Care Free Curl Activator

Believe it or not, this is one of my staples. After co-washing my hair, I apply a leave-in conditioner and air-dry overnight in a ponytail with the ends braided. The next morning, I unravel the braids, mix a quarter sized amount of this with my moisturizer (Aveda Brilliant is one of my faves) and run it over my hair paying special attention to the ends. I then seal with coconut oil. I also use the Care Free Spray for moisture also. It is also good to use these products with the plastic cap for an added moisture boost.

Trust me, these products are the truth! Remember back in the Jheri Curl days everyones hair was long. That moisture is the key. It makes your hair stronger and more resilient thus allowing you to maintain the length. Less breakage equals longer hair. It's not rocket science ladies.

Protective Styling

Afro hair does grow, if it didn't there would be no need for relaxers every 6-8 (or more) weeks. The problem is that our hair is very dry and breaks so we are unable to retain the length.

One of the keys to growing Afro hair long is to keep the ends protected from the elements and from rubbing against our clothes.

Protective styles such as the donut or sock bun at the left (that's not me in the pic) are key to helping protect the hair.

It is good to use a moisturizer and seal the ends with oil prior to placing the hair in a bun. Be sure to change the position of the bun to prevent from breakage.

Oils

Oils are very beneficial to afro-textured hair. I combine a few of these oils and use on my scalp daily. I also use these oils to seal in the moisture in my hair after using moisturizers such as Elasta QP Mango Hair Butter and Aveda Brilliant. Beware of using oils in the hair when wearing hair out as it can make the hair look stringy and oily. I only use oil on the hair when I am wearing hair pinned up in a bun or in a ponytail.

Oftentimes I do an "honey-oil rinse" after shampoo or conditioning. This is simple to do, just mix equal parts honey and oil, (coconut or olive is good. Also Profectiv Mega Growth, (pictured here) is good also) work through hair, then rinse. Honey is a humectant and the oil seals in the moisture from the honey. After this, you can style as usual.

I sometimes add oils to my deep conditioners. Olive, Castor and Avocado are good for this. My new favorite oil is Coconut Oil, it is so light, and is not heavy on the hair at all.

Product Review-Nexxus Humectress Conditioner

This product is the "Ultimate Moisturizing Deep Conditioner". It may be a little pricier than most but it's "the truth". I sometimes use it as a pre-poo, but oftentimes I use it when I want to add moisture back into my hair, i.e. after a protein treatment like Aphogee (more on that product later)

I use it after shampooing, with a plastic cap alone or sometimes with heat. Either way, you can not go wrong with this product and it is one of my staples.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!