straight shea

straight shea

What Everyone Should Know About Natural Hair Care

Lets face it, our hair is an important feature. In modern culture taking care of it has given birth to some of the biggest companies on the planet. And taking the proper care of your hair can be a sobering experience for many people. But today, more and more of us are becoming aware of the amazing benefits found in natural hair care. Using ingredients found in or derived from nature has proven time and time again to outperform anything that has come out of a laboratory, with a lot fewer side effects, if any at all.

However, Many so called "natural hair care" products can still contain harmful chemicals (ingredients) that in the long run, will not only hurt your hair but can lead to other ailments as well like sensitive scalp damage and skin rashes etc...So it is highly recommended that you always read the labels of every product you intend on using for your hair first and then test in small doses to see if you are allergic to anything in particular.

Some Ingredients You Need To Stay Away From

Parabens:
Some manufacturers use this ingredient to try and get as much shelf life as they can out of their products, and it works but on the downside, parabens have been scientifically proven to induce cancer.

Fragrances:
Most fragrances used in natural hair care products are made from harmful chemicals and may cause a wide variety of allergic reactions, anywhere from migraines, skin soreness to undermining the healthy function of your central nervous system. You would do better sticking with products that contain natural scents, essential oils plant and fruit extracts.

Mineral Oils:
These are commonly used as moisturizers, but they are really just very greasy and easily blocks up your pores. This can lead to inflammation, sores or even hair breakage.

Some Ingredients you do want to see

Shea butter (Butyrospermum Parkii )
Mango butter (Mangifera Indica)
Cocoa butter (Theobroma Cacao)
Black seed oil (nigella sativa)
Argan oil (Argania spinosa)
Oat oil (Avena sativa)
Brazil nut oil (Emblica Officinalis)
Tamanu oil (Calophyllum Inophyllum)
Red palm oil (Elaesis guineensis)
Cayenne pepper (Elaesis guineensis)
Black pepper (Piper nigrum)
Tumeric root (Curcuma longa)
Ginger root ( Zingiber Officinale)
Mustard (Brassica juncea)
Pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol)

This list is even more endless and growing as we learn more about how to use nature to help us heal, repair, protect and beautify our hair with gentle results that will last us a lifetime. If you are concerned about using natural hair care products there are many great companies online today. Inky Loves Nature is one of my favorites. You must check them out! -Kay Torres, I am natural so what mag!

Cool Vegan What What!

There have to be about a million and one bath and body products out there in the market, so how is a person to judge which product is right for her? In reality, we could all be cleaning ourselves with dishwashing liquid and we’d probably get along alright, but who would want to go there? Washing oneself with random dishwashing soap would just feel dirty and obscene. This is because bathing isn’t just about removing icky germs and other nasties from our bodies. Its about taking time each day to cherish, worship, and renew ourselves.

This brings me to why I double heart Inky Loves Nature handmade bath and body goodies. All of Inky Loves Nature products have empowering names like “Self Love Body Scrub”, “Warrior Queen Cleanser”, and “Nappaliscious Nutritious Scalp Butter”. So I’m not just caring for my body, I’m reminded of how awesome I am too! It also doesn’t hurt that the packaging depicts a cute, hip woman with funky afrotastic hair like my own (a look not seen enough on beauty products and elsewhere, but that’s a whole other article).

Inky Loves Nature products also win major kudos from me for blurring the line between bath time and dessert. The fragrance of the Self Love Body Scrub in Peppermint/Chocolate is reminiscent of cocoa on Christmas morning. The Warrior Queen Cleanser Ginger Sweet Coconut smells so delicious that I had to fight the reflex to lick the sweet bit of it that dripped onto my fingers while sampling it. The Nappaliscious Nutriscious Scalp Butter has a potent scent that doesn’t remind me of anything I’ve ever eaten before but is still very compelling. It’s like a hearty, crazy cayenne drink they give you at the health food store that will probably give you nine lives or something.

But of course, we vegans know it’s not enough for something to just be good for our egos and our olfactory organs. We want the products we use to have a positive impact on animals, the planet, and other folks around the world. Back in June 2005, Leesah B. started Inky Loves Nature as a result of her desire to see and use something more unique in the natural body and hair care market. She wanted something that was “sincerely vegan, something that promoted the beauty and strength of Africa, something that spoke to [her] as a black woman who cared about [her] environment and [her] animal friends”. Leesah only uses vegan, fair trade, and (at least 70%) organic African botanicals like Buchu herb, Kola nut extract and the ever so popular Shea Butter, which she gets from three communities in Africa that she has a direct relationship with. Later this year Inky Loves Nature will introduce the Inky Fund which will contribute a percent of profits to chosen environmental, animal welfare, or Women’s rights organizations.

I predict Inky Loves Nature is going to be big. Leesah reports that soon there will be lots more hair care products. She’s also adding a direct sales model called “Inky Indies” to the mix. You should consider checking out her goodies now so you can get some punk points before it’s too late. - OLIVIA LANE (HERBIVORE MAGAZINE)

Warrior Queen Cleanser's Inspiration!

Matriarchal warrior tribes and matrilineal tribal descent are a continuing theme in African history and in some cases survived into modern times. One of the great African warrior queens of the ancient world was Majaji, who led the Lovedu tribe which was part of the Kushite Empire during the Kushite's centuries long war with Rome. The empire ended in 350 AD when the Kushite stronghold of Meroe fell to repeated Roman assaults. Majaji led her warriors in battle armed with a shield and spear and is believed to have died on the walls of Meroe.

The Egyptian warrior queens, descended from the royal house of Kush, included Ahotep, the 7 Cleopatras and Arsinoe II & III. They ruled Egypt and led her army and navy through Roman times. A succession of Ethiopian Queens and military leaders known as Candace were also descended from the Kush. The first Candace, leading an army mounted on war elephants, turned back Alexander's invasion of Ethiopia in 332 BC. In 30 BC Candace Amanirenas defeated an invasion by Patronius, the Roman governor of Egypt and sacked the city of Cyrene.

In 937 AD Judith, Queen of the Falash, attacked Axum, sacred capital of Ethiopia killing all the inhabitants including the descendants of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Through the 10th and 11th centuries the Hausa states (modern day Nigeria) were ruled by the Habe warrior queens: Kufuru, Gino, Yakumo, Yakunya, Walzana, Daura, Gamata, Shata, Batatume, Sandamata, Yanbamu, Gizirgizir, Innagari, Jamata, Hamata, Zama and Shawata. Centuries later Amina, daughter of Queen Turunku of the Songhai in mid-Niger ruled the Hausa empire from 1536 to 1573. She extended her nation's boundaries to the Atlantic coast, founded cities and personally led her army of 20,000 soldiers into battle.

Mbande Zinga was the sister and advisor of the king of Ngola (today Angola) and served a his representative in negotiating treaties with the Portuguese. She became queen when her brother died in 1624 and appointed women, including her two sisters Kifunji and Mukumbu, to all government offices. When the Portuguese broke the peace treaty she led her largely female army against them inflicting terrible casualties while also conquering nearby kingdoms in an attempt to build a strong enough confederation to drive the Portuguese out of Africa. She accepted a truce and then agreed to a peace treaty in 1635. She continued to rule her people and lived to be 81. When Angola became an independent nation in 1975 a street in Luanda was named in her honor.

Llinga, a warrior queen of the Congo armed with ax, bow and sword fought the Portuguese in 1640. Women warriors were common in the Congo where the Monomotapa confederacy had standing armies of women.

Kaipkire, warrior leader of the Herero tribe of southwest Africa in the 18th century led her people in battles against British slave traders. There are records of Herero women fighting German soldiers as late as 1919.

Nandi was the warrior mother of Shaka Zulu. She battled slave traders and trained her son to be a warrior. When he became King he established an all-female regiment which often fought in the front lines of his army.

Mantatisi, warrior queen of the baTlokwas in the early 1800s fought to preserve her tribal lands during the wars between Shaka Zulu and Matiwane. She succeeded in protecting the baTlokwas heritage although her son, who became King when she died, was eventually defeated by Mahweshwe.

Madame Yoko ruled and led the army of the fourteen tribes of the Kpa Mende Confederacy, the largest tribal group in 19th century Sierra Leone. At that time at least 15% of all the tribes in Sierra Leone were led by women, today approximately 9% have women rulers.

Menen Leben Amede was Empress of Ethopia. She commanded her own army and acted as regent for her son Ali Alulus. She was wounded and captured in a battle in 1847 but was ransomed by her son and continued to rule until 1853.

Seh-Dong-Hong-Beh, was a leader of the Dahomey Amazons under King Gezo. In 1851 she led an army of 6,000 women against the Egba fortress of Abeokuta. Because the Amazons were armed with spears, bows and swords while the Egba had European cannons only about 1,200 survived the extended battle. In 1892 King Behanzin of Dahomey (now Benin) was at war with the French colonists over trading rights. He led his army of 12,000 troops, including 2,000 Amazons into battle. Despite the fact that the Dahomey army was armed only with rifles while the French had machine guns and cannons, the Amazons attacked when the French troops attempted a river crossing, inflicting heavy casualties. They engaged in hand to hand combat with the survivors eventually forcing the French army to retreat. Days later the French found a bridge, crossed the river and defeated the Dahomey army after fierce fighting. The Amazons burned fields, villages and cities rather than let them fall to the French but merely delayed Dahomey being absorbed as a French colony.

In the late 19th century Mukaya, the leader of the Luba people of central Africa whose nation stretched along the rain forest from Zaire to northern Zambia, led her warriors in battle against enemy tribes and rival factions. Initially she fought alongside her brother Kasongo Kalambo, after he was killed in battle she assumed sole control of the empire and the army.

Nehanda (1862-1898) was a priestess of the MaShona nation of Zimbabwe. She became a military leader of her people when the British invaded her country. She led a number of successful attacks on the English but was eventually captured and executed.

Taytu Betul (1850-1918) was Empress of Ethopia. During her 14 year reign she established and named the modern capital of Addis Ababa, she led troops in battle and negotiated peace treaties. She retired from public life after the death of her husband.

Yaa Asantewaa (1850-1921) the Queen Mother of one of the Asante states of Ghana led her army in continuous battles against the British until her capture.