Read my feature about eco-living on this blog: http://cluelesscurl.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/green-light-rosemary.html

Just because it is natural...

Doesn't mean that it is effective or will work well on your hair. You can save yourself money on the expensive natural items (as there are still some cheap natural products out there).

My best leave-in that conditions my hair so well, is Cantu Shea Butter's Leave-in. This stuff is gold, and it isn't a natural product. Like I said in the It's My Hair Video, if something works, it works. I look at Indian women's hair and I wonder, apart from the cherished coconut oil, if they place any importance on whether a shampoo has any silicone or not.

I know, I know. There is no harm in having a few products that are 'non-natural' (my moisturiser is natural) but there are many long haired naturalistas who are not on a natural regimen.

Sensitive Scalp

I have had to make a few changes to my product stash (as if it's a lot) because of my sensitive scalp - a video is coming soon where I will discuss this! My edges are particularly sensitive. 

• Last week I did a apple cider vinegar rinse and my edges started hurting. I feel like the acid in this rinse has made my scalp more sensitive over the years. So I have bought the shampoo that I used to use during my healthy relaxed hair journey: Schwarzkopf Gliss Liquid Silk which has keratin in it for my thin, fine hair.
• I tried to use a cold Aloe Vera juice rinse as a final rinse on wash days but everytime I use it, my scalp tenderises. I don't know what it is, I just know that the properties in the liquid are sensitising my scalp. I might use it as a daily moisturiser or just use water instead.

There isn't much information out there about sensitive scalp, but I have had to take notes from my hair and take precautions. I can't just put any treatment on my hair. I won't be experimenting with anything anymore. I tried the black tea rinse last week and now my hair feels so limp. One time I tried the onion, garlic and ginger rinse and my scalp turned red and started burning. It tells me something. Not everything will work on your hair. Your hair won't die because you are using a few silicones or hard water. 

I'm going to stop trying out these things, maybe unsubscribe from some natural hair blogs and websites that always post articles about new things to try or possible things you are doing wrong. Every hair is different! Don't risk it. Your hair will grow, if you leave it be. Just like your nails grow. The natural hair movement has come a long way, but there is that extra set of information out there to keep you reading their blogs and websites. All of these new solutions, and new treatments to interrupt the natural growing process of your hair. Many men have long hair and they don't read these things. Let's not feed the anxiety of hair growth and lets be confident that the knowledge that we have about OUR OWN hair is enough for it to grow.

My hair profile: You will never stop learning..

I'm almost approaching my 2 years of growth stage and I still feel like I have a lot to learn about my hair. No matter how much knowledge and information you have acquired and how much you know about other people's hair regimen, you need to definitely learn about your own hair. And this learning, is continuous. I thought that I would stop when my hair reached a years of growth but no, there are many changes that I have had to make and habbits that I had to stop throughout this year.

I guess it is up to me to embrace it, and thank God that I have not hit a set back like many women have in this hair journey.

Most of all, I've stuck to my minimalist regimen, and I've realised that it is just hair. It's just hair. Learn about it, don't argue with it, and let it grow.  If it doesn't like something, stop. If it does, you know what to do. I will talk more about this in the following post.

All I know about my hair is that it is: tightly coiled (looser in some parts), and has thin/fine strands. In terms of density and thickness, I think it will come with time but I don't mind.

I can't use hair pins for too long otherwise the section that holds it starts to loosen up and eventually break. I knowwww, this hair. Ugh. What can I do.

I can't wrap a satin scarf tight around my edges otherwise they break off to.

I can't touch my hair at all. Even the tiniest bit of manipulation through the hands-in-hair-syndrome (that I WILL break free from soon) breaks it off.

This is my hair profile. I have to accept it, that way, it won't be as stressful and I won't want to scream.