My damaged relaxed hair

Quick visual of my hair regimen now

Hey luvs! 

In this video I share with you how I was able to grow my hair out from my cut in April 2019. I know- its long overdue, but hey,  better late than never! My hair went from BSL (Bra Strap Length) to MBL(Mid Back Length) in just 5 months - despite having trims with each relaxer. After I cut my hair, I implemented these healthy hair care tips and they truly worked for me. I swear by them!

So today, I’m sharing with you my relaxed hair regimen, products, a few methods and tips I used during those 5 months to retain as much length as possible. As a result, my relaxed hair was stronger, softer, and longer! I hope this video is useful to anyone who is looking to improve their length retention and grow longer healthier relaxed hair. 

As always, thanks for watching! Oh, and don't forget to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE :)

Enjoy!

XOXO

This question ---> "How do I get thicker relaxed hair?" is probably the most frequently asked question I have received while on my hair journey. It's definitely a question that I love to answer simply because I always desired to know how I could thicken up my own hair, prior to starting my hair journey in 2007. Since then, its been my mission to find the answers! Here are a few tips I "swear by" that have helped me thicken up my relaxed hair!

1. Stretching Relaxers
It is highly recommended to space out your relaxers as far as possible. Why you ask? Well by stretching out your relaxers you are giving your hair a much needed break so that your new growth has a chance to grow in fully before reapplying your relaxer touch up. On the flip side, when your new growth is not "visible", the possibility of overlapping your relaxer i.e. applying relaxer on the previously relaxed hair, is HIGH. Overlapping your relaxer is a HUGE no-no as it can cause thinness, breakage and overall damage to your relaxed hair. Stretching your relaxers (10-12 weeks minimum) makes your hair stronger and thicker over time!

2. Using Normal Strength Relaxer NOT Extra Strength
Normal strength relaxers tend to process the hair at a much slower rate than extra strength relaxers. The slower process along with a quick application time (15-20 mins; fast relaxer speed = less processing = less texture removed from the hair = thicker hair) is a great way to leave texture in your strands. More texture = thicker/dense strands. Also, apply the relaxer to the new growth ONLY - nowhere else. Previously relaxed hair does not need to be relaxed again (this is called over-processing which leads to thinness).

3. Protect Your Previously Relaxed Hair While Relaxing
Never ever relax your hair without your ends being protected from the relaxer. Relaxing previously relaxed hair can cause your hair to be over-processed which eventually leads to thinness and breakage. Protecting the length of your hair, all the way to the ends, creates a barrier between your hair and the run-off of the relaxer. Beware that rinsing out your relaxer, without protection, the length of your hair is at risk of being processed!  It is essential to coat your strands with Vaseline (nothing is penetrating through that), Castor Oil, or Porosity Control Conditioner for maximum protection.

4. Pre-poo With Coconut Oil 
Coconut oil is the most penetrating natural oil and very beneficial for relaxed hair. Coconut oil is known to protect the hair from protein loss when used as a pre-shampoo treatment. In other words, it helps prevent damage to the cuticle/hair as it penetrates deeply into the cortex of the hair; therefore, little to no protein is lost. Less damage = stronger fuller cuticle = thicker hair.

5. Weekly Light Protein Treatments
Protein is your friend but more importantly, relaxed hair needs it! Protein causes the hair to swell in diameter thus increasing the thickness of your relaxed strands. Protein treatments strengthen and fortify the hair preventing breakage. Always use products with "hydrolyzed protein" as they are small enough to penetrate into the hair cortex, i.e. hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed collagen, hydrolyzed animal protein etc., to aid in patching up damaged areas along the hair shaft creating a fuller thicker strand. Always follow up your protein treatments with a moisturizing treatment to soften and smooth out the hair.

6. Cut off thin ends
Remove thin ends immediately. As the saying goes "health over length" is nothing but the truth! Don't hold on to thin ends for the sake of claiming "BSL or MBL". Even if your hair will be shorter once trimmed, there is nothing better than seeing hair with beautiful full blunt ends. Your hair will automatically feel and look thicker. Maintain your trimmed ends on a cycle that works for you i.e. mini trims every 8 weeks, trims every 3 or 6 months etc. Remember to use sharp shears designed for hair cutting only.

7. Use Products with Panthenol
Panthenol is a humectant commonly found in deep conditioners and leave-ins. Humectants draw moisture from the air into the hair. Panthenol is also capable of penetrating the hair cuticle and cortex; therefore, helping to thicken each hair shaft naturally up to 10%. Look for deep conditioners and leave-in products (moisturizers too!) to aid in thickening up your hair.

Here is a NEW video on how I moisturize and seal my 4B relaxed hair. I'm 12 weeks post relaxer in this video. I've been moisturizing and sealing my hair in sections for years. Since I started moisturizing in sections, my hair has become healthier and I retain length easier. Moisturizing in sections ensures no hairs are missed and my strands are hydrated thoroughly.
A few Hairlistas have asked me if my hair get's "wet" after using Scurl No Drip to moisturize my hair; however, my hair remains moist without the "wet" feeling. My hair type seems to respond well to glycerin based products.

Thanks for watching!!

How long have you been relaxed?
I have been relaxed for twelve (12) years.

What is your current regimen? How often do you relax? What relaxer do you use? 
My current hair regimen consists of moisturizing and sealing every three days, co-washing, deep conditioning, and shampooing whenever it's needed. I only use a comb on wash days. My relaxer is Mizani Rhelaxer fine/Color Treated and I only relax my hair every 4-5 months.

What products are you currently using on your hair? 
Co-wash(WEN), Shampoo(Creme of Nature sulfate free shampoo), Conditioner(Aussie Family Smooth'n Bloom Conditioner), Deep conditioner (One 'n Only Argan oil Hydrating mask), Leave in conditioner (Mizani True Texture curl soft leave-in creme), Hair moisturizer (mixture of Herbel Essences Hello Hydration, Vegetable Glycerin and Water) Protein Treatments( Aphogee Two-step Protein Treatment) Oils (Coconut oil, One'n only Argon Oil).

I noticed your ends got reasonably thicker based on your progress picture! It's beautiful. Please explain in detail what you did differently to increase the thickness of your ends? Did you discover what you were doing wrong? 
When I started my hair journey my crown area was texlax and the rest of my hair was bone straight. I would always try to correct my crown area because I didn't understand why it wasn't bone straight. I later found out that my crown area was thicker then the rest of my hair and as a result of that my hair was thinning. I decided to texlax my hair while trimming off the bone straight ends. I also kept my hair in protective styles - taking it down every three days to moisturize and seal.

What have you learned about maintaining thicker ends?
I have learned that a relaxer isn't meant to relax your hair until it's lifeless but to help with
manageability.

What tips would you provide those who are looking to thicken up their ends? 
For my thinner hair ladies, try not to comb your hair every day. This increases breakage! You need every strand of hair to increase the thickness of your hair.

Have you ever wondered what the difference was between dull verses sharp shears and/or the impact it plays on the health of your ends? Do you know how to test your shears to see if they are sharp enough?

Being the inquisitive person that I am, all of these questions have been floating around in my mind for years! I had the opportunity to ask a professional and was able to set my mind at ease. Andy, co-owner of Hoshi Shears (where I got my shears from), was kind enough to answer my questions regarding Dull vs. Sharp Shears. Check out Andy's response below:

Dangers of Dull Shears
When your shears are dull, that means the edges have been worn down so they no longer taper to a point. They have become rounded or nicked from everyday use and/or abuse. When this happens, the shears will no longer leave a clean line when you are working. They will push, fold, or bend the hair. This usually is first noticeable at or near the tips, because the tips are the most frequently used portion of the blades. Also, there is less pressure between the blades at the tips, and this pressure helps the edges cut.

The reason dull shears ruin the ends is that they don't slice through the hair cleanly. The edges will break the hair or stretch and snap it (like pulling a rubber band until it breaks). Dull shears hack or chop the hair, leaving damaged ends. Think of a newspaper that you tried to cut with a butter knife. It's torn, uneven, haphazard.

Benefits of Sharp Shears
Sharp shears will slice the hair cleanly, leaving the ends undamaged. Cleaving through the hair will be effortless. They slice each piece, leaving a clean, even end, no matter the angle between hair and shears. A sharp set of shears will let you perform any cutting tchnique you like, leaving a workable - or finished - line. Think of that same newspaper after you cut it with a razor blade. The cut is clean and smooth - there are no loose fibers hanging.

Sharp vs. Dull Test

1. Moisturizing and seal your hair. Dry hair leads to breakage and breakage leads to possible split ends. See the vicious cycle? Finding the right water-based moisturizer and sealing with a natural oil will prevent your ends from splitting and breaking. This will allow your ends to grow and stay full.

2. Don’t be afraid to trim! Split ends cause our hair to appear jagged-y, dull and cause tangles—who wants that? Do not hold on to length just for the sake of having long hair. Healthy hair comes first! Routinely trim your ends on a schedule that works best for you and your hair. I tend to trim my ends every other relaxer.


3. To achieve and maintain healthy ends, protection is key! Protective styling allows me to avoid heavy manipulation, which can cause my ends to fray. As a bonus, since my ends are hidden, I dodge frequent trims! Buns and wigs are my fave!

4. Baggying allows your hair to remain moist by covering your ends or your entire head using a plastic cap! I swear by baggying! It’s a great way to re-hydrate and retain moisture while you’re at home lounging around. My ends love it!

5. Pamper your ends with a weekly dose of deep treatments! Your ends, the oldest part of your hair, tend to experience the most wear and tear. Give your ends the extra TLC it needs to combat breakage and dryness. Apply the deep conditioner to your ends first, and then work your way up to your roots. Don’t forget to use heat. Your hair will love you for it!

Be sure to check out the original article over at ESSENCE.com | Straight Talk: 5 Musts For Healthy Ends

Lately I've been baggying my ends ... sometimes even my entire head for a couple hours each night. My ends are loving it! Since it's so cold outside, this is a great way to re-hydrate the hair and keep it moist. It's so quick and easy to do. All I do is moisturize with S-curl No Drip Activator (and seal if you want, I skip this step) and then place a plastic shower cap over my head. If I'm targeting just my ends, I moisturize my ends, put it in a bun and then place the plastic shower cap over it (secure it with a scrunchy). Done. I usually baggy for 2-3 hrs 2-3 times a week. It's my staple!!

How do you keep your hair/ends moisturized during the Winter months?

In the beginning of my hair journey, I constantly sought after thick, even, healthy ends. Who wouldn't? But no matter how long my hair grew, the ends always seemed to get thinner and uneven, which led me to do a Big Chop (4"inches off) on my ends back in 2008. After that, I vowed to never cut off my ends like that again, but to find a way to maintain healthy ends. One year into my hair journey, I figured out a great combination of tricks and they've never failed me! Here are a couple tips on how I achieve and maintain healthy ends.

1) Hydrate - Moisturize and seal daily! I can not stress how important it is to develop a healthy habit of moisturizing your hair (with a water based moisturizer) from the ends to the roots on a daily basis. I highly suggest you start by applying the product to the ends first, and then apply it to the rest of the length. Working in sections will ensure proper coverage. Moisturizing and sealing (with a natural oil) in sections (6 in total, 3 on the left, 3 on the right) transformed my hair. Every inch was getting attention and my hair responded accordingly. Tip: Try baggying your ends at night with a plastic shower cap to trap in moisture.

2) Condition - Deep condition with heat (30-45mins) at least once a week to nourish and protect the hair. Deep conditioning with heat is important as the heat opens up the cuticles to allow the nutrients from the conditioner to penetrate into the hair shaft. It's vital in repairing damaged hair and preventing further breakage. Deep conditioning provides the hair with elasticity, strength and moisture which helps in retaining length over time. I highly suggest applying your deep conditioner in sections as well (6 in total, 3 on the left, 3 on the right). Start applying the deep conditioner to your ends first, then work your way up. Your ends will thank you!

3) Trim - Trim thinness frequently. I noticed that small frequent trims (1/2 an inch), with every relaxer or every other month, help to reduce the appearance of thin ends and maintains a full hem line when the hair is down. Trimming thin ends adds thickness and prevents split ends from appearing. Stay on top of your trims!

4) Protect - Protect your ends from the elements (clothes, harsh weather, pollution etc). Wearing protective styles aid in preserving the health of your ends. Frequent exposure (without proper care) leaves you prone to withering damaged ends. Harsh fabrics and poor weather can snag, snap and tear your ends, not to mention, when your ends are exposed, moisture can easily escape thus increasing the possibility of breakage, split ends etc. Wear a bun, full wig, up-do, french braid, half wig, braids etc. 90% of the time and 10% of the time you can give your hair a break and wear it down (i.e. special occasions). Frequent protection means healthier ends and less trims.