Update 21/10/2012

Hello guys!
I am so sorry I haven't posted anything in a long while. I have been absolutely busy and if I'm honest it has had an impact on the amount of time I have given towards caring for my hair. This is one of the responsibilities of natural hair, you have to make way and give time to take care of it. I have been consumed by many things, including university, work and trying to organise those things and my life. Sometimes I would find that I just don't have time to do hot oil treatments. It has been raining heavily for the past weeks and my hair has been a victim of acid rain

I haven't updated you on my hair post-braids. I took out my braids and my hair came out a lot thicker which I was very pleased about. Also, I have revised my regime and I should be reducing the relaxing time span from every 4 months to every 3 months. I have alot of undergrowth, even right now, as I am typing this up. I have exactly one month to go then, until I relax. And ofcourse, I shall be relaxing only the undergrowth (I used to relax my whole head before, I know, horrible :(...) and I might even consider getting it relaxed professionally at the hair dressers. I bond/tie my hair up a couple of days a week to avoid the ends friction with the clothes on the shoulder. I seal every day with jojoba/lavender oil.

So yeah. Right now, I just finished washing and conditioning my hair and I packed it up. It will be dry by the time I wake up tomorrow. I decided to do it this morning 1am rather than later today when I would be busy. I will make it. I will find my balance. My hair is always on my mind. I have noticed growth too! Can't wait to post up progress pictures after relaxing it!

Changes to my regimen

As you go along your hair journey, you have to be prepared to make changes to your hair regimen.

Changes:
- coconut oil daily to seal
- olive oil and honey into conditioner mix
- weekly hot oil treatment instead of bi-weekly
- blow dry while conditioning (15 mins)

To buy:
Elasta QP products are very well recommended by my role models. Having analysed their ingredients lists, the shampoos do not contain sulphates and the list is pretty minimum compared to some other brands. I am put off by products with many, too many ingredients. Less is more.
- Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo
- Elasta QP rollers mouse
- (moisture conditioner)? Proclaim Aloe and Shea Butter Moisturizing Conditioner?
- Elasta QP Scalp Stimulating Shampoo: this will be used once a month to clarify as I am using a non-sulphate shampoo or use my current sulphate shampoo once a month (Don't want to waste it)
- QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter moisturiser

(Italics means I have purchased them)

Your regimen should aim to achieve a moisture/protein balance. I already do a protein treatment therefore I need a moisturising conditioner instead of a protein conditioner. At first I was thinking to purchase the two different types of conditioners but then I thought I could balance that out in other ways too. E.g creams, treatments, shampoos. Read more about it here.

Protective styling: Braids.. one last time?

Okay so I've read a few hair blogs and I've heard the word of mouth that single braids help to grow and thicken hair, since you don't have to tamper your hair in its protective state. I have seen the positive results of some women's before and after pictures and I want to try mine. This is the second time I am doing proper single braids. I took a progress picture of my hair before this hairdo and then before I start uni I will take a picture of my hair after the braids. I will keep them in for about 3 weeks (before I start uni) to see the effects of them. I love them, and really long too. My cousin did them for me, she started while I continued to finish off the braids. Before and after the hair-do she rubbed in some indian hemp (full of many natural oils) and coconut oil, making sure my hair was very well moisturised.

 If I like the results, I may consider them in another like 3 months as some sort of treatment.

My hair length - 05/09/2012

Keeping my hair well-moisturised!

Say hello to air drying!

I did a hot-oil treatment today and then I air-dried my hair! It felt good, no heat! I moisturised my hair, combed it back and let it air dry and after about 2 hours my hair was completely dry. I am definitely going to continue air drying my hair instead of blow drying it (unless I am in a hurry to go out). This strategy is often part of the regimens of the long-haired women's blog I follow. Minimum heat is key. I am going to buy a long silk scarf to cover my head and make the front smooth, although they pretty much are.

Watch the following video for a more in-depth explanation:

Bye bye blow-drying!

Making my own shea butter cream

 

I have realised how important it is to keep your hair moisturised. Before commencing this journey I did not like moisturising my hair because I was afraid it would get too 'dirty', not knowing the hair feeds on moisture. I am currently using Luster's Pink Oil as my daily moisturiser. I have had to ditch the Apple Hair Food and Indian Hemp cream because they contain Petroleum which isn't good for your hair. I want to add Shea Butter cream to my daily hair moisturiser/sealant, so I will have two products. I don't want to be using too many different moisturisers on my hair.

As I mentioned earlier, my mum returned from her holiday this morning and I broke the news to her. To my surprise she brought a can of solidified shea butter with her. This butter is good for the body and for the hair. If I wanted to explain the benefits of this cream, it would take all day. Winter is coming and I need a good protectant, so I will be going shopping with my mum to buy the extra ingredients to make this concoction. I have a spare plastic bottle ready to fill it up with. Instead of buying the Unrefined Shea Butter product from the shops (which I failed to find), I will just prepare my own daily moisturiser. I've got the solidified shea butter already.

What I will then do next:

Shea Butter Hair and Skin Homemade Recipe
- 1.5 cup of Shea Butter
- ½ Cup of coconut oil
- 1 tsp. Of Vitamin E Oil (preservative)
- ½ ounce of fragrance oil/lavender

Heat shea butter slowly in a medium sized saucepan until the butter is in liquid form. When it is liquid add in the coconut oil and mix/whip it around until both are incorporated and it becomes thicker. While it is still somewhat liquid, add the Vitamin E oil and the fragrance oil.

Whip the mixture again (for about 30 minutes). The consistency should resemble yogurt in smoothness. Add some fragrance oil. When you have reached the desired consistency you can spoon your finished product into a container. Use as often as needed as a daily skin and hair moisturizer. This is a very good replacement for commercial hair oils and skin lotions.

Shea butter has numerous benefits for hair and skin:

• Shea butter provides moisture to dry and damaged hair from the roots to the tips, leaving it healthy and shiny. Because it's rich in vitamins A and E, shea butter soothes dryness, repairs breakage, and mends split ends.
• Shea butter absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp without clogging pores, leaving a greasy residue, or causing a buildup of oil or dandruff.
• Shea butter protects hair from weather damage caused by wind, humidity, and extreme dryness, and repairs such damage.
• Because it's rich in moisture and can shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation, shea butter protects hair from sun damage.
• If your hair has endured chemical treatments, hot irons, and blow-dryers, shea butter can restore its moisture and vitality.

More information #1
More Information #2

So I told my mum...

My mum came back from her holiday in Nigeria today. I broke the news to her about me going natural. She was sooo happy about it! I didn't know she would be this pleased. She told me how she had been praying for me to come to the realisation. I liked it because if she had told insisted on me going natural I probably would've brushed it off, I came to my own realisation. She did always prefer me leaving my natural hair out.
So I explained my whole journey to her, showed her the products I bought and just everything. She was really happy. I'm happy too. I have completely stopped the whole sowing weave into my hair using needles and threads, natural all the way.

Yay! My mum supports me all the way. This will make everything much easier!

To buy: Jamaican Black Castor Oil

I can't say much because I'm speechless, having been astounded by the countless amazing youtube and article reviews of this product. It has done wonders. I am not going to buy it until I've finished my normal castor oil that I bought a couple of days ago. JBCO is around £15 but it is its money's worth. I saw it at the hair shop when I went shopping for my hair care products but and its price put me off. I stumbled upon it yesterday and read the reviews. I still don't know how many people do don't know about this oil. It is different to the regular castor oil because of its ash content due to the roasting of the beans, having been manufactured the oil fashioned way in Jamica. Therefore, the more ash content, the more effective the oil. This is not a myth, it is evidence based on scientific facts. It has helped to thicken and grow hair at a fast rate. I can't wait to get mine!