Sunday, February 28, 2010

Good one, mother nature :)

The weather won folks. Due to the snowstorm in NY/NJ Thurs and Fri I was unable to get out and get my relaxer. And this is how I'll end up finally doing a 12 stretch haha. Today I pre-poo'd w my oil mix (proclaim and JBCO) while studying @ school. Heading home to clarify, do protein, and DC.

Relaxer day - Friday, March 4th. What a stretch!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

I am done

Relaxing next Friday. I don't care that I haven't done my protein and clarifying (I was gonna do it next week) because my hair gave me a scare today. It felt like hay (don't blame Mane n' Tail, don't blame Mane n' Tail), seriously. Plus it was so detangled it took me forever to detangle it and all of this came out:
Not good.

Did I mention my hair felt like trash? I am still trying to figure out if I'm just overreacting (very likely). But in any case I just feel way out of my league. So yea, I give up. 10 weeks is the most I've ever done and now 11 will be it. All this shedding (probably breakage though I don't see any) and tangled mess is too much for me. I'll leave it to the pros. So there's my monster stretch, 11 weeks lol.

Mane n' Tail experience: So I DC'ed with some DPR-11 I didn't know I had with honey, JBCO, and a little Mane n'Tail (MT). Now, w/o the Mane n' Tail, this is a staple DC of mine that always works well for me. Then I co-washed with HE LTR, another staple of mine yet my hair felt crazy rough. The 2 weeks I've used MT in my DC mixes, my hair has just felt awful - like straw. The week before I used it my hair was still being great. For this reason I'm giving it away. It just doesn't seem to work for me. I should try it again after I relax to see if it is really the problem but since I wasn't on a hunt for a new product and I already have conditioners I love, I won't. I'll stick with what works. Sometimes experimenting helps me find something great, sometimes not. Next time I'm at 10 and 11 weeks I'll see if this is typical behavior for my hair. That will absolve the blame I've given MT.

Here's my dry DC:
*my camera died so these are from the BB*


UPDATE 2/22/2010:
So my hair dried and it actually felt fine. It also wasn't shedding or breaking. I really want to relax this Friday but I'll see if my pocket will allow it...it doesn't seem that way but a girl can hope. So, although I am quite over my NG, I may be stretching one more week. Since I have to make lemonade out of lemons, at least I get to do my protein.




Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Good Hair - I finally watched it

It was a bummer for me.

I mean, it had some funny parts, yes, but all in all it was kind of pointless and boring. Let me tell you the parts I liked: I enjoyed the barber/beauty shop talk parts, and the parts when he went to vendors making relaxers, those making weaves in India, and the BSS and did interviews. The worst parts were the Bronner Brothers show in ATL. Now, I admit, I don't know much abt southern black hair culture but what on earth was that stage show?! The exhibits looked interesting but he didn't focus on that, only the foolywang competitors of this stage show. They got too much play (did you see the marcel irons sizzling the ladies' hair? wow)

One big thing that stood out to me was the $1000 weaves. My goodness! On layaway too? I'm sorry, it just isn't worth it to me. Unless the $1000 includes installation and upkeep. I really didn't care about the parts with the men who had a problem w touching hair. I mean, my husband has a black mother. He ought to know that a fresh relaxer does not get wet unless I'm on vacation lol but this HJJ is helping him out some. With satin sheets, there is no need to cover my hair as much, and I'm not so scared of my hair getting wet. When I used to wash once every other week I'd be, but since I wash weekly, it's no biggie. Besides, regardless of race I don't know a woman fresh out of the salon that is trying to ruin the style.

So here are my curls. I won't judge the mane n' tail just yet. I'll use it a bit more before I review. Anyhow, below I used the red flexi rods and separated the curls. Quite a feat with my hair at 9 weeks and the detangling that had to be done but it looked okay I think.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Post whore

This week I've been posting like crazy!

Anyhoo, went to cheaply update my stash at Sally's last night. I have to get my favs another time but I needed something to tide me over. I got Mane n Tail moisturizer texturizer conditioner, Silk Elements megasilk olive conditioner, a color applicator bottle for my oil mix, and a mixing bowl for my conditioner concoctions.

After reading up on Mane n Tail I decided it wouldn't be the best all day dry deep conditioner product (protein rich) so I mixed abt 2 tablespoons of it into abt a cup (or little less) of the Silk Elements, 2 tablespoons of honey. I put it on my hair and roots this morning and covered w shower cap, scarf, and hat. I had already applied my oil mix (proclaim nat7 and JBCO) to my roots last night. I'll co wash w the Mane n Tail.

Tomorrow morning I'm going curly...gonna use my spiral rods. I rarely do this because it takes like an hour to put them all in and my arms hurt so much. But because my hair is 9 weeks on Monday, and my roots aren't the best for a straight style, and a blow out or relaxer aren't happening tonight, I gotta do it. My godson get's Christened tomorrow.

Have an enjoyable weekend all!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

If I wanna roll with the big girls...

I gotta step my game up.

My hair is on its ninth week and I am set to stretch some more. If this is going to work, I think I need to step my game up. Def moisturizing and sealing in sections at night with a little finger detangling, and maybe more consistent baggying. I am definitely going to dry DC with some good stuff (garlic cond mix with JBCO and honey probably) from tomorrow morning into Sat morning before I co-wash. I will have to keep it up every week until relaxer week because my hair is getting DRY. I am also considering a protein treatment -the hard one- next weekend (the 19th) even though I won't relax until 2 weeks later.

For today, I sprayed lots of my motions nourish leave in to soften the hair, moisturized, and sealed then pinned it up, tied with my scarf and covered with hat. It is gonna stay that way until the gym tonight.

Need to make a BSS stop tonight.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Stretch...

I think this is about to be a longer stretch.

I am sure I have a ton of roots and I dunno when I'll be able to relax so this may very well be my first 12 week stretch. No time and no dough. I've also been blow out-less. Fri morning I pre-pooed w my proclaim oil and JBCO, then Fri eve I shampooed (porosity) and deep conditioned (2 minute reconstructor and porosity cond), rollerset with orange rollers then air dried overnight. In the morning it took me 30 mins of frustration and a lot of tries to finally decide on this style.

Been awhile since I've posted a bun. Here's Monday.

As of Monday (yesterday), I am 8 weeks post.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Not bad

It's been almost one year since my excited banana clip pic and despite the setbacks from 2009, I am back in a good hair place.
Sat, Jan 30, 2010

Feb 28, 2009
Let me tell you something. All my friends that were making fun of the silly things I did to my hair could NOT help but mention my hair when they saw me. One said, gee your hair is growing. The other kept touching and feeling and touching and feeling LOL. Just wait until they see my hair during the summer. I am determined to get to BSL this year.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Why I am lovin my hair...

The roots are great yes, but, I must say my hair feels so soft and looks strong and healthy. I am relieved my shedding issues are over.

I def think choosing to roller set every wash has helped. It makes my hair look shiny and stay less tangled. Plus it helps my hair get a really good detangle every week since I use my shower comb first to dentangle my hair in two big parts but the small setting comb to detangle each section before I roll it. I must have the finest strands. They tangle so easily and look a hot mess tangled. So I won't really be air drying in a bun or pony again unless I have the time to sit with it. My hair does well when I can walk around with it wet and out all day but I don't have the time for that as I usually wash my hair at night before bed or Saturday mornings before we head out for church.

Also, pre-wash treatment. When I shampooed I did a pre-poo with Proclaim oil and JBCO. Then this past weekend when I co-washed, I pre-poo/dry deep conditioned with a whole bunch of crap since I was running out of products (garlic cond, lustra silk, honey, JBCO, & HE LTR). Makes my hair soooo soft.

Those two things have been what have really been working for me these past weeks. Maybe baggying may be working too but I don't really know. My hair loves moisture it seems.

Something else that's putting me in a good mood? I'm out of shampoo and conditioner so I get to a little bit of shopping this weekend. I am currently compiling my list so I'll see what I come up with by Thursday.

Forgot my camera today but the pics from this weekend look a lot like last weekend...will post later this week.