Hey you!
I'm not 100% sure yet but I think Mondays will be my hair update day. To be very honest I could talk about hair and my concerns, discoveries and regiment at least 4 times a week but I'd rather not get ahead of myself here and bore you all to death with all that stuff.
Wanna hear something pretty cool though? After last week's post on the moisturisers review I received an email from my dad with the subject titled "Hair" and didn't expect to see this, "Liked your post even though I have no hair to talk about..." You should have seen me, I felt like I'd won gold at a 1,500km marathon and made my papa very proud. Who knew moisturised hair would warrant an email response from the old man? The only time he's ever done that by the way.
Anyway so remember how I mentioned that my hair was breaking quite a bit?
Well here's my theory:
I think that even if you don't use heat after washing your hair, your hair will still break quite a bit.
End of theory.
Am I right? Can anyone verify this? You see I realised that the same pattern occured twice. I washed my hair, de-tangled, added some moisturisers + oils, air dried it and for the next two days after that, my hair was breaking and I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to stop it. I reckon this is because of the de-tangling session and that my hair broke quite a bit then despite being very gentle.
Any tips on how to stop this?
I washed my hair on Friday and used the treatment below mixed with extra virgin olive oil, (yes, yes, I realise the deep conditioner already boasts extra virgin olive oil but whatevs), coconut oil and castor oil. My hair had a blast because it felt so soft after! And I'm not exaggerating. Soo soft.
Organics Olive Oil Deep Conditioner
KES 500
Pietro Coricelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Can't remember
Ideal Castor Oil
KES 70
Parachute Coconut Oil
KES 100
I'm on the hunt for Lavendar, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil and Grapeseed Oil. Half the time I'm not sure if I should be looking for my hair products in the hair isle or the food isle of supermarkets. Feel free to point me in the right direction if you know where I can get these items.
My good friend (hi Joanzy!) did some research and landed on a concoction that requires Thyme and Rosemary among other oils as part of the ingredients for a mixture that's good for hair growth.
To be honest, I'm not sure if we're cooking chicken or treating hair here but I'm about to do my research on all this stuff and see what I come up with.
Hit me ladies (and gents, even you dad), I know you've got some tips/suggestions/remarks for me.
On hair breakage, I don't think it can stop completely since your hair has been processed and undergone heat treatment many times before.
ReplyDeleteI tried many tips but was also getting some breakage until when I went natural ( am not saying you do it too lol)then I have now 99.99% breakage with the treatment, conditioning, moisturing, sealing and name it all regime.
You may consider wearing hairstyles that don't require daily combing or comb your hair once a week into a ponytail and wrap it well when going to bed so that in the morning you just brush the edges a little.
Bye :)
I meant 99.99% NO breakage, sorry
ReplyDeleteYeah I figured you meant to say that!
DeleteI know I'm expected to shed quite a bit per day but I still freak out whenever I see any hair falling out..
I've currently got my hair in little braids which I did on Saturday night.. I'll take them out tomorrow or Wednesday so hopefully the braiding prevented some breakage.
You're right though, I should definitely keep away from heavy daily brushing.
Thanks missy :)
I'm about to start my hair journey. Love your reviews! Where did you get the coconut oil?
ReplyDeleteAll the best with your hair journey Noni!
DeleteI actually saw the coconut oil first on Kurly Kichana's blog - got it from Nakumatt junction but I believe she got it from Uchumi on Ngong Rd (I may be making that up)
Hair has to break or else you'd have too much on your head. The amount of breakage depends on the many other factors; using heat, holding your hair too tight, just increase the rate at which the hair breaks but nothing you can do will stop the rate to zero.
ReplyDeleteThe best products for your hair are those in your kitchen. You can make moisturizer using thyme and rosemary as they're both amazing for hair growth. Check recipes here (follow this one and you'll find many others with onions and even garlic): http://mydreadlocks.blogspot.de/2009/05/rosemary-for-hair.html
Where to find most of these oils, I'd advice you use those found in the food isle and not those from the hair products section. My motto; If you can eat it, it's good for your hair, if you can't eat it, don't use it on your hair.
I remember reading a couple years back that you're expected to shed about 50-100 hairs per day so I know the shedding part is normal. It's the breaking that was worrying me and what's frustrating is I'm not sure how much is too much, you know? I think since I've only just started my journey I should wait a while and monitor my hair before really panicking. There's a good chance that what I'm referring to as horrible breakage is actual quite normal - whatever that is!
DeleteHaha, love the motto. I'll be on the lookout for these products but first I have to do quite a bit of research before throwing this stuff on my hair..
heeey..avocado oil can be found at most 'Healthy U' stands mostly in Nakummat, ,.there's a Healthy u shop at Yaya Centre,where you could also find the Jojoba oil, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Grapeseed(not sure about it being unrefined though) etc. I found their shop to be heaven sent when I started my natural hair journey.SOme of these oils are quite pricey, but yeah its your hair,,it deserves the best.!P.s I stalk your blog daily.You must be one of the bubbliest people I 'know',..well not literally knowing you, you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI know there's a Healthy U store at Junction - I'll check it out tomorrow and see whether they've got any of these essential oils. Thanks Joan!
DeleteHow's your natural hair going? How long have you been natural for?
And thank you so much for visiting my blog as often as you do :) Have a great week!
xx
Ess, relaxed hair is more prone to breakage because the chemical process break the protein bonds in the hair in order to straighten it. In essence, relaxers weaken already fragile kinky hair. But that does not mean relaxed hair has to be unhealthy. It all depends on how you balance moisture and protein on you hair. I think we call protein..treatment in KE. Anyway, you need to double up on both moisture (think products with water, honey, glycerine etc) and protein (Think products with avocado, mayo, eggs etc) This balancing act is what did my relaxed hair in and I went natural. Be Careful not to overdo moisture or protein, both have catastrophic outcomes. I think once a week and if you can combine the two so it's not such a giant pain in the tush.
ReplyDeleteBreakage is not to be confused with shedding. Breakage = not good. Abnormal. Shedding= good. Normal. Shedding is when the hair strand reached it's maximum threshold and is pushed out of the hair follicle but the new growing strand. An easy way to tell is if you can see a white bulb on the root of the hair. If yes, then it's shed hair. It's estimated that we shed anywhere from 50 to 100 strands, depending on length, age and texture.
Tweaking your DC's (deep conditioners) with moisturizing and protein additions (like the oils) will help. Also, consider extending the wait time between relaxers. And fight the heat temptation with all you have. Your hair will thank you!
Sorry for the rant. I am a novice who gets a little carried away. lol.. Good luck with the hair journey.
Gabrielle
FashionBeautyInsight
Been trying to keep my protein and moisture balance so that my hair gets both and I think I've been doing ok.. Keyword being "think". I guess the longer I'm on this journey the better I'll understand my hair!
DeleteYeah I knew about the difference - that's why I keep repeating how I'm worried about breakage! Gaaah. I reckon a little breakage is normal too though because of all the styling, manipulation etc.
I don't think treatment is necessarily equals protein in Kenya. It's either a moisture based treatment (like Motions Moisture Plus) or protein based treatment (Organics Mayo..).
Oh pahleez, don't apologies for the lengthy reply - I always appreciate it when someone takes the time and effort to reply like you did!
Thanks :)
Hahahahahaha i died at "are we cooking chicken or treating hair" Lol Ess you should have been a comedian my ribs hurt. Seriously though Namboka and Mkenya Ujerumani are totally right about hair breakage. I get comments like "what is food doing in your hair" everytime i tell someone about my hair regimen . I am loving this Monday updates i think it's great for consistency unless you have a hair raising (all pun intended lol) hair story you want to tell us before Monday:)My silly cousin always says to me at least you will never run out of cooking oil due to my stash of coconut oil lol. Think of it back in the day before industries ad factories came up people used to mix concotions from their kitchen to use on their hair and it works so we are basically going back to our roots.
ReplyDeleteim braiding my hair this wednesday. i think the growth is making it break too much.i cant stand seeing it cut anymore.emotional trauma there.
Deletethen im taking that time to stock up on oils, tutorials, the works.hehe
ill still be stopping by here every monday to see the progress. when this works, people will not stop hearing about your blog and my hair.lol
@Lydz - :) Monday updates it is!! Can people actually use the coconut oil for cooking? I don't know why I feel like Coconut oil can now only be used for hair. Silly, I know.
Delete@Ciku - A part of me misses braids and then a part of me doesn't.. How long has it been since you relaxed your hair? Careful it doesn't break to much! Can't wait to see/speak to you every Monday then!
Yes you can use it to cook too very common at the coast especially in the rural areas
DeleteLol Ess , u love ur hair. I wish i cud pay mine the attention u give yours :-( anyhoe my only advice is always keep ur hair moisturized. Perhaps once in awhile put in some cornrows for a month to give ur hair a rest- while ur hair is in the cornrows/braids (since ur hair is long ,i recommend using ur own hair) take care of it well. I also have natural hair and as much as ppl claim hair breakage is less, i still experience it . African hair is just prone to breakage, so accept it, probably what ur seeing is a natural process. Anyway i find the less i manipulate it and more I moisturize, the less the breakage. Also biotin supplements help
ReplyDeleteI doooo Vee, I do. Sometimes, when I remember, I pray for my hair to grow long and healthy!
DeleteHahahaha, "anyhoe" made me literally laugh out loud.
I moisturise my hair every night except for when it's braided (like it is now). I actually did it on Saturday night and used my own hair but I think I'll take them out tomorrow since I didn't do a neat job.
Heard about Biotin for the first time last week and considered getting some but want to focus on a healthy diet and loads of water first then see if I should even consider supplements at all.
Have you tried them though?
I've been taking Hair, skin, and nails multivits plus biotin for over a year. Yes you get thickness results but its not instant. You will probably notice after 6 months of daily use. Proper diet is definately way better than popping stuff but my lifestyle is ridiculous- miss my mummy's food :)
DeleteAnyhoo (lol) just seen ur interview on the kurly's site. I totally agree with your opinion that being african is not defined by hair. By the way Watch Good hair by Chris Rock, black women make my day. I'm just happy we women have many options, and as Ms. Arie says We are not our hair ;)
cheers
am starting to form a new obsession over hair, love the tips all make a date with you every Monday. Lovely week n good luck with that.
ReplyDeleteYaaay, it's a date :) But feel free to drop by even before Monday!
DeleteGreat week to you too Lynn
xx
your hair is great...i just spent and hour plus trolling through your site...good stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mbabazi!
Deletexx
just thinking out loud here-how long has it been since your relaxer touch-up?maybe the difference in textures between your new growth and the relaxed hair is causing breakage. it might be worth stretching your hair using rollers(no heat) or matutas during drying to reduce the difference in textures. p.s love the blog
ReplyDeleteI believe I last relaxed it on August 26th, I'll be booking an appointment with my hairdresser on the 17th (and I CANNOT WAIT).
DeleteYou're right, it could be that although the breakage has reduced significantly which I'm happy about!
Thanks!
Hey ess :)
ReplyDeleteIve also been on the relaxed hair growth journey and my hair has grown quite longer and Ive picked up a few things on the way..
To answer why hair breaks off...my hair breaks off especially at the ends because that is dead hair from way way back.my hair that was religiously deep conditioned and moisturised is thick and strong while that at the ends is thin and reallly frail.A strand of hair can show you that.
To retain hair length with the ends breaking off is really hard but i usually put my hair in protective styles like a bun.Not much we can do but hey,ensure your hair grows faster than you let your ends break.
On keeping moisture, after i air dry my hair,in my trusty spray bottle i mix 2 parts olive oil and one part coconut oil and place the spray bottle in hot but not boiling water till its really light and can be easily sprayed.After that i spray on my roots and hair,wrap up in a shower cap and go about (i usually do housework).My hair stays really moisturised for 3 days before i really need another touch up.
I had a huuuuge problem with my front edges though which would never ever EVER retain length,but after watching a hair programme on BET (YES!!!) i made a point to apply gel to tame fly aways and keep my hair looking sleek.BEST DECISION EVER!!!!!! of which after un-usual build up id take a damp cotton wool and just clean up.
thats just from the top of my head but yeah.hope it helps :)
Jeptum where does your hair reach now and how long did it take to get there?? Tell meeee!!
DeleteI need to get me one of those bottles where I can mix all these herbs and oils and whatnot..
I've always assumed that gel leaves your hair hard and icky afterwards so I always steer clear of it.. Which gel do you use? And how does it feel on your hair?
Hey Ess! Just stumbled upon your blog today. You are one funny chica. So i've been natural for 2yrs now and have tried every concoction/routine/natural product known to man. Hair in general breaks but you can reduce breakage: moisturize,low-manipulation,find a routine that works for Your hair,and TRY to eat healty and drink a lot of H20 (mui importante). My fav homemade deep conditioner = baby banana food, honey, coconut cream, and jojoba/olive/oil. My hair smells so yummy and is super soft after. Try it...you might like it. Love the blog btw!
ReplyDeleteAwww thanks!
DeleteI'm telling you I've never eaten more veggies in my life. I usually stay away from my greens but since I started my hair journey I've been eating better and drinking as much water as my body could allow (which is usually about a litre a day).
Be careful not to over-condition! Yep, there is such a phenomenon. I thought I was just being 'extra' and putting all this conditioner stuff and oils and stuff and someone warned me that I may be experiencing breakage due to my 'extra' conditioning efforts. Kila kitu kwa kiasi is my motto now...I try to keep it simple. And I think it's working. Yay!
ReplyDeleteYeah I was reading about that a couple weeks ago but I've been trying to find the right balance between adding moisture and protein.
DeleteThe breaking seems to have slowed down quite a bit though which I'm excited about!
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteTotally love love love your blog! we met once at your cousins anitas house anyway please do a segment on skin care soon....looking forward to that!
Keep on doing this amazing work. God bless u!
Heeeey,
DeleteAre you Anita's friend??
I would love to do such a post but to be honest I have no tips or tricks for you so it would be pretty much pointless. If you have anything else you'd like to see (that I think I know a thing or two about) let me know!
Thank you so much and be blessed too!
xx
Saw ur interview at KK, gorgeous hair! Love the blog...as i buckle down with a giant mug of coffee to read thru it!
ReplyDelete