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. 

Left = Summer 2016, Right = January 2017

After Straightening, I spray it with hairspray if it is for a night out, I used the Tresemme Firm Hold spray and my style stayed in tact until the next day! I then wrap the top with a silk scarf. Before I go out I then fluff it out again with my fingers to make it full!

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... 

• Curls will come back! It's all about patience. As you can imagine I had quite a bit of heat damage on the ends (luckily not as much as I thought) so that initially put me off wearing it as an afro, but I just bit the bullet and you will see that straight ends will start to revert. 

• It takes a while to learn what works on your hair and what doesn't. Not everything that you see  hair bloggers use will work on you so prepare for a few rough looking days when things go wrong! 

• It takes WAAAY more time getting ready in the morning now. I thought it would be the other way round! 

• You don't need to have a lot of money to achieve different styles. My go to's are Ecostyler Gel and Water! 

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!

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 

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!

natural hair today

Water based products are a no go. 

It seems to me that people tend to think that just because you are natural that anything water based will make your hair full and curly. NO. especially with relaxed ends it just highlights the damage on the ends and also this can damage your hair as it makes the divide between the thick hair and the thin hair weaker. And personally I hate this look.
Argon Oil is a must have

Argon oil is great to add shine and make your hair feel stronger, unlike most hair oils argon oil doesn't really make your hair feel like it needs another wash if you put it in whilst damp.

Coconut Oil is a go to product