Let's Talk Growth + Winter Essentials!
#inspo anyone? Hey curl friends! I hope you are staying warm as February is in full swing. I've been inspired and loving all the growth pics that I see on Instagram. Here are some current ones of my own.
Taken around January 2017 - The beauty of this journey is being able to look back and enjoy the progress. During Winter 2017, one of my main styles was a twist out using steamed water and Shea butter. Doing this routine consistently helped to develop my curl pattern while allowing moisture to stay during the cold winter months.
Taken January 2019 - For awhile, I got discouraged because it seemed like there wasn't anything happening. But I carried on while enjoying the journey. Then BOOM! I looked up one day and saw a little growth and progress. I am still learning that the small victories are what counts. And it is important that we stay patient and trust the process :)
I wrote about the benefits of protective styles back in August 2017. They have played a big role in my routine so far. Protective styles allow the hair to rest while inspiring much growth potential. Lessening daily hair maintenance and stress, such as brushing and detangling, gives the hair an opportunity to grow.
A good set of bobby pins and hair ties are my main tools for holding protective styles in place. They each help the hair maintain and last when rocking a protective style.
Two protective styles that I love to wear during the cold months are the goddess braid and a top-knot bun. Putting my hair away is often a must when wearing scarves and hats, because it is less prone to rub and snag on rougher clothing material, which could result in split ends.
I call these products (above) winter hair essentials, because they have helped to retain moisture, produce sleeker styles, and from what I've noticed, been a key factor for growth within the last several months.
Speaking of essentials...recently I did a poll for my naturalistas on my IG story: "Are you a fan of edge control?" The results were awesome! 64% voted that they are a fan, while 35% voted that they either were slightly a fan or not a fan at all. What do you think of edge control? Look out for more polls on my Insta stories. And don't forget to appreciate the small victories in your natural hair journey. Thanks for reading! With love, S
Follow me on IG: @shanayawiththeblog
