Hiya,
So this post has been a long time coming...last week I had it all written out and was just about to email it and post it on the blog and suddenly the post vanished, just disappeared from my notes section on my ipad...almost smashed it to pieces!! Am I the only one that happens to?

Anyways enough ranting let's get straight to this segment of Ask Dabs :) I like to share some mails here for those who might be asking the same questions and facing the same dilemmas, hope my replies help.

Mail 1- From Sheyi.

Hello Dabs,

Happy new year to ya!!!! I know its almost the quarter of the year already but since this is our first contact this year.  I might as well.

And congrats on your store relocation would surely visit when next I'm in lag.

O well so here goes my hair dilema since i last saw you. My ends have been giving me serious nightmares. Shedding has become a major issue for me as well. I've been steaming quite often and moisturising my scalp as well since i've got dandruff itchy scalp problem as well.

The body of the hair is still nice and healthy. It's just the ends dats my major issue as my hair goal dis yr is length length and more length.

I'll attach a few pics

Regards,
Sheyi.

Hiya,
Thanks for mailing in. I can see the ends from the pictures and my concern is that you might be dealing with split ends that need to be trimmed off before they snap off...when last did you trim your ends...split ends cannot be mended so if you don't get regular trims i.e every 8 to 12 weeks, what happens is that the split ends ride up the hair shaft, ends break off and you are left with uneven thinner ends.

So think about trimming your hair with sharp hair shears, it will take some length away but you will be left with healthier ends that can be retained and grow longer.

Cheers,
Dabs

Note( not in the mail sent)-Update- Sheyi admitted that she hadn't trimmed her ends in ages and will get them trimmed ASAP!


Mail 2- From Stella

Hello Dabs. Good morning. How are you enjoying your vacation? Bring back lots of goodies oo. Lol.
I'm sorry for adding to your worries but I'm damn near close to hysteria. I'm a contender for the six-inches challenge but for the last month,my hair has been shedding like crazy. I admit I don't moisturize and seal everyday but I at least spray with glycerine + water + oils daily,sleep most days with my satin cap,always with my satin pillowcase, I work in sections; pre-poo,shampoo,deep condition, tea rinse, moisturize and seal weekly and still the hair keeps shedding! I try to eat well and I take multivitamins daily.

I think it all started this day when I did a protein treatment and circumstances prevented me from washing off for about four hours. Please help. I didn't want to bother you and decided to work with the tips you provided on your blog but I seem to be failing woefully and I'm at my wits end.
I'm sorry for this long epistle. I hope to hear from you. Ibadan sends you her love.

P.S. I tried the coconut milk + banana thingy and made the Same mistake you made with your son. I tasted it. Lawd Almighty!!! I understand why he kept coming back for more. Hahaha. My love to the little cutie.


Hi Stella,
Apologies for my late reply, hahaha you tried that hair treat? Lol sooo yum! The shedding could be caused by various reasons...your body might be telling you to slow down as stress can cause excess shedding, your hair could be coming off the resting phase to the shedding phase(there are three phases of growth), you might be using the wrong comb or combing technique and most importantly your hair might be suffering from protein overload....I dare say the most important part of a healthy hair regimen is deep conditioning treatments specifically targeted at an issue..the struggle to always stay balanced with these treatments is tricky so I always advice that they should be alternated, moisture this weekend, protein the next,,,any kind of imbalance might lead to the shedding you are currently facing.

Take a step back and review your regimen, you might find the culprit.

Regards,
Dabs

Note( not in the mail sent)- P.S I love talking 'Hair' so there is no mail I get about hair that will 'Add to my worries' :)


Mail 3- From Dr. Faith.

Hi Dabs,
I hope you're enjoying your holiday. I'd like to say a big thank you for helping black women like me realise our hair potentials and inspiring us to reach our hair goals. I faithfully follow your blog and Lesley of Freshlengths because your blogs are the ones I can relate to the most.
In the past year I've come to notice gray hair popping up in different areas of my head. I was so bemused when it became a more regular occurrence. I'm blaming it on Lagos stress! Anyway in the past I'd have run down to the salon and slapped some dye on but since I'm on a hair journey I wouldn't dare for fear of losing all my progress.
I've been looking into using Henna and Indigo but I don't want to end up with green hair if it goes wrong.
Would you be able to shed more light on hair dying without harsh chemicals.
Thanks in anticipation of your response.

Regards,
Dr Faith Umukoro.


Hi Dr. Faith,
Thanks for reading my blog...I am enjoying the holiday thanks. Apologies for the late reply.
Chemical dyes are a no no because they penetrate into the hair shaft causing the hair cuticles to be raised up and exposed to drying and breakage, non- chemical dyes on the other hand deposit the color on the hair shaft without lifting it, this prevents undue dryness that leads to breakage...Henna is great because it not only colors but nourishes and strengthens the hair as it has protein qualities, I'm guessing the indigo added is so you don't get a red tint but a darker tint which is fine. I would advice soaking the powders over night so the color is released before you apply to your hair also applying a little heat will speed up the processing, so use a shower cap and stay under some kind of dryer.

Hope my reply helps....will love to see before and after pics.

Cheers,
Dabs

Note( not in the mail sent)-P.S I am always sooooo humbled when people say things like; 'Thank you for making black women like me realize our hair potentials' to this I say no thank you for caring enough to even read what I have to say on this blog, thank you for going a step further to try the advise out and for you that has told all your friends and family about this blog....thank you!! It makes it all worthwhile!!

I will be doing an Easter Bonanza on the blog in the spirit of my thanks and as a precursor of what to expect at the JUNE SALON DAY OUT(yep it's happening again this year and I am striving to make it bigger and better!), this blog is my first love and I am truly thankful to you all for the massive love and support each passing year!!


Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
How's everyone doing? Please if you are one of the ladies that entered the 6 inches of growth challenge at the start of the year, please start sending in your pictures by Dec. 1st. 

A winner will be announced at the PH Hair Rehabs with Dabs event on Sunday the 28th of Dec. The winner's before and after picture will enlarged and serve as inspiration to all the hairlistas present, the winner will also be called live and congratulated so please send a phone number to reach you by if you entered, you don't have to be resident in Nigeria...we will call you wherever you are if you are a winner, 2 other runner ups will be announced that day too, their pictures will be put up and they will be called and congratulated, as announced before, the winner gets $100 cash prize and a goody bag, the other two get goody bags filled with yummy hair goodies....now who is pumped!!! Again send me the entries from the 1st of Dec!! Thankssss


Now to my topic. You ladies know I love a good concoction, but there is nothing as unnecessary as a concoction without a purpose!! Some dear ladies just starting out email with mails like this,  'Dabs I do those your treats oh, I mix eggs, mayonnaise, henna, honey, ACV, tea, clay, all together and just put on my hair, yet it STILL BREAKS!*arghhhhh*sobbbingggggg*Dab's come and be my hair savior, save me from this mess I am in*wailingggg*'. Lol! While I do sympathize with them, I also tell them that they are passing through the desperately finding a quick fix for your hair phase.  It's a phase every hairlista must pass through...

When I passed through that phase, everything and I mean EVERYTHING I heard that was a remedy for hair growth I was willing to try without finding out the reason why it was a remedy in the first place! Now I know better and while I am willing to try most things, I always take my time to put them in their appropriate class and for hair treatments these classes are; protein or conditioning/moisture. 

This week I will share with you simple protein treatments that can be done and instantly your hair will feel stronger, this will be especially helpful to ladies who want straight to the point treats, no experimentation and also new hairlistas...They consist of one main protein component, a lighter moisture component to keep the balance and prevent protein overload and oils to seal in the treatment.

Protein treatment 1- An Egg + Conditioner(without hydrolized protein or keratin) + oils- ceramide or protein free oils (olive, castor, sweet almond etc)- This treatment is quite simple, the egg provides all the protein and lecithin which both help to strengthen and moisturize the hair, the yolk should be the main component used from the egg on your hair because it acts as a serum, helping the hair to reflect light for an appearance of shiny hair.  Make sure to rinse the hair with cold to luke warm water to avoid the egg yolks cooking in your hair!!


Protein treatment two- Yoghurt + Aloe Vera juice/gel + oils-Yoghurt is packed with protein, it  also contains lactic acid; an alpha hydroxy acid which strips the outer layer of the hairs’ keratin, helping to improve absorption of other nutritious products like the Aloe vera gel/juice which is a great hair conditioner and the oils which will help lock the nutrients in.

Protein treatment 3- Coconut milk + Conditioner + oil- Coconuts are packed with vitamins like vitamin E, Vitamins B and C, they also have healthy fats and have the ability to be absorbed by the hair strands building the strands from within, mix it with a protein free conditioner and some oils for a good strengthening hair treatment.

Protein treatment 4- Mayonnaise + Honey + Oils- Mayonnaise is pretty much eggs and vegetable oil so its a great alternative to using actual eggs if you dread the idea of an egg on your hair, mixing it with Honey will give it the moisture balance and the oils will seal everything in.
 
Protein treatment 5- Gelatin + A Banana +Henna+ Oils-Gelatin is a form of hydrolized protein which tend to be absorbed by the hair strands quicker and better, mix it up with a banana, banana's are packed with nutrients like potassuim, vitamins E, B and C. Henna powder is also a form of protein that can be used on its own or combined in this way, great for filling missing hair shaft gaps and strengthening strands, add the oils to once again seal the treatment in.

Once you have applied any of the treatments, cover your head with a steam cap and go under a steamer or rely on your body heat for about an hour plus then either rinse out or wash out once with a sulphate free shampoo preferably.

Finally, if you don't like to concoct at all, I like how they grouped different protein conditioners in this article into, light protein treatments, reconstructors, deep penetrating protein and protein packs: Check on it and see where your conditioner falls under.http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/11/the-right-protein-treatment-for-your.html

That's all for now ladies, will be updating you on the goodies I got from the recently concluded Naturals In the City Meet up in my next post...

Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
How's everyone doing? Hope well.  I am back with a new post I think will be helpful for fellow product junkies in the house. I cannot tell you how many products sitting in my products basket under my vanity are over one year old!

Now the issue is, most of these products don't have expiry dates written on them and though they are mostly made to have long shelf lives with the preservatives used, with the rise of a more organic approach and the use of less preservatives, I think we have to be conscious of the products we use especially after they have been on the shelf for a year... why I say this is because recently, I was moisturizing and sealing and humming away when I reached for an old bottle of a leave in(I will leave the name out) but I'd had it since 2012(covers face) and I wanted to use up the last bit, I poured the contents in my hand and what I saw is what inspired this post....


So here are signs that your hair/beauty product might have gone bad...

The smell is off...that's a tell tale sign, don't even think of using a product that smelt like coconut when you got it and now smells like rotten eggs!!


The consistency is off...if it was creamy and fluffy when you got it and it is now coagulating, runny or feels weird, time to bin it!


The color has changed...this is another tell tale sign, for me the product I mentioned earlier, changed from a cream color to a greenish algae color!!Gross!!


The packaging looks strange...the bottom might have started melting away, the cover might become rusty, the once strong to squeeze bottle is now as soft as a cheap plastic rubbers...it might be telling you it's outlived it's lifespan...

I wish a relative of mine read this before she lost all her hair because of expired relaxer!! I saw her after not seeing her for a while and all her hair had chopped off, I asked why and she said, she went to a salon to relax her hair, they got the relaxer that they were selling, opened the box and applied it to her hair, she instantly felt burns and asked for them to hurriedly wash it off her hair, as they did, all her hair fell off!!! She said one glance at the pack of relaxer told her that the relaxer must have been very old and very expired!!!


This point on packaging leads me to an observation I'd like to share; products in pump bottles or nozzles like this;






Tend to be safer and have longer shelf life than products in. Tubs like this;




Why because, the act of dipping your fingers in the tub allows for transfer of bacteria and this contributes to products going bad quicker. So while I am not saying you should avoid using products in tubs( no way!) I recommend that you use them up within a year of purchase or at least before you use up the ones in nozzles and pumps if you have a stash like I do. I'll be using the ones that passed my test up all month long.

With that this blog topic is concluded, do you have any more tests for products gone bad, please share below.

In other news, the weekend treat available this weekend at the hub is a BEERSSENTIAL RINSE- Consisting of, you guessed it- 100% malt lager BEER 





BENEFITS INCLUDE; 
The malt and yeast in beer is said to leave hair strong, shiny, and bouncy.

Best used on heat damaged hair because it contains wheat protein which will help fill missing gaps in the hair shaft.

It makes your hair appear thicker, as the protein sticks to the hair fibers. 

It contains vitamin B which is good for healing damaged hair, the 'SSENTIAL' in the name above stands for the essential oils mix we will be adding to the treat for nourishment and shine.

To indulge in this weekend treat, simply visit us at 34a awolowo rd, Ikoyi Lagos or call 08090613325 for an appointment. This treat costs N1000 only.

Xxx
Dabs

Hiya,
How is everyone doing? Hope fine! Well as long as I remember starting my hair journey, I have always heard about and  done protein hair treatments. It's one of the first things you find out about when you research on hair care, so for ladies starting their hair journey, this post is primarily for you!

 Let's get to the basics; In Summary, your hair strands are made of protein bonds linked together. Due to wear and tear especially heat, these links can  get broken and protein treatments are known to TEMPORARILY repair and strengthen hair strands by filling up gaps in the cuticle and if of a sufficiently small size can also penetrate to the cortex.

Temporarily is written in bold letters for reason; you see when you do a protein treatment to fill the missing protein bond link on your hair strand do not expect  the link to be filled in for more than a week. I even read on a blog that the size of amino acids in the protein we apply on our hair which in my case is egg or mayonnaise is too large to be absorbed in hair strands for long, so HYDROLYZED proteins are recommended instead because they have been broken down to absorb into hair strands longer, so I will look out for HYDROLYZED protein in hair conditioners on my next visit to the US but what I did gather from that article was that for your hair to benefit in anyway from protein treatments, they have to be regularly done! At least every other week, because they are a temporary fix for missing hair links, links which you can never get back in your hair!!

 I say, let your hair speak to you and you better listen! You know your hair needs a protein treatment ASAP when your hair is over shedding, breaking, thinning out and getting split ends but why even wait for all that to happen before you react, it's like hearing there will be a tsunami in your town and you wait around your home, watching the news till it hits you instead of getting packed and driving farrrrr away! It's better to incorporate a protein treatment into your regimen at least once every other week especially if you stress your hair with weaves and extensions than waiting to see signs. I once heard a stylist tell his customer to 'steam'( Naija term for deep conditioning/protein treatments) her hair every 2months!! 2 months keh! Our stylists will not kill us oh!Anyways lets get practical;

 How to make a protein treatment;

The classic treatment-

an egg, hair conditioner and essential oils like olive, castor or sweet almond oil. Mix together and apply from root to tip and cover hair with a shower cap for at least 45mins! Then rinse out.

 Treatments with a twist; To the classic treatment you can add-

Mayonnaise for double dose protein but be careful, protein overload can break hair so make sure the hair conditioner used does not have protein in it!(don't use hair mayonnaise and normal mayonnaise together, that's protein overload)

 Honey- as a humectant, it will add shine to your hair and make it softer

 Fruits like avocados- for shine, moisture and extra conditioning; lemon juice- for lighter strands.

 Henna- conditions and strengthen your hair big time!

 So whether you want to do the classic treatment or a treatment with a twist, make sure to add a regular protein hair treatment to your hair regimen.

I have come to the end of this post. I hope it helps!The giveaway is still on till the month ends, thanks to those who have entered, interested ladies should check it out and I have added our Facebook page on the blog, only 17 people like this blog!!! Mba!! I refuse to believe that :) Please click the Facebook like button, show some love!


 Xxx
Dabs

One of the oldest most common  but also most abused hair practices in Naija is getting a relaxer to relax your roots. Ive seen women from all walks of life use and abuse relaxers! From the woman selling bread that asked her friend to apply it on her head while she waits hours for someone to buy her bread to the mother of a new born baby nursing her child, relaxer on her hair and hands, selling credit! Even those who go to so called salons fall victim of this abuse especially with stylists that refuse to read the instructions on relaxer packs and go ahead and relax their client's hair to the tips or tug and pull the hair with the smallest comb ever or fail to time the relaxing process until lumps of hair fall out.

Most of us fail to realize that the relaxer is a chemical that irreversibly straightens the curl pattern of our hair by loosening the protein bonds of our hair, its an intrusive procedure that literally changes our hair texture for good and therefore should be done with great care. Unfortunately, a lot of  Naija babes don't see the relaxer for what it truly is; I for one before I started my hair journey, viewed the relaxer as my Hair Messiah. To me, my hair was only presentable if it was freshly relaxed and all the sides of my hair sleek, once I noticed those darn new grown tightly curled roots, I'd not hesitate to get my hair relaxed ASAP! As a result, I got a relaxer every month! that's 12 relaxer treatments in a year when our hair grows an average of 1/2 an inch every month; thus I put my hair through all that stress for just 1/2 an inch of it to get straightened while I inevitably overlapped the already relaxed strands  thereby weakening them further! Ridiculous!!

Oh well, I know better now and of course I'm gonna share with you how to relax Naija hair, 'Naija Hair Can Grow Style'.
First off, you must prepare your hair at least a week prior to your relaxer day for the harshness of the chemical process. How? Well I'll start by pointing out that one of the dire effects your hair suffers from relaxing it is dryness. The relaxer strips your hair of moisture as it breaks down those bonds to make it straight, so if your are a good student of mine, you'd know where I'm heading with this. Well a week before I relax my hair I do a Deep Conditioning protein treatment either with a ready made deep conditioner like Organics Cholesterol Tea Tree Oil below, Should not cost more than N1000.
   OR  I mix my own deep conditioning protein treatment with the following; An egg, Some conditioner, some oils and some mayonnaise(which is actually eggs and oil). See picture below


 I actually prefer making my own treatment because I have the luxury to put more conditioner to soften my hair if I choose. I apply either mixture on my hair like I would a relaxer though focusing on my ends and then pop on a plastic bag over my head and then a shower cap over the bag; (don't like using a shower cap directly because of the residue that is left on it). The next step is to stay under my hooded dryer below for at least 30mins; Got this dryer recently from Game at The Palms, Lekki for N13,000
OR before I had a dryer, Id go to a salon near by, shower cap on head covered with a scarf and stay under their hooded dryer for at least 30mins and get my hair washed out OR if I cannot be bothered to go any where, sometimes Id just go about my business at home for at least an hour giving it more time to condition since there is no heat involved. After the time is up, give your hair a wash(without shampoo if you don't mind, because shampoos especially those with sulphates will strip off your hair of the oil and moisture we are trying to preserve. When all that goo is off from your hair, then please 'air dry' your hair because blow drying will dry out your hair and again we are trying to prevent that.

Fast forward to Relaxer Day, the next decision you have to make is, What type of relaxer to use. There are two main type of relaxers. Those with 'Lye' and those without 'Lye'. Forget brands, all relaxers are the same! They either have Lye or they don't. What is Lye? Have you bothered to find out? Well According to www.skinbiology.com, Lye Relaxers contain Sodium Hydroxide which is the strongest principal chemical with the most lasting results for straightening hair; No Lye relaxers on the other hand are not necessarily chemical free, they contain Guanidine Hydroxide, another chemical with a lower PH level, used to straighten hair. Most Relaxers in Boxes containing an activator that is mixed into the relaxer are No Lye relaxers like the one below









While Lye Relaxers are most times without a box because there is nothing to mix to activate them like the Herba Rich Relaxer Below;They are also cheaper by a few box and can be used more than once. This relaxer went for N800, while the One above is about N1500









I'm sure you are wondering where I am going with all this, well hold your horses, I am going somewhere. You see these two types of relaxers have different effects on our hair. I personally can testify to the fact that Lye relaxers do not straighten the hair as well as No Lye relaxers, However while they are said to be harsher on your scalp during the relaxing process, they do not leave the mineral deposits that No Lye relaxers leave causing the hair to be dry, dull and brittle. So in the long run, Lye relaxers are said to be better for your hair. I would therefore recommend a Lye relaxer for hair that is limp and in need of some body. To me all relaxers itch after some time so the whole argument that No Lye relaxers are not harsh on the scalp and thus do not cause itching does not fly with me. I would therefore not use a No Lye relaxer solely based on that argument. However,  if I say I'm straightening my hair, I want it Straight! So if you have healthy hair please use the No Lye relaxer for straighter results, but if you want to just loosen your curl pattern use a Lye relaxer or use a No Lye relaxer with a reduced PH level i.e a mild relaxer instead of a normal or super relaxer. The dryness and dullness complained about from using a No Lye relaxer is taken care of below.

When you have made the decision as to the relaxer you want to use, the next step is to prep your ends. When you relax your hair you need your ends to be moisturized so that as you part and work your way through your roots, the ends do not get all tangled. I moisturize my ends with Hair Conditioner on relaxer day. Then I use some oil or petroleum jelly across my nape and temple and over my ears; you know the drill!! Then I put on a timer, stick to the time on the instruction sheet! trust me every time I have overstayed, I have regretted because of the long strands of my hair that fall out due to over processing.  After the relaxer has been applied to ONLY THE NEW GROWN ROOTS see pic below;











 The next MOST IMPORTANT final step as you go to get your hair washed out is to COAT YOUR ENDS WITH OIL. Why? The good students once again will know that the oil which does not dissolve will prevent the relaxer that is being washed out from penetrating the hair shaft and further processing your already relaxed ends.Wash with hot water first to get the relaxer out and then make sure to wash thoroughly with neutralizing shampoo and then condition, rinse out with luke warm water and finally splash some cold water on your hair if you can bear to, so you seal up the cuticles and give it some shine :)

If you follow these simple steps at least every 8weeks( please don't be like I was, relax your hair when you actually have roots to relax ), you will see an improvement in the quality of your relaxed hair. Also, at least a  week after you relax your hair, repeat the deep conditioning protein treatment to strengthen the hair. I know very few Naija babes relax their hair themselves, so for those of you who don't you can write these tips down or print them out and insist your stylist does the right thing, its your hair, you should have paramount say, do not let some stylist who doesn't care mess it up!!
And for all of you out there trying to get away from relaxers or 'creamy crack' as I've heard its called these days, I am going to guide you through transitioning to natural hair. Please do not think transitioning is the answer to your hair troubles, Get healthy hair first and then we will take it from there okay!! Hang in here with me, drop a message, comment and Ill gladly respond!!

Stop By soon!
Dabs