Hiya,
how are you all doing? sorry for my absence, I have been changing time zones! I am back to Lagos after 4months of being in Texas, glad to be back!!For those who do not know me on a personal level, I have a two month old baby and the other day when I was giving him a wash, what did I see on his scalp?!! Pityriasis Capitis!!Those are just scientific words for the dreaded DANDRUFF!!( I am just trying to get your attention LOL), I instantly purchased some baby shampoo for the dandruff(used to use just  the baby wash on his hair) now the Dandruff is gone. This led me to do more research on this issue that plagues so many peoples hair even in adulthood! I think for Dandruff sufferers, knowing these ten things might just help you work out a way to deal with it.

1.First fact to note is that Dandruff is flaking of dead skin cells that form on the scalp and this occurs on every one's scalp but for Dandruff sufferers, the flaking of the scalp occurs quite frequently and in larger amounts; BOTTOM LINE; Its not a disease per say, your scalp is just hyper active!!

2.Having Dandruff might be hereditary, so feel free to inquire from older family members like your grand mother for instance. they might reveal ancient secrets on  how to deal with it.

3.Dandruff might be an indication of underlying stress or an even more severe ailment  like seborrheic dermatitis (look it up), so if you are treating it and it still persists and there are no signs its hereditary, see a doctor.

4.Speaking of treating, one of the most common methods of treating Dandruff is buying an anti-dandruff shampoo; like Selsun Blue

5.Did you know that having Dandruff can be an indication that you just might be suffering from malnutrition? Don't wait till all the bones on your rib cage are showing or on the flip side, till you cannot climb a few stairs without panting profusely because of your weight. Work on having a healthy balanced diet and your dandruff might just disappear.

6.The WORST thing to do when you have dandruff is scratch your scalp like there is no tomorrow!! you will end up with an infected scalp and unnecessary wounds. If your scalp is itching you, resist the urge to scratch , instead tap the spot gently and wash your hair regularly( at least once a week) to avoid buildup.

7.The BEST oil to use for your hair while treating Dandruff  is Tea tree oil;
 I purchased a bottle some time last year in the US and used it with my other oils for hair treatments and I just love it, on its own it has a very nice herbal, ginseng type smell that just makes you feel relaxed, great for aromatherapy; so it serves 2 purposes, treating your scalp and cooling down your nerves! Great!!

8.If dandruff shampoos are not giving you the desired results, you can incorporate actual cortisone based creams used for skin conditions on your affected scalp BUT thread carefully, ask a dermatologist and make sure you listen to your hair(yup you read right!! depending on how your hair responds to the cream it will be either saying 'keep it up mami' or 'girl you better not bring that cream anywhere near me again!!')

9.AVOID excessive use of hair gel, spritzs, alkaline soaps and anything that will dry your scalp further.

10. Finally DO NOT wash your hair everyday!! I read that in an article giving suggestions to at home dandruff remedies and I instantly knew the writer was not knowledgeable on this topic at all! If you wash your hair everyday in the bid to get the dandruff to go what you will do is strip off your scalp from its natural oils which actually keep dandruff at bay. the result would be a scalp that is dry with more dandruff. But I know this last point is not even for most naija babes, everyday keh!! Its a big deal for most babes to wash their hair every week then I am talking about everyday. LOL Well I just put this point out there just in case anyone did  further research on this topic and read that you had to wash your hair every day, saving you the hassle of even considering the thought!!

Hope these 10 Things about Dandruff will help anyone suffering from those white flaky monsters!! Thanks for stopping by, Drop a comment, ask me a question and ill gladly respond.

Ciao,
Dabs

Hiya,
So today was Whitney Houston day! I watched her very intimate home going service held in her hometown Church in New Jersey, I enjoyed every bit of it, sometimes smiling, other times crying as different people came and gave their speeches. After that, I watched the 2010 BET Honors where she was honored, I just fell in love all over again with Ms Whitney, she was just a natural! A Diva personified, though she had her personal struggles   something inside of me makes me at peace about her passing because above all, she knew the Lord!!

Now that her pictures are all over the place I must say Ms Whitney Houston was one funky woman hairwise. This picture of Whitney  in 1985 thrilled me the most;

Hiya, Valentine's day is here again and I just might be able to sort you out hair wise :)

So it's 7am on valentine's day morning and your hubby decides he wants to bring you breakfast in bed, don't lay there with your hair in a hair scarf looking rugged, get out of bed and at least put your hair up in a cute messy updo!

 It's quick, easy and very stylish! I have a post on how to achieve a top knot in my January archives!

I watched the Grammy's yesterday and I LOVED Alicia Keys hair style


and I think its the perfect hairstyle to recreate if you guys are going to a sophisticated dinner in an upscale, fancy restaurant. I took my time to recreate the hair style for those interested.
 The first step is; to smooth the sides of your hair like this

Step 3 is to divide the front section of your hair;
 Step 3 is to twist the front section and pin it to the back, also twist the back of your hair and tuck it in or braid it down like Alicia Keys does;

And Viola;
Another hair style you can consider for that special outing with the love of your life is this side braid with a swoop Jennifer Hudson is rocking;

QUICK AND EASY;
Part your hair on the side and swoop the front section and pin it down;
Braid the ends down and hold the it with a hair elastic;

Whatever you do, look gorgeous for that special someone in your life, I know I will  :)
I have come to the end of my valentine hair guide post, hope you enjoyed it, feel free to recreate any of these styles and post on the naija hair can grow Facebook group, make sure to give it your own twist! Thanks for stopping by!


Xoxo,
Dabs

Hiya! So it's been about 9 weeks plus since I had my hair relaxed, after seeing quite a few knots and tangles in my hair as well as some excess shedding (well kinda) I felt like my hair was saying,'oh babe please relax me jor' LOL! So I caved in and this is a relaxer update to tell you how well it went! I am BSL(bra strap length) now! Woot woot! Well that's for the longest part of my hair, the rest of the hair is catching up, below is a video post on how I relaxed a section of my hair, I relaxed with Silk Elements Mega Silk relaxer;

To read about how I relax my hair in detail, check out my How to; relax naija hair post in the June 2011 archives.


The video below shows the result of my relaxer which went great!

Goes to show that relaxed hair can still be healthy. Hope you are encouraged! Happy growing, expect great things :)
For those who cannot watch the videos here are pictures of my relaxer result :)
                                                           STRAIGHT ROOTS




Cheers,
Dabs

Hiya,
You know how on Youtube there are videos of ladies showing what's in their wardrobe or sometimes their bag? Well I decided to do a post that focuses on the main things that should be in your 'HAIRDROBE' and the things that shouldn't be if you want to record any kind of progress hair wise.

Let's begin with Cleansing;

If you have read enough of my posts you will know that I place a lot of emphasis on hair conditioning! So what's a HAIRDROBE without a good Hair Conditioner;

It's even more important than a shampoo also beneficial for cleansing are oils that help with dandruff if you suffer from it to soothe your scalp; peppermint oil, virgin olive oil and coconut oil should be staples in your HAIRDROBE.

For detangling those knots; stock up on glycerin or hair detangler like the mane and tail detangler they work great as I have stated before. You must alsohave a wide tooth comb;


For styling you will need the basic hair moisturizer in lotion form and oil as sealant;


 If want to do a twist out or curls you will need some hair mousse;


 What to avoid in styling; hair spritz , hair gels, hair sprays especially containing alcohol, I used hair spray recently and regretted immediately, couldn't wait to wash my hair! Tiny rat tail combs are also a NO NO! They should only be used when you are getting a relaxer or want to part your hair, if you want your edges to lay down flat add a toothbrush to you HAIRDROBE!

For your ponytails and hair updo's, get some ouch less hair elastics

NOT those ones with joints like this one I used to use (pinky promise I don't use it again)LOL

The joints on the hair elastics can get caught up in your hair as you take them out and cause unnecessary breakage. Rubber bands are a major NO NO! please don't even think about using those on your hair!

Hair/ bobby pins are the best to keep your hair in place

They are even better than hair elastics because they don't cause as much stress on your ends but if the tip of the pin is no longer protected, throw it away because the sharp ends can cause unwanted breakage.

For Hot hair tools; every HAIRDROBE should have a few hot tools to be used as rarely as possible but still needed all the same. A 1 inch straightener like this one I just purchased is ideal for medium to longer length hair;

 for those shorter lengths around the nape area, you might consider getting an even smaller inched straightener.  My 1 inch straightener came with this smaller straightener which I love for my shorter lengths and they are also great if you just want to focus on getting your roots straight.


A curling iron is what you will need for soft curls, there are those with clamps and the new type without clamps like this one below; perfect for spiral, beach wave looking curls.

  The most important thing to note with using hot tools is making sure they are ceramic coated and making sure you use a good heat protectant, I am loving the TRESemme heat tamer spray. Leaves curls soft and luscious!


Heatless curls? Get some Flexi rods, they come in different sizes and are perfect for curls,

You can also add foam rollers to your HAIRDROBE, you can sleep in them and the curls come out perfect except of course if you sleep like a crazy person! Still on the topic of sleeping, you should think of getting a satin pillowcase or scarf/bonnet, it will help keep your hair from drying out.

I have come to the end of this post, most of the essentials I have stated here, I have brought them to you guys attention before but I just thought it'd be better to put everything in one post for hair journey beginners. Your HAIRDROBE should be as unique as you so feel free to get hair accessories like hair grips, bands, scarfs, clips that go with your personal style. Hope my plenty grammar has helped someone! I am working on an exciting post for the day before Valentines to guide all the lovers in the house hair wise can't wait to put it up! I am also getting a relaxer on Sunday, can't wait to give you guys a hair update, things are looking up!

Thanks for stopping by and I see I have 2 new members! Thanks guys for joining the naija hair can grow ride! You are in great company :)


Cheers,
Dabs

Hiya,
I have been loving the ombre hair celebrities have been rocking lately;


 You see the color bug is seriously after me but I know the commitment that comes with permanent hair coloring and frankly I am not ready for that especially having ombre hair! Coloring the tips of my hair which is the oldest and most fragile part of my hair is just not a good idea. So I did some brainstorming and I came up with an Idea!! Why not buy temporary hair color spray and sray my tips!!

So off I went to Sally's beauty and bought temporary hair color spray

 I put a paper bag under the tips of my hair to prevent the color from staining my top

And then I went for it, spraying just the tips of my hair and I must say, though the spray didn't give me exactly blonde tips, I was happy with the results and the fact that there's no commitment with this spray. The results below;
Oh well that's my safe attempt at having ombre hair!!! tell me what you think, thanks for stopping by!!

Dabs