Deep Condition | Part 2




WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GETTING YOUR NEXT DEEP CONDITIONER


Here comes the second article in the deep condition series. If you missed the first article, you can get all the scoop here!
When it comes to buying a deep conditioner choosing the right one really matters. There are lots of brands out there and it could get quite confusing to make the right choice.

A deep conditioner that’s beautifully packed or one with the nicest fragrance doesn’t always equate a good one. We also do not want to splurge on a deep conditioner, only to find out it’s not as effective do we?

I’ve found that the trick to identifying a good product is by looking at the ingredients list at the back of the product. I first scan through for ingredients that may  not be good for my hair before looking for the goodies that could penetrate my hair shaft so as to get the desired effect. For the sake of this post though let’s start with the goodies!

Basically a deep conditioner should contain ingredients that falls under these categories:

  • MOISTURIZERS
Water/Aqua is the first ingredient you should find on the list and it’s the most moisturizing of all moisturizers. Other moisturizers include: Aloe Vera, Panthenol, Glycerin, Fatty/Moisturizing Alcohols (Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol)

  • CONDITIONERS
These ingredients help condition the hair, making it easier to detangle and comb through. Examples of some common conditioners: Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Propyl Glycol Dicaprylate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine.

  • HYDROLYZED PROTEIN
The word “hydrolyzed” simply means the protein molecules has been broken down to smaller particles to make them more penetrable. A protein deep conditioner should contain one or more of these proteins: Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Wheat  Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Silk Protein.

  • SEALANTS
Deep conditioning treatments don’t last for a long period, sealants are required to help make the hair stay strong and moisturized for a while. Your deep conditioner may contain some of these sealants: Lanolin, Shea Butter, Phenyl Trimethicone, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil.

While there are tons of other ingredients contained in a deep conditioner, I tried not to go all chemistry on you and summarized it as best as I could. Never been a fan of chemistry anyways.
At the very least, the next time you go deep conditioner shopping you’ll have this trick up your sleeve.

Upcoming post! The next post under this series will be the ingredients you should be wary of.

Until next post.

xx

Uloaku.
Big Chop Hair Care Natural Hair
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Natural Hair Tip #6

BLENDING TEXTURES


 Transitioning?

Use rollers, rod sets or straws to wrap the ends of your twists and braids to prevent unraveling and make the straight ends curly, so as to blend in both textures.
Natural Hair Tips Transitioning
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Deep Condition | Part 1

KNOW YOUR DEEP CONDITIONERS


Deep condition. Deep condition. Deep condition often! This is on the list of the natural hair mantra as it should be. Deep conditioning is packed with many goodies for the hair. From providing intense moisture, cutting down on frizz to strengthening hair etc.
In this series I’ll be sharing post on all you need to know about deep conditioners/conditioning.

Let’s begin shall we?

First you need to know the major types of deep conditioners and how to identify them.

TYPES OF DEEP CONDITIONERS
It can be categorised into two.

1.     Moisture Deep Conditioner
No matter how good your moisturiser/leave-in conditioner is at keeping your hair moisturised, it just gets to a point where you need to cleanse all that build up and replenish all the moisture your hair lost due to manipulation, weather, colouring, heat styling and so on. This is where moisture deep condition comes in. It infuses the hair strands with nutrients and boost the moisture content, making it flexible and manageable. It also keeps breakage at bay.

To identify moisture deep conditioners look out for ingredients such as water, panthenol, behentrimonium chloride. It may also contain some Aloe Vera juice.

2.     Protein Deep Conditioner
It comprises of  ingredients like hydrolysed silk protein, hydrolysed wheat protein, hydrolysed keratin etc. Our hair is made up of protein, but general wear and tear break down the protein in our hair structure making it weak. Protein deep conditioners help to temporarily rebuild the sections of the strand underneath the follicle, making the hair stronger.

In the next post under this series, I’ll be sharing the ingredients you should look out for in a good deep conditioner. 
Big Chop Hair Care Natural Hair
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Transitioning? 8 Things You Need To Do


Transitioning your hair back to your natural roots doesn’t have to be a rough process. A smooth transition can be achieved with minimum frustration, if you do right by your hair.

1.     Start By Saying Goodbye To Chemicals
Giving up chemicals that permanently change the natural curl pattern of your hair or negatively affect it by causing breakage is a must. Relaxers, texturizers, dyes and the likes should be avoided.

 Tip: Well, you might have told yourself that you are definitely going to stay away from these chemicals but you still have them laying around somewhere. It’s best to either give them away or throw them out, so as not to give into the urge on some frustrated bad hair days.

2.     Reduce Heat Usage
Minimize the use of blow dryers, flat irons etc. Throughout my transitioning process, I stayed away from heat styling and this made my hair really healthy. The only heat I used was body heat (using plastic cap) when deep conditioning. Try air drying all of your styles instead, in order to maintain healthy hair by significantly reducing breakage.

 Tip: Occasionally using heat won’t do much damage, if you take good care of your hair during this process. Endeavour to use appropriate heat setting for your hair.

 3.     Treat Your Hair With Care
The weakest part of your is the line of demarcation (where the natural hair ends and relaxed hair begins). You have to be gentle with it. Take time to detangle. Do not over manipulate. Keep your hands out of your hair!

4.     Wash Hair In Sections
Keeping your scalp clean is great for hair growth and washing/co-washing in sections is the way forward. This may sound really time consuming but trust me it will save you a lot of breakage and shedding.

5.     Deep Condition Often
This is very important if you want to properly nourish those strands of yours and keep them healthy. It’s crucial to balance your hair with moisture and protein. Moisture deep conditioning restores internal hydration and provided intense moisture to the hair. I do mine on weekly or bi-weekly basis. You also need to restore the protein in your hair that you loose through manipulation. Your hair needs protein replenishments in order to maintain its strength. I did my protein treatment every 3 months and it worked for my  hair.

Tip: It’s all about balance for hair moisture and protein. Try experimenting with application intervals. Protein conditioning can be done between 1-3 months. Adding too much protein makes hair brittle and too much moisture makes hair limp. Find out what works best for you. Deep conditioners should be applied in generous amount to get optimal benefits.

6.     Keep Your Hair Moisturized
This is the key to combating dry hair. Dry hair is easily prone to breakage and for transitioning hair the line of demarcation is at a bigger risk. Make sure hair is well moisturized to retain strength.

Tip: To moisturize hair, lightly spray with water. Followed by a leave-in conditioner and seal with natural oil of choice.

7.     Trim Your Ends
On a regular basis you need to get rid of all those dead hair and split ends, it’s not like you were going to keep the damaged ends anyway. This prevents excessive breakage.

Tip: How often you want to trim depends on you. It can be often as every 6 weeks – 3 months, until you become a full natural.

8.     Protect Your Hair
Put your hair in protective styles sometimes. Choose styles that are simple to maintain and blend in both textures. Avoid styles that put too much tension on your temple and the nape of your neck. Always tie your hair up with a satin scarf or cap when sleeping, better still get a satin pillowcase.

Tip: Find the go-to transitioning style that blend the two very different textures. Examples of these styles are: Bantu knots and knot out, 2 strand twist and twist out, flat twists, flexi rods, braid out etc.
2 strand twist and twist out is my all time favorite.


Doing these things will not only give you a smoother transition but will prepare you for when you become a full blown natural.
Hair Care Transitioning
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