Stress and Dryness

My hair is finally recovering after a tough year. I had a rough breakup, took care of my sick father until he passed away, handled my dad's affairs including renovating and moving into his house, and mourned the sudden loss of my sweet dog. All of that while trying to be a good mom to my son and stay on top of my new job had me all over the place. Stress really does come out in many ways, even in the health of our hair.

I thought my hair was doing okay at first. I wasn't spending much time on it, and was wearing buns and wigs on days I couldn't deal with it. I soon realized my hair wasn't in the best shape. It was dry and lifeless, wouldn't hold a curl, and didn't absorb products. Then, I noticed lots of shedding. I wore braids all summer, but looking back, I think that was a mistake because I wasn't dealing with my hair, I was just hiding it. And, I think that made it worse. When I took my braids out at the end of the summer, my hair was armpit length, but the ends were a mess. I got a good haircut, which helped a little, but I didn't like how it felt or how it looked.

My hairstylist at the time was using a no-lye relaxer on my hair. I had only used relaxers with lye until I started going to this stylist, so I asked her to change relaxers. That made a difference, but my ends looked thin, like my hair was over processed. I made the decision to go to another stylist who could bring my hair back to health, listened to me, and had me in and out of the salon (Very important!). She has been so helpful, encouraging me to stretch my relaxers and recommending new products to try. She also gave me a great haircut, adding layers and getting rid of the see-through ends. I've been using Hot Six Oil to moisturize and my hair loves it. It keeps my hair moisturized without weighing down. I'm still working on my hair's elasticity so that it holds a curl, but I think that will come with more moisture. 

A few other things I've been doing on my own to help my hair's health:

- Applying black Adore semi-permanent color every 2 weeks. I prefer my hair color more brown, but the black makes it look so shiny and thick! And, I feel like it conditions it so that it accepts products better.
- Prenatal vitamins. My hair really thrived when I was taking prenatal vitamins when I was trying to get pregnant and after I had my son. I had to find the right one for me because I have tried others (including Biotin and Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins) that did nothing. I'm liking the Nature Made brand.
- Wrapping my hair every night. I thought my hair didn't look good after a wrap. Now that it's healthier, wrapping seems like the best thing to keep my hair smooth and looking full and bouncy. I change the direction of my wrap every few nights.
- Gave up using all oils except the Hot Six Oil. I've tried almost every natural oil, but they either sit on my hair, or weigh it down. I'm saving my oils for my skin.
- Took a break from protein. I don't think my hair needs the protein I thought it did. I haven't used a protein conditioner in a couple of months and my hair seems to be doing better.

This past year has reminded me that life, our bodies and our hair change...that's okay, we just have to be ready to deal with that change and pivot when we need to!

Haircut & Wash N Go by Jaded Tresses

A few weeks ago, I signed up for a natural hair workshop through my local natural hair meetup group.  The event was this past Saturday, and I was sick with a head cold. I felt so tired and sick and didn't want to go, but as I was laying in bed, I looked up the presenters online, and I saw that one of the presenters was a natural hair stylist from New Jersey/Brooklyn and she was giving a wash n go workshop. I was skeptical about doing a wash n go on this head, but being that she was from out of state, I wanted to see what she had to say.  I've been thinking about going to NYC to get a professional cut and style, so I thought this would help me decide for sure.  Plus, I had already paid for the workshop!! So I got my sick butt up and went to the event at a restaurant about twenty minutes from my home.

The first half of the workshop was a mixing demo with Candace Kelley of Curl Prep.  She showed us how to make a shea butter (I need to get some REAL shea butter!) and a protein conditioner.  Then, the famous Tameeka aka Jaded Tresses aka the "Curl Whisperer" talked about how anyone can do a wash n go. I was still skeptical, but she took a woman from the audience with 4c hair and did it! She showed us exactly what she did and what products she used. She did the wash n go on very wet hair and used the Sweet Buttah she and Candace promote, and an EcoStyler mix (ecostyler, water, & oil). Then she ran the product through the hair. I still wasn't sure it would work on me, though.

Tameeka was also taking appointments the next day at a local salon, so I book an appointment to get a much needed trim.  She washed and conditioned my hair, and then cut my hair while it was wet.  The then re-wet it and shingled my hair for a wash and go.  I saw my hair curl and clump like never before!  Of course it shrunk a lot as it dried, but at least I had curls.  She told me that I don't have the chronic dry hair I thought I have.  She actually told me that I have a nice head of dense, thick hair.  I really enjoyed Tameeka doing my hair. This was my first time as a natural going to the salon (not including the times I got my hair straightened), and it was a great experience. I was treated with respect, Tameeka took me in a timely manner, she gave me a great scalp massage, and we had a fun and interesting conversation- about hair and other things!  She said she might come back to Boston in November, so I might see her again for some color.

That first night I just put a bonnet on and went to bed. In the morning, I rubbed some of the Sweet Buttah on my hands, fluffed, and went out the door. The next night, I put my hair in about 8 ponytails just to stretch it some, and I still had a cute, curly afro! Tameeka said that I'd probably want to do a twistout by day 4 or 5, but that's cool- at least I don't have to twist every night. My hair finally has shape, I don't have to spend 20-30 minutes a night on it, and it looks cute!

This was my hair on day 3:

And then on day 4 after twisting it the night before using just the Sweet Buttah:

I actually like the wash and go look, so the next time I wash it, I'm going to try and go 4-5 days with the wash n go.  I feel like my experience was just the blessing I needed. I was actually thinking about doing the big chop again and just starting over.  I was frustrated with twisting it every night, not having a shape, and thinking that my hair was dry and unhealthy.  Hallelujah!! 

Braids Out

I took my micro braids out last Friday night after having them in for 10 weeks. My goal was 6 weeks, so I'm proud of myself for making it to 10.  It took me about 4 1/2 hours to take my braids out. I tried to take them out using the method here, but it didn't quite work for me.  The video shows how you can soak your hair with water and conditioner and the braids will slide out.  Well, the women who braided my hair were extremely good at their jobs, because my braids did NOT slide out!  They were almost cornrowed at the root, so no amount of conditioner was going to make it easy for the braids to just slide out. I did still wet and load my hair with conditioner. I feel like it made it easier to take the braids out, and I got a good pre-poo conditioning treatment from it.  The water and conditioner also made it so much easier to de-tangle.

The next morning, I went to the salon to get my hair done. I hadn't been to a salon since I did my big chop last June!  I like doing my own hair, but I also like having someone else do it, especially if I trust them and they get me out in a reasonable time. I went to my cousin at a salon near my house.  She did my hair once right before I went natural, and I loved how it came out.  She washed and deep conditioned my hair, then she blow dried it a little and put me under the dryer for it to dry completely.  She then pressed my hair (with the hot comb) and curled it using KeraCare Curling Wax.  She trimmed about an inch off.  My ends were really bad- I trimmed my ends myself a couple of times over the past year, but I'm sure I didn't do the best job!

These pictures were taken 2-3 days later.  It looked so much better the day I left the salon, but I still like it now.  I am really happy with the thickness and length...and moisture!  For the past year, I have been frustrated with how dry my hair felt, and now it's actually holding moisture.  I don't know how much I'm going to wear my hair straight, but it's a nice change, especially now that the weather is not so humid.  

Even thought it's only been about 15 months since I've dealt with straight hair, I feel like I'm learning how to manage it!  I've been wearing twists and braids for the past 4 months, and I could be lazy about not wearing a shower cap in the shower, or not putting a silk scarf on at night.  Not with this style!  The first night, I just wrapped my hair, but it came out too flat.  So now I'm putting a few satin rollers and pin curls in it to give it a little body and curl, which I like.  I've also been applying a few drops of avocado oil in my hair at night to seal in the moisture.  I'm hoping this style will last a couple of weeks, and then I think I want to play with my natural texture again...

Bye Bye Lye

I big chopped this weekend!  I went to my friend who works at a salon.  I've never gone to her before, but I wanted a professional to cut my hair.  I figured if I did it, it would be uneven.  Also, I don't own any good scissors (yet).  She did some things I wish she hadn't, but hey, it's done.  I went in with my hair in a rod set.  She just started cutting.  Before I knew it, there were relaxed curls on the floor.

The she washed my hair.  I asked her not to use shampoo, since I just shampoo'd 3 days prior, but she said I need it (ugh)  After is was wet, she blow dried it (ugh) to cut it into a shape.  Then, she wet and conditioned it again to get it to curl.  She wanted to play with it by adding some product and twisting it, but I wouldn't let her.  I left the salon with a wiry, crazy looking afro, but I was determined to fix it myself when I got home.  She has a really short haircut, but she goes to the barber to get it done, and she uses a relaxer.  So, she's not used to doing natural hair.

I had a picture of myself when I left the salon, but I deleted it from my camera by mistake.  Maybe I did it subconsciously?? ;-)

When I got home, I jumped in the shower and co-washed with Suave Coconut conditioner.  I got out and used a little as a leave in.  My hair was still pretty wiry, not really curly.  I applied some jojoba oil, and some Ecostyler gel, and started twisting.  The back and the sides twisted okay, but the front and the top wasn't cooperating.  So I put in 5 or 6 perm rods and sat outside in the heat for a little while.  When I took the rollers out, the top was curly.

The next day I went to the beach, and just sprayed my hair with my coconut oil and water mix.  I didn't get my hair too wet at the beach, but I co-washed when I got home and did the same thing I did the day before.  The next morning, I noticed that I still had some spiky ends, which I think were relaxed pieces, so I cut them myself.

I think my hair is in shock, and it will probably take a week or two for it to curl on its own.  I bought some products, but have only used the gel.  My hair is long enough to twist, so maybe I'll try some flat twists.

Right now I don't love my hair, but I don't hate it either.  I don't regret cutting it.  I'm happy to be natural.  I'm happy not to have to depend on a stylist. I'm happy to be free!

Transitioning: Reason #4

Reason #4: Less Salon Visits

I. Hate. Going. To. The. Salon.
It's a huge time waster for me.  On top of that, I haven't been happy with how my hair comes out when I leave the salon in a long time.  I've spent so much money in salons, and to think that I've probably been happy less than 50% of the time makes me mad.  I think I've been mistreated by so many stylists over my life, that even though the salon I've been going to for the past few years gets me in and out, I still hate going.  I actually consider the stylist who has been putting relaxers in my hair a friend, but I still don't want to go to her salon anymore. I'm tired of depending on someone to do my hair.  At this point, I really don't trust anyone to do my hair.  For the past 4 years or so, I have mostly just gone to get relaxers, so now that I'm not getting a relaxer anymore, I should really not have to go.  These are some of the things about salons I hate, even though I may not have experienced them in a while:

• Me sitting there waiting to be serviced.  I never understood paying to wait. WTH?
• Scratching my scalp before or during shampoo.  I hate this!
• My stylist leaving the salon to get something to eat or run an errand while I'm under the dryer.  So unprofessional.
• Me getting bullied into getting a style/technique/product I don't want. And then paying for it.
• Sitting there knowing damage was being done to my hair.  And then paying for it.
• Being late for things that are actually important to me because I was in the salon too long.
• People coming in trying to sell me cds/movies/clothes/jewelry.  I usually bring only enough money to get my hair done!
• Getting pressured to pay for other services and products (nails, waxing, a new conditioner) I don't want or need.
• Getting bad hair advice.
• Listening to gossip.
• Listening to music I don't want to hear.  If they have a tv, watching something I don't want to watch.
• Being bored.
• Sitting in hot a$$ salons- I'm sweating my hair out before I even leave.
• The smells (relaxer, color, burning hair, chemicals, stinky people).
• My face and back getting wet because the shampoo girl doesn't know what she's doing.
• Feeling like I have to chit-chat with people in there.
• Spending hours there and feeling like I look busted (or the same) when I leave.
• No parking.  
• Leaving disappointed.  And paying for it!

I have so many other and better things to do with my life than spend hours in the salon.  Maybe I'll go a couple of times a year.  Maybe....

Protein & Pin Curl Magic

About a week and a half ago I got my hair done. I went to a Cape Verdean salon that uses the Dominican technique.  I've been there before and had great results, but I was NOT happy this visit.  I should have waited for the salon owner to do my hair as usual, but I thought that since I had a fresh relaxer that anyone could do my hair.  There are a bunch of young girls working in there, who probably never went to beauty school, and treat everyone's hair the same (even though all of the customers have a very diverse range of hair textures and lengths).  The girl who did my hair washed my hair way too hard.  I do NOT like getting my scalp scratched.  I could write a whole post just about this, but I'll save it for another day.  She shampooed my hair like 4 or 5 times, which is way too much for me, and then had the nerve to try to scratch my scalp with a rat tail comb.  Why would she do that?!  I don't have a flaky scalp, so I don't understand  She was pretty gentle de-tangling and or roller setting, but I felt like she blow dried the heck out of my hair.  I only asked her to blow dry the roots, and I'm not sure if my roots even needed it.  My hair was very straight, but too straight for my taste. I left feeling like my hair was over-manipulated and that it looked thin.  I won't be going back unless the owner does my hair.  I think she knew I had an attitude, but probably thought I was just tender headed, since I kept telling her not to scratch my scalp and to be easy with the blow drier!  Now I'm thinking I shouldn't get my hair done every 2-3 weeks. I really don't trust anyone in my hair at this point.

Since my hair had been so manipulated, I tried to keep the style for two weeks, but I broke down last night and washed my hair.  I had been wearing it up in a bun since I got it done, because I thought it looked too thin to wear down.  But when I took my bun out last night, I had some shedding and even a little breakage, and I felt like I needed to try to correct it as soon as possible.  I decided to use an egg mixed with oil as my protein treatment.  I used two eggs with olive, jojoba and almond oil.  I planned on leaving it in my hair for 15 minutes, but by the time I did what I had to do around the house, it ended up being about 40.  I noticed that the egg/oil mix took a lot of my black rinse out, which was fine.  I shampooed with Elasta QP Creme Moisturizing Shampoo, and deep conditioned with Aubrey Organics GPB.

I broke my promise to myself and roller set my hair.  It was already almost 9pm by the time I rinsed out my conditioner, so I knew my hair wouldn't air dry before I went to bed.  I used my new Matrix Biolage leave-in tonic to set my hair.  When I took my rollers out, I noticed how moisturized my hair felt and it looked thicker than it has in months.  I needed protein!  I haven't been using much protein lately, because I thought the henna had been acting like a protein for me. It wasn't.  I wish that I didn't realize this sooner.  I'm hoping regular use of protein products for a little while will help bring my hair back to health.  I just need to research the different kinds of protein, since some products with protein don't work at all for me.

I pin curled my hair in 8-10 pin curls.  Here is how I looked this morning:

I really like how it came out.  I've been too lazy to pin curl my hair at night, but I'm going to start doing it more often.  I've gotten a lot of compliments on my hair today.  I also consider this somewhat of a protective style, since my curls are tight enough to stay off my clothes.  My curls fell a little during the day, but not enough to rub against my sweater!

February 2012 Relaxer

I got a relaxer a couple of weeks ago after a 10-week stretch.  My stylist used a mild Mizani relaxer for fine hair.  Almost all of the black rinse I put in the week before washed out, so I'll apply more this weekend.  I got a little trim. I love how my ends look now, but I really need to give the trimming a rest if I want to make it to bra strap length! I wore my hair out the first day or two, but have been wearing a bun since.  I'm not happy with my thickness (or lack of), so it's even worse after a relaxer!  I actually like wearing a bun right after a relaxer, while my edges are so straight and smooth.

Salon visit at 8 Weeks

I couldn't take it anymore.  My hair was not doing what I wanted it to do, so I went to get it done.  I went to a salon not far from my house that I went to a lot when I was pregnant a couple of years ago.  It's not run by Dominicans, but their technique is like the Dominican salons, except they don't burn the heck out of your scalp with the blow dryer!

I wasn't even sure the place was still open, so I didn't do an oil pre-poo like I wanted.  They were open, but moved down the street.  It was snowing, so it was pretty empty when I walked in.  They immediately took me to the sink to wash my hair.  The woman who washed my hair was very gentle, which I liked.  The last time I went, the wash girl was ridiculously rough shampooing and detangling my hair. I couldn't see what kind of shampoo and conditioner she used, but they smelled good.  I noticed that most of the products at the sink were Mizani and Biolage.  She then set my hair on large grey magnetic rollers with Biolage and Mizani leave-ins.  I'm sure I could have asked for smaller rollers to achieve a curlier look, but my goal was really to tame my hair a little.  I sat under the dryer for no more than an hour, and then I went to the styling chair.  Because I'm usually the thickest-head (=nappiest) in there, usually only the owner will blow out my roots, which I'm fine with, because I know my hair will come out nice.  She used Ion's Flat Iron Spray on each section before she blow dried my roots, and applied Moroccan Oil after she was done.  My hair was really straight and bouncy.  Since it was nasty outside, she wrapped my hair, I put on my hat, and I was out of there.  I don't think I was there for 2 hours, which is great.

My hair came out so nice.  I can't believe how she got my roots to lay down so flat with so little heat.  She even got my edges straight, which is unheard of for me.  I would be happy with the bounce I got if I was 2 weeks post relaxer, but I was 8 weeks!  The only thing I'm not happy about is the condition of my hair.  Although it's straight and bouncy, it's not at the thickness level I want.  I know that is from my being lazy with moisturizing for the past few months.  Even wrapping my hair the past couple of nights has been good.  I'm convinced I don't know how to wrap my hair myself because every time I do it after a set, it looks crazy.

I have decided to go back to the black rinse/cellophane.  It really helps my hair hold moisture, look thicker and be shiny.  I also have a feeling that the henna has dried my hair out some, so I'm giving it a break for a while.  I'll get a black color when I get my hair relaxed next week.  I think I'm going to my old stylist for my relaxer, but I will go back to this salon to get sets.  They're fast, good, and open on Sundays!

November 2011 Relaxer- Nothing Like a Good Cut!

I was not getting along with my hair for the past few weeks. It was hard to style and seemed damaged and thin to me. Even my buns looked wack! I usually don't like my hair the week or 2 before a relaxer, but this time felt different. I was seriously thinking about transitioning to natural. I felt like my hair would be so much thicker and healthier without a relaxer. I even talked to some of my natural friends about transitioning.

I ended up getting a relaxer, but I'm still thinking about transitioning. It's such a huge commitment and a lot of work, and I don't know if I'm up for it right now. My life is really busy, and I give a lot of presentations at work, so I have to look polished and professional every day. I do believe that natural hair can look professional, but I also understand that there might be some "not-so-pretty" days while I transition! I would love to see what my natural texture is like since I've been getting relaxers since I was 13. My hair doesn't thrive with braids or weave, and I keep hearing about heat damage with too much flat ironing, so I just need to come up with a plan...

Anyway, because of my hair frustrations, I decided to try a new stylist. My stylist is good, but she insists on relaxing me bone straight and won't use a mild relaxer. She also is much better at styling shorter hair. When I started going to her, I had a tapered cut. As my hair got longer, she could only do a blunt cut. So I went to my girlfriend's salon. I went to this salon a couple of years ago, and didn't like the stylist I went to, but this time I went to another stylist. I was really impressed with my experience this time. Everyone was extremely professional- even the receptionist shook my hand, and they took me right away. I had to fill out a form about my hair, and the stylist talked to me about the kind of relaxer I wanted. We decided on Mizani Mild. I've been getting Mizani relaxers for a couple of years and she said that they are very conditioning. I noticed that almost all of the products in the salon were Mizani, Affirm and Paul Mitchell, which I thought was a good sign.

I got a little worried when the wash girl combed my hair out as she prepped my hair, because I felt like she was manipulating my scalp. It was fine though, because I didn't even burn. I noticed that my stylist relaxed my edges last, which is a good thing because I can't remember a time when my edges didn't have breakage. When I started "tingling," the wash girl immediately ran over and sprayed that area with oil sheen. She rinsed the relaxer out and added conditioner in my hair, which she let sit as a stayed over the sink for about 10 minutes. I'm not sure what kind of conditioner it was, or if it was a protein conditioner, but it felt and smelled really nice. After washing and conditioning, the stylist set my hair on plastic mesh rollers and I sat under the dryer for about an hour. I asked a lot of questions while she did my hair. She gave me some tips on maintaining my hair at night and when I work out. The receptionist also gave me a sheet with hair tips. I knew all of them already, but I thought it was a nice gesture, especially for people who don't know how to take care of their hair.

After my hair was dry, she asked me if I wanted a trim. I said yes, because 1) I knew I needed one, and 2) I wanted an actual hairstyle. I don't think I've had my hair cut into a style in a couple of years- that's the drawback of being so determined to grow your hair long! We decided to "trim" a few layers in my hair to make it look fuller. I also got a little side sweep in the front. She didn't wrap my hair after, which I like (my hair does not like a full wrap). She just massaged my scalp to loosen the curls, and lightly blow dried the top to smooth it out. I love how my hair came out! It looks so much thicker, which is incredible to me since my hair usually looks so flat after a relaxer. For the past few days, I've been alternating pin curling and cross-wrapping it at night. She recommended that I use Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum as a moisturizer and adding a little oil if I need it in the morning and before I work out. I will definitely visit her again!


It's amazing what a good trim/cut can do. I feel like my hair is so much easier to style and that products work so much better.

Can't Do My Own Hair?!?!

Last week I went to a Dominican salon for a rollerset. I really like how my hair came out. Lately I feel like I can't do my own hair anymore! My hair doesn't come out as smooth as I want it and my ends are never as healthy-looking when I do it. It's like I have a different head of hair when I get it done. When I get it done at the salon, my hair is easier to maintain and it accepts products better. I don't know if it's because my hair is longer, that I don't have a good hooded dryer, or that I'm not using the right products/rollers, but I need to figure out how to create a nice style myself soon. I don't want to go to the salon every week because I hate going to the salon. It seems like a huge drain on my precious time. Fortunately, the place I go for rollersets gets me in and out, but I'm still not trying to be in there on a weekly basis.

The only thing I didn't like about this last salon experience is that the woman who washed my hair, washed the hell out of it. My hair really wasn't that dirty! My scalp felt sensitive when she was done. I wasn't feeling it at all. Fortunately, my hair didn't feel stripped or dry when I left the salon. Even still, I've decided that the next time I go, I'm going with conditioner already in my hair, and I'm not going to let them shampoo me more than twice.

I'm seriously considering investing in a good-quality hooded dryer. I also need to learn how to use magnetic rollers so that I can use the larger ones and shorten my drying time. I don't know how to blowdry my own hair, but I'm not that interested in learning. If I can rollerset my hair and the majority of my hair comes out smooth, I don't mind flat ironing the roots if I need to.

June 2011 Relaxer

I got a relaxer last week- I went 10 weeks, which I think is good for me at this point. The relaxer went well, but I did burn, which hasn't happened in almost 3 years! I oiled my scalp well, as I usually do. I think since I've been working out so much, the fact that I sweated the day before at the gym caused my pores to be more open. I didn't burn too bad, but I do have a little scab in the back. Next time, I may skip the gym the day before and do a better job of oiling my scalp.

I told my stylist that my ends were pretty dry and crispy, so she gave me a trim. I'm still at APL, which fine with me as long as my ends are healthy:



I got a lot of compliments on my hair when I went out of town last weekend for my best friend's wedding.

I'm trying something new and big this weekend, so stay tuned....

May 2011 Update

For a refreshing change, I'm actually loving my hair these days. I got a relaxer about 3 weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying the length and health of my hair. I always complain that my hair is so thin, but it really isn't as thin as I thought. It is very fine, but it's not thin. I think I was using the wrong products and methods when I rollerset. I roll my hair too tight, and I'm sure this is the reason I have so many hairs on the floor when I comb out my set. So, I'm taking a little break from rollersetting. I'm also going to stop complaining about how thin/fine it is. It's not fine because it's not healthy. It's hereditary and I'm going to get over it.

My stylist thinks I should just air dry and flatiron it for a while. She does that to her daughter's hair, and her hair is at her waist. She has never gotten a roller set! For my first wash after my relaxer, I added my leave-ins and combed my hair down. I sat under the dryer for about 15 minutes. I attempted to blow dry, but I don't know how effective it was since I really don't know how to blow dry well. I used Chi Silk Infusion as my heat protectant and flatironed my hair. It came out so nice! It was bouncy, moist and shiny. And it looked thick! I honestly didn't know how to act for a week with my hair swinging like that. While I dried, I tied my edges down with a scarf, which also made a big difference in how slick my hair looked!

I don't want to give up rollersetting entirely, as I like the body I get and it is less manipulation on my hair. This past weekend, I got a rollerset at a Dominican salon. The woman who did my hair barely spoke English, so I don't know what products she used. I will say that whatever she used smelled heavenly. She really rubbed in the conditioner, and she set my hair in like, 2 minutes. Okay, not 2 minutes, but a lot faster than I do. She blew out my roots and the blow dryer was hot as hell, but the end result was worth it. I'm hoping I can get a rollerset done every 2 weeks and wash and flatiron my hair in between. When it gets too hot for me to sit under the dryer, I'll experiment with bantu knots and braidouts. I'll probably wear my hair up in a bun when it's hot anyway.

I also haven't needed too much moisturizer. I just spray some oil sheen on my hair while it's wrapped and maybe put some castor oil on my ends, and I'm good to go. I'm really trying to get most of my moisture from the conditioners, so I don't have to deal with moisturizers that don't do much but weigh my hair down.

I finally got a camera, so I'll post pictures soon.

February 2011 Relaxer

I got a relaxer on Saturday after a 10 week stretch. It would be nice to go longer, but I think 10 weeks is my limit at this point. I didn't have a lot of shedding, but my hair was hard to style and my ends really needed a trim. I told my stylist to give me a good trim. It looked like she was cutting a lot and I saw a lot of hair on the floor, but my hair is still just hitting arm-pit length. Either I had more new growth than I thought, or I didn't need as much of a trim as I thought. Anyway, I'm happy with my ends now.

My main focus right now is moisture and thickness. I've been looking at a lot of old pictures of my hair lately, and I've realized that my hair has never been that thick (except when I was pregnant). I think it just looked thick because I had a short cut with layers for so long. I thought about getting layers this weekend, but I need to think about it a little more. I also haven't been good at keeping curls in my hair. Lately I've just been cross wrapping it at night instead of putting my hair in pincurls, flexirods or bantu knots. The weather has really been getting to me- I'm so unmotivated to do anything extra.

I need to find a way to keep moisture in my hair! I know the biggest reason for this dryness is the weather, because my baby's hair has been dry too. When we were in Jamaica a couple of months ago, both of us were able to retain moisture in our hair, so I know it's the dry, cold air that's doing it to us. I've been using a humidifier at work and home, and I'm drinking a lot more water, but I need something else...steaming? better conditioner and/or moisturizer? Probably all of these. I guess my hair has the winter blues just like I do!

October 2010 Relaxer

I got a relaxer last weekend. I went 10 weeks. My hair was getting hard to manage, and I didn't want any excess shedding. My stylist used the Mizani Butter Blends for fine hair. I also got a Joico K-Pak protein treatment. She gave me a dusting and said she was happy with the condition of my hair, even though I wish it were thicker. I complained about the black rinse still being in my hair. She said that my hair is dark, but not black, and my roots and ends are my natural lighter brown, so that's a good thing. She told me that the next time I put a rinse in my hair, I should use a light brown. I don't know how well that will cover up my platinum hairs, but I'll try it.

My hair is grazing arm-pit length, but I'm not ready to claim it yet. Reaching my goal length has taken a little longer than I planned, but I'm fine with it as long as my hair is healthy.

I still have a way to go to reach my goals of thick, long, moisturized hair. I'm in the process of incorporating some new products and methods into my haircare regimen...

July 2010 Relaxer

I got a relaxer this week. I had only gone 10 weeks instead of my usual 12 because my roots and edges were really hard to manage. My stylist was really pleased with my hair. I told her to just dust it, but I think she actually trimmed it. I was hoping to see more length, but my hair's health is more important, so I'd rather see my ends look healthy. She used Mizani to relax and deep conditioned with Joico. She roller set my hair with ORS moisturizer and KeraCare setting foam, then she wrapped it.

I'm hoping to be arm-pit length by my next relaxer in October.

May 2010 Relaxer

I got a relaxer this weekend. I went about 11 1/2 weeks this time. I think my postpartum shedding has stopped, but I got the usual shedding I get when it's time for a relaxer. My relaxer experiences are so pleasant now. I never burn anymore, and I used to burn every time. My stylist deep conditioned, trimmed and rollerset my hair. She used the Lottabody foam wrap, which didn't really impress me. I usually have her pincurl it after she takes the rollers out, but this time I had her wrap it because I wanted it to be straight for a few days:

I like how it came out, and I'm so happy about my growth. I can't believe how close I am to arm pit length! Now that I feel like it's long enough, I'm going to start trying braidouts. I know it will take me a while to find the right products to use, so I'll just do it on the weekends at first! I also need to buy some new hair accessories. All of my clips are too small or weak because they always break in my hair now. Not a bad problem to have, huh?!

February 2010 Relaxer

I wanted to wait 12 weeks to get a relaxer, but with all this shedding, I didn't want to go another week. I went 11, which I think was just as good. My hair sheds when it's time for a relaxer anyway, so I'm sure that was part of the problem. I just knew that my stylist, D, would tell me that my hair was in terrible shape and that I would have to get an inch cut off!

When I washed my hair this weekend, I did the Aphogee 2 minute protein treatment and used the Roux Porosity Control treatment. For the last 3 nights, I based my scalp with my Softee Castor Oil (I really like the Hollywood Beauty kind, but the bss didn't have it the last time I was in there; this one is pretty good too). D bases my scalp well, but I like to have another line of defense! I didn't burn at all when she applied the relaxer.

I'm not sure what kind of conditioner she used. She usually uses Humectin, but we were talking, so I didn't notice. She then dusted my ends and roller set my hair. She used the ORS Wrap/Set Mousse to set my hair. She said she likes it better than the KeraCare. When she took the rollers out, she said she was loving how my hair felt. I couldn't believe it! She said that my hair is doing well and not to worry about the shedding- not only am I postpartum, but she said when your hair is longer, you experience more shedding. There was another woman in the shop with beautiful, long hair, and she said she sheds a lot too. That made me feel better, but I do want my shedding to decrease a little, because I hate seeing all the hard work and hair go down the drain, literally!

It was cold, windy and rainy out, so she pincurled the top, and wrapped the sides. I combed it out when I got home, but I moisturized and pincurled it back and didn't take it out until I got to work this morning.

I'm really happy I went yesterday, and even happier that D liked the condition of my hair. I may pick up some ORS Wrap/Set Mousse for my next set and compare it to the KeraCare.

December 2009 Relaxer

I got a relaxer a few days ago after going 12 weeks. I don't have a photo because I got it curled, so I'll post a picture when it's straight. My salon experience was really good. I didn't get anything different, but the relaxer didn't burn at all, which is rare for me. Also, my hair didn't shed at all, which is great, considering I just had a baby. My stylist was really impressed with my hair. The way she talks to me about hair has changed to, because I guess she can see I'm serious about taking care of it. She gave me some tips on how to style my hair, and even gave me short tutorial on braidouts. She told me that I should try it now that my hair is longer.

I'm going to try to keep going 12 weeks between relaxer. My hair is so much healthier this way, and I like seeing how much it's grown after so long. I also save money and time. I calculated that by getting a relaxer every 12 weeks instead of 6 saves me $425 and I go to the salon only 4 times a year instead of 9.

September 2009 Relaxer

I went 11 weeks this time- the longest I've ever gone! Hopefully, I can make it to 12 next time. I don't think I want to go longer than 12 weeks between relaxers, but we'll see what happens.

My stylist is really impressed with my hair- both the length and thickness. Every time I go, she asks what I've been doing to it. I usually just tell her that I condition it a lot and stay away from heat, which is true. I didn't even check to see what kind of relaxer she used this time- she usually uses Mizani, but sometime she'll use Affirm. I had her set my hair this time, which is only the first or second time I've ever let her rollerset my hair. I usually just get it wrapped or blowdried. I like the set much better, as it gave my hair a lot more body and thickness.

I'm also happy to say that all of the black rinse is out of my hair! For a couple of months this summer, I was using a plum color from Adore, and now I'm using a cinnamon, which I can really see in the light. The black was nice, and I loved how it covered my gray, but I like to switch it up sometimes, and since it took forever to get the black out, I won't be using it for a while. If I want to go dark, I'll just use dark brown.

I didn't get a chance to blog about it, but about a month ago, I did my first braidout! It was a couple of days before getting a blowout, so I wanted to try it. I washed and conditioned my hair, then I used Salerm 21 leave-in, Organix coconut serum, and some BB oil moisturizer before braiding my hair in 6 braids. I curled the ends with rollers and put a scarf on it and went to bed. In the morning, it was still a little wet, so I sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes. When I took out the braids, my hair was shiny and felt moist. My girlfriend said she really liked it, but my man had a few funny comments. I pulled the front up in a clip and left the back out. I still need some practice, but overall I liked it. I also want my hair to get a little longer. Hopefully by next summer, I'll be doing mostly braidouts!

Blowout

I got a Dominican rollerset and blowout the other day. Actually the stylist was Cape Verdean, but the technique was the same. She rolled my hair up with Mizani Heat Protector and Matrix Biolage Smoothing Shine Milk . Then she blew out my roots and wrapped my hair. I like how my hair came out. It's bouncy and looks healthy. It didn't come out as shiny as it usually is, but I went home and moisturized it, which created more shine. I really went because I have an event this weekend and I wanted to try the salon first. I know I shouldn't be getting a blow out 2 weekends in a row, but after that, I probably won't go again for a couple of months.