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7 Steps to Healthy Natural Hair

Where's My Hair? After graduating from cosmetology school, having a fundamental understanding of hair, one day I realized my hair was different from my childhood hair, in density and length, and by length, I mean not having any. Where was my hair? It was an undeniable question for so many who surrounded me friends, family members, ladies in the grocery stores. If hair grows to an inch per month if healthy, why were so many struggling with hair growth? Most were getting relaxers, so the main culprit had to be the chemical service and inadvertently unhealthy hair. Because I am committed to the overall health of hair (and finding our hair), I went beyond the theory and embarked on research into the chemical underpinnings of the mainstay product that we so willingly had slathered in our heads every six to eight weeks. This discovery revealed seven key principles to healthy hair that are now the key concepts for achieving and maintaining beautiful and healthy natural hair.

1) The Strength Is In The Curls. While researching, I began to understand that all relaxers are not created equally nor are those who apply relaxers using exact precision or superior and professional skill sets every single time. As a master stylist, I came across the most outrageous times when stylists wanted to relax. I know you have heard, hopefully not privy of, "there's breakage on your ends (which is a serious hair challenge), so you need a relaxer". Does this sound logical? The hair is shedding, so put a chemical on it. Ironically, damaged ends are a direct sign of unhealthy hair.

2) Precise trims can help retain hair's moisture, length, and strength. Physical changes as brushing, combing, blow drying, and ceramic styling and setting can affect hair from the shaft all the way down to the ends. Improper handling of everyday tools could be a factor in how often one needs a trim, but the larger point is hair like a garden needs to be pruned (trimmed) in order to grow and flourish. Continuous research showed that the strength is in the curls: this resonated with me so, I made it my motto. The closest the hair is to its natural state, the more the hair will be its healthiest, purest, and strongest. Therefore, the best potential for hair to be healthy is in its natural state. This revelation prompted my quest into how best to maintain natural hair. Maintenance is the ongoing issue most clients seem to struggle with when opting the natural route. I understand clients not wanting to worry about their style morphing due to humidity or heat half way through the day, dull dry looking tresses, or social isolation for wearing a certain look.

3) One of These Is Not Like The Other. As a director of product performance, I came to the realization, through research, that hair could perform well, maintain, and reach optimum health utilizing ceramic fusion without chemicals. These oxymoronic components could not coexist; it was an easy decision to stop relaxing. If you can gain the best hair health (I found our hair!) without chemicals, then the no-brainer was not to relax.

4) More Than a Flat Iron and a Brush. Many stylists use ceramic fusion, which is not new to the beauty industry. However Ceramic Fusion Natural Hair Smoothing Technique infuses moisture, seals cuticles, and controls texture without damaging hair like Marcel irons and pressing combs.

5) Steam Therapy, a customized conditioning treatment that combines multiple conditioners to balance, detangle, hydrate, protect, and strengthen natural hair, is imperative in this process. This technique is more than grabbing a brush and using an ionic blow dryer; there must be correct layering of products and the proper usage of tools. The revelation of success is in the actual technique, consistency, and knowledge of the technique.

6) Gentle hair color, demi-permanent, provides the safest and most chemically sound method of coloring any hair type without over processing., I think every woman has tried to achieve lady-on-the-box color with single application permanent color kits, only to find our hair feel dry and brittle and watch the color turn brassy or murky. Not quite the look or feel we imagined. The deposit only color enhances natural tones by creating depth, shine, and vibrancy. The pH level can be raised too high using semi-permanent, permanent, lighteners (bleach), and even henna (the mythically safe dye), causing hair breakage.

7) A New Head of Hair. Since chemicals were part of the non-healthy hair problem, it makes sense to use a line of products to better serve natural clients. A hair and scalp analysis should be performed to understand the historical and current state of your hair and scalp beyond an educated guess. This is necessary to determine what challenge and/or disorder a client may have such as dryness, flakiness, oiliness, or perhaps dermatitis. Knowing this hair background will allow the stylist an opportunity to customize a cleanser and conditioner that will best suit specific hair needs. Customized cleansers and conditioners four goals should be to: Remove residue, Restore balance, Retain moisture, and Reinforce strength. And you thought you only needed cleansers to remove hair product build up and conditioners to soften.

Natural hair has had a bad reputation based on fear, improper regular and routine maintenance, and stigma, but now you know the seven secrets to help anyone who wants to, have beautiful, healthy natural hair. Many are simply unaware what constitutes beautiful hair. The hair must be healthy to be beautiful. And your hair is healthiest in its natural state. Debunk all you've been told. You, yes you, can have natural beautiful hair utilizing the right techniques and tools: Enrich. Empower. Educate.

Robin D. Groover is the founder of Too Groovy natural hair salon located in Atlanta GA. Too Groovy Salon launched Ceramic Fusion Natural Hair Smoothing Technique along with Steam Therapy for proper hydration in 2003 and had gone on to gain national acclaim for this process. To learn more about Robin and this process visit our site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6183564

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Frequently Asked Questions About Styling Transitioning or Natural Hair - Styling Basics

If you are new to having natural hair you might find that you have a few basic questions about styling, using heat, and general care. Here we have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions regarding caring for natural hair.

How do I do a successful braid/twist out? There are 3 elements to a successful twist or braid out style:

The size of the twists or braids. If your twists or braids are too big or too small, the style won't look right. You need to experiment with the size of the sections you use to create the wave or curl pattern that you like best. In general, if the braids or twists are too small you will get a crimpy looking style, if they are too big, you might not get the amount of waves or curls that you were hoping for. A general good size for longer hair is to have a twist or braid that is about 3/4 inch thick.

The products used. You want to use the proper moisturizing and shine products so that the resulting texture in the curls or waves is shiny and it holds. You will need to experiment with the amount of hair gel or shine serum to use on each braid or twist to achieve the desired result. Straightening serums for flat ironing or blow drying often work very well for these styles even though you aren't applying heat.

The dryness of the hair when the braids or twists are removed. Make sure that your hair is completely dry before removing the braids or twists. Its best to set under a bonnet hair dryer to get the hair properly dry. Otherwise you have to allow it to air dry for a significant amount of time.

It's a good idea to take pictures and note the products and technique that you use every time you try a new style so that you can recall what worked or did not work and duplicate or make adjustments the next time.

How can I finish the ends on my braid/twist out styles? Use a perm rod, pipe cleaner or roller on the ends to give the final look a good polish.

Do I need to twist transitioning or natural hair every day? No. You only need to twist your hair as often as you need to keep it looking as neat as you want it to look. If you wear a curly style where your hair is "out" it is a good idea to re-twist it with some moisturizer to infuse it and keep it moist. You can choose to retwist it every night before you sleep on it to keep the style looking more tidy.

How do I prevent knots in kinky hair? You can prevent knots by avoiding a lot of manipulation of the hair, keeping your hair in protective styles, and keeping your hair moisturized. It also helps to sleep with your hair covered with a satin scarf and sleep on a satin pillowcase. Also, whenever you comb out your hair, make sure to do so when it is wet with conditioner in it. Don't try to comb through dry hair. This causes breakage which can leads to knots in the frayed ends.

How do I prevent or cure frizzy ends? The best prevention for frizzy ends is proper moisturizing and proper care. Never comb or brush your hair when it is dry. Twisting your hair and then sealing the ends with an oil and moisturizer mix is a great way to tame frizzy ends. Other things to make sure of are to:

trim or get your hair trimmed on a regular basis (every 6 - 8 weeks)

avoid too much combing, brushing, and manipulation

wear protective styles often and be sure to moisturize while your hair is in the style

How do I roll or set my hair without getting frizzy ends? Use end papers to cover the end of the hair before you put it on the roller. Also add a bit more of product to the end of your hair and smooth it out over the roller before you roll it up. This is also a great way of moisturizing and sealing your ends to protect them.

What is the best way to curl kinky hair? The absolute best way to curl kinky hair is doing a twist out style using pipe cleaners to curl the ends. If you want a more straightened look, blow dry the hair then twist and use pipe cleaners.

Are wraps good for transitioning and natural hair? A wrap is when you brush the hair tightly around the head so that it naturally straightens or flattens out to achieve a straightened style. This can be bad for the hair because the process of combing or brushing through your hair in that way could be damaging especially to the delicate line of demarcation where natural hair meets relaxed hair. Also, your kinky/curly hair will probably not submit to the wrapping process as well as you might like. It is better to start getting used to your natural texture and try more textured styles such as braid-out or twist-out styles.

Should I roll or set my hair when it is wet or when it is dry? You can roll your hair wet or dry, however it is always better for your hair to do a roller set on wet hair after it has been washed. This is because your hair does not have to endure the stress of drying, regardless of how you dry it. One of my favorite styles, though, is to blow dry my hair and then do a roller set or twist out. Especially if hair is shorter, this gives a little more length and shine. When you roll hair wet it comes out more tight to the head, but it usually also comes out shinier and with more body. Try different methods to find out what works best for you.

How can I get my twist extensions to stay twisted? If you are using synthetic hair you can dip the end of the twist extension into boiling hot water to "set" the hair and make it stay twisted. This is also a great method to use if you want to curl the synthetic hair.

Wrap the hair around a perm rod, roller (the smaller the better), or a pipe cleaner (I just discovered this one) making sure to secure the ends. You can do up to 2 or 3 extensions on one roller depending on the thickness. Doing 1 per roller gives the best result.

Dip the roller into very hot water after you have the hair securely wrapped. Generally you would boil the water then pour it into another container where you can dip the extensions in. Don't try to dip your hair over the stove!!!

Dip the roller into cold water. Following the hot dip with a cool dip secures the curl.

Remove the rollers. You should have a head of lovely curls. Experiment with how far up the shaft of the extension you roll the curl. You may want to only do the ends, or you might want to try and curl the whole extension.

Maintenance:If you don't like the result or get tired of the curls, you can re-straighten the hair by dipping it into hot water without rollers. You might be able to curl the hair one more time after you re-straighten it, but that is about as much as the synthetic hair can take. Because of the effect that heat has on synthetic hair you might notice that the curls loosen or fall out if you wash your hair in hot water. Just keep the temperature cooler when you wash to maintain the curls. This is also a classic way to keep braided extensions from unraveling or for curling the ends. Another method is to tie a knot at the end of the extension, or braid it at the end. But the hot water method is the best.

What is the best way to blow dry natural or transitioning hair? You need to have a quality hair dryer, preferably with adjustable heat settings and with a comb attachment. After that, your main goal is to dry your hair quickly and with minimal breakage. Section your hair then work from tip to root combing/blowing through each section until it is dry. Don't put on any product except heat protectant until after the hair is dry. Having product on the hair causes it to take longer to dry.

How to I flat iron my transitioning or natural hair? To flat iron or straighten your hair you want to make sure that you have a blow dryer with a comb attachment, a very good flat iron, and the following products:

straightening serum

anti-frizz product

heat protectant

moisture block

natural oil

Beyond using the correct products, you'll also have to use the right technique especially to make sure that you do not cause damage to your hair. Use the lowest heat setting that will still straighten your hair. Do small sections and run the flat iron over your hair from root to tip. Only pass the flat iron over your hair 2 or 3 times.

Which is better pressing or flat ironing when I want to straighten my natural or transitioning hair? Using a flat iron is more "controlled"... especially if you use a heater with your pressing comb. With pressing combs, you usually use the stove to heat it up, or you use a pressing comb heater. Both get really hot and the heat is very unpredictable. Electric pressing combs are also sold, but these are extremely unpredictable in their heat settings. The heat distribution on a flat iron is more stable, and you can usually control it to make it cooler or hotter. Also with a pressing comb you have to physically comb through your hair... you'll inevitably end up pulling out more strands than you would with the flat iron.

What are the best coloring products for natural or transitioning hair? When coloring natural hair it is important to look for coloring products with non-peroxide and non-ammonia. That usually narrows it down pretty fast. Hair coloring without those ingredients is least damaging to the hair. If you are going from light to dark, covering grays, or are going red you might also try henna. Natural henna powder will also work for darkening or reddening. You'll have to experiment with which colors work best with the natural tones and highlights in your hair. Henna also adds the added benefit of conditioning and strengthening your hair.

For more detail on any of these answers, please visit my transitioning from relaxed to natural hair care site: [http://transitioningfromrelaxedtonaturalhair.com/]

I am a writer and artist with a broad spectrum of interests. I got my first hair straightener when I was 4 years old and decided to go natural 30 years later in February 2008. The natural hair journey has been interesting, fun, challenging and frustrating. I love sharing my personal experience and advice with others who may be on the same journey. Please visit my natural hair care tips sites at http://naturalhaircaretipsforum.com/ and for more tips and styling ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6781688

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Black Hair Care: Tips for Transitioning From Relaxed to Natural Hair

Despite all the buzz on the other hand on natural black haircare, transitioning from relaxed to natural hair does not need to become traumatizing. For individuals who've worn hair permed or relaxed for quite some time, think about the transitioning stage just like a formal re-review of natural hair your momma gave you!

Every lady who decides to go to natural includes a unique blueprint that's her natural tresses. No two heads are alike. Embrace the fact everything you have is gorgeous, in addition to a mind turner.

Do You Realize Your Curl Pattern?

Everybody arrives getting a haired that's all their own. Stylist Andre Master, created a technique for classifying specific hair types or patterns.

Curly/kinky is Type 4A, 4B or 4C. Type 4 can resemble small spirals the diameter from the crochet needle, or possibly be tightly coiled. Curly/kinky reaches the best risk for breakage because of the curl pattern and needs consistent moisture.

Curly is Type 3A, 3B or 3C and could change from loose ringlets to a bit more tightly defined, spiral curls how large a pen.

Type 2 is wavy hair, with variations different from 2A to 2B to 2C - with 2C is the most wavy within the 2 number of wavy hair.

Straight tresses are considered Type 1. Straight could be the most effective of hair types which is generally harder to hold a curl.

Most of us may have various curl patterns around the mind! The crown may be 3b because the nape in the neck is 4a for example. You'll find an growing amount of people that do not join Andre Walker's curl pattern classification since they believe that it's too restricting, or it perpetuates the stereotype in the "good hair", "bad hair" mentality.

We feel that it is useful tool to help us to understand our hair better. The device wasn't made to reinforce old-fashioned negative connotations.

Transition Style Plan: Before The "The Big Chop"

Some women are tempted to reduce all their relaxed hair off when selecting to visit natural. Others cut since the permed or relaxed a part of their mind of hair off as you can and concentrate on nurturing their new growth - or perhaps the new hair that elevated in following a perm. You should plan the big chop knowing how you have to look and what you need to appear as with short hair.

You understand yourself a lot better than anybody and could picture what you need to appear like getting a shorter style than you allows you to wearing. You may even speak with a stylist to acquire a second opinion using the type of the face area. Remember, you can improve your short style with a lot of hair accessories - medium- to large-sized earrings, headbands, and colorful scarves. Hair will grow healthy, beautiful, and much more effective than in the past.

Transition Style Plan: Without "The Big Chop"

Not everyone feels at ease with cutting their mind of hair off so that you can transition completely to an all-natural hair. A slower crawl towards natural hair is possible with twists, braids, flat twists or other styles that allows you to keep your hair length through the transition process. If you decide to keep your relaxed hair while your natural tresses are growing out, make certain to trim the ends and deep condition regularly because the kind of demarcation involving the natural and relaxed tresses are weak and susceptible to breakage.

Moisturize

One huge mistake that numerous women make while taking proper proper care of their natural tresses are overloading it with many different grease or oils. You may think that this can be the simplest way to keep your hair from being dry and frizzy. This can be only partially true. Our natural hair needs lots of natural moisture - lightweight, lightly applied oils - to secure that moisture towards the remaining hair mind. The most effective are natural moisturizers which get distributed around our hair as opposed to lounging on top within our hair like hair grease. Hair grease with oil and mineral oils prevent moisture from absorbing to the hair shaft. Some better alternatives include:

• Coconut oil

• Shea butter

• Jojoba oil

Avoid products with mineral oil, silicone, or oil which just sit on top in the hair. Remember that you might want moisture that penetrates hair shaft which will keep hair properly moisturized. This not only protects hair from breakage, but allows you to increase your natural curl pattern.

Always Safeguard Hair When Sleeping

Sleeping offers a special challenge to natural hair if you do not prepare and safeguard it. You have to avoid matting, tangling and breakage whenever you can. Sleep on satin pillowcases or utilize a satin cap. You may even twist or braid hair in big sections before going to sleep.

The transition to natural black hairdressing now is easier than you think and price your time and effort for healthy, mind turning natural hair.

Dianne Shaddock could be the co-founding father of Natural Hairdressing News, a domain that highlights the newest in kinky, curly, wavy hairdressing within the movers and shakers inside the natural hairdressing industry online - in this article!

Source For This Article: http://EzineArticles.com/7239932

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What The Hell Is Telaxed Hair?

Telaxing is essentially applying a relaxer in place of a texturizer on your natural hair to relax your natural hairs curl pattern. This method sequentially tears down the hairs protein bonds. Telaxed hair still has some texture left in it, you don’t relax the hair bone straight. I’ve been in a dilemma about it for the longest. I use to be 100% natural but I found my hair to be more unhealthy then healthy if that makes any sense.

When it was time to wash my hair in the shower, I had more split ends and my hair kept following out no matter what I’ve put in it. I deep conditioned, co-wash it, and even treated with protein but nothing seemed to work at that time. Also, I didn’t even mentioned the amount of time it took me to wash and detangle it. 

It took me at least 3 hours minimum. Mind you I have two kids, a full-time job and a boyfriend. My hair was seriously interfering with my personal life. But I finally made a leap of faith and decided to telax my hair. Ever since I did it has been nothing but positive gains and less stress. They are different approaches to telaxed hair and Indie Nikole blog post explains this into more detail.