My name is Tonkabelle. I have a blog HERE. It is a blog established on the premise that everyone can achieve longer, healthier hair regardless of race, genes and other factors. I am also on instagram @wurassecrethair and on facebook at www.facebook/WurasSecretHair/ 

ARE YOU ON A HAIR JOURNEY? I don't really focus on the phrase - hair journey so I cannot really remember when I started. However I do know that I started taking care of my hair properly when I was in the UK doing my Masters and my hair became a shadow of its former self. I would just get a weave done and leave my hair without applying much except baby oil which was a suggestion from someone. Once I took the weave out, my hair had completely broken off and I started looking for ways to improve its health. When I went home for the holidays I contacted my grand mother because I recalled that she used some herbs for her hair growth and she helped me out after I used them and they worked for me, I started selling the products under the name Wura's Secret named after my grand mother. I also started doing a lot of research on black hair and found out that black hair can actually grow to amazing lengths. This all started when I started my blog about three years ago.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY SET BACKS? My main set back is a particular salon I kept visiting because I no longer wanted to relax my hair myself as that was getting too much for me to juggle as a working wife/mother they always cut off any real progress I ever made after each fresh relaxer and always tried to relax my hair bone straight. My hair does not take to relaxers very well as it is coarse and so they kept doing corrective relaxers on me. The last straw was the major hair cut they gave me after my previous relaxer I then said to never step in there again. I have even inserted a picture I was horrified at the time. I have also had to deal with postpartum hair loss it hit me really hard in terms of the volume/length of my hair and even my edges/hairline. 

HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME THE SET BACKS- I have overcome my setback by doing my last relaxer at Savvy & Chic Hub 3 months later and everything went well (I was pleasantly surprised at how well my hair grew and I am glad I took that before picture). They understand the benefits of not over processing your hair and at the end of my relaxer session I was pleasantly surprised that they did not trim my hair as they maintained it was fine as is. I believe it is important to trim one's hair but it is not necessary to cut off one's progress all the time.I am also past the post partum shedding phase which is refreshing.  I am overcoming the setback my oiling my scalp daily with my Wura's Secret Hair Growth Oil, washing and deep conditioning weekly or every two weeks (depending on how much time I have), moisturizing and sealing daily or every two days. 

WHAT ARE YOUR HAIR GOALS-My hair goal is to have thicker, longer and healthier hair. I also love having thick and full buns and I have shared some of them here. I do not really set goals for my hair, i just take it one step at a time.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF BEING ON A HAIR JOURNEY?  Well some of the challenges could include trying to find out products, techniques and methods which work for your own hair. However they are not challenges per se as in the end you just learn more about your hair.

DO YOU HAVE STAPLE PRODUCTS- I definitely have staple products I love ORS Aloe Shampoo, Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Shampoo, Wura's Secret Moisturizing Conditioner, ORS Replenishing Conditioner, Elasta QP DPR + 11 Deep Conditioner, Shea Moisture Castor Oil Conditioner, the one with Yucca & Plantain as well as the one with Shea Butter. Wura's Secret Moisturiser or Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk are my go to moisturizers. Wura's Secret Hair Growth Oil is my ultimate staple oil for my scalp as it really helps my hair grow, recently I have been loving coconut oil to seal.

ARE YOU A PRODUCT JUNKIE? I am definitely a product junkie although I do think I am practical about it. As I say everything in moderation nothing in excess.

HOW MANY NEW PRODUCTS HAVE YOU TRIED- Several I have tried the Shea Moisture Yucca and Plantain Masque (love), the Shea Moisture Castor Oil Masque (love), Hawaiian Silky Argan Oil Mask.  

 WILL YOU EVER GO NATURAL-I am not sure if I will ever go natural mainly because I have dense, thick and coarse 4c hair which does not even take to relaxers. So I believe at this stage it is better for me to maintain my hair as is which is relaxed though I might be transitioning to texlaxed hair as I despise the bone straight look.

SHARE YOUR HAIR JOURNEY TIPS-

You must understand your hair, know what your hair likes and dislikes. At the beginning of your hair journey you can keep a hair diary where you write everything you do to your hair and how your hair responds this will help in knowing what your hair likes.

Be patient and yet consistent. Don't be in a hurry to try the next thing or jump on the next bandwagon. Just stick with what works for you.

Please read/subscribe to my blog at www.wurassecrethair.blogspot.com

Thanks for sharing your journey Tonkabelle and as usual if you are reading this, thanks for stopping by!!

Xxx

Dabs

Hiya,

After blogging all these years, nothing makes me happy more than mails like this...Juditherese started her hair journey just last year and I am super pleased to see that after committing to the process and applying the tips her hair has been remarkably transformed, read below and see for yourself!!!

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Hello Dabs, remember me? I sent you an email six months ago showing you my 6 months progress....its a year now and i'm very happy to share my progress picture. My hair has started getting real attention from friends and I decided to start a blog too to share the tips and tricks that has helped me personally. Just like you i'm also becoming an inspiration....thank you for making out time amidst taking care of your family and your business to motivate us that Naija hair can really grow!! Hope you check my blog from time to time on www.juditheresehaircare.blogspot.com

My 1year progress pictures are attached to this mail;

GREAT PROGRESS!!! It can only go UP from here, the skills she has acquired last a life time, so that even when hiccups come along the way, she can figure things out and sail through...oh yes I am talking about hair but this applies to life in general...for those in doubt, best believe, NAIJA HAIR CAN GROW!!!

Xxx

Dabs

I am playing surulere in my head as I write this.

After my hair was straightened yesterday, just before I was supposed to trim it, I harassed Dewunmi (Savvy& Chic Stylist) into taking a picture of my hair and I was shocked at the progress so far. So I ran home and brought out my length check t-shirt for the first time this year. Find attached my pictures. Tell me what you see because I don't believe it!!

Though I now follow many blogs(yours still included)/google etc, I decided to give you this credit because you were my first. My hair is doing so much better. My sister's and my mum's too. Everytime I put a picture of my hair progress on my dp, comments keep flowing in. I don't know how many people I've given your blog address to,they must be up to thirty now. You gotta pay me oh. 

Sometimes I think I've not made so much progress that maybe perhaps I'm imagining it. So I always have to send the pictures to my fiance to judge if it's my imagination. 

Three best things :-co-washing,washing in braids and wigging. Co-washing has been amaaazing to my hair. Washing my hair in braids,which I learnt from www.rehairducation.com is very convenient and is the easiest way to minimize tangles,you should try it. Wigging is God's gift to me. Convenient, Convenient! Been doing it for 3 months now. Did a trim in July, was sad but I felt I needed it since I spent 2 months of the beginning of my hair journey fumbling. And it paid off. Inversion method too! 

The pic in white was July, after the trim, the one in black was Saturday, after my latest texlax and the difference is clear!!! Thank you! 

Great job ladies...the progress is visible and can only get better, thanks for the updates and I can't wait to read more testimonials like this!!

That's all for now, Im going to be putting up an AWOOF post this week, ladies in Lagos that like to have a good time stay tuned for that post. Have a great week people!!

Xxx

Dabs 

Hiya,

It's our first BE INSPIRED post for 2014!! I am glad to introduce an avid NHCG reader who comes from Zambia!! She too is on a hair journey and has successfully reached some of her goals while documenting them on her blog ZED HAIR REQUEST- HERE 

Find out more about her hair journey below;

Hi my name is Fatima, I am a 23 yrs old female and a full time student. I am the founder of the blog Zed Hair Request where I share my hair journey, share tips and basically promote healthy hair of ALL types. I have texlaxed hair.

When and why did you  start your hair journey?
I experimented a lot with hair dye and that led to severe chemical damage which was topped off with heat damage and general lack of care. Lost so much beautiful hair within a short period of time.  I made a u-turn and promised to take care of my hair from then. I officially started my hhj in 2011.

What's your hair regimen
Prepoo before every wash and shampoo once every week. 

I deep condition after every wash alternating between moisture and protein. 

 I clarify every 6 weeks or as needed and texlax every 8-12 weeks.

 I moisturize and seal on a daily basis. 

I am obsessed with prepooing and I think it has been one of the things that has contributed to the progress of my hair journey. I use various products and like to try out new things but i have been stuck to some which I do not see myself replacing. My detailed regimen can be found here: HERE

Do you have any favorite products?

Has to be ORS Hairepair Nourishing Conditioner,

  coconut oil, 

jamaican black castor oil, 

ORS Hairepair avocado creme 

Shea moisture raw shea butter shampoo.

Any favorite hairstyles?
My hair lives on buns, ponytails and updos. They are easy to do and I can put them together by finger detangling and using a very soft brush for my nape and edges.

 If you are stuck on an island, what 3 things would you make sure
you had with you?
ORS Hairepair conditioner, hollywood beauty olive or carrot creme and fantasia ic serum. They have been staples in my regimen for a long time now.

What has been your craziest hair experience?
Has to be a setback I had during my hair journey. I had kinky twists done which I kept in for just over 6 week. I took them down and detangled well with mane n tail detangler. When time to wash came, it loced like never before. Lost soooooo much hair I was close to going to the barbers. The setback was so evident and left my hair uneven with differences of 6inches or so.

What's been your inspiration?
Was inspired  by many women on hair journeys; the first being Sunshine of hairlista followed by Megan(uluvmegz). As I continued in my journey African bloggers such as Dabs Of Naija Hair Can Grow and Tandi of African hair blog inspired me.

Any hair goals?
My main aim is to have thick and healthy hair. Length should follow after that. My short term goal is to be bsl by the end of the year. My long term goal is to have healthy mbl hair.

Where I can be found on the web;
Blog: www.hairequest.blogspot.com
Instagram: zedhairequest
Twitter: zedhairequest
Facebook: Zed Hair Request

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Thanks again Fatima for reaching out, I am loving how full of body her hair is compared to where she started from. Overall thickness is one of the first things to look out for as a sign that you have started retaining length and your hair is healthier, the actual noticeable length follows and is just the icing on the cake!! Fatima is well on her way to her goal of healthy MBL (Mid Back Length ) hair, hope this post has inspired someone to start to care for their hair.....you see even Zambian hair is giving the naysayers a run for their money!! Naija hair can grow oh, African hair can grow!!!

Its Easter this weekend, I'm off on a short holiday/wedding...hope you all enjoy the holiday and celebrate the reason for the season, our Lord Jesus for the sacrifice He made for us all!!

Take Care!

Xxx

Dabs