Just Love Henna!

I remembered how my hair loved henna the 2 times I applied it after my relaxers and decided to do another application. I honestly think I need to henna every month or 2 because my hair really loves it and feels stronger when I henna my hair. 

I almost didn't do it as planned on Sunday because we had no water flowing in our taps for a long while due to repair works by the water company and I had little water left in storage by the weekend.

Thankfully, my hair buddy Ruby had loads of water and offered to help out so I went to her house and got a real good treat! It really felt nice to sit back and relax, and have your hair done with utmost care...........more tlc than ever imagined!! Ruby did the application from start to finish. After the application, I whiled away the time by installing some braids for Ruby's sister. I left the henna in for 4 hours.

I then washed it out with my onion infused shampoo and the followed with VO5 Moisture milks conditioner. I was mighty tired and it was past 10 pm so I didn't leave the conditioner in for more than 5 minutes and I didn't cover with a shower cap. I then T-shirt dried and then airdried the rest of the time, about 15 minutes with a standing fan after washing the henna out.

Each time I apply henna, my hair feels and looks awesome afterwards! I really should henna more often!! It's a keeper.

Have you tried henna?

Cheers,

Star. 

Post Texlax Update

Hello lovelies!!

Thank you all for supporting me on this hair journey of mine. You gave me the zeal to stay on this journey though there were times I felt like giving up. Your visits to this page mean a lot to me. God richly bless you. 

I should have washed my hair 3 days after relaxer day but shame on me, I got too busy to do it so I will wash tonight after work. I just can't wait to share my post texlax results with you. Been itching to for days now. I posted updates on my Facebook Page though. I just looooooove how much texture I have in my hair. It's extremely amazing how loose the coils got but without making my hair bone straight!! Feels like I used a texuriser or a kiddie perm. So that's it. It looks almost like new growth.

I found my hair needs just about 12 mins of the relaxer cream to loosen up but not get anywhere near bone straight. So from now on, my texlaxing process is going to be 10-12 minutes from start to finish!

I have about 4 inches of texlaxed hair now but I find it very easy to comb. Somehow, the knots and tangles simply disappeared. My hair was just screaming for a relaxer....lol! I'm so happy my texlax results were great and I feel really awesome about it.

I feel so good that somehow, some creativity in me sudden surfaced and I am really digging the protective styles I seem to come up with everyday. I massage T444Z onto my scalp at most 2 times a week. I moisturise and seal twice a day using ORS moisturiser on my ends and Hawaiian Silky on my roots. I seal with Wonder 8 oil and Ghanaian black castor oil. I use Cantu sheabutter or CON Argan oil leave-in when my hair feels dry before applying the moisturisers. 

My hair looks really lovely and feels good to touch. I've been asked 4 times this week "Is that your real hair"?. Hhhehhehehhhehhehehe..........you should see my face light up and feel my joy when I say a proud "YES"! I'm loving the compliments I get......and loving my colleagues and friends getting more and more curious about what I am doing to grow my hair. I'm honestly happy with my length and thickness now. 

Though my hair is not that long, it is the longest MY hair has ever been so to me, it is AWESOME. I'm just going to enjoy my journey to bra strap length as I intend to make it as stress-free and fret-free as possible. No more extremely long stretches..........12-16 weeks maximum. I will do a henna treatment this weekend. Dunno how I will squeeze it into my schedule but we'll see. Wish me luck.

What are your thoughts on texlaxing?

Cheers,

Star.

Relaxer Update #4

I ended my relaxer stretch on Saturday at 14 weeks post. I decided to texlax my roots myself again and I was determined to leave a lot more texture in this time. My relaxer day...or texlaxer day went just the way I wanted it. I used my good old relaxer day arsenal. I trust these products to give me just the results I want.

I detangled thoroughly and parted my hair into 3 sections. 2 in front and 1 at the back.

I applied petroleum jelly all over my scalp, ears and edges thickly. I then applied Hemp oil and Roux Porosity Control Conditioner on my hair, avoiding the new growth.

I applied the Vitale lye relaxer quickly. I decided to process the new growth less in order to have more texture. I combed through a few times with my wide tooth comb to ensure the relaxer cream was evenly distributed. I worked really fast and parted with my fingers so it was hard to get the relaxer well distributed. I rinsed it out as 2 minutes after I combed it through. The process took a total of 11 minutes; application and processing time.

I then applied the Vitale mid step protein treatment and then neutralised with ORS Aloe shampoo afterwards.

I applied Roux conditioner for 2 minutes and rinsed. 

I applied the Vitale corrective conditioner and left it in for 10 minutes. 

I T-shirt dried and applied my leave-ins. I used Infusium 23 and Creme of Nature Argan oil leave in. I airdried about 50% and then set my hair in rollers. I used about 8 rollers in all....was tired and not really up to the task of making small parts. I sat under the dryer for a 15 minutes but my hair still felt damp so I decided to just allow the air to dry it up.

Once dry, I realised that my hair was processed just a tiny bit....hehehhehehhehehhe...but it is loosely curled so at least I can comb through easily. So like I suspected, there was not much change in the overall length of hair also considering that I didn't blowdry or flatiron to get my hair straight. For me, I love the freedom from struggling with the coils and knots. Now I can go to the salon and get braids whenever I want and be sure half my hair won't be yanked out by the time I'm done. My overall objective for ending my stretch was totally met. 

I'm happy that despite the extreme breakage and shedding I am experiencing, my ends are pretty cool. I will therefore not trim though I had planned to. I am working seriously on thickening my hair and will do a henna treatment at the weekend. I have also decided to do only 2 official length checks this year; in July and in December. Until then, no direct heat on my hair for any reason whatsoever. 

Health first, the length will follow....that's my mantra for 2014.

Have you considered texlaxing? 

Cheers,

Star.

Wash Day: 13 Weeks Post

I decided to make my wash day as simple as possible as I was pretty tired. I had kept my hair in 3 large braids under my wig all week so I knew I would deal with tangles.

1. I detangled all sections carefully with my fingers. I then combed gently with my wide tooth comb.

2. I applied Wonder 8 Oil and coconut oil to my hair from roots to tips, covered with a shower cap and sat under the dryer for 30 minutes.

3. Shampooed with my onion infused Creme of Nature Detangling and Conditioning shampoo.

4. T-shirt dried hair and applied Vitale Mayonnaise, covered and sat under the dryer for 15 minutes.

5. Rinsed out and did a black tea rinse. Left in hair for 3 minutes and washed out with VO5 Moisture Milks.

6. Wrapped hair with T-shirt to soak up water.

7. Airdried hair, sectioned and detangled with my fingers after spraying in Creme of Nature Argan Oil moisture and shine leave in treatment.

8. Combed and threaded up into 4 sections as my style for the week.

                                      

Though I am enjoying my stretch,which has been quite easy, I have a great longing to enjoy my hair just a little bit. I am quite pleased with having a 13 week stretch and I will texlax on either Saturday or Sunday. I will self-texlax and I will make sure I protect my ends and apply on new growth only. For this reason, I really do not see the need to stretch further as I have between 1.5-2 inches of new growth. 

Wish me luck....and keep tuned to my next relaxer update. 

At how many weeks post do you feel like giving up on your stretch? 

Cheers,

Star.

How to Moisturise and Seal Relaxed Hair

Hair Update: 12 Weeks Post

I know it's been a while. Have been a little busy with work. 

Altogether, I am happy I have stretched my relaxer this far but I am just keeping my fingers crossed and waiting eagerly for relaxer day. I have 2 inches of new growth; judging with my eyes, which is 16 weeks worth of new growth. I am 12 weeks post. I used to be able to stretch 6 months at a time but my new growth is coming up much more thicker and stronger than ever before. It's completely amazing I can't be annoyed though detangling is not an easy task! 

I haven't posted any hair pixs lately because there is pretty much nothing new. Tis just same old hair in large braids or threaded up in 3 or 4 sections hiding under my wigs. I am loving the wig regimen so much as it affords me the much needed happy-go-lucky hhj! 

No stress after wash day with styling issues. I just detangle and airdry, moisturise and seal and plait it again.

No stress after green house effect; wet or dry, I just slap on my wig cap and wig and off I go.

No stress when it's time to attending a special occassion. My good old wig is what I wear to the function.

No need to detangle with a comb everyday. My fingers do it all. That should save me a lot of breakage. 

No need to lose sleep preparing my hair for the next day. 

No stress with hair whether it is silky smooth or not. 

No need for heat whatsover. 

No need to wrap at night.

No need, no need, no need.................pretty much for anything complicated. 

Wigs make my life so simple it's amazing!! 

For now, that's my boring regimen. It's just me and some good old wigs!

Have you ever tried a wig regimen? 

Cheers,

Star. 

After Braid Removal: Always Detangle First

I have had a lot of "911"calls concerning extreme hair loss after braid removal. It turns out that a lot of young ladies still forget to detangle after removing their braids, weaves and cornrows. Please, please, please.....always detangle and remove all knots from your hair before you touch it with water or a comb. I try to explain this process in text but I think a video will do better at explaining the steps. No more tears on braid removal days!!

Enjoy!  Subscribe and post your comments as well. I am working on a few videos with better lighting and will upload them soon. 

Are there any questions you will like answered with a video?

Cheers,
Star.