Relaxer Results

Hi friends, happy Sunday! I hope everyone is well.

I got my hair relaxed today, and unfortunately had to get 4 inches cut. Talk about a set-back. I wasn't surprised because my hair has been breaking on a consistent basis since the beginning of January. I noticed the breakage early on, but I hadn't changed any part of my routine, so I wasn't sure what to do to try to stop the breakage. I finally chalked it up to the weather (I live in Philadelphia). I had this same issue last year this time, but before the breakage was mainly because I was using Amla Oil and my hair had a bad reaction.

Fast forward to today and my stylist could see the damage. She initially wasn't going to cut much (and do a normal trim), but I'll ALWAYS choose health over length, so I told her to cut it! It really hurt my feelings/ set in when I threw my length check t-shirt on and saw that my hair was at line #1 and I was on pace to be at line #5, which is BSL. However, I had to remind myself that last year this time I was at the same length and by the end of the year I was at line #4, so I can certainly do it again this year. It's not an ideal situation, but at least I know that I can grow my hair.

Moving forward, I'm going to experiment with my conditioner and see if that changes anything. Although I'm blaming my breakage on the weather, I'm still not 100% comfortable with my conditioner. I exclusively use Phyto products because that's what my stylist uses and I'm too lazy I find it easier to stick with a product line that she knows well and can provide recommendations for based on her knowledge of my hair. However, Phyto did a major overhaul of all of their products last year and they discontinued the conditioner that I previously used. I used one replacement and immediately thought my hair was breaking a little as a result, so I changed to another and had the same results. I've been using the new conditioner(s) for about 1 year and I did retain length, but I still think it's playing a role in the breakage.

Following are some photos:

3.9.14_Line #1

3.9.14_Line #1

Left: 3.9.14 line #1; Right: 12.1.13 line #4

Looking at these photos, I should have gotten a cut sooner, but I thought the thinness in my ends was the result of styling and not bad ends. Anyway, you live and you learn. My goal is to maintain this thickness throughout the year and reach line #4 again!  I'll keep you all posted :-).

HHG

Braids, braids, braids!!!

Hi friends! As promised, I wanted to write a quick post about my box braids.

I got them done on Monday, March 25, so I've had them for exactly 3 weeks tomorrow. I LOVE them! My stylist did them and it took roughly 5 hours. She actually started out braiding hair before she moved to becoming a stylist focused on hair health. I love the fact that I have one stop shopping with her because she knows my hair and is gentle with it. It took less than a week for them to loosen. They weren't too tight to begin with, and after the fourth day I had really good movement with them that wasn't uncomfortable. That was a BIG relief.

I have been caring for them just as a I would my normal hair. I moisturize and seal them daily, wash them weekly with my normal products (including my normal oil pre-treatment and protein leave-in). So it's business as usual even though I have braids. The other great benefit is although I follow the same process, it takes about an hour (if that) for my wash day because I don't have to detangle!!!

I would like to take more photos, but here is one that I posted on Instagram (they are pretty long...about waist length and I'm 5'7 for reference):

Until next time!

2 Year Hairversary!!!

3/31/13 marked 2 years ago that I started my long, hair journey. Boy how quickly time flies! Looking back, I've realized that the first year was a year of hiccups and lots of experimentation while this last year I truly got the hang of things.

I was natural for the first 5 months of my hair journey (I had been natural for a little less than 2 years before beginning my hair journey) and then realized that I love straight hair and straight hair styles, but I couldn't achieve and maintain them with natural hair. This was the case primarily because I work out daily. Natural hair + a desire to wear straight hair styles + daily sweat sessions do not work well. Three months after beginning my journey I got a brazilian keratin treatment (June 2011), and then two months later I decided to get a texturizer (August 2011). This was the perfect solution for my hair, but it took a few months and some trial and error to get there.

After I got the texturizer, I committed to washing and doing my hair myself weekly, but this was definitely new for me. Then life took over and I ended up back in my stylist's chair every week, getting my hair corn rowed because I had started wearing wigs. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I didn't feel like I was making much progress in terms of length. Nonetheless, I stuck with this routine and figured I needed to be patient.

Fast forward to March of 2012 when I had a bad texturizer experience and that was it. I decided that I needed to make time to care for my hair myself because I hated the last experience I had and I thought after one year into my journey, I should be able to do my hair myself. Thank God for that experience because between March 2012 and my next texturizer in June 2012, I retained the most length since beginning my hair journey. It was almost like a growth spurt, but I know better, it was just good ol' length retention!

Since March 2012, I've been doing my hair myself with the exception of my quarterly texturizer and trim. I have no desire to be a DIYer with chemicals, or scissors...that's where I draw the line, lol! With the exception of my recent almost set back, I have retained length and feel like I FINALLY understand what my hair needs and how to maximize length retention. It took 2 years, which seems like a long time, but I'm glad I was forced to truly understand how my hair thrives.

Following are a few things that I've learned:

• Patience, patience, patience! 
• When experimenting with products, try to change only one product at a time and take note of when you introduce the new product. For example, I have my staples, and I only introduce new products or experiment with changing things after a relaxer. This helps me track/ monitor the effects on my hair.
• Focus on learning your hair and the length will follow!

Finally, this post wouldn't be complete without progress photos! 

Left: 3/31/11; Middle: 3/31/12; Right: 3/31/13

South Africa!: Part 1

This post is so overdue, but I figured better late than never! Where do I begin....?

For any new readers (waving hi!), my family and I traveled to South African and Kenya at the end of 2012 for one of my closest friends' wedding.

I had the honor of being in the wedding, but as any hair enthusiast, I was a bit nervous about how my hair would be handled since I, nor my stylist would be doing it for the wedding. Fortunately, after a little negotiation, I allowed my friends' stylist to do my hair. The stylist did not have Phyto products, which is what I normally use in my hair, but he did carry Paul Mitchell, so fortunately good products were used. The woman who ended up doing my hair did a really good job - she gave me a nice wash and scalp massage and she was gentle. I was definitely anxious about the blow out because this is the part in the process that can go extremely wrong. I was pleasantly surprised though - she coated my hair really well with a heat protectant and used a round brush. Even with the round brush, she didn't pull my hair through like the Dominican's do, she used minimal heat (just to dry my hair, not to straighten) and she was gentle. So overall, I have no complaints.

On the morning of the wedding, I had my hair done by the head stylist and he went with spiral curls. He used the old school barrel curling irons, which I wasn't that thrilled about just because I know the technology in flat irons is better for hair. Aside from that, the experience was much better than I anticipated it would be, and my friend was happy with the outcome, which was most important! Also, my hair ended up working really well with the fascinator that I wore for the big day. Following are a few pictures. I'll come back with Part II! HHG

Breakage Update

Hi friends! It has been a little over two weeks since I posted that I think I discovered what is causing my breakage. Immediately after I wrote that post, I poured out all of my oil mixtures and washed the bottles with boiling water (literally) and dish detergent (I used detergent because it cleans oil/ grease). Then I made new mixtures using coconut oil as a base. I have been using coconut oil since the beginning of my hair journey and have not had a problem yet (at least I don't think). I did a clarifying wash the following week and have rid myself completely of Amla.

So fast forward two weeks and I am still seeing breakage. I believe it has subsided a bit, but it's still way more than I'm comfortable with. Also, now instead of a bunch of really small pieces, the pieces are longer. I don't know what the heck is going on. I keep reminding myself that although I thought it would happen immediately, I had been consistently using Amla oil on my hair since September (roughly 5 months), so I shouldn't expect to reverse the effects immediately. I certainly don't think it should take months for the breakage to stop, but I'm just trying to be reasonable and give my hair a chance to adjust and rebalance.

I am scheduled to go to my stylist for my texturizer in about 3 weeks and at that point I will talk to her and make adjustments to what I'm currently doing. Unfortunately, I'm also preparing myself for the worst in terms of how much I'll have to get chopped off.

At this point, it's all a part of the learning process and I know better moving forward. I'll keep you posted.

I Figured it Out!!!!!!

Hey guys - I know I have been boring you for the last 3 weeks about my stressful wash day sessions. Just to recap, when I got my last relaxer in December, my stylist and I noticed I had breakage in my hair. Leading up to this appointment, I noticed my hair was breaking, but I couldn't figure out why and wasn't really proactive in trying to figure it out.

After my relaxer, my stylist loaded me up with products and I vowed to get back to the basics that I had stopped doing as 2012 progressed. Well I've been diligently taking care of my hair, using protein weekly (which was the big thing that I stopped doing in the second half of 2012), and trying to get my breakage under control. Nothing seemed to be working. This week I ended up not doing the every other day treatments that I had planned because I didn't think that it would make a difference.

Fast forward to today, I was in the shower washing my hair, noticing all of the small pieces of breakage and I again thought back to when the breakage happened and what I changed around that time. Last year, my hair was fine (and actually thriving) from March - September. So what changed after my September relaxer? OOOHHH CRAP.....I introduced 100% Amla Oil.

Amla Oil, really? That would cause breakage? I think so! I don't know for sure ladies, but that's one of the major things that I introduced into my hair regimen around September and have been consistently using. I first purchased Amla oil in May of last year and actually posted about it, but the first bottle I got contained mineral oil and I wanted pure Amla, so I ordered another bottle in late August that's 100% pure and went crazy with it. I put it in my scalp oil mix, of course in all of my sealing oil, and it was the main oil that I was using (as in 30-50% of all of my mixtures). Over the last two weeks I've made two bottles of Amla + Coconut Oil to seal with. It has been a staple since September, and my hair has been breaking since then.

So - since I just came to this realization today during my wash day, I'm going to only use coconut oil to seal this week and complete my normal wash day next week and see if my shedding decreases. Basically I'm cutting out all Amla on my hair for the next few weeks to see if I really did figure out the cause of my breakage. I'll keep you posted!

Wash Day Stress Continued

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend and will celebrate Dr. King's holiday tomorrow!

This is a quick wash day update. I did follow through with doing a light protein treatment every two days after my last wash day in hopes that this would help curb my breakage. Welp, if this made a difference, it was very minimal. My hair is still breaking at a higher rate than normal and way more than I am comfortable with. The interesting thing is that my ends seemed a bit more pliable and easier to detangle this week than normal, but I'm not sure what that means in terms of whether the additional protein is helping or hurting.

I am going to try the same routine this week again (protein every two days) and see if there is a gradual improvement. If I don't see a difference next week, I'm likely going to try Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask. I'm sure this seems pretty random, but my Mom has a sample of the Monoi Repairing Collection 3-piece starter kit, which is designed to prevent breakage. I have used the shampoo and conditioner before for mid-week washes and have no complaints. Before using this, I am going to research the ingredients to understand if it is a moisture or protein based product. If this does help reduce my breakage, it may provide some insight into whether I need more moisture or protein moving forward. (I clearly think I'm protein deficient right now). Wish me luck ladies!

HHG

New Products!

Hi ladies! After my June relaxer, I decided that it was time for me to start using a different shampoo because my Phytolium Energizing Shampoo felt really drying to my hair. Also, Phytolium is for thinning hair (i.e. to promote growth), but I didn't really feel that I needed to use a shampoo specifically for that purpose. I also wanted to try a less expensive conditioner because my hair loves Phytosesame Express Hydrating Conditioner, but I use a lot during each wash day when I'm detangling and it's expensive considering how much I use!

With that, I asked my stylist for a recommendation. Of course because she thinks Phyto is the best product for my hair (i.e. that's the only line she uses and sells at her salon), she recommended the following products for my shampoo replacement and a detangler to help minimize the amount of conditioner that I use:

The bottle on the left is the missPhytospecific Magic Detangling Spray and the one on the left is missPhytospecific Magic Detangling Shampoo. As I'm sure you've figured out, this is Phyto's children's line for African American hair (BTW - I love the packaging, it's so cute!). Anyway, my stylist thought these products would work well for my hair considering I have a texturizer and still have a good amount of curl pattern.

So my thoughts - I really like the shampoo - it's very moisturizing and gives a good lather. My hair and scalp feel clean after using this, but still moisturized. The consistency is quite interesting - it's very liquidy (kind of like liquid soap, but thinner), but it gets the job done. On wash days, I shampoo my hair once with this because I'm lazy and it does the trick! I also really like that this comes in a pump - it makes it easy for me to control how much I use (1 pump per section), and I can squirt a pump of shampoo directly on my scalp.

I did not like the detangler at all - it didn't work!!! The instructions say to apply it generously to your hair and do not rinse out. I did that with one section and thought I was going to lose my hair, lol. So instead of wasting the entire bottle, I decided to use it as a leave in conditioner after my full wash day process. It may have softened my hair a little, but overall I don't think it did anything and would not buy this again. I joked with my stylist that I have grown up curls, so the magic properties that work for the children do not work for me!

Both products have a really nice smell - along the lines of a light shea butter + coconut + something else sweet, but not overwhelming. I'll be back with more product updates that I have backlogged from the last few months! HHJ

New Goodies!

Hi friends - I hope you all are having a great weekend and enjoying the early peak of Summer (for those in the Northeast)!

I purchased these bottles a little over a month ago after seeing them on Jeni's blog. I had been in the market for glass bottles to house some of my oil mixtures and products, but didn't commit to finding what I needed. Once I saw her post, I decided to use the same vendor. Glass bottles are great to store products in because they contain less potentially harmful chemicals than their plastic counterparts (such as BPA).

I purchased the following and love them!

 

From left to right:

• 6 oz: I use this bottle for the oil mixture that I apply to my scalp on a daily basis. This has a dropper so it allows for easy and controlled application to my scalp. 
• 6 oz: I'm currently not using this bottle, but I'm sure that I'll find some use for the pump.
• 6oz: This bottle has a spray nozzle which I LOVE for M&Sing! I previously had trouble getting just the right amount of oil to seal my hair. Now, I actually fill this bottle with EVCO, warm it up if it's not liquid, and then spray it on my hair after moisturizing for even distribution on my strands! It's also a bit less messy than applying the oil with my hands - #winning!
• 3oz: I purchased this bottle for traveling. I've been traveling a lot lately and need to be able to transport whatever oil(s) I need in my carry on bag!

Until next time!

ORS Herbal Cleanse

So ladies - I went ahead and tried it. I purchased ORS Herbal Cleanse and dry shampooed my hair. This stuff is basically just alcohol with a few essential oils (lavender and basil). The consistency is similar to hand sanitizer (it's basically a gel in the bottle, but when applied, it turns into a liquid). I followed the instructions and applied a generous amount to my scalp, let it sit for a little over a minute, and then took a warm, damp cloth and wiped it off of my scalp. 

It was nice to feel like I was cleaning my scalp, but I definitely miss running water through my hair and cleaning my hair and scalp by lathering shampoo. I didn't add any oil to my scalp right away because I like to let my scalp breathe for a bit before slathering stuff on it again. BUT - my scalp itched quite a bit after I used this. I'm not sure if it's because it dried my scalp out a little, but I definitely had heightened itching. 

In addition to cleaning your scalp, you can also apply a generous amount of this to your actual braids, cover your head with a warm, damp towel for a few minutes, and then wipe your braids off to remove the residue. I would like to try this, but because the primary ingredient in the cleanse is alcohol, I'm not sure if it will be a bit too drying for my hair. 

Overall, I think I will use this again in order to avoid washing my braids with water, and hopefully minimize the potential for tangling.

The Moisture Saga Continues

The greatest takeaway that I got from unbraiding my hair last week is that it is dry. Since learning this, I have stepped up my mission to figure out what my hair likes. This is especially important because although wigs are a great protective style, they can easily zap all of the moisture out of your hair, so you must take special care to ensure that the moisture remains!

It's been a heck of a week of trial and error because I have been trying different combinations of moisturizers to see if I can hit the spot. I decided to try a moisturizing technique posted by EbonyCPrincess of Longing 4 Length. The technique involves applying a liquid moisturizer, followed by a creamy moisturizer, and sealing with an oil. I have been using my Phyto Hydrating Mist leave-in conditioner, which I LOVE, as my liquid moisturizer, followed by Amla & Olive Heavy Cream, and sealing with grapeseed oil.

Well this week I came to grips with the fact that I really like grapeseed oil, but my hair doesn't love it, at all. It just sits on my hair. Prime example - one night I followed the triple moisture technique, using the grapeseed oil to seal. I used a VERY generous amount because my hair ALWAYS feels dry. I slept with a plastic cap because I didn't want to ruin my linen. When I removed the cap the next day, the oil was just dripping off of my hair and there was literally a puddle at the bottom of the cap. I definitely know I went heavy on the oil, but based on the amount that was still in the cap, that confirmed for me that my hair didn't really absorb any of it. Long story short, I think I have to add grapeseed oil to the same category as EVOO (click for my earlier experience).

So what I learned this week is I like the idea of layering the moisturizers, but I need to get a cheaper liquid leave-in because the Phyto Mist is pricey considering the amount that I use on a daily basis, and I need to return to my beloved EVCO. This is the only oil that my hair seems to love. I did some research on LHCF to see how some of the ladies are handling moisture issues and found that the LOC method is popular (it's the same as the one EbonyCPrincess posted, but the order of the oil and creamy moisturizer are switched). I will try the LOC method and see which one I like best.

I also searched for a good liquid leave in moisturizer. I narrowed it down to Carol's Daughter Tui Leave In Conditioner and Paul Mitchell Awapui Moisture Mist. I went to Beans Beauty and asked the salesman his opinion on what would be a good product that's similar to the Phyto Mist, but cheaper (this guy has been selling hair products at this store for at least 10 years - no bull). I mentioned the Paul Mitchell, but he suggested Mastey Leave-In Moisturizer. I am not familiar with Mastey, but he mentioned that this was a lightweight, moisturizing leave in that would do the same as the Paul Mitchell, but without the preservatives, wax, and potential for build-up. I'm excited to try it and let you know what I think.

Sorry for the long post, but that's where I am on my quest for maximum moisture! Let me know if you are familiar with Mastey and your thoughts!

Ready for Home Hair Care Again

As planned, I made it to Beans Beauty to restock my Phyto products. I got everything that was on my list plus some small samples. As a result of Small Business Saturday, I was essentially able to get my conditioner for free, which is always a plus!

The samples I received are:

• Phyto 9 daily moisturizer, which I have used in the past. 
• Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Shampoo (for ultra dry hair), which is what my stylists uses during my regular appointments.
• Phytokarite Ultra Nourishing Mask (for ultra dry hair), which I have not tried before, but am excited to!
• Phytodensium Anti-Aging Mask (for lifeless hair). I will likely try this so that it won't go to waste, but I'm not sure what to expect from it.

In addition to my hair purchase, I couldn't resist stopping at one of my favorite clothing boutiques across the street. I don't know why I stopped there because it always leads to trouble and more money spent! Needless to say, I walked out with two pairs of jeans that I absolutely love! You know how some women are shoe women, others are purse women? Well I'm a denim girl - I am serious about my jeans! This store was having a buy one get one free sale on EVERYTHING in the store. Do you know how major that is to get two pairs of jeans for the price of one? I also got two cute bangle style bracelets. So I felt a little bad for splurging, but this is what I work hard for!

Need to Restock

I started taking care of my hair myself in July (in terms of washing, conditioning, etc.). I was able to last until last week without needing to purchase any additional product, but now it seems I'm out of everything! I need:

1. Phytosesame Express Hydrating Conditioner 
2. Phytomist Instant Hydrating Conditioner (I love this stuff - it's my leave in and I have actually been using this to moisturize daily while wearing my wig since it's a liquid and easier to penetrate braids)
3. Huile d'Ales Pre Shampoo Intense Hydrating Oil Treatment (I use this for my oil treatments)
4. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO), this was the first product I purchased in March when I first learned about length retention and started my hair journey

I'm actually a little excited that I'm out of EVCO because now I'll try some of the other oils that I've been curious to try as a sealer. I have an unopened bottle of grapeseed oil, which I was inspired to purchased based on the beautiful locks of Just Grow Already who swears by it, and jojoba oil based on Ms. Kibibi. I am excited to experience both of these and hopefully add additional oils to my options.

I would like to restock on these items this Saturday because it is Small Business Saturday, which is a day to support small businesses. There is a lovely little posh, beauty boutique in my neighborhood that sells basically the entire Phyto line, so I can certainly get everything at once. Also, American Express is offering $25 when you support a small business on Saturday, so I'll get some money off of my purchase, which is always a good thing!