5 Things You Need to Know About Hair Growth

Of all the hair concerns woman have, hair growth is usually one of them. Normally hair grows half an inch a month. Age, medications and overall health can affect this rate of hair growth. Below are five things you need to know about hair growth.

Drink plenty of water

Drinking a sufficient amount of water will support hair growth and moisturize your hair. Water helps to regulate the circulatory system, which then feeds the hair follicles. This causes hair growth. If your roots are deficient in moisture, your hair will eventually become brittle. This halts hair growth.

Use the right shampoo

A lot of shampoos on the market can be harsh due to their ingredients. This is definitely bad news for African American hair. Kinky,coily hair types need to be extra careful about which shampoo they use. Seek out shampoos that contain organic oils. The oils will combat dryness and leave your hair feeling healthy and soft. Jojoba oil and argan are organic oils which promote hair growth.

Pay attention to hair ends

Visit a hair professional to clean up hair ends every three to four months. This will rid hair of any split ends and encourage hair growth. When hair ends are in tip-top shape, hair will grow properly without damage. Only a 1/2 inch, at most, needs to be trimmed.

Air dry when possible

After shampooing your hair, the best way to dry it is by blotting it gently with an old tee shirt. Avoid using the blow dryer as the excess heat can weaken your hair. If you must use your blow dryer, use the coolest setting. A silk scarf can also be wrapped around the hair and left to dry overnight.

Take fish oil supplements

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are very beneficial to hair growth. These supplements are especially good at combating dryness and dullness. Hair will become more radiant, softer, and stronger. Fish oil can also help prevent dandruff.

 

In conclusion, hair growth will undoubtedly be boosted if these tips are followed consistently.

 

Five Benefits of Various Essential Oils

Essential oils have been used for centuries in many cultures for their medicinal and therapeutic benefits. Essential oils are lightweight and penetrate easily into the hair and scalp. Many varieties have scalp stimulating properties that enhance the results of scalp massage. Below are five other benefits of essential oils.

LAVENDAR OIL

This fragrant oil will not only keep bugs from swarming around your luscious fro. It will also reduce stress,anxiety,and dandruff.

PEPPERMINT OIL

Adds moisture to parched coils. Stimulates circulation.

ROSEMARY OIL

Aids in hair growth.

SAGE OIL

Eases dry scalp conditions.

CHAMOMILE OIL

Conditions and clarifies hair.

Four Things You Can Do For Damaged Hair That Really Work

Everyone has experiences with hair damage from time to time. It happens to the best of us. Here are four things you can do that will put you back on track fast !

1. GET A TRIM,OR FULL HAIR CUT.

This is what most people hate to do but holding on to damaged hair is not going to help you. Sure, you could grow it out and wait,but your hair will look bad! Damaged hair lacks shine,and body. Damaged hair is hard to hide. No matter what you try to do,it will still look a hot mess. Just cut it.

2. Deep condition weekly.

Purchase a really good,high quality hair conditioner. For about 3 weeks, deep condition your hair after every shampoo. Put a plastic cap on your head after you apply the conditioner,to encourage penetration to your hair’s inner layers. Let sit for 20 min.

3.Wear a protective style.

Give your hair a break,and wear a protective style for about a month or so. 

4. Take a break from heat.

Start wearing wash and sets for awhile.

Everything Old is New Again: Four Recycled Natural Styles

You can’t do anything unique, because odds are, it’s been done before. You can apply that to anything! Yes,even the latest natural hair trends! The “do” you just discovered on YouTube,has been around since the days of Billie Holiday.

1. Flowers as hair accessories

 

One night before a performance, Billie burned her hair with a marcel curling iron. The show had to go on! So she threw a few gardenias over the charred pieces,and kept it moving. She then realized that the look was kind of cute. So she began to put a gardenia in her hair before every performance.

2. Short fro

Cicely in the early 80’s with, (her husband at the time) the late Miles Davis.

Cicely Tyson, was not only an actress but a model as well. This led to her taking many risks with her hair earlier in her career. Many were shocked by her short natural fro in those days. On an episode of, Oprah’s Life Class,Cicely described it as freeing.

3. Pincurls

Pin curls have been trendy off and on since the 1920’s. On women of all races and lengths of hair. They were often set into the hair. Josephine baker achieved her pin curled look with runny egg whites. The look would be dry,and crispy to the touch. Later she created her own hair wax. Very ahead of her time!

4. Fulani tribal braids

Many of the younger women that I saw rockin fulani braids this summer,probably never heard of Patrice Rushen. She was the 70’s and 80’s r&b singer,who could sing and play the piano. Yes, way before Alicia Keys.

 

Five Benefits of Booking Biweekly Appointments With Your Hair Stylist

For some women,a trip to the hair salon is a luxury expense. Something they only do for special occasions. For others, it’s a very necessary expense.

As a hairstylist, I could pick any random woman off the street, and tell you which category she falls into. When someone’s hair is being professionally cared for on the regular IT SHOWS!

Even if said woman has it in a ponytail for a few days. The ends look fresh and clean. Hair is shinier and softer… These are just a few of the benefits…

1. You will spend less money on hair products. If your stylist sells products inside her salon,she may try to get you to buy a few maintenance products for in between touch ups. But you should not be spending major bucks on hair curlers,shampoo,or chemicals. If you are going to the salon every two weeks,it’s already supplied there for you.  
2. You will have less damage. Often times when I see damage,it is on people who are advid “do-it-your-selfers”. They take risks to save money but often end up paying more to correct (or cover up) the damage they have done. Your stylist should be trimming,deep conditioning,etc. on a periodic basis during your visits. 
3. Your hairstylist has better product knowledge. Hairstylist are taught in beauty school how to choose good products for the type of hair they will be servicing. It Isn’t just about the price. A 40$ bottle of shampoo will do nothing for someone whose hair is falling out in the sink. Your stylist will always know what to do and use when she sees your hair at your appointments. Which means your hair should ALWAYS look healthy! 
4. Longer hair. If longer hair is your goal,good products,maintenance,and the regular, professional touch of a professional, will help! 
5. Your hair will never be boring! Most hairstylist are creative by nature. Wanna try curls one week? Straight the next? Crochet after that? Your stylist should have you covered! You won’t have to worry about going back to your struggling ponytail after a hairstyle wears out. If you are on books regularly,that ponytail should be a thing of the past.

 

Lena Horne:Natural Hair Inspiration

Before there was a Beyoncé Giselle Knowles. There was Lena Mary Calhoun Horne. Lena will go down as one of the most beautiful,african american women, of all time. Lena wore many elegant hairstyles on her naturally curly hair. Lena Horne was reportedly descended from a mixture of African-American, Native American, and European American descent. She was born June 30, 1917 and died May 9, 2010 of congestive heart failure. She was 92.

Here are five hairstyles Lena has worn,that would STILL SLAY today!

1.

This would be beautiful on natural hair!

All you need is some bobby pin,gel,edge control and holding spray.

2.

Playful updo.

3.

Pretty head wrap.

4.

with daughter,Gail Jones.

5.

Bejeweled do !

 

 

Five Ways To Keep Your Color Fresher Longer

With proper care and a little maintenance, you can keep your color fade free longer. Seventy percent of women in the U.S. color their hair! There are a lot of ways to keep color fresh. Believe it or not, none of them requires a lot of money.

1. Shampoo less. Most naturals can get by with every two weeks. Maybe even less if they cowash,which does not strip the hair. Use cooler temperature water also. The color won’t bleed so bad. Deep condition more. The chemicals in dyes leave hair porous and have a drying effect, so to keep it looking soft and healthy,slather on a deep conditioner.
2. 
3. Use a shampoo and a conditioner with color-protecting ingredients tailored to your shade. 
   

   
4. Wait at least 24 hours before shampooing as this allows the dye to settle into the hair. 
5. Use less direct heat on your,like flat irons and curling irons. Do more sets.

How To Treat Thin Edges From Constant Braid Wearing

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Summer is coming to a close,and many women are starting to come out of their braids. Braids are a nice,cool,and convenient style for summer. If you’ve been wearing them from late April to late August though,you are bound to have thinning. Wearing them for three weeks at a time,taking them out,and shampooing. Only to get them put back in within a few days is not a long enough break.

Thin edges are a common and embarrassing issue. This problem can be caused by tight hairstyles,weaves,or braids. It can also be genetics. Sometimes the hair will grow back. Sometimes it won’t. If you have had smooth bald areas around your hairline for years,the hair bulb is probably destroyed. Therefore no matter what you use to regrow hair,it ain’t coming back. Speak with a dermatologist and a hair transplant surgeon for your options on how to get your hairline to fill back out.

For those of you who have experienced only temporary thinning ,there is hope! Here are three products to try:

Use Jamaican black castor oil daily on thinning edges. Jamaican black castor oil will also strengthen your hair. 

 Gently massage the product on the thinning areas. This product is a good choice and you can find it everywhere.

Dr. Miracle’s Temple and Nape Growth Balm will help stimulate blood flow, which promotes hair growth. This product can be applied to the temples and nape.

Removing Build Up After Wearing a Protective Style.

Anyone who has worn a protective style past two weeks,can see the build up of dirt. Sometimes that build up can cause new growth to mat up at the root. This matting can cause excessive shedding and hair loss. The whole purpose of protective styling is to GROW hair. Not take it out. Some may leave a protective style in past three weeks! Whew! That is a lot of dirt and oily build up! Not to mention the smell!

First, gently remove extensions,protective style. Unravel gently or rake through hair with your fingers. You may also use a wide tooth comb to separate and unravel hair. Next use a clarifying shampoo to strip out all the dirt,product,and oil that your hair has accumulated.

After this,you can also spritz the hair all over with a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle. Massage through. Rinse. Then apply a deep conditioner and also to sit on your hair for at least twenty minutes. Rinse,style as desired.

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How To Remove Crochet Styles

Crochet styles are the most popular form of protective style right now.

 

You can keep them in for up to 6 weeks. A protective style gives you the chance to try a different look,while also giving your real hair a break.  

 

Giving the hair a break from heat,products and chemicals will help to aid in hair growth as well.

Taking the crochet style out however, is just as important. If you have not worn the style very long,you may want to reuse the hair. In this case,you may want to section off your style and unravel it at the base of the cornrow or braid. If you’ve had the style in for awhile, it’s probably sour and dirty,simply cut it out. Cut the hair as close to the braid or cornrow as you can. Then pull it out .

Cutting out a crochet.

Unraveling a crochet.