How To: Do a Moisture Deep Condition Your Hair

There are two ways to deep condition (DC) your hair: DC on wet hair, and DC on dry hair. Many women DC on wet hair, however DC'ing on dry hair is becoming more popular for two reasons. The first is that a dry hair DC reduces the number of times

DC on Wet Hair
Start by shampooing or co-washing your hair. You may choose to do an oil or deposit rinse or a quick protein treatment after shampooing. Remove excess water from your hair by gently squeezing the water out, or placing a towel on your hair (no rubbing!), or placing a t-shirt on your hair, or allowing the water to drip off your hair.

Now apply a moisturising conditioner (or a mild protein moisturising conditioner) to your strands and wear a shower cap or wrap hair in cling wrap. In order to allow the conditioner to penetrate, wrap a towel over your head or sit under a hooded dryer (known as "DC'ing with heat"). If using heat, you can sit for 20 minutes to one hour. Otherwise, you can sit for 30 minutes to a few hours. Some women DC overnight. In my experience, DC'ing overnight does not produce superior results. Also, it may cause itchy scalp.

When the conditioner has penetrated sufficiently, rinse hair with cool water. You may choose to follow with an ACV rinse.

DC on Dry Hair
This is the same as a DC on wet hair except that you do not wash your hair (or do any rinses) first. DC'ing on dry hair is becoming more popular for two reasons. The first is that a dry hair DC reduces the number of times you have to step into the shower. The second is that it is believed that conditioner penetrates the hair shaft better when there are no water molecules taking up space where conditioner nutrients could penetrate.

When the conditioner has penetrated sufficiently, you can either rinse your hair, co-wash or shampoo. You may then choose to do an oil or deposit rinse, another quick conditioning step, and/or an ACV rinse.

My Inspiration!

This beautiful black woman went through practically the same thing I'm going through now. It's nice to know I'm not alone :)

Hair Update: Relaxer and Cut

I previously posted about my current hair setback. So yesterday, I relaxed my new growth and proceeded to cut my hair.

Left: After relaxer. Right: After cut.

I must say, my hair felt a lot stronger and softer than usual. I think that's evident from the photo on the left. I attribute that to all the protein treatments I've been doing. Here's a summary of how I've treated  my hair since the beginning of March:

Wash Day 1 (Wednesday)

• Co-wash hair with ORS Olive Oil Replenshing Pak (Mild Protein Conditioner)
• Do black tea rinse (to reduce shedding)
• Condition with Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner for 5 minutes (Moisturising Conditioner)
• Use Davines NaturalTech Nourishing Hairbuilding Pak for 10-15 minutes (Medium Protein Treatment)

Setbacks and Comebacks

I started my healthy hair journey (HHJ) in mid-2010. I kept the use of heat styling tools to a minimum, stretched the time between relaxers, did not over-process my hair, did not overlap relaxers, wore low-manipulation hair styles, deep conditioned my hair, kept my hair moisturised, and sealed the moisture in using various natural oils like avocado oil. I was doing everything right!

I saw huge improvement in the state of my hair. There was a lot less breakage, my hair looked thicker and fuller. It was longer, bouncier... full of life. By mid-2011 my hair had gone past shoulder length and was grazing arm-pit length - the longest my hair has ever been. However, I got so excited about having reached that length, and all my healthy hair habits flew right out the window. I was so excited to show off my hair that I started flat-ironing it twice a week. I stopped moisturising and sealing it daily because I did not want to weigh it down with products... I wanted that "swang"! When my hair was down, I would touch it constantly. When it wasn't down, I would have it in a ponytail. Then to top it all off, I decided I wanted to relax my hair bone straight, and did a "corrective" relaxer in January.

Naturally, I am now paying for my mistakes. I am experiencing my second setback in my HHJ. (The first setback was a thinning hair line. Click here to see how I grew back my hairline and nape.) I went from this:

September 2011

to this:

9 Steps to Grow Back Your Hairline

The hairs that form the hairline, edges and nape are always particularly fragile and thin, regardless of race and hair type. If you're a relaxed head, you have probably experienced a thinning hair line at some point. More so if you have had extended periods of braid extensions, weaves, cornrows or ponytails.

A thin hairline is far from attractive and limits the hair styles that you can wear.

The good news is that with a little tender loving care and plenty of patience, you can grow your hairline back. The exception is if the hair follicles have been damaged beyond repair. If you have bald spots that are smooth and show no signs of hair growth, then it is unlikely that the hair will grow back. Your best course of action would be to seek medical advice - visit your family doctor or see a dermatologist.

For mild cases of thinning hairline, follow these steps to nurse your hairline back to health:

List of Natural Oils for Hair Care

Natural oils are a must-have in hair care. Ethnic hair tends to be dry and/or porous, allowing moisture in and out of the hair very easily.They are used to seal moisture in the hair as oils are anti-humectants i.e. they repel water.

Oils are also used to massage the scalp - they contain nutrients that nourish hair follicles. Some oils also irrigate hair follicles. The process of massaging stimulates circulation in the scalp and promotes healthy hair growth. 

Carrier oils are gentle oils that can be used on their own. Essential oils are strong potent oils that should never be used directly on the hair or scalp. An essential oil must be mixed with a carrier oil before use. A drop or two of essential oil in a couple of spoonfuls of carrier oi is more than enough. Exercise caution when using essential oils.

Here is a list of some natural carrier oils:

Inside-Out: Biotin Supplements for Hair Growth

Biotin, a.k.a vitamin B7 is essential for growth of new hair as it plays a vital role in the hair manufacturing process. It helps the body release growth nutrients from fatty acids.

A biotin deficiency may cause hair loss. Biotin is found in foods like liver and egg yolks. It can also be taken as a supplement. The recommended dosage is 1000mcg (micrograms) per day. Pick up a bottle at your nearest health store or large pharmacy.