Just a quick post to document my length progress over the last three and a half months. 
I straightened my hair for my work summer party and it looks like my hair has gotten longer! It's now covering the whole of my neck.
I would like to be full collarbone length (CBL) by Christmas - do you think this is a reasonable goal?
I'll upload another length photo in September to mark another three months. 
In the meantime, I'll continue with my bunning and S-curl regime. 
What are you doing to achieve your goals?
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Hello again!
I come excitedly to tell you about my experience over the last few months.
Since the end of March 2018 I've been wearing my hair in a faux bun as a protective style in a bid to retain all my length. Aside from a couple of heat passes due to special occasions, this has pretty much been my hairstyle for the last 11 weeks. 
After almost three months, I can honestly say my hair has not felt this good in my entire adult life! Plus, I've noticed my hair has grown and thickened at a rate I did not expect! 
It didn't take me long to learn that my hair thrives on moisture. I've bunned my hair before but this time I'm really going in with quenching my strands, and my hair is thanking me. 
It's caused me to question whether my regime of cowashing, curl activator and bunning is the key to growing to lengths I've never achieved before. 

My bunning regime

• It's pretty simple. I moisturise my hair mornings and evenings using S-Curl, sometimes adding a creamy leave-in or oil on top.
• In the mornings I add some Eco-Styler Gel and slick my hair down with a boar bristle brush before tying into a bun.
• To 'set' the style I tie a silk scarf around my head for a few minutes
• Remove the scarf and wrap some Marley Twist hair around my natural bun for extra oomph.
• I co-wash midweek or whenever my hair is feeling coated (I'm heavy handed with my products!) 
• Over the weekend I wash and deep condition, air dry, moisturise and bun again.

To free my hair of any tension I take my bun down at the end of each day. 
So, what wonderful things have been happening to my hair?

Week 1: I noticed softer, supple hair & no dry scalp

If I thought my hair was hydrated before, I was wrong. My hair actually clumps up when I add moisture to it now, which is a sign that it's well watered. In addition, I noticed softness and shine.
My dry scalp pretty much disappeared straight away, too. It was probably caused by the flat iron, hot air from the blowdryer and only feeling water on it once a week. I realise now my hair and scalp loves the extra water.

Week 6: I noticed thicker hair and less breakage

My strands are rejoicing at this combination of moisture, protective styling and avoiding heat. I started noticing thicker hair at around six weeks of this regime, and in the few times I've blowdried my hair recently, I've been amazed at its ever-increasing volume. 
You must remember that I was previously flat ironing my hair several times a week, so my poor strands were probably gasping for hydration. 
I'm really only seeing shed hairs now. It's rare I see a broken hair, but when I start to see them I know it's time for a stronger protein treatment. 

Week 9: I noticed length retention

I re-do my bun everyday so I was shocked to suddenly realise that the length of my ponytail had increased. About two weeks ago I noticed my ends were no longer tucking into my bun as easily they used to, and I had some extra length to manoeuvre. This was a pleasant surprise. 
I will be flat ironing for my work summer party next week, so will be posting progress pics soon!  This is the first time I've noticed such impressive results and because of this, it's the first time I truly believe I can grow to new lengths.
I've raved about S-Curl before, and while I understand healthy hair is a result of both good technique and the right products, this moisturiser has done wonders for my hair so far. It simply moisturises like no other!
What's your hair staple and what's helping you retain your length? 
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Bonjour guys!

I've come to share my new protective style with you.  It dawned on me that if I'm serious about growing my hair again and keeping it healthy, I'm going to need to forget about my flat iron for a while. We all know that excessive heat destroys hair, so in my bid to retain my length and my moisture I've once again turned to bunning. This time, however, I've bumped up my itty bitty bun with some extra help with some Marly braiding hair.

This heat-free hair style has many benefits and is a great way to keep hair moisturised all day because it tucks your fragile ends away from the elements. With the added hair wrapped around my natural bun, my own ends are shielded and hopefully hang in there long enough for me to notice some serious length retention.

I must admit I was feeling a little insecure about wearing this style, firstly because I haven't used any kind of added hair since I was in school, and second because my face feels exposed without hair hanging down!

Today is day five of wearing the style and I've quickly become very comfortable with it. It's pretty liberating not having to worry about the wind blowing it out of place or about the damage I'm doing with heat tools.

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This is now my second post on dealing with dry hair since I've been back to blogging. My habit for heat tools means the moisture in my strands can quickly be fried away, leaving me with locks that are severely lacking in moisture.

Do oils moisturise hair?

Adding oil to your conditioner 

Pre-shampoo treatment

The LCO method 

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Sometimes I feel like my hair is so dry I could light a match on it. Lack of moisture in our strands is one of the main causes of breakage. Without adequate hydration, hair lacks the elasticity needed to withstand daily manipulation, causing it to snap off easily and eat into your length progress. But what causes dry hair and how can you fix it?

Weather and atmosphere

Very hot or very cold weather can wreak havoc with our hair. When the air around us is dry our strands can become dehydrated and dull. In winter we tend to crank up the central heating at home, which further diminishes any moisture in the atmosphere.

A humidifier can help counteract this by adding moisture back into the dry air indoors. Protective styles, such as weaves, braids and buns, can also help to guard your hair from the harsh elements and maintain moisture levels in your hair.

Hard water

Hard water can deposit minerals such as calcium and magnesium onto the hair, causing it to become it dry, dull and brittle. If you imagine the hair shaft to be like fish scales or shingles on a roof, hard water can cause the shaft to become raised rather than lie flat, making hair tangled and rough rather than smooth and soft - not a good look!

Installing a water softening system or a shower head filter could help reduce the mineral levels in your water, so that each time you wash your hair (and body - it affects the skin too!) you're not depositing drying minerals onto it.

Chelating shampoos are specifically designed to remove mineral buildup from the hair, and they're also good for removing chlorine after swimming. These shampoos will strip your hair and will likely make it feel dry (oh, the irony), but if mineral buildup is the cause of your dryness, this will remove the buildup and give hair a chance to start receiving all your conditioning efforts! I wouldn't use a chelating shampoo too often - try once a month and see how that works for you.

A shower head filter may help to reduce the effects of hard water

Product buildup

If you're heavy handed with your products or only wash your hair with sulfate-free shampoos, you might find that your favourite products "stop working" and your hair becomes dry.  Sulfate-free shampoos are great for regular washes, but they don't contain the harsh detergents that thoroughly cleanse the hair.

When you have a buildup on your hair or scalp, your products are unable to penetrate the hair strand and offer maximum benefits. Whether you're treating your tresses with oils, moisturisers or conditioners, they will simply 'sit' on the hair strand and not be absorbed, resulting in hair that may feel heavy, greasy or coated, but dry at the same time.

If you suspect product buildup, try using a clarifying shampoo to break down the products and thoroughly cleanse the hair. This should open the door for your products to start penetrating again. A clarifying shampoo, which aims to remove product buildup, is different from a chelating shampoo, which is designed to remove mineral deposits.

Cotton pillowcases

Did you know you could be damaging your hair while you sleep? Perhaps I'm being extreme, but cotton pillowcases are notoriously known for stripping moisture from the hair.

If you don't wrap your hair with a silky or satin scarf, or at least sleep on a silky pillowcase, start now! A silky material will help prevent moisture from being sucked away in the night, leaving your hair feeling soft and hydrated in the morning. This is especially beneficial if you moisturise your locks before bed - you don't want your hard work to go to waste!

Heat tools

Heat tools, like flat irons, blow dryers and curling irons, are a wonderful way to fry and frazzle your hair! They're a quick way to evaporate all the moisture content in your strands, so be sure to do a moisturising deep conditioning session before you're planning to use heat, and always use a heat protectant!

If you've followed my blog you'll know that I've had a habit for heat (and frankly, the habit's back!) Try hiding your heat tools for a month and see how your hair thanks you. I need to listen to my own advice here...

Too much protein

Regular conditioning is great, but it's important to be mindful of the ingredients in your products. Striking the right balance between moisturising and protein products is important, as too much moisture in the hair can cause it to become weak and gummy, whereas a protein overload can result in dry and brittle hair.

Have a quick look at the ingredients in your products. Anything with keratin or containing the words 'hydrolized' will contain protein, and the higher up in the list, the more concentrated the ingredient is.

I've already written a post on protein so I won't dive into details too much here, but a protein overload can easily be fixed with a series of moisturising treatments to restore the balance.

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My hair recently. How long can I grow?

Bonjour!

It feels like I last posted a lifetime ago. Having been MIA for two years, I've had more than enough time to reach my length goal of armpit length but, in reality, I've become addicted to blunt ends and have been getting my hair cut into a chin-length bob every 2-3 months.

I pretty much stopped blogging because I had nothing new to report on my hair... until now!

After a few years of wearing a bob (recent pic above), I've decided I want to grow my hair again. Feeling a bit out of practice I decided to revisit my blog to get some tips on what used to help me.

Growing and maintaining healthy hair takes research, time and effort. Here are 3 questions to ask yourself before starting a hair journey.

What are the best vitamins for hair growth?

Many people incorporate supplements into their regime to encourage faster, thicker or healthier hair growth. With so many multivitamins and potions promising miracle results, how do you decide what's best for you?

The results you receive from vitamins is dependent on many factors, including whether you have a vitamin deficiency and how the vitamin interacts with another. in your body. I've decided to start taking biotin and MSM, but no vitamin comes without its risks so do your research first!

What is biotin?

This water-soluble B Vitamin is popular choice. Also known as Vitamin H, biotin occurs naturally in foods like fish, eggs and soy beans. While there's limited scientific evidence, many report thicker, faster growing hair while taking biotin, but they also report acne breakouts! You can read some reviews on biotin for hair growth here.

What is MSM?

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a naturally occurring compound found in the body. It's often taken to maintain bone health and reduce joint pain because of its sulfur content, which is important for forming connective tissues. Sulfur is also a key component for growing healthy hair and nails, thus MSM has also been said to encourage faster hair growth, although many report unwanted growth all over the body! It's also believed that MSM lengthens the anagen (growing) phase of the hair growth cycle, helping you achieve longer lengths.

How should you style your hair?

A key to retaining length is maintaining healthy ends. Heat styling, tight hairbands, and over manipulation are just three ways to cause breakage and reach an early length plataeu.

Protective styles and low manipulation styles such as braids, buns or any 'do that keeps your ends from being exposed, are a great way to maintain your length.

Hairstyles such as braid-outs and twist-outs are super cute and heat-free. Check out my experience with curlformers and pincurls; two styles I'll definitely be revisiting on my hair journey!

Harsh weather, daily styling and even hair rubbing against your shoulders can damage your locks, so planning your styles to protect your strands is a wise move.

Heatless pincurls

What are the best hair care products?

Products and technique go hand in hand, so pairing your arsenal of products with healthy practices is the key to success.

It's a good idea to establish a set of go-to products that work for your hair:

Shampoos

A sulfate-free shampoo will gently cleanse the hair without stripping it. Shea Moisture has an entire line of sulfate-free shampoos, and they smell delicious. Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Sulfate Free Shampoo leaves my hair feeling super silky and detangled. Creme of Nature Argan Oil Shampoo is another gentle cleanser with lots of slip - perfect for transitioning hair that gets tangled easily! There are loads to choose from, so have fun finding the right one for you!

Conditioners

A moisturising conditioner will help keep hair elastic and hydrated, while a good protein conditioner will add strength to your stands. I've been using Organic Root Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner, which strikes a balance between the two; it's been a staple of mine for over 10 years!

Moisturiser

Keep hair supple with a daily moisturiser (my favourite is African Pride Olive Miracle). The consistency of your chosen moisturiser should depend on your hair type. Thicker, thirstier or natural hair may benefit from a heavier butter, while relaxed or finer hair may prefer a lighter product. Cantu Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioning Cream is another of my favourites; a little goes a long way and it keeps hair soft and moisturised, plus it smells lovely!

Oils

Oils are a great way to nourish the hair and add shine to your strands. As oils don't contain water they can't moisturise the hair, but you might benefit from a hot oil treatment before shampooing, or you can try adding oils to your conditioner to boost its effect.

I love using argan oil as it doesn't leave my fine hair greasy or stringy. Castor oil is a popular choice and many people report thicker new growth after applying it to the scalp. Coconut oil is also great for its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and olive oil is rich in nutrients to nourish your locks.

I have a new love in my life. They're called Curlformers.

They're just flimsy, springy coils of plastic but they know how to make the loveliest ringlets, giving consistent results every time!
To be frank, I'm sick of bunning. I'm sick of talking about bunning and I'm pretty sure you're sick of reading about it. I want to have some fun with my hair now, and what better way than to try out some cute heatless styles?

Pincurling was good for a while, but it never gave me the definition I was looking for, and while it always gave me curls or waves, the style was never consistent.
With these magic Curlformers, the cute little ringlet style has a consistent, reliable result each time.

How to use Curlformers

Instead of using Curlformers on dry hair, I find working on soaking wet hair gives the smoothest, shiniest and most defined results. After co-washing, I apply my leave-in and defining product, and apply each Curlformer one by one. If my hair starts to dry, I simply spray the section with water. Application is really easy once you get the hang of it, but since the included instructions are whack, here's a bunch of Curlformer tutorials on Youtube.
The Curlformers kit comes with 40 spirals in a box, which is just about perfect for my shorter hair length. Once I've applied them all, I leave my hair to air dry or use a blowdryer to speed up the process. If you value hair over sleep, you could even try sleeping in them overnight. In fact, that's exactly what I did last night as I wanted my curls to be fresh for the morning. 
They're a great option for transitioners who are looking to blend their two textures. I've got about three inches of new growth myself and once styled, the textures blend pretty well.
Once I remove the Curlformers, I begin to fluff out the style using oil on my hands so my hair doesn't frizz. Fluff to your heart's content! 

Clockwise: With Curlformers in, before fluffing and after fluffing

I'm still learning and experimenting with these, what products to use and the different ways to style the outcome, but I'm pretty sure these little plastic pieces will be long-term pals of mine. 

Have you tried Curlformers?

What was your experience?

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Hey all! I'm a week overdue with this post, but please forgive me as I've had no laptop for a while. But I'm back now and I've successfully completed my 60 day bunning challenge!
For those that don't know, I bunned my hair every day from 1 Jan to 29 Feb, allowing myself two heat passes (which I gladly used) along the way. The aim of the challenge was to help my hair retain length, but I noticed lots of other pleasantly surprising benefits along the way!
So without further ado, the results of my challenge:

Before & after

Considering my hair grows half an inch per month, it looks like I've retained all of my growth! 
But aside from length retention, what else did I notice? Thicker hair.  I absolutely loved feeling my bun get thicker throughout the challenge. Plus, I enjoyed seeing my thick new growth form little waves. 
Moisturised hair.  My hair stayed moisturised all day. In fact, my hair got so moisturised that I even experienced my first moisture overload on this challenge! 
Convenience.  Being able to get my hair wet and not have to worry felt amazing! I didn't mind going out in the rain, and I fully enjoyed being able to co-wash, air dry and bun. Plus, bunning shaved way more time off my morning routine. So liberating.
Less breakage.  I suffered no breakage from dryness like I used to. I feel like my hair is more elastic and pliable now.
My last thoughts.  It was a long two months, I can't lie. Towards the end I did get pretty fed up with wearing buns and it took me a little while in the beginning to adjust to wearing a new style. 
Now that the challenge is over I feel like I don't know how else to wear my hair! In fact, I've found I no longer enjoy wearing my hair straight anymore - simply because I prefer the more textured look. I've found myself resort to bunning simply for its convenience. This is definitely my go-to style for when everything else fails.
A big THANK YOU to those who joined and supported me!
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Why would I ever want to co-wash my hair? I dread wash day as it is because of the tangles and matted hair. Why would I purposely put water on my hair more often than I need to?
The above is exactly what I was saying before I tried co-washing, the act of using conditioner as a shampoo substitute. For the last few weeks I've been slowly falling in love with this method. 
The results on my hair have been wonderful and I thought I might try to win some of you over if you haven't tried it.
Yeh, yeh but how do you co-wash?
Personally, I just wet my hair in the shower, apply a glob of cheap conditioner, massage into my hair like shampoo and then rinse. 
The purpose is not to replace shampoo forever. Your hair will still require a proper cleanse every week or two to avoid product buildup. I've been co-washing my hair twice a week in addition to my weekly wash and deep condition.

OK, what's so good about it?

I've found four noticeable benefits since I've been co-washing:
1. Aids with manageability

Co-washing is a detangler's dream! Once I've applied the conditioner, I like to finger detangle in the shower. Once towel tried, my hair behaves, not tangling or matting up. 
2. Keeps hair moisturised

Our hair loves water. What better way to moisturise it than to put water on it? Coupled with my daily bunning and reduction of heat, I've noticed an increase in the elasticity of my hair and therefore less breakage.
3. Helps soften new growth
If you follow my blog, you'll know that I'm transitioning (again) back to my natural texture. New growth can often get dry, rough or crunchy, and co-washing (along with my S-curl) helps to soften and loosen my roots.  
4. Great for refreshing hair 
I co-wash after exercise to refresh my hair without using stripping shampoos. Because I'm also quite heavy handed with my product during the week, the water on its own helps to remove the gunky feeling that occurs after a few days. 
Once my hair is partly dry, I bun and tie a scarf around my head to flatten my roots.
I know co-washing is nothing new on the healthy hair scene, but if you were anything like me and shunned if before you tried it, I strongly encourage you to give it a go!
Do you co-wash? 
What were your results?

If you've been paying any attention in healthy hair school (or the forums), you'll know about the importance of including protein in our regimes. When balanced properly with moisture, protein helps our hair stay strong in order to fight against breakage.
For the last few weeks I've been showering my hair with moisture, spraying it every day with my thirst-quenching S-curl and co-washing regularly. I was loving the effects of super soft and moisturised hair, but recently started to notice dreaded breakage! 
Luckily, I've been monitoring the needs of my hair regularly so I was able to quickly pinpoint when the breakage started and act fast to prevent it further. Instead of the long strands of shed hair I had been getting used to, I was seeing short strands of breakage, which were just a few centimetres in length . 
Coupled with soft, mushy hair I knew I was experiencing a moisture overload! I never understood what 'mushy' hair meant until now because believe it or not, this is the first time I've experienced it on my journey.
Acting quickly, I reached for my bottle of Aphogee 2 minute reconstructor, a protein treatment used to fortify the hair. I mixed it with my usual deep conditioner, and after rinsing, I noticed the effects immediately.
My hair felt stronger - and admittedly rougher - but that's what to expect after a dose of protein. To restore the proper protein/moisture balance, I followed with a quick rinse of a moisture conditioner. 
Reunited with strong but soft hair, this experience has taught me to: 1. Always listen to the needs of my hair 2. Incorporate protein into my regime to avoid this situation again, even if it's in small doses.
While my hair was moisture deprived a few weeks ago, it's not any more. I've learned that it's important to frequently re-asses my regime in order to provide to the requirements of my hair at the time.
Have you ever experienced a moisture or protein overload?
How did you know, and how did you combat it?
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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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Source

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!