1) How do you define "healthy" hair? Healthy hair to me is hair that is not damaged by heat or chemicals. It is hair that is moisturized, minimal knots and splits on the ends, and has a healthy sheen without the need for grease or heavy oils.
2) Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed, or transitioning?
I’m natural.
3) What mistakes have you made in your hair care journey?
The biggest mistake I made was getting my hair colored once. The color applied did not deposit well on my hair, so the salon lifted it from my hair (along with my natural color) and re-applied it. The lifting burned my scalp and my texture did not return for a month. My elasticity was also gone (ability of hair to spring back when pulled).
The second mistake was getting it colored a second time, 6 months later, to darken it back from the lighter shade. Overall, I was able to maintain my hair by increasing the moisture in my routine and I also learned how to seal around this time. Almost 2 years later and my hair has since thrived, but the left over colored ends are showing signs of damage. They are thinner, brittle, tangled, and full of knots compared to the length of my hair. I am trimming them off a little at a time.
4) What is your current HEALTHY HAIR routine? (include regimen, products, etc.)
My basic routine consists of conditioner cleansing, conditioning, adding more conditioner as a leave-in, then a sealer on the very ends. I guess, I would call myself a “conditioner chick” :}
The most important part of my healthy hair routine is the cleansing. It can either maintain or deplete the natural moisture my hair has accumulated, and no product or oil can replace that moisture. So..
I use Curl Junkie Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner to wash my hair once a week. If I need to gently clarify, which is usually once a month, I will use Kinky-Curly Come Clean diluted with water to cleanse my scalp and the run-off will cleanse my hair. In between cleansing or after 3-4 days, I water wash my hair and use a lavender-vatika oil-white musk-water spritz to refresh my scalp and scent my hair. I’ve found that my hair prefers frequent water washing because it is less drying than conditioner washing, and re-activates, rather than washes away, the product already in my hair. I deep condition every 2-4 weeks depending on the season and my schedule. I stopped deep conditioning my hair last summer because I found it drying and coating. I then realized that I was not using deep conditioners in a way that worked for my texture. I now apply my conditioners to wet, damp, or dry hair depending on how well they work like that.
Deep conditioners:
-Aubrey Organics HoneySuckle Rose Conditioner on dry hair only,
-Nature’s Gate Herbal conditioner for detangling,
-or Mayocado (avocado-mayonnaise) mix for a little strength, a load of moisture, and incredible shine; when I have time
Leave-in: I use different leave-ins depending on how dry my hair is.
-Elucence Moisture-Balancing Conditioner alone on damp, water washed hair
-Elucence mixed with Kinky-Curly Knot Today as a basic leave-in on wet hair
-Curl Junkie Curl Rehab deep conditioner as a winter leave-in
-Karen’s Body Beautiful Super Silky as a summer leave-in or for wash n’ go buns
-Elucence mixed with a little shea butter and emu oil on damp roots if I’m experiencing dry roots
Sealer: I only use sealer on my ends and occasionally on my edges.
-I use a shea mix to seal in the winter. I either mix it with my detangling oil blend (Olive oil, Sweet Almond oil, Castor oil), or individually with Sweet Almond, Safflower, or Red Palm oil. These oils are all great for dry ends and some help coat the hair, while others penetrate it.
-Qhemet Biologics Amla and Olive Heavy Cream as a lighter sealer in the summer-Vatika Oil or Emu oil mixed with conditioner and shea butter or water, as needed, to seal my roots in the winter
5) Do you have a HEALTHY BODY routine? If so, what is it? (diet, skin care, etc.)
I don’t really have a healthy body routine. The health aspect is improvised :}
I live in a walking city. I walk to school and back (sometimes more) everyday for 18 minutes both ways. I walk everywhere unless it’s late at night, so that helps with physical activity. I also live in an apartment building with no elevator and attend a school that has slow elevators, so I’m up and down the stairs all day.
I pack a water container with me everyday and there are water filters on almost every floor of my school, so I drink water more than anything else.
I also make sure to have fresh fruits and vegetables in my fridge each week to snack on so I don’t reach for sweets all the time.
I’ve eliminated most dairy and whole grain from my diet and I eat red meat sparingly (whenever I have the energy to cook it or order it at a restaurant). As a result, I feel more cleansed inside, and my body spends less energy trying to digest these foods.
I try to eat light breakfast such as oatmeal, fresh fruit, with high energy additions (almonds, blueberries, flaxseed) rather than heavy, greasy, caffeinated foods and drinks.
For skincare, I used to use Dial Soap to wash my face when I was younger and my skin was fine so I really think genetics plays a large role in how healthy our skin is. Next is diet, followed by hygiene.
Now, I use Nubian Heritage black soap or their honey and black seed soap to wash my face. I also use Alba Papaya Enzyme mask and Giovanni D-tox exfoliant once a week. Lastly, I use Thayer’s Rose Petal-Witch Hazel Toner on my face after using masks or wearing heavy make-up.
6) Do you have any advice for those seeking healthy tresses?
The key to healthy hair after genetics and diet, is preserving the natural oils that your scalp produces because they are made to keep your hair at levels of optimum moisture and shine. Constantly washing, or piling on product will prevent your hair from benefiting from your own natural oils. Keep your scalp healthy, limit your use of stripping shampoos, water wash when you can, add more moisturizing product when you think you’ve added enough, especially after cleansing, and use heavy products like butters and oils sparingly so there is less buildup to wash out.
