Much ado about braids

Right now, I have on my head my favourite protective style – BRAIDS. I love braids and maybe I have "lucky" hair because my hair thrives on it. I don't get crazy breakage but that could be because I wear my braids for about 4-5 weeks. After 5 weeks is pushing it and since I can’t get my fingers out of my hair I can’t stand it after 5 weeks.

I have had the braids in my hair for 2 weeks and it is maaaddd rough, only because the lady who did it for me doesn't know how to make hair. I 'shoulda' known. You know when you get that gut feeling that something is wrong when the supposed "professional" is complaining about the hair extensions you bought, saying it is fake and it is not twisting well. Yeah, so Omozee got that feeling yet stayed through the 14hr ordeal. I 'shoulda' known when it was past 6hrs and we still weren't done but moving on. The braids are extra rough and I can’t take it anymore so I am taking them out in 3 days and will put them back in after 3 weeks.

So what do I do in between braids?
I deep condition a whole lot and keep the hair moisturized and in tiny twists (which I am not a huge fan of or plaits. I find this stretches the hair and preps it in time for the next braids. If I am going anywhere special, I do the plaits wet. I rinse or co-wash (condition (er) wash) my hair; add Shea butter and coconut oil on the wet hair, which is my moisturizer of choice. Then section and do single plaits.

I like to do this 2 or 3 days before the event so on the day of, I take the singles out, moisturize my scalp again then take a blow drier and stretch out the hair with a med / low heat setting while lightly pulling on the hair. Not a lot of pull, just a little bit in the same motion massaging the scalp (I know it sounds like a lot of work but believe me when you pull the hair, your hands or fingers touch your scalp so hey :D ). Then I style my hair. For me it is just using my fingers as a comb, adding more Shea or coconut oil for shine and stepping out the door, I love the stress free life. So if you are looking for French buns and cinnamon rolls, you are reading the wrong post. Lol I love them, don't get me wrong if I can get Tola (a darling) to do it for me :) so there you have it!

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Omozee

Megatek

I think I will let you decide for your self. I have included the link so you can read up on it. You can also find out about it via the tube (you tube). I got a bottle of it, which to me is just bonkers. Why? Well it cost $29 plus shipping and customs duty to Canada (sheeks).

The reason I bought it is because I love to experiment and it can last up to a year. Basically, the Biochemist in me knows this product is packed with a lot of PROTEINS OR AMINO'S aka the building blocks of life and cells. From very basic biochemistry, I know it speeds up the turn over of dead cells fast and also strengthens cells hence less breakage and faster growth. The downside is that since it is filled up with a whole lot of proteins, it can do the reverse of what it is suppose to do if care is not taken and my hair HATES proteins. Aphogee disaster will be discussed in the next post. So this is going to be a challenging challenge :). But I believe I am up to the task and armed with loads of Shea butter, coconut oil and Miss Jessie’s baby butter cream (I swear by it and my hair loves it).


By the way I am so on my Biotin and other vitamins especially while on megatek because I don’t trust the overload of proteins :)


In subsequent posts, I will chronicle my challenge. I am starting small so I will use it for 1 month and the routine is 2ce a week for one month so every other day in the week I will have braids or weaves on my hair :) .So lets see how this goes. Ok folks, I have talked too much lol take it easy

Vitamins and hair growth

It is very important to take vitamins, vitamins are added supplements to help in proper body functions. They are got from consuming foods like, fruits and vegetables and legumes. In the society we live in, it is very hard to get your daily intake of vitamins due to our fast pace of life and work hence the need for added vitamins.


Initially when I did my big chop, I was not concerned about my hair as such, I was just happy to be free of chemical relaxers and braids but when I saw how quickly my hair was growing, I changed my routine and decided to do some research on vitamins and how it can help grow out my hair. I read some blogs, talked to my mum and a few other people in the medical field and in a variety of fields. Armed with some information, I hit the herbal shops in search of a good multivitamin.

I needed a multivitamin targeted to my hair to help strengthen it, make it shine and give it “body and bounce”. I needed a powerhouse in one multivitamin. In reality, I don’t think that it can ever be possible but I found something that works for me and I only have to use it once a day. It is Biotin 5000micro mg. I took 1 caplet a day and used it for 4 months then fell of the bandwagon. But I returned to it after my henna dye because I forgot to put in the yoghurt and my hair was super dry and brittle afterward.


In my opinion in the 4 months I used it religiously (and with a combination of good diet practice like eating the recommended 5 servings of veggies a day) it worked for me. As with all multivitamins, you need to take it with your meal and water. If you take it alone, the body just expels it as it has no idea what to do with it but with food, the body synthesizes it and it gets deposited where it is needed.


I use Now Foods Biotin. Nature’s valley is also good. Those are the two Canadian brands I know, and I always go for about 2500 -5000 micro grams as it’s my only source of multivitamin at the moment. Check with a nutritionist to know how much you should take. Now Biotin is a B- complex vitamin, it is known also as vitamin H or B7 and helps build new cells. If you don’t want to use biotin, get a good multivitamin like One a Day for women as it will help with not just hair growth but nails and skin too.

Until next time blogville


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Omozee

My Hair Regime-Locs

My hair regime is really simple especially since my hair is loc’d. It is important to me, to wash my hair once every 2 weeks. I have found that washing my locs with a tight hair net works best for me. Using this method stops my hair from being fuzzy and looking like I was just electrocuted! I use mild or medium shampoo to wash my hair. In all honesty I actually use the same shampoo I use for my daughters. Then I use leave in conditioner and that works. At this stage, I no longer comb my hair ... because I have locs!

Once I have washed my hair, I air dry because with that I can go about my normal activity without having to think about my hair. You can also use a blow dryer but the temperature should be on medium not high. If high, my locs become really fuzzy. But I also read up that if you blow dry using high temperature with a hair net on; it will minimize the fuzz considerably. And then I just finger comb my locs … actually it is more like “finger spread” than finger comb.

I also use a sulphur based hair cream because I am prone to dandruff. It is like my scalp has its own winter season! This helps a whole lot. I have read about and also now use some herbal and fruit rinses. These rinses are very good and can reduce dandruff problems.

In my opinion, simple hair regimens are the best. They take less time, use fewer products and still keep your hair looking hot, hot, hot even though it is natural!

Hair Story with Funke Ayo Dipeolu

I decided to go natural in Nov 2008 but didn’t cut my hair until March 2009.

Since I had made the decision to go natural, I stopped retouching my hair and waited to have “undergrowth” before cutting it. Deciding to go natural wasn’t a spur of the moment decision with me. I had been toying with the idea in my mind since 2007 when I found out it was possible and people were into it and It wasn’t as bad as we’ve been programmed to think it is. But before then I had always thought being natural was uncool and you had to be a fire breathing dragon for the Lord for you to do it. I stopped retouching for like six months, cut it after and grew it out.




Most people ask if I have a calling or change of faith or something. Mostly people are just kind of perplexed and can’t seem to understand why I would want to go natural in this time and age.