Naturally FabEllis: My 1st Guest Blogger

I hope you all have had a wonderful day!! I am super excited to announce that this post features Natural Hair/Beauty Blogger, Ashley. She and I met a few months ago and quickly became blogger buddies. We clicked instantly and I am so happy and honored that she agreed to be my first Guest Blogger on Nic's Picks. My goal is to feature a different guest blogger/topic each month this summer. If YOU are interested, let me know and we can make it happen :-)

I felt this post was a great idea because when I was natural for 2 1/2 years, I only knew braids and kinky twists as styles to go to. However, so many women are either natural or thinking about becoming natural that I wanted to give them other styles to think about, while reminding them the importance of hair care. So who would I turn to?? ;-) Ashley, of course! She has the best tips and the best advice for all you natural hair beauties out there. I know a lot of my followers are natural and I want to continue to connect with you ALL. With that said, enjoy this post and be sure to check out Ashley's blog, FabEllis and her Facebook page, HERE. 

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My decision to go natural was a scary decision at the time, but I knew that it was a must in order for me to have healthy hair.  A year later, I can truly say I made an awesome decision.  My first year being natural was a huge learning curve, but through trial and error and wonderful resources like YouTube, I was able to find a regimen that works for me.  Ever since my journey has begun, it has been a goal of mine to share any tips I have learned for healthy hair. 

With that being said, here are my top three tips for healthy, natural hair:

1. Moisturize

If there is one thing I have learned, it is definitely that natural hair needs moisture.  Natural hair can easily become dry, especially in the summer time, so it is important to keep it moisturized.  Many get caught up in the various regimens that are out there, but the key to keeping hair moisturized is to begin by using a sulfate-free shampoo.  Sulfates strip hair of moisture that natural hair needs.  One of my favorite shampoos is Shea Moisture’s Moisture Retention shampoo. 

After shampooing, I condition my hair, rinse and then use a deep conditioner for 20-30 minutes.  After rinsing the deep conditioner, I put a leave in conditioner on my hair and style with a cream based product like Beautiful Textures’ Moisture Butter.  By using a heavy cream on my hair, my hair is able to stay moisturized for up to a week without reapplying.  I apply light oils like tea tree or olive oil to my scalp if needed.

2. Avoid Heat 

I think this is one of the hardest things for naturals to do.  We are so accustomed to using heat on our hair, but trust me… If you lay off the heat, your hair WILL grow.  It’s important for you to remember this.  Heat alters your hair.  Every time you add heat to your hair, no matter how much heat protectant you use, you have the potential to damage your hair.  Now the next question typically is, “Well, if I can’t use heat on my hair, what am I supposed to?”  This leads me to my last tip.

3. Protective Styles 

Protective styles are awesome when it comes to natural hair.  Plus, they allow you to achieve, twists and curls without adding heat.  From two strand twists to bantu knots to braids, I love protective styles.  Some of my favorite styles are two strand twists and braids.  Please just keep in mind that if you do use extensions with a protective style that the style should not be too tight and after you take them out, give your hair at least two weeks to recover.  I have learned the hard way that going from extension style to extension style can be very damaging to hair.

With these three tips, you are sure to be on the road to healthy hair!  To stay updated with my natural hair journey and the products that I love, follow me here:

Blog:  www.fabellis.com

Twitter:  @missfabellis

Instagram:  missfabellis