Search Results: Peniel Tovar

Proteins create quite the buzz within the natural hair community. Whether you love them or hate them they are necessary for your hair’s health.

Hair itself is made out of the protein keratin. There are many types of proteins that can be of use for the health of our hair, but one of the most unique and interesting of proteins is silk protein. What is it? How can it benefit your hair?

Where do silk proteins come from?

A protein can be derived from multiple sources including plants and animals:

Silk protein, specifically, is extracted from silk. But where does silk come from? Well, this may sound a bit creepy, but it comes from insects. When growing, the larvae of a silkworm forms a cocoon made of silk that they create with glands within their bodies that secrete silk. This silk is primarily made from the proteins sericin and fibroin. The amino acids that make up these proteins are then used in hair products.

Silk for shine & moisture

A silk protein performs the same primary functions on the hair as other common proteins, it helps strengthen the hair and helps to fill in the “gaps” between the hair cuticles to make the hair more resistant to breakage. But what makes silk protein so special?

Silk protein helps to improve the shine of the hair while also adding to the hairs elasticity to prevent breakage. It also has great moisture binding capabilities helping your hair to retain moisture for longer periods of time.

So, should you be seeking silk protein? If you find that your hair is lacking in luster, healthy elasticity and tensile strength then you may be in need of some products that contain silk protein.

Have you tried one of these hair products containing silk protein extract?

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• Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo
• Design Essentials Natural Twist And Set Lotion
• CHI Silk Infusion Recovery Complex
• SheaMoisture Hold & Shine Moisture Mist

Don’t be fooled by the tiny bottles that carry tea tree oil, this stuff is strong and it has amazing benefits. Weirdly enough, tea tree oil has nothing to do with tea but it does come from a tree.

The oil is extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant which is commonly found in Australia. The color of tea tree oil ranges from clear to a pale yellow and it has an intense camphoraceous smell that is sure to wake you up.

The main thing about tea tree oil is that it provides cure-all care to endless hair and skin issues. It is a natural disinfectant, antibacterial, antiseptic, stimulant, fungicide, acne treatment and it’s great for aromatherapy and seborrheic dermatitis.

The majority of tea tree oil is composed of the chemical Terpinen-4-ol, which seems to be the main reason behind the wonders of tea tree oil. As you can tell, this oil has strong effects so a little goes a long way–like, a super tiny amount.

Unlike every other oil, tea tree oil doesn’t have a viscous consistency, it’s extremely watery and it should not be applied liberally like you would with coconut oil. When you use tea tree oil make sure it is diluted with either water in a spray bottle or with a carrier oil such as olive oil. For optimal and safe use pour in a couple drops of the oil into the solvent because if you use this directly you may experience redness, itchiness and dryness. And although this oil is natural it has been found to be extremely toxic if taken orally, so it will be safer to use this on your hair and skin.

Now that you know the basics of this awesome oil, let’s get into some of the uses.

Acne treatment

There have been trials to see the effectiveness of tea tree oil as an acne treatment and it has been found to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide. The terpinen-4-ol in the oil will help dry out the pimple while disinfecting it to reduce swelling and redness.

For safest results, dilute 1 drop of oil with a tablespoon of water in a small container and use a q-tip to apply the solution to your problem area.

Athlete’s foot

We all have had those moments, we come home from the gym and as soon as the shoes come off our eyebrows almost burn off from the smell of our feet. No worries, the antifungal properties of tea tree oil will help prevent any growth of fungus and it will immediately get rid of that smell. Just fill a spray bottle with water to the brim and pour in 4 drops of tea tree oil and bam, an all-natural athletes foot spray that will leave your feet cool, fresh and stench free.

Aromatherapy

If you find yourself coming home from work drowsy and fatigued you should give tea tree oil aromatherapy a try. Tea tree oil has a sharp, intense, camphoraceous smell that will be sure to help you wake up and feel energized all the while helping to freshen your home.

Household cleaning

The room in the house that is most likely saturated in microorganisms is the bathroom.  The sink, the bathtub, the shower walls and of course the toilet are appliances that we use every single day to keep our bodies fresh and clean, so make sure you keep these appliances fresh and clean with tea tree oil.

Fill a spray bottle with water to the brim and pour in 5-10 drops of tea tree oil, depending on the size of the bottle and spray it into the sink, bathtub, and toilet to keep it smelling fresh. Its antibacterial properties will help kill weak microbes while also inhibiting further growth.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Being a natural and having seborrheic dermatitis can be tough because doctors are most likely prescribing you chemical products rather than giving you natural alternatives. Lucky for you, tea tree oil has great disinfecting properties that can help clean the scalp from infections as well as help to remove excess flakes.

Just pour a couple of drops into your shampoo and conditioner, try to rinse carefully to avoid it from getting into your eyes. After a few weeks of use you should see the inflammation on your scalp go down as well as the itchiness and flakes.

Stimulating scalp massage

One of the key practices that will help you get longer, healthier hair is scalp massages. Stimulating your scalp will help promote blood flow and the blood cells can help deliver nutrients to the follicle while carrying away wastes. Make your weekly scalp massage even more stimulating with some tea tree oil.

Fill a bottle with any carrier oil, such as olive oil, and pour in 5 drops of tea tree oil and apply it to your scalp and massage. The oil’s intense disinfecting action will become apparent to you once you feel your scalp tingling, which is both refreshing and soothing.

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If you could name one thing that we naturals are obsessed with it would be oil. Coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, carrot seed oil, you name it, we love it. But it seems that there may be a new oil on the market that will be salon quality and will be sold at an affordable price.

In an interview with Fox FM’s Fifi and Dave, Kim Kardashian claimed that the oil they used to make her glisten in that infamous Paper mag shoot was a new hair oil for her line “Kardashian Beauty.” Interestingly enough, her makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic told the Daily News that it was actually baby oil. Either way, what interests us is the hair oil that Kardashian collaborated with the brand Farouk Systems (you may know them as CHI”> to create, called Black Seed Dry Oil. 

WWD reports that this spring we can expect “seven styling products priced from $14 to $17: blow-dry cream, volume mousse, dry shampoo, dry conditioner, firm hair spray, curl cream” and of course the new oil. Kim even uses the oil on North West’s curls to “slick it back and make it stay. I just use a drop of it, but then she brushes it and likes to mess it all up.” Kim told WWD that “the main feedback that we hear is that everybody wants luxury products at an affordable price,” and that may be true for the general population. But what curly women want is a solid list of ingredients that we can feel confident putting on our curls, so we’ll reserve our judgement until we’ve seen a label. Judging by their creative (that’s all we could think of”> use of the product so far, we presume they’ll be advertising its high shine benefits, we just hope that doesn’t involve too many silicones.

Will you give it a try when it comes out? Let us know!

Co-washing, a curly girl’s life saver

If you find that even sulfate free shampoo is too drying for your locks give cowashing a shot. Co-washing is short for conditioner washing, in which you use conditioner to cleanse your scalp instead of shampoo.

What is that, you say? Conditioners can’t cleanse? Of course they can!

The basic chemistry principle of “like dissolves like” explains how the lipids in a conditioner can dissolve the lipids our skin secretes, thus helping to clean our scalp from excess sebum. And since conditioner doesn’t dry out your hair it is gentle enough to be done every day, for all you ladies who like to wash your hair every day this can be a great alternative. The benefits of cowashing include moisture, frizz control and, depending on the content of protein in your conditioner, hair strengthening. But of course, you should look into the cons as well.

Keep 2 things in mind: silicones & clarifying

When choosing a conditioner to co-wash with make sure it is silicone free to reduce your chances of buildup.

For the most part, silicones are not water soluble and without the use of sulfates they can cause massive buildup thus leading to limp and fuzzy curls. But even if your conditioner is silicone-free, you may find yourself experiencing build up once a while, so make sure to set up a weekly or monthly schedule to clarify your hair to get rid of all the excess conditioner. So, how do you cowash? Here we have CurlyPenny giving a demonstration of how to cowash. It’s so easy that you’ll be tempted to hop into the shower and give it a try right now.

Watch my tutorial

Whether you’re a penny pincher or you like to try new things, head-to-toe washes are a benefit to both your body and wallet and they are great for everyone in the whole family. Check out some of these sulfate free and silicone free head-to-toe washes that you can pick up next time you refill on products.

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Dr. Bronners Magic Castile Soap

Chances are you have heard huge raves about this soap by now. This soap is said to be magic because it is supposed to be able to replace 18 things in your everyday life such as toothpaste, vegetable wash, body wash and a hair wash, along with many other uses. When using this do not use directly, dilute it in a bottle and experiment to see which dilution you like best. It has excellent extracts of coconut oil and jojoba oil, and there are many different scents in peppermint, citrus, rose, hemp and even unscented.

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Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap

This soap is made in West Africa and the product is fair trade, which means every purchase goes back to helping the community in which the soap was made. This soap is popular for its ability to detoxify the skin thus helping to clear out acne. It can also be used on hair and as a shaving soap. This awesome product contains black soap and shea butter and it comes in several scents such as peppermint, tangerine and unscented.

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SheaMoisture Red Tea And Babassu Baby Wash

As if we all didn’t love Shea Moisture enough already, they also have a head to toe wash! Yes, yes it says baby on it, but it won’t hurt adult skin, both baby skin and adult skin need tender care. This wash comes infused with carrot oil, coconut oil, aloe vera and shea butter. A gentle cleanser with amazing soothing extracts.

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Everyone Soap For Everyone And Every Body

This gentle soap comes in a huge bottle with a salon pump. It is meant to be for everyone; babies, children and adults too, a great soap for the whole family. There are many scents that come with different infused ingredients, but each product contains aloe vera. It is a soothing and gentle cleanser that works great as a shampoo, body wash and bubble bath.

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Chagrin Valley Soaps

Chagrin valley soaps can only be bought online, but it’s worth it. Chagrin Valley has dozens of great soaps that are great for both your hair and skin. Each soap is natural, organic, and vegan containing great essential oils like coconut oil, and jojoba oil. And many soaps contain exotic extracts like henna and beer, depending on what you’re looking for. With a great smell, great quality and great variety, you won’t be disappointed.

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Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash

Yes, yes another baby wash. But hey, remember that you’ve used countless fruits and vegetables on your head, so you’re used to thinking outside of the box! This tear free wash is plant based and it does not contain phthalates, parabens, petrolatum nor SLS. It is also packed with soy and hydrolyzed protein to help strengthen your hair and vitamin B for healthier skin.

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Have you used one of these? Did we miss your favorite?

Let the Naturally Curly community know in the comment section below!

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20 Things Curlies Understand

En el cabello rizado, ningún rizo se parece igual a otro rizo. Cada persona tiene pelo diferente con diferentes necesidades. En ingles este sistema se llama Texture Typing y te va ayudar a determinar  las propiedades de tus rizos y sus necesidades para mantener el pelo con humedad, brillo, y buena salud. En cuanto aprendas lo que necesita tu pelo vas a poder buscar los productos exactos que tu pelo necesita para mantener una forma bonita cada día.