Monday, October 22, 2012

Fall Blow Out!

Blow out/Plait n curl
It's been almost a year since I've blown my hair out, and I was very shocked with how full and long its gotten. Below is a comparison Pic of when I blew my hair out last year before styling.
11/2012-10/2012 Blow out & style


My process takes about 2 hours!  I don't believe in using the blow dryer on High its not necessary to stretch out the hair, and it's always on low to medium heat with occasional cool shots. I am also very careful with my ends.  (I deep condition, moisturize and use a heat protectant prior to the session) My hair always feels soft and moisturized when I'm done, and so easy to style..  




Now, I am seriously thinking about blowing my hair out more often because it keeps  my hair stretched and I don't have to worry about  frequent tangles or single strand knots. (Which are enemies to my length retention!)  However, being the healthy hair enthusiast that I am, I will have to compare and contrast the pros and cons of possible blowing out my hair more frequently.   We shall see!   



How often do you blow out your Natural Hair? 







Friday, October 5, 2012

How Healthy is your Hair?





Do you stress over the health of your hair?  I've been on this journey for a while, and I've finally learned not to stress over every little imperfection entangled in my mane.  So what is Healthy Hair? I use to believe  it was hair that is free from splits ends, knots, or breakage..in a word PERFECT.  But, one fact keeps me grounded when it comes to what I should expect from my efforts is that hair is NOT alive. It is a fiber similar to an article of clothing that we have to preserve to keep it looking nice.   I liken it to my favorite blouse or my favorite pair of jeans; no matter how expensive, or how well I take care of it, that piece of clothing can and will become damaged or aged over time.


Wash Day..Post Henna

The simple act of washing your hair can  damage it! The constant expanding and contacting due to water entering your strands can cause your hair to become fatigue, but you can't stop washing your hair?  Just like you can't stop washing your favorite blouse or having it dry cleaned.  Am I saying throw everything to the dogs and stop putting so much into preserving your hair? Of Course Not!  But what I am saying is  lets not stress over it so much.(And stress cause breakage too! ) Healthy Hair is hair that is well preserved, and a healthy head of hair can experience split ends, breakage and knots, but it doesn't mean that your hair is all together unhealthy.   


If you experience split ends or knots, trim them off? Some are forced errors and some are just a fact of life, aging hair splits, and splits will happen whether or not you use heat or chemicals. (heat does increase your chances though!)  But my point is, if you are doing everything you know to maintain healthy hair, and you are still experiencing occasional knots, splits or minor breakage. Don't Stress over it! Damage happens. Our hair will not be perfect all the time, because it is a fiber that can only be preserved. So don't be so hard on yourself.  If you are not experiencing massive hair loss or major hair breakage, but you're still annoyed; just take the time to examine what may have changed in your hair care routine, correct it, and move on. 


Two Strand twists.wearing for 2 weeks

Here's to preserving our Healthy Happy Hair!