper care) leaves you prone to withering damaged ends. Harsh fabrics and poor weather can snag, snap and tear your ends, not to mention, when your ends are exposed, moisture can easily escape thus increasing the possibility of breakage, split ends etc. Wear a bun, full wig, up-do, french braid, half wig, braids etc. 90% of the time and 10% of the time you can give your hair a break and wear it down (i.e. special occasions). Frequent protection means healthier ends and less trims.

41 Black Tea Rinse 101 - Reduce Shedding!

Shedding is a normal process that we all experience. When the hair has reached the end of it's growing cycle, hair falls out so that new hair can grow. Shed hair tends to be long in length with a white bulb attached at the end. On average, women shed 50-100 hairs a day, however, if you notice more than this due to stress, weight loss, dieting etc., doing a Black Tea Rinse just may do the trick.

DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) is a hormone causing hair follicles to shrink making it impossible for healthy hair to survive. It's the hormonal process of testosterone converting to DHT, which then harms the follicles. This process takes place in both men and women.  Fortunately, Black Tea contains caffeine (much more than coffee) which is known to block DHT.  Caffeine, acidic in nature, removes DHT from the scalp, thus reducing hair fall. Not only does Black Tea aid in reducing shedding, it also provides softness to the hair, volume and shine!

I've done the Black Tea Rinse twice and my shedding decreased drastically. I noticed that my shedding began to minimize approximately 1-2 weeks after I did my first rinse. I noticed less shedding, fuller, stronger and smoother hair (cuticles were laying flat). It's truly something you should try if you experience excess shedding.

Here is the process I use to make my Black Tea Rinse.

Essentials:

1. Pot
2. Black Tea (I used Tetley Tea which is a brand of Black Tea)
3. An empty spray bottle

Pour 2 Cups of water into a pot. Add 5 tea bags into the water. Bring to a boil.

I leave the tea bags in to steep. Once cool, I remove the bags and pour the tea into a spray bottle.

I shampoo my hair twice and t-shirt dry for 15mins. I apply an old towel around my neck to prevent the tea from dripping on my clothes and staining it. I then section my hair and spray the tea directly into my scalp. I spray the tea all over my head until my scalp is completely saturated. 

I then put on my shower cap to allow the tea to penetrate my scalp. I leave it on for 45mins-1hr. 

After an hour, I rinse out the tea thoroughly.

After rinsing it out, I follow up with a moisture rich deep condition for 30 mins with my steamer. Black Tea tends to make the hair feel dry (even while wet, it's hard to describe) so deep conditioning after or while the tea is on your hair, is a must!

(Mixture of Keracare Humecto with Avocado, Olive and Coconut Oil)

Final Thoughts: I highly recommend doing the Black Tea Rinse. Prior to doing the rinse, my hair was constantly shedding with little to no manipulation. It was at a point where my hair felt extremely thin. Within a couple of weeks after doing the rinse, my shedding decreased substantially!! I still shed, but it's much less than before. My hair felt stronger and more resilient after rinsing. It was noticeably thicker and smooth to the touch. As a result, I have now implemented the Black Tea Rinse into my regimen (1x/month) as a preventative measure.

(source)

13 Got My Vitamins

I'm set and ready to go. I have everything!! I have my Multi-Vitamin, B-Complex, Vitamins C and MSM!! (Missing my Omega 3's in the picture, which is located in the fridge for freshness).  My intention is to feed my body with the necessary nutrients for good health, strength and energy. Healthy hair is just the added bonus. In my previous blogs I mentioned that I wanted to get back on track with my vitamins (for overall health and aid in eliminating shedding), well it's about to begin. The Black Tea Rinse really helped to eliminate the excess shedding immediately (noticed a difference in 2 days), however, these vitamins will help restore any areas that are deficient in my body i.e. Calcium, Iron etc., these categories are vital to healthy hair growth and maintenance.

My plan is to take:

1 Multi-vitamin daily
1 Super B Complex daily
1 Vitamin C daily
1 MSM every other day
1 Omega 3 (not in picture) daily

Materna has been my Multi-vitamin of choice since my pregnancy (2010). It's a "one tablet a day" vitamin, which I love so that I never forget to take it, plus it's easy to swallow. The B Complex is loaded with B vitamins along with Iron (prevent shedding) and Biotin (increase thickness). Vitamin C helps to absorb all of the nutrients and enhance the immune system. In addition, the MSM helps to prolong the growth phase during the hair growth cycle, thus shedding is significantly minimized. I definitely have to increase my water intake to ensure that the nutrients circulates properly. Just so I can keep track, I plan on getting a vitamin organizer to monitor my daily dosage :)

55 Relaxer Update + Pics

Since my shedding minimized significantly, due to the Black Tea Rinse (more details to come), I decided to relax my 3 months post new growth. After relaxing and thoroughly rinsing, I did a mid-protein step treatment with Affirm 5 in 1 Reconstructor (trying to use it up) for 3 minutes. I find that the mid-protein step somewhat reverted my new growth. My hair felt extremely strong and durable afterward. The only downside is that my new growth became more textured. 

I rinsed and neutralized for 20 minutes in intervals (5, 5, 10). I always make sure the Neutralizing Shampoo sits in my hair (kinda like conditioner) to ensure all of the relaxer is out. I followed up with a 30 minute steam treatment using Keracare Humecto (mixed with Olive oil, Coconut oil and Avocado Oil). Above are pictures of my hair right after rinsing out the conditioner and air drying. I air dried with S-Curl No Drip and One and Only Argan oil over it to seal. One and Only Argan oil is my favourite heat protectant. Let me tell you... my hair felt overly soft and supple. I was in heaven. I absolutely love this combination!!!

Once my hair was completely dry, I flat ironed in sections with my Hana flat iron (around 300 degrees). Here are the results below: