This post is long overdue! thank you for being patient with me.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

  If you watched enough YouTube videos about natural hair journeys, you probably know how psyched you get right after seeing the natural hair beautys looking good with curly hair and perfect twist outs.
     That being said, I have to admit that I have been having some issues with my hair ever since I  reached the "in between, in between stage".​ The what?? - Yes, the in between in between.
    This is a stage where your hair is not short enough to be a TWA* anymore , not medium enough to be in the real "in between ​stage" and  far from being "hairbandable"*
   The thing with stage is that, a lot of times, it costs  patience and nerves, so if you aren't there yet, let me alert you on some of the problems I have been having recently and probably some solutions too.

1. Minimal style alternatives: Because with this kind of length there is just not much that can be done. Wash an Go's are perfect if you live in areas with the kind of humidity that favors you hair. Solution,Twist outs are also great if you have the time for it. If you don't have the above mentioned time and climate like I, protective styles like cornrows and braids can come in handy.
   
2.  Desperate moments: I'm learning the hard way that it is actually wise to always have a nice quality wig somewhere nicely stored because now that it's obvious that this stage needs time and commitment, which maybe most people like me don't really have, there will be moments where desperation will then kick in. This will be pushed up a notch if braids and cornrows are your saviors but then you hair stylists cancels on you and you only have one day of the week off! (True story). Solution, Hair accessories could come in handy here  in the absence of a wig.
   
3. Regrets: Remember how I mentioned that excitement and psyche you get after watching natural hair inspiration videos and pictures, so then you get all motivated and do the BC. Yeah, chances are, you just might actually have some moments of regrets here and there, especially if you have pictures of your previous hair around or cannot do that style you loved so much. Solution, Just remember the main reason why you BC, it might have been symbolic for something important in your life, new beginnings, fresh start e.t.c Take yourself back to that place and remember that it's hair and it will grow.
4. Impatience: Hair has it's natural way of growth and in this stage, that might be too slow for you. Remember, it will grow at it's own pace. Solution, do is your part, eat right, get some sleep, work out, drink plenty of water because the inner body regime is just as important for hair growth.
   
5. Revelation: After all is said done, it is at this stage that I feel most people really get to know just how ready they are to commit to a hair journey. As much as it is annoying, it can be a learning process to experiment on what works for you and what fits your personal lifestyle and character. Whatever decision made at this stage should be sorely personal because now you have had the revelation that everyones hair is different even if the texture matches. What you watch, read and see on social medias and blogs are mere ideas and guidelines but every journey is different and you should make yours one that works for just you and only you.

                                                               It's always a Pleasure,
                                                                            Zipporah.​​


*TWA= teeny weeny Afro
*Hairbandable= a word Joanne and I came up with for hair long enough to be tied with a hairband.​​

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.

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.

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

•  No.3: Braiding hair makes it grow faster.

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

     

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.