Really anxious for some growth & a couple new prods

So, here's a quick update.

First, I apologize for the lack of a photo. I absolutely love to take and post pics of my hair but unfortunately, I don't have my camera and I have to post when I have the time (not often). The second job is going well. It's only a 3 month stint so I'll be back in Dec. Well, I'll have work and school but at least it'll only be one job and school.

I have been itching to see if I have any major growth. I usually am not this impatient during my stretch. I am only 5 weeks. I have 5-7 weeks left. I guess BSL is just so elusive I am becoming overly anxious.

Anyhoo, with the change in season is coming some small changes in my regimen:

1. I co-washed last week & it made for easy detangling on the weekend so I think a midweek cowash is a useful addition to my regimen. I don't do it cause I'm lazy but I really need to start making the time.

2. I am going out to get the new Elasta QP mango butter moisturizer (they've added olive oil so now it's olive oil and mango butter - thanks Traycee). I'll let you know how I like it.

3. I read on Course Hair, Long Hair about how she incorporates coconut oil into her regimen to make detangling easier. I'm very curious and will be giving it a try.

4. Finally, I have gotten some great advice from Lavendar and I have done some research and thought about it for over a month and I have decided henna is ON. I will post the details.

That's all folks! Thanks for reading :)

I promise this isn't a rash decision

I have wanted to do this for awhile and I've been afraid but I don't think I should be.

Henna.

I remember my 2009 traumatic experience but I really think it was 2 things that caused the bad experience the 2nd time: the product {I used henna someone gave me instead of the one I purchased at the store} & going under the dryer {I should have just walked around for a few hours like I did the time before}. Also, remember the first experience was positive...

I'm gonna do it. If it goes all south and I have to cut my hair, there's a 75% chance I'll be texlaxing.

Fingers crossed.

& OMG, am I almost at 60 followers? I'm going to think of my favorite product and do a give away as soon as it hits 60...you all rock. HARD.

HELP!

Why am I tempted to try henna again??!!!!! Don't I learn? Thing is, it made my hair so thick and nothing else has managed to do that. I know I know. I had that horrid experience BUT the first time wasn't bad at all.

The difference between the 1st and 2nd time was 1) different henna & 2) I sat under the dryer. I think if I revert to the first henna, and don't sit under the dryer, I should be ok. Don't you think? Also I think for safety sake, I'm going to double up on the conditioner proportions to make it relatively heavy on the conditioning and light on the henna.

Please share your views...there's still time to knock some sense into me if necessary.

Trying to be strong & learnin' more about henna

Co-washed last night, the did aphogee 2 min, then DCed overnight with my DPR-11/honey/vatika mix. Shed & broke like crazy while detangling and dry wrapping. My hair was not soft at all but rather stiff.

I won't describe all the emotions that overtook me. I am fearful that I have lost all my progress from last time all because of a bad decision.

Anyway, I am going to continue to do my best...next week I plan to baggy every night except wash night and do a hot oil treatment on Tues night. I need to replace my alter ego garlic cond so that I can use that for my DCing this week - you'll read below why I've given up the protein this week.

Shower

Detangle

Dry wrap

Learnin' to grow:

Anyhow, even though I was distressed, I decided to look up henna information again. It really is the root of my problems. You know what? This is 100% my fault. I was just too damn excited to try this henna thing because I saw other people using it successfully and before I did complete research, I jumped on the bandwagon. Anyway, there are a few things I may have done incorrectly that I will try to rectify:

1. I may have had a wrong form of henna - I won't be using henna again so really this one does not matter but just for everyone's benefit there are no different colors or shades of henna. Henna is a red tint...any other color or shade being called henna may be a number of unknown things (including metallics)...amd are really compound hennas.

2. Henna is protein and therefore my protein treatments this week (including last night) may have harmed my hair more than help it. In fact, many forums and site recommend you do not use protein in the weeks following a henna treatment.

I think because I saw my hair breaking I assumed it needed protein but I now realize that breakage can me caused by a number of factors. In my case I probably have protein overload. You can find this information on Long Hair Care Forums or Black Media.

Source (you should really read this BEFORE you try henna):
Henna for Hair PDF


Disclaimer: this is not an anti-henna blog just a henna is not for me blog. It is clear that if you use it correctly, you will get fantastic results. I didn't do that so that's on me. However, now that I know better, I have STILL decided to skip henna.

Coping

So last night I gave up and just rollerset my hair feeling as dreadful as it did. I think the garlic cond & honey mix helped a bit. Lost even more hair. At that point I decided that my hair gets pinned up indefinitely so it can rest and recouperate...more came out when my hair was dry (I went under dryer) and I wrapped it for the night. I couldn't find my silk scarf. Great. So I used some horrible thing. Ahhhh!

Rollerset...this is HORRIBLE

After the dry wrap

The light for me is my hair was soft this morning. I just took this picture (it's been out all day). I am still sad at my set back. I am OVER the henna craze.

The next thing I'll give my hair is some protein weekly until the breakage stops. My poor hair.

I am having a NERVOUS BREAKDOWN!!!!!!!

The henna has killed my hair.

Real quick (so I can get to my breakdown) - I put the vatika in the henna like last time and apply. I then covered with 2 plastic bags and walked around for 40 minutes and sat under heat for 20. I washed and washed and washed with shampoo and condish to make sure all the henna was gone. Then I DCed with my DPR-11/honey/vatika mix as always but I went under heat for 20 minutes for extra measure. Rinsed in cold water (really trying to be good here). My hair felt like SCOTCH BRITE!!!!!! I applied leave-in but I just could NOT rollerset the mess my hair was so I got back in the shower, clarified, used my deep moisture shampoo (desperation), then used some DPR-11, stood still for about 3 minutes with it in my hair (that is really all I can handle with my anxiety over my hair) and then rinsed, added mills creek jojoba oil condish and rinsed. 2nd attempt to roller set hair. I just REFUSED to rollerset the mess my hair was.

So now I have church in the morning but I sit here with my hair wet, not rollerset, not drying but DCing with my alter ego garlic condish and honey. I'm going to bed with this on. This MUST be fixed.

I have lost so much hair the pictures won't suffice but here they are nonetheless.

Henna rinse out

Detangle after clarify & poo & condish

Need I say NO MORE HENNA!!!!!!!????????????????????

-I did take pics of my henna process but that is of no interest to me at the moment-

My beautiful hair BEFORE the henna tragedy of 2009

UPDATE: I decided to wash out DC after about 40 mins and roller set and go under hooded dryer. I am calmer now but still annoyed at myself.

Henna mix up & hair roll

So I mixed up my henna today. I used a different kind - the one my neighbor gave me. I don't have Aussie Moist or v05 so I used HE LTR cond and Mills Creek Jojoba cond. I'll add the vatika oil in tomorrow night before I apply. In the 2nd pic I have only added hot water.

I didn't do a pic of my bun today but I decided I'd take a pic of my pin up before I put on my satin scarf. I m&s with wave nouv and hot 6. I think I could do some pin ups while my hair isn't so uncontrollable (with NG). Just to get something different.

Daily update: My first henna

So the first thing that happened was I spilled henna all over me....

Henna and hot water mix

Add in my conditioners - Auusie moist and V05 moisture milks

Left it in corner of bathroom overnight

>>Next day<<

Little browner

Added oil (vatika)

Detangled a bit before applying

Clarified then applied

Put saran wrap on then covered with plastic bag

After a little more than 2 hours

Washed it out and this came out...EEEEEEEEEKKKK!

About to do braid out

Hair loss w/ braidout

>>Next day<<

I actually wore it all down with head band

That's then end of night...it snowed on my hair so it's a bit limp but anyhoo =(

I don't know what to think about my results. My h did a strand test and it was much stronger...almost unbreakable. But all that hair loss has me wondering....


~blogger was being a JERK so I had to redo the entire thing this morning so it's a Monday post~