Change
No. | Ingredient/Product/Process | Time Frame | Added /Removed | Source | Result |
1 | Shea Butter | December 2016 | Added | @ThatJerseyGirl | Stopped losing whole curls. Hair was less frizzy and was gaining some length. Quality of hair changed for the better as in fewer splits and knots on hair strand. |
2 | No Comb or Finger Styling (combed only when blowing out hair) | October 2017 | Added | Women with 4C natural hair. | Less breakage and less hair lost during washing and re-doing hair. |
3 | Ends Routine
(castor oil) | October 2017 | Added | Me | Ends not as crispy the next day. |
4 | Olaplex 0 and 3 | December 2021 | Added | Me | Hair seemed to feel normal. |
5 | Olaplex 0 and 3 | April 2022 | Removed | Me | Heavy balls of broken hair came out after wash day. To be fair I was using a henna infused oil for the first time, too. That henna may have also contributed to the problem. |
| Hair was gaining length | then it broke | back up | to my waist | BREAKAGE/Velcro Ends |
6 | Stopped Using Shampoo | January 2023 | Removed | Me | Hair was stripped, sticky, velcro and crunchy after shampoo. |
7 | Started Using Clay Mix | January 2023 | Added | @snoop | Hair felt less wiry and less traumatized after clay cleansing (Clay/Charcoal/Honey/Goat Milk) |
8 | Started Using Sprouted Fenugreek Oil | January 2024 | Added | @newgrowth15 | Softened hair to the touch. |
9 | Started Covering Hair at Night with Plastic Cap and Scarf | January 2024 | Added | Me | Hair soft and moist in morning and not as crunchy or wiry at roots. |
10 | Started trimming hair every 3 Months | January 2024 | Added | @keranikki | Empowered me to get over fear of overtiming. Now I feel totally autonomous and independent. Trimming was the last thing I felt dependent on hair stylist to do. I am FREE now and do this for myself. Hair hemline started to look even and more attractive. |
11 | Started applying clarifying shampoo on dry, dirty hair before blowdrying process. Followed up harsh clarifying shampoo with a moisturizing shampoo. Let sit on hair before washing, conditioning and blowdrying. | March 2024 | Added | @Lylddlebit | Hair is thoroughly cleansed and not too stripped. A light conditioner can be used effectively and the subsequent blowdrying results are shiny, silky with body and all residue is removed . Hair is super clean. |
12 | Started blowdrying hair every 3 Months with comb attachment on dryer | January 2024 | Added | Me | Changed my blow drying process by using a blowdryer with a comb attachment with high heat and high are and hair comes out silkier. Spray hair with water before blowdrying and do tiny, tiny sections from 12 to 25 sections. |
13 | Started back using Apogee 2 Step Every 3 Months | January 2024 | Added | Me | Hair is not breaking as much and hair is gaining length. |
14 | Alerted about hard water in my area and why my ends continued to suffer and be dryer after wetting them with water. | June 2024 | Added | @GettingKinky | @snoop found a map for France. So, I am conscious that my area has very hard water and need to keep this in mind. I wet my roots more than my ends now. |
15 | Oil and roll up ends of braids up to shoulders and secure with coated rubber bands. | September 2024 | Added | Me | Hair no longer sticks together and has to be torn apart and broke on ends to unbraid. Sticky, velcro Brillo ends are completely eliminated. I cannot leave my ends loosened. They must be rolled up and protected. |
16 | Understand Shampoo Impact | December 2024 | Confirmed | @MzSwift | Found that another person hair responds like my hair to shampoo. Thank goodness both our heads of hair return to normal after the next wash. pH of shampoo could be a problem but still do not no why shampoo is so problematic from a science standpoint, for some afro-textured hair. |
17 | Softening Up Shampoo | December 2024 | Confirmed | Me | I forgot how I used to put oil in my shampoo to soften it up and remove some of the active surfactants to make the formulation less harsh. Will reinstate and use if I need to use shampoo but not plan to straighten. |
18 | Spray bottle Concoction | December 2024 | Reinstated | Me | I usually just have water in my spray water when undoing my braids at night. I plan to add back water, aloe vera, pathenol, glycerine, Scurl, cheap shampoo, oil, essential oil |