September 2012 Update

It's been almost 3 months since my big chop, and I'm just moving along.  No big updates.  I'm still co-washing every day, mostly because I swim and/or work out every day- not because of tangles or because I need the moisture, thank goodness.  I haven't really tried any new styles but a wash and go because of all of the exercise.  My hair was shedding a lot in the shower, which I think was okay, but I decided to incorporate a little more protein just in case.  So for the last week or two, I have been co-washing every other day with Mane and Tail conditioner.  I love that stuff. It smells so good and I like how my hair feels when I'm using it.  The shedding has definitely slowed down from using a product with protein.  I wash my hair about once a week with either very diluted baking soda or Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating-Clarifying Shampoo. I deep condition once a week with Kenra conditioner. It really keeps my hair moist.  Last weekend when I ran out of my Ecostyler with Olive Oil gel, I used the argan oil formula and it was just okay.  My hair felt a little harder and dryer than when I use the olive oil formula, so I'll still with the olive oil gel.

Sorry I don't have any recent pictures (they're coming!), but I can definitely tell that my hair is growing.  I feel more hair in my hands when I wash and style my hair.  One day last week when I looked in the mirror, I could tell a difference in the length and the curl pattern, and for the first time in a long time, I loved what I saw!

I've been slacking on the henna, but I'm going to try to do a treatment this weekend.  My grays are really starting to come in around my hairline. I don't love that my grays are a reddish/orange while the rest of my hair is dark brown, but I don't know what else to do.  I don't want to do an indigo treatment, because I don't want black hair.  Semi-permanent colors that I'm not allergic to really don't cover my grays. Plus, I co-wash every day, so I don't think it would last long anyway.  I'm still nervous about going lighter.  I'm still weighing my options.

I've been taking biotin since I big chopped.  I don't notice a difference, but that's probably because I've been taking it since I cut my hair.  I'm going to continue taking it. Besides the constant exercise, I've been eating a lot of fruits, vegetables and eggs.  I also juice vegetables and carrots 4-5 times a week.  Hopefully all of this is helping to keep my hair healthy and strong.

I'm really excited about the next few months and what my hair will do.