Hair Journey - Sophie

Bonsoir everyone! I have my beautiful friend Sophie here who is eager to share her hair journey and her hair care tips with everyone so I hope you enjoy!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi everyone! I'm Sophie a friend of Kia, here to also share my hair story with you on her amazing blog. Similar to Kiki I'm a young black girl from Dominica and Jamaica. My maternal grandpa has elements of Carib influence in his family, this means that they have very soft and straight almost 'coolie' hair. In part somehow, I think that I have inherited a similar type of 3c/4a hair texture which means that my hair is almost black and thick in volume, but very soft and shiny which makes it tamable for me. 

Quick history: The Caribs were the indigenous original settles in the Caribbean, particular in the smaller windward islands like Dominica, St Lucia and Grenada. They were the native, West Indiany Caribbeans and so often descendants possess soft 'coolie' hair. In addition, in Dominica it was colonised by the French at some point and thus my maternal family has a French surname! The Caribbean truly is what it's known as "a melting pot" of different countries. Somehow along the way by grandpa's greatgreatgreat.. relative was a French man!

But enough about me and more about my hair. WELL. Anyone who knows me is well aware that I do like to take care of it and do take pride in it. My hair is I guess "virgin" hair, since I have never put any chemical treatment, bleach or dye in it nor had weave or braids. It's black, bra strap length currently. 

MY HAIR JOURNEY

As a young child until about the age of 10, I had my hair in single twists really. My mum would spend hours doing it but I can say it truly grew my hair. If I was more content with the way it looked I would even keep it now, because it was low maintenance and promoted so much growth. But then I started straightening. DUNDUNDUN!

My worst years were definitely 10-13 where I used to wear my hair in a puff or straighten it every two weeks but thankfully I did not experience breakage as I still had regular trims. Phew! However now I can honestly see change and that's due to the fact I take care of it so much more. So this is what I do!

MY ROUTINE!:

Step 1:

I wash my hair every 3-4 weeks now, and started doing this around the age of 15-16. Although some may say "ew!" for black hair like mine that is soft at the root, the less frequent you wash the more natural oils you keep, and as long as you oil your scalp to prevent dandruff you should be okay! Obviously, wash it early if it's super dirty somehow but for me this is great as I have noticed so much growth from doing so.

I'll post a picture of all products and pictures at the end but the main thing about my shampoo is that I use a small amount of normal shampoo (light blue one) to get out the dirt, and more of the sulfate free shampoo to prevent stripping my natural oils and this is key! Sulfate free shampoos do not lather as well which is why I mix the two but they do retain moisture. As I have a lot of hair I do this in 4 sections. 

Step 2: Deep condition

I deep condition every single time I wash my hair as I have a hooded one at my home. I use a mix of so many different ones I can't list them all but also sometimes an intensive mask too, which I comb through also in sections to get the best coverage. I sit under the hood for 30mins with a cap on top then wrap it in a towel for an extra 30 before washing it out. 

Step 3: Blow dry and straighten

Yes I still straighten it, using lots of heat protectant and only ever this once when I wash. So I don't apply any heat at all between washes which is the key difference that means minimal damage for my hair. 

Styling wise I don't let my hair down at all either, and I never have besides the upwards puff back in the day. My day to day styles are buns when I go out and two cornrows at home really.  I do not slick my hair with gels either so not to put strain on my hair which is also a tip from me. 

-  My hair after a few weeks of plaiting, often when I wake up and it curls up naturally and loosely (usually I come them out and since my hair is soft it is fairly straight again. I don't worry about it being bone straight since it's always packed away)

- One way I wear it in a bun and how I plait it every evening and wear it to bed. 

Tip: Sleep on a satin pillowcase to prevent split ends which I rarely get. 

The problems I have are mostly when I exercise as my roots will revert since it's never been relaxed or texturised and so they do thicken up. Also when wet. And due to the amount of hair even when straight, it can look fluffy rather than lay straight (also it seems to lie flat in these photos) which is only overcome if I get it pressed out professionally. But I prefer not to so buns it is! At my age I don't mind anyway, and it my hair likes being natural curly in summer the exercising will become less of a problem too.

- My hair from when I first straighten it (first two) and then how it is if I don't sweat it out by the end of the 3/4 weeks.

And that's all from me!  

I hope that this helps anyone looking for tips and thanks to Kia for this feature! Keep up to date with her blog for great advice and more hair journeys and maybe I'll see you all again soon!

Lots of love

Soph x