Back again!

 Well, well, well, if it isn't me. Relaxed...again. It has been a journey, and it just keeps going. Almost to BSL and back teaching in the classroom and doing stuff - living life, loving JESUS and my family. Keep it Graceful! TTYL.

Wash Day: 6/25/16

Step 1: On dry & blown out hair, add evoo and pull out shed hair.

Step 2: Put hair in 3 sections and add Dove nutritive solutions nourishing  Oil care conditioner with Argan oil blend.

Step 3:  Bantu knot each section and proceed to workout. (Alternative: use a bonnet dryer to heat up for 10 minutes.)

Step 4: shampoo with Jocio moisture recovery one time stretching hair taught while focusing only on scalp in the shower.

Step 5: Bantu knot/clip each section out of the way until entire head is pooed and rinsed.

Step 6: ( turn off water to conserve )  add Aussie moist three-minute miracle to each section and re-clip or Bantu knot (let it sit for 3 minutes).

Step 7:  Starting at the first section conditioner was added to, taking one section at a time, add some water on top of the conditioner from the squirt bottle and finger detangle the section then comb detangled the section. Keeping my the hair stretched, rinse section and twist or plait to keep it detangled.

Step 8: Wrap hair with towel to soak up excess water.

Step 9: Allow to air dry to about 50-75% dry. Add oil mix and heat serum to each section.

Step 10: blow dry from ends to roots with slight tension using denman and or comb attachment.

Weekly maintenance/style:
- For buns: use oil at night and set hairstyle before going to bed.

- Use oil and Bantu knots or two cornrows for workouts. Let dry completely and dry shampoo if needed for freshness.

- The hair can stay in braids and be styled the night before I have to go out. As less manipulation as possible.

Goal: to do this regimen again on Friday, July 9th.

My return, after God knows how long...wash day and I am 100% relaxer-free!

Step 1: PREP - rinse have thoroughly under warm water and divide hair evenly into four sections. Divide those four sections into two smaller sections and twist.

Step 2:PRE-POO - apply coconut oil generously from root to tip.

Step 3: cover with plastic cap and scarf. Proceed with workout, chores, errands etc.

Step 4: SHAMPOO roots in sections with APHOGEE KERATIN & GREEN TEA shampoo.

Step 5: t-shirt or towel wrap wrap hair to "dry"

Step 6: PROTEIN TREAT WITH APHOGEE HAIR STRENGTHENING KIT (from Target). Follow directions on product for products 1 & 2 in the kit.

Step 7: DEEP CONDITION with SHEA MOISTURE PROFESSIONAL COCOSHEA BIOLIPID COMPLEX with Agave Nectar & black seed oil REHYDRATING HAIR MASK (from Sally beauty online).

**DETANGLE WHEN RINSING and twist in sections before getting out of shower.

Step 8: Apply APHOGEE KERITIN & GREEN TEA leave-in and plait hair 12 plaits to air dry.

Step 9: take down each plait & lightly spritz loose section with liquid heat protection. Comb through and FLAT IRON USING THE "CHASE" method.

Step 10: NIGHTLY - wrap hair and tie with satin scarf. A light serum or sweet almond oil may be used before wrapping.

Next wash day: 5/22/16
Next flat ironing: November 22, 2016
Next trim: on or AFTER November 22, 2016

NATURAL AND HAPPY (1 year & 8 months hair journey update)

In February 2012, I did a big chop after 4 months of transitioning on apl (arm-pit length) hair. I started my natural journey with about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of hair.  My style was almost a twa (teeny-weeny afro).  With 4 months of new growth, you would think I could have just kept transitioning, but I did not. The rationale for this choice was to go ahead and learn what products/techniques my natural hair texture would like the most without having to cater to two different textures AND the dreaded line of demarcation (you know, where the permed hair ends and the natural hair begins).  Also, just to be real with myself - I knew I was not going to be as patient, gentle, and timely with treatments as transitioning hair demanded, so the short do really worked for my level of commitment.

Please do not misunderstand - this does not mean that I was able to neglect caring for my natural hair, it just means that the time required to care for my hair overall was decreased.

Over the past year and 9 months, I have through many styles: from wash and goes' (where you just co-wash, add some leave-ins, maybe some gel, and go!); to afros; to mini-individual twists on natural hair; to twisted cornrows under wigs; and wigs, Wigs, WIGS, and more WIGS!.  With the wigs, I must confess, sometimes my hair got neglected and dryness was able to creep in which led to struggles with single-stranded knots, tangles, split-ends and breakage.

I must be completely honest, loads of trial and error with moisturizing techniques, regimen building and testing different products have occurred, as predicted, throughout this year. I have also had about 3- 4 major trims which leaves me to the main point...WHERE IS MY HAIR NOW?

Well, as of November 1st, 2013, after a major trim and flat iron, I am happy to report that my hair is SHOULDER LENGTH (sl) and I am loving it!!! I do believe that with a little more TLC during the first year, I could have easily been apl by now, but I won't complain. I will take what I have and take this journey one day, week, and year at time. I now focus on maintaining health, health, health, and try to check length maybe twice a year or less!

My goal length by 2015 is full mid-back length (mbl) (which, prayfully, I WILL make!).  I will also try get more committed to posting my products, techniques, styles and progress at least on a monthly basis on this blog, so stay tuned for more updates.

Enjoy YOUR hair journey.

 Sincerely,
Graceful Confidence 

February of 2012 marks the last big chop for me. I did a bc back when I was 18, then permed about 2 years later (after my son was born). Finally, after growing my hair out to arm-pit length, permed; I decided that I would be natural for the rest of my life. I vowed to myself that once I graduated college, I would return to my roots. In February 2012, I finally took that leap of faith and let go of the chemicals. It is a learning curve for me all over again, but I am sure glad I did!!

I love the me God created.
The End.
(Maybe)

Ending 1 year stretch??

This is what I did to my hair about 7 months ago (August 2010):

After a 6 month (Jan/Feb 2010 - Aug 2010) stretch I relaxed with ORS normal for 20-30 minutes.

Prior to that, I clarified, d/c-ed with Nexxus and flat ironed 1 week prior, wore bun all week, and did not scratch.

Then relaxer day:
-Based all week HB castor oil, then Proline on relaxer day.
-Rinsed relaxer for 10 minutes
-I did a mid-protein step with the Optimum normalizer (5 mins)
-Shampooed with (in the following order:) ORS chelating, Color alarm (til white lather), and Porosity control.
-Conditioned with Porosity control (3 minutes)
-Deep Conditioned with Nexxus, ORS rep pak, SAO and other oils
-Co-washed and detangled with Dove daily moisture

-911 leave-in for dry hair (my favorite)
-Nickle-sized amount of LTR to ends and edges
-Sealed with SAO and serum

-Air-dry in pony tail with roller-set on bangs and ends.
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What NOT to do while stretching...

So.... last week, I thought that I could get creative and co-wash my half-natural, half-relaxed cornrows WITHOUT TAKING THEM DOWN. Let me repeat..... I TRIED TO CO-WASH MY HAIR WHILE IT WAS IN 1 WEEK OLD BRAIDS THAT I HAD WORN UNDER A WIG ALL WEEK. Neglecting all of the following rules of long-term stretching like:

• Detangling the hair before putting water on it


• Making sure not to stress the hair at the line of demarcation


• Keeping the hair clean (but still moisturized) to help ward off tangles in the first daygum place!

You might be wondering how I thought co-washing was going to help. Well I kept hearing this screeching chant in my head saying: "low-manipulation, low-manipulation, low-manipulation", that I let get the best of me so I tried it. Let me just say that by doing so, I managed to:

• Lock in the tangles from the week by adding water to my hair w/o pre-poo or detangling


• Put undue stress at the line of demarcation by trying to "work" the conditioner into and out of the braids (I saw the breakage to prove it when it was all over).


• Not rinse my hair clean because too much condition got caught up in the braids.

In other words...I won't go down that road, ever again. Ladies, do not try this at home (or anywhere else) !