Natural by Design Cosmetics was started to showcase the bevy of hair and skincare products made with natural and naturally derived ingredients.  Natural by Design Cosmetics refuses to add any parabens, mineral oil or petroleum to anything that is created. A majority of the products offered are vegan as well.  One of the main reasons that Platinum Product Junkies exists is to bring to you our loyal readers new and innovative products that you might not have other wise heard of and Natural by Design products certainly fit the bill.

We are excited to offer you a chance to win a sample pack from this innovative Etsy Company. Included in the Sample Kit are:

• Curl Magic Leave in Conditioner
• Peach Coconut Moisturizing Hair milk
• Curl Magic Cleansing Conditioner
• Body Basics Body Lotion
• Body Basics Body Wash
• Body Basics After bath Moisture Splash

To enter the contest, register at Platinum Product Junkies forum then leave your screen name in the comment section below!  We’d love for you to introduce yourself in the “Introduce Yourself” thread and jump right into the conversation.

To earn additional contest entries

1. “Follow” the Platinum Product Junkies and Natural by Design Cosmetics  on Twitter.
2. “Like” the Platinum Product Junkies and Natural by Design Cosmetics on Facebook.

Please note: Giveaway is open to US residents only. Contest winner has 48 hours to respond to email notification (please double check your email in the comment section), with a valid shipping address.

Good Luck!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s an interesting hair scenario. Maybe you’ve heard it before:

“You’ve gone natural and you love it, but your friend (who has gorgeous naturally curly hair) hates her curls and hides them with blow dryers, flat irons, and buns. You want to convince her to go natural. CAN you??”

I will give you the short answer: Nope, Never, No siree bob. You can’t convince her. Sorry to say it, but that’s the real skinny.

Why? It’s simple: the motivation/decision to go natural has to come from within and not from any outside forces. To be honest, it’s not an easy decision to make and as such, isn’t made overnight. You debate; you toss and turn, and weigh pros and cons. You have some panic attacks about the big chop and you have panic attacks over not chopping right away. You also worry about how people will see you and what they’ll think of you if your curl didn’t come from a curling iron or a rod set.

What can you do? Perhaps influencing by example can help.  Let me tell you my own true story:

(Part) of my hair story

My grandmother was exactly like most young girls growing up and hating their hair. Instead of hating her hair for 20 yrs or so, my grandmother’s perception of beauty has been influenced by 72 yrs of press & curl, perms, etc. She’s half-Chinese also, so her familial influences growing up (in addition to being West Indian) had dark, long straight hair.

Her hair isn’t like that though. It’s curly– and beautifully so with S shapes ending in ringlets. It’s a lion’s mane that cascades down her back like a dream.

It’s a nightmare for her though since it never took to the press or the perm. Her mane would just become an even frizzier hot mess. No matter what she tried, it wouldn’t ever be completely straight.  It just wanted to curl and be happy. She hated it.

Instead of hiding her hair in fuzzy buns, she just wanted long, flowy, “pretty” hair.  She “made” it happen for her daughters, and for me–her only granddaughter. Relaxers were the standard growing up.

So, when I went natural, she was one of my greatest adversaries. It was a total departure from what was acceptable, and of course she hated it. I didn’t listen to her– but I also didn’t judge her. It would have been too easy to do, but for her it’s not about not loving herself. It’s about hating her hair. Some folks think it’s deeper than that on a grander scale, but for most people, it really isn’t.

Anyway, she watched me struggle with my hair (transitioning twice, going CG with the Curly Girl method, etc), heckling me all the way. When I finally chopped off my long hair (heat damaged crap) I almost gave her a heart attack.

 Actual comments about my hair from my Grandmother…

“Oh My God! It’s not going to grow back now”

“I guess you’re still pretty”

“What are people going to think?”

“You’re a doctor, it’s not professional.”

“Why do you need all this product crap on your head?!” (Ok…point taken. LOL!)

Despite my own hidden doubts, I ignored her and was patient with my hair.  Through trial and error (and more trial), I learned how to take care of it. So when it (finally) blossomed and I was rocking this and that style, and using this and that product with success, she ALSO noticed.

This led to a slow curiosity, which over time became “Can you style my hair curly for me if I wash it?” Now, she’s curly 90% of the time and loving it– vs. the 90% she was for 70+ yrs, and hating it. Her favorite products are from Karen’s Body Beautiful and Koils by Nature. She nosily rummages through my stash on occasion and is considering branching out more this Easter when the barrage of sales comes.

So based on my experience, leading by example is the best thing you can do. Be as supportive and encouraging as you can, but you have to allow people to live as they see fit. Perhaps it will work, or perhaps it won’t. In the end, it’s all about personal happiness anyway. Happy is hair leads to a happier you!

This really made me happy though! My Grandmother’s hair is beautiful!!!

My Grandmother’s hair styled in a Wash & Go using Karen’s Body Beautiful Sweet Ambrosia Leave-In Conditioner and Koils by Nature Soothing Herbal Curl Defining Gel

Do you have a similar story or hair struggle you’d like to pose to us PJ’s? Tell us all about it and we’ll do our best to help.  We wanna hear from you!

My hair in a braidout using Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Smooth-n-Hold Pudding

So… you’re transitioning from chemically straightened hair to natural or past the transition, working with your curls, kinks and coils; but your hair still feels or looks “dry” to you. What do you do?

Well, the first thing that you need to know about curly hair is that it doesn’t reflect light well.  Unlike your previously straightened locks, curly hair is 3-Dimensional (like a helix or spiral). Due to this, curly hair is often misinterpreted as “dry” when that’s not the case. Curly hair simply needs a little more help (serums, pomades, etc) to bring its luster through.

Alright, but what if it’s not a trick of the light and your strands are in fact, dry?  If that is the case, here are some things you should consider trying to remedy the issue:

Use a thicker leave-in conditioner (LI): We often don’t realize how thirsty our natural hair is for moisture especially early on in the transitioning period because we’ve been depriving it with all the chemical processes, sulfates and silicones. For any curl to thrive, moisture has to be present. Establishing this as a base to your styling routine is essential. Now, gauging how much or how heavy a LI you need can be tricky. Only you can predict that based on your hair’s properties, but overall I would consider investing in a LI with more natural/moisture laden ingredients (Shea butter, coconut oil, Aloe vera, Avocado butter/oil, etc).  Hair milks are also a great investment. They’re not just for styling, but can be used as rinse-out conditioners or for leave-in conditioning when additional moisture is needed.

Increase the frequency of your deep conditioning treatments (DC): Are you possibly skimping on your treatments? This would be a no-no, so this is something to correct right away. No matter what phase of your natural hair journey. You need these treatments to prevent breakage and help preserve curl structure. As a rule of thumb, I believe that because of the repeated stress on the hair from prolonged use of chemical processes, that anyone transitioning from those practices to natural hair should use a DC weekly. Your new tresses will thank you for it.  After the transition is over, this can be tailored according to your individual hairs’ needs. Personally, when I was transitioning I used a DC weekly and after the transition, biweekly. As the years passed, and my moisture to protein balance improved, I didn’t need to lean on these treatments as much. I do them about once a month now.

Don’t overuse protein: Is every step in your hair regimen protein dominant? While protein helps strengthen and maintain curl structure, the use of too many protein-laden products (Examples: oat, wheat, keratin, and hydrolyzed proteins, silk amino acids) in succession can lead to dry and brittle hair over time. Check the labels on your products to be sure. This problem is easily remedied by scaling back on the protein and using products with more hydrating ingredients toward the top of the ingredient list. As most products contain some element of protein, try to use products where its lower on the ingredient list.

Use a product that seals: Adding moisture means nothing unless you’re willing to take that extra step to lock in the moisture. This step can be done with wash n go styles as well as protective styles. Consider sealing with non-occlusive oils such as: jojoba, olive or coconut, or even styling with butters. Depending on the formulation, butters are a great way to retain lots of moisture while lending a natural hold to your style. Examples of great butters include shea butter, mango butter, aloe butter, kokum butter, avocado butter, murmuru butter and jojoba butter. If you’re using gel, make sure that hold is sufficient enough to keep in the moisture.

Depending on the combination of products you use, the moisture in your hair may last anywhere from a day to several days. Even when doing everything right, the weather and other factors may require repeating the moisture and sealing processes. Every few days, I revive my curls with a refresher spray and follow with a moisturizer or oil.

You can make your own spray at home to keep your hair in good condition. An easy thing I do is in a spray bottle, mix in one part water and two parts conditioner with oils and use that as an all-in-one. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add aloe vera gel into the mix for even more moisture benefits.

Above all, hang in there! It really does get easier, and the benefits and freedoms you’ll experience with a solid hair regimen will be worth it.

Till then, live curly, and live free.

The Winner:

Evena Francois

Congrats, Evena! Please reply to your email with a valid shipping address, within 48 hours. Thanks to everyone who entered!  Stay tuned for more giveaways in the near future.

FTC Disclosure:  The item discussed below was purchased by the reviewer with personal funds.  This review is not a paid endorsement and all thoughts and ideas expressed are those of the reviewer.

Product: Karen’s Body Beautiful Butter Love.

The premise and claims (from www.karensbodybeautiful.com):

“Seals Moisture.  Works Best for Thick kinks or curls, relaxed, color treated or dry hair. Made only from rich, thick butters and luxurious oils, Karen’s Butter love conditions, softens and adds sheen to fragile, stressed hair.”

Ingredients: Shea butter, Cocoa butter, Mango butter, jojoba butter, aloe butter, essentials and or fragrance oils, grapefruit seed oil and vitamin e

Size(s): 8 oz

Price(s): $18

Look at how soft and creamy the butter love is! It just MELTS onto my hair!

This little gem is my secret weapon when I want to re-twist my hair at night or when I need soft supple hair.  It works best for me as my sealer and twisting product. You need so little of this that I have literally just gotten to the bottom of my jar after almost a year of usage. The consistency is very creamy. The look of the butter will lead you to believe you need more than you actually do.  I lay my fingertip on top of the product and press down. What clings to my skin is what I use per section under a water based moisturizer. If you’re a fan of the L.O.C Method then this is what your hair needs!

KBB products that will be available at Target starting March 18.

We’re counting down the last few hours of our Karen’s Body Beautiful giveaway.  Here’s your change to beat the buzzer and stake your claim on these awesome products!  Enter by heading on over to the original blog post HERE before midnight TONIGHT (3/19/13).  Good Luck!

Please note:  Giveaway is open to US residents only.  Contest winner has 48 hours to respond to email notification (please double check your email in the comment section), with a valid shipping address.  Items  ship directly from Karen’s Body Beautiful.  Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

FTC Disclosure:  The item discussed below was purchased by the reviewer with personal funds.  This review is not a paid endorsement and all thoughts and ideas expressed are those of the reviewer.

Karen’s Body Beautiful Hold It Hair Gel

PJs, have you heard the big news?  Karen’s Body Beautiful (KBB) is expanding their distribution network and will be available in select Target stores starting March 18!  It’s been all over social media and lots of people are excited, including me!!!  Don’t forget, Platinum PJs is giving away a set of the entire KBB line that’s slated for release at Target.  Make sure you check out the giveaway post here and enter for a chance to win!!!

Product: Karen’s Body Beautiful Hold It Hair Gel

The premise and claims (from www.karensbodybeautiful.com):

“Flexible Hold.  Works Best for kinky, curly, or relaxed hair.  Creates a natural finish with a flexible hold. ”

Ingredients: Purified Water, Argan Oil, Cellulose Thickener, Panthenol, Aloe Vera and Marula Oils, Hydrolyzed Silk Protein, Fragrance and/or Essential Oils, Citric Acid & Silver Citrate.

Size(s): 8 oz/240 ml

Price(s): $16

If you google reviews for the Hold it Hair Gel, you will find tons from ladies with hair of all textures and curl properties.  So rather than reinventing the wheel, I’m going to tell you how I incorporate it into my routine.  Even though I have so many gels to choose from, I tend to reach for this one quite frequently.  I’m not just a PJ, but a Platinum PJ (see what I did there…) which means I have more gels than I’ll ever admit sitting in my stash but here’s how I use this particular gem.

Wash and go:  I prefer gels that product a lot of shrinkage, and this provides that.  Its texture requires that I mix it with my leave in of choice to produce a cream gel type of emulsion (about a quarter amount of each per section and I section my hair into 5 sections).  I apply to soaking wet hair and as I apply the product, the gel sort of absorbs the water and causes the hair strands to clump together in perfect curls.  Once dry, I’m left with curls with a moderate amount of hold and little to no frizz that lasts for days.

Twists and twist outs:  This gel is perfect for producing nice, smooth flat twists that yield great twist outs. I use it straight out the jar; about a nickel size per section of hair that I flat twist (I use about 10 sections).  I smooth the gel through wet hair with my bootleg hair brush, flat twist, and let air dry.  For regular twists I apply a dab per section to hair that is about 50% dry and slightly stretched.  This produces twists that I can twist and produce a nice twist out or I can leave in for a few weeks that resist frizz and remain shiny.

Here are a few pictures of my hair styled with the KBB “Hold it Hair Gel”

Hope this helps you all with determining which KBB products to pick up and try once they hit a Target near you.  Make sure you enter our KBB giveaway here and good luck

FTC Disclosure:  The item discussed was purchased by the reviewer with personal funds.  This  review is not a paid endorsement and all thoughts and ideas expressed are those of the reviewer.