Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
Thanks, Alma!!!
Here is Day 6 hair, if I'm counting correctly.
YvetteWithJoy, Your hair looks fantastic! Such nice curl definition.
Bsl/mbl 2018 Challenge!!
- Thread starter Prettymetty
- Start date
YvetteWithJoy, Your hair looks fantastic! Such nice curl definition.
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
So happy for you on your new job. You'll be great!
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
I wonder if using too much of your shea mix primarily caused the greasiness. I have a shea mix and my hair can get that greasy feeling if I use too much when I'm trying to combat extra dryness.
My mix has unrefined shea butter, JBCO, sunflower oil, EVOO, and geranium essential oil. I try to keep a good balance between thicker and thinner oils. Whats in yours? I apologize if you've stated this before.
If my hair feels drier than normal after initially applying my liquid and shea mix/cream, I've found that adding more liquid and smoothing it in helps me prevent greasiness and correct the dryness, rather than immediately adding more of the mix/cream. If the additional liquid didn't seem to help, then I add a tiny amount of a light oil or serum to seal** and smooth in, but I don't apply any more of the shea mix or cream. Maybe this could work for you.
**I used to love Morroccanoil or argan oil for this purpose, but now I use sunflower oil. I used to have a lot of oils, but now I've used them up and trying to save money/space by keeping a much smaller stash.
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
I haven’t updated in a very long time, but I’ve been keeping up with my hair maintenance. I have a lot to share, so I’ll break it up into more than one post.
As a reminder, I usually layer my products in order of LCBVOG (V=Vaseline; G=gel) after using leave-in conditioner on wash day. I have 3 different types of products that I use for the C (1. Alberto VO5, Moisture Milks Passion Fruit Smoothie Conditioner (VO5) by itself; 2. VO5 mixed with black castor oil, sunflower oil, and EVOO; and 3. VO5 mixed with shea butter (lightly refined), black castor oil, sunflower oil, EVOO, and essential oil). The B is a shea butter mix I make that includes heavy unrefined shea butter, black castor oil, sunflower oil, EVOO, and essential oils. When I do LCBVOG on wash day I often use nos. 1 and 3 together as the C, and when doing my M&S during the week, I tend to use nos. 2 and 3 together as the C. Every once in a while I only use only one of them as the C.
First of all, I want to give a huge shout-out to @PJaye because she really helped me think long and hard about my products and how they could be affecting my hair in her really informative post copied below (March 8 in the Random Hair Thoughts thread).
Since then, I’ve paid closer attention to how my hair is feeling. I’m still absorbing all of what PJaye wrote, which could take some time, but I’m slowly incorporating her suggestions, starting with protein and noting how my hair is feeling upon product applications. I may consider no longer using butters and Vaseline in the future. But I will be finishing off my current products, then looking at new ones that avoid hidden protein ingredients and include lighter, silkier, slippery finishing products/ingredients. I noticed that Avocado oil reacts the exact same smoothing way as in PJaye’s hair and so I’m excited to see what ingredients like naturesilk and pumpkin can do for me.
Before her post, I had already identified the following as ingredients my hair likes in conditioners:
· Stearyl alcohol
· Cetyl alcohol
· Cetearyl alcohol
· Stearylkonium chloride
· Behentrimonium chloride
· Cetrimonium chloride
· Steramidopropyl dimethylamine
So I’ve tried to stick with these and variations thereof for at least a decade now. But, it had not occurred to me to identify the kinds of proteins that my hair likes. Focusing on how specific proteins react to my hair was such a helpful piece of info! After I use up my current protein products (Colorful Neutral Protein Filler, ApHogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer, and Nexxus Humectress Caviar Complex), I’ll investigate the ingredients/protein products that worked for PJaye:
· Strength – Wheat and Quinoa
· Moisture with kick of Strength – Keratin or Silk
· Elasticity – Collagen
· Komaza Protein Strengthener – Keratin, Silk, Wheat, and Collagen with slip
As a reminder, I usually layer my products in order of LCBVOG (V=Vaseline; G=gel) after using leave-in conditioner on wash day. I have 3 different types of products that I use for the C (1. Alberto VO5, Moisture Milks Passion Fruit Smoothie Conditioner (VO5) by itself; 2. VO5 mixed with black castor oil, sunflower oil, and EVOO; and 3. VO5 mixed with shea butter (lightly refined), black castor oil, sunflower oil, EVOO, and essential oil). The B is a shea butter mix I make that includes heavy unrefined shea butter, black castor oil, sunflower oil, EVOO, and essential oils. When I do LCBVOG on wash day I often use nos. 1 and 3 together as the C, and when doing my M&S during the week, I tend to use nos. 2 and 3 together as the C. Every once in a while I only use only one of them as the C.
First of all, I want to give a huge shout-out to @PJaye because she really helped me think long and hard about my products and how they could be affecting my hair in her really informative post copied below (March 8 in the Random Hair Thoughts thread).
I understand completely. Two years ago, I battled the exact same things - constant breakage from applying product, a high level of breakage, tangling and shedding from my hair flying towards each end of the moisture-balance spectrum, never quite finding a good balance, fearful of combing and styling my hair because it was fragile, etc. My hair was suffering and I had no idea what to do. So, I approached things methodically by keeping track of what I used, when I used it, how I used it and the effects of each. Here are some things that I learned:
- Identifying what my hair looked like and how it behaved when it was: (1) fully moisturized; (2) balanced; (3) imbalanced and in need of moisture; (4) imbalanced and in need of protein; and (5) imbalanced due to porosity issues. IME, many people seem to equate moisturized hair with softness, e.g., if their hair is soft, then it's moisturized. IMO, that's not the case because dehydrated hair can still be soft. For me, a sure fire sign that my hair is truly moisturized is when it feels and looks plump and juicy when dry; and when it feels cold to the touch, as if it's still wet when it isn't. It also hangs differently, as if it is weighted with product when it's bare. Conversely, when my hair is balanced, it looks and feels springy and resilient. I wholeheartedly believe that the key to solving any issue that arises lies in knowing my hair's characteristics (and as a senior citizen, I can emphatically state that these characteristics can and will change over time, so I keep on top of them).
- Knowing the ingredients and additives that produces the best results for my hair. Having this knowledge makes my routine simple and predictable, and it also enables me to pick the right products. For instance, I know that DCs that contain cocoa butter, jojoba, EVOO and pumpkin will give me ultra moisture; anything with avocado will be very smoothing, but less moisturizing; all ayurveda and fruit (except banana) makes my hair hard and rough; naturesilk, venasilk, guar silk, et al gives good slip and softness, and honey/agave gives great moisture, but must be offset by other emollients or it will be a disaster. Knowledge is power.
- Porosity matters. If it is thrown off in either direction, it will effect everything that is done to it and how it behaves. The methods for moisturizing and achieving balance differs between those who are low, normal and high porosity. Knowing and correcting my porosity was a game changer.
- The DC matters. What I choose to DC with is crucial. If the product of choice does not provide long-lasting moisture until the following wash/DC day, it's ineffective and needs to be tossed. I shouldn't have to spend the subsequent days after DCing bolstering or making up for a lackluster DC. So, I chose to use only highly effective DCs. Just as I wouldn't advise any woman to work with a broke brother, I don't advocate working with a substandard DC. Fire it and get a more efficient employee.
- All proteins aren't created equal. My hair responded to each protein differently and not necessarily in the manner in which they're defined, e.g., keratin is purported to be strengthening, whereas silk and wheat are described as being more moisturizing. However, on my hair, it's the opposite - if I want serious strength, I turn to wheat and quinoa; if I want moisture with a small kick of strength, I use keratin or silk; if I need elasticity, collagen is always my first pick.
- It's important to use the right protein at the right time. I ditched the schedules and ignored the manufacturer's directions, and did what my hair told me it needed. When I listened, it rewarded me by sticking around and not breaking, tangling and shedding.
- Differentiating between protein treatments and protein-laden conditioners. I use the former for restructuring and the latter for maintenance.
- Avoid all protein-laden finishing products and keep an eye on hidden proteins because they could inadvertently throw things out of wack (some examples of hidden proteins are algae, aloe vera, EVCO, coconut cream/milk, yogurt, kelp and seaweed).
- I initially erred on the moisture side of the equation because correcting moisture overload is easier and quicker than addressing protein overload. This meant that I only used moisturizing, highly emollient DCs and finishing products. If a product had any protein, it was stored away until later.
- Using a complex protein treatment gives the best results. At the time, I preferred to have all of my proteins at once, so I picked a product that offered them all in a highly effective product - Komaza Protein Strengthener. I got keratin, silk, wheat and collagen served on the same plate with great slip. This product is unparalleled.
- Until the crisis abated, I only used DCS that were light albeit highly moisturizing, and finishing products that were light with a silky or slimy consistency. I put aside my ultra thick, creamy products and opted for APBs DCs along with JC Untangle Me and TGIN LI. As much as I love a thick, creamy product, I found that lighter products produced less mechanical damage, and provided more slip and smoothing.
- Only seal with oil and avoid heavy butters, creams, greases and grease-like products. I only use the heavy butters and creams to keep my ends smoothed out and tangle free. All greases are a big, flat no. That's a recipe for hard, greasy hair.
- Once I achieved balance, I maintained it through the use of balancing DCs. IMO, moisture-only DCs are only good for the protein sensitive, after a hard kick of protein and before straightening. I'm able to achieve long-term balance with protein-laden DCs.
There's more, but I think this rather obese post should get you started in addressing your concerns. Start slowly and methodically, and things will turn around. I wish you the best.
Since then, I’ve paid closer attention to how my hair is feeling. I’m still absorbing all of what PJaye wrote, which could take some time, but I’m slowly incorporating her suggestions, starting with protein and noting how my hair is feeling upon product applications. I may consider no longer using butters and Vaseline in the future. But I will be finishing off my current products, then looking at new ones that avoid hidden protein ingredients and include lighter, silkier, slippery finishing products/ingredients. I noticed that Avocado oil reacts the exact same smoothing way as in PJaye’s hair and so I’m excited to see what ingredients like naturesilk and pumpkin can do for me.
Before her post, I had already identified the following as ingredients my hair likes in conditioners:
· Stearyl alcohol
· Cetyl alcohol
· Cetearyl alcohol
· Stearylkonium chloride
· Behentrimonium chloride
· Cetrimonium chloride
· Steramidopropyl dimethylamine
So I’ve tried to stick with these and variations thereof for at least a decade now. But, it had not occurred to me to identify the kinds of proteins that my hair likes. Focusing on how specific proteins react to my hair was such a helpful piece of info! After I use up my current protein products (Colorful Neutral Protein Filler, ApHogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer, and Nexxus Humectress Caviar Complex), I’ll investigate the ingredients/protein products that worked for PJaye:
· Strength – Wheat and Quinoa
· Moisture with kick of Strength – Keratin or Silk
· Elasticity – Collagen
· Komaza Protein Strengthener – Keratin, Silk, Wheat, and Collagen with slip
Last edited:
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
After spending some time considering PJaye’s advice, and reviewing my current product ingredients, my wash days/weeks went as follows:
Monday, March 12:
I washed with Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and deep conditioned for 45 minutes under the dryer with Pantene NatureFusion Moisturizing Conditioner and Aussie Mega Moist (contains ingredients from the bulleted conditioner list above). I used Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner. I sprayed my hair – mostly at the ends – with ApHogee Keratin & Green Tea.
I paid much closer attention to my hair than usual. My hair felt dry before washing, but then the deep conditioning session really softened it up. A few of my ends broke as I detangled with my fingers when I rinsed out the conditioner. It was really minor – probably 4-5 strands and I mostly had shed hair. I decided against using a heavier protein and used the ApHogee because I didn’t think my hair needed anything heavier (and I didn’t feel like doing a protein treatment after washing, deep conditioning, and detangling my hair).
I did my LCBV, but did not add the O or G at the end because I’m trying to hold onto my batch of Wetline Xtreme gel for as long as I can and I forgot to use O. My hair felt really moisturized, but I don’t think I had enough slip. I put my hair in 4 flat twists and stayed under the dryer for at least 1 hour. My hair was still damp when I went to bed.
I wore my hair with those twists underneath headscarves or hats all week. I moisturized my twists without untwisting by doing LCBV during the week – every other day. I kept forgetting to use O. I undid the twists and pinned my curls up for church at the end of the week. My hair looked really pretty in the French roll updo with the ends out and tendrils in the front. Despite the lack of gel, my hair did not get frizzy until hours before wash day. This was a good hair week.
Monday, March 19:
I washed with Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and Redken Cleansing Cream. I used a new conditioner, Salon Selectives Argan Oil Hair Treatment, that I saw Napptural85 use when she was trying dollar store products.
I had used a few Salon Selectives conditioners in high school and thought they were ok, but nothing especially moisturizing, so I never tried to pick up the Argan Oil Hair Treatment when I saw it in the Dollar Tree or 99 Cents Store. Naptural 85 seemed to like it, so I picked it up over the weekend because the price was right. I deep conditioned with it for nearly an hour because I was feeling really lazy reading and the heat from the dryer felt good.
Well, when I rinsed and detangled with my wide tooth comb, my hair broke off even more than the last wash day. I wondered if I over-conditioned my hair, but then realized that it had been three months since my last trim and it was probably time for another one. I decided against using a protein treatment because: 1. I didn’t think my hair needed it due to using protein during my last wash day; 2. I didn’t want to deal with protein overload; and 3. I didn’t feel like doing a protein treatment because I already washed, deep conditioned, and detangled my hair. If I did a protein treatment, I would have to go under the dryer and then rinse and deep condition again with a moisturizing conditioner. Nope. Plus, I didn’t want my hair to be hard if I end up blow drying it to trim on my next wash day.
I used Paul Mitchell The Conditioner as my leave-in and applied black castor oil. I again did the LCBV and skipped the O after the V because of my prior use of the black castor oil and skipped the G at the end because I’m hoarding my Wetline gel. I went under the dryer after brushing with my Felicia Leatherwood brush and putting my hair in 5 flat twists.
While I was under the dryer, I re-twisted my hair at least 3 times for smoothness and to help dry my hair faster. About 2 of my strands snapped during these twisting sessions. From now on, I will only twist once unless I use O in the LCBVO because I don’t think my hair had enough slip.
I moisturized hair with LCBV the next night, Tuesday, because my hair was so dry, but I didn’t think to use any O again. I really laid the LCBV products on thickly. I cut out a few ssks and bad splits. I kept my hair in those twists under hats and scarves all week.
I undid my twists on Friday night and used flexirods with water followed by Lottabody Setting Lotion (diluted in spray bottle, of course). I airdried my hair from that night until late afternoon the next day. My hair was 90% dry when I took out the rods Saturday afternoon. The curls looked tight and I left them out for the rest of the day. By evening, the curls settled nicely. On Sunday, I put my hair in a high ponytail.
The last 3 inches of my hair are frizzy and dry on Monday (March 26). I think that my hair was drier this week because I neglected to use O on wash day and I over-dried my ends under the dryer in an attempt to not go to bed with damp hair. I dislike going to bed with damp hair because my hair is never dry in the morning if it is damp when I go to bed. But my hair did not recover from the dryness despite being sprayed with water followed by Lottabody spray.
I will work harder next week to keep my hair moisturized and supple. I learned that I cannot skip the O in LCBVO and I should go to bed with my hair about 75% dry after wash day. I’m wondering if I should avoid using black castor oil right after my leave-in conditioner, but go from the leave-in to doing the LCBVO. My hair doesn’t seem to be reacting well to black castor oil by itself lately. I’m not sure why.
Monday, March 12:
I washed with Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and deep conditioned for 45 minutes under the dryer with Pantene NatureFusion Moisturizing Conditioner and Aussie Mega Moist (contains ingredients from the bulleted conditioner list above). I used Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner. I sprayed my hair – mostly at the ends – with ApHogee Keratin & Green Tea.
I paid much closer attention to my hair than usual. My hair felt dry before washing, but then the deep conditioning session really softened it up. A few of my ends broke as I detangled with my fingers when I rinsed out the conditioner. It was really minor – probably 4-5 strands and I mostly had shed hair. I decided against using a heavier protein and used the ApHogee because I didn’t think my hair needed anything heavier (and I didn’t feel like doing a protein treatment after washing, deep conditioning, and detangling my hair).
I did my LCBV, but did not add the O or G at the end because I’m trying to hold onto my batch of Wetline Xtreme gel for as long as I can and I forgot to use O. My hair felt really moisturized, but I don’t think I had enough slip. I put my hair in 4 flat twists and stayed under the dryer for at least 1 hour. My hair was still damp when I went to bed.
I wore my hair with those twists underneath headscarves or hats all week. I moisturized my twists without untwisting by doing LCBV during the week – every other day. I kept forgetting to use O. I undid the twists and pinned my curls up for church at the end of the week. My hair looked really pretty in the French roll updo with the ends out and tendrils in the front. Despite the lack of gel, my hair did not get frizzy until hours before wash day. This was a good hair week.
Monday, March 19:
I washed with Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and Redken Cleansing Cream. I used a new conditioner, Salon Selectives Argan Oil Hair Treatment, that I saw Napptural85 use when she was trying dollar store products.
I had used a few Salon Selectives conditioners in high school and thought they were ok, but nothing especially moisturizing, so I never tried to pick up the Argan Oil Hair Treatment when I saw it in the Dollar Tree or 99 Cents Store. Naptural 85 seemed to like it, so I picked it up over the weekend because the price was right. I deep conditioned with it for nearly an hour because I was feeling really lazy reading and the heat from the dryer felt good.
Well, when I rinsed and detangled with my wide tooth comb, my hair broke off even more than the last wash day. I wondered if I over-conditioned my hair, but then realized that it had been three months since my last trim and it was probably time for another one. I decided against using a protein treatment because: 1. I didn’t think my hair needed it due to using protein during my last wash day; 2. I didn’t want to deal with protein overload; and 3. I didn’t feel like doing a protein treatment because I already washed, deep conditioned, and detangled my hair. If I did a protein treatment, I would have to go under the dryer and then rinse and deep condition again with a moisturizing conditioner. Nope. Plus, I didn’t want my hair to be hard if I end up blow drying it to trim on my next wash day.
I used Paul Mitchell The Conditioner as my leave-in and applied black castor oil. I again did the LCBV and skipped the O after the V because of my prior use of the black castor oil and skipped the G at the end because I’m hoarding my Wetline gel. I went under the dryer after brushing with my Felicia Leatherwood brush and putting my hair in 5 flat twists.
While I was under the dryer, I re-twisted my hair at least 3 times for smoothness and to help dry my hair faster. About 2 of my strands snapped during these twisting sessions. From now on, I will only twist once unless I use O in the LCBVO because I don’t think my hair had enough slip.
I moisturized hair with LCBV the next night, Tuesday, because my hair was so dry, but I didn’t think to use any O again. I really laid the LCBV products on thickly. I cut out a few ssks and bad splits. I kept my hair in those twists under hats and scarves all week.
I undid my twists on Friday night and used flexirods with water followed by Lottabody Setting Lotion (diluted in spray bottle, of course). I airdried my hair from that night until late afternoon the next day. My hair was 90% dry when I took out the rods Saturday afternoon. The curls looked tight and I left them out for the rest of the day. By evening, the curls settled nicely. On Sunday, I put my hair in a high ponytail.
The last 3 inches of my hair are frizzy and dry on Monday (March 26). I think that my hair was drier this week because I neglected to use O on wash day and I over-dried my ends under the dryer in an attempt to not go to bed with damp hair. I dislike going to bed with damp hair because my hair is never dry in the morning if it is damp when I go to bed. But my hair did not recover from the dryness despite being sprayed with water followed by Lottabody spray.
I will work harder next week to keep my hair moisturized and supple. I learned that I cannot skip the O in LCBVO and I should go to bed with my hair about 75% dry after wash day. I’m wondering if I should avoid using black castor oil right after my leave-in conditioner, but go from the leave-in to doing the LCBVO. My hair doesn’t seem to be reacting well to black castor oil by itself lately. I’m not sure why.
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
Wednesday, March 28:
I washed my hair with a mixture of Redken Cleansing Cream and Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and deep conditioning for 30 minutes under a dryer with Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner and Daily Defense Damage Defense Deep Conditioner. Together, these conditioners have all of the bulleted conditioning ingredients I listed in an above post except for cetearyl alcohol. Kenra has hydrolyzed wheat protein as the 5th ingredient. I lightly rinsed out the conditioner and detangled with my wide tooth comb, then rinsed thoroughly. I used Shea Solutions Leave-In Conditioner (contains ingredients from bulleted list).
I blow dried my hair with Hair Rules Blow it All Out and Tigi Catwalk Blow Out Balm. Then I flat-ironed on 165 degrees to stretch my hair and used Silk Elements MegaSilk Heat Protection Spray. I trimmed about ½ inch. My ends needed it and I’m hoping to even out my hair except for the face framing layers. My hair felt pretty soft, not hard – it looked kinky-straight, which was the look I was going for. But, I lost quite a lot of broken hair during my blow dry and flat iron. I always do. Despite this, my hair looks full and my ends appear to be blunt and even. My hair is about an inch away from BSL in the back and just past APL in the front. I think I will trim again in 6 to 8 weeks rather than 12 weeks like I did this time because I think this may cut down on the breakage.
I put my hair in a bun with several tucked braids to form a stylish knot. I left my hair in different scarves (with a satin cap) during the rest of the week. By Easter, I re-moisturized with C2 and C3 followed by B and V. I put my hair in a single braided low bun. I wore scarves with a satin cap for the rest of the week. A few days later I repeated this and left my hair this way until my next wash day. Each night, I wore a satin scarf.
Sunday, April 8:
I washed my hair with a mixture of Redken Cleansing Cream and Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo. I didn’t have enough time to deep condition under the dryer and this was the first time I hadn’t done so this year. I conditioned with Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner and Shea Solutions Deep Conditioner & Cowash under a plastic cap while I continued my shower. Then I lightly rinsed and detangled with a wide tooth comb. I lost a lot of shed hair due to the length of time since my last wash day. My roots were harder to comb.
I used Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner and flat twisted my hair in 5 flat twists while in the shower. After leaving a microfiber towel on my head for about 30 minutes, I re-twisted my flat twists with a natural bristle brush, using LCBV. I used White Rain Kids Detangler as the L. My hair felt soft, but I had broken ends while twisting my hair. Again, I had forgotten to use the O in my routine and I didn’t want to use up my holy grail G. I have been unable to find any more of the old formula of the WetLine Xtreme gel. I only have ½ jar left.
The next morning, I undid my twists and put my hair in a low bun with a single braid that was wrapped and pinned around the ponytail. It looked decent.
I wore a satin scarf to bed every night and during the day, I either wore a nice headscarf or hat with a satin cap underneath during the week. I reapplied C2 and C3 about every 2 nights during the week. I used White Rain Kids Detangler as the L. On Thursday morning, I concentrated the C3 on my ends and my roots. I used ORS Edge Control on my edges and some of my roots around my middle part. I brushed both the roots and the ends with a natural bristle because I struggled when detangling my roots during wash day and I wanted a smoother look for my ends. I really don’t like this edge control because you need to use a lot for it to work and it can leave a grey cast on my hair. I often have to add L to break it and get a smoother finish with the brush. But my edges around my nape always get frizzy and stand back up. I used my satin scarf for about 15 minutes before I left the house for the day.
On Saturday morning, I applied L (White Rain Kids Detangler) C2 and C3 and brushed my hair with a natural bristle brush and tucked it into a French roll. I was running late to church, so I didn’t get to focus on my edges with the brush and the edge control. My hair looked nice, but lacked a polished, sophisticated, styled appearance.
By Saturday night, my hair was dry and stiff. Things don’t appear to be moving in the right direction with my hair.
I washed my hair with a mixture of Redken Cleansing Cream and Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and deep conditioning for 30 minutes under a dryer with Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner and Daily Defense Damage Defense Deep Conditioner. Together, these conditioners have all of the bulleted conditioning ingredients I listed in an above post except for cetearyl alcohol. Kenra has hydrolyzed wheat protein as the 5th ingredient. I lightly rinsed out the conditioner and detangled with my wide tooth comb, then rinsed thoroughly. I used Shea Solutions Leave-In Conditioner (contains ingredients from bulleted list).
I blow dried my hair with Hair Rules Blow it All Out and Tigi Catwalk Blow Out Balm. Then I flat-ironed on 165 degrees to stretch my hair and used Silk Elements MegaSilk Heat Protection Spray. I trimmed about ½ inch. My ends needed it and I’m hoping to even out my hair except for the face framing layers. My hair felt pretty soft, not hard – it looked kinky-straight, which was the look I was going for. But, I lost quite a lot of broken hair during my blow dry and flat iron. I always do. Despite this, my hair looks full and my ends appear to be blunt and even. My hair is about an inch away from BSL in the back and just past APL in the front. I think I will trim again in 6 to 8 weeks rather than 12 weeks like I did this time because I think this may cut down on the breakage.
I put my hair in a bun with several tucked braids to form a stylish knot. I left my hair in different scarves (with a satin cap) during the rest of the week. By Easter, I re-moisturized with C2 and C3 followed by B and V. I put my hair in a single braided low bun. I wore scarves with a satin cap for the rest of the week. A few days later I repeated this and left my hair this way until my next wash day. Each night, I wore a satin scarf.
Sunday, April 8:
I washed my hair with a mixture of Redken Cleansing Cream and Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo. I didn’t have enough time to deep condition under the dryer and this was the first time I hadn’t done so this year. I conditioned with Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner and Shea Solutions Deep Conditioner & Cowash under a plastic cap while I continued my shower. Then I lightly rinsed and detangled with a wide tooth comb. I lost a lot of shed hair due to the length of time since my last wash day. My roots were harder to comb.
I used Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner and flat twisted my hair in 5 flat twists while in the shower. After leaving a microfiber towel on my head for about 30 minutes, I re-twisted my flat twists with a natural bristle brush, using LCBV. I used White Rain Kids Detangler as the L. My hair felt soft, but I had broken ends while twisting my hair. Again, I had forgotten to use the O in my routine and I didn’t want to use up my holy grail G. I have been unable to find any more of the old formula of the WetLine Xtreme gel. I only have ½ jar left.
The next morning, I undid my twists and put my hair in a low bun with a single braid that was wrapped and pinned around the ponytail. It looked decent.
I wore a satin scarf to bed every night and during the day, I either wore a nice headscarf or hat with a satin cap underneath during the week. I reapplied C2 and C3 about every 2 nights during the week. I used White Rain Kids Detangler as the L. On Thursday morning, I concentrated the C3 on my ends and my roots. I used ORS Edge Control on my edges and some of my roots around my middle part. I brushed both the roots and the ends with a natural bristle because I struggled when detangling my roots during wash day and I wanted a smoother look for my ends. I really don’t like this edge control because you need to use a lot for it to work and it can leave a grey cast on my hair. I often have to add L to break it and get a smoother finish with the brush. But my edges around my nape always get frizzy and stand back up. I used my satin scarf for about 15 minutes before I left the house for the day.
On Saturday morning, I applied L (White Rain Kids Detangler) C2 and C3 and brushed my hair with a natural bristle brush and tucked it into a French roll. I was running late to church, so I didn’t get to focus on my edges with the brush and the edge control. My hair looked nice, but lacked a polished, sophisticated, styled appearance.
By Saturday night, my hair was dry and stiff. Things don’t appear to be moving in the right direction with my hair.
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
Sunday, April 15:
I shampooed with Equate’s version of Head & Shoulders and conditioned with Pantene NatureFusion Moisturizing Conditioner and Aussie Moist Conditioner. I smoothed the conditioner from root to ends and finger-detangled from my ends up. I then used a wide tooth comb, losing a lot of mostly shed hair. My comb kept getting stuck at the roots. I did what I call double-conditioning, where I condition and detangle, rinse out, then add conditioner again, put on a plastic cap, and allow my hair to condition while I take a leisurely shower. It was hot outside – we didn’t turn on the AC – and I didn’t feel like being under the dryer. So I rinsed my hair thoroughly and used Shea Solutions Leave-In conditioner. I flat-twisted my hair in the shower in 7 sections. I’ve noticed that I’m getting faster at this. It took me just under 10 minutes to flat twist.
I wrapped my hair in a towel and removed it after about 30 minutes. Then I air-dried for about 2 ½ hours in those twists. My hair was still damp. For the first time in years, I rubbed my scalp with oil (sunflower) because I wondered if that would help cut down on itching. I have an oily scalp, but dry skin. On the last 2 wash days, my scalp appeared dry-flaky and I wondered if a very light application of oil would help with that and itchiness. I re-twisted my hair doing LCBVO and brushed with my Felicia Leatherwood followed by my natural bristle brush. My hair felt moisturized and soft. The 7 twists looked really nice, but could have looked better with G. As my L, I used the White Rain Kids Detangler followed by the ApHogee and Keratin Green Tea Restructurizer on my ends only due to some of the breakage. I could see a few split ends. I resisted the urge to S&D because I think doing that in the past has led to my thin ends.
I used sunflower oil again as the O. I like the lightness of sunflower oil. Also, I’m thinking that black castor oil hasn’t been working so well as a sealant for my leave-in conditioners on wash day. It seems to work better when used as an oil blend or in my B or C. I used C2 and C3, but with a small change to my C2. Because I had about a tablespoon of Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner remaining in the bottle and didn’t want to store it until my next wash day, I added olive oil and sunflower oil to the remainder, as well as some VO5 conditioner. It didn’t feel as moisturizing as my regular C2 and I think it is because my hair likes black castor oil in products.
I noticed that when I stretched my hair, it nearly reached my bra strap. I seem to be retaining length and my twists aren’t as thin at the ends. I wonder if my roots have been more tangled lately due to a growth spurt from my supplements. My hair air-dried for the rest of the day and felt pretty supple, heavier, and moisturized without feeling overly greasy. I examined my hair before putting on my satin scarf for bed. My hair felt good from roots to ends. I think the protein in the ApHogee helped. Something was missing though, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
The next morning, my hair was still damp, but I kept it in the flat twists while I worked at home. I did not need to re-moisturize my hair. My hair got wet in the shower that evening (I haven’t purchased my new shower cap from Ulta, yet ), so I slept with it out on my satin pillowcase so it could dry during the night.
This morning, my roots seem dry, but I don’t feel like taking out my twists to check. I trimmed off a few hairs with noticeable split ends and one ssk that had been bugging me since Sunday. I’ve been working from home today and if I need to go anywhere this evening, I can put on a pretty head scarf. I plan on re-moisturizing my hair before bed.
I shampooed with Equate’s version of Head & Shoulders and conditioned with Pantene NatureFusion Moisturizing Conditioner and Aussie Moist Conditioner. I smoothed the conditioner from root to ends and finger-detangled from my ends up. I then used a wide tooth comb, losing a lot of mostly shed hair. My comb kept getting stuck at the roots. I did what I call double-conditioning, where I condition and detangle, rinse out, then add conditioner again, put on a plastic cap, and allow my hair to condition while I take a leisurely shower. It was hot outside – we didn’t turn on the AC – and I didn’t feel like being under the dryer. So I rinsed my hair thoroughly and used Shea Solutions Leave-In conditioner. I flat-twisted my hair in the shower in 7 sections. I’ve noticed that I’m getting faster at this. It took me just under 10 minutes to flat twist.
I wrapped my hair in a towel and removed it after about 30 minutes. Then I air-dried for about 2 ½ hours in those twists. My hair was still damp. For the first time in years, I rubbed my scalp with oil (sunflower) because I wondered if that would help cut down on itching. I have an oily scalp, but dry skin. On the last 2 wash days, my scalp appeared dry-flaky and I wondered if a very light application of oil would help with that and itchiness. I re-twisted my hair doing LCBVO and brushed with my Felicia Leatherwood followed by my natural bristle brush. My hair felt moisturized and soft. The 7 twists looked really nice, but could have looked better with G. As my L, I used the White Rain Kids Detangler followed by the ApHogee and Keratin Green Tea Restructurizer on my ends only due to some of the breakage. I could see a few split ends. I resisted the urge to S&D because I think doing that in the past has led to my thin ends.
I used sunflower oil again as the O. I like the lightness of sunflower oil. Also, I’m thinking that black castor oil hasn’t been working so well as a sealant for my leave-in conditioners on wash day. It seems to work better when used as an oil blend or in my B or C. I used C2 and C3, but with a small change to my C2. Because I had about a tablespoon of Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner remaining in the bottle and didn’t want to store it until my next wash day, I added olive oil and sunflower oil to the remainder, as well as some VO5 conditioner. It didn’t feel as moisturizing as my regular C2 and I think it is because my hair likes black castor oil in products.
I noticed that when I stretched my hair, it nearly reached my bra strap. I seem to be retaining length and my twists aren’t as thin at the ends. I wonder if my roots have been more tangled lately due to a growth spurt from my supplements. My hair air-dried for the rest of the day and felt pretty supple, heavier, and moisturized without feeling overly greasy. I examined my hair before putting on my satin scarf for bed. My hair felt good from roots to ends. I think the protein in the ApHogee helped. Something was missing though, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
The next morning, my hair was still damp, but I kept it in the flat twists while I worked at home. I did not need to re-moisturize my hair. My hair got wet in the shower that evening (I haven’t purchased my new shower cap from Ulta, yet ), so I slept with it out on my satin pillowcase so it could dry during the night.
This morning, my roots seem dry, but I don’t feel like taking out my twists to check. I trimmed off a few hairs with noticeable split ends and one ssk that had been bugging me since Sunday. I’ve been working from home today and if I need to go anywhere this evening, I can put on a pretty head scarf. I plan on re-moisturizing my hair before bed.
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Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
So a couple of things have jumped out at me after reviewing all of my posts:
1. Twisting my hair a second time after air-drying on wash day works well with LCBVO. My hair retains moisture much better and re-twisting cuts down on frizz, making my hair smoother.
2. I am absolutely convinced that my hair cannot go on skipping the O. It gives nice slip to the stiffness that can come from the B and V. A light application of O is all I need to make my hair supple.
However, I need to also add the G back and continue with LCBVOG. My hair felt more moisturized when I did this. G gives a styled polish to my hair while twisted and when I undo the twists. I just realized what was missing when I looked at my hair this past Saturday and Sunday: My hair simply doesn’t look or feel as nice when I don’t use G. I will be on the lookout for an inexpensive replacement for the WetLine Xtreme. I may even try the new formula. I will finish up the ORS Edge Control and try Optimum Amla Legend Treasured Temple Edge Tamer next (based on this review).
4. I think I need to do a harder protein treatment on my next wash day to help put elasticity and strength back in my hair to counter the breakage. In addition, I did a lot more brushing that I usually do, so this should help strengthen my hair to withstand future mechanical damage. I need to be careful about doing too much brushing.
For more info regarding conditioning and protein ingredients I reviewed Paula Begoin’s book, “Don’t Go Shopping for Hair Care Products Without Me,” and came across this info regarding proteins on pp. 77-78:
I will use my Nexxus Humectress Caviar Complex Conditioner next wash day (probably followed by a conditioner without any protein). It has elastin, so I will do my best to apply it after towel drying as much as possible (blotting to avoid damage). Then I'll sit under the dryer.
The Humectress has the following hydrolyzed proteins as the 5th, 6th, and 7th ingredients, respectively:
· Elastin, keratin, and wheat.
· It also has hydrolyzed caviar extract as the 8th ingredient, but I don’t know if it would really do anything substantial for the hair.
It has the following conditioning ingredients that I’ve already identified as working well with my hair:
· Cetearyl Alcohol (2nd) and Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine (4th)
· (Dimethicone is 3rd and ok for my hair.)
The only issue is that it has coconut oil, which I avoid because my hair seems to hate it, but this ingredient is listed so far down that I hope it has a minimal impact. It is the 16th ingredient and listed after fragrance, so I think it should be ok. I have a completely full 1.3 L bottle that I purchased for $20 in December, so I will finish it, but I will not repurchase if my hair isn’t feeling it and I buy the Komaza Protein Strengthener.
My goal is to only use protein in very small doses so as not to trigger protein overload.
5. I need to trim about ¼ inch of my hair about 6 weeks after my last trim on March 28 – around May 9 or shortly afterwards. I plan on blow-drying and flat ironing lightly – just enough to stretch it out for a blunt trim on kinky-straight hair.
6. I think my supplements may be helping me with my retention by causing an increase in hair growth. My roots have been much more tangled than usual and my hair feels nearly as long as before I trimmed it in January. I’ve been taking:
· Vitamin World’s Ultra Woman Daily Multi, alternating daily with
· Vitamin World Hair, Skin, Nails
· Vitamin World MSM 1000mg
· Vitamin World Horsetail 440 mg
· Vitamin World Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000 mg
· Vitamin World, Sea Kelp 150 mcg
· Vitamin World, St. John’s Wort 900 mg
· Vitamin World, Chelated Zinc 25 mg ** I recently ran out and will repurchase soon
I wouldn’t mind increasing my daily Horsetail to 1320 mg and Omega 3 & MSM to 3000 mg, but they’re too expensive to repurchase more often and my current dosages seem to be effective. My nails are growing like weeds, my skin is fantastic, and my knees/ankles aren’t aching. Instead, my focus will be on eating cleaner, exercising regularly, and drinking more water.
7. Historically, my hair has always done well when kept bunned or pinned/rolled up – no matter whether in twists or loose hair (after initially stretched). I remember that I retained an incredible amount of hair and went from BSB to full MBL with thick, blunt ends during the summer of 2006. The growth/retention felt effortless. That’s when I ate really cleanly, ran daily, did resistance/lifting, and drank a lot of water. I was deep conditioning under the dryer weekly and likely taking supplements, but I can’t remember if I only took a multi or if I was taking a multi in addition to MSM and Silica (my on/off bare minimum regimen for years). In any case, what made the biggest difference in ’06 was that I put my hair in flat-twisted updos each week on wash day and kept them in until the next wash day. I basically only manipulated my hair once a week and wore a satin scarf to bed every night. My hair always looked nice in those updos.
My goal is to recapture that summer of ’06 magic. Luckily, I like wearing pretty scarves or hats under a satin cap (it resembles a wig cap), which I’ve been doing on a regular basis. Since January 2018, my hair has been put up nearly every day and I often wear my satin scarf at home. From now on, I plan to do more flat twisted updos and keep them in for 5 to 7 days at a time. The only downside is that those took about 2 to 3 hours to do each wash day.
8. My MVP products since March 8 have been C2, C3, sunflower oil, Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner, ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer, and Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner. I think the White Rain Kids Detangler has been good as the L, but I’m not sure that it’s all that much better than plain water. I will keep using it in the coming weeks and make a determination later.
That’s all folks. Thanks for reading all of this. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share as they are always welcome.
HHG!
1. Twisting my hair a second time after air-drying on wash day works well with LCBVO. My hair retains moisture much better and re-twisting cuts down on frizz, making my hair smoother.
2. I am absolutely convinced that my hair cannot go on skipping the O. It gives nice slip to the stiffness that can come from the B and V. A light application of O is all I need to make my hair supple.
However, I need to also add the G back and continue with LCBVOG. My hair felt more moisturized when I did this. G gives a styled polish to my hair while twisted and when I undo the twists. I just realized what was missing when I looked at my hair this past Saturday and Sunday: My hair simply doesn’t look or feel as nice when I don’t use G. I will be on the lookout for an inexpensive replacement for the WetLine Xtreme. I may even try the new formula. I will finish up the ORS Edge Control and try Optimum Amla Legend Treasured Temple Edge Tamer next (based on this review).
4. I think I need to do a harder protein treatment on my next wash day to help put elasticity and strength back in my hair to counter the breakage. In addition, I did a lot more brushing that I usually do, so this should help strengthen my hair to withstand future mechanical damage. I need to be careful about doing too much brushing.
For more info regarding conditioning and protein ingredients I reviewed Paula Begoin’s book, “Don’t Go Shopping for Hair Care Products Without Me,” and came across this info regarding proteins on pp. 77-78:
“…Ironically, plant proteins, despite their desirability, don’t cling well to hair, at least not as well as the animal by-product alternatives such as collagen or elastin (Hair and Hair Care, Dale H. Johnson, ed.).
Collagen and elastin are proteins that like to cling to hair. They serve several important roles in conditioning the hair. Both nicely coat the outside layer of the hair, filling in the gaps of the damaged cuticle and adding a slight feel of thickness to the hair. Collagen and elastin also have water-binding properties that are delivered mostly to the surface, which is good for the hair.
…
Hydrolyzed collagen and elastic work best when given time to penetrate a dry or slightly damp hair shaft.”
…
Hydrolyzed collagen and elastic work best when given time to penetrate a dry or slightly damp hair shaft.”
I will use my Nexxus Humectress Caviar Complex Conditioner next wash day (probably followed by a conditioner without any protein). It has elastin, so I will do my best to apply it after towel drying as much as possible (blotting to avoid damage). Then I'll sit under the dryer.
The Humectress has the following hydrolyzed proteins as the 5th, 6th, and 7th ingredients, respectively:
· Elastin, keratin, and wheat.
· It also has hydrolyzed caviar extract as the 8th ingredient, but I don’t know if it would really do anything substantial for the hair.
It has the following conditioning ingredients that I’ve already identified as working well with my hair:
· Cetearyl Alcohol (2nd) and Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine (4th)
· (Dimethicone is 3rd and ok for my hair.)
The only issue is that it has coconut oil, which I avoid because my hair seems to hate it, but this ingredient is listed so far down that I hope it has a minimal impact. It is the 16th ingredient and listed after fragrance, so I think it should be ok. I have a completely full 1.3 L bottle that I purchased for $20 in December, so I will finish it, but I will not repurchase if my hair isn’t feeling it and I buy the Komaza Protein Strengthener.
My goal is to only use protein in very small doses so as not to trigger protein overload.
5. I need to trim about ¼ inch of my hair about 6 weeks after my last trim on March 28 – around May 9 or shortly afterwards. I plan on blow-drying and flat ironing lightly – just enough to stretch it out for a blunt trim on kinky-straight hair.
6. I think my supplements may be helping me with my retention by causing an increase in hair growth. My roots have been much more tangled than usual and my hair feels nearly as long as before I trimmed it in January. I’ve been taking:
· Vitamin World’s Ultra Woman Daily Multi, alternating daily with
· Vitamin World Hair, Skin, Nails
· Vitamin World MSM 1000mg
· Vitamin World Horsetail 440 mg
· Vitamin World Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000 mg
· Vitamin World, Sea Kelp 150 mcg
· Vitamin World, St. John’s Wort 900 mg
· Vitamin World, Chelated Zinc 25 mg ** I recently ran out and will repurchase soon
I wouldn’t mind increasing my daily Horsetail to 1320 mg and Omega 3 & MSM to 3000 mg, but they’re too expensive to repurchase more often and my current dosages seem to be effective. My nails are growing like weeds, my skin is fantastic, and my knees/ankles aren’t aching. Instead, my focus will be on eating cleaner, exercising regularly, and drinking more water.
7. Historically, my hair has always done well when kept bunned or pinned/rolled up – no matter whether in twists or loose hair (after initially stretched). I remember that I retained an incredible amount of hair and went from BSB to full MBL with thick, blunt ends during the summer of 2006. The growth/retention felt effortless. That’s when I ate really cleanly, ran daily, did resistance/lifting, and drank a lot of water. I was deep conditioning under the dryer weekly and likely taking supplements, but I can’t remember if I only took a multi or if I was taking a multi in addition to MSM and Silica (my on/off bare minimum regimen for years). In any case, what made the biggest difference in ’06 was that I put my hair in flat-twisted updos each week on wash day and kept them in until the next wash day. I basically only manipulated my hair once a week and wore a satin scarf to bed every night. My hair always looked nice in those updos.
My goal is to recapture that summer of ’06 magic. Luckily, I like wearing pretty scarves or hats under a satin cap (it resembles a wig cap), which I’ve been doing on a regular basis. Since January 2018, my hair has been put up nearly every day and I often wear my satin scarf at home. From now on, I plan to do more flat twisted updos and keep them in for 5 to 7 days at a time. The only downside is that those took about 2 to 3 hours to do each wash day.
8. My MVP products since March 8 have been C2, C3, sunflower oil, Shea Solutions Leave-in Conditioner, ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer, and Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner. I think the White Rain Kids Detangler has been good as the L, but I’m not sure that it’s all that much better than plain water. I will keep using it in the coming weeks and make a determination later.
That’s all folks. Thanks for reading all of this. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share as they are always welcome.
HHG!
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Caramel74
Well-Known Member
Good Lord, Can I keep scissors out of my hair now. Went haywire again and chopped the sides to meet that spot in the back. I am SL straight w a good haircut and NL shrunken. Good news is my hair looks healthy, has a good shape, and is still one length except for bangs. It can all go back thank goodness. But I am done cutting for a while. Now just to keep this mane healthy....
@Angel1881
OMGoodness, I am loving your proactive approach! Yes, girl, keep taking those notes and analyzing the data because it will lead to greater breakthroughs, more refinement and increased hair health. One of the greatest things about it is that the epiphanies never stop coming. For instance, just as you noticed that twisting your hair a second time on wash day produced better results, I realized that allowing my hair to air dry at least 50% before applying a LI and S on wash day resulted in smoother, sleeker, shinier, ultra moisturized hair with greater elongation. Even though I stumbled upon it due to procrastination, this new development has taken my routine up a notch. As always, I wish you the more progress, more discoveries, more breakthroughs, more health. Just more, more, more, more!
OMGoodness, I am loving your proactive approach! Yes, girl, keep taking those notes and analyzing the data because it will lead to greater breakthroughs, more refinement and increased hair health. One of the greatest things about it is that the epiphanies never stop coming. For instance, just as you noticed that twisting your hair a second time on wash day produced better results, I realized that allowing my hair to air dry at least 50% before applying a LI and S on wash day resulted in smoother, sleeker, shinier, ultra moisturized hair with greater elongation. Even though I stumbled upon it due to procrastination, this new development has taken my routine up a notch. As always, I wish you the more progress, more discoveries, more breakthroughs, more health. Just more, more, more, more!
Angel1881
Lurker '01; Member '08; First post '17
Thank you so much for your encouragement and thoughtfulness.
My pleasure.
GGsKin
Well-Known Member
Oiled my scalp and hair last night with a warm mix of shea and coconut oils and kalpi tone.
This morning I applied Nioxin Scalp Renew Dermabrasion Tx, rinsed and shampooed and followed with SM Boabab and Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity con. I haven't bought SM in ages and never tried this before. It smells slightly masculine, performed ok. Not a lot of slip. Nice refreshing feeling on my scalp (although I did not apply on my scalp).
After rinsing, I used a clay mix of rhassoul, c.bentonite, kaolin, rose petal powder, SAA, water and steeped hibiscus tea. Massaged onto my scalp and applied throughout my hair, and left on for 1hr.
I'd previously thought it was the addition of amla to the mix that left my hair feeling super soft a few weeks back, but I realise it's the addition of a little kaolin.
I sprayed on some diluted leave-in, TMC Green Apple Fruit Medley (so far this smells lovely) and applied diluted KCCC. No Shea butter yet as I want my hair to be blowing in the breeze tomorrow but I'll be adding it at some point.
This morning I applied Nioxin Scalp Renew Dermabrasion Tx, rinsed and shampooed and followed with SM Boabab and Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity con. I haven't bought SM in ages and never tried this before. It smells slightly masculine, performed ok. Not a lot of slip. Nice refreshing feeling on my scalp (although I did not apply on my scalp).
After rinsing, I used a clay mix of rhassoul, c.bentonite, kaolin, rose petal powder, SAA, water and steeped hibiscus tea. Massaged onto my scalp and applied throughout my hair, and left on for 1hr.
I'd previously thought it was the addition of amla to the mix that left my hair feeling super soft a few weeks back, but I realise it's the addition of a little kaolin.
I sprayed on some diluted leave-in, TMC Green Apple Fruit Medley (so far this smells lovely) and applied diluted KCCC. No Shea butter yet as I want my hair to be blowing in the breeze tomorrow but I'll be adding it at some point.
Caramel74
Well-Known Member
Ok, so my question is this. Do I have to keep heat completely out of my hair? I figured out that the last time I chopped more than 2 inches off my hair was 9 mos ago. Anytime I chop 3-4 inches, I consider it a BC. I finally have the thickness but I am missing my length. I guess it was unavoidable because when it was straight I had that triangle in the back and it looked ugly. Last time I did heat was almost 2 weeks ago. I'm trying to keep a log of that too this time...
LushLox
Well-Known Member
You're probably the only one who can answer that. Some ladies can use heat regularly without much detriment. Others use heat and it causes so many issues for them.
Personally I try not to use heat more than once a month and I have periods where I just don't use heat at all and my hair is better for it. When I do use heat regularly I just have to be prepared to trim more often.
Caramel74
Well-Known Member
Great answer, thank you! It can be drying to our poor ends... Once a month is perfect, especially when i can afford to have it done. I really look forward to that.
LushLox
Well-Known Member
Yeah I've accepted that I like heat and there will always be a place for it in my routine; I'm just controlling how often I use it!
Caramel74
Well-Known Member
I've accepted that also along with to grow healthy hair that looks good when u do use heat, it should be used sparingly with making sure it always has moisture.
texasholdem
Member
Hey all, back after lots of life events. Hair has been behaving and was a nice length for my wedding and I had a great stylist who helped grow it out to midback. But I got 3-4 inches off yesterday to take it to my shoulders, ugh. I blame myself because I had thinned out the ends from pony tails, not moisturizing, shrugging off the sweat in my hair post workouts, and falling asleep on my drying cotton pillow...not to mention no vitamins. So I am back to get to long thick hair and bring my LHCF crew along for encouragement! Posting day one pic/And I think my striped shirt will serve as a measuring shirt inadvertently! Plan to start inversion in a couple weeks, progress update in 8 weeks after my next touch up.
Attachments
My hair absolutely thrives with heat. I've been natural since 2007 and have literally tried everything in the book at this point as far as drying my hair after a wash day. A few years into my first big chop I used heat twice a month with no repercussions. I also keep regular protein treatments and heat protectant in my routine as well. Now I stick to curlformers and indirect heat from bonnet dryers, but I never have good luck with air drying unless it's a curlformer set. My roots naturally try to matt up when I dry in braids or twists.
I would say, to test the waters, start out with stretching your hair, allow it to air dry at least 80%, then use heat. Soaking wet hair requires a lot more heat to get dry. That way you already have an initial stretch. I wouldn't jump right into using heat regularly incase your texture gets impacted, that way you can stop while you're ahead.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
I'm looking forward to my June Keratin treatment and progress pics. I've been counting calories and working out. Hopefully I'm down at least 15lbs by then.
texasholdem
Member
Following up. I realize that Sunday’s haircut has given me hair OCD. That overwhelming focus on hair and how it’s looks. So I’m going into a protective style. I paid a crapload of money for a fall wig for my wedding but didn’t use it, so plan is to go somewhere and get it braided and wear my fall for awhile. Have to make sure I find someone who doesn’t braid too tight and have to figure out how long after a relaxer I need to wait before getting my hair braided.
pikkonoloidlee
Well-Known Member
Nothing exciting happening on my end. My roots are getting longer. I'm hoping as they move away from my face I'll be able to color my hair less. I think my length is probably back to where it was before my February trim now.
Ashna
Member
I keep forgetting to update lol. I straightened my hair in March and had it trimmed by the stylist, who only took off only half of what she was she supposed to (maybe because I looked like I wanted to pass out). I washed my hair in mid March, but before doing so took a bit more off. I say 'a bit more' because I have no clue, I just trimmed mostly by how it felt. I don't know why I didn't do it sooner! (Well, I know why, I was scared it wouldn't grow back 
and that every inch I retained was just pure luck). Anyway, my hair has been behaving much better. I think I need to keep regular trimming in mind, since I'm well aware that I'm prone to split ends. (I once googled 'kinds of split-ends', and I recognized every kind of split end in the article as something I've seen on my head before 
). Anyway, I'm going to roller set in June to see where my hair is as I have no clue how much I actually took off (maybe an 1-1.5 inches?). This was long, but therapeutic 
.
and that every inch I retained was just pure luck). Anyway, my hair has been behaving much better. I think I need to keep regular trimming in mind, since I'm well aware that I'm prone to split ends. (I once googled 'kinds of split-ends', and I recognized every kind of split end in the article as something I've seen on my head before ). Anyway, I'm going to roller set in June to see where my hair is as I have no clue how much I actually took off (maybe an 1-1.5 inches?). This was long, but therapeutic .texasholdem
Member
Following up again. Spoke to my hairstylist and he said he cut a total of four inches. Welp at least he was honest. I am going to search for a thread on how to deal with this happening. Meantime I’m planning for a sew in. From SL to where I was took about 7 months so hoping that with my sew in and some tlc and vitamins I’ll be ready for Jamaica over thanksgiving!
Caramel74
Well-Known Member
It's ok, we'll be alright
My cut makes me feel some type of way at times. However, I'm thinking pulling it back wet to make it look straight constantly may have hurt me. So being it's cut in a shape. I try to let it shrink up and dry before pulling it back as the hair professional told me. I just wasn't ready to do that because my shrinkage looked ridiculous. Healthy hair at any length is always a gain.Similar threads
