SmilingElephant's Team for New Group Support Challenge Thread

[Mrs. J]

Hey Ladies!!!


SmilingElephant: I ordered the JBCO in lavendar scent and I cant wait to get it!! Thank you. I will let you know how I like it.

I ordered some too! The lavender scent DEFINITELY masks the smell of the castor oil!!! I'm using this on DD's hair to thicken hers up! So far, I really like it. Her hair is softer and the oil, itself, wasn't real thin and messy, so I like that too!!! I mixed it in with the rest of her SuluMaxGro and it even helped with the smell of that stuff too ! Overall, I'm pleased. I also forgot to post pics of DD's progress thus far. I started taking better care of her hair around May of 2009 though, so she's not as much a new comer as mommy!

 

[panamoni]

I ordered some too! The lavender scent DEFINITELY masks the smell of the castor oil!!! I'm using this on DD's hair to thicken hers up! So far, I really like it. Her hair is softer and the oil, itself, wasn't real then and messy, so I like that too!!! I mixed it in with the rest of her SuluMaxGro and it even helped with the smell of that stuff too ! Overall, I'm pleased. I also forgot to post pics of DD's progress thus far. I started taking better care of her hair around April/May of 2009 though, so she's not as much a new comer as mommy!

Funny, I actually like the smell of JBCO. I think I'm the only one...

 

[Mrs. J]

Funny, I actually like the smell of JBCO. I think I'm the only one...

You may be right!!!!

Sorry for the delay. I got it here.

http://maneandchic.spreadshirt.com/p4

Thank you!!!

 

[mysoon2behair]

I ordered some too! The lavender scent DEFINITELY masks the smell of the castor oil!!! I'm using this on DD's hair to thicken hers up! So far, I really like it. Her hair is softer and the oil, itself, wasn't real thin and messy, so I like that too!!! I mixed it in with the rest of her SuluMaxGro and it even helped with the smell of that stuff too ! Overall, I'm pleased. I also forgot to post pics of DD's progress thus far. I started taking better care of her hair around May of 2009 though, so she's not as much a new comer as mommy!

Hi...Ok... I received my JBCO in lavendar scent a few days ago which was way faster than I expected and I really didnt like the smell. I never smelled the regular JBCO but it smells kind of burnt to me...its not that bad after applying it. I noticed I dont smell it after a couple of hours. So I will continue applying it to my scalp

 

[SmilingElephant]

Yeah...the smell doesn't linger...but if u think the lavender smells bad...be glad u didnt get the non-scented one. It smells like smoke !!

Give it a few weeks and you'll see a difference

 

[SmilingElephant]

Hello Ladies:

So i thought i'd leave a tip for the week today....since i am having hard times...i know all of us have hard times...no one is immune.

Okay...so i suffer with depression....major depression and going through tough times on top of this makes it worse. I have days when i CANNOT function. So when i feel myself spiraling...this is what i do with my hair:

I moisturize my hair really well...sometimes i don't seal it with oil, depending on how i feel....i put it in either two braids or in a bun and leave it. I usually opt for the braids bc when i feel good again the braidout makes it much more better

Plus braidouts are very good low manipulation styles and you don't have to do a whole lot to make it look good.

I will leave my hair alone until i feel better or on wash day which is when i shampoo and deep condition and detangle.

 

[panamoni]

^^^

What do you use to moisturize with??

 

[SmilingElephant]

Right now i use Seyani Hair Butter from shescentit.com...its basically shea butter mixed with different oils and fragrance.

Other moisturizers that work well with my hair are ORS Olive oil lotion(in the bottle) and also i order shea butter sometimes and mix it with Vatika Oil.

 

[Day Dreamer]

SmilingE, you really might be my hair twin. I bought the seyani hair butter. It goes on well and i can smell it in my hair(a little goes a long way for me and my hair). The seyani and the ORS olive oil lotion (using this for years now but never sealed it with anything until recently) are what i use now.

 

[changedname]

Hello all! Hope the hair growing is going well. I'm due a touch up on Saturday, which is great because I'll then be able to take pics. I usually do a protein treatment the week before a relaxer but my hair has been thriving on moisture - I think I have been seriously overdoing the protein treatments until recently and my hair was breaking. So what do you ladies think I should do? Will I cause more damage by not doing a protein treatment and then applying a relaxer or by adding more protein to hair that needs moisture? I'm thinking I should just skip the protein treatment and do one after the relaxer.

 

[nymane]

Hello all! Hope the hair growing is going well. I'm due a touch up on Saturday, which is great because I'll then be able to take pics. I usually do a protein treatment the week before a relaxer but my hair has been thriving on moisture - I think I have been seriously overdoing the protein treatments until recently and my hair was breaking. So what do you ladies think I should do? Will I cause more damage by not doing a protein treatment and then applying a relaxer or by adding more protein to hair that needs moisture? I'm thinking I should just skip the protein treatment and do one after the relaxer.

Hey girl,

I always do a hardcore protein treatment before my relaxer, but if your hair is thriving without protein I don't see anything wrong with skipping the protein and relaxing. Maybe a week or two after you relax you can do a med/hard protein treatment depending on how your hair feels.

 

[Day Dreamer]

hey ladies, I decided to relax on saturday because I had alot of new growth and i have not had a good relaxer since september of 09. I used design essentials an yet again i got burned; not badly but i can feel when i put the comb on the spot. I am considering switching when I finish up the tub. What a good professional grade relaxer to use instead of the design? I am thinking about going back to nairobi but what do you ladies think?

 

[nymane]

^^My stylist uses Affirm...the one for sensitive scalp

 

[Day Dreamer]

^^My stylist uses Affirm...the one for sensitive scalp

Thanks for the suggestion nymane. I used affirm a few years back and it did nothing at all for my hair. My hair never looked or felt relaxed when I used it so i left it in the salon where it was.

 

[nymane]

Thanks for the suggestion nymane. I used affirm a few years back and it did nothing at all for my hair. My hair never looked or felt relaxed when I used it so i left it in the salon where it was.

Oh I see...bumping for you

 

[changedname]

Hey girl,

I always do a hardcore protein treatment before my relaxer, but if your hair is thriving without protein I don't see anything wrong with skipping the protein and relaxing. Maybe a week or two after you relax you can do a med/hard protein treatment depending on how your hair feels.

Thanks for the advice. I did another moisture treatment so I'll do a protein after my relaxer. I tried Aphogee last time but I think I'll have to try something else because I experienced major breakage.

 

[mysoon2behair]

Yeah...the smell doesn't linger...but if u think the lavender smells bad...be glad u didnt get the non-scented one. It smells like smoke !!

Give it a few weeks and you'll see a difference

Hi SmilingElephant,

I have been applying the JBCO to my scalp and for some reason today I have major itchies! I'm trying not to scratch my scalp because I will be getting my relaxer on Saturday.

Do you have any suggestions for something I can apply to calm or soothe my scalp?

 

[SmilingElephant]

Hi SmilingElephant,

I have been applying the JBCO to my scalp and for some reason today I have major itchies! I'm trying not to scratch my scalp because I will be getting my relaxer on Saturday.

Do you have any suggestions for something I can apply to calm or soothe my scalp?

You can add a few drops of peppermint oil or maybe tea tree oil to ur JBCO if u like to help with itchies. I tried the peppermint oil and it works perfectly!!! ALSO when u do wash ur hair ladies...that are using the JBCO...make sure to wash ur scalp REALLY well because the oil is so thick. I usually lather twice when i shampoo....this helps to eliminate itchiness.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I have a fun question.....I wanna know what is your HHJ anniversary date and do you feel you have learned or accomplished any positive things so far??

My HHJ started on March 7,2008. I started at APL. Like a lot of the newcomers i had to look for all kinds of info to get my hair to where it is now. I still feel like i can learn some more....always room for improvement


Since that time i found that baggying doesn't work for me My hair hates waterbased moisturizers and mineral oil, petrolatum, lanolin....unless those kinds of ingredients are toward the end of the list. My hair LOVES butter based moisturizers...and does pretty well with heat as long as i deep condition and use a protectant beforehand. And my hair loves oils such as Coconut, EVOO, Vatika Oil, and that one oil i got from Sally's...the Proclaim 7 Olive Oil i think its called...and JBCO.

I went from APL to MBL in a year...and this year i plan on making it FINALLY to Waistlength and maybe a little bit towards Hiplength

My issue is dryness...but it is easily fixed with some kind of butter and oil

 

[Day Dreamer]

I really started to pay attention to my hair September 2009. So far I learned how to moisturise which i did not do before. I learned what a cowash was which is something i had never heard of before this site. There is so much more to learn here, its just wonderful.

ETA: I have found that my hair love to DC with heat. I do it for 30 mins. When i started doing, its like my hair was waiting for it. I could see my lenght increase that first two months. My hair also like cowashing. Its so much softer when i do this and i lose hardly any hair.

 

[panamoni]

My HHJ started the first week of July 2009. So, I'll say July 1st, 2009.

So far, I've learned:
- How to bun - This has been HUGE for me because I thought buns were weird and had some trouble with it at first. Now it feels normal to me.
- Moisturizing and sealing - I used to go to the salon every two weeks and not put anything on my hair in between.
- Protein vs. moisture -- still working on determining this better, but glad it was pointed out to me.
- Rollerset - I've only done it once, but now I feel comfortable doing it again.
- Protective styling - I can feel I'm on my way to retention.
- How to do my own hair -- washing, using products, styling, airdrying, so that my hair feels smoothe and healthy. It's a miracle!

I'm on my way to APL. I started at shoulder length (or bottom of neck length). In my October picture (which I don't have because I lost my camera), my hair was above the "1" (at the "0" if there was one), so in July, when I started, it was probably at the bottom of my neck... (all because of scissor happy stylists. Before that, I was between SL and APL). My length check picture in January had me at the "2". I should be at APL by June for sure.

One thing I'm struggling with is when to get my next trim. And, I don't want a trim, I just want a dusting. And, I know my stylist has a reputation of following instructions, but I really want to make sure I only get a dusting and nothing more.

Do any of you trim your own hair...

 

[Day Dreamer]

That is my problem also. I know that I need my ends straightened up but I am afraid to go to anybody because they always take off too much. I do not know how to self trim and am scared of screwing it up. This is quite a pickle.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I dust/trim my own ends....i actually go by the Feye's Method...you can google it up...in fact Traycee had it on her blog a while ago....but it makes trimming simple. After a while of doing it you will be comfortable with doing it and you'll be able to snip off EXACTLY what you wanna snip off.

 

[Mrs. J]

Well, my HHJ started towards the end of 2009, but I've learned alot in such a short amount of time. I definiely appreciate conditioning in a way like never before. I also realize that I can allow my hair to air dry and come out with the wonderful results without the use of any type of heat!! I enjoy the way my hair feels now; my hair is sooooo much softer!!!!

 

[Mrs. J]

I have a fun question.....I wanna know what is your HHJ anniversary date and do you feel you have learned or accomplished any positive things so far??

My HHJ started on March 7,2008. I started at APL. Like a lot of the newcomers i had to look for all kinds of info to get my hair to where it is now. I still feel like i can learn some more....always room for improvement


Since that time i found that baggying doesn't work for me My hair hates waterbased moisturizers and mineral oil, petrolatum, lanolin....unless those kinds of ingredients are toward the end of the list. My hair LOVES butter based moisturizers...and does pretty well with heat as long as i deep condition and use a protectant beforehand. And my hair loves oils such as Coconut, EVOO, Vatika Oil, and that one oil i got from Sally's...the Proclaim 7 Olive Oil i think its called...and JBCO.

I went from APL to MBL in a year...and this year i plan on making it FINALLY to Waistlength and maybe a little bit towards Hiplength

My issue is dryness...but it is easily fixed with some kind of butter and oil

Smiling E - It's interesting you say this because I think my hair is the same way!!! I put heat in my hear last week (although I'm in the Bootcamp challenge and wasn't supposed to....but, I got last minute tix to the Oprah show and I WAS NOT wearing a bun ) and my hair looks and feels so much softer than it ever has!!!! I'm thinking I may just take myself outta that challenge and just make sure I use the heat sparingly. I ain't gon get crazy with the heat, but I don't think I have to hold out for four months at a time for MY hair to thrive and grow!!!! What a wonderful revelation ......I look sooooo young as it is and wearing buns makes me and DD look like sisters!!!! No.....really!

 

[SmilingElephant]

Smiling E - It's interesting you say this because I think my hair is the same way!!! I put heat in my hear last week (although I'm in the Bootcamp challenge and wasn't supposed to....but, I got last minute tix to the Oprah show and I WAS NOT wearing a bun ) and my hair looks and feels so much softer than it ever has!!!! I'm thinking I may just take myself outta that challenge and just make sure I use the heat sparingly. I ain't gon get crazy with the heat, but I don't think I have to hold out for four months at a time for MY hair to thrive and grow!!!! What a wonderful revelation ......I look sooooo young as it is and wearing buns makes me and DD look like sisters!!!! No.....really!

Yeah...I basically dropped out of Bootcamp....im such a rebel!!

But i only allow myself 3 times a month max to use heat and it works pretty good for me to do it this way...in fact i'll be flat ironing for the 2nd time this month on the weekend bc i have a function to attend.

How come using heat is like a sin on this board?? Lol!! I feel as long as you deep condition and use a heat proectant and not use heat every single day....it's not bad. But that's my opinion.

 

[Mrs. J]

ITA!!! I actually bought into it too!!!! I never really stopped to think about the fact that I have to figure out what's best for my hair. Now I see that heat isn't as bad when used in moderation, so I may just drop out myself!!!

ETA: I updated my pikistrip with a more recent photo of my hair straightened. It's definitely growing!!!!!

 

[SmilingElephant]

ITA!!! I actually bought into it too!!!! I never really stopped to think about the fact that I have to figure out what's best for my hair. Now I see that heat isn't as bad when used in moderation, so I may just drop out myself!!!

ETA: I updated my pikistrip with a more recent photo of my hair straightened. It's definitely growing!!!!!

I see your hair doin its thang girl!!! Very pretty!!

 

[Mrs. J]

Looking at the picture it looks like it may skewed. It's not as long as it looks, but it has definitely grown. Here's a better picture!!!!

 

[mysoon2behair]

Well, my HHJ started towards the end of 2009, but I've learned alot in such a short amount of time. I definiely appreciate conditioning in a way like never before. I also realize that I can allow my hair to air dry and come out with the wonderful results without the use of any type of heat!! I enjoy the way my hair feels now; my hair is sooooo much softer!!!!

I love your hair its beautiful!!