My night time routine!

  
Hi guys! 

This is just a quick post detailing what I do to my hair before bed. I perform this ritual to keep my hair moisturised and tangle free constantly. After my recent experience with detangling I have learnt that prevention is better than cure!! Every natural both new and seasoned must keep their hair in a manner that prevents it from tangling on itself while you are asleep. It’s necessary to prevent future breakage and hassle. This process takes about 10-15mins. So here is what I do: 

1. I spritz my hair with a mix or rose water and peppermint oil ( this oil is now my new best friend since I discovered it scientifically grows hair, see HERE for that post). That’s why in the video below I kept closing my eyes, the oil stings the eyes a bit. This step is optional and you can go straight to the leave in, but I like the extra moisture it gives.

2. I put my hair in sections, spritz each section with my rose water and peppermint oil, follow with either my Mielle Organics White Peopy Leave in conditioner or My Brazen curls Kiwi creme leave in, both are sold HERE, then I use my Brazen curls growth enhancing oil also sold at the beautifully nappy shop, then seal all the moisture up with Brazen curls hair and body butter. 

3. I twist up each section after moisturizing. Afterwards I roll each section up in a Bantu knot, this step is totally optional. 

As you can see in the video I do light finger detangling and dusting as well, so my hair is nice and tangle free in the morning.

Please see the video below for full details. This is so cool I am easing into doing videos!! Yay lol. 

    

Results this morning!!!

    
    

  

  

 

Big Chop…….Now What?

Hello guys!! I know I am a hopelessly lazy blogger, forgive me! Okay I have been getting a lot of emails from natural newbies, so this post is for all the lovely ladies who have bravely done a big chop!! CONGRATULATIONSSSSS!!!! The photos above are of my friends and a lovely blog follower,  these are real ladies I know with gorgeous natural hair!!!
Step 1: Realise that your hair is different, it will not behave like relaxed hair and it will not look like relaxed hair. All techniques employed to make your hair look relaxed will damage it! So embrace your new kinky look! Yes it looks good on you!!!! Work it!

Step 2: Build an easy regimen. I know going natural can be overwhelming and you are suddenly told to pre-poo, after poo, use ACV, Co- wash, are you 4C, 4E, 4X,4Y or 4Z etc. and all these amazing things we naturals have found to confuse ourselves. Well ignore them all! Yes I said it! Start with something simple that works for you. An example of a simple regimen is as follows:
1. Your new natural hair is prone to dryness, so spritz it with water at least every 2-3days and follow up with an oil/moisturizer of your choice. Water is the best source of moisture for your hair, it improves elasticity and reduces breakage.
2. Wash your hair a maximum of once a week. Use sulphate free shampoo, shampoos containing certain sulphates and alcohols are drying to your hair. Some natural blogs will tell you to co-wash (i.e. to wash with a conditioner because of how drying shampoo can be). I recommend Dudu Osun or Rhassoul clay as perfect shampoos that cleanse without drying your hair. However, when you shampoo always follow with a conditioner, except you are using rhassoul clay, this doubles as a conditioner.
3. Deep condition at least once a month. Do not skip deep conditioning because you use regular conditioner. Do not allow your deep conditioner or your regular conditioner for that matter touch your scalp. It makes your scalp dirty and leads to dandruff, itchiness etc. Deep conditioning involves applying a protein or moisturizing conditioner to your hair, covering your hair with a plastic cap and leaving it in for about 20mins to 1hour depending on whether or not you are underneath a steamer (if you use a steamer then the conditioner should be in your hair for less time).
4. Detangle with a wide tooth comb ALWAYS!!! Your new hair doesn’t like small combs. Comb gently from the tips to the roots of your hair, either while your hair is damp or while there is a leave in conditioner in your hair. Comb in sections if necessary i.e. if it’s difficult to get a comb through your hair. When you have to comb in sections this is a good sign! It means your hair is getting longer! There is no need to over comb your hair, because you are trying to get it to look “neat” , it will break when it’s combed more than once a week. Learn to finger detangle, while there is a leave in conditioner in your hair, to avoid breakage. Natural hair really hates to be over combed; mechanical damage will ruin your precious hair. So don’t worry, your hair looks beautiful, no need to tear it apart because you want it to look perfect.  I cant stress this enough, but a good detangling method almost always leads to fuller and longer hair.
5. Sleep with a satin cap, to avoid the harsh materials in your pillow case from drying your hair and pulling out your strands. As you can tell, we are trying to avoid dryness and strand pulling a great deal! Those two things are evil!!!
6. If you have a real TWA (Tinny Winy Afro) then you are good. However, if you have at least 3 or 4 inches of hair then I recommend you put your hair in braids or twists before bed time to avoid it getting tangled up by morning. If necessary re-moisturize your hair before bed.

Step 3: Leave your hair alone!! Hand in hair syndrome causes knots and breakage. All naturals are guilty of it. I love my hair more than is necessary I am always touching it, well……..stop it!!! It weakens the strands.
Step 4: Do protective styles, the purpose of a protective style is to protect your hair (especially your ends) from the elements, in order for the hair to grow unhindered. In a way having short hair is already a protective style, because your ends are not touching your clothes or anything. However, if you must do braids, weaves and the like, please do NOT make them TIGHTLY. Tight hair puts pressure on our scalp that causes; balding, breakage, itchiness, scars on the scalp etc. So when your stylist is attempting to pull your hair, tell her NOOOOOOO. Avoid doing 1million braids this is NOT a protective style; it’s a recipe for disaster, kindly say bye to your front hair after that style.
Step 5: Stop waiting for it to grow!! Enjoy this phase seriously! I have felt like doing a big chop so many times and then I change my mind lol. The beautiful lady in the pink sweater and gold chain above cut her hair after being natural for 4years, she had long thick hair, but just couldn’t deal with all her hair and now she is on a permanent low cut!! So long hair isn’t all that great, your focus should be on healthy hair, and healthy hair will always grow!! It takes me three hours to detangle, wash and condition my hair! So enjoy this phase, where it will only take you 30mins to 1 hour! You can rock pick and drop styles, I miss those! You have flat twist outs, Bantu knot outs, twist outs, puffs etc. all at your disposal so try all those styles, have fun with your hair and be patient.
Step 6: Remember you are gorgeous. Don’t let negative comments get you down! I have had my fair share of negative comments about how natural hair isn’t beautiful blah blah, and I just let it slide of me!!!! Work those curls whether you have baby curls or kinky curls, it’s all beautiful!

I hope these tips help!

Have a blessed day all!!! xxxx

Detangling your hair post Braids

Hello!!! This post is so long overdue! I have been really lazy, okay I am going to talk about what I do to my hair after it’s been in braids for a long period. It’s important to be careful when detangling your hair after it’s been in braids, especially if it’s been in braids for longer than three weeks, it gets dirty and knotted. It’s easy to yank out your hair and lose all the new growth through a bad post braid detangling process. For this process I recommend you put on a movie to keep you entertained while you slowly comb or finger detangle your hair!

This is the most important step, DO NOT comb your hair dry and fresh out of the braids. I used to do that because my hair was usually softer after it had been in braids, it was a terrible mistake, my hair became very scanty.

Conditioner Detangle: Divide your hair into manageable sections , because your hair has been in braids for a while it’s knotted at the roots with dirt and matted close together in old twists. If your hair has been in braid for over six weeks I recommend detangling with a conditioner. This involves choosing any creamy conditioner of your choice, spritzing your hair with water and then applying the conditioner from the tips to the root (be sure to gently use your fingers to seperate the clumped together roots while the conditioner is at the roots). Do not apply the conditioner to your scalp. After applying to conditioner gently use your fingers to pull out the shed hair from the ends of the sections you are working on.  After gently finger detangling your hair, comb your hair starting from the tips to the roots. USE A WIDE TOOTH COMB. Rinse out the conditioner, and follow through with your regular shampoo and conditioner.  I use this method when my hair has been in braids for more than 2 months. It’s super dry and tangled at that point and needs love.

Hair divided into loose manageable sections

Shed hair being pulled out from the ends

Hold hair, and gently begin combing from tip to root

ACV Detangling:   However, if your hair has been in braids for about 3-6weeks then you can do something less tedious (at least I think it is). The pictures above are of the ACV detangle method incase you wondered why my hair wasn’t white with conditioner. I unfortunately didn’t take pictures of my hair doing the conditioner detangle. The scissors are to cut of annoying single strand knots in your hair. Ingredients

1 Spray bottle

6 Table spoons or 1 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

4 Table spoons of Aloe Vera gel or ½ a Cup of Aloe Vera juice

2 Cups of Water

6 Table spoons of Shea Oil (Melted Shea butter)

Mix these ingredients together put them all in a spray bottle. The apple cider vinegar really helps break down the dirt at the roots, while the Shea butter provides slip to allow for easy detangling. Divide your hair into manageable sections and spray the mix on each section you work on. Finger detangle first as described in the “Conditioner Detangle section” and comb gently from tip to root with a wide tooth comb.  If you find knots, or your hair is still difficult to comb after finger detangling, apply more Shea butter or Coconut oil and gently use your fingers to separate the knotted parts of your hair, if they are single strand knot then cut out the knot only. After this your hair is now ready to shampoo and condition.  This is my go to detangling method in general whether or not my hair is in braids. I find I lose very little hair when I try this method and my hair isn’t so wet so it’s just right to handle. The picture below is of the amount of hair I lost of detangling this method, keep in mind I hadn’t combed my hair in 3 weeks at that point, so the hair loss is relatively minimal!

Little hair loss after using the ACV detangling method

For both methods shampoo and condition your hair in the sections that you part it in for detangling.  Both methods are also very good detangling methods whether my hair has been in braids or is just tangled.  Detangling takes time and patience, so don’t rush the process. I will put up post on how I wash and condition my hair after braids. I didn’t want this post to be too long. So watch out for my next posts.

I just want to show you pictures of my hair immediately after I took out of my braids. It was so nice and shinny it made me happy! Have a look at my How to Care for your hair in braids posts to prevent dryness while your hair is in braids.

Yay! It was grown past my chin! Need to do length check compilation!!!

Have a blessed day and please share how you detangle 🙂 !!

Natural Anti Dandruff Remedies

Hello, I have been getting lots of questions about how to get rid of dandruff. I always like to do things the easiest way, and the easy way is always the natural homemade way! Okay let’s begin.

• Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Rinse: Mix 1 Cup of Apple Cider vinegar with 2 Cups of water. Put this in a spray bottle, spray on your hair and scalp. Massage it into your scalp gently, leave in your hair for about 5-15mins then rinse of, moisturize as is desired(preferably with something light like coconut or jojoba oil). Repeat this process once or twice a week depending on the severity of dandruff.

• Lemon:  The acidity of freshly squeezed lemon juice as with ACV helps break down fungus that is often the cause of dandruff outbreaks. Massage 2 Table Spoons of lemon into your scalp; leave it in your scalp for about 2 mins. I know this will sting. Then mix 1 tea spoon of lemon with 1 cup of water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat daily until no longer needed.You can also Squeeze an entire lemon into a bowl and mix with 5-10 table spoons of coconut oil. Massage the mixture into your scalp and leave it in for 20-30mins and rinse with a mild shampoo. Repeat this once or twice a weak.

• Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil has been medically proven to be antifungal and functions as a good disinfectant. You can mix 5-10 drops of tea tree oil in your shampoo and wash your hair as normal. However I find this method to be more effective; after shampooing your hair, mix 1 Table spoon of tea tree oil into 1 cup of warm water or Aloe Vera juice, spray into your scalp and let it sit for a few minutes. Pat the extra moisture out, but don’t wash it out.

• Baking Soda: Baking soda kills fungus and gently exfoliates the scalp of excess dead skin. You will need 1 Table spoon of baking soda, 1 cup of Water and a few drops of Rosemary oil(Optional).  Mix 1 Table spoon of Baking soda with 1 cup of warm water, or 2 Table spoons with 2 cups of warm water and so on. Use an applicator bottle or clean empty shampoo bottle and apply the mix to your hair and scalp. Shake well before use. Use this in place of shampoo and rinse as normal. Use a light moisturizer like Jojoba oil afterwards. Repeat this once a week.

• Salt: Salt is a natural exfoliator, it gets rid of extra oils and dead skin flakes. Rubbing it on your scalp will also help soothe the itchy feeling. You need 3 Table Spoons of salt (Epsom Salt or Dead Sea salts are great if you have them, but regular salt is okay too).  Gently massage the 3 Table spoons of salt into your scalp while its dry or slightly damp for 2-3mins. Shampoo immediately after wards. You can repeat this process once a week.

 

• Eat Right: You all knew this was coming! I cannot stress how eating properly affects all aspects of our wellness. Eating well, helps hair and nails grow and improves our skin conditions. Eat green leafy vegetables ( raw, like in salad form or blended in juice form), this encourages healthy skin, hair and nail growth. Fish oils are also essential for beautiful hair and skin, taking Omega 3,6 and 9 supplements will not cure dandruff but will reduce their severity. Also, eat lean proteins like fish, eggs, nuts and beans, these build the hair and skin.

• Have a look at my previous post on scalp care for the basics of how to prevent dandruff and encourage hair growth through scalp care.

Have a lovely day everyone 🙂

How to Care for Your Hair in Braids

There is a tendency to put your hair in a protective style and forget all about it! I do it lot (hides face :))! However, that isn’t very good for our hair, our hair still wants to be moisturised whether or not it in braids, and it will still get dry and break off whether or not it’s in braids. Also, some of the materials used to make our synthetic braids are quite drying to the hair, so to minimize breakage during our braid take-down it’s necessary to keep the hair moisturized and clean. Anyway, my friend asked me how I take of my hair while it’s in braids, so this post is long overdue! Enjoy!

• Before you braid: I make sure my hair is washed and deep conditioned, so it’s at its strongest state. This way it’s more elastic during the styling process and is less prone to breakage.

• Edges: For the first two days (if you have a good stylist and the braids are not tight) my edges are under a lot of pressure, I apply coconut or olive oil around the edges up to twice a day to ease the tension and avoid hair loss from the root. Any other oil will do really. If the hair was done really tightly then you might want to massage your hair on the first day with some warm water, and then apply oils around the edges frequently for up to seven days.

• Wash at least every 2 weeks:  To keep my hair moisturised and my scalp clean, I wash my hair while in braids. I make my own rhassoul clay shampoo which doubles as a conditioner, it’s also really watery and easy to rinse out. I put my shampoo in an applicator bottle squeeze the mixture into my scalp, gently massage my scalp and squeeze the remainder of the mix on my braids. I use my palms to press the mixture into my braids, I don’t rub to avoid frizz. Afterwards I rinse it all out, wrap my head in a scarf until it’s dry. If you are using regular shampoo and conditioner, be sure to dilute these in water so they are easy to rinse out and you avoid product build up. A really simple rinse is the Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse. Simply mix 1 Cup of ACV with 2 Cups of water, put this in a spray  bottle, spritz your braids and scalp, then massage it into your scalp gently and rinse. This is my lazy mix for when I can be bothered with shampoo! See applicator bottle:

• Keep Scalp moisturised:  Make sure the scalp is clean and moisturized to prevent it from becoming itchy and flaky. Some people will naturally produce enough oil for their scalp to remain moisturised. If that’s not you, then you can mix some aloe vera gel, shea butter and rosemary oil in a container and apply a little (don’t coat your scalp too much) throughout your scalp daily. This is will soothe and moisturize your scalp. That’s the mix I use after I have washed my hair. I am also in a really cold place, but if you are in a warmer climate a simple light coating of coconut oil or any other light oil every 2 days will do.

• Moisturize your braids: Moisturize your braids like it’s your hair. I mix water and coconut oil (yes I really like this oil) in a bottle and just spray it on my braids up to the point my hair stops. Then I apply some olive oil on the braids up until the point my hair stops. No need to moisturise the parts of the braids not containing your hair. You can use any oil of your choice, but oils or butters that are too heavy tend to attract dirty to your hair.

• Sleep with a satin scarf, to reduce frizz, preserve the style longer and present dirt from getting on your scalp.

Well there you have it! Hope this helps and have a nice day 🙂

Improve hair growth through scalp care

If the scalp is healthy then your hair will grow healthy and vice versa, or even worse if the scalp is unhealthy you might have NO HAIR!! Lol!! Okay enough of the jokes.
In order to maintain a healthy scalp it is important to understand the functions of the scalp. The scalp comprises of skin cells, these cells are constantly shedding and reproducing to produce new cells on the scalp. This process happens in such a quick, synchronised and microscopic manner that it’s undetectable to the human eye. However when the normal functioning of the scalp is destabilized then conditions such as pimples on the scalp, bumps, dandruff, psoriasis and severe itching arises. Let’s look at the scalp as the soil of our hair, and a fertile soil will produce healthy crop! Hair is produced by the follicles situated in the deepest level of our scalp; it is composed mostly of dead protein and pigment. Most of the scalp’s problems are caused by an imbalance of sebum production. Sebum is the natural oil the scalp produces; it’s a slightly acidic substance that coats hair strands and lubricates the scalp. To maintain sebum balance and take proper care of your scalp here are a few useful tips:

1. De clutter: The natural oil your scalp produces is perfect! Don’t grease your scalp constantly with heavy oils and butters! It wants to be left alone. The over production of sebum causes large oily flakes on the scalp while it’s under production causes large dry flakes on the scalp. These flakes are skin cells, when they replicate at an accelerated rate they sit on the scalp, and will be accompanied by inflammation and itching. Hair cannot grow long or strong on an inflamed scalp. When we put excessive oils on our scalp, it tricks the scalp into thinking that it doesn’t need to produce oil and leads to an under production of sebum. Dandruff and dryness occur because of this under production and then you would want to put more oils, it becomes a terrible vicious cycle. The best way to moisturise your scalp is frequent washing and conditioning, this will keep your scalp clutter free and allow it to perspire. Also, focus on moisturizing your new growth and ends that will provide light moisture for your scalp. Don’t actively go through your scalp coating it in oils!!

2. Don’t scratch: Scratching your tender scalp with your fingernails causes injury to the scalp. As I have mentioned above, an inflamed and injured scalp will not foster growth. Furthermore, studies have shown that scratching causes BALDNESSSSS! Yes indeed, it weakens your hair follicles and causes serious hair loss. So when you feel that itch just smack your head! Lol seriously, give it a tap or a gentle massage with the ball of your fingers.

3. Eat Healthy: Yep, healthy eating habits are absolutely necessary for hair and scalp care. Your hair follicles are supported and nourished by the nutrients in your blood stream. Your hair and nails are the last to receive your body’s nutrients, which means that if you have any nutritional deficiencies that the vitamins and nutrients in your body will go straight to the important places like your heart, kidney etc. and there will no excess left to nourish your scalp. Drink lots of water as well to provide moisture from within, eat foods that are rich in B vitamins, such as; beans, whole grains etc., eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce saturated fats. Healthy eating will not just improve hair and scalp conditions; it will also aid weight loss (if that’s what you want) and improve your general wellness.

4. Use gentle products: Check your shampoos for harsh products like ammonium and sodium lauryl sulphates. These ingredients strip the hair of moisture and leave the scalp feeling dry. Use clarifying shampoos once a month to get rid of build ups and moisturizing shampoos for regular hair cleansing. However, if you could use ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) as a scalp clarifier, this is not harsh when diluted and it conditions the scalp as well, that can be used up to 4 times a month for clarifying the scalp of build-up. In addition, be sure to thoroughly wash conditioners out of the hair, as conditioner residues clog the pores and can be mistaken for dandruff.I would also say stay away from harsh chemicals like relaxers. I am not the war on relaxer type, but I cannot count how many times relaxers burnt my scalp before I went natural.

5. No aggressive styling: Avoid styles that put a strain on your scalp! Beauty is not pain! For naturals there is beauty in our disorganized fluff! So we don’t need the braids to be so neat that they pull on our scalp! Overly tight braids, buns and weaves can lead to permanent hair loss through irreparable damage to the hair follicles.

6. Avoid Extreme heat: Avoid exposing the scalp to temperature extremes. Heat from blow-dryers and hooded dryers dry the scalp severely. Direct the blow-dryer heat down the hair shaft and not at your scalp!

The Secret to LONG natural hair!!

An amazing video on the importance of patience for growing natural hair! We need patience to wash our hair, to style it, to detangle it and most importantly…….to wait for it to grow!

The video is soo true and I bet we can all relate! Its such a good laugh as well!! Leave feedback guys!! 😀

Top 10 tips to improve length retention

1. Moisturize: Water is the only moisturizer for your hair. So spritz your hair with water as much as is needed!!! In the winter months if my hair isn’t in braids I spritz my hair with water twice a day. In the summer months just once a day does the trick, after spritzing make sure to seal the moisture in with an oil or butter of your choice! I recommend coconut oil, Jamaican black castor, olive oil or Shea butter.

2. Detangle Gently: Always do a thorough and gentle detangle job! Make sure you use a product with lots of slip (e.g. Shea butter, any conditioner etc.) for your initial detangle, especially when you have taken your hair out of a protective style like braids. When detangling, make sure your hair is at least damp, dry hair is less elastic and snaps easily and wet hair is annoying to work with! So damp is just right!! Lots of hair can be lost and split ends created through a bad detangling session of just yanking at your hair with a comb. When you comb your hair during the detangle process, comb from your ends upwards.

3. Wash your hair in sections: When your beautiful hair gets longer it is no longer okay to pour shampoo in your hair and just scrub your scalp haphazardly (I made this mistake). You hair will tangle and detangling will result in major breakage. Instead divide your hair into manageable sections, and wash section by section (tutorial coming soon).

4. Use a satin cap: Always use a satin/silk cap to wrap your hair before going to bed, either that or invest in some lovely silk pillowcases. This is because other materials like cotton dry out our beautiful hair, and dry natural hair will always snap. Also, the rough fibers of cotton can catch and pull at your hair strands while you sleep, causing breakage.

5. Get rid of split ends: Nothing can repair your split ends!! Yep that product is lying! When you notice your ends are split and there are excessive knots in your hair, it is time to cut those ends! Split ends continue all the way up the hair shaft until the hair strand falls of. There are products that can hide the look of split ends but that doesn’t mean they are repaired! Just grab a scissors and let those ends go!

6. Trim only when necessary: Don’t trim your hair every month! Expect your hair really needs it! Hair grows at ½ an inch a month, so if u trim your ends when there is nothing wrong with them, every month you will be cutting of your length. I usually cut my hair very 3-6 months depending on how well I treat it.

7. Product use: Stop being a product junkie! Find the stuff that works for your hair and stick to it! Magic snake oil from the mountains will not grow your hair faster! There are products that reduce breakage, strengthen your hair shaft, increase blood circulation etc., but there are no products that will force your hair out of your scalp faster than is normal! Avoid parabens, mineral oil, certain alcohols and other chemicals harmful to your hair, but stop purchasing every new product and standing on your head 5 minutes each morning for hair growth!

8. Keep it Simple: I have this motto “If I don’t understand what everything on the ingredient list means, then I don’t buy it”. There are so many chemicals that are harmful for our hair, and quite frankly I can’t be bothered to memorize all of them, so I go for simple products. A product might claim to be organic, but when you check the ingredient list, there are like ten types of non-organic alcohols and fragrances. It’s simpler, safer and most times cheaper to use basic products on your hair. For instance, a simple homemade deep conditioner of eggs, honey and mayonnaise, or African Black soap as a shampoo. With these products, you know exactly what goes into your hair, and they are cheaper than most products.

9. Acceptance: Your hair is an Afro, and if you are a Nigerian like me, it’s a kinky curly mess! Love it! Accept that there are some hair styles it just can’t do, and your curl pattern is really unique to you! Don’t try and get your hair to look relaxed, because the manipulation process to get natural hair from kinky to bone straight is usually quite harsh and results in hair breakage. Be patient with your hair, don’t fight with it! Sometimes the battle against the comb is fierce, take a deep breath in and let your hair win! Use your fingers or find simple styles that don’t require much manipulation.

10. Avoid heat: Try ignoring blow dryers and straighteners for a while, especially straighteners. The high heat from blow dryers, curling irons and other heating tools damage our hair strands, making them limp and weak. Also, they burn our hair right of if the heat is too high. You can use heating tools, but not often, a blow dry once a month is just about right.

And……… As a special bonus ( So its actually 11 things)

11. Eat Right: Your hair needs nutrients to grow,if you are not eating enough to support your body, then the nutrients will go to only the important places like your heart, etc. However, when you are eating lots of healthy foods and your body has loads to spare, those excess nutrients essential for your hair growth and strength will be made available for your hair to flourish.  Eat lot lots of dark green vegetables, fruits and protein to encourage hair growth.