It's about that time you guys!!! So excited for this touch up because of this new length that I have, oh, by the way, my hair has been feeling so soft and nourished that I almost didn't want to apply any products to it. So my relaxer day is approaching and I decided to write in detail how I prep for my relaxer day. Here's how it went:

Products Used
- Mega Growth Deep Conditioner
- Mega Growth Stimulating Shampoo
- Organics treatment for weak Damaged Hair
- Mega Growth Pro-Growth Conditioner
- Mega Growth Daily Leave-in Strengthener
- Mega Growth oil
- African Naturalistas Castor oil
- Profectiv healthy ends
- Fantasia IC Serum

Detangled: I parted my hair into four sections, applied MG leave in strengthener to my hair and finger detangled. When I was done with each section I applied MG oil mixed with castor oil and then applied Profectiv Healthy ends. (Tip: when parting your hair, apply so conditioner to your fingertips before parting to avoid breakage.)

Deep Conditioned: I deep conditioned with MG Deep conditioner for about two hours.

Clarified: My regular shampoo has Sulphate in it so I only use it once a month to remove build up. I shampooed twice with MG Stimulating Shampoo and rinsed thoroughly.

Protein Treatment: Confession time. I don't do this regularly. I only do this once in a blue moon, but now, I've decided to be faithful in doing a protein treatment once a month to protect my hair and ends. Relaxers break down the protein bonds in your hair in order to straighten it, so I think a protein treatment before a relaxer touch up helps keep the hair strengthened. Most of my Profectiv products have light protein in them so I opted for a treatment that isn't too strong to avoid protein overload. After rinsing out the shampoo, I applied a generous amount of Organics hair mayonnaise to my hair, covered it with my shower cap and left it in for about five minutes or more. I thought the time was too short, but when I took it off, it's job was done so I rinsed it out.

(Optional: you can follow this up with a moisturising conditioner if you think your hair is too strong.)

Leave ins: I t-shirt dried my hair for about ten minutes, air dried till my hair was about 70% dry then parted my hair into four sections, applied MG leave in strengthener and Fantasia Serum, detangled and left it to air dry completely.

Style: as my first updo on my shorter hair I decided to start with a simple bun. I couldn't make it too high because the hair at my back is shorter than the rest of my hair, so the bun rested nicely in the middle. I pinned my ends to my hair to make it fluffy and full. At night I don't take down my hair completely, I just take out the pins, moisturise and seal, and put it in a Bantu Knot. I'm going to wait till my relaxer day before doing a proper length Check.

See that little braid at the end there? That's my nape hair. I braided it to keep myself from touching it all week. This hair journey just got real.