Update

Just some pics.

First my Sat braid out...I did 6 plaits on 80% dry hair Thurs night and then pulled them out a day later. I really need to learn how to braid. I tried but it was too lose and uneven. Not even near what I could do in someone else's hair.

Sunday bun and off to Barnes & Noble :)

This is my hair tonight after a m&s session with wave nouv and carrot oil, mango butter at the edges and IC fantasia gel (use at night so I don't have to use in morning or have a tight ponytail to get the slickness). I am still combing once a week so I finger combed this. I have a new product - conditioner - I plan on using this weekend.

Happy rinser here! (long & pic heavy)

So it's been awhile. But I didn't forget you (hence the ton of pics)....I've been storing it all up :) Anyhow, I've been very curious about the various rinses and have managed to try 2 this past week. I would recommend both.

Black Tea Rinse

The black tea rinse is supposed to help stop shedding, add shine, and in some cases add color (temporary) to the hair. It can be drying but conditioning will help to prevent your hair from becoming dried out after use. To be honest I wanted to incorporate something new to my regimen. I wanted my hair to get an infusion of something new and refreshing. I loooove looove tea so I already had some in my cupboard. I used Stash Chai Black Tea this time but plan to buy a cheaper brand for regular hair usage. I boiled an entire saucepot and put 2 teabags in to steep last Thurs night. I poured it in a jug Fri morning and left it for later. Fri I cowashed with my Mane n Tail (seems like I forgot abt HE LTR but I haven't) then rinsed it out in the shower and did the black tea rinse. I left it on my hair while I scrubbed the tub and showered. Then I rinsed it out, and put my alter ego garlic cond in my hair, covered w a plastic bag and hat and headed out to choir. Approx 3 hours later I rinsed and roller set (w HE LTR leave in and JC Sol spray). I allowed my hair to air dry over night, then sat under the dryer for 20 minutes in the (Sat) morning. My hair felt dry right after the black tea rinse but after the DC was back to feeling soft.

What was different? My curls didn't hold one bit. I don't know if it was that my hair needed shampooing (product heavy - I hadn't shampooed in about a month or more at that point) but they curls died in minutes. Like 5 minutes. That has never happened before...

I wrapped my hair Sat night for a funeral I had to attend on Sunday. Loved the shine!

What didn't change: I still had the same amount of shedding I usually do.

I don't plan to stop doing this just yet. This was my first experience and it wasn't bad. I'll keep trying and see how things work out. Apparently I can incorp it into every rinse without ill effect. I'm gonna try in once or twice a month.

Since I've stuck with washing my hair on Fridays, during the week (esp when I keep up with the gym) my hair can get limp and almost greasy. Tues I sat at work highly unhappy with my hair. It was DEAD. My bun looked sick, my braid was greasy. Worst part is I hadn't been to the gym yet so there was no reason for all this yucky-ness. So I decided that after the gym that Tues I'd cowash. However, I remembered how my hair came out Sat morning & how I was thinking it needed a poo. I just didn't want to shampoo my hair though...I really want to get away from it. So, I decided to take the plunge and do an Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse.

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

ACV rinses are acidic and because hair is acidic also (unlike most hair products which are alkaline), it is supposed to be good for our hair. Apparently, it is especially good for curly hair. Why? Because it rids the hair of product residue naturally without all the stripping of the shampoo, and because it helps close the cuticles of the hair (helps hair to retain moisture, and be protected from damage). I'm writing all this info (also for black tea rinse) from memory of what I read so feel free to add more info or google for more details.

I mixed 1/4 cup of ACV with 3 cups of tap water. I co-washed with Mane n Tail then did my Aphogee 2 min keratin reconstructor rinsed in the shower then did the ACV rinse. Now, some people leave it on their hair and other rinse it out. I'd like to think I did the in between. I rinsed it in the shower for like 5 seconds. I just wanted to get some out. I air dried using the scarf method from Sunshyne (w HE LTR leave in). My hair felt so soft! It dried soft too!

What was different? The hugest thing for me was little to no hair in my comb after detangling WOW. I have never seen this little hair at almost 7 weeks (7 weeks tomorrow)...I was impressed! It's been awhile since I took a pic of the hair coming out (I don't want to start obsessing again) but I was amazed. Oh, people complain about the smell but for me it was gone once my hair dried.

I love this! Some people do ACV rinses weekly. For now I think I may do it monthly.

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OMG I have 60 followers now!

The first giveaway is on it's way! I can't wait to share something special with you loves!

Thank you. You really are a great bunch. This blog is really a hair journal. I didn't know if my hair journey would be good or bad or if I would have any advice (since my hair is growing as I blog instead of me already growing my hair and then teaching y'all) so it may have been repetitive (since I'm journaling) and may not always have great info (but always photos lol) since I'm learning and undecided a lot but you still come and read & comment...I truly appreciate your support :)

Air dry

Co- wash with Mane n' Tail conditioner, condition with Aphogee 2 minute reconstructor, then air dried. I was too hot to roller set or sit under dryer. I'll go to the hair salon this weekend and get a blow out for the holiday weekend. I'm 4 weeks post relaxer.

Okay, guys, can't a lady get henna in peace?? No one wants me to get henna. Why are you doing henna? Your hair looks fine without it. Sigh. So now idk. Maybe I'll go purchase cellophanes and do that instead...I guess I'm not as sure as I thought I was...

Air dry...again

I'm air drying a lot for someone whose hair doesn't really like air drying. It's laziness and exams. So I detangled last night when I washed out the DC then let hair air dry with scarf for a couple hours then had to head to bed. Was a little damp this morning but I just bunned and covered with my scarf and hat till I got in to work.

Hair is completely wet here

What's in my air dry? HE LTR leave in and Jane Carter's Solution (JCS) revitalizing leave-in spray. Before I went to bed (it had been air drying for about 2 hours), I add a little more HE LTR and then sealed with grape seed oil. This morning I did my usual bun routine and head off to work. I am 5 weeks and 2 days post relaxer.

My air dry weekend with buns galore

So I DCed on dry hair all day Friday - Lustrasilk, JBCO, proclaim, honey. Then I did a 2 minute reconstructor. To air dry I put in my HE LTR leave in and used the Jane Carters solution, tied my scarf at front (thanks Sunshyne for your scarf method), and air dried.

This is after 2 hours

Then I put it in a braid/plait over night

Sat hair - I moisturized and sealed like crazy. My hair always feels dry after I air dry out

Sun hair

Mon hair

I had some shedding but I always feel my hair sheds more when I do my air dry routine. Would you agree? I like to give my hair a break from the heat but I don't know if air drying with my hair out of in a bun is the best. I could air dry in rollers but it is SO uncomfortable because I usually have to sleep in them. ugh

I co-washed midweek

The one thing I have no time for and said I couldn't do.

Why? Because while at the gym last night little broken pieces of hair were coming out in my hand. The first thing I thought was my hair got sweated out Sat night and Sun at dance rehearsal. Then last night at the gym made the 3rd sweat out and dry since my Sat roller set. I have dance again Thurs. That would just be too too much for my hair.

So after gym, I put some mane n tail in my hair (after the sweat air dried) for about 5 minutes, then rinsed it out, then co-washed with mane n tail, and did a last wash with my NTM daily condioner (to combat the mane n tail). I bunned my hair right there in the shower w a little NTM for leave in. No detangling. I pat out some of the moisture with a t-shirt, then tied it down and went to bed. Still wet this morning. I just moisturized and sealed then put it back up. But since it's been out for an hour or so (since I got into work), it dried a bit. I finger combed it a bit this morning but nothing came out. I hate to see breakage. That's lost length. So I abs had to co-wash...my hair was talking to me.

Quick review of Mane n Tail: So far, it absolutely does NOT work in my DC mix but seems to cowash well. Go figure. My hair was still soft when I was done.

I guess this mid week regimen is still a work in progress.

All the pics and stuff - I am past 8 weeks!!!

So I am 8 weeks!!! Actually, I'll be 9 at the end of this week =D

Did a cowash with HE LTR and Nexxus (yes, trying to finish up the bottle since I'm packing), then did DC with my Silk Elements/JBCO mix for about an hour with no heat. Let airdry in 2 big twists.

I think I'm going to do my 2 minute protein tomorrow's wash then Sat wash should be the last one before I relax. Should I stretch more?

Roots!
Was gonna do a wet progress pic again but I looked, saw NO progress (lol) so just smh and moved right on

DetangleHeading to the gym last nightToday's bun

My liquid gold is done (wave nouveau) so I'm stuck using mango butter which is fine with me but I miss my wn.

The next big thing I need is JBCO - I don't want to order it online. The place (sams 24/7) that sells it at a reasonable price is 38 mins and $20 in tolls away so I'm thinking I have no choice lol. I paid $15 bucks for it in the Bronx, I could do that. Before I do anything though, I think I'll take the subway to Harlem and check if they have it there. That's only $5.

Detangling

There are so many methods of doing this. Some do it in the shower, some with conditioner in their hair, some on dry hair before washing, some on dry hair after washing.

When I started my hair journey, I used to detangle when I was done my DC right before I rinsed the conditioner out. But somehow, I thought it was too sticky and gooey. So, I started detangling in the shower...but my hair (the strands) is fine. very fine. So they tangle up quite a bit since I only finger comb in between washes and detangling in the shower wasn't allowing me the time I needed to comb through before the product was washed out, plus I couldn't see what I was doing.

So this is what I settled on.

*when air drying.
I wash, conditioner, whatever then wrap my hair in a tshirt for about 10 mins, then detangle in sections using my huge comb and leave in. Details: I do a little finger comb first then use fingers to separate hair into 2 sections. I apply my leave in (HE LTR or NTM) then comb from end up. Repeat on other side.

Last night I airdried - detangle results

*when roller setting.
I wash, conditioner, whatever then wrap my hair in a tshirt for about 10 mins, then detangle in sections using my huge comb and leave in. Details: I do a little finger comb first then use fingers to separate hair into 2 sections. I apply my leave in (HE LTR or NTM) then comb from end up. Repeat on other side.

Then as I part the smaller sections to roller set, I use an even smaller comb to detangle more before I roll.

As you can imagine, my hair gets a better detangle when I'm roller setting.

I always think too much hair comes out.

Went home, hit the shower. Cowashed with HE LTR, then used my garlic cond/JBCO mix to DC, then covered and headed to the gym.

Detangled, scarf tied at front to calm NG, heading to bed.

Still a little damp in the morning. May soon have to start with my hats again. It is COLD in the mornings and I don't wanna get sick.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

So I clarified, did 2 step protein, then DC with my Lustrasilk & castor oil today. Hair felt good. I can't really compare it to anything since today I decided to airdry out (no braids, no bun), just the scarf on top for the first time since my BC. I don't even fully remember how that felt. My hair was more tangled than usual...not sure why. I used HE LTR and castor oil on the ends, and some motions spray on the edges then tied it down. When it dried, it looked a bit dry so I added my wave nouv anb carrot oil and that seemed to work.
Basically, I need to try the JBCO as a pre-poo, hot oil, and DC regularly before I can give an opinion so you will have to wait for a take 2.

My hair though it looks dry feels really soft. I just dont have the shine....