SIX MONTHS NO HEAT CHALLENG DRAWS TO AN END

So 6 months back I decided that was going to go completely natural.  Even though I was already natural for about 5 years (no chemicals ) I still regulary straightened my hair with a ceramic iron.  Over time I noticed that my strands were heat damaged and I had no curl pattern at all.  And so my no heat challenge began. 

I have been having sleepless nights as I drew closer and closer to D day, BIG CHOP DAY.  The salon of my choice Candi & Coi and they specialize in natural hair. 

Stay tuned for the update on my experience…….

Till then:  LOVE THY KINKS

BIG CHOP

So 6 months back I decided that was going to gon completely natural.  Even though I was already natural for about 5 years (no chemicals ) I still regulary straightened my hair with a ceramics iron.  Over time I noticed that my strands were heat damaged and I had no curl pattern at all.  And so my no heat challenge began. 

I have been having sleepless nights as I drew closer and closer to D day, BIG CHOP DAY.  The salon of my choice is Candi & Co and they specialize in natural hair. 

Stay tuned for the update on my experience…….

Till then:  LOVE THY KINKS

CURL CARE; SOFT HOLD CREAM

I've been using this for wash n go styles and really like it. It doesn't take much of this product to give you good curl definition. I'm a fan of "Curl Care:  Aoft Hold Cream". I use moisturizer before applying.

This is a product fromDr. Miracles range and is sulfate and paraben free.  With Aloe to soften and improve ealasticity as it promises to keep your curls in place
Get the ultimate curl definition with this all natural creamy curl cream. High gloss shiny, free flowing hair without the dryness or crunchiness of conventional hair gels. This curl cream will bring out the curls and coils you thought you never had. 

BUILDING A HAIR REGIMEN

Healthy hair doesn't just happen -- it's usually the result of judicious care. But what if you don't know where to begin when it comes to a structured routine for your tresses? Don't worry; a hair regimen doesn't need to be complicated or expensive, but you should make time to perform a basic set of steps on a regular basis to keep your mane as healthy as possible.

A hair care routine should consist of the following:

·         Shampoo

·         Conditioner

·         Deep conditioner

·         Protein treatment

·         Daily styling aids

Shampoo

Look for a good-quality, moisturizing shampoo and use it at least once per week. Focus on cleansing the scalp first, rubbing in circular motions with the pads of your fingers (not the nails) and letting the motion of the water work the suds down the length of your hair. Avoid piling the hair on top of your head or diligently rubbing shampoo into your ends, which are the oldest and often the driest sections of your mane. Rinse thoroughly.

Conditioner

Follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. This is when you focus the product on the hair, not the scalp. Use a wide-tooth comb to work the conditioner through; you'll get better coverage this way. Look for conditioners designed for dry and/or damaged hair, as these usually contain the emollient ingredients that black hair needs. Instead of following a shampoo with a conditioner every time you need to clean your hair, you can co-wash instead, which is ideal for women who exercise frequently. You want rich, creamy formulas that completely coat your hair.

Deep Conditioner

How often should you deep condition your hair? The answer depends a great deal on how dry your hair is. If you take care to condition it regularly and always use a leave-in conditioner after shampooing, you probably won't need deep treatments more than once or twice a month. If you apply a lot of heat to your hair, you may need to deep condition at least once per week. Find a product or products that work for your tresses; there are a few good brands available that won't bust your budget. There are also some salon brands that work wonders if your hair is in need of moisture ASAP.

Protein Treatment

As with deep conditioners, how often you need a protein treatment depends a great deal on what you do to your hair. If your tresses are 100% natural -- that is, no chemicals at all, including color -- your hair can be perfectly healthy without any major protein treatments; an occasional mild reconstructor will keep your hair strong, but it's not required. On the other hand, if you color, relax, texturize and/or heat style your locks; you'll need more frequent and more intense treatments. These range from two-minute reconstructors you apply after a shampoo to spray versions that you add before styling; you may also need a serious treatment if you're experiencing extreme breakage. In those cases, it's usually best to have a stylist apply them, although you can visit your local beauty supply and find products for home use.

Daily Styling Aids

There are literally tons of styling products for our hair. Most offer differing results depending on the final style you want to achieve. Want perfect ringlets on your natural 'do? Then look for water-based gels or curl creams. Are you flat ironing your mane? Then you'll need a good heat protectant and oil-based moisturizer; a good smoothing serum may help as well. Relaxed hair will benefit from a daily moisturizer, especially when you focus on the ends, but you may also use mousse if you're creating a curly look via a straw set, Bantu knot set or braids.

Sticking to It

Now, all of this knowledge does you no good if you only deep condition haphazardly or you forget about applying protein to your relaxed and colored hair. Each of us needs to determine a schedule that fits into our lifestyles, whether you're a college student, corporate executive, busy mom or homemaker. Maybe you need to keep a hair journal until these steps become second nature for you -- plus, if you're very busy, it's all too easy to forget to deep condition or to put it off until you have more time. When it comes to hair, you often need to make time; taking proactive steps helps to prevent problems down the line.

Try scheduling hair tasks into a day planner, online/computer calendar, desk/wall calendar or whatever method best works for you. A sample regimen may look like this:

·         Sunday: Shampoo, condition, deep condition

·         Monday: Daily moisturizer

·         Tuesday: Daily moisturizer

·         Wednesday: Daily moisturizer

·         Thursday: Co-wash, moisturize

·         Friday: Moisturize

·         Saturday: Moisturize

·         Twice this month: Two-minute protein treatment

·         No regimen is complete without nightly protection in the form of a silk or satin hair cover or pillowcase!

Create your own hair regimen. Your goal may be longer hair, stronger hair or simply healthy hair. Follow a routine with products that work with your texture and good hair days will result.

SATIN BONNET REVIEW

I think I’ve fallen in love . . . . . . .

with my satin bonnet.  We had a rough breakup but we reconciled we he came back a changed man with a no slip band that kept him on my head all night long.

But seriously, I purchase my Satin Bonnet from Clicks in Alberton City Gauteng.  I wrote off satin bonnets early in my journey because I grew weary of the little elastic band that would stretch out if you looked at it too hard and playing find the satin bonnet every single morning.

This bonnet is the truth.

Product Description

Stay on Satin prevents breakage and saves yours style better than ordinary satin.  Only Stay on Satin caps are made from our specially developed patent pending two sided soft satin material that is soft on the inside and satiny smooth on the outside.  The soft side provides some gentle grip to keep the cap in place during the night and the smooth side prevents friction against your pillow from causing breakage and messing up your style.”Stay on Satin caps never have any abrasive elastic or velcro and always fit right for a cool comfortable night’s sleep.  Stay on Satin caps also prevent your cotton pillow case from drying out your hair.”

Pros

The biggest pro for me is that this bonnet DOES NOT SLIP OFF!!!!! I’ve only been using it for a little while so I’ll have to see if that remains true over the course of time.  Also, I’m under the assumption that it comes in various sizes, which is great for naturals with some length.  I got the medium or large cap, I’m sorry I can’t remember, and all of my hair fits comfortably inside of the cap.

Cons

I haven’t been wearing the bonnet very long, but as of right now I haven’t been able to identify any cons of the product.

Would I use This Product Again?

Of course, I’ve used it every single night since I’ve had it.

How Would I Rate This Product?

100% curls, no doubt.

HOW TO TRANSITION FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL HAIR

Relaxing hair gives you six to eight weeks or so of beautifully straight and silky hair. However, the transition from relaxed hair into natural hair is tough - odd curly bits, split ends and endless breakage. Don't lose hope, since there is a recovery route. Getting back to your "natural" beauty is a beautiful thing and an interesting road to self discovery.

Keep your hair hydrated. The biggest struggle with transitioning your hair is preventing breakage due to damage and dryness. Do what you can to keep your hair hydrated and conditioned by using a conditioner on a daily basis. Every evening before bed, thoroughly incorporate either coconut oil or olive oil into your hair and let is soak for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help replenish your hair with moisture and nutrients that will strengthen the demarcation line (the part of the hair where the transition is occurring).

When you wash your hair, add a little conditioner to your strands prior to shampooing. This will help to keep the shampoo from stripping all the moisture. Then, condition as per usual.

Consider using a leave-in conditioner for your hair during the day. Apply some to your hair before you style it, paying careful attention to the demarcation line.

Use a deep conditioner regularly. Deep conditioning treatments take adding moisture to a new level. Although they are typically only used once a month or so, transitioning hair needs extra conditioning and can handle the treatments more frequently. Purchase a deep-conditioning treatment from your local beauty supply store, and apply it to your hair once a week. Alternately, you can also choose to visit a salon and get deep-conditioning treatments regularly

If you decide to have a professional deep condition your hair, try looking for someone who specializes in transitioning hair. They’ll be able to provide you with products and services designed specifically to meet your needs.If you’re feeling frugal, another great alternative to a deep conditioner is using a bottle of mayonnaise. Although it sounds (and might smell) a bit unappealing, it can work wonders on adding moisture to your hair. Apply it to your hair once a week for 30 minutes to a an hour.

Stay away from heat. In general, hot tools should be avoided if you’re trying to protect your hair. Using curling irons, flat irons, and blow driers can stress your hair and cause breakage, specifically at the demarcation line. While transitioning your hair, do all that you can to allow it to be as natural as possible. Avoid hot tools, and if necessary, limit their use to only one day a week at most.

If you absolutely must use hot tools, keep them away from the demarcation line and avoid using them on your roots where your natural grow-out is forming.
Limit your hair washings. This goes hand in hand with adding moisture to your hair; washing your hair frequently strips your strands of the natural oil that helps to keep it strong. Wash your hair as little as you can, using plenty of conditioner when you do. If you’re able, wash your hair once every 7-8 days so that there is plenty of time for your natural oils to thoroughly coat each strand of hair.
Give yourself a hot oil massage. Waiting for your hair to grow out is often the most frustrating part of the growing-process. Rather than waiting idly by, you can promote new hair growth by giving yourself frequent scalp massages. Use a bit of oil (coconut, olive, avocado, etc.) warmed slightly to massage your scalp. This will stimulate the hair follicles and help the strands to grow a bit faster. Hot oil massages can be done as frequently as you would like, but should be done at least once a week for the best results.

Promote hair growth with supplements. Maintaining your vitamins and minerals is important to general health (in addition to hair health), but taking certain supplements can speed up hair growth and strengthen your hair extra fast. Doctors recommend taking biotin or viviscal - supplements specifically used for hair and nail growth - to increase the speed at which your hair is growing. Additionally, making sure you have enough vitamin D and A will help your hair out as well.

Some studies show that taking a saw palmetto supplement (derived from a small pine tree) can yield faster hair growth than taking nothing at all.

Avoid adding chemicals to your hair. Although it may seem like a given, you should be avoiding all relaxers and perms when trying to transition your hair. In addition, stay away from hair dyes and bleach, as these cause significant damage to your hair, causing it to break and become frizzy. Look for all natural alternatives to chemicals you typically use, as these will be much safer on your scalp and strands than harsh chemicals are.

Purchase new hair products. As it turns out, not all hair products are created equally. With a huge variety on the market, it can be difficult to find products that will work with your hair and your wallet. When transitioning your hair though, it is vital to get transition-friendly hair supplies. Look for sulphate-free conditioning shampoos, as well as other hair treatments advertised specifically for use in transitioning hair. Although these won’t necessarily change the appearance of your hair, they will work hard to prevent further damage and reverse current damage in your locks.

If you go to a salon that specializes in transitioning hair, ask for recommendations in hair products.

If nothing else, find a sulphate-free shampoo. Sulphate (present in most cheap shampoos) causes significant drying of hair strands and it clogs up the pores of the scalp, reducing hair growth.

Keep your hair hydrated. The biggest struggle with transitioning your hair is preventing breakage due to damage and dryness. Do what you can to keep your hair hydrated and conditioned by using a conditioner on a daily basis. Every evening before bed, thoroughly incorporate either coconut oil or olive oil into your hair and let is soak for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help replenish your hair with moisture and nutrients that will strengthen the demarcation line (the part of the hair where the transition is occurring).