Banana and Honey Hair Mask

I was triggered by one of my previous posts, see here, to try this recipe again. It was a disaster the first time and I swore never again. As I was writing that post I started wondering what possessed me to put banana in my hair in the first place.

I did a bit of digging to remind myself. It soon became clear that the benefits are immense, and they include:

·        Moisturises and softens - my favourite words.

·        Strengthens and seals ends - resulting in less split ends. Ding ding ding, JACKPOT! This phrase reminds me of Samantha of Sex and the City, lol. If you’re familiar with her character you’ll know that her excitement was for a whole different reason, but I digress.

·        Conditions and improves manageability.

·        Prevents dandruff on scalp.

·        Improves hair elasticity - therefore less breakage.

·        Adds shine.

It’s a no brainer right; I have to try this again!!

For this hair mask you will need:

·        Bananas  - 1 (depends on the banana size, and the volume of my hair)

·        Honey – 1 tablespoons

·        Almond milk – 6 to 10 tablespoons depending on the consistency you want

·        Coconut oil – 1 tablespoons

·        Jojoba oil

Please note the measurements are just a guideline. You can decided how wet or dry you want your mask to be, and how much you need depending on the volume of your hair.

Method

Add the peeled banana and almond milk and blend well. Now, this is the crucial step that I missed the last time, STRAIN THE MIXTURE! I did this using a small sieve. This eliminates the bits that cling to your hair for dear life and have you looking like you’ve been sleeping under a bridge for years.

Stir all the other ingredients into the strained mixture.

Apply the mask on hair as you would any other mask, cover with plastic cap and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. And the rest is history, or you can find the next steps in this post, see here.

Needless to say, I only had to rinse once this time and no banana bits were left in my hair. The mask left my hair feeling clean, silky and soft.

And in my best Aaliyah voice…

If at first you don’t succeed (first you don’t succeed)
Dust those banana bits off and try again
You can dust if off and try again, try again…

It might be buggin’on the first try
But what about the next try (huh, huh, huh, huh)…

Let me leave it there before I get carried away 😎

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando


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Almond Milk Deep Conditioner

The other day as I was doing my shopping and I came across almond milk and decided to buy it. I’ve used sweet almond oil on my hair before with good results and I figured maybe I should try the milk…

Having used coconut milk for deep conditioning before, I thought maybe the same could be true for almond milk. 

Side note: I decided to taste the milk out of curiosity. Yuck! It almost tasted like that white medicine (milk of magnesia) our parents used to make us drink as children for inyongo. If you’ve read my other posts, see here, you’re probably starting to get an inkling that I didn’t like lendaba yenyongo at all. It was the bane of my existence as a kid. 

Anyway, back to the deep conditioner, I used the following products:

• Almond milk – contains protein, fatty acids, vitamins A and E – these components strengthen and moisturise hair, reducing shedding.

• Honey – conditions, promotes good health of both hair and scalp (antiseptic qualities)

• Olive oil – it’s an anti-inflammatory and contains vitamin E – good for your scalp, moisturises and promotes hair growth. 

I warmed the milk to facilitate the dissolution on honey, and a warmer temperature works better on my low porosity hair. 

I applied the conditioner on washed hair, put on a plastic cap and left it on for about an hour. I then rinsed it off and continued with my normal routine; moisturise, stretch and style; see here .

My hair felt super soft and moisturised afterwards, I’ll definitely use to this deep conditioner again!

PS: I used the reminder of the milk to make a smoothie, cos I wasn't going to throw it away. It isn’t too bad when tempered with 👀.

Yimina ozithobayo

Snothando


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Homemade African Black Soap Shampoo

I'm an avid diyer, and when I love a product I always make sure to stretch its use as far as is possible; such is the case with my black soap. 

I received this soap as a gift from a friend. It was a beautifully packaged combo by Mrs HairFidence containing black soap, shea butter and base oil. I’ve used up all the other products and the teeny weeny soap is all that’s left. In my determination to make full use of this gift, I decided to make a shampoo.

I love using black soap to wash my hair because it cleanses without stripping. It's also a more natural alternative to store bought shampoo, a definite plus.

What you'll need

60ml of hot water,
4 teaspoons of honey,
5-10 drops of tea tree oil, and
not a lot of black soap 😊. About a tablespoon's worth; a little goes a long way.

How to make

It’s pretty easy really, soak the black soap (cut in smaller pieces) in hot water. Depending on the size of the pieces the soap should be completely dissolved in about an hour or two. Then I add honey, a few drops of tea tree oil, and I transfer the mix into an applicator bottle. The method I use for washing is discussed here

This shampoo not only cleanses but it also treats scalp issues such as dandruff and itchiness, and promotes hair growth.

Yimina ozithobayo,
Snothando

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The Spritz

Ah the spritz, the most vital product in my regimen. It’s no surprise since the base ingredient here is water, the best hydrator! It's really a love potion for my hair 💓

The size

I've switched to a very small 50ml bottle. Reason being it's easier to clean, but most of all it empties faster. Mixing liquids and oils together makes the mix prone to spoiling and foul smells. The smaller size lasts me for about a week or so, meaning it gets used up before it spoils.

The smaller size also means I get to mix up a variety of concoctions more frequently which is not only fun but ensures that I take advantage of the variety of nutrients from all the different products.

What's in it

The basics are:

Distilled water,

Glycerine and/or,

Almond oil.

..and the more frequent alternatives are:

Olive oil,

Rose water,

Lavender oil,

..other guest appearances include:

Conditioner,

Honey,

Avocado oil,

Peppermint oil,

Tea tree oil.

Proportions

I honestly just eyeball the ingredients, as I do with most of my concoctions. I don’t believe there’s a wrong or right ratio when to it comes to the spritz.

Keeping the spritz bottle clean

I usually clean it using an old toothbrush, Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid and warm water. That dishwashing soap bursts through oil and grime so effortlessly.

How I use it

I try to moisturise my hair twice a day, in the morning while getting ready for the day and in the afternoon before I go to bed. Honestly, I hardly ever go a day without it. Depending on the condition of my hair and how I'm feeling, I'll either spritz the hair and walk out the door or work the moisture into my hair and use a sealant afterwards.

In my opinion, when it comes to spritzes there is no one formula. So have fun with it and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando


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My Creations #2

I went shopping for fabric like I do from time to time. I was actually shopping for upholstery fabric, but since I was already at the shop I decided to look around. In the bargain bin, always find treasures here 😎, I came across this red and blue fabric. The blue was almost metallic, and it looked interesting.

The fabric was on sale of course because it was the last piece left from the roll (about 2.25m), and it cost R57.

When I bought it I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to make. So it sat in my collection for a while until inspiration hit me. I decided to make, partially because I’m pregnant, an umpire waistline dress. For some reason, I’ve been eyeing and pinning a lot of these shapes on Pinterest.

The pattern was really simple, for the bodice I traced an already existing top whose fit I like. The bottom part was a rectangular cut that I simply pleated to create a bit more volume.

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando

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Maternity Outfits #3 - The Dress Edition

I love dresses! To me they are one of the easiest garments to wear and you instantly look put together. It's essentially a onsie, so there's no effort required in terms of mixing and matching fits and colours. Perfect for those lazy days because all you have to do is pick one item and you're good to go.

Apart from the fact that they are versatile, feminine, pretty and unlikely to go out of style, if that's the kind of thing you subscribe to, dresses also happen to be one of the most convenient and comfortable things to wear when you're pregnant. Depending on the style you choose they provide much needed ventilation to stay cool if you're uncunning enough to have your third trimester of pregnancy coincide with the peak of summer 👀. Here are a few of my faves:

 

The yellow tiered frock

Another yellow frock. This dress is at lease 7 years old; I was so glad to re-discover it. That umpire waist makes it perfect for my current condition.

This is one of my creations!! I was instantly drawn to this colourful fabric when I saw it.

A white frock.

Army green dress.

Black maxi dress - another re-discovery and it's so comfortable.

Yet another yellow frock.

One of my recent creations - red dress.

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando


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Carol's Daughter Rhassoul Clay Softening Hair Mask

So on one of my Clicks' rendezvous I came across this irresistible special; half price on Carol's Daughter Rhasssoul Clay Softening Hair Mask!! Suddenly I had to have it. I believe this is the first Carol's Daughter hair product I've ever bought, they don't come cheap. 

The mask claims to:

• replenish moisture,
• add touchable softness, and
• revitalise hair.

The mask smells heavenly, something you don't always get with natural hair products. The scent did linger on even after rinsing but I didn't mind because this meant I didn't have to use my fragranced oils, see here, to mask the scent of my other more natural products that I use to moisturise. 

I loved the results the first time I used the mask, but wanted to use it a couple more times just to be sure it wasn't a hoax. I'm glad to report that it wasn't. My hair felt so soft and the softness remained even after my hair had dried. You see, sometimes it takes my hair 2 to 3 days after wash day to feel soft again. With this mask the softness was instantaneous and lasted till my next wash day!! 😍

The mask also made it easy for me to detangle, both during deep conditioning and afterwards. I used very little of my leave-in detangling conditioner because I didn't need it as much. I have very little patience and tend to damage my hair during detangling so a product that makes this process easy is always a plus; for both my sanity and my hair.

Overall I loved this mask and will definitely be repurchasing it... maybe even at full price. It also makes me curious to try other Carol's Daughter hair products. 

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando

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Product Review - Inconclusive

Generally when doing a product review, you go into detail about how a product has either changed your life or was a let-down. So what about those products that didn’t really make an impact, you neither love nor hate them? I’ve decided for the sake of inclusivity, it would be fun to review them as well.

Clarins Everlasting Foundation

I actually liked the application and finish of this foundation. It's medium coverage with a skin-like, almost velvety, dewy finish. Then what was the problem you ask; the shade. This foundation was too light for my skin tone. Whenever I wore it I had to either mix it with another foundation or apply it all the way down my neck - yes, apply, not just blend - because the shade mismatch was that noticeable. The next shade up, unfortunately, was too dark.

It taught me a valuable lesson though; don't buy foundation you haven't seen outside of the beautifully lit cosmetics section at the store, no matter how reassuring the sales person is…

Garnier Miscellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Water

Funny enough I have repurchased this product… in a bigger bottle. This is due to the fact that I still wanna stick to the two step make up removal system before washing my face (see here).

Even though I haven't noticed a significant difference in my skin since using it, I have broken out or had an adverse reaction either. So I'm neither impressed nor particularly displeased with this product. 

NYX Butter Lipstick

With my general dryness, I always opt for moisturising products. That goes for my lipsticks as well. As cute as those matte looks are, they’re just too drying for me so I wear them sparingly. Sometimes I’ll start the morning with a matte lipstick and change it up during the day when my lips are screaming, “moisturise me!”

When I bought this lipstick I was hoping to use it as an everyday lip balm because I like colour on my lips but I also need moisture. Unfortunately the lipstick is not as buttery as I had hoped, and the colour payoff isn’t that great either. 

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando


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Maternity Outfits #2

The weirdness and confusion are over now; I’m used to this new body… I say that even though just the other day I bumped my tummy onto a cupboard corner cos I’d literally forgotten that my abdomen extends much farther than it used to, and I need more space to manoeuvre now. But I don’t get a lot of these moments anymore.

I actually enjoy putting outfits together these days. It’s like a fun challenge; every time I manage to put together something decent I feel a sense of achievement. Hey, even the small victories count 😉. Here are some of the outfits I've worn lately. 

Skirts

Red and black checkered skirt

Green and navy african print skirt

Owl skirt

Shweshwe skirt

Jeans/Leggings

Jeans with a sheer overlay

Leggings and black top

I tend to forget how fun change can be sometimes; it’s all in the attitude.

Yimina ozithobayo

Snothando


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Products I’m Currently Loving

There’s nothing more satisfying than discovering a great product that works for YOU; totally tailored to make your life easier and more pleasant. Here are some of the products I’m currently loving.

The Maybelline Brow Satin Pencil – R129.95

I bought this pencil when I couldn’t find my other fave from NYX. I asked the assistant to recommend something similar to that pencil and she showed me the Maybelline satin brow pencil.

Actually this was my second attempt at finding a brow pencil. The first time another assistant gave me a sealed Revlon brow pencil (no tester available) and insisted it was similar to the one I was looking for. It wasn’t. It’s a fat marker meant to give you shoe-polish eyebrows. That lady owes me R169.

Anyway I made sure to test the Maybelline brow pencil before buying it; I was even prepared to walk away if they didn’t have a tester. Luckily they did.

It’s a retractable pencil, who doesn’t love that kind of convenience. The texture of the pencil is just right; hard enough that you don’t apply too much, but soft enough that you don’t have to bruise your skin trying to get some colour going. Well maybe ‘bruising’ is a bit of a stretch, but you know what I mean.

Moreover, the pencil has a bonus feature! A powder, loaded at the back of the pencil with a sponge applicator, which allows you to fill in your eyebrows. You have total control throughout the application to decide on the intensity you want; be it a light-barely-noticeable or the beat-to-the-gods look, totally up to you.

The pencil is also relatively cheaper than other similar products on the market. Definitely a fave!

Essence Ultra Gloss Nail Shine Top Coat – R44.95

It undeniably prolongs the life of your nail polish and gives that gel look finish to your mani; and the shine, OMG! Amazing.

It’s great value for money, performs better than some of the pricier top coats I’ve tried and as a result I always head straight to the Essence stand every time I need to restock.

To be honest all the Essence top coats that I’ve tried work very well, but this is by far the glossiest.

Nivea Crème R75.99

I absolutely love this product; the scent is amazing and brings back so many childhood memories for me. A little goes a long way, so the product lasts you much longer. I use it as a moisturiser for everything, face, body, hands, cuticles, heels, you name it. It’s a heavy cream, perfect for those of us who have extra dry skin.

It does require a bit more rubbing when applying, but leaves your skin feeling soft and supple which makes it totally worth the effort.

Zam-Buk – The Real Makoya – R5.50

These matte lipsticks and other coloured lip products we love so much can be pretty brutal on the lips. Dry, chapped lips are not only unsightly but can also be a source of discomfort. This is where good ol’ Zam-Buk comes in.

I didn’t really buy my first Zambuck, my husband accidentally left his in my bag. One day I was outdoors and looking for a lip moisturiser and this Zam-Buk was the only thing I had, so I put it on… ding ding ding Jackpot!

Even though I don’t particularly care for the smell the moisturisation is undeniable, all for under R6!!! I use it as an overnight moisturiser and in the morning before I apply my lipstick.

Yimina ozithobayo,

Snothando