Author Archives: Maicurls

About Maicurls

I got inspired write a blog due to my passion about my Natural Hair. It took me a while to find my way with my Hair...but I wouldn't change a thing now! I basically got to know my Hair through the help I found online (YouTube, Forums, Blogs etc) and want to "give back" by sharing what I have learnt over the years. My blog mainly consists of information about Natural Hair Care, Do It Yourself recipes and and tips I've learnt from all of you. I also share Skin Care and Health (Exercise) tips.

Butters…Butters…Butters

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A wonderful Afternoon to you Maicurlies!

Today is going to be a Butter day! Chances are that most of you have used some or all of the ingredients below at some point:

Unrefined Cocoa Butter
Unrefined Mango Butter
Unrefined Shea Butter

I have not (shock horror!) I know, I know. I’m probably one of the very few naturals that have yet to try butters. In my “defense” getting my hands on them in my area is IMPOSSIBLE! I do not know why but I just can not find any! So my solution? Purchase some online. I have never been a fan of purchasing things online though. I am the kind of shopper who likes to physically see and touch products. But, seeing as I had this HUGE and I mean HUGE itch to try some whipped butter mixes I gave in and ordered some.

I have a little bit of information regarding Cocoa, Shea and Mango butter in my Natural Ingredients For Skin page and the Natural Ingredients for Hair page. I will be going more details about each separately in a few weeks because (drum roll please…) my order arrived!!!!

The company I used to purchase the butters is called Sheabutter Cottage. The owner is a natural head (I love supporting the cause) and I love the concept and feel of her company. In case you are looking to purchase Butters, take a look at the site, they have a number of different Butters and so so much more! Sheabutter Cottage actually donates 10% of your purchase towards the ‘Helping Hand Programme‘ (great concept) and their products are also Vegan friendly and not tested on animals (once again I love this!) Apart from butters, their products range from accessories, oils, herbs, essential oils, soaps, wooded products the list goes on. For now I can only tell you about my experience purchasing the butters because I have yet to mix and try them (that will be Part 2.)

For someone who is extremely nervous about online purchasing I have the say that Ms. Wood (the owner) was AMAZING! I hounded her with messages and she responded back to every single one. She went above and beyond to put my nerves at ease and the ordering process was really simple.

Since the company is in the United Kingdom I had to get overseas shipping. The shipping price was not too “cheap” but they never are so that is something to take into consideration when ordering abroad. I was told to expect my package to arrive roughly 21 working days after it has been sent , mine actually arrived 17 working days after being sent! It is always better to get packages earlier than expected right? Let me tell you I was impatient and kept counting the days LOL.

When I got the package I was super excited! This is what it looked like:

The fun part? Opening up each container and inhaling the gorgeous natural unrefined scent of each.

Cocoa (left) , Shea (bottom right) & Mango Butter (top right)

Unrefined Cocoa Butter

Unrefined Shea Butter

Unrefined Mango Butter

Here are the links to Sheabutter Cottage webpage as well as their Facebook page.

I want to EAT ALL of the Cocoa Butter it smells soooooo good…like chocolate!!! Shea Butter has a definite nutty smell to me (not necessarily bad but strong) and Mango Butter has a slight scent to it. I can not point my finger on it…it does not have a “Mango” smell but it has a hint of a “green” smell. I don’t know the word for it but it smells healthy like a vegetable type smell (if that makes sense.)

I am in the middle of finalizing my first mix. I am the kind of person who needs to do a TON of research before I mix anything. I also want to ‘test’ the butters for a little bit before I give a verdict on the results. I am so excited!!!!

Please Note: I have not been ask/endorsed by Sheabutter Cottage to mention the company or their products. I paid for everything I received myself.

P.S: There are a number of other companies you can order butters from of course. For those of you in the United States you might want to look at Butters -n- Bars (a popular site in the natural hair community.)

Thanks

Maicurls

Featured on Going Natural Video Diary

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Good Afternoon Maicurlies,

I am a member of Going Natural.com and I was asked to make a Hair Dairy of my hair journey by answering a few questions (I mentioned this a few months ago). Well, I went online last night and noticed that my video is up on their page! I just wanted to say Thank You to Miapress (Social Media Manager) of Going Natural.com for featuring my story on the site. Take a look at the video here and please do take a gander at all the natural heads, videos and posts on the site there is a terrific collection of inspirational stories, models, information, images and much more!

Thanks

Maicurls

Accessorizing My Hair – Video on YouTube

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Good Evening Maicurlies,

I am trying to get my act together and record more videos/write more posts (I am sorry I have been M.I.A I will do better!)

I do have a few things lined up so to get the ball rolling I made a video on how I use ribbons to accessorize. I already made a short post about the ribbons I bought (with the intention of using them on some dresses) but never explained how I “dress up” a simple chunky twist:

Like this:

It really is a simple style and does not require a lot of explanation but I always “learn” by seeing and doing so I figured why not record a video right? As always I have the video up on my YouTube Channel and here on my Blog’s Video Page. I will write a quick post on the step by step process as well.

Do you use ribbons to accessorize? I would love to hear from you!

Thanks

Maicurls

Rosewater For Natural Curly Hair

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Hello Maicurlies,

Today is another “ingredient feature” day! And the subject is going to be Rosewater! I honestly do not know where this absolutely beautiful product has been all my life but I am so happy to have met it! (Just by writing about it puts a smile on my face and reminds me of that beautiful intoxicating smell!)

Right lets get down to business shall we.

In Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Rosewater has been a popular natural ingredient that has been used in cuisine and for health. It should come as no surprise then that companies around the world have started to incorporate Rosewater into different beauty supplies and hair products are no exception (with good reason!)

Below are some of the reasons why I use Rosewater (and why you might want to try it out!):

It is known to help revitalize the quality of your hair due to Its natural moisturizing and nourishing properties.
Rosewater is effective in treating hair loss due to the fact that it helps to simulate the scalp.
There are no artificial additives or chemicals (if you purchase pure Rosewater) making it a ‘non-toxic’ product! (Just make sure you are not allergic to Roses.)
Should you suffer from mild scalp irritations or dandruff Rosewater can be used to help sooth irritations.
It leaves your scalp feeling ‘fresh’ and your hair smelling great!

How to use Rosewater:

You can add it to any of your DIY products e.g. Leave-In conditioner, Flax Seed Gel, Deep Conditioners etc. Remember to use a preservative and store the product in a fridge if you are going to mix Rosewater with Oils (in large quantities and want to keep it for a few weeks) otherwise stick to making smaller quantities frequently.
If your Shampoo tends to dry out your hair you can add a little Rosewater with the shampoo – it will moisturize your hair by reducing the “dryness”, soften, give your hair shine and your hair will smell great throughout the day!
You can mix equal quantities of Rosewater and Glycerin together to help moisturize your scalp by using it as a “massage oil”. (Rinse it off after 30 minutes – 1 hour.)
If Glycerin is not your friend, then you can use any carrier oil e.g. grapeseed, jojoba, almond oil etc with Rosewater and use it as a “massage oil” for your scalp. (Rinse it off after 30 minutes – 1 hour.)

I would love to know if you incorporate Rosewater into your routine!

Thanks

Maicurls

Birthday Bash “Wish I Had” Outfits

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Hi Maicurlies!

So it is my Birthday tomorrow (7th March) and if I had my pick I would want to wear either one of these ensembles. I love celebrating other peoples birthdays, getting gifts for them and partying but when it comes to mine I am a little “meh” about it.

Nevertheless friends have planned a dinner first at a nice Japanese Restaurant and then we will head out to one of the local bars to finish off the night.

I love the dresses because they are not “toooo much” but with the accessories they are just right for a birthday occasion don’t you think?

Birthday Bash “Wish I Had” Outfits by maicurlz featuring Miss Selfridge

Ms. Shanti – Feature Story on Maicurls

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Good Afernoon Maicurlies,

I do not know why I am so lucky but I am not complaining! Today I get to share with you the impressively courageous story of Ms. Shanti – fellow Blogger and Vlogger. Shanti “co-chairs” the blog ‘Around The Way Curls’ and it consists of an amazing collection of Photos, Hair Styles, Hair Care/Routines, DIY Recipes, General Life Topics and much more! Do not miss out on the opportunity to take a gander at the Blog…it is well worth it!

Shanti was kind enough to share her ‘no fear’ – Big Chop journey which you can read here. Apart from Around The Way Curls I also came across a YouTube Channel Curls Bf and if I am not mistaken I spotted her beautiful face and hair on there as well. So after reading her story please do take a look at her work you will not regret it!

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Shanti!

Maicurls

My DIY Coconut Moisturizer Video

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Greetings Maicurlies,

I have another Skin Care video up on YouTube!

Yes another one I know! I just wanted to show you how I actually make my current favorite winter Moisturizer. It is simple to make and does not take too long either. Here are the ingredients

Virgin Coconut Oil with 5 drops of Essential Oil (the Essential Oil is optional)
Lemon peel infused Almond Oil
Glycerin
Vitamin E Oil

I have a link to my Video here as well as write up of my recipe and process if you prefer to read about it linked here.

One thing to keep in mind is that a little of this goes a really really long way so use it sparingly. I use the moisturizer for both my face and body and only need to apply it once a day and prefer to do so at night, this way I know it gets absorbed into my skin before applying anything like makeup.

I hope you like it!

Thanks

Maicurls

A Little Green With Envy

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Happy Weekend Maicurlies!

I have to admit that I have not always been the biggest “fan” of green however this shade seemed to catch my eye! I also like the combination of Green and Purple. I am sure in the “fashion world” my combination will probably not work for the professionals however, in my little world it does. I also had to throw in the white jacket because it was too cute to skip and those shoes!!!

Yes I do love this combination. What do you think?

A Little Green With Envy by maicurlz featuring Naomi Campbell

Thanks

Maicurls

Ribbons as a Hair Accessory

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Hi Maicurlies,

I bought a couple of ribbons the other day because I had initially wanted to use them to accessorize a few dresses. I then got to thinking what about using them for my hair!

To do the above:

I just put my hair in a big chunky two strand twist
Secured the twist with two hair bubbles; one at the base the other at the end
Took a strip of my ribbon and placed it over the base of my twist wrapping it around once
Then crisscrossed the ribbons down the length of my twist
The ends were tied over the hair bubble

I do not know about you but I really like how the ribbon can make a simple big twist look a little more “chic”. Well actually, I do not know if “chic” is really the right word but I feel that it makes a difference in the appearance of a twist. I have red, white and black ribbons two different sizes (I might have to go back and get the super thin ones as well!)

I also plan on using the bigger ribbon as a “head band” to cause some distraction from my forehead :D! So it will be “play with ribbon time” :).

Thanks

Maicurls

Aloe Vera Juice For Hair, Health and Skin

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Hi Maicurlies,

This is going to be more of a “I’m so excited I had to share” post! If you have not already noticed I am a big fan of Aloe Vera and with good reason too (if you ask me.) I do not want to repeat myself but it is great for our hair and skin.

Some people will actually add AVJ to their drinks because when ingested it is known to help:

Indigestion
Detoxify the body of toxins
Boost the immune system
Increase energy levels …and much more

Keep in mind that it is known to be a “mild laxative” and is also known to lower blood sugar levels therefore you should consult your doctor/physician before consuming AVJ.

Now when it comes to our hair AVJ is known to:

Maintain the pH level of the hair and scalp
Promote Hair Growth
Eliminate itchy scalp and scalp dryness
Reduce hair loss
Reduce Dandruff
Acts as a conditioning agent
Restore shine and luster
Help fight against Alopecia

As a skin care agent AVJ is known to:

Prevent early signs of ageing
Reduce irritations caused by shaving
Help keep the skin supple and rejuvenated
Heal small cuts and wounds
Sooth insect bites
Brighten and reduces blemishes
Reduce hyper pigmentation
Moisturise the skin
Remove dead cells
heals cuts and wounds, dermatitis and also insect bites

I honestly just wanted to showcase the fact that I got not one but two HUGE plants and one little one!

I normally would “borrow” a few leafs from my mother’s plant whenever I could so I finally decided to get some and here are a few pictures of the leafs I cut.

Freshly Cut Aloe Vera

Split down the middle

Cut open and then scrape out the pulp

Look at how HUGE they are! I am so excited.

The “baby” plant needs TLC in order for it to grow but grow it shall!

Alright enough raving for today!

P.S. I have already touched upon the benefits of AVJ and how I use it in my DIY Hair Gel and my DIY Creamy Leave-In Conditioner and Spray Leave-In Conditioner.

Thanks

Maicurls

IMPORTANT! I am not a Doctor, Physician nor a Cosmetologist. I am just providing information for educational purposes and any use thereof is solely at your own risk. The information contained herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. Once you have done that, do patch tests before you put anything all over your head or skin. Please consider this as my advice. You are responsible if you choose to follow some of my methods.