My Apologies for being absent...will be back soon

Hello cuties! whats been on? hope your hair journey is going smoothly..

I really am sorry for being absent without blogposts for abt 2-3 weeks now... to tell you the truth, its school's fault...lol. I had alot to do and exams coming up... i actually thought i could cope with my blogging and preparing for exams untill i found out that its been so long since i shared a post.

Washdays have passed, fruit fridays have passed and ya'll didnt miss much of that because i took a single fruit instead of a fruit mix. I have also purchased some new products which i will be giving their reviews soon (nobody told me i was becoming a product junkie...hehehe!).

Heres a shocker for you guys - i decided to stop wearing wigs! Now dont get me wrong wigs are a great way to retain growth and a lovely protective style to keep you away from everyday restyling infact its what helped me grow from shoulder length to armpit length. I will always advise people to use wigs but now i just want to be without the wigs and wear my natural hair out more frequently. However i'm not going into everyday combing or styling so protective styling is still key. Right now my hair is in 4 big cornrows and thats how it will be till the end of the week.

There you have it...once again my apologies. I will be back soon enough. I appreciate those who visit my blog and share links to my blog on social networks and tell friends...yes healthy hair is a must and it is for everyone so its nice to know that we actually pass on information to other ladies struggling to grow their hair. If you still have problems with beginning you can always mail me juditheresennenna@gmail.com
I'm encouraged when i see comments and page views... (9000+ page views in 3months of blog existence) Thanks for spreading the word and publicising the blog. I really do appreciate.
.

      Have a blessed week *muah*

Fruit Friday: Pineapple & watermelon fruit mix

Hey cuties! so this is my first fruit friday post. I made this fruit mix today and it consist of pineapple and water melon. We all know that eating good food helps our hair grow from the inside out. This is actually what i have taken for dinner as i just like to take my fruit mix in the evenings...oh and chilled too but i'm back to school and i have no refrigerator here :-( 

why did i choose these fruits? Check this out:

(source: stylecraze)

Hair Benefits Of Watermelon:

Healthy hair depends on a healthy body and

system to a great extent. If your body lacks

certain vital nutrients and minerals, it

adversely affects your hair and scalp, causing

several hair problems like hair loss, thinning,

dandruff, split ends and the like. As far as

watermelon is concerned, its nutritional value

can be beneficial for your hair. Here’s how:

Promotes hair growth:

Watermelon contains abundant amount of a

phytonutrients called citrulline. These help

increase the level of arginine in the body.

Arginine is an amino acid that improves blood

circulation in the scalp, thus promoting hair

growth. Moreover, the Viagra effect of

watermelons keeps the blood pumping to your

scalp. This helps provide with the proteins

and minerals that encourage hair growth.

Health Benefits Of Watermelon:

As a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A,

vitamin B6, vitamin B1, magnesium and

potassium and low in calories, the benefits of

watermelon for health are as follows.

Pineapple is regarded as the king of tropical fruits. It’s full of vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and C,
manganese, copper, potassium, beta-carotene,
folic acid and dietary fibers
It is also a good source of antioxidants which helps promote blood flow to the scalp.

Another reason why i used watermelon is to help calm the harsh taste of pineapple. Some people dislike this fruit because of the reaction to their tongue. If the watermelon in the fruit mix is more than the pineapple eating the friuts at once would help ease the irritation. But this is one sweet and nutrient packed fruit mix that you should try!

  

          

Welcome to 2015... My Goals for the year!

 

what are your plans for 2015

Welcome to 2015!!! I'm super happy that God kept us alive till this day... its not by our power. Early this morning my family Got a message that someone had died. She didnt even see today 2015. So if you are alive be thankful to God for his guidiance and protection in your life.

To the first post of the year...

I sat back and accessed my hair journey and my overall health and realised that i havent been healthy during the last months of 2014. So here are my goals for next year both health wise and hair wise...lol

* Eat healthy

   This is to try as much as possible to eat healthy foods and to limit the intake of junk food that dont add much to our diet.

*Eat more fruits and veggies

Fruits used to be a big part of my regimen when i started out... infact i had fruit fridays and i will bring it back. I will also publish the fruits combination and give the recipies so you can make them...but its usuall simple.

* Drink more water

I have been dehydrated so many times in the past four weeks and its time to bounce back. water is essential for healthy hair and body. I will at least drink 6 glasses of water per day.

* Exercise

This is also essential because it increases blood circulation to all parts of the body including the scalp and therefore stimulates hairgrowth. I will try as much as possible to exercise wether its yoga or another form of exercise once per week.

*Be consistent with my regimen. 

consistency is the key to achieving and maintaing healthy hair..i wouldnt want to miss my weekly washdays because they keep my hair healthy. I would also bring back proper tea rinsing and cowashing all of which will be detailed on the blog

*Finger detangling

This is a big deal in my regimen and i will remain stead fast with it in 2015. 

*Get thicker full brastrap length hair by the end of 2015.

*Improve on my blog

If you regularly visit you would notice that the blog has improved... it no longer looks a bit childish..lol and you can now subscribe! Alot of beneficial and fun posts will also be up so do subscribe and feel free to share your thoughts by commenting or sending me an email. 

Thats it cuties...those are my goals/plans for 2015. 

What are your plans/goals for 2015?

                   *much love*

             

Top posts of 2014 that you shouldnt miss

These are the top and most beneficial posts... they have the highest page views and if you havnt seen them yet... do check them out because you will find lots of tips that i have gathered all through one year of being on a healthy hair journey. Enjoy!

Starting your hair journey

My techniques for maximum length retention

Protective Styling...what you need to know

Growth Aids...what has worked for me

Detangling...the right way!

Get fuller edges and nape.

Be sure to check them out...

*much love*

Relaxer Update and Length Check

I apologise for not posting this earlier...i had prepared this post before travelling for the christmas celebration but i had problems publishing this post while there. I published this as soon as i arrived.

 Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to you all!!!  This is my last update of the year. I relaxed my hair on the 18th of December and did a length check on blow dried hair
          
            Relaxer procedure:
I used Organic Root Stimulator No-lye Relaxer in normal strength. I started by parting my hair in four sections. Then detangled and twisted it into smaller 1inch sections on each of the four sections. Application and smoothing took me 12mins and i made sure i applied the new relaxer only to my new growth (it still overlapped a bit though). I'm new to using this relaxer and i didnt even do the strand test before relaxing. I think the front sections straighten more than i normally texlaxed it. This is surprising because the front parts of my hair is usually resistant and the back straightened easily but with this relaxer the reverse was the case. I plan on using half the activator next time i relax and that would be sometime in April because i don't want to end up switching from texlaxed to bone straight...i don't like the look of bone straight hair.

           Current Length:
 I'm still at armpit length about 2 inches away from bra strap length. About the length called below shoulder blade length.

I'm really happy with the health of my hair. The improvement in a year is so amazing. Dearies... being on a hair journey is fun and worth it too, just don't give up and dont compare your growth and progress with someone else. So there...this is the length check i will be using for the 6inches in 12months challenge hosted by Naijahaircangrow. I will give mini updates as i go along till the end of the year. I will do a mini length check at mid year next year. If possible join the challenge too as it will help you alot with being serious with hair growth and taking your hair health to another level...yes it will! thats the power of being in a competition :-)    

Will be back with my sisters 1 year natural heathy hair journey pics...enjoy the season.

                                                                    *much love*

How i styled my hair: A Bob & My Bun life! How to create a fuller bun

I haven't put up a 'how i styled my hair post' in weeks.... OMG!! Those who follow me on instagram may have seen the pictures of what happens to my hair in between washdays (IG @Juditherese). If you're not on instagram no worries i still post about all i do. So this will be a post on what i did to may hair before my last washday...

I know i bought a wig and i have worn it for about 2weeks... the thing is... i am beginning to love wearing my hair out more. Also friends who have seen my hair frown at the fact that i'm always keeping my hair out of sight. So few days before my coffee rinse washday i stretched my hair with the threading method and then made a faux Bob hairstyle (i got the idea from Naija girl next door blog... though i do it on my sisters natural hair, i haven't stretched my texlaxed hair with threads). I used rubber threads. Threaded each with about Six pieces (those in Nigeria will understand what i mean). I did mine at night....nobody wants to walk around looking like "Simbi" lol...

Here's the steps i followed for my threading:
*divide into about 5-8 sections
*moisturise and seal each section then
*detangle and thread each section one at a time.
*if you really need to stretch your new growth then thread tightly towards the bottom (not too tight...adjust the bottom as preferred).
*to sleep...bend the threads down and wrap your head with a scarf. It helps keep the threads in place while you sleep
*loosen the threads the next morning... your hair is stretched!
comb out and style.

After washday...this week I put my hair in a bun and i will be on my bun life till i relax my hair. I have a couple of things to do before i head back home... anyways.... yea... so do you prefer big buns as i do??? if yes...

here's how i make my bun bigger without having to use a bun filler!
*use a small pony tail holder and secure it just once.... don't go round twice or make it tight.
*wrap your hair a to create a loose bun.

Don't make it tight.... i don't know if you get the idea but the pictorial will show you what i mean. I advice you do it a fee times and get the technique of wrapping it loosely and still getting it to look nice and smooth.

Pic guide:
*first pic: stretching my hair with African threading.
*second pic: how to create a fuller bun.
*third pic: tight bun vs loose bun comparison.

PS: My sister is 1 year into her hair journey this December... her progress post will be up as soon as i get home... Will also relax and do a length check pretty soon. You wouldn't want to miss any of this posts...

                 *complements of the season...much love*
         

Coffee rinse Washday: No step is worth skipping!!

Hey cuties! so is a quick recap of my easy breezy washday :-) I'm currently 12wks and some days post relaxer and the only thing my new growth and texlaxed hair does so well right now is SHRINK! lol

      I had in mind to cowash my hair but i haven't used a shampoo for sometime now and you know cowashing alone does not cleanse the hair well. I decided to shampoo.
I have noticed some shedding and i know its because of stress. Its been a long time since i did a tea rinse and i knew i needed one. Teas such as black tea, green tea and coffee contains caffeine which helps block the hormone responsible for hair shedding. This means there would be less shed hair when you do tea rinses.
      Now always remember that you should brew the tea or coffee in hot water and then leave it to cool completely before you use it. However...i was soooo lazy last night i decided to just put about a quarter spoon of coffee in my spray bottle filled it halfway with water and shake! shake!! lol (i know its bad...i wont try it again....*covers face*). so here are my steps

(1) sprayed my scalp and hair with coffee (it wasn't dripping wet just light sprayed so its damp).
(2)prepoo/deep condition with Organics by Africa's best cholesterol tea tree oil deep conditioner. Applied it to my coffee spritzed hair in 7 sections, twisted each section up and put them in Bantu knots. covered with shower cap
(3) deep conditioned overnight...
(4) rinsed it out and shampooed my scalp thrice...yes three times!! because it was needed.

        Now this is where the skipping starts... i was late for morning class so i couldn't do a quick conditioning :-(
(5)T-shirt dried while i got ready to leave the house
(6)took down each damp section... applied little organics cholesterol D.C (it can be used as a leave in too)
and sealed with Shea butter.
      I ran my fingers through each section and used a wide tooth comb to detangle. Separated the bangs or front section and did a loose flat twist then pulled the rest of my hair to my back and did a ponytail which i later braided. A wet ponytail that air dried throughout the day.

As soon as it got dry... IT GOT DRY! lol...understand what i mean?? my hair got soo dry. I just couldn't wait to get home. I knew it was because of the steps i missed but i was running out of time...

How i got back my moisturised hair-
First thing i did when i got home was to take down the pony. Spritz my dry hair with some detangler, then moisturise my hair and seal with Shea butter. Put my hair in a bun and then I covered it with a plastic cap for up to 3hrs and my hair felt really good. It was moisturised. wheeew!

An interesting washday... lots of layered products... i didn't mind because of the harmattan. It will only prevent my hair from dryness. This washday would have been my worst if my new growth matted a lot...i feared it would but thank God it didn't. This is to tell you that there is no step worth missing in a hair regimen. When you have gotten so used to following the steps religiously and then you miss a step or some steps you will surely notice. When you do its best to get yourself back on track.

Do you follow the steps of your hair regimen religiously?
                     *much love*