Tips On How To Summer-ize Your Hair

Summer is here and the heat has officially begun to wreak havoc on our hair! Remember that dryness is the enemy (why? because it leads to breakage), so here are a few tips to help your hair stay hydrated, leading you to retain length throughout the summer.

1. Co-wash frequently. This is one of the best ways to instantly infuse moisture into the hair. As opposed to shampoo, it cleanses the hair without removing your natural oils. Do this 2-3x/week.
   
2. Increase your deep conditioning. Instead of deep conditioning once a week, increase it to 2-3x/week. Remember, water is your friend!
   
3. Moisturize & Seal often. You should be moisturizing internally (i.e. drinking 8 glasses of water a day) and externally. Moisturizing your hair with a water based moisturizer (water should be the first ingredient) at least twice a day should do the trick (depending on your hair type). If you are the type to lightly spritz throughout the day, try a mixture of Aloe Vera Juice, Water, Glycerin and Coconut Oil in a spray bottle for softness and moisture. This will also help cool your scalp.
   
4. Introduce humectants in your regimen. Humectants draw moisture from the air into your hair. So take advantage of those hot humid days by adding Honey, Glycerin or Castor Oil to your Moisturizers and/or Deep Conditioners. Or you can purchase moisturizers with at least one of these ingredients to increase hydration. Your hair will thank you.
   
5. Rock a damp/wet bun. Dampen your hair with water (if you haven't co-washed or deep conditioned first), apply your moisturizer then seal, immediately bun your hair. Damp bunning a simple and an easy way to lock in moisture.
   
   



6. Wear a hat. This will ensure maximum protection from the sun and keep you cool.
   
7. Baggy your ends. Moisturize and seal then baggy for a few hours or overnight. This will give your hair a quick pick-me-up of hydration.
   
8. Protect your hair with Protective Styles. Opt for easy styles. Rock a chic side bun, french braid or half wig for protection against the heat. These low manipulation styles will help lock in moisture, prevent breakage and help retain length.
   
   
   



9. Beat Frizz. Keep your ends covered in the styles listed above and/or invest in an anti-frizz leave-in solution i.e. Leave-in Conditioner, Serum etc. to apply on the hair while damp for better results. Remember, frizz is caused by dryness, therefore; the best way to prevent dryness is to keep the hair moist and don't touch it (constant manipulation of the hair can cause frizz)!
   
10. Put down the Blow Dryer & Air Dry! Using heat frequently while in the heat can really rob the hair of moisture leading to unnecessary dryness and breakage. Put down the blow dryer and try air drying for a change. Give your hair a break. It may take a little longer but it's much healthier.
    

♥ Sunshyne

Hair Question: Is there anyway to prevent burning when I relax my hair?

Question:

"Is there anyway to prevent burning when I relax my hair? I switched to a lye relaxer (ORS) and it burned the heck out my scalp the last two times I used it. I based my entire scalp both times.

First I used regular, then I used extra strength lye relaxer. I assumed that extra strength would help it process faster therefore I would experience less irritation, but it burned twice as much.

I love the results better than no lye (I don't that gritty mineral build up feeling), so I don't want to go back, but the pain is really bad."

Advice:

I'm sorry to hear that the relaxer burned you badly. The reason why you burned could be due to several factors:

1. You washed too close to your relaxer day - It's important to wash 4-5 days prior to a relaxer retouch. Washing too close to your relaxer date can cause burning and irritation during the relaxer.

2. You itched/scratched your scalp - Keep your fingers AWAY from your scalp. Scratching your scalp can lift skin cells off of your scalp leaving it exposed to the relaxer, therefore, causing a burning sensation.. It will seep into the cracked skin and burn you.

3. Lack of Detangling - Pulling through the hair while you are relaxing can cause irritation because the hair is being tugged from the scalp leaving your scalp more sensitive and prone to burns.

4. The oil you used was not thick enough for your sensitive scalp - Use a thicker oil like Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Avocado Oil etc. to base with. These oils will provide a light coating over the scalp to prevent burns and irritation yet still allowing the relaxer to penetrate and straighten the hair to your liking.

5. You used the teeth of the comb to smooth the new growth - Make sure you are using the BACK of a comb or your hands so that you are not disturbing the scalp. Using the teeth section of a comb to smooth may scratch the scalp allowing the relaxer to get in contact with fresh skin which then causes burning!

6. You did not pay attention to the time limit - Be on point with how long you leave the relaxer on to process for. Follow the directions on the relaxer jar.

7. You worked out or did some physical activity before your relaxer - Do not exercise for 2 days before you get a relaxer. The sweat in your scalp opens up your pores making it very susceptible to burning.

I highly recommend (for sensitive people like yourself) that you base your scalp the night before and the day of your relaxer, in sections. This will ensure that you do not get burned since you are highly protected. Don't forget to base the entire perimeter of your hairline, ears, behind your ears, nape etc.

Please keep in mind that the problem could also be because of your high sensitivity and this particular relaxer may not be the right "fit" for you. Using a relaxer specifically for sensitive scalp may be the best route to go i.e. Affirm FiberGuard Sensitive Scalp Creme Relaxer, Vitale Mo Body Sensitive Scalp Relaxer, Mizani sensitive scalp etc.

Overall, when getting a re-touch, just leave your hair alone! Do not touch the scalp, itch or scratch. Low manipulation is key.

Hope that helps,

♥ Sunshyne

Braids and Healthy Ends

Question:

How do I moisturize my hair while in Kinky Twists?

Advice: While wearing braids our main goal is to retain some, if not all, of our growth. Right? Well, leaving braids in for a few months is an excellent way to retain length, however; if not done correctly, it can do more harm than good!

When I used to wear braids, for 2-3months at a time, I was excited to relax my hair to see how long it grew, unfortunately my ends were always in bad shape resulting in me getting a massive trim. I then ended up where I started :( I never understood the problem until years later....my ends were LACKING MOISTURE!!

While in braids, we often pay attention to the scalp because it's visible and it's been embedded within us that the scalp is the "most important" when it comes to hair care. Truth be told, we fail to realize that our ends (raveled in the braid) need the most care. Yes, the style is easy to maintain and yes you are giving your hair a rest, but you cannot neglect your hair underneath.

I'm a firm believer in moisturizing braids 2-3 times a day since the braid hair has a tendency to draw moisture from the hair (you have to work harder in putting moisture back into the hair). Make sure you saturate the braid from root to tip. Moisturize the length of the braid all the way down to where your hair ends, within the braid.

The best/easiest way to moisturize your braids is with a spray moisturizer (i.e. Scurl No Drip Activator, Sta Sof Fro Spray or Africa Best Braid Sheen Spray with Conditioner) or make your own (i.e. Water & Glycerin mixed with a moisturizing leave-in conditioner, Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin & Coconut Oil) and put it in a spray bottle.

Don't forget to spray the length of the braid, not just the scalp. Protect and keep your hair underneath healthy!

♥ Sunshyne

Low Manipulation Vs. Protective Styles

Question:

"Is a braid out a protective style?"

Advice: It's so funny how often I get this question, but the answer is No!

A braid out is considered a low manipulation style. Low manipulation, basically means styling the hair with no direct heat. Braid outs, twist outs, bantu knots, pin curls, flexi rod sets, roller sets etc. are all under the category of low manipulation styles. These styles require no direct heat (blow dryer or flat iron) and barely any energy or skill on your part. They are easy to do and healthier style choices since direct heat is the quickest way to dry out the hair.

A protective style is where your ends are protected, shielded away, and invisible to outside elements i.e. weather (rain, snow, wind, sun etc.). These styles really help in retaining length. Some examples would include buns, braids, cornrows, wigs, weaves, lacefronts, french braids, up-dos, phony ponies etc. Protective styles can be considered as low manipulation styles, however, low manipulation styles are not protective styles.

I hope that clears up any confusion.

♥ Sunshyne

How I Went From SL to APL in 7 months - My Old Regimen!

Hair Question:

"What was your regimen that made you get from shoulder length to arm pit length?"

Answer:

I get this question frequently so it's better that I answer it in a blog post. It took me 7 months (October 2007 - May 2008) to get from shoulder length to arm pit length. My regimen was pretty simple, however I used way more products back then.

Here's what I use to do:

I shampooed and deep conditioned with heat & oils every 3-4 days (Mondays and Thursdays). My deep conditioners were always moisture based mixed with oils & honey since my hair was moisture deprived at the time. I did my protein treatments 1x/month. I air dried 99% of the time, moisturized & sealed twice a day, put my hair in a bun daily, and co-washed maybe once a week. Overall, I did more moisture over protein, which helped me retain a lot of length and prevent breakage.

Here are the products I used to use:

Shampoo:

Creme of Nature Detangling Shampoo (green label)
Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo

Moisturizing Deep Conditioners:

Elasta QP DPR-11
AtOne Botanical Reconstructor with Moisture Recovery
Creme of Nature Nourishing Conditioner
Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner

Protein Conditioner:

Mane N Tail Original Conditioner
Aussie Moist mixed with 1-2eggs and EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Leave-in Conditioner:

Elasta QP HTWO Leave-in
Elasta QP Oil Recovery
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Creme

Moisturizer:

Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion sealed with Safflower Oil or Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil

Co-wash Conditioners:

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner
Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
Herbal Essences None Of Your Frizzness
Suave Tropical Coconut
Pantene Fortifying Conditioner
Aussie Moist

Some Techniques That Helped Me:

1. Baggying overnight
2. Damp Bunning daily
3. Doing the scarf method to lay down my new growth in the front while stretching.

Tip: As you carry on in your journey, your hair needs will begin to change. What worked back then wasn't going to get me to BSL because the extra moisture was thinning out my ends - so changes had to be made. Going from APL to BSL, my hair required more protein, less shampoo and less products. Be open to making changes in your hair regimen so that your hair will continue to progress allowing you to reach your hair goals quicker.

♥ Sunshyne

Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil - Love it or Hate it?

Lately, many have been inquiring as to whether or not I've tried the New Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil and how I like it. I'll be more than happy to answer those questions:




Have your tried the Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil?

- Yes, I have.

Do you like it?

- Yes!! It's a fabulous product :-)

How long have you been using it?

- For about 1-2 weeks now.

What do you like about it?

- The scent of course!! As soon as you open the bottle and take a sniff, you barely smell that over-barring burnt smokey scent. The lavender smell is very relaxing. I find that when I apply it, my hair smells very fresh and clean. The Lavender scent lingers for few hours. However, I've never had a problem with the original scent (I guess I just got used to it).

Would you replace the Original JBCO for the Lavender JBCO?

- To be honest, no. I think I will use both but alternate between the two. I've never had a problem with the original, so I don't see the need to replace it.

Overall, how would you rate the New Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil?

- I give it 2 thumbs up!! I also like how the label reads "No Salt". That's a bonus!

♥ Sunshyne

Tips On How To Winterize Your Hair

For those who live in colder climates (including myself), all know that winter will soon be approaching. The heavy winds, snow, and drier air can take a serious toll on our hair if we don't take the necessary measures to protect it.

Here are several tips to help you prepare your hair to withstand the harsh winter weather:

1. Cut down on Wash N Go's & Co-washes (walking outside with a wet head will probably get you sick). Co-washing 1-2x/week should be sufficient.
2. Wash your hair in the evening so that your hair air dries overnight as opposed to when you're outside.
3. Wear your hair up! Winter calls for thicker clothing, so wearing your hair up will protect your ends from snagging on wool coats, turtle necks, or sweaters you may be wearing.
4. Moisturize more often! Ever notice how your skin needs more moisture in the winter? Well so does your hair. Moisturizing morning and night will help combat dryness.
5. Bring out the heavier products! For example, Cholesterol Conditioners, Pomades, Butters (Shea, Cocoa, Mango).
   
   
   
   
   
6. Increase and Intensify your Deep Conditioning Sessions. The dry heat inside the house and the cold air outside can pull moisture from the hair. Remember to deep condition with a heat source (steamer, hooded dryer, heat cap) for at least 30mins.
7. Seal in your moisturizers with heavier oils. For example Castor Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil, or an Oil Based Moisturizer. This will provide extra protection from the brisk weather.
8. Try Hot Oil Treatments. You can do them as a pre-shampoo treatment (20mins with heat) or after you shampoo. For an extra kick, mix oils into your deep conditioners for a 2in1 treatment.
   
9. Add a satin/silk lining into your winter hats. You can even wear a satin or silk bonnet underneath your hats to prevent your hair/ends from drying out.
10. Hide your hair! Increase your protective styling. This will help retain length and lock in moisture. You can try buns, French Twists, Braids, Wigs (Half or Full), Weaves etc.
    

♥ Sunshyne