Pre-relaxer prep

Been so depressed without my oils which I forgot in Abuja. I missed the Natural Hair meet up and was so bummed about not being able to stock up. Plus, I'm on a budget :D

Anyway, my cousin sent me Jamaican Black Castor (scalp), Coconut Vatika (pre-poo +hot oil treatment) and Shea Butter (deep conditioning/ steaming).

My hair is 15 weeks post relaxer so getting ready for my next creamy crack dosage after I take out my braids. Here's the prep details for a week before I relax:

1. Take out braids and do hot oil treatment with coconut oil
2. rinse out with warm water and wash with protein conditioner (not shampoo)
3. leave-in conditioner and air dry
4. Provectiv growth Moisturiser
5. Curl with small flexirods/ bendy rollers (so excited about this)

Supplements for Hair Growth

I started taking Gummy Multivitamins (for adults :D), Biotin capsules,  and Fish oil as part of my hair regimen and healthy living in general.

Biotin (Vitamin B7): This regimen will last 60 days during which I take 5000mg per day (1 pill) after eating breakfast. Its just one pill daily so super convenient.

"Biotin is most often thought of as the “hair growth vitamin.” It is an essential water-soluble B vitamin... It promotes healthy hair growth and protects against dryness. It also increases the elasticity of the hair's cortex, thus preventing breakage. Biotin can be found in beans, breads, cauliflower, egg yolks, fish, kidney, legumes, liver, meat, dairy products, nuts, oatmeal, oysters, peanut butter, poultry, and whole grains. " source: http://hairfinity.com/BiotinHairGrowth.htm 
Fish Oil:  Fish oil pills are huge and I have to swallow a couple of pills 3 times a day so I take only when I'm in the mood. After my 60-day Biotin regimen, I will resume Fish oil for another 60days. I just hate swallowing pills so I'll be switching to taking the liquid form after using up my current supply.

Summer Weekly regimen (8 steps)

My hair has been in braids to allow me stretch my relaxer for four months. But when I take out my braids, this is my typical Friday Night/ Saturday morning regimen in 8 simple steps.

1. pre-poo with warm coconut oil (hot oil treatment) and cover with shower cap or cling film. Leave this in overnight

2. shampoo wash with Pantene Relaxed and Natural. I use Sulphate shampoos as I've tried different sulphate free shampoos that dried the living day moisture out of my hair.

3. Roux Porosity Control/ Apple Cider Vinegar for 30 seconds to a minute (weekly) or Black tea rinse (monthly). Will try the Neem leaf/ dogon yaro rinse soon.

4. deep condition with Hair Mayonnaise/ Cholesterol or Avocado (blended smooth with honey) and coconut oil, cover hair with shower cap for 3 hours- nap/ or steam for 20 minutes in salon

5. apply leave-in conditioner (Gentle Touch) and detangle with wide tooth comb.

6. air dry with scarf over hair. When I use heat with rollers, I also use SheaMoisture serum and coconut+castor oil mix

7. moisturize with shea butter

8. Get braids in.

xx

Styling Braids

I have my hair in braids practically 9 out of 12 months in a year. This is my easy protective styling and I have braids  for a few weeks to months at a time so its important to switch things up and style so the look doesn't get redundant. I go to grad school with a very inquisitive set of non-Africans so if I carry the same hairstyle for 3 months, the questions of when last I washed my hair, don't I have money to re-do the hair blah blah come up. They don't shut up when I get creative each week and do something 'new' either but you get my drift.

Here's one style I've recently discovered on youtube which I've since rocked and over-rocked during my internship this summer.

I found this style from this youtube video below which I watch quite often to get inspiration:

 I also tried this style from the second youtube video below. But I lack the confidence to walk the streets of Lagos looking like Monae.

xx

Nneka's Hair

So I went to Lifehouse, Lagos for Nneka's performance. Other than the fact that she's an AMAZING singer. I was staring at her hair half the performance... tewww fly.

Lifehouse, VI, Lagos

Anyway, I have been playing around with small flexirods/bendy rollers to achieve a loose curls 'fro using relaxed hair without a sewing in a weave. See my last  attempt. I'll try to get Nneka's volume with smaller rods and when my relaxed hair grows a little longer.

Los Dominicos Craft Market, Chile

Watch out for an update in a few weeks.