Hey all you new followers & long time rapunzels!

Please, submit photos of your starting length , progress or long hair, story of your hair(growth) , reviews of products or supplements , your personal haircare routine/tips , tutorials for hairfriendly styles , reviews of youtube tutorials you tried or photos of nice braids, updos. Thanks a lot!

xoxo Anna

Strengthen Your Hair With Tea!

maadisha:

Looking for a way to strengthen hair and stimulate growth naturally? Try using tea! Tea rinses are one way to keep hair healthy.

* One word of caution: Black tea rinses can darken hair a tad, so if you dye your hair light beware.

Thanks to sugarlumptea for these great Tea rinses ideas.

BLACK TEA RINSES

benefits: it strengthens the hair and stimulates growth. the tea also extends the life of each hair strand. (you could also do a coffee rinse, but black tea contains more caffeine so it will give you better results.)

the how:

1.) boil 1-2 regular sized black teabags as normal. (some people may use up to 10 tea bags. the choice is really up to you.)

2.) allow the tea to cool. (some people allow the tea to sit for about 6 hours or overnight.)

3.) shampoo your hair.

4.) pour the tea rinse through your hair. let it sit for about 20 minutes. (make sure to do the rinse BEFORE you apply your conditioner. this is so the tea does not dry your hair out.)

5.) apply your deep conditioner on top of the tea rinse and then rinse your hair as normal with water.

OTHER TEA RINSES (via justgrowalready)

here are some other tea rinses that you guys can try.

- chamomile rinse: brings out the natural highlights in your hair 

- rosemary rinse: great for dark colored hair as it brings out the warmth, richness and depth for these tones. rosemary is also useful in preventing hair loss, stimulating the scalp and hair growth.

- nettle rinse: also stimulates the scalp and prevents dandruff.

- sage rinse: helps to reduce the buildup of oil on the scalp and promotes healthier hair.

Reblogged from sugarlumptea.

hair bow tutorial!

hairyago:

I was sooooooooooooooo excited when I found this Hair Bow Tutorial!! I hope you enjoy it as much as me!

vintagetruth:

My Hair Regimen for this week
Olive Oil Moisture Rich Hair Lotion
Africa’s Best Herbal Oil
Cantu Leave in Conditioner
L’Oreal’s Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner for Color Treated Hair
So I try to experiment and switch it up every couple of weeks to see what works best for my hair.
I told you guys last week that I absolutely fell in LOVE with L’Oreal’s products so I decided to stick with them this week.
Also, I told you guys that I was trying to get more serious about keeping my hair moisturized now that it is color treated all over (and not just at the top).
2 weeks ago I was moisturizing every day with the Cantu moisturizer (not the leave in conditioner) and it had my hair smelling wonderful. HOWEVER, their products are very heavy so it weighed my hair down. I decided to leave Cantu products as my “before wash” products.
This week I moisturized my hair every day with the Olive Oil Lotion. Not only did it have my hair smelling wonderful, but it did not weigh my hair down. 
I used about a dime-sized portion for my ENTIRE head every night and it seemed to do the trick.
Currently I’m “pre-conditioning” with the Cantu Leave-in Conditioner. 
I applied directly to my dry, “dirty” hair and put on a plastic cap. 
I’ll let this sit until…….. whenever I decide to wash my hair… then I’ll do my hair washing regimen as usual.. including conditioning with my L’Oreal conditioner. 
The reason I’m doing this is I wanted to find a way to work in my cantu conditioner, and also “pre-poo” my hair to keep it moisturized.
As always, we’ll see how this works..
and if it effects the results I got from using L’Oreal last week. I don’t think it will though. 
NOTE: I used the Africa’s Best Herbal Oil on my scalp ONLY today when I was applying the leave-in conditioner. My scalp always gets really dry and irritated when I wear it in a pony tail (as I have been the last couple of days)… so I just massaged the oil into my scalp really well just to give it a little relief.. which is another reason I’m letting this stuff sit in my hair so long… I want the oil to really penetrate my scalp. 
I definitely wouldn’t recommend using it other than right before your wash… it WILL have your hair greasy and stringy lol 

vintagetruth:

My Hair Regimen for this week

  • Olive Oil Moisture Rich Hair Lotion
  • Africa’s Best Herbal Oil
  • Cantu Leave in Conditioner
  • L’Oreal’s Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner for Color Treated Hair

So I try to experiment and switch it up every couple of weeks to see what works best for my hair.

I told you guys last week that I absolutely fell in LOVE with L’Oreal’s products so I decided to stick with them this week.

Also, I told you guys that I was trying to get more serious about keeping my hair moisturized now that it is color treated all over (and not just at the top).

2 weeks ago I was moisturizing every day with the Cantu moisturizer (not the leave in conditioner) and it had my hair smelling wonderful. HOWEVER, their products are very heavy so it weighed my hair down. I decided to leave Cantu products as my “before wash” products.

This week I moisturized my hair every day with the Olive Oil Lotion. Not only did it have my hair smelling wonderful, but it did not weigh my hair down. 

I used about a dime-sized portion for my ENTIRE head every night and it seemed to do the trick.

Currently I’m “pre-conditioning” with the Cantu Leave-in Conditioner

I applied directly to my dry, “dirty” hair and put on a plastic cap. 

I’ll let this sit until…….. whenever I decide to wash my hair… then I’ll do my hair washing regimen as usual.. including conditioning with my L’Oreal conditioner. 

The reason I’m doing this is I wanted to find a way to work in my cantu conditioner, and also “pre-poo” my hair to keep it moisturized.

As always, we’ll see how this works..

and if it effects the results I got from using L’Oreal last week. I don’t think it will though. 

NOTE: I used the Africa’s Best Herbal Oil on my scalp ONLY today when I was applying the leave-in conditioner. My scalp always gets really dry and irritated when I wear it in a pony tail (as I have been the last couple of days)… so I just massaged the oil into my scalp really well just to give it a little relief.. which is another reason I’m letting this stuff sit in my hair so long… I want the oil to really penetrate my scalp. 

I definitely wouldn’t recommend using it other than right before your wash… it WILL have your hair greasy and stringy lol 

hairyago:

Hair loss is truly upsetting, whether temporary or permanent. There are many studies about hair loss and even more opinions. This post comes from first hand experience with my own clients, their loss and their regrowth. This post is not for those experiencing “normal” hair loss. Believe me,…

frickyeahcurlyhair:

Is your ponytail harming your hair?

A lot of us turn to a ponytail on days when we don’t feel like doing much with our hair. It’s quick, it’s neat, and it’s a staple in our hair routine. But sometimes a ponytail can do more harm than good.

First, do you put your ponytail in the same spot…

hairyago:

Alright. This is serious, you’re all getting a free trip to hair boot camp! This is a post for those of you who asked for a hardcore hair health plan. If you don’t have time to do it this week, MAKE TIME this weekend! (That’s my best boot camp yell.) Look through these images and see which of these lovely ladies most represents your hair type. Once you find your number(s), follow the letter keys at the bottom. Do as many as you can over a weekend. Without a doubt, this little health boost for your hair will have you well on your way to shiny strands!

1. Naturally curly  hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, M, O, P, Q

2. Virgin hair: Weekend- A, B, D, H, I Regularly- J, L, M (twice a month), O, Q, S

3. Color treated hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, F (for highlights), G (blondes), H (brunettes/redheads), Regularly- J (blondes), K (brunettes/redheads), M (brunettes/redheads), N (blondes), O, P, Q, R, S

4. Heavy + straight hair: Weekend- A, B, D, H, I Regularly- J, L, M (on the ends), O, P, Q, S

5. Bleached or high-lift blonde hair: Weekend- A (only shampoo once with clarifying shampoo. if you need to shampoo again, use your regular shampoo!), B, D, E, F, G, I Regularly- J, alternate M + N, O, P, Q, R, S

6. Naturally wavy or frizzy hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, L, M, O, P, Q, S

7. Beach hair or hair affected by weather: Weekend- A, B, D, E, F (if yellowed from sun + salt water), H, I  Regularly- J (if hair is colored) K (if hair is not colored), L, M, O (you can also apply spray-on sunscreen to your hair before going to the beach), P, R

8. Hair with extensions or a weave: Weekend- A, B, C, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, L, M, O, P (on your hair and the extension or weave hair), Q, R, S

YOUR WEEKEND TO DO:

A. Shampoo your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Focus on massaging it into your scalp using your fingertips and let it naturally clean the ends as you rinse it through. This will remove any film caused by product build-up or natural oil build-up. That film will be a dulling residue in the long run, so you need to remove it when you feel it. If your shampoo doesn’t lather, try shampooing it one more time. When hair is clean, it lathers. That’s when you know you’ve removed all the gunk. Good lather = clean slate!  Note: This is NOT something you would do every time you shampoo because it would be TOO cleansing and strip all the nutrients. Only do this once or twice a month.

B. Blend 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup jojoba oil + 1/4 cup coconut oil in a bowl. At night, apply a light amount to your ends and put it in a low braid or bun. Don’t soak it or you’ll end up with a greasy pillow! The size of a nickel or quarter will be plenty. It moisturizes while you sleep! In the morning, wake up and apply a more liberal coat from the middle to the ends of your hair. (Rub a little into your scalp if it’s dry! If you have an oily scalp, skip it.) Put it in a low bun for the day. You OBVIOUSLY want to do this on a low-key weekend because walking around with oil in your hair isn’t exactly… a trend. In the evening, shampoo lightly to remove oils and condition as usual.

C. If you have extensions or a weave, it’s really important to clean your real hair, so focus on getting in between the wefts with shampoo + your fingertips. Repeat if necessary until it lathers. Do small, gentle, circular motions with your fingertips. Not too rough or you will tangle the hair above your extensions or weave. Let the shampoo rinse through the ends as you rinse it out. It’s never a good idea to vigorously scrub at the ends of extensions or a weave. That can be a bad scene. Condition heavily from middle to ends. Avoid getting conditioner near the tops of the extensions because that can cause slipping. Make sure to rinse all shampoo + conditioner out from in between wefts or your scalp will itch.

D. Whip up this Kitchen Beautician mask as directed, put it on from roots to ends + put a shower cap or saran wrap over it. Apply light heat with a blow dryer. Let it sit for one hour. Rinse + lightly shampoo.

E. Check out your hair under a microscope. Rough towel drying can surprisingly cause damage. Try switching out your hair towel out for an old absorbent t-shirt! This is one of my favorite tricks for eliminating frizz!!

F. Shampoo for 2-3 minutes using a purple shampoo! Toning shampoo has a dark purple base and will cut out unwanted yellow-y or brassy tones. It looks scary and dark when it comes out of the bottle but don’t worry. Ask your colorist which one they’d recommend.

G. Ask your colorist or hairstylist to recommend a repairing protein mask. Protein masks are used to re-build weakened or chemically-compromised hair.

H. Ask your colorist or hairstylist to recommend a moisturizing mask. Moisture is much different that protein. Moisture masks are extremely important for naturally curly hair, virgin hair, and those with single-process color.

I. Apply leave-in conditioner! It helps detangle, seals down the cuticle, restores the ph balance, and promotes shine. Try to find one that’s weightless!

YOUR REGULAR TO DO:

J. Switch to a sulfate free shampoo + conditioner. To put it simply, they don’t strip the proteins from your hair. There’s no point to doing protein treatments if you’re just going to wash them out, right?

K. Use a moisture rich shampoo + conditioner. Curly/wavy hair naturally lacks moisture. It’s less about proteins for this kind of hair and more about retaining moisture. Maybe even try a natural or organic brand from your local health food store!

L. When in the shower, be sure to focus on shampooing the root until it lathers and conditioning the middle to ends. This will this will create the cleanest canvas and maximize volume for hair that’s straight or heavy.

M. Continue using a moisturizing mask once a week! It will soften your hair and promote shine. It will also help eliminate dryness that can lead to breakage.

N. Continue using a protein mask twice a month. It will strengthen your hair from the outside in and creates a protective protein shell in the long run. Great for weakened hair caused by over-processing!

O. Use a protective serum or argan oil on your ends before + after blow drying. Also great for eliminating frizz and creating shine when air-drying.

P. Every 8 weeks, go in and get a color gloss with your hair colorist or do a store-bought color glaze at home. I say it all the time and I think everyone should do this! It’s like a band-aid for the hair. You can actually extend the life of your haircut by doing this in between cuts. It literally seals down split ends temporarily.

Q. If you’re guilty of OVERSTYLING from blowing out or curling your hair every day, substitute one or two of those days with a non-heat styled updo, like a messy ponytail, the Ballerina Bun or the Fun Bun.

R. Invest in the best shampoo, conditioner and/or leave-in conditioner. If you’re spending a lot of money on a beautiful hair color, you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible and doesn’t fade. Most of the time, higher-end brands DO use higher quality ingredients. Find out what your hairstylist thinks will make the biggest difference. Try it out. Keep the receipt, because most high-end brands also guarantee their products.

S. Don’t spray hairspray before you curl or flat iron! You’re basically baking alcohol into your hair. Try your best to only spray after you use a hot tool of any kind. If you need the extra help with hold, use a thermal protectant spray. Any hairstylist will be able to help you find a good one!

Now, I know you guys want product recommendations, but like I’ve said before, you should try and get a recommendation in person from a professional! If you can’t make it in to the salon, I personally look to Allure for product reviews because they have the best break downs. Do your research + get samples! Just because a bottle is pretty and the product smells good, doesn’t mean it’s doing the best job. And last but certainly not least, continue taking vitamins for MAXIMUM hair health!

via- thebeautydepartment.com

crimsonvisions:

My hair is already almost half way down my back but it’s so layered that it’s not as full as it should be, So I’ve been trying to find ways to help the layers grow out, faster. Here are some suggestions that I’ve come across online and through some of my friends.

  • Get rid of…
Rescue Masks for dry, damaged hair

welovehairandbraids:

You can also use these if your hair isn’t in bad condition but just needs a boost. Leave them in for the minimum time.

Coconut cream mask

Soften a large chunk of coconut cream in your hands and massage into hair. Wrap your head in a warm towel and leave it on for an hour. Wash out with a gentle shampoo.

Egg mask

Beat two full eggs with 2 tablespoons of water. Apply to clean, damp hair, massaging in well. Leave for 10 – 15 minutes and then wash out with mild shampoo.

Banana smoothie for hair – not for drinking!

Mix 1 mashed banana, 1 full egg, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of milk and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Make sure it’s well combined and then apply to hair. Leave for 15 – 30 minutes and wash out with a gentle shampoo.

Yogurt hair mask

Separate an egg and beat the white until it’s foamy. Mix with 6 tablespoons of natural yogurt. Massage into the hair and leave for 15 – 30 minutes. Wash out with a very mild shampoo.

Avocado hair mask

Mash the flesh of one ripe avocado. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until creamy and then apply to your hair. Leave for 20 minutes and then wash out with a gentle shampoo.


Olive oil hair mask

Whisk up 5 tablespoons of olive oil – it doesn’t matter which sort – with 2 full eggs. Massage thoroughly into your hair and then cover it with plastic wrap or a shower hat. Your body heat will help the oil to penetrate. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes and then shampoo out, rinsing well.

Honey and Olive oil mask

Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of honey. Apply to your hair and wrap your head in plastic film or put on a shower hat. Leave for at least 30 minutes and then shampoo as usual, rinsing well.

Banana and almond mask for dry, damaged hair

Mash a ripe banana and add a few drops of almond oil. Mix well and massage into your hair. Leave for 15 – 30 minutes. Wash out with gentle shampoo.

Milk and honey mask

Mix a tablespoon of honey in half a cup of full fat milk. Apply to your hair and leave for 15 minutes. Wash out with a mild shampoo.

hairmeout:

Microfiber hair towels are so much better for your hair! By simply wrapping your hair in one of these towels the work is done for you. There will be less split ends from frantically trying to pat your hair dry.

Microfiber towels are said to absorb as much as 7 or 8 times more water than…