For some people, the so-called washed day seems to be a dreary experience where they spend long hours cleansing, detangling, masking, purifying, trimming, and what have you. If your wash day scares you or makes you procrastinate, then you might probably be doing something wrong.
Keep reading to find out the 5 things you could be doing wrong on wash day
Rice Water Rinse for hair has a lot of benefits, but there are some things you should know before using Rice Water for Hair Growth.
Understanding how to use Rice Water to grow long thick hair means understanding what rice water does to your hair.
How to Make Rice Water Rinse
You can do it without boiling the rice, however I have tested with boiled rice and without boiling rice and had similar results.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZALMv7N-qQ
Have you ever wondered if it is possible to wash your natural hair in cornrows? Watch as my 9 years old daughter shows you if she can get her hair cleaned while in cornrows.
Have you ever wondered why your gel is flaking or why you have flakes in your hair or your child's when using gel or why you have white residue with you use gel?
In today's video, I will show you how to avoid getting flakes in your hair.
Two weeks ago, I started teaching my 8 year old how to wash her own hair.
When it comes to kids hair care, especially when you have to let go and let them do their hair, start "small-small".
First teach them the proper way to detangle their hair. Detangle in section, and from ends to roots.
Explain why it is important when shampooing to apply to scalp first and using your finger-pads and not finger nails to massage the shampoo into the scalp.
Let them know that conditioners is the key to softness and most not be skipped when shampooing.
Most of all HAVE FUN and don't make it a Stressful thing.
Remember, they are still learning, don't rush them, if they still cannot do it themselves,.
As I showed my daughter how to do it, she had a new appreciation of this magical crown that God has given her, the power of shrinkage and the numerous styles that can be created on her hair.
I think we can all safely agree that when it comes to Natural hair, a good Pre Poo routine is required to enable our hair to go through the Wash day process, tangle free and therefore free from the threat of breakage and damage.
For my Pre Poo, I use Extra Virgin Coconut Oil which aides in protecting the hair strands against Hygral Fatigue 9the result of contant, excessive swelling of the hair cuticle as water is absorbed and the contracting of the hair cuticle as it dries.)With every Wash ,your hair is susceptible to Hygral Fatigue and thus, Potential damage. Coconut Oil prevents this from happening and thus protects your hair.
I couple my Coconut Oil with a Conditioner with extra slip to help with the detangling process. My Conditioner of Choice is the Biotin and Collagen Conditioner by Organix. This Conditioner provides amazing Slip!
Wash Day can be a struggle for kids with natural hair. Today, I will share our Quick and Easy Natural Hair Routine for Kids when it is time to wash natural hair. I will provide several beauty hair hacks throughout the video including how to make Hair Custard.
Her hair was shampooed with a product that works for her High Porosity Natural Hair.
We did a conditioning with a multi-purpose conditioner that works as a deep conditioner and leave in.Information about multipurpose products: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxiVXdHIQEQ
Moisturizing is the most important part of wash day.
Knowing your hair porosity can help you know how to moisturize your natural hair and know why it is always dry. This can help with natural hair length retention. Here is How to test for your porosity: http://bit.ly/1Uc26IE
My youngest daughter has high porosity, it has always been a struggle keeping her hair moisturized and wash day was a struggle. In the past, her natural hair kids wash day routine was like this http://bit.ly/2dlfbBI
Recently, I got asked by a mother regarding how often to wash her three daughters' natural hair.
My response to her:
You wash their hair as needed and also according to their lifestyle. For example, I wash my hair once a week with shampoo and might cowash [conditioner-wash] mid week if I had a rigorous workout session. With my kids, I can do every two weeks in the winter, but summer time. we wash more due to sweating, swimming, and other activities that might cause their hair to get dirty quicker.
The time varies from one person to the next. It also does depend on their scalp condition. For some people, they need to wash more frequently unless, they might develop dandruff or other scalp irritation. My one suggestion is to start once a week, for a while, then move to every two weeks and see how it goes. They say, your scalp will tell you... if you see them itching, it could be time to wash.
Last week I gave you 10 good reasons to try a shampoo bar. Knowing me, I want you to get the whole picture before trying something new. So this week we are talking about some of the things you should think about before exploring the world of shampoo bars. Let's dive in!
There may be tangles from having to rub the bar into your hair. You can easily remedy this by dissolving the bar in some water to liquify it. You can also wash your hair in sections.
Another drawback is that the oils can give the soap a waxy nature that tends to leave a waxy layer on your strands. When the soap reacts with water it can cause a waxy film which will build up over time. Again the solution to this is to follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse to eradicate build up and enhance shine. It will also rid you of a coated feeling you may experience. Just a side note, so far in my experience with my shampoo bar, I haven't had this waxy coating / feel to my hair yet. However I did notice this symptom when I used black soap consistently for some time. I just made it a point to clarify regularly enough.
Also, having to rub the soap into your scalp and hair may cause some build up. If not rinsed out properly this will result in dry flakes and itchy scalp. Always rinse well, and follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse every second wash or so, just to ensure that your scalp is free. In the alternative, you can always liquify it instead. You will still reap the benefits of an all-natural shampoo bar.
Some can be high foam and easy to lather, which means that it easily dissolves once exposed to water. So keep it dry as much as possible, or cut off the amount you will need for your wash in order to preserve it.
All in all, I still think the pros outweigh the cons, and in any event the simple solutions i've provided can counteract to the disadvantages.
Are you for or against shampoo bars? Comment below!
Two wash days ago I decided to try out a shampoo bar for my hair.
This is a natural soap courtesy of Green Essentials Solutions which doubles up as a shampoo bar to clean your hair.
I was really happy about the lather, softness it left my hair with and that it contained no artificial ingredients, hardeners or harsh sulfates. It is made from coconut milk, coconut and palm oils, shea butter and lavender oil, just to name a few of the natural goodies it contains. I and my scalp are definitely in love with it!
So what are the benefits of using a shampoo bar?
All natural ingredients
Less additives and preservatives
Little or no chemical hardeners
Naturally sulfate free
Convenient and easier to store and carry than your traditional bottle of shampoo
Because a shampoo bar is technically soap, it is made from the chemical reaction produced from combining fat and sodium hydroxide (saponification). Shampoo bars typaclly use natural oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, etc, or natural butters as the fat component. This means your bar of shampoo is free of the harsh detergents that compose ordinary bottled shampoos
Your shampoo bar also has less chemicals than your average liquid shampoo which requires more additives to keep your all the ingredients (solution, oils, emulsifiers etc) from separating and preserved.
Because shampoo bars contain mainly natural ingredients, they are free from artificial dyes and frances which may aggravate the scalp of eczema, sebhorric dermatitis and scalp psoriasis sufferers. Meaning they are great alternatives for that category of heads
Being oil and butter based, a shampoo bar will gently cleanse and moisturise without leaving your hair stripped
You don't have to use the whole bar at once. You can simply cut off a piece for use and store the remainder until later. This will make it last longer and save on your cash as well!
As you know me, i'll catch you next week with some cons of using a shampoo bar. As with every story, there are two sides.
Do you use shampoo bars or have you considered using one for your hair?
When it comes to washing your child's hair, most people believe the only way to do it is by using a shampoo. However, not all shampoos are created equal. Click here to learn more.
Instead of using shampoo all the time, you can rotate between a shampoo cleanse and these other two methods.
Cowashing
This is the process of using a cleansing conditioner to wash the hair. You might be wondering how that works. A silicone-free conditioner especially one that contains a cleansing agent works best. Not only will this method of washing your child's hair keep it clean, it also softens and moisturizes it. Always do a periodical clarifying with a shampoo to avoid product buildup.
Clay Wash
Two clays that are great for natural hair are Bentonite Clay and Rhassoul Clay. Each of them have similar properties. The thing about using clays is that they clarify your hair without stripping your natural oils. In addition, they promote shine, enhance your natural curls and coils, and also strengthen and soften the hair. No need to condition the hair after using clays. Click here to learn how to mix Bentonite Clay.
We are often told to balance our protein and moisture, and to do a hard protein treatment once per month or every six weeks.However the truth of the matter is that achieving that balance practically is still quite hard for some. Here is a realistic breakdown of how and when to use your different types of conditioners.
From left to right: moisturising conditioner, balanced conditioner, hard protein conditioner
When my youngest daughter was a toddler, I was just newly getting into the natural hair world. Here is a short glimpse into what I did to maintain her hair.
WASH DAY
On wash day, if hair is very dirty, I can use a sulfate free shampoo to cleanse her hair. I made sure that the shampoo had great slip. What is slip? This means how slippery hair is when product is applied. If her hair is not super dirty, I cowash it (washing only with conditioner). If shampooing, I always follow up with a rinse out conditioner.
Post Wash
Once done with the wash process, I apply oil to the scalp such as olive oil, or olive oil mixed with castor oil for growth, and then massage scalp. Next, I apply oil to the hair, and then apply a leave in conditioner. To seal in the moisture, I apply a little bit of shea butter to the hair paying close attention to the ends of the hair.
Monthly Care
Once a month, I use a deep conditioner on her hair.
During the Week Care
I do the LOC method by spritzing her hair with water, apply oil, and then the leave in conditioner.
Nightly
At night, I access her hair, if it needs to be moisturized, I do so. If not, I just put a bonnet on her hair. Sometimes, she might not want a bonnet, so I make sure to have her pillow covered with a satin pillowcase.
After a weekend at the beach and swimming at the pool, it was time to give the girls' hair a bit of TLC. Before on our vacation, I had pack some items that we would need to do a quick cowash and moisturizing session after leaving any body of water.
While Lil Sis was under the dryer, I started shampooing Big Sis's hair. I followed up with the protein treatment and the moisturizing deep conditioning. By the time I was done, Lil Sis was ready to get out of the dryer, and I sat Big Sis under the dryer.
While Big Sis was under the dryer, I rinsed of Lil Sis's deep conditioner, and started with styling her hair.
Started by applying my oil mix to her hair
Applied SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In Conditioner
Finding a way to maintain your hair care can be difficult. Throw in caring for your child's hair into the mix can be tough. Remembering all what you did can be an headache. In the past, I have written everything in a notebook, however, I always seem to misplace the book. LOL! I was so glad when I found this FREE app called, Hair Journal App. Now, I am able to maintain my hair care needs and that of my 2 daughters.
To download this app, go to your iTunes, Apple store or Google Play.
Cowashing means "Conditioner Washing". This is similar to how you would wash your child's hair with shampoo, the only difference is you are using conditioner instead. It helps with keeping the hair soft.
We do this process when I feel that her hair just needs an extra boost of moisture and also cleansing. Usually, if she does not have a ton of product buildup, I would cowash instead of shampooing.
Deep conditioning and heat are basically two peas in a pod. As one needs to be used with the other to achieve maximum results. The addition of heat helps with the thorough absorption of nutrients present in the deep conditioner. Heat can either be derived naturally via body heat or artificially via hooded dryers/steamers. But in the absence of time and hooded dryers, there are other ways to derive heat. Both involve the use of a towel.
The first method, involves placing the towel in the microwave for a few seconds after which you take it out and wrap it around your head or shower cap as the case may be. This way, the heat from the towel penetrates through the shower cap to aid faster deep conditioning.
In the absence of electricity supply, the second method comes in handy. This time, you place a face towel in a bowl, boil some water and pour it over it. Make sure the water saturates the towel and leave it for a few seconds. Then you carefully take out the towel and squeeze out the water. You might need to add some cold water so it doesn't scald you. After which, you place the towel on your head, under a shower cap and then wear another shower cap to capture the heat. This way, your hair will fully absorb the heat from the towel.
Depending on the type/brand of deep conditioner, you usually don't need more than 30-45 minutes for deep conditioning. So the subsequent coldness of the towel won't be a problem except you want to go double rounds.
So, does anyone use hooded dryers/steamers? Or have you tried any of the methods above? Or do you just settle for plain ol' body heat? Let me know!
We don't always have time to dedicate to long full treatment wash days. Here is a routine that has been working for my daughter's hair. It usually takes me nearly 2 hours to wash her hair, but this method takes only 30 minutes.
Click here or watch below:
When caring for your natural child's hair, it is best to use products that are as natural as possible. Since using natural hair ingredients for my girls, I have noticed that they do not encounter a lot of product buildup. I do wash their hair with a sulfate-free shampoo at least once a month (at the end of the month). If my girls' hair looks a bit dull, I will clarify their hair. This tells me that they have product build up.
Click here or watch to learn more about Clarifying Natural Hair
Apart from dullness in hair, here are some other signs that your hair might have product build up:
Your hair and scalp has a coated feeling.
Your hair lack movement and body causing it to feel limp and flat
Your sulfate-free shampoo or conditioner does not seem as effective as usual. If you use shampoo, it might not lather as well as it use to lather. If you use conditioners, it might sit on your hair instead of penetrating it.
You are experiencing hair breakage even though you have no hard water, you balance your protein and moisture in your regiment, and you are gentle with your hair.
Removal of Product Buildup
To remove product buildup, you can use any sulfate shampoos or a clarifying shampoo. Due to the stripping effect of clarifying shampoo, use it only once a month.
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