Got Some New Shears

I purchased some Sheer Glory Shears from Sally's last year for about $10.00 and I guess you get what you pay for. I would notice a few weeks after dusting I had some split ends even though I was doing everything "right". So, I decided to purchase some new shears especially since I am dusting this weekend.

After doing some extensive research and reading many reviews, I found that Tweezerman Shears are the best option for a decent price.

The great thing about these are that they have a free sharpening lifetime guarantee!

I got these for $20.00 at Walgreens. They can be found in the Beauty section where the tweezers are.

More info on the shears:

• Stainless steel
• High performance blades
• Ice tempered and hot drop forged stainless tell
• Hand crafted for precision hair cutting
• Extra sharp & long lasting cutting edges
• Expert balance, comfort and control

Small Weekend Haul

Hey Loves! Hope everyone had a great weekend!!
I went back to my parents place and spent some time with them, friends and other family. Then ended the weekend off with a bang at a GREAT church listening to beautiful church hymns and enjoying the service.

Anyway....I received/purchased a few things when I was back home and decided to share it with you all.


So, I am a BzzAgent and received some samples of Fekkai shampoo, conditioner, hair masks and mouse to try/give out. They supplied me with full size bottles of the shampoo and conditioner, but I will most likely try out the sample sizes instead, then if I like the product..I will give away the full size bottles and sample packets.
*I'm only giving it away because I already found my staple products.
*Fekkai products are pretty expensive...I saw these in Target for I think $20 each.

I found an Indian grocery store near my parents place that sold just about all the oils and hair treatments you can think of. I purchased Amla Powder because I will be using that instead of Henna for my pre-poos. I'm only using Amla Powder because I plan on doing a Henna and Indigo treatment next weekend which will turn my hair jet-black. If I continue to do Henna Gloss Pre-poos my hair color will change back to reddish brown and I don't want that.

$2.00 Each

This other store near my parents place sells some CUTE earrings for $1.50 each. So..I purchased about 8 pairs.

I picked up this Oil Blend because I was loving the different oils in contained. I may use this in my Deep Conditioner and I will also use this on my skin(which I already did all weekend). I will only use this on my body..not my hair.

Ingredients: Gin Grow Oil Complex {Safflower Oil, Jojoba Oil, Sesame Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Castor Oil, Ginseng extract (Ren-Shen), Lavender Oil, Avacado Oil} Gin Grow Herbal Complex {Rosemary Extract (Mi-Tieh-Hsang), Sage Extract (Shu-Wei-Tsao), Angelica Archangelica Extract (Bai-Zhi), Licorice Extract (Gan-Cao), Job's Tears Extract (I-Yi-Jen), Junipeus Virginiana Extract (Cedar), Hyacinth Extract, Clove Extract, Balm Mint Extract, Chamomile Extract}, Polysobate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A), Water, Propylene Glycol, Capsicum Annum Oleoresin, Fragrance, Methylaraben, Ehylparben, Proylparaben, Butylparaben, Phenoxyethanol.

Just not feeling the last few ingredients :-/

$5.00 at CVS

My Blow-dryer stopped working and I only use it when I Deep Condition my hair because I have the bonnet hair dryer attachment.

So...I picked this up for $12.00 at Walgreens. Some of the proceeds supposedly go to Breast Cancer research so I chose this one instead.

That's all Folks!





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$20 for a Comb?!?!

I have heard nothing but great things about the Hercules Sagemann: Magic Star Jumbo Rake Comb and I finally took the plunge and purchased it for a whopping $20.63 including shipping(hotcombs.net).
Now when it comes to healthy hair care, there are certain products you can save or splurge on.
For me, a great detangling comb is something I would prefer to splurge on.
Now...what is so special about this comb? Well..it's seamless and made with great quality.
Seams in combs can detoriate your hair with time because they are constantly cutting or rubbing against your strands. See this quick post I made on Seamless Combs a while ago.
I do have a smaller Hercules Sagemann seamless comb that I won in a give-away which I sometimes use after detangling with a wider tooth comb and when I braid my hair. But I wanted this jumbo one because I prefer Wide Tooth combs.

Anyway....here's more on this product: IT BETTER BE WORTH IT!

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.

Tip: Use nothing but the best combs on your hair...even at the salon! Consult with your stylist about using your comb(s) at all of your appointments and get the most out of your hair care regimen. Remember, if it's not a Hercules Sägemann comb, it's just a simple comb. See for yourself

Whether with lots of volume, curly or smooth, with or without texture, styling combs make an individual look possible. Particularly when smoothing the hair, it is important that the comb is absolutely burr-free. Only in this way is it possible to guarantee that the hair cuticle is preserved. The width, length and shape of the tooth determines the type of texture and gives the individual look. It is a friend to your hair and scalp. The ideal styling comb for every look!
•Made by hand from 100% Vulcanized Natural Hard Rubber
•Tried and tested design with perfect ergonomics
•Twist-resistant and yet flexible
•The teeth are hand-sawn, hand-cut, and hand-polished to perfection!
•Non-porous (will not support the growth of mold or mildew); guaranteeing hygiene
•Chemical and heat resistant
•Antistatic (prevents fly-away hair)
•Very smooth and gentle to the hair and scalp due to rounded tips and sides
•Very good gliding ability when combing through the hair

Weekend Haul

So I purchased a few things through-out the weekend which I decided to share with you all.

First Stop- Walmart

Multi Vitamins- $ 4.75 (or around that price)

Castor Oil 6 oz- $2.69

Now we all know how multi-vitamins are good for overall health, so no need to explain that.

I use Castor Oil in my pre-poo treatments and in my Sulfur Mix. I'm running low on it

Second Stop- Local Dollar Store

Satin Scarfs- $1.00 Each

These will be cute headbands!!

Hair Clips- $1.00

Ya'll know how I like to clip the left side of my hair back when I do braid-outs and bantu-knot outs. These are some cute clips to use for that purpose

Satin Scrunchies- $1.00

These will be used to secure my bantu-knots and also for my buns. My hair is finally thick/long enough, that when I do a bun...you cant see the holder. 

Sally's Haul and More

I originally went to Sally's to pick up the ORS Lye Normal Relaxer because I saw it was on sale when I purchased my braid spray a few weeks back. I didn't purchase it then because the Sally's I went to wasn't as good as the one near my place...so I waited a while and as I suspected got some more good deals at the Sally's I typically visit.  :-D

ORS Lye Relaxer- Normal- $5.29 (Used this last time I relaxed and it's a new staple)

ORS Replenishing Conditioner Pack- $1.19
 (I originally purchased the bottle in May, but when doing my May purchases post..I realized they charged me $6 or $7 more then they were supposed to, so I returned it. I meant to buy the bottle at normal cost, but forgot to..and now with braids..don't really need it. I do need this for when I relax though, so I picked up the packet.)

Roux Fermodyl (233) Leave- In treatment for Double Processed Hair-$1.50 *typically $6 +
(I used this in the past and my hair loved it. The back of the package says:

• Treats color treated hair that is bleached, permed or relaxed
• Penetrates the Cortex to help improve and repair damaged surface areas of the hair
• helps re-hydrate porous, moisture depleted hair
• Improves porosity and elasticity
• seals the cuticle to help reduce breakage and intensify shine

I just read the ingredients and it has sodium lauryl sulfate in it and other ingredients I am currently researching. I know I used it in the past and liked it, but for some reason I'm now hesitant. Thank goodness it only cost $1.50.

Salon Care Slotted (Perm) Rods- Pack of 12- $.40
 ( Not sure how I will use this, but it may be on the ends braid-outs...I basically got it because it was 40 cents..LOL)

Out of Africa Organic Shea Butter Soap(Lavender)-  $2.69
( May use this to wash my face at night, I liked the ingredients )
Ingredients: Organic shea butter, palm kernel oil, olive oil, lavender essential oil, purified water(not sure if it's bad that there is water in this because all other ingredients are oils..but I'll still try it out)



Total Spent: $11.83


I picked up the below at a Dollar Store near my parents house.

Hot Six Oil(8 Fl. Oz)- $5.00 ( I liked a few of the oils listed in the ingredients such as, Sweet Almond Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Castor Oil and it has Vitamin A and D in it. Not to mention, I love the fact that you can just spray it on! It also smells great!)


ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo- $2.00 ( This is the neutralizing shampoo I will use for my relaxer. I didn't buy full bottles because I already have 2 different neutralizing shampoos and relax so in-frequently. I do want to use the whole ORS line during my next relaxer)

Total Spent: $7.00


As said before, I purchased braid spray earlier in the Month, which cost $2.80, so I spent a total of about $20.00 on hair products (not including the face soap)
Not too Shabby. I should be good until September..I have everything I need at this moment

Organix - Acai Berry Avocado Shampoo

I purchased this towards the end of May because I was out of shampoo and Walgreens was having a BOGO sale for all Organix products.

I loved their Cherry Blossom Ginseng Shampoo, so I purchased that again and picked up the Berry Avocado for free.

They Say: An exotic nutrient luxurious blend of antioxidant rich acai berry extract and guava to instantly nourish, re-energize and enrich your hair. Avocado proteins add nutrition and balance along with Moroccan argan oil to moisturize your tresses and create a shiny, smooth, frizz-free finish.

Alluring and totally intoxicating combination
Blends natural vitamins, proteins and minerals
Safe for color treated hair
Sulfate and paraben free
Not tested on animals

Ingredients: Aqua (Water) , Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate , Cocamidopropyl Betaine , Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine , Glycol Distearate , Dimethicone Copolyol , Cetyl Alcohol , Cocamide DEA , Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride , Polyquaternium-11 , DMDM Hydantoin , Panthenol , Silk Amino Acids , Acai Berry Extract , Avocado Extract , Albumen , Argan Extract , Hydrolyzed Milk Protein , Guava Extract , Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) , Coumarin , Parfum


How I used it: After Pre-pooing (or conditioning overnight) I rinsed the pre-poo out and placed the shampoo diluted with a little water in my applicator bottle and dispursed all throughout my scalp/roots and let the rest seep into my hair. Massaged the shampoo in my scalp under running water and repeated one more time.
Edited to Add: I did not completely rinse of the prepoo, I wet my hair because I do not shampoo dry hair
 
Total Uses: 3
 
What I have to say: The shampoo smells soo good..of course because of the berry. It also lathers really well for being sulfate free. Unfortunately, it was very drying to my hair. My hair felt so hard after rinsing it out and I had to immediately follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. The shampoo felt as if it were a clarifying shampoo and stripped my hair of all the moisture placed from the pre-poo. Luckily, after conditioning, my hair felt back to normal.  If you look towards the end of the ingredient list, it contains protein, so this could be the reason for the dryness.
 
Will I re-purchase- NO, but I will use this once month as a clarifying shampoo and stick to the Cherry Blossom Ginseng
 
Cost: $6.99 for 13 oz. @ Walgreens

* I dilute my shampoo so it can come out of the applicator bottle easier, but I was happy I did so with this shampoo to avoid extremely negative results.

Got Some More Indigo Powder :-)

I did my first Henna and Indigo treatment last year. SEE POST HERE!  And I loveed the results. Unfortunately, I continued on with Henna Treatments minus the Indigo and my my hair lost the jet black look.

When my hair is jet black, I think it looks so healthy and fuller for some reason, so I am going back to Henna and Indigo treatments.
I will be doing those once every 2 months, maybe more often depending on how my hair feels/looks.

I purchased 500G @ $30.00 + $8.00 shipping from http://www.ayurnaturalbeauty.com/
Shipping was extremely fast! I love that site especially since I can't find Indigo ANYWHERE!!!

Vitacost Haul

It was time to replenish my staple products. The only new item is the sample size of Giovanni Direct Leave-in. I suggest sample sizes, if they have them, when trying out new products just in case you don't like them.

32 oz Aloe Vera Gel- $4.27

8 oz Hemp Seed Oil- $6.74

16 oz Castor Oil- $5.71

16 oz Dr. Woods Black Soap with Shea Butter- $4.70

Sample Size 2.0z of Giovanni Direct Leave-in- $1.22

11oz Aubrey Organics White Camellia Ultra Smoothing Conditioner $8.09

Shipping- $4.99

Total: $35.72

So if you follow my blog, I purchased products from iherb.com last month. But prices were only better then Vitacost because I was a first time customer and didn't have to pay shipping and had a small discount. Of course I compared prices before ordering and vitacost came in cheaper.So, vitacost it was. I was thinking about going to Whole Foods to get these, but I figured it would cost me 5 dollars of gas to get there..haha..and online prices are typically less anyways.  

February 2011 Purchases

Hair Products

2- Mane & Tail Moisturizing/Texturizing Conditioner- $6.29 (BOGO @ Sally Beauty Supply)
I love this conditioner, it does contain some protein, but my hair loves protein. Right now, I am using this once a week in my pre-poo treatments. But once my co-wash conditioner runs up, I will be using this for cowashes too.

1-Mane & Tail Hair Strengthener Leave-in- $4.99 (Sally Beauty Supply)
This is my staple leave-in for after co-washes, so I had to re-stock.

3 packs- Karishima Henna - $6.00 total (purchased @ a local Indian Grocery Store)
This is a staple in my regimen. I use a few table spoons in my prepoo and I also do full henna treatments quarterly.

16 oz Vegetable Glycerin-$6.00 (http://www.iherb.com/)
I add some of this in my new-growth spray. Makes my new-growth very soft

. 05 oz  Peppermint Oil- $4.00 a little spilled during transit, so I got a refund.  (http://www.iherb.com/)
I add a few drops of this in my new-growth spray. Helps stimulate blow flow in the scalp which could/may lead to increase hair growth. I just like the tingle.

4 oz  Silk Amino Acids- $11.00 (http://www.lotioncrafter.com/)
 Silk amino acids are the proteins that bind the filaments in silk.  These acids are water-soluble and can be purchased as a liquid or powder.   Silk amino acids are used in a wide range of beauty products including hair conditioner
Silk amino acids are an excellent addition to hair care products because of its ability to penetrate the hair shaft, bind with the hair’s natural keratin, and strengthen from within.

source

I will be adding this to my relaxer to help strengthen my hair. I also added this to my new-growth mix, moisturizer and creamy-leave-in. As said before, my hair loves protein. Because our hair is made of protein and the relaxer strips our hair of much needed protein, this helps replenish that loss. I also have not experienced any protein overload using this.

ConairPro Soft Bonnet Attachment

I purchased this ConairPro Soft Bonnet Attachment so I can deep condition with heat now.
This is one thing I never did through-out my hair journey. I would normally just deep condition on either wet or dry hair, put a plastic cap or one of those self/body heating(they are the gold or silver plastic caps) caps on for like 2-3 hours and call it a day.
I'm still not sure if it's more effective to use heat or not because after researching, views seem to be varied. But it's worth a try.

My Review:

This thing gets pretty darn hot. I turned the blow-dryer on the lowest heat setting and it still got really hot. I only keep it on for about 10 minutes and I believe that's effective enough for my deep conditioning treatment.
The bonnet is pretty large, I think I could actually use this to dry a roller set or a flexi-rod set. I may give that a try.
One thing that I like about this, is that I can sit on my couch, watch tv, and do whatever while deep conditioning my hair.
This also fits almost all blow-dryers.

How I use this :

After prepooing then washing my hair, I apply a moisturizing deep conditioner(mixed with oils) then put on a plastic cap.
Then I attach my blow-dryer to the end of the attachment, put the bonnet on my head, then turn the blow-dryer on low heat.
I keep the bonnet on for 10 minutes then depending on my schedule....I would either wash out the deep conditioner or just keep the plastic cap on and wash out whenever I feel like it.

Cost:

$8.99 at Sally Beauty Supply
*  I had a $10 off $20 purchase so, that's why I purchased this.

Look What Came in the Mail- My Split-Ender :-)

So, my birthday was on Tuesday (Feb 8th) and as a gift to myself, I decided to buy the Split-Ender. I also bought a Caruso Steam Roller Set, but that's another post.
Before purchasing this, I read so many reviews and watched basically all of the You-Tube videos on this and finally decided that it would be a good investment.

For those who are unfamiliar with this product:

It's a "machine" that basically trims off 1/8- 1/4 of an inch off your hair. As you all know, our hair varies in lengths and at times we are unable to trim the shorter pieces of our hair. This will help that issue and will also trim split ends in the process. It may not trim all split ends, but using this will act more as a preventative measure and keep the ends of your hair neat.

I paid $60 for the Maxi-Kit(Split-Ender, Comb, Clip and Silk Capsules) and got it from a reputable(I believe he works for the company) seller on Ebay named Victort619. It was shipped from California and it arrived 5 days after I placed the order. I live in New England by the way.

I will be using this every 8 weeks and every relaxer(every 4 months) I will use this, then shape up my hair with regular shears. Because I just trimmed my hair 3 weeks ago, I am going to hold off on using this until maybe 3 more weeks, then I will proceed with my every 8 week schedule.
I finally have a camera, so I will record my review :-) So far, the only downfall on this is that my hair has to be straight when using this and I never wear my hair straight! But oh well.

I did a post on this before, check it out.:
http://6footlonghair.blogspot.com/2010/08/thinking-of-buying.html

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I ran out of Coconut Oil, so for a replacement I got some Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  My hair would get a little hard this winter(I live in New England) after applying Coconut Oil(I believe it's because it solidifies at low temps), so I thought EVOO was a good replacement.  
I originally wanted to purchase Avocado Oil, but that cost about $15.00 for 8 oz and the EVOO was a lot less expensive($6.00 for 16 oz @ Stop and Shop).


Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

• Is extracted without heat and chemical processing, which is why it has a high level of nutrients
• Is Rich in high levels of fatty acids and Vitamin E which is great for hair moisturizing
• Makes hair shiny and soft
• Is rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols are water soluble substances, which are usually found in the waste water, after olive processing. These polyphenols have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, due to which Olive Oil for the hair acts wonders.
• DOES penetrate the hair shaft, which makes it an exceptional oil because of the extra conditioning benefits

How I use it:

• Prepoo and/or Hot Oil Treatment
• Sealant- after moisturizing
• Leave-in Conditioner- After using a creamy leave-in
• to oil my Scalp

Also Great for:
Eye Make-Up Remover
to help Smooth Cuticles
Obviously to cook with
Great to use when Cleaning Make-up Brushes(helps restore softness)
Skin Moisturizer
Softens chapped lips

First Purchase of the Year- Tangle Teezer

One of my 2011 Hair Resolutions is to spend no more than $300 on Hair Products/Appliances.
What better way to track this then on my blog! I guess this can be like "Haul" or "Review"(not promoting, just letting you know what works or didn't work for me)  Posts. But there wont be many because I'm on a budget.

I heard great things about the Tangle Teezer as far as detangling natural and relaxed hair. My relaxed ends don't get tangled much, but my new-growth is something else, especially being 14 weeks post. I need to avoid tangles and matting as much as possible or this stretch would be counter-productive. So, I went out and purchased one yesterday. I of course used it yesterday as well, not only because I was anxious to try it out, but my hair needed a good detangling session.

So here goes my Review:

What they Say:

Your perfect hair care partner, Tangle Teezer Original is a gentle pain free hair detangler that has been referred to as the miracle brush that detangles like nothing else. Its secret is it allows you to manage and style your hair as never before, transforming tangled hair into stress free, style-able hair and encouraging your hair’s natural shine and thickness to return

What I Say:

I like it...I really like it! Never has my 4B(really kinky,course) hair detangled so easily and come out really soft at that. The brissles glided through my new-growth so effortlessly and easily. I felt like it removed shed hair that was stuck between my strands for a while. However, I did have 5-6 broken hairs, but this could be normal wear and tear. This is the first and last detangling brush I will purchase.
UPDATE
Tangle Teezer has been returned to Sally's due to more breakage then normal.
How I used it:

1.)Sectioned Hair of in medium to small sections
2.) Sprayed each section with moisturizer(more moisturizer on roots)
3.) Lightly Detangled Relaxed ends with Wide Tooth Comb
4.) Combed through new growth with Tangle Teezer, then lightly glided through relaxed ends
* This could work better on wet hair loaded with conditioner which I will try next.


Purchased from: Sally Beauty Supply (can be ordered on Amazon, but it's more $$...this item also originated from the UK)

Cost: $10.00 ($9.49 with Sally's card) I paid $8.40 because I had a 15% off coupon

*Remember, if you purchase any hair products from Sally's (maybe other places too, just not sure)  and you don't like it...you can always return them as long as you have a receipt. Do not let your money go to waste. Also, on the back of most products there is a number to call for a refund as well.