Quick Fix | 'All I Want Is Growth' & Some Hair Practices That May Just Get You That!

I've been meaning to write a post on the wonderful topic of hair growth as a whole but who am I kidding in just one post it would probably be the longest read ever, I'd have you at nah mate not checking that blog again!  Diet, genetics, regimens, products, you'd be reading for hours! So I decided to break it down in a hopefully more interesting way kicking it off with this post right here... some of the common 'non-traditional' hair care practices that have taken over the hairsphere in hopes of stimulating, encouraging and speeding up... Hair growth!

[1] S C A L P  M A S S A G E S                                                                                                          

I'm sure you're reading this and have already rolled your eyes... scalp massages... girl really?! Give me a chance to explain. One of the needs of a healthy scalp is a good blood flow to the scalp, it keeps your follicles active and passes on the necessary nutrients needed to encourage growth and healthy sebum production. So of course this happens naturally without you needing to massage your scalp every day, but by giving your scalp a light massage every now and then you increase and encourage blood flow to all areas of your scalp, thus encouraging stimulation... thus encouraging growth.

Scalp massaging tools:

Tangle Teezer, Pronged Scalp Massager, Denman Scalp Massager

[2] G R E E N H O U S E E F F E C T   M E T H O D                                                                   

What is it? The GreenHouseEffect is a method used to promote hair growth and the retention of moisture. It works by creating a warm/humid environment on your scalp [a result of natural body heat] and encourages the natural oils from your scalp to come out and help your hair grow. The method basically traps natural heat beneath your shower cap! It's pretty simple, you coat your damp or dry hair with an oil of choice, throw on your shower cap, throw on your headscarf and let the GHE work its magic for an hour or two... then commence to all things normal!

My thoughts:
- I personally prefer to do the GHE for a maximum of two hours as I find doing this overnight can leave you with wet hair which may cause hygral fatigue, [post on this to come...basically stress to your strands from too much moisture].

- When applying the oil don't feel obliged to throw it all on, just pretend you are sealing. If you are washing your hair afterwards then you can be a bit more generous.

Hair grows faster in warmer environments is my quick sum up of why the GHE method makes sense! Here is the success story video that started it all off... Real Queens Regimen

Example Oils you can use for the GHE Method:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Argan Oil etc

[3] H A I R  G R O W T H  S U P P L E M E N T S                                                                      

I'm not a huge advocate of hair supplements simply because I'm not one for taking pills full stop. But for anyone who doesn't mind taking supplements then this may just be for you. Biotin is most probably the most widely used supplement for hair growth and thickness, it is a member of the vitamin B complex group and Biotin deficiency has been suggested to result in hair loss, hence why using it may help to reduce the likelihood of hair loss and also promote growth.

N.B. Please do your own research and be sure to seek any medical advice from a doctor if you are unsure about whether or not to use hair growth supplements

[4] C A Y E N N E  P E P P E R  I N F U S E D  O I L                                                                  

Yes!!! Pepper! This should really be titled "stimulating scalp oil' but this ingredient is the king of stimulants so I think it deserves the title! Adding stimulating ingredients into your scalp oil to stimulate your scalp is nothing new to hair growth seekers... But have you ever added pepper to your mix? 

How? Add 1 tspn. of Cayenne Pepper to 100ml of oil and allow the mix to concoct for a few days in a cool place. After a few days sieve the pepper out of the oil and use the oil to feed your scalp. 

Please be careful when doing this, no fingers near the eyes! Even super smart folks can get caught out on this one! 

Other stimulants to add to your Oils:

Peppermint Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil with Pimento Oil, Eucalyptus Oil etc

So that's it for the 'non traditional' hair growth methods/techniques... of course there is sooooo much more to hair growth than these quick fixes so stay tuned for the next quick fix post. P.s. feel free to drop me a line below regarding any of the above I've tried them all!

Avec amour...
Fi
Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

My Staple Products For 'Transitioning' Hair

It dawned on me over the past weekend that I have been adding to my staples list but have yet to write a post on my transitioner regimen and staples!

This isn't quite that post but this video will show you the products that have been crowned my transitoner 'ride or dies'! I'll put together a regimen post and will hopefully have it up for you next week if not the week after!

One more day till the weekend and two more days till I have braids or twists put in!!!

Which do you think braids or twists?

Avec amour...
 Fiona Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

3thirty Salon Review & Final Transitioner Cut

In my three years of posting I've written just one salon review and that was for Darren Scott, quite simply put my past times haven't seen too many great salon experiences e.g. the trim that turns into a cut, relaxer left on for way too long whilst stylist does someone else's hair, using a tail comb to comb through my hair, you name it, it's happened! So when a salon contacts me to come in for a treatment I read reviews, look at their treatment list and even give them a call to see how friendly they are as well as ask a few cheeky styling questions, you know to see if they can really handle my transitioning hair! I'm not trying to leave any salon bald so don't judge me!
When contacted to review 3thirty there were a few things that worked in the salons favour having not been before:

1- Keysha Davis [Blackhair Magazine Editor] had reviewed the beauty area of the salon and had good things to say

2) The salon interior = #drool

3) I had read a fair amount of 'good' reviews

So my appointment was booked and I went in for my treatment. The salon was absolutely stunning and literally a no more than 5 minute walk from the station. It was exceptionally clean and I was given a warm welcome upon arrival.

Nikki the stylist introduced herself and we discussed my hair and what I wanted to have done [Wash, Moroccan Oil Treatment & Cut].
The process was extremely quick, Nikki shampooed my hair twice and then followed up with conditioner before then going on to apply the infamous Moroccan Oil treatment, we'll get to my thoughts on that soon! Unlike during my Argan Oil treatment at the Darren Scott salon I did not go under the dryer, instead my hair steamed under a huge thick towel for 20 minutes. Upon rinsing out the product I found my hair was no where near as soft as when treated with the Inoar Argan Oil. My thoughts were simply that the treatment did nothing for my hair, whilst also that a natural heat tool such as my trusty HairTherapyWrap would have been more ideal in creating a non-artificial warm environment. Either way my verdict was Moroccan Oil is overrated and I have no desire to give it a second chance... £30+ a pop for an oil treatment is a tad bit too pricey in my opinion.
All in all Nikki was great and took her time to detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb, finishing off with a scalp massage that almost knocked me out and had me forget about how unimpressed I was with the oil treatment.
Styling was also a breeze, Nikki told me all of the products she would use on my hair which were from the Mizani range, and then parted my hair in small sections and began to brush blow dry, applying a heat protector to each section of parted hair. She then straightened my hair and before I knew it we were done! Definitely the fastest wash & style experience I have had to date, it was pretty much effortless and I was very happy with the results.

Now the main question... 3thirty or Darren Scott? I personally can't chose, it would boil down to my location on the day as both are located in very different parts of London.

 Finally here are some pics including my third and final transitioner hair cut, I was relieved to see my hair was still intact and healthy!

Life of a transitioner!!!

Third & final cut since transitioning

Avec amour... Fiona
Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

Transitioner Talk | 22 Months Post Transitioner Length Check

  Well hello and happy Monday Belles!

Starting the week with a new video post, for those who have asked how much natural growth I have, well here it goes 22 months of growth + the full scoop on why & how I decided to transition!

Avec amour...
Fiona Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

Kitchen Chronicles: Mango & Pineapple Blush Smoothie

I joke not when I say my cheeks shy up when I taste something really tangy or sweet, it goes either two ways:

woah that was sour or mmm... smile, now that was yummy!

Of course in this case reaction 2 was the one when it came to this tropical concoction! As you may know I embarked on a Smoothie/Juice a day challenge at the very start of the year [instagram knows this!], and despite the occasional missed day I can say this has been one of the most consistent things in my life! I honestly think I've consumed more fruit and veg year to date than any other year I have lived and my body, skin and life in general are thanking me for it!

Ingredients? Here we go...

Ingredients [serves 4]

• 1 Mango
• 1 Mango Yogurt
• 2 Oranges
• 1 can Pineapple in natural juice

Into the blender till smooth and Bob's your uncle!

Avec amour... Fiona
Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

That "Natural" Weave! How To Make Your Natural Weave Last Longer

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has noticed the increase in "natural" weave/wig wearing this year. Not only has this become a common 'new look' within the celeb world but brands such as Heat-Free Hair Movement have ladies drooling over the different sexy and sassy "natural" hair weaves they have on sale! I for one have become a huge "natural" weave/wig wearer, all I'll say is Creta Girl and that should say the rest! The main question I get about Creta and wearing a "natural" weave or wig is how do you make it last so long?! So here are some of my personal tips on ways to make your natural weave last...

Human "Natural"

Wash day

• Lightly detangle hair prior to washing [finger detangling should do]
• Apply shampoo from the weave weft or wig root and lightly stroke hair as you distribute the shampoo downwards
• Rinse shampoo out at best with lukewarm/cool water, do this until all traces of shampoo/bubbles have disappeared
• Coat wig/weave in conditioner and allow to condition for 15-20 minutes
• Rinse & detangle with detangling comb
• Dry with old t-shirt and allow to air dry
• Follow up with a few squirts of a leave-in conditioner

Detangling

• As with your own hair detangle with a seamless wide tooth comb, or depending on the type of "natural" weave you have, a detangling tool such as a Denman or Tangle Teezer may also do the trick
• From the bottom upwards! Always detangle starting at the bottom and gradually working your way upwards
• A leave-in conditioner with good slip can also help aid easier detangling

Styling

• Braid outs, twists outs, perm rods, flexi rods are great ways to avoid heat when rocking "natural" weaves/wigs and keeping them... well, Natural!!!

Bedtime care

• If you are rocking a "natural" wig then whip that bad boy off at night and let it hang on its princess stool so your own hair can breathe at night!
• For "natural" weaves you can put your hair in a few braids to help maintain it's wave, curl or kink.

Daily care

• A light leave-in conditioner to help refresh your hair and keep it moisturised every other day. One of my faves as you know is the Jane Carter Revitalising Leave-In Conditioner!

Synthetic "Natural"

Wash day

• No washing synthetics! You'll end up with a ball of dry cotton afterwards!!!

Detangling

• In most cases the general consensus would be not to detangle however this of course depends on the type of "natural" style you having going on. For curlier weaves/wigs you definitely do not want to try and detangle as this will result a loss of curl and fuzzy type texture. You can use your scissors to snip through tangles but generally detangling is not advised. For kinkier styles you may be able to lightly detangle using your fingers but again with synthetic styles I would give this a mis

Styling

• When it comes to synthetic hair care avoid using any heat whatsoever as your hair will burn baby B-U-R-N! Also styling products will cause product build up which cannot be easily, if at all reversed on synthetic wigs

Bedtime care

• To make your synthetic do last longer give you hair a break and take your wig off at night. Laying on synthetic hair when we sleep will cause matting, tangling and in most cases reduce the quality of the wigs curl pattern making it last a lot less longer than you bargained for!

Daily care

• No touching, no detangling and taking your wig off at night should encourage a longer wear! Here is a quick shot of Creta after 3 weeks of wear...

Till tomorrow loves off to make a late night smoothie and catch an episode of Suits!!!

Avec amour...
Fiona

Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest