Natural Hair: Tension Method

Hey beauty enthusiasts! It's been a while, but I'm back with a new post. Today I will be discussing the tension method. For my natural peeps or anyone curious about natural hair, this is for you!!! The tension method is when you hold your hair taut, and use a blow dryer to dry your hair. I've seen this method on tons of YT videos, and I really like it. I've been natural for 4 months now, so it was time for me to trim my hair. It was also a way of seeing how much growth I have thus far. I vowed to never use the hair dryer again last year; however, it was the easiest/fastest way for me to stretch my hair.

HOW TO USE THE TENSION METHOD:

You will need:

• Wide-tooth comb
• Heat protecting spray
• Leave-in Conditioner/Moisturizer/Shea Butter for your hair
• Jojoba Oil or any oil of your choice
• Clean damp hair
• Hair dryer
• PATIENCE!!! (The thicker or length of your hair will determine how long of a process this will take.)

Step 1: Make sure you're working on clean damp hair. Section your hair in four quadrants. (This will make the process go a lot smoother.) 

Step 2: Within each quadrant, begin using small sections and moisturizing them with your leave-in conditioner or whatever you use to keep your hair moisturized. Work the product from root to tip. Spray some heat protectant in your hands and smooth onto your hair. Comb your hair to evenly distribute it. 

Step 3: Hold the section of hair taught and down. Turn the hair dryer on the 'Cool' setting. Begin to move the hair dryer up and the hair about 1 inch away. Continue to hold your hair down, and let the dryer continue on both sides of your hair for 30 seconds. Put the hair dryer on the 'Low' setting for 10 seconds. 

Step 4: The hair dryer may leave your hair feeling a bit dry, so you can add a bit more product to your hair. Apply the oil to your hair, make a two-strand twist and continue until your entire head is complete.

You can tweak the products and the way you use the tension method. This is what works for me. I hope you found this informative, and you try it. 

*BELOW ARE TWO VIDEOS OF ME EXPLAINING THE TENSION METHOD AND THE RESULTS I GOT USING IT.*

WASH DAY: NATURAL HAIR ROUTINE USING SHEA MOISTURE PRODUCTS!!

THE MOMENT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR...WELL, I KNOW I HAVE!! =D

FINALLY MY CURRENT HAIR ROUTINE IS HERE!

THE NIGHT BEFORE, I LIKE TO PRE-POO MY HAIR WITH COCONUT OIL. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT BRAND, JUST PURE/ORGANIC OIL. I SPLIT MY HAIR IN 4 SECTIONS AND THEN DIVIDE THOSE SECTIONS INTO 4 SMALLER SECTIONS AS WELL...SO 16 2-STRAND TWISTS.

I LEAVE IT IN OVERNIGHT, AND THE NEXT DAY I TAKE IT OUT. 

I LIKE TO CLARIFY MY HAIR ONCE A MONTH WITH APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (ACV). I MASSAGE IT IN MY HAIR AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

(PICTURE BELOW)

AFTER THE 5 MINS. OF HAVING THE ACV IN MY HAIR, I RINSE IT OUT IN THE SHOWER. ONCE ALL THE ACV IS OUT OF MY HAIR, I SECTION IT OFF INTO FOUR SECTIONS WITH HAIR TIES. (PICTURE BELOW). THIS HELPS DETANGLING MY HAIR MUCH EASIER AND LESS OF A STRUGGLE. I JUST A WIDE TOOTH COMB TO DETANGLE MY HAIR AS WELL, AND I COMB MY HAIR WHILE THE SHOWER IS ON. THIS HELPS TO DETANGLE EVEN EASIER, AND LESS BREAKAGE FOR ME. 

 IT MAY SEEM A BIT MUCH FOR SOME TO USE ALL THESE PRODUCTS, BUT I LIKE USING THEM ALL FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. 

1. TRESEMME NATURALS CONDITIONER- I USE THIS MOST OF THE TIME FOR COWASHING, ESPECIALLY FOR GETTING THE REMAINS OF THE ACV OUT OF MY HAIR. IT HAS GREAT SLIP AS WELL, AND LIKE MOST NATURALS (IF NOT ALL), A PRODUCT WITH SLIP IS AWESOME!!

2. SHEA MOISTURE 'SUPERFRUIT COMPLEX 10-IN-1 RENEWAL SYSTEM CONDITIONER'- THIS PRODUCT SMELLS DELICIOUS, IT HAS SO MANY BENEFITS IN IT, AND IT LEAVES MY HAIR FEELING VERY SOFT. I MASSAGE THIS INTO EACH SECTION, COMB THROUGH AND RINSE. (REPEAT FOR EACH SECTION). 

3. SHEA MOISTURE 'RAW SHEA BUTTER RESTORATIVE CONDITIONER'- THE FIRST PRODUCT I TRIED FROM SHEA MOISTURE. EVERY TIME I USE THIS, I FEEL MY HAIR STRENGTHENING AND IT FEELS A LOT HEALTHIER. I DO WHAT I DID FOR THE SUPERFRUIT CONDITIONER, BUT I LEAVE IT ON FOR ABOUT 5-7 MINS. AND I FINISH IN THE SHOWER. THEN I RINSE MY HAIR OUT AND CONTINUE WITH DETANGLING WHILE RINSING.

PRODUCTS THAT I USE!!

 4. SHEA MOISTURE 'JBCO STRENGTHEN, GROW AND RESTORE TREATMENT MASQUE'- I HAVE BEEN LOVING JBCO FOR A WHILE NOW. IT HELPED MY HAIR GROW DURING MY TRANSITIONING STAGE (4-7)..NATURAL HAIR JOURNEY http://beautyenthusiastmue.blogspot.com/2015/06/old-post-1-year-transitioningbig-chop.html. THE DIRECTIONS SAY TO PUT THIS ON YOUR HAIR ROOT TO TIP AND LEAVE ON FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. (I WILL HAVE A PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT OF THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCT)

 I LIKE THE CONSISTENCY OF THIS PRODUCT, AND IT'S THIN ENOUGH TO EVENLY DISTRIBUTE IN MY HAIR. MY HAIR IS VERY TIGHTLY CURLED (4B/C HAIR TYPE). I JUST LOVE THE SHRINKAGE IN THE PHOTO. #AFROLIFE

5. SHEA MOISTURE 'JBCO STRENGTHEN, GROW AND RESTORE LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER'-ONCE I RINSE MY HAIR I USE AN OLD T-SHIRT TO GET THE EXCESS WATER OUT OF MY HAIR. I THEN SECTION IT AGAIN BEFORE ADDING THE LAST PRODUCT. A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY WITH THIS PRODUCT. I LIKE TO MASSAGE IT INTO MY SCALP, THEN I TWO-STRAND TWIST MY HAIR AND CONTINUE UNTIL MY HAIR IS COMPLETELY TWISTED. 

I WILL BE DOING A FIRST IMPRESSION ON THE SHEA MOISTURE JBCO SHORTLY!I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS POST AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER ONES TOO!! THANK YOU,NISHA <3