BUILDING A NATURAL HAIR REGIMEN PART 2 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRIMMING AND DUSTING

 

Dusting is where you take off little pieces of hair (1 inch) or less if your hair doesn’t need to be trimmed but you want healthy ends. Trimming is where your ends may be damaged, you want a change or just want to cut your hair, but you take INCHES off. Dusting can be done regularly if your ends are super healthy, and you don’t experience breakage other than that I would not recommend it. We think we have healthy ends sometimes and dust when in truth we just didn’t go high enough and we needed a trim.

 

HOW OFTEN YOU SHOULD TRIM OR DUST

This simply depends on if you are dusting or trimming and how damaged your ends are. If you are dusting once a month is fine to remove straggly ends. If you take a good trim you won’t have to trim you hair in months. This varies from person to person depending on the health of their hair.

 

WHEN SHOULD YOU TRIM YOUR OR DUST YOUR ENDS?

Now I am inserting 2 pictures below. If your hair be looking like THAT? Come on that in no dusting need to be done lol

         

 

These pictures clearly indicate hair which needs to be trimmed not dusted.

Signs to know when your hair needs trimming:

1. See through ends like the pictures above
2. Single stranded knots
3. Hair is not manageable, tangles and breaks a lot
4. Texture change at the end, it’s rough, dry and doesn’t retain moisture
5. For some depending on how your hair grows the density of your twists. If they start thick and drastically decrease along the length of the hair they need to be trimmed.
6. The ends of your hair doesn’t curl.
7. Split ends

 

TIP: When trimming your hair trim above the damage not below as indicated on the pic shown.

 

WHY KEEP ENDS MOISTURIZED?

• Prevent breakage
• Retain length
• Healthier hair and ends
• Reduce trimming or dusting

 

Naturalkinkstrinis 1

 

BUILDING A HAIR REGIMEN PART 1

 

A natural hair regimen is important because it acts as a guide so that you don’t get lost on what is needed to be done. There are so many things that need to be accomplished on wash day and organizing can help you get through your day a lot faster. A regimen doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. As time goes by you are going to realize that some things just are not necessary and some things are. However there are simple standard components which should be included in one’s wash day to have a healthy natural hair regimen.

 

When Building a regimen you should:

1. Pre –poo

This step is important if you have natural hair. Research has shown us that water alone chips away the particles and other debris that adhere to the hair and easily washes it away. After that it would be braising against your stands and begin chipping away at the natural oils in your hair. Pre-poo supposedly acts as a protective layer to help prevent the loss of natural oils from your hair thus leaving you hair not feeling stripped. High porosity hair can benefit from this since it loses moisture quickly because the cuticles are always open.

Pre-pooing oils: Argan oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil.

Coconut oil is the best but any oil which can penetrate into the cuticles will work great.

 

2. Cleanse

This is a means of cleaning the hair and removing debris and dirt from the scalp and hair. How often you cleanse is up to you. You can start once a week and see you’re your hair responds and space the time apart accordingly. For cleansing you would have to choose what method you would like to use to cleanse your hair shampoos or alternatives. When using shampoo focus on your scalp mostly. The way you shampoo is also important, try out different methods to see which gives you the least amount of tangles. E.g some naturals cannot wash their hair loosely they braid or twists it up.

 

3. Condition/Detangle

First of all let me say that this step can be included in any part of your regimen which you feel it best fits into. Shampoo raises the cuticle so the conditioner sticks a lot better to receive the nutrients from the conditioner. You also need to include deep conditioning (which is discussed on another post on my blog) and determine what your hair may need at the point in time. Remember to balance out protein and moisture deep conditioners. Note though that depending on your porosity of hair, some people need to use less protein and more moisture in their regimen. Also pay attention to leave in’s and styling products, if they have protein in them you may not need a heavy protein treatment. To detangle you can do wet or dry detangling and you can use tools. You will have to experiment and find a tool comb, fingers or otherwise which give you less shedding and breakage. Find a conditioner which has a lot of slip to help you detangle as this will prevent breakage. Detangling on dry hair doesn’t work for everyone and is liable to cause breakage.

 

4. Moisturize

This is one of the most important steps in a regimen because after deep conditioning this is going to help you boost your moisture. Find a good leave in conditioner and a good moisturizer which is going to be trial and error or course. These are going to set the moisture as you go through the week. When you don’t start with a good moisturizing leave in, you lose moisture more quickly during the week your hair will pull from the other sources of products in your hair and then from your hair strands leading to breakage and dry brittle hair. A styling product can also be added to boost moisture. Depending on your hair type you may not even need all these products, some naturals use a leave in and seal or some use moisturizer and seal. Some use the LOC or LCO method and other use other variations to these. Try out different techniques and see how your hair responds. If you can get moisture for 3 to 4 days that’s good moisture, and if you get more out of your moisturizing regimen that’s even better.

 

5. Sealing

This is probably the most important step in one’s hair regimen. I say this because if you don’t seal properly all your hard work from washing up to this point won’t matter. Sealing slows down the moisture loss or evaporation of the products from you hair. Knowing your hair’s porosity can help you choose a styling product. Low porosity should go for lighter oils and high porosity thicker oils. It’s up to you to decide what type of oil or even oil at all. Some naturals use butters to seal their hair and some don’t seal at all. Try different butters and oils which are thick enough to prevent moisture from leaving too quickly but which absorbs into your hair as the days go by. Note: coconut oil is a penetrating oil and cannot be used for sealing it will absorb into your hair. Try these oils or butters depending on your porosity:

Low porosity: Avocado oil, Sweet almond oil, Shea butter, Mango butter

These oils are also available in a butter form sometimes, you can also try it in that form also.

High porosity: Cocoa butter, Castor oil, Olive oil.

Castor oil usually works great

 

6. Styling

Create a styling regimen which is low manipulation and doesn’t stress out your strands too much. You want to avoid having to touch your hair much daily until wash day. Also very important try to find styles which fit into your lifestyle. What I mean is if you are a busy person, you live in a cold climate or just don’t have the time try avoid having to comb your hair every day. Set your style the night before so that it’s easy to accommodate in the morning. Finding a good styling product is hard, there are many out there. Trial and error is where your journey will begin here. Depending on the style you are going for you can choose defining and curling products. Be sure to choose something which will not dry your hair out but add moisture for a couple of days.

 

Example of a hair regimen

Daily

• Moisturize (Water, Aloe Vera juice, Moisturizer, leave in, etc.)

Weekly

• Pre-poo
• Wash (Co-washing, shampoo, other alternatives)
• Detangle (comb, fingers, Denman)
• Deep conditioner (Moisture mostly)
• Moisturize, seal and style

Monthly

• Special cleaning using bentonite clay, ACV rinses
• Deep condition with a strong protein treatment (Once a month)
• Hot oil treatment

 

BENEFITS OF A HAIR REGIMEN

• Keeps you organized
• Makes sure you perform all the steps without skipping any
• Can identify where you may have had setbacks
• Regimen remains the same products change
• Becomes easier when you find one that works for you

 

DISADVANTAGES OF A HAIR REGIMEN

• May get boring. Some people like change
• Time consuming especially if you have long hair.
• Sometimes your regimen an cause breakage and damage to your strands if you’re doing too much
• Focusing on one particular step in your regimen can also cause breakage

 

 

SHAMPOOING

             

What is a shampoo?

Shampoos belong to a category of substances called cleaning agents which are used to cleanse hair and is usually in liquid form. Shampoo creates a lather and dismantles debris and oil from the scalp and hair. This is then rinsed out leaving the hair refreshed.

Is shampoo necessary?

This is dependent on your personal views or your scalp’s needs.

• If you have a looser texture e.g straight hair, this means that the natural oils travels down the hair shaft quite easily and the hair will need to be cleansed regularly.
• Curly and kinky hair have a harder time getting natural oils to travel down the hair shaft and may need to be cleansed less regularly.

I wouldn’t say it is necessary to use shampoo to cleanse your hair, as in today’s society there are many different alternatives to shampoos, but it is necessary to cleanse your hair period to remove dirt, debris, oil and build up from the scalp which is important for overall healthy hair.

How often should I shampoo?

This is dependent on one’s sebum level and personal choice. For oily hair or people who produce sebum quite frequently you can cleanse your hair every day. For dry hair or people who produce less sebum cleansing your hair can range from 1 week to a month or more depending on your hair and scalp needs.

Different Types of Shampoos

There are many different types of shampoos’ on the market to suit one’s hair needs such as:

• Dry hair shampoos
• Oily hair shampoos
• Smoothing shampoos
• Volumizing shampoos
• Clarifying shampoos
• Colour treated hair shampoos
• Moisturizing shampoos
• Strengthening shampoos
• Sulphate shampoos
• Sulphate free shampoos
• Shampoos which control frizz
• Sensitive scalp shampoos
• Shampoos for processed hair
• Organic shampoos

 

Whatever you are looking for, you name it they probably made it. There are plenty of varieties and mixtures being sold on the market today. Selecting a shampoo would depend on what your hair needs and is feeling like at the point in time or maybe your preference to smell. As always when buying products check the ingredients list first.

 

Alternatives to shampoos

Baking Soda

When mixed with water, this is an alkaline solution which is used to help cleanse the hair. It helps to remove the grease and can be effective in keeping one’s hair clean. It may be a bit difficult to rinse out of the hair so make sure you rinse thoroughly. As with everything research before you try it. Since baking soda can alter the pH of your hair, you must be careful when using this product.

Benefits:

Cuts through grease very easily, removes dandruff and solves itchy scalp.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Diluting apple cider vinegar with water helps to clean the hair as well as adds shine by removing build up and mineral deposits. It claims to make the hair feel soft, clean and shiny, though the smell may or may not disappear upon drying.

Benefits:

Balances pH of the scalp and hair, removes oiliness from the scalp, gives hair shine

Lemon Juice

Mixing lemon juice with warm water can be used to cleanse the hair. It claims to work if you have straight hair or to fight dandruff. The citric acid is what helps to be effective in lemon juice for getting rid of dandruff.

Benefits:

Fights dandruff and fungal infections, removes excess oil from hair, stimulates growth

Clay

Clay or mud cleansers can be used in place of a stripping shampoo. Rhassoul or bentonite clay can be used along with other mixtures. Some people like to add apple cider vinegar, essential oils, or use as is.

Benefits:

Removes impurities, removes excess oil, gives hair definition, nourishes hair follicles

Dry Shampoo

This type of shampoo is usually used to absorb the oils which accumulate from the scalp or roots. It can be used especially in between hair cleansing or when you are not ready to wash your hair. The best thing about this shampoo is that it doesn’t require you to get your hair wet.

Co-washing

Using conditioner only to cleanse your hair is supposed to be a lot gentler on the hair than a stripping shampoo. However, if you are choosing this method make sure to purchase a clarifying or cleansing conditioner. A regular conditioner which does not contain enough cleansing agents may add moisture and clean somewhat but it won’t get all the dirt out of your hair. Be careful if you are co washing with a regular conditioner and you have low porosity hair which tends to build up easily.

Water washing

Some naturals use water only to cleanse their hair. Massage your hair and scalp and use the pressure of the water to help push dirt and build up out of your hair. It’s a good option for people who have sensitive scalp. Installing a shower filter may be necessary to filter out hard water. I personally have never tried this, but from what I have researched water is the best moisturizer for your hair and it does wonders for moisture and definition.

Benefits:

Gentle cleaner, great for sensitive scalp, prevents hair loss, no product build up, easy and cheap

Shampoo Bars

Shampoo bars can be used to replace liquid shampoos. They are generally friendlier with the environment than liquid shampoos, use less packaging, last longer and some are sulphate free.

Aloe Vera

This plant is a natural resource which is antibacterial and antiseptic as well as moisturizing. Studies have shown that it can enhance cellular regeneration. It can be used to improve the health of your scalp and also as a gentle cleanser for the scalp.

Benefits:  Moisturizes and hydrates, great for sensitive scalp, improves health of hair

Calendula

This is another herb which has anti-inflammatory properties which is ideal for sensitive skin. Use the dried flowers and cover with any type of unrefined oil like avocado into a jar. Store for 2 – 3 weeks in a dark place and shake every day for the first week.  Strain the oil when the time is up and use like a regular shampoo.

DIY Shampoos

Some people choose to make their own shampoos as they feel safer knowing what they are putting in their hair. There are numerous hair recipes online and you can also add or subtract ingredients based on your preference.

 

 

    DETANGLING

 

Detangling is the action of using the fingers or tools such as brushes or combs to take out knots and tangles out of one’s hair. This can be a daunting and tedious task but only if you use the wrong products.

Best tools to detangle

Can only be decided by you and based on your hair type. You would have to pay attention to what tools gives you less breakage and shed hair when used. Here are a few tools listed which help to detangle natural hair:

• Tangle Teezer
• Paddle brush
• Denman brush
• Wide tooth comb
• Fingers

 

How often you detangle would mainly depend on how easily your hair tangles and hair type. For type 4 hair, styles such as wash and go’s cause more tangles compared to stretched styles which will provide less tangles. Something to note is that when hair is tangled it is also likely to be dry and brittle which can possibly cause breakage. When detangling you can choose wet or dry depending on which is easier for you to perform or which gives you less breakage. You will have to experiment with the different techniques to find which one is best suited for you.

 

Best Methods for drying hair

Depending on your hair type there are many ways to dry your hair after washing. Some methods however may deem safer than others but may take longer for example:-

• Blow dryer
• Air drying
• T shirt
• Towel
• Turban

 

Key tips for detangling type 4 hair:

Part your hair in sections

This can be anything from 4 sections to 20 sections. The smaller the sections the less time you spend working out a tangle. When you are finished detangling each section, twist the section to prevent shrinkage and further tangles.

Conditioner

If you have to spend 2 hrs detangling your hair and it isn’t waist length, you are doing something wrong. Either your method of detangling is wrong or most likely your conditioner doesn’t have enough slip. I had this issue for some time then realised my conditioner just wasn’t working out.

Once your hair is not terribly matted, detangling shouldn’t be hard once you have a conditioner with loads of slip. You don’t know what slip is until you have found it lol. Also conditioner doesn’t have to be the only thing you can use. Try these:

• Leave in used for detangling
• Mixing conditioner with oil (coconut, olive oil..)
• Slippery elm
• Marshmallow root

 

Patience

Even if you have your detangling method down there is nothing you can do but be patient. Detangling will always take time. If you are using a comb work your way from the ends and work your way up slowly to the roots. Don’t force the comb through. If you’re using your fingers start parting from the roots and section slowly. I have found that this method works well for me and I have high density, thick strands.

Don’t overdo it

Depending on how you choose to detangle you could be just be causing more tangles. If you are finger detangling know that you can’t get all the tangles and shed hairs out. Even if you think you  can, I am pretty sure if you pass a comb through your hair, you will still find shed hairs and tangles. If you are finger detangling then using a comb, there is no need to spend up to 2 hrs detangling.

Try different methods

Try wet or dry detangling before and after washing with different tools. Something is bound to work.

Last but not least I am going to be honest and tell you that you probably are going to experience breakage when you do or try these new methods. What I mean is that no one just gets it. They went through loads of breakage trying new products and new methods before they could have arm pit or waist length hair and at that stage they still get breakage. Don’t feel bad if you do, you just work at it and try different things and most important pay attention to how your hair is responding.

 

As always have a happy and healthy hair journey.

Naturalkinkstrinis 1