The Road Less Traveled

Will I ever have this look?  Love you Jada! [source]

To say that I'm jealous... not quite right.  Am I envious... absolutely!  Proper hair care is a life long commitment, however, getting to your desired hair length, thickness, and style - that's a short journey that feels a lifetime away.  I spent some time on youtube today watching video after video of ladies who have changed their hair destiny for the better.  So many women saw noticeable results in 6 months, drastic results in 1 year.

I look back through my blog and I can't believe that I started Oct 2009.  It's now 2011 and I'm starting all the way over!  It's hard to believe!  But that's what life is all about.  You live and you learn.  This is take two and I'm going to get it right.  I've learned a lot and I can only keep getting better from this point.

Speaking of which, I am on deep condition number 2 for this week!  First, I started with a pre-poo treatment using Coconut Oil.  I applied it to my scalp and let it marinate for a few hours.  I later applied EVOO and began to massage my scalp for about 30 mins.  It felt awesome!  I am still using my Roux products and that is going well.  I'm not sure how much longer I need to keep going with the moisture before I start the protein balance, so I decided there's no time like the present.  After Roux, I made another deep condition recipe.  I used the same ingredients as before, however, I added an egg this time for my protein fix.  Hopefully I won't have the flaky issue that I had the last time I tried using an egg.  I'm baggied up and I tied my towel around my head.  I have yet to invest in a hooded blow dryer.  Maybe next month... I plan on staying like this for the next few hours.  Next, I will rinse, apply JBCO to my scalp and air dry.  I was thinking about doing a roller set, however, it is late and I didn't get much sleep last night.

I do plan on doing a bit more trimming. My ends could still use some help.  Plus, I just did a lot of cutting and might not have done my ends right.  I like how I did my hair, just not how I did the ends.  I didn't really have a plan for the ends.  Or maybe I shouldn't... it does need to grow.  Decisions, decisions.

Oh and on another note, I must mention that I am about 8 weeks post relaxer right now.  I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to go, but my hair is doing well.  I don't think it's grown much during these weeks though.  I'm at about 4-5 inches in the middle which is very unusual.  Maybe I should try vitamins?  I'll see how weeks of deep conditioning help my hair... My new growth is much softer and more manageable now.  My head is not sore at all.  I am losing more hair now than I did when I started using Roux.  I had declared my hair shedding days behind me, but it's just decreased.  I'm still trying to find the perfect solution.  But I am anxious to see how much thickness I have retained with my next relaxer.

I need a snack and some rest.  Good night!

When is a Good Time to Say Goodbye?

Ok, so I believe I have an obsession with cutting my hair.  Every so often, I just feel the burning desire to take scissors to my hair, LOL.  Nothing drastic, just some trim-age. : )

With that in mind, I started doing some investigating last night on proper techniques for cutting hair.  I bought proper hair cutting scissors a few months ago, but I actually only cut my hair once.  So I hit up google and found a Lady that I like.  She talked about the search and destroy method, along with a few other tips:

I'm going to give it a try as soon as I finish cooking dinner!

Oh and to provide an update to last night, when rinsing the concoction out of my hair, it felt wonderful!  So soft and silky.  My hair was very easy to detangle and air dried rather quickly. After rinsing, I applied my Neutrogena Leave-In Conditioner and sealed with my Shea Moisture Oil. 

In the morning, I flat ironed my hair and I wore it semi-down.  It looked okay.  I applied Chi Hair Serum before flat ironing to get it shiny - and it looked shiny and felt silky from about the base of my head to about 12 inches out... then my hair just looks raggedy... I'm hoping a little trim-age goes a LONGGGGGGGG way!

 My hair is a very comfortable shoulder length.  Lots of lonely stragglers of hair sticking out around my head...

This is a close up of the ends... Yes, I think today is a good day to say goodbye.

 My shears and some of the hair lost.

 Oh the damage... It can only get better.

JBCO Gripes

I forgot to mention some cons to JBCO that I've incurred thus far.  I've done my research on it and I know that it removes toxins from your body and that can lead to scalp itch.  When I say my scalp itched, it itched.  I couldn't wait to wash my hair!  I didn't have any flaking or anything, my hair was still shiny and silky smooth, it was just more itch than I could stand. 

Here's a link for more information:
http://www.hairliciousinc.com/2010/05/tropic-isle-living-jamaican-black.html

I think I'll limit my use to applying a moderate amount directly to the scalp on wash days. 

Oil Guru

In the course of 3 days, I have become a oil guru, LOL.  My order of Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) arrived via an amazon order a few days ago.  I was beyond ecstatic to finally be caught up in the hair oil world and begin adding it to my regimen.  Since there aren't any Castor Oil challenges occurring right now, I just looked at the previous ones and decided to try the "advanced" level - since I need to catch up asap.

Day one went well.  I my still doing a wash with Roux Porosity Control Shampoo and Conditioner.  My hair condition has changed drastically!  I am loving it.  After, I air dried without leave-in conditioners, but moisturized and sealed with my Shea Moisture products and then applied the JBCO to my scalp.  JBCO is very thick in substance.  It has a slight smell, but it isn't bad.  I used a color applicator bottle that I purchased at Sally's Beauty Supply.  The tip is small, so it's a very controlled amount that comes out.  Since I wanted to cover my scalp as well as possible, I parted my hair into 6 sections and then divided into subsections from there.  Similar to as if I were apply a relaxer.  I applied it very well and massaged it into my scalp.  I pulled my hair into a ponytail and slept on it overnight.

When I woke up in the morning, all was well.  Since I was going into the office, I decided to flat iron my hair.  I ran my hair through the heat, and let me tell you it felt as soft as silk.  My curls looked relaxed, it was "silky smooth" to the touch and it looked great.  Later that night, before I went to sleep I applied the JBCO to my scalp the same as the day before.  I moisturized and sealed, and I tied it up into a ponytail and went to sleep.

Day two, I didn't do anything all day so I kept my hair in a ponytail.  That night, I did the same routine as the day before.

Now, it's Sunday and I am a self declared guru.  I went grocery shopping at Whole Foods and ran into the oil aisle.  I purchased Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (OVCO) and honey.  I also stopped by target and picked up a jar of ORS Hair Mayo.  I wanted to do a deep condition today and mix all of the ingredients together.

My ingredients

I started with a hot oil treatment with JBCO.  I just put the applicator bottle in the microwave for about 20 secs and applied it to my scalp.  I massaged it for about 15-20 mins while watching TV and then proceeded to rinse and shampoo.  When I started my rinse, I noticed that it didn't rinse as easily as when I used EVOO.  My hair still had a thick coat of JBCO.  I shampooed twice with RPCS and my hair felt sticky to the touch and not smooth like I'm used to.  So I did a quick shampoo with my ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo that I use to clarify.  That removed the oil from my shafts.  I did another quick wash of RPCS and then applied the RPCC to my hair for a few minutes this time.  While it was in my hair, I ran around the house and collected my:

• Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• JBCO
• EVOO
• Hair Mayo
• Honey

I grabbed a bowl, eyeballed amounts to mix, and just threw it all together.  In the order of the largest amounts, I used: Hair Mayo, OVCO, EVOO, Honey, JBCO.  I didn't melt the OVCO first, so I had to mash the chunks of oil until it melted.  I mixed it with a spoon and it turned a light orange color.  I was afraid to add too much honey because I thought it might make my hair sticky.  I sectioned my hair and applied it generously root to tip.  I am now sitting on the couch, rubbing the oil dripping down my neck and face with a paper towel, allowing the concoction to marinate in my plastic baggie.  I did pay special attention to the back of my hair around the nape of my neck, because when it air dries, it shrivels up and is still my thinnest section.

Since I don't have a hooded dryer yet, I plan on sitting near my space heater (not as a substitute) and allowing my hair to deep condition for about 2-3 hours.  It smells pretty good, thanks to the OVCO.  The only annoying thing is the constant oil dripping...

I'll provide an update once I have finished air drying.  And if I can find my cell phone, I'll take some pictures!

I am Stronger than Yesterdayyyy... LOL

 And yes, that is a Brittany Spears reference, LOL.  I have now washed my hair 3 times with Roux Porosity Control Shampoo and Conditioner and I can say that my hair is stronger than it has ever been.  Hair loss is to a minimum!  As I've been confined to my home due to inclement weather, I have had the luxury of washing as often as I like.  The regimen has been as follows:

1. Apply EVOO directly to scalp
2. Massage scalp for 30 minutes
3. Rinse EVOO thoroughly out of hair
4. Shampoo with Roux Porosity Control Shampoo 2x for about 5 mins each
5. Condition hair with Roux Porosity Control Conditioner for about 30secs to 1 min
6. Apply ApHogee leave in conditioner and Shea Moisture Hair Oil
7. Air dry by applying scarf method
8. When hair is dry, moisturize and seal hair with Shea Moisture products

Even though my hair feels great when wet and shedding is at a minimum, my hair still feels somewhat the same.  It's not soft, it's not moisturized, its not what I want it to be...  I keep hoping it will be different each time.  I know it's been this way a while, maybe it just takes several washes to restore the pH balance.  I know the directions approve for daily use, so I'm hoping that it gets better overtime and then I can just use it 1 or 2 times a month. 

On another note, I did apply Mega Tek to my scalp after the last wash and plan to with this wash as well.  I am looking forward to experiencing 'mega growth' - LOL. 

I'm Back in Action!

So I had a minor change in plans overnight.  I did apply EVOO directly to my scalp, massaged it in, and then covered it with a plastic cap so it could marinate overnight.  I got on Amazon and contemplated adding the Roux Porosity Control Corrector and Conditioner to my order of JBCO, then I realized it was distributed by Sally's Beauty Supply and decided to check them out in the morning.

In the morning I got up and low and behold, Sally's had the product.  It took everything within me to ONLY buy that product and nothing more. I am still trying to stick with my pledge of not buying new products until the old ones are gone.  I've already spent over $50 this month alone on products and it's only the 8th!

In hopes of starting a new routine, I tried out my new new products.  I thoroughly rinsed out the EVOO with warm water.  Next I used the Porosity Control Shampoo to wash my hair.  It still took a few washes in order for me to have a solid amount of lather in my hair.  Overall, it felt great in my hair.  I can tell that it was becoming moisturized again.  Similar to the experience I had the first time I used ApHogee Moisture Shampoo.  It was heavenly!  Next I followed with the Conditioner.  Your only supposed to use it for 30 secs, so I put it in, rubbed it around for a while, and rinsed it out.  I still wanted to Deep Condition, so I used the remainder of my Dark and Lovely Dry Hair Healer.  I mixed that with the remainder of my ApHogee Essential Oils and a dab of the Roux Conditioner.  I put on a plastic cap and allowed it to marinate for another few hours while I did my sisters hair.  She's in the process of transitioning and is still learning how to maintain her hair.  She has hair similar to mine and it was in dire need of some help.  I follow the same steps for her, except the EVOO only stayed on a few hours vs overnight.  She's about 4-5 months into it and has quite a bit of growth.  I'm very proud of her!  But she still has the mindset to where she feels her hair is "nappy".  I told her that her curls were beautiful and she just has to learn how to take care of her hair.  If her hair does feel "nappy" it's her fault and she needs to take better care of it.  She hasn't chopped off the relaxer yet, but I think she's pretty close to that point.

Due to my hectic schedule, I'm still not sure what will be my wash days yet.  While I'm on the road, I can do my quickie, cheapie co-washes, but I can't really deep condition and take care of it like I would hope to.  I'm in the process of air drying and took a quick picture of my hair to see where I'm starting the new year off at.  I can say that it was a bit disappointing... It is even and thicker - probably due to my latest cut, but it looks a lot shorter than were I was this time last year.  It's time for me to get back to work and take care of my hair!

This picture is from Jan 6, 2010 (hair dry).  

This picture is from today Jan 8, 2011 (hair wet).

Delusional

Hello - My name is Lauren and I am delusional.  I expect long healthy hair and I don't expect to follow a regimen.  It's time to wake up (again) and get serious about taking care of my hair. 

I've been back in the blog-o-sphere and getting advice and motivation.  I realized I've been doing some things completely wrong and I'm ready to start the new year fresh.  I'm going to make investments in the right places - natural products, Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO), deep conditioners, etc - and do my hair right.

I'm starting out tonight by combating my dry hair issues.  I'm going to pre-poo/condition my scalp with EVOO overnight.  Believe it or not, I would just pour it into my hair and rub it around... Not quite how it works.  I'm going to section and massage the EVOO into my scalp.  Since it's in such a terrible state (plus it's late and I'm tired), I'm going to put a cap on and let it sit overnight.  In the morning (or afternoon), I'll wake up, shampoo with Roux Porosity Control and then Deep Condition with Shea Moisture Hair Smoothie.  I might even try a hot oil treatment with the EVOO.  I've got to get into habit of adding oil directly to my scalp and the EVOO will have to suffice until my order of JBCO arrives.

I'm hoping the added moisture and attention to my scalp helps with the tenderness.  I'll post an update tomorrow and maybe pics of how I'm starting the year off.  I know I'm way overdue...

Stay tuned!

Happy New Year

It's that time again... time to pretend I'm going to do something different, LOL.  I think it is time for me to get back on the regimen and stop playing games with my hair.  I haven't noticed any significant difference in my hair or length or quality.  It is longer than last year, but hair grows.

I think I'm about 4 weeks post relaxer today.  My hair has been growing fairly evenly recently.  I'm proud of that fact.  If nothing else has been consistent, my growth has been.  More than likely, I will stick with a ponytail throughout the remainder of the winter.  The cold air and hats and big winter coats are just too much for my hair.  My ends feel so dry.  On the dry note, I finally bought the hair porosity shampoo today.  It's supposed to help my hair stay moisturized.  I shampooed today and my hair barely got wet.  And barely is not an understatement.  It's never been this bad before.  Additionally, I've started using natural products.  I still haven't changed shampoo and conditioner yet (waiting to use them up first), but I did get natural shea moisturizer and oils.  The products have been okay thus far.  I bought each bottle at Target for $9.99.  The name of the brand is Shea Moisture.  They have a full line of products, but I purchased the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Strengthening Elixer and the Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Hold Smoothie.  According to the directions on the website, I've been using both products improperly, LOL.  The products come highly reviewed, so I hope with continued proper use, I'll be singing praises as well. : )

I'm once again seriously considering the natural route... In getting myself together spiritually, mentally, physically, going natural just seems like the right thing to do.  We shall see.  Maybe the products will help my hair become more manageable and I'll just go for it?

 Holiday Hair - Loved it!