Happy new year you guys!!!!
Hopefully y'all are staying hydrated and keeping your hair moisturized😅.
so some of you asked me on facebook how i prep my hair for protective styling so i figured i should just do a post about it n so here it is😃.
To prepare my natural hair for protective styling, i follow the following steps;

PREPOOING
Depending on the state of my hair, i might prepoo or i might not. And if i decided to prepoo,my product of choice is almost always coconut oil as its composition allows it to penetrate the hair strands and moisturize it which in turn prevents breakage and split ends. It also helps promote scalp health and prevent dandruff.


CLEANSING
I always try to do a thorough cleanse before protective-styling or else i end up unplaiting due to the itching that comes with product buildup.so i usually shampoo with a cleansing shampoo or i will do a clay wash with bentonite clay.

DEEP CONDITIONING
Never skip this step as it is responsible for keeping hair healthy by preventing dryness and damage. Prior to protective styling, my deep conditioner of choice is usually a protein one unless otherwise. I tend to use a protein product because it helps with strengthening the hair so that it does not break when braiding or doing cornrows.

DETANGLING
This is the most important step and it needs to be extremely thorough or you will be involved in a serious game of tug of war with your stylist lol. I usually finger detangle then follow it up with a wide toothed comb from ends to root in small sections.

BLOW DRYING
yes you heard right lol.
i do use heat here n there nowadays.
But if you are on a heat free journey, u can simply do African threading to stretch it.
so to blow dry,i unravel a single twist,apply leave in conditioner then apply a pea size amount of grapeseed oil as a heat protectant. Then i proceed to blow dry that section on low heat using the tension method and twist it away. I do the same for the rest of my hair.
when the entire head is done,i proceed to getting a protective style done.
When the styling is done, i apply oil to my scalp.

TIPS
1. when it comes to protective styling, i usually get a stylist to come do it from my house.That way, i can easily give instructions without intimidation.
2. Always instruct your stylist to leave out your edges. Trust me the last thing you want is a self inflicted receding hairline lol, it ain't cute.
3. Do not do your hair style too tight least you lose your beautiful strands to traction alopecia.
4. Heavy hair styles are a no no. again, traction alopecia guys👆.

So thats it guys😊.
If you found this post helpful kindly let me know in the comments below.
😘😘😘

hey queens!!
hope you and your manes are doing awesome.
Just wanted to share with you my bentonite clay experience.I have been using this product for over a year now(once every month) and am in love.This clay attracts and binds impurities and dirt from your hair leaving it detoxified.

aztec bentonite clay

nature's choice bentonite clay from umoyo

I have used bentonite clay both as a hair mask and a hair wash.As a mask,i usually mix bentonite clay,amla powder,aloe vera gel,apple cider vinegar and water.this combination leaves my hair super soft,clean and coily.I usually just follow up this mask with a conditioner and am done.
However,i recently started using this clay as a hair clarifying wash and i like it better  this way as it's easier to prepare and less time consuming.I simply mix bentonite clay with water and once in  awhile i add aloe vera gel just to make it a little more moisturising.I apply this mixture to hair,let it sit for 30minutes and rinse it out with water.It still leaves my hair clean and coily,but not as soft as the mask does.I always follow this up with a deep conditioner.

my hair with clay

after rinsing out clay

Have you guys used this product before?share your experience in the comments section,social media platforms or just drop me an email.
stay blessed.
sheila.