Kene's Hair Journey and hair care tips

I went natural, I would say, 1st of November, 2010. My friend did not relax my hair properly and I was not happy with my relaxed hair. Actually, I have never liked relaxers and I wish I could be natural but my mum wouldn't let me (and she is still not impressed haha!). The first time I relaxed my hair was at age five for a wedding and I never really had hair problems before then, and my hair was ok, perhaps medium length 10 inches? My natural hair was also soft but I guess because the hairdressers didn't handle my hair gently, it broke. Anyway, those relaxed ends fell off and by age seven my hair was fully natural again and perhaps 8 inches but no longer. After that, my hair was never the same again, and as I know now, I have low porosity hair so relaxer wasn't straightening my hair. I tried to go natural again at 13 and so I transitioned for a year but by then, it couldn't escape notice of my mum or hairdressers so I relaxed and finally till I got to University. Since my friend didn't relax my hair properly, that gave me idea to transition. Then luckily my friends too were going natural and recommended kimmaytube so that was how I started. I transitioned for 7 months and used Dr. Miracle for my nape hair because relaxers chopped all the hair there! In fact, I forgot hair could grow there because for 6-7 years I didn't have hair there. 

  

My  really soft 3c-4a nape hair

I cut my hair because the two textures were so different and my relaxed hair was dead anyway like a wet mop (lol) so I cut it. 

After my BC

I still don't know what texture my hair is according to Andre Walker, and I don't really like his categories, but honestly I think I have the whole list because in random places I have very few strands of straight hair (1b-2a), and some look like 2c-3b (I would post pictures on my blog soon (http://www.tumblr.com/blog/hurrrythings) but most of my hair is 4a especially in front and the crown and 4b with 4c in the other places like the sides and mid back. 

So finally, it has been 2 years and 5 months and I think I have 10 inches, haven't used the tape to check. It has been fun but stressful lol. So thanks to my multi-texture hair and observing others, my tips are:

1. Try to understand your hair and enjoy your hair while it is short! Really use that time to understand what it needs and don't bother about styles, well depending on your texture. If you have 4b-4c hair, you're luckier because you can do lots of styles like finger coiling, strawset etc but if you're 3c-4a, leave your hair alone because it is harder for the styles to hold and besides your hair is curly so just accessorize it.

2. Do the strand test and know your porosity. It would save you frustration. My hair wasn't getting moisture and I never knew why until last month lol. I tried so many products, I used to think there was something wrong. And my hair couldn't do lots of styles without frizz happening, thanks to the lack of moisture. This wasn't fun.

3. Every texture has advantages and disadvantages and the tighter your hair, the more versatile it is and more maintenance it needs, i.e. 4c needs most maintenance but can do the most styles! Therefore, work with your hair texture. I wish I learned this early on, I wouldn't have been frustrated with styling my hair.

4. Have headbands for bad hair days so that you can do a puff or ponytail. Have more than two in case one breaks. Luckily headbands come in packs of 3.

5. Do the CG method if you can and/or deep condition every two weeks or as you need it.

6. Don't trim your hair unnecessarily.

7. Last but not the least: DON'T COMB YOUR HAIR WHEN DRY! And if your hair is curly/coily, I think a Denman brush is better but start with finger detangling, and don't use the brush unnecessarily but use only under the shower or with drenched hair and conditioner. If you want to comb/brush your hair when you have dry hair, spray with water and coat hair with a butter like shea butter.  If your hair is like straightish (I don't know what word to use lol but like kimmaytube's texture or zigzag curly) a comb is better as long as your hair is well moisturised and/or damp. You can use a brush but it may be unnecessary.

Hope this helps!