Tips and Tricks to moisturize Braids, Twists and other protective styles…

Tips and Tricks to moisturize Braids, Twists and other protective styles…

Happy Thursday Naturalistas!  I have had a few questions on how to properly moisturize your twists, braids (extensions or natural) and other protective styling.  I have researched endlessly to hopefully help you in your quest to obtain hydrated twists and braided styles.  In my natural hair journey, I've learned that TECHNIQUE can be just as important as products, so therefore I wanted to discuss what you should be doing before twist or braid your hair. 

I have posted some blog entries discussing the importance of SEALING your hair.  To backtrack, the most effective way to SEAL your hair is to apply water (I prefer distilled because I do not have a water filer; and I have hard water) to your hair followed up by your favorite oil.  However, let’s not get it twisted, WATER IS THE BEST HYDRATOR FOR YOUR HAIR…Many of my natural sistas state that their hair can be as oily as chicken grease, yet still be coarse and brittle.  My first question is always the same: Do you apply water to your hair before the oil? 

~~~~> Refer to this blog entry the discussing the importance of SEALING your hair and the reasons behind the science!
One thing I have learned about my hair is that I have HOLY SHRINKAGE! If I apply a product to it sopping wet hair and then follow up with twists they will reach the top of my brow line, if I twist on “damp” hair the twists will reach to my nose/upper lip.  

The best way I have found to have moisturized twists is to apply a bit of Shea moisture curling smoothie to my hair after it has been freshly washed (paying close attention to your ends being that this is the oldest part of your hair) and allow my hair to air dry a little.  Once it is almost dry I spritz a bit with my oil/distilled water combination, apply a bit of Shea Moisture curling souflee/smoothie and twist.  If I prefer a more tamed twisted look I will flat twist the first couple of inches to my head and do the rest of the twist loose. 

Another option is to do a DC (deep conditioner) the day before you twist.  If you can handle it, I advise to sleep with the “*baggie” method the night before so that you can start twists on super hydrated hair! 

****BAGGIE METHOD—for those of you that are unaware with this method, it is basically applying a deep conditioner or oil treatment to your hair before bed.  You can apply to either dry hair or slightly damp hair, your choice. Once the product is applied, place a plastic shower cap and wrap a scarf around it.  This method is awesome!  I personally can sleep with this comfortably!  ****

Depending on the time you keep your twists/braids (and hair health in general) in will determine how often you need to moisturize.  You DO NOT need to moisturize every day as this will cause frizz, fuzz and further shrinkage.  Personally, I try and keep my hair twisted for 5-6 days washing on Saturday.  Since I start with very well conditioned hair, I only need to moisturize maybe on my 2^nd and 4^th day into the style.  What I do is apply a bit of water/oil to my hands and smooth over my strands. I then may follow up with a “glaze” of either Shea Moisture curling souflee/smoothie or Eco-Styler Gel (greatly reduces frizz and fuzz). 

If you continue to experience dry, brittle hair consider taking down the twists and applying a Protein DC (Mayo, eggs, honey) and let that simmer.  If your hair takes FOREVER to get wet, then you may have a problem with your hair porosity or its PH balance. 

Diet and WATER intake are VERY important to having hydrated tresses.  Remember…what goes on inside your body is displayed outward…

Side Note::: One misconception I normally see is women applying the oil or moisturizer directly to their scalp.  Our scalp produces its own oil called sebum, which is a natural hair conditioner.  The “conditioner” is then distributed down the hair strand.  Now, when hair is straight it is distributed evenly because there is nothing hindering the distribution of the oil from the beginning to the end.  Now, this is a little different for kinky/curly hair because the twists and turns of the hair strand may get the oil to be stuck and not hydrate the whole strand.  WITH ALL OF THAT SAID LOL, apply the conditioner/oil starting at the ends and working your way up (your ends are the oldest part of your hair, therefore the most fragile!):::

Below are some links to sites that provide helpful information about hydrating protective styles!  I hope this information has helped!  Stay nappy ladies and have a great day J

http://www.naturalhaircommunity.com/protective-hair-styles-are-critical

http://curlynikki.forumotion.com/t9425-how-to-moisturize-while-in-a-transition-protective-style

http://naturalicioushair.com/2011/11/29/protective-styling-helps-your-natural-hair-reach-its-longest-length-plus-3-more-hair-growth-tips/

Tips and Tricks to Combat Winter Dryness

Hey fellow Naturalistas,

Being in Northern NY, it has definitely been a bit chilly!  As most of you know I BC’ED on 11/14/2011, so I do not have enough length to do the retro-funky protective hairstyles.  I am really not one to get braids or weaves because of past experiences (being bald headed once I took down the weaves/braids).  My go to style for the week normally consists of rocking a wash-n-go all week long.  No ladies, I do not wash my hair every day that would be asinine!  I wash my hair Sundays and simply spritz every morning for a refresher and I’m out the door!

Since my head is not covered (unless it is SUPER cold, I will rock a hat—with a satin bonnet underneath of course!) I have experienced some dryness lately.  I seal my hair daily with my water/oil spritz bottle every morning and evening.  I was finding that though sealing your hair daily is UBER important, it was not enough, I was still combating dryness. 

Naptural85 has a “baggie” method that has been a life saver for my dehydrated tresses.  All it involves is spritzing my hair with my water/oil, placing a little bit of smoothie behind that and cover my head with a shower cap. I then cover the shower cap with a scarf and go to sleep.  The shower cap provides enough moisture for my hair to stay hydrated, but it is NOT sopping wet.  I am able to sleep very comfortably and the results in the morning are great!  I simply take off the shower cap and scarf, shake my head and style, If needed I will also follow up with some Shea Moisture Curling Soufflé.  By the time I leave the house my hair is dry, hydrated; and soft!  You do not have to do this every night, I advise trying it for three days and see if you notice a difference!

Deep conditioning you hair is very important!  You can either pre-poo OR do a regular DC OR you can do both J.  Pre-pooing consists of applying a conditioner or oil mixture to dry hair BEFORE you wash it.  Personally, I have been pre-pooing with EVOO, Safflower Oil and Grapeseed oil (all found in my local supermarket; pics of the oils can be found under the tab product review) and some of my shea moisture DC, I cover my hair with a shower cap for about 2-3 hours.  I follow up with washing my hair with a sulfate free shampoo and apply my DC such as shea moisture mask to my hair and cover again.  I will then rinse my hair with cool water and style.  You can also choose to rinse with an ACV (apple cider vinegar) and H20 rinse. 

Use a nice, thick leave in conditioner.  By applying a leave in conditioner you will retain moisture.  I personally recommend Giovanni direct leave-in followed up by shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie.

Co-wash your hair instead of applying a sulfate free shampoo.  Co-washing will not strip your hair of moisture,  However, it may cause build-up.  If you are in the habit of washing your hair every day, try to set a schedule.  For example, co-wash every other day and wash with a sulfate free shampoo once per week. 

Air Dry or Limit the use of direct heat
Avoid using hair dryers during the winter months. Blow drying already brittle and dry hair will only make them worse. If you have to, use a cooler setting to dry your hair. It may take your hair longer to dry but the shine in your hair will be well worth it. There are some great videos on youtube that show how to blow dry hair on a cool setting. 

SEAL YOUR HAIR!-- Sealing your hair is SOOOO important!!! The best hydrator for your hair is water.  In order for the water to properly hydrate your hair, you must follow up the water application with applying an oil in your hair.  The reason the oil seals the water in your hair is because the oil molecule is bigger than the water molecule thus, trapping the water molecule to your hair keeping it hydrated. 

Stay Hydrated! It’s simple…DRINK MORE WATER!! Keep your body hydrated starting on the inside first.

Alright Naturalistas, there you have it. How do you ladies combat winter dryness?

Can My Kinkz ever be moisturized?!?!?!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I hope this Friday is treating everyone fantastic.  I just wanted to stop by and quickly and discuss your kinkz and moisture (Especially during the winter months)!!!

Our hair is often subject to abuse. When going to the salon to have the hair styled, permed, cut or colored, the hair strands are exposed to harsh chemicals which may damage your hair in the long run.  Over-the-counter beauty shampoos, conditioners, styling gels and other hair products may also leave the hair dry, brittle and damaged (as well as contain ingredients that are a big NO-NO). Even the simple act of combing or blow drying can lead to hair breakage and damage.

 I have to be honest and say that I have yet to try any of the super expensive hair products like Miss Jessies (simply because my budget won’t allow it) and have had to find other alternatives to keeping my natural kinkz moisturized!!  This task can be daunting since it is natural for our NATURAL hair to be dry

Since doing my BC on 11-14-2011 I have become OBSESSED with using oils in my hair for daily conditioning and deep conditioning.  I first learned about what oils are best for natural hair by googling and looking at youtube (for what seemed like hours at a time).  Leaning what works for your hair is trials and error.  All of the oils I am about to list I purchased at my local beauty supply store.  For daily conditioning I combined all of the oils in a spray bottle with H2O.  It is difficult for me to provide measurements as I normally just eye it out. 

1.  Jojoba Oil- Jojoba oil is produced from a desert plant called Simmondsia Chinensis.  Its oil is highly regarded as an effective conditioner, moisturizer, cleanser and softener for the skin and hair.  Jojoba oil also promotes new growth and is non-greasy and will leave your hair feeling light and moisturized. 

2. Grape Seed Oil- The benefits of grape seed oil, has the same antioxidants as green tea, black tea, berries and red wine.  The antioxidants in the oil are called procyanidolic oligomers (PCO’s), known for their health giving properties, and are more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E.  It is very rich in vitamins, minerals and protein. Grape seed oil contains a high amount of linoleic acid, which is a fatty acid essential for the health of the skin and cell membranes.  This is the reason why it makes such a wonderful moisturizer, as it really nourishes your skinhelping keep it smooth and subtle.  Make sure you are always using organic cold pressed Grape seed Oil.

3. Shea Butter Oil- (I use the Shea Butter oil opposed to melting down whole shea butter because I find that the regular shea butter that I have to melt down solidifies once it comes into contact with the water and other oils.)  Shea butter is FLEXIBLE, LUSTROUS, PROTECTS, MOISTURIZES, REVITALIZES, RELAXES. REFRESHES, MAINTAINS SKIN & HAIR MOISTURE. Shea butter benefits to skin & hair are endless.

4. Morrocan Oil- Moroccan oil is also commonly referred to as argan oil. The oil, which is derived from argan trees in Morocco, is known to offer a wide array of hair benefits. Here are some of the reasons why you may want to consider incorporating Moroccan argan oil into your daily hair care routine.  One of the main benefits of argan oil is that it moisturizes the hair.  This oil Increases Hair Shine, Offers Healthy Vitamins and UV Ray Protection; and Moisturizes Hair and Reduces Frizz.

5. Vitamin E oil-  Resembles the same benefits of Grape Seed Oil.

6. Rosemary Oil- Rosemary essential oil is mostly extracted from the leaves.  The rosemary bush belongs to the mint family which includes basil, lavender, myrtle, and sage. Rosemary oil and rosemary teas are used extensively for hair care in shampoos and lotions. Regular use of rosemary oil helps in stimulating follicles, as a result of which, hair grow longer and stronger. It is also believed that rosemary oil slows down premature hair loss and graying of hair.  Regular massage of scalp with rosemary oil nourishes the scalp and removes dandruff. Further, it is often mixed with tea tree oil and basil oil to treat scalp problems

7. EVOO- (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)-

For Added Slip – EVOO is an oil that may be added to products to provide extra “slip”, which makes the product go through the strands easier; this makes manipulating the hair easier.

As a Detangler - EVOO may also be used as a detangling agent.  The oil may be applied to the hair, and be worked through your coils in order to make detangling a breeze.

As a Sealant – Extra Virgin Olive Oil may be used to “seal” in moisture that comes from moisturizers in order to give the hair an extra layer of protection.

To Enhance Your Conditioner’s Properties – Your conditioner may be fine on its own, but it may be spectacular once you add in evoo.  Through trial and error you can quickly find out if your hair loves added evoo in your conditioner.

**The oils were NOT expensive.  The most expensive oil was the Morrocan (argan) oil.  It was 10.99 for about 8 oz.  The other oils I was able to purchase in a squeeze tube for about $1.99