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| How to take care of your relaxed hair in 9 easy steps |
A lot of women these days are going the natural route because they want healthier hair. There is nothing wrong with this decision, however, it is possible to have healthy hair AND have it relaxed at the same time! Here are nine steps to take care of your relaxed hair.
1. Stretch out touch ups until you see at least 2 inches of new growth. Getting touch ups every 14-16 weeks instead of every 4-6 weeks makes it much less likely for your hair to be damaged due to over-processing caused by overlapping. Read more here.
2. Don't aim to get bone straight hair. Think of the straw at the end of a broom, they break easily because they are so straight and stiff. It's the same way with hair. Your hair needs elasticity in it so it can move and flow, and not be prone to breakage so easily. The hair should be 80% straight for optimum health.
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| 8 simple tips to get rid of dry hair |
We all hate it, hair that looks absolutely dryer than the Sahara desert. I am talking about hair that is so dry that it feels brittle to the touch and will break if you even look at it hard enough. I get so many clients who come to me craving any product that will help their hair look moisturized. There are many things that will help your hair look moisturized and today we will explore them all! Beware, too much moisture can make your hair look greasy and weigh it down. So, how do you have healthy looking, moisturized hair that still moves and has lots of body? Let's get started.
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| properly moisturized relaxed hair |
1. Drink PLENTY of water! Yes I know what you are going to say. You already drink water right? No, I am not talking about just one cute little twenty ounce bottle. You should be drinking half of your body weight (in pounds) of water. If you weight two hundred pounds, your minimum water intake (daily) should be one hundred ounces. This should be a daily ritual! I am talking to myself as well. We are all guilty of not getting enough water every day. My problem is that I do not like to drink water when I eat. I can drink it after I drink my regular beverage of choice AFTER I eat just fine though. For example, when I go to a fast food restaurant I always order a small drink and a large water with my food. Once I am done with the water, I try to refill the cup with water an additional two times to get closer to my daily goal. Water has several benefits with the most obvious being it is an excellent hydrator. When your scalp is dry more than likely the skin on the rest of your body is as well. As a result, this contributes to our hair becoming dry and often beginning to flake (see more here). So, your first step is to drink up!
2. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Since we are on the theme of hydrating from the inside, I will continue with our diet. A diet that is well balanced and includes fruits and vegetables also helps to hydrate us. It may not seem like it is affecting us right away because we want everything to happen so quickly but I now for a fact that hydrating from the inside works. When I took my 90-day water challenge, I could noticeably tell a difference in my skin AND my scalp.
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| get rid of dry hair by properly moisturizing from the inside out |
3. Start using high-quality products. Have you ever heard the saying "you get what you pay for"? Well all of those cheap hair products, especially the shampoo is very harsh and strips the hair which causes it to dry out. Also, you end up using more of it to try to get the results of using less of a product with higher quality ingredients. Salon grade products like by L. Jones are excellent on the hair because they are gentle but still very effective on cleansing. Yes they cost a little more but just like healthier food costs more and is better for you it is the same difference here.
4. Use the right products for your hair type. This is very important. You must use the correct products for your hair. What problems are you having with your hair? If your hair is dry, you must use moisturizing products, including shampoos, conditioners, and in many cases, a deep conditioner or moisture treatment. I have an excellent moisture shampoo and moisture treatment that are great for dry hair. The Extreme Moisture shampoo includes liquid silk and silk amino acids to help the hair have a silky look and feel. The Intense Moisture Treatment includes oils that actually penetrate the hair and hydrate the hair from the inside as opposed to oils that only sit on top or coat the hair. When you have dry hair, it is crucial to use products that have extra moisture in them so that you can get rid of your dry hair.
5. Always use a leave-in- Leave-in conditioners are great because you do not have to rinse them out. They add extra moisture to your hair which is what dry hair always needs. I recommend using a liquid based leave-in like by L. Jones Leave-In because it not only adds an extra layer of moisture but it also detangles and acts as a heat protectant. If you prefer a cream based leave-in conditioner use it sparingly to avoid product build up.
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| how to get rid of dry hair |
6. Stop using grease! Despite what you have been told, grease is not the answer for dry hair. The only thing grease does is put a thick coat on the hair which prevents moisture from going in or coming out. That is why no matter how much grease you put on your hair it never seems like its enough. You may notice that your hair seems to "eat" the grease or that your hair seems even drier no matter how much grease you put on. Well that is because it is fighting the little moisture you have AND not allowing any more in. Grease is like a band-aid, it only covers up the real problem. You want products (like by L. Jones) that will penetrate your hair shaft and moisturize from within.
7. Limit your heat usage. Heat usage should only be once per week or less. I know, I know, sometimes you just have to touch up just one piece of hair. What could that hurt right? Wrong! If you fall into the habit of "touch up" pieces here and there, next thing you know you are flat ironing all of your hair every other day. Too much heat can cause your hair to dry out, become brittle, then break.
8. Be careful with color. Permanent hair color can cause the hair to dry out, especially if you are going from very dark hair to very light hair. To avoid the hair becoming dry, I advise that you do not go more than three levels above your original hair color. Also, if you decide to get hair color be sure that you can not only afford the cost of the service but that you also budget for the cost of maintenance. Regular deep conditioning and reconstructive treatments are essential to have healthy hair that is permanently colored.
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We all know that moisture is a wonderful thing for the hair to have and maintain. However, when it comes to protein many women simply skip adding protein to the hair altogether. The truth is that healthy hair needs an equal balance of both protein and moisture. Too much moisture can leave you with hair that can become limp and lifeless because it has no structure. Too much protein can leave you with dry hair that breaks more easily because it has no elasticity. Hair that is damaged either has too much of one of these things, or not enough of both. You can compare it to planting a flower. The flower needs to be planted in great soil, but it also needs to be watered as well. Both of these things work together to produce something beautiful.
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| honey oat moisture shampoo |
When it comes to damaged hair, I have noticed a drastic improvement when the hair is treated with products containing BOTH moisturizers AND protein. I created the by L. Jones Protein & Strengthening Repair Collection for that very purpose. This collection contains items that are infused with moisture, minerals, and protein in an effort to repair hair that is damaged. If you have ever used any protein products before you may notice that they leave your hair very hard and you often have to immediately follow up with a moisturizing product to stop the hair from being so hard. With the by L. Jones Protein Strengthening & Repair Collection you get the best of both worlds in one bottle.
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| honey glaze moisture conditioner |
The Honey Glaze Moisturizing Conditioner is a deep conditioner that is used to add moisture to the hair as well as strengthen it. It does not contain actual protein but it does contain ingredients that can penetrate the hair follicle and restore damage from the inside out. It smoothes the outer layer of your hair follicle leaving you with smooth, shiny, easy to manage hair. This is great for hair that has been chemically treated like relaxed and colored hair.
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| pre poo hydrating hair mud mask |
The Pre Poo Hydrating Hair Mud Mask is fantastic for relaxed hair. It also does not contain protein but it does contain several minerals that benefit the hair. These benefits include the following:
- softens the hair
- conditions the hair
- helps the hair appear thicker & fuller
- helps stop shedding & hair loss
- removes dead skin cells from scalp
- removes toxins & metals from the hair
- encourages hair growth
- helps retain moisture
- prevents itching
- reduces dandruff
- increases circulation
- helps repair porosity
- improves frizziness
- makes hair more manageable, shinier, and smoother
The Hydrating Hair Mud Mask can also be used after the shampoo as well and can also be used directly after a relaxer service. Since creating this product I find myself using it EVERY single time I shampoo my hair. I simply wet my hair, towel dry, apply the mud mask, cover with plastic cap (30 min minimum), the rinse and proceed with my hair routine as usual.
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| vanilla milk leave in conditioner |
The Vanilla Milk Leave-In Conditioner does include just enough protein to keep the hair strong and just enough moisture to keep the hair moisturized, soft, and detangled. It also acts a heat protectant as well. All of that goodness in one bottle!
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| 2-week old roller sets still look good with the right products |
The Protein & Strengthening Repair Collection is great for relaxed hair because relaxers tend to weaken the hair somewhat due to breaking down the bonds in the hair. Adding protein helps tremendously by making the hair stronger. Also if your hair is damaged, this collection nurses the hair right back to health by giving it everything it needs.
When it comes to moisturizing and sealing, it can be very confusing on whether or not to do it. Even as a hair care professional, I have not always moisturize and sealed my hair but have had a change of heart lately. With any hair, especially relaxed hair, it very important to take care of the ends of the hair because the ends of the hair are the oldest. Maintaining the integrity of the of the ends is crucial to retaining your length.
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| Great products to moisturize & seal for healthier hair |
When moisturizing and sealing your relaxed hair, you only need a very small amount of product. Using too much will weigh your hair down and not cause it to have body and movement. I like to use one spray of Leave-In Conditioner to add moisture, then one drop of Silky Growth Oil to seal it in. Remember, it's only the ends of the hair, so a little goes a long way.
Need the video to see the process? Click here.
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| Top 4 Professionally Proven Ways To Grow Your Edges Back In 6 Months |
A lot of women having thinning to no edges at all for a number of different reasons. I've had some clients who tell me that they have always had extremely thin edges since their childhood. Others have experienced damage to their hair and their edges got the worst of it. Whether or not you can grow your edges back mostly depends on what happened that made them fall out or thin out in the first place. The good news is that most of them time, you can get your edges back healthy. Here are a few things that you can do to grow your edges and hairline back.
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| applying oil to the scalp can help the edges grow back |
- Stop putting tension on them- Hairstyles that are too tight on the edges like ponytails and braids are the number one culprit as to why women begin to lose their edges. The edges are the most fragile part of the hair so wearing tight hairstyles makes the hair more prone to breakage. When wearing ponytails, don't make it a habit of wearing them continuously. If you really need to wear one, put all of the hair except the edges in the ponytail. Once you have all of the other hair secured, then gently brush the edges in to blend. That way, when you are putting the hair in the rubber band, your edges are not being pulled, and it will take the strain off. This will allow your edges to not break as much resulting in them looking thicker and healthier.
- Just say no! (to hair glue)- As a healthy hair specialist, I do not provide any services for my clients that involve hair glue, period. You especially don't want to put any glue on your edges because again, that is the most fragile part of the hair. Continuously putting glue in and taking it back out always leads to breakage! Trust me, I've seen the damage that it can do. Also, continuing to cause damage over and over to the edges makes it harder to grow them back and can sometimes lead to permanent balding in that area.
- Stimulate the blood circulation in that area- This is the most effective way to regrow your edges. Increased blood circulation in the scalp allows the hair to grow faster. You can do this by gently massaging your scalp (or having it massaged). It is recommended that you do this with a growth oil (like this one). Do this on a regular basis and you could expect to see growth of at least 1/2inch per month.
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| Hair growth oil used to help stimulate hair growth |
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Is Your Hair Always Dry?
