Shea Moisture Hair Colour System in the UK

Shea Moisture Hair Colour

Shea Moisture Hair Colour System in the UK

When Shea Moisture, a favourite amongst many naturals announced that they were releasing a hair dye, women in the US went crazy. However in the UK we looked on longingly, waiting for these products to be available to us and if you lived in the middle of nowhere like me, you were waiting on your two hour trip to London to find them so you too could have your hair coloured. 

So after many days searching emailing sales reps and phoning around. I found what you have all been emailing me about.

Shea Moisture's Hair Colour System

Shea Moisture claim their dye is a moisture-rich, permanent Hair Colour System with natural and Certified Organic ingredients for any hair type. NO AMMONIA and NO SULFATES. The omission of ammonia is a healthier option for you, your hair and scalp. The products in the system deliver healthy nutrients that minimise damage while delivering superior hydration, exceptional manageability and brilliant sheen. For those transitioning and/ or dealing with thin hair, our hair colour thickens strands while aiding shine and improving manageability. Salon quality results at a great value.

If you are looking for other Shea Moisture products please check out our post: 


The system comes in  nine hair colors:
* Jet Black
* Soft Black
* Dark Auburn
* Bright Auburn
* Dark Brown
* Medium Brown
* Light Brown
* Medium Chestnut Brown
* Medium Golden Blonde
* Light Blonde
* Reddish Blonde


You can find these on Amazon:

 


or on the Beauty By Zara Website or Store

Beauty By Zara

NB: Please in mind that no commercial hair dye will be 100% natural, if you are looking for ways to dye your hair naturally please check our post 

Embrace Your Inner AfroDeity
Leilu



Can Dry Shampoo be used on Afro, Curly, Kinky Hair?



Can Dry Shampoo be used on Afro, Curly, Kinky Hair?

Hi All,

So this is an odd one, I never really thought that dry shampoo could be used on my hair at all. It just seemed counter to everything you are told about moisture, moisture, moisture for  your hair

So why use dry shampoo?
After  a long week or constant work outs, hair can become oily, itchy and weighed down. So I know for those of you that visit the gym regularly, these can be great products so as not to have to continuously wash your hair....Right?...

Dry shampoo has seen a resurgence in recent years probably because we have been told not to wash our hair too often and that SLS in mots shampoo strips oil from your hair.

* Reduces the time taken to get hair clean
* Reduces the amount of natural protective oils that may be stripped from the scalp
* Freshens up hair particularly if you have been in a sweaty smoky or smelly environment
For those of you with pressed or hot comb straighten hair, it can make this style last a little longer      without having to add heat to your hair again.
However, as the powder works by absorbing hydrophobic components only, things like hydrophobic natural oils and oil-based styling products, are absorbed by the dry shampoo. Dry shampoo will not remove dirt, skin cels or chemicals that sometimes coat hair and make greasy.



*Hydrophobic - water repelling
*Hydrophillic - water loving

NOTE: This should not replace your wash routine

How shampoos that wash away with water work?



How Dry Shampoo Works?
Unlike traditional shampoos where the hydrophobic components surround the oil and is washed away with the water, This oil attaches to the powder and is instead brushed out of your hair. No washing required.

Some Do's and Dont's for Using Dry Shampoo
  1. Dont hold too close to your hair. Hold at least 6 inches away from your head. 
  2. Dont try to remove it too quickly. Wait the required amount of time before brushing it out of your hair 
  3. Do spray on both roots and ends
  4. Do apply to the entire head not just one spot.
  5. Dont use more than twice a week

Some dry Shampoo's to try today 

Phillip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo



What they say:: To help maintain the well-being of your hair and scalp between washes Philip Kingsley has formulated One More Day Dry Shampoo - a lightweight spray that refreshes and soothes the scalp, absorbing excess sebum whilst providing volume and texture to the hair, leaving you ready for One More Day. One More Day is a dry shampoo packed full of soothing ingredients such as Zinc PCA, Allantoin and Bisabolol that cleanse the scalp; eradicating excess dirt, oil and odour, whilst helping to keep flakes and irritation at bay. 

Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo
   

What they say: Naturia dry shampoo cleans your hair without water. With the absorbent dry powder, this express beauty routine brings texture and lightness to your hair, making styling easy. It can be used as often as needed and is adapted to everyone's life style. Its fresh scent comes from essential oils for true sensory pleasure.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Original & Classic


 

One of the most popular
What they say: Instantly hair refresh Banish oil & boost body Dry Shampoo with a clean & classic fragrance Batiste Dry Shampoo banishes oily roots, giving dull, lifeless hair the makeover it needs without any water. A quick burst revitalises hair, adds body and texture and leaves it feeling clean and fresh too. No need to worry about skipping a shampoo. 

 Klorane Oatmilk Gentle Dry Shampoo


 
What they say: An award-winning formulation with a wealth of celebrity fans, the Klorane Oatmilk Gentle Dry Shampoo is a mild and effective way to cleanse the hair without the need for water. This formulation of the dry shampoo is made up of softening, protective oatmilk extract, corn and rice starch for a thorough cleansing action, natural microspheres (cyclodextrins), and micronised powders with very powerful oil absorbing properties (natural polysaccharides). Dirt, oil and odour are eliminated, and the hair regains volume and freshness in minutes. Simple and practical, the dry shampoo is ideal for busy people, travelling, the gym, and those who want to extend the effects of their blow dry.

Other Dry Shampoos we've noticed, Let us know where you got them, if you get hold of one!
  • TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo
  • Bumble & Bumble Pret a Powder Dry Shampoo
  • Evo Hair Water Killer Dry Shampoo
  • Tressame Fresh Start Moisturising Waterless Foam Shampoos
  • Aveeno Pure renewal Dry Shampoo
  • Blow Pro Faux Dry Shampoo
  • Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo


 
Would love to hear from someone who had perhaps tried this i s protective style or someone that uses these regularly on afro hair.

Comment below!

Embrace our innerAfroDeity
Leilu


New Magazine: Nahla Magazine

Hi All,

Amazing news about magazines for women of colour by women of colour keep pouring in
Enter Nahla Magazine





Nahla magazine is a contemporary and pioneering lifestyle, education and fashion publication released seasonally. The publication is a mixture of images and articles with a focus on inspiring and historical stories as well as fashion and photography, it is the ideal hairdressers reception publication.
Founded by 19 year old student Joice Etutu the publication was created to be enjoyed by those who are keen to learn about African, Caribbean and Asian history and culture as well as those who love fashion and beauty.

Nahla aims to promote men, and women young or old who are doing exceptional things within their communities and have inspiring stories to tell. In a generation where your status and self worth is determined by the amount of followers you have on social media, Nahla sets to offer a platform for many young people from all walks of life to voice their opinions and remind them that there is more to life than social media. Ambition is the key to success.

Nahla announces the release of its first issue, which is based on female empowerment. In a world dominated by men, Issue No.1 solely focuses on ambitious, resilient, inspiring, and educated women. Women of substance, women who have more than beauty and are doing everything they can to make the world a better place. Whether it’s through politics, sports, business or fashion Nahla wants to applaud all the women setting a good example to the next generation of young women who also wish to do more than society and their background limits them to do.

The cover of issue one features the winners of Miss Congo UK Joice Etutu, Naomi Mote and Hygette Muhima (Photographed by MC Media) three young women who epitomize what our first issue is about. They all share the same passion for bettering the African community as well as helping their homeland of Congo better their education system and help victims of rape, which is a huge difficulty in Congo.

Nahla’s motto is to Empower Enlighten and Encourage and Issue No.1 has hopefully accomplished the task of delivering all three with the article, features and photographs included. 

Embrace Your Inner AfroDeity 
Leilu

Pre Wash Treatments: Why Pre Poo?


Pre Wash Treatments
I have always enjoyed doing a treatmnet before I washed my hair. I found this particularly useful when finding an SLS free shampoo was quite difficult in the past. I have blogged many times about the benefits of a pre wash treatmnet or Pre-Poo (pre-shampoo) so I thought I would share with the current treatments that I have been testing!

What exactly is a pre-wash (pre-poo) and why is it important.


  • RESTORE: Pre Wash treatments help restore lost moisture, which is very practical especially at this time of year when are strands are quite suseptible to the heat.
  • DETANGLE: Pre washing also gives me much needed time to detangle my hair. 
  • STOP STRIPPING: It can help stop oil stripping. Depending on your shampoo, you don't want all the oils stripped out of your hair. Pre washing can help keep the oils on your scalp from being completely stripped out.





This month I have been trialling Motions Enhance & Define Pre Wash Detangling Butter

Smell: A Fruity small like passion fruit, not quite sure what it was but quite pleasant.
Look: White and creamy
Feel: A very light texture

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Amodimethicone, Potassium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Prunus Amygdalus Oil (Sweet Almond), PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Cetrimonium Chloride, PEG-180M, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (Shea), Honey (Mel), Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive), Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado), Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool

The Speil:
Promotes Instant Tangle Release Before You Wash!
  • Provides Deep Moisture
  • Infused with Shea Butter
  • Promotes Less Hair Breakage
Melts into each hair strand providing deep penetrating moisture and instant tangle release. Infused with Shea Butter, Coconut and Avocado Oils, this ultra-moisturizing butter smoothes over each strand to provide the ideal slip and softness to promote less hair breakage.

My 2p: I loved the way this made my hair feel when it was on. Great slip. My curls were easy to detangle and soft. My hair soaked it right up. A great way to treat your hair. I used this once a week and quite enjoyed it. It did finish quite quickly as I only had the 229ml version but depending on the amount of hair you have I imagine this could last a little while.  Noting bad to say about this really.

Final Verdict: AMAZING DETANGLER


SHOP THIS POST



Another Pre Wash Treatment I have used is the Joliette Caribbean Vanilla Hair Mud Mask. Recently added to Spell Magazine as one of the best 10 treatments for Afro Hair.


Smell: Like a mild  Chocolate or maybe more like Caramel
Look: Silky Creamy Colour
Feel: Smooth and thick butter like consistency, no granules as you would expect from a clay masque

Ingredients: Aqua, butyrospermum parkii (organic),persea gratissima, emulsifying wax NF (cetearyl alcohol & polysorbate 60), simmondsia chinensis cera,prunus dulcis amara, cocos nucifera, pottasium oleate, pottassium cocoate, pottassium citrate, palm free vegetable glycerin, lactic acid (buttermilk powder), keratin amino acid, phenoxyethanol, xantham gum, punica granatum, pottassium palm kernerlate, palm kernel, bentonite clay, avocado butter, banana extract, rich vanilla extract. 

The Speil: Made with Betonite Clay, this hair mask takes the fuss out of cleansing your hair the right way. Unlike most messy clay masks, just apply the product straight onto wet or dry hair and leave for 15 minutes, there is no need to make a paste. All you have to do next is wash the product out with a conditioning treatment, or apply as a pre shampoo treatment!

My 2p: I use this pre wash a lot. I love the way my hair feels afterwards and shrinakge is minimal after using this. Sometimes I use this on its own without a conditioner and other times I apply before a shampoo and deep conditioning treatment. All in all I love this. It makes the perfect pre-poo and co wash combination.

Final Verdict: TAKES THE FAFF OUT OF USING CLAYS!


Enjoy
Embrace Your Inner AfroDeity
Leilu

@BeautyBar Boutique: For All Your Brown Beauty Needs



@BeautyBar Opens it Doors: Hair Care for Women of Colour 

Another great way to get your products.
Introducing the @BeautyBar Boutique: For All Your Brown Beauty Needs

@Bar Beauty Boutique
Next Stop Arcade
203 Lewisham High Street
London SE13 6LG
@Bar Beauty Boutique In-Store and Online
Women Of Colour (WOC) have been short changed for a long time when trying to locate cosmetics, hair and beauty products that are formulated for our colouring, hair and skin type. While the position has improved in recent years and the large cosmetic houses are finally waking up to the fact that WOC are BIG spenders in the hair and beauty industry, we still cannot find everything under one roof. Mintel and Nielsen studies have documented that African American women spend 9 times more on beauty products than any other ethnic group. In the UK Afro-Caribbean women spend 6 times more on beauty products than any other ethnic group. Globally, buying power in 2015 is projected to be $1.1trillion!



Although some Boots and Superdrug stores stock a very limited range of cosmetics for the WOC e.g. Sleek Cosmetics or Olive Oil Relaxer, this is an intermittent feature which is appreciated but more effort needs to be made. Our Caucasian counterparts on the other hand can pretty much walk into any Boots or Superdrug for their budget cosmetic needs and EVERY department store for their premium beauty lines.

The current trend for all things natural shows no sign of waning and WOC are embracing their culture and heritage in the knowledge that their natural hair is far from ugly and unruly and dark skinned women can be beautiful.

However, skincare, bath/body and hair products specifically formulated for WOC with natural curly and kinky hair are so rare on the high street that entrepreneurial WOC have taken to their kitchens and made their own. Many were also suffering from illnesses, ailments, hair and skin conditions caused by using products containing harsh chemicals, additives and preservatives and made the conscious decision to make their own products using natural ingredients.

Many of these women have gone on to form businesses initially selling to family and friends, but it has been noted that the general consumer often has difficulty locating the products as many are only available online (and can get lost in cyberspace) or at natural hair/beauty events. It has also been observed that WOC need to know that brands are not just selling to them but are genuinely interested in WHO they are. Accordingly, brands are selling to WOC but the dots are not joined.

“We want a store that caters for all our beauty needs” WOC declare:

* We can’t find cosmetics particularly foundations easily on the High Street
* We can’t find hair products specifically for our natural hair easily on the High Street
* The products exist online not in a physical tangible location* We can’t find professional upmarket locations as easily as our Caucasian counterparts 
* Most events for natural hair and beauty products are not for us and make us feel uncomfortable
* Why don’t we have a beauty- retail establishment where you can try, test and chat in a friendly environment

Well this is all set to change if Lorraine James and her @Bar business partners have their way. They have created a one stop beauty shop for the WOC and form a platform for the entrepreneur by providing a retail location and marketing for their brands.

@Bar Beauty Boutique is a store that you can walk into and test the products before buying. We are aware that buying a product that you are not familiar with online can be a very expensive purchase if you cannot return the product for example if the colour match is wrong or you just don’t like the smell of a beauty product.


Launched @Primo Bar London in the luxurious Westminster Park Plaza on Thursday 2nd July 2015, they introduced the first brands which include Isa Marie Skincare, Pooka Pure and Simple, Cake Cosmetics UK and Berry Butter.

@Bar opened the doors of their retail arm @Bar Beauty Boutique on Saturday 4th July 2015. Beauty shoppers will discover a unique beauty buying experience. Visitors will be able to purchase natural handmade and sourced items free from harmful chemical and parabens from some of the UK’s most
talented entrepreneurs in an intimate boutique setting.

@Bar Beauty Boutique
Next Stop Arcade
203 Lewisham High Street
London SE13 6LG

Find your next great product for women of colour in store today!

Embrace Your Inner AfroDeity 
Leilu


United Kurls Lounge & Learn Shpping Experience


Hi All,

You know how much I love to blog on where to buy your hair and skin products. Well I have two blog posts highlighting new ways to buy your products especially those from homegrown British Brands.


These women mean business! 
Not reps or sales people these women created products especially for the natural community right here in the UK

Firstly I wanted to tell you about the amazing event on Sunday hosted by the United Kurls Collective. The Lounge and Learn took place in the Holiday Inn (Westfield Shopping Centre Stratford City) and gave women the unique chance to not only browse their favourite products and learn about new ones but also meet the owners and learn more about their hair and how to take care of it.



There were hair consultation and two Learning sessions:Is it worth it run by Akua Wood of Shea Butter Cottage and Annette of Almocado and the gorgeous Dr. Lola (author of of 8 weeks to longer hair) gave a talk on building your hair regime. It was very relaxed and intimate event and I think everyone had a good day. I enjoyed myself immensely, especially meeting other naturals and chatting to these amazing women with so much to offer.

If you weren't there and want a sneak peak, Georgina over on the  'That Healty Feeling Blog' made a video which gives you an idea of how great the event was.


Source: That Healthy Feeling

A super well done to United Kurls. Hope to see you all at the nest one!! COMING THIS AUTUMN.

Embrace Your Inner AfroDeity 
Leilu

5 Male Afro Hair Vlogger/Bloggers You Should know



Hi All,

I just finished watching a video shot in Denmark about straightening black men's hair. This video was shot in 2012 and I was kind of  upset that they would change a young boys afro from beautiful curls and relax it. The relaxer process was necessary because the boys hair was uncontrollable and difficult to manage. Sigh* Change the record already!

Still looking for ways to groom your natural hair and want to hear it from a male perspective...

Men of Britain, I have put together a list of 5 of your own! It was actually hard to find very many that run for longer than a year but here you go.

1. AfroHair Addictions UK

Based in the UK, Tyronne's videos are watched worldwide by both men and women

2. The Artistic Gemini

A male hair journey and fitness blog



3. Long Hair Aaron US
For the science and psychology of black hair. Aaron's blog is an excellent YouTube resource.




Vlog dedicated to fashion, business, natural hair and grooming.



5.  Gemelo330
The doctor talks about his hair journey, natural hair and more




Shout Out to some other male Hair Bloggers

Check these guys out!

Tell us about your UK blog dedicated to Afro Hair from a male perspective and be one of the first to review new Caribbean Men 'Chill Winston' products!

Embrace Your Inner AfroDeity
Leilu


Black Female Empowerment: Pearl Woman Magazine



I am so very excited about the new magazine from the fabulous Fauntee Bon and the team at Chub magazine: Pearl Woman

After hearing Fauntee speak about female empowerment and how much further we have to go in terms of female respect especially for those of us of colour, I was incredibly excited to hear more. 

My co-judge from the Diva face competition, Divas of Colour 2015  Diana Tembe graces the cover for the first issue and looks just breath taking! Diana is the executive director of African Fashion Week Amsterdam and is often referred to as 'the black pearl of fashion'.



Pearl Woman magazine is a new women focus magazine coming soon in the UK. The FREE bimonthly magazine has been compared with the likes of Ebony, Essence and some actually has called it Essence of London. Pearl Woman magazine is set to bring you inspiring, fun, career, events, fashion and beauty updates about successful women by professional women. Targeted to women between 25 and 50 years. Profiles of women who finally got it right, interviews from women who are doing it for themselves, climbing the ladders and shattering the glass ceilings in their own way. This is a magazine to give women of every background voice in the most inspiring way. Launching in July and is free and is set to be made available to tens of thousands of Londoners and the world with a free print, and free digital editions. Advertisers, partners, contributors are urged to get in touch now to place their orders. Shops, outlets, beauty salons and spa homes who wish to have free copies for their clients’ pleasure can also contact us. However, to receive your copies first in your home, you will need to pay for the postage and package. This service is available to audience world wide. Simply subscribe on the official website.



Embrace Your Inner Afrodeity 
Leilu

http://www.mbwpr.com/pearlwoman-magazine-the-big-virtual-launch-is-here/#sthash.lyUjIxzB.F4krCHLH.dpbs