PRODUCT REVIEW: Root2Tip Scalp Hydration Serum

Those of you that have ever suffered from a dry and flaky scalp know how frustrating it can be. Not only is a flaky scalp aesthetically displeasing but it can be really irritating and itchy. Naturally any product that help resolve these issues is an absolute godsend. Well, recently I have been using  the Root2Tip Scalp Hydration Serum and it has been a big breakthrough in resolving my scalp issues.

Root2Tip describes the Scalp Hydration Serum as:

"Our best Selling Oil...The SCALP HYDRATION Serum, Has been formulated especially for dry, itchy scalps, slow hair growth, thinning hair and dandruff. This oil will re-balance the moisture levels on your scalp after just one use, delivering essential scalp nourishment where needed. With continual usage, your hair has the perfect environment to grow at its optimum level healthier and stronger. Healthy hair and growth starts at the ROOT, Our formula contains nourishment for the scalp and roots, a blend of essential oils, minerals and scalp loving natural oils. Start your healthy hair journey now- HYDRATE your scalp for the healthiest hair you can grow!"

You use the Root2Tip Scalp Hydration Serum by applying it to sections of the hair and massaging it into the scalp in circular movement for at least 5 minutes. Then you can also apply some of the serum the rest of your hair like your ends.

After my first use of the Root2Tip Scalp Hydration Serum, I could already feel the oil going to work. Almost instantly my scalp felt soothed and less irritated. And after using this product for a while my dandruff has practically disappeared. This product has also been an influential product in stimulating my hair growth and retaining length for me. I absolutely love the fact this product is 100% natural with great ingredients including coconut oil and rosemary oil. The packaging is great too as the applicator is perfect for parting the hair which mean you're able to apply the oil easily with minimal mess.

At £8.99 this product is a bit more expensive then your average hair and scalp oil but I think the price is justified by it natural ingredients and almost instant results. I would definitely recommend this to anyone as it just a great all round product and delivers on its description. Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: La Femme Blush On Rouge

Affordable and good quality. It's not very often you find both of these elements in a singular beauty product. And yet here they are in the form of La Femme Blush On Rouge. At only $2.99 (that's £1.96) for a blush in refill pan form, and $3.50 (£2.50) for a blush in a single container, La Femme blushes are an absolute steal! And the quality of these blushes are absolutely amazing.

When I say these blushes are pigmented - I don't mean they are nicely pigmented for a cheap product, I mean they are so pigmented that they knock the socks off of some my high end products. You barely need to tap your make up brush in the blush to get the desired colour pay off, in fact the blushes are so pigmented I would even consider using some of them as eye shadows.My only issue with some of these blushers is that you can get a lot of fall out from the pan when you are applying it which obviously can be messy.

Which such wide range of shades, there is something to suit every skin tone. I counted at least 50 on the websites that distribute the full range La Femme products. And there are also a nice range of finishes as well too - matte, shimmer, pearlized and demi-pearlized. 

I own 30 La Femme Blushes because they are really good and so inexpensive. And they know they will last me a good while because I only need to use the smallest amount. I would definitely recommend them to everybody because they a great product. Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Check out photos and swatches below:

(Top Row: Precious Plum, Grape, Bordeux, Mulberry and Purple Passion.

Bottom Row: Magenta, Frambosia, Indian Rose, Fuchsia, Golden Ruby)

(Swatches: Precious Plum, Grape, Bordeux, Mulberry and Purple Passion)

(Swatches: Magenta, Frambosia, Indian Rose, Fuchsia, Golden Ruby)

(Top Row: Sienna, Plum Frost, Cinnibar, Orange, Red.

Bottom Row: Russet, Redwood, Sunkissed Dawn, Golden Sunset, Peach.)

(Swatches: Sienna, Plum Frost, Cinnibar, Orange, Red.)

(Swatches: Russet, Redwood, Sunkissed Dawn, Golden Sunset, Peach.)

(Top Row: Coral Spice, Mandarin Red, Rose, Pink Velvet, Flamingo Pink.

Bottom Row: Terrecotta, Peach Sparkle, Mocha, Golden Rose and Coral)

(Swatches: Coral Spice, Mandarin Red, Rose, Pink Velvet, Flamingo Pink.)

(Swatches: Terrecotta, Peach Sparkle, Mocha, Golden Rose and Coral)

La Femme Blushes are sold at Make Up Mania and Camera Ready Cosmetic in the USA (but they both ship internationally) and Genie Cosmetic here in the UK . A word of warning though, Make Up Mania and Camera Ready Cosmetics purchases may incur custom charges (VAT) and handling fees.

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Ask Nia: How to Stimulate Hair Growth with Alopecia and Hair Loss

Angela asked on Facebook "Help any ideas on how to stimulate hair growth when struggling with alopecia?...I'm really looking to find out about a natural regimen?"

Thank you for your question Angela and apologies for such a late response,

Alopecia is basically baldness or hair loss/shedding which can happen any part of the body that has hair. Hair loss and shedding in normal however alopecia is when the hair sheds excessively leaving patches of baldness and really thin patches of hair.

There are many types of alopecia, an increasingly common type of Alopecia in the black community is Traction Alopecia which is caused by excessive stress and pulling on the hair by hair ties, braids and hair weaves etc. Other types of Alopecia may be caused by autoimmune conditions, a trigger event like giving birth, stress, exposure to toxins, hormones, bacterial/fungal infections, genetics etc.

Holistically looking at hair loss

• Make sure you have a good diet including lot of fruits, vegetables and water / consider taking vitamin supplements;

"Many different nutrient deficiencies result in hair loss, including deficiencies of vitamins A, B6, B12, folic acid, biotin, vitamin C, copper, iron, and zinc. Hair loss can be a sign of vitamin A toxicity as well as deficiency. Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid, copper, and iron are necessary for the normal formation of red blood cells that supply oxygen to the hair shaft. Copper also functions in the formation of hair pigmentation, so copper deficiency can also cause color changes in the hair. With vitamin-C deficiency, the hair splits and breaks easily, resulting in dry, kinky, tangled hair. Silica also is important for hair growth and strength. Vitamin E is also necessary for good scalp and hair follicle health." (Source)

• Make sure you are getting enough sleep which will improve your general health and reduce stress
• Try cutting down on sugar, alcohol and junk food as poor nutrition can slow down hair growth
• Exercise to improve overall health and reduce stress
• Reduce stress in your life
• Daily intakes of rosemary tea to improve circulation
• Eat hormone balancing foods such as coconut oil

Remedies for Alopecia and Hair Loss

• Jojoba oil has be known as a  great remedy for hair loss for thousands of years. It has scalp cleansing properties this means it help deal with excess sebum which can be a cause of hair loss. Apply Jojoba oil by applying it to the scalp.
• Emu oil is recommended as a moisturizer and hair-root stimulant to promote hair growth. This also can be applied to the scalp.
• Rosemary oil can also be used a treatment for hair loss as it help blood circulation in the scalp and removes bacteria which clog hair follicle - "Add one part rosemary oil to two parts almond oil and massage the mixture into your scalp for twenty minutes a day."
• Use some Sage & Liquorice extract and add it to your normal shampoo treament. Sage is great for scalp and hair renewal process. It's also great for the helping blood circulation around the scalp which promotes hair growth. 
• Safflower oil is great for nourishing the roots and scalp which can promote hair growth. Use safflower by appling it to the scalp.
• Rinsing the hair with nettle vinegar is said to lessen hair loss
• Castor oil is widely use to regrow damaged hair lines and stimulate hair growth. Apply it the scalp for best results.
• Improve your hair practices; be gentle with you hair. If you are using a fine tooth comb get rid of it, use your fingers instead to comb through hair. Also avoid doing tight hairstyle as these will just exasperate the problem. Avoid using heat appliances or chemically processing your hair.

Regimen
For a regime, I would advise;
1. Shampooing or clarify the scalp and hair between every one and two weeks. You want to be using something very gentle for your hair and scalp; nothing that contains SLS, sulphate or soap. You could also try dilute your shampoo with water to make it milder on the hair. If you can loosely braid your hair before you wash it and then apply your shampoo mixture to your scalp and braids. This braiding technique is good for prevent hair loss whilst getting the hair clean.
2. Deep condition you hair afterwards. You can add a little oil (an oil mention above) to your deep condition to make it more moisturising. Apply the deep conditioner in sections and braid the sections back. Let the deep conditioner penetrate your hair for 15 minutes to an hour and then rinse and unravel your braids.

3. After you wash you hair apply a water based moisturiser to the hair. Seal the moisturiser into the ends of the hair with an oil or butter (Jojoba oil , Emu oil, Castor oil etc.). Also massage the oil into your scalp concentrating on areas of hair loss.
4. In term of styling you want to keep  your hair styles pretty low manipulation and low maintenance hair styles. So no tight ponytail or heavy extensions. Styles like twists and puffs would be ideal.
5. Moisturise regularly your hair when it gets dry by misting it with water, applying your water based moisturiser, sealing and massaging the scalp with oil. You can do this everyday if necessary but make sure you are not over moisturising.

I hope this information helps you with dealing with alopecia and hair loss. If you are really concerned with alopecia and hair loss please consult your Doctor or hair specialist.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: Sleek Aqua Collection (Limited Edition)

When I first spotted the new limited edition items from Sleek's Aqua Collection I just had to buy them all. The colours are in the range were perfect for spring and the whole collection is so affordable. The Aqua Collection consist a blush, a nail polish set and a eye shadow palette.

Mirrored Pink Blush

Mirrored Pink is a beautiful cool pink blush. It has beautiful silvery shimmer finish which makes it a perfect highlight blush for the Spring. This blush is nicely pigmented, applies easily and I think would suit most skin tones. I'm not too into shimmery blushes because the can pick up imperfection but this one is really nice. This blush reminds me MAC Peachy Keen blush but less peachy and more cool toned.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Deep Waves Nail Set

Deep Waves nail set contain four 5ml nail polishes:

• Cote d'Azur - a light blue/teal colour
• Tropic - a sunshine yellow shade
• Pink Mirage - a cool dark pink
• Deep Coral - a dark orangey coral

All the colours in this set are perfect for Spring and Summer. Cote d'Azur and Pink Mirage, I feel are the most pigment colours as they require less coats to become opaque. Deep Coral is fairly well pigmented too but Tropic require a lot work before you can get it really bright and opaque which is a shame because I love yellow. My favourite polishes in this set has to be Cote d'Azur because I love teal; I think it's perfect for my skin tone and Deep Coral because it's just a beautiful. I love this set however the colour more remind me of candy or the Caribbean rather than water or aqua. The polishes last a reasonable amount of time without chipping and a lovely sheen finish.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Lagoon iDivine Eye Shadow Palette 

Lagoon iDivine is a twelve colour eye shadow palette. The palette contain is a mixture of mostly shimmery and some matte colours. I really like Sleek eye shadow palettes but this one wasn't quite as pigmented as I like, especially on the shimmery shades. You'll definitely need a primer or base underneath these shadows. It still worth check as you get a good selection of colour which you makes some quite cute spring looks with.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

(Sassea, Deep Water, Reflection, Emerald, Oyster, Black Pearl)

(Pink Jewel, Sand Dollar, Underworld, Sea Shell, Night Sky, Ariel)

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PRODUCT REVIEW: FroHer Brazilian Beauty Softening Hair Butter

Price: £14.99 for 250g. Available from Curly Emporium.

What It Says: Moisturising rainforest plants with Pracaxi Berry conditioner.
High conditioning butters. Leaves hair silky soft. Apply as required. For kinky hair: ideal for use on pressed styles or to seal water based products.

Ingredients: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Vitis Vinfera (Grape) Seed Oil,Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut)Oil, TheobromaCacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Copernicia Cerifera (Canauba) Wax, BertholletiaExelsa Seed Oil* source Brazil nuts, Cetearyl Alcohol* source coconut,Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil* source brazilian pracaxi berry, StearoylInulin* source chicory roots, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, TheobromaGrandiflorum (Cupuacu) Seed Butter, Limonene, Parfum (Fragrance), GlycerylOleate* source corn starch and oleic acid, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl palmitate*source vitamin C, Citric Acid, Linalool, C175810 (Copper ChlorophyllinComplex), Helianthus Anuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Citral.

What I say: I love this product! The ingredients are top notch; it contains 99% natural ingredients. It smells quite natural which I like. The texture at first seems a bit gritty however bits melt as soon as you warm it up in your palm.  This hair butter works so well for me as a sealant, all I need is the smallest amount and it keeps my hair moisturised and soft. I'm guessing it would work as a good hot oil treatment heated up or pre-poo treatment as well but I haven't tried it as that as of yet. My only gripe with this product is that it's a bit pricey however this one pot has lasted me so long that I absolutely think it worth it!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 A nearly perfect product for me!

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Going Natural: The Beginners Guide to Styling, Regimes & Haircare

Finally the last post in my Going Natural series! This series has been all about giving you all the knowledge you need, to get started on your natural hair care journey. This final post is packed with all my best tips that I have learnt along my natural hair journey with regards to styling, haircare regime and my haircare dos & don'ts.

Tips that will make hair styling super easy:

• Styling on damp hair. I like to style on damp hair as this just get the best result when you want a really curly defined hairstyle. Be careful as hair that is wet is in a weaken state so when your manipulating you have to be gentle to prevent hair breakage. Use a spray bottle to get dry hair a bit wet before styling and if your styling hair that has just been washed blot it with a towel or t-shirt so it's not completely dripping wet.


• Alternatively styling on stretched hair, meaning hair that has been twisted, braided, blown out or banded is a great way to retain length, play with texture.


• YouTube and Blogs; are a great source for inspiration, how-tos and tips. These are always a great starting point for me especially if I'm in search of a new hairstyle. Check out my post on "15 Great Natural Hair YouTube Vloggers" for a guide on some of my favourite Youtubers.


• Concentrate your hair styling products toward the ends of your hair. This prevent product buildup near your roots which can irritate your scalp and it also reduces the amount of product you need.


• Try using styling lotions and creams as opposed to gel. I use to coat every inch of my hair with gel in an attempt to achieve the perfect curl but I came to the realisation gel can be very heavy on the hair also in can flake and get gummy especially when used in large amount. So I tend to favour curl cream now as they can provide hold without the flaking or tackiness of a gel whilst still defining my curl. Curl creams and twist lotion can also be used to create smooth twist and twist outs as well.


• Rack, finger comb and scrunch curling products through the hair for the maximum curl.


• Get perfect two strand twists and braid by smoothing products into the hair in a downwards motion and twisting the strands individually whilst twisting or braiding the hair. This gives your twists or braids very smooth sleek results

Guide to create the perfect regimen and finding the best products:

• A good starting point for creating a regime is building on your existing regime. Experiment with products you already have and see what doesn't work for maintaining your natural hair.


• Keep It Simple (Sister)! Don't over complicate your regime. When I just started with natural hair I was doing pre-poos, hot oil treatments, protein treatments, baggying, co-washing, shampooing... I mean the whole sha-bang! Natural hair doesn't necessarily need all those things, so start bare basic then add in treatments or products depending on what you feel you hair may need in addition. Check out my posts on "The K.I.S.S. Regime: A Simple Natural Hair Regime" and "My Current Haircare Regime"


• Make a timetable for your regime. For example; I shampoo and deep condition my hair every Tuesday, every six week I do a protein treatment and co-wash on either a Friday or Saturday.
  


• Research products thoroughly before you purchase them. Also ask other naturals what works for them. Make an informed decision when you are at your beauty supply store because you don't want to wasting a lot of money on bad products. Of course you will find that some products that are raved about on the net, don't live up to the hype however you  will saved a lot of money on product that are complete rubbish and be more pointed in the direction of quality products. Check out my product reviews as a starting point, I always give my honest opinions on haircare products I've tried and tested.

And finally my ultimate natural haircare and styling  DOs & DON'Ts:
DO use a widetooth comb or Afro comb.
DO NOT use a finetooth comb to detangle hair because it will tear out Afro textured hair.

DO use ouchless bands (hairbands without the metal bit) or tights to avoid snagging the hair.
DO NOT use elastic bands or hair bands wit metal parts.

DO use a satin bonnet at night.
DO NOT sleep on a cotton pillowcase without wrapping you hair, it will dry your hair out.

DO avoid products with mineral oil, petrolatum or sulphates in them as they can be very drying.
DO try to invest in product with best ingredients for your hair - natural ingredients.

DO NOT become a product junkie. You only need a small amount of products, once you find something you like stick with it.
DO swap products you dislike with others; what doesn't work for you can may work for someone else.
DO save money by whipping up you own homemade haircare recipes.

DO use a good water based moisturise or leave-in conditioner to hydrate your hair.
DO seal your ends with a natural oil or butter to keep in the moisture.
DO NOT solely use hairstyling products without a moisturiser or leave-in.

DO deep condition or use a treatment your hair after a shampoo.
DO NOT wash hair with only shampoo without using at least a rinse out conditioner.

DO NOT style your hair too tight as this can cause a receding hair line and bald patch.
DO NOT constantly style the same areas, switch up your styles.
DO try to do low manipulation styles and protective style.

I hope you  got something out from this series and enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing. I've tried answer all of your question on beginner natural hair but just in case I've missed anything out just drop me a comment or send me an email at nia(at)mykinksandcurls.com. Thank you!

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My Top Five Go-To Natural Hairstyles

I realised as of late, that it's been a while since I've posted a new hairstyle. And to be honest the reason why is simply because it hasn't been a major priority and I find myself quite comfortable in my usual repertoire of hairstyles. Don't get me wrong though, I love experimenting with my hair but most of the time, I need to be out the door ASAP. I don't always have time to go searching through YouTube videos and Google Image for my next uber-chic do and that where my go-to styles come into play.

Soo I decided it was time to give some props to my go-to styles... Easy to do, quick and yet still cute - this styles don't quite get as much praise as they deserve.

5. The Updo with a Curly Bang 

A favourite of my mine for when I'm going out - this style is simply fierce!
How to achieve this look:You want to start off with defined curls or on a twist-out. Then section off a front centre section of the hair using a clip and slick the rest of your hair into either a high bun or ponytail/puff. Finally style you loose front section into a bang combing the hair forward.

4. The Sideways Roll, Tuck 'n' Pin

A sophisticated style in under 5 minute!
How to achieve this look: I like to do this style on stretched hair. Firstly create a deep side part on you hair and partition the front of the hair from the part all the way to the other side. With the rest of the you want to create a side bun on the opposite side as your side part. Finish by doing a flat roll on the leftover front section of hair and pin in place.

3. The Quiff

This style is great for every day or going out because it can be dressed up or down.
How to achieve this look: Once again start by sectioning the front centre part of the hair and slick the rest of the hair back into a high puff. Style the middle section hair by creating a hump in the hair and using pin to keep it in position.

2. The Flat Twist Headband 

There are quite of few takes on this style so you can adapt it for variety.
How to achieve this look: Flat-twist the front section of hair and style rest of the hair into a puff

1. The Puff

The natural hair puff has to be old faithful to me. It is my favourite go-to and I love the ease of styling my hair like this. For me it just never gets old!
How to achieve this look: Brush the front, sides and back of the hair and use a large hair band, tights or bra strap to hold hair in place.

What are your favourite go-to hairstyle? Drop me a comment below!

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Four Steps for Maintaining Natural Hair at Night

Doing my hair at night is an integral part of my hair regime especially because I tend not do long-term protective styling. Without doing the proper care at night hair can go from super cute to crazy matted frizzy bed head in the morning (which is not fun to style when you have 15 minutes to get out the door).

So what I usually do at night is summarised into four easy steps and make my hair super manageable to deal with in the morning:

• step one: mist my hair with a little H20
• step two: after apply I some leave-in conditioner or moisturiser (I tend to favour leave-in)
• step three: style my hair in 8 to 16 chunky twists or braids
• step four: then I will put on my fetching satin bonnet which keeps my cotton pillowcase from drying out my hair

I also used to do 5 or 6 chunky cornrows however I don't tend do that so much now that I have a bit more length because twist-outs and braid-outs are easier to style on. Anyway, that is my updated night time regime but what I really want to know is... 

How you maintain your natural hair at night? Drop me a comment below.

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