Braid and Curl Out

8:16a

Before my last texlax, I was wearing all protective styles and using absolutely no heat. That made a major difference to the health of my hair.

One of the styles I wore often was the braid and curl out. It was easy and it gave me a curly look that lasted a few days. On second and third days, I'd wear it pinned up.

I started with hair that was dried about 75-80%. I learned that doing a braid and curl out on soaking hair didn't allow my hair to dry by morning. I used the t-shirt method {which I will share at a later date} to remove the excess water. I applied my leave-in and sealed my ends and my edges, making sure to slick my hair back the way I was going to wear it.

Next, I divided my hair into two sections. I braided each section and rolled the two braids onto rods. I tied my scarf on to make sure my edges stayed flat as I slept and covered my scarf with my bonnet. {I'm a wild sleeper and my scarf never stays on}

The next morning, I removed the rods and undid the braid. The result is wavy, curly and moisturized.

This is actually the braid before I unraveled it. There is a tight curl on the end.

After I undid each braid and fluffed a tad, I had a full, curly, wavy pony tail. I used a clip to pull my hair back.

This style, for me, is so easy to execute. At the end of a long day, after washing my hair, the last thing I want to do is worry about a long, drawn out styling session. This really works great too, if heat is on your no-no list.

Fourth Day Hair!

1:53p

This is a new record for me.

I washed my hair on Sunday. It's Thursday. I have fourth day hair.

And it's freakin incredible. It's soft. It's shiny. It smells divine. And I can't keep my hands out of it.

I have also found that when I'm combing before bed, there is little to no breakage. My hair is moisturized and just in really good condition.

Hair health has been my one and only goal since starting to take care of my hair back in May. I can't positively say that my hair is 100% healthy now, but I can say that it is healthIER. And so much happier.

It's encouranging to know that my work is paying off.

Support

8:03a

No one can tell me that journeys are easy. My best friend and I decided to embark on this hair journey together. Me texlaxed. Her natural. Though our paths are different, we both are working towards the same goal. Healthy hair.

She's such an inspiration to me. She just woke up one day and decided that she was ready to do it her way. She tuned out what the naysayers were yelling in her ear and made the decision for herself. And she's doing it with class.

I constantly call and email her my hair questions, ponderings and freak outs. Where would I be with out such great support? I'll tell you, bone straight and breaking off. That's where. She's talked lots of sense to me over the past few months since we started this voyage.

It's great to know that we're in this together.


Check her out

My Two New Best Friends

8:58a

I know I may be late on the Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner. I know that everyone knows what a great product this is. I know that everyone has already sung it's praises and use it so frequently that it's hard to keep on the shelves.

But I have finally bought a bottle and fallen in love. FALLEN IN LOVE HARD!!!!


So far, I have yet to use this conditioner as an actual in-shower with water conditioner. I used it as my daily moisturizer. It works so incredibly well that it immediately went to the top of my staples list! It really moisturizes like no other moisturizer I have tried. And it smells soooo good!

The next thing I finally tried is the Elasta QP Mango butter. This stuff is great. It smells incredible and it's rich, creamy and really seals my ends and lays down my edges like no other

I did, however, just discover that this Mango Butter is a light protein. It does contain silk protein, which softens and strengthens the hair. Awhile ago I discovered that too much protein + my hair = DISASTER!!!

So far so good though. I think that the moisturizing properties of the Hello Hydration and the Mango Butter's strength are exactly what my hair needs.

I'm close to 2 weeks post my last texlax and my hair is so full and strong that I feel like I have someone else's hair on my head!

Salt - The Miracle Ingredient

11:10a

Salt.

That's it.

Salt.

Who would have thought that SALT, ordinary table salt that everyone has in their kitchen, would be such an amazing additive to deep conditioners?

Not me, for sure. After stumbling across a post on LHCF {Long Hair Care Forum} about the benefits of salt for hair, I decided to try this.

A few weeks ago, my daughter, my beloved guinea pig, was my unexpecting experiment. I tried it in her deep conditioner {Aussie Deeeeep and VO5 conditioner} and her curls absolutely loved it. They were so defined afterward that I was tempted to leave her hair out. I didn't, cause that would have been a headache.

After the success on her hair, I tried it on my own. I really silkened my hair. I wouldn't have believed it was just the salt, had I not tried my conditioner mix plenty of times before adding the salt.

I'm not sure what in the chemistry of salt mixed with the deep conditioner caused those results, but it has become a staple for me now.

Try it, you'll like it!

I promise!

Too Funny

3:18p

If you look closely at this picture, you'll realze that the "ripped" guy HAS NO BELLY BUTTON. So funny. I hope people don't really believe these adds.

Eventually, I will talk about salt. Life has trumped hair at this point in time.

Salt?

2:31

This ingredient that everyone has in their kitchens is a miracle! I have tons of work to do, but I'll be back later to let you know why it's a miracle!

I have to say...

2:48p

...my hair feels and appears much thicker than it did a few weeks ago. It may be that it's thicker because of my new growth, but it could also be that moisturized hair is just...thicker.

I recurled my hair last night in the curlers. I wanted to wear it out, but decided to clip it up instead. You cant tell from the picture, but a claw clip is holding up the curls. They came out really well.

Tomorrow is my wash day and I almost feel like my hair is still moisturized and fresh. I may be able to skip this wash and go until this weekend. I'll have to make that decision tomorrow.

I'm still working on my texlax process. I wanted to get it ironed out before I actually have to do it. I've learned so much in the 8 weeks since my last texlax and I want to make sure I take everything I've learned and incorporate it.

Luscious hair is my goal.

Right on Schedule

11:30a

So I washed and deep conditioned yesterday. I used a new mix, that was pure luxury for my hair.

I used 2 parts Elasta QP DPR-11, 2 parts EVOO, and 1 part ORS Replenishing Pack. So far, this was the best mix I have ever used. I'm 8 weeks post my last texlax and it felt like a brand new relaxer when I washed it out!

I mixed it up in my bowl and brought it with me into the shower. First, I clarified and let that sit for a few minutes to make sure all the old product was broken down. Then after rinsing, I applied my deep condition mix. I parted my hair down the middle and parted the halves into four sections, making sure to saturate the new growth. I made sure to get the ends really well. I made a good amount of the mix so I had some leftover after I coated all my hair. At the end, I just added all the rest to my ends. More couldn't hurt right?

I pinned my hair up and put on my plastic cap and turned the water as hot as I could stand it to get the steam really going. I rinsed after about 15 minutes and it was so soft, silky and moisturized. I wonder what it would have been like if I had left it on for 30-45 minutes, had I not been being lazy.

I let my hair dry {t-shirt method} until it was about 75% dry, added my leave in and moisturized and sealed, then put one roller on the ends and wrapped my scarf around, then off to bed.

It was exactly what I needed. And when I woke up this morning, my hair was happy and smiling.

I Know I Said I Wouldn't Do It...

2:29p



I know I said I wouldn't do it. I said I was getting rid of my pony tail for good. It's not good for my hair. It pulls out my hair. It's killing my nape and my edges.

But, wait. I really have found a way to wear my pony tail without all the damage that ensues from a normal pony tail...well, my normal ponytails anyway.

What you'll need:

• Elastic hair bands {no metal and NO RUBBER BANDS}
• Comb {depending on hair to detangle}
• Moisturizer
• Sealer
• Brush
• Scarf
• EVOO

Ok, this is the best tip I have ever learned is how to achieve a ponytail with out pulling hair extremely tight. This not only damages the hairline and the nape, it also gives me a killer headache!

So first, I smooth my hair back like a pony tail. I detangle the ends of my pony with my comb and add my moisturizer in, concentrating on my ends first. Then I make sure I coat my edges well so that they will lay down.

Next, I add my sealer to seal in the moisture, focusing on the ends, my edges and my nape. I brush my edges back, making sure they are lying down flat.

I soak my elastic hair band with EVOO before I tie my hair LOOSELY with the elastic hair band. This was the best tip I ever learned for my ponytail. Soaking the elastic with EVOO prevents the elastic band from drying out the hair underneath it and in turn prevents breakage in that area. Tying the hair band loosely really is the key to a harmless pony tail.

After my elastic hair band is in and I'm satisfied with the positioning, I tie my scarf over my hair to smooth down the front. I go about my morning, brushing my teeth, applying make-up, chasing toddlers, etc.

When I take my scarf off, my pony tail is textured perfection.

*I tried to take a picture of my smoothed down hair in the front, but my forehead just kept looking larger than life, so you can imagine a smooth hairline here.

Hair Schedule

2:08p

{click to make larger}

I realize this picture is extremely small, but I'm inept at figuring out how to get it bigger. Oh well, you get the idea.

What the photo above is, is my new hair calendar. Yep, I went ahead and did it. And I think it will be extremely helpful as I have designated Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, my "Hair Days." These are the days when I will be doing the majority of washing, deep conditioning, etc to my hair. Based on my schedule, these days work the best.


Tuesdays - Clarify and deep condition with heat. I've read alot of literature that says that clarifying should only take place once a month. I've found with the products I am currently using and with co-washing, I get build up a lot quicker. I'm clarifying with V05 clarifying shampoo and deep conditioning with DPR or whatever DC I have on hand.


Thursdays - I will co-wash with a moisturizing conditioner {I'm using Mane n Tail} and then following up with my Aussie Deeeeep and the DPR mixed with EVOO. I won't use heat, but will use in the shower for about 10 minutes.


Saturdays - Wash with moisturizing shampoo{Mane n Tail} and deep condition with DPR mixed with EVOO



This schedule is brand new, so I'm sure there will be adjustments along the way. I haven't been using shampoo regularly, if at all, so I may determine that my need for clarifying will diminish. I would like to make sure I deep condition at least twice a week until my hair gets into shape.

Also this month I will be texlaxing with ORS relaxer and I want to make sure my hair is strong before the relaxer. That's where the protein treatment on the Tuesday before my texlax comes in. I'll write up my process for texlaxing before I actually do it so that I can have a game plan. I found an excellent resource in my research last week.


My hope that the calendar will be able to keep me on track as well as document what I've been doing so that I know if anything needs to be changed in my process.

Hair Update

1:28p

Sadly {or not}, I didn't get to my hair this weekend. Although it was a 3 day weekend, my days were filled with chasing my girls around and cookouts.

I did, however, do their hair. So I can check that off my list and get on to my hair.

I have decided to texlax again at week 10, which is in two weeks. I think I may be able to stretch longer than 10 weeks, but we are going on our vacation and I want to be nice and fresh for that! Plus with swimming and the spa, my hair will be in a much better position to be washed and looking good than it is now.

I have been able to maintain very well by keeping my new growth moisturized. I have been able to mix some products that I had that weren't working very well on their own and now I have a pretty good moisturizer.

I've been thinking about creating a calendar with my hair schedule/regimen on it. I think it will help me to keep track of what I'm doing and need to be doing. Consistency is the key.

Wash and Length Check

2:44p

I washed my hair last night. I couldn't resist.

My husband looked at me like I was crazy when I walked out of the bathroom with dripping hair.

"You washed your hair again?"

"Yes," I told him. "What's wrong with that?"

It was funny. I'm addicted to washing. I'm actually more addicted to freshly washed hair itself. If I have the energy then what's the problem?

Last night I actually discovered the secret to drying my hair with my rollers in. I did my normal after shower products and detangling. But then I let it air dry without applying my rollers while it was dripping. When it was 75% dry, I rolled it. This morning when I took out my rollers, my hair was DRY! That has never happened before.

Seem obvious? Yes, extremely. I'm a slow learner.

Below are some pictures of my length. I'm going to take a picture of my hair in this shirt the first of every month so I can have a frame of reference for if my hair is growing or not. The ends are horrible, but a trim can fix that.

Still Moisturized

11:02p

My hair is still moisturized after using the Aussie on Sunday. I've been using less moisturizer and sealer because I've been noticing a lot of buildup from the products I've been using. Even with the reduction of moisturizing products, my hair is still moisturized, soft and flowing. I did a variation of the pinned up hairdo I wore yesterday. It's a tad humid outside and I knew my curls were going to drop so I pinned it up a little looser with more curls hanging. So far so good. Let's see how it looks at the end of the day today.

I planned on co-washing tonight and following up with the Aussie, but I'm not sure my hair needs it at this point.

The determining factor will probably be if I feel like fussing with my hair tonight. This being a holiday weekend, I will have more time this weekend to deep condition, so I may skip this co-wash. But, coming out of a hairtastrophe, I'm a little concerned that more moisture could only help the situation.

I must say that I'm enjoying my updo's. I'm taking a trip to Target this afternoon to see if I can find some clips that will jazz them up a tad. And since the BSS is right around the corner, I may have to stop in and see what they have going on in there. I'm not usually impressed with their selection of hair accessories, so they may not get a visit from me today. However...I am looking for a good leave-in.

I think I may officially be a product junkie.