HOW TO GROW YOUR NATURAL HAIR LONG IN 2022
By Hadassah Agbaps - December 29, 2021
SHORT WASH DAY ROUTINE FOR DRY, HIGH POROSITY NATURAL HAIR
By Hadassah Agbaps - November 19, 2021
In this video, I'll show you how I keep my wash day short and sweet!
Some days, we don't have time to have a full on, all day washday!
This routine is guaranteed to get you ready in 30 mins!
Keep watching and please don't forget to subscribe and share!
Let's grow this YouTube channel!
Hi guys,
Here are some styling ideas for minitwists on natural hair!
Hi lovely people,
Happy New Year!
It's been a blessing to still be here inspite of how 2020 was for all of us!
It can only be grace!
I used to be that person who had her year planned out. I marked the success of each year by how much I've ticked off my bucket list.
Last year taught me or rather reminded me of something I knew but refused to acknowledge because I felt it was an excuse to not put in one's best.
'The race is not always to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor satisfaction to the wise,
Nor riches to the smart,
Nor grace to the learned.'
Ecclesiastes 9:11 MSG
No one predicted what 2020 will be like. Most of us had our carefully laid plans overturned....yet somehow, we overcame and landed in 2021.
It can only be God's Grace.
So, this year I'll to try to let go and let God more.
Hair wise, I'm not really doing anything new since I've got a routine that works well for me as a high porosity naturalista.
I'll probably explore more protective styling options which are work friendly.
As I get older, I find that I much prefer classic hairstyles that can be done in the shortest time possible.
Here's one of them....
If you're not so good at flat twists, you can just do chunky two strand twists in front and pin to the back.
NEVER HAVE A PERMROD OR FLEXIROD SET FAIL ON TYPE 4 HAIR WITH THIS EASY TECHNIQUE
By Hadassah Agbaps - August 11, 2020
I rarely do rodsets on my natural hair because it's devastating to spend so much time putting them in, spend an uncomfortable night sleeping in them........only for me to unravel in the morning and......
either it didn't dry completely or
it dried but didn't come out looking perfect like in the YouTube videos!
Not one to give up easily, I experimented with different ways of getting a perfect rod set without putting in so much effort....
....and voila!
I went from this
to this
with the least amount of effort!
Yayyyyyy!
....and I made a video!!!
I will making videos on YouTube to show most of the techniques I discuss on this blog from 2012 till now!
I think you should subscribe so you don't miss out or get overwhelmed with lots of info like the more than 200 posts I have here.
You'd be growing with me and following everything I share right from the very beginning!
Hopefully, by the time we're through, you'd be as comfortable with your hair care as I am!
PROTECTIVE STYLE WITHOUT BOBBY PINS ON FINE NATURAL HAIR
By Hadassah Agbaps - July 17, 2020
Hi guys, what's been on?
How's our new reality courtesy of 'Rona treating you?
I'm trying to keep things as normal as I can. This period made me promise myself to never neglect the little things that keep me happy.
One of which is blogging.......and of course doing my hair.
I'm trying to get more proactive with styling my hair. Yes, constant manipulation breaks my fine natural hair but I can't keep living in constant fear of breakage.
The best solution is to have a selection of beautiful protective styles that require the least manipulation....especially when it comes to updos on fine type 4 natural hair.
Apart from breakage, the other problem that deters me from doing more updos is my sensitivity to bobby pins.
I've noticed that after a while, bobby pins cause my scalp to itch. This prevents me from having a protective style in for as long as I'd like.
So....I try to avoid using bobby pins as much as possible when styling.
I'm looking out for plastic bobby pins or maybe stainless steel bobby pins.
Have you seen these before?
For today's protective style, I made use of one ouchless band and several loose twists to create an updo that if well maintained, can last me 1 week.
For the front, I made 3 loose twists. One was swooped to the right and the other two to the left.
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Can you peek my lone grey hair? I love it!!!
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For the back, I packed my hair into a low bun, made 3 loose twists and tucked the ends into the ouchless hairband.
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| Bonus....my ends are tucked in so they don't get dry. |
Shikena!
ProTip: If Ecostyler has been leaving your hair full of flakes, you should definitely try this gel.
I've completely made a switch from Eco because this gives me the much needed hold without the flakiness and the occasional itching.
I've used it on different Type 4 hair (thick, super coily, fine, low porosity, etc) and it's yet to disappoint me.
I really should get into the right head space to write a detailed review about this Nigerian brand.
I'm such a perfectionist and want to make sure that I leave nothing out in my descriptions because I know how important products reviews are when trying to decide which hair products to purchase.
Perhaps you can help me out with what you'd really like to know about a product....like maybe it's texture, price....anything you feel you'd love to see when reading product reviews.
I'm such a perfectionist and want to make sure that I leave nothing out in my descriptions because I know how important products reviews are when trying to decide which hair products to purchase.
Perhaps you can help me out with what you'd really like to know about a product....like maybe it's texture, price....anything you feel you'd love to see when reading product reviews.
Hi guys, what's been on?
So, I recently tried my hand on African threading for the first time in years and let me tell you ......my wrists are not the same again!😭
I only threaded two sections, I even did 'Some Gaps' style o..........and I cannot type well again!!😩😩😩
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I was sitting on my own jejely when one yeye voice whispered to me 'Why don't you thread your hair, sis?'. Instead of me to pray, I gathered thread and started giving myself unpaid work on a blessed Sunday!
How did my mum do it for three heads of hair??? Gosh she deserves an award!!!
On a positive note, I feel like my 10yr old self who's excited to see the stretched results!😀😀
When my mum did African threading for us, the stretched hair at the end of 2 weeks was worth the initial discomfort!
My mum would let us enjoy our natural hair stretched for church on Sunday, then it was washday and a fresh hairstyle. My favourite was the threaded crown.
I did African threading until I turned 13 and considered the style too childish for my tastes!🙄
Do you think African threading is childish???
If you'd like to stretch your Type 4 hair without heat, African threading is the way to go!
It gives a blown out look.
I plan to have this in for at least 3 days! If you'd like to see the final results, I'll be sharing on my Instagram page here
PS. Be careful not to thread your natural hair too tight so your hair doesn't pull out!!
Hi guys, what's been on?
Sooooo, I finally finally braided my hair! I've had the extensions since forever but because of the hot weather, I wasn't motivated to braid my hair.
Braids are usually not my first choice because of the reasons here but they are cute.
I created this video to demonstrate protective ways you can install braids on fine, breakage prone hair so you can get the most growth while your hair is away.
I'll be doing another video to show how I maintain my braids so they last.....so subscribe and hit the notification button!!!
I plan to have these braids in for two weeks kpere!
Hi people, what's been on???
So, I finally started a YouTube channel to be able to demonstrate a lot of what I share here on the blog.
Sometimes, reading about a routine seems like a whole lot of steps and looks like it's time consuming, so I figured that showing rather than saying would help a lot.
I started making the videos on my Instagram channel and from your feedback decided to share on YouTube!
Please encourage a sister and subscribe so I know I'm not in this on my own!
Creating videos is a time consuming process and I'd like to know that the time and effort put into these videos is really helping someone who needs it.
For this video, I was thinking about a style that doesn't require extensions and can work for short- medium length type 4 natural hair.
It's not something you may be able to do on your own but it's pretty easy for a BFF or sister to follow and create on you.
This style lasted a total of 18 days on my model. You can definitely take it for longer.
Take down is pretty easy too. Just cut off the rubber bands and your hair is free!!!
Let me know what you think of this style in the comments section.
HAIR STYLE IDEAS FOR SILKPRESS ON TYPE 4 NATURAL HAIR
By Hadassah Agbaps - January 20, 2019
Hi people!
It's been over two weeks since I did my silkpress and it's still going strong.
Using products on silkpressed hair is difficult because most of them contain water ...and water will cause my silkpress to revert quickly.
So I apply oil (not silicone serums to avoid build-up) to keep my hair supple. This time, I used Ruutos LOC Butter.
It has really good oils and butters such as sheabutter, cocoa butter, macadamia seed oil, avocado oil etc for nourishing the scalp and keeping straightened hair supple. A little goes a long way!
My favorite part is that it has a little hold to keep my hair laid without having to use a gel.
A gel would cause my hair to revert.
My favorite part is that it has a little hold to keep my hair laid without having to use a gel.
A gel would cause my hair to revert.
Also, since my hair won't be moisturised with water, I try to reduce manipulation and do gentle protective styles.
These styles also help keep my hair stretched.
Here's what I've done so far!
I also created some 1 min video tutorials to help you recreate these styles.
Here's the link to the videos
These styles also help keep my hair stretched.
Here's what I've done so far!
I also created some 1 min video tutorials to help you recreate these styles.
Here's the link to the videos
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Hi guys!
What's been on?
So, I finally did the first silkpress of the year and I did something differently.
I wanted to reduce the amount of heat I used for this silkpress, so I decided to skip the blow drying step.
To achieve this look,
I first shampooed my hair using Ruutos Moisture Intense Shampoo. This shampoo helps melt tangles and doesn't dry out my natural hair. One of the best shampoos I've used so far.
Then I applied Ruutos Replenishing Conditioner so I could detangle my hair properly.
Next I applied keratin based protein treatment, let it stay on for 30mins , combed my hair through with a Denman brush, applied heat protectant, put my hair into twists and allowed my hair to air dry overnight.
Remember I said that your hair should be completely 100% dry before using a flat iron so you don't 'boil' your hair....so I made sure my hair was completely dry.
I didn't add a leave in conditioner so my hair dries faster.
The following day, I took out my twists and flat ironed my hair.
PS: I made a video!!!!!
Check out the video showing how I did my silkpress here
MAINTENANCE
I tried doing a doobie wrap to keep my hair stretched but it made my scalp feel sore and tender so I'll be preserving my silkpress with bantu knots like I described in this post or with banding like this
Hi guys, what's been on?
Sometime last month, Glow (one of the naturalistas I've been mentoring) decided it was high time I did the elusive wash and go on her hair!!!
You all know I heart this style but most people are of the opinion that not every hair type can achieve a well defined wash and go!
I don't agree but like all things grouped under "personal opinions", I live and let live.
Anyway sha,
What is a wash and go?
A wash and go is simply wearing your hair in its natural curl pattern without manipulating the texture with stretching... twist outs, Bantu knots outs, braidouts or curl sets.
Will a wash and go change my curl texture?
Mbah!
Wash and go's will not change your curl texture.
It just captures how your curls behaves when saturated with water and locks it in...shikena!
I think the reason most people struggle with wash and gos is they have another naturalista's wash and go texture in mind when doing theirs.
#believeinYOURtexture
How long does a wash and go last?
It lasts anything between 2-4 weeks.
I love it because unlike other styles such as twistouts, it's not unpredictable in the Nigerian humid weather.
Unless my hair is damaged, the results I get from a wash and go are pretty consistent.
Also, I have no fear that it will puff up or lose definition.
Is a wash and go a good protective style?
Protective styles are styles that protect your hair by reducing mechanical damage due to manipulation.
Wash and go's achieve this because..
- You're working with your texture so you don't need to redo at night like twist outs.
- You don't need to comb your hair often.
How do I prepare my hair for a wash and go?
We worked together to prepare her hair for a wash and go by doing the following over the course of a month..
- Reduce comb usage.
There's no curl definition if you comb through your curls regularly, mama!
- Reduce the frequency of cornrows, weaves and styling with extensions.
If you don't have a stylist that's knowledgeable about natural hair care, your hair can be damaged while styling. This is also one reason you find it difficult to retain length.
- Reduce the use of shampoos
Shampoos can be drying. Seriously.
- Moisture, moisture, moisture.
You know how your hair curls when you drench it in water?! The goal of a wash and go is to capture your curl definition and curly definition is more pronounced when your hair is saturated with moisture.
-Get a Nappy Girl Kit
While this post is not an advert plug for the Kit, I had to mention it because it played a key role in preparing her hair for the wash and go.
Nappy Girl Hair Kit is a personalized kit.
Simply put, I'll assess your hair using an in-depth questionnaire. Then I'll put together products and create a personal regimen that will help you achieve your hair goals.
More detail here.
In Glow's consultation, one of her hair goals was
"...be able to do a wash and go"
....and I had to select products that will give her maximum hydration for better coil definition.
....and I had to select products that will give her maximum hydration for better coil definition.
Glow's Hair Profile:
Glow has 4c hair type with medium porosity, medium density and fine to medium strands.
The process
I cowashed her and did an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse using 1 part vinegar in 2 parts water.
Then I blotted off excess water and deep conditioned her hair for 30 mins and rinsed off.
I removed excess water because I like doing a wash and go on damp hair.
In my opinion, it's quicker and less messy.
Also, I noticed that for Type 4 hair, it helps holding products like gels and curly refiners do their job better.
Also, I noticed that for Type 4 hair, it helps holding products like gels and curly refiners do their job better.
What products can you use for a wash and go?
I used a 50:50 mix of Ecostyler Olive Oil Gel and Shea Moisture Curl Memory Leave in Conditioner.
Seriously, this combination works beautifully!
I find that using Ecostyler on its own tends to dry out hair, leave flakes and don't play nice with other products.
If you don't like Ecostyler, this product is a good substitute...
If you don't like Ecostyler, this product is a good substitute...
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| In this post, I shared other product combinations that work well |
Then I used the 'praying hands' method to distribute products through small sections of hair and loosely twisted. Loosely twisting helps stretch out coils for an elongated look.
The final look
Wash N Go on other textures of Nigerian natural hair
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| She also has 4c hair and I enlongated her coils with a blowdryer set on cold. This is another way to stretch if you don't have the time to loosely twist. |
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| She has type 3 natural hair. I used Auntie Jackies flaxseed gel for this wash n go |
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| Here's a recent wash n go on my own hair. Can you peep my silver streaks?!!! |
Hopefully, this post was able to answer any questions you have on this style.
If it didn't, don't hesitate to ask in the comments sections.
Hi people!
What's been on?!
Before you ask 😏, a ' Twist and Curl' is like a twist out. The only difference is that you'll roll the ends in perm rods so that when you untwist your hair, you'd have a twist out with curly ends.
You know how unpredictable twist and curls can be especially as our weather takes a turn from dry to wet! With humidity levels rising in Nigeria AND high porosity hair, the results I get from a twist and curl may not always be consistent.
To avoid heartache, I went to the market to purchase one pack of Bella Curly Twist Braid in 16' for N1,400 ( about $4) ......
..... and then carefully unraveled the twists for a twist and curl look.
To avoid heartache, I went to the market to purchase one pack of Bella Curly Twist Braid in 16' for N1,400 ( about $4) ......
..... and then carefully unraveled the twists for a twist and curl look.
I made 6 flat twists all the way back (nothing fancy) and had a friend of mine help me crochet the hair into the flat twists.
Why flat twists instead of cornrows?
1. Flat twists are easier for me to do myself.
2. Flat twists are looser and don't pull my hair as much as cornrow does.
3. It is easier to pass the crochet hair and crochet pin through the loops in my hair and thus avoid some mechanical damage to my hair strands.
3. It is easier to pass the crochet hair and crochet pin through the loops in my hair and thus avoid some mechanical damage to my hair strands.
I did not leave out any hair in front for this style.
I simply did not crochet from the edges....just some way off (we call it 'brush style' in Nigeria).
Then I used gel to blend my hair with the crochet.
I simply did not crochet from the edges....just some way off (we call it 'brush style' in Nigeria).
Then I used gel to blend my hair with the crochet.
I also used bobby pins to stylishly pin the hair to cover the parts of my hair still showing my scalp.
Using only one pack made manipulating the style easy because it was not too full!
Again, you don't need 100 packs of crochet hair just because you're all about your volume. If you have fine, fragile hair like mine, that's a recipe for breakage.
Lastly, if your crochet pin is rusty and rough, don't be frugal. Get you a new one ASAP!
Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any posts.
Also, if you enjoy this blog, please make use of the social media buttons and share!
Maintenance
I tie a scarf around my head at night because my bonnet is too small for all that hair. In the morning, I'll moisturise my hair especially my edges with leave in conditioner.How to preventing breakage while crocheting
I've seen a lot of people lose hair and edges when doing crochet braids and I noticed that one reason for this is because the cornrows were too tight!
So, try making the cornrows loose.
Another reason is the tendency for the crochet hair to be pulled back to make a ponytail which increases pressure on the fine hair around the edges.
So, avoid pulling back your crochet hair as much as possible.
I also noticed that since crochet hair became very popular, some women crochet back to back. They take off the crochet one day and then fix a new one that same day.
Give your hair a break.
Again, you don't need 100 packs of crochet hair just because you're all about your volume. If you have fine, fragile hair like mine, that's a recipe for breakage.
Lastly, if your crochet pin is rusty and rough, don't be frugal. Get you a new one ASAP!
Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any posts.
Also, if you enjoy this blog, please make use of the social media buttons and share!
Hi people, what's been on?
So, in today's post I'll be sharing my favourite brand of braiding hair for naturalistas in Nigeria!
The most common complaint I've been receiving from Nigerian naturals is this
"When I try to do Ghana weaving or box braids, my hair doesn't last."
I used to do Ghana weaving and one million braids on my natural hair and I was able to have them in for more than 3 weeks.
I highlighted some ways to preserve your hair styles in this post.
However, I noticed that the current, most popular Expression Kanekalon braiding hair was too smooth and silky to blend properly with kinky, curly natural hair. It was a perfect match for chemically relaxed Type 4 hair though.
To make sure it blended with my natural hair, I'd have to stretch out my hair with threading or a blow dryer but if humidity struck, there goes my perfect blending.
....but sista, I no get choice...
....until now!!!
Enter, Naomi Boom Crochet twist hair!
I never really liked this hair for crochet (too chunky and hard) but untwisted and combed out, this hair is wonderful for braids and Ghana weaving on natural hair.
The blending is "is this your hair??!" good!
And it's even cheaper than Expression braiding hair!
One pack of Expression Braiding hair now goes for N1500 and you may need up to two packs for desired volume.
One pack of Naomi Boom hair cost N800 and you only need one pack for the two packs of Expression Braiding hair.
It's also not as silky as Expression hair so provides good traction to hold your kinky hair in place while braiding.
The downside to using Naomi Boom Crochet twist to braid are:
- It comes in one length so if you want waistlength braids, you stylishly have to add more hair at the ends.
- It doesn't come in as many colors as Expression so color matching might be a problem if your hair isn't a Color 1 but a Color 1b or 4.
Here are some styles I've had done using Naomi Boom Crochet as braiding hair...
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| Done on my hair by Praizee's Touch. |
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| Hair styled by Hadassah |
Hair styled by Hadassah
If you found this post useful, I think you'll be interested in
Hi people, what's been on?
Lately, I've been pulling my hair in a low bun because it's a classic look and it's different from a high bun.
The thing with doing buns on the regular is that it tends to put extra stress on your edges.
My main hair is fine textured and the hair on my edges is even more fragile and wispy. It has the tendency to break off if any stress is applied and it gets worse as I age.
To prevent a situation where I'm turned into a Chinese monk just because of the convenience that comes with simply throwing my natural hair up in a bun, I do the following listed below ....and it's been working great for me
1. Use a turban
The most common advice given with regards to protecting your edges is "Make buns loose". The problem with this advice is putting your hair in a loose bun means your bun is frizzy, rough and unattractive because there's a lot of hair that couldn't fit into the bun ... especially if you don't have long natural hair!
So, to make sure I don't stress up my edges, I would pull my hair into a loose low bun and then use a scarf to make a turban around my hairline. Putting a turban around my hairline tames flyaways and keeps my style looking neat and thus, it prevents me from gathering my hair tightly as I try to keep every strand in place.
Tips:
- In a very conservative working environment, I'd use a black turban or just take off my turban once I get to my location. By the time I do this, my hair is smooth without the use of gels.
- To get the best result out of this method, I'll apply raw shea butter to damp hair before wrapping it up in a turban.
2. Make "V" shaped parts.
Making "V" shaped parts instead of the regular single parts means I distribute the stress to multiple parts. I don't have to pull my hair as tightly as I would if I had a single part to get a sleeker look.
Tip:
- I use bobby pins to hold the hair in each part in place.
- I use a small amount of Ecostyler gel and a scarf to keep my hair in place when I can't find bobby pins.
- I slightly dampen the hair on each part and used raw shea butter/castor oil to hold the hair in place when I run out of Ecostyler.
3. I use Marley hair.
For this style, I used the same "V" shaped parts but instead of pulling the top "v" backwards into the bun, I braided it up with Marley hair and wrapped it up forward.
Then I loosely gathered the back and braided it up with Marley hair and wrapped it up into a bun. By using extensions, I do not force all my hair into a bun. This helps save my edges.
Tip:
Using extensions is good if you're at "in between length" natural hair. You can make more sections in front so you have less hair to pull back into a bun.
4. I avoid cornrows and braids.
This one is personal. You may skip it if cornrows/braids don't break your hair. From experience, cornrows and braids are way too much stress for my hair. I prefer flat twists and twists. Putting them in is not stressful and taking them out does not require the use of any pointed end. I could just do it with my fingers. Also, flat twists/twists don't hold my hair and the hair on my edges as tightly as cornrows/braids do, so personally I favour these for my hair type.
Finally, everyone's hair is unique. You know your hair more than anyone does. If you have fine, light hair, you shouldn't be doing the same things people with coarse, thicker hair are doing.
