Hair Care Routines

In the last few days I've been busy working out, researching hair care routines, and starting a natural hair Facebook group. 

One of my favorite things to do is talk about natural hair care. I have lots of friends who have been natural for a while, are considering going natural, are currently transitioning to natural, or parenting children with natural hair. I randomly have conversations with most of them on Facebook about what's working and what's not working. I figured it would be a great idea to bring all of my favorite naturals together to have one big, ongoing conversation all about hair! The best part about the group is everyone is encouraged to invite their natural friends so that we can have tons of perspective in a respectable atmosphere. 

Thanks to my new natural community, I've finally come up with hair care routines for me and my little one. Please see below and feel free to comment.

Reka’s Routine*

1. Co-washing: 1x per week – co-wash with V-05 conditioner on Saturday
2. Pre-poo / Shampooing: 1x per week – pre-poo with olive oil on Tuesday and wash out with Shea Moisture Curl & Shine shampoo on Wednesday
3. ACV Rinsing: 1x every other week – after co-wash on Saturday
4. Deep Conditioning: alternate between moisturizing treatment (homemade concoction of coconut oil, avocado oil & organic honey) and protein treatment (Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque) every other week on Wednesday
5. Clarifying: 1x per month – shampoo with Giovanni Deep Cleanse Shampoo at end of month on Wednesday

Livy’s Routine*

1. Co-washing: 1x per week: co-wash with V-05 conditioner on Saturday
2. Pre-poo / Shampooing: 1x per week – pre-poo with olive oil and wash out with Shea Moisture Curl & Shine shampoo on Wednesday
3. Deep Conditioning: 1x per month – alternate between moisturizing treatment (homemade concoction of coconut oil, avocado oil & organic honey) and protein treatment (something homemade) every other month
4. Clarifying: 1x per month – shampoo with Giovanni Deep Cleanse Shampoo at end of month

*LOC method after every wash and when needed between washes

Homemade Hair: Shea Butter Mixture & Twists

This is my first installment of something I like to call "Homemade Hair." I'm currently16 months past my last relaxer, and I've gone about 14 months without applying heat to my hair. These particular posts will explore my homemade hair concoctions and hairstyles.

Three days ago, I decided I wanted to try to make my first homemade hair product. I gathered ingredients from my bathroom and kitchen, grabbed a bowl, spoon, and empty container, and then went to work.

I started with organic, filtered African shea butter from Ghana. I ordered this product on Amazon a few months ago. When I ordered it, I had these big plans of using it exclusively as my cream in the liquid oil cream (LOC) method for moisturizing hair. In reality, I've used it a handful of times for my hair and a couple of times for my stretch marks.

I really like the way shea butter seals moisture into the hair, but I don't like it's gritty texture. Please note, the texture is really not a problem if you take the time to properly melt it. I choose to melt it by rapidly rubbing it between the palms of my hands.

While I was perusing the internet for natural hair recipes I noticed a lot for whipped shea butter, and decided that I really wanted to make one for myself so that I could bypass the grit and get to the goods.

For my mixture I first placed half cup of shea butter in a container. I sat the container in a bowl of warm water. I was careful not to allow any of the water to enter the container because I didn't want my mixture to be ruined. My mixture is not meant to moisturize the hair, but rather to seal in moisture that has been previously added.

Next I added a couple teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to the melted shea butter. I love EVOO because of its great properties. According to Dr. Phoenyx Austin, author of If You Love It, It Will Grow: A Guide To Growing Long Afro Textured Hair, EVOO moisturizes hair, prevents hair loss, strengthens hair, acts as a deep conditioner, and eliminates dandruff.

Then I added a teaspoon of 100% pure castor oil. Some people only think of castor oil as that disgusting liquid your grandma made you choke down as a laxative back in the day, but I love to use it for it's beauty properties.

Castor oil is a lot heavier than olive oil, but it's great for making my curls softer and thicker. Dr. Austin has written that this oil promotes hair growth, prevents thinning, moisturizes, reduces split ends, and tames frizz.

I mixed everything together by hand, but the next time I make a batch of this shea butter mixture I'll be sure to use an electric mixer.  I then co-washed my hair, which means to wash the hair with conditioner only. It sounds a tad bit strange, but it's a great way to clean the hair and scalp without stripping away natural oils.

After I carefully towel-dried my hair, I then applied a small amount of Kinky-Curly Knot Today detangler/leave-in conditioner. I finger-detangled my hair and then finished detangling with a wide-tooth comb. Next I proceeded to two-strand twist my hair without parting the hair first. I like for my hair to look as natural as possible, so I rarely ever part it with a comb. To the right you'll see my shea butter mixture and my finished two-strand twists with the mixture used as a sealant.

Yesterday my hair looked a little dull so I decided to spray my hair with a little water and reseal it with my mixture. Today I took down my twists, and I really love the results.

If you're interested in reading more of what Dr. Austin considers the best oils for natural hair, please read her article on the Black Girl With Long Hair Blog.