Brown paper packages tied up with string...

These are a few of my favourite things =)

I love Christmas! The sights, the sounds, the smells, the shopping ... it truly is the most wonderful time of the year! 

A LOT more people have been buying handmade gifts (not just at Christmas time!) It's a great way to support local artisans/crafters/entrepreneurs, besides, everyone enjoys unique, handmade gifts, right? And buying handmade often means that you get one-of-a-kind items. Not to mention, how much time and effort has been invested in making each item. When you buy handmade you can be sure that your gift was made with love!

This year, why not pick up some of our hair and body treats for your friends and loved ones? I'm sure they would appreciate that our products are handmade with love from wholesome ingredients! Our body care products will be available in our limited edition Christmas themed scents from December 1st. Our Christmas packages will also be available soon!

Get a head start on your Christmas shopping and get lovely handmade items at the many craft markets happening this season. "Just Bee You!" Beauty Products will have a booth at ThingsTT Indie Market this weekend (November 29th). So If you live in Trinidad, it's the perfect opportunity to stock up on hair and body goodies =) Come by our booth to browse or to make sure you get exactly what you want, contact me to place your order now and just collect it at the event. You can learn more about Things TT on their website or find them on Facebook.

Did I mention admission is FREE? More money to shop with =) So see you there!

By the way, if I'll be vending at any more markets before Christmas I'll be sure to let you know, so come back to the blog or check the Facebook page often! 

I'm Just Beeyoutiful! - Spotlight on Akia

It’s time to highlight another Just Bee You'ser and their experiences with the products! This spotlight is on Akia who was able to benefit from our customization services and have a product that was created just for her! Read on to find out more… 

Tell us about your hair…

I have always had natural hair. I have never experienced anything else. My parents, especially my dad, never believed in chemically-treated hair especially when I was a child. I have dreadlocks now and I have had them since 2001; September to be exact. 

Describe your hair care regimen (including the products you use)? 

My hair care regimen is not a very long one - my hair is washed once per month (no, it doesn't smell because of how I treat it), steamed every three (3) months and dyed every six (6) months. I had been using 'Sunsilk' Shampoo and Conditioner (particularly for colour-treated hair) and about two years ago I switched to 'Suave Professionals' Almond and Shea Butter Shampoo and Conditioner (Moisturizing). As for my dye products, I use 'Clairol' Textures and Tones (because of the length of my hair, I usually use 6 to 8 boxes to get that rich colour).

How long have you been using “Just Bee You!” products? How has your experience with the product line been so far?

I have been using the “Just Bee You!” Oils ‘n’ Herbs just about a year now and I recently began using the Baby Bottom Balm (recent as in last week...lol). I love the way the Oils ‘n’ Herbs make my scalp feel and not to mention the shine...it is just beautiful. I have two boys: 4 years old and 4 months old and the Baby Bottom Balm has been working wonders on them both. It is not too greasy and their skin feels so soft.

What is your favourite “Just Bee You!” product?

My favourite product is the Oils ‘n’ Herbs (I guess as it was my first). What I really like about this product is that it is tailored to suit me. I cannot use Olive Oil in my hair; it would itch and that itching is enough to send me crazy. The olive oil was replaced with grape seed oil and that combination has done me well. Even my hairdresser has commented on how healthy my scalp looks whenever I use it.

What are 5 hair items / products you can’t live without?

1. My customized Oils 'n' Herbs

2. Let's Jam (this is what I use to twist my locs)

3. Mango and Lime Moisturizer (I use this one to moisturize to my ends)

… okay, so I don't have 5.

What are some of the lessons you've learnt on the journey to healthy hair?

Be careful who puts their hand your hair. When I started my locs, I had many admirers who would like to touch (most of the time without permission) and in 2003, I thought I would have had to cut off ALL of my hair because my hair began to drop. My hairdresser told me that, if anyone wants to touch my hair they have to ask my permission and I can say no if I don't feel comfortable.

What one piece of advice would you give to anyone trying to maintain healthy hair?

You would not know which product is the right one for you until you have tried them all; experimentation is a key factor. Not all maintenance processes are good; I never interlock my hair because it damages my roots however, another person may do it because that is the only way their hair would stay. Again you have to figure out what is the right process/product for you.

What do you love most about your hair?

I love the fact that although my hair is natural, I can style it just like or even better than chemically-treated hair. I love its versatility. I also love the reaction from my husband when I have a hot, new style! India.Arie said, "I am not my hair." I think she got it wrong, I am my hair and my hair is me.

(Remember, if you'd like to be featured as an "I'm justbeeyoutiful" spotlight, give me a shout!)

Building a Hair Regimen - Part 2

So you've gone through all the questions outlined in Part 1 of this post and you've made your notes, now you can begin developing your hair regimen! This next step will take a little bit of effort, but only for a while, eventually when everything is figured out it will just become part of your lifestyle. 

Break down your regimen into the main areas or categories you believe fall into your daily hair care routine. These categories can vary based on each individual though there are some categories which are common to all hair types, whether your hair is natural or relaxed, a 'loose nappy' or wear locs, whether your hair is naturally curly or naturally straight. Categories include: cleansing, moisturizing, styling, touch-ups, etc. When you have your categories, based on the notes you made previously, you can make decisions about what you'll do in each category. Let's do an example...

Let's say you've made these notes: "I'm a no-fuss, no-frills kind of person, but I still like to look good and be fashionable. I do have some ability when it comes to styling my own hair though I could use some practice especially for more elaborate styles. I'm a young professional, and I need to be polished when I go to the office, since it's a fairly formal corporate setting. I wear my hair in its naturally coily state, it's about shoulder length and I've set a hair-goal to reach armpit-length by my next nappiversary. My hair is coarse, coily and prone to dryness, but it is thick and strong and in good condition."

The four categories you've decided on are: Cleansing & Deep Conditioning, Moisturizing, Styling, Length Retention. So your regimen can now begin to take shape:

a solid hair regimen helps promote discipline and
consistency - healthy hair is the ultimate end result

"Cleansing & Deep Conditioning - I will wash and deep condition every weekend. I will use a moisturizing deep-conditioner to aid with my dryness issues. My shampoo is really drying, I need to explore alternatives or treat hair with coconut oil before shampooing." 

"Styling - I will refresh or re-do hairstyles each weekend to keep my hair neat for work. The styles I am best at doing are twists and flattwists. These will be my staple styles with some professionally done braids when I need a break from styling. I will style my hair with flax seed gel which works well to keep my styles neat all week"

Just go from one category to the next and make notes based on what you currently do or would like to do. During this period you will have to experiment with different techniques and even different products until you find exactly what fits into your lifestyle and what works best for your hair. After this 'trial period' is over you'll have a solid hair regimen, supported by a strong product arsenal. It takes some effort, but it's worth it in the end in the quest for healthy hair! 

Handy headwraps for bad hair days...

 All hair is good hair, but all 'hair days' aren't always good ones! Head wraps are a fabulous way to get through a "bad hair day" unscathed =) Sometimes I forget how handy headwraps can be:

You're on vacation, and you're more interested in seeing the sites that seeing about your hair? Head wraps don't take up much space in your suitcase but can be a cute accessory and handy time-saving tool! Just pack 2 or 3 head wraps in neutral colours which can go with various outfits...

On the go and your twistout starts to frizz from the humidity? A handy headwrap converts a failed twistout into a cute chunky puff.

A headwrap can take you from this:

to this, and out the door in 5 minutes.

Half-way through braiding/combing your hair and your friends call you to go hang out for a bit? =) 

Head wrap to the rescue!

Headwraps ... the ultimate 'bad hair day' fix!

Building a Hair Regimen

be consistent ... your hair will thank you for it!

Many natural newbies and anyone interested in beginning a healthy hair journey, may often wonder: “Do I NEED to develop a hair regimen? Can I just ‘wing it’ and take things as they go? Will following a regimen be difficult? Will I get bored?” Listen, I firmly believe hair should be fun, not work! So it’s not like I want to take the fun or creativity out of anyone’s hair journey, but I think developing a hair regimen can really make a huge difference in the positive results you can achieve in your quest for healthy hair!

Following a hair regimen may sound like a tedious task, but trust me the more you practise a system; eventually it becomes like second nature and it will just become part of your lifestyle. I’ve found that once I am consistent my hair thrives, from the time things get haphazard I see a change in the health of my hair. Maybe it’s all in my head =) but let's continue. If you’re like me and you tend to get bored easily you can incorporate creativity even in the habitual. For instance, if you perform a particular task routinely you can switch up the products used to achieve that task, especially if you’ve found several things that work for you. So, for example your weekly deep conditioning session can involve greek yogurt, olive oil and honey one week, or store-bought hair mayonnaise the next week, yet another week – half an avocado from your fridge with an egg for protein.

When building a regimen, here are a few things to consider:

Your Personality: Are you a “no fuss” kind of person? Then try to avoid a routine that’s too complicated or elaborate, eventually you may just get frustrated. If you’re a creative type, you may be able to incorporate several different activities into your regimen to peak your interest or several different ways to accomplish the same goal.

Your Skill Level: I know, I know, persistence has its place but let’s be real for one second here: not everyone is good at doing hair! (did I say that? =) yep!) Yes persistence pays off, but there are some people that get things right away and others who will need time to hone certain skills and techniques. So ask yourself: How comfortable do I feel doing my own hair? What techniques can I do well /do I need to work on? Maybe you can do certain aspects of the routine yourself and have someone else help you with styling, OR maybe you’re good at styling but you really tangle your hair when you wash. Evaluate your skills honestly and then decide what you can improve with practice and what you may need assistance with.

Your Lifestyle: What is a typical day/week/weekend like for you? Are you a graduate student with a busy schedule on a tight budget? A mom of toddlers with very little ‘me-time’? An athlete? Keep your regimen practical and relevant to you.

Your Hair Goals: Do you want to retain more length? Are you transitioning? Whether you’re working on your thinning hairline or split ends, or you have breakage, dryness issues, or even want to maintain what you have. Your goals are a great way to help you plan and to inspire you to keep going on your journey.

Your ‘Hairsonality’: What does your hair like? What works for one person’s hair may not work for yours, so listen to what your hair is ‘saying’, it’s not always about what the latest trend in hair care is. What is your hair type? Now, I don’t necessarily follow the numbering system, but it’s a useful exercise to see if the regimen of persons whose hair looks similar to yours can work for you (or if they wear a similar hairstyle to yours, such as locs). Also based on the type of hair you have you can decide honestly what can be in your regimen. I for one know that I don’t really have ‘wash and go’ hair, I have ‘wash and fro’ hair, #keepinitreal LOL so I would not try to incorporate a “wash and define curls and head out for the day” session into my regimen, it just has never really worked on my hair.

I will do another post soon on my own hair regimen so you can see how I sectioned everything out, but until then, take a few minutes to sit and consider these questions and make some notes and soon you’ll be on your way to developing an iron-clad hair regimen!

(yes there's more! =) in Part 2)

Product Feature – Herbal Sachets

If you're looking for new ways to boost your hair regimen, I would definitely suggest regular herbal rinses - it’s an easy way to reap the benefits from the many wonderful herbs Nature provides for us.

Soothe your scalp with gentle chamomile, restore hair’s natural lustre with rosemary and nourish the hair with horsetail, rich in hair-strengthening silicon. And don’t forget nutrient-rich nettle and the powerhouse of antioxidants – rooibos. These herbal sachets are little a nutritious all-natural ‘tea-break’ for your hair!

For maximum effectiveness, catch the hair rinse in a bowl as you pour it over your hair. Then repeat the rinse several times to ensure full coverage. Be sure to get some of it on your scalp as well. Rinse out if you’d like or leave it in for maximum benefit.

And if you’re a bit lazy =) sorry busy and find it inconvenient to do the rinses, why not steep the herbal sachets and apply the liquid to your hair with a spray bottle? You can even keep the bottle in the fridge and use it as a daily refresher for your hair (only make enough of the liquid to be used within in a week since the liquid will begin to go bad).

I do hope you enjoyed our product feature today, Next up is a crowd favourite - The Cocoa Shea Skin Smoothie is in the spotlight tomorrow!

Product Feature – Oils ‘n’ Herbs Hair & Scalp Oil

We’re half way through this 7-day series where we feature a different product made by “Just Bee You!” each day. The product we’ll talk about today I honestly believe belongs on everyone’s dresser =) It transcends so many hair types and styling options from close cropped fades, to afros or locs and bone straight relaxers.

Chock full of natural goodness, the Oils ‘n’ Herbs Hair and Scalp Oil delivers luxurious hair, a healthy scalp and adds radiant shine! It’s formulated with: coconut oil (one of the few oils which penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen from within), extra virgin olive oil infused with a blend of vitamin-rich herbs to condition and strengthen the hair, and a special essential oil blend which is both stimulating and nourishing to the scalp.

One of the BEST things about this product is that it’s a MULTI-USE product! Here are some of the various uses for Oils ‘n’ Herbs and I am sure as you begin to use it you can come up with many more!

Oils 'n' Herbs - the ultimate multi-tasker!

- Use to ‘oil’ your scalp or for scalp massages to stimulate the scalp

- As a sealant: apply onto freshly moisturized or slightly damp hair to seal in moisture

- Instead of ‘oil sheen spray’ try rubbing a small amount of this oil on your hair for radiant shine

- Warm the oil and use as a hot oil treatment

-  Add some into your favourite deep conditioner to “beef it up” a bit

- Ran out of massage oil/ body oil? Oils ‘n’ Herbs can be a suitable substitute  =)

- Apply and leave in for at least 1/2 hour as a “pre-shampoo” treatment then wash and condition as usual

- For those with naturally curly/coily hair who do ‘dry detangling’, apply to your hair to provide extra slip

- If you use a relaxer, apply onto the entire length of your hair, concentrating on the ends (avoid new growth) to prevent over-processing of your ends /damage from overlapping relaxers.

Whenever my hair needs a little “pick me up” I give it a light mist of Herbal Hair Spritz (sometimes I skip the spritz and still receive good results) and then apply OILS 'N' HERBS throughout my scalp and hair, put on a plastic cap, then my satin cap and go to bed - can we say SOFT hair  next day!

This product is 100% natural and contains no mineral oil, no preservatives or artificial fragrance. You can also customize it according to any of our available options – scalp health formula, growth stimulation formula, strength formula, extra gentle formula (for children/babies) or extra peppermint.

What uses can YOU come up with for the Oils ‘n’ Herbs? Share your ideas below! While you’re thinking about it, come back tomorrow for the next Product Feature: Herbal Sachets.

Product Feature - Shea and Herbs Hair Butter

I had some internet issues yesterday (and still am) sooo I’m featuring two JBY products today, so that hopefully by tomorrow God-willing if my technical issues are ironed out we can be back on schedule. Let’s look at the Shea and Herbs Hair Butter, which was the first product I started experimenting with years ago, so it has a special little space in my heart!  =)

The Shea and Herbs Hair Butter is a rich blend which includes a generous dose of unrefined shea butter, herbal infused oils and other nourishing ingredients, such as honey. Shea butter as many may know, does not only contain beneficial vitamins and minerals, but also absorbs slowly into the strands strengthening them from within.

Shea and Herbs Hair Butter contains a generous amount of shea butter

I usually recommend this (as opposed to the Hair Souffle) for relaxed or pressed/flat-ironed hair since it does not contain water which may cause heat-styled hair to revert. Anyone who uses ‘grease’ for any reason in your regimen – on your scalp, as a sealant, replace your jar of conventional “grease” with this product.

The Shea and Herbs Hair Butter contains no petroleum or mineral oil; no artificial fragrance or colouring or preservatives and it’s also customizable.

Tomorrow we’ll feature Oils ‘n’ Herbs Hair and Scalp Oil, so stay tuned!

Product Feature - Herbal Hair Spritz

Does your hair need a liquid fix? Herbal Hair Spritzes are just the thing for you! 

So many people constantly battle dry, crispy hair. While many factors can contribute to dryness, including the very structure of curly/coily hair or even the weather, a major reason is: many people don’t moisturize their hair =) I know it sounds crazy but many of us still believe that “grease” or even oil can ‘moisturize’ our hair. Picture this: It’s a really hot day, you’re sitting under an umbrella at your beach of choice, and you’re soooo thirsty! You could really do with a glass of cold, refreshing butter to quench your thirst….Yes something’s wrong with that picture, but it’s the same thing we do to our thirsty hair all the time!

Your liquid fix! 

I will do a post on the best way to moisturize your hair very soon, but for now just remember this – water moisturizes, oils/butters nourish and seal in moisture. So it’s important to have water or a water-based product in your regimen. The Herbal Hair Spritz is just that – it’s a water-based, moisturizing hair mist formulated with herbal extracts, aloe vera and essential oils, and it’s the perfect treat for thirsty tresses!

Apply a light mist to hair as a daily moisturizer, or layer it under one of our hair creams/butters for longer lasting moisture. I use this product as a moisturizing spritz/leave-in conditioner and as a mild detangling aide. If I plan to wear my hair out in a puff for the day, a light mist of this spritz keeps my puff soft, prevents it from drying out too much during the day and makes comb-out in the evening a lot easier.

This is also a great product for transitioners who need to soften new growth to prevent breakage, or for persons who have a relaxer and want to keep their new growth soft in order to stretch the time between relaxers.

Loc wearers can use this to prevent stiff locs or itchy scalp, as it’s light and won’t create build-up or lint.

You can even use it as a braid spray. If you use it faithfully while wearing the your protective styles (like braids/weaves) when you remove it your hair will be moisturized! And it keeps itching at bay!

The Herbal Hair Spritz is customizable into any of our available options, I like it in “extra peppermint” for more ‘zing’ when I spritz it into my scalp!

The Product Feature Series continues for the entire week, come back tomorrow when we highlight the Shea and Herbs Hair Butter.