The Healthy Hair Diary: moisturise and seal

Hair Products

My Favourite Moisturisers for Relaxed hair

Friday, November 10, 2017

moisturise and seal

How I Moisturise and Seal my Relaxed Hair...

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

11 Weeks Post Relaxer

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Giving My Hair Life!!

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

So about a month ago I noticed I was running low on extra virgin coconut oil and as I use it to both pre-poo my hair and to moisturise my face at night, I decided to leave the little bit left to use on my face in the evenings before bed until I got to the supermarket. That said, I also wanted to try a different oil to use to seal in my moisturiser when moisturising and sealing each night so as I had extra virgin olive oil in the kitchen cupboard already, this was my oil of choice.

I used the EVOO to pre-poo my hair instead of using extra virgin coconut oil and also used it to mix in with my deep conditioner and at the end of wash day, my hair was left feeling so moist and strong, it was a dream to handle my hair.

When using it seal in the moisture from my moisturiser, after the first day, I was left wondering why I hadn't used this sooner. With the colder weather my hair can feel quite dry by the end of the day but sealing with extra virgin olive oil mean my hair is left softy and so moist at the end of the day that I no longer need to moisturise and seal on a daily basis and can instead do it either every other night or every 3 days which is amazing. My hair no longer feels weighed down within 3-4 days of wash day which also means if I don't feel like washing my hair when the weekend comes, my hair is still full of shine and moisture and plays ball.

I have been oiling my scalp with Jamaican black castor oil mixed with a few drops of peppermint oil over the last few months now, but the peppermint oil smell has become a bit overbearing. As the EVOO has proven to keep my hair soft and moist, I decided to also use it to oil my scalp and at the time was dealing with new growth from being 11 weeks post , it managed to keep my new growth so soft, moist and manageable, that I can honestly say I am in love with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it has become my favourite.

My son has natural hair and currently has a box style haircut with the top measuring about 5 inches long and he finds it can get quite dry after wash days with major shrinkage so I gave him his own bottle of EVOO to use to seal his hair after moisturising and he too has noticed a major change in his hair and how moist, soft and stretched it has now become.

How do you use extra virgin olive oil for your hair?

avocado oil

My Favourite Oils: Avocado Oil

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

When I started my hair journey, I unintentionally became a product junkie and have found myself accumulating a lot of oils. Some have become staples whilst others I mix with other oils and mix with deep conditioners I'm also not won over by and am using up never to buy again.

I use my favourite oils to moisturise my skin, pre-poo my hair, mix with deep conditioners, as a hot oil treatment and also in my homemade hair mists.

Oil's have the ability to soften and condition and when used on your hair provides a hydrating effect. Different oils are best used for different things when used on your hair depending on the needs of your hair. It's always good to remember that with oil, less is more to avoid making your hair feel and look greasy.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is one of if not my ultimate favourite oils to use on my relaxed hair.

Avocado oil is an edible oil pressed from the fruit avocado which is pretty much self explanatory. It is an excellent oil to use on natural and relaxed hair as it contains a high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. Avocado oil is said to contain higher fatty acids than other oils like Coconut and Grapeseed oil. It is a great oil to use in your quest to fight breakage. As well as it's higher fatty acids, avocado oil is also rich in amino acids and vitamins. Using avocado oil can improve the strength of your hair as well as making your hair shiny and more resistant to breakage.

How do I use it?

I use avocado oil mixed with other oils as a pre-poo for my hair before going on to shampoo or cowash my hair

I don't know the last time I used a deep conditioner without the addition of an oil and more often that not it's avocado oil which I predominantly use.

I mix avocado oil, olive oil and castor oil and use as my scalp oil mix, I have been using

this mix to oil my scalp for the last 4-6 months and my scalp loves it. It's also excellent for my new growth to keep it soft and manageable.

I also use avocado oil to seal my hair after moisturising and I love the way this oil makes my hair feel. I usually moisturise and seal my hair in four sections and as a little avocado oil goes a long way I just add two drops of oil for each section to avoid my hair feeling weighed down or greasy.

All in all, I love this oil and I can't see it ever not being one of my staple products.

The first time I bought avocado oil was in a hair shop and I bought it for £4.99. Once I finished that bottle, I couldn't find it in any of the hair shops so had to buy it from a health store in the UK called Holland & Barrett for £6.79 which I wasn't best pleased about. However, whilst browsing the website for another oil this morning, I have just seen that their Penny sale is back. What does this mean? For a limited time, you can buy an oil and get another one for 1p. I have just ordered two Avocado oils from their website for £6.80 instead of £13.58. Check out their website here. Bargain I say....

Do you use avocado oil?

De'Onne x

air-drying

Wash Day Diary - 1 Week Post Relaxer

Sunday, February 16, 2014

air-drying

Healthy Hair Essentials in Autumn / Winter

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Autumn is here and before we know it,

Winter will be upon us..

During the autumn and winter, the cold and wet weather can be the enemy when it comes to our hair; making it necessary to adapt your hair regime according to the weather.

Five or six years ago as soon as summer was over, I would be booked in at the salon for yakki twists or another long term protective style which could last 4-6 weeks. My hair was shorter then so my logic for protective styling was that I wouldn't have to deal with my hair in the harsh weather, I would use braid sprays to keep it moisturized and wash it every two weeks and that was it. As I got older, I found it pointless spending money to have these styles as I would start to miss my own hair after 2 weeks and take it out again.

Starting my hair journey and learning how to care for my hair through online research and talking to hair bloggers and enthusiasts, I have learnt how important it is to tweak my hair regime during the colder months.

Below are some essentials for keeping your hair healthy and retaining your length during the next 6 months:

Pre-poo

Pre-pooing your hair with conditioner or oil or both before you shampoo your hair, helps to prevent the shampoo from stripping your hair, leaving it feeling like straw. You can also pre-poo before a co-wash. I either use my own oil mix to pre-poo my hair or African Royale Hot Six Oil.

Co-Wash / Shampoo

In the cold weather, your hair needs all the moisture it can get. Use a sulfate-free shampoo. When shampooing it is important to follow this up with a deep conditioner.You could also try to limit the amount of shampoo you use and instead wash your hair with conditioner. Your hair will be left moisturised and have great slip. I use Herbal Essence Hello Hydration conditoner to co-wash and Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine Shampoo.

Deep Conditioning

With the harsh weather conditions and also the artificial heat from central heating at home, school and work; the hair can get very dry which is why it is essential to deep condition your hair with heat (e.g.hood dryer; hair therapy wrap) with each shampoo. I tend to deep condition my hair even if I'm just co-washing just for that extra piece of mind. I add oils to my deep conditioners religiously, it can vary from olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil etc or a mixture of all of them.

Protein Treatment

As well as ensuring to deep condition your hair with a moisturising conditioner, it is also important to do a protein treatment to strengthen the hair. You can use an egg as a protein treatment, I use ORS Hair Mayonnaise on damp hair as a pre-poo with heat and then after a shampoo I will then follow up with a moisturising conditioner using heat. I do this once or twice a month depending on how my hair feels.

Heavier Hair Products

During the colder months bring out the heavier products that you may not necessarily use during the warmer months i.e. butters, cremes, leave in conditioners and oils. During the summer I was using lighter moisturisers for my hair. Now the weather is getting colder, I am back to using my staple Olive Oil & Mango Butter to ensure my hair keeps soft and moisturised. Instead of just sealing my hair with Avocado oil, I will mix it with Jamaican Black Castor Oil or Olive Oil for extra thickness.

Moisturise Your Hair More Often

Ensuring your hair is kept moisturised in the cold weather will prevent it from breakage due to dryness. Moisturising your hair/ends morning and night during these seasons will help prevent dryness.

Oils

After moisturising your hair, seal it on with a thicker oil than what you would use in the summer; Extra Virgin Olive oil, Jamaican black castor oil, Avocado Oil, this will leave your hair protected from the harsh elements outdoors. Mixing oils in your deep conditioners is a must try and also doing a 15-20 hot oil treatment after your deep conditioner and then rinsing will leave your hair feeling amazing. My favourite oils are; castor oil, jbco, extra olive oil and avocado oil.

Baggy Your Hair

As previously mentioned, the cold weather can dry your hair out. You can leave home with your hair feeling like silk and then catch a glimpse of your hair throughout the day to wonder where your moisture has gone. The baggying method is a great way to re-hydrate your hair and to keep your hair moist. I moisturise my hair with olive oil and mango butter and then apply a shower cap for anything from 1 hour to 3 hours maybe 2- 3 times a week if my hair needs it. If my whole head feels dry then I will moisturise my hair and new growth, clip my hair into one loose pin curl and cover with the shower cap. If it is just my ends which are dry then I will moisturise my ends, out my hair in a loose ponytail and then cover the ponytail with a shower cap and secure with a loose hair band.

No Direct Heat

Using direct heat on your hair such as hair dryers and straighteners; when its cold and windy outside will dry out your hair which can leave your hair prone to breakage. If you want to use heat; doing a roller set or wet wrap set is better for your hair as you will be using indirect heat which is healthier for your hair and you will still get the straight results you crave. I prefer to use no heat at all where possible and instead I air dry my hair using a satin scarf to straighten my edges.

Protective Styling
With the change in temperature outside we are already digging out our woolly jumpers, cardigans, hats and scarfs. Wearing a protective style with your hair up off your shoulders can help to protect your hair from slow breakage which happens your ends are constantly snagging on the jumpers and cardigan and creating brittleness dryness. Try bunning, a french braid, twists, braids, up dos etc.

Prevent Hair Breakage

If you are a lover of hats to keep your hair covered and protected from the harsh elements of the outdoors then a tip would be to add some satin fabric to the inside of your hats to add a protective lining for your hair. We all love to wear our scarfs for additional central heating but what many people don't realise is the damage woolen scarves can have to the nape of the hair as well as our coat collars etc, another tip is to purchase or make some cheap satin scarves in neutral colours to match your outfits. Use the scarf to protect your nape from rubbing on your collars, jumpers or scarfs by wrapping the satin scarf around your collar or neck before then adding your woolen fabrics as your hair will be protected by the satin.

These are my hair essentials for Autumn / Winter but do what is right your hair, the main aim is Moisture.

How will you be caring for your hair this winter?