Donna Hanover

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 Table of Contents
How to Use this Guide .................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................... 5
Does Culture Make a Difference?................................... 11
So Your Hair is Breaking ............................................... 14
Saving Your Hair ........................................................... 25
Keeping it Natural......................................................... 28
For Speedy Growth Eat More of This Secret #1 ................. 31
The Perfect Blend - Secret #2 .......................................... 39
Fish Oil!!! - Secret #3....................................................... 44

The Truth About Water and Your hair - Secret #4 .............. 48

Humectants Secret #5 ....................................................... 60

Conditioners................................................................. 67
A Trip To The Indian Market Secret #6 ........................... 69
Scalp Massages - Secret # 7............................................... 73

Make Your Own Leave in Conditioner............................ 76

Trim Your Own Hair ...................................................... 79
Protective Styling Secret #8 ............................................ 80

6 inches in 6 Months .................................................... 85

After the Challenge....................................................... 90
Tips to Remember ........................................................ 91
Questions & Solutions................................................... 93

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 Warning
This eBook is copyright protected.
No part of this can be copied, altered,
duplicated, emailed, electronically shared
in whole or in part.

Violation of this copyright will be

penalised to the fullest extent of the law.
Donna Hanover 2007

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 H o w t o U s e t h i s G ui d e

First begin by reading the entire e-book. As you read begin

to take notes. The only way to retain any sort of information
is to get involved with it. If you read it once and put it away
it wont benefit you at all.

I really want you to master this and grow your hair long. It
is my deepest wish that you will gain a lot from reading this
e-book.

Pay close attention to the recipes and the regimen that is

supplied. They have a proven success record and that is
why I added it to this guide. Everything you will read in this
guide has not only helped me but it has also helped many
others.

This e-book is backed by solid research and lots of proven

experiments. It has taken me years to learn all of these
techniques. I did not have the fortune of getting it all at
once. Make it your duty to follow the advice found in this
guide and apply what you learn.

Good luck and happy hair growing.

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 I n tr o d u c ti o n
Like all women, of all ethnic groups I have had to learn to
understand the needs of my hair. I have had to learn to
respect my hair as an entity which has a life and needs
separate from what my body needs. The hair journey is just
a natural process of discovery that most woman eventually
come face to face with, no matter what their race, cultural or
ethnic makeup. After all hair is such a big part of a womans
makeup, regardless of what her culture or race.

Black women think that the struggle to understand their hair

needs are exclusive to their community but this is not so at
all. The struggle with our hair may be more or less on our
side for several reasons but it is not one that is exclusive to
us. Most of our hair care learning as black women comes
though our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters. A lot
of our hair information has been passed down from one
generation to another and so whether we grew up loving our
hair or not is greatly dependant on the environment and the
one who taught us about our hair.

Within our community there are many misconceptions about

our hair. If only those misconceptions were in favour of our
image and our beauty they would be considered cute or old
wives tales but they are not cute. Instead they are damaging
and also degrading to our self esteem. We are taught to
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compare our various hair textures, favouring one texture as
better or easier to manage than the other. We say that
washing the hair more than once a week is damaging to the
hair and so many of us go for long periods without water
touching the skin on our heads. Worst on the list of
misinformation is the belief that our hair cannot grow. This
by far is the biggest and worst misconception because it
keeps us always chasing this illusionary dream of long hair
which we subconsciously believe will never be ours anyway.
It is only natural that if you do not belief you can attain
longer hair then you simple wont.

Do you know that the black hair care business is a billion

dollar industry? African American women spend hundreds
sometimes thousands of dollars on their hair alone every
year. With the choices of perms, braids, weaves, locks, twist
and the product hording that most women do one would
belief that African American woman were experts about their
hair but they are not.

It is very rare to find a black woman with healthy shoulder

length hair. If you do find one with long healthy hair it
would not be unlikely to later discover that it was not her
own hair at all but a well done weave. No matter how well a
womans weave is done its unlikely that it adds to her self
esteem. Imagine the message a woman who wears a weave
has to face every few weeks when she must remove it and
get it done. What message is she implanting into her mind

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when she removes the hair and has to wait for someone to
put in a new set of hair? Its like having a prosthetic limb.
The secret of the fake hair is becoming so widely known that
comedians joke about women with fake hair. Most non
blacks immediately assume that every woman of colour who
has a healthy head of hair must be sporting a weave. How
frustrating it is for those who really have made the effort to
learn to love and care for their own hair, to have someone
walk up and insist that their hair is not real.

The same goes for the one hundred and one products that
many women keep under the bathroom sink, with the hopes
that each new vial will grow their hair to a length which was
previously unattainable. Sadly, it never works.

Many women spend their entire Saturday morning at the

beauty salon with hopes that the diligent care of their hair
by a professional will yield greater results and longer hair.
But, month after month, year after year the frustrating cycle
continues with no great progress.

What women dont seem to understand is that those stylists

are trained to style your hair. Growing your hair is never the
aim of a stylist. If you knew the rules to growing your hair
healthy and strong where would be the need for a stylist? It
serves the stylist much more for you to remain ignorant
about your hairs needs. In the end the common train of
thought is that, black hair does not grow.

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This however is not true. This I know for sure. It would take
one woman to dramatically change my outlook on our hair.
She changed my understanding of the nature of our various
textures as well as the possibility of greater length and that
was all I really needed anyway. After all it usually takes one
person to destroy our image and the belief that our hair is
bad hair. Later I will share with you what she said about our
hair and how her simple routine yields a full head of natural
hair to her waist.

With that said I do have to give thanks to the many other

women who taught me about their own victory over their
hair. So in truth I learned from many women along the way.

As someone who travels a lot I am always amazed at the

stark difference in hair styles, hair lengths as well as hair
textures of the black women I come in contact with. It
amazed me that in some countries you can find a whole
town of women with very lengthy hair whose texture would
be considered slow growing hair in other parts of the world.

I was not always intrigued by hair instead I was more

frustrated by my own need to just style it. Every time I left
the country I was always concerned and worried to know if I
would be able to find my usual hair care products and if I
did not find them could I find substitutes that would allow
me to maintain my hair in the way that I was use to. I was

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also always worried that whatever growth that I had gained
would be lost because I could not maintain it without the
help of my stylist.

This frustrated feeling got me noticing the women who went

by. I took note of the condition of their hair as well as how
they styled it. It gave me an idea or at least hope of what to
expect for my own hair if I visited a local stylist in whatever
new town or country I was in.

Well I would hope to emulate their growth and length but

hoping did not always work. There was always a certain
pattern which I followed, as if I never learned from previous
experiences. When after months of using the methods that
I had and seeing my own products dwindle, I would move
into my next phase.

That phase was always to seek out a stylist. So my second

choice would be to become bold enough and walk up to
women on the street and ask them to explain their methods
for maintaining and growing their hair. What was done out
of frustration and a need, later became fun and a new way to
learn the secret of growing long hair.

If you are like me and most women in the world you want
your hair to be healthy, easy to manage and long. Preferably

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very long! This was the goal I set out to attain and the
results surprised even me.

As my hair began to grow everyone around me wanted to

know what I had learned and as I shared my method they
also began to grow their hair to lengths they never imagined
possible.

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 D o e s C u l tu r e m a ke
A Dif f e r e n c e ?
One thing which is quite apparent is the attitude which these
two groups of women have. The hair attitudes come with a
direct programming. The programming which is a very big
belief for many African American women is that their hair
simply cannot grow. If one were to walk up to an African
American woman on the street and show her a picture of
another African American woman with beyond shoulder
length hair, the one looking at the picture would not belief
that the one in the photographs hair was real. If she were
told that it were real and that she too could attain such a
length she would not believe this either.

With such a belief engrained in the minds of most African

American women they subconsciously approach their hair
with a defeative attitude. On one hand they may purchase
many products with the hopes that each one will grow out
their hair but on the other hand they believe only certain
women could grow their hair to a desirably long length.

However on the other side women from other backgrounds

seem to have a love connection with their hair. They seek
out natural methods for maintaining their hair. They also
seem to have a certainty that their hair will grow out with

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the right care and gentleness and their belief is evident in
the outcome.

While the American woman leaves the care of her hair to the
stylist to remedy, its not the case for some woman living in
Cuba or Belize or some other Caribbean Island. The
approach to hair care is that the woman needs to care and
nurture her own hair. This is not to say that those women
do not go to the stylist but the stylist plays a different role in
their lives. They do not visit the stylist every single
weekend. The stylist is not a crutch. They understand the
need to learn what their hair can and cant do. They are
more likely to know what is possible for their hair than say
an American woman who relies heavily on what her stylist
says about her hair. Going to a stylist to perm your hair and
get it trimmed is not the secret to longer, faster hair growth.
It just is not. Sadly many think that this is the secret.

In foreign countries it is common to find women in a

household conditioning their hair on the same day and
discussing their hair and beauty rituals. This immediately
creates a support group where they can share their
successes and nurture themselves. The caring of the hair

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become a love affair not something to get rid off or simply
pay someone else to have done.

In the United States before the problem can be fixed every

girl knows that she can just braid it up or weave it up. She
never gets to know her hair. Heck most women dont even
know what their natural hair even looks like. Most have an
ingrained believe that if it looks good and healthy then her
hair cannot do that unless it is bought or someone else
applies it on her head for her.

This attitude sets the stage. And, if only the thinking would
change about the hair then that by itself would immediately
change what the hair can do.

First every woman needs to know and understand that the

only thing hair does is grow. Its alive and like the roots of a
tree it grows. How long or short it grows has a lot to do
with what you do to it while it is growing. Everything in
nature has the same rules. Whatever you give your
attention to will grow. Whatever you ignore dies.

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S o Y o u r H a ir is
B r ea k i n g
Before we can entertain any of the wonderful secrets and
techniques for growing out long hair we have to address
some of the problems that are so common to us.

Hair breakage is not always traumatic or immediately

noticeable. It could seem like the normal process of
shedding hair. You may have gotten so use to seeing your
hair around your bathroom sink that it never occurred to you
that your hair is breaking much quicker than it is growing.

If year after year your hair has been at the very same length
with no improvement then your hair is going through a
constant cycle of breakage. There are several factors which
may contribute to this.

Blow drying
Over processing with relaxers
Shampooing
Product build up
Hair Conditioners
Hair Tension
Neglect
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In order to know what exactly is causing the breakage you
need to make an assessment of your daily routine. It would
help to read though every one of the problems as it may
serve as a cautionary guide as to what you should not do.

Blow drying

Blow drying can be an easy way to straighten out the hair

especially if your hair is natural and you are not interested in
getting it permanently altered. However curly hair of any
sort is a very delicate fibre which tends to be already dry.
Because our hair is already terribly thirst for moisture, heat
does not help this need. Instead blow drying, flat ironing;
hot curlers all dramatically dehydrates our delicate hair
strands leaving the hair extremely brittle which causes it to
easily snap. The damage from heat can be permanent and
very immediate to the hair strands.

Once in a while for that special occasion you can blow dry
the hair but it is important to monitor the amount of heat
and watch that it does not get too hot. Using a heat
protectant on your strands is a must before you blow dry if
you insist on blow drying. However blow drying or any sort
of heat is simply not something that should be done if you
care to grow out your hair.

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If you are thinking of growing out your hair stop the blow
drying during that growing out phase.

Over processing

Oh how we love the things which hate our hair!!! It does not
matter if we are using caustic chemicals found in relaxers,
or those found in the dyes which we use monthly, they all
have a very harsh effect on our fine hair. Hair relaxers are
the most potent alkaline chemicals that are allowed to come
anywhere close to a human body. The relaxer is designed to
destroy the peptide bonds of the hair. These peptide bonds
are what strengthens and holds the hair together. When
these bonds are broken down the hair becomes straight
immediately weakening the hair. As a result hair breakage
and stunted growth is common to most black women who
use relaxers.

Its well known and it says so right on the jar of lye relaxers
that it should only be used on the new growth and never
reapplied onto hair that was previously chemically treated.
Yet time and time again women go to the salons and repeat
the process of applying the relaxers to the strands that have
already been dramatically altered by those harsh chemically.

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When the peptide bonds are repeatedly broken down this
leaves the hair extremely fragile. The hair then becomes
porous and quite difficult to maintain any moisture at all.

There is one thing which is quite common among most

women who have managed to grow their hair to very long
lengths while relaxing it. What is common among those
women is that they extend their relaxer visits to up to three
months and some are fortunate to go a bit longer. This is
not always easy for everyone to do as everyones hair is
different but more importantly the knowledge that it takes
to understand and maintain the two textures have not been
learned. Those women who extend their relaxer time tend
to learn about both textures of the hair and what it takes to
best maintain the two textures in a harmonious way.

Generally women who tend to have a negative outlook on

their natural hair dont give it a chance to surface. They are
the ones who run to the salon every six week and insist that
their entire hair strand be relaxed over and over. They never
get to know the true nature of their hair and so the hair can
never work for them. What you hate can never work for you
and that is the nature of all things in life.

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 Shampoo

Not many people would believe the harsh effects shampoo

has on their hair. Most of us know this routine; the two
week wash day comes around. We look in the mirror and
cant believe how good the hair looks but after all its now
two weeks since the hair has been washed and it has to be
done. So, we jump into the shower and lather up all the
goodness of the past two weeks. We condition roll set and
spend hours and in the end the hair is just not as lush as we
would like it to be. Somehow it has lost its moisture and it
is dry no matter how much conditioner we applied. We
know that it will take several days before we can enjoy it
again. Although we know this the cycle just continues.

The dreaded hair wash as well as the after drying effects is

common to woman across the board. Not just black women.
Most women know how raw and harsh the after effects
shampoo has on their hair but few have ever thought that it
is also a factor in destroying the hair strands.

Did you know that the main ingredients found in most

shampoos are also found in most household and industrial
cleaning products? Is it any wonder why our hair feels
stripped and unmanageable after a good shampooing?

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The three main chemicals found in most shampoos are:
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)
Ammonium lauryl Sulphate (ALS)

Not only are these ingredients drying, they also strip the
delicate surface of the hair. Add that knowledge to the
delicate nature of our hair, especially hair that has been
relaxed. When tested on the skin these sulphates were also
found to cause severe skin damage and the longer it stays
on the skin the greater the damage.

Besides the harsh effects of the sulphates most shampoos

also contain many other synthetic chemicals such
emulsifiers, thickeners, colour additives and foam boosters.
All of which eventually cause a heavy build up on the
strands. Sure most shampoos come with a conditioner
which is intended to mask the damage that is done by the
shampoo. As the conditioner coats the strands with even
more synthetic chemicals it gives the hair the appearance of
being healthy but beneath the surface it is dry damaged hair
which soon needs to be shampooed and conditioned to give
it the illusion of healthy. With each shampoo the hair is
further striped.

The solvents in the shampoo are quite harsh on most hair

types but it is far more noticeable on our fine strands. This
is the reason most women dont wash their hair very often.
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They dont understand that its not the water which is the
problem it is the shampoo which strips and dries out the
hair. I encourage you to do some research on these
chemicals. You are sure to learn a lot.

Here is one secret I have learned from foreign women who

grow long hair, they dont shampoo quite as much as we do.
Generally they explore more natural homemade alternatives
for washing their hair but they do wet their hair very often.

Later you will find really great alternative recipes for washing
your hair which will help in saving your strands from
breaking which will intern give you the results of longer hair.

Product Build-up

Does your hair feel moist but heavy?

When you run a comb or your finger though your
hair it feels hard to comb?
Although the hair feels moist, it continues to break?

Most every black woman you meet will tell you that washing
their hair too frequently is not good for our hair. Surely
In the typical sense it is quite damaging if you are scrubbing
away at your strands with a cheap harsh shampoo. However
too many women go an extremely long time between
washes for fear of ruining their hair styles. What happens

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when every single day you add a leave in conditioner, oil and
some sort of styling gel or spray? All of those products
remain on the hair piling up. Eventually the strands become
heavily weighed down and then snaps under the pressure of
a comb or any tension.

Women with relaxed hair will experience the effects of

product build up with more adverse effects because of the
two separate hair textures they are working with.
Unfortunately they are the ones who wait the longest to
wash their hair because they have the misconception that
too much hair washing will destroy their.

You can generally tell product build up when your hair

begins to look a bit dull. It feels quite heavy and weighed
down. Even though it may feel somewhat moist from the
overload of products it snaps very quickly when you put a
comp through it or even running your fingers through it.
When this happens it is time to wash your hair. Knowing
when to wash your hair can happen at a different time for
everyone.

What kind of products have you been applying to your hair?

Are they heavy creams and oils? Heavy lubricants are great
for sealing in moisture but too much of it every single day
will quickly cause your hair to become heavy and build up a
film which will suffocate your hair strands.

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Whats the solution to product build-up? Simple! Rinse it all
out and start again. Dont be afraid to wash it out even if it
is not your typical wash day. Your hair tells you what it
needs and it simply does not go by your schedule. Ignoring
the excess build up can have a rapid effect on breakage.
You may be surprise at just how much hair you can lose in a
very short space of it. Within a matter of days you can lose a
full year of progress.

Certain ingredients build up quickly on the hair and can

cause the strands to snap from overload. Water based
products are best but heavy synthetic products coat the
strands and lock out moisture. Here are some of the worst
ingredients found in most black hair care products. They
are in most products because they are cheap not because
they are necessarily good for our hair. :

Heavy pomades with waxes

Petroleum
Lanolin
Mineral oil
Too much protein
found in hair conditioners

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 Hair Conditioners
Is your hair feeling super brittle?
Does it feel stiff and untamed by oil or your usual
leave in conditioner?
Have you been doing a conditioner only wash very
often only to find that your hair is still breaking off
very easily?

You may very well be suffering from protein overload.

Protein conditioners are used to build up the strands of your
hair. The protein binds to the porous and damaged parts
filling it in and smoothing out the hair strands.

Although protein is excellent for the hair when the hair is

damaged, too much could be disastrous. It could
dramatically destroy your hair and have it falling off your
head like leaves falling off a tree at autumn time.
Conditioners labelled reconstructors, or cholesterol are
designed to repair and those are the ones filled with protein.
However they leave a deposit which hardens on the strands.
If they are left on for too long, or they are used with other
leave in conditioners which are already filled with protein,
then you have an excess of protein on the strands.

Imagine adding layer and layer of concrete to something

fine. What could be a protectant to the strands soon
become impacted. The result is still hard brittle hair.

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Take a look at your regular jar of conditioner. Almost every
single jar has some form of the following proteins as an
ingredient.

Hydrolysed protein
Keratin protein
Collagen
Wheat protein

Proteins can be excellent but if you go though every product

that you are presently using and find protein in every single
one of them, then that may explain if and why you are
experiencing brittle hair. Because your hair may be brittle
you may even assume that more conditioning is needed only
to pile on more of the one ingredient which is destroying
your strands.

Hair Tension

If you are seeing a consistent hair lost in one particular area

then it is very likely that you are applying too much tension
to the hair. If you wear your hair pulled very tightly in a bun
on a regular bases this could cause a real strain on your
strands. The evidence could be in the thinning of the hair
line or breakage where the bun is being too tightly secured.
Also if you handle your hair too aggressively when styling

24
with a comp that could very well be another source of
tension on your strands.

Simply the hair needs to be treated like a fine thread.

Yanking and tugging stretches it, when this happens it loses
its elasticity and then snaps. Sometimes when the tension
happens at the scalp which usually occurs from wearing
braids which are too tight or pulling too aggressively on the
hair, the damage could be permanent.

Alopecia is one scary truth that many women face as a

result of hair styles which are too tight. It occurs as a result
of tension to the scalp and it leave large balding areas where
there was too much tension. Once the hair is pulled out of
the hair shaft, the follicle is destroyed and the hair shaft
closes up. The damage from such a stage is usually
permanent.

Neglect
Maybe you have just removed a weave or braids and
although you may have gotten much growth your hair seems
very brittle and simple does not cooperate with any of the
procedures you have tried.

Its a very common practice where a woman gets her hair

weaved or braided and completely ignores her own hair

25
beneath the braids or the weave until it is time to remove
them. Generally most women hope and believe that as they
allow their hair to rest with a protective style such as braids
or weave their hair will finally grow to the length they have
dreamed off. Unfortunately after removing the braids or
weave the hair can be in a lot worst condition than it was in
previously. If she does seem to have gained some length it
is likely that within a few weeks all the progress is lost as
the damaged fragile strands break under the pressure of
daily the routine. Why is this you ask?

Because the hair has been lacking attention it has lost much
needed moisture and is in need of greater repair. The hair
needs to be maintained while it is beneath the braids or
weave. Spraying it with a light water base leave in
conditioner is one simple but very important step which
assures that the hair gets the moisture that it needs.

26
 Saving Your Hair
This is a very brief chapter but a very necessary one. Before
anyone can learn to understand new concepts and
techniques to growing their hair they must first learn the
importance of respecting their strands.

It amazes me how many seemingly intelligent women speak

about growing out their hair but insist on doing all the
things found in the earlier section on hair breakage. They
easily yank combs though their hair as if their express
purpose is to de-root the strands.

Black women dont seem to understand that in order to

accumulate growth they must respect what they already
have on their heads. Think of your hair like money. If your
aim is a large bank account you certainly would do all you
can to save what you do have in the bank account while
adding more. You would not do anything to lose it and
expect it to grow.

Hair is a very fine fabric, especially our hair which tends to

be quite fine by nature.
Once we can identify what it is that we are doing to destroy
our hair we can then move into a new state of mind to learn
new techniques which will help us in restoring better health
and length to our hair.

27
 Keeping it Natural
I want you to get this and get it well
because it is going to be the foundation
to all that you will later apply to your hair care growth.

There are two factors which are unique to our specific hair
type and must be understood. The first factor is that Black
hair is inherently dry and the second factor is that the
diameter of our hair is quite fine. Because of these two
factors our hair is much more prone to breakage.

Most of the products that are marketed for black hair care
only exacerbate the problem. There are some common
ingredients found in shampoos and conditioners and regular
leave ins: silicones Lanolin Beeswax Petroleum
Please take a look at any of your hair care products and you
will see.

These ingredients leave a heavy waxy film on the hair,

suffocating the stands making it harder to maintain very
good moisture. As the hair feels dry we saturate it with
more of those products hoping to cure the dryness. Instead
we increase the dryness problem by adding more of the
same thing which created the problem, locking out even
more moisture. Its a vicious cycle. To make matters even
worst we very rarely wash or rinse our hair. So with each
passing day we are piling more and more of the heavy waxy
28
products which block out moisture from getting to the
strands. This heavy film of products creates a heavy build
up around the hair strand. Because the hair strand is
already fine it snaps under the heavy greasy build up.

1.You apply a
Heavy Waxy or
Pretroleum based
product

2. It creates a
5. The over load of
shield around the
wax causes the
hair , moisture
hair to snap
cannot get in

4. Now you have 3. Your hair feels

several layers of dry and brittle so
wax and you add more wax
protrelum and protrelum

Two problems occur from the use of many of those products

and those problems are dryness and heavy product build-up
which lead to snapping.

Because most people dont understand this they continue

the cycle of applying those products again and again.

29
Natural hair care products are the best choice for black hair.
Two benefits to natural hair care products.

1) Natural products wont bind so viciously to the hair

strand like synthetic ingredients which suffocative the
hair.
2) Natural products can more easily be washed out with
water alone. When something stronger is needed to
wash it out, you can always use a more natural shampoo
which is gentler to the hair.

With that said I will not suggest that you completely ban all
mass produced products on the market. What you want is to
become aware of the cycle and make a more educated choice
by adding more natural hair care products. You will find that
the closer to nature you stay the stronger your hair will be.

Many of the conditioners that you use can be supplemented

by a more natural alternative with great or even better effects.

30
 For Speedy Growth
e a t m o r e of th i s

Nutrition plays a very big role in how long your hair grows.
But read on further to discover the one secret that will
guarantee your hair grows super fast. You will experience
great results hands down!

Everyone has their secrets and there are a few

very good ones which yield outstanding result.
All of which I have personally tried. No matter
what the recipes are and how they are prepared
there is one important ingredient which
dramatically amps up the speed of growth. Its one thing
everyone who cares to learn how to grow out their hair will
agree on.

It all started when I was visiting with one family. Claudia

who had always had very thick coily waist length hair had it
cut to the nape of her neck. Its the sort of hair most
American women would consider unruly to handle because
of its kinky curls and large volume. Many would consider it
slow growing hair. Yet despite the tight coils her hair was
always very long which she wore in a long braid.

After having it cut she was quite disappointed about the way
the new length had framed her face. She definitely did not

31
find it as flattering to her face as she had previously
imagined it would. I had to agree however that the damage
was already done. I imagined that it would take her several
years for her hair to reach its previous length. This was all
my own misconception about the ability of coily hair to
growth at all.

Although she was very sad about her hair, she immediately
had a plan. I heard her telling me what she intended on
doing to grow her hair back and also where she expected
her length to be within a few months. Quite honestly I heard
her but I did not believe the possibilities, so all her words
went out of my head.

My mind was already programmed with disbelief that her

hair could ever grow back to anything close to what it was.
Where I was feeling very disappointed and thinking of the
many years it would take her to gain new growth she was
thinking a lot more short term that I was.

Shortly after Claudias cut my assignment was over and I had

to leave. Six months later when a new assignment brought
me back to her town I got to stay with Claudia family. I was
very surprised when she walked in the door. To my
amazement Claudias hair was considerably longer. Not just
a bit longer but a whole lot longer reaching way pass her
shoulders. Immediately I commented on the length of her

32
hair and immediately her brother commented that it was the
eggs.

After her disastrous hair cut Claudia went into immediate

dietary control, consuming a considerable amount of eggs
daily. Eggs? You may ask, but I am here to say yes and later
I will tell you why. All the other women in the house chimed
in agreement that eating more eggs had considerably
speeded up the growth of their hair. It was very hard to
disbelieve the egg theory because all the women had
gloriously long hair. I wanted to believe that it was
something elusive; perhaps the quality of their hair but
really their hair was not much different from mine. It wasnt
a particular hair grease or conditioner it really was the
addition of eggs.

Eggs are a super rich source of vitamins and

minerals. Its especially high in vitamin B12
and a good source of protein. A diet high in
vitamin B will yield rapid hair growth. A diet
which is deficient in vitamin B will lead to
rapid thinning and hair lost.

I decided to put the egg theory to the test and tried it out
myself. I decided that I would not relax my hair for several
months in order to monitor the extent of my growth. My
diet consisted of eggs and a small green leaf salad for
breakfast, sometimes oatmeal and eggs. For lunch I also
had eggs with fish or meat and whatever other greens or
starches that were added. During the day I also snacked on

33
one or two eggs and then again in the evening for dinner
eggs with a small salad were part of my final meal. This was
pretty much the diet the women in the house suggested that
I follow.

I must say that I was very worried about the extra

consumption of eggs as I had always heard stories about the
extra cholesterol found in eggs. Still I really wanted to
duplicate the growth that Claudia was gaining and so I
followed the diet without complaining. Within the time that
I followed the diet my hair grew rapidly. There was
definitely an undeniable surge of growth.

Although I was quite happy about the length I saw, I simply

could not keep up with the diet. After three months I
became disgusted by the sight of yet another egg.

I never took the time to fully understand just why the eggs
were such a factor in the speed of hair growth until I met
with another woman who shared her secret of growing her
hair long very quickly. Whenever she wanted to grow out a
bad hair cut or any damage she may have incurred she
increased the amount of fish and eggs in her diet. Just when
I had forgotten about the eggs she reminded me about
them. I wanted to know just why the increase in fish and
eggs.

34
After come research I learned the common factor is Secret
Number #1 protein, protein, protein. The secret of adding
extra protein as a way to grow the hair seems to be common
sense knowledge to most women from other cultures. Many
women will supplement their diet with added protein if they
want to grow out a bad hair cut in time for a special event.

After Compiling all the notes from women I had met much
later on, it was clear that many people had successfully
speed up the growth of the hair by adding an extra helping
of protein. It seemed that everyone who cared about their
hair knew to do this the moment they decided on growing
out their hair.

One day while reading a magazine I found an article which

recommended a product called Viviscal. It sounded very
promising and claimed that many celebrities used this
product to accelerate the growth of their hair. At the time
there was a picture of a model that had gotten a rather short
hair cut but after a few months of taking Viviscal her hair
had grown very long.

I continued to see many more stories in fashion magazine

with rave reviews about Viviscal. Thoughts of Claudias
speedy hair growth came to mind and I quickly did some
research on this product. After some research I discovered
that the main component in that product was marine
protein. I have to say that I did not hesitate in ordering the

35
product. To my observation it worked. My hair did grow
very quickly. When I compared it to my previous egg
experiment I have to say that it did exceed my previous
results. It worked!

The price of the Viviscal was certainly a deterrent in me

purchasing more of it. At $60+ I wanted something that was
easily accessible and a lot cheaper. Realizing that the main
ingredients were amino acids (protein), I ran down to my
local health food store and got a bottle of Twin Lab Amino
Fuel. I took it everyday and I was astonished by the
growth I received.

This remains one of the best secrets for increased hair

growth I have ever found. The results I
received were absolutely impressive.

Protein

Protein is the building block of all cells in

the body. Besides water protein is the next
larges part of body weight. Hair is dead protein; specifically
hair is made of a chain of amino acids called Keratin.
Supplementing your diet with an added serving of the
following will dramatically increase the speed at which your
hair will grow. This is not a wild speculation, unless you are
sick you will notice faster growth. Within two weeks you

36
could see much more growth than you would ordinarily
have. After one month it is not out of the ordinary to have
an added inch to an inch and a half of hair growth. The
following is a list of sources of protein:

Eggs
Fish
Meat
Beans
Soy
Yogurt
Lentils
Almonds

Protein supplements, in the form of shakes and capsules are

also a very good choice mainly because the manufactures of
those products aim to give the consumer a good balance of
all the amino acids in one single serving without the added
fat or other things which come with eating lots of meat.
Generally protein supplements are used by athletes who are
interested in rapid cell and muscle rejuvenation. This would
make a lot of sense as to why it would also be a great
enhancement with hair and nails as this is all protein.

You can make a great protein shake as a mean replacement

by adding fruits such as bananas, or even spinach.

37
One of the first things people on the Atkins diet have
recognized beyond weight loss has been longer and shinier
hair. This is all due the increase of protein.

38
 T h e Pe r f e c t
B le n d

Many women are not trusting of the claims of hair vitamins.

However, hair vitamins are made with the specific
knowledge of the composition of hair and what it takes to
enhance its growth. Hair is a very big part of our culture
whether you are a man who is facing male pattern baldness
or a woman who desires to grow a mane of longer healthier
hair. So the demand for the right products which enhance
hair growth breeds an industry of hair vitamins specifically
intended to enhance the hair.

There are three main ingredients found in almost every

bottle of hair vitamins. Those three consistent ingredients
are Biotin, silica, and MSN. Taken together as one formula
this blend could dramatically increase the diameter of your
hair strands making them thicker and stronger which would
be less prone to breakage.

39
If money were not an object taking these three alone would
give you a greater understanding of just how well they
enhance your hair and speed up the growth.

Biotin
Biotin is part of the B vitamin family. It can be found in
egg yoke, liver, milk, soy, barley. Biotin metabolises the
protein in your diet which enhances the absorption of the
protein in your body. Since hair growth is greatly reliant on
your protein intake you can see how the biotin would greatly
enhance the protein in your diet. Brewers yeast is one of the
richest sources of biotin as well as other b- vitamins.

Taking brewers yeast as a supplement for hair growth will

dramatically reveal amazingly faster growth. It provides all
the essential amino acids, minerals and
vitamins. It is also relatively cheap at $5.00
for an 18oz. bottle. My experience with the
TwinLab brand was quite mixed. I
immediately experienced super faster hair
growth which was quite surprising. Although I
had tried various things which all gave good
results the brewers yeast had an immediate unquestionable
effect. The only downsides was that although it is not to be
mistaken for baking yeast it is still yeast and depending on
ones sensitivity to yeast it could cause the body to appear a
bit bloated.

40
If you are sensitive to breads or refined foods then this
choice may not be for you. However if you are on a budget
and yeast is not an issue for you then this is a great addition
to your diet.

If Brewers Yeast is not an option for you, then getting the

biotin directly from your vitamin or health food store will do.

Silica

If your hair breaks easily then silica will be a good enhancer

to your goal. Silica strengthens the hair and prevents hair
breakage. It also is essential for bone, nail and hair growth.
Abundant in our young bodies and responsible for our shiny
hair and tight skin, we gradually loose much of it as we age.

Adding silica to your diet will surely enhance your hairs

growth but the benefits do not stop there.

MSM
MSM is a sulfur compound with lots of benefits, it
rejuvenates the skin, and it increases cell turn over, helps
with joint pain, help in the quick recovery and many more
benefits.

41
Like protein sulfur can be found in part in our body. In
research it was shown that there is less sulfur in the strands
of coily hair compared to the hair of those with straight hair.

Do you ever recall women in the past making huge claims

about Sulfur 8 being a miracle hair growth grease? For years
the older generation swore to the benefits of Sulfur8. The
problem with Sulfur 8 is that it smells horrible. However the
benefits of sulfur like protein are outstanding.

Do you know why the eggs did such a wonderful job of

growing out my hair in the past? It is because not only do
eggs contain a high amount of protein eggs also contain lots
of sulfur, which now explains why it works so well with
increasing the hair growth. The combination of both protein
and sulfur is an elixir to hair growth.

While I saved the MSN for last it is on top of the list of

ingredients for stronger, longer hair. After a few weeks of
taking MSN you could easily see the proof of its miraculous
benefits just by looking at your finger nails. Your nails are
always an indication of what is going on inside of your body
and with the MSN you nails will become super hard.

Imagine then what it will do for your hair!!!

42
While I do share the three ingredients that make the perfect
blend for any hair growth vitamin tablet, I do stress that you
aim to have MSN always. It have benefits that could take an
entire book to share.

There is a woman who wrote a book on the science of skin

and she discovered that one thing was lacking in darker
skinned. (she is Asian) That thing she discovered was
Sulphur (MSN). She noticed that an increase in sulphur in
her diet lighted her skin tone.

Surprisingly this was something that I noticed after taking

the sulphur for sometime. The shade changed one or two
shapes light. The skin at first became a bit red because
sulphur has a detox effect on the body at first but after the
detox period was over the skin became a brighter, healthier
hue.

These three very important ingredients can be purchased

separately or as combination in one hair vitamin. Make sure
that the hair vitamin has all three. The good ones usually do.

Note: Everything I have shared in the form of hair vitamins have been
researched a great deal and tested. While I was introduced to many
things by others I have spend a long time researching the actual
effects not only to my hair but to others as well.

43
 C o d L iv e r O il Oil

Did you know that Fish oil is one of the best supplements
you could ever take? The Omega 3 fatty acids are an overall
benefit to the heart and the general health of the body.
Maybe you recall taking cod liver oil as a child? If you are
from a country outside of the United States you may recall
getting your daily dose of Cod Liver oil and perhaps you are
still taking it.

Many women especially those from the West Indies swear by

the benefits of Cod Liver Oil. They believe that not only
does it allow the hair to grow stronger and faster but it also
enhances the shine and lustre of the hair. All of which is
very true.

After meeting numerous women who swore to the benefits

of the Cod Liver oil, most of whom were from the West
Indies, I gave it a thought. Then I met one woman and as If
by perfect synchronicity she opened the conversation about
how very quickly her hair had grown. As usual I was eager
to know what assisted her good results. She very quickly
and with great elation shared that it was the Cod Liver oil
which she was taking. She had begun taking it after she had
some terrible relaxer damage.

44
Looking at her present hair condition which was thick and
very healthy, I knew this was a sign so I promptly went out
and got a bottle.

It took me a few weeks to see any remarkable changes.

Then again I was very excited to see immediate changes.
What I did notice was that by the end of the month my new
hair growth was darker with a much higher gloss than I had
ever before had.

Another very interesting side effect was that my eye lashes

had gotten longer and thicker too. This was something I
had not ever expected but it was very obvious. My skin was
also a lot smoother and glossier. The benefits were endless
and did not stop there; even my nails seemed to grow with a
much clear and nicer colour. Since I always kept my nails in
a natural colour I was able to see the benefits right away.

It was then that I knew that if my nails were responding that

quickly then it was obvious that my hair was benefiting just
as well and that time would reveal the results.

As the months rolled on everyone commented on the shine

of my hair and I could see it too. The protein supplements
as well as the Cod liver oil were adding amazing benefits to
my hair.

45
 The blood stream. One of the
most more common brands
common happens to be Seven Seas
belief is Cod Liver oil. However it is
that the not the only brand on the
market. This is
Cod Liver oil should be A supplement you want to
taken first thing in the incorporate into your diet
morning on an empty for the numerous benefits
stomach a few minutes it will give you beyond just
before breakfast. Orange hair care.
juice can be added to the
mix. The idea of having it
before meals is to enhance
its absorption into the

46
 The Truth About
W a te r
And Your Hair

The Biggest Myth about our hair: Water is bad for black hair.
As black women we have developed some radical
misconceptions about the effects of water on our hair. I do
not know where the theory that water is bad for our hair
began. Looking back at the much earlier generation of
blacks in this country many of the women wore their hair in
very long braided styles. Their general routine was to daily
wet their hair, comb it out, grease it, and then plait it up.

The routine of women in foreign countries who have long

healthy hair seem to consist of the very similar routine of
rinsing the hair nightly, oiling and braiding it for bed.

The best conclusion for why we have been avoiding water

has to do with the advent of hair relaxers. Hair relaxers are
probably the worst chemical approved for human use. Not
only does it break down the alkaline balance of the hair in
order to straighten it, the caustic nature of the relaxer also
affects the scalp tremendously. Add this already sensitive
issue of damaged hair with the harsh solvents found in
shampoo and what do we have? Dry brittle hair that has no

47
shine and not easy to manage, which obviously leads to hair
that is constantly breaking.

Any of the two chemicals, (relaxers and shampoo) could

potentially damage the hair but add the two together and we
have hair that is dramatically dehydrated.

Every woman who has had a relaxer knows just how dry and
dull her hair gets after washing it. It is the reason why most
women wash their hair every two weeks and some go as
long a one full month.

But, water is not to be blamed for the dry

hair. Water in actuality is the elixir to
long lush healthy hair. Our coily hair
especially needs the water. It is the
shampoo and other harsh agents which
leave our fine strands stripped. After
much research I come to see how harsh
the chemicals are in the shampoo. Did
you know that the same chemicals found
in shampoo are found in industrial and
household cleaners?

Although I came to this knowledge it was hard to let go of

the shampoo. It took me a while to deprogram my own

48
thinking about shampoo, water and hair washing. The
clarity of it all was done by a dear old lady.

We have the tendency to reverie older women as wise and

filled with great insight or we brand them as foolish and cast
them and their knowledge away. This ladys life was a
perfect demonstration of both those cases. When I saw her
sitting quietly looking into nowhere land, I wondered what
she was seeing, what was she absorbing that I could not
comprehend. And, as I looked at her taking in her peaceful
nature I noticed her long braided plait flowing to the middle
of her back. Instantly my interest in her peeked. I bravely
walked over to her and began with talk.

It did not take very long for her to share with me what she
knows about hair. She was eager and enthusiastic about
sharing her knowledge. Hair, she said, should be treated
like the plant. You have to water it and give it attention but
if you do too much you kill it. Then she said, Did you ever
see a plan grow that did not get watering? Then she
proceeded to tell me about her granddaughter who
complains daily about her hair. She oils it and rolls it up,
she measures it and seems to sit by waiting for it to grow
but she never wets it.
I laughed out, thinking of all the women who I knew who
were doing the same thing, myself included. But granny,
you know water is hard on our hair type, I said.
nonsense, she responded. Says who?

49
 Of course I went about sharing with her how the water
breaks down our hair and why it takes the relaxer out. But,
for the very first time as I was sharing this, I realized that I
had no bases at all in this myth. I had never proved it to
myself that this was a fact.

Then she said something quite simple. She said, Stop using
that shampoo. Its not the water that breaks the hair its the
Water Is Essential to the growth of our hair.

shampoo that dries out the hair. You can wet your hair
every day and your hair will be clean and it will grow more
for it. There are plants and things which are gently on our
hair. Throw away those harsh chemical shampoos they were
not made for our fine hair in mind.

This was my ah ha moment! Perhaps I had heard that

concept many times but my stubborn head did not want to
receive it. The idea that I could use an alternate washing
method had never struck my mind as it did hearing it from
her.

Perhaps I was more willing to trust her advice because her

own hair was evidence of health and the sort of length that
we all aspire to. Examining her hair much closely, I could
see that she was natural. Her strands were not unlike most
black womens hair. On first appearance most people would
assume that it was a particular grade, but it was no

50
particular grade that was uncommon to the rest of us. What
was uncommon was the health and shine of her hair.

After much more talk about the politics and social affects
that hair plays on us as women she shared her routine which
was quite astonishingly simple.

1. First thing in the morning while bathing she saturates

her hair in the shower.
2. She massages her scalp then runs her fingers along the
hair to remove any excess dirt or oil.
3. Then she twists into to large rolls.
4. After leaving the shower she then oils and greases her
damp hair. (emphasising the dampness of the hair to
keep the moisture)
5. Then she gathers all of it into one long plait.

She said that this routine has served her for most of her life
and when she has visited her children in colder climates she
reverses the procedure and does it at night instead of in the
morning.

So I wanted to know does she ever feel the need to shampoo

or wash out the excess oil and her respond was that from
time to time she has used okra or hibiscus leaves but that
was not a standard for her. Her belief was that if one rinsed
often enough there would not be build up of oils on the hair

51
shaft and on the scalp and what was there would only
protect the hair from the elements.

Of course I had to go a little closer to sniff her hair.

Honestly there was only the smell of fresh clean hair. I still
probed her for the hibiscus shampoo.

My conclusion after much research and many years of

personal learning is that water is essential to the health of
our hair.

It cleans the scalp of excess oil and dirt which tends to

get clogged easily because of the heavy products and
sweat.
If you exercise you want to rinse out the sweat which
could lead to clogged pour as well as drying out the
hair.
The water adds lots of moisture to our hair strands.
The more moisture the more the hair grows.
Think of your hair as a plant and your scalp as the
earth. Dry earth would produce slow growing plants
that die easily.

After my very own experiments of rinsing my hair daily,

sometimes every other day, I was amazed!!! One of the
biggest benefits I gained was hair that was a lot stronger. I
came to the conclusion that all the harsh agents were really
weakening my hair. As a substitute for cleansing my scalp I
have been using a brown sugar scrub which I share at the
end of this chapter.
52
I do clean my scalp every week with a homemade scrub that
I share at the end of this chapter. Its another miracle
product that I learned.

You may be wondering if the hair will smell. The answer is

no. If rinsing is something that you intend to do frequently
then with each rinse you clean out any bacteria that would
cause your hair to smell badly or to clog your scalp. Here is
a great article I found. Notice that those with very oily hair
seem to complain but those with dry frizzy hair benefited a
great deal. Here it is Click Here!

T h r ee a l t e r n a t i v es t o S h a m p o o

Hair Rinsing:

Water alone can do wonders for cleaning our hair. Dont be

fooled by the suds in the shampoo, the suds and bubbles
dont clean your hair at all.

If you have experienced a lot of build up and think rinsing with water
alone is not enough for you, then maybe its exactly the trick your hair
needs a break from all those products.

This is just designed to give you the illusion which

manufactures are fully aware of. Did you know that the suds

53
do not wash the hair??? This is just an added ingredient.
Rinsing your hair with warm water removes the oils and dirt
from the scalp and the hair. Allow the water to fully saturate
your hair. Then massage you scalp to remove excess dirt
and oil. Running your fingers through your hair will also lift
away any dirt. Then you can follow up with a cool water
rinse.

Conditioner Wash:

If you feel the need to detangle your hair in the shower or

you simply want a more vigorous wash then a conditioner
wash can do wonders for you hair.

Find a light inexpensive conditioner, one that is used as a

light rinse. Suave, Alberto Vo5 and a few others are ideal for
this use. Use it just as you would a shampoo, the
ingredients in those conditioners have the ability to clean
and remove the dirt from your hair.

Natural Shampoo:

If you are completely hardwired to use shampoo then try an

alternative choice of a more natural shampoo. You can
make your own or look for shampoos which are created with
natural ingredients.

54
Many people are becoming wiser about shampoo and using
alternative methods so manufactures are making more
shampoos which are labelled natural but they are not natural
at all. They still contain the harsh ingredients which strip
and dry out the hair. Visit a health food store where there
are alternative hair washing aids.

Let us not forget that things which are store bought are first made from
natural ingredients that are easily found in your kitchen. Chemicals are
later added to the ingredients to help in preserving their life and holding
the ingredients together. --- Never underestimate your ability to whip up
something in your kitchen which would be more, healthy for your hair.

55
 Hibiscus and Okra Shampoo

The hibiscus plant can be wonderful thick gummy

found in tropical regions. substance, which is quite
However Okra can be found slippery. This is what you
in most ever super market. are looking for to wash
The method your hair. This
is the same will give your
for both. hair a nice soft
wash and lots
Taking the of slip like a
leaves of good
the hibiscus conditioner
flower place without the
them in a synthetic waxes
bowl of water. The same which only coat the hair
would be done for the Okra and give a false appearance
as well as the Okra leaves. of health.
When they become
saturated with the water You want to leave it on the
begin to crush them with hair for a few minutes while
your hands, just so that in the shower before
they have a soft pulpy feel. completely washing it off.
Then let it sit for a while. This is also good for
After a few minutes, closer people with dry scalp.
to half an hour you will find
that it has secreted a

56
 Br o w n S ug a r S c r ub
Let me first say that brown sugar is a natural exfoliant which
does wonders for lifting the top layer of dead skin. There
are many companies that now market brown sugar body
scrubs. Anything that is good for the rest of the body is
certainly good for the scalp.

One of the great benefits of this scrub is that it lifts the dead
skin on the scalp that would otherwise have gotten trapped
in your hair. Plus not even shampoo can clean your scalp as
a good gentle exfoliant scrub such as this. As the dead skin
is lifted the scalp has a better chance of absorbing that
wonderful Herbal Hair Oil designed for faster growth.

If you have chosen to do the no shampoo/conditioner wash

as I have, then doing a brown sugar scalp massage weekly
will be a good idea for keeping your scalp super clean.

You will need:

2 heaping tbs of coarse brown sugar
2 tbs of your favourite conditioner
Mix the two ingredients, making sure
not to melt the sugar. Its important
that the crystals remain in tact.

57
Part your dry hair just as you would if you were going to
relax it or condition it. Apply the sugar spread to your
scalp. After you have completed apply it to the entire scalp
begin to gently massage your scalp. When you have
completed the whole head you can now wet the hair and
massage some more. The final step is to thoroughly rinse
the hair so that all reside is removed.

If you missed the link above to the, no shampoo report, here

it is again.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-394226/Could-survive-shampoo.html

Also read the comments, this will help you in making a more
informed decision about omitting shampoo for a more
alternative method or simply rinsing as I have. Here is a
good comment which mirrors everything I have shared with
you about shampoo so far.

The problem with most shampoos is they contain sodium lauryl sulphate
or sodium laureth sulphate which is the cheap foaming agent that the
manufacturers use to give you a good lather. The problem is that it is
actually an industrial chemical which is a skin and eye irritant - just try
looking it up on the internet! It also retards hair growth and damages the
follicles so hair actually falls out more frequently. There is nothing to stop
manufacturers from using this, it's even in baby products despite the fact
the same chemical is used as an engine de-greaser and a garage floor
cleaner.

- Jenny, colchester, uk

58
 H u m e c t a n ts
You may be wondering what are humectants? Humectants
are another wonderful secret agent in the
maintenances of healthy coily hair.
Humectants are substances that attract
and retain moisture. Generally used in
lotions, cosmetics and hair care products
they are a life saviour for our dry tresses.

With the use of a humectant you dont

have to seal in moisture to the hair with
heavy waxes, grease or mineral oils. Not
only does the humectant attract moisture
to the hair it also helps in retaining that
moisture which is so needed for hair that
has a tendency to be dry.

Glycerine:
One such commonly used humectant is glycerine. Glycerine
is certainly the hair care industries secret. No matter how it
is packaged or what other ingredients it may be mixed with
it is a key ingredient in most hair care products marketed for
black hair. It is a clear, sticky, sweet, substance derived
from the fat of the olive oil and other fatty substances;
however it is not oil. Its used in lotions, soaps, cosmetics,

59
conditioners and hair care products. Yes, its also used for
making the sweet icening found on cakes. This is a good
thing, because anything which you can eaten should be
good for the hair.

Glycerine can be found in any pharmacy or health food

store. Because of its ability to really help in the retention of
moisture to the hair, products containing glycerine are
generally most popular. They also leave the hair very soft to
the touch.

When the hair is that soft and moist it breaks less, as a

result the hair has a better change to retain the length that
you have worked so hard to grow out.

Most people are unaware of the content of the products they

are using, they simply know that certain products help their
hair from breaking and drying off.

One of the most popular products are the activator gels

which were used in the 80s for the jerricurl. Although this
style is no longer in fashion the activators are still available
and they are better than ever. They are less sickly and more
tailored for hair that is relaxed as well as those who care to
wear their hair in its natural state.

During the time of the Jerricurl most people saw their hair
grow to lengths that they previously had not. The reason

60
for the growth certainly wasnt the chemical breaking down
of the health and elasticity of the hair. Two factors for this
extra length were the water and the glycerine. The high
content of water in the activator spray would give the hair
the moisture that it needed and the glycerine would help
maintain the moisture.

If you understood the science of our hair you would

understand the need for moisture which could only be found
in water and the maintenance of that moisture which could
come from anything which would support that moisture and
not dry it out. Both of these ingredients were found in the
products designed for the jerricurl. Fortunately we dont
have to suffer through another jerricurl in order to see the
same results. Neither do you have to suffocate your hair
with an excess of ingredients if you dont want to.

Relaxed ladies could find or make a glycerine sprays which

you could apply to your hair before rolling it at night. For
women who are natural the choices are endless, there are
gels, creams, and sprays with glycerine that will keep the
moisture in your hair very high.

Ho n e y :
Honey is another humectant which is a common ingredient
found in soaps and lotions. Like the glycerine it attracts and
retains moisture however it is much stickier and not as

61
commonly used straight to the hair. One way to use and
benefit from honey is to add it to a light conditioner and sit
with it for a few minutes, and then wash it out.

One thing which should be noted is that both glycerine and

honey should never be added directly to the hair. They
should always be combined with water before applying
directly to the hair, otherwise they will have an adverse
effect and draw moisture away from the hair.

Although I mention honey as a humectants Please do not

use it as a leave in conditioner. Only use it to condition your
hair.

However the glycerine should become a stable in your

hair care routine. It will keep your hair very soft and help
to prevent dry brittle hair which would cause breakage.

62
 Honey & Glycerine Recipe

Vegetable glycerine can be found at any health

food store, hair care store or pharmacy. That
means that if you are stuck in a foreign
country without your hair care products you
can easily find glycerine at a pharmacy and whip up your
own hair care cream or spray.

Glycerine & Rose Water Spray

Here is a recipe that everyones grandmother has used. No

wonder they all had such long hair!!!

Ingredients:
Glycerine
Rose water
Water
Add equal parts glycerine and rose water in a spray bottle.
Mix and spray to hair. If rose water is not available you can

63
substitute a few drops of rose essence to equal parts of
water and glycerine.
This can be applied to hair before adding your usual styling
cream.

Glycerine Cream Spray

This is an alternative to the glycerine and rosewater spray if

you are looking for something which is a bit thicker. It can
be sprayed to relaxed hair before rolling at night or natural
hair before styling.

Moisture equals =Longer hair.

Ingredients:

Glycerine
Your favourite leave in cream
Water
Empty spray bottle

Mix equal parts glycerine and water to a measuring cup then

depending on the desired thickness add leave in cream to
the mix. The consistency should be like a thick spray. Add
more water as needed. Stir well then pour into empty spray
bottle.

64
 Honey Deep Conditioning
This recipe will leave your hair very soft you will wonder why
you have ever paid for pricey conditioners. For a nice
moisturising conditioner try this one.

Ingredients:
cup of honey
cup of olive oil
Mix the two ingredients then heat over
the stove or microwave. Then apply to
damn freshly washed or rinsed hair.
Wrap your hair with a towel and wait for 30minutes.

Rich Honey Conditioning

Another alternative yet for those who love to experiment.

Ingredients:
cup honey
cup of your favourite conditioner

Heat the two together then apply to hair that is clean and
damp. Wait for 30 minutes. The results should be hair that
is wonderfully soft and moisturised.

65
 Conditioners
Everyone assumes that conditioners are designed to save
their hair and they are correct but not all conditioners are
created equally. Each is designed for a different purpose
and using the wrong conditioner could seriously damage
your hair.
Protein Conditioners:
Moisturising Conditioners:
These Conditioners are designed to
These conditioners are water based and add strength to our hair. They are
essential to maintaining the moisture especially good for relaxed hair or
balance in the hair. They make the hair soft colour treated hair. They are
and restore the elasticity of the hair. Its packed with proteins that bind to
packed with Humectants that lock in the hair shaft to smooth out and fill
moisture. It must say Moisturising on the in the strands where damage has
container. occurred. Although they are very
good for rescuing the hair you can
Reconstructors: never use it too frequently because
they leave the hair hard and can
Reconstructors are another range of protein cause the strands to become very
conditioners. They are for severely brittle. Most protein conditioners
damaged hair. Although they can do
should be followed up by a
wonders for hair that is in danger of
moisturising leave in conditioner to
breaking off due to chemical damage, they counter act the hardness. The best
can also cause severe damage due to the use would be once a month.
heavy protein deposit that it leaves.
Directions must be followed.

Oils:
Natural Conditioners:
Not all oils are created equally.
Never over look the benefits of a good Natural oils are the way to go. They
natural conditioner. Because its made seal in the moisture to the hair and
in your kitchen you can be sure that it protect the strands so they can be
has none of the ingredients and combed and styled without friction.
chemical that you dont want and all Oils are super important addition a
the things that you do need. little goes a long way. However
synthetic oils like mineral leave the
hair hard and lock out moisture they
Leave-in conditioners: also require harsh shampoo to get rid
Leave in are essential for our dry coily off. Look for Olive, Castor, JoJobar,
hair. Weather they are in the form or sunflower seed oils and shea butter.
creams or oils just make sure that they are
applied as a wash to protect the strands.
66
 The Perfect Balance

Hair requires a perfect balance of If your hair feels mushy, soft to the touch
Moisture, protein and Oil. when wet and easily breaks it is then
lacking in protein strength. The remedy
Moisture to combat dryness then is a good protein conditioner.
Protein for strength
Oil to lock in moisture Balance is essential to maintaining our
hair, a perfect regime of Protein once a
If your hair is feeling dry there month, while weekly moisturising
could be several factors influencing treatments is best for the perfect balance.
this dryness.

Have you been applying a

good moisturising leave in
conditioner?

Have you been using too

many protein conditioners
that leave your hair brittle? One final addition to the trio is oil.
Natural oils lock in the moisture. It
Although Protein conditioners are seals the moisture in the hair and
great for strengthening your hair, protects the hair from drying out.
too frequent protein products can
leave the hair harsh and brittle. Applying a small amount of oil after
your leave in conditioner seals the
Dry hair is in need of a good moisture into the strand. It prevents
moisturising conditioner without the hair from drying out easily. You
the emphasis on more protein. will find that you will need much less
That however tends to be hard to leave in conditioner because you have
find so a great alternative is a used natural oil. If generally you
natural conditioner. Warm honey apply a leave in daily, with oil you
and olive oil to damp hair will add may be able to skip a day or two.
the moisture balance your hair is
craving. Leave in for 30 minutes,
rinse then apply a good moisture
leave in conditioner.

67
 A Trip To The Indian Market
I decided to take a trip to the Indian We massage the scalp with the oil, leave it
market to see what goodies I could find in for a few minutes or all day if there is
and what secrets I could learn from the time then we wash it out with the Neem. I
way Indian women care for their. was excited to learn more and allowed her
Indian women definitely have an art to show me the numerous products which
for hair care, favouring more natural were all new to me.
products.
All of the following conditioners are derived
Although our hair structure is different, from plants. They are sold in a powdered
the nature of all hair types is the same. form. Some are pre-packaged in boxes
So with that understanding I was off to while others are in clear Ziploc bags. The
learn more. preparation is quite simple. Add to a bowl
and mix with water to make a paste, let sit
The first thing I noticed in the beauty for a minute or two then apply to the hair.
section were the many beautifully Massage scalp and gently run though hair
packaged bottles of hair oil. strands, then rinse.

There were also packaged boxes of Shikakai powder, cleans scalp, good for
conditioners and this peeked my dandruff, strengthens hair, promotes
curiosity. I wanted to know what hair luxuriant growth.
conditioners were doing in boxes rather Heenara - natural shampoo for hair, free
than jars. of chemicals. Heenara herbal hair wash is
highly recommended for soft smooth hair.
I quickly got the attention of one of the Neem helps with hair conditioning and
women who was delighted to assist me strength. Clears scalp of any infections
and explain some hair secrets.
Henna adds strength to hair, protecting
I want to know are there any secrets it from the elements.
to Indian hair care, I asked. Ah yes,
she replied and begun to share. Most Oils: There were many oils, all of which
Indian woman dont use shampoo too seem to contain a mix with coconut oil. If
much. Instead we like Neem and you ever took a trip to the Indian market
Shalkika for washing the hair. They place, if there is one in your neighbourhood
doesnt take too much of the oil from then you can always experiment, otherwise
the hair in the way shampoo does. there are loads of good natural oils which
They also make the hair strong and would do an excellent job of massaging
prevent the hair from falling we also your scalp and protecting your strands.
like to massage our hair with oil before None however are as effective as the
washing. Herbal Hair mix I will share in the next
chapter.

68
Henna is One of My Best Kept Secrets -- I gave myself the
time to experiment with
each of the conditioners
on the list over a long
period of time. They
have all been beneficial
as a natural alternative
for washing my hair.
However the one that I
continue to use and will
always have as part of
my hair routine is the
henna.

Henna is a natural plant conditioner which is most

commonly used in Muslim countries to create body art as
well as for conditioning the hair. Muslim and Indian women
have always raved about the benefits of Henna for
strengthening their hair. I must admit that for over ten
years Henna has really been a life saver for my hair. It has
remained one of my very best hair care secrets. It protects
the hair giving it a feeling of extraordinary strength. If your
hair is fine it will give the hair more volume. You will notice
that after one use of Henna your hair will stop breaking.

The benefits of Henna generally last for one month. After

using Henna you will find that your hair feels really nice.
The hair will feel soft but strong at the same time. You can
even comb through the hair and it wont snap. You may
notice that there are no loose strands in your bathroom sink.

69
That is really, just how awesome Henna is to the hair. The
fact that its all natural is a huge benefit to me. I am not
sure I could have grown out my hair as long and as thick as I
have without the use of Henna, it really does stop the
breakage.

If your hair is relaxed you already know the frustrating

feeling of dealing with two different textures, the new
growth and the relaxed part. If you are trying to extend the
time between relaxer you could very well benefit from the
use of henna. What henna does is substantially soften the
new growth while strengthening the part that is already
relaxed and fragile.

For hair that is completely natural your hair will be much

more manageable because henna protects the hair by
slightly coating the strands which reduces hair breakage.

The downside of henna is that it could be very drying if used

too frequently. Use it once a month for best results, more
than that would be excessive and may lead to dryness. The
second downside to using henna is just how messing the
preparation could be. But it is soo good that the messy
mixture is minor to the benefits it adds to my hairs.

H o w to U s e H e n n a :
Henna can be purchased at any Muslim or Indian
marketplace and its fairly cheap. IF you cant find it at the

70
local market you can order some online. It has a long shelf
life so you can buy in bulk.

For conditioning you would need the neutral henna but if

that is not available you could always use black for a rich
lush shinny outcome.

Henna
Warm water
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs of olive oil

Scalp Massages

In a bowl mix these ingredients until it has formed a

paste. Mix to your judgement what you think is needed
for your hair length, then let sit for 30 minutes.
You can section your hair into four parts, and then apply
the henna to each section. Sit for an hour then rinse
thoroughly. Do NOT USE HEAT

71
 S c a lp M a s s a ge s
Scalp massages are delicious!!! Not only are they good for
the circulation of the blood to the scalp, it also increases
hair growth. It happens to be one of the key secrets for
faster hair growth.

Benefits of scalp massaging:

1) Scalp massages stimulate the nerves and brings a rush
of blood to your scalp and hair follicles. With that
comes much needed nutrients for hair growth.

2) Stimulates growth where there was previous thinning

or even mild alopecia.

3) Strengthens your hair strands. The added nutrients

greatly benefit the new growth causing the hair to
come in allot full and stronger.

The benefits of hair massages are outstanding. You will

absolutely see faster growth guaranteed.

I have seen people who suffered from hair lost, thinning hair
lines and just those who have a thin head of hair, grow fuller
stronger hair by doing nightly scalp massages.

I also suffered from a very wide centre part that kept

growing larger and larger. I had to disguise it by sweeping
my hair over the balding part. It was quite depressing and I
could cry myself to sleep. Worst of all this went on for
years, until I learned to do daily massages with an oil mix
that changed everything.

72
 The Way to Massage Your Scalp:
Here is a wonderful method for
massaging the scalp. Place the ball of
your fingers, (never the nail) on your
scalp and squeeze the scalp with your
fingers. Imagine yourself as if
squeezing a grapefruit with all then
fingers. You want to feel the pressure
of lifting the scalp and pressing the scalp. Slowly rotate
your fingers in position. After a minute replace your hands
in another position and massage in the same fashion.

Not only will you feel the tension leaving your scalp but as
the skin on your scalp becomes looser it allows the blood to
better circulate and bring nutrients to all areas of your scalp.

IF your hair is thinning this may very well do the trick.

This recipe is very good but not to be used if you are
pregnant.

Rosemary is a stimulant; it does have a bit of a slight

stinging sensation or a nice warm rush. Its exactly what
you need to get the blood pumping and the pours open and
breathing.

Make an effort to try this easy recipe for a few weeks. You
should most definitely see great results. After you see how
well it works you wont want to stop.

Herbal Oil Mix for Super Fast Growth

Rosemary oil
Olive Oil Rosemary leaves
Jojoba oil Spray bottle (found in any hair
Vitamin e oil supply store)

Mix equal parts in a container Add Rosemary leaves in a clear

and massage nightly to scalp. glass container with warm
Rosemary is known to stimulate water. Place by the window so
the scalp and help in growth. that the sun can allow the oil to
This works!!! be releasedafter three weeks
use as a spray to the scalp.

73
Are you ready for yet another secret oil which promotes
maximum growth?

In my quest for more natural hair growth secrets I took a trip

to my local China Town. I know that many cultures around
the world all have their must have beauty secret. In China
Town it was no different. One oil that I was consistently
directed to was Camellia oil. Asian women swear by the
beauty secrets of Camellia oil. Japanese woman attribute
longer hair growth to the use of this oil which also can be
used on the skin to reduce wrinkles. Its a light oil which
penetrates the skin very quickly without leaving it greasy.

Shortly after I discovered this oil a friend brought me a

package claiming that it was a must have beauty secret and
that all the women in her family swear to the growth
properties of Camellia oil.

Here are the best directions for using it.

Saturate your damp hair from scalp to tip with the oil.
Gently massage your scalp, then wrap hair and sit under a
warm heating cap for ten to fifteen minutes. You may sleep
with the oil, and then wash it out the following day.

74
 M a k e Y o u r O w n le a v e I n
C o nd i t i o ne r
Remaining with the natural theme, here is a very great leave
in that will lock in the moisture in your hair. Shea butter has
numerous benefits for not only the hair but the skin as well.
It helps to protect the hair strands, locking in moisture while
protecting the strands. You will find softer easier to manage
hair after a few uses. Even better its completely natural.

The trick to use raw Shea butter is to mix it. Often people
melt the Shea Butter and apply it directly to their hair. While
this not bad, Shea Butter is quite heavy and can over coat
the hair strands.

Here are a few tips for making your own Shea Butter hair
creams. Mix in the proportion of Shea Butter based on how
thick you want the cream to be.

What are you using it for? If your hair is relaxed then you
may prefer a lighter, less greasy cream. However if your hair
is thick or natural and your desire is to create a stronger
hold or braid out then you may want a thicker Shea Butter
mix adding a large proportion of Shea Butter.

75
 S h e a S o u f f l
Cup of Aloe vera gel
(Fruit of the Earth can be found
At most stores.
Shea butter
1/8 olive oil

Melt shea butter and place in a shallow bowl. Add cup

aloe vera gel and blend with a hand held blender. Blend
until fluffy. Add olive oil to the mix and continue blending.

The mixture should be very soft and fluffy like whipped

cream. This mixture will be very soft, moisturising but not
greasy.

76
 M a ng o S h e a B u t t e r
This mix is suitable for a harder more firm mix. Although
its firm its not quite as firm as the actual raw shea butter.

1 Cup o of Shea Butter

Cup of Olive Oil
Cup of mango butter

Blend the entire mix and place in a container for further use.

Experiment with the proportions that suite you. You can try
various oils with the blend to see what works for you. When
you find the mix you like write it down so you can duplicate
it again.

Remember that each mix will be different based on the time

of year or the temperate. IF you are in a cold climate the
mix may seem harder while during the warmer months the
same mix may seem allot more oily.

I have found the very first recipe with the aloe gel to be my
best all year round. With the large amount of aloe the mix
stays soft but not greasy.

77
 T r im Y o u r O w n H a ir
Imagine never leaving your stylist with tears in you eyes.
There is a way to trim your very own hair with great results
every time. Follow these steps to trim your own hair.

First get a packet of hair rubber bands

1) Section the hair into small parts as if you

were going to braid it.
2) Secure the rubber bands to the end of
each section leave out the small amount
you want to trim.
3) After you have done a full head begin to trim blow the
rubber band.

78
 P r o te c ti v e S ty l i n g
The harsh elements along with the daily styling and
manipulation can put a heavy strain
on your hair. This is specially the case
when you are doing any of the
harsh practices found to cause hair
breakage. If you want to grow long
beautiful hair you must learn about
the importance in protective styling.

It does not matter what type of hair you have, what ethnicity
you are. Protective styling is a very important secret step in
retaining your hair growth.

These are some of the benefits to protective styling:

1) Less Friction Every time you manipulate your hair you

run the risk of having it break. Protective styling gives your
hair a rest and an opportunity to grow.

2) Strength in Volume As your hair has an opportunity to

rest from the daily hair lost that comes with heavy styling it
gets an opportunity to gain fullness. When your hair is
uneven and broken its much more vulnerable to further
breakage. But, when it has an opportunity to grow out to
one full healthy length it greatly reduces hair lost.

79
3) Saving the ends - The ends of your hair are the most
fragile part of your hair. They are the oldest part of your
hair and they are much more prone to split ends and getting
dry and brittle. This is why every bottle of conditioner will
stress the need to focus on conditioning the ends first
because that is the part that is needs the most care and
moisture.

Too often most people focus on the rest of the hair while
ignoring the ends. You can only see progress in growth if
you can nurture and save your ends. If your ends are always
breaking how can you ever see progress?

4) Locking Moisture in Protective styling will allow your

hair to retain much needed moisture. Think of a piece of
fabric that is frequently washed with detergent then placed
in a dryer. It takes very little time before that piece of fabric
gets hard and brittle. This is why fabric softener is so
necessary to save the texture of your clothes. Your hair is
the same.

Giving your hair a rest in a protective style while feeding it

much needed moisture will increase the elasticity to your
hair as well as promote a healthy, soft head of hair.

80
As you can see there are several benefits to wearing
protective styles. For black hair protective styling is even
more essential to getting past certain fragile points.

3 Protective Styles that Work

1) Buns are a great way to protect your hair while

growing it out. The bun should never be tight. This is

very important. Too often you can find women whose
hair lines are eaten away because they have been
wearing super tight buns. If you pull tightly on your
hair to create a bun you will soon enough see the front
of your line getting quite thin. This in itself will create
another problem which may be permanent.

A) Gather your hair back and secure it with a soft ponytail

holder.
B) Saturate the last two inches all the way to the very end
with your favourite leave in conditioner. The end will
be very moist, maybe even greasy. Thats ok; the
point in this is to maintain a lot of moisture to your
ends while protecting it from the elements.
C) Tuck the end under, so that its secured inside of the
bun.
You can easily wear this style daily for as long as it takes to
see results. Its easy to do and can be very elegant. I was

81
fortunate enough to have been sent this link which
demonstrates the method that I just shared with you.
This woman does a great example.

2.) Braids, whether natural or as synthetic additions,

almost everyone can attest to seeing lots of growth after
wearing braids. The sad but common part is not being able
to keep the length that you have gained after months of new
growth.
I am about to show you a great method for using braids to
grow your hair very long quite easily. If you like braids then
you dont want to skip this section.

a) The very best hair for braiding is human hair or

kanekalon hair. Its much gentler on the hair and
maintains the moisture a lot better than other
quality hair which can strips the outer layer of the
hair.
b) Have your hair braided in medium size braids.
Never ever get the tiny micro braids. They are
horrible to remove and you end up loosing too
much hair in the removal process. Your braids
should be able to fit snugly inside of a drinking
straw. However if you run it through a straw and
there is a lot of space then the braid is too small.
c) Here is the very best part. This is the way to
maintain them for maximum growth.

82
 1 empty spray bottle
1 glycerine
1 favourite leave in
conditioner
Mix of your bottle with glycerine and water. Then
add your favourite leave-in conditioner to the mix.
Shake well!

This will be your daily spray. You must spray this to the full
length of your braids up to where your own hair ends. This
is one of the very best treatments for your braids.

Often most women will braid their hair and neglect to

maintain the moisture. After removing the braids they find
their hair is brittle, although their hair is a lot longer its too
fragile and breaks easily. Do not omit this part if you want
to retain maximum growth from wearing braids.

This technique will also make the removal of your braids a

lot easier. When the braids are dry and brittle they are hard
to remove. However when they are cared for and remain
moist they are easier and softer on your own hair. Dont
worry about the braids slipping out. They wont unless you
drenched the braid with excess water.

83
 Best way to wash braids:

Get another empty spray bottle. Mix 1/3 of shampoo to 2/3

part water. Shake it up, then spray the solution to the scalp
and massage your roots and scalp. Allow the solution to run
down your braids. Then rinse thoroughly.

Never ever put shampoo directly on your braids. Not only

will the thick shampoo get stuck between your braids, it is
hard to wash out and will severely dry out your hair.

2) Weaves are another option which can be quite

stylish. You can apply the very same method as with

the braids however because the hair is locked away
beneath the hair you should not to spray it as
frequently as you do with the braids. There is a chance
that the hair beneath the weave could get dry rot due
to lack of proper air.

My preference every time are braids for protective styling.

The results are always astonishing. If you follow this method
alone you will realize great progress.

84
6 inches
in 6 Months BootCamp

Get a ruler and measure 6 inches. When was the last time
you experienced six inches of sustained growth? Can you
imagine your hair 6 inches longer 6 months from now? Its
actually quite easy to do if and when you follow the
guidelines that I have mapped out for you.

With any goal that you wish to attain you need to write out a
map of what steps you need to take and begin documenting
it. This is one key to success that should be applied to every
aspect of your life.

Step #1

Vitamins
Good healthy and fast growing hair absolutely needs to start
from within. Get yourself one multivitamin and one hair
vitamins in The Perfect Blend, chapter. If money is not an
issue I would highly suggest that you get the individual
ingredients of Msn, Biotin, and Silica, plus the Cod liver Oil.

85
 Step #2

Protein
There are many great protein powders on the market. Get a
large 5lb size that will last you a good long time. Do some
research, on different ingredients to add to your protein
shake? You will discover shiner hair that grows and grows
and grows very fast. Make sure to drink more water also.

Step # 3
Choose Your Protective Style
Will you wear a soft bun that will keep the ends of your hair
tucked under and protected or would you go for braids or a
weave instead? Decide which will allow for the least bit of
manipulation and which is best for you. Whatever you
choose commit to keeping that style for the six months
while following your vitamin and maintenance treatment.

Step #4

Daily Maintenance
Take the challenge of daily or every other day rinsing.
Decide which method is best for you. If you feel that using a
shampoo is absolutely a must then you can visit your local
health food store where you can search for a more natural
alternative method. You can also visit the Indian market and

86
experiment with the natural powdered shampoos like
Shikakai or Amla.

If you have selected the water only method, which I highly

recommend that you at least try, then do use the brown
sugar scrub once a week. Follow the recipe in the previous
chapter. The brown sugar scrub is such a great exfoliant for
the health of the scalp that you can use it no matter what
your hair routine is. If your hair is relaxed you will love
giving it a rest from the typical shampoos. My hair thrived
when I stopped shampooing my relaxed hair. I discovered
my curls and better bounce and of course faster growth.

Braids or weaves: use the glycerine, water and leave in

mix.
Relaxed or natural: Find a good leave in conditioner and
stick with one, but first lightly spray your hair with the
glycerine and rose water spray. This will ensure your hair
retains moisture without being too greasy. Make sure to put
a heavy oil on the ends as you tuck it away. This will protect
and save your ends. Stop any use of heat styling, pressing,
or colouring.

___________________________________________________________

87
 Step #5

Scalp Massage
Indulge in nightly scalp massage with the
fast growing oil mix in the earlier
chapter. Put the oil in a bottle with a
dropper application. Its easier to apply the oil this way. It
prevents spilling and it gets directly on the scalp were you
need it. Five to ten minutes of gentle massaging is all you
need to stimulate and get the blood flowing. Be consistent
with it for the next 6 months. Its easy to do while you are
watching television.

Keep A Hair Journal

Its really important that you monitor what is going on with

your hair. You will learn so much about how your hair
responds to certain methods. No matter what you read
ultimately you will have to become your very best teacher.
Let you hair tell you what it needs.

88
 After the Challenge

This is the real tricky part. You have done everything that is necessary to
maintain the moisture of your hair while keeping your hair in a protective
style, and now you have gained lots of new growth. The question then
becomes, How do I keep all of this growth? This is where most people
make a huge mistake and return to their old way of caring for their hair.

Its important that you continue taking your multivitamins and hair vitamins.
Those vitamins by the way are beneficial not only to your hair but your skin
and your nails, as well as other parts of your body that you may not be
aware of. So by all means continue to take them.

Cut out all the things that cause heat damage and reduce the heavy
chemicals that eat away at your hair.

Find an alternative way of styling your hair that will retain as much moisture
to your hair. When your hair grows substantially longer your choices for
easy styling increases. You now have a lot more options.

I am not an advocate for relaxers of any kind, however I dont believe in

preaching to anyone about the caustic nature of relaxers. I do believe that
everyone will come to their own realization at their own time.

Here is a website where the women have chosen a semi natural method that
may work for some of you. Click Here Its a lot easier to maintain your hair
in this way. Its requires that you wet it, add the hair cream that helps to
define your curls and go. Any style that stays close to our natural texture is
much better for our over all growth.

If you can brave being natural, this ladys hair is quite similar to my own and
the method I have been using for years to manage my hair. Natural Hair!

Make an effort to learn to style your hair in ways that support its growth.
There are many resources if you are willing to look.

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 Tips to Remember

The mixing of too many different chemical (artificial)

products is damaging to all hair but especially so for black
hair.
==============================================
Black hair needs lots of moisture.
==============================================
We gain moisture by watering the hair like a plant not by
applying lots of grease. Grease does not at moisture, this is
a myth. Grease is just cheap motor oil packaged nicely with
come clour.
==============================================
We lock in that moisture with a good humectants and leave
in conditioner.
==============================================
Natural products are better suited for black hair as it allows
the hair to breathe better and retain better moisture.
==============================================
Hair rinsing is a better alternative than not washing at all or
washing once a month.

A high protein diet yields very fast hair growth.

Scrubbing the scalp with brown sugar cleans and lifts the
dead skin allowing for easy absorption of essential oils.

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Water is the only source of moisture, oils and creams only
seal in the moisture to the strand.

The more moisture the hair has the greater the elasticity in
the hair which results in less breakage. Think of a rubber
band and what happens when you stretch it. Now think of a
rubber band that has become dry and old. It breaks easily
and has little flexibility.

Heat sucks out the necessary moisture that our hair

desperately needs.

Vitamins start the growth process from the inside.

Oil is a great way to seal in moisture but oil should not be

applied to dry hair. Apply oil to damp or wet hair to secure
more moisture and softer hair.

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 Q u e s t i o ns & S o lu t i o ns
I decided to add some of the most common questions that I
receive. I do know that many people have additional
personal questions and decided to add a few of the most
commons questions.

Super Dry Hair After Shampoo

Hello Donna, My hair is always really dry right after I wash it.
What can I do about that?

The first question I have to ask you is: Do you use regular
shampoo? If so take note of the natural alternatives that I provided
for you. It may take you a very short while after trying the no
shampoo method of washing your hair to see the difference.

For me this is an absolute major benefit for me. I cant speak of it

enough. The first thing you will notice is that your hair will feel a lot
softer and will no longer feel dry and brittle. The dry and brittle feel
is the result of the sulfates in the shampoo which strips the strands.

Think of how your hair feels when it is dirt and then when you get it
shampooed. The first few days after the shampoo the hair feels
harsh and dry and never styles nicely.

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 How to Save Hair After Braiding

Hey Donna, Every time I remove my braids my hair is very long

but it feels like straw and breaks off very fast. What can I do
about that so I dont lose all of it?

Well the number one thing you need to know is that you must
never shampoo your hair while you are wearing braids or a weave.
The shampoo gets trapped inside of the braids and cannot be easily
washed out causing your hair to get stripped and brittle. Secondly
you need to keep your own hair moist while in braids.

Using the glycerin and water mix lightly spray the length of the
braid from root to end every 2-3 days. You will notice that your own
hair will remain very moist. And, when the time comes to remove
the braids your hair will not be broken and dry but very soft.

Hair Snapping of Easily

Help! My hair is super dry I am not sure what I did to cause it, but
its snapping off easily. If I touch it, it breaks.

Hold on this will save your hair, this sounds like an emergency.
First thing you will need to get fastget a cheap wig. You will need
to do this if your hair is breaking off badly. It sounds like your hair
is either breaking off from a heavy protein gel, conditioner, neglect
or possibly serious heat process.

You will also need a plastic cap, the very thin ones found at most
beauty shops.

Braid your own hair in about six to eight size braidsmore if you
need to. You will be leaving it this way under the wig. If you can
cornrow then do so. After braiding your hair, saturate your own
hair with the glycerin and water mix. Then place the plastic cap on
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your head. You will be leaving this on your head all day long except
when you wear your wig outdoors.

Dont rinse your hair for a full week. Just continue to spray the
glycerin, water and oil mix daily. Please shake the bottle first to mix
the solution. After a full week check by releasing the braid. If its
still dry keep up the process until the hair has returned to a healthy
balance. This method helps to build up the moisture balance in the
hair.

Keeping it braided prevents any of the hair from being lost while
you increase the moisture to your hair.

How to Handle Very Short Hair

Donna, my hair is very short and even if I try all the routines that
are recommended my hair cant seem to grow pass a certain
length. What can I do differently?

I am certain that you did not follow through with everything. Here
is what you may not have done that you can do now and see a major
difference. When your hair is very short it needs to pass through a
grow out phase. There is phase where your hair is uneven because
of various lengths. Because the ends are uneven there is less
strength. There is much more strength in numbers. The thicker
your hair the stronger it will be when styling. I hope that makes
sense to you.

One thing that you NEED to do to get pass that phase is a protective
style.

Whenever I want to grow out my hair very fast. I put my hair in

braids for a few months. 2 months at a time. Sometimes I leave it
in as long as 3 months because I take such good care of it there is no
tangling or damage.
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During this period I make sure to rinse it and towel blot my hair
then spray the glycerin mix to the length of the braids.

Also this is the time to maximize your protein intake as well as

other supplements.

Very Fine Hair Which Snaps Easily

My hair is very fine and break off easily. What can I do to make
my hair be stronger and thicker?

First I would like to say that fine hair does not mean that your hair
is thin. You can have a huge dense head of hair but your individual
strands could be very fine. My hair is very full but my strands are
quite fine. I have to say that fine hair does have its disadvantages
because it does break off very easily.

However on the positive side there are many things you can do to
keep it strong. The secret of it all is to keep a steady routine. You
must do a regular protein conditioner. The protein condition coats
the strands with a light layer of protein which helps the hair to feel
stronger and break less.

However do not use a protein conditioner more than once or twice

a month. The extra coating will cause your hair to break badly.
Please do not forget this!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aphogee products are very good for the hair but again I would use it
at the same time every month. Like the first or last day of the
month, every month. If you stick with a schedule then you wont
make the mistake of using it too often. Too often and your hair
could come out in chunks.

My favorite is Henna. I absolutely love what henna does for my hair

and many women who use it absolutely love how it strengthens the
hair strands and makes the hair feel fuller and stronger. The hair
wont snap. Plus Henna is all natural, it will not only coat the
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strands but keep the hair very soft. Like the Aphogee you should
stick to a tight schedule with the Henna also. Over use of Henna
can also cause your hair to become dry and brittle.

My hair is also very fine and I would not have gotten the length and
fullness that I have had I not been using Henna once a month. It
protects and strengthens my hair strands and there is no hair in my
sink at all.

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