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.

Why I'm Not Retaining Length

I think I've figured it out.  I have not been doing the protective styles that my hair loves.  I have returned to the products and method of hair-care that I used, but not the styles.  At the start of my hair journey, I would put my hair in braids at least once every 4 months (usually when my new growth got too much to handle), and with each relaxer I would see some length retention.  I think I am gonna go back to protective styling in the form of braids, and probably try a weave too.  I just can't figure out why else I've not retained length.  So I have a wedding to attend at the end of the month, so I'll put in the braids the week after and see if I can keep them in until my birthday in November (we'll see)

If this is not the reason I'm not retaining length, then I will have to go back to the drawing board to try and figure this out.  Wish me well!!!

As a side-note, my 'satin' scrunchies arrived today... however, it says '100% polyester' - go figure! lol.  I've noticed that the hairbands that I use, although they are ouch-less, they do sometimes drag out my hair too when I'm removing them, so I ordered these on Amazon, to see if they would help with that problem.  Lets see how they work.

Setback due to laziness?

So it just seems as though my hair has not retained any length since my last length check in September 2012!  My goal was to reach BSL this year, so that's not been going so well.  I did have a good trim of about 2-3 inches in January 2013 as I thought that my ends looked horrible and I thought that a good trim would change that.  I was wrong.  My hair is still brittle, it is still breaking and it feels as though it is shedding more than normal.  I am at a loss as to what to do to fix it.  I think that my relaxers will have to happen every 2-3 months and no less, otherwise the breakage just gets out of hand.  Also, I think I am going to revert back to what I was doing at the start of my hair journey.  I would wash my hair twice a week, wear protective styles all the time, airdry my hair all the time and moisturise and seal twice a day.  That seemed to work in the beginning, so I will go back to that.  TBH, I have been a bit lazy in the last year or so - not covering my head at night, (althogh I do have a satin pillow case), not moisturising and sealing, and only washing once a week.

I tried a flat twist high bun as a protective style recently, so here's a pic of the look.  I am planning to relax in a couple of weeks, and I'll check back in then

I promised my uncle

My uncle absolutely HATES weaves, wigs extensions etc and has an obsession with hair that grows out of your head (whether relaxed or natural), so I (foolishly) made a promise to him in October, that I would not do anything to my hair until the end of the year.  It was hard, man it was HARD! because so many times I was tempted to put it in extensions. I got bored of my hair, I got fed up of my hair, dare I say it but I fell out of love with my hair!

Well, now that the end of the year is within grasp, it's time for me to choose a protective style.  I want one that will last me at least two months, because I am studying and don't want to fuss with my hair, plus I think that the lack of protective styling has hindered my length retention (or it could just be that my hair regime is non existent right now!)

I was thinking of Crochet Braids.  As I was perusing through YouTube, I came across crochet braids, and that really took my fancy.  I have been considering putting my hair in weave, and this seems like the next best thing!  Any suggestions?

Blessings
Naddy x

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?

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