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| Gordian Knot |
I have a resolution to expand my scope in literature by reading and rereading classics in my spare time. I may not have someone who is interested in discussing literature with me.... except my sisters who are currently away in school... but I think I can be satisfied with just reading them for now.
For most people, classical literature makes a boring read and seems to have no relevance to today's lifestyle.
I thought so too but after stumbling across and reading a copy of "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, I've come to the conclusion that the behavior of people in those days are really no different from those I observe today.
The only difference is in the words used to express thought,feeling and purpose but I think that's an offline discussion with an interested party...
My main topic is derived from the mythical tale of the Gordian knots and I have decided to see in it a proverb concerning the knotty situations in our lives.
We are all faced with different types of knots in our life....a big shoutout to natural haired divas who have battled with Single stranded knots, Fairy knots and the great big knots that has been a clog in the wheel of length gain!
Many have used the ancient solution to knots without realizing it! LOL!
So before I blab any further, let me get down to the main story.
"Midas (the king with the golden touch) was king of Phrygia. He was the son of Gordius, a poor country man who was taken by the people and made king in obedience to the command of the oracle, which said that their future king would come in a wagon. While the people were deliberating, Gordius with his wife and son came driving his wagon into the public square.
Gordius being made king dedicated his wagon to the deity of the oracle and tied it up in its place with a fast knot. This was the celebrated GORDIAN KNOT, of which, in after times was said that whoever should untie it should become lord of all Asia.
Many tried to untie it but none succeeded till Alexander the Great in his quest for conquest came to Phrygia.
He tried his skill with as ill success as the others till growing impatient........he drew his sword and cut the knot!
When he afterwards succeeded in subjecting Asia, people began to think he had complied with the terms of the oracle according to its true meaning! "
- culled from Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable" by Thomas Bulfinch.
The lesson here is that when faced with an almost impossible problem that may seem to have no solution be in our careers, educational pursuits, our spiritual lives, our relationships .......and even when caring for our natural hair *I just had to put that one in, hadn't I?! *........we should try to think outside the box!
Inspire of what we've been taught, there are really no hard and fast rules about dealing with knotty situations we may face.............. and naturalistas know the only real solution to those pesky SSK's is to do the Alexander and chop them off!
So if a situations tries to get the best of you, think outside the rules.
Think outside of what he said or she said and you'll be able to see clearly the solution to that ish!
Think outside of your office cubicle to how the role you play really helps the smooth flow of the business enterprise as a whole.
Think outside of your 9-5 job and see how you can improve yourself. That may be the solutions to the feeling of discontent and apathy you face in your work place.
Think outside your perceived weaknesses and you may find your strength.
I can go on and on.... but it means I'll selfishly not be able to hear about your own ways of dealing with "Gordian knots " in your lives! So please do share!
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah.
Here are screenshots of Ankara looks I love on Instagram.
By the way you can follow me on instagram @nappilynigeriangirl
If you have any beautiful ankara style that you want to share, send it to nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com and I'll post it!
By the way you can follow me on instagram @nappilynigeriangirl
If you have any beautiful ankara style that you want to share, send it to nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com and I'll post it!
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| Not ankara but you could still make this with lace. |
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Hello, naturalistas!
How has your week been?
Hope you've all been keeping warm and toasty as the days get cooler! It's getting a bit chilly here in Nigeria but still blazing hot and dry in the afternoons. It rains once in a while but not as much as in August.
This week...no this month has been sad for me on so many levels.
There was the funeral of my peace loving aunt which took place yesterday and the upcoming funeral of my paternal grandfather, next week.
How has your week been?
Hope you've all been keeping warm and toasty as the days get cooler! It's getting a bit chilly here in Nigeria but still blazing hot and dry in the afternoons. It rains once in a while but not as much as in August.
This week...no this month has been sad for me on so many levels.
There was the funeral of my peace loving aunt which took place yesterday and the upcoming funeral of my paternal grandfather, next week.
With all the funeral preparations taking first place and my hair taking second place, I decided to put my hair in a long term protective style.
The style I chose was YARN BRAIDS.
This is my first time, putting in yarn.
I was encouraged by this hot fifty year old mum I met when I travelled! She had beautiful yarn braids and told me how she'd had it in for 2months, how it felt really light, how it was low maintenance and gentle on her edges. I think it was the "edges " bit that had me sold.
I have really fragile edges and the slightest pull will uproot them... and that's not a good look for me!
She suggested I try making it waist length... I love that woman! She's one happening mama!
So, about two weeks later when I was no longer travelling around, I woke up one morning and headed out to get my hair done!
I don't usually make appointments for getting my hair done.
I just wake up one day and head down to the nearest hair salon that specialise in braiding children's hair.
I do this because more children than adults in Nigeria have natural hair and kids cry a lot,so the braiders are gentler and are a bit more understanding when you wince and talk about tight braids.
Prior to heading off to the salons, I co-washed my hair with VO5 conditioner , finger detangled, moisturised with NappyUbermoist Hair Pudding and put my hair in medium twists (about 10) to stretch.
With my porous hair and twists, I was sure my hair would dry by the time I located a salon.
Remember, I just upped and decided to head for the salon.
Ideally, I should prepare my hair a day or two before.
So, it was with my twists in that I approached the braider. In Nigeria, if your hair is natural and you are in braids or twists, it's assumed that you don't have much money....ha!
If only they could see my "hair junk-in-da trunk!"
And being small boned didn't really help my case...or..... I think it did because on the bright side, I think I got off really cheap (N1700) for medium sized waist length hair. I was advised to buy 8 rolls of "baby wool acrylic" yarn which was supposed to be light and can be used on children. (Better for me!). It cost me N600 for 8.
I got back to the braider and our business began!
I took down my twists starting from the back.
(She offered to help but I said "no thanks". I don't think anyone can be as gentle with my hair as I am and the less pain I feel, the better ).
Now, if you are a fine haired natural like me, you'll know that our hair looks smaller braided or twisted but once unleashed.....ROAR!!!!
I heard the braider and those with her gasp..then saw her look of surprise, then regret and then she said
" Ahh, auntie, the money wey I charge you small o! Your hair too plenty. "
I ignored her. Too bad for you, better for my pocket! Ha!
I fingercombed out my hair and held it up loosely with a rubber band. I did this so my hair won't tangle or dry out much.
I gave her my wide tooth comb to be used only when necessary.
I also brought out my conditioning hair spritz and hair pudding (I packed sample sizes in my salon bag) just in case my hair got too dry.
Then the twisting began (I wanted twists not braids because it's faster to put in and faster to take down...I'm not the most patient person, sorry!)
I insisted she made medium sized sections of my hair to reduce breakage and because I didn't want my yarns too small and thick which equals heavy hair and more take down time.
About seven (7) hours later, we were done.
P.S. in Nigeria, no one really calls it "yarn braids", just say you want to braid or twist with "wool".
Here's the result!
I also experimented with different ways to style it.
YARN BRAIDS/TWIST MAINTENANCE
Yarn braids/twists are protective styles with a life span of up to two months. Some have it in longer than that but personally, my limit is 3weeks to a month. This style helps reduce direct manipulation of your hair and is used by many women to grow out their hair.
It's tempting to ignore your hair in this style and this can be counter productive. It is important to still care for your hair.
A simple routine I had while my hair was all twisted up was as follows.
1. Every two days I applied castor oil to my hair line in the front and nape. This was to prevent the loss of hair in those areas which for me are really fragile.
2. To the whole hair starting from the tips of my own hair in the yarn to the root, I spray on a simple mix of equal parts water and olive oil. You can use any light oil of your choice. I keep the mix simple to reduce buildup.
3. Once a week, I cleanse my hair. I do this by diluting shampoo in a spray bottle with clean water. Then I spritz my scalp, roots and down the length of my own hair in the yarn. I do this twist to twist, massaging gently with the pads of my fingers to dissolve dirt, oil and whatnots. I use a clean white cotton handkerchief to dab off excess water/shampoo mix and keep respritzing amd cleaning until the hanky comes up clean.
I then fill up the already emptied spray bottle with clean water and spritz to rinse off the shampoo mix. Then I dab dry with a cotton Tee this time around.
4. While my hair is still damp, I spray a conditioner/oil/water mix in a ratio of about 1:1:3. Personally, I don't do ratios. I just mix in until it's a consistency I want. Then I leave to air dry.
Since the yarn is wet and I have it as long as waist length, I have to deal with the uncomfortable heaviness. #sigh and because of this, I dread the twice a week full washing!!!!
I couldn't stand it so I first of all chopped my twists before week three and then took down the yarn braids before a month!!! But that's just the way I'm wired.....I guess you can do better!
5. Full wash means wetting the whole hair with cold water. I recommend cold water to reduce frizziness due to raises cuticle ish and all. Then apply a dilute mix of shampoo and water and scrunch in. Squeeze excess water not by wringing oh!!!! Just squeeze gently....
Rinse off with cold water, squeeze off excess and dab till damp with a big cotton tee, spritz with oil/conditioner/water mix annnnddd prepare for ages of drying! *yoga pose and connecting to the patient inner self*
6. My nighttime routine is making a big braid on top of my head, wrapping the braid with a big satin scarf and then stuffing it all in a satin bonnet. On lazy nights, I do the braid and hit it! Wrong I know....but we all have those days when your hair is the least of your problems.
So that's it on yarn braids/twists. Please do share your own tips and pics on nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com and I'll feature you!
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah.
The style I chose was YARN BRAIDS.
This is my first time, putting in yarn.
I was encouraged by this hot fifty year old mum I met when I travelled! She had beautiful yarn braids and told me how she'd had it in for 2months, how it felt really light, how it was low maintenance and gentle on her edges. I think it was the "edges " bit that had me sold.
I have really fragile edges and the slightest pull will uproot them... and that's not a good look for me!
She suggested I try making it waist length... I love that woman! She's one happening mama!
So, about two weeks later when I was no longer travelling around, I woke up one morning and headed out to get my hair done!
I don't usually make appointments for getting my hair done.
I just wake up one day and head down to the nearest hair salon that specialise in braiding children's hair.
I do this because more children than adults in Nigeria have natural hair and kids cry a lot,so the braiders are gentler and are a bit more understanding when you wince and talk about tight braids.
Prior to heading off to the salons, I co-washed my hair with VO5 conditioner , finger detangled, moisturised with NappyUbermoist Hair Pudding and put my hair in medium twists (about 10) to stretch.
With my porous hair and twists, I was sure my hair would dry by the time I located a salon.
Remember, I just upped and decided to head for the salon.
Ideally, I should prepare my hair a day or two before.
So, it was with my twists in that I approached the braider. In Nigeria, if your hair is natural and you are in braids or twists, it's assumed that you don't have much money....ha!
If only they could see my "hair junk-in-da trunk!"
And being small boned didn't really help my case...or..... I think it did because on the bright side, I think I got off really cheap (N1700) for medium sized waist length hair. I was advised to buy 8 rolls of "baby wool acrylic" yarn which was supposed to be light and can be used on children. (Better for me!). It cost me N600 for 8.
I got back to the braider and our business began!
I took down my twists starting from the back.
(She offered to help but I said "no thanks". I don't think anyone can be as gentle with my hair as I am and the less pain I feel, the better ).
Now, if you are a fine haired natural like me, you'll know that our hair looks smaller braided or twisted but once unleashed.....ROAR!!!!
I heard the braider and those with her gasp..then saw her look of surprise, then regret and then she said
" Ahh, auntie, the money wey I charge you small o! Your hair too plenty. "
I ignored her. Too bad for you, better for my pocket! Ha!
I fingercombed out my hair and held it up loosely with a rubber band. I did this so my hair won't tangle or dry out much.
I gave her my wide tooth comb to be used only when necessary.
I also brought out my conditioning hair spritz and hair pudding (I packed sample sizes in my salon bag) just in case my hair got too dry.
Then the twisting began (I wanted twists not braids because it's faster to put in and faster to take down...I'm not the most patient person, sorry!)
I insisted she made medium sized sections of my hair to reduce breakage and because I didn't want my yarns too small and thick which equals heavy hair and more take down time.
About seven (7) hours later, we were done.
P.S. in Nigeria, no one really calls it "yarn braids", just say you want to braid or twist with "wool".
Here's the result!
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I also experimented with different ways to style it.
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| A high bun |
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| Back of high bun |
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| Top braid and tuck. Front view. |
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| That's a close up of what it looks like in front. I gathered my hair towards the front and made a single thick braid. Then I rolled it and tucked it, holding with bobby pins. |
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| I don't know what to call this one but I simply sectioned my hair into two across. Then flat twisted the front part towards the back of my head and gathered at the back. |
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| That's it from the top. |
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| Here's the back. |
Yarn braids/twists are protective styles with a life span of up to two months. Some have it in longer than that but personally, my limit is 3weeks to a month. This style helps reduce direct manipulation of your hair and is used by many women to grow out their hair.
It's tempting to ignore your hair in this style and this can be counter productive. It is important to still care for your hair.
A simple routine I had while my hair was all twisted up was as follows.
1. Every two days I applied castor oil to my hair line in the front and nape. This was to prevent the loss of hair in those areas which for me are really fragile.
2. To the whole hair starting from the tips of my own hair in the yarn to the root, I spray on a simple mix of equal parts water and olive oil. You can use any light oil of your choice. I keep the mix simple to reduce buildup.
3. Once a week, I cleanse my hair. I do this by diluting shampoo in a spray bottle with clean water. Then I spritz my scalp, roots and down the length of my own hair in the yarn. I do this twist to twist, massaging gently with the pads of my fingers to dissolve dirt, oil and whatnots. I use a clean white cotton handkerchief to dab off excess water/shampoo mix and keep respritzing amd cleaning until the hanky comes up clean.
I then fill up the already emptied spray bottle with clean water and spritz to rinse off the shampoo mix. Then I dab dry with a cotton Tee this time around.
4. While my hair is still damp, I spray a conditioner/oil/water mix in a ratio of about 1:1:3. Personally, I don't do ratios. I just mix in until it's a consistency I want. Then I leave to air dry.
Since the yarn is wet and I have it as long as waist length, I have to deal with the uncomfortable heaviness. #sigh and because of this, I dread the twice a week full washing!!!!
I couldn't stand it so I first of all chopped my twists before week three and then took down the yarn braids before a month!!! But that's just the way I'm wired.....I guess you can do better!
5. Full wash means wetting the whole hair with cold water. I recommend cold water to reduce frizziness due to raises cuticle ish and all. Then apply a dilute mix of shampoo and water and scrunch in. Squeeze excess water not by wringing oh!!!! Just squeeze gently....
Rinse off with cold water, squeeze off excess and dab till damp with a big cotton tee, spritz with oil/conditioner/water mix annnnddd prepare for ages of drying! *yoga pose and connecting to the patient inner self*
6. My nighttime routine is making a big braid on top of my head, wrapping the braid with a big satin scarf and then stuffing it all in a satin bonnet. On lazy nights, I do the braid and hit it! Wrong I know....but we all have those days when your hair is the least of your problems.
So that's it on yarn braids/twists. Please do share your own tips and pics on nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com and I'll feature you!
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah.
Hello naturalistas. Hope your week has been lovely and your hair naturally fierce!
Well, I have a treat for you!
I'm going to share how to make your very own NappyGirl UberMoist Pudding!
Many naturalistas will agree that natural hair is at its very best behaviour when it is well moisturised.
As the weather becomes cooler and dryer, there is no time like now to whip out your hair moisturisers.
The NappyGirl Ubermoist Hair Pudding has been created to moisturise dry hair whether it is in its natural coily /curly state or it has been straightened with heat appliances.
Each ingredient in the pudding has been selected because of its natural benefits to kinky coily / curly hair.
This is a general recipe that works for most hair types. We do add or subtract ingredients depending on particular hair needs such as breakage, thinning and the likes.
So, let's get mixing!
WHAT YOU NEED - A pan of water (put to boil)
- A clean dry glass mixing bowl
- One glass spatula
-1 ball of unrefined Shea Butter (That should be the regular icecream scoop size)
-3 tbs Aloe Vera Gel (This will be our main source of water)
- 1 tbs glycerine
- 5 Vitamin E gel capsules
- A drop each of Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Tea tree, Vanilla and Menthol essential oils
- 1 tsp Sulphur
- 2 tbs castor oil
- 1 tbs Extra Virgin Oil
- 1 tbs pure unrefined coconut oil
- 1 tbs Sesame seed oil
- 1 gel capsule multivitamin or 1 tsp multivitamin syrup
- A pair of gloves and hair covering
- Containers or jars for your mix.
DIRECTIONS - Cover your hair and clean up your work area. Wear gloves and proceed.
- Place the Shea butter in the glass mixing bowl.
- Put mixing bowl in the pan and fill with enough water to half the height of the mixing bowl. Be careful to prevent the water from splashing into the mixing bowl.
- Place the pan on medium heat and bring to boil. This is done to avoid direct contact of the glass mixing bowl and the fire.
- When the Shea butter is now liquid (thoroughly melted), add the olive oil, castor oil,.sesame seed oil, coconut oil and sulphur. Mix carefully with glass spatula.
- Reduce heat. Add the aloe Vera gel, then glycerine and mix thoroughly.
- Add all the essential oils, one drop at a time and mix again.
- Turn of the heat. Add contents of the Vitamin E capsules and multivitamins capsules.
- Now whisk up the ingredients thoroughly until it's smooth, light and has even consistency.
Heat under medium for 5 mins, then whip again.
- Pour carefully into receiving jar. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
For hygienic reasons, I do not use water. Water content is solely from the aloe vera gel. The vitamin E is an antioxidant and acts to preserve the natural ingredients.
The sulphur is antimicrobial and also a component of keratin, what the hair is composed of.
We all know about the wonders of Shea butter. In addition to being a source of vitamins and minerals, it's also a mild sunscreen. Castor oil thickens hair, Coconut oil strengthens hair strands, olive oil improves elasticity, sesame seed protects your strands and glycerine traps moisture.
I could go on and on but you can Google up the details of each ingredient. I haven't gotten to the goodness of the essential oils yet!
This product is also great on the skin.
PRODUCT USE Use on wet or dry hair, preferably on damp hair to seal in moisture. Can be used on the scalps as all ingredients are natural and are easily absorbed.
Apply every day to moistened ends to reduce breakage.
Can also be used as a styler.
This product is great for the gentle scalp of young children as it contains no petrolatum and uses all natural organics ingredients sourced locally.
CAUTION Some people may be allergic to some natural ingredients. If you are please eliminate them from the mix. If you are not sure, test for 24hrs in a small portion of your inner arm.
PRESERVATION Since no artificial preservatives such as parabens has been added, please refrigerate to preserve product.
If you are unable to make this yourself or your hair has special needs, we can make to order for your hair type.
Send us an E-mail to nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com for more details.
Get mixing and start your journey to fabulous hair!
Well, I have a treat for you!
I'm going to share how to make your very own NappyGirl UberMoist Pudding!
Many naturalistas will agree that natural hair is at its very best behaviour when it is well moisturised.
As the weather becomes cooler and dryer, there is no time like now to whip out your hair moisturisers.
The NappyGirl Ubermoist Hair Pudding has been created to moisturise dry hair whether it is in its natural coily /curly state or it has been straightened with heat appliances.
Each ingredient in the pudding has been selected because of its natural benefits to kinky coily / curly hair.
This is a general recipe that works for most hair types. We do add or subtract ingredients depending on particular hair needs such as breakage, thinning and the likes.
So, let's get mixing!
WHAT YOU NEED - A pan of water (put to boil)
- A clean dry glass mixing bowl
- One glass spatula
-1 ball of unrefined Shea Butter (That should be the regular icecream scoop size)
-3 tbs Aloe Vera Gel (This will be our main source of water)
- 1 tbs glycerine
- 5 Vitamin E gel capsules
- A drop each of Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Tea tree, Vanilla and Menthol essential oils
- 1 tsp Sulphur
- 2 tbs castor oil
- 1 tbs Extra Virgin Oil
- 1 tbs pure unrefined coconut oil
- 1 tbs Sesame seed oil
- 1 gel capsule multivitamin or 1 tsp multivitamin syrup
- A pair of gloves and hair covering
- Containers or jars for your mix.
DIRECTIONS - Cover your hair and clean up your work area. Wear gloves and proceed.
- Place the Shea butter in the glass mixing bowl.
- Put mixing bowl in the pan and fill with enough water to half the height of the mixing bowl. Be careful to prevent the water from splashing into the mixing bowl.
- Place the pan on medium heat and bring to boil. This is done to avoid direct contact of the glass mixing bowl and the fire.
- When the Shea butter is now liquid (thoroughly melted), add the olive oil, castor oil,.sesame seed oil, coconut oil and sulphur. Mix carefully with glass spatula.
- Reduce heat. Add the aloe Vera gel, then glycerine and mix thoroughly.
- Add all the essential oils, one drop at a time and mix again.
- Turn of the heat. Add contents of the Vitamin E capsules and multivitamins capsules.
- Now whisk up the ingredients thoroughly until it's smooth, light and has even consistency.
Heat under medium for 5 mins, then whip again.
- Pour carefully into receiving jar. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
For hygienic reasons, I do not use water. Water content is solely from the aloe vera gel. The vitamin E is an antioxidant and acts to preserve the natural ingredients.
The sulphur is antimicrobial and also a component of keratin, what the hair is composed of.
We all know about the wonders of Shea butter. In addition to being a source of vitamins and minerals, it's also a mild sunscreen. Castor oil thickens hair, Coconut oil strengthens hair strands, olive oil improves elasticity, sesame seed protects your strands and glycerine traps moisture.
I could go on and on but you can Google up the details of each ingredient. I haven't gotten to the goodness of the essential oils yet!
This product is also great on the skin.
PRODUCT USE Use on wet or dry hair, preferably on damp hair to seal in moisture. Can be used on the scalps as all ingredients are natural and are easily absorbed.
Apply every day to moistened ends to reduce breakage.
Can also be used as a styler.
This product is great for the gentle scalp of young children as it contains no petrolatum and uses all natural organics ingredients sourced locally.
CAUTION Some people may be allergic to some natural ingredients. If you are please eliminate them from the mix. If you are not sure, test for 24hrs in a small portion of your inner arm.
PRESERVATION Since no artificial preservatives such as parabens has been added, please refrigerate to preserve product.
If you are unable to make this yourself or your hair has special needs, we can make to order for your hair type.
Send us an E-mail to nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com for more details.
Get mixing and start your journey to fabulous hair!
 |
| NappyGirl Ubermoist Hair Pudding |
PRODUCT REVIEW: VO5 TEA THERAPY NOURISHING CONDITIONER
By Hadassah Agbaps - November 11, 2012
Natural hair styling in a professional setting is a bit confusing for some.
If you are natural, you will understand that natural hair in free form is gravity defying and attention seeking. In the professional environment, it is more important to draw attention to your skills at your workplace than to your hair.
Some offices and work environments such as banks are more conservative and while no one may say something outright about your hair styling choices (in most cases) , the looks you get may convey messages of how appropriate or otherwise your natural hair styling may be.
From my experience, natural hair in Nigeria is perceived as "done" when it is chemically treated, hidden under weaves/weaves and cornrowed, twisted or braided. Any other hair style such as twistouts, braidouts, twists/braids without extensions or afro puffs are considered "undone" and looked down upon.
Hopefully, with more people embracing their natural textured coils/curls, the definition of "done" hair may expand to include styles done with hair in it's natural state without any addons.
Before some naturals begin to feel discriminated against, I will like to point out that even our sisters with relaxed hair are faced with some hair styling restrictions too. For example, it is inappropriate in a conservative work environment to appear with your hair dyed in unnatural colours like Katy Perry's blue hair or Nicki Minaj's pink toned hair!
Natural hair styling in a professional setting is a bit confusing for some.
If you are natural, you will understand that natural hair in free form is gravity defying and attention seeking. In the professional environment, it is more important to draw attention to your skills at your workplace than to your hair.
Some offices and work environments such as banks are more conservative and while no one may say something outright about your hair styling choices (in most cases) , the looks you get may convey messages of how appropriate or otherwise your natural hair styling may be.
From my experience, natural hair in Nigeria is perceived as "done" when it is chemically treated, hidden under weaves/weaves and cornrowed, twisted or braided. Any other hair style such as twistouts, braidouts, twists/braids without extensions or afro puffs are considered "undone" and looked down upon.
Hopefully, with more people embracing their natural textured coils/curls, the definition of "done" hair may expand to include styles done with hair in it's natural state without any addons.
Before some naturals begin to feel discriminated against, I will like to point out that even our sisters with relaxed hair are faced with some hair styling restrictions too. For example, it is inappropriate in a conservative work environment to appear with your hair dyed in unnatural colours like Katy Perry's blue hair or Nicki Minaj's pink toned hair!
Once in a while I rock a wash and go.
Despite being a natural all the days of my life, I'd never really done out styles until I got to university.
My hair was always in cornrows, mini twists and braids because in Nigeria, out styles were (and still is) perceived as undone hair.
When I got to the university, I rarely braided or plaited (aka cornrows ) my hair. This was because I didn't trust anyone to do my hair without damaging it.
Back home, there were two women I trusted with my hair. One ( Auntie Salamatu) handled the braiding and the other ( we call her Auntie Touch of Beauty after her hair salon) handled the washing, steaming and roller setting. She was a certified beautician. She taught me how to avoid harsh shampoos, how to care for my hair on a budget and she did my first roller setting on natural hair. She was always gentle and her cold homemade lemonade was a treat! Her hair salon was of high standards and a bit pricey but she had discounts for students. I didn't mind though because my hair loved her.
Auntie Salamatu specialized in protective styles such as mini twists and intricately designed cornrows. She was also very adventurous with hair styles and that suited me just fine because I loved "unique " hairstyles.
So with Auntie Salamatu and Auntie Touch of Beauty way back home and me in university in another state, I was forced to be my own hairstylist. I had to juggle between studying, caring for my hair and caring for others.
I could only manage mini twists and that was on my spa days (my spa days started in university after I broke down one day due to exhaustion. I swore I would never neglect myself again!).
Most days I would either bun my hair or flatiron it. The weather played a major role in my styling.
When it was rainy and humid, I would sport mini twists, Afro puffs and buns. When it was dry and cold, I would sport straight flat ironed hair, blowouts and weaves. I loved straight hair during this season because my hair was less likely to revert and my straight style would last a minimum of two weeks without touch ups. I had the sense to use heat protection and my favorite was BLOW FISH...I loved me my BlowFish. It kept my strands supple,protected and with it my straightened hair lasted. My hair was also very glossy. Sadly, I think it's been discontinued. I would have stocked up the whole product when I had the chance...*sigh*
Despite being a natural all the days of my life, I'd never really done out styles until I got to university.
My hair was always in cornrows, mini twists and braids because in Nigeria, out styles were (and still is) perceived as undone hair.
When I got to the university, I rarely braided or plaited (aka cornrows ) my hair. This was because I didn't trust anyone to do my hair without damaging it.
Back home, there were two women I trusted with my hair. One ( Auntie Salamatu) handled the braiding and the other ( we call her Auntie Touch of Beauty after her hair salon) handled the washing, steaming and roller setting. She was a certified beautician. She taught me how to avoid harsh shampoos, how to care for my hair on a budget and she did my first roller setting on natural hair. She was always gentle and her cold homemade lemonade was a treat! Her hair salon was of high standards and a bit pricey but she had discounts for students. I didn't mind though because my hair loved her.
Auntie Salamatu specialized in protective styles such as mini twists and intricately designed cornrows. She was also very adventurous with hair styles and that suited me just fine because I loved "unique " hairstyles.
So with Auntie Salamatu and Auntie Touch of Beauty way back home and me in university in another state, I was forced to be my own hairstylist. I had to juggle between studying, caring for my hair and caring for others.
I could only manage mini twists and that was on my spa days (my spa days started in university after I broke down one day due to exhaustion. I swore I would never neglect myself again!).
Most days I would either bun my hair or flatiron it. The weather played a major role in my styling.
When it was rainy and humid, I would sport mini twists, Afro puffs and buns. When it was dry and cold, I would sport straight flat ironed hair, blowouts and weaves. I loved straight hair during this season because my hair was less likely to revert and my straight style would last a minimum of two weeks without touch ups. I had the sense to use heat protection and my favorite was BLOW FISH...I loved me my BlowFish. It kept my strands supple,protected and with it my straightened hair lasted. My hair was also very glossy. Sadly, I think it's been discontinued. I would have stocked up the whole product when I had the chance...*sigh*
 |
Hello naturalistas!
Hope you've had a wonderful week! It's been real busy for me on so many levels.
I can only say I've been travelling round the country like I got a bee in my knickers that won't let me sit still!
Well, I've posted about a new natural's complaint that her natural hair made her feel low class.
She admitted to not having the confidence to rock natural hair due to the negative "sidements" i.e. side comments.
Well, I've had my share of such "sidements" but I push them to the side where they belong.
Just recently, I was travelling to another part of the country. My seat mate, a pleasant woman in her fifties made a comment about my hair.
She said " you should try combing your hair often to rock a pretty fro!"
Errrr.......scratch that!
Anyone who has encountered coily/curly hair be it natural or a weave would know that regular combing will be the death of that hair/ weave.
Unless your hair/weave is wavy or straight, a comb or brush has no business going close to that hair on a regular basis!!!
I kid you not
!
Most sidements concerning natural hair come from "misunderstanding"!
Nigerians believe that if you have natural hair,it should be hidden!
Well, hiding your natural hair in protective styles such as braids, twists, cornrows and weaves is good for the hair. If done properly, it will help retain length.
But hiding your natural hair because it is perceived as unattractive by "others" (who usually have no real names) is where I have a problem.
It's called bullying.
If the "others" were advising me because they were really informed, I might take it. Afterall, the Bible says you gotta learn to listen to the wise!
But in my experience, many so called "advice" are given by people who have "no idea" evidenced by their discoloured hair, receeding hairlines and generally unhealthy hair!
Don't get me wrong! I'm not trying to be snide or bigheaded or impolite.
NOO!!! I'm as humble as can be. Afterall, we can only do so much to care for ourselves and God does the rest!
I'm only trying to say if you have to live your life depending on "sidements"....starting with your hair, then you'll have a really sad life depending on "sidements"....ending with your personal confidence.
If you feel you need to give "sidements", make sure you are well informed.
Besides, have you noticed that general acceptance of hair styles have to do with trends?
Take for instance, the Mohawk styles which involves shaving portions of the hair and leaving hair in the middle was seen as an irresponsible hairstyle and was frowned upon way back when.
Now, even mothers take their babies to the barbers to shave the sides of their hair and "others" say it's cool!
Since the approval of "others" is at best ephemeral, is it wise to base your confidence on such? #justsaying
I'd rather put my confidence in what God says about me than what people think because He's my designer and He made me nappy!
This week, I decided to get my hair out of the way and put in mini twists. I also used the opportunity to dust (trim) my ends.
My mom and sister really loved the results.
My sis insisted I do hers ( she's a new natural but she hides her hair under weaves).
She went to the market immediately and bought two packs of kinky extensions...that's when I knew she was serious!
That evening,I helped her take down her weave, clarified her scalp with "Alberto Culver Balsam Shampoo in Mandarin Limited Edition"(gifted) and co washed with "Suave Naturals Apple conditioner".
I sealed with castor oil. I didn't want to layer products in her hair.
I stretched her hair by gathering it up on her head and braiding. I didn't want her hair to be super stretched to give fuller twists.
The following day, I twisted her hair.
TWISTING.
- Starting from the back, I made square one inch sections in her hair.
I spritzed with a little water to soften. Then I applied castor oil and combed through with a wide tooth comb.
I used castor oil because unlike grease ( petroleum jelly), it provides hold, shine and seals in water without clogging the scalp.
- I took a small piece of extension ( half the thickness of the sectioned hair) and wound it around the hair at the roots.Winding helps reduce hair breakage and makes take down easy.
- After winding (about three to four rotations), I twisted as usually by crossing one piece of two parts over the other.
Please do check YouTube for tutorials on twisting if you are a beginner.
I did this all over her head. It took me all of 8 hours.Here are the pictures. What do you all think?
Kinky twists with extensions is a long lasting protective style (more than four weeks) if put in, maintained and taken down properly.
When putting in kinky twists, make sure it is not too tight at the roots. Due to the rubbery nature of the extensions, it would contract and become tighter pulling the hair from the roots.
Here are some pictures of Kinky Twists I sourced online.
MAINTENANCE
-Depending on how long you have the style in for, it is important to clean the hair and scalp at least once a week if you are the gym type and once in two weeks if you aren't ( like me).
-Cleansing the hair is simple.
Dilute your shampoo with water in your spray bottle.
-Spray the roots and scalp, then spray the hair.
Allow to stay for a few minutes.
-Put clean water in the spritz bottle and spritz again. Squeeze to get excess water off then pat dry with a towel.
-To condition, mix in your spritz bottle, water, conditioner, aloe vera in part ratios of 4:2:1 and add a teaspoon of olive/coconut oil. Mix thoroughly and spray hair.
On the other hand, you can purchase commercial dry shampoo and braid spray for maintenance.
TAKE DOWN.
-Spray each twist with the water,condish mix and take down by carefully untwisting with oily fingers.
-If you reach a tangle, be patient and work at it until it untangles.Tangling can be reduced by proper maintenance during the period the twists are in.
-When you are done with that twist, spritz hair again and detangle with fingers.
-After you have taken down and detangled a sizable portion, loosely twist that portion to prevent retangling of the hair.
STYLE TIP: You can take it down for a mini twistout.
If you have anymore questions,comments or experiences with kinky twists, please do share.
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
 | ||
| My twist with some honey blond kinky extensions |
 |
| The Back |
My mom and sister really loved the results.
My sis insisted I do hers ( she's a new natural but she hides her hair under weaves).
She went to the market immediately and bought two packs of kinky extensions...that's when I knew she was serious!
That evening,I helped her take down her weave, clarified her scalp with "Alberto Culver Balsam Shampoo in Mandarin Limited Edition"(gifted) and co washed with "Suave Naturals Apple conditioner".
I sealed with castor oil. I didn't want to layer products in her hair.
I stretched her hair by gathering it up on her head and braiding. I didn't want her hair to be super stretched to give fuller twists.
The following day, I twisted her hair.
TWISTING.
- Starting from the back, I made square one inch sections in her hair.
I spritzed with a little water to soften. Then I applied castor oil and combed through with a wide tooth comb.
I used castor oil because unlike grease ( petroleum jelly), it provides hold, shine and seals in water without clogging the scalp.
- I took a small piece of extension ( half the thickness of the sectioned hair) and wound it around the hair at the roots.Winding helps reduce hair breakage and makes take down easy.
 |
| Kinky Twist Extensions by Nobel. Price N700 |
- After winding (about three to four rotations), I twisted as usually by crossing one piece of two parts over the other.
Please do check YouTube for tutorials on twisting if you are a beginner.
 |
| See how thick the sections are? You can go smaller or bigger depending on the size you want |
I did this all over her head. It took me all of 8 hours.Here are the pictures. What do you all think?
 |
| Finished hair, side view |
 |
| Finished hair, front view. |
Kinky twists with extensions is a long lasting protective style (more than four weeks) if put in, maintained and taken down properly.
When putting in kinky twists, make sure it is not too tight at the roots. Due to the rubbery nature of the extensions, it would contract and become tighter pulling the hair from the roots.
Here are some pictures of Kinky Twists I sourced online.
MAINTENANCE
-Depending on how long you have the style in for, it is important to clean the hair and scalp at least once a week if you are the gym type and once in two weeks if you aren't ( like me).
-Cleansing the hair is simple.
Dilute your shampoo with water in your spray bottle.
-Spray the roots and scalp, then spray the hair.
Allow to stay for a few minutes.
-Put clean water in the spritz bottle and spritz again. Squeeze to get excess water off then pat dry with a towel.
-To condition, mix in your spritz bottle, water, conditioner, aloe vera in part ratios of 4:2:1 and add a teaspoon of olive/coconut oil. Mix thoroughly and spray hair.
On the other hand, you can purchase commercial dry shampoo and braid spray for maintenance.
TAKE DOWN.
-Spray each twist with the water,condish mix and take down by carefully untwisting with oily fingers.
-If you reach a tangle, be patient and work at it until it untangles.Tangling can be reduced by proper maintenance during the period the twists are in.
-When you are done with that twist, spritz hair again and detangle with fingers.
-After you have taken down and detangled a sizable portion, loosely twist that portion to prevent retangling of the hair.
STYLE TIP: You can take it down for a mini twistout.
If you have anymore questions,comments or experiences with kinky twists, please do share.
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Remember when I said your hair is your hair and that you should love it just the way it is?
Well, I meant it!
It is human though to see other natural hair textures and covet it especially when your hair is acting up.
Some people look at my hair and go,
" Oh is it a weave? No?? You are so lucky to have such soft coily hair! Mine is like an iron sponge."
Ha ha! Thank you but you have no idea how many times I have to bun, scarf or hide my hair under a weave just beause it has the consistency of that iron sponge and I have no time or patience to listen to it!
Live with me and see!!
We always put our best face, foot and hair forward and hide the flaws!
I find that it helps though when you discover that natural you've been envious of is your hair twin!
What I mean is, you go up to him/her to ask how s/he got her hair to look so gorgeous and as you guys get talking and sharing, you find out that his/her hair behaves 97% like yours!
So you start sharing regimens, tips and products!
Well, for those that may be my hair twin...here are details of my hair.
Before I start, I'll like to explain a little bit about hair textures. I may not be a hair expert but from what I've gleaned from natural hair sites (You can get more details by googling) natural hair can be classified based on:
-Curl/Coil circumference
-Thickness of Strand
-Porosity
CURL/COIL CIRCUMFERENCE
The most popular system is based on numbering 1,2,3,4 then subcategories of a,b and c.
1= straight hair
2= wavy hair
3=curly hair
4= coily/kinky hair.
For indigenous Nigerians, our hair type fall into class 4. The subcategories are
4a- kinky curly hair
4b- kinky coily hair
4c- kinky hair with no coil/curl pattern
To know the true texture of your hair, check it's behavior in water.
Do you notice round spiral coils, tiny 's' coils or 'z' shaped coils?
Some people will say their hair is kinky with no coil/curl pattern but in water they'll find out they have 's' shaped coils.
I use water to test because when hair is properly hydrated, it shows its true form.
THICKNESS OF STRANDS
Strand thickness can be compared to the thickness of a cotton thread.(simplified version)
It is categorized into
- Fine ( thinner than the thread)
- Medium ( same as thread)
- Thick/coarse ( thicker than thread)
POROSITY
Porosity can be determined by taking a clean (no oil, grease, moisturiser) strand of hair, placing in water and noting how long it takes for it to sink.
Low porosity hair floats on water. People with this hair type find that their hair takes ages to dry and that hair products seem to sit on their hair without being absorbed.
High porosity hair takes little or no time to sink to the bottom. People with this hair find that their hair absorbs products easily, gets wet easily and dries out faster than the speed of light!
*This is just a simplified version of hair types and texture. For more details, please Googleit!
Okay back to my hair and possible hair twin out there!
My hair type is 4a/b in the front and 4b/c in the middle. It is fine and very porous.
How does this translate into my hair care?
Well, because it is fine, I try to limit the use of heavy butters/oil such as Shea butter, castor and olive oil when I want big hair!
But when I want defined hair with well arranged coils or waves these are my best buddies.
Due to my hair's high porosity, I tend to get dry hair faster than palm oil stains on your white dress! To combat this, I make use of the L.O.C method.
Here are products I use on my hair right now.( I tend to change up some of my hair products depending on my hair needs, the weather, my purse and my product junkie cravings).
Shampoo:
- Aussie Moist Shampoo
Conditioner:
- Organics Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner
- VO5 conditioner ( co wash)
Moisturiser
- Africa's Best Organics Texture My Way Curl Keeper Moisturising Hair lotion ( great for unexplained dryness)
- Organics Root Stimulator Incredibly Rich Oil Moisturising Lotion
- 100% Water
Heat Protectors
- Biosilk silk therapy
Styling Gel
- Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera gel
- ORS loc and twist gel
- NappyGirl Shea Curly Custard ( made by yours truly)
Oils
- olive oil
- Shea butter
- Castor oil
- Coconut oil ( prepoo and anti breakage)
- Rosemary oil
I'm trying to reduce my products down to a few items. Looking at this list, I think I'm doing quite well....he he he....(more space for more products!)
See ya,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
Well, I meant it!
It is human though to see other natural hair textures and covet it especially when your hair is acting up.
Some people look at my hair and go,
" Oh is it a weave? No?? You are so lucky to have such soft coily hair! Mine is like an iron sponge."
Ha ha! Thank you but you have no idea how many times I have to bun, scarf or hide my hair under a weave just beause it has the consistency of that iron sponge and I have no time or patience to listen to it!
Live with me and see!!
We always put our best face, foot and hair forward and hide the flaws!
I find that it helps though when you discover that natural you've been envious of is your hair twin!
What I mean is, you go up to him/her to ask how s/he got her hair to look so gorgeous and as you guys get talking and sharing, you find out that his/her hair behaves 97% like yours!
So you start sharing regimens, tips and products!
Well, for those that may be my hair twin...here are details of my hair.
Before I start, I'll like to explain a little bit about hair textures. I may not be a hair expert but from what I've gleaned from natural hair sites (You can get more details by googling) natural hair can be classified based on:
-Curl/Coil circumference
-Thickness of Strand
-Porosity
CURL/COIL CIRCUMFERENCE
The most popular system is based on numbering 1,2,3,4 then subcategories of a,b and c.
1= straight hair
2= wavy hair
3=curly hair
4= coily/kinky hair.
For indigenous Nigerians, our hair type fall into class 4. The subcategories are
4a- kinky curly hair
4b- kinky coily hair
4c- kinky hair with no coil/curl pattern
| Source: shutterstock.com |
Do you notice round spiral coils, tiny 's' coils or 'z' shaped coils?
Some people will say their hair is kinky with no coil/curl pattern but in water they'll find out they have 's' shaped coils.
I use water to test because when hair is properly hydrated, it shows its true form.
THICKNESS OF STRANDS
Strand thickness can be compared to the thickness of a cotton thread.(simplified version)
It is categorized into
- Fine ( thinner than the thread)
- Medium ( same as thread)
- Thick/coarse ( thicker than thread)
POROSITY
Porosity can be determined by taking a clean (no oil, grease, moisturiser) strand of hair, placing in water and noting how long it takes for it to sink.
Low porosity hair floats on water. People with this hair type find that their hair takes ages to dry and that hair products seem to sit on their hair without being absorbed.
High porosity hair takes little or no time to sink to the bottom. People with this hair find that their hair absorbs products easily, gets wet easily and dries out faster than the speed of light!
*This is just a simplified version of hair types and texture. For more details, please Googleit!
Okay back to my hair and possible hair twin out there!
My hair type is 4a/b in the front and 4b/c in the middle. It is fine and very porous.
How does this translate into my hair care?
Well, because it is fine, I try to limit the use of heavy butters/oil such as Shea butter, castor and olive oil when I want big hair!
But when I want defined hair with well arranged coils or waves these are my best buddies.
Due to my hair's high porosity, I tend to get dry hair faster than palm oil stains on your white dress! To combat this, I make use of the L.O.C method.
Here are products I use on my hair right now.( I tend to change up some of my hair products depending on my hair needs, the weather, my purse and my product junkie cravings).
Shampoo:
- Aussie Moist Shampoo
- Organics Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner
 |
Moisturiser
- Africa's Best Organics Texture My Way Curl Keeper Moisturising Hair lotion ( great for unexplained dryness)
 |
- 100% Water
Heat Protectors
- Biosilk silk therapy
 |
Styling Gel
- Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera gel
- ORS loc and twist gel
- NappyGirl Shea Curly Custard ( made by yours truly)
Oils
- olive oil
- Shea butter
- Castor oil
- Coconut oil ( prepoo and anti breakage)
- Rosemary oil
I'm trying to reduce my products down to a few items. Looking at this list, I think I'm doing quite well....he he he....(more space for more products!)
 |
| My hair in wet twists. Gives an idea of my coil type |
See ya,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
Hi naturalistas,
I'm officially on day 13 of The One Month Finger detangling Challenge.
I decided to do a post to let you know what I am doing for those who have started the challenge or are about to start.
The goal of this challenge is to get healthier, breakage and split free strands by eliminating combs or brushes.
The litmus test will be longer and thicker hair.
I began this journey by trimming off splits and knots when the hair was a bit stretched from an old twist out.
Then I co washed my hair using VO5 conditioner.
After which I deep conditioned with Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner mixed with olive oil,pure unrefined coconut oil and mayonnaise. (see details below).
I never used a comb. All detangling was done using my fingers.
Here's my own regimen.
HOW I CO WASHED AND FINGER DETANGLED MY HAIR
- I parted my dry hair into six sections with my fingers and applied VO5 conditioner to each section, scrunching to totally saturate my hair with conditioner then twisting loosely.
- While my hair was still in twists, I wet my whole head with warm water and began massaging my scalp to get the dirt off.
I then took down each twist one at a time to thoroughly wash my scalp and hair from roots to tips.
-Then I finger detangled.
I did this by raking my fingers through my hair, feeling for tangles and gently separating them.
When I came across a difficult tangle, I added more conditioner and gently detangled from bottom up.
After detangling, I re-twisted the section and worked on the other sections in the same way.
- I rinsed off the hair starting with the first section down to the last, still with warm water.
- Once I completely rinsed off the conditioner, I gently removed excess water by using praying hands. That is, I sandwiched my hair between my two palms and smooshed from roots to tip.
I then blotted the remaining water using a clean big T-shirt.
- I proceeded to deep condition my hair.
In a small bowl, I mixed ORS conditioner with a capful of olive oil, two capsful of coconut oil and two tablespoons of mayonnaise.
- I applied this mixture all over my hair,untwisting and re-twisting, put on a shower cap and then turbaned with a scarf and went about my normal duties.
- About 3- 4 hrs later, I rinsed my hair with cold water, blotted dry with the Tee and proceeded to stretching my hair by braiding.
HOW I STRETCHED MY HAIR.
I stretch my hair without heat by braiding, twisting or knotting my hair in sections. On rare occasions, I stretch using a blow dryer.
I do this to prevent further tangling of my hair once it's dry.
My hair tends to dry out easily and becomes brittle.
To reduce this, I make use of the LOC method popular in natural circles. I learnt it from here and it has been the best method for retaining moisture so far.
LOC means Liquid ( water), Oil ( could be olive oil, coconut oil or any oil of your choice) and Cream ( hair butter, Shea butter mix, hair moisturising lotion). You apply the products in that order.
To stretch my hair,
- I took down each twist and divided it into two.
- To each section, I spritzed with a little water (if my hair was dry).
Then I applied coconut/olive oil and later my Shea butter mix (aka NappyGirl Curly Butter) concentrating on my ends to prevent breakage.
- After this, I braided the hair ( or twist when I'm lazy or in a hurry).
By the time my hair was completely dry,it would have been stretched enough for further styling.
There you have it and here's my pictures!
Then I put on a shower cap and deep conditioned using my own body heat for 3hrs after which I rinsed in cold water and proceeded to moisturise and braid using the LOC method.
I wash my hair biweekly and after every three or four co-wash sessions, I wash with shampoo to remove buildup and then continue with the co washing.
This regimen has helped me retain most of my length and I doubt I'll be using combs any time soon.
So this is my hair regimen so far.
Till we meet again,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
EDIT: During the week, I hennaed using Kani Kone Body Art Quality Henna paste.
I just applied the henna to dry sections of my hair concentrating on the tips and left overnight...easy peasy!
In the morning, I rinsed out with cold water and stretched as usual.
I used henna to:
a. Strengthen my hair and reduce breakage.
b. Give me red highlights.
I'm officially on day 13 of The One Month Finger detangling Challenge.
I decided to do a post to let you know what I am doing for those who have started the challenge or are about to start.
The goal of this challenge is to get healthier, breakage and split free strands by eliminating combs or brushes.
The litmus test will be longer and thicker hair.
I began this journey by trimming off splits and knots when the hair was a bit stretched from an old twist out.
Then I co washed my hair using VO5 conditioner.
After which I deep conditioned with Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner mixed with olive oil,pure unrefined coconut oil and mayonnaise. (see details below).
I never used a comb. All detangling was done using my fingers.
Here's my own regimen.
HOW I CO WASHED AND FINGER DETANGLED MY HAIR
- I parted my dry hair into six sections with my fingers and applied VO5 conditioner to each section, scrunching to totally saturate my hair with conditioner then twisting loosely.
- While my hair was still in twists, I wet my whole head with warm water and began massaging my scalp to get the dirt off.
I then took down each twist one at a time to thoroughly wash my scalp and hair from roots to tips.
-Then I finger detangled.
I did this by raking my fingers through my hair, feeling for tangles and gently separating them.
When I came across a difficult tangle, I added more conditioner and gently detangled from bottom up.
After detangling, I re-twisted the section and worked on the other sections in the same way.
- I rinsed off the hair starting with the first section down to the last, still with warm water.
- Once I completely rinsed off the conditioner, I gently removed excess water by using praying hands. That is, I sandwiched my hair between my two palms and smooshed from roots to tip.
I then blotted the remaining water using a clean big T-shirt.
- I proceeded to deep condition my hair.
In a small bowl, I mixed ORS conditioner with a capful of olive oil, two capsful of coconut oil and two tablespoons of mayonnaise.
- I applied this mixture all over my hair,untwisting and re-twisting, put on a shower cap and then turbaned with a scarf and went about my normal duties.
- About 3- 4 hrs later, I rinsed my hair with cold water, blotted dry with the Tee and proceeded to stretching my hair by braiding.
HOW I STRETCHED MY HAIR.
I stretch my hair without heat by braiding, twisting or knotting my hair in sections. On rare occasions, I stretch using a blow dryer.
I do this to prevent further tangling of my hair once it's dry.
My hair tends to dry out easily and becomes brittle.
To reduce this, I make use of the LOC method popular in natural circles. I learnt it from here and it has been the best method for retaining moisture so far.
LOC means Liquid ( water), Oil ( could be olive oil, coconut oil or any oil of your choice) and Cream ( hair butter, Shea butter mix, hair moisturising lotion). You apply the products in that order.
To stretch my hair,
- I took down each twist and divided it into two.
- To each section, I spritzed with a little water (if my hair was dry).
Then I applied coconut/olive oil and later my Shea butter mix (aka NappyGirl Curly Butter) concentrating on my ends to prevent breakage.
- After this, I braided the hair ( or twist when I'm lazy or in a hurry).
By the time my hair was completely dry,it would have been stretched enough for further styling.
There you have it and here's my pictures!
 |
 |
Deep Conditioning mix
From Left: Mayonnaise, Olive oil, Unrefined coconut oil, ORS Replenishing Conditioner
 |
 |
| Smoothing from tips.... |
 |
| ....to roots |
 |
 |
| Twists |
 |
Then I put on a shower cap and deep conditioned using my own body heat for 3hrs after which I rinsed in cold water and proceeded to moisturise and braid using the LOC method.
 |
| Thickness of my braids. Once dried and stretched, my hair is ready for styling. |
I wash my hair biweekly and after every three or four co-wash sessions, I wash with shampoo to remove buildup and then continue with the co washing.
This regimen has helped me retain most of my length and I doubt I'll be using combs any time soon.
So this is my hair regimen so far.
Till we meet again,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
EDIT: During the week, I hennaed using Kani Kone Body Art Quality Henna paste.
I just applied the henna to dry sections of my hair concentrating on the tips and left overnight...easy peasy!
In the morning, I rinsed out with cold water and stretched as usual.
a. Strengthen my hair and reduce breakage.
b. Give me red highlights.
