naturalfinegeh

Every naturalister I know thinks that Shea butter is the holy grail of natural hair. It seems to be the all-in- all of natural hair. Yes it is actually very good for natural hair but there are suitable conditions under which  it should be applied. Have you ever applied Shea butter on your hair and it stays just on top? never absorbs ! Yes I have and I vowed never to apply it to my hair again. Most times it melts and drips down my hair like annointing lolllllll......na wa . Just like most of you out there, I didn't know any better, i thought daily moisturizing with Shea butter was the answer to my brittle and frizzy hair but  sometimes it gave my hair even more frizz when applied to dry .....

Shea butter is heavy and not ideal as an everyday pomade or hair cream. Here are some tips on how to use Shea butter and other hair butters......

Bantu knot is something that has always caught my fancy. It is simple to do and the results are absolutely amazing. Have you ever wondered why your bantu knot never dries out well especially for a 4c hair type? This is because you use to many products to twist and knot. Refer to the previous post on how to know your hair type...

http://naturalfinegeh.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-know-your-natural-hair-type.html


Owing to the thickness and density of 4c hair, you do not need too many products to set your bantu knot,  just WATER! I struggled with this for years until I finally tried just water and a sealant ...........result was excellent.

1. Wash hair and air dry .
2. Whilst hair is still damp, partition in small sections.
3. Apply a sealant to sectioned hair and do a tight two way twist. You can use raw African shea butter as sealanr (ori).
4. wrap twist several times round until it form a knot.
5. Tie hair with a silk/satin scarf before going to bed.
6. Before you undo twist in the morning, rub bantu knot with a light weight oil eg coconut /argan oil.
7. Undo twists gently........
8. Simple right......

Your Options In Natural Hairstyles

Jamaican black castor oil

I tried this method for four consecutive weeks and the result was mind blowing! My curls were more defined, less tight and my hair felt softer...

I always used to wonder why my hair didn't like "wash and go", it never came out right.... either too dry or shrunk. I first read about The Maximum Hydration Method last year on an article online.
You may think you are moisturizing your hair enough, but if you’re using lots of sulfates, “cones” (products that have ingredients ending in -cone) or not applying water-based moisturizers enough, your hair could be thirsty.

Your hair shrinks up more when there' s not enough moisture in it, so when your hair is fully hydrated, the opposite happens.
You’ll also have stronger hair, fewer tangles and your natural pattern will come out.

5 Steps to Max Hydration

     

Did you know that:

Refrigerating your leave in conditioner will help seal your hairs cuticle and improve shine? 

Trust me, I just to knew mine only last year , so do not feel bad if you have not figured yours out yet. Knowing your hair type will help a great deal on how you manage your hair.

What’s Your Hair Type?

find out now!

The best way to  know your original curl pattern is after you have washed your hair and it has aired without any products in it.
The classification system ranges from straight hair types to curly hair types. Curly hair types include:  3a, 3b, 3c,  4a, 4b, and 4c
                                          

Most Nigerian/African hair textures fall within the 4b and 4c range, yes the comb breakers and  tear initiators loll. Maintaining these textures can be frustrating .The one thing you need to know about natural hair is that the kinkier (tightly coiled) it is, the drier and harder it will be in most case.
When your hair is very kinky, it’s harder for your scalp’s natural oils to travel down your strands.  hence the reason for dullness.
That is why some people who have looser/straighter curl patterns have shinier hair.
Your pattern can also explain why your hair has a very low sheen and no shine. Shine comes from light reflection. That’s why relaxed hair appears shinier. Straight hair reflects the light better.
Natural hair shines when its healthy.

You cannot change your hairs texture . However, with proper TLC you can still bring out your strand’s natural sheen and revitalize your tresses

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HAIR MOISTURISED AND SHINY

I get really confused when I see naturalisters pour all sorts of oils on their hair just to moisturize it. Firstly "oils are not moisturizers", water is the most reliable and best moisturizer there is.....

1. Drink lot of water. To keep your hair moisturized, drink at least 8 glasses of water daily.
2. Buy water based moisturizers and good sealants. Sealants contain oil and/or butters that seal in water (moisture), eg "ori"  So if you twist your hair while it’s damp (water is your moisturizer) and apply a good sealant, that will keep your hair moisturized and soft for a long time.
3. Try the MAXIMUM HYDRATION METHOD . This method is everything! I tried it on my hair and trust me , I saw results almost immediately! My hair was fully hydrated . Here is how to know when it is fully hydrated...
   
1. Your hair will retain moisture very well (less product to achieve optimal moisture level)
2. You’ll have less shrinkage
3. Your curl pattern will pop with less frizz
4. Your hair will be stronger (less breakage)
5. There will be fewer tangles
6. Do the baggy method..... This is another fantastic way to retain moisture.

To read on maximum hydration method check out my post

or copy and paste the link in your browser...

Your royalnappiness....

Is this you? No shame in admitting because this used to be me , yep. I cried for months from combing my hair, combs broke in my hair, I tried everything and almost gave up! One merry day I discovered the secret to softer and more manageable hair! Are you interested? Read on.......

source The natural haven

1. Always have your hair in a protective style before going to bed or else your hair will be stiff and shrink beyond recognition in the morning . You can do  two way twist or three way braid(calabar).
2. Deep condition more often. Constant deep conditioning makes the hair softer and loosens up the coils.
3. Always apply a leave in conditioner . Leave in conditioners makes your hair soft instantly! Yes it works like magic...so you should invest in a very good leave in conditioner. Ensure to buy water based leave in conditioners, this keeps the hair hydrated.
4. Apply shea butter, popularly known as "ori"...I use this mostly when I am braiding my hair, my stylist applies it to my hair before cutting it in portions to braid. Combing my hair without shea butter brings me to tears no jokes...

African shea butter

I started my natural hair blog today yayyy! I know there are tons and tons of natural hair blogs out there but hey the sky is big enough for everyone right? LOL. I have been natural for three years plus now and trust me it wasn't all fun and games , I have had my fair share of frustration . My hair has passed through the fire and flame but alas! we came out victorious......

I will be sharing my natural hair care struggles and tips on this blog bi monthly and I hope my experience helps someone .... Being natural in Nigeria is quite a chore , it could be frustrating at times . Because our weather is so harsh we need to take extra care .

The big chop, Yikes!

I remember when I did my big chop, I was as confused as hell , I tried a whole lot of things which ended up destroying my hair. Here are a few steps to guide you after your big chop


                                                     LIFE AFTER THE BIG CHOP

1. Relax. Be anxious for nothing my friend.
2. Deep condition as often as you can. You have the luxury to deep condition often because of the length of your hair.
3. Embrace and love your length.
4. Wash and go is your friend ! Yep ! wash and go when your hair is short is the easiest thing, honestly I miss my short hair sometimes. All you need to do is wash and rub your hair with some curly pudding .
5. Moisturize with a good moisturizer.
6. Know your hair type.
7. Expecting more? Nah....its not that serious ...
8. Enjoy!