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.

Free At Last!!

Hello all!

The day finally came! I took out my Senegalese Twist after having them installed for 14 weeks! That is a huge stretch for me considering I usually leave my braids in for 6-8 weeks at a time.

I have TONS of growth from leaving my hair braided up. I am going to finish cutting off the texlaxed/relaxed ends of my hair to get the full effect of my curls. That is the most exciting part for me.

I have not dedicated a day to pamper my hair yet considering I am working multiple jobs and currently house shopping.

Looking at my schedule I will probably prep my hair for washing on Sunday evening. This will be a 2 day pre-poo with an EVOO and coconut oil mix. I will leave this on my hair under  a saran wrap until Tuesday.

Tuesday I will apply a cheapie conditioner to my hair and let is sit for 30 minutes and follow with a cleansing shampoo. After the cleansing shampoo I will deep condition with a very thick and rich moisturizing conditioner mix (haven't decided on what it will be). I'll do an oil rinse using EVOO and then detangle and trim my ends.

I'll definitely have to keep my spray bottle handy so that I can spritz my hair prior to twisting it up.

I haven't decided if I want to get braids right off or if I want to wait until next month to get it rebraided.

I'm just winging it for right now. What I do know is I will be getting Kinky Twist this time around!

Stay tuned for pictures!

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!

Kimmaytube Leave-In Recipe: Current Thoughts

Hey All!

As you know I tried the Kimmaytube Leave-In Conditioner Recipe last night on my hair.

I woke up this morning and took down my 4 granny plats to examine the results and see how my hair felt.

My hair is really soft! I also checked again during the day to see if it had retained it's moisture and sure enough it is still soft and moisturized without the "oily" look and feel.

However, I don't think it is a recipe that I will use when I am early in my stretch because the manageability of my hair could be because my hair was recently texlaxed. I will continue to use the recipe until all of the mix is gone and re-do it when I am 3-months post relaxer to see how it works then.

Overall I am pleased with this product currently but will give my final thoughts in 3 months when I am later in my stretch.

Thanks for reading!

AR

Kimmaytube Leave-In Recipe

Hey Guys!

Today was my wash day after a week of the Inversion Method.

As I have always said doing the inversion method during the week makes my hair feel like it is being constantly conditioned and it makes my wash day marvelous!

I did a cowash because I didn't want my hair to lose all of the moisture that I gained over the course of this week. I used Carol's Daughters Black Vanilla Conditioner.

I rinsed my hair in 2 sections, T-shirt dried my hair for 15 minutes, and proceeded to apply the Kimmaytube Leave-In Conditioner Mix.

I put my hair in 4 granny plats to dry overnight.

I can say just from the initial application of this mix to my hair that it will be very moisturizing.

I still have not used a heat pass so my hair and scalp feel great.

Below is the recipe for the mix. After this batch is used up I will change up the ingredients to see if the exact mixture makes a difference in the feeling of my hair. I want to swap Aloe Vera Juice for Aloe Vera Gel and Jojoba Oil for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kimmaytube Leave-In Recipe

• 1oz Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In Detangler
• 2 Tablespoons Aloe Vera Juice
• 2 teaspoons Castor Oil
• 2 teaspoons Jojoba Oil

*This recipe yields 2oz of mix. It is advised that if you plan to make more to not exceed 3 times the original amount due to the shelf life of some of the ingredients.

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!

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

I started doing the Inversion Method this week.

The dates that I plan to do this method will fall from 6/17/2014 through 6/23/2014. 

It is easy to do the Inversion Method with my box braids because it helps to moisturize my new growth as well as increase growth without worrying about tangles.

I will do a cleansing wash and deep conditioning treatment on Monday. 

I have about 1/4 inch of new growth currently so after this week is up I will give you guys the results!

Stay tuned.

Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer: Review

I have been sleeping on this product!!!

By far the BEST moisturizer to hit my hair since I started my hair journey.

It makes my braidouts feel fluffy and soft and my new growth is beyond manageable using this.

I've used it every other day. It smells great. Feels great. And is now a staple moisturizer for me! I've already gotten rid of my other moisturizers because Elasta QP is in the building to stay :)

I paid $5.99 for a jar although I think they may be cheaper at other stores. 

Rating: 5+ stars

Uses: Daily moisturizer

Final thoughts: GO GET YOU A JAR!!!

Pro-150 Hair Steamer: Initial Review

HEY GUYS!!

I am SO very excited about my most recent purchase.

I ordered a hair steamer from eBay and am very pleased thus far with what I have received.

I ordered the steamer on March 31st and I received it April 5th. (Roughly a week to arrive to my location.)

I ordered from divinepro who is a seller with a 99.8% customer satisfaction review.

When I purchased the steamer it was $84.99 with free shipping. Now the price has increased to $94.99 with free shipping. I'm guessing that the popularity has caused a rise in the price. However, in my opinion the price is still good compared to other hair steamers.

The assembly was very easy. You will need a pliers but other that it is basic snap-snap assembly. It took about 5 minutes to warm up and start producing steam. Another plus is that I can use tap water so I don't have to find distilled water for it.

Overall I am very happy and will do a more detailed review once I actually use it.

The link is above if you want to check out the steamer and other products this seller sells.

I will also being doing a video for the steamer on my YouTube channel. If you haven't already taken a peak over there this is the link. SUBSCRIBE!!  My YouTube Channel

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: GROWTH!!

Hey Guys!!

So I found yet another hair growth technique that I believe really worked!

It requires very little effort and the results are apparent in 7 days!

I watched a video with a girl who used Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the inversion method to grow her hair in a week.

I did this for 5 days using my mix (EVOO, Lavender Oil, and Eucalyptus Oil). I laid upside down over the edge of my bed for 4 minutes (2 minutes on my stomach + 2 minutes on my back)

I did see growth! Of course I couldn't get an actual length check because I am on a no heat challenge for the next six months but I could feel the difference in wear my hair rested on my back!

The thing I love most is that I was basically prepooing my hair and it was really moisturized. However, I have to wash 2-3 times a week to avoid build-up and I also have to start incorporating a light protein treatment weekly to keep my hair in balance.

Overall it makes a great growth technique.

You only have to do it 1 week per month and then start again the next month. So I will start this again March 1st!

Give it a go! You have nothing to lose but LOTS of hair growth to gain :) 

WHAT THE HECK!

Hey Guys,                 

Ok so if you all read my previous post I did a wash last night and a moisturizing deep condition.

I originally planned to wear my granny plats for the week but I took down the front half and wore a beanie over the back half.

I noticed my ends were SO dry! Like jeez I just gave my hair the ultimate TLC session last night so it should feel like butter today and it doesn't.  -_-


To get my ends back together I used my moisturizing spritz and sealed with EVOO and threw 10 bantu knots in it for the night. I'll reassess in the morning. I may have to start using my whipped shea butter instead of the spritz because it's thicker and will better keep my ends together but I will see.

I can't have issues like this so early into such a long stretch but I plan to use these 6 months as a true learning process for my hair. But I don't want more harm than good done so I will take it day-by day :)

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!

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.

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.