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Showing posts from July, 2016

I've Won The Battle With Acne!

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I'm such a goal-oriented person that once I set my heart on achieving something, I go all out to get that and this battle with acne is one fight I'm not going to lose.

The latest issue is the acne breakouts on the right cheek whilst the left cheek is fresh Lol. Why? I'm suspecting it's because I sleep on the right side. In any case, the line of action was to figure out how to stop new breakout and that's when I discovered something else.

My face felt oily within hours of bathing and even when I use oil free moisturizers! Can you imagine that? So, I realized I had to wash my face twice a day to remove those oils.

Additionally, I realized I broke out each time I use the Avon anew retexturizing peel, perhaps because I had pimples  on my skin, I was just aggravating the skin. With 10%glycolic acid, my skin might be suffering from the harshness of the product.  That's just my theory so I now use it on my pimple free part of the face and guess what? My skin respo…
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July Favourites (2016)

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I've not done favourite posts in a while because I really didn't have any. However, this July was different. I had three products I enjoyed using.
1. Cantu sheabutter anti frizz foam leave in conditioner



I absolutely love the feel of the foam in my hair. It penetrates the  hair so fast and easy. Because it dries up fast too, I'm able to use it daily. A full review soon. 


Irish Spring Gear Body Wash: This wash is amazing on my skin and though I won't be restocking it yet,  I know I can always fall on it when the need arises. 


Sheamoisture Superfruit conditioner 

[caption width="331" align="aligncentre"]Sheamoisture Superfruit conditioner [/caption]

This conditioner changed my perception of Sheamoisture conditioners, especially, with its moisture levels. I really love this. 

What's been your favourite for July?
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Do you have a Hair Buddy?

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Never heard of them? Then you probably don't have a hair community. Where have you been?!:o



Hair buddies are the best thing you could ever have when on a healthy hair journey. It isn't a platform for any competition, but rather for the exchange of knowledge as well as keeping each other in check. 
Here are some tips in choosing your hair buddy as well as the benefits.


TIPS
▪Get a buddy who has a similar;


hair type


-hair length

-hair goal

▪Choose someone you're really comfortable with within that community.

▪Be prepared to learn-we all don't know everything.

▪Be willing to share

BENEFITS

▪Your buddy constantly reminds you of healthy hair practices to do daily.

▪You can go on hair challenges together- for moral support lol.

▪You don't only exchange products you could even swap products!

If you dont have, one get one! There are so many hair communities with different people; from WhatsApp to Facebook; Twitter to Instagram! Just look around you'll be surprised.😎

Do you have a…
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HAIR GROWTH.

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​Biotin

If you want longer, healthier hair then don’t forget about Biotin. This is quickly becoming one of the most widely used supplements for faster hair growth. While biotin is a B vitamin it plays such a key role in keeping hair healthy that it needed its own spot. This vitamin helps produce glucose and break down proteins into amino acids. Since hair itself contains keratin, which is a form of protein, this supports healthy locks.

While most people do get enough Biotin from the foods they eat each day, it is a water soluble vitamin. Again, that means your body can’t retain it and flushes what it doesn’t use. So you need to get enough of it each day or you’ll run a deficit. Many hair care products now contain Biotin. However, that doesn’t mean you should ditch biotin-rich foods or supplements. Rather, a combination of both an internal and external supply seems to work best.

Some food sources of Biotin include mushrooms, avocados, eggs, salmon, peanut butter, and more.

 Niacin

Niacin is…
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4 methods of Trimming hair

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There's a term in haircare most people try to avoid at all costs: Trimming. Believe it or not, trimming does more good than we think, especially when you hit a growth plateau (a stage where your hair does not seem to grow anymore).

What is Trimming?



Trimming is the cutting off of your ends, in a bid to rid one's hair of split ends and single strand knots. Some ladies trim yearly; some twice in a year and others every time they style their hair. Depending on your goals,your duration will be different. In trimming however there are four methods. 
▪The Straight Hair Trim

Some natural haired ladies prefer trimming after they've flat ironed- this isn't compulsory, it depends on one's preference. An advantage however, is that the shrinkage element has been eliminated prior to trimming, so you probably will not cut more than you planned to. 

▪ Search and Destroy

This method is one that conserves hair the most, even though it's been known to consume a lot of time. Here you&…
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Flexible Rods To Create Lasting Curls

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I haven't mentioned flexible rods in a long, long, long, time!!!

But first, a hair Update : I relaxed a couple of days ago. I ended up with  more texture than intended but it's OK.

This will make it easy to monitor the growth from the nature's bounty HSN. I've washed twice already too.

I got small flexible rods for curls and if you've been here since 2012, then you know they  are my go to styling  tools. The rods will make styling  a lot fun and simple since I get the same results as roller sets. I'll get a foam wrap so the curls can last.



To be able to do flexible rods again is such a relief! It means more curls, no more spending on braids and wigs , I can wash any day and any time as well as do scalp piling and massages. I  means there are a thousand and one reasons to be exciting about the change in styling.

I tried the rods on dry hair and in a matter of minutes,  my head had turned curly. I'll be posting each use and probably a video on it too.

Here's my…
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Natural Hair Inspiration : Aretha

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Aretha is a Ghanaian YouTuber,  make up guru and has a gorgeous set of afro hair.









Images : courtesy of Instagram
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WAYS OF SAVING EFFECTIVELY.

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Last week,I touched on how to spend money intelligently.Today we shall discuss a way of saving effectively. You must determine the amount of money you want to save.Write down the amount of money you can save per month.Remember,it's not the amount of money you can save but the amount that you will like to save monthly in order to reach your future goal.

For instance,you can decide that in the month of August that you will save thirty-one Ghana cedis only hence you will save a cedi a day.

So how do you save a cedi a day?

Firstly, aside having a savings account which your money is 95% safe and which luckily many banks have made it easy for everyone to have a savings account with a minimum amount of money, I will still introduce to you the common one every student and everyone knows about.PIGGY BANK OR SUSU BOX.
A piggy bank aka Susu box is one of the easiest ways to have quick access to some cash in times of need.

They often say 'little drops of water make a migthy ocean' That is …
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Foam Wrap Lotion vrs Setting Lotion

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We are all familiar with hair dressers mixing their setting lotion with water before use as directed. However, I find setting lotions to be too drying for my hair and haven ventured into the world of wrap lotions, I'm certainly looking forward great roller sets.



I know some ladies also prefer setting lotions; we have different hair needs, textures and we live in different environments.

If you have difficulty with any of these products, try water only roller sets too and see how it works. I used to do water sets until I discovered how well wraps work on my hair.
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3 Ways To Neutralize Relaxed Hair

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When you relax your hair,  the relaxer changes the pH of your hair. To restore the pH, you need to Neutralize the hair. There are 3 products that can help you.


Neutralizing shampoo: Some salons  have neutralizing shampoos but to be safe,  carry your own bottle to the salon. The one I use is the ors creamy aloe shampoo.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Dilute apple cider vinegar in water and apply to the hair after rinsing out the relaxer. The vinegar will restore the pH of the hair.


[caption width="278" align="aligncentre"]Roux Porosity Control Conditioner [/caption]


Roux porosity control: This line helps a lot and I loved it when I used it.  All the products claim to restore pH balance so give it a try. There are other porosity control products you can add to your stash.
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Pre poo? DO I REALLY NEED TO?

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Most people on a hhj are introduced to pre- pooing early in their journey. Many do it just because they’ve been advised to, without knowing the actual benefits. Others on the other hand, do not include it in their regimens simply because, they do not see the need. First off however, what IS pre poo?

Pre poo simply put, means before shampoo.. So in effect, pre poo is a treatment applied unto hair prior to washing. It is the application of conditioners (in the form of oils, creams, butters or even fruit) onto hair. All you have to do is to section your hair and apply your desired pre poo; cover your hair for 15-30 minutes or possibly, overnight. You then rinse it out and continue with your usual routine. It is important to note however, that if you co wash, you will not need to pre-poo, as conditioners do not completely strip our hair of its oils.

BENEFITS

· Pre poo helps in detangling your strands. The use of conditioners loosens most tangles, avoiding excess hair loss during the process …
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​HOW TO DYE YOUR HAIR WITHOUT THE FULL COMMITMENT

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Every once in a while, we all love to switch up the look of our hair. We see the wildest colours all over Instagram and Facebook and we wish we could try at least one of them. But then we think of the reviews we’ve heard or read about dyes, and how they dry out your hair, causing tons of breakage. This discourages many sadly😦.

One thing we don’t realise is that, those who experience breakage most probably tend to have very little knowledge on the use and implications of dyeing. Dyeing your hair means your hair’s structure has been altered in one way or the other and as such, it will not be able to hold as much moisture as it did before. As a result, you have to provide your head of hair with extra moisture treatments to make up for what it loses. So in conclusion, dyeing simply means EXTRAMOISTURE.

If you’re like myself and would like to switch up your colour about 3 times in one week lol, then dyeing permanently is probably not the answer for you. It’s with this thought that I’ve dec…
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HOW TO SPEND MONEY INTELLIGENTLY.

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*Remove luxuries from your Budget.

*Use cheaper forms of transportation. 

*Have fun for free in your own small way.

*Avoid expensive addictions

*Set reasonable savings goals.




Thanks for your time.

Always remember; the lifestyle you can't finance you don't purchase. 

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Natural Hair Inspiration : Priscilla

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From our days on campus till now, Priscilla has seen all the ups and downs abut my hair and she has also taken the plunge to take care of her hair. I remember when we would wonder how to get out sand from the hair after a marathon prayer section at the gardens  on  Saturday mornings 



She started taking better care of her relaxed hair and along the way,  decided to give natural hair a go. She's been very diligent with her products and the results have been very inspiring. 





When  Priscilla gets to waist length, I'll definitely share the update with you. At this rate,  she will be  Bra strap Length by next year. 



Interact with  Priscilla on the forum too. 

http://www.ghanaianemprezz.com/forums/forum/forum/
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Natural Hair Inspiration: lizlizlive

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Liz is a Ghanaian living in the UK and making it big time in the YouTube world with  her beauty and fashion tutorials. She also wears her hair natural.









Which one is your favorite look?
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Need Perfume To Last All Day? TRY THIS.

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When you are looking good,  you want smell good too and the first thing that comes to mind  is a perfume. 

However,  the problem isn't really about the kind of perfume you use (well sometimes is it) but with how you can make it last longer as you go through the day. 

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TIGER NUTS.

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Last week I spoke about Dates.Today is tigernut.Have you tasted it before? Tigernut has amazing health benefits which I will love to share with you.. Tiger nuts are one of nature’s super foods. They are high in fibre, highly nutritious and are believed to contain ingredients that can help prevent heart attacks and improve blood circulation. People in North Africa and Spain have been snacking on tiger nuts for centuries.

The Benefits

It has a high fiber content, Vitamin E, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. A diet high in fiber helps with your blood sugar control, weight loss as well as irritable bowel syndrome. The Vitamin E helps with sperm motility. By this the sperms are able to move actively to fertilize the egg. This is what fascinates the men…yeah right. No wonder traditionalists in Ghana use tiger nuts for medicines that treat erectile dysfunction. I cannot recommend one to anyone but well I guess it all boils down to that “men’s …
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5 Tips For Protecting Your Hair During The Raining Season

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As the  rains come down, so does our moisture levels in the hair increases. However, too much of moisture can reckon havoc on your hair so here are some tips on protecting your hair during this season. 


 Finger detangle: when the hair is soft and especially when you are caught in the rain,  it's essential to use your fingers to undo the tangles. For relaxed hair, detangling wet hair with a Comb  is just an invitation to  breakage. Using the fingers to removed knots and tangled hair will even be better on semi dry relaxed hair rather than the wet hair, more like damp hair. 



Protein treatment in order not to suffer moisture overload. A bit of protein whether through deep conditioner, leave in or shampoo would curb this situation. 





Shower caps to protect your hair when you are out. Though you and I know how to handle our wet hair, it's better to also avoid too much exposure to water. Naturals usually say they aren't afraid getting caught in the rain yet how about preserving the …
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Product Review: Eya Naturals

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Hi loves! I trust we are having a great week. This week I decided to make a review of some products from Eya Naturals in response to a special request by a cherished reader. 😘 These are specifically Eya Naturals detangling conditioner, black soap shampoo, leave - in conditioner and Aloe vera hair mist.

Disclaimer

I bought these products with my own money. I wasn't paid to make this review neither do I intend to make any monetary compensation by doing so. The opinions about these products were objectively made devoid of any bias. The purpose of this review is to share my experience but does not however serve as a guarantee that they may or may not work for you.

Eya Naturals Black Soap Shampoo

Description: This product is formulated with the time honoured african black soap and coconut oil to hydrate and condition the hair while you shampoo, to help reduce breakage, and promote growth. African black soap is known to thoroughly cleanse the hair and skin. Coconut oil is known to hydrate …
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3 Deep Conditioning Mistakes To Avoid

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After deep conditioning according to the directions on products, my hair has certainly gained it's softness back. It stays moisturized for longer periods too.

[caption id="" align="aligncentre" width="400"] Scarf Style[/caption]

In all this, I've learnt 3 mistakes that can occur with your deep conditioning process.
1. Not using the product as directed: That was my first mistake with deep conditioners. Most dcs take about 30 minuted to an hour to work if you use body hat but 15 minuted under a hooded dryer or steamer. I hardly went beyond 5 minutes with the deep conditioners and that was my downfall. Now that I can't cut my hair again,  I have to be diligent in keep the hair healthy.
2. Not using the right deep conditioner: Using a regular conditioner and leaving it on for even 20 hours doesn't make it deep conditioning. I've personally been against using eggs because it's unable to penetrate the hair. To benefit from deep conditioning,…
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ARE YOU STILL TAKING YOUR VITAMINS?

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Tomorrow  marks exactly two weeks since we started our six months vitamins challenge.

Have you noticed any new growth yet?

Have you seen any changes in your skin?

Are your nails growing well and beautiful?

Personally,I am in a protective style so I cant say much about new growth until I have taken it down.

Secondly,I noticed my nails have become stronger and healthy. I used to have brittle nails due to constant biting.This time around I have decided to put a stop to that habit to see how beautiful my nails are.I promise! I won't bite my nails again.

For my skin,I can't say much.What I can say is that I don't see acne on my face or breakouts. This is because I drink enough water.

What have you noticed so far?

Share your views.

Thanks for reading.😘

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Treating Hair Loss At The Edges With Supplements

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I know you are aware of my efforts in restoring my receding hair at the edges.

The new thing I've discovered is that aside using topical products, the problem can be dealt with internally too. I know talk to hair vitamins for general hair growth is my thing but I wasn't aware the growth  could also be specific. That is more targeted at a part of the head which in  this case is the hair line.

[caption id="" align="aligncentre" width="400"] Nature's bounty hair skin and nails vitamins[/caption]

A YouTuber recently shared her battle with receding hair line and explained how she was only able to control it with supplements. The key ingredients in the supplement were biotin, zinc and amino acids. In regular multivitamins, I look out for zinc so I was happy she mentioned it as a key ingredient.

Based on the new discovery, I'm more determined to take the nature's bounty HSN as directed. The instruction is to take 3 soft gels daily and I'll do…
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Acne! 3 foods that cause it, and 4 foods that curb it.

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​Ever had acne? Not the mild ones that can easily be taken care of with one dab of lotion. ACNE ACNE! Remember how self-conscious it made you feel? Using all the creams and powders just to ‘cover up’ your blemishes. Those times are not one of my favourite honestly, and I trust I’m not the only one. Today we’ll be looking at our skin, our face especially, studying the foods that cause acne, as well as others that are equally or more healthy, but do not contribute to the formation of hills and erupted volcanoes on our beautiful faces.



· Sugar



Don’t get too stressed. Taking sugar is good generally, as it provides us with energy. The quantity consumed however, will determine its effect in your system. Too much of everything is bad, as we’ve heard time without number and sugar isn’t any different. High consumption of sugar increases the level of insulin in your blood. This results in an over production of sebum (skin oils), and that causes the manifestation of pimples and acne. In short, con…
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Natural Hair Inspiration : Naturally Temi

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Temi's hair is just amazing and she does a good job of keeping it healthy. 









Temi's twists out are always on point!
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Natural Hair Inspiration : Rhinazapp

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She is absolutely fabulous!
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5 Hair Dye Tips To Consider

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Follow the INSTRUCTIONS : I used the dark and lovely permanent black hair dye and didn't have any problem with dryness. The instructional manual is added to the product not for decorative purposes; it's to protect your own hair.
Be patient when applying: each dye has its own application method. My semi permanent dye required heat to work, the dark and lovely one doesn't. Skipping a process may end up damaging your strands.
Deep condition very often to ensure your hair stays moisturized as some dyes can be very drying to the hair. Blonde, red and others can suck the moisture out of your hair; using moisturizing deep conditioner is the key to keeping your strands from breaking off.
Read previous reviews about the dyes. There are a lot of articles on people's experience with different hair dyes. You also get to choose based on the purpose of your color change. I used semi permanent for a while  and also tried a permanent dye
Check your hair's pH before and after the dye p…
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Natural Hair Inspiration : Ama K. Abrebrese

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Our Ghanaian celebrity today is our own famous Ama K. Abrebrese who has always been proud of showing her natural hair both on facebook, instagram and most especially in her movies like 'Sinking Sands'. I don't know if the writer had her hair in mind because she wore her hair out for most part of the movie.



Ama K. Abrebrese is part of the pioneers of natural haired celebrities in Ghana and I've seen a couple of female celebrities rocking their natural hair to events too. When she debuted her afro on our screens, it was exhilarating watching her. How many female celebrities could do that at that period?



Her courage to show case her natural hair on and off air is beyond inspiring! Most often, the celebrities hide their hair under wigs and weaves when on air or at functions so to see one who isn't bothered about what people think of her is a huge inspiration.



I first got motivated by Ama K. Abrebese  when I saw her hair in Sinking Sands and throughout the movie promotion.…
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Beauty Benefits of Dates

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If you haven't tried dates, then you are missing a lot!They are so sweet and yummy. Its sweetness can't be compared to ice-creamand candies..When you think of a soft drink ,think dates. When you think of a gum,think dates.

They are delicious to eat and high in natural sugars.The date fruit pulp contains some wonderful phytochemicals (plant nutrients) like polyphenols, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids, plus minerals such as selenium and manganese – each of these play an important role in slowing down the aging process (including greying and hair loss). Dates are also a good source of iron, deficiency of which can cause hair loss and hair thinning.

Dietary fiber in dates binds to the bad cholesterol in the digestive tract and removes them from the body. Date fibers also help to move food slowly and smoothly through digestive tract – this helps to keep blood sugar levels steady, so you’re less likely to feel hungry and over eat. This is great for someone like me who has st…
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How To Grow Beard

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In as much as women are attached to their hair on the head, some mwn are equally attached to the hair that grows on their chin aka beard.

Lately, a lot of my male customers have been requesting for products to hold them grow their brand long. It may sound funny but a neat and we'll groomed beard is most definitely a plus to a gentleman. So, how can you grow your beard? I guess I'll attempt this from the same point as growing your hair on the head.


Wash and condition the hair. By washing, I realized that when guys take a shower, they rinse their face but neglect the beard. Make efforts to at least apply some shampoo and conditioner to the beard once a week. This will strengthen the beard and prevent breakage. Bathing soaps can dry out the hair unless it's Alata samina aka African black soap.


Also,  be sure to whip food from the beard. I've seen some foods stuck in beards and they aren't  cute. Dried food in your beard? 


Oil your beard whilst it's still damp. By…
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Full Crotchet Braids

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By full crotchet braid, see the picture.
I, finally, got the front braided and that's because the leave out was OK but wasn't long enough to cover the front so it looked a bit messy.

How long will I keep it? Till I make some decisions regarding my hair. I'm contemplating stretching for two more months so the braids will be a good way to get rid of the stress of stretching short relaxed hair.







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