Lauren's Curly-Doo

In my previous post, I wrote about the Toronto based salon The Curl Ambassadors and their Curly-Doo service. The Curly-Doo service is to show you how to apply the products properly to your hair. My friend, Lauren, went to try out the service and Keina is the hairdresser who worked on Lauren’s hair. Please note that Lauren’s hair is very coily so if your hair is a different texture, your result may not be the same. My hair is very kinky and I will post the result of my “home done” Curly-Doo. This is the process Keina, the hairdresser, used for Lauren’s Curly-Doo.

Step 1: Wash with Kinky-Curly Come Clean shampoo. This is a clarifying shampoo to get out as much product from the hair shaft. Wash hair twice.

Step 2: Deep condition with Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner. The deep conditioner was added ends of hair to root of hair. Yep! I think most of us work in our conditioners from root of hair to ends of hair. Keina said we should moisturize from ends to roots because the ends need the conditioner more. So she focussed on the ends of Lauren’s hair. Section hair to apply deep conditioner and comb through hair with wide tooth comb.

Step 4: Wash out deep conditioner AND DO NOT DRY HAIR.

Step 5: Apply Kinky-Curly Knot today Leave-in conditioner to soaking hair. Again apply from ends of hair to roots focussing on the ends. Anytime Keina felt Lauren’s hair was getting dry, she sprayed water on the dry section.

Step 6: Apply Kinky-Curly Curling Custard. This is for curl definition. Apply the product from roots to ends (notice the change here). The curling custard is a styling agent not a conditioner. Section hair to apply. At this point, I could see deeper curl definition in Lauren’s hair. Exciting!

Step 7: Use a microfiber towel to scrunch hair. This is to take out excess curling custard from hair.

Step 8: Dry hair in medium heat under hooded dryer. Remember her hair was soaking wet when the products were applied. Use a diffuser to further dry damp areas. Keina recommended air drying your hair if possible.

Step 9: Apply Carol’s Daughter Tui Hair Oil. This is to seal in moisture and give shine to the hair.

Lauren also got a hair sheet (I think it is called a hair map) that tells her how to apply the products at home and she got tips on how to maintain her hair.

Lauren liked that the hairdresser noticed problem areas in her hair and gave her solutions on how to resolve the problems. She was also impressed that the hair loss was minimal (very minimal). All in all, Lauren had a good time and liked the results of her Curly-Doo. The whole process took almost 1 hour. So I decided to go home to do my own "home done" Curly-Doo. I will write about this in the next post.

Omozo

Style Tutorial on Black girl with long hair

Hello Everyone,

I did a style tutorial for the above picture for the blog Black Girl With Long Hair. Visit her blog to check it out

The Curl Ambassadors, Toronto ON - A hair salon for natural curls

I found this hair salon when I was looking for where to purchase Kinky-Curly Curling Custard. I did not know that The Curl Ambassadors is a hair salon. I actually thought it was a store that sold products for women with naturally curly and coily hair. So, I dragged a friend to go with me on our way from an outing.

When we got there I was pleased to find hair products that I had heard about and products I use. They sell Carol’s Daughter products!! They sell Carol’s Daughter products!! They also carry the following product lines: Kinky-Curly, Devacurl, Curls (Curls, Curly Q’s, and It’s a curl), and Mixed Chicks. They have other products specially made for people with curly/kinky/coily/nappy hair. So cool!

We also met one of the owners, Caroline, who is friendly and enthusiastic about curly hair. Actually, the whole staff seems to be friendly and enthusiastic about curly hair! Caroline explained why her and her partners opened the salon. Basically, there were no hair salons that they felt showed curls much love. I know what she means. Have you ever been to a salon where the hair stylists behave as if you are bothering them with your natural and nappy hair? How about the hairstylist that claims to know how to style natural/nappy/curly/kinky hair and ends up destroying your hair (and self esteem)? You know what I mean right? These are some of the experiences that led to the opening of The Curl Ambassadors.

The products they carry are not products you will find at your local hair store or hair salon. These products are made with mostly all-natural ingredients. Always check your labels before you buy products especially if you are looking for all-natural hair products. Who knows, we may one day see these products at our local stores and not have to drive long distances to get them.

The Curl Ambassadors offer their “Curly-Doo” service to newcomers to the hair salon. The idea behind the Curly-Doo service is to teach you how to use the products that they carry. During the Curly-Doo, you also learn techniques on the best way to wash and condition and generally manage your own natural hair. When my friend and I heard about the Curly-Doo service and the cost (it costs only $15), we decided to give it a try. So we promptly made our appointments for the following weekend. I will provide a report about the Curly-Doo after our appointment. I bought the products I had planned to buy and left the salon with a skip in my step and smile on my face.

It is nice to go into a hair salon where the staff is pleased your hair is naturally curly. When you have time, check out The Curl Ambassadors and pick-up some enthusiasm about your curls/napps/kinks/coils and perhaps some product too! If you do visit, O’Naturals would love to hear about your experience.

Omozo

NOTE: The Curl Ambassadors, 159 Harbord Street, Toronto ON M5S 1H1 (416) 922-2888 (Tel) & (416) 922-2802

O'Naturals 9-1-1 :Tips on how best to cope with the transition phase.

Hiya People,

We got this question recently:

I had my 1st child last year & my hair just got worse. I relax & in a week, you would never know. I cut my hair to half length thinking it would get better, but no, it only got worse.

So, now I'm in my transition phase. I wash my hair every 2 weeks, but was wondering if you could give a sister tips on how best to cope with the transition phase.

Hope to hear from you soon!

So we at O'Naturals thought about the question and...

Osa says:

Heya .........

Well I empathize with you here as the same thing happened to me when I had my first baby and then no 2. After both I actually went on to loc my hair.

Now the best way to enjoy your transition phase is to wash regularly; once a week is okay if you sweat a lot. While transitioning I always did something like braids. Never small braids as they tire you out easily. With big braids, you can take them out easily once you get tired and then decide to do something else. There is also the option of just weaving without any hair attachment and you can also twist your natural hair which I can assure you....... you will definitely like.

The best thing you can do really is to get some one who will be able to come to your house when you need to make your hair. You can always get from around where you live. That way you are best able to get your hair done without too much hassle.

Please DO NOT color your hair for no reason at all. If you do, your hair will look horrible. Totally washed out and limp. So make sure you have gotten to the totally natural nappy hair before coloring.

Omozo says:

Congrats on your decision to go natural. It is sure to be a great journey!

Here are some tips for your transitioning journey: 

1) Be sure why you are going natural. This is because knowing why will carry you through some tough "hair" days. Basically set a hair goal and keep your eyes on it. Knowing your goal will also help you if you encounter people who are antagonistic about your decision to go natural. I live in Toronto, Canada and I get some people who challenge my decision to keep my hair "relaxer free". (*whisper* I also challenge some people on why they choose to use relaxers ;>)). I guess we should all just be respectful. 

2) How long do you plan to transition? 6 months? One year? Or when your hair gets to a certain length? This is good to know also so that you have a destination, something to look forward to. 

3) Why transition? Why not just cut out the relaxer and start fresh? Transitioning requires that you take care of 2 textures of hair - the relaxed portion at the tips and the natural hair at the base. In my experience, this can be difficult and sometimes frustrating. It is more challenging to comb, there is more hair loss experienced and it gives a false impression that the hair is tough to maintain. This may be the source of some despair and discouragement when going natural and can lead you to deciding to relax your hair again. 

For example, I was helping a young lady transition and we used braids and corn-rows/weaving to transition her. She had long hair and did not want to cut her hair - so I had to work with relaxed and natural hair. Combing her hair was a nightmare for both of us! Both of us would sigh loudly as if we were going through the trials that Job in the bible went through! Her hair was always getting knotted and she was always in pain. When I felt her hair was long enough, I chopped off the relaxed portion completely. I think at first she was scared at the difference but she loves it now. Her hair is easier to manage now that we are working with one texture. 

To be honest, I think transitioning is not only about the hair – it is more about transitioning your mind system from relaxers to no relaxers. If I were to do it again, I would just cut my hair and take it from there because once you decide to go natural you have already transitioned.

Oghomwen says:

I’ll add a few more points here:

1.)  As Osa wrote, it’s very important to wash your hair at least once a week unless you are wearing something like braids with extensions or a weave. It is important to keep your scalp clean so as to aid the growth process of your hair. If you are wearing braids or weaves, try not to keep them in for too long.

2.)  Remember to trim the ends of your hair/the-relaxed part of your hair often. The sooner you get rid of the relaxed part the better.  So as your natural hair grows out make sure you are trimming the relaxed part off.

3.)  Have the right expectations. While it is good to admire other natural heads, make sure that you have proper expectations of your hair. For example, do not immediately assume that your hair texture is going to be the same as person B. It may not be so. And do not let that disappoint you. Also know that you are going to have to take the time to learn about your own hair texture and that could be a challenge. Natural hair is the opposite of relaxed hair in texture so everything that worked on your relaxed hair may not work on your natural hair.

4.)  Try to stop using grease and products that contain it on your scalp. Grease (products that contain petrolatum) clogs up the pores of your scalp and coats the hair instead of nourishing the hair.  Turn to more naturally based products.

5.)  Stay away from heat as much as possible (e.g. hair dryers, curling irons) Excessive heat applied directly to the hair can damage your hair.

6.)  Comb your hair when it is damp with water. Do not comb your hair dry. It is asking for trouble.

7.)  I would recommend that during this stage you try to limit the amount of styling you do to your hair. It could be frustrating having to deal with two textures. So style your hair at most once a week. OR just wear braids or weaves for the month and repeat the whole process again and again.

The Ladies at leave in the kinks have some great posts about transitioning here

and here 

Happy transitioning :)

First natural hair Interview with Omozele...YAY!!!

From time to time we are going to be featuring interviews with snazzy napptural, natural, nappy, kinky, curly heads...( you get the point right?). And our first interview is with my friend. A lady I met when we were in primary school (can you believe it?). Here is the interview. Drum roll please...

Name:Omozele Oluwakemi Okosun

Where are you from? Edo, Nigeria

What do you do? I work as a Jr HR Consultant in a manufacturing firm

Why are you natural?Convinience and a change of lifestyle

Before you became natural again do you remember how and what your natural hair felt like? Oh my lord! my mum still has horror stories about my hair (lol). It was full and thick and super duper hard. I remember cutting it off in big blotches all over my head because I didn't want my mum to "hot comb" it again; that thing hurts. I was about 10 or so.

Tell us about your natural hair regimen. I believe whatever you put in you can and should be put on your hair. I get a cut every 2 months, length is not my priority, having full healthy hair is. I use warm oils (coconut, olive, grapeseed and castor), sulphur free shampoos and only just discovered dudu osun about 4 months ago which is fantastic for my hair type(1a). I do a mud mask about once in 3 or 4 months. I do a lemon strip wash, condition my hair regularly especially in winter months and MOISTURIZE MOISTURIZE MOISTURIZE LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW (I stay in Canada where winter is 11 months out of 12 (I kid , I kid. Ok so maybe 8 out of 12 ) most times so my hair gets really dry)

What’s the best thing about being natural? FREEDOM oh lord FREEDOM . I am not a slave to the chemical relaxers, I don't have to worry about missed appointments, water or rain or snow wetting my hair or ruining it hahahahaha. "I am freeeeeeeeeeee freeeee falling" (sorry I had to break out into a song)

What are the challenges you face as a natural and how do you overcome them? Initially "rejection" from family and friends who thought I was being political. "Omo , I can't believe you are doing this, for what cause now ehn? you know natural hair is ugly" is one statement I cant forget. How can natural hair be ugly? But God gave me this hair. I dont think God makes or does ugly man... shuu . 

DRY BREAKING HAIR - Ignorant me did not know that natural hair breaks and we have split ends. I learnt fast and learnt how to moisturize and wear fancy hats in the winter. 

LACK OF NATURAL SALONS OR STYLISTS - gosh I stay in Toronto and there are about 10 , I have patronized 4 !!!!!! Can a sister get more salons pleaseeeeeeeeeeee???

If you could have a lifetime supply of one particular product what would it be? - COCONUT OIL, COCONUT OIL AND MORE COCONUT OIL PLEASE SOMEBODY COME GROW COCONUTS IN MY BACKYARD!!!!!!!

Who is your favorite natural head known or unknown? Why? That is easy Oghomwen Ehigie,  she got me started. Her full lucious locks. Gosh, I am still jealous and can't wait for mine to be as full. Plus the strength that exudes from her when she carries her many arrays of styles.. I told me I was going to do the same and I am glad I started the journey and never looked back.  And my mum. She gave up the perm in 1988. 

If you could give one piece of advice about natural hair, what would it be? MOISTURIZE MOISTURIZE MOISTURIZE KEEP MOISTURIZING. HAVE I DRIVEN MY POINT HOME YET? OK MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE.

If your hair could talk what would it say right now? " Girl you know this coconut oil I have been taking, aha I hate it soo much but it makes me shine. Yeah, yeah it sooo does now, ahan and it makes me super soft; ahan and my hair follicles just love when they eat that stuff"

What is the most ridiculous question you were asked about your natural hair? "Wow did you put poodle extensions in your hair?" Someone thought I had on poodle fur (the dog breed)

Scenario: You are wearing a HUMONGOUS Afro puff and you get to class or work and a colleague looks at you wide-eyed and says, “your hair looks like a feather duster!” What would your reply? Why thank you at least that makes cleaning a lot faster since I have a feather duster on my hair :) Now to enlighten you, I wear a crown on my head, you see I come from a long line of kings and queens and this "feather duster" is a symbol of strength and independence. Now, will you thank me for a little history lesson.

 

Awesome interview! And I'm blushing about the hair shout out. 

Well, Omozele will be showing up on this blog from time to time as a guest blogger so stay tuned for more fabulosity from her.

 

"Good Hair" - A film

Today is the last day of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Every year at TIFF, I decide on a few movies to watch during the festival. One of the films I watched this year is titled “Good Hair”. It is a documentary produced by Chris Rock. It attempts to investigate mostly the social and economical facet of the black hair industry in America.

I enjoyed the movie and I am happy to hear that it will be coming out in theatres in October. I am not sure if it will show in theaters in London, Lagos and Toronto however, I encourage you to look out for the film and make time to watch it if you can.

By hearing the name I expected that the film makers would discuss the origin of the hair relaxer and where the notion of good hair versus bad hair among African Americans came from. I think this would have given viewers some contextual basis to most of the other things that were shown in the film. Without even a brief history it seemed like African American women (and some men) are just being over-the-top when it comes to their hair. Perhaps they were looking more to show what “happens” today regarding African American hair instead of what “happened” regarding it.

It would also have been nice to have looked into the issues that influence the decisions African American women make regarding their hair. These women don’t just get up and decide to spend $1,000 on a weave because it is available on the shelf in the store. There is a thought process and some reasoning that must go into the decisions they make regarding their hair.

There were some really funny scenes in the film that got me laughing for a long time. Beg me all you want but I will not tell you which scenes they are! There were also some scenes that just made my heart sink. At the end, I am reminded why I wear my hair natural. I will say it again – I enjoyed the film and will most likely own it when it comes out on DVD.

Don’t be too bothered that some of our “hair secrets” are being revealed. African Americans (and blacks in general) are a large group of people and it is really refreshing to see films and documentaries made by this group for this group and about this group. We are cute but not perfect! Once in a while, our imperfections come to light and we just gotta say “Hey, let’s get that fixed so that we can be better.”

So watch out for “Good Hair” in theaters in October 2009. It will make for great viewing and a great discussion after. I am giving a hi-five to the ladies who watched this film with me and took the time to debate and discuss it after. Thank you C, I and L.

Omozo

These are a few of my fav things - Part 2

In the previous post, I talked about the hair products I use. I thought that it may be a good idea to talk about the other products I use for my hair.

1) Denman brush & wide tooth comb: used to detangle, comb and brush my hair. I use the brush more often. I use the brush about once a month and I use it when my hair is wet and/or damp. The brush goes through my hair easily. You can find wide tooth combs at most department stores. The Denman brush I found Sally's in Toronto.

2) Perm rollers: used when I want to curl my twists. To vary the look of my twists, I roll them with small perm rollers and keep them in overnight. When I am tired of the curls and the twists, I take out both and have a curly twist-out.

3) Hair elastic bands & hair thread: used to stretch my hair. Sometimes I rinse my hair with my twists in. The rinse removes some of the product in my hair and hydrates my scalp. In order to keep the length and avoid shrinkage, I use hair thread or hair elastics to wrap the hair as it air dries. This keeps most of the length after the hair dries. You can get very nice stretching if you wrap your hair tightly with the hair thread. I prefer using the thread because it is less stressful on my hair.

4) Hair net & hair wrap; used to cover my hair for sleeping. They help to preserve the style of my hair and also help keep in the moisture content of my hair. I recommend using a satin wrap because satin does not dry out natural black hair so much.

5) Satin pillow case: used on any pillow I sleep on. I carry it with me when I travel and sleep in other places. I place it over my sleeping pillow and am ready for some 'zzzzzz". I made this pillowcase myself by purchasing some satin fabric from a store and sewed it with thread and needle. Cost me a lot less than buying a satin pillowcase.

I find my hair products through recommendations and through trial and error. If something works, I use it until it stops working for me. Remember that our natural black hair actually changes hair texture quite frequently (during monthly cycles, pregnancy, stressful times, ageing etc) so you WILL have to change the products and techniques you use from time to time. Don't get frustrated; just keep trying till you get the one that works. One more thing, I look for products that are "all-natural" with no alcohol and any of those ingredients that dry out our natural black hair. I find that these types of hair products work better for my natural black hair.

Please comment on the blog site about the products you use. We want to hear from you.

Omozo

These are a few of my fav things - Part 1

Let’s start from the very beginning because it is a very good place to start.

1) Shampoo & conditioner: I use any brand and more recently store brands. I especially look for shampoos and conditioners that target dry or dyed hair. This is because I find that they make my hair softer and condition more deeply than the regular shampoos and conditioner.

2) Deep conditioner / Cholesterol: I use Queen Helene cholesterol. I like it very much! I apply it to my hair after washing, put on a shower cap and leave it on for at least 30 minutes. Sometimes I keep it on overnight and other times I sit under the hair dryer (high heat) for 45 minutes. I deep condition about once every three weeks.

3) Baking soda: to clarify my hair. Clarifying treatment helps remove product build-up from the hair and hair shaft. I clarify once a month or once in six weeks. I mix equal amounts of baking soda with equal amounts of shampoo. After clarifying, my hair feels like cotton. Seriously! It also enhances the results of deep conditioning. Try deep conditioning after clarifying.

4) Shea butter: Thank God for shea butter! I purchase the un-refined shea butter so that I can mix it up as I please. It is not too heavy and does not sit on my hair but penetrates into the hair shaft. I get out my hand held whip and whip it up and it looks like whip cream. Honestly! Heat it up slightly before whipping it o! Sometimes (actually most times) I add essential oils like Rosemary, lavender, peppermint. I also add castor oil, honey and glycerin. I loooove my shea butter! (Off topic: Shea butter is also great for blocked sinuses, burns, cracked feet and dry elbows and knees and many other things).

5) Leave-in conditioner: Any will do really. Leave-in conditioner helps to keep my hair moisturized and soft. At this point I could go on (and I will ;>)) about how I enjoy using Carol’s daughter black vanilla leave-in conditioner and the results on my hair and the scent. Ooooo the scent! The first time I used it, people kept coming into my office to smell my hair. For real! I was not expecting that reaction at all. Needless to say, I buy this product when I can. I use it especially when I am going to a special occasion or meeting people for the first time. *snicker*

6) Hair oil or hair milk: Lisa’s hair elixir or Hair Milk by Carol’s daughter. I use either of these about twice a week for shine and some extra something for my hair.

There you have it friends! I’ll add another post talking about the other types of products I use.

Please add your comments on the blog site (www.onaturals.blogspot.com) telling us about your favourite hair products. We really want to hear from you.

Omozo

Essential oils

So I got this question about essential oils recently:

in what ways are the oils "essential" to the well being of your hair? I will like to invest in some good oils. So if you can give me your top five recommended essentials....that will be nice. :)

Okay here is my answer:

"An essential oil is a liquid that is generally distilled (most frequently by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other elements of a plant. Essential oils, contrary to the use of the word "oil" are not really oily-feeling at all. Most essential oils are clear, but some oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass are amber or yellow in color.

Essential oils contain the true essence of the plant it was derived from. Essential oils are highly concentrated and a little goes a long way." ( Quoted from aroma web here )

Essential Oils on hair.

Why use essential oils in your hair care regimen? 

Well the reason why I incorporate essential oils into my hair care regime is because of the particular benefit each one gives. I guess using essential oils is like using a certain hair cream or lotion because you want to get a certain result. In the sense that if I have dry and itchy scalp then instead of using a commercial hair product I could turn to something like eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil to help with that. So essential oils are beneficial depending on the result you are looking for and which one can give you that result. A little drop can go a long way so a bottle of an essential oil can last a really long time. I like that. 

How do I use them? I use essential oils in 3 ways:

1.)         In my prewash treatment. This could consist of mixing my essential oils with olive oil, jojoba oil then putting  the mixture in my hair for a while. I allow it to soak into my hair for about 15 minutes or more then wash it off.

2.)         As a leave in spray. So that would  consist of water, a carrier oil, one or two essential oils, glycerine all mixed together in a spray bottle. I use this spray daily especially when I'm wearing twists or braids.

3.)         I add some essential oils to my shea butter for scent.

 

As for me here are a list of 5 essential oils that I’ve used over the years and really appreciated:

 

Chamomile is the most soothing of the essential oils for the hair and scalp. Chamomile helps to retract skin cells that have been inflamed from chemical procedures, the sun and helps with those that have scaly scalps in including a lot of white flakes or psoriasis.

Rosemary essential oil works great for dry hair and dandruff as well as itchy scalp!

Tea Tree essential oils works to purify the scalp. It works extremely good for those that suffer from scalp psoriasis and scalp dandruff.

Peppermint helps to stimulate blood flow to the root of the hair. This helps the hair to receive proper nourishment and to grow correctly. Peppermint makes the scalp tingle and this is what stimulates the blood flow to the hair.

Lavender is great for soothing the scalp and calming the hair.

I also currently use Eucalyptus. It can be used to treat dry, itcy scalp and dandruff.

 

I got the profiles for the above oils here at aromatherapy at home 

Motown girl also has a write up on essential oils 

You can learn more about other essential oils on Aroma web

Essential oils are extremely potent and if used in the wrong way and in the wrong quantity can end up being harmful to you. For example there are some essential oils that are not recommended for use by pregnant women. Also it is recommended that one use essential oils a little drop at a time and always with a carrier oil.

 “Carrier oils, also known as vegetable oils, base oils or fixed oils, are used to dilute essential oils, CO2s and absolutes before applying to the skin.” (Quoted fromhere ) Examples of carrier oils are Jojoba Oil and Olive Oil.

I would recommend that if you are using essential oils for the first time then read a lot of the literature available online about them. 

Essential oil .com

Aroma web

Hub pages

 Aromatherapy at home

 Ultimate cosmetics

Motown Girl has recipes that incorporate essential oils here

Meeeee,

Oghomwen 

Products I use

Olive Oil

What for?

Deep conditioning, prewash treatments, moisturizing.

Where to find it? 

I get mine from the supermarket or market.

Castor Oil

What for?

Deep conditioning, prewash treatments, moisturizing.

Where to find it? 

Pharmacy or supermarket.

Essential Oils

What for?

The benefits of essential oils are numerous. I use them in my prewash treatments and in my hair spray.

Where to find them? 

In Lagos, you can get it from a pharmacy on Isaac John Street in Ikeja G.R.A. I can’t remember the name right now.

Apple Cider Vinegar

What for?

As a final rinse on your hair after washing and conditioning. It adds shine and also works to remove product build up.

Where to find it? 

In Lagos, Cheeries or CCD supermarket in Ogudu.

Cholesterol

What for?

Deep conditioning. I usually mix mine with olive oil.

Where to find it? 

I buy mine from Cheeries supermarket in Ogudu.

Shea Butter

What for?

Moisture and more moisture.  Natural hair loves moisture ! The benefits of shea butter are beyond numerous. 

Where to find it? 

The market. You can buy it for NGN50.00 a tablet or buy more at a time.

Coconut Oil

What for?

Moisture, moisture and more moisture.  Jc on natural haven talked about coconut oil.

I use coconut oil on the ends of my hair before I sleep. The ends are the oldest part of your hair and need the most moisture.

Where to find it? 

In Lagos the local name for this product is Adiagbon. You can buy it from the market. I get mine from Sura Market at the same place I get Shea butter.

Dudu Osun

What for?

I use it to wash my hair. It is gentler than shampoo that contains sulphates. And the cost of Dudu Osun leaves money in my pocket, which I love!

Where to find it? 

I buy the already packaged soap from the supermarket, CCD in Ogudu. You can buy the traditionally made type from the market.

Glycerine

What for?

Glycerin is a humectant. A humectant is a substance that retains or preserves moisture.  I use Glycerine to make a spray for my hair and scalp. I mix glycerine with water, essential oils and other products for a hair spray.

Where to find it? 

At the local supermarket or at the market with someone who sells hair and beauty products.

Honey

What for?

Honey can be mixed together with other oils for a prewash treatment. You can also add it into your deep conditioning treatment. See some recipes here

My friend’s sister is a pharmacist and she said that when she was in school, her hair was really damaged so she used honey as a hair recovery treatment for 6 weeks.  And her hair became strong and healthier. Wow!

Where to find it? 

I bought mine from Habibi Pharmacy. 21 Abayomi Street, Akoka, Lagos

Meeee,

Oghomwen

My week in hairstyles

I guess this post should have been entitled my last 10 days in hairstyles. Anyway, I started out with twists. The twists I wore were bigger than the size I usually wear them. After like 5 days I washed my hair and rolled the twists. The next day I took the rollers out and untwisted my hair to get a curly twist out.

After like 3 days of wearing the curly twist out sand got in my hair and the weather also made my hair frizz up really fast. So I decided to wash my hair and the next day I did a fro hawk. The day after instead of doing a straight up fro hawk I decided to do a twist out in the front so as to achieve a different style.

On Sunday I combed out my hair and wore it wrapped on the sides. I added some hair jewels for some sparkle.

And that was my week or rather the last 10 days in hairstyles.

Meeee,

Oghomwen

for

O'Naturals

My Hair Regimen

I basically switch between twists and twist outs most of the time. I would say I wear twists like 80% of the time all through the year. (I wear twists so much that once when I showed up at my sister’s house with an afro, my two year old niece looked at me and smiled as she said, “Aunty you did not do your hair”)

My hair care regimen goes through cycles where I am super attentive to my hair and other times when I am not so attentive. But I’m trying to follow a proper regimen now.  I try to:

Wash and deep condition weekly or biweekly. Deep conditioning really depends on what products I have at home to do a deep condition. If I don’t have any products at home then I may skip a deep condition.  Before I wash I like to do a pre-wash treatment.  So I either do one or both (deep conditioning after wash or prewash treatment). If I am wearing my hair in twists for more than a week then I just wash and condition without the treatments.

Wear a protective hairstyle (i.e. twists) for a week or two then wear twist outs for the remainder of the week or any other hairstyle I’m feeling like an afro puff or something.

My ritual pretty much goes like this:

1.) Prewash treatment: coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, essential oils all mixed together and rubbed on my hair. I let it soak in for about 15 mins.

2.) Wash hair with Dudu Osun or shampoo.

3.) Deep condition for about 30 minutes

4.) Rinse out conditioner

5.) Dry hair with an old T-shirt

6.) Section hair and detangle.

7.) Style (usually twists).

 

Hair tip:

Most times going through the whole process of washing, detangling, and styling can take a while. So I try to do something else at the same time so that I’m not too bored or tired. When I twist my hair I could read a book or watch a movie. I love to watch Girlfriends (it stars one of my favorite curlies ever, Tracee Ellis Ross. ) Right now, my favorite thing to do as I twist my hair is listen to pod casts. I enjoy The Boundless Show a lot.

Introduction (A BIT LATE I KNOW).........

In June 2003 I decided to go totally natural. That being my hair. I made this decision with so much joy and fear. Being that I had made fun of people and ridiculed their natural hair decision. But I was ready to take it on. I did not start though until Jan 2004. So far it has been fantastic. I have had the most fun and in all honesty I see that I am vain about my hair and the sensation it creates when I do all sorts to it............

I decided to loc my hair in 2007 and that was even more fun. I was able to do all sorts in style and look very hip if I must say so myself. Then I made the decision to cut of the locs after my second baby. I had decided to go low and have the model look...........Now that did not work because I became lazy and had too much on my hands with my husband, 2 girls, work and church activities.................


So.........yes you guessed it!!!! I went back to getting my hair locked..............Now this is different and I have done quite a few things to my hair. I have dyed it RED!!!!! Which totally rocks and I have also experimented using hair clips and hair decor to give it the oohmpah that can only be me..............
I look forward to sharing my hair tips..............yes, natural and locked as well with everyone................