Update: Current hair situation!

Hi all,

Just thought I should give a quick update on what's going on with my hair.

I've been in loose twists since December. Loose twists have been in my styling arsenal since some time in 2012 when Miss (now Mrs) Fizzy introduced me to them.

Products we love this Valentine's (and every) Day! (plus a guide to picking your products)

Picking products is a very individual thing. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the next. That's why whenever I get one of the most frequently asked questions "What products should I use for my natural hair?" I am always hesitant to start reeling off a standard list of products.

The 5 tweaks to my regimen that have totally changed my hair game

Following questions I received last week at both Social Media Week panels (which both turned into impromptu hair workshops), I thought I'd take this opportunity to update you on some changes I have made to my regimen since I last posted about it.

I'm always going on about the importance of building a regimen. The fact is, getting into a routine can help you better understand your hair, as well as make the sometimes mammoth task of tackling natural hair a lot less daunting. You are always learning a little bit more about your hair though, so it's likely that your regimen might change over time, and you find that some methods you might have once found effective no longer work for your hair or your lifestyle. This is particularly true as your hair grows, as ways of handling it when it was short might not work so well when you're dealing with more hair. For me, although I generally keep my hair at the same length, my busy lifestyle has meant that I find myself with less and less time to focus on it, however I cannot afford to neglect it. So as I find ever new and more creative ways to shorten my wash days over time, my regimen changes slightly.

These 5 tweaks have made dealing with my hair that much easier:

1/ Washing in twists

I'd heard so many people talk about washing their hair in twists, but never tried it until I came across this video, and it has definitely simplified my wash days.

I tend to start by detangling into twists this size, washing, oil rinsing (see below) and conditioning in these twists, and then making them smaller as I add my leave-in, oils and styler.

I tend to start with twists this size, wash, condition and rinse without undoing the twists...

...add my oil and leave-in, divide each twist in two (or 3, depending on what look I'm going for), detangle with the curl detangling brush in the video...which we also stock, and then twist with my styler. I end up with twists more or less this size...

...and end up with a twist out like this.

The biggest advantage is that I hardly spend any time in the shower. Most of my routine can take place in front of a mirror or the TV. I can also break down my wash days over several hours, or even several days if I need to (half an hour here, half an hour there, detangle and twist one day, wash the next, rinse out conditioner the next, etc)

2/ Oil rinsing

Another thing that I'd read about but didn't try until quite recently. Find out more here. I tend to add a layer of olive oil to my hair after shampooing and before adding my deep conditioner (I don't rinse out until after I've conditioned). I have absolutely no idea what the science behind oil rinsing is, but all I know is that it works for me. It aids with detangling, adds softness and shine, and has reduced frizziness and single strand knotting over time.

3/ Cold water rinsing

Rinsing your hair with cold water helps flatten your cuticles, which may have been raised through the shampooing process, hot water, steamers, or general wear and tear. With my highly porous, prone-to-dryness hair, I need all the help flattening my cuticles as I can get, so I try and include as many steps to my regimen as I can with this aim in mind. I find that the tap water in Nigeria doesn't get cold enough to be effective, so I tend to place a jug of water in the fridge which I pour directly on my hair as my final rinse.

4/ Aloe Vera juice

I have always used Aloe Vera Juice in my regimen, either in my spritzes or added to whatever leave-in I'm using for my version of what most naturals dub the Kimmaytube Leave-in. Like rinsing your hair with cold water, aloe vera juice, which is acidic like our hair and skin, helps flatten your cuticles, which may have been raised especially if your cleansers are not pH balanced. Some cleansers like castille soaps have a high pH, so I have mentioned in the past that you do need to add an acidic substance to them, like lemon juice, to bring the pH down a bit.

I had always noticed a preference for products with some aloe vera juice in them, or vaguely paid attention to the fact that my hair was always less brittle when I added AVJ to my leave-ins. However it was only after seeing Hey Fran Hey's method of "sealing" her hair with it that I increased the amount that I use during my wash process. I now keep my aloe vera in an applicator bottle in the fridge, and saturate my hair with it (literally just pour it on) after I have rinsed. This is even more effective than cold water rinsing, in my opinion (but I still do both), and has definitely contributed to the ease in detangling my hair. It has been by far one of the most effective factors in increasing my moisture retention levels.

5/ The LOC method

I've explained right from the beginning that to moisturise your hair, you need to start on wet or damp hair, or by using a product with water as the first ingredient. After washing, I have always been an advocate of adding a creamy leave-in conditioner or moisturiser to wet hair, followed by an oil.

The LOC method switches this round a bit. LOC stands for:

Liquid
Oil
Cream

The basic principle is that you moisturise first using a liquid (I use water, or aloe vera juice), followed by an oil to seal in the moisture from the water (I use a tiny dab of Vatika Oil, a fortified coconut oil which we stock: But hang on, Nibi! You've said your hair HATES coconut oil!! I know, I know, but since playing around, I've discovered that I was using WAY too much before, and now literally a drop is all I need for my entire head), and then a creamy leave-in afterwards serves to soften your hair. I started using this method about a year ago, and the difference has been ridiculous. I now use less moisturising product after washing, and my hair retains far more moisture than it used to.

My number 1 complaint with my natural hair has always been dryness. The last 4 additions to my regimen have totally changed this. My hair is no longer brittle, my issues with retaining moisture are nothing like they once were, and generally I have been able to spend far less time fussing over my hair. Apart from these tweaks, nothing significant has changed in my regimen. I do deep condition more regularly (alternating between protein and moisture) due to the colour. Once in a while when I have time, or can be bothered... or even remember in the first place... I might do an ayurvedic or henna treatment, which I have promised I will go into in a later post. But nowhere near the amount of treatments and potion mixing I was doing when I first started experimenting with my natural hair.

As always, what works for one person doesn't work for everyone, so just keep this in mind as a guideline and not gospel. It's about finding out what works best for you!

Also remember if you are trying to find ways to switch up your regimen, change one thing at a time, and not everything at the same time, otherwise there is no way to know what has worked and what hasn't.

For ideas on where to start with building your own regimen, this post might come in useful.

Hope I've helped somebody somewhere!

Until next time, have a great one.

xx

Kinky Hair 101: All about locs

I am often asked for loc advice, but as I've never had them, I can't really give any. Thank goodness for Fiona, who has agreed to step in as a regular guest blogger on everything to do with locs.

Guest blogger Fiona

Hopefully most of you will have caught my introduction last month on the Kinky Apothecary blog. My aim as a guest blogger is to talk about everything locs related. Whilst currently on my second locs journey, I am by no means an expert, nor am I a loctician. I am, however, often knee deep in research on styles, products and maintenance practices, as I generally prefer to do my hair myself (despite my, sometimes, extreme laziness when it comes to said hair. I know you know what I’m talking about).

To loc or not to loc?

Personally I see my hair as an accessory and am prone to experimenting with different styles, colours and lengths (including shaved bald). My choice to loc up the first time was purely aesthetic. I have a few friends that have been loc-ed for what seems like eons and I loved the way their hair looked and felt.

I researched for about three months before finally taking the plunge and intitally was plagued by thoughts of what my parents would say. I believe at your birth, parents are magically imbued with the ability to cause extreme anxiety in their offspring with a single raised eyebrow, even when said offspring is a grown ass woman. My approach was ‘say nothing till they notice’ and having chosen to start my locs using the comb coil method; I managed to get away with it for a few months before my mother asked what was going on with my hair. This time round, my parents are still not in love with the idea but I’m a little older, I care a little less about their reaction and well…I’ve done it before and as I recall, the sky didn’t fall.

The main character traits you will need if you are going to embark on a locs journey are patience and acceptance. It takes a while to get fully loc-ed and you will need to learn to embrace and be confident with the new forms and stages that your natural hair will go through.

Mysconceptions

You can’t wash your hair.

This one still baffles me. Yes you can and absolutely should wash your hair or it will get filthy and people standing close to you will scrunch up their faces in reaction to the odour.

Locs require no maintenance.

For most of us this is not true. Unless you are choosing to completely freeform, you will need to twist or coil your hair to start them off and then to re-twist your roots to keep your locs maintained.

Locs are unprofessional.

*sighs like a steam engine*

As long as you wear your locs tidy and in a work friendly style there is absolutely no reason why your hair should not look professional. This is a tricky one in countries like Nigeria where having natural hair in any form can lead to you getting the side eye from colleagues.

It’s funny how a ratty looking weave that should have been taken out a month ago can sometimes be seen as more acceptable than a tidy natural updo. All I can say to that is keep it looking neat and tidy and keep fighting the good fight.

Chescaleigh is one of my favourite locs video bloggers; check out her response to the ‘unprofessional locs' question here. 

You have to shave your head if you decide you no longer want locs.

Whilst shaving your head will definitely make the whole process much faster, you don’t have to go bald to remove your locs. You may, however, have to cut the locs to a manageable length to begin unravelling the hair. It is a very time consuming process and personally I was just too lazy to do it. I had about two inches of new growth, which I cut my hair down to.

Loc Stages

Your locs journey will take you through five stages: starter locs, baby, teenage, mature and rooted

Stage 1 -Starter Locs

And so it begins…  Depending on how you choose to start the locing process, your hair will be in two strand twists, comb coils, single braids or loc extensions. People won't notice a difference yet and may even ooh and ahh at your cute hairdo.

Starter Locs: Source

Stage 2 - Baby Locs

Also known as “sprouting” or “budding”. Individual comb coils/twists/braids may seem puffy as the hairs start to intertwine. It is important to keep the original scalp partings, to maintain neat and (as near) uniform locs in the later stages. Try to avoid redividing and overtwisting at this stage, they are meant to be puffy and will settle down later. Care has to be taken during shampooing not to unravel the hair. People will begin to notice and ask if you are locing up. Personally, I enjoy the baby phase; they are a little fuzzy but they look cute.

Baby Locs: Source

Stage 3 – Teenage Locs

As the name suggests, your locs are a little older, they are starting to form but also have a mind of their own! The intertwining extends further down the loc, causing some to drop but some will still be loosely meshed and choose to defy gravity. Fewer locs will unravel during shampooing. At this stage you are learning to re-tighten the base so it will look neater.

This is a real love/hate stage. There will be days when you adore your hair; followed by days when you are convinced it is doing the opposite of what you want just to spite you. This is the phase when a lot of people turn back; the key is to embrace it. You will not always be able to get the look you are going for but you can have fun with it and if you relax and allow yourself, this is where you gain more confidence with the locing process.

Teenage Locs: Source

Stage 4 – Mature Locs

Your locs are thickening up and have finally dropped. They don't need as much re-twisting and have settled in. You will begin to see more consistent growth because each loc has intertwined and contracted into a cylindrical shape. Some loosely coiled hair textures may retain a small curl at the end of the locs (as in my case), but most will probably be closed at the ends.

(This stage is usually reached within 16-18 months)

Stage 5 – Rooted - Beyond Mature locs

Your locs don't need frequent re-twisting because your hair is mostly now growing from the base directly into the loc. By this stage, your locs should be strong, thick and healthy.

Actress Dakore

Starting Locs

There are a variety of methods to start your locs depending on the length and texture of your hair.

Comb Coils

Hair is sectioned and is twisted into coils using a comb. This is usually done on shorter hair. 

Comb Coils: Source

Single Twists

Hair is sectioned and rolled between the palms or twisted round the finger. This is usually achieved on hair that is longer than 2 inches. 

Single Twists: Source

Two-Strand Twist

Hair is sectioned and is twisted using a two-strand method.  This can be achieved on hair of any length, usually more than 2 inches.

Two Strand Twists: Source

Braid Extensions

This method is achieved on hair that has been styled in braids or twists that have hair extensions added to it.  When the hair has grown out, the new growth is twisted using palm rolling or a similar twisting method.

"Braid Locs": Source

Loc Extensions

In this method, hair is braided and extension hair is wrapped around the braid to resemble a loc. You can keep the extension in or trim it as your locs grow out. Many people like this method because it gives the look of a matured loc instantly.

Loc Extension: Source

Freeform Locs 

This method is achieved by seperating the hair into clusters and leaving the new growth to its own devices. With this method, locs can sometimes end up marrying at the root (when two or more locs fuse together at the root).

Freeform Locs: Source

Washing Starter and Baby Locs

There is a lot of misguided information out there regarding the frequency of washing your locs during the early stages of your journey. The initial coil, twist or braid will obviously hold its shape for longer if you don’t wash your hair for three months but the goal is to LOC YOUR HAIR, not hold a perfect comb coil for as long as possible. That aside, dirty hair is just… gross!

Some locticians will suggest that you avoid washing your hair in the first four weeks. The key word here is “avoid”. Depending on your lifestyle this might not be an option. You could do a herbal rinse or clean your scalp with an astringent like witch hazel or Sea Breeze but overall my personal belief is that its better to wash your hair than spend weeks raking your nails into your scalp due to dry sweat and oil buildup.

For starter locs, the easiest way to wash your hair will depend on your hair texture and how you started them. I have a fairly loose curl structure and I started comb coils with a loctician the first time around. During the first wash (about 2-3 weeks after the initial styling) we thoroughly washed my scalp, while avoiding too much disruption of the comb coils. The shampoo was scrunched into my hair and then rinsed and scrunched out after thoroughly rinsing my scalp.

This time around I started my locs myself with a two-strand twist and washed my hair a week later. I started off by wetting my hair completely, then applying the shampoo to my scalp with my fingertips, taking care not to use too much but distributing it well. I then put my hair into four ponytails and applied a little shampoo to each one before massaging gently but thoroughly with the palms of my hands. Once finished, I removed the ponytails and rinsed my hair by scrunching the water out, taking care to disrupt the twists as little as possible. You can of course leave the ponytails in while rinsing depending on your preference. Two of my smaller twists unraveled during the initial wash but I simply retwisted the ends before palm rolling.

Another option if you are worried about your hair unraveling is to use a stocking or mesh cap over your starter locs. Apply the shampoo using a nozzle bottle and then agitate with the palm of your hand instead of your fingertips, before rinsing well through the cap. Obviously this technique is not as thorough as having access to your whole head but it’s cleaner than avoiding water altogther.

After washing, I palm roll and clip my hair and then air dry or sit under a hooded dryer. Air-drying usually means that I have washed my hair in the early evening and I’m staying home, as my hair takes aaaaaages to dry.

Finally, some tips to get you started

• I avoided using a conditioner in my locs the first two months after starting the second time around because I have a fairly soft hair texture (conditioner is a detangler, and its purpose is to do the opposite of locing). However, this was not strictly necessary.
• After washing, make sure your hair dries completely. Constant damp hair can encourage mould in your locs and believe me you do not want that!
• Don't retwist your hair too often or you will end up with breakage.
• Always sleep in a satin scarf/stocking cap to avoid losing moisture and natural oils into your cotton pillowcase.
• DON’T USE BEESWAX. I cannot stress this enough. Beeswax is horrible. It’s too thick and heavy for natural hair, prevents proper airflow within the loc and will often trap lint causing your locs to look dirty. If your loctician pulls out a jar of the buzzy wax, scream “Oh no you di’int!” while running in the opposite direction.
• Use a dark towel when washing your hair to avoid light coloured lint sticking to your locs.
• An apple cider vinegar rinse will help soothe an itchy scalp and has the added benefit of balancing the pH of your hair and removing buildup that can result from the use of styling products. Rinsing will also close the cuticle scales, which cover and protect the surface of each hair shaft, leaving it smoother and shinier.

Feel free to write in if you have any questions for Fiona, and make sure you follow her on Twitter!

Kinky Hair 101: Getting Kinky (Transitioning tips)

TOP TIPS FOR TRANSITIONERS

There is no ‘right time’ to do the Big Chop. Whether you shave off all the relaxed hair straight away and sport a twa (teeny weeny afro) or elect to have a long transition with braids, weaves, etc until your kinks are at a length you are comfortable with, just do whatever is best for you!

If you’re not brave enough to do a Big Chop, you can gradually cut your relaxed ends off with a series of Little Chops over several months.

Treat all your hair as if it is natural. That means using products for natural hair, avoiding heat, etc. You don’t want to damage the new growth as it appears.

Make sure you give your hair the moisture it craves. Cowash, or use a mild/diluted shampoo on a weekly basis. Deep conditioning often is a must (aim for every week)!

The line of demarcation (the point where the relaxed and kinky hair meets) is the most delicate part of the hair shaft. Make sure you handle this area with care.

If wearing your hair out, getting the two distinctly different textures of hair to blend can be difficult. The options available are:

- If you prefer to wear your hair straight, stretch hair out by either doing a rollerset, and then quickly passing a flat-iron over your hair, or use a blowdryer. Choose one or the other, never both. Remember it is imperative you use a heat protectant and limit the number of times you pass the flatiron over your hair. If you decide to blowdry instead, do not keep the dryer concentrated on one area. Heat damage can result in the permanent straightening of your kinky hair, which can be disappointing after trying to grow it out. Also bear in mind that attempting to keep hair straight might be futile in the Nigerian humidity!

- Twist sets are a way to get your relaxed hair to resemble your kinky hair, and was my preferred style when transitioning. The best way to do this is a two-strand twist on damp hair, and then curling the relaxed ends with perm/flexi rods. Undo when dry

- Straw sets, roller sets on perm rods, flat twists and bantu knots are other ways to achieve the curly look.

Enjoy every moment of your natural hair journey. You might look forward to having a big fro, but make the most of all the stages in between, because there will be a time when your hair grows and you begin to envy the cute tiny fro on the next girl.

Understand that kinky hair varies from person to person. Most of us will not end up with Scary Spice-type ringlets. Embrace the hair you were given, and don’t try and achieve what the next person has. All healthy hair is beautiful hair!

Good luck on your journey, and don’t hesitate to email kinky.apothecary@gmail.com if you need further transitioning advice.

Kinky hair 101: The very basics of caring for kinky hair

The impression most people have about going natural is that it is a lot of work, and that you constantly have to play around with your hair. On the contrary it’s actually very simple. The trick is just to get out of the mindset of dealing with your hair when it was relaxed, and work with your kinks in a way that won’t make them rebel. You cannot treat natural hair the same way as you treated relaxed hair. I can’t stress this enough. But once you figure out the basic rules, you’ll have come up with a routine that works for you in no time and will actually start really looking forward to wash day so you can play with your hair (or maybe I just need to get a life).

Of course, everything has to be tweaked to each individual, and what works for one person will not necessarily work in the exact same way for the next. And we all know rules are made to be broken. But if you are at a loss about where to start, these tips may come in handy when caring for your natural hair:

Moisture, moisture, moisture, is all our hair craves, and the best way to get moisture is from water itself, so make sure you are wetting your hair at least once a week. However:

Washing does not always mean shampooing! Most commercial shampoos contain sulphates- sodium laurel/laureth sulphate (SLS), or ammonium laurel sulphate (ALS). These strip your hair of natural oils, leaving it dry and brittle. Check the ingredients list to see if your normal shampoo contains these, and try and limit their use to only when you are experiencing heavy build-up. Switch instead to natural sulphate-free shampoos or clarifying cleansers such as Dr Bronner’s (make sure you dilute, and add an acidic substance such as lemon juice, to bring down the pH) or black soap, but even better, try ditching the shampoo every other wash and “cowashing” instead. This consists of washing hair with a cheap conditioner, such as Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, V05, or one in the Suave Naturals range.

Eliminate or limit the number of products with silicones (‘cones) in them. These are ingredients which end in ‘one, ‘xane, ‘onol. These are useful in products like heat protectant should you choose to straighten your hair, but not so necessary in conditioners and moisturizers. ‘cones tend to build up in hair, requiring a sulphate shampoo to strip them out.

Avoid anything containing mineral oil/parafinum liquidum/petroleum. Mineral oil (present in most products marketed at “Black Hair”) can be a complete nightmare for natural hair. Although a number of naturals do find it useful in sealing (see below) and protecting their ends, the side effect is it coats the hair shaft preventing moisture from entering, and leaving our strands dry and brittle. It also attracts dirt and dust to the hair, leaving it quickly looking dull and lackluster. The only way to remove them is by using sulphates, leading to more dryness. All in all, mineral oil is a disaster in my opinion: Petrochemicals have no business in our hair!

If you do choose to use products containing mineral oil, make sure you avoid the scalp to prevent clogging your follicles, and elect to shampoo over cowashing.

Conditioner contains enough surfactants to clean your hair and scalp, and provided you are using all-natural products that do not bind to your hair, you shouldn’t experience any build-up. However, before you start on this routine, you will have to use a sulphate shampoo the first time to strip out the junk from all the bad products you’ve been using up until now.

Try and deep condition once a week, or once every two weeks, with a cone/mineral oil-free conditioner. If you feel your hair needs an additional boost, add honey, olive oil, shea butter or any other natural oil to your conditioner. Apply to hair, cover with plastic cap for at least 20 mins with a hooded dryer/hot towel/heat cap, or for an hour using just body heat (towel wrapped around your head to keep this in).

Going back to the earlier subject of heat, limit the use of this on your hair. Whever possible, try to air-dry your hair (as it gets longer, you might find it best to do this while it is stretched out in twists or braids to minimize tangles). If straightening, make sure you ALWAYS use a heat protectant. Either roller set your hair or stretch it out in some way to dry before using ceramic flat irons (making sure to limit the number of times you pass the flat irons over you hair to 2 or 3), or straighten with a blowdryer, but never both. Remember that results can be unpredictable, you can never fully eliminate the risk, and heat damage is irreversible!

Never comb hair dry! The best method of combing hair is when wet or damp, and loaded with conditioner.

Kinky hair tends to thrive more if kept in protective styles more often than wearing it out. These include twists, braids, buns, or any method to keep hair stretched out as it dries, and also keeping ends up and away from your clothing. (Check back later for more protective styling tips) If you prefer to wear your hair loose, stretch it out while drying to minimize tangles and lock in moisture, thereby retaining length: i.e. twist or braid hair with leave-in/moisturizer when wet, and then loosen when dry.

Keep hair moisturized between washes. There are many ways to do this, and many products to use, but my favourite is to mix a little leave in conditioner in a spray bottle with purified water and some oil (e.g. castor). Shake up, and spray on hair daily.

Oil is not moisture! You can only get moisture from water, products with water high up in the ingredients list, or humectants, such as aloe or glycerin. Oils and butters only lock in the moisture that is already there, so use natural oils and butters (such as extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil & pure unrefined shea butter) to seal in the moisture after using a water based moisturizer. Never use oil on its own on dry hair unless you are planning on starting a brush fire. Note though, that sealing after moisturising is extremely important to help retain that moisture, and also to keep your ends lubricated, minimising splits.

Handy tip on humectants: These work by drawing moisture out of the air and into your hair. In dry climates, however, there is no moisture in the air, and so they can end up pulling the moisture back out of your hair. Although the climate in Nigeria is generally humid, we sometimes spend our days in dry airconditioned rooms. So a good trick when using products with humectants, is to apply them before you get in the shower, and let them soak in the steam for the best moisturizing benefits.

Always sleep with a satin scarf or bonnet, or on a satin pillowcase. Cotton draws the moisture out of your hair.

The information can be overwhelming, so through this blog, we will attempt to tackle issues a step at a time. Keep checking back for updates as we review and suggest products, discuss routines, styling tips, care for kids’ hair, etc. We want this blog to be interactive, so please feel free to leave comments or suggestions, or email us at info@thekinkyapothecary.com