I don’t think so. You’re scalp and your hair ages much like the rest of your body and skin. It loses its tone and elasticity just like your skin does and cell production declines.

But as your scalp ages, your hair weakens. It’s part of the life cycle of the hair follicle but at the same time you want to work with products that are going to extend the life span of the skin that’s on your scalp.

So as a skin care professional it’s our job to inform you, our clients, that when we’re caring for your skin we shouldn’t stop at your hairline. Your hair follicle is made up of what’s known as a hair bulb. The hair bulb is an onion shape and contains what you know to be the hair matrix, which is the germ layer that forms the inner root sheath of the hair shaft.

What you want to know more importantly is, with healthy hair the strands typically grow for 2 to 6 years at approximately a half of an inch per month.

But with bad hair and scalp health, your hair is not going to experience that. Your scalp has to be taken care of as if you were taking care of your skin. Internal and external nutrition is vital when you’re looking at the health of your hair and scalp.

Where’s The Health In Black Hair Care

Healthy black hair needs its vitamins and minerals.  You want to look at your Vitamin B, your amino acids, minerals and your proteins. Externally your hair and scalp need a system of preventive and corrective care. You know that to be cleansing, strengthening, building and restoring.

With good hair care, just as with good skin care, you’re going to have a hair and skin care regimen. The health of your hair and skin depend on a good regimen.  You want your regimen to be just as important to the care of the hair on your head and your scalp as the regimen you perform when taking care of the skin that’s on your face or your body.

So if a facial doesn’t include caring for your scalp, maybe it should be. Your scalp is a continuation of the skin that’s on your body.

Natural Hair Care Products

Some people have more hair growth than others, but when we talk about caring for hair with natural hair care products, for the most part we’re talking about caring for the hair that’s on your head.

The products that are used to care for the hair on your head should not include harmful chemicals.   Your hair is working its way through the scalp, which is skin.

Looking for ingredients that contain, jojoba oil, coconut oils, shea butter or shea oils is a great place to start.  These ingredients nourish your skin and hair and bring great softness and glow to it.

So as with any treatment, your hair should have its regimen of cleansing, conditioning and moisturizing and your body should have it’s  regimen of cleansing, toning and moisturizing.

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

Are you eating convenience foods in order to save time?  Often referred to as empty foods, they can wreak havoc on your skin and your body.  They’re loaded with sugar, white flour, hydrogenated fats, additives and preservatives.

While your body can automatically rid itself of many toxins … food additives, drugs, alcohol, pesticides and stress … toxic emotions and relationships can interrupt your body’s natural process of detoxification.

When excess toxins build up in your body, this is when you’ll typically see inflammatory responses such as eczema, psoriasis and skin infections appear.

Cleansing your body internally, can improve your skins clarity, texture and appearance.

Are You Eating Well for Your Beautiful Black Skin?

Living in a society that has a love hate relationship with food doesn’t help your plight when caring for black skin.

On one had you see all around you the epidemic of obesity and overeating, especially in America.   On the other side of this coin is the push to deprive yourself of food because the images shown in the beauty and fashion industry are rail thin humans being portrayed as the perfect image of beauty.

Ready to step off the treadmill?  How about coming off the junk food and eating your way into a healthy complexion?

I’m as guilty as anyone, Sugar was my drug of choice.  When I was younger, I could eat whatever I wanted and my metabolism would   burn it right up.  But with maturing comes the slowing of how food is processed in your body.

Ok, so you can’t Double Dutch anymore but your body has to have motion in order release toxins through perspiration.

But what are you eating?    The best skin-nourishing foods are those foods that are going to feed and nurture your cells.

The basic rule of thumb of eating for beautiful skin is to have a wide variety of organic fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods.

Incorporating a seasonal detox into your lifestyle is an excellent way to rid your body of toxins.  Consulting with a doctor is recommended.  Before starting any detox program you should know what your vitals are.

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

What do Black Men “Want” in Skin Care?

That’s a loaded question.  While simplicity is at the forefront of your “Wants”, it doesn’t remove the necessity for a skin care regimen.    But will you stick to a regimen?

So let’s keep it simple and start you off with a basic facial.  You see, a facial is a great way to introduce you to the world of skin care for men and as an African American Man, there are special concerns that you have that other men may not.

• A good Cleanser is a great place to begin. Having Green tea, which helps fight those free radicals, in your product is just as important for you,  as it is for the woman in your life.

• A toner that works to tone, restore and rebuild your skin is crucial.  You too have to take caution with products that will strip your skin of its natural oils.

• A moisturizer that protects your skin from the elements is extremely important for the health of your skin.

And for you in particular as an African American Man, you are faced with hair bumps from shaving.  There’s nothing more uncomfortable than an ingrown hair.  Yes we get them also, but not necessarily on our chins.

But your challenge goes much deeper, once that hair turns inward, you’re either digging deeper to get it or you’ve broken it off trying to pull it out.  Either way you’re uncomfortable and you’re adding trauma to your skin.

Being treated by an Esthetician that understands how to care for African American skin will be of great benefit to you.

What Do Black Men “Need” in Skin Care?

Men typically have a thicker skin and this can produce a higher sensitivity to your skin.  You also produce more oil in your skin than women therefore, your products must be chosen wisely.

Products used on your skin will need to address the fact that your skins pH level as a male is typically more acidic.  Aside from razor bumps, you might also have the challenge of dryness and razor burn.

Even though your skin produces more oil, it can experience dryness because of products being used on it.

Some of you guys seem to have an attachment to alcohol making it the cure to everything related to your skin.  But it will dry your skin out with a quickness.  If you insist on using alcohol, as many of you do, at least use a Q-tip and apply it only on the small area you’re trying to treat.

In order for your skin to have that youthful glow you will need to cleanse, tone, moisturize –daily- and exfoliate weekly.

There are things that you can do in the privacy of your home but your visit to the Esthetician should take place at least once a month for those facials that can go deeper into layers of your skin.

Dedicated To The Skin of Men,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

Have you taken a look at the damage that’s being done to our scalp and hair all because we want to have straight hair?  I understand self-expression and creativity but what about the health of your scalp?

When we take a look at the skin we’re in it includes the scalp on your head.  It’s already been proven that relaxers and chemical straighteners are doing untold damage to our scalps and even penetrating to the skull.  Wow, what we won’t do for beauty.

For those of you who’d like to tell me to shove it, will you at least take a look at the ingredients that are being used in your black hair care products?  And more importantly will you treat your scalp as if it were your face, after all skin care doesn’t stop at your hairline.

Natural Black Hair Care and Great Ingredients

Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that will at least help with the caring of your hair whether it’s natural or relaxed:

Olive Oil – Not only does olive oil condition your hair, it nourishes and improves the strength and elasticity of your hair.

Coconut Oil – Coconut oil provides natural nutrition for your hair and scalp.  It helps in healthy hair growth and the re-growth of damaged hair.   And when used as massage oil for your scalp it ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice and lice eggs.

Rosemary Essential Oil - Rosemary essential oil is found in many preparations for your hair and scalp.  It’s often combined with Lavender, Chamomile and Tea Tree in shampoos and conditioners for your hair.

Rosemary is said to increase cellular metabolism thereby stimulating healthy hair growth from your scalp.  By adding a few drops to a base oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil, you are creating a conditioning oil for your hair.

You can also use it as a hot oil treatment.   Just remember, if you’re adding the essential oil to a base oil, allow it to rest/sit for 24 hours in a cool dry place, and then you can add it to your hair care regimen for your hair and scalp.

Finally…

While these ingredients are just a few of what you’d look for in a hair care product, know that great skin and great hair, begins from within.

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

If you watch closely you’ll see the venom dripping from their lips as the lies roll off their tongues.  Oops, did I go there!

If you seriously go back to their beginnings whether in the church or not, you’ll see women full of life and talent, God given talent.

As they enter the world of entertainment/celebrity, you see these women evolving into another being.

Whitney setting trends in the fashion and hair industry, crossing over into music categories not traditionally  frequented by Black Artist and becoming a mentor for young African American Girls.

While Etta James didn’t get the publicity of today’s African American performers, she is still known to older generations and was introduced to the younger ones of you through the film Cadillac Records, when Beyonce played the role of Etta.

These women took you on a fashion and hair extravaganza. From the early days of Afro’s to present day Lace front wigs, they gave you Diva Style.

Take and learn from the “Best” of what you see in these women and all women for that matter.  You don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes to make them flip a switch on you when you see them in public.

Many of you have spoken out not knowing who they really are,  while others have spoken out after encountering their wrath, shall we say.

Either way, you’ve never walked in their shoes.

Don’t be so quick to judge

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

The images of her photo shoot are quite unique. When you see her in the roles she’s played you can see the appearance of a different “Do” that adorned her head.

What’s  all the fuss?  It’s her hair!  Maybe her scalp was wanting a breath of fresh air.

If you’re one of those women that wears your hair natural, you’ll appreciate the expression  of a scalp without glue, thread and tension so tight that your eyes slant at the corners.

Natural black hair care is a choice made by many women of color.  It allows your scalp to breathe, receive the rays of the sun and take in a healthy dose of Vitamin D.

Whether you’re Locked, wearing an Afro, braids or two strand twist, your hair will thank you for it.

Not All Straight Hair Is Relaxed!

Not all women of color that you see with straight hair are using chemicals.  The “Press” has surfaced with the use of the traditional straightening comb as well as the flat iron.

You’re still applying heat so a conditioning treatment once a week is vital to the maintenance of your hair.  To much heat, natural -from the sun – or artificial -from a hot comb – will dry your hair out and cause breakage.

So, keeping your hair clean and conditioned on a constant basis will allow you to wear your hair in its natural state without fear of loosing it.

Transitioning From Relaxed To Natural

If you’re transitioning from relaxed hair into natural hair, be patient with yourself.  Depending on the condition of your body, internal and external, you might experience some shedding.

Good nutrition is extremely important in your well being in general and if you’re experiencing hair challenges it could be because you’re missing certain vitamins and minerals.

My sister-in-law was having challenges with her hair, shedding and coming out by the hand full, so she tried going natural.  She wasn’t patient.  The shedding continued and the thought of loosing the rest of the hair on her head was too much for her to deal with.

She put the relaxer back in her hair and she’s still challenged with the same problem.  I’ve been there but I couldn’t put the relaxer back into my hair, it gave me headaches.

We’ve all had some type of challenge with our hair and skin and patience is not always the easiest thing to have.

For those of you who’ve chosen natural as your hair choice, Bravo!  Your hair and your scalp will thank you for it.

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

But how tight is your skin?  And what natural black  skin care products are you using on it to keep it tight and healthy?  What natural skin care ingredients do you look for?

Here are some you know to work for you:

Aloe Vera – As a people, we know aloe vera to be one of the favorite choices for tightening our skin.  It makes a great base for many of the natural products that are used.  Aloe Vera is a cooling ingredient when used straight from the plant in warm weather and it makes a great base for Face Serums used in Face Firming Products.

Rosemary Essential Oil- for your skin,  helps ease congestion, puffiness and swelling.  Because of its astringent properties, it’s also effective for countering sagging skin.

For your hair it is used to combat the shedding of your hair and stimulate its growth, strengthen its roots, support the hair follicles and eliminate dandruff.  Both dry and fresh rosemary is very effective in making herbal infusions that can be used on your skin and hair.

Shea Butter – Provides fatty acids that help in renewing your skin cells.  It’s also great for protecting your skin from the sun acting as a natural sunscreen.  Do throw out your sunscreens, keep them to enhance the protection of your shea butter.

Shea butter is a wonderful product for Eczema and Dermatitis, soothing dryness and irritations that come with these conditions.

A body butter or body oil with Shea butter is an asset to your skin care wardrobe.

Shea butter also provides moisture to dry and damaged hair from your roots, to your tips, to the deep core of your skin.  It repairs and protects your hair from weather damage, dryness and brittleness.  Shea butter hydrates your scalp without clogging its pores.

Coconut oil -is rich in antioxidants and fight the formation and reaction of free radicals.  This reduces dry skin, fine lines, and wrinkles and leaves your skin feeling smooth and  soft to the touch with a youthful glow.

For your hair it is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair.  It also provides the essential proteins necessary for nourishing damaged hair.

As you mature, that “skin tight” appearance in your skin will slowly diminish because the elasticity is gradually disappearing.  No worries!  As long as you cleanse, tone and moisturize your beautiful complexion, you’ll see your supple beauty shine through in your skin.

Your skin will appreciate an exfoliation treatment and a honey masque to soothe and hydrate also.

So at least once a week treat yourself to a thorough deep cleansing facial treatment and watch your beauty shine through.

That “Skin tight” appearance you’ve been working to maintain in your skin will definitely be there, as long as you use natural skin care products for your beautiful black skin.

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher – Nyraju Skin Care

Today we’re going to talk about Rosemary. Rosemary is often known as the herb of remembrance. It’s used a lot in aromatherapy treatments to invigorate and stimulate your mind, body and spirit.

It’s a purifying fragrance because rosemary oil is an antiseptic and an antibacterial. But what does that have to do with your hair?

Well it stimulates the flow of blood to your head and scalp and this encourages both a keen mind and a strong head of hair. Quite often Rosemary Oil is found in natural black  hair care products.

Using Rosemary for Ridding Yourself of Dandruff.

Challenged with dandruff?  By adding 10 drops of rosemary oil to the water that you use to wash your hair, will help to improve your dandruff condition.

Rosemary, because it’s an antiseptic and antibacterial, also helps you to prevent and kill head lice.

I’ve known more people with dandruff than head lice but both are challenges that have been worked through at some point in time in your life or someone you know.

In speaking with a client last week one of her biggest challenges was dandruff. When you looked at her hair it was such a beautiful head of hair and she had no relaxer, it was natural, but pressed.

So we had to trace back through her eating habits to try and determine why her scalp produced so much of this dryness and flakiness that caused this dandruff.

One of the things that we found was that she wasn’t taking in enough water to feed and nourish her cells.  So when the hair comes through the follicle of the scalp it’s not coming into a healthy environment. She’s a mother, wife and student in school three times a week, so her eating habits aren’t great either.

So when you’re looking at nourishing your beautiful black hair, not only are you nourishing it by what you use topically, you are nourishing your hair a lot by what you eat and what you feed yourself from within.

Hair Brushes, Do you use one?

If you use a hairbrush and you want to have the presence of rosemary, you can put a drop or two onto your hairbrush in the morning.    It will help feed your hair and start bringing back that beautiful glow to your hair, from your scalp all the way to the tips of each hair strand.

An important factor to remember when using hairbrushes:

• Don’t tug and brush to hard when you use them
• Find one with a soft bristles
• Wash them often and keep them in a place that doesn’t allow them to catch dust.

So Rosemary!  It’s a beautiful herb, it’s used in a lot of cooking recipes but it’s also used in natural skin and hair care products.

Not only is it a wonderful addition to have in your pantry for food but also it’s great to have it in your personal space, where you keep all of the little nuances that you use for your skin and hair potions.

So let’s bring Rosemary back to more than just the kitchen table.  AND don’t forget,  when you’re using essential oils they should be diluted into carrier oils, such as Jojoba, Olive, Almond.  Never place them directly on your skin.

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care

Author of:

How To Take Care of Your Beautiful Black Hair Naturally!

Beautiful black skin and hair is often the result of what you’re feeding yourself from within. You’ll want to make sure you’re eating your green foods. In the wintertime we have a tendency to go towards more “stick to the bone” type foods like heavy carbs.

I found that in talking to clients, a lot of them have a tendency to eat more breads and potatoes because those are “stick to the bone” type foods that give warmth to a lot of people.

But you certainly want to make sure that you’re including your green foods like broccoli, kale, spinach, collards, asparagus and brussel sprouts.

Whether you’re doing a juice fast or having a delicious plate of steamed vegetables, your eating habits will greatly determine the health of your skin and hair.

Nourishing your body from within is important because your cellular structure is fed from within the core and this will produce, not only healthy skin, but also healthy hair.

We are what we eat and when we look at the condition of our hair and skin, a lot of times it has to do with the condition of the type of nourishment that we’ve been feeding into our body.

Your water intake is still important even when it’s cold and this does not necessarily mean that hot teas, coffees and lattes will take the place of good clean water.

Water is part of that nutrient and nourishing that you take in that’s going to give your skin and hair that healthy glow.

So taking everything into account, feeding your body from within is going to give you great rewards as far as the beauty of your hair and skin.

And keeping your hair and skin clean, conditioned and moisturized in the winter, whether it’s a hot oil treatment or a tub of body butter, all of this is part of nurturing your hair and skin.

Your hair will have its healthy glow and keep the breakage down.  Also you can have this luxurious head of hair that’s going to emerge as the weather warms up in the spring.

Your skin will have its sultry sensual look and smooth to the touch feel when the warmer weather emerges from the winter frost.

So, what are you waiting for?  Add some vegetables to your plate of meat and potatoes and then slowly move more vegetables onto your plate and less meat ‘n potatoes.

Dedicated To Your Beauty

Juliette Samuel

Nyraju Skin Care

Author of:

How To Take Care of Your Beautiful Black Hair Naturally!

Caring For The Skin You’re In:  An African American Guide To Skin Care

Great hair like great skin begins from within.  That’s right, your body actually feeds your hair.  In essence, what you eat, feeds the skin and the hair follicles you have on your head.

It’s important that you take in foods that are going to nourish your scalp and your hair from within.

We have a tendency to think that because it’s cold or the temperatures are dropping that there are certain routines that we don’t have to do because things aren’t shown.

In the winter we have a tendency to cover our hair with different types of hats and scarves.   Hats and scarves keep your scalp warm and keep the heat in the body that will escape from your head if you don’t keep it covered.

You want to make sure that the type of coverings you use on your hair and your hair care products in general are something that’s going to be positive in the long run.

Do You Have A Hair Care Regimen?

With our skin we cleanse tone and moisturize, with our hair it has a regimen that needs to be carried out as well,  Shampooing, conditioning and moisturizing.

When you are cleaning your hair in the wintertime, one of the things you’ll want to make sure of is once you shampoo your hair, you are giving yourself a conditioning treatment.

Whether it’s a hot oil treatment or a cream based treatment and whether you treating natural hair or relaxed hair, you’ll want to make sure you’re conditioning your scalp.   Your scalp is where the hair follicle comes through your skin and you want to make sure there’s (for a lack of better terms) fertile ground for this hair follicle to come in to.

The cold climates will affect your hair just as much as a hot climate. Your hair will have a tendency to dry out in the wintertime as well as summer. But in the winter we have that added friction of putting wool skullies or hats on our head just to keep the heat in.

When conditioning your hair it will allow you to provide that moisturizing phase to your hair just as if you were doing it with your skin.

It will keep your hair from breaking, it will also keep your hair soft and supple, and moisturized to the tip. And with winter hair care, which is kind of how it’s been phrased recently, you’ll want to make sure that the products you’re using are actually nourishing your scalp and hair.

You’ll also want to make sure the coverage (scarves, hats) you’re using are not going to counteract what you’re doing when you’re nourishing the scalp.

By counteract I mean you are not going to use fabrics on your hair that are going to cause friction and then cause your hair to pop.

Bottom line, keep your hair clean, well moisturized and well groomed.  Your scalp will thank you for it.

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel,

Nyraju Skin care

Author/Publisher: How To Care For Your Beautiful Black Hair Naturally