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| Gordian Knot |
I have a resolution to expand my scope in literature by reading and rereading classics in my spare time. I may not have someone who is interested in discussing literature with me.... except my sisters who are currently away in school... but I think I can be satisfied with just reading them for now.
For most people, classical literature makes a boring read and seems to have no relevance to today's lifestyle.
I thought so too but after stumbling across and reading a copy of "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, I've come to the conclusion that the behavior of people in those days are really no different from those I observe today.
The only difference is in the words used to express thought,feeling and purpose but I think that's an offline discussion with an interested party...
My main topic is derived from the mythical tale of the Gordian knots and I have decided to see in it a proverb concerning the knotty situations in our lives.
We are all faced with different types of knots in our life....a big shoutout to natural haired divas who have battled with Single stranded knots, Fairy knots and the great big knots that has been a clog in the wheel of length gain!
Many have used the ancient solution to knots without realizing it! LOL!
So before I blab any further, let me get down to the main story.
"Midas (the king with the golden touch) was king of Phrygia. He was the son of Gordius, a poor country man who was taken by the people and made king in obedience to the command of the oracle, which said that their future king would come in a wagon. While the people were deliberating, Gordius with his wife and son came driving his wagon into the public square.
Gordius being made king dedicated his wagon to the deity of the oracle and tied it up in its place with a fast knot. This was the celebrated GORDIAN KNOT, of which, in after times was said that whoever should untie it should become lord of all Asia.
Many tried to untie it but none succeeded till Alexander the Great in his quest for conquest came to Phrygia.
He tried his skill with as ill success as the others till growing impatient........he drew his sword and cut the knot!
When he afterwards succeeded in subjecting Asia, people began to think he had complied with the terms of the oracle according to its true meaning! "
- culled from Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable" by Thomas Bulfinch.
The lesson here is that when faced with an almost impossible problem that may seem to have no solution be in our careers, educational pursuits, our spiritual lives, our relationships .......and even when caring for our natural hair *I just had to put that one in, hadn't I?! *........we should try to think outside the box!
Inspire of what we've been taught, there are really no hard and fast rules about dealing with knotty situations we may face.............. and naturalistas know the only real solution to those pesky SSK's is to do the Alexander and chop them off!
So if a situations tries to get the best of you, think outside the rules.
Think outside of what he said or she said and you'll be able to see clearly the solution to that ish!
Think outside of your office cubicle to how the role you play really helps the smooth flow of the business enterprise as a whole.
Think outside of your 9-5 job and see how you can improve yourself. That may be the solutions to the feeling of discontent and apathy you face in your work place.
Think outside your perceived weaknesses and you may find your strength.
I can go on and on.... but it means I'll selfishly not be able to hear about your own ways of dealing with "Gordian knots " in your lives! So please do share!
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah.
Hello, naturalistas!
How has your week been?
Hope you've all been keeping warm and toasty as the days get cooler! It's getting a bit chilly here in Nigeria but still blazing hot and dry in the afternoons. It rains once in a while but not as much as in August.
This week...no this month has been sad for me on so many levels.
There was the funeral of my peace loving aunt which took place yesterday and the upcoming funeral of my paternal grandfather, next week.
How has your week been?
Hope you've all been keeping warm and toasty as the days get cooler! It's getting a bit chilly here in Nigeria but still blazing hot and dry in the afternoons. It rains once in a while but not as much as in August.
This week...no this month has been sad for me on so many levels.
There was the funeral of my peace loving aunt which took place yesterday and the upcoming funeral of my paternal grandfather, next week.
With all the funeral preparations taking first place and my hair taking second place, I decided to put my hair in a long term protective style.
The style I chose was YARN BRAIDS.
This is my first time, putting in yarn.
I was encouraged by this hot fifty year old mum I met when I travelled! She had beautiful yarn braids and told me how she'd had it in for 2months, how it felt really light, how it was low maintenance and gentle on her edges. I think it was the "edges " bit that had me sold.
I have really fragile edges and the slightest pull will uproot them... and that's not a good look for me!
She suggested I try making it waist length... I love that woman! She's one happening mama!
So, about two weeks later when I was no longer travelling around, I woke up one morning and headed out to get my hair done!
I don't usually make appointments for getting my hair done.
I just wake up one day and head down to the nearest hair salon that specialise in braiding children's hair.
I do this because more children than adults in Nigeria have natural hair and kids cry a lot,so the braiders are gentler and are a bit more understanding when you wince and talk about tight braids.
Prior to heading off to the salons, I co-washed my hair with VO5 conditioner , finger detangled, moisturised with NappyUbermoist Hair Pudding and put my hair in medium twists (about 10) to stretch.
With my porous hair and twists, I was sure my hair would dry by the time I located a salon.
Remember, I just upped and decided to head for the salon.
Ideally, I should prepare my hair a day or two before.
So, it was with my twists in that I approached the braider. In Nigeria, if your hair is natural and you are in braids or twists, it's assumed that you don't have much money....ha!
If only they could see my "hair junk-in-da trunk!"
And being small boned didn't really help my case...or..... I think it did because on the bright side, I think I got off really cheap (N1700) for medium sized waist length hair. I was advised to buy 8 rolls of "baby wool acrylic" yarn which was supposed to be light and can be used on children. (Better for me!). It cost me N600 for 8.
I got back to the braider and our business began!
I took down my twists starting from the back.
(She offered to help but I said "no thanks". I don't think anyone can be as gentle with my hair as I am and the less pain I feel, the better ).
Now, if you are a fine haired natural like me, you'll know that our hair looks smaller braided or twisted but once unleashed.....ROAR!!!!
I heard the braider and those with her gasp..then saw her look of surprise, then regret and then she said
" Ahh, auntie, the money wey I charge you small o! Your hair too plenty. "
I ignored her. Too bad for you, better for my pocket! Ha!
I fingercombed out my hair and held it up loosely with a rubber band. I did this so my hair won't tangle or dry out much.
I gave her my wide tooth comb to be used only when necessary.
I also brought out my conditioning hair spritz and hair pudding (I packed sample sizes in my salon bag) just in case my hair got too dry.
Then the twisting began (I wanted twists not braids because it's faster to put in and faster to take down...I'm not the most patient person, sorry!)
I insisted she made medium sized sections of my hair to reduce breakage and because I didn't want my yarns too small and thick which equals heavy hair and more take down time.
About seven (7) hours later, we were done.
P.S. in Nigeria, no one really calls it "yarn braids", just say you want to braid or twist with "wool".
Here's the result!
I also experimented with different ways to style it.
YARN BRAIDS/TWIST MAINTENANCE
Yarn braids/twists are protective styles with a life span of up to two months. Some have it in longer than that but personally, my limit is 3weeks to a month. This style helps reduce direct manipulation of your hair and is used by many women to grow out their hair.
It's tempting to ignore your hair in this style and this can be counter productive. It is important to still care for your hair.
A simple routine I had while my hair was all twisted up was as follows.
1. Every two days I applied castor oil to my hair line in the front and nape. This was to prevent the loss of hair in those areas which for me are really fragile.
2. To the whole hair starting from the tips of my own hair in the yarn to the root, I spray on a simple mix of equal parts water and olive oil. You can use any light oil of your choice. I keep the mix simple to reduce buildup.
3. Once a week, I cleanse my hair. I do this by diluting shampoo in a spray bottle with clean water. Then I spritz my scalp, roots and down the length of my own hair in the yarn. I do this twist to twist, massaging gently with the pads of my fingers to dissolve dirt, oil and whatnots. I use a clean white cotton handkerchief to dab off excess water/shampoo mix and keep respritzing amd cleaning until the hanky comes up clean.
I then fill up the already emptied spray bottle with clean water and spritz to rinse off the shampoo mix. Then I dab dry with a cotton Tee this time around.
4. While my hair is still damp, I spray a conditioner/oil/water mix in a ratio of about 1:1:3. Personally, I don't do ratios. I just mix in until it's a consistency I want. Then I leave to air dry.
Since the yarn is wet and I have it as long as waist length, I have to deal with the uncomfortable heaviness. #sigh and because of this, I dread the twice a week full washing!!!!
I couldn't stand it so I first of all chopped my twists before week three and then took down the yarn braids before a month!!! But that's just the way I'm wired.....I guess you can do better!
5. Full wash means wetting the whole hair with cold water. I recommend cold water to reduce frizziness due to raises cuticle ish and all. Then apply a dilute mix of shampoo and water and scrunch in. Squeeze excess water not by wringing oh!!!! Just squeeze gently....
Rinse off with cold water, squeeze off excess and dab till damp with a big cotton tee, spritz with oil/conditioner/water mix annnnddd prepare for ages of drying! *yoga pose and connecting to the patient inner self*
6. My nighttime routine is making a big braid on top of my head, wrapping the braid with a big satin scarf and then stuffing it all in a satin bonnet. On lazy nights, I do the braid and hit it! Wrong I know....but we all have those days when your hair is the least of your problems.
So that's it on yarn braids/twists. Please do share your own tips and pics on nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com and I'll feature you!
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah.
The style I chose was YARN BRAIDS.
This is my first time, putting in yarn.
I was encouraged by this hot fifty year old mum I met when I travelled! She had beautiful yarn braids and told me how she'd had it in for 2months, how it felt really light, how it was low maintenance and gentle on her edges. I think it was the "edges " bit that had me sold.
I have really fragile edges and the slightest pull will uproot them... and that's not a good look for me!
She suggested I try making it waist length... I love that woman! She's one happening mama!
So, about two weeks later when I was no longer travelling around, I woke up one morning and headed out to get my hair done!
I don't usually make appointments for getting my hair done.
I just wake up one day and head down to the nearest hair salon that specialise in braiding children's hair.
I do this because more children than adults in Nigeria have natural hair and kids cry a lot,so the braiders are gentler and are a bit more understanding when you wince and talk about tight braids.
Prior to heading off to the salons, I co-washed my hair with VO5 conditioner , finger detangled, moisturised with NappyUbermoist Hair Pudding and put my hair in medium twists (about 10) to stretch.
With my porous hair and twists, I was sure my hair would dry by the time I located a salon.
Remember, I just upped and decided to head for the salon.
Ideally, I should prepare my hair a day or two before.
So, it was with my twists in that I approached the braider. In Nigeria, if your hair is natural and you are in braids or twists, it's assumed that you don't have much money....ha!
If only they could see my "hair junk-in-da trunk!"
And being small boned didn't really help my case...or..... I think it did because on the bright side, I think I got off really cheap (N1700) for medium sized waist length hair. I was advised to buy 8 rolls of "baby wool acrylic" yarn which was supposed to be light and can be used on children. (Better for me!). It cost me N600 for 8.
I got back to the braider and our business began!
I took down my twists starting from the back.
(She offered to help but I said "no thanks". I don't think anyone can be as gentle with my hair as I am and the less pain I feel, the better ).
Now, if you are a fine haired natural like me, you'll know that our hair looks smaller braided or twisted but once unleashed.....ROAR!!!!
I heard the braider and those with her gasp..then saw her look of surprise, then regret and then she said
" Ahh, auntie, the money wey I charge you small o! Your hair too plenty. "
I ignored her. Too bad for you, better for my pocket! Ha!
I fingercombed out my hair and held it up loosely with a rubber band. I did this so my hair won't tangle or dry out much.
I gave her my wide tooth comb to be used only when necessary.
I also brought out my conditioning hair spritz and hair pudding (I packed sample sizes in my salon bag) just in case my hair got too dry.
Then the twisting began (I wanted twists not braids because it's faster to put in and faster to take down...I'm not the most patient person, sorry!)
I insisted she made medium sized sections of my hair to reduce breakage and because I didn't want my yarns too small and thick which equals heavy hair and more take down time.
About seven (7) hours later, we were done.
P.S. in Nigeria, no one really calls it "yarn braids", just say you want to braid or twist with "wool".
Here's the result!
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 |
I also experimented with different ways to style it.
 | ||||
| A high bun |
 | ||
| Back of high bun |
 | ||
| Top braid and tuck. Front view. |
 |
| That's a close up of what it looks like in front. I gathered my hair towards the front and made a single thick braid. Then I rolled it and tucked it, holding with bobby pins. |
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| I don't know what to call this one but I simply sectioned my hair into two across. Then flat twisted the front part towards the back of my head and gathered at the back. |
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| That's it from the top. |
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| Here's the back. |
Yarn braids/twists are protective styles with a life span of up to two months. Some have it in longer than that but personally, my limit is 3weeks to a month. This style helps reduce direct manipulation of your hair and is used by many women to grow out their hair.
It's tempting to ignore your hair in this style and this can be counter productive. It is important to still care for your hair.
A simple routine I had while my hair was all twisted up was as follows.
1. Every two days I applied castor oil to my hair line in the front and nape. This was to prevent the loss of hair in those areas which for me are really fragile.
2. To the whole hair starting from the tips of my own hair in the yarn to the root, I spray on a simple mix of equal parts water and olive oil. You can use any light oil of your choice. I keep the mix simple to reduce buildup.
3. Once a week, I cleanse my hair. I do this by diluting shampoo in a spray bottle with clean water. Then I spritz my scalp, roots and down the length of my own hair in the yarn. I do this twist to twist, massaging gently with the pads of my fingers to dissolve dirt, oil and whatnots. I use a clean white cotton handkerchief to dab off excess water/shampoo mix and keep respritzing amd cleaning until the hanky comes up clean.
I then fill up the already emptied spray bottle with clean water and spritz to rinse off the shampoo mix. Then I dab dry with a cotton Tee this time around.
4. While my hair is still damp, I spray a conditioner/oil/water mix in a ratio of about 1:1:3. Personally, I don't do ratios. I just mix in until it's a consistency I want. Then I leave to air dry.
Since the yarn is wet and I have it as long as waist length, I have to deal with the uncomfortable heaviness. #sigh and because of this, I dread the twice a week full washing!!!!
I couldn't stand it so I first of all chopped my twists before week three and then took down the yarn braids before a month!!! But that's just the way I'm wired.....I guess you can do better!
5. Full wash means wetting the whole hair with cold water. I recommend cold water to reduce frizziness due to raises cuticle ish and all. Then apply a dilute mix of shampoo and water and scrunch in. Squeeze excess water not by wringing oh!!!! Just squeeze gently....
Rinse off with cold water, squeeze off excess and dab till damp with a big cotton tee, spritz with oil/conditioner/water mix annnnddd prepare for ages of drying! *yoga pose and connecting to the patient inner self*
6. My nighttime routine is making a big braid on top of my head, wrapping the braid with a big satin scarf and then stuffing it all in a satin bonnet. On lazy nights, I do the braid and hit it! Wrong I know....but we all have those days when your hair is the least of your problems.
So that's it on yarn braids/twists. Please do share your own tips and pics on nappilynigeriangirl@gmail.com and I'll feature you!
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah.
PRODUCT REVIEW: VO5 TEA THERAPY NOURISHING CONDITIONER
By Hadassah Agbaps - November 11, 2012
Natural hair styling in a professional setting is a bit confusing for some.
If you are natural, you will understand that natural hair in free form is gravity defying and attention seeking. In the professional environment, it is more important to draw attention to your skills at your workplace than to your hair.
Some offices and work environments such as banks are more conservative and while no one may say something outright about your hair styling choices (in most cases) , the looks you get may convey messages of how appropriate or otherwise your natural hair styling may be.
From my experience, natural hair in Nigeria is perceived as "done" when it is chemically treated, hidden under weaves/weaves and cornrowed, twisted or braided. Any other hair style such as twistouts, braidouts, twists/braids without extensions or afro puffs are considered "undone" and looked down upon.
Hopefully, with more people embracing their natural textured coils/curls, the definition of "done" hair may expand to include styles done with hair in it's natural state without any addons.
Before some naturals begin to feel discriminated against, I will like to point out that even our sisters with relaxed hair are faced with some hair styling restrictions too. For example, it is inappropriate in a conservative work environment to appear with your hair dyed in unnatural colours like Katy Perry's blue hair or Nicki Minaj's pink toned hair!
Natural hair styling in a professional setting is a bit confusing for some.
If you are natural, you will understand that natural hair in free form is gravity defying and attention seeking. In the professional environment, it is more important to draw attention to your skills at your workplace than to your hair.
Some offices and work environments such as banks are more conservative and while no one may say something outright about your hair styling choices (in most cases) , the looks you get may convey messages of how appropriate or otherwise your natural hair styling may be.
From my experience, natural hair in Nigeria is perceived as "done" when it is chemically treated, hidden under weaves/weaves and cornrowed, twisted or braided. Any other hair style such as twistouts, braidouts, twists/braids without extensions or afro puffs are considered "undone" and looked down upon.
Hopefully, with more people embracing their natural textured coils/curls, the definition of "done" hair may expand to include styles done with hair in it's natural state without any addons.
Before some naturals begin to feel discriminated against, I will like to point out that even our sisters with relaxed hair are faced with some hair styling restrictions too. For example, it is inappropriate in a conservative work environment to appear with your hair dyed in unnatural colours like Katy Perry's blue hair or Nicki Minaj's pink toned hair!
Once in a while I rock a wash and go.
Despite being a natural all the days of my life, I'd never really done out styles until I got to university.
My hair was always in cornrows, mini twists and braids because in Nigeria, out styles were (and still is) perceived as undone hair.
When I got to the university, I rarely braided or plaited (aka cornrows ) my hair. This was because I didn't trust anyone to do my hair without damaging it.
Back home, there were two women I trusted with my hair. One ( Auntie Salamatu) handled the braiding and the other ( we call her Auntie Touch of Beauty after her hair salon) handled the washing, steaming and roller setting. She was a certified beautician. She taught me how to avoid harsh shampoos, how to care for my hair on a budget and she did my first roller setting on natural hair. She was always gentle and her cold homemade lemonade was a treat! Her hair salon was of high standards and a bit pricey but she had discounts for students. I didn't mind though because my hair loved her.
Auntie Salamatu specialized in protective styles such as mini twists and intricately designed cornrows. She was also very adventurous with hair styles and that suited me just fine because I loved "unique " hairstyles.
So with Auntie Salamatu and Auntie Touch of Beauty way back home and me in university in another state, I was forced to be my own hairstylist. I had to juggle between studying, caring for my hair and caring for others.
I could only manage mini twists and that was on my spa days (my spa days started in university after I broke down one day due to exhaustion. I swore I would never neglect myself again!).
Most days I would either bun my hair or flatiron it. The weather played a major role in my styling.
When it was rainy and humid, I would sport mini twists, Afro puffs and buns. When it was dry and cold, I would sport straight flat ironed hair, blowouts and weaves. I loved straight hair during this season because my hair was less likely to revert and my straight style would last a minimum of two weeks without touch ups. I had the sense to use heat protection and my favorite was BLOW FISH...I loved me my BlowFish. It kept my strands supple,protected and with it my straightened hair lasted. My hair was also very glossy. Sadly, I think it's been discontinued. I would have stocked up the whole product when I had the chance...*sigh*
Despite being a natural all the days of my life, I'd never really done out styles until I got to university.
My hair was always in cornrows, mini twists and braids because in Nigeria, out styles were (and still is) perceived as undone hair.
When I got to the university, I rarely braided or plaited (aka cornrows ) my hair. This was because I didn't trust anyone to do my hair without damaging it.
Back home, there were two women I trusted with my hair. One ( Auntie Salamatu) handled the braiding and the other ( we call her Auntie Touch of Beauty after her hair salon) handled the washing, steaming and roller setting. She was a certified beautician. She taught me how to avoid harsh shampoos, how to care for my hair on a budget and she did my first roller setting on natural hair. She was always gentle and her cold homemade lemonade was a treat! Her hair salon was of high standards and a bit pricey but she had discounts for students. I didn't mind though because my hair loved her.
Auntie Salamatu specialized in protective styles such as mini twists and intricately designed cornrows. She was also very adventurous with hair styles and that suited me just fine because I loved "unique " hairstyles.
So with Auntie Salamatu and Auntie Touch of Beauty way back home and me in university in another state, I was forced to be my own hairstylist. I had to juggle between studying, caring for my hair and caring for others.
I could only manage mini twists and that was on my spa days (my spa days started in university after I broke down one day due to exhaustion. I swore I would never neglect myself again!).
Most days I would either bun my hair or flatiron it. The weather played a major role in my styling.
When it was rainy and humid, I would sport mini twists, Afro puffs and buns. When it was dry and cold, I would sport straight flat ironed hair, blowouts and weaves. I loved straight hair during this season because my hair was less likely to revert and my straight style would last a minimum of two weeks without touch ups. I had the sense to use heat protection and my favorite was BLOW FISH...I loved me my BlowFish. It kept my strands supple,protected and with it my straightened hair lasted. My hair was also very glossy. Sadly, I think it's been discontinued. I would have stocked up the whole product when I had the chance...*sigh*
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Hello naturalistas!
Hope you've had a wonderful week! It's been real busy for me on so many levels.
I can only say I've been travelling round the country like I got a bee in my knickers that won't let me sit still!
Well, I've posted about a new natural's complaint that her natural hair made her feel low class.
She admitted to not having the confidence to rock natural hair due to the negative "sidements" i.e. side comments.
Well, I've had my share of such "sidements" but I push them to the side where they belong.
Just recently, I was travelling to another part of the country. My seat mate, a pleasant woman in her fifties made a comment about my hair.
She said " you should try combing your hair often to rock a pretty fro!"
Errrr.......scratch that!
Anyone who has encountered coily/curly hair be it natural or a weave would know that regular combing will be the death of that hair/ weave.
Unless your hair/weave is wavy or straight, a comb or brush has no business going close to that hair on a regular basis!!!
I kid you not
!
Most sidements concerning natural hair come from "misunderstanding"!
Nigerians believe that if you have natural hair,it should be hidden!
Well, hiding your natural hair in protective styles such as braids, twists, cornrows and weaves is good for the hair. If done properly, it will help retain length.
But hiding your natural hair because it is perceived as unattractive by "others" (who usually have no real names) is where I have a problem.
It's called bullying.
If the "others" were advising me because they were really informed, I might take it. Afterall, the Bible says you gotta learn to listen to the wise!
But in my experience, many so called "advice" are given by people who have "no idea" evidenced by their discoloured hair, receeding hairlines and generally unhealthy hair!
Don't get me wrong! I'm not trying to be snide or bigheaded or impolite.
NOO!!! I'm as humble as can be. Afterall, we can only do so much to care for ourselves and God does the rest!
I'm only trying to say if you have to live your life depending on "sidements"....starting with your hair, then you'll have a really sad life depending on "sidements"....ending with your personal confidence.
If you feel you need to give "sidements", make sure you are well informed.
Besides, have you noticed that general acceptance of hair styles have to do with trends?
Take for instance, the Mohawk styles which involves shaving portions of the hair and leaving hair in the middle was seen as an irresponsible hairstyle and was frowned upon way back when.
Now, even mothers take their babies to the barbers to shave the sides of their hair and "others" say it's cool!
Since the approval of "others" is at best ephemeral, is it wise to base your confidence on such? #justsaying
I'd rather put my confidence in what God says about me than what people think because He's my designer and He made me nappy!
Remember when I said your hair is your hair and that you should love it just the way it is?
Well, I meant it!
It is human though to see other natural hair textures and covet it especially when your hair is acting up.
Some people look at my hair and go,
" Oh is it a weave? No?? You are so lucky to have such soft coily hair! Mine is like an iron sponge."
Ha ha! Thank you but you have no idea how many times I have to bun, scarf or hide my hair under a weave just beause it has the consistency of that iron sponge and I have no time or patience to listen to it!
Live with me and see!!
We always put our best face, foot and hair forward and hide the flaws!
I find that it helps though when you discover that natural you've been envious of is your hair twin!
What I mean is, you go up to him/her to ask how s/he got her hair to look so gorgeous and as you guys get talking and sharing, you find out that his/her hair behaves 97% like yours!
So you start sharing regimens, tips and products!
Well, for those that may be my hair twin...here are details of my hair.
Before I start, I'll like to explain a little bit about hair textures. I may not be a hair expert but from what I've gleaned from natural hair sites (You can get more details by googling) natural hair can be classified based on:
-Curl/Coil circumference
-Thickness of Strand
-Porosity
CURL/COIL CIRCUMFERENCE
The most popular system is based on numbering 1,2,3,4 then subcategories of a,b and c.
1= straight hair
2= wavy hair
3=curly hair
4= coily/kinky hair.
For indigenous Nigerians, our hair type fall into class 4. The subcategories are
4a- kinky curly hair
4b- kinky coily hair
4c- kinky hair with no coil/curl pattern
To know the true texture of your hair, check it's behavior in water.
Do you notice round spiral coils, tiny 's' coils or 'z' shaped coils?
Some people will say their hair is kinky with no coil/curl pattern but in water they'll find out they have 's' shaped coils.
I use water to test because when hair is properly hydrated, it shows its true form.
THICKNESS OF STRANDS
Strand thickness can be compared to the thickness of a cotton thread.(simplified version)
It is categorized into
- Fine ( thinner than the thread)
- Medium ( same as thread)
- Thick/coarse ( thicker than thread)
POROSITY
Porosity can be determined by taking a clean (no oil, grease, moisturiser) strand of hair, placing in water and noting how long it takes for it to sink.
Low porosity hair floats on water. People with this hair type find that their hair takes ages to dry and that hair products seem to sit on their hair without being absorbed.
High porosity hair takes little or no time to sink to the bottom. People with this hair find that their hair absorbs products easily, gets wet easily and dries out faster than the speed of light!
*This is just a simplified version of hair types and texture. For more details, please Googleit!
Okay back to my hair and possible hair twin out there!
My hair type is 4a/b in the front and 4b/c in the middle. It is fine and very porous.
How does this translate into my hair care?
Well, because it is fine, I try to limit the use of heavy butters/oil such as Shea butter, castor and olive oil when I want big hair!
But when I want defined hair with well arranged coils or waves these are my best buddies.
Due to my hair's high porosity, I tend to get dry hair faster than palm oil stains on your white dress! To combat this, I make use of the L.O.C method.
Here are products I use on my hair right now.( I tend to change up some of my hair products depending on my hair needs, the weather, my purse and my product junkie cravings).
Shampoo:
- Aussie Moist Shampoo
Conditioner:
- Organics Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner
- VO5 conditioner ( co wash)
Moisturiser
- Africa's Best Organics Texture My Way Curl Keeper Moisturising Hair lotion ( great for unexplained dryness)
- Organics Root Stimulator Incredibly Rich Oil Moisturising Lotion
- 100% Water
Heat Protectors
- Biosilk silk therapy
Styling Gel
- Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera gel
- ORS loc and twist gel
- NappyGirl Shea Curly Custard ( made by yours truly)
Oils
- olive oil
- Shea butter
- Castor oil
- Coconut oil ( prepoo and anti breakage)
- Rosemary oil
I'm trying to reduce my products down to a few items. Looking at this list, I think I'm doing quite well....he he he....(more space for more products!)
See ya,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
Well, I meant it!
It is human though to see other natural hair textures and covet it especially when your hair is acting up.
Some people look at my hair and go,
" Oh is it a weave? No?? You are so lucky to have such soft coily hair! Mine is like an iron sponge."
Ha ha! Thank you but you have no idea how many times I have to bun, scarf or hide my hair under a weave just beause it has the consistency of that iron sponge and I have no time or patience to listen to it!
Live with me and see!!
We always put our best face, foot and hair forward and hide the flaws!
I find that it helps though when you discover that natural you've been envious of is your hair twin!
What I mean is, you go up to him/her to ask how s/he got her hair to look so gorgeous and as you guys get talking and sharing, you find out that his/her hair behaves 97% like yours!
So you start sharing regimens, tips and products!
Well, for those that may be my hair twin...here are details of my hair.
Before I start, I'll like to explain a little bit about hair textures. I may not be a hair expert but from what I've gleaned from natural hair sites (You can get more details by googling) natural hair can be classified based on:
-Curl/Coil circumference
-Thickness of Strand
-Porosity
CURL/COIL CIRCUMFERENCE
The most popular system is based on numbering 1,2,3,4 then subcategories of a,b and c.
1= straight hair
2= wavy hair
3=curly hair
4= coily/kinky hair.
For indigenous Nigerians, our hair type fall into class 4. The subcategories are
4a- kinky curly hair
4b- kinky coily hair
4c- kinky hair with no coil/curl pattern
| Source: shutterstock.com |
Do you notice round spiral coils, tiny 's' coils or 'z' shaped coils?
Some people will say their hair is kinky with no coil/curl pattern but in water they'll find out they have 's' shaped coils.
I use water to test because when hair is properly hydrated, it shows its true form.
THICKNESS OF STRANDS
Strand thickness can be compared to the thickness of a cotton thread.(simplified version)
It is categorized into
- Fine ( thinner than the thread)
- Medium ( same as thread)
- Thick/coarse ( thicker than thread)
POROSITY
Porosity can be determined by taking a clean (no oil, grease, moisturiser) strand of hair, placing in water and noting how long it takes for it to sink.
Low porosity hair floats on water. People with this hair type find that their hair takes ages to dry and that hair products seem to sit on their hair without being absorbed.
High porosity hair takes little or no time to sink to the bottom. People with this hair find that their hair absorbs products easily, gets wet easily and dries out faster than the speed of light!
*This is just a simplified version of hair types and texture. For more details, please Googleit!
Okay back to my hair and possible hair twin out there!
My hair type is 4a/b in the front and 4b/c in the middle. It is fine and very porous.
How does this translate into my hair care?
Well, because it is fine, I try to limit the use of heavy butters/oil such as Shea butter, castor and olive oil when I want big hair!
But when I want defined hair with well arranged coils or waves these are my best buddies.
Due to my hair's high porosity, I tend to get dry hair faster than palm oil stains on your white dress! To combat this, I make use of the L.O.C method.
Here are products I use on my hair right now.( I tend to change up some of my hair products depending on my hair needs, the weather, my purse and my product junkie cravings).
Shampoo:
- Aussie Moist Shampoo
- Organics Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner
 |
Moisturiser
- Africa's Best Organics Texture My Way Curl Keeper Moisturising Hair lotion ( great for unexplained dryness)
 |
- 100% Water
Heat Protectors
- Biosilk silk therapy
 |
Styling Gel
- Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera gel
- ORS loc and twist gel
- NappyGirl Shea Curly Custard ( made by yours truly)
Oils
- olive oil
- Shea butter
- Castor oil
- Coconut oil ( prepoo and anti breakage)
- Rosemary oil
I'm trying to reduce my products down to a few items. Looking at this list, I think I'm doing quite well....he he he....(more space for more products!)
 |
| My hair in wet twists. Gives an idea of my coil type |
See ya,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
Hi naturalistas,
I'm officially on day 13 of The One Month Finger detangling Challenge.
I decided to do a post to let you know what I am doing for those who have started the challenge or are about to start.
The goal of this challenge is to get healthier, breakage and split free strands by eliminating combs or brushes.
The litmus test will be longer and thicker hair.
I began this journey by trimming off splits and knots when the hair was a bit stretched from an old twist out.
Then I co washed my hair using VO5 conditioner.
After which I deep conditioned with Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner mixed with olive oil,pure unrefined coconut oil and mayonnaise. (see details below).
I never used a comb. All detangling was done using my fingers.
Here's my own regimen.
HOW I CO WASHED AND FINGER DETANGLED MY HAIR
- I parted my dry hair into six sections with my fingers and applied VO5 conditioner to each section, scrunching to totally saturate my hair with conditioner then twisting loosely.
- While my hair was still in twists, I wet my whole head with warm water and began massaging my scalp to get the dirt off.
I then took down each twist one at a time to thoroughly wash my scalp and hair from roots to tips.
-Then I finger detangled.
I did this by raking my fingers through my hair, feeling for tangles and gently separating them.
When I came across a difficult tangle, I added more conditioner and gently detangled from bottom up.
After detangling, I re-twisted the section and worked on the other sections in the same way.
- I rinsed off the hair starting with the first section down to the last, still with warm water.
- Once I completely rinsed off the conditioner, I gently removed excess water by using praying hands. That is, I sandwiched my hair between my two palms and smooshed from roots to tip.
I then blotted the remaining water using a clean big T-shirt.
- I proceeded to deep condition my hair.
In a small bowl, I mixed ORS conditioner with a capful of olive oil, two capsful of coconut oil and two tablespoons of mayonnaise.
- I applied this mixture all over my hair,untwisting and re-twisting, put on a shower cap and then turbaned with a scarf and went about my normal duties.
- About 3- 4 hrs later, I rinsed my hair with cold water, blotted dry with the Tee and proceeded to stretching my hair by braiding.
HOW I STRETCHED MY HAIR.
I stretch my hair without heat by braiding, twisting or knotting my hair in sections. On rare occasions, I stretch using a blow dryer.
I do this to prevent further tangling of my hair once it's dry.
My hair tends to dry out easily and becomes brittle.
To reduce this, I make use of the LOC method popular in natural circles. I learnt it from here and it has been the best method for retaining moisture so far.
LOC means Liquid ( water), Oil ( could be olive oil, coconut oil or any oil of your choice) and Cream ( hair butter, Shea butter mix, hair moisturising lotion). You apply the products in that order.
To stretch my hair,
- I took down each twist and divided it into two.
- To each section, I spritzed with a little water (if my hair was dry).
Then I applied coconut/olive oil and later my Shea butter mix (aka NappyGirl Curly Butter) concentrating on my ends to prevent breakage.
- After this, I braided the hair ( or twist when I'm lazy or in a hurry).
By the time my hair was completely dry,it would have been stretched enough for further styling.
There you have it and here's my pictures!
Then I put on a shower cap and deep conditioned using my own body heat for 3hrs after which I rinsed in cold water and proceeded to moisturise and braid using the LOC method.
I wash my hair biweekly and after every three or four co-wash sessions, I wash with shampoo to remove buildup and then continue with the co washing.
This regimen has helped me retain most of my length and I doubt I'll be using combs any time soon.
So this is my hair regimen so far.
Till we meet again,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
EDIT: During the week, I hennaed using Kani Kone Body Art Quality Henna paste.
I just applied the henna to dry sections of my hair concentrating on the tips and left overnight...easy peasy!
In the morning, I rinsed out with cold water and stretched as usual.
I used henna to:
a. Strengthen my hair and reduce breakage.
b. Give me red highlights.
I'm officially on day 13 of The One Month Finger detangling Challenge.
I decided to do a post to let you know what I am doing for those who have started the challenge or are about to start.
The goal of this challenge is to get healthier, breakage and split free strands by eliminating combs or brushes.
The litmus test will be longer and thicker hair.
I began this journey by trimming off splits and knots when the hair was a bit stretched from an old twist out.
Then I co washed my hair using VO5 conditioner.
After which I deep conditioned with Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner mixed with olive oil,pure unrefined coconut oil and mayonnaise. (see details below).
I never used a comb. All detangling was done using my fingers.
Here's my own regimen.
HOW I CO WASHED AND FINGER DETANGLED MY HAIR
- I parted my dry hair into six sections with my fingers and applied VO5 conditioner to each section, scrunching to totally saturate my hair with conditioner then twisting loosely.
- While my hair was still in twists, I wet my whole head with warm water and began massaging my scalp to get the dirt off.
I then took down each twist one at a time to thoroughly wash my scalp and hair from roots to tips.
-Then I finger detangled.
I did this by raking my fingers through my hair, feeling for tangles and gently separating them.
When I came across a difficult tangle, I added more conditioner and gently detangled from bottom up.
After detangling, I re-twisted the section and worked on the other sections in the same way.
- I rinsed off the hair starting with the first section down to the last, still with warm water.
- Once I completely rinsed off the conditioner, I gently removed excess water by using praying hands. That is, I sandwiched my hair between my two palms and smooshed from roots to tip.
I then blotted the remaining water using a clean big T-shirt.
- I proceeded to deep condition my hair.
In a small bowl, I mixed ORS conditioner with a capful of olive oil, two capsful of coconut oil and two tablespoons of mayonnaise.
- I applied this mixture all over my hair,untwisting and re-twisting, put on a shower cap and then turbaned with a scarf and went about my normal duties.
- About 3- 4 hrs later, I rinsed my hair with cold water, blotted dry with the Tee and proceeded to stretching my hair by braiding.
HOW I STRETCHED MY HAIR.
I stretch my hair without heat by braiding, twisting or knotting my hair in sections. On rare occasions, I stretch using a blow dryer.
I do this to prevent further tangling of my hair once it's dry.
My hair tends to dry out easily and becomes brittle.
To reduce this, I make use of the LOC method popular in natural circles. I learnt it from here and it has been the best method for retaining moisture so far.
LOC means Liquid ( water), Oil ( could be olive oil, coconut oil or any oil of your choice) and Cream ( hair butter, Shea butter mix, hair moisturising lotion). You apply the products in that order.
To stretch my hair,
- I took down each twist and divided it into two.
- To each section, I spritzed with a little water (if my hair was dry).
Then I applied coconut/olive oil and later my Shea butter mix (aka NappyGirl Curly Butter) concentrating on my ends to prevent breakage.
- After this, I braided the hair ( or twist when I'm lazy or in a hurry).
By the time my hair was completely dry,it would have been stretched enough for further styling.
There you have it and here's my pictures!
 |
 |
Deep Conditioning mix
From Left: Mayonnaise, Olive oil, Unrefined coconut oil, ORS Replenishing Conditioner
 |
 |
| Smoothing from tips.... |
 |
| ....to roots |
 |
 |
| Twists |
 |
Then I put on a shower cap and deep conditioned using my own body heat for 3hrs after which I rinsed in cold water and proceeded to moisturise and braid using the LOC method.
 |
| Thickness of my braids. Once dried and stretched, my hair is ready for styling. |
I wash my hair biweekly and after every three or four co-wash sessions, I wash with shampoo to remove buildup and then continue with the co washing.
This regimen has helped me retain most of my length and I doubt I'll be using combs any time soon.
So this is my hair regimen so far.
Till we meet again,
Live Beautifully. Naturally.
Hadassah
EDIT: During the week, I hennaed using Kani Kone Body Art Quality Henna paste.
I just applied the henna to dry sections of my hair concentrating on the tips and left overnight...easy peasy!
In the morning, I rinsed out with cold water and stretched as usual.
a. Strengthen my hair and reduce breakage.
b. Give me red highlights.
NATURAL HAIRSTYLES: BRIDAL NATURAL HAIR STYLES LOOKBOOK
By Hadassah Agbaps - October 01, 2012
Hello naturalistas!
Nigeria is officially 52 today and I do hope we will really move from a developing country to a developed one soon.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!
There has been lots of improvements, I must say.
Our fashion,movie and music industries are coming out of oblivion and making a big bang worldwide.
A lot still needs to be done about our agricultural industry though but I know we will get there!
The natural hair movement is gathering momentum and I'm glad.
My post today will center on natural bridal hairstyles.
A lot of my friends (and hopefully yours truly) are getting married these 'ember months.
Most of them are relaxed sisters but one in particular is thinking of going natural and this got me thinking,
"What styling options do brides with natural hair have?"
I googled it and came up with amazing bridal hairstyles for naturalistas!
Here are a few I selected to give you all an idea!
Let the pictures do the talking!!!
How To: Big Daddy Blowout!
How To: Mini twists
How To: Cornrows
How To: Twists
How To: Cornrow, Twist and Bantu Knot outs
How To: Micro Braids and extensions
And yes, our very own Nigerian, Genevieve Nnaji.
How To: Twist and Curl
How To:Cornrows and Twist Outs
How To: Flat twist and Mohawk Bun
How To: Roller set
How To: Twist Out.
How To: Flat iron and extensions
How To: Twistout
How To: Flat twist
How To: Micro Flat twist (source: goingnatural.com)
I'm sure after seeing these gorgeous bridal dos, you can't wait to werk it!!!
Before you do, here are a few tips to make sure you get that awesome bridal hair:
1. Always start with freshly washed ( preferably co-washed) hair.
2. Deep condition thoroughly. Include a protein treatment while you are at it.
3. Make sure you trim off split ends.
4. Try out your new style about a week or two before D-day.
That way you'll know what the style looks like on you, if it works for your hair and any tweaks you need to make that style work for you.
For your cute little floral girls, check here for angelic hairdos.
Nigeria is officially 52 today and I do hope we will really move from a developing country to a developed one soon.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!
There has been lots of improvements, I must say.
Our fashion,movie and music industries are coming out of oblivion and making a big bang worldwide.
A lot still needs to be done about our agricultural industry though but I know we will get there!
The natural hair movement is gathering momentum and I'm glad.
My post today will center on natural bridal hairstyles.
A lot of my friends (and hopefully yours truly) are getting married these 'ember months.
Most of them are relaxed sisters but one in particular is thinking of going natural and this got me thinking,
"What styling options do brides with natural hair have?"
I googled it and came up with amazing bridal hairstyles for naturalistas!
Here are a few I selected to give you all an idea!
Let the pictures do the talking!!!
How To: Big Daddy Blowout!
How To: Mini twists
How To: Cornrows
How To: Twists
How To: Cornrow, Twist and Bantu Knot outs
How To: Micro Braids and extensions
And yes, our very own Nigerian, Genevieve Nnaji.
How To: Twist and Curl
How To:Cornrows and Twist Outs
How To: Flat twist and Mohawk Bun
How To: Roller set
How To: Twist Out.
How To: Flat iron and extensions
How To: Twistout
How To: Flat twist
How To: Micro Flat twist (source: goingnatural.com)
I'm sure after seeing these gorgeous bridal dos, you can't wait to werk it!!!
Before you do, here are a few tips to make sure you get that awesome bridal hair:
1. Always start with freshly washed ( preferably co-washed) hair.
2. Deep condition thoroughly. Include a protein treatment while you are at it.
3. Make sure you trim off split ends.
4. Try out your new style about a week or two before D-day.
That way you'll know what the style looks like on you, if it works for your hair and any tweaks you need to make that style work for you.
For your cute little floral girls, check here for angelic hairdos.
Hello naturalistas!
We are now at the end of this month and moving towards October.
Thank God for a beautiful,colourful life *happy sigh*
I hope you have been rocking your natural hair like the divas you are! *whipping fro* .
Well I have and guess what???
I have a new challenge.
It's called the One Month Finger Detangling Challenge and will run from the 1st of October to the 30th of October!
I've started already!
Sorry but I just had to see if it's a keeper...and I'm loving it!
After my weave was taken down, I didn't have a comb where I stayed.
So I guess I was forced to finger detangle and it's a keeper!
I haven't used a wide tooth comb since then and I've been rocking 'out' styles like:
twistouts,
Afrohawk,
puffs,
buns and
wash n gos.
I've not had tangled hair, breakage or loc'd hair ( this was my biggest fear).
I think I might finger detangle exclusively.
I've read some American natural hair sites such as Hairscapades ( Shelli's hair is uberfab by the way!) about the benefits of finger detangling but I just assumed it was,
a. Oyibo wahala
b. Not safe for kinky coily..not curly hair...which can be prone to locs if each individual strands aren't kept far apart regularly.
But so far, I've been proved wrong.
So in essence, this challenge is a way to share what I've discovered and see if it works for you too!
This challenge is the First NappilyNigerianGirl Challenge *cue clapping and drumroll*
and the goal is to achieve healthier, longer natural hair by reducing breakage and splits!
If you are interested, please indicate by posting a comment here stating
-Your current regimen
-Your current hair length
-Your hair goals
- Your current hair products and styles
Then you are ready for the challenge!
Length retention will be the yardstick for the challenge.
So take pictures and keep tabs on your hair length before the challenge and at the end of the month.
To know if your hair benefits from fingerdetangling, it's advisable to leave your hair in 'out' styles lasting not more than 2weeks.
So here's a prep talk so you'll know what to do!
I like giving new naturals different options when it comes to natural hair care.
This is because what works for one type of kinky/coily/curly hair may not work so well with others.
For example, some natural hair types have no problem (such as dryness or frizziness) when washing with shampoo in addition to conditioners.
Other hair types may dry out terribly when shampoos are used causing the natural to depend on co-washing to maintain moisture levels.
I've written a post about co-washing and now I'll write one about finger detangling.
Have you ever gone to salons (have nothing against salons...just being frank) and when they are ripping...sorry combing through your hair, you actually hear your hair snap?????
*shuddering*
Some naturals have hair types (such as fine hair) prone to breakage.
They break off like no man's biz even by the touch of the gentlest wind.
People with this type of hair usually complain that their hair never grows and they always see splits.
For this type of hair, detangling with combs and brushes lead to a significant amount of hair breakage.
Now before we blame the brushes and the combs, make sure the following are in order:-
- Good nutrition; no protein,vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Regular intake of water
- No smoking or excessive alcohol intake
- Proper washing, conditioning, moisturising and styling regimen
- Protein deep conditioning treatments
If after all these, your hair still breaks, then it's time to try out the finger detangling method and see if it works for you.
So, what is Finger Detangling?
Finger detangling is using your fingers to detangle your hair instead of a comb or brush...not the best definition...hehehe...but you can...wait for it......Googleit!!!
BENEFITS
-Fingerdetangling prevents breakage caused by combs and brushes. Using a comb on a tangle will more likely tear through it than separate it.
-It helps you feel the tangles and smoothens your hair cuticle( protective outer layer of your strands) at the same time.
- Length retention due to less splits and breakage
CONS
- Takes ages to do especially if it's your first time and if you have lots of hair!
You have to patiently *untangle each tangle*
But if you finger detangle properly and style properly, you won't have * a lot of tangles to detangle*
The starred statements make me feel like rapping -
*hold up Kanye*
HOW TO FINGER DETANGLE
1. Divide wet/dry hair into four sections.
It can be more depending on how thick and long your hair is.
2. Coat each section with conditioner and twist loosely or hold with clips. Be generous with the conditioner as it provides the slip needed for easy detangling.
3. Allow conditioner to sit in hair for 5mins.
4. Gently untwist one section.
Run your fingers through the section starting from the ends of your hair and working your way towards the root.
5. Gently unravel any tangles you meet by separating them as you would separate a tangled gold chain!
6. After detangling each section, twist loosely and start the next until all your hair is done.
7. Style as usual.
Below are pictures from different sources to explain fingerdetangling. You could also look it up in YouTube.
We are now at the end of this month and moving towards October.
Thank God for a beautiful,colourful life *happy sigh*
I hope you have been rocking your natural hair like the divas you are! *whipping fro* .
Well I have and guess what???
I have a new challenge.
It's called the One Month Finger Detangling Challenge and will run from the 1st of October to the 30th of October!
I've started already!
Sorry but I just had to see if it's a keeper...and I'm loving it!
After my weave was taken down, I didn't have a comb where I stayed.
So I guess I was forced to finger detangle and it's a keeper!
I haven't used a wide tooth comb since then and I've been rocking 'out' styles like:
twistouts,
Afrohawk,
puffs,
buns and
wash n gos.
I've not had tangled hair, breakage or loc'd hair ( this was my biggest fear).
I think I might finger detangle exclusively.
I've read some American natural hair sites such as Hairscapades ( Shelli's hair is uberfab by the way!) about the benefits of finger detangling but I just assumed it was,
a. Oyibo wahala
b. Not safe for kinky coily..not curly hair...which can be prone to locs if each individual strands aren't kept far apart regularly.
But so far, I've been proved wrong.
So in essence, this challenge is a way to share what I've discovered and see if it works for you too!
This challenge is the First NappilyNigerianGirl Challenge *cue clapping and drumroll*
and the goal is to achieve healthier, longer natural hair by reducing breakage and splits!
If you are interested, please indicate by posting a comment here stating
-Your current regimen
-Your current hair length
-Your hair goals
- Your current hair products and styles
Then you are ready for the challenge!
Length retention will be the yardstick for the challenge.
So take pictures and keep tabs on your hair length before the challenge and at the end of the month.
To know if your hair benefits from fingerdetangling, it's advisable to leave your hair in 'out' styles lasting not more than 2weeks.
So here's a prep talk so you'll know what to do!
I like giving new naturals different options when it comes to natural hair care.
This is because what works for one type of kinky/coily/curly hair may not work so well with others.
For example, some natural hair types have no problem (such as dryness or frizziness) when washing with shampoo in addition to conditioners.
Other hair types may dry out terribly when shampoos are used causing the natural to depend on co-washing to maintain moisture levels.
I've written a post about co-washing and now I'll write one about finger detangling.
Have you ever gone to salons (have nothing against salons...just being frank) and when they are ripping...sorry combing through your hair, you actually hear your hair snap?????
*shuddering*
Some naturals have hair types (such as fine hair) prone to breakage.
They break off like no man's biz even by the touch of the gentlest wind.
People with this type of hair usually complain that their hair never grows and they always see splits.
For this type of hair, detangling with combs and brushes lead to a significant amount of hair breakage.
Now before we blame the brushes and the combs, make sure the following are in order:-
- Good nutrition; no protein,vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Regular intake of water
- No smoking or excessive alcohol intake
- Proper washing, conditioning, moisturising and styling regimen
- Protein deep conditioning treatments
If after all these, your hair still breaks, then it's time to try out the finger detangling method and see if it works for you.
So, what is Finger Detangling?
Finger detangling is using your fingers to detangle your hair instead of a comb or brush...not the best definition...hehehe...but you can...wait for it......Googleit!!!
BENEFITS
-Fingerdetangling prevents breakage caused by combs and brushes. Using a comb on a tangle will more likely tear through it than separate it.
-It helps you feel the tangles and smoothens your hair cuticle( protective outer layer of your strands) at the same time.
- Length retention due to less splits and breakage
CONS
- Takes ages to do especially if it's your first time and if you have lots of hair!
You have to patiently *untangle each tangle*
But if you finger detangle properly and style properly, you won't have * a lot of tangles to detangle*
The starred statements make me feel like rapping -
*hold up Kanye*
HOW TO FINGER DETANGLE
1. Divide wet/dry hair into four sections.
It can be more depending on how thick and long your hair is.
2. Coat each section with conditioner and twist loosely or hold with clips. Be generous with the conditioner as it provides the slip needed for easy detangling.
3. Allow conditioner to sit in hair for 5mins.
4. Gently untwist one section.
Run your fingers through the section starting from the ends of your hair and working your way towards the root.
5. Gently unravel any tangles you meet by separating them as you would separate a tangled gold chain!
6. After detangling each section, twist loosely and start the next until all your hair is done.
7. Style as usual.
Below are pictures from different sources to explain fingerdetangling. You could also look it up in YouTube.
| Clumped curls, more definition, less frizz |
And you hate your hair all of a sudden!
Why does my hair have to be a messy nest?
Why can't I have well defined curls like I do when I'm in the shower with water running down my hair????!!!!
Well I have many of those moments especially when I'm surfing natural hair blogs and I see those perfect well defined wash and gos.
One free day when I didn't have anything much to do, I made up my mind that I must ( even for just a day ) get those perfect well defined curls/coils.
And......I did!
I can now achieve well defined manageable ( with lots of shrinkage though) curls any time I feel like it....or rather anytime my hair feels like humouring me ...#bulliedbymyhair
So....here's the secret.............Clumping!!!!! *drum roll.......screeching to a halt.....what????? *
Okay, scratch out the image of clumped clay and the sound of those marmish wooden heels....this method is really the ish....and now I will #shutup and get on with it!
So what is Curl Clumping?
Curl clumping is when your hair stick together to create bigger more defined uniform curls.
The clumped sections of hair curls in the same direction.
You'll get a better idea with the pictures below.
Clumping reduces frizziness. When curls separate, they frizz up and look messy.
You get clumping by,
-Using curl activator or gel
-Raking conditioner through soaking wet hair and leaving hair to dry without further manipulation.
-Simply using a stream of water from shower and finger combing
-Scrunching
-Fingercoiling
- Twistouts/ braidouts
- Use of Ouidad / Denman detanglers
( I got this from several natural hair sites...and since there is a better chance of finding that proverbial illusive needle than these in Nigeria, it's just going to be one of those things on my wish list)
Well, I've listed all the possible ways to achieve clumping.
This is the method I actually used with results!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Ten human fingers ...five would do though....( sans snaggy nails)
- Water in a spritz bottle
- Clean freshly washed hair ...preferably cowashed. Do not apply any products except olive oil.
- Curl activator/ aloe vera/ loc gel (sans alcohol).
I made use of ORGANICS ROOT STIMULATOR LOC and TWIST GEL. Purchased in a fit of product junkism for N600.
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LET'S GO!
-My freshly cowashed hair was quite thick. So I divided it into about six or more sections.
- To each section, I added a big dollop of the gel and smoothened from roots to tips (in the direction of hair growth only).
- I kept on smoothening until hair felt smooth in my hands and I could see individual curls clumping together.
If this doesn't happen, add more gel and keep smoothening.
Concentrate on the making the curls at the tip of your hair clump together.
- Once the hair started clumping, I raked once through the hair.
Raking is done by spreading your fingers apart to form a wide tooth comb and "combing" through the hair once.
- I left the clumped bit alone and started working on the other sections in the same way. Finally, I was through.
To preserve the style, either make two large loose twists or loosely gather the hair on top of your head in a puff. Then cover up with satin scarf or bonnet.
In the morning, gently untwist without disturbing curls, spritz with a lil water , spray with oil and you are good to go!
Have you tried out any other method of clumping?
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| It may not be so clear but there is better curl definition in the clumped bit |
