1Blessed Natural Mag

April 2014: My hair has fully recovered from protein overload Updated 8/24/2017 - Check out Part 2 for a simpler regimen to reverse protein overload! Happy Monday, my blessed naturals! I hope you all are having a great week. Many of you have been asking about my experience with protein overload. Because I was writing the previous protein overload articles while I was going through it, I decided to do a follow-up article to include my regimen. This one should pull all of the information of my regimen together and hopefully answer many of your questions. If you still have  questions, just let me know in the comments or form on the right side of this page. 1. Realization of experiencing protein overload: My hair was hard, dry, brittle, and stiff (like hay). It's curl pattern was gone and my ends were split. It seemed like my hair changed suddenly, but I now realize that it had grown a bit rougher after each wash. I realized that I'd done too many protein treatment...

Ms. Gardner's puff hairstyle (photo courtesy of Lakeisha Gardner)   Lakeisha Gardner You just woke up. You're running late for work, and your hair is the last thing you want to be bothered with at the moment. Should you stand in the mirror perfecting your 'fro for half an hour, or rush out the door and worry about it on the drive there? Having natural 4c hair can sometimes be a true hassle but with the right tips, you can transform those tresses into a professional look any day in a matter of minutes.                All textures deserve proper care and maintenance, but those of us with 4C hair know that having healthy hair begins with a regular nightly routine. Implementing a nightly routine for your hair becomes a major help on days when you are running late and just don't have the extra styling time. Protection of your ends is essential and is oftentimes the source of frustration during those early mornings when you...

Hi my blessed naturals, If you've been reading my blog from the beginning, then you know that I am not a big fan of hair typing. My reason for not being a big advocate in the past was because I felt like everyone should get to know their hair and what works for them. However, I realize that hair typing can help others who have a similar hair texture with developing a hair regimen that works for their hair. As a result, I have created my own curl profile to help you all who may have a similar hair type. This will include information about my hair type and the types of products and regimens that work for me . Some items may be commonly known for naturals in general. Many naturals refer to the Andre Walker hair type chart. My hair would be in the 4B   4A category. My Curl Profile Texture: soft, fine, and tight curls or coils              Hair Thickness: Thick            ...

Happy Tuesday everyone, This week, I realized my hair was damaged and breaking off. I couldn't tell if it was just my ends or the middle of my strands. Don't panic, 1BlessedNatural! LOL. When I looked at my ends, I noticed I had a lot of straight hairs. I remembered the the recent changes in my hair regimen. My straight ends came from my hair being pulled too much, during the washing and detangling process. I have been shampooing my hair every 1-2 weeks to prevent my scalp from being scaly. If you've been following my blog, then you know that I usually cleanse my hair with my  Castile soap mixture , instead of shampoo. Because of the increase in the number of times I shampoo my hair, I have been styling and detangling my hair more than usual= too much manipulation. Plus, I've been using a dandruff shampoo , and they can really dry your hair out. Sunday, I washed my hair with my Castile mixture and then, I deep conditioned it. I two strand twisted my hair and put i...

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope that your are having a great week. I just want to remind you and myself (lol) to let God fight your battles and stay in His word, regardless of the way things appear. He will see you through :-) "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."- Psalms 3:1-3 In hair related news... last night I put a diagonal part in the front of my head, and created 4 flat twists... two going down each side. I put the rest of my hair into two-strand twist pin curls. This morning I unraveled them. When I pin curl or bantu knot my hair, I make sure that I apply a moisturizer to my ends before wrapping them around. Do you wear flat twists?

Flat twists on both sides. Last night I slept with a hair net on the back portion of my hair, to keep my twist out from two nights ago. In the morning,I applied a moisturizer to the back of my hair and tops of my flat twists and fluffed my hair out with a comb and fingers.