That Moment When Your Bald Sides Grow In!

Lately, I've been wanting to give up on this hair journey. Why? Because I really don't know. Yep. don't know! Right now, I'm in protective styling mode because I just don't feel like dealing with my hair. I have noticed though, my hair grows faster when its in a protective style, so I am curious about the progress aka growth it's been doing.

I'm still sort of in this limbo stage of--should I just grow it out to natural or keep it texlaxed. Mid-way through my hair journey I changed the goal of my HJ and this blog. The original purpose of the blog was to track my tresses for one year without ANY chemicals, but mid-way through dealing with those two textures on vicious war of trying to stay alive was A. MESS. so I did a texturizer, which I lovvvved the results.

But I've been on youtube rampage lately and watching these natural girls rock out those kinky textures with fierceness. My natural girl on the inside is yelling WE CAN DO THIS! My new fav natural youtubers are BlakIZbeautyful and Iknowlee. My gawd. I'm telling you I'm almost there, like right at the edge of jumping into natural hair goodness. Until then, I'm still tracking my tresses. The daunting task of deciding which way to go is the stressing killer though. Right now, I just want to chop ALL my hair off and really start from brand spanking new. Yep, I said it. A big chop (BC) is sounding about right! I'm ready to face my hair dead on!

Anyhoo, enough of my emotional hair rant and back to the purpose of this blog post, which is to do a length check on my bald sides, which was the main reason why I wanted to started a HJ and blogging about it. I mean I am quite impressed.

Top left the beginning of my HJ, Bottom left 3 months into my HJ, right my weapons of choice: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Leave-in and Jamaican Black Castor Oil.

6 months into my HJ; freshly relaxed

9 month into my HJ, 4 months post. I'm sure if I decide to relax again it will be longer.

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty darn impressed, only because I've always struggled with thin/bald sides. My entire life. I tell you, I am diligent with taking care of them with M&S and putting extra-extra conditioner on it on wash days. The hard work is really paying off, of course, I have more to go but the point is my sides were shiny bald.

Have you had any trouble areas that you have worked hard to thrive? Please share with me. I love hairspirational stories!

5 Facts I Learned About My Hair During my 8 Month Hair Journey!

I'm 8 months in my hair journey and although I haven't achieved astonishing growth like I've seen some length check pics on www.hairlista.com and on the web. I will say, that since being on this journey, I now understand what is most important for my hair and understands what my hair needs and wants. If I had known what I know now pre-HJ. My hair would be hitting my ankles right about now. But hey, when you know better you do better.

Current state of my hair: Protective style, custom wig. I wanted to give my hair a bit of a rest. My last texturizer was June 16th so that makes me about 12 weeks post. I'm going to see how long I can go with doing protective styles and see what kind of progress my hair makes. I'm also gearing up to buy Carol's Daughter Transiting Kit to keep me going during my stretch with the hopes this can be the solution to taking me all the way to being completely natural.

5 facts I've learned about my hair:

1. My hair loves protein. What I mean when I say that is, my hair just shows-off when DC with protein. It looks healthy, feels healthy and it luxuriates. I have way less shedding, it looks fuller, every single one of my tresses shines. Anytime, I shop around for conditioners, I make sure that somewhere in the ingredients there's some protein in it.
My current conditioner I DC weekly with is Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner. I looooooove this conditioner. My hair and this conditioner are married! It's a light protein so I get the strength and rebuilding my hair loves and I get the moisture that my hair needs. Double bonus!

2. I have bratty hair. My hair wants what it wants and if it doesn't it turns into a brat and sheds/breaks. What I mean when I say this is, my hair will shed or break, almost immediately with a product that does it no justice. It's a plus for me because I get to know what my hair hates asap, but the downside of that is it can put my hair into a bit of setback from trying to recover.

3. My hair grows slowly. When I log into hairlista and see length check pics, I'm like "hol' up her hair is down her damn back in 6 months???- What am I doing wrong?" Turns out, I'm not doing anything wrong, my hair moves at its own pace and I've already came to grips with it. So, I don't have the length that I want in my 8 months HJ but I do have the health. I'll take health over length anyday. I do give my hair a bit of assistance with growing and staying on track. I take Hairfinity vitamins twice a day and a B-complex vitamin. I still don't see fast growth but I do see less breakage and shedding than ever.

4. Pre-poo's and my hair shall never part. I wrote a post awhile back about pre-pooing and how much my hair loves it. I think this has been the secret to getting my hair in a healthy state. I will never, ever-ever skip a wash day without pre-pooing. For me, the pre-pooing process is where I focus on meeting the needs of my hair. For instance, my hair can be quite drying so I include honey, which helps attract moisture to my tresses. My hair can shed more than normal for no reason, so add garlic water, this minimizes shedding. I recently started adding Jamaican Black Castor Oil to help my thin tresses to thicken up. And of course, I also add my beloved coconut oil to the mix because it helps restore the health of the hair. Some wash days, I may add a cheap conditioner to the mix like Tresemme or Herbal Essence for an extra conditioning boost.

5. Natural ingredients are wassup. I'm not fully into using all natural products for shampooing and conditioning just yet, but I have learned that the natural ingredients I have incorporated into my hair regimen gives me better and faster results on my tresses. For my protein treatments, I started using a raw egg, olive oil, honey and a cheapie conditioner. My hair stopped all shedding and breakage asap and it snaps back to a healthy start--winning! I started using Rosewater & Glycerin to moisturize my new growth my hair seems to stay moist. Aloe vera juice (AVJ) I've added as a leave-in/detangler. Oh baby! My hair butter soft and super manageable. Just what I like!

What have you learned most about your hair on your HJ?

Going Natural? Or Stretching Your Relaxer? Try A Transitioning Kit!

Product lines are stepping up their game by creating products geared toward women that are transitioning from relaxed-to-natural. Transitioning kits are giving women the tools they needed packaged all together to combat breakage, soften new growth and maximize moisture during the grow-out phase. Most women bumped the transition phase and just go straight for the big chop (BC) instead, to prevent the frustration and the breakage that happens while transitioning.

Transitioning kits could be helpful to your hair journey (HJ). Now, if I would have found info on these two months ago, I would not have resorted to texlaxing to wean my hair out of my relaxer. Oh well. I'm still happy with the results of my hair, however, I will be trying these bad boys out and put them to the test.

I am so feeling the idea of transitioning kits! Now, I haven't tried any of them as of yet, but I'm definitely game to try one of them out and give yall a review. One thing, I've learned about my tresses is, it luxuriates best when I use products from the same product line. It needs that consistency in order to thrive, so a kit that provides a shampoo, conditioner and everything else it needs to be luxurious in it's own way, works for me. I really think my hair would do-the-damn thang, with one of these kits.

First up, we have Carol's Daughter 1-2-3 Transitioning Kit. Now, Carol's Daughter is claiming to the first-and-only hair solution kit for transitioners, but, I was able to find more transitioning kits out there, so I don't know about them being the only, but they could be the mastermind behind the transition kit. I'll have to do some research on that. Let's get down to business.

    The Carol's Daughter Transitioning Kit includes:

     Purifying Extra-Gentle Cleanser, 4 fl oz

     Renewing Scalp Spray, 4 fl oz

     Restoring Anti-Breakage Treatment, 5.5 fl oz  

Price: $40 can found purchased at Carol Daughter's stores or www.carolsdaughter.comwww.carolsdaughter.com

The promise: This easy 3-step kit offers a solution to the 3 problems transitioners face: product build-up, scarred scalp & breakage at the points of demarcation. Now big choppers, long grow-outs and protective stylers can transition from relaxed to natural hair with less shedding, a healthier scalp and softer hair.
The facts:  93% Less Shedding, Healthier Scalp & Softer Strands* *independent study results


 Shea Moisture Hair Repair & Transition Kit.

The Repair & Transition Kit includes (4 oz. each):
• Moisture Retention Shampoo – Cleanses, softens, moisturizes and helps repair damaged, over-processed hair; sulfate-free. Winner of an Allure Best of Beauty Award.
• Restorative Conditioner – Moisturizes and helps restore dry, damaged, over-processed hair. Winner of a Natural Health Beauty Award. May be used as a leave-in or rinse out conditioner.
• Reconstructive Elixir – Natural oil-based treatment intensely hydrates and repairs hair and scalp while adding sheen; acts as a sealant to lock moisture into hair.
• Deep Treatment Masque – Deeply nourishes moisturizes and rejuvenates hair and scalp. May also be used as a leave-in treatment or styling cream.

 Price: $21.99. You can find this at your local Walgreen's or Target stores and online.

The promise: SheaMoisture Repair & Transition Hair Kit, which deeply moisturizes and help heals and strengthen dry, damaged hair, provides a protective barrier from environmental elements, heat and styling aids. These all-natural formulations include raw shea butter, which moisturizes and nourishes with fatty acids and vitamins, argan oil, heralded for restoring shine and rebuilding elasticity, and sea kelp to detoxify hair follicles and scalp of impurities and residue


**FYI,I have used the Deep Treatment Masque. My girlfriend tried it on her hair and she didn't like it, so she passed it on to me to try and I was pretty satisfied with the results. How I used it was, I mixed it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) deep conditioned on dry hair. I dampened my hair little with some Aloe Vera Juice and applied. Left it one for 1 hour with heat. My hair came out soft, moist and strong too, but I must admit, I was not absolutely in love with it.


Karen's Body Beautiful Healthy Hair Transitioning Kit

The Healthy Hair Transitioning Kit includes:

• Luscious Locks Hair Mask: Nutritious Deep Condition Treatment. Softens, Moisturizes, & Detangles 
• Mane Makeover Hair & Scalp Treatment: Promotes a healthy scalp environment that supports hair growth
• Secret Weapon Restorative Hair Treatment: A balm that strengthens, repairs and restores your tresses.     

Price: $39 can be purchased at www.karensbodybeautiful.com.The Promise: This trio can minimize breakage, stimulate hair growth and promote a healthy scalp


Curls Transitioning Diva Kit

The Transitioning Diva Kit includes:

• Curlicious Curls Cleansing Cream without worry. This super hydrating, sulfate free cleanser with gently cleanse without stripping essential nutrients.
• Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea conditioner is the deep treatment your transitioning tresses need. Formulated with natural botanicals, exotic extracts, and nourishing emollients designed to moisturize, condition, and strengthen. 
• Quenched Curls Moisturizer!Prevent breakage by restoring elasticity & keeping your tresses moisturized, daily with  This super hydrating, detangling leave in conditioner/moisturizer is now formulated with sunscreen to help protect your hair from damaging UV/UB rays.  
• Curl Souffle is the perfect product for transitioning. This rich curl cream hydrates, defines and locks in moisture required to prevent breakage during your transition. An ideal "new growth smoother" as it naturally softens and relaxes kinky hair and helps to "bridge the gap" between your natural and relaxed tresses.
• FINISHING - Formulated with certified organic coconut oil and pure Champagne & Caviar extract, Champagne & Caviar Curl Elixir imparts brilliant sheen, and repairs and moistures dry, damaged tresses. 

Price: $72 can be purchased at  http://www.curls.biz/about-curls.html

No promises for this kit!

Again, I haven't tried any of these kits, but they are definitely on my wish list. If I had to pick which one I would try first, I would go with Carol's Daughter. What attracts me to Carol's Daughter's kit is that there are only 3 products to use. Since, a wash day with transitioning  hair can be overwhelming 3 easy steps is wassup!

Have you tried a transitioning kit? Share your thoughts with me.

You Better Be-Weave-It--The Do's & Don't's.

I've worn weaves, braids and wigs, plenty of times. I've worn short hair for many years that weaving was always a great option for me to play with longer or curly styles. A new look and new do always kicks up the inner diva a few notches. Aside from that, my hair would rest from the daily and weekly maintenance wear and tear, which gave it time to grow in a more peaceful state. I will admit though taking care of my tresses while wearing a weave was not a focus. I never washed it (i know, gross), all I did would apply oils to my scalp, now that I'm healthy hair savvy all that build up on my scalp, no bueno. I just appreciated wearing weaves as saving me money and time, but now that I think about it, whenever I took the weave out I would have to get a massive trim and all the growth it did while resting was shot to hell.

So, my hair now is at the awkward ear length without a relaxer, so I've been thinking about weaving it for a few months for rest of course, but to see if I can get some maximum growth going too.

Ironically, ESSENCE online posted an article up on Ten Things You Need to Know Before You Add Extensions. I took notes on how I will treat my hair under a weave this time around. Honestly, I have never considered any of these tips when I wore my weaves in the past, no wonder I never got that length that I always expected.

1. DO Care For Your Own Hair First
Before you commit to adding in extensions, make sure that your own hair is in the best shape possible. “When your hair is under a weave, you think that you’re protecting it. However, if you’re not taking care of the hair underneath, you could be doing more damage than good,” says celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez. “My philosophy is that you have to deep condition, moisturize and give your own hair the best treatment that you can before you sew it up under the weave. If you start out with clean and conditioned hair, it will stay healthy and continue to grow.”

2. DON'T Skimp on Quality Hair 
Yes, hair extensions can be pricey, but always remember that you get what you pay for. “Cheap hair will be stiff and dry with no movement and what’s the point of wasting your money on that?” asks Alvarez. “Think about how long you would want to reuse the hair. If you buy really great quality hair, you don’t have to keep buying hair every other month. You end up saving more money and it will look more natural.”

3. DO Consider the Amount of Styling Time You'll Need
If you’re tight on time in the mornings, avoid hair that will need to be styled daily. “If you can spend a lot of time in the mirror everyday, then you can go with the hair that needs constant styling,” says Alvarez. “I recommend wavy textures for those with busy schedules because it is a wash-and-go texture but it also straightens really beautifully.”

4. DON'T Opt for a Glue-in Weave
“The glue has got to go!” exclaims Alvarez. “To glue in a weave is cheaper and faster, but you sacrifice your hair and health in the long run. Hair glue is made of latex and some people have really bad allergic reactions to it. Also, when you glue in a weave, you can’t reuse the hair. A sew-in weave would be a much smarter option.”

5. DO Consider a Wig 
Wigs are quickly becoming the popular alternative to extensions because of their versatility and ease. “A lot of women will get a lace-front wig sewn in because it lasts as long as a weave but it takes less time to install,” says Alvarez. “Wigs are also good because they come off and on everyday and allow your own hair to breathe at night.”

6. DON'T Overload Your Extensions
Adding serums and sheens can actually have the opposite effect on the hair over time. Instead of making the hair shine, it will weigh it down, make it stringy, or damage the hair. “If you have high quality hair, you don’t need a lot of products,” says Alvarez. “The hair will already have luster and shine.”

7. DO Take Into Consideration the Weight of Your Extensions
The longer and fuller your extensions are, the heavier the hair will be. This could cause added tension on your natural hair and make it prone to breakage. “When your hair starts growing under the weave, the weight of the weft can start to pull and break hair, especially around the edges,” says Alvarez. It’s also important to note that if you have a relaxer, the area where your new growth and relaxed hair meets is very delicate and more prone to breakage.

8. DON'T Be Afraid to Mix Textures
When deciding on the hair that best matches your own texture, feel free to mix-and-match hair types to create the perfect fit. “Contrary to popular belief, higher quality hair will not tangle when you mix the textures because the cuticles are smoother,” says Alvarez. “I would not advise mixing packaged hair. You will definitely have matting in that case.”

9. DO Customize Your Cut and Color
After you’ve worn your weave straight and long for a while, experiment by having the same hair dyed and cut into a fresh new ’do. “Customizing your hair can make all the difference,” says Alvarez. “Talk to your stylist and bring in pictures to see what style and cut would work best for you.”

10. DON'T Use Too Much Heat on the Hair
Human hair extensions can develop split ends and heat damage just like your natural hair. “This is human hair and if you use too much heat, it’s going to break,” says Alvarez. Avoid daily heat styling by opting for pin curls, roller sets or naturally wavy hair types.

Credit it essence online magazine. Click on the link to view the complete article http://photos.essence.com/galleries/ask_the_experts__the_do_s_and_don_ts_of_wearing_extensions#1265803

Here are a few snapshots of me rocking some weaved/wig styles:

 

Short Custom wig

 

 
Bob Weave

Curly Weave



Why I Decided to Give Up the Creamy Crack

Hair line breakage Jan 2012

My turnover came when I had a hair epiphany this past January and I had to make a decision to get my hair back (literally)! I seriously had to put a pause to the creamy crack to rehabilitate my hair from this huge setback.

What I thought was a successful relaxer ended up being a disaster a week later. I experienced some severe breakage and shedding after a Mizani relaxer. I. was. devastated. So here I was again, tempting to grow out my short hair for the millionth time and I meet another set back. Do I chop it back to a short-do and start again? I just couldn't and didn't have the patience nor the funds for the frequent maintenance short hair requires, plus when your hair is short you tend to relax every 4 weeks to get the edges and nape to be sleek and obviously my edges were not able to sustain anymore chemicals on it. So, I had no choice to vow that that would be my last relaxer and I needed to take full control of everything that is put in my hair. It forced me to take responsibility not to rely on a stylist to understand my hair. When I combed my hair over it, it was completely see through. Immediately, I said No More Creamy Crack. I have to rehabilitate my hair.

How I stopped the breakage at this point was I mixed 1 egg into my moisturizing conditioner used no heat. FYI, the egg would cook if you applied heat. I let the conditioner mix sit in my hair literally all day long. My breakage and shedding stopped immediately.