Ghanaian Emprezz

--> Source: expresschemist.co.uk Today's growth aid discussion is a yeast infection cream known as Monistat. In Ghana, the brand name is  Daktarin  which is meant for yeast infections on the feet .   Other brand names include : Femizol; Vagistat; M-Zole; Micatin; Lotrimin, Micon 7, Monistat 3, Monistat 5, Monistat 7, M-Zole Dual Pack. Check   here  for more brands!   Do you want to experiment with it? What makes it work? How do you apply it?  Read it  here chavascandy  also experimented with the monistat and here is her result. Emprezz Sources: http://www.medicinenet.com/miconazole/article.htm

I went to a cosmetics shop to purchase some flexirods for my friend. As I skimmed and scanned through the hair oil section, I found Vitale Olive Oil 4-in-1 Growth Serum. What The Product Promises : Olive Oil 4 in 1 Growth Serum designed with botanicals like Olive Oil, Black Seed Oil, Arnica Montana and Capsicum Annuum along with other ingredients to prevent hair breakage, revitalizes the hair & scalp, promote & stimulate the hair growth. It is excellent for weaved, braided, relaxed and permed hair. Arnica montana  According to ehow.com , Arnica montana  is the only type of arnica with medicinal properties and is the type used in many herbal remedies including many hair care products.The use of arnica extract in hair conditioners and oils is used to rejuvenate the scalp and also to stimulate hair follicles, which in turn will strengthen the hair and keep it from falling out prematurely. Arnica extract may also help to prevent premature graying of the hair. Capsicum Annuu

Source Sulfur is a naturally occurring element found in nature and the human body. Many rave about the effects that the use of the substance can have on hair. Many have testified of its ability to reduce the shedding of and to increase the growth rate of hair. It can be consumed orally, in pill form, as MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane. Alternatively, it can be applied topically to the scalp in an oil mixture using sublimed sulfur powder. Despite the benefits, caution should be taken when using it. Do your research and consult your doctor to determine just how much you should take daily if you op to use the pill form. Most importantly, be sure that you are not allergic.

Since I don't take beer (and most ladies don't), we can  put it to a better use. A beer rinse once a month is a more  natural way to care for hair than using typical conditioners. It contains vitamins B and proteins and helps give your hair shine, volume and softness. Type of Beer The brand of the beer is not important but it must be flat. Beer isn’t a cheap commodity, so mostly people will often use leftover beer from parties. If you mix different types of beer, it won’t affect your hair in a negative way. How To Use It One of those is to shampoo the hair as you normally do,rinse the shampoo out. Pour the beer over your wet hair.

Now, the Neem tree is so common  in Gh. I know some of its medicinal uses include fighting malaria and typhoid. A simple way to use the leaves on your hair is to: A. Boil some leaves of neem in a cup of water for 5-6 minutes. Let it cool and store in a bottle. Wash your hair with this water to fight against infections and dandruff.

Description Glycerin is a sweet-tasting transparent thick liquid, which freezes to a gummy paste, and has a high boiling point. Glycerin can be easily dissolved in water and alcohol. Many other ingredients can also be dissolved into glycerin. If a bottle of glycerin is kept open, then glycerin will absorb water and will have a considerable amount of water in it. Glycerin comes from the soap making process. Vegetable glycerin is a food grade product, which is derived from vegetable oil. Benefits Apart from being able to return moisture back to dry hair, scalp or skin; glycerin is also used for hair growth. Using glycerin one can greatly condition dry, frizzy and brittle hair. If you are suffering from dry, flaky scalp then rubbing some vegetable glycerin on the scalp can greatly alleviate irritation. This is especially beneficial for Afro-African women, who have dry hair or flaky scalp issues. Glycerin can be used by people who have dry and frizzy hair, and who have flaky scalp.

  There are several uses for Aloe Vera Juice. Conditioner Use 1/4 cup aloe gel  1/2 lemon juice. Mix in a few drops of your favorite essential oil(s) for fragrance and extra moisture. Apply after shampooing, leaving it on for three to five minutes. Overnight Treatment 

--> Do you know apart from Protein, Amino Acids are also vital for hair growth? Read on...

Benefits Protecting and strengthening your hair. Hair Rinse Make a lemongrass hair rinse using 2-3 teaspoons of dried lemongrass (or 3 times as much fresh herbs) with 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 15 minutes, strain out the herbs and use it as a hair wash or rinse (before conditioning unless you have oily hair) when it has cooled. Oil Infusion  Improvised double boiler:photo source Pour 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the top pan of a double boiler.  Do not cover the pot. Crush half a stalk of lemongrass, chopping if necessary, and place it in the oil. Do not let any water get into the oil or it will ruin the infusion. Don't wash the lemongrass before you put it in the pot. If it is still wet from the market, let it dry before placing it in the oil. Heat the double boiler until the water on the bottom begins to steam. Turn it down to a gentle simmer. Infuse the lemongrass in the oil for at least an hour, but the longer the better. Be sure to check o

When it comes to buying  hair products, it can be a nightmare, let this list guide you. These are what I found in the shops. The list will be updated as I find them. Moisturizing Shampoos: Creme of Nature Conditioning/Detangling (red, green & blue label) AtOne Botanical Hydrating Shampoo Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo Motions Weightless Conditioning Shampoo Motions Lavish Shampoo Mane N Tail Deep Moisturizing Shampoo Clarifying Shampoos: Organic Root Stimulator Uplifting Shampoo  Pantene Pro-V Purity Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo VO5 Herbal Escapes Kiwi Lime Squeeze Clarifying Shampoo Neutralizing Shampoos: Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo Creme of Nature Neutralizing Shampoo Moisture Based Deep Conditioners: Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner AtOne Botanicals Reconstructor Creme of Nature Nourishing Conditioner Creme of Nature Moisture Extreme Conditioner Pantene Relaxed & Natural Breakage Defense Mask Neutrogena

Protein products are popular in Ghana in particular for the reason that they help strengthen the hair. However, I've always stood by the fact that our environment leaves our hair prone to moisture loss more than protein loss. To make your hair soft and manageable, focus on feeding the hair with moisture based products. However, there are times we also go overboard with the moisture products and would require a bit of protein to balance the hair.  The post on " Know Your Protein(Part Two) discussed the various protein ingredients that can be found in hair products. In today's post, shlinda1 provides more information on when and how to use products with protein. What are your protein products? Emprezz

Most of our hair products contain various protein ingredients. Some people may or may not need protein depending on their hair type.  Find out what these protein ingredients are and what they do. Silk Amino Acids - Help to seal the hair cuticle, increase detangling & shine, and acts as a moisturizer by preventing dryness. Used to penetrate the hair to add body and strength. Wheat Amino Acids - Wheat amino acids increase the hair's ability to retain moisture and impart shine and gloss to damaged and dull hair. Due to its low molecular weight, wheat amino acids easily penetrate the hair shaft and bind to hair's inner fibers. Keratin Amino Acids - This amino acid helps to restructure damaged hair. Keratin helps strengthen and build healthy hair. Hydrolyzed Soy Protein - Known to add strength and manageability to hair. It is able to keep the cuticle smooth, repair and strengthen hair. This vegetable protein helps hair retain moisture. Hydrolyzed soy protein also ad

Today's post brings out another common herb found easily in the market. It is mainly used in preparing soups and stews and has a very strong sweet aroma. Description Bay leaves are about 1 to 3 inches long and are oval with pointed ends. The leaves are shiny with dark green tops and are a lighter green underneath. For Dandruff For the divas searching for a remedy for dandruff, use Bay leaf tea. Boil a quart of water, the remove the pot from the stove and add about 3 teaspoons of crushed bay leaves.  Cover the pot and steep until cool. Pour some in the hair after shampooing and rinsing, and massage into the head for a few minutes. For best results, leave it in for an hour before rewashing hair.Each time you wash your hair you can use the bay leaf mixture as a soothing rinse that will help eliminate dandruff.  Bay Essential Oil Aides in hair growth Provides dull, lifeless hair with luster and shine. Curbs dandruff problems. Bay Oil Infusion Wash and dry all t

Most often, new naturals (newbies) tend to get confused with terms like "moisturize" in hair care. However, this difficulty is understandable since some naturals do not make the distinction clear enough. They may also not state what they use to moisturize and how they do it. Simply put, there are two main moisturizers and thus two ways of moisturizing. There are Oil Based moisturizers and Water Based moisturizers. Water Based Moisturizer Water is the number one ingredient on the list of ingredients.These include liquid leave-ins and products labeled as "moisturizers" which have water as the first ingredient. It adds water back into the hair to keep it moisturized.   Oil Based Moisturizer Oil is the first ingredient on the list of ingredients. For example Jojoba oil, Coconut oil. Used to seal in moisture: After co-washing or washing the hair, it stays wet for a while. To prevent the water from evaporating from the hair, it is best to seal it in. This is

--> Benefits Stimulates blood flow to the scalp and purges out toxins Makes hair stronger Shinier hair and less prone to breaking Alleviating dry hair and itchiness in the scalp area. For Hair Growth A. About an hour before bedtime, crush a garlic clove and rub the clove into the area of the hair loss. Leave the garlic juice on the scalp and then rub olive oil onto your scalp at bedtime. You will probably want to wear a shower cap to bed. Shampoo your hair when you wake up in the morning. Continue this routine for a few weeks. or   B. Separate the garlic into cloves, then peel each clove and squeeze in a garlic press. Collect the juice in a small bowl, measuring until you get to a tablespoonful. Mix honey into the garlic juice. Set the garlic/honey mixture in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Garlic Oil Infusion  Boil water Peel the garlic and chop into small pieces Add Olive oil to the chopped garlic Place the mixture in the hot water for 30-45 m

-->  Debbie asks... In hair care, what do you use alata samina for? Alata Samina is derived from the combination of two words: "Alata" which is a reference to mainly the people of  the Hausa tribe and "Samina" from the Twi language meaning soap. Other names for this soap include: African black soap, Black soap, and Anago soap. Ghana's Alata soap is the best quality black soap because it is the ORIGINAL. Are we not blessed to have this in abundance? It is one of the cheapest product you can get from any market in Ghana!   For Hair Aalata Samina is used as a natural shampoo . This soap was what our great, great grandmothers used before the advent of the shampoos we know. It's the only soap in the world that does not require lye but lathers more than any other soap without the cancer-causing laurel sulphate. Liquid Black Soap I soak the soap in water and leave it for hours to melt into a liquid state which makes it easy to use. Emprezz Ref

; Deep Conditioners have an important place in retaining moisture.  What happens when you want to use only natural deep conditioning products on your hair? You go to mother nature. Here are a few homemade deep conditioning treatments that can be done at home. See my Mango Deep conditioner treatment here A.Honey -1tsp honey -2tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil - normal Conditioner Mix them together and leave on the hair for about an hour before rinsing out. B.Avocado -1 avocado -1/4 cup sheabutter -1/3 cup olive oil -2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar C.Yogurt -2-3 cups yogurt -2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar -1/4 Molasses -1 banana D.Egg -1egg yolk -1/2 tsp Olive Oil Don't forget to rinse out with luke warm water (not hot water) E.Banana -1 banana --Olive, Sheabutter and Coconut oil (your own measurement) Emprezz Reference: http://www.curlynikki.com/2010/05/homemade-deep-conditioner-recipes.html

Description  Parsley belongs to the Umbelliferae family of plants with the Latin name Petroselinum crispum. The two most popular types of parsley are curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. The Italian variety has a more fragrant and less bitter taste than the curly variety. There is also another type of parsley known as turnip-rooted (or Hamburg) that is cultivated for its roots, which resemble salsify and burdock.  Benefits Healthy scalps Stimulates scalpel circulation Acts as a hair conditioner Helps to balance the sebaceous glands Heals any scalp problems and boosts hair growth. For Shiny Hair Boil water in a pot on high flame. Put the parsley leaves in this boiling water for 20 minutes Pass this through the blender to get a smooth paste. Apply this paste on your shampooed and clean hair the way you would apply henna paste. Leave this on your scalp for 1 hour. Rinse off with water. Don't shampoo your hair again. Scalp Lotion As a scalp lotion, par

The quest for products for Ghanaian naturals has yielded another discovery. This time, it's the Sesame Seed Oil. Description Sesame oil (also known as gingelly oil or til oil) is made from pressed sesame seeds.This oil is the natural oil present in sesame seeds. Sesame seeds derive from a plant 2 to 4 feet tall that bears pods containing the seeds.It is cultivated in the northern belt of Ghana. Active ingredients: Iron, magnesium, manganese,copper, calcium, vitamin B, (thiamine) and vitamin E (tocopherol) lignans, sesamin, anti phytic acid, polyunsaturated fat. Scalp Massages massage your scalp and hair regularly with sesame oil. Hair Mask 2 tbsps warm sesame oil 2 tbsps neem oil (find how to make neem oil at naturalnigerian.com ) Mix and massage into scalp, comb hair with wide tooth comb, wrap hair in a hot towel or cling wrap and keep on for at least 15 minutes or overnight, then shampoo out. Dandruff Treatment 1 tbsp ginger root juice 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp lemon jui

Photo Source:hairboutique.com  A search through the net has revealed that herbs are useful in hair care. Some of the concerns of naturals in Ghana have been which herbs are available and where to purchase them.  The series, Herbs In Ghana , has been created to address these problems. Today, the focus  is on Rosemary.   Description  Rosemary is a dark green herb with needle-like leaves and pale blue flowers. It's native to Mediterranean areas, and the name means "dew of the sea" in Latin. The official botanical name for rosemary is "rosmarinus officinalis."It is a bushy type of evergreen that can grow six feet or higher and the tree contains leaves that are stiff and leathery. Rosemary has different uses but the concern here is on hair care. Check hairboutique.com for other usage. Benefits This herb aids in: stimulating hair follicles for hair growth  slowing down or even permanently holding off premature hair loss and gray