From the beginning, I have used my blog as a means to track and chronicle my own hair journey, so I felt it was necessary to archive my progress picture on my three year natural hair anniversary. If you had asked me at the beginning of 2009 if I’d ever consider chopping all my hair off, I would have looked at you batty. Well, you know what they say – never say never.
And sooo…here’s my three year anniversary video!
Deets on the video after the jump:
Reblogged from transitioningmovement.com:
Q: I am interested in growing my hair. Can you please recommend some products?
A: There are some product types that I think are imperative to any hair regimen for growth and health. However, specific products will be based on the individual head of hair and will need to be determined by that person.
· Cleanser: Whether you are a shampoo fan or avoid it like the plague, you need to cleanse your hair and scalp to remove build-up and dirt. If you don’t like shampoo, try a cleansing conditioner – just make sure it contains the proper cleansing surfactants for your routine (can cleanse silicones if you use them). For lists of cleansing agents, look them up via the Internet on sites like Cosmetics Cop.
· Moisturizing Rinse Out Conditioner: A moisturizing conditioner should always be in your starting line up for in between wash days or after shampooing. Conditioners soften hair, assist with detangling, and coat/protect the hair.
· Protein Rinse Out Conditioner: Even if you are protein sensitive, it’s a good idea to keep a good protein conditioner on hand if you use heat or color. I rarely do “hard” protein treatments (only after flat ironing), but like to add a shot of protein here and there. Just be sure you don’t use it everyday unless you are a protein lover. Also, make sure you are using a strengthening protein (wheat, keratin) rather than a softening one (silk, collagen) to reduce breakage and encourage retention.
· Leave-In Conditioner: Leave-In conditioners maintain pliability and softness to our hair. These can come in several consistencies – liquid, creamy, buttery, etc. Just make sure a water-based ingredient is first on the list (usually water or aloe vera) to ensure it will provide more moisture rather than help you retain moisture (i.e., oil).
You are probably thinking this list is incomplete – where are the deep conditioners, stylers, butters/oils, and moisturizers? Stylers don’t need to “benefit” your hair per se, they are there mainly for looks, and if your leave-in is formulated correctly, it can give you the benefits from a butter/oil or moisturizer. Remember, we’re focusing on health right now. Technically, you can even use your rinse out conditioner as a leave-in, if it works for you (I do this often), and moisturizing rinse out conditioners can often act as deep conditioners if left on the hair for a longer period of time.
In addition to products, make sure you are feeding your hair from the inside out. Dehydration and vitamin deficiencies often cause hair loss and dry, brittle hair.
**Mainly, what I’m saying is to make sure your hair is clean, moisturized, and strong, which will minimize breakage and increase your length retention. **
xoxo
So, if you follow my blog, you know that I rarely protective style. I’ve talked about it and said that I needed to in fear that I would stop retaining length as my hair has gotten longer, but eh…I just never got around to it. I have to be real with myself – I love wearing my hair out, and for me, a true test of product performance is how my hair looks and feels in a wash and go. Meaning, how my hair looks without my manipulating my curl pattern.
I know, you’re looking at me like I am a mad woman, because all black women HAVE to protective style to retain length, right? Well…don’t be too scared; there is a method to my madness. Over the past year or so, I have focused on several aspects of my routine that I do believe have helped me retain my length, so I wanted to share them. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking protective styling, and everyone’s hair is different (for instance, my hair is coarse so someone with finer hair may need to be more gentle with their strands), but I wanted to share the following tips:
When I began growing my hair out, one of my goals was to get my hair back to the length it was when I was a child (adult equivalent, of course). I think I’m almost there? What I need to do is get rid of the red still there and go out in the sun. My natural color as a child was great!
Another thing I didn’t say in the video…since my last video, my ends are noticeably more even – most likely due to my new found appreciation for trimming, lol.
xoxo
