Hairspiration from Think Like A Man Too

The ladies of Think Like A Man after filming all rocking lushious locks.

I was a fan of Think Like A Man mainly because I am a Kevin Hart fan. So I have been eager to watch this second one, I even stopped myself from downloading it online. So this week thanks to my real job, I scored an invite to an early screening at Cavendish Mall, just two days before the official SA cinema release.

Think Like A Man Too officially premiers in South Africa this Friday 25th July. I know for sure I'm not the only one who's been eager to see it. So without giving to much away and spoiling it for anyone I am going to focus on some of my favourite hair looks the actresses and other celebs rocked at the Think Like A Man premier.

 Regina Hall always rocks a bob well it's a look that works for her.

Taraji P Henson in her loose curls, her character was my favourite in the film.

 This blonde hair on Meagan Good is stunning. Well I'm actually kinda obsessed with it thats why I had to post two different pictures. I don't know if I'd go this blonde but I love the cut and styling.

Another of my favourite looks from the premier is definitly Miss Keri baby, Keri Hilson's hair looks so effortless and natural I can't tell if it's her hair or not but it looks beautiful. This look can be achieved with natural hair or with a weave. 

 I actually realised as I posted this that I've always liked these three ladies style. So it's no surprise they are my favourite hair looks. Kelly Rowland as we know is the queen of a bob/ razor cut she can do no wrong Ever with this hairstyle.

Another star who was there rocking this ombre type hair was Golden Brooks or Maya as I will forever remember by her Girlfriends character. 

                    Keke Palmer rocked sleek long black weave we a look that no one can go wrong rocking it.

What do you guys think of the hair looks is there something your looking forward to trying next season? Let us know drop a comment down below.

Newbie Healthy Hair Affair: First steps to getting your hair healthy

When I decided to start my healthy hair journey I wish I had been told some things. So if you are on this blog, my guess is you have FINALLY decided to start taking better care of your hair. That's the best thing you can do for your hair but where does one start? Well, these are a few of the things that helped me get my hair a on the right path starting off. I haven't reached all my hair goals yet but I'm a lot satisfied with my natural hair health. So I decided to share some of the hair-education and  hair tips that helped me and that I still follow.

•  Firstly if your ends whether relaxed, natural or dreaded are damaged there is no point hanging on to them. Cut the bad ends off! I know a lot of us ladies who just hang on to thin damaged hair to feel like we have length but fact is damaged split ends can't be repaired. The damage just moves higher up your hair shaft.

Let go, cut it, don't hold on, it's not worth it!

• Deal don't hide your damaged hair don't say you want better healthier hair then hide it under braids or a weave hoping the damage will go away. A protective style is great but it won't help you if you already don't take care of your hair and are always hiding it. So I'd suggest you deal with it, take out those braids, weave whatever for a few weeks or month and give your damaged hair or hairline some daily tlc (moisture, weekly treatments). You might not want people to see your damaged hair but it won't get better if you keep hiding and not caring or dealing with the problem.

• Now go back to the beginning and evaluate your current or past hair practices & regime or lack there off. What are you doing right or wrong? If you didn't Moisturize daily start moisturising more regularly. Black hair thrives on moisture that includes shampoo and conditioning too! If you don't do weekly or at least bi-weekly hair treatments (moisture/oil/protein) on your hair start doing them.You'll be amazed at the benefits of consistent treatments.

These are some of my go to daily & weekly products for my relaxed hair.

• Then once you know what you weren't doing right. You'll need to Start a consistent hair regime. Lazy doesn't grow healthy hair. It's important in this healthy hair game and if you want to see results to be Commited. This process may take time to get used to and some trial and error but if you stay commited you should see some difference and learn what your hair loves and hates in the process.

• When I say Build a regime this is not about the 'popular' or 'top' products you use but about the consistency and the regular care you give your hair. What works for me is incorporating a regime into my daily routine the same way I brush my teeth or put mascara on daily. Get a regime going, part of that is discovering what hair products your hair loves and then start using those regularly or as often as your hair needs.

• Get the products that work for YOU! No products work the same way on every persons hair but there are guidlines to finding what works for your hair type. It may take some trial and error to findout what your individual hair needs. Don't just use a product because others use it or especially because the hair advert looked convincing.

•  Make sure the regime works with your lifestyle, in my case I moisture and seal at night because I have more time to do it properly. I'll say it again Moisturise this seems obvious I know but learn to moisturize properly using non drying moisturisers (don't have sulphate and parabens). Washing your hair weekly more often, using a water based moisturiser and a light or heavy oil to seal in that moisture.

These are some of the lessons I had to learn and start practicing to get on my healthy hair journey. Trust me just doing one of these and you will notice some change.
Hope these first steps help you to starting your healthy hair affair!

Relaxer Stretching Benefits & my 16 week stretch

Hi ladies although I have been in protective styles ( braids & weaves) since starting my blog. I have relaxed hair underneath and have mentioned that I’m currently stretching my hair relaxer (16 weeks post). I realised however I haven’t fully explained or shared what relaxer stretching is about, why I’m doing it and the benefits of stretching for me.

My go to protective styles braids or weave

I am at the 16 week mark of my relaxer strectch now, yay I can’t believe it. It wasn't my first time stretching but it was the first time I stretched to 16 weeks. I usually do 12-13 weeks max. Most of my relaxer stretch I wore I wore protective styles (braids, net weave) to protect my hair. I took one week breaks in between styles to treat my hair and give my hairline a break.  So to those wondering what my stretching hair talk is all about here goes.

Here I was 14 weeks post stretch  the day I installing my weave 

                                                What is relaxer stretching all about?

Stretching your relaxer is simply extending the amount of time between how often you relax. Not relaxing for more than 8 weeks is considered stretching.  For example, rather than relaxing every 8 weeks, many ladies on healthy hair journeys stretch their relaxer touch ups to every 10 to 12 weeks, or longer.

 (Pic- Stretching me)

I am 16 weeks post my last relaxer this is the longest I have ever stretched and it was no joke and to be honest I am more than ready to end my relaxer stretch. Anything longer than this might be too long for me and my hair. I think 16 weeks might be my perfect cut off stretch time. If you’re wondering why I put myself and hair through this well there are benefits to this relaxer stretching thing.

                                                 Benefits of stretching your relaxer time   

1.It makes your hair grow faster- yes chemicals make your hair weaker. So for this reason it doesn’t allow your hair to grow as fast as it would if it wasn’t processed. This doesn’t make relaxers a bad thing it’s just learning how to use them to your hair health benefit     

2.The risk of drastically overlapping decreases. I personally hate it when my previously relaxed hair gets relaxed again. Stretching long helps makes the difference between new growth and previously relaxed hair more visible. Helps avoid over processing previously relaxed hair again. 

3. Your hair becomes healthier over time- a lot of women with relaxers get breakage and hair damage due to relaxing too often. I was one of these women hence I decided to stretch; my hair has been healthier and breaking much less.

Even though I managed 16 weeks which is 4 whole months, dealing with two textures can be difficult. And although stretching a relaxer has benefits and is healthy for your hair, stretching too long without proper care could cause your hair to break were the growth and previously relaxed meet (demarcation line). Here is a graphic to show you better.

The demarcation line get very fragile during a relaxer stretch.

                                                    Challenges of stretching your relaxer

1.       What I found most challenging was dealing with the two different hair types the longer my stretch. Managing new growth and relaxed hair at 8 weeks is a lot easier than managing my two textures at 14 weeks. Washing, conditioning takes longer and much more care and attention the further the stretch is.

2.       Shedding.  Some ladies who stretch their relaxer notice an increase in their hair shedding rates. However with the right care you can reduce shedding

3.       Breakage at line of demarcation.  The point where the relaxed hair and natural hair meets tends to be fragile and can break if not handled with care.

                                               Tips for first time stretching

If you’re not used to stretching your relaxer remember to start slowly and gradually increase your stretch period according to what your hair can tolerate. If you relax your hair every 8 weeks aim to start first by stretching to 10 weeks then maybe next time 12weeks and so on.

During this 16 week long relaxer stretch I did think about transitioning to natural. Only because my last salon visit was such a nightmare (inexperienced stylist burnt me) I'll save that for a whole other post. I know first hand that stretching can be a challenge ladies but I have seen real benefits for my hair health since I started.

So there you have it if there is anything that you want to know or share with me please just comment below. Have a healthy hair affair!

My Weave Care routine (Part 2)

After I did my last blog post about how I maintain my own hair while wearing a weave. I got a request from a blog supporter to share how I’m maintaining my virgin Peruvian hair. In the past I made many mistakes when taking care of my own hair and weave. I’d buy hair extensions/weave and the hair wouldn’t last as long as it should have. But through trial and error I realised my hair and weave care mistakes.

Currently have installed 12 inch Peruvian body wave.

Ladies, when you invest in good quality virgin/remy human hair( Brazilian, Peruvian, Malaysian, etc) you expect it to last and stay as fresh as when you bought it, right? I know I do, high quality human hair should last 6 months to a year or even longer depending on the grade of hair and use. But even if you payed a lot of Randela’s for the hair it can only stay looking good if YOU maintain it correctly.

This was after a wash and blow dry hence there isn't much curl definition.

 Because it is REAL hair (once belonged to someone, lol) it needs regular washes just like your own hair does to keep it looking healthy. These are the products I’ve been using for my weave care regime. Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner the Thermal Recovery range with aloe and almond extracts. Depending on how often you use heat or if your weave is dyed choose a shampoo and conditioner based on that. I don’t use these products on my own hair only when I’m wearing a weave because they have silicones which dry my natural hair. But for my weave they work just fine to cleanse and condition it.

Tresemme Shampoo & Conditioner (R59 each on sale)

 I usually moisturise my scalp and hair underneath my weave daily. So it’s my weave gets a little weighed down and greasy.Even if you don't moisturise your own hair the natural oils from your own hair can make your extensions greasy. It’s important to wash your weave OFTEN weekly or at least every second week depending. I have been washing and conditioning my hair every 10 days whenever I can do my hair at home. 

                                   

After washing and conditioning I often air dry my hair to get that natural curl from this Peruvian body wave. But when I’m using my hood dryer or blow dryer I spray this Tresemme Heat Protector to help protect the weave from getting heat damage. Then I just follow up with a small drop of this Moroccan Argan oil by Avon to add shine. A little goes a long way so this small 30ml bottle will last a while. The lady I bought my hair from suggest this and it's great, affordable and smells divine. Plus I can also use this Moroccan Argan oil on my own hair as a sealant and to add a healthy shine.

 Right: Heat Protector by Tresemme ( Around R50)

 A drop daily of this Moroccan Argan oil (R 80) on my weave is all I need

Silicone is a good alternative to use to add shine on remy/virgin human hair. Beware to avoid using too much silicone on virgin/remy hair too much tends to have the opposite effect making it greasy and weigh it down.  Atleast that has been my experience with it. In general avoid putting an overload of products after washing your extensions a little oil will go a long way.To get that blowing in the wind movement once you have washed, conditioned your weave.

Far Right: Silicone 

Ladies your hair extensions can really last a little longer and look much better with just regular wash and care. Happy weave care affair! 

Hair Care in a Net Weave (Part 1)

Hi all I promised to share updates on maintaining my hair and extensions while in a net weave for the first time. Well I decided to start off with sharing how I take care of my natural hair while it's in hiding for a few weeks. While wearing a weave it's just as important to keep the hair underneath and your scalp moisturised as often as you normally would or more if necessary. A weave is a great way to protect your hair especially in winter but it is even more important to keep your hair moisturised because it's winter. Because I know some ladies abandon their hair while wearing a weave. I decided to share my hair care regime and tips on how I keep my own hair in good condition while I wear a net weave.

I try to moisturise daily with one of these three moisturisers ORS Carrot Oil (R75), JOM Olive oil braids & dreads spray (R21) or ORS Shea Butter (R70). Carrot Oil is my usual daily moisturiser even when my hair isn't braided so it's my 1st choice. I try to moisturise daily just because it helps me stick to my regular routine. The moisturisers below are all water based moisturisers (the first ingredient on product list is water). This is an important thing to look for when selecting a daily moisturiser because you're not moisturising your hair properly if your moisturiser doesn't have water.

I started using this ORS Shea Butter recently the last time I used it was almost a year and half ago and it just did wonders for my hair it helped with thickness. I couldn't get it anywhere on the market until now, I think it has been discontinued but I was glad I found it. It's also great because it has a nozzle which makes it easier to get underneath the net weave to moisturise my hair properly.

           

The JOM Olive oil braid spray I mainly use as a sealing moisturiser because it has olive oil and water as the main ingredients it makes a good sealant to lock in moisture. JOM is a South African hair care line for ethnic natural hair but this works just as well for relaxed hair. Their products are 100% natural which means they contain no sulphates or parebens (ingredients which dry out our hair) in any of their products.

Using a moisturiser in a spray bottle or nozzle is great because even on a lazy day it makes moisturising much easier and not so dreadful. I prefer to do it at the end of the night before bed when I'm doing the rest of my nightly routines.

It's great to moisturise your hair to keep it healthy while wearing a weave. However you also want to keep your weave in its best condition, if you paid good money for it right. What I have noticed with moisturising my hair and scalp daily while wearing a net weave or normal weave is that my extensions get a bit greasy and weighed down quicker than usual. Note: 100% virgin hair (Brazilian, Peruvian, Malaysian hair, etc) needs to be washed often because it gets greasy easily and unlike our ethnic hair it doesn't respond well to moisture. This just means I have to wash my hair weekly to keep my natural hair healthy and my weave light and looking it's best. Washing your hair weekly is great as it helps get rid of the product build up that can happen from daily moisturising and it also helps to moisturise and condition your hair weekly.

I will share my weave care hair care routine in a follow up blog post (coming soon). I'll share the products I use to keep this virgin Peruvian weave on point and looking as good as when I bought it.

Hair Event: Cape Town Hair Expo 2014

If your all about healthy hair like me and live in Cape Town. You'll be glad to hear there's a Cape Town Good Hair Expo happening in a few weeks. It's all confirmed and will be on the 26th July. I'm looking forward to it because Cape Town hasn't had any type of hair expo for black women ever. Even though black women are the largest consumers in the hair industry there aren't enough platforms or events promoting healthy hair. So I was excited to hear someone finally decided to take action. So if you want to learn more about healthy hair care from like minded people or you are interested in showcasing your skills, salon or hair care products to the larger Cape Town market.  The Good Hair Expo the place to start.

The Good Hair Expo is a hair care event that will be focusing on the natural/healthy hair industry "Good Hair Is Healthy Hair". The expo brings you Cape Town’s hair doctor, hairdressers, blogger and stylists under one roof to talk with YOU and offer FREE styling and ethnic hair care tips throughout the expo and during the healthy hair discussion.
I'm all about promoting healthy hair so I will be there to bring you my hair bloggers perspective. I'm keen to see what's in store, if your in Cape Town and follow the blog come through and lets talk hair.

The expo will take place on Saturday 26th July 2014 - from 12pm until 6pm at
the Imperial Bar & Cafe, 31 Shortmarket Street Cnr Long Street, Cape Town. Tickets are R50 and there will be prizes to WIN at the event.

For more information if your interested in exhibiting at the Cape Town Good Hair Expo contact Anita Sikutswa or Sissy at E-mail: info@goodhairexpo.biz

Mustard Growth Hair Treatment (Homemade)

I had promised to start having guest posts from ladies who have natural hair and dreads to share their hair regime. So this weekend my sister, Paballo rocked up at my place for some catch up and to do her hair while chilling. Pabs has natural hair and prefers to do her hair herself because she says most hair stylist don't do natural hair correctly. She is very particular when it comes to her natural hair care and always gives me the best hair treatment mixes and tips. So when she went into my kitchen and started mixing her latest hair potion Mustard treatment, I asked her share it on a her first post with you guys, here it is below.

Guest Post:  Paballo (Natural sista) 

Hi, I’m Paballo. I have been asked to give my opinion on a hair treatment I'm trying out. I have natural hair and would like to see some real good growth very soon.  I did a mustard treatment this weekend that I heard about on a few sites that’s meant to grow hair in weeks.  Hair growth treatment on steroids apparently.

So, I tried it. I’ve been at it for about 3 weeks now. My hair has been growing , but I haven’t quite figured out yet if it’s the mustard treatment or if it’s just growing.

Mustard Growth Treatment ingredients straight from the kitchen.

Well this is what I mixed Mustard 

treatment ingredients.

• 2 tablespoons of Mustard powder (I used English Mustard Powder) mixed in with a little boiled water to make a paste.
• 1-2 teaspoons of brown sugar.  This is to give the mustard a good kick of heat.  Apparently the more sugar the meaner the mustard effect.
• A few tablespoons of Olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• Blend all the ingredients and apply to your scalp only.  

All mixed and ready to go onto my scalp.

Put it directly on your scalp ONLY it's okay if it touches a bit of your roots.

Leave it on for 20-30 mins depending on how much heat/burn your scalp can take as it gives a tingling sensation(like a mild relaxer would feel). It will start burning but don't worry your hair won't burn off your head it's a good tingle.

Soft hood dryer is great for treatments at home.

I used Keneilwe's soft hooded dryer (post coming soon) and spent only 15-20 mins under it then I washed it off with shampoo and continued with the rest of my usual wash day treatment routine. This treatment can be used on both natural/ relaxed hair and should be done at least once/twice a week for 2 months to notice changes.

Precautions to note

• Remember that mustard is a strong irritating ingredient
• Don’t use mustard treatment if you have a very sensitive scalp, open sores or you are allergic to mustard
• Also be careful with the variations. Egg yolk and oil have to be added for a reason. If you don’t add oil- you will burn your scalp!

For those that have tried it, please let us know what your results are. And if you have any questions leave a comment below. 

Beauty: Lupita's first Lancome ad + my favourite products

A lot of people were super excited when Lupita Nyongo was announced as the new face of French beauty brand Lancome well the images of her first ad came out today. Here is the woman of the moment in her new campaign. She looks amazing I think they captured her chocolate skin beautifully. Perhaps I will give their foundation a try sometime.

With Lupitas new ad campaign having come out, I thought I'd share some of my go too products from the brand that are in my makeup stash. This post was NOT paid for by the brand these were my own personal purchases so this is my opinion unlike in magazines.

I bought these before Lupita was signed on as the face but I'm sure the brand will have more support because of her. My mom has always been using Lancome before I even knew it was one of the luxury beauty brands so she kind of influenced me to try them. Well truth be told I just started using my her products way before I could even afford my own.  I don't spend on a lot of  Lancome products(because they pricey) but here are the ones I own and honestly don't go a week without using.

Hypnose mascara               

Mascara is the one make up product I never go without. I'm not makeup addict per say but I do feel it makes a real difference. The Lancome mascara's I have used and tried are this Hypnose and Doll Eyes. Doll Eyes is my ultimate favourite to me thats the best mascara I've used for dramatic effect especially because I don't like false lashes. Hypnose is my everyday mascara it's not as great as Doll Eyes but it works for me.

Lancome eye set

I bought this eye set when it was on promotion at some store. It includes eye make up remover (blue liquid) and eye cream  so I went wild and bought a few. I use the eye make up remover quite often and it's great, it even removes some lipsticks that are hard to remove usually. It is half oil based and half water and doesn't sting like some makeup removers which are alcohol based. So for me it's great plus it smells good so I might try it again when this runs out.

I bought the lipstick seperately during Summer when I was still into the orange, coral craze. I haven't used it much because I was more addicted to my brighter oranges from other brands, so I can't really say much on it. For those of you considering trying out some of their products I hope this was helpful. 

Hair Game: Destiny's child reunite for new video

In case you haven't heard the ladies from the top selling group Destiny's Child (my favourite group at some point) reunited for Michelle Williams new gospel song "Say Yes." I first heard the song when it leaked online a few weeks ago and I thought it sounded a bit like a Kwaito song to be honest. So when I heard it was a remake of a popular Nigerian gospel song "When Jesus Say Yes" that Kwaito/African beat I heard made sense. No one can resist the beautiful African beat, lol. The video is fun and vibrant and the DC 3 ladies hair game is absolutely on point. I enjoyed seeing  them back together and rocking hairstyles that are reminiscent of back in the day when the trio first started just with a modern twist, I like that.

Beyonce's blonde braids and Kelly Rowland rocking a short weave took me back to their "Bills Bills Bills" days when I was obsessed with Destiny's Child. 

Throwback: Destiny's Child ladies back in the day

 It's great to see the ladies get together on this uplifting track and treat their fans to a reunion.I think it would have been nice to see Michelle rock a different hair look for her video.

Kelly Rowland-Witherspoon (yes she got married) can never get this short hairstyle wrong, I love it on her. She always has the best styled weaves and hair

Beyonce has been very adventurous recently with her hair so seeing this braided style made me smile. Even though the hairstyle isn't anything that new I totally liked the unexpected look on her. 

What do you think of the new song, Destiny's Child back together and their hair in this new song?

Hairspiration: Janelle Monae's Natural hair loose

I'm a fan of Janelle Monae's music and style she is unique in every way. If you've seen and follow musician Janelle Monae then you know she hardly wears her beautiful natural hair down. It's always in her signature chic pompadour which totally fits her style. But if you have been curious to see Janelle rocking her natural hair down, like I have.

The wait is over the talented songstress finally let her hair down this week after performing at the Bonnaroo Festival. I am totally loving her hair it is total hairspiration, it's so full, thick and long. She should totally wear it down more often I reckon. But either way she is a cutie no matter how she rocks her natural hair.

What do you think of this Hairspiration?

Benefits of a Net Weave

Like a lot of ladies I wear a weave because it's a great protective style during the colder months and to allow my hair to just grow and be. I have been installing weaves as a protective style for my hair for over 8 years but this is the first time I did a net weave. I decided to try it because I’m trying to make healthier choices for my hair and the regular braiding method was putting too much strain on my natural hair and a nightmare to take out as it breaks my hair. 

The threading directly onto the hair breaks the hair as it pulls and weighs on it. I went through this recently when the hair in my nape(back) area was breaking from normal braiding weave method. So I hope this method is better as I have heard. The hair I used is a 12 inch Peruvian body wave from Crown Hair @crown_hair(instagram). I might do a review on the Peruvian hair in a few weeks.

I've always known about net weaving but only decided to try it now because I wanted to stretch my relaxer a few more weeks to 18 weeks(if I last that long). I didn’t want to do the regular braiding method or the front lace closure that is currently popular so a net weave it is.  

How is the net weave installed
Installation is really simple and went much faster than the normal method maybe because i had thick cornrows done.The way it is used is the net is placed on your head directly over your cornrows. Then the hair extension weave tracks are sewn directly to the net only sewing directly to your cornrow braid in some areas not all. This protects your hair from much of the stress or pulling caused by the thread. It also gives your hair a added layer of protection and secures the weave a lot better on your head. Here is me(below) after they cornrowed my hair into five cornrows and the net was sewn onto the cornrow around my hair only. My new growth is so thick I had to do few cornrows plus it will be easy to unplait.

Benefits of Net Weave

For those who are unaware there are a number of benefits to using a net with your sew-in weave. Applying a net over your cornrows creates a flatter base and relieves tension because it provides additional areas onto which the hair extensions may be sewn.  As your braids loosen with each wash, the net prevents the extensions from “hanging” from your hair because the base will remain flat.  Some stylists even sew the extensions to the net ONLY which places virtually no tension on your real hair and makes the take down process much faster.

Using hair net is one of the best ways to protect your hair from damage from the pulling of the thread while sewing it in. The pulling and tightening action of the needle and thread can sometimes cause breakage to your natural hair. The net is important if you cherish your hair even while wearing a weave.

 Now to see if my hair care routine while in the net weave is as easy to maintain. Happy and healthy weaving ladies!