Grow African Hair Long GAHL: August 2015

Until a few weeks ago, the closest I came to plaiting my hair was eight simple cornrows that would either have a weave or wig on them. I watched a lot of YouTube channels and blogs about hair and even though I always thought I was keen and knew what I was doing, I dare say I was among those kind of people who thought "healthy hair journeys were overrated". Growing up in Kenya with black women all around, it was certainly paramount that we all shared information about how good or not good our hair were and of-course with the tangible difference in length and texture, there were a lot of hair tips and stories told and these I may say, were found to be very sacred for both the young and old.
Being an absolute newbie to the whole natural hair journey situation, I am mesmerised at just how much difference untampered natural hair can make and how most of the things we heard were true and some,well..just sadly false.
For the second time, I've gotten Ghana/Abuja cornrows done. While the first ones lasted just 2 weeks, it certainly was an interesting time that gave yours truly some really tiny but eventful revelations about cornrows on short Afro hair that might be helpful to some NHJ beginners. Low and behold,5-things they told you can't do that you might actually want to and maybe should do with your TWA in cornrows.

No.1: You mustn't wash you hair while cornrowed.

Truth...You should and you must, not only is washing your cornrowed hair hygienic, it's actually healthy for your hair and scalp, also water works as moisturiser to your hair. Though you should reduce the use of harsh shampoos, you should always trust what your hair/scalp is communicating to you, so if you have an urging need to wash your cornrow then you probably should, no one likes smelly hair.

No 2:Tightly done cornrows look and better and last longer:

Truth...If you have a sensitive hairline and stubborn "baby hairs" it is OK to leave them out of the hair to be braided equation. Not only does it cause you pain, it can cause hair loss and that will not look good.(I will need to note this next time)

No.3: Braiding hair makes it grow faster.

Truth...it is actually proved that a person grows a certain length of hair per month. Although it is a protective style and protects your hair from harsh situations, braiding hair also stretches the Afro from its natural shrinkage making it look longer every time you take it out and comb your hair.

No.4: You should grease your hair and scalp.

Truth...Don't. Hair food, Vaseline, Milking Fat e.t.c does not look good on your scalp and it prevents your skin from breathing and could cause build up, especially if you do lie Number 1 and 4. Use light oils and wash your hair.

No.5:It is normal if it hurts.

Truth...while your hair is being cornrowed there is obvious stress on the skin as it is being pulled and stretched but this should ease up with time. There is a difference between discomfort and pain and if it hurts,especially for days,you have the option to take them off or try a few pointers that helped my skin adjust to the the hairstyle which I will share on my next post.

Can't wait.

At the end of the day,coming from different African cultures and believes,there are thousands of myths and fact that have been hanging in our heads since forever and I have to admit that most of them are hilarious. All well and good, I would love to hear some of your cultures myths on Afro hair. #Cornrowedhaircares
Thanks for reading.

xoxo Zipporah

I am planning to straighten my hair using direct heat for a friend’s wedding this weekend and since I am adequately preparing my hair for the process I thought why not share with you what I have learnt about heat use all through my hair journey.

wet texture shot before heat

Most people on healthy hair journeys prefer not to use heat at all or prefer to keep heat use at the minimal with good reason. Heat can cause a lot of damage to the hair if not correctly applied. Unfortunately most hairdressers in Kenya have no idea how to apply heat to their client’s hair while protecting it from unnecessary damage. Here is what normally happens in Kenyan salon setting. Freshly washed hair is normally blown dry with a blow drier with a comb attachment on the highest possible heat setting until it is completely dry and tangle free. Next comb less attachment and the process is repeated. After this a lot of hair food is applied to the hair and once again the hair is blown dry. In some cases this process is followed up with a flat ironing session. This is way too much heat for any type of hair and will cause damage. I personally had an experience where a part of my hair was literally burnt and it turned light brown as if it had been bleached, that part eventually broke off with time. This is why it is important for you as a client or if you do your own hair, to know how to adequately prepare your hair for the process and know what to do during the process. Never be ashamed to speak up at a salon if the stylist is using too much heat on your hair.

Here are a few tips you can take to keep heat damage at a minimal:

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.
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.
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.
Detangle and stretch your hair before flat ironing it.
Use a flat iron with ceramic plates as these distribute heat equally along the hair shaft.
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.

I will be sticking to these tips and will definitely share my straightening experience with you. In the meantime please share your hair straightening experiences in the comment section. I would love to know how it is done in other African countries and also your experiences in Kenyan salons.

Stay blessed,

Joanne.

Who are you? Take a second to think about how you would answer this question.

Did you just think of your profession, marital status, responsibilities and so on? Well you are not the only one who thought along those lines. Faced with this question most people go like well, I am Kenyan, I am a mother, I am a wife, and I am a nurse and so on. But these really are things we do and responsibilities we have in life but they are not who we are. Society today places so much value on profession that those who do not have a recognisable profession seem to be referred to as nobodies. Ever heard of someone refer to themselves as being nobody? That is just so heartbreaking isn’t it? Because everybody is somebody! At the same time there are those who have achieved it all but they are still lost, full of anxiety and depressed. They are on constant search to find out who they really are and unfortunately most people have no idea where to go to find themselves. Many end up in unfulfilling relationships, drugs and alcohol, depression, low self esteem and other psychological problems.

You have been placed where you are for a reason and your father in heaven is the only one who knows for which purpose he created you. You are one of a kind, special in every way possible. Let God download your instruction manual to you by getting to know His heart for you. Have you ever had those moments where you had bought a gadget which seemed to be working well and then suddenly it didn’t? At these moments I tend to either look for the instruction manual on how to use the gadget by the gadget’s maker or I Google to find out what other people have already found out from the manufacturer. The same applies to you and God.

In the book of Matthew 16: 16-19 Jesus has a conversation with his disciples and asks them who do people say that he was? The disciples start giving all sorts of answers until Simon Peter speaks up and says “You are the Christ the son of the living God” Jesus blesses him and tells him that God the father had revealed that to him. Here comes my favourite part. Vs 18 Jesus says to Peter “And I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” When you know who Jesus is He will tell you who you are and this is what we should strive to listen to. So the first step to knowing who you are is to know Jesus. The second step is to refuse to listen to what people say abut you if it is not in line with what God says about you. Never repeat any negative things that people say about you because words have power to create. Instead take this tip from Apostle Paul if something is NOT true, noble, just, pure, and lovely, of good report, virtuous or praiseworthy then don’t think about it. Philippians 4:8.

Lastly spend time with God and He will show you who you are and I promise you will love it. Next week I will share on how I spend time with God. Be sure to check out the post.

Do you want to know Jesus and you would like Him to show you who you are, then please contact me: growafricanhairlong@googlemail.com I would love to pray with you.

Stay blessed!

Joanne.

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