My Natural Hair Journey – October 2019

Picture by Roberta Sorge

你好我的朋友们,

As mentioned in my previous post, I am learning Chinese so had to start with a greeting in Chinese, it says, Hello All My Friends.

As promised, here is a full recap of how it’s been going this past year for my hair, products used, what has worked, and what has not, so, get your favorite cup of tea or coffee, take a seat and Enjoy. Please remember that all comments, advice, and questions are more than welcome, either directly here or on IG. IslandKynks.

October 2018 to October 2019 – Natural Hair 4C Hair Journey 

Natural Hair Products Used:

My Staple Products

A. Tresemme Conditioner – Love this as Co-Wash and does the job! Leaves hair moisturized and soft to the touch even after washing out, a little bit goes a long way.  Used to leave the conditioner in my hair using it as styling creme but no longer as it’s so humid and warm here, hair would be moisturized for 3 days and then dry out. 

B. Tresemme Shampoo – Awesome Shampoo, cleans but does not strip hair and leaves her soft as well, very gentle on my natural hair and for sure a winner. This bottle will last me an entire year as trust me, you only need 1 TBS for a full body of hair. I tend to concentrate on the scalp first then down into my hair as I wash. 

C. Garnier Conditioner – One of the best conditioners have tried, after using it, my hair literally feels like silk, but use as co-wash is hard to find at least here so I use it sparingly. It did not work on my sister’s hair which is 4B but it worked well on mine as it’s very thick my 4C hair loves it, plus the smell is awesome so I LOVE it!!!

D. Blue Magic Bergamot – Yes, hahaha, she is now fully part of my go-to products, an oldie but a goodie. She does her job very well and seals beautifully and my hair loves this product to pieces. Works well on both dry and wet hair and plays well with other styling cremes. It holds hair well and moisturizes my ends so am Happy. 

E. Cantu Care Leave-in-Conditioner – !!!My # 1 Natural Hair Product!!! – This has proved to be a lifesaver for my tresses in our tropical climate. Keeps her moisturized for 2 weeks and has no need to reapply or spritz, which is a breeze to take care of and feeds my hair as she is thriving so am sticking to this product for sure. 

F. Hair Treatments – Occasionally when I want to do treatment, will use either an Okra Treatment, Rice Water Rinse, or protein treatment, with 2 eggs and Olive Oil. I tend to do once every 3 months and alternate all 3 of the above, just in case she needs an extra boost plus adds shine, bounce, and moisture to our hair.  

G. Health – Due to various health issues, I take supplements of Folic Acid & Astralagus which both contribute to healthy hair plus I do a TBS of ACV in a 16oz bottle of water plus various natural teas. As you can see, my water intake is very high so I know internally that also contributes to our hair health so that is all good too.

Natural Hair Care

                                                 

1. Wash Day – Once every 2 weeks or 3 weeks, done in the afternoon so she can dry before bedtime as it’s best for hair.
2. Daily Hair Care – Low maintenance, refresh with a spritz here and there with water & voila, am fully ready.
3. Weekly Hair Care – Apply Oil of choice to ends like Coconut, Castor Olive Oil, or another of your preference. 
4. Monthly Hair Care – Can do a hair treatment of choice, Okra, Rice Water Rinse, and Protein Treatment if needed. 
5. Yearly Hair Care – Note hair differences in pictures from a year ago to measure progress and how hair is doing. 
6. Go to Hairstyles – 2 Strand Twists or Rope Twists, easy to place in and last well up to 3 weeks if needed. 
7. Natural Hair Tidbits – Do what works for your tresses and try to increase water intake, 1 more glass is all.

My 4C Natural Tresses – Style is a Rope Twist Out Plus Humidity and Heat for Volume from the Tropics

                     

Hair Care Plans for the Future: I will continue to use the same conditioner and shampoos then change to a different type but no brand as they say, if not broken, do not fix. I want to incorporate following up more with more hair spritzes after having the 2 strand twists in for 2 weeks to see if she can last for another full week and remain moisturized, we shall if this works. I am for sure a low-maintenance girl now so I want a simple, easy, and fast hair routine in the morning, hahaha. I have done the research and it seems that both Mango and Guava Teas promote hair health so will try to drink at least a cup of each every day for 6 months to see how it works if I see a major change, it’s natural so for sure cannot hurt. Remember what we feed our body feeds our hair so try to remain healthy as you can be and increase any fruits or veggies specifically for hair growth to see results. 

Natural Hair Tips: First and foremost, love the beautiful hair on your head, do not make comparisons, each of us is unique, with different DNA and Genes so what works for one natural will not work for another natural. Listen to your hair, and try not to change products at the drop of a hat (I did all the time and paid for it). Stick to what works and if you see a new product you want to try,  make sure that each week you check to see how your hair is reacting, take pictures, and ask friends as well, especially family, hahaha, they will tell it as it is. You want to make sure to learn what works and what does not. Even if still not sure, check out the reviews and see how it worked for others, you are not comparing but simply doing your research on how it works. Our hair loves oils and butter so you can treat yourself to a nice hair butter or fancy oil, and your hair will be delighted as can be. 

Final Thoughts: Enjoy each part of your natural hair journey and do what makes you truly happy, if you want her short, keep her short, if you want her to be longer, then grow her out, if you want to try another hairstyle, go for it. Too many times we hold back because of fear, so do not do that, this is your hair journey, enjoy, love your tresses and do your best to keep her healthy!

!!!Love every kink, coil, zig, zag, and curl you have!!!

Thank you for visiting and catching up and stay tuned for more awesome posts coming your way.

Isle of Azure