Black Hair Magazine for Natural and Relaxed African American Hair - blog. » Ingredients http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog Black Hair Magazine for Natural and Relaxed African American Hair - blog. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:40:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 The Mixtress’s Guide: Storing and Preserving Homemade Mixes http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/the-mixtresss-guide-storing-and-preserving-homemade-mixes/ http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/the-mixtresss-guide-storing-and-preserving-homemade-mixes/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:00:05 +0000 Alesha http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/?p=2510 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Whether you’ve concocted an Ayurvedic tea rinse or whipped up a moisturizing shea butter recipe, your homemade mixes will have this in common—they need to be properly stored and preserved. It’s exciting to be able to create and blend your own conditioners and moisturizers—it’s not so exciting if their potency declines and they become overridden with bacterial growth or mold.

If you’re a mixtress, or would like to give it a try, there are several methods to storing and preserving your rinses and mixes so that you can get the longest shelf life possible and protect yourself from contact with harmful bacteria. One common method is to refrigerate your mixture for five to seven days (and then discard any remaining portion).  Just as if you were storing food, storing your mixture in this manner will help preserve it for a few days.

Another easy avenue is to just create an anhydrous mixture. This means that the contents contain absolutely no water or water-based ingredients. Say, for example, a blend of olive oil and jojoba oil—this would be an anhydrous mix because it’s free of water. Anhydrous mixes don’t require preservatives, but it is helpful to add in an antioxidant to slow any oxidation of oils (this will keep the oils “fresher” for a longer period of time).

A slightly more advanced method is to add preservatives such as ascorbic acid (a form of Vitamin C), tocopherol (Vitamin E), grapefruit seed extract, and essential oils that are known to be antibacterial and antiseptic. It is important to do one’s research on the proper ratios of preservative vs. batch mix so that you will know how much to add. The benefit of adding preservatives is that your mix can last for months instead of days.

Finally, keep in mind sanitary procedures, such as using clean hands (or gloves) and sterilized utensils when mixing your concoctions, and to store non-refrigerated mixtures in a dry cool place. If something smells funny or doesn’t look right, then toss it! Remember, it is important for any mixtress to understand the basics of storing and preserving her mixes, so it is strongly suggested to do one’s own research and to use one’s own judgment when using these methods. As long as you’re safe, you’ll find that creating your own small batches of rinses and moisturizers can be beneficial to your existing hair and skin regimen.

Happy mixing!

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]]> http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/the-mixtresss-guide-storing-and-preserving-homemade-mixes/feed/ 2 Ingredients I Avoid – Natural Hair http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/ingredients-avoid/ http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/ingredients-avoid/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 22:17:50 +0000 Amina http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/?p=1639 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Ingredients to Avoid:

  • Petrolatum/Petroleum
  • Mineral Oil
  • Lanolin

As you can see these three ingredients that are being piled onto the hair are actually detrimental to most.  They are placed on the hair in the form of grease and masked by the cute little containers that promise to be the heal all, but we must be careful when using them.  The big issue with the ingredients are that they are not designed to help the hair, but are used as fillers for the most part.

Back when I was relaxed, I actually liked using products with these ingredients in them, now my hair HATES them.  I have totally blocked out petrolatum, mineral oil, lanolin, and ‘cones from my hair regimen.  These ingredients often block out moisture and the “good” ingredients that you may want to penetrate into your hair.  For instance, I used a product containing mineral oil, then I tried to style my hair using aloe vera gel and shea butter.  The shea butter and aloe vera gel just sat on top of my hair without absorbing and my results were terrible!

Keep in mind – There is no ‘one size fits all’ rule for every natural out there when it comes to hair care.  Some naturals may find that these compounds work well with their hair – more power to you!  I just can’t use them.   I would suggest to most naturals who must use products containing either petrolatum, mineral oil, or lanolin to do so in moderation.  A good indicator that signifies that a product has a small amount of mineral oil in it is a product with the ingredient far down on the ingredients list.

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]]> http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/ingredients-avoid/feed/ 0 Rose Water for Hair http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/rose-water-for-hair/ http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/rose-water-for-hair/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:06:15 +0000 Amina http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/?p=1908 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Rose Water for Hair

rose water

Imagine the pleasant scent of fresh roses lacing your strands, while infusing your hair with moisture as it coats the tresses. Rose water is one of the earth’s best kept secrets. Many fail to realize just how many healing properties that rose water has.

Rose water can be recognized first and foremost for its lovely scent! Refresh day old hair with a rose water spritz; it has the potential to make your hair look, feel, and smell a new!

The porosity of your hair will stabilize as well with one of nature’s fine elements. The pH value of rose water is closer to that of the hair in its optimal state, therefore, it works to repair the porosity. This allows the hair to retain the proper amount of moisture in; and the cuticle will remain smooth.

Rose water is made from soaking rose petals in distilled water. This extracts the nutrients from the roses and puts them into the water. There are no artificial ingredients in pure rose water.

Rose water can be found at your local grocery store in the international food isle.  Don’t hesitate to try rose water, this is safe for use on natural or relaxed hair; you will love it for at least one of its nourishing properties! Happy Healthy Hair Growing!

Post borrowed from BlackHairCareBlog.com – Amina (author).

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]]> http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/rose-water-for-hair/feed/ 0 Exotic Allure Hair Vitamins Ingredients http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/exotic-allure-hair-vitamins-ingredients/ http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/exotic-allure-hair-vitamins-ingredients/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:12:49 +0000 Julia http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/?p=988 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> fast grow vitaminsSince I posted the ingredients in the Hairfinty fast hair growth vitamin I thought it only proper to post the rival brand Exotic Allure Ingredients on the blog as well. Most of the content in these vitamins are the same. Exotic Allure is one of the top brands of black hair vitamins on the market and very well liked on bhp.  Here are the Exotic Allure Hair Vitamin Ingredients:

Serving size: 3 capsules
Ingredient     Amt. per serving     %RDA

  • Vitamin B-12     3mcg     50%
    Vitamin B6     9mg     450%
    Niacin     21mg     141%
    Biotin     300mcg     100%
    Pantothenic Acid     39mg     390%
    MSM     99mg     *
    Silica     18mg     *
    Inositol     48mg     *
    Choline     198mg     42%
    He Shou Wu     99mg     *
    Horsetail     24mg     *
    Iron     3mg     17%
    Iodine     25mcg     17%
    Folic Acid     400mcg     100%
    PABA     24mg     *
    Zinc     15mg     100%
  • Essential Oils
    Vitamin A     2500iu     50%
    Vitamin E     30iu     100%
    Flax Seed Oil     21mg     *
    Linoleic Acid     21mg     *
    Borage Oil     6mg     *
  • Amino Acids (Proteins)
    L-Cysteine     198mg
  • Proprietary Blend – 798mg
    L-Serine, L-Glutamic, L-Threonine, L-Glycine,
    L-Leucine, L-Valine, L-Arginine, L-Aspartic, L-Alanine, L-Proline
    L-Isoleucine, L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, L-Histidine, L-Methionine

Also contains: cellulose, magnesium stearate, gelatin, and silicon dioxide
Dosage:
Take three capsules daily. Divide doses between morning, afternoon, and evening.

Info: From the site

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