My Top 12 Products for 2008

Here are My Top 12 Products for 2008(12 products = 12 months = 1yr) that I've absolutely fallen in love with this year!!! These products have helped me manage my hair tremendously throughout my hair journey.

12. S-Curl No Drip Activator
11. Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil
10. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in
9. Silk Elements MegaSilk Moisturizing Treatment
8. Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in Spray
7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6. Porosity Control Conditioner
5. AtOne Botanical Reconstructor Conditioner
4. Elasta QP DPR-11 Remoisturizer
3. Wave Nouveau Finishing Moisturizing Lotion
2. Hot Six Oil
1. Creme of Nature Detangling Shampoo (red label)

What are some of your top products for 2008?

♥ Sunshyne

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My Top 10 Tools & Techniques for 2008

Year 2008 is about to end and 2009 is just around the corner! Check out my Top 10 tools and techniques that have helped me in 2008.

10.T-shirt drying *New*
9. Always Sleeping in a satin scarf at night.
8. Combing only on wash days.
7. Stretching my relaxers.
6. The Scarf Method while air drying.
5. Using the Wet Look comb over the Jilbere Comb...huge difference.
4. Detangling in the shower under running water in 2 sections.
3. Pinning up my hair with a claw clip or bunning as a protective style.
2. Applying my deep conditioner in sections.
1. Moisturizing and sealing in sections!

What tools and/or techniques have helped you and your hair in 2008?

♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Silk Amino Acids

What are Silk Amino Acids?

A natural water-soluble (and a non-animal protein) source of acid derived from liquid silk.

What does it do for the hair?

Silk amino acids penetrate the hair to strengthen, rebuild & nourish chemically damaged hair without weighing it down or causing buildup. These amino acids go deep down inside of the damaged hair cuticle to repair and protect it. They are hydroscopic, therefore having excellent moisture binding qualities"> excellent moisture binding qualities. It adds softness, body and strength to the hair. Silk Amino Acids, aka SAA's, seal your hair's cuticles creating silky smooth shiny hair!

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Joico Silk Result Product Line
2. Redken All Soft Shampoo & Conditioner
3. Organix Soft & Silky Vanilla Silk Conditioner
4. Silk Elements MegaSilk Moisturizing Treatment
5. Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol Conditioning Treatment

♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

What is Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein?

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein is a moisturizing and conditioning protein derived from whole wheat.

What does it do for the hair?

It increases the hair's ability to retain moisture and impart shine and gloss to damaged and dull hair. Due to its low molecular weight, it easily penetrates the hair shaft. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein attracts and retains moisture, builds body, reduces porosity, improves hair manageability, improves luster and smoothness.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
2. Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion
3. Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
4. Abba Color Protect Conditioner
5. Miss Keys 10 en 1


♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Tocopherol Acetate

What is Tocopherol Acetate?

Vitamin E.

What does it do for the hair?

It heals, rejuvenates, softens, soothes and protects the hair and scalp. It also helps to treat hair loss by stimulating the hair follicles.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
2. Elasta QP DPR-11 Remoisturizer
3. Soft and Silky Vanilla Silk Shampoo and Conditioner
4. Most Suave Conditioners
5. Nexxus Humectress
6. Tresemme Vitamin E Moisture Rich Conditioner


♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Cyclopentasiloxane

What is Cyclopentasiloxane ?

Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone fluid commonly used in hair conditioners.

What does it do for the hair?

It is known to make the hair easier to brush. This ingredient lubricates and provides the hair with a wet slippery feel preventing breakage. Cyclopentasiloxane is also an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the hair. It is water-thin and can easily evaporate.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
2. Biotera Mositurizing Reconstructor
3. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Creme


♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Citric Acid

What is Citric Acid ?

Citric Acid is an organic acid. Commonly used as a pH adjuster and a natural preservative in hair care products.

What does it do for the hair?

Citric Acid is known to adjust the pH level in most shampoo's and conditioner's down to a pH level of 4.5-5.5. By having a slightly acidic shampoo and/or conditioner with a pH level of 4.5-5.5, you will notice that your hair cuticles will lay flat making the hair look/feel smooth, shiny and sleek.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in
2. Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo
3. KeraCare Humecto Conditioner
4. Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Conditioner
5. Nexxus Humectress Conditioner


♥ Sunshyne

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Ion Purifying Solutions Clarifying Shampoo

Promises: Salon Solutions for Healthy Looking Hair. Ion Clarifying Shampoo is a unique blend of gentle cleansing ingredients and purifying botanicals that helps eliminate build-up and residue from styling aids, conditioners, and water deposits. Safe for chemically processed hair.

Directions: Apply small amount of this concentrated pH balanced formula to wet hair and work into a rich lather. Rinse thoroughly and repeat if necessary.

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth-5, Carboxylate, PEG-4 Rapeseedamide, Panthenol, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Rosemarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, PEG/PPG-18/18, Dimethicon, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance, Limonene, Linalool, Red 40 (CI 16035).

The Truth: I like this shampoo. It clarified my hair very well and it didn't feel too harsh either. I still followed up with my Creme of Nature Detangling Shampoo (red label) though. I love the fact that it is a pH balanced clarifier, so I don't have to worry about an alkaline shampoo roughing up my hair cuticles :-) I will definitely repurchase, although this should last me a year!

Price: $9 CAD, 16 fl oz

Hairlicious Rating: (5/5) Excellent


♥ Sunshyne

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I went HoneyFig for the first time!

Today I went to HoneyFig for the first time. I've been meaning to go for the longest time. For all you Toronto Ladies, it's located on Yonge St. south of Sheppard in North York.

As soon as I walked in I felt calm, relaxed and at peace. Candles were burning, ambient music was playing, I was in a very tranquil atmosphere. I saw so many products lines many women on hair boards talk about that I've never seen in person i.e. Salerm 21, Lacio Lacio, Miss Key 10 en 1, Jane Carter Solutions, Mixed Chicks, Ultra Black Hair, Curls etc.

I felt like I could stay there all day!! BUT I had to leave. I should have taken photos of the store but I forgot my camera at home..next time! I just picked up some moisturizers (the Whipped Cream has an amazing vanilla frosting scent, its sooooo yummy) that I could use on freshly flat ironed hair for the holidays, here are a couple pics:

(note: the moisturizer on my finger is Ultra Black Hair Lotion)

♥ Sunshyne

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Have Your Say: Battle of the Cheapies! Vote Please

Which product line carries your favourite cheapy conditioner, hands down?!? Let me know :)

♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Benzophenone 4

What is Benzophenone 4 ?

To put it simple, it's Sunscreen for hair.

What does it do for the hair?

Benzophenone is water-soluble. It is a ultraviolet light absorber to help maintain the color of the products itself and also protect hair colors, whether natural or synthetic. It helps to prevent the sun’s harmful rays from damaging the hair i.e. dryness and hair color from fading. It forms a protective layer over the hair.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
2. AG Spray Fixx
3. Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in
4. Frederic Fekkai Smooth Hair Hydrating Hair Cream
5. Biotera Moisturizing Reconstructor
6. L'Oreal Vive Pro Color Shampoo.

♥ Sunshyne

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I've been TAGGED!!!!!

Ok so I've been tagged by http://fablooks.blogspot.com/ to do a Questions Tag. I have to tag 7 people back, so here I go:

1. http://www.longhairdontcare.net/long_hair_dont_care/
2. http://city-itis.blogspot.com/
3. http://coarsehair.blogspot.com/
4. http://www.blaqvixenbeauty.net/
5. http://www.seemyhealthyhairgrow.com/
6. http://yummy411.blogspot.com/
7. http://beautyandthecleat.blogspot.com/


where is your cell phone? I'm talking on it

where is your significant other? On the phone with me right now :-)

your hair color? Dark Brown

your mother? To the left of me

your father? At work

your favorite thing? My Hubby, Food & Sleep

your dream last night? I honestly don't remember

your dream/goal? To build my dream home

the room you're in? Family room

your hobby? Hair, Blogging, Web Design

your fear? Not fulfilling my purpose

where do you want to be in 6 years? Business owner, Home owner, Wife, Mother etc.

where were you last night? Upstairs in my room

what you're not? Mean, rude, conceited.

one of your wish list items? New Tall Brown Winter Boots

where you grew up? Richmond Hill, Ontario, I miss my old house

the last thing you did? Laughed!!!

what are you wearing? Track pants, tank top, hoodie

your tv? On, I'm watching Sex and The City

your pet? None, but I want one though.

your computer? HP Laptop baby, On it right now.

your mood? I'm cool, calm, relaxed.

missing someone? My cousins and my girl Kay

your car? Acura '07 Silver on black!!

something you're not wearing? Socks!!

favorite store? Sephora, Beauty Supply Store, Forever21

your summer? Was in North Carolina in '08, not sure what to do in '09

love someone? My fam

your favorite color? Red, Yellow, Pink, Purple, Green

when is the last time you laughed? Like 5 mins ago.

last time you cried? Last Month

are you a bitch? Nope, I'm just the opposite.

favorite position? Ummm..pass...lol

favorite past time? Reading a good book.

are you a hater or a lover? Lova baby.

are you genuine or fake? Genuine

any vices? I have a HOT temper

pro life or wire hanger? Huh? Pro Life I guess

mccain or obama? Obama all the wayyyyyy

pro plastic or natural? Natural

dream job? Being my own boss


Oohh well that was FUN!! I'm CURIOUS to hear your answers!!!



♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Polyquaternium 37

What is Polyquaternium 37?

Polyquaternium 37 is a charged (polycationic) polymer normally used in the personal care industry i.e. Hair care.


What does it do for the hair?

Since they are positively charged, they neutralize the negative charges of most shampoos, relaxers, hair proteins etc. helping the hair to lay flat. Their positive charge, ionically bond to the hair. It is particularly useful to use cationic polymers on hair exposed to high alkalinity relaxers to decrease damage to hair. They attach to the hair and provide conditioning benefits such as ease of combing, hair alignment, elasticity and shine. Polyquaternium 37 also helps to reduce flyaways & static.


Check out some of the Hair products that have Polyquaternium 37 in it !!

1. Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol
2. Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner (Pak)
3. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Cream
4. Profectiv Breakfree leave-in Cream
5. Cantu Shea Butter leave-in
6. Africa's best Kids Organics Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Hair Lotion

P.S. Polyquaternium 32 is very similar, if not the same as Polyquaternium 37, so look out for it as well.

♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Stearalkonium Chloride

What is Stearalkonium Chloride?
Stearalkonium Chloride is an antistatic ingredient used in hair-care products. It was originally developed as a fabric conditioner, now used in hair conditioners.

What does it do for the hair?
It helps to reduce static electricity by neutralizing electrical charges on hair. It's a great conditioning agent. Provides the hair with shine, reduces tangles, controls flyaways and aids in easy combing.

*12.9.08 Update* Some Products Containing Stearalkonium Chloride:

1. V05 Conditioners
2. Giovanni Smooth As Silk Conditioner
3. Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
4. S-Curl Activator Spray
5. Care Free Curl Gold Instant Activator w/ Moisturizers

Do you have any products with this ingredient? If so, what is it?

♥ Sunshyne

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Ingredient Spotlight: Humectants Help to Moisturize Your Hair

Happy December Folks!! This is the last month of the year and I feel like I've learned so much about my hair & hair in general than I ever expected. It is so important to understand your hair, what it's telling you at any given moment and how to attend to it's needs.

With that being said, this month I'm going to focus primarily on "Knowing Your Ingredients". I feel like there is power in knowing what is in your shampoo's, conditioners, moisturizers etc. Normally, products targeted towards Women of Color (in the ethnic isles at various stores) tend to have ingredients that aren't beneficial for our hair. With the right knowledge and research, a head full of damaged hair can transform into a head full of gorgeous tresses!! Let's Begin :-)

What is the importance of a Humectant?

A humectant is used in hair care products to promote mositure retension. Humectants attract water from the atmosphere (hygroscopic) and binds itself to the hair shaft. Humectants are great for thick, coarse, kinky, curly dry damaged hair simply because it has a strong moisture binding capacity. Here are a list of some Humectants:

1. Glycerin
2. Honey
3. Propylene Glycol
4. Butylene Glycol
5. Sorbitol
6. Sugar Cane
7. Panthenol
8. Maltitol
9. Acetamide MEA
10. Hydrolyzed Wheat Startch
11. Sodium PCA

All of these ingredients help the hair absorb and retain moisture preventing dry (dry = breakage), frizzy, and poofy hair. Humectants help to rejuvenate, hydrate and make the hair more pilable. Look out for these ingredients in your products (esp. in conditioners & moisturizers) or when you get your next product junkie fix.

*12.9.08 Update* Quick list of some products containing humectants:

1. Silk Elements MegaSilk Moisturizing Treament
2. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Cream
3. Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion
4. S-Curl Activator Spray
5. Care Free Curl Gold Instant Activator
6. Cantu Shea butter Leave-in
7. Africa's Best Kids Organic Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Hair Lotion (be careful there are proteins in this)

P.S. Oh yeah, this is my 100th POST!! finally...I'm so happy :-)

♥ Sunshyne

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Melyssah's Signature Bun

This is how Melyssah, my sister, does her everyday bun. She air dried her hair then used Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion and sealed with Hot Six Oil.

Enjoy!







♥ Sunshyne

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Hairlicious Spotlight on Melyssah

Hairlicious Inc. would like to introduce you to:
Melyssah!

Melyssah, my sister and Administrator of Hairlista Inc., has been on a Healthy Hair Journey since early September 2007. She has made tremendous progress‼ The pics speak for itself. She's learned a lot along the way, she's helped me on numerous occasions with my hair and plenty other ladies on Hairlista Inc. Social Network. She has a beautiful head of hair & I want to share that with you! Here is quick overview of her hair journey thus far.

(the 2 bottom photos were taken November 11th '08)
My Exclusive Interview with Melyssah:

What is your hair type?

My hair is coarse, so I would say I'm 4a around my edges and nape, and 4b at the crown.

What is your current hair length?

Right now I'm in between APL and BSL.

What is your hair goal?

My hair goal right now is to achieve BSL. My ultimate goal is mainly to achieve healthy blunt WL hair. I just want healthy ends, and to prove that black women can have long hair.

What inspired you to go on a Healthy Hair Journey?

I was never into caring for my hair. I just thought I would hide my hair in a FAB weave and neglect my hair. Nothing wrong with weave, in fact it grew my hair, but I never new how to take care of my hair apart from the weaves. So I was surfing on the net looking for wigs...lol and came across a few hair boards and saw women with my hair type with naturally long BSL, MBL, WL hair and I was like "What the @#$@?!!! Are you serious?, Okay I'mma try this hair thing for real and see what I can achieve".

I started experimenting, buying products to see what my hair likes and dislikes. I must have changed my regimen 100 times just what it likes and needs and this meant listening to my hair. Just seeing other black women with long hair made me realize okay...I can have that too and I will have that too. That is what inspired me!

Do you have any hair idols?

YES! Loveya4ever, Sylver2, BabygurlNC, Cathy Howse, Elektra, Traycee, just to name a few.

What is the single most important thing that you've learned on your hair journey?

Keeping it simple. In other words, not jumping on bandwagons and just listening to what YOUR hair likes. Trial and error is a must in order to see what contributes to your hair's health. At the end of the day, you'll know what products and methods agree with your hair. I've done this and it was a hard at first, but now I can say that I understand my hair and what it needs.

What is your hair regimen?

My hair regimen is simple!

I shampoo twice a week with a moisturizing Shampoo (Creme of Nature or Porosity Control Shampoo)

I deep condition with a moisturizing deep conditioner twice a week with heat (hooded dryer). I use either Abba Colour Protect, Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol, Silk Elements Moisturizing Treatment, or Elasta QP DPR-ll mixed AtOne Reconstructor and Herbal Essences Replenishing conditioner for dry/damaged hair. I usually add honey and EVOO to my DC's.

I co-wash after 5 weeks post relaxer, only when my hair needs extra moisture. I use either Aussie Moist, Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship or Pantene Beautiful Lengths conditioner.

I clarify when needed, if my hair has a lot of build-up etc. I use ION clarifying shampoo.

I do protein treatments once or twice a month depending on how my hair feels, if its too mushy and elastic, I'll do a protein treatment on dry hair with egg, Mane and Tail conditioner and EVOO for an hour, then shampoo, DC with a moisturizing conditioner and apply leave-ins.

I relax every 10-14 weeks with a lye relaxer.

I moisturize and seal twice daily morning and night with Wave Nouveau and Hot Six Oil.

I only air-dry. I tie my hair down in the front with a satin scarf and leave the back of my hair down.

I wear protective styles all the time. On special occasions I'll blow dry and flat-iron and wear my hair down.

I sleep with a satin scarf tied down at the front of my hair with the back of my hair hanging loose in a satin bonnet.

I dust after every relaxer. No trims.

Last but not least, any advice to the newbies just starting their hair journey?

Baby those ends. We have been led to believe that the scalp is what needs to be focused on, when its the ends that need our undivided attention. I can't stress enough about moisturizing and sealing your ends DAILY and deep conditioning at least once a week. The ends are the oldest part of the hair and it breaks easily especially for chemically treated and coarse hair in general.

Get a good quality deep conditioner that moisturizes the hair strands (my fave is the Cholesterol and Moisturizing Treatment from Silk Elements, Kenra and Abba). Get a good water-based moisturizer (my fave is Wave Nouveau) and an oil (Jojoba, EVOO, Castor, Safflower, Coconut, Hot Six Oil, Wonder 8 Oil just to name a few) to keep moisture in your hair and retain length. Dryness = Breakage and keeping your ends conditioned and moist is the only way in my honest opinion to retain length, its done wonders for me.


Be sure to check Melyssah out on the Hairlista Inc. Network http://hairlista.com and future Video Tutorials!

♥ Sunshyne

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