Category Archives: NATURAL HAIR

Texture Release on Fine 4c Natural hair

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hihi everyone, I hope all is well! It’s now more than 1 month after my texture release and so now is a great time to share my thoughts on it! I have played around with my hair and had a few wash days too and I have a lot of thoughts to share!

My hair- I have very fine, low to medium density 4c hair. I’ve been natural for 13 years. This texture release would be the 1st time in 13 years I have ever done a chemical service and also the first time I have straightened my hair, done a silk press.

I got my TR done at Maison Style, full review here. One of the main reasons why I did the TR was that I wanted to try something different with my hair this year because I wanted to wear it out more. I wanted to be a heat trained/straight natural so that I can do that easily. After getting the TR and talking with Andree, I have decided not to go down this route. Why?

Because I have very fine hair, my hair is more prone to heat damage. I actually didn’t know this until Andree said at my app. Fine hair has fewer layers compared to coarse hair making it more fragile. I think I have some heat damage in the top area of my hair after the service because its straight and limp as compared to the rest of my hair. And this is with lots of heat protectant and a good routine prior to the TR. Whilst I don’t really wear my hair in its curly state, I still want healthier hair so becoming a straight natural and having lots of silk presses will cause a lot of damage even with a good moisture/protein balance routine.

I have low to medium density hair and this is disguised very well when my hair is in its natural coily state. It feels fuller and thicker. I prefer thicker hair so I was very surprised to see my hair on the lower density side after it was straightened. To be totally honest I did not like that. There’s nothing wrong with having this density, density is genetic however because I prefer a fuller head, I just didn’t like it. I made some clip ins to add extra body but I don’t want to rely on this every time I get my hair straightened. No clip ins in the pic.

My blowdried hair still appears fuller so if anything I can go down the route of a blow dried natural instead of getting silk presses. Blow drying is not nearly as damaging as a silk press in terms of heat damage. Still I would have to be careful on my very fine hair

In terms of the condition of my hair, my hair feels so soft and the curls are more elongated. I don’t have as much shrinkage as before so it makes washing my hair just a little bit quicker. I do like the TR for this.

If you have fine low density 4c hair just manage your expectations of a TR, especially if you haven’t seen your hair silky straight before. I say this because almost 98% of the videos I watched were on 4c coarse high density hair so of course my image of what I thought my hair would look like was a bit skewed especially since I had also never seen my hair straight after I went natural. What about my relaxed days? Well there was only ever 1 time I was able to get my hair proper silky straight because this person actually knew what they were doing lol, all other times my hair was still slightly puffy and honestly my hair was more in braids than relaxed and out. My silky straight relaxed hair was also on the thinner side infact my silky straight natural hair is actually a bit ‘thicker’.

Will I get a texture release again? No. Because the main reason why I wanted one was to aid my straight natural journey and since my hair cant tolerate that much heat frequently, there’s no need for it. Whilst I’m loving the relaxed curl pattern and the condition of my hair, its just not enough to justify the service. Will I change my mind later? who knows

Will I recommend it? YES. If you have coarse high density hair, you will probably love it and benefit from it more

I don’t regret getting the TR, I’m so happy I’m finally trying something different with my hair and taking much better care of it! I will have my 1 month wash day post TR up soon! I’m ending my hair challenge of no braids or wigs as I’m planning to get braids soon for the summer as an actual protective style lol. I’ve had my hair out for the last 6 months and need a mini break. Over the last 6 months too, I have worn wigs for a total of 1 week spread over many days. I’m really proud of myself for it! I don’t remember a time I’ve had my own hair out for this long! and taking proper care of it too.

I really hope you find this post helpful. If you are thinking of getting a TR, make sure you read up on it as much as possible whilst watching as many videos as you can. Try and watch vids of people with the same density & texture as yours, it will help you manage expectations. If you have hair like mine, there isnt that many videos for us fortunately lol so hopefully my posts on TR help

take care

Texture Release Wash Day

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Hihi everyone, I hope all is well. Today’s post will be on my 1st wash day after my texture release! I have a lot to say, so lets get started

I washed my hair 8 days after my TR. I had planned to keep my ‘silk press’ for at least 2 weeks but my scalp was itchy and flaky from the keracare wax stick so I just had to give in and wash it. For the first wash day, I used the same products I had been using prior to the TR. My main goal was to see if my hair would revert back and if I got heat damage.

  • Prepoo-African pride aloe & coconut water detangling prepoo (review)
  • Shampoo- Function of beauty coily hair shampoo (review)
  • Deep conditioner- TGIN honey miracle ( review coming soon)

Pre poo– since my hair was straight, it was quicker & easier to apply the prepoo to it, I covered the hair for about 20 -30 mins with a plastic cap. My hair started to revert! I was so happy to see the curls coming back and I noticed the elongation and looser curl pattern too! This is not due to heat damage but due to the TR’s ability to cause curl elongation( one of the benefits of TR)

Washing & deep conditioner– the hair was easy to wash, the looser curl pattern meant less shrinkage so it was just ‘easier’ to handle and quicker too. Applying the DC was a breeze too. more curls came through after deep conditioning and my hair felt great afterwards

Thoughts

In terms of shedding and breaking, I feel like it was the usual amount I get and I was expecting a lot more because my hair had just been through this chemical & heat intensive service. On the right are pics of a few wash days prior to TR and I feel like it is the same-ish amount? I had less shedding/breaking prepooing & shampooing after the TR but that was because my hair was straight. It would be interesting to see at the next wash day the amount I get since my hair has not been straightened

My curl pattern is much looser. I opted for the versatile finish meaning I can wear my hair straight or curly. Looking at the pics of my hair on wash day before and after the TR, it is obvious my hair is much looser and because of that, itshrinks less. I enjoyed this whilst I wash washing my hair for sure

Overall, my hair feels so much softer than before. I don’t describe my 4c hair as difficult to manage or dry anymore because I have a good moisture/protein routine in place, and I manage my hair in smaller sections BUT after the TR the ease of which I could handle my hair increased! Still handled in sections but I definitely think less shrinkage has made it easier!. It feels different but in a good way. I was advised not to use olapex/protein on my hair for at least 6 weeks because the TR itself is amino acid based. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein so that makes sense. I will modify my wash days for now: my previous routine was to alternate moisture only & moisture & strengthening deep conditioners every 10 days but I’m now going to do 2 to 1, ie, 2 moisture only DCs to 1 moisture & strengthening DC for the next 6-8 weeks, see how my hair is coping before switching back to alternate washdays

Did I get heat damage?– NO. my hair fully reverted but my curl pattern is much looser with some strands even looking wavy. the looser pattern is the TR release causing curl elongation. I have my usual amount of shedding/breaking and my hair feels soft and conditioned. I don’t feel any roughness along my hair strands and it doesn’t look limp and lifeless

Verdict- The 1st wash day after TR was a success and I’m very happy with it so far. I plan on doing another wash day post at 3 and 6 months post TR.

I’m still working on a post about my thoughts on TRs on fine 4c hair, I just need more time to get to know my hair and and play around with it, its only been 2 weeks post TR

I hope you found this helpful, especially if you have 4c fine natural hair!

Catch you later

Some affiliate links used, these will earn me a small commission that goes towards the maintenance of the blog if you buy via them but the price of products remain unchanged.

Function of Beauty Coily Hair Shampoo Review

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hihi everyone, I hope all is well. Today we are talking about hair! Its been a while since I did a hair update so today I will be talking about the shampoo Ive been using for the last 2 months. I finally did my texture release! I will be sharing my thoughts on that soon.

I was gifted the function of beauty coily hair shampoo at their launch event maybe 2 years ago? Its been a while. Anyways I was using it intermittently until this Feb/March when it became my staple shampoo.

The shampoo is described as Our custom Shampoo for Coily Hair is formulated with Flaxseed Oil to promote a healthy scalp and nourish hair. The gentle foaming ingredients have been specifically formulated for Coily Hair and are silicone-free. I got their deep condition booster added in.

Experience

I wash my hair every 7 to 10 days a month, it works out to be 3 to 4 wash days a month. I clarify every 4 weeks therefore I use this shampoo about 3 times a month. The shampoo with the added booster suds up really well and I like that it leaves my hair feeling clean and soft but without feeling stripped. The suds are good for finger detangling but I don’t usually finger detangle with it. It smells great. The shampoo is formulated with flaxseed oil which helps to prevent breakage. The deep condition booster has apple extracts and promises to soften brittle hair.

Verdict

I haven’t used the shampoo without the booster but I’m sure it will still work great. I do really like this for my 4c hair. It’s been formulated specially for coily hair and I have no issues with it. It was a gifted product but I will buy this again without any issues. It’s a step up from Cantu and its the same price level as Keracare, Shea Moisture & AS I AM. I really like the boosters available from the brand, it makes it easier to mix in exactly what you need for the hair concerns.

Does this shampoo together with the booster live up to its claims? YES. my hair feels clean and softer after use and it has been a great addition to my healthy hair journey. I’m almost out of the bottle.

This was a gifted product however I really do like the shampoo.

Function of Beauty Shampoo is £12 in Boots

April & May Empties

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hihi, Is it summer yet? Is summer in the room with us because these last few days have been horrible! sigh

Im sharing my empties for the last 2 months today and I have a lot to say! Lets begin. As you know Im doing an empties challenge this year which is 500 empties by 31st Dec 2024! its a lot I know lol but I have broken this down into tiers:
Target- 500 empties ( approx 41.6 products a month)
Tier 1- 400 ( approx 33.3 products a month)
Tier 2- 366 ( approx 1 empty a day for the year)
Tier 3- 213 ( this was my final empties I got last year)

Empties this month– 42. Cumulative total- 92

Any reviews I have written up will be linked

Hair &Body

  • Cantu sulfate free cleansing cream shampoo- this was good for my hair but towards the end, I started using it to cleanse my brushes and it works so great for that!
  • Tresemme keratin smooth heat protection- the only brand i trust for heat protection this one is really nice and added keratin helps to strengthen the hair
  • Cantu Guava Ginger & rice protein- I think this has been discontinued and rightly so because it did nada to the hair.
  • Briogeo Dont Despair repair shampoo- this was a good trial size which lasted 2 washes. I really like the shampoo, suds well and doesnt strip the hair. Mine came in a gift set like this one
  • Olapex No5- this is one of my fav products from Olapex! all my thoughts on the brand and how it performs on natural hair can be found here. if you haven’t tried it and you are a regular heat user, this will be very beneficial. Its pricey but a good investment and you can get a trial kit first like i did.
  • Mitchum mens roll on
  • Garnier and Vaseline body lotions
  • Naturium glow getter body wash- this was a bit disappointing to use. I thought it would like my skin hydrated and glowing but it just didnt wow me and leave it any different
  • Marc Jacobs Decadence

Makeup

  • Samples of Milk hydrogrip- so happy I finally tried this primer and 100% can understand the hype. ITS GOOD! I’m buying this later this year when I finish a few more primers! Mac Prep & prime natural radiance- a nice glowy base for makeup which I love travelling with
  • Kiss Falscara- this new and improved version is PANTS! I used to love these lashes and regular did them at home until the new & improved versions. They don’t come off easily and they almost always split, I think they changed the glue they use. I’ve switched to something else but I still have half a pack of the Kiss ones to finish. I don’t recommend them anymore because I wasted a few lashes trying to take them out
  • Nyx dewy setting spray– yes and yes. at £6 its one of the best setting sprays in boots that sets makeup and gives a nice finish to makeup
  • Primark makeup cleansing cloths- the only ones I use and I think primark have stopped doing these too!
  • superdrug baby wipes

Creams & Serums

  • Farmacy Honey drop *- this was such a disappointment! Its a lovely thick cream but for me( and coming off the Skin Fix peptide moisturiser) I didn’t find this moisturizing enough. I didn’t think it made any difference to my skin either. It layers well and doesn’t pill
  • Sephora brightening eye cream *- this was ok. its nice and hydrating but it didnt make a difference to dark circles
  • Ole Henriksen peptide trainer- I wanted to try this moisturiser as I’m looking for other peptide moisturisers to add to my arsenal. This is a lovely one, suitable for warmer weather but not quite enough for me. Happy to repurchase this travel size if a good offer is on but i wont buy the full size
  • Tatcha Dewy cream– urgh this cream is everything! its part of the mini fav gift set i got last christmas, you can find my full review on this and other Tatcha products here
  • Sample sizes- elemis pro collagen marine cream, Kiehls ultra facial cream, Zelens 3t complex
  • Ramsou bifida x4- this is a lovely serum i got initially as a dupe for ANR but its not. find out why in my full review here
  • Minimalist Vit C,E & ferulic- full review here
  • The ordinary multi peptide- this is my 2nd bottle and my go to peptide serum.
  • sample sizes- Lancone, Bodyshop

Toners, Cleansers, Masks

  • Pyunkang Yul essence toner- this is such a popular k beauty toner but I really dont get the hype. I didnt find it hydrating nor it did make any lasting difference to my skin. happy i got the mini size as a trial
  • Artistry Hydrating toner- this was a lovely toner packed with amamzing ingredients to hydrate & soothe the skin.
  • Cosrx Propolis Synergy Toner- a lovely toner from Cosrx. This is another popular toner and i can see why. its soothing and hydrating and pairs well with all actives
  • Fenty fat water– Ive used a few bottles of this. heavily scented but if you dont mind that, it is nice and hydrating
  • Tatcha essence- full review here
  • Tatcha cleansing oil- full review here
  • Elemis dynamic resurfacing cleanser- Ive used this cleanser before and i really loved it. it came in a gift set with the other Elemis cleanser ( Pro collagen energing cleanser) and 2 cleansing balms
  • Elemis pro collagen cleansing balms *- a cult fav and i really see why. Its very nice at removing all traces of makeup without drying out the skin
  • Bodyshop camomile cleanser- a nice makeup removing balm but struggles a bit with masacara
  • I’m From Honey mask- another popular k beauty item but so disappinting to me. my full review is here

With 6 months to go, I really need to step up my game with these empties lool. Im not even half way of my tier 3 goal sigh

share your fav products with me. Catch you later

gifted products are marked with *

Some affiliate links used, these will earn me a small commission that goes towards the maintenance of the blog if you buy via them but the price of products remain unchanged.

Maison Style Experience

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hihi everyone, I hope all is well. Today I am talking about my experience at Maison style. Lets begin

I decided to get a texture release( lets call it TR from now onwards) back in Dec 23 but because my hair wasn’t in good condition, I gave myself till April to it. I wanted to get it done at Maison Style specifically by Andree because I felt like she had the most knowledge on it from my research. I finally went on the 16th for it!

Pic from AllinLondon

Salon & My experience

Maison Style is based in Tulse Hill South London and led by Andree and her team. They are all about healthy hair care and work both on natural & relaxed hair. I had a 48hr email reminder which was good because I totally forgot I had to do a patch test lol. I called and went in for a patch test which was super quick, it went well so I could proceed with my TR.

I arrived a bit early for my app, and it was busy by the time I got there. There’s parking available on nearby roads but those parking prices man kmt lol. After a few mins wait I had a quick chat with Andree about my TR and she gave me some details about it too. She was able to take one look at my hair and say it was super fine and I don’t know why I found that amazing because sis didn’t even touch my hair lol and it was in 2 large flat twists loool. The chat was eye opening for me and because of this I am changing a few plans I had for my hair this year ( more on this in another post)

Texture Release

The service begun with a shampoo. She (not but Andree and I didnt get her name) clarified then used the TR shampoo. She explained that the TR shampoo needs to be left on for about 5 mins before its washed out. My hair was detangled I cant remember with what though. I asked about conditioning and she explained for TRs they don’t usually do conditioning unless the hair was really dry as the shampoo has a treatment in it( that’s why its left on for 5 mins) and since my hair felt very hydrated (yay me!) and was in good condition, she wouldn’t do this step. It makes sense that the shampoo has a treatment in it because in all the videos I watched on YT, none of them did any conditioning and I always wondered why. I also asked if she could tell me what my porosity was( I already know this) but she said that wasn’t something they really look at in the salon so she didn’t tell me- I thought it a bit strange because I mean if you’re washing my hair you can pretty much just tell me what it is. anywayss…..

After shampoo, the dilator was put on, then it was under the dryer for 15 mins with a cap then without a cap for another 15, then the releasing lotion is put on(on top of the dilator) then 30mins under the dryer. My hair was washed again before the final blow dry and finish

For the finish, I didn’t know the exact style I wanted so Andree advised to just have a simple finish instead of forcing myself to get a style/cut and regret later. So after a dusting( because my hair was in good condition and didn’t have a lot of split ends yay me), she lightly bumped the ends for volume and I was done! Because my hair is fine, she only did 2 to 3 passes of the straightener and hot comb on my roots in the front. I was happy with this and super happy when she told me to close my eyes when she was doing the front lol because God knows my heart was beating FAST and I felt that heat! She was generous with the heat protectant which made my heart SING

Thoughts

In total I was there for about 4.30 hours, I arrived at 1.40 and left at 6.20. Whilst the TR service has a lot of steps and waiting I think that the salon been so so busy when I went contributed to the long wait. I think if it wasn’t so busy, the whole TR service would be about 2-2.30hrs. The salon is smaller than expected and because she’s popular it was so busy on a Thursday afternoon at 2pm lol, I went in with no breakfast/lunch and less sleep so I was so exhausted afterwards sigh. Andree was really sweet though because she gave me a £5 discount because of the wait. I felt for them tho because there were 2 stylists on the day and they had back to back clients. damn

Do I recommend the salon? Absolutely Andree’s expertise is top notch, I’ve been following her on insta for a while and I love her Tuesday Q&As. I’ve also learnt a lot on TR from her YT videos. I love that her whole vibe is healthy hair practices. She answered all my questions I had on the day. She also sends a video on how to maintain the TR with product recommendations. In terms of how she handled my hair, she was quick but gentle and explained what she was going to do before doing it

Because its small I reckon it will be busy at most times so go prepared- snacks, sleep, parking charges(loool)

How do I feel about my texture release? I CAN RUN MY FINGERS THROUGH MY HAIR. I don’t remember the last time I did that without any resistance loool. I haven’t seen my hair straightened in SO LONG. Time will tell if I keep liking it, I definitely have some thoughts.. all good

I’m going to have to do another post on my TR and the chat I had with Andree that is making me tweak my hair plans for the year. I have so many thoughts…

I hope you guys have a blessed day

Check out my review on Elite hair lounge I’m trying to visit a few salons this year so keep your eyes peeled for more salon reviews