I've finally reached a stage in my natural hair journey where I occasionally feel comfortable wearing it all out. Just rocking it. Previously, my only obstacle was the bits of straight hair and heat damage that would mean I didn't have a nice shape, or some bits would look lifeless (yes I tend to chop them off and hope for the best) But since Jan 18' I've worn my hair straight probably three times, for no longer than two weeks, and it's made all the difference!

I get so many questions about what I use, so thought I would share those here in steps!

Stage 1 

Clarify - I'm usually super busy in the week, or get home late from work, so I don't have time to wash it mid week. It's not the washing that takes so long, it's allowing it to dry properly so that it doesn't turn into a frizzy mess that's most important. 

To get rid of the build up of product I've started using The Creme of Nature Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. It's amazing, just make sure you close your eyes!

This will help to completely rid your hair of any product which makes anything you put on your hair afterwards, work to the best of its ability. It's cheap too! You can of course just buy ACV (apple cider vinegar) and dilute it, but this is super handy. 

Once a week, I also use a mask. I would recommend the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque.

Stage 2

I then used a bit of shampoo, mostly because of the vinegar-y smell and to bring some shine back. I wouldn't recommend using too much shampoo after a ACV rinse as this can strip its natural oils.

I'm obsessed with the Twisted Sista Shampoo. It makes my hair so defined and it's half the price of Shea Moisture.

I also love the Shea Moisture Curl and Shine Shampoo, which you can get from Boots. 

Stage 3

I then rinse again, and this is where I add an essential oil to lock in the moisture. I've been using almond oil. Olive oil, Argon oil and Almond oil work really well for me as they're quite heavy. 

Stage 4 

Next up, I rinse again and then use the Twisted Sista Curl Jelly. This is amazing and so affordable! To get a defined look that is also sits well, you can also use Eco Styler Gel. I just rake it through my fingers.

I then air dry and then finish off by diffusing on a cool setting. 

As you can see it takes a lot of products to perfect my hair routine, and no doubt if you're natural you feel the same!

Boots offers a volunteer panel, which allows you to test the safety and performance of Boots skin care, cosmetics, sun care and toiletries products including No7, Soltan, Soap & Glory, Botanics and Champneys.

As you are already aware Boots stocks a number of products specifically for Asian and black skin types and they are keen to attract more black and Asian women over 18 to the volunteer panel to get their feedback on these products!

Check out the website here. 

Now - Just washed - no product

Why is it that at every point in a natural hair journey, we think our hair is at it's absolute best? Looking back at old pictures when I thought my hair was at it's ultimate health, I'm now convinced that I was blind. Maybe I'll look back at these pictures in a few months and think the same thing, but to appreciate the journey, it's great to look back at old pictures!

2016 - Freshly washed, damaged

You know what? I was trying (LOL) and it shows that to get somewhere, no matter what it is, you just have to start. At this point I realised how important it was to feed your hair with water, and I'm so glad I took these pictures so I have something to compare to. However, I was washing my hair with shampoo waaaayy too often, which made it dry and brittle.

1. Patience - this is probably the key to LIFE never mind hair but let's not get too deep, right now I'm applying it to hair. I say patience because it's taken nearly two years to get the thick curly hair I wanted. You also need the patience to try out new hair products, which I still do constantly, and go through a lot of trial and error when it comes to styling. Patience is really important when it comes to styling, as I've only recently realised how important it is to let your hair dry thoroughly for a great look. 
2. Invest - invest in good hair products, because unfortunately the better ones do cost more for a reason. Instead of spending loads of money on weaves and wigs, why not invest in your own hair that you'll have to live with for the rest of your life? It's cheaper too. 
3. Stress less - The less you mess with your hair, the more it'll love you, protective styles are good for this, but just wearing your hair up for a week or wearing a hat outside in the cold will relieve your hair. 
4. Trim it - cutting it in order for it to grow might seem counter productive, trimming dead ends and avoiding split ends helps to maintain and encourages hair growth 
5. Love your bad hair days - and don't let those days put you off taking care of your hair, because everyone has them 

September 2016 - Thin Hair straightened

December 2017 - Thicker, longer hair

This is the Aunt Jackie's Curls and Coils Curl La La Defining Custard.  I had read lots of amazing reviews of this product online and it was one of the more affordable curl creams available in my local hair shop at just £5.99. I bought this because I wanted to find a cream that would help define my curls with adding frizz or leaving residue. I

I always look for reviews online of products I am intending to buy, so here is another one out there for people like me.  I thought I would keep this review simple by just doing a list of the Pros and Cons! 


Pros 
First of all, this is the BEST smelling product I have used probably ever. It smells so fruity and the smell lasts all day!

It is affordable and is widely available on the high street

The packaging is cute and the tub can definitely be re-used

It is very moisturising and has a nice texture. I would say it is better as a moisturiser than a curl definer as it isn't sticky and it prevented my hair from drying out after being in the cold and wind!
My ends did stay curled!

Cons 
I think the texture is too 'liquid-y' (if that makes sense) to keep my hair from frizzing, it isn't heavy enough for my 4C hair 
It did define the curls but as my hair is so thick, once I had un-sectioned all of my hair it was just a big damp mess, therefore I think it would only work for me in a half up half down hairsyle.
Overall....
It's not something I would rely on if I was going on a big night out or for a special occasion. I think it would let me down! 
I would rate this a 4.5 out of 10 

I prefer....
Eco Styler Argon Oil Styling Gel. This is the best for me to define curls and for around £3.50 you can get a huge tub! The only issue I have with this is that you do get quite a lot of build up, but if you wet your hair under the shower it will bounce back to life and you can add more! 
Remember....
Not everything that works on other people will work on you and things that work on you won't work on other people... 

My hair was very dry after a day out in the cold and wind as you can see in the first picture. I had it in a low pony tail with a puff at the back and it felt really tangled and wiry by the evening, so I had to do something about it ASAP. I heard that the LOC method was the most popular way to lock in moisture but I didn't have a lot of products to work with and I thought it would be interesting if to see if it would work on a student budget!

Conditioning is more crucial than ever during Winter, it is more likely that the crisp weather will dry out your hair which will lead to breakage and no-one wants that! My hair goal for this year is growth, so here are just two of the products I will be using to ensure that I reach that goal and get through these Winter months.



As you can see from the image, the Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner is well used in our house. It's a product that me and my mum just cannot get enough of! In fact you could go as far as to say that it is my favourite Leave In Conditioner of all time. First of all it smells great. This is a real essential for me at the moment as I am trying to refrain from using heat on my hair, and having nice smelling hair is one of the bonuses of giving the straighteners a break.

Secondly it is a really vital product at this time of the year, as it locks in moisture to prevent breakage. At this time of the year with the cold weather it is more likely that you lose hair due to the frosty weather that can dry it out. It's all about conditioning and moisturising.

Thirdly it is affordable at around £3.99 and it does contain quite a lot of product in the tub. I like the fact that you just put your hand in and scoop it out rather than having a pump that you have to press hundreds of times to get enough product, especially if you have thick hair like me.


This Daily Oil Moisturiser has all of the same benefits of the conditioner, but it's more for styling. I wouldn't recommend using this if you have your hair in a straight/pressed style as water is the first ingredient.

It smells amazing and is ideal for untangling hair after a long day of it being open to the elements. I would say that this product can be used everyday if you use a small amount, but a little goes a long way and I guess that depends on how well your hair soaks in the product. It isn't too heavy so that it ruins your style and it is also very affordable at around the £4 mark.

I have seen a lot of controversy around the use of mineral oil in this product, but personally for me it works great!