2012 Hair Goals

Last year I set very unrealistic hair goals for 2011. This year, I decided to keep things short and sweet.

1.) Maintain Healthy Hair with little to no breakage all Year

2.) Grow my edges

3.) Experiment with new styles

 

Last but not least

 

4.) DO NOT RELAX MY HAIR (more to come on this)

Yeah, I know...."Another one bites the dust..."

My 2011 Hairstyles

I plan to be MUCH more creative in 2012!!!!

Final "Length Check"

No matter how many pics I took of the back of my head...I just couldn't get a good one.

I know this isn't great, but it's the best I could do.

Notes:
Hair was lightly flat-ironed at 310 degrees
Not styled yet
I plan to chop off at least 2 inches in April(remember I'm in bet)
The middle of my hair grows soooo much faster than the sides
I AM STILL FAAAR FROM Bra-Strap-Length- and I really don't care :-D

Sorry about the spots...NO, it's not toothpaste since this mirror is in my hallway and the mirror is clean..not sure what's going on :-/

Merry Christmas!!!

Let us all remember the meaning of Christmas..Hope, Peace. Joy and Love. May the true joy of Christmas be with you this year!

Taking a Mini Break for the Holidays

Hey Everyone!!!

Now I know most of y'all are just as busy as I am because of the Holidays! So as an FYI...posting may not be as frequent until next year!  I may pop in here and there...but I'm not going to lie, I am EXHAUSTED!!!!
So..for now...Peace, Love and Hair Grease!

I'll be sure to check in for Christmas.  :-D

Celebrity Look Alike????

For years and years I have been told that I look like Serena Williams....facially that is(lol).
At first I thought it was because of the braids I used to wear, but I still hear it to this DAY (actually, today to be exact).

I don't take it as a compliment or insult....I just don't see it.

So..you tell me..Do you really think I look like Serena Williams?

Some Curls

I dusted off my Caruso Rollers and finally used them tonight.

I put a total of 12(I believe) rollers in my hair and before doing so, I moisturized each section.

I kept them in for 30 minutes while I finished getting ready and just finger combed my hair after removing them.

I love these rollers...my set lasted the majority of the night...and I dance my butt off y'all!!

Blow-Dried Hair

As said in my last post..I decided to blow-dry my hair today to straighten out some underprocessed areas. My hair isn't completely straight, but it's a little more manageable than before. I was tempted to flat-iron, but I'll save that for my final length check.

I use the Hatchet Andis Blow-Dryer and use the Tension Method, but on the severely underprocessed areas I use the comb attachment.

Added some Coconut Oil for shine

I feel like the front of my hair is getting shorter :-/

Amla Treatment

As a prepoo, I do a mix of:

*Amla Powder (1 of the above boxes)

Warm water

Coconut Oil

I apply it to my hair in sections from root to tip and end up with this:

*I rinse the Amla out of my hair and wash with Shea Moisture: Moisture Retention Shampoo only

*Then I proceed to Deep Condition with Suave Professionals Shea Butter and Almond Conditioner mixed with Aloe Vera Gel and Hemp Seed oil- Kept that on under my foil cap for 2 hours

 *After rinsing out the DC, I applied Roux Porosity Control for 1 minute then rinsed

*Towel dried my hair for 10 minutes

*Applied my leave-ins(Chi Keratin Mist and Nexxus Headress) 

*Added some Chi Silk Infusion to small sections then blowdried my hair using the tension method

 

*Hesh Amla powder has the following advantages:

- promotes hair growth
- controls hair fall

- cures scalp infection

- controls premature graying of hair

Lazy x 2

I have been SUPER lazy with my hair styling these days.

Lately, I have just been putting my hair in 2 braids...tucking them under and securing with a ponytail holder.
I'm thinking about entering EbonyCPrincess' Roller-Set Challenge but I don't want to commit to anything I can't follow through on. We'll see...I'm straightening my hair either next weekend or the 30th...so after doing that I should know how I want to proceed with my hair.

Tracee Ellis Ross- Vibe Vixen

Tracee Ellis Ross is on the Cover of January's issue of Vibe Vixen. LOVING the hair blowing in the wind look!!!

Check out an excerpt from her interview here:
http://www.vibevixen.com/2011/12/cover-reveal-tracee-ellis-ross-talks-reed-and-the-real-her/

How I Henna and Indigo

I had some questions on what I use for my Henna Mix..so here you go.

I do Henna and Indigo Treatments quarterly and have replaced my Henna Glosses with Amla Treatments which I do weekly.

*Remember to use gloves when applying both henna and indigo

My Henna Mix consists of:

100 G of Karishma Henna

Black Tea(I made it with 4 tea bags and I boiled 3 cups of water.)

1 egg ( only if I need protein but this can be ommitted)

1 tablespoon of oil (I used a mix oil but extra virgin olive oil or castor oil were my staples in the past)

When it comes to how much tea I poured in, I believe it was 2 cups, but I just pour it in very slowly until I get a thick consistency.

*Apply immediately in sections, cover hair with plastic cap then bag and keep in overnight(only because I usually put it in very late)

Not done mixing yet...as you can see the clumps, but this is the consistencly I generally like

Rinsed out the next AM

Cleansed scalp with Shea Moisture Shampoo then apply Indigo

Indigo is easier

I just mix 100G of Indigo and warm water from the sink
Once again I pour the water in slowly
I then add like a tspn of salt and mix well

I apply IMMEDIATELY

Place Plastic Cap on head

Keep in for 2 hours
Rinse Out thoroughly with just water

Apply my Moisturizing Deep Conditioner
Keep DC in for about 2 hours
Rinse Out

Sore Scalp

One of my biggest "hair/head" issues since 2007(way before my hair journey) has been having a sore scalp.
I remember getting a wash and set back in 07' and almost crying while my stylist massaged my scalp when shampooing. Yeah, it was that BAD!
To this day...I still have sore scalp issues mostly in my crown area. Now, I don't have any scabs, visible marks, rashes or anything..just a sore scalp! 

I have researched this and tried to figure out the causes.
The list consisted of:

• Allergic reaction to a product- I usually do spot tests before trying any new product..so I don't think that's it.
• Fungal Infection- I believe I would have more symptoms than just sore scalp
• Stress- I'm rarely stressed to tell y'all the truth
• Growth Spurt- Doubt it..because my hair would be down to my feet by now
• Rough Combing- I am very gentle with my hair
• Clogged Pores- I have tried clarifying then applying witch hazel to clean that area..still no luck
• Dry Scalp- I have oiled that area
• Rough/Coarse Textured Hair Growing in that Area- The hair on my crown is more coarse than any other area of my head. BUT I sometimes experience sore scalp in other areas
• Chemical Treatments- I'm starting to believe it could be the relaxer. I usually experience this a week after my relaxer to about 3 months post then it stops. I do base my scalp well and rarely experience burning, but 2007 is when I received a virgin relaxer and the issue has been re-occurring since then.

I haven't been to a Dermatologist (shame on me) yet..but if it is because of Relaxer's...I may need to switch things up MAJORLY because this is an issue I refuse to have for years to come.

Does anyone else have this issue? If so, what have you done to fix it?

Something I Haven't Done in SO Long

I oiled my scalp yesterday and gave myself a good scalp massage.

It felt REALLY good!

Reminder on the benefits: 

 Scalp massages will increase the circulation in the scalp area. This will help the hair follicles become receptive to the nutrients and oxygen they need for maximum health.

Review- Hercules Sagemann: Magic Star Jumbo Rake Comb

Remember this post I did on paying $20 for a comb? Well I thought I would do a review on this for others thinking about purchasing it.

What they Say:

The Magic Star Jumbo Rake is an "all-around" comb. The Magic Star Jumbo Rake works like a hand to add volume, separate curls, and blend sleek straight styles. The Jumbo Rake can handle even the toughest jobs: detangling hair, distributing your favorite conditioner, gently gliding thru wet hair, awesome shower comb.

No worries about snagging or ripping your hair. The teeth are absolutely free of any seams or burrs. The teeth are hand-sawn, hand-cut and hand-polished to perfection! In the Salon, at home or when traveling, Hercules Sagemann's combs are unbeatable for styling.

What Ms. D Thinks:

I absolutely LOVE this comb!!!! I could tell an immediate difference when combing my hair. I have far LESS breakage and mostly only shed hair comes out. This comb just glides through my hair with-out me hearing any of those "snapping" sounds. I can even detangle in larger sections opposed to the really small sections I have done in the past.  It does detangle pretty well, but as you can see the teeth are very wide so I sometimes have to follow up a smaller tooth (HS1975 Styling Seamless Comb) comb to remove all shed hair and smaller tangles.

I also used this comb on my Aunts natural hair and it worked great on her. I was flat-ironing her hair using the comb chase method with a rat tail comb and when initially detangling with the Jumbo Rake, it made things easier.
I really wish I made this investment when I started my hair journey!
ETA: I previously used the Jilbere Shower Comb

Would Ms. D repurchase?- Only if I lost it! (Which I would be devasted if I did. LOL)

Cost: $17.50 (not including shipping)

Where to purchase: http://www.hotcombs.net/

Quick Tip: For Those Who Deep Condition on DRY Hair

Many people deep condition on dry hair before shampooing to save time. Some also Prepoo with conditioner. If you do either, lightly spray your hair with WARM water before adding the conditioner to your hair.

The warm water will open your hairs cuticle which will help absorb the conditioner so you receive it's maximum benefits.

You will also use less product because your hair is slightly damp.

*I like to use filtered water when I spray my hair. I have a Brita Bottle that I barely used because I tend to purchase 24 packs of Water(I know I'm killing the environment..but hey, I recycle).

I just fill it up with warm water then squirt in my spray bottle.

Repost/Article: 7 Lessons for a Successful Life from Warren Buffet

*** BEWARE! Non-Hair Related Post***

My sister passed this article along to me and I decided to share with you all.

Enjoy! I hope this inspires and lights some fire under everyone's behind(haha)

Shakira Chops it Off

Remember Shakira's long wavy/curly signature locks?

Well, she decided it was time for a change and debuted her new do via Twitter.

It's a cute cut, but I prefer longer hair on her!

Boost of Moisture

The dry heat at work has been sucking the moisture right out of my hair by the end of the day.

So, when I get home I:
Spray my hair with Aloe Vera Juice mixed with a few drops of Castor Oil
Place a plastic cap on my hair for about an hour or 2
Take the cap off
Then wrap my hair with my silk scarf (I wrap my hair right after because of the dry heat at home!)
The next AM I moisturize and seal as usual

Benefits of Almond Oil for Hair

I saw a post on the LHCF about Dr. Oz's hair secrets from India.

The secrets were to give yourself scalp massages with natural oils.

Vigoriously massage scalp to increase circulation. Leave on for 30 minutes or sleep with them overnight.

Neem Oil = Dry Itchy scalp, cradle cap and/or dandruff. Natural antibacteria.

Coconut oil = Overprocessed hair.

Almond Oil = For thinning hair.

• Many said that Neem Oil smells like a dead animal and I refuse to use something that smells so bad in the name of hair care. Although I was very tempted to purchase it at the Indian Grocery store I visit.
• I already have Coconut Oil.
• So, I decided to give Almond Oil a try. I purchased Almond Oil(not Sweet Almond Oil) from an Indian Grocery store near my parents house, for $5.00 (7oz)

Almond oil is extracted from two types of almonds i.e. sweet almonds and bitter almonds. It is used for various purposes to improve health and beauty. Almond oil has high contents of vitamin E, B, dietary fiber, essential minerals and monounsaturated fats.

Almond oil is great hair tonic. It prevents and stops hair loss. It facilitates the growth of hair and prevents premature greying. Massaging the hair with almond oil makes them thicker, stronger and healthier.

It strengthens the hair follicles by absorbing deep into the scalp. Almond oil is especially recommended for women during their post natal period to control hair loss and for healthy growth of hair. Almond oil is an effective treatment to cure dandruff.

source

*Right now I am mixing the coconut, almond and grapeseed oil together to create my ultimate oil mix! I apply to my scalp twice a week and on my strands daily to seal.  So far, so good. I have 4 weeks to go hard on my hair care..so like I said..I AM DOING THE MOST!

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2011 Hair Revelations

• I always knew this, but it's far more evident now- The sides of my hair take at least 6-8 months to catch up with the middle. They basically grow VERY slow
• My hair LOVES light protein- I use mild protein treatments, leave-ins and sometimes moisturizers weekly and my hair has been thriving since
• People in REAL life think my hair is long :-)
• My Hair doesn't discriminate- The majority of my hair products are under $10.00. I do well with or without those expensive hair products
• I haven't been doing much hair styles with my real hair this year and I need to get back into it
• I purchased way to many hair tools that I DON'T use- But I sure will use them next year
• No matter what I do, I STILL have some breakage daily- Meaning about 5 short or long strands
• Even with that minor breakage my hair still retains length so I need to stop "trippin" about it (remember we have anywhere from 100,000-150,000 strands of hair on our head. If you lose 5 hairs a day to breakage, that's 1,825 hairs. That's still less than 5% of your hair)
• I can't do Hair Salons, my last relaxer session confirmed it. I love doing my hair and I know how to do just about everything except a good flat-iron and relaxer. I can perfect both of those with practice
• Because I will be self-relaxing, my hair will do better with 12 week stretches NOT 16 weeks. This way I will get ALL of my new-growth and not have too much hair to work with

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Cynthia Bailey

I just finished watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta and in this episode Peter Thomas had a small debut of his new bar. He revealed a portrait/painting of Cynthia Bailey-Thomas and she looked absolutely stunning! (sorry if I ruined this scene for those who haven't seen this yet)
A few ladies on the show reactions were, "Wow, that's a big fro", but my initial reaction was, "Wow, she looks gorgeous!"
Although I know this isn't all her hair...I believe it's very post worthy!

Photo was taken by Derek Blanks I believe

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Thickness not Length?

I have been on my hair journey since May/June of 2009. The first year of my journey I felt like my hair grew like weeds and I desired more thickness. I'm starting to think that I got what I asked for. When I look at comparison pics,although they aren't that accurate in terms of styling, my hair appears to have gotten thicker rather than longer. I'm perfectly fine with that because that was one of my goals for the year.
My real length check, where I measure the back of my hair is towards the end of December, but here are my infamous progress pics.




Oct. 2009, Oct.2010, Oct.2011

July 2009, Sept.2010, Sept 2011

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Oh December!

Can you believe it's December already? This year has truly flew by! Then again, I feel that way every year.
For me, December is the month I prepare myself for the New Year. This can mean so much, but because this is a Hair Blog and not a Personal Blog..I'll stick to what I'll be doing in regards to my hair for 2012 preparation.

As you all know, this year is the last year I focus on the length of my hair. Whatever length I end up with on Dec. 31, 2011 is the length I will be happy with for years to come. If it grows longer..I'll take that..but I refuse to focus on length anymore. There's much more to life than long hair. I grew my hair from above neck length to below Arm Pit Length in 2 years. I proved to myself that my hair can grow to the length I want...so..health is my only concern going forward.

Okay..done with the rambling.

Here's my plan for December:

• Finish up any Vitamins I purchased specifically for hair that I will not take in 2012- This is basically just my B-Complex vitamin. I have about 30 left, so I would like to finish the bottle up
• Go Through My Product Arsenal and either use up, throw out(if really old) or give-away any NON-Staple Products
• Stick to My FULL regimen weekly- That means M&S daily, Pre-poo, Shampoo and DC weekly. If I need any extra moisture I may even co-wash
• No Purchasing of  unecessary products
• Avoid ANY set-backs with my underprocessed areas in my nape- So either stretch those areas by blow-drying or keep them in braids
• Do my length check before the end of the year

So in a nut shell, it's time for me to use up, clean-out and get my hair in shape for the New Year.