Wednesday, August 25

My Vitamin Regimen

 I always speak about the products I use for my hair, but I also take a few different supplements that are known to help with not only overall body health, but for skin and hair as well.

So...here's what I take..

2 Gummy Multi-Vitamins Daily- See post here

4000 MCG of Spring Valley Biotin

Biotin is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids. It plays a role in the citric acid cycle, which is the process by which biochemical energy is generated during aerobic respiration. Biotin not only assists in various metabolic reactions but also helps to transfer carbon dioxide. Biotin may also be helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level.[2] Biotin is often recommended for strengthening hair and nails. Consequently, it is found in many cosmetics and health products for the hair and skin, though it cannot be absorbed through the hair or skin itself.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotin

1 Nature Made Super B Complex (it is said to take this with Biotin to combat any side effects such as bumps/pimples..which is true because I haven't experienced any break-outs since taking it. )

Adequate vitamin B complex consumption offers numerous benefits, some of which can be seen almost immediately. One of the first and most noticeable benefits is often improved mood. For many people, their mood becomes better and more stable shortly after taking B complex supplements. Long term supplement usage can also have numerous benefits. In most cases, the condition of the person's skin and hair improves greatly, and some people are even able to lose weight. Vitamin B complex can help to greatly improve one's overall health and state of well-being
http://www.vitaminbcomplexsupplements.com/b-complex-vitamin-benefits.html

Tuesday, August 24

Hair Update

If you remember, about 2 weeks ago I relaxed my hair with Silk Elements Mild Lye Relaxer. It was so underprocessed that it didn't even feel or look like I relaxed my hair. I did two things wrong. I didn't leave the relaxer in long enough and I didn't apply enough relaxer to my hair. I was 5 months post so the new-growth I was dealing with was ridiculous.
I got to the point where I couldn't wait 6-8 weeks for another touch-up and for the simple fact that the relaxer didn't take at all...I decided to relax my hair again yesterday. I did a mild protein treatment last week and my hair was in good condition to do so. I do not suggest this to anyone else...but its something I felt I needed to do.
When I did my relaxer, I followed the same steps as before, but this time I kept it on/smoothed it out for 15-20 minutes.
Although it processed a lot better then before, I was still a little underprocessed. I ended up texlaxing my hair(think of a texturizer, its just relaxing but for a shorter time to leave texture in your hair). I believe I came out texlaxed because I used a mild relaxer opposed to regular and I had 5 months of newgrowth.
My hair/newgrowth may not be completely straight, but its so much easier to manage now.
My next relaxer will be in December, by then I hope to be full arm pit length.
I will not be using any direct or indirect heat in my hair as well, so sorry ya'll...no straight hair pics until then..unless I change my mind which I do a lot. The above pic is of my hair damp and airdrying(of course)
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Just so you can see the difference from last week to this week. Here are pics..the first one is 8-17 and the second is 8-24.  Both pics are airdryed hair.

Monday, August 23

Natural Hairstyles

This is for my natural hair readers.
Other than single braids, cornrows, half wigs, braid-outs and bantu-knots, I was having a hard time thinking of different natural hairstyles for a friend that asked for suggestions. So, I decided to look around and see what I can come up with.
This is what my search for Natural Hairstyles came up with:
                                             



                                            This looks like it could be a twist out and just pulled to the side. Jill Scott looks so gorgeous here!

I'm not even sure how to achieve this look, but it looks gorgeous!


                                                       You can't go wrong with some twists!

                                                 This is too cute. Just use some Aloe Vera, IC or Ecostyler Gel to slick the edges down and pick out your hair!

This looks like a twist out...pretty!


Twist out with braids on the side

More to Come....


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Thursday, August 19

Is Jill Scott Relaxed?

I guess there has been a lot of talk about Jill Scott's new hair-do. Many people believe that she relaxed her hair and that is causing a stir in the Natural Hair Community.
Here's my view on this...
First of all it's HER hair...whatever style she chooses to do, whatever chemical she decides to put in her hair is HER personal choice and to each it's own.
Second...Just because someone has straight hair does not mean they relaxed it. Has anyone ever heard of a hot comb? Or a Flat Iron?
Lastly...I kind of like the natural(or unstraigtened) hair on her better..haha

Wednesday, August 18

What is a Corrective Relaxer?

I had a few questions on corrective relaxers, so I decided to do a quick post on it.
Have you ever had a relaxer and some or most parts of your hair is underprocessed?
If so, then a corrective relaxer is in need.

Important: A corrective relaxer should be done 6 weeks (or more if you would like) after the last relaxer application. No sooner than 6 weeks because that can cause damage to your hair and you will need new-growth to do a corrective relaxer.

During the 6 weeks that you have to deal with under-processed areas, you HAVE to up your moisture level and keep your hair very moisturized, if not, you will deal with excessive breakage.

How it's done: First, you would do your normal pre-relaxer and relaxer routine. At the time of the relaxer, you would apply the relaxer to your new-growth/roots only. Then during the smoothing process, you will pull/smooth the relaxer through the under-processed parts of your hair. By doing it that way, you will avoid over-processed hair.

*The key to a corrective relaxer is to relax your new-growth as usual and relax the underprocessed area towards the end of the relaxing process. You are basically picking up where you left off.  If you choose to do all at once you will need to apply oil and conditioner to the underprocessed area as well.

Tuesday, August 17

Henna Gloss

I have done a total of 3 Henna Gloss Treatments and didn't want to post about them until I felt like I received some of the benefits. I do feel like the Henna Gloss Treatments made my hair a little stronger which is the main reason why I did them, but it also gave my hair a reddish/brownish tint that I love!

                                                 Not sure if you can see it in this picture

So, here's a little more info on Henna:

What is Henna- Henna is an all-natural, safe hair dye that permanently colors hair without harsh chemicals. Body art quality henna is recommended over store-bought boxes of pre-mixed hennas because it is more pure, and can be safely used even on hair that has been recently bleached or synthetically dyed. Mixing body art quality henna and applying it to your hair will yield vibrant, shiny, soft, healthy-looking results

What is a Henna Gloss: A Henna Gloss is a Mild Henna Treatment(A full Henna Treatment uses about 100G of Henna or more basically a whole box mixed with water or tea,oils or so forth) that gives your hair deep conditioning benefits as well as a subtle color release. Doing a Henna Gloss will leave your hair soft and silky, but strong and healthy at the same time.

Why is Henna Good for the Hair- Henna is said to add extra conditioning benefits to the hair and also coats the hair to make it stronger and thicker. It is said to also loosen our tight curls. A lot of Naturals do Henna or Henna Gloss treatments!

Where Can Henna Be Purchased- I purchased mine (Reshma Henna) from http://ayurnaturalbeauty.ecrater.com/, but it can also be purchased at your local Indian Grocery Store

How I do a Henna Gloss:
Ingredients
3 Table Spoons of Reshma Henna
1.5 Cups of Moisturizing Conditioner (Treseme Moisture Rich Vitamin E Conditioner)
1 Table Spoon of Coconut Oil
1 Cap Full of Apple Cider Vinegar

Let it sit overnight

Next day:
Apply to hair like I would a full relaxer, in sections from root to tip. (this can be messy so place towels on the floor)
Place a Plastic Cap over my head
Let sit in my hair for 2 hours
Rinse Out
Deep Condition for a half Hour (this is important because sometimes Henna can make hair dry or hard at first)
Rinse out
Then add leave-ins as usual




More Info on Henna...Must Reads!

http://www.curlynikki.com/search/label/Henna
http://www.hennaforhair.com/faq/index.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2050176_dye-hair-henna.html

Cassie's New Hair Cut

Looks like Cassie changed her hair once again and I kinda like it. She's now sporting a brand new bob and I'm pretty sure her hair is still shaven on the right side, but in this pic it's hard to tell. She looks so much younger and innocent with this look!



I still like the dark hair wayyyy better on her...especially in this picture..half shaven and all!



courtesty of NecoleBitchie


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Wednesday, August 11

I Relaxed My Hair!

I was so anxious to finally get a relaxer, that I did my touch-up last night.
I washed and did a protein treatment last Thursday night, so my hair was in the right condition to do so.. But, after I washed the relaxer out my hair....I realized I was extremely underprocessed. My new-growth felt/feels the same way it did last week! Sux big time. I was so scared that my hair would fall out..haha..that I washed the relaxer out too soon.






Here's what I did.

Pre-Relaxer
Parted my hair in 4 sections
Then I parted each section the same way I would do when relaxing and put those parts in 2 strand twists while gently finger detangling
Based my Scalp
Added Conditioner and a little oil to my relaxed ends(which were in twists)
Total time spent- 1 hour!

Relaxer Application
I started with the back sections but worked my way from the crown to the nape.
Untwisted each twist and applied relaxer to new-growth with applicator brush
Then I did the front the same way
Total time spent- 13 minutes

Smoothed the relaxer and let sit for 10 minutes- This was too short of a time...I definitely should have smoothed it in a little longer, but my scalp began to burn and I panicked and washed it out.

After rinsing the relaxer out I:
Did a Mild Protein Treatment- Joico K Pack Reconstructer- Kept in Hair for 5 minutes then washed out
Neutralized for about 10 minutes(I have a color indicator Neutralizer(Elasta QP) so that made it easy)
Deep Conditioned for 5 minutes with Lekair Cholesterol
Then one last Rinse with Roux Porosity Control

I didn't even bother to do a roller set, because I was so upset that my hair was underprocessed! I just airdryed. But....one thing I was happy about is the amount of growth I had! I am like centermeters from Arm Pit Length!
I will be doing a corrective relaxer in about 6-8weeks, most likely at the Salon...I could do it sooner, but like I always say..the less Chemical Treatments the better! I will try and do a roller set Thursday Night and post Pics then.

Next Relaxer- October 15th

Monday, August 9

Protein and Black Hair

Having the correct moisture and protein balance is key to Healthy relaxed or chemically treated hair. Protein makes the hair strong, but too much protein can cause breakage. The same goes for moisture, we need moisture for our hair as well, but too much moisture can make the hair very elastic and soft which can lead to breakage. The way I balance out my protein and moisture is that I use primarily moisture based products, but once a week, sometimes every other week, I will do a mild protein deep conditioning treatment. Or once or twice a week I use a protein based leave in conditioner(Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In).
So, let me break protein down for you a little bit.

What is Protein- Protein is what makes hair strong and structured. Hair is mostly Keratin a kind of protein. When hair undergoes any chemical service or damaged by misuse of heat tools, protein is lost so the hair loses some elasticity or strength.

Why do we need Protein- Black hair which is usually very curly/kinky tends to be dry and somewhat fragile even when natural. So by coloring or relaxing the hair, it becomes even weaker.Also, if you are a natural and constantly use heat, protein may be your friend.
Depending on the condition of your hair or the strength of the relaxer treatments, you may need more or less protein. Protein will strengthen the hair and make hair stronger.

Ok, so I'm going to try and make this as simple as possible.

When do you need Protein- If your hair is very mushy, it's breaking easily, too soft, and it just feels like it's going to snap when you touch it...You need protein.
Just so you understand the difference between moisture and protein...You would need moisture, if your hair feels dry and brittle.

Best ways to Incorporate Protein in a Regimen-  With a Deep Conditioner or Reconstructer.
A reconstructer is a light protein treatment which you would normally leave on hair for 3-5 minutes after washing then you would rinse out.Those who relax should always use a reconstructer before neutralizing.
For really damaged hair lacking protein, Aphogee has a 2 step system which should be used once every 2 months which I read various reviews stating it works really well.

Examples of Protein Based Products I have uses
Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructer
Aphogee Pro Vitamin Leave-in Conditioner
Joice KPak Reconstructer
ORS Hair Mayonaise( Mild Protein Deep Conditioner)
ORS Replenishing Pak (mild protein, but moisturizing too)
1 Egg (mixed in Conditioner or ORS Hair Mayo)(this is a mild treatment if used with a moisturizing conditioner and a medium-strong treatment if mixed with ORS Hair Mayo)
There are so many others out there

My advice when it comes to using Protein- Go with how your hair feels. If your hair feels like it needs some protein and your hair is fairly healthy, do a mild protein deep conditioning treatment. With Protein, you don't really need to use based on a schedule...You use Protein based on the health of your hair

Here are 2 must reads if you want more info on Protein or Protein/Moisture Balance
Why Does Black Hair Need Protein

Fine Art of Protein Moisture Balance

Wednesday, August 4

Jennifer Hudson

First off, I want to say that Jennifer Hudson looks fabulous! I was watching the Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig commercial(forget which one she's on) and she stated this is the smallest she has been in her adult life. That's a big accomplishment and not only does she look really good, but I bet she feels great too.
Anyway, in the InStyle interview, JHud stated she was thinking about shaving her hair off. I can't imagine her with such a short cut..but I bet she would still be beautiful!




She also reveals that she wants to shave her head:
“I am actually thinking about shaving my head…because I feel I’ve got a good structure. My cousin’s a beautician and she’s always saying, ‘You could wear any hairdo,’” Jennifer added. “So I’m thinking, what if I shave my hair? Not completely off, but low. I think that would be so hot. With my diamond studs? But with a cut like that, your face has to be made up at all times.”


Tuesday, August 3

Prep For a Relaxer

I found this great article by Sistalick about how to prep hair before getting a relaxer and I wanted to pass this on.
A relaxer touch-up is a very critical step in hair care...one wrong move and all of your progress can go down the drain. I'm still a little nervous about doing my own touch-up...but I'm also nervous about going to the salon. No-one is more gentle with my hair then myself. So...I'm still pretty sure I will self-relax.

At first, I was going to wash, do a protein treatment, detangle and so forth a week before my relaxer. But now, I will be doing that 3 days before. This is probably better for me, because my newgrowth is getting tangled very easily, so I could just imagine the tangles I would get on relaxer day if I waited a week before the touch-up to detangle my hair. Also, I want to work out and not mess up my whole fitness routine :-)
Getting Ready to Relax_How to prepare

Brief Summary

Prepping the Hair:
First and foremost, only begin the relaxer process with hair that is in tip top shape. Many of us say: Oh my hair is breaking...or shedding let me go ahead relax it! But, you must understand that you are taking a huge gamble with your hair health by proceeding with a chemical relaxer application on compromised hair.
Never relax your hair to "solve" a hair problem. You should always correct the problem first with the proper treatment.

Your 4 Step Pre-Relaxer Game Plan
Preparing your hair for a relaxer is one of the best things you can do for your hair heath.You can follow these pre and post relaxer strategies whether you self relax or see a stylist for your chemical treatments. Ensuring your hair is in top physical condition prior to the relaxer service will give you better results with the finished product.

Sunday, August 1

One More Time- Bantu Knots

It was so beautiful out this morning, that I decided to take a 2 mile run. It felt great,but I was sweating like crazy.haha. So, I washed my hair when I got back home and did some bantu-knots. When my hair was about 90% dry, I moisturized in sections, sealed with oil and did about 16 knots, 8 on each side. I'm 18 weeks post relaxer,so the curls aren't layin down the way I would like, but I still like them.
P.S- They look so much better in Person

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