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Highly Requested! So here is a recipe I fall back on regularly! An all-natural gel that is easy to make at home and you can tweak it to include ingredients that make your hair sing (not literally, of course!). I first tried this gel about a year into my transition and loved it. I learned it from a couple of YouTube channels (shout out to Naptural85, though!). Over the years, I have introduced my friends to its' benefits too - usually by making them a batch to take home! To date, my best twist-out was achieved using flaxseed gel and I'm currently planning to rock a braid-out to work thanks to the great hold I got on a set of Princess Braids I did yesterday night. Why do you get a gel from Flaxseeds (also known as Linseeds)?
One word, Mucilage - a thick, gummy substance consisting of large polysaccharides (sugars). When in contact with water, mucilage becomes a slimy substance - in Flaxseeds, the outer shell swells and creates a gel-like consistency. Mucilage has been traditionally used for poultices (healing dressings or compresses), soothing cough mixtures and soothing abdominal pains (recommended by Hippocrates in ~650 B.C.). Most plants produce some mucilage as this is part of how plants store and utilise their food and water. However, to be regarded as a mucilaginous plant, it must have at least 15% mucilage content. One plant commonly known to produce mucilage is the humble Aloe Vera. A food popularly eaten in Nigeria (where I'm from) for its' mucilage release on cooking is the Okra (yum!). Other mucilaginous plants (or herbs) include Marshmallow root (tried and like it), Fenugreek/ Methi(must try), Chia seeds, Slippery Elm (must try this), plantains, oats, Irish Moss and kelp (seaweed). The benefits of flaxseeds (also known as Linseeds) for hair: 1. The slimy, gel-like consistency of the mucilage is great for helping to make the hair strands slippery, allowing easier detangling. 2. Flaxseeds have a high Omega-3 content which can nourish the hair follicles and strands, making them stronger. 3. Omega-3 also improves the hair's elasticity, protecting against breakage. 4. Vitamin E in Flaxseeds can prevent pre-mature greying of the hair. 5. The mucilage is rich in proteins, oils, minerals and vitamins to nourish the hair. 6. The gel provides much needed hydration to the strands. Read on for the recipe and ways to use your gel! Spiced Chocolate Muffins with Ganache frosting! Welcome, Cake-lovers!
This week's offering is a Devil's food cake style cupcake with a Ganache-style chocolate frosting. The difference is that the "Ganache" here is achieved with sour cream instead of double cream. (Still feels like I have truffles on top of the cupcakes though, lol!) Without much further ado! Makes: 18 cupcakes Prep-time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 22 minutes Ingredients: 90g Unsalted butter, softened 115g Caster sugar 90g Soft light brown sugar 2 Medium eggs 150mls Sour Cream 4 tbspns (60mls) Milk 200g Plain flour 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice 100g / 4oz Plain (dark) chocolate chips Frosting: 100g / 4oz Plain (dark) chocolate 2 tablespoons Caster sugar 150ml / 5 fl oz Sour Cream Sprinkle (optional) Method:
Lemon Face Scrub Today's offering (source below):
30g White Granulated Sugar 4.5g Lemon Juice 3g Olive oil 3g Honey (Manuka is better) Mix ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a storage container. It can be stored in a refrigerator for a few weeks. Apply a small amount to your face and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Benefits of hair: The lemon juice has citric acid for refreshing skin and removing grease. Olive oil is skin nourishing and honey is a natural humectant (pulls in moisture from the air) and antibacterial. The sugar is a good exfoliant. Source: Beauty Masks & Scrubs, Elaine Stavert Apple & Cinnamon Cupcakes! If you have been following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr (so many social media outputs, so little time!), you'd have to be in denial if you haven't noted my baking habit!
It started as a way of getting rid of excess nerves during exam revision time (oh, April and May what you did to me?) and became a re-discovery of a secret passion of mine . Even better, I have learned how to turn many a cake recipe into a cupcake version! To this end, I figured I would finally start to share recipes on here! That way you, when you see a new picture posted, you can head over here to the blog and see the corresponding - simple - recipe! So without much further ado, I give you a recipe I have been using for ~4 years from a Marks and Spencer Afternoon Tea recipe book (includes yummy-looking sandwiches). Prep and cooking time: 35 minutes Makes: 12 Ingredients: 90g Butter, softened 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract 1/2 cup (110g) Caster sugar (I use 90g of Light brown Muscovado sugar) 1 Egg 1 1/3 cups (200g) Self-raising flour, sifted 1/2 cup (125ml) Milk 1 Medium red apple (150g), quartered, cored and sliced thinly 15g Butter, melted 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon Spiced honey cream: 2/3 cup (160ml) Double cream 2 teaspoons Honey 1/4 teaspoon Ground ginger Pinch Ground Cinnamon
It's that time of year again where I really look forward to going outdoors to run. Don't get me wrong, I love to run in the Summer., I just am not crazy about baking in the Sun. Yes, I know I was born in a tropical climate and moved to the UK as a teenager but I didn't love being "beaten by the Sun" on a daily basis after school. (And don't get me started on the drenching rains in the Rainy season in a country with no indoor heating!)
An-tee-ways! I love the refreshingly cold winds at this time of year, even when the Sun is out. It keeps me smiling for most of my run! And then I love to notice the leaves changing colour to brown, rust and orange and falling to the ground like over-sized confetti. Yep, I'm all about the four seasons! With that being said, my hair routine will need to change again. Below is an anonymized (by myself) email I recently received and I thought I would share it with you. I have the permission of the person in question to use her question for a post:
Q: "Recently I have noticed that my hair breaking quite badly. I do not use heat on my hair, other than a hooded dryer when I do a deep condition or oil treatment. I do use combs to detangle as I cannot master finger detangling. Is there any advice you could give to stop/prevent this? I also noticed that although I wear a satin scarf at night and also trim my hair regularly it is splitting and has a lot of single stand knots. Would you suggest that I big chop and start again?" A: Thank you for emailing me. I would advise first and foremost to put the scissors down. Lol! Next, if hair is breaking, the first thing is that it is usually weak, aka protein-deficient. The best move for that is a protein treatment. An at-home treatment is simply adding an egg to a handful of your regular conditioner in a small mixing bowl. Apply to your hair and leave on for 20-30 minutes without heat (or eggs will cook, oops) before rinsing it out. Another alternative is an avocado and coconut milk deep condition treatment. For the foodies among you, here is a little treat!
I went to a lovely little bar in Soho tonight and the main draw for me was - you guessed it - the PUDDING! With a moreish menu offering desserts, wine and soft drinks, I was spoiled for choice. I had the Strawberry Eton Mess. And it was delicious! (see below! My humble opinion: It was well-priced and laid back with friendly staff. Definitely, give it a look in. The website is here and the menu is here! Address: 26 Greek St London W1D 5DE Opening hours: 12PM till Midnight - Monday - Saturday 12PM till 11PM - Sunday Enjoy your pudding! Divas on the Grow | Sunday 6th July 2014 This Sunday, I'll be speaking at the Mane Divas Event (in support of Sickle Cell UK) about the common causes of hair loss in women of colour.
You will get a "taster" session of either the medical classifications of hair loss or the nutritional causes for excessive hair loss. Also featuring on the day are:
So come one and all to support a good cause - and get some gems of hair knowledge and goodies to boot! Tickets sold here: (sel Divas on the Grow Eventbrite See you there! I feel moved to share this word with you, which I first heard years ago (in 2011) and wrote down: by Pastor Caesar Fajardo (visiting from Colombia). I pray this blesses you like it has myself.
A story is told of a student who felt rejected by one and all. He asked his teacher for help. His teacher was busy and had his 'own problems'. The student begged for help. The teacher sent the student to the marketplace with a ring to sell. Asking price, "one piece of gold". |
LolasCurls
Hey there!
I'm Lola - a hair obsessed doctor who stumbled into running long distances and baking all the cupcakes. I blog about life, running and of course, hair! I'm an AltraRunCrew sponsored Athlete and a "RADRabbit" with Rabbit athletic gear, so I will do the occasional running shoe review. For business enquires, email me at lolascurls@gmail.com I do not own the copyright to all the pictures so I will credit the source, where that is the case. Categories
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