Stimulating Hair Growth: HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE MY NEW GROWTH TO GET TO BRASTRAP LENGTH???

Okay so when I started this blog, I had said I wanted my hair to be healthy and armpit length.

Now I have a new goal.

GET MY NEW GROWTH TO BRA STRAP LENGTH BY FEBRUARY 2014.

Normally my hair grows on the average of 0.4 inches a month(yes I measured it). and multiply by twelve months( dont start counting on your fingers oh...lol.).4.8 inches a year.

That seemed okay to me until I measured the length from my nape to my brastrap and it was lyk 15 inches.

I was like wowza, time to amp up this growth oh!! and my research began.

Things I am now doing to stimulate growth 
1) My body and hair thrives when I eat fruits, veggies, fish and drink lots of water so I increased water intake to two bottles a day from one bottle( water is tasteless, find it hard to drink so I add a slice of lemon to cool not cold water.)
2) Started exercising (when am not bone tired sha), healthy body = faster growth
3) Started the GHE(Green House Effect) method( will talk about this in a seperate post).
4) Started Inversion techniques( Yes...Yoga).

When I did all the above consistently for two months, my growth rate increased from 0.4 inches to 1 inch a month!!!!!

WOWZA!!

Now Am just too lazy or tired to do these things regularly and need the encouragement to continue.

However there are things I need to add to the list above.
1) A stimulating growth oil ( na money kill this one, but am working on doing my own mix for my GHE methods)
2) A mini twist regimen, so I am out of my hair for three straight weeks and retain the length and density I have worked hard to get during the month.


With All these Am hoping to get 6 full inches So I can reach my goal of BSL by 2014.

What methods do you use to speed up your hair growth?? Please share in the comments below

HOWTO: Cleanse, Moisturize and Seal when wearing weave

I took out Peruvian Hair last weekend and I thought to myself, that I cleaned, moisturised and sealed during the time i had it in,so why not share it with my weave wearing sisters so they won't have to scratch or hit their head anymore. 

The dirt from sweat causes itching and and can also cause breakage, so its beat to remove it.

What i do is basically similar to what i do when i have braids in. See this post cleansing with braids to know what I do when i Have braids in 

CLEANSING

Every two weeks I cleanse my scalp

As you all know, I absolutely LOVE LOVE this product: Elentee Soy Organics Waterless Shampoo.

Elentee Soy Organics Waterless Shampoo

I separate the weave wefts, apply to my scalp and massage to remove any dirt.
It is so Tingly and I wipe off any excess with with my towel.



MOISTURIZING

After this I  have a spray bottle in which I mix 3 parts water, 1 part leave in conditioner
I spray this on my scalp every week.



SEALING 

I use  a mix of oils(Palm kernel or coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, lavendar and tea tree oil.

I use an applicator bottle to spread the mix on my scalp in the moisture from the moisturizing treatment 
Note that Lavendar and Teatree oil have antibacterial and deodoririzing effects and will eliminate odor and itching.

Ladies try this and let me know what you think.

Hope it helps someone.

DIY HAIR TREATS: LALI HAIR TREATMENT

It’s finally here!! The highly anticipated lali (henna) hair treatment

I use coconut milk with my henna mix and I still get a beautiful dye release from the lauric acid.

I also mix in oils and honey for moisturising purposes.

THINGS YOU WILL NEED IN THE MIX AND APPLICATION

1. A can of coconut milk or the juice of two small coconuts( like u wanna make coconut rice)

2. 150 grams of Finely sifted Lali (Henna)

3. 3 tbsps of  a mix of castor, olive and coconut oils

4. 2 tbsps of honey  (a humectant to draw moisture into my hair)

5. Shower cap or cling film

6. Large plastic bag

7. Plastic bowl

8. Wooden relaxer mixing stick or plastic spoon

9. Plastic gloves(Forgot these and I still have tinted fingernails to show).

Step by Step Process

The Henna Mix

Pour the henna into a  plastic bowl and add the coconut milk , mix with plastic spoon to get a thick paste like this

Cover the bowl with cling film or plastic cover for 8 hours and keep in a dark dry place for your dye release.( This step is only necessary if you want the color benefits of henna, if not skip up to the next steps.

After 8 hours the henna should have changed color to this orangey color.

I normally split the henna mix into two and wrap one part into cling film and store in the freezer (frozen then thawed henna has even better dye release).

Preparation for the Henna application involves the following

Previous day prepoo of  coconut  and castor oil

Wash my hair with my Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo

The Application

Before applying the henna to my hair I stir in a bit more coconut milk, honey and oils of choice to get a yoghurty mixture.

Wear plastic gloves. I forgot this step and see what I ended up with and it did not clear out until about a week later.

Henna Stained Hands

Part your hair with your fingers. Do not use a comb

Beginning at the nape of the neck use your fingers to apply mixture to hair as you would a  relaxer

Make sure every strand is saturated, including the hairline and ends

Hair with Henna Applied..I need to make my mixes more yoghurty

Pin-up or place hair in ponytail

Put shower or conditioning cap over the hair.(I use cling film and a plastic shoprite bag over it)

Hair with Cling Film wrap

Leave treatment in for minimum of 4 hours (you can leave it in longer if you'd like)

Note that you can wash out in 45 mins if you do not require the red stain and are only using for strengthening.

Fill bath tub with enough water to cover head, put gloves back on and dunk hair and swoosh hair left to right to loosen and remove majority of henna.

Gently rinse remaining henna from hair under faucet stream (do not try to detangle at this juncture).

Apply deep conditioner at this point and use heat for 45 mins, detangle, moisturize and style as as usual.

Your hair should be strong and smoothened with red highlights when dry.

See how I styled my hair that week, 8 months growth but looking professional

So thats the low down and btw I have made the loc extensions and will be posting pics as I go on.

Hair Length Retention: LOW MANIPULATION/PROTECTIVE STYLING

There is a myth that is going around that says black hair does not grow and only a few people are blessed with long hair.

I strongly disagree with this statement and believe that our hair grows, if not we would not need to "retouch" every few weeks.

I just think the hair is breaking as fast as it is growing due to bad hair maintenance practices.

Because of this I am running a series on Hair length retention so people know how to keep the hair that grows on their head right there with minimal breakage.

There is a mantra on the hair community that can get very annoying and boring but helps you reach epic hair lengths. These are low manipulation and protective hair styling.

Before you go reaching for your dictionary, let me explain and give examples.

First up we have low manipulation hair styles: These are hair styles that provide you with the option of not combing your hair everyday of the week. This means you are not tugging or pulling at your hair everyday to make it conform into a hairstyle you want but can still wear your hair out. 

Examples of these styles include: rollersets, flexi rodsets,twist outs, braid outs, coil outs, bantu knot outs etc.

Then we have protective hair styles: These are hair styles that are done with the aim of protecting the tips of your hair or sometimes the whole hair strands. This means that the ends of your hair which is the oldest part of your hair is given a rest from combing and are nicely tucked away.

Examples of these styles include: High Buns, Low buns, Side buns, Cinammon buns, bantu knots, braided hair styles with the ends tucked away(braids, two strand twists,flat twists, cornrows), weave fixed properly etc.

Why do I need to do this?

Well for the purpose of having full long and healthy hair and not lifeless hair.

When you comb your hair everyday you tend to tug out strands that might not be shed hair, plus some of us use that evil blue picking comb.

When your ends are out all time and always rubbing against your dress, the cotton sucks out the moisture and breaking starts.

In essence, your hair is growing but breaking at the same rate.

For great pictures of all the hair styles listed below, goto  www.http://blackgirllonghair.com

LENGTH CHECK: I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ARMPIT LENGTH

Remember my first post on this blog FIRST POST EVA!!!

I had a hair length goal of Arm Pit Length and I have hit my length goal.

Yaayyy!!! DANCING AZONTO!!!!

See comparison pictures

MARCH 2012:NECK LENGTH

NOVEMBER 2012: ARMPIT LENGTH

This post is to show you that growing healthy hair is possible.

I have never grown my hair to armpit length before but I decided not to relax my hair for 8 months and this is what I got.

It takes the right methods, processes and a good regimen and you too can reach epic hair lengths.

If you have any questions about my methods, processes and regimen please feel free to leave a message in the comment box.

HHJ

Hair Treatment:SO LALI CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR HAIR???

Hey Everyone!! Waves!! been away I know so busy and lazy.

Anyways I am planning to do the ever popular loc extensions fondly called fake dreds next weekend and decided to do a strengthening treatment.

This is to help my hair handle the weight of the loc extensions as I will be carrying these for 8 months!!!!!

WHAT????

Yes I said eight months, that's how long I have always carried these extensions in the past.

But your hair will BREAK!!!!!

Well in the past when I was not on a Healthy Hair journey, Yes it broke like crazy.
I grew a lot of hair but i lost a lot of hair ...primarily from the detangling sessions.

Now I am more equipped to handle the detangling, nuff said!!!

So I Asked myself??

Protein??
Nah I have been reviewing Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner for deep condtioning aka   Steaming sessions and it contains hydrolysed silk protein so that balances out my mositure.

I decided to do a Lali Hair Treatment. YES LALI also called henna!! the one those hausa and fulani women carry on their head selling house to house.

The Lali that is used to do bridal body art. Yes that LALI!!

I have been using Lali to strengthen my hair so to help my hair while I stretch my relaxers.

Scientifically proven to strengthen hair, so it works.

Long Story Short , I did it with pics and all so I can show you guys a step by step procedure.

That will come up in my next post.

Till then. XOXO