My Hair Post-Braids

Hey All!
I finally took my box braids out after having them in for what felt like the longest 5 weeks ever!

I removed the braids and began to detangle my hair in 4 sections.

I was able to do this successfully with no problems because during the entire five weeks I made sure to keep my new growth and braids properly moisturized. This made my hair very soft and I had about 2-quarter sized amounts of shedding altogether.

I did a cleansing wash twice using the Shea Moisture Deep Cleansing African Black Soap. I had no tangling at all!

I followed with a moisturizing deep conditioner which was the Aussie Moist Conditioner mixed with the Shea Moisture Moisture Retention Conditioner.

I let it sit on my hair for 30 minutes and rinsed with cool water.

I air dried by hair for 30 minutes and then applied an EVOO mixture directly to my scalp. I then applied the Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer to the length of my hair and did a crown braid style.

It has been braided for going on 3 days so I will take it down and moisturize and seal my hair again tomorrow.

I am coming up on 19 weeks on Friday so I am doing ok.

I think I am going to do my Caramel Treatment this weekend as well to help with manageability.

Read my old posts for recipe and tutorial:

Caramel Treatment Recipe

Caramel Treatment Tutorial 

Thanks for reading!

13 weeks post...

Hello All!


I am coming up on the 13th week of this stretch. I still have no certain plan of doing another 6-month stretch but for now I am at the halfway point and I am doing pretty good.

I have experienced a little more tangles so far during my wash days but nothing I can't handle. Patience and moisturizing conditioners are saving me right now.

I prepped my hair tonight for a box braid install tomorrow. It consisted of doing a cleansing wash using Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Shampoo and Curl Care Nourishing Conditioner.

I deep conditioned a couple of days ago using Shea Moisture's products but my hair still felt like it needed more umph to it.

I let my hair towel dry for about 15 minutes then parted my hair in four sections. I lightly applied jojoba oil to my roots and ends as my heat protectant and proceeded to blow out the roots of my hair. This allows for the braiders to manage my hair better and hopefully reduce damage.

My hair feels soft and moisturized so these braids should be a great install. Leaving them in for 6-8 weeks should be a breeze. By then I will be 16-18 weeks post relaxer!

I keep learning new techniques but overall protecting my hair is what is important.

Week 2 of 26 Week Stretch

Today was such a great wash day!

Detangled on damp hair using my spritz that I mixed up. 

Placed my hair in 4 sections for easier detangling later during the process.

Washed using my Roux Porosity Control Shampoo.

Deep conditioned with a plastic cap and sat under the dryer for 45 minutes
          --I don't know why I stopped deep conditioning with heat but my hair LOVES it!

Rinsed with cool/cold water (SO HARD TO DO IN THE SHOWER! FREEZING! lol)

Kept my hair in 4 sections and detangled again.

Applied my Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-In Conditioner and Coconut Oil.

Now my hair is braid in 10 plats to air dry and probably leave in for my protective style for the week (with a beanie)

My hair feels really good and my scalp feels clean.

2 weeks down...24 more to go!

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.

*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. 

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 :)

Wash Day Results & Updates

I washed and deep conditioned my hair on Friday. Today is Sunday. I will walk through what I did exactly and the results from Friday through Sunday.


Friday

• Separated my hair into 4 sections because I only wash my hair in 4 sections to avoid tangling during manipulation and washing.
• Detangled using my water and conditioner mix.
• Washed my hair using the conditioner mix I made.
• Towel dried my hair then applied my deep conditioner.
• Applied heat for 30 minutes.
• Rinsed hair using luke-warm/cool water.
• Applied leave-in conditioner.
• Air dried until 85-90% dry.
• Spritzed hair with Aphogee Keratin Restructerizer
• Applied coconut throughout hair.
• Put hair in two loose ponytails and tucked ends under (secured with a bobby pin)
• Tied hair down with a silk bonnet.

Saturday

• Left hair alone all day
• At night I took down one of the pigtails.
• Applied growth aid
• Moisturized and sealed hair
• Pinned hair back up
• Did the same for the opposite side

After doing this to my hair my ends felt really soft and my hair looked really shiny. My new growth was a lot more manageable and I could comb through it a lot better. I discovered that my hair loves coconut oil! It's not too heavy and it's not too light!

Tomorrow is my regular wash day so tonight I plan to prepoo/ do the greenhouse effect overnight. (I may post a video of how I do this later)

Keep watching for more updates!