Liebster Award/Tag

I was nominated by Jenna of The Jen Chronicles to do this post. Thanks Jenna! Here goes...

Instructions

1. Post 11 random things about yourself (optional)
2. Answer the 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you
3. Tag 11 people

1. 11 Random things about me
1. I just finished a 500ml tub of 'Nutty For Caramel' Ice cream
2. I didn't go to bed till 3am, because I thought it would be a good idea to re-organise my room - go figure!
3. My dad just asked to borrow a pot!
4. I have an impressive but also rather boring but useful collection of plastic bags.
5. I have no brothers
6. I just celebrated my birthday - whoop whoop
7. I sometimes wish I was natural and consider just cutting off my hair and starting again (then I wake up)
8. I love Praise and Worship music
9. I do a pretty mean Macaroni Cheese
10. I wish I was 20lb lighter
11. My favourite colour is green.

2. The 11 Questions
1. What is your favourite food? Ice Cream, and Pizza
2. What are you doing for New Years? Gonna spend it at church
3. What is your shoe size? 7
4. What style is your hair currently in? Well as i type, i am sitting under the hooded dryer, coming close to the end of my wash day, so at the moment it is in rollers.
5. What is your absolute favourite deep conditioner? To be honest, I don't think I have found one yet.  I have been on my hair journey for over 2 years, and I'm still trying to figure that one out.
6. Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla Ice Cream, but Chocolate cake - is that cheating lol
7. How often do you exercise? Well I walk to my car every day, and there are stairs in my house, does that count?
8. What is your favourite cereal?  Hands down Honey Nut Shredded Wheat.
9. Last Movie you saw? - Madagascar 3D with my niece
10. Did you get your flu shot this year? No, never have, it's only free on the NHS if you are elderly or have a weak immune system or asthma.  Since I don't fall into any of these categories, that count's me out
11.  Why did you start blogging?  Well that's simple, to track my hair progress and share it with anyone who wants to see.

3. Nominations
Most people that I follow have already been tagged but I also nominate
Mary's Hair Obsession
The Hatter's Hair
Special K
Blutiful Blaq Hair
Fancy Flair Lady
I am that Chica

My 11 questions
1. What is your hair goal length
2. What was your worst set back
3. Favourite Hair product
4. The last thing that made you laugh
5. Last holiday you took
6. One goal you have for 2013
7. Do you drive?
8. What did you have for lunch?
9. Favourite YouTuber?
10. Go-to hairstyle?
11. Would you ever get locks?

Relaxer Day - Dec 2012

A video demonstrating my failure relaxer day - only a failure due to the amount of knots that I encountered.  Other than that it wasn't too bad!

I promised my uncle

My uncle absolutely HATES weaves, wigs extensions etc and has an obsession with hair that grows out of your head (whether relaxed or natural), so I (foolishly) made a promise to him in October, that I would not do anything to my hair until the end of the year.  It was hard, man it was HARD! because so many times I was tempted to put it in extensions. I got bored of my hair, I got fed up of my hair, dare I say it but I fell out of love with my hair!

Well, now that the end of the year is within grasp, it's time for me to choose a protective style.  I want one that will last me at least two months, because I am studying and don't want to fuss with my hair, plus I think that the lack of protective styling has hindered my length retention (or it could just be that my hair regime is non existent right now!)

I was thinking of Crochet Braids.  As I was perusing through YouTube, I came across crochet braids, and that really took my fancy.  I have been considering putting my hair in weave, and this seems like the next best thing!  Any suggestions?

Blessings
Naddy x

Happy Birthday to Me!

Hey everyone!

So the end of November I celebrated my birthday.  I went to Egypt for a week with my sisters and loved it.  We stayed in Sharm El Sheikh but also flew to Cairo for a day, saw the pyramids, went inside one of the pyramids, went to the papyrus museum and the Egyptian Museum, sailed on the River Nile, and had lunch beside the river.  Also went snorkeling in the blue hole - Dahab, camel riding, safari through the desert, jeep ride, quad biking through the desert at sunset, submarine, shopping, beach etc.

I had the most fabulous, awesome, wonderful, brilliant time and wish I could do it all again.  I am grateful to God for granting me another year of life and I count my many blessings every day.

Now, regarding my hair, I did plan on relaxing my hair for my birthday, but decided against it, because I didn't really think that I needed to relax it for this purpose.  In my opinion, my hair still looked good and I didn't want to rush and relax it unnecessarily, so instead I decided to flat iron it.  Before I traveled, I washed and flat ironed my hair as it was 11 weeks post.  This was a mistake (to flat iron, not to wash), because on day 2 of my holiday I went snorkeling in the sea.  To prepare I put a load of conditioner in my hair and protected my hair somewhat with a swimming cap.  On day 3 I went down the super slides in the pool. 

Because I went in the sea and the pool, I had to wash my hair because of the salt in the sea water and the chlorine in the pool water.  I washed my hair with conditioner only as I did not think to bring shampoo!!! I air-dried it my hair as roller setting was not an option.  It wasn't as awful as I thought it would be, and although my hair was a little tangled, I was determined not to let my hair prevent me from having fun on my holiday.  All of the photos you see are of my hair air-dried, but I did flat iron my fringe only as I brought along my mini flat iron from Babyliss.

Because I only used conditioner on my hair, I will have to wash my hair properly tomorrow - with a clarifying shampoo and do a good deep condition and oil treatment.  I'll probably pre poo tonight also.

Hope you enjoyed the photos,

Till next time

Blessings

Naddy x

Hair Breakage =(

I have noticed some breakage at the crown of my head, it is not a lot, but it is definitely breakage.  I can't figure out what could have caused it.  I'm not too worried about it because it is only a small section and it is hidden in the middle.  Just thought I'd share it.  If you have any ideas in what might have caused it, or how to prevent it in future, I'd be grateful. I always suffer from itching in the middle of my head, so that may be a cause - I dunno!

 

Till Next Time
x

Extolling the Virtues of Coconut Oil

Research suggests that chemical treatments (bleaching, relaxing, colouring, over-processing) and UV, thermal processing,  exposure causes hair damage which increases porosity and swelling of the hair cuticle causing the hair to become rough and dull. I have this problem, I think my hair is dull and it is certainly rough and I wondered what was the best way to improve this.  

One study I came across explained that Coconut oil treatments prevented combing damage of various hair types and found that Coconut Oil has a superior effect on hair in comparison to Sunflower Oil and Mineral Oils, which are not found to penetrate the hair shaft.  The following extract explains their findings: "Among three oils, Coconut Oil was the only oil found to reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product. Both sunflower and mineral oils do not help at all in reducing the protein loss from hair. This difference in results could arise from the composition of each of these oils. Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid), has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft" Source: Europe PubMed.

I have often wondered, what exactly is the scientific value of hair oils.  Besides the articles that I see on Google and other peoples experinces with the product.  The info above leads me to believe that it is scientifically beneficial to the hair, so in short, I think I'll be using more Coconut Oil from now on! 

Trim Time!

I flat ironed my hair this week and as my hair has been really tangled lately  I thought it was an ideal time to trim my ends.  I did it myself, so it was a bit slap dash, but I am glad I did it.  I have always loved the look of blunt ends as I find it instantly makes your hair look healthier.  I started at the back and awkwardly worked my way throughout my hair snipping about an inch at a time.  I could have taken of two inches, but I really did want to hang on to my length.  I'll do another trim at the beginning of the year and hold on to my length for now.  The trim probably took me about 45 mins in total, but I am pleased with the results.

  

                                                   BEFORE                                                          AFTER

And here is the evidence:

Dry Brittle Hair :(

My hair has felt so dry and brittle lately, and I think that it has been breaking.  I think that the elasticity in my hair has gone completely and i really don't like the way that it has been feeling.  Now i did not wash my hair for 2 weeks as I put a rinse in it and I wanted to preserve the colour for as long as possible.  I figured that stretching between washes was the best way to achieve this.  This was not a good idea, my scalp was super duper dry and my hair was not thriving.  i will revert back to weekly washing for sure!

So I researched on the internet how to repair dry and brittle hair and figured that an oil deep condition would be the best thing.  I mixed up some HE Hello Hydration with copious amounts of avocado oil and saturated my hair with it - it was so much that it was dripping - maybe too much but hey ho!

I then twisted it up into four twists, pinned it up on top of my head and put a plastic cap on.  I left it on my head for about 3 hours whilst doing chores around the house, and also used my heat cap for 30 mins.  I washed it out in the shower and then used the CON Sulphate free shampoo (Love it!), did a t shirt dry, roller set my hair (which only took me 1 hr 15 mins this time) and sat under the dryer for about 1 hour (my hair needed more time, but I could not take the heat!).  My hair feels so much better, I will be doing more of these oil treatments throughout this Autumn/winter season.  I have been moisturising with my Shea Butter mix and it has really been thriving.

Ragging Red - Hair Colour

On Saturday 13/10/2012 I decided to dye/colour my hair red again.  I filmed myself whilst doing it so you can all see for yourself.  I dyed my hair Raging Red by Adore - a semi permanent colour.

If you have any questions please ask, I'd be happy to answer.

Maybe air-drying isn't for me?

Air dried hair at 1 week post

I am seriously considering whether air-drying is the right method for me.  I co-washed my hair on Wednesday night and then went to bed with my hair in a bun after applying my leave in conditioner.  The next morning my hair was not dry so I let it out at work so that it could dry fully, but my hair was just a big bush.  Similar to my last wash day (see the pic):

Last night I added my Shea butter mix and really smoothed it through in an attempt to tame my hair.  I then put it into 4 cornrows, smoothing it all throughout the process. I am hoping that this will help help it smooth out.  But whilst I was cornrowing my hair, it was so tangled, not at the roots (because I am 2 weeks post, and I used the scarf method) but from about 4 inches, right to the end of my hair it is so tangled, and almost 'sticks' to each other like barbed wire, unwilling to separate!


I have thought of  a few reasons why my hair is so tangled and listed them below:
- It may be because my hair is under-processed/texlaxed in places
- It may be because I didn't t-shirt dry this time
- It may be because I haven't found the right leave in conditioner/products
- It may be because I didn't fully de-tangle in the shower
- It may be because my hair is damaged (but I don't want to believe this one!)
- It may be because I didn't DC this time
- It may simply be that my hair does not respond well to air-drying!

I was reading Hairlista and think that roller setting may be the best way to avoid these tangles. But it is something that I find too time consuming, and a practice I have failed to master.  I could also try blow drying on a cool temperature, or doing flexi rods and sitting under the dryer.  Does anyone have any alternative solutions?  If not, I think my next wash day will be a roller set day (deep sigh).

Blessings
Naddy x

Hairstyles I've tried

So I have been relaxed for one week now and thought I would share with you the styles that I have tried with my now manageable hair. I love when it is relaxed after a stretch. There is such a difference and the styling options are everlasting! I went out to a family do on sat and thought I would do something different with my hair. I attempted to do the Banana Clip Pin Curl, as done by Sunshyne of Hairlista and Hairlicious Inc. I followed these steps as well as I could but it didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. I think the problem was that started out with flat ironed hair and not air dried. Anyhow, this is how it looked at the start

  

   Then I noticed that it had dropped so I tried to fix it when I got to my mum's house, but think I should have left it alone.  This is how it looked after I 'fixed' it...  Sorry, but the lighting in my mum's bathroom isn't so great, and I am still using my phone to take pictures.

  

So this is how I styled it on Monday.  It is just a simple sock bun with my fringe.  I really like having a fringe.  Kinda makes my hair look a little less boring.

Then On Tuesday I stopped caring! No...not really, it was wash day - click here to see how that turned out.

Wednesday I put my hair into four plaits and kept that in until Friday when I took it out for a braidout:

  

  

I'm gonna try not to use any heat until my next relaxer day - I really think this contributes to my length retention.

After a few days, the braidout was well and truly on it's last legs, so I just put my hair in a bun.

  

What works best for you?

Deep condition | Co-Wash | Black Tea Rinse

I neglected to wash my hair on Saturday because I had a cold (well i still do, but need to wash my hair), so today (25.09.12) is the day.  I mixed HE Hello Hydration, ORS Replenishing Conditioner, and a £1 conditioner together with argan oil and avocado oil to make my deep condition mixture.  Now, there is NO science to my method, I just figure that a combination of conditioners and oils will do the trick i.e: promote soft manageable hair and I run with it!

 

I used my fingers to separate my hair into 4 sections and then proceeded to apply the mixture to my hair using the relaxer method.

I never seem to mix enough - or I use too much, either way, I am always struggling to make it last (I couldn't be bothered to mix some more).  I made sure to add the mix to the roots and ends especially, and then massaged it throughout the strands, applying more as required.  Below you can see it with one section completed and then the whole back section completed. 

  

  

Once my whole head was done I put my hair into a bun and clipped it up.  I then added the plastic cap and finally put on the heat wrap.  The heat wrap is placed into the microwave for about 2 minutes until the gel packs reach a desired temperature (be sure not to over heat the packs or they could burst!).  This pack stays hot for about 20 mins and then needs re-heating.  I re-heated it for about 1 minute and put it back on my head for another 20 minutes.

   

4 tea bags and hot water, brewed for 2-3 hours

In the past, I have used the black tea as my final step in my wash day process, but I find that this is too drying, so this time I rinsed the conditioner with the black tea - re-covered with a plastic cap, waited 20 minutes and then co-washed with HE Hello Hydration, my hair still needed cleaning so I did one shampoo with KeraCare Moisturising Shampoo.  I then let the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle sit on my hair for about 5 minutes.

Side view following wash - no product

Whilst in the shower I was constantly finger de-tangling, and made sure to rinse out all products in one direction (with gravity and the flow of water) I did not bunch my hair up at all.  I think this helps to keep my hair smooth and reduces tangles.  As usual, the final rinse was a cold water rinse.  I am not sure if this does any good to my hair, but don't think it does any bad either.

I t-shirt dried my hair for about 1 hour, added my leave ins (Aphogee Keratin Reconstructurizer, At One leave in conditioner then added some EVCO, de-tangled with my fingers only and air dried with the scarf method.  I just brushed down the edges to make sure my hair laid down flat.  It is now dark, so I will come back tomorrow with a picture of how it air-dried.  Well I came back tonight with it 95% dry.  It's just the roots that need to get dry and we are done.  At this point I have not combed through my hair once.

   

But on the plus side, my edges laid down really well thanks to the scarf method.  I am going to oil my scalp and then just put in a loose bun for bed, then I will M&S tomorrow.   My hair is also in need of a trim too.  Well... that's all folks!

Blessings
Naddy x

Versatile Blogger Nomination

I can't believe it!  I have been nominated by the lovely Tathiana of My Pound Cake. Yipee, and massive Thank You.  So, now that I've been nominated, I must do the following:  

To Do List

1. Thank the Blogger that nominated me.  (tick!)
2. Share 7 random facts about me. (see below)
3. Nominate 15 bloggers who are relatively new to blogging. (see below)
4. Let nominated bloggers know they have been nominated. (will do)
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award to my post. (tick)

Seven Random Facts
1. I am the middle child of three girls
2. I am studying Forensic Psychology
3. I have a cold right now (sniff sniff)
4. My bedroom furniture is white
5. My favourite colour is green
6. I have never had my nails done professionally - painted, acrylic or otherwise
7. I only wear make-up on special occasions - but want to start wearing it more, even if it is just lip gloss and mascara!

Nominate 15 Bloggers
1. Blutifulblaqhair
2. The Hatter's Hair
3. So This Is What They Call Life
4. Such is Leash
5. Wishful Lengths
6. Relaxed and Loving it
7. Healthy Hair is a Journey
8. The Jen Chronicles
9. I want long hair
10. Breaking the Myths
11. Mary's Hair Obsession
12. Naturalista
13. Hairtastic Ms. Henissi
14. Cakes of Dreams
15. A Curly Girl All the Days of My Life

So... over to you, who do you nominate?

Goodbye t-shirt

Well, it seems I am going to have to wave a fond farewell to my homemade length check t-shirt.  I made it at the very start of my journey over two years ago, but I made two mistakes...

1. I used stretchy material
2. The lines were not straight

For these reasons I don't think that I can use it as an accurate guide any more.  But fear not! I have already bought, and started to use my justgrowalready length check t-shirt, which is far more accurate.  So here is a comparison pic of my t-shirt vs an official one (and a scalp shot!).  From here on out, I will only be using my Just Grow Already t-shirt.

  

   

So please say goodbye to my green t-shirt, and hello to my white one!

Wash Day | Pre Relaxer

I am planning to relax my hair next week, and I wanted to get it prepared for this process.  Yesterday was wash-day. I approached it reluctantly as I was dreading the detangling that loomed once the water had penetrated all of my hair strands.  But to combat that, I thought I would wash my hair in braids.  I usually wash my hair in one direction, all going back, but the thought of the knots and tangles that would result put me off entirely.  The braids worked a treat, although it was not a bump free road, there were a lot less bumps!  I'll share the pictures with you below.

I started off with hair that looked a bit like this, as this is how I had been wearing my hair all week.

Then I put my hair into plaits.  I think I ended up with 7-8 in total. I secured the ends with mini black elastic bands.  I only wrapped it around 3 times to minimise damage when I removed it at the end of the wash.

  

I washed with diluted ORS Clarifying shampoo and used the ApHogee Keratin 2 min reconstructuriszer.  The final rinse was a cold one to close up my cuticles and promote the look of healthy (non frizzy) hair.  Post wash, my hair looked a little worse for wear!

  

I then threw on a micro-fiber turban to dry off excess water, and left that on for about 30 minutes before I began to blow dry.

I detangled section,by section, added my leave in conditioner and heat protectant and blow dried.  In the picture on the left, you can see my hair half blow dried and half still awaiting it's destiny!  In the picture on the right, you can get a better idea of the amount of new-growth that I have going on in my head.  When I see this, I wish I had the guts and the confidence to shave it all off and go natural, but not for now.  I've got to reach my goal.

  

I wouldn't normally blow dry, but I did for two reasons.  I was going out and didn't have enough time to let my hair air dry, secondly, as I am going to relax this week, I will need to be able to comb through my roots so that the application process is as quick and smooth running as possible.  So this is how it looked once it was all done.  Sorry for the poor lighting, but it was dusk and the natural light was fading.

I am going to keep my hair in a bun for the rest of the week and get my dearest mother to relax my hair at the weekend.  She used to relax my hair when I first got a relaxer at age 14, I hope she remembers what to do?!?  She did say she would research LOL.

Till next time

Blessings

Naddy x