Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
About every three or so months I can notice a significant change in the amount of hair
on my head as more length continues to add up. As a result, I find myself making adjustments
and accommodations to the changing length. When detangling in the shower, I have started
to detangle smaller sections of hair at a time. As length is added to my hair I have
more hair to detangle so reducing the sections of hair while length increases helps me to
focus on carefully detangling the entire length of each section and it also helps to keep
sections smooth and easy to detangle. Keeping my hair organized has always been very helpful
in knot prevention. The longer it gets, the more length there is to allow hair to reach
different parts of my head. If I am not careful with keeping my hair organized, tangles can
form with not only hair that grows close to each other, tangles can also form with hair
that is located in two very different places on my head because the hair is long enough
to reach all over my head. Because of this, I have even more reasons to keep my hair organized
and I maintain organization in all styles and handling procedures in order to keep tangles
at a minimum. Another change I have is switching from setting my hair from 8 braids to setting
it with 6 braids. The longer my hair is the smaller the total number of braids I need
to set my hair which means there are fewer but larger braids I put in my hair after washing.
As my hair continues to grow I expect to go from 6 braids to two braids and ultimately
either on or two braids as a setting method after washing. After I have finished detangling
washing and conditioning my hair I add a leave in conditioner and a natural styling gel.
I have also now included the use of an oil or a butter or a combination of both just
to the very ends of my hair. I add a light coat of an oil or shea butter to about the
last four inches of my hair after I have already braided my hair. I am not able to add oil
or butter to all of my hair because it would take a very long time for my hair to dry,
especially since I air dry my hair. Also, adding oil and or shea butter during the setting
process may potentially interfere with the styling gel and may possibly change the overall
results of the setting method. By adding shea butter just to the ends of my hair, it helps
to keep them soft and protected without compromising the overall result of braiding my hair to
set it as well as the use of styling gel to provide definition and sometimes even humidity
control. Once my hair is completely dry and I take the braids out I generously apply shea
butter and or oil to all of my hair. Although I really like to wear my hair down, I have
started to enjoy wearing my hair up more frequently. I have been putting my hair up in gentle buns
and using hats and headbands. I find that keeping my hair in a bun helps to keep it
protected, shiny, and defined. Sometimes I change the way I wear my hair throughout the
day, for example I will wear it up in a bun most of the day but wear it one or two hours
out of that day. I have been doing easy to do buns and have been enjoying holding them
together with my wooden and leather barrettes.