LAZY GEH POST....HAIR TIPS

So it is time for another lazy geh post and as usually the pictures come from my phone. I just spent about 20 minutes deleting over 300 pictures from my phone and i still need to delete more. All the whatsapp group i am currently in are not helping my phone storage at all...

Since i have finally decided to loosen my over 3 months braids and i know the damage that i might have caused i needed to remind myself of good hair practice. I am sure that some of you would have screamed and said 'you carried your braids for 3 months?!' However i had no choice.

HAIR PICTORIALS....

Rocking your hair is amazing....

Hey guys, I am at a loss on what to write on because I am on call right now and don't have any brain power to be creative right now.

So I decided to put up some pictorials on styles that I have on my phone. Hope you enjoy them:

HAIR POST......MY HAIR REGIMEN UPDATE

Hey guys, it has been a looonnngggggg time since I posted on my hair. I think it is because I have not really been doing anything spectacular to my hair lately.

I had a relaxer touch up in December and I have been washing my hair every week (to the amazement of my mom). I had the touch up around the 19th of December and I think I am going to transition to natural again.

RAMBLINGS OF A DIVA....

Hi guys, how are you doing? The last couple of days has been out of my control. I actually wanted to name this post 'orishirishi' (assorted) but I decided to make it another series of ramblings of a diva.

Super woman Ernie.....

On the 2nd of November was the birthday of a CEO, blogger, student, wife and all round super woman....Ernie of everydaytibs.blogspot.com (Yay! I got it...) And to celebrate her birthday some of her readers went to heritage orphanage to visit and donate to the kids. How super dope is that? If you read my blog regularly you would have seen me yap a lot about her. She is simply extraordinary. Happy belated birthday girl....

WASH DAY: HEAVY PROTEIN TREATMENT…..11/09/14

Hi guys, it has been a long time I did a wash day post even though I have washed my hair practically almost every week or two weeks. Due to some circumstances I have had to conduct a heavy protein treatment every 2 weeks for almost 4 weeks. Let me explain before you scream, I was to get a cornrows style installed about 4 weeks ago but my hair stylist didn’t quite get the style so I had to adjust the style and used it for 2 weeks.

Then I wanted to install a weave and leave it for 3 weeks but the hair stylist (another one) didn’t install it properly and I was not impressed with the quality of the weave and I removed it after one week but I left the tracks (the cornrows underneath the weave) and wore a wig. There! You see it was not my fault. I had to do the heavy protein treatment that frequently because i always do a protein treatment before i install a long term protective style. I just hope I don’t suffer from protein overload.

PROTECTIVE STYLING FOR THE LONG RUN……BRAZILIAN BRAIDS

Hey guys, it has been a while since I did a long term protective style after the last fiasco that cut majority of my hair. However i decided to get another one because I was tired of wigging it and when I tried to get a weave but the hair stylist didn’t make it well and the weave was just off. I removed the weave after one week and was tired of the wig I had to wear. So when I saw an older friend at the hospital and she showed me the braids she had installed and was loosening, I decided to get it.

I felt that I could use it for at least 6 weeks and I could get the braiders to listen to me and leave the front part of my hair alone. I was so wrong, they didn’t listen to me. They told me that they would do it in a way that my hair would not cut. I kept asking or rather telling them to take more of my hair to braid with but they did what they liked. So here I am with my protective style that I paid for with money much more than my first I.T salary and It had better not cause some serious setback else I am going to have a fit right here. And you all would have to beg me!!

WASH DAY (25/7/14): MOISTURIZING WASH (HAIR POST)

I really love wash days. I don’t know if it because of the water or because on wash days I feed my hair with lots of goodies and my hair is getting what it needs to grow to be long and healthy. Any whoo, it is another wash day and because I have been bombarding my hair with different types of protein lately I decided it was time to set the protein aside. Hence I did what i called a moisturizing wash.

Here is what I did and what I used:

1. I applied hot oil on my scalp and Emily Millionaire Coconut oil and herbs cream on the length of my hair. Covered with a plastic bag and a shower cap and left it on my head for 30 minutes.
2. I washed with my diluted VO5 shampoo (a sulfate based shampoo) remembering to only scrub my scalp with the pads of my fingers and squeeze the suds of the shampoo along the length of my hair. This helps prevents tangles which could lead to breakage.

FEATURE POST: MAINTAIN HEALTHY HAIR WHILE WEARING A SEW-IN (HAIR POST)

Ever since i embarked on my healthy hair journey (again) i always try to moisturise and seal my hair everyday whether it is in a weave, braids or left alone. However how i moisturise and seal and with what i use are different. I tend to get a  bit heavy handed with my products when my hair is free. 

Maintaining healthy hair when in a weave or braids is not so easy but when i think of the benefits, i tend to just follow the healthy hair rules and remind myself that the end would justify the means. I also make sure i do a heavy protein treatment a day or 2 days before i install the braids or weave. It helps strengthen my hair and prevents breakage.

I saw this post on a blog i follow and i thought i should share it with you guys. I know a lot people who tell me that they don't know how to care for their hair when they install braids or weaves. I hope you enjoy the article and learn something. It is a feature post from http://ezechimereuchenna.blogspot.com

DIY: MAKING WHIPPED SHEA BUTTER (HAIR POST)

In case you haven't heard, shea butter is the bomb. It is one of the natural products that help keep hair (black hair especially) moisturised for hours. It is included in some body lotions and creams because of it's superior ability to lock in moisture and prevent your skin from being dry.

Shea butter is butter of choice for my LOC method of moisturising and sealing my hair. Since i knew about the benefits i have not tried any other butter and i intend using it for as long as i can seeing that it is so easy for me to get it. However your hair has to be moisturised first with a water based product to be able to obtain the great benefit of this butter.

While researching on hair care, i noticed that a lot of healthy hair gurus always whipped their shea butter and include some great oils to make it richer. They usually whipped with a blender or mixer while some melted the shea butter a bit and mixed the oils with it. However i read somewhere that melting the shea butter reduces its potency so i knew that option was a no no for me. I didn't have a blender when i started making my whipped shea butter (and now i don't have the energy to be whipping the blender out for shea butter). And i also don't have a mixer so since i make only a small bit at a time, i decided to go manual.

FEATURE POST FROM DONTTOUCHTHEHAIR.COM (HAIR POST)

Hey guys,  i am featuring a post from donttouchthehair.com. It is a review on one of my stable products in my stash of hair products. I hope you enjoy it.

Found in Naija: Organics by Africa’s Best Cholesterol Tea-Tree Oil Conditioner – Product Review

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Don't Touch The Hair

 

 

Hopefully, you read my rant on finding hair products in Nigeria. This inspired me to review products that are made in Nigeria, easily found here, or that I purchased here. I have been able to find Organics by Africa’s Best Cholesterol Tea-Tree Oil Conditioner in just about every town and city I’ve been in Nigeria. I have used it consistently for about a year now.

Price: The price varies depending where you are. It should not cost more than 800 Naira. The last time I bought this for 600 Naira at Balogun Market and I didn’t really negotiate the price.

Size: 15 ounces (426 grams)

Availability: I bought this at a market. I have also seen it at shops, supermarkets, and local salons.

Product Description: The following is directly from the container.

Organics by Africa’s Best CHOLESTEROL TEA-TREE OIL is enriched with Natural Herbal Extracts, Botanicals and Protein to help repair and revitalize damaged, dry, overprocessed hair. Used as a Rinse-Out and/or Leave-In therapy, it delivers superior conditioning and moisture to strengthen hair and help return it to a healthy, manageable, soft state.

Rinse-Out Treatment Directions: For best results, use Organics STIMULATING THERAPY SHAMPOO by Africa’s Best. After shampooing, massage a generous amount of CHOLESTEROL TEA-TREE OIL CONDITIONER evenly into hair from roots to ends. For extra conditioning, cover hair with plastic cap for 10 minutes. Rinse hair thoroughly with warm water and style as desired. For maximum conditioning, after rinsing, apply about a quarter size amount, distributing all over hair. Gently comb through with a Wide Tooth Comb. Do not rinse.

INGREDIENTS: Aqua (Water), Polyquaternium-37, Polypropylene Glycol, Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Tridecth-6, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Dmdm Hydantoin, Lanolin Oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phenyl Trimethicone, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Cholesterol, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, BHA, BHT, Benzophone-3, Yellow #5, Red #33.

Fragrance: It has quite a mild lemony/citrus scent. There is some other odor there but I cannot pinpoint it. I don’t think the scent would offend or trigger headaches. I don’t love the smell but I don’t hate it either.

Texture and color: It has a creamy consistency and a light orange color. It isn’t too thick but it is not runny.

Packaging: The conditioner is packaged in a tub with a cover that makes it easy to get all of it. The label design is okay. When I first bought this several years ago (pre-hair journey), I was just looking for a deep conditioner. The packaging was not what drew me to the product.

Uses: I use this as a base for my deep conditioner mix and I love the results. It helps to make my hair so very soft. Since I deep condition at least once a week, it goes quickly. The first few ingredients have moisturizing properties. I usually finish the tub in about 5 to 6 weeks, if my hair is not in a protective style. I have tried it without adding other conditioners and oils but the results were just okay. It can still moisturize but I feel I need to add other things to boost that effect. My DC mix really moisturizes my hair especially my new growth.

My hair with my deep conditioner mix. Look at my curls poppin’ :-)

Other notes: This product is available virtually everywhere, which is so helpful. If you don’t live in a major city, you can easily start and continue your hair journey with this product. It does have some dodgy ingredients (parabens and other chemicals). If you are attempting a mostly natural hair journey (with regards to products), this is not the product for you.

Would I purchase again? This is my fifth container of this conditioner so yes. I like the results that I get and it is at a reasonable price.

The Diva's thoughts: i agree totally with her review. It is an awesome deep conditioner for my hair both in its natural, relaxed/texlaxed state. It has been a staple product since i started my hair journey. I have tried two other products but i had to go back to it. I think i would stick to it until my hair revolts against it.

Hope you enjoyed today's feature post. Thanks for stopping by.

Luv ya,
Petite Diva.

HAIR POST: PROTECTIVE STYLING FOR 8 WEEKS

I know that it has been a while since I did a hair post but i have been extremely lazy to write up on what I have been doing to my hair. Anyway for the past 5 weeks I have been on faux dreads. Since I knew that I was going to attend lectures almost immediately after I came back from Dubai, I had to get a protective style that could last for more than 4 weeks without me feeling like I want to remove it. The only protective style I felt like I could do that would favor me was braids but since braids are not good for my hairline i couldn't take that option. Then someone reminded me of faux dreads so i decided to try it.

I had never tried the style before but I was optimistic that I would be able to rock it for some reasons. So here is a mini preview of the style:

LIKES: I like the fact that I have access to my scalp without any hindrance. It is so easy moisturising and sealing with this style. And I even wash and deep condition every week. The afro bulk attachment used dries so fast, within 3 hours the hair is almost dry. I also like that my hairline is not stressed. Unlike braids that put so much tension on my weak hair strands at my hairline, this has not caused any tension. This is simply because the hair is sewn onto my hair and not braided. My hair was first braided without any bulk hair i.e my hair was put in mini braids then the hair was sewn to each braid. So there is less tension. Like I said I have been carrying it for over 5 weeks and I intended to carry it for 8 weeks (a lot of people carry it for 12 weeks). 

I like that it maintains its looks from when it is freshly made to when it is older. Because it is not normal braids, it doesn't look smooth like braids and might appear rough to people but it is not (my aunt told me to remove it that it looks rough, I didn’t bother to tell her that that was how it looked from the beginning). I prefer its looks to braids, because by now if I had installed braids my braids would have been a sore sight. It would have been so rough by now. Imagine how the Arabian people would have looked at my hair (i actually got a compliment from an Asian woman) and also if I had installed braids I would probably have had difficulty removing the desert sand from my hair when I went on the safari. 

Major Digression: I just realised that those guys (UAE residents) don’t stock relaxers. What? So what are blacks supposed to do? Go natural or personally import relaxers? I remember when we were checking in at the Lagos international airport, a lady going to china was telling someone how she had to drop sometimes and couldn’t drop her relaxer. I am now realising why. They don’t stock brands that are tailored for blacks. I wonder how the blacks there are coping. A friend of mine whose sister is in Saudi Arabia said she can’t even find big toothed combs for her hair. Not cool at all.

DISLIKES: I don’t know whether it happens to others but I noticed earlier when I just installed it, my scalp used to itch a lot. It got so bad that I thought I was going to loosen it but my mum advised me not to. I had to wash it about 4 days after I installed it and I noticed a bit of relief. Now the itching barely occurs. It is a bit expensive to install but when you consider how long you can keep it in and the benefits, it doesn’t seem so expensive.

Basically I really like the style for now. I have heard scary story about hair breakage due to improper take down techniques, I am so hoping that the hair stylist who helps me take down the faux dreads would do a good job. I intend to allow her just take down the dreads and I would loosen the mini braids with a mixture of a moisturiser, oil and a little amount of water. And I was also told that the collection of dirt at the end would cause the hair to tangle and eventually break when loosening it. But since I wash my scalp every week I am hoping that there is no dirt accumulation.

That is all for now guys. I am presently on my first call since April *wailing*. I wish I didn’t have to do calls but hey that is what I signed up for, right? Thanks for stopping by. I hope to write soon.

Luv ya,

Petite Diva.