Lade January 20, 2014

AWARD SEASON

Hello Ladies,

I know I’ve been MIA this year. Life has been rather hectic, hopefully I will be back to regular blogging from this week.

In the mean time, I am happy to share the news that Hairducation has received its first award by Melanie from the blog, A Desired Beauty. (Thanks Melanie).

The award is called the Liebster blog award. The word “liebster” means dearest in German. This award is given to bloggers by other bloggers and is a great way to not only to get to know the blogger, but also to find new blogs and spread the love.

Here are the rules:

List 11 interesting facts about yourself.
Answer the questions presented by the blogger who nominated me.
Paste the award on your blog.
Nominate other deserving novice bloggers who have 200 or less followers and let the nominees know about the award by commenting on their blogs or via email.
Make up a set of 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

I happy about the award and I guess it will help readers get to know a little more about me. Hopefully I don’t come across as being too weird 🙂 …. So here goes

11 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ME

1) I choose what animals I eat based on how they look. For example, I think cows look cute and edible, crabs on the other hand are weird looking and the way they walk sideways freaks me out, no way on earth I could eat those.

2) I am an artsy, crafty sort of person. The theatre and art galleries are my idea of a good time.

Pictures from an art exhibition I attended recently – taking the opportunity to share work by Nigerian artists

Pictures from an art exhibition I attended recently – taking the opportunity to share work by Nigerian artists

Pictures from an art exhibition I attended recently – taking the opportunity to share work by Nigerian artists

3) Growing up, I had the following pets; a dog (Lassy), two monkeys (Boo and Nim), two peacocks ( I didn’t like them enough to give them names), fishes (too many to name) and a parrot (Yenny). My friends teased that I lived on animal farm.

4) I love interior decoration shows, magazines and blogs, etc

5) I am a chronic hand washer. Once I’ve touched a few things I just feel like my hands are dirty.

6) I am terrible at applying makeup. I simply rub it on and go. Takes me 2 or 3 minutes to paint my entire face. I just don’t have the skill.

7) I enjoy untangling things e.g necklaces, earphone cords, any kind of string really. As a kid I would create knots in things just so I could untangle it.

8) I don’t drink simply because I don’t like the taste of alcohol. I do have a serious love for palm wine. If you live in Lagos and know where I can get good palm wine please let me know.

9) I love retro music, fashion, art, hair styles, etc. There’s just something beautiful about old school things.

10) I want to be a better reflection of Christ.

11) I’ve had two operations and have titanium rods and screws somewhere in my body.

THE QUESTIONS MELANIE SET FOR ME ARE :

{1} What do you do? career woman, full-time student, super stay-at-home mom?

I was a career woman up until I moved back to Nigeria just over a year ago. I worked at a top 5 law firm in London. Since my relocation, I have busy completing a year of national youth service (mandatory in Nigeria) setting up Hair by Type 4 and taking some professional accreditation courses.
Sort of starting over. Exciting and scary times.

{2} What’s your favourite movie?
I can’t really pick one, it’s a close call between Their Eyes Were Watching God and Shawshank Redemption

{3} Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging because I wanted to share my hair journey and encourage ladies to take care of their hair. Doing my bit to bust the myths about black hair.

{4} What’s the best vacation you have ever taken?
Koh Samui, a small island off the coast of Thailand. It was soooo beautiful, the beaches, the people, the local markets, fresh coconut milkshakes, the safari ride up a mountain, riding an elephant, the spas, the peace and serenity. Perfect holiday.

My sister and I in samui

The hotel was a perfect

{5} My closet has excess when it comes jeans and shoes. What’s your fashion obsession?
Dresses and tops. A girl can never have too many dresses and tops.

{6} Where do you see yourself in five years?
I pray that in 5 years, I am alive, well and happy. That Hair by Type 4 is successful and that I am advancing in my career. I pray that I will be where God wants me to be and that I am fulfilling His purpose for my life.

{7} If you could meet one person, current or historical, who would it be and why?

Benjamin Carson.
Because his life story and achievements are incredible. I am inspired by people who succeed and make their dreams a reality through sheer hard work and determination. I believe that with self discipline and God, we all have the potential to achieve great things. Benjamin is proof of this.
On the hair front I would have loved to meet Vidal Sassoon.

{8} Momma’s girl, Daddy’s girl, or Grandma’s baby?
Daddy’s girl forever

{9} What motivates you?
The pursuit of happy endings (in my personal and professional life)…….and wanting to be a better version of myself

{10} Do you spend more time reading blogs or watching YouTube?

Definitely reading blogs…..but I am hooked on YouTube too.

{11} Outside of blogging, how do you like to spend your free time?
Regular things I suppose, hanging with friends and family, watching movies, reading magazines and books, studying, I love eating out.

MY NOMINATIONS

The bloggers and blogs I have decided to pass the awards to are

Sdestra from sdestra hair journey

Tonkabell from Wura’s Secret Hair

Colleen from Natural Coco Doll

Dr Fomsky from Sizzling Mommy

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE BLOGGERS LISTED ABOVE

1) What three words best describe your personality?

2) What would you describe as perfect day?

3) Are you a dog or cat person?

4) What country would you like to visit and why?

5) Complete this sentence, black hair is……

6) What do you like most about your hair?

7) What bad habit (not hair related) would you like to change?

8) What is your favourite cuisine?

9) What is your favourite book (or movie or song)?

10) My favourite quote that I use to motivate myself is “you are the only one that is standing in your way”, do you have a favourite quote.

11) If you could do one thing to change the world for better what would it be?

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Feel free to share some interesting facts about yourself……. I won’t judge you I promise.

I will be back soon with a post on trimming. Its time to bust a few myths about that topic.

I hope you’ll be back soon.

Lade

Learn | Change | Grow

Lade January 9, 2014

HAIR & PRODUCT UPDATE

Hello ladies,
I hope you are well and that this year has been good to you so far.
I’d intended to write two blog posts by now; a hair update and a products update. However, I didn’t have time to wash my hair till last night and so I’ve decided to roll both topics into this blog post.

MY HAIR UPDATE

I relaxed my hair 21 weeks ago. Normally, I would be prepping my hair for relaxing however I have decided to increase the length of my relaxer stretch from 5 months to 6 month. Just want to see if I can do it. I was initially aiming for 7 months, but after detangling my hair for what felt like eternity last night I have decided that 6 months is my limit. Stretching this long is not for the faint hearted.

My hair has been hidden under wigs for the last 4 weeks and I have been following my wig regimen. I washed, deep conditioned (I used a mixture of protein and moisture deep conditioners) and air dried. My hair looks deceptively tame in this picture. I have just over 2 inches of new growth which I am pleased with.
All in all I am happy with my hair. The only thing I am trying to improve is the thickness of my ends. I can only achieve this by cutting of the thin ends gradually. By the look of it, I have roughly 3 inches of thin ends to cut off gradually between February and maybe June. We’ll see how it goes.

PRODUCT UPDATE

When it comes to hair products, I believe in sticking in what works for you and maybe trying a new product every once in a while because new/better products are always being created. I personally don’t believe in experimenting with new products every few weeks (except you are still searching for products that work well with your hair).

Although I was happy with the products I use, I was on a search for a better moisturising deep conditioner and daily moisturiser that works better with my hair. Last year I tried and loved a few products which I have decided to include in my regimen on a permanent basis.

The first is Creme of Nature Argan Oil Sulfate Free shampoo.

To be honest I am still crazy about my Elasta QP Crème Conditioning shampoo, and I wasn’t looking for a new shampoo, however I was buying some hair products for a friend and decided to try this product. I am so pleased I did.
I loved how my hair felt when I rinsed the lather off. It left my hair feeling cleaner than the Elasta QP shampoo but my hair didn’t feel stripped at all. It felt just right. Sometimes with the Elasta QP, it feels as though there is some product residue left in my hair.

I have decided to keep both shampoos in my regimen. Both work well with my hair so why not. I use the Creme of Nature shampoo when my hair feels really dirty because it lathers more than the Elasta QP . This also means that it lasts longer than the Elasta QP so I am spending a little less.
Please note that I use a shampoo that contains sulfates to clarify my hair once a month or every two months to remove stubborn product build up.

The second product that I have introduced into my regimen is Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner.
Believe it or not despite being on my hair journey for over 4 years now I still hadn’t found a moisturising deep conditioner I was completely happy with. Over the years, after trying several brands I settled for Motions Moisture Plus but I wasn’t happy that it contained mineral oil.

I bought the Tresemme in October and must say I am really pleased with it. It is has a lighter consistency than the Motions but it still moisturises my hair effectively. The best thing is that it is mineral oil, petroleum, silicone and paraben free.
I think the scent is a little strong; it isn’t a bad smell, it’s just more perfumy than I am used too.
I am pleased with this conditioner enough to say goodbye to my Motions Moisture Plus.

From online reviews I have read, apparently the older formula of this conditioner was better than this version. However I never tried the old formula so I don’t know any better.

How are your hair journeys going ladies? Are you trying out a new product or new technique with your hair?

Lade

Learn | Change | Grow

Lade December 31, 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The perks of Christmas & New Year in warm weather

When Hairducation went live in July 2013, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out.

My vision was for a blog that would give a simple answer the question; How to take care of black hair?
I didn’t want readers to have to go searching for the answers. I wanted it to be user friendly for ladies learning about black hair care for the first time. I also wanted to provide on-going information to help all ladies on their healthy hair journey and space to share my methods and views on hair care.
I don’t know if Hairducation has achieved all this but from a lot of the feedback I’ve received, I believe it is serving its ultimate purpose of making ladies more aware of what their hair needs and encouraging them to take care of it.

When Hairducation went live it had under 600 visits in the first month, five months later it has over 3000 visits a month. I realise that for some, these figures probably aren’t a big deal. For me however it means Hairducation is a success and that I must be doing something right. I am proud of Hairducation and its humble beginnings.

So I just want to use this blog post to say thank you, for your comments, for spreading the word about Hairducation. I honestly appreciate that you take the time out to visit and read what I have to share.
I see Hairducation as a journey, a challenge, a passion. Thank you for being a part it.

I am excited about 2014 and all the opportunity it brings. Can’t wait to see Hairducation grow…….

I pray you all have a happy 2014.
God bless.

Lade

Lade December 31, 2013

HAIR LOSS AT THE HAIR LINE (Part 2) – How To Prevent and Re-grow Receeding Hair Lines

Hello ladies,

I hope you’ve read part one of this series in which I set out some causes of receding hairlines.
Please note that our hairline is naturally more sparse than other areas of our hair however if you notice that your hairline is getting thinner than normal you should address this issue.
In this blog post, I will share tips that help to prevent receding hairlines and show how re-grow them if some hair loss has already occurred. Please note that a few tips have already been shared in part one.

1) Review and Adjust Your Techniques and Styles
Be aware of how you handle your hair.
Are you being gentle enough with it? Look at your tools. Is your brush soft enough? Is your comb too fine? Are you combing or brushing your hair unnecessarily? Is your hair moisturised and sealed before you style it.

Review your hairstyle choices and make adjustments where necessary, for instance, when you wear a bun if you feel a pull on your nape and edges when you turn or move your head, you should loosen the bun. Buns don’t have to be excessively tight to look cute. Don’t sacrifice the health of your edges for the sleekness of a hair style.
Also try wearing styles that don’t put pressure or tension on your edges, eg faux fringes and bangs.

Reharirducation.com -bunwith less tension

Getting in on the “selfie” action before the year runs out 🙂
Bun with bangs to hide/protect my edges

2) Full Weaves, Lace Front Wigs and Other Full Wigs
These can place a lot of weight on your edges because they are either sewed on, glued on or have clips that need to be placed on your hairline t lay flat and have a realistic finish. These styles place weight and tension your edges for a prolonged period.
So although a lot of ladies believe that full wigs/weaves offer greater protection, for ladies with very delicate hairlines, they may actually do more harm than good. If your hairline is naturally very fragile or has become very sparse I wouldn’t advise you to wear such styles.

3) Hair Left Out
When wearing a half weave or half wig, ensure you are taking care of the hair you leave out. The hair left out still needs to be cleansed and conditioned.
You may not have to deep condition; conditioner may be applied to the hair left out and rinsed after 10 minutes. Be gentle when handling hair left out and ensure you are still sleeping with your hair covered with a satin scarf. Most importantly the hair must be moisturised and sealed regularly especially before going to bed.

Keep use of heat on hair left out to a minimum. Rather than pressing the hair with a straightner, you can moisturise and seal the hair left out at night, tie it down with a scarf so the hair is flat and in-place over night. When you remove your scarf the next morning your hair should be smooth and flat.

4) Don’t Be A Repeat Offender
If you notice that your hairline is becoming sparse when you wear some hairstyles, ensure that you/your stylist are being gentle when creating or undoing such styles.
Also make sure that you are taking care of your hair and hairline whilst wearing the style. If despite your efforts your hairline keeps receding, consider giving up those styles.

Don’t simply wait for your edges to re-grow only to re-do the hair style .

Don’t take the fact that your hair line grows back for granted. If you continue with this habit the hair in those areas will become increasingly sparse and may eventually stop growing.

5) Hairline Products
There are so many products on the market which help to keep edges smooth or laid. Avoid using harsh products which leave your hair feeling dry and crunchy like some gels and holding spritz do.
Products such as Edge Control or Smooth n Hold Pudding or natural gel products like Eco Styler Gel are better options. Also natural options such as aloe vera gel or shea butter are great.

edges 5

6) Massage
Many ladies testify that massaging black castor oil into their hairline daily has helped them re-grow their edges. A few drops of castor oil can be massaged into their hairline for a few minutes daily or a few times a week.

Try to get some black castor oil but If you are unable to find it, do not despair. Other oils like olive oil can be used. This is because it is the massage that is the most crucial for the re-growth.
The massaging encourages blood circulation to the hair follicles. Blood circulation helps to deliver nutrients to the follicles thereby facilitating continued hair growth. It helps if you are eating right, staying fit and drinking water. Healthy bodies will produce healthy hair.

Essential oils can be added to the castor/olive oil as this encourages blood flow to the follicles. Peppermint, rosemary are favourites. Essential oils should not be used without being diluted as they are quite strong. Please check with your doctor before using essential oils if you are pregnant.

Time frame, it may take several months of regular massage to see progress depending on how much damage your hairline follicles are. It may take 4 to 6 months to see an improvement. This is because when hair is pulled out from follicle, new hairs form and eventually grow out of the scalp and this process takes time.
As noted above follicles that have been permanently damaged may not produce new hairs.

7) See a Trichologist
If you have severe hair loss at your hairline( or any part of your hair) and believe the hair loss may be permanent, I would recommend that you see Trichologist for diagnosis and treatment.
If you have lost your edges from traction alopecia, chemical burns or bad hair care practices and they are not re-growing, despite regular scalp massages, use of essential oils and being in good health, it is possible that you may have suffered damage to the hair follicles at your hairline and you may need to see a Trichologist who can advise on prescription restorative treatments or procedures.

I hope you have found this to be a worthwhile read.

Have you noticed your hair line getting thing or receding. If yes which of the above do you think you might try?

Lade

Learn | Change | Grow

Lade December 24, 2013

HAIR LOSS AT THE HAIR LINE (Part 1) – Causes of Receding Hair Line

Hello ladies

Christmas is almost here. I am so excited to see family and friends over the holidays. I hope your Christmas plans, holidays and travels are going well.
I am grateful to God for all my blessings in 2013 and pray for more of His grace in 2014.

As the year is almost over, I was wondering what the last few blog topics for the year should be. I decided to write about something that a lot of us battle with; our edges. This will be a two part series and in this post I will discuss causes of receding hair lines.

CAUSES OF RECEDING HAIR LINES

Like a lot of ladies, my edges are the most fragile part of my hair and scalp. The hair is sparse and the scalp is more sensitive than other areas. I am constantly on a mission to protect my hairline so I try to avoid things which may cause hair loss in that area. This includes;

1) Brushes and Combs
Avoid using fine tooth combs and hard brushes on your hairline. A wide tooth comb or a very soft brush used gently is all right. I prefer to use my hands to smooth my edges.

2) Bonnets/ Shower Caps

Some night bonnets and shower caps have elasticated bands that have deep folds in the band area. Please see the picture above. When placed on the hair line, the folds may pinch/hold on to hair on your edges and nape. When being removed, they can pull out or break off some of the hair. Only a strand or two may be pulled out every day but over the course of a few months, all those strands add up.

3) Hats/Head Wraps/Wig Caps
Hats, head wraps and wig caps can be great for protecting our hair. However if placed on your hairline, the friction may cause hair loss at your edges and nape.
If you wear hats, head wraps or wig caps regularly, I suggest that you place them above or below your hairline rather than directly on your hairline. Also make sure your hair is moisturised and sealed before wearing them.

4) Chemical Over Processing
Relaxers and chemical based hair dyes weaken our hair fibres so it is important to reduce how often we use such chemicals. The hair on our edges and nape processes quicker than other areas of our head. To reduce the risk or chemical damage and over processing, apply the relaxer and dyes to your edges and nape last. Remember to wait at least 8 to 10 weeks between relaxers.

5) Facial Cleansing Products

Facial cleansing products can easily come in contact with our edges when washing or scrubbing our face. The ingredients in our cleansers, scrubs or masks may lead to damage and dryness of the hairs on our edges.
So during your daily facial cleansing routine, try to prevent the products from coming into contact with your edges.

6) Post Partum Shedding
For some months after childbirth, many women experience a decline of hormones in their body which causes an increase in the number of hairs they shed. This is known as post partum shedding. Some ladies find that majority of the hairs they shed after child birth falls from their edges. Post partum shedding is temporary and should cease when the woman’s hormone levels have returned to its normal levels.
Please note that some medical conditions and/or treatment may also result in hair loss.

7) Hairstyle Choices
The most common and preventable cause of hair loss at our edges is our hairstyle choices.
Weaves, braids, excessively tight buns, up-does and roller sets, etc can lead to hair loss at the edges. If a hairstyle is too tight, too much tension is being placed on the hair follicles which may eventually become damaged and the hair in the follicles may fall out. Please note that damaged hair follicles can produce new hairs but if the abuse continues, the follicle damage may become permanent.

When it comes to edges I always stress that prevention is better than cure. If your hair styles , how you handle your hair or bad hair care practices are causing your hair line to recede or become sparse, act now. Don’t wait till the damage becomes permanent.

Please come back soon for part two where I will share practical tips that I use to protect my hairline and how to stimulate re-growth of edges were hair loss has occurred.
Merry Christmas

Lade

Learn | Change | Grow