Hair Porosity and Diys

Mmm my friend Sofia, (hey girly!! 👋👋)asked me to do this post. I will be honest I was lazy and skeptically about it but I had to (for my friends sake).

So what I am going to cover on this post is how to know your hair porosity levels, DIYs(including Daily spritz) and my last hair wash day and all ingredients used and its importance.Hold on tight, this will be a long post.

Hair porosity levels

Since the beginning of my hair journey I have never tested my level of hair porosity. Probably because I was so ignorant and jumped into conclusion that my hair, just like most people, has low porosity. I mostly have my hair on protective styles that way I have never realized how much moisture my hair loses until recently. For a while, I have been rocking my own natural hair and I realized how much moisture I lose and it has been shedding abnormally which prompted me to take a porosity test.

Porosity tests help to know what will be good for your hair. It is ability of your hair to absorb moisture and retain it.Just take a glass of clean water. Drop a strand of your hair (when it’s clean).If it floats at the top then you have low porosity hair. If it happens to float in between then that is a good thing meaning you have normal porosity. If it sinks immediately then just like me you have high porosity hair.

High porosity hair means you hair loses moisture as fast as it absorbs it.The cuticles have gaps or breakage leading to little moisture retention. Most sites associate this to relaxed, permed and colored hair but I think you can naturally have high porosity hair just like me.If this is also you, make sure you use heavy creams and oils to retain moisture and do regular protein treatments to temporarily fill the gaps. Aloe Vera gel/juice is highly recommended.

Low level porosity means the cuticles resist moisture, water and products. That is why it floats daahh!!(So not rocket science😃😄).I know this much about this type of hair: use products with alkaline to lift the cuticles and have low PH. Also use light oils and creams.

For the normal porosity, hair well stick to a healthy regimen.

I think that covers for porosity.

Ooh BTW I figured most people don’t understand what moisture is.Moisture is locking water molecules in the hair using butters and oils. There is a huge difference between soft hair and moisturized hair. One should not be related to the other. Soft hair can be compared to cotton and just like dry cotton it can also lack moisture and be dry. Confusing right? Am sure you will get it with time. 😃😄

DIYs

Our second topic today, DIYs are basically do it yourself products. Most times purchasing natural hair products can be quite expensive but thank God He gave us so many thing for free(or at a cheaper price).I also prefer doing DIYs because I get more when it’s purely natural rather than when its processed. But that is just my mentality (and it works 👌).

I normally just check online for DIYs that are easy to make and readily available for me but with time you will learn the basics such as avocados, aloe Vera, bananas, honey, mayonnaise, eggs,Shea butter and coconut/olive oil.You will also know the difference between protein and moisturizing ingredients. Just keep trolling these hair blogs and websites. I prefer to use recipes from theindianspot.com. It’s a great site with great and easy recipes to follow.

Oh the daily spritz is basically needed to add moisture and stretch your hair especially in hot and humid environment.Previously my spray bottle contained glycerin but I had to eliminate it from my regimen because it leaves my hair dry.My spray bottle now contains water,rosewater(good moisturizer) and a few castor oil drops.

Lastly, as long as you have your shampoo, conditioner, butters and oils, you can make your own leave in, protein and moisturizing treatment. And your own curling cream too. Let me not confuse you further. Let’s just stick to the basics.

My wash day

I did a tiny bit of the intro on my Instagram page(follow @crafted_by_raycee) but I will do a whole detailed post next week because I think this post is already too long and tiresome. Tune in for more on Friday. I promise.

Spirituality....

Heeeyyyy..its been a long time..a really long time.Between classes and personal project i don't  think i have had the pleasure of sitting down and write down anything.Not that i am lazy..nope..just swamped with a lot of work but am here now!!!😊
I am finally coming to the end of my campus life and to be honest this last semester has taught me a lot about spirituality than any other semester.I had a chance to work with several teams this semester and each time I was in a group I was surrounded by people who were spiritual in one way or another.I guess that is what God wanted me to learn.That he never disappoints those who are faithful to him.To be honest,all the wins we had in each group I believe it was all God's doing.Yes we were committed and persistent but i think we are not worthy of all the credit.Actually none of it.
I am leaving campus as a more focused person cause at the end am learn the path that is right.
I am uncertain about how thing will be after this but i am confident about God.He has never disappointed.

Wash day:braids out

It has been 9 months since I went natural and I can’t tell you how much I have fallen in love with the journey. The shrinkage, the growth, the do’s and don’ts and figuring out what works for my hair. It’s just amazing. Looking back, I remember the confusion. There was too much information that was available and contradicting (heck! I still don’t get the difference between deep conditioning and deep treatment) but at least I know the difference between a moisturizing treatment and a protein treatment. Honestly am still figuring it all out but I have really learnt and understood how to listen to my hair. It actually tells you what it needs.

Currently I want to explore DIYs. Mixing up all natural products to get your own regimen is something am really interested in and it will save my pockets (somehow).I don’t want to be that product junkie.

Anyhow I had my braids out this weekend and I spent my Saturday taking care of my tresses. My wash day had all new products from the shampoo to the oils and I will talk about each product.

Pre-poo:

After undoing my braids, I used coconut oil for my pre-poo, covered it with a black paper bag, tied a scarf and went to sleep. I use coconut for pre poo because it slips through my hair easily making detangling much easier and since shampoo tends to strip off the moisture, coconut oil covers for that.

Detangler:

First of all I don’t think it’s necessary, but I bought mine for two reasons:

1) Because I was in a hurry and I picked it up

2) Due to my schedule I sometimes can’t make time for pre-poo

I used SIRI Tony Airo’s hair detangler for kids.Lol I know am not a kid but I have never tried any of Tony Airo’s product. This was my first and I loved how my hair could easily be detangled (I guess the coconut oil helped too).I might try more of his products as time goes by.

Shampoo:

Normally I use Alberto Balsam sun kissed raspberry shampoo but I forgot to carry it when reporting back to campus. So I found this new shampoo-Oliive 7Oils cream shampoo while doing my shopping at tuskys supermarket. It retails for about 105 KES (100ml) and it is sulphate and paraben free, something naturalistas should look for when buying hair products.

Verdict: It has an amazing smell and left my hair still moisturized unlike other shampoos. Would definitely use it again.

Conditioner:

This has to be my favorite part of this review because I have just discovered the perfect conditioner for my kinks.VO5 moisture milks moisturizing conditioner-ooohhh how I am in love with it. It works even for my boyfriend’s hair!!It actually brought our curls back to life!!It shocked us. I love how it easily slips through the hair and the moisture!!You just have to experience it yourself. It’s the real deal for real (did you see what I did there👉Vo5 making me rhyme words now)

Deep Treatment:

I didn’t do my protein treatment (I use ORS hair mayonnaise) unfortunately but will try a DIY protein treatment next week (promise to talk about it).However, I did use Amla Legend hair mask deep treatment. I didn’t love it that much. It left my hair a little bit dry and repeated a wash with V05 moisturizing conditioner. I will mix it with olive oil next time and see how it works.

LOC (Leave-in,oil,Cream):

After rinsing of the deep treatment, I used Cream of Nature Lemongrass & Rosemary Leave-In crème conditioner for dehydrated hair as my leave-in.I like it because it’s not heavy and still leaves my hair so moisturized. It’s about the moisture for me.

I then applied castor oil on my hair roots and kentaste coconut oil for my strands. I love how divine the smell of kentaste coconut oil is. I am also protective of my hair ends because they break easily and loose moisture much faster.

Lastly, I used my own whipped shea butter to seal in the moisture and twisted my hair. This was my first time having the twists so it wasn’t as expected (plus they were mini twists) but I hey! Am learning.

Since I am planning to be out of braids for some time, I will turn to my daily spritz for maintenance and moisture. My daily spritz contains rose water, glycerine, castor oil and lots of water.You can add aloe vera juice as well. Again, it’s all about what works for you.

Finally loves, our hair has different texture and what works for me might not work for you.Don’t worry about that though, you will find your own regimen with time. Don’t stress about it like I did the first time. Oh and if you feel the products are too expensive there are dozens of DIYs recipes online and you can create your own regimen from things you find in your kitchen. It’s not a whole lot of work really. Just have fun with your naps.

Hair at 9 months

NOT MY PORTION

Hey lovelies!!👋👋

I just realized I haven’t posted anything since the year began!!That is so rude of me and am sooo sorry but it’s still the first month so heeeeeyyyy happy new year!!

Mmh well I want to share something that am learning by myself this year. I always look at how people complain about coming from humble backgrounds, how their families lack this or that or how they despise their families for being poor. Am not a saint either and I complain at times but with age comes wisdom and life lessons. Wisdom has made me realize that whatever is happening in my life right now or how my family is living, that is not my portion! If my family is not able to meet all end needs then that is fine but it doesn’t mean I will not be able to do the same for my family. I know what God has in store for me is greater than what my family has currently (hellooo He owns the world).Just because you are from a broken family doesn’t mean your portion is a broken marriage or family. Break such curses. Change such mentalities. Believe something greater is on your way but more so work. Work hard for it and work faithfully for it.

Yap so that is it.Ooh and you guys have heard of the drought currently in Kenya right? It’s really painful for me especially to hear a girl complain of the problems they are facing right now due to the drought. No water, no tampons. So if you are willing I think Red Cross has an account to help feed at least 340,000 people in the drought stricken areas. Go to their website for more information and donate. Really donate at least for the girl child. That is just terrible. Thank you.

Live.Love.Laugh

Raycee

RECAP 2016

So how was 2016 like??...I bet that's the question most people are currently asking. Well for me, it was a roller coaster. Bitter sweet experiences in between but at the end I have come to terms with so much. I have asked for forgiveness where it’s due and let the pain out. I have forgiven all who hurt me just for me to be whole again. I have become an instrument of positivity not only to myself but to others. I have lost and I have gained…but that is just a cycle of life.
2017...well let's wait and see but a more vibrant life is on top of my list…have a small trusted circle (to many fake people around).Lord help me specifically on this one because I have a poor tendency of trusting people. More so, I want this relationship with my God never to end...I am amazed at how when I fall, he picks me up each time. I am never perfect and I might get judged about it but hey!am just human trying to figure out life as you do...I can sometimes forget to read my bible, forget to pray, say a cursed word or go wrong but never mistake that I lack Christ in me...I am in constant pursuit of him everyday.

Ooh and did I mention more of the natural hair stuff??!😝😝.yap...natural hair journey continues in 2017
2017 am eagerly waiting for what you have in store for me.Please don't disappoint.

LIVE.LOVE.LAUGH

WE NEVER KNOW...

Yesterday I accidentally burnt my fingers while cooking and believe me the pain was so severe I could literally feel it  in my nerve straight to my heart(that is the only explanation I can give so work with that LOL).I spent half of my night whining in pain and getting some fresh air which was relieving by the way till my neighbor passed by and inquired why I was seated all alone.”I just burnt myself. Aki cjui(I don’t) what I was even thinking while covering a sufuria (pan)with another sufuria”,I said.At that point I realized we actually never know what is going to happen the next minute in our life.Neither do we know our destined future.We live as it is really and we can’t avoid the mistakes ahead.

Just last week I was watching HINDSIGHT…the series basically is about this girl who has a chance to go back to her past life and fix her mistakes but one way or another she ends up making the same mistakes and even worse.See we never really understand why this or that keeps happening but isn’t it great just living not knowing what’s next?I mean it would  be boring if everything was soooo perfect.

I  used to sometime think  when I cry that tears will never end;like that is what I am meant to  go through forever and I wonder where God is.Meet me next day and am all happy and joyful and I wonder why  was i crying yesterday?I know those are just how emotions work but really its just how unpredictable life is.We really never know.

Appreciate each moment you get to see,learn and live;appreciate each person who is in your life right now and those  you meet along the way.But most important, accept those mistakes,those faults.Don’t try changing just to fix it.Life is full of mistakes that’s how we learn.Find a balance between pleasing you and pleasing others.Oh!and relax,everything will be super fine!:-)

War Room

prayer is my powerful weapon

War room….have you guys watched that movie yet? I recently watched it although it’s a 2015 movie but hey no one really gets to watch all the movies released in a year. War room was produced by the Kendrick brothers who happen to produce most of the Christian movies we know (fireproof, facing the giants) so when my friend suggested it to me, I was so eager to watch it.

Luckily my special someone got it for me and watching it had me in tears (actually, I watched it twice) and it had me go back and evaluate my life. There are days in life we just ignore the little things that happen around our lives and we do not pray about it…after all they are  too little…you can handle that. But we never realize we welcome the devil in our lives through the little things that get bigger with time. I love how Elizabeth struggles with being a prayerful woman (I totally understood her) but when things got out of hand she understood she needed God and needing him meant not turning back at any time. All of our life battles are really not for us to handle but God’s. No matter how small they seem let go and let God. Chase the devil from your life because all he knows is to steal, kill and destroy.

So I learnt...I will never let things worry me just cause I think I can fix it yet there is someone mightier than me who is always willing to solve it for me...AT NO COST(maybe just one; my commitment and submission to him…but that is all really).All  I just have to do is ask. That’s how awesome my God is.

Have a blessed weekend, won’t you?