3 Tips To Help Keep Breakage at Bay + Giveaway!!!!!

Hey guys, 

So I just got back from getting a trim, and I guess this is a fitting time to talk about this, breakage. Trims are one way to nip breakage in the butt!! Sounds weird to say that to avoid cutting your hair, you have to cut your hair. But it's true. Trims do not make your hair grow any faster, but it is a good way to see the actual growth. If your hair keeps breaking off, then you'll never get to see the progress. But if you get a trim when you know you need one, then it's sure to keep that breakage at bay, cause you are getting rid of dead ends and spilt ends that could rise up the shaft of your hair and cause overall damage. I used to be so scared to trim my hair, but now I know it's necessary. No need hanging on to dead ends, they don't look cute anyways. 

It is important to note that although you need trims, you don't wanna have to get it so often that all your growth is being cut off. I mean we grow approximately half an inch every month, and that's 2 inches every four months. If you get a trim within that period, cutting off about half an inch, then you are left with a reasonable amount of good healthy strong hair. 

Anyways what I am trying to say is that to avoid having to get a trim ever so often, there are a few things you have to do on a regular basis. I am sharing with, three main tips I practice religiously!

1) Moisture: By now, I am sure you know I swear by the LOC method. My staple products are the kinky coily knot today, grapeseed oil/jojoba oil/a mix and Jane Carter Nourish and Shine/Shea butter. Using these products in this order helps keep my strands moisturised for at least a week. Strands that are not properly moisturised are prone to breakage due to dryness. So guys I urge you to find what combination of products works for you and stick to it.

2) Low Manipulation: I do not think I can stress this enough! I believe my hair strives best when it is left alone, and this is why I try my very best to do that. I do have what they call "Hand in Hair Syndrome", so to combat that, I try to style my hair in a way that I do not have to restyle it between wash days. I keep my combing, detangling and what nots, to once a week, and that has really helped me prevent unnecessary breakage which can come from constant manipulation.

3) Protective methods: By this, I mean protecting your hair from drying out. So you've done all you can to put in moisture and seal it in. You have gone a step further to do a protective style. I believe the icing on the cake is to top it all off with a protective measure that ensures your hard work doesn't go down the drain. that can be done best by using Satin/Silk scarfs, bonnets and/or pillow cases. We all know that cotton is very drying, so using stain/silk helps preserve the moisture for as long as possible.

So yes guys, these are my little tips that can go a long way to helping you prevent unnecessary breakage. There are other things that may come into play with breakage like protein/moisture balance and the likes, but a good simple way to start off is by sticking to these routines, and every thing else is just a little extra step. I will be discussing about protein/moisture balance in particular in the near future, but for now, I think its time for a giveaway.

Remember I mentioned in a few posts back that I will be hosting a giveaway to celebrate a few "milestones", as well as to show gratitude to my readers and subscribers, those of you that have been following through this hair journey, and those that joined along the way. I truly appreciate it.

So in honour of the Breakage theme, I will be giving away my staple LOC method products, as well as a Stain material that can be used to make stain scarfs, or bonnets or pillow cases. And I feel if you are doing all these to try to prevent breakage, why not try get some extra growth? So in addition to these, I will be giving away a bottle of Mane Choice Manetabolism Healthy Hair Vitamins. If you havent seen my review on this product yet, please go do so using this link.

So the rules of the giveaway are very simple

1) You should be subscribed to my blog (Simply click on the "join this site" button and/or "follow me on blog lovin'")
2) You should be subscribed to my YouTube Channel 
3) You can either follow me on FaceBook or Instagram or both to increase your chances.
4) Comment under the post (on FaceBook or Instagram) advertising this blogpost, saying "Enter Me!"

So simple, right? Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to people in Europe and in Africa. I will be choosing two people, one from Facebook and one from Instagram, so good luck to everyone. I cant wait to see the winners!! :) I will be picking the winners in two weeks (19th of April)!!

Love,
Dumsy

Wash Day: Curly Mo-Hawk

Hello Loves,

Back again with another wash day. I did not write about my previous wash day because I am trying to figure something out.

Remember the mud wash I raved so much about. With the softness and smoothness I achieved. Guys, I think the smoothness is due to the fact that it shuts my hair shaft tight!! Does that make sense? Some would say this is good news, but for a low porosity hair like mine, I actually need it open to receive the treatment, hence why I use extra heat with my steamer. I am not a 100% sure, but I think I noticed that my hair felt a bit dry to the touch (although my fingers where "moisturised"), a couple of days after my wash day. This normally doesn't happen, as my trusted LOC method works!!. I will have to try again with the mud wash and keep a close eye to be sure. But yea, that is a theory I have. What do you guy think? Am I making any sense? Let me know in the comment section.

On to the matter of the day though,

Wash day went something like this:

1. Pre-pooed with my staples, coconut oil and hello hydration (Check out my video to see how my pre poo routine goes exactly)
2. Shampooed after about 30mins with Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine Shampoo.
3. T-shirt dried for a couple of minutes and the steamed for 20 mins with Mane choice Green Tea and Carrot deep conditioning mask. After that, an extra 40 mins under a plastic bag.
4. Rinsed that out and styled my hair. Of course, using my LOC method with kinky curly knot today, grapeseed oil and Jane Carter Nourish and Shine.

I would have said my wash that was pretty simple, but the styling took forever. Mainly because I couldn't figure out how to braid my left side with my short hands!! LOL. And the perm rodding technique was failing me. In the end though, after about 2 hours of frustration and nearly giving up, I figured it out and finished. I have a video on how I did it on my YouTube channel too, link here.

And here are some pictures, cause you know I love taking them. PS: I post all my pictures on Instagram first!! So follow me :) @growgrowinggrown

PSS: Check out the other lovely ladies and how their wash day went at #TheWashdayexperience Link up. 

The Inspiration

Take down, Separate, Fluff, Pose

Day Four

 Love,
Dumsy

Healthy Hair Enthusiast in The Netherlands?

Hey loves,

I woke up this morning with the urge to find a healthy hair community here in the Netherlands where I live. I would really like to attend an event centred around healthy hair care. It doesn't have to be a big event, it could be just a couple of girls with similar interests that come together to discuss, share and learn about our hair. I feel like there isn't much going on here in the Netherlands (or perhaps I am not just aware of it), in relation to such.

I see lots of such events around in US, UK and Nigeria, but its very scarce here in the Netherlands. I think one of the issues for me personally is the language, but I wont mind attending one in Dutch. My Dutch may not be close to perfect but it is enough to get me by and understand a few things. Plus, isn't hair a universal language between us ladies?. I am also sure that there are lots of other ladies here in the Netherlands, either here to work or school that do not speak the language either. Most of us, myself included, resort to youtube and blogs to learn and discuss our hair with others around that world.

One of the main reasons I started this blog, was to share my hair story with you guys, while keeping sort of a journal for myself. My aim is not only to inform, but to learn and hopefully inspire someone through my journey. I love that what I do, I love talking about hair and I am glad that in the process, I have meet a few wonderful people from my blog, youtube and Instagram page. It would be nice to meet up with people once in a while and exchange tips and tricks and just have fun all together.

So yes, I see I have a few readers around Europe, and here in the Netherlands, make yourself known guys. I would love to know if you will be interested in having a natural/relaxed/healthy hair meet up event. Where we discuss all about our hair, likes, dislikes, how we care for it and what not. It will also be an opportunity to learn from other ladies and maybe swap hair products. Let me know what you think and if you know people that will be interested in such an event. I think it will be fun.

Hope to here from you soon.

Love,
Dumsy

Wash Day: All-In-One Mud Wash

Hey Loves,

I am so excited to tell you about this wash day. Well, this past weekend, I was inclined too try something different. As you know, I have been contemplating with the idea of starting the Max Hydration Method, and last week, I went out in search for the products and found most of the essentials but baking soda. I also found out about a simple modified way to follow the regimen without having to do the seven day stretch from Dee of DubaiDee. She has also gone further to cut down most steps as she has nearly if not already reached "max hydration". Her recent version involves just two steps. The step using clay and the last step with the gel only.

Well to me it seemed like clay was the main culprit and seeing as I had that, I started thinking about doing a mud wash. I remembered Sandra from Naija Girl Next Door and AB from thekinkandi had both tried it in the past and loved the outcome. So yea, I decided to try it myself using the products in the picture below.

• Rhassoul Clay - is got from Atlas Mountains in Eastern Morocco. It is not only used for the hair, but also for the skin. Some of its benefits include:

-detoxifies (removes impurities)

-deep cleansing and conditioning treatment for hair

-clarifies your hair

-nourishes your hair

-deep cleansing facial and skin cleanser

-does not strip natural oils from your hair and skin

-improves skin clarity, elasticity and firmness

-smoother hair and skin

-treat and heals eczema, psoriasis, and acne

• Coconut milk - It was my protein treatment "day"so I decided to add it in the mix.
• Honey - Because honey is always a good idea. LOL extra moisture never hurt no one.
• Oils (JBCO, Coconut oil & Jojoba oil) - because why not? Each help promote growth, enhance shine and many more.

I mixed everything together-see how in this video-until I was okay with the consistency. Then I applied to my hair. My hair had not been detangled for a week, so I sprayed each sections lightly with water, finger detangled and smeared with the mixture. When I was done, I covered with two plastic bags as well as my stain scarf and left it on for about an hour, 30 minutes of which the last 20 minutes, I steamed.

Initial Thoughts and Final Verdict.

First of all, as I started I realised how quickly it dried up. Conditioner like paste  > cake batter like paste!! Had to add extra water as I was applying it. I think it also had to do with the fact that my hair wasn't very wet. Next time I'll apply it to damp nearly wet hair. Although I sprayed my hair with water, it wasn't enough. I even sprayed more water once I was done with application before putting on plastic cap.

Finally, when I was done with the steaming my hair didn't feel soft. Not as soft as when I use a conditioner, and that left me a bit wary. But it all changed once I stepped into the shower. I was able to rinse it out without any fuss. I also detangled further under the running water with my wide tooth comb!! Let me tell you, I was left with hair as soft as those expensive pillows!! Guys, this made me feel like all the times I thought my hair was "soft", were lies!!! And it felt clean too.

Remember when I talked about how I didn't like Kinky curly Knot Today so much  due to the fact that it didn't apply on smoothly to my hair? Well I this changed my mind fast!! All my products "took"in like never before. My hair shaft felt so smooth. All in all, I was a happy camper.

PS: I questioned why this wasn't what everyone did, I mean  it cleanses and conditions at the same time. But the AB told me that it doesn't clean your hair entirely like a shampoo does. So therefore, next time, I will try using it in place of my deep conditioner and shampoo and pre poo as normal.


Styling

I was supposed to style my hair with perm rods, but I was not getting the technique right, and I didn't have time to try and try again. So I decided to just twist my hair. I was excited with the outcome of the twits, looking all juicy and things. When I took it down at first I had a nice definition, but then separation came and I was left with a frizzy mess. Look at the pictures below. Pulled it into a puff and the next day, resorted to my go to cinnabun puffs!!

Tell me guys, how did your wash day go? Have you tried a mud wash before? How did that go? Share below and do not forget to check out the other ladies sharing their experiences on #thewashdayexperience linkup.

PSS: Guess what? It is my second year healthy hair anniversary!! I cant believe its been two years. I posted this picture on instagram and it got featured on one of the healthy hair pages. I am so glad I stumbled upon that article I spoke about in my very first post. Even if there has been many ups and downs, remember my rant post? I am glad of where I am now.

"It all started on March 4th 2013, I took down my braids after months of little to no care, and was left with tons of thick new growth with damaged ends. Within a year, after learning so much, I was able to turn that around a bit with a few setbacks here and there. Now here I am, exactly two years after, nearly 4 months post big chop & nearly 12 months since my last relaxer" 


Thank you guys for all the support through out these years. I started this blog two years ago although I was only able to summon up the courage last year, to constantly post and also share it publicly, I am very happy I did. I am thinking of doing a give away soon so stay tuned!!


Love,
Dumsy

Basic Steps In a Regimen: (1) The Act of Pre Pooing

Hey loves,

You guys know my go to pre poo is the coconut oil and herbal essence conditioner. It leaves my hair so soft and loosens any tangles in sight!! Its crazy, I swear!! God bless Naptural85 for this idea/method!

Anyways, some may ask, what exactly is pre pooing? Why should it be done? What are the benefits? What products can be used? Well my little picture below gives you the straight forward answers.

Lets discuss below, do you pre poo? Whats your go to pre poo mixture? Tell me, I wanna know!! :)

Love,
Dumsy.

Wash Day: Bantu Knots

Hey loves,

So is another week, another Wednesday, and the usual Wash day routine is here. My last wash day was kind of unexpected but expected. I woke up with no plans to wash my hair, changed my mind hours later and decided to try the MaxHydraytionMethod, then changed my mind again after a failed product shopping(didn't find all the necessary products) left me with a huge headache. After sleeping it off, I decide to just go ahead with my normal wash routine at 9pm. LoL talk about indecisive.

Anyways the best part of this wash day was my hair style. Remember when I said I have lots of plans for this year? Well one of them is to actually find a way to enjoy my hair with different styles, that last at least a week long so as to avoid too much manipulation. This gives me a good balance.



And it 'went' like this.....

1. Pre pooed the usual way, coconut oil and a cheap conditioner. Except this time I used a mixture of my ORS Replenishing Conditioner and my CON Argan Oil intensive Conditioner Treatment because silly me bought the hello hydration shampoo instead of the conditioner. Hmmmhp. Kept that on for about 30-40mins under a shopping bag. 
2. Cleansed my scalp and hair with my CON Argan Oil Moisture and Shine Shampoo. 
3. Soaked up excess water with a cotton T-shirt and followed up with a moisturising deep conditioner mix of ORS Curls Unleashed No Restrictions Moisturising Conditioner, raw honey and my oil mix (almond oil, JBCO and Jojoba oil). Sat under my steamer for about 20mins, and I was left with soft cotton ball like hair.
4. Rinsed my hair with lukewarm water to seal in some of the moisture from the deep condition treatment, and moisturised and styled my hair in Bantu knots using my staples, Kinky Coily Knot Today, Jojoba oil and Jane Carter Nourish & Shine.

My wash day didn't take that long, what took long was the styling. However I actually had fun doing it and I didn't get lazy as I normally would. Check out my video on YouTube to see how I did it. Also, hope you are following me on YouTube cause I plan to post more fun, helpful videos like this!!

Do not forget to check out other ladies and their #WashDayExperience

I love the look as it gets older!! Frizzer, but bigger and better!! Bantu Knots might be another go to!

Wash Day: Before & After Taking Out Braids

Hey loves,

Let me first apologize for being absent for the past weeks. I have been really ill, off and on for the past three weeks, and after it all, I went for a little holiday from which I just got back. I planned to post this wash day experience last week but in between being weak and trying to pack for my trip, I couldn’t pull it through. Anyways, although I have washed my hair again since then, I still think this is post could help some people so I am posting it now.

This is a two in one wash day, how to care for your hair before and after taking out braids!

Remember I had kinky twists installed towards the end of last year? And I was a bit lazy with taking care of my hair (I washed, or rather co-washed my hair twice during all of the five weeks I had them)? Remember also when I said you can be a little less strict with your hair in braids, IF and ONLY IF you do a proper care right before and after you take them off? That was exactly what I did.

WASH DAY BEFORE TAKING OUT BRAIDS

1. I cleansed my scalp and the length of my hair (not braids) with a sample shampoo I got, Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo. I figured with was a clarifying shampoo because of the ingredients, which are not the best btw but I figured I could get away with it just this once. I needed to get rid of the buildup, and avoid having those dirt balls at the root of the braids
2. Followed up with a deep conditioner using my Cream of Nature Argan Oil intensive Conditioner Treatment. Sat under my steamer for about 20mins (got a bit antsy towards the end and got out right before it went off).
3. Rinsed my hair with lukewarm water to seal in some of the moisture from the deep condition treatment
4. Moisturized with ORS Shea Butter Softening Hair & Scalp Lotion

Next day, my hair was not fully dry, but I still took out the braids. I was so easy and I had little to no breakage. The picture below is the amount of shed hair I had after five weeks. This is a smallest amount I have had, and I attribute it to the tea rinse, but mainly the Manetabolism pills I took (Check out review and comparison pictures -> http://youtu.be/KNSN5Mb3U30 ).

WASH DAY AFTER TAKING OUT BRAIDS

1. I did an overnight hot oil treatment with my oil mix of almond oil, JBCO and Jojoba oil.
2. Shampooed with my ORS Olive Oil Creamy Aloe shampoo, to make sure that all the buildup was gone.
3. Next up, I did a protein treatment, which is necessary to restore strength to your strands after any long protective style. My treatment consisted of avocado, coconut milk, oil mix and another sample protein conditioner I got, Elasta QP Soy Oyl ULTRA HYDRATION Conditioner, as I was all out of my ORS mayonnaise and I always like adding a conditioner to my protein mix just for the extra oomph. I left this on for about an hour to two hours and rinsed it off.
4. My hair is a bit sensitive to protein, so I always do a moisturising treatment on days I do my protein treatment because of the fear I have that my hair will break due to too much protein (might be in my head). Oh well, I finally made use of the Manechoice Natural Nourishing Growth & Retention Green Tea & Carrot Deep Conditioning Mask for my moisturising treatment. Deviating a bit from my usual treatments, I skipped adding the extra oils and honey, just so I can have a good judgement of this product and I must say, I LOVE it. So much so I went and bought another one on my recent trip. I will post a review on this after I have used it a few more times. So look out for that. I sat under my steamer again for the whole twenty minutes this time and after, covered my hair with a shower cap and beanie for an extra twenty minutes to trap in the heat. At the end, I was left with super soft moisturised hair (I was in love, LOL)
5. Rinsed the conditioner off with lukewarm water and immediately applied my Kinky Coily Knot Today, Jojoba oil and Jane Carter Nourish & Shine (THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH).
6. Banded my hair right after applying my LOC products and left it in all night (didn’t dry all the way but I was okay with that). The next day I pulled it into a puff and did this cute “cinna bun” puff so as to protect my ends.

Guys, I have raved about this LOC combination for day’s un-end now, and I got reminded why. Omgosh, my hair was so soft days after my wash day and although I can’t pin point what caused this, I am 100% sure it’s a mixture of all these treatments and products (duh), the Manechoice green tea and carrot mask as well as the nourish and shine especially. They aint lying when they say your hair will thank you when you treat it right, so check out these other ladies to see what I am taking about -> #WashDayExperience

PS: My lovely 4C-4B in very little areas-hair is coiling up guys. I have started finding little coils here and there. Although I absolutely love my afro, I am really curious to see if my strands really do coil up all the way. I have heard a lot about the Max Hydration Method and I am currently doing research to find out everything about it. I have heard mixed reviews, but seen great results. I am all for anything that adds moisture (low porosity and all) and if they say one can reach 100% moisture level, then sign me up (minus the time duration though side eyeing that part so bad), defined coils are just a side dish.

So guys, let me know, has any one tried it? How did it work for you? I am having major issues with the time duration, 7 days? Every day? Who has that time? Did you do all 7 days? Or do you have a cut down version? What about baking soda? Can’t I just do a protein treatment? HELP!!!!!!

PSS: In case you missed the link, heres my review on the Manetabolism Hair Vitamins! Go check it out -> http://youtu.be/KNSN5Mb3U30 


Love,
Dumsy