Hiya,
So the year is almost over can you believe it?! Where did all that time go?!! Anyways I've been keeping myself accountable heat wise all year long and used heat as sparingly as I could...so I'm here to present my report card in the form of what I've coined 'My 2015 Heat Chronicle'...after I share mine, promise to share yours below and let's see how we have all fared, Deal?! Deal!!

Blow Drying- 

2 times- I blow dried my hair twice this year, recently actually...once, a week before I did my crotchet braids- and last weekend after my fresh texlax at the hub...the rest of the year I usually just air dried.


Roller Set-


1/2 I would say Nil but I remember rolling my hair sometime in the middle of the year and going under the dryer for like 20 minutes before I had to rush out to attend to something (I forget) so I took my hair home with the rollers in it...curls dropped the next day :(


Straighteners/ Thongs/ Crimps-


4 times-These heat tools are the worsttttt but oh sooo tempting!! I like to hide them as far away as I can!! You know when you have so much new growth and your hair is just so thick at the base and feels sooo unmanageable and there's shrinkage(for us the Texlax) you can be sooo tempted to just want to stretch your hair a little  even if it's just so your hair can lie flat instead of puffing up!! Well this year I fell 4 times- The first in April on relax day, then in June I straightened just the back I left out for the Salon Day out, relax day again end of July and my latest relax day in October....it became a relax day ritual because I was eagerly length checking but now I've seen that I progressed I'll have to lay off these tools if my ends have a chance at surviving....it also helps that I always use heat protecting serums as well as ceramic coated styling tools.

Deep Conditioning- 

Over 30 times!! Technically this isn't Heat as it's more steam but I'm driving at a point here. There are about 52 weeks in a year and we have roughly 10 weekends left....meaning about 42 weekends have gone by of the 42 weeks/weekends I deep conditioned my hair with a Hair Steamer almost every weekend at my salon and I can attest to the GREAT benefits of regular DC's ladies!! It just makes your hair more manageable!! Your Hair is brittle and breaking off- Increase your DC's, you are not retaining length- increase your DC's, you feel your hair and it's dry and feels like hay- Increase your DC's!! It makes a world of difference...the only thing is that it doesn't have lasting effects, so the more regular it's done, the better the results! Kabish?!

It was a struggle to come to terms with the fact that MY HAIR HATES (DIRECT) HEAT!! Since I accepted this fact and have focused on keeping my moisture levels high whether it's from mid week co- washes, deep conditioning, moisturizing and sealing, I have really seen the quality of my hair improve. You too can keep a Heat Chronicle and tweak it according to what your hair needs...

What other ways can we use heat to our hair and in what ways did you stay heat free this year...feel free to share below.


Have a great weekend People!! If in Lagos, come by the Hub for a DC if you need one, just call 08090613325, I'll be there for a few hours on Saturday :)

Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
How's everyone doing? I'm sure from my heading y'all know I'm a happy bunny!! I got to do my last texlax for this year and I'm very pleased with the results!
I used Hawaiian Silky Argan oil relaxer and spent a total of just 12 minutes texlaxing, I also added Avocado oil to my relaxer as I really didn't want my hair over processed...


THE RESULTS
Even with all the trimming and dusting I have done this year, I was able to retain length, started the year at just past line 3 grazing 4(APL) after I had to cut most of my hair due to the inverted V breakage I experienced once again!!

OCT '15- BSL BABY!!

I pampered the nape area, made sure my ends stayed trimmed(every time I relaxed) and dusted(once a month) and kept up with my hair regimen and I am very happy that my hair is now grazing line 7(BSL). It feels lush, the ends look great and my nape hair is doing well.

JAN '15

OCT '15

  

I have layers though as the top/ front part of my hair has gotten more hair chopped off than the rest due to the fact that I saw more split ends there. Moving forward, by my next touch up in 2016( God willing), I should be full BSL with lush healthy ends. It is from there we will all have to hold hands, sing Kumbaya and pray!! Because unfortunately for me something always goes wrong to set me back once my hair is that long!! 

BUT Not this time (waves fingers in the air)!! I honestly feel that I've caused the set backs in the past because I tend to neglect my ends when my hair is longer and trim less but as I have seen that I still retained length even if I was trimming regularly this year, moving forward I'll keep trimming and those ends will stay babied!! 

See Pic comparisons with low light;

JAN '15-  GRAZING LINE 4 (APL)

OCT '15- GRAZING LINE 7 (BSL)

I was looking through pictures from the start of this year and in this pic I took below on the 17th of January, my nape hair was about  8.5 inches....





Last night, I measured my nape hair, it's about 14 inches people!!


(forgot to take a pic with the tape, will update this post when I do) That's progress right there!!


Like with every journey, there will be ups and downs, it's just important to have your focus fixated on the end goal, be patient and consistent and results are bound to happen!!

So ladies, who has a testimony to share, who is enjoying progress?? Who needs help with a set back? You know I have been through it all!!! Feel free to comment below!

Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
For those who follow me on Instagram or look to the top of this blog page where my Instragram pictures are posted, you will see that I recently got crotchet braids done using Freetress Bohemian wave braiding hair-






You can purchase HERE



I've been loving this stress free hairstyle and got asked by a follower on Instagram whether crotchet braids are truly protective or its just hype....I thought about it and came up with quite a few reasons why I absolutely love this hair style technique and here they are.

1. VERY LOW MANIPULATION- Basically all that happens is that your hair is braided down like you'd do if you are getting a weave done and the crotchet hook is carefully passed through each plait and hair is attached strand by strand...



If done properly, there is no pulling or tugging that is experienced, the hair is carefully knotted at the base and voila!!

2. YOUR EDGES ARE SPARED AND YOUR HAIR COMPLETELY COVERED- This hairstyle allows you to save your edges especially if you are styling your hair forward  or to the side, you can simply make sure your edges are left out when the cornrows are being done...as for your hair, not a single strand of it is in the mix  with the extensions....so say you get braids like these beautiful ladies below, your hair is not at risk of being 'TRIMMED' off while they neaten the braids like stylists in Naija like to do, its also not at risk of being 'CUT' off by mistake when loosening or taking the extensions out.






3. IT'S SOOOO VERSATILE- If your extensions can create a secure knot, then you can use the crotchet technique!! So whether straight or curly, coarse or wavy, long or short....you can create ALL TYPES of looks with this protective style as we love doing at the Hub....








4. GREAT FOR DIYers- Are you an avid DIYer who hates to submit her precious locks to anyone else and you are wondering if you can try this on your own, I say YES INDEED!! As long as you can braid cornrows which don't have to be neatly sectioned by the way, just need to be secure enough with a distinct enough parting if you want one...If you also have good eye hand coordination, all you'll need is a mirror and your latch hook...but your hand go pain sha ( you should be used that one as a DIYer).



5. IT'S QUICK!- Apart from being a very straight forward technique, installation is quite quick once you have the hair ready, taking it out is even quicker if you don't care to keep the hair after. To take down, you simply feel for the knot at the base and snip just above it, the knot will unravel/fall off and that's it...if you want to save the hair though like say you get braids, you will just need to do the reverse and push the braid through the knot- super easy!!






6. Finally, THERE IS NO CARELESS ABANDONMENT of your own hair!! You see with this technique you can very well reach the base of your scalp and oil it, you can spritz through the cornrows to get to your hair and you can oil and massage your hairline and nape hair as much as you want without too much inhibition like with say weaves and braids.

I think with these points of mine listed above, its fair to say that if you are considering using hair extensions, The CROTCHET BRAIDS technique is the ULTIMATE way to protect and style!! Love it!!!

Feel free to share your thoughts below and if you are in Lagos looking for where you can get your hair styled using this technique...you know we are here for you at Savvy and Chic Hair Beauty Hub- 30 Norman Williams St. Ikoyi Lagos, Please call 08090613325 to book an appointment!!


Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
I'm  back with the resullltssss!! Thanks to all the ladies for entering the giveaway, loved all your responses...this hair journey is not easy and sometimes it will seem like you have tried it all and it's time to give up but let me encourage you, please like with life, don't give up!! Hang in there doing the right things and results will come!!

I used the random.org to find my 3 lucky winners out of 25 comments and without further ado here are the results-


Here they are-

Winner 1-Cynthia N-





Winner 2- Anita Ike



Winner 3- Pholukx

There you have it!! CONGRATS Ladies!!!Winners should please contact me via email to arrange to pick the vitamins up and by December God willing, we will need to catch up with them again to see the effect of the vitamins- Good Growth *Finger crossed*

Have a great week people!!


Xxx
Dabs

Hey ladies,
How's everyone doing!! The year is almost over can you believe it?!! The 6 inches of Growth challenge is still on people and I'm expecting to be WOWED by the results....if you have been struggling with length retention, then this giveaway might be just what you need!!

Apologies to my followers on Instagram, I said I'll put this post up yesterday but I got back home quite late and was completely exhausted. Basically, I met with the owner/ creator of Hairfinity vitamins. Which I reviewed and discussed at length HERE and she was the most pleasant, accommodating person ever, I was most impressed by how much she knew her brand and how involved she is in the day to day dealings of her company from replying messages on social media to overseeing them as they dispatch about 3000 bottles a day!!! Did you just read 3000? Yup, I bet you are as stunned as I was...let me stun you further, Mrs. Tymeka Lawrence(the owner) is just in her 30's!!! Yup your read right!! 

Anyways enough about my encounter with her, now it's time to pay it forward....she gave me a year's supply of the hair vitamins plus other goodies like their infinite lash serum for longer eyelashes, blinged out paddle hair brush, their skin care vitamins called Demera, a scalp massager and a length check T shirt. I'll be keeping everything else in the bag except half of the hair vitamin bottles, that's 6 months supply which I will give to 3 lucky readers ( 2 months supply each).



So here's how to win. The Rules-

You must NEED it...frankly who doesn't? But like with all medications, please go through my post link above and read all about them and do your own little research about these vitamins before you enter the giveaway...


You must be available to pick it up if chosen as a winner. It will be at The Savvy Chic Hair Beauty Hub in Ikoyi, Lagos. If you can't pick it up, you will be responsible for having it sent to you wherever you are, we can assist with linking you with a courier if you are out of state.

You will need to comment below stating why you think you should be picked as one of the lucky three to receive a two months supply of Hairfinity.


Finally upon commenting, you MUST send in a starting picture which must be a current picture of your hair, the picture should be sent to my email- Daboju@yahoo.com with your comment no. So say you commented first, you will send an email of your starting pic and state in the body that you are comment no. 1. 3 Lucky ladies who send in starting pictures as well as comment below will be chosen randomly using random.org. 

Entries closes at midnight on Friday the 16th, winners will subsequently be announced on the blog by posting their starting pictures, then after their two months supply is exhausted, they MUST send in their AFTER pictures with hopefully  great progress.


Good Luck!!


Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
So I've been asked this question a number of times...not as a joke but seriously and it got me thinking and researching, as usual below are my findings people!!


Marijuana or weed as it's commonly called or pot to some people, in Naija it's called 'Igbo' refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. 



So why would marijuana have any effect on our hair? 

Well, scientifically weed smokers have lower testosterone and higher estrogen levels present in their bodies and High estrogen levels equal rapid hair growth and lowered levels of testosterone. Notedly, smoking week has been seen to stall men prone to balding however this is also why marijuana use is linked to impotency in men because having too high of an estrogen level can cause a ton of problems for men.

Marijuana also speeds up metabolism. A higher metabolism helps our hair grow much faster, biotin works the same way and it's one of the best vitamins for hair growth. There however is a BUT, by boosting your metabolic rate, you can also experience a higher rate of aging. This side effect is prevalent in people of all ages and genders who experience faster metabolisms. So if you are a regular smoker of marijuana, be advised that this can be a cause for hair growth and loss. And of course our bodies do not all react to substances in the same way. So it is also possible to consume marijuana without seeing any of these possible side effects as genetically we are very different.

Now you see the pros and cons, should SMOKING weed be even considered?? An emphatic NO from me oh....first it's illegal then it causes aging and I can increase my metabolism through biotin if I really want to!!

However, there's marijuana in other forms, let's consider!!

One of them is CANNABIS OIL- Cannabis oil is a naturally produced oil derived from leaves/flowers of cannabis plants (Cannabis Sativa = Marijuana varieties) that have been breed by man for high levels of cannabinoids like THC. This concentrated formulation of cannabis is ingested orally. By eating large quantities of the oil over a three to six month period, nearly any disease you can imagine has claimed to have been cured or completely controlled. This is believed to be possible because cannabis works fundamentally through the endocannabinoid system, the super regulatory system of our bodies that maintains homeostasis in the other systems. So if you are having internal health issues that may be causing severe hair damage like thyroidism, Traction Alopecia, skin diseases...this oil might be an option (always ask your health physician before you explore using this oil as an option to treating any hair/health issues).


Then there's HEMP SEED OIL- 
Hemp seed oil has long been recognized as one of the most versatile and beneficial substances known to man. Derived from hemp seeds by crushing the seeds of a different variety of cannabis plants (Cannabis Sativa L. = Hemp) that have been breed for hemp seed oil which does not contain THC and is safe and nutritious for all to consume. It can also be used for the hair as the oil is infused with omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids that provide hair with the necessary nutrients it needs to remain healthy and strong. 

These oil options seem more viable and safe and I have actually brought in Hemp seed oil in the past for ladies during the import window openings( The October window is open by the way, hit me up if you need anything).

I hope my research has answered in general the question about using weed to grow hair, I remember a product called Kuza that has Indian hemp in it-



 I remember using it excited that it was growing my hair, long time ago...well I don't think it had that much impact on it as it is also packed with petrolatum....anyone know this product? What's your take on hemp based products?? Please share below.


Xxx
Dabs


Sources-http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
http://hairgrowth.tv/connection-of-marijuana-hair-growth/446/