Natural hair care on a cheap budget.

A cheap hair care regimen for those on a very limited budget. The unemployed, fixed income, struggling single mom or just those who are cheap. Here is a good hair care and style regimen for you. Some of the items listed here you already have in your cabinet. So to upgrade it should take you no more than $20.

Cleansing your hair:  BLACK SOAP
You can purchase black soap from those who make it from scratch. Depending on your city you can find an African or Jamaican seller who sells it at a very good price. Authentic black soap comes in cream and brown chunks. You can find black soap sold online or at your local health food store. Be sure to read the label not all black soap on the shelf is pure black soap. 

Black soap by itself is a deep cleansing soap not one I would use on a regular basis. However you can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your liquid black soap to help lower the PH. You can also add pure aloe vera to it and that will lower the PH. 

Purchase black soap here

Black soap shampoo 1

1 cup of filtered water

1 tablespoon of liquid black soap

1/2 tablespoon of ACV

Black soap shampoo 2

1 cup of filtered water

1 tablespoon liquid black soap 

1/4 cup of pure aloe vera gel 

DEEP CONDITIONING: Extra Virgin Olive oil + pure honey +glycerin + filtered water

2 tablespoon of pure honey

1/2 cup filtered water

2 tablespoons of glycerin

1 tablespoon of EVOO

Get raw honey here!

Best EVOO here! 

 
LEAVE IN CONDITIONER:  Shea butter + glycerin

APPLY TO HAIR WHILE SOAKING WET

1. Add one tablespoon of glycerin to your desired amount of pure unrefined shea butter

Pure shea butter

2. You can use the shea butter just by itself.

3. You can also just use a single oil for your leave in conditioner. 

You should be able to create your styles with just your leave in conditioner. If you need a harder hold a gel is recommended.

CHEAP PRODUCTS FOR STYLING

Styler 1
You can do your twist outs with simply water and grease. Yes water and grease. Try it. You will have great definition.

Styler 2:  Flaxseed gel
Purchase flaxseeds from the grocery store. Be sure they are organic. Search youtube for videos on how to easily make your own flaxseed gel. 

Styler 3:  Aloe vera gel
It is best to buy pure aloe vera leaf from your local international or Mexican grocery store. You will find it on the produce isle. One stem will last you 2 to 3 months. You can freeze what you are not currently using. One large stem is around $3 or $4. 

When you buy or order aloe vera gel be sure it is pure aloe gel. No alcohol. 

NEED HELP? ORDER ALOE VERA HERE


CONDITIONING CAPS
For your deep conditioning collect extra produce bags when you grocery shop. The produce bags are made to hold naked fruits and vegetables. The produce bags are better than grocery bags. Grocery bags are not made for holding naked food. 

As you can see hair care does not have to cost a lot. So no more complaining about the cost of natural hair. Natural hair can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it.

Growing Afro hair and retaining length

 
Hair grows on average 1/2 inch per month. Some sources state 1/4 an inch per month.    How is your hair growth? Which category do you fall under?

Until your hair root dies, your hair is always growing. How fast it grows depends on the health and diet of the individual. Genetics plays a role in hair growth. However genetics will not stop you from growing your hair to mid back length or waist length. Genetics are not the sole indicator of you reaching long lengths. 

Find out more of what I think about genetics and hair growth here

Lots of women desire long, healthy, easy to style hair. Although most will not admit it, because they fear not achieving such a big goal as waist length or hip length hair. It is hard to aim for hip length hair when your hair has never grown passed shoulder length. Long hair is beautiful, versatile, youthful and sensual. 

Where are you in your hair growth journey? Are you reaching your hair length goals? If not are you even setting length goals? Remember you have to set a goal first. 

Set it, speak it, do the work and enjoy the manifestation.

Based on the average hair growth per month being 1/2 inch, here is an ideal as to where you should be length wise in your journey.

The 2 year hair growth journey

HAIR STATS:  Sapphire's  been natural for two years and she started out with a 2' Afro. She does not comb or brush her hair, she finger detangles. She does not use harsh heat, such as blow dryers or flat irons. She follows a healthy regimen on a regular basis. Therefore she only trims 1/4 inch every fourth month. This equals 1 inch per year.

Number of inches when you started                                    2
Years natural multiplied by AOG (2 X 6)                        +12
                                                                                    _________
Length before trim                                                             =14'
Trimmed 1 inch each year                                                    -1
                                                                                    _________
Hair growth in 2 years                                                = 13 inches 

(Notice that she does not use harsh heat therefore her ends remain healthier and she retains more of her growth)

The 3 year hair growth journey

HAIR STATS: Violet started her natural hair journey 3 years ago. She started out with 4 inches of natural hair. She follows the CoilyQueens Regimen so her hair stays really healthy. She does flat iron her hair twice a year. That is the only time she uses a comb. She trims 1/2 inch every 4th month. She loses 2 inches per year to trims.

Number of inches at beginning of journey                            3
Years natural multiplied by 6 inches per year (3 X 6)     +18
                                                                                          _______
Length before trim                                                                =21'
Trimmed 2 inches per year (2 X 3)                                       -6
                                                                                         _______
 Hair length in 3 years                                                    15 inches 

Notice Violet has to trim more hair each year, because she chooses to flat iron her hair twice a year. The harsh heat leaves her ends frayed and split. If she did not use harsh heat she would be very close to waist length in 3 years. 

How does your hair growth compare to Sapphire's or Violet's? 

Insert your own numbers into the formula. What are your length stats?

It is good to know if you are above average, average or below average. Start a hair growth journal today.

If you are below average with your hair growth, do you know why? Yes there are things you can do to increase your hair growth rate. 

3 things to do now:

Start the CoilyQueens Regimen

Purchase Liquid Gold sulfur hair growth oil

Purchase Beauty Vites hair growth vitamins
Check out the liquid gold box in the right hand column to order.

MORE HAIR GROWTH TIPS

NEED MORE HELP???

HAIR GROWTH COACHING SERVICES

                                  

        

Deep conditioning tips

Deep conditioning:

This is done on hair which has been cleansed first.  Applying a product, which contains ingredients that penetrate deep into the cuticle layers. Not all deep conditioners are created equal. A good deep conditioner will improve your hair elasticity and help your hair retain moisture for longer periods. Most deep conditioners require you to use heat for 10 minutes or more. Heat makes the hair cuticle open wider then the deep conditioner is able to penetrate deeper. 

HAIR STEAMER GREAT BUY!

Deep conditioning is essential to keeping your hair soft, strengthened and reduce tangles. Deep conditioning on a regular basis will help your retain length.

A good deep conditioner should make your hair more manageable and stronger. Give you softer hair and make untangling easier. Each deep conditioner comes with its own instructions so always follow the directions on the product.

Best heat sources for deep conditioning

Hair steamers are the best heat source to use for deep conditioning. Steam enables the conditioner to penetrate deep and your moisture lasts longer. You should only steam your hair once per week and no longer than 15 minutes each steam session. Steamers are an investment and they tend not to last a long time. You might find a hair steamer at a salon supply store, but in most cases you will need to purchase one online.

Heat conditioning caps are the next best choice for deep conditioning. Heating caps trap hot moisture deep into the cuticle layer. Heating caps are reasonable in price and very simple to use. You can find heat caps at the beauty supply store.

HERE IS THE HEATING CAP I USE

 

Hooded hair dryers: A dryer is best used for  roller sets, however they work okay for deep conditioning. Hooded dryers are easy to find and economically priced. They do not give you the moist heat that the heat cap gives you. They also do not enable the conditioner to penetrate as deep as the hair steamer does.  

Key ingredients to look for in deep conditioners

Panthenol 

Glycerine

Amino acids

Quats

Sorbitol 

Deep conditioners recommendations

Alikay naturals honey and sage DC

As I am hydration elation conditioner

Shea Moisture Manuka Honey Intensive treatment

Shea Moisture 10 n 1 masque

Thank God I'm natural deep conditioner

Detangling Afro coily hair

Tangles are the number one complaint of those with Afro coily hair. When you first go natural it is not uncommon to spend a whole hour untangling your hair. Having to spend so long on detangling, makes black women, not want to wash or restyle their hair often. However keeping the hair washed on a regular basis is the key to growing your hair to great lengths and creating great styles. This is the reason you want to greatly reduce your detangling time. The healthier your hair is, the easier it is to untangle. It is possible to untangle your hair in less than 15 minutes, even with tight coils and long length. 

Following the CoilyQueens Regimen enables me to untangle my hair in 15 minutes. My shampoo time has been reduced by 70%

1. Never untangle hair when soaking wet
Always untangle hair while damp not while soaking wet.  Although soaking wet hair is soft and very flexible it is weak due to being filled with water. Dampen your hair with conditioner or a light mist of water. Let it sit on hair for 3 minutes, then gently untangle with your fingers. 

2. If you want to retain long lengths untangle hair with your fingers. No combs!
If you keep your hair lubricated with a natural oil daily you will find finger combing really easy to do. The most important thing to know when finger combing is to take small sections. Do not treat it the same nor expect the same results compared to using a comb. In the beginning it will take you twice as long to finger comb compared to using a comb or brush. Soften hair with a conditioner, then untangle in small sections and you will be successful with finger combing. The more you do it the faster it will go!


3. Never detangle with a brush, tangle teaser or any product like it. 
If you watch youtube you will see many naturals show demos  of untangling their hair using the very popular denman brush. Do not adopt this trend! Brushing the hair, weakens the hair cuticle over time. This makes the hair high porosity and susceptible to damage. The problem is that the damage does not happen quickly. It takes awhile for you to see the damage. Even so, know that each time you rake that brush through your hair you are weakening some of your protein bonds. When you rake it through soaking wet hair it is even worst. If you want to retain length, keep the brush out of your regimen. Fingers only!

4. Removing heavy tangles, matted hair and knots!
If you do not consistently follow a healthy hair regimen you can easily find your hair in a situation in which it will knot up and mat badly. You will get massive tangles which overwhelm you. Do not panic and start cutting or ripping out your hair. Remember people have untangled a full head of dread locs, so mostly likely your tangles can be removed with no damage.

Cold pressed castor oil

Solution #1: Mix 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar, with 1 cup of filtered water, plus 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil. Put mix in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray hair down really good, using 3/4 cups of the mixture. Cover with a plastic cap for one hour. Go calm down, get some tea and take some deep breathes. After one hour untanlge hair using very small sections and take your time. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of your mixture to keep hair damp as you untangle it.  

Solution #2: Mix 2 tablespoons of castor oil + 1 tablespoon of coconut oil + 1/4 cup or more of a thick conditioner of your choice. Cover with a -plastic conditioning cap + scarf overnight. If you do not have time for an overnight treatment. do it for 3 hours. If you do the treatment overnight your tangles will melt in the morning.

Untangle hair before you start the shampoo process always.

Your guide to protein treatments

What does protein do for the hair?
A good protein treatment will deposit micro particles of protein onto your hair strands and fill broken spaces on each hair strand.  Protein treatments also help your healthy hair by sticking to the hair strands thus giving your hair extra reinforcement. Because the protein strengthens your hair, you retain more length, because your hair is less likely to break when manipulated.  Retaining more length enables you to reach your hair length goals faster. 

Protein helps you to grow your hair to great lengths!

When to do a protein treatment

• If your hair is breaking.
• To strengthen your hair for retaining long lengths
• Before you get extension braids or weaves put in
• After a relaxer treatment or harsh color
• If your hair is weak from illness
• If you comb or brush your hair 3 or more times per week
• If you flat iron or blow dry your hair

How to apply a protein treatment
Each protein treatment varies in application. A good protein treatment is applied to clean hair, allowed to harden by using a hooded dryer, then rinsed. You then follow with a good moisturizing deep conditioner. Some protein treatments do not require heat. You apply them, let it sit for a few minutes then rinse. Some protein treatments will strengthen and provide moisture in one treatment. While other protein treatment require additional deep conditioning. There are no general rules to doing a protein treatment, therefore you should follow the instructions on the protein treatment you purchase.

What to do after a protein treatment
Follow the directions on the protein treatment you choose. If your hair feels straw like or extremely dry after a protein treatment, do extra conditioning.  Generously apply some leave in conditioner, cover with a plastic cap and scarf, overnight. You will do this for five nights in a row.  Doing this baggy method will help infuse extra moisture into your hair strands and your hair should feel stronger but not extremely dry. 

How often should I reapply?
Some treatments can be used once per week, while others should only be used once per month. Follow the directions of the protein treatment you choose.

Which protein treatment is the best?
Protein treatments derived from animal proteins are the strongest best protein treatments to use. If your hair is breaking you want to choose a protein treatment which has hydrolyzed keratin protein or collagen listed in the top 5 ingredients. Protein is made from vegetable sources or animal sources. In most cases the type of protein used  is listed under the ingredients.

Purchase the Shea Moisture keratin kit here!

How to choose your protein treatment

Got moderate to severe breakage?
1st choice:  Aphogee 2 step treatment should be your first choice. This treatment is number one in stopping medium to harsh breakage. The product contains an animal protein.  Your breakage should improve by 50% after only one treatment. Repeat every 4 to 6 weeks.

PURCHASE APHOGEE 2 STEP PROTEIN KIT HERE!

Got breakage, but you are not good at doing hair treatments and deep conditioning?
2nd choice: Choose the aphogee 2 minute keratin reconstructor. This treatment contains animal protein so it will help your breakage, however it is not as effective as the 2 step treatment. This treatment is easy for beginners to use and faster to apply.  You must repeat this treatment weekly for continued protection.

3rd choice: Shea Moisture Tahitian and noni weekly hair and scalp therapy. (Black owned) This treatment contains hydrolyzed keratin protein, derived from animal sources. This treatment is good because it strengthens and conditions in one step. It is easy to apply and can be used weekly. It is more moisturizing than the aphogee 2 minute keratin reconstructor treatment. So if your hair is very dry you may want to choose this one over the aphogee 2 minute.


Protein treatments you can use for mild breakage and maintenance.

Green Beauty true protein: This product has hydrolyzed wheat protein from vegetable sources. Vegetable proteins are not as strengthening as the animal proteins. This product is black owned.

PURCHASE GREEN BEAUTY PROTEIN TREATMENT HERE!

Other good, mild protein treatments
ORS protein deep conditioner
Shea Moisture JBCO protein conditioner (black owned)
Aubrey organics protein balancing conditioner. BUY HERE

Hydrathermal Naturals Amino plus protein deep conditioner Black owned product. BUY HERE!

Come grow with me, take the 40 day New Moon Phase hair growth challenge!

We choose the best high energy days to trim our hair. Then we check out growth in 40 days and see how much we've gained. You may continue to gain over several months from just one New Moon Phase trim. I did a New Moon phase trim last September during a super high energy moon. I cut my very long bangs up to 6 inches. My bangs touched the bottom of my nostril. Today my bangs are almost touching the bottom of my chin. So I gained 3 inches of new growth in 3 months and one week. That is a lot of growth!!! My normal rate is 1/4 an inch per month. This has tripled my normal hair growth rate. WOW!!!

I usually get good results from New Moon trimming but not always these types of results. Practicing the CoilyQueens Regimen I trim my hair every 4th month. So it is time for my trim. So of course I will do a New Moon Phase trim, why not! We need to keep our ends trimmed and healthy so why not trim on high energy days and see what happens. You have nothing to lose but frayed ends. So I am inviting you to do a New Moon Phase trim with me. You can watch my hair grow! It will be fun doing this with friends! So come on let's trim and grow together! Got to meet those hair growth goals right!

How to do a New Moon trim

 

• Release all negative energy
• Pick your new moon date
• Trim your hair according to your needs
• Write down your hair length
• Follow a healthy hair regimen
• Measure hair growth, 40 days after trim
• Enjoy your growth increase
• Continue to measure  growth every 30 days.

HOW TO JOIN THIS 40 DAY CHALLENGE
1. Find the box in the right hand column and follow this blog
2. Subscribe to the "Black Hair Luv" blog
3. Email: Newmoontrimming@gmail.com, put 40 day New Moon challenge in the subject line. I will send you the super energy trim dates.

I will share my starting length picture on the "Black Hair Luv" blog, once I do my New Moon Trim. 

All challenge updates will be on the "Black Hair Luv" blog.


I love New Moon trimming and you get to come along with me this time! Okay ladies let's trim and grow together. 

Blessings!!!

Grow hair long by doing a New Moon Phase trim

 New Moon Trimming:
 >trimming your hair during high energy days. As the moon grows from New Moon to Full Moon, certain days carry a stronger energy than others. You can use this energy to increase your hair growth as the moon is growing.
 

Hopefully you left all negativity back in 2015. Being full of negative energy will only block your increase in all areas. Do not try a New Moon trim when you are in a negative disposition. The negative energy will block your success with this method. 

Now is the time to release all the negativity you have concerning your hair. Stop using negative terms to describe your hair. Stop stating what your hair hates or cannot do. Stop relating to your hair based on your past. Just because you never had long hair does not mean that you never will. Stop deceiving yourself, by saying you are okay with average results. Go for what you truly desire. If you want waist length hair, then say so. Shout it from your mouth! Put it out there! New Moon trimming is one of the ways you can achieve this goal. 

Here are the best days to trim for January. Subscribe to this blog so you can get the New Moon trim days each month. Understand you do not have to trim every month to increase your hair growth. You just maintain your normal trim schedule. 

Best days to trim for hair growth increase in January

9th

13th

17th

18th

Retaining length and maintaining great styles
>The CoilyQueens Regimen recommends trimming every 4th month to maintain healthy ends. Healthy ends help you retain more length and help your styles to look refined and fresh.