Quick Update

I've been a little busy lately, but here's a quick update:

I did a protein treatment with DuoTex last night. Not sure if I see much difference, but I know I needed a protein treatment since I've been using a flat iron.

I've used a flat iron the past couple of washes, but I went back to the roller set last night. Yes, it's time consuming, but my hair really doesn't like direct heat. Plus, either I don't have a good flat iron, or I don't know how to use it correctly, because my a hair doesn't come out that flat. Plus, I had frizzy ends, which I HATE.

I'm giving up the black rinse. Again. It doesn't last, and my platinum hair becomes blue after a couple of washes. I used a reddish brown last night. I don't see any red, but that's okay. As long as there's no silver or blue!

I'm loving flexirods right now! My hair needs to stay curly the majority of the time.

I still don't use much moisturizer. Just a little oil sheen and some oil on my ends. The Kenra conditioner keeps my hair moist for days.

Still haven't decided what I'm doing with my hair this summer when it's really hot. Maybe air drying and flexirods?

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.

Length Goal Reached!

I have been wearing my hair straight this week, and I noticed yesterday that I'm full arm pit length. I still want my ends (and the rest of my hair) to be a little thicker and fuller, but I'm really excited that I have reached my length goal.

I've been on my hair journey for 3 years. I have experienced setbacks, cut my hair to a tapered cut, and shed a tremendous amount postpartum. However, these issues have forced me to deal with the problems, and find solutions. I have learned what my hair does and does not like. I'm still learning, as I work towards my goal of more thick and moist hair.

It would be great to reach bra strap length, as I think I'm only an inch or 2 away, but my focus now is working on the health of my hair. I don't want my hair much longer than bra strap, as this is the longest my hair has ever been, and it is sometimes challenging to style.

Leave-in Booster

For the past few months, I have felt like my hair:
+ is thinner than it should be,
+ should be retaining more moisture,
+ doesn't stay together, especially at the ends, and
+ doesn't hold a curl like it used to.

I have increased the amount of protein, and it is helping, but I also think it's a porosity issue. I did the porosity test, by putting a couple of strands in a cup of water. Most of my hair floated, but the ends sunk to the bottom of the cup. I decided to "Kimmaytube" my leave in to help balance the pH level of my hair. My ends are also bushy and dry when I air dry, which is a symptom of the cuticles being lifted.

I used Salerm 21 leave-in conditioner. I didn't measure it exactly, but squeezed about a quarter-sized amount of it into a bowl. I added one tablespoon of aloe vera juice and one teaspoon of jojoba oil. I applied it to freshly washed and conditioned hair. This week, I did not deep condition with heat. I roller set my hair using just the leave-in mixture. I actually had some leftover. I set my hair on my regular rollers, but this time I used smaller sections. My hair came so nice! My hair was moist, shiny and smooth, and my ends looked so much healthier. I didn't even need to add moisturizer after I took the rollers out. It's been 2 days, and my hair still has body, which I haven't seen in over a year. I will continue to do this every wash. I hadn't used Salerm 21 in a while, but I will alternate it with Infusium, since it has silk protein in it.

Update 4/11/11: I added aloe vera juice and jojoba oil to my Giovanni Direct Leave-in this past weekend, and the results were not as good as the Salerm. I will continue to use the Salerm 21 since I liked my hair so much.

I'm pretty sure I need a hardcore protein treatment, but I'm afraid of doing it. Maybe I'll have my stylist do it the next time I go to the salon.

Goodbye Aphogee 2 Minute

I've been using Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor for 3 years. I realized last year that it really wasn't doing anything for my hair, but I continued to use it because I thought my hair needed the protein. What I know now is that my hair does need the protein, just not from this product. A little over a month ago, I replaced the Aphogee with Mane 'n Tail conditioner as my 2 minute protein conditioner while I'm the shower, and boy do I notice a difference. Even after 2 minutes, I can feel how much more moist and strong my hair is. I'm throwing out the Aphogee for good now. I'm still mad at myself for trying to force that product. This is another lesson for me to not use products that don't do anything for my hair. What a waste of time and money...I can't even be mad at the product because I should have known to stop using it a long time ago.

My Baby Boy's Hair

My almost one and a half year-old son's hair is so dry! I know it has a lot to do with the winter and the hats I put on him. I just sewed satin linings into his hats like I do mine, but winter is pretty much over! In the warmer weather months and when we went to the Caribbean a couple of months ago, I didn't deal with this dryness.

I'm not good at hair typing, but I would say his hair type is a 3C- it's mostly curly and very soft. Very UNLIKE his mother's, lol! He has a loose curl pattern that gets very curly when wet, but straightens out a little when it drys. The back of his hair is much curlier than the front. I've learned that his hair does not take well to shampoo, so I only do conditioner washes. Since he was a couple of months old, I have been using V05 Moisture Milks to co-wash his hair. I use a mix of water, glycerin and aloe vera juice as a leave-in, and ORS Moisturizing lotion as a moisturizer. It looks good when it dries, but as soon as I put a hat on or after a day, it looks like a dry nest. My girlfriend told me to try mousse- I did it one day and it really defined the curls, but it was crunchy and dry. I've also tried olive oil. Like the other products, it only works for a couple of hours. His hair is also a light/medium shade of brown (like mine), which I think is another reason for the dryness. I call it "dirty brown."

I did a little research online to come up with some ideas for his hair. Last night, I co-washed it with Aussie Moist conditioner. I also used a little as a leave in. His hair was still moist and curly when he woke up this morning. I applied a little castor oil to seal the moisture in. Let's see how it looks when I pick him up later today... Some ideas I read are to use Aubrey Organics White Camelia as a co-wash and leave-in, castor oil, a half glycerin/half aloe vera mix, and cocoa butter oil (that you use on your skin). I would appreciate any advice...

Update 5/5/11 I've been using Kids Organic Hair Lotion and sealing with Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil, and my baby boy's hair has been blinging! So moist and shiny!

Foods for Healthy Hair

I've always been a pretty healthy eater, but lately I've been stepping it up a little. I do it for my health, to shed a few pounds for the summer, and to keep my hair healthy. These are my top foods (or beverages) for healthy hair that I've incorporated into my diet:

1. Water. Hair is made up of about 25% of water, so when we drink enough water, our hair will stay shiny and moisturized. Water also flushes out all of the bad toxins in our body. I discussed water in this blog a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't stick to my water routine very well. I don't know if it was because I was sick of running to the bathroom, or if I just got lazy. Anyway, I started it back up when I was pregnant and kept it up while I was nursing, but then I fell off again. In January, I promised myself to drink at least 60 oz of water every day. This meant I basically had to cut out any other beverages. I lost 5 pounds in one week! That alone was motivation enough to keep going. Some of things that help me with my water commitment are drinking it at room temperature (I can drink more this way), setting time goals (i.e. I have to drink 30 oz before 10am), and halting water 2 hours before I leave work (so I don't have to go to the bathroom on my way home!). I rarely even think about drinking soda or sugared juices now.

2. Flaxseed. Flaxseed is rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are essential for glowing skin and hair. I started taking flaxseed oil pills in 2008 to help the condition of my hair, but I had an allergic reaction to them. About 6 months ago, I decided to try just plain flaxseed. I mix a teaspoon into my oatmeal every morning. Salmon is also a good source of Omega-3.

3. Protein. We all know that our hair is made up of protein (called keratin), so we need to add protein back into our hair to make the strands thicker. I especially need more protein after the thinning I experienced postpartum. I maintain a high-protein diet of hard-boiled eggs, chicken, fish, and lean beef, pork and lamb.

4. Vitamin C. The body needs this vitamin to produce collagen and sebum, the oily substance, secreted by our hair follicles which naturally conditions the hair. Even a mild vitamin C deficiency can cause split, dry ends. I make sure I bring at least 2 pieces of fruit to work every day, and usually one of them is a fruit containing vitamin C. Lately, my favorites have been strawberries, tangerines and pineapple. You can also get vitamin C through broccoli, asparagus, spinach and other dark leafy vegetables, which I eat daily.

5. Nuts. Nuts contain the mineral zinc, which aids in tissue growth and repair, including hair growth. It also helps keep the oil glands around the hair follicles working properly. If you don't have enough zinc in your diet, you could experience excessive hair shedding. I also like nuts as healthy afternoon snack, so I avoid potato chips and other food I shouldn't be eating!

6. Carrots. Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A which are high in anti oxidants. Anti oxidants can help you balance the pH levels of the skin and also helpful in preventing the damage caused by the free radicals on the skin. Carrots can also help aid in hair loss. I bring carrot sticks to work as a snack, but I also juice carrots on a regular basis. They say that one ounce of fresh carrot juice can provide about 800% of the daily requirement of the vitamin A to the body. It can also help to burst the energy levels of a person. Carrots also contain vitamin C.

Other foods I eat to make sure I get the necessary minerals and vitamins are whole grains, shellfish, soy milk, lentils and beans. I take a daily multivitamin to make sure I get what my body and hair need as well.