Category Archives: Ingredients 101

May10

Ingredients 101 : : Sea Kelp

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Lauren

Hey-yoooo!!! (<—ya’ll know Jason Pitts from the TV show The Game?! lol)

Back with another Ingredients 101 post! Check out my last two in case you missed them! Mango Butter and Stinging Nettle. I again want to kindly reiterate and preface this post by saying that I am NOT a scientist, doctor, expert, etc. and I find my info on different ingredients by doing lots of research on the internet, trying different things on myself, etc. PLEASE always do your own research on anything you decide to try out for yourself, and always consult a doctor if you are taking certain medications, are pregnant, etc., k? :o)

Alrighty then….. so today’s ingredient focus is a not so popular ingredient but it intrigues me none the less. It’s something I recently incorporated in my hair/health regimen. It’s sea kelp (seaweed)! Yup! That scary looking, smelly stuff from the ocean that washes up on shore lol I was actually debating if this should be considered a “supplement” post since I talk more about the benefits when ingested but this ingredient is definitely found in products that are applied externally… Oh and sorry in advance for the long post lol

sea_kelp_lacocobella

There are a bunch of different kinds of sea kelp and they differ depending on geographical locations, etc. but all sea kelp are a form of sea vegetable! Yup, it can be consumed! All the sushi lovers already know this, duh! :o) Sea kelp can be eaten, taken in the form of a supplement, powder and can be found in many cosmetics.

Sea kelp is EXTREMELY high in nutrients that have several benefits for your body, skin and of course…hair! It contains a plethora of vital vitamins and minerals that are essential for healthy hair and growth (very potent too!) Some include B vitamins, vitamin A, C, D, E and around 30 different minerals including magnesium, iodine, folate, iron, zinc, potassium, copper and calcium. I also read that it contains the highest natural concentration of calcium of any food and is 10 times more than milk! That’s pretty impressive if you ask me, who knew! It has also been known that people experiencing hair loss and dry hair often have a deficiency in these vitamins and minerals so it’s important to consider if you are getting enough of these vitamins and minerals in your daily diet! On the contrary, I learned that If you have too much calcium in your diet, it can block absorption of magnesium so it’s important have a balance between the two minerals (that’s why when you buy calcium supplements it almost always contains magnesium also, makes sense now!). Also, people with zinc deficiencies tend to have thin, fine hair, because zinc helps regulate hormones and how the body uses proteins (which all relate to hair growth since our hair is composed primarily of proteins!)

Now since I’ve been talking about the benefits of sea kelp when it is ingested, there are a couple other health benefits which includes weight loss (<—you know that got my attention lol). It’s said that the iodine in sea kelp helps regulate the thyroid gland which controls our bodies metabolism. So I figured, hey, why not lol thyroid problems run in my family (even my dog has a thyroid problem lmao!! and YES for those who care, I have had my thyroid tested and it is normal but perhaps this can give it a boost? hehe).

I also learned that the thyroid hormone, thyroxin, helps regulate how long hair stays in its dormant stage. So the shorter the time the hair is dormant, the faster and longer it grows. This makes a TON of sense because, going back to my dog lol, I realized he had a thyroid problem because he has always had problems with his skin and hair so when I took him to the vet one day, they had a sign on the door that said “Signs your pet may have a thyroid problem” and hair loss, dry flaky skin were all listed as symptoms! So now he has to take meds every day and his hair has drastically improved! I have also seen sea kelp listed in many dog foods and many people actually feed it to their dogs as well!

Sea kelp is also said to help with anti-aging because the iodine is also said to help remove free radicals that accelerate aging in blood cells. This is why so many anti-aging beauty treatments use seaweed and sea kelp. Also, studies have also concluded that the alginates in sea kelp can help reduce fat digestion and absorption!

I want to focus on the iodine and iron real quick, PLEASE be careful with these minerals. Many people who have shellfish allergies is because of the iodine. Also, if you consume too much salt in your diet already, you may want to consider that because most salts already contain iodine and too much of something isn’t always good! Also, since sea kelp contains so many minerals and nutrients in such high quantities, you wouldn’t want them to interact with anything else going on in your body, especially if you are taking meds or have existing health problems. Iron is also known to be toxic if consumed in excessive amounts, so always consult a doctor if you are considering adding something like this your diet!

Alright, so I opted to add sea kelp to my life in two forms: the supplement and the powder form. I bought both of them from VitaCost. I bought the 660mg capsules when they were having a buy 1 get one free sale lol and I have been taking them for about a month down, one capsule daily.

What made me want to start taking the supplement was a friend of mine, who is half-Japanese, mentioned that her mother recommended it because consuming seaweed is a huge part of the Asian culture and they contribute having long, thick healthy hair to eating the seaweed. I debated on actually buying seaweed snacks (Annie Chuns and Trader Joe’s has some) but I just couldn’t bring myself to doing it lol. I can NOT get over the smell lol but hey, some people love the taste and smell! So the supplements work for me, they are a bit stinky but nothing unbearable. I haven’t noticed a HUGE difference or anything as far as my hair goes but I feel like my hair is a bit thicker and stronger. I have also noticed less shedding. If I have any growth, it is most likely due to the Bee Mine Bee Sensitive Hair Serum that I am still using as well. I have seen an improvement in my skin though! My skin has been quite clear and I rarely get pimples like I almost ALWAYS have. As far as weight loss….well….we know diet has a lot to do with that lol. I have in fact started going back to the gym so lets see what happens with that lol I will continue to take these daily, since I have two huge bottles lol, and see what happens as more time passes.

The second form of sea kelp that I have added to my life is the powdered form. I actually bought it for my dog to mix in his food (going back to his skin problem) but he REFUSES to eat it!!! lol it really must be that bad if my lil greedy dog won’t even eat it lol!!! Some people add it to shakes and other foods but again, I just can’t do it. As soon as you open the bag, its like a huge whif of a smelly sea lol. So since I didn’t want the giant 1 lb bag of organic powdered sea kelp to go to waste I figured I would add it to my ayurvedic and clay treatments! And I love it!! I am going to post a treatment I made soon using the powder so I will go more into that in that post but when sea kelp is applied externally, it provides nourishment and strengthens your hair, all those vitamins and minerals are excellent for your hair and scalp! It also helps protect your hair from environmental damage, similar to how clays work in our hair, so it has a detoxifying effect. Sea kelp even has an exfoliating and cell-regeneration effect which is great for the scalp. It also has those wonderful fatty acids which help reduce frizziness, provide moisture, penetrate the hair shaft, enhance softness, are anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral. A couple of products I have heard people use that contain sea kelp are the Jason Pure Natural Soothing Sea Kelp Shampoo and Conditioner (I’ve never tried either yet, someday).

Well, I think I’ve talked enough about sea kelp for now so I’m gonna end this post here lol let me know if any of you use or take sea kelp and how you use it, any results, any good products, etc.!

Peace!!

Apr14

Ingredients 101 : : Mango Butter

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Lauren

Ingredients 101 : : Mango Butter

Hii!!!

So I started a new series awhile back, made one post about it and haven’t ever since lol so I knew it was time to finish, or continue rather, what I started! I must say that my motivation was ONE reader who commented saying she “couldn’t wait for more posts on this series and that it was a genius idea!” Well THANK YOU to that reader because your words lingered and motivated me to continue! Hopefully you know who you are :o)

So the series is called Ingredients 101 and I highlight and share the benefits of NATURAL, and ONLY natural, ingredients that I frequently see in some of my favorite products. In case you missed it, the first (and only lol) post was on Nettle, so be sure to check that out while you’re here :o)

I’ve become ~~borderline obsessed~~ intrigued with natural ingredients because I’ve concluded that the BEST ingredients are ALL NATURAL ingredients, meaning they were created by GOD! It’s amazing to me!!! Think about it…sorry but no man can formulate anything greater than what God created FOR US before mankind even existed! ….don’t believe me? Swap out your products that contain synthetic ingredients for all natural products and see how much healthier your hair will become. I’m a testimony of it :o)

Aaaaalright, moving along….

Mango butter! I LOVE mango butter! Shea butter has made its place in the natural hair care world as the most popular butter BUT it is not the only butter, there are a BUNCH of other wonderful butters and mango is one of them! In fact, it’s my 2nd favorite butter as it is very similar to shea. I knew I loved mango butter from way back in the day when I used to use Elasta QP’s Mango butter when I had a relaxer. I think they have since improved their recipe for the product and added olive oil to it but I do remember loving it way back when :o)

Mango butter is pretty much an odorless butter (some say it can be sweet smelling) that is extracted from the kernels of the mango. Yup, from that giant hard thing in the middle of the fruit lol. Some of the products I use (and reviewed) that contain mango butter are:

The Natural Root Gourmet Shea Butter Lemongrass Rosemary Sage (<—-LOVE this stuff!)
Shea Radiance Moisture Rich Hair Butter
Karen’s Body Beautiful Butter Love

Mango Butter is even found in some of my fav shampoo bars too hehe

Since became very intrigued by mango butter, I decided to buy it in it’s pure form to play around and make my own lil butter mixes. I bought 1/2 lb from Camden Grey Essential Oils for less than $10 I believe, I can’t recall the exact price but it wasn’t expensive at all. Yes, the pic below is an empty Talenti Gelato tub lol don’t laugh at me! It makes it easier to store and keeps it fresher since it came in zip lock bags from Camden Grey. It was kind of messy in the bags to I got a lil creative :o)

So what’s the hype about mango butter? Well, for texture and consistency, it is very similar to shea butter. It’s very solid in it’s pure form but when it is warmed it becomes soft and smooth and when completely heated, it will become liquid, like an oil. It’s really emollient which means it’s smooth and will keep your hair sealed thus keeping your hair moisturized. It even protects your hair and scalp from UV rays! Sunscreen for your hair :o)

Mango butter is great for your skin which means it’s great for your scalp. It keeps your scalp supple, elastic, soft and helps promote cell regeneration. It also high levels of antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E which are all said to promote hair growth. Anything that helps promote a healthy scalp will equal hair GROWTH! :o)

A huge reason that makes mango butter so great, possibly even better than shea butter, is that it has higher level of fatty acids than shea. Fatty acids are essential for our hair and scalp because they help reduce frizziness, provide moisture, penetrate the hair shaft and enhance softness. Fatty acids are also anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral which is why mango butter is great for the scalp as well. So when there is a lack of fatty acids in your hair regimen, you may have weak, brittle hair, breakage and even hair loss. So be sure to try out some products that contain this wonderful butter!

Check out pics of my hair with ONLY mango butter, just plain and strait. Nothing else. It’s not whipped or anything, just strait out my Talenti Gelato tub :o) This was the first time I ever used it just strait up and all I can say is WOW. I think I may have had the best twist out. It was too the point where I was like, damn, this may be all I need to use!! It was that serious!! I didn’t have to re-apply OR re-twist my hair not one time that entire week and my curls were till poppin, defined and frizz free. I need to start using products that contain more mango butter!! Look at the results and you will see what I mean!

Feb25

Ingredients 101 : : Nettle — New Series!

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Lauren

Ingredients 101 : : Nettle — New Series!

Hiii!!

I know I try out lots of products and I am always ranting and raving about how much I love them all (which I do!) but the main reason why so many products work well for me are because many products have similar ingredients And what I mean by ingredients, I mean all Natural and/or organic ingredients! My hopes are not that you feel the need to go out and buy all the products I love, they are that you find the ones that consistently work the best for you and that you stick with what works! (unless you enjoy trying new things and switching it up like me lol thats ok too hehe).

So I say all that to introduce a new series I plan to do here on the blog….Ingredients 101! A few times a month, I will highlight various ingredients I regularly see pop-up on the labels of my favorite products. Now that I am aware of them and their benefits, I search for and gravitate towards other products that also contain them. I also always check the labels to see if there are any other unique natural ingredients I may not have known about.

God created the earth and EVERYTHING in it and he gave us millions of natural resources for our benefit!! The mixtures and combinations of natural ingredients are endless and I am always discovering something new. Of course I have to add my disclaimer, I am NOT a botanist, herbalist, doctor, etc. so I can not make any health claims BUT I can speak from my experience and share from personal research. As with all things you try on/in your body, do your OWN research or consult the professionals! I’m just a lil ole blogger :o)

PLEASE remember that with ALL herbal remedies please take caution as herbal remedies are not for everyone, especially if you are a child, nursing or pregnant. Do your own research!!! I can only speak on what has worked for me and the things I have tried on myself!! Many herbal remedies can yield side effects and interact with other drugs so PLEASE take caution, k?

So My first Ingredients 101 post will be devoted to Nettle (a.k.a. Stinging nettle or Urtica dioica) but check out a few old posts that I have highlighted a few other ingredients: Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil, Essential Oils.

Image via Wikipedia

The first time I saw Nettle appear (or at least paid attention to) was when I first bought products from Shea Radiance (check out this post, this post and this post) and I was intrigued. I saw it was in the extract form, which is probably the most common form you will find herbs in “liquid” products (maybe in powdered form too).

Nettle is a plant that is native to northern Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. It produces little flowers and its leaves and stems are covered with prickly hairs that actually give you a stinging sensation if touched, thus giving it its name “stinging nettle”. It’s a natural defense mechanism for the plant! The prickly hairs also release chemicals like histamine too. (I know, sounds kind of scary right lol) Both the root and the leaves of the plant can be used for medicinal purposes and can be found in its pure form (leaves/root), powder, teas and of course, the extract.

The main benefit of nettle for hair is it helps promote and stimulate growth because it increases blood flow. It also can thicken and strengthen hair and also help restore hair color back to its natural state. Nettle can also eliminate dandruff and make your hair feel more silky and revitalized

Here are some additional health benefits of nettle. Depending on what form you use it in and whether it’s used externally or internally, the benefits may vary:

Treatment of arthritis and joint pain;
Muscle strain; tendinitis
Treats anemia, gout, eczema, hay fever
Insect bites
Supports joint health
Contains vitamins A and C, and minerals potassium, calcium and manganese
Contains antioxidant flavonols, phytosterols, lignans and more
Prostate health support
The tea is a natural diuretic, can relieve eczema and acne and remove warts when applied topically

traditional_medicines_nettle_leaf

So for my experiences with nettle, beside seeing it in some of my hair products, I purchased the Traditional Medicines brand tea from VitaCost about a month or so ago, remember this post?! (Oh and NO I am not an affiliate of Vitacost or anything like that, just a huge fan. They have a HUGE selection of all natural stuff us Naturals love….and anyone who loves natural, healthy living :o) ) Fortunately, this herbal tea can actually be found in your local grocery store, you don’t really find the “less popular” herbal teas in major stores, which is why I tend to always shop at VitaCost, plus their prices are great!

Anywho, I am a tea lover, I try to drink tea at least twice a day. I always switch it up and mix different kinds to get various flavors and medicinal benefits. I figured Nettle would be cool to try because of all the health benefits it claims. The flavor is alright, the box describes it as hay-like and slightly bitter. It’s definitely tolerable but not the best. This is one of those teas I have to mix with one that tastes good to me. I still force myself to drink it to get the benefits :o)

I also have used the nettle tea in a couple herbal tea rinses mixed with some other teas (I guess I should make a post about that huh lol). I also like using the leftover of the rinses in my spritzer mixes, they only last about a week though if you keep them refrigerated. I also use the tea to mix my ayurvedic pastes (gotta try it in my henna too hehe)! So even if I don’t feel like drinking the tea, I can still benefit from it externally and can hopefully promote growth. I’ve only had the tea for about a month so I can’t say I have seen growth because of it but it’s definitely a part of improving the overall health of my hair and scalp.

You can also get an internal dosage of Nettle by taking herbal supplements. Again, you can find this brand and other brands on VitaCost or anywhere else you can purchase herbal supplements. I personally don’t care to take supplements because I can be very forgetful when taking vitamins sometimes so I prefer the tea. But if you don’t care to drink tea, this is a good alternative if you’d still like to reap the internal benefits of nettle.

And last, another way to get benefits of nettle is through the extract. I believe this is the most common form you will find nettle in hair products and it is also the most potent form of the plant. I have not tried this in its pure extract form but eventually I would love to try it and make my own hair tonic as well as use it in my spritzer mixes. I would also love to make my own oil infusions using the leafs and letting it distill for a few weeks, just some things on my to try list :o) As far as hair growth goes, nettle is probably best when applied topically to the scalp (to stimulate the growth duh!) but the extracts can be ingested by adding the specified dosage to beverages or I guess just dropping them in your mouth?? I dunno, check the labels on that one lol

So that about sums up all I have to say about nettle today lol :o) I am interested to hear your thoughts and what products you guys have seen nettle appear it!