CURRENT NATURAL HAIR ROUTINE...

I've been natural for almost 8 years and I have had many setbacks. I have learned alot of lessons the hard way. This is my current routine. Remember when the jerricurl was popular in the 80's? Well, one of the reasons I wanted one was because it seem that everyone with one was able to grow long hair. Thank God, my momma wasn't having that or I would have had some embarrassing family pictures floating around today. Eventhough the Jerricurl is the result of a very damaging chemical, the reason my friends' hair would grow was because of the MOISTURE! 

That is the one thing I have learned the hard way, don't let my hair get dry. My hair needs water every couple of days. So I spritz it at night and seal with grapeseed oil or avocado butter. Because of laziness, I wasn't keeping up with moisturizing my hair and a few weeks ago I got 3 inches cut off. So follow me as I reclaimed my inches plus more by the end 2012.

Daily:  My all time favorite daily product is Grapeseed oil and water. I will lightly mist my hair with water then seal with Grape seed oil.

Nightly: Always tie my hair with silk scarf.  Apply Grapeseed oil and Avocado butter.  I will also give myself a scalp massage a few times a week with castor oil or raw avocado oil( it's deep green in color ).

As Needed:  I spray my hair with a mix of 50% spring water,40% rose water and 10% aloe vera, I experiment with different ingredients to see what works best for me.  I use this mist when my hair starts feeling too dry. I also like to use this mist at night so my hair can feel more moisturized and envigorated in the morning.
 
Weekly:  I wash with Alaffia authentic african black soap, after deep conditioning on misted hair (I mist it with my hair mix or water). For my deep conditioner, I currently use a cheap conditioner mixed with honey and a ceremide oil to kick up the moisture then add coconut oil for the protein. see PATCHOULI85'S 

Next, steam my hair for 15 - 20 minutes or place a plastic bag on my hair for hours. After I do my DeepPrePooTM conditioning treatment, I shampoo, then I usually bantu knot my hair in 6 sections to air dry. Finally, I take each air dried section and put 4 to 6 twists in each section. So I usually end up with 24 to 36 medium twists.

Ingredients
African mint (ocimum canum) extract (aqueous), African black soap (saponified shea butter* [butyrospermum parkii] and palm kernel oil [elaeis guineensis]), lauryl glucoside, tangerine essential oil, orange essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, litsea essential oil.*Certified Fair for Life - Social and Fair Trade by IMO.

Weekly Style: Of course I try to practice low manipulation styles. So I opted for twist,bantu knots, twist outs, and high buns.

Nutritional Support: Eat as much raw food as possible, period!!

Scalp Health: castor oil, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and deep green avocado oil.

If I am wearing more of a twist out, I do the following:
- Lightly spritz hair with a 50% spring water,40% aloe vera juice, & 10% rose water
- Put all hair under a satin bonnet
- Fluff hair in the morning, and finger style

This will usually last about 3-4 days before I need to re-twist it to refresh the curl pattern. When I refresh the curl pattern, I do the following:
- Lightly spritz hair with 50% spring water,40% aloe vera juice, & 10% rose water
- Apply some type of butter.[avocado or mowrah]
- Make about 24-30 twists [make sure they are as tight as possible]
- Put twists under a satin bonnet
- Untwist in the morning, fluff and finger-style
- I normally wear this style for about a week before it needs to be 
shampooed.


Tip: Twistouts are more define the longer you let them stay twisted.

My Favorite Butter-Based Moisturizers:

avocado butter  [a very rich moisturizing treatment for the hair & skin]

mowrah butter [a superb moisturizer that prevents dryness to skin & hair] 

My Favorite Night Time Tools:

Satin Bonnet
Silk Pillowcase

Spray Bottle [for water mixture]


SEPTEMBER 2012 HAIR REGIMEN UPDATE