Natural Hair Meet Ups In August

Once upon a time, the number of natural hair meet ups we had in Nigeria were a few and far between. You could literally count them with your fingers. But these days, things have changed. A decent percentage of Nigerian women have gone natural and are looking up to online communities for moral support hence the need for more meet ups.

It's August 2017, there are five meet ups across Lagos and one in the East. What a time to be alive!

It's been a while since we updated you with details of meet ups but we're fixing that now so you can plan to attend.

• Naija Hair Can Grow's Salon Day Out - 6th August

4 Sundays from now on the 6th of August, we will be gathered at Oriental Hotel celebrating #HealthyHair!!! If you are a #Hairlista #Haircareenthusiast #hairblogger #naturalista #texlaxedandlovingit #relaxedsistah you do not want to miss this event!!! The official countdown for the annual #NHCGSalondayout is on!! This year's event is FREE to attend but Registration is Compulsory!! Can't wait to unveil all the plans we have in the coming days!! *Registration link will be available tomorrow** #NHCGSalondayout17 #Salondayout17 #hairexpo #haireventLagos #Naijahaircangrow

A post shared by Dabs (@naijahaircangrow) on Jul 9, 2017 at 7:20am PDT

• Coily Head Of Hair's Coils On Campus - 12th August

Ladies, Mark your calendars because the natural hair community is making some noise!! @coilyheadofhair presents Coils On Campus Natural hair meetup. All you need is you and a couple of friends to come learn and equip yourselves with great hair tips towards achieving long healthy hair goals. Come network, socialize and share your personal hair care tips with other ladies!! GOT TICKETS? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Exciting photoshoot sessions, Food and drinks and lottttssss of giveaways up for grabs!!! So come through! It could be you! It's going to be a memorable experience! Proudly sponsored by @afrobynature_hairvitality @kuicare @midasnaturalsbeauty @nappyhairedwigs @zebellecurlsnatural @zapi_botanics @aramiessentials @_ohana_official_ @hushmagazineng @ejidemua #naturalhairmeetup #naturalhairfestival #naturalhairdaily #naturalhairrocks #coilsoncampus #coilsoncampus2017 #naturalhairgiveaway #naijanaturals #naturalnigerian #africannaturalistas #unilagnaturals #naturalsoncampus

A post shared by Nafisat (@coilyheadofhair) on Jul 28, 2017 at 10:14am PDT

• Uyo Natural Hair Community's Rock That Nappy Hair - 12th August

Hello naturalistas, are you ready for our second expo? Are you a naturalista, lover of natural, natural hair vendor, stylist, model........ Uyo Natural Hair Community brings to you "Rock that Nappy Hair" a Natural hair meetup/Expo. With Joy Unyimeh Bush (CEO Jaybush Kinky Naturals & Blogger) Mary Godwin (CEO of KinkCHIC Natural Hair Care &Blogger) Victoria Victor CEO Enterhairment Featuring : Faith Adetunji Zebellecurl Natural(Lagos), Swag bags and give aways Product exhibition and product swap: bought a product and hate it? Bring it and swap with a friend. Free hair treatment and styling Tickets. N1,000 Date: 12, Aug. 2017 Time:12:00pm Venue: HG-Synergy Eventz Hall & Space 71 Obio Imo, Off Oron Road, opposite Anton Clinic For sponsorship, partnership and tickets Call: 08109454506, 08189924214, 07038041036 Tag a Naturalista in Akwa Ibom and beyond

A post shared by Ibom Naturalistas & web (@ibomnaturalistasandweb) on Jul 25, 2017 at 1:21am PDT

• Natural Hair Rocks' Light Camera Hair! - 19th August

July is certainly our month. We're more excited about this event coming up in a couple of weeks. So our team have been working to make it a great one and we can't wait to unveil our speakers and activities 😍 So clear your calenders💆💆💆* * * * * * Date:Saturday August 19th 2017 Venue:Dover Hotel Lekki Lagos * * Keep your fingers crossed and your phones close😄 #naturalhairrockss#lch2017

A post shared by NHR (@naturalhairrockss_) on Jul 3, 2017 at 3:55am PDT



• Natural Hair Festival - 26th August

Hi Are you aware of this event? Are you aware that it's going to be 'GLAM' Have you started cleaning your dancing shoes? Due to the high number of interested ladies, we may not guarantee you will have a seat in that large Complex. Book your ticket now by paying into- Bigtyme Mega Ventures. 1007404271 UBA Regular ticket- N1,000 Special- N3,000 After payment, send your info to this number 09034741648 Tell a friend to tell a friend Natural hair rocks See you there! #naturalhairbabes #naturalhaircare #returnnatural #dopenatural #naturalhairevent #naturalhairrocks

A post shared by Cynthia Nwosu (@mailcyntie) on Jul 30, 2017 at 2:03am PDT

African Naturalistas will be live at the Salon Day Out on Sunday 6th of August at The Oriental Hotel.

Come through!

Is There A Right Or Wrong Way To Do A Tea/Herbal Rinse?

Photo Credit

During the course of the week, I stumbled on someone's regimen. The most striking thing about the regimen was WHERE she inserted a tea rinse in her wash day. This intrigued me because it was quite different from what I usually did. So, I decided to try it out and I must confess I loved the results.

Before I go further, here's a little background for those that are new to rinses in general.

Just as the name implies, tea rinses are liquids made from brewing regular black or green tea or herbs for a while, allowing it to steep and cool before pouring it over your hair and scalp. Various teas have their unique functions but are generally used to reduce shedding, darken hair and stimulate growth. 

I do tea rinses as often as I remember and my favorite is black tea rinse because it stops my shedding on its tracks. But lately, I've been infusing a number of herbs in my regimen so rather than doing a tea rinse, I do herbal rinses. In the past, I've tried Rosemary, Hibiscus, Sage, Basil and most recently Moringa rinses.

After washing and deep conditioning, tea rinses usually serve as the final rinse. So, I apply using the throw and catch method and leave it for about two minutes before rinsing out again with cold water. I've never really tried to leave a tea rinse in my hair so it's more like a semi-final rinse.

After doing this method repeatedly, I realized that the tea rinses might probably not work as well as they should because I don't leave them in my hair long enough. This was why the wash day routine I saw left an impression on me.

So, instead of doing a tea rinse as a final rinse, I did it immediately after cleansing/shampooing and left it in my hair before applying a deep conditioner on it.

Now my wash day goes like this (Pre-poo, Shampoo/Co-wash, Tea Rinse, Deep Condition) rather than this ( Pre-poo, Shampoo/Co-wash, Deep Condition, Tea Rinse). With this method, the tea rinse can stay in my hair side by side with my deep conditioner for as long as I want it to which means I don't miss out on any of its benefits.

It's a win-win situation for me.

Now, I'm not saying this is a rule. Just like everything that concerns natural hair, this works for me and I prefer it.

So, over to you.
How do you do your tea rinse?
After shampooing or as a final rinse?

How I Adjusted My Regimen To Suit My Highly Porous Natural Hair

Last week, I introduced the subject of natural hair porosity and provided resources to help you discover your hair's porosity levels because I believe it's a more efficient system than the hair typing system.

CLICK HERE if you missed it.

I also talked about how the knowledge of my hair's porosity has helped my understand and manage my natural hair better. Now, I'll like to talk about how I tweaked my regimen to cater to my highly porous 4A curls.

Before we move on, let's establish some characteristics of a high porous natural hair.

• Any hair type can have a high porosity.
• Highly porous hair absorbs too much moisture but is unable to retain it.
• It tangles easily.
• Curls often look and feel dry.
• Curls are always frizzy.

to mention a few.

For a more in-depth analysis of highly porous hair, watch the video below.

Moving on,

Now, that I have understood this, here are the ways I have adjusted my regimen.

• Regular pre-poos with penetrating oils. Now that I know that my hair has the tendency to absorb too much moisture, I do pre-poos before every wash including a cowash with penetrating oils such as Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Olive oil or Avocado Oil. These are the only four oils that are able to penetrate my shaft to protect my hair as well as prevent hydral fatigue.
• Monthly Protein treatments. For the longest time, I never did protein treatments except for regular henna treatments which strengthened and thicken my strands. I didn't see the use for it but now that I have discovered my porosity, protein treatments have become a staple to fill in the gap that allows moisture to escape.
• Rice Water rinses. Apparently, rice water contains about 16% of protein which is also great to patch up weak and damaged areas along my hair's cuticles. I'm currently trying the fermentation method and I'll be using it during my next wash. 
• Regular ACV rinses. Before now, I only did ACV rinses to clarify my scalp which isn't totally wrong but now, I have to do them regularly to relax my hair cuticles.
• Moisturize with LOC/LCO method. This is actually a no-brainer because I do the LOC method already. I actually found out that it keeps my hair moisturized for a bit longer. The LOC method helps to create a layer that helps my hair hold on to moisture for a longer time. 
• Water/Glycerine Hair Mist. In my quest for moisture retention practices, I discovered that rather than using water alone as my liquid to moisturize, I mix some water with glycerine (which is an humectant that draws in moisture from the atmosphere) and mist my hair. When this is sealed in with oil and/or butter, it keeps my hair moisturized for the entire day, particularly in a humid environment. Best believe it's my holy grail mist.

In case you missed it, I wrote all about it HERE.

I'm super confident in this regimen and I believe my hair will bounce back in no time.

Did you need to change your regimen after you found out about your hair porosity?
Share with us!

Do You Know Your Hair's Porosity? Find Out!

A couple of weeks ago, I confirmed my one of my biggest fears by checking my hair porosity levels. Already, I had seen the signs but I just needed to be sure because it seems like I have reached a growth plateau where my hair is more or less stagnated. TRANSLATION: I wasn't retaining as much length as I would have loved to because no matter what happens, hair grows.

Anyway, the most major sign of my highly porous 4A curls was my inability to retain moisture. No matter what I did, I had to moisturize at least twice a day because my hair dried out easily. We all know natural hair does not thrive without moisture and protein. So, knowing my porosity helped me face the unique issues of my hair squarely. There was no need for trials and errors anymore because I knew EXACTLY what my hair needed.

I know a lot of us are struggling with our hair one way or the other and I sincerely believe that knowing your hair's porosity is a more efficient management system than the hair typing system.

Now, the concept of hair porosity might seem a bit technical but the good people at Green Beauty Channel have simplified the entire process for us.

So, are you ready to find out your natural hair's porosity levels? Watch the following short videos.

• What is Porosity (Natural Hair Porosity 101)

• 3 Best Ways To Test Porosity

• Types of products to use for your Hair Porosity.

I hope you enjoyed watching the highly educational and informative videos. I also hope that all the information will help you understand and take better care of your natural hair just as it did for me. 

Now, that you know about hair porosity, which is yours?

How To Keep Your Natural Hair Moisturized For An Entire Day

One of the biggest challenges our afro-textured natural hair faces is retaining moisture. This is because it is drier and more prone to breakage than other hair types. Moisture (i.e water) gives your hair its elasticity and the ability to bend and not break under manipulation (combing, washing, styling, e.t.c). For some of us, due to our highly porous hair, we find ourselves having to moisturize repeatedly just to keep our hair moisturized for a day.

Due to the nature of our hair, it needs to be moisturized EVERY SINGLE DAY but most of us do not have that time. We don't even remember which is why we have resorted to moisture retention methods like the LOC variation (LCO, LOCO e.t.c) to keep our hair moisturized for a longer period.

But what if I told you that there's a method to this?
What if I told you that there's a way to keep your hair moisturized for the entire day?

Two words: Vegetable Glycerine.

I feel like Glycerine is such an underdog and has often been overlooked as one of those oils. Meanwhile, it's so powerful that can provide all your moisture needs.

For those who don't know, here's what you should know about Glycerine.

• It is a clear odorless liquid derived from plant oils particularly palm, soy or coconut oil.
• It is a humectant; a substance that attracts moisture to the hair and skin which leaves it hydrated. This also means that it should be used in moderately hot/humid environments. In extremely dry weather like the harmattan period, it actually dehydrates the hair and cause damage and breakage.

At the moment, particuarly in Lagos, rainy season is almost upon us and so, the weather is very humid which makes it a perfect time to use glycerine as a moisturiser.

So, how do you use Vegetable Glycerin as a moisturizer since it can't be used alone?

It's simple. Make a hair spritz of 3/4 part water and 1 part glycerine. If you are feeling particularly fancy, substitute water for rosewater and step your moisture game way up! Pour the mixture in a mist and NOT a spray bottle and use it to moisturize your hair every morning. Don't forget to seal in the moisture with a coating/sealing oil or a hair butter.

I've been using this mixture for a couple of days and I noticed that everytime I touch my hair at different intervals throughout the day, my hair is ALWAYS moisturized. It's amazing!

You can get your vegetable glycerine and oils from the African Naturalistas store.

4 Ways Exercise Stimulates Hair Growth

In recent times, a lot of us have embraced the fitfam life which essentially involves eating healthy and working out. This itself is not a bad thing given how black women are predisposed to several deadly diseases as a result of our lack of exercise. So, yeah we're finally getting things right.

But did you know that there are several other benefits we can get from regular exercise other than your bikini bod specifically hair growth? Well, now you know.

Generally speaking, there are five major factors that influence hair growth. They are;

• Genetics
• Hormones
• Nutrition
• Stress and of course,
• Exercise.

Just as much as exercise is great for our entire wellbeing, it is important to stimulate hair growth. Here's how:

• Exercise helps regulate the glands which produce the hormones that will stimulate the hair follicles (where grows from).
• Exercise improves blood flow and nutrient delivery to the dermal papilla which will stimulate the hair follicles.
• Exercise boosts your metabolism which will accelerate the rate at which your hair follicles produce hair.
• Exercise reduce the release of cortisol (the stress hormone) which is responsible for pushing hair into the telogen phase. (the resting phase where the hair is prepared to shed)

Long story short, exercise works with other cells in the body to stimulate the hair follicles which produces hair.

If you think your hair isn't growing as fast as you want it to and you are not exercising, you might need to take it up.

Subsequently, we'll be talking more about factors that influence hair growth.

Ref: Austin, Phoenyx, If You Love It, It Will Grow. (2011)

9 Freelance Natural Hair Stylists You Should Know About

Last week, we featured about 18 new natural hair salons outside Lagos. During that exercise, it occurred to us that we might actually have freelance natural hair stylists. People, who for some reasons don't have salons yet but still run their mobile natural hair styling business. We thought we should know about them.

So, as usual, we threw the question out to our Instagram followers and we got interesting responses which we will be sharing with you shortly.

In no particular order, here are some freelance natural hair stylists around the country and their Instagram links. 

As usual, don't forget to include anyone you think should be on the list in the comment section.

• Faith Gwott, Jos
• Trendies_Vibes, Akure
• Olive Naturals. 
• Hairfilliation, Lagos
• Pweencess Makeover, Abuja
• Stella Saba, Abuja
• Anita Adim, Lagos
• Dare It Young, PortHarcourt
• Dimples Signature, Port Harcourt

18 Natural Hair Salons OUTSIDE Lagos!

Every day, the natural hair industry in Nigeria gets bigger and bigger. We have Made in Nigeria Natural Hair products popping out every other day. We also have people actually taking time out to learn the ropes of natural hair styling. Some of them going ahead to open salons.

A few years ago, we had just about a handful of natural hair salons in Lagos and maybe one in Abuja but now based on the feedback from our Instagram, it's safe to say we're making giant strides with natural hair salons nationwide.

About a week ago, we threw this question out to our community on Instagram. We asked them to tag natural hair salons outside Lagos. The reason being Lagos currently has enough salons at least for now and we want to help those outside Lagos easily locate the salon nearest to them. So, we asked and got some feedback which we thought we should share on the blog. 

So, in no particular order here are some of the salons outside Lagos you should know about with their Instagram handles/links and if we're missing anyone, don't forget to include them in the comment section below.

• Kayin Naturals Natural Hair and Makeup Studio, Benin City
• Benue Naturals Senalian Beauty Salon, Markudi
• AFROmataz Natural Hair Lounge, Ota, Ogun State
• Dare It Young Natural Hair and Skincare Lounge, Port-Harcourt
• Fro Nation Natural Hair Salon, Port Harcourt
• Hairven Haircare/The Hair Bar, Port Harcourt
• HairvolutionbyBee Lounge, O.A.U. Ife
• Leonzora's Place, Ado-Ekiti
• Beleza Natural Hair Clinic,Port-Harcourt
• House of Naturals, Ibadan
• Hairvolution Naturals, Abuja
• Natural Nation Natural Hair Salon, Abuja
• Eladontnaturistas Lounge, Abuja
• Hair By Pribodunke, Ibadan
• Lumo Naturals, Abuja
• Snow's Purely Naturelle Salon, Abuja
• Sisi Jacobs Natural Hair Salon, Kaduna
• The Olive Tree HC, Enugu
• Innova Naturals, Markudi

It seems like we have a good number of natural hair salons in Abuja and Port Harcourt. 

Do you think we have missed any salon? Comment below!

The Rise Of Natural Hair Celebrities And What It Means For The Natural Hair Industry

I can't be the only one that has noticed the uprise of natural hair celebrities in Nigeria in recent times. It seems like every award season we see new celebrities join the current existing batch. Then you begin to wonder, how come? Where did they come from? And no, they don't unveil their hair with TWAs. Somewhere along the line, during the course of the year, most of them might have transitioned or even big chopped without us noticing. Frankly, it's such a great thing to watch and I'm here for it.

At the just concluded Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMCVA) a few weeks ago, we noticed three new celebrities rock their perfectly styled natural hair; Tina Mba, Ini- Dinma Okojie and Somkele Iyamah. Granted, Somkele has been growing hers before she came into the spotlight. But then, veteran actress Tina Mba looked absolutely gorgeous in her high bun styled by the one and only O'Naturals Beauty.

A couple of months ago, media mogul and CEO of Ebonylife, Mo Abudu debuted a stunning natural hair updo. She was styled by Esther Tom of Game of 'Fros. I reached out to Esther and asked if she knew Mo was going natural all this time. She said no. She had no idea Mo was planning to go natural until she has called to style her hair. May I add how graceful and much younger Mo looks at the moment.

As a result of their jobs, celebrities really do not have the time to maintain their natural hair much less nurture it. They are usually on set and the chances of having a natural hair stylist are slim to none. Our industry is still growing and the number of stylists at the moment that can actually cater to the movie industry is still few and far between.

So, what does this all mean for us?

What does the rise of natural hair celebrities mean for the natural hair industry?

First of all, it means that we will finally be noticed and paid attention to beyond Instagram. Yes, social media is fantastic. It has given everyone a platform. But beyond social media, how are we making sure the people actually go the salons to get their hair styled? How do we ensure that our natural hair stylists; both newbies and professionals are empowered? Because really, styling celebrities might not be the ultimate but it's high up there on their bucket list.

Secondly, it means lead generation and brand awareness for our natural hair products made in Nigeria. Believe it or not, we still have to struggle with foreign counterparts and the battle is far from over despite the recession. More celebrities going natural means that our Nigerian Natural Hair Products will be recognized and when this happens, we really don't have to struggle anymore because we know how influential celebrities are. Need we say more?

In addition, it also means there will be opportunities for partnerships and collaborations.Who says our natural hair industry cannot partner with Nollywood for instance? Already, it's happening and we can only hope it spreads to other relevant industries.

Generally, it means upward progression for the industry. Believe it or not, some people might not actually be motivated to go natural until their favorite celebrity does so. They believe once that celebrity can do it despite their crazy schedule, what's stopping them? They might as well try it too.

That being said, we're glad that our celebrities have found the light and we can only hope that by this time next year, our natural hair salons will be overbooked.

How To Prepoo Your Natural Hair With Aloe Vera Gel.

During the course of the month, we shared Naptural85's viral video on prepooing with aloe vera gel on our social media platforms and it occurred to us that some of our blog readers who don't follow us on social media (why don't you, though? We're @africanaturalistas across social media) might not have seen the video so we thought we should share it here too.

Personally, when I watched it, I tried it afterward and it gave me fantastic results as seen on my Instagram page. I didn't leave it overnight like Whitney (Naptural85) did but I ensured I had it on for ample time.

So, I just prepooed with #aloeveragel @naptural85 style and I can't believe I haven't tried this before now especially since I have two large pots of Aloe Vera. 😱😱Scroll down her page to see how she did hers. __________ All you need to do is open up one large aloe vera plant (one is usually enough for your entire head) and rub it straight on your hair starting from your roots of course. After the first set of gel has gone, continue to rub aggressively until you have used up the entire gel in that section. Don't forget to massage your scalp along. ___________ She accompanied hers with olive oil but I realized when I was done that I didn't need to use oil as the aloe vera was sufficient. 💯 The results? Yummy moisturized hair. I should do this regularly. ____________ This is particularly great if you have just taken down a protective style. Plus aloe vera has enough slip for detangling. When you're done, wear a shower cap and leave for a while and then wash out!

A post shared by eBunitehair (@ebunitehair) on Mar 8, 2017 at 1:35am PST

What did I do?

Simple!

I washed and opened up one big aloe vera plant (one is enough to round your head) and rubbed the gel directly on my hair starting from my roots up to my ends until I went round. So, I worked in sections and tried to massage along to stimulate my scalp. It was such a soothing experience. I can't believe I haven't been doing this before especially since I have two large pots of Aloe Vera at home. This will definitely be a regular thing. So, if you think your hair needs a quick moisture fix , you should definitely try this and leave it on overnight.


The best thing about this is that it works for all hair textures. You should try it except you can't stand aloe vera or you're allergic to it or something.

Watch the video below.

Aloe Vera Gel is great for detangling, treating dandruff, improved moisture retention and it's beneficial to the general health of your scalp.

4 Ways To Style Your Natural Hair With Hats

Hello everyone!

One of the amazing ways to style your natural hair is to wear a hat, beanie, fedora or any kind of head gear. Especially when you can seem to come up with something and you're running really late or it's simply a bad hair day. You just throw on a hat and tuck your hair in and voila! you're ready to go.

Granted, you can't wear a hat to just anywhere but that doesn't undermine it's functionality and style. Plus, hats serve as a great protection from the elements expecially if you're going to be outdoor for a long time.

In this video, natural hair vlogger Chizduru is sharing 4 different hairstyles to try out if you’re wearing a hat! 

Will you be trying any of these styles soon? 

How To Achieve This 3 Minute Afro Puff Updo

Hello everyone,

I'm a huge fan of updos but unfortunately, my scalp isn't. My scalp can't stand bobby pins which are necessary to hold the updos in place. So, I stay completely away from them except it's absolutely necessary like during a photoshoot.

But today, I'm sharing a updo tutorial with you especially for those of you that don't have time to style your natural. It's fast, quick and easy and works great with 4C natural hair. Plus, it can last up to a week if it is properly maintained.

Natural hair vlogger Tolani A.V is teaching us how to achieve this updo hairstyle that’s perfect for any formal event. It’s an afro puff updo that’s easy to do in just 3 minutes. 

Don't forget to moisturize and seal your ends so that you are tempted to take it down before it's due.

Enjoy!

What do you think?
Will you be trying this style? 

The Proper Way To Treat Your Natural Hair After A Protective Style

I recently took down my protective style - box braids - which I had on for about five weeks. As usual, it was getting really frizzy and I realized that it was time to take it down. Of course, the heat wasn't helping matters either.

During take down, I made up my mind that I was going to do it properly. Yes, there's a proper way to take down protective styles. In fact, the manner in which you do it determines how much length you would be able to retain. That's why a lot of people complain that their hair isn't growing meanwhile they are not retaining enough length. But that's another discussion for another day.

Say you have a weekly regimen like me that requires you to wash your hair every week. A five - week long protective style means that you haven't washed your hair in FIVE WEEKS!. There's no way you're going to retain length if you don't take your time to patiently take down your protective style and treat your hair afterward. You'll just be experiencing breakage and excessive shedding which you won't be able to control if yu are not careful.

So, how to do treat your natural hair after a protective style such that you reap its full benefits?

• Detangle

Depending on the style you did, you will need to detangle. This can be minimal in the case of crochet braids for instance or extensive, for box braids. Whatever you do, make sure you are detangling along to reduce breakage. Plus, you also saving time.

• Pre-poo/Hot oil treatment

As much as I'm not so much of a fan of pre-poo, it is very necessary to nurse your hair back to health after a protective style. Whatever you use for pre-poo, make sure you leave for an extensive time. Usually, overnight.

• Clarify

After pre-poo, you will need to clarify your hair of the weeks of junk and product buildup that has settled in your scalp.

• Do a protein treatment

I previously used to underrate the importance of protein treatments but recently I've begun to have a change of heart. Protein treatments strengthen your hair and repair any damage the protective style might have done to your hair.

• Finish up with a moisture - intensive deep conditioner with heat.

After a protein treatment, it's only right to finish up with a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment to balance things out. Heat - direct with steaming cap or indirect with shower cap and body heat - is necessary to improve penetration of the deep conditioner into your strands.

• Moisturize, Lock and Seal

Moisturize with your leave-in conditioner, lock in the moisture with your favorite oil and seal with a heavy butter.

With these steps, your natural hair should be back to normal in no time.

Does anyone go through these steps after taking down a protective style?

Are these the most effective remedies for treating itchy scalp?

Itchy scalp is probably the most common ailment everyone has which means everyone also has different remedies that work for them. It's not a one size fits all situation.

A couple of weeks ago,we threw this question out to our social media followers and got interesting feedback.

Apparently, these are the most effective remedies;

• Aloe vera gel
• Onion juice
• Lemongrass essential oil
• Rosemary essential oil
• Peppermint essential oil
• Apple Cider Vinegar rinse
• Cleansing and oiling the scalp 
• Reducing product buildup
• Scalp detox of cinnamon powder, baking soda and olive oil.

Personally an ACV rinse works like magic for me. But I don't allow my scalp to get to that level which is why clarifying the scalp to avoid product build up regularly is important. For some people who are heavy handed with products, an ACV rinse is a staple on wash days. For others like me, it's more like every other wash day. 

So, over to you, how do you treat your itchy scalp? 

Does your remedy fall into the above category?

Find Out The Inspiration Behind This Bride And Her Natural Haired Bridal Party

A couple of weeks ago, this photo went viral on Nigerian Instagram. We couldn't stop oohing and aahing.We thought it was one of the most unique bridal parties we have seen in recent times so we reached out to the bride Gladys Azah to find out what inspired her and how she was able to find five little girls with natural hair for her wedding.


Enjoy!

AN: Frankly, this is one of the most unique bridal party we've seen in recent times. What inspired you to go this route? How were you able to find five little girls with natural hair for your wedding?

Gladys: First of all, thanks a lot for the love. My husband inspired the natural hair and those little cuties are my nieces. They are all natural. My husband likes the natural big afro a lot so it was a surprise for him on my big day to go natural with my girls. 

AN: Wow! Are all your nieces from the same mother? 

Gladys: No, they are not from the same parents. All five of them are from three different parents. Plus it was a competition for their parents to grow their daughters natural hair since all three of them have girls alone.

AN: We love this kind of competition. Are your daughters going to be joining them too?

Gladys: Oh yes definitely! As much as I want a little man in the house, my hubby is so in for girls. 

Introducing 'Dear African Naturalistas' A Q/A Session For All Your Pressing Natural Hair Questions

Every day on our social media platforms, we get quite a number of questions on natural hair ranging from simple things like itchy scalp remedies to extreme cases that require us to refer to a trichologist.

We understand that there's a lot of information out there that can be quite daunting to sieve through. Which is why all our channels are open for questions and answers. As much as possible, to the best of our ability, we want to make your natural hair journeys as stress-free as possible.

'Dear Africanaturalistas' is going to be a monthly Q/A session where we collate all the insightful questions we have received on social media and answer them on the blog to the benefit of you, our blog readers.' So that if anyone else falls into a similar situation, the person might as well learn from the answers we will be giving.

So, if you have any questions, don't forget you can reach us on our social media platforms and we would assist you to the best of our knowledge.

Moving on,

Aisabella987 says: My hair type is 4c but recently I had to change my shampoo and my hair at the back is starting to look more like 4a. Is it as a result of my shampoo or what could it be because I like the look and I would like my entire hair to look like that? Is there a way to change my hair type? 

AN: To be best of our knowledge, shampoos don't really change the texture of your natural hair. You probably already have multiple textures that are more visible now which is completely normal. So, there's really nothing to worry about. Also, there's no way to change your natural curl pattern without chemicals. So, find a way to accept and embrace your multiple textures. 

Antora24 says: I'm tired of my natural hair so I'm considering relaxing it. Nothing I do seems to work. I've been growing it for 4 years now but I haven't fully gotten to shoulder length.The last time I blow dried and straightened it, they didn't do it well so it really damaged my hair & set me back. I had to trim it some time in August last year. No matter the treatment I do, it's so course & dry. 

AN: First of all, we apologize for your setback. It's one of those things that comes with the territory when out natural hair is left in the hands of quacks. Right now, it seems like you would need to go on a strict reconstructive regimen to nurse your hair back to life. You just suffered a setback and you need to recover so this is not really the time to think about length. Focus on the health of your hair and the length will come. Get a good reconstructive product for natural hair. Together with your deep conditioner, start the process of nursing your hair. In the meantime, stay away from manipulative styles.

Shawlerrr says: Which of your products is good for excessive shedding? It keeps breaking off when I'm doing my hair. I shed a lot too. 

AN: Breakage and excessive shedding means that you're due for a protein treatment. Unfortunately, our products currently do not cater for intensive protein treatments. The ApHogee range is a great recommendation. 

Mara_Jarcoh says: I got the African Naturalistas Twist and Curl Pudding. I don't know if I'm not using it right but I can't find any defined curls after a twist out? Any advice? 

AN: The thing about curling products is that you have to try different variations to find the one that gives you the best definition.  So, try it alone. Try it with other products. Try it with other techniques. I'm sure you'll find one that suits you.

Natasha says: I will really like to grow my hair long. I heard Guava leaves and onions work.

AN: As much as we encourage homemade remedies, as a beginner you need to have a well-grounded regimen which includes products, techniques, and a routine. Along the way, as you can decide to experiment with homemade recipes. If they work, good for you. If they don't, move on to the next one. But once you have your regimen on lockdown, give it time, the length will come. As for onions and guava leaves, I'm not so sure of that.


That's all for now. Don't forget to reach out to us for any of your natural hair questions.

5 Things You Need To Do Before Relaxing Your Natural Hair

Hello, everyone!

A couple of weeks ago, TasalaHQ put up this photo on her Instagram page of a girl who came in to relax her natural hair. Now, Tasala herself has natural hair so she tried to convince the girl before going ahead but she didn't bulge so she went on to relax and cut her hair.

Now, this, of course, got me thinking. Remember when we said that some people actually went natural because they thought it was trendy? A lot of people followed the fad without thinking it through. It did not occur to them that natural hair is a lot of work and now they are frustrated. This girl is clearly one of them.

Now, I know that there are a few other people currently in this situation. That same week, I had a conservation with one of my Twitter followers. She actually saved the picture above and was asking where she could get hers done. I tried to query her but she had already made up her mind.

For some reasons, if you find yourself in any of these situations, here are five things you need to do before you relax your natural hair.

• Blow out your hair

One of the characteristics of natural hair is its elasticity. Natural hair is elastic in nature which means it can shrinkage to any length. Now, depending on your hair type, your shrinkage can be as high as 90% which means most times, you won't know your actual length and you might think your hair is not growing. Before relaxing your hair, try blowing out your hair to determine the actual length. I promise you, you'll be surprised. If you're doing for the first time, remember to visit a natural hair salon to avoid heat damage. 

• Do a silk press

Silk presses are gradually becoming popular in these parts. TasalaHQ and Kemi Lewis of KLS Naturals currently do mean silk presses. So, if you are itching for the straight look, you should give it a try. In fact, it's your best option. Silk presses are completely safe for your natural hair as they do not involve the use of chemicals.

• Get your regimen checked/change products

If you strongly feel the need to relax your hair because you feel you aren't retaining length, then you should consider a complete change of regimen, This means that you would need to try new/different products because your hair might not be responding to your current products. After a while. you might see visible changes that might not require you to relax your hair anymore. 

• Try hair growth pills

This is probably a last resort but some people claim that hair growth pills work for them. There's no harm trying if you're really looking for results. 

• Long- term protective styles.

I can't count the number of times I've heard that doing protective styles back to back encourages length retention. So, if you still think your hair isn't growing, try protective styling for about three months. After which, you should take it down and blow out your hair to see the magic that has happened. 

Now, after you have done all of this and you still want to relax your hair, you can go right ahead. After all, it's your hair and your choice.


Love. curls. and coils.
Ebun Oluwole

9 Nigerian Celebrities That SLAYED Their Natural Hair In 2016

Hello, everyone.

Last year, we saw a rise of Nigerian natural haired celebrities coming into their own. Many of them started to wear their natural hair with pride. They used every opportunity they got to stunt for the 'gram. It was such an amazing thing to watch.

Well, if you haven't been paying attention at all, here are nine celebrities that slew their natural hair in 2016.

In no particular order;

• Sika Osei

• Omoni Oboli

• Asa

• Adesua Onyenokwe

• Beverly Naya

• Adesua Etomi

• Mo Abudu

Wow! Too much sauce!

Who did it for you in 2016?

Who is your favorite?

Love, curls, and coils.
Ebunitehair

How Your Natural Hair Regimen Determines The Health & Length Of Your Hair

Hello, everyone!

For the first two years of my natural hair journey, I followed a strict regimen religiously and I got results. My hair grew and I was able to retain a decent length. But at the beginning of 2016, I thought it was time to relax things a bit. So, I adjusted my regimen in such a way that my hair wouldn't suffer because I still cared about health and length of my hair.

For instance, instead of deep conditioning every week, I changed it to every two weeks. Instead of moisturizing every day, I did the LOC method which allowed my hair to be moisturized for up to week. I thought it was the perfect regimen. Plus I got to wear my protective style which was mostly loose twists for up to two weeks.

I did not know this change will affect my hair.

My hair was straightened recently and I got to see the real length of my hair and to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. I thought it was going to be longer especially since my three-year nappyversary was around the corner. Then I started thinking back to what might have caused this 'setback'. Other than my change of regimen, I got a major trim in June and that was it.

So, here's my theory.

My hair was used to that regimen of constant deep conditioning and moisturizing so much that it thrived but then I stopped giving it what it needed and it just relaxed. It wasn't getting all that TLC anymore and it acted accordingly.

It's as simple as that.

The kind of attention you give your hair is the kind of result you'll get. It doesn't get any simpler than that. This also brings a lot into perspective. Inasmuch as we advocate to find what works for you, make sure it's not to the detriment of the health of your hair else your length will suffer.

So, if you're a lazy natural do not complain about the length of your hair because it's your fault. Also, the next time you hear someone complain about their hair not growing, ask about their regimen and you'll be surprised.

Have ever been in this kind of situation before?

Love, curls, and coils

Ebun Oluwole

Natural Hair at the 2017 Golden Globes Award

Hello, everyone.

On the other side of the world, it's award season, which usually means glitz and glamor and everyone trying to outdo one another.

But here at African Naturalistas, we're more interested in the celebrities who slayed their natural hair game. Especially those that brought their A- game. It's also a time for us to see new styles which the hairstylists have come up with and possible trends to look out for during the course of the year.

At this year's Golden Globes. there were three celebrities who stood out with their natural hair; Issa Rae, Tracee Eliss Ross and Janelle Monae. 

Let's see what their stylists came up with.

• Issa Rae styled by Felicia Leatherwood

Actress Issa Rae was styled by natural hair stylist extraordinaire Felicia Leatherwood who is known for styling celebrities. For the Golden Globes, she chose this twisted auburn(?) updo which blended with Issa's hair color and the result was flawless. From her sleeked edges to well placed extensions, this is absolutely stunning. We also love that it suits Issa's face perfectly! This style is a clearly a winner.

• Janelle Monae styled by Nikki Nelms

You'll agree with me when I say that Janelle's studded Corseted Updo is probably the most unique style of the night. Paired with that stunning outfit, it's gorgeous and Janelle wears it with so much poise, you would think she was royalty. Would we see more of this on the red carpet this year? We can only watch and see. 

• Tracee Ellis Ross styled by Araxi Lindsey

You know when they say there's beauty in simplicity? This is what they mean. Sometimes, a sleek ponytail is everything you need to nail that glam look. Tracee looks absolutely graceful in this ponytail. Now, I'm battling within myself, whether or not she added a bit of extension to puff it up. Regardless, it is well blended and she looks beautiful. 

So, which one did it for you? Which is your favorite?

Love, curls, and coils.

Ebun Oluwole.