Pursuit of Nappiness
By Bashara Jones
SPECIAL TO THE SUN

  Rocking a natural do is not only fashionable but rational.

  Some may frown on going nappy but are they really happy caring for perms, weaves and burned out
edges.

 Well, there are benefits in the pursuit of nappiness.

 Living with natural hair definitely takes some getting used to but you will not regret it. A good way to get
through the growing pains is by keeping your hair in braids while the relaxer grows out. Relaxed hair
might look great on some people, but the ingredients that make it look this way are very dangerous.
One of those ingredients is Lye. Lye is a product that can be found in drain cleaner and pool chemicals.
Lye causes hair breakage, hair thinning, scalp irritation and scalp burns. A no-lye relaxer is not much
better for your hair as it uses a replacement chemical called Guanidine Hydroxide, but it still changes
the molecular structure of your hair with a very strong chemical.

If you don’t like wearing braids, there are plenty of other natural styles to choose from. You may wish to
try dreads, twists, and afros.

 Use natural products to maintain healthy hair. Natural ingredients such as aloe vera, coconut oil,
apple cider vinegar and flax seed are very good for the hair and can provide very manageable styles.

 You can rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar to bring back the shine. Apple Cider Vinegar has an
acidity level that is close to the levels of natural hair and can be an effective germ killer and conditioner.
Rinsing with apple cider and water will help balance the PH of your hair and can eliminate the buildup
caused by shampoo and styling agents. Apple cider vinegar smells pretty strong when it is used but
the odor will dissipate once it starts drying. 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of water mixture will suffice.

 Apple cider has lots of other great properties such as curing acid reflux, weight loss properties, and
millions of other great benefits so take advantage of it for many beneficial uses.

  Aloe Vera is another great ingredient when washing your hair. It helps prevent hair loss, and gives
your hair more strength and shine. You can use aloe vera with shea butter as a great detangler.

 Flax seed gel, makes a good natural gel for twisting hair. You take a 1/2 cup of brown flax seeds in a
few cups of water and boil on medium until it creates a thick consistency. Strain it with a colander so
that you expel any whole flax seeds that remain, let it cool, and start applying it as a twisting agent.

Remember that whatever natural style you choose to wear during the upcoming hot summer months,
it’s okay to be nappy. There’s is nothing wrong with going down the road leading to the pursuit of
nappiness.


By Patricia Bohler
SPECIAL TO THE SUN

  I was standing in line in the grocery store, when I happened to look down at the cover of a magazine
and noticed a woman’s sandal clad feet.

  What made my mouth stand open was not the beautiful sandals, but the ashy rough dirty feet that
were sticking out of them. My head slowly traveled up to the face of the owner of those fee. I quickly
turned away from the immaculately made up face with the beautiful sundress and said to myself, “Oh.”

 I called Madame Ann and she gave me an excellent remedy for beautiful feet. I’m going to share it
with you along with myself so no one will ever have to say, “Oh” about us.

1.        Soak feet in olive oil and Epsom salt. (this will loosen dead skin from feet)

2.        Scrub bottom of feet with a pumice stone (this will remove dead skin from foot bottom)

3.        Scrub entire feet with loofah sponge. (this will remove dead skin from top of feet. Pumice is too
harsh for top of feet)

4.        Rinse feet and pat dry.

5.        Massage olive oil along with your favorite lotion onto your feet.

6.        Put on a pair of clean white socks and sleep tight.

Repeat these steps at least three times a week and even when you take your daily shower use a
pumice and loofah on your feet as well as your favorite oil and lotion. Practice along with patience will
reward you with beautiful feet.

  For more information on Madame Ann’s Natural Home Remedies, contact me at pat@madameann.
com.
Beauty & Barber
Ash no more