BASIC HAIR CARE FOR TYPE 3C HAIR

Basic Hair Care

Never brush the hair, use only wide tooth combs

Detangle hair that is wet, conditioned, and moisturized, starting from the bottom and work your way to the top.

Shampoo with natural, sulfate free,  (I love this product )moisturizing shampoo no more then once a week, always follow up with a good conditioner

Deep condition at least once a month with a conditioning cap for at least 30 minutes (i do this once a week using this product )

Use satin sleep caps, satin pillows, and satin scarf’s under winter hats to avoid breakage

Use only metal-free hair elastics soaked in olive oil or similar hair friendly oil

Avoid using any heating tools on the hair
Avoid towel drying the hair, use an t-shirt

Trim damaged ends when needed

THE BENEFITS OF COCONUT MILK FOR HAIR

What are the Benefits of Coconut Milk for Hair

I had no  idea that coconut milk had so many health benefits until I started working on this blog. I'll focus on hair...You can use coconut milk as a conditioner or to make a moisturising shampoo.

What is in coconut?

It's packed with vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6 as well as iron, calcium selenium, sodium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. It's also a good source of proteins and natural oils.

How does coconut milk help hair? It:

1.     Helps to protect hair from the loss of protein.

2.     Boosts hair's body/volume and shine by replenishing hair fibres with oil.

3.     Helps to repair damaged hair

4.     Helps to detangle hair.

5.     Helps to soften hair.

6.     Treats a dry flaky scalp.

7.     Helps to treat hair loss - not scientifically proven but some claim tis so!

8.     By protecting hair and the scalp, it helps hair grow.

If you are making a shampoo coconut oil gives it a moisturising quality so that the shampoo doesn't strip your hair.

If you are making a conditioner then it fortifies hair fibres with proteins, iron and oils. Using heat by wearing a shower cap to trap body heat or blow drying over the surface of your shower cap helps with the absorption of nutrients. 

ESSENTIAL OILS

You don’t always have to buy fancy, big name hair products for your hair. Sometimes the best products are actually very simple and found in your local Whole Foods store. What are these simple hair products? Well they’re natural oils. I’m a natural haired woman and know first-hand that natural oils are amazing for hair. They work wonders on my hair. And I’ve been using natural oils for years to make my hair softer, shinier, and even stronger. Basically hair needs oil. So be sure to check out these 7 fabulous natural oils for natural hair.

Avocado Oil
Castor Oil
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Rosemary Oil
Safflower Oil
Sweet Almond Oil

Avocado Oil is particularly great for natural hair. It’s loaded with nutrients, amino acids, essential fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B, D, and E. And it’s excellent for moisturizing, deep conditioning, improving hair strength, strengthening hair, and boosting shine.

Castor Oil thickens hair, promotes hair growth, prevents thinning, moisturizes, helps reduce split ends, helps to tame frizz, and prevents scalp infections.

Coconut Oil is great for preventing dandruff, promoting hair growth, moisturizing, strengthening hair, thickening hair, and preventing damage.

I LOVE using Olive Oil. And Olive Oil, which is also referred to as the “godmother of hair oil,” is great for moisturizing, deep conditioning, improving hair strength, eliminating dandruff, and also has powerful antioxidants that can help fight hair loss.

Rosemary Oil is great for stimulating hair follicles for hair growth, preventing hair loss and graying, preventing dandruff, strengthening hair, and boosting shine.

Safflower Oil protects hair, nourishes hair follicles, moisturizes, and stimulates blood circulation to promote hair growth and thickness. And it is extremely beneficial for natural as well as dry chemically treated hair.

Sweet Almond Oil works great as a “sealant.” This means that it “locks-in” moisture. Sweet almond oil also nourishes hair, smoothes hair cuticles to control shedding, promotes hair growth and thickness, prevents hair loss, and boosts shine.

HAIR MAYONNAISE REVIEW

I went to the hair supply store and purchased Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise because I heard from a Face Book Friend that Mayonnaise is great for moisturizing and strengthening hair. He suggested I whip up a batch of hair mayo myself, but I wasn’t really interested in that, so I bought some.

I paid R50.00 for it at Clicks, Rynfield and it’s a good deal for a pretty big tub. The product claims its good a Treatment for damaged hair, Moisturizes and strengthens, and Provides incredible body and shine.

This product is a rich blend of botanical extracts and herbs have joined forces with whole egg protein and olive oil to restore and renew dry, damaged hair.

The directions:

•Shampoo hair with Organic Root Stimulator Uplifting Shampoo. Rinse thoroughly and towel blot.

•Place Hair Mayonnaise into palm of hand. Rub hands together and gently massage into hair. Comb hair to ensure even coverage of hair shaft.

•Cover hair with plastic cap and let process under a warm dryer for 15 minutes.

•Rinse hair thoroughly with warm water and proceed with styling.

My Review

I loved this product! After the first use I saw an immediate difference in the softness of my hair.

With natural hair you have to deep condition it often because it needs lots of moisture. I didn’t shampoo my hair because my Shampoo Day is Friday/Saturday, so I applied Olive oil to my hair, then did a conditioning wash (co-wash) then I applied the mayo to my hair. I put a cap on and rinsed out after about 20 minutes.

While I was rinsing it out of my hair I could feel a dramatic difference in the texture of my hair. It didn’t feel like the past 2 nights I’ve done my co wash. After rinsing it out of my hair, I applied my oil mixture to my hair and massaged it into my scalp and rubbed it through my hair. I put on my satin bonnet and I let my hair air dry during my sleep because everyone says “Heat is bad for your hair”. I woke up this morning and my hair didn’t feel rough and dry like it has the past two nights. 

It’s definitely something I will use multiple times a week to continue strengthening and moisturizing my hair.

If you have used this product, let me know what you thought.

If you haven’t used this product, it’s worth a try!

5 SIMPLE STEPS TO REVERSE STAGNANT HAIR INTO LONG THRIVING HAIR

March 2014 marks to beginning of my natural hair journey and today it is time to reflect  for the black girls who want long hair. The big question is………have you met your hair goals? Is your hair longer than it was in January? If your hair is not gaining length or if you have had less than stellar results this year, this article is for you. These are 5 simple steps to reverse stagnant hair into long thriving hair

1.  Accept that what you are doing does not work
2. Know when your hair breaks
3. Try something new
4. Know when to stop
5. Have realistic expectations

You are doing it all, protective styling, moisturising and  deep conditioning but still you have not managed to move your hair an inch. It is time to face the facts – your current routine despite having all the good stuff really does not work.

It is time for a critical assessment. Do you keep a protective style long enough to ensure that you gain benefit from it? Do you moisturise at the critical points when moisture is needed (when taking down a style and when handling free hair) and do you avoid handling your hair at its weakest state (soaking wet)? Could you be doing too much to your hair therefore causing it to wear away and compromise length?

If you do not see results within 2-3 months, you need to make this critical assessment again. Do not wait for 1 year to go by. You should be able to see small increments in your hair length every 2-3 months.

The reason for hair staying at a stagnant length is because it is breaking just as fast as it is growing. It is really important to know when your hair is most vulnerable to breakage and this varies from person to person depending on your individual strand thickness and choice of styling. The most common breakage points are:

-during takedown of a protective style (especially at the ends)

-during detangling (both conditioner combing and dry detangling)

- while wearing hair free (due to tangling, shrinkage, knots and regular handling)

Once you identify why and when your hair is most vulnerable to breakage, you will be able to know exactly when you must protect your hair from damage.

Having accepted that what you are doing does not work, it is time to try to do something new. If you have been conditioner combing, try dry or damp detangling  for a little while and see how it works for you.  Compare your results after 2-3 months and decide which one really works best for you.  If you have never deep conditioned your hair, try doing it for 2-3 months and see if your hair improves or not. If you only use heavy oils or butters on your hair, try light oils and see if your hair would equally be happy with those. Do not write things off before you actually try them.

I am really all for trying something new but equally you should know when to stop. If a technique causes immediate breakage, stop using it. Do not think perhaps your hair is shedding more than usual, assume that the technique is not working for your hair and must be adjusted to suit your curls and kinks or not used at all. If you are deep conditioning 2-3 times a week and your hair is not moisturised, stop and reassess how you are conditioning (is your conditioner working, do you need to warm it up first, could you do with some protein, do you use a leave in/moisturiser/oil after washing).

Finally hair takes a long time to grow. Many naturals cannot retain 100% of their growth. If your hair is susceptible to split ends then cutting them off will impact retention but provided at the end of the year you have kept some length, do not be disheartened. There are a small proportion of women who can keep all their growth but I feel that it is more reasonable to expect between 3-5 inches per year with a regular trimming or dusting routine.

BIO