Protective Style Challenge - Updates

Well, 6 months seemed like a long time, but the Protective Style Challenge is going by much faster than I expected! I've done a few updates on my YouTube channel...

First protective style update:

Second protective style update:

Third protective style update:

Fourth protective style update: 

Fifth protective style update:

I completed the challenge! Here is the summary video:

Did you do the challenge? 
Comment below and let me know how you did!

Protective Styling 101 - the basics

A Protective Style is any hairstyle that keeps your hair (especially your ends which are the oldest part of your hair) safely tucked away or protected from:

- outside elements (extremely cold or hot weather) 

- rubbing on your shoulders or clothing 

both of which can cause weathering or wearing down of the hair strands and thus breakage. 

Many times we feel like our hair is not growing, when in reality our hair is breaking off at the ends, so that we are not retaining length. Ideally a protective style is something that is low-manipulation or doesn't require you to mess with your hair too much everyday, reducing the breakage that can occur from daily combing/styling. 

Some protective styles include twists, flat twists, finger coils, box braids, cornrows, buns, wigs and extensions (braids, crochet braids and weaves).

Are weaves a protective style?

There's been a lot of discussion about whether extensions, and weaves in particular, are truly protective styles. Simply wearing a style which is deemed ‘protective’ but not taking the time to care for your own hair during that time is where the danger lies. You can't just throw your hair in a weave for 6 weeks and call it protective styling - if you don't have a proper moisture regimen during that period, or you never wash your hair or at least cleanse your scalp, then you may not have the positive result you were expecting from the protective style. In a case like that, the weave is not the culprit but the fact that you neglected your own hair during the process. 

large parts, loose braiding and a solid cleansing
& moisture regimen help keep braids 'protective'

The manner in which a protective style is done can also determine whether it works for you or not. If you put your bun or cornrows in too tightly, or you twist your hair using a drying hair product like gel which contains alcohol, or glue the weave to your scalp, then it ceases to be "protective". I've had great success with braids (using synthetic hair) as a protective style because I never make the parts smaller that half inch squares (even if it looks spacey!) and I do not braid the hair tightly. Do my braids get fuzzy faster? of course, but they don't rip the hair out of my head either!

Protective styling can help with retaining length and maintaining the overall health of your hair (I find that my hair is less dry/brittle when I protective style more regularly than go loose/fro'd out) but be sure that you take the time to maintain your hair while in 'protective mode', you may also want to experiment with a few protective styles to see which ones are best for your hair type and your lifestyle.

twists - my 'go to' protective style

Do you do protective styling? What are your 'go to' protective styles?

Product Review by Vlogger Ayanna Nedd

Youtube Vlogger Ayanna Nedd did a cool review on some of the hair products, have a look...

I'm Just Beeyoutiful! - Spotlight on Kari

It’s time to highlight another Just Bee You'ser and her experiences with the products! This spotlight is on Kari, who’s been using the products to take care of her transitioning tresses. 
Read on to see how she manages the different textures...

bantu knots - protective, pretty and give great curls

Tell us about your hair…
I like to wear my hair in a way that I don't have to fuss much with it - in that, I prefer if it’s braided or cornrowed or in a bun. I am currently transitioning and I have been transitioning for just over a year.



Describe your hair care regimen (including the products you use)?
My hair regimen includes shampoo and condition or deep condition bi-weekly and daily hair care with Just Bee You Herbal Hair Spritz and Shea and Herbs Hair Butter.

bantu knot-out - a stylish way to blend
new growth with relaxed ends

How long have you been using “Just Bee You!” products? How has your experience with the product line been so far?
I have been using JBY hair products from its inception, however, I have been using it consistently for a little over 1 year when the product came fully on stream. The experience has been great. I see vast improvement in the texture and manageability of my hair.

relaxed days

What is your favourite “Just Bee You!” product?
My favorite JBY product, is the Cocoa Shea Skin smoothie.




What are 5 hair items / products you can’t live without?
   1. My wide tooth comb
   2. My Hair Brush
   3. Just Bee You Herbal Hair Spritz
   4. Just Bee You Shea & Herbs Hair Butter
   5. Eco Styler Gel




What are some of the lessons you've learnt on the journey to healthy hair?
Some of the lessons I have learnt on my journey to healthier hair are: natural is always better; what you put into your body plays a major role in the health of your hair; and maintenance of natural hair is not as hard as it is perceived to be, as long as you have a good regimen that works for you and your hair.

transitioning chic ... roller set plaits
blend the new growth with the straight ends

What one piece of advice would you give to anyone trying to maintain healthy hair?
The one advice I would give to anyone is to embrace your naps. If you love your naps, you would do what needs to be done to keep it healthy.




What do you love most about your hair?
I love the length of my hair the most!

braids ... go-to transitioning style

braids ... go- to transitioning styles

buns ... go-to transitioning styles

(Remember, if you'd like to be featured as a spotlight, give me a shout!)

Handy headwraps for bad hair days...

 All hair is good hair, but all 'hair days' aren't always good ones! Head wraps are a fabulous way to get through a "bad hair day" unscathed =) Sometimes I forget how handy headwraps can be:

You're on vacation, and you're more interested in seeing the sites that seeing about your hair? Head wraps don't take up much space in your suitcase but can be a cute accessory and handy time-saving tool! Just pack 2 or 3 head wraps in neutral colours which can go with various outfits...

On the go and your twistout starts to frizz from the humidity? A handy headwrap converts a failed twistout into a cute chunky puff.

A headwrap can take you from this:

to this, and out the door in 5 minutes.

Half-way through braiding/combing your hair and your friends call you to go hang out for a bit? =) 

Head wrap to the rescue!

Headwraps ... the ultimate 'bad hair day' fix!

Building a Hair Regimen

be consistent ... your hair will thank you for it!

Many natural newbies and anyone interested in beginning a healthy hair journey, may often wonder: “Do I NEED to develop a hair regimen? Can I just ‘wing it’ and take things as they go? Will following a regimen be difficult? Will I get bored?” Listen, I firmly believe hair should be fun, not work! So it’s not like I want to take the fun or creativity out of anyone’s hair journey, but I think developing a hair regimen can really make a huge difference in the positive results you can achieve in your quest for healthy hair!

Following a hair regimen may sound like a tedious task, but trust me the more you practise a system; eventually it becomes like second nature and it will just become part of your lifestyle. I’ve found that once I am consistent my hair thrives, from the time things get haphazard I see a change in the health of my hair. Maybe it’s all in my head =) but let's continue. If you’re like me and you tend to get bored easily you can incorporate creativity even in the habitual. For instance, if you perform a particular task routinely you can switch up the products used to achieve that task, especially if you’ve found several things that work for you. So, for example your weekly deep conditioning session can involve greek yogurt, olive oil and honey one week, or store-bought hair mayonnaise the next week, yet another week – half an avocado from your fridge with an egg for protein.

When building a regimen, here are a few things to consider:

Your Personality: Are you a “no fuss” kind of person? Then try to avoid a routine that’s too complicated or elaborate, eventually you may just get frustrated. If you’re a creative type, you may be able to incorporate several different activities into your regimen to peak your interest or several different ways to accomplish the same goal.

Your Skill Level: I know, I know, persistence has its place but let’s be real for one second here: not everyone is good at doing hair! (did I say that? =) yep!) Yes persistence pays off, but there are some people that get things right away and others who will need time to hone certain skills and techniques. So ask yourself: How comfortable do I feel doing my own hair? What techniques can I do well /do I need to work on? Maybe you can do certain aspects of the routine yourself and have someone else help you with styling, OR maybe you’re good at styling but you really tangle your hair when you wash. Evaluate your skills honestly and then decide what you can improve with practice and what you may need assistance with.

Your Lifestyle: What is a typical day/week/weekend like for you? Are you a graduate student with a busy schedule on a tight budget? A mom of toddlers with very little ‘me-time’? An athlete? Keep your regimen practical and relevant to you.

Your Hair Goals: Do you want to retain more length? Are you transitioning? Whether you’re working on your thinning hairline or split ends, or you have breakage, dryness issues, or even want to maintain what you have. Your goals are a great way to help you plan and to inspire you to keep going on your journey.

Your ‘Hairsonality’: What does your hair like? What works for one person’s hair may not work for yours, so listen to what your hair is ‘saying’, it’s not always about what the latest trend in hair care is. What is your hair type? Now, I don’t necessarily follow the numbering system, but it’s a useful exercise to see if the regimen of persons whose hair looks similar to yours can work for you (or if they wear a similar hairstyle to yours, such as locs). Also based on the type of hair you have you can decide honestly what can be in your regimen. I for one know that I don’t really have ‘wash and go’ hair, I have ‘wash and fro’ hair, #keepinitreal LOL so I would not try to incorporate a “wash and define curls and head out for the day” session into my regimen, it just has never really worked on my hair.

I will do another post soon on my own hair regimen so you can see how I sectioned everything out, but until then, take a few minutes to sit and consider these questions and make some notes and soon you’ll be on your way to developing an iron-clad hair regimen!

(yes there's more! =) in Part 2)

Happy Nappiversary to meee!

Today September 9th 2012 marks eight years since I chopped off my relaxer and began this journey - the return of my hair to its natural glory.

Someone asked me the other day if I was ever going to relax again. Right now as it stands, I cannot find a reason why I would want to put a chemical in my hair, so unless something changes drastically in my brain, yes I will be wearing my hair natural from now on. As much as I love my natural hair I have to admit that it has been rocky at times. I am not going to delude anyone into thinking that this has always been smoooooth sailing, because it hasn’t. I too have felt frustration and discouragement. What gets me through the rocky times is that no matter how frustrated I get, when I weigh the pros and cons of wearing my God-given hair versus the “creamy crack” the scales always tip towards natural for me. 

Of course, to each his/her own, and there are many who chose not to wear their natural hair texture, for their own personal reasons, I can only speak for me - and for me I no longer have the desire to wear my hair straight (whether by relaxing or heat). I have so much fun expressing my creativity through my natural hair! And now I am at a point in my journey where I know what my hair likes, I am used to its varied moods and I can manage them accordingly.

To those who may just be starting out on a natural journey or a healthy hair journey in general, my advice to you is: patience is key! It may take time to reach the goals you have set for your hair, it will take time to incorporate healthy hair practices into your regimen so that they become habitual or second nature, and I am being real here, it may even take time before you like the hair on your head (for those who might have just done the “big chop” or are going through transitioning). But believe me eventually with the right attitude, an open mind and a willingness to do what it takes to gain the necessary knowledge, skills and tools, you too can have a happy hair journey.

Happy Nappiversary to me! I am still learning, I am still growing, and I am still loving my naps more and more each day!

Product Feature – Herbal Sachets

If you're looking for new ways to boost your hair regimen, I would definitely suggest regular herbal rinses - it’s an easy way to reap the benefits from the many wonderful herbs Nature provides for us.

Soothe your scalp with gentle chamomile, restore hair’s natural lustre with rosemary and nourish the hair with horsetail, rich in hair-strengthening silicon. And don’t forget nutrient-rich nettle and the powerhouse of antioxidants – rooibos. These herbal sachets are little a nutritious all-natural ‘tea-break’ for your hair!

For maximum effectiveness, catch the hair rinse in a bowl as you pour it over your hair. Then repeat the rinse several times to ensure full coverage. Be sure to get some of it on your scalp as well. Rinse out if you’d like or leave it in for maximum benefit.

And if you’re a bit lazy =) sorry busy and find it inconvenient to do the rinses, why not steep the herbal sachets and apply the liquid to your hair with a spray bottle? You can even keep the bottle in the fridge and use it as a daily refresher for your hair (only make enough of the liquid to be used within in a week since the liquid will begin to go bad).

I do hope you enjoyed our product feature today, Next up is a crowd favourite - The Cocoa Shea Skin Smoothie is in the spotlight tomorrow!

Product Feature – Oils ‘n’ Herbs Hair & Scalp Oil

We’re half way through this 7-day series where we feature a different product made by “Just Bee You!” each day. The product we’ll talk about today I honestly believe belongs on everyone’s dresser =) It transcends so many hair types and styling options from close cropped fades, to afros or locs and bone straight relaxers.

Chock full of natural goodness, the Oils ‘n’ Herbs Hair and Scalp Oil delivers luxurious hair, a healthy scalp and adds radiant shine! It’s formulated with: coconut oil (one of the few oils which penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen from within), extra virgin olive oil infused with a blend of vitamin-rich herbs to condition and strengthen the hair, and a special essential oil blend which is both stimulating and nourishing to the scalp.

One of the BEST things about this product is that it’s a MULTI-USE product! Here are some of the various uses for Oils ‘n’ Herbs and I am sure as you begin to use it you can come up with many more!

Oils 'n' Herbs - the ultimate multi-tasker!

- Use to ‘oil’ your scalp or for scalp massages to stimulate the scalp

- As a sealant: apply onto freshly moisturized or slightly damp hair to seal in moisture

- Instead of ‘oil sheen spray’ try rubbing a small amount of this oil on your hair for radiant shine

- Warm the oil and use as a hot oil treatment

-  Add some into your favourite deep conditioner to “beef it up” a bit

- Ran out of massage oil/ body oil? Oils ‘n’ Herbs can be a suitable substitute  =)

- Apply and leave in for at least 1/2 hour as a “pre-shampoo” treatment then wash and condition as usual

- For those with naturally curly/coily hair who do ‘dry detangling’, apply to your hair to provide extra slip

- If you use a relaxer, apply onto the entire length of your hair, concentrating on the ends (avoid new growth) to prevent over-processing of your ends /damage from overlapping relaxers.

Whenever my hair needs a little “pick me up” I give it a light mist of Herbal Hair Spritz (sometimes I skip the spritz and still receive good results) and then apply OILS 'N' HERBS throughout my scalp and hair, put on a plastic cap, then my satin cap and go to bed - can we say SOFT hair  next day!

This product is 100% natural and contains no mineral oil, no preservatives or artificial fragrance. You can also customize it according to any of our available options – scalp health formula, growth stimulation formula, strength formula, extra gentle formula (for children/babies) or extra peppermint.

What uses can YOU come up with for the Oils ‘n’ Herbs? Share your ideas below! While you’re thinking about it, come back tomorrow for the next Product Feature: Herbal Sachets.

Product Feature - Shea and Herbs Hair Butter

I had some internet issues yesterday (and still am) sooo I’m featuring two JBY products today, so that hopefully by tomorrow God-willing if my technical issues are ironed out we can be back on schedule. Let’s look at the Shea and Herbs Hair Butter, which was the first product I started experimenting with years ago, so it has a special little space in my heart!  =)

The Shea and Herbs Hair Butter is a rich blend which includes a generous dose of unrefined shea butter, herbal infused oils and other nourishing ingredients, such as honey. Shea butter as many may know, does not only contain beneficial vitamins and minerals, but also absorbs slowly into the strands strengthening them from within.

Shea and Herbs Hair Butter contains a generous amount of shea butter

I usually recommend this (as opposed to the Hair Souffle) for relaxed or pressed/flat-ironed hair since it does not contain water which may cause heat-styled hair to revert. Anyone who uses ‘grease’ for any reason in your regimen – on your scalp, as a sealant, replace your jar of conventional “grease” with this product.

The Shea and Herbs Hair Butter contains no petroleum or mineral oil; no artificial fragrance or colouring or preservatives and it’s also customizable.

Tomorrow we’ll feature Oils ‘n’ Herbs Hair and Scalp Oil, so stay tuned!

Product Feature - Herbal Hair Spritz

Does your hair need a liquid fix? Herbal Hair Spritzes are just the thing for you! 

So many people constantly battle dry, crispy hair. While many factors can contribute to dryness, including the very structure of curly/coily hair or even the weather, a major reason is: many people don’t moisturize their hair =) I know it sounds crazy but many of us still believe that “grease” or even oil can ‘moisturize’ our hair. Picture this: It’s a really hot day, you’re sitting under an umbrella at your beach of choice, and you’re soooo thirsty! You could really do with a glass of cold, refreshing butter to quench your thirst….Yes something’s wrong with that picture, but it’s the same thing we do to our thirsty hair all the time!

Your liquid fix! 

I will do a post on the best way to moisturize your hair very soon, but for now just remember this – water moisturizes, oils/butters nourish and seal in moisture. So it’s important to have water or a water-based product in your regimen. The Herbal Hair Spritz is just that – it’s a water-based, moisturizing hair mist formulated with herbal extracts, aloe vera and essential oils, and it’s the perfect treat for thirsty tresses!

Apply a light mist to hair as a daily moisturizer, or layer it under one of our hair creams/butters for longer lasting moisture. I use this product as a moisturizing spritz/leave-in conditioner and as a mild detangling aide. If I plan to wear my hair out in a puff for the day, a light mist of this spritz keeps my puff soft, prevents it from drying out too much during the day and makes comb-out in the evening a lot easier.

This is also a great product for transitioners who need to soften new growth to prevent breakage, or for persons who have a relaxer and want to keep their new growth soft in order to stretch the time between relaxers.

Loc wearers can use this to prevent stiff locs or itchy scalp, as it’s light and won’t create build-up or lint.

You can even use it as a braid spray. If you use it faithfully while wearing the your protective styles (like braids/weaves) when you remove it your hair will be moisturized! And it keeps itching at bay!

The Herbal Hair Spritz is customizable into any of our available options, I like it in “extra peppermint” for more ‘zing’ when I spritz it into my scalp!

The Product Feature Series continues for the entire week, come back tomorrow when we highlight the Shea and Herbs Hair Butter.