ALL TEXTURES MATTER!

Honestly speaking there are so many layers in the natural hair community. I was so sure that reverting to natural hair would not only allow me to appreciate my natural hair but I would be embraced with love from women with different textures as we are all NATURAL SISTERS RIGHT?

Truth of the matter is Curly and wavy girls dominate the branding in products mass marketed to natural hair. So while the recent rebirth and modern day celebration of natural hair has provided some balance for Black women looking to escape the media induced pressure to yearn for European imitated straight, long hair, now there is a new pressure for natural women to yearn for a specific type of natural hair

Just recently I was looking at natural hair pages on Instagram and I came across one that was dedicated specifically for women with 4C hair texture and guess what all the videos they posted where of women with hair textures ranging from 3A TO 4A. Also sometimes when I search for hair tutorials for women with 4C hair texture it is such a struggle. One would even assume only a few people have 4C hair texture lol AND WE KNOW THAT’S NOT TRUE . I just know that most pages/websites/vlogs dedicated to natural hair mostly showcase curly hair more than  kinky hair and this is not to say curly hair isn’t natural hair, don’t get me wrong. I just wish all hair textures were given the same attention.

BUT maybe that could also be a good thing, It could mean there is  a gap in the natural hair market for 4C hair bloggers to fill, HELLO! 😊 (Also I’m trying the law of Affirmation, choosing to be positive at all times).

I don’t know if I’m the only one that’s experienced this, I would definitely love to hear your opinions on this matter.

What to avoid if you want your hair grow faster.

I realized that I am always talking about hair growth hacks and tips for healthy hair BUT I think it is also important to talk about what to avoid  BECAUSE GIRLLLLL there are so many products out there that just do not work for our coils.  Sometimes you might feel like your doing the RIGHT THING, deep conditioning, washing, detoxing and receiving zero results and maybe it’s because you just are not using the right products or techniques. So lets get right into it.

AVOID TOO MUCH SUN EXPOSURE: UV rays can significantly damage your locks. Therefore, if you know that you will spend a day on the beach, make sure to wear a hat!

 AVOID CONSTANTLY BLEACHING AND DYEING YOUR HAIR: All of the above have damaging effects on your locks. If you want to slightly change the color of your hair, go for highlights, instead of uniform hair coloration; highlights are less harsh and, definitely, less damaging for your tresses.

AVOID STRESS BY ALL MEANS: Because it can lead not only to hair loss and thinning hair, but also to fatigue, depression and sleepless nights…we don’t want this, right? To avoid stress, try to meditate, exercise regularly and direct your thoughts into positivity.

AVOID SILICONE BASED SHAMPOOS: As well as shampoos containing laureth sulphate, because these products dry out your hair, causing breakage and damage. Also, certain studies show that sodium laureth sulphate (SLS) can be linked to skin and eye irritation, organ toxicity, cancer, possible mutations and, even, cellular changes.

MAKE SURE TO AVOID TIGHT HAIRSTYLES: Those can lead to hair loss, breakage and damage if worn constantly and often.

I hope you found the above tips useful. Feel free to share your own tricks on how to make your hair grow faster in the comment section below.

 

HACKS EVERY NATURAL SISTA NEEDS TO MASTER PT2

Back again with the Hacks for you Naturalsistas!! (YAAAAY). So I actually decided to give my hacks a theme, last time the theme was washing and styling this time we will be focusing on HAIR GROWTH! (YAAAAY again). I know this one will be a big hit among  us Naturalistas!! We all want our hair to grow! So lets begin!

MASSAGE WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Applying certain natural oils (Lavender, castor, thyme, cedar wood, and rosemary) to your scalp before you massage can boost circulation and hair growth even more. Be aware that these essential oil are heavy hence it would be best to dilute them using good carrier oils like Jojoba oil.

AIR DRYING > BLOW DRYING!!

Your scalp is healthiest when it is full of natural moisture. A HEALTHY SCALP PROVIDES AN ESSENTIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR STRANDS TO BLOSSOM. Using a hairdryer every day can dry out your scalp as well as your hair. Allow your hair to air dry when you have time to prevent scalp dryness and keep your hair strands full of moisture, as well.

AN ONION A WEEK KEEPS THE BALDNESS AWAY LOL

This inexpensive and readily available kitchen ingredient has been extensively researched and found to help in the most severe conditions of spot baldness.
Onion juice applied directly on the scalp helps with the re-growth of hair in the spots where the hair has fallen-out. This is because onions contain an abundance of sulfur, which helps the formation of keratin in the hair.

The method:

• Juice one red onion (do not dilute with water or you will also dilute the sulfur chemical)
• Apply over the scalp
• Leave-on overnight
• Shampoo and condition as normal
• Do this once a week to see results

INVERSION METHOD!

Check out my post on the inversion method and how it leads to hair growth in a WEEK!

PROTECT THY EDGES!

Look if you read my Bio you would know that I have a very very complicated relationship with my Edges. Actually the main reason I did the big chop was because of my edges lol ( The struggle is real)! When I did the big chop the first thing I researched about (EXTENSIVELY) was my edges because I really did not want to go back to the Pre- Big Chop days, Those were some dark days haha. Transitioning to natural hair was the best decision for my edges, Chemicals contribute a large part to thinning edges. Today I’m going to provide a few tips on how I take care of my edges.

KEEP IT LOOSE: Avoid styles that pull or place a lot of tension on hairline. I braid my own hair so I do not pull it too tight because that will literally yank off your edges. If you cannot braid your own hair then let your stylist know that you do not want the braids too tight especially at the front. Wigs may be the safest choice when it comes to protecting the entire head. Another good solution is crochet braids that leave your edges out. Ladies I know a high puff or a bun are the go to hairstyles for us Naturalistas  because sometimes we just do not have time but please for the sake of your edges make sure your bun or high puff  isn’t too tight.

TLC FOR THY EDGES: Your edges need some TLC too Queen. Using nourishing oils like  castor, coconut, peppermint, or olive will prevent your edges from thinning and also promote growth. Daily massages will also keep your scalp hydrated and healthy. NB beware of brushing or combing too often. Try to detangle and style your edges with your fingers.

CHOOSE YOUR EDGE CONTROL WISELY: Not every edge control is good for your strands. Be sure to use products that offer healthy benefits, so that you can style with purpose! Look for edge control and gels that contain natural ingredients like aloe vera, flaxseeds, and carrier oils.

Do you have a favorite way to keep your edges healthy? Let ME  know in the comments below!

Inversion method! Does it really work?

Ever heard of the inversion method? Every Natural hair YouTube Vlogger has been going crazy about it apparently your hair grows by an inch in 7 days!! Hmm….. I won’t lie I was a bit skeptical about this method at first cos it sounded more like a pseudo-science to me (exaggerated or unfalsifiable claims). I mean our hair grows on average ½ to 1 inch a month so how is it possible for it to grow an inch in just 7 days!! Anyway I decided to research more about this method and actually try it out before discrediting it. So let’s start with what exactly the inversion method is about.

Inversion method? What is it all about?

This method involves massaging your scalp whilst hanging your head upside down for a short period of time (5 mins) to stimulate growth and even re-growth of lost hair. There has been a bit of research that was carried out on the effect of massages on hair growth, however that was done on rats. It was concluded that massaging your scalp helped your hair regrow or grow but there hasn’t been substantiate evidence on it GROWING FASTER. Also it should be noted that your head has to be turned upside down when massaging so as to increase blood flow to the scalp. The inversion method claims that this increased flow of blood will promote hair growth.

How to do the inversion method.

Actually executing this method does not require a lot of product. All you need is hair oil of choice, I used Castor oil because it contains natural compounds that promote hair growth.  So what I do first is I warm up 4 tablespoon of oil. Take a cup of hot water and place my oil bottle in it. I let the oil sit for a minute or so until it is warm to touch. Your goal is to increase blood flow to your scalp. Warmer oil will increase the blood retention in your scalp cells  hair growth. I apply oil to my scalp, tilt it upside down and massage it for 5 minutes. You do this once a day for 7 days and that’s it! It is recommended that you do this once every month instead of every week.

My results

Ok like I said before I was very skeptical about this method so going in my expectations were quite low. And you never actually realize how long 5 mins is until you do this method!! Felt like I was doing it for longer than 5 mins. So I decided to play a 5 minute song (NB it has to be a song you like haha otherwise it won’t make any difference). So anyway I did measure a section of my hair before doing the inversion method so I could compare results. And you know what! Yeah my hair did actually grow, not by an inch though but close to half an inch so I guess the inversion method does work after all TO SOME EXTENT.