UPDATE: My 4th month stretch comes to an end in 6 days but I'm thinking of stretching until 5 months and if I can handle that, 5.5 to 6 months. Basically I want to relax in the spring. I'm getting really anxious since waiting is making me want to be in and do crazy things to my hair but patience is key and I'll reap the rewards of healthier hair if I take care of it properly during my stretch. Main things I have to remember so far: detangle with oil on wash day, finger comb my hair as much as possible, and use moisturizing conditioners.
I'm in a ceramide challenge so starting from my next wash I'll be using ceramide rich moisturizing conditioners or adding in ceramide rich oils into my regimen. I'm happy for this because I wanted to join the ceramide bandwagon for a long time since it seems cheap enough to join, there aren't really any bad side effects, and the evidence of prolonged use is convincing enough. Hopefully I can buy my safflower or sunflower oil this weekend to be able to participate next wash.
Since I'm doing my stretch and I don't moisturize, seal, or use leave-in conditioner in my hair anymore, I'm focusing on pre-pooing my edges and nape. In my last update I stated I'd be using a molasses-oil-conditioner mixture to help nurture that area. It's only been two applications of at least 20 minutes of leaving it in my hair and my edges are more tame during my stretch. Before they were unmanageable and I would always have to take off my net scarf to brush back my edges into places when they became unruly. Now they're behaving and that's a huge improvement in my eyes. During this stretch, they've been hard to maintain and I'm happy that they're staying in place for now. The area is now a lot softer and I can't wait for an increase in benefits as I stick with this routine. As of now, I'm using Yes to Cucumbers Colour Care Conditioner, Unsulfured Molasses, and EVOO. When I get my safflower or sunflower oil, I'll be using less EVOO in the mixture. I'm thinking of taking some pictures for a before and after reveal to share on LHCF to help out other people who have trouble with their edges but I'm not sure yet. We'll see. :scratchch