Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts






I straightened my hair properly for the first in months last week, and I was a little bit worried about it not reverting, especially as I have been working so hard to get a good routine going! Luckily it bounced back (literally) bigger and better than ever so I thought I would blog about what I used to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

STEP ONE

So first of all, before i washed my hair I made sure it was fully combed out, free from any grips, because they tend to get lost in there, and I sprayed it with some water to get the process going. 

STEP TWO 

I then washed it with my ALL TIME FAVOURITE shampoo, the Aphogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair. I think this shampoo is around £5.99 but it lasts quite a long time and is great at clarifying my hair, defining curls and reducing frizz. 

You can see my wash routine here. However I am probably going to update it again soon! 

STEP THREE

I then made sure that was rinsed out and then, if I am honest I then shampoo'd it AGAIN with Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo. I find that this one adds a lot more moisture and adds a bit of 'juiciness'. 

STEP FOUR 

Then whilst it was damp, I separated it into four sections using clips and used the Shea Moisture Strength & Restore Treatment Masque throughout the sections from root to end. I then wrapped my hair in a plastic bag and then used the hairdryer on a warm setting over the top for about 20 minutes. This is to restore my hair after all the heat I used last week, I was a little sceptical about buying it as that little tub was £12.99 but all the reviews convinced me! I definitely think it is a good product, my hair is much curlier and springy and the shrinkage was more than usual! 

STEP FIVE 

I then washed this out and blotted the water out with a t-shirt. Then I applied a mixture of argon oil and coconut oil to the damp hair all over. I would usually added castor oil but I didn't have it with me this time. I then split my hair into four sections and made sure it was moisturised. I used the Keracare Hair Milk, Daily Hair Sustainer after that to lock the moisture in. 

STEP SIX

I then got my Creme of Nature Argon Oil Twirling Custard and did a medium sized twist out. I slept on this in a pineapple style wrapped in a silk scarf. 

THE NEXT DAY.... 

The next day may hair looked a bit flat, I still haven't mastered the twist out, so whilst I was in the shower I flashed some water on my hair to add some life back in and that worked a treat. I then got out the shower and shook it thoroughly and used the blowdryer on a cool setting to make sure it was fully dry.

THE DAY AFTER THAT....

I applied more oil each day and slept with it in a pineapple wrapped in a scarf. I took this picture 2 days after washing and as soon as I woke up so nothing is on my hair at this stage. 


Disclaimer - I am not a professional and I am still learning, everyone's hair is different so things that work for me might not work for you and vice/versa. :) 







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... 





Hair Chat...
I am not usually one for Hair Masks, only due to laziness because once I am out of the shower I don't want to get all nice and warm and then have to go back in again, especially in Winter! 
But I am currently trying to refrain from using heat on my hair, because honestly I was just bored of wearing it straight all the time, and it is natural but really doesnt look it because I press it all the time. I have a bit of heat damage at the front of my hair where I straightened it the most so I have to make sure I put rollers in the ends so that it doesn't look straight where the rest of it curls. That was the main thing stopping me from just washing it and leaving it rather than blowdrying and straightening etc. 
So thats the current situation. I will eventually start taking pictures and document different styles etc... But for now I am just finding my feet in managing my fro (and blogging!) because I have A LOT of hair and it is very thick so its pretty time consuming leaving it in a natural style. 
I realise that the most important thing to do with hair especially during any transition is to keep it moisturised, and water is the best there is, so all week I have been wetting my hair constantly and by doing that I have realised that I do actually have a curls!
I have had mini twists in my hair for a week, this was a protective style because I was getting bored of styling it, but I undid that today (Sunday pamper day) and washed my hair.
Following that, this is where the Vatika Deep Conditioning Hair Mask came in! Last week I did the Aphogee two step protein treatment and quite honestly I have never seen my hair that curly, so that inspired me to keep trying new products. I will definitely have to do a review with pictures, but it is quite expensive at around £16.99 (stolen from mums hair draw) so that will have to wait! 
Keep reading if you want to see how I got on with this mask.
Vatika Naturals Black Seed Deep Conditioning Hair Mask Review... 
This mask cost £5.99, just from a local hair shop but you can also get it online here!
It is supposed to promote hair growth, moisture and shine. 

On first impressions, it is a really gross colour, its a dark green colour and the texture is just like conditioner but a bit thicker. It smells really strong and soapy, which is more encouraging than the look of the product. 

Pros: 
  • Its a decent price for a lot of product, I think all of the tubs are 500g which is a good amount.
  • The packaging is quite nice and it just does what it says on the tub. You could also reuse the tub for something else. 
  • The best thing I like about this mask is that my hair felt really moisturised and light after using it.
  • The smell makes you feel like you are really doing something for your hair, but it doesn't tingle or feel like it has any harmful chemicals in. 
  • It completely detangled my hair after washing and made it super wavy.
Cons:
  • Personally I would have preferred the mask if it turned hard like clay because I think it would be easier to wash out and you could easily see if you left any product in your hair. 
  • The packaging doesn't tell you how much to apply which is annoying, I think this is a bit of marketing because if you use more than you need you are obviously going to run out quicker.
Overall I had a good experience with this mask and I will use it again.

Let me know if you have used this mask before or if you have any suggestions for more products to review! xxx