Beauty Tip: How I Got My Hair to Grow Faster

 My obsession with getting my hair to waist-length began about a year ago. For my whole life, my hair had just been able to graze my chest at its very longest. For some reason, no matter how regularly I trimmed it and tried to keep it healthy, it would never grow! It was the most frustrating thing ever. Finally, I became tired of the nonsense; I wanted my hair to be to my butt, and I wanted it now. 
 So, I actually did research or hair growth, and what I found was enlightening. First of all, I noticed some things I was doing wrong:

       1.) I was using a lot of heat on my hair. 
This was really bad. Heat damage is one of the biggest issues when it comes to hair growth problems. Most people don't know how bad simply blow drying your hair after a shower or straightening it can be. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Of course basically burning your delicate strands of hair would be bad for it! Unless you have some kind of protective spray or ointment you apply to your hair beforehand, heat should be avoided at all costs.
     
        2.) I was washing and conditioning my hair wrong.
This is another issue that many people have no clue that about. To simplify it, shampoo is for the roots of your hair and your scalp only. Conditioner is for the ends and middle of your hair only. When I was washing my hair, I was washing all of it, even the ends. This drys out and damages your hair a lot. Also, remember to use a good brand of shampoo and conditioner to keep things going along. A brand like Organix is great, but is definitely not cheap. Your hair will love you, but your wallet, not so much.
   
        3.) I was brushing my hair when it was wet.
When your hair is wet, it becomes extremely prone to breakage and stretching. Unless you have some kind of emergency, do not brush wet hair. It really tears it up even if you do not notice it. If you absolutely must brush your hair, go through it extremely carefully, starting at the bottom, and working your way up to avoid creating more knots or worsening already existing ones.

 Once I became conscious of these things, I saw a big improvement in the growth and overall quality of my hair. But, because my hair is so slow growing, I wanted to speed things up. I was impatient. So, I researched and researched and tried all kinds of strange concoctions {including raw eggs and fish oil:o}, but nothing seemed to really do anything drastic. Granted, they all made my hair feel nice, but they didn't seem to be growing it out any faster. Until... I stumbled across something that actually did work.... Drum roll, please!
COCONUT OIL!! I read about the benefits of this stuff in multiple places so I decided to give it a go and I am SO happy that I did. My top-of-the-chest length hair went to just-grazing-my-butt length in the matter of about 6 months {despite the fact that I used it so unfaithfully}.

So, just how did I use the coconut oil to power up my hair, you ask?
Here is the most effective process I've found:

The Inversion Method

1. Warm up around 4 tablespoons oil. You can do more or less, dependent upon the amount of hair your have. To warm it, I usually set a chunk of my coconut oil {if it's solid} in a bowl and heat it up for a few seconds, but you can also set a bowl of it into a bigger bowl of warm water.  Once the oil gets warm to the touch, take it out. You don't want it to be so hot that you'd burn yourself. The point of this process is to increase blood flow to your scalp. 

2. Apply the oil to your scalp. The whole thing should be covered with a thin layer of it. For me, the oil is easier to work in if my hair is at least somewhat damp before this whole process {but not completely wet}. 

3. Comb the oil through the rest of your hair. Again, be gentle so you do not damage your hair in the process. 

4. Massage your scalp for about 4 minutes. Be somewhat vigorous, but still gentle enough that you aren't hurting yourself or your hair. 

5. Throw your hair forward and hold your head upside down for 4 more minutes. This is going to help the blood flow come to your head. You can stand over a sink or your bathtub while doing this or sit on a chair with your head forward or even lie on your bed with your head over the side. Whatever feels comfortable to you is the best option. 

6. Wash the oil out with shampoo or, if your hair is especially dry, keep it in for a few hours or even overnight {do not keep it in overnight too often, because it can clog up your pores instead of helping} before you wash it out. Make sure to get it all out, but to be gentle. 

7. Do not repeat this process again for at least 2 weeks {at first}, preferably 3-4 {after you've done it a few times}. If you use the inversion method too often, your body will become used to it, and it will not be as effective. It can also clog your pores if done too often, which is not helpful either. 

Although it takes a few times to see results, I've found this method to be extremely effective over any other method. 

Good luck in your journey to longer, healthier hair:)

-jh♥

Dealing with Stress

Stress.
Is anyone else feeling it as much as I am right now?
With school about to begin, college choices hanging over my head, and increased work hours, I feel on the verge of having a mental breakdown. Half of me is in denial and the other half is telling me to freak out. And I have been freaking out a little:P
 This time of year is usually a reality check for many young people, especially those that may be entering a new chapter in their life (middle school, high school, college, a new job, you name it!). See, there's these horrible things called responsibilities that we all eventually get to have as we get older. And, if you're like me, they give you a lot of anxiety when concentrated. For me, this past week, it got to the point where I wanted to shut down because of it. My mind ran off with the thought that I wasn't ready to face this chapter of my life and be an adult. I was freaking out because I couldn't fathom how I was going to handle ALL the responsibilities and duties which are coming with the school year ahead.
But, this is where I went wrong. I was sitting there trying to figure out how I could do all this on my own, when I don't have to do this all on my own. Yes, I'm going to be an adult pretty quickly here, and yes, I'm going to have to pick a college and figure out my future, and yes, that is a scary thing. It would be abnormal for someone not to be at least a little apprehensive about it. But, where I went wrong was looking to myself to handle this all, when I should've been looking to God.
 Let's be real, there is no way we can handle all the trials and burdens that come our way in this life on our own. We aren't strong enough for that. What we need to do when we get overwhelmed is to take a step back, breathe, and take some time to see what God says about our situation. The Bible says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us {Philippians 4:13}. God put these trials in my life for a reason. He doesn't just throw these things at us and say, "OK, bye, you have fun with that." Everything He does is for a reason and he will guide and direct us on the right path if we just listen.
 So, if you're freaking out right now over this coming school year or other responsibilities you might have{even if it's only a little} , I want you to stop right now, take a deep breath, and talk to God {Romans 12:12-"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."}. Tell Him how you are feeling and what you are struggling with. Then, take some uninterrupted quiet time to listen to what He has to say back to you by reading His Word. Humble yourself and ask God for guidance and help. He lived as a man on earth before and dealt with all the emotions and struggles that we have to experience, so He knows how best to help us.
 Also, know that this trial you are struggling with is for a reason {James 1:2-4}. Although that reason may not be clear to you at the moment,be patient to trust Him. Don't lose faith in God's purposes when times get hard; these are the times in which you need that faith the most.


P.S. Excuse my massive lack of posting. I was on a long mission trip and vacation with NO WIFI!! Talk about trials and tribulations! I promise to warn y'all next time I disappear:)

-jh♥

RE-DESIGN {June 2016}

  Hey, Y'all. Wow. How things can change only over the course of a year. 2016 brought a whole new world of changes for me. But, fortunately, these changes were for the better.
Because of theses drastic changes, I am re-designing my entire blog.
  At this point, I'm sure you're probably curious about what changes could cause this and where I've been for the past 8 months. Well, I took a break from HH originally because I was struggling inside spiritually and doing a good bit of self-searching. I do still believe that my intentions were right in having this blog. I just wanted to share my beliefs about modesty with other girls and women. But, I was losing sight of more important spiritual things because my focus came to be much more on how I looked on the outside. I may have denied it, but I was so worried about my outsides fitting to certain standards that I neglected the other parts of my walk with God. It was an illusion to myself and to others who may not have known me intimately. Because I looked "holy" I often assumed I was doing fine and other people may have thought this themselves.
  But, as always, Jesus dealt patiently with me and guided me in the right direction through various trials. I will not go through these in detail, but I will talk briefly about what ultimately set me onto a better mindset about outward modesty.
  During this time in which I was struggling spiritually, I was seeing other "Christians", who also believed strongly in outward holiness, which, to me, always seemed so put together and so perfect... So, well, holy.  For awhile, they were my example. I strived to be as put-together as they seemed. They just seemed to be better Christians than me. So, without realizing it, I became overly focused on fitting all these outward standards that I, in turn, adopted.
  Eventually, God began revealing to me that it was all a show. You can be as perfect as you want on the outside, but without having a truly changed heart and the Holy spirit's work in your life, it all means nothing. Clothing can only polish your outsides, it can do nothing for the filthiness that lies in our hearts if they are not cleansed by Christ.
Although we are called to be modest, I can't stress enough how important it is go first have a changed heart and then have the Holy Spirit guide your convictions in modesty.
  The Bible is not very specific about standards of modesty in women besides the fact that we are called to be feminine and modest. We are also to keep in mind that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we should adorn ourselves purely and appropriately. The beautiful thing is that God leaves this up to our interpretation and the conviction of the Spirit. We should remember that our outward appearance should reflect a changed heart.
  So, to avoid putting the focus too much on the outward man, I want to make Humbly His more about spiritual encouragement and things like this. But, never fear, I still want to capitalize on fashion, so that will remain the focus!
 What I want to leave y'all with today is this verse:
1 Samuel 16:7
"...For man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
I can't wait to start over again (and consistently post, too!:D)
P.S. I'm actually planning on starting up an Instagram page for easier posting of outfit ideas, instead of struggling to post them on here! I'll let y'all know when!
Excited!!
-jh❤