Hello, my dearest. It’s been a great weekend and I am here to drop something juicy since it’s been a while I updated my blog.
I was on Youtube a few days back and I, of course, follow Jeanette there(her personality and approach wow me every time.
She did a post on this same topic and I got my inspiration from her. By the way, her IG address is @cravings_tresses
Without further ado, let’s get to the business of the day.
ABC
A. Apply products that work for your hair. Don’t become a product junkie because of loyalty to a favourite YouTuber or because you just have to have it because someone else used it. It only helps you by wasting your hard-earned money.
Research properly before investing in any product you want to apply to your hair and be wary of marketing gimmick employed by companies to trap unsuspecting buyers.
I’ve been a victim of this and I don’t think you should be too.
B. Be generous with product application. Follow instructions so as to have the desired result. Dime size products never work for coily natural hair; pea-sized neither especially those of us with high density and thick strands
Formulators of products know the best when formulating products therefore, don’t go overboard with experimenting. Sleeping overnight with your deep conditioner, for example, is overreaching and can destroy your hair pattern.
C. Clean your cuticles and wash your scalp. Exfoliate your scalp if you want your hair to thrive. Don’t just wash your hair and neglect your scalp, wash your scalp thoroughly to get rid of dead skin and product build-ups.
It is unhygienic to believe that product build-up helps your hair grow rather, it destroys it and even encourages bigger issues like seborrheic dermatitis etc
D. Dry your hair with a cotton t-shirt or microfibre towel. Preferably, cotton t-shirt or cotton material because it is affordable, and it gets the job done faster and better.
Using a regular towel can get your hair tangled and break off your hair which is not good for your hair.
E. Eat healthy food. Drink water and be hydrated. Healthy hair starts from within therefore, eat your vegetables/fruits/proteins, drink your fluid and exercise regularly.
F. Find your hair type and porosity. Most importantly, find your POROSITY!
This is because porosity is the most important factor that determines the choice of products and techniques you use in taking care of your hair.
Porosity is the ability of the hair to take in moisture. Without moisture, your hair will be thirsty, dry, break off and die!
G. Growing hair takes time so be patient give it all the TLC it needs. Don’t be in a hurry to grow very long hair. Enjoy your Twa after all, it takes a whole 9months to bring forth a child.
H. Heat can damage your hair but not always. Moderation is key. Don’t go overboard with heat application. Little heat here and there is healthy but not full-blown heat year-round.
Too much heat like blow-drying/ silk press 8 times a year can and will damage your curl/coil pattern and destroy your hair journey.
I. Inform yourself about your hair and what it likes. Research, read, and soak up all the knowledge about your hair and what it likes.
Follow people who teach the science of hair, ingredients, formulation etc. Consultants can only go so far but you are the real alpha of your hair.
J. Journaling can help keep track of progress. Create a CALENDAR. Take pictures and document all procedures, techniques and products applied to your hair and how it reacted to them all. This will help with your progress.
K. Keep your hair away from harmful styles. Avoid styles that are destructive for your hair and can cause both short term and long term damage to your hair/head. You don’t need to do ghana weaving if you have alopecia or no edges just to follow beauty trend.
You owe nobody apologies for your hair styling. You don’t need styles that won’t allow you to sleep at night or rest your head at angles you want
L. Low maintenance styles are the best. Try not to do too much to your hair; give your hair TLC but make sure your styles are not destroying your hair. Refrain from tight styles esp around the edges.
Allow your edges to be. Stop making hairstyles that encourages alopecia and destroys your hair on a long run. My hair and yours are different, embrace yours and work with it without destroying your peace of mind/pocket.
M. Moisturised hair is key. This will help with growth and health. Never allow your hair to be dry or thirsty. Discover your hairs needs as regards moisture and act accordingly.
N. Nobody’s hair is exactly the same. Don’t compare your hair/journey with another; no two heads are the same. We all have ‘Good Hair’ if we can all take good care of it.
Don’t be fooled even those with straight hair envy those with curly/coily hair pattern.
O. Overnight; you should keep your hair covered. So as to avoid loss of moisture or tangling. Do this using satin bonnet or pillowcase since these don’t absorb moisture.
P. Prepare for bad hair days. You can never have picture-perfect hair day always. Therefore, expect bad hair days. However, try to do your styling properly, so as to have the desired result
Q. Question people you allow handle your hair. Consult, ask and tell your handlers what you want to be done to your hair. Research and be knowledgeable about your handlers.
Don’t be shy and allow anybody to destroy your hair. Teach them if need be and if they are unteachable, leave with your hair intact.
R: Read your products Ingredient list. If you can’t find what you need in your product from the first five listed, don’t fall for marketing hype.
Don’t just read “contains argan oil” and stop there; go to the back and see where the argan is listed and if it’s in the top 5, then it means it actually exists there because first 5 ingredients make more than 80% of the product.
S. Stay away from Harmful Chemicals such as Sodium Hydroxide (lye found in relaxers), Hydrogen Peroxide(found in relaxers and hair dyes). It never ends well. It weakens the hair, removes the curl pattern, destroys the hair protein bond and your health generally in the long run.
T. Trim your hair as needed and don’t neglect your scalp. This is why you need a working hair regimen. Don’t hold on to dead ends because it affects the rest of your hair. Encourage your scalp to be healthy in order to push your hair growth.
U. Utilise Oils that work best for you. Use oils that work for your hair and don’t spend tons of money to buy oils. Stop falling for the hype of magic oil that will help you grow your hair!
Don’t be ignorant! There is no magic product anywhere; put in the work, and you will see progress.
V. Vitamins ‘can’ also help grow your hair. Vitamins and minerals work as a supplement to your healthy eating. However, DON’T substitutes healthy eating for vitamins. Eat your greens/protein, drink water always and stay hydrated.
W. Wash Days should be enjoyed, not endured and this is the more reason you need a structured schedule. Always prepare ahead for your wash days and take your time to give your hair the best care it needs.
Never rush the process because it can destroy the progress you have made. Be gentle when detangling your hair. If you say it’s just hair, it’s $ billion industry.
X. Expect haters; not all people will like your hair. Even workplaces can be a hostile environment for a natural.
Y. YouTube can guide but not all the time. Research more about hair science, not all time hair beauty. YouTubers are also trying and in fact, some of them are just salesperson’s who push product down people’s throat.
Decipher who/what is good for you and your hair.
Z. Zinc Pyrithione can help with psoriasis, eczema, dandruff and reliefs dry, itchy scalp.
In general, don’t listen to scaremongers who love to scare new naturals. Silicone, Petrolatum, Sulphate, Mineral Oil etc can be good for your hair if you apply them properly.
Organic can be harmful and synthetic can be harmless vice versa. Don’t be fooled.
Inspiration from @Jeanette on YouTube who also was inspired by @haircarelair on IG.
Do you think I omitted anything? Kindly add yours in the comment section.
Thanks for reading and I want to hear positive stories afterwards.
✌
Ingredients :Water (Aqua, Eau), Cetyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Glyceryl Stearate, DMDM Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Steareth-21, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Ascorbic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Extract, Niacinamide, Biotin.
