Beer Rinse

$3.10 from Athientis Spar

So after my light bulb moment  a few weeks ago when i came to the realisation that I had thin hair, i trolled the WWW in search of a solution to  maybe make my hair a bit more dense/thicker.  I came across a Nigerian Naturals Page and it was suggested that i try a beer rinse hmm I thought, so off i went again to do more research on the WWW and YouTube.

Of Course don't take my word as the hard and fast facts I encourage people to do their own research, these are some of  benefits that I found can be achieved from doing a beer rinse. 

• Softer Hair
• More body/Bounce (This right here is what i am wanting)
• Shiny Hair
• Revitalised Curls

Some do say that a simple beer rinse can help with heat damage but I am not worried about that as  I currently do not suffer from any heat damage.

That said and done if you want to try a beer rinse here is what you will need.

• A pint of Non - Alcoholic Beer (or 2 pints depending on the length of your hair) I got mine from Athientis Fife Avenue for $3.10 (not cheap). Why non-alcoholic, well alcohol strips the hair of its moisture and would therefore dry your hair - not what we are after. **Though who drinks non-alcoholic beer??**

The Process

1. You will have to start with clean hair. I  co-washed my hair with Dischem Essential Treats Volumising Conditioner. 
2. I divided my hair into 4 sections and slowly poured the beer over that section making sure that my hair was thoroughly drenched. ( I did this with my head over the sink I dont quite like the idea of beer running down my back).
3. Let the beer sit in your hair for 3 - 5 minutes.
4. Rinse out the beer. At this stage you can use conditioner afterward, that's your prerogative.

And Voila you are done.

My observations from beer rinse;

My curls were definitely popping and more pronounced my hair was very soft and I can say more bouncy and fuller looking. I am going to be adding a beer rinse to my hair regime.

 * It is very important that you use a non-alcoholic beer when doing the beer rinse, this is because non-alcoholic beer is more acidic and will yield better results.

* Make sure that the beer is completely flat before you do the beer rinse. So you can leave it opened over night or you can just open and let it sit for a couple of hours before doing your rinse. 

3 Days After my beer rinse my hair has never looked so thick.

Just Loving my hair so will randomly post pics every now and then.

Sooo.... Could I possibly have Fine Natural Hair?

So I bumped into a friend in the gym today and she has the cutest TWA and I remarked on how i wish my hair could pull a hairstyle like that, to which she responded surely when it shrinks you can pull it off, and i said nah my hair doesn't actually shrink that much and she says 'Oh your hair is fine'... ding dong i see the light now.

Heat Free Stretching - December 2015

From the pic above its clear that i don't have the same hair texture or density that many naturals that i see have.  When i embarked on my journey i refused to jump onto the typing bandwagon but was determined to learn as I go what works for my hair and what doesn't.

My hair has always been fine and low density even when I was relaxed. However i did think this would be a thing of the past when i turned natural. As a result when it comes to styling my hair, my twists have never been the thick, luscious full type and my braid out, twist out and bantu knots have zero curl definition. I prefer to heatless stretch my hair using African threading and then just wearing it lose.

So since i now acknowledge that i have fine hair, its imperative that i wear more protective styles such that my hair can be left alone for several days at a time if i am going to gain length. To do this as i am going to rely on African Threading mainly as i find since i do it by myself it is kinder on my edges and i will re-evaluate my progress when i have my length check in at the end of June.

I will also be turning down my moisturising routine, I have always been a bit heavy handed but now that i understand my hair i know see why my hair was always a bit limp and greasy looking and had me wanting to wash it after a few days, cause i was overdoing it.
What i will be changing mainly is that i will be using more of my water and olive oil spritzer and coconut oil to seal in concentrating on the ends and i wont be using my butters as often. In a nut shell i will not be moisturising as often as i was before but will ensure that my hair does remain hydrated.

Wish me luck.

African Threading - Styled

My go to hair style will be lots of 'mabhanzi' as we call them neatly tied away. I like it.

Before Styling

Natural Hair in the Workplace.

In a few weeks time i am going to speaking at an event in Harare "Curls, Kinks and Fashion" so the facilitator has just asked me for a short description about myself and what i intend to speak on at the event as the "Curls & Kinks" part is obviously aimed at women with Natural Hair. On a whim i responded that i will tackle the subject of "Natural Hair in the Workplace."

Before i actually said that i hadn't really stopped to think about Natural Hair in the workplace but now that I have, I will share my experiences.

We see Natural hair everywhere these days, our celebrities wear it with pride both locally and internationally, Shingai Shoniwa, Dephne Madyara, Prudence Katomeni Mbofana, Pearl Thusi, Solange Knowles, Viola Davies the list is endless, you would expect that it is widely accepted that Natural Hair is here and it is here to stay... but alas.

When I wear my natural hair to work whether in a fro, or twist out, the first people i get disapproving looks from are my 'brother's and sister's' from another mother, and i think to myself how is that even remotely possible? What is it with the straight hair mentality that has people thinking that once you show your curl pattern they have the right to turn their nose up at you. So yes i often get told that i need to make a 'plan' about my hair. What plan should i make, how has my hair offended you? Am i not being productive with my hair in a fro? Is my hair really that unprofessional? Who then deems what is professional and what isn't?

Because of my hairstyles I am often viewed as being a hippy or eccentric and am sure people half expect me to be high on weed half my life. But i am not a hippy, i have been very fortunate enough to stay clear of weed and any other dangerous narcotics, so please with all due respect if i don't judge you based on your hair, don't judge me on mine.

What i boils down to is that society must accept that Naturalista's are so much more than just their hair and to recognise and understand why we choose to wear our hair the way we do.

As I said earlier this type of reaction i face mainly from other men and women of colour that i work with. The exact opposite is true of my Caucasian colleagues, the lady that i share an office with loves that i am able to wear my natural hair, she is amazed by the versatility of my natural hair. 

Its a saddening reality i think.

End of rant. Disclaimer these are my views and perceptions and mine alone we all have different stories to tell I just put mine out there.

Length Check 1,2

Since i started my HHJ it has always been more of an issue of Healthy Hair over the length of the hair. There are some people out there who will have BSL (Bra Strap Length) hair but they have more split ends than is allowable in the Natural Hair Community.

So yeah now that i think my hair regime has resulted in the healthiest hair that i can possibly achieve i am starting to look at the length aspect. I reckon i am grazing shoulder length in a blow dried state, i am looking to achieve that same shoulder length with no heat.

In a previous post (Help!!!! My Hair is not growing!) I have attempted to highlight that all hair grows at least on average 1/2 an inch every month but its how you treat your hair that determines how much you will retain.

Different strokes for different folks, some people will swear by hair vitamins such as Hairfinity and  Nutrivites, while others will cut their hair according to phases of the moon.

This is how i plan on achieving growth.

1.   Follow a Healthy Lifestyle

In as much as what we eat and drink and how we generally take care of our bodies affects our skin, its a ripple effect and it actually affects our hair as well. A person needs to eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables, drink enough  water and exercise regularly for overall body health. And since it follows that hair grows directly from the body, when you treat your body well your Hair, Skin and nails will benefit too. Vitamin deficiencies and unhealthy diets can cause dry and brittle hair.

2.   Low Manipulation Styles

I am also going to try and incorporate hair styles that involve as little as possible manipulation of my hair and if possible try and minimise the use of my beloved afro comb :-(.

3.  Protective Styling

I am planning on evaluating my length 3 months from now (end of June 2015) so the time in between I will have to overcome the temptation to show off my hair by keeping my hair in protective styles. Protective styles will help retain length (Protective styles keep your ends which are often the oldest and driest parts of your hair from rubbing against pillow cases, clothing and car seats) and by so doing also helps our hair retain moisture.

4.  Condition Condition Condition

I cannot stress the importance of regular deep conditioning on a regular basis for Natural Hair. Well moisturised hair is less prone to dryness and breakage which results in length retention.

Length Check 25.03.15

THE PROS AND CONS OF SULPHATE-FREE SHAMPOO

These buzz words have been doing the rounds for the past few years and, if you have haven’t already jumped onto the sulphate-free train, now might be the time to consider  changing to a sulphate-free shampoo.

What does it mean?
Sulphates are ingredients that create the foam that we all so love to see when we wash our hair,  you don’t just find them in shampoo. They’re in everything from facial wash and shower gel to common household cleaning products – one of the reasons they’ve gained such a bad reputation.

Sulphates have a  tendency to strip hair of its good (natural)  oils, as well as the bad ones you are trying to remove by washing. And when you consider the thousands of chemicals  in the products we use daily – from our toothpaste to our night cream – it’s not surprising we’re looking for products with gentler ingredients.

The Good
If you suffer  from allergies,  skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis or general reactions to products( which I unfortunately do) then you should seriously  consider switching to sulphate-free shampoos. They’re gentler on the scalp and therefore less likely to cause any irritation.

They’re also better options to use when caring for hair after chemical treatments as well as ensuring that colour lasts longer.

The Bad
Sulphate free shampoo’s generally tend to be more expensive than other shampoos. Because of this they are hard to come by, however with the natural hair revolution that is taking over they are a bit more accessible than having to purchase only online. In Harare try Venus Beauty Supply or Evenhand Cosmetics.

When it comes to washing you’ll also notice a difference in how the product spreads. Sulphate-free shampoos don’t lather as well as regular ones because they don’t contain the heavy surfactants which cause that foaming action we expect from shampoos. And if your hair is very long or prone to oiliness, you’ll probably find you need more product than usual. This doesn’t necessarily mean a shampoo with sulphates does a better job at cleansing; it simply foams better than those without them, which means it spreads faster and more easily.

Read your labels
Look out for sulphates in shampoos located in the ingredients list under the names sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate (SLS and SLES) and ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS). Try to find a shampoo that is both free from sulphates as well as sodium chloride, used to thicken shampoos. This is basically table salt and also damages hair .

The Beauties
Try some of our favourite sulphate-free shampoos: Nature's Gate, Dr Miracles Curl Care Range, Mark Anthony Strictly Curls.

My Favourite Oil - Coconut Oil

Very few things in life get me as excited as a jar of coconut oil. No, not because I’m basic, but because this stuff is actually, really, really that good.

First thing I’m asked when I talk about this stuff is where do I buy it. Coconut oil is available at most Pharmacies though i doubt the pureness of it, Vitamin Bar health food stores such as ZimSpice . I buy my coconut oil at a Venus Beauty in Belgravia $18 for 500g

Second thing I’m asked is ‘is it supposed to be hard?’. Yes. It hardens in cooler temperatures. If you scoop out a little and rub it between your palms, it liquifies. During summer, it’s almost always liquid.

Why is coconut oil this amazing?

• Because it’s an oil, it can’t be classified as a moisturizer (like water), but it’s one of the best – if not the best! – natural oil for locking/ sealing moisture into your hair;
• Is your hair always mince-ing? Coconut oil is great at blocking moisture from the air from penetrating your hair, so your great style won’t be ruined by humidity or weather conditions;
• It makes your hair stronger because it can bind to your hair’s protein structure;
• If you use is BEFORE you wash your hair, in a pre-shampoo or hot oil treatment, it can help minismise the damage your hair potentially faces due all the manipulation and handling it goes through on wash day;
• If, like me, you’re dealing with porosity issues, this is the oil to use as a general all purpose oil.

How I use coconut oil: 

• Detangler: I’m one of those ridiculous people who dry finger detangles and this oil just makes my knots and tangled curls melt;
• Sealant: During summer, this is my go-to oil for sealing in moisture and doing the LOC method;
• Hot oil treatments and scalp massages: Due to my position as The World’s Laziest Natural, these don’t happen regularly, but, when they do, coconut oil features prominently;
• ‘Hair Food’: You know when you go get your hair braided and the stylist wants to reach for her mineral oil-laden hair food or Vaseline to base your scalp or help lubricate her hands to work faster? Hand her a jar of this stuff instead;
• Shine Serum: On the rare occasion that I’ve straightened my hair, I spread a few drops of this in my palms and smooth over my hair every day. Good at keeping flyaways at bay and adds shine without having to reach for a silicone-based product;
• Body Moisturiser: When your skin feels a bit meh, smooth some of this over it. Lavishness.
• Eye Make Up Remover: Because I’m addicted to cat eye liner, I’m constantly on the look out for ways to remove all the gunk without ripping my eyelids apart. This stuff is so good at removing eye make up without spending hours rubbing at your sensitive eye area.