6-Months Down!

Woot Woot!

Yesterday marked 6-months since I big chopped!

Time flies when you're having fun! I am writing this quick post to capture what has occured over the last 6 months in terms of growth! Previous posts go into detail about products, regimen, etc.

 

The picture on the left was my big chop twists and now I've almost doubled my length! (Turn up lol)

Excited to see what the next 6-months will hold.

Thanks for reading!

AR

Happy November!

Hello Lovelies!

Happy November!

While I am excited to be getting through the months I really wish time would slow down! Yikes!

Winter 2015 is quickly approaching and I am in no way prepared. I am simply not a winter chick neither is my hair -_-

I will be protective styling as usual. Not many puffs will be worn because I don't want breakage. But while the weather is still holding up I will flood this post with pics from an epic twist-out style that I nailed! This puff with bangs combo was a hit and will be a go-to style later in my journey.

 

Prep: Two-Strand Twist with Bangs 

 

Initial Take Down

 

Caption says it all...

 

Shrinkage

 Moving on...

Yesterday marked the start of the ItWorks Hair, Skin, and Nail Vitamins 90 Day Challenge.

 I didn't have any problems taking the vitamins. I decided to only document the front of my hair for this challenge because it's easier to take an accurate picture for posting purposes without a lot of clutter doing multiple angles.

 

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for updates! YouTube Channel and follow me on my hair journey Instagram page @aneerich_hj

Thanks for reading!

AR

1-Month Castor Oil Check-In

Hey All!

Yesterday marked one month of the Hairlista Castor Oil Challenge Part 10.

Sunshyne posted a discussion for participants to upload their results for the first month so I am doing the same here on my blog :)

I missed out on one week of application so this is actually more of a 3 week update. Nonetheless I have received noticeable growth.

At the beginning of this challenge I had a major issue with itchiness on my scalp but from further applications the itchiness has subsided dramatically. I have incorporated more cowashes as needed to combat buildup and prevent irritation.
My hair of course is also softer and much more manageable. When I wash my hair I pre-poo with the castor oil mix and do a hot oil treatment.

For this upcoming month I am going to do the inversion method and Greenhouse Effect to help stimulate growth as well.

Curly Girl Method

I have unintentionally been following the Curly Girl Method to some degree.

This link will provide details about the method and the benefits for all of my fellow naturalistas. I do believe some of the method can be applied to relaxed and texlaxed listas as well.

Essentially the method is simply removing shampoo from your regimen and you only cleanse your hair with conditioner. The conditioner of course has to be sulfate free and silicone free. Products containing these ingredients typically only gives hair a fake sheen but the products aren't actually cleansing the hair or penetrating the hair shaft. This leads to buildup which can lead to breakage.

The only conditioner I have been using on my hair is the Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Conditioner. While the styling products from this line are a complete tragedy on my hair, this conditioner does the trick for cleansing and moisturizing my hair.
For my cheapie cowashing conditioner I use Tresseme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner Aloe Vera and Avocado. This is sulfate free and much cheaper than the Shea Moisture conditioner. It offers great slip on my hair and the price you pay for the size of the bottle is great as well.

The method also encourages everyone to follow the L-O-C method (Liquid, Oil, Cream). This is the general order of how to moisturize your hair in order to achieve long-lasting moisture on your hair. It doesn't have to be done in this order but it is ideal. I use the L-O-C method when I moisturize my hair and it is WONDERFUL! Typically when my hair is dripping wet out of the shower I apply my oil so I've already knocked out the L-O. Then I section and detangle my hair and apply my whipped shea butter mix as my C. Some people use a store product for their cream and that is fine as well.

Following the Curly Girl Method has helped me lock moisture in my hair for longer periods of time and I don't have to re-moisturize as frequently.

What's Next... 
I was approached by an It Works distributor about trying out their Hair, Skin, and Nail vitamins. I am always apprehensive about changing things in my regimen when my current vitamins and products are working. We talked back and forth for about a month and this gave me time to do my own research of the company and the product as well. I watched countless YouTube videos to see what others had to say about the vitamins and decided to take the plunge. 
DISCLOSURE: I AM PURCHASING THIS PRODUCT WITH MY OWN MONEY! 
I will be testing the product for 3 consecutive months because usually that's about the time it takes to see if a product in fact makes a difference on my hair, skin, and nails. Once I receive the vitamins I will be doing an initial review on my YouTube channel as well as write an blog post covering essential details. 


Thank you for reading and catch you guys next time!
AR 

5 Months Natural + Whipped Shea Butter + Castor Oil Challenge

Here we are!

I have been natural for 5 months now and this has been a great learning experience.

For starters my hair is definitely growing which is a plus because I know some people who went natural and their hair hit a wall so to speak.

I've learned that some products that my hair liked during my relaxed/transitioning days are no longer good on my hair. For example my hair used to love Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter, most Shea Moisture styling products, and the Olive Oil Gel.
The Elasta  QP product leaves my hair extremely dry after a day of use and gives my hair a dull look. Almost all of the Shea Moisture products now only coats my hair and leaves this filmy residue on the top of my hair. This left my hair hard and dry. The Olive Oil Gel flakes really bad so I only use it along my edges when I do my twist outs and puffs.

So what does my hair like? CONDITIONER! That's right. My hair flourishes when conditioner and water hit it. While I have not purchased any new conditioners the one's that I have used on a regular basis consist of Aussie Moist Conditioner, Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine, and Giovanni Tea Tree Conditioner. I have also used the Organix Biotin & Collagen Conditioner sparingly as I do not want extremely thick hair right now.
The only moisturizer that is working for my hair right now is my whipped shea butter recipe. It consists of 16oz raw shea butter, 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, and castor oil. Very simple to make and it will last me a long time. It made my braidout last longer and acted like a gel for twists. It provides a great amount of shine and my curls look more elongated. So I will not be purchasing any store brought moisturizers for a long time.

While I haven't purchased any new hair products as of yet I plan to try new ones out once all of my current hair products are used up. (My attempt to tame the product junkie inside lol)

I am now able to wear puffs and even pull off a bang look with ease now. While I love seeing my curls I do plan to start wearing a protective styles for the months of October through March due to weather changes. I am currently looking for a wig to wear and of course I will be wearing braids as a long term protective style.

Hairlista's Castor Challenge Part 10 has not been a consistent part of my regimen since I started because I've been traveling a lot but I have picked back up on it and will be following the routine the remainder of the challenge.

So cheers to 5-months! Excited for what the next few months have to hold.

Length Check with Pictures

Hey guys!

I am SO excited for this post because I shocked myself during my last length check.

I am a little over 4 months natural as of September 3rd. In this short amount of time I have seen my hair do some rather extraordinary things in terms of growth. When I first big chopped I could barely do two-strand twists without them unraveling and now I am knocking out twist-outs left and right.

I can style my hair much better now because it's getting long enough to the point that it doesn't look crazy :)

Pics...

       

So as you can see from previous posts my hair is doing great. But if you still don't see it how about side-by-side comparisons? :) This growth spurt spans from the beginning of August until a few days ago.

Everyone has been asking me "What are you doing!?" And honestly I haven't done much of anything. I currently wash my hair about once a week and just have it in twist and then wear a twist out. Then it's back to wash day, twist, twist out.

What's Next...
For the next 3 months I am going to participate in the Hairlista Castor Oil Challenge Part 10. I will be in the Extreme Group where I will be applying my castor oil mix every other day with a scalp massage. I am using the Home Health 100% Castor Oil mixed with Vitamin E oil. I purchased a 32oz bottle because it was cheaper than purchasing an 8oz bottle.

The Challenge is run from September 19th- December 19th.

I hope you all will join in! The link is above for more information.

Thanks for reading!
AR

Moving On...

Well the crochet braids did not last nearly as long as I wanted them to :(

Between missing my curls and the hair coming out I knew it was going to be much of a challenge to keep up with this "low manipulation" style. So I opted to take my hair down and prep for a different protective style.

On the up side I had a GREAT twistout as a result and my hair seems like it's growing really nicely.

I think I am going to try a quick-weave next because I won't have to worry about any hair being left out and it will be under a wig cap so my hair will be protected...stay tuned...

AR

Crochet Braid Install

Hello All,

I got crochet braids installed yesterday and I am SO excited about having this style done on my hair because I have seen others do it and it comes out beautiful.

In addition I was a little burned out on taking care of my TWA. Due to the fact that it is at a really awkward length I haven't worn my two-strand twists out by themselves. So I have run out of beanie options because I don't like wearing beanies often in the office because it's not as professional as I would like it to be.

In preparation for this installation I did a deep conditioning treatment using the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque w/ Sea Kelp & Argan Oil and Olive Oil. I let it sit on my hair for 30 minutes and did a cowash with Giovanni's Tea Tree Conditioner. The tea tree is cleansing and soothing but the conditioner leaves moisture in my hair.

I did a few granny plats to allow my hair to dry before braiding. This will let my hair stretch some more.

I decided to use the the Freetress GoGo Curl hair as my hair for this install.  I chose to do black and brown mix on my hair to add a little flair. The stylist did a GREAT job taking care of my hair and the results were amazing.

She added braiding hair into my hair which will allow for this install to last a little longer than I anticipated. With proper care I imagine I can keep this in for 6-8 weeks depending on frizz and tangling.

Here are the results:

 I am getting used to the look because it is a very bold look for me. Otherwise I am happy with the outcome and can't wait for more crochet braid installs.

Thanks for reading!
AR

2-Month Update & Length Check

Hello All!

Coming with another update.

I officially hit 2 months on July 3rd.

As many of you know I had my hair in kinky twists as a protective style. Originally I had planned to keep my hair braided until about August 3rd. Well coming back from vacation I was getting restless with the twists and were ready to take to them down....so I did!

I am so geeked! I have gained more length in the last 2 months and that is such a great feeling.

 Freshly washed hair; no products added

 Left Side 3"

 Front 3.25"

 Right Side 3.25"

 Nape 3.5"

Wash Day

I took my hair down late Monday night. Tuesday I used for a wash and deep conditioning day. I washed with Carol's Daughters Black Vanilla Sulfate-Free Shampoo and deep conditioned with ORS Replenishing Conditioner. I did a oil rinse using extra virgin olive oil. (LOVED THIS).

Once out of the shower I lightly oiled my hair with grapeseed oil because it isn't as heavy as the olive oil. For my twistout I used the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Eco Styler Gel. I haven't seen the results yet but my twists are holding much better this time around.

What's next?? I am going to have my hair crochet braided as a protective style. I have seen so many people achieve this look and it looks really great. I want all of my hair braided and I want it just about APL in length. So my hair will be taking a breather until August 6th. This gives me plenty of time to prep my hair and play in my curls! :)

Stay tuned for more updates and thanks for reading!

ASR

1-Month Natural Update

Hey all!

Yesterday marked my 1-month BC-versary. :)

The month flew by and because my hair is in a protective style I cannot see what growth I have gained in the month.

I'm honestly not one of those people who check week-to-week or month-to-month for growth because I don't think you can see much change in such a short time unless you are tracking the use of a growth aide.

I don't plan to take my hair down until August so by then I will have a great update!

Just keep watch for random info to be posted through this phase of my protective style challenge!

Happy Hair Growing!

Protective Style: Phase 2

Hello All!

I am now in Phase 2 of this Totally Tucked Challenge!

I'm back to the braids....or Kinky Twist. :)

I had my hair out for about 2 weeks which gave me time to wash and condition my hair and prep for it to be re-braided.

This issue that most people run into when doing braids as a protective style is that they don't give their hair time to breathe in-between their installs. Which ultimately leads to hair loss along your edges and nape. I have an example that literally made my stomach drop:

     I walked into the African braiding shop and was asked to sit until someone could start my hair. I surveyed the other chairs just to see about how long my wait would be.
     There was a lady that was getting micro braids removed from her head. The stylist AND the client were both using a rat-tail comb snatching the braids out in what seemed to be the most unpleasant experience. Once the hair was undone they took her in the back to "wash" her hair. (No detangling, deep conditioning, no TLC.) They brought her back to the chair in less than 5 minutes and began to blow dry her hair...again no detangling, no heat protector, no TLC.
     After they blow dried it they immediately put cornrows in her hair to prep for a crochet braid style. I couldn't watch anymore because I was sure at that point my mouth was wide open.

Long story short....your hair needs time! No one knows your hair like you do. I took the last two weeks to give my hair a break before being handled again. My hair is very strong so a little TLC goes a long way.

I got kinky twist this time around. Something different that I haven't had in a while. They are shorter in length which I like a lot because the long hair was annoying especially after having it in for 3 months.

If all goes as planned I won't being seeing my hair until August! I won't be doing many updates being that my hair will be braided up but I will definitely keep you guys informed of anything interesting.

Thanks for reading!

AR

Twist-Out Results

HOLA!

I have been anxious to do a twist-out on my hair and Sunday I think I had a fairly successful go at it!

I co-washed my hair on Tuesday and did some mini twist all over.

 I used Eco Styler Gel and Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter Curl Defining Pudding.

These two did great holding my twist in place but I'm sure when my products run out and I am ready to restock my cabinet I will try new things.

These were the results:

I can't complain for this being a first-timer lol.

Now time to protect my hair again...stay tuned.

AR

1st Natural Length Check...

I realized that I had not done any kind of length check since I did the big chop. So here are some (not so good) pics of where I am right now.

 Front: 2.75"

 Right Side 2.5"

Left Side: 2.5"

Nape: 2.25" *NOT PICTURED*

The shrinkage is real! But I think this is a good start for a big chop.

These are just some bonus pics from the wash that I did after I twisted my hair up.

 

Happy Hair Journey!

BIG CHOP!!!

You read that correctly! I did the big chop! May 3rd, 2015 at 10:15pm EST.

After taking my hair down last week I hadn't really decided on a day of when I would actually do my hair. My plans for wash day went left when I decided to have a random wash day on Friday night.

I did prepoo my hair and washed with shampoo and conditioner.

I hadn't cut my hair immediately. Instead I did some twist all over to help with detangling and to allow for a protective style until I decided on my next move.

I fell in LOVE with this picture! My curls are so defined and seeing how thin the ends were let me know that whenever I decided to cut my hair it would so much fun.

Well that decision came much sooner than I anticipated. Rule #1: Never leave Aneesah alone in the bathroom with a mirror, great lighting, and a pair of scissors...unexplainable things are bound to happen. :)

Here is my big chop story:

Sunday evening after church and visiting with family I was sitting on my couch going through online coupon blogs and watching TV with my boyfriend. Once again I was playing with different sections of my hair and it felt so weird because the ends were straight and dull while my roots were really thick.

I got up and went to the bathroom and started to soak each section with warm water and started cutting...and cutting...and cutting some more.

My boyfriend finally screamed from the living room "What's my baby doing!?"
I said "Oh nothing just cutting my hair off."
He said "Oh gosh babe."
While my boyfriend isn't into short hair he is 1000% supportive of letting me take on this adventure.

So supportive that he cut 75% of my hair for me!  I couldn't ask for better results.

While I haven't seen my hair all the way out in an afro, I am instantly hooked by the twists that are now able to stay intact without unraveling.

I AM OFFICIALLY NATURAL!!!

7 months post relaxer... 1 day NATURAL!