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!

Loving Crochet Braids

I've had my crochet braids in for four weeks- longer than I planned.  I'm taking them out this weekend, but I could probably go another week or two.  My platinum hairs are growing in around my edges, so I need to color them.  I'm really impressed that the hair hasn't matted or tangled.  This is probably THE best $10 hair style I've ever had, lol.  I also have been wearing it differently- parted in the middle, parted on the side, and front up, back out.  Mornings have been great since I don't have to do much to my hair. I've been working out almost every day with no bad hair to show for it.  This is how I have maintained this style for the past four weeks:

• Evening: Put it up in a high ponytail (pineapple method) and tie a silk scarf around my edges.
• Morning: Every other day spray my roots with a water/conditioner/oil/glycerin mix; spray the synthetic hair with water, take down the pineapple, shake and go.  If my edges are really crazy looking, apply some edge gel and tie down my edges with a silk scarf for about 15 minutes.
• Working out: Keep it in the pineapple; I also play tennis 1-2 times a week, and I just wear it in a low ponytail.
• Once a week: Finger de-tangle the ends, cut stray hairs and apply mousse to the hair.

Pretty easy, huh?  I can see how this style can be addictive!

If I see that my hair has thrived when I wash it tomorrow, I might install them again!  I have some business trips coming up, and this is a great style for traveling!

I'm also going to put a black semi-permanent color in my hair this weekend.  I haven't used black in about two years because sometimes I think it's a little too harsh for my skin tone and I really wanted to try to work with my natural dusty brown color...BUT, the black really helps my hair maintain moisture and absorb product.  Plus it makes it look so shiny and thick!  I really want to retain more length, especially in the front, and I believe the black color with help.  Every time I think about the times my hair was the healthiest, I remember that it was black!

UPDATED Product Review: Product Review: Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

I reviewed this product a little over a year ago, and I didn't think it was the product for me.  Well, that was then and this is now.  I feel like I have a different head of hair than I did in December, 2012.  My hair is longer, thicker, not damaged, and most importantly, moisturized.  I also know that layering with the right products helps, and I think I found my combination with the Curl Enhancing Smoothie.

I've been using it for a while, but I just realized today how well it works for me.  Over the past two weeks, I've been trying other products to twist my hair, and I went back to this last night and woke up with juicy, shiny hair with defined curls.  Based on recommendations from friends, I've been trying other curling creams and butters and they haven't done what this product does for me.  Here's my process at night when I re-twist:

1. Spray a little water or my water/leave-in/oil mix on each section
2. Apply a little castor oil to the section
3. Apply Curl Enhancing Smoothie to the full length of hair in the section, concentrating on the ends
4. Apply a little bit of Ecostyler Gel to the ends
5. Twist and bantu knot

Many people know this as the LOC method - liquid, oil and cream.  For a long time, I was applying the oil after the cream, but this way yields much better results.  This combination of products not only moisturizes my hair, but it also stretches it more and makes it a lot easier to style in the morning.  With some products, my hair doesn't stretch more each day, which makes it hard for me to pick the parts out, resulting in breakage.  I never hear or feel hair snapping when I use this!

DIY Moisturizer

I'm still in the kinky twists, and I'm really loving them. I like having a nice hairstyle every day that I don't have to do much too.  It's perfect for the summer.  I've had them in for a little over 8 weeks, and although they still look good, I'm taking them out this week.  I don't want my hair to tangle or get matted. I think I'll get them put back in so I can let my hair grow over the summer without much manipulation.

I took one twist out today and I was extremely happy about how moist my hair is!  I'm thinking that I will have to create a whole new hair regimen.  Maybe my hair is getting back to normal from being so dry for the past year.  I think consistent swimming last year and the henna treatments really dried my hair out, so I'm hoping that my hair is on the road to recovery.

So how did I get this moist hair? It's so simple.  In the past 8 weeks, I've only washed my scalp twice.  Every morning I spray my scalp and roots with a mixture of water, jojoba oil, castor oil and Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner.  I never measure, but it's about 3 parts water, 1 part conditioner and .5 parts oil.  My scalp hasn't itched at all.  Even my edges are doing well, and I haven't done much but brush them down a little.  I haven't been sleeping with a satin scarf because it's too hot, and it's uncomfortable with all of these twists.  I do sleep on a satin pillowcase, though.

I'm hoping that when I do go back to wearing my hair out, my hair will respond just as well to the spray!

The Baggy Method

The baggy method is when you add moisturizer or oil and wear a plastic cap or bag for a period of time to keep moisture in your hair.  Some baggy overnight while sleeping, others baggy for a few hours at a time.  Some baggy just the ends of their hair, while others baggy the whole head.  I mentioned baggying in my low porosity post, but I really haven't done it much.  Baggying overnight doesn't work for me, because I usually wake up with wet, mushy hair.  However, doing it for a few hours at a time makes my hair moist and soft.

Still on my continuous quest for hair moisture, I've started to incorporate baggying into my regimen.  My hair is naturally dry anyway, but the monthly henna and the cold, dry winter doesn't help.  The other day, I applied some Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner to my hair, and twisted it.  I put on a plastic cap for a couple of hours, and when I took it off, my hair was moisturized from root to tip.  Yesterday, I worked from home, so I wore a cap for the majority of the day.  I didn't worry about my hair getting wet since I wasn't going anywhere, and I knew being in the house with the dry heat would really make my hair dry. After about 4 hours, my hair wasn't even wet!

It was 3 degrees this morning.  Yes, I wrote 3 degrees!  I usually put a satin scarf on under my wool hat, but for today's commute, I wore a plastic bag under my hat.  The only product I applied was a little shea butter to take my twists out.  When I got to work and took my hat and plastic hat off, my hair was so moist and soft.  I did have a little shrinkage, but I'd much rather moist shrunken hair than dry stretched hair.

I've decided to baggy daily, if even just for my commute to work, or for a few hours before I go to bed.  I'm hoping this give me moisture, shine and length retention and less shedding and breakage.

Again, be careful of over moisturized, mushy hair.  It could lead to breakage.  I've read that some women also get an itchy scalp from baggying.

What has been your experience with baggying?  What is your method and how long do you baggy?

Deep Conditioning with Heat A MUST

Even though I've been on my healthy hair journey for a while, I still forget how important some things are.  When I first started, I always deep conditioned with heat.  For the past year or so, I've been slacking and from my big chop in June up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't deep condition with heat once.  Not once! I thought that leaving the conditioner in overnight or while I worked out was good enough. I was so wrong...

A couple of weeks ago, my man's friend Zo came by the house.  Zo is a hairstylist and he asked me how my hair was coming along:

Me: (whining) It's so dry!
Zo: Do you deep condition?
Me: Of course!
Zo: With heat? Under the dryer?
Me: No, I haven't sat under the dryer in a while.
Zo: You need to deep condition with heat, especially since you're natural and it's winter. No matter how long you leave the conditioner on, it's just going to sit on top of your hair.

Duh!  I should have known better.  I know my hair is low porosity.  A few days after this conversation, I deep conditioned with a mixture of protein and moisturizing conditioners that were almost empty and mixed with a little oil. I deep conditioned using the 15-10-10 method.  I sat under the dryer for 15 minutes, added more conditioner to the extremely dry parts and smoothed my hair down, sat under the dryer for another 10 minutes, added more conditioner, and sat under the dryer for 10 more minutes.  When I finished, my hair felt so good.  For real, this was the first time in about 2 years that I felt like my hair was truly moisturized.  I've done this 3 times, and each time I get better results.  Oils and products seem to absorb into my hair now when before they were just sitting on my hair doing nothing.

This was a hard lesson learned, but at least I finally got it.  I feel like I've wasted so much product that was just sitting on top of my hair and not moisturizing it!

April 2012 Update

I'm almost 13 weeks post relaxer- the longest I think I've ever gone.  Yay me!  I am definitely planning on transitioning to natural, but I'm open to texlaxing in a month or so if things get too hard for me.

I've been going to the salon every other week.  I get a rollerset and then they blow out my roots.  The salon I've been going to does a really good blowing out my roots on a low setting and still getting them straight. Straight hair definitely keeps my hair from shedding and breaking off as much.  Between the salon visits, I wash and deep condition my own hair.  I usually will rollerset and flat iron my roots.  I have tried airdrying.  FAIL.  I have tried braidouts.  FAIL. I end up with hard and extremely dry hair.  I welcome any tips or suggestions!

In the past few weeks, I've also been trying some new products and techniques, and have discovered a few things:

1. S-Curl is not my friend. I've tried using it different ways and in different quantities and I still don't like it. When I use a little, my hair feels dry and coated. When I use more, my hair feels wet and mushy. I hate how the product feels on my hands. I hate how it smells.  I will not be using S-Curl, Hawaiian Silky, Wave Nouveau, Carefree Curl, or any other similar products in the future. I just can't.

2. Argan Oil is my friend. Although I haven't used straight argan oil yet, my hair seems to really like products with argan oil in them. I've been using Hair One with argan oil, and Creme of Nature Shampoo with Argan Oil, and my hair comes out really moist and shiny. I've also been using serums with argan oil, and although I'm not convinced that products with silicones are good for my hair, I do get great first, second and third day hair with them.

I'm working on changing my mental state by appreciating women I see with natural hair. I am looking forward to having big hair that I can wear curly or straight.

This is not the best picture, just one of me and my son being silly, but I did my hair myself (rollerset + pincurls):

2012 - Happy New Year!

I haven't been blogging for the past month, because I've been taking time to really think and analyze my hair regimen. My hair has been really dry and difficult to manage lately. I thought about products and techniques I used during the first 2 years of my hair journey, which resulted in a healthy head of hair. I finally came to the conclusion that I've basically just slacked off on my regimen! I really have to get strict again about taking care of my hair.

One of the biggest things I realized is that I was in "denial" about having long hair. I've had short hair for most of my life, and pretty much my whole adult life, with the exception of the past couple of years. I should have been more diligent in conditioning and moisturizing my hair TWO years ago when my hair hit my shoulders. Instead, I've been using the same amount of product I did when my hair was short!

Another culprit- moisturizing and sealing. I've been really bad at moisturizing and sealing my hair on a regular basis. I still haven't found 'the' moisturizer, but something is better than nothing, right? Shame on me- I should know better! I live in the Northeast and it's winter. My hair is relaxed and naturally dry. Last night I moisturized my hair in 6 sections with ORS moisturizer and sealed with coconut oil. What a difference a day makes- today my hair is moist, shiny and smooth. Although my hair is a little heavy, I prefer this over dryness. I'm wearing a bun anyway!

Winter can wreak havoc on my hair, so I have to keep my head covered when I go outside. I recently sewed satin linings in all of our hats, so I have no excuse. I have already gotten a humidifier for my office at work, and I have "borrowed" the humidifier from son's room until I buy one for mine. I will continue drinking lots of water. I am also considering taking vitamins again.

I also need to finally figure out my moisture/protein balance. My hair is fine, which makes me think it needs more protein than I give it, but I'm also nervous about protein overload and making it drier than it already is.

There are products that I used at the beginning of my hair journey that helped my hair thrive, but for some reason, I stopped using them. My favorite product used to be coconut oil. I used it as a sealant, leave-in, and for hot oil treatments. Coconut oil is back in the rotation. Castor oil is out for a while. Another product that kept my hair moist and shiny was ORS Replenishing Pak. I just started using the KeraPro line, but I think I'll alternate deep conditioners with the ORS and KeraPro. I think my hair is becoming more porous, so I'm going to start back using the Roux Porosity Control treatment at least once a month.

I always plan to wear protective styles the majority of the time, but I haven't been doing it. I think I've finally figured out how to create a bun I like, so I think I can wear protective styles at least 4 days a week for the rest of the winter. I might even join Traycee's protective style challenge!


Tiffanita's 2012 Hair Goals:

• Maintain a good moisture level
• Improve the health and length of my edges
• Blog more to keep track of my progress and techniques and products
• Reach bra strap length

The new year is about making goals, but also reflecting on the past year. I'm glad I've taken some time to do that. I feel positive about my plan and about the year ahead. I'm not happy with my hair today, but I'm confident that I will be in the coming weeks, and that I will meet my goals.

I wish all of you a blessed, prosperous, and healthy 2012!
-Tif

September 2011 Hair Updates

I haven't been blogging for the past month, partly because work and life has me busy, but mostly because I've just been trying to stay consistent with my hair regimen. The only new thing is that I have been baggying more, but I only do it for a short period of time. Either in the evening or in the morning while I'm getting dressed, I apply a little moisturizer to my hair, put on a plastic cap, and then a silk scarf. I keep it on for about an hour while I cook dinner or get dressed. When I take the scarf and bag off, my hair is super moist. I've been doing this 3-4 times a week and it seems to solve my dry hair problems. My edges have always been a problem- they get dry and then break off. I've noticed the biggest difference in my edges. Baggying keeps them moist and they lay down the way I want them to. An hour is just enough for me to baggy. I find if I baggy overnight or for longer periods, my hair is just mushy, wet and weak.

Just Starting to Deep Condition???

I've been on my hair journey for almost 3 years, and I think I am just starting to truly deep condition my hair! I had a great wash experience last weekend, and I think it was mostly due to the length of time I deep conditioned with heat. I usually spend about 15-20 minutes under the dryer with conditioner in my hair. However, this time, I stayed under over 30 minutes. When I took the plastic cap off, I hardly recognized my hair! It was soft and moist- like butter! Now, I have read about women who deep condition with heat for 45 minutes, but I never did because I didn't think it would make a difference, and I didn't want to devote the time. I am truly a believe now. I will deep condition with heat for at least 35 minutes from now on!

I also used Roux Porosity Control and Infusium 23 Leave-in for this wash. I washed on Saturday, it's now Thursday, and I have loved my hair since. I have been wrapping it every night, which is rare- I can usually only wrap my hair for 3 days before it starts getting limp and flat. At night, I have been applying Hask Pure Shine Polishing Serum and then wrapping. Although it's a serum, it contains some really good oils, and my hair loves it. In the morning, I comb my wrap out, and maybe apply a little coconut or grapeseed oil to my ends. My hair has stayed moist and full.

Less is More

Although my hair has been feeling dry lately, I've been experimenting with the amount of moisturizer I apply. For the past 3 nights, I have been putting on a few drops of moisturizer on my hair and ends, and then nothing in the morning. Well, last night I felt like my hair was the most moisturized it's been in months!

I remember an old stylist of mine telling me years ago not to use any moisturizer and that my hair gets its moisture from the inside of my body. At this point, I only half agree with that. I will rely on the majority of my hair moisture from conditioning and drinking water, but I do need some topical moisture, even if only to retain my length.

For me, moisturizing at night is key too!

October '08 Hair Update

I know I haven't been writing here much lately, but honestly, I don't have much to write about. That and the fact that my job has me working like a slave! I've just been trying to stick to my regimen. I've been drinking a lot more water every day and I started taking daily prenatal vitamins about a month ago. What I notice most is that my new growth became very noticeable at about 2 weeks post-relaxer, which is hopefully a sign of growth and thickness. My nails are hard as nails too- I can't remember the last time I had a split or broken nail!

It's been 7 weeks since my last relaxer and I'm hanging in there, hopefully for another 2 weeks at least. I've been working on finding products when I'm past 5 weeks post-relaxer. I find that most of my techniques stay the same, but I need products that have more moisture when I'm past that 5 week mark. I'm striving to go 9 weeks this time (I've never gone past 8), so I need to put in some extra effort to keep my hair healthy and presentable. It's still a work in progress, but here is what I have so far:

Pre-poo: Vanilla Organix Conditioner and Vatika Oil - the Vanilla Organix seems to soften my new growth and loosen the curls a little more than the other Organix conditioners I use to pre-poo. I apply it like relaxer to my roots and use heat for about 15 minutes before washing my hair. I'd like to try neem oil in the future since I've heard how much it softens new growth.

Shampoo (1x a week): Creme of Nature Shampoo - I just used this shampoo (green label) for the first time last weekend, and I liked it. My hair wasn't tangled and felt as moist as it could be, I think. I don't really know what moisturized hair feels like when wet, but I know what stripped hair feels like, and I didn't get that feeling from the CON. This is a keeper.

Conditioner Wash (1x a week): I continue to co-wash with V05 Moisture Milks. I've been using the Passion Fruit Smoothie flavor. It's good, but I'm in love with the Strawberries n Cream scent!

Deep Conditioner: ORS Replenishing - I like Pantene Breakage Defense Mask, but the ORS gives me moisture and slip that can't compare. Even though it has some olive oil in it (my hair hates olive oil), this conditioner seems to really penetrate my hair, not only moisturizing it, but also allowing other moisturizers to work better. I have been doing the Aphogee 2-minute treatment every week before deep conditioning.

Leave-In Conditioner: Giovanni Direct Leave-In - I went back to Salerm 21, and although both do a good job at de-tangling and moisturizing, the Giovanni softens my new growth much better.

Roller setting products: coconut oil + water spray/serum + water spray/setting lotion - Since my last relaxer, I've been setting my hair by spraying all over once with coconut oil mixed with water, and once with serum mixed with water, then using water to keep it wet. However, as my new growth got longer, this mix left me with a nice set with a rough afro underneath. This past weekend I added diluted Lottabody into the mix, and my roots were straighter and softer.

Moisturizer: B&B Oil Moisturizer and Coconut Oil - The biggest stretching challenge for me is keeping my hair moisturized. KeraCare Creme Hairdress is great, but after about 5 weeks, it doesn't keep my hair moisturized all day. I thought of bringing it to work with me, but that's just too much- I don't have time to moisturize my hair during the work day! I remembered when I first started using the B&B, it was almost time for a touch-up and it worked really well. So I started using it again about a week ago, just on my ends, but my roots were still dry and hard. The other day I started applying it to my new growth at night, and my roots have been moist and soft ever since. I've been doing this every night, even though my roots already feel great. I have also been pin curling, since my curls don't seem to stay as long after 5 weeks, and applying the B&B to my ends before I pin curl has been fabulous. I seal with coconut oil in the morning when I comb out my curls. Pin curling has also helped to keep my hair off my collars (yes, my hair is hitting my jacket collars!).

I know I haven't been posting photos much either, but I'd like to wait until my next relaxer so I can see if I had any growth!

Fall/Winter Regimen

Today is the first official day of fall. I thought I would still have a few days to enjoy summer things (open-toed shoes, tank tops, keeping my windows open all day), but here in Boston, you never know! I didn’t think my hair regimen would change too much, but now I’m re-considering. Even as I walked to work this morning, I felt like the cold, dry wind was hurting my hair already. Given that, I’ve come up with some things I’ll do differently to my hair for the next 8 months:

• Consider going back to washing once a week instead of 2 (I’m thinking every 5-7 days). I don’t think I’ll have the energy or motivation to wash as often anyway (I think I have a touch of seasonal affective disorder). My hair may need a wash twice a week since it has been thriving, so we’ll see..
• Wear hats whenever I can. In the winter in Boston, I usually keep my hair wrapped in my silk scarf, put a hat over it, and comb out my hair when I get to work.
• Wear silk scarves so that my hair doesn’t rub against wool sweaters and coats.
• Leave my pre-poo in longer than 30 minutes.
• Use the DIY steam treatment every time I deep condition.
• Be better at massaging my scalp and sealing ends- once or even twice a day!
• Apply a color rinse every other week to better condition my hair.
• Incorporate protective styles once my hair gets to shoulder-length (crossing my fingers for February ’09).

I plan on changing my products too much, I’m just not going to be doing as many co-washes.

No Setting Lotion?

For my wash yesterday, I re-visited using serum for my rollerset. Lottabody and Dudley's setting lotions are okay, but I haven't felt that my hair is as moist as it could be. I did my regular pre-poo and co-wash. I also applied the color rinse again, but this time I put deep conditioner on top of it- to soften up my hair and to save time so I wouldn't have to sit under the dryer twice before setting. After I rinsed the color/dc out, I used Salerm 21 leave-in, sprayed some coconut oil mixed with water, and then sprayed some Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum mixed with water. I then set my hair as usual, using a spray bottle of water to keep it wet. I'm not sure if it was from the color, the serum or a combination of both, but my hair came out shiny and much thicker looking. I also had less hairs in the sink when I combed my curls out.

I had been wrapping my hair all the way around for the past 2 and a half weeks since my relaxer, and decided to go back to cross-wrapping, which works much better for me. I'll try the full wrap again when my hair gets longer. Funny, when my stylist wraps my hair it comes out great. I guess I don't have the technique down.

Much Better!

I have to say, my hair is 300% better now that it's somewhat healthy again. I'm so glad I got the rest of my scraggly ends cut off a couple of weeks ago. I went to Atlanta this past weekend, and my hair held up fabulously. I co-washed and roller set it Thursday night, and I didn't have to do anything to it all weekend, besides put a little oil on it a couple of times. I didn't have to use heat, pincurls, nada! I think that's great, given the fact that it was humid in Atl, and I was extremely active- during the weekend, I took a dance class and partied like a rock star, lol. Don't laugh too hard at the photo- I was being silly at a bachelorette party!

I co-washed last night. My set came out nice, but my hair isn't as curly as it was this weekend and I'm not sure why. I used vatika oil and Organix Shea conditioner for my pre-poo as usual (although I usually use Organix coconut or vanilla), but for my co-wash I used V05 Strawberries and Creme conditioner for the second time instead of my usual Suave Tropical Coconut. I know I said I wouldn't buy any more products until I ran out, but it was 79 cents and smelled sooo good! I dc'd with a quarter-size of ORS replenishing, used Giovanni leave in, and set with diluted Dudley setting lotion and water mixed with coconut oil. Even though my hair isn't as curly as it was last week, it is so much softer and feels so much more moisturized and thick. Could it be the V05, or that the Organix Shea conditioner is for 'smoothing,' or the fact that my hair is getting better? I'd much rather have thick, moisturized hair than curly hair, but I wish I knew why the curls didn't hold as well.

My boyfriend watched me do my hair last night and he teased me about going through so many steps. I told him that my main motivation for growing long, thick hair is to prove my stylist wrong. I just found out that he doesn't use shampoo or conditioner on his hair- just water!! The funny thing is, he has the shiniest, curliest hair. Go figure..

July '08 Relaxer/New Regimen

My relaxer last week went really well. I didn't burn even though I washed a couple of days before. She used Mizani perm and my hair is really straight. She said since my hair is getting stronger, she'll go back to Affirm next time. I went 8 weeks and I couldn't believe how much growth I achieved. However, I cut another 3/4 of an inch off. I think I finally got all of the over processed hair out. I was going to go ultra short, but my stylist encouraged me not to cut it and see how my hair does now that I am committed to keeping it healthy. I'm glad she did, because I really want to see how long my hair can get. She wrapped my hair and bumped my ends. That style makes my hair too straight for my taste, but I don't always like the way she rollersets, and her shop was too hot for me to be under the dryer that long. Even while she was curling my hair, I could feel my scalp sweating. One thing that bothered me: she told me that I will never have thick hair, which hurt my feelings a little. My hair has been thick in the past, so I don't believe it's impossible for my hair to be thick. When I first moved back and went to her a few months ago, she said my hair was horrendous. I'm not usually that sensitive, but damn, she could have used better words. I just have to put those comments out of my mind and keep working towards my goals. Her negativity will only drive me to work harder on making my hair thick and healthy.

Four days later, I shampoo'd with neutralizing shampoo, since I'm so paranoid now about getting all the relaxer out. I also put a semi-permanent color in, using the black color from the Beautiful Collection. I dc'd with ORS Replenishing. I didn't use a leave-in, because I'm trying to see what the benefits are (I love Giovanni direct on my new growth, but I'm not sure how useful it is on a fresh relaxer). Then I rollerset my hair with small rollers. It came out nice, but a little dry, so maybe I do need a leave-in! Other than the dry feeling (which was cured with some KeraCare hairdress), I'm really happy with my set. I know now that smaller rollers are best, because my curls stay longer, and my hair looks a lot fuller.

Now that I've gotten all the bad ends cut off, I feel so optimistic because it feels like I'm starting over fresh. I also want to simplify my regimen. Sometimes I get product happy from reading all of the hair boards and blogs, so I'm going to stick to the same products for a while, and NOT buy anything until I run out. I've been pretty good lately. The only thing I bought at the bss the other day was the hair color! I'm still on a quest for more moisture, but I'm just going to keep working with the products I have. I'll admit that I haven't been good at deep conditioning lately. My house has been so hot. But, I promise myself that I will dc at least once a week. Using the heating cap rather than my hooded dryer is so much cooler.

Of course, there are some things on my wishlist: Sebastian's Colourshines or ColorShowers, Nairobi foam wrap, some more Organix products, and KeraCare Humecto. But I can't buy them, unless I run out of the color, setting lotion or conditioner that I already have.

I also started taking my multivitamins again. I can't even remember why I stopped taking them 4 months ago. I guess because I was juicing every day and eating so well. Lately, I haven't been eating as well as I should, so I definitely need the vitamins.

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My updated regimen:

2x per week:
Pre-poo: Vatika oil and Organix conditioner (coconut or shea formulas for moisture and vanilla for new growth). Work out or sit under dryer.
Shampoo: Co-wash with Suave Naturals Cocounut conditioner. If I do need a shampoo, I'll use KeraCare Dry & Itchy Scalp (if my scalp is dry and itchy) or Elasta QP Moisturizing Shampoo.
Condition: Pantene Relaxed and Natural or KeraCare Dry & Itchy Scalp Conditioner (if needed).
Deep Condition: ORS Replenishing Pak or Aphogee 2 minute treatment if I need more protein. I also apply a semi-permanent color from the Beautiful Collection when needed.
Leave-in Conditioner: Giovanni Direct or Salerm 21.
Rollerset: Lottabody or Dudley setting lotion diluted with water and water mixed with coconut oil to keep my hair wet. Paul Mitchell Foaming Pomade or Elasta QP Glaze to lay my edges and naped down. Set using mesh rollers, end papers and pins, and sit under the dryer for about 75 minutes.
Wrap: After I take the rollers out, put a little Keala oil on hair. Wrap hair and wrap it with saran wrap and sit under the dryer for about 15 minutes OR skip saran wrap and just go to bed with a silk scarf.

Daily:
Evening: Scalp massage with a few drops of grapeseed or coconut oil, put some oil on my ends if needed, cross wrap or pincurl, and put a silk scarf on. I sleep on a satin pillowcase.
Morning: Comb out the wrap and rub a small amount of KeraCare Creme Hairdress and seal ends with oil if needed.

Rollersetting again

I know I said I would take a break from rollersetting, but I like my hair to have body, and it got so flat after a day and half with flat ironing. All of the curl was gone- not a good look since I don't use heat between washes. I'm 5 weeks post relaxer and was a little nervous about it, so I did a few things differently yesterday:

1. I pre-poo'd with my usual vatika oil and Organix Vanilla conditioner. I usually work out or do things around the house, but this time I used a heating cap for about 20 minutes.
2. I used Dudley's Fantastic Body setting lotion diluted with water instead of Lottabody. Even while wet, I could feel how much softer and more manageable my hair was.
3. I tapped each piece of hair with coconut oil before rolling.
4. I used Paul Mitchell's Foaming Pomade and Elasta QP Glaze to keep my edges down.
5. When I took the rollers out, I wrapped my hair counterclockwise instead of clockwise.

I really like the results! My new growth is soft and even straight (what?!) in some areas! My hair is moist, but not heavy from the oil. Usually when I take my rollers out, my hair is dry and I have to really rub in moisturizer and oil to get it not so dry. I'm still afraid to wrap it. Yes, it was nice today, but I don't think it will look so nice if I wrap again tonight.

The only thing that sucks is sitting under the dryer in the summer. I actually only sat under the warm dryer for about a half an hour (with a fan in front of me), then used the heating cap for an additional 45 minutes. It was cooler, I could lie down, and I didn't have to turn the tv all the way up to hear it!

Everything that glitters is not gold

I have to constantly remind myself that what works on others' hair usually doesn't work on mine. Stylists have tried to tell me what hair products to use, and I used to blame them when the products didn't work. Now, I listen to my hair and I'm really really trying not to go out and buy products because of someone else's success. I've been noting what products work on my hair and finding common ingredients and techniques.

I know I've written this here before, but my hair does not like olive oil! I mixed some in some Queen Helene Cholesterol with Ginseng and dc'd last night. As I washed it out, my hair felt so hard and weighed down. I tried an acv rinse, which softened it up just a little. I then put in some Pantene Relaxed and Natural conditioner for a few minutes and that seemed to help. I just need to accept that straight evoo is not good for my hair. I'll only use it for cooking from now on!

I had to wash yesterday, because I sweat my hair out so much over the weekend. I tried to get up early to walk my dog and mow the lawn, but it was still hot as hades outside at 7am! I just couldn't take going to work looking crazy another day, so last night I decided I would wash without using the dryer. I pre-poo'd with vatika oil and Organix Coconut conditioner (I alternate between the coconut and vanilla for my pre-poos). I co-washed with V05 clarifying conditioner, dc'd with the cholesterol-olive oil mix for 20 minutes with a heated cap, and applied Giovanni Direct leave-in, combing it through with my Jilbere shower comb. I wasn't planning to use setting lotion, but since I was a little nervous about airdrying for the first time in a while, I sprayed a little diluted Lottabody on my hair and put some Paul Mitchell Foaming Pomade on my edges and nape. I then combed my hair with a rat-tail comb in a half wrap and put a scarf on. Tight. Since my house was so hot from this heat wave, most of my hair dried within an hour or so. Before I went to bed, I exchanged my scarf for a smaller one that I wrapped just around the sides, so the top could dry while I slept. I got up a half an hour earlier this morning to flat iron and bump my hair. I applied a dab of KeraCare Creme Hairdress in my hair, concentrating on the ends, and used some Motions heat protectant before I flat ironed. When I was done, I half-wrapped my hair again while I took a shower. When I took the scarf off, I sealed my ends with grape seed oil. I also had to press my roots at the part with a hot curling iron (I'm almost 4 weeks post relaxer). I really liked the results. I think that this is better than rollersetting for me for a while, because molding my hair together while it dries keeps my hair "together" and makes it look so much thicker. It also keeps my edges straighter:


My takeaways from this wash experience:

• My hair does not like straight olive oil, although I have had some good experiences with products that contain olive oil.
• I don't like the V05 Clarifying conditioner. I will stick with Suave, and shampoo every week and a half. I'm not sure if I ever need a clarifying product.
• The condition of my hair is getting so much better, that I will only use semi-permanent color on my roots where I have some platinum hairs.
• I think the vatika oil is helping my platinums- I don't see as much around my hairline as I used to, and I haven't been using the semi-permanent color as often.
• I will continue to do a wet half-wrap and curl my hair for at least the summer.
• A lot of women on the hair boards speak ill of Pantene Relaxed and Natural shampoo and conditioner, but it works for me. I threw out the shampoo when I started my journey because I heard about all the bad things, but my hair responds well to the conditioner.

A better day

I'm still co-washing, and my hair is getting stronger every day. I actually like (a little) how my hair looks today. I'm not sure what happened last week, but my hair is better. I think I used too much oil in my pre-poo.

I actually got my hair done last week. I went to a Dominican salon referred by Ms. S. The person she referred me to wasn't there so my stupid butt let someone else in the shop do my hair. She shampoo'd me really hard- which I didn't like. I used to like getting my head scratched, but I've realized how bad it is for my scalp. I'm not sure what kind of shampoo she used but she dc'd with Nexxus Humectress. She then rollerset my hair on small/medium rollers. When she took the rollers out, she blew my roots out in the front- way too hard, put way too much ORS olive oil on my scalp and in my hair, then wrapped me in some pink neck strips! When I took the wrap out, I didn't like my hair at all. Besides the hard washing, I didn't like all the grease she put in my head or how she blew my hair out. I did like the olive oil a little, even though she used way too much (the neck strip wrapped on my head had greasy spots on it), but it didn't weigh my hair down at all. I went to the BSS the next day to buy some, but I saw that it has mineral oil so I skipped it. I also liked the way she rollerset my hair. I used the method to rollerset my hair yesterday. I usually roll the front of my hair forward, but she rolled every piece to the side. For that, I don't feel like it was a total waste of $30.

So my co-wash yesterday came out so much better. I pre-poo'd with a little vatika oil and Elasta QP DPR-11 (I think the DPR-11 is better as a pre-poo than a dc for me). I co-washed with Suave coconut, dc'd with ORS replenishing conditioner, and used a drop of Paul Mitchell the Conditioner as my leave-in. I sprayed diluted Lottabody on my hair and put a little Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum in. I rollerset on smaller rollers than I usually do. When I was dry, I wrapped my hair and went to bed. When I woke up this morning, my hair looked fuller than it has in months. The Paul Mitchell leave-in is a thickening conditioner, so I guess that was it (although it didn't work well for me a couple of months ago). I also think I haven't been using enough setting lotion, so I sprayed often as I rollerset. I still don't like my hair when it's wrapped because the side I end the wrap on is always straighter, wilder and just wrong. I was certain yesterday that I was going to call my stylist to get my hair CUT this week, but now I'm not so sure. My ends are still thin and dry, but they're getting better I think.

Something Went Wrong

The past couple of days have not been good hair days. I co-washed on Sunday, using the same products I did the last time, adding the Beautiful Brown semi-permanent color. But my rollerset didn't come out too good, so I used the curling iron to press my roots (I used Motions heat protector). My hair was still getting thicker, but it was really unmanageable and a little hard. Maybe I used too much vatika oil to pre-poo...maybe I had too much build-up...maybe the color made my hair hard...maybe my hair didn't like the heat protectant...or the curling iron. So I did it again. This time I pre-poo'd with some Pantene conditioner- no oils this time. I co-washed, once with V05 Vanilla Mint Tea Clarifying Conditioner and once with Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner. I dc'd with Nexxus Humectress. After rinsing, I used Cantu Shea Butter leave-in and put a dime-sized amount of Dudley's PCA Moisture Retainer in, concentrating on my ends. I put my hair in a clip, smoothed down my edges, and put a silk scarf on. With all of those conditioners I used, My hair and hands smell so good!

I'm really trying to get the elasticity back in my hair. That's probably why it won't hold a curl long anymore. I was thinking about getting a professional rollerset tomorrow or Thursday because I'm also thinking my rollersetting technique isn't the best...