It's been a long time since I last posted. I am now 10.5 months post, and I know I did not write an update at 10 months, but really there was nothing to report. As I've acquired some heat damage in one section and my ends need a cut, I decided to finally wean myself off the straighteners. I've tried braid-outs before but as I didn't have a product to aid definition, my styles never really worked out. Last night, I used Soft 'n' Free GroHealthy Shea Butter Treatment on my hair for definition and then plaited it in three...

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OK so it's not actually an ode. I just wanted to write a post about the benefits of documenting my hair journey and encourage others to do so also. Now and again I will visit my blog and click through the posts as if I were a reader. I've come to realise how useful my documentation has been for me in my journey and have listed a few reasons why: 1. It keeps me motivated. Having to frequently update my blog means that my hair journey is always fresh in my mind. Even when I get discouraged, I...

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So it's been a while since I've posted but there hasn't been much to report. I've continued to wash and deep condition my hair weekly. I still moisturise daily and am still struggling to stop flat ironing so frequently  One thing I have noticed however, is my breakage has decreased. While I still do have broken areas in the middle of my head, I have found that the existing hair strands are hardly snapping off and most of the hairs that come out are shed hair. I can't say why or when this started happening but I am...

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Time is flying by. I've got to the point where I've stopped counting how many weeks post relaxer I am and I'm just getting on with things. When it's time to wash my hair, I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the amount of progress I'm making. I recently returned from my holiday in Morocco. The week started off with me caring about what my hair looked like, but after spending an hour straightening it only for the sea air to frizz it up again, I realised there is just more to life! I soon realised that my...

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On 23rd July I did a post about my problem area - the crown. The relaxed hair had broken off really bad leaving just a few inches of natural hair. It's been almost 8 weeks since that post and as promised, here is an update on my crown progress 14 Sept 2014. Almost 8 months post My hair dresser has put shorter layers at the top of my head, meaning the longer hairs seen in the first picture have been cut away. This has enabled my crown section to look more even. It's not perfect but it's definitely...

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I'm going on holiday in 5 days and so I wanted my hair to look fresh. The ends were feeling rough and generally my hair needed some sort of trim or re-shape. So today I took myself to the hairdressers and got another hair cut. My stylist recommended I install some braids for a few months just to give my hair a break from the heat I've been using. I can't lie - the thought has crossed my mind, but I really don't feel like braids, wigs or weaves are for me personally. I'm doing this transition the...

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As my hair is in need of some hydration, I'm getting serious and devising a plan to inject some much needed moisture back into my hair. 1. Use porosity control conditioner every week. This conditioner aims to equalise the hair's porosity. I believe my hair is porous, meaning moisture escapes from the hair strand as quickly as it enters, resulting in constantly dry hair (and I use too much heat). This conditioner helps the hair to hold on to the moisture that has been put into it. 2. Focus on moisture deep conditioning. While it's important I use...

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In my previous post, I mentioned I've been really bad with my use of heat. I had become lazy with my wash days and started blow drying before I straightened. That's a double dose of heat sure to frazzle my hair. I then had the cheek to wonder why my hair was so dull looking,  breaking, and why my ends were frizzy and scalp was dry. I know for me that blowdrying quickly depletes every drop of moisture that I'd just tried to replenish through deep conditioning. Not even my leave-ins and heat protectants made a difference. I...

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Many reach a point on their hair journey when they get bored and fed up of their transition. For me, that point is at 7 months post. I've started slacking on the way I handle my hair. I've been blowdrying and straightening and am experiencing the harsh effects of too much heat. I believe I've experienced more breakage around the middle of my head, and have some heat damage to the relaxed ends. As my hair was already clean, I did a deep condition on dry hair with Kamechon conditioner (I didn't shampoo it afterwards). When I rinsed it...

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When I decided my last relaxer was my last, my thought process was pretty black and white. I stopped relaxing my hair because I didn't want to relax it anymore. It was that simple - or so I thought. As I get deeper into my transition I've realised I've not just embarked on a physical hair journey, but a mental and emotional one too. I'm beginning to realise that there are several reasons as to why I decided to transition, most of which I wasn't even aware of at the time of my decision. In this post I...

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(I'm not crazy, I'm just excited) The shortest layers of my hair are at the nape, which means that is where the most natural hair is. I washed my hair today and was excited to see how much natural hair I had at the back. It was really soft and it gives me a good idea of what the rest of my hair could be like. Just wanted to share my excitement! Wet hair Parted slightly higher - my two textures blend well ...

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In my previous post, I was complaining about the hair breakage in my crown. I said it was time for another hair cut, and today I went and got one! My hairdresser said that my hair's health has improved since she last saw me 6-7 weeks ago. She said as my natural hair comes in, it's 'blending better' with the rest of my hair. I think last time I went, my new growth was really crunchy and dry and the texture difference was pretty obvious. I assume my stylist couldn't tell where the line of demarcation was as...

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OK so I know I've already written a post on crown and nape breakage, but having experienced crown breakage in the past and recovered from it, this past problem of mine has returned with a vengeance.  You can view a list of some of the possible causes and solutions for such breakage here, but I will explain what I believe to be the two reasons for mine: To begin, the hair in my crown (the middle of my head) is a different texture to the rest. It's drier, thicker and frizzier, but its rough texture should not be...

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Congratulations to me for reaching the six months mark into my transition. Honestly, I don't miss relaxers at all and I'm enjoying the new thicker hair that is growing in. In this post, I'm going to share with you my thoughts at this point in my journey along with what I've learned so far: My thoughts: I'm slightly worried about how I'm going to wear my hair when its fully natural. I know I want to do things like twist - outs but that's all very good in theory. I'm asking myself questions like 'how much will my...

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I can't be the only one to have accumulated a whole bunch of hair products? I've read so many reviews and jumped on so many bandwagons only to find that the product did nothing for my hair. Today, I took a look in my cabinet and picked out all the products - conditioners, moisturisers and oils - that didn't, or no longer meet my expectations. Yes, there are some popular brands here (Cantu, Mizani, Aphogee etc), but price and status doesn't mean the product will work for you. I had tried the coconut oil many times and found...

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If you read my previous post, you may know I've struggled with dry hair that won't stay moisturised for long enough. In this post I talked about using a conditioner mixed with oil, but I have since found a product which I believe to be much, much better. I've been using African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion at night to moisturise my hair. It is a product that leaves my hair feeling silky and blinging with shine, but without that greasy feeling (unless I use too much!) I've tried loads of moisturisers that I am excited to say this one is...

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Deep conditioning is an essential part of a healthy hair regime. It helps us to restore the much-needed moisture and protein back into our parched or weakened strands, improving softness, elasticity, shine and strength. Here are 5 easy steps that you can take to ensure you get the most out of your deep conditioning sessions: Use heat Using heat while deep conditioning opens up the cuticle, allowing the conditioner to penetrate further into the hair strand and offer maximum benefits. Simply cover your hair with a shower cap, plastic bag or cling film (saran wrap) while you treat your...

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This post is an update to my previous post in which I vented my frustration with experiencing tangled and dry hair after washing it. I had concluded that I would: 1. Wash my hair in the shower as opposed to leaning over the bath to avoid tangles Update: Today I washed and conditioned my hair in the shower and tried not to manipulate my hair while doing so. I don't feel like I got any less tangles this way but I guess it's good practice for later. I concluded that the tangles are not caused by the position in which I...

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The last few times I've washed my hair, whether I air dry or blow dry, my roots become matted, and my hair is dry and extremely tangled. With a matted mini afro underneath and straight hair on top, I end up looking like a troll doll. I know this is partly because I'm transitioning and the relaxed hair tangles up with the natural hair, but it's causing a lot of breakage and frustration. After some thinking, I believe my roots get matted and hard to comb simply because they're dry! I am still 'learning' my hair and guess...

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So you know I wear my hair straight. I've experienced two problems with moisturising my hair in its flat ironed state: 1. Waking up the next day with it having reverted! Whether I use a watery moisturiser or a creme based one, my roots never keep straight or frizz free. 2. My hair feels moisturised but is weighed down and stringy Normally, I apply my moisturiser and then seal, but today I tried a new but very simple technique: I rubbed my moisturiser and oil together in my hands first - then applied to my hair. I used...

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Whether you're transitioning or simply on a journey to achieve healthier, thicker or longer hair, we all know that the journey takes time. I'm 23 weeks (5+ months) into my transition and am starting to feel fed up with my hair. It's been breaking a lot recently and is feeling really dry... So how can we keep motivated while on the road to our goals? Below, I've compiled a list of 9 suggestions that hopefully will keep you motivated when you're feeling discouraged:   1. Keep a blog or journal:  Document the products and techniques that did and...

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Whether you're going natural or simply stretching your relaxer, at some point you're likely to experience breakage at the line of demarcation. This is the point in which the relaxed hair and natural hair meets, and it's a very fragile area. The more new growth you have, the more fragile the demarcation line will be, so it's important to keep your moisture levels up - especially at this area! As I get deeper into my transition, I'm noticing my hair - especially my roots are feeling extra dry. So I'll share with you a simple yet effective tweak...

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Deep conditioning is a crucial aspect when trying to grow and maintain healthy hair. It aids in providing the moisture and strength that our fragile hair needs, helping it to cope against chemical services, manipulation and heat. Using heat is a great way to deep condition hair as it allows the cuticle to open, thus allowing the conditioner to penetrate deeper into the cortex. I use a great product called LookGreat Heat Wrap, which is a head wrap with microwavable gel packs inside. It allows you to condition with heat on the go. Figure 1 (below) shows that as the temperature...

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So I'm officially 5 months since my last relaxer. Even before I had decided to transition, I had never gone this long so I'm quite proud of myself. It's a whole new experience for me, and exciting too seeing my natural hair come in. Since my mum was the one who looked after my hair when it was natural, I've never really got to 'know' it, and so I believe transitioning instead of 'big chopping' is better for me as it's a slower process. My thoughts so far: My new growth feels much rougher and drier compared to...

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So I've been thinking for a few weeks that I want to dye my hair jet black. I've been wanting to do it for months actually. I just find that jet black hair reflects shine better and looks healthier and more exotic. So here are the pictures! I like it ...

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Hair is primarily composed of a protein called keratin, which is what makes our hair strong. While all hair needs protein to keep its strength, relaxed hair often needs a dose more often. This is because the chemicals in a relaxer break down and weaken the protein bonds in the hair, thus reducing strength.  There are several other factors that reduce the amount of protein within the hair: Manipulation of any kind: touching, twisting, coming, washing etc can all reduce protein in the hair The elements: harsh weather such as cold winds can reduce the strength in your...

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Why do we need to moisturise our hair? Black hair especially needs moisture to help keep it supple, soft, retain its elasticity and keep it from getting dry. Moisture deficiency in afro textured hair is probably one of the biggest reasons for not retraining length. Let me start by saying that water is the utmost moisturising ingredient. When our bodies are dehydrated, we drink water. This is no different for our hair. It is a complete myth that 'black hair should not get wet'. Our hair loves water and moisture. Furthermore, you can not moisturise your hair by simply adding...

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After a disaster flat ironing episode a few weeks ago (didn't use heat protectant), my hair was suffering from heat damage. I was determined to get my hair cut. Not only would it get rid of the damage, it would get me closer to being fully natural by getting rid of more relaxed ends. When I arrived at the hairdressers, it was closed. I was so eager to get a haircut that I went to another salon and asked them to keep the same bob style, but just go shorter. As soon as the woman started cutting, I...

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My crown area is the first place to break when I have a considerable amount of new growth. It's happened before and it's happening now.  For me, I know it's demarcation breakage. Some years ago my nape also broke off - I basically had a hole at the back of my hair where you could see through to my neck. In my case, it was because I used to wear wooly scarves while wearing my hair down. They used to rub and result in breakage. I've heard many stories about similar situations, so I've compiled a set of...

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So I'm 4 months and one week post-relaxer and my hair's really starting to break at the demarcation line* New growth. Shaking my head at how thin my relaxed hair looks  The relaxed hair in my crown has broken off so bad, leaving just the two inches of natural hair. I've been experimenting with braid-outs and twist-outs but they look pathetic because my ends are so thin and straight. It's been recommended that I use curling rods at the ends of my twists to combat this problem. I will be trying this. Anyway, let's get to the point:...

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