tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085823710917109462024-03-05T11:02:04.372+03:00Healthy Hair MamaHealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-9028110005859550292019-07-23T07:42:00.001+03:002019-07-23T07:43:45.373+03:00Postpartum shedding<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH9osIQQ6H3Tau73LpPeFWeAC-7iBdJOjqoHVpoa2PckM56zGSG3Lhwf2W4_FrVXCSlFHyw1wIWpkh3qMTeEFd1UMjQMrSw_RRXcOUyVWjNE59ji3mft1IOXHtZ7rt4kRJ7ziVYJrytQ/s1600/Copy+of+Copy+of+Instagram+Post+%25E2%2580%2593+Untitled+Design.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH9osIQQ6H3Tau73LpPeFWeAC-7iBdJOjqoHVpoa2PckM56zGSG3Lhwf2W4_FrVXCSlFHyw1wIWpkh3qMTeEFd1UMjQMrSw_RRXcOUyVWjNE59ji3mft1IOXHtZ7rt4kRJ7ziVYJrytQ/s640/Copy+of+Copy+of+Instagram+Post+%25E2%2580%2593+Untitled+Design.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is by far one of the biggest shockers that I got after having my baby. Besides having to deal with the struggles of sleepless nights, the fact that breast milk does not always come automatically and the endless buzz of advise from all sides of society including the security guard at the gate, I was definitely not prepared to see chunks of my hair in the drain of my shower!<br />
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I had my baby in March of 2017, and the first time I noticed that the postpartum shedding had begun, was 2 months after baby arrived. I installed crochet braids, and upon taking them out, ALL my edges followed... This was the first mistake I made.<br />
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Here is a photo of how my edges looked like...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC40b4DpLZHfUtexqGfn5g_M6UjUcLi4_NDGfcCuifEPsw8pW3JsrafooZEBvahEElJb2rKs4LEATEsxIj9a8HfX5UcmHymZwHjPcsbbi-sXh6OXXEkNr1heY3Qm_vhGDI5bLUeXoSBk/s1600/Postpartum+hair+shedding+Healthy+Hair+Mama.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC40b4DpLZHfUtexqGfn5g_M6UjUcLi4_NDGfcCuifEPsw8pW3JsrafooZEBvahEElJb2rKs4LEATEsxIj9a8HfX5UcmHymZwHjPcsbbi-sXh6OXXEkNr1heY3Qm_vhGDI5bLUeXoSBk/s400/Postpartum+hair+shedding+Healthy+Hair+Mama.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had never not had a hairline/ edges in my life, so getting used to seeing myself without edges was quite something, to say the least. I quickly took out my laptop and started reading about postpartum shedding in more detail. This is when I realised that there were some things I could do to reduce the shedding and breakage, but the shedding was here to stay until my hormones got more balanced.<br />
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So I prepared this post for all the mamas who are struggling with postpartum shedding, or the soon to be moms who want to know how to prevent it. The sad news is, you cannot prevent it! Postpartum shedding occurs as a result of hormone changes after birth.<br />
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During pregnancy, your estrogen and progesterone levels are much higher than normal, and this is necessary to sustain your pregnancy. As a result, your hair might grow thicker or faster than you are usually used to. For me, I did not experience any crazy hair growth, so this will not always happen.<br />
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Once you have delivered your baby, your estrogen and progesterone levels will go back to normal, and so will your hair growth patterns. HOWEVER, your hair will also go into its "resting phase", which happens after the extended "growth phase" that you might have experienced during pregnancy.<br />
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The resting phase of hair is also associated with shedding, and this is when postpartum shedding kicks in.<br />
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Here are a few things that you can do to reduce the amount of shedding that you will experience:<br />
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<b>(1) </b>Continue taking your prenatal vitamins/ folic acid.<br />
<b>(2)</b> Eat healthily. You really do not need to take a whole lot of carbs and starch to be able to produce breast milk. Try your best to have a balanced diet, it will go a long way in keeping your hair and your scalp healthy.<br />
<b>(3)</b> DO NOT install any protective hairstyles that will pull on your hair. Styles like crochet braids, single braids, will only increase the chances of your hair falling out once you remove the styles. Your hair follicles are already in a sensitive phase, and pulling on them will not make things any better - it will most likely increase the rate at which you lose hair.<br />
<b>(4)</b> Try gentle protective styles such as wigs or buns.<br />
<b>(5)</b> Keep up with your wash days, so that you can keep your scalp clean and healthy. It might be terrifying to see all that hair in the drain, but you will be doing your hair a favour by taking care of what is left on your head<br />
<b>(6)</b> See a specialist like a trichologist, if the hair loss does not ease off after 12 months of having your baby. If you have a known hormone condition such as PCOS, see your OBGYN and discuss on possible treatment to help balance out your hormones. The hair loss is really just a result of your hormone changes, and if your shedding is not reducing, most likely your hormones are not at the right/ balanced levels.<br />
<b>(7) </b>Avoid using heat on your hair, such as blow dryers and flat irons.<br />
<b>(8)</b> Try using tea rinses and coffee rinses once a month on your wash days.<br />
<b>(9) </b>Relax, enjoy the moments with your baby and know that this is only a phase which will pass. The amount of hair loss that you will experience is far outweighed by the experience and journey of motherhood :-)<br />
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If you have gone through postpartum shedding and you have any other tips to share, please leave them in the comments section :-)<br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-20209421255049934542019-07-10T20:11:00.003+03:002019-07-11T22:06:45.674+03:00Relaxer Day: Full Relaxer VideoIf you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen the clips of my recent relaxer results. This time I went to a salon, after realising that the box relaxers (no-lye) that I used over the past 2 years did more damage than good and dried out my hair. I felt that I needed a professional to handle my hair, and I looked for one who was willing to listen to how I wanted my hair done.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Lmoi2m1NVSXlvIwa2PoSl1g4mfkp4c2N3NQ70lnSumbq3z68nJyyokkxA4hjODlCleNgeA3R8MuS6_x0oVx2AfknDQqIcfAmKbjA4U4DK_SsBaUxtfMLP0sstTgH0SDzGM0yMPK-4YA/s1600/my+relaxer+routine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Lmoi2m1NVSXlvIwa2PoSl1g4mfkp4c2N3NQ70lnSumbq3z68nJyyokkxA4hjODlCleNgeA3R8MuS6_x0oVx2AfknDQqIcfAmKbjA4U4DK_SsBaUxtfMLP0sstTgH0SDzGM0yMPK-4YA/s640/my+relaxer+routine.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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These are the steps that the stylist took to get my hair relaxed:<br />
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<b>1)</b> Applied Mizani Protective Pre-Treatement<br />
<b>2)</b> Followed with Butter Blend butter base<br />
<b>3)</b> Applied the relaxer for 17 minutes<br />
<b>4)</b> Did a corrective relaxer application on my previously relaxed hair that was under-processed. This took another 13 minutes<br />
<b>5)</b> Rinsed my hair with Mizani phormulating shampoo<br />
<b>6)</b> Olaplex treatment<br />
<b>7) </b>Blow dried and flat ironed and tadaaaa!<br />
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Finally, I have just uploaded my first Youtube video, on the entire process above. If you are wondering how to relax your hair in the right way, have a look at this video for additional tips that you can apply or show your stylist.<br />
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I am really excited about starting this part of my blog on Youtube. I am hoping to be consistent with at least 2 videos a month - starting slowly but consistently.<br />
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See the video below, and enjoy :-)<br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-84438040220558715022019-07-04T12:00:00.000+03:002019-07-04T12:00:12.269+03:00The Wash Day Series: Step 4 - Deep Conditioning Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemwtvs59Re6s1XO2r6eM73tw977haJXoXLSh3ITG9TwPNFeEFd_D2NbF9To3Bh0Q593pnUpEE5E-ZzS8xKpMSOMElEY_TDs06fLuYfpDSQicfiFFBrdeUA5_y6Dg8O4aNv9R5uNRjlc0/s1600/Copy+of+Wash+Day+Series+Step+4+Deep+Condition+Pt+II.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemwtvs59Re6s1XO2r6eM73tw977haJXoXLSh3ITG9TwPNFeEFd_D2NbF9To3Bh0Q593pnUpEE5E-ZzS8xKpMSOMElEY_TDs06fLuYfpDSQicfiFFBrdeUA5_y6Dg8O4aNv9R5uNRjlc0/s400/Copy+of+Wash+Day+Series+Step+4+Deep+Condition+Pt+II.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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How do you know what your hair needs in terms of protein vs. moisturizing deep conditioner?<br />
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There are a few signs that indicate what your hair needs or lacks</div>
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<b>1) Your hair is crunchy/ brittle and dry: </b>This could possibly indicate that you need to add moisture to your hair<br />
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<b>2) You hair breaks very easily: </b>Add a deep moisturizing conditioner and follow up with moisturizing and sealing your hair daily thereafter<br />
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<b>3) Your hair feels mushy and overly soft:</b> You need a protein conditioner to restore balance to your hair<br />
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<b>4) You have not deep conditioned your hair in a long time:</b> Ideally this should not happen but if it does, you could do a pre-poo with a protein conditioner and follow up with a moisturizing deep conditioner.<br />
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Getting the balance between moisture and protein can take a while, but the easiest way to restore balance is through your deep conditioning sessions.<br />
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If you are yet to get the hang of it, try a month or two of weekly deep conditioning so that you can better understand your hair needs and how it reacts to different types of deep conditioners.<br />
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As a follow up to our last post, here is a guide to 10 protein conditioners that are under 10 Dollars! Yes, affordable and available locally. I have tried 3 out of 10 of these conditioners (No 1,2 and 4), and they have worked reasonably well on my hair.<br />
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Currently, I use ApHogee 2-minute Keratin Reconstructor when I need a protein boost, but my all time favourite is the Parnevu Hair Mayonnaise because it also adds some softness to my hair after using it.<br />
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What's your go-to protein deep conditioner?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgCPl8Z6_-nxTIfAKCaCeBBTImjo7bE7AcoqsRTjGgtptP4JM0-i6AXudcz5pAC6dN9mHC4Ufm6M0hEyRwVZmH64cDbv7lARSquJEgUHlIFOEmbiOSK6iYlPrSzaJXDAo7IXx8G3rg_4/s1600/10+Affordable+Protein+Conditioners_Healthy+African+Hair+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgCPl8Z6_-nxTIfAKCaCeBBTImjo7bE7AcoqsRTjGgtptP4JM0-i6AXudcz5pAC6dN9mHC4Ufm6M0hEyRwVZmH64cDbv7lARSquJEgUHlIFOEmbiOSK6iYlPrSzaJXDAo7IXx8G3rg_4/s1600/10+Affordable+Protein+Conditioners_Healthy+African+Hair+%25281%2529.png" /></a></div>
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HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-24874973572405522832019-07-03T20:15:00.002+03:002019-07-11T22:06:59.795+03:00Rice Water Challenge: 3 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XEFfJ8446fqH9Ha87fQzVZ5BKd3CrroTO00HV3qCD_Or8idoiPbv7xDL_YVM1H5hp7RQuIG6MTuP5eSxGXYO3BeEjfh97a2eSZTCoXQbu35dYH4IB8DI7Fbj9wZy7w4RXhnw9Owv9kE/s1600/RICE+WATER+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XEFfJ8446fqH9Ha87fQzVZ5BKd3CrroTO00HV3qCD_Or8idoiPbv7xDL_YVM1H5hp7RQuIG6MTuP5eSxGXYO3BeEjfh97a2eSZTCoXQbu35dYH4IB8DI7Fbj9wZy7w4RXhnw9Owv9kE/s640/RICE+WATER+%25282%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hi healthy hair fam! A further update to my plan over the next 3 months:<br />
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I have experimented with a mild version of rice water over the last 2 weeks, and the results have been really good! I thought that rice water works for naturalistas only, but after seeing @itsmellabella's video on her rice water experience, as well as the convincing from my friend to try it out, I decided to give it a go!<br />
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Besides losing much less hair on wash days from shedding and breakage, my hair feels stronger and balanced. To be honest, I have not seen a length improvement, and I measured my hair before the start of the challenge. I will do a one-month check-in to see if there has been any length, like all the rave reviews that I have seen on the benefits of rice water.<br />
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Currently I am using a very mild form of rice water, as my hair is protein sensitive and I do not want to try anything that will make it overly loaded with protein. I suggest that you try a mild version of rice water before using the more potent fermented forms of rice water:<br />
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With 1/2 cup of rice, I:<br />
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1) Rinse the rice from the starch and pour out the water<br />
2) Add 1 cup of distilled/ purified water to the washed rice and leave it to soak for 6 hours<br />
3) Strain the rice and pour the water into a bottle<br />
4) Add a drop of peppermint/ eucalyptus oil to avoid the ricey scent of the rice water<br />
5) Keep refrigerated and spray onto hair until damp (NOT wet), focusing on scalp every day.<br />
6) Keep the rice water for 7 days and make a new batch after the 7 days has passed.<br />
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I started my challenge two weeks ago, so I plan on ending it on 20th September, in line with the other hair challenge that I am participating in (see previous post).<br />
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Let me know what you think about rice water. Have you used it before? What were your results?HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-80926025592129429922019-06-25T18:00:00.000+03:002019-07-11T22:07:27.961+03:0010 Affordable Moisturizing Conditioners Under 10 Dollars!By now you know that I am all for moisturized hair, anytime!<br />
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One of the most effective ways of infusing moisture into your hair is through your deep conditioning sessions.<br />
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A good moisturizing deep conditioner can go a very long way in helping you to achieve your hair goals. So I did some research and put together a list of good moisturizing conditioners that are FREE of bad ingredients like sulfates, mineral oils, etc.<br />
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All of the moisturizing conditioners below can be found at local beauty cosmetic stores in Nairobi.<br />
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Here you go:<br />
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<b>1) Beautiful Textures Rapid Repair Deep Conditioner 425g</b>. Price: KSh 895/ USD 9. Available: Super Cosmetics<br />
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<b>2) Aunty Jackie's fix my hair masque 426g</b>. Price: KSh 1,055/ USD 10. Available: <a href="http://jumia.co.ke/">Jumia Online</a>, QuickMart Lavington<br />
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<b>3) Mosara Deep treatment Masque 500g</b>. Price: Ksh 700/ USD 7. Available: <a href="http://jumia.co.ke/">Jumia Online</a><br />
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<b>4) ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner 362ml</b>. Price: KSh 695/ USD 7. Available: Super Cosmetics<br />
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<b>5) Creme of Nature Intensive Conditioning Treatment 354ml.</b> Price: KSh 920/ USD 9. Available: Super Cosmetics<br />
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<b>6) Saru Organics Hair Growth Masque 200g</b>. Price: Ksh 600/ USD 6. Available: <a href="http://jumia.co.ke/">Jumia Online</a><br />
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<b>7) Creme of Nature Moisturizing Dry Defense Conditioner 355ml</b>. Price: Ksh 1,165/ USD 11. Available: Super Cosmetics<br />
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<b>8) Sheba Deep Conditioner 200g.</b> Price: KSh 800/ USD 8. Available: Sheth Naturals (Instagram)<br />
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<b>9) Elasta QP DPR Deep Penetrating Remoisturizing Conditioner 426g.</b> Price: KSh 895/ USD 9. Available: Super Cosmetics<br />
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<b>10) Cantu Deep Treatment Masque 340g. </b>Price: KSh 999/ USD 10. Available: Craving Yellow (Instagram)<br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-88497380916430603602019-06-24T09:02:00.000+03:002019-06-24T09:02:22.123+03:00The Wash Day Series: Step 4 - Deep Conditioning Pt I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The essence of a successful wash day is in the deep conditioning (DC) step.<br />
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There are a few things that definitely make or break my deep conditioning sessions, and I have learnt to ensure that I follow these general principles:<br />
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<b>1) Choose between a protein or a moisturising DCs:</b> My choice usually depends on how my hair feels. Generally, I have dry hair and therefore use moisturising DCs far more often that I use protein DCs.<br />
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However, I still make sure that I use a protein DC on my hair at least once a month, and then follow up with a moisturizing DC. This keeps my hair moisturized (from moisturizing DCs) and strong enough to keep breakage at minimum levels (from protein DCs)<br />
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<b>2) Use heat, ALWAYS:</b> I cannot remember the last time I deep conditioned my hair without heat.<br />
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Deep conditioning with heat opens up your hair cuticles, so that your hair can receive all the good stuff and nutrients that are in the deep conditioner.<br />
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<b>3) Deep condition for at least 20 minutes:</b> If the instructions of your conditioner indicate that you only need 3-5 minutes to condition your hair, then it is probably not a deep conditioner. All the good deep conditioners that I have used recently, indicate that you need to keep the conditioner in for at least 15 minutes, with a recommendation that it can be used with heat or a conditioning cap.<br />
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<b>4) Add oil to conditioner for an extra boost:</b> I try to add at least one teaspoon of an oil of my choice, to give my conditioner an extra boost. This also helps in fortifying your hair with the additional nutrients that it needs to strive. And with the added heat, your hair absorbs the nutrients from the oil much easier than it would, without heat.<br />
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<b>5) Use one conditioner at a time: </b>Initially in my hair journey, I mixed conditioners almost all the time. The problem with this was that I never knew what worked and what did not work. It is only when I stoppped mixing conditioners that I figured out which deep conditioners actually kept my hair soft and moisturized.<br />
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<b>6) Always check the ingredients before buying a deep conditioner:</b> I cannot stress the importance of this step. This is also why I spend at least 30 minutes at a beauty cosmetic store whenever I visit one.<br />
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There are general ingredients that you should avoid that make a DC less effective and potentially harmful to the health of your hair and scalp. Some of these ingredients include mineral oils, parabens, sulfates, etc.<br />
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Also, as a general rule of thumb, the first ingredient for any good deep conditioner should be Aqua/ Water. This indicates that the deep conditioner will penetrate your hair strands much easier than a deep conditioner that does not have water as its first ingredient.<br />
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<b>7) Apply your DC to your cleansed hair in sections:</b> Focussing on the length of your hair is key, because this is the hair that needs the deep conditioner the most. On most days, I apply my DC using a spatula, sectioning my hair as I go. This ensures that the conditioner is applied evenly to all of my hair. I apply extra conditioner to the ends of my hair, which are the oldest and dryest parts of my hair.<br />
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Here are a few good moisturizing conditioners, that are below KSh 1,000/ USD 10 in local stores!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfri3UzOGzXAb_dsXgHHZObH_Xdn0HgfxY-zsEN6unSX9TBbaMhPZao3d5QNlT_FjUCnewJ3cyyZ9uQAhLeKDVvYUj8LGtyhDFTXsWBA7UiESpk8bT4s1scLBkFd0wU81i40SNDSchEQ/s1600/10+Affordable+Moisturising+Conditioners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfri3UzOGzXAb_dsXgHHZObH_Xdn0HgfxY-zsEN6unSX9TBbaMhPZao3d5QNlT_FjUCnewJ3cyyZ9uQAhLeKDVvYUj8LGtyhDFTXsWBA7UiESpk8bT4s1scLBkFd0wU81i40SNDSchEQ/s640/10+Affordable+Moisturising+Conditioners.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-36034359886076355792019-06-11T17:00:00.000+03:002019-07-10T20:12:18.413+03:00Hair Update: 2 Weeks Post RelaxerHi there<br />
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I have been working on my regimen for the next 10-13 weeks, as I wait for my next relaxer day.<br />
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I plan on having a very minimalistic routine, just to give my hair a break from continuous manipulation.<br />
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My goal over the next 6 months of the year is to retain at least 3 inches and get to armpit length. Currently I am at Shoulder length, but I am going to baby my ends to<br />
So here we go:<br />
<br />
<b>1) Wash and Deep Condition</b> every 1-2 weeks<br />
<b>2) Dust my ends</b> every 6-8 weeks<br />
<b>3) Protective style</b> most of the time with wigs or halo braids/ twists<br />
<b>4) NO Heat, </b>except for blow dry every month to keep my new growth stretched<br />
<b>5)</b> Join a <b>hair growth challenge</b><br />
<b>6) </b>Take a <b>healthy hear vitamin </b>daily<br />
<b>7)</b> Cover my hair at night with my <b>satin bonnet</b><br />
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What are your hair goals for the remaining part of the year?HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-13549779982426733882019-06-09T08:00:00.000+03:002019-06-09T08:00:02.418+03:00The Wash Day Series: Step 3 - ShampooThis is probably the step that anyone who has ever been on a healthy hair journey, would know about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJG6GJA8QXzJLYUYAvKzytB3o0uoEn59WR3Ps9_nnGn03vraS_bZMyMqSN5l-QqWtyMnSEHK6YyTqgtnDyoPP2ODlHrLlplzhGrk7mWmRP8U7I2krE3Uv_W-qmGc-3wJ7wsn0SaV45Po/s1600/Shampoo+Types.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJG6GJA8QXzJLYUYAvKzytB3o0uoEn59WR3Ps9_nnGn03vraS_bZMyMqSN5l-QqWtyMnSEHK6YyTqgtnDyoPP2ODlHrLlplzhGrk7mWmRP8U7I2krE3Uv_W-qmGc-3wJ7wsn0SaV45Po/s1600/Shampoo+Types.png" /></a></div>
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There are so many shampoos out there, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one you need. Here is a list of types of shampoos:</div>
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<b>1) Chelating Shampoo:</b> While similar to a clarifying shampoo, a chelating shampoo helps in removing metals, minerals and chlorine that get deposited in hair due to hard water. This is the kind of shampoo that swimmers often use.<br /><br /><b>2) Clarifying Shampoo:</b> A clarifying shampoo is formulated to remove product build up from the hair and scalp. However, these shampoos tend to be harsh and therefore need to be followed up with a moisturising conditioner.<br /><br /><b>3) Sulfate free Shampoo:</b> A sulfate-free shampoo, however, has no soap alkaline base. Since sulfates tend to dry your hair out by stripping it of moisture and cause rough brittleness, a sulfate-free shampoo is good at keeping your hair’s natural oils intact and texture oh so soft.<br /><br /><b>4) Neutralising Shampoo:</b> A neutralizing shampoo helps restore balance and the normal pH level of your hair. These shampoos must ALWAYS be used to rinse off a relaxer, as they ensure that the relaxer process stops.<br /><br /><b>5) Volumizing shampoo:</b> A volumizing shampoo works by opening up the hair cuticles to encourage growth<br /><br /><b>6) Dry shampoo:</b> A dry shampoo is for days when you don’t want to wash your hair but still want it to look less greasy and more fresh. Dry shampoos can be liquid, powder or come in an aerosol spray. All you need to do is take a small amount and spread it through your roots to clean your hair and absorb excess oil and grease.<div>
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I typically use sulfate-free shampoos a maximum of once per week. When my hair and scalp feels like it has a lot of buildup, I use clarifying shampoos for a thorough cleanse.</div>
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I have never had to use a chelating shampoo, as the water in my area does not have any minerals or chemicals that make hair hard.</div>
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I ALWAYS use neutralising shampoos on relaxer days, and more specifically, I prefer the colour-coded neutralising shampoos which turn to pink if the relaxer has not yet been washed off completely.</div>
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Cleansing hair with shampoo strips out alot of your hair's natural oils, so it is important to use shampoos sparingly. Apply the shampoo to your scalp and let the lather flow down to the length of your hair - this will minimise the harsh effect of shampoos on your hair.</div>
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Which shampoo do you use most often, and when did you last use one?</div>
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Source of info: poxpo.com</div>
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HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-23813620595285157542019-06-04T16:00:00.000+03:002019-06-04T16:00:05.854+03:00The Wash Day Series: Step 2 - Pre-ShampooHave you heard of the term "prepoo"?<br />
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I had never heard of it before starting my healthy hair journey, but since I started incorporating it into my wash days, it has definitely helped improve the health of my hair.<br />
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I especially like this step, because it protects my hair from the shampoo process, that tends to strip your hair of its natural oils and sebum, even when using a gentle shampoo that is free of harsh chemicals like sulphates.<br />
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Here is an infographic that gives more details.<br />
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My favourite pre-poo's are hot oil treatements - I feel like it is a special treat to my hair and the massaging process is also relaxing to the mind :-)<br />
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Do you do pre-poos? What are your favourite types of prepoo treatments?<br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-54555610378322313652019-06-03T11:58:00.000+03:002019-06-03T13:44:04.122+03:00The Wash Day Series: Step 1 - DetanglingHere is everything you need to know about detangling, in one page :-)<br />
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I always try to plan my wash days when I have 3-4 hours to concentrate on how I am handling my hair. The steps below may seem over the top, but they have definitely helped me in minimising breakage, especially after taking a protective style like braids or cornrows, out of my hair.<br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-33659297113944681672019-05-28T09:29:00.002+03:002019-06-23T23:58:12.561+03:00The Wash Day Series: 7 Essentials to Starting a Healthy Hair Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFbzizLxRrFRrga0HlsyWCVZX9jPISnMqvqf46BNpZzKZ3CJYygbXJ1c_7JamDXP73b-s_6uhUqRRq41jVSNMepLQAbxDYhPIYYgw74FzSzlgZVU7sg8PaHvburHoEe30Gu6GA4NanwU/s1600/For+a+healthy+hair+journey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFbzizLxRrFRrga0HlsyWCVZX9jPISnMqvqf46BNpZzKZ3CJYygbXJ1c_7JamDXP73b-s_6uhUqRRq41jVSNMepLQAbxDYhPIYYgw74FzSzlgZVU7sg8PaHvburHoEe30Gu6GA4NanwU/s640/For+a+healthy+hair+journey.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wash days are what I would say are the backbone to a healthy hair care regimen.<br />
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Without wash days, you would not be able to keep your hair and scalp clean, hydrated and strengthened.<br />
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Before I share my detailed steps for wash days, I think it is important to share the essentials of a healthy hair care journey so that<br />
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A) You do not go on an unnecessary shopping spree<br />
B) You appreciate that products can only take you so far. Your consistency and technique is far more important.<br />
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You really do not need to complicate your healthy hair journey. All you need are a few essentials to get started, and you can slowly build up on the rest.<br />
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You can have the best products in the market, and have unhealthy hair. But it is unlikely that you will have unhealthy hair when applying consistent good healthy hair practices, unless the products you are using are awful (e.g. have chemicals like parabens, a lot of sulfates, etc).<br />
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So here are my 7 Essentials list, let me know what yours are if you have already started your healthy hair journey:<br />
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<b>1.)</b> Wide tooth comb<br />
<b>2.)</b> Shea Oil OR Avocado Oil<br />
<b>3.)</b> A sulfate free shampoo<br />
<b>4.)</b> Satin scarf<br />
<b>5.)</b> A protein conditioner<br />
<b>6.)</b> A moisturizing conditioner<br />
<b>7.)</b> A spray bottle with water<br />
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<ul>
<li>I would mix the oil, conditioner and water to make a moisturizer</li>
<li>I use a satin scarf DAILY without fail. This is a very important part of my routine, as it keeps my hair moisturized when I am asleep (which is a good 6-8 hours a day)</li>
<li>A wide tooth comb is necessary for detangling especially when deep into a relaxer stretch and you have lot of new growth that easily gets detangled.</li>
<li>A shampoo is needed to keep your scalp clean on wash days</li>
<li>Both Moisturizing and Protein conditioner are a a yes-yes to keep your hair balanced between moisturer and strength, depending on how your hair feels each wash day. If it feels dry, you probably need some moisture. If it feels too mushy and very elastic, you probably need some protein.</li>
</ul>
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What are you 5 essentials?</div>
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-74245956273208042312019-05-24T16:00:00.000+03:002019-06-23T23:58:53.471+03:00Guide to picking the right comb for your Healthy Hair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81cZoZP0oWCCLQqRXsOwLi2TNcFlYweezB-qABA-fJXsE8G-4pW9GX1kOlS9sC5ZnvsWQr6pxykgibbgT1RpxJtUxzZpz-HEpqiNbTGAsddo3S1nH6NA2d71t9pYUy7NcwTycm0HUNyc/s1600/Guide+to+Combs+%2526+Brushes+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81cZoZP0oWCCLQqRXsOwLi2TNcFlYweezB-qABA-fJXsE8G-4pW9GX1kOlS9sC5ZnvsWQr6pxykgibbgT1RpxJtUxzZpz-HEpqiNbTGAsddo3S1nH6NA2d71t9pYUy7NcwTycm0HUNyc/s640/Guide+to+Combs+%2526+Brushes+%25281%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Starting my hair journey, I had never ever gone more than a day without combing my hair, unless it was in protective styles.<br />
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So going 2 or 3 days and even a week, just on finger detangling, was one of the hardest but also one of the best habits I learnt.</div>
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Ideally you should not comb your hair unless you need to straighten it or detangle it because it has a lot of knots or is matted. Our ancestors used their fingers to detangle their hair, and it worked for them... BUT, different hair types react differently to this approach.</div>
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If you are the type who gets a lot of single strand knots and matted hair, it might be better for you to keep your hair stretched and detangled as much as possible, while minimising the use of combs and brushes which also cause a lot of manipulation and damage to our hair strands.<br />
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Other tips for combing your hair:<br />
<ul>
<li>Never detangle dry hair. Apply oil or a detangler or spritz it with water so that it is easier to run your comb through your hair. Do not make it too wet, hair is generally at its weakest point when extremely dry or wet.</li>
<li>Finger detangle first before you run a comb through your hair.</li>
<li>Do it in sections. Depending on the length of your hair, 4 – 8 parts is a good idea. You can use butterfly clips to secure each section.</li>
<li>Comb your hair through when you have the time and patience for it.</li>
<li>After combing each section, twist, and pin before you move on to the next section. Do not try to comb a huge amount of hair at once. You will lose a lot of hair this way and cause split ends.</li>
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Here are a few types of combs and uses, which you obviously need to assess based on what your hair needs:</div>
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1) Tangle teezer: Works for thick hair types that tend to get knotted or matted in between washes. Brushes knots out easily. Useful for transitioners who get a lot of single strand knots during the transition from relaxed to natural hair.<br />
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2) Seamless comb: Works for straightening the hair when blow drying.<br />
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3) Ceramic Bristle Brush: Achieves Faster blowouts, smoother hair and big curls when blowdrying.<br />
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4) Afro comb: Useful for undoing cornrows.<br />
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5) Wide tooth comb: Detangling during and in between wash days.<br />
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6) Denman brush: Smoothing hair after detangling with wide tooth comb.<br />
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7) Rattail comb: Parting hair and smoothing down hair when flat ironing.<br />
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I use my widetooth comb most of the time, and my Denman brush to smooth out my new growth.<br />
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Remember, combs cause manipulation = breakage.<br />
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The smaller the spaces in between the teeth of the comb, the more likely you are to damage your hair. So use rattail and afro combs sparingly and use only when necessary.<br />
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Personally, I comb my hair twice a week with a Wide tooth Comb and I smooth my new growth with my Denman brush on wash days.<br />
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Which is your most used comb?</div>
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HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-70596999493634181242019-05-16T07:27:00.001+03:002019-07-11T22:09:36.379+03:00Olaplex Treatment: Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBeMBVqYg3Na2Zwo2OM5cC0lFnl2kRDfZpKNCX-6kyNw8qtAc4yIye4GPBo47Ur-RE4HwMNfdwFEKz-zjaW_LPftvjn-_sq_-He1XcgbLVsqu6XwkxbOBhYeJDwKm3Ww2IEkKuvxJKlY/s1600/Product.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBeMBVqYg3Na2Zwo2OM5cC0lFnl2kRDfZpKNCX-6kyNw8qtAc4yIye4GPBo47Ur-RE4HwMNfdwFEKz-zjaW_LPftvjn-_sq_-He1XcgbLVsqu6XwkxbOBhYeJDwKm3Ww2IEkKuvxJKlY/s640/Product.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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So eeeveryone has been raving about this product of late. When I first came across it, I thought it was a new product, only to find that it has been in the market for a while. I think the hype is because more and more women of colour have realised that it can work for their hair too.</div>
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<b>What is Olaplex?</b><br />
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It is a treatment that works to build the bonds that have been broken from chemical processes such as relaxers, bleaches, etc you name it. It also builds bonds that have been broken from thermal and mechanical processes such as flat ironing, blow drying, combing etc. Basically anything you do to your hair that increases the chances of breakage.<br />
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<b>From Olaplex.com:</b> Olaplex is a patented active ingredient that works on a molecular level to seek out broken bonds in the hair that are caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage. You can use Olaplex to restore compromised hair, or add it to another service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8UYHc6SWvnH1yKtvyDiElplXMUSuNn0N9QfoT0342dO70pibH9ngptnGSVBcHcvuU4zeaJiqePMQkDFdgwl1kcnSwiOlB2kbNsrDGg5MAkn7SffNpQgl6lNQwsTOElkIxSleM8xncOs/s1600/Hair+strand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="1129" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8UYHc6SWvnH1yKtvyDiElplXMUSuNn0N9QfoT0342dO70pibH9ngptnGSVBcHcvuU4zeaJiqePMQkDFdgwl1kcnSwiOlB2kbNsrDGg5MAkn7SffNpQgl6lNQwsTOElkIxSleM8xncOs/s400/Hair+strand.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is how a strand of your hair looks like under a microscope. The more split ends and breakage you have, the less smooth your strand looks.</div>
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<b>Why I went on the Olaplex bandwagon?</b><br />
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Honestly, my hair was in ICU 2 months ago. I had been experiencing a lot of breakage caused by stress and a vegeterian diet that I went on without gradually allowing my body to adjust to the new diet.<br />
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I was in desparate need of getting a product that would control the breakage. I tried protein treatments, mixed protein and moisture, heavy protein treatments etc but none of them worked. My ends were always damaged. I trimmed a total of 6-8 inches over the last 6 months which was not necessary if I did not have the breakage that I was experiencing.</div>
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So when I heard about Olaplex from some of my favourite healthy hair bloggers, I thought it was worth trying...</div>
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<b>How it works?</b></div>
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The initial Olaplex set consisted of a 3-step treatment, of which the first 2 are meant for salon use only. After washing hair Step 1 is applied and is meant to stay on your hair for some 10 minutes. Step 2 is applied on top of Step 1 and I waited longer on Step 2 as the hairdresser (check my Instagram post for more detail on this salon visit) recommended so due to my excessive breakage.</div>
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Note: The entire range is not a protein conditioner, you would still need to continue with your usual wash day steps and incorporate this in between. I applied it after shampooing my hair and before my deep conditioner step.</div>
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Step 3 is an at home treatment, which I have been using the same way I use a moisturizing treatment, with a heat cap to just get an extra level of punch out of it. </div>
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I applied very little of the Step 3 product to my hair (a little goes a long way and it has some slip to help with that), and 1 bottle will probably last me 3-4 applications.</div>
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<b>Where to find it?</b></div>
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This one is a bit tricky because according to the Olaplex customer service agent that I chatted with on the website, they can only confirm the authenticity of products that are distributed through their approved salon network. Personally, I took the option of finding an approved salon and performing the treatment there.</div>
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I got the No 3 treatment, which is an at home treatment, from an approved distributor as well that is based in SA (ohmybeauty.co.za).</div>
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You can find the products on Amazon, but you would need to be really careful about the authenticity of the products that you are buying - maybe get them from a company where Amazon despatches the items or read the reviews before selecting the seller.</div>
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<b>Price</b></div>
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No 1 and 2 treatment: Check Amazon for price details. </div>
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No 3 at home treatment: USD 35 </div>
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<b>The Verdict</b></div>
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It definitely did what it promises. to do Since my first application, my breakage has reduced significantly so I am very happy about that. My hair also feels very smooth after washing the No 3 treatment out. However, to be honest, the smooth feeling does not last long. The hairdresser had informed me that the product wears off after some time - I guess like any other product. </div>
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It is expensive, so I do not intend using it every week as per recommendations. I will probably use it every other week and on my relaxer day. </div>
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I am definitely incorporating this product into my regimen!</div>
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Have you used Olaplex? Did you like it, love it or naah?</div>
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HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-54823794546472984362019-05-14T21:56:00.000+03:002019-06-23T23:59:55.884+03:00How to start a Healthy Hair Journey on a Budget!<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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Yes ladies, it is possible to start your healthy hair journey on a budget as low as USD50!!!<br />
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You do not need fancy OR expensive products that you would need to save up for months on end. All you need are basic items to help you get the most out of healthy hair techniques.<br />
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When I started this healthy hair journey, one of the biggest mistakes I made was experimenting far too soon on different products, which I ended up giving away. So instead of going this route, you are better off getting products that generally work and then with time, you could experiment and try other products (ONE AT A TIME).<br />
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You are actually far better off practicing good healthy hair techniques than having the best hair care product range.<br />
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So here are the bare minimums of what you need, based on my experience so far. All products are available at Super Cosmetics/ Best Lady Cosmetics.<br />
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<b> Tools:</b><br />
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<b>(1)</b> Wide tooth comb: KSh 500/ USD 5<br />
<b>(2)</b> Hair sectioning clips: KSh 700/ USD 7 for a pack of 8 clips<br />
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<b>Products:</b><br />
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<b>(1)</b> Sulfate free shampoo: KSh 750/ USD 5 (Creme of Nature)<br />
<b>(2)</b> Clarifying shampoo: KSh 550/ USD 5 (ORS Clarifying Shampoo)<br />
<b>(3)</b> Deep conditioner: KSh 500/ USD 5 (Saru organics hair growth masque)<br />
<b>(4)</b> Protein conditioner: KSh 550/ USD 5 (ORS Hair Mayonnaise)<br />
<b>(5) </b>Oil from home Olive/ Coconut oil: KSh 450/ USD (Kentaste Coconut Oil)<br />
<b>(6)</b> Detangler/Leave-in conditioner/ Moisturiser : Ksh 900/ USD 9 (Marini Naturals)<br />
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<b> Total cost KSh 4,900/ USD 50</b><br />
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The cost above might seem too much, but you can easily save this up by reducing your salon trips and going only when you really need to.<br />
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Other things you could do that can help save more pennies:<br />
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<b>- Try out DIY recipes for conditioners & detanglers</b> (e.g. avocado and banana hair masques as a protein treatment). Please start by trying out on a small piece of your hair, you do not want a disaster experiment happenning on your beautiful locks! You could save an additional KSh 1,050/ USD 10 by using DIY conditioner recipes.<br />
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<b>- Maximise on water!</b> Drink it, and use it on your hair as a pre-moisturising step. Just don't soak your hair with water, as it might cause tangles and unnecessary breakage.<br />
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<b>- You could rent a hairdryer</b> from a salon in town - simply pay a small fee to use their dryer - that way, you do not have to spend a lot of cash on hair equipment.<br />
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<b>- Little at a time:</b> Experiment on new products ONE AT A TIME and only when you have gotten a working regimen. I spent too much time & money experimenting the latest product in town, and ended up giving a lot of these products away :-(<br />
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<b>- ALWAYS prepare a budget</b> before you go to the store and stick to it. The next product on the shelf is not thaaat much better than what you have, stick to what you have if it works for you.<br />
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I hope you found this post helpful! Please let me know what other topics or information on healthy hair you would be interested in, that I could share on this blog :-)<br />
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HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-54602820944927155842019-05-07T07:30:00.000+03:002019-07-11T22:11:35.205+03:005 Healthy Hair Methods that I ditched<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRosDXtvyzYVlxAKlhxAAAFaVW_s4kCiTf5pfB90K9LimXkzd-vp_ZK6vWUhpBZRO3k7Ji-ndSxL1gMalfUDroysJCyGa10q1zjLPoavaackvM3zIjN1loBkicN4hEkBlnHcGsvgqHKsI/s1600/5+Healthy+hair+hacks+that+i+ditched.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRosDXtvyzYVlxAKlhxAAAFaVW_s4kCiTf5pfB90K9LimXkzd-vp_ZK6vWUhpBZRO3k7Ji-ndSxL1gMalfUDroysJCyGa10q1zjLPoavaackvM3zIjN1loBkicN4hEkBlnHcGsvgqHKsI/s400/5+Healthy+hair+hacks+that+i+ditched.png" /></a></div>
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The truth is, not ALL healthy hair methods and practices will work for you. The hard part is figuring out what works and what doesn't. I learned the hard way - after lots of breakage that I could not understand, but finally figured it out, and I am still learning.<br />
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So here are 5 Healthy Hair methods that I no longer practice, they simply did not work for me or my lifestyle:<br />
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<b> *DISCLAIMER*</b> - The list below may or may not work for your hair, this is what has not worked for mine.<br />
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<b> (1) Long-term relaxer stretching:</b> This is when you stay long periods of time between getting your hair relaxed/retouched. My new growth tends to be quite chaotic and I realised that keeping it for long was causing more breakage than relaxing it more often. I now try to keep to a 13-14 week relaxer stretch, down from 18-24 weeks. <br />
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<b> (2) A selection of some protective styles, e.g. crochet braids, singles:</b> These protective styles caused havoc on my hairline especially after having my baby. They were too heavy for my hairline, and the fact that the cost makes it difficult to keep these for anything less than a month meant that I was not able to care for my hair the way I would have wanted.<br />
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<b>(3) Washing my hair twice a month:</b> Now this may or may not work for you just like everything else on this post, but certainly did not work for me especially now that I exercise on average 2-3 times a week. I now wash my hair every week, and when plaited, I co-wash it.<br />
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<b> (4) Combing my hair once a week:</b> I now comb my hair 2-3 times a week to keep it detangled. I found that my hair fairs better when it is detangled than when it was those dreaded single stranded knots stuck in there somewhere. The hand detangling method just does not work when I have a lot of new growth...<br />
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<b> (5) Moisturizing and sealing my hair daily:</b> Although I try to keep up with this, sometimes it is just not possible. So at the very least, I moisturize and seal every other day and on the days when I do not do this, I spray my hair with water and followed my an oil mixture. It also does not do my hair any good, when I moisturize and seal daily when I am past 8-10 weeks post relaxer, because that would mean detangling my hair and my new growth, and that is also some manipulation so I found a way around it - using water and oil sprays so that I keep the manipulation at minimal levels.<br />
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What healthy hair methods have not worked for you?<br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.5460584000000002 36.499222699999955 -1.0380734 37.144669699999959tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-68573904211958416732019-05-07T07:00:00.000+03:002019-05-07T07:15:55.427+03:00Hi, Welcome Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_-6IcPTi_l9DOx5mlElpgAIu2nk0gtEgvm5l8bqULXcbvS8y3B0rdg7atyXvEuBfVLZ_2-7m1rccXula_u4BKrv2xFx50ZJSjTxZLcIIhJaN3B7Kd13MCNt1ECYVN7M5rBwdShwO_NQ/s1600/Hello%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1400" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_-6IcPTi_l9DOx5mlElpgAIu2nk0gtEgvm5l8bqULXcbvS8y3B0rdg7atyXvEuBfVLZ_2-7m1rccXula_u4BKrv2xFx50ZJSjTxZLcIIhJaN3B7Kd13MCNt1ECYVN7M5rBwdShwO_NQ/s400/Hello%2521.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Hi everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">This is just a short post to say that I am back to blogging now! Had definitely missed it, and missed engaging with all of you through my blog, but being a new mama and having a demanding job left me with no time to blog... Kudos to all the mamas who have been able to do all these things and still keep up with their blogs, youtube channels etc!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I am looking forward to the remaining part of the year, and would like to change things a bit on the blog with some new content. My blog will focus on</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">-> <b>Hair care </b>(Off Course, this will remain the primary focus of my blog, so don't leave just yet if you are wondering whether the new topics below are relevant for you)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">-> <b>Skin care</b> - with all the hormonal changes I have experienced over the last 2 years, I would definitely like to take you through my journey to a better looking face</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">-> <b>Mom's corner</b> - talking about all things motherhood. I am not an expert here so this content will focus on MY experience and learnings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Stay tuned for new blog posts, every Tuesday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Becca</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.5460584000000002 36.499222699999955 -1.0380734 37.144669699999959tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-67140392647578720182016-12-21T13:30:00.000+03:002019-07-11T22:06:29.793+03:002016 | Looking Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mAmLd9MoeZvSS3uYAZtB9iWv7SdE0JZgqdLPE-Eh1KZxN6ZkKKI6hAdWDF5FTV8c8tk7FP0lakM2G0OyWsBi6XVYKXfAEdoBR4LccwtQ7az7-bdTKOB2Na6t4OrAMGEzo9-8C-NCvJE/s1600/2016+Hair+Goals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mAmLd9MoeZvSS3uYAZtB9iWv7SdE0JZgqdLPE-Eh1KZxN6ZkKKI6hAdWDF5FTV8c8tk7FP0lakM2G0OyWsBi6XVYKXfAEdoBR4LccwtQ7az7-bdTKOB2Na6t4OrAMGEzo9-8C-NCvJE/s640/2016+Hair+Goals.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hi everyone, I hope you are all up and ready for the holidays. Happy Holidays, this will probably be one of my last posts (if not last) for 2016. I always like to look back at the year and my goals and to be true to myself in evaluating what I have achieved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This year was nothing short of amazing! So many great things happened in my life for which I am grateful! My hair on the other hand, did not fair as well. If I were to count the number of setbacks, it would probably come to about 2 in total...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I started the year off with a bang! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsnO9WakN2QlwSye803_XU-UECQOczWh1NfIgT0-Az8RWo0x_zLpsjEF9NYExWSUgXM_mXb1qx-wJCiumztagShQIAXXAXWrSe4IxSNbqD6kkozLxR-CcfcXQl3zsnNCO0hn9iOGpF_Y/s1600/149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsnO9WakN2QlwSye803_XU-UECQOczWh1NfIgT0-Az8RWo0x_zLpsjEF9NYExWSUgXM_mXb1qx-wJCiumztagShQIAXXAXWrSe4IxSNbqD6kkozLxR-CcfcXQl3zsnNCO0hn9iOGpF_Y/s400/149.JPG" width="388" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Protective styled most of the first half of the year, only to realize that my hair was breaking as the ends of my hair were not tucked in properly while I had my crochet braids... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUq4eAuXTAV6gUlzd8FJ5rUiU6JQBH_uUdP-d15PgAKWbLr0BimqZBpNPBZtTgAZsAtD4kbhVltX0H6Zp8BgrzOhrI4FZT6qnj_azNQ-Bc2qUuSbHz-T_39Niq8wXozdqoX3zf_TmE5E/s1600/Braidout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUq4eAuXTAV6gUlzd8FJ5rUiU6JQBH_uUdP-d15PgAKWbLr0BimqZBpNPBZtTgAZsAtD4kbhVltX0H6Zp8BgrzOhrI4FZT6qnj_azNQ-Bc2qUuSbHz-T_39Niq8wXozdqoX3zf_TmE5E/s640/Braidout.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then I went on holiday without a protective style! Another not so good thing especially because Greece was super hot.. My hair ended up looking like this, I had gained some length but my ends were in a bad shape.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8iZ8ER554tS7BtKSlJaL2OyGA8oTTrxMwRp9nzWM2s3jZMuGxz3pBz8FqYdhZqPTr7gfV3Q2_ersAx7WXrnP8XRzi495qcIBAU3YH_Li55vIknaevA-D_qLbIFZt3t_GUXxirFlU48g/s1600/IMG_5737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8iZ8ER554tS7BtKSlJaL2OyGA8oTTrxMwRp9nzWM2s3jZMuGxz3pBz8FqYdhZqPTr7gfV3Q2_ersAx7WXrnP8XRzi495qcIBAU3YH_Li55vIknaevA-D_qLbIFZt3t_GUXxirFlU48g/s640/IMG_5737.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had to part with quite a lot of my hair - I have not shared pics of my trim, I am not ready to share this as yet but I will in due time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been on a back-to-back protective style regimen for about 16 weeks now, just to give my hair a break from me and everything else that has happened to it. I was meant to relax my hair this month but I decided to postpone until some time next year.. And no, I am not transitioning to natural as yet...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In terms of my hair goals:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>1. </b></span><b><span style="color: purple;">Maintain healthy & thick ends.</span></b> Partly achieved, last few months of the year...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">2. </span></b><span style="color: purple;"><b>Do long-term protective styles for at least half of the year.</b></span> Achieved, protective styled for about 8 months...</span></div>
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<b style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Reach Bra-strap Length. </b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not yet</span></div>
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<b style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Continue with relaxer stretches, for at least 16 weeks at a time. </b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Achieved, but I need to see if this is working for me, especially my ends.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">5. Participate in at least 2 hair challenges this year.</span></b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nope, I fell off the bandwagon here..</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>6. Drink at least 1 litre of water a day. </b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, most times :-)</span></div>
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<b style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Revamp my blog. </b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, I did! At a very low cost, it is looking much better than it did before - I love it, I hope you do too!</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>8. Post at least 4 blog posts per month. </b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hmmm, I did about 2 a month on average</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>9. Exercise at least 3 times a week. </b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately not, but I have done about once a week on average, which is much better than nothing at all. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>10. Reduce my stash!! </b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes! My stash has reduced by more than half! Will share pics after the holidays</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And to end it off..</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRqK_K8KdHnjPYSa_tvzPgzLb-hFdPFf7O84Y6dZtjxf_wUU3K2lcOItp8t7X6d2KPpQ_iI9gc2VUZ1gRIRcBm8oTvkzDV2PQNZhEs19zajuMBfDeYFN0ftnUxMBaV9J_BAxZ_CmmdmM/s1600/histro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #aaaaaa; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; max-width: calc(870px); outline: none; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRqK_K8KdHnjPYSa_tvzPgzLb-hFdPFf7O84Y6dZtjxf_wUU3K2lcOItp8t7X6d2KPpQ_iI9gc2VUZ1gRIRcBm8oTvkzDV2PQNZhEs19zajuMBfDeYFN0ftnUxMBaV9J_BAxZ_CmmdmM/s400/histro+%25282%2529.jpg" style="border: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope you had a healthy hair year!</span><br />
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-53751860556186052322016-12-20T07:51:00.003+03:002016-12-20T07:55:48.897+03:00Product Review: Keracare Moisturizing Conditioner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEUP1iXMX5B9LLjArwlpd2Qeob_GyWSPGTYBgX8jnS25fRB6FvNSVJvXebgJZAzDBjqKG8Qcy23ANeHSTDkzaILopQNb272twsx_t3AfcaS6kGm6mzQ8OQvq_ytofmhXTLwZgMNLo4kY/s1600/Product.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEUP1iXMX5B9LLjArwlpd2Qeob_GyWSPGTYBgX8jnS25fRB6FvNSVJvXebgJZAzDBjqKG8Qcy23ANeHSTDkzaILopQNb272twsx_t3AfcaS6kGm6mzQ8OQvq_ytofmhXTLwZgMNLo4kY/s640/Product.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Price:</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Ksh 1,650/ $17</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Purchased at:</b> Super Cosmetics, Westlands</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Promises:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Helps maintain glorious hair color without sacrificing healthy hair. Exclusive patented Fiber Strengthening Complex protects hair from thermal and mechanical damage. Strengthens hair between color services. Minimizes color fading. Provides UV protection. Available in 8 fl. oz.<br /><br />- Minimizes color fading.<br />- Moisturizes and fortifies hair.<br />- Exceptional conditioning deposition.<br />- Leaves hair exceptionally soft and silky.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Aqua/Water/Eau (Water), Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Steartrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium 32, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Glycerin, Dimethicone Copolyol Isostearate, Polyquaternium 10, Polyacrylamide Copolymer, PEG 40 Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium PCA, Fragrance, Isostearyl Ethylimidazolinum Ethosulfate, Magnesium Citrate, Citric Acid, Di Panthenol, Benzophenone 3, Trideceth 12, PEG 8, Sodium Cocoyl Ethylenediamine PEG-15 Sulfate, PEG 3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Directions:</b> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Shampoo with KeraCare® Moisturizing Shampoo for Color Treated Hiar. Apply a generous amount of KeraCare® Moisturizing Conditioner for Color Treated Hair to clean damp hair working through to the ends. Sit under warm dryer with plastic cap for 15-20 minutes. Rinse hair thoroughly.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>My review:</b> I used this deep conditioner on my last wash day (3 weeks ago), and I applied it to half of my hair and used a different conditioner on the other half (will share it later). I was actually looking to buy the Humecto Keracare conditioner, and bought this one by mistake (the bottles look so alike)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>What I liked</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The slip: If there is a product that has slip which is bordering on slimyness, it is this one! It has a very slippery feel that is almost off-putting if you don't like slimy stuff. However, this really helps because my hair was soft and smooth once I rinsed this conditioner out. It was very easy to detangle my hair after using this conditioner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The penetration: This conditioner almost disappeared once I applied it to my hair - a sure sign that it penetrated very well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The results: My hair came out very soft and moisturized after rinsing the conditioner out. I loved how my hair felt, and detangling was a breeze, even with all the new hair growth I had.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>What I did not like</i></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOwzYDlnsImDlnlwHw1rWfcYJ_9PKWJpjy4kl7tRZ5y_xEANqGe4zus5fTelXLwKHWMinSNnpLf13egBU9pN-K9r5qQEbHj35zVhXQfprNZIY1uV0AmvqQtRy88L1Q-Jc-VmxT_lBNks/s1600/IMG_7972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOwzYDlnsImDlnlwHw1rWfcYJ_9PKWJpjy4kl7tRZ5y_xEANqGe4zus5fTelXLwKHWMinSNnpLf13egBU9pN-K9r5qQEbHj35zVhXQfprNZIY1uV0AmvqQtRy88L1Q-Jc-VmxT_lBNks/s320/IMG_7972.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Slippery Consistency: It is quite slippery as I mentioned, and so some of the conditioner kept slipping off my hands as I tried to apply it. However, I have learnt over the past few months that my hair absorbs conditioners that are not thick in consistency, so I give it a plus for its light consistency.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ingredients: I realised once I got home, that this product has some mineral oil :-( Sad, sad face. It also has a lot of other chemicals that I have not see in other conditioners - I think this is because of it's colour-protecting properties. So if you are a naturalista through and through, then this product is not for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall I liked this product because of its slip. Due to the not so friendly ingredients, I can only give it a 3/5. I will not be keeping this conditioner in my regimen because of the ingredients, but I will definitely look out for the Humecto Conditioner once I finish this one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-47548198705096395102016-12-03T13:38:00.001+03:002019-07-11T22:13:31.667+03:00Back-to-Back Protective Styling<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hello everyone and Hello December!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Only one month to go until we end it off... I am looking forward to reviewing the highs and lows of the year!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So after my setback (second one of the year I think...), I decided to give my hair a very long break. I started with protective styles in September, and I have not done anything else with my hair since. Here are some of the styles that I tried out:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0JKhyphenhyphenkMoLzIrrm96Pt-QF6lpJyaCb9K0JJ99Dfn2P3odkMG1P1s3Nkr66LB8vzrgpTxQ4tJ1JZbt50LknWx4y7OAdaSU2PDWORkrrVFcY23tRNOHZY6qSNP5jAkE7uQlPfHpFIwST8M/s1600/Twists.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0JKhyphenhyphenkMoLzIrrm96Pt-QF6lpJyaCb9K0JJ99Dfn2P3odkMG1P1s3Nkr66LB8vzrgpTxQ4tJ1JZbt50LknWx4y7OAdaSU2PDWORkrrVFcY23tRNOHZY6qSNP5jAkE7uQlPfHpFIwST8M/s640/Twists.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDDRy2DG3v8SnW9f0PMxYfdiHBoYaxnXT6vqUieIDg4fCu7ZlERqqeJjv8QcLV-xpt2kfzZhlUIRg3YJqylUQGOHB2MXLwxecroNV8Q6pOdlZysPfEhMIKjV7fYRczgyod6-ufXN3X14/s1600/Cornrows.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDDRy2DG3v8SnW9f0PMxYfdiHBoYaxnXT6vqUieIDg4fCu7ZlERqqeJjv8QcLV-xpt2kfzZhlUIRg3YJqylUQGOHB2MXLwxecroNV8Q6pOdlZysPfEhMIKjV7fYRczgyod6-ufXN3X14/s640/Cornrows.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTAvfsOizpjU0EmDp-JCaiBG2MvNkfDimYYYnvhve99sS0thanWcq3RuravH0lBkBWS3ciYc0Aw8v2z9tbKtLQWHbOFXqokGvGCGvY9PDXaIuapWqPoXhORArG-ksu_GLSV1xZQMTZ04/s1600/Copy+of+Cornrows.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTAvfsOizpjU0EmDp-JCaiBG2MvNkfDimYYYnvhve99sS0thanWcq3RuravH0lBkBWS3ciYc0Aw8v2z9tbKtLQWHbOFXqokGvGCGvY9PDXaIuapWqPoXhORArG-ksu_GLSV1xZQMTZ04/s640/Copy+of+Cornrows.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I miss my hair an awful</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> lot, but I think I made the right decision; my hair was experiencing a lot of breakage and I really did not know exactly what the cause was. It has eased off now, and I also have a better idea of what caused the setback:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- crochet braids that I did earlier in the year, where the plaits unravelled and caused a lot of dryness on my ends without me realising the damage caused</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- extreme weather changes when I went on holiday a few months ago; my hair was not in a protective style and so the heat in those countries caused some breakage</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been in back-to-back protective styles for the past 3 months, and I am planning on continuing with them for another 3 months. I have been moisturizing & sealing as usual, and washing my hair in between the protective styles (on average once a month).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>How are you keeping your hair this festive season?</b></span></div>
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-24977622699213305412016-11-08T12:45:00.000+03:002016-11-08T12:45:01.530+03:00Product Management - Do a giveaway<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After going through so many tubs of conditioners over the past few months, I realized that I still had a lot of products that I could not possibly consume in a short space of time, like moisturizers, heat protectants, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Solution? Giveaway!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrObTF8xu46rNGI7PmgKs3fGtlOVpH3iLp-YTzalEjBdtoUmP2HQOY893DqMGzRpSnz-vM07b3Pl8bgA5a_C99V2r345iM87QeGAPu2UidDRAx9sslHnnyeOwgZK0LSMrTZeGGTHPjQk/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrObTF8xu46rNGI7PmgKs3fGtlOVpH3iLp-YTzalEjBdtoUmP2HQOY893DqMGzRpSnz-vM07b3Pl8bgA5a_C99V2r345iM87QeGAPu2UidDRAx9sslHnnyeOwgZK0LSMrTZeGGTHPjQk/s640/FullSizeRender+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>I figured that since most of the products are actually "good" products, I might as well give them to my friends and anyone interested who would like to try them out. One of my friends asked me why I was giving them away: I have bought most of the products that I have accumulated, after watching or reading a good review about them...Unfortunately, these products either did not work for me or I got a product that gave me better results..<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Within an hour of posting the giveaway photo on Instagram, everything was taken! It was a really nice feeling to give the products away, knowing that they might be more helpful to the receiver than they were to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This exercise also taught me of the importance of planning when buying hair products. Remembering what I have, and whether I really need 2 or 3 more leave-in conditioners for example... I am quite sure that I am not going to be a victim of the product bandwagon again, it is expensive and time-consuming. I have gotten closer and closer to products that my hair likes, and I plan on sticking to these products unless something changes, e.g. they get sold out or the producer stops making them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have a lovely week all! </span>HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-87358562280067058042016-11-07T09:00:00.000+03:002019-07-11T22:12:23.062+03:00Choosing between Lye and No Lye Relaxers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR1W282rt9Foyko0GoHxXEGlUdBhzjzYOMNrxg5sr_kbFnbyZuOkGfUR_x7kYKiAHh6ahnBFBLa0SsthYd4YXunwIB5d9dQda2QVox5qVT6Zl8sPc9wyl5oG42tU64rnSWJ4Bpua3cu4/s1600/Lye+vs+No+lye+relaxers+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR1W282rt9Foyko0GoHxXEGlUdBhzjzYOMNrxg5sr_kbFnbyZuOkGfUR_x7kYKiAHh6ahnBFBLa0SsthYd4YXunwIB5d9dQda2QVox5qVT6Zl8sPc9wyl5oG42tU64rnSWJ4Bpua3cu4/s640/Lye+vs+No+lye+relaxers+%25281%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am nowhere near transitioning to natural, although this is something I would like to do once I achieve my length goal. So until then, the relaxers will remain in my hair regimen</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From my last relaxer update, I mentioned how disappointed I was in the Mizani Relaxer. It could be that the relaxer had gone "stale" as I had bought it a couple of months ago. However, in addition to this, the breakage I have been experiencing is making me to question every part of my hair regimen, including the relaxer that I use. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So I am considering switching relaxers, and OMG there are so many relaxers in the market it is nothing short of overwhelming. So I took a step back, and started doing research on different brands and also types of relaxers, just to make sure that I switch relaxers with all the information that I need to make the decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been using Mizani Butter Blend Lye Relaxer (Normal Strength) since I started this hair journey. Although I tried using ORS relaxer on the very first relaxer day of my healthy hair journey, and it completely underprocessed my hair. In hindsight, perhaps I did not apply it properly or I rinsed it out too soon, it was in the early days of my HHJ, so I need to give it a benefit of doubt.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ML32epDMbiXXpRYUqiQbsbiRMgwAs_nh5J-8DDT-7LYuJAFAoI53xkehwwCt1a7COpKYmzlaBrNowoTcTNAxNzTmwIO_bjdeTbixVFBhgsplYhCABnzeSyo5nAQGuZksAmObbQ0Xg6M/s1600/99-Mizani-Butter-Blend-Relaxer-Normal%252C-Moderate-Maximum-Curl-Reduction-4-lbs-600x315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ML32epDMbiXXpRYUqiQbsbiRMgwAs_nh5J-8DDT-7LYuJAFAoI53xkehwwCt1a7COpKYmzlaBrNowoTcTNAxNzTmwIO_bjdeTbixVFBhgsplYhCABnzeSyo5nAQGuZksAmObbQ0Xg6M/s640/99-Mizani-Butter-Blend-Relaxer-Normal%252C-Moderate-Maximum-Curl-Reduction-4-lbs-600x315.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Before I started my HHJ, I used Dark 'n Lovely, and it worked pretty well, and my hair was always nice and silky after relaxing. Although I would not want straight hair like that again...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So this is what I have found out about no lye and lye relaxers:</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Lye Relaxers</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;">The main, active ingredient in a lye-based relaxer is sodium hydroxide.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"> The pH level is higher in a lye relaxer than a no-lye relaxer. </span></u></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lye relaxers generally do not need to be mixed with an activator like no-lye relaxers. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>No-Lye Relaxers</b></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;">The main, active ingredient in a no-lye based relaxer is calcium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;">The pH level is lower in a no-lye relaxer than in a lye relaxer. </span></u></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No-lye relaxers come with an activator (packed separately), that is mixed into the relaxer creme. Therefore the relaxer creme can be weakened by mixing less of the activator if you wish. The relaxer creme will not have any straightening effect if you use it without mixing it with the activator.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And that my friends, is the difference between the two relaxers - the ingredients and their pH levels! However, as a result of the different ingredients, these two relaxers may have very different effects on your hair as follows:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlBpKsw_Ib4HzAOWm32q5238wIkMPz3HuYAPy2DHV5hBCMZxZBGQWPqgKBneo4vG_um2yfo7VO4uxsgs9QtTmI-mjq0TIH7v8ciR_UUnCdSOWsA1qVui5G260DMx7bP926VGChs5uyQQ/s1600/Lye+Relaxers+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlBpKsw_Ib4HzAOWm32q5238wIkMPz3HuYAPy2DHV5hBCMZxZBGQWPqgKBneo4vG_um2yfo7VO4uxsgs9QtTmI-mjq0TIH7v8ciR_UUnCdSOWsA1qVui5G260DMx7bP926VGChs5uyQQ/s640/Lye+Relaxers+%25281%2529.png" width="425" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After reading a bit more on lye vs. no lye relaxers, I have come to the conclusion that maybe it is worth trying whether a no-lye relaxer will work out better for me:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1.)</b> It will work better for my scalp which does tend to burn easily (<a href="http://readysteadygrowit.blogspot.co.ke/2015/03/the-relaxer-day-good-bad-ugly.html">remember that one relaxer day when I had scalp burns?</a>)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: #191919;">2.)</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"> It will work slower than lye relaxer, giving me more time to apply the relaxer (I am still an amateur at self-relaxing)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: #191919;">3.) </b><span style="color: #191919;">T</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #191919;">he run-off from the relaxer while rinsing my hair will not be as strong as a lye relaxer. So there is less chance of my ends getting 'relaxed' as I rinse it out.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: #191919;">4.)</b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #191919;"> The chances of the relaxer becoming obsolete/expired before I use it are low, because the relaxer must be mixed with the activator for it to become active. Also I won't be stuck with a tub of relaxer after one use like I would with a lye relaxer.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The only thing I am worried about is the dryness that can be caused by no-lye relaxers. Apparently lithium-based no-lye relaxers are gentler, and I will also be on the lookout for relaxers which claim to have "moisturizers". I noticed that Dark 'n Lovely Relaxer has Shea Butter in it, so I will look into it more.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have not yet settled on which relaxer to try, but it will probably be a choice between Dark 'n Lovely, Creme of Nature and ORS Olive Oil no-lye relaxers.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Which relaxer do you use if you are/have ever been relaxed? </span></b></span></div>
HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-68944114856174459802016-09-27T17:00:00.000+03:002016-10-01T13:46:49.767+03:00Product Review: Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi Conditioner<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOrpj5vEwtwJTp1IQcol193P8XMONQ1S79PzN-Ib2gHH0q7m6sNPHQJdn-64lGXHXxpFZhhI0CKFZxPbqmexyt5AnbZM50AT2VnR_19GACx_MeNw5IxNmSKjKu6ZMfwXkdtGJtYbQHrw/s1600/PRODUCT.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOrpj5vEwtwJTp1IQcol193P8XMONQ1S79PzN-Ib2gHH0q7m6sNPHQJdn-64lGXHXxpFZhhI0CKFZxPbqmexyt5AnbZM50AT2VnR_19GACx_MeNw5IxNmSKjKu6ZMfwXkdtGJtYbQHrw/s400/PRODUCT.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hello dear ones, I haven't done a review in ages, so I thought I would share my experience of a new product that I have tried.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eden Body Works products are now available in Super Cosmetic Stores in Nairobi, which is totally awesome. I read so many reviews about these products and I longed for the day that they would be easily available where I live. And the day came..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Price:</b> Ksh 1,295/ $13</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Purchased at:</b> Super Cosmetics, Westlands</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Promises:</b> <span style="background-color: white;">JOJOBA Natural Deep Conditioner strengthens hair through its botanical combination of Coconut, Jojoba, and Monoi. Formulated to replenish hair strength and restore hair's natural beauty from over processing, damage, and dryness. Fortified to balance the hair's moisture level, resulting in stronger, healthier, more manageable hair. Excellent deep conditioner for all textures and hair types.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b> <span style="background-color: white;">Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Coco Nut Oil, Tiare Flower, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-11, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Camomile) Flower Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor)Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol , Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Directions:</b> <span style="background-color: white;">Apply to clean, wet hair. Comb through for thorough distribution. Leave in for 15-30 minutes. Rinse and style as usual. For more intense conditioning, use with he</span></span><br />
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</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>My review:</b> I have used this deep conditioner before I relaxed my hair and afterwards when I had no new growth. So I have the benefit of giving my experiences when I had 7 months of new growth vs. when I had fully texlaxed hair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am not sure where the "monoi" in the name comes from, because it does not appear in the ingredients list, but if you have an idea, please share the info.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>What I liked</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The scent: If you have read a few posts of mine, you will know that I absolutely loathe any heavy prefumey scents on my hair. So I definitely sniffed this one before I bought it, and I liked it. It is not a heavy scent although it does linger a tad bit after rinsing it out. It smells like coconut and a herb (tea tree I guess, judging from the ingredients list).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The penetration: I liked that upon applying it to my hair, it sank right into my strands. I may have been a bit heavy handed during some applications, but it was still ok, because it did not sit on top of my hair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The results: My hair came out smooth on all tries. It did feel a bit dry after a few days, but I cannot say that this was due to the conditioner. I liked that my hair also felt soft to touch after air-drying, and I also like that I could get 4-5 applications for each tub. So it is economical for me</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ingredients: I liked that it was free of all the baddies as we would say, i.e. no parabens, no sulfates. It contains fatty alcohols (</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> which helps give that moisturizing effect.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6oEtI0sCgSyhVeEsFdnv752mRjrpOJMHZ1bjKFNMw8L86JdrQVfzT41xF2zBuq9X_2C58iuA_qHcG5dfybOXqRCVNTD52gSJTj-6r6j06sbqKTFQM8pEv-32d4KFiY8bJslahLBuf3Q/s1600/IMG_7165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6oEtI0sCgSyhVeEsFdnv752mRjrpOJMHZ1bjKFNMw8L86JdrQVfzT41xF2zBuq9X_2C58iuA_qHcG5dfybOXqRCVNTD52gSJTj-6r6j06sbqKTFQM8pEv-32d4KFiY8bJslahLBuf3Q/s320/IMG_7165.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>What I did not like</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Consistency: It is quite thick, and the minute I opened it, its consistency reminded me of emulsifying ointment. I noticed that this ingredient was not listed in the ingredients list, but there is probably something else that is a wax-like ingredient.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The good thing about thick conditioners is that they last longer, despite the difficulty of applying at times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall, I liked this product and I am keeping it in my regimen for as long as it is easily available in Kenya. I noticed that there was a hair masque as well from Eden Body Works, and I am interested in finding out more about this product. I give it a 4/5, and would recommend it if you are looking for a moisturizing conditioner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-52415718532527985792016-09-26T14:00:00.000+03:002019-07-11T22:12:55.189+03:00New Product Buys: September 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyILBA7s8yoZIOAav-kpbwSII1RGCwUpv3xWHTFOfXBvJfTOGWjYJWM1O91tAsidkHa8HuNA2IvrnMyrogCUFfA6WnmxUWeUkCHI-IWGHUFqnXaj8JVv6wtOfvrYVwAARhlVP6PueWdk/s1600/New+Buys.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyILBA7s8yoZIOAav-kpbwSII1RGCwUpv3xWHTFOfXBvJfTOGWjYJWM1O91tAsidkHa8HuNA2IvrnMyrogCUFfA6WnmxUWeUkCHI-IWGHUFqnXaj8JVv6wtOfvrYVwAARhlVP6PueWdk/s400/New+Buys.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can you believe that I only have three deep conditioners in my stash?? And these are the conditioners that I plan to keep in my regimen :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It feels great to open my drawer and not have so many choices over which conditioner to use on a wash day. Simpler is truly better!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are the products I bought this month and last, most of them are replacements:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6PvAcIEgp3-ypy46TggJX-IJZOYe8T_vaZZW6cjThBEDvCTqtJ1H3q3QYHDuHswGaxfIfRsPfQ_3IIfe6eBHBeIYLjiSphPK0shcbj50s40Iq0-BkM7D9QU2eykPsOw16kYxhRwbHUc/s1600/IMG_7169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6PvAcIEgp3-ypy46TggJX-IJZOYe8T_vaZZW6cjThBEDvCTqtJ1H3q3QYHDuHswGaxfIfRsPfQ_3IIfe6eBHBeIYLjiSphPK0shcbj50s40Iq0-BkM7D9QU2eykPsOw16kYxhRwbHUc/s640/IMG_7169.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1.)</b> Olive Oil ORS Replenishing Conditioner: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2.) </b>Creme of Nature Sulfate Free Moisture & Shine Shampoo: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3.)</b> Shea Moisture Extra Moisture Transitioning Milk: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>4.)</b> Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>5.)</b> Mane 'n Tail Detangler: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>6.)</b> Mane 'n Tail Gentle Clarifying Shampoo: NEW (Couldn't find Shea Moisture Clarifying Shampoo at an affordable price, so I went for this one instead)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>7.)</b> ORS Shealiscious Leave-in Conditioner Spray: NEW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And some more...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ACLslDSuNHMTbG0TiK6m00iXciXHdI0g9qd29TjHReFPlGoXHH5LBOa3LqZUXvjddVN33Fqfth_JPhZ_fpS4bsjiz-wSO7u2x1hL8NzpjSaFV40VpLfeFAB-R6iQmqkq7Tm8x3dS6FM/s1600/IMG_7166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ACLslDSuNHMTbG0TiK6m00iXciXHdI0g9qd29TjHReFPlGoXHH5LBOa3LqZUXvjddVN33Fqfth_JPhZ_fpS4bsjiz-wSO7u2x1hL8NzpjSaFV40VpLfeFAB-R6iQmqkq7Tm8x3dS6FM/s640/IMG_7166.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>8.)</b> Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Moist Conditioner: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>9.)</b> Aphogee 2-minute Keratin Reconstructor: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>10.)</b> Parnevu Hair Mayonnaise: REPLACEMENT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>11.)</b> Eden Body Works: Jojoba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>12.)</b> Diana 11/16 inch and 9/16 inch rollers: NEW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am planning to do a giveaway for the last few of the products in my stash that I don't intend on keeping in my regimen. Keep posted for more details on this...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have you used any of these products? How is your hair stash management going?</span></div>
HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-61901721217079403692016-09-22T14:00:00.000+03:002016-10-27T19:47:37.219+03:00Dealing with hair breakage...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-leXmZj86aDtDv9ywNskqWL1y7bpalIt4loPxrb1FS_jcOF_5UvK79BO8rqvpS2YT5K3aG4YB9iPC0s50HEh_bkrLER1Pur9QsebDMkYIsEnSRKNFQYAiNY1uANkLtIk-61WDRFCjAbo/s1600/rainbowthemeddesserts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-leXmZj86aDtDv9ywNskqWL1y7bpalIt4loPxrb1FS_jcOF_5UvK79BO8rqvpS2YT5K3aG4YB9iPC0s50HEh_bkrLER1Pur9QsebDMkYIsEnSRKNFQYAiNY1uANkLtIk-61WDRFCjAbo/s640/rainbowthemeddesserts.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hi there! I mentioned briefly in my previous relaxer update post that I had to trim my hair, and the main cause of this was the breakage I experienced in the last 2-3 months. When you are on a healthy hair journey, breakage is the enemy because it keeps reducing the amount of hair that you retain.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLaFlhtJVxkr2co1BTiikWPkI8NE0OQOyLPVKH_xv5OLCQAVcPGPLK5Qmkz9eiWTZyhJ6HwxFyOtotbs09elNr4qMGIg-9D2tuB5DycNxF4EqV9YvLHi1u79flJdEFAR6TE4Lm4wVRKI/s1600/IMG_7171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLaFlhtJVxkr2co1BTiikWPkI8NE0OQOyLPVKH_xv5OLCQAVcPGPLK5Qmkz9eiWTZyhJ6HwxFyOtotbs09elNr4qMGIg-9D2tuB5DycNxF4EqV9YvLHi1u79flJdEFAR6TE4Lm4wVRKI/s400/IMG_7171.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As you can see in the picture above, my ends were very uneven because of the breakage that I was experiencing. And as a result, I didn't retain much/any length in the past 6 months or so because I had to trim most of the progress off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At first I thought the breakage was caused by the tension between my new growth and the relaxed hair strands. But even after my relaxer session. I continued to experience breakage and dry hair... much more than what I am used to seeing in my hands after moisturizing or detangling my hair...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I got back from holiday first thing I did was a heavy protein treatment. But even after this, the breakage continued. I tried my Parnevu Hair Mayonnaise for the past two wash days, and I have since seen a slight improvement (product review coming up soon)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjC-o_EbFKMTCyPigJJmRxh6qa2yrLijwgI7iQIUXYtxo5OG5FLNarxDuHuJ0mAFFTn0KfO5WNo29OHeg7Do14filKudnvW_8FUIxuC97dRXEbMlZCwsWvgtLUy5ps09JfbU8k-2lmFCo/s1600/parnevu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjC-o_EbFKMTCyPigJJmRxh6qa2yrLijwgI7iQIUXYtxo5OG5FLNarxDuHuJ0mAFFTn0KfO5WNo29OHeg7Do14filKudnvW_8FUIxuC97dRXEbMlZCwsWvgtLUy5ps09JfbU8k-2lmFCo/s400/parnevu.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have since decided to give my hair a break and put it in a protective style. I plan to do another trim/search-and-destroy if things do not improve after taking my crochet braids out in 4 week's time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These are the other things I plan to do to keep the breakage at bay:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1.)</b> Daily moisturizing, alternating between my moisturizer and water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2.)</b> Keeping my hair in flat twists or braids when it's not in a protective style, so that I can keep the manipulation to a bare minimum</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3.)</b> Medium protein treatment every other wash day, and not only when I notice the breakage. I haven't been too consistent on my protein treatments, because I thought my pre-poo step with Aphogee 2-minute Keratin Reconstructor was enough to give my hair strands the necessary protein. So I will be more diligent with this going forward.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What else would you do/ have you done to manage breakage? Share your thoughts below, and thanks for stopping by :-)</span></b></div>
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<br />HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208582371091710946.post-50841582229325187362016-09-08T14:00:00.000+03:002016-10-27T19:44:12.047+03:00Relaxer #2 2016: Update<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Helloooo! I am so ashamed that I did not write even one post, not one post in the month of August :-( So sad, I should have planned but life seems to be going too fast for me this year. I hope to be better for this blog and show more commitment for the last few months of the year! Hold me to this!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Moving on, my last relaxer day was nothing short of dramatic. I had planned to relax my hair over the weekend, but ended up having no time at all to do so. I had to take a day off from work to do my hair because I was travelling for a few weeks and I did not want to travel with 7 months of new growth... Sigh... Anyway, it finally happened and I relaxed my hair exactly 7 months after I last relaxed it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The growth was nothing short of overwhelming. It took me about 2 hours to detangle alone, let alone relaxing my hair. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I used the half-half method (relaxed each half separately, left to right), which made the process take even longer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I followed my usual relaxer routine which you can find <b><a href="https://readysteadygrowit.blogspot.co.ke/2016/01/relaxer-results.html">here</a></b>, except for two things</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>(1.)</b> I took 20 minutes to apply and smooth the relaxer onto my hair, 3-4 more minutes longer than I usually do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>(2.)</b> I smoothed my hair once literally, as in I stroked my new growth only once with my hands, and then washed the relaxer off almost 2 minutes afterwards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a result of these two things, my hair was seriously under-processed. Some of the new growth was still the way it was before I relaxed my hair, which was a bit annoying. But I blame it on the relaxer, why?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have since done a corrective relaxer, 4 weeks after relaxing my hair to retouch the areas that were not consistent with the rest of my hair. This time, I took 15 minutes because I was only applying the relaxer to the areas that were under-processed, so it took a much shorter time. I smoothed my hair a few times and kept the relaxer in for about 3 minutes after smoothing. Even after doing this corrective relaxer, my new growth remained pretty much the same as it was before I started. This is really a mind-baffling situation here, but I do not understand how my beloved Mizani relaxer has suddenly lost its touch. Maybe it expired... Anyone experienced something like this before?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJscYftZJny3fRCJ1nTlvuEKBR8rEIVcDdRxGDen2xuAgQJUSK3kgrFKpNJFhm8jLFCD6gqUkXV7SdRo0IJo2ZBT797DpfTbjSIZyK8q1YkuLzaOG5mqePwuBMz7Wc-0Yhyphenhyphen2i9FST6Wc/s1600/99-Mizani-Butter-Blend-Relaxer-Normal%252C-Moderate-Maximum-Curl-Reduction-4-lbs-600x315.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJscYftZJny3fRCJ1nTlvuEKBR8rEIVcDdRxGDen2xuAgQJUSK3kgrFKpNJFhm8jLFCD6gqUkXV7SdRo0IJo2ZBT797DpfTbjSIZyK8q1YkuLzaOG5mqePwuBMz7Wc-0Yhyphenhyphen2i9FST6Wc/s640/99-Mizani-Butter-Blend-Relaxer-Normal%252C-Moderate-Maximum-Curl-Reduction-4-lbs-600x315.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over to the thing I was most looking forward to: My length retention! I used Tressemme Hair Spray to blow-dry my hair (I did not use any other leave-in conditioner prior to blow-drying). I absolutely love this spray and how light-weight it is!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here is a photo of my hair after blow-drying it:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMPWY-QA8LEHzYdPIXJiEtbTmcb-FjF4Ovza97o3PZuBIsbVAZdmgrB4zIe6UCvfwNdM7HHktkElN99ZGy6MFzvF6qmDSiiJyXfSqHXVksOD57okb1vbyPUav-Z0IAofCE7FZIYEvPl0/s1600/IMG_5737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMPWY-QA8LEHzYdPIXJiEtbTmcb-FjF4Ovza97o3PZuBIsbVAZdmgrB4zIe6UCvfwNdM7HHktkElN99ZGy6MFzvF6qmDSiiJyXfSqHXVksOD57okb1vbyPUav-Z0IAofCE7FZIYEvPl0/s640/IMG_5737.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Apologies for the poor photo quality, but this is what happens when you do your hair in the last minute :-( Worse is that I did't get a chance to do a proper length check, but from the photo above I can see that my hair has gained a lot of thickness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A very rough estimate of my length retention for this stretch:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZqGHZpfy0A9j03LeeGPYmN91qCagT6QWY2dW67Johq6qYVWDN1jWDKJeinurNSEvjr7SPnk-vuyCrF4-keCDThqwZMVPiRsTifaRjhJozBzBGw9dRoiLPMVus18R8IYx42l8aNYEodM/s1600/Trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZqGHZpfy0A9j03LeeGPYmN91qCagT6QWY2dW67Johq6qYVWDN1jWDKJeinurNSEvjr7SPnk-vuyCrF4-keCDThqwZMVPiRsTifaRjhJozBzBGw9dRoiLPMVus18R8IYx42l8aNYEodM/s640/Trimmed.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Compared to my last length check in December/ January, I think I have gained about 3 inches of length, despite the thin ends. I trimmed off about 2 inches (everything in between the two lines), so it looks like I have only retained 1 inch of length this year so far, lol. If my ends were in better shape, I would have touched bra-strap length. I actually don't mind that I didn't because thickness and health was always more important than length for me this year. This is the cost that I have paid for transitioning to a thicker texture, the finer hair texture has been gradually breaking off as I grow out the thicker hair texture. And off course you can imagine which texture is weaker between the two...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So the journey to bra-strap length continues. Who knows, I might just reach BSL this year, and at least I will reach that length with healthy-looking ends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I will give another hair update and a few more posts to come soon :-)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have a lovely hair week!</span></b></div>
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HealthyHairMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884287333963841716noreply@blogger.com4