DIY flaxseed gel...

Hello all!

I've never been one for gels cos most gels I've tried  left my hair 'kliphard' and dry. Besides that I could never get wash n go's right anyways.

It took me like forever to try the Flaxseed gel and gal I'm converted!
Flaxseeds are great for our hair and skin. They contain omega 3 and what I like more is that they are affordable.

This gel is light, non greasy, not sticky Aaand...wait for it- doesn't leave no white chunks in your hair!

I applied the gel on dry hair section by section. This way every strand is coated. My curls popped instantly. My hair was super soft with a nice sheen to it. Instant wash n go - whoopa!

It can be used for twists, plaits, puffs

 or to sleek your hair in a ponytail or just as a styler depends on you.

Always store in the refrigerator. Use an air tight container. Play around with this recipe the options are endless.
The longer you boil it and the more seeds you use, will make your gel thicker.

Take a look at the video I did on how I made my flaxseed gel. Hope you find it helpful and hit the subscription button okay!

Much love...Stay Magical

Pre-poo for what?

I'm back!

I found it hard to see the sense of pre-pooing my hair cos it is gonna get washed away right? 

Eventually when I did give it a try I was hooked!

My hair use to be very dry and course at the centre of my head. That hair on the centre of my head was always short because it was always dry. Since I  started pre-pooing that patch is grown and is soft aaand...moisturised.  It makes a world of a difference trust me...

So pre-poo for what?

              You can use whatever oils you already have.

We apply pre-poo before we shampoo our hair.

 Pre-pooing retains moisture and makes detangling a breeze.

You will definitely notice less breakage, doing this step gets your hair prepared for the manipulation of the washing process.

         

Use whatever you fancy. I've used oils only, then I started mixing in the conditioners that I've  bought and don't like- with an essential oil.      

The options are endless...

I co-wash one week and wash the next week. When I co-wash I don't pre-poo. I apply the night before my morning wash. 

Check out this video I did on how easy it is to pre-poo.

And be sure to like and subscribe too!

Keep the Magic 

Messylife with only sons...

Hi again!

Yea my life is crazy with only boys. Some days are better, like when I get home and the house is a bit in order.

The water bottles never get refilled and I can never understand what they do with the toothpaste lids.
I wish I can say I know what I'm doing but I can't. Raising kids don't come with a manuel. I don't have it together but I can hang in there and do my best while feeling like screaming.

But I wouldn't change it for anything. Take a look at this video I did. It's part1 of a series I'm doing on life with only boys...

Subscribe and like to show your support which in turn will motivate me to upload more!

Keep the Magic

I started vlogging!

Hey everyone!

So I started a vlog a few days ago! Aaand I'm having so much fun but  honestly it's a little  daunting as well.

Vlogging is just an extension of my blog. I'll elaborate further on the topics that I blog about and you get to see how I do all my DIY concoctions- isn't that great! I'm thinking of doing a mix of different topics, from hair to the daily messiness of life.

Creating a vlog channel has taken me out my comfort zone. I'm not used to being the centre of attraction- with blogging its writing, snapping and then hitting the publish  button.
 The first time I watched myself I thought I sounded like an old lady that just got outta bed. I'm  seriously  gonna work on talking a bit faster.

I just uploaded a video this morning about how I do my son's hair for school. He's    totally enjoying himself and you can see it in the clip-  You get to  see how I look every   morning and with my  bonnet still on; bare faced y'all! I look rachet! (Gotta get use to this) It's  raw and uncut...not to mention that  I'm being  bamboozled by editing. Hopefully I'll get it right with time and practice.

I'm keeping it real- I don't have time to do my face up and put on elaborate outfits before I show myself in front of the camera.  Gosh I get lost for words when the camera is rolling so I resorted to speeding up the videos and using subtitles for now.

Take a look and don't forget to like and subscribe.

Join my page here. I'll be posting my videos and new blog posts regularly, you don't want to miss out on seeing me raw and rachet!

Let me know what you'd  like me to vlog about- I'm all for you and thanks for your continued support and love!

Keep the Magic -

Do yourself a favour clean your make up brushes

Hello again!

I recently  shared a video on my Facebook page about a lady that got some  serious face infections that could of lead to brain damage. Why? She never cleaned her make up brushes. Check out the video here. It's a must see especially if you anything like me, a little on the lazy side...

 Not long ago I  had a mild break out of rash on my face and fortunately it didn't take me long to find out the root cause of it. You guessed right!

SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
Not washing your make up brushes regularly  can lead to skin break- outs. Bacteria and other bad stuff accumalate on brushes which leads to pimples and serious infections.

Here's how I clean my brushes:
Pour some warm water in a bowl.
Add shampoo or an anti - bacterial hand wash and work up a lather.

Dip the brushes in and swirl them around in the bowl or on your palms.
Add more shampoo if needed.
Try to keep your bristles in a downward position.
I usually leave them to soak for a few minutes.

I rinse in warm water then cold afterwards
then add conditioner in a bowl with a little water.
Put all of them in and give them a good rub down.
I rinse thoroughly and squeeze out the excess water gently.

Lastly I  lay them out to dry on a towel. I've made it a ritual to wash my brushes on days that I wash my hair.      
 

So- just do yourself a favour and wash your make up brushes!

Your brushes will be smelling great and you'll have nice soft bristles too.
And that's all!

What's your way of cleaning your make up brushes?

Until next time - Keep the Magic

Palmers COCOA BUTTER FACIAL SCRUB

Hello again!

Let's face it- looking young forever is what we all want. When you reach a certain age you start noticing the fine lines-
In my twenties taking good care of my skin was far from my mind I think it's because I  didn't wear much make then.

So I've been trying to find ways to make my skin look better and youthful without going to extreme measures. Here's one of them-

I exfoliate regularly because I learned that dead skin can make you look old and tired.
My current obsession is the Palmers brand.
This exfoliater gently cleanses, and  removes the dead skin, leaving skin super moisturised and fresh.


Product info and Details 
Exfoliates, Refines, Polishes with Micro-fine Cocoa Beads Fresh White Lilly Fragrance Micro-fine crushed Cocoa Beans gently exfoliate, removing dead skin cells to reveal smoother skin beneath. This enhances the skin s surface allowing it to better absorb the daily moisturizer or night cream. Beneficial Ingredients: Cocoa and Shea Butters : deeply moisturizes and nourishes Micro-fine Cocoa Beans : buff away dead skin cells to brighten skin  Vitamin E : powerful antioxidant  Aloe Vera : soothes and calms skin Milk Proteins : helps improve skin s texture and tone Evening Primrose : soothes stressed skin Palmer s is against animal testing.

(Taken from their website)*

Instantly opening the lid you get that yummy cocoa smell- just snap out of it & don't eat it lol..I'm happy that it's free from parabens and the crushed shells of the  cocoa beans are used as the exfoliant.( This excites me)

How I use it: 
I wet my face then apply the scrub gently in  circular strokes. I massage for about 5 minutes and leave on for another 5 minutes. I rinse with cold water to shrink the pores.

My Experience:

This product does the job ya'll. My face feels clean and rejuvenated afterwards. I use it often like four times a week maybe even more cos it's so gentle. I have sensitive skin with some dry patches  in some areas but after using this product dry patches are no more.    

Honostly I do feel that my skin is glowing. I always follow it up with a moisturiser, I'm currently using the  Palmers Even Tone Fade Cream. It manages to hydrate my skin and keep it moisturised without irritating it.

I would buy these  products again because I'm in love! Oh- and it can be used as foot scrub and body scrub too!
Side note* I buy all of my own products and reviews are based on my personal favourites*

Do you use a facial scrub and which brand is your favourite?
 Like and subscribe to never miss a  post.

Keep the Magic-

Doekspiration...

Hello ladies!

There's a phase I go through where I seriously get bored with my hair!
Of recent I've been playing around more with doeks.
 I love the fun ways of styling them. Adding a doek or scarf to style your hair is like a breath of fresh air. Take a look at some ways I've  used them and grab  inspiration for your next look:

Simple but still cute, don't you think?

I don't normally do it but I love kinda matching my doeks with my outfits it gives a classic feel to the whole outfit.

When my hair is not co-operating or when wash day is due - but I'm just plain lazy to do so. Yea, we all know these kinda days...

I try not to wear a black doek when I wear black- just me. This gives a not- so -serious look.

Hopefully you curlies found a bit of doekspiration to spruce up your styles.
Like and share to show a gal some love!

Connect  with me on my journey for more hair tips.

Until next time, Keep the Magic

Nature's Gate silicone free conditioner

Hi there!

As you already know I'm a sucker for conditioners -  and I'm always scouting for new and better ones.
I first saw Nature's Gate conditioner at Dischem. I didn't really take much notice of it but when I realised that they are  silicone, paraben and sulphate free my curiosity got aroused. I don't hear much about this brand in the natural community world. It doesn't contain  any harsh or synthetic ingredients.
Aloe vera and macadamia oil caught my attention so I bought two.

Ingredients

Water, stearyl alcohol, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, benzyl alcohol, stearalkonium chloride, panthenol, sclerotium gum, hydrolyzed quinoa, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, borago officinalis (borage) seed oil, macadamia ternifolia (macadamia) seed oil, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, persea gratissima (avocado) fruit extract, viola tricolor (pansy) extract, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, ascorbyl palmitate, potassium sorbate, sodium hydroxide, citric acid, fragrance (parfum)*.

* Phthalate Free

Made in the USA from globally sourced materials.

No - Sodium, lauryl/laureth/coco sulfates, phthalates, butylene glycol, artificial colors

(Taken from their website)*

How I use 
I use these  after I  shampoo and I love it as a co- wash too. It's creamy and thick. It's made with  Aloe vera and Macadamia oil for moisturising benefits so it's perfect for my thick, dry and thirsty hair!

I give my scalp a good rub cos of all the lovely oils in it. I thoroughly coat my hair then cover with a shower cap for a few minutes. This is normally how I co - wash  because my hair is low porosity and because I get great results this way. Another way I use it, is after I do ayurvedic treatments - it helps rinse out the loose particles from the powders.


Verdict
 They smell amazing -  my favourite is the Fruit Blend.       

It does a good job in keeping my hair soft and manageable.
I like that these products are cruelty free and vegan. Gentle enough for everyday use and affordable too.

Have you tried Nature's Gate conditioners or shampoos?

Thanks for reading- like and share if you enjoyed this post!

Keep the Magic-

girl behind the Magicalmessyhair...Jennifer!

Heya!

This week is another  curly beauty from the hood. She's a mommy, wife, singer, photographer and so much more... A woman who wears many hats. Seriously- she makes me feel like I really have no excuse for saying "I  don't have time"
So without further ado.. meet Jennifer!

Please introduce yourself?
 Jennifer Williams

How long are you natural?
+- 7 years

What or who inspired  you to embrace your  God given crown?  

I've always loved to change up my hair so I would have my hair relaxed but sport a afro weave as a PS in winter. I really hated getting burnt by relaxers and one day I said enough Is enough. Me and a friend of mine who is a hairdresser as well Shenal Canham, decided we are going to do this thing. So I kept my hair in a p's and when the regrowth grew I cut it.    

There was no turning back after that. That was about 10 years ago. I suffered a lot initially because I never took much care for it cos I didn't know how. I used the same shampoo and conditioner I always did which was head and shoulders. My hair was always dry and broke a lot.

Describe your hair in one sentence?
My hair is poetic and all Me, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes cheeky, sometimes bad...but I love it nonetheless lol

        

And here's Jennifer''s regimen...
Wash every second week. Loc every second or third day. I'm LoPo so I use grapeseed almond peppermint and rosemary as my oils and any good moisturising  curl cream  eg aunty Jackies curl la la.

Jen is all for keeping it simple..
Well my daily hair regime I keep it very simple.  I use light oils like grapeseed, sweet almond, some peppermint and rosemary which I mix together as part of my oils for LOCing my hair during the week. I LOC every 2-3 days. My go to night time style is two strand flat twists. When I wash I cowash every second week and recently have been using gentle magic soap to clear build up when I do wash. I deep condition using the banana purity DC every second week and 1nce a month a protein treatment where I use the Palmers sachet. 

Her favourite products she can't do without..
 My leave in conditioner,  acv cos my hair itches and I don't only use as a rinse but to spray now and gain for the itch (I have scalp issues lol), my grapeseed oil.  I love the ecostyler gel but I've run out...its the best for finger coils 

Some of her hair  practices...
 Yes...I almost always wear a sati scarf and I have a satin pillowcase...I've learnt from past experiences that it helps a lot to minimise breakage which prohibits growth.  I also make sure I don't focus so much on seeking down my edges. I almost always DC because my hair sucks moisture. I don't use any heat on my hair (haven't for two years),, I never comb my hair dry. I don't tie up my hair u necessarily.  

Considering returning to natural? Here's her advice...
It's the best choice yo make, not only cos it's now  the "in thing" to be sporting a fro, but it's great to be proud of your God given crown. And when u start with something like your hair it even boosts your confidence and ability to stand above what society thinks things should be to be accepted.  You also end up learning a lot about healthier choices and wanting healthier hair. You don't have to fit in...why not stand out?!...love who you are. 

Her favourite way she wears her  hair?
 Most of the time I leave my hair in a fro. If it's an occasion I make use a scarf or clip up one side (side mohawk (my go to style)

Do you have a side hustle/ projects that you'd like to share?
 Besides my love for photography,  mainly because I love capturing things in their natural form, I know it sometimes brings in a tiny percentage of the bacon bit I mostly love the artistic part of it.  

Thanks Jen for sharing your  journey with us- P.S. if are interested in being featured as a girl behind the Magicalmessyhair just shoot me an email or use the contact form to get in touch with me. 

Follow  me on the gram and don't  forget to like and subscribe to get posts directly to your email.

Until next time Stay Magical...