Category: box braids

Nigerian Hairstyles Through The Years

As a young Nigerian girl, hair care and hairstyling were a fundamental part of my childhood.

There wasn’t a day that passed where hair care wasn’t mentioned.

Whether it was “your hair needs fixing” or “it’s time to re-do your hair,” hair was always a topic of conversation and once my aunts started talking about hair, they couldn’t stop.

Memories of having my hair plaited, relaxed and comb flooded through my body as I watched this brilliant video on Nigerian hairstyles through the years.

Some of the styles might seem a bit crazy looking to a non-West African person but they are a part of our culture and history.

One of the styles that I cherish most (but haven’t managed to muster up the bravery to rock it) is threading.

Threading simply involves a piece of wiry thready being wrapped around a small section of hair.

It might not look like the most stylish of hairdos but it sure does make your hair grow!

I swear threading was like the old-school equivalent of the inversion method. It worked a treat.

Take a look at the video below and if you’ve tried one of these hairstyles, leave a comment below.

Here’s to your hair’s happiness,

Victoria xo

 

 

4 Simple Steps To Longer Natural Hair

Before I started my natural hair journey, I found myself often becoming envious of other people’s hair. I remember looking at girls with natural hair and thinking “how did she grow her hair so long?”
how to grow longer natural hairOn top of that, throughout my childhood and early teens I’d constantly been told that “afro hair doesn’t grow,” OR “black girls can’t grow long hair” which led me to believe that growing long hair was simply impossible for a girl like me.
After deciding to go natural, doing the big chop and spending ages digesting everything there is to know about natural hair care, I was able to grow my hair to the longest length it’s ever been.
Now, don’t get me wrong, growing long hair isn’t just about length, it’s about having healthy hair. In my opinion, healthy hair is what all women (regardless of ethnicity or hair texture) should aspire to,
So how can you as a curly haired naturalista grow longer hair?
Here are 4 simple yet highly effective steps.
1. Moisturise
I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times before but moisturising your curls is absolutely vital if you want to grow long, healthy natural tresses. When it comes to moisturising, you should opt for products that have a high percentage of water because moisture comes from water. To get the most out of water, mix water, leave-in conditioner and a natural oil like jojoba and pour it into a spray bottle. Spritz your hair with this mixture a few times each day. This will help to keep your curls in top shape throughout the day. It’ll also aid growth because you’ll retain more hair as a result of keeping your hair moisturised.
 2. Dust, don’t trim.
Years back, I heard about ‘dusting.’ I thought it sounded a bit crazy but it works. The idea is simple; rather than trimming or cutting large chunks of hair every 6-9 weeks (as recommended by hair stylists), instead choose to only ‘dust’ or trim off unhealthy ends. Dusting simply involves searching for splits, knots and tangles and cutting them off every time you spot them. The minute you see one strand that’s visibly unhealthy, trim it. This saves thousands of healthy hair strands from being trimmed off and enables you to only get rid of the exact hairs that are damaged or split. It’s a hair saver!
3. Apply heat once or twice a year.
As much as I love the look of my hair when straightened, I have seen incredible results by simply not straightening it more than twice a year. In fact, I avoid applying heat to my hair unless I really, really need to. Whilst heat-based styles can look great for special occasions, they can also wreck havoc on your curls. Instead of using heat, try using your blow dryer on the cool setting, towel drying your hair and rocking gorgeous formal styles using nothing more than your
natural curls and hair accessories (think flowers, hair bands, ribbons etc).
natural hair accessories

Opt for hair accessories like ribbons, scarves and flowers rather than applying heat to your hair.

 4. Exercise.
This is one that many of us miss because we’re so busy. However, exercising regularly not only boosts your body’s health but it also aids hair growth by stimulating the scalp and increasing blood flow to it. Even if you despise working out, try simply walking or doing fun activities that don’t feel like a workout. Zumba, hiking and swimming are some great options and they’ll leave you in top shape as well!
So there you have it, my 4 top tips for growing healthier, longer hair this summer.
If you have any extra tips to share, please let them in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter at www.mycurls.co.uk for more hair tips and a chance to win free products.

Protective Styling For Spring: Braids

Whilst most people think that protective styles like braids can only be worn during the colder months, in actuality braids make for great hairstyles all year round.

Check out these gorgeous hairstyles that are not only great for protective styling but are also perfect for the spring.natural hair styles braids

PS. Have you seen our newly updated website? We love it!

my curls

Check it out if you haven’t already.

Wishing you a fab week,

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk

Can box braids damage your hair?

Like many naturals, I adore box braids and have kept my hair in braids to protect it from the cold winter weather.

Whilst braids can be a great protective style, they can also cause damage to your hair.

For instance, keeping your hair in braids for several months at a time can cause your hair to become extremely dry, brittle and prone to breakage.box braids natural hair

Here are 3 ways to prevent your hair from suffering from such damage.

1. Keeping braids in for too long.

Braids should be kept in for no more than 6-7 weeks at a time. Furthermore, if your hair is in braids, you should re-do the outer part of your hair (the part that’s closes to your edges) once every 2 weeks so that you can minimise damage. The reason for focusing on the outer part of your hair is that the hairs in this area are more fragile and are more susceptible to traction alopecia and other forms of damage. To keep your hair protected, re-do your braids at least once every 2 weeks and avoid keeping your hair in braids for a period of more than 7 weeks.

2. Not washing your braids.

Just because your hair is in braids, that doesn’t mean that it does not need to be washed. In fact, not washing your hair causes dirt and bacteria to build up which results in build up that’s so severe that it can only be removed by cutting your hair. Most naturals will have noticed that when you take out your braids there’s often white clumps of dirt in your hair- this sort of dirt is difficult to remove and if left in for long, will need to be cut out. It’s therefore of central importance that you wash your braids regularly. You can do this using a sulphate and silicone free shampoo and shampooing your scalp and braids once every 2 weeks (or once a week preferably). If you’re unable to shampoo your hair, you can consider using dry shampoos or simply using a washcloth and some water with a small amount of shampoo to scrub your scalp.

3. Forgetting the fact that your real hair is underneath.

There are tons of braided hairstyles to choose from nowadays and in some ways this is a great thing because it gives naturals more choice. However, some hairstyles (like pick and drop braids) are damaging to naturals who have medium-long hair. When having your braids done, make sure your stylist (or whoever is doing your hair) is clear on your goals. Tell them that you want to keep your real hair protected and that you are not willing to risk the healthy and length of your real hair just for the sake of having your hair braided.

Always remember that your real hair comes first and it should therefore be protected and cared for.

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Have a wonderful day,

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk.