REVIEW: Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Replenishing Pak

8:57a



This was the second deep conditioner I tried {Dr. Miracles was the first} and I fell immediately head over heels in love with it. I was talking to Renise B the other day on the phone while she was being a product junkie at Sally's {just admit it!} and she picked this up and suddenly I remembered that I love this stuff!

I couldn't remember why I stopped using it, probably distracted by other products that screamed in my ear from their aisles as I walked by. But since I remembered, I couldn't ignore the ORS any longer. I went right out and bought a few packs. I can't wait to get the hairgasm in the shower after I use this!

I love the citrusy scent of it, though I usually despise any citrus smelling products, cleaners, etc. It's pretty thin, so you'd think that it was cheap {and at a buck and some change, it really is cheap}, but it coats the hair nicely. I can't get away with using half a packet with this, you need the whole thing. I usually let it sit for a couple of hours, 45 minutes at the very minimum, since I don't usually use heat with my deep conditioners and when you rinse...HAIRGASM! Right there in the shower, just try to keep the noise level to a minimum. You don't want your man to get suspicious!

I'm actually excited to begin using this again. I'll make sure I don't forget it's magnificence ever again!

REVIEW: Aussie Moist Conditioner

8:45a

What it claims: Moist Conditioner, with splashes of Australian Aloe, Jojoba Oil and Sea Kelp, helps seal in natural moisture and takes thirsty tresses from hapless to hydrated

How it did: I have to say that I really like Aussie. This conditioner really gave my hair great moisture. For my first time using this conditioner, I used it as a cowash with nothing added so that I could give it a honest try.

It detangled great, no need to comb, any tangles fell out with the force of the water. It left my hair feeling really silky and soft. I applied it in the shower and turned the water in my shower to super hot {I <3>

I air dried my hair down since I was tired of the braid outs, twist outs and such. My hair felt so moisturized as it was drying. I didn't add and leave ins or moisturizers as it dried as I didn't want my hair to dry too heavy. At about 75% dry is when I added my leave ins and sealed. My hair was really light and fluffy. It was like air. I did one bantu knot in a ponytail and wrapped it up and went to sleep.

The next morning, my hair was very soft, moisturized and silky.

My final verdict: I really like Aussie Moist. It's definitely a keeper. For my next use, I will probably add EVOO, just because Aussie doesn't seem heavy enough for my moisture needs as a cowash.

Other uses: I used Aussie Moist as a deep conditioner base, adding in Elasta QP DPR 11 and Organics Cholesterol Tea Tree Conditioner and a shot of salt. This deep conditioner mix was one of my better ones and I will use it again.

Two to Try

9:51a

This weekend I picked up two new products to try. I was perusing the aisles at my local CVS and I came across this:

V05 Tea Therapy Vanilla Mint Tea Clarifying Conditioner. Now, I have never seen nor heard of a clarifying conditioner, so it immediately piqued my intrest. I grabbed up a bottle for $0.99 {can't be mad if it does nothing!}. I will most likely try that tonight along with this:

Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight conditioner. It looks very interesting as well. I've tried air drying my hair straight a few times over the past week or so and I've had mediocre results. Not bad, just not great. So I was thinking that maybe it has to do with the products that I'm using. I'll try this tonight and air dry straight to see if it lives up to it's name.

I'm going to try it and hope I like it!

Texlax Update

8:19a

Right now I am 5 weeks post my last texlax and my new growth is extremely manageable. I can tell what a great texture my hair will be once I am fully texlaxed. I'm really excited for that to happen.

I used ORS Olive Oil No-Lye Relaxer to texlax, adding more oil than I did for my first time texlaxing. The results do seem to be consistent though. Next time, I won't use as much oil because I noticed that most of my new growth didn't break down at all. After I rinsed, I noticed how strong my hair was. Usually, my hair feels very thin and weak after a relaxer. I did a protein treatment before I neutralized and I think this step was critical in the reduction of breakage. Afterwards, I did a deep conditioning moisturizing treatment with heat for 20 minutes.

The only thing I would change about my process is allowing myself enough time to complete it throughly. I texlaxed my hair the day before we left for vacation and I was in a bit of a rush. I didn't make any mistakes, but I realize that if I had more time, I would have done a much better job with the protein and deep moisturizing conditioners.

I've been making sure to deep condition my new growth {as well as my ends} very well so that the line of demarcation {the line where the texlaxed hair and new growth meets the relaxed hair} is very moisturized. The last thing I want to happen in this texlax process is for me to have a set back with breakage.

So far, I estimate that the texlaxed hair is about 3 inches and my hair is currently arm pit length. I know it will take awhile before my entire head is texlaxed.

I'm still deciding whether I am going to be stretching my relaxer to ten weeks. I would like to do eight at the very minimum, but probably at eight I will listen to my hair.

Texlaxing has been very beneficial. Some of the benefits I have seen are:

• Thicker hair
• Non porous strands {only on the texlaxed portion}
• I'm not afraid of rain!
• The texlaxed hair is stronger and looks healthier.

I'm really trying not to fall off the bandwagon as I tend to be very impatient. My ultimate goal is healthy hair and for me, texlaxing is the way to achieve it.

Bored....Again

10:00a

I'm bored...again. My hair. It's one big yawn.

I've been thinking of texlaxing early for my salon visit next Friday. Getting my hair cut in layers. Doing a black rinse. Flat ironing. So many things that I probably shouldn't do.

But I'm bored. I was never bored with my hair before. Even though I basically wore the same hair style for YEARS. My wrap never got old to me. But these protective styles are such a bore to me. Even with accessories and different twists on the bun, updos, braidouts, etc.

I'm serious contemplating going back to bone straight because I really do miss straight hair.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

8:03a

I'm all about instant gratification. I want it and I want it now. And that's the attitude I've carried into my hair care journey.

I want a full head of healthy and thick hair now. Not two years from now. Now!

I have been contemplating cutting my hair and starting with a "clean" slate. I was going to texlax at 6 weeks instead of the 10 I am trying to stretch to now, in order to make this happen. But what I realized was that cutting my hair isn't going to get me closer to my goal of healthy and thick hair. Only time, patience and consistency is going to do that.

I've got to put the things I've learned into practice and believe that it's going to pay off. I know that I can manage the hair I have now, even it is a bit uneven and damaged at parts. I've revised my regimen for the remainder of the summer as follows:

Deep condition 2x a week
Prepoo 1x a week
Protective style daily in buns, ponytails or braid outs
No protein unless it's absolutely evident that my hair needs it
And absolutely no heat

In order for me to achieve health, moisture is going to be key for me. I'll be patient with my hair and allow it to grow at it's own rate versus me trying to rush the issue by being rash.

Target

8:45a

I read something that made more sense to me than anything I've read thus far on my hair care journey.

It's all about targeting one problem at a time. I got so caught up in trying to do so many things for the health of my hair, that I forgot that I can't fix everything all at once. And that led to me not fixing ANYTHING.

It makes sense to have a target for your hair care. Especially when you are having several issues. For me, it's moisture. That's been my issue since the beginning. I am able to keep my hair well moisturized and breakage free, but then something pops up and I'm thinking, maybe I NEED to do a protein treatment. Or maybe I NEED to try this or that to see if it can make my hair grow longer.

Having a target keeps me focused. Which when faced with so much knowledge can be challenging. It's hard to keep the bits and pieces that I learn everyday from cropping up in my hair care as something I want to try. Now, I take those bits and pieces that APPLY to my target and it allows me to focus on tackling one problem at a time.

Targeting some specific problem also allows you to purchase products that combat that issue. I've gone to the hair aisle at my local store and have been overwhelmed by the choices, unable to figure out what I want and need. Now that I am focusing on moisture, I go in knowing exactly what to look for. Products that say "For damaged hair," "For color treated hair" or "For extremely dry hair," all catch my eye now. Before, anything with a pretty package was in my cart!

Right now, as I said, I'm focusing on moisture. I know that moisture is going to be what helps my hair to grow, get healthy and stay healthy.

Have you ever tried targeting one specific problem versus trying to tackle them all at once?

Most Worn Protective Styles

8:51a

I was once against protective styles. I thought they were all boring and I would want to wear my hair out more than put it up.

Thanks to some research, I was able to find out that protective styling didn't just mean buns. Buns are a great way to protect the ends and keep hair moisturized. I found that I need change in order to not get bored with my hair.

One of my favorite protective styles is wearing rods. I love curly hair. This allows me to curl hair when wet and eliminate the need for a blow dryer and a curling iron {which is the way I used to spiral curl my hair}
The good ol' bun. This is my standby. If I feel my ends need protection or I'm just too lazy to do anything else, the bun is always there to give me a low maintenance style that is still presentable.

I have an assortment of "up and out of the way" protective styles. I usually never know how they look in the back until I take a picture. I always carry some sort of clip with me. Just in case.

I do a lot of twist outs and because of the cut of my hair {or should I call it what it is...damage}, I am not able to wear it down all the time. Thus, the twist out gets swept back into a ponytail. Either I pin it up or let it hang, depending on my mood.

All these styles are protective, as I'm not adding any heat to the hair or manipulating much. I pretty much wear a protective style every day. Hopefully I'll see some results from my dedication to keeping the heat out and the protective in!

REVIEW: ORS Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Moisturizing Hair Lotion

8:29a

This past week I bought Organic Root Stimulator's Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Moisturizing Hair Lotion.

I used a small sample of it that was provided with the ORS Olive Oil Relaxer and fell in love with the consistency of it. It was thick and creamy, perfect for straight, flat-ironed styles.

The product claims that it:

• Restores moisture to dry, thirsty hair
  Conditions and protects the hair from high heat
  Not greasy or sticky
  Provides long lasting shine
  Protect the hair from blow dryers and curling irons
  Moisturize the hair and scalp
  Condition and strengthen damaged hair

I have to say that this product does all it claims to do. I love how it really just soaked into my hair, versus sitting on top of my hair. I also loved that it protects hair from heat. I'm not sure if it's at the same level as products that are specifically heat protectants, but I appreciate a product that can as both a moisturizer AND a heat protectant. Less money out of my pockets.
The only thing that may bother some, is the scent. It's a scent that's hard to describe but doesn't fade as time passes. It's subtle enough that it isn't overpowering, but if sensitive, may want to use more sparingly. It didn't bother me, it actually grew on me over time.
ORS Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Moisturizing Hair Lotion gets an A+ from me. And at about $5 bucks, it's easy on the pockets. The lotion is rich and will last a long time.

You Care More About Your Hair Than You Do Me

8:19a

That is what my husband said to me as I applied my deep conditioner in front of the mirror.

"You care more about your hair than you do me"

These past couple of months on this hair journey have afforded me the opportunity to really learn about the proper care for my hair. I've never been so wrapped up in the health of my hair. I don't consider this being vain at all. Is it vain to exercise? Is it vain to eat right? Then I don't understand how it is vain to take care of hair, another part of the body.

Needless to say, I disagreed with my husband. It takes time to properly care for hair. He should be happier that he's not shelling out the big bucks for me to get my hair done every two weeks.

Does anyone else have this problem? Are you considered vain for taking care of your hair so well?

Well Hi There...Hello Hydration

8:16a

So. I left the Hello Hydration sitting for awhile in the cabinet. It had disappointed me terribly and I couldn't bear to look at it, let alone pick up the bottle. Until last night.

I deep conditioned with a mix of Aussie 3 min, EVOO and honey. I also added in some V05 moisture milk and some Garnier Fructis I'm trying to get rid of. I let that mixture sit on my head for about 3 hours as I cooked dinner, fed the girls, gave baths, etc.

After I rinsed, it was so soft and silky. I was in heaven. I shampooed with Hello Hydration Moisturizing Shampoo and it was still silky. But I couldn't shampoo without following up with a conditioner. Here's where the Hello Hydration conditioner comes in.

Can I just say, like butter! My hair was so thirsty and I had just given it the best drink of it's life. A nice tall glass of ice water.

Needless to say, my hair is extremely happy today.

Hello Hydration is back on my radar, for it's originally intended purpose. Though I can't lie, I snuck in some as a moisturizer last night. So far so good.

Aloe Vera

8:40a

I finally purchased some Fruit of the Earth 100% Pure Aloe Vera gel. I purchased a very small, travel size bottle, to make sure it worked well for me.

It does. It's really great at laying my edges down and it kept them moisturized the entire day.

Aloe Vera Gel includes an enzyme that is beneficial in stimulating new hair reproduction. This will be perfect in aiding in the continued growth of my edges. They have filled in a lot since May, and hopefully the Aloe Vera gel will promote even more growth.

Aloe Vera is definitely a keeper.

Try it, you'll like it.

Your Hair is What You Eat...Literally...

8:35a

I think I have figured out my protein overload quandary. It's a known fact that relaxers strip our hair of its protein bonds so as a woman with relaxed hair, I need to add that protein back in order to have strong hair.

I finally realized today, that I have an extremely protein rich diet, and that my hair may not need any topically added protein to help strengthen it.

What you eat and drink does effect your hair. The protein/moisture balance is an extremely difficult one to master. Don't forget to take what you eat into effect when considering whether your hair is in need of moisture or protein.

I've learned that my hair thrives when it's moisturized. Others will find that their hair becomes "mushy" or over moisturized very quickly. These heads need protein.

It really is about learning your hair. Just because that egg treatment worked for one person, doesn't mean it's going to work for you. I'm discovering that a light or very mild protein treatment will be all I need.

It really is important to factor in everything when caring for hair.

Romancing the Hair

7:18a

So. This weekend I wined and dined my hair. After my realization last week that I had inadvertently over-proteinated {totally made up word} my hair, I recognized that I let everything I was learning about my hair, was getting in my way.

I was putting everything I was learning into practice at once. My hair revolted. It was crying for the simple regime I began with. The one where I washed my hair twice a week, alternating between conditioner and shampoo. The one where I deep conditioned once a week with Dr. Miracle's Tingling Intensive Deep Conditioning Treatment.

I forgot how effective that was because I got sidetracked by what this new conditioner could do, what this mixture could do and so on and so forth.

I was derailed by products.

So after my protein bumps last week, I decided to go back to basics. I haven't been on this journey long, but I needed to go back to what worked for me. I strayed away from Dr. Miracle's because so many on LHCF hated the products. This product is the only one I have tried, and I have to be 100% honest. I really love it.

It moisturizes my hair like no other. Especially now, when my hair was begging for moisture.

My hair hasn't returned to it's full glory, but it's on its way. A few more weeks of Dr. Miracle's and I think I'll be in a good place.

I'm going to have to always remember that just because it doesn't work for someone else, doesn't mean it won't work for me. And vice versa.

Try it. You may like it.

REVIEW: Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave-In

8:52a

After weeks and weeks of reading about what a great product Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship was, I finally went and bought it. And it was on sale at Target for $2.79, so that make me extremely happy.

I needed something to moisturize my dry ends. My ends are a little raggedy because I haven't had a real trim in over a year.

Herbal Essences claims that Long Term Relationship Leave- In "prevent split ends and maintain your long locks—that's the secret of a long-term relationship. my luscious leave-in is like a velvety kiss of protective conditioning that strengthens your hair against split ends and breakage. hey beautiful, let's stay together until the end."

I have to say, I like this product. At first, the scent seemed overpowering and a tad perfumy. But it grew on my. And I'm swinging my head just to get a whiff of it. I'm using this product mainly on my edges and my ends, concentrating on the last two inches. I bought the product on Saturday, so I've only used it twice. So far, so good. My ends seem quenched, however, it didn't do much for my edges. After saturating my ends, I seal with Castor oil.

I'm going to keep using HE LTR for my ends, it seems to be just what they need.

Damage

8:40a

Last night, I washed, conditioned, blow dried and flat ironed my hair.

I know, I know...just yesterday I was on a no heat diet. Well, I got the itch and I had to scratch. But that's not my point.

Last night, as I was parting my hair to put rollers in for the night, I noticed how severely damaged the left side of my hair is from years of wrapping in the same direction. The hair on that side goes to my chin. The hair on my right side reaches my collar bone. That's a huge difference.

I'm deciding whether or not I want to cut my hair or just wait until the left catches up to the right. But at this point, I'm wondering if that will ever happen.

I am trying not to get discouraged, but this one is really bothering me.

Protein is NOT my Friend

7:15a

Protein is my nemesis. My enemy. The thorn in my side...errr...hair?

Two weeks ago I did an egg protein treatment on my hair. LOVED IT. Loved the immediate strength I felt, but also was a little miffed by the dryness/tangles I was experiencing. I deep conditioned, several times, but there has been no change.

I'm realizing that my hair doesn't like protein or is extremely protein sensitive. I don't need a third time to let me know that protein is most certainly the culprit. The same thing happened to me that last time I used protein.

I'm headed to the store later on to pick up a heavy duty deep conditioner and moisturizer and attempt to nurse my hair back to health this weekend. I'm sure it will take longer than two days, but that is where I plan to start.

I vow to my hair that I will not make this mistake again. I will only use mild protein. The egg was too strong. I have a mild protein conditioner, which I think when used sparingly will be all that I need.

Hair Today

11:25a


I'm getting better with the twist outs. I'm really proud that I'm learning definite techniques that will help me as my hair continues to get long.

I like twist outs because it's an easy way to air dry my hair and still add interest. I'm on a no heat diet for awhile and this is perfect.

However, my hair is so uneven from damage and old layers growing out, that it's pretty difficult to wear this style and have my entire head be uniform. So usually, I pull my twist outs back into ponytails or twist into an up do.

I'm waiting for a more healthy hair of head before I do a heat style. Maybe next month. This month, I'm all about protective styles.

From Favorite to Grave

8:57a

I hate to say it. But Hello Hydration may be going to the grave. It's leaving a coating on my hair that I think has been the source of all my frustration the past few days.

I have heard amazing things about Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave in. I'm going to purchase some tomorrow and see if that makes a difference on my hair.

I think I may have to rotate my products. Also, I tend to be really heavy handed with products, that may be contribuiting to the issue.

I'll report back.

Out With the Old

8:04a

So I'm noticing that the products I LOVED last week, are failing me this week. What's up with that. I guess I understand why everyone is always running out, buying up everything. Well, last week, Hello Hydration and Elasta QP Mango Butter was all I needed to get by.

Well, this week it's a totally different story. I'm not sure what the problem is, but those products aren't doing much for my hair. My hair is still soft and moisturized, but not moisturized like it was last week. And not as lusciously luscious either. Last week, I couldn't keep my hands off my hair. And this week, my hair is not that irresistible to me.

I wonder if hair gets "used" to products. Or maybe I'm getting used to my hair feeling soft and moisturized now so I can't tell the difference.

Whichever the case, I'm in the mood to try something new.