Happy 2017!!! 
I had taken a break from blogging and now I am back with a detailed update of my healthy hair journey in 2016.

1. Pre shampoo treatment (tropical coconut oil brand Alison)  
2. Shampoo once a week (herbal essences hello hydration shampoo I recently incorporated African black soap to my routine).
3. Condition with a moisturizing conditioner once a week and a protein based (has hydrolyzed proteins) conditioner once a months (I am yet to settle on any particular brands). I do not use any deep conditioners.
4. Stretch hair using twists and bantu knots(Check tutorial on my YouTube channel)
5. Moisturize and seal with an oil or butter every other day.
6. Wear one hairstyle per week to reduce manipulation.
7. Always wear a scarf to bed.

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   When it comes to retaining length and maintaining the ends of my hair, protective styling comes in handy. If you are reading this and you have always thought that hair had to be braided or in a weave to be protected I hope to convince you otherwise. A protective hairstyle is any hairstyle that keeps your ends off your clothes and ideally hidden to avoid damage. Buns are a great way to protect your hair and still have access to it at all times. To protect my hairline I create a loose pompadour or loose mini buns at the front to reduce the pressure applied on my hairline.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   braid out pompadour

   
   
   
    braids are the most common protective hairstyle in Kenya and in Africa as a whole. They are also one of the main causes for hair damage and more so hairline damage. The last time I had braids done was about a year ago and I loved the braids. But unfortunately I suffered so much damage that I promised myself that I wont ever braid my hair again.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Mini twists are a life saver for those weeks when the last thing on my mind is my hair, they are not only versatile but also easy to wash and care for.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   All buns and no afro makes me a dull girl so 2016 was also full of afros and some variation of the afro, remember my goal was to have fun but not damage my hair at the same time. to achieve this I made sure that these kinds of hairstyles would only last upto three days to avoid knots and tangles. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   I like to stretch my hair out because my curls are so tight which makes tangling and knotting very easy and my go to ways of stretching is either blow drying on cool to medium air using the tension method or using bantu knots. Please check for the link below for a tutorial on this method.

This post is long overdue since I actually have had my braids undone for about three weeks now. Thank you so much for your patience. Please click on the video to watch how I undo my braids.

wash and go on natural type 4 hair

Bun on stretched natural hair

I ended my long-term transition to natural at 17 months post relaxer; this was back in June 2014. I would be lying if I said that it was a challenge to deal with my natural hair immediately because it was not. My biggest challenge was Knots and tangles! I had these bad guys literally everywhere! There were hundreds of them all over my hair and it was just frustrating. Seeing that this was an issue for me I shared a post explaining my ordeal with knots and you ladies were so awesome in giving me tips which really helped me to reduce those knots. With the tips I got as well as my own research and experiences I managed to reduce the knots by 90%. 

1. An afro comb (optional)
2. A styling cream or Gel check out my review on the enliven Gel.
3. A hair tie
4. Bobby pins (optional)
5. A soft hair brush.

wet texture shot before heat

1. Clarify your hair with a shampoo and deep condition your hair with a protein conditioner as well as a moisturising conditioner. A conditioner that contains hydrolyzed protein is more preferable than using kitchen remedies like eggs, coconut milk or mayonnaise. This is because hydrolyzed protein can actually penetrate the hair and temporarily repair your hair shaft. The kitchen remedies are protein rich but the proteins are too large to penetrate the hair and only coat the surface of the hair.
2. Use a silicone based conditioner and/ or a silicone based heat protector. Silicones have a very high burning point and they keep extra moisture out which helps with reversion especially on natural hair. Using a silicone based product will apply a thin layer of a heat resistant film that will keep your hair from too much heat exposure.
3. Use a good flat iron. Hair starts burning at a temperature of about 450F/ 232.2C. Using a flat iron and blow drier that can be regulated is vital if you want to keep your hair from damage.
4. Detangle and stretch your hair before flat ironing it.
5. Use a flat iron with ceramic plates as these distribute heat equally along the hair shaft.
6. Keep product use to a minimal if your aim is too achieve smooth silky hair. Too much product will only cause your hair to be weighed down and the strands will clamp to each other instead of flowing freely.

You might be wondering why I chose to name this challenge No Excuses! I am growing my hair healthy. Well I did this with a very good reason. Many African women I have had a chance to talk to always have a list of reasons why they cannot grow their hair healthy. The most common reason I get is this "You know you have that good hair mine is the steel wool  type" Steel wool here is the term used for 4C hair in Kenya/ Africa. We give up before we even try.


I started my hair journey in February 2010 with relaxed hair. My hair had always been shoulder length for as long as I can remember. I actually thought that shoulder length was the longest my hair could ever grow! After starting to take better care of my hair I noticed that it became healthier, thicker and longer. Did my genes suddenly change? NO! they were still the same but my hair care practices changed and this is what made the difference. If I had not changed the way I was doing things I probably would still have dry, damaged shoulder length hair.
I believe that all hair is beautiful! whether it has defined curls or coils or whether the curls are non-existent. There are so many women who have managed to grow their healthy and long regardless of their hair type and so can you if you get rid of those negative thoughts in your mind. God created all hair beautiful embrace yours just as it is and work towards making it reach it´s full potential. You will never know what your hair is capable of if you don´t sincerely give it a try
This challenge is geared to help you learn the basics of hair care regardless of whether your hair is relaxed or natural. learning the right techniques will ensure that you get the healthy hair that you have always wanted. To join please Click Here and be a part of this great movement.

Stay blessed!
Gahl Team