Here's to hoping everyone is doing great!I am still on the hair basics series and today I wanted to share some information on split ends.What they are,how they happen and how to fix them.Whether natural or relaxed we've probably had issues with split ends before and we've always been told that the only option is to cut off the split end before it travels up the hair shaft.That is simply not true!I've had to trim a least 2 inches of my hair in the past because I would keep cutting off whatever split end or single stranded knot I saw in my hair.If you wash your hair often,then you know that you can end up trimming your hair every single week,and that is simply not practical for me.Our hair grows at the average rate of 0.5 inches a month,so if I cut off an inch every couple of months there's no way I'm going to be able to retain length and get the long hair I want.So what do you do then?Here's a short video that was very helpful to me!
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Hair Basics:Deep Conditioning
Whether your hair is natural or relaxed you've probably at some point been told to deep condition your hair.If you've left your hair care to a hair care professional or hair dresser then they've probably had you do a deep condish.I know I used to get them all the time,but I didn't know why I needed it.Since becoming natural and taking care of my own hair,I've realised that it is one of the single most important things helping me.Here's why:
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Biotin and other supplements to grow hair
This post is controversial and I know that a lot of people will disagree with me.However,I believe that this information is vital to everyone who is interested in growing their hair.I do not write this post as a final verdict on hair growth supplements and products but just to give information on them.However someone chooses to use this information is their personal responsibility,even though I do believe personally that these things are not required.
We've probably all searched at one point or the other for medications or miracle solutions to help us grow our hair faster.Doubtless some of us are currently using some of these supplements and maybe experiencing results,but do we really need to take these supplements?Let's look at some of the most popular ones.
1.Biotin
Almost everyone has seen biotin somewhere in reference to growing hair.A lot of people take this supplement and will testify that it has been helping their hair grow faster.Just as little science background,biotin is a vitamin in the B vitamin
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family.It is also called Vitamin H or coenzyme R.It basically functions as an essential part of cell growth,fatty acid synthesis and breakdown of fats and amino acids.Normally,bacteria in our intestines produce biotin,and they usually produce more than enough for us.The excess is then removed from our bodies.The question then becomes if we already have this produced in excess why do some people take extra?It is rare to come across people with a biotin defieciency,so the vast majority of us taking this vitamin really do not need it.Added to this is the fact that there is little to no scientific evidence supporting biotin as a hair growth supplement.On top of that reported side effects of taking this supplement include breakouts such as acne on the skin and increased shedding of hair.Add to this the fact that you can get a lot of biotin from eating healthy foods such as peanuts and leafy vegetables and I begin to wonder if extra is necessary.Here's the summary:most of us taking biotin do not need it.However,if we still want to take it because it helps our hair,then that's a personal choice.
2.Prenatal vitamins
Another popular supplement of choice for growing hair,these vitamins are consumed by a lot of people.It is originally meant for pregnant women because when we're pregnant we need higher amounts of these vitamins and minerals for our baby as well.Most of these we usually obtain these from food and we get enough for just ourselves.If we are eating healthy, exercising and drinking water
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we should be ok in this department.Some of us may get deficiencies in vitamins or minerals,at which point specific supplements are prescribed for us.So if there is no deficiency why do we still take extra?And let's not forget that the concentration of vitamins and minerals in prenatal vitamins are higher than in regular ones not meant for pregnancy.Once again,this is a personal choice whether to take them or not.
3.Others
Here there are all kinds of names and supplements that I can't list.Take for example the drug used to treat yeast infections,Monistat 7.Apparently that's a new thing for growing hair as well.
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All of these things go back to a simple question:do we really like our hair as it is or are we still trying to get someone else's hair?Have we realised that we are more than hair?I really believe that our hair does not define who we are and we should learn to love it just the way it is.If for a medical reason your hair isn't growing and you go take these supplements then that's a medical reason.But does a perfectly
healthy woman need to take these supplements just because they want longer hair faster?That's for you to decide.
We've probably all searched at one point or the other for medications or miracle solutions to help us grow our hair faster.Doubtless some of us are currently using some of these supplements and maybe experiencing results,but do we really need to take these supplements?Let's look at some of the most popular ones.
1.Biotin
Almost everyone has seen biotin somewhere in reference to growing hair.A lot of people take this supplement and will testify that it has been helping their hair grow faster.Just as little science background,biotin is a vitamin in the B vitamin
2.Prenatal vitamins
Another popular supplement of choice for growing hair,these vitamins are consumed by a lot of people.It is originally meant for pregnant women because when we're pregnant we need higher amounts of these vitamins and minerals for our baby as well.Most of these we usually obtain these from food and we get enough for just ourselves.If we are eating healthy, exercising and drinking water
3.Others
Here there are all kinds of names and supplements that I can't list.Take for example the drug used to treat yeast infections,Monistat 7.Apparently that's a new thing for growing hair as well.
All of these things go back to a simple question:do we really like our hair as it is or are we still trying to get someone else's hair?Have we realised that we are more than hair?I really believe that our hair does not define who we are and we should learn to love it just the way it is.If for a medical reason your hair isn't growing and you go take these supplements then that's a medical reason.But does a perfectly healthy woman need to take these supplements just because they want longer hair faster?That's for you to decide.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Is Castor Oil really all that we say it is?
So we've probably all heard about the wonders of castor oil for hair growth and thickening.I use castor oil myself because of this thing that I read about it.Some of us have taken part in castor oil challenges so we can use it to grow our hair or edges,but is it really true?Does it really work the way we think it does?Here's an article I found which answers this question.Just click on this link and go read it.
After that,let us know if you agree or disagree.Maybe you have some personal experience with castor oil you want to share.We'd love to know!
And while we are on the topic,does it matter what type of castor oil you use?Here's another article comparing Black castor oil to regular castor oil.Just in case you always wondered,this is a very useful article.I hope these articles help answer some questions!
Til later,stay blessed.
After that,let us know if you agree or disagree.Maybe you have some personal experience with castor oil you want to share.We'd love to know!
And while we are on the topic,does it matter what type of castor oil you use?Here's another article comparing Black castor oil to regular castor oil.Just in case you always wondered,this is a very useful article.I hope these articles help answer some questions!
Til later,stay blessed.
Styling braids or twists:The simple tie and tuck
This hairstyle is a very simple,quick and convemient one for when you need to do something different with your briads or twists and don't have time,need a nicer look or just want your hair out of your face.You don't need anything and I particularly like it because I don't have to put bobby pins in my hair,which I really don't like.Whenever I put any pins in my hair,I end up taking them out because I feel uncomfortable.Not so for this style.
1.Push all your braids straight back from your face.If you want a part in there somewhere,part the braids where you want it.Otherwise all of your hair will need to be back.
2.Take about half a handful of braids/twists in each hand from each front side of your hair and tie it loosely at the back of your hair.This is the tie part of the name.Loosely so you don't pull out your edges,and not too many braids so the knot doesn't remove or look too big.
3.You will have space between your tied back hair and your braids.Gather the remainder of your braids and push them into that space gently.Think tucking.You're basically tucking those braids into that space.Keep going till all of the braids are in there and the ends are secure and not showing.
And that's pretty much it!You can accesorise with whatever you want,but this style pretty much works by itself and still looks great especially when your braids have been in for a while and look frizzy.I did this a lot after my twists had been in for 4 weeks.Here are some pictures of how mine turned out.
1.Push all your braids straight back from your face.If you want a part in there somewhere,part the braids where you want it.Otherwise all of your hair will need to be back.
2.Take about half a handful of braids/twists in each hand from each front side of your hair and tie it loosely at the back of your hair.This is the tie part of the name.Loosely so you don't pull out your edges,and not too many braids so the knot doesn't remove or look too big.
3.You will have space between your tied back hair and your braids.Gather the remainder of your braids and push them into that space gently.Think tucking.You're basically tucking those braids into that space.Keep going till all of the braids are in there and the ends are secure and not showing.
And that's pretty much it!You can accesorise with whatever you want,but this style pretty much works by itself and still looks great especially when your braids have been in for a while and look frizzy.I did this a lot after my twists had been in for 4 weeks.Here are some pictures of how mine turned out.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Blowing out your hair:African Threading from Ghana
Heat may be used to blow out and style hair,but in order to prevent damage to hair the heat has to be used at a low temperature and it has to be used sparingly.Also a heat protectant will help to reduce the risk of damage,but its not a sure fix.So how do you stretch out your hair for a style that requires it?Maybe you want a nice big fluffy fro but your 4C hair isn't cooperating or you just want your hair to look like its actual length.Maybe you're going to braid your hair and want your hair to be smoother so you need to blow it out.If your hair is relaxed or transitioning you may want to stretch your new growth so you can style your hair.This technique is very useful for any of these purposes.It is
-heat free
-chemical free
-hair damage free
-reduces shrinkage.
My mom uses this threading technique all the time(and her natural hair is awesome if I do say so myself) and when I was transitioning she used to do it for me a lot so my hair would be more manageable.Here's the method.
1.Section your hair into small manageable sections and hold each section with a clip.The size and number depends on you,but the general rule of thumb is smaller sections will result in better stretching than bigger sections,but they also take longer.I usually use medium pretty sections,about 6 all over my head.
2.You will need to make sure each section is detangled and moisturized. If its dry spritz on a little water/aloe vera juice and seal with a little oil/shea butter.You will also need hair thread from Africa if you can get it,or regular yarn.You will want to make sure the yarn can be used for braiding hair so it doesn't tangle your hair up.
3.Take one end of the thread or yarn and pull till its about 4 times the length of your hair.Fold that back onto itself so you have a double piece,kind of like looping thread through a needle and getting two pieces of thread joined together.Cut that off.It might help to do one section of hair for starters,use the thread to make sure it will be the length of thread you need,then use that as a template for more thread.
4.Beginning with whichever section you prefer,put your thread/yarn at the bottom of the section.Begin twisting the thread around your hair,making sure that each part of your hair is covered.This motion is hard to describe,but you are kind of rolling or tying the thread around your hair,not like regular twists in your hair.Keep up with this to the tip of your hair and tie the end of the thread well to prevent unravelling.
5.To help you sleep or look sane(lol) because when you're done you will look crazy,tie each section to an adjoining one flat on your head so it looks like a flat twist or corn row.Leave this overnight and that's it!Overnight is recommended because this technique needs a few hours to work.It is also a nice protective style,working well with wigs.If you plan to wear it with wigs,try to make sure you part your hair where your wig is parted and make sure to tie the sections as close to your scalp as possible.
So that's it!I have posted a video below from +AfroDiva Nally to help explain this better.
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Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
-heat free
-chemical free
-hair damage free
-reduces shrinkage.
My mom uses this threading technique all the time(and her natural hair is awesome if I do say so myself) and when I was transitioning she used to do it for me a lot so my hair would be more manageable.Here's the method.
1.Section your hair into small manageable sections and hold each section with a clip.The size and number depends on you,but the general rule of thumb is smaller sections will result in better stretching than bigger sections,but they also take longer.I usually use medium pretty sections,about 6 all over my head.
2.You will need to make sure each section is detangled and moisturized. If its dry spritz on a little water/aloe vera juice and seal with a little oil/shea butter.You will also need hair thread from Africa if you can get it,or regular yarn.You will want to make sure the yarn can be used for braiding hair so it doesn't tangle your hair up.
3.Take one end of the thread or yarn and pull till its about 4 times the length of your hair.Fold that back onto itself so you have a double piece,kind of like looping thread through a needle and getting two pieces of thread joined together.Cut that off.It might help to do one section of hair for starters,use the thread to make sure it will be the length of thread you need,then use that as a template for more thread.
4.Beginning with whichever section you prefer,put your thread/yarn at the bottom of the section.Begin twisting the thread around your hair,making sure that each part of your hair is covered.This motion is hard to describe,but you are kind of rolling or tying the thread around your hair,not like regular twists in your hair.Keep up with this to the tip of your hair and tie the end of the thread well to prevent unravelling.
5.To help you sleep or look sane(lol) because when you're done you will look crazy,tie each section to an adjoining one flat on your head so it looks like a flat twist or corn row.Leave this overnight and that's it!Overnight is recommended because this technique needs a few hours to work.It is also a nice protective style,working well with wigs.If you plan to wear it with wigs,try to make sure you part your hair where your wig is parted and make sure to tie the sections as close to your scalp as possible.
So that's it!I have posted a video below from +AfroDiva Nally to help explain this better.
<
Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Protecting your hair while swimming and exercising
This is one of the things that I personally struggled to find a solution to because when I became natural I was worried I couldn't go swimming again.I love swimming and the thought of not swimming was not appealing so I looked for a solution.Here's how I protect my hair when I'm going swimming, and these tips should help both natural and relaxed hair.
1.Part the hair into four sections.If your hair is in a protective style such as braids or twists please do the same.If its corn rows or flat twists then you can skip this step.
2.Get your bottle of conditioner and apply to each section thoroughly.You can use a cheap conditioner(I use V05),and please make sure that each hair strand is completely covered with conditioner.
3.Apply any oil of your choice on top of your conditioner to your sections of hair.Extra virgin olive oil is what I usually use.
4.You can twist each section of hair up if you can.If you can't then you can cover with a swim cap and you're good to go.I have also swam without a swim cap several times,and I do apply conditioner and oil to my hair before I swim so my hair is usually fine.However a swim cap is recommended.
5.After swimming,wash your hair thoroughly with clean water and use a good shampoo to wash your hair.After that you can apply conditioner or deep condition and you are good to go!
When I'm exercising a lot(like right now I exercise everyday) I wash my hair at least twice a week,once a week with conditioner and the next time with a clarifying mudwash. This helps to prevent sweat and salt buildup on my scalp.After washing I usually deep condition and then style my hair.
So that's it!Depending on how active you are,I hope this post is helpful to you!
1.Part the hair into four sections.If your hair is in a protective style such as braids or twists please do the same.If its corn rows or flat twists then you can skip this step.
2.Get your bottle of conditioner and apply to each section thoroughly.You can use a cheap conditioner(I use V05),and please make sure that each hair strand is completely covered with conditioner.
3.Apply any oil of your choice on top of your conditioner to your sections of hair.Extra virgin olive oil is what I usually use.
4.You can twist each section of hair up if you can.If you can't then you can cover with a swim cap and you're good to go.I have also swam without a swim cap several times,and I do apply conditioner and oil to my hair before I swim so my hair is usually fine.However a swim cap is recommended.
5.After swimming,wash your hair thoroughly with clean water and use a good shampoo to wash your hair.After that you can apply conditioner or deep condition and you are good to go!
When I'm exercising a lot(like right now I exercise everyday) I wash my hair at least twice a week,once a week with conditioner and the next time with a clarifying mudwash. This helps to prevent sweat and salt buildup on my scalp.After washing I usually deep condition and then style my hair.
So that's it!Depending on how active you are,I hope this post is helpful to you!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Feature Wednesday:African Hair Blog
Today is Wednesday and I'm going to try and share a good blog with you every Wednesday.All the blogs will be owned by Africans and will either relate directly to hair and beauty or to health since that influences our hair as well.
Today's blog is dedicated to providing information to African women who want healthy relaxed hair as well.Some of the posts are helpful for natural haired ladies too.Apart from this it also includes some useful information on caring for your hair while its in protective styling such as braids.Please head on over to African Hair blog for more articles and reviews especially if you have relaxed or
chemically treated hair.Owned by Tendayi who lives in South Africa,this blog has been around for about 2 to 3 years and serves all African women.She also reviews a number of products which are suitable for natural hair and did a recent post on products purely for natural hair so definitely check her blog since there will be lots of useful info.
I haven't shared any updates on my hair in a while and that's because I have been so busy that my protective style is now in its fourth week and needs freshening up. I've washed it and moisturise it regularly but I need to refresh some twists so it looks good.I will share more on how I wash the Marley twists and refresh the style as well.I am also going to make the twists into faux dread extensions and hopefully they will look good.Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Today's blog is dedicated to providing information to African women who want healthy relaxed hair as well.Some of the posts are helpful for natural haired ladies too.Apart from this it also includes some useful information on caring for your hair while its in protective styling such as braids.Please head on over to African Hair blog for more articles and reviews especially if you have relaxed or
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| Tendayi of African Hair Blog |
I haven't shared any updates on my hair in a while and that's because I have been so busy that my protective style is now in its fourth week and needs freshening up. I've washed it and moisturise it regularly but I need to refresh some twists so it looks good.I will share more on how I wash the Marley twists and refresh the style as well.I am also going to make the twists into faux dread extensions and hopefully they will look good.Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Good Hair Practices for healthy long hair
Despite the fact that I have completely natural unrelaxed hair I will be sharing a lot of information that I believe is beneficial to both natural and relaxed hair sisters.This is because a lot of the things that work for natural hair also work for relaxed hair.So long as you're here to learn to grow your hair and take care of it so that its as healthy as possible you will benefit from this blog.I will therefore be featuring not just natural hair profiles in the Featured hair section,but also ladies with relaxed hair to encourage everyone seeking healthy hair.
Today I wanted to share a little bit about things that we can do on a regular basis to grow healthy hair.A lot of these involve the scalp because that's where the hair is growing out of,but some of it is also focused on our bodies.
1.Massage your scalp
Scalp massages stimulate your hair follicles and increase blood flow to your scalp,helping to boost how much oxygen and nutrients your hair follicles are getting.This results in healthy hair growth.Try massaging your scalp with a light oil on your finger tips at least once a day.Apart from hair growth,its very relaxing!
2.Keep your scalp clean
If in doubt,refer to the first post in the hair basics series.Clean scalp=good hair growth.Dirt will clog all the pores in your scalp and slow down the gas exchange process which is critical to hair growth.To stop this from happening,try and wash your hair and clean your scalp as much as is possible.
3.Moisture,moisture,moisture
Once again,if in doubt read the first post.Visualise your hair like a young plant.The roots will always need water to grow,just like your hair.I will do a post on the science of hair,but keeping your hair moisturised is one of the single most important determinants of how healthy your hair will be.If you're relaxed this is usually easier but its harder with natural hair.If you remember to do this,you're halfway there.
4.Drink water
Staying hydrated will help you remove waste and toxins from your body and this also affects your hair.One of the first signs of a diseased body is unhealthy looking dull hair that is breaking.Drinking a lot of water will usually help ensure that you are healthy and your hair will be too!
5.Eat healthy
Your hair is built from protein.Your body needs protein not for your hair(lol) but for other essential processes without which you would die(no kidding).So if you were your brain,sending protein that is in limited supply to the hair follicles is a misplaced priority when your immune system needs it,for example.This is why you have to eat a balanced diet.If you get enough protein then your brain can turn its attention to your hair.Vitamins and minerals work the same way.Without them your hair will be brittle and breaking off.Eat well and you'll have enough to keep your hair healthy.And when I say eat well I am assuming you know what that means because you've probably heard it too many times now!..Same applies to exercise..lol!
6.Stop fighting your hair
A lot of us do that with our combs,headbands,ties and even our fingers.Stop fighting with your hair.If you're trying to run a comb through it and its not working don't force it through.Stop trying to style your hair when its dry and resistant to any parting.You will just weaken your hair strands.One of the most important clues that you are not fighting your hair and that your hair is growing healthily is not to have pain when you're combing or styling it.If your scalp hurts,you aren't doing it right.Always remember this one thing as it will be a good way to keep track of yourself.
7.Keep it simple
This isn't just for the health of your hair,its for the health of your pocket and all those around you.Try to keep it simple with your hair.There's no need to spend tons of money on products when you can make some of them on your own.You don't have to do a different style everyday because it will actually damage your hair.Your regimen doesn't have to be complicated.You can actually just relax and enjoy yourself.Try not to obsess over your hair.You don't need to buy every new supplement that says it will grow your hair.Stick to healthy food,exercise and water and you'll be surprised at your own hair.I'm not saying don't take vitamin and mineral supplements,though that is the subject of another post.
Finally,watch this video because laughter is great for your health,and your hair!She was talking about getting thick hair but the tips work either way...Stay blessed and fabulous!
Today I wanted to share a little bit about things that we can do on a regular basis to grow healthy hair.A lot of these involve the scalp because that's where the hair is growing out of,but some of it is also focused on our bodies.
1.Massage your scalp
Scalp massages stimulate your hair follicles and increase blood flow to your scalp,helping to boost how much oxygen and nutrients your hair follicles are getting.This results in healthy hair growth.Try massaging your scalp with a light oil on your finger tips at least once a day.Apart from hair growth,its very relaxing!
2.Keep your scalp clean
If in doubt,refer to the first post in the hair basics series.Clean scalp=good hair growth.Dirt will clog all the pores in your scalp and slow down the gas exchange process which is critical to hair growth.To stop this from happening,try and wash your hair and clean your scalp as much as is possible.
3.Moisture,moisture,moisture
Once again,if in doubt read the first post.Visualise your hair like a young plant.The roots will always need water to grow,just like your hair.I will do a post on the science of hair,but keeping your hair moisturised is one of the single most important determinants of how healthy your hair will be.If you're relaxed this is usually easier but its harder with natural hair.If you remember to do this,you're halfway there.
4.Drink water
Staying hydrated will help you remove waste and toxins from your body and this also affects your hair.One of the first signs of a diseased body is unhealthy looking dull hair that is breaking.Drinking a lot of water will usually help ensure that you are healthy and your hair will be too!
5.Eat healthy
Your hair is built from protein.Your body needs protein not for your hair(lol) but for other essential processes without which you would die(no kidding).So if you were your brain,sending protein that is in limited supply to the hair follicles is a misplaced priority when your immune system needs it,for example.This is why you have to eat a balanced diet.If you get enough protein then your brain can turn its attention to your hair.Vitamins and minerals work the same way.Without them your hair will be brittle and breaking off.Eat well and you'll have enough to keep your hair healthy.And when I say eat well I am assuming you know what that means because you've probably heard it too many times now!..Same applies to exercise..lol!
6.Stop fighting your hair
A lot of us do that with our combs,headbands,ties and even our fingers.Stop fighting with your hair.If you're trying to run a comb through it and its not working don't force it through.Stop trying to style your hair when its dry and resistant to any parting.You will just weaken your hair strands.One of the most important clues that you are not fighting your hair and that your hair is growing healthily is not to have pain when you're combing or styling it.If your scalp hurts,you aren't doing it right.Always remember this one thing as it will be a good way to keep track of yourself.
7.Keep it simple
This isn't just for the health of your hair,its for the health of your pocket and all those around you.Try to keep it simple with your hair.There's no need to spend tons of money on products when you can make some of them on your own.You don't have to do a different style everyday because it will actually damage your hair.Your regimen doesn't have to be complicated.You can actually just relax and enjoy yourself.Try not to obsess over your hair.You don't need to buy every new supplement that says it will grow your hair.Stick to healthy food,exercise and water and you'll be surprised at your own hair.I'm not saying don't take vitamin and mineral supplements,though that is the subject of another post.
Finally,watch this video because laughter is great for your health,and your hair!She was talking about getting thick hair but the tips work either way...Stay blessed and fabulous!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Hair Basics:How to train your stylist...and why I became natural!
I have been asked why I decided to stop perming my hair and go natural.That's a question with such an interesting and dramatic answer that I did a whole post on it here.If you don't like reading it there,try it on this one.A surprise awaits you when you click to go read it.I hope you're not too let down by my reasons for being natural.I just happen to have a very different way of looking at the reasons and motivation people may have for doing what they do and I just don't believe in looking or dressing a certain way because that's what the media has said I
should wear through movies and books and music and all that stuff.The end result is a 'fake' woman as I would call it(I mean no offense by that term).Please go read this post to see what I mean before you get mad at me!..lol. Enough ranting!On to hair!
I have just updated the Hair Profile page with an amazing hair story that I'm sure you're just going to love.I hope it encourages someone to see that its possible to be natural and take care of your own hair,even when you live in a country where good products are hard to come by.
I know that a lot of the people who visit this blog may either be natural or relaxed,but would like to learn how to take care of their own hair.Some of us however would prefer to have hair stylists or other people do our hair for us. This post is meant to help just such people know what they have to do in order to ensure that their hair doesn't get damaged.Ready?Let's go!
Hair stylists,especially those in Africa,are notorious for damaging hair and scalps.They are usually trained to make you look good,not feel good.A common saying you're likely to hear is 'Beauty is Pain'.Even the natural hair salons that are supposed to have a bit more expertise are not really better because they only style and don't know how to really take care of their clients' hair to grow it and cause no pain.In order to hep minimise the damage likely to occur from salon visits,here are a few helpful things to do.
1.Include your salon visits into your regimen and take responsibility for them
Here's what I mean.Don't just go sit in the chair and let the stylist do whatever they want.Plan your salon visit the way you would plan your own hair care if you were going to do your own hair.Determine what day you will go,pack your hair products in preparation and have your money ready..lol. Plan your salon visits so that you know which days you get a protein treatment or a hot oil treatment.Remember those are important too!Prepare for your visit and tell yourself you're going to get pampered,not hurt.A positive outlook helps!
2.Get a bag for the salon
In your salon bag,you would keep all the products that are a normal part of your regimen.If you're newly natural and just reading this,check out my previous post on the basics of a regimen.You will be needing a good sulfate free shampoo or natural cleansing product if you plan to shampoo,a conditioner for use after shampooing or for washing your hair if you co-wash,a good deep conditioner for deep conditioning after washing your hair,a leave-in conditioner and an oil/butter such as a shea butter mix to seal in the moisture.If you will be doing a protein treatment that day,you need your protein treatment.If its a hot oil treatment day,make sure the oil is in the bag.Depending on the style you plan to get,put a styling product in the bag if you need one.Whatever be the case,be prepared.
3.Be ready to speak up
If you're going to just plomp yourself in the chair and expect your stylist to do everything right,then you have another thing coming.A lot of these stylists have no idea what they're doing to you or your hair.It is your job to tell them when they aren't doing it right.I know,I know.They will get annoyed or whatever.But remember tip 1?TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! What I like to do is to tell myself that this is an investment for my hair.I use the same salon all the time and chances are
so do you.If that's the case try and have a relationship with your stylist and tell him/her that you want to try and grow your hair.Therefore you're going to need their help to do so.You're going to need to tell them when they're hurting you or trying to run a fine toothed comb through your hair,for instance.Tell them nicely and they might not get offended.If they do,then you might need to find someone that doesn't get offended.You need to make sure that they don't keep doing the same thing to your hair that causes it to damage so be ready to talk.
If you feel any pain on your scalp,speak up.Tell them you like your edges and not to braid them too tight.Tell them to detangle your hair after deep conditioning with wide tooth comb and not a tiny comb.Be ready to do the detangling yourself, if need be, to show them how to do it.This is why its important to have a relationship with the stylist.This way,you can talk to them and they're not likely to get angry.
4.Be ready for the long haul
Don't be a salon jumper for too long.Try and find a salon that will let you stick with one stylist otherwise you will be saying the same things every week.Its easier to call ahead and make sure your assigned stylist is ready for you.That way you don't have to go and subject yourself to someone else who does't know what
you need.Be prepared to spend about 2 hours in the salon whether you're relaxed or natural.Be ready to pay for good service when you do find a good salon.
5.Your hairstyles should be helping,not hurting you
This is an important tip.If you want healthy hair,you have to make sure your hairstyles are helping with your aim.Pick hair-dos that are lovely and chic,but will not put strain on your hair.Some hair styles will put so much strain on your hair edges that you have to spend time growing them back.Others will result in such tangled hair that its just not worth it.Remember the realistic expectations post?Its important that you remember this.If you want to grow long hair for example,it might be better to get a low manipulation or protective style that will protect your hair from the damage of daily handling.Whatever style you pick,also remember that you have to take it to school or work and it needs to be appropriate.
In conclusion,if your scalp hurts when your stylist is doing your hair,they aren't doing it right. It shouldn't hurt unless its getting damaged.Show them what they should do and go with the products you need.Remember that we do not scrub
the scalp with our nails.We use the soft pads of our fingers to wash our hair.If they begin to vigorously scrub your hair(like they used to do to me so much so that I got a headache) have them stop.If they try to use heat on your hair too often too much or with no heat protectant,tell them to stop.Be ready to train your stylist.It won't be easy,but beautiful healthy hair with no pain and a great stylist will be your reward.Totally worth it I'd say!
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| Low manipulation style |
I have just updated the Hair Profile page with an amazing hair story that I'm sure you're just going to love.I hope it encourages someone to see that its possible to be natural and take care of your own hair,even when you live in a country where good products are hard to come by.
I know that a lot of the people who visit this blog may either be natural or relaxed,but would like to learn how to take care of their own hair.Some of us however would prefer to have hair stylists or other people do our hair for us. This post is meant to help just such people know what they have to do in order to ensure that their hair doesn't get damaged.Ready?Let's go!
Hair stylists,especially those in Africa,are notorious for damaging hair and scalps.They are usually trained to make you look good,not feel good.A common saying you're likely to hear is 'Beauty is Pain'.Even the natural hair salons that are supposed to have a bit more expertise are not really better because they only style and don't know how to really take care of their clients' hair to grow it and cause no pain.In order to hep minimise the damage likely to occur from salon visits,here are a few helpful things to do.
1.Include your salon visits into your regimen and take responsibility for them
Here's what I mean.Don't just go sit in the chair and let the stylist do whatever they want.Plan your salon visit the way you would plan your own hair care if you were going to do your own hair.Determine what day you will go,pack your hair products in preparation and have your money ready..lol. Plan your salon visits so that you know which days you get a protein treatment or a hot oil treatment.Remember those are important too!Prepare for your visit and tell yourself you're going to get pampered,not hurt.A positive outlook helps!
2.Get a bag for the salon
In your salon bag,you would keep all the products that are a normal part of your regimen.If you're newly natural and just reading this,check out my previous post on the basics of a regimen.You will be needing a good sulfate free shampoo or natural cleansing product if you plan to shampoo,a conditioner for use after shampooing or for washing your hair if you co-wash,a good deep conditioner for deep conditioning after washing your hair,a leave-in conditioner and an oil/butter such as a shea butter mix to seal in the moisture.If you will be doing a protein treatment that day,you need your protein treatment.If its a hot oil treatment day,make sure the oil is in the bag.Depending on the style you plan to get,put a styling product in the bag if you need one.Whatever be the case,be prepared.
3.Be ready to speak up
If you're going to just plomp yourself in the chair and expect your stylist to do everything right,then you have another thing coming.A lot of these stylists have no idea what they're doing to you or your hair.It is your job to tell them when they aren't doing it right.I know,I know.They will get annoyed or whatever.But remember tip 1?TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! What I like to do is to tell myself that this is an investment for my hair.I use the same salon all the time and chances are
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| Crazy twist-out |
If you feel any pain on your scalp,speak up.Tell them you like your edges and not to braid them too tight.Tell them to detangle your hair after deep conditioning with wide tooth comb and not a tiny comb.Be ready to do the detangling yourself, if need be, to show them how to do it.This is why its important to have a relationship with the stylist.This way,you can talk to them and they're not likely to get angry.
4.Be ready for the long haul
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| Perm rod set on 4C hair |
5.Your hairstyles should be helping,not hurting you
This is an important tip.If you want healthy hair,you have to make sure your hairstyles are helping with your aim.Pick hair-dos that are lovely and chic,but will not put strain on your hair.Some hair styles will put so much strain on your hair edges that you have to spend time growing them back.Others will result in such tangled hair that its just not worth it.Remember the realistic expectations post?Its important that you remember this.If you want to grow long hair for example,it might be better to get a low manipulation or protective style that will protect your hair from the damage of daily handling.Whatever style you pick,also remember that you have to take it to school or work and it needs to be appropriate.
 |
| Kinky twists |
the scalp with our nails.We use the soft pads of our fingers to wash our hair.If they begin to vigorously scrub your hair(like they used to do to me so much so that I got a headache) have them stop.If they try to use heat on your hair too often too much or with no heat protectant,tell them to stop.Be ready to train your stylist.It won't be easy,but beautiful healthy hair with no pain and a great stylist will be your reward.Totally worth it I'd say!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Featured blog..and the politics of Good Hair
Going natural or learning to take care of your own hair is more political than I thought.I watched Chris Rock's Good Hair recently and even though some things have changed with regards to relaxers,a lot of the issues remain the same.Its all about the money,from the relaxers to oils to combs to Indian and Brazilian hair.If you haven't watched that movie,I recommend it for anyone looking to gain insight into all the different aspects of hair on People of African origin.In effect,I believe that the change towards natural hair is cutting revenue for companies that make products for chemically treated hair.However,they are already bouncing back and making products that they market to us for natural hair.I guess this isn't a bad thing,but at the end of the day,no matter what kind of marketing they do or whatever image we are told to have,I think that it is a very personal decision how someone chooses to wear their hair and so long as they are happy and healthy its not anyone else's place to tell them what to do.However, it is really important to watch movies and documentaries like this one because then you get a lot of information and you can make an informed choice.Enough said. I've posted the trailer below.If you like it and want to know how you can watch it,please comment below and I'll let you know.
Today's featured blog is the first Ghanaian blog on hair I ever read.When I first became natural I was looking for information for my hair written by someone
who could relate to me,especially since I am African and sometimes getting some products for my hair was difficult.I also just wanted to know that it was possible to keep this really tough hair texture natural.Its written by two lovely ladies,one with relaxed hair and one with natural hair(side note:her hair is just fabulous!).Ghanaianemprezz is also evolving to be a completely natural hair blog since Abena,one of the bloggers,is transitioning.If you're transitioning definitely visit the blog for tips on maintaining your hair during transitioning.Their old posts on relaxed hair are still up as well.They share a lot of good information
on haircare for mainly Ghanaians since they live in Ghana. However a lot of their posts are also quite applicable to everyone so please check them out.They also make videos with tutorials and hair care tips that will be very helpful.
I will resume the series on Hair Basics soon so don't forget to keep coming back!Please comment,subscribe and share any posts that you find useful.Thank you so much for reading.Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Today's featured blog is the first Ghanaian blog on hair I ever read.When I first became natural I was looking for information for my hair written by someone
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| Afrodiva Nally,one of the writers of Ghanaian Emprezz |
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| Afrodiva and Abena,the bloggers at Ghanaian Emprezz |
I will resume the series on Hair Basics soon so don't forget to keep coming back!Please comment,subscribe and share any posts that you find useful.Thank you so much for reading.Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
To co-wash or not to co-wash?.That is the question
Over the past week we've talked about a number of things to help with our hair,and yesterday I shared the basics of a hair care regimen in this post.Following a simple regimen is the easiest way to fix dry tangled hair once and for all.For a lot of you who read and watch a lot of hair tutorials,you probably noticed that I didn't talk about co-washing and may be wondering why.
Co-washing is basically 'conditioner-washing',that is washing your hair with conditioner.For a lot of natural haired ladies,co-washing is a part of their regimen.Instead of washing hair with shampoo,a lot of us prefer to use conditioners to wash our hair.The reason for this is to basically help keep your hair soft and moisturised.Shampoos generally tend to remove a lot the hair's natural oils and leaves
it so clean that you have to immediately replace that moisture or risk hair damage.For afro-textured hair,its already particularly difficult to keep the hair moisturised because it is so tightly coiled and absorbs very little water.That's why a lot of natural hair ladies will wash their hair with conditioner so that right from the cleansing stage your hair has moisture.
In yesterday's post,I didn't bring this up because I think that the decision to co-wash your hair or not will depend on a number of factors.
1.Your location
I think that co-washing works great when your hair isn't exposed to a lot of dust and heat from the sun which causes your scalp to sweat.For an African living in a typical African country,you are faced with lots of dust and sunshine on a daily basis.I really don't think that a conditioner is cleansing enough to remove all of that dirt from your hair.It is purely my opinion based on my own
experience,but in such an environment washing with a sulfate free shampoo,mudwash or African black soap shampoo is more likely to remove all the dirt and sweat and still leave your hair nice and moisturised,especially if you pre-poo before washing.
2.Your lifestyle
Directly related to your lifestyle will be how much you sweat and how much time you spend outdoors.If you spend a lot of time outdoors,you get more impurities into your hair that you will need to wash out.If you exercise a lot for example then your scalp will need to be cleaned better than someone who doesn't exercise as much.If you swim,then most definitely you will need a good shampoo or natural cleanser to remove the minerals,salt and chlorine from your hair.If you consider all these factors and you don't think co-washing will work for you,then you need to consider a good shampoo or natural cleansing product.
3.The products you use and your styling techniques
Dependent on where you live,chances are so far you haven't been using all natural products in your hair because you don't have access to them.These products,even after you wash them out,will leave some residue behind in your hair and scalp.For example,a lot of gels contain alcohol,parabens and mineral oils and all these are very good at sticking to your hair and staying on your scalp.Co-washing alone doesn't remove these products completely.After a while,you will notice your hair isn't
as healthy,shiny or thick as before and doesn't stay moisturised as well as before.Your hair will also usually feel greasy or weighed down.In this case,you may have product build-up which happens when you use a lot of commercial products.In order to remove product build-up,you have to use a shampoo,mudwash or black soap.Co-washing will only make the build-up worse.
These are the 3 main reasons why co-washing wasn't on yesterday's list,especially since this blog is targeted mainly to Africans living in Africa..;).What I have personally found to help,is to alternate co-washing with shampooing.If I shampoo my hair once a week for example,I will co wash in the middle of the week or something like that,depending on if I have the time.I hope this post has helped answer a lot of concerns for you.My next post will probably be on the politics of natural hair and hair health with regards to physical exercise and water sports such as swimming.And I have a fabulous blog lined up for our next featured blog so don't forget to check back.Please subscribe,like,comment and share!
Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Co-washing is basically 'conditioner-washing',that is washing your hair with conditioner.For a lot of natural haired ladies,co-washing is a part of their regimen.Instead of washing hair with shampoo,a lot of us prefer to use conditioners to wash our hair.The reason for this is to basically help keep your hair soft and moisturised.Shampoos generally tend to remove a lot the hair's natural oils and leaves
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| Image from Officially Natural |
In yesterday's post,I didn't bring this up because I think that the decision to co-wash your hair or not will depend on a number of factors.
1.Your location
I think that co-washing works great when your hair isn't exposed to a lot of dust and heat from the sun which causes your scalp to sweat.For an African living in a typical African country,you are faced with lots of dust and sunshine on a daily basis.I really don't think that a conditioner is cleansing enough to remove all of that dirt from your hair.It is purely my opinion based on my own
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| From Ghana Natural Hair community Facebook page |
2.Your lifestyle
Directly related to your lifestyle will be how much you sweat and how much time you spend outdoors.If you spend a lot of time outdoors,you get more impurities into your hair that you will need to wash out.If you exercise a lot for example then your scalp will need to be cleaned better than someone who doesn't exercise as much.If you swim,then most definitely you will need a good shampoo or natural cleanser to remove the minerals,salt and chlorine from your hair.If you consider all these factors and you don't think co-washing will work for you,then you need to consider a good shampoo or natural cleansing product.
3.The products you use and your styling techniques
Dependent on where you live,chances are so far you haven't been using all natural products in your hair because you don't have access to them.These products,even after you wash them out,will leave some residue behind in your hair and scalp.For example,a lot of gels contain alcohol,parabens and mineral oils and all these are very good at sticking to your hair and staying on your scalp.Co-washing alone doesn't remove these products completely.After a while,you will notice your hair isn't
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| Photo from Black Girl Long Hair |
These are the 3 main reasons why co-washing wasn't on yesterday's list,especially since this blog is targeted mainly to Africans living in Africa..;).What I have personally found to help,is to alternate co-washing with shampooing.If I shampoo my hair once a week for example,I will co wash in the middle of the week or something like that,depending on if I have the time.I hope this post has helped answer a lot of concerns for you.My next post will probably be on the politics of natural hair and hair health with regards to physical exercise and water sports such as swimming.And I have a fabulous blog lined up for our next featured blog so don't forget to check back.Please subscribe,like,comment and share!
Till next time,stay blessed and fabulous!
Monday, April 1, 2013
No more dry,tangled hair..forever!
Happy Easter everyone!I trust we all enjoyed a lovely time.I was supposed to have posted something on Saturday but was a little busy with some school work.Never fear though because here it is.
We have been sharing information you need to have for your hair and my last post dwelt a little bit on how to begin the journey to natural hair with my own experience as an example.If you missed that post just click here to read it.
So at this point, I'm going to assume you've made your choice and you know which path you're going to use.As I said in my very first post, no two heads are the same and so please do not feel obligated to follow the method someone chooses to use to go natural.The same method may not work for you because of your own different hair or schedule or just individual differences.We usually share our experiences with you so you can decide to use them as examples for your own journey and to be encouraged to know that you can get where you want to get.
The biggest complaint I get from natural sisters, especially of African origin and those that are considering going natural, is "My hair is so hard!It gets tangled easily and I can't comb it.It is too painful!It is so dry"..and so on and so forth.Today I'm going to share with you very simple things you can do to solve this problem.
Now, this may seem like a huge letdown for some of you, but dry, hard and tangled hair is not a unique experience to only you.Probably everyone who went natural without knowing all the things I'm going to share with you has had this problem at some point.I had this problem when I took my braids out after my big chop.My hair was such a mess that it took me 2 days to detangle(no kidding).I nearly gave up and went to buy a relaxer there and then, but +Annette Akye encouraged me and I decided to stick it out.Why was my hair so tangled?That is a question for another post I
will write so you can avoid making the same mistakes.So anyway, how did I get rid of the tangles and how do I keep them out of my hair right now?The answer is simple really: A regimen.
Now that you're completely natural,you need to work out a methodical schedule for your hair so that you can keep it soft and moisturized.Moisturized hair doesn't tangle as easily as dry hair,and its easy to manage.So how do you start a regimen?You need 3 basic components and after that, you can decide what to do and when to do it.
1.Cleansing your hair and scalp
Remember one of the things I said in the first post about dirty scalps?If you want your hair to grow well and stay moisturized, you need to clean both your scalp and hair regularly.How often you do it depends on you, but you can do it as often as you have time.In order to clean your hair and scalp, you need either a good sulfate free shampoo, mild action shampoo or a natural cleanser/detoxifier such as a mud wash or African black soap shampoo.Why not just regular shampoo?Sulfates in the shampoo remove all the natural oils and moisture that keeps your hair strong and soft, so if you use them you will end up with dry hair and a really dry scalp resulting in hair breakage.That's why it is recommended that you use a sulfate free shampoo. Two of my favorite sulfate free shampoos are from Cantu (available here for my Ghana-based audience or here internationally) and the creme of nature moisture and shine shampoo (available here for my Ghana-based audience or here internationally).
An extra step before you wash your hair which will help your hair to lose as little moisture and natural oils as possible is the 'pre-poo' step.Here, you basically put an oil such as olive oil or coconut oil into your hair with water and cover with a plastic cap for about 30 minutes to an hour before you shampoo or wash your hair.It helps make your hair extra soft.You can choose to mix a conditioner into the oil and water before you put it on your hair for extra moisture.Depending on your preference, you can detangle your hair at this step, while you're washing your hair or later.Detangling refers to removing whatever knots or tangles are in your hair, and you can use either a wide tooth comb or your fingers for this purpose.You should not detangle dry hair because its harder.Always try to detangle your hair while there's conditioner or oil in it.
2.Moisturising your hair
Water is our hair's best friend!Don't ever forget it.After you wash your hair, you want to keep some of the water in your hair by applying a moisturizing product to your hair.Right after washing, you can pat your hair dry with a microfiber towel or tee shirt and while your hair is still damp, there are several things you need to do at this point to ensure your hair is as moisturized as possible.First is deep conditioning.There are a number of deep conditioners that are really great for our hair, so you'd need one of those.The Eden Bodyworks deep conditioner is a great choice (you can get it here in Ghana or anywhere else worldwide).
Sometimes, I mix up my own batch at home.Whichever one you want to use, just make sure to follow the
instructions on the container and you're good to go.After you wash out the deep conditioner, you can go ahead and apply a leave-in conditioner, oil to seal in the moisture and whatever styling cream or butter you're using for your hair.I use Cantu leave in (available here if you're in Ghana or internationally here), a mixture of oils and shea butter for my sealant, and sometimes a styling cream or a gel.Depends on what I want to do.
3.Nutrition,nutrition,nutrition
I know you think I'm going to say eat good food etc.You already know to do that so I'm not going to talk about that.Your hair needs its own nutrients sometimes.This is necessary especially if you want thick hair or your hair is weak.First here is a protein treatment.Protein treatments basically make your hair stronger and prevent breakage.Done right, a protein treatment will leave your hair nice and shiny.There are some really good protein treatments out there, but I like the Aphogee simple system.You can get it here in Ghana or if you're anywhere else, click here.The important thing to remember is that you shouldn't do protein treatments too often, since too much protein results in brittle breaking hair.I shoot for once a month, unless when my hair is damaged,in which case I will do it twice in a month.Look at your hair and decide if you really need it.
The other thing in this category is hot oil treatments.Not a lot of people do hot oil treatments, but they are great for your hair.Basically, you would take whatever oil you want and heat it up slightly and apply it throughout your hair.You can sit under a hooded dryer with a shower cap on or you can wrap you head with a warm towel to keep the heat in your hair.Usually 30 minutes to an hour later you can rinse out the oil and your hair will be soft, shiny and less prone to breakage.I do hot oil treatments twice a month, usually right after I deep condition or use a protein treatment.
Some people include protective styling in their regimens,but that's up to you.Protective styles keep your hair protected so it doesn't break.Such styles include braids, weaves, and wigs.
Finally, this isn't on the list, but trimming your hair will help to keep it from breaking and knotting up.You don't have to trim like once a month, but you should just watch your hair and trim off whatever damaged ends you observe.I trim my hair by putting my hair in medium size twists all over my head and cutting off the pointy broken ends that I see.I don't do this more than once every 3 months though.
This is a basic regimen.You can add things on as time goes on,but at the very least, you should be washing your hair, conditioning it, moisturizing and doing protein treatments.And this includes even when your hair is in a protective style such as braids or weaves.If you can do this,y our hair will be so easy to manage and will grow really well.That's it then.The solution to dry tangled hair is in your hands.I hoep it helps you!Till later,stay blessed and fabulous!
We have been sharing information you need to have for your hair and my last post dwelt a little bit on how to begin the journey to natural hair with my own experience as an example.If you missed that post just click here to read it.
So at this point, I'm going to assume you've made your choice and you know which path you're going to use.As I said in my very first post, no two heads are the same and so please do not feel obligated to follow the method someone chooses to use to go natural.The same method may not work for you because of your own different hair or schedule or just individual differences.We usually share our experiences with you so you can decide to use them as examples for your own journey and to be encouraged to know that you can get where you want to get.
The biggest complaint I get from natural sisters, especially of African origin and those that are considering going natural, is "My hair is so hard!It gets tangled easily and I can't comb it.It is too painful!It is so dry"..and so on and so forth.Today I'm going to share with you very simple things you can do to solve this problem.
 |
| Photo from Long Black Natural Hair website |
will write so you can avoid making the same mistakes.So anyway, how did I get rid of the tangles and how do I keep them out of my hair right now?The answer is simple really: A regimen.
Now that you're completely natural,you need to work out a methodical schedule for your hair so that you can keep it soft and moisturized.Moisturized hair doesn't tangle as easily as dry hair,and its easy to manage.So how do you start a regimen?You need 3 basic components and after that, you can decide what to do and when to do it.
1.Cleansing your hair and scalp
 |
| Photo from Long Black Natural Hair website |
An extra step before you wash your hair which will help your hair to lose as little moisture and natural oils as possible is the 'pre-poo' step.Here, you basically put an oil such as olive oil or coconut oil into your hair with water and cover with a plastic cap for about 30 minutes to an hour before you shampoo or wash your hair.It helps make your hair extra soft.You can choose to mix a conditioner into the oil and water before you put it on your hair for extra moisture.Depending on your preference, you can detangle your hair at this step, while you're washing your hair or later.Detangling refers to removing whatever knots or tangles are in your hair, and you can use either a wide tooth comb or your fingers for this purpose.You should not detangle dry hair because its harder.Always try to detangle your hair while there's conditioner or oil in it.
2.Moisturising your hair
Water is our hair's best friend!Don't ever forget it.After you wash your hair, you want to keep some of the water in your hair by applying a moisturizing product to your hair.Right after washing, you can pat your hair dry with a microfiber towel or tee shirt and while your hair is still damp, there are several things you need to do at this point to ensure your hair is as moisturized as possible.First is deep conditioning.There are a number of deep conditioners that are really great for our hair, so you'd need one of those.The Eden Bodyworks deep conditioner is a great choice (you can get it here in Ghana or anywhere else worldwide).
Sometimes, I mix up my own batch at home.Whichever one you want to use, just make sure to follow the
 |
| Photo credit Naptural85 |
3.Nutrition,nutrition,nutrition
I know you think I'm going to say eat good food etc.You already know to do that so I'm not going to talk about that.Your hair needs its own nutrients sometimes.This is necessary especially if you want thick hair or your hair is weak.First here is a protein treatment.Protein treatments basically make your hair stronger and prevent breakage.Done right, a protein treatment will leave your hair nice and shiny.There are some really good protein treatments out there, but I like the Aphogee simple system.You can get it here in Ghana or if you're anywhere else, click here.The important thing to remember is that you shouldn't do protein treatments too often, since too much protein results in brittle breaking hair.I shoot for once a month, unless when my hair is damaged,in which case I will do it twice in a month.Look at your hair and decide if you really need it.
 |
| Photo Credit Superstock |
Some people include protective styling in their regimens,but that's up to you.Protective styles keep your hair protected so it doesn't break.Such styles include braids, weaves, and wigs.
Finally, this isn't on the list, but trimming your hair will help to keep it from breaking and knotting up.You don't have to trim like once a month, but you should just watch your hair and trim off whatever damaged ends you observe.I trim my hair by putting my hair in medium size twists all over my head and cutting off the pointy broken ends that I see.I don't do this more than once every 3 months though.
 |
| Photo from Long Black Natural Hair website |
This is a basic regimen.You can add things on as time goes on,but at the very least, you should be washing your hair, conditioning it, moisturizing and doing protein treatments.And this includes even when your hair is in a protective style such as braids or weaves.If you can do this,y our hair will be so easy to manage and will grow really well.That's it then.The solution to dry tangled hair is in your hands.I hoep it helps you!Till later,stay blessed and fabulous!
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| Photo credit Black Girl Long hair website |
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| Photo from darkerthanbrown.blogspot.com |
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| Photo credit Ghana Hair Chick |
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| Photo credit Ghana Hair Chick |
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