GrowingZambianHairLong

Thursday, 23 January 2014

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

HEALTHY HAIR CARE BASICS!!!!!!!

1. CLEANSING

Clean hair is the first step to healthier hair and scalp. Waiting too long to shampoo can suffocate follicles and attract unwanted dirt and debris to hair.
Shampoo your hair biweekly or at least once a month. If possible use a sulfate-free shampoo, they are less drying to your hair.
And when you do shampoo, don't go up in your hair with that shampoo, just apply it to your roots, as you rinse out the shampoo, it will wash out the dirt from the shaft and ends of your hair.

2.DEEP CONDITIONING.

Deep Conditioning hair is a must do if you want to grow your natural hair. Deep conditioning is just applying conditioner to your hair and staying with it for at least 30min before you rinse it off. Why deep condition? Deep conditioning is a great way to put moisture back into the hair, strengthen elasticity, and helps with overall health of your hair and scalp. Be sure to in-cooperate natural oils like coconut oil, olive oil etc in your deep conditioners.

3. DETANGLING

It is in the nature of our hair to tangle and knot up, and it is your responsibility to detangle those knots and prevent them from forming in the first place. You can't however prevent your hair from tangling and knotting completely, its what we have to live with, it comes with the territory.
Detangle your hair before and after you wash your hair, too many tangles and knots can surely lead to breakage.
The most important thing to remember when detangling your hair is to BE GENTLE. Start with the ends of your hair and work your way up to the roots of your hair.
Your hands are the ideal tools for this process, but if you are not very patient like me, a wide tooth comb will work just fine.

4. PRODUCTS

Moisture moisture moisture! Every product you use should promote moisture. DO NOT be deceived by any products on the market claiming to help grow your hair in 3 days, hair grows on its own, products only help retain length, but without good hair practices, products on their own will not make your hair grow.
The key to choosing products is to read labels,research the ingredients in your products- this helps you to recognize ingredients that your hair likes or doesn’t like.

5. STYLING

Low Manipulation is the key. Manipulating hair every day will weaken hair and cause hair to become weak and easy to break.
Also avoid styles that stress your edges, your edges are usually not as strong as the rest of your hair. too much force on your edges will result in traction alopecia. You don't wanna have that!!!!!!!!!!!!

6.TRIMMING

Trimming does NOT make your hair grow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But if you have damaged ends or split ends, trimming is necessary to avoid more damage on your strands. Do not hold on to damaged hair for the sake of length. you will retain more length with healthy ends. Let health come before length.

I hope these tips were helpful, for more info or questions, leave your comments below.
stay blessed.

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

DEVELOPING A HEALTHY HAIR REGIMEN

Do you have hair goals????

I know you are thinking; ‘ hair goals???????? Who has time for that?????’

Well, the first step in developing a hair regimen is understanding your hair goals.

What exactly do you want to achieve? Less breakage? Healthy hair? Longer hair? Thick hair?????

Know what you want to achieve..

What works for me might not work for you.

We are all individuals, and our hair is so so different. Take time to note what works and what does not work for you. It will be try and error until you figure out that product and that hair technique that your hair loves and actually works best for you. and when you find what works for you, stick to it!!!!!!!!!!

Example of a weekly hair routine.

Sun: wash ,detangle and braid/twist

Wed: moisturise

Fri: twist out/ braid out

Sat: moisturise

Come up with a routine that is convenient for you and your hair needs.

All the best in developing your hair care routine.

Take note that, the cornerstone for success with any hair care system is discipline, patience and diligence.

God bless you.

Sunday, 19 January 2014

WEAVE GIRL GONE ALL NATURALLE....

Weaves weaves weaves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I completed school in 2007, the whole time I was in high school, I never weaved my hair cause we were not allowed to do So ….when I completed school, I totally became a weave junky.

Between 2008 and January 2013, I wore weaves about 90% of the time. I loved them so much, and I think I kinda looked hot in them..lol

Nowadays people who have been in my life and knew me in my ‘weave phase’ still can’t believe that I have gone all naturalle. One of my friends even made a bet with me in 2013, he said I know you and your weaves, its just a matter of time before you install another one, but if you prove me wrong il give you ….…(lets not put figures here) lol.

Now, I did not stay away from weaves because I wanted to prove my friend wrong, and I DO NOT have any problem with weaves at all. If you love weaves, go right ahead and wear them….

I have stayed away from weaves because it’s a personal decision I made. I noticed the effect the weaves were having on my hairline and I just wasn’t going to have that anymore. Besides the thinning edges, I was experiencing a lot of breakage, not because of the weave, but because I always neglected my hair each time it was hidden under a weave and my hair would stay dry for as long as that weave was on my head. I choose to stay with my hair now coz that way its easier for me to monitor it and moisturise it accordingly.

Here are More pics of me in my weaves…….

THANX

GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NATURAL HAIR CHALLEGES IN ZAMBIA

FINDING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS

When i first watched the you tube videos and and saw all the products that were being used by all the natural hair gurus, i was like well this cant be so bad, am so gonna try this. Next day i went to town (lusaka) to find the products and start the journey.... to my disapointment i did not find any of the "great" products that most of the people talked about. NO giovanni, NO suave naturals, NO shear butter, NO sulphate-free shampoos etc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was discouraged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then i came across www.zedhair.com , i was so excited to find a fellow zambian on a healthy hair journey. i asked her where she got her products and all the other things i needed to know about growing healthy hair with limited resources and all that. She was very helpful, i now knew where to get my coconut oil and my shea butter.
Even though i never found the giovanni's and what not, i managed to find tresseme naturals and V05 conditioners. i have not been able to find a sulphate free shampoo upto now.
If you are in zambia, lusaka and you want to know where to find great products for your hair, you can read Fatima's blog here .

WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Water??????????????? yes water!!!! lol.
Now don't get we wrong you all, we do have water in Zambia, actually in abundance. What i mean is that water in most if not all parts of zambia is hard. Hard water is simply water that has high mineral content. This is often evidenced by formation of limescale in kettles and water heaters (am sure you know that white stuff am talking about,lol)

Hard Water's Effect on Skin and Hair
While there is no proof that hard water is anymore unfit for consumption than soft water, there is is no question that the effects of hard water on hair and skin are not desirable. Anyone who has had to “suffer” though a hard water shower knows the drying effect it can have on your skin so it’s a no brainer that hard water can also have the same effect on your hair. Besides the drying effect , higher levels of mineral deposits are left in the hair after washing and rinsing, such as iron, copper and lead and that is the biggest problem.
The mineral elements in hard water cause hair’s cuticles to "stand up" which makes the hair feel rough and makes it more difficult to rinse away shampoo, conditioner and styling product. Additionally, because soap does not easily break down in hard water and does not lather as well, you will find yourself using more shampoo than necessary to achieve an acceptable lather. From a cosmetic stand point, the deposits left in the hair by hard water can work to promote hair thinning and breakage, make hair resistant to coloring, fade color faster. and can increase the volume of natural shedding. Calcium specifically chokes the hair follicle and coats the scalp, causing it to take on a flaky, dandruff like appearance .

When i first learnt this, i did not know what to do, i mean i can't magically change the water that comes out of my tap right???
And i am not rich enough (yet) to buy a water softening system or a filtered shower head to counter the effects of hard water on my hair. So i decided to go for a cheaper alternative - apple cider vinegar!!!!!!!!!!
Apple cider vinegar (OR lemon juice) work as a great clarifying agent which smooth the cuticle, cut down on excess product and washes away the extra mineral deposits hard water can leave behind.
That is what am using for now, after i shampoo and condition, i follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse before i add my leave-in conditioner and style my hair.