Nessa's Herbal Creations-Prices,Hair Counseling & More!!

Hey! I bet a few of you thought I dropped off the face of the earth. I've been M.I.A. for quite awhile, but not to worry, I'm back. ;-)
Anywho, for awhile now I've been making & selling hair products. I know, I know, "Vannesa, who isn't nowadays?" & believe me I said the same thing, for everybody & their great aunt has some type of shea butter concoction. But hey,if you can't beat 'em...join 'em!
I've always had a mental note of my prices, but that doesn't help others right? Its about time I publically posted the prices for all to see. My followers/friends on facebook have already gotten the memo, so the next stop would be my blog. Sooo,here ya go!

Prices for Nessa's Herbal Creations

Hair & Body Butter
3$ for 2oz
5$ for 4oz
7$ for 8oz
13$ for 16oz

Moisturizing spritz
4$ for 3oz

Curl Popping Hair Gelly
4$ for 3oz

Non-Stripping Black Soap Shampoo 4$ for 3oz
9$ for 12oz

*What's the story behind Nappturally Nessa's products?*

I originally made them for yours truly, & had no intention what so ever to sell them. My shampoo recipe is something I've been using for years!! I honestly want to help my afro textured ladies grow their hair to longer lengths, whether or not my products work for them because no two heads are alike. Even if you have similar curl patterns, something still may not work for you. It takes time, but you have to learn what works & what doesn't. And that's also where I step in ;-).
I give what I call "hair counseling" to those who want it. In a nut shell, I hold your hand while we walk through the process & things are explained to you on how to take care of YOUR hair, then when you get the hang of it,off I go! Ofcourse I will check in on you to see how things are going, which is another thing I LOVE because I get to fellowship & form friendship with some pretty amazing people.
I believe things would've went a lot smoother if I had someone to personally explain things to me about this whole 'natural thang', probably would've saved me a ton of time (blood,sweat & tears included). People are just soooo busy nowadays! Read this, buy this,watch this video, but even after that many are still left puzzled.  Also you can have the best products on the market BUT if you have no clue what to do, or how to do it, how exactly does that help you? Teach a man to fish, right? We'll in this case, you are given a few fish along with being TAUGHT HOW to fish.

This service is provided by a few ways:
Email-nessadodd@yahoo.com
Phone-will be provided in an email
A face to face visit-depending on where you are located, & I do charge for mileage. I like this option because its on your territory, it keeps you in a state of comfort in familier surroundings.

Any questions? Want to learn more? Feel free to reach me at the email address above!

Till Next Time!!
Nessa*

FAQ:Nessa, how long does it take to do your hair?

One of the main reasons many say they can not go natural,is because they think there is to much work involved. Truth be told, it really isnt. A good wash day for me (meaning my hair stays stretched throughout the week) lasts me about 4 hours. That includes detangling, washing, deep conditioning & styling. I know what you're saying, "Nessa thats still to long". We'll not really, I CHOOSE to wash every Sunday, but I COULD make it stretch for 2 weeks instead of one. So, that would mean 4 hours every 2 weeks, which isn't bad at all. Some naturals even go 4 weeks between washing sessions!!! Another thing, most naturals are extremely gentle with their hair. We take our time & don't rush through tangles. We treat our hair like silk, because the majority of afro textured hair is fine in diameter & will break easily if handled to rough. If we do the opposite, sure we'll get done faster but we'll lose some strands along the way. Multiply that by a few times a month, & we will have not retained much IF ANY length. I post a TON of pictures of my hair on FB, yes I know this. So it may seem to some that I'm always doing my hair. Nope. :) sometimes I just remove a bun, snap some photos & bun it back up. And we all know, that the less you do to afro textured hair, the more it will flourish. Also, if I'm not feeling the best on wash day, I may continue it the next day. I'm not about to be in the mirror 24/7, ESPECIALLY if I'm not feeling my best. Natural hair is what you make it. Everyone has different regimens/routines because we all live very different lives. The trick is to tailor your regimen, to fit your schedule & ofcourse TO FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. 

Till Next Time!!
Nessa*

Nappturally Nessa at Waistlength!!

Yes! I finally made it! As of 4/8/2013 I Vannesa Marie, has finally reached my hair goal of obtaining/retaining WL (waistlength) natural hair
Whew! So what to do now?

My Plans:
-I plan on continuing to grow out my hair as far as it will go
-Trim off maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch sometime in the fall (Lord willing)
-Retaining my length by protective/low manipulation styles, but having fun & ENJOYING my length at the same time.

Some Facts:
-Natural for 3 years (2/12/13)
-Transitioned for 8 months prior to that, trimmed off little by little every month. Wore wigs for the majority of the time.
-Check out my regimen here
-Check out my staple products here

What are some of your hair goals?

Till Next Time!!
Nessa*

Photo Recap (pic heavy)

BEWARE!

There are tons of pictures & very little words in this post.
Hope you guys enjoy!!!

Till Next Time!!
Nessa*

Quick Tip:Being High Maintenance w/ a Low Budget

Don't buy into the hype, you do not need to use expensive name brand products to maintain natural hair OR, *gasp* products that come from the "ethnic aisle".

The trick is to find what works for YOUR hair. Cheap doesn't always mean low quality. Suave, White Rain, Tresseme, & my favorite for a few years now, Silkience, are all brands many naturals w/ kinky curly hair love & use. Those products are about 6 bucks or less. Now I understand, some will remain faithful to a particular brand, & if that's what you're hair has been thriving on then great! Roll with that!
But why break the bank, when you don't have too? :)

Till Next Time!!
Nessa*

Braiding the Roots for Control & to Decrease Tangles

A technique I've been doing on & off for a few years now is, braiding the roots of my hair.
I do this mainly to decrease the amount of tangles I get, & to have some sort of control over my hair.
I currently have 48 braided roots on my head as I speak. The more sections I have, comes more versatility with styles & the easier the process of finger detangling is. I usually will do anywhere between 30-60 sections. Below I have listed the pros & cons, so as to explain a little better.

Pros:
•Keeps hair sectioned
As a natural, we tend to keep our hair in sections during many things. Washing, moisturizing & sealing, detangling,etc. Doing that just makes our lives easier, it keeps groups of hair separate & dare I say it...more manageable. With this method, my hair stays sectioned. Styles become easier to do, since its pretty much already parted. I can even wet my entire head when wash day comes around, with out having the fear of it becoming a matted & tangled mess,because I didn't loosely braid it beforehand.

•My styles look neater at the roots If you've ever had box braids, you may have seen that even after a week or two, they still look decent. You may have a little fuzz goin on, but not much as opposed to twists which fluff up,frizz & loosen a lot faster. All it takes is a bit of gel or some other product, & a scarf left on over night for your braids to look good as new. The same principle applies to my braided roots. I can also just re do the braids in the front to refresh the style.

•Makes finger detangling easier
I simply take down each section one by one, finger detangle & rebraid. That's it!

•Shed hairs stay put
The problem with shed hairs, especially on afro textured hair is when they fall, they do not completely FALL. Meaning, they cling onto the healthy, unshed hair causing tangles & sometimes even knots . I still have some "sheddies" that gather at bottom of my hair, but its not a problem like it once was. The majority of them are caught in the braided root.

•Style versatility as if it were loose hair
I am able to do some styles, that otherwise would be a headache to do on loose hair. I just love french braids! :) but because of the length, curls, density of my hair, & probably laziness, I am not able to. You know how easy it is to braid hair that has already been braided, or even twisted? Same thing here. ;)

Cons:
•Spacey & visible parts
Because I finger part, my parts are less visible. And after a few days, I don't have that "spacey" look going on. If you're someone who loves to use a comb to part or who has less than medium density hair, know that your parts will be alot more visible.

•The roots coming unraveled
If you have a really loose curl pattern or don't braid down at least 1/4 to 1/2" it may unravel. Also, if you are relaxed or transitioning, you will need at least 1/2" of new growth to try this method & no less than medium density hair. Keep in mind that the more you wet, & condition your hair w/ the roots braided, over time they will loosen. Some may even come completly unraveled because of this, all you can do it just re braid.

•Your true length is hidden
Shrinkage is something we as naturals are extremely familier with. Depending on the tightness of our curls, it may shrink up to as much as 75% of its actual length. My hair is waistlength, but it can shrink up to my ears if I let it. When I braid or twist my hair, it automatically takes off 1"-2" of my length (I measured lol),so braiding my roots isn't any different.

This method may benefit you IF:
-Your hair is past SL (shoulder length) stretched
-The majority of your curls are tighter aka kinkier
-You have medium to high density hair, that's difficult to part with a comb.
-You have major issues with tangling/matting because your curls weigh more on the "kinkier" side

I hope that this post was helpful to somebody! let me know if you have tried this method, & how it worked out.

Till next time!!
Nessa*

YouVersion Plan- You Are Never Alone by Joyce Meyer

Grief and loneliness are major problems facing people today. The two often go together because many Christians and unbelievers grieve over being lonely. In my ministry, an increasing number of people request prayer for loneliness.

God's Word tells us plainly that we are not alone. He wants to deliver, comfort and heal us. But when you encounter painful losses in your life, you can lose sight of this simple truth.

Satan wants you to believe you are alone. He wants you to believe that no one understands how you feel, but his claims are false. In addition to God being with you, many believers understand what you are experiencing mentally and emotionally.

You are not alone now nor will you ever be, no matter what confronts you.

You may not understand much when you are hurting and the pain of loss is ripping through your soul, but know and hold on to this one truth: God loves you, and He has a future for you. Hope in Him and trust Him to turn your mourning into joy (see Isaiah 61:1-3).

Prayer Starter: God, I can't always see through my grief and loneliness, but I know that You never leave me. Help me to remember that You are near, and guide me to other believers who I can join with to fight off the enemy's attacks.

My Thoughts:
For the longest time, I kept myself away from others. Being around people made me feel uneasy, so I felt it was best that I be alone. The problem with that, is that I was alone with my thoughts & my mind was a constant battlefield. I allowed depression & suicidal thoughts to take hold of my spirit & soaked in self pity. I prayed for strength, guidance & the confidence to be around others. It was around this time, that this scripture was revealed to me:

2 Timothy 1:7 GWT

God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment.

It took baby steps, but with His help I finally pulled myself out of that hole. I became more involved with my church family, & He still continues to bless me by surrounding me with encouraging people. Its great to have those around you,who have the same goal in mind, which is to know more about God & live a life that is pleasing to Him. Getting & keeping you alone,is just one of the many tricks the enemy has. Back then, I wasn't as strong in Christ as I am now. It was easy for him to get into my head & manipulate my thoughts, then kick me when I was down. But praise be to God, I have never been back to that place again. :)

Till next time!!
Nessa*

Updated Regimen Basics & PICTURES!!

This is kinda like a rough draft of the basics that I do with my hair. Some things have changed, so this is why I am reposting. I also threw in a few collage photos!!
Hope it makes sense lol if it doesn't, feel free to ask your questions in the comment section.

-1st week I wash with my black soap shampoo, usually scalp only & let the lather run down the length of the braids to cleanse them.

-2nd,3rd,4th & 5th week I rinse with water & deep condition only

-finger detangle before washing by spritzing hair with a  water/conditioner/oil mix in a spray bottle & a dime sized amount of my crisco & coconut oil cream for the ends

-wash & detangle hair in 9 sections, then loosely braid

-pre poo with my crisco & coconut oil mix

-rinse deep conditioner out with cold water

-moisturize as needed with aloe/water spritz

-use braids or bantu knots to stretch hair after moisturizing & sealing

-on "shampoo" days,I put oil on the crown of my head ontop of the lather to help prevent fuzzies

-sometimes I add honey to my deep conditioner for an added 'umpf'

I think that about covers it!

Till next time!!
Nessa*

Updated Wash Regimen & Staple Products

A few things have changed in my wash regimen, to save me some time & GRIEF :) its not much, but every little bit matters.

Staple Products
-Shea butter
-Crisco
-Safflower,castor & coconut oil
-Black soap
-Aloe vera juice
-Yes to cucumber/carrots body butter
-Silkience conditioner
-Garnier fructis come clean conditioner

(1)Wash day(soap)
(A)Wash day(water rinsing)

1/A-Dampen hair with my conditioner/water/ oil mix,finger detangle with a nickel sized amount of oil

2/B-Loosely braid hair in using 6 braids, band the ends to prevent unraveling

3-Apply soap mixture to scalp using applicator bottle, distribute a small amount of oil on the crown on top of the lather

C-Rinse hair & massage scalp w/ warm water for 5 or more minutes

4/D-Squeeze out excess water

5/E-Saturate hair with conditioner,and deep condition with cap 30 mins or a previously heated conditioner for 15 mins

6/F-Completly rinse out hair with cold water

7/G-Squeeze out excess water

8/H-Let hair dry under a tshirt or a microfiber turby for 15 mins

9/I-Moisturize with Yes To Carrots body butter, & seal w/ my crisco & coconut oil cream. Spritzing as needed if hair begins to dry,with aloe vera juice/water.

10/J-Put hair in about 20 braids for stretching

11/K-NEXT DAY-When braids are dry,take down each one & leave as is for a braid out,bun it, or do someother style

12/L-THAT NIGHT-Put hair in two ponytails using satin scrunchies. Moisturize w/ aloe vera spritz, & seal w/ crisco & coconut oil cream. Braid each ponytail, banding along the braid if needed & tucking away the ends. Mist a satin scarf w/ water, and tie it around my edges.

Length of Time:
•1hr 20mins-Prepoo,finger detangle & braid
•20 mins- Let pre poo sit
•15 mins-Water rinse or Shampoo
•20 mins-Apply conditioner for deep conditioning
•30 mins-Deep condition
•10 mins-Rinse out deep conditioner
•15 mins-Dry hair w/ turby twisty
•1 hr 40 mins-Moisturize,seal,braid for stretching

Total time-
4hrs 50mins
Roughly-5hrs

Till next time!!
Nessa*

What has helped me,on my journey to a healthier me!

These are just some of the main things that keeps me going as I continue to shape up & strengthen.
Maybe, someone else will benefit from these as well.Enjoy!

•Not punishing myself for something I ate the day before,by either excess workouts or restricting what I eat.
•Knowing that there are no "bad foods", some foods may not be the healthiest, but nothing is bad.
•Eat what I want, when I want...in moderation ;)
•Remembering that working out is more than just losing weight,for me. Its also pain management for whatever illness I have right now. Staying mobile keeps me & my muscles happy.
•Drinking 20oz water w/ every snack & meal. 10oz before & 10oz after.
•20 grams protein,5 grams fiber per meal & 10 grams protein,3-5 grams of fiber per snack
•Morning workouts before eating
•Staying active! Whether its jogging on the treadmill or swinging at the park. I love to swing!! Lol #bigkid
•Reading weight loss testimonials on CalorieCount or where ever & seeing the before & after photos.

Till next time!!
Nessa*

FAQs-Part 1

Just a few FAQs for your consumption :) more will come!

How long have you been natural?
-This Febuary (12th I think) will make 3 years...BUT I have been growing my hair out for about 4. Its important to ask how long have you been growing out your hair instead of asking how long they have been natural. Some transitioned for 2 years & then "BC", they may have only been natural for a few months when you see them.

Do you use any growth aides? (Vitamins/growth oils/etc)
-I take a multi vitamin from GNC, its not a "hair growth vitamin" either. Lol its for vegitarians. And I'm not even consistant with them. Bad Nessa, I know.

What do you use on your hair?
-I use many things. They are usually the repeat of the same products. See my staples in this post. When people ask this question, I can't help but think they think that whatever I'm using on my hair is what got it to "grow" the way it does. O_o No, our hair is always growing, its what you do to it that determines how much you retain aka how much hair you keep on your head. Funny story, I was in a grocery store one evening & these two older ladies approached me. One asked if my hair was mine,(it looked like this) then upon answering yes she asked what I use on it. I will almost always give people the exact answer they asked for. I won't go into a decription of my wash days, my regimen, finger detangling,protective styling, yada yada yada. I feel that not everyone really cares about all that lol & even if you were to tell them, they may not even take that advice because they feel its just to much work for some hair. Magic pill anyone? But anyway, I told her "crisco", because that's what I use the majority of the time. Especially on my ends if my hair is out. Gah, were they shocked!! Lol I had to throw in there that I mix it with other oils before I apply it to my hair. Boy they took that & ran w/ it! I could only imagine that they probably left the store w/ a small container of crisco & a bottle of olive oil. :-p

Do you grease your scalp?
-No,I do not. I can't remember the last time I even used grease on my hair. I really don't see the need of ME putting any kind of oil or grease on my scalp to be honest. I realize that its just something we've always done in the black community, & some people figure why should they stop. They shouldn't if its working for them. Many longer haired naturals do this with no problems. I just don't :)

How tall are you?
-Okay, this may not be a FAQ BUT its kinda an important question. I am about 5'1 or 5'2 with about 18 or 19" of hair. This puts it at the lower end of my back, I need about 20" or 21" to make waist length. For some naturals who may be a tad bit taller than me, 20" for them might put them at BSL (or bra strap length). Their torso is longer than mine, so they would probably need about 24" to make waist. Now on a child, 20" of hair just might be at their tailbone or longer depending on the height of the child. Remember this when you see somebody shorter than you, with the same amount of inches but it might be to their waist but yours is only to your bra food for thought.:)

Okay, we'll I'm going to call it quits for right now BUT I SHALL RETURN!!! Sorry its been so long since you guys have heard from me. I don't want to long of a post ;) can't have you noddin off over there.

Till next time!!
Nessa*

Real Talk:Asthma...Inhaling Reality

  A few weeks ago, I had an asthma attack. It came out of no where, & was so bad my best friend had to call EMS. A few days after that, I happen to look on Facebook & see that somebody had passed because of one. Seeing that really hit home, because as I've gotten older I've been very nonchalant about having this. And for a while, I even stopped refilling my inhalers. My mom has been struggling with asthma all her life,but she was also a smoker. So hey, I figured that since I don't smoke, I'll be just fine. Soooo many people have it, & that gave me even more reasons to shrug it off. Also, I've been battling with some serious muscle issues for almost 3 years now, so asthma continued to sit on the back burner.

  It shouldn't be that way, & should never even got to that point. I don't care how many people have it, any illness that prevents you from breathing is serious. Its shameful though, because I had to hear about someone passing for me to put this back in reality. I give thanks to my Heavenly Father,for He could've easily made that my last attack.
  I'm happy to report I have an inhaler with 200 pumps (close by I might add) ,with 5 or more refills AND another prescription with even more refills. :) You better believe Vannesa Marie is on top her game now.
  If you or someone you love also has asthma, PLEASE stay on top of yours as well. Don't wait untill some tragic event like I did to kick you into gear. Educate yourselves!! for we must be proactive, not reactive.
  
  Breathing is what we do everyday. It doesn't require much thought, if any at all. Unlike walking, talking, or feeding ourselves, it happened naturally moments after we exited our mothers womb. So simple, yet so precious. And something I won't take forgranted anymore.

For further reading:
American Lung Association
Asthma-Mayo Clinic
COPD
Asthma-Wikipedia
Asthma-Symptoms
Asthma-Preventions
Asthma-WebMD
Asthma in children
Teaching your child about asthma

            Happy New Year!!!!
  

Till next time!!
Nessa*

Photo credits:
Photo1
Photo2