Shea Butter...Unrefined VS Refined

When it comes to Shea butter, you have two choices. Unrefined or Refined, but which do you choose? First let me back up for a minute and tell you a little bit about Shea butter.
Shea butter is derived from the seed of the Shea tree in Africa. It contains both vitamin A and E. It's not only used in the hair, but also to treat skin conditions like wrinkles, eczema, blemishes and dermatitis. It is also used to treat insect bites, sunburns and frostbite. The differences between unrefined and refined is how the two are processed. Both of them have the same origins from the Shea tree. The nuts are harvested and crushed to extract the butter. It it during the extraction process where you can distinguish between the two.

Unrefined Shea butter is extracted using water only, either by hand or machines, without the use of chemicals and synthetics. This end product is also commonly known as raw Shea butter or organic Shea butter. Its color ranges from beige to light golden yellow and its texture is usually grainy. This method will keep all the vitamins, minerals and other properties of the Shea butter intact. Unrefined Shea butter has a smoky and nutty smell which can be unappealing to consumers. I find adding essential oils such as rosemary, peppermint or lavender help to disguise the smell.

Refined Shea butter is extracted using hexane and other petroleum solvents. It is then refined and bleached by heating it to high temperatures. Other additives and preservatives are also added to remove the nutty smell, resulting in it becoming odorless. It is also white in color which is more physically appealing instead of the yellowish color of the pure traditional Shea butter. This type is also smooth in texture because they have been refined to get rid of the grainy molecules. During the refining process, Shea butter loses many of its vitamins and minerals.

So, which do you choose? Unrefined Shea butter has the highest concentration of vitamins, antioxidants and benefits that you could possibly get. If you do not mind the nutty smell, go for this type because they are far more effective compared to refined ones. They are, however, more expensive compared to refined ones and you would have to learn how to store Shea butter properly so that they can last longer.

Remember, Shea butter is not a good moisturizer, as it doesn't contain any water. Applying it to dry hair can result in locking moisture out of your hair, making it brittle and prone to breakage. It is, however, an excellent sealant for the moisture that you do put into you hair. I like melting my unrefined Shea butter in a plastic container by immersing it into a cup of boiling hot water. Then I'll add coconut oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil, sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil to it. I'll apply a good moisturizing leave in conditioner to my damp hair and seal it in with the Shea butter concoction, concentrating on my ends. Mix and match to come up with a concoction that your hair will love. LOVE YOUR HAIR!!!

Naturally Professional

A friend of mine works in a dentist office. She is one of a very select few of African Americans there and she is also 100% natural. I was talking with her recently and she told me that she continuously receives off the wall questions and comments about her hair. Questions ranging from "What does it feel like?" to even unnecessary ones like, "What do you plan on doing with that Don King hairdo?" My friend, being the kind hearted person that she is, answers her coworkers professionally and patiently. Me? I don't think I would be so gracious. Even my mother, who is natural, has had conversations with me about the hair styles she chooses to wear on her job. She said she likes different natural styles, but because of her position at work, she didn't think the styles would be accepted or that it was work appropriate. So, I thought why not talk about natural hair in the corporate world.

As asked in the movie Good Hair, Why is it that wearing one’s hair, the way God created it such a revolutionary idea?

Here is a little background from Black Enterprise for those who are completely clueless on the subject and those who know, but need a reminder.
 There is a negative stigma attached to natural Black hair in the United States and frankly in most places of the world. The story starts way before the current natural hair craze that some people think is a fad, and before the 1970′s when Afros became popular as a “political statement” for activists who wanted to revel in “Black beauty” but was then temporarily accepted by the rest of the Black community and White ones too.

In the 1800′s and early 1900′s nappy, kinky, curly, hair was deemed inferior, ugly, and unkempt in comparison to the flowing, bouncy, hair of people from other cultures. The caricatures of Blacks that surfaced during that time in movies, children’s books, on laundry detergent, and food products were commonplace and they taught Blacks and Whites alike to loathe the appearance of Black hair and to associate it with dirtiness, unruliness and even character traits like laziness and dishonesty.

While the dark complexions, wider noses, and fuller lips of Blacks were also disparaged, the texture of our hair was the only thing that we could realistically and drastically change (at that time) about our appearance to escape those negative associations. And making that change was encouraged as Blacks who straightened their hair were deemed more likable, agreeable, and dependable by Whites; even more employable.

Sadly, this article still holds true today. Check out the video on this blog about two women. One is completely natural while the other is transitioning and skeptical. Going natural in corporate America

To make a long story short, Don't let your hair or other people define who you are supposed to be. Be confident and know your worth, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! You are exactly how God created you and you should never have to apologize for that. You got your job because of your skills, not your looks. In the words of India.Arie, "I am not my hair."

REAL NATURALS!!! Feature of the month

So, I wanted to introduce something new to the blog and I thought how fitting it would be to feature you guys!!

MEET NIKI

When and why did you decide to go natural? I went completely natural about 5.5 years ago. For about a year before I decided to go natural, I had started reading information online about taking care of my hair and at that time going natural started to be the main topic that kept coming up. I kept reading about going natural and I thought that might be the best route for me to go because I had always loved the look of the afro and I thought that would be a good look for me.

What reactions did you get when you decided to go natural? I think I received mixed emotions. My mother couldn't believe I had done it, because she had always been used to seeing me with long straight hair. Most of my friends actually loved it.

What do you love most about being natural? I love the fact that I can pretty much do whatever I want to do with my hair. I can do the wash and go, wear it straight, go with twists, or even add weave if I want. There are so many options available!

Did you transition or Big Chop? I transitioned for 18 months because I had never had short hair and I know I wouldn't feel comfortable doing the Big Chop.

What is your favorite natural hair style? Currently, two strand twists are my favorite hair style. I do enjoy mohawks for special outings.

What is your current hair care regime? LOL!!!! I really don't have a hair care regimen at this time. I do go every two weeks to get it done just because I am lazy and as I call it "hair retarded" when it comes to styling my hair.

What is the most damaging thing you've done to your hair? The most damaging thing I have done to my hair was using heat. After using heat on my hair about a year or so ago, the front of my hair did not revert back and I am still trying to nurse it back to health.

What are your favorite products? I am a product junkie, so I use a mix of products. I am still searching for a product that my hair takes well to.

Do you have any natural hair goals? My main goal is to have healthy hair and regrow my thinning edges.

Do you receive negative comments from people? If so, how do you deal with it? I haven't received any negative comments about my hair.

Any encouraging words for those considering going natural or are already natural? Even though going natural has been a fun and exciting journey getting to know my hair and the different styles that I have been able to experiment with, it does take a LOT of work. I would say that going natural takes a lot more work than having to maintain relaxed hair, but that shouldn't stop you from making the experience fun! Once you do get to know your hair and the products that your hair loves, the journey does get easier.

If you would like to be feature of the month, send me an email alwaysn4evernatural@gmail.com along with two or three head shots, showing your hair. I'll reply with the questions for you to answer. 

Summer, Summer, Summertime

Being that the summer months are fast approaching, my next few post will focus on hair care for these upcoming heat filled days.
Soon it will be time to put on the bathing suits, the sunscreen and time to really protect your hair. During this time of year, the hot sun and humidity can wreak havoc on your natural tresses and cause a lot of damage if not cared for. I can't stress enough how important it is to protect your hair from the sun as you would your skin. The sun damaging rays can dry out your hair and cause split ends. They also decrease the strength and elasticity of the hair, resulting in breakage, frizziness and color fading.

Here are a few tips on keeping healthy hair during these grueling months.
First off, if you are going to the beach or sitting out in the sun for long periods of time, then invest in a fashionable hat. It can help protect your hair and skin.

As for products, there are many out there with SPF qualities, but the best in my opinion is Shea butter. Due to its high vitamin content, Shea butter works as a natural sunscreen. Try coating your hair with it once you've put a moisturizer in you hair. This process is sealing in moisture and protecting all at the same time.

Deep conditioning will need to become second nature in your hair care regimen. If you are out in the sun frequently, then I recommend deep conditioning once a week, especially if you have color treated hair. The current health of your hair, should determine just how often you really need to deep condition.

Pre-wash oil treatments are also a great way to seal moisture into the hair and scalp. Don't be fooled by hair products like "Olive Oil Mayonnaise" or "Coconut Oil Hair Conditioner". Those products rarely contain any significant amount of high-quality oil. Many times they are mostly made of mineral oil, which cannot penetrate the hair shaft. Pure, edible oils are the only way to go. Coconut, Olive or Avocado oil are the best to use. These oils are high in saturated fat which means their molecules are small enough to penetrate into the hair shaft. Part the hair into 4-6 equal sections and distribute the oil evenly, cover with a plastic cap and let sit for at least an hour. Detangle hair with a wide tooth comb and shampoo and condition your hair like normal.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in maintaining your hair during the heat infested months fast approaching. Stay tuned for more. Enjoy your summer and....LOVE YOUR HAIR!!!