Rehairducation

Motions versus Motions – A review of the new formula of Motions Moisture Plus

Hey ladies,

I’am smiling as I type this because of all the ladies who have visited and met me at the salon who have asked, “haba, why have you stopped blogging?”
If you are reading this, you know I said I’d be back. Ladies, the reality is that I am pulled in so many directions and sometimes it becomes a lil difficult to do it all.  I will always blog, it may not be as often as I’d like but this is home.  So sooner or later I’ll always be back.  Mushiness over ……. and on with today’s blog post which is a product review/comparison of the old and new formula of Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner.

First thing first, Aussie Moist is my current go to moisture conditioner as I discussed in this post.  I often advise ladies in locations where some of their fave brands may be hard to find, to have a back up product in case they aren’t able to find/buy their staple products.  I have two back up moisture conditioners I use to deep condition my hair, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration and Motions Moisture Plus.
The old version of Motions Moisture Plus seemed to work quite well for my hair but I was never happy with the ingredients and tried many alternatives with better ingredients but none kept my hair as happy ( smoother, easier to detangle, softer) as the motions.  All that changed when I tried and fell in love with Aussie Moist.  So why am I talking about Motions?  Because the stash of Aussie Moist I brought back from the UK is finished and I haven’t had the time to go hunting for some here in Lagos.  I walked into my beauty supply store and picked up a bottle of the new motions instead……… and I am very happy with it to say the least.

In this review I will discuss the ingredients, consistency and the effects the new fomula had on my hair in comparison to the old one.

 

Ingredients
The thing that irked me the most about the old formula was the high quantity of mineral oil it contained.  Mineral oil isn’t a high quality ingredient.  It add no real value to conditioners and does not enrichen a conditioner the way many natural botanical oils do.
The new motions Moisture plus contains no mineral oil and such a rich mix of natural ingredients which are listed very high up the list ( meaning there are high quantities of them in the conditioner).  Some of the botanical oils and butters contained in the new formula includes Soybean oil, shea butter, argan oil, olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, etc. Although it is a moisture conditioner, it also contains a small amount of hydrolyzed proteins which helps hair fibres retain moisture ingredients for longer.
I am not saying this new formula has a perfect list on ingredients, but it certainly has a much better quality of ingredients that are beneficial to hair.

 

Consistency of the Product
The old formula was thicker and took some effort before sinking or seeping into my hair.  I noticed that it usually required heat for about 10 minutes via my soft hood drier before my hair began to absorb the product.

The new formula on the other hand is much thinner but it’s not overly watery or too runny.   The first time I applied it to my hair I was shocked because it disappeared, I mean I couldn’t see a thick layer of conditioner sitting on top of my hair fibres, nooooooo, it sank right into my hair fibres with zero heat.   This had me thinking “okay – come through Motions…come through”

 

Effects on My Hair
I was pleased with how my hair felt when I rinsed it out.  My hair definitely felt softer than when I used the old formula.  I however still prefer how soft and perfect the Aussie Moist Makes my hair feel.  So whilst the new Motions Moisture Plus is not my main or go-to conditioner, I am very happy to keep using it as a back-up and don’t have to feel bad about putting a poor quality product in my hair. And most importantly I feel happier about readers trying and using it IF it works on their hair.
My next post is a science based, very educative post about the structure of afro hair fibres in comparison to Caucasian and Asian hair types, the implications of our hair’s shape and why it is a major factor in how we treat our hair if we want it to be healthy.  I am already working on it so see you soon.

X

 

Lade

Protective Style Errors That Cause Breakage and Damage

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Hello Ladies,

This post is a short one but it is long overdue. To all my consultation clients, thank you for keeping me super busy.  I will always find time (somehow) to update Hairducation even though it may not as often as I’d like.  I am making efforts to improve my work-work balance (I don’t have much of a social life right now) .  For now,  my uploading of posts here will be sporadic.  So please do keep checking in for new posts and if you are new to Hairducation, there are loads of posts you can catch -up on.

So on with todays post which is about common mistakes ladies make when protective styling with their natural (relaxed and virgin) hair.  It’s great to see more and more ladies rock their real hair in either its virgin or relaxed state however I have noticed a few mistakes that can lead to thinning, damage and breakage.
The most common errors are…..

 

  • Not hiding the ends
    One of the main aims of a protective style is to hide/tuck your ends so that the moisture in your hair does not evaporate excessively.  It also ensures your ends do not rub against your clothes or upholstery. Whether it is a bun or goddess braids, try to have your ends well hidden or tucked in.
  • Making the style super tight
    I see so many ladies with ponytails, buns, puffs, wigs and cornrows under wigs etc that are super sleek and super tight. I wont lie, it can look really cute when a protective style is hella sleek but there should be a balance between sleekness and safety.
    There is a mistaken view that only braids, weaves or other extensions hair styles cause traction alopecia.  Styles created with your own hair can do that too.  If you can feel your temples  being pulled tightly……. or you feel blood rush to your head when you undo the hair or take off the wig or hair band ………or you cant turn and bend you neck comfortably …….or have had the ponytail “facelife”….it is too tight.
  • Using a lot of gel and hard brushes daily
    A continuation from the hella sleek mistake in the point above is the laid for the gods mistake. Using a lot of gel and hard brushes on your delicate edges on a daily basis will result in thinning of your hairline and damage to the hair fibres.  It is okay to use a natural gel or non drying gel and a soft brush from time to time.
    Some ladies may have a hairline that can tolerate daily stress to their hairline.  Some of us, like myself, certainly do not.
  • Parting or bunning in the same spot
    If you have a go-to protective style that requires a part, try to alternate the pattern of the style so that you are not always parting in the exact same spot over the years. Doing so will result in the hairs in that area being manipulated more often than other areas.  This will often result in small amounts of breakage which over time will make the hairs in those areas shorter.
    If you are a lady who loves buns and ponytails, move the location of your bun or ponytail to avoid causing stress on a particular spot.
  • Using pins and bands that are defective or damaged and snag and tear your hair. I think this one is self-explanatory.

As promised, a short and sweet post. My next few posts will be educatative product reviews and a microcsopic comparison between afro textured hair and Caucasian and Asian hair.

As always, I’ll work hard on making the posts worthwhile so see you soon.

x

Lade

Learn | Change | Grow

 

The Truth About Genetics and Hair Lenght

 

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Ladies!!!

How are you all doing?

I get asked time and time and time again about genetics and hair length.  So many ladies are insistent that long healthy hair is a product of genetics alone.  These ladies also believe that nothing you do in terms of hair care can have any significant effect on the length and thickness of your hair because “this hair thing is only genes” apparently.
The truth is this – Genes are only one of the factors that determines your actual length and thickness.
If you do not take good care of your hair, you will NEVER know what your hairs genetic potential is.  How will you know what your hair is genetically capable of if due to lack of care, your hair in a damaged state permanently.  I use myself as an example just to drive home this point.  Look at the pictures below.

 

No one ever looked at my hair and thought “oh this girl’s hair can grow” . I myself never realised that I had the genetics to grow hair longer than shoulder length UNTIL I cared for it correctly. My clients and so many other ladies on social media have shared their healthy hair transformations from damaged and very short to healthy, long and lush.  This should prove that there is more to actual hair length than genes alone.

Yes, there are some ladies who don’t take care of their hair and still have amazing hair.  Those ladies hair would be even more amazing IF they took care of it There are three factors that determine how long, healthy and thick each lady’s hair is. These are: 1) Genetic factors 2) Internal factors 3) External factors.

ALL three play a SIGNIFICANT part in determining what your hair is actually like.

 

Genetic Factors

Genetic factors we are born with will determine –

  • The colour of our hair,
  • The texture and thickness of our hair strands
  • Density (number of strands)
  • How long our hair can grow and the speed of our hair growth

You can have hair that is capable of growing to your bum but only have shoulder length hair in real life. How long your hair is capable of growing is determined by the length of your anagen phase and how fast your hair grows (eg half an inch a month or one inch a month). The anagen phase is the growing phase of hair before and sheds.    The anagen phase on average varies from as short as 2 years to as long as 6 years.
On average, humans of all races grow approximately half an inch a month.  So, if you have two women who both grow the average half an inch a month, the woman whose anagen phase is 6 years  will be capable of growing hair longer than the one whose anagen phase is only 2 years long.   In reality though, both of these women can have hair the same length depending on some other internal and external factors explained below.
There isn’t anything you can do to change the genetics you were born with.  Genetics are factors you cant control.  But please note that based on genetics, on average everyone should be able to grow a minimum of 12 inches.  EVERYONE!!!!  This is because the minimum anagen phase is believed to be approximately 2 years.

 

Same girl. same genes, same health and fitness level, same type of diet. The only thing I changed was how I cared for my hair.

Internal Factors
 There are internal factors which can affect our hair’s genetic capabilities.  Some of these factors include

  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Some medical conditions
  • Medications
  • Diet and water intake
  • Stress levels

These factors can affect hair growth and/or thickness by either halting or slowing down hair growth and/or cause excessive shedding and thinning.  Some of these factors are within your control and some are not.  For example you can try to have a good diet and healthy lifestyle.  Having a medical condition or hormonal imbalances are clearly not things you control.

As an example, a woman may have the genetics to grow 20 inches of medium density hair but a hormonal imbalance can mean that in reality she has 10 inches of sparse hair. With internal factors, some of them can be worked on and improved and some may need some treatment or therapy to overcome.

 

 

External Factors
External factors that can influence the state of your hair includes

  • Our hair care and hair styling practices (having a hair regimen, using good products correctly, avoiding excessive manipulation, avoiding aggressive manipulation, wearing styles that are safe for your hair type, etc)
  • Environmental damage – such as damage from UV rays, hard and salt water, cold or humid weather conditions
  • Chemical damage – chemical straightening and colouring processes.

These factors are within your control and this is where having a healthy hair regimen comes into play!!!!  With the right regimen for your hair type, hair needs and lifestyle, you can control the amount of damage your hair sustains. For instance, a woman with natural textured hair can have it chemically coloured but if she does not give it the level of care that her process hair needs or follow correct colouring procedures, she will likely sustain damage and breakage.  This will prevent her hair from reaching its genetic potential.

Another example is of a lady who does not protect her hair correctly in the winter months or one that uses a lot of flat irons which damage hair.  The lady may have genes that make it capable for her to have 22 inches of hair, but her hair care practices will cause damage and breakage which may mean in reality she only has 6 inches of hair.  She would be growing hair capable of getting long but damage and breakage keeps it at a shorter length.

 

A client's progress

A client’s progress

I hope this post helps you understand the balance between genetics and the other factors which determine the hair we have in reality.

Going back to the example of the two ladies above, where one woman has an anagen phase is that is 6 years  and the other has an anagen phase of 2 years.  If both are genetically capable of growing half an inch a month, both of them would grow 6 inches in a year. The woman with the 6 year anagen phase will be capable of growing 36 inches hair and the woman with the 2 year anagen phase will be able to grow 12 inches of hair.  This is described as their terminal length (the maximum length their hair can grow to). Imagine both these ladies currently have hair that is 4 inches long and the one capable of growing 12 inches begins to care for her hair and grows it to 10 inches.  The lady capable of growing 36 inches may begin to admire those 10 inches not realising that her own hair is capable of growing 36 inches IF she took care of hers.  The moral of the story is take care of yourself internally and have a good hair care regimen that works for your hair type and meets your hairs needs.  This will go a long way to helping you maximise your hair growth potential

😊

Happy hair journey

X

Lade

Learn | Change | Grow

 

The Hairducation Consultation Service: How It Works

 

Picture on the left : the amount of hair a client used to loose on her wash day. Picture on the right: the amount of hair the client lost on her very first wash day following the regimen I created for her. And her hair continued to get better and better.

Hello ladies,

I get so many emails from ladies enquiring about the services I offer or how I can help them with their hair.

Over the years I have updated how the service works and I thought I should share a summary about the packages currently offered within the Hairducation Consultation service. I will provide a much more detailed breakdown of how the service works for ladies who having read the information below, are interested in booking the service.

 

 

Hairducation Consultation Packages

Consultation clients have three packages to choose from.  The summary of the packages is set out in table below.

 

Consultation Table 1

 

When the consultation service is completed, the clients file can be closed however having consulted with clients for 4 years plus, I have had a lot of requests from clients who would like more long term support with their hair journey.
In addition to this, some clients after a few years make significant decisions like transitioning and want guidance from me with their new journey. For these reasons, I have recently began offering the follow up options in the table below to my clients

 

Consultation table 2

 

I hope this post gives you some insight about how the consultation service works.  The consultation service is an online service and is available worldwide through Whats App video calls or Skype.
Please send an email to rehairducation@gmail.com  for further information, prices of the packages and follow up service and to make a booking.

If you scroll up to the Menu Bar you will notice that I have added a  “Services Tab” where  I will list all Hairducation’s Professional services going forward.

My next post will be an educative one about some common protective styling mistakes which may prevent you from retaining length.  Sounds like a good post dosent it?  Come back soon to read it 🙂

x

Lade
Learn| Change | Grow

 

 

Taking A Closer Look At Split Ends

Microscopic image of a split end

 

Hello Ladies,

Todays post will be a quick and straight to the point post about split ends, what causes them, how best to get rid of them and a mistake you should avoid when getting rid of split ends.  I will also share some images I have taken with my Trichoscope of split ends which I hope will drive home a few points.

 

 

Common Causes of Split Ends

  1. Letting your hair become dry and brittle
  2. Using high levels of direct heat
  3. Excessive and aggressive manipulation
  4. Lack of protective styles
  5. Sleeping on cotton pillow cases without a satin scarf or bonnet

 

Facts About Split Ends

  1. Split ends cannot be repaired. Do not let any product manufacturer fool you.  Hair products can only make split ends look better temporarily.  The only permanent solution to split ends is to cut them off.

Healthy End Cut with Hair Shears (scissors)

 

  1. Cutting off split ends with regular scissors will result in ends that are not sharp and will fray and split much more quickly. I can back up this fact with my own experience.  When I began using proper hair scissors to cut my hair, my ends stayed split free for longer.  My trimmed ends seemed to take much longer before they are in need of a trim (aside from when I had hard water issues which you can read about in my last post).

 

  1. A mistake many ladies make when they happen to spot a split end in their hair or a single strand knot to pull it off. This is the worst thing you can do.  You would be better off leaving the split end in your hair than pulling it off with your fingers.  When a split end or single strand knot is pulled off or broken off with our fingers, we create a very damaged and thin end.  Pulling, breaking or tearing off a split end also tends to create a new damaged that tends to be long and tapered, basically you create a much larger area of damage.I captured the image below after tearing off a split end and you can see the end has a long area of damage which I have indicated with the pink marks.  Also, if you look closely, you will see that the cortex layer (inner layer) of the hair which looks like a like a tube in the picture below is now exposed and visible. Pulling off the split end tore off the cuticle layer which is supposed to protect the inner layer.

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I hope seeing what happens to ends that are torn or broken off with our hands deters you from do that your hair.  It certainly worked for me and now I tend to grab my scissor when I find a single stand knot in my hair rather than snap them off like I used to.  A good time to do this is when you are detangling and moisturising your hair, have your hair scissor nearby so you are not tempted to snap off the knot or split end.

The best way to fight split ends is to avoid getting them in the first place by being consistent with your regimen.  Keep your hair moisturised and sealed especially the ends.  And if your ends are damaged and /or just very old and weathered, cut it off, do it in stages if that’s what you feel comfortable doing.

 

I am hope you found this post useful. See you soon for my next post, I haven’t decided what the topic will be yet but…..it will be good. : )

 

X

Lade