Having fresh second day curls


Have you have ever styled your curls so well that you didn’t want to sleep to avoid messing them up? Styling your curls after the shower will definitely take some time. But if you are using the right products, the results can be breath taking. But now that the day is over and you need to go to bed, you might feel worried about having to style your hair again in the morning.

As you sleep your amazing curls can get a little bit crazy. Sleep in a bun and your curls will go flat. Using a hair band to tie your hair can leave an unattractive dent that will look bad in the morning. If you decide to sleep without styling your hair, you might wake up with an unbelievable mane.  As a result, you might feel that you will have to style your hair all over again, just to be able to leave the house with confidence. You might even go weak and finally given in to chemical treatments that promise no hassle. 

Washing and styling your hair every single day is not a practical option. On one side, it strips your hair off its natural oils. These are the oils that naturally moisturise your scalp and hair strands. They are essential to keep your hair elastic and strong.


Sleep Right
You need to learn how to sleep right so that you can easily refresh your hair in the morning. Sleeping in a pineapple will help keep your curls intact. You can avoid having flat hair after sleeping for the night. 
Satin or silk pillow cases are so much better for your hair than cotton. Cotton causes static that makes your hair frizzy. Satin and silk will allow your hair to glide smoothly and your curls will look better in the morning. If you don’t have silk pillow cases, you can sleep in a silk or satin bonnet. It will keep your hair smooth and frizz free. 


Rise and shine
After sleeping for the night, you need to refresh your hair in the morning. Avoid brushing or combing your hair as it can change your curls to a messy frizz. Simply tilt your head upside down and scrunch some styling product in. If your curls have gone flat overnight, simply mist your hair so that it is easier to style. You can mix some of your favourite oil with the water to add some shine and smoothness to your strands. After applying more leave in conditioner and some styling gel or mousse, it is time to recoil your hair. Wrap the flat strands around your fingers and scrunch as much as you can. You can set your blowdryer on cold to dry your hair if it is a bit wet. 


Having good looking second, third and even fourth day curls is all about what you do the night before. If you don’t take care of your curls overnight, you will definitely get frustrated in the morning. It is all about using the right products and techniques in order to save precious time in the morning. You will easily have great curls that look like a lot of effort.

The Best Post Workout Foods & Supplements



If you’re a regular reader, then you may recall a recent post on the best pre-workout foods and supplements to consume before exercising. A lot of people seemed to enjoy that, and it gave you a few ideas to kickstart your workouts and attack them with more energy and alertness. Naturally, it got me thinking about another important aspect of working out: your post-workout routine. Taking care of yourself after exercise is just as - if not more - important than taking care of yourself beforehand. You should think of it as your recovery stage. This is where you give your body a chance to repair and refuel following a lot of hard work. With that in mind, you can improve post-workout recovery by consuming the right foods and supplements. As I said before, I’m not a nutrition expert by any stretch of the imagination. If you want professional advice, then speak to a nutritionist! However, I have done a lot of research and have found a few ideas that are proven to keep you fit and healthy after your workouts: 



Proteins
Anyone with a slight bit of exercise experience will know that protein has to be at the top of your supplements list. You’ll notice that many of the foods, later on, are here because they’re an excellent source of protein. Your body needs this substance to grow muscle. In essence, it’s essential to help fuel the muscle cells and encourage them to repair and grow even stronger than before. If your body was devoid of all protein, then your muscles would basically waste away. It’s a very easy supplement to get your hands on as well - there are loads of great protein powders out there for everyone. Think about your fitness goals before you choose a product, some protein powders are called ‘mass gainers’ as they help you put on more weight. If you want to lose weight, then opt for one with few calories.

BCAAs
BCCA stands for Branched Chain Amino Acids. This is a crucial supplement that helps you recover a lot faster after a workout. Amino acids exist within the body to help with something called protein synthesis. Effectively, BCAAs work to improve the way your body produces and uses protein. For this reason, it’s an excellent thing to take alongside your protein shake after a workout. In fact, when consumed in powdered form, you can mix it in with your shake and get two supplements in one. There are lots of BCAA benefits to help you feel better after working out. Do you often feel really sore the next day? This is called delayed onset muscle soreness - DOMS -and taking a BCAA supplement is shown to help prevent it. Or, at least, reduce the soreness you feel.

Glutamine
This is another amino acid that you should definitely think about adding to your supplements roster. Again, it will speed up the recovery process by improving the way your body functions.
Glutamine will make your body use carbohydrates far more efficiently, providing you with the energy needed to avoid a huge comedown. It also helps you produce more muscle mass, which can increase the size and tone of your muscles. Again, you can take this in powdered or tablet form depending on your preference.

CBD/CBG
Lastly, we have two supplements in the form of cannabinoids. There is some controversy surrounding things like CBD and CBG because of where they come from. Yes, they derive from the cannabis plant, but they are not drugs at all. In fact, many professional athletes take these supplements while performing as they are safe and not banned by any athletic organizations. CBD is the more well-known, and it can help fight inflammation, provide a better night’s sleep, and make you feel more relaxed. The benefits of CBG are believed to be similar, but potentially even stronger! As such, these supplements are great at helping your body recover following a tough exercise session. Reducing inflammation stops muscle soreness, you feel more relaxed, and you can sleep deeper and for longer - giving your body more time to recover.


Foods
The thing about supplements is that they can’t and shouldn’t exist on their own. You should use them alongside a healthy diet composed of whole foods. Essentially, the purpose of supplements is to give your body a boost of things that you might struggle to get a lot of when you eat. So, here are some foods you should definitely start adding to your post-workout meals as well:

Eggs
There have long been stories of people gulping down raw eggs after workouts. You don’t need to do this, but eggs themselves are an excellent post-workout food source. They contain lots of protein per egg, and the yolk is a wonderful source of essential vitamins, fats, and minerals. You get a good bit of iron from eggs, which a lot of women are deficient in. A good way to incorporate them into a post-workout meal is to either poach or boil them. These are the healthiest ways to cook eggs as you don't use oil!

Salmon
Salmon - and lots of other types of fish - are the perfect thing to eat after workouts. Again, you get a good source of protein from salmon. However, it also contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential for your brain health, but they also work with your body to prevent muscle soreness. It’s very easy to implement salmon into a post-workout meal or to have it as a little snack between meals.

Sweet Potato
A killer nutritional mistake is to avoid carbs after a workout. Carbohydrates are a key source of energy for your body. After a workout, you will feel a natural lull as your body is tired. So, adding carbs to your meal is a great way to refuel yourself and continue attacking the day. This is essential if you work out during the day and still have things to do. Of course, some carb sources are healthier than others. Sweet potato is a great thing to have as it’s an excellent source of many vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Another benefit of sweet potatoes is that they support your immune system. After working out, it’s common for your immune system to suffer a little dip, so this helps correct that.

Nuts & Seeds
If you don’t eat a big meal straight after working out, then nuts can be your best friend. They are chocked full of protein, good fats, fiber, and lots of other minerals and vitamins. The high protein and fiber content means that they tend to fill you up quite quickly as well. This makes them an ideal post-workout snack as you’re biding your time between meals. Plus, you can easily bring them in a little bag or tub to snack on as you leave the gym. Seeds also fall into the same category, though they can be a bit harder to eat on their own. Still, a great benefit of nuts and seeds is that they can be used as toppings for so many other things! Sprinkle them on oatmeal, yogurt, or even salads.
So, there you have it: the best post-workout foods and supplements to consume. Pair these with the pre-workout ideas mentioned in my previous post, and you’ve got yourself a great nutritional plan! Taking care of your body both before and after exercise will help you improve performance and speed up your recovery. The only thing left to consider is how you should fuel your body during workouts!

How To Care For Dyed Natural Hair


There's a lot of fear and confusion when dyeing natural hair. As the strands are already fragile and prone to dryness and breakage, the added chemicals from dye can exacerbate common issues. However, dyeing natural hair isn't out of the question, as long as you're ready to commit to your hair care routine. If you've started the dyeing process or want to change your look, here are some tips to help you care for your dyed natural hair.

Make Changes Slowly
The number one rule of dyeing your hair is to make changes slowly, especially when going lighter. You can't go into the salon one day and expect to walk out a platinum blonde, otherwise, you'll wake up without hair. Know that it could take a few months of dyeing and aftercare to achieve the colour you want. You may have to go a few months with a shade that you don't like to be able to eventually achieve the shade you love. In the meantime, consider wearing a wig until you're where you want to be. Wear a silk cap to help protect your natural hair underneath— learn more in this post about how to secure a wig at EvaWigs.

Hydrate and Moisturise Daily
Hydration and moisturisation are an essential step in caring for natural hair. Dyes and bleach strip moisture from your strands, so this step becomes critical. Make time every day to hydrate and moisturise your hair. This process will look different for everyone but should consist of adding a daily conditioning spray or cream. If you aren't already pre-conditioning your hair when you wash it, consider adding this step to the process as well.


Use a Detangler
Detangling becomes more important when your natural hair is dyed as well. To take care of your hair, forget the simple wash-and-go when you're rocking colour. Use a detangling spray and set aside time to detangle with a wide-tooth comb every time you wash your hair. Remember to be extra gentle with your hair when detangling. Start from the ends and work up to the roots, carefully working through knots to avoid breakage.

Add a Protein Treatment to the Mix

When you dye your hair, you should plan on doing a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week.  If you're going lighter, consider adding a protein mask to the mix. A keratin hair treatment can help nourish and strengthen your locks, giving them the gusto they need to withstand the dyeing process. 

As healing begins from the inside out, ensuring that your diet offers enough lean protein, collagen, and biotin can help prevent breakage as well. 


Default to Protective Styles
When you dye natural hair, you'll want to put it in protective styles 99% of the time. It's important to keep those ends tucked now more than ever. However, you'll have to be cautious of tight braids that cause tension and breakage to your sensitive locks. You'll also want to be extra cautious at night, using a braid-out or knots and silk pillowcase at all times. You might even consider adding a silk scarf if you move around a lot in your sleep.

Invest in High-Quality Products

Dyeing your hair is an investment. If you want to protect your natural hair during this process, you must be willing to invest in high-quality products. Avoid using box dye and visit your stylist instead, especially when you're going lighter. You'll also want to buy a high-quality colour protectant shampoo and conditioner  that's optimised for curly or kinky hair. 



If you want to protect your natural hair when dyeing it, the two things to remember are patience and quality. You need patience in building your colour and care routine, and quality in each product you apply. By keeping these things in mind, you'll get the style you love without causing lasting damage.


4 Steps to Self Care During LockDown



When it comes to self-care, a lot of people gloss over the term not really understanding
what it means and the significance it has in the lives of many people. It is even more important
at a time like this, where we are being encouraged to stay in our homes, maintain social
distancing from our friends and family and prevented from doing a lot of the things that we
usually do to keep our mental health stable.


However, there are some things that you can do to try and keep on top of self-care during the
Coronavirus outbreak and make it a priority without putting yourself at any risk.
Read on to find out more:

Exercise
When it comes to self-care, many people imagine lying back in a hot bubble bath with a face mask on. While that can be a form of self-care for many people, looking after your mind and body is the greatest thing, and there is no better way of doing this than exercise.

Of course, going to the gym or hitting the local swimming baths is not the best idea at the moment, so you need to think of things that you can do either at home or that allow you to maintain social distancing. Perhaps use this time to find out how to get into yoga, or maybe you discover you really like following an online Zumba workout class.

Check in with people
Just because you can’t socially mix with your family and friends in person, it doesn’t mean that you can’t socialise at all. Thanks to technology such as social media, WhatsApp and Zoom, you can have group chats with your loved ones. Why not arrange a party night? Everyone can get dressed up in their fancy outfits, pour a cocktail and have a night out but staying in!

Have a routine
One of the hardest parts of being shut away at home, particularly if you are not working at the moment, is the lack of routine. Not having normality can play havoc with our mental health, so implementing a routine and incorporating self-care within that is important. It may be as simple as getting up in the morning and having a long hot shower before slathering on body lotion and getting dressed. Sometimes, doing hair and makeup and nails can make us feel good, even if it is just to wrap back up in a blanket and watch Netflix on the couch!

Treat yourself
Buy that expensive piece of steak and bottle of wine, light the candles and use your fanciest dining plates, even if it is just you on your own! Dig out that fancy cream or perfume that you put away for a special occasion and use it. Order that pair of merino wool socks. If it makes you feel good, do it. After all, there is nothing much else to do at the moment!

Self-care is always important, but never so much as it is during a worldwide pandemic. Look after yourself and your mental health.