Protective Style Prep

 I love styling my hair. I love discovering new products and new methods of getting my hair to behave the way I want it to behave. I also love watching it grow and move through the different phases of each style. 

The love of my hair leads me to wash and style frequently in an effort to maintain its health and beauty; and as much as I love the process I sometimes need a break. Lately I've been looking at my hair and feeling like it isn't growing as quickly as it did the first time I was natural. I get my hair straightened and trimmed every three months and I've been able to clearly see growth, but when my hair is in its natural coily state it just doesn't seem like I've made much progress in the area of length retention.

In short I've come to a point where I am overly concerned with my hair and picking apart every little aspect of it. As they say "a watched pot never boils" so I've decided to tuck my hair away for a while to give myself a mental and physical break from my hair.

Preparing My Hair

To prepare my hair for long term styling (I plan to keep my braids for at least four weeks) I wanted to be sure to infuse moisture into my strands while also strengthening my hair for my first attempt at a home blow out.

Shampoo & Condition

I began by first shampooing my hair twice with Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Shampoo. I chose this shampoo because I would be applying heat and I wanted the additional infusion of keratin to protect my strands from the blow dryer. After shampooing I applied my moisturizing conditioner (Aussie Moist 3-Minute Miracle) and thoroughly detangled using my paddle brush. I rinsed after 3 minutes than applied my Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask and sat beneath my steamer for 30 minutes.

I allowed my hair to cool down after steaming, then rinsed and proceeded to moisturize and prep for blow drying.

Moisturizing & Blow Drying

To moisturize my strands I used my Jane Carter Solutions Curls To Go Untangle Me Leave-In Conditioner as well as the Mist Me Over Hydrator from the same line.  Where I would typically use a quarter-sized amount and simply finger comb the product throughout my strands, this time I sectioned my strands into four quadrants and added a quarter-sized amount to each section. I then brushed the product through with my paddle brush to ensure even distribution. Because I intended to use heat to stretch my hair for the braiding process I also applied a dime sized amount of Kera Mineral's Smoothing Leave In Conditioner to each section as a heat protectant.

I used a combination of the tension method, the comb method, and the flat brush method to blow dry my hair and ensure maximum straightness. Working with small one inch sub sections within each quadrant I applied the tension method by gently pulling the section downward and running the blow dryer (with concentrator nozzle) downward to stretch and dry the section. Once the section was about 90% dry I then used my flat brush to apply greater tension and further straighten each section. I honestly could have stopped here but I ran the blow dryer one last time down my strands and chased it with my wide tooth comb simply to be absolutely positive that my hair was dry, stretched, and thoroughly detangled. 

This entire process took me about 40 minutes and I realized that my hair is not nearly as coarse and unmanageable as I have always thought it to be. I have always been somewhat intimidated by the density, thickness, and tightly coiled nature of my strands, and assumed that because it didn't 'look' easy to manage in the same way as my relaxed hair that it would be difficult to blow out and straighten the way I did my relaxed hair. I was clearly wrong and have a new understanding of my hair and what it is capable of.

Once my hair was completely dry I added a dime sized amount of Jane Carter Solution Curl Defining Cream to each quadrant for extra moisture then secured each section with a ponytail holder to keep it stretched and prevent tangling. Due to my preparation the braiding process was quick, easy and virtually painless. 

How do you prepare for a protective style?

Summer Wash Day Routine for Naturals

This Summer my goal is to keep my hair routine simple while maximizing moisture and maintaining length. To reach these goals I am instituting two main elements into my routine: Wash and Go's and Low Manipulation styles. Both style choices require similar wash day prep and the routine I have created has been instrumental in maintaining moisture for days at a time and limiting manipulation.

Whether I am protective styling or doing a wash and go my routine contains the following elements:

Cleansing

One thing I have learned as a second-time natural is the importance of a good quality shampoo and how regular shampooing aids in the health of both your scalp and hair. As I mentioned in my MHM Review post, I do still use a clay cleanser but it is accompanied by a quality shampoo. Depending upon the week and my hair's needs I alternate between a protien/strengthening shampoo, a moisturizing shampoo, or a clarifying shampoo.

Prior to shampooing I do not dentangle, add oil, or do any sort of pre-poo step; I simply jump in the shower and allow the water to run through my strands for 1-2 minutes. Once my hair is weighed down and fully wet I apply my shampoo. I currently have three shampoos in my rotation: Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Moisturizing Shampoo, Kinky Curly Come Clean, and Aphogee Green Tea & Keratin Shampoo. I have found that all three of these aid in detangling so once my hair is lathered I do a quick finger detangle with the shampoo still in before rinsing.

If I am using a clay mask I will apply the mask to my hair and use it to further finger detangle my strands. I do not allow the mask to sit for longer than five minutes. If I am not using clay I will lather a second time with shampoo to insure  my hair and scalp are completely clean before I proceed to conditioning.

Conditioning

Rather than alternating between a protein and moisturizing conditioner each week I've opted to use both on every wash day. However, my hair's needs for the week determine which conditioner I use as a deep conditioner with my steamer. I currently have four conditioners in my line up: Aphogee Keratin Two Minute Reconstructor, Aussie Moist Three Minute Miracle, Aphogee Curlrific Texture Treatment, and Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask. While still in the shower I apply my rinse- out conditioner and allow it to sit for a few minutes while I do my shower duties. After rinsing, wringing out excess water, and wrapping my hair in a t-shirt I prep my steamer for use. Once I apply my deep conditioner of choice I use a paddle brush to completely detangle my strands before sitting beneath my steamer for 30 minutes. I like to allow my hair to cool before I rinse out my deep conditioner, just to allow my cuticles to close naturally. After cooling and rinsing my DC I wring excess water from my hair and allow my t-shirt to dry my hair before I apply my stylers.

Styling

I have only recently perfected my wash and go process and found the proper stylers to keep my hair moisturized while making my curls pop. To prevent product build up (and save money) I keep very few stylers in my stash and apply a minimum of two products. I begin by applying a moisturizing leave in on damp hair. My current leave-ins are Jane Carter Solutions Curls to Go Untangle Me, and Kinky Curly Knot Today. I apply about a quarter sized amount of leave in throughout my strands and work it through using my fingers to rake and smooth. Because my hair is still so short I don't bother sectioning but I do make sure to apply the product evenly throughout my strands. My current styler of choice for definition, moisture and hold is the Aphogee Curlrific Curl Definer. I intend to do a full review of this product but let me just say it is AaaaMazing!! When applying the curl definer I do work in sections (although I still do not part my hair) and apply about a nickle sized amount working it in generously, making sure to rake and smooth the product in until I see my coils and curls begin to separate and elongate. After the product is completely applied, if my curls still aren't clumping the way I know they are capable, I will either re-wet my hair with a spray bottle or dip my hair back beneath the shower head. The final step is a good shake to further encourage clumping before applying a clean t-shirt to soak up excess water for 15-30 minutes to speed up the drying time.

 

Day 5 Results

I am currently rocking a protective style for the month (post coming soon) but prior to install I was doing wash and gos weekly. With the aforementioned routine and products I have been able to stretch my wash days for a full five (sometimes six) days! This is huge for me because with my prior product choices I could only manage to go three days between washes because my hair would quickly dry out. With this routine not only am I getting great curl definition and lasting moisture but I am able to style my hair in under an hour leaving my free to enjoy my weekend. What else can a girl ask for?

What is your Summer Wash Day Routine?

Quest for Curls - The Max Hydration Method (Modified)

Prior to returning natural in February of 2017 I spent months scouring the internet looking for a way to get my natural curls popping without having to spend hours on wash days twisting my hair (only to re twist it every night). I knew that my wool was capable of curling on it's own but I was at a loss as to which products and techniques to employ that would encourage my curls.

My research lead me to what is known as the Maximum Hydration Method. Having been natural from 2010-2013 I was somewhat familiar with the use of Bentonite Clay to encourage curls, and had even tried it in the past but failed to see any results. Several bloggers and vloggers with type 4 curls shared their experiences with and their results of the Maximum Hydration Method, and I was confident that I too could get popping natural curls if I implemented that same method. As I mentioned in my return post, I spent a short three months transitioning and used Bentonite Clay as my cleanser during that time. Once I removed my braids and cut off the small amount of remaining relaxed ends I jumped headlong into the full Max Hydration Method (MHM).

What is the Max Hydration Method (MHM)?

For those of you who may not be familiar with the MHM I will provide a brief summary.

 MHM is a method of hair care cleansing, conditioning and styling that is touted to improve moisture levels in the hair strand thereby encouraging clumping and curling of type 4 hair. The method essentially evolves four steps that are to be done for seven consecutive days, then once every 3-7 days until maximum hydration levels are reached. According to the creator of the method, maximum hydration is reached once a single strand of hair curls from root to tip without the help of styling products. Steps of the MHM include:

1. Cherry Lola Treatment - A mixture of full fat, plain, organic Greek yogurt; Braggs Amino Acids; and 1 Tbs baking soda. Mixture is applied to damp hair and allowed to sit for 30 minutes beneath a shower cap or plastic bag. 
2.  Clarify - Once the Cherry Lola Treament is rinsed out clarify your strands using either an ACV rinse or Baking Soda rinse.
3. Deep Condition - After cleansing deep condition with a quality conditioner that does not contain silicone. 
4. Clay Treatment - Mix bentonite clay with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and apply to damp hair. Cover with plastic cap and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes. 
5. Leave In Conditioner and Botanical Gel to seal and set - after thoroughly rising the clay apply a quality leave in conditioner and botanical gel (recommend Kinky Curly Knot Today & Curling Custard). Allow hair to air dry or diffuse.

Note the Cherry Lola step is only done on the FIRST DAY you begin the MHM. On days 2-7 begin with Step 2 (Clarify).

My Results with MHM

I noticed immediately that my hair did not like the Cherry Lola Treatment and I truly believe it was due to the use of baking soda. This step left my hair dry, brittle, and frizzy. After further research I discovered that when used over a long period of time baking soda can cause harm to the hair strands. Knowing the potential for harm along with the results I experienced lead me to cut this step completely from the Maximum Hydration Method. 

For steps 2 - 7 I made the following adjustments:

• Step 2: Opted to use a ratio of 3 parts water and one part ACV to clarify
• Step 3: Used Kera Minerals Deep Conditioner although it was not silicone free. I found this conditioner gave me excellent results. 
• Step 4: Followed clay making steps per MHM creator's instructions
• Step 5: Used Kinky Curly products to seal

The results after seven consecutive days of performing all five steps was a head full of soft and moisturized curls, kinks, and coils. Once the seven days were complete I moved on to performing the MHM every 3 days for a period of eight months. In all honesty I did experiment with Wetline Xtreme gel (this is NOT recommended as it is not a botanical gel) because the curling custard was not helping my hair to hold it's curls.

After eight months I finally visited my stylist for a trim and she talked me into getting a protein treatment known as the BASIC One Step Treatment that is supposed to improve manageability of tightly coiled hair (I will provide a run down of this treatment in a later post). Obviously to properly trim my hair my stylist had to blow dry and flat iron my strands and it was at this time that I saw the true effects of the MHM on my hair. It took her six hours to blow out and flat iron my hair and at the time I had a small TWA. The process was painful and as she worked the tools through my hair I could see my strands falling around me. She ended up having to remove almost 4 inches of my hair and I will never forget her surprise as she asked "What have you been doing to your hair?!" My hair was a dry, gnarled, crispy mess! My ends were eaten up with split ends and single strand knots; I have never seen my hair look that bad.

After that visit I immediately quit the MHM and have been using quality shampoos and conditioners since. Three months later I visited my stylist again for another trim and it took her 2 hours to blow dry and flat iron my strands, she only trimmed about an inch, and my strands were moisturized and shiny.

Would I recommend the MHM?

In spite of the long term effects I would still recommend the MHM to those struggling to get their curls to pop. However, I would recommend doing the method for no longer than the initial seven days. Based upon my own experiences long term use of bentonite clay and ACV may have a damaging effect on your strands.

I also still use clay but I do not do so as often. Last weekend was the first time I did a clay mask in at least six months. This time I shampooed my hair first, applied the clay mask, and only allowed it to stay on my hair for five minutes. I do intend to do this once a week for the next few weeks as I am trying to improve curl definition on the sides of my head.

Have you tried the Maximum Hydration Method? What were your results?

Lola's Back!! (& So am I)

Hello ladies!! It's been AGES since my last post and as you can see I've changed my hair once again. After three years of swearing I would never go natural again, about three months of painstaking decision making, and watching several hours of  YouTube  natural hair videos I decided to transition for 3 months then big chop.

Why I Returned to Natural

I have a lot of hair. A.LOT. And when it is in its natural state it can be overwhelming to handle (even when working in sections). I remember spending hours every Saturday washing, conditioning & styling my hair; re-twisting every night to maintain definition and moisture, never being able to straighten my own hair (I tried once and it took 12 hours), and honestly feeling like my styling options were limited to twist outs. I wanted curls y'all! I'm talking ringlet, Shirley Temple curls, and although I didn't mind using rollers or other styling tools to get those curls, it took hours and I my styling attempts were rarely successful.

After three years styling got to be boring and as I advanced in Corporate America I honestly started to feel uncomfortable being in a room full of straight haired white people with my huge afro. It wasn't until years later that I realized I was only uncomfortable because THEY were. Fast forward to 2016 and after unarmed black man # 567 was gunned down by police I started getting angry and feeling like I needed to make a statement. I no longer cared if I stood out or if my textured hair caused my co-workers discomfort. Wearing my wooly hair was a power play, a way of saying "F-you" to the system and my first step towards liberation and walking in the Truth.

The Transition Process

I transitioned for three months with box braids. Because I was already rocking short hair and I've had a TWA in the past, I wasn't worried about how I would look and the change from relaxed to natural was not a drastic one for me. I decided on a short transition period because I knew I wouldn't like dealing with two different textures over a long period of time and I find the whole idea of transitioning to be too much of a grey area for me, I need a set style to work with.

While my hair was in box braids I 'shampooed' weekly using a bentonite clay mixture that I applied only to my scalp and rinsed thoroughly. I consider this to be by far the best thing I did for my hair because it removed product build up and allowed me to begin my second natural journey with a clean slate. For those of you transitioning or thinking of returning natural I suggest the following:

• Opt for a short transition rather than an immediate big chop - the first time I went natural I shaved my hair completely off and started fresh. I jumped in head first with products doing what I saw others on YouTube do, this was my biggest mistake. As a result I never learned what products my hair liked or how MY hair actually worked (texture-wise). Transitioning for a few months and truly offering your hair a blank slate will allow you to immediately see the potential of your strands and what you are working with.
• Bentonite, Bentonite, Bentonite!! - This is a staple in my product regimen and I will honestly probably never use anything else to cleanse my strands. I also credit the use of bentonite clay with curl clumpage and therefore curl definition. My first time as a natural I could not get my hair to clump or curl. I knew that my hair was curly so I could not figure out why I never saw any definition outside of the shower once my strands dried. With continued use of the clay I am beginning to see definition from root to tip without the use of curl defining products like gel.
• Oil isn't necessarily your friend - One of the things I discovered about my strands is that they are low porosity. I'll do an id-depth post on porosity at a later date, but for a low-po curly, oil can actually further prevent moisture from entering a strand that already struggles to accept it. I would suggest holding off on the use of oil or trying it sparingly and analyzing how your hair truly reacts to it.

 I big chopped in February of this year and haven't looked back. I visit my stylist regularly because I am keeping my hair in short tapered cut for now, and she is constantly commenting on how great my texture looks and asking what products I use. This time around I have been successful in my quest for curls and I love the fact that I can wash and go without matting, knots, extreme shrinkage, and excessive dryness the next day. 

I am super excited about my second go around as a natural, and even more excited to share what I have learned with you all.  I am still trying to perfect my wash and go method and look forward to what I imagine to be infinite (and easier) styling options as I master my strands and learn my texture.

What changes have you made to your hair?

Keep It Simple: A Simple Regimen for Beginners (With Product Suggestions)

A hair regimen does not need to be elaborate or full of expensive products to be effective. Since my big chop I've taken my hair care back to basics and eliminated processes and products I've found to be unnecessary on my journey to healthy hair. If you are starting a hair journey or just looking to simplify your current regimen the processes and products below may be just what you need to jump-start your journey and see the health and length gains you've been waiting for.

Weekly

Currently I shampoo my hair once per week using a sulfate-free shampoo. I prefer a sulfate-free shampoo because my hair is color treated, however, I have found that a well formulated shampoo containing sulfates can work wonders on my strands. I always follow up my shampoo with either a moisturizing or protein conditioner depending upon my hair's needs and how I plan to style for the week. If I am using hot tools I use both a moisturizing and protein conditioner, but if I will be roller setting I skip the protein and opt for a thick moisturizing conditioner.

Leave-Ins are an important step in your wash day routine and aid in not only the addition of moisture to your strands, but seals that moisture into your strands. I prefer to apply my leave-ins in sections to ensure that each strand is covered. I do not use a comb until leave-ins are applied, this prevents more hair fall and breakage than necessary since my strands are conditioned and slippery. At this point a wide-tooth comb will glide effortlessly through my hair. Your styling choice for the week should dictate your choice of leave-in; if I am allowing my hair to air dry or doing a roller set I opt for thick and creamy leave-ins full of moisturizing properties. However if I am using hot tools I go for light protein-moisture balanced leave-ins.

Daily

The daily handling of your strands should depend upon both your style choice of the week and how your hair feels at the end of the day. At one point I was moisturizing my hair daily, and although this practice is common and not generally harmful it proved to be unnecessary for me as my hair stayed moisturized for at least three days at a time. If I am wearing my hair straight for the week I reapply a dime sized amount of my creamy leave-in conditioner followed by a pea-sized amount of coconut oil to seal. When my hair has been roller set or air dried I lightly mist my strands with my protein-based leave-in and seal with a few drops of coconut and olive oil.

3 Months

Every 12 weeks I visit my stylist and receive a relaxer and trim if necessary. I have found that having a professional apply my relaxer ensures even coverage and a uniform texture from root to tip. My hair is currently telaxed, meaning I purposely have my stylist under-process my strands to maintain a bit of texture. I make sure to have my stylist do a mid-step protein treatment and follow up with a moisturizing deep conditioner. Prior to seeing my stylist on relaxer day I make sure to thoroughly detangle my strands and apply an oil of choice to the length of my strands to protect against relaxer run-off. 

The following are all products I have tried & found to be effective at cleansing and conditioning my hair, and leaving it moisturized and soft:

Shampoos

• Kera Minerals Smoothing Sulfate Free Shampoo
• L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Restoring Shampoo
• Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo

Conditioners 

• Kera Minerals Smoothing Deep Conditioner
• Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm (GVP Brand)
• Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Conditioner
• Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser Strength Reconstructing Butter
• Aphogee Kerating 2 Minute Reconstructor

Leave-Ins

• ORS Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion
• Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner
• Aphogee Kerating & Green Tea Reconstructurizer
• Organix  Argan Oil of Morocco Penetrating Oil
• Kera Minerals Smoothing Leave-In Conditioner
• Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In Conditioner

Sealants

• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil 
• Proclaim Glossing Polish

I neglected to list or mention the use of a heat protectant because I use conditioners containing 'cones which are scientifically proven to coat the hair and protect against high temperatures. In addition to conditioners I also use leave-ins that are clearly defined as providing protection from heat styling tools, this eliminates the need for traditional heat protection sprays. 

A hair journey does not have to be intimidating or time consuming. With these simple products and tips you too can be on your way to healthy hair.

For in depth reviews of the products listed check out my Product Review section.

A Summer Regimen for Damaged (Relaxed & Color Treated) Hair

Summer is a time for experimenting with your strands. It's a time where we throw caution to the wind, add color, hit the beach, abandon our protective styles, and show off our length. I am all for having fun with my hair, trying new things, and enjoying my progress but I also realize that if I am too lax with my haircare practices over the Summer the result can be a major setback come Fall.

My hair tends to get drier in the Summer months and adding color to the mix along with my already chemically processed (relaxed) strands will only make matters worse. Prior to coloring my hair I was aware of the risks of double processing and talked over the coloring process, best products to use to get the color I desired, and at-home maintenance with my stylist to ensure that I could continue to take the best possible care with my strands.

I have been colored and relaxed for going on one week & throughout that time I have kept a close watch on my hair. I have come up with the following regimen to maintain my strands this Summer:

Monday: Co-Wash

Normally I am not a fan of co-washing because I feel it leaves my hair feeling coated and my scalp itchy. I decided to give it one more try last Monday using my GVP Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm & applying it first to the ends of my strands, then massaging any excess into my roots. I allowed the conditioner to sit for about 3 minutes then rinsed thoroughly with warm water to ensure all traces of the conditioner were gone. I allowed my hair to air dry for 30 minutes before applying my leave-ins and setting my hair in twists for a twist out.

Tuesday: Moisturize & Seal

Using the L.O.C method, spray strands lightly with water until slightly damp, apply Coconut Oil followed by ORS Moisturizing Hair Lotion. Re-twist to maintain twist out.

Wednesday: Co-Wash

Co-wash again as on Monday.

Thursday: Moisturize & Seal

Follow the L.O.C method to moisturize & seal strands, re-twist to maintain style.

Friday: Co-Wash

Co-wash using either the same conditioner as Monday & Wednesday or opt for a light protein conditioner (depending upon how your hair feels) to prevent moisture overload.

Saturday: Moisturize & Seal

Follow L.O.C Method to moisturize & seal strands and either re-twist or style hair in a protective style (bun, updo, etc.).

Sunday: Wash Day

Saturate strands with Coconut Oil, detangle & apply a processing cap for at least one hour.
Using a sulfate-free shampoo, shampoo strands to remove excess product build-up (use luke-warm water to prevent color fading). It may be necessary to shampoo twice to fully rid strands of product & conditioner molecules that may stick to strands; follow with a quick 2 minute condition using the matching conditioner.
 Deep condition using a protein conditioner under a heating cap and heat source for no less than 15 minutes.
T-shirt dry strands for at least 30 minutes prior to applying leave-ins and styling.

I plan to make any necessary tweaks to my regimen as the Spring & Summer continue depending upon my hair's needs. Although I have had success with co-washing this week I am not sure if the process will continue to be successful as the weeks progress.

How do you care for you hair in the Spring & Summer?

Winter 2015 Hair Regimen

After taking a few weeks to evaluate my hair and think about the goals I would like to achieve in my hair journey this year I have created the following regimen for Winter 2015:

Monthly

• Shampoo with a clarifying or sulfate shampoo
• Deep condition using both a protein and moisturizing conditioner

Weekly

• Shampoo with a sulfate-free moisturizing shampoo
• Deep condition (or quick condition) with a protein-moisture balanced conditioner or a light protein conditioner
• Use either a protein or moisture-based leave in (depending upon hair needs)
• Roller set with Flex-Rods

Daily

• Moisturize using Jane Carter Solutions Leave-in Conditioner spray nightly
• Moisturize using ORS Moisturizing Hair Lotion each morning
• Seal as needed alternating between Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum and African Royal Hot Six Oil
• Pineapple nightly to preserve curls

Relaxer

• Relax every 12-14 weeks in Salon  

What is your Winter regimen?

Re-Evaluating & Revising My Regimen

Every few months I like to take a look at my current hair regimen and evaluate what does and does not work. I set a new goal in terms of length then look at the state of my tresses along with outside factors that may affect my ability to care for my tresses properly, and map out the best path to achieving my goal. This process has helped me transition from BSL to MBL and I will use that same evaluation process to guide me in my quest towards WL hair. 

Evaluate What Does & Does Not Work

Last Fall I set a goal to achieve MBL by Winter, but I also wanted to reduce the number of split ends I was seeing and maintain a balance between the level of strength and moisture within my strands. To achieve my length I issued a series of hair challenges geared at stimulating growth and increasing my chances of retaining length. In short I did the following:

• Daily scalp massages & weekly inversions
• Washed and deep conditioned my strands twice per week
• Used both protein and moisture conditioners with every wash
• Protective styled consistently
• Used direct heat sparingly
• Stretched relaxers to 16 weeks

Of those practices listed above the only elements that proved unsuccessful were consistent protective styling and stretching my relaxers to 16 weeks.  I found that bunning  is not a practice I care to participate in and stretching my relaxers past 14 weeks typically means disaster in the form on shedding, dryness and extreme tangles. 

How Have Life Events Affected Your Time?

As much as I would love to dedicate two days each week to washing and deep conditioning my hair and using both a protein and moisture conditioner with every wash I just do not have the time right now. The practice worked wonders on my tresses and I attribute those double DC sessions to the lack of split ends and breakage I experienced last Fall but moving forward I am looking for other ways to retain moisture and keep my protein/moisture balance in check.

How Healthy Are Your Tresses Overall?

I saw my stylist yesterday after more than a year of caring for my hair on my own. She indicated that my hair was strong and healthy overall, but she was concerned about the slight breakage I have and the inconsistent texture from self- relaxing. She commented that my ends looked well and although I was mentally prepared for the possibility of needing at least 2 inches of length removed it turned out only about 1/2 inch was necessary. 

Make Adjustments

Now that I have reviewed my previous regimen, set my new goal, evaluated the current state of my strands to know the areas where improvement is needed, and taken into account life circumstances I am ready to make the necessary adjustments to my regimen.

Have you evaluated your hair regimen lately?

Wash Day Tips for the Busy (or Lazy)

 Our lives are constantly changing requiring greater flexibility within our schedules and at times it may be challenging to find the time to thoroughly cleanse our tresses, let alone take the time to pamper our hair with special treatments. This is the situation I have found myself in over the past few weeks and between long hours at work and looking for a new home I have not had the time or the energy to dedicate to a full-fledged wash day, and have even skipped my mid-week sessions.

Despite my neglect my hair seems to be pretty healthy - split ends are virtually non-existent along with zero breakage and minimal shedding - but I plan to rectify my neglect this weekend by giving my hair some serious TLC. Hopefully I can resume my normal regimen as the year progresses and life settles, but the past few weeks have reminded me of the importance having quality products that provide my hair with what it needs without requiring me to spend hours (or 15 minutes) beneath hair dryers, steamers, or shower caps.

The following product types are suggestions for those of you with busy schedules (or who simply find yourselves lazy sometimes). I avoided listing specific products in favor of product types because what works for one may not work for another.

Moisturizing Sulfate-Free Shampoo
This should be a staple in every shower and bathroom cabinet for ladies on a healthy hair journey. When you are pressed for time you cannot go wrong with a gentle shampoo guaranteed to provide your hair with the moisture you may miss when skipping your DC session.

Protein-Moisture Balanced Conditioner
If you're like me you prefer to use both a protein and moisturizing conditioner each wash day, but for those days when you just don't feel like doing two separate conditioning sessions a moisture-protein balanced conditioner is the way to go. It may be difficult to find a balanced conditioner, and in that case I typically reach for a light protein conditioner because I know I'll get the mix of strength and moisture my hair needs without the 15-30 minute processing time or the shower cap.

Creamy Leave-Ins
Creamy leave-in conditioners work best for busy weekends due to their consistency. I have found that using a thick leave-in versus a light leave-in spray on days when I've skipped my DC provides longer lasting moisture and leaves my hair feeling supple and soft. I save the light-weight leave-in spray for adding moisture daily as the week progresses.

Olive Oil
 I typically use African Royal as a pre-poo and sealant but nothing beats the shine, moisture, and softness that pure olive oil adds to my hair - which is why it is my go-to when I am in a time crunch.

One thing I will mention is no matter how lazy  or busy I am I NEVER skip the pre-poo! The pre-poo process has done wonders for my hair and it will forever be a part of my regimen. 

 Although I would not suggest skipping deep conditioning on a regular or rushing through wash days I understand that sometimes we just can't do it all. The great thing about a hair journey is learning flexibility and how to care for your hair as your circumstances change.

How do you maintain your hair when life gets hectic?

Updating my Regimen for the Fall

Since my college years I have always marked the start and end of the seasons based on the university calendar rather than the actual change of the season. This means August marks the beginning of Fall and my new Fall regimen. 

In my quest to find the perfect regimen (one that maximizes my hair growth and maintains the health of my strands) I have tried everything from co-washing to twice-weekly DC sessions, and sulfate free shampoos. A few of my experiments have yielded positive results in the form of growth and healthy lengths, but I am on a mission to MBL by year end so I am doing everything I can to help the process.

For my new regimen I am taking the best of what I did during April, May, June, and July and combining them to create what I hope will be the regimen that pushes me to further lengths. June and July seemed to be the months that I enjoyed the results of my wash sessions the most, and also when I discovered my hair had grown, so moving into the Fall I plan to do the following:

• Inversion Method/GHE: I believe I got an inch of growth during this challenge. I say this because one week before starting I took off about a 1/2-1" of stringy ends; using my body as a mark for where my hair stops I measured where my hair was after the trim. Two days ago I measured my hair again using my body and I am in the same place I was pre-trim. For the three month challenge I plan to use oil off and-on to prevent itchiness.
• Sulfate-Free Shampoo: I switched from a sulfate shampoo to one without and my hair has been a lot sleeker since, I believe I finally found my staple shampoo.
• Shampoo and DC Bi-weekly
• Return to using hot tools: air drying and roller setting seems to cause more problems for my hair than when I use heat styling tools, so I am going back to heat styling only with less frequency.
• Keratin/Smoothing System in-between relaxer touch-ups: I will be doing my first treatment on July 31st and hoping that this will allow me to stretch out my relaxers for six months rather than four.

With my plan in place I am hoping to make MBL by December if not sooner. I plan to stick with this regimen for the full five-months unless circumstances make it necessary to change things up again.

How are you preparing to reach your length goals?

Finding the Perfect Regimen

For the past few months I have experimented with several different regimens in an effort to maximize my hair growth and retention. My main focus is growth and retention because my hair is already at a healthy state (i.e. no extreme breakage, dryness, or dullness), but I have yet to meet my length related goals. Below is a list of things I have tried and the results of each experiment:

April

• Mane-n-tail Shampoo: The word on Youtube in regards to this shampoo is that it speeds up hair growth with at least one month of continuous use. I used this shampoo weekly for the entire month of April and saw no difference in the length of my hair. I did however notice that this shampoo left me with soft, shiny, strong, seemingly thicker, and more manageable tresses. 
• Bunning/Protective Styling: I normally wear my hair flat ironed and curled with flex rods, but wanted to give my ends a break from rubbing against my shoulders and decided to protective style for the summer. At first it was a sporadic thing, one week off- then one week on because I was so used to my hair being out and free, but by the end of the month I was able to consistently wear my buns.

May

• Mid-week Co-Wash: Still not seeing a difference in the length of my hair I wondered if a lack of moisture was my issue and instituted a mid week co-wash session. This lasted all of two weeks because I hated the way co washing left my hair feeling weighed down and coated; I resumed my normal weekly wash routine.
• Air drying and roller setting weekly: I also wondered if using the flat iron weekly was drying out my ends and causing breakage - I had not seen any hairs on the sink, floor or my shoulders and upon inspection the ends of my hair looked fine - but I decided to take the advice of most relaxed hair bloggers and vloggers and cut out the heat. With air drying I noticed my hair felt dry and I experienced shedding and breakage, but I liked the idea of cutting out heat and the time the air drying/roller setting process saved me throughout my week.
• Bunning/Protective Styling: I rocked a bun three out of four weeks this month.

June

• Inversion Method: This was something I used to do in high school/freshman year of college. I would oil my scalp every three days with Doo-Gro and tilt myself over at the waist while massaging my scalp for about two minutes. I saw a great deal of growth and my hair was between BSL and MBL. I tried the method again only following the advice of a few successful bloggers: I oiled my scalp every day for seven days, massaged for a few minutes, then inverted for four minutes.
• Mid Week Shampoo and DC Sessions: Since co-washing was a fail I wondered if I could shampoo twice a week and DC? My logic was wetting the hair, cleansing the scalp and replenishing moisture via deep conditioning had to be a more effective option than loading on products via the moisturize-and-seal method. On top of that I was worried about an itchy scalp from using so much oil. I also switched to a sulfate free shampoo to prevent dryness from more frequent shampoo usage.
• Bunning/Protective Styling: If my hair was not in a bun it was in a ponytail ALL month long.
• Carrots: yes, carrots! I was watching a vlogger on Youtube who mentioned how carrot juice seemed to make her hair grow like a weed; desperate for some growth I was willing to give it a shot and ate carrots daily for the entire month.
• Air drying and roller setting: despite the shedding and breakage I was experiencing I continued to air dry and roller set my hair throughout the month, trying different methods to combat the harsh results. Although nothing I tried curbed the problem once I flat ironed my hair at the end of the month I noticed it had grown and I was now grazing my bra strap.

July

• #TeamNoScissors: I tried and failed epic-ally (LOL). A recent flat iron session revealed not only some growth but some stringy ends as well and I just did not have it in me to hold on to scraggely ends and walk around looking dusty. Last night I trimmed about 1/4-1/2" off and my hair looks much better. More power to those of you on Team-No-Scissors but I am officially Team-Let-Go-Of-Ragged-Ends.
• Inversion and GHE: One blogger I enjoy following with particularly long tresses did a study on the different growth aids and how they affected her hair. She found that with the inversion method although she gained an inch her ends were thin and scraggely after the process and she had to do a light dusting, I experienced the same results. She mentioned that the GHE gave great results without the thin ends and conducted an experiment combining the two methods. Her results were phenomenal as she gained about two inches in one week. I have opted to try this method and for the last three days I have applied oil to my scalp, massaged and inverted, then applied a plastic cap and two scarves to my head for a minimum of six hours. I plan to do this every night for seven days and hope for the same results.
• Mid Week Shampoo and DC Sessions: this is something I plan to continue since I have not seen any damaging affects from the extra sessions; this will be my routine for the rest of the summer.
• Air drying and roller setting: withstanding the unfavorable results of this process, if I am going to continue shampooing twice a week my only option for styling is to air dry and roller set since I am a little afraid of what twice weekly heat styling sessions will do to my hair.
• Carrots: I don't know if eating carrots actually increases hair growth but I love carrots and if they can make my hair grow I don't mind munching on them daily. 

Finding the perfect regimen that keeps my hair healthy, provides me with a look and style that I like, while maximizing my hair growth has been difficult; maybe I am simply impatient with my hair's growth. Although I will continue to tweak my regimen until I see the results I want the basis of what I do will remain the same: Shampoo, Deep Condition, and Style.

Have you perfected your regimen?

Keeping Your Regimen Simple: Dual Purpose Products

I love visiting the salon because my hair always looks amazing when I leave, but the look and feel only lasts until the next wash day. I have spent years trying to emulate the results of my salon visits at home - especially since I can only visit my stylist twice a year - but until recently I was not able to get quit the same results.

The process of each salon visit is always the same: a shampoo, condition (either deep or quick rinse out), the use of a serum and finishing spray for hold. And the results are always predictable: shiny, manageable, soft, bouncy hair.  My stylist used at the most two styling products on my hair, so could the key to shiny, bouncy hair be to use less products? 

More products = more weight on each strand = less movement

Makes sense to me. 

After years of trying everything from expensive blow dryers and flat irons and salon brand products I finally found the key to salon results at home: Dual purpose products. Dual purpose products are products that perform a number of functions such as detangling, moisturizing and protecting the hair strands all in one application. 

If you have reviewed my regimen you know it is simple - almost ridiculously so - and I use literally two products to style my hair: 

Organix Coconut Milk Anti Breakage Serum

•  Provides slip to aid in detangling
• Contains keratin proteins for strength
• Coconut oil for moisture
• Can be used as a sealant or stand-alone product to nourish ends between washes
• Prevents breakage

Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave In

• Contains proteins and silk amino acids for strength
• Moisturizing 
• Provides protection against heat styling tools
• Seals cuticle
• Provides slip to aid in detangling
• Promotes softness and shine

These two products  provide me with everything my hair needs after a shampoo and condition to protect it during the styling process and give me the results I love.

What dual purpose products are you using?

My Current Hair Regimen

Wash Days

I wash my hair every 3 - 4 days and like to keep things as simple as possible

Pre-poo: Ion Pre-Shampoo Oil Treatment - (5 minutes - over night)

Shampoo: Kera Minerals Sulfate-Free Shampoo 

Deep Conditioner: Kera Minerals Smoothing Deep Conditioner (Protein/Moisture Balanced)

Leave-Ins: APhogee Pro-vitamin Leave In & Organix Coconut Milk Anti-breakage Serum 

Monthly Treatments

Hot Oil Treatment: Africa's Best Herbal Oil or Proclaim Argan Hot Oil

Clarify: Vo5 Kiwi Clarifying Shampoo

Protein Treatment: Joico K-Pak Reconstructor with Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor

Moisturizing Deep Conditioner: Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm 

Leave-Ins: APhogee Pro-vitamin Leave In & Organix Coconut Milk Anti-breakage Serum 

Relaxers

I relax my hair every 12 - 16 weeks and prefer to leave a bit of texture, so I do not allow the relaxer to sit for longer than 15 minutes.

Relaxer: Silk Elements Normal Strength

Shampoo: ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo

Mid-step Protein Treatment: Joico K-Pak Reconstructor with Aphoge 2 Minute Reconstructor 

Moisturizing Deep Conditioner: Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm
Leave-Ins: APhogee Pro-vitamin Leave In & Organix Coconut Milk Anti-breakage Serum

Do you have a hair regimen?