New Hair Oil

Hello Divas!

I am trying out a new hair oil right now and I hope it works out for me. It is the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Hair Oil with Peppermint Oil and Keratin.

I love the Palmer's brand because their original Cocoa Butter lotion works wonders for my skin. I usually use an olive oil hair oil but I think this one might be good as well. Peppermint oil is supposed to help with hair growth and a healthy scalp, while Keratin is supposed to strengthen your existing hair.

I just did a deep condition earlier and now my hair is almost fully air dried. I will apply this oil to my scalp and a little on the ends before using my heat protectant to flat iron.

I will let you know how it goes!

Deep Conditioning with Organix Hair Mayonnaise

Hello Divas!!!

This Diva has some DRY hair. I have been returning my hair to its natural state...I cut off all the relaxed bits and have been chemical free for 12 months now.

I forgot how dry my hair is, especially since I don't use petroleum based grease to 'moisturize' my hair and scalp any more.

Anyway I decided to try out the hair mayonnaise because I know my hair needs some protein as well as moisture. I am going with the overnight deep condition because I am feeling a bit lazy and I have to go out tomorrow.



I applied the hair mayonnaise LIBERALLY to my dry hair (which has not been washed in 6 days) and covered it with a plastic cap. Then I tied a scarf over that to keep the plastic cap in place so I do not mess up my pillow while I sleep. I will wash out the hair in the morning and use a light conditioner on it.

Wish me luck!!! I will let you guys know how this method of deep conditioning works, compared to the 10 minutes after shampoo method.

Oh and if you wish to buy the product you can use the link above by clicking on the image. That will take you to my Amazon store and I will get a commission if you do. Of course you can always go directly to Amazon and NOT use my link...either way let me know if you use the product and how it worked for you.

Smooth N Shine Olive and Tea Tree conditioner review

Hello Divas!!!

I am currently in the process of transitioning my hair from relaxed to natural. This means that it needs a LOT of tender loving care because it is really fragile right now.

I have been trying a few deep conditioners to see how they will work out. I need something that adds in moisture and strength so that my hair can make the transition well.

Today I tried out the Smooth N Shine Olive and Tea Tree Oil Deep Recovery Conditioner. The directions say to work it into clean, wet hair and leave on for one minute, then rinse out.

I am doing deep conditioning treatments so I am leaving it on for longer. I washed and rinsed my hair then put the conditioner on and covered the hair with a a plastic cap.

Sometimes I will apply heat to the covered hair to help the deep conditioner work or I can leave it on without heat and just go do a few things like clean the house so that my body heat can work its magic.

I did not really like the tingly feeling when I put the conditioner on but that was due to the tea tree oil. It was not unpleasant, I just don't really like the minty feeling on my head. When I first put the product on my hair it did not instantly soften the tangles.........I went ahead and finished my shower and went back to comb through and it worked a little better.

It still did not glide through as easily as the coconut oil conditioner but it was still better than some others that I have used.

After taking the plastic cap off and rinsing my hair out the wide tooth comb was able to glide through the hair  with no problems. My hair feels nice and soft and the tangles from washing came out easily. I am pleased with the results of the conditioner even though I don't like the minty feeling.

I will use this conditioner in the future because it really works!!!!

Tentatively Going Natural With My Hair

Hello Divas!!!

I have been chemically straightening my hair for years now..although recently I have been using a texturizer instead of a complete relaxer.

Using the texturizer allows me to have a slight wave in the hair instead of it being stick straight and it also allows me to let my hair get wet and not freak out like most black women do. The last time I had the texturizer in was November 2012 when I had to attend a wedding.

I have since then decided to TRY to go natural because I feel that my hair has become very unhealthy and I just wanted to get it back in shape.


I am taking a very simple approach to going natural and I have decided NOT to cut off all my hair. The last time I tried to go natural I did cut off all my hair but I spoke to a friend recently and I have been reading from some people that you do not need to cut your hair.

Of course having the straight hair along with the new growth means that I just have to take extra care with my hair so that I do not have a mess when it is growing out.

I am still on the fence between going totally natural and having a texturized look that is more curly. I love the hair on Jasika Nicole (who plays Astrid on Fringe) and that is actually the look I want to go for.

My hair texture is not the same as hers so I would need to have a texturizer applied to get my hair to look like hers.

For now I am just going with growing it out so my scalp can get a break from chemicals...I might just decide to quit in a few months but so far so good.

Coconut Oil For Great Hair

Hello Divas!!!!

I have recently added a new item to my hair care line and it is none other than Coconut Oil. I actually grew up using coconut oil to do my deep conditioning and it worked really well.

I missed out on it a few years and now that my hair is so dry I have decided to give my hair some new help.

I ordered Nature's Way EfaGold Coconut Oil because I read some great reviews on it.
This coconut oil is Organic which means it is one of the purest forms you can get. It came in a liquid state but once I opened the container it solidified after about a day in room temperature conditions. The good thing about coconut oil is that it quickly liquifies once it touches your skin, even though it is solid at room temperature.

It is really great for my hair after only two days of use and while it appears shiny in the container it is not at all greasy or heavy on my hair.

Some people also use it for their skin but for now I am just trying it out on my hair to see if I can return some vital nutrients and make my hair soft and shiny.

Are Sulfate Free Shampoos Good For You?

Hello Divas!!!

I have been hearing a LOT recently about how sulfate free shampoos and conditioners are better for you. If you look at your list of ingredients in MOST shampoos you will see this ingredient listed:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

This is the main thing that causes your shampoo to foam up and create those wonderful suds that we all assume are vital to clean your hair.

The thing is that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is actually a harsh salt and it strips your hair. This is probably the reason why you notice your hair is so rough after using shampoo alone and you therefore need to use conditioner.

The newest talk is that you do not need to use SLS on your hair to get it clean and you can use Sulfate Free shampoos and conditioners instead. These have an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate instead, which is supposed to be better for your hair and skin as it is milder.

You can read up all about the chemical breakdown of the two different ingredients elsewhere but in short Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is much gentler on your hair and skin.

I started using L'Oreal Sulfate Free shampoo and I hope that it is truly better for my hair. I did notice after one use that my hair did not feel as rough as with other shampoos, but one use is not enough to make a really good decision.

Palmers Coconut Oil Strong Roots: Product Review

Hello Divas!

The time has come again for me to do a review of a product that I have actually used so I can let you know what I think of it.

Today I will be looking at Palmers Coconut Oil Strong Roots spray.   I normally LOVE the products from Palmers, starting with the solid cocoa butter body lotion.

I most recently used an olive oil spray for my hair but I have heard great things about coconut oil so I decided to give this a try. The first thing I noticed about this oil spray is that it has peppermint and eucalyptus oils added in as well as the coconut oil.

The makers claim that the two minty oils are to help refresh the scalp but I did not particularly care for the minty coconut scent when I sniffed it from the bottle.

The product claims to be an oil spray but I did not find it oily when I sprayed it on my hair and scalp. It actually came out of the bottle like a mint scented water instead of a mint scented oil. I guess that is a good thing because it is not oily...but it does leave me wondering how much coconut oil was actually in the mix.

The minty scent which was overpowering straight out of the bottle was actually not as strong once I sprayed it on my hair.

The product was not oily enough for me to feel like the comb was slipping through my hair as easily as when I used the other oil product. I sprayed it on dry hair like I did with my regular olive oil spray so that I could test how it worked.

I put my hair up in a wrap and sprayed some more product on and I found that the Coconut oil spray made the ends of the hair stay in place better than the olive oil spray.

I am not sure if this is a good thing as this new spray may just be a little more sticky but I will have to see if the hair feels soft when I take it down from the wrap and sleeping on it all night.

Palmer's Olive Oil...Love This For My Hair

Hello Divas!!

So we know that my dry hair is a BIG issue for me and I have been trying a number of different products in order to get my hair feeling moisturized without being greasy or weighed down.

I have used Olive Oil to deep condition my hair before but do not do it on a regular basis because it is a bit messy and time consuming.

I just found Palmer's Olive Oil Formula spray for hair and I must say this has truly been a life saver.



I just spray a little bit on my scalp and massage it in and my scalp stays nice and moist for a few days but does not feel greasy.

I also spray a little bit on my ends as they tend to be VERY dry and frizzy and I have been getting comments that my hair looks good in the last two weeks that I have been using the formula. I must say that a small bit goes a LONG way so only use a tiny amount and really rub it in.

The spray also has a light scent, unlike some other olive oil products that have a strong smell.

This is a product that works for me and if you want to buy it then you can buy from my Amazon store by simply clicking on the image in this post. It is an affiliate link so I will earn a commission from your sale....OR you can just elsewhere if you like.

I hope you enjoy the product.

Has Anyone Used Wen Hair Products?

Hello Divas!

I have been watching a lot of infomercials recently and I keep seeing the ads for Wen hair care products.

I have very dry hair from:

-being black
-chemically straightening my hair
-coloring my hair

so I am really interested in getting something that is simple but will still keep my hair moisturized. I have tried a no Sodium Laureth Sulfate shampoo in the past but I was not impressed with the results.

I want to try Wen but I have seen some really negative reviews and the price is quite high so it is a bit intimidating to try out.

Have any of you ladies used Wen? What was your experience like?

Get Your Shiny DIVA Hair On!!

Hello Divas!

We all want beautiful, shiny hair because that is one of the marks of healthy hair. Now you can always mist on some shine enhancer but we all know that is just a temporary fix.

Trim
You want to have shiny hair that is shiny because it is healthy and does not contain a lot of products. One of the best ways to start this is to get a trim. Trimming your hair gets rid of the nasty, frizzy split ends and provides a clean, flat end for your hair.

I know a LOT of hairdressers (especially the black ones) tend to cut a huge chunk of hair when you ask for a trim, which is why many women shy away from getting a proper haircut. Be FIRM with the hair dresser and if you want no more than ONE INCH taken off then SPEAK up and let her know.

Personally I tell them I need to face the mirror so I can see what they are doing. Do NOT turn me away from the mirror and then surprise me with an inch and a half of hair on the floor.

Turn Down the Heat
Many of us are slaves to the flat iron or the curling iron and attack our hair with those tools on a daily basis.

That is BAD!!!

Too much heat burns up the hair and roughs up the cuticle, resulting in loss of shine. Turn it down and give your hair a break every now and then. Experts say to try to limit heat on your hair to no more than twice a week to get your locks all shiny.

Deep Condition
Yup. You need to do a deep conditioning or use a mask to get oils to your hair to keep it soft and shiny. One of the best deep conditioning tools I have found is to just use the olive oil that you have in your kitchen.

Apply some oil to your hair, cover with a plastic cap and turn on the blow drier for 10 minutes OR run around the house and do some cleaning for 30-45 minutes. Then wash and condition for shiny hair.

What are some of your favorite tips for getting AND keeping your hair shiny?

How To Deep Condition Your Hair With Olive Oil

Hello Divas!

I know that you divas care deeply about your hair and if you are Black woman like me then one of your biggest issues is dry hair.

I recently read about using Olive Oil to deep condition your hair and thought I would try it out. I did it last week and I am doing it again right now so I thought I would share my experience with you.

I have used products containing Olive Oil and they still did not give me the results that I got from using plain olive oil on my hair.

This tip works for any kind of hair regardless of race because it works to retain moisture and deliver some protein to the hair shaft.

Step 1.
Get some olive oil. Go into your kitchen and pull out that bottle you have hidden away in the back. Pour some oil into a small container...don't worry, you don't need a lot of it.

Step 2. Apply oil to hair. The first time I did it I just dipped my fingers into the oil and applied to my dry hair. I only wash my hair on Wednesdays and Saturdays and did the treatment on Saturday before washing.

(image from http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/314226-137-16.jpg)

Step 3. Apply plastic cap and heat. I put a cheap plastic shower cap on my hair and then used my hair drier to apply heat for about 5 minutes. The first time I did the treatment I used heat for 5 minutes then watched television for about 30 minutes then applied 3 minutes of heat again before rinsing out.

The second time I squirted a little bit of water into the plastic cap before applying the heat so that I could gain some additional moisture.

Step 4. Rinse, shampoo and condition. After my head cooled off I stepped into the shower to rinse the oil off. I then shampooed and rinsed again. After rinsing out the shampoo my hair immediately felt smoother and softer....before applying any conditioner. I conditioned and air dried and my hair felt great.

Step 5. Dry hair and style. I let my hair air dry and then used a flat iron to straighten it out. My hair felt softer and looked shinier through the whole process than before I used the olive oil. It remained looking and feeling great all last week and I think this is now going to be part of my Saturday routine to looking beautiful.

I have tried hot oil treatments in the past but never got the kind of results that I did with the olive oil in just one use.

I used Bertolli olive oil since that is what I had in the kitchen but you can use the cheaper one as well. Either way, you don't even need a lot of oil as you really only need to apply it to the ends of your hair. If your hair is really dry and shows it then you can even go halfway up the hair shaft as well.

How To Get Great Hair: Deep Condition

As a Diva I know that my hair should always look good. This does not mean that my hair always has to be perfectly styled but it does mean that it has to look nice at all times.

I recently wrote about How To Get Great Hair and noted that it really starts with good nutrition and shampoo and conditioner.

As a black woman I know that one of the major hair issues we face is super dry hair. This can be caused by a number of factors, including but not limited to:

• Over processing
• Poor Diet
• Excessive Heat
• Product Buildup

One of the best ways to really hydrate your hair (after it has been properly washed) is to deep condition it. I use Neutrogena hair recovery mask to deep condition my hair.

After shampooing, I squeeze the water out of my hair and then slather on the pack of conditioner. I then place a plastic shower cap on my head and use a hair dryer on the highest setting to heat up the head all over for about 5 minutes.

I then go off and do something like play on the computer for about 5 minutes so the conditioner can penetrate, then give it about 5 more minutes of heat. I repeat this cycle until I have had three sessions of heat and then go back into the shower to rinse off the hair.

I am then left with hair that feels silky and soft because it gets a good dose of moisture. I only do this on weekends because that is the time I shampoo my hair. I will sometimes wash my hair one time during the week, but most likely my hair only gets washed on the weekends.

The next steps are to apply a leave in conditioner while the hair is still damp and let it dry. After the hair is dry I will run a flat iron or curling iron through it to completely straighten it out and then wrap it. Please come back as we discuss all these steps in greater detail later on.