Natural Remedies to Repair Damaged Hair

For most people, hair is a central way to feel attractive. Yet, when the hair has become damaged, due to a styling accident or health related causes, your hair can become thin, brittle, and dull. African American hair is especially susceptible to damage, due to the extra styling it requires. Natural hair always needs a little extra attention to help it look the best.  

If this is the case with your hair, did you know that there are actually some natural ways to repair and restore your damaged hair to its former glory? Here are some helpful tips for bringing life back into your tresses, with a little help from Mother Nature herself.

If your hair is dry or brittle

Having dry hair that breaks easily is very frustrating indeed. Yet, you can use some simple natural treatments to repair your damaged hair fast. Start by taking a trip to the local supermarket to pick up a few elements. Start with honey or molasses, a tablespoon of which can be added to your regular conditioner to give it a boost.

If your hair is frizzy

Anytime your mane gets unruly, especially in the summer months, try this natural trick for restoring balance and beauty to hair. Mix 1 teaspoon of olive oil with fresh water in a spray bottle. After washing your hair your normal way, spritz some of this tincture on your hair and let it air dry. You’ll add shine and ease away the frizzies in no time at all.

If your hair has split ends

Split ends can be a major problem, especially if you have slow growing natural hair. Mash up half of a fresh avocado and smooth it onto the ends of your hair for a deep moisturizing treatment. Let it set on your hair wrapped under a hot towel while you shower or give yourself a manicure. Repeat this at least once a week for the best results.

If your hair or scalp is oily

Oily hair and scalps can leave you itching and your hair looking weighed down. To treat this problem in between washings rub some cornstarch into your scalp and comb out. You’ll remove some of the oils in the process. When you do wash your hair, use coconut water as a rinse to reduce your itchy and oily scalp.

If your hair lacks shine

Shiny hair is the hallmark of healthy hair, so you want to pay attention if your hair looks dull. To add shine to your natural black hair, use a rinse of apple cider vinegar after you shampoo. Rinse well with water afterwards to reduce the smell.

If you are losing hair

All women and men experience hair loss at different times in their lives, brought on by health changes and stress. First rule out any health issues with your physician and then try the natural hair restorative properties of tea tree oil. Mix a teaspoon into your shampoo and shake well, then wash as normal. While it does take a few days to help, you will notice less hair loss with regular use of tea tree oil. This is also great for clearing up scalp breakouts.

Having healthy and radiant hair can make you feel like a million bucks. Take the time to evaluate how and when you style your hair to find less stressful ways of managing it. Try to give it a day off once in a while from excessive heat and styling products.

About the Author:Debbie Sweet is a board-certified dermatologist and Chicago laser hair removal specialist. When she’s not working, she enjoys yoga retreats and organic gardening.

Newly Natural? Don’t be Afraid of Scissors!

I would like to give a big thanks to Sunshine Abuwi of Natural Sun Shine. She wrote a great article on rocking a TWA (tiny weeny afro), and agreed to letting me share the article on my blog. Read below to see her great variety of style and recommendations.  

Newly Natural? Rocking a TWA? Don’t be Afraid of Scissors! 
Posted by Sunshine Abuwi on September 19, 2011 at 9:00m

"For many a natural, the TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro) phase can be the hardest one to get through. The short length and lack of style options leaves many running for the closest wig store, regretting their decision to go natural (so soon), or just down in the dumps feeling not as attractive as they once felt.  I wish to encourage those of you who have found yourself in that position to not be afraid of scissors. For many, the reason they feel so bad with their TWA is because it is just a mound of shapeless, styleless hair sitting on top of your head. I don’t care what texture your hair is, if it is just sitting there with no personality or style, it is bound to get you down. I recommend getting the sides and back tapered to create a style. Transform your blah TWA into a cute cut by shaping it. You would be amazed at how much better your TWA would look of your sides and back were a little faded.

Remember, even as you are growing your hair out, you are still alive! You still have places to go and people to see. Today! You can’t just allow your hair to sit on top of your head shapeless and lifeless while you look forward to that day when you reach a longer length and then are able to style it. Is your life on hold until that day? Didn’t think so! Enjoy each step of the way . Don’t be on some fast paced race to bra strap length. Because even if you stand at the mirror, tapping your foot, pointing at your watch demanding your hair to grow, it is going to take time. Why not enjoy it and your life even while your hair is growing? Getting a little shape up is a great way to do that! When I grew out my hair in 2009, I always either went to a stylist and got my hair shaped or I manipulated it to look like it was in a shape. Have a look!

 

I recommend going to barber (because it is less expensive than a salon and they are less likely to try to talk you into relaxing) and asking them to give your hair a little shape. Tell them you do not want a line in the front (unless you do) and that you want the sides and back tapered so your hair has more of a style while you are growing it out. I recommend you go on a week day if possible or first thing on a Saturday morning (to avoid all the men). All of you who have used this method while growing your hair please post pictures or your two cents on this!" - Sunshine Abuwi, Source

Beads, Braids & Beyond

Nikki from Beads, Braids & Beyond  has a great blog where she shows how to create cute hair styles for little girls, along with useful styling tips and kid friendly product information. She also highlights a lot of her readers children and their hair styles.  Look below for my interview with Nikki -

What inspired you to create the Beads Braids Beyond blog?

The lack of information on Biracial/African American children's hair care inspired me to create the blog. I remember being "the clueless mom" and not knowing where to start when it came to my daughter’s hair. I remember goggling and goggling and never being able to find a lot of information on my daughter’s hair type, or being able to find styles that I could. I found countless blogs for children with naturally straight hair, "what about our children?" … I thought. Don't get me wrong, I love those other blogs, but I wanted to see a blog dedicated to natural Biracial/African American children’s hair. I wanted to see our children’s hair being embraced. 

How do you come up with so many creative styles?

All of my style inspirations come from other women and mothers. I browse a lot of different forums, blogs, and other hair care sites and I try to tweak a lot of styles so they are appropriate for my daughter’s age. There are so many talented women out there so I definitely owe my style inspiration to them.

How old is your daughter, and what does she like most about being the star of your blog?

My daughter is 4 years old. I think her favorite thing to do is seeing all of the other children featured on the blog. My daughter is the only child with curly hair in her class so I think it's a nice change to see so many other natural children with curly hair.

She seems to love participating in the styling process. Most kids don't have the patience! What keeps her interested showing off her cool hairstyles?

Well, depending on how long the style takes, we might take breaks. Snack breaks, run around the kitchen table breaks, restroom breaks, etc. I think I keep her interested. We talk the whole time I am styling or washing her hair. If we're watching one of her favorite cartoons/movies I make it a point to sing along with her and dance. Her current favorite is The Princess and the Frog. The songs are really great and when mommy gets into them....it's over! She definitely gets into it and forgets her hair is even being styled! I think the styling process is all about mother and daughter bonding time. It's important for me to show her that doing her hair is not a chore, that I enjoy it, and we should enjoy this time together.

You have a great following. How long have you been blogging?

I started Beads, Braids & Beyond at the end of October 2009. I think it's amazing that the word got out so quickly. This goes to show that people were waiting for something for our kids. I mean...I was waiting myself! I couldn't wait any longer. I actually asked some moms on another hair board if they would make a blog but it seemed like everyone was too busy, so I took the plunge. Your styles and post have been great inspirations to other Moms.

What has been one of your most cherished moments as result of sharing your knowledge through your blog?

Probably all of the emails and comments I get. So many mothers (and non-mothers) email me thanking me for taking the time out to create this blog. Some moms find the blog and are like me when I first started, clueless. They tell me how much the information I provide helps and show me pictures. They tell me there are no more tears during "hair time" and that they now look forward to the mother and daughter bonding experience. I have also had emails and comments thanking me for my Texture Softener post because they were going to use it on their child. I am always happy to hear that they changed their mind about relaxing their child’s hair, or that they are transitioning their little diva.

What are some of the products you use regularly for your daughters hair type?

Right now we are experimenting with products. We have tried lots and it's funny because most of her staple products are pretty cheap: Virgin coconut oil, unrefined shea butter, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration conditioner, Giovanni Direct Leave-in, ORS Lock & Twist Gel. I currently love Blended Cutie Down & Out Styles for her hair. There are other products I really like for her hair but those are the main ones we use.

What is your advice for styling curly hair?

Don't try to fight it! It will fight you back. If your hair wants to be big, it will be big. LET IT BE BIG! A lot of people email me asking how to get "the wet look" and in my opinion, you cannot get the wet look! You can define your curls but it definitely will not look like it does when it's wet once it dries. I don't care what product you use. If the hair wants to be frizzy one day, let it be frizzy. Don't keep chasing your child around the house with a spray bottle filled with water. I am going to take a quote I see in so many forums..."Let it do what it do!"

Beads, Braids & Beyond 
Nikki's You Tube Videos

Loc Socks?!?

My hair is getting pretty long. To the point where regular large scarves do not cover my ends. Because of this, the bottom of my loc's are always exposed when I go to bed. This has caused a lot of thinning on the bottom.
As far as I know, the only other option is Loc Socks. And these things, from what I have seen are not exactly sexy bed time wear. I got a man and I want to keep him! Kidding y'all... lol. I am sure my husband would not mind if I wear the loc socks knowing that its good for my hair. But I would like to find something that doesn't look like I am wearing a big baggy sock on my head.

I did find one site that was put together nicely:  Dreadsockonline.com

I also believe that Lynjonta.com has loc socks, but their only store is temporally closed. But I saw this interesting loc shower cap (picture below), so I will be going back when they reopen their online store.

Cheaplocksocks.com seems to have a large selection, so I may check them out as well. A lot of their socks are priced at $7.00, but they don't cover the ends. 

There's also, SocLocSoc.com. 

If any one has tried Loc Soc's from any brand, write in and let us know what you think of them, and if possible where you got yours. And if any one has found a way to keep their long loc's protected in another way, let us know your ideas and tips.

Healthy Hair Tips

The online October issue of the The Coil Review, published a great article on Healthy Hair Tips (article by The TCR Editor) for hair styles that include coils and curls. But some of these tips can apply to any one. Here is some information to get you on your way to a healthier head of hair:

"There are so many frequently asked questions out there about our natural hair. Some answers are obvious, and others not quite. What I've chosen to do for this month's Natural Tips is to give you a list of quick facts and tips that will help address FAQs about natural coils and curls.

Get familiar and follow this list of quick facts and tips.



1. If Mineral Oil, Petrolatum or Petroleum Jelly are in the list of ingredients of your products, discontinue using it. They are cheap substitutes of healthy emollients. They are known to coat the scalp/hair and clog the follicle, countering healthy hair growth.



2. Avoid combing your hair while it's dry and do not comb too often. Use a moisturizing hair cream or even water to make it easier to run the comb through your coils and curls. Your hair will be more susceptible to tangles and breakage if combed completely dry." (*If you have loc's / dreads - please do not use a cream based conditioner. See below for more information.)



"3. To maintain a healthy scalp, use a light oil like olive oil, drink lots of water a day—up to 8 glasses, and take your hair, skin and nail vitamins regularly—preferably all natural and food-based.



4. Do not scratch your scalp. When you do, you're damaging the epidermal layers of your skin which need to be handled with care. Damage to the skin can effect how the hair grows and if it will grow.



5. Yeast levels produced by your sebaceous glands can rise abnormally for many reasons, which can cause hair thinning and even the development of an alopecia condition. One of the reasons that can do this is not washing the scalp for long periods of time. Maintain a clean scalp. Build up of oils and dirt can effect healthy hair growth.



*This applies to women with both loose and locked hair. "



From Karen - *Note: Cream based conditioners are not healthy for loc's or dreadlock wearers. It can cause buildup and or loc discoloration (It can look like lint or white coating on loc's that's hard to remove). Look for clear or liquid type conditioners with natural ingredients.

Kind of freaked out a little...lol

Last night, I was on the computer with one of my daughter's, playing a learning game. My lovely husband came by and wanted to see how we were doing. So things are going great. Then I realize something. He is holding our cat in his arms, standing above my head. Nothing wrong with that right? Well it would have been cool - if my cat wasn't shedding up a storm. So while my husband is petting my cat above my head, all this cat hair is just falling on my head... Aaaagghhh!!!

I love my cats. But cat hair and loc's do not mix. If cat hair gets in loc's/dreadlocks, it can get embedded in the hair and become a part of the loc. My husband is usually very careful about that kind of stuff. But at that moment, he didn't not realize how much our cat (Jazzy) was shedding. So he helped me get out all the cat hair that was visible to the eye. But after that, I also spent about 10 minutes brushing my locs, just to make sure that all the cat hair was out. Crisis averted... I can breath again.

The Lint Fix - for Loc's!

Good morning! I am barely awake. But I wanted to put together this quick post before starting my day. One of the only unfortunate parts of having loc's/dreads, is that once in a while, we get lint stuck in our hair. This happens because we don't brush our hair daily (as far as I know this is the main reason. Feel free to let me know if there are any other reasons why this happens). Having lint in my loc's is very embarrassing. It has nothing to do with how clean your hair is. You can wash it every day, but the lint will find its way in there some how, from sweaters, towels, blankets... you name it. It's not often, but it happens. For me, its my biggest pet peeve, when it comes to my hair, because I am such a neat freak. I don't ever want to give the impression that I am not a clean person, because I am!

Most of you will already know this quick fix. If you are unable to get the link out, by using your fingers, or tweezers - please do not kill your loc's by breaking them apart, to get the lint out. If you are breaking open your loc's for this, you are weakening the loc and it will eventually fall off. If you are not able to get the lint out, simply use a sharpie marker to mask the color of the lint. All you have to do is quickly dab the small area where the lint is, and the marker ink will cover the color of the lint. And it will no longer be visible. I know leaving the lint in sounds gross, but if you can not get it out - its better to cover it with sharpie, than to kill your locs in the process.

I use the brown marker. It works best for me because I have about three shades in my hair - black, brown and brownish red. So not matter where, the brown will do the trick for me. I don't have to use it often, but I try to carry this with me in case of any emergencies. To cut down on lint, always cover you hair when you sleep at night or when you are cleaning. And also try this brushing technique before washing your hair. It helps to get lint out of your loc's. If any one else knows of any great fix it tips, let us know by replying to this post...

or emailing me at naturalhairbeautfy@gmail.com.

The Big Fix

Ok, so I had no idea I was going to need so many pictures, to show the steps of how I fix my broken loc's. A lot of you will probably already know this tip, but I thought I would share it any way. I would also like people to remark on the fact that my hair "fix it" includes adding hair, which is often a no no, if you are natural... But, I really wanted to find a way to fix fallen, broken or weak loc's without combining loc's. And this works for me. But I am open to hearing your opinion on this process. I also apologize in advance, because this post is so long! If you read my previous post: Poor babies, you already know that I had four loc's that broke off and why.

If you want to try this process, you will need Human Kinky Hair (in a color that matches your locs), a thick thread (also in a color that matches your locs), and a needle.



Follow these steps (see pictures for each step):

1.Needle is inserted into the head of the broken loc.



2.After pulling the thread all the way through, re-insert the needle into the same area, so that the needle comes out of the head of the broken loc (please see picture).



3. Insert needle into the loc, that the broken loc came from.



4. Pull thread so that the loc and broken loc meet together.

5. Take a small amount of the Human kinky hair.

6. Wrap the hair around the section of the loc where it was sewn together.



7. Use the loc as a third piece, as you braid the kinky hair in, to cover the sewn together section. Once you have finished braiding the hair in, it should completely cover the whole section that was sewn together. If there is a little bit of hair human hair left after braiding it in, just wrap the excess hair around the loc.

8. After this is done, your loc should be fully connected. But I would recommend waiting to do this process when you are not planning to wash your hair or do a major style. You want this newly fixed loc to be able to reconnect, and it needs a few days to re-adjust to its new home. Also, after finishing the repair, your loc may have a bumpy appearance. This is easy to fix.

9. Simply use the palm roll method to smooth out the loc. And you are done!

So this is how I fix my locs. With this method, I can avoid combining locs and still save each individual loc maintained, to keep fullness. Let me know what you think of this process. Would you try it? Is it worth it to you, to add hair, in order to avoid combining loc's? And thank you for reading this post. I know.. it is way to long :-).

Poor Babies!

Aww yes... The fallen ones!

No ones loc's or hair is perfect. Me - I am a full time mom, wife and I have a full time job. With this, as most of you know, comes the need to workout, so I can be healthy enough to see my children grow, and to meet and care for my future grand children. I also have to run a household and I have the (sometimes unrealistic) desire to make everyone happy at all times. This means, I am always busy. From 6:00 am till 11:00 pm, I am on the go and always needed by someone, somewhere. This is the life of a working mom and wife, as I am sure most of you are aware of this. I love my family, so I will not complain.

But, I often neglect myself in the process of taking care of everyone else. So that's where my fallen loc's come into play. A little bit of stress, lack of constant maintenance and a crazy crazy schedule has caused me to not only ignore a few week spots, but to just push aside locs that have fallen out!! Man o Man.... Ok, so its time for damage control. I will work on this today and take pictures showing how each of these loc's found a home. Stay Tuned!!

Such a bad habbit... :-(

I just realized that I have been doing something that's damaging to my hair, without even realizing it. If my roots are not freshly twisted and I have fresh new growth at the base of my loc's, I will run my fingers through my hair and pull out little naps when I am bored or stressed. I use to do this once in a while, but just realized that I have been doing this like once or twice a day. This is not a good habit to have. Especially since once I wash my hair, the little naps will loosen up and help to keep the base of my loc's stronger. I need to keep my hand out of my hair. If I keep this up, my hair is going to start to thin out and cause my locs to be thinner and weaker. So I think I just learned my lesson. No hands in my hair unless absolutely necessary...

Finally!

Happy Easter yall! Well I finally washed my hair this morning. And it felt great! I used my favorite shampoo, which is the Dark & Lovely Peppermint Shampoo. I also decided to mix it up and do a second lather with my daughters Herbal Essences Totally Twisted shampoo for curls and waves.

I read somewhere that its good to changed your products every few months to cut down on build up.

I decided to braid my hair so I can get some crinkles. And pined it to the side for Easter dinner.

Sweat!

I have been working out for a while now... and for some reason, I have not been taking the time to protect my hair from all the sweat! Not that sweating causes any harm to our hair, but after one workout - a beautiful head of loc's, can turn into an afro.

I have seen plenty of woman wearing scarves wrapped around their hair. But I was just to busy trying to be cute. But I am starting to get annoyed with trying to keep my hair neat to only see all my efforts sweat-ed away after one work out.

So from now on, I am going to wrap my hair every time I work out. Cute or not, I am tired of leaving the gym with a mini-sweaty-afro at the base of my hair.

*Tips:

Fabric: A fabric that has worked for me is a scarf made of acrylic and nylon. It's comfortable and it absorbs most of my sweat.

Also, after working out, try to leave your scarf on until you hair has completely air dried. That will also help to keep your style in tact.

My Favorite Products

1. Dark & Lovely Peppermint Shampoo: I love the way that my hair smells after I shampoo it. With Dark and Lovely peppermint shampoo, it has a great scent and my hair feels refresh after a good wash.
2. IC Leave In Hair & Scalp Treatment: IC leave in conditioner is great because it's not a heavy product. I try to stay away from all heavy, creamy white products. It weighs you hair down and leaves a white build up appearance. When choosing a conditioner it should always be a clear liquid or something that will wash out without leaving behind a lot of product.
   
3. African Pride Oil: African pride oil is great because it really saturates your scalp and hair. It also smells good.
4. Lock & Twist Gel: I love this product because it feels very soft to the touch and not at all greasy. When it dries, there is not flaking (unless you use to much), and if used properly will not cause build up.
   
5. Silk Scarf: I always wear a silk scarf when I am cleaning, laying down or sleeping. It helps to keep out dirt and lint, and keeps my loc's neat and clean.
   

Recipes & Mixes

Recipes & Mixes from Organic Beauty Experts:

Cleanser and Spritzer

2 8 oz spray bottles
Witch Hazel 86% (buy from any drugstore)
Sandalwood or Neroli Hydrosol (Distillate)
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Rosemary Essential Oil
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Plastic pipette (dropper)

In one spray bottle, use equal amounts of witch hazel combined with a hyrdosol (50/50 mix). Close bottle tightly and shake to blend.

Section hair into equal parts. Wet a cotton washcloth with mixture (a small amount) and methodically clean scalp until whole head is done.

For the spritzer, combine above mixture and add two drops of Tea Tree, 4 drops of Rosemary and 12 drops off Ylang Ylang. Avoid getting into eyes.

______________________________________________

As your locs grow, keeping them moisturized and healthy is important to their continued growth. You can use this oil to touch up and add shine and keep them supple and soft.

Loc Oil

4oz bottle
2 oz shea oil
1 oz hemp seed oil
1/2 oz olive oil
1/2 oz carrot seed oil
Lemongrass (rosemary, sandalwood or cedarwood) essential oil

Combine all oils and add 8 drops of lemongrass oil. Pour into bottle and use daily to hydrate scalp and add moisture to locs. If you make an essential oil blend, use no more than 10 drops per 4 oz. of Loc Oil

From The Organic Beauty Expert

Check out this great article from http://theorganicbeautyexpert.typepad.com

Five Steps to Lovely Locs

No matter whether your locs are small or big, fine or nappy, they are beautiful. The last year has been so wonderful, watching the different textures of my hair transform and emerge. When I see a person with locs walking down the street, or at a cafe, or anywhere, I almost always go up to them and comment how beautiful their hair is. One white girl last year told me she was so shocked that I said it as her experience with black loc'd folks wasn't always so warm. I told her that anyone who had anything negative to say probably didn't know their dreadlock history. Most people assume it's exclusively black, but locs have been around for centuries. The Celts, the Arabs and the Chinese were wearing dreads back in the day. They weren't a fashion or lifestyle statement, it was simply a natural occurrence of the day. Hair, no matter the texture, will start to dread if not tended to. Marley locs are created that way and many people with super curly hair do the same: they wash it, but don't comb it and after a few months, it's matted.

But if you have locs that are still fairly new, like a year or so, you may still be in that "what do I do with them?" mode. So I've compiled five tips that I've learned over this year (I'm not a loctician) that may help you relax on your way to lovely, lovely locs.

1. Don't overtwist. This is a piece of advice that I can't seem to follow, but I know that I should. Once your hair has loc'd, you should twist the new growth only once a month. Preferably after washing, your hair has dried and you're using some type of oil or cream.

2. Wrap your hair at night. Now, don't think the do-rag is just a black thing! If you've got locs, you want to wrap it up at night. One, you lessen your chances of getting lint and debris stuck in your locs. Second, your give your hair a chance to relax and maintain uniformity. Lastly, you keep your hair off your face and cut down the risks of oily skin. I would recommend using a silk scarf versus a cotton scarf. You can buy at your local drug store or use that scarf you've been waiting to use for that perfect outfit.

3. Wash your hair and condition [twice] a month. Somewhere somebody gave out some bad advice that if you got locs, you can't wash your hair. That's nasty! And unfortunately, many people still think loc'd lovelies don't wash their hair. Maybe some of you don't, but you should. In general, I only wash my hair around four times a month. When I take a shower it may get wet, but normally, the shampoo and water mix is pretty seldom. Of course, if you work out and sweat, your shampoo regime may be different. But you must wash your hair. Use whatever shampoo works best for you. Products with sea salt water work great to tighten your new locs, like LUSH Big Shampoo. You could also check out Bumble and Bumble's line of shampoos, like Sunday or Seaweed or Dr. Bronner's Baby Shampoo works just fine as well.

Conditioning [twice] a month helps to keep your locs soft and healthy. I've only recently started doing, it but I've noticed that my hair feels softer to the touch, looks great and of course, they smell lovely. I use Curls Coconut Dream Conditioner but use what fits your budget and your needs.

4. Moisturize when you can. I initially thought that my locs needed daily care. They don't. Which is probably why I love them so! But every once in a while, it's a good idea to moisturize. You won't need a whole handful of product, just a few drops will do you. Here's a nice recipe that won't break the bank:

Olive Oil Locs

4 oz extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh, clean rosemary
10 drops of ylang ylang OR
4 drops of peppermint and 2 drops of tea tree oil

In a glass or plastic bottle, add four ounces of olive oil
Add the sprigs of rosemary and let sit for a month.
Remove the sprigs (optional) and add the essential oil blends.

5. Just relax and let your locs grow. If nothing else, growing my locs has taught me patience. Once your hair is loc'd there's really nothing you can do. You can't make it grow faster, you can't beat that awkward stage. You just have to relax and let it grow.

Article source: http://theorganicbeautyexpert.typepad.com/the_organic_beauty_expert/2007/03/five_steps_to_l.html

Brushing Loc's..?!

I recently learned that brushing your locs/dreads can be a good thing. I always avoided using a brush because I was nervous about causing breakage or making my hair look messy. But if you doing it right before a wash, it actually helps with getting ride of any lint and dirt that may be hanging on. It also feels really good to brush your scalp. I would recommend using a brush with soft bristles.

What's your Maintenace Routine?

I always like to learn new ways of taking care of my Loc's. If you have tips, use an amazing product, or want to share your maintenance routine - contact me, and I will display it on this blog. I look forward to learning something new!

Hair Maintenance

Every once in a while, someone will ask me about my hair care routine. So here it is in a nutshell:

I always wear a satin scarf when I am sleeping, lying down or cleaning. It keeps a lot of dirt and lint out of my locks. I keep my scalp and hair moisturized by using African Pride Oil. I wash my hair with Dark and Lovely Peppermint Shampoo, and use IC liquid conditioner. For twisting new growth, I use ‘Organic Loc and Twist gel’. I make sure to stay away from any products that are heavy or sticky to the touch. It helps to do some research to find out what products to avoid and what will work best for you. I keep my scalp moisturized by oiling it once or twice a week. I only wash it every two weeks to keep it from drying out. And I try not to twist my hair at the scalp to much because that can cause breakage. I use the palm roll method when I twist my new growth. I have gotten wiser with time and try not to obsess about my hair-line looking perfect. At first I would twist my loc’s (at my hair line) almost every day. And they were starting to get really thin, so I am trying to control the urge to make them look perfect every day. It causes too much damage.

When I do re-twist my loc’s in between washing my hair (to keep them looking neat), I try to always spray my scalp with an oil & water mix first. It helps to cut down on breakage if I style or twist my hair when it’s a little bit moist. I have read that it’s good to switch the brands of products you use every 6 months also to cut down on product buildup. I have not done that yet, but plan to in the near future. Overall, I am very happy with my routine. But I am always looking for new information on how to improve what I am doing. If you have tips or suggestions, please leave a comment.

Thanks!