For a Beauty In Need This Morning

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

A Good Hair Day...

*Hi Beauties*

Let..Me…Tell…You…
It’s been a week now that I've been covering my friend/co-worker's vacation, while still working my own shifts, might I add, and my hair is feeling the effects! For the first time this week I will get home before midnight, and every day this week I’ve had to be at work at 8am. Not only have I NOT washed my hair, I have not co-washed, conditioned, deep conditioned, or oil massaged my scalp. L My hair looks HORRIBLE y’all! So tonight, after I get my daily Wal-Mart fix (I’ll have to tell y’all about my addiction to Wal-Mart later) I will be going home to deep condition my hair and either do some twists, or a braid out.

My hair looks so horrible, that I refuse to upload the pictures that I took to show y’all, so instead, I decided to post some pictures of good hair days!

Send us some pictures of your good hair days, and how you styled it, and we will post it on Inside Outside Natural Beauty!

Both of these days were wash-n-go days. In the first pic of me and Whitney, I used Herbal Essences TT as a leave in, with Eco Styler gel, and the bottom picture is with Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie. Believe it or not, my hair color is the same in both of these pictures, I think the sun just makes the bottom one look brighter.

Me and my Beautiful friend Whitney!

It was a sunroof kinda day!

Have a good Friday Beauties!

LovelyCurlyElle

Summertime Summertime!!!

Good Morning Beauties!!!

We received a GREAT question yesterday as an entry to the Shea Moisture giveaway pertaining to summer and products. So great, in fact, that we decided to make it a blog post! Dont forget to enter the contest Here! Enjoy!☺

Q: What products if any should a natural avoid during the summer months?

A: Thanks for your question!

 Rather than giving you a list of products to avoid, lets look a the types of products and ingredients that that are helpful in the summer days. The key to the summer for a Natural Beauty is to keep your curls managed and out of the way. For the summer, we recommend shampooing less. Instead, co-wash (conditioner wash). Summer humidity can make your hair cuticle swell, causing it to look frizzy. Heavier conditioners work well in the summer. We both use Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Smooth-n-Hold Pudding (this can be found at Wal-Mart). Elle typically uses Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioning repair cream in the summer, but is currently addicted to Shea Moisture’s Curl Enhancing Smoothie! MoJo uses Aussie Deep 3 Minute Miracle Moisture Treatment. Although this is not a leave- in, MoJo likes the hold and control of this product when left on her hair.

Basically you want a product that is in a pudding or cream form. Serums and pomades are also great for control, and of course gels (Elle use the Eco Styler Gels, but less in the summer). Although many Naturals are against them, shampoos with silicones are good for smoothing down the hair cuticle as well.

Summer heat and UV rays from the sun can make your hair dry and brittle. Cover your hair, braid or twist it, or be sure to use leave-in conditioners to protect your hair from the sun. If you’re swimming, be sure to wash the chlorine out of your beautiful tresses as soon as possible.

One more piece of advice we have to offer is to consider avoiding products with intense fragrances. Sweet and fruity smells can attract mosquitoes, gnats, and bees, so if you’re going to be outside a lot, consider using products with softer smells.

Thanks for the comment and be sure to tell all your friends about Inside Outside Natural Beauty!

GIVEAWAY TIME IS FINALLY HERE!

Have you every wanted to try products from the Shea Moisture hair care line? Well now you can do it for free! We are giving away a four product Shea Moisture Kit. The Winner has a choice of the Hair Repair & Transition Kit, or the Organic Curl & Shine Kit Coconut & Hibiscus kit.

The Hair Repair & Transition Kit

Restorative conditioner moisturizes and repairs dry, lifeless, over-processed and damaged hair. Strengthening elixir protects hair from regular use of heated styling aids without weighing the hair down. It provides incredible shine while repairing and moisturizing hair. Deep treatment masque deeply moisturizes and repairs hair, while providing a protective barrier from heat and styling aids. Consistent use of this product will ensure optimal results.

• Repair chemically treated hair
• Restore moisture and transition to natural, healthy hair
• With organic raw shea butter, argan oil, sea kelp & avocado oil
• No parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance or color
• No animal testing
• No PABA, DEA, sulfates

Organic Curl & Shine Kit Coconut & Hibiscus Kit

For women who want to show-off the natural beauty of their hair and escape using chemically laden products but are unsure of how to make the transition and get the look they want. When it comes to styling, maintaining and managing curly hair, our unique collection repairs and moisturizes dry damaged hair, while defining and maintaining natural curls.

• Curl & Shine Shampoo
• Moisturizes and defines curls, while restoring body and shine
• Curl & Style Milk
• Detangles, conditions, while restoring body and shine
• Note - this product does not provide hold. Best to use as a conditioning product
• Hold & Shine Moisture Mist
• Imparts a high-gloss shine, while providing hold and hydration to hair
• Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• All-natural hair dressing hydrates hair and imparts a shine and bounce to curls. It defines each curl without the crunch usually experienced when using regular gels. It provides a soft hold, while still maintaining the shape of your natural curl pattern

Key ingredients that curl, shine and moisturize hair:

• Coconut oil: Hydrates and protects hair from heat and chemical damage
• Silk protein: Reduces breakage, strengthens hair, adds smoothness and silkiness
• Neem oil: An age-old ayurvedic oil that strengthens hair and provides brilliant shine
• Sulfate free and color extending
• No parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, animal testing, PABA, synthetic color, DEA, or sulfates

(This is copied straight from the website)

How do I enter to win?

All you need to do to be entered into this contest is a) Follow this blog. This can be done by simply entering your email address in the top corner right sidebar titled FOLLOW US BY EMAIL. b) Comment on this post and tell us one thing you would like to see on IONB, or a question you may have (questions may also be emailed for anonymity to IOBCurls@gmail.com title your email: Shea Moisture Giveaway) c) comment and tell us what you like about this product line. If your new to Shea Moisture, tell us which ones your interested in trying.

This contest will end at 11:59 PM on Wednesday June 30th

Good Luck Beauties!

Helpful Table for Healthy Hair

Hello again Beauties!

After I wrote everything about the food, I discovered this helpful chart on Grow Afro Hair Long. It has some great breakdowns of the vitamins you need, what they do, and where to find them in your foods. It also has a sample diet. Overall, its a great resource.

Vitamins & Foods That Promote Healthy Hair Growth

Vitamins	Functions	Found Naturally in
Vitamin A* RDI 5,000 I.U/RDA 5,000 I.U.	Promotes normal growth, healthy teeth, nails, hair, bones, glands. Essential for night vision.	Fish liver oils, dairy products, liver, dark green/yellow vegetables, pumpkin.
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin) * RDI 1.5 mg/RDA1.5mg	It is essential for healthy growth of hair, skin, muscles, brain and nervous system. Is useful in times of stress and have also been used to treat fatigue, irritability, and depression,	Green vegetables, corn , potatoes, oats, rice plums, raisins, nuts, yeast, ham.
Vitamin B-2(Riboflavin) * RDI 1.7 mg/RDA1.7mg	Prevents dandruff and helps with the absorption of iron.	Liver, cheese, milk, eggs, avocados, green/yellow vegetables, grains, nuts.
Vitamin B-3 (Niacin) * RDI 20mg/RDA 20mg	Produces blood flow to the follicle to produce hair growth.	Lean meats, liver, poultry, fish, cheese nuts, prunes, potatoes.
Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) * RDI 10mg/RDA 10mg	Produces hair growth and stimulation of new growth	Beef, chicken, liver, eggs, salmon, clams, royal jelly, rice, avocados, grains, nuts.
Vitamin B-12 (Cyanocobalimin) * RDI 6mg/RDA 6mg	Stimulates hair growth.	Beef, liver, egg yolks, crab, clams, sardines, salmon, oysters, herring.
Biotin Vitamin H (Biotin) * RDI 0.3mg/RDA 300mcg	Thickens the hair strand	Biotineef liver, royal jelly, nuts, egg yolks, chicken, soybeans, sardines, yeast, milk.
Choline Bartrate	Keeps the hair root moist	eggs, soybeans, peanuts, liver
Folic Acid (Part of B-Complex) * RDI 4mg/RDA 400mcg	Cell renewal to grow hair	Liver, grains, nuts, yeast, dates, oranges, green leafy vegetables, brown rice.

Minerals & Foods That Promote Healthy Hair Growth

Minerals	Functions	Found Naturally in
Copper * RDI 2mg/RDA 2mg	Prolongs your original hair color	Liver, shellfish, nuts, dry beans, oats, raisins, broccoli, drinking water, garlic, avocados.
Iodine *RDI 150mcg/RDA 150mcg	Regulates the thyroid hormone for hair growth.	Shellfish, cod liver oil, milk, garlic, cheese, iodized salt, soy beans, mushrooms.
Iron * RDI 18mg/RDA 18mg	Helps reduce balding-Hair falling from the root.	Liver, meats, eggs, nuts, grains, raisins, green vegetables, beets, soybeans.
Manganese * RDI 2mg/RDA+	Produces growth of the hair and nails.	Liver, green vegetables, beans, grains, egg yokes, nuts, seaweed, pineapple.
Selenium * RDI 70mcg/RDA+	Strengthens hair strands	Seafood, meat broccoli, onions, tomatoes, yeast, corn oil, brown rice, molasses.
Zinc * RDI 15mcg/RDA 15mg	Produces hair growth and maintains natural hair color	Shellfish, liver, poultry, nuts, egg yokes, lamb, green vegetables, seeds, soy beans.

Sample Hair Growth Diet--With B-complex & Minerals

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Raisin bran cereal with milk or soy milk (Iron) An apple & peach Orange juice (vitamin C)	Dark meat turkey sandwich with tomatoes & spinach lettuce (copper, b-3-niacin) (b-9-folicic acid) Apple juice (vitamin C	Basmati rice pilaf (all B vitamins) Spinach salad with multiple fruits, nuts, and berries (all B Vitamins) Apple Juice (vitamin C)
Bran muffin (Iron) scrambled eggs (choline bitartrate-lecithin) Apple (vitamin C) Orange juice (vitamin C)	Canned mackerel (patties) (Vitamin A) Basmati rice (all B vitamins) green beans(inositol) whole grain dinner roll (B vitamins) sweet potato pie Spinach Salad (folic acid-b-9)	Chicken Taco Salad with olives, tomatoes, cheese, onions, mushrooms, (protein, biotin, vita E, vita A, manganese cranberry juice (vitamin A) Spinach salad with multiple fruits, nuts, and berries (all B Vitamins
Bran flakes cereal with milk or soy milk (iron) a fruit bowl e.g., bananas grapes melons watermelon pineapples orange juice (potassium, B-1, inositol, Folic Acid, B-6, Vitamin C)	Beef liver & onions (choline bitartrate-lecithin) Brown rice(biotin) whole grain dinner roll (all b vitamins) Spinach salad with multiple fruits, nuts, and berries (all B Vitamins) Apple juice (vitamin C)	Homemade chicken soup (protein) Spinach salad with multiple fruits, nuts, and berries (all B Vitamins)
Farina with dried fruit (iron, protein, calcium, and Iron Orange juice (vitamin C)	Spaghetti with tomato sauce (manganese and Vita B-3) Spinach salad with multiple fruits, nuts, and berries (all B Vitamins)	Teriyaki beef bowl-with Basmati rice (vitamin B vitamins) Spinach salad with multiple fruits, nuts, and berries (all B Vitamins) cranberry juice (vitamin C)
B Vitamin Snacks & Minerals Sesame sticks sunflower seeds macadamia nuts pumpkin seeds corn nuts raisins Dried apricot fruit	Daily Food Substitutes black strap molasses lecithin granules Foti root Flax seed sesame seeds brewer's yeast	Salad Enhancements dried fruit dry roasted pea snacks sunflower seeds raisins tofu string beets soy nuts chic peas black beans sun dried tomatoes olives bean sprouts alfalfa sprouts cottage cheese avocado
Sugar alternatives raw sugar date sugar honey maple syrup brown sugar fructose Breads whole grain breads ***White flour White sugar white rice All have no vitamins and minerals	Counteracts Vitamins & Minerals coffee excessive alcohol cigarette smoking birth control pills heavy medications disease

Healthy Hair from the INSIDE Out

When trying to grow strong, healthy, natural hair, there is only so much you can do on the Outside of your hair. Oils, creams and conditioners will make your hair look healthier and stronger, however if you find that the longer your hair grows the weaker it seems to get (a lot of breakage at the ends or the hair thinning towards the ends) then you may not be getting enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to maintain a healthy hair shaft. 

We can help!

1)     The simplest thing you can do to help your hair grow healthy is to add a multivitamin into your morning or nightly routine. Honestly, if you feel like your hair is lacking luster, your whole body is probably deficient in the vitamins and minerals it needs. Your multivitamin will have most of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to keep your hair strong. Most people ONLY need a multivitamin to see differences in hair. Your multivitamin should have:

a.       Vitamin A or beta carotene

b.      Vitamin B, specifically B12,  B6 and Biotin

c.       Vitamin D

d.      Zinc

e.      Iron

If you’re not a pill person, try finding your vitamins in liquid or gummy form (not kids vitamins… You are an adult), or you can try getting everything you need through your diet.

2)     Having a diet full of everything your body needs can be difficult but it would defiantly give you better results and a healthier overall lifestyle. The following is a list of foods you would need to supplement into your diet to help support healthier hair.

a.       Salmon: packed with protein, vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3’s will help add shine to your hair as well as keep your scalp moist and healthy. If you don’t eat meat or don’t like salmon (I don’t) try a couple table spoons flaxseed.

b.      Dark Green Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, kelp, romaine lettuce and such provide iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C so that your hair will produce sebum. Sebum is the oil that naturally conditions your hair.  Without this your hair should feel dry and brittle.

c.       Beans!: You want to stick the legumes like kidney and lentils when picking your beans. These will provide you with protein for hair growth, iron, zinc and biotin for hair strength.

d.      Nuts: Brazil Nuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, almond, peanuts, …. Any kind of nut is going to be beneficial to your hair by providing it with protein and those omega-3’s

e.      Other Foods I would suggest: Poultry (Protein), eggs (biotin, B-12, and protein), whole grains (zinc, iron, and B vitamins), Oysters (zinc), low-fat dairy (protein and calcium) and carrots (vitamin A)

Now, I understand that this is a lot of food to try to add into your diet just for healthy hair. Honestly, a healthy diet for your entire body should resemble this anyway. They key is to have a balance of foods so that you get all the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.

3)      If you think you need a little extra to help your hair grow to its fullest potential, try taking a hair, skin and nails supplement. Elle and I take Spring Valley’s version which you can get from Wal-Mart.

      It has biotin, collagen and gelatin to help support the structure of your hair. One of the pluses about the Wal-Mart brand is that the ingredients are primarily plant based. Some of the other brands derive their ingredients from seafood and other meat sources which can be a problem for someone who is allergic to seafood (Sheena!).

Keep in mind that you will need 3-4 months of consistency with this supplement routine until your able to see noticeable results. Although this may seem like a long time, it is totally worth it. After three months of taking the hair, skin and nails supplements, I straightened my hair for the first time in a long time (I actually don’t remember when) and my hair was at least 2 inches longer than what I thought it would be.

Another VERY important thing you should take note of before you start your supplement routine, is that if you take too much of some of these vitamins and minerals, it will actually make your hair start to fall out. Specifically vitamin A and biotin. This is why I started by writing that most of you will only need a multivitamin to help you achieve healthier hair.

Take a hard look at your diet and consider what you really need. If you need help developing something specifically for your health and diet , you can always contact us at IOBCurls@gmail.com or simply comment on this post!

Love You All!

MoJo

WTH is a Spotlight Elle?

Hi Beauties

I realized that I’m always referencing a “spotlight”, and I haven’t actually explained what a spotlight is. You guys know that we try to encompass many topics with this blog. But because it is all about you, we also would like for you to see yourselves in what we do. So we came up with what we call a Spotlight. This is where you, the reader, are given the opportunity to contribute to our success, as well as support transitioners and fellow Natural Beauties.

If you feel as if you have something important to say, want to share your favorite quote, or just want to give your opinion on something, the Spotlight is for you. The last tab on this page, above the blog posts, is where the Spotlight form is located. Natural Hair, Health & Fitness, Charity, and Mind & Spirit are all areas that Spotlights covers. There is also a general area for any Beauty that feels they don’t fit into any distinct category. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!


Be Blessed!

LovelyCurlyElle