With my stomach still upset, but less fragile than the previous days, I'm attempting to get work done along with taking care of my hair. This will be another ALL day update.
Friday, 1:30 PM:
Per last night's update, I was contemplating doing an overnight treatment. I sat on the couch one minute too many and became too tired to implement that idea. So I woke up this morning and applied EVOO, did a brief massage, and baggied. As I wore the cap, in between looking at PowerPoint files, I also looked at a few youtube vidoes and some threads on Long Hair Care Forums. As I watched/read a few ideas ran through my mind - I wanted to deep condition, but I didn't feel like washing my hair first. So I started planning out a dry hair deep condition. That eventually lead me to thinking about a protein treatment. I only used an egg about 4 weeks ago and that wasn't the best experience. I decided to do the later.
On another note, looking through the forum of relaxed ladies with super long hair, confirmed that I am taking the right approach in my hair journey, if not doing too much. It appears that DCing once a week, not using a lot of heat, and using protein at least once a month are the commonalities for hair retention and growth. Yay!
I just washed with ApHogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair. My hair felt SOOO nourished and moisturized while wetting and shampooing. I absolutely love wetting my hair now. I then applied ApHogee Protein Treatment very generously all over my hair. I paid a lot of attention to my ends and edges. I prefer to let it air dry versus using a dryer. The only thing I don't care for with a protein treatment is how sticky it can be. I prefer to pour it directly out of the bottle into my hand, so it could be my own fault. Either way, in about an hour or so, I'll rinse, use ApHogee Balancing Moisturizer and then apply my Silky Smooth DC mix.
Stay Tuned!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sick - On Multiple Levels
This week did NOT go as expected for me. I had planned to fully take advantage of working from home and really treat myself and my hair to some TLC after a week of neglect, only to have my body come under attack and suffer from a few illnesses all week long... Nevertheless, I am doing alright at the moment and contemplating doing a late night co-wash. Hmmm, maybe I should do an all night oil treatment instead?
I did spend a little time on facebook during the week, reminiscing over the 500 plus tagged photos of myself. As I went through, I saw picture after picture of beautiful layered hair. It made me sick! Oh, how I wish to CUT MY HAIR! I'm at a crossroad right now. Do I try to find new ways to style my hair or do I go back to what I know and love? Cutting my sister's hair has really given me the confidence I need to put layers in my own hair. Maybe I'll just chop a little around the frame of my face? I probably won't do anything but continue to talk about it, but you already know - I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Setback or Set Up for Success?
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| [source] |
The week started out normally. I had a great flight Monday morning, got some coffee, had a great day at work, checked into the hotel, then I felt really tired. I laid down, but I couldn't fall asleep. I was too tired to get up, so I didn't feel like working out. So I just stayed there. And stayed up. I was up until about 3 AM. That was the first night I wasted.
Tuesday, same typical work day, however, after work, I went to visit family. I came back to the hotel at a reasonable hour, however, I didn't feel encourage enough to make up for yesterday. So I went to bed. Albeit, I was extremely tired from 2 days of little sleep. Nevertheless, that was the second night I wasted.
Wednesday, same typical day at work, however, after work I went to this huge mall to go dress shopping for an event I have coming up in a couple of weeks. After wards, I went to a restaurant for dinner. Needless to say, after having steak, I did not feel like working out or co-washing my hair. That was the third night I wasted.
By Thursday, my head was BEYOND itchy and I was shedding hair everywhere. Not to mention, it looked and felt an absolute mess! I had been moisturizing and sealing, somewhat, but the condition of my hair definitely changed over the course of the week. On Friday, I had a ton of meetings - in and outside of the home - so I could not co-wash that day. I got up a little early Saturday morning because I had a dentist appointment and I couldn't take it any longer, so I co-washed my hair with the remainder of the cheapie Suave Humectant conditioner that I had remaining in the shower. I followed up with my Roux Leave-In conditioner and then just used a head band and allowed my hair to really "air dry" as I ran a few errands around town and had my appointment. By the time I made it back home, I had a mouth full of clean teeth and a head full of dry hair - physically and literally. It's like the outside air sucked all the moisture out of my hair. Because I had quite a bit more to do that day, I left my hair down and the head band on and went about my business. At times I liked the style, but many times I didn't. It just looked unfinished and did not work well with dresses... (Yes, I did more dress shopping). That night I moisturized and sealed and my hair really appreciated it.
That brings me to today, I'm sitting under the blow dryer with my Silky Smooth DC mix in my hair. I plan on DCing quite a few times this week because I'm working from home. My curls are coming in quite nicely and I"m excited about all of the growth. I have noticed that my scalp gets extremely dry when my hair starts to grow so I'm going to pay closer attention this week and make sure it receives the nourishment that it needs.
This past week posed a few challenges, but I'm hoping to come back strong -- Let's see if it works. : D
Monday, February 14, 2011
Hair 101: Hair Porosity
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Porosity is the measure of the hair's ability to absorb moisture. This is determined by the condition of the hair's cuticle layer (the overlapping scales of the hair shaft), and is rated as low, normal, and high. In normal, healthy hair, the cuticle is compact and inhibits the penetration of the hair shaft by moisture - both moisture going in, and moisture coming out. When the cuticle is overly compact and prevents the penetration of the hair by moisture it has low porosity. Hair with low porosity is harder to process, and is resistant to hair color and perms. Low porosity hair must usually be softened prior to other chemical services. Hair with high porosity is hair whose cuticle layer is open and the hair too-readily absorbs moisture. Overly-porous hair also releases moisture easily and becomes dry and is easily damaged. Acid-balanced conditioning treatments are used to contract the cuticle layer and lock-in moisture on overly-porous hair.
Extreme caution must be used when performing chemical services on overly porous hair to prevent damage. Hair color will take much more quickly and strongly in overly porous hair (and semi-permanent and demi-permanent hair colors will fade much more quickly). Perms and straighteners will process much faster in high-porosity hair as well.
To determine the porosity of your hair, simply feel it - both when wet and when dry. If the hair feels straw-like and rough when dry, or if it feels gummy or slightly rubbery when wet, then you probably have a problem with overly porous hair.
Extreme caution must be used when performing chemical services on overly porous hair to prevent damage. Hair color will take much more quickly and strongly in overly porous hair (and semi-permanent and demi-permanent hair colors will fade much more quickly). Perms and straighteners will process much faster in high-porosity hair as well.
To determine the porosity of your hair, simply feel it - both when wet and when dry. If the hair feels straw-like and rough when dry, or if it feels gummy or slightly rubbery when wet, then you probably have a problem with overly porous hair.
My Two Cents:
I struggled with overly porous for a number of months before I realized the true issue. Moisturizers didn't work, conditioning didn't work, I had to lather several times before my hair actually got wet, etc.
I finally found relief after 2 weeks of almost continuous use of Roux Porosity Control Shampoo and Conditioner. I now use it 1-2 times a month as needed, along with adding a bit to my deep conditions.
Also, a natural alternative is to this hair problem is to use an Apple Cider rinse.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Drab --> Glam
Talk about the ULTIMATE hook up! My younger sis received a great treat this weekend, a beauty consultation and treatment by yours truly. Jovann aka Jo-Jo aka J Breezy, came to me in a funk. She's about 6-7 months post relaxer and in the middle of a transition. She's having a tough time keeping it together and hasn't been reading my blog! Needless to say, she was in need of a lot of help. She texted me on Thursday asking for a relaxer... Knowing she had come so far, I didn't want her to just jump to back to relaxers.
We started out with a chat about hair. Unfortunately, she's had a lot of bad experiences with relaxers - keep in mind she's only had them for the past 4-5 years. Her hair has fallen out several times and she just wants to start over. I made sure that she understood that no matter what decision she made with her hair, it was going to require work. I shared that she's going to have to learn her hair, her curls, and determine what it needs and when. As with all things worth having, great hair is work! Next we followed with a hot oil treatment with EVOO. She has a serious dandruff problem and I knew she needed extra care on her scalp. We warmed it for about 15 seconds and I applied it generously to her scalp. She then massaged her head off and on for about an hour. I went ahead with my weekly coconut oil 30 min massage.
We then played Dance Central for a few hours and I cooked a little dinner. Then it was time for the shampoos. I gave her a quick lather with ORS Clarifying Shampoo and then followed with the Roux Porosity Control Shampoo and Conditioner (she's been complaining of dry hair). I then created my Silky Smooth DC Mix for 2 and shampooed my hair with Roux Moisturizing Shampoo and used the Moisturizing Conditioner. I went a little heavy on the coconut oil and honey this time around, no particular reason. I also was a little light on the ORS Hair Mayo because I wasn't aware of how little I had left, so I supplemented with a little extra Roux (both conditioners). I applied generously and let put her under the bonnet for about what had to be around an hour. We were watching TV, talking, playing games, so we lost track of time, so I'll say 1-2 hours... I rinsed her and let her air dry for a while and put the bonnet on my head.
I finished with Roux Leave-In conditioner and proceed to blow dry and flat iron her hair. Talk about soft, shiny, gorgeous hair! I saddened me to kill her curls, but I was able to successfully get her hair SUPER manageable and beautiful. It was super late that night, so I had to wait a day to give her a quick trim - yes she did trust me to cut her hair - but it turned out amazing! I had never really cut a full head of hair before, so that was a great experience. I trimmed about an inch of relaxer off her ends and it was much needed because it is falling off like crazy. We even tricked our mom into thinking we had given her a relaxer! It was that dramatic of a change. She's loving it and I'm happy and proud of her. I can't wait until the relaxer is gone and I see her in her curls! We're hoping in another few months she'll be ready.
I finished with the usual, air dry and Roux Leave-In. I applied JBCO to my scalp and tied it all up. I planned on doing a quick trim of my ends, but haven't gotten around to it yet. A quick update on myself - I've experience quite a bit of new growth in my 2 weeks post relaxer. I thought maybe I just hadn't relaxed evenly all over at first, but now I really think I've just gotten a significant amount of growth! I'm excited! I can't wait to see how much length I get in the next few weeks. I was finally able to keep my commitment and workout on a Wednesday last week (woooohoooo!), so I got in 2 co-washes.
I'm excited for this week coming up and keeping my goals. I'm watching the Grammy's right now, but I plan on getting in a workout as soon as it's over - or when all the performances I see are over.
Stick with your regimen if you want to see results!
We started out with a chat about hair. Unfortunately, she's had a lot of bad experiences with relaxers - keep in mind she's only had them for the past 4-5 years. Her hair has fallen out several times and she just wants to start over. I made sure that she understood that no matter what decision she made with her hair, it was going to require work. I shared that she's going to have to learn her hair, her curls, and determine what it needs and when. As with all things worth having, great hair is work! Next we followed with a hot oil treatment with EVOO. She has a serious dandruff problem and I knew she needed extra care on her scalp. We warmed it for about 15 seconds and I applied it generously to her scalp. She then massaged her head off and on for about an hour. I went ahead with my weekly coconut oil 30 min massage.
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| EVOO Hot Oil Scalp Massage |
I finished with Roux Leave-In conditioner and proceed to blow dry and flat iron her hair. Talk about soft, shiny, gorgeous hair! I saddened me to kill her curls, but I was able to successfully get her hair SUPER manageable and beautiful. It was super late that night, so I had to wait a day to give her a quick trim - yes she did trust me to cut her hair - but it turned out amazing! I had never really cut a full head of hair before, so that was a great experience. I trimmed about an inch of relaxer off her ends and it was much needed because it is falling off like crazy. We even tricked our mom into thinking we had given her a relaxer! It was that dramatic of a change. She's loving it and I'm happy and proud of her. I can't wait until the relaxer is gone and I see her in her curls! We're hoping in another few months she'll be ready.
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| Dress shopping... but the hair looked Fab (The pic is pre-cut) |
I'm excited for this week coming up and keeping my goals. I'm watching the Grammy's right now, but I plan on getting in a workout as soon as it's over - or when all the performances I see are over.
Stick with your regimen if you want to see results!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Working on Myself
Another week on the road and another week of being burnt out by Wednesday. I haven't quite gotten my sleeping habits back on track yet, but I'm working on it. Let me explain...
I had a typical day at work on Monday, so I planned to keep my promise to workout Mondays and Wednesdays. I hit the gym hard: ran about 30 mins on the treadmill and spent another few miles on the elliptical machine. After, I didn't have a baggy, so I rinsed and conditioned my hair in the shower. Last week I bought a sample package of the Silk Elements conditioner and decided to use it that day. I can't say that I really liked it. My hair sucked it up, so it wasn't thick or nourishing enough. It didn't add anything to my hair. I then proceeded to towel dry for 10-15 mins and then used the scarf method while I chatted on skype. When I was dry enough, I used the liquid leave-in conditioner that I decided to try out: Aveeno Nourish and Condition leave-in treatment. It was a decent price and the bottle had the two things I'm looking for - nourishment and conditioning. So far, it's been a pretty good experience. It feels good in my hair and I haven't had much dryness. I must admit, I think the restoration of my hair to a proper pH balance with the Roux products has enabled me to see better results with all of the products that I use. My hair is much more hydrated and refreshed. The ends aren't crispy and dull looking. I'm very proud of the progress my hair has made.
Tuesday, I was convinced to workout again and so I did cardio via Just Dance 2 videos on YouTube. I have some of the dances memorized already, but I did learn a new one which was super fun (see below).
You try that video just one time and see the amount of sweat you accumulate! Just Dance 2 has been great for me in terms of finding a fun cardio workout.
I didn't co-wash that night, but I did shower without covering my head. I wanted to let my hair get wet without soaking my head. I've been pretty consistent in sleeping with my rollers and that's been great for protecting my ends.
Wednesday, I felt exhausted after work and proceeded to sleep immediately after. I didn't even have the energy to tie up my hair. Thankfully, my ends managed and I just moisturized and sealed in the morning. Also, let me mention that because I didn't have a small empty jar to put JBCO in to travel with, I've been applying MegaTek to my scalp instead (it came in a 2 oz jar). When the MegaTek is gone, I'll put JBCO in it and use that as my daily scalp treatment. But I do love my MegaTek - it smells great, it's easy to apply, and hopefully I'll have a ton of hair growth.
I had to go into the office this Friday and so I pushed my shampoo and DC to Saturday. I started with a 30 min scalp massage with coconut oil. The oil smells great and leaves my hair shiny. I then shampooed with ApHogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair (I wanted a little protein) and Roux Porosity Control Shampoo. I wanted to make sure that the chemical treatment from last week didn't reverse any of my progress. I then applied Roux Porosity Control Conditioner for a few mins and made my Silky Smooth DC Mix. I went a little heavy on the honey this time by accident, but I'm sure I'll have great results. I'm under the dryer attachment now and I'll DC for about an hour or so. Next I plan on dancing a bit via Dance Central on Kinect (shot out to the Hubby for the early V-Day gift) and rinsing later.
After rinsing, I'll air dry, apply JBCO to my scalp, moisturize and seal my hair, and get ready for bed by pulling my hair up and protecting the ends with rollers. If you saw the last posting, I achieved a TON of growth for my Dec-Jan stretch. I noticed that I had regular shedding (which is good) and little to no breakage (which is amazing). I'm going to keep the healthy habits up, continue to eat better, drink more water, and achieve my goals before the deadline!
Stay motivated : )
I had a typical day at work on Monday, so I planned to keep my promise to workout Mondays and Wednesdays. I hit the gym hard: ran about 30 mins on the treadmill and spent another few miles on the elliptical machine. After, I didn't have a baggy, so I rinsed and conditioned my hair in the shower. Last week I bought a sample package of the Silk Elements conditioner and decided to use it that day. I can't say that I really liked it. My hair sucked it up, so it wasn't thick or nourishing enough. It didn't add anything to my hair. I then proceeded to towel dry for 10-15 mins and then used the scarf method while I chatted on skype. When I was dry enough, I used the liquid leave-in conditioner that I decided to try out: Aveeno Nourish and Condition leave-in treatment. It was a decent price and the bottle had the two things I'm looking for - nourishment and conditioning. So far, it's been a pretty good experience. It feels good in my hair and I haven't had much dryness. I must admit, I think the restoration of my hair to a proper pH balance with the Roux products has enabled me to see better results with all of the products that I use. My hair is much more hydrated and refreshed. The ends aren't crispy and dull looking. I'm very proud of the progress my hair has made.
Tuesday, I was convinced to workout again and so I did cardio via Just Dance 2 videos on YouTube. I have some of the dances memorized already, but I did learn a new one which was super fun (see below).
You try that video just one time and see the amount of sweat you accumulate! Just Dance 2 has been great for me in terms of finding a fun cardio workout.
I didn't co-wash that night, but I did shower without covering my head. I wanted to let my hair get wet without soaking my head. I've been pretty consistent in sleeping with my rollers and that's been great for protecting my ends.
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| 2 rollers is all it takes. |
Wednesday, I felt exhausted after work and proceeded to sleep immediately after. I didn't even have the energy to tie up my hair. Thankfully, my ends managed and I just moisturized and sealed in the morning. Also, let me mention that because I didn't have a small empty jar to put JBCO in to travel with, I've been applying MegaTek to my scalp instead (it came in a 2 oz jar). When the MegaTek is gone, I'll put JBCO in it and use that as my daily scalp treatment. But I do love my MegaTek - it smells great, it's easy to apply, and hopefully I'll have a ton of hair growth.
I had to go into the office this Friday and so I pushed my shampoo and DC to Saturday. I started with a 30 min scalp massage with coconut oil. The oil smells great and leaves my hair shiny. I then shampooed with ApHogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair (I wanted a little protein) and Roux Porosity Control Shampoo. I wanted to make sure that the chemical treatment from last week didn't reverse any of my progress. I then applied Roux Porosity Control Conditioner for a few mins and made my Silky Smooth DC Mix. I went a little heavy on the honey this time by accident, but I'm sure I'll have great results. I'm under the dryer attachment now and I'll DC for about an hour or so. Next I plan on dancing a bit via Dance Central on Kinect (shot out to the Hubby for the early V-Day gift) and rinsing later.
After rinsing, I'll air dry, apply JBCO to my scalp, moisturize and seal my hair, and get ready for bed by pulling my hair up and protecting the ends with rollers. If you saw the last posting, I achieved a TON of growth for my Dec-Jan stretch. I noticed that I had regular shedding (which is good) and little to no breakage (which is amazing). I'm going to keep the healthy habits up, continue to eat better, drink more water, and achieve my goals before the deadline!
Stay motivated : )
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