Learning the Hard Way November 30, 2009

via Tony Straw

 

Vacation days are coming to a close in a few days, and although I’m reluctant to admit it…I do miss NYC.  The weather here in FL. has been pleasant, plenty of soft sunny days to make a girl smile, and just the right amount of rainy days to force you under the covers to catch up on some old reading. I’ve caught up long lost sleep, languished in the loveliness that was Thanksgiving with family, celebrated a birthday bringing me one step closer to the big 3-0, and survived another round of Kinky Curly Curling Custard.

Survived, not yet mastered what for some is a random trial and error, and at this point with the second go round under my belt…I’m ready to just throw in the towel. For the most part application was easy. I washed/DC’d and applied the product to hair. Early instincts were relatively good. I had great definition, minimal to zero frizz and my hair was dramatically elongated.

All great factors in a good product. Now, if only all those factors would’ve taken my hand and followed me over to ‘dryland’. After the KCCC became fully dried, a full day and a half later…I had definition, but a bit less than after initial application.  Significant frizz popped up in hidden areas throughout my head…particularly the back.  Shrinkage, never really something I concern myself with….yet somehow, I slowly became unnerved as the days let on, and my hair shrunk…and shrunk some more when humidity wanted to play nice at high noon.

So, I’m done. And it’s not because of what I’ve just explained, it’s largely due to an unexpected irritation that popped up along my hairline a few days after using the KCCC. Painful irritations that had me looking in the mirror…asking myself if it was really worth it.

It was not.

I say all that to say…while I still like the product, it doesn’t fit well at all into my routine. My current gripe really, is not being able to commit the time to find a good balance when using the KCCC & also realizing my scalp issues really do dictate and control all hair related decisions.  Granted, as fast as these flareups pop up, they just as quickly calm down and disappear. Yet, trade-offs are not my thing when a product cost $25 bucks.

As much as I love dressing my hair in different products and conditioners each week, realistically I care more about hair health than the prospects of achieving any kind of ‘look.’ So Friday  found me up & early lightly washing the KCCC out of my hair, conditioning for a few with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration then twisting in medium/large twists with Afroveda’s Shea-Amla Buttercreme under a bit of KBB hair milk. The twists were left in until this morning, unraveled and made to breathe in the Florida air.

 

I’m a Product Junkie, yes. Again, I love trying out the latest goop to hit the market just like the next girl who has her eye on the new HOBO bag for the new season. If you work hard, play hard, your hair in my opinion is a natural reflection of that. But first and foremost…I’m a realist. If it’s not ‘working’ move on.

 

*With that, I hope everyone’s Holiday was Blessed, and the prospects of an impending New Year are looking sweet;-)!

Scissor Friendly November 10, 2009

So yesterday was finally the day to reassess the situation.  It’d been weeks since I started rambling and complaining about my ends needing to be trimmed.  Just last week I wrestled with so many snarls and knots, I was forced to reach for a pair of scissors, turn a blind eye and snip! It really did feel like the worst kind of defeat, knowing the state of my hair was of my own doing. Shame.on.Me.

Thankfully, with the help of a good friend and a pair of sheers I was able to claim some hair sanity by shedding several inches of damaged colored/fried ends. This had been my dirty little secret for some time…my nicely camouflaged damaged ends.  Each week I’d treat them to EXTRA TLC by sealing and twisting until all was smooth and tucked away.  But with winter, there really is no fooling the harsh winds and the inevitable hat hair, so…what started out as a ‘trim’ transformed into a surprisingly nice hair cut! Ends are now smooth, and the ‘cut’ is layered and happily asymmetrical;-)!

After the cut, the hair was styled with a bit of Afroveda Shea-Amla Whipped Creme and I went about my way.  The twists were medium sized & this morning were undone to rock a short twist out.  NYC’s Indian Summer weather over the past few has been the best blessing in terms of retaining moisture, perfect to let the hair loose for this week without the worry of re-moisturizing each night.

Turns out I’m secretly excited to be sporting a bit of a shorter do.  I lost some length but gained hair health, and the trade off is beyond worth it. My heat damaged fiasco is a mere figment of my imagination these days, and even though I’m still growing out the rest of my hair color from over a year ago, I’m happy to be experiencing a change in my hair routine.  It’d been a while since I did anything beyond washing/conditioning/styling in twists and the week to week Process was resembling a farce. I didn’t want to color my hair, not yet interested in committing to the idea of kinky twists, henna etc., and in my case the happy medium was attained  two-fold by getting rid of the damaged ends & shaping up.

Below are before and afters. The first pic is of last week’s twistout, and the second is my new cut!

Next week I style my new bouffant, and my PJ hands cannot wait!

Afroveda Sale! October 2, 2009

Did I ever mention how much I loved Afroveda?! Well, I don’t mind saying it again! With the quick change in weather over the past few days, I’ve been scurring around my PJ stash to find something that would moisturize my hair until wash day.  Unfortunately what I found is that I’ve run out of all my favs, and need to stock up.  One of those is Afroveda’s Shea-Amla Whipped Butter, a great styling aid I use when hair is wet/dry to twist/rehydrate for fantastic results the following day.  My lovely old friend now comes in a 16oz jar, which I happily invested in!

Mala is also unveiling this week a new addition to the Veda family, her Prana Green Tea Conditioner.

 

 

Sounds yummy! In celebration, there is also a lovely discount of 15% off the conditioner in addition to your entire order! Again the prices of her products can’t be beat, many starting at just $9 for a mega-full jar of goodness! If you’ve never tried Afroveda before, now is definitely the time to dabble.

Back to Basics July 6, 2009

 

Here’s the only way I knew this past weekend to calm my ever ballooning halo/frizz/dry affected hair.

1. Prepoo with Suave Coconut Condish + Hairveda’s CoCasta Shikakai Oil

2. Rinse + Wash w/ Chagrin Valley Neem & Tea Tree Poo/Body Bar

3. Deep Condition w/ Aubrey Organics HoneySuckle Rose ( 20 min under heating cap)

4. Detangle + Cold rinsed, Twist w/ KBB Hair Milk under Afroveda’s Shea-Amla Butter crème.

5. Air Dry

Record time: under 3hrs.

 

Thankfully, my hair opted out of it’s temporary foolery and reduced the frizz significantly. Also attributed to my lack of halo was a drop in the humidity forecast (hallalujahs!)!! Before deciding to return to the basics though, my feet pandered into Sephora after work to glance at a relatively new line of products geared towards the curly girl. Living Proof.

The Gist:

Whether you’ve got curly cues or stick-straight strands, at some point you’ll be affected by the dreaded frizz—the annoying change in hair texture that takes you from slick to static in any humid situation. But before you crawl under that hat, meet Living Proof, your new frizz-busting BFF that keeps moisture mishaps under control. The brainchild of a talented team of hair aficionados lead by an MIT professor, the goal was to find a breakthrough solution “from a physics standpoint” and not through the standard methods of creating a typical beauty product. Instead of traditional silicone-based solutions, Living Proof set out to create efficient formulas based on entirely new molecules using advanced technology, so your toughest hair challenges are solved from a fresh, new perspective. The result is a comprehensive collection of cutting-edge, humidity-resistant formulas that work for all hair types. Whether you prefer it curly or straight, the road to silkier strands just got that much smoother—and you’re about to see Living Proof.

Sounds almost too good to be true! 

Here’s what caught my eye:

Wave Shaping, Curl Defining No Frizz Styling Treatment for Thick to Coarse Hair

What it is:

A daily treatment for optimum frizz-reduction and conditioning.

What it does:

Living Proof Wave Shaping, Curl Defining No Frizz Styling Treatment for Thick to Coarse Hair offers the first new anti-frizz technology in over 30 years. No Frizz addresses the two causes of frizz—humidity and friction. It provides a superior, extremely thin humidity barrier on hair while reducing surface friction. The result is the most effective, lightweight frizz fighter on the market today. This expert styling secret weapon contains a touchable holding polymer to give your waves and curls added definition. Hair is left sleek and manageable without becoming greasy or heavy.

 

I’m thinking….I’m thinking….@ $14 for a 2oz bottle…and my massive hair, I had to temporarily pass.  Granted reviews have been more so on the positive end. Added to my product queue for sure…but for now my AOHR + KBB and Afroveda are three gems that are absolute staples my hair can count on in times of frizz.

Later than Never June 10, 2009

Okay, so this post is late because I’ve just been late with a bit of everything this week. Is it possible to use the word moving without adding chaos to the mix? Yes…No? Well, it’s been a chaotic moving whirlwind on my end over the past couple of days. My workplace is restructuring, and moving office spaces comes with the territory. From lifting and packing boxes last week, to lifting and unpacking crap this week..my arms better look Michelle Obamaish by tomorrow a.m. But Sunday was my rest day AND… me hair day…and because I was feeling a bit feverish with fatigue I opted to keep the process a bit simple…or as simple as natural hair can afford while still looking fabulous;-)!

To keep it simple and hassle free, I stuck to last week’s regime and hoped for the best, Pre-pooed with Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Condish, followed by a co-wash. ACV’d with a bit of Khoret Oil added, then finished with Nature’s Gate Tea Tree Calming to help alleviate the smell. DC this week was Oyin’s Honey Hemp Condish for 45 min, followed by a cold rinse, styled with KBB’s Hair Nectar & Afroveda’s Shea-Amla Whipped Crème. Clipped the roots down, air dried for 5-6 hours and woke up the next morning to slightly damp twists. I blame it the humidity, but at the same time I completely forgot to remove any excess water from my hair. With the thickness of my hair it’s always a better idea to soak up as much water from hair before applying any styling product.

So the a.m left me with only slightly damp twists…not too disappointing. I applied a bit of KBB hair crème and called it a day. What ended up being the frizz culprit the following day was a string of intense humid temperatures and some freakish rain storms that tore through the east coast. What was initially supposed to look like 2nd day hair, instead reverted to something along the lines of 5-6 day hair….I had poof & volume for days! Still had movement, but had to remoisturize Monday evening with a touch more Shea-Amla Crème. Tuesday night I conditioned the do by simply re-twisting the hair, rolled the twists into tight pinwheel curls and enjoyed a curly fro this morning…a style I genuinely missed because it has the ability to last for days!

Next week will be another bentonite treatment with my root herbs! My hair and scalp seriously thrived after each application, and I definitely felt a slight difference in texture this week. I’m thinking at the very least twice a month with the bentonite, and a slow return to some co-washing (daily or every other day).

 

*I’m late on two fronts. My Oyin Review & my Afroveda Review. All to come when I get the feeling back in my arms;-)

Luscious Hair June 1, 2009

WOW! So I’ve been completely Internet free this entire weekend…beginning at 2p.m. Friday afternoon, and I have to say…I was going crazy!  I couldn’t check e-mail, update my Netlfix, check my account balance, update this blog…google conversation tid bits I had at work on Saturday…I was pretty much adrift for 2 1/2 days.  And then again…I survived…popped in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’…washed those dishes….laundry…food shopping…cleaned my place…organized that shelf…cleaned my purse where everything goes to get lost…and washed/deep conditioned/styled my hair!

I had plans to apply yet another bentonite treatment because my scalp has been responding so well to it…but chickened out at the last minute.  I did go ahead with a pre-poo using Trader Joe’s Nourish Condish, an old favorite of mind that works fantastically well whether you’re co-washing or pre-pooing. After applying the Condish, I saturated my hair with H2O, added a bit more Nourish Condish to my scalp and hair to co-wash, then swished in an ACV mix, applicator bottle style…with a bit of hemp oil and Khoret’s Amen Oil.  With some condish still left in my hair, I applied the ACV to my scalp and massaged for a good 5-7 minutes…the extra condish does make the process easier.

To alleviate some of the ACV smell, I finished with Nature’s Gate Tea Trea Calming…massaging into the scalp then throughout the hair.  DC this week was Karen’s Luscious Locks Moisturizing Hair Mask, under a heating cap for 45 minutes.  This was my first time using the mask which I earned during one of Karen’s Freebie Fridays!! It was a 4oz jar that was just enough to cover my entire head, after rinsing I was seriously hearting this condish!

 

Here are the goods from the site:

Conditioning doesn’t get deeper than this because everything you need for your hair is in this jar.  Detangle, soften, strengthen, grow.  Saturate your strands with this rich blend of herbs like shikakai and rosemary which are known to promote hair growth, arnica and nettle to strengthen your hair follicles and aloe for much needed moisture.  It is called Luscious Locks for a reason.

Ingredient wise:

Purified Water, Jojoba & Coconut Oils, Vegetable Glycerin, Vegetable Wax, Shikakai, Amla, Yucca, Horsetail, Nettle & Melissa Extracts, Panthenol, Rosemary Essential Oil, Vitamin E and Natural Enzymes

 

I detgangled quite easily, separating into twists as I went along, cold rinsed then styled with Karen’s Hair Nectar under Afroveda’s Shea Amla Whipped Butter Creme.  I clipped my roots down, but didn’t seal ends with my Hemp Butter because I’m beginning to believe the Shea Amla does a superb job in sealing in the moisture. This week, only addition to my regime was opting to air dry instead of using my soft-bonnet &…. the hair mask which has left me seriously torn!  For $25 you’ll come away with a 8oz jar, but…my PJ budget these days is forcing me to reconsider and find different alternatives…at least for the moment.  Yet it’s still gratifying not to have to search high and low for a DC that would work well with  my hair! Thus far, the serious contenders are my tried and true Curl Rehab & now Karen’s Hair Mask!  This morning after untwisting and separating, I smoothed a generous dollop of KBB hair cream over the top…something that truly makes a difference as far as retaining first day frizz and adding amazing shine!

 

*Shea-Moisture Giveaway update:  So here’s what I was a bit clueless about, the Shea-Moisture Leave-in isn’t readily available at most BSS stores , and because I’m still getting e-mails asking about the leave-in,  I’m extending the giveaway until Wednesday @ 3p.m., so others can still enter to win!

 

BTW…HAPPY JUNE Y’ALL!!

One Snip at a Time April 7, 2009

This past weekend I took the plunge again and opted to trim a few remaining heat damaged ends off.  My last trim last December was a doozy, where I’d hastily cut off close to three inches, and where during the previous summer I’d cut off close to four inches of damaged ends.  The story is a long one, but in a nutshell my hair met a flat iron it didn’t like and showed me just how much by refusing to curl. It’s been an uncomfortable & frustrating ride, essentially styling my hair around the damaged parts but it was a lesson well learned!

This go around was a bit easier as far as trimming.  I’d pre-pooed before hand with my leftover Giovanni Tea Tree Condish, then after rinsing began sectioning my hair into equal parts.  I prefer to trim my hair while wet because I’ve seriously developed a phobia of anything heat related.  My hair WILL NOT go near a heat styling tool!  It’s a bit more of a tedious process, but gets easier with practice.  To smooth the hair down I used some remaining Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose mixed with water.  The consistency was still creamy, but light enough to easily absorb into my hair, making trimming much easier! Time wise, what used to take me over two hours was reduced to a cool 45 min or so! 

I partially rinsed the condish out of my hair before applying my ACV mix of Hemp seed oil and Vitamin E Oil.  The slip from the condish made massaging the ACV a lot easier…I massaged the mix into my scalp for five minutes before cold rinsing.  I followed with a palm full of Oyin’s Honey Wash to cleanse my hair, then followed with Aubrey Organics White Camellia Conditioner.  This conditioner targets dry, coarse, unruly hair which is what I’ve been experiencing over the past several weeks. It’s also a smoothing conditioner which gives extra slip, and great for detangling.  Being one of the few conditioners from the line specifically for frizz prone curls, I was excited to try it out and compare to the Honey Suckle Rose. 

I DC’d for a bit over an hour under a cap, cold rinsed then styled with KBB’s hair milk & Afroveda’s Shea-Amla Whipped Butter Creme. This was the second time I used the Shea-Amla Creme with much better success!  My previous attempt was haphazard at best, with the end result a poofy coif.  Some weeks back I’d paired the creme with KCKT, then paired the KCKT with the Afroveda Curly Custard, experiencing the same poofy end.  On a hunch I decided to pair the Afroveda products with a KBB’s milk hoping the oil base of the milk would work…and found that it worked amazingly well.  Apparently the KCKT works best with styling products that have a water/aloe base, while the Afroveda line works best with oil based leave-ins.  My twists Monday morning were incredibly moisturized, bouncy and shinny! This week I’m seriously suffering from what a fellow blogger termed HIFS;-)!

 

This is of course just my hair experience.  If you’ve tried this combo before and achieved great results kudos! I’d luv to know if I was doing something wrong? KCKT is still my leave-in staple, but the KBB is coming in a real close second these days;-)!