How to Moisturize Hair Properly(When Not Protective Styling)

November 22, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments


Imagine this scenario: Take some amount of leave in conditioner, rub it all over hair, then seal with oil.

And that's all for moisturizing? Really?

Getting as much moisture as possible is really important for the well being of our hair. Most people go about the wrong way when they add moisture to their hair.

This post is focused on moisturizing hair when it isn’t in protective style but running wild and free.

Try this the next time you’re moisturizing:


  1.  Section, section, and section: Dividing your hair into smaller sections is key. Moisturizing hair in smaller sections gets more moisture to the strands than doing so in bigger sections. You could section it into 4 parts or more.
  2. Take down each section, one at a time, and apply the conditioner from root to tip, concentrating on the ends.
  3. Please don’t be stingy with the conditioner, be generous and distribute it evenly by combing hair after applying.
  4. Now it’s time to seal in all that moisture, to prevent the moisture from evaporating from the hair shaft. Use your preferred oil or butter to seal in.
Tip: You could put the conditioner in a spray bottle mixed with a little water, for easier application.

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Natural Hair Tip #19

October 18, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments

PROTEIN CONDITIONING


Doing a protein treatment to your hair? Protein conditioning makes the hair harder and is usually accompanied by deep conditioning to soften hair.  Usually, protein conditioner is added to hair,  hair is put under a shower cap for some minutes, then rinsed out before a deep conditioner is added to conclude the process.

To spend less time doing both, just mix the protein conditioner with the deep conditioner and apply at once!

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How To Wash Natural Hair In Less Than An Hour

July 29, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments


Warning: 😆In this post, the time accounted for is when one's hand is occupied with their hair. Time utilized for deep conditioning under a shower top isn't included(that takes at least 30 minutes, that is already more than half the time used for a shorter washday). Assumptions are that your hair has been detangled and is now in twists. Twists are usually 6 - 8, not more than that. Additionally, time spent washing hair may rely upon how filthy one's hair is.

As with most naturals, washday ain’t something I anticipate. I’m yet to meet a naturalista that’s always anticipating a washday.  😓 I dread it every time. From detangling, putting hair in sizable twists,  to shampooing and deep conditioning. Tedious!

I'm generally open to new thoughts on the most proficient method to make my washday shorter and voila!  A few months back I was washing my hair when I thought to myself: Instead of washing and rinsing each twist twice, why not shampoo the whole hair first, then do a second washing to each twist to save time?

Now, let me just let you know how my ancient washday went down:
  1.  I take one twist, apply shampoo, scrub and rinse it out.
  2. Apply a second round of shampoo, scrub and rinse out again.
  3. Then take the next twist and repeat step 1 & 2. So if I had 8 twists, I would have shampooed 16 times and rinsed 16 times!
  4. Then apply a deep conditioner to each twist by unraveling it, combing through and retwisting it.
  5. At least 30 minutes under a shower cap to let the deep conditioner do its work.
  6.  Rinse hair.
I'm not sure of the time spent in this method but I'm guessing 1 hour+ - 2 hours.

Now, to my latest tweaked method:
  1. Apply shampoo all over my hair, lightly scrub to remove most of the dirt and rinse out - 5 minutes.
  2. Take each twist, apply a second round of shampoo and scrub. - 10 minutes
  3. At this point, I don’t rinse out until I’m done shampooing and scrubbing all the sections of my hair.
  4. Rinse out shampoo from all the twists at once. - 5 minutes. So if I had 8 twists, I would have shampooed 9 times and rinsed out just twice! Amazeballs!
  5. Then apply a deep conditioner to each twist by unraveling it, combing through and retwisting it - 25 minutes.
  6. At least 30 minutes under a shower cap to let the deep conditioner do its work.
  7. Rinse hair - 10 minutes
The difference in time-saving is so clear! Not only is my time saved but also energy expended.

Hope you try this on your next washday. It may not be less than an hour but it will definitely save you some time. Also if you have a tip for making washday shorter, holla in the comment section.

Keep ‘fro-ing

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Currently Rocking #6

June 04, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments


I've been looking for ways to jazz up my twist out for a while now. Twist out has been a go-to hairstyle like forever and to be honest it does get quite boring. I finally stumbled on a tutorial on how to accessorize my twist out, Yippee!

I’ll be recreating this style in this post but first off, I’ve been thinking about what to call this hairstyle: 
1. Twist out with a dash of bling?
2. Twist out with some bling bling(No? Too cheesy?)
You can give me some ideas about what to call this hairstyle in the comment section.

Now the recreation:
  • 1. As usual, hair should be clean and well detangled.
  • 2. Section a small part of your hair, this is where the clips(blings) will be attached. Usually, I just do a side part, then further divide it in two.

  • 3. Take one of the section and make box cuts, you can do as much as you like, I just kept mine on the minimal though.

  • 4. Take one section of the hair in box cut and hold with a small rubber band.

  •  5. Twist, join it to the next section and secure with a band.

  • 6. Divide it in two and drag it to have a firmer hold.

  • 7. Do this for all the box cuts

  • 8. Add the clips

  • 9. Twist the rest of your hair

  • 10. Wake up the next day, unravel twists, fluff and go!
Day 1
Day 6

Don't forget to share your ideas about names for this hairstyle!

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How To Wash-And-Go On 4c Hair

April 15, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments

Curls, Curls...more curls
Wash-and-Go is one of the cool ways to get extra curl definition on your natural hair. This is my second attempt at a wash-and-go, the first attempt was over 2 years ago(Epic failure). It came out right this time. I’m wondering if I should call this a wash-and-go though, maybe a define-and-go has a better ring to it, as my curls didn’t get defined immediately after my wash process. My hair was already a week old after washday.
Wash-and-Gos are mostly achieved during wash days, immediately hair has been cleansed and is free from build up. Mine, however, was achieved a week after washday.

What you’ll need:

  1. Water in a spray bottle
  2. Leave in conditioner
  3. Detangling comb/brush
  4. Gel

Steps

  1. Section a small part of your hair and thoroughly dampen the section with water.
  2. Apply leave-in conditioner, smooth it through and detangle your hair.
  3. Apply gel and smoothen through in a raking motion.
  4. Shingling: Take each individual curl in the section and smoothening it down to separate it from the rest of the section. i.e separating the curls strand by strand.
  5. Do this for your whole hair, then gently shake your head for a while(like you’re saying ‘no’). This helps to separate the coils and to remove excess water.
  6. Style your hair in the direction that you want it to go and let it dry. 
  7. You can add some oil after it dries.

It took about 2.30 hours to get this done because of the shingling, the good thing here is that it wasn’t my arm doing all the work. A friend of mine actually got this done on my hair. 😆


Tips

  1. This style is best achieved on hair that is cleansed, without any build up. It will last longer this way.
  2. Get ready to keep your hair wet throughout the entire process. This allows you to capture the curls you have in your wet state. Water and conditioner bring out your curl pattern, and the gel captures your curl pattern.
  3. Don’t add too much gel, I did this and my hair didn’t completely get dried until the next day. I also had a few white flakes on my hair. Don’t be like me.

Maintenance

Mornings:

  • For the first 5 days: Added oil, lightly rake my hands through my hair, shake and go.
  • On the 6th day, I finally spritz with water, applied oil then little gel and let it dry 

Night:

  • Pineapple up.
  • If I want a stretched hair, I twist more than half of each section, then secure with rubber bands



I’ve been loving the wash-and-go. Apart from being time-consuming, getting matted after a few days,  and as usual the shrinkage, it falls under my fave hairstyles.

Looking forward to trying it again!

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Frospiration! | Esther

March 30, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments


Let’s get to know you.

Hello peeps! My name is Esther Konama Yeboah. I’m Ghanaian and half English. I’ve lived in Ghana for past 14 years!

How long have you been a natural?

My whole life. Two years ago I went to sisterlocks and half a year ago, I moved to twist locks. I do these myself and don't need to go to a stylist for these.

Do you have an idea what your hair type and porosity is?

Uhmmmm…..no I don’t. Thinking of reading this post on porosity though, so I’ll figure it out, but my hair is difficult and hard work.


What’s your regimen like?

I wash my hair 2 or 3 times every 6 weeks with some form of moisturizing shampoo, whatever I have with me at the time. Every time I wash it, I oil my scalp and roots with coconut oil and Shea butter. Then I re-twist each lock (not sure how many I have) with Cantu moisturizing twist and lock gel and Olive oil Eco styler gel. A couple of times during the month I re-oil my hair a bit and re-twist some in the front rows.

Any hair products you can’t do without?

Cantu twist and lock gel, Coconut oil and Shea butter.

What’s your go-to hairstyle? Any fave hairstyle?

I normally leave my hair loose (I’ve been told it makes me look like a lion with a mane) or tie it high up in a bun.

Challenges you face as a natural.

I did when it wasn’t in locks. I had a fluffy afro before now, and although it was cool, no one took someone with a fluff ball on their head seriously. I couldn’t really do much with it because it was a lot to deal with, all tangly and I was too self-conscious to leave it out, so it remained tied up most of the time. It needed a lot of care to keep it looking normal and healthy but it was always tangled up because people kept touching it as if I were a cat. 😒

Do you have any hair/styling secret? 😉

Secrets? Hmmmm….I switch hair partings throughout the day to stop my hair from hanging too floppy, staying fluffed and wind swept-looking.

What’s the best thing about being natural?

The best thing about being natural is: when you look good, especially when everyone acknowledges it. Then you feel the effort you put in wasn’t in vain! The best thing about locks is: you put almost zero effort into looking good!

Any advice for your natural sisters out there?

Be proud of the hair you’ve been given; it’s a gift. But don’t be mistaken in thinking that you need to have long hair or perfect natural hair and so you labor hard and long on it to no avail. If your hair is hard work, there are other ways to embrace it. There’s no one way to be natural.

How do we keep in touch with you? 

Instagram: @essy_ter

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Currently Rocking!

March 13, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 4 Comments

Jumbo Faux Locs

jumbo faux locs

4 responses:

Washday | Secret Of Less Tangling

February 20, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 5 Comments



 My definition of washday these days:


washday
/ˈwɒʃdeɪ/
noun
noun: wash-day
   - a day when one misses their big chop or teeny weeny afro 
I really do miss the times when washdays were easier. These days it comes with lots of manipulation, that leaves my hair in a tangled mess, especially as my hair grows longer and thicker.
For a while now, I’ve been making washdays less of a chore, making it easier by washing my hair in braids/twists. There are more benefits to this:

  1.  I spend less time during the washing process.
  2. This also helps minimize tangles caused by manipulation, giving me a better chance of retaining length.
  3.  It ensures my hair is getting cleaned thoroughly as no part is being ignored. 
Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, You can braid/twist up 4 or more sections. Usually, I do 6 or more sections for my hair.

When shampooing, focus on the scalp as this is where dirt and buildup are present. After shampooing, let the water run down the length of your braids/twists to clean the length of your hair.  Squeeze each braid/twist as the shampoo is being rinsed out of your hair.

You don’t have to unravel the braids/twists after the shampoo rinse out, You can also go through your deep conditioning process while the hair is still braided/twisted up.

Tip: To prevent my hair from unraveling during the wash process, I make sure braids/twists are firm but not excessively tight.

How do you combat tangles on washdays? Let me know in the comment section below.

5 responses:

Frospiration! | Sotie

January 21, 2018 Uloaku Enyingwa 0 Comments

Let’s get to know you.

Hi Hi! My name is Ibim-Dennis Sotonye (Sotie). I'm Nigerian and I currently live in Poland. I am a Medical student.


How long have you been natural?

It'll be exactly 2 years by this May 2018.

Big chop or transition?

I transitioned for 9 months and I finally chopped it off in May 2016.


What’s the story behind you going back to your natural roots?

Well, I went through a phase when the harsh winter weather and too much heat destroyed my healthy relaxed hair. It was badly damaged and just didn’t look good anymore. As a child, I was natural until I was 9 and I remember my hair been very long and healthy, so I started thinking of going natural. Although I went through 2 failed transitions before I could fully commit to the journey, I finally did it! No regrets yet.

Do you have an idea what your hair type and porosity is?

My hair type is 4C, Porosity-I have no idea.

What’s your regimen like?

Lol “Regimen” well I’m a lazy and busy natural so my hair is in protective styles most of the time. I wear wigs most of the time and try to wash  once a week( no longer than 2 weeks without a wash)

  • I pre-poo with a basic conditioner and coconut oil for an hour or more, sometimes overnight. Then detangle and section into 4 parts.
  • Then I wash with shampoo ( Yves Rocher for bouncy curls or Aussie miracle moist) these are the ones I can easily pick up from the store and they are super affordable. 
  • I condition with the Yves Rocher bouncy curls conditioner, rinse that out.
  • Afterwards with the Aussie miracle moist conditioner, I deep condition with a plastic bag or shower cap over my head for at least 1 hour. (this is done every other week).
  • Then I rinse with green tea, Condition with Cantu leave-in conditioner and finally, I seal the moisture in with my DIY shea butter, coconut oil, and almond oil mix. 

 All of this is just on wash day.  On a daily basis, I just spray my hair which is usually in cornrows with water and seal with coconut oil at night and tie my hair with a silk scarf.

Any hair products you can’t do without?

Cantu leave-in conditioner or any similar product. It makes detangling a lot easier.

What’s your go-to hairstyle? Any fave hairstyle?

I love to put my hair in a high puff when its out. its quick, easy and looks good.

Challenges you face as a natural.

The routine and finding the time to keep up with it is a real challenge.


Do you have any hair/styling secret? *wink*

My hair loves water so I try to keep it moisturized all the time.

Has going natural changed anything about you?

Going natural has taught me how to better care of my hair. I don’t use heat at all anymore and I’m more gentle with hair in general since I make other people’s hair part-time.  I’m  also much more confident when my hair is out and it's looking healthy and beautiful.

Do you think you’ll ever return back to the creamy crack?

 Well, yeah. I think I will eventually, but I might miss my curls and come right back. ðŸ˜‚


Any advice for your natural sisters out there?

The sacrifice is worth it. Don’t break your pockets in a bid to buy expensive hair products. A simple regular regimen will do the same thing. If you can’t find the popular ones Youtube hair gurus keep talking about then get what is available or affordable and make it work.


How do we keep in touch with you?

Instagram handle @sotie_ibim
Twitter handle @iam_sotie

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