The Simplicity of Long Haired Naturals

Over the past few years as I have browsed natural hair websites, blogs, and watched YouTube channels I have noticed that there is something that a lot of long haired naturals have in common - simplicity. To be honest, I retained the most length when I stopped experimented and made my regimen as simple as possible while still keep it effective.

Some regimens of long hair naturals that I admire are:
Chicoro: Chicoro's Regimen on CurlyNikki
LongHairDontCare2011: LongHairDontCare2011's Regimen on YouTube
Chime: Chime's Regimen on YouTube
Kai: Kai's Regimen on ManeandChic
MsLaLa: MsLaLa's regimen on FOTKI

What I gathered from the individuals above is to just keep it simple. Wash when needed, condition regularly, limit heat use, and handle/style your hair with care. Of course each person's regimen is different but what is important is to pick and choose the elements for your regimen that work for you. Just because so-and-so did it does not mean you have to.

Want more? Google Long natural hair - don't drool on your PC

What healthy hair habits have you picked up and which ones have you dropped? Why?

The Simplicity of Long Haired Naturals

Over the past few years as I have browsed natural hair websites, blogs, and watched YouTube channels I have noticed that there is something that a lot of long haired naturals have in common - simplicity. To be honest, I retained the most length when I stopped experimented and made my regimen as simple as possible while still keep it effective.

Some regimens of long hair naturals that I admire are:
Chicoro: Chicoro's Regimen on CurlyNikki
LongHairDontCare2011: LongHairDontCare2011's Regimen on YouTube
Chime: Chime's Regimen on YouTube
Kai: Kai's Regimen on ManeandChic
MsLaLa: MsLaLa's regimen on FOTKI

What I gathered from the individuals above is to just keep it simple. Wash when needed, condition regularly, limit heat use, and handle/style your hair with care. Of course each person's regimen is different but what is important is to pick and choose the elements for your regimen that work for you. Just because so-and-so did it does not mean you have to.

Want more? Google Long natural hair - don't drool on your PC

What healthy hair habits have you picked up and which ones have you dropped? Why?

How I've been deep conditioning....

For the past few weeks I have switched up the method in which I deep condition. My reason behind this is that I have been searching for a deep conditioner that gave me results that were better than just an regular quick rinse out conditioner. My hair responds well to oils and I love the slip that creamy conditioners give me. I thought, "why not just combine the two?"

So I did just that and this is what happened:

Method:
I mixed 2 parts conditioner and 1 part Castor oil. Apply conditioner mix to hair that has been separated into four sections. I use my denman(like) brush to detangle and ensure even distribution and then let my hair sit for 30mins with no heat or 15mins with heat. Rinse with cool to cold water.

The verdict:
My hair is extremely soft to the touch, easy to detangle, and has a great sheen to it (probably from the Castor oil). This process works best with a thick and creamy conditioner. I will make this my routine deep conditioning method.

I am curious about trying this with JBCO - maybe one day. For now the regular Home Health Castor oil is working great.

Got any new concoctions that have been working for you?

How I've been deep conditioning....

For the past few weeks I have switched up the method in which I deep condition. My reason behind this is that I have been searching for a deep conditioner that gave me results that were better than just an regular quick rinse out conditioner. My hair responds well to oils and I love the slip that creamy conditioners give me. I thought, "why not just combine the two?"

So I did just that and this is what happened:

Method:
I mixed 2 parts conditioner and 1 part Castor oil. Apply conditioner mix to hair that has been separated into four sections. I use my denman(like) brush to detangle and ensure even distribution and then let my hair sit for 30mins with no heat or 15mins with heat. Rinse with cool to cold water.

The verdict:
My hair is extremely soft to the touch, easy to detangle, and has a great sheen to it (probably from the Castor oil). This process works best with a thick and creamy conditioner. I will make this my routine deep conditioning method.

I am curious about trying this with JBCO - maybe one day. For now the regular Home Health Castor oil is working great.

Got any new concoctions that have been working for you?

Protective Styling Challenge: Roller-setting

Since I can't make a decision for this fall/winter season, I am going to try all the protective styles. That should keep me from getting too bored with one look this fall/winter season. Also, this is a way for me to see what works for me and what I have time for. I am not too concerned about retaining additional length. This year I just want to maintain what I have.

First up:

For the first 1 month I am going to attempt to roller-set my hair each week, style in a protective style, and only wear my hair out on weekends.

I will adhere to the guidelines of my Fall/Winter regimen*:

• Pre-poo with Castor and Jasmine Oil (I love this combo)

• Shampoo (product unknown*)

• Deep Condition (product unknown*)

• Roller-set with leave in conditioner and coconut oil

• Sit under the dryer on medium heat or if time allows, air dry.

• Throughout the week (at least 3 times) I will apply more coconut oil to my length, paying special attention to my ends.

*I will do all steps that involve the shampoo process because I will only wash my hair every other week.

The reasoning I have behind roller-setting is to stretch out my length and keep the ends from curling on themselves and forming SSKs. So I am not trying to achieve a super straight look, just a good stretching. (I really just to use those rollers more - no need to waste $$ that has been spent.) I may flat iron my hair once during the month just to see where I am with length.

To determine if this challenge really makes a difference I will do a length check in the beginning and one at the end to see if a retain additional length or just maintain what I have. I will start this on 9/24/2010 and end on 10/24/2010. {First day of fall is 9/23/10}

*The products I plan to use is unknown because I refuse to buy anything new until I use up what I already have. I may end up mixing if I don't have enough of something to make it through the month. I will update as I purchase

Protective Styling Challenge: Roller-setting

Since I can't make a decision for this fall/winter season, I am going to try all the protective styles. That should keep me from getting too bored with one look this fall/winter season. Also, this is a way for me to see what works for me and what I have time for. I am not too concerned about retaining additional length. This year I just want to maintain what I have.

First up:

For the first 1 month I am going to attempt to roller-set my hair each week, style in a protective style, and only wear my hair out on weekends.

I will adhere to the guidelines of my Fall/Winter regimen*:

• Pre-poo with Castor and Jasmine Oil (I love this combo)

• Shampoo (product unknown*)

• Deep Condition (product unknown*)

• Roller-set with leave in conditioner and coconut oil

• Sit under the dryer on medium heat or if time allows, air dry.

• Throughout the week (at least 3 times) I will apply more coconut oil to my length, paying special attention to my ends.

*I will do all steps that involve the shampoo process because I will only wash my hair every other week.

The reasoning I have behind roller-setting is to stretch out my length and keep the ends from curling on themselves and forming SSKs. So I am not trying to achieve a super straight look, just a good stretching. (I really just to use those rollers more - no need to waste $$ that has been spent.) I may flat iron my hair once during the month just to see where I am with length.

To determine if this challenge really makes a difference I will do a length check in the beginning and one at the end to see if a retain additional length or just maintain what I have. I will start this on 9/24/2010 and end on 10/24/2010. {First day of fall is 9/23/10}

*The products I plan to use is unknown because I refuse to buy anything new until I use up what I already have. I may end up mixing if I don't have enough of something to make it through the month. I will update as I purchase

My Hair: Pre-poo (update)

I have been combining these items long enough to now provide appropriate feedback - Jasmine oil and Castor oil.

For the last few shampoos I have been pre-pooing with a 50/50 mix of Jasmine oil and Castor oil. The results after each wash have yielded extremely soft hair that did not feel anywhere close to being stripped. This mix has also helped me tolerate the intense smell of the Jasmine oil.

To do the pre-poo:

1. In a empty container I combine equal parts of Jasmine oil and Castor oil. I swirl the container to make sure the oils are mixed. Then I apply liberally all over my hair length (starting about 1/2 - 1 in from my scalp) and leave on for a minimum of 1 hour. Shampoo, condition, and style as usual.

See the tutorial below:

My Hair: Pre-poo (update)

I have been combining these items long enough to now provide appropriate feedback - Jasmine oil and Castor oil.

For the last few shampoos I have been pre-pooing with a 50/50 mix of Jasmine oil and Castor oil. The results after each wash have yielded extremely soft hair that did not feel anywhere close to being stripped. This mix has also helped me tolerate the intense smell of the Jasmine oil.

To do the pre-poo:

1. In a empty container I combine equal parts of Jasmine oil and Castor oil. I swirl the container to make sure the oils are mixed. Then I apply liberally all over my hair length (starting about 1/2 - 1 in from my scalp) and leave on for a minimum of 1 hour. Shampoo, condition, and style as usual.

See the tutorial below:

How I Retain Moisture

I found that when I made moisture my primary goal (not length, style, etc) it made a dramatic difference. I pre-pooed to retain moisture and prevent drying shampoo, the shampoo I used was selected because of minimal stripping properties, my conditioner’s choice was targeted towards the ones that seemed to be the most moisturizing, and now my styling products that are chosen for their moisturizing properties.

I aim to implement moisture at each step of my regimen:

Pre-poo: The first step in my regimen and like so many things in life the first step is the most important step. So don’t slack at this step.

Shampoo: A stripping shampoo can make your pre-poo step almost irrelevant. First I aim at really cleaning my scalp by applying shampoo directly to my scalp. While I am massaging the shampoo on my scalp suds form and I use those to cleanse the rest of my length.

Conditioner: I used to think that any conditioner could be used as a deep conditioner until I read somewhere (that I can’t find right now) that there is molecular difference in rinse out conditioners and deep conditioners. I am still on the fence with this one but that’s a topic for another day. The goal for moisture at the conditioning step is to deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner. The way in which you do (shower cap, heat, no heat, etc) really had not shown that big of a difference to me.

Styling: You don’t want the last step of your routine to ruin all of your hard work. Selecting a styling product that contributes to all of moisturizing that you have done at each step will benefit a whole lot more than an alcohol filled drying product. I style on damp hair and seal as I go.

Special treatment, such as protein, that are done to strengthen the hair should be followed with a moisturizing treatment. Proper strength and moisturize will decrease or prevent breakage. Too much of anything can be harmful so proper balance is key.

I retain moisture by adding moisture in each step. I haven’t had a problem with dryness for almost a year.

As always, this is what I found that works for me – experiment and find what works for your hair.

How I Retain Moisture

I found that when I made moisture my primary goal (not length, style, etc) it made a dramatic difference. I pre-pooed to retain moisture and prevent drying shampoo, the shampoo I used was selected because of minimal stripping properties, my conditioner’s choice was targeted towards the ones that seemed to be the most moisturizing, and now my styling products that are chosen for their moisturizing properties.

I aim to implement moisture at each step of my regimen:

Pre-poo: The first step in my regimen and like so many things in life the first step is the most important step. So don’t slack at this step.

Shampoo: A stripping shampoo can make your pre-poo step almost irrelevant. First I aim at really cleaning my scalp by applying shampoo directly to my scalp. While I am massaging the shampoo on my scalp suds form and I use those to cleanse the rest of my length.

Conditioner: I used to think that any conditioner could be used as a deep conditioner until I read somewhere (that I can’t find right now) that there is molecular difference in rinse out conditioners and deep conditioners. I am still on the fence with this one but that’s a topic for another day. The goal for moisture at the conditioning step is to deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner. The way in which you do (shower cap, heat, no heat, etc) really had not shown that big of a difference to me.

Styling: You don’t want the last step of your routine to ruin all of your hard work. Selecting a styling product that contributes to all of moisturizing that you have done at each step will benefit a whole lot more than an alcohol filled drying product. I style on damp hair and seal as I go.

Special treatment, such as protein, that are done to strengthen the hair should be followed with a moisturizing treatment. Proper strength and moisturize will decrease or prevent breakage. Too much of anything can be harmful so proper balance is key.

I retain moisture by adding moisture in each step. I haven’t had a problem with dryness for almost a year.

As always, this is what I found that works for me – experiment and find what works for your hair.

Cold Weather Regimen Update

So the original Cold Weather Regimen has been revised already....me and consistency just can't seem to get along. But I'd rather keep trying out new things to find what works over following a routine that does nothing for me.

Cleansing

Alternate between shampoos and co-washes. The winter hair is already drying to I don’t want to shampoo too often. Every week might be too much for my hair. I am only shampooing once a month.

Conditioning

Deep condition every week with Lustrasilk Olive Oil Cholesterol/Essential Oil Mix
Moisturizing

After rinsing and while hair is still damp, spray with Aloe Gro, and seal with Shea Butter/Coconut Oil mix

Special Treatments

Oil Rinse - If needed (I love these!!!)

Styling

Styles for the cold weather will consist of braids, cornrows, buns, and twists that are pinned up or styled in updos. Now that I can do roller sets, I will incorporate those as well.

Trims

Since I have been more loving towards my ends they have not given me a problem with splits and fairy knots. I am going to trim when needed - S&D!!!

Cold Weather Regimen

So I think I learned a lesson.....

This is the first year that I actually made an attempt to change my regimen with the seasons. I now see that I only need two main regimens; one for warm weather and one for cold weather. The regimen that I started the following for the fall was quickly thrown to the wayside and now it's just a cold weather regimen.

The first day of winter is December 21 but I guess it really doesn't matter because it's cold already. I hate cold weather. Hate it! It's like we went from summer straight to winter.

This is the update to my regimen:

Cleansing

Alternate between shampoos and co-washes. The winter hair is already drying to I don’t want to shampoo too often. Every week might be too much for my hair.

Conditioning

Deep condition every week with LeKair Cholesterol/Rosemary Oil/Olive Oil Mix Moisturizing: After rinsing and while hair is still damp, leave a small amount of condition in the hair and apply coconut oil to the entire length with special focus on the ends.

Special Treatments

Oil Rinse - Twice a month (I love these!!!)

Styling

Styles for the cold weather will consist of braids, cornrows, buns, and twists that are pinned up or styled in updos. Now that I can do roller sets, I will incorporate those as well.

Trims

Since I have been more loving towards my ends they have not given me a problem with splits and fairy knots. I am going to trim when needed. S&D!!!

Length Retention Tips

I thought about titling the post "Tips for growing" but then I read Hair Growth Myths and personally, I agree with the post. Many times I have read that product xyz caused a great amount of growth. However, there is no control (minimize the unintended influence of other variables on the same system) and the claim is usually not compared against the same time frame. Plus, when using these "miracle products" you are also paying more attention to your hair (ie moisturizing the ends, protective styling) in ways that retain length.

So these are some ways that I retained length between the months of Aug-Nov:

1. Deep Condition at least once a week for a minimum of 30 mins

2. Wear protective styles as much as possible

3. Dust ends regularly to reduce the needs for trimming more length

4. Moisturize ends before styling and whenever they are exposed

5. Keep hair protected when sleeping (bonnet or satin pillowcase)

6. Trim/file your nails before working with your hair

7. Eat a proper diet....that includes water

8. When washing, focus on cleaning your scalp.

1 Corinthians 11:15

But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

Length Check: Nov2009

Length Check and Comparison

From this point forward I will do roller sets (since now I know, YAY) for length comparison's

Southern Tease Bun

I attempted the Southern Tease bun on Monday but it didn't work out. However, I did end up with this:

I gave the Southern Tease another try today, it was better. I guess I needed practice.

Buns

Here are a few more bunning options that I did not previously post:

Still keeping my hair off my shoulders to prevent breakage and maintain length.

Aloe Gro Treatment

I recently came across this vid on YouTube in which the Vlogger was creating a mix to use called "Aloe Gro." I was impressed by how she gained 5inches of growth in 4 months so I decided it was worth giving a try. Also, I can tell by the ingredients that even if I did not experience amazing growth that it would be beneficial to my hair and scalp in other ways.

So far, I have been using the mix on my hair and my hubby's hair for 3 days. He says he is experiencing less itching. I love the refreshed feeling the mixture gives.

Check it out, try it out:

Growing beyond shoulder length

I dyed my hair a few months ago and I can tell by the roots how much my hair has grown since then but I can't tell by the length of my hair. My hair seems to reach just past shoulder length and then stops. I realized that I am not maintaining length. So of course I had to do some research and here is what I found:

Avoid rubber bands and styling your hair in tight updos.

When styling in updos be careful with hair pins because rough handling can cause you to rip your hair out.

Use a water based moisturizer on your ends and then seal them with a natural oil of your choice (be sure to use an oil that means your hair care needs).

Trim your ends every few months to eliminate spit ends.

If you use heat, try to use it less often.

Deep Treat/Condition your hair at least once a month.

Wear styles that keep your hair up off your clothes and shoulders, friction causes breakage.

References:

Grow Hair Past Shoulder Length

How to grow your hair to shoulder length

Hair FAQ! Stuck At Shoulder Length

Options for updos:
Buns

Twists pinned up

Bantu knots

and anything your creative mind can think up

Question and Answer: Transitioning a child's hair

This has got to be the hardest question I have ever gotten because 1-I don't have any children and all my God-babies are boys, 2-I was always natural as a child, and 3-I never had to transition.

Q: (after church) My daughter is 12 and she wants her hair all natural. She stopped getting relaxers but now her hair is really thin. What should I do?

A: (So, I was totally clueless and didn't want to look that way because I hate not knowing stuff. I told the lady I would bring her some information on Bible Study night...time to research). This is what I came up with:

Transitioning

Sources:

Long Healthy Hair Advisor

Curly Hair Salon

Treasured Locks

Tips for Health and Growth Part 2: Treatments and Conditioners

Treatments

Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Protein Treatments Because hair is over 50% of your hair is protein, protein treatments are used to rebuild hair structure and strength. When harsh styling and an improper diet results in broken protein bonds or low protein levels, If this protein is not replaced, it will eventually cause the hair to break. Protein can be restored by using egg treatments, breakage usually decreases shortly after. A protein treatment is recommended for application every other week if your hair is extremely damaged For healthy hair, a protein treatment should be used every other week, alternating with a moisture treatment.

(More about hair protein composition: http://www.keratin.com/aa/aa012.shtml#01)

Moisture treatments

Moisture treatments are helpful for maintaining or restoring your hairs pliability and help with preventing breakage. It would be helpful to combine protein treatments with moisture treatments. Unbalanced treatments could lead to breakage. Many conditioners contain silicones – which lead to that smooth feeling. However, those “cones” are good at hiding damage. For truly healthy hair you need to know what you are working with, split ends and all. How can you get rid of them if you can’t see them? The “cones” also kinda waterproof your hair- preventing moisture to get in. So basically if you are using a conditioner with silicones – all the time spent moisturizing may be time wasted. When moisture is locked out hair becomes dry and brittle…..again breakage occurs.

Silicone free conditioners

Alberto Vo5 Conditioner, for Strawberries & Cream

Ingredients: Active Ingredients:Water (Aqua); Cetyl Alcohol; Stearyl Alcohol; Stearalkonium Chloride; Glycine Soja (Soy Bean) Seed Extract; Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Leaf Extract; Steareth-21; Glyceryl Stearate; Octoxynol-9; Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C); Thiamin HCL (Vitamin B1); Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A); Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E); Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5); Propylene Glycol; Disodium EDTA; DMDM Hydantoin; Fragrance (Parfum); Red 33 (CI 17200)

Suave Naturals Conditioner, Tropical Coconut

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Distearyldimonium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, 2 Bromo 2 Nitropropane 1, 3 Diol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Propylene Glycol, Silk Amino Acids, Honey/Mel, Nettle (Urtica Dioica) Extract, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Extract, Coconut (Cocoa Nucifera) Extract

LeKair Cholesterol Plus

Ingredients: Deionized Water, Cetearyl Alcohol & PEG-40 Castor Oil & Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #4, Aloe Barbadensis, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) & Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D).

Bumble and Bumble Leave in Conditioner

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract (Elder), Wheat Germ Glycerides, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Bromide, PEG-100 Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Lactamide MEA, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Polymethoxy Bicyclic Oxazolidine, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum) Shea It Ain't So

Ingredients: purified water, shea butter, jojoba oil, honey, rosemary oil, nettle oil, thyme oil, birch leaf oil, chamomile oil, clary, lavender, lavender oil, coltsfoot leaf, yarrow oil, mallow, horsetail oil, soybean protein, cetyl alcohol, vitamin E, citric acid, sodium hydroxymethylgycinate and grapefruit seed extract

Use moisturizers correctly

Do you use a moisturizer and still have dry hair? The reason may be you’re your moisturizing products contain petrolatum, lanolin, and/or mineral oil. If you apply those “moisturizers” on your hair before properly moisturizing, you can do more damage because you can prevent moisture from penetrating your strands. Water based moisturizers effectively penetrate and moisturize the hair. Oil based moisturizers can be used to seal your strands after using a water-based moisturizer. Water-based moisturizers have water as the first ingredient while oil-based moisturizers have a type of oil as the first ingredient.

Some examples are:

Giovanni Direct Leave-in

Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in

Profectiv Breakfree
Elasta QP Mango Butter
Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in