Results of henna treatment

After a very long day at work yesterday, I started to apply my henna paste to my previously washed hair at about 11 pm!  Nonetheless the application was done pretty fast. I spritzed on some water before I added the henna.  I saran wrapped it, then put on a plastic sleep cap and went to sleep.  I didn t want my pillow to get dirty so I covered it up with an old t shirt and stuffed the cap with tissue to prevent the paste from running down the sides of my neck and face.  I rinsed off the henna in the bathroom ( a process that took about 20 minutes). I then clarified with a conditioner and then deep conditioned with Motions CPR under a hooded dryer for about half an hour! *******DRUMROLL******* My hair turned out super fantastic. There were curls everywhere!!!! I wouldn t say my colour changed but it enhanced it a bit. I loved the results!! Even in detangling my hair, I had minimal hair loss ( a couple strands). The henna treatment makes youre hair a bit drier than normal, so it is very important to deep condition.  It s the weekend before carnival so I am going to experiment with a crochet braid using wet and wavy synthetic hair.  I will def post pics so stay tuned!

My hair before the dreaded creamy crack

So here I am (not actually studying, oh and the glasses were my cousins..lol) with my natural hair in second year college. I think I was about 16 at the time. My stretched natural hair was about bra strap length.  I washed and conditioned every week with Pantene Pro -v, which I now realised dried out my hair.
I admit now I was one of the many who believed the myth that deep conditioning and hair treatments were not for natural hair!! Boy was I stooopid! I always wore my hair stretched out and pulled back (ALL THE TIME) Luckily though my hairline was never affected by this! Thank God! I never onced trimmed or dusted my hair when it was natural. The things I know now!! My lack thereof a healthy routine is the reason why I never retained any length. Maybe the only good thing I did was to use castor oil on my scalps and hair (thanks to Grandma for her advice).

Henna Treatment Tonight

Im at work climbing up a concrete truck to check the consistency of the concrete and all I am thinking of is doing my henna treatment tonight.  I ordered a 450 g packet of 100% pure henna from Amazon two weeks ago, and time only permitted me to make my henna paste last night about 11pm.  I brewed two sachets of black Lipton tea.  I used one cup of the henna powder and added the brewed tea, two tablespoons of lime juice, four tablespoons of apple cidar vinegar, four drops rosemary oil, a tablespoon of honey, and two tablespoons of olive oil.  The key is to leave it overnight.  Apparently the colour releases after some hours and you get a richer colour.  I could have applied it last night but I was too exhausted from work! Although Im only using it as the protein treatment. I washed my hair this morning! Let me tell you!!! I had build up like a tower! I cleansed with a sufate-free shampoo from Neutrogena, clarified with V05 clarifying kiwi and lime conditioner and rinsed with ACV.  I put in big plaits and headed to work.  The plan is to wet my hair and to apply the henna thoroughout my hair, saran wrap it sufficiently, warm it under the hooded dryer for about 10 minutes and head to bed!.  Ill post the pictures shortly.  Wish me luck!

Recipe for henna treatment paste for natural hair

Natural Hair in the Caribbean

This is my first blog! Yippie! I have so much to ramble about on my new natural hair journey. This is just an introduction and an overview of what you can find here.  I have learnt so much over the past 19 months after my big chop and I am bubbling with anticipation to share my routines and recipes with you.  This blog is a bit different from the other natural hair blogs out there. I am going to try my best to adapt and tweak the natural hair rules and know-how s to the Caribbean climate and culture.  I am definitely seeing the benefits of loving my hair; and by that I mean not neglecting it and allowing it to do its own thing.  I would love this blog site to be as much an interactive one as it is educational.  My goal is to empower more women to embrace their natural locks by equipping them with methods and routines on how to grow a healthy crop of hair. Healthy hair journey!