Caution on protective styling

I am a believer in long term protective styling, I have got my best length retention from it in my pre-hhj days, so I will never knock long term protective styling, the only thing I will knock is the lack of hair bonding time you get with permanent protective styling.

I have a good friend of mine who is always protective styling, and she has recently just got past MBL, with little effort, the issue is, as soon as she removes her weave she has to quickly install another weave because she complains about breakage. Her hair breaks , not stupid crazy, but it breaks. She is uber scared to have her hair out. The issue is she has never had bonding time with her hair. She doesn't know what protein and moisturise balance is, she doesn't know that conditioners have different properties. She definitely has no clue why she has her hair snapping midway, or feels dry and brittle.

I do my best to tell her to use more moisturising products when her hair feels brittle and dry and protein just before her weave installation and not to forget moisturising with a good moisturiser and a give her hair and scalp a good wash. 

Now don't get me wrong I am not trying to say everyone should be on a journey or protective styling is bad, absolutely not my point, I just feel that if my friend gave her hair some time other than relaxer days and the week after to be with her hair and understand it's needs she would enjoy her MBL hair more! Her fear now is she has long hair but if it's left out it will break right down to pre long term protective styling days. As for healthy hair practices, her attitude is 'oh it takes so long, not for me'

A hair journey isn't for everyone....yes.... but an understanding of your hair is so important. 

I will always long term protective style my hair in winter, but if I didn't it's not the end of the world, I understand my hair and we can work something out. Long term protective styling should be a style and not a remedy to avoid dealing with your hair, because as soon as the protective style is gone you start losing all your amazing length.

In the same way we take care of our skin, teeth and general healthy of our bodies, do the same with your hair, if you can't deal with it get a good stylist/beautician, however, if you don't know much about your hair I wonder how you would make sure your stylist is treating your hair well? 

I personally don't think we all need to spend an half a day doing our hair, over the weekends or precious evenings, but we do need to spend some time In order to understand our hair. I don't see a quick fix with hair, unless am missing something can anyone let me know however I can help my friend without her feeling like she is on a journey?

Happy hair journeys ladies! :)

“ To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny. ”— Alan Cohen

Review of goals #2 oct

Week 2

1. 1 litre of Water a day - did 7 days out of 7, yeah me! 

2. Roll set - #fail, due to travelling over the weekend I couldn't? Should have packed my flexirods 

3. GHE - check did it Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as stated. This sadly makes my scalp itchy, so once a week is all I'll do from now on

This weeks 

1. 1 litres a day

2. Roller set

3. GHE once on Thursday

Happy hair journeys ladies! :-) 

Wash day - 5 weeks post

I have been so busy lately and the way this wash day went shows it. I couldn't do my normal weekend wash day as I was out of town visiting my friends new born, so my wash day was moved to Monday morning.

1. DC on dry hair for 15 to 20 mins with Herbal Essence Hello Hydrations Hair Mask.

2. I rinsed off the conditioner and shampooed my hair  with elasta qp creme conditioning shampoo.

3. T-shirt dried my hair 

4. Spray Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance leave in.

5. Detangled and applied Herbal Essence Beautiful Ends

6. Bunned my hair and left it to air dry for the day.

7. Moisturised with Elasta QP Olive oil and mango butter

Thoughts on my HEHH hair mask, I don't think I benefitted fully from it this wash day, more detailed review to follow when I use it for a month, notes so far

1. One tub can only be used for up to 3 washes.

2. It soaks right into the strands, maybe why I used about half a tub

3. It has really good slip. 

All in all shortest wash day but it got the job done!

How was your last wash day?

Happy hair journeys ladies! :)

“ The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. ” — Paul Valery

My product staples – series 4 – the moisturises

Last week in series 3 it was all about the leave ins and the instant conditioner, and it was interesting to learn about the different leave in combos that you ladies use and instant cons. I will be experimenting different leave ins depending on what I am doing to my hair after, i.e. roller sets, air drying, flat ironing etc, at the moment, I use the same leave in for any styling option I go for.

This week in series 4 it’s all about the moisturizers. I use several moisturizers on my hair and one thing I have noted is I rarely seal in my moisture, it’s a combination of laziness and also because I feel I have my oil within my moisturiser and this will make my hair oil and weigh it down.

My current staples are:

Ø        ORS Carrot Oil – I used to use this at the start of my hair journey and then stopped it for a few months to try a new moisturizer. Now, since ORS rebranded (Organic root simulator now ORS) the new packaging seems to have changed an ingredient in the product I am not sure what but the oil that used to sit at the top of the moisturiser is gone, it has a buttery consistency, just like Elasta QP which another one of my staple. The ORS Carrot oil moisturiser has a lot of oils, castor oil and carrot oil to name a few, plus it does not weigh the hair down. I was not so keen with it before because of the separation of oils, but ORS I think am sold again!

Ø        S Curl No drip moisturise – this moisturiser, I use on my new growth only. My NG gets so dry when I am a few weeks post, and I find using S-Curl or a glycerine and water mix really helps me out. I usually use it when am 8+ weeks post. This product seems to be a hit or miss with other HHJ ladies, but for now I definitely cannot go through a stretch without it. The only issue I have with this is I need to use a clarifying shampoo more often or even wash my hair more than once a week, as I have a lot of product build up (I use it almost every other day if not daily at about 8 weeks post)

Ø        Glycerine & Water – I use this as stated in the note above. I mix 1 part glycerine to 4 parts water and spray it on my NG.

Ø        Elasta QP Mango and Olive Butter –This moisturiser I love, love, love. It soaks right into my strands and does not weigh the hair down. It is much cheaper that the ORS Carrot oil moisturiser, but it’s not stocked in main stream shops. The only thing that bugs me is the smell....it’s just weird! It not mango and it aint olive oil, what is it!!! Every time I use it my brain goes into overdrive trying to place that smell....Aside from that, all the hype around it is so true, it’s a really good moisturiser. (...but seriously...what is the smell in the moisturiser? Lol)

Other products I used for moisturising are my leave ins on my wash day only, I tried moisturising with them mid wash, my hair did not like it one bit.

As for sealing oils, as I don’t usually seal in my moisture, I don’t use them often but when I do I use oils, it would be coconut oil or almond oil.

What moisturisers do you swear by?

Do you always seal your moisturiser in with an oil even though your moisturiser already has an oil?

Happy Hair Journey Ladies! =)

‘He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator’ – Francis Bacon

Product review: ORS Aloe Shampoo

This is one of my staple products that I love.

Product review: ORS Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo

Price: £3.49 Boots (370ml)

Promise: Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo moisturizes and neutralizes hair leaving it tangle free and soft after every shampoo. When used regularly it can help prevent calcium, magnesium, and iron build-up on the hair and protects it from environmental elements. Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo is a rich blend of Olive Oil and Aloe Vera that soothes, moisturizes, and protects the hair and scalp.

Ingredients: Water Aqua , Cocamidopropyldimethylamine Propionate , Trideceth-7 Carboxylic Acid , PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate , Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate , Ammonium Laureth Sulfate , Lauramide Glucoside , Lauryl Glucoside , Polyquaternium-10 , Cocoglucoside , Glyceryl Oleate , Disodiium EDTA , Olive Oil Olea Europaea , Cetrimonium Carboxydecyl , PEG-8 Dimethicone , Cetrimonium Chloride , Sulfated Castor Oil , Lecithin , Propylene Glycol , PEG-12 Oleate , Silicone Quaternium-2 , Panthenol Succinate , Fragrance Parfum , Aloe Barbadensis Gel , Glyceryl Polymethacrylate , Propylene Glycol , Polyquaternium-7 , Cocamide MEA , Glycol Distearate , Sodium Laureth Sulfate , Triethanolamine , DMDM Hydantoin , Methylparaben , Propylene Glycol , Propyl Paraben , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Green No. 3 Cl 42053 , Yellow No. 5 Cl 19140  .......

My thoughts: I have always used this shampoo before and on my HHJ, before my hair journey it was my regular shampoo on wash days, on my hair journey I use it as a clarifying and neutralising shampoo.
I use this shampoo once a month when I clarify my hair, and if I do this I also prepoo before, as it has sulphates. During my relaxer the shampoo usually comes in my No-Lye ORS relaxer box.
This is really a value for money product; it does last for a long time as I do not use it that often. After I prepoo my hair my hair does not feel too stripped when using this shampoo, I think its promise of ‘adding moisture’ is due to the fact that it has clarified your hair therefore moisture can penetrate better on clean product free hair, but on its own it is not moisturising. This poo does the job it is intended for, it removes all product build up in my hair and leaves it very clean.
 Pro

1.        Value for money, goes a long way

2.        Removes all product build up including dandruff

Cons

1.        Contains sulphates – however I think this is a requirement for clarifying shampoos? (correct me if am wrong)

2.        Hair feels stripped if used without prepooing.
I personally feel this is a solid product and would recommend it. I am still on my first bottle which I got this year. I will definitely be repurchasing this product again in the future. I will get it a 4/5 as a clarifying and chelating shampoo, however I would not use it as a daily or weekly shampoo as it does strip the hair.

Rating: 4/5 –

Review of goals #1 of 4 oct goals

1. 1 litre of Water a day - did 6.5 days out of 7, couldn't finish off my half litre on Sunday *sigh*

2. Roll set - check!

This weeks 

1. 1 litre a day

2. Roller set

3. GHE 3 times a week Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday  

Happy hair journeys ladies! :-) 

“ Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. ”— Martin Luther King Jr.

Wash Day - 4 Weeks post

I have been getting inspired again with blogs and Youtube and decided I need to get off my back side and carry on, on a STRONG hair journey. This week I have had an itchy scalp so it was time for a clarifying wash.

1. Sectioned my hair in 4 and applied grape seed oil to my scalp and length and left it in 2 plastic bags for an hour or so.

2. I finger detangled my hair and shampooed it with TREsemme split end remedy shampoo

3. I then used black tea rinse in  spray bottle and targeted my scalp, let the tea run out of my hair then applied TREsemme Split end remedy conditioner for 5 mins and rinsed it off.

4. T-shirt dried my hair for 10 mins and then applied the APH steaming conditioner mixed with honey and put a plastic bag and heat cap for 2 hours and then rinsed off the DC.

5. T-shirt dried my hair for 15 mins and the detangled my hair with Aussie Hair Miracle insurance leave in conditioner and TREsemme split end remedy leave in.

6. Roller set my hair and left the rollers on for the rest of the day, blow dried my hair for 15 mins and took down and rolled my hair, and mimicked a Saran wrap.

Verdict:
1. Shedding - I think my shedding is normal I saw a picture of my shedding pre black tea rinse days and it's normal for me, the black tea did not change my shedding pattern 

2. Honey and DC - this I will do going forward, thought the con am using is so bad, going to throw away the rest of it. It has zero slip.

3. TREsemme split end remedy - the shampoo was very stripping I wouldn't use it again, conditioner wasn't anything special, the leave in was the only product I liked, however I was using sample packed and I haven't seen the retail versions in store yet.

4. Roller set - this is the first roller set this month. I finished it off with a Saran wrap. Overall happy with the results. My hair will be manageable for the rest of the week.

Happy Hair Journey Ladies! :)

'Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.' - Edgar Alln Poe

My product staples – series 3 – the leave in and detanglers

This week I will be discussing leave ins and instant conditioners. I am really enjoying these posts so far I am going to try a milder shampoo and have tonnes loads of moisturising conditioners on my list (#productjunkie)

Leave in Conditioner

I use leave in conditioners after all my washes and for a boost of moist during the week. I have 2 leave in conditioners I use my favourite one is – Aussie Hair Insurance Miracle leave in conditioner – this is a light liquid which is amazing for moisture and detangling, it really does help when am deep in my stretch and start getting matting with my new growth.

I have also recently started using Herbal Essence Beautiful Ends leave in. This is a thicker creamier leave in and can be used as a moisturiser, I like using it for my roller sets in case I decide to finish off with some heat, it has cones that are great as heat protectants.

For a leave in am looking for something that is a great detangler and is moisturising.

Instant conditioners

I always make sure I have an instant conditioner in my product stash. I used them for co-wash, after tea rinses, as pre-poos, the list is endless. My fav instant conditioner is Herbal Essence Hello Hydrations – I have always loved this conditioner even before my hair journey, it really does hydrate the hair, this is my number one instant conditioner staples, with TREsemme Naturals rich moisturising conditioner close behind. TREsemme Naturals is an instant con I use most of, it has cones far down the list.

For an instant conditioner, am looking for something that is not stripping and gives me that needed quick boost of moisture.

These are my go to leave ins and instant conditioners, what are yours?

Happy Hair Journeys Ladies! :)

'A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you' - Elbert Hubbard

Challenge review month 3

Stretch: My last 13 week stretch ended with me stretching to 13.5 weeks. This time round am stretching till my 1st year anniversary in January, this will make this stretch 19 weeks long, my goal this month was to get to 3 weeks post which I have achieved. The goal for the next month is to get to 7 weeks post
Next month goal – 7 weeks post 
 
Nape: My nape area has been moisturised throughout the month of September, I reviewed my nape after my relaxer, it has definitely grown, I will carry on moisturising it and daily or as needed.

Ends: My ends have really picked! I cut off another 1 inch from them the week after my relaxer and will carry on moisturising them and protective styling to keep them intact. 
 
Protective styling: This month was really hard, I find it easier to style when am several weeks post, so I did manage to do 2 protective styles, but I feel they did not turn out as well as on thicker hair. 

Not the best picture but you can see my faux bob, it was after a long day :)

This is a two strand crown, again the pictures don't do it justice, will have to re-do this one.

 
Hairline: I feel like my hairline has not improved anymore from last month, I continued my castor, grape-seed oil with peppermint essential oil. I did not touch up my hairline on my relaxer day. For now I will continue applying the oil mix, and keep it away from manipulation.

The pictures on top is how my hair line looked like last month, pictures below 

is how it looks like now

 
How are your self-challenges going?
 
Happy Hair Journeys Ladies and Gents! :) 
 
‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ – Psalm 23:4 NIV