MY SHAMPOO EXPERIENCE

So last night I decided to wash my hair using a packed sulfate shampoo after dodging it for a very long time. In fact I've only  used a sulfate shampoo once since I went natural. I have been using the moisturizing one from Afro botanics.

My hair has not been able to drink up moisture much these days so I decided to use a much stronger shampoo to help open up my cuticles. I also added the baking soda. I'm low porosity. So what was my experience? Let's just say This was the best decision I've ever taken for my hair ladies. My hair was super soft during the wash, YES!! SOFT!! Yes I know. It didn't feel stripped at all, my hair swell obviously because my cuticles were raised, llloved it. So I went in with my conditioner right away. Tresseme naturals. I continued detangling and rinsed it off with bearable hot water just so my cuticles could remain open. And then I followed with my DC. 

I choose among these based on my routine. 

I'm really happy with the results and pleased I've learned one more thing about my hair and that product build up can harm your hair. My hair loves shampoos. 

These are the products I use to cleanse my hair. 

Anyone with me ladies? Do you Love, hate or just okay with shampoos?


let's connect https://www.facebook.com/ImNaturalInSA?ref=aymt_homepage_panel 

AFRICAN THREADING!!

What is African threading?

Most of  us black girls are familiar with African threading. Very well. Probably not with the same name yes. I remember we used to call it "mologo wa wool" lol. yes that. I must have had my hair threaded 1000 times as a young girl and I don't remember suffering any complications with my hair, hair loss balding, hairline loss, NOPE!! NEVER!!.
 African threading is basically putting your hair  into ponytails using a thread. "We" in South Africa, I know most people use wool. In other parts of the world people use rubber threads. Rubber threads are plastic kind of material whereas wool is more cottony and is thicker than your regular thread and I'd say it's much safer because it's not too sharp to cut your hair.

remember this???

African threading can also be used as a protective style. Beautiful hairstyles. I think We must actually bring this method back by power by force. it's save. it's easy and it's cheap.

What you need for African Threading:

• Thread, wool or rubber thread. I use wool.
• comb - for dividing your hair in to desired sizes
• hair clips - just to make life easy by putting your divisions out of your way.
• TIME AND PATIENCE. ;)

NB: you don't need much skill. it is very easy to do. Unless you planning on wearing it as a protective style. then yeah!!

How to African Threading:

1. separate you hair into however sizes you like
2. cut up a piece of a thread/wool
3. place it right a the root of your hair
4. tighten the thread/wool around the hair going upwards to the tip of your hair.
5. knot it down or secure it down. lol.

FINITO!!

yazzzz!!

What do you do to stretch your hair ladies? what do you think of this method? share your thoughts and other fabulous methods on stretching natural down in the comment section.

Don't forget to like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ImNaturalInSA for frequent updates.

chao chao!!!

WHO AM I AND WHY I'M HERE

Who am I and why I'm here

welcome to my blog and I hope you will enjoy it here.

Who am I?

My name is LydiaM and I'm here with all things natural hair. I am not an expert or professional on any type of hair. I am just a lover of a good healthy hair.

Why am I here?

My reason here is to share my natural hair journey with you all and to share what I do to care, maintain and love it to it's longest length possible.

Why natural hair?

I don't have anything against any type of hair, I just decided to grow my own natural crown and I am enjoying the journey. All I want is to give what I was born with a chance to flourish. I am an African female child who was raised with beliefs that my type of hair was not beautiful or good enough. So I took it upon myself to love, care and see my hair as beautiful and good enough. Hence the this journey. My hair is beautiful, I love it and I look pretty in it.

What am I hoping to accomplish?

Beside the fact that I want to gain inspiration from other "naturalistas" out there, I'm also hoping I will inspire someone out there who may need the courage and motivation to grow their natural hair. I believe by sharing my journey, tricks and technics I'll also learn more from others. 

What will I be sharing?

I will be documenting my hair journey, my regimen, challenges, accomplishments, hair anniversaries, natural hair styles and will be doing product reviews.



thank you for passing by, I hope you enjoy the valuable information I will be sharing here from time to time. please don't hesitate to share your advises and journeys with me as well. let's rock what our Daddy gave us girls... peace!!!

HAIR TYPES; MY HAIR TYPE

What is hair typing?

 
There are different types of hair and it is important to know yours so that you are able to know the specific needs for your hair and what kind of products are useful to your own type. Other people don't take it any serious but they are just able to work with their hair just fine (lucky them). I took it upon myself to know my type.
 
Hair typing basically explains the curl pattern of your hair. whether it's tight coiled, loosely coiled, curly, nappy or straight. Below are simple charts that may be helpful to you to identify your type:

 

 

I believe I am a 4B. Below is what has been found out about type 4 hair in general.

Type 4 – Kinky Hair

• Type 4 is kinky, or very tightly curled, with a clearly visible curl pattern
• The hair is very wiry, very tightly coiled and very, very fragile
• Type 4 hair can range from fine/thin to wiry/coarse with lots and lots of strands densely packed together
• Type 4 hair has fewer cuticle layers than any other hair type, which means that it has less natural protection from the damage you inflict by combing, brushing, curling, blow-drying and straightening it
• Type 4 hair is known to shrink up to 75% of the actual hair length

 

YEP!!!! I KNOW...

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY REGIMEN

1. Washes (every week) - Sundays

My wash day routine basically starts the previous night. lol. I start with pre-pooing with castor oil the night before wash day.
I  basically use what I feel my hair needs at that particular moment or I'll determine the kind of wash I need based on the week I had or based on the product build up.

My type of washes :

• Deep cleansing - this is when I use a shampoo
• Mild cleansing - this is when I use a sulfate free shampoo
• Strengthening wash/rinse - this is when I do my DIY's recipes for strengthening my hair e.. apple cider vinegar and black tea rinse
• Deep cleansing and moisturizing (my favorite) - this is when I do my mud wash. I use bentonite clay. I will be trying the rhassoul clay soon.

I will be posting more details on all of these methods right here on my blog. so look out for those posts. look out for the DIY's recipes as well, with further explanations on the benefits for each ingredient.

2. Co-wash  ( once/twice a week) 

To be honest at this point I haven't created a strict routine with co-washes, I tend to just do them whenever I feel like, but I want to change that.

I co-wash my hair using any "cheapy" conditioner I have, depending on the mood or which ever I grab first. there will be a post about all the conditioners I use and what I look out for in a conditioner. be sure to look out for that.

3. Deep conditioning - (every week) - Sundays

I deep condition my hair after every wash so I do it after my wash session. My conditionings also depends on what my hair feels like or depending on the week I had.

My types of deep conditioners:

• Deep moisture treatment - this is when I do my deep penetrating conditioning
• Deep protein treatment - when I do my protein treatment. I'd have a light or deep depending on what my hair needs.
• Mud deep treatment - this one is when I use one of my favorite muds to moisturize my hair. watch out for the post about this treatment right here and how do I use the mud as a cleanser and use it as a deep conditioner too.

4. Hot oil treatment + inversion method + Green house effect method/ baggy method

I do hot oil treatments every other day. look out for my hot oil treatment recipe and ingredients post.
and all about the invention method and gabby method/GHEM.

Don't worry, there are going to be posts about all theses methods, ingredients and DIY's recipes right here on the blog. So don't panic you will soon understand exactly what I'm on about.

once again thank you so much for passing by, I hope you drew some inspiration if that's what you were looking for and found some helpful tips for yourself. Be sure to leave your comments below in the comment section and don't forget to follow me on my natural hair Facebook page.

HAIR PORORSITY

What is hair porosity?

 

Hair porosity is the level at which your hair is able to absorb and retain moisture. This determines how one's hair cuticles are laid and opened. The are 3 levels at which hair can be classified with regards to porosity.

 

Low porosity

 

This type of hair does not absorb moisture very well or easily. The cuticles are compact therefore makes it difficult for the moisture to penetrate. In order to open the cuticles, you'll need to open them up first then put in the moisture. What I find positive about this hair type is that, once it gets hold of the moisture, it does not let it go easily. As it takes long for it to absorbs, it takes long for it to release it.

 

I fall under this category. It takes me forever to wet my hair. What I have to work with this type of hair is:

 

I wash my hair with bearable hot water, as well as co-wash

I deep condition under a heat cap, WE  LO-PO girls need heat to open up the cuticles so that the moisture can go in.

I moisturize immediately after I wash off the conditioner with hot water while my cuticles are still wide open.

I warm my conditioners before I apply them onto my hair

Hot oil treatments

I use the LOC method to moisturize.

I use light oils which penetrate the stands faster to moisturize and use a light butter to seal. At this point I use Shea butter which is a lot think for my hair type but I just love this butter and I will not let it go I'm sorry. Avocado oil works great because it is light enough to penetrate our kind of hair.

 

Products that work well for Low Porosity hair:

 

Baking soda -  great for opening up the cuticles

Hot water - as I mentioned above, it opens up the cuticles

grape seed oil

Aragon oil

Avocado oil

Coconut oil 

 

there are lot out there!!

 

 

Medium/Normal Porosity

 

This type of porosity is the most desirable one, everyone wants to be on this level. The ability of absorbing moisture is just fffine, it's ppperfect, not too much, not too little. JUST FFFINE.  the cuticles are laid nicely.  as lovely as it absorbs moisture, it releases the moisture just as lovely.   

 

people in this category can use whatever they please to use. they are able to get away with lots of hairstyles and treatments. I'm jealous. *GreenWithEnvy*

 

High porosity

 

This type of hair absorbs moisture tooooo much and sooo quick. It drinks up. no no no no make that gulps up. The cuticles are forever open therefore make it easy for anything to go in. BUT! as fast and as easy it is to gulp moisture, it also fast to loose the moisture. This type is the less desirable one. What I've heard to work for the HI-PO girls is washing and co-washing with cool or cold water, in so doing, they are forcing the cuticle down. As for deep conditioning, these girls can just use their boy heat. So while we (LO-PO) girls work hard to open the cuticles, they work hard to close them, while the MED-PO girls relax and enjoy.

 

Ladies in this category work hard to lock and retain moisture. They use thick and heavy products that aren't easy to evaporate. products such as :

 

Shea butter

Olive oil

Castor oil

Glycerin

and more!

 

How to determine which category you are in:

 

I used the water in glass method :). What you do is, you take a glass filled with water and take a clean strand of you hair. Put it in the glass with water and leave it for about 10 minutes. If you find your hair floating on top of the water, you know you are  a LO-PO girl.

If the hair drowns midway, you are the lucky girl, MED-PO girl. And if your hair drowns to the bottom of the glass, then you are a HI-PO girl.