Hairly Obsessed

Back to Black...Again

2012-01-30T15:20:00.000-05:00

I am a little over 9 weeks since my last relaxer. I usually get a relaxer at 10 weeks, so this weekend's was in preparation for my relaxer. Here were my steps with some explanation:

Pre-poo. I now pretty much only pre-poo with oils, ever since the Organix Conditioner I used as a pre-poo a few months ago left my hair a nasty tangled nest. For this weekend's wash, I decided to try conditioner again, but mixed it with a lot of oil. I hate getting back in the shower to rinse out my deep conditioner, and I always feel like I'm not doing the best for my hair when I rinse in the sink, so I want to dry to deep condition on dry hair for a while to eliminate that extra step. I mixed Vatika oil with about 1/3 of an ORS Replenishing Pak. I also added some Pantene Breakage Defense Mask and Pantene Relaxed and Natural Conditioner. I don't use these conditioners much anymore. They're pretty good on my hair, but not great, so I want to use them up. I applied the mixture like a relaxer to my whole head with a color brush, put a plastic cap and then a scarf (for a little more body heat), and left it in for an hour or two.

Shampoo. I shampooed twice with Elasta QP Conditioning Creme Shampoo and once with Hair One. I de-tangled with the Hair One in with my new magic comb (love it!). I wanted to make sure my hair wasn't tangled for my next step.

Semi-Permanent Color. I applied Kiss Express Semi Permanent Hair Color in black that I bought from my local beauty supply store for under $5. I also applied this like a relaxer with a color brush. I covered my head with a plastic cap, and let it sit without heat for 25 minutes. Because it was the first time I used this brand, I did a patch test on the inside of my elbow a few days before to make sure I didn't have an allergic reaction, like I did to some other semi-permanent colors.

Rinse. I rinsed the color out in my kitchen sink (I figured it would be less messy this way). I let warm water run through my hair until the water was clear. I then applied some KeraPro Restorative Treatment to my hair to make sure it was soft. I experience "hard hair" sometimes after putting in a color. I left it on for 5-10 minutes and rinsed. I then applied Roux Porosity Control Conditioner to my hair and let it sit for 30 seconds before rinsing. I haven't used this much lately, since realizing that I have low porosity hair, but I figure after applying the color and to prep my hair before getting a relaxer, it couldn't hurt. The KeraPro and Roux definitely softened up my hair.

Style. I applied Salerm 21 as my leave-in and set my hair on red and yellow magnetic rollers with a few sprays of coconut oil diluted with water, Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum, and a little diluted setting lotion. After my hair was dry, I flat ironed the roots in the front, wrapped my hair and went to bed.

I haven't used a black rinse/semi-permanent color in almost a year. I'm kicking myself for it. The black color really does something wonderful to my hair. It always has. I thought that since I was on my hair journey and have been conditioning my hair better, I could live without it. I can't. I also thought that the black looked to severe on me. It doesn't. Last year I asked a couple of friends what they thought about my going black with my hair color, and all of them thought my hair was already black. No one ever gave me a compliment on my natural hair color or my henna'd hair.

I don't have the "see-through" hair I had before. When I took my rollers out, my hair was shiny and moist before I added any product- something I haven't experienced in a while. My hair is laying down so nicely. I think the color gives my hair the weight to lay down and resist static that I'm always looking for. My edges are even easier to deal with. The Kiss brand is much better than any of the other brands I've used. All of my grays were covered in the recommended 25 minutes with no heat. I usually have grays that didn't take, or have to keep it in my hair longer, usually with heat. It conditioned my hair to the point that I feel I could go another week or two before getting a relaxer (not sure yet). If I didn't know anything about hair, I would think that it was magic.

The only negative about this product, and this is a small negative, is that it really stains. My sink was stained (easily cleaned with a bleach cleaner). My scalp is really stained. I was able to get the color off of my ears and neck with a warm soapy cloth, but my scalp is still stained. I think I look like one of those guys who uses dye on their hairlines, but everyone I tell about it doesn't notice. I'm afraid to wear my hair up or pulled back, thinking the stain will show. I'm thinking about shampooing again in the next day or two, but (1) I don't usually have the energy to wash my hair during the week, (2) I don't want to manipulate it too much, and (3) I'm planning on getting a relaxer in less than a week.

January 2012 Update

2012-01-26T13:48:00.002-05:00

Since I got my hair done this past weekend, I've been trying to keep things simple:

* Moisturize and seal with ORS Hair Lotion and coconut oil every other night
* On the nights I don't moisturize and seal, I put coconut oil on my ends
* Wrap my hair every night, but change the direction of the wrap every other day so I still have body and no breakage
* Apply a drop of Keala oil to my hair before I take the wrap down in the morning

I am happily surprised that my hair looks and feels so good at 9 weeks. I haven't had any breakage and not too much shedding, which is so rare for me at this point. I plan to get a relaxer at 10 weeks. I'll wash my hair this weekend, and will probably put in a black rinse, but I have no idea how I'll wear my hair until my relaxer...maybe set it? Or air dry, then blow out the roots a little and wear a bun for a week.

Although I would love to be able to style my own hair all of the time, I have liked my hair all week for the first time in months. Not worrying about how my hair looks has made the other things in my life easier. So, I will try to get my hair done every 2 weeks or so for a while, at least until my hair is back at the health level I want it to be.

Besides moisturizing and sealing on a consistent basis, I have also started taking vitamins again. Even though I eat well, I'm probably a little Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D is essential for strong and healthy hair, and makes our hair able to absorb much needed nutrients for growth. People of color, especially in the northeast and other cold climates, often have a Vitamin D deficiency. That coupled with the fact that I haven't been eating or drinking a lot of dairy in the past 6 months, AND that I haven't followed my doctor's order to start taking Vitamin D last spring- I probably need some kind of supplement. Hopefully, I see some good results.

My bun from last week

I'll try to post some more pics soon. I've been so bad at taking pictures lately!

Salon visit at 8 Weeks

2012-01-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

I couldn't take it anymore. My hair was not doing what I wanted it to do, so I went to get it done. I went to a salon not far from my house that I went to a lot when I was pregnant a couple of years ago. It's not run by Dominicans, but their technique is like the Dominican salons, except they don't burn the heck out of your scalp with the blow dryer!

I wasn't even sure the place was still open, so I didn't do an oil pre-poo like I wanted. They were open, but moved down the street. It was snowing, so it was pretty empty when I walked in. They immediately took me to the sink to wash my hair. The woman who washed my hair was very gentle, which I liked. The last time I went, the wash girl was ridiculously rough shampooing and detangling my hair. I couldn't see what kind of shampoo and conditioner she used, but they smelled good. I noticed that most of the products at the sink were Mizani and Biolage. She then set my hair on large grey magnetic rollers with Biolage and Mizani leave-ins. I'm sure I could have asked for smaller rollers to achieve a curlier look, but my goal was really to tame my hair a little. I sat under the dryer for no more than an hour, and then I went to the styling chair. Because I'm usually the thickest-head (=nappiest) in there, usually only the owner will blow out my roots, which I'm fine with, because I know my hair will come out nice. She used Ion's Flat Iron Spray on each section before she blow dried my roots, and applied Moroccan Oil after she was done. My hair was really straight and bouncy. Since it was nasty outside, she wrapped my hair, I put on my hat, and I was out of there. I don't think I was there for 2 hours, which is great.

My hair came out so nice. I can't believe how she got my roots to lay down so flat with so little heat. She even got my edges straight, which is unheard of for me. I would be happy with the bounce I got if I was 2 weeks post relaxer, but I was 8 weeks! The only thing I'm not happy about is the condition of my hair. Although it's straight and bouncy, it's not at the thickness level I want. I know that is from my being lazy with moisturizing for the past few months. Even wrapping my hair the past couple of nights has been good. I'm convinced I don't know how to wrap my hair myself because every time I do it after a set, it looks crazy.

I have decided to go back to the black rinse/cellophane. It really helps my hair hold moisture, look thicker and be shiny. I also have a feeling that the henna has dried my hair out some, so I'm giving it a break for a while. I'll get a black color when I get my hair relaxed next week. I think I'm going to my old stylist for my relaxer, but I will go back to this salon to get sets. They're fast, good, and open on Sundays!

2012-01-19T15:09:00.003-05:00

This was my hair after I blow dried it about a month ago. I love how thick it looks- it definitely doesn't look this thick after I flat iron or set it! This pic also makes me feel better because it really doesn't look as damaged as I always think it is!

No makeup- my eyes looked terrible!

My Personal Roller Setting Challenge

2012-01-19T15:04:00.002-05:00

I'm inspired by Ebony's roller setting challenge. However, I try not to officially join challenges, because they make me put more pressure on myself than I already do, and usually I can't stick to them for the entire time of the challenge.

Rollersetting is my style of choice after a wash, but my sets haven't been coming out as good as they used to. I've been racking my brain to figure out why. I know I have changed products, but I also think that my hair has changed in the past couple of years. Ebony has done a lot of researching on rollersetting, and I've gotten some great tips from her.

The other day, I pre-poo'd with vatika oil. I used to worship this when I first started my hair journey, and I can't quite remember why I stopped. I would have loved to keep it in overnight, but since I had to work the next morning, I put on a plastic cap and left it on for a couple of hours while I worked out, cooked dinner and got my baby ready for bed. After he was asleep, I washed with Hair One cleansing conditioner. I decided to try a clear rinse to give me some more shine. I think the henna, along with the weather, has made my hair dry, so I needed a little boost. I left the clear rinse in my hair for about 20 minutes, rinsed it out, and applied Aubrey Organics White Camellia to my hair for a few minutes and rinsed. I used a dime-sized amount of Salerm 21 as my leave in and set my hair with Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum. I used to love this serum for setting, but when I ran out, I bought the Sally's generic version which did not yield the same results for me. I recently bought the PM serum with a coupon I got in the mail.

When I set my hair, I used smaller rollers than I usually do. I was trying to get more body, and I wanted my hair to hold onto the curl longer. I also rolled my hair differently. I usually do the mohawk method, but this time, I placed the rollers in different places in my head. I figured this way I wouldn't have parts where I don't want them, and that I could put in more rollers than I usually do. It took me a little longer to get all of the rollers in, but that's okay. After about 90 minutes, my hair was dry. I did the Saran Wrap wrap under the dryer for 15 minutes, flat ironed my roots, put on a scarf, and went to bed. The next morning, my hair was....okay. The good thing is that although it was still dry, my hair was not as dry as it has been in the past month. Also, after sleeping on it cross-wrapped for two nights, my hair looks and feels much better.

Here are my takeaways from this last setting experience:

1. I need a new dryer. I'm sick of sitting under the dryer for an hour and a half, but most importantly, I think if I had a better quality dryer, my sets would come out better and smoother. I'm currently using a Gold N Hot Jumbo Soft-Bonnet Hair Dryer. I loved this when my hair was short. My hair would dry fast, and I didn't have to worry about sitting uncomfortably, or not hearing what was going on around me. Now that my hair is longer, it's just not working for me.

2. I'm just about 8 weeks post relaxer. Post a relaxer that was purposely a little under processed so that my hair could gain some strength. My roots are thick. My hair is not going to do what I want. I will have more dryness. Every time I get frustrated with my hair, I have to remind myself of this. I just want to make it 2 more weeks to the 10 week point before I relax again.

3. I don't know how to wrap my hair. Why do I even keep trying? Unless I have a fresh relaxer, my wraps come out jacked up on one side. Always.

4. I need to pre-poo with vatika oil every wash. I think this will help me get more moisture. I may continue to do the clear rinses. I'm not sure if it helped my shine, but it did help my hair feel heavier, and I want heavy and moist hair!

Managing My Edges

2012-01-10T15:55:00.002-05:00

I have always struggled with my edges. They’ve always been short and dry and fuzzy and the opposite of cute. I remember when I was young, maybe 10 or 11, and I shaved my edges off because they were too nappy and out of control. Crazy, right? My mom and aunts were so mad at me. I know many women have problems with thinning edges, so I really try not to complain. I feel blessed that I have edges at all. About 3 months after I gave birth, my edges fell out, but they grew back in immediately. I just haven’t taken care of them like I should.

I can’t remember when my edges laid flat. When I get a relaxer, my edges will lay smooth for a week or two, but that’s it. And it’s not just because my hair is kinky. They either don’t grow long, or they break off. Or both? When I had a tapered cut, my edges were okay, but I think it’s because I got relaxers more often, and the way I set my hair was molding it down with gel and a scarf so the damage was hidden. I honestly can’t remember when my edges were healthy and not breaking off. I’m not that concerned with them laying down flat, but I would like them to be healthy. I’m determined to make that happen this year. I want my whole head to be healthy. Also, since I’m trying to keep my hair in protective styles for most of the winter, I need my edges to look decent.

The first thing I have to do is keep.my.edges.moist. Like the rest of my hair, I have not been consistent with moisturizing and sealing, but it’s been even worse for my edges. Lately, I’ve been making sure that my edges are the most moisturized part of my hair. I’ve even been using an additional moisturizer on my edges for the past few weeks. One of my girlfriends has had an edges problem worse than me. She came over my house the other day. It’s been a couple of months since I saw her last, and the first thing I noticed where how thick and nice her edges looked. She told me she has been using Jamaican Black Castor Oil! She even found a place in our neighborhood that sells it. She convinced me- I’m buying some Jamaican Black Castor Oil this week. I have a love/hate relationship with castor oil, but I think I haven’t been using the right kind or using too much. Castor oil is really heavy for my hair, so I’m going to only use it on my edges for a while.

I now need to find a good alcohol-free gel. My edges laugh at aloe vera gel. I’ve used the ORS Edge Control and it leaves way too much residue for me. I used to really like the Elasta QP Glaze when the back of my hair was tapered, but it doesn’t do much for my edges. I mentioned in my last post that I’ve been using the Ecostyler Gel Maximum hold formula. It’s been pretty good. It probably would do a better job if I put a scarf on after I apply it. I haven’t always been successful in the past doing the scarf method. Even if my edges lay down, they look so dry, and usually fuzz back up within a couple of hours. Last night, I did put a little Ecostyler on my edges before bed, and my edges didn’t look too bad this morning. It’s about 3pm now, and my edges haven’t up too much.

I do believe that I can make my edges healthy. I just have to give them a LOT more attention!

New Year, New Hair Practices

2012-01-09T14:42:00.001-05:00

It’s been about a week since I’ve been moisturizing and sealing on a regular basis, and 2 washes since I’ve been applying enough conditioner to all of my strands. So far, so good! No more parched-looking and feeling hair. No more snaps when I run a comb through it. My hair even looks a little thicker!

I’ve also been using the L’Oreal Everstrong Overnight Treatment. This is the first product from the line that I’ve used, and I think I love it! It has ceramides and I could tell a difference in the strength of my hair after just one night. I’m not sure how often or for how long you should us this, so I’ve decided to moisturize and seal for 3 nights, and then moisturize lightly and use the treatment for 3 nights.

I’m currently a little over 6 weeks since my last relaxer, and I’m pretty pleased with my new growth. I was worried because I went to a new salon for my last relaxer, and my stylist does not relax bone straight like my last stylist did. She also did not relax my edges much, which I wanted since I’m trying to bring them back to health. I thought that I would be begging for another relaxer by the time I was 6 weeks, but it’s really not that bad. My roots are a little thick, but they’re manageable, and I like how thick roots can make your hair look thicker. I’ve been better at moisturizing my edges. I also have been using Ecostyler Gel to lay them down. I’m using the maximum hold formula, and although it doesn’t make my edges lay down flat, it keeps my edges manageable. For real, I was looking a mess with no product on my edges! I definitely think I can make it to 10 weeks, maybe longer.

Although it’s last on my list, one of my goals this year is to make it to full bra strap length. I think I only have an inch or 2 to go, so if I keep up with my healthy practices, I should be at my goal length this summer. I don’t think I want my hair to get much longer than that. It might be too much for me to handle. Also, I am an executive and I don’t think super long hair looks very professional most of the time.

2012 - Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T21:05:00.004-05:00

I haven't been blogging for the past month, because I've been taking time to really think and analyze my hair regimen. My hair has been really dry and difficult to manage lately. I thought about products and techniques I used during the first 2 years of my hair journey, which resulted in a healthy head of hair. I finally came to the conclusion that I've basically just slacked off on my regimen! I really have to get strict again about taking care of my hair.

One of the biggest things I realized is that I was in "denial" about having long hair. I've had short hair for most of my life, and pretty much my whole adult life, with the exception of the past couple of years. I should have been more diligent in conditioning and moisturizing my hair TWO years ago when my hair hit my shoulders. Instead, I've been using the same amount of product I did when my hair was short!

Another culprit- moisturizing and sealing. I've been really bad at moisturizing and sealing my hair on a regular basis. I still haven't found 'the' moisturizer, but something is better than nothing, right? Shame on me- I should know better! I live in the Northeast and it's winter. My hair is relaxed and naturally dry. Last night I moisturized my hair in 6 sections with ORS moisturizer and sealed with coconut oil. What a difference a day makes- today my hair is moist, shiny and smooth. Although my hair is a little heavy, I prefer this over dryness. I'm wearing a bun anyway!

Winter can wreak havoc on my hair, so I have to keep my head covered when I go outside. I recently sewed satin linings in all of our hats, so I have no excuse. I have already gotten a humidifier for my office at work, and I have "borrowed" the humidifier from son's room until I buy one for mine. I will continue drinking lots of water. I am also considering taking vitamins again.

I also need to finally figure out my moisture/protein balance. My hair is fine, which makes me think it needs more protein than I give it, but I'm also nervous about protein overload and making it drier than it already is.

There are products that I used at the beginning of my hair journey that helped my hair thrive, but for some reason, I stopped using them. My favorite product used to be coconut oil. I used it as a sealant, leave-in, and for hot oil treatments. Coconut oil is back in the rotation. Castor oil is out for a while. Another product that kept my hair moist and shiny was ORS Replenishing Pak. I just started using the KeraPro line, but I think I'll alternate deep conditioners with the ORS and KeraPro. I think my hair is becoming more porous, so I'm going to start back using the Roux Porosity Control treatment at least once a month.

I always plan to wear protective styles the majority of the time, but I haven't been doing it. I think I've finally figured out how to create a bun I like, so I think I can wear protective styles at least 4 days a week for the rest of the winter. I might even join Traycee's protective style challenge!

Tiffanita's 2012 Hair Goals:

Maintain a good moisture level
Improve the health and length of my edges
Blog more to keep track of my progress and techniques and products
Reach bra strap length

The new year is about making goals, but also reflecting on the past year. I'm glad I've taken some time to do that. I feel positive about my plan and about the year ahead. I'm not happy with my hair today, but I'm confident that I will be in the coming weeks, and that I will meet my goals.

I wish all of you a blessed, prosperous, and healthy 2012!
-Tif

Coconut Oil Pre-Poo

2011-12-05T13:13:00.004-05:00

This weekend I pre-pooed overnight using coconut oil. I applied the oil to my dry hair in 4 sections, put a plastic cap and a scarf on and went to bed. In the morning, I shampooed with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo, and deep conditioned with an ORS Replenishing Pak. I set my hair on rollers using a little diluted setting lotion and water. When I took the rollers out, I really liked how thick and moist was. It felt a little weighed down- from the coconut oil, but as the day when on, it didn't feel so bad. I pin curled it over night, and in the morning it wasn't weighed down at all.

I used to use a coconut oil/water mix to set my hair, but I stopped when my hair got healthy, thinking I didn't need it. I guess I do need to either pre-poo with it or spray a little on my hair before it dries going forward because my hair is almost always dry after my rollersets. I know I need to be more consistent, and I definitely am not as consistent as I should be with coconut oil. My hair has always loved it, but for the past year or so, I've been using other oils. I'm going back to basics with my regimen because even though my hair isn't it bad shape, it isn't in the best shape. I'm using products that worked for me when I first started my hair journey- coconut oil, vatika oil, and ORS Replenishing.

November 2011 Relaxer- Nothing Like a Good Cut!

2011-11-30T14:19:00.004-05:00

I was not getting along with my hair for the past few weeks. It was hard to style and seemed damaged and thin to me. Even my buns looked wack! I usually don't like my hair the week or 2 before a relaxer, but this time felt different. I was seriously thinking about transitioning to natural. I felt like my hair would be so much thicker and healthier without a relaxer. I even talked to some of my natural friends about transitioning.

I ended up getting a relaxer, but I'm still thinking about transitioning. It's such a huge commitment and a lot of work, and I don't know if I'm up for it right now. My life is really busy, and I give a lot of presentations at work, so I have to look polished and professional every day. I do believe that natural hair can look professional, but I also understand that there might be some "not-so-pretty" days while I transition! I would love to see what my natural texture is like since I've been getting relaxers since I was 13. My hair doesn't thrive with braids or weave, and I keep hearing about heat damage with too much flat ironing, so I just need to come up with a plan...

Anyway, because of my hair frustrations, I decided to try a new stylist. My stylist is good, but she insists on relaxing me bone straight and won't use a mild relaxer. She also is much better at styling shorter hair. When I started going to her, I had a tapered cut. As my hair got longer, she could only do a blunt cut. So I went to my girlfriend's salon. I went to this salon a couple of years ago, and didn't like the stylist I went to, but this time I went to another stylist. I was really impressed with my experience this time. Everyone was extremely professional- even the receptionist shook my hand, and they took me right away. I had to fill out a form about my hair, and the stylist talked to me about the kind of relaxer I wanted. We decided on Mizani Mild. I've been getting Mizani relaxers for a couple of years and she said that they are very conditioning. I noticed that almost all of the products in the salon were Mizani, Affirm and Paul Mitchell, which I thought was a good sign.

I got a little worried when the wash girl combed my hair out as she prepped my hair, because I felt like she was manipulating my scalp. It was fine though, because I didn't even burn. I noticed that my stylist relaxed my edges last, which is a good thing because I can't remember a time when my edges didn't have breakage. When I started "tingling," the wash girl immediately ran over and sprayed that area with oil sheen. She rinsed the relaxer out and added conditioner in my hair, which she let sit as a stayed over the sink for about 10 minutes. I'm not sure what kind of conditioner it was, or if it was a protein conditioner, but it felt and smelled really nice. After washing and conditioning, the stylist set my hair on plastic mesh rollers and I sat under the dryer for about an hour. I asked a lot of questions while she did my hair. She gave me some tips on maintaining my hair at night and when I work out. The receptionist also gave me a sheet with hair tips. I knew all of them already, but I thought it was a nice gesture, especially for people who don't know how to take care of their hair.

After my hair was dry, she asked me if I wanted a trim. I said yes, because 1) I knew I needed one, and 2) I wanted an actual hairstyle. I don't think I've had my hair cut into a style in a couple of years- that's the drawback of being so determined to grow your hair long! We decided to "trim" a few layers in my hair to make it look fuller. I also got a little side sweep in the front. She didn't wrap my hair after, which I like (my hair does not like a full wrap). She just massaged my scalp to loosen the curls, and lightly blow dried the top to smooth it out. I love how my hair came out! It looks so much thicker, which is incredible to me since my hair usually looks so flat after a relaxer. For the past few days, I've been alternating pin curling and cross-wrapping it at night. She recommended that I use Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum as a moisturizer and adding a little oil if I need it in the morning and before I work out. I will definitely visit her again!

It's amazing what a good trim/cut can do. I feel like my hair is so much easier to style and that products work so much better.

Satin BraidOut

2011-11-15T15:21:00.005-05:00

I decided to try another braidout last night. I think this was only the second or third time ever doing a braidout. The last time, my hair was dry, frizzy and looked really short. This time, I did the satin braid out method, inspired by ZanAndRob.

I put some castor oil on my roots and ends and went to a Zumba and Pilates class. When I came home, I co-washed with Tresemme conditioner (my first time using it- I love that stuff!). I applied Aveeno leave-in and a little Morrocan oil, tied down my edges with a satin scarf and let my hair air dry. When it was just about dry, I divided my hair in 4 sections and applied Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil and Silk Elements Mousse to each section. I did twist at the top and braided the rest with the satin strips. I made my four strips out of the fabric I had left over from lining my, my son's and my man's hats last weekend. Then I tied my hair down with a satin scarf and went to bed.

This is how I looked this morning:

I really like it, although I don't really like how the top of my hair came out. Maybe next time I'll cornrow it instead of twisting it, which is why I wore the front up in a clip. It was a challenge to flat twist my hair like that. I really like how this method stretched the hair more, so my hair looked much longer than my last braidout. I am also very pleased with how moisturized my hair feels. I was prepared to add something to it, but I didn't need to.

Now let's see if I can get it like this again tomorrow, lol!

Skin Product Review: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser

2011-10-25T11:06:00.004-04:00

I haven't really talked about skincare on this blog, so this is a first. I do think the condition of my skin is related to my haircare, since I'm sure hair products get on my face somehow. I'm sure my increased use of oils has had an effect on the skin on my face.

In February, I noticed that my forehead was breaking out. I've always had combination skin, but my forehead had become extremely oily. When I went to the doctor for a check-up in April, I talked to her about it, and she gave me a prescription for some cream. I can't remember the name of it, but she told me that it could dry out my skin. I used it for a couple of weeks, and it actually made my skin oilier, and caused more breakouts! I ditched the cream, and tried different facial cleansers- soaps, astringents, scrubs, etc. By the summer, the bumps started to spread to my temples and below my eyes. About a month ago, I bought some Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser. For some reason, I had been hesitant about trying a cream cleanser, since my forehead was so oily. Well, I saw a difference within a week. Now, my forehead is almost completely clear! I use it in the mornings and in the evenings, even though the directions caution about using it more than once a day. I noticed that if I only used it once a day, I saw more breakouts. I also moisturize after using it with a moisturizer with salicylic acid. I'm so glad I found a product to clear up my skin. I was starting to feel like a teenager with bad skin- and I didn't even have acne as a teenager!

Castor Oil Overdose?

2011-10-17T15:33:00.003-04:00

My hair has been responding extremely well to castor oil lately. I think it's due to the season change- my hair seems to like this oil better in the cooler months. It has helped to keep my hair from getting too dry, and it has made my strands look thicker. I think I overdid it last week, though. Actually, I think I didn't wash it out enough. I applied a good amount of castor oil to my scalp a day before my wash day. I used diluted shampoo to clean my scalp, and I probably should have used straight shampoo. I proceeded to deep condition (using conditioner with a drop of castor oil in it!) and rollerset my hair. Although my hair looked good (=thick), it didn't feel good. It was really weighed down and felt like there was film of oil on it. On top of that, my scalp was flaky and a little itchy. At first, I thought I could keep it like that for a few days, but moisturizer and serum weren't doing anything but causing more buildup, and I didn't want my scalp to be clogged, so I shampooed again. I used a moisturizing shampoo along with some Hair One cleansing conditioner. When I finished, my hair felt great and was so easy to detangle. I airdried with a scarf and my ends clipped up. When I woke up, my hair was smooth and moist. My ends were a little dry, but I'm still working on this airdrying thing.

What I learned from this experience is that I can continue to use castor oil, I just need to use shampoo when I wash. I was afraid that the shampoo would remove all of the effects of the castor oil, but that's not true. Even though I don't like too much manipulation, my hair really does like being washed or co-washed more than once a week. I also learned that me and airdrying might be able to get along after all! I'm going to try to shampoo my hair once a week, and co-wash once a week. I'll airdry at least one of these washes and see what happens. I'm really trying to bun the majority of time this fall/winter, so maybe this will help.

Product Review: Moroccan Oil

2011-10-14T15:38:00.003-04:00

I bought a bottle of Moroccan Oil about a year and a half ago, but I am just doing a review, because I've been using it off and on, in different ways.

Product Description
A great multi-tasker, Moroccanoil has been formulated to treat your hair instantly – a leave in product that leaves hair silky and shiny without any residue. Regular use of the Moroccanoil Oil treatment is said to help restore hair damaged by colouring or heated styling. Moroccanoil also works as a styling product, and is great for eliminating frizz on all hair types.

Ingredients
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Butylphenyl Methyl Propional, Argania Spinoza Kernel Oil (Aragan Oil), Linseed (Linum Usitatissimum) Extract, Fragrance Supplement, D & C Yellow 11, D & C Red 17, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Directions
Styling & Finishing:
Shampoo and Condition your hair as usual. Start with a small amount in the palm of your hand and work it through damp hair. Style as normal, enjoying the defining properties of Moroccanoil.
Protection:
If you're hairs frizzing or reacting to the weather (humidity or rain in particular) apply Moroccanoil as and when required.
Colour Process:
Before applying colour, prepare hair by applying a pea sized amount of Moroccanoil The Original Treatment Oil directly onto the hair. Gently rub the product through to enhance the hair's ability to absorb colour.

Do not rinse the hair before applying colour or bleach.

Add 4 to 5ml of Moroccanoil Treatment Oil to the colour mix and continue the process as usual. This will enhance shine, elasticity and depth of colour.

My Experience
I first used this product on damp hair before rollersetting. I had heard so many good things that I was really disappointed when I ended up with dull, lifeless hair. Then I tried it as a serum before flatironing. Still no luck. A couple of months ago when I was at the Dominican salon, I noticed they added some Moroccan oil to my hair after they took my rollers out. So I decided to do the same thing when I set my hair at home. The results were totally the opposite! My hair was shiny, bouncy and moist! I only need to use it one time between washes, which is great. This product is more a serum rather than an oil, and my hair doesn't like a lot of "cones" so it's perfect that I don't need a lot of it. This is definitely a staple for me now!

Sick Hair

2011-10-11T12:28:00.003-04:00

I have a head cold, and it seems like my hair has a cold too! Every time I get a cold, my hair gets dry and crispy. What's up with that?! I've been moisturizing and oiling it, but it doesn't stay moist. I know I'm probably a little dehydrated, but I've been drinking lots of water. I want to wash and condition my hair, but I. have. no. energy. I'm tired from just putting my hair in a bun.

Hopefully, I'll feel well enough to deep condition in the next day or two.

September 2011 Hair Updates

2011-09-29T16:10:00.006-04:00

I haven't been blogging for the past month, partly because work and life has me busy, but mostly because I've just been trying to stay consistent with my hair regimen. The only new thing is that I have been baggying more, but I only do it for a short period of time. Either in the evening or in the morning while I'm getting dressed, I apply a little moisturizer to my hair, put on a plastic cap, and then a silk scarf. I keep it on for about an hour while I cook dinner or get dressed. When I take the scarf and bag off, my hair is super moist. I've been doing this 3-4 times a week and it seems to solve my dry hair problems. My edges have always been a problem- they get dry and then break off. I've noticed the biggest difference in my edges. Baggying keeps them moist and they lay down the way I want them to. An hour is just enough for me to baggy. I find if I baggy overnight or for longer periods, my hair is just mushy, wet and weak.

Low Porosity Hair

2011-08-17T11:07:00.001-04:00

When thinking about hair porosity, I think of hair as a sponge. Porous hair (high pH level) is like a sponge with large holes, taking in a lot of moisture. Low porosity hair is like a sponge in a plastic bag. It's hard for liquid to penetrate it, but if held under water, eventually the sponge absorbs the liquid. Porosity is mainly controlled by how 'tightly' closed the cuticles on your hair are. The cuticles close in acidic conditions, and open more in basic conditions.

Symptoms of Low Porosity Hair:

* Hair floats when you do the strand test (put a clean strand of hair in a cup of water and see if it floats or sinks)
* Hair takes a while to get wet
* Hair takes long to dry
* Water and oil just sit on the hair
* Hard to moisturize (aka your hair stays dry)
* Hair is sensitive to protein
* Relaxers don't "take"

If any of this applies to you, you may have hair with low porosity! My hair definitely has trouble retaining moisture, takes a while to dry sometimes, and floats when I put it in water. I realized a couple of months ago that my hair had low porosity because treating my hair with low pH levels wasn't working.

Ways to manage lo-po hair:

Use warm water to rinse. It is recommended that we rinse conditioner out with cold water to seal the cuticle, but since low-porosity hair already has a closed cuticle, you don't want to seal it anymore.

Stay away from acidic shampoos and conditioners. For a while I was using Roux Porosity Control, but eventually I noticed that it either did nothing for my hair, or it made it hard. My hair can take apple cider vinegar (ACV) sometimes, but not a lot and not often. I've been using Organic Root Stimulator Aloe-Rid Shampoo, which I love. It clarifies my hair, opens my cuticles enough to accept a deep condition, and makes my hair soft.

Steaming. The hot steam will open up the cuticles, which is why so many low-porosity heads love steaming. I don't have a steamer, so I do the "DIY" method, which is applying conditioner, then a plastic cap, then a very hot wet towel, then another plastic cap, then another hot towel, then another plastic cap. Then I sit under the dryer for at least 15 minutes.

Use moisture-rich products. It is said that this hair type is least resistant to damage through styling and grooming, but it's really important to keep it moisturized. Be careful with the protein! My hair doesn't seem to be too sensitive to protein, so I try to incorporate a light protein in my hair for every wash, whether it's the pre-poo, deep condition, or leave-in conditioner. It's even more important for low-porosity hair to have a good moisture/protein balance. I'm still on a the hunt to find a good moisturizer. My hair is also sensitive to too much oil, so I have to be very light-handed when applying oils.

DC with heat. This is important. It's even more important to deep condition for a substantial amount of time. If I can, I'll leave in my conditioner over night, or for hours while I do housework/run errands/go to the gym.

Baggy the hair. This is basically bullying your hair to accept moisture. Because my hair is fine, baggying for a long time turns my hair into mush and makes it even more fragile. So, I usually baggy for about 2 hours at a time and that's it. I apply a little moisturizer and then put on a plastic cap for a couple of hours. I've only been doing this for a couple of weeks, about 3 days a week, but I can already tell a difference in my moisture level.

Heat before relaxing to open the cuticle. I don't have a problem with relaxers straightening my hair, but many women will flat iron or blow dry their hair before relaxing to open up the cuticles so that the relaxer takes a shorter time to straighten the roots.

Use alkaline products with a high pH (above 6, or so). Baking soda rinse - baking soda is alkaline.

Apply a semi-permanent color. Semi-permanent color lifts the cuticle

I am not sure if my hair always had a low pH level, or if it came with having a child or just getting older.

I'm determined to keep my hair moist, thick and healthy, so I will continue to try new products, techniques and tools!

Can't Do My Own Hair?!?!

2011-08-16T13:57:00.005-04:00

Last week I went to a Dominican salon for a rollerset. I really like how my hair came out. Lately I feel like I can't do my own hair anymore! My hair doesn't come out as smooth as I want it and my ends are never as healthy-looking when I do it. It's like I have a different head of hair when I get it done. When I get it done at the salon, my hair is easier to maintain and it accepts products better. I don't know if it's because my hair is longer, that I don't have a good hooded dryer, or that I'm not using the right products/rollers, but I need to figure out how to create a nice style myself soon. I don't want to go to the salon every week because I hate going to the salon. It seems like a huge drain on my precious time. Fortunately, the place I go for rollersets gets me in and out, but I'm still not trying to be in there on a weekly basis.

The only thing I didn't like about this last salon experience is that the woman who washed my hair, washed the hell out of it. My hair really wasn't that dirty! My scalp felt sensitive when she was done. I wasn't feeling it at all. Fortunately, my hair didn't feel stripped or dry when I left the salon. Even still, I've decided that the next time I go, I'm going with conditioner already in my hair, and I'm not going to let them shampoo me more than twice.

I'm seriously considering investing in a good-quality hooded dryer. I also need to learn how to use magnetic rollers so that I can use the larger ones and shorten my drying time. I don't know how to blowdry my own hair, but I'm not that interested in learning. If I can rollerset my hair and the majority of my hair comes out smooth, I don't mind flat ironing the roots if I need to.

Product Review: Aveeno Nourish & Condition Leave In

2011-08-11T16:26:00.002-04:00

I needed a new leave-in conditioner, and since the ingredients looked interesting, and I had a coupon, I bought the Aveeno leave-in conditioner. It retails around $8.50 at drugstores.

Product Description
Aveeno Nourish+Condition Leave-In Treatment with nourishing wheat complex deeply replenishes dry, damaged hair. Does much more than nourish and condition - it quenches the thirstiest hair with a fusion of deep conditioners and moisturizers, recharging it with healthy new life. Hair is instantly revitalized and scientific studies show that just three uses helps repair dry damaged hair. This exclusive Active Naturals formula, infused with Nourishing Wheat Complex, is designed to feed your hair - replenishing moisture as it zeroes in on the weakest part of hair - fortifying the hair shaft with protein where it needs it most.

Ingredients
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG 3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Triticum Vulgare Gluten (Wheat), Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil (Wheat), Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium 91, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Butylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, May Contain (+/-): CItric Acid

Directions
Spray all over hair or on concentrated areas as desired. Comb through to distribute evenly. Do not rinse. For best results, use the Aveeno Nourish+Shampoo and Conditioner designed to suit your hair texture.

My Experience
I am really blown away by this product! After I rinsed out my deep conditioner, I sprayed the Aveeno in my hair from root to tip. There really isn't a scent, and the consistency is like a watery cream. To me, it's a combination between a creamy and liquid leave-in. I could immediately feel how moist my hair was, which I attribute to the second ingredient, Behentrimonium Methosulfate. Like I do with all leave-ins, I allowed it to sit in my hair for a few minutes before I de-tangled. I find this way allows the conditioner to soften my hair and make de-tangling easier. I then combed my hair with my shower comb- the comb just glided through my strands. Then I allowed my hair to airdry. I noticed that my hair took longer than usual to dry. I didn't mind this, as when my hair dries too quickly, I end up with dry, crispy ends. I also feel like this product actually penetrated my hair, which not many products do since my hair is has a low porosity level. When my hair did dry, it was moist, shiny and thick.

I did the strand test after using this product and my hair did not float! I'm wonding if this will help my low porosity issues...

I have used this leave-in twice, but have not tried rollersetting with it yet. I'll report back the next time I set my hair. I also haven't tried it yet on dry hair as a moisturizer. At least I know it definitely works for airdying, so I'll add it to my list of staples.

Henna Part 2

2011-08-01T15:41:00.004-04:00

I henna'd again this past weekend. I still love the color and thickness results, but my hair was a little dry this time. I think I'll skip the apple cider vinegar next time, and replace the water with coconut milk. One of my co-workers recommended that I use the Shehnaaz or Godrej brand next. She said they are higher quality hennas, and their main purpose is to condition the hair. If I don't see them at one of the local Indian stores, I'll order them online. She's also going to have her friend who will be visiting her from India soon, bring me some henna from India. Can't wait!

Same Product, New Technique

2011-07-27T16:09:00.004-04:00

I love it when I get a product I didn't like before to work. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered that the Hawaiian Silky 14-in1 moisturizer works better on my wet hair before air drying. This past weekend, I used Organix Coconut Anti-Breakage Serum on dry hair before flat ironing. My hair came out so smooth, shiny and moist! It's been 4 days and I'm still in awe of how great my hair looks and feels. I haven't even had to moisturize my hair, just apply a little oil on the ends.

I knew that I just needed to find "that" product that my hair would drink up. Years ago, I found it with BBD oil, but after a while, my hair started rebelling against it. My hairstylist has been encouraging me to flat iron a little more, but I haven't been too successful. The other day after I co-washed and air dried my hair, I planned to do a braidout or something, but since using serum as a heat protectant was on my mind, I decided to try a small section with the Organix coconut serum. I've had the serum for over a year. When I first bought it, I used it to rollerset with. My hair came out okay, but not as shiny, moist or light as I had hoped. I rubbed a drop in my hands, and applied it to a section of hair. I couldn't believe how smooth and shiny my hair came out! So I decided to flat iron my whole head. It's like I have a new head of hair. Even though I only used a drop on each of the 4 sections of my hair, I may have used too much, because my hair is a little heavy, but I'll take it over dry, limp hair any day. It's so nice to have an inexpensive product that you don't need to use a lot of AND that works!

Henna!

2011-07-11T10:04:00.000-04:00

I finally decided to try henna in my hair. I've been wanting to do this for a couple of years, but have always been afraid- of the mess, of the possibility of it making my hair drier, of not liking the color results, etc. I've been reading about it for years, asking other henna heads for advice and eyeing stores and websites that sell henna. I'm hoping that it will condition my hair, make it "heavier," and cover some of my grays.

Since Lavendar and others suggested doing henna a week after a relaxer, I felt this was the perfect time. Also, since it's summer and my hair is a little more moist in the summer months, I figured this is the least riskiest time to do it.

I used Lavendar's henna gloss recipe:

1 box Jamila henna (or 100 grams of any BAQ henna)
1/4 - 1/3 cup VO5 Strawberries & Cream Moisture Milks conditioner
1/4 - 1/3 cup Lustrasilk Shea Butter Mango Cholesterol conditioner
2 T organic apple cider vinegar (ACV)
3 T brahmi and bhringaraj oil

Mix henna with hot tap water until thoroughly wet, but lumpy not saturated or at the creamy stage. Mix in conditioners and ACV until whipped in appearance. Cover bowl with heating pad set on low (never hotter than that) for aid in quicker color release. Let bowl set for 5-6 hours. Remove heat and let bowl cool for 20-30 minutes. Mix in oil. Apply to clarified, towel-dried hair. Let set in hair for at least 4 hours with heat cap (can use heat cap on and off if needed). Wash out with lots of cheapie conditioner. No need for shampoo, as shampoo tends to lessen the color payoff. BUT, if you tend to have allergies like I do, you can do a light shampoo if you usually experience itching for any length of time after co-washing out henna. Just remember, you may not have an optimal color outcome. I do a final condition with Elucence mixed with oil for 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly, and style. You can also do a DC if you wish, but remember you just deeply deposited the lawsomes into the cuticle. You want to close and seal the cuticle as soon as possible after the treatment (that's why shampooing usually isn't a good idea). A henna gloss is a great way to get your feet wet with henna and bypass all the dryness issues.

I bought some Reshma henna from an Indian grocery store near my job. I did not use brahmi or bhringaraj oil because they didn't have any at the store. They did have neem oil, but I didn't buy it. Maybe next time. I was a little weary about adding the apple cider vinegar. I read that it could be drying, but I also wanted to follow Lav's recipe, and tweak it the next time if I need to. I mixed it up Friday morning before work and let it sit until I got home:

When I got home from work, the henna mix was extremely smooth. I added some vatika and my grape seed oil mix to the henna before I applied it. I applied it to 4 sections. I was pleasantly surprised how smoothly and easily it went on. I used as much as I could, but I still had over half left over. I decided to freeze it and use it if I decide to henna again. After putting 2 plastic caps and a scarf on, I left the henna in overnight. I thought that if I walked around with it in my hair for hours, I would get paranoid and rinse it out too early.

Sleeping with the henna in wasn't bad at all. I did have a little leakage in the back of my neck, but I just slept with a towel over my pillow. The henna does have a distinct scent, but it didn't bother me at all. When I woke up, I co-washed the henna out with V05 conditioner. It washed out really easily- no clumps, no staining, no tangles. I deep conditioned with Aubrey Organics White Camellia for about an hour without heat and rinsed. I rollerset with only Salerm 21 leave-in:

This picture really doesn't do my hair justice. My hair is moist, shiny, heavier, and overall beautiful. It's extremely moist from root to tip. I didn't even put any moisturizer or oil in it. My platinum hair is now a reddish-orange, but it's not too bright. In the sun, I can see reddish brown highlights throughout. I'm not sure how often I will do this, but it will definitely be incorporated into my regimen, even if only once a month. I can't wait to see how my hair does, as I read that it only gets better!

On Sunday, I went to the beach and my hair got a little wet, so I had to co-wash to get the salt water out. I airdried and put my hair in bantu knots. This was my best airdrying exprience, which I credit the henna for. My hair usually airdries frizzy, but this time, it was smooth, and my ends were extremely smooth and moist. I think I might be addicted...

June 2011 Relaxer

2011-07-08T11:11:00.003-04:00

I got a relaxer last week- I went 10 weeks, which I think is good for me at this point. The relaxer went well, but I did burn, which hasn't happened in almost 3 years! I oiled my scalp well, as I usually do. I think since I've been working out so much, the fact that I sweated the day before at the gym caused my pores to be more open. I didn't burn too bad, but I do have a little scab in the back. Next time, I may skip the gym the day before and do a better job of oiling my scalp.

I told my stylist that my ends were pretty dry and crispy, so she gave me a trim. I'm still at APL, which fine with me as long as my ends are healthy:

I got a lot of compliments on my hair when I went out of town last weekend for my best friend's wedding.

I'm trying something new and big this weekend, so stay tuned....

Work Out Hair

2011-06-28T13:55:00.003-04:00

I am so happy to get a relaxer this week. Between the heat and my working out 3-4 times a week, my hair is not behaving! I really think that 10 weeks is my limit now. I would like to go longer, but I'm already experiencing more shedding than usual.

I'm so proud of myself for keeping up with my exercise. It's only my 4th week at the gym, and I can already see and feel results. I'm going to try to hold off weighing myself for another week or two, but I do feel lighter on my feet, and I feel like I have more energy. I actually got up this morning and cleaned my bathroom and cooked dinner before getting me and my son dressed and heading out to work. That in and of itself is a miracle. I don't think I did that before I had a baby!

Taking care of my hair during the week after working out has not been as difficult as I thought. I really don't have any desire or time to co-wash my hair after every workout, so I'm aiming to co-wash my hair only once during the week and once on the weekend. I never sweated this much at the gym, so I think I'm getting in really good workouts (Zumba is the bomb!). I put a headband around my edges to keep them down and put the rest of my hair up into a loose bun on the top of my head. After my workout, I leave my hair as is for a while until I know it's dry, and then I take it down, moisturize and seal. I've actually been able to keep most of the curls this way too. After last week's positive braidout experience, I am determined to make my braidouts and bantu knot outs pretty enough to rock on a weekly basis. I'm looking forward to my workout routine to not only help my body and mental health, but my hair health as well.

Braidout - Day 2

2011-06-27T10:23:00.002-04:00

This was the second day of my braidout. I liked it a lot better on day 2. I was pleasantly surprised at how moist it stayed. I just oiled my new growth and ends. Overnight, I tucked the ends under with a clip and put a satin scarf on.

The next time I do a braidout, I will use a little serum to try to get more defined waves. I will also try it using the satin method because I want my ends to look just as thick as the other parts of my hair.

First Braidout of the Summer

2011-06-24T10:40:00.006-04:00

I found the courage to try another braidout last night. This is probably only my 3rd braidout ever. It actually didn't take much courage- between the weather being rainy all week, my 3 days of working out and being almost 10 weeks, I needed to do something to my hair and I didn't feel like setting it.

I co-washed my hair with Mane 'n Tail conditioner and a little V05 Moisture Milks. I let it air dry for about an hour, added some Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship leave-in and grapeseed oil, and braided my hair in 2 cornrows on each side. I curled the braids with 2 satin rollers. I also used EcoStyler gel to lay my edges down.

I like how it came out. I was mainly worried about keeping it moist, but it feels pretty good. I really like how the waives blend in with my new growth. Next time I will let it dry a little more before I braid, because this morning, a couple of places were still damp, making it more frizzy than I wanted. I also want to try 3 cornrows instead of 2 so that the middle of my hair gets more body. The waves have already loosened up since I took this picture first thing this morning, so I'm hoping it will look longer and fuller as the day goes on. Not sure what I'm going to do with my hair tonight or tomorrow, but I'm feeling a little more confident about braidouts.

Best Pre-Poo Ever

2011-06-19T17:05:00.006-04:00

I've been using this grapeseed oil to seal for years, but just pre-poo'd with it for the first time last night. This morning I thought I might have overdone it, since oil was behind my ear, and all over the back of my neck. However, as I shampooed my hair, I could feel the benefits. My hair has never felt so soft during the shampoo process. After I added my conditioner, my comb literally glided through my strands. A huge difference from my last shampoo where the Amla Oil made my hair so tangled! I also added a little jojoba oil to my leave-in before I set my hair.

Sometimes I think my hair hates oil, but I think it's how I apply the oil. I had a stylist years ago who only applied oil to my hair when it was wet. I think this is probably best for me. It's like the oil gets soaked in during the pre-poo and/or setting process.

Next day update:
At 9 weeks post relaxer, I'm extremely pleased with my wash day yesterday. My hair was extremely manageable, which made the roller setting process really quick. I flat ironed my roots in the front after I took the rollers out, and put in some flexirods over night. This morning, my hair was still moist, without having to put anything on it since my leave in conditioner before I set it.

I'm still going to get a relaxer next week. It's hot and humid, I've been working out almost every day, and I have an important event to attend during the holiday weekend.

Amla Oil: My Love/Hate Relationship

2011-06-15T15:08:00.004-04:00

Every time I use amla oil, I have mixed feelings. Every so often, I use it as a pre-poo. When I put it in my hair, it feels great. After I wash and condition my hair and start to de-tangle, I wonder what the heck I was thinking when I decided to pre-poo with amla oil. I left the oil in my hair for about a day and shampooed and conditioned my hair last night. Even after putting more than the usual amount of leave-in conditioner, my hair was so tangled! I lost so much hair as I detangled. However, after my hair was dry and styled, it looked beautiful- shiny, soft and moist. I'm just not sure if the results are worth all the hair loss. I still have over half a bottle left, and I've had it for over 3 years. I may just have to toss it, because my blood pressure shot up when I saw all of that hair in the comb!

Slackin'

2011-06-06T17:10:00.008-04:00

My hair has been a little dry lately. I know why too- I've been slacking on the pre-poos! I used to do them overnight, but now I only do it for an hour or so before I wash my hair. I got a rollerset at a Dominican salon this weekend, and even though I put in some conditioner before I left the house, she still wanted me to sit under the dryer with oil in my hair before she washed it. I promise to do better.

Finally, a recent pic:

Quick Update

2011-05-26T14:43:00.004-04:00

I've been a little busy lately, but here's a quick update:

I did a protein treatment with DuoTex last night. Not sure if I see much difference, but I know I needed a protein treatment since I've been using a flat iron.

I've used a flat iron the past couple of washes, but I went back to the roller set last night. Yes, it's time consuming, but my hair really doesn't like direct heat. Plus, either I don't have a good flat iron, or I don't know how to use it correctly, because my a hair doesn't come out that flat. Plus, I had frizzy ends, which I HATE.

I'm giving up the black rinse. Again. It doesn't last, and my platinum hair becomes blue after a couple of washes. I used a reddish brown last night. I don't see any red, but that's okay. As long as there's no silver or blue!

I'm loving flexirods right now! My hair needs to stay curly the majority of the time.

I still don't use much moisturizer. Just a little oil sheen and some oil on my ends. The Kenra conditioner keeps my hair moist for days.

Still haven't decided what I'm doing with my hair this summer when it's really hot. Maybe air drying and flexirods?

May 2011 Update

2011-05-09T15:41:00.002-04:00

For a refreshing change, I'm actually loving my hair these days. I got a relaxer about 3 weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying the length and health of my hair. I always complain that my hair is so thin, but it really isn't as thin as I thought. It is very fine, but it's not thin. I think I was using the wrong products and methods when I rollerset. I roll my hair too tight, and I'm sure this is the reason I have so many hairs on the floor when I comb out my set. So, I'm taking a little break from rollersetting. I'm also going to stop complaining about how thin/fine it is. It's not fine because it's not healthy. It's hereditary and I'm going to get over it.

My stylist thinks I should just air dry and flatiron it for a while. She does that to her daughter's hair, and her hair is at her waist. She has never gotten a roller set! For my first wash after my relaxer, I added my leave-ins and combed my hair down. I sat under the dryer for about 15 minutes. I attempted to blow dry, but I don't know how effective it was since I really don't know how to blow dry well. I used Chi Silk Infusion as my heat protectant and flatironed my hair. It came out so nice! It was bouncy, moist and shiny. And it looked thick! I honestly didn't know how to act for a week with my hair swinging like that. While I dried, I tied my edges down with a scarf, which also made a big difference in how slick my hair looked!

I don't want to give up rollersetting entirely, as I like the body I get and it is less manipulation on my hair. This past weekend, I got a rollerset at a Dominican salon. The woman who did my hair barely spoke English, so I don't know what products she used. I will say that whatever she used smelled heavenly. She really rubbed in the conditioner, and she set my hair in like, 2 minutes. Okay, not 2 minutes, but a lot faster than I do. She blew out my roots and the blow dryer was hot as hell, but the end result was worth it. I'm hoping I can get a rollerset done every 2 weeks and wash and flatiron my hair in between. When it gets too hot for me to sit under the dryer, I'll experiment with bantu knots and braidouts. I'll probably wear my hair up in a bun when it's hot anyway.

I also haven't needed too much moisturizer. I just spray some oil sheen on my hair while it's wrapped and maybe put some castor oil on my ends, and I'm good to go. I'm really trying to get most of my moisture from the conditioners, so I don't have to deal with moisturizers that don't do much but weigh my hair down.

I finally got a camera, so I'll post pictures soon.

Length Goal Reached!

2011-04-13T16:22:00.003-04:00

I have been wearing my hair straight this week, and I noticed yesterday that I'm full arm pit length. I still want my ends (and the rest of my hair) to be a little thicker and fuller, but I'm really excited that I have reached my length goal.

I've been on my hair journey for 3 years. I have experienced setbacks, cut my hair to a tapered cut, and shed a tremendous amount postpartum. However, these issues have forced me to deal with the problems, and find solutions. I have learned what my hair does and does not like. I'm still learning, as I work towards my goal of more thick and moist hair.

It would be great to reach bra strap length, as I think I'm only an inch or 2 away, but my focus now is working on the health of my hair. I don't want my hair much longer than bra strap, as this is the longest my hair has ever been, and it is sometimes challenging to style.

Leave-in Booster

2011-04-05T15:42:00.003-04:00

For the past few months, I have felt like my hair:
+ is thinner than it should be,
+ should be retaining more moisture,
+ doesn't stay together, especially at the ends, and
+ doesn't hold a curl like it used to.

I have increased the amount of protein, and it is helping, but I also think it's a porosity issue. I did the porosity test, by putting a couple of strands in a cup of water. Most of my hair floated, but the ends sunk to the bottom of the cup. I decided to "Kimmaytube" my leave in to help balance the pH level of my hair. My ends are also bushy and dry when I air dry, which is a symptom of the cuticles being lifted.

I used Salerm 21 leave-in conditioner. I didn't measure it exactly, but squeezed about a quarter-sized amount of it into a bowl. I added one tablespoon of aloe vera juice and one teaspoon of jojoba oil. I applied it to freshly washed and conditioned hair. This week, I did not deep condition with heat. I roller set my hair using just the leave-in mixture. I actually had some leftover. I set my hair on my regular rollers, but this time I used smaller sections. My hair came so nice! My hair was moist, shiny and smooth, and my ends looked so much healthier. I didn't even need to add moisturizer after I took the rollers out. It's been 2 days, and my hair still has body, which I haven't seen in over a year. I will continue to do this every wash. I hadn't used Salerm 21 in a while, but I will alternate it with Infusium, since it has silk protein in it.

Update 4/11/11: I added aloe vera juice and jojoba oil to my Giovanni Direct Leave-in this past weekend, and the results were not as good as the Salerm. I will continue to use the Salerm 21 since I liked my hair so much.

I'm pretty sure I need a hardcore protein treatment, but I'm afraid of doing it. Maybe I'll have my stylist do it the next time I go to the salon.

Goodbye Aphogee 2 Minute

2011-03-24T15:52:00.009-04:00

I've been using Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor for 3 years. I realized last year that it really wasn't doing anything for my hair, but I continued to use it because I thought my hair needed the protein. What I know now is that my hair does need the protein, just not from this product. A little over a month ago, I replaced the Aphogee with Mane 'n Tail conditioner as my 2 minute protein conditioner while I'm the shower, and boy do I notice a difference. Even after 2 minutes, I can feel how much more moist and strong my hair is. I'm throwing out the Aphogee for good now. I'm still mad at myself for trying to force that product. This is another lesson for me to not use products that don't do anything for my hair. What a waste of time and money...I can't even be mad at the product because I should have known to stop using it a long time ago.

My Baby Boy's Hair

2011-03-24T15:19:00.006-04:00

My almost one and a half year-old son's hair is so dry! I know it has a lot to do with the winter and the hats I put on him. I just sewed satin linings into his hats like I do mine, but winter is pretty much over! In the warmer weather months and when we went to the Caribbean a couple of months ago, I didn't deal with this dryness.

I'm not good at hair typing, but I would say his hair type is a 3C- it's mostly curly and very soft. Very UNLIKE his mother's, lol! He has a loose curl pattern that gets very curly when wet, but straightens out a little when it drys. The back of his hair is much curlier than the front. I've learned that his hair does not take well to shampoo, so I only do conditioner washes. Since he was a couple of months old, I have been using V05 Moisture Milks to co-wash his hair. I use a mix of water, glycerin and aloe vera juice as a leave-in, and ORS Moisturizing lotion as a moisturizer. It looks good when it dries, but as soon as I put a hat on or after a day, it looks like a dry nest. My girlfriend told me to try mousse- I did it one day and it really defined the curls, but it was crunchy and dry. I've also tried olive oil. Like the other products, it only works for a couple of hours. His hair is also a light/medium shade of brown (like mine), which I think is another reason for the dryness. I call it "dirty brown."

I did a little research online to come up with some ideas for his hair. Last night, I co-washed it with Aussie Moist conditioner. I also used a little as a leave in. His hair was still moist and curly when he woke up this morning. I applied a little castor oil to seal the moisture in. Let's see how it looks when I pick him up later today... Some ideas I read are to use Aubrey Organics White Camelia as a co-wash and leave-in, castor oil, a half glycerin/half aloe vera mix, and cocoa butter oil (that you use on your skin). I would appreciate any advice...

Update 5/5/11 I've been using Kids Organic Hair Lotion and sealing with Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil, and my baby boy's hair has been blinging! So moist and shiny!

Foods for Healthy Hair

2011-03-24T10:48:00.010-04:00

I've always been a pretty healthy eater, but lately I've been stepping it up a little. I do it for my health, to shed a few pounds for the summer, and to keep my hair healthy. These are my top foods (or beverages) for healthy hair that I've incorporated into my diet:

1. Water. Hair is made up of about 25% of water, so when we drink enough water, our hair will stay shiny and moisturized. Water also flushes out all of the bad toxins in our body. I discussed water in this blog a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't stick to my water routine very well. I don't know if it was because I was sick of running to the bathroom, or if I just got lazy. Anyway, I started it back up when I was pregnant and kept it up while I was nursing, but then I fell off again. In January, I promised myself to drink at least 60 oz of water every day. This meant I basically had to cut out any other beverages. I lost 5 pounds in one week! That alone was motivation enough to keep going. Some of things that help me with my water commitment are drinking it at room temperature (I can drink more this way), setting time goals (i.e. I have to drink 30 oz before 10am), and halting water 2 hours before I leave work (so I don't have to go to the bathroom on my way home!). I rarely even think about drinking soda or sugared juices now.

2. Flaxseed. Flaxseed is rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are essential for glowing skin and hair. I started taking flaxseed oil pills in 2008 to help the condition of my hair, but I had an allergic reaction to them. About 6 months ago, I decided to try just plain flaxseed. I mix a teaspoon into my oatmeal every morning. Salmon is also a good source of Omega-3.

3. Protein. We all know that our hair is made up of protein (called keratin), so we need to add protein back into our hair to make the strands thicker. I especially need more protein after the thinning I experienced postpartum. I maintain a high-protein diet of hard-boiled eggs, chicken, fish, and lean beef, pork and lamb.

4. Vitamin C. The body needs this vitamin to produce collagen and sebum, the oily substance, secreted by our hair follicles which naturally conditions the hair. Even a mild vitamin C deficiency can cause split, dry ends. I make sure I bring at least 2 pieces of fruit to work every day, and usually one of them is a fruit containing vitamin C. Lately, my favorites have been strawberries, tangerines and pineapple. You can also get vitamin C through broccoli, asparagus, spinach and other dark leafy vegetables, which I eat daily.

5. Nuts. Nuts contain the mineral zinc, which aids in tissue growth and repair, including hair growth. It also helps keep the oil glands around the hair follicles working properly. If you don't have enough zinc in your diet, you could experience excessive hair shedding. I also like nuts as healthy afternoon snack, so I avoid potato chips and other food I shouldn't be eating!

6. Carrots. Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A which are high in anti oxidants. Anti oxidants can help you balance the pH levels of the skin and also helpful in preventing the damage caused by the free radicals on the skin. Carrots can also help aid in hair loss. I bring carrot sticks to work as a snack, but I also juice carrots on a regular basis. They say that one ounce of fresh carrot juice can provide about 800% of the daily requirement of the vitamin A to the body. It can also help to burst the energy levels of a person. Carrots also contain vitamin C.

Other foods I eat to make sure I get the necessary minerals and vitamins are whole grains, shellfish, soy milk, lentils and beans. I take a daily multivitamin to make sure I get what my body and hair need as well.

No Photos

2011-03-17T14:19:00.004-04:00

I haven't posted any photos recently because my camera is broken :-(

I actually tried to take it apart and fix it, but that was a disaster. I told my man to bring me an eyeglasses repair kit on his way home because I needed a tiny screwdriver. He said he would rather bring me a new camera, lol. I've had my camera for about 6 years, so I guess it is time for a new one. Even my stepdaughter told me that cameras have come a long way in the past 6 years. Alright, alright. They said they'll buy me a new one for my birthday next month, but I want one now. I need to take pictures of my hair, but I also just like taking pictures in general. How am I going to go another month without taking pictures of my baby and the rest of my family?! I know a lot of people do it, but I hate how photos from my phone come out. If I see one I like on sale, I might have to buy it myself.

Anyway, my hair is doing really well. I'm loving the products I've been using, and my hair has been so manageable. I'm focusing on retaining moisture through conditioners, so during the week, I've only been sealing with oil at night. It seems to be working pretty well. I'm convinced that either I wasn't using the right moisturizers and/or I needed a better conditioner. Well, I've been using Kenra for my deep conditioning for the past 3 weeks and it's been wonderful. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to use moisturizer at all?

I also think using the black rinse has conditioned my hair and helps it retain moisture. My natural hair color is a "dirty" shade of brown, and I have almost always had a hard time keeping it moisturized without a color rinse. My son has the same issue. Even though his texture is different from mine (probably 3c or something), his hair seems like it's always dry. I didn't get a chance to do it this winter, but next year I will be sewing satin linings in his hats like I do mine!

Product Review: Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner

2011-03-02T16:26:00.004-05:00

I finally decided to try the popular Kenra Conditioner. I had a coupon, so I got it at a great price. My old faithful, ORS Replenishing, hasn't been wowing me lately, so I've been on a hunt for an ultra moisturizing conditioner to deep condition.

Product Description
Improves elasticity and manageability in dry, damaged hair
Wheat proteins moisturize naturally curly and coarse hair
Readily detangles and imparts shine
Hydrate excessively dry, brittle, and coarse hair
Deep penetrating formula replenishes moisture for greater elasticity

Ingredients
Water (Purified), Hexadecanol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol (Emollient), Ceteareth 20, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Isopropylparaben, Benzophenone 4, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), FD&C Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow 6 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red 40 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Blue 1

Directions
After shampooing, work small amount of product throughout the hair. Leave product on hair for one minute. Rinse with warm water.
Additional Uses
Add maximum moisture by applying Moisturizing Conditioner, covering hair with plastic cap and placing client under warm dryer for 10-15 minutes.
Revitalize old perms by working Moisturizing Conditioner and Styling Gel into relaxed curls and diffusing with a blow dryer.
Work small amount of Moisturizing Conditioner into dry hair ends to control frizz.

My Experience
Usually I don't try 2 new products at the same time, but I was so excited about my new purchases, that I used this after using the Burt's Bees pre-shampoo treatment. I shampooed with Elasta QP Creme Moisturizing Shampoo, did a 2-minute protein conditioner rinse with Mane n Tail, and then deep conditioned with the Kenra. It has a lovely coconut scent- another reason I couldn't wait to try it! I used maybe a little over a dime-size amount on each half of my hair. I left it on for a total of 45 minutes, 15 minutes with heat. Some of the reviews I read about this conditioner said that it didn't have any slip unless you add oils to it. Since it was my first time using it, I didn't add any oil because I wanted to see how the product would work on its own. Also, I'm not that concerned with slip anymore. It usually doesn't determine how moist or bouncy my hair comes out when it's dry. I also don't detangle my hair during my wash and condition process until I apply my leave-in conditioner- I lose A LOT less hair this way. When I was ready to rinse the Kenra out, I could see how moist my hair was. I proceeded to roller set my hair. When I took my hair out, I was in love. My hair looked thicker and shiny, felt moist and was bouncing all over the place! I didn't even need a moisturizer, so I just sealed my ends with a little oil. I pin curled my hair and went to bed, and when I woke up, I loved my hair even more. I got tons of compliments at work. This will definitely be a staple in my routine. I'm not sure if it was the Kenra, the Burt's Bees, or a combination, but I'm really happy with my hair. It is pricier than the other conditioners I use, but I don't think it's outrageous. My results are worth paying $14 (or less with a coupon!). I also didn't need a lot, so I think my bottle will last me a while.

This does contain protein, but I consider it a moisturizing conditioner. Also, my hair is loving protein right now.

Product Review: Burt's Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment

2011-03-02T15:26:00.004-05:00

I've read reviews about Burt's Bees Pre-Shampoo Treatment, but have never seen it any stores. I had a coupon for drugstore.com, so I decided to try it. I usually pre-poo with vatika oil or Organix conditioner, but lately I haven't noticed a difference when I pre-poo.

Product Description
Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment restores body, shine and manageability to dry and damaged hair. Perming, coloring and styling can leave your hair looking dry and damaged. This luscious formula combines Avocado and Olive oils to penetrate and replenish natural moisture to your hair and scalp. Rosemary, almond oil and nettle extract condition your hair leaving it soft, with a glossy shine.

Excellent for both women and men alike
Avocado Oil softens and conditions dry, flaky skin and scalp. Also stimulates hair growth
Makes a great styling aid too!
99.25% natural
Not tested on animals

Ingredients
Vegetable Glycerin, Olive Oil, Avocado (Persea Gratissima) Oil, Oat Flour, Lecithin, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Distearate, Magnesium Stearate, Citrus Rind Oil, Oat Kernel Oil, Chlorophyll, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E) (Vitamin E), Nettle (Urtica Dioica) Leaf Powder, Rosemary Leaf Powder, Vegetable Oil, Fragrance (Parfum)

Directions
Massage a generous amount (amount will depend on the length of your hair) of the treatment into wet hair and scalp, and comb through from your scalp to your hair's ends with a wide-tooth comb. Leave the treatment on your hair for at least 5 minutes and up to 20 minutes for maximum conditioning. Rinse hair and scalp thoroughly. Shampoo as usual. Use daily or as needed. To use as a styling aid, rub a small amount into palms and apply to damp or dry hair. Style as usual.

My Experience
I sprayed water on my hair to make it damp. I had read that the product was really thick and hard to get on, but I didn't experience that at all. It's thick, but it wasn't hard to apply. I did put some vatika oil in my hair earlier in the day, so maybe that's why it was easy. It has a sweet, citrus scent. I immediately noticed how shiny my hair was after I put in about a quarter size amount. As each minute went by, I felt like my hair got softer. I left it in for about 30 minutes before I washed it out. During my whole shampoo process, my hair felt moist and strong. Sometimes I do feel like I'm losing moisture as a shampoo, but not with this. I continued to deep condition and rollerset, and my hair was so shiny and moist. I didn't even need a moisturizer after I took out my rollers. Overall, I loved this product. I plan on using it weekly.

I'm curious to see how this works as a styling aid, although I'm cautious, since most styling aids don't do much for me. I'm going to wait until I'm past 6 weeks post-relaxer to see what it does for my new growth.

Product Review: Silk Elements ColorCare Sulfate Free Shampoo

2011-02-24T16:27:00.004-05:00

I've been looking for a moisturizing shampoo for a while now. I've been using ORS Creamy Aloe or Creme of Nature or Elasta QP. The ORS is really just for clarifying, so I shouldn't use it weekly, and the Creme of Nature has been discontinued- I just found a stray bottle at the store. The Elasta QP is good, but I want something that I can see gives my hair the moisture it needs. I usually like products that are for colored treated hair because they usually provide more moisture.

Product Description
Silk Elements ColorCare Sulfate Free Shampoo is specifically formulated with a UV protector and silk protein to help prolong hair color vibrancy.
•Helps prolong hair color vibrancy
•Leaves hair soft and smooth
•Provides luxurious lather
•Hair left healthy looking

Silk Elements ColorCare Sulfate Free Shampoo is specifically formulated with a UV protector and silk protein to help prolong hair color vibrancy while providing essential moisture and conditioning to color-treated hair. Luxurious lather that gently and effectively cleanses. Hair is left soft, smooth, nourished, radiant and healthy looking.

Ingredients
WATER ,SODIUM C14-16 OLEFIN SULFONATE ,ISOPROPYLAMINE DODECYLBENZENESULFONATE ,GLYCOL STEARATE ,AMMONIUM LAURYL SULFOSUCCINATE ,FRAGRANCE ,PEG-150 DISTEARATE ,PPG-2 HYDROXYETHYL COCAMIDE ,PANTHENOL ,HYDROLYZED SILK ,HYDROLYZED KERATIN ,POLYQUATERNIUM-11 ,HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN PG-PROPYL S ,SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL ,CINNAMIDOPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHORIDE ,HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED EXTRA ,BUTYLENE GLYCOL ,DMDM HYDANTOIN ,IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE ,SODIUM CHLORIDE ,TETRASODIUM EDTA ,PHOSPHORIC ACID ,RED 33

My Experience
The first time I used this was after applying a color rinse. I usually shampoo my hair with a moisturizing conditioner after a color rinse to get all the color residue out, and to add moisture back into my hair. I used this a second time for a normal wash. I didn't like this product either time. It did nothing for me. It didn't feel like it moisturized or cleaned my hair and scalp well. It felt like it tangled my hair and made it a little drier.

This is the third product from the Silk Elements line that I didn't like. I didn't like the conditioner or the moisturizer. I'm all set with Silk Elements!

February 2011 Relaxer

2011-02-15T13:28:00.002-05:00

I got a relaxer on Saturday after a 10 week stretch. It would be nice to go longer, but I think 10 weeks is my limit at this point. I didn't have a lot of shedding, but my hair was hard to style and my ends really needed a trim. I told my stylist to give me a good trim. It looked like she was cutting a lot and I saw a lot of hair on the floor, but my hair is still just hitting arm-pit length. Either I had more new growth than I thought, or I didn't need as much of a trim as I thought. Anyway, I'm happy with my ends now.

My main focus right now is moisture and thickness. I've been looking at a lot of old pictures of my hair lately, and I've realized that my hair has never been that thick (except when I was pregnant). I think it just looked thick because I had a short cut with layers for so long. I thought about getting layers this weekend, but I need to think about it a little more. I also haven't been good at keeping curls in my hair. Lately I've just been cross wrapping it at night instead of putting my hair in pincurls, flexirods or bantu knots. The weather has really been getting to me- I'm so unmotivated to do anything extra.

I need to find a way to keep moisture in my hair! I know the biggest reason for this dryness is the weather, because my baby's hair has been dry too. When we were in Jamaica a couple of months ago, both of us were able to retain moisture in our hair, so I know it's the dry, cold air that's doing it to us. I've been using a humidifier at work and home, and I'm drinking a lot more water, but I need something else...steaming? better conditioner and/or moisturizer? Probably all of these. I guess my hair has the winter blues just like I do!

Back to Black

2011-02-01T12:20:00.002-05:00

I did it. I colored my hair black again. I really missed the shine and the thicker/healthier look. I wanted to use Adore semi permanent, but the beauty supply store I went to was out, so I used black from The Beautiful Collection. I did my normal wash, protein condition, and moisturizing deep condition (I added aloe vera juice to my conditioner). I just bought Giovanni Vitapro Fusion Leave-In, so I used that in addition to my diluted Infusium 23. When I took my rollers out, my hair looked like this:

I was really happy I decided to go back to black. My hair is so shiny, looks thicker and there are no grays in sight! Here it is after my saran wrap:

I also bought a 1/2 inch ceramic flat iron for my roots. I only used it for my roots in my part, and my edges. It made a huge difference. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to stretch my relaxer to 12 weeks, but now I think I can make another 3 and half weeks. Hopefully...

Airdry/Braidout

2011-01-27T09:07:00.006-05:00

Last night I decided to try to airdry again. I co-washed with V05 Moisture Milks, used the t-shirt method to dry my hair a little, applied Giovanni Direct Leave-In and some grapeseed and castor oil to my roots and ends. I put my hair in 2 braids and used a satin roller on each end.

Today when I woke up, I applied a little more castor oil to my hands while I took the braids out. This was much better, but still not where I want to be. The part of my hair that was braided came out pretty good, but the rest of my hair was still frizzy.

I'll try again next week. Back to the drawing board....

Mo' Protein

2011-01-25T15:39:00.004-05:00

For this past weekend's wash, I substituted Aphogee 2 Minute Keratin Reconstructor with Mane 'n Tail Deep Moisturizing Conditioner. I'm not sure how moisturizing it was, but I definitely saw more of difference with this produce than with the Aphogee. I'll do a review of the Mane 'n Tail after I've used it a few more times (I think I like the original formula better). I also put a brown rinse in my hair, which sometimes feels like a mild protein treatment to me. Instead of shampoo, I used my Hair One cleansing conditioner. It's been in my bathroom for months- I'm not sure why I haven't been using it...but anyway, I used it this weekend, and it was pretty good. Still not great, but good. I loved the smell! After I deep conditioned with Aubrey Organics White Camellia conditioner mixed with a little grapeseed oil, I applied Infusium 23 and Giovanni Direct leave-ins and roller set my hair.

I can definitely see and feel a difference in my hair. It's a little thicker, and even though I do the saran wrap method, my hair still holds a little curl, which hasn't been happening lately.

I'm finding that it takes a day or 2 before my hair is really how I want it. I don't know if it needs to soak in the moisturizers and oils and/or have me sleep on it so that it falls nicely. I am 7 weeks post relaxer, so that could be it too. I'm really happy how well my new growth is behaving!

I still need to do something with my edges. I've been tying a scarf around my hairline before I rollerset, which has made them lay down, but their still a little fuzzy. I've tried aloe vera gel and ORS Edge Control with no luck. Any suggestions?

How to Know if a Product Has Protein

2011-01-19T13:39:00.004-05:00

Here are some ingredients to look for if you want to know if a product contains protein:

soy protein (Glycine soja)
soybean seed extract
hydronized wheat protein
amino acids
keratin amino acids
anything hydronized
collagen
milk
sometimes panthenol might have the same effects as protein

I'm really liking my hair this week after my protein treatment! It looks and feels healthy again! I've gotten a few compliments on how sleek and shiny it is too. Why didn't I try the egg a long time ago????

Fine Hair vs. Thin Hair

2011-01-18T13:09:00.001-05:00

I think a lot of us confuse having fine hair with thin hair. My hair is not thin, as I have a lot of hairs on my head; but, it is fine because the strands are thin. Those of us who have fine hair face some of the same challenges, though.

The term “fine” refers to the actual diameter of the shaft of an individual hair strand. The term “thin” is used to reference the number of hairs per square inch dispersed amongst the entire head and is also used to describe the density of an individual’s hair. Regardless of the term that is used to describe one’s tresses, the same problems often occur with each hair type.

Hair texture is often described in terms of fine, medium, or coarse, which refers to the diameter of the strands. Hair density is usually described in terms of thin, medium, or thick, which refers to the compactness or concentration of the hair. The texture a person is born with is often determined by their genetic makeup. On the other hand, thin hair can be caused by a wide variety of factors, like an individual’s diet, their age, illnesses, etc. It is best to consult your physician in order to determine the underlying cause, usually the cause can often be successfully treated and the effects reversed.

In both cases - fine hair and thin, low-density, hair - you can have similar problems with the way the hair looks. Both situations result in flatter hairstyles and in both cases, the hair is more susceptible to damage from styling and chemical processes. There are ways to protect against this damage, and there are many products available today to deal with both hair traits - fine hair and low density - to give you thicker-looking, fuller hair.

For my fine hair, I also experience tangles and sensitivity to thick products and heavy oils. I’ve learned that a little goes a long way with most products. I also have to shampoo or co-wash my hair often to get rid of product build-up. Protein is key. Clarifying is key. I haven’t had much luck with “thickening” hair products. I find that they either make my hair more tangled or stiff.

Source 1, Source 2

Benefits of Castor Oil

2011-01-18T10:00:00.003-05:00

Since my hair is loving castor oil so much right now, I thought I'd post some of the benefits of this oil:

Castor Oil is derived from the castor bean, and seeds of the castor plant. It has been used for decades as a laxative, a purgative (to induce vomiting) and as a skin softener.

The anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties of Ricinoleic Acid in castor oil protects the scalp and hair from infections which can cause hair loss. Castor oil has omega-9 fatty acids in it that prevents your scalp from drying out and that also nourishes your hair from the roots. Castor oil is a humectant as it draws moisture into the hair and skin. Applying castor oil on hair will keep it looking soft, shiny and strong.

Castor oil coats the hair shaft and smoothes the cuticle layer, sealing in moisture and leaving the hair feeling soft and silky. It is more easily absorbed by the hair, allowing for deeper penetration into the hair shaft. Rubbing castor oil into your scalp and roots on a regular basis helps lost hair grow back and also helps thicken hair that’s already growing. You can also experiment with castor oil for hair on your ends. This rich, thick oil will help your ends becomes shiny and hide the appearance of frizzy, damaged, and split ends. Over time, as you trim damage away, you'll notice your hair won't develop split ends as easily.

Castor oil can be used in several different ways for hair:
• As a leave-in.
• Combined with other ingredients to make your conditioner or moisturizer.
• As a pre-poo or hot oil treatment.

As with any hot oil treatment, it is important to avoid overuse of castor oil, especially if you are prone to oily scalp and hair conditions. For hair that is damaged, a hot oil treatment is typically indicated as a monthly treatment, while weekly moisturizing treatments are more useful to restore the good condition to the hair. Since my hair is fine, I have to be careful not to use too much. Otherwise, hair becomes extremely oily and stiff.

Castor oil also thickens eyelashes and eyebrows.
I’ve been rubbing a little castor oil over the base of my eyelashes before bed. This should prevent thinning and promote rapid growth, leading to thicker and fuller lashes. Many commercial products for eyelashes actually contain castor oil. If you want to thicken sparse eyebrows, rub a little castor oil over the brow line before bed.

Here are some non-hair benefits of castor oil:

*Softens thick calluses and removes corns
*Cures skin infections like athlete’s foot and ringworm
*Prevents stretch marks
*Removes moles and warts
*Removes age spots (liver spots)
*Cures acne
*Keeps the skin looking smooth, youthful and unlined
*Breaks up external and internal scar tissue, and prevents new scars from forming
*Soothes shingles

Egg Protein

2011-01-17T15:14:00.002-05:00

Since I'm too afraid to try a hardcore protein treatment, I decided to use an egg this weekend. I've used mayonnaise before, which is good, but a little too oily for me.

I beat one egg, and added about 10 drops of my grapeseed oil mix. I applied the egg all over my hair, and let it sit with a plastic cap for 10-15 minutes. I shampoo'd it out, deep conditioned, and rollerset.

When I took my rollers out, the first thing I noticed was how shiny my hair was. It was late and I was tired, so I wrapped my hair and went to bed. When I woke up, I did the saran wrap treatment just to make my hair silkier. When I combed my hair out, my hair was silky and strong. I don't think my hair has been this strong since I was pregnant, and that was over a year ago. My hair did feel dry, but I applied a little castor oil to my scalp and ends, and my hair was better.

Now I'm positive that my hair needs more protein. I am going to pre-poo with an egg once a month. I also bought some Mane 'n Tail conditioner, which has protein. I will use it every week instead of the Aphogee 2 Minute Keratin Treatment. The Aphogee really isn't doing anything for my hair, so I'm going to stop forcing it.

I'm about 90% sure that I will put another black rinse in my hair soon. I asked 3 of my friends this weekend what they thought of me coloring my hair black. All 3 of them said, "Isn't your hair already black?" I guess I'm the only one who notices my brown hair, lol.

Winter 2011 Hair Plan

2011-01-13T12:44:00.004-05:00

The end of this month will mark my 3 year hair journey anniversary. I have learned so much about my hair and have achieved great progress, but in some ways I feel like I am where I was 3 years ago. I wrote in my last post that I need a good trim, which I will get in a few weeks at my next salon visit. However, I need to work on incorporating products and techniques that will prevent me from getting to this point again. I have developed a plan that I think I can stick to:

Use conditioners from the Mane 'n Tail line. The products are protein based, which my hair desperately needs. I will try the original conditioner, deep moisturizing conditioner and de-tangler initially.

Apply castor oil to my scalp at least once a week. Although is a little heavy to me, I think it will be good for my strands, especially during these winter months.

Drink more water! I can't believe how much I have slacked on my water drinking over the past couple of months. I recently got a couple of new water bottles, so I'm committed to drinking at least 4 bottles of water (I think the bottles hold 18 oz of water) during the work day, and 3 at home. NO SODA.

Eat a hard boiled egg for breakfast every morning for added protein. I eat oatmeal and Greek yogurt, both of which have a good amount of protein, but the egg can't hurt. Plus it will fill me up in the morning. I will also be better at adding flaxseed to my oatmeal, pancake batter, and other breakfast foods for the Omega 3.

Baggy 2-3 times a week for 2 hours. I tried baggying at the beginning of my hair journey, and it made my hair mushy and week. I think I used too much product, and I also baggied for too long. I'm going to use a little moisturizer, and put a plastic cap over my head for just 2 hours each time to see if I can retain more moisture.

Add more to my conditioners. I've never really wanted to "doctor" up my conditioners, but it's not very time consuming, and it can't hurt, right? I'm going to experiment with adding oils (coconut, avocado, jojoba, grapeseed), aloe vera juice, glycerin and honey to my conditioners to help them help me.

Give my hair protein treatments. I've always been afraid to do hardcore protein treatments. I think my old stylist scared me out of them. I'm going to start with an egg this weekend. If that goes well, I'll consider buying Duotex or Aphogee.

Baby my ends. I moisturize and seal my ends nightly, but I could and should be putting a lot more effort and time into them.

I'm hoping some of these actions will help my skin and overall health as well. There are also some other moisturizers I want to try, since I still haven't found a great one.

Airdrying - #FAIL

2011-01-10T10:50:00.003-05:00

I air dried my hair this weekend and the results were not good. I shampoo'd and deep conditioned. After I applied my leave-ins, I put a satin scarf around my edges and let it air dry. My hair was a dry, frizzy mess. It started out okay, but in retrospect, I should have applied a little oil before it was completely dry, and maybe put it up in a clip or bun or something. I know a lot of women put their hair in 2 braids, but I decided not to do that because I didn't want the braidout look.

I even flat ironed it a little the next day, but it was still stiff. So I co-washed and roller set it the next day. The good thing that came out of this was that I saw how much I'm in need of a trim. I truly believe that with a good trim comes easier styling.

I'm going to keep trying!

January 2011 Hair Update

2011-01-10T10:25:00.002-05:00

I've been doing some heavy thinking about my hair. I get into these "deep thought" moments especially when I'm not happy what's going on with my hair. I was in the process of making a slide show of my 3-year hair journey, and looking at the pictures side-by-side really helped me look at the condition of my hair, the products I've been using, and my styling techniques. I know a lot of it is the cold, dry winter air, but I've identified some other issues:

* I need a good trim. My stylist is so good at just giving me dustings, but I can't remember the last time I had a real trim. I'm so happy that I made arm-pit length, but I'm willing to cut up to an inch if it means my ends are thick and healthy again.

* I may go back to black again. I know I've written more times than I can count that I wanted to stay away from the black rinses, but I miss the shine and thickness the black gives me. I feel like the black color conditions my hair better than any other colors, and it allows for products to work better in my hair. I'm undecided on whether I'll go black before or after my trim.

* I thought I had porosity issues because my hair wouldn't hold a curl, but I realized yesterday that I just needed some setting lotion. DUH! Why I thought my hair would just stay curled without setting lotion is beyond me. Last night I used Dudley's Fantastic Body Setting Lotion, and my curls looked amazing. Even today after I took the pin curls out, my curls are really thick and bouncy.

* I'm going to start using a t-shirt or microfiber towel to dry my hair from now on. I've been wringing my hair out with my hands, which I believe is causing breakage.

* I still need a good moisturizer. The ones I use are pretty good, but not doing what I need them to do. I think I'll try one new moisturizer each month until I find what my hair is so thirsty for!

Satin Lining

2010-12-17T16:03:00.006-05:00

In the winter, I always wrap or pin up my hair, put my silk or satin scarf on, and put a hat over it. I have seen a big difference in the amount of moisture I retain by doing this. I've been doing this way before I started my healthy hair journey. I hate being a cold, so a hat is a must, but I also realize that most of my hats are wool or cotton, which wreaks havoc on my hair.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a yard of satin fabric because I like satin scarves at night better than silk scarves. After I cut out a square for my night scarf, I still had plenty of fabric left over, so last night I sewed a satin lining into one of my hats. I wore it today, and I loved it. My head was just as warm, and I didn't have to worry about combing my hair out when I got to work. I also won't have to worry about wrapping and putting a scarf on before I leave to go home. I want to do some other hats, but I wear a lot of my man's hats and I don't think he wants a satin lining in his hat! I do have a couple of my own hats, so I'm going to buy more satin to match the colors of my hats. I'm also thinking about lining my baby's hats. His hair is so cute and curly before we leave the house in the morning, but when we get to daycare and I take his hat off, he looks like Don King!

Vacation Hair

2010-12-15T13:23:00.003-05:00

I just came back from a fabulous vacation in the Caribbean. For the first time during vacation, I loved my hair every minute of the time I was there. I had gotten a relaxer a week before my trip. I didn't wash my hair before I went, so it was pretty straight the first 2 days. After that, I washed, air dried, and did a bantu knot out. I was a little worried that my hair wouldn't look full since it was so recently relaxed, but I was wrong. I loved how wavy and full it looked. Sometimes it looked a little wild, especially on the beach when the wind was blowing, but I loved it like that too! My girlfriends asked me what I did to it. When I told them, one of them said, "that wouldn't work on me because I don't have good hair like you." WHAT?! In all of my 30-something years, no one has ever said that I have good hair, lol. Even my man kept telling me how much he liked my hair and that I should wear it like that more often. He loves my longer hair!

This is making me think about air drying more often to get a thicker look.

Product Review: Clairol Beautiful Collection Advanced Gray Solution

2010-12-15T12:56:00.005-05:00

I've been using the regular Beautiful Collection semi-permanent colors off and on for years. I've seen the gray solution for the past year, but for some reason, I've been hesitant to try it. My stylist told me that it works pretty well, even if I just want to use it in the front, where most of my gray hairs are. I was in the beauty supply store yesterday, so I decided to try it. I bought the Light Golden Chestnut color. When I colored my hair a few weeks ago, I used Toasted Chestnut by Jazzing, so I wanted to use something similar.

Product Description
Cover more gray, longer with Beautiful Collection Advance Gray Solution. Clairol Beautiful Collection Advanced Gray Solution Semi-permanent Color gives relaxed hair intense gray coverage, while adding back moisture and shine. The gentle, semi-permanent haircolor leaves hair feeling silky soft and looking beautiful.Professional Features:-All tones are excellent for refreshing color treated hair -Gentle no ammonia formula allows use immediately after relaxers -Formulated to cover more gray -Covers more gray for up to twice as long -Penetrating, saturating color that leaves hair feeling moisturized and full of shine -No peroxide. Advanced Gray Solution shades cover up to 50% gray.

Advanced Gray Solution’s breakthrough SynAIRgy technology contains an oxidative dye that uses oxygen in the air as a color developer to form a large dye molecule, eliminating the need to use a product with hydrogen peroxide for longer-lasting coverage.

Directions
Apply directly from bottle generously and thoroughly to shampooed and towel-dried hair. Can be used immediately following a relaxer. Be sure hair is thoroughly rinsed and shampooed per relaxer directions before applying any Beautiful Collection shade. All Advanced Gray Solution shades are intermixable for custom colors. Intermixing with Beautiful Collection Moisturizing Color is not recommended. No developer is used with Beautiful Collection shades. Process up to 25 minutes at room temperature. Use of heat is not recommended. Rinse well, do not shampoo.

Ingredients
Water, Oleic Acid , Toluene-2 , Ascorbic Acid, Undeceth-3, Cetearyl Alcohol, 5-Diamine Sulfate, 2-Methylresorcinol, Alcohol Denat., Glycol Distearate, Fragrance, 2-Amino-6-Chloro-4-Nitrophenol, Ethanolamine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Resorcinol, Disodium Edta, Hydroxyethyl-2-Nitro-P-Touidine, Basic Blue 99, HC Red No. 3, M-Aminophenol

My Experience
I'm glad I read the directions, because they said not to use heat and not to shampoo it out- both things I do when I apply a semi-permanent color. I noticed that this product is a lot thicker than the regular Beautiful Collections colors, or any other color I've used. I thought this was a good sign, because maybe there is more conditioner in it. I applied it to my whole head, not because I had a lot of gray to cover, but because I wanted to see how much it would moisturize and condition my hair. I put a plastic cap over my hair and let it sit for 25-30 minutes. I rinsed it out, and deep conditioned with Aubrey Organics White Camellia conditioner. I then used diluted Infusium leave-in conditioner and roller set my hair. When my hair was dry, it was shiny and bouncy. My grays in the front were covered, and looked pretty dark, considering I used a light color.

I liked this product, but I'm not sure if I'll use it again. Today, my scalp is a itchy, which makes me think that there is something in it I'm allergic to, because my scalp never itches. I'll also have to see how long the color lasts. If it doesn't last long, I might as well use the other colors I've been using.

12/16/10 Update: Okay, I couldn't take the itching (and a little burning) yesterday, so I washed my hair last night. I also didn't want to cause any damage to my scalp. I'm not sure what ingredient I'm allergic to, but I will not be using this product again. Even after I used a clarifying shampoo and conditioner, my nape still itches/burns a little!

December 2010 Relaxer

2010-12-05T17:39:00.002-05:00

I got a relaxer after 9 weeks. I could have gone longer, but I have an important event coming up, and I didn't want to have to deal with my new growth for that. I got a little trim because my ends seemed a little scraggly to me.

I'm officially claiming armpit length! It took a little longer that I expected, but I'm glad I can close out 2010 having reached my length hair goal. Now, I'm working on my thickness goal even more. Whatever additional length I achieve is great, but I'm really focusing on thickness and moisture. If I can improve upon those, I plan on getting a full trim after my next relaxer in 12 weeks.

Product Review: Africa's Best Kid's Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil Plus Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Hair Lotion

2010-11-19T14:52:00.003-05:00

I wrote in a post a few weeks ago how my dry my hair was and how I would try some different products. My girl has been telling me about the Africa's Best Kid's Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil Plus Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Hair Lotion for a while. She uses it on her 6 year old's hair, and although her little girl's hair is not relaxed, she believes we have similar hair textures. I finally decided to buy it. I bought it from Walgreens for $3.99.

Product Description
Allows for easy, tangle free combing while restoring a healthy moisture balance. Formulated with shea butter for extra shine and softening. Deep penetrating and helps to prevent breakage. Gentle enough for daily use and is an excellent therapy for all hair types.

•Contains no petrolatum or mineral oil
•Enriched with extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Work lotion into hair, applying from roots to ends. Gently comb through with a wide tooth comb. Do not force comb through. Apply more as needed, to tangled areas and gently comb through. Style as desired.

Ingredients
Aqua (Water) , Propylene Glycol , PEG-150 Distearate , Cetyl Alcohol , Glycerin , Polyquaternium-37 , Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate , Dicaprate , PPG-1 Trideceth-6 , Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean) , DMDM Hydantoin , Cyclopentasiloxane , Cyclohexasiloxane , Phenyl Trimethicone , Lanolin Oil , Glyceryl Stearate , PEG-100 Stearate , Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride , Acrylamide Copolymer , Methylparaben , Propylparaben , Stearalkonium Chloride , Fragrance , Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil , Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive) , Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter (Cocoa) , Carota Sativa Seed Oil (Carrot) , Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit (Shea Butter) , CI 19140 (Yellow 5) , CI 16035 (Red 40) , CI 42090 (Blue 1) , Hydrolyzed Glycine Soja Protein (Soybean) , Mustela (Mink Oil) , Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba) , Tocopherol , Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil (Tea Tree) , Ovum (Egg Powder) , Lactis Proteinum (Milk Protein) , Mel (Honey) , Silk Amino Acids , Cholesterol , Zea Mays Oil (Corn) , BHT , BHA , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil (Safflower) , Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract (Rosemary) , Urtica Dioica Extract (Nettle) , Equisetum Hiernale Extract (Horsetail)

My Experience
When I first opened the bottle, I noticed how watery this moisturizer was. I panicked, because my hair was straight, and I thought it would make it wet and frizzy. After I applied a little moisturizer to each section of my hair, I sealed with coconut oil. When I combed my hair, the comb glided through my hair. It was like my hair was instantly moisturized! I wrapped my hair and when I woke up, I couldn't believe how great my hair looked and felt!

I've been using this product for about 2 weeks, and I can't remember the last time my hair felt this good. I love how it softens my edges and new growth. This moisturizer is really light, so my hair just absorbs it in while still staying light and bouncy. It's not sticky or greasy and it leaves some shine- my hair really shines after sealing with oil! I am currently 7 weeks post relaxer and I think my hair looks like I'm about 3 weeks. My ends feel great too. I really feel like I have a new head of hair!

This is definitely a staple for me. The odd thing about this moisturizer is that it doesn't work well for my one-year old's hair. His texture is much different than mine, but his hair seems to get just as dry. When I put some on his hair, it did nothing.

Pincurl Week

2010-11-12T14:58:00.011-05:00

This week I decided to pin curl my hair every night. This isn't that new, but I tried a different method of pin curling every night.

I washed and conditioned my hair on Sunday. Sunday night, I did 7 pin curls (2 on each side, and 3 in the back). This is how my hair came out on Monday:

My hair looks really short here, but I loved it because my hair didn't touch my shoulders. It was rainy and windy on Monday, so I kept the pincurls in with my scarf on, put a hat on my head, and took the pincurls out when I got to work. I feel like this is a protective style because my ends weren't exposed and didn't rub against my shirt.

Monday night, I did 3 pin curls- on on each side and one in the back. Here is how I looked on Tuesday:
The curls were looser, so my hair looks longer, but it's still curly. I got a lot of compliments this day. It was still rainy and windy, so before I left the house, I put my hair in a bun at my nape and put a hat (with a satin lining) on.

Tuesday night, I did only 2 pin curls- one on each side. This is how I looked on Wednesday:
I liked this, because it looked wavy. The only thing I didn't like was that the back of my hair looked a little thin since it had been up to the sides.

Wednesday night I just did one tight bun in the back. Here is how I looked on Thursday:I think this was my favorite look because my hair looked so full and thick. Too bad it was my day off and I didn't have anywhere to go, lol!

Thursday night, I fell asleep on the couch, woke up around one and barely had enough energy to change my clothes, so I just moisturized and put my hair in a loose bun on top of my head. Here is how my hair came out on Friday:

This almost looks like I wrapped it. My hair is a little dirty and weighed down with moisturizer and oil, so even if I did more than a bun the night before, I believe I would have had similar results.

The only products I used was Kids' Organics Shea Butter Hair Lotion (which I'll review soon) and cocounut oil. I liked my hair every day this week, which is the best thing. My hair stayed moisturized and curled, even in bad weather conditions. It's nice to have such versatility without using any heat.

Buns I Want to Try

2010-11-04T16:27:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure I have enough hair, but I love these buns! I'm going to try to wear my hair up during the week and down on the weekends (as long as I'm not wearing wool) until the warm weather returns next year.

Just Starting to Deep Condition???

2010-11-04T15:54:00.005-04:00

I've been on my hair journey for almost 3 years, and I think I am just starting to truly deep condition my hair! I had a great wash experience last weekend, and I think it was mostly due to the length of time I deep conditioned with heat. I usually spend about 15-20 minutes under the dryer with conditioner in my hair. However, this time, I stayed under over 30 minutes. When I took the plastic cap off, I hardly recognized my hair! It was soft and moist- like butter! Now, I have read about women who deep condition with heat for 45 minutes, but I never did because I didn't think it would make a difference, and I didn't want to devote the time. I am truly a believe now. I will deep condition with heat for at least 35 minutes from now on!

I also used Roux Porosity Control and Infusium 23 Leave-in for this wash. I washed on Saturday, it's now Thursday, and I have loved my hair since. I have been wrapping it every night, which is rare- I can usually only wrap my hair for 3 days before it starts getting limp and flat. At night, I have been applying Hask Pure Shine Polishing Serum and then wrapping. Although it's a serum, it contains some really good oils, and my hair loves it. In the morning, I comb my wrap out, and maybe apply a little coconut or grapeseed oil to my ends. My hair has stayed moist and full.

Fall 2010 Hair Strategy

2010-10-29T15:34:00.008-04:00

Although my hair has been growing, I'm not too happy about the condition of it. However, instead of wallowing in self pity, I've been working on coming up with ideas to improve things. My hair has been feeling thin, and doesn't hold a curl or moisture.

I'm pretty sure this is from a combination of porosity issues and hormonal issues. I had a baby a year ago, and for the past 9 months or so, my hair has not been the same. I stopped nursing a month ago, so my hormones are balancing back. Now, that I'm not pregnant or nursing, I have the following plan:

- I need to increase the protein. I'm still not ready for the hardcore protein treatment, so I have been using Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstuctor after every wash. I also have been using Infusium 23 Leave-in, which contains protein. I have seen a difference in just a couple of weeks.

- I started taking hair, skin and nails vitamins and garlic vitamins over a week ago, along with my prenatal vitamins. I am expecting these to curb any excess shedding, and make my hair a little stronger.

- I will use Roux Porosity conditioner after every DC for a while until I notice some results.

- I will try some different moisturizers, paying close attention to the ingredients, so I can figure out what my hair does and does not like.

October 2010 Relaxer

2010-10-09T20:14:00.002-04:00

I got a relaxer last weekend. I went 10 weeks. My hair was getting hard to manage, and I didn't want any excess shedding. My stylist used the Mizani Butter Blends for fine hair. I also got a Joico K-Pak protein treatment. She gave me a dusting and said she was happy with the condition of my hair, even though I wish it were thicker. I complained about the black rinse still being in my hair. She said that my hair is dark, but not black, and my roots and ends are my natural lighter brown, so that's a good thing. She told me that the next time I put a rinse in my hair, I should use a light brown. I don't know how well that will cover up my platinum hairs, but I'll try it.

My hair is grazing arm-pit length, but I'm not ready to claim it yet. Reaching my goal length has taken a little longer than I planned, but I'm fine with it as long as my hair is healthy.

I still have a way to go to reach my goals of thick, long, moisturized hair. I'm in the process of incorporating some new products and methods into my haircare regimen...

Locks of Love

2010-09-27T15:06:00.007-04:00

Last week my 17 year-old stepdaughter got her hair cut so she could donate it to Locks of Love, which will use it to make a wig for a child who suffers from medical hair loss. I'm so proud of her- she has had hair past her armpits since she was 3. I am so glad that she does not feel defined by her hair!

Here is her hair before the cut, at a prom a few months ago:

And here is her hair after the cut. Her friend made the comment on facebook that she still has longer hair than most black girls, lol!

This is a picture of her braid. It measured almost 10 inches. She was required to donate 8, but she went a little longer.

Product Review: Aubrey Organics White Camellia Ultra-Smoothing Conditioner

2010-09-04T18:58:00.008-04:00

I posted a few days ago that I bought this conditioner. I'm working on increasing my hair's moisture level, and I believe I need to start with the conditioner I use. I was planning on buying the Honeysuckle Rose flavor, but Whole Foods didn't have any. I've read good things about the White Camellia, and it was on sale, so I bought it.

Product Description

Tame unruly hair and replenish much-needed moisture with this intensive, ultra-smoothing conditioner. Vitamin-rich formula nourishes as it protects against heat styling damage and breakage, restoring manageability for the look you want—whether it's silky, shiny lengths or soft, controlled curls.

* Deep-conditions & smooths; enhances shine
* Replenishes moisture
* Nourishes & protects

Directions:

Shake well before using. After shampooing, apply to damp hair and work through,

concentrating on the ends. Leave on for 1 or 2 minutes, then rinse.

For deep conditioning: Apply to dry hair and distribute from scalp to ends. Leave on for 15 minutes, then shampoo and condition as usual.

Ingredients:

Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Organic Aloe Vera, White Camellia Oil, Wheat Germ Oil; Extracts of Fennel, Hops, Balm Mint, Mistletoe, Camomile and Yarrow; Organic Geranium Oil, Organic Rosemary Oil, Organic Sage Oil, Carrot Oil, Aubrey's Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E).

My Experience:

I pre-poo'd without heat for a few hours with Organix conditioner, shampoo'd with ORS Cream Aloe Shampoo, and did a protein treatment with Aphogee's 2 Minute Reconstructor. I then applied Clairol's Beautiful Collection semi-permanent hair color in Wine Brown. I haven't used a semi-permanent color in over 4 months since I've been trying to get the black out, and I really love how well it conditions my hair (plus my platinum hair along my edges were really out of control). I sat under the dryer with the color in for about 10 minutes, rinsed it out and applied the Aubrey Organics conditioner. I was a little worried before I put it on because I read that it was thick and hard to apply, but it was easy for me to work into my hair. As soon as I applied it to one section of my hair, I knew something good was happening. My hair instantly felt soft and smooth. After I applied the conditioner to my whole head, my shower comb slid through my hair so easily. My hair had more slip than with my usual ORS Replenishing, which is really saying a lot. I sat under the dryer with it for a little over 15 minutes, rinsed and rollerset my hair.

I know it's only the first time, but I kinda love this conditioner already! I didn't even have to apply any moisturizer! I'm 6 weeks post-relaxer with a good amount of new growth, and my roots feel great. I thought the smell was a little strong in the bottle, but I didn't even smell it once I rinsed it out. I've also read that this is best on fine hair, so maybe that's why my hair loves it so much.

Next time, I will keep it in a little longer to see if the results are better. I also want to try the GPB protein formula.

Less is More

2010-09-01T16:06:00.003-04:00

Although my hair has been feeling dry lately, I've been experimenting with the amount of moisturizer I apply. For the past 3 nights, I have been putting on a few drops of moisturizer on my hair and ends, and then nothing in the morning. Well, last night I felt like my hair was the most moisturized it's been in months!

I remember an old stylist of mine telling me years ago not to use any moisturizer and that my hair gets its moisture from the inside of my body. At this point, I only half agree with that. I will rely on the majority of my hair moisture from conditioning and drinking water, but I do need some topical moisture, even if only to retain my length.

For me, moisturizing at night is key too!

New Conditioner

2010-08-30T14:31:00.004-04:00

Today when I was at Whole Foods, I decided to buy some Aubrey Organics conditioner. I planned on getting the Honeysuckle Rose, but they didn't have any, so I bought the White Camellia. I really hope this works, because my hair has been really dry lately. My being on the beach all day yesterday with no hat on didn't help.

I'll write a review after I use it this week! Keeping my fingers crossed...

Holding Onto the Curl & Other Updates

2010-08-23T10:29:00.005-04:00

My curls haven't been holding as well as I wish, which is partly due to my fine texture, but I think it's also from weighing my hair down with product. Yesterday after my wash and deep condition, I applied some diluted Giovanni leave in, a few squirts of my aloe vera juice mix, and less than a dime size of serum for my rollerset. My hair came out really curly and full of body. Now, I usually have lots of curls, but this time, the curls seemed a little "stronger." This was the first time I used the aloe vera mix for a rollerset, and I used Hask Serum instead of my usual diluted Paul Mitchell. Like most times, I did my rollerset in the evening. My hair usually looks great the night of the rollerset, but I'm not going anywhere until the next day! So, I need to figure out a way to have the same great hair the next day. I vaguely remembered my long-haired girlfriends talking a few years ago about how they keep their curls, so last night I put my hair in a very loose bun on top of my head, put my scarf on and went to bed. This morning, I still had curls and body! It's windy and rainy today, so I put my hair back into the loose bun for my commute to work. My hair is still very curly. I don't know how many days this will last, but I'm so glad I found something. I feel like I looked a little crazy with a loose bun on the subway, but I don't care- that's much better than having a frizzy mess in this weather.

I've realized some other things about my hair. My fine hair doesn't like a lot of product on it. I'm in the process of looking for a new moisturizer. I've been using KeraCare for about 2 years and it's just not cutting it anymore. I don't know if it's too heavy or what, but my hair only stays moist for about 1/2 a day when I put it in. I think I need to concentrate on better conditioning and night time moisturizing.

I really want to get my mane thick again. It's not thin, but it's thinner than it was this time last year. I was pregnant last year, but I'd like to get a little of that thickness back! I'm thinking about taking biotin, but I've heard of a lot of side effects that I don't want to deal with. I'm also still trying to get all the black rinse out of my hair. I have been putting rinses in my hair off and on for years, so I think my hair has just absorbed it in to become just about permanent. The ORS Creamy Aloe shampoo has helped a lot. I apply it once for a few seconds, rinse, then apply it again and leave it in for about 5 minutes. All of the suds become blue so I'm thinking it's doing its job by washing out some of the color. I read online that to wash out semi-permanent color quickly, you should use a harsh shampoo. I'm not willing to use a harsh shampoo because I don't want my hair to feel stripped and dry, so I thought the ORS was a healthy compromise. It contains sulfates, but it's also moisturizing, which I think is a good thing while I try to get this black out. My hair really loves this shampoo anyway. I really promise this time that I'm not putting any more black color in my hair!

July 2010 Relaxer

2010-07-24T07:48:00.002-04:00

I got a relaxer this week. I had only gone 10 weeks instead of my usual 12 because my roots and edges were really hard to manage. My stylist was really pleased with my hair. I told her to just dust it, but I think she actually trimmed it. I was hoping to see more length, but my hair's health is more important, so I'd rather see my ends look healthy. She used Mizani to relax and deep conditioned with Joico. She roller set my hair with ORS moisturizer and KeraCare setting foam, then she wrapped it.

I'm hoping to be arm-pit length by my next relaxer in October.

An Apology to My Hair

2010-07-21T14:43:00.006-04:00

Dear Hair,

I sincerely apologize for letting you down these past couple of months. I know you were dry, hard, tangly and really struggling. It took me some time to figure out what was wrong, but I finally did. I realized that only thing you wanted (and needed) was a chelating and neutralizing shampoo. I went as fast as I could to the store and bought some ORS Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo, and I can see you are so much happier because of it. Just applying it twice allowed you to get rid of all of the build-up you have held onto all of these months. After the shampoo, I fed you ORS Replenishing Conditioner, and immediately you were your moist, soft, de-tangled, shiny and healthy head of hair again. You hold onto moisture so much better. Your body is thick and shiny and you maintain curls like you did 6 months ago. You even let go some of that black rinse that we are trying so hard to wash out. I thought I had lost the happy, healthy you forever, but all I needed to do was listen to your cries and research your symptoms.

Thank you for being patient with me and not breaking before I could find the remedy to your pain. I wish I could use this shampoo on you weekly, but you know what they say about too much of a good thing. I don't want to cause you any more harm, so I will only use it once or twice a month.

Again, I apologize profusely, and I promise to not let you go this long in pain ever again.

Truly,
Tiffanita

Ingredients:
Water Aqua , Cocamidopropyldimethylamine Propionate , Trideceth-7 Carboxylic Acid , PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate , Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate , Ammonium Laureth Sulfate , Lauramide Glucoside , Lauryl Glucoside , Polyquaternium-10 , Cocoglucoside , Glyceryl Oleate , Disodiium EDTA , Olive Oil Olea Europaea , Cetrimonium Carboxydecyl , PEG-8 Dimethicone , Cetrimonium Chloride , Sulfated Castor Oil , Lecithin , Propylene Glycol , PEG-12 Oleate , Silicone Quaternium-2 , Panthenol Succinate , Fragrance Parfum , Aloe Barbadensis Gel , Glyceryl Polymethacrylate , Propylene Glycol , Polyquaternium-7 , Cocamide MEA , Glycol Distearate , Sodium Laureth Sulfate , Triethanolamine , DMDM Hydantoin , Methylparaben , Propylene Glycol , Propyl Paraben , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Green No. 3 Cl 42053 , Yellow No. 5 Cl 19140

Aloe Vera Juice Mix

2010-07-12T15:04:00.003-04:00

I am really enjoying my aloe vera juice mix, which I adapted from Traycee. I spray it on my hair while it's wet and it air dries really moist:

1 cup aloe vera juice

2 teaspoons glycerin

1/4 cup distilled water

I also use it on my baby's hair. His hair is curly (not kinky like mine at all!), but gets dry fast. I spray it on after his bath. Before I started using this, parts of his hair would be curly, while other parts stayed straight. Now his whole head stays curly, and the curls are a lot more defined. His hair has really benefited from it in the past couple of weeks.

I keep my spray bottle of this mix in the refrigerator. I bought a big bottle of the aloe vera juice (from Walmart), so I don't know what I'm going to do with all that juice I have. I tried to drink it, but didn't like the taste. Yesterday, I gave my friend, who is also on a healthy hair journey, a liter of it, but I still have a lot left!

Bantu Knot Success!

2010-07-08T15:05:00.004-04:00

Finally! Last night I co-washed, air dried and set my hair with bantu knots. This morning, my hair looked pretty good! I have received a lot of compliments from my co-workers, and my man, which is rare.

Again, I co-washed with V05, applied Salerm 21 leave-in, my aloe vera juice mix and some Hawaiian Silky 14-in-1. After my hair dried, I applied more Hawaiian Silky, some Silk Elements Mousse, and sealed my ends with KeraCare Essential Oils. I did 3 bantu knots- one on each side and one in the back. I usually do 6 or 7, but I've realized that doing fewer knots makes my hair look so much thicker. I was worried when I went to bed about the one knot in the back, but when I woke up, it looked great. I just put a little oil on my ends and some serum on my hair for shine. I still need to work on getting the top of my hair smooth, but I'm happy with the results overall.

My edges look a little better today than yesterday too. I did the scarf method on my edges while it dried. I didn't use the aloe vera gel; instead I used Paul Mitchell Foaming Pomade. My hair stylist used to use it to slick my hair down when it was short. It worked okay, but I'm still looking for something better. The good thing is that my hair covers most of my edges today. I still have some Elasta QP Glaze at home, so I'll try that tonight. If that doesn't work, I'll have to go shopping for something. I forgot to take a picture, but I'll try to take one later tonight.

I also need to do something about these ~~gray~~ platinum hairs sprouting up around my edges. I had been using the Adore black rinse, but it has started to dry my hair out. Plus, after a while black rinses become permanent in my hair, so I don't want to do them as often. I've been seriously considering henna, but I'm going to wait until after my next relaxer.

Update: I took a picture when I got home from work:

Air Drying

2010-07-07T15:47:00.002-04:00

It's has been hot as hades lately. I washed and rollerset my hair on Saturday, but by Tuesday, it was so nasty from all the sweating I did over the weekend, I had to wash it. I used to be very cold-natured, but ever since I got pregnant last year, my body temperature is about 10 degrees higher. I thought I would balance back out after having the baby, but nope. Anyway, I had to wash my hair last night. I co-washed with V05. When I got out of the shower, I applied a little Salerm 21 leave-in, and sprayed my new aloe vera juice-glycerin-water mix (thanks Traycee). I put a little Hawaiian Silky 14-in-1 on my ends. I then put some aloe vera gel to my edges, put a scarf just around my edges, and let my hair airdry.

Because it was 200 degrees outside, my hair didn't take long to dry at all. I couldn't believe how soft and moist my hair was! I didn't want to do a braidout or bantu knot out because I'm still new to these styles, and I never know what I'm going to get. I wasn't trying to go to work looking crazy. So I put a little moisturizer in my hair, sealed my ends with oil, put my hair in a bun and went to bed. This morning, my hair was rough! My ends were good though- probably from the oil and from tucking them in. I just put some more moisturizer on my hair and put it in a side bun. I would have liked my hair and my edges to be smoother. The aloe vera gel isn't cutting it on my edges, so I'll have to try a better gel. Also, for my hair, I probably should have kept smoothing my hair down like Sunshyne does. But at least I know I can airdry! I may co-wash again and try the bantu knots. Worst thing that can happen is that I have to put my hair up in a bun, right?

Mega Care Grape Seed Oil

2010-07-01T14:38:00.006-04:00

I have written about how much I love grape seed oil a few times on here. I have to admit though, that the oil I use is not 100% grape seed oil. I use the Mega Care brand, which has other oils in it. I love this stuff! It keeps my hair really smooth- even if my hair gets frizzy from the weather or something, I apply a little of this to my hair and it's smooth again! The best part is that it only cost me 99 cents at my local beauty supply store. AND, I've been on this same bottle for almost 2 years. A little goes a long way. I seal with it almost every day, and for my last wash, I added a few drops to my conditioner. I may buy 100% grape seed oil one day, but for now, I'm sticking with this. Here's what it looks like. Sorry for the bad picture- I took it with my phone, and the bottle is a little grimy. I did say that I've had it for 2 years!

Ingredients: Grape seed oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, wheat germ oil, tocopherol (vitamin e), fragrance

All of these oils are really good. My hair usually loves anything with sunflower oil. I've also seen Mega Care shea butter oil, carrot oil, olive oil and tea tree oil. I tried the shea butter oil and wasn't that impressed with it on my hair, but it's pretty good for my skin.

Product Reflection

2010-06-28T15:01:00.003-04:00

I don’t know what is going on with my hair right now, but I. don’t. like. it. I’m sure a lot of it has to do with the post partum shedding earlier this year. It just feels thin to me. It’s also been harder to keep it moisturized lately. I’m starting to re-evaluate some of my products. I haven’t been trying a lot of different products, but I do feel like I need to go back to what has worked for me in the past and stick with those products:

Pre-poo: I’ve been pre-pooing lately with either just vatika oil, or the Jason’s conditioner, which I don’t like, but wanted to use it up. I should just toss it, because it’s not good as a pre-poo either. I used to use Organix conditioner, so since it’s on sale at CVS this week, I’ll get some and use that to pre-poo later this week.

Shampoo: For my last couple of washes, I’ve been using Hair One for color treated hair with jojoba. I find that products for color treated hair do well for me even though I don’t have color. Also, the other kind of Hair One was the olive oil formula, and my hair doesn’t like olive oil. I’m going to stick with the Hair One for a few more weeks, because I do think it’s better than using shampoo for me.

Leave-in: I used to be able to tell a distinct difference when applying my leave-in, but it hasn’t been happening lately. The Giovanni Direct Leave-in formula has changed, but I thought it was better once I started diluting it with water. I just don’t have that same feeling anymore. I used Infusium 23 leave-in this weekend, and I had instant slip, my hair detangled super easily and my hair felt stronger and moisturized after I took my rollers out. I think this will be a consistent part of my regimen.

Deep conditioner: I still really like the ORS Replenishing conditioner. This weekend I mixed in some of my grapeseed oil mix and I loved how it made my hair feel. I will continue to add a few drops of oil to my conditioners.

Protein: I’ve been slacking on the protein ever since I got rid of my Aphogee 2 minute treatment—it wasn’t doing anything for my hair. Not using enough protein is probably the source of my problems. This weekend I used the Ion protein pack (it was 99 cents at Sallys). It helped a little, but nothing makes my hair strong like mayonnaise, so I’ll be doing a mayo treatment in a couple of weeks.

Moisturizer: I just remembered that I’m 6 weeks post relaxer, and my hair usually changes around this time, and I need to increase my moisture level. Also, I have a lot more new growth than usual, so I definitely need to use more moisturizer. I’m going to start applying castor oil to my scalp twice a week.

I recently bought some aloe vera juice and glycerin, so I will experiment on incorporating them into my regimen.

As far as styling goes, I’m getting better at the bantu knots. I actually went out- to a social function- with them this weekend. My hair looks a lot thicker when it’s textured like this, so I’m going to try do more of them this summer and maybe even try them during the week. Besides, it’s too hot to sit under the dryer with rollers every week!

7/1/10 Update: After writing this, I went home and took action. I oiled my scalp with castor oil and moisturized my ends with some B&B Oil. I think I used a little too much castor oil, but my hair was so much happier regardless of that. I usually only use the B&B Oil Moisturizer when I'm past 6 weeks post relaxer. My hair loves it. Ever since then, my hair has felt and looked much better. I will clarify this weekend because maybe I just have too much product in my hair.

Summer Protective Styles

2010-06-25T14:33:00.004-04:00

I saw these styles on realsimple.com. I think they're all great summer protective styles. I wear the first style a lot around the house, but I think I'll wear it when I go out on the weekends too, even though my bf doesn't like it! The second style is cute and reminds me to get some nice headbands. The third style is great for a casual look or with a nice dress. It's also a little like bantu knots, so you could have a wavy style the next day.

Bantu Knots 2.0

2010-06-20T13:42:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Traycee, I tried Silk Elements Designing Silk Mousse for my bantu knot out this weekend. This is what I did:

Co-washed with V05 Moisture Milks
Applied Salerm 21 leave-in, some serum and a dime-sized amount of Aussie conditioner to my hair
Put a scarf on my edges and air dried for about an hour
Applied Silk Elements Designing Silk Mousse to my hair and did 5 bantu knots. I also put some KeraCare Essential Oils on the ends
In the morning my hair was still a little damp so I sat under the dryer for about 15 minutes

My hair definitely had more waves, and they kept all day. It actually looked like a braid out. My ends were not straight at all, which is what I wanted. Overall, I was pleased. The only thing I did not like was that my hair wasn't as smooth as I wished. I think I need to do only 4 knots, and I also either need to let my hair air dry completely before the knots, or do the knots immediately and sit under the dryer. I think sitting under the dryer will make my hair smoother.

June 2010 Hair Update

2010-06-14T10:47:00.005-04:00

I haven't been posting recently, mainly because nothing new is going on with my hair. I've just been trying to keep it as moisturized as possible, and deep conditioning to get my thickness back- I lost a lot from postpartum shedding.

I have also been experimenting with bantu knots and braidouts. I've decided to concentrate on the bantu knots. Braidouts take too much time and I feel like it's too much manipulation on my fine strands. I have been doing the bantu knots on the weekends, before I wash my hair. I'm not ready to risk it by wearing the style during the week when I have to work. So, I usually like how they come out, but the waves don't last- maybe I need some kind of product that will help them hold? The only product I used was Hawaiian Silky 14-in-1 on my dry hair. Yesterday, I thought my hair was too curly, but after spending 10 minutes outside, parts of my hair were straight again. I also think my ends are too straight, so I need to work on getting the ends a little more curly. Here's how I looked as soon as I took the knots out:

I tried a black tea rinse last week. I want to do it one more time before I have a definitive opinion!

Warm Weather Hair

2010-05-27T21:25:00.006-04:00

I'm so glad it's finally warm out. I don't feel as guilty wearing my hair out in the warm weather. This past winter, I hardly ever wore my hair down- and when I did, I wrapped it up in a silk scarf and hat while outside. I don't think my hair felt the winter air once this past winter. I actually think that is how I retained my length and why my edges grew in so fast after my postpartum shedding period. I'm going to sew silk and satin liners in my hats next winter. I also NEVER wore my hair down when I wore a wool sweater.

I'm not sure what my summer regimen will be just yet. The past 2 summers I did a lot of co-washing and rollersetting, but with a baby, I just don't have the energy to set my hair and sit under the dryer more than once a week. I did try a bantu knot out this past weekend, which was okay. I only did 4 knots, and I think I need to do at least 6. I want to try a braidout, but that seems like more work than rollersetting, especially to keep it up every day. If it continues to be so hot, I'll be wearing it up off my neck most of the time, so I may not even have to worry too much about styles!

In terms of products, I definitely need to find some new ones. My leave-in isn't cutting it anymore, so I need to find a good one. I also want to try glycerin, because my hair has been pretty dry. I've been using Hawaiian Silky 14-in-1 sometimes, which contains glycerin, but I'm not that impressed with it, and I hate the way it feels on my hands. It's great for my baby's curls, so I apply some to his head every day- and I immediately wash my hands afterward! I also want to try some aloe vera juice (maybe I can make my own), rosewater, and avocado oil.

Traycee did a post a few weeks ago about the pros and cons of having long hair. I don't think my hair is long yet, but it is the longest it's ever been and now that it's past my shoulders, I feel like I can speak on some cons of having long hair. So far, I've been experiencing:

- my hair getting caught on my bag straps and seat belt

- strands sticking to my lips when I have lip gloss on

- my bf and baby's hands accidentally get caught in it

- strands get caught in my necklace and earrings

- I've been using more product

- Hair getting in my food

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining! The pros definitely outweigh the cons. I just never thought I would have to deal with those things. I love looking at my hair in the mirror or in pictures. Even my man told me the other day that he is so proud of me for having the patience and determination to grow my hair.

May 2010 Relaxer

2010-05-16T20:20:00.004-04:00

I got a relaxer this weekend. I went about 11 1/2 weeks this time. I think my postpartum shedding has stopped, but I got the usual shedding I get when it's time for a relaxer. My relaxer experiences are so pleasant now. I never burn anymore, and I used to burn every time. My stylist deep conditioned, trimmed and rollerset my hair. She used the Lottabody foam wrap, which didn't really impress me. I usually have her pincurl it after she takes the rollers out, but this time I had her wrap it because I wanted it to be straight for a few days:

I like how it came out, and I'm so happy about my growth. I can't believe how close I am to arm pit length! Now that I feel like it's long enough, I'm going to start trying braidouts. I know it will take me a while to find the right products to use, so I'll just do it on the weekends at first! I also need to buy some new hair accessories. All of my clips are too small or weak because they always break in my hair now. Not a bad problem to have, huh?!

Aloe Vera Gel

2010-05-11T15:44:00.002-04:00

I just couldn't take my edges anymore! I am 11 weeks post relaxer, but that's not why my edges were so bad. It's basically all new growth, as I lost most of my edges a couple of months. Last week I bought some 100% aloe vera gel, but decided to use it last night. I put a little water on my edges, some aloe gel, brushed it, and put a scarf on tight overnight. This morning, my edges were smooth. My edges aren't as moisturized as I had wished, but they're not dry either. I put a little castor oil on them, and I feel a lot more presentable. I wish I had done this last week before I went out of town looking crazy!

Staples

2010-04-28T15:08:00.005-04:00

I've been trying some new products over the past month or 2, but I've decided to stop experimenting. My hair was doing well with my staples, so why would I change products? I don't know, maybe I was bored. Last week, I did have a good roller set result, but I didn't like how tangled and hard my hair was when it was wet. My hair also got hard and felt like there was a film on it only 2 or 3 days after I washed it. I'm not sure if it was the amla oil, the rinse, the Infusium leave-in, or a combination of the three products. For this past weekend's wash, I decided to go back to my true blue products. My hair didn't look as silky, but it felt (and still feels) great. I also think it looks a lot thicker and healthier this week.

My staples for wash days:

Pre-poo: Organix Coconut or Vanilla Conditioner
Shampoo: Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo OR Creme of Nature (green label)
Conditioner: V05 Moisture Milk
Deep Conditioner: ORS Replenishing Conditioner
Leave-In Conditioner: Giovanni Direct

I'm going to be sad when my green label Creme of Nature shampoo runs out. I know many people think that it's not discontinued and that it's in new packaging, but the ingredients are different. The Giovanni Direct Leave-In is also a different formula. I hated it at first, but this weekend, I diluted it with water in a pump bottle and it felt like my old stuff. As always, I would like to try new products, but I need to work on getting my hair long, and using up the products I already have.

I'm 9 weeks post relaxer today. I'm going to a family event this weekend and away for work next week, but I will not relax. My edges are a little kinky (it's all new growth since I lost a lot during my postpartum shedding). It's fine though. I want to make it to at least 11 weeks this time before getting a relaxer. My hair looks fine, other than my edges, but it doesn't bother me too much. I cover most of it with my hair, and I could use some gel or something if it really gets bad.

Best Rollerset

2010-04-16T13:48:00.003-04:00

Last night I achieved the best roller set I've ever done. The only thing I did differently was that I pre-poo'd with amla oil. I actually mixed the amla oil with some garlic powder for shedding and a little evoo. Since my last garlic pre-poo resulted in drier hair, I thought I'd mix the garlic powder with oil instead of conditioner. I tried amla oil 2 years ago, with not-so-good results. My hair was in pretty bad shape though, so since I still had the amla, I decided to give it a try. I deep conditioned with Pantene Relaxed and Natural Breakage Defense Deep Conditioning Mask. It usually gives me a lot of "slip" but not yesterday. I noticed immediately that my hair was a little hard to de-tangle with a wide-tooth comb. After I sat under the dryer for 20 minutes, I rinsed it out and did a quick conditioning rinse with Pantene Relaxed and Natural Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner. I have to say, I was a little worried that my hair wasn't as easy to comb as it usually is. I proceeded to roller set. I decided not to use the extra thin rat tail comb I usually set with, because I didn't want to lose any hair. When my hair was dry, I noticed how shiny my hair was as I took the rollers out. When I combed my hair out, I could NOT believe how soft and bouncy my hair was! I really have never had such a good set, even when I professional did it. I'll have to research amla a little more and see if I can make the conditioning experience a little better. I did only pre-poo for about 45 minutes, so maybe I need to leave the oil in longer? I have also been battling a cold for the past 2 weeks, which shows in my hair, making it drier than usual. Here is how my hair looked after taking out the rollers:

I've also been smoothing my hair on the roller as I roll for the past couple of weeks, which has made my hair a lot smoother.

April 2010 Updates

2010-04-12T15:26:00.003-04:00

I decided to give the garlic another try this weekend. I was reading how Traycee puts the powder from her garlic pills in a pre-poo to cut down on shedding, so I added some garlic powder from my spice cabinet to some conditioner as a pre-poo. I applied it to my scalp and new growth and left it in overnight. When I washed it out, I immediately noticed less hair in the drain. I also didn't have as much in the comb when I set my hair. So it just about stopped the shedding, but it also made my hair a little drier than usual. As I watched tv last night, I remembered that I usually change my regimen and products once I'm 6 weeks post relaxer. 7 weeks have gone by since my last relaxer and I hardly noticed! So I moisturized my roots and ends with B&B Moisturizer with Castor Oil, and my hair literally drank it up. Within seconds, my hair was moist and shiny.

Another reason my hair felt drier may have been the fact that I haven't put a rinse in my hair for a while. The rinses, especially the dark brown and black ones, moisturize and condition my hair so well. I'm thinking about trying henna, so I want to make sure that I get most of the color out before I henna my hair.

Also, my rollerset came out really nice this week, which I attribute to doing more smoothing on the roller as I rolled my hair. It took longer to set, but the results were worth it.

Now that I'm between shoulder and armpit length, I will start trying braidouts in the next few weeks. Since I started my healthy hair journey, I've always thought my hair was too short. Now I have no excuses to try it.

Products Revisited

2010-03-29T21:12:00.003-04:00

I was going through all of my products the other day and decided to try a couple that I haven't used in a while. The first was Infusium 23 Leave-in Conditioner. I used this faithfully when I had blond hair in college. It really kept my hair in good condition. I stopped using it when I grew the color out. For some reason, I had a sample size of it in my closet. Since the Giovanni Direct Leave-in is different now, I'm not so impressed with it. It does what it's supposed to do, but the new formula doesn't de-tangle my hair as well anymore. I will still use it as a moisturizer every now and then.

The other product was Lottabody setting lotion. I use it every once in a while to rollerset my hair, especially when it's almost time for a relaxer. Even then, I only spray it diluted with water on my hair a couple of times and use mostly water for my set. For my wash this weekend, I co-washed with V05 Strawberries and Cream and deep conditioned overnight with ORS Replenishing. I applied the Infusium 23 and then I saturated my hair with diluted Lottabody. I sprayed it on whenever my hair wasn't soaked. When I took my rollers out, I couldn't believe how moist my hair was. It was shiny and looked so thick!

I'm not sure if it was the Infusium or the Lottabody or a combination. The Infusium has some protein, and I think my hair needs more protein right now, especially since I'm still shedding a little. I've realized that the Aphogee 2-minute protein conditioner just isn't doing it for me. I don't know why I've been trying to force it to work- the reality is, it's never done much for me. So like Sunshyne says, I need to change and adapt quickly when a product doesn't work for me. I need to find my protein someplace else!

I found some other leave-ins in my closet that I want to try. I can't believe I haven't gone through my products in so long. My mother used to always tell me to go shopping in my closet before going to the store!

Mesh vs. Magnetic

2010-03-23T12:05:00.003-04:00

I have always used mesh rollers to set my hair. Always. I use end papers, mesh rollers and pins. This picture shows the rollers I use. As my hair grows, I have to go up in size. Well, the red is the largest size I've seen, and I need a larger size so that my hair doesn't take 2 hours to dry. I haven't seen them larger than the red.

This weekend I decided to try magnetic rollers. I bought a pack of 10 and some clips. I used the magnetic rollers to roll the top of my head, and the red mesh ones to roll the bottom, just so that I could see the difference. It wasn't a total disaster, but my hair didn't come out as nice as I wish it had. I couldn't get the magnetic rollers to stay tightly, so my roots were a little puffy. The curls with the mesh rollers were perfect, since I could control how tight they were with the pins.

I guess I need to watch some youtube videos to learn how to get the rollers to stay tightly. If I can get the magnetic rollers to work well, I think I'll save a lot of time on rolling and drying my hair. I'll keep trying, but I will also keep searching for larger mesh rollers!

I welcome any advice!

Buns!

2010-03-19T11:41:00.006-04:00

I've been really good at wearing my hair up in a bun lately, although I do need to experiment with different bun styles. It's not hard for me to put my hair up, since I'm obsessed with my ends not touching wool, and I've been wearing a lot of wool sweaters and scarves lately. I was going to join Traycee's Bunning Challenge, but I'm not quite sure I can commit to bunning 5 days a week. I usually wash on Sunday, so I like to wear my hair out the 2 days after. Even though I don't bun, I keep my hair wrapped under a silk scarf and a hat while I'm outside in the cold dry air. I have been moisturizing and sealing my ends with oil (castor, coconut or KeraCare Essential oils) twice a day. When I get home from work, I usually wear my hair out for an hour or 2.

It is starting to get boring, so I'd like to try some styles with the front or side out, maybe a twist somewhere, and some side buns. I also want to buy some hair accessories to jazz up my buns a little. I did get a couple of clips, but I need to get some more. I haven't been using any elastic things at all, so some days my bun is a little loose, but that's okay. I've been able to keep it together with 2-3 pins.

I took these pictures with my phone, so the quality isn't great, but here are a couple of buns I rocked this week:

The semi-high bun:

The bun kept together with a big clip:

2010-03-11T15:05:00.004-05:00

I've been good at keeping my hair in a bun every day. I did wear it out on Monday since I washed and rollerset it on Sunday. I need to learn how to do some different kinds of buns, because all I do is twist it up in a bun and pin it. I really don't want to use any elastics, but I also want it to look nice. Here it is when I took it out of the bun yesterday:

My wash on Sunday went pretty well. I co-washed with Aussie Moist, which I'm not in love with yet, but I'll try it a few more times. I put in a dark brown Adore rinse, and deep conditioned with Silicon Mix. As my hair gets longer, I realize that I need to use more product in my hair. Products used to last me forever with short hair, but not so much anymore. I'm getting faster at rollersetting my hair too. I didn't use as many rollers this week, but that was okay since I had a fresh relaxer, and I knew I wasn't going to wear my hair curly. I love the results of a good rollerset. My hair looks so healthy and smooth.

My shedding has decreased a lot. I still had some hair in the drain after I washed my hair, but not as much as I did a few weeks ago. I can't take garlic pills since I'm nursing my baby, but I'm still taking prenatal vitamins, which are supposed to help. I have decided not to let it bother me. I'm doing the best I can, and it's mostly out of my control, so I'm letting it go.

February 2010 Relaxer

2010-02-24T21:45:00.006-05:00

I wanted to wait 12 weeks to get a relaxer, but with all this shedding, I didn't want to go another week. I went 11, which I think was just as good. My hair sheds when it's time for a relaxer anyway, so I'm sure that was part of the problem. I just knew that my stylist, D, would tell me that my hair was in terrible shape and that I would have to get an inch cut off!

When I washed my hair this weekend, I did the Aphogee 2 minute protein treatment and used the Roux Porosity Control treatment. For the last 3 nights, I based my scalp with my Softee Castor Oil (I really like the Hollywood Beauty kind, but the bss didn't have it the last time I was in there; this one is pretty good too). D bases my scalp well, but I like to have another line of defense! I didn't burn at all when she applied the relaxer.

I'm not sure what kind of conditioner she used. She usually uses Humectin, but we were talking, so I didn't notice. She then dusted my ends and roller set my hair. She used the ORS Wrap/Set Mousse to set my hair. She said she likes it better than the KeraCare. When she took the rollers out, she said she was loving how my hair felt. I couldn't believe it! She said that my hair is doing well and not to worry about the shedding- not only am I postpartum, but she said when your hair is longer, you experience more shedding. There was another woman in the shop with beautiful, long hair, and she said she sheds a lot too. That made me feel better, but I do want my shedding to decrease a little, because I hate seeing all the hard work and hair go down the drain, literally!

It was cold, windy and rainy out, so she pincurled the top, and wrapped the sides. I combed it out when I got home, but I moisturized and pincurled it back and didn't take it out until I got to work this morning.

I'm really happy I went yesterday, and even happier that D liked the condition of my hair. I may pick up some ORS Wrap/Set Mousse for my next set and compare it to the KeraCare.

Product Review: KeraCare Foam Wrap Set Lotion & Essential Oils for the Hair

2010-02-15T21:02:00.006-05:00

I just bought some more Lottabody for my rollersets last week. I usually use diluted Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum, but it doesn't seem to work as well for me lately, and Lottabody works well for me when I'm due for a relaxer. I was at the outlets this weekend and the hair outlet had some KeraCare products. I bought the Foam Wrap Set Lotion and the Essential Oils for the Hair.

Product Description
Produces full, incredibly lustrous wrap-set and wave-set styles.Deep conditions and moisturizes during dryer setting.Leaves hair with a healthy sheen.Contains natural lubricants that provide protection from the heat of dryers and other thermal styling appliances.Provides superior manageability with remarkable bounce and body.Detangles for easy wet combing and effortless combouts.Does not flake.

Directions: Shampoo and condition with Keracare products of choice. Shake Foam Wrap set lotion vigorously and distribute throughout hair. Comb Through for even distribution. Proceed to wrap set, sculpt or mold hair.

Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-22 TEA- Lauroyl Keratin Amino Acids and others

My Experience
I pre-poo'd with coconut oil, tea tree oil and a little garlic juice. I shampooed with Creme of Nature Detangling shampoo and deep conditioned with KeraCare Humecto. I diluted the lotion with water and rollerset my hair. Although it says it's also a conditioner, I still used a leave-in. My hair came out shiny, moist and bouncy- probably one of my best rollersets. This is definitely now one of my staples. I rubbed a drop or 2 of the oils in my hair and my hair looked even better!

I also bought some Moroccan oil. I'll use it later this week and post a review.

Random Hair Thoughts

2010-02-11T11:40:00.003-05:00

When I was on the subway this morning, I had some thoughts about my hair:

My shedding is from hormones, but I've talked to a lot of other women lately who are experiencing shedding. I think it's the time of year.
I just realized that I'm 9 weeks post relaxer, and I usually shed some at this point. Not this much of course, but I shouldn't be too surprised.
The dry, cold air has made my hair extremely dry. I need to increase the moisture! The other day I applied coconut oil all over my hair (not just the ends like I usually do), and it made a big difference in the look and feel of my hair.
I read on one of the boards about some women who never comb their dry hair. I've just been using my fingers for the past couple of days, which has decreased the amount of shedded hair I see.
I'm nursing my baby so I can't take garlic supplements, but I'm trying to drink a lot more water and eat more fruits, vegetables and proteins.
I'm only doing protective styles until my next relaxer. Even though I keep my hair in a silk scarf and hat when I'm outside, I need to keep my ends protected.

Big Hair

2010-02-03T09:37:00.006-05:00

I love big hair. I have been pincurling my hair consistently because I feel like I get so much more volume. I only wrap my hair after a relaxer, and after my last relaxer, I only wrapped the perimeter and pincurled the top for bigger hair. Some times I'll do 5-6 pincurls for a lot of curls, while other times I'll just do 3 (2 on each side at the front, and one in the back).

I haven't been wearing my hair up as much as I planned, but last week I wore it up in a bun or a ponytail with a front "poof" all week.

I know I've been slacking on photos, but I'm going to try to do better. The first picture is from today, after combing out 3 pincurls. The second is the day after my relaxer in December when I pincurled the top and wrapped the bottom:

Still Shedding...

2010-02-02T15:05:00.003-05:00

I'm still shedding a million hairs a day! I got really freaked out when I washed my hair on Sunday, but history has taught me that stressing out about my hair just makes it worse. I'm going to relax and let nature take its course....my hair still doesn't look any thinner, so I'm just going to keep conditioning and moisturizing.

I put in a rinse this weekend, and did not like the results. The color is fine, but my hair was tangled and felt hard for a day afterwards. (It's much better today) I think it's because I used a color from the Beautiful Collection when I've been using Adore for the past year or two. I was going to wash and deep condition it again this week, but I don't want to see any more hair in the comb. I only bought the BC rinse because Sallys didn't have the Adore. Another thing I don't like about the BC is that the color runs so much- I had so much color in the sink when I rinsed it out, and when I was rollersetting my hair, a lot of color dripped on my shirt- that never happens with the Adore. I don't plan on using the BC again!

Postpartum Shedding

2010-01-13T16:33:00.003-05:00

I had my baby just about 3 months ago, and for the past week I've been experiencing a lot of shedding. My hair doesn't look or feel thin, it's just all that hair in my comb, on my floor and even on my baby is freaking me out a little. I know I need a protein treatment, even though this shedding is hormonal and is caused by things inside of my body. The air is cold & dry and I haven't done a good protein treatment in a while. I went to the beauty supply store today to get some Aphogee 2 step, but they were out. This is a good thing in a way, because I'm afraid to use that hard stuff. I think I will try the mayonnaise again and see how that works.

Ponytail

2010-01-05T17:49:00.003-05:00

For some reason, my boyfriend loves it when I wear a ponytail. He was so excited yesterday that I wore a ponytail and that it's so long. I like when he's this easy to please! I pinned it up in a bun, but it fell out.

This isn't my favorite style, because I've always thought that the ponytail holders were bad for your hair (even though I'm using the "good" kind here). I also think wearing all of my hair back like this makes my forehead look big. But, I am happy that my ponytail is this long and looks so full!

Buns

2009-12-29T13:44:00.004-05:00

I've decided to wear my hair in buns this winter. The weather is so cold and dry, I don't want my ends to rub against my sweaters, and my baby has been pulling my hair. I have some accessories, but I definitely need to buy more. I've also been looking at some youtube videos for bun ideas. Photos to come...

Even though it's been almost 3 weeks since my relaxer, here is an updated picture. I've been wearing my hair curly, and this is th efirst time it's been somewhat straight:

December 2009 Relaxer

2009-12-15T15:36:00.002-05:00

I got a relaxer a few days ago after going 12 weeks. I don't have a photo because I got it curled, so I'll post a picture when it's straight. My salon experience was really good. I didn't get anything different, but the relaxer didn't burn at all, which is rare for me. Also, my hair didn't shed at all, which is great, considering I just had a baby. My stylist was really impressed with my hair. The way she talks to me about hair has changed to, because I guess she can see I'm serious about taking care of it. She gave me some tips on how to style my hair, and even gave me short tutorial on braidouts. She told me that I should try it now that my hair is longer.

I'm going to try to keep going 12 weeks between relaxer. My hair is so much healthier this way, and I like seeing how much it's grown after so long. I also save money and time. I calculated that by getting a relaxer every 12 weeks instead of 6 saves me $425 and I go to the salon only 4 times a year instead of 9.

12 Weeks Post Relaxer

2009-12-07T13:31:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe that less than 2 years ago, I was getting a relaxer every 6 weeks, and now I'm at 12! I NEVER thought I could go this long without a touch-up, but with the right products and maintenance, I've done it. I actually feel like I could go one or two more weeks, but I won't push it.

No secret, but the key for me is weekly deep conditioning, and keeping my hair (especially my ends) moisturized.

I know I haven't made it to APL yet, but I'm excited to see how much my hair has grown after my relaxer this week.

Product Review: KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner

2009-11-30T08:54:00.004-05:00

I don't know why it took me so long to buy this conditioner. I wanted to try something different from the ORS Replenishing, and the Humecto was 20% off at the beauty store. I use other KeraCare products, so I might as well try this. I've always heard such good things about it.

Product Description
KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner helps correct and prevent moistureloss due to exposure to chemicals and thermal styling appliances. • Penetratesdeep within the hairshaft to hydrate and humectify hair. • Decreases interfiberfriction between hair strands to prevent hair breakage. • Improves thesurface porosity of hair resulting in a softer hair texture. • Enriched with a fragrance that relaxes and soothes the senses.

Benefits
• Superior moisturizing results to help prevent dull, brittle, breaking hair and split ends.
• Superior detangling for easy wet and dry combing.
• Hair becomes more manageable.
• Protects hair from drying effects of thermal appliances.
• Adds exceptional body and shine.
• Eliminates static charge.

Directions: Apply generously to freshly shampooed hair. Comb through and cover hair with plastic cap. Leave on hair for 15-20 minutes. Rinse and style.

Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Copolyo, Isostearate, Polyquaternium-32 and Mineral Oil, Quaternium - 80, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Extracts of: (Nettle, Pine, Burdock, Chamonile, Marigold, Tosemary, Ivey, Arnica, Line, Corn Flower, Wild Chamonile, St. John's Wort, Water-cress, and Garlic) Perfume, Methylparaben, Propyparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazonlinone.

My Experience
I co-washed my hair, put in a dark brown rinse, and then applied the Humecto. I would usually sit under the dryer for 20 minutes or so, but with a newborn in the house, I can't always do it. So, I just left it in overnight and rinsed it out in the morning. I applied leave-in conditioner, and rollerset my hair.

My hair was shiny, bouncy and felt healthy. I got a lot of compliments from my family on Thanksgiving. My new growth is really soft, which says a lot since I'm almost 11 weeks post relaxer. I will definitely incorporate this into my regimen. I can't wait to see what it does to my freshly relaxed hair!

Childbirth Hair

2009-11-05T17:17:00.003-05:00

I haven't blogged here for a while because I gave birth about 2 weeks ago. So the 2 weeks before I had my baby, hair was one of the last things on my mind. I've washed my hair only once since the baby. I've been keeping it moisturized and wrapped in a silk scarf, but I haven't really been styling it much. A few days ago, I started pincurling it, and I've actually gotten a couple of compliments from some of my friends!

My hairstylist told me that less than 10% of women who have babies lose the hair they grew during pregnancy, so I feel hopeful. I just need to keep up with my regimen. Since my hair is shoulder length now, I plan on wearing a lot of protective updo styles during the cold weather months so that my ends don't rub against my shirts and sweaters. I do need to buy some accessories though!

I know I've written ad nauseum about getting the black rinse out of my hair, but I'm thinking about going black again. It just makes my hair look so thick and shiny. Plus it covers my platinum hair so much better than the browns and reds I've been using. I'm going to try a vert dark brown first before using the drastic black and see how that works.

September 2009 Relaxer

2009-09-20T17:53:00.003-04:00

I went 11 weeks this time- the longest I've ever gone! Hopefully, I can make it to 12 next time. I don't think I want to go longer than 12 weeks between relaxers, but we'll see what happens.

My stylist is really impressed with my hair- both the length and thickness. Every time I go, she asks what I've been doing to it. I usually just tell her that I condition it a lot and stay away from heat, which is true. I didn't even check to see what kind of relaxer she used this time- she usually uses Mizani, but sometime she'll use Affirm. I had her set my hair this time, which is only the first or second time I've ever let her rollerset my hair. I usually just get it wrapped or blowdried. I like the set much better, as it gave my hair a lot more body and thickness.

I'm also happy to say that all of the black rinse is out of my hair! For a couple of months this summer, I was using a plum color from Adore, and now I'm using a cinnamon, which I can really see in the light. The black was nice, and I loved how it covered my gray, but I like to switch it up sometimes, and since it took forever to get the black out, I won't be using it for a while. If I want to go dark, I'll just use dark brown.

I didn't get a chance to blog about it, but about a month ago, I did my first braidout! It was a couple of days before getting a blowout, so I wanted to try it. I washed and conditioned my hair, then I used Salerm 21 leave-in, Organix coconut serum, and some BB oil moisturizer before braiding my hair in 6 braids. I curled the ends with rollers and put a scarf on it and went to bed. In the morning, it was still a little wet, so I sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes. When I took out the braids, my hair was shiny and felt moist. My girlfriend said she really liked it, but my man had a few funny comments. I pulled the front up in a clip and left the back out. I still need some practice, but overall I liked it. I also want my hair to get a little longer. Hopefully by next summer, I'll be doing mostly braidouts!

Blowout

2009-08-17T21:20:00.002-04:00

I got a Dominican rollerset and blowout the other day. Actually the stylist was Cape Verdean, but the technique was the same. She rolled my hair up with Mizani Heat Protector and Matrix Biolage Smoothing Shine Milk . Then she blew out my roots and wrapped my hair. I like how my hair came out. It's bouncy and looks healthy. It didn't come out as shiny as it usually is, but I went home and moisturized it, which created more shine. I really went because I have an event this weekend and I wanted to try the salon first. I know I shouldn't be getting a blow out 2 weekends in a row, but after that, I probably won't go again for a couple of months.