SNOW! And Apple Cider Vinegar for hair care

At around ten o'clock last night, It started snowing in the greater Atlanta area. Below you'll see some pics taken from my second floor window.




Now, I'm no hater when it comes to snow, but I'm definitely going to actively put my confidence in Cobb and Fulton County making sure to clear the roads for commuters, cause I begin my massage career, officially, on thursday, with signifigant prep work on wednesday. That aside, it'll be really cool travelling among the snow! I'll take some pics to share.

Now for the brazen tacks.
On previous posts, I've mentioned the homemade spray I use to keep my locs infused with useful stuff. For anyone with locs, braids, or any natural hair style, there are three things that must be in your spray. They are:

WATER
OIL
ACV

Keep in mind that of these three, only the oil will leave a scent, so a fourth ingredient would usually be some essential oil to add fragrance to hair that would otherwise smell like, iono, ganja smoke, cig smoke, dandruff, or whatever environment your hair is in on the regular. (hair soaks smell)

That being said, we're gonna hit this list from the bottom up, and tackle the importance of ACV, or Apple Cider Vinegar, as it pertains to a spray that can go on your hair at most anytime.

I'm not going to go into the blown up plug for ACV, I'm only gonna tell what I think is prevalent to our discourse, (locs, thinning hair, hair care in general) That being said...

ACV has three primary benefits:

Conditioner

ACV has a ph of about 2.9, which is close to the 4.5 to 5.5 of hair. (doesn't seem close, but acidic is acidic I suppose) While most shampoos are highly alkaline ( a ph of 7 and above) it also helps to close the hair cuticle which helps protect the inner shaft of hair. To this effect, ACV has a softening effect on hair, while not strong enough to slow up the locing process.

Cleaning agent

We've all seen the sites out there that spit, or speak, on ACV rinses being a boon to natural hair enthusiasts. I've done it once on my locs, but since I don't use wax on them, not much is going to happen. At any rate, if ur locs have lots of build up, consider a simple rinse of ACV and baking soda. I'll let you peruse the net for that recipe.

Germ killer

Dandruff has a clinical name that I won't go into spelling here, but the bottom line is, it's caused by a bacteria that eats ur scalp. ACV neutralizes it. That's why so many people like to use ACV for dandruff relief. I will say that dandruff usually improves in severity after your hair gets used to being loc'd, as the amount of oil ur head produces changes. Anyway, germ killer, Hell yeah!

All this adds up to alot of folks with locs finding value in using ACV. But did you also know it works for hair loss?

Not to be anticlimatic, but the reason it aids in hair loss is because of the effects touted above. lol. Also, remember to get the ACV with the cloudy stuff at the top and bottom. this is where all the power is. I use bragg's, you can find it most anywhere.

Next blog, we're going to go into the next portion of a decent spray for natural hair, OIL. Along with what ever else is going on in the region I reside in.

LUV, LUX, and LOCS

P.S.- I know ACV has a sour smell, but in a spray, the smell disappears as it dries, so don't worry about that. Here's some of the sites I used to get my info:


ACV Benefits
More ACV benefits
As if that weren't enough :)

talib kweli & hi tek - Memories Live - Reflection Eternal

I recall being 20 years old, living in Phoenix, sitting on our second floor balcony, and listening to this song on my ipod. Making fire light, thinking my life was complicated.

Ah, freeforming. My method...

So now that we've seen how freeforming has truly helped me to regain strength in hair follicles that were losing gusto (see pics from last post, and my lamenting in previous posts) I can testify to what I've found is the biggest benefit of freeforming, and how for those with thinning hair, manicuring becomes an addition of insult to injury.

Now, when I had my locs manicured, I loved how they looked, except I could easily see my thinning hair, and just, iono, felt, that my hair was getting thinner due to the twisting. when you've developed traction alcopecia, why add more traction by having them manicured all the time?

Also, I knew from the outset that when my locs were developed, I would have a problem. See, because I had thinning hair up top, my loctician thought it would be best to make fewer locks. I admit fault for not telling her to make more on the top of my head, but that's what a lack of foresight gets you. Sometimes its good to put your foot in your mouth, and just say what is coming up. Believe that.

So yes, I went through the arduous process of creating new locs while at the same time treating my older locs accordingly (feeding them water and shampoo). Which of course really slowed the locking process for the noobs. Many a day spent with my bandana on when I would have preferred to rock my locs...

The clinch for me was the amount of... of versatility in influencing how these locs would start and develop (newbies) now I have a total of six locs where before I had two. had I continued to have them manicured, even if less often to combat the traction, I would have developed a very few, slowly thinning locs on top of my head.

So my message to those who have thinning hair and are considering locs... First, determine what your goals are.
If you want to cultivate locs in order to try and strengthen hair growth, then have a loctician start them, but only after you've discussed that you believe your hair can grow back, and you want the begining locs to reflect that belief. Have them wash and twist them, but don't pin them down to the root when going under the dryer. allow some breathing room (and growing room) for the hair that can't take that stress.

If on the other hand, you want locs and are unconcerned about continued alcopecia, then so be it. but if I know the human condition as far as aesthetics, then we all want a full head of hair (read: locs) so do what thou wilt.

Love, Lux, locs.

SIx semi new locs, and the 'no poo' method

Here's a few pics:










I'm not sure how they started, but they're coming along. I cut the two front 'antennae' a while ago, but true to form (or freeform lol) they grew right back, and brought friends!

As my hair continues to loc, alot of the shorter hair right around my crown is getting thicker and stronger, and I decided to, instead of just joining it to surrounding hair and leaving like, four locs on top of my head, make individual locs out of this new, stronger growth.

I'm really pleased with how its coming along.

As for my hair care stuff, I just tried something new. No shampooing, or "no-poo" washing, is, in layman's terms, washing your hair with just water, no shampoo.

I know what you're thinking out there....

EEEWWW.

But it won't be forever. Since I do have new locks, that I should avoid shampooing them so heavily for at least another one or two washings (two to three weeks). But that being said, the rest of my hair needs water to keep them from drying out during the winter. So no poo it is...At least for a while.

Wanna hear a bit more about this "no poo revolution"? check out a few of the links below. Who knows? you may decide to go without shampoo yourself.

lifelessplastic-no poo

thephoenix-no po doo

Do it big, or at least bigger, than yesterday.
LOVE,LUX, and LOCS