Progress is a process but damn if it ain't worth it!

So.. I said before I was attempting to stretch my relaxer to 12 weeks. Needless to say... I caved. lol My roots were out of control thick and my hair as starting to break more. So I got my relaxer on 10/27/09, and the first thing I noticed was that my hair was touching my neck.. :) Now this may not seem like a big feat, but this is the first time in my life this happened. Check out the results...

>

Even my hairdresser was impressed! He was like "Wowwww Kimora your hair is really growing!". I should also mention that before my relaxer day, the last time heat touched my hair was September 5. I think that totally had a hand in the results.

Also, I thought I should share, a few weeks ago I joined a site called Hairlista.com. This has been COMPLETELY helpful to me. It's like the Facebook for hair lovers. lol. I have learned so much about my hair through this site, and having other women there who are as passionate about healthy hair as I am, is very refreshing to say the least! I know my friends are probably dead tired hearing about some damn hair lol.

I must also admit that I am a product junkie... I try just about everything. There's been some hits as well as some misses, but alls fair when it comes to hair, right?...Right???


Til next time..HHJ!

Findin' my groove

In my last blog I was soooo pissed about the breakage and shedding I was having, I did a little research. Well I did a hell of a lot of research. I tried a couple things and I didn't experience any difference in the feel of my hair. It still felt kinda stringy and dry. I felt like, WHY is this working for everyone else and not for me???? But alas.. it is a process.

One of the things in Cathy Howse's book that stood out to me was her notion that its best to "Keep it Simple".. I decided to go back to that to.

There was one thread that really stood out to me in the Long Hair Care Forum.. so I decided to try it out to see if it could curb my breakage. It was called, "You Feel Like You're Doing Everything Right, But It's Still Breaking--CLICK NOW!" Click HERE to read it. Totally informative.

What I've been doing since I read this article was to start with V05 clarifying shampoo to wash away all the residue from the products I use. Then, I washed with Aphogee Moisturizing Shampoo, because the clarifying shampoo can be drying. Then I applied my Alter Ego Garlic Conditioner, left that in for a few minutes, then applied my DPR 11 conditioner with Coconut Oil for my deep conditioner. My hair felt a MILLION times better instantly. It felt clean and strong. Now after that initial use of shampoo, I have been cowashing every two days for the past week. That seems to work well for me because my hair just LOVES the water. I'll be clarifying again next week.

Current Products I Own

Shampoos:

Aphogee Moisturizing Shampoo
v05 Clarifying Shampoo
Beauty 4 Ashes GodHead Shampoo
Elasta QP Shampoo for Relaxed Hair

Conditioners:
Africa's Best Hair Mayo
Cathy Howse's UBH Deep Conditioner
Alter Ego Garlic Conditioner
Elasta QP DPR-11 Conditioner
Dove Conditioner
Silk Elements Conditioner
Keracare Humecto
Coconut Oil

Moisturizers:
Profective MegaGrowth Daily Moisturizer
Elasta QP Mango Butter
UBH Mist

Oils:
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Peppermint Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Rosemary Oil
Jojoba Oil
DooGro Growth Oil

Other:
Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Reconstructurizer
S-Curl
Proclaim Tea Tree Leave-In Conditioner


I feel like I could open up a beauty supply lol...


STAPLES (aka the sh*t I really use)

Shampoo: Anything but I like the Clarifying Shampoo for every 2 weeks or so
Conditioner: Love the DPR-11 mixed with coconut oil, then for that "slick" feeling I use Dove Daily Moisturizing Conditioner (I think it's called) and then detangle while I rinse it out
Leave-Ins: Proclaim Tea Tree Leave-In
Moisturizers: S Curl be holding these roots DOWN! lol, Love the Profectiv MegaGrowth
Oil: I got an empty spray bottle and mixed Olive, Jojoba, Coconut, a few drops of Peppermint, and Rosemary, and Grapeseed Oils. I love this mix
Methods: t-shirt drying, scarf drying, washing my hair in the shower as opposed to the sink, detangling under running water


STATS AS OF 9/30/09:

Last Relaxer: August 19, 2009
Currently 6 weeks post relaxer
Next Relaxer: November 5, 2009 (I am trying to stretch my relaxer to 12 wks. WISH ME LUCK!)
Last time heat was used: September 5, 2009
Protective Style: weave ponytail/bun. loose as possible, taken out every night, and position of ponytail changes every 2 days.


FINAL THOUGHT:
I've come to the conclusion that I just need to "listen" to my hair. Do what it needs. Read the signs, etc, etc, etc. My hair feel stronger without the heat. My edges look fuller. Since I started that last regimen that I got off that LHCF thread, my hair has really responded positively to it. I think I'll keep this one up for a while. I should probably put up a pic or something right?? lol We'll see. Oh, and as for the breakage, I have to research "Seasonal Breakage".... but it's definitely been reduced. I think it was also the way I was handling my hair. K. That's it for now.. DUECES!

"Growing" a bit frustrated

I'm not sure if I have unrealistic expectations for my hair or what. I've been moisturizing twice to three times a day since I started this blog almost a month ago. I deep condition or pre-poo every time I wash my hair, which is every 3 days. And some days I just cowash. I'm loving the fact that I don't get dandruff anymore because my hair is always clean, however, I'm still seeing breakage. Whether wet or dry, when I finger my ends, the hair just breaks off. And recently I've been seeing a lot of hair shedding (from the root). That may just be the natural process of hair, however, coupled with the breakage...it's not so comforting.

I'm not exactly sure what is "normal" breakage or if there is a such thing as "no" breakage. What I DO know is that the key to achieving length is stopping breakage of your ends. I will continue my research and hopefully things will look better soon.

I got that BUTTER baby!

Mango Butter that is... :)

So I finally got the Mango Butter. I found it at a beauty supply on Pitkin Ave in Brooklyn (go figure...)

On Sunday, I did a protein treatment before I washed my hair. To do this I used the Hair Mayonnaise and mixed it in with 1 egg. I let that sit in my hair for about an hour with a shower cap on. Afterward, I shampooed, then conditioned with the Africas Best Hair Mayo (just ran out of the Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayo and this one was cheaper). I left the conditioner in my hair for about an hour. However, my hair was still brittle from the protein treatment. Next time I will do a more intensive deep conditioning with heat, because I saw too many hairs in the sink and was not happy.

While my hair was still wet, I put my moisturizers in, then put it into a loose ponytail and tied it with my scarf so it can dry overnight. The next day it was still pretty brittle, so I decided to start using my Mango Butter, since it's more of an intensive moisturizer. WELL...needless to say, the hype was true. This moisturizer is absolutely amazing.


The reason for the protein treatment on Sunday was that I had an appointment to get a relaxer today (Wednesday). Since relaxers break down the proteins in your hair, a protein treatment before the relaxer strengthens it. I've been reading that it is also good to get a protein treatment after a relaxer to further strengthen. Today I actually bought an ApHogee 2 Step Protein Treatment which I'm REALLY excited about. Step 1 is the Protein, Step 2 is the Moisturizer. I will use this in the next week or two.

Today, I went to my hairdresser and got an amazing perm. Shouts to my hairdresser Lincoln! He actually told me that my hair looks really healthy even though I haven't seen him in about 4 weeks. He was impressed. :) He cut my bang, which I wasn't too happy about but I'll live, then he flat-ironed me. My hair is flowy, however I wanted some more volume so I put it up in pin curls. I'll leave these in until I'm ready to go somewhere and I'll post pix....





Here's my hair after I took out the pins



FINAL WORDS

I've learned that my hair needs heat at times. About twice a week, I use my flat-iron on a low heat setting. Otherwise, my hair is flat and gross looking, and holds no curls. I avoid the blowdryer. My hairdresser uses it, but since I take such good care of my hair now...it's all good. I also have stepped up my hair product game! I've invested in quite a few things and I'm learning what to look for in hair products.

• in moisturizers, avoid anything with Petrolatum/Petroleum
• in shampoos, avoid SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE, this is a harsh lathering agent that strips your hair of moisture. There are shampoos with Sodium Myreth Sulfate which is a more gentle cleanser

Right now, I'm looking for Pure Coconut Oil, as it is the only oil that penetrates the hair shaft. This can be used in a Pre-Poo treatment to really get some moisture in there! Also...a daily vitamin helps :)

Til next time...Dueces!

First Week of Hair Revolution...COMPLETE!

So in my last blog I said I wasn't sure if I was going to wash again on Monday or Tuesday... well clearly today is Monday and I washed. The reason was because:
A) because my hair looked absolutely nuts today, and
B) because I went to the gym and it got even more gross, and saw myself in the mirror and said "DAMN! I guess I could do that wash today..."

So after I came from the gym I did a Pre-Poo, which is basically a pre-shampoo moisturizing treatment. Most times people use conditioners and a different combination of moisturizers and oils.

Here was my washing regimen:

PRE-POO

Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise
Dove Moisturizing Conditioner
Honey
Extra Virgin Olive Oil


I parted my hair into 4 sections and applied the pre-poo treatment to each section and saturated the hair with the concoction. I put on a shower cap and let it penetrate for an hour. My hair was amazingly soft.

WASH

Then I washed with Beauty 4 Ashes Godhead Shampoo, and followed up with the Godhead Conditioner. I left the conditioner in for about 3 minutes then rinsed off. There was no need for the deep conditioning since I did the Pre-Poo. My hair felt great after this.

DRYING

I'm staying true to what I said before about applying direct heat to my hair. Therefore I air-dried.

First I blotted my hair with my towel to remove excess water.

Then I sprayed my hair with my Proclaim Tea Tree Leave-In Conditioner and separated it into 4 sections. I brushed each section lightly with my paddle brush to make sure it is detangled and smooth. Then I smoothed it back as if I were putting it into a ponytail. (My hair is too short to go into a comfy ponytail)

I used the "Scarf Method" to air-dry. (Click on the word Scarf Method for a tutorial I found on YouTube) To do this, I made sure I brushed my hair back like I was putting it into a ponytail, smoothed my edges and ends with my Profective Anti-Breakage Strengthener, then tied my silk scarf around my head, leaving the back hanging loose so that my hair could hang dry. In the front, I pulled the scarf back so my edges were just showing.



As my hair that was hanging in the back was air-drying, I occasionally smoothed it down so that it didn't turn out puffy and uncontrollable. Every now and then I'd run my fingers through it so that it dried straight.

This is where I'm at right now and I'm just waiting to apply my moisturizers for the night and then put in my Pin-Curls so that my hair looks good for tomorrow!


FINAL WORDS

I'm actually surprised at how well this air-drying and pre-pooing thing came out. Pleasantly surprised. Now I look forward to caring for my hair, because I feel like I'm starting to understand it better. This feels more natural...I dont feel as guilty when I wash my hair or when I flat-iron it, because I feel like I'm doing what's right. My hair hasn't felt direct heat for over a week now and I'm not missing anything... I haven't conquered anything yet though..This is still a journey. Click on the following link for a hair site I like: Black Hair Growth. It highlights products that you can use, if you're confused as to what products to buy. The only thing I don't particularly agree with the "wash your hair once a week" rule. Simply because I started washing it three times a week and my hair feels a million times better. It used to feel dry and gross when I washed once a week. But...to each his own..

A lil update...

Okay, so today is Sunday. In my last blog on Friday, I had just washed my hair and was deep conditioning it. I had worn a twist-out style from Friday to today and it looked kind of cute, however, now my hair is like a birds nest. (A twist-out is when you do 2-strand twists in your hair, cornrow style, and then unbraid it and then you have nice crimpy, wavy, curls).

I've moisturized twice everyday and I'm not sure how long it takes for hair to stop breaking/shedding, but it needs to happen soon. I've been pulling out clumps of hair, so I'm guessing my hair isn't healthy enough to rock a twist-out. I'll continue doing my pin curls, since that requires little manipulation throughout the day. So I'll keep my styling simple until I get my hair to a state where it can handle other styles.

My next day to shampoo will be this Monday. I'm not sure if I'll do it on Monday or wait until Tuesday. I started this new hair revolution last Tuesday and so I'm thinking Tuesdays and Fridays will be my shampoo days. I believe my next shampoo will be a co-wash, because this hair can use as much moisture as it can get! Either that or I may just use a conditioner to wash my hair.

I didn't state this in my first blog, which I probably should have, but the reason I started this was because I know there's SO many women out here whose hair is just in terrible condition. I never thought I was one of those women until mine started having major breakage a few weeks ago. I also know a lot of us go through this hair struggle, and end up giving up and throwing weaves and wigs on top of our heads. And that just continues the ugly cycle. So I hope in the end, I'm a success story and this blog here will chronicle my journey from unhealthy hair to luscious locks!

Here's my stats:

Color: Jet black (natural)
Length: 5" at the crown and from breakage theres about 2" around the edges

Thats it for now! 'Til my next wash! I'll post a pic then.

Black Woman Scorned

As I sit here underneath my hot pink Ion hooded dryer... I realize I'm another black woman scorned scorched. That's right. I said it....Scorched. Burned. I've been scorched by blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons, grease, perms, weaves, and empty promises on colorful containers showing women with long flowy beautiful hair. 2009 has been a year of revelations and this week has been no different. Monday morning, I watched as my once thick jet-black hair broke off and fell into the sink like it's been doing for the past few months. I decided that was it. I did my research and have come to the conclusion that what I thought I knew about black hair was all wrong! We all know the old-school rules:


1. Wash once a week
2. Grease your scalp
3. Get a perm every 6 - 8 weeks, and make sure it comes out bone straight!

I guess since 2009 is a year of revelations, my hair decided she'd pack her sh*t and leave until she got better treatment!

So this week I've been researching and I've been on a few forums just reading what they had to say, such as LongHairCareForum.com, and Cathy Howse's site, UltraBlackHair.com. I actually ordered some of Cathy's products as well as her book, and I'm anxiously waiting for it to arrive in the mail. I'm learning which products are the best for black hair and what the new hair rules are...Oh, you ain't heard?..Well let me share what I've gathered and chosen to use on my own runaway tresses.

1. Wash your hair twice a week, or every 3 days
2. Deep condition every time or every other time you wash your hair
3. Co-wash (conditioner and shampoo mixed) intermittently or when you deem fit
4. Use a leave-in conditioner after washing
5. Air-drying is best, or sitting under a hooded dryer
6. Moisturize with a water-based moisturizer, and then an oil-based moisturizer (to lock in the moisture) two times a day
7. Use protective styles (ponytail, braid, bun, pin curls)


The resounding theme here is MOISTURE! MOISTURE! MOISTURE! I'm 4 days into my journey and couldn't be more excited! I'm not looking for long flowy Pocahontas tresses right away. I just want healthy hair back on top of my head!

Products I'm Using at the Present Moment

• Elasta QP Shampoo for Relaxed Hair
• Beauty 4 Ashes ( All Natural Ingredients) GodHead Max Moisture & Gro Shampoo & Conditioner
• Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise (to deep condition)
• Proclaim Tea-Tree Leave-In Conditioner (not in picture)
  
• Profectiv Mega Growth Daily Anti-Breakage Stengthener (daily water-based moisturizer)
• Doo Gro Stimulating Growth Oil (daily oil-based moistuizer)
  

I'm looking to buy the Elasta QP Mango Butter but I can't find anywhere local that sells it..I'll let you know when I do. Well, that's it for now..my deep conditioning is done and is starting to drip into my eye.

(left) August 2008, my first big cut. (right) July 2009, Some growth but way too much breakage.