Top Tip : T Shirt Drying

Recently after shampoo washing my hair I have been using a t-shirt to wrap my hair in order to dry it. I generally always air dry my hair (I've blow dried 3 times since I big chopped). Instead of using a towel I use a t-shirt (after applying my leave-in) until my hair is about 60% damp and then I braid in order to stretch my hair.

Click here to read about the benefits of t-shirt drying

Product Suggestions for an All-Natural Regimen

Hope it is helpful!

Also heyfranhey has a Youtube and Tumblr and an all natural regimen so you could check her out too

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Mini Natural Hair Product Haul

I purchased the above products online as I did not have a moisturiser so decided to settle for the all-natural Shea Butter and I was running low on Aubrey Organics and I CANNOT be without this deep conditioner! I have been wanting to purchase the Curl Enhancing Smoothie for aaaaages and I am so glad I got my hands on it. The Shea Butter was from Amazon and the remaining products from Beauty By Zara. Here are some other peoples to purchase natural hair products.

10 Top Tips for Natural Hair Growth, Retention and Type 4 Hair

Just sharing 10 important things I have learnt since I approach my 2 year post relaxer date next week. Look out for a length check video soon and an updated hair regimen video on my Youtube channel :)

1) Don't detangle on dry hair. I detangle with a wide tooth comb weekly after washing
2) Don't go to sleep on loose hair. Braid it or twist it otherwise you will regret it. You. Will. Regret. It.
3) At night braid in the direction you want your braidout to fall, this goes for twistouts too!
4) Ensure you use butters on your hair (especially in Winter!) for example this, this and this
5) Stretch headbands for your puff before to avoid headaches. Click here for a how to 
6) Don't compare your growth to anyone else
7) But keep track of your growth through pictures or videos
8) Use a heat protectant before blow drying or straightening (some use 2!)
9) Co washing doesn't work (for me anyway, a sulfate free shampoo wash 1x a week is necessary for me especially as I workout 3x week)
10) Wash and gos don't work  (for me anyway!)

How I Wear My Natural Hair Under My Wig

Currently I am in Ghana, it is 32 degrees centigrade over here so I will not be wearing wigs unless I'm going out in the evening. It is waaay too hot to wear a wig in the day! Saying that, the plan for the Spring/Summer is for me to wear my hair out (eek!) and put down the wigs until Autumn. I'll keep you updated on that one. The wig I am wearing is the wig I made here.
I wash my hair weekly, detangle and braid down my hair as flat as I can. Here are some pictures:

Okay they're big, they're ugly but it does the job and I cannot cornrow. I find braiding my hair wet makes my hair lay flatter. I do think as my hair grows it is going to get even more difficult to wear wigs as the braids may make my wig bulky :/. But at the moment, there's no problem:

My Super Moisturising Deep Conditioning Routine

These are the two products that I use in my hair. On the left is Shea Butter restorative conditioner, if you want a review click here. And my all-time favourite deep conditioner Aubrey Organics, click here for the review.

I apply the restorative conditioner to each section (I use 5-8 sections) and then I layer Aubrey on top of it.

If I have failed to moisturise my hair the day before I use my olive and castor oil mix first on each section. I generally workout whilst the deep conditioner is in my hair (my hair is covered in a scar of course). When I take down my hair to wash it, it is always super moisturised and super soft.

This combination is a bit heavy (ideal for my type 4 hair) but it did give a nice curl pattern (curl styler maybe?). I loved the definition, I really need to start doing styles on my hair. My hair is past the TWA (teeny weeny afro) stage. Let me know if there are any good styling products. I need to purchase one. I'm thinking- African Pride's shea butter curl pudding, Shea Butter's (pricey but all natural) curl enhancing smoothie or an old favourite Elasta QP mango butter.

My Natural Hair Regimen

My regimen at the moment is very simple and not that different from my relaxed/transitioning routine. I thought it may be helpful so I'll post it anyway.

Daily: I moisturise with my Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner (I'm just trying to use this product up!).

I kind of want to go back to this moisturiser:
 

But the ingredients....eek!
Every other day: Seal with coconut oil

Weekly (Wash Day):
1) Deep Condition (I apply this to 4 sections): I use my Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner and sometimes oil (coconut, olive and/or castor). I DC for 15minutes-1 hour.

2) Shampoo: I shampoo in 2 sections. I use this:

3) I condition in 2 sections, using this:

 4) Apply my leave-in conditioner:

5) Detangle my hair whilst damp using a wide tooth comb. Then style :)

That's it! If you want to read the reviews about any of these products then click the "products " tab at the bottom of my blog.