Faith Without Works is Dead -James 2:26

I remember about 16 years ago I applied for a corporate position within the company I was working for. After a review of my resume, I was called in for an interview. The first interview question was: “What did you do to prepare for this interview?” Quite naively, I replied, “I prayed” …that was it! The position had nothing to do with my faith, nor was it church-related, but that was my response! The truth was I had not done one thing to prepare for the interview. Yet I was expecting to get the position. A year later, a similar position opened, and I applied. Once again, I was called in for an interview. This time I prepared for the interview. I met with someone in the same position and asked to spend a portion of their day with them learning about the position and the expectations for being in the position. This time when asked the question, “What did you do to prepare for this interview” I was able to provide multiple steps taken to learn about the position, the expectations, and identifying how my being in the position would benefit the company. About a week or so later I was offered the position! Along with faith that God would bless me according to His will, I did the work and was rewarded with a position that I held for 15 years!

Why is this in a hair blog? Because the same work or preparation I used for gaining this position, is required when expecting results with the products we use in our hair. Being a hair care developer and natural hair advocate, I receive a lot of questions like: “What do you have that will grow my hair?”, “How can I get thick hair again?”, “What products do you have that will work on my hair?”. All these questions are fair in their own right. However, no matter what product(s) you use in your hair…just like the words of the scripture quoted in the title of today’s entry…you will NOT see results unless you do the work!

The expectation that simply applying a product will produce results is a false expectation. There is work behind the scenes that must be done to achieve the desired (or similar) result. Take our herbal hair growth oil. When you purchase the oil and only put it on your scalp once or twice a month, do not expect to see major hair growth. YOU must do the work for the oil to do what it is designed to do. You must apply it to your scalp, massage your scalp, and protect your hair to see results. This takes commitment to what is important to you. If you desire to have hair length, strength, and health…you have to put in the time and effort. There are no miracle cures! There are products advertised as such, but this simply is not possible.

To achieve the best results possible, use products that work well for you and your hair, but most importantly do the required work. Faith (expectation) without works is dead.

My Moisturizing Routine

One activity you should master or at least incorporate into your weekly routine is moisturizing your hair. This is a trial and error process because of varied hair types and schedules. Because of our hair texture, moisturizing is vital. If you don't already have a moisturizing routine, try this method and, if necessary, adjust it to what works for you.

1. While working in sections, spritz your hair with water or apply a leave-in conditioner. Make sure to apply to the entire hair shaft, especially the ends. I use the “rake” method, which is using your fingers as a comb and pulling the product through each section. This is a great way to detangle as well. When I spritz my hair with water, I use a combination of cool distilled water and aloe vera juice (AVJ). The AVJ helps to manage the ph balance of your hair. I use a 3 to 1 water/AVJ ratio in a spray bottle and store in the refrigerator until needed. For a leave-in, I take three equal parts of distilled water, AVJ, and Zedian Queen's Moisturizing Conditioner in a spray bottle and apply.

2. Next, add an oil (I use Zedian Queen's Herbal Hair Growth Oil) to your scalp and along the section of hair. Massage the oil into your scalp and gently smooth oil into your hair.

3. After the oil has been applied, I seal in the moister with Zedian Queen's Whipped Shea Moisturizer. Take the product, rub it between the palms of your hands until it is melted or liquefied, then apply to the section of hair. Again, focus on the ends of your hair as this is the oldest part of your hair.

4. At this point this section of hair is moisturized. I twist this and clamp it out of the way until all sections are complete.

5. Continue this process until you have moisturized all sections.

6. Finally, style as desired.

I wash once a week, but I apply the leave-in and shea mix two or three times a week (depending on how my hair is styled. I prefer to twist or braid after applying because it helps my hair retain moisture.

I usually leave each section twisted until dry then I style. If you plan on straightening your hair you can blow dry, then use the flatiron. I only straighten my hair once or twice a year. I braid my hair in multiple sections, let them air dry (takes a day or two) then use the flat iron on each braid, working in small sections using the “chase” method with a small tooth comb.

Once a month I wash with Rhassoul clay and AVJ. It’s a natural clay that is used for the body and hair that cleans and softens wonderfully! I always follow-up with my routine moisturizing technique.

I hope these tips help you as you continue on your journey to healthy and beautiful hair!

The Beginning

When I decided to go natural I had no clue as to what I was getting myself into. Who would have thought that transitioning would involve so much? First, I should have invested in products prior to jumping into the "natural world". Doing so would have given me time to determine how I was going to style and care for my hair now. Second, I would have established a routine/schedule for maintenance. Wash day took on a whole new meaning! Let's just say, a simple wash, rinse, condition routine changed into a one hour long wash session (at least) that included prepping, sectioning, detangling, rinsing each section, twisting, blotting dry, moisturizing and styling. Whew!!! Third, I would have taken my time in learning all about how this transition would affect my entire life. Going natural became my lifestyle in so many ways.

I watched vlog after vlog on YouTube hoping to learn as much as possible and some really were helpful. Others weren't completely honest and caused discouragement. For example: I thought a wash-n-go meant just that...you wash (moisturize, add products) and go. However, what wasn't spoken about was how you have to train your hair into this...especially if you are transitioning and have relaxer remnants on the ends of your hair. My first wash-n-go was a complete failure! I looked like "who done it and why" all day long! At the time I was working in the corporate world in the corporate office...participating in multiple meetings per day in front of corporate managers, directors and VPs! One day I was so frustrated, on my lunch break I drove to the store and bought a texturizer thinking that it would tame my kinks without necessarily going against my natural transition. WRONG! When I finally grew out all of the texturizer I was able to see the beauty in my natural curls and the maintenance became much easier. Now, that's not to say I didn't have a few bad hair days...because I absolutely did. However, during those bad hair days I learned how to appreciate trial and error, turn a bad hair day into an opportunity to learn more about my natural hair and most importantly...enjoy the process!