This blog has definitely been a fun adventure, however, it will no longer be updated. I feel the goals that I set out to achieve with this blog, have been accomplished and now I wish to try new things. I'll be blogging on the following link: Low Porosity Hair Care
Please feel free to see what I'm up to on my new blog. The content of the rootproblem.blogspot.com will remain available.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
January Update: Baking Soda Washes + Shea Moisture + Flaxseed Gel
What is the current length of your hair?
When stretched, the back is shoulder-length and the sides are a little past chin-length.
What products are you currently loving?
Baking soda - Earlier this month and in previous posts, I discussed how my hair is low porosity. Baking soda washes have helped me lock in the moisture my hair so desperately needs. It's a cheap, affordable-- and in my opinion, safe solution.
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie- This is a great refresher product. Earlier, I complained that it did nothing for my hair. I think this is due to the fact that I was applying it to wet hair. If I had simply followed the instructions, which say apply to damp or dry hair, then I would have realized it's actually a stellar product!
Flaxseed gel - Homemade flaxseed gel is amazing. It defines my curls and coils, leaves my hair shiny and soft and provides a soft hold. This is really economical. It costs pennies and it took only 10 minutes make. There are wonderful tutorials on Youtube. I recommend Naptural85 or Heyfranhey's tutorials. Some people complain about the gel being to viscous. If you put it in a squeeze jar, e.g. clean shampoo bottle, it's much easier to dispense. I tried a plastic tub, like many Youtubers, but found it impractical.
Cantu Shea Butter Rinse Out Conditioner - Great ingredients, smells yummy and it's very moisturizing. I only realized this once I started my baking soda rinses.
Tropical whipped shea butter - My homemade whipped cream that contains mango and shea butter, coconut and papaya oil. It can be used on the body and hair, so 2 for 1!What products disappointed?
For the first time, I do not have any products that disappointed me. I finally found the products that work for me. I don't plan on going astray and trying more, I'm just going to keep these in my rotation. No product junkies over here!
What's your current regimen?
- Clarify once per month: I put 2 TBSP of baking soda in about 1 liter of warm water and mixed it thoroughly. I wet my hair then pour this mixture over my head, being sure to distribute it evenly and avoid getting it in my eyes. I slap on a plastic cap and let it sit for about 20 minutes. I then gently massage my scalp to remove any buildup and rinse my hair.This helps me lock in moisture and prevent buildup. Following the baking soda rinse, I do a deep conditioner and sometimes a protein treatment.
- Shampoo once per month using my special mixture of rhassoul clay. This is the perfect light shampoo. It makes my hair soft and detangling is a breeze.
- Deep conditioner: every time I wash my hair. I mix my conditioner and an oil and sit under my dryer for about 30 - 45 minutes.
- Cowash - once per week or every other week.
- Moisturize: KCKT and a light oil on my ends only.
For the month of January I've been doing twist outs, coil outs and buns. Mainly, I try to keep my hair stretched.
What challenges have you faced?
Not many, dry ends were a huge issue for me before, however with my new baking soda treatment, I've been able to retain moisture. Low porosity hair is hard to moisturize, but once you lock it in, I find it stays moisturized for several days! Additionally, using shea moisture as my refresher to moisturize my ends during the week, has worked out quite nicely.
Any drastic changes to your regimen or hair?
I traded in my poly-sateen scarf for a 100% silk scarf. I'm very happy with my choice. My hair can breathe, my ends stay really soft and moisturized and it feels so luxurious. Definitely a much needed investment.
Would you like to offer any hair advice for this month?
Determine your hair's porosity. Avoid glycerin in the winter if you live in a dry, arid environment. Use a silk scarf.
That's all for the month of January!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Low Porosity Hair - Moisture Miracle!
Since the start of my natural hair journey, I've noticed my hair took a long time to absorb water on wash day and then it took forever to dry. When it did dry, it didn't always feel soft and moisturized, it wasn't insanely shiny and I was left with a halo of frizz. I read different blogs, scoured Youtube. This left me with the conclusion that I wasn't sealing efficiently. So, I gathered my artillery of oils and creams, moisturizing, then sealing to lock in all that good moisture I was letting out. This left my hair feeling slippery, greasy and gunky. It also left me self-conscious about leaving my "hair print" on someone's nice sofa or armchair. At my wits end, the research continued. I came across Kimmaytube videos. As she explained PH and protective styling, so colorfully and scientifically, I thought to myself, that is it, it's my PH that's off balance. So, I started whipping up my Kimmaytube leave-in. I slathered it on my hair, concentrating on my ends. As my hair dried, I noticed white build-up and sticky, frizzy hair. Wonk, wonk, wonk! What's a girl to do? Trust me, I'd tried everything, even baggying. Pssh, my hair laughed at that and I woke up to a dry, mushy mess.
Well, I google searched my "symptoms" and came across articles on low porosity, like this one. As I continued to read on, I felt like the person who wrote the article described me! There was only one thing to do! I grabbed a cup of lukewarm water and placed a string of freshly washed hair in the cup. That strand of hair floated for the entire day (an indication of low porosity hair). I was so disappointed. Now my natural hair journey would be all about forcing moisture into my hair.
Thus, my low porosity research began. My research landed me right on the pages of the lovely Elle's blog "Quest for the Perfect Curl", where she talked about her lo-po aha moment. I thought, finally someone like me. She was the first blogger and Youtuber I came across who discussed such issues. While most people talked about hair regimens, natural hair musts, and curl patterns, Elle discussed moisture retention and lack there of. Suddenly, I became aware, why after my 1st year of being natural, I felt I had made absolutely no progress on my journey to healthy, long hair. Elle discussed, using a treatment called the Cherry Lola, which consists of baking soda, amino acid and plain yogurt-- essentially, a protein treatment. Baking soda is naturally alkaline and has a pH of 9 (for comparison shower water has a pH of about 7). Since lo-po cuticles naturally lie flat, using a product with a lower ph would further seal the cuticle, locking out moisture. Light bulbs went off in my head, it all started to make sense.
However, I had to admit, I was pretty terrified about the idea of using baking soda. I'd read on many blogs, that it was harsh, would cause irreversible damage, was equivocal to a relaxer, was impossible to remove from the hair, the list goes on.
On Curly Nikki, once an expert discussed haircare, particularly sealing and locking in moisture. I asked her for her advise on my hair, explaining that it was low porosity. She replied back with an informative response, however, warned me that it's rare for natural tightly-coily-haired women to be low porosity. She said the way the hair bends and twists, leaves it prone to damage, thus it requires gentle care and deep moisture. She also suggested my issue might be product build-up and that a good clarifying shampoo followed by a deep conditioner, moisturizer and seal, should do the trick. Since she was a hair chemist, I followed her advise and ignored my gut. So, I continued along with my regimen and left the Arm & Hammer on my refrigerator shelf.
As, I clarified my hair, it felt dry and brittle. What's worse the deep conditioner only slightly improved the situation. As I applied my leave-in, aloe vera gel, then oil, my hair could not have looked worse. With every slather of aloe, it was like it was shrinking into an tiny, dry horror.
I continued along with this routine for about 1/2 a year, never being truly happy with my results. Some products that helped were rhassoul clay, but following my treatment, I would then apply oils/butter and leave-in. I'd get out of the shower with spectacularly, moisturized curls and after styling I'd have a frizzy poof.
This all changed yesterday, that box of baking soda that's been sitting on my shelf? Well, I tested it on my hair, which I now know is low porosity. I made a mixture of 4 TBSP of baking soda, 1 c of conditioner and avocado oil and let it sit on my hair for about an hour. I rinsed it out and my hair didn't feel super moisturized, but strong and tangle free. I then applied my Cantu Shea butter conditioner that I recently purchased, which did nothing for my hair before. You know what? Magic happened, my curls melted into the conditioner, my fingers slid through my hair and my hair felt incredibly moisturized. I think a little tear shed from my eye. I jumped out of the shower after rinsing out the baking soda really well. I didn't follow-up with a vinegar rinse, b/c in my opinion I wanted to add my moisturizing products with a lower pH and keep the added benefits. I styled my hair and twisted it. My twists have never been so easy to do before!
The verdict? I'll continue doing these treatments and adding them to my regimen. Next time I will just apply baking soda and water, then let it sit. Afterwards, I'll rinse it out deep condition with heat heat, allow it to cool, then partially rinse it out the conditioner (kind of a semi-curly girl routine).
I think there are many of us lo-po naturals out there, however, fewer than normal and high porosity naturals. This really is an issue that is not addressed enough in the natural beauty sphere. You really have to listen to your hair, it will thank you! Just because the majority of the natural hair world is sealing, using aloe vera, etc. does not mean you need to too. So if you think you may be lo-po, put down the aloe juice, your porosity control products, your apple cider vinegar, your heavy oils and butters and reevaluate your regimen. If you're nervous about using baking soda, you could try adding shavings of Castile's soap to your conditioner. In the mean time, I'll try to keep my blog updated with my baking soda results. It's only been week one, but I'm looking forward to updates!
What's your hair porosity, what works for you?
Twist out with my old regimen (left) vs twist out with my new regimen (right)
Well, I google searched my "symptoms" and came across articles on low porosity, like this one. As I continued to read on, I felt like the person who wrote the article described me! There was only one thing to do! I grabbed a cup of lukewarm water and placed a string of freshly washed hair in the cup. That strand of hair floated for the entire day (an indication of low porosity hair). I was so disappointed. Now my natural hair journey would be all about forcing moisture into my hair.
Thus, my low porosity research began. My research landed me right on the pages of the lovely Elle's blog "Quest for the Perfect Curl", where she talked about her lo-po aha moment. I thought, finally someone like me. She was the first blogger and Youtuber I came across who discussed such issues. While most people talked about hair regimens, natural hair musts, and curl patterns, Elle discussed moisture retention and lack there of. Suddenly, I became aware, why after my 1st year of being natural, I felt I had made absolutely no progress on my journey to healthy, long hair. Elle discussed, using a treatment called the Cherry Lola, which consists of baking soda, amino acid and plain yogurt-- essentially, a protein treatment. Baking soda is naturally alkaline and has a pH of 9 (for comparison shower water has a pH of about 7). Since lo-po cuticles naturally lie flat, using a product with a lower ph would further seal the cuticle, locking out moisture. Light bulbs went off in my head, it all started to make sense.
However, I had to admit, I was pretty terrified about the idea of using baking soda. I'd read on many blogs, that it was harsh, would cause irreversible damage, was equivocal to a relaxer, was impossible to remove from the hair, the list goes on.
On Curly Nikki, once an expert discussed haircare, particularly sealing and locking in moisture. I asked her for her advise on my hair, explaining that it was low porosity. She replied back with an informative response, however, warned me that it's rare for natural tightly-coily-haired women to be low porosity. She said the way the hair bends and twists, leaves it prone to damage, thus it requires gentle care and deep moisture. She also suggested my issue might be product build-up and that a good clarifying shampoo followed by a deep conditioner, moisturizer and seal, should do the trick. Since she was a hair chemist, I followed her advise and ignored my gut. So, I continued along with my regimen and left the Arm & Hammer on my refrigerator shelf.
As, I clarified my hair, it felt dry and brittle. What's worse the deep conditioner only slightly improved the situation. As I applied my leave-in, aloe vera gel, then oil, my hair could not have looked worse. With every slather of aloe, it was like it was shrinking into an tiny, dry horror.
I continued along with this routine for about 1/2 a year, never being truly happy with my results. Some products that helped were rhassoul clay, but following my treatment, I would then apply oils/butter and leave-in. I'd get out of the shower with spectacularly, moisturized curls and after styling I'd have a frizzy poof.
This all changed yesterday, that box of baking soda that's been sitting on my shelf? Well, I tested it on my hair, which I now know is low porosity. I made a mixture of 4 TBSP of baking soda, 1 c of conditioner and avocado oil and let it sit on my hair for about an hour. I rinsed it out and my hair didn't feel super moisturized, but strong and tangle free. I then applied my Cantu Shea butter conditioner that I recently purchased, which did nothing for my hair before. You know what? Magic happened, my curls melted into the conditioner, my fingers slid through my hair and my hair felt incredibly moisturized. I think a little tear shed from my eye. I jumped out of the shower after rinsing out the baking soda really well. I didn't follow-up with a vinegar rinse, b/c in my opinion I wanted to add my moisturizing products with a lower pH and keep the added benefits. I styled my hair and twisted it. My twists have never been so easy to do before!
The verdict? I'll continue doing these treatments and adding them to my regimen. Next time I will just apply baking soda and water, then let it sit. Afterwards, I'll rinse it out deep condition with heat heat, allow it to cool, then partially rinse it out the conditioner (kind of a semi-curly girl routine).
I think there are many of us lo-po naturals out there, however, fewer than normal and high porosity naturals. This really is an issue that is not addressed enough in the natural beauty sphere. You really have to listen to your hair, it will thank you! Just because the majority of the natural hair world is sealing, using aloe vera, etc. does not mean you need to too. So if you think you may be lo-po, put down the aloe juice, your porosity control products, your apple cider vinegar, your heavy oils and butters and reevaluate your regimen. If you're nervous about using baking soda, you could try adding shavings of Castile's soap to your conditioner. In the mean time, I'll try to keep my blog updated with my baking soda results. It's only been week one, but I'm looking forward to updates!
What's your hair porosity, what works for you?
Twist out with my old regimen (left) vs twist out with my new regimen (right)
 |
| with baking soda treatment |
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
New Year, New Things!
In the past, I've tried the Curly Girl Method and Tightly Curly Method, hoping it would help me moisturize my hair. Unfortunately, it left me with lots of build-up and waxy hair Additionally, since going natural, I've a problem with dry ends, even days after trimming. This was not related to styling: I used little manipulation and have only flat-ironed my hair twice. It was not related to sealing, I've tried the LOC method, the LCO method-- still dry ends. It was not related to deep conditioning, I do so once per week.
So with a New Year, I took time to evaluate what I may be doing wrong. I'm on a mission to tackle my dry end issue and wanted to share what I am trying at the moment. It's a little bit of old and new:
Curly Girl Method! Yes, again. However, this time, I am only applying conditioner as my leave-in to my ends and not all over my hair. I plan on re wetting my ends when they feel a little dry and conditioning them again. So far, my ends feel supple and soft. We'll see if this does the trick. I'm also laying off the oils for a little, to see how my hair responds without constant oiling, which hasn't done too much for me. I'll continue to use oils in my deep conditioner and will add a very light oil to my leave-in. However, I'm taking a break from the sealing, because I haven't really noticed any results, only build-up.
Are there are new things you're trying or old parts of your routine that you've abandoned, due to less than stellar results?
So with a New Year, I took time to evaluate what I may be doing wrong. I'm on a mission to tackle my dry end issue and wanted to share what I am trying at the moment. It's a little bit of old and new:
Curly Girl Method! Yes, again. However, this time, I am only applying conditioner as my leave-in to my ends and not all over my hair. I plan on re wetting my ends when they feel a little dry and conditioning them again. So far, my ends feel supple and soft. We'll see if this does the trick. I'm also laying off the oils for a little, to see how my hair responds without constant oiling, which hasn't done too much for me. I'll continue to use oils in my deep conditioner and will add a very light oil to my leave-in. However, I'm taking a break from the sealing, because I haven't really noticed any results, only build-up.
Are there are new things you're trying or old parts of your routine that you've abandoned, due to less than stellar results?
Saturday, January 5, 2013
December Update: Trim + Flat Iron + Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
Happy New Year! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your friends and loved ones. The New Year is my favorite time of the year. Life feels so fresh and well new. It's time to check-in on goals and create fun new ones. With all the holiday parties and traveling I've done, I've held off on posting my December update until now.
What is the current length of your hair?
Stretched - The back is shoulder length when stretched and the sides are a couple of inches away from shoulder length. Little by little, I shall overcome the mullet shape that is my hair.
What products are you currently loving?
Avocado Oil - It does a great job of keeping my ends and scalp moisturized.
Aussie Moist - Still doing a wonderful job of keeping my hair moisturized and aiding in detangling!
Kinky Curly Knot Today - I still refuse to pay 16.99 for the tiny 8 ounce the Kinky Curly Custard, however, this leave-in is my BFF. Love it! I always consider trying new leave-ins, but why fix what's not broken. Besides, you get your money's worth, a little goes a long way!
What products disappointed?
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie - Not because it didn't enhance my curls, but it like my hair feel a bit dry. I was hoping for a leave-in/styling aid that would moisturize. It could be due to the cold, dry weather, so I'll hang on to it and try it in the summer or for twist outs, but definitely not for wash-n-gos. In any case, I'm not sure if I'll try any other products from the line.
What's your current regimen?
- Cowash once per week or once every other 10 - 14 days.
- Shampoo (using my special mixture), with rhassoul clay or by rubbing diluted vinegar on my scalp, once per month.
- LOC (leave-in, oil, conditioner)
- Style, preferably protective
How have you been styling your hair?
For the month of December I did a wash-n-gos and then played around with it in different stretched styles. This allowed me to achieve 6 - 7 day hair. Additionally, I flat-ironed my hair!! I was really pleased with the results. My hair looked thicker and had a nice shine to it. I wore it down on day one, then in a donut bun for the remainder of the time.
Flat ironing is not something I plan on doing every month, but it was a nice end of the year treat. The style lasted two weeks. My morning routine was so quick!
What challenges have you faced?
Dry ends.
Any drastic changes to your regimen or hair?
I trimmed off 1.5 inches. They were not split, but they were dry and brittle. I did this after flat-ironing my hair and now it feels much better. I think I may start cutting a 1/2 inch every 3 months, if they feel a bit dry. I cut my hair when it was flat-ironed, which in my opinion was easier for me. I'll continue to cut it, when it's stretched, either in twists, blown out or flat-ironed.
Would you like to offer any hair advice for this month?
If your ends are dry and brittle, simply let them go and try to develop a rigorous hydration routine. Daily moisturizing and oiling + protective styling.
That's all for the month of December. Can't believe it's 2013!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Natural Hair Styles for the Holidays
I'm looking for a special holiday style to wear for Xmas and New Years. Really, these style can really be worn any time of the year. Here are four styles I came up with: finger coils, French braid, half-braid/half-down, coil out. I think most of these can be used on short, medium and long hair.
Finger Coils
1. On freshly washed hair, separate hair in 4 sections.
2. Working on each section, take a small to medium amount of hair, two strand twist the root (so it doesn't unravel). Next, gently twirl the hair around your finger in a clockwise fashion.
A helpful video on finger coiling: Finger Coil Video
2. Start braiding downward from the top.
3. When you are 3/4 done, add in your middle section and repeat until you reach the bottom section. Attach braid with a hair tie.
Note: This style was done on stretched hair.
I couldn't find a video on single French braid on natural hair. Here is a helpful video by Naptural85, she does it on shrunken hair. I suggest trying it on stretched hair and separating your hair in a mohawk fashion: French Braid How To
Half-Braided
1. Separate the hair into two sections: 1 large bottom section and 1small top portion of your hair, this is the section you will braid.
2. (optional) To add a little dimension, rub a little water on two small front sections, two strand twist them and roller set/flexirod them. This will add volume to the side.
3. French braid the top section, leaving about 1/4 loose.
4. Pin the braid to hold it in place, release the bottom section, fluff till your liking.
5. (optional) Add a cute head band.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
November Hair Dates: Protective Styles + Rhassoul Clay
November
What is the current length of your hair?
The back of my hair is shoulder length when wet/stretched. My sides almost chin length length when wet/stretched. The front is almost ear length when wet or stretched. In other words: Total natural MULLET! I don't plan on cutting it into a style, because I've learned my hair naturally grows in layers. I'll just keep disguising the mullet until I reach my desired length (mid back).
What products are you currently loving?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil- This will always be my top oil. Nothing gives me shine or penetrates my hair quite like olive oil. I mix it in my conditioner, use it as a skin moisturizer and make-up remover. Aah I heart you EVOO.
Rhassoul Clay - See my past posts for the deets.
Aussie Moist - Mixed with some EVOO, this stuff moisturizes, as the name implies!
What's your current wash regimen?
- Cowash 1 time per week.
- Shampoo (using my special mixture) or by rubbing diluted vinegar on my scalp, once per month.
- LOC (leave-in, oil, conditioner)
- Style, preferably protective
How have you been styling your hair?
Twists. My hair has been in two strand twists for the past two weeks. This is the longest I've ever kept twists in!! I'm primarily worn them up, because I prefer them to be a little longer and heavier if I am going to wear them down.
I even cowashed my hair in twists last week! It was cool, they weighed down my hair more so they had more stretch to them after the shower. I'm going to wash my hair today or tomorrow, will be nice to play in it again!
What challenges have you faced?
Not many, I still try to manipulate less to make sure my edges aren't getting thinner. That and time. On wash day, if I style my hair in twists, it takes me a total of 3 - 3.5 hours. After that I don't style for another 1 to 2 weeks, however.
Any drastic changes to your regimen or hair?
Holding styles longer than I could a few months ago. Being consistent about taking a daily vitamin.
Would you like to offer any hair advice for this month?
Try to drink enough water. Now in colder months, it's just as important, especially if you live in a dry climate like myself. Generally, I'm less thirsty in winter, but notice my skin and hair tends to be dryer. I try to drink 1 liter of warm lemon water per day. I find it warms me up and keeps me hydrated.
What hair products do you hope to receive in your stocking:
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Moroccan Oil Deep Conditioning Mask, a silk scarf to wrap my hair.
Hope you had a happy November! Any fun holiday plans? Any hair products on your Xmas list?
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Protective Style: Two Strand Twisted Sock Bun
Something, I've learned since going natural is that my low porosity hair requires heat to feel deep conditioned. No matter how long I baggy, it will never be as effective as a heated, deep conditioner. #finally figuring out my hair
After my DC, I put my hair in a protective style to protect it from the elements. I wanted something elegant and classic. I've been seeing a lot of sock buns lately and really wanted to give it a try. I wasn't sure if my hair was long enough, but to my surprise, I just managed to wrap my strands around the donut. YAY for new styles!
 |
| After rinsing out the DC |
What are some of your favorite protective styles?
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Rhassoul Challenge
I love rhassoul clay! Why did I go astray from beloved rhassoul for so long? This weekend, I revisited rhassoul and I can say with 100% confidence that there is absolutely no conditioner that could ever give me this amount of slip, definition, clumped curls and shine. Thus, I've decided for the next month, I will be doing a rhassoul clay challenge. I will not use any conditioner nor shampoo during the month of December and will see how my hair responds. If it feels as good as it did this weekend after washing it, I just may say goodbye to those products and use only rhassoul. It's natural, it's inexpensive and effective.
Here's my mixture and results:
Here's my mixture and results:
- Rhassoul clay (4 -6 TBSP)
- Apple cider vinegar (1 TBSP)
- Distilled water (4 - 6 TBSP
- Aloe vera juice (1 TBSP)
- Essential oils (mint and lavender)
- Amla (1 - 2 TBSP)
 |
| After rhassoul treatment, freshly washed, no products |
 |
| freshly washed hair |
 |
| 70% dry hair w/products |
 |
| 70% dry hair w/products |
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Natural Hair: Surviving Cold Weather
Before, I discuss my cold weather regimen, I'd like to take a moment to say my thoughts and prayers are with those back home, who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
Related to weather, now that jack frost is tapping on our front door, I've made some slight adjustments to my hair routine. Thought it would be a good time to do an update on my routine.
Pre-Cleanse
Pre-pooing is not really my thing. I've heard it's really good for your hair, blame it on my laziness. I'd like to try it in the future, we'll see. For now, I bought Dabur Fall Control Cream, which is supposed to reduce shedding. It contains olive oil and cactus juice. All you have to do is apply it 15 minutes before shampooing. I'll try it out over the next few weeks and report back later...
Cleanse
I wash my hair with diluted shampoo, mixed with glycerin and aloe juice once or twice (if I feel like I have build-up) per month. Alternatively, I do a rhassoul clay cleanse in lieu of a shampoo.
Condition
I condition my hair once per week and every time I wash my hair, I deep condition, with heat. First, I gently detangle with a slippery conditioner and a wide tooth comb, rinse and coat my hair with a moisturizing conditioner, mixed with aloe (and depending on the season honey). I put on two plastic caps and sit under a bonnet dryer for 30 - 45 minutes. I let my hair cool 10 - 15 minutes before rinsing it.
Moisturize
Lately, I've been leaving a small amount of Tresemmé Naturals in my hair. I don't liken this to the curly girl method, because the amount is very small and I only apply it to my ends. This helps my ends stay soft and supple despite harsh elements. This is something I do during cold weather, but not so much in summer.
Seal
I seal with coconut oil, vatika oil or olive oil. I apply this to wet hair and then I put a small amount of leave-in (concentrating on the ends) on my oiled hair. My hair literally feels like butter and I can go 4-5 days without moisturizing again.
Style
I'm keeping it simple now that the cold has kicked in. I usually just wear my hair pulled back. I did a lot of twists in September, but have done them less this month, blame it on laziness. =)
Preserve
At night I tie a satin scarf around my edges, I leave my hair up in the bunny tail (kind of like a pony tail for natural hair). I leave the bunny tail exposed and do not wrap the scarf around it. I do sleep on a satin pillowcase, so my ends aren't rubbing against a drying material. I found that leaving my ends open and not wrapped at night leaves my hair full and also more moisturized. Not sure why, but wrapping my ends tends to make them dryer.
Finally, we can't change the weather, but there are some things we can do to combat it. Next week, I'll be on the lookout for a humidifier. I live in the mountains and it's quite dry in the winter. I'll make sure my hair and skin stay hydrated by using a humidifier at home.
So that's it! Pretty simple, basically, I'm only styling and cleaning once per week. Easy peasy.
What kind of adjustments are you making to adapt to weather changes?
Related to weather, now that jack frost is tapping on our front door, I've made some slight adjustments to my hair routine. Thought it would be a good time to do an update on my routine.
Pre-Cleanse
Pre-pooing is not really my thing. I've heard it's really good for your hair, blame it on my laziness. I'd like to try it in the future, we'll see. For now, I bought Dabur Fall Control Cream, which is supposed to reduce shedding. It contains olive oil and cactus juice. All you have to do is apply it 15 minutes before shampooing. I'll try it out over the next few weeks and report back later...
Cleanse
I wash my hair with diluted shampoo, mixed with glycerin and aloe juice once or twice (if I feel like I have build-up) per month. Alternatively, I do a rhassoul clay cleanse in lieu of a shampoo.
Condition
I condition my hair once per week and every time I wash my hair, I deep condition, with heat. First, I gently detangle with a slippery conditioner and a wide tooth comb, rinse and coat my hair with a moisturizing conditioner, mixed with aloe (and depending on the season honey). I put on two plastic caps and sit under a bonnet dryer for 30 - 45 minutes. I let my hair cool 10 - 15 minutes before rinsing it.
Moisturize
Lately, I've been leaving a small amount of Tresemmé Naturals in my hair. I don't liken this to the curly girl method, because the amount is very small and I only apply it to my ends. This helps my ends stay soft and supple despite harsh elements. This is something I do during cold weather, but not so much in summer.
Seal
I seal with coconut oil, vatika oil or olive oil. I apply this to wet hair and then I put a small amount of leave-in (concentrating on the ends) on my oiled hair. My hair literally feels like butter and I can go 4-5 days without moisturizing again.
Style
I'm keeping it simple now that the cold has kicked in. I usually just wear my hair pulled back. I did a lot of twists in September, but have done them less this month, blame it on laziness. =)
Preserve
At night I tie a satin scarf around my edges, I leave my hair up in the bunny tail (kind of like a pony tail for natural hair). I leave the bunny tail exposed and do not wrap the scarf around it. I do sleep on a satin pillowcase, so my ends aren't rubbing against a drying material. I found that leaving my ends open and not wrapped at night leaves my hair full and also more moisturized. Not sure why, but wrapping my ends tends to make them dryer.
Finally, we can't change the weather, but there are some things we can do to combat it. Next week, I'll be on the lookout for a humidifier. I live in the mountains and it's quite dry in the winter. I'll make sure my hair and skin stay hydrated by using a humidifier at home.
So that's it! Pretty simple, basically, I'm only styling and cleaning once per week. Easy peasy.
What kind of adjustments are you making to adapt to weather changes?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
October Hairdates: Vatika Oil + LOC
What is the current length of your hair?
When wet, the back of my hair reaches my shoulders. My sides are still growing at snail speed. :/ Patience, patience. I hate the mullet look (see 2nd pic) it gives me, so if I wear my hair out, I usually pin my sides back. I threw in a pic of my hair from January (Transition chop) - I've come along way without even realizing it!
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| JANUARY 2012 |
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| OCTOBER 2012 |
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Saturday, October 13, 2012
Bye bye dry ends
I'm about one year and 6 months natural. Can't believe how fast time has flown by! I finally have started to understand my hair's needs and what works best. It's taken a lot of trial and error and experimenting! Currently,I'm winning the battle against dry ends and I think that's all due to my new styling method. Sunday I put my hair in twists, wear it in a twisted updo all week and undo the twists and wear my hair out for the weekend. Thus far, dry ends have not been an issue with this technique.
What are some of your methods for battling split ends?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
September Update: Twists and Giovanni Smooth as Silk
September
What is the current length of your hair?
What products are you currenty loving?
Still loving Tresseme Naturals - This not only gives me great slip, but is also super moisturizing!
Giovanni Smooth As Silk - As the name implies, this protein treatments keeps my curls silky, bouncy, strong and moisturized!
Kinky Curly Knot Today - Great slip, nice smell and moisturizing!
What's your current wash regimen?
- Cowash 1 - 2 times per week, depending on the style.
- Shampoo (using my special mixture) twice per month (every 14 days).
- Apply an oil, apply a leave-in.
How have you been styling your hair?
Blown out braid outs and twists. Blow drying my hair allows it to stretch and gives me a bouncier, looser wave pattern. Twists are great for moisture retention and keep my hands out of my hair for about a week. Those are basically my top 2 to-go-to fall stylesl. Besides twists and blow outs, I wear my hair pulled back.
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| Twists in a bun |
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| Blow out, braid out |
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| Blow out, braid out |
What challenges have you faced?
Edges, I've always had thin edges, but I want to make sure I don't put pressure on them . I try oil my edges with castor oil and try to alternate my styles.
Awkward length, unless my hair is stretched or in an updo. I'll be really happy to reach shoulder length unstretched. Patience is a virtue.
Any drastic changes to your regimen or hair?
LOC (liquid, oil, cream) method changed my life! I've been testing out the LOC method a few months. Alternating back and forth between LOC and LCO (liquid, cream, oil). Here's what I've noticed. The LOC method leaves my hair soft, supple --- it feels like butter-- and moisturized, much longer than the LCO method. Although, my curls are less defined with the LOC method, I feel a major difference in moisture, especially my ends. I rarely use the LCO method, unless I'm planning on doing a wash-n-go. My LOC ingredients consist of water, coconut oil, then a leave-in, typically Kinky Curly Knot Today.
Would you like to offer any hair advice for this month?
If your ends are dry and brittle trim them and try to deep condition every time you wet your hair. Now that we're experiencing dryer weather, I make DCs a vital part of my regimen.
Happy September!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Moisturizing Shampoo Recipe
This month has been loaded with exciting updates, thus I've been blogging more frequently than I thought I would! Guess fall is the season for change and experimentation!
Update on my previous fall style: I was able to wear my blown out braid out for a total of one week! I'm really impressed. I tried to go 2 weeks, but I am finally accepting the fact that my hair cannot go longer than 1 week without washing. It was like this when I was relaxed and it's still the case now that I'm natural.
This is an update on a slight change in my routine. Shampooing. I simply can't go without shampooing. As dry as it makes my hair feel in comparison to co-washing, it cleanses my scalp and removes buildup and grime. Co-washing only just doesn't cut it for me. On the contrary, I hate how drying my shampoo sessions can be. I use a sulfate-free gentle shampoo and it still does a number on my hair.
Recently, I got the idea to doctor up my shampoo as I would a conditioner, when doing a deep treatment. I squeezed some shampoo (Giovanni Tea Tree Tingle) into an applicator bottle, added water (rough measure: add 1/4 - 1/2 the amount of the shampoo used), a big squeeze of vegetable glycerin, a TBSP Neem Oil (you could use your oil of choice) and a small pump of KCKT leave-in/detangler. I shook the contents gently, sectioned my hair into four parts and applied it only to my scalp. The results: a clean and rejuvenated scalp and hair that did not feel to stripped but still clean.What's best my hair did not tangle much and felt soft to touch. I'm happy to have tried this and now I won't dread wash day as much as I used to!
Have you tried adapting your shampoo to make it more moisturizing? What are some of your favorite recipes?
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Fall Style
Braid out on blow dried hair. Gave myself a good trim, detangled and blow dried small sections on a low setting. I'm hoping to wear my hair like this for two weeks, oiling and moisturizing in between when needed.
+ No washing in the morning
+ No leaving the house with wet hair
+ No shrinkage
+ Versatility (flexi-rod, braid out, twist out, or wrap it and wear it straighter)
-/+ Takes a long time to blow dry small sections, but my morning routine (showering, getting dressed, makeup, hair) has gone from 1 hour to 25 minutes!
I'm not worried about heat damage, I was gentle and used low heat.
What are your hair plans for the fall?
+ No washing in the morning
+ No leaving the house with wet hair
+ No shrinkage
+ Versatility (flexi-rod, braid out, twist out, or wrap it and wear it straighter)
-/+ Takes a long time to blow dry small sections, but my morning routine (showering, getting dressed, makeup, hair) has gone from 1 hour to 25 minutes!
I'm not worried about heat damage, I was gentle and used low heat.
What are your hair plans for the fall?
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Experiment: Strand Test
As mentioned, I decided to post monthly updates to my blog, unless I have something to write about that is blog-worthy and out of the ordinary.
Last week, I wanted to test the use of yogurt as a deep conditioner on my hair. I'd seen many bloggers rave about the soft, moisturized and tangle-free hair they achieved using this as a deep conditioner. Now, usually when I try something new that has provided other naturals with great results, I go in deep. I cancel any routine wash plans I've had and try it out. This spontaneity has sometimes resulted in negative outcomes, contrary to it working for others.
This time, I decided to play things safe and do a strand test on my hair before emptying my breakfast stash of plain yogurt. Then it hit me, why not do an experiment! I decided to test 5 different natural items on my hair and determine which one would yield the best results.
Strand Test Variables
Procedure
Measures (1 poor/not at all - 5 excellent / totally)
Results
Photo Results (click on photo to enlarge)
Discussion
There you have it. Rhassoul clay was shown to provide all around perfect results for my strands. Surprisingly, the yogurt by itself did not prove to be so effective and has the lowest average score. My hair felt rough and dry and it wasn't as easy as the other methods. Surprisingly, plain old H20 was more effective than all of the variables, excluding rhassoul clay. The yogurt mixture, did leave my hair with a nice shine and it felt moisturized, however rhassoul clay is the clear winner in this trial. So, contrary to the overwhelming amounts of positive results using plain yogurt, this did not work for me. Possible explanations, my yogurt was not full-fat, I have a protein sensitivity or it just doesn't work for me. What I learned, it couldn't hurt to do a strand test, your hair will thank you for it. Oh yeah, rhassoul clay rocks!
Oh and one last thing, I read about rhassoul clay interacting with color-treated hair. I was nervous it would strip away my color-treated strands, however, it didn't at all. Now, this could be due to the fact that the stylist used a color without bleach from a natural line. So when it doubt, test it out!
Last week, I wanted to test the use of yogurt as a deep conditioner on my hair. I'd seen many bloggers rave about the soft, moisturized and tangle-free hair they achieved using this as a deep conditioner. Now, usually when I try something new that has provided other naturals with great results, I go in deep. I cancel any routine wash plans I've had and try it out. This spontaneity has sometimes resulted in negative outcomes, contrary to it working for others.
This time, I decided to play things safe and do a strand test on my hair before emptying my breakfast stash of plain yogurt. Then it hit me, why not do an experiment! I decided to test 5 different natural items on my hair and determine which one would yield the best results.
Strand Test Variables
- Vinegar diluted in water
- Plain yogurt
- Plain yogurt, Tresseme Naturals and glycerin
- Rhassoul clay mixture (vinegar, distilled water, aloe, essential oils)
- Water (control variable)
Procedure
- Wet hair and apply the mixture to wet strands.
- Wrap hair in plastic cling wrap and let sit for 15 minutes, rinse.
Measures (1 poor/not at all - 5 excellent / totally)
- Level of Shine
- Softness and Moisture
- Detangling Ease
- Definition/Clumping
Results
| Level of Shine | Softness and Moisture | Detangling Ease | Definition/Clumping | ||
| Diluted Vinegar | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Yogurt | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Yogurt Mixture | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| Rhassoul Mixture | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Water (control) | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Average | ||||
| Diluted Vinegar | 3 | |||
| Yogurt | 1.75 | |||
| Yogurt Mixture | 3.5 | |||
| Rhassoul Mixture | 5 | |||
| Water (control) | 4.5 |
Photo Results (click on photo to enlarge)
 |
| Diluted Vinegar |
 |
| Yogurt |
 |
| Yogurt Mix |
 |
| Water (control |
 |
| Rhassoul Mix |
Discussion
There you have it. Rhassoul clay was shown to provide all around perfect results for my strands. Surprisingly, the yogurt by itself did not prove to be so effective and has the lowest average score. My hair felt rough and dry and it wasn't as easy as the other methods. Surprisingly, plain old H20 was more effective than all of the variables, excluding rhassoul clay. The yogurt mixture, did leave my hair with a nice shine and it felt moisturized, however rhassoul clay is the clear winner in this trial. So, contrary to the overwhelming amounts of positive results using plain yogurt, this did not work for me. Possible explanations, my yogurt was not full-fat, I have a protein sensitivity or it just doesn't work for me. What I learned, it couldn't hurt to do a strand test, your hair will thank you for it. Oh yeah, rhassoul clay rocks!
 |
| Rhassoul application |
Oh and one last thing, I read about rhassoul clay interacting with color-treated hair. I was nervous it would strip away my color-treated strands, however, it didn't at all. Now, this could be due to the fact that the stylist used a color without bleach from a natural line. So when it doubt, test it out!
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