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03 August 2009

Conditioner Only Method Review

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I don't how many of you have heard about the Conditioner-Only Method but if you've spent any time at all on the hair boards, you will have come across this somewhere. It seems to be the brain-child of a beautiful lady named Teri (it probably wasn't but she deserved all the kudos she gets) - check out her page here. The whole premise is that you wash and moisturize with nothing but conditioner and twirling curls equals super defined and beautiful curls.
 
Because this method is meant for natural afro hair, it means I can't actually try it on myself so my beautiful daughter, Jasmine is going to be my guinea pig for this. Here's Jasmine aged 1 (she's 2 now but I couldn't find a more recent pic). Jassy's got 4A type hair and her curls are looser than mine so I'm always looking for a way to make them pop! The only problem is that she hates sleeping with a scarf or bandana on so she's suffered a lot of breakage around her hairline. I'm considering changing to a satin pillow case for her or stitching a satin scarf to it.
 
So that's it! Jasmine's going to model the CO method for Going Nappy and we'll keep you up to date.
 
Till next time.
xxMwuahxx




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01 August 2009

Product Review #2 - NAKED Shine Conditioner

Okay yall so I'm still looking for products without any nasties so this is my 2nd product review. I've decided that I'm only going to try a new product every month, so I don't turned into a big ol' PJ!

I found the NAKED products thanks so to Sugarbabe01 on NaturallyCurly.com and this is my 1st review of one of the products of which I've used 3.

Product Type: Conditioner

Product Name: Naked Shine Hydrating Conditioner

Where From: Boots

Price: 3.91 each (Buy One Get One Free)

Size: 250ml

What does it say (on the www): To shine like a diamond, dry to normal hair needs to be smooth and moisturised - just perfect for fingers to run through....
Buttermilk is renowned for its amazing softening properties and Green Tea extract helps add sheen and elasticity to your hair cuticle. Topped up with Black Tea extract, this conditioner has a bit of a glossy reputation.
THIS PRODUCT IS VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY

Scent/Smell: Very lovely scent, very light and not at all perfumey. Very nice smell.

Rating: *****

Comments: Every time I have co-washed with this, the results have been soooo fantastic that I have already recommended it to a few people. My hair came out sooo soft and and really moisturized. This is a UK Only product but if anyone State-side wants to try it out, I'll happily ship it to you - it's that good. This is definitely a keeper!!!

26 July 2009

Solange Knowles gets a TWA!!!

Solange Knowles, the younger sister of Beyonce, is turning heads... with her own head - a shaven one.

Solange, who is not yet the publicity target that her big sister is, has actually sported the hairless look for two weeks. The paparazzi apparently just noticed. Unfortunately, the her decision to sport a TWA (Tweeny Weeny Afro) hasn't necessarily been well received. I'm pretty sure she knew that was a given so, my question is why did she do it?

Solange, however, tweeted about the matter recently with the following message (please excuse the punctuation - it's hers, not mine):
i. have. done. this. twice. in. my. life. i. was 16. i was 18.

So why did the aspiring singer/songwriter shave her once gorgeous hair?
"this. phase. of. my. life. i. want to spend . the time. the energy. and the money. on something else. not in the hair salon."

More power to her I say. I believe that it's so empowering to 'chose' not to conform to the ways of this world and I suppose she's even putting her career on the line to do this. What do yall think? What do you think of her TWA - I think it's so cute and really suits her? Do you think her decision was smart/clever in relation to her career and aspirations?
xxMwuahxx

24 July 2009

Daily Devotion - You can be Free!!



Hi yall, I've been really inspired by DPrincess28 to start posting short daily devotions on my blog. She always drops some beautifully Holy Spirit inspired words, which always give me food for thought. Instead of focusing on a scripture though, I'd like to focus on a thought. I hope you're inspired and ministered to by these. Here's the 1st one!!
You Can Be Free


JOHN 8:31-32 NRSV
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If youcontinue in my word, you are truly my disciples;32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make youfree."

Everyone wants to be free, but many have given up hope that it is possible.
But Jesus gave a promise, valid for you today. You can be free!

Many suffer from physical problems. Jesus' promise includesyou!

Some are bound by debt. The promise of Jesus applies to you,also!

Others are bound by fear. You can be free!

Many are bound by destructive habits they are unable to quit. Sin enslaves people, but you can be free from its power!

JOHN 8:34 NRSV
34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone whocommits sin is a slave to sin."

Jesus will set you free from the power of sin. He will not takeaway your freedom to sin, but He will change you inwardly, so you don't want to sin.

Real freedom is more than being able to do what you want to do. Real freedom is not having to do what you do not want to do.

JOHN 8:36 NRSV
36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Free indeed!

The answers are in the Word of God: the New Testament.

Be blessed!!

14 July 2009

Oh I ache!

My goodness! You know when you haven't exercised in a while when you do just a little bit and your whole body aches.


My hubby bought a Total Gym last week and we used it for the 1st time yesterday. Now I haven't worked out properly in about 6 years!! Nuts, I know but that was before I was married and a mom. Anyway, we used this bad boy yesterday and I only did the starter program - 2 exercises (2 sets of 15-25 reps of each) and this evening, my body is howling out in pain!!!
I didn't even remember I had muscles in some of the places I've got pain. Hubby thinks it's cute that I can barely move but he's making dinner so I'm not complaining too much. I'm sure I'll be better tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that.
Somehow, I now need to go wash my hair and bantu knot it up for the night. That's going to hurt - maybe I'll get hubby to give me a hand (I'll teach him a new skill :-))
Till next time,
xxMwuahxx

11 July 2009

I'm Back!!

I'm back y'all! I'm sorry it's been a little while but I've super busy with 3 full time jobs - work, wife, mom. I haven't neglected my hair, just the blog - sorry :-(.



I'm still loving my Bantu Knot Outs - it's just too easy and really suits my lifestyle, which is crazy!



Just wanted to do a quick run down of my regime at the moment.



Saturday (WASH DAY!!)
- Co-wash (deep condition every other week and shampoo once a month) (am/pm)
- Detangle and moisturize as usual (am/pm)
- Bantu Knot (am/pm)
- Sleep with Satin Bonnet (pm)

Sunday
- Loosen Knots and Style (am)
- Sleep as usual (pm)

Monday
- Fluff out matted hair (hehehe) (am)
- Spray with moisturizing mist (water, leave-in conditioner, oil, glycerin) (am)
- Sleep as usual (pm)

Tuesday
- Co-wash (pm)
- Detangle and moisturize as usual (am/pm)
- Bantu Knot (am/pm)
- Sleep with Satin Bonnet (pm)

Wednesday
- Fluff out matted hair (hehehe) (am)
- Spray with moisturizing mist (am)
- Sleep as usual (pm)

Thursday
- Co-wash (pm)
- Detangle and moisturize as usual (am/pm)
- Bantu Knot (am/pm)
- Sleep with Satin Bonnet (pm)

Friday
- Fluff out matted hair (hehehe) (am)
- Spray with moisturizing mist (am)
- Sleep as usual (pm)

I'm loving this routine at the moment because it's so easy and it always makes sure I've got a fresh hair-do for church on Wednesday and Sunday!

On another note, my friend said to me the other day that since I started transitioning, my hair has looked much healthier and the bantu knot out is definitely working.

26 June 2009

Bantu Knot-Out Review


Transition Style: Bantu Knot-Out

Apprx 'Fixin' Time: 15-30mins

Approx 'Settin' Time: Overnight-24 hours (depending on how much time I've got)

Tools: Wet-damp detangled hair, styling mousse and elastics (I'm using small fabric covered ones)

Pros: A million times quicker than either or the other styles I had tried before. The time it akes to fix literally depends on how long your hair is and how tight you want the curls when you take the knots out. The tighter the curls you want, the more knots you have to do. It's a really really easy technique as well and that's always a good thing.

Cons: If the knots aren't relatively small, it won't blend the new growth as well as the TnC when taken out. I think unless I sat under the dryer, which y'all know i don't have time for, it's not going to last all week - maybe 2-3 days max but then that depends on how tight you make the curls.

Rating: *****

Overall Comments: This is my signature transition style at the moment because it's so easy. The fact that you have to do it every 2-3 days suits me fine right now because of the new regimen I'm adopting for the summer. At night I sleep with a bonnet and fluff it in the morning with some moisturizing mist, put a band on the front and then i'm good to go - so quick! I love it!

(the picture is for illustrative purposes only and isn't me!)

09 June 2009

Update

I've got a couple of reviews to come y'all, so please bear with me. I've got two product reviews and one style review to come.

Anyway, I've been wearing my hair in bantu knot outs for a couple of weeks now (style review coming soon) and it's just so easy except when I'm super super tired and lazy. I really like this style and I'm going to keep doing it for a while - till I get bored and what to try something else.

There are so many things I want to try you guys. I really want to try AGrlCanMac's moisturizing mist (see the blogs I'm following), which sounds absolutely fabulous. I don't know what the effect of glycerin will be on my hair but almost everyone recommends it so I really want to try this. I'm so going to try to be faithful to my 'one new product a month' rule otherwise I can so easily see me turning into a PJ.

Talking about AGrlCanMac, she's gotta be a huge inspiration right now because she's just celebrated her 1st anniversary of being a natural and that's so awesome! I read her post that day and I was like - I can't wait for that to be me. So a big SHOUT OUT to her - keep doing your thing girl!

I've just booked a vacation to the Costa Del Sol on the coast of Spain and for the first time, I'm not too worried about my hair because I won't have to take a whole bunch of paraphernalia with me, like straightening irons, clips, rollers etc and if I stick with the bantu knots, I should need a handful of products. What I am a little bit worried about is the heat only because it's a different kind of heat to that that's in England. It's just hot over here, with no breeze and hardly any humidity - my hair doesn't like it at all. This is why I really want to try AGrlCanMac's moisturizing mist becauseif I mix it into a small enough bottle, I should be able to carry it with me and remoisturize as necessary.

Ok, final thoughts. I'm going to a conference tomorrow and I was really stuck for what to do with my hair. Seeing as it's so short, the bantu knot outs which are fine for work, just aren't corporate, you know? Anyway, I posted the dillema on NaturallyCurly.com and a fellow curly suggested roller sets. Now that sounds like a great idea but you'll see from an earlier review that they take me a little while to do and they're not always fully dry in the morning. Tomorrow, I won't have time to mes around with hair that's not dry so I decided to exploit the veratility of natural hair and straighten it. In the middle of it right so will let you know how it turns out.

Till next time
xxMwuahxx

25 May 2009

The Natural Organic Debate

This is an article I read in UK magazine 'Black Hair' April/May issue.

"Would you wash your hair with washing powder or washing up liquid? Well, if your shampoo contains sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate, that's essentially what you're doing! Yes, sodium lauryl sulphate gets the hair and scalp clean, but at the same time it strips the hair of its natural 'good' oils and can often irritate the skin. This is why a shampoo must be followed by a conditioner, to help restore the moisture lost. So why is this chemical found in almost 90% of shampoos? Because it's a cheap foaming agent and we've been trained to believe that foam equals clean! Below are four more ingredients that do more harm than good to your hair..."

Diazonlindinyl/Imidazolidinyl Urea
Found in: Shampoos, conditioners, styling products and hairsprays
Used: As a preservative
Consequences: It can potentially release formaldehyde which can be toxic

Propylene/Polythylene Glycol (PPG/PEG)
Found in: Shampoos, conditioners and moisturizers
Used: As a humectant to give the product a firmer consistency. It also keeps the product from melting in high heat or freezing when it's cold
Consequences: These chemicals are known as eye irritants and possible carcinogens. Some are safe but some are not. The problem is, you never know which one was used!

Mineral Oil (often described as petroleum, or the fancier 'Paraffinium Liquidum')
Found in: Many haircare products, especially moisturizers
Used: As a moisturizer and a chap 'filler'
Consequences: It actually coats the hair shaft and clogs pores, thereby preventing toxins from being released. mineral oil can also prevent other ingredients from penetrating into the hair shaft, so you don't get the full benefit of the product

Parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl)
Found in: Moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, gels and other styling products
Used: As a preservative to prevent the growth of mould and mildew
Consequences: There is an ongoing debate as to the harmful effects of these parabens and whether or not they are carcinogens. The fact remains that they accumulate in the bloodstream.

"So why go natural? With natural products you have the peace of mind that every ingredient is doing its job to help your hair and not hurt you. With this in mind, make it a habit to always look at the ingredients before you buy a product. Just because it says 'natural' or 'organic' does not necessarily mean that the product is chemical-free."

So what do you think girlies? I'm completely sold on the natural thing and if I'm going to stop relaxing my hair because I don't the chemicals, then I definitely don't want the chemicals in my shampoos, conditioners o r whatever else! I'll be trying out some 'natural' products and let you know how my hair reacted. It may end up being that my hair likes the chemicals. :-)

Let me know what your thoughts are on this.

Till next time,
xxMwuahxx

Product Review #1 - UK Only

This is a product review for my UK ladies!!. If you saw my post above, you'll see that I'm on the hunt for products without nasty chemicals and as part of that I'm going to be trying a bunch of them out, hopefully without becoming a PJ (product junkie). Here's my first review.


Product Type: Shampoo and conditioner
Product Name: Organic Care Natural Miracle Ultra Hydrating Dry Moist Shampoo and Conditioner
Where From: Superdrug
Price: 2.96 each (Buy One Get One Free)
Size: 400ml
What does it say: No sles, sls, als, ales. No parabens. No petrochemical cleansers (shampoo only). No mineral oil (conditioner only). Achieve salon results naturally. Organic Complex. Vitamin & Protein Boosted. Intensive Shine Illuminers. Ultra Hydrating. Smooth Glossy Finish
Scent/Smell: Woody and earthy. Not the perfumey smell I've been used to. Not bad though.
Rating: *
Comments: OMG! Where do I start? This pair almost made me cry. I was really excited when I saw them at the store because they were sulphate and paraben free and cheap. But I should have known that cheap isn't necessarily cheerful.
I used this pair to wash and conditioner my hair instead of my normal Hello Hydration co-wash and then I just continued with my normal hair regimen from there, so nothing else was different. I put my hair in Bantu Knots (my latest transitioning style - review coming soon) to wear all day Saturday and take them out on Sunday morning for church.
The knots were fine on Saturday, but on Sunday, my hair was dry and brittle and horrible. Honestly, I wanted to cry. Even my hubby noticed how dry it was. I was so grateful to God that nobody at church said anything. I couldn't wait to use my Hello Hydration co-wash this morning and hopefully get back to normal.
I'm not saying I wouldn't recommend it, I'm just saying my hair didn't like it at all!

22 May 2009

Rollerset Review

Transition Style: Rollerset

Apprx 'Fixin' Time: 45 mins - 1 hour

Approx 'Settin' Time: Overnight

Tools: Wet-damp detangled hair, setting lotion (setting lotion mixed with water and oil), magnetic rollers, end wraps

Pros:
Much quicker than the TnC, which is a realy big deal to me. Really easy to 'fix; - you honestly don't have to be an expert at rollersetting to get a nice result. Doesn't hide length as much as TnC.

Cons:
Doesn't blend the new growth as well as TnC - the demarcation line between the twos sections is quite clearly visible. Had to replace the rollers everynight to keep the style lock'd for the next day.Curls were a little looser than I'd have liked so would just fall at the slightest sniff of moisture. I couldn't refix it every night while I was at the conference so it started looking more straight than curly - not the look I was going for.

Rating: ****

Overall Comments:
I really really liked the results of this style and I'll definitely try it again. I'd need to use larger rollers next time so that my hair dries better and more evenly next time.

Twist n Curl Review

Transition Style: Twist n Curl

Approx 'Fixin' Time: 1 -2 hours

Approx 'Settin' Time: Overnight

Tools: Wet-damp detangled hair, Curling Wax, End Wraps, Perm Rods

Pros:
This style blends the new growth with the relaxed ends like no other style I've seen. The results are always gorgeous spirals. The hair's always a little bit shiny (or has a sheen) because of the wax I think - so it looks really healthy (I got a lot of comments on this aspect).

Cons:
Takes too long to 'fix'. 1 - 2 hours may not be long for some people but I'm a full-time working Wife and Mother, so my spare time is limited. Granted it may take this long because my hair's still short and I have to do more twists than if it were longer. Also it doesn't look as defined after a few days and can look a bit dry and dull (might have something to do with the wax though)

Rating: ****

Overall Comments:
I really love the way the TnC looks when it's done but I don't have the time and patience to do it every other day to keep it looking fresh. I'll always do it for a special ocassion though because the style is just too fly.

19 May 2009

Guess who's back?

I'm back!!! Sorry I've been gone but my Spirit needed refreshing - btw, the Bible Conference was great. I even saw one of my sisters who's also starting here natural hair journey - whoop, whoop Claire!

You what I learned this week away? A woman of God - a confident and TRUE woman of God - is truly the apple of His eye. God wants us to be beautiful both on the inside and the out. A woman who has the Spirit of God in her is not timid or shy (shouldn't be) because God is not timid or shy - at the end of the day, He created the earth to showcase himself. A woman after God's own heart is sassy and confident while keeping humble.

This was going to be my struggle going natural because I'm very extroverted and really confident but when I started thinking about how people perceive natural hair as bad, as unhealthy, as gross - my confidence started to shrink. But last week, I came to a realization that God has created me and I'm gorgeous regardless of whether my hair is relaxed or natural. The Bible says that we are "wonderfully and fearfully made". God hand-crafted my body, my personality and my nappy hair, so I'm going to use this natural hair journey to give Him glory by rocking some slamming transitional styles and staying humble.

Going natural isn't just about hair, it's about going back to your natural state of being - which is to be the natural state that God intended for you - to be in fellowship with him. Sorry to go on but I'm just so filled with Joy!!

But now, I got sooo much to update you on. Where to start? I've got update you on:

  • Twist n Curl
  • Rollersets
  • Products
  • Bantu Knot Outs

I'll post separate updates for all of these otherwise this will be extremely long!

Till next time,
xxMuwahxx

10 May 2009

On Vacation

Ok girlies, so I've still got a lot to update you on but haven't had the time. Sorry *sob sob* :-(

I'll be on vacation for a week from tomorrow so won't be able to get any updates in, but I'll be getting my soul refreshed at the Potters House Bible Conference so I'm soooo excited. I'll be repping the natural curlies with my rollerset which I did last night. I was up till 1am doing it - aren't you proud of me. Talking about that, I asked someone at church today how it looked and they said "it's nice but I'll help you flat iron the front so the regrowth doesn't show so much" I didn't even know what to say. I'm still praying that she forgets her flat iron tonight.

I've now got about 2 1/2" of new growth - YAY!!!! It's grown about an inch in a month since the first time I did the twist n curl. And it's sooo soft! My mom felt the new growth yesterday and said she didn't think my hair had ever been that soft - even as a child! I'm so proud of myself for not slipping back into lazy bad habits.

Products I'm using right now:

  • Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner for cowashing
  • Aphogee Leave-In Conditioner
  • Kids Organics Shea Butter and EVOO Detangling and Moisturizing Hair Lotion - yes, my daughter's! I'm going to order some unrefined shea butter next payday and joing the ranks of the kitchen techicians
  • Ginseng Miracle Wonder 8 Oil and Wild Growth Hair Oil - mix these with the Shea Butter lotion for detangling
  • Perm Repair Setting Lotion+Water+Wonder 8 Oil+Wild Growth Hair Oil for my rollersets
  • Keracare Curling Wax for my Twist n Curl
That's it. I've got some Henna n Placenta with Olive Oil by Hask Placenta which I'm going to try for my next Deep Condition.

That's it for right now. See you in a week.
Till next time,

xxMwuahxx

06 May 2009

Rollerset Success!

This is different for me as I’m actually blogging from work via email! Just wanted to give you a quick update on the rollerset I did last night.

I was a little bit disappointed this morning when I took the rollers out because my hair was still a little bit damp at the crown so I had to spend 10 minutes drying it with a hairdryer. And if I’m honest my rollersetting skills aren’t the best anyway so I wasn’t holding out much hope for the style, just had my fingers crossed. Well, what can I say? It came out quite well. Hopefully I’ll do better next time but it’s good enough for work and church.

I got quite a few compliments on my hair when I walked into work today so it’s a good sign, I think. I’ll post some pictures as soon as I can.

Till later

xxMuwahxx

Sorry I'm MIA

So I disappeared for a little bit there. Went MIA for a little bit but I'm about and I definitely haven't 'backslidden' and gotten a relaxer. My hubby's been practically glued to the computer for a few days so I haven't been able to get my blog on.

Anyway, I've been rocked the twist n curl for about 2 weeks so I need to do a full review and tell you what I think in all honesty. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Twist n Curl!!

I'm sitting here and I've got rollers in my because I'm trying a rollerset, so I need to blog about that as well.

It's mad busy so I might not be able to do it for a couple of days because it's church tonight and then my daughter's birthday tomorrow, but I promise I'll do it.

I also tried a curly pudding recipe I got from AGurlCanMac on my daughter's hair, so I'll tell you about that as well. OMG so much to do, so little time!


I'm out, till next time.

xxMuwahxx

01 May 2009

The pictures are finally here!!

I finally got the hang of the camera so I know how to download stuff to my PC now - yay! Here so pics from my Twist n Curl when I took out my crochet braids.

All the hair that broke off when I detangled the 1st time - I told you it was enough for a small mammal




Ok, so the breakage was major to say the least. I was so heart broken when i saw all that hair - MY HAIR! *sob sob* But the truth is that quite a lot of my length was damaged and would only have ended up falling out at some point anyway.

For picture number two, have a look at what my head looked like with the perm rods for the twist n curl all it in. This was actually just before I started to take them out. I'm dressed for church and ready to go, the only thing left was the hair. I know that it may look a little bit crazy but trust me and take a look at the next picture for how it came out.
I really liked the results and it really blends the new growth into the relaxed ends. I mean you can't really see the new growth as distinct from the relaxed ends in this picture. Once the week's truly over i.e. one more full day of work, I'll let you know how the styled fared during the week and if it was all totally worth it.
Till later, xxMwuahxx

26 April 2009

Twist n Curl Success!!

So I took the curlers out and my husband says "Is that it? Are you going out like that? It's cute but I hope that's not it." I'm like "no, there's more to do"

Anyway, I took the twists out and fluffed the curls a bit and OMG it's too cute - CurlyNikki and Shuantae1 would be so proud. I wish I could get the hang of my camera and post the pics. I will as soon as I do.

I got to church and comments ranged from "your hair's so nice, I really like it" to "wow, it's so sexy". My husband loves it, so I'm really happy. I wasn't sure about it as I did it because it seemed so short and I'm trying to grow it, you know? But I think this style's going to be a staple in my transitioning closet.

For tonight, I think I'll just tie my satin scarf on it and hopefully won't 'squish' it too badly and then rock it to work tomorrow. Will definitely report back on that.

xxMwuahxx

Transition Style #1 - Twist n Curl

Ok, so I'm transitioning to a natural look and my hair's kind of short, so I'm a little bit low on the kind of styles I do while transitioning. I was thinking of doing a sew-in weave but it's getting too warm for all that. My hair's also very weak from years of frying so braids are also out of the question.


So I was searching for a transition style to try out. I've just taken out my crochet braids - sorry I don't have any pictures - but I loved them and I'll definitely be doing them again in the colder months. I've heard a lot of fuss about Twist n Curl on the Hair Boards esp CurlyNikki and I couldn't wait to try it.


Right now, I'm sitting with perm rods in my hair and I'm itching to see how it turned out. Here's what I did:

  • Washed twice with Luster's Pink Oil Conditioning Shampoo and 1/4 cup of baking soda - I've heard that adding baking soda to your regular shampoo turns it into a great clarifier, which is what I needed after wearing the braids for 4 weeks. Also won't be using Pink Oil shampoo again because it's got Sodium Laureth Sulphate in and they are sooo bad for your hair.

  • Deep Conditioned with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner for 1 hour (no heat) - I absolutely love this conditioner!!! It's awesome! I use it on my daughter's hair and her hair is so soft and manageable. It made my hair much easier to detangle.

  • Detangled with Wide Toothed Comb - OMG My hair was such a mess of knots and breakage - there was enough hair for a small mammal sitting on the side of the bath tub when I was done detangling.

  • Rinsed and blotted with towel

  • Sprayed in Aphogee ProVitamin Leave-In Conditioner

  • Rubbed in Kids Organics Shea Butter+EVOO Detangler Moisturizing Hair Lotion (it's my daughter's) and did a final detangle - the comb was just running through at this point. Everyone raves about Shea Butter on YouTube and the Hair Boards so I'm definitely buying some in bulk and mixing up a batch of Purpleola's Special Shea Butter (hehehe) - I don't know what I'll put it yet though. I'll keep you updated.

  • Rubbed in some Oils - Wild Hair Growth and Wonder 8 Oil - just some stuff I had laying about the house, which I may or may not use again.

  • Parted into 4 sections

  • Did a bunch 2 strand twists in each section with KeraCare Curling Wax- I had to trim my hair (each twist) because that's how I plan to transition without really doing the BC and my ends looked so ragged it was embarssing.

  • Curled each twist on perm rods till it was all done

  • Tied a satin scarf on it and went to bed

Shuantae1's video was my inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8X8xtcOdgA

It took a while because in the midst of it all, my duaghter wanted me to twist her hair and made sure I used some wax - "Mommy do it hair?" (while holding up the tub of wax to me) - she's going to rock a twist-out to church today.


So that's it. I'm excited to see what it'll look like and I'll add some pictures to this post and show the results real soon.


xxMwuahxx

25 April 2009

I'm going nappy

Ok, so I'm tired of getting my relaxed, my new growth coming in and then running back to the salon for a retouch every 6 weeks - sometimes less because my hair was growing so quick. The truth is, I've been tired of it for a VERRRY long time, so I stopped going as often and would try to strech my relaxer. The problem was, I didn't know what I was doing, so my hair just broke off :-(. Then I said enough is enough! I'll just keep my natural hair!!!!

I have very thick, very coarse 4b textured hair - so it's coily, can be wiry, dry, brittle and then my hair's also super porous so whatever moisturizer I put on it, it just sucks in and dries up so it needs A LOT of moisture.

I've tried transitioning once before, about 4 years ago just before I got married. I had a sew-in weave for my wedding but took it out while I was on our honeymoon in Jamaica because it was too darn hot! So I got another relaxer and the cycle started all over again.

Now, I'm a mom of a gorgeous little girl with gorgeous 4a hair - hers is a little bit softer than mine but also super thick and coarse. But she's not yet 2 years old and there's no way I'm processing her beautiful hair - so I thought I've got to 'LEARN' about natural African-American hair care. I say learn because you know you don't really learn anything at the beauty salon. So I joined the hair boards. Thanks to my girl KP for leading to longhaircareforum.com, which led me to YouTube and there are soooo many natural and transitioning sisters on there - it's great. So I've learnt some things and my daughter's hair is FABULOUS!!! And I thought: "If it works for her, it can work for me". So I'm transitioning again.
I got a sweet haircut when I got my last relaxer in February 2009, so my hair's quite short, which makes transitioing a little bit scary because I want LENGTH not shrinkage, but I've started this journey now and I'm not turning back.
I just want to share this journey which anyone that wants to join me in my quest to have gorgeous, healthy, NAPPY hair.

xxMwuahxx