Caring for Natural Hair with Hot Head (Giveaway)

For the last several weeks, I've been working with the Hot Head Thermal Hair Care Deep Conditioning Cap for review.  This product is intended to work with a variety of hair types and lengths, but I will be talking about how it handles my natural hair.

After going natural three years ago, I have found the love of my curls and the diversity in the different hairstyles I can do. Going from a big chop to neck length in three years for me is AMAZING!

With that being said, holy moly, it's a work-out to detangle, comb and even work with on a daily basis.

And those visits to the salon for a deep conditioning add up. With young children to look after, I honestly needed a lifesaver before I gave in to the relaxer.

Then I learned about Hot Head, a flax-filled microwavable cap meant to be used with conditioning products to hold in the heat while they work. To be honest, at first I didn't think a cap could actually make my hair feel softer unless I was under a dryer at the salon spending $75 each time. (Yes, it's really 75 bucks where I live.)

At that price, you can understand why I don't go as often as I need to and because it's so time consuming to do it myself, I often just wear this night cap turned daily life cap.

Yes, it is a hot mess and my husband often threatens to throw it away!

So, when I knew I'd be reviewing Hot Head, I didn't have a lot of hope that it'd do any better, but I headed off to the salon for a deep conditioner and a trim so my hair would start in good shape.

(Ok, I wanted an excuse to go, so on paper I will say I went for the sake of the review.)

It was a sorry-not-sorry moment and loved the fact I didn't have to do it myself.

My hair came out soft and smooth and I even had it straightened so it felt weightless. Sadly I do not have a picture for that, because as soon as I walked out the salon doors, I was greeted with nonstop rain that I did not expect, so my hair was poofy before I even got home. (Tear!)

So when the Hot Head arrived, I was actually excited to use it since it was two weeks after the salon waste of time trip.

I ordered the Forbidden Hot Head with skulls on it and it's a beautiful bright red terry on the inside and roses on the top. I LOVE THE FABRIC!!!

The Hot Head cap is reversible and reusable (my two favorite words!), and it also comes with 10 disposable shower caps that are used with it, so not to get product on the cap. This is a good thing, since it is recommended to only wipe clean and use a lint roller on cap.

The first time I used it, I needed to wash out the product in my hair, so I shampooed and conditioned and left the conditioner in my hair to use the Hot Head.

I following the instructions for the first time, and without extending the recommended time.

I found the heat to be OK and the results for my hair to be better then not having it on, but I didn't think the results were an equal replacement to the salon visit.

Now I think this was due to the amount of time I used it for. Per the instructions, I used it for 20 minutes. After that I rinsed and styled with the flaxseed gel and styled with a wash and go method.

The second time I used the cap, I increased the heating time to an extra 20 seconds in the microwave.

I did a co-wash and then applied conditioner and left the cap on for 30 mins. Then I rinsed and blow dried my hair, and rocked the fro for a few days.

During this time I also did a twist out for about 2 days, and it was time to wash again. The results for this was a little better. After taking the cap off and before washing, my hair was soft and had slip to it but after drying it there was no difference for me then without using it.

Now, the next time, I wanted to see the difference in using some of my homemade products, so I used a homemade shampoo with apple cider to clean the scalp and I then used some Shea butter and olive oil with egg conditioner and protein, then put the cap on.

Using two plastic caps and the Hot Head, I heated the cap for an additional 40 seconds past the instructions and left the cap on for 45 mins.

LADIES AND GENTS MY HAIR IS SO FREAKING SOFT!

I literally had to call everyone I knew in my family that was having trouble with their hair about this product.

It did an even better job than the salon using this method. It was soft for the entire eight days I had my twist out, and it heated my hair up to the point I felt my scalp breathing, so it enabled me to have a great scalp massage and release my natural oils.

Plus it allowed all the product to reach every curl - I sometime get a rough patch in the middle of my head as if it didn't get treated, but this did not happen this time.

Even after drying my hair, my edges were like the rest of my hair. It sometimes seem rough and crispy, it that makes sense, but the Hot Head took care of that problem.

So, this product gets 5 stars from me!  I will for sure be getting the Little Hot Head for my daughter, to make working with her hair easier, too.

Of course every head is different, and each time you will have to increase or decrease the heating time and time wearing the Hot Head to your liking. The results varied for me, but once I found the best method for my head I can happily say that $75 bucks will be spent elsewhere. At $29.99 for a reusable Hot Head deep conditioning cap, this is a steal!

I did not try their other products like the spritzers intended to add an aromatherapy element to the experience and to keep the cap moistened, but I do look forward to trying those as well for both me and my daughter.

Hot Head is letting one of our US readers claim a Hot Head Thermal Hair Care Cap for their own - read on to see how you can enter to win.

https://www.thermalhaircare.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ThermalHairCare/

https://twitter.com/thermalhaircare

https://www.instagram.com/thermalhaircare/

https://www.pinterest.com/thermalhaircare/

One winner in the US will receive a Hot Head Thermal Hair Care Deep Condition Cap in the style of their choice, selected from what is in stock at the close of the giveaway.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 9/2. 

The winners will be notified by email 24 to 48 hours after the end of the giveaway by email. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Good luck!

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Unnatural Hair Colors (Does This Pin Even Work?!)

You see them all around the internet, the pictures of people who have dyed their hair an array of beautiful unnatural colors. They grace Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest day in and day out.
There's peekaboo color, mermaid hair, galaxy hair, fire hair, colored ombre, and the list could go on for the funky color trends that I've seen in the past few years.

But the real question is, can your average human being do this to their hair and have it look good? The answer is yes, but it's not easy.

I am no stranger to dying my hair; I started in fourth grade with chunky auburn low-lights. Since then I have dyed my hair every naturally occurring color, from the blackest black to the whitest blonde, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I took the long desired plunge into unnatural colored dye.

My own hair, dyed cherry red

Over the past few years I have learned a few things about having crazy colored hair.

1. Heat is not your friend!
The first thing I learned is that heat is in no way your friend. While this is true whenever you damage your hair with dye, it is especially true when dealing with rainbow colors.

Not only will you absolutely need to use heat protection when you blow dry/curl/straighten your hair, you also will want to wash it in the coldest water you can tolerate. Washing in hot water will make your colors fade disappointingly quickly. And if you have multiple colors, you will want to wash them separately to prevent the colors from bleeding into one another and creating a muddy icky mess.

2. Wash your hair less often.
I have learned to only wash my hair once a week. Yup, I only let my hair get wet one day a week. Dry shampoo is a staple on those last few days, but because I've been washing my hair only once a week for some time now, my hair is used to it, and I need to use the dry shampoo only if it has been hot and I've been sweating.

My own galaxy inspired hair.

Does that mean I only shower once a week? Nope, I still shower often, but I put my hair up in a shower cap.

Washing your hair as infrequently as possible keeps the colors from fading as quickly.

3. Use conditioning dye in your shampoo and conditioner.
Another way to prevent fading from washing is to put a little bit of conditioning dye in your shampoo and conditioner.  Manic Panic and Punky Color are both good conditioning dyes for this. You could purchase predyed color depositing shampoo and conditioner, but they tend to be expensive and not that great at getting your hair clean.

4. Plan to invest time and money in your hair.
Which brings me to my next point. Having hair that is an unnatural color is an investment of both time and money!

My own hair with a purple ombre.

Should you choose to dye your hair funky colors, you will need to bleach your hair (unless you already have pale blonde hair) before beginning any other coloring. If you were to go to the salon to get this done (which I recommend unless you are 110% confident in your or your friend's bleaching and dying abilities) it could easily cost hundreds of dollars to walk out with colored hair.

And then you have to factor in the cost of the colored shampoo/conditioner and the dry shampoo and shower cap and a swimming cap and it can all add up very quickly.

Should you choose to save a bit of cash and do it yourself at home, you run the risk of really damaging your hair with bleach and not getting the color or effect that you wanted.

5. Explore alternative options to dying.
Has all of this information made you second guess getting wild with your hair? No worries, there are other options for adding a bit of color to your mane without the headache of the upkeep.

My own hair using hair chalk.

If you are looking for a splash of color while not breaking bank, why not use some hair chalk? Fair warning, though, hair chalk may not show up very well on darker hair.

Another great way to add some bright color to your 'do is to get colored extensions. The internet is an awesome place where you can find hair extensions in just about any color you can think of.

This option can get expensive, especially if you want real human hair, but if you are ok with not using heat to style, synthetic hair extensions are an affordable option!

If your extensions are a bit too long for your style, you can always trim them up for a more seamless look.

Finally, if you are looking for color over your whole head, but aren't really up to the commitment of dying, I would really recommend trying out a wig. It's an easy way to try out new colors and cuts while still being able to go back to your normal hair at the end of the day.

Having crazy colors in your hair is a fun way to express yourself, and I really hope that this helps you figure out the best way to go about doing so!

Does this Pin even work? Yes! But with some extra work - if you don't mind that, the results can be well worth it!

Review/Giveaway: Coconut & Company #COCOBESTIE

Dry skin and eczema arenot the best two things to have as a combined skin condition - most products solve the problem for one but irritates the other.  It's something I've battled for years.

So when given the chance to try Coconut & Company's Virgin Coconut Oil For Beauty, I wondered which issue will it help and which will it hinder?

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed when opening was the smell of the coconut oil.

Now, since I don't eat coconut I asked my husband if it smelled the same, and he said he does. I also recalled that I have seen coconut oil in the oil section at the grocery store, so I brought some and it actually smells the same.

I'm not sure if that would be a plus for anyone, considering that you could pretty much smell like the same cooking oil. (My aversion may be the result of my sensitive pregnancy nose.)

As I do have dry skin, I did a test area first to make sure it didn't make me itchy. One day later no itch and I needed lotion everywhere else that I didn't place the test area. It was still soft and hydrated.

Factors to Consider
The next thing I noticed after using it for the first time after that initial test was that a little goes a VERY LONG way.

I was very excited that one application would last me through the day as well as the next morning.
This product makes your skin soft, and after a few hours you can still have that soft feeling without looking like a grease ball.

That is the biggest downside for me - for a good long while, it really does feel greasy before soaking into your skin. Now, that could be due to me applying a lot, but even when I used on my son who also has eczema, he was very shiny for a long time, which some people would find OK, but not me.  If you use this, you'll want to try as little as possible and see what amount will work without undue greasiness.

Also, I want to note that I did not use this product every day due to just not wanting to smell like coconut oil everyday. Unlike using coconut butter, the smell it not something I find to be an everyday scent.  The good news is, the results are so long lasting, that there is little need to apply daily.

Ways to Use Coconut & Co
As far as making my skin soft, not making me itchy and lasting throughout the day, Coconut & Co. works perfectly!

I wanted to see how else I could use this product, so I started to research other things that I could do with it.

As a women with natural hair that seems to always to be dry, I remembered that I actually have products that I use for my hair that have coconut oil as one of the ingredients. After asking around, I found that some women use a small amount of coconut oil and water to detangle their hair.

When I tried that with this product, not only did it help with detangling but also with shedding. When I continued my hair regiment after adding Coconut & Co Coconut Oil to my routine, I noticed that was I was having less and less shedding. By using COCONUT OIL!!  Why did I not know about this sooner?

Another way was to use coconut oil right out of the shower is to apply it to damp skin without drying first, and then lightly towel dry or air dry. This provides very soothing and hydrating coverage to your skin.

Now as someone that is pregnant my skin gets even dryer, and after the first time I tried it, I was sold and now I use it every single day!  Remember how I said above that I was avoiding using it daily, due to the scent?  Well, I noticed that I don't smell like coconut oil as much as the day goes on when I apply it to wet skin just out of the shower - so that was a huge plus. I think this must be because the pores are opened from the warm moist shower, and the coconut oil is absorbed faster than when it is applied to dry skin.

Nighttime Hair Moisturizing Spray / Detangler Spray
Coconut Oil has a very low melting point - at 76F, it goes from a solid to a liquid.  Since that's the case,  I started to place 1 tablespoon and some warm/hot water in a spray bottle, and that would be my dry late night hair spray before wrapping my hair up for the night.  It works well as a detangler before combing through damp hair, as well.

Conclusion
So hydrated soft curly hair, hydrated soft skin throughout the day and a great moisturizer for both! WINNING!

I truly love this product and am even happier that my entire family can also benefit from using it.

If you want something that can make your skin softer and in my opinion healthier, as well as your hair, I would definitely give this product a try!

Coconut & Co. is available in several sizes, from a 2 oz. container for $9.00 up to a 32 oz tub for $45, and can be purchased world wide.

GIVEAWAY
Coconut & Co. is generously offering an 8 oz BESTIE JAR ($19 value) to THREE lucky winners in the US!  If you have skin, you want in on this one, so read on to see how you can enter to win!

http://coconutandcompany.myshopify.com    

https://facebook.com/coconutandcompany 

https://twitter.com/coconutandco  

To enter the giveaway, you must leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning.

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 4-27. 

The winners will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Once the winners have responded and confirmed, their first names will be posted on our Giveaways  page.

Good luck!

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