Braids Again

On 21.8.14, I did something that I haven't done in a very long time, years in fact. I paid for someone else to braid my hair. I was desperate for a change and did not have the time or patience to do it myself, so I went to my sisters hairdresser. This was an interesting experience and was a reminder of why I started doing hair myself.

I asked for my braids to be BSL, but they were more tailbone length. The amount of hair used per plait was too much as it is almost impossible for me to grip all the hair with one hand to style it. And it is super heavy. BUT... she did to a great job. My hair was neat and wasn't braided too tight at all. The other benefit is that it only took 4 hours. I arrived at 5pm and left at 9pm. Which I was very pleased about.  Had I done it myself it would definitely have taken 12 hours.  Definitely. However, this is because I had 2 people doing my hair at any one time. I bought 4 packs of expression hair. But didn't use it all.

So it's been in for about 6 weeks now. I wash them once a week with a mild shampoo and condition with the red HE conditioner. I spray it with braid spray every day and oil my scalp from time to time.

I really should take them out, but I'm going to try and hold on to it a bit longer and just re-braid the front and edges. I'm going to see how long I can keep it up. Braids are so low maintenance, and I love that.

A Fresh Start

It has been an absolute age since I last posted a blog. It certainly was not intentional, it just kinda happened. Plus I have no computer at the moment and have to use my phone which is far from ideal. I really can't remember when I last relaxed my hair, but it was probably sometime in May or June.  But that is not the reason for this post.

Those of you that follow my instagram may have noticed that I cut my hair into a bob in July. The hairdresser said she took off about 6 inches and I was amazed when I saw the hair laying on the floor. It looks like so much more! I really thought that my hair needed a good cut to give myself a fresh start. I have been saying for a long time that I'm not retaining length and I really need to get back to basics, so I cut my hair for a fresh start.  I must admit I love having shorter hair and I actually think it is just as versatile as my longer hair. All in all this is my fresh start. I would say my hair is grazing shoulder length now.

Last night I doused my hair with Coconut Oil and Neutrogena Triple Moisture Conditioner and then covered my hair with a plastic cap, 3 plastic bags a headscarf and a bonet. I'm hoping this will give my hair some much needed moisture and help to soften it too. I still wash my hair weekly and intend to grow out my hair once more and will keep you posted on my progress.

Wedding 12.7.14

Raging Red and Wild Cherry

I have taken some pictures of my hair in natural sunlight to show the colour that my hair reaches when dyed with a semi-permanent dye.  I used a combination of Raging Red and Wild Cherry by Adore.  I always use this particular brand as it offers the colour that I want and produces a vibrant wearable colour.  I dyed my hair on relaxer day, then went to the hairdressers (for the first time since my hair journey began almost 3 years ago) one week later where my hair was blow dried and lightly flat ironed, and my hair trimmed and re-shaped.

Hairstyles I've tried

So I have been relaxed for one week now and thought I would share with you the styles that I have tried with my now manageable hair. I love when it is relaxed after a stretch. There is such a difference and the styling options are everlasting! I went out to a family do on sat and thought I would do something different with my hair. I attempted to do the Banana Clip Pin Curl, as done by Sunshyne of Hairlista and Hairlicious Inc. I followed these steps as well as I could but it didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. I think the problem was that started out with flat ironed hair and not air dried. Anyhow, this is how it looked at the start

  

   Then I noticed that it had dropped so I tried to fix it when I got to my mum's house, but think I should have left it alone.  This is how it looked after I 'fixed' it...  Sorry, but the lighting in my mum's bathroom isn't so great, and I am still using my phone to take pictures.

  

So this is how I styled it on Monday.  It is just a simple sock bun with my fringe.  I really like having a fringe.  Kinda makes my hair look a little less boring.

Then On Tuesday I stopped caring! No...not really, it was wash day - click here to see how that turned out.

Wednesday I put my hair into four plaits and kept that in until Friday when I took it out for a braidout:

  

  

I'm gonna try not to use any heat until my next relaxer day - I really think this contributes to my length retention.

After a few days, the braidout was well and truly on it's last legs, so I just put my hair in a bun.

  

What works best for you?

My first Video - wash day

Hey everyone, I have finally bitten the bullet and gone through the arduous process of recording and editing a video.  This one shows me applying deep conditioner, drying and moisturising my hair.  No heat was used as this is my typical routine for a wash day.  The video is agreeably a little choppy, but I will do better next time.  My hair is 8 weeks post relaxer and I am planning to go 12-16 weeks before I re-touch my new growth.

I was inspired by sistawithrealhair, on youtube to experiment.  On one half of my hari, I applied the conditioner to wet hair and on the other half I applied it to dry hair.  Once rinsed out, my hair felt just a little smoother on the 'dry hair' side, however on airdrying, my hair felt bushier and more wild on the 'dry hair' side, so the jury is still out on that one

Hope you enjoy

Blessings
Naddy x

Braids, Braids, Long Braids

So, you will probably know that I am bored of my hair now, I have been saying so for quite some time, and I just spontaneously decided to put my hair in extensions.  I had a packet of Khanekelon (not too sure how to spell it) hair left over from some braids that I did some time ago.  On Bank Holiday Monday (09/04/2012), two days after my wash day, I decided to put in braids, waist length braids.  This took quite some time, I started at about 10.30am and was not finished at 7pm, but I had run out of hair.  I knew this would happen so I only left a section in the middle and put my hair into a bun so that I could go to work on Tuesday.  Below you can see a few pics whilst i was installing the braids

Right side braided in progress

Close up of left side braids

Better capture of back braids

So here are a few pics of my hair now that it is done and some styles I have worn too!

One large fat canerow

High Bun braids

High bun - parting pattern visible

To look after my hair, I spray it with a mixture of water, HE conditioner and olive oil - daily, sometimes twice a day, depending on how dry it is.  I also oil the scalp every few days or as needed.  I cover it every night with a scarf, and that's about it.  I'll probably do my first wash after 2-3 weeks.

I am planning on keeping my hair in for about 5-6 weeks, so that should take me to the middle of may.  I'll then do a protein treatment then relax at the end of May, followed by a well needed trim.  I'll be sure to update you.

Till next time
Blessings
Naddy x

Hair for the week - Twists

So I am still getting bored of my hair, and I wasn't too sure what to do with it.  I wanted a protective style that was low manipulation and would last for the week.  I asked my friend and she gave me a load of suggestions: Bun, braid-out, updo, cornrows, twits.  I went with the twists.  My intention was to get my hair done in 1 hour - WRONG! took me the best part of 3.5 hours!  I didn't get to bed until 1.30am today because I was doing my hair, and when the alarm went off at 6am, I really did not want to get up - so I didn't

Anyway - have a look below at the style that I created. 

I think that next time, instead of finding a hairstyle of the week, I will find a hairstyle of the month and just put my hair into braided extensions again.  I have had enough.  Relaxer day is not until 25th May when I will be 16 weeks post, and my hair is getting hard of hearing! 

Blessings

Naddy x

Hair for the week

Well my last post was about how bored I was with my hair.  Yesterday was wash day and today was Church, so I had my hair in a side swept twist out that I turned into a textured side bun with rolled fringe - forgot to take a pic sorry!  But then I thought to myself, what can I do with my hair today so that it will last the week?  and then the answer came - The same hairstyle only in canerows.  Now I am not the greatest at canerowing and I know that I need practice, but after spending the best part of an hour on my hair, it better last me.  See below for some pics that I took close ups and the finished product.

Another view of unfinished style from back

Unfinished style - subject to change

Side with head band

Finished from back with head band

 Below are just a few closeups of the finished style.

And that's it!

Blessings
Naddy x