STRETCHING NATURAL HAIR

Greetings, Team ATON!! Lets chat about SHRINKAGE and some quick tips that can help elongate those tresses. As we all know, shrinkage is an inevitable part of our O'Natural journey. Though many or most of us just embrace it, Every now and then we wish to rock our naturally beautiful tresses awith a little more length. So here are some quick tips and methods that have been beneficial for stretching the hair.

HAIR STRETCHING TIPS

BANDING

• BANDING: Banding is a method where you place small bands down the length of your damp or wet and sectioned hair beginning from root to tip. Once the hair is completely dry, you remove the bands and the tension of the bands have left you with stretched hair. You can find many youtube videos in banding, just type banding natural hair in the search engine.

BRAIDOUTS/TWISTOUTS

• BRAID OR TWIST OUTS: This technique of simply braiding or twisting the hair while damp, wet or dry will elongate the hair and especially elongates as the style grows older. The older the style, the fuller and longer it becomes. On hair that is wet, the braid or twist out will be shorter than if braided or twisted on hair that is simply damp or dry hair that has been moisturized. For medium to longer length hair, you can take your medium to large sized twists or braids and pull each one (one by one) to the opposite side and bobby pin. The tension from bobby pinning the hair stretches the hair allowing for a longer style. I did this method in video form on youtube, check out my page at YOUTUBE. You can also moisturize your twists or braids and pull them into a bun which stretches the hair as well.

THE BUNNING METHOD

• THE BUN METHOD: This is a technique that you may hear me speak about often in regards to how I stretch my hair. You simply gather all of your hair and pull into a low or medium bun.

CURLERS/FLEXRODS/CURLFORMERS

• CURLERS OR ROLLERS: The use of Curlformers and rollers give the curls a sleek elongated tress. Visit your nearest Sally's beauty supply or google Curlformers for more information. Flex rods are also helpful with stretching curls. These can be found at almost any local beauty supply store or Target.

USING HEAT 

• HEAT: Using this method, this is where low to medium heat is used on 80-90% dry hair to stretch the hair. Proceed with caution when using this method as hair can become irreversibly damaged where the hair's protein bond has been damaged and the damaged hair no longer reverts back to its curly state. Before using this method, feel free to check out my blog post on the Do's and Don'ts of using heat. USING HEAT

Final tip, for any style or stretching method, be sure to moisturize the hair then lock in the moisture with a butter or oil..and protect with a silk/satin bonnet, scarf or pillow at night.. Hope this helps, Team.

STEP BY STEP..MY PRE-POO METHOD

Hola Chicas/Chicos..I pray all is well with everyone.
So I decided to do a series titled 'Step by Step' pictorials of my healthy hair tips that I hope will also be beneficial to aiding you through your journey with ease.
For a full detail of my Pre Poo Method, please click here: PRE POO

My PRE-POO METHOD..PrePooing is a beneficial step that is done before shampoo cleansing the hair. It allows the hair to retain more conditioner, it helps prevent swelling of the hair and it minimizes the harshness of shampooing and helps rid the hair of shed hairs accumulated throughout the days and weeks. (keep in mind, normal hair will shed between 100-150 hairs per day. You can tell shed hair by the white tip or bulb at the end of the hair)...If you have a prepoo method of your own that is working, please feel free to share. I do this about once per month each time I do a shampoo cleanse.

A NATTY GIRL'S STEP BY STEP PRE POO METHOD

• STEP 1: Place hair into 2 to 4 sections (if long enough) to prep for pre pooing. The sections allow for ease of doing this method and to help prevent the hair from re-tangling. Select a spray bottle with water, your favorite oil and/or conditioner (recently, I've been using both an oil and conditioner.)I apply my hair using my Natty ACV Hair & Scalp Mist. This helps remove old product build up, working as a light clarifier as well as help with detangling. 

• STEP 2: Saturate hair with your water or if you have it, your Natty ACV Hair & Scalp Mist (Again this aids in helping to detangle with ease)

• STEP 3: Apply your oil of choice or apply your conditioner. If using conditioner only, skip step 3. Just FYI, oils that are able to penetrate the hair shaft are: olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil...

• STEP 4: Saturate the hair, making sure to thoroughly apply to your ends, with your favorite natural conditioner.

• STEP 5: Detangle with your choice of tool or your fingers. I mostly finger detangle. Be sure when using a tool, began detangling from ends working your way up to your roots now that your hair is slippery with conditioner. This minimizes breakage and allows for easy detangling. Be sure to thorougly work the conditioner through.

• STEP 6: Place hair in twist, buns or plaits so hair does not retangle while pre pooing

• STEP 7: You can opt to use no heat or use a steamer or heat cap to help infuse the oils and/or conditioner into the hair. This is especially helpful for naturals with 'low porosity' hair. The heat helps to lift the cuticle and properly infuse moisture. If you are unsure what your hair's porosity may be, simply place a single hair into a cup of water and watch to see if it floats on top, in the middle or floats to the bottom. If it floats on top, you have low porosity, which is typically genetic. This means that your cuticle is closed very tight making it a bit difficult to penetrate the hair with moisture..but once moisture is infused, it holds moisture very well. This is why the heat, which helps lift the cuticle is beneficial. If the hair floats to the bottom, you have high porosity hair. This type is usually caused by damage such as chemical processes (relaxers, texturizers, colorants), heat and/or environmental pollutants. For high porosity, you can choose to use heat when conditioning or not, just be sure to use butters and oils when locking in moisture to help close the gaps that are in the hair follicle from damage. If the hair floats in the middle, you have normal porosity.

              **Just, fyi, I have low porosity hair and it stays hydrated using these methods.

• STEP 8: Shampoo, deep condition, apply a leave in and seal in the moisture. For me, here is what I use: 

WHAT THIS NATTY GIRL USES

I SHAMPOO using either Terressentials pure earth wash, Bobeam Natural Hair Products Shampoo Bars, The Bentonite Clay Treatment or Dudu Osum's Black Soap Shampoo.

I DEEP CONDITION: Using my Natty Cupuacu & Rhassoul Deep Conditioner

I APPLY MY LEAVE IN: Using my Natty Moist Conditioner and Moisturizer

I SEAL/LOCK IN MY MOISTURE: Using my Natty Butter

WHERE TO BUY

Natty Products available at www.nattynatural.com

Bobeam Shampoo Bars available at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BobeamProducts

Terressentials Pure Earth Wash: www.terressentials.com

Dudu Osum Black Soap Shampoo: www.nattynatural.com

Have a Happy Natty Day!!