Autumn / Winter Hair Regimen 2016/17I have been on my hair journey for over 4 years now and I try to keep my regime as simple as possible whilst maintaining a moisture & protein balance for my low porosity hair. I used to be a ridiculous product junkie with so many products I was running out of space so I decided to take it back to basics and stick to my hair loves. I still like to try new products, just not as often and only if it’s a product I currently need, either way, my actual hair regime always stays the same.WeeklyPre-Poo (Pre-shampoo)Prior to washing my hair, I like to do a pre-poo treatment on the length of my hair. I alternate my pre-poo, one week I will pre-poo with just extra virgin coconut oil overnight and the alternate week I will pre-poo using a light protein conditioner sealed with extra virgin coconut oil, cover with a plastic cap and sit under the hood dryer for 30 minutes.ShampooI shampoo my hair once a week using a sulfate free moisturising shampoo. My go to shampoo is Crème of Nature Moisture & Shine shampoo.Deep ConditionHaving washed my hair, I go on to deep condition, alternating weekly between a moisturising conditioner and a light protein conditioner. The week I pre-poo with just extra virgin coconut oil, I will deep condition with a light protein conditioner. The alternate week when pre-pooing with a light protein conditioner, I will deep condition with a moisturising conditioner. My go to moisturising conditioner is Crème of Nature intensive conditioning treatment, for light protein, my favourites are ORS Replenishing conditioner and ORS HaiRepair Nourishing conditioner and I alternate between the two. I always mix oils in with my deep conditioner and my favourites are Jamaican black castor oil, extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. Once I have applied the conditioner to my hair root to tip, I cover with a plastic cap and always sit under the hooded dryer for 30 minutes to an hour.Leave-Ins & Air-dryingOnce my hair is 50% - 60% dry, I apply my leave-ins; Crème of Nature Strength & Shine Leave in which is a light protein and I follow this up by applying Aunt Jackie's quench moisture intensive leave-in conditioner and a dab of serum which helps me to achieve smoother sleeker results once dry. I prefer to use no heat on my hair at all so I will air-dry the majority of the time, alternatively I will blow dry with cold air. Once my hair is 90% dry I will then go on to moisturise and seal my hair.
DailyMoisturise & SealEvery evening, I section my hair into four and apply a water based moisturiser from root to tip. My all-time favourite moisturiser is Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer and has been a staple product in my regime for the last 3-4 years. I also have my moments when I will switch to other products to moisturise but the above is my ultimate love.Once my hair is moisturised, I go on to sealing the moisture into my hair by using two drops of oil on each section. My go to oils for sealing in moisture are; avocado oil, grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil or a mix of all of the above with a tablespoon of Jamaican black castor oil. I use extra virgin coconut oil in the warmer months but I am worried about the effect it may have on my hair in the colder months so I leave this for pre-pooing.I am currently sealing in my moisture with Africa's Best Herbal oil and I love how it makes my hair feel soft and moist every day.Daily Hair Care:
- Oil my scalp every other night with my oil mix.
- Keep my hair in a low manipulation bun hairstyle 99% of the time.
- At night I put my hair in a loose bun with a satin scrunchy and cover with a satin scarf. I also sleep on a satin pillow case.
Styling / DetanglingI use Crème of Nature Edge Control to lay my edges when wearing low manipulation styles.I don’t have to use it very often but when if am struggling to detangle my hair I use Mane & Tail Detangler which always does the trick at helping me run my fingers or comb through my hair at ease.MonthlyClarify ShampooOnce a month, I use a clarifying shampoo to remove any buildup of product and I always use the ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo which doesn’t make my hair feel dry or stripped.Protein TreatmentFollowing my clarifying wash, I go on to give my hair a medium protein treatment using ORS Hair Mayonnaise and again I always mix the conditioner with oils for that extra oomph. I cover with a plastic cap and sit under the hood dryer for 30 – 40 minutes then rinse once cool. The ORS Hair Mayonnaise never leaves my hair dry or hard to manage once rinsed but I always do a last rinse by applying a conditioner like Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner for a boost of moisture. I leave it in my hair for 5 minutes then rinse.Relaxer DayI relax my hair every 10 -12 weeks using ORS Olive Oil Relaxer in normal strength.Apply extra virgin coconut oil to the length of my hair including my new growth the night before as well as oiling my scalp with my oil mix. On the day of my relaxer I will base my edges and scalp with petroleum jelly and apply extra virgin olive oil to my hair avoiding my new growth just before applying relaxer.
What are your go-to products which you cannot live without?
