Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MONTH

[UmSumayyah]

Please update your regimen here. Include frequency and type (conditioner vs. shampoo, etc.) of washing, products used, heat frequency, everything.
Also please tell us about any major setbacks you had in the past and how long it took to get over them, as well as what you did to conquer the problem.
THANKS!

 

[Nay]

Good post.

Features, don't hold out on us. Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[UmSumayyah]

bump

 

[Boadicea]

I still wash my hair twice a week (mon. and thurs.) and do not use any heat. Just after washing, my hair is pulled up into a classic bun where it remains for the day. If I'm going out, I employ my hair accessories and put my hair in protective styles.

My hair is 21 inches long, but I have 2 1/2 inches of new growth that won't straighten when wet, so I'm sure it's longer than 21 inches now. My last relaxer was on 04/17/04 and my next one will be some time in late July.

Pre-shampoo treatment: EVOO + Suave Milk & Honey conditioner (added: 2 tbsp EVOO, 1/2 tsp honey).

I do this before washing my hair, twice a week. First, I apply the EVOO to my dry hair, massage it in for 3 minutes and then cover my hair with the conditioner. Next, I sit under my soft bonnet dryer from 45-90 minutes. I let my hair rinse in the shower for a minute or two and then shampoo.

Shampoo: Nexxus Diametress

This shampoo is left on for 3 minutes (as per directions) and then rinsed out

Conditioners: Suave Milk & Honey (with additives listed above). I leave this on while I wash and then rinse it out and put some Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal on my hair and detangle and then rinse.

Leave-in: Frizz Ease Texture Correcting serum

Moisturizer: S-Curl

 

[Supergirl]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Hi

Well, I shampoo and condition twice a week--sometimes on one of those, I don't use shampoo--just conditioner.

My main/favorite products are:
Deep Brilliance Hydration Shampoo
Deep Brilliance Reconstruct Conditioner
Deep Brilliance Manage Leave-In
Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo
Elucence Moisture Balance Conditioner
Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
Elasta QP Shampoo for Relaxed Hair
Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo
Neutrogena Silk-Touch Leave-In
Joico K-Pak Protect & Shine Serum
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Healing Shine Serum

The Deep Brilliance gets used weekly and then it's the Kenra or Elucence the other time during the week. Occassionally, I'll rotate another product in. Other products in my collection

Biolage Leave-In
Salerm Leave-In
Arosci Leave-In
Sebastian Laminates Detangling Milk Leave-In
Biosynthesis Phix Conditioner
Biosynthesis Phinish Leave-in
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Shampoo
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Masque
Motions Moisture Silk Protein Conditioner
Dudley Hair Rebuilder
Joico K-Pak Reconstructor
Joico K-Pak Daily Conditioner
Joico K-Pak Shampoo

I'm in protective styles most of the time and my hair is tied up nightly. It is currently 28 1/2 inches in length and 6 weeks into a retouch. I will go again in 4 weeks. The 10 week plan has been working wonderfully for me. My stylist uses Affirm Lye (not sure which strength) on my hair.

I am vitamin free and have been for over a year--just decided to let my hair take it's course on it's own.

I think that's all.

 

[KinksnCurlz]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Here's a list of the prods i use frequently:

Shampoo:
Keracare Detangling
Kerarare First Lather (clarify)
Nutrine Unscented Garlic (shedding)

Conditioners:
Keracare Humecto
NTM Mask
Lustrasilk Aloe Detangling Cholesterol
Hollywood Beauty Olive Cholesterol
NTM Daily Conditioner (for CW)
Suave Milk & Honey (" ")
V05 Almonds & Honey (" ")

Reconstructor/Protein Treatments:
Aphogee
St. Ives Fortifying Reconstructor
AO GPB (lite protein)

Leave-in:
Lacio Lacio
NTM Silk Touch
Arosci Intervying
Tigi Health Goddess
Keracare Silken Seal (ends only)

Daily Prods:
Profectiv Daily Leave-in/Strengthener
Profectiv Healthy Ends
Surge 14

Wash day Sunday:
I pre-treat my hair once a week using warmed Olive Oil, Honey and Conditioner (any cheapy will do). Shampoo, deep condition using one of the prods above, apply my leave in and braid my hair in two braids, put on my silk scarf (to flatten), put a towel on my pillow and call it a night. In the morning, it's back to my protective style (ie. bun - hey, it's easy and fast).

CW day (M-Thurs or T-Thurs):
Because I w/o everyday, my roots/hair get sweated out ALOT so i've decided to join the CW Club

. I use the cheapy prods, b/c i don't want to waste the good stuff, and afterwards I use my daily prods, slick my hair back in my bun and i'm out the door. Even tho i said is would NEVER AGAIN do a wet bun, I've found that the looser i do it, the better it is for my hair.

Friday:
To the salon i go for my wash and set (this is when I use the AO GPB and my lacio lacio). Since my SO doesn't get to see my hair out often (and most of ya'll know i started this hair journey b/c of him), I wear my hair out the entire weekend. Aren't i the good girlfriend

I don't take any vitamins for growth, like SuperHair, I'm letting nature run it's course. I do, however, take a multivitamin and cod liver oil pills (which is for eyes, skin and bones).

I get my hair relaxed usually every 4.5 - 6 months using Affirm sensitive no-lye and I do a protein treatment once every month.

That's about it.

 

[Michelle79]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Thanks for the updates ladies. You all have such beautiful hair!! I hope to be there oneday.

 

[skegeesmb]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

I wash my hair once a week. I've gotten lazy over these past few years.

Shampoo: Sauve clarifying shampoo and any of the fruity flavors
Conditioner: Pantene Pro-V smooth and sleek. I used to use the relaxed and natural line, but my Walmart up here doesn't seem to have it in stock.
Leave In Conditioner: Infusium (which I decided to pick up and use again).
Deep Conditioner: Motions Oil Plus deep conditioner every 4 weeks. Which reminds me it's time for a deep condition.
Setting Lotion:I am going to give lottabody setting lotion another try, I'm going to try to replicate the domincian blow outs, so I think I'm gonna use this stuff.
Moisturizer: My trusty wildgrowth hair oil.
Any other goodies: Let's see... Aphogee protien treatment every 6 weeks. Or if it falls after a texturizer touch up. Oil sheen spray to use after my dominican blowout of roots.

My hair is currently 23", and I have been expirementing with wearing my hair out more, but I do stick by my trusty protective styles.

 

[Nanyanika]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Check out my new regimen/products at my website address in my signature.

I had a major setback when i had a corrective texturiser in Feb 2004, which broke off my ends, I didn't suffer any overprocessing just severe dryness on the ends which split my ends terribly, no matter how much moisture i used. It just got worse.

To overcome this experience I had a good hair cut ON 27TH March, 2004. my hair was still a few inches from waistlength the night before it was cut to above bra-strap to get rid of thinning ends.

Soon after I returned to the crown and glory technique to and thankfully i have managed to grow my to the end of bra strap, I recently begun taking vitamins again to enhance my hair growth performance like I did when i was natural.

 

[adrienne0914]

my regime has been the same for at least a couple of years, with minor product and vitamin tweaks. i'll post it here for those that haven't seen it:

<font color="purple">In my opinion, these are the two most important rules to achieving your goals:

1. Find the products that are right for your hair, and stop switching to other stuff when someone recommends things.

2. Leave your hair alone as much as possible. This was more important than the first for me. I used to blow dry and curl my hair twice a week. After I got braids and did nothing, that's when it grew. They're not for everybody, but if you can sport them, I highly recommend it.

My hair policy is "less is more"... less manipulation... less heat... less product switching... I put different stuff on my hair depending on how I’m wearing it. So I’ll list it separately. Basically, I’ve been washing my hair once a week. If my scalp is itching bad, I’ll either rinse and condition or wash again depending on why it's itching (dandruff vs. sweaty). I wear my hair up 90% of the time. I think this has helped keep my ends from thinning too much.

• • • • • • • • • • •

I’ve had psoriasis since about the age of 15. Because if this I’ve always been in the habit of washing my hair often. I’m currently washing it once or twice a week depending on the amount of flakes or itchiness that I have. My goal is to wash just once a week though.

UPDO:
- Do an initial wash with Elasta QP Bodifying shampoo to remove Vaseline and other product buildup. This shampoo is really gentle and doesn’t strip the hair or leave it hard. Using it means I can use less of the rest of the other products.

- Wash with prescription-strength Nizoral shampoo. I let it sit for at least five minutes as directed. After that, I work in some KeraCare Hydrating Detangling shampoo on top of the Nizoral before rinsing.

- Condition with KeraCare Humecto Cream conditioner. Every other week, I do a protein conditioning with Aubrey GPB.

- Apply Elasta QP Recovery as leave-in and finger comb. Then apply a mixture of 1/2 World of Curls Activator and 1/2 Fantasia IC Hair Polisher gel (I have this pre-mixed in a separate container).

- For the bun: I put Vaseline on my ends, and braid the hair. I wrap it around itself and put a baggie over it. Then I cover it with a cut-off stocking. I put the drawstring ponytail over the stocking and put two scrunchies around it.

- Wrap head at night with silk or satin scarf.

DOWN:
- Wash and condition same as above

- Apply Elasta QP Recovery as leave-in and finger comb. Then I work a small amount of Breakthru Heat Style Protecting Foam through my hair. I blow dry on a medium setting. Then I curl or flat iron on 7 or 8 setting. I usually roll it as I go to get the hair out of my way. After I’m finished curling, and before I comb it, I ALWAYS spray some kind of sheen on (right now, it's KeraCare) and rub Avon Dry Ends Serum through it. Both of these products prevent breakage from static. The Avon stuff also smells great! I recently started using Frizz Ease Secret Weapon styling cream daily for my ends.

- I wrap my hair every night, and sometimes use the Caruso rollers in the morning. I LOVE those things! I put both the KeraCare sheen and Avon Serum on before I comb it in the morning.

TRIMS:
- Never on a schedule, only when needed

RELAXER:
- Affirm Lye every 3 months

• • • • • • • • • • •

VITAMINS:

- Central-Vite Multi Vitamin with Antioxidants (1/day)
• overall health

- Kal Super Silica Plus, 400mg (1/day)
• hair growth rate, nail health

- Vitamin Shoppe Biotin, 5mg (1/day)
• hair growth rate, psoriasis, nail health

- Vitamin Shoppe MSM, 1000mg (2/day)
• hair health, allergies, joint health

- Health from the Sun Total EFA (1/day)
• EFA, psoriasis, cholesterol

- Nature's Bounty Combo Vitamin C &amp; E (1/day)
• C (500mg): antioxidant, boosts immune system, aids vitamin absorption
• E (400IU): antioxidant, boost immune system

- Vitamin Shoppe Pantothenic Acid/B5, 500mg (1/day)
• hair thickness, growth rate, acne </font>

 

[lisatamika]

Excuse me Ms. Adrienne, do you think you could post your braid regimine?

 

[adrienne0914]

sure! here it is:

ADRIENNE'S BRAID REGIME:

• I wear medium individual braids. I use Black &amp; Gold Kanekelon synthetic hair.

• Wash hair once a week (or every other week) with diluted KeraCare Hydrating Detangling/Nizoral mix (to keep dandruff in check). When I wash, I use the tips of my fingers, and I only massage my scalp with the shampoo. Letting it run along the length of the braids is enough to keep them clean.

• Condition with diluted KeraCare Humecto Creme conditioner

• Spray on 911 leave-in (the watery one) after towel drying. I honestly wasn't consistent with this step.

• After letting it air dry slightly, apply S-Curl No Drip or World of Curls activator. (This step was KEY to my ends being healthy when I took the braids down. The brand of activator isn’t as important as the application of it.)

• Last, oil scalp. I use a color applicator bottle from the beauty supply. My oil mix contains basically any oils that I have available. However, the one that I like best is Hot Six, monoi, avocado and jojoba oils, with a few drops of rosemary and lavender essential oils

In addition to the above, I oil my scalp at least once a week, sometimes twice. Also apply the activator and rub the oil mix on my braids every few days, or whenever they look dry.

I started doing hot oil treatments towards the end because I was worried about my hair being in the braids so long. i found that they helped to remove any product buildup.

All of the products used are my personal preferences. If you have something that works for you, by all means use it.

NOTES:
- I was washing twice a week but had a problem with the braids unraveling

- When I diluted my shampoo or conditioner, I also put them in hair coloring bottles like this and mixed half product and half water:

 

[UmSumayyah]

bump.
thanks for responding. All you other features, please post!
Supergirl: When do you use serums? Do you put them all over your hair and then pin it up, or do you smooth it over your hair post-bunning? Thanks.

 

[Supergirl]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

I use my serum after I air-dry my hair

 

[pink_flower]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

bump

 

[Tracy]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

I'm rollersetting less and airdrying and bunning more. I still use rinses and they are still central to my regime.

I've added protein more often, and am using certain products more often.

My most common combo is:

Lanza Shampoo
Kenra MC or Infusium Power Pac or Ion Effective Hair Care....the reconstructor.
Salerm 21
Kenra MC as a leave in
Salerm Vital Serum
John Frieda Secret Weapon (when I need added moisture)

 

[AceH]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

<font color="blue"> adding to my favorites

&amp; bumping... </font>

 

[melodee]

Den, you look cool in your avatar.

 

[Tebby1017]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Den, your hair is so pretty straight, and I looooovveeee your cornrows. They are so pretty.

Tebby

 

[Nanyanika]

[ QUOTE ]
melodee said:
Den, you look cool in your avatar.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanx melodee, I did'nt think anyone noticed me there

 

[Nanyanika]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

[ QUOTE ]
Tebby1017 said:
Den, your hair is so pretty straight, and I looooovveeee your cornrows. They are so pretty.

Tebby

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanx Tebby, I'm quite surprised by the compliment, i don't really like my hair straightened because it never turns out the way i want it

sleek &amp; bone straight

 

[zanna]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Zanna April 2003 feature of the month!

I wash my hair every 4 days, and before I do so, I rub my scalp with a mixture of pure jojoba oil and rosemary essential oil during 10 minutes then I let it soak in my scalp for about 2 hours, and then wash my hair. Sometime I leave it over night and wash in the morning.

After I wash I put the Suave Biobasics (Biolage like) conditioner and leave it for 2 minutes and then rinse it out, or a hot oil treatment (proclaim hot oil aloe little pack: I love that stuff !), or GPB from Aubrey organics, or ion reconstructor pack( UPDATE: I DON'T USE GPB ANYMORE I STILL LIKE IT BUT I WILL SPEND MY MONEY ON SOMETHING CHEAPER

).

I alternate between all of these products, using a different one after each shampoo. After rinsing out, I sponge my hair a little with a towel then let it air dry. When my hair is semi-dry I apply a little bit of African hot 6 oils mixed with proclaim 7 oils and pure jojoba oil in all my hair and style them in 5 bantu knots (I don't roller set) and let it dry more.

When its dry I undo the bantu knots (My hair is very curly then) an make a big bun which straightens my hair. I wear the bun all the time as a protective style. I never use any heat except for the hot oil treatments and hennalucent treatment with hot water and oil (I do a hennalucent treatment every 4 months). I also relax my hair every 6 to 7 weeks with I child no-lye relaxer, but I intend to change to Lye soon(UPDATE: I DIDN'T CHANGE&lt; I STILL USE THE CHILD NO LYE!!)

Everything else are the same. The vitamins intake are about the same.
Sincerely
Zanna

 

[ballet_bun]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Zanna, which child's no-lye do you use?

 

[Lindy]

Well, I was just featured in May, so the regimen I outlined there still stands.

 

[SweetNic_JA]

Zanna, you make me want to go oil my scalp with rosemary oil. It's been sitting in the back of my cabinets for over 2 months now. You ladies definitely motivate me to stay on track...I'm in braids now by the way.

 

[zanna]

Re: Paging all past and current FEATURES OF THE MO

Hi Ballet_Bun! I use "beautiful beginings" no lye child relaxer. I leave it for 10 minute and it works for me so why change. I like it, and since I relax my own hair it is safer. I don't want to try a lye relaxer by myself and loose all my hair if something goes wrong!
Sincerely
Zanna

 

[zanna]

Oh thank you SweetNic_JA!
Sincerely
Zanna

 

[carrie]

Hi guys!

Well, I've been sporting a full weave for the last 7 months with just my edges out in the front. My regimine in pretty simple. I wash 1-3x a week depending with the generic version of Paul Mitchell's Instant Moisture Daily Shampo followed by Got 2 Be's Emergency conditioner. I use some of the Got 2 Be as a leave in and add some Hot Oil 6 on my hair, the weave and my scalp (I use one of those bottles with the pointed tip). That's it. I remove the weave every 6 weeks and give myself a deep conditioner and trim when needed.

My hair grows pretty slow (about 1/4") a month. I have only lightly relaxed my roots once since starting this, just so I could comb. I am not sure of the current length, but when I had it all out last time, it hit my shoulders, unrelaxed.

Its a nice length now, but when I come out of the weave, I am not really sure what I'm gonna do with it.

 

[Tracy]

Hi Carrie!

 

[pebbles]

OMG, good to "see" you, Carrie!