5 Steps to Longer Hair in a Year

1.  Accept that what you are doing does not work

You are doing it all, protective styling, moisturising and  deep conditioning but still you have not managed to move your hair an inch. It is time to face the facts – your current routine despite having all the good stuff really does not work.

It is time for a critical assessment. Do you keep a protective style long enough to ensure that you gain benefit from it? Do you moisturise at the critical points when moisture is needed (when taking down a style and when handling free hair) and do you avoid handling your brazilian virign hair at its weakest state (soaking wet)? Could you be doing too much to your hair therefore causing it to wear away and compromise length?

If you do not see results within 2-3 months, you need to make this critical assessment again. Do not wait for 1 year to go by. You should be able to see small increments in your hair length every 2-3 months.

2. Know when your hair breaks

The reason for wholesale brazilian hair staying at a stagnant length is because it is breaking just as fast as it is growing. It is really important to know when your hair is most vulnerable to breakage and this varies from person to person depending on your individual strand thickness and choice of styling. The most common breakage points are:

-during takedown of a protective style (especially at the ends)

-during detangling (both conditioner combing and dry detangling)

– while wearing brazilian virign hair free (due to tangling, shrinkage, knots and regular handling)

Once you identify why and when your hair is most vulnerable to breakage, you will be able to know exactly when you must protect your hair from damage.

3. Try something new

Having accepted that what you are doing does not work, it is time to try to do something new. If you have been conditioner combing, try dry or damp detangling  for a little while and see how it works for you.  Compare your results after 2-3 months and decide which one really works best for you.  If you have never deep conditioned your hair, try doing it for 2-3 months and see if your hair improves or not. If you only use heavy oils or butters on your hair, try light oils and see if your hair would equally be happy with those. Do not write things off before you actually try them.

4. Know when to stop

I am really all for trying something new but equally you should know when to stop. If a technique causes immediate breakage, stop using it. Do not think perhaps your cheap peruvian hair is shedding more than usual, assume that the technique is not working for your hair and must be adjusted to suit your curls and kinks or not used at all. If you are deep conditioning 2-3 times a week and your hair is not moisturised, stop and reassess how you are conditioning (is your conditioner working, do you need to warm it up first, could you do with some protein, do you use a leave in/moisturiser/oil after washing).

5. Have realistic expectations

Finally hair takes a long time to grow. Many naturals cannot retain 100% of their growth. If your brazilian hair is susceptible to split ends then cutting them off will impact retention but provided at the end of the year you have kept some length, do not be disheartened. There are a small proportion of women who can keep all their growth but I feel that it is more reasonable to expect between 3-5 inches per year with a regular trimming or dusting routine.

Curl Pattern Loss from the Hot Comb

Unfortunately when you style your peruvian hair extensions with direct heat you risk losing some of your curl pattern. Especially when you use a hot comb or flat iron to straighten your hair because there is a high amount of direct heat being applied to your brazilian virign hair which ends up breaking its bond. Is there a way to prevent this?

Ultimately the use of heat styling tools is unpredictable when it comes to hair. Even if you have been really careful when applying heat to your hair, especially if you apply heat often, you risk the chance of having ends that will not revert back to its natural curl pattern.

Advice to those who like to press their hair?

Keep the amount of direct heat applied to your brazilian hair wholesale to a minimum. When you hair has been pressed wait until the third week of your press to do a touch up, to reduce the amount of unnecessary heat to your hair. When pressing your hair avoid applying heat to a section more times than what is actually required to straighten it. For hair that is coarse you may have to put the flat iron on the highest setting but only set the temperature to what is actually needed to straighten you hair. If you can straighten your hair adequately on medium go for that setting!

Note: You can lightly apply a heat protectant or serum but apply lightly before you press your hair. Do not smother your virgin brazilian hair with product as this may cause sizzling and a smoking iron. Your hair should be completely dry when you are pressing it. Adding an oil or serum to brazilian hair for sale your before pressing it will add moisture and sheen to your hair. When you go to the salon you may have to ask for a heat protectant  to be applied otherwise, they may just simply apply a light oil.

How to Safely Bleach Hair Platinum Blonde

Why Trust Me?

Ok, first things first- why should you listen to me? I wouldn’t trust my peruvian virgin hair to any random blogger on the internet, why should you? Well, first, I’ve been dying my hair myself since I was in Middle School, so for well over 10 years. Next, throughout my entire existence my hair has been every color of the rainbow, and back to platinum blonde, so I know how to get the results I want fast. Finally, after this many years’ experience I know what not to do, I refined my technique to the point where I can tell you how to get the color you want on the first try without completely frying your hair. Not to mention, most of my friends are cosmetologists.

Now, if you feel like I’m a reliable source of information, we’ll get into what you really want to know.

1. Color does not cover color. In other words, do not attempt to buy a box of blonde color because it will not turn out like what’s on the package, especially if you’ve colored your hair before. You’ll end up at the very least brassy, and you may even end up resembling a traffic cone if your hair favors red tones.
2. You cannot become platinum blonde without bleaching your virgin peruvian hair.
3. Yes, bleach is harmful to hair and scalp. The bleach will damage your hair and can chemical burn your scalp. That’s why you take precautions. You want your hair healthy before you bleach. And you never paint the bleach all the way to the scalp.
4. Bleaching should be a three-part system: getting started, the action!, and aftercare.

Getting Started

Like I said before, you want to have healthy hair before you go slapping on the bleach. It’s just better that way- healthy hair can stand up to the abuse it’s going to take processing.

To make sure your hair is healthy:

- Stay away from box color

- Do not bleach more than once every few weeks

- Do not bleach previously bleached pieces of virgin brazilian hair (for instance- only bleach new growth)

- Use conditioner every time you wash your hair

- Do not wash your hair every day- every three days is ideal because it allows the oil in the hair to build back up, nourish, and protect the hair

- Keep your split ends in check- the recommendation is every 6-8 weeks, but I normally go every 10-12; I find it works better for my hair.

- follow additional tips in the "aftercare" section of this hub

After you make sure your hair is in an OK condtion to undergo bleaching, its time to gather supplies and test out the process.

First, decide how many shades you need to lift your wholesale brazilian hair to get to your desired color of blonde – this will help determine the developer you need to purchase. Typically, you'll use a 30 developer to lighten your hair 3 shades, and 40 for 4 shades. I've personally never used a 40 developer on my hair, I stick with the 30 and it has worked just fine on my dyed and natural hair, I just leave it on a little longer than what I would the 40. Whatever I can do to help limit the harshness of the bleach, I do, so I do suggest that if the 30 developer works for you use it instead of stepping up to the 40.

Next, it's time to buy your materials

Shopping List:

- ion color brilliance powder lightener

- ion sensative scalp 30 volume creme developer

- manic panic "virgin snow" toner

- re-useable gloves

- hair clips

-mixing bowl

-tint brush

- ion cool blonde shampoo

I buy all of my product at Sally's and it usually runs between $25 and $30 depending on the sales they're running. If you prefer a different brand, by all means, use the one you feel comfortable with. I like Ion because the powder is tinted blue and it helps to acheive that cool blonde color better.

After buying your product resist the urge to run home and start a bleaching frenzy. You need to do a strand test before bleaching to see how your hair is going to react.

To Strand Test:

Divide your hair into a top and bottom section, clip up the top section, and select a small strand of brazilian virgin hair from the bottom section that is easily manipulated and hidden (if things go wrong). Mix your product according to the directions in the "action!" section of this hub, apply, and wait. Note the time of application and check hair every 10 minutes until the desired color is acheived. This way you'll know about how long it will take your hair to process when you bleach completely.

The Action!

So, you've taken care of your hair, gathered all your supplies, and completed the strand test-- now, you're ready for the exciting part-- the action!

First things first- get all your materials laid out in the bathroom, grab a towel and throw it around your shoulders, and divide your hair into 4 sections by parting it like a plus sign, down then across, and secure each with a clip.

Next, mix your bleach. Start by dumping the powder from the bleach packet into a mixing bowl, then gradually stir in the developer until it gets to a consistency almost like ketchup. You don't want to leave it watery, but you also don't want it like peanut butter. Make sure to mix it up well, because the powder has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl and not become completely submersed in the developer. This will make your solution gritty and hard to work with.

Now you can start bleaching!

Be careful not to apply the bleach directly onto the scalp- it can chemical burn your head. Just paint your roots super-close. Start with the roots and work your way down to the tips of your hair. If you've previously dyed or bleached your hair, this will save on some of the damage to the ends- limiting the amount of time exposed to the bleach. You can start front to back, back to front, or on one of the sides-whatever way is easiest for you. I try to start at the back and work my way through the sides and to the front.

After your hair is covered it's time to wait. Whenever your hair is processing be sure to check its progress like with the strand test, even though now you should have a general idea on how long it will take. You don't want to over-do it. When you check your hair's progress, check to make sure the bleach isn't drying out, Reserve some of the bleach mixture so that in case some areas do begin to dry you can re-coat them. If you don't have any extra bleach, you can use a little dab of water on the area as well.

When the processing is finished, rinse your hair, then wash with the purple shampoo. Condition your hair heavily, and if you can stand it, don't blow dry or flat iron.

Dry hair reveals colors that wet hair doesn't. So, when your hair dries, inspect it for strands that look brassy, orange, or yellow. That's where you'll apply the "Virgin Snow" toner. It works on wet or dry hair, so if you can pick out discolorations when the hair is wet, there is no need to wait for it to dry to apply the toner. The good thing about this toner is it is actually good for your hair, it's very moisturizing, \ so you can drench your entire head in the stuff if you don't want to pick out individual areas for application. It won't hurt the color that bleached out with no brassiness- it will simply brighten and enhance it. The longer you can leave this on, the better. At least 30 minutes is needed for full effect, but if you slather it on and put a towel around it turban-style, an hour is easily achievable. Once time is up, wash again with purple shampoo, condition, and spray in a leave in conditioner/reconstructor. Again, avoid heat if at all possible.

The Aftercare

The aftercare is probably the most important part of the whole bleaching extravaganza. You want to keep that gorgeous hair healthy, right?

To do that:

Buy a deep conditioner, hot oil treatment, or hair masque and use it at least once a week. You need to replace the moisture in your hair. I use a combination of the V05 hot oil shower treatment and Kenra Nourishing Masque.

Buy a good reconstructor and use at least once a week. Deep conditioners are great, but don't do enough for bleached hair. They re-moisturize, but that's really it. You need something that is going to give your hair some lovin'. Reconstructors will revitalize your hair, fix some of the damage, and replace some of what was stripped out of your hair during the bleaching process. Bedhead makes a nice reconstructor called Dumb Blonde and you can use it every time you wash your hair.

Use a spray, leave-in treatment of some type. Redken Snap, or CHI Keratin Treatment will help repair damage.

Wash with purple shampoo. It keeps those lovely blonde locks looking their best and brightest, and will keep brassiness and discolorations away.

Trim your ends.

Stay away from heat as much as possible, especially within the first week. Avoid the flat iron, girls, and if you absolutely must blow dry, set it to the lowest heat setting.

And, when it comes time to bleach again, only bleach your new growth.

3 HOT HAIRSTYLES FOR SHORT NATURAL HAIR

The internet is literally bursting with styles for women celebrating their short, sexy peruvian virgin hair, and if you are struggling with your own teeny weeny afro (TWA) and simply don’t know how to wear or feminize your look, it helps to watch a couple videos of women who have your texture to get a little inspiration. Unfortunately, I didn't experience the TWA stage because I transitioned to natural virgin brazilian hair without cutting my length off, but if I could do it all over again, I think I would spend some time loving and nurturing a Teeny Weeny Afro!

4 Simple TWA Tips

1. MOISTURIZE AND SEAL OFTEN

This can mean everyday or every other day depending on how you style your brazilian hair. Use water, water based products and aloe vera juice to add moisture to your hair. While your brazilian virgin hair is really short, there’s nothing wrong with getting it wet in the shower every morning if you want to!

2. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SCALP

Scalp health is always important but when you have a TWA, making sure your scalp is super healthy is extremely important because you have less hair to protect it. Keep your scalp clean, clarify if you have to and massage your head with your favorite oil often to keep your blood flowing.

3. PROTECT YOUR HAIR AT NIGHT

Don’t think that just because your hair is short you can avoid protecting it as much as you should! Sleeping with a satin scarf is always recommended but you can also opt for a satin pillow case as an alternative. Either way, protecting your hair from the beginning will only be beneficial as your brazilian virign hair grows longer-- the hair on your head now will become the ends of your length!

4. HAVE FUN WITH STYLING

Do accessorize, do wear parts, do play with products and do play with color (responsibly). Have as much fun as you can with your TWA because that phase ends pretty fast! Below are video demonstrations of 3 easy ways to style your TWA.

How Often Should You REALLY Wash Your Hair?

The great  peruvian virgin hair  wash debate seems to be one women get passionate about: some swear by skipping a few days while others can’t imagine going without a wash every day! We thought it was time to settle the argument once and for all and answer the big question, how often should you REALLY wash your brazilian virgin hair?

A Little Hair History

Believe it or not, women haven’t always washed their brazilian virgin hair daily. In fact, up until recently women only washed their   brazilian virgin hair  once a month! While we all want our hair to feel fresh, clean and smell amazing, washing your hair daily actually strips hair of its natural oils. This can lead to dull, dry strands that easily break. Plus, if you’re washing and drying your hair daily, the heat tools are causing even more damage. So even though you may feel like you are taking care of your hair by washing it daily, you are actually causing more harm than good.

Hair Type Matters

So is there a good rule of thumb for the magic number of days you can go without washing your hair? Really, it depends on your hair type. brazilian virign hair that’s thicker and curlier can go without a wash for longer than hair that is more fine. How processed your hair is will also come into play, too. The reason is, the oils in your scalp don’t travel down the hair shaft as quickly in hair that’s coarse, curly or processed as it does for gals with fine hair.

The Final Verdict

At MOST, try washing your hair every other day. Every two days is even better and if you can make it an entire week, go for it! If your hair gets oily after only a day, try using some hair powder or dry shampoo on your roots to soak up some of that excess oil. There are also tons of products on the market for in-between wash days that will help your hair get some extra lift and smell fresh. After the gym, try spritzing a refreshing mist or do a rinse sans shampoo. If you must wash and shampoo each time after a workout, try a shampoo that’s made for daily cleansing; it’ll contain chemicals which aren’t as harsh on your hair.

10 Hair Mistakes That Make You Look Older And How To Fix Them

We all want to look our youngest and sexiest as long as possible. What we may not realize is hair mistakes we’re currently making – the wrong cut, color, style – can be adding years to our appearance! Check out these top hair mistakes that make you look older and learn how to fix them STAT.

1. NOT COVERING THE GRAY

“Nothing ages a woman faster than silvery roots and wirey hairs popping out from your part or hairline, and it can start as early as the 20s or 30s in some women,” says Wendy Lewis of luvmehair.com

2. DRY, DAMAGED, HAIR DUE TO CHEMICAL OVER-USE

Cut it…period. “Healthy-looking hair gives a youthful appearance,” says Stephanie Scuoppo of The Salon and Spa at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

3. HAIR THAT IS TOO LONG

“The hair should frame the face, graduating from the cheekbone to the chin, and not much longer than shoulder length,” says Scuoppo.

4. HAIR THAT IS CUT TOO SHORT

“A little length in the right places is softer and more forgiving,” says Scuoppo.

5. GOING TOO DARK

Dark brown, reddish tones, and jet black hair can be too harsh for some complexions. Face framing highlights and warm tones add light to the face for a softer overall look.

Clairol Color Director James Corbett advises that mature women shouldn’t just apply a dark black or brown all-over shade to cover their grays! For instance, products likeAge Defy are formulated to cover 100% grays while providing lustrous, radiant color with the right tones and highlights to complement a woman’s skin tone.

6. HIDING BEHIND YOUR HAIR

Women often make the mistake of hiding their insecurities behind their peruvian hair which, in retrospect, does them no justice. “Instead of keeping the hair close to your face and covering your entire forehead with bangs, open your face up and style and cut virgin brazilian hair with simple yet sexy elements that will flatter your entire look rather than trying to hide all your imperfections and barely showing your face,” says Shab Aghajani of theRoy Teeluck Salon.

7. AVOID ASHY TONES THAT CAN LOOK GRAY OR WHITE

As you get older, super short sculpted brazilian hair are very hard to wear and tend to accentuate sagging skin and jowling. “So if you hate your neck, keep your hair at least at chin length or just touching your shoulders for camouflage,” says Lewis.

8. DO YOUR PART

Hair parted to the side with a long fringe will emphasize cheekbones and even sharpen jawlines, whereas bangs draw attention to the eyes, so keep that in mind if you’re worried around wrinkles around your eyes. “Longer hair is definitely most acceptable for more mature clients these days, so grow it to shoulder length and make sure it’s healthy because shiny, strong, healthy   brazilian hair  makes you look younger,” says Aghajani.

9. WATCH OUT FOR STRAIGHT ACROSS BANGS

These are not always flattering and can be masculinizing and very hard to grow out. “Wispy, longer bangs are prettier, plus much more versatile,” says Lewis.

10. DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE

Cut it, let it grow, change your style altogether — staying young is about feeling young, and that’s about letting your spirit guide you!

How Hair Grease (Yes, Grease!) Can Help Retain Length in Natural Hair

I’m sure many of you remember the days of being a young girl sitting between your mother’s or aunt’s legs to get your hair done. Dax, Blue Magic, Doo Gro, or another peruvian hair weave grease was on the scene to replace that dry look and feel with smoothness and shine. It was a necessity. When there was no more grease left, it felt like the world was coming to an end. Well, it felt that way for me, at least.

Then came the wave of virgin brazilian hair care forums and blogs that seemed unanimous in their decision that “hair grease was bad” for our scalp and hair. If you want to grow your hair long, don’t use grease because it clogs your follicles. If you want moisturized hair, don’t use grease because it works against moisture. Petrolatum and lanolin (both major components in hair grease) became enemies to black women wanting healthy, growing  virgin brazilian hair . Butters like shea and mango as well as oils like jojoba, olive, and coconut became our new friends.

But is hair grease really our enemy? Or can it be used to our benefit. While many naturals continue to refrain from grease, some have found ways to re-incorporate it into their hair care regimen for retention of moisture and length. Let’s see how:

1. Seal the ends for increased moisture retention

Both lanolin and petrolatum (again, major components in hair grease) are able to lock in moisture very well. As a matter of fact, petrolatum is more occlusive than certain oils, including almond and avocado[1]. Meanwhile, lanolin is a natural, waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep in order to protect the skin and wool from the harsh environment – including dryness.

HOW TO: To get the benefits of brazilian hair grease for moisture retention, apply moisture (water) or a water-based moisturizer first, then your oils and/or creams, and then hair grease.

2. Apply to edges and nape to stave off dryness

For some of us, water followed by an oil and/or a butter is a very, very temporary moisturizing solution for our edges and/or nape. After a few hours, those same edges/nape feel dry and crunchy as if they haven’t seen moisture for days. That is when hair grease – good at preventing moisture loss – makes another appearance in the hair care regimen. There is also the added benefit of hold and smoothing of the edges and nape.

HOW TO: To get the benefits of hair grease for staving off dryness, apply moisture (water) or a water-based moisturizer to your edges/nape first, then your oils and/or creams, and then hair grease.

3. Use as an anti-humidity agent to decrease shrinkage, and thus tangles/knots

Petrolatum creates a barrier upon application that prevents internal moisture from escaping while preventing external moisture from penetrating[1]. Because of this barrier, petrolatum-based hair grease can also act as an anti-humidity agent. Why is this important? Well, decreasing shrinkage (especially in coily or kinky high-shrinkage hair) can translate into fewer tangles and knots.

HOW TO: After washing and moisturizing your hair, apply  brazilian hair  grease prior to exposure to humidity. There is no need to repeat this process frequently. Doing so once (or twice) between washes should be sufficient.

4. Removal of long-term twists/braids and to detangle

Hair grease can provide much needed lubrication to ease the undoing of twists/braids as well as the detangling process. It can especially come in handy if you have meshing or a stubborn tangle. With the application of hair grease, a protective film is formed around the hair shaft and allows for a reduction in friction between strands.

HOW TO: Apply to ends prior to undoing long-term twists/braids and prior to detangling. Ideally, do both prior to washing.

5. Caveat: Use a good shampoo when washing

Use a good shampoo when washing to really remove the lanolin and petrolatum (i.e., product buildup). A shampoo that is too gentle may not be sufficient.