Hair Kick, part 2: daily maintenance

So, I just tried this hairstyle:



with so-so results but that's my fault -- my cornrows were sloppy and didn't have enough 'pop'; I tried a braid-out in the back rather than a bantu knot-out; and the bang in the front didn't have enough braids. Still, it is too cute to not try again, hopefully with better results.

Yikes, I forgot something in my Hair Kick, part 1 post! Combs and brushes! As with the apple cider vinegar (acv) rinse, I alternate the weeks I use a comb on my hair. In fact, I don't use a comb in my hair at all, if I can help it, instead I use Goody Styling Therapy Jojoba Paddle Brush and haven't looked back since. The bristles bend like rubber and massage knots out of the hair, there is no other way to describe it. Many naturals swear by the Denman and I have nothing negative to say since I have never used it but I'll swear by this paddle brush, I really will! Hair loss after use is minimized mostly to shed -- the healthy shedding of hair from the root which occurs naturally in the course of a month. Even with this wonderful brush in hand I only use it on my hair every other week coinciding with the acv rinse weeks and my deep conditioning (dc) day, and then only once so I'm judicious as to when I use it, pre-wash or post-wash. The rest of the time I untangle my hair with my fingers; the first few times the process seems to take forever but once you get it down, it's easy like Sunday morning. Again this method minimizes hair loss mostly to shed. If the latter seems too tedious (trust me, I initially blew it off as such as well), or you really love your comb or Denman, then just remember this: curly haired boys and girls, wide-tooth comb, wide-tooth comb, wide-tooth comb! If you must use a comb, invest in and always use a wide-tooth comb. It will not break your hair (much, or when used properly) and will allow for better manageability. Also, comb hair in sections and start from the ends and work your way up to the root/scalp -- this is also to prevent unnecessary breakage as well as a lot of scalp pain and frustration. Whew.

This post on daily maintenance (part deux) should be more concise than part one but you never know with me, lol. Where did I leave off? Ah, yes -- with my hair conditioned within an inch of its life, sealed and styled for the week. For two days I don't touch my hair; I figure it should take that long for the oil largely to rub off. Once the two day mark has been reached a light conditioner or conditioning oil should be applied to the ends of the hair at least. The end is the most vulnerable portion of the hair shaft since it is the oldest portion thus prone to split ends, dryness and breakage. This step is pretty new to me but I recognize its importance particularly in the winter months when the sapping cold wreaks havoc on the kinkiest strands. Personally I apply shea nut oil, again from Mountain Rose Herb, to my ends as a conditioning oil. Everything I have read touts the oil as carrying all the properties and benefits of shea butter -- another Natural hair girl favorite -- simply in oil form. Again, no more than a few dots do the trick when it comes to oil. I continue this every two days until the next wash day. If my hair feels in need of a little moisture I do have a spritz bottle set aside for such an occasion -- it holds an inch or so of water, a dash of oil and a few drops of Afroveda's Holy Basil conditoner. I spray that on the ends and the roots of my hair before rubbing on the oil. That's about it for daily maintenance.

Until part 3!!!

Hair Kick, part 1: rinses and conditioners

I've been on a hair kick lately -- roaming YouTube for natural vlogs, hitting google for new hair blogs. It is endless fascinating to me, the variations and similarities in how naturals of all stripes approach their hair. I've learned new lessons and have had old ones reinforced. All this watching and reading has me itching to do another post on my hair so... here it is! LOL


Sister's first cornrow done all by herself!

All regimens need to be fine-tuned, especially when money is tight and the best bang for a buck is required. The current hair regimen scheme can be broken down into four parts -- weekly washes and conditioning; daily maintenance; monthly deep conditioning; and rest months. Let's start with the weekly washes which consist of rinses and conditioner washes (co-washes).

Baking soda (bs) rinse for cleanser, in lieu of shampoo (1 TB bs to 1 C water)
Apple cider vinegar (acv) rinse to clarify, soften and restore PH (1 TB acv plus 1 TB witch hazel to 1 C water)

This is something I have written about previously but there have been some tweaks to this area. For example, while the bs rinse is still used weekly, I now alternate weeks when it comes to the acv rinse. Essentially it shakes out to twice a month for the acv rinse, also coinciding with my monthly deep conditioning (dc) day. The order of usage during the weeks I use both rinses has also changed -- bs rinse first, then acv rinse versus acv rinse, then bs rinse. There has been a noticeable uptick in softness due to that change so, yay for change! LOL The last week or so I've added pure witch hazel (from From Nature With Love) to my acv rinse to a) finish it up and b) to fight off some minor dandruff. Plus the witch hazel kicks up the volume of my hair like you wouldn't believe! My hair just expands! The relative bargain of baking soda and apple cider vinegar coupled with their effectiveness make this combo a cheap no-brainer.

I always follow up rinses, no matter the week, with a conditioner. This is the co-wash portion of the weekly wash and here, Afroveda is my friend. I use their Holy Basil conditioner, $12 for 8 oz, which smells delicious and works like a dream on my thirsty locks. The consistency is creamy, it's very moisturizing and the 8 oz bottle has lasted... well, I ordered it the last week of August; it arrived the first week of September; although I use it weekly the bottle still isn't empty -- and it's the end of December!!! Best. Bang. For. A. Buck. Ever! There are cheaper natural conditioners which pack in more per fl oz, however, they aren't as all natural as Afroveda; and the thimbleful of artificial ingredients in Afroveda's conditioners are nowhere near as bad as the many artificial ingredients in the cheaper alternatives. Afroveda has turned out to be a real find and I've already bought my replacement bottle of Holy Basil since this one is on its last legs.

It's important for anyone (girl or boy) with length -- medium to long, straight or curly -- to wash the hair in sections. It cuts down on unnecessary breakage, makes the job easier (if you can believe it) and ensures your hair gets optimum effect from your products. With the rinses it is important to make sure it reaches the scalp, which is another reason why sectioning is helpful. I do pour my rinses along the hair shaft as well but the scalp is most important since that's where their effectiveness is most required. Always gently rub the scalp -- vigorous rubs are not helpful or required! Rinse out each rinse carefully before moving on to another product. Concentrate conditioners on the ends of the hair which is the oldest and most damage prone part, then work your way up. I try to leave on the conditioner for about 1-3 minutes before washing it out. Once I'm done with the rinse(s) and co-wash portion of my regimen I carefully "dry" my hair.

I write, "dry", because I deliberately leave my hair damp to moist. Hair shouldn't be toweled bone dry, or vigorously handled by a towel either. Worrying about towels and how to use them seems silly and trivial but cotton and other such materials absorb moisture -- that's what makes towels, well, towels. The last thing Black hair needs, however, is a loss of moisture; our hair is the most delicate around and puts a premium on moisture. Not to mention the materials from which towels are made snag, oh-so-easily on our curly, kinky tresses weakening the hair, if not outright breaking it. What I do is drop a towel on my head and press on the center of my head twice, then gently squeeze each hair section once, lift the towel and voila! Hair dry enough not to drip but damp enough for what comes next -- the leave-in conditioner. Conditioners, be they wash-out or leave-in, are better activated under damp to wet conditions. So, leaving my hair damp allows my leave-in to work better magic than dry hair would permit.

Always use a leave-in conditioner post-wash, it is too important a step for better hair health to skip. I use a hair butter by Afroveda called Totally Twisted Ginger Almond Butter ($9 for 8 oz, $15 for 16 oz) as a leave-in. By no means can I claim to have compared every available natural hair butter and/or conditioner on the market to this one. Of the many like products I have researched, though, the Ginger Almond is the cheapest and the most natural for the amount given. Add to this the fact that Afroveda fills every container to the brim and no more than a dab goes a long way and you have the best bang for a buck! Next, I seal in the moisture and conditioner with an oil. Sealing is a recent tip I picked up from the blogs and vlogs. As the word suggests, oils seal in moisture and conditioners by acting as a protective coating between the hair and the elements, allowing the moisture and conditioners to keep longer. It wasn't a hard step for me to pick up since my hair loves (most) oils. Right now the oil of choice is NOW Foods Refined Apricot Kernel Oil bought on Lucky Vitamin on the cheap ($7.99 for 16 oz). I think it can be bought for a few cents cheaper on Mountain Rose Herbs. I use no more than a dot for each twist so, like my Holy Basil, it has lasted a long time after purchase. As part of

I usually style my hair as I apply my leave-in conditioner. If it's too late or I'm too lazy I'll rub the conditioner into each section, retwist and leave as is until the next day. If I know it's going to take me a while to style my hair -- and the realization doesn't discourage me -- I keep a spray bottle of water handy to re-hydrate my locks as I work my way across the whole of my head. To give my scalp some love, I lightly spritz my scalp with a sandalwood hydrosol I bought on Mountain Rose Herbs. I really love the heavy scent of sandalwood -- I always associate it with something holy. Unfortunately hydrosols, by their nature, carry a very light scent but it is still lovely just the same. Plus sandalwood has been prized for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. To seal in the moisture I rub a dab of Qhemet Biologics's Olive and Honey Hydrating Balm along the part and voila! I've got a moisturized and conditioned scalp to go along with my moisturized and conditioned hair.

Whew! Seems like a lot... writes like a lot... but it's pretty simply and quick except for doing up the twists. That is several hours of endurance but I like to do it on a Sunday while watching football so that adds to the time. LOL

Hair!

My current haircare routine: baking soda rinse (1x/week); apple cider vinegar/ACV rinse (every other week); Aubrey's Organics Honeysuckle & Rose conditioner (1x/month [DC]); combing hair every other week. These are my staples.

In need of a week-in/week-out conditioner (WI/WO) and a leave-in conditioner. I plan on adding an egg wash to my routine (for protein) on the same cycle as my ACV rinse. I created a new moisturizing spritz -- honey, apricot oil and water. I put too much honey in it so I get this gritty residue if I spray my hair liberally. But my hair is soft and moisturized, I just need to split the mixture by three and add more water to each.

My hair growth has been steady and I'm quite pleased. Pulling my kinky-curly hair from the hairline reaches my bottom lip. Straightened, my hair is approximately chin length, so yay! I recently flat-ironed my hair ... and swore never to do it again, lol! Every time I ran the flat-iron down a hank of hair I thought, "Damage." But I completed the job because I knew later I would wish I had. It was sort of fun to see it in a new way but it's not worth the hassle or the heat damage.

If you've been paying attention, then you know I am really into all-natural hair care for my all-natural hair. I'm not really a stickler for organic vs. natural but the former does tickle me pink (as pink as a Black girl can get). Aubrey's Organics makes an absolutely wonderful conditioner and I love its effect on my hair. I'm not so fond of the Honeysuckle & Rose "scent" (it's pretty minimal) so I recently purchased the Island Tropics version. Aubrey's has stuff for women and men and isn't hair exclusive. I'd recommend them heartily.

The baking soda and ACV act as a cleanser and clarifier; I'm a no (sham)poo girl. I prefer using my Aubrey's as my deep conditoner which I only do once a month, so I need a WI/WO conditioner -- 'cause that's what I do, condition once a week. My last conditioner, Honey Hemp by Oyin Handmade, is severely lacking. Many of the nat-girls I respect (Erin of Scandalous Beauty for example) swear by the stuff, and I dabbled in it several years ago to tepid results. However, that involved skincare products and I admit I wasn't diligent about it so I decided to give it another go. It doesn't moisturize or soften my hair for a comparative period of time (Aubrey's Organics being the comparison when used as a WI/WO). Not even in conjunction with my post-leave-in conditioner. After a few hours it was as if I hadn't conditioned my hair at all. Annoying.

So I've been on the hunt for a good WI/WO, checking prices and ingredients (plus a good leave-in) and have finally arrived at a relatively small list of vendors I am dying to try:

* Afroveda -- this is first up to bat. I bought the Holy Basil conditioner and Ginger Almond butter. I'm crossing my fingers, hoping it is as good as it reads.
* KynkCurls
* Ohm
* Chic Afrique -- this doesn't have much I want specifically for my hair but I like what I see for skincare.
* Max Green Alchemy -- the only thing I want here is the conditioner.
* Darcy's Botanicals
* Inky Loves Nature
* Treasured Locks

Happy Nappy Hair Essentials

This blog isn't meant to be a 'hair diary'. Its purpose is just as its address states: a spot of everything. As I previously posted, however, I am increasingly interested in attaining some hair goals about which I have only been lazily dreaming. I need to take and post a few pictures of my hair but the few times I remember to I don't feel like it. So lazy! Anywho, the first step in healthy growth is maintenance and products. I've been surfing a lot of natural hair blogs recently and can recall a few from way back in the day when I dabbled in promoting growth. I judge the advice of other natural beauties by 1) the tone of their blogs and 2) the growth / thickness of their hair. Plus, is their routine doable? Can I reasonably see myself on the maintenance path upon which they set themselves? Once I answer those questions to my personal satisfaction I go about trying to emulate, then divine how well it works for my particular locks.

Most fashion a weekly maintenance routine involving conditioner or co-wash (though some still stick by shampoo, usually a trusted brand); moisturizer; and twists for gentle styling purposes. Also, monthly deep conditioning to provide thorough tress nourishment. The latter dovetails nicely with advice my mother has given to me: condition, condition, condition! It really is important. I worry sometimes about not keeping to a weekly routine but for me, the problems come when too much time passes between hair treatments. That's when I'm liable to forget or put it off once I do remember. Besides I love playing with my hair -- more so than when it was relaxed. Back then I admired length but didn't touch; now I fondle my curls (ew! dirty!) all the time!

Doable routine? Check. Now it's time for the product. Qhemet Biologics is bandied about natural circles much to my delight. I discovered them several years ago making the various good notations a 'squee' moment. I won't lie -- initally I was attracted by their Ancient Egyptian bent (its my faith); even the company's name 'Qhemet' is a translit. variation on Egypt's ancient name. Back then I bought one product, their rosemary and mint clarifying shampoo. I very much liked the effect of the product on my hair which felt very clean after use and the mint invigorated my scalp. I looked forward to washing my hair just because the product was so awesome. It was the first thing I looked for as I scoured their site again. Discontinued. Bummer. Somehow I found something else to buy (like that's hard), three somethings.

Castor & Moringa Softening Serum
Indian Macassar Conditioning Oil
Amla Oil Nourishing Pomade

From my readings castor oil (which is contained in the serum) is hella good for Black hair, as is Amla Oil. Nowhere had I read much positive or negative about Macassar oil but I liked what the site had to say about it so I gave it a whirl.

March 7: I decide to twist my hair and start a winning routine. The past year of once-monthly deep conditoning had repaired my damage hair but I'm ready to get aggressive. I wash my hair with the original Mane 'n Tail shampoo. It's got all the not-so-good stuff in it my nappy head is supposed to avoid, like sulphates, but I have no alternatives and need a guaranteed clean. I follow that with the Castor & Moringa Softening Serum. Its uses are varied -- it can be a leave-in, a hot oil treatment or an oil rinse (moringa has cleansing properties); I use it for the latter. Lastly, the Cream of Nature Conditioning Reconstructor which I leave in while I shower before rinsing. My mother and I have sworn by the brand, Cream of Nature, most of my life. Out of the shower I gently comb through my damp hair. Working in sections, I apply the Indian Macassar Conditioning Hair Oil, twisting as I go. Afterwards I take dabs of Amla Oil Nourishing Pomade and run it along the exposed scalp and hairline.

One week later: my hair has been soft for a week now, not just for a day or two. I'm quite pleased with that result if not with the heavy oil residue. I resolve to skip the oil rinse, leave it for the deep conditioning phase. Also, I have apple cider vinegar or ACV. It works as a clarifier, de-gunking hair and scalp of product. Every natural blog swears by it. It doesn't leave the same pleasant feeling QB's mint shampoo did but as long as it does its job I can live with it. ACV is a pre-wash step. No shampoo this week (or ever if I can help it)! Just the reconstructor. Post shower I follow the same routine as the week before -- gently comb, macassar oil and pomade for scalp. My hair isn't as soft as it was previously. It's still hella softer but not as soft. The ends especially feel dry. Hmm.

This week: ACV, then the conditioning reconstructor. I leave it for longer this time before rinsing. Back to the castor & moringa! I rub it through my hair, then rinse. The same post-shower routine applies. I've gotten better about the amount of the macassar oil I use. No heavy oil residue so far ^^. My hair is back to being super-soft but the ends seem drier by comparison. Not dry-dry, just relatively. Enter the pomade. I bought if for scalp use but it's also meant for styling and softening dry ends. It does the trick. Oh, another thing -- the pomade instructs usage 2-3 times a week which I have been doing to keep that scalp moisturized.

I'm not sure I'm wedded to these products. I suppose that means I'm not in love with them. So far they've performed as expected. There's been minimum breakage, so yay! I'm eager to try it a few other products but it's good to know I have sure-fire fallbacks.