Random Hair Thoughts/Thinking out loud

[alex114]

Now that I’ve found a natural hair salon in Harlem that has actually been helping me retain length and practice healthy natural hair habits (and I’m pregnant), I’ve gotten so lazy with doing my hair

But on top of that, I’m in the UK for the next 2 months for work, and now the equation is lazy+no staple salon in UK (yet)=imminent disaster. My hair is in cornrows, and I know it’s not good, but I’m coinsidering leaving this set in for a total of 3 months, and then booking an appointment at the salon for like the day before my birthday (I get back from the UK 2 days before my birthday.)

Today, I started doing something that I haven’t done for maybe years. I started moisturising and then baggying my hair, since I honestly can’t be bothered to do much more than that myself.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

My afro puff (LOL) arrives in the mail today. Why does that statement sound so funny!?

Yes I bought an afro puff because I ain't messing up MY ends!! When I get home and open the package I'm slapping it on to take a pic!

 

[I Am So Blessed]

So there's another family gathering coming up in two weeks. I WILL GET ASKED the same question from the same Auntie...."Dora is that all your hair?". This time I will say "No it's a drawstring puff." *eyes stare with disappointment or secret relief*


I could just say "yes" anyway ....why break tradition?

 

[I Am So Blessed]

Ah

Now that I’ve found a natural hair salon in Harlem that has actually been helping me retain length and practice healthy natural hair habits (and I’m pregnant), I’ve gotten so lazy with doing my hair

But on top of that, I’m in the UK for the next 2 months for work, and now the equation is lazy+no staple salon in UK (yet)=imminent disaster. My hair is in cornrows, and I know it’s not good, but I’m coinsidering leaving this set in for a total of 3 months, and then booking an appointment at the salon for like the day before my birthday (I get back from the UK 2 days before my birthday.)

Today, I started doing something that I haven’t done for maybe years. I started moisturising and then baggying my hair, since I honestly can’t be bothered to do much more than that myself.

Aha The good-ole baggy method. It works! Congratulations on the Baby!

 

[I Am So Blessed]

Now this is how you wear an afro without having to expose your ends!! Gorgeous!



At Any Length!

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I don’t understand this sorcery of natural women (some are type 4s) getting their hair to lay down for a ponytail or bun piece.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

I don’t understand this sorcery of natural women (some are type 4s) getting their hair to lay down for a ponytail or bun piece.

Its the formula of the gel + scarf + time = flat??

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Its the formula of the gel + scarf + time = flat??

I could never get past the gel part. My hair wanted no parts of it

I had to use ungodly amounts of gel, brushing it made it frizz terribly and it would barely lay down.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

I could never get past the gel part. My hair wanted no parts of it

I had to use ungodly amounts of gel, brushing it made it frizz terribly and it would barely lay down.

Mine's don't lay flat either. Like you I would have to use too much gel! My edge coils are 4c or smaller.

 

[alex114]

Ah

Aha The good-ole baggy method. It works! Congratulations on the Baby!

Thank you so much! My next step is to figure out what to do with my scalp. I’m fine with washing in braids, but I left my shampoo brush in the states, and that’s essential for getting my scalp clean in cornrows. I might have to bite the bullet and start looking for a natural hair salon here in the UK.

(I’m not doing a African braiding salon. Never again, nowhere on the globe. Idk why but whenever they blow dry my hair to braid, it feels absolutely PARCHED, while at my natural hair salon, their blow drying technique had my hair looking like it was just flat ironed, and full of moisture.)

 

[Kindheart]

I could never get past the gel part. My hair wanted no parts of it

I had to use ungodly amounts of gel, brushing it made it frizz terribly and it would barely lay down.

I feel you girl ,gel is a no go for me ,it just makes my hair crunchy and frizzy and if mixed with oils i will get these little flyaways everywhere

 

[Sally.]

I feel you girl ,gel is a no go for me ,it just makes my hair crunchy and frizzy and if mixed with oils i will get these little flyaways everywhere

so what do you use? my hair is the exact same way with gels. 5 minutes after applying it looks dry and has no luster and then i have a whole bunch of short hairs that end up sticking out that makes my hair look not so neat. ugh!!

i wish there was a way to change 4a hair textures like how kim kardashian those are getting butt and lip injections.

 

[Sally.]

My hair has really flourished since switching to all natural products. I didn't think that it would make that much of a difference, but my hair is really loving it. And I have found my holy grail shampoo and leave-ins. The only thing that I need now is a deep conditioner. I'm using the Shea Moisture Manuka Honey masque, but I want to try something different.

I think once I'm done with the jar that I have I'm going to try Curls blueberry mask since my hair likes the leave-ins so much.

can you list your favorite products? i'm slowly switching to an all-natural/mostly ayurvedic regimen and i have noticed the change in my hair from only 3 washes despite trying for years to find holy grail chemical-laden products that get my hair right. i have fallen in love with cassia, henna, and oil. and i just recently discovered a holy grail deep conditioner with the Kindred Butters DCs. i'm interested in trying more natural products.

 

[nerdography]

can you list your favorite products? i'm slowly switching to an all-natural/mostly ayurvedic regimen and i have noticed the change in my hair from only 3 washes despite trying for years to find holy grail chemical-laden products that get my hair right. i have fallen in love with cassia, henna, and oil. and i just recently discovered a holy grail deep conditioner with the Kindred Butters DCs. i'm interested in trying more natural products.

I'm still buying pre-made item since I don't have the time to make my products, but I'm actively avoiding products with sulfates, parabens, silicone, mineral oil, and petroleum. While they aren't 100% natural (dyes, fragrance) they are a lot better than what I was using before and my hair is responding and flourishing.

Shampoo: The Mane Choice Pink Lemonade & Coconut
Condition: Shea Moisture Manuka Honey
Leave Ins: Curls Blueberry Bliss Leave In, Curls Blueberry Bliss Hair Milk, Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave-In
Stylers: Eden Bodyworks Natural Curl Defining Creme
Oils: Shea Moisture Argan Oil, Curls Blueberry and Mint Scalp Treatment

 

[GGsKin]

I straightened my hair today for the first time in 4 years.

 

[silverlotus]

I’m sorry but APB’s Etsy store is not user friendly. First of all, half of the products don’t have descriptions of what they do, and lots of those conditioners seem like the same formula, different scents. Secondly, she says she offers all her products unscented, but there’s not a drop down option for that in her mile long list of fragrances. Then she d/ced the one body product from her I really liked. I don’t feel like pming back & forth with her on Etsy for something that should be simple. Is her Keratin treatment really that great? I’m tempted to take my $ to Jakeala’s shop where none of this is an issue. She has a keratin tx too.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

I’m sorry but APB’s Etsy store is not user friendly. First of all, half of the products don’t have descriptions of what they do, and lots of those conditioners seem like the same formula, different scents. Secondly, she says she offers all her products unscented, but there’s not a drop down option for that in her mile long list of fragrances. Then she d/ced the one body product from her I really liked. I don’t feel like pming back & forth with her on Etsy for something that should be simple. Is her Keratin treatment really that great? I’m tempted to take my $ to Jakeala’s shop where none of this is an issue. She has a keratin tx too.

Both vendors have been so responsive and have their plusses and minuses. APB might edit her menus if you let her know it would help customers.

Just a heads up: Currently it may take a month or more for your Jakeala order to arrive.

Hattache caries quite a few but not all of her products, so that's an option.

https://www.hattache.com/search?q=Jakeala&submit=Search

 

[silverlotus]

Both vendors have been so responsive and have their plusses and minuses. APB might edit her menus if you let her know it would help customers.

Just a heads up: Currently it may take a month or more for your Jakeala order to arrive.

Hattache caries quite a few but not all of her products, so that's an option.

https://www.hattache.com/search?q=Jakeala&submit=Search

I pmed her about it already and she was like just leave a note in the order, so I don’t think she cares to fix the menu. And last time I left a note and she didn’t take it into account which wasn’t a big deal to me at the time b/c it was a small request. But then after I got the order, I had emailed her about being allergic to some of her fragrances and she said she’d remake and send me unscented ones and she never did.

Plus when I inquired about what her lightest fragrance was, she was unhelpful. She said vanilla but that scent is actually quite heavy. The peach hibiscus is actually lighter than the vanilla but she didn’t even suggest it to me. I found it very weird that she’s not familiar with her own scents. She’s responsive as far as answering quickly, but I think she promises more than what she can deliver and is a little rude.

I’ve ordered from Jakeala before & don’t mind the wait. IF I order again from APB, it will be during the sale so I’ll have to wait a while regardless. But I don’t want to put a note in the order for unscented & then end up with scented products because I’ll be pissed.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

I pmed her about it already and she was like just leave a note in the order, so I don’t think she cares to fix the menu. And last time I left a note and she didn’t take it into account which wasn’t a big deal to me at the time b/c it was a small request. But then after I got the order, I had emailed her about being allergic to some of her fragrances and she said she’d remake and send me unscented ones and she never did.

Plus when I inquired about what her lightest fragrance was, she was unhelpful. She said vanilla but that scent is actually quite heavy. The peach hibiscus is actually lighter than the vanilla but she didn’t even suggest it to me. I found it very weird that she’s not familiar with her own scents. She’s responsive as far as answering quickly, but I think she promises more than what she can deliver and is a little rude.

I’ve ordered from Jakeala before & don’t mind the wait. IF I order again from APB, it will be during the sale so I’ll have to wait a while regardless. But I don’t want to put a note in the order for unscented & then end up with scented products because I’ll be pissed.

Oh.

Well, er, um, yeah: That makes sense, especially if you don't mind the super long wait for your items.

A while back I noticed all the shipping fees I was racking up, so I decided to severely limit the number of online vendors I used. I settled upon Jakeala as my main one because her whipped ayurvedic Shea butter in the peach scent is , and she scents it at whatever percentage strength you request.

Every now and then I try a new vendor here or there, but sticking mainly with just one vendor and ordering from her during sales has saved me lots.

I might purchase a DC or 2 from Kindred Butters. I really hope they perform on my hair as amazingly as they do on so many others' here at LHCF. I'm tired of wasting money on meh DCs.

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

I modified the Denman brush, per Naptural85's and others' advice, by removing every other row of teeth. Supposedly this makes it less damaging. I don't know if that was the reason that the remaining teeth wouldn't stay "standing up," but as I used it, one row of teeth started rotating and laying down due to my pulling it through my hair.

Also, it didn't glide through my hair like my Wet Brush does. So I ended up kinda using a picking motion with it to get through the bottom of the section, then moving up and using the picking motion again, etc.

I had a LOT of very, very slippery product in my hair. This mattered not.

It all just SEEMED to put a lot of tension on my hair, especially my ends.

Yeah. Not gerner be able to do it. No, nuhn uhn, not at this juncture.

I revise my stance on the Denman brush. My new stylist said I should use it. I watched a lot of YouTube videos, then purchased the black Denman D4.

I use it vertically and horizontally as is (not modified). I get very little hair in the brush. I was able to detangle my whole head of hair VERY quickly in the shower using Jane Carter Solutions Untangle Me Weightless Leave-in.

 

[silverlotus]

Oh.

Well, er, um, yeah: That makes sense, especially if you don't mind the super long wait for your items.

A while back I noticed all the shipping fees I was racking up, so I decided to severely limit the number of online vendors I used. I settled upon Jakeala as my main one because her whipped ayurvedic Shea butter in the peach scent is , and she scents it at whatever percentage strength you request.

Every now and then I try a new vendor here or there, but sticking mainly with just one vendor and ordering from her during sales has saved me lots.

I might purchase a DC or 2 from Kindred Butters. I really hope they perform on my hair as amazingly as they do on so many others' here at LHCF. I'm tired of wasting money on meh DCs.

I have not tried the peach scent, but I love the bergamot grapefruit. And whatever she puts in that green tea conditioner smells divine. I also like that she sends samples. Does she have a LHCF code? I forgot.

KB didn’t work for my hair but I lean lo-po. The conditioners are whipped, but they’re still comprised of thicker butters. Her pumpkin one and the honey one are both misses for me. I have the Sheayurveda but am yet to try. I will say though, you get big 16oz jars for the price, so if the d/cs end up working out for you, it’s more cost effective than these vendors who sell 8oz for $15+. APB is selling her Ultra Conditioning Soufflé @ $19 for 8oz........

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@silverlotus
I would do a "Custom Request" there is an option for that and request "Unscented" also with the Custom Request Option you can get the discontinued product as well. (Most of the time).

I do that a lot of times with Multiple ETSY Vendors (NG, APB, Jakeala (and others) if there is something I want that isn't listed/discontinued or if I don't want a certain ingredient in there.

This usually works for me.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Does she have a LHCF code? I forgot.

@silverlotus
Who?

 

[silverlotus]

@silverlotus
I would do a "Custom Request" there is an option for that and request "Unscented" also with the Custom Request Option you can get the discontinued product as well. (Most of the time).

I do that a lot of times with Multiple ETSY Vendors (NG, APB, Jakeala (and others) if there is something I want that isn't listed/discontinued or if I don't want a certain ingredient in there.

This usually works for me.

Thank you! I forgot about custom request.

@silverlotus
Who?

Jakeala.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Jakeala.

@silverlotus
LHCF25?

 

[silverlotus]

@silverlotus
LHCF20 or 25?

Thanks! I had tried LHCF20, but it’s LHCF25.

 

[alex114]

I ordered this stuff, Auntie Jackie's Growth Oil, off of Amazon to finish off my LOC combo (L is my long time HG spritz Oyin Handmade Juices and Berries, and C is either As I Am Double Butter Cream (shea butter+ cocoa butter w/ amla and coconut) or whipped shea butter. It's pretty light, but doesn't leave my hair feeling dry and coated/doesn't irritate my scalp, which are all great signs.

I think I've settled on baggying for a few hours every other day, so that I'm not going overboard with moisture.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Thanks! I had tried LHCF20, but it’s LHCF25.

@silverlotus
Glad it worked Sis.

NG must be LHCF20 then.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@silverlotus
Glad it worked Sis.

NG must be LHCF20 then.

LHCF20 is the same for APB as well.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

My ultimate protective styles: roll, tuck & pins. For three years straight now. Do i get bored of them?... every now and then YES! Here's another day's do.

Remember I was telling y'all about my phony afro puff? Well I received it in the mail and it's big and beautiful... I've yet to wear it, but when I do I'll take a picture. My hair just thrives with just rolling and pinning. It doesn't like to be "done" or parted. It likes to sit there clumped together.