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

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

Dry Scalp...WHAT!?

Hey all,

Talk about issues! So for the first time in 20 years I am having a strange case of dry scalp. It is the weirdest thing because I have not had this issue since I last saw a dermatologist for it.

I removed some braids that were installed for approximately 2 weeks and did my normal routine (wash and deep condition)

What I noticed the day after my wash was crazy. FLAKES! I almost freaked out because I'm like no way. So I cowashed my hair and made sure to apply a light oil to my scalp to prevent any dryness. Epic fail.

Today when I was at work I looked at my hair and low and behold MORE flakes! It was as if I never washed or oiled my scalp. At this point I'm thinking back on changes in my regimen, diet, water intake, products, etc. I couldn't point anything out so I went online and did a mass search on dry scalp and dandruff. I found some things that could be applicable

• Changes in weather
• Severe dehydration
• Hard water
• Shampooing/Washing too frequently

The list could go on but I knew I needed to fix this sooner than later especially with my plans to big chop next month.

I remembered what my dermatologist recommended from when I was a child that worked for me. So I decided to pick up a bottle of Selsun Blue and Sulfur 8 from WalMart. Both products combat dandruff and dry scalp. As an added bonus sulfur has been used in growth aides so I may see some increased growth from applying the Sulfur 8 to my scalp. I only plan to apply it every other day.

Tonight's wash was simple and to the point. I washed with the Selsun Blue and applied the Sulfur 8 to my scalp. I applied raw shea butter to the length of my for moisture and put my hair in bantu knots to dry.

My new growth feels amazing! I enjoy seeing the little curls coming through.

Today started my week for the inversion method as well so I have to keep a good plan from week to week until this big chop so I can reap all of the benefits!

#60days #BigChop #Countdown 

Product Review & Prepping for Protective Style

Hello All!

Just checking in about the changes going on with my hair.

I am experiencing rapid growth from drinking more water and taking my Biotin and MSM! The new growth is manageable but I am going through a very tough time dealing with breakage on the left side of my hair. I am starting to think that my line of demarcation is extremely fragile and the amount of TLC I am providing is simply not enough but I fear that too much manipulation will cause breakage too.

So of course I have been digging really deep to recover my hair from this drought so to speak. I have been diligent in moisturizing and sealing my hair, incorporating the greenhouse effect in my daily routine, and sealing my ends with a heavier oil.

I have started feeling my hair get back to normal but in my opinion this has been what feels like the worst bout with my hair since I started my journey. I am listening to my hair and what I feel it needs is to be left alone to grow but also to be moisturized.

With that being said I decided to do a "short" long-term protective style. I am getting the style from my previous post put in my hair on Friday and in preparation for that install I am taking a night to pamper my hair.

I washed my hair with a clarifying Mint Conditioner from my local whole foods store. This conditioner soothes my itchy scalp and also cleans my hair to welcome the treatments I set up for my hair. I followed up with Tea Tree Conditioner to again soothe my scalp but also condition my hair. Once that was rinsed I applied my new moisturizing conditioner as a deep treatment mixed with a little coconut oil and JBCO:

As soon as this conditioner hit my hair I immediately felt a difference! When I say smooth as silk....SMOOTH!! It has definitely transformed my hair drastically. It has some pros and cons but overall it is a great product

Pros

• Great size bottle with dispensing nozzle (32 oz)
• Great scent
• Easy to distribute throughout hair

Cons

• It is a thin conditioner which can't really be used again as a "deep conditioner" but more like a cowashing conditioner

So after I rinsed my hair I applied Vitamin E oil to my hair and put my hair in a bun and baggied my ends for additional moisture.

I am looking forward to giving my hair a much needed break and seeing the growth I will gain over the next month or so.

*Additional details about the Argan Magic Moisturizing Conditioner*

This conditioner came in a set with the matching shampoo. My friend recommended this product to me and I went to get it from Marshalls. The set was $19.99 plus tax.

I think for the size of the bottles are great and for the price you really can't beat it!

Back to Reality!

Hey All!

I have removed the sew-in from my hair and started getting back into the groove of my hair care regimen. I am planning to stick with low-manipulation styles that allow for ease of day-to-day care. I want to keep it simple and oil my scalp every other day or every few  days to keep my scalp moisturized and also my ends.

I am looking at having another sew-in installed in February for my birthday and until then I will be keeping my look very simple.

I have looked into different braid ideas that are not individual braids and will be considering my options.

Right now this is the style I would like to get. It is a combination between cornrows and Senegalese twist that are braided largely so as to not create tension on the braids and allows for some flexibility with styling.

So I will keep you all updated on when these get done.

Otherwise I will be just bunning and doing granny plats with a beanie.

HAPPY HAIR GROWING!

Results of the Sew-In!

I got my sew-in installed!

It was a really great process and I would DEFINITELY get another sew-in after this. However, I do not like the hair that I have installed and that would be the only change I would make. This hair was ordered from Aliexpress and from my understanding beauty supply hair would have been the better choice because it is thick from the top of the weft to the ends of the hair.

The overall experience was a great one!

The night before I prepped my hair for the sew-in because I like my products and knew what my hair needed to sustain the installation.

When I arrived at the salon the stylist examined my hair to see if it needed to be washed again and it didn't! (FOR THE WIN!)

She started to braid my hair in a pattern that allowed my hair to remain flat without an unattractive bulge.

She then sewed a net along the braided hair. This is the first time I have ever incorporated a net during a sew-in and I have such a great appreciation for having the stylist use it. The net allows for security without putting excess tension from the threading on my own hair.

I love the look and ease of care. I will miss my hair of course but for the next two months this will be my protective style. :)

Here are a couple of pictures...

 

Happy Hair Growing!

Hair Prep For Sew-In!

That's right Ladies!

I am getting a sew-in installed for my sister's wedding. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my own hair so I opted to have a sew-in installed.

I started the process of caring for my hair last night.

These are the steps and products I used.

1. Prepoo with extra virgin coconut oil for 30 minutes.
2. Clarifying wash with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo.
3. Heavy protein treatment with Africa's Best Hair Mayonnaise.
1. Let it sit for 30 minutes
4. Moisturizing deep conditioning treatment with Shea Moisture Anti-Breakage Masque. This product was my "base". I added Organix Luxurious Moroccan Argan Creme Conditioner, EVOO, and ORS Replenishing Conditioner. 
1. This mix has my hair feeling AMAZING!

Currently I am experiencing a patch of broken ends on the nape of my hair and plan to have her cut my hair prior to the installation.

While I am uncertain of why this area is breaking, I have confidence that it will grow back as with the rest of my hair. :)

I want to leave out the entire perimeter of my hair so that I have the ability to wear my hair in a ponytail. I will not being using a lot of heat on my hair during this installation because I don't want heat damage or breakage along those parts from constant heat being on it.

I am 4-weeks post today will leave the hair installed until October 8th.  By that time I will be 12-weeks post. After I take my hair down I will treat my hair with a protein treatment, moisturizing deep conditioning treatment and prep my hair for my next texlax.

I have a great plan mapped out and can't wait to receive growth from leaving my hair alone for two months.

Happy Hair Growing!

Week 17 of 26 Week Stretch...

I just finished week 17 of my 6-month stretch!


Lots of new growth! I took a few snapshots to show the growth…

About 1" of new growth in a month!

17 weeks post relaxer!

The regimen that I have been using with these braids has been very minimal. 

I cowash the braids every 7-10 days. I use a spray bottle to moisturize my new growth. It contains an oil, water, and conditioner. I still use castor oil along my edges.

I typically wear the braids in ponytail but the style offers little to no manipulation within itself.

The only con that I have run into with these braids is the nape of hair has grown so much that I have had to take down an entire row so the fake hair doesn't cause damage to my real hair.

Overall I am pleased with the growth and the upkeep.

Inversion Method Results..

Hello All!

So I did the inversion method this past week and I was able to see 1/2"- 3/4" of an inch of growth in some areas. I am pleased with these results and can't wait to do it again in July.

The only downside to doing the Inversion Method in box braids was the itchy scalp.

I used my Scalp Relief Recipe to help with the itchiness but I noticed when I left my hair pinned up in a bun it didn't itch as bad. (Strange…)

Overall I think I got good growth!

Now I need to increase the amount of moisture because my roots feel dry. I will probably deep condition my hair my hair this weekend. If I figure out a good way to accomplish this I will write a post about it.

Thanks for reading.

6-month Stretch is a GO!!

That's right!

I am going on my second 6-month stretch of my hair journey. With me already being 13 weeks post I am at the halfway mark and I have the experience to successfully stretch for another 13 weeks.

My current protective style is box braids! Love, love, LOVE them! They are medium in size which will allow for easy take down with little to no damage and I will be able to oil my scalp and hair generously.

I started the JBCO method on my edges which I found to be great during my last braid installation. It's just a personal idea that I came up with which I'm sure other women have done as well. I simply applied JBCO from day one of the install as a preventative measure to reduce any hair loss that may come with the braids along my edges and it worked great. When I took my last install down my hair was moisturized and my edges were still there.


I love the idea of a long-term protective style at this point of my stretch and I can't wait to see my growth at the end of the 26 weeks!

13 weeks down…13 weeks to go!

Happy New Year!

Hello All!

It has been a while since my last post  and with that there have been several changes.

Since my last post I have come across what appears to be my first "major" setback.

I was going through some personal issues that I believe caused my hair to start shedding excessively and breaking in certain areas. I did 2 trims to get my hair even but it continued to break and shed. I am currently at grazing BSL.

So once I got my hair back to a stronger state I decided to have Senegalese twist installed to give my hair a rest.

Once I take these braids out (2-3 months) I plan to go to the salon and have my hair cut to APL or SL and restart my hair growing process.

While seeing my progress is important the overall health of my hair is more important than the length.

So as the new year begins I have a goal for the year and I am making every effort to reach it.

My goal for 2014 is to reach Grazing MBL by December 31st!

Here's to 2014!

Two Strand Twist

I recently put my hair in two strands as a protective style. Check out my video to see how they turned out and other updates!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JsYsqE8Ljg

Protective styles are really good on a stretch and I've been trying to experiment with new ways to keep my ends protected. Two strands twists are possible on relaxed/texlaxed hair and I'm happy I took the time to do them.

It took me 3 hours to do them. I used Grapeseed oil and Olive Oil Ecostyler Gel to twist the hair. For my ends I used grey perm rods and that really helped to close the ends for a more finished look.

I am able to do multiple styles with my twists and love the versatility.

Week 17 of 26 Week Stretch

I hit my 17 week mark on Sunday and I must say this experience is hair changing lol.

My hair is SO thick and it has become more and more of a challenge to wash my hair. No matter how many sections I wash in I find that my new growth is extremely challenging to work with.

I know this is a trial and error situation but it is very scary at the same time because when you're on a stretch you want to reap the benefits not the setbacks.

I noticed an increased amount of shedding but that could due to the fact that I wear a braid out for 2-3 days without any manipulation aside from fluffing. So I haven't completely freaked out yet. I don't wear buns because of the thickness of my hair and they start to look crazy. So I am still playing around with other protective styles until I can find something that really works. I am considering rocking my wigs for the remainder of the stretch but that is still sketchy.

I am tempted to straighten my hair and trim my ends now but I want to do that once I have finished my stretch but I know my ends are hollering and it is imperative that I keep them protected.

Breakage hasn't been terrible but it's certainly more than I am used to and I want to fix it now rather than later.

I have updated my regimen which will be in detail in a different post. Products are pretty much the same but I have fallen in love with grapeseed oil!

Stay tuned for more updates on my blog and on my YouTube channel.

17 weeks down...9 more to go!!!

1 Year Hair Anniversary!

Today is marks one year that I have been on my hair journey!

Looking back over the year I have made such great progress and can't believe how far I've come.

I started my hair journey at neck length. After having my hair basically chopped off at the salon I knew it was time to take my hair into my own hands literally.

I found Hairlista, KISS, and YouTube! I spent countless hours researching ways to grow my hair on my own and learned so much from great women on the same journey to healthy hair growth.

I found a regimen that worked for me and what I found to work best for me overall from ALL the products, theories, and growth aides was CONSISTENCY! Being consistent with my regimen provided with me with the greatest results.

Since I am on a no heat challenge I didn't straighten my hair to see the actual results. This picture was taken February 2013. I have gained another inch since this picture. And I am about 2-3 inches away from BSL.

What I found to work:

• consistency
• protective styling
• low manipulation
• moisture

As I move forward into my hair journey I plan to keep my regimen very simple and continue to listen to my hair.

Wash Day 3-27-13 + Castor Oil Challenge

Today I did a cowash using my ORS Replenishing Conditioner. I felt that my hair needed some protein in it and surely enough my hair feels LOVELY! I didn't follow up with a moisturizing conditioner like I usually do because I wanted my hair to take the protein in.

I detangled my hair in 4 sections and applied my castor oil mix to my scalp. Which brings me to my next personal challenge for the remaining 3 months of my stretch.

I am doing a personal Castor Oil Challenge from March 27-June 19th.

My mix is similar to my EVOO Mix

Castor Oil Mix

4oz Castor Oil

25 drops Lavender Oil (for scent)

25 drops Eucalyptus

I was unable to take starting photos but the closest length I had was from a photo I took the day before my box braids got installed and the day I last flat ironed my hair in December.

My regimen will only change slightly.

• Wash 1x/week (Deep Condition)
• Cowash 1x/week
• Air Dry
• Apply castor mix only on wash/cowash days.
• The only exception is during the week that I am doing the EVOO inversion method.

I am going to protective style 100% of the time now until my relaxer!

So excited for this challenge and if anyone wants to join me feel free to comment below so I can check in with you :)

Halfway Mark of My Stretch!

Hello All!!!

Today I am 13 weeks post! That's right I have officially made it halfway through my 6-Month stretch.

I still have not used heat on my hair and with that I can feel the thickness and fullness of my hair.

The two things that are key that I mention ALL the time is moisture and low manipulation. I really try to keep my regimen simple.

For the past 13 weeks I've followed this regimen.

• Wash 1x/week
• Cowash 1x/week
• Deep Condition after each wash
• Air dry
• Oil scalp with EVOO mix (Inversion method 1week/month)
• Protective style 90% 
• Low manipulation style 10% 
• Moisturize and seal every other day

It has been working. I plan to only change a few things. I plan to adjust the number of washes I do per week and minimize it to once a week alternating between washes and cowashes each week. I also plan to increase the days I moisturize and seal to almost daily. I plan to protective style 100% of the time to really protect my ends. These changes will ensure that my remaining 13 weeks will be the best!

Hooray!

13 weeks down...13 weeks to go!!!

           

Cheating on My Hair: Long-Term Protective Styles

So I have been in these box braids for almost 4 weeks (Tuesday).

And what I have come to learn about long-term protective styles is the fact that I miss MY hair.

I miss the washing, deep conditioning, and all around TLC that I give my hair. With that I have decided to take the braids out and get back to the basics of MY hair.

I think wigs are the all around best option for me so I will do some research and get wig closet stocked so that I can add some versatility to my hair without any full time commitment.

I feel like I'm cheating on my hair with these braids lol.

If any of you are on a healthy hair journey you can relate to this love-hate relationship with long-term protective styles! :)

And with that I am....

12 weeks down...14 weeks to go!!! 

Wash Day in Box Braids

Hello all!

I did my first wash in my braids on Saturday. Very successful might I add and I wanted to share my experience and hopefully be a help to someone reading this post about caring for the braids.

Once in the shower, I spent about 10 minutes just massaging my scalp with warm water to help remove some of the dirt before applying my conditioner. 

Then I applied a small amount of conditioner only to my fingertips and massaged it in small sections until my entire scalp was covered. I then took the length of the braids and coated them with conditioner and left it on for about 20 minutes. 

I rinsed it all out and towel dried as much of the water as I could.

Then I immediately coated the length of my braids with EVOO and oiled my scalp with my EVOO mix. This was to make sure my hair was moisturized and prevent any unnecessary dryness.

Once my hair was about 95% dry I spritzed my Silk Elements Silken Child Leave-In Conditioner over my entire head.

My braids feel moisturized and I count that as a plus considering how drying they can be without proper care.

Thanks for reading!

ASR

Week 9 of 26 week Stretch

Yes! I am a third of the way into my stretch and I'm actually doing really well.

Of course last week I got my box braids installed so I am in this protective style for a few weeks.

There really isn't much of an update aside from the fact that I oiled my scalp last night with the EVOO mix and used my moisturizing spritzed. With these braids I will be able to knock out 10-14 weeks of my stretch without worrying about my hair too much.

Of course I will still be washing, conditioning, moisturizing, and sealing these braids but my ends being exposed won't be an issue.

So here's to week 9!


                                   

9 weeks down...17 weeks to go!

                                      

Box Braids/ Sew-In: Hair Care

These are a few tips that I found very useful for me in terms of prepping for a braid or sew-in installation as well as care for the duration of having a long term protective style.

1. Wait 2 weeks after you have received a chemical treatment before you install any braids or a sew-in. When you apply a chemical treatment you are weakening your hair strands and immediately doing an install will cause extreme breakage or hair loss.

2. Do a good protein treatment and moisturizing deep conditioning treatment 1-2 days before your install. This will put that protein and moisture balance into your hair strands prior to the installation.

3. NEVER BRAID BREAKING OR DAMAGED HAIR! Too many times people think the solution to damaged hair is hiding it under braids or a sew-in. This is a recipe for disaster when you take down your install. Correct any damage before putting braids or sew-ins into your hair by conditioning and trimming any dead ends.

4. Don't braid your hair too tightly. Braiding hair too tightly will cause hair loss along your edges and nape. Ensure that the braids are secure without excess pull.

5. Alternate between a protein and moisture spray. Again, keeping the protein and moisture balance is imperative even though your hair is hidden. Spritz your hair 4 days with a moisturizing spray and 1 day with a protein spray.

6. Lightly seal hair with an oil. This is the same as moisturizing and sealing your hair. Find an oil that will light enough not to create build up.

7. Oil scalp as needed...not daily. You don't want to create build up on your scalp because you won't be washing your hair as often since it is under braids.

8. Shampoo and condition every 7-10 days. Once a week is enough to shampoo/condition your hair. Any more than that will of course create frizz. If you choose to still deep condition it is recommended that you dilute the products with water to help with the process of rinsing all of the product out.

9. Cover hair with a satin bonnet. Treat your installs like you would treat your real hair. You wouldn't go to bed with a scarf so why would you go to bed without one since you have an install?

Hopefully these tips will help you to retain as much length as possible with your installs!