Season's Greetings

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance. Have a smashing and blissful one because I will. Keep in mind that this season and celebration is all about Jesus!!!

Love you all to bits,
Bee

My Harmattan Hair Regimen

Hello darlings,

Christmas is just around corner, Yay! I love this time of the year. The only thing I don'tlive about this time of the year is the harmattan that comes with it. And mind you not because of the cold but the dust and dryness. The air is so dry and dusty. The dry air leads to dry skin and dry hair by sucking out the moisture in them. That is why I  have decided to modify my hair regimen to suit the season.

• Regular deep conditioning sessions with moisturising deep conditioners majorly. I will only use protein deep conditioner once in 6 weeks or based on how my hair feels.
• Daily moisturising and sealing, I normally moisturise and seal once in two days and some times I even slack off. This is not the time for being lazy with moisturising and sealing.
• Heavy butters, I usually moisturise and seal with my oil mix but I will be using the  L.O.C. (liquid.oil.cream) method this harmattan. Sealing with oil alone will not suffice to keeping the moisture in, hence the L.O.C. method. Liquid - Luster's S.curl curl activator moisturizer, Oil - My oil mix, Cream - Hairvolutionbybee whipped shea butter. +2348141112536/7BE9F0DF if you are in South West Nigeria and need a jar.
• Wigging it, Protective styling is compulsory this season. The ends of the hair especially should always be protected. I have decided to keep all my hair protected by using wigs. All the wigs I will be using are handmade by me.                        
  

I will be rocking this for the next 3/4 weeks

Hair used: Xpressions Quatro 4 in 1 Ruby

Holla if you are Nigeria and You'd want me to make one for you.  +2348141112536/7BE9F0DF

• Co-washing, I will be co-washing more frequently than before. Normally I'm a shampoo girl but this season I'll co-wash anytime I notice my hair is to dry before my normal washday and L.O.C. can't fix it. 

These are the major changes to my regimen that i will be embracing this dry season. Ladies, what changes/modifications  have you made to your hair regimen to suit the  season (Winter/Harmattan) ? I Would love to hear from you.

Texlax/Relaxer Update #1

Hello darlings,

This post is coming later than I planned but the past week has been SUPER busy for. Even right now I'm so knackered. Anyway God is my strength always. So let's cut the chase, I did my relaxer touch-up on 04/12/15. Yay! my new growth was driving me crazy so I glad for the opportunity to do away with new growth for a while.

I have been self-relaxing (texlaxing) since the beginning of my healthy hair journey. So I would highlight the steps and processes I take since this is my first relaxer touch-up post.

1. I always have a pre-relaxer touch-up washday. This is usually a week/5 days before touch-up day. On this washday I clarify and do a hard protein treatment using aphogee two-step protein treatment. This is done to fortify my hair against the impending chemical treatment  (relaxer)
2. The day before the touch-up or early that same day, I detangle thoroughly, part my hair into four quadrants and I then make 1 inch sections in each and twist up. I do this this to make application of the relaxer easier and faster. I texlax so pre-parting my hair makes sticking my time limit a breeze. 
   
3. I apply olive oil/coconut oil on my scalp and all over my hair (new growth and length). Then I apply vaseline to the previously relaxed/texlaxed ends, the perimeter of my hair and my ears. The vaseline is to protect the previously relaxed/texlaxed ends from relaxer run-off while washing out the relaxer as this could lead to over processing and eventually breakage. 
4. I use ORS lye relaxer in normal strength and usually use half of the jar per touch-up. So i scoop a half of the jar into a small bowl that i use only for this purpose, the I add about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix well. 
   
5. Then I apply the relaxer to the pre-parted sections. The application usually takes about 8-10 mins (approx. 2 mins per quadrant). I then smooth with my fingers only making sure the relaxer is well distributed to the new growth. Smoothing usually takes about 5 - 8 mins. So the entire process usually takes about 15- 18 mins.
   
6. I wash out all the relaxer using warm water then I do a mid-step  protein treatment with aphogee two minutes reconstructor. Then I rinse the conditioner out and start washing my hair with neutralising shampoo. I'm currently using  Vitale olive oil  anti-breakage neutralising shampoo. I usually  lather 3 to 4 times and I leave the 3rd and 4th lather in for about 3 or 4 minutes. 
7. I wrap my hair in a cotton tshirt to absorb excess water. Then I deep condition with ORS replenishing conditioner for 20 mins with heat.
8. I then wash the deep conditioner out with cool water and apply roux porosity control conditioner for about two minutes then rinse out. 
9. I tshirt dry for about an hour, then I apply my leave-in conditioners (Aphogee pro vitamin leave-in or Aphogee green tea reconstructor and/or megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener). I apply my oil mix to my scalp and seal with either my oil mix or fantasia ic carrot oil serum if I want to flat iron.
10. I usually air-dry or blow dry with cold air but I wanted to do a proper length check this touch-up so I sealed with fantasia ic carrot oil serum and blow dried in small sections using medium heat. After this I flat-ironed in one-inch sections at the lowest heat of my Babyliss flat iron (140°C.)

                  Flat-ironed hair...BSL?
Overall, I was happy with the results of this relaxer touch-up and Yay!!! I got to BSL....drum roll!!!!!..... However, I have decided not to claim BSL just yet as I would prefer thicker ends. Seems my hair prefers to grow into a V-shape though. So i took off about 1.5 inches all round. I should be Full BSL by my next touch-up.
                     

                   1.5 inches trimmed off

                     
                         Post-trim hair

                       So far....so good...

I hope I didn't bore you with my longgggg post.

Later Darlings, 

Stay fabulous.  mwwuaaah! 

Crochet box braids take-down + Relaxer prep wash day

I had the crochet box braids on for 25 days, 4 days longer than I planned but I was so busy that I just didn't have the time. Immediately I started taking the braids down I became apprehensive of the wash day. Geez the tangles were crazy! my new growth were matted all over especially in the middle. This matting always happens whenever I keep a protective style in for 3 weeks or more especially deep into my relaxer stretch. By the way I washed my hair once while the crochet box braids were in. Anyway I faced my fear head-on, not like I had a choice. LOL. I thoroughly and gently detangled with Mane n Tail detangler (which I haven't had to use in a while).

This last wash day was my relaxer prep washday and here's is how it went down:

• Prepooed with ORS replenishing conditioner because of the amazing slip it has. The prepooing session lasted for about an hour.
• I then Shampooed in the sections  (about 6 sections) I had created before prepooing. I used ORS creamy aloe shampoo, lathered once and then Creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo to restore some moisture while still cleaning the hair.
• I wrapped my hair in a cotton tshirt to absorb excess water. 
• I then sprayed aphogee two step protein treatment onto each section and then rolled each section into bantu knots.
• I then dried the hair as per the instructions using my blow dryer on medium heat. ( i was careful not to agitate while drying and when it was dry)
• I went back to into the shower, saturated my hair till it was soft and then rinsed out the protein treatment.
• I decided to use aussie 3 minutes miracle deep conditioner instead of the aphogee balancing moisturiser. I left it in for about 7 minutes and rinsed out with cool water.
• I tshirt-dried for 30 mins 
• I oiled my scalp with my oil mix using my root only applicator bottle, applied megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener and sealed with fantasia ic hair polisher carrot growth serum.
• I blow-dried with cool air using tension method in sections and i detangled each section. 

Despite the care and thorough pre-wash detangling and washing in sections, I still had so many knots in my hair. Post wash detangling took me about 3 hours...sigh. My hair could be so naughty when I'm deep into a relaxer stretch.

     Texture shot after deep conditioning

I'm currently 17 weeks post and I'm planning to do my relaxer touch-up on Friday, 4/12/15. Yippee! can't wait. So I just threw my hair into a simple bun.

How do manage your hair deep into your relaxer stretch? I salute transitioning ladies.

Crochet box braids: 13 weeks post relaxer touch up

I usually do my relaxer touch-ups at 12 weeks post although I have stretched to 14 weeks post relaxer once before. However, my new growth has been soooo manageable like I can't believe it. I guess I owe it to S. curl moisturizer that i started using again. So I have decided to see how far this stretch could go. To make things easier for my hair and I,I thought it best to get a protective style that would keep all my hair out of the way. Voila...! Crotchet box braids it is. I watched the video below for the how to.

My wash day before installation went thus:

1) I prepooed with coconut oil for about 1 hour. I saturated my hair in the coconut oil and applied Tropic Isle Strong roots red pimento oil on my scalp, massaged for 5 mins, wrapped up my hair in cling film and used my heat therapy wrap.

2) Shampooed with Creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo (diluted in a spray bottle). I usually clarify before installing a protective style, but I clarified just a week ago so I decided sulphate-free shampoo should do.

3) Deep conditioned with my fav deep conditioner; ORS replenishing conditioner. I applied the deep conditioner, wrapped my hair in cling film and used my heat therapy wrap. (I love eeeiiitt!). I took a nap for about an hour and half and then rinsed with cold water.

4) T.shirt dried for 30 mins, sprayed aphogee green tea reconstructor, applied megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener and sealed with my oil mix. I decided not to air-dry as I am 13 weeks post and i needed to stretch my new growth so I blow-dried with cool air using tension method.

5) I oiled my scalp with my oil mix, massaged and braided my hair up for the crotchet box braids. Then I attached the extensions I had pre-braided using my lat h hook. I'm planning to keep the braids in for about 3 - 4 weeks

Have you tried the crotchet box braids and would you rock it? How was your last wash day?

Wash day: 11 weeks post relaxer touch up

I took out my first diy crochet braids (see pictures below) after 3 weeks. It was easy peasy and my hair was sooooo soft. So soft that I feared moisture overload.

I skipped on prepoo because my hair felt pretty coated and super-soft. Washed using warm water using ORS creamy aloe shampoo. Lathered once and followed with creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo. T.shirt dried for about five minutes while mixing my deep conditioning concoction  (ORS replenishing conditioner + one tablespoon Jamaican Black Castor oil + 2 tablespoons Coconut oil ). Applied the mix and wrapped my hair in cling film and used my heat therapy wrap. Deep conditioned for about 45 mins. Rinsed with cold water and tshirt-dried for 2 hours.

 It was after tshirt drying that I discovered many tangles and some teeny tiny knots aaaaargh! I started dreading detangling. My initial style for the week was a braid-out. I knew I dared not. Braid-outs tend to give me tangles even when I'm not 11 weeks post. Anyway I worked in smaller sections than I normally would, sprayed aphogee green tea reconstructor, applied my oil mix and blow dried with cold air using tension method. Oiled my scalp with my oil mix using my root only applicator bottle and used my current staple leave-in conditioner (Megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener. Fortunately, the tangles were easy to work through, although I was very patient It took me about 1 hour and 45 minutes to detangle and comb all sections using a wide-tooth comb. Since a braid-out was off the table, I simply did a faux bun with a bang using marley hair.

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New healthy hair blogger alert!

Hello there!

Finally I'm here! So so so...My name is Bobola and I'm a naija (nigerian) hairlista. I started my healthy hair journey in May 2014. I had shoulder length hair but I was frustrated by the amount of breakage I was experiencing ...hair all over the bathroom floor that you have to sweep kind of breakage. So I started surfing the internet for solutions then bang!!! I found some nigerian healthy hair blogs. Lade of www.rehairducation.com especially had me swooning like wah? it's possible for an African to gave waist length hair? Then I lapped all the info on her blog...every single article. I discovered a lot of bad hair practices that I was ignorantly guilty of. My eyes really opened but the major thing was a change of mindset. I realised Africans could also have long and healthy hair. Ever since I've had an insatiable hunger and thirst for all things healthy hair and I've taken charge of taking care of my hair. I really can't remember the last time I went to a salon. DIY all the way.

I decided to start my own blog for the following reasons:

• For documentation - Keeping a blog would help me keep track of the things I'm doing to my hair, products and so on. Sometimes I have to think so hard to remember if it's been a month or not since I clarified. I tried keeping a dairy but I realised a blog would be better.
• For accountability - There is something about knowing someone is/people are kind of with you. It sort of keeps you in check from slacking off or being lazy. A kind of motivation so to say
• My journey/hair is unique - Although there are several healthy hair bloggers even in Nigeria. I realised that each person's journey is different and unique and there is always something new to learn.
• A different demographic - When I started my hhj what really encouraged me was the fact that some Nigerians living in Nigeria were having a successful hhj. So I didn't feel alone, things such as availability of products didn't scare me. However I observed that most hair bloggers in nigeria are either in Lagos, Abuja or Port-Harcourt. Some newbies might easily chicken out thinking it is because they are in the big cities where they have better access to products and tools needed on a hhj. People in other cities even miss out on healthy hair meet-ups and other related programmes. I'm currently in Ibadan, Oyo state so it's high time we got something going on here as well *winks. Ladies outside the 3 cities I mentioned might be able to relate with my experiences And yea, you can also get a lot of products and tools here (will share more on that later)

So again here I am. looking forward to having loads of fun on here. mwwuaaah!

xx