Growing black hair

Texturizing black natural hair – are you tempted?

Hair Texture Natural Hair Care Relaxed Hair - Veronica Daley - August 5, 2013

Textures which may benefit Texturizing..

The textures that seem to benefit from Texturizing is 4a/b and c, especially c – this hair texture is very tightly coiled..

What does the process involve?
In the first instance you need to purchase a texturizer like the one shown.
This texture softener

is the best one to use and has favourable benefits. Relaxers have been used but they are very strong and the chances of you coming away with relaxed hair rather than texturized is very likely – best not to chance it!.
This product has been designed to loosen the coils slowly and pre -packed with oil and neutraliser etc… You have between 15 and 18 minutes to texturize a virgin head of hair or new roots. Just enough time to soften the hair – just loosen the curl. The aim of this is to soften the hair texture leaving it with curls or waves but leaving much of the volume in the hair. The texture of the hair after the texturizer depends a lot on the initial curl pattern of the hair. Large corkscrew curls will become S-shaped curls after a texturizer, tighter curls will look loosened and hair with no definite curl pattern tends to get waves

Basically the difference between texturizer and relaxers is the chemical makeup. When you relax you break two of the bonds that coat the 3 layers of the hair, so you are basically left with one layer of protection whereas with texturizer, less bonds are broken leaving you with more protection, 2 of the 3 layers that coat each strand. When chemical bonds are broken, hair is vulnerable to breakage scientifically speaking your hair is dead, sodium hydroxide relaxers do a permanent change in your hair that cannot be reversed. A texturizer does not entirely change the physical properties it rearranges physical properties giving you a softer curl pattern.

It is normally carried out twice a year for most people who texturize!

What are the pros and cons of texturing?
Pros:
Softer and lighter hair all round..
Softer coils that is easier to manage
Less shrinkage
The hair has a lot of elasticity left in it so it’s less prone to breakage than relaxed hair
Better retention of hair style that stands up to the elements
Quicker to style hair with heated tools and much quicker wash n gos!
Better retention of growth rate – a plus!
Cons:
Sodium hydroxide relaxers do a permanent change in your hair that cannot be reversed.
Hair slightly weakened
Tightly coil hair will just become looser – you won’t go from a 4c to a 3c!

Helpful tips
Apply 2 minute Aphogee intensive protein treatment – shown here

This puts back some of the protein that you have lost in the initial process.

after the Texturizing process and after you have neutralised your hair.
Deep condition with oil of your choice, olive or sweet almond oil

Is very good, after a protein treatment and/or steam hair with conditioner for 30mins. This will bring softness and moisture to hair after Texturizing and protein treatment.
Moisturize. Moisturise -also make your own shear butter and add to ends of hair..
Your newly texturized hair will feel dry at first but in a few days with spring to life! Just follow my tips above!

Are you thinking of texlaxing?

Relaxed hair – ten reasons why your hair is not growing

Hair Texture Relaxed Hair - Veronica Daley - July 15, 2013

It would be unfair to leave out our relaxed hair sisters. After all its your choice if you remain relaxed! As I was once relaxed – as many naturals were once – I have more than enough years experience! so it’s only right that I share some of those experiences with you all!.

Here is my definitive list on how i cared for my relaxed hair and got it growing….

Shampoo and condition

Hair loves a clean scalp – shampoo and condition every week with quality products..

Using a blow dryer

Reducing the use of the blow dryer on your hair is a good idea because it pulls out moisture and causes the hair to become dry and break. Basically little bits of hair scatter to the floor! A better way is to set the hair on rollers and use a hooded dryer. If you insist on blow drying I would recommend that you use a very good heat protector and use a radial brush to gently blow dry each section of hair.

Using a Marcel Flat Irons

Using a Marcel flat irons is damaging to the hair because the tools heated in the oven have uncontrolled heat. You never really know what the temperature is on the tools and the extreme heat will cause damage. Instead use ceramic irons where the heat can be controlled.

Using pressing comb

Just like a using a Marcel flat irons, using tools such as a pressing comb that is heated on the stove top of the oven is damaging. The heat is uncontrolled and this calls for a high change of heat damage to your hair. Instead use ceramic irons where the heat can be controlled.

Not neutralizing hair after relaxing

A neutralizing shampoo actually stops the relaxer process and brings the hair back to its acid pH balance. Regular shampoo can’t do this and after a relaxer the pH is on the alkaline end of the chart. Failure to neutralize after relaxing leads to extreme breakage and even balding! Some beauticians even decide to condition the hair before neutralizing because the cuticle layer is still open. While this is taking place the relaxer process is still going on. Instead of doing this neutralize your hair immediately after your relaxer then apply the conditioner and sit under a dryer for 20 minutes to allow the heat to reopen the cuticle and allow penetration of the conditioner.

Overlapping relaxer

Applying the relaxer to already relaxed hair can cause the hair to become over processed which causes breakage and hair loss. Many women have this problem when self-relaxing because it is difficult to see the back of the head. It’s best to go get your hair relaxed by a professional. If you can’t go to a professional apply a protective base to your relaxed hair and use a relaxer brush to apply the relaxer to avoid overlapping as much as possible. Try to stretch the relaxer for as long as possible to retain a more healthy condition to your tresses.

No moisturisation

This is the main culprit. A lot of relaxed sisters are not aware of this one you have to be very consistent with this. As soon as I started to moisturise my hair properly I saw growth in six weeks! You will need a cream moisturiser and a spray moisturiser and a oil to seal, coconut , castor or Olive oil. Coat the oil over the moisturiser and cover your head at night with a silk scarf. So in actual fact you are basically moisturising then sealing your hair. Another useful ideal is to wear your hair ‘wet’ on some days – which means ‘moist’; and leave in a protective style like an updo or french pleat. The moisure level in your hair is paramount – and in a few weeks you will notice a marked difference.

Protein treatments

Relaxing weakens the hair – and we forget the hair is now in a weakened state. Do light Protein treatments weekly to keep hair strong, use a protein based treatment that you leave in your hair for 30 mins after shampooing.

Spilt ends

Cut split ends every six months.

Vitamins and multivitamins

There are lots of good vitamins for hair growth – pick one and drink lots of water and don’t to exercise – it all helps!

Let me know how you get on!

Care for afro hair – Protective styling or low manipulation

Protective stying - Veronica Daley - July 13, 2013

Over the three years I have been natural I have been at loggerheads at this ‘pushed in your face’ statement. Most of youtube and other blogs insist I must do protective styling in order to grow my hair! Not to mention my natural hair hairdresser as she flicks her locs to one side…. Right – I hear you – all of you! I have watched you all and dearly listened. The verdict – it’s a no! yeh that’s right! I said it ‘I hate protective styling’. Not only does it not work – my hair hates being covered over especially with a weave . It is a misconstrued statement that it guarantees length – it does not! My hair absolutely hated it! It itched, it didn’t grow any no faster than normal and its frustrating for the scalp and for you! Hair needs to be out in the open to absorb the air – it wants to be out – it needs oxygen and the sun!.

I’m not saying its wrong – maybe it agrees with you, but I suspect that this is something that is very personal. We are all different and your hair and mine will have different needs. Wearing wigs is not so bad – because you can remove those at the end of the day! But the weave is a bit more harrowing especially for the scalp. In my case my hair thinned out – it was horrendous!

Crochet braids were kinder- well you do those yourself! Twists I found gave me lots of fairy knots! Every time I put my hair in twists I could never undo them without a knot at the back waiting to greet me! Walking around in twists was a no no – as that look didn’t suit me – I have fine 4b/c hair – and they just don’t look right for work or anything else – So out went that!

For some women of course protective styling is a welcomed break from all the combing, brushing and daily manipulation!

So having said that – this brings me to low manipulation styles. Now this has a better retention rate. It can be anything you choose whether it’s a twist out, braid out or as I prefer a bun or the back tucked under and front pinned in – whatever it is – just don’t touch it for 3 to 4 days! . So what you have is a style of your choice something that looks good, compliments your facial features and is neat. I must say it is this low manipulation style that has been more successful to my hair needs! I find that I was able to retain growth a lot easier too.

Now what you are actually achieving by adopting a low manipulation style is this!

gentler handing
low manipulation, reducing splits and breakage
Retaining moisture
Reducing tangles

I have noticed though – your hair doesn’t grow any faster -but you definitely achieve healthier hair!

Good luck with your hair journey … do what suits you, what feels right – because the chances are your guts feelings are always right!

This is my experience with protective/low manipulation styles – what’s yours?

Black Hair Care – The Big Chop

Natural Hair Care Transitioning - Veronica Daley - July 13, 2013

Well you have thought about it for a long time and in fact done nothing else for at least a year maybe. You’ve dropped the usual hints to family and friends, work colleagues… and then you finally do it – you’ve big chopped! Wow!

You could hear a pin drop as you arrived at your mom, or went to work – the look on people’s faces some surprised, some perplexed and some with looks of disgust and why? And then there are the natural Nazis who greet you with a huge big hug!!! And you’re relieved – at last somebody likes you!

You attempt to give a detailed explanation on why you’ve chopped off your lovely long relaxed hair and explain why you’ve ditched the creamy crack! Even so the look of disbelief is evident on their faces. Mom nods her head; sisters give you the ‘sorry look’. Men though have a better reaction – even so – You feel you just can win – but you can!

Stand strong – it will get better those who oppose you now –very soon will be giving you secret glances of admiration and favour. They will be amazed on how quickly it grows (especially in the first two years!), the curl, the texture the uniqueness of it all. They will soon be amazed on how beautiful natural hair can be … my mother was amazed and couldn’t believe that as a child when she put my hair in four plaits – that she was seeing beautiful rich natural hair again! Yours will be too! Not only her but colleagues at work, the rest of your family and total strangers in the street! I can’t get over how many times I have been stopped by folks in the street – just to say – hey “I love your hair”, “please give me some of your hair – mine won’t grow’ ‘I love your hair bun’ I just love your hair.” And men “hey – that’s great no chemicals!” I’ve even been followed around in the supermarket – It’s all good!

As the movement gathers around the globe on this natural hair – even TV has recognized it and is already putting ads with natural haired ladies! The very friends and family who put you down – will unashamedly join you – get ready to be shocked!

And you know what, even if they never appreciate it – it’s your hair – you can do what you what with your own hair, enjoy it – it’s beautiful! Isn’t it?

8 hair growing tips!

Natural Hair Care Transitioning - Veronica Daley - July 9, 2013

So after weeks and weeks and months of deliberation, you finally took the plunge! You’re going to go natural yeh!!. That long relaxed hair is going to be pruned it’s going to get trimmed and trimmed until it’s about 3 inches long and then you’re going to go for it! Yep – it’s done – you’re natural! You peer at your natural strands they are about 3inc long maybe more… you zoom in on your texture – its smooth, its straight its curly perhaps tightly coiled, oooh its soft, its fluffy – it’s your hair and your excited – this is gonna be good! You can’t wait to see what the next few weeks and months is going to bring you as you excitedly examine your new natural hair probably for the first time in years!

Six months down the line and you’ve got yourself an afro, you’re got puffs, and you’ve got braid outs and you’ve got twists…. The momentum of hair products is now filing your bathroom cabinets and bedroom! Plus other places you care not to mention right now! Like the rest of us you are fast becoming a product junkie you grab the latest hair product that you read would help grow your hair make it silkier, softer, longer, smoother, elongate or stop those curls from shrinking into a tight ball ! whew!

For some this is a trying time a mixture of feelings after two to three years when perhaps expected growth did not materialize, you’re worried – its breaking and you’re not quite sure how you will handle this, well don’t despair – help is at hand…

I’ve learnt going natural takes patience – lots of it! You have to put the work in and that includes time, clever time management.

To be happy natural my list includes:

Wash and condition every week, set aside a time to do this.
Steam the hair every 10 days to infuse moisture into the hair, this provides stimulus to the hair follicles and improves growth if done regularly, regular steaming also helps with dandruff and itching..
Plait or twist the hair every night, no excuses!
Moisturise every day and add your favourite oil, don’t forget the evenings…
Cover your head for bed with a silk scarf and silk pillowcases will further stop friction to those tresses.
Do what makes your hair happy – just because someone swears by olive oil doesn’t mean your hair is gonna like it!. Listen to your hair – be happy to be natural!
Be sure to take vitamin/mineral pill everyday and include biotin
Every sixth or seven weeks do something different – if you have had your hair out – now keep it in a protective style like twists or braids, buns or a wig! For four weeks at time. Give your hair a complete rest. Then start again!

Happy with your natural growth so far?

Black natural hair care – Crochet braids

Length retention Natural Hair Care Protective stying - Veronica Daley - July 5, 2013

Yeh that’s right! I love crochet braids – so will you!

Here are my reasons why:-

First of all buy your Kanekalon KK jumbo this is an easy to braid synthetic hair –which is the best hair ever – it really feels good and behaves like real hair that is blown out!

The hair itself is very cheap and very economical. Best of all – you can do it yourself.

You cornrow your own hair then start crocheting. Using a crochet hook, pick out a few strands of kanekalon hair, thread it through a space on your scalp through a section of the cornrow and knot twice – there, your done – move on to the next section!. (You will need a crochet hook, look for examples on utube but you can see my utube pics here The whole process should take you about 2 – 3 hours! After which you’re free to trim, cut and style or straighten the hair out even more should you please..

If you choose to go to a salon – like I did the second time around, be careful because they tend to cornrow in too many rows – and you could end up with extremely thick hair! In the end I had to get a pair of hair thinning scissors to reduce the bulk! Just do it yourself at home it’s far less stressful, or enlist a friend to help! Anyway when it’s done, cut it to your desired length. Results are beautiful bouncing synthetic tresses, that can be straightened with an hairdryer or curled or just left to hang – whatever you choose it will look very natural! Crochet braids are totally protective, you’ve cornrowed your own hair yourself so it’s not tight! Believe me that’s a bonus! You’ve had minimal outlay so you’re not out-of-pocket especially if you’re a student or on a low-budget!

Some people may prefer to leave some hair out – this is your choice. It makes for no detection at all. My hair hates being left out – it responds by breaking off – it loves company! It’s no problem to wash this hair and don’t forget to moisturize as usual!

When removing the braids which is very easy, don’t forget to comb out gently each section of hair and do a thorough detangling with your fingers, then comb and wash very gently, being careful to not tangle the hair as you massage your scalp. This hair usually keeps for a very long time and whilst there is some shedding it’s nothing major. Six weeks is usually the norm but you can go for longer if you please.

Results: longer hair in a very short space of time! Happy growing! What’s your favorite protective style – and why?

www.youtube.com/watch?v

6 healthy hair tips on growing long black natural hair

Length retention - Veronica Daley - July 2, 2013

Hair management is imperative so to succeed in gaining length. Strict rules will have to be adhered to – here is my definitive list.

Using a blow dryer

Like me your obsession with the hair dryer has got to stop!

The recommendations are once a month or once every 10 days only. It is also less damaging to do the stretch and hold method, try turning the heat down too! Continued blow drying pulls moisture from the hair, it becomes dry and breaks and if you insist on using the comb attachment – you will actually pull out sections of your hair – you won’t see it at first – it’s gradual and shows up later so stop – today! . Obviously it’s better if no blow drying is used and the hair left to air dry which will result in very healthy strong hair.

Trimming too often

It’s good to trim – but not every few days! It’s OK to trim once every three months. Insisting on trimming every three weeks – you will negate your own growth. As hair only grows 6 inch a year for most people – you will be removing your own length!

Over manipulating your hair

Believe it or not continued combing of our delicate tresses can break the hair ever so gently. Combing and brushing must be kept to a minimum. Instead comb the hair out with your fingers gently, then style. Which can be done – easily – try it!

No protective styling

I know its great being natural and you just want to touch and play with your hair. I know – I’m guilty of that too. But wait – our hair especially loves to be left alone, and that means no combing, no brushing, and no gelling. For most people twists and braids will give you some sort of hair retention, this will allow your hair to grow without being manipulated. A lot of length is achieved this way for most people especially when the hair is braided.

You ignore breakage

If you comb your hair often and notice little bits of hair all over the floor – but you ignore it!. This could be the reason why – you are not gaining length. The management of your hair needs to be looked at from combing to moisturizing. It all adds up – whilst you’re not able to stop all breakage a continual falling of little hairs denotes something is wrong. Cease all heat styling and dyeing and up the moisture level.

No co washing

Shampoo is so very harsh with the sulphates. Try co-washing your hair which means using a very good conditioner. This will allow the hair to be clean but remain soft and moisturized. Black hair especially the 4b/c is very dry and the scalp can get very dry, itchy and irritated. I find co –washing is extremely helpful as it does not dry out the scalp and hair.

Ladies – what measures have you taken to retain your length?

How to grow natural – African American hair

Hair Texture Natural Hair Care Transitioning - Veronica Daley - June 30, 2013

The Transitional Process

First stop relaxing your hair! Take the time to educate yourself about natural hair and the products. When going from relaxed to natural – decide if you want to do the big chop or grow it out. It will take guts to use this path or just rock your natural hair along with the relaxed ends until it grows out to a sufficient length of your choice, just remember to trim as you go. Then when it gets to a length you are happy with probably 5 or 6 inches do the cut yourself or get a barber to do it for you!

I have to warn you though depending on your texture (I myself wasn’t warned about this neither did I observe it anywhere) but if you are 2 to 3a/b/c working with these textures and moisturizing your natural hair should be breeze. There should be no breakage. However if like me your natural hair texture falls within 4b/c it can be a little more challenging to manage You will need to do clever moisturizing morning day and night to ensure there are no breakages at either side of your head.

Some people might prefer a trendy look while they transition – so opting for a salon for a gentle blow out and flat iron might be more to ones taste and be less stressful to you, but be choosy about the hairstylist you choose – any rough handling could loose you precious tresses!! I personally transitioned for one year. Had I been aware of my hair texture I may have done the big chop earlier on if only to reduce the trauma involved in caring for two types of hair on my head! if you can – wait for as long as possible – if anything you will avoid the TWA unless of course you wanted that!

Your hair will look weird though, with the two textures – just find an hairstyle that works like pin curls, braids and braid outs..

How was your journey?