Vitamins for hair health..

For the past 2 months I have been consistently taking hair, skin & nails vitamins, biotin c and vitamin b complex. I went through a bit of a rough patch where I allowed stress to get the better of me and as a result my hair started shedding in clumps. It didn't help that I was stressed already from other things and now shedding hair was an addition.

At first I thought I was not responding to the vitamins, I’m sure we all at some point, if not still, have the misconception that vitamins don’t really work and we take them just to make ourselves feel better emotionally.  I have first hand proof, finally, that they really do. I could see the evidence more so in my nails, they really did grow a lot faster than they normally do. After about a month or so, I also noticed that the hair on my head was coming through a lot thicker and healthier.

Which combination did I choose?

Firstly because they are all natural...

Biotin C Plus – aids healthy hair, skin and nails. Biotin is a water soluble vitamin, meaning any excess that you may take gets eliminated from the body via urine. It helps stimulate keratin. It comes in combination with Vitamin C which helps to support the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant.

Natural Source B Complex – vitamin b helps with physiological stress, it is also a water soluble vitamin which means it needs to be replaced regularly.

Hair, skin & Nails - contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals plus amino acids that help the body to function optimally.

vitamins I have chosen for healthy hair growth

Are you a vitamin kinda person? If so, what's your combination and why? If no, any specific reason why not?

NB: Always consult with your GP before taking any vitamins.

Hair Update...

I know I have m-i-a for a while.. Things have been crazy busy but I’m back now, and will be updating as much as I possibly can.

So, what have I been up to in the hair department? I think I have finally gathered the strength to stick to my decision of going natural. I have not mustered enough courage to do the “big chop” though, so, I have instead opted to “transition”. My last relaxer was 27^th December 2012, so I am just past 16 weeks post. Gosh who would have ever thought it would be such hard work?! My natural hair texture and my relaxed hair texture are worlds apart.  I haven’t mastered the art of transitioning as yet so am not in a position to give advice of how to deal with all the challenges that come with it. I am hoping to transition for at least 1 year, so far it does not look like I will make it... but I am not giving up just yet.

I am definitely struggling to manage the two textures, my natural hair is very dry and needs different products to the relaxed hair. I have ordered s-curl no drip moisturizer, seeing as we seem to have a supply issue in South Africa at the moment (so I’m patiently awaiting it’s arrival). I experienced quite a lot of breakage and shedding after the 8 week mark, which I managed to sort out with weekly black tea rinses + deep conditioning with a protein treatment. I expected the breakage as the hair is very fragile at the line of demarcation (and I’m not the patient type really!) so I am definitely to blame for part of it.

I think, I shall, over the next few weeks, speak to some "natural haired" sistas to find out what products they are using, and what their hair care regimens entail... will be sure to update on that!

Some definitions, for those of you not so familiar with all this ‘hair forum’ jargon:

Big chop – when someone cuts off all their relaxed hair, leaving only the natural hair.

Transitioning – the process of going from relaxed hair to natural hair without doing the big chop. People normally grow their natural hair to a length that they are comfortable with first before finally cutting off the relaxed ends.

Line of demarcation – the point where your natural hair and relaxed hair meet - very fragile...

Have any of you ladies successfully transitioned? If so for how long and what were you doing to maintain your hair? Please post your comments, feedback or questions in the comment box below...

End of week nails...

So if you follow me on twitter, you will know I love painting my nails - all colors, nail art, classic French etc...

I thought it may be cute to do a Friday/end of week nails look involving all my mates at work.

What look are you sporting? And what trends are you liking? Tag me on twitter @NisoNgorima or www.facebook.com/anythingbeautygoes

Anti-Ageing Ingredients #4: Peptides

What is it?

Peptides are amino acids which form the building blocks of collagen which is a protein responsible for strength and elasticity of the skin.

Where to find it?

Found in some anti-ageing products, hair growth products, tanning lotions etc. - from dermatologist recommended to drugstore/department store brands. They are also one of the most expensive ingredients found in skin care products. (Don't forget to look at the ingredient list at the back to get an indication of the quantities in the product, remember the higher up in the list the higher the quantity and the more the benefit you will get out of them).

Look out for words like: 

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide, Matrixyl

Acetyl Hexapeptide

Octapeptide

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Copper peptide, tripeptide

What does it do when it comes to the skin?

They signal the fibroblasts ie. cells responsible for collagen production to get moving and produce more! When we apply products containing peptides to our skin, it's almost as though it gives the skin the signal that collagen has been lost and it needs to do something to make up for it.

The action of increased collagen production, results in healthy skin cell turnover, reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, better skin tone and firmness, better ability for the skin tissue to heal itself (eg. scars, wounds etc) as well as increased overall health/nourishment to the skin's top layers.

What affects the body's ability to produce sufficient quantities?

As we age, the skin's ability to produce collagen diminishes. When collagen starts depleting, wrinkles and sagging are the "side effects" we begin to see. Keeping up a healthy and nutritious lifestyle contributes in a big way to the process of maintaining the body's ability to function at an optimal level.

What food sources high in peptides?

• Vitamin C based foods eg. oranges and lemons
• Milk
• Soyabeans
• Eggs

Some well-known brands containing peptides:
IS Clinical Super Serum

Jan Marini Eye Cream

Strivectin SD

Olay Regenerist

Onion & Honey Mix: Cough Remedy

So this is a little unusual for this blog... but one can't "look good" or feel good when they are coughing right?

Less than a week ago, I was down with a sore throat and what I think would have been a hectic cough coming on, voice gone etc.. Thanks to social media! a good friend told me, if I mixed onion and honey and drank the juice I should be good to go! euuwww...

At that point, I was willing to try anything, I tend to be the stubborn type and I'm not a fan of the doc, so I try to ride things out at home first before giving in! 

NB. I'm not a doc, nor am I a magician lol... if you don't feel good please go and see your doctor!

So here's a mini step by step of what I did, best of all within 2 days the cough was gone!!:

1. chopped about half of half *hmm* of a medium sized onion
2. put into a container
3. poured enough honey to cover all the onion slices
4. sealed the container with an air-tight lid
5. left it in the fridge overnight

The juice was a thin runny consistency, smelt "oniony" but tasted sweet thanks to the honey! Drank it about 3 times a day. And bam! I was as good as new :)

As an after thought, I decided to Google benefits of onion, and apparently it act as an anti-oxidant, anti-fungal and is mineral rich eg. calcium, magnesium, potassium selenium etc, and has been used for many centuries for medicinal purposes. Worth checking out if you are into trying alternatives first.

I was given one or two other remedies, which I plan on testing out on anyone around me that complains of the cough symptoms - good luck to my colleagues kikiki!!

Oh! If you have any other remedies you've tried, please tell me about them below :)

How to: step-by-step tutorial for newspaper nails.

Step by step guide to newspaper nails:

1. start with washed hands so there is no oil residue and your nail polish lasts longer
2. apply your base coat

3. once dry, choose any colour (light colours will let the print show up best)
4. apply two coats of your chosen colour and allow to dry (I chose an olive colour, although it looks more to the yellow side on the pics)

5. get your newspaper and chose a page with the size of print you would like (I went a little bigger this time)
6. cut the newspaper into small squares, large enough to cover your nails
7. decant your rubbing alcohol into a small dish

8. so you can either dip your nail into the dish with the alcohol for a few seconds then take one square of your cut newspaper and apply it over the wet nail... or.... you can dip the newspaper square into the alcohol and place that over your nail while it's still wet
9. apply and push down firmly to ensure the print is transferred and comes out dark

10. once you have done all 10 nails, apply a top coat and voila!! (so my good old faithful phone decided to hate on me an blur out the end result.. grrr... sorry,but hope you can see the general concept)

Anti-Ageing Ingredients #3: Antioxidants

Anti-oxidants... I think you have heard about these repeated on my blog and elsewhere a million times, that means there must be something about them. 

What are they?

They are substances that are capable of correcting the effects of oxidation (ie. degeneration, decomposition, deterioration..) that occur as a normal part of our everyday lives. I have written a little bit more about it here.

Where to find it?

Preferably in a product container that does not require you to stick your fingers in to get it out.... once antioxidants are exposed to air, they are not as effective. Best type of containers are the ones with pumps or that you squeeze out, and once again, preferably a non-clear coloured container, as light does not justice to "active" ingredients either.  Try and go for the more "natural," preservative free type... some chemicals are free-radicals in themselves and therefore the point of having antioxidants is lost.

What are the specific types of antioxidants?

Vitamins A/Retinol/Beta-carotene

Vitamins C & E

Green tree extract

CoEnzyme Q-10

Alpha lipoic acid

Grape seed oil

What affects the body's ability to regenerate?

Our lifestyle affects the body's ability to function at optimal levels eg. smoking, pollution, diet etc.. Our bodies need anti-oxidants to help repair damaged cells and prevent/minimize further damage occurring.

Apart from topical application of anti-oxidant containing creams, it is always good to have a balanced diet and additional vitamins in the form of supplements.