Enjoying straight hair for a day

Hey all, it's been a little while since I last posted but really I've had nothing to report - until now. Yesterday marked day 30 of my 60 Day Bunning Challenge! (yay)

It's been pretty smooth sailing so far apart from the odd few days where I get bored of bunning. But that's what my two heat passes are for. Three days ago I decided to use one my two heat passes and flat ironed my hair - pictured above.

After washing and deep conditioning with my fave ORS Replenishing Conditioner, I straightened my hair in small sections (using leave-in and heat protectant of course). It was nice being able to feel my scalp without fighting through the forest of new growth, but at the same time I was eager to tie my hair back into the protective style. It's weird how conscious I've become of protecting my ends!

Between me and you, I think I've even retrained a sneaky bit of length. I can't wait to share my length result photo with you at the end of February.

A big thanks to those who have joined me on this challenge - not long to go!

Heat-abused keratin treated hair vs heathy keratin treated hair

I 'enjoyed' my natural hair for all of one month (!) before I got my first keratin treatment, which allowed me to keep my flat ironed hair straight until wash day. But even in that month of being natural, I straightened my hair frequently so I never had the chance to get to know my natural texture. I always thought 'I'll go heatless when my hair is longer' or 'I'll stop using heat when I master the heatless styles'. But how was I supposed to master my natural texture when I was always straightening it?

My entire head is keratin treated - the new growth just reflects my healthy heat practices.

Are you transitioning?
Have you ever had to re-attempt your journey?

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I'm now in my second week of bunning and it feels great! I'm thankful to those who have openly joined me on my challenge and also to those lurkers out there.

Protective styling is a great way to retain length, but sometimes, with the wrong practices, it can be counterproductive. Wearing your hair in a pulled-back style over an extended period of time can cause weak spots along the hair shaft, resulting in stressed and snapping strands. In this post I'm going to share a few tips on how to continue bunning without the breakage.

• Regularly switch the position of your bun. Whether it's a cute high bun or a chic low 'do, it's important not to place your bun in the same position every day. Consistently bunning in the same spot can put extra stress on the hair in that area, and you might find you develop breakage in that spot. 

• Choose your hairbands wisely. Avoid hair bands with metal parts as they can snag on your hair. Instead, opt for endless bands that are more gentle on your hair. Another good tip is to soak your ties in oil so that they provide extra slip when tying and untying your hair.

• Don't tie too tight! You can still achieve a slick bun without tying your hair so tight. If you want your hair to lie flat, apply your moisturiser or styling product and tie your hair down with a scarf for a few minutes. You could also use a natural boar bristle brush to create a sleeker, flatter look. Tight hairbands will put too much unnecessary stress on your tresses, not to mention give you a headache! 

• Moisturise before bunning. It's a good idea to make sure your hair is sufficiently moisturised before any manipulation (such as brushing, braiding or bunning). The moisture will provide extra elasticity, making your hair more pliable and less prone to snapping in the process. 

• Take down the bun at the end of the day. I like to give my hair a rest at the end of the day, even if my style isn't tight. This also helps to give my hair some air if I decided to damp bun that day, as consistently damp hair can cause a moisture overload. 

Since August, I've been working on cutting out heat to keep my ends neat, moisturised and ultimately retain length. I had cut the flat ironing down to once a week but still wasn't satisfied with the amount of heat I was using. Since 1 December I've been bunning my hair to avoid straightening, and even better, I'm now on a heatless '60 Day Bunning Challenge' (come and join me!).

I just wanted to share the benefits and improvements that I've noticed since I've stopped straightening and blow drying:

• It's liberating! No more running for shelter when it rains or worrying about humidity in the shower. I can co-wash my hair whenever I want, air dry, moisturise then tie into a bun.

• Increased moisture and elasticity. I must admit, a few months ago my hair would snap pretty easily when doing the strand test (pulling a shed hair at both ends to test elasticity). My hair was moisture deprived because of all the heat I was using. With the help of S-curl No Drip, my strands have regained their elasticity and my hair is retaining its moisture levels.

• Less breakage. Because of the increased elasticity, I have less breakage. In fact, most of the hairs left in my brush are shed hairs now (shed hairs have a little white bulb at the end of them).

• Thicker hair. Regular flat ironing can thin the hair. In the last few weeks I've started to notice that my hair has thickened considerably.

• Better length retention? Well, with better moisture retention and protected ends, I should hope so! Although I won't be taking another length picture until my bunning challenge ends on 23 Feb - stay tuned! 

Thank you to my brother Malik for the photography!

Hey guys, I'm back with another post and this time it's featuring my friend Mariel! I've been meaning to share her hair with you guys for a while, as when she's not wearing her sassy braids she has a beautiful, soft curly afro (and I'm pretty sure I'll feature her again when she removes her braids).

I thought a post centered around braids would benefit those of you who wear them as protective styles or who are thinking about installing them. Hopefully Mariel can shed some light on her braid maintenance practices, so let's pick her brain!


What braiding hair do you use?
Xpression Kanekalon hair, I've tried a few brands now, but Xpressions is the longest and softest out of them all, you get a lot more in each pack!

Are you using the braids as a protective style to help you reach your goals?
Yes, at first I had braids put in for my holiday as a low maintenance style, but after seeing the growth I achieved I've kept them in for the winter, when my hair usually gets quite brittle and dry from exposure to wind, rain and my nemesis - central heating!

What's your long-term hair goal?
The same as you, Aicha! Armpit length hair! Currently my hair is at about my jawline when curly, and shoulders when stretched and straightened. I'd love to get to armpit length hair with my curls, though I think this is a long way away...

How do you keep your style looking so neat?
I struggle with this a lot! After some advice from online groups I now wash the braiding hair in apple cider vinegar and water before installation, and run coconut oil through it once it's dry. At night I put the braids into a big chunky flat twist or braid at the back of my head and wear a silk scarf on my crown and another one wrapped around the ends of the hair to prevent the braids rubbing on my pillowcase. I also use Dr Miracle's Gentle Braid Relief Spray on my braids for shine, and a mix of black castor oil and rosemary, tea tree, and peppermint essential oils as a scalp treatment once a week.

How long do you keep the braids in, and do you let your hair rest between installs?
I keep them in for about 6 weeks, and definitely give my hair a break! I usually let my hair rest for at least 3 weeks, as my scalp needs time to recover from the weight of braids. They don't feel that heavy when in, but when I remove them I always notice how much lighter I feel!

Do you do any special treatments to your hair after uninstalling the braids?
I swear by Lush's "Roots" treatment on my scalp after removing my braids. The product build up and the inevitable strain on my roots and scalp mean I need a deep conditioner that also lifts build up, and this is perfect for it. I also henna my hair using Lush's Caca Noir if I think my hair is feeling thin or has been bleached in the sunshine, as this darkens the ends but also leaves my hair feeling fuller and softer. I also do homemade hot oil treatments with olive oil, black castor oil, and rosemary essential oil to regain softness.

How do you look after your natural hair while it's in this protective style?
Other than using my black castor oil scalp treatment, I rub coconut oil down the lengths of my braids when I feel they're getting a bit fluffy or dry. If they're very dry (as they where when I was on holiday) I'll do a deep conditioning treatment, but it's quite hard to thoroughly wash this out with braids in, so I tend to only do this in extreme situations.
Lastly, what do you do to get your edges so slayed?
Haha thank you! In the mornings I use an old toothbrush to apply styling gel or shea butter to them, and slowly flick them away from the centre of my face. Then I tightly wrap a scarf over them to set them and stop them curling up too much. They usually stay flat until the mid afternoon, which, in my office with its nutty central heating, is a blessing!

A big thanks to Mariel for sharing her advice on braid maintenance.

You can check out Mariel's Instagram if you would like to see more of her. Oh, and who's with me for signing a petition to get her to create her own hair blog?

Many thanks to Michelle over at Relaxed and Healthy for thoughtfully nominating me for this Liebster award! Michelle, I'm touched and extremely excited to learn that I've been able to help and inspire you.

For those unfamiliar, the Liebster award is a commendation given to a blogger by another blogger with the aim to help publicise their blog within the relevant reader community. So please do take the time to check out Michelle's wonderful blog. Make a cup of tea and get comfortable 'cause she's got lots of great healthy lifestyle, healthy hair and motivational posts for you to sink your teeth into.

When I was nominated, I was also challenged to answer a set of personality questions carefully thought out by Michelle, and when it's my turn to nominate, I'll ask my own. So here goes...

1. Who inspires you?
   Everyone has insecurities, however big or small. My own confidence is something I have been aware of and working on ever since school. I am really inspired by people who emanate confidence and who are clearly comfortable in their own skin. I know it's so liberating to not care about what people think of you, and I admire those who subscribe to this outlook.
2. What’s your favourite food or cuisine?
   Crispy bacon LOL! I could eat that on its own. I also love my mum's stewed chicken, with rice and plantain. Oh, and chocolate cake!
3. What song makes you dance every time you hear it?
   Return of the mack
   It is
   Return of the mack
   C'mon
   Return of the mack
   Dont ya know!
   I love 90s RnB so much
4. What’s your favourite make-up line?
   I only really use the cheaper lines. I guess Rimmel or Maybelline?
5. If you die today what would be the thing you regret most not doing?
   I'd regret not having the confidence to just go and do things.
6. What is the one thing you can’t live without?
   My family <3
7. Fabulous hair or a great body?
   I've yearn more for my dream hair than my dream body.
8. What’s your dream car?
   An old banger. I really have no idea about cars. Something with lots of room in the front cause I have daddylongleg-legs.
9. Mini skirt or Daisy dukes?
   Mini skirt or batty riders? Definitely a mini skirt.
10. Ice Cream or Chocolate?
    What about chocolate ice cream? Lol... it's definitely got to be chocolate!

I actually had too much fun answering those questions.

But now it's my turn to nominate six other blogs that have helped me keep going on this hair journey.

My nominees are:

1. KLP at Saving our Strands
2. Lesley at Fresh Lengths
3. Joanne and Evelyn at Grow African Hair Long
4. JC at The Natural Haven
5. Uzoma at Dont Touch the Hair
6. Kayla at What the Kink

Towel dried hair. 5 months post heat abuse!

Since I've stopped using heat, I've noticed a major texture difference in my new growth compared to the rest of my hair. To give a summary of my journey, I transitioned from relaxed hair to natural and then got the Brazilian keratin treatment (BKT). Am I still classed as natural even with a keratin treatment? That's a debate for another time, but the BKT is definitely something I would like to talk about today.

I love my keratin treatments - it smooths my hair, gives it strength, shine and movement. However, there is one downside to it that I would like to warn others about.

It speeds up heat damage.

The keratin treatment itself does not straighten hair, it simply smooths it, sometimes temporarily loosening the curl pattern. When the hair is taken care of, the treatment (at least the one I use) washes out over time, revealing the hair's natural texture after a few months.

Up until a few months ago I was using heat very frequently. In fact, I used heat regularly throughout my entire transition and it didn't affect my curl pattern at all - my strands remained kinky and coily.

However, after some months of being keratin treated, my regular flat ironing routine affected my hair permanently, creating straight strands that wouldn't revert even when wet. My theory that too much heat causes premature straightening on keratin treated hair was confirmed by a conversation with my stylist's daughter. She had decided to cut down her treatments to just twice a year as she too found that the regular flat ironing of her fringe (bangs) caused permanently straight hair.

I must reiterate that it is not the keratin treatments themselves that cause permanent straightening. It is the the regular use of heat on the keratin treated hair that will expedite this outcome.

Note that my new growth is keratin treated also, it just hasn't been exposed to the crazy heat.

It's been five months since I curbed my heat addiction, and this change is reflected in the texture of my new growth. The keratin treatments I've had in these last five months have not affected the texture of my first few inches of growth, because that hair hasn't been troubled by the harsh amounts of heat I was previously using.

I'm aware that my situation could have happened without these treatments. If used enough, heat can permanently straighten anyone's hair. But in my case the keratin treatment simply sped the process up.

Don't get me wrong: keratin treatments can be great for those who are sensible with their heat use, or those who always wear their hair straight like I did. They can help with manageability, help flat ironed hair fight humidity and strengthen, but there are precautions to take.

Now that I've finally gained the confidence to stray away from my straight style and wear heatless styles such as buns, I'm itching for my thicker, textured hair again.

At this moment in time, I'm not sure whether I will stop the treatments completely or just get them twice a year. But I definitely know that 2016 is going to be a big year for change in regards to my hair.

I plan to continue with limited heat and low-manipulation styles to ensure my natural texture grows and maintains in tact.  That's the beauty of a journey - there are twists and turns, minds change and new decisions are made!

Happy 2016 to you all! It's full steam ahead and I'm so determined to achieve my longest, healthiest head of hair within the next 12 months. It's now day three of my 60 day bunning challenge, and I've vowed to keep heat-free during this time (minus 2 heat passes - hair gotta be on fleek for Valentine's day you know!). I'm starting the year the way I intend to go on: healthy hair practices and maximum length and moisture retention!

Having straightened my hair over the Christmas and NYE period I was itching to get some moisture back into my strands, so today I invited my good friend (and hair buddy) over for a deep conditioning and steaming session.

I had run out of my beloved ORS Replenishing Conditioner but my friend had conveniently come equipped with some delicious ingredients so that we could make our own treatment!

Shoutout to my brother Malik for the photography!

Good enough to eat (and trust, we did have a taste), we whipped up the conditioner, slapped it on our heads and took turns to sit under the steamer. In this instance we both decided to deep condition on dry hair and the results were soft, moisturised hair.

You could find most of these ingredients in your kitchen and it's pretty easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 Avocado
1/2 a can of coconut milk
2.5 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of honey
2.5 tablespoons of mayonnaise


What are the benefits of these ingredients?

Avocado: When used topically, avocados encourage shine and help to nourish the hair. They're great for parched strands as their high fat content help against breakage and dryness.

Coconut milk: Helps to moisturise and condition the hair. It's good to use warm as a pre-shampoo treatment.

Olive oil: One of the only oils that can penetrate the hair shaft, olive oil is great for treating dandruff, promoting shine and softening the hair. It's also a great sealant to use after moisturising.

Honey: Like glycerine, honey acts as a humectant by drawing moisture into the hair strand. It basically makes a moisturiser even more moisturising.

Mayonnaise: With ingredients like oil, vinegar and egg yolk, mayonnaise works to restore shine and vitality into lacklustre hair.

We used my Nutribullet to blend the ingredients which formed a yummy, creamy consistency. Since we doubled the ingredients we had so much leftover, so we simply sealed the rest in a Tupperware box and refrigerated for another time.