Our Hair Care Routine

I have really struggled with the proper care of hair, both mine and my daughter's. My hair is particularly difficult because it is thick, wavy, and frizzy. It has taken a lot of reading and asking questions to figure out the proper care of hair, so I thought I would share what I know. Proper care of your hair is vital to how healthy your hair is. Did you know that your hair produces natural oils that are critical to how healthy you hair looks? Several years ago, I hated the look and feel of oily hair, and I thought that meant it needed to be washed. I have since learned that oily hair is good, and that there are products to help keep your natural oils intact while making your hair feel less oily, including dry shampoo. Dry shampoo comes in many brands. Some people swear by the pricey salon brands while other people do not care and go with brands bought in the store. For myself, I use your everyday dry shampoo bought at Walmart. I wash my hair once to twice a week and use my dry shampoo to take away the oily look and feel. Dry shampoo also gives life and body to my otherwise very crazy hair. Because my hair is thick, frizzy and wavy, I use my straightener once a week to keep my hair pretty straight until I wash it again. If you use heat on your hair, make sure to use a heat protectant to avoid frying the ends. Also, do not hurry to straighten or curl your hair while it is wet. I swear by argon oil and keratin. Both help keep my hair healthy and give it the extra oils needed to bring down the frizz. How I treat my girl's hair is different because her hair is not the same. Because it's not so oily, she only washes it every 3 days. She's a kid and often doing gymnastics outside, so her hair gets dirty quickly. When she is in the shower, while the conditioner is on her head, she will comb her hair with a wide-toothed comb. I only use heat on her hair a few times a month, typically every other Sunday to avoid excessive damage. My daughter also likes to feel pretty. She likes me to style her hair daily and requests overnight braids for curly hair. I avoid overuse of elastic bands in her hair and cut the bands to avoid breaking her ends when I do use them. I also keep up on her haircuts. For her, I use keratin and argon oil, which helps with her hair's health. I do not use a lot of product on her hair. Instead, I simply spray it with water before braiding it. When I do a complicated style, I use a spray gel. I love spray gel! Because it's a spray, goop does not get all over my hands. It does take time to dry, so I have plenty of time to do what I want before it starts working. It is not a sticky product, but it does give grip to her hair. The final product I use is hairspray. I typically spray it when her hair is ready to be washed, or I have a style that needs it. Our hair care is pretty basic, and we do not use a lot of product. Just remember a few things: never wash your hair daily to preserve oils and use dry shampoo when it gets really oily. When you use heat, use a heat protectant. Argon oil and Keratin are good for hair health, while water is the greatest help to make styles hold. I hope this helps, and you learn something new!

Saturday, Braid Day

I have been encouraged by many to do something further with my braiding and make a living out of my hobby. 
My two aunts have volunteered their heads and their girls heads to be my braiding models. On Saturday I went to visit them where I taught my two aunts to do basic braids. Once they learned basic braids – bubble, fishtail, rope and pull through - each girl lined up to get a pretty style for church the next morning. It was a special treat for each girl since they typically get their hair combed and little else before they are sent off to school. 
I appreciate each mom and daughter allowing me to practice braiding on thinner hair. I also thank them for their willingness to pose for a picture and allow me to use it in my portfolio.