protein/moisture balance

my #hairgoals is to have a strong protein/moisture balance. curls need moisture. but too much moisture depletes the protein levels of your hair (your hair actually made up of a protein called keratin). this makes your hair limp and it’s hard to hold a style. but, too much protein makes your hard and breaks it off. if you have the right amount of protein and moisture, your hair will flourish. my hair is protein deficient, so i incorporate protein into my weekly routine. as a result, my hair is normally frizz free, moisturized and holds styles very well.

What does my hair need?

protein

• is your hair barely holding a style? is it mushy? that means it could be time for a protein treatment! using protein regularly fills in the gaps within your strands, making it stronger. depending on your diet and hair porosity, you may need to increase or decrease protein

moisture

• is your hair dry? hard? then you need moisture! the source of all moisture is water! you need to drink water and use water in your regimen to keep it moisturized! products lock in the water!

to clarify

• clarifying is key! it allows moisture to enter your strands!

quality products

if there is one thing i have learned, it’s the products make all the difference! you have to find brands that work with your hair. organic is the way to go! top three brands right now are camille rose, the mane choice and curls.

my go-to products:

shampoos:

• Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo: clarifying, leaves my hair squeaky clean (great for eczema)
• The Mane Choice Ancient Egyptian Shampoo: hydrating, cleansing without stripping

conditioners:

• Camille Rose Moroccan Pear Conditioning Custard: so hydrating! i often use this after rinsing out my deep condition
• The Mane Choice Ancient Egyptian Conditioner: hydrating, great slip, makes detangling easy
• The Mane Choice Soft as Can Be 3-in-1 Conditioner: hydrating, makes detangling easy (great as a leave in or conditioner)

deep conditioners:

• The Mane Choice Ancient Egyptian Anti-Breakage Hair Mask– my all time favorite; it literally melts into your hair.

protein treatments:

• Rice Water- i make my own rice water (find out how here), this rinse-out treatment helps strengthen my hair
• ApHogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor– the only store bought protein treatment i’ve ever used; leave on as noted and it helps reverse damaged hair

leave-in’s:

• Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave In– adds moisture to your hair, makes it very easy to detangle
• Camille Rose Curl Love– adds protein to your hair, making it stronger, while hydrating

creams:

• Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter- works as a leave in and a cream, great for definition
• Curls Creme Brule- adds definition will hydrating
• Camille Rose Curlaide– a STAPLE! makes your hair super soft, very hydrating

oils:

• Carrier Oils
  • Olive Oil- penetrates the hair shaft, leaving the hair soft
  • Vitamin E Oil- promotes a healthy scalp
  • Jojoba Oil- resembles sebum, the hair’s natural oil; light weight, reduces frizz
  • Camille Rose Cocoa Nibs & Honey– growth stimulator that leaves the scalp feeling refreshed
  • OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Penetrating Oil- add shine and softens the hair, great to add after gel
• Sealants
  • Shea Butter- seals in moisture at the end; can come in multiple forms
    • Raw Shea Butter- available at most beauty supply stores, comes from the shea nut
    • Whipped Shea Butter- many people sell shea butter, whipping it with other ingredients to moisturize
  • Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) – seals in moisture; it’s very thick! this company sells multiple different scents of JBCO, including lavender! JBCO is great for hot oil treatments and prepoo’s
• Essential Oils
  • Tea Tree- cleanses scalp, should be combined with a carrier oil
  • Peppermint- stimulates hair growth, should be combined with a carrier oil

gels:

• light hold-
  • Aloe Whipped Butter Gel: keeps your hair moisturized more than anything; hold is very light and not drying
• heavy hold-
  • Mane Choice Crystal Orchid Biotin Infused Gel: great for slick ponies, doesn’t make your hair hard (to refresh just add water)

foams/mousse:

• Mane Choice Pink Lemonade & Coconut Mousee: great definition that doesn’t leave your hair crunchy

edge control:

• Murray’s Edgewax: very solid hold, make sure you have your edge brush in hand!
• Curls Passion Fruit Control Paste: keeps my edges in tack (with effort tho, i normally use it after murray’s for the perfect combo!)

styling

are you a “i don’t have time to do my hair so it’s going up in a bun?” type of natural? trust me, we’ve all been there. but it’s important to style your hair in low-manipulation styles to retain length. low manipulation styles include twists, braids, and cornrows.

LOC vs LCO

• what do these mean?: i’ve seen many people use many acronyms to describe the order they apply products, some even adding a G and a S. below are what the letters mean
  • L-Liquid/Leave-in; some people just add water, or a leave in (i do both for my L)
  • O- Oil; add back in the oils that were lost by shampooing.
  • C- Cream; add moisture and help with definition
  • S-Sealant; seal in all the moisture, best to be used at the end
  • G- Gel; gels reduce frizz and hold hair in place
• which one is for me?
  • i read online once “cream before oil for perfect coils, oil before cream for frizz extreme”, and have found that to be true. i have way less frizz and better moisture retention after switching to LCO
• mayah’s regimen
  • i use LCO, only adding oil after my hair is completely styled. i’ve found that adding a carrier oil and a sealant really help keep my hair hydrated

protective styles (w/o added hair)

• plaits- featured above (single braids)
• cornrows- braids on the scalp
• twists- single twists
• flat twists- twisted on the scalp

protective styles (w/added hair)

• weave/sew-ins: your hair is braided and wefts of hair are sew-in. with proper attention (ensuring you’re still moisturizing your hair), your hair can flourish.
  • be careful of tension- too many sew-ins back to back can break off your hair!
• box braids: hair is added to your hair and braided in plaits
  • knotless- the new IT hair style. braiders start off braiding your hair and add braiding hair as they go down your strands. very little tension and no pain!
  • regular- similar to knotless, braiders start off by adding braiding hair as they go down the strand
• wigs: easy to manage, you put it on, and you’re all set!
  • be careful of tension- wigs can cause thinning around the edges and nape of neck with a lot of use!