Braids coming out ..........

Hope you guys are not as tired and weary as I am this morning!! I feel like I run a marathon yesterday so I'm taking the day off from work!! But you know tiredness has never been in the way when it comes to my hair so I though very tired, I decided I can no longer bear these braids a day more....I'm undoing them right now. This may take up to 4 hours excluding detangling, deep conditiong and wash time!

This Amla Oil contains light mineral oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, octyl methoxy cinnamate, crinipan AD, Amla extract and perfume. Will research those "i don't know what they are" ingredients before I use this.

I will detangle the way I always do using water, conditioner and oil as shown in this video below and I will do a protein treatment with Vitale mayonnaise mixed with egg and this new Amla Hair Oil my sister  bought for me which contains coconut and jojoba oil  ........isn't she sweet? I really miss being under a hooded dryer so I'm looking forward to getting a rollerset at a salon close by. No... not the one where I had these braids. Going salon hunting after I undo my braids...!

Using braids as a protective style can do a lot of good in any hair regimen but this largely depends on your before, during and after hair care practices while having the braids. Your hair can experience major damage if you neglect any of these stages.

I'm going to have a busy month and I will get some braids again in a week or two. I've not had a weave in a long time but I'm considering braids again because it is very low maintenance as compared to weaves which may require styling every day and wash day.

 Will give you an update on my salon hunt.......wish me luck!!

Have you found that special stylist who is just a few minutes away?

Cheers,
Star.

Product Review: Vitale Olive Oil 4-in1 Growth Serum

Having used and loved the Vitale Life-and Body Lye relaxer and the Vitale Mayonnaise, I was excited when I saw the above product on a shelf in the "deceased" Melcom store at Achimota. I took time to read the label and was soon happy enough to part with Ghc6.00 in exchange for this cute bottle. What I loved most was that the bottle had a roots only applicator tip and I was dreaming about the number of these bottles I could reuse in the future.

Ingredients (the ones that caught my interest): Water, hydroxyethyl cellulose, glycerin, dl panthenol, dicetyldimonium chloride, cetrimonium chloride, sulphur, camphor, menthol, ....................., black seed oil, olive oil, vitamin E, .................., nettle, peppermint, horse radish root, ...............etc, etc!!

Product Promises: Prevents thinning and breakage, stimulates hair growth, promotes thick long healthy hair, excellent for weaves and braids.

Directions: Apply ample amount to scalp using small subsections and spread evenly using fingertips. Massage throughout entire scalp. Apply a dropper full to the palms of your hands and spread onto hair ends to protect from damage. Dry and style as desired.

I used this product for a good number of months till the bottle got empty but I must say my expectations were not met. My excitement about it probably died the first day I used it.

Positives:

-I love the cute bottle and the applicator tip. Can easily be carried around, very easy to open so the bottle can be reused. 

-Applying the product to the scalp is easy especially between braid tracks.
- The smell wasn't too pungent to me. Smelt like my daughter's teething mixture....lol!

 Negatives:

-The content was just too watery for my liking. It was hard to believe it contained anything else especially oils. Just felt and looked like a herbal infusion.... something like boiled neem leaves our oldies drink in the village for malaria.

- I also expected a strong, long tinging sensation on my scalp but that wasn't the case. Just a mild tingle for a while.

- A little didn't go a long way for my roots because it was thick with new growth. I also have dry hair so I needed more than a dropper for my ends. 

- I tried it out on my braids but it didn't do much for it. I'm not too sure what the excellence for weaves and braids refers to! Probably more for application than for protection of ends. 

- As to fulfilling the promise of stimulating growth, I must say unless any results show only after more than 6 months usage, I was disappointed. I made sure I applied religiously to my edges but I didn't see much in the first 2 months so I purchased another product for my edges. 

I'm not very patient growth aids..... I only purchase again if I see progress after 2 months usage. So as far as I know now, I won't jump at purchasing this product anytime soon.Maybe I am a little harsh at that but I love value for my money when it comes to my hair. Don't want to have to purchase 10 bottles of a product in 6 months to see any progress!

However, as I always say, because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it may not work for you. You can try it and see if your hair likes it. You can also check out a review of this product by Ghanaian Emprezz. I tried to find reviews by other African bloggers to no avail. But here are some testimonials of Vitale products including this Olive Oil 4-in-1 growth serum.

If you have used this product, kindly share your findings with us in the comment box or send by mail to ghlonghairstar@gmail.com. Have a happy hair day!

Cheers,

Star!

Facebook Giveaway Contest Closed!!

So all my lovely fans on my facebook page, GHlonghair had the chance to win 5 products to celebrate our 300 Likes milestone!!

Products will be 5 of my favorite products.

CONGRATULATIONS to our winner, Samantha KeepsitClassy !!

Cheers,
Star.

All About Hair Porosity

Being on a hair journey can be exciting as well as disappointing. You may wonder at times why you are following someone's hair regimen and products to the letter and yet though you have the same hair type, yyour hair doesn't end up looking as fabulous as theirs after a tiring wash day routine!! You end up with dull, dry and frizzy hair though you pre-pooed, deep-conditioned, roller set or air dried, and moisturised and sealed! What's up with that, hair?

Looking for answers, right? How about a hair porosity check. Have you ever done a strand test before?

Porosity is simply the ability to absorb liquids. Thus hair porosity is the ability of our hair to absorb liquids, products and moisture. One's hair can be described as having high, normal or low porosity and a porosity test is the simple way to find out.  

Hair Porosity Test: Our hair sheds everyday so no need to pluck out a precious healthy strand. Just catch one from your comb and drop it in a clear glass of water.

 Results

(Photo credit: www.hairfinder.com)

Low Porosity:  Hair strand stays at the top of the water, suspended for a long while before making it's way down taking forever. This means your cuticles are pretty tight and resistant preventing water from getting into the hair. If it is difficult to get water into your hair, imagine products trying to make their way in! A simple way to correct this is to use alkaline-heavy products which open the hair cuticle allowing liquids to get in more easily. Use products that contain water and glycerine. Avoid products that have petrolatum, lanolin, heavy oils, etc listed as their first ingredients as this will worsen the situation. If you moisturise and seal, make sure to do so on damp hair because once the water is able to get into the hair eventually, it equally is difficult for it to be lost in low porosity hair. Also, deep conditioning with heat is a must as the cuticles are lifted for the products to be better absorbed to enjoy the full benefits.

Normal Porosity: Hair strand moves down to the middle of the water and floats there. This would be the "perfect"condition to have for your strands. Moisture retention is optimum, products live up to their name as they are well absorbed and thus the promises of the product easily show. The hair strands are lustrous, shiny and frizz free. Keeping your hair strands in this condition however means to desist from harsh treatments to the hair such as dyeing, chemical over processing and excessive use of heat tools. This kind of hair is low maintenance and very desirable.

High Porosity: Hair sinks quickly to the bottom of the glass. An undesirable state to have your strands in. This type of condition is usually because the hair is damaged. The cuticles have wide gaps and openings due to over exposure to heat, dyes and chemicals. The best remedy would be to cut the damaged ends off but temporal remedies such as using protein treatments, heavy oils, more acidic products,  apple cider vinegar (ACV) and aloe vera juice (AVJ) for your hair will help seal the cuticles. In the meantime, regular trims and less use of heat and chemicals on your new growth is recommended.

You can read further about hair pH and how it affects hair HERE. 
 Before you carry out the strand test you should READ THIS!!

What were the results of your strand test? 

Cheers,

Star.

Wash Day - 6 Weeks Post

After putting my little girl to sleep and watching TV for a while, I decided after 9pm...on my way to bed to wash my hair!! I posed this question to my hair in the mirror "Are you kidding me? At this time?"

Hhhahahhahhhahaha......yes, I speak to my hair and "she" insisted she needed a wash!! Thy will be done, I quickly opened the dresser where I keep my products and my eye fell on my Vitale Hair Mayonnaise first!!

 I'm sure you can guess the outcome of our conversation because in a few minutes, my hair was soaked in the deep conditioner and under my shower cap. My sister called a few minutes after and she was pleasantly shocked I was awake simply because I was waiting to wash my hair......Hhhahahhahha!! She is slowly catching the hair journey fever. I had to trim off about 2 inches of her hair because it was so damaged back then but 6 months later she can hold her hair in a nice ponytail. I believe her hair grows faster because it was only a little longer than ear length after the cut.

I did the wash in two sections and simply tied the braids together with elastic bands as I didn't want to risk any braids falling out this time. I first rinsed out the deep conditioner after 20 minutes and followed with my moisturising conditioner which I left in for 10 minutes and rinsed out. I then diluted one capful of apple cider vinegar in a pail of water and used this as my final rinse.

I wrapped my hair in an old T-shirt and after about 10 minutes, most of the water had been soaked. I air-dried using my fan and then massaged my "wonder hair food" into my scalp for 10 minutes. I finally moisturised and sealed and put on my scarf for bed.

Honestly, it is hard to tell which is new growth and which is relaxed hair as my new growth is less coily as the days go by. It feels so soft and silky, and looks very shiny too!!

Time check: It is 10:18 already...................... minutes later, I'm in dreamland!! 

Cheers,

Star.

GHlonghair on YOUTUBE.....

Yes I did!!

Caught the vlogging fever, made a few videos and uploaded them here.................. 

GhlonghairStar Youtube Channel

Please watch, comment, like and most importantly SUBSCRIBE.


I know they may not be as fabulous as some others you may have watched, but I just started so support me and I know I will step up my game....heheheeh...especially with the lighting.

Any videos you would like me to make?



Cheers,
Star.

Nothing Something

I was lazy with wash day this weekend. Forgive me, but I was so tired after I went to the salon to get the twists redone. I spent an hour at the salon and was pretty exhausted by the time I got home. Besides, thanks to ECG, I had missed watching TV since Saturday morning so when the lights came on about 15 minutes after I got home, I just glued my eyes to the TV....hehehhehehe...watching I don't even remember what...lol!!

Now, I am reconsidering washing 2-3 times a week with these braids. I have no intention of going back to the salon to get them redone again so I will wash my hair only once a week, concentrating on my scalp and not my hair. I therefore intend to moisten my hair a bit more every night when I do my green house effect so that I will have more moisture in my hair in the morning. I will then moisturise and seal, and spray with my braid spray which I have not used since I undid the yarn braids. But as time goes on, if my hair doesn't like the change, I will wash as often as my hair wants. 

Good or bad idea?

Cheers,

Star.

How I Moisturise and Seal Braids

The weather in Ghana and most parts of Africa is hot and dry throughout the year. Even during the rainy season, it is quite hot though humid. This is not very hair friendly. Dry weather often dries out the moisture in our hair especially considering that most relaxed ladies use hair grease throughout the week and only wash hair once a week. 

 

The grease is such that it coats the hair shaft totally and doesn't allow any moisture from the air if any to penetrate the hair. The hair goes without moisture for a whole week mostly and this results in dry, weak, dull and brittle ends which split and break off easily. Your hair seems not to be growing and you are stuck at one length, usually shoulder length. 

There are however great ways to prevent our hair from drying out. Simply use as much water in your hair as it needs. Wash your hair at least 2 times a week but not with shampoo on every one of those wash days as too much shampoo can dry out the hair. Did you know you can use conditioner to wash your hair? That's cowashing!! You can also spray water on your hair when it feels too dry but you don't want to wash. 

VERY IMPORTANT: Moisturise and seal your hair (even if in braids) every morning, night or both depending on the needs of your hair with a good moisturiser ( preferably water-based) and a pure virgin oil such as olive, coconut or castor oil. Do not use too much products as this may weigh down your hair or cause build-up. A little goes a long way. Below is a picture story of how I moisturise and seal even when I have braids.Don't forget to massage your scalp during this process everyday for at least 5 mins!! You will see results!

For more information, you can check this older post.

What can I say to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my readers and fans here, on my Facebook Page and my Youtube channel (GhlonghairStar)?!! Don't forget to like my page and subscribe to my channel for updates. Thanks for your support.

You keep me going......keep the comments and questions coming.

Cheers,
Star.

How long will these braids last?

I'm quite sad about this protective style I got because though it is pretty, it may not survive a wash day without it being redone. Most of the twists at the back came loose just from my massaging, moisturing and sealing routine that I had to use my braid spray today. I passed by the salon and luckily met the hairdresser herself; the one who did these braids is her assistant, and she asked me to come after work for the braids to be redone. 

Check out the hair underneath the end of the braid as though it were new growth...lol!!

The big problem is that I don't have time to spare in the evenings, especially not at a salon.....seriously.....lol!! Besides, today is Wash Day!! So I guess I just have to wash my hair as planned today and hope just a few braids come loose. Luckily, I do have braiding skills and so far, all those I have redone are nice and tight. The trick is to part the real hair into three just as is done with the artificial hair when box braiding underneath. If the real hair is not parted , it is very difficult for the braid to stay in place as a slight pull is all it takes for the artificial attachment to slip off. 

I intend not to let this upset my hair care routine. I will wash my braids 2 times a week, moisturise and seal every morning, massage every morning and evening using T444Z 3 times during the week, and green house effect every night as usual using castor oil.

Hmmmmmmmmmm......I would really not want to sit through another braiding session!! Maybe a last resort would be to get these braids into a bun if I am unable to get it redone during the weekend. 

What do you think?

Cheers,

Star.

New Protective Style: Cornrow Twists

After waiting for hours for my turn at my salon, though I own the place, I make the customers the priority so I gave up and decided to have my braids done on Sunday instead.  I just whiled away the 6 hours I spent there chatting with the clients about hair care and gave some free tips!! And poor me, I had a flat tyre on my way to the salon on Sunday!! How much hussle do I have to go through to get my hair done by my favourite braider?!! Hhehhehehhehhehehe (I have no idea about where to even start fixing flats!! Bad huh?) !! Luckily, I asked around and found some mechanics who helped out for a fee, and then when I called the hairdresser about an hour later, she had already left the shop on an errand since she thought I would take longer to get there.

Now I was pressed for time since it was past 1pm by this time and I was sure the braids will take at least 3 hours so I decided not to wait for her but get another hairdresser to do my braids!! Bad idea? Let's see the outcome of my adventure.....lol! 

Used 1 and 1/2 pack of Darling Colour 1

I always try to allow some room for error when I go to a new salon, but not the kinds of errors that will leave my hair in a disaster.

My observations with this hairdresser:

She complied when I asked her to use a wide tooth comb only to comb my hair and did not braid tightly. I also asked for big braids so that was also done well. My only problem was that she wasn't an excellent braider.....the job is not the type that will turn heads......lol!! And she wasn't able to do the exact style I wanted with the cornrows in front though the photo calendar was right in her shop. I alerted her at least 3 times to no avail. Also, the braids were not done well; I had to redo 2 already this morning as they fell out as I was massaging my scalp. Conclusions, she is not a good braider and I won't patronise her service again. Too bad because her shop is very close to my house. 

I do really need to find a "spare" hairdresser!! Anyone around Tema especially Tema Comm 22 or Ashaiman you can recommend?

Cheers,

Star.

Wash Day: 4 Weeks Post

I can't believe I'm 4 weeks post already and I must confess I am disappointed with my new growth so far!! I don't see 1/2 inch new growth...it is probably 1/4 inch or less as I can't really see it though I can feel it when I massage my scalp. 

 There was only one thing missing in my regimen the past month and that was the use of T444Z Hair food for massaging my scalp as it was almost finished and I had almost no hope of getting more till June so I used it only once a week for my edges. I had to write this post yesterday but having heard T444Z was available in Ghana in Accra, I lost no time in getting one for myself and a few friends!! So happy was I that I used the last bit that was left to massage my entire scalp yesterday......hehhehhehhhehe!!

Last bit that was left...........

T444Z Reloaded....Zero to Hero!!

.....hhehehehhe....squeaky clean!!

Well, that was after I did my wash (too excited to wait to announce the GOOD NEWS!!).

This day, I did my wash a little differently, not because I wanted to but because I was too exhausted on Thursday night as I closed late from work and didn't wash when I took my shower but decided to do it eventually in order not to miss a wash day.....by which time it was almost 8:30pm. No kidding, I fell asleep while waiting to rinse out my deep conditioner....lol!!

1. I cowashed with VO5 conditioner.
2. I deep conditioned with Vitale Hair Mayonnaise .....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz mins....overnight! I must admit my hair looked extremely soft the next morning.

After applying deep conditioner

After overnight DC

3. Rinsed out conditoner and airdried with my fan....lol!
4. I then massaged T444Z into my scalp, moisturised with SCurl and Ultimax; and sealed with Profectiv Mega Growth Oil.
5. I decided to finger comb after which I just held my hair up with clips.

Just held hair up .....i was running late for work by this time.

Before mositurising and sealing.

 I've decided to get braids today as my protective style for the month of April...and I will continue to follow my regimen the same way.........One thing that is going to change is the number of times I use my precious T444Z Hair Food. For faster hair growth, it is to be massaged into the scalp 3 times a day so this time with hope that the product has come to stay, I will use it 3 times a week instead of once and see how much growth I get this month.

Cheers,

Star.

Tea Rinsing and Loving it!!

So lazy me finally got out of the holiday mood ....lol!! Hope you enjoyed the Easter season and didn't forget to share on picnic day!! I was extremely pleased about the past days... because it was Easter; that time when we celebrate the most wonderful sacrifice ever made on earth for our redemption, and also because I had a lot of time for my hair. I am almost 4 weeks post relaxer but I decided not to braid just yet so for the 5 days, I had my own hair in 6 large braids and covered it with a wig when I had to go to church..which was the only outing (lol) I did the entire time. I took the braids out on Sunday evening but didn't comb my hair. I washed my hair on Thursday evening, Saturday morning, and Monday morning...my hair is shouting..."thank you, thank you, thank you,..."....hehehhehhehehe!! 

This is the brand of tea I used.

Couldn't let all this go to waste......was pleased my hair was glad to consume it all!!

And I tried something new for my hair on Thursday and Monday....I Tea Rinsed!! I had read a lot about tea rinsing but since I don't really have a problem with shedding and breakage (I think), I was not really keen on adding it to my regimen. But then again, with a whole jar of tea leftover from breakfast on Thursday as it happens sometimes, I thought I should rinse my hair with the tea as it not only proven to reduce shedding and breakage, but is also known to add shine, lustre and thickness to hair, make it more soft, manageable and darker over time...and some varieties of tea are known to increase and stimulate faster hair growth. It is also a loved antioxidant!

This is one thing I didn't know earlier: A cup of Black tea has more caffeine than a cup of coffee!!

The main benefit of caffeine for hair is that it blocks DHT (Dihydrotestorone) which is the hormone  responsible for hair shedding. Use any blend of tea or coffee that contains caffeine. You can also infuse the tea with herbs such as rosemary, lavendar, chamomile, nettle, burdock root, etc if you have them !! 

Check out how these vloggers tea rinse: 

Simple way to use tea in hair (as I used it):

1. Boil a litre of water and add 3 (more or less if you want) teabags to it.

2. Take it off the stove and leave it to stand for at least 2 hours.

3. Wash hair as usual and pour tea over hair and scalp.

4. Massage your scalp for at least 5 minutes by which time the tea would have drained off.

5. Cover head with a shower cap for about 45 minutes. Do not rinse yet.

6. Apply deep conditioner (preferably a moisturing one as black tea may leave your hair hard) on top and cover head with a shower cap again for 30 minutes or more depending on the instructions on your product. You can use heat if you prefer to.

7. Rinse out completely and proceed to airdry, moisturise, seal and style as you desire!!

I must say I felt the results instantly after airdrying....most noticeable was the softness and shine...and so much less frizz!! I didn't even need to scarf my hair after moisturising and sealing...it was really good to go!! And finger combing was a breeze........hair was smooth and shiny, i didn't even use a comb in my hair till today since I didn't need it to be bone straight anyway!!

My first impression of tea rinsing is that it's definitely a keeper! I don't need much convincing because my hair loves it. I will continue to do tea rinses and give you an update in a month!! Just need to check out if it can be done with ACV rinses on the same day. (Will update you on that.) 

Check out this great post for millions (just to exaggerate...lol) of other ways to use tea in your hair. 

How Tea Rinses Stimulate Growth and Nourish Hair.

"I'm tea rinsing and loving it....tea rinsing and loving it.....tea rinsing and loving it...." (singing and dancing)

Have you tried tea rinses? Would you try tea rinses?  Share your experiences. Do leave a comment.

Cheers,

Star!

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