The Glamlush Fro of Late

Hi Glamlushers!

Been a hot minute. Im back with an update on my hair.

Last time I posted about it. I was transitioning. And my transition to natural is just about complete. However in November I got some heat damage at a salon!! So my hair is a looser 3c-ish kind of curl. I am dissappointed as I was ready to have my naps back. Now it seems like I have to continue with the transition till my hair is back to normal. I blame the damage on both myself and the hairdresser. I did not get a protein treatment before blowing out my hair and although I did use heat protectant, the heat was too high.

This is how it looks now

My hair people are saying it's not too bad. In all honesty, it's not as bad as other cases of heat damage that I have seen. Some videos i've been watching on youtube said my hair could possibly recover within 3 to 6  months. Im not too sure and would have to watch and see. A trim is in order and needless to say im now staying away from heat till my hair recovers/grows out. At least I still have some sort of curl lol.

Lengthwise im grazing shoulder length again!! When I compare the shrinkage at the back of my head to my length check I can see that the damage is not as bad at the back. It's the front that needs some work.

These are the hairstyles I have been doing for the past three months. From top to bottom. Cornrows, twists and braids and a faux braided bun that I am absolutely in love with!!

Right now im currently wigging in this baby

 Since im trying to recover from the heat damage and get my hair in better form, I bought a whole lot of products that I will show you in my next post. 

Hopefully I wont be gone for too long again. Till next time, this is the glamlush fro of late!!

What's going on with your hair?

Found in Zambia : Garnier Ultimate Blends Conditioner with Avocado Oil and Shea Butter

Hi Glamlushers!

Im writing on a conditioner I just love love love. This is the Garnier Ultimate Blends Conditioner with Avocado Oil and Shea Butter. This one is called "the nourishing repairer".

Product Name

Garnier Ultimate Blends Conditioner with Avocado Oil and Shea Butter

Description

An instant conditioner that is designed to nourish the hair as it conditions

Uses

Although this is packaged as an instant conditioner, it works well as deep conditioner and leave in conditioner. I am yet to try it as a cowash.

Found at

Pick 'n Pay, Spar, Shoprite and selceted pharmacies.

Price

K61 to K85 depending on where you get it from. 

My Thoughts

This product really delivers on moisturising the hair and softening it. When conditioning, my hair felt hydrated and fluffly with the product in it. When I used it as a leave in conditioner, I noticed how remarkably soft my hair remained. The sweet, buttery and nutty aroma is also to be desired.  Considering its thick consistency, I do not think it would be suitable as a cowash, perhaps if it were watered down before applying it the hair. As it is thick, one does not need to use a lot of product and if used as a conditioner, you could get 5 to 6 uses. As a leave in, it could last a number of months.

Ingredients wise, it boasts with glycerine, shea butter, avocado oil, rosemary oil and palm oil. I believe this is what softens the hair. It is also paraben free for those looking for a conditioner that is more natural. 

All in all , I have no complaints and this is fast becoming a product staple as I am on my second bottle now.

Back With a Transition

Hello Glamlushers!

Happy  New Year!

Im glad to finally be able to post on the blog again. My, my, things have changed. As I mentioned in my previous post, I am transitioning back to natural.

I relaxed for school because it was more hectic than I could describe y'all. With my length and attention the tresses and books needed, I COULD NOT KEEP UP. Also I was ready for a change as I felt stuck in my hair journey and just needed a release. It was never meant to be permanent as I would go back to natural and start a new hair journey as soon as I was ready to. I think I suck at taking care of relaxed hair lol. But seriously speaking, I went through such a hectic time with the bar exam so I hardly had time to even take care of my relaxed hair properly. Despite the tough time, It was a good experience for growth and mental strength, not to mention it sharpened my legal knowledge, so im glad I went through it!

May 23, 2017 was my last relaxer, and I am 8 months and some days into my transition.

I love the coils springing up! The hair was getting hard to manage so I trimmed off close to 3 inches. I had some breakage in the centre of my head due to the two textures. My sis said I was practically natural there. So the trim was also to even that up. You can see the breakage in this pic below;

This is what my hair looks like shorter. Im not used to it.

My strategy with this transition is to stimulate growth, whilst protective styling and deep conditioning regularly. I have some peppermint and lavender essential oil  stocked up. I also got these cute braids im really obsessed with. Going on week three with them.

My routine is pretty simple: moisturise with braid spray every other day. Oil scalp every other day and wash every week.

More to come soon.

xx
BEE

The Glamlush Fro of Late

Hello Glamlushers!

How have we been? I'm back from the far depths of the earth and the first thing in order is of course a hair update.

Firstly, I texlaxed my hair. Yes. I. Did. The reason being that I was enrolled for my bar exam studies with no free time at all. Apart from church, my weekends were spent studying and at tutorial sessions. It was really hard to squeeze in time. I weighed the option of cutting versus relaxing. I was definitely at a point where I was frustrated with my hair, ready for a fresh start with it,  all while starting a new chapter in my professional life. So I was ready to make the leap. At all times my relaxer was meant to be a temporary phase so that I would start my hair journey all over again when I was ready. So on in December 4th 2016, I telaxed my hair.

First day of texlaxed hair

Getting into the swing of things

My weave was my go-to protective style. A real time saver. 

And then I transitioned into a lot of cornrows hairstyles...this one being my face.

When my hair is out, 9 times out of 10 you will catch me in a bantu-knot out.

Another cornrow style that kept my sanity during the heat

Long story short, school took my time, some weight lol and my hair too. It's doing just okay in the relaxer. I have some breakage and am trying to work my way around understanding it. In the midst of all this, I realised I'm a natural girl at heart and so I am unofficially transitioning back. I miss my naps.

My current state of hair just before I headed out to get my hair done.

So that friends, is the Glam Lush Fro of late. Till the next post! 

xx Bee

I am Alive!

Hello my Doves!

I'm so sorry I disappeared without a trace or even a hi once in a while.

Life took such a busy turn come September 2016. I am studying for the bar exam and will be writing my finals in a few weeks! Which means im on the doorstep of bwing a fully fledged admitted advocate who will practice in court 😀Eek I'm so excited and can't wait to be done. Then y'all will see a lot of me. I've missed this space tonnes of lots of tonnes! aaah!

We'll talk soon when I'm done.

Much love.
Bee

Found In Zambia: Attention Braids and Weave Wearers! Don't Miss Out on This Bomb Product to Silence Your Scalp Itch

Hi Doves!

Happy New Month! 
Hello November, you came all too suddenly. Just a while ago it was March, how are we officially in the final quarter of the year?? Soon it will be bye bye 2016. Anyways on to the blessing of a reason I'm writing this post!

We all know that all too familiar nagging  itch when you wear a weave.  I had that itch when I wore this baby that I blogged about here;

The Glamlush Fro of Late - Unexpected Changes

Hi Doves!

Yes another post in the same month! Congrats to me, seems i've managed to squeeze more effort into being a more consistent blogger.  I would love to keep this consistency up, however my life may be switching into the fast lane in a few weeks. But instead of quantity posts, I want to give you guys quality posts which though not as frequent, will definitely be worth the time between posts. I think at the end of the day that's what i'm in this for, disseminating quality information which I think you will find useful, and just want to share.

Anyway onto my hair update. Last we checked in, I was length stalled and committed to taking better care of it. And this I have managed to do for the most part. Some weeks I did lose my care, going on a three week high manipulation stunt *eek*,  but overall I have been doing much better.

Over the past three months I have:

Three Products That Are Doing The Most For My Hair This 2016!

Hi Doves!

Long time no post, yeah I know.

I've been kind of busy plus i'm at that point in my hair journey where I just want to cover my hair and basically let it do what it wants.  It's not the healthiest it can be right now and i'm super bored with it. Styling, seeing it, everything. I'll write about that in my next post.

But besides this hair drama, there have been three products I have been using that make me fall in love with my hair each time I use them and part of the reason why 'm holding on.

1. Shea Butter

Im so in looooove with this. If you have natural hair that is classified as hard or stubborn you NEED TO TRY THIS! It has really softened my hair and made it pillow soft, I kid you not. I blogged about it on my blog here and over here on African Naturalistas. Guess you can tell how much I love it. If you are struggling with hard and dry hair, try this as your sealant. It is Mwaaaaahtastic!

Things I Wish I Knew Whilst I Was Relaxed That Would Have Saved My Hair

Hey Doves!

I was just reflecting on the reason why I went natural, which was because I had unhealthy relaxed hair. So I figured if I left it undisturbed, my poor thinning hair would regain its once lush, thick, healthy state. But as you most know, by the time I went natural there was some improvement but my hair was still unhealthy because I did not fully understand healthy hair care.

Knowing what I know now, I realised I could have kept healthy relaxed hair if I knew the tricks and science of healthy hair care.  This post is dedicated to those who are just about giving up on their relaxed hair but aren't ready to go natural. Relaxed hair can be healthy too. So why would a natural head be writing about relaxed hair care? Well I don't discriminate across hair types. I just want everyone to have the healthiest hair possible whether it is relaxed or natural. I've also realised that we can each learn something from each other. Lastly, the basics of healthy hair care are generally the same for both relaxed and natural, with the exception of a few rules. So why not spread the love?

Into the post we dive!!

1. Don't leave the relaxer in until your hair until it burns

Most of us equate burning with straight and fully relaxed hair. Many a hair dresser will tell you it's not time to rinse if it's not burning. Well that's not true.  A relaxer breaks down certain proteins in your hair which allow it to straighten permanently. Burning simply means the chemicals in the relaxer are breaking down the proteins on your scalp skin. So try as much as possible to avoid leaving it to burn.  Most instantly remember the wincing as you rinse and the scabs you have for the next few weeks after you relax. Just smooth until you have the desired straightness, probably 15 to 20 minutes maximum ( for course hair). And then rinse out. You will find that not only will your hair be thicker over time, it will also be stronger.

Top 6 Things You Can Do for Better Hair This Winter!

Hi Doves!

How are you?

It's cooling down in the southern hemisphere and we are gearing up for the winter. Most people dread this time of year because it automatically means dry hair, slower growth and breakage. That need not be the case for you. Here are my top 6 things you can do for better and healthier hair this winter!

1. Drink water

I know I know, it's a drag especially because you pee more during the winter. But this is  the optimal time to do it. Water carries the necessary nutrients to our scalp for healthier hair and growth. In addition it will help your hair stay moisturised for longer. The cold is a major deterrent to water drinking, you can make things easier for yourself by taking warm water. Not only does it make drinking water in winter easier but there are also proven health benefits like slowing down ageing, alleviating menstrual pain, relieving cough and cold symptoms and more.

Glamlush Style & Tutorial : Bantu Knot Out Puff

Hey Doves!

Just a quick one. Here is my Bantu Knot Out  Puff

For Sensitive Edges: How to Weave and Keep Your Hairline!

Hi Doves!

How is your week going so far?

Mine is ok. Im so excited about this post because I have finally discovered a safe way to weave and keep my edges y'all! In the past I stayed away from weaving or would only do it once a year because of my sensitive  hairline. And it seemed that only braiding and wigging would spare it. But a tight spot  and a creativity spark pushed me to revolutionise the way I weave.

Braid with Me! My Easy Braids Regimen

Hi Doves!

Been way too long! From my last post, I blogged about experiencing a length stall. So I decided to get serious about protective styling for length retention. This in turn has birthed a new series  for protective styling with me.

What to expect in this series

• my regimen for protective styles
• how to navigate common pitfalls that can make protective styling detrimental to your hair
• tips and tricks for braids, weaves, cornrows and wigs

This month i'm in senegalese twist. Currently on week 5 with them and I plan to take them down this weekend.

The Glamlush Fro of Late: Length Stalled!

Hey my doves!

I hope we are all doing well!

So this is the glamlush fro of late. And I believe I have hit a length plateau. Part of my quest is not just to grow healthy hair, I want to prove african hair grows long as well. 

Found in Zambia : Umoyo Shea Butter

Hey Doves!

This is a new series I want to start up showcasing products found or produced here in Zambia.

All Things in Season - Loss

Hello my Doves..

The blog has been inactive for the past month or so because I lost my mother on 6th November 2015. It has been a hard and painful time for the whole family. I really wish it were different, but i'm glad for the time we had together. Adjusting to this new reality will take some time.

Product review: Texture My Way Easy Comb Shea Buttter and Olive Oil Leave-In Detangling & Softening Crème Therapy

Hi Doves!

Whew that’s a mouthful of a name. I'm reviewing this leave-in and detangler. Remember I mentioned getting it in this post. I must say I loved it from the first day I used it and juuuust could not believe how softening, detangling, amazeballs everything it is! I only skimped out on telling you guys about  it cause I wanted to make sure my hair wasn’t lying to me.

GlamLush Hair - Zamiwe

Hey Doves!

I'm back with another feature for you. This GlamLush mane was spotted at my friend's graduation. I stopped her to talk about her fro and catch an interview. Let's hear from Zamiwe!

Why I Think Wigging Helps with Length Retention and Growth

Hey Doves!

This is just a short post that I came up with after wigging full time for the past three weeks and a lot of keen observation.

I would notice that after moisturising and sealing, then putting on my wig cap and wig, the blood would go straight to my scalp. And this would happen even on days when I did not massage my scalp. So it had me thinking and thinking. Could it be that the warmth generated from the wig cap, wig and my scalp was what is stimulating the blood flow? And if the blood is flowing to my scalp, it definitely means that it is delivering oxygen and nutrients to the follicles which makes for increased growth. That's the same effect that essential oils and scalp massages have - drawing blood to the scalp to deliver nutrients, and oxygen thus enhancing growth.

I started getting excited..now we all know that wigging is one of the best protective styles out there because not only are your ends hidden and saved a world of manipulation, you are able to monitor how dry or moisturised your hair is and give it real tlc. You are in charge of your hair and even the process of plaiting it and washing is in your hands, therefore you can be as gentle as possible with your hair.

So with as little manipulation as possible, followed by increased growth well isn't that a formula for maximised length retention?! In this post I shared how all the times i've been wigging i've noticed a lot more length retention. I think this could be why.  

P.S pics of the new wigs will be up shortly. I'm experiencing some problems with uploading right now.

What are your thoughts on wigging, length retention and growth?

TUTORIAL: How to Make Your own Mannequin Head!

Hey Doves!

Mannequin heads are hard to come by in certain places. My personal struggle was so real that I decided to go ahead and make my own.
Here is my how-to tutorial on making your own customised mannequin head  to make your wigs or stand them on.