My Journey to Healthier Hair!
I am SO TIRED of constantly straightening and curling my hair! After having side bangs for a few years and having to constantly straighten them I realized my bangs were way thinner than the rest of my hair. Let's take it back to the old days so I can tell you about the torture I put my hair through.
I've always had super thick, curly and frizzy hair. My mom would brush my hair out as a kid to give me an Indian-fro looking thing and put it into a tight braid or ponytail every morning before school. After a series of bad haircuts through the years, I FINALLY convinced my dad to get me a hair straightener when I was in 8th grade. I put on that puppy face and explained that my frizzy unruly hair was a 'distraction at school' because I would constantly have to fix it and having a hair straightener would make it easier to manage and he agreed (which is exactly why I asked my dad and not my mom. Dads don't really know what heat damage is :P)
As a lot of girls my age, I was constantly frying my hair with my straightener or curling iron and it got worse through the years. Now, I'm constantly trying to find different ways to cover my thinning hair at the front from those terrible bangs I had.
For years I've been trying to find ways to embrace my natural curls but nothing has worked until recently! Within the past month or so I've been starting to see a major improvement in my hair and I can finally wear it curly! Girls, with all of the damage we put our hair through, I think it's only fair to show it a little love as well. Here's what I do and I hope it works for you too!
I finally started taking my moms advice and reliving my childhood by using coconut oil in my hair! It worked as a kid and it STILL WORKS! Using 100% coconut oil is definitely the best way to go. I also add in a 5-10 drops of peppermint oil to stimulate my scalp and sometimes I'll add almond oil if I'm in the mood. This goes on my scalp and ends! On a typical hair oiling day I'll leave it in for at least 5 hours, but if I have nothing to do the next day I leave it in over night and wash it out the next morning.
You'll probably think I'm crazy, but most of you probably think that anyways so it's all good. To wash the oil out, I use
. Yes, it's meant for horses, but humans can use it too. This shampoo is meant to thicken hair and keep it nice and shiny ( which us curly haired girls could use desperately). On days that I don't oil my hair, which is about every other time I wash my hair, I use the
shampoo and conditioner. Staying away from sulfates and harsh chemicals is key so I try to do that as much as possible.
When I get out of the shower I use my fingers and a
to get the millions of knots out of my hair. If you try to do this, BE GENTLE, because wet hair breaks easily, but I just don't have a choice unless I'm trying to rock a fro for the next few days. The only products I use when I get out of the shower are Moroccan Argan Oil and the
Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Smoothing Cream
if I'm keeping it curly or the Argan Oil and the
Redken Extreme Anti- Snap Leave In Treatment
(which was recommended to me by the only lady I would ever trust with my hair and THE sweetest makeup artist I know,
!) if I plan on blow drying it straight.
And there it is! Hope this helps you curly hair ladies as much as it's helped me :)
