GREEN TEA HAIR RINSE

  
Hello Lavs, its been a while hasn’t it? Oh well, don’t be upset. I am always on and of the wagon. Anyway, now I am back on the wagon again, I just want to share my in between wash day hair treatment. I usually wash my hair every two weeks, and in-between washdays I do a green tea rinse to reduce hair fall and encourage volume and thickness. This I believe has been one of the secrets to my natural hair being so lush recently, I used to do it when I was in university and I stopped, but I am trying to go back to my old hair habits now (no more lazy natural). Anyway so here’s what you will need below;

 

INGREDIENTS

4 Bags of Green tea

250- 500ml of Hot water

A mug or glass jar

 

DIRECTIONS

1.Place the four bags of green tea in your glass jar or mug, pour hot water over it. Cover the jar or mug and allow it to cool for about 10-15mins. If you want the brew to be strong you can leave it for up to an hour in the fridge. I leave mine over night in the fridge, mainly because I forget it there, oh well it works great and the tea brew is pretty strong at this point.

2.Strain the tea bag, and pour the cooled green tea in a applicator bottle, or you can simply leave the cooled green tea in the jar.

3.Pour it all over your scalp and gently massage your scalp in a circular motion. GENTLY MASSAGE YOUR SCALP, you are not trying to wash you hair here.

4.Use a cotton shirt or cloth to take out the excess dripping water and cover your hair with a plastic cap for about 20mins.

5.Rinse out with cool water and you are done!!!

  

 WHY GREEN TEA HAIR RINSES WORK

Green tea contains high amount of antioxidants and caffeine that promote hair growth. The catechins in it have 5-Alpha-reductase inhibiting properties that help block the growth of DHT ( Dihydrotestosterone) which hinders hair growth and causes  hair fall.

Due to it’s antiseptic properties it also helps cure common scalp irritations like dandruff and psoriasis by reducing inflation.

Green tea also helps stimulate hair growth in the hair follicles and softens the hair. Thus, in addition to stopping excess shedding and hair fall, it contributes to the generation of new hair. It contains vitamin E and C, and polyphenols known to boost voluminous hair.

WHEN TO DO A GREEN TEA RINSE?

You can do it as an in between wash hair treatment like I do, or use it as a rinse after washing and conditioning your hair.

 RESULTS THE DAY AFTER

Hair has already dried, been moisturised and sealed. Sorry I forgot to take a picture during the rinse.

  
There you go guys!!!! Have a great weekend!!! Today is Friday I am off to do my green tea rinse hair. xxxxx

 

BEST SKIN CLEARING ROUTINE FOR ACNE PRONE SKIN

Hi guys, its been ages I know, but honestly I get so overwhelmed, but I have come back! Please leave a response in the comment section to let me know if you missed me!!! (kisses)!! The picture below is a before and after of my skin, its not easy be sharing this, but my customers have to understand when I say I have suffered the same issues as them.

I decided to share my beauty regimen with you all, because I get asked what I used and how I care for my acne prone skin. When I recommend clays and oils it often seems a little strange, so this article is to show everyone the power of keeping it pure and natural. These have been my saving grace and I haven’t looked back! My skin is balanced, clearer and I have fewer breakout episodes. Honestly, I never thought I could have acne free skin, I felt that my oily skin has signed me to a life of battling breakouts, but no more!!! My skin is always clear these day, yes every now and a again I get a tiny pimple that very quickly goes back to where it came from!!! I have been on this routine for over 4 months now.

 

First of all to get that beautiful glow you have cleanse, exfoliate, mask, tone and moisturize and it has to be done in that order. Your skin must be clean before any treatment commences, afterwards you have to exfoliate to remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, this is necessary to clear out black heads and to give the lovely products you are about to put on your skin chance to penetrate your skin and work. Thereafter your face masks comes in, you can chose to steam your face before this or just go right ahead to this part, facemasks help draw out impurities, even the skin tone and tighten your pores, of course this depends on the ingredients of your mask. After this process use a good toner, to balance skin ph, even the skin tone, tighten pores, hydrate, reduce any inflammations etc, then finally you moisturize with a great oil or cream suited to your skin type!

 

These are the products I have used for the last four months and how I use them, they have worked beautifully and are all available for sale HERE:

 

Step 1- Cleanse

 

I wash my face with the Sheabutter cottage cocoa butter black soap, this is really gentle and non drying, it also contains neem which makes it excellent for combating skin infections, eczema and brightening the skin. When I ran out of that, the soap only lasted for about 6 weeks. I used OrganicLifeplus Moroccan black soap, this lovely soap contains eucalyptus oil which as antiseptic, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties so it was perfect for my skin. When I ran out of that soap I used pasuca soap, containing sugar cane juice and papaine, this was excellent for fading dark spots, brightening, controlling breakouts, it was also full of AHA which aids exfoliation. The properties of these soaps where all suited to my skin type and worked just fine, I wasn’t confined to one soap like I would have been if I was using a chemical product or bleaching cream.

 

Step 2- Exfoliate

 

I exfoliated my skin with a mix of adzuki bean powder, this is possibly the gentlest exfoliating product you could ever try. This bean powder from Ghana gently exfoliates the skin without irrating it like sugar or salt, so its perfect for the face. It aids cell repair and regeneration and removes dead skin cells. I mix this with honey, usually, some time I added hibiscus powder or lemon juice.

Step 3- Mask

I mix what I have now dubbed my clear skin face mask, the ingredients are fullers earth clay, aloe powder, amla powder, turmeric, activated charcoal, and rosewater. For the full recipe details and ingredient breakdown please see HERE

 

Step 4- Toning

 

Everyday, twice a day after cleansing I would wipe my face with some rosewater. I simply put it on some cotton wool and would wipe. On my mini facial spa days I would use rosewater as a toner right after rinsing of my mask. Rosewater helped with balancing my skin ph, calming redness and inflammation, fading scars, evening my skin tone, and it smelled awesome and made me happy lol.

Step 5- Moisturisation

 

This is key, no point doing all of the above and then using a cream or oil that would react to your skin. The perfect oil for my acne prone skin is rosehip oil, it filled with vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids, its known to correct wrinkles and fine lines, fade acne spots, hydrates dry itchy skin and rejuvenates the skin to reveal a glowing complexion. This oil is also higher in linoleic acid as opposed to oleic acid which makes it perfect for acne prone skin, this means that apply it to acne prone skin will not lead to further pimples! This oil is a 10/10 . However, me being me decided to mix it with a few lovely oils I owned to see the effects, I blended it with carrot seed oil, touloucouna oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil, aloe vera oil and galbanum essential oil, and the result was amazing!!! This oil blend is a star blend for me! Perfect for my skin, the eczema I had healed, my complexion got brighter, no new acne, and acne scars where healing like it was their job!!

I repeated step 1 to 5, once a week and I repeat step 1, 4 and 5 twice a day. My face is still a work in progress, acne prone, sensitive skin is not easy to deal with, but this routine works for me and has kept my skin balanced, and every day it clears my skin up more and more!!!

So there you have it guys!!! If you want to try any of the ingredients they are available HERE

 

 

Have a blessed day xxx

My night time routine!

  
Hi guys! 

This is just a quick post detailing what I do to my hair before bed. I perform this ritual to keep my hair moisturised and tangle free constantly. After my recent experience with detangling I have learnt that prevention is better than cure!! Every natural both new and seasoned must keep their hair in a manner that prevents it from tangling on itself while you are asleep. It’s necessary to prevent future breakage and hassle. This process takes about 10-15mins. So here is what I do: 

1. I spritz my hair with a mix or rose water and peppermint oil ( this oil is now my new best friend since I discovered it scientifically grows hair, see HERE for that post). That’s why in the video below I kept closing my eyes, the oil stings the eyes a bit. This step is optional and you can go straight to the leave in, but I like the extra moisture it gives.

2. I put my hair in sections, spritz each section with my rose water and peppermint oil, follow with either my Mielle Organics White Peopy Leave in conditioner or My Brazen curls Kiwi creme leave in, both are sold HERE, then I use my Brazen curls growth enhancing oil also sold at the beautifully nappy shop, then seal all the moisture up with Brazen curls hair and body butter. 

3. I twist up each section after moisturizing. Afterwards I roll each section up in a Bantu knot, this step is totally optional. 

As you can see in the video I do light finger detangling and dusting as well, so my hair is nice and tangle free in the morning.

Please see the video below for full details. This is so cool I am easing into doing videos!! Yay lol. 

    

Results this morning!!!

    
    

  

  

 

Peppermint oil!! Scientifically proven to aid hair growth!!

  
Source : 

Ji Young Oh, Min Ah Park, and Young Chul Kim. “Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs”. Toxicology Research, Volume 30, Issue 4 Dec. 2014, pp. 297–304.

Over time the amazing benefits of peppermint oil have been documented. Its known to have anti bacterial and anti microbial properties. Using peppermint oil to massage your head has been known to relieve headaches. It’s also anti inflammatory and helps with nausea.

However, in December 2014, a study of the hair growth benefits of peppermint oil was finally published. This study compares peppermint oil to the popular minoxidil ( this has been widely used by doctors to treat hair loss). 

For the experiment 100% pure peppermint oil was diluted with a carrier oil (Jojoba oil was used in this case), the mixture was then applied topically for 6 weeks, once a day for a period of about 1 month. The results show that peppermint oil had a more pronounced effect on growth as opposed to the other compounds.
The experiment was conducted on mice, it showed that after 4 weeks the peppermint oil led to 92% hair growth and the minoxidil had led to only 55% hair growth. Also with the use of PEO (peppermint essential oil), the depth size of the hair follicles had actually increased.
So if you are suffering hair loss or missing edges, try some peppermint oil!!! A snap shot of a quote from the research is as follows:

“In conclusion, our experimental data suggest that 3% PEO facilitates hair growth by promoting the conservation of vascularization of hair dermal papilla, which may contribute to the induction of early anagen stage. In addition, PEO effectively stimulated hair growth in an animal model via several mechanisms and thus could be used as a therapeutic or preventive alternative medicine for hair loss in humans” 

So there it is guys! A non toxic hair growth product! Purchase pure Peppermint Essential oil HERE
Have a great evening xxx

8 Benefits of Rosewater and 9 ways to use it

 

Holla, so many posts should have come before this, however, I am doing this for the benefit of my newsletter subscribers, which you can be a part of if you sign up HERE, get the latest scope in the natural hair community and organic skin care.

So on to discussing this amazing floral water. Rosewater is actually an amazing addition to your skin and hair regimen, its one wonderful ingredient I feel is underused in skin care.  Rosewater is a superb floral water that is highly beneficial to your hair and skin. However, after we have explored the awesome benefits of this products, please be sure to purchase it from the right source. Some suppliers simply put a rose scent in regular water, which does not give you the positive benefits of pure rose water. Purchase high quality Rose Water HERE.

Benefits

 

1. Slightly astringent properties so it helps fight acne, contact dermatitis and eczema
2. It helps heal scars, cuts and wounds
3. It cools down inflamed, red and blotchy skin
4. Due to its astringent properties rosewater helps clean pores and tone the skin.
5. It helps the skin maintain its PH balance and controls excess oil.
6. The nourishing and moisturizing qualities of rose water enhance the quality of the hair. It also helps treat mild scalp irritations and get rid of dandruff. It works wonders as a natural conditioner and revitalizes hair growth.
7. Also an antioxidant rose water helps strengthen skin cells and regenerate skin tissues.
8. It suitable for aging skin as it keeps fine lines and wrinkles away

Rosewater and Hair oil as a night time hair conditioning routine

 

How to use it

• To prevent eye puffiness: Busy schedule= no sleep= puffy eyes! Well bye to that!! Simply chill your rosewater in the fridge for about an hour and half. Apply some of the chilled rosewater to a cotton pad and then place it on your eyes. It will help sooth the tender skin around your eyes and prevents or reduces eye puffiness.
• After Sun body spray: Spray it all over your body to soothe sunburns and heal redness or itchiness.
• For Acne: Mix juice from one lemon and rose water in equal parts, apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for an hour. Rinse of with water, after about 2-3 weeks there would be a visible difference in your skin. The rosewater will help remove the blemish and scars. You can also mix 1 table spoon of fuller’s earth clay (purchase fullers earth HERE with enough rosewater to make a paste, apply it to your face and leave it on for 5-10mins.
• Freshen your face throughout the day: Especially in our hot whether rosewater can be your friend. Just spray the rosewater mist on your face, it will instantly freshen your skin, naturally hydrate and nourish it. It instantly gives you a wonderful radiance and glow. Personally its great to always have a bottle in your bag so you can freshen your skin through out the day.
• Facial toner: Most toners available on the market contain chemicals and alcohol. Using these on a regular basis will make your skin dry and age your skin in time. Rosewater is a better and more natural alternative to these chemical laden toners. Immediately after cleansing, apply some chilled rosewater to your face with a cotton pad. This will naturally tone up your facial skin, it will close your pores and give your skin a glow.
• Natural makeup remover: Just apply some rose water on a cotton pad and gently remove your makeup with it. To make it more effective, you can dampen the bad with rosewater and add some coconut oil to the dampened pad and massage your face in the cotton pad in a circular motion. If you have oily skin replace the coconut oil with rosehip oil (available on request), pomegranate seed oil, grape seed oil etc.
• Natural setting spray: Rosewater can be applied sparingly over the makeup as a setting product, providing beautiful, healthy glow and amazing dewy finish.
• To soften dry skin: Use rosewater as a body spray to soothe and soften dry skin immediately.
• Aromatherapy: The beautiful floral scent of rosewater on your pillow is said to aid sleep and leave you feeling well rested and refreshed in the morning.

 

Have a blessed evening!!

 

 

 

DIY ACNE REMEDY CLAY MASK

Hey hey,

This post is long overdue, this is natural mask I use when I have hormonal acne or when my skin is acting up. I use this mask once a week, it balances my sebum production and keeps my skin clear and beautiful. Its an excellent natural alternative to chemical solutions. Suitable for sensitive skin. If I have any pimples prior to doing the mask, after 1 or 2 sessions the pimples reside. So yes I love it.

This mask is ideal if oily, acne prone skin like mine. What you will need

• Aloevera powder – 1 teaspoon
• Activated charcoal (optional) – 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric (optional)  – 1/2 teaspoon
• Fullers earth clay- 1 or 1/2 table spoon
• Amla powder- 1 teaspoon
• Rosewater/ Aloevera juice/ purified water- enough to make a paste

Combing all these ingredients in a bowl and leave on your skin for 5-10minutes maximum. Don’t wait for it to be totally dry and flaky, leaving face masks on for two long can draw out moisture from the skin and cause further irritation. So no longer than 10minutes. See short video below for the general idea.

So why it will work?? Ingredient break down time:

• Aloe Vera powder- This powder product of India is derived from the whole aloe plant. It contains vitamins A, B1, B2,B6,B12 ,C, E, and folic acid. It’s filled with minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, potassium, sodium etc making it excellent for both the hair and skin. It will help heal the scars on your face, moisturise your skin and heal pigmentation and burn marks. This powder aids cell regeneration and its intensely healing. It will reveal a glowing and bright skin after a 1 or 2 applications. To purchase see Here

• Amla powder: Rich in vitamin A, which is essential in collagen production Amla powder helps to keep the skin elastic and youthful looking. It’s anti- inflammatory and helps calm red, blotchy skin. Amla is also rich in vitamin C and naturally brightens and lightens the skin. To purchase see Here

• Tumeric powder: This is great for oily and acne prone skin. High is vitamin C it also naturally lightens dark spots. It’s antiseptic and anti bacterial in natural so it fights breakouts and pimples to keep the skin looking youthful. It’s soothes skin burns and it’s excellent in the treatment of wrinkles.

• Activated charcoal: This is used to trap and flush out toxins from the body! Both internally and externally. The activated charcoal will draw out impurities from the skin. It’s effective in treating acne, body odor, insect bites and rashes.

• Fullers earth clay: Nature has provided this magic clay to ease all our skin woes. It has oil absorbing, cleansing and antiseptic properties. It improves the skin complexion, treats acne, fades scars and improves skin elasticity. To purchase see Here

• Rosewater: I used both Rosewater and bottled water in this mask,  because my rose water had ran out it wasn’t enough to make a full paste. Rosewater helps calm inflamed skin, it’s filled with antioxidants and it’s also anti aging. It’s a great cleanser and removes oil and dirt in accumulated clogged pores. It helps hydrate, moisturise and revitalize the skin. It helps strengthen skin cells, and regenerate skin tissues. To purchase please see Here
• 

Have a blessed day everyone!!! Xxx

Product Review: Brazen Curls Kiwi moistursing shampoo

 

Honestly! This review has been long coming, but I had to wait for the rest of the Nigerian natural community to use these awesome products before I gave my review. Since I sell these products I don’t want to seem biased!!! While the other items in the new brazen curls range are amazing, the shampoo is my very favorite shampoo in the entire universe!!!! To all my followers, you all know that rhassoul clay is my baby, rhassoul clay is the only thing I use to cleanse my hair and it’s the best thing since my healthy naija buns!!! How-e-ver, this shampoo is my new friend!!! I have decided to incorporate it into my regimen and use it at least once a month.

This shampoo is the bomb!!!! It actually lives up to its name and its indeed a moisturizing shampoo. Aside from it conditioning abilities, it strengthens the hair with continuous use.  I have used it several times and it has been great every time. It’s so gentle it’s suitable for children, see my Instagram page for proof.

Its like washing your hair with oil that lathers! It doesn’t strip the hair at all, not even a little, the ingredients are simple and are designed to gently cleanse your hair without stripping the hair of its natural protective oils.

After shampoo WET

After shampoo DRY

The ingredients are; Aqua (deionized water), capryl glucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine, glycerin sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, hydrolysed wheat protein, xanthan gum, citric acid, aloe vera leaf powder, and kiwi seed oil. First of all, this is an amazingly short list of ingredients for a shampoo, and that’s a great thing. The simpler a product is, the better it is for us. Our hair has less to deal with, and its easier to do research on the ingredients used.

The shampoo, is considered a luxury shampoo, because of its exotic organic ingredients and love the manufacturer has put into creating this product, and yes its Naija owned! Hand made Nigerian goodness.  So let’s do a breakdown of the ingredients, shall we?

1. Capryl Glusoside: This is an excellent gentle cleansing surfactant, which is made from renewable raw materials, fatty alcohols and glucose from vegetable origin. Its actually described as an ultra-gentle, natural, cleansing and foaming agent, free from impurities and preservatives. The presence of fatty alcohols makes this product amazing for curly hair types, as these are good alcohols that provide sheen, reduce frizz and soften the hair.
2. Cocamidoprophyl betaine: This is generally regarded as a mild and safe ingredient. Its used to replace cocamide DEA (which is more dangerous for the hair and health). It’s a well known conditioning and moisturizing agent. It provides a fatty layer that provides emollience and manageability.
3. Glycerin Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate: This is a liquid preservative commonly used in natural cosmetic formulations. It has a skin friendly P.H value of up to 5.5. This means that this shampoo will not upset the natural PH balance of your hair. Thus, preventing hair loss, irritation, fungi and bacteria in the hair and scalp. This ingredient is derived from coconut.
4. Hydrolysed wheat protein: This in my opinion is the best part of this shampoo!!! Its produced by either the acid or enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat protein. Essentially its wheat protein made small enough to penetrate the cortex and moisturize and strengthen our hair. It actually helps stop breakage, because it performs the dual function of strengthening and moisturizing, it helps the hair maintain a balance between being strength and flexibility thus reducing breakage. It attracts moisture to the hair strand and improves its ability to maintain moisture. So if your hair is suffering breakage this is the shampoo for you! At the moment by post partum hair loss is not smiling at me!!! So this shampoo is by best friend. According to Natural Wellbeing  “It can also help repair damaged hair follicles making hair fuller and softer to the touch”. This shampoo is also great for protein sensitive people, as wheat protein is considered a gentle protein, due to its moisturizing balance.
5. Xanthan gum: This is a plant based thickening and stabilizing agent. Its regarded as safe for consumption and its used in many cosmetics and even in food.
6. Citiric Acid: This is found in citrus fruits and it’s a natural preservative. Its totally safe for consumption and considered mild.
7. Aloevera leaf powder: This amazing powder, aside from its many medicinal benefits, this organic powder made from the aloe vera plant works wonders for the hair. It stimulates hair growth, conditions the hair, soothes and heals irritated scalp, and nourishes new growth.
8. Kiwi seed oil: This exotic oil is now being considered the “wonder fruit”, both by scientists and the natural community. Its helps maintain moisture in the skin and hair, rich in vitamins that the hair and body needs, helps fight dandruff and rough and dry skin and hair. Its high in phytonutrients (naturally occurring nutrients found online in plants), minerals, magnesium and vitamins C&E. It also contains over 60% of Alpha linoleic acid which is especially beneficial for the hair.
9. Deionised water: I didn’t talk about this first, because there is nothing special here lol. As the name implies, its water with all the ions removed. It’s the purest form of water and its best for our hair. Tap water has so many mineral and metals in it, that if it’s used to formulate a product it will actually spoil the product. Also also tap water, will cause buildup on the hair because of the minerals and metals present. However, the use of deionsed water in shampoos, conditioners etc. should be common practice (I hope) . Furthermore, I would like to add here that water is the best ingredient to moisturize our hair, so it should be the first or second ingredient to look out for in shampoos, leave ins, conditioners etc. This product obviously has water as it’s first ingredient.

So there it is, a break down of the ingredients, I am really pleased with this as you can tell from the post lol. It does the job, it truly cleanses and moisturizes and it has such an amazing scent. Oh my goodness! Yes, the scent is natural too, however, the manufacturer has decided to discontinue the use of even natural scents going forward. She cares about the health of her customers, recent research has shown that even natural scents may not be all that great.  So its just essentials oils that will be used to scent the product from here on!

 

Price N5900. You can purchase it from yours truly! Via email: beautifullynappy@gmail.com or via BBM: 584EB6EB

Have a look at what others think about the Brazen Curls brand from The Kink and I and Sotectonic

MY MINI CHOP AND DC SESSION

 

Hi guys, as usual I ran away, but this time I have a legit reason, been travelling about Nigeria and that always comes with network issues. So on the 15^th of October 2015, I cut about 3-4 inches of my hair!! Yikes!

Well, it was because I had simply had enough, I had knots, breakage, the lot! In my last post, I mentioned that  hair growth can be stunted due to previous bad hair practices taking its toll. Well my hair was suffering from that! Throughout my pregnancy, especially during the earlier months, my hair received very little love. I cut corners all over my regular routine, I often forgot my hair, at one point my hair was so crispy, but I didn’t care. I was simply too ill (at the beginning) and too pregnant (at the end) to care lol.

However, inspite of all this my hair managed to grow an 2-3 amazing inches, because well…..pregnancy hair is good stuff. However, 4 months postpartum and no growth anywhere??? I was like “warris this? Nah!!!”, so all that bad hair treatment finally caught up with my hair and I decided to take my own advice. It was time for the dead hair to go!

I cut about 3-4 inches of, because I know enough about hair to know it will grow back better than thicker! I am soo pleased with the outcome. Unfortunately I didn’t take any before photos, but I have the after photos!!! After I cut my hair I did a cowash with Mielle Organics Honey Dew Berry co-wash and deep conditioned my hair with the Sheabutter Cottage Hibiscus and Allanblackia deep conditioner! So here are the results!

 

Both products are available for sale!!! However, I only have two deep conditioners left!!! To purchase email beautifullynappy@gmail.com or via BBM: 58A4EB6E

The dangers of skin bleaching

   
 

Hey guys! So I have simply gotten tired of being asked for “natural” lightening or bleaching creams! Like what is this about? Nigerian women! Bleaching cream has been banned in some countries due to how dangerous it is to health. This is also a health blog, so I am going to explore both the physical and psychological damages that occur around the use of bleaching and “lightening” creams. 

First of all, if you are reading this thinking “I am not bleaching I am bringing out my real colour”, I am talking to YOU!!! You are bleaching!!! Your real colour is whatever tone your skin is without the use of any creams, if you have recently gotten a tan then that’s your real colour until the tan naturally wears of! We are black people! Especially girls of a darker variety like me, the sun will do nothing to our glorious skin! We are built for the sun, we glow in the sun!!

Okay, let me begin with the physical side effects of the use of bleaching or lightening creams. Common ingredients in chemical bleaching creams include hydroquinone and mercury, however, in more natural lightening creams ingredients like kojic acid, alpha hydroxyl acids and arbutin are used. Now, I would like to briefly touch on the side of effects of all these substances, starting from the more dangerous chemicals to the less dangerous natural alternatives. 

Hydroquinone is among the worst ingredients and must be avoided. It works by inhibiting the production of the melanin (the pigment responsible for our colour), this leaves your skin dangerously sensitive to the sun, leading to increased sun burns (this is why with time some women have greenish or reddish stains on their skin). This high exposure to the suns UV rays increases the chances of skin cancer and an increased risk of ochronsis (progressive sooty darkening of the skin). This is where the skin looks as though there are patches of dark burns on it. The 3.4% concentration of hydroquinone that is deemed safe for lightening Caucasian skin is not safe for African skin! It degenerates collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, these are responsible for giving the skin a supple and youthful look, the degeneration of these fibres will lead to the premature aging of the skin. This substance actually peels of layers of the skin, it thins the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis). This is dangerous as it may take the skin longer to heal from wounds and recover from surgical procedures, it may also make the skin impossible to sew during a surgical procedure.

Mercury is another dangerous culprit in bleaching creams, this element is toxic and yet its still found in some lightening or bleaching creams. It causes skin rashes, discoloration and scarring. It can also reduce the skin ability to resist infection. It is important to note that anything we apply topically is absorbed into our blood stream, research conducted by the World Health Organisation (‘WHO”) indicated that mercury in the blood stream has been known to cause problems to the brain, nervous system and kidneys. This is called mercury poisoning. So seriously is being yellow or pretending to look white really worth this rubbish? If you want to have an even skin tone or a brighter skin, eat healthy, exercise, use healthy skin products and your skin will shine like a diamond! It will be healthy, supple, youthful and shinning!

 Now let’s move on to the healthier alternatives mentioned above, these natural lightening agents still work by inhibiting the production of melanin making the skin incredibly sensitive. They also increase the chances of getting burned by the sun, thus they are usually used with strong sunscreens. Kojic acid especially makes the skin prone to dryness, leading to flaky, itchy skin, if excessive moisturizer isn’t used afterwards. All the natural alternatives peel of the layers of the skin, which puts the skin at risk for allergic contact dermatitis, since the skin at this stage becomes sensitive to anything. They also leave the skin more sensitive to pollution, radiation and other harsh products. When combined with chlorine, peroxide, oxygen and other oxidative agents Kojic acid especially becomes more destructive to the skin. So though these natural lightening alternatives might not be as bad as the chemical ones they are still pretty dangerous for the long term health of your skin.

Overall, bleaching/lightening/ or “bringing out your real colour’ etc. whatever you want to call it, is harmful and will lead to premature aging of the skin. The older you get the worse your skin will look.

Now, I would like to explore the psychological side effects of using lightening products. At this point, I think its necessary for me to state that I am in no way qualified as a psychologist or therapist! Lol However, I do see bleaching/lightening as a statement of self-hate, before I get jumped, can we explore our reasons for wanting to be lighter? Why on earth will you decide that the colour you were born with isn’t good enough for you? I have heard women say “my skin is dull”, “oh yellow is just nice”, why? Why do we think darker skin is dull? Or that yellow is simply better? I have also been told that when searching for a husband its good to begin bleaching, because apparently only light girls get married? Why?!!!!!

We come to these conclusions because most of the media is controlled by the west, I mean Europe and America, the media is controlled by white people! Everything from white skin to silky white (oyinbo) hair is marketed as beautiful, and most of the time when black/African women are shown on TV they are of a fairer variety. Subconsciously we have been fed, that being light skinned is the most beautiful thing, being as western looking as possible is gorgeous, this brain washing by the media is one of the main reasons we purchase expensive fake Brazilian hair and damage our skin with creams. We feel the need to whiten our skin so that we can fit into what has been deemed more socially acceptable by people who do not even live in our continent! This is a form of mental slavery.

 If you are with a man who can’t love you for your natural looks, then you need to allow him be with the girl of his dreams, because there is a man out there who is happy with a dark skinned woman. There is someone for everyone, so bleaching to feel beautiful enough to be married is out of the question. There plenty of men out there who are not so shallow as to pick a wife based on her skin tone. To apply such damaging substances to our skin on a daily basis in search of acceptance is dangerous for our self esteem and for the self esteem of our daughters. Are we teaching them not to love who they really are? Are we teaching the younger generation that they must borderline mutilate themselves as long as they can be considered beautiful? More importantly we implying to our daughters and sisters that what’s on the outside is more important than intelligence, and strength of character?

Interviews that have been conducted throughout the West African diaspora, have indicated that women who purchase lightening products do so because of the media images portraying white women as beautiful. These same interviews also show that, these women in their own opinion feel they are more beautiful with lighter skin and would continue to purchase these lightening creams despite their harmful side effects. At this point, I am beginning to wonder if we wont have a self induced public health crisis! Especially here in Nigeria, as our country has topped the list of counties where women use skin lightening products!!!

 As at 2013 a report from WHO (The World Health Organisation) revealed that 77% of Nigerian women bleach their skin! This is amazing considering just how dangerous these products are!

We as Nigerians and as African Queens should please learn to love our beautiful skins and take care of ourselves the healthy way! 
Have a beautiful Saturday, feel free to comment, good or bad. 

xxxxx

The Rejuvenating Marula Oil

 Hi Guys,
I checked the date and realised I have started again! Lol although I have a good excuse, I am mommy and it’s not easy oh!!! Anyway let’s get to it! So I decided to try out this beautiful oil called Marula oil and I love it!!! It works so well on my skin, even better than my favourite Rosehip Oil. So far, since I have been using it I have noticed my skin is more radiant, my dark spots from pimples are clearing out faster, and its reducing my breakouts! I have also been using it in combination with lemon and tea tree essential oils, so this so far has been working wonders for me!!!

Marula oil is extracted from the nuts of the Marula tree, it’s used in cosmetics, as a cooking oil, meat preservative and to treat leather! It’s popularly known as Africa’s beauty secret! It’s very light textured, highly nutritious, full of antioxidants and fatty acids, fast absorbing and suitable for all skin types. This multitasking oil is great for the hair and skin!! It’s excellent for taming flyaway hairs and reducing frizz in thick curly hair textures. It’s an amazing sealant, when applied to damp hair it adds shine and moisture to limp, ragged ends.

Modern research confirms that this oil contains powerful antioxidants, high concentrations of essential fatty acids and nutrients that protect the skin and hair against environmental aggressors, boost cellular activity, hydrate to the deepest levels and repair the skin. The high levels of vitamin C, Vitamin E, essential amino acids and flavonoids present in Marula oil helps cells renew and resist the damaging effects of the environment. Regular use provides antioxidant protection and builds collagen, which creates that youthful iridescent glow. In more mature/aging skin, marula oil re-energies the skins weakening ability to produce collagen thereby restoring its suppleness.
Its richness in essential fatty acids of Omega 9-oleic and Omega 6-linoleic make it an elixir that rejuvenates and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, redness, and blotchiness. It’s also very nutritious to the hair, the presence of these fatty acids make it an excellent hair conditioner and it gives the hair volume and shine!

Whoooop! This awesome versatile oil can be purchased for N3900 HERE only 4 left!!!

Have a blessed day all xxx