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.

Shedding is a normal process that we all experience. When the hair has reached the end of it's growing cycle, hair falls out so that new hair can grow. Shed hair tends to be long in length with a white bulb attached at the end. On average, women shed 50-100 hairs a day, however, if you notice more than this due to stress, weight loss, dieting etc., doing a Black Tea Rinse just may do the trick.

DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) is a hormone causing hair follicles to shrink making it impossible for healthy hair to survive. It's the hormonal process of testosterone converting to DHT, which then harms the follicles. This process takes place in both men and women.  Fortunately, Black Tea contains caffeine (much more than coffee) which is known to block DHT.  Caffeine, acidic in nature, removes DHT from the scalp, thus reducing hair fall. Not only does Black Tea aid in reducing shedding, it also provides softness to the hair, volume and shine!

I've done the Black Tea Rinse twice and my shedding decreased drastically. I noticed that my shedding began to minimize approximately 1-2 weeks after I did my first rinse. I noticed less shedding, fuller, stronger and smoother hair (cuticles were laying flat). It's truly something you should try if you experience excess shedding.

Here is the process I use to make my Black Tea Rinse.

Essentials:

1. Pot
2. Black Tea (I used Tetley Tea which is a brand of Black Tea)
3. An empty spray bottle








Final Thoughts: I highly recommend doing the Black Tea Rinse. Prior to doing the rinse, my hair was constantly shedding with little to no manipulation. It was at a point where my hair felt extremely thin. Within a couple of weeks after doing the rinse, my shedding decreased substantially!! I still shed, but it's much less than before. My hair felt stronger and more resilient after rinsing. It was noticeably thicker and smooth to the touch. As a result, I have now implemented the Black Tea Rinse into my regimen (1x/month) as a preventative measure.

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I'm set and ready to go. I have everything!! I have my Multi-Vitamin, B-Complex, Vitamins C and MSM!! (Missing my Omega 3's in the picture, which is located in the fridge for freshness).  My intention is to feed my body with the necessary nutrients for good health, strength and energy. Healthy hair is just the added bonus. In my previous blogs I mentioned that I wanted to get back on track with my vitamins (for overall health and aid in eliminating shedding), well it's about to begin. The Black Tea Rinse really helped to eliminate the excess shedding immediately (noticed a difference in 2 days), however, these vitamins will help restore any areas that are deficient in my body i.e. Calcium, Iron etc., these categories are vital to healthy hair growth and maintenance.

My plan is to take:

1 Multi-vitamin daily
1 Super B Complex daily
1 Vitamin C daily
1 MSM every other day
1 Omega 3 (not in picture) daily

Materna has been my Multi-vitamin of choice since my pregnancy (2010). It's a "one tablet a day" vitamin, which I love so that I never forget to take it, plus it's easy to swallow. The B Complex is loaded with B vitamins along with Iron (prevent shedding) and Biotin (increase thickness). Vitamin C helps to absorb all of the nutrients and enhance the immune system. In addition, the MSM helps to prolong the growth phase during the hair growth cycle, thus shedding is significantly minimized. I definitely have to increase my water intake to ensure that the nutrients circulates properly. Just so I can keep track, I plan on getting a vitamin organizer to monitor my daily dosage :)