NATURAL SUPPORT TEAM

My support team was very small, you needed a magnifying glass just to see who was behind me on the hair decision. The greatest support team is hair groups, YouTube and internet help me a lot along the way. Whether it's products, hairstyles, DIY (do it yourself), health, exercise and much more you will always have help at any time of the day. When my Afro grew out long enough to add extension in, I aimed for braid style that will last couple months. Seen in the hair groups a protective style is good to have low manipulation. I used to hear a lot of group members in the hair group talking about braids help their Afro grow out. Took me the longest to find someone who can braid my natural state hair without me paying high charges. My Natural hair was thick and has been in its natural state for over a year, have broken plenty combs trying to comb through it. Decide to go forth with the braids as soon as possible just could not suffer anymore. Every summer I rock some type of braid style to protect my hair from the climate, and outside environment like dust, pollen etc. Braids have become particularly popular in the natural hair community due to claims that they can grow your hair. In reality, braids don't make your hair grow, they assist with length retention. Box braids are being championed as one of the go to hairstyles for ladies that like to change up their appearance. They'll add protection while adding eye-catching length. As it stands, there's no denying the cultural impact this hairstyle has had over the years. It's a joy to see that their elegance and versatility are now back in full force. Take good care of your hair during both the installation and the removal process. Remember that the most important thing is not to install braids or twists too tightly. You do not want to suffer permanent hair loss because you installed your box braids incorrectly. The normal box braids may be the best option when you want to play it safe. They're not heavy like some jumbo box braids can be, and they aren't thin, micro braids that can put stress on small sections of your hair. These regular box braids are often the best place to start for people new to braiding hairstyles. There are several reasons you may choose to get braids for yourself or your daughter, and we know most of them. So, to make sure that your investment goes a long way I have some steps for you to take. Over the past two years, I've worn everything from box braids, corn rows, and braids outs, and I enjoy being able to transform my look." Protect with silk headscarf or a satin pillow case will help keep your braids from drying out, your edges will also remain fresher. Keep your scalp moist by breaking out spray bottle and spray those thirsty roots. It only takes a couple of minutes to moisturize your hair avoided any unnatural product Instead, use natural oils like coconut oil, almond oil or olive oil. To seal in the moisture a leading option is castor oil. Wash braids every two weeks or what works for you a daily buildup of dirt or sweat can cause pores to clog and product build up. This is a recipe for disaster of a scalp and hair. Do not wear the braids to long some women have been able to effectively wear braids for 4-months with serious care. Redo your edges every 4 to 6 weeks on average, hair grows 1/2 an inch per month. This means after 4 weeks you have some new growth and the braids around your front hairline....(Edges) can begin to look a bit rough. Reduce the updo that require tension on the edges or scalp. Pain on the scalp and pulling from the roots of your hair are symptoms of your hair braided to tight. You notice little bumps around your hairline that weren't there before. Yes, remove any braids that are causing little bumps to pop up on your scalp. This is not normal and can lead to hair loss down the road, especially if you make a habit of wearing tight braid styles. Do yourself a favor and see how your head feels when you're still in the stylist's chair. Does it hurt while hair is being braided? That's the time to ask stylist to ease up. You do not want to see your hair that you work so hard to maintain falling out. I have a bad case of hand in hair syndrome which can result in bad symptoms such as weaker hair, split ends, and breakage. The tugging and touching of hair will cause your hair to experience breakage and frizz especially with styles that you would like to keep frizz free. Before you reach for the anti-frizz product, evaluate yourself to see if its you, that is making your frizz happen. The friction from twisting your coils will create split ends and fairy knots which you will need to cut out eventually. The oil from your hands are touching everything else like door knobs, your face, your clothes, your drink, your kids. This is so important to remember because when you touch your hair constantly, you could be infected it. Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap before styling hair. Pimples on your face, break outs, and greasy stains are not effects you want to deal with. Hand in hair (HIH) is what we call the silent killer which slowly damages the health and thickness of your hair strands which can be very detrimental to retaining length. This is one reason I like to do a protective style to put a cease on this type of activity. Shrinkage on the other hand is very confusing one minute your hair has long length and the next minute it is short.

Some only have 20% to 30% shrinkage while others can have as much as 75%! Our  hair expands when wet and shrinks while drying. The ability for our hair to shrink back to its normal state after being stretched is a sign that it is healthy, but many women dislike their shrink and view it as a problem. Heat is not one of my choices to stretch out hair to it's full length, heat damage is not reversible. Banding -gather up all of those spare hair ties you have lying around, because they're going to come in handy for giving your wash and go maximum length. Banding simply involves securing ponytail holders down gathered sections of your hair. When I band my hair it takes me back to those little girl days, when hair was in plaits without the barrettes this time. Pineapple- The famous pineapple isn't just for sleeping with natural preserve your hair. It's also great for lengthening your curls. Gathering all of your hair at the front of your head will help stretch out your roots, giving your curly Afro a longer appearance. Tried this style once maybe twice but was uncomfortable since I like to lay on my back during sleep. African threading- It's a much more tedious stretching method, but African threading is a go-to process for many naturalists. It gives excellent results, so the effort is always worth it. Similar to banding, you wrap thread down and around sections of your hair. Never did this before but would like to try it during my journey looks neat after done. Any natural girl knows the art of creating the perfect braid or twist out. This style helps achieve more curl definition and also adds a bit of length to your hair. Installing perm rods is a great styling technique for natural hair. Your curls can last up to five days all depends the hair, which means you'll spend less time doing your hair in the morning. Shrinkage doesn't have to get in the way of your best styles, and neither does heat damage. Plenty of stretching techniques give your mane (hair) a makeover without putting your hair health at risk. Go forth and have fun trying them out on your beautiful coils. Now if you are looking for less manipulation on stretched styles, fewer products will do just that, helping you to retain a longer braid out or twist out. When your strands are constrained with an abundance of products they are more likely to revert to their original state due to many products that posses humectants, (properties that draw moisture from the air) such as glycerin. Now if you embrace shrinkage and have normal porosity levels then this of course will not pertain to you, but for those looking for a longer stretch, especially during humid summer days stay away from products that contain glycerin. The reason for the red light?…When humectants are not able to secrete moisture from the air it will take the next best thing…the natural moisture from your strands, yes, in the most kindest terms, it is a moisture leech. An oil rinse has been compared to a hot oil treatment done in the shower between shampooing and conditioning. Massage the oil onto your scalp and hair. You will be an oily mess, but it is important to oil every strand to get the full benefits of coating. Allow the oil to sit on your head for 15-20 minutes prior to your rinse.

This is something that I do year round. It has changed the way I moisturize my hair. This can help with moisture retention, easier detangling, less single strand knots, eliminate frizz, leaves hair smoother & softer and nature shine to your hair. When it comes down to the temperature once you do the first shampoo with warm water if you're usually going for a second shampoo or simply rinsing then that can be at room temperature. Rinse away the gunk! warm water is great for rinsing away all the oil, product, build up and dirt that can get trapped on the scalp. If you wash your hair in warm water too long, it can open up the pores and cuticles. Opening up the pores and cuticles of your hair can lead it to being dry and brittle. If warm water is on your hair too long, it can strip your hair of its sebum (natural oils). Cold Water also helps with increasing the shine by having the cuticle sealed so your hair can have a smooth finish.

Helps with retaining moisture that will keep moisture within your hair to help with detangling and girls your curls more definition. Join my group on Facebook, From Wig Weave 2 Naturale. Embrace your beauty whether you have support team or not, you are a beautiful queen don't forget your crown!