I have not touched my hair in two weeks!!

Over the past two weeks, I have been very busy. My hair has been in 4 very crappy braids under a head-wrap. So when I could remember my hair, I slapped anything I could on it ( olive oil or liquid leave-in) and baggied 3 out of the 14 nights of neglect.

However, I replenished some staples and I am going to get to work on my hair.

Items I bought:
-Lustrasilk cholesterols (the shea butter and the aloe vera)
- 911 liquid leave-in
- Cream of Nature moisture-active deep conditioning treatment with jojoba and olive oil
- Mane N' Tale detangler
- Magenta magnetic rollers
- Silk rollers (finally)

This weekend I plan to:
1. Detangle with my afro comb in very small (1 inch) sections with Mane n' Tale detangler
2. Pre-poo (from root to tip) with Lustrasilk's Aloe Vera detangling conditioner
3. Rinse (luke warm water). Shampoo (scalp only in 6 braids) with CON kiwi-lime
4. D/C for 30 minutes with heat with the following mix:
- 1 tbsp evoo
- 7 drops each of peppermint and tea tree oils
- 1 cap full (1 tbsp) of porosity control
- 1-2 tbsp (about 4 pumps) of Nexxux humectress
all mixed into 1/4 cup of each: Lustrasilk shea butter and CON moisture-active deep conditioner
5. Rinse in braids, detagling each section and re-braiding.
6. Spritz and comb through 911 leave-in and aloe vera juice; seal with serum.
7. Rollerset and air-dry.
8. M/S nightly with aloe, ORS carrot oil, coconut oil and cross-wrap.

Wear head-wrap this week.

2011 Staples for Year long stretch!

The conditioners I love to use are:

• Lustrasilk's Shea Butter and Mango (moisturizing deep conditioner, mainly preferred on dry hair with grapeseed, vitamin e oil, and evoo mixed in)
• ORS Replinishing conditioner (protein-based deep conditioner; used every other weekend with heat)
• Herbal Essences Hydralicious (used sometimes mixed with the Lustrasilk)
• Dove Daily moisture (mainly used as a d/c without heat while working out)
• Mane 'n Tale (rotated with Dove)
• V05 clarifying conditioner (used as a shampoo/cleanser [NO MORE SHAMPOO FOR ME])
• Hair One olive oil for dry hair (used as a shampoo/cleanser - love it!)
• Tresumme moisture rich vitamin e (My quick-conditioner, works well mixed with sweet almond oil. I use this to detangle the hair. I USED THIS BEFORE EVERY FINAL RINSE)

My favorite leave-ins are:
( after 2 years of experimentation, I have found that my hair prefers liquid leave-ins versus creamy)

• Cold Aloe Vera juice (my #1leave-in. It seals the cuticle, moisturizes and helps with detangling)
• 911 emergency leave-in (moisturizing)[DISCONTINUED] (Can you believe they took this off of the market???)
• Aphogee pro-vitamin leave-in (keeps the line of demarcation strong!)

My water-based moisturizers are:
(after 2 years of experimentation, I have found that I have to water down most of these a little bit more for my hair)

• Herbal Essences long term relationship
• Tresumme vitamin e (works well as a moisturizer too!)

My Oil-based moisturizer:

• ORS carrot oil (for the occasional straight hair)
• Coconut oil (for straight hair as well)

I may use the following shampoo to clarify (maybe once a month) and after a relaxer

• ORS creamy aloe shampoo
• Nexxus Therapee Moisturizing shampoo

OILS!!!

• EVOO ( pre-pooing overnight!)
• Cocounut ( straight style moisturizer/sealant/occasional scalp treatment)
• Doo grow Mega thick growth oil ( for nightly sealing and for coating my hands before taking down sets)
• Castor (for sealing damaged ends and for slicking and thickening edges. Occasionally used as a scalp treatment)
• Grapeseed, vitamin e, peppermint, and sweet almond oil (for adding to conditioners).

Heat protection and other styling aids:

• Water (as a spritz)
• Fantasia IC serum
• Nexxus Heat protexx
• Frizz ease super serum

That's all for now!

Coconut Milk?

I have been dancing around the thought of coconut milk for the past 4 months. I have just recently discovered (since looking up from my busy life) that I am 4 months post relaxer!!! I have made up my mind that I will not be relaxing for another two months. I will put in my traditional "start-of-the-spring-semester"semi-individual braids, do that regimen for two months, nurture my hair for the three weeks following, and relax sometime in March.

Back to the coconut milk, so I was browsing various hair care boards and decided that it was time to try the milk. Tonight I plan to put in in a spray bottle and use it to saturate my hair like a pre-poo. Then I will D/C with some Dove Daily moisture and co-wash it out with VO5 kiwi clarifying conditioner. I plan to roller-set with my Aphogee leave-in and Fantasia IC heat protection serum.

RESULTS

Well, I thought that the Coconut oil was going to aid my d/c, but I was wrong. When I sprayed it on the new growth, I immediately noticed that it became silkier and more manageable (as far as detangling is concerned. I saturated my entire head root to tip and only used Dove only on the edges to stop the drip. I added a plastic baggy and wrapped that with a towel for over an 1 hour ( my intentions were 15 minutes but I fell asleep).

SO I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DEEP CONDITION AFTERWARD BUT...I was so wrong!!! My heart said stop when I rinsed each half of my head with luke-warm water. As I let it air-dry in two loose french braids, I realized that my hair felt soft and a little stronger and the new growth was a little looser!. I decided that it was okay to just detangle using my Aphogee leave-in and Fantasia serum.

Loved this experience!!!

NOTE: It is very important to avoid heat and hot water while using the coconut milk or the thicker substance in the milk will curd in your hair.

My wash day: Christmas day

Well this week has been a good week for my hair in general. I mean REALLY GOOD!

I have been looking at naturals and taking tips from them because I want to transition in 2011. I have about 2 inches of new growth that is making me want to relax. And at 18 weeks post, I am really hoping this works during the next semester of college. So, I have a full thing of Silk Elements that I have been itching to try since I ran out of ORS on standby. My relaxer journey is not what I expected (<---which is to be expected). Nonetheless, I am greatful for all of the discipline and understanding of my hair that has taken place over the last two years.



On to the week. I was really good about listening to my hair this week. I co-washed 1x. I moisturized and sealed every night starting with a water spritz first, then following up with a dab of LTR and ORS carrort oil sealed with coconut oil. I skipped the ORS on the nights I did not co-wash.



To co-wash, I rinsed the hair well for 5 minutes and slathered on Dove Daily Moisture from root to end while I did my workout as like a deep condition. After that, I rinsed my hair and co-washed with my Tresumme moisture rich in sections and plaited each section. Lastly, I moisturized with HE LTR and ORS carrot oil and sealed with coconut oil.



Friday, I pre-pooed (all day) with olive oil sealed with coconut oil. Then, I rinsed the hair with warm water for 5 minutes and cleansed it with Hair ONE for dry hair. I let that sit for 5 minutes. My hair felt soooooo good after I rinsed. Why did I go back to shampoo?! Anyway, I thought that it was time for some protein so I did the Aphogee 2-min (honestly for about 10 mintues under a cap). Rinsed and added my deep condtioner: ORS replenishing pak. I dc-ed with no heat overnight. When I got in the shower on Saturday, I sectioned the hair down the middle, then in fours on each side (this made it real easy to detangle). Since I had more time, I had more patience with my hair and I used my Jibere shower comb after detangling each section with my hands from the ends to the root. By using my hands first, I was aslo able to find those stubborn knots which I was able to clear using the rub method for knots.



**To clear out stubborn knots I just gently rub the knot in between my fingers until the hairs loosen and I pull them out a few at a time. LOVE IT!



I braided my hair in the shower in eight braids and moisturized each braid with LTR, ORS and Fantasia serum, combed it all through and re-braided putting a little curl at the end with my fingers.



Lastly, I sat under the dryer for 30 minutes (on low) to dry my hair for a braid-out.

This week's hair stuff

December 19: I pre-pooed overnight with Evco and shampooed that out with my watered down Nexxus. then I followed that with my Tresumme Moisture rich and detangled in four sections the shower and plaited each section. When I got out, I blotted the hair and added my leave-ins in this order:

*Aphogee leave-in

*Aloe vera

*Cream of nature creamy leave-in

*Fantasia Ic Serum.

I combed each one through each time I add

Then, I let my hair air-dry in a rollerset and flat ironed the root with a little Nexxus heat protectant spray. FYI: NO HEAT touched the ends of my hair!

To maintain over the next four days, I just moisturized nightly with evco and wrapped the hair with my hands. I loved the softness and manageability of my hair so I think this regimen is a keeper!

December 22: I rinsed my hair with luke-warm water for 5 minutes then I slathered on some Dove daily moisture and did my workout. After that I gently rinsed the hair and co-washed it with some Tresumme. I used a t-shirt to soak up the water and then I moisturized and sealed with Herbal Essences LTR and evco. Then I plaited in 6 plaits.

-- On some long hair board I found, I was told to sleep with the hair in a position (like plaits) that inflicts the least amount of friction, movement, and stress. So, I think I may do that with the co-washes after workouts.

The star product for Decemeber: extra virgin coconut oil

Struggling to hold on

This may be a rant, but I am so tired of this hair journey mess. I still see breakage of all lengths; I can't afford some of the products I want to try; I really want an all-natural regimen; I need a trim; I need a relaxer; I want to transition; I want to be natural but my relaxed hair is helping me since its all I really know right now; I want braids to work now like they did in the past; I'm tired of set backs; I'm hard-headed; I don't listen my hair; I try to listen to my hair; This shyt takes too much time; I'm not sure if I care!!!!!!!!!!!

I went from texlaxed to relaxed and this is the regimen

My new staple routine since August - October 2010:

*I use this 1 - 10 weeks post relaxer.

- Prepoo/dc (OVER SATURDAY NIGHT) on scalp & hair w/castor oil or evoo or coconut oil - Condition-wash-condition: with Dove on ends only,
- Use a 30-70 mix of NTM, CON, or Nexxus Humectress poo on scalp only (lather and rinse well) and water (1 time only!!!)
- DC w/ matching conditioner and plastic bag w/heated cap for 15-20 minutes.
- Let hair cool down then cool water rinse.
- De-tangle in shower and in sections with Tresumme. Plait each section OR part hair for rollerset in shower.
IT WORKS!

Clarify after pool and use Aphogee 2-min before DC (if needed)

Leave-ins: Aloe spritz and 911 for dry hair

Moisturizer: 1/2 water 1/2 Clairol DR in s-curl bottle OR Ltr

Roller-set w/watered down 911 for dry hair and Fantasia IC heat serum then bun M-F knot-out or twist-out updo on weekends.

Nightly:
-Aloe spritz (keep refrigerated)
-911 leave-in for dry hair
-Pea-sized amount of LTR to ends and edges
-Seal with SAO
Wrap, tie down, baggy (<---my hair loves baggying)


Products to ditch: NTM line.

Staples: Tresumme, Dove, Nexxus, Cream of Nature and natural oils

Wigging/Bunning until: End of Spring semester 2011