MsDirection: HHJC Check in 3

Check in week 3. 21 weeks to go. I hope we are sticking to the challenge rules and giving our hair the love it needs.

Moisturizing 101

What is a moisturizer? It is a hair product that is applied to the hair strands to return moisture that has been lost. It is a product used to combat dryness of hair stands.

Importance of keeping hair moisturized.

• Well moisturized hair is less prone to breakage
• Well moisturized hair is more manageable
• Well moisturized hair looks good.

Finding a good moisturizer.

• A good moisturizer must be water based. Water is the best thing to return moisture to the hair. Make sure water is a part of the first three ingredients on your moisturizer.
• Avoid products that have mineral oil, parabens or petroleum
• Avoid products which contain drying alcohols like ethanol, porpanol and SD alcohol.
• For hair that feels too mushy or frail, look for products with proteins
• For protein sensitive hair, look for products that contain just one protein, or none at all.

Some easily found moisturizers

• ORS Olive Oil Moisturizer
• Elasta QP Olive oil and Mango Butter
• African Pride Shea Butter Miracle lotion
•  Beautiful Textures Moisture Butter
• CON Argan Oil Moisturizer
• ORS HAIRepair Anti Breakage Crème
• ORS HAIRepair Anti Moisture Crème

Check in Questions

What is your favourite Moisturizer?

How often do you moisturize?

My check in: My favourite moisturizer is the Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter, and I moisturize my hair daily. Depending on my hair needs, once or twice in a day.

Stay Awesome,

KIRSTY DIRECTS!!!!!!!

We feature the beautiful Kirsty of blackhairspice.blogspot.com . This girls hair is the BOMB.COM. I love her blog, I love her progress! Feast your eyes on long, healthy, thick, relaxed, Ghanaian hair. I hope you enjoy her feature and learn a little something from her!!

1.Your hair is........(relaxed includes texlaxed, natural, loc'd)
(Include how you started your journey)

My hair is relaxed.My journey started out of curiosity.I was perfectly content with my stunted growth and breaking hair because i never thought black hair could grow long and i didn't know what was making my hair break.Actually, i felt i had GREAT and GORGEOUS hair even though i saw hair all over my floor anytime i combed it. A friend made mention of wanting castor oil for her hair and my curiosity led me into an intensive research about the oil (it was my first time ever hearing about an oil called castor lol-hard to believe now) and one thing led to another.I got introduced to a whole new world of hair through the internet.I couldn't believe it.So i decided to put everything I had read and watched concerning black hair to the test since i had my doubts (major doubts)...and that's how my journey started.

2. What's your current length? 
My current length is bra strap length (BSL).

3. How long have you been on a hhj and how long did it take to get to your current length? 
.I started my HHJ October,2013 so I'm a year and four months into my HHJ. I begun with shoulder length hair and at 1yr i made it to grazing BSL and 1yr 3months full BSL.

4. What's your daily and weekly regimen like? 

• Daily-Moisturize and seal with ORS hair moisturizing lotion, seal with a mix of oils. Sleep in satin scarf or cap. Oil scalp lightly and massage as and when i remember.

• Weekly- wash and deep condition hair once a week, comb hair once a week (wash days),finger detangle, be in protective styles all week.

5. How do you like to wear your hair. ( i.e your go to protective style)

My go to protective styles will be buns,duchess braids and twists/roll and tuck/pin.All without extensions.I do these 90-95% of the time.

6.  Have you suffered a setback on your journey? How did you deal with it? If no, what's the one setback you would like to avoid? And how are you avoiding it?
.I haven't suffered any setback yet (thank you baby Jesus!) and i hope i don't suffer one.However, the one setback i really want to avoid is thinning ends.I do not ever want to experience this.I try to keep my ends in shape, by giving it enough moisture and whatever treatment i give to my hair and i constantly keep my ends hidden.i also trim my hair when necessary.

7. Are you on any diet or are  taking any vitamins to promote healthy hair growth?
I am not on any diet neither am i taking any hair supplements.I have tried hair supplements (manetabolism  and biotin to be specific) in the past though but didn't take them religiously (a bottle for a month took me three months lol and I still have a full bottle sitting around now).

8. If you could have 5 hair related items, what would they be and why? (Briefly)
Hmmm, tough question but I'd say (not in order of priority):

• Hooded hair dryer - to serve as dual purpose for deep conditioning with heat as well as roller-set and silk wrap in the comfort of my home.

• ORS Hairepair line -I've heard really great things about the line and ORS has already pleased me with replenishing conditioner and creamy aloe shampoo so I want to try their new line as well.

• A really pretty wig-for protective styling or days my own hair is in terrible shape

• A relaxer highly suitable for my hair- I don't plan on going natural anytime soon. I love the state of my hair being relaxed so I might as well get a really good hair relaxer that will make me smile from ear to ear on relaxer days.[SUGGEST SOME BELOW!]

• Bamboo leaf tea-said to contain high levels of silica and makes hair and nails strong. Count me in!

9. What do you wish you knew before your hhj?
To keep it simple, I wish i knew everything i know now. 

10. Encourage someone also on a hhj.
It's never too late to start caring for your hair. There's no hair that's beyond redemption.there's nothing like terrible,horrible,no good very bad hair.every hair can grow and be healthy. It just needs TLC.
Invest in your hair-time and money. If you are new to it all and the journey is overwhelming,know you will get a hang of it pretty soon and life will be such a breeze on most days. Be consistent with hair care,stay positive and lastly be realistic about your hair goals. It doesn't grow all long and healthy in a month.

I really hope you enjoyed getting to know about Kirsty's journey like I did. Do check out her blog blackhairspice.blogspot.com

Stay Awesome,
 

January in Retrospect & Feb. Plans

I have decided to do posts about the past month. What happened in the past month; purchases if any, new processes and basically a summary of the month.

In January 2015:

• I had my hair in cornrows except on wash days. I used a wig on the days when I had to leave the house.

• I did the inversion method in the beginning of the month with my oil mix (olive oil, castor oil and peppermint oil)

• I bought 2 deep conditioners “Dark and Lovely Rejuvenating Treatment Hair Mask” and “KUZA Cholesterol.” I also ordered for “Aussie Moist 3 minute miracle” but I am yet to receive that.

• I bought a Hair Therapy Heat Cap/Turban with my Christmas money and I absolutely love it.

• I tried a/an oil rinse with coconut oil.

My Plan for February:

• No product purchase
• Continue with wigging it till the month ends
• Start back on Hairfinity once I get settled in school
• Do Inversion [I started toady – 2/2/2015]

Stay Awesome!

YAYRA DIRECTS!!!!!

 Hey! It is time for another feature, and I am really glad that I am featuring this lady because her hair is beyond inspiring. She is a real , "started from the bottom." I hope you learn something from her journey. Remember consistency is key.

1. Your hair is........(relaxed includes texlaxed, natural, loc'd)
(Include how you started your journey)

Am relaxed and started my HHJ in July 2013. I was almost neck length by then. I wanted to get a hair product to make my hair thick since it was very light, then I came accross T444z on the internet and decided to try it. I was loving it so I decided to concentrate more on my hair to achieve my aim.‎

2. What's your current length? 
Am between armpit length and bra strap length now and 23 weeks post relaxer.

3. How long have you been on a hhj and how long did it take to get to your current length? 
Am a year and half on my HHJ. I got to my current length by reading more about how to care for the hair on the internet and help from friends and loved ones.

4. What's your daily and weekly regimen like? 
I moisturize and seal daily, then wash my hair once a week.

5. How do you like to wear your hair? ( i.e your go to protective style)
I really like weaves as my protective style. I havn't braided for like 2yrs now, always in weaves.

Her Ponytail!!!!!

6.  Have you suffered a setback on your journey? How did you deal with it? If no, what's the one setback you would like to avoid? And how are you avoiding it?
Fortunately for me no setback since I started HHJ and I would like to avoid hair breakage, I think deep conditioning, protein treatment and hot oil treatment are are helping me with that.

7. Are you on any diet or are  taking any vitamins to promote healthy hair growth?
I drink a lot of water, eat more fruits and vegetables n exercise(not often).

She's almost BSL!!!!!

8. If you could have 5 hair related items, what would they be and why? (Briefly)

• Castor oil (it really promotes the thickness of the hair)  
• CON argan oil shampoo and conditioner ( it works magic)  
• Cantu shea butter ( I just love it) 
• Extra virgin olive oil ( I love the shine it brings to the hair.....it also promotes rapid growth)
•  ORS hair repair ( I love the smell and it prevents breakage).

9. What do you wish you knew before your hhj?
I wish I started HHJ from the scratch.

Started from the bottom for real!!!!

10. Encourage someone also on a hhj.
 Your hair needs more concerntration and care in order to attain awesome results. Drink more water and avoid junk foods.

Stay motivated on your healthy hair journey, love your hair and you'll see results too!
Stay Awesome!