http://naturalizsta.com NaturaLIZsta: Happy Healthy Natural Hair By Liz Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:50:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.5.14 http://naturalizsta.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Liz-New-Logo-black-outline-2-32x32.png http://naturalizsta.com 32 32 183487287 Stylze… http://naturalizsta.com/2020/06/11/stylze-by-liz/ Thu, 11 Jun 2020 12:01:35 +0000 http://www.demo.spiderbuzz.com/themes/spidermag/?p=146 Just a few of my happy clients! Click on the gallery on the right for close-ups.

]]> 146 Braids & Twists Defined… http://naturalizsta.com/2020/05/21/braids-defined/ Thu, 21 May 2020 10:57:17 +0000 http://www.demo.spiderbuzz.com/themes/spidermag/?p=108 A braid (also referred to as a plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing two or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair. The materials used have depended on the indigenous plants and animals available in the local area. Braids have been made for thousands of years, in many different cultures around the world, for a variety of uses.

The most simple and common version is a flat, solid, three-stranded structure. More complex patterns can be constructed from an arbitrary number of strands to create a wider range of structures (such as a fishtail braid, a five-stranded braid, rope braid, a French braid and a waterfall braid). Twists are also a method that is done. The structure of braids is usually long and narrow with each component strand functionally equivalent in zigzagging forward through the overlapping mass of the others. It can be compared with the process of weaving, which usually involves two separate perpendicular groups of strands (warp and weft).

Tewodros II of the House of Solomon wearing braided locks

The oldest known reproduction of hair braiding may go back about 30,000 years: the Venus of Willendorf, a female figurine estimated to have been made between about 28,000 and 25,000 BCE in modern day Austria. The Venus of Brassempouy from the southwest of France is estimated to be about 25,000 years old and show a braided hairstyle.

During the Bronze Age and Iron Age many peoples in the Near East, Asia Minor, Caucasus, East Mediterranean and North Africa such as the Sumerians, Elamites, Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Hittites, Amorites, Mitanni, Hattians, Hurrians, Arameans, Eblaites, Israelites, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Medes, Parthians, Chaldeans, Armenians, Georgians, Cilicians, Canaanites/Phoenicians/Carthaginians and the Celtic Britons are depicted in art with braided or plaited hair and beards. Similarly, the practice is recorded in Europe, Africa, India, China, Japan, Australasia and Central Asia.

Braiding, twisting, and locking is traditionally a social art. Because of the time it takes to braid hair, people have often taken time to socialize while braiding and having their hair braided. It begins with the elders making simple knots and braids for younger children. Older children watch and learn from them, start practicing on younger children, and eventually learn the traditional designs. This carries on a tradition of bonding between elders and the new generation.

Source: Courtesy of Wikipedia

]]> 1041 Big Beautiful Hair… And How To Get It! http://naturalizsta.com/2020/05/12/big-beautiful-hair/ Tue, 12 May 2020 09:54:12 +0000 http://www.demo.spiderbuzz.com/themes/spidermag/?p=50

How to Grow African Hair Faster and Longer

If you are African or have significant African ancestry, your hair may take a long time to grow and, in some cases, might even be prone to unwanted breakage. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to encourage hair growth and make sure your locks stay healthy.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 1

Determine your hair type. A salon employee or online advice can help you find the characteristics of your hair. This will help you choose the right treatments and products. Here’s the basic breakdown:

  • Wavy hair (type 2), generally thin and easy to handle
  • Curly hair (type 3)
  • Coily hair (type 4), usually very fragile and hard to grow out

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 2

Wash your hair only when you must. Washing hair too often strips it of natural oils. Try washing it once a week. Switch to once every two or three weeks if your hair starts to break easily.[1]

  • Try to find a shampoo that doesn’t leave your hair feeling too dry.
  • To reduce damage, wash hair in lukewarm water and rinse in cool water.[2]

 

Let hair dry on its own. The heat from blow drying can cause damage, leading your hair to break before it grows to the desired length.[3] Instead, plait your hair, wrap it in a silk scarf, and let dry overnight. Alternatively, towel dry your hair by wrapping it in a towel and simply rubbing your head for a while.[4]
Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 4

Use conditioner each time you wash. Shampoo strips your hair of natural oils. Restore these with conditioner suited for African hair.[5] Periodically deep condition your hair as well.

  • You can use leave-in conditioner in between washes.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 5

Apply hair oil daily. Rub natural oil into the middle and ends of your hair to make it soft and supple. This will help prevent it breaking before it grows too long. Jamaican oil, castor oil, Moroccan oil, or lavender oil are all good options.[6]

  • Covering your hair with a satin scarf can help your hair take in the oil.[7]

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 6

Moisturize. Water strengthens dry hair and may stimulate your hair roots. You can apply water, moisturizing conditioner, or a mixture of half olive oil or half coconut oil. For extra moisture, apply each one, in that order. The oil will help seal in the moisture.[8]

  • If you use gel or mousse in your hairstyle, try hair jam instead. This will hold your hair, then eventually melt into oils to add shine and moisture.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 7

Consider protein conditioner. These can strengthen some types of hair, but may damage dry hair. Try brushing your hair: if your strands stretch significantly before breaking, you may need more protein.[9]

  • Do not leave in protein conditioner longer than instructed on the label, or it may turn hard and brittle.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 8

Grease your scalp when dry. About every other day or when your scalp feels dry, apply coconut grease to the tip of your pointer finger. Apply at the top of your part and sweep back until all the grease has been applied.[10]

  • Stop if you notice dandruff, as oil can feed the fungus that causes it.
  • If you have a perm, grease only once a week, or apply hot oil instead.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 9
Remove products with neutralizing shampoo. Once a month, use a neutralizing shampoo to clean all products out of your hair. If you use a lot of sprays, gels, and other styling products, use it every other week.[11]
Method2

Encouraging Hair Growth in Other Ways

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 10

Take vitamins. Vitamin supplements can give your hair the nutrients they need to grow faster and stronger.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 11

 

Eat enough protein. Eat food with plenty of protein, such as avocado, pumpkin seeds, or gelatin.[12]

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 12
Protect the ends of your hair. Leaving your hair down can make your hair vulnerable to breakage. Put your hair in a bun, braids, or other style the keeps your ends tucked away. Fasten your hairdo with bobby pins, since elastic bands can rip out your hair.[13]

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 13
Trim damaged hair. Trim the ends of your hair every two weeks, or whenever they start to split. If your hair is healthy, you may only need to remove 1–2 inches (2.5–5cm) every three or four months. It may seem odd to trim your hair to help it grow, but it really does help. Split ends rapidly lead to breakage, making it very hard to grow your hair out.[14]
EXPERT TIP
COURTNEY FOSTER
Licensed Cosmetologist

Our Expert Agrees: You can encourage faster growth by trimming your ends regularly because split ends travel up the hair shaft and cause breakage. You can also use different products to make your hair healthier and help during slow-growth periods.

Image titled Grow African Hair Faster and Longer Step 14
Don’t abuse your hair. Blow drying, flat irons, over-tight braiding or weaves, over processing, dye and perms ruin your hair. This can cause damage and breakage, so use them as little as possible.[15]

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-African-Hair-Faster-and-Longer

]]> 1028 The Biological Process of Hair http://naturalizsta.com/2020/05/11/biological-process-of-hair/ Mon, 11 May 2020 11:01:47 +0000 http://www.demo.spiderbuzz.com/themes/spidermag/?p=116 Biological processes and hygiene

Care of the hair and care of the scalp skin may appear separate, but are actually intertwined because hair grows from beneath the skin. The living parts of hair (hair follicle, hair root, root sheath and sebaceous gland) are beneath the skin, while the actual hair shaft which emerges (the cuticle which covers the cortex and medulla) has no living processes. Damage or changes made to the visible hair shaft cannot be repaired by a biological process, though much can be done to manage h

Scalp skin, just like any other skin on the body, must be kept healthy to ensure a healthy body and healthy hair production. If the scalp is cleaned regularly by those who have rough hair or have a hair-fall problem, it can result in loss of hair. However, not all scalp disorders are a result of bacterial infections. Some arise inexplicably, and often only the symptoms can be treated for management of the condition (example: dandruff). There are also bacteria that can affect the hair itself. Head lice is probably the most common hair and scalp ailment worldwide. Head lice can be removed with great attention to detail, and studies show it is not necessarily associated with poor hygiene. More recent studies reveal that head lice actually thrive in clean hair. In this way, hair washing as a term may be a bit misleading, as what is necessary in healthy hair production and maintenance is often simply cleaning the surface of the scalp skin, the way the skin all over the body requires cleaning for good hygiene.

The sebaceous glands in human skin produce sebum, which is composed primarily of fatty acids. Sebum acts to protect hair and skin, and can inhibit the growth of microorganisms on the skin. Sebum contributes to the skin’s slightly acidic natural pH somewhere between 5 and 6.8 on the pH spectrum. This oily substance gives hair moisture and shine as it travels naturally down the hair shaft, and serves as a protective substance by preventing the hair from drying out or absorbing excessive amounts of external substances. Sebum is also distributed down the hair shaft “mechanically” by brushing and combing. When sebum is present in excess, the roots of the hair can appear oily, greasy, and darker than normal, and the hair may stick together.

 

Source: Courtesy of Wikipedia

]]> 1042 About Liz… http://naturalizsta.com/2019/07/04/about-liz/ Thu, 04 Jul 2019 10:21:11 +0000 http://www.demo.spiderbuzz.com/themes/spidermag/?p=72 Hello! My name is Elizabeth Carruthers-Woods. I’ve been cultivating natural protective styles, such as braids, twists, and locs, including extensions, for about 6 years. After a few years of damage from over processed hair when I was much younger, I went through the lengthy but wonderful process of growing my hair back naturally – and I’ve never looked back! Realizing I was blessed with a gift for natural hair styling and had a passion for it, I decided to extend what I learned to others.

I enjoy making people feel beautiful or handsome when they leave my chair. And, I love hearing from customers when they call me several weeks later, happy that their hair has staying power.

Right now, I’m in the DeKalb, Illinois area. In addition to my place of hair care, I do mobile hair appointments too. Please call me: 708-262-7350

 

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