Bringing you back up to speed

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for reading my blog. So it's been awhile since I've updated you all. First I will talk about my progress on the castor oil challenge. I started using the castor oil daily I mixed it with shea butter. The First week I had so much build up and pimples forming all over my face UGH!! So I began using it every two days. In case your interested in participating in the castor oil challenge please check out my last post for the full details.

I also installed a set of havana twists. Before installing them I washed, conditioned and oiled/ moisturized my hair and scalp. Afterward I did a length check. Remember the last time I did a length check was when I did my BIG CHOP! So I was excited to see how much longer the hair was and to my surprise my hair had grown alot!! It was an inch just a few short months ago and now it's almost out of it's TWA phase. My hair feels so soft and I'm really beginning to understand the needs of my 4C hair. Here's a photo

Since my hair was longer I decided to use a different method to install the twists instead of crochet. So I braided the Marley hair into my hair than twisted it down. Overall it was easier to do than crochet braids but they started looking old quickly so I only left them in for about a week and a half. After that I went back to my faithful crochet braids BUT I used a different brand of hair to install. If you can remember I did a set of crochet braids last month and before I took them out I rocked a twist out for a week. Well I never got over that big hair. So I did some research on inexpensive braiding hair that would be full and curly like that twist out. I came across Freetress Bohemian Wave Braiding hair. This hair is the B-O-M-B!! I used 3 packs two were 1B and the third was 1B-30 which I used only on the top portion of my hair. The packs come in 20 inches which I cut down the middle and folded each piece before installing. I am in love with this hair and I will be wearing this for about two months.

Ok now that your back up to speed I can discuss a new product I have began using. It's called Better Braids Herbal Cleanser. Its great for keeping your scalp clean while you have a protective style in for a month or longer. I have been using it weekly and it works great. My scalp is free of build-up and feels clean after I use it. This product features Avocado, Olive and Jojoba Oils which helps to loosen and lift residue. It finishes the job with peppermint to soothe the scalp-- which feels amazing. I have read a few reviews and some women don't even wash their hair with shampoo they simply use this weekly to keep scalp, braids or locks clean. I will be using this all winter. 

Thanks for viewing my blog. Please feel free to leave comments & questions below or just to the left of this post. Take Care!!!

CASTOR OIL CHALLENGE!!

BREAKING NEWS!!!

I was talking with a co-worker about hair care, protective styles, etc.. and we ended up on castor oil. Now my only experience with castor oil is when I was little and my mother used to make me take a tablespoon of it along with cod liver oil so we wouldn't catch colds... So to say the least it's been a long time and I didn't know castor oil could work wonders for your hair. I decided to do some further research and found out these cool facts:

1. Heals Follicles that may have been damanged due to to much stress from tight braids, weaves, etc.

2. Conditions hair and leaves it shiny... so as you cut away the damanged hair the split ends will appear less often :)

3. The Omega Fatty acids help keep your scalp moisturized and promotes growth
These are just a few of the benefits of using castor oil! You can use castor oil in you moisturizer mix, conditioner, shampoo or all 3!! I also read about a castor oil challenge that Hairlista began. This is basically how the challenge works:

Challenge Levels:
Basic: Apply Castor Oil to a clean scalp 1-2 times per week.
Advance: Apply Castor Oil to a clean scalp 2-3 times per week.
Ultimate: Apply Castor Oil to your scalp 5-7 times per week. You must deep condition with a 1-2 tsp of your Castor Oil mixed in your deep conditioner and/or use it to seal your ends.

Rules:

1. Your Castor Oil MUST be 100% Castor Oil. Grease cannot be used as a substitute on the scalp. However, it can be used to seal i.e. Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil.
2. If you are doing the Basic or Advance level, the Castor Oil must be applied to a clean scalp to allow better penetration so that your scalp can absorb all the nutrients from the oil.
3. One must report any changes, improvements, success in your hair/new growth. This will inspire others!
4. Please upload a photo of your hair progress after the Challenge is complete (there will be a particular thread created for this).
5. NO OTHER GROWTH AIDS can be used while in this challenge...

Now me being different I figured I could still try the challenge but do it my way. I decided I would apply Castor oil directly to my scalp 5 times a week but also continue to use my water based moisturizer. My hair has done a complete 360 since I began using it and I don't want to stop now. I will be starting my challenge this friday (I'll be installing another set of havana twists) and I'll also do a length check!! I'm so excited how my hair has progressed with this protective style and how it will flurish with this castor oil challenge!! Feel free to post photos, comments, questions, encouraging words or whatever you like!! Also subscribe to my blog with your email address and whenever I post it will come directly to you!!

Thanks again for reading my blog I look forward to reading about your hair experience soon!!

TWIST OUT MADNESS!!!

Hello Everyone!! Thank you for reading my blog! Today I will be doing a review on my twist out. So if you have been following my blog you know that currently I have installed havana twists using the chrochet braid method. I have received numerous requests to do an actual video tutorial with more detail. That will be coming soon be sure to check my other page Best Hair Tutorials periodically as I try to add new tutorials often. Anywho... on to the fun stuff.


So this is my last week with the Havana Twists :( so I decided to untwist and rock a twist out! Here's a step  by step with photos instruction on how I achieved this look:

Okay! So I started by dividing the hair in 4 sections. With the first section you want to begin cutting the ends.... Cut only the portion that is curled with rods. I did this because the ends were meshed together and I figured it would be impossible to seperate. Don't worry how the ends will turn out because the hair is still curled and I had experienced no blunt looking ends.

One you cut the hair in the section grab one twist and begin untwisting using your index and thumb.You want to start from the root to the end going up and down while twisting. I noticed if I twisted one portion more than the other it created a knot which took forever to take out. You should be twisting opposite the way you twisted. So I twisted right over left therefore I untwisted to the left. As you untwist it should begin looking looser like this.... 

As it becomes completely untwisted it will look like this...

At this point you want to take you thumb and go gently seperate the two pieces from eachother. It should only take 1-2 strokes if the hair is completly untwisted.

Here is where the magic happens... release the hair and watch the curl form!! Isn't it beautiful? Repeat to every twist until your finished.....

Now when I finished my hair was HUGE!!! I love big hair but this was borderline runway big... so I did some modifications...

1. I sprayed my entire hair with my water and oil mix than applied a small amount of conditioner with focus on the ends of the hair.

2. I took out a row on each side of my hair.. YES I took out an entire row which made a dramatic difference and to me it looked more realistic. Plus when I uninstall the hair this weekend I'm already ahead!!

3. Apply a small amount of gel to the edges. Some like the edges as is but I prefer mines to be slicked down. Once I did that I threw on a scarf for about 10 minutes.

Finished Look:

What do you think??? Please add comments, questions or requests below. I'm not sure what style will be next but I can tell you I will be doing a growth check that I plan on posting! Stay Natural my friends until next time!!!

How to treat damaged hair

Hello! Thank you for viewing my blog! Today I will be discussing how to treat damaged hair and get your locks back beautiful. We all cause damage to our hair and that’s okay! Have you ever had a bad episode with a flat iron and wanted to shave your head? ME TOO! Below is a list of a few signs that your hair will give you when it's damaged. These are just signs that I have encountered with my hair and others :)

1. Split ends with a Y shape.
2. Frizzy and unruly hair.
3. Dull/grayish looking hair
4. Fragile and easily broken hair

These are all signs that your hair has some form of damage. If we change some of our habits we can minimize the damage. Here's a few things we can stop or relax on doing..

Sleeping on Cotton pillows- Cotton absorbs moisture very well which strips your hair of moisture daily!! We should use a satin bonnet or pillow

Over Processing- Coloring or Relaxing to frequently can overtime break down the layers of hair which results in breakage. The same effect will also occur if you color and relax at the same time. I recommend waiting until at least 1in of new growth before relaxing.

Heat- As the saying goes "Everything in moderation" should be applied to using heat on hair. I should also mention that even if you don't use heat daily using heat on the highest setting can also cause damage.

No Moisture or not enough- I believe that a good moisturizer is water based. There are a lot of women that simply oil the scalp every so often and that's all. Since I have started this natural hair journey I've learned that my 4C hair needs a water based moisturizer followed by a heavier oil being applied around the edges to "lock in" the moisture. I have experienced more hair growth by using this method than any other. 

Here are a few good things to do with your hair.....

Condition often- Conditioning with every wash will replenish the hair adding more protein and moisture. Try adding heat to your conditioning route. Heat helps the oils penetrate the scalp. If you can't deep condition at least use a leave-in conditioner.

Don't leave any style in too long- I believe that braids should only stay in 8wks maximum! Once they are removed you should follow up with a deep conditioning

Wear protective styles- I consider any style that protects your hair from excessive heat and pulling while keeping ends unexposed a protective style. For example buns, braids, Wigs, Flat Twists, Sew-in Weaves are all protective styles. Click my link best-hair-tutorials-ever for inspiration.

Trimming- Every 7-8wks you should trim the hair to remove any split ends.

That's all for now feel free to leave any questions or comments below. Don't forget to subscribe by email and my blog entries will come directly to you :)

How I maintain Healthy Hydrated Hair during lengthy protective styles

Happy Tuesday!
I apologize about not posting last week my schedule was hectic. Anyways let's talk about hair. So to bring you up to speed I have had the Havana Twists for a few weeks now and I love them. The technique I used is called crochet braiding (which if you click the link *best hair tutorials ever*) you can see the YouTube video I used to achieve this style. To maintain healthy hair under this style I have been experimenting with a few different products. Choosing the right product is critical because everyone's hair is different but we all can agree that everyone needs moisture on their hair.

I believe that using a water based moisturizer is critical to my 4C hair. If you’re not sure what your hair type is I will post a photo of most hair types. It's not a perfect science... In fact I believe that in every head there are combinations of hair types throughout the hair. Using myself for example in the front and around my edges I have 4A in my crown area I have 4C and the back is a cross between 4b/c. So yes it's a hot mess after washing but once I do a deep condition (which I'll share how I do that as well) it's pretty easy to maintain.

Water Based Moisturizer
This can be used as often or as little as you like. Depending on the needs of your hair. I currently use it about 3 time a week and massage my scalp for about 3-5 minutes to help stimulate the scalp.

NOTE:
These portions will vary depending on your spray bottle size mines holds  8oz....

1 squirt of leave-in conditioner
1/4 Argan Oil $9.99 at Sally's
1/4 Olive Oil varies at your local grocery strore.
1/2 Warm Water
1 Spray Bottle

 

Place all ingredients into spray bottle shake to mix and spray directly on scalp. This can also be used on synthetic hair as well :)

After spraying my hair I use a sealant. A sealant is usually a heavier oil but it helps lock in the moisture. I only do this once a week using coconut oil with a focus on my edges. With a thicker oil a little goes a long way you should only need about 1 1/2 tablespoons.

DEEP Conditioner

So we all know how important it is to keep our hair conditioned. But, it can be a very tedious task especially when you have been in your hair all day and you down to the final steps conditioning being one. Sometimes we under condition the hair :( which makes it harder for our tresses to look fabulous. Here's a few different ways I deep condition:

Cholesterol- I love this for a few different reasons
1. It's very thick, heavy and it has moisture in it that helps me detangle my 4C hair especially in the crown area.
2. CHEAP!! You can get this at any local BBS they range from $3-$10 depending on what brand you want. I prefer Lustrasilk

After using the cholesterol to detangle I was out the hair and apply a leave-in olive oil based conditioner

If you have any comments or questions please feel free to post below. Don't forget to subscribe via email or follow that way my posts come directly to us... and as always thank you for viewing my blog and being a part of my hair journey.

Havana Twists Review

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for reading my blog! Today I am doing a review on the Havana twists I installed on Friday (6/28/13). So far I LOVE THEM! I have received several compliments on them (everyone loves a compliment right)! I plan to leave these in for 6 weeks and I can't wait to see the definition in the hair when I untwist and rock a twist out. Below I included a few pictures that will help me better review this style. So let's begin the review

First things first...SUPPLIES.

1.  5-6 packs of Marley Braiding hair. I purchased only 5 but ended going to buy a 6th pack and used only 1/4 of it. So make sure you have more than enough!

2. Water based moisturizer-- Everyone has different methods to keep their hair moisturized during a lengthy protective style. I use 1/2 water, 1/4 Argan oil and 1/4 extra virgin olive oil and just a squirt of leave in conditioner. I begin using this when I got my micro braids (after I did my big chop) and it was wonderful. My hair was never itchy, it felt very hydrated, I didn’t experience a lot of product build-up and best of all the Argan oil smells heavenly!! I will be using this with every protective style.

3. crochet needle. Get one that allows you to close the hair within the needle. It helps pull all the hair under the braid easier!

4.Perm Robs. I used these with boiling water to curl the ends of my hair. I have seen some women that leave their ends as is. However, I think the curly ends give the style a more finished look.

In the next step I cut the hair in half. I did this because I wanted my twists shoulder length. I used the method that is listed under the tab: best hair tutorials ever called "Havana Marley Twists Crochet Braids Tutorial".  *Look on the left-hand side of this post* The only thing I did differently is use a paddle/wig brush instead of a comb to separate the hair before applying.

After I installed the hair I took a few pics of the finished look. It took about 7hrs total.

What do you think? Will you be trying this style or something similar?? Please leave comments below I love feedback!!

Why I won't wear a TWA...

I have always had an interest in hair. Doesn't matter the texture, length or color I love hair. The problem was I wasn't taught how to maintain my own. My mother like many African American mothers permed my hair when I became of age. This kept my hair straight, manageable, and healthy from 7-17. When I became 18 I wanted a change. I wanted to know how my natural hair was without this "creamy crack" being applied to it twice yearly. So I stopped perming my hair. It was manageable at first but as my roots began to grow I found myself pressing and flat ironing my hair daily.

I was causing major damage and lost a lot of hair in the process. I than began to wear weaves from 19-22. I had a lot of growth but my hair was so hard, brittle and fragile I couldn't do anything with it. It lacked moisture, shine and everything we as women look for in hair. I didn’t know what to do so I began wearing zillions or micro braids. They look nice but I still wasn't accomplishing my original goal of dealing with my hair alone. So at 23 I began wearing wigs. YES WIGS and I love them! I was able to get to my roots daily and keep my hair moisturized. Although I hadn't applied a perm in 4years my hair was still hard and not what I wanted it to be. So on April 12, 2013 I did the big chop. YES!! I was done with being a slave to my hair and realized that it was only hair and a small portion of what made me... me! I experienced all the emotions when cutting out my hair but ultimately I felt empowered.

Unfortunately the next morning I woke up and screamed. WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST DO??? My hair did not look like Chrisette Michelle's or Solange.. it was short, dry and pressed to my head-- so I went and got zillions. I figured that although some women can rock a twa (teeny weenie afro) I am not one of those women. But GUESS WHAT? It's okay! I am still all natural and will continue to wear protective styles that I like and not what some people consider natural styles. Once I achieve a length that I am satisfied with I will begin rocking my ALL NATURAL hair. Until than I will wear individuals, crochet braids, buns, etc. I still love my hair and have grown to respect it much more. I posted a video I wish I would have watched before I did the big chop! Now enough about me I want to know your story... feel free to comment below.