Product Review: Silk Elements Silken Child Leave-in Detangling Conditioner

Rating: 5 Stars

Pros: Smells REALLY good, inexpensive

Cons: The bottle is difficult to spray.

Will I repurchase: Definitely! Love the way my hair feels after a day!

I cowashed this morning using the V05 Moisturizing Conditioner. Today for my leave in I spritzed my hair with the Silk Elements Silken Child Leave-In Detangling Conditioner. It does smell really good and provided great slip for my detangling process. I air dried and monitored my hair throughout the day to see if it got hard. IT IS STILL SOFT!! I didn't even have to apply an oil at that point and was still in awe at how great my hair feels.

I am happy to say that I have FINALLY found my water based leave-in conditioner that is moisturizing! I would definitely recommend this product to anyone.

I paid $3.79 for a bottle at Sally's Beauty Supply.

Texlax Day: 12/23/12

Hello!

I decided to go ahead and relax my hair today. I was going to wait until December 31st but due to my hectic work schedule I knew I wouldn't have the time to really wait that long.

Last week I did a heavy protein treatment and moisturizing deep condition. I had my hair in two pigtails all week and did NO manipulation whatsoever until today.

I used the ORS Olive Oil No-Lye Relaxer in normal formula. I used 1/2 of the activator and added extra virgin olive oil to the relaxer.

The entire process took a little over 14 minutes from start to finish to give me the texlaxed look that I always go for.

I rinsed and shampooed with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo and followed up with the ORS Replenishing Pack.

I towel dried for about 30 minutes and then blow dried and flat ironed my hair. The heat protectant that I use is called Silk Elements Olive Oil Heat Protectant (GREAT STUFF!)

These are my results!

I only gained a 1/2 inch this month due to the fact that I did not use any growth aids or take my vitamins. So I can say that taking my vitamins and using my Green Magic has helped me gain my length. But even though I didn't gain much length my hair is thicker and a lot healthier!

Now I'm ready for the 6-Month Stretch :)

Stretched

Unstretched

Mineral Rich Liquid Vitamin!

Hello All!!

I got my hands on a bottle of Mineral Rich with Aloe. It is a liquid vitamin that has women raving about the hair growth they gained from using it.

I picked it up from my local health food store for $33.18 but it can be purchased online for $21.99-$23.29 plus shipping and handling.

I started using it today since I went ahead and relaxed and I will talk about that later.

It doesn't taste terrible but it does take some getting used to. The 32oz bottle will last me about a month so in a month I will come back with an update.

After doing some research I did find that liquid vitamins are better absorbed into the blood stream and absorb faster than capsule/pill vitamins because they don't have to pass through the digestive tract. I don't know why I didn't think about that sooner.

So I am happy that I finished my last bottle of Country Life Maxi Grow because that was the multivitamin I was using.

As of now these are the current vitamins that I will be using:

2 tablespoons of Mineral Rich

1- 5000 mcg Biotin capsule

2- Garlic supplements

1- 500 mg Horsetail Vitamin

I will keep you all updated on my results from the Mineral Rich!



Here are the links for the Mineral Rich:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068OTBW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A3OLYSHHQKD02C

http://www.christianstuff.biz/mm5/merchant.mvc?

These are the YouTube links for a couple of ladies that I researched that use the product:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRKH_IrAED8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Ql48rcY2g

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND SUBSCRIBE!!

My YouTube Channel

Having Fun With My Hair: Pics Included

So I decided to do something a little different with my hair. I french braided the front and did a braid out at the back but to make it more of a "protective style" I went ahead and did a messy bun. It came out really cute and it makes for a great low manipulation style. I wanted to do some mini braids at the back but I think I will save that for next year when I do my 6 month stretch. For now this works until my next texlax date!

I am going to upload a tutuorial on how I did the braid out but the french braids I didn't record.

Thanks for reading!!

YouTube Channel is UP!!

Yes guys!

My YouTube channel is up and running with 3 uploads!

Check them out and subscribe!

My YouTube Channel

YouTube Channel Coming Soon...

Hello All!


I have decided to start recording videos along with writing in my blog. It gives it a more visual aid as well as more personal with my followers. Also, with so many people transitioning to natural there aren't very many relaxed/texlaxed women to look for on the web so I want to let people know there are still some that are still on a healthy relaxed hair journey and give my experience on this journey.

Here is the link to the channel and look for videos that I will be posting soon! Please subscribe!

My YouTube Channel

2013 Personal Challenges!

As the new year slowly approaches so are the many ideas I have for my hair to help make 2013 the most successful year for my hair.

Since I started my hair journey in April I have wanted to do a few challenges for myself.

January 1st will mark the start of a few personal challenges

1. 6 Month Stretch

• I want to do a 6-Month Stretch starting on January 1st ending July 2nd. 
• During this stretch I want to focus on my ends and length retention.

2. 6 Month No Heat Challenge 

• Along with my 6 month stretch I want to take out all forms of direct heat for 6 months as well. This may be hard considering that as the weeks go by my new growth will be a lot harder to manage but I know that the thickness will be rewarding in the end.
• If anyone has any suggestions on how to manage new growth so far into a stretch let me know.
• No blowouts, flat ironing, etc.

3. 12 Month Water Challenge

• Last year I did a 6 month water challenge with great results
• For the year of 2013 I will ONLY be drinking water 6 days a week. 
• My free day will be Saturdays where I will only be able to drink 100% fruit juices or teas.
• Finish 2 liters of water per day

With these challenges I will continue to use my regular products and regimen which include protective styling, deep conditioning, cowashing, etc.

My overall goal of these challenges are to make them an everyday part of my hair care regimen so that ultimately they won't be such a "challenge" but just the norm. And hopefully by 2014 I will have incorporated them fully into my regimen.

If anyone wants to join me on any or all of these challenges feel free to comment below or shoot me a message on any of the contacts below so we can stay in touch!!

Contact info:

Hairlista: http://www.hairlista.com/profile/AneesahRichardson

Email: aneerich@gmail.com

Twitter: NeesyPoo_13

Instagram: aneerich

Product Review:Creme of Nature Leave-In Conditioner

Rating: 3 Stars

Pros: Smells good, inexpensive

Cons: Left my hair hard, protein

Will I repurchase: Most likely if I need a protein based leave-in.

I cowashed my hair tonight. Usually I apply V05 conditioner and an oil as my leave-in but I think its a bit much for my hair and wanted something a little lighter. So I picked up a bottle of the Creme of Nature Leave-In Conditioner. I towel dried my hair and spritzed my hair with this product. It provided great slip and made my new growth really soft. I did not seal my hair with an oil just to see how my hair feels as it dries and it still soft and seems moisturized.

After my hair finally dried it felt crunchy (I'm guessing from the protein). I had to follow up with a good moisturize and seal session to combat the stiffness.

I purchased it from Walmart for $4.98.

Product Review: Lustrasilk Placenta & Jojoba OIl Cholesterol Cream

Rating: 5 Stars!

Pros: Great moisturizing deep conditioner

Cons: A little thin for my liking. I usually prefer my deep conditioners to be thicker.

Will I repurchase: DEFINITELY! :)

If you all read my previous post about my wash day issues I did mention that tonight I deep conditioned and this is the product I used. In order to give an accurate review I did not add any oils to the deep conditioner like I usually do. I wanted to see how the product worked by itself and to my surprise it was spectacular! I was able to completely detangle my hair in the shower and afterwards. My hair feels really soft and moisturized.

It is not expensive online ($2.99/jar) but I will see if my BSS sells it in stores so I can avoid the shipping and handling costs.

Overall this is a great product and I will buy it again for future use.

Tangled Hair...Wash Day Woes

I have no idea what the heck is happening to my hair but days like this I look at my scissors and contemplate shaving my head! OMG!

Ok so Sunday I noticed my hair was a little more dry than usual so I went ahead and detangled my hair before washing and applied my deep conditioner on dry hair. I used a hot towel to use heat. I washed my hair in 4 sections and detangled again in the shower under running water. I get out and my hair was STILL a hot, tangled, ghetto mess!! It took me almost 30-45 minutes to get it at least halfway decently situated before I finally gave up and bunned. The following day I reexamined my hair to make sure I actually detangled properly. Moisturized and sealed and put it in 6 granny plats and left it like that until tonight.

So after my experience Sunday I tried another route. I detangled on dry hair. Washed in 4 sections and detangled again under running water. The front did ok but the back is like WTF! I couldn't even properly detangle it under the water. So I get out the shower and start applying my deep conditioner and the back is just OFC (out of freaking control). I tried detangling a little bit more before applying the DC to the back. 

So I am crossing my fingers that when I rinse this mess out of my hair it will be more manageable. Otherwise I might just lose it!

How do you ladies manage tangled hair or knots on wash days?

Low Manipulation

Hello Ladies!

Just a little update.

One of my goals for this month was LOW MANIPULATION. I think I am well on my way to accomplishing that.

I have not washed my hair in exactly 1week! I will walk through my wash day last week and I will probably stick to this regimen because a comb/brush has not touched my head for 7 days!

I did a protein treatment, moisturizing deep condition, and washed my hair. Followed by applying a leave-in conditioner. Once my hair was about 90-95% dry I applied my shea butter mix and sealed with vegetable glycerin. I did 6 granny plats and intertwined the braids making it into 2 french braids. It's not the cutest to wear alone but with a beanie I could pull it off. I left that style in my hair until that Thursday which was Thanksgiving so that I could have a really nice braidout (SUCCESS). That night I did NOT rebraid my hair. I simply placed hair in a high messy bun. The next day I took the bun down and shook it out and still had a nice braidout. I did this up until this evening. My braidout still looks good but I am itching to deep condition my hair and wash it really good.

I love how my manipulation has been almost none. I haven't combed, brushed, put any products in my hair or anything. It still feels moisturized from last week which is simply amazing to me!

Now I am going to start wearing my half wigs to save my ends from breaking between the cold weather and rubbing against my collar.

My theory: LOW manipulation= HIGH retention

New Deep Conditioners

Hey hey hey!!

I recently stumbled upon what I consider to be the best hair site ever in terms of fairly cheap hair products.

beautyofnewyork.com

I recently ordered 3 deep conditioners. One of which is a staple for me and the other 2 I wanted to try out.

Queen Helene's Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream 5lb (80oz) -- $8.99
Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Cholesterol with Shea Butter & Aloe 20oz -- $2.99
Lustrasilk Placenta & Jojoba Oil Cholesterol Cream 20oz -- $2.99

I have already used the Queen Helene's Deep Conditioner so I went ahead and ordered the 5lb jar which is a huge steal for me and the other two are moisturizing deep conditioners that I want to compare to the Queen Helene's. I have a staple protein treatment but my moisturizing deep conditioners seem to fluctuate so I'd like to find another staple outside of the Queen Helene's so I can alternate. I use some of the ingredients in my mixes (tea tree, shea butter, jojoba) so I think they will be great on my hair. I can't wait to receive them and do a review!

Pro Extensions 20" Clip In Hair Extensions: REVIEW

I recently have done some research on clip in hair extensions and came across Pro Extensions Hair Extensions. I heard great reviews and decided to give them a try. I ordered the hair on Monday and received them Tuesday (Free overnight shipping on orders placed before 3pm EST)

I opened the hair and it is absolutely beautiful! It's really soft and the body wave gives a nice touch. I am more than likely going to use a heat pass to get the full effect of the clip ins because with my hair washed it's a lot thicker and  I want to see how it blends with my hair straightened because thats when I will be wearing them most likely. They didn't take long to install at all.

The hair sheds really bad. Just running my fingers through it a lot of hair came out which is disappointing.

So far I am convinced that I will be a clip in psycho due to the ease of installing and uninstalling compared to a sew-in.

My next task is to make my own clip-in extensions gathering supplies from the beauty supply store. If you guys have any suggestions or comments about clip in extensions let me know!

ASR

Green Magic vs. Liquid Gold Growth Oil

Both of these products are by the Liquid Gold product line. I have tried both equally for a consecutive month so I thought I would do a compare and contrast on the two products and share any pros and cons that I found using them.

First up: Liquid Gold Growth Oil

This oil grew my hair in about 3 1/2 weeks! I got about an inch from using it consistently every other day.

PROS: It works! You will definitely get growth. It's fairly inexpensive compared to other growth aids online. Shipping is quick. The smell is pretty good.

CONS: Since it is an oil it does run down the side of my face and get my scarves really oily and so do my pillows. The bottle is 4oz but you can order an 8oz bottle for a little more.

Second up: Green Magic Hair Growth Cream

I have been using this cream for about 3 weeks and have gained about 3/4" from consistent use of the product.

PROS: Again it works! I have gained growth from using it. Being that it is a cream it is easier to apply and does a good job of keeping my new growth moisturized as well. No funny smell (Smells limey lol)\

CONS: A little more expensive. It's $13.95 before shipping for the 4oz container. There are no larger sizes available for this product either so you have to be mindful of how much you're using.



I am really tracking my growth from November through the end of the year to see how much growth I get from the Green Magic total. Along with being consistent with the products I've been consistent with my regimen. Washing, deep conditioning, moisturizing, sealing, and protective styling. I don't think products grow your hair but they do help aid in growth along with proper hair maintenance that you set in place. This means you can't simply slap something on your scalp and not wash your hair or protect your ends and expect to have hair flowing like Rapunzel. It just doesn't work that way.

So I've set up goals for myself and plan to reach them each month along with my long-term hair goals.

I'm ready to GROW!!

APL...

I used a heat pass towards the beginning of the month just to track any growth from my Sulfur Oil. (RECEIVED AN INCH)

I measured with my length check shirt and I am right at APL. I want it to grow out a little more before I claim it and I will upload pics when I do my texlax at the end of the year! I am excited because I am going to reach my goal as planned! Now I have smaller goals until the end of the year:

- Take my multivitamins daily
- Drink 2L of water daily
- Protective Style
- Maintain moisture and protein balance
- Monitor breakage and shedding
- Dust ends
- No heat until December 31st


Following these goals will ensure that I will be starting the new year off with healthy hair and I'll be able to set more goals when December hits!

I'm excited!

Current Regimen

I am following a rather flexible regimen but I am making sure to incorporate all the things my hair needs

I've dumbed it down to the point that I am only messing with my hair when I absolutely have to.

Sunday: Wash Day
Tuesday: Co-wash Day

Deep condition on wash way
Light or Heavy Protein treatment on Co-wash day

Always air dry.

Apply my Liquid Gold Sulfur Based Growth Oil every other day and do a scalp massage.

Moisturize with my whipped shea butter and seal with coconut oil.

Only finger comb until wash days.

My Almost Setback -_-

Ok guys...

At some point I was experiencing severe breakage. There were long pieces and short pieces coming out of my hair whenever I barely touched it. I was so scared because it was almost like my hair was falling out! There were 1-4 strands every time! I didn't know what had caused it aside from the fact that I was actually taking time to moisturize and seal my hair on a more regular basis compared to the every 1-3 days that I used to do.

I was so frantic and got on Hairlista, YouTube, and Google looking for any information I could find about breakage and the more I looked and listened I assessed my hair. It was mushy and gummy so I knew exactly what was going on...MOISTURE OVERLOAD!

I immediately hopped in the shower and did a protein treatment and that helped my breakage almost instantaneously. For fear of more breakage, I wore my hair in plats with a beanie and gave my hair a serious break from manipulation. Once I finally took it down to allow my hair to breathe a little I had a BEAUTIFUL braid out!

I had an "almost" setback but I caught it in time before any real damage could be done! The lesson I learned was simply to listen to what my hair needs. And she and I have been really talking these days :)

Hairlista provides a great article about breakage and ways to pinpoint what is going on with your hair. Check it out!

http://www.hairlista.com/forum/topics/moisture-protein-balance

Whipped Shea Butter Mix

I finally had a chance to whip up a 16 ounce container of all natural shea butter to use as a moisturizer and it was lovely.

I used:

- castor oil

- coconut oil

- jojoba oil

- lavender & tea tree oil

After seeing how my hair liked it, I was able to get rid of the store brought moisturizers and use this as a daily moisturizer. It's not heavy and gives my hair a great amount of shine. But because it is so thick I only use it as needed which is about every 1-2 days. A little goes a long way and I won't need to mix up another batch for quite some time!

Also for my new growth spritz I used:

- water

- glycerin

- vitamin e

- jojoba oil

- castor oil (SMALL AMOUNT)

My new growth LOVE LOVE LOVES this!! Especially when on a stretch.

I use this daily on my new growth!

Both of these concoctions are very moisturizing to dry hair. 

Blowing Out Roots

This was a technique that I learned from a lady on YouTube and I gave it a whirl and loved the results.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faQUoEVAhJY


The way I did it was air dried until about 80-90% and then blow dried the ROOTS only! My new growth wasn't bone straight but were definitely more manageable.

I used a blow dryer that looks similar to this one below:

The teeth on the combs help "straighten" the hair. I found one at Sally's for $20 but there are some online cheaper as well.

The Silk Elements Heat Protectant is AWESOME! My hair didn't feel weighed down and was super soft.

I plan to do week I am maybe 5 or 6 weeks post and maybe 1-2 times a month depending on how unbearable my new growth gets. Since it is direct heat I don't want to use it too often. 

In January I want to go on a 6-month stretch and blowing my roots out will help me stretch longer than 3 months.

Liquid Gold Sulfur Based Growth Oil: Review

I started using this product on September 9 after I used a heat pass. I did my relaxer October 5 and to my surprise I had gained 1-1 1/2" of growth from using this product! It is nothing short of a miracle in a bottle and is most definitely a staple. I have tried just about every growth aid known to man and NONE of them gave me results like Liquid Gold. This is a staple growth aid with guaranteed results.

Here is a link to their website which has more products at a great price!

http://www.liquidgoldhairproducts.com

Rating: 5 stars

Current Length

What is my current length?

GRAZING APL! I still have a about an 1" to go and I know I will make it there by December. Below is a picture of my current length!

I recently did a trim to help even out my ends as well as get rid of dead ones. December is looking very promising! :)

UPDATES!!

HEY GUYS!

Unfortunately I had some problems trying to upload the video I did with all my changes and updates so I am having to make a post with the information. I would post all of them here but that would be overwhelming to read. So I will make individual ones so people can read the ones that interest them without having to read a book. Here's what you can look forward to:


- Current Length
- Liquid Gold Sulfur Based Growth Oil
- Blowing Out Roots
- My Almost Setback (Moisture Overload & Breakage)
- Whipped Shea Butter
- Current Regimen

I'm Still Here!!

HEY GUYS! 

I have thoroughly neglected to make any posts since JULY! :( (Unacceptable)

I am going to post a video soon with all of the many updates and changes in my hair journey!

Be on the look out and thanks for following me!


ASR

Hot Summer Days Tips and Tricks

I live in Bloomington, Indiana and the weather here has been nothing short of unbearable! Highs in the 100s DAILY!


What does this mean for my hair? Gross! I have had to wash twice a week instead of the original once a week that I had planned for my wig challenge. And now I think I may need to save the wig challenge for colder months because with this heat I can't take anything extra covering my head lol.


I'm upping the amount of times I moisturize and seal daily to twice a day sometimes three times depending on how my hair feels.


When I air dry I spray my Tresemme heat protectant over my hair and moisturize to make sure the sun won't make my hair dry. (Works wonders!)


Also another tip that I learned from one of my fellow Listas for pool days is applying a good amount of a cheapie conditioner to your hair BEFORE going swimming. I tried this and to my surprise my hair didn't have that stripped dry feeling that it usually does when I get out of a pool. I guess I'm too cool to get a swim cap lol (Honestly I may just buy one)



SUMMARY:


- Co-washing adds moisture to your hair and removes sweat from your scalp without completely stripping your hair of natural oils.
- Moisturizing and sealing multiple times a day may be necessary to retain moisture throughout the day.
- Applying a heat protectant over your hair before you go out can prevent dryness from the sun.
- Before going swimming coat your hair with a conditioner to avoid the stripped feeling from the chlorine.

Hope this helps someone!!

HHJ!

I'm Wiggin' It!

That's right! I am going to rock my wigs and half wigs as a protective style for the entire month of July. I find that sew-ins are cute but I am the type that likes to feel my hair and wash it and do all of my regular maintenance without having to go between braids and wefts lol

So I think this will be the plan:

At the beginning of each week I will wash my hair and deep condition. I will braid up my hair in plats that are just small enough that my growth aids can properly reach my scalp.

I will leave them in my hair and use a moisturizing spritz to moisturize and seal my hair  without taking down the plats. If I find that my hair is holding up ok I will try to hold out on the wash and just wash every two weeks. (Scary lol)

Most importantly I will be listening to my hair and I will hopefully retain my length!

JULY IS MY WIG OUT MONTH!!

I MADE FULL SL!!!

I asked one of my fellow Listas if this was considered Full SL and they said YES!!

So my summer goal is to reach Grazing APL!

 

The picture on the RIGHT was Full NL and the picture on the LEFT is my current length of Full SL! :)

Texlax #2 & Other Updates

Hello All!!

I did my second texlax yesterday night and it was another huge success!!! I used ORS Relaxer in the Normal formula and mixed in Avocado Oil which replaced the 1/2 of the activator that I didn't use.
I have found that with me texlaxing my hair is growing in a lot faster so I may have to tweak the number of weeks I stretch from 13 to maybe 9 or 10 weeks.

I did see some growth! (Excited) So today is the only day I am wearing my hair down then it's back to buns, braid outs, and half wigs until my next relaxer. I am hoping by the end of the summer to be Full SL :)

PICS...

 Looks like maybe 1" of growth

The Summer Hair Challenge is going well and thanks in large part to that challenge and my daily updates in my log, I am able to actually track my progress.

Also, I have incorporated exercising daily into my regimen. 15-30 minutes and on my "down days" I usually just go for a walk. If you have an iPhone or iPad download the "Nike Training Club" app. It's great and easy to use!

I still eat a fruit and one salad a day so I'm getting tons of good nutrition that will help my hair.

I am only using Hair Trigger Growth Elixir and Gro Aut Oil on my scalp and love how BOTH of them make my hair feel and have seen great results from consistent usage!

NOTE: I did not trim my ends this relaxer but plan to trim them during my next relaxer or in December.

Random Hair Update

My box braids are going well. Almost a week with them in and I'm not tempted to take them out lol

I have been oiling my scalp with Hair Trigger Growth Elixir and Gro Aut Oil once a day. I also spritz my hair twice a day with my mix which has water, a moisturizer, and oil (MAJOR PLUS!)

I need to figure out how to deal with itching though  -_- I have tried my Lavender & Tea Tree Oil and I may need to just apply it twice a day instead of once but I'll see.

Long-Term Protective Style: BOX BRAIDS

Yesterday I got some box braids put in and LOVE the results! Protective styles protect your ends and allow you to give your hair a rest. My braids are about medium sized which is perfect for me because I hate taking braids down. I can also apply my growth aides with ease.

I plan to leave them in for the duration of the Hairlista Summer challenge which is about 2 1/2 months. I may take my edges down and redo them so that the braids can last longer.

My regimen for the braids are in the previous post :)

Last Wash Before Box Braids

I did a wash today using the Roux Porosity Control Shampoo and Conditioner and a light protein treatment using the ORS Replenishing Conditioner. I followed up using the ever so lovely Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi Conditioner for moisture.


I air dried with the Aphogee Keratin Restructorizer and moisturized and sealed my hair.


I am getting box braids installed tomorrow so I want my hair to be strong before I put them in. I will be moisturizing my hair again tomorrow to ensure my hair underneath is not dry to avoid breakage when I take the braids out.


My regimen for the braids is really simple:

• Wash bi-weekly with a diluted shampoo.
• Use ORS Dry Shampoo 1-2 times a week to keep scalp clean
• Moisturize hair daily with a  water based spritz
• Haven't decided on a mix yet
• Apply Gro Aut Oil and Hair Trigger Growth Elixir daily alternating products

That's pretty much it!!

I have no idea how long I want to keep them in. I am toying with 6-8 weeks but it depends on how much growth I get and how they look after weeks of wearing them. I don't know if I want to take the hair down and touch up around the edges or just do a final take down.

Since I am doing the Hairlista Summer Challenge I am excited to have a protective style that will allow me to keep my hands out of my hair and just let it GROW!

I am currently at 10 1/2 inches at the top of my hair and roughly 9 1/2 or 9 3/4 inches in the middle and back of my hair so I want to gain at least 3-4 more inches by the end of August.

I know I can do this and length retention will be key...

WATCH ME GROW!

*Sally's Beauty Supply Store has ALL Roux products on sale Buy One Get One FREE until MAY 31st! I picked up a bottle of the Porosity Control Shampoo and Conditioner which aids in keeping my hair balanced.

Co-wash Day

Did an unexpected co-wash today.


This summer heat has my hair feeling dry and my scalp was itchy so a quick relief was a co-wash.


I deep conditioned on dry hair and then rinsed and applied my Eden's Body Works Jojoba Monoi Conditioner.


I have my hair in 6 bantu knots that I plan to just wear in a bun tomorrow and Tuesday.


I plan to do a heavy protein treatment on Tuesday evening with a moisturizing wash to prep my hair for box braids that I plan to get installed on Thursday.


I also have been exercising and drinking tons of water! :)


There is a challenge on Hairlista that begins June 1st so that's perfect timing for everything.


The only change I will be making is my growth aide. I will use Gro Aut Oil and Hair Trigger Growth Elixir. (HTGE)


The only vitamins I'm taking now are Biotin, MSM, GNS Hair Skin and Nails, and Garlic Supplements.


I am still using the summer heat to my advantage and praying for some great results over the next few months!!


UPDATES coming soon!

Random

Yesterday was my last wash day before I get my sew-in installed tomorrow. I deep conditioned and did a protein treatment.

Today I used the Split-Ender for the first time and LOVED the results! (posting a video later)

Moisturized with my Tresemme Split Remedy Leave-In Treatment and sealed with coconut oil!

More updates to come!

Breakage?

After applying my MN mix to my scalp I noticed my ends were fairly dry and a little brittle. I knew immediately this would lead to breakage so I grabbed a bottle of water and my moisturizer and I dampened the ends of my hair and put on my moisturizer and then put saran wrap over the ends of my hair and did the baggy method.

Baggying is a quick-fix to get rid of dry ends. Considering the ends of our hair are the oldest parts of our hair we have to be sure not to neglect them. It does us no good getting all this new growth if the the ends of our hair are breaking off.

Since I did a co-wash Tuesday, I feel that my hair may need another wash and protein treatment tomorrow to get strength back to my hair and then a good moisturizing deep conditioner to bring the balance back.

But for the moment I will baggy for a few hours. I don't want my ends too mushy so I will only keep this on for 2-3 hours.

Gro-Aut Oil Challenge

I stopped my JBCO challenge because I was experiencing more shedding than I could tolerate and I will just use it in my deep conditioner instead.

With that being said I am going to start a Gro-Aut Oil Challenge starting May 12th, 2012-July 12th, 2012. I will be applying it to my scalp 5 days a week. I am having a sew-in installed next week as a long-term low manipulation style and I will adjust my normal regimen accordingly to avoid any disruption with hair underneath. I will only be using GAO as my growth aid and nothing else just to determine if that is the reason for increased growth in my hair.

Saturday is my last wash day before the sew-in gets installed and I will do a protein treatment and apply my Gro-Aut Oil.

This is the site where Gro-Aut Oil can be purchased:

http://www.myfasthairgrowth.com/pages.php/page/affiliate/?ref=3

Co-Wash Day

I co-washed last night using the Tresemme Split Remedy and my Eden Body Works Peppermint  & Tea Tree Conditioner.

I air- dried with the Tresemme Split Remedy Leave-In Treatment and when my hair was 80-85% dry I applied coconut oil throughout my hair and  put it in a bun.

The Tresemme Split Remedy claims to reduce split ends up to 80% after 3 washes and since I do have split ends I want to do what I can to combat them and hopefully stop breakage. So I will be co-washing with this along with another conditioner of my choice once a week.

*Updated Regimen*

Monday

• Apply growth aid
• Moisturize and Seal

Tuesday

• Co-wash
• Tresemme Split Remedy 
• VO5 or Eden Body Works Peppermint and Tea Tree Conditioner
• Air Dry 85-90% 
• Tresemme Split Remedy Leave-In Treatment
• Apply Coconut oil to ends and hair shaft (*castor oil may be used on ends if needed)

Wednesday

• Apply growth aid

Thursday

• Apply growth aid
• Moisturize and seal

Friday

• Prepoo overnight with EVOO, PPO, CO

Saturday

• Wash with Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi Shampoo
• Deep Condition for 30minutes-1hour
• Air dry 85-90%
• Tresemme Split Remedy Leave-In Treatment
• Apply growth aid
• Apply coconut oil to ends  (*castor oil may be used on ends as needed)

Sunday

• Apply growth aid

Daily

• Take vitamins
• Drink 1 liter of water
• Scalp massage

 

*Saturday will also be a protein treatment day. I will use the Organic Roots Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner or Roux Porosity Control 3 weeks out of the month as a light protein treatment and use Africa's Best Hair Mayonnaise, Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor, or MegaTek Conditioner as a hard protein treatment. 

Hair Care Forums

These are the sites that I am currently on with great tips and resources on hair care!


http://k-i-s-s.biz/


http://www.hairlista.com/


KISS charges a fee for sign-up which at the time that I joined was not the case but due to high traffic and site upkeep the owner had to start charging.


Hairlista is FREE! (Just joined today)


Both sites have wonderful woman from all over sharing their successes, failures, advice, experience, etc with each other with same goal in mind...HEALTHY LONG HAIR!


Hope to see you on there!

Protective Style Challenge

I am putting myself on a protective style challenge for the remainder of this month and see how much length I can retain. I will only be washing on Tuesdays and Saturdays from now on and applying my JBCO every other day. I will moisturize and seal as needed. There will be no manipulation during the week aside from making sure my hair looks presentable.

I will use plats, half wigs, and buns (minimal). I want to stay away from braided weaves as much as possible but a sew-in may be a possibility later in the summer.

I did a much needed cleansing wash, protein treatment, and moisturizing deep condition tonight to get my hair ready for the week. 

Below are pictures of the protective style I will be using. It has braids all over and the ends are bobby pinned. It looks crazy but with a hat its not half bad lol.

I am under a few challenges but they have actually become my normal routine so it just works!

Final Product

Colored my hair!

I just put a rinse in my hair and it didn't come out half bad. I used the Clariol Non-Permanent Dye in #76 which is like a light brownish color. I left it on my hair for 15 minutes but I imagine it should have stayed longer because my roots colored better than my actual hair. However, you can see the color throughout and it looks pretty good. I'm excited to try a lighter color but I'm going to give this a chance to grow out some.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting to try out a dye before doing a permanent or for anyone looking for a small change in their hair.

I will post pictures when I straighten my hair.

HHJ!

The Split Ender

I am not sure if any of you have heard of the split ender or have even tried it but I just ordered mine today and paid a total of $84.92. This included the Split Ender Maxi Kit and the 2 1/2 extended warranty and shipping and handling. I saw great reviews from ladies on hair journey's and I thought I would give it a try. I currently trim my ends using shears but I don't feel like I'm getting a good trim and I refuse to step back into a salon for a trim after I would leave with a haircut.

So when I receive it in the mail I will right an initial review of the product.

Wash Day :)

Today I did my wash using the Avalon Peppermint Shampoo and Conditioner and also the Roux Porosity Control Conditioner.


My hair feels really good and clean.


I let the hair air dry and then I applied my JBCO to my scalp and moisturized and sealed my ends.


I have it braided up in two pig tails as my protective hairstyle for the next couple of days. Since I am out of school for the summer I can focus on my hair more and also many women say that their hair grows faster in the summer so I am hoping for a nice growth spurt.


I love how my texlaxed hair looks and feels after a wash day and I'm excited to keep going! However, I am nervous about managing the 3 textures (natural, relaxed, texlaxed). The new growth will need care and having so many lines of demarcation I fear a great deal of breakage. I am doing research to find the best ways to prevent a setback with this kind of issue and I am hoping for the best.


HHJ :)

Product Review

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Atlanta Natural Hair Show. 
I purchased the Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi Collection for $20!!


This included:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Deep Conditioner
- Hair Milk
- Hair Oil


Yesterday night I did my wash and deep condition using only this line and I absolutely LOVED it! My hair felt extremely soft and clean! 


My plan is to use this line until it is all gone and if I see good results I will repurchase. 


I know you guys are thinking "JEEZ you change products a lot!" The thing is I have to find what works for MY hair and the only way I will find out is through trial and error. I will use the Follicure line twice a month and the remaining wash days I will use the Eden collection. 


I will post a picture of all the products that I will actually use the next 3-6 months depending on how long I decide to stretch this time.

For those people looking for a great nourishing and moisturizing line Eden Body Works is definitely the best place to start. Unfortunately the online prices are a lot higher compared to the deal that I got from the Hair Show but it is worth it!

Also I did a protein treatment using the Olive Oil Hair Mayonnaise. This treatment left my hair feeling soft AND strong at the same time. It felt different compared to my other hair mayonnaise. This is another staple in my regimen. I will still use my Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor once a month but this will a bi-weekly treatment for me until further notice.

Comparison Pics!

These are pictures of my hair  from January 1st- April 24th. The picture on the left are the most recent. I had 3 trims during this time period so I imagine my hair would have been longer but I can still see the difference in length and since I will not be trimming again until December (unless I absolutely have to) I am hoping to see some better results.

FIRST TEXLAX= SUCCESS

Today I had my first texlax and I was 9 weeks post. This is the shortest I have stretched since last year. My new growth was out of control so I needed something to tame it ASAP. I will stretch for 4 months and see if I can go two months with a sew-in and two months without. The sew-in will be my protective style because I find them to be much better on my hair.

I used Soft Sheen Carson Optimum Care Relaxer Brand in Regular strength.

The total time I had the relaxer in my hair from start to finish after application and smoothing was 12 minutes.

My mom started at the back of my hair which was the most coarse and then did the front half.

I was VERY pleased with the outcome and am excited for my transition from relaxed to texlaxed.

Pros:

• loosed curl pattern without losing texture
• quick
• relaxer wasn't left on hair long
• cheap to do at home
• got results I was looking for

Cons:

• I had to wash over sink (will use shower next time)
• hair felt dry form using products in the box (will use my own protein treatment and moisturizing conditioner, currently DC now)

8 weeks post: PICTURE HEAVY

This is my hair at 8 weeks post relaxer. I have about 1" of new growth at the front of my hair and about 11/4-1/2" in the middle and back of my hair. I'm seeing great results and the texture is very manageable since I have been consistent in my washing and deep conditioning. I also apply oils to my scalp to keep my hair soft as well.