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

COCONUT MILK DEEP TREATMENT UPDATE

Ok, so I know this update is late in coming but been so busy.

Anyways, I followed the instructions on the Coconut milk deep treatment post ( Drank half the can of coconut milk it was delicious) and here are my results.

RESULTS

1.   My new growth loved the treatment. It was soft and my curls really popped. Sorry no pictures, had an accident with my phone that day will upload pictures when i do this treatment again.

2. My relaxed hair did not like the treatment at all. It was stiff, it was hard and made my detangling session hell. To bring back softness I had to do two co-washes during the week with my Giovanni Tea Tree Invigorating Conditioner.

OVERALL VERDICT

I will be doing this treatment again but this time i will focus more on my new growth and apply just a little to my relaxed ends, this is because yoghurt and coconut milk is high in protein, and I guess my relaxed ends are just too porous to take in all that lovely protein.

I will follow it immediately with a moisturising deep treatment to balance out the protein.

I will also be using Coconut cream instead of coconut milk as coconut milk is too runny and my mixture drip all over my body.

Now like I promised, here are the benefits of all items used in the mix.

BENEFITS OF YOGHURT

Yogurt has antibacterial and antifungal properties, is a natural cleanser, helps fight itchy scalp and dandruff, stimulates hair growth, is high in lactic acid which helps smooth hair and control fizz, and makes hair shiny and soft.

I’d heard that yogurt makes a great protein treatment, but its important to use full fat yogurt. I’m not exactly sure why it makes a difference, but it does.

BENEFITS OF ALOE VERA JUICE

Aloe vera juice, with its excellent moisturizing properties(strong humectant) can serve as a natural conditioner to deeply moisturize the hair strands. So, if you are struggling with dry, damaged you can use aloe vera juice in place of your regular conditioner to make your hair silky, soft and smooth. It works as an excellent hair conditioner for dry and damaged hair.

Apart from moisturizing hair, aloe vera can help to prevent hair loss. In fact, one of the most important benefits of aloe vera is prevention of hair loss and stimulation of hair growth. The enzymes found in aloe vera juice act as hair growth stimulators.  

Like yoghurt helps fight itchy scalp and dandruff and helps  helps smooth hair and control fizz.

To get healthy hair and dandruff free scalp, you can apply the gel or juice of aloe vera on your scalp before taking a shower, leave it on for about half an hour, and then rinse it off.

BENEFITS OF COCONUT MILK

Coconut milk is very rich in protein, iron, and essential fats. Also can help grow your hair and make it healthier.

1. Controls and heals several scalp issues including dermatitis.

2. Stops hair shedding and breakage

3. Boosts hair growth

4. Makes the hair soft and supple

5. Reduces premature graying.

6. Very good deep conditioner because of its penetrative qualities.

BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

Popularly called Adi Agbon, Coconut oil is great for those of you who wish to combat hair loss and strengthen your hair. It also has the ability to thicken it, get rid of dandruff, and manage long, curly hair. Coconut oil can be safely left on the scalp overnight and is easily removed by the use of a shampoo. Because of its moisturizing properties, this oil is a great choice for eliminating dandruff. Because coconut oil strengthens your hair and prevents it from breakage, it is propounded as the best remedy for those of you who wish to have long, healthy locks. In simple terms, the use of coconut oil will aid (not cause) natural hair growth. 

Simply warm a little coconut oil and massage it onto the scalp. This massage is also likely to send you into a wonderful snooze. Allow coconut oil to work its magic overnight and wake up feeling refreshed, wash off the oil, and watch your hair slowly go back to its normal state as you keep following this treatment.

BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL

Olive oil is the perfect oil to use to restore and replenish dry hair. Those of you who can't manage the frizz and are having way too many bad hair days, should use olive oil to bring back the shine that your hair used to exhibit once upon a time. Some people use olive oil for deep conditioning, and when used often enough, a clear difference is visible in the way the hair appears. Olive oil is a little more oily than coconut oil, so you may wish to use a little lesser of it, and leave it on just for an hour or so before you wash it off. It can also be used as an after wash moisturizer for the hair, where you take just a few drops on your palm and rub it all over your hair, particularly the tips (not scalp). This makes the hair more manageable through the day

BENEFITS OF CASTOR OIL

The reason behind the popularity of the usage of castor oil for treating hair problems lies is the presence of ricin/ricinoleic acid in the oil, which is germicidal, insecticidal and fungicidal. So using the oil will keep the hair from microbial and fungal infections thus, lessening hair loss.

Regular treatment of the scalp and roots with the oil helps prevent drying of the hair and within months, hair growth is an obvious result. This is achieved by the Omega-9 fatty acids in the oil.

To keep the hair looking soft and shiny, moisture has to be retained by the hair. This can be taken care of by castor oil, as it is a humectant (any substance that is added to another substance to keep it moist).

If there is any damage caused to the hair, the use of this oil will not only manage to hide the damage, but at the same time, will work effectively in making the hair grow thicker than before.

Castor oil even benefits eye lashes. Apply a bit of the oil over the base of the eyelashes every night before bed, and get thicker and fuller lashes in some time.

SO THERE YOU ARE. I HAVE LISTED ALL THE BENEFITS OF ALL THESE NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR HAIR, TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU CAN SOLVE ALL YOUR HAIR PROBLEMS USING NATURAL RESOURCES.

HAVE YOU TRIED THE COCONUT MILK DEEP TREATMENT? IF YOU HAVE, PLEASE POST YOUR PROCESS AND RESULTS IN THE COMMENT BO

COCONUT MILK DEEP CONDITIONING TREATMENT

I will be taking out my kinky braids on saturday and deep conditioning on my dry dirty hair.


I decided to use the opportunity to try the coconut milk+ yoghurt deep treatment and I want to share my experience with you.



THINGS YOU WILL NEED
1. 4-5 tbsps-All natural Plain yoghurt
2. A can of coconut milk
3. 3 tbsps of  a mix of castor, olive and coconut oils
4. 2 tbsps of aloe vera  (a humectant to draw moisture into my hair)
5. Shower cap
6. Plastic bowl
7. Wooden relaxer mixing stick or plastic spoon

Goya Olive Oil

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Whole fillet Aloe vera juice

Coconut Milk

Yoghurt

Organic Virgin Coconut oil

Directions

Leave out Yoghurt overnight so it can be at room temperature (This is important)

Scoop out 4-5 tablespoons of yogurt and place in your plastic bowl

In the same bowl, place 3 tablespoons of the oil mix and stir

Add the coconut milk.

Gently mix with wooden stick; take care not too over mix or mixture will become soupy

Part 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

Once the whole head is saturated work relaxer through hair with your fingers

Pin-up or place hair in ponytail

Put shower or conditioning cap over the hair

Leave treatment in for 45 - 60 minutes (you can leave it in longer if you'd like)

Rinse treatment out of hair with warm water

Wash, Condition, detangle, moisturize and style as as usual.

I will be doing this treatment over the weekend and will take before and after pictures of my hair to post on this hair diary and my fotki.

Wish me luck.

After I post the pictures on an update of the treatment, I will list the benefits of all ingredients used.

Healthy Hair Journey Everyone

HOWTO: Cleanse,Moisturize and Seal when wearing braids

Hello Ladies!!!

Yes I know I have been on a hiatus for a while now...sorry its the hustle and bustle of this lagos sef , plus commuting from Ikorodu to Obalende every day??? E no easy oh.

Any ways my hair has been lost in kinky twists for a month now, and I thought about doing a post on how to care for your hair while in braids.

Just cause your hair is in braids, that does not mean you will not cleanse, moisturise and seal it.

So after trolling so many hair blogs here is my regimen when on braids;

CLEANSING

Every two weeks I cleanse my scalp and braids using two products.

I absolutely LOVE LOVE this product: Elentee Soy Organics Waterless Shampoo.

Elentee Soy Organics Waterless Shampoo

I put my hair in six sectional braids, apply to my scalp and massage to remove any dirt,it is so Tingly and it supposed to be waterless but I rinse out with water to let the shampoo run down the braids cleansing them.

After this I then do a co-wash with Giovanni Tea Tree Invigorating conditioner.  I have the huge 1 liter size bottle :-)

Giovanni Tea Tree Invigorating conditioner 

I use the same method to massage my scalp and run down with water to cleanse braids.

Co-washing is the act of using conditioner to wash hair instead of shampoo to retain the hair's natural oils that would have been stripped if shampoo was used.

After this process, I leave my hair to air dry.



MOISTURIZING

I now have a spray bottle in which I mix 3 parts water, 1 part mix of aloe vera juice, coconut oil, castor oil and olive oil.

I spray my braids with this every two two days, this makes my roots very soft.

I also alternate with my protein treatment: Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer

Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer

It contains body heat activated keratin and  gives my hair the strength it needs to hold the weight of the braids.



SEALING

I now have my own homemade whipped shea butter. YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!

Its a mix of raw naija shea butter from osun state, coconut oil, castor oil, aloevera juice, olive oil and hairgrowth trigger elixir oil, will be adding a fragance oil so it smells so lovely..thinking of adding a fruity scent

I use this on my scalp and the braids to seal in the moisture from the protein treatment and my homemade braids spray.


So there you have it, my regimen while on braids.

Hope it helps someone.

The Evils of Heat Styling

So I have been going on and on about washing, conditioning with moisturizing products and sealing the moisture in. 

But there is something that can destroy evidence of all this hard work.

THAT IS HEAT STYLING!!!

For those of you that do not know what it is, here is a definition;

Heat Styling is when you achieve a hair style with the use of heat tools like hair dryers, blow dryers, curling irons, stretching combs, hair presses and flat irons.

Lets assume the hair is a bank account and every time you take good care of your hair by moisturizing and sealing, you are saving money in your account. 

However whenever you swipe those flat irons on your hair or blow dry your hair, you are withdrawing from the account.

I know you have to withdraw from your account sometimes,cos we all love to see sleek smooth hair (I am a culprit as well) but once too often and you could get broke!!!

Same with your hair, use too much of heat, and your hair goes broke.

This is because heat breaks down the protein bonds on our hair to straighten our natural curls. This results in breakage, split ends and damaged hair.

Instead of using heat, adopt no heat methods to style your hair like flexi rods, wraps, magnetic rollers. Protective styles are also good to retain mositure in our hair.

Also fall in love with the cool setting on your blow dryer and hair dryer.

If you must use heat, minimise use to at least once a week and use a heat protectant on your hair before applying heat.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD HEAT PROTECTANTS INCLUDE;

• Chi Iron guard
• Silk Elements Mega Silk Heat Protection Spray
• Ion Heat Protection Thermal Spray
• Fantasia IC Straightening Spray (pink bottle)

***UPDATE

 Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray is also another good heat protectant.You can also rollerset and let your hair airdry before flat ironing it to reduce the amount of heat used .

There are also some ways to achieve sleek looking hair without flat ironing.

1) Roller set your hair, apply a cream based moisturiser wrap your hair and apply cling film and sit under a dryer with cool settings for 5 to 15 mins.

SO WE ALL NEED TO STAY AWAY FROM THE HEAT AND PRACTICE HEALTHY HAIR HABITS TO GET BEAUTIFUL LONG HEALTHY HAIR!!

Building a Healthy Hair Care Regimen

Now  that I know my Hair Type, I can now start using hair products that work well with my hairtype.

Remember my hair is a type 4a/4b which means it needs moisture.

Because its relaxed, it also needs protein to repair damage to the hair.

First thing to get is a MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO.

The best moisturizing shampoo to use is a shampoo that is sodium/ammonium lauryl sulfate free and do not leave the hair feeling stripped, tangly, or squeaky, squeaky clean. These shampoos are gentle cleansers that leave the hair feeling soft and detangled. This shampoo is to be used weekly.

If you must use a sulfate based moisturizing shampoo, due to availability in your area, go with the sodium LAURETH sulfate moisturizing shampoo. This one will be more moisturizing. 

When looking for good moisturizing shampoo products, here are some general things to consider:

1. When a label says that a shampoo is a "moisturizing shampoo" or that the product "infuses the hair with moisture," this may not always be the case. 
2. Always check product claims against the ingredients. The ingredients will help you determine whether the shampoo formula you are dealing with is a moisturizing shampoo formula or not. 
3. You want a moisturizing shampoo that balances its cleansing ability with its ability to soften and moisturize the hair.
4. The main thing you want to look for in your moisturizing shampoo is the presence of sulfates. Sulfates are surfactants or detergents that are used in shampoos to help clean the hair.  Examples of sulfates include: ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium laureth sulfate. 
   If your moisturizing shampoo contains MULTIPLE sulfates-RUN!!!!!! 
   A shampoo like this is not intended to actually moisturize the hair. It is ONLY formulated to remove stubborn deposits and buildup from the hair. A shampoo with multiple sulfates will be better at clarifying your hair than moisturizing it.
5. Even though you are avoiding stripping sulfate cleansers in your moisturizing shampoo, a shampoo is useless if cannot clean and lift buildup at all. Healthy surfactants you want to look for in a moisturizing shampoo are: Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Polyglucose, Sulfosuccinate, Isethionate, Hydroxysultaine. These are called secondary surfactants, so they are much easier on the hair. Primary surfactants are the harsher sulfates listed above

EXAMPLES OF GOOD MOISTURIZING SHAMPOOS INCLUDE:

• Crème of Nature (red and green label) Shampoo, 
• Neutragena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo, 
• Softsheen Breakthru Shampoo 
• Dax Vegetable Oil Shampoo
• Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose shampoo(100% organic)
• Jason's Naturals
• KeraCare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo

Now you know we put different things in our hair that can cause build up and stop hair from growing. Due to this we  need to always use a CLARIFYING SHAMPOO at least once  a month

Clarifying shampoos strip the hair of product buildup and are great for starting the hair off fresh each month. Your hair will and SHOULD feel squeaky, squeaky clean after clarifying

EXAMPLES OF GOOD CLARIFYING SHAMPOOS INCLUDE:

• Pantene Pro-V Purity Shampoo
• V05 shampoos (entire line)
• Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Shampoo

Now that we covered the bases with selecting shampoos(One Moisturizing, One clarifying) next step is DEEP CONDITIONERS!!

The Back Bone of any Healthy Hair Regimen is DEEP CONDITIONING.

For your hair regimen, you need at least  two types of deep conditioners; One Protein Based and One Moisturising.

These conditioners should be used immediately after the shampoo and should sit on hair for a minimum of 15 minutes. For proper deep conditioning, let conditioner sit on hair for 30-45 minutes.

Protein-based deep conditioners  are used for rebuilding thining hair because hey, our hair is made up of proteins!!! Should only be used as the hair dictates.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD PROTEIN DEEP CONDITIONERS INCLUDE:

• Joico K-Pac
• Aphogee 2 Min Keratin Reconstructor
• Elasta Qp Anti Breakage serum
• Motions CPR Protein Reconstructor
• Organic Root Stimulator Mayonaise
• Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair

Moisturizing deep conditioners should be used after a protein deep conditioning to restore moisture and pliability to the hair

You may find that you can go quite a while without protein deep conditioning, and that is okay! Keep in mind that many moisturizing deep conditioners also contain some protein. Wheat and silk proteins are the most common gentle proteins in moisturizing deep conditioners. They tend to be extremely gentle and actually enhance the hair's elasticity by helping moisture bind within the cuticle. So, if you see this kind of protein in your moisturizing deep conditioner don't fret! You're still okay moisture wise!

So what should you be looking for in a moisturizing deep conditioner? 

1.) Fat

When looking at moisturizing deep conditioners, you really want a conditioner with lots of "fat" in it! Okay, what do I mean by fat? You need a moisturizing deep conditioner that contains lots of fatty alcohols. Fatty alcohols are "hair friendly" alcohols, unlike the alcohols found in finishing sprays which are often drying to the hair. Common fatty alcohols include substances like cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and myristyl alcohol.

2.) Humectants, Emollients, and Conditioning Agents

Humectants are substances that draw moisture from the surrounding air to the hair! Common humectants, emollients, and conditioning agents you want in your moisturizing deep conditioner are propylene glycol, sodium lactate, sodium PCA, hydantoin, glycerin, polyquarternium, glyceryl stearate, centrimonium chloride, and other natural waxes and oils.

3.) Silicones

You also want a moisturizing deep conditioner formula with a few silicone ingredients, or "cones." Silicones have gotten a bad reputation in many healthy hair care circles as scalp clogging, hair coating, moisture defeaters. However, all "cones" are not bad and many are quite useful. "Cones" actually help with your ability to effectively detangle your wet hair. Much of the sleekness and softness we get from rinsing out our conditioners is thanks to those pesky "cones"! Now if you are conditioner-washing the hair regularly (or washing the hair without shampoo), you don't really want to deal with "cones" too much. Silicones will build up on the hair without your shampoo's surfactants there to assist with removal. If your moisturizing deep conditioner is silicone heavy, you should consider clarifying the hair at least once or twice per month.

A conditioner with two many cones could unfortunately lead to dryness from a lack of moisture being deposited within the strand. If you use a conditioner like this, use it as a final conditioning rinse after you've already gotten your main moisturizing deep conditioning done. Some "cones" leave more 'breathable' layers on your hair than others. Amodimethicone and Cyclo-____ (any kind of 'cone') are the most stubborn "cones" to remove from the hair shaft. These "cones" often need to be completely clarified away.

AVOID

So what ingredients should you avoid in your moisturizing conditioners? 

You should basically try to stay away from moisturizing deep conditioners that contain petrolatum, mineral oil, heavy proteins, and other heavy oils. These conditioners will only coat your hair.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD MOISTURIZING DEEP CONDITIONERS INCLUDE:

• Crème of Nature Nourishing Conditioner
• Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
• Keracare Humecto
• Mizani Moisturefuse
•  Elasta QP DPR-11
• Profectiv Growth Renew Root Rebound Conditioner

Now you have shampooed and deep conditioned, the next steps is to apply a LEAVE IN CONDITIONER!!!. 

As with deep conditioners, you need one moisturizing and one protein leave in conditioner!!

These should be used after deep conditioning and as a daily moisturiser.

The same principles that apply to moisturizing deep conditioners also apply to your moisturizing leave in conditioners and water-based moisturizers. You want WATER, FATS, HUMECTANTS/EMOLLIENTS, and just a little detangling support from light silicones.

 A little mineral oil in your moisturizing deep conditioner is passable since much will be rinsed away, but avoid it in your water based moisturizers and leave in conditioners if possible.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS AND MOISTURISERS INCLUDE:

MOISTURE

• Profectiv Anti-Tangle Leave In
•  Profectiv Break Free Leave In 
• Elasta QP Oil Recovery Moisturizer
• Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) olive oil
• ORS carrot oil
• Luster's S-Curl, -GOOD WHILE ON BRAIDS AND WEAVES

PROTEIN

• Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong
• Elasta QP Mango Butter
• Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner
• Profectiv Mega Growth
• Profectiv Healthy Ends
• ApHogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer

A good leave in moisturizer is  Giovanni Direct Leave-In™ Weightless Moisture Conditioner. Contains enough moisture and protein for 4a/4b hair.

AFTER PUTTING ALL THIS MOISTURE AND PROTEIN IN THE HAIR, THE NEXT THING TO DO IS TO SEAL IT IN WITH OIL!!

Natural Oils: Used for sealing in water based moisturizers and helping improve the shine and pliability of the hair. 

Simply apply a light coating of the oil to the ends of the hair first, and work your way up. 

A dime sized amount should be enough for your entire head of hair. You don't want limp oily hair! 

Examples: Coconut oil, Olive oil, Almond oil, Jojoba oil, Sweet Almond oil, Carrot oil, Tea Tree Oil, Castor Oil, Vatika Oil, Amla Oil etc

If you can get a product that contains one or more of these oils!! thumbs up and let me know.

Following the oil application, MASSAGE YOUR SCALP!!! It helps improve blood circulation which promotes healthy hair growth.

I will list my selected products for my Regimen in a link on this blog. WATCH OUT FOR IT LADIES.

Note that this is a guide, and you donot have to use any of the products listed above. Just a little bit of trial and you just might figure out what is good for your hair type.

Coming up: The Evils Of Heat Styling and Some Hairstyles that can make and break your length.

XOXO. Mwah