Hair Crisis

I'm still sticking to my natural hair challenge. Last Saturday, I went through the usual regimen and two strand twisted my hair. While I was doing my hair, I knew that something was off. My hair just felt weird. It wasn't soaking up the moisture like it normally did.

Throughout the week, I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I moisturized my hair like normal, but my hair felt horrible! I added pure coconut oil to my moisturizing mix and it became crunchy and dry-looking. No shine at all.

 I completely forgot that coconut oil freezes on the hair in the winter, giving it a very hard feel. If you've been wondering about coconut oil and would like to try it, wait until spring. It's useless in the fall and winter.

So yesterday, while I was in Cosmetology class, I was examining my hair and looking through the textbook for some answers.

Then it dawned on me that I had not clarified my hair in forever. In fact, I couldn’t' remember when the last time I clarified was! So I had to violate my Natural Hair Challenge rule and wash my hair earlier than I planned.

I used Apple Cider Vinegar, or ACV for short, as a clarifying rinse. The point of clarifying is to remove all of the gunk from the hair that has built up over time. Regular shampoos are, or rather, should be moisturizing. They should not leave the hair feeling 'squeaky clean'. 

I mixed ACV with water in a 1:3 mix. 1 part ACV. 3 parts water. This should be mixed in a spray bottle for easy distribution.  Wet hair, spray mix on thoroughly, scrub hair vigorously, , wait 5-10 mins, and rinse off.  I have to do this twice because my hair is thick. Keep in mind that ACV is very drying. Skipping the conditioner step could result in a lot of unnecessary breakage.

I conditioned old school style with mayo. I mixed 1 cup of mayonnaise with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of honey. I put the mix on my hair and let it sit for 30 minutes. I usually condition for a lot longer, but I don't want to be smelling like a hamburger so 30 will do.

This time, I two strand twisted with Eco Styler Gel, which gave me the BEST HOLD EVER. I'm in love with it. My hair and scalp feel awesome.

Moral of this story: Listen to you hair!

I Quit!

 I am a quitter.

That was hella hard to type but hey, I want to be honest with you guys. I started my transformation on January 10 and here it is, 10 days later, and I've thrown in the towel. 

I'm not making ANY excuses at all. I'm just telling it like it is. I don't have enough motivation to do it. My house is full of crappy stuff to eat and I don’t have enough willpower to resist. 

That coupled with the fact that there's no way I can go to the gym provides a double whammy. We have a wellness center at our  local hospital but my mom says that it's full of pervs and the membership is too costly. My other option is a rather dilapidated gym that has a few cardio machines in good working order and weights. No strength training equipment at all.

Bad eating habits + me sitting on my a$$ = the body that I have (and detest) now.  Point blank.

My thing is, I don't want to see the bad food AT ALL. If I see it, I'll eat it. Especially if it's easier to prepare than the healthy stuff. I keep suggesting to my mom to throw the bad stuff out but she's not having it.

I can easily wake up early. I used to wake up at 5 to get a good solid hour in. But I negate whatever progress I made that morning with the horrible foods that I eat. And I've yet to see any DELICIOUS diet food. Salads and egg whites ain't for me.

I don't know what to do now. Maybe I'm not ready. Maybe the timing is all wrong. Either way, I'm calling it quits, for now. 

Did anybody struggle during their body transformation or is it just me?

Product Review: Jane Carter Solution

I've finally used the majority of the products that I ordered from the Jane Carter Solution.  The two that I'm going to talk about today are the Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner and the Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner.

First up, the leave-in.

As per about.com, a leave-in conditioner is supposed to reduce split ends, add shine, and improve the moisture content of hair. This stuff DEFINITELY does that. This is one of the best ways to seal in the moisture for my 4B hair. It has a wonderful smell and is very light. It was worth the buy.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Next, the conditioner.

When I Youtube'd this product, lots of girls were talking about the awesome slippage of this product. They had shown how easily they could detangle their hair. That did NOT happen for me. I have yet to find a product that can help me EASILY detangle my hair. Every time I detangle with this conditioner, I get a pretty decent sized clump of hair on my comb.

BUT, on a good note, it also has a nice smell and I've noticed that my hair does not break nearly as much as it used to. My scalp is never itchy or dry.  Will I buy it again? Probably. But I'm still searching for my wonder-product.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Feel free to ask my any questions about this brand.

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

Natural Hair and Self-Esteem

Making the decision to go natural at 15 years old was a BIG step for me. Actually going natural at 16 was even harder. I think I experienced every emotion under the sun during my transition. I faced a lot of BS from my family, friends, and people I don't even know.

When I first told my family that I was going natural, my uncle jokingly said that a TWA (he didn't know that was the actual term) would make me look like a butch, which is a masculine acting/looking bisexual/homosexual woman.

During my first few months of transitioning, I was told that my hair was too 'ugly' and too 'nappy' to go natural.

Halfway through, a guy at my school told me that I look uglier with natural hair.

Even now, I'm looked at with disgust by some people because of my hair.

A lot of people will say that 'it's just hair', but to me, it's not just hair. It's a reflection of who I am. Just like the clothes I wear, music I like, and choices I make, my hair is an outward reflection of the person I am. I'm not saying that my hair is some kind of political statement. I am NOT down with the movement and against the man.  It was a personal choice.

Going natural tested my character and my limits. My self-esteem took a serious beating and there were many times that I wanted to give up and conform so I wouldn't have to go through the things that I went through. During my transition, there was so much uncertainty with going natural. What will it look like? Will it grow? Will my hair be short forever? Is it gonna grow down my back? Am I gonna look like who shot John and what for?

Most ex-relaxed naturals have NEVER seen their natural hair. So, going natural is a serious leap of faith. I always say fake it until you make it during your transition. If you transitioned for a long period of time like I did, people will get used to it in time. They may not like it, but once they realize that it's not going anywhere, they will respect it.

The Importance of Mini Resolutions

     My only New Year's Resolution for this year is to make mini resolutions. Mini resolutions are just like any New Year's Resolution except the time frame is waaay shorter. Sometimes I get the impression that the only time that I can implement any major change in my life is on the first day of the year. Obviously, that's not true. I can change whatever I want whenever I want.
   Also, New Year's Resolutions are so static. You can't change them. The goals that I have for right now won't apply 6 months down the road. The goals are typically very broad and I often don't know what steps I need to accomplish them.
     I think monthly resolutions are the answer.  I still want that 'fresh start' feeling. So, each month, I'm going to make a new resolution.  Take a look at my January resolution.
January
1. Get an Exercise Regimen
2. Be Happy
3. Take Care of Hair
4. Love Myself Completely
5. Don't Slip Up on Challenges
This was made on December 28, 2010. Making the resolutions BEFORE the month makes it seem more 'official'.    There are more in depth explanations of numbers 1, 3, and 5 on these posts: 
I'll be back with the February resolution during the last week of January.

January Fitness Plan

I really want go get fit for the spring/summer. I want to proudly wear bikinis and short shorts. I want a healthy lifestyle that will continue on to college. The girls in my family have  had a really bad history of being in great shape when they're young and then being in not so great shape when they get older.

I don't want that to happen.

So, I've got to be proactive about it. I'm at a decent weight right now. I'm not too big, not too small.  I'm 5'4 and 130 lbs. My BMI is 22.

I honestly don't want to lose weight. I don't want to get any skinnier. I want to tone up. And if that means that I gain 10 lbs of muscle and end up at 140, that's okay with me. If I look good, all of the other stuff doesn't matter.

So. What am I gonna do about it?

I love cardio. Love it, love it, love it. But I DEPLORE strength training. Lifting weights does not seem FUN to me. I don't even like going to the gym. But I digress.

My January plan is to do cardio every day and use the 100 push up challenge.  The cardio that I'm using will be the Just Dance 2 wii game. I simply use the Non-Stop Shuffle option and dance my heart out. I MIGHT use a P90x CD. 

I do want to note that my first cardio workout that I did before I bought Just Dance 2 consisted of freestyle dancing to music on my computer for 30 straight minutes. 

Start Date: Monday, January 10

End Date: Monday, January 31

Number of Cardio Workouts: 23

Length of Each Workout: 30 minutes

Total Time: 11.5 hrs

Push-Up Plan:

Number of Workouts: 10

Should be able to do 25 push ups by January 31.

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

How I Moisturize My Natural Hair

Moisture is one of the most crucial aspects of any hair regimen.  This is especially true for all hair that falls under the "4" category. To some extent I think that the hair itself becomes drier as the curl pattern becomes less distinct. 4a hair is probably less dry than 4b and 4b is probably less dry than 4c. I'm sure the moisture difference isn't that noticeable, but I still think it's true.

For ME, a 4b gal, moisturizing can be a little complex. I do NOT want dry hair and I'm sure you don't either. The main thing to remember is that water is the only true moisturizer for hair. The goal of moisturizing is to keep the water from escaping the hair shaft. That means that one must seal the hair.

This is the process that I use on my hair year round and in every hairstyle.

1. Section hair into four parts.
2. Start with water. Spray 1st section with water. Another option is a leave in conditioner that is  WATER BASED. Water MUST be the first ingredient in the ingredient listing.
3. Apply any oil of your choice to your section. Examples include but are not limited to : olive oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, vatika oil, etc.
4. Last, apply melted pure shea butter. DON'T OVER DO IT. You'll quickly realize if you've put too much on your section if the hair has a white cast or appearance. But don't worry if that happens. Your hair will absorb some of it overnight and if the hair still looks white the next day, a quick blow dry on low heat should remedy the problem.
5. Repeat on remaining sections.

The main thing to remember is my moisturizing mantra 'Water. Oil. Shea.' For some, shea butter is too heavy for the hair or there may be allergic reactions.  In that case, I would substitute shea butter with plain ole conditioner or aloe vera.

This method makes my hair extremely soft and manageable. I've had very little breakage and I'm very pleased with the result. I hope this helps any moisture problem you're having.

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

Transitioning Tale: The Sew-In

Post BC-June 11, 2010

February 1, 2010

January 3, 2010

The sew-in is a hairstyle in which the hair extensions are 'sewn' with thread on to braided hair.  I totally endorse the sew-in as a transitioning style. It's like the ultimate protective style AND it's cute. While I transitioned I sometimes felt like I was settling for what I could get. I REALLY hated the two different textures, but was too afraid to BC early.

So I suffered.

Until I found out about the sew-in.

My hair was sewn in 4 times over the course of my natural hair journey.  Each sew-in lasted 2 months. I want to get straight to the point and give you the pros and cons of a sew-in as a transitioning style.

PROS

1. Hair is completely protected
2. No breakage
3. No shedding
4. Very little manipulation
5. Self-confidence boost (at least it was for me)

CONS

1. Hair may not be receiving proper care (washing, conditioning, massaging, etc.)
2. Blending. I pressed AND flat ironed my hair every other day so that my sew-in wouldn't look a hot mess. My hair would not revert back to its original curl pattern for months. Bad idea.
3. More maintenance

Should you get a sew-in? Yes. Watch out for super tight braids. Your edges will magically disappear. 

My point: Sew-ins are awesome. They give you the most GROWTH. Retention is another story.

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

Natural Hair Challenge!

My Current Hair Challenge incorporates Two Strand Twists  and Flat Twists as protective styles for the winter. I really hope that you will join this journey with me. But first, what are protective styles?

Protective styles are styles that use LOW manipulation and generally clump your hair ends together. I do not consider 'out' styles (twist out, bantu knot out, coil out, etc.) protective. Braids and/or twists are it for me.

 This low manipulation SHOULD provide more moisture for the hair since you're not constantly tugging on it and removing some of the moisture. It should decrease breakage and excessive shedding. If any of you have ever had micro braids back in those relaxed days, this method is very similar. It will 'grow' your hair and hopefully retain the length that you already have. 

This challenge will last 100 days until my 1 Year Natural Anniversary.

Start Date: January 1, 2011

End Date: April 10, 2011

The Rules:

1. NEVER go outside without hair in a protective style OR without silk lined hat.
2. Keep hairstyle for a minimum of 10 days.
3.  Moisturize every other day.
4. Re-twist when necessary.
5. Follow regimen!!
6. Always sleep on satin pillow case OR with satin scarf/bonnet

My end date is my anniversary simply because I wanna have a BANGIN anniversary. I want my hair to be supa fly! Also, the weather is relatively warm in April, and having my fro 'out' in warm weather is okay for me.

What hair challenges have you set for yourself?

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

My Regimen

My Regimen

The product line that I'm currently using is the Jane Carter Solution. It's cheap, but effective. I made the following chart to determine which product line to buy. I also checked out A LOT of YouTube videos to supplement my decision.

Natural Hair Product Lines

	Shampoo	Conditioner	Leave in Conditioner	Styling Product	Value Pack	Total
Jane Carter Solution	$8/8oz	$13/8oz	$9/8oz	$9/8oz	7 Products $85	$34
Alikay Naturals	$8/8oz $15/16oz	$12/8oz	$10/8oz	$13/8oz	7 Products $75	$43
Taliah Waajid	$8/8oz	$8/8oz	_	$7/6oz	7 Products $35	$23
Miss Jessie’s	$16/12oz	$16/12oz	n/a	$22/8oz	n/a	$54
Kinky-Curly	$12/8oz	$12/8oz	n/a	$17/8oz	n/a	$42

I bought the Moisture Nourishing Shampoo, Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner, Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner, and the Natural Hold Locking Spray. I won't give this line an official review until February.

So this is what I do during my Natural Hair Challenge for the Winter.

1. Pre-shampoo with a mixture of 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup BB Oil Moisturizer, and 1 tablespoon of honey for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Feel free to mix up more if that amount isn't enough. Cover head with plastic shower cap or bag.
2. Shampoo SCALP ONLY by massaging the scalp with the pads of my fingers. No scratching and no touching the actual hair strands.
3. Cover hair completely with conditioner. I usually condition overnight because I'm lazy. 30 minutes WITH HEAT when I'm not so lazy. Heat choices include but are not limited to exercising, blow-drying, and a heated towel.
4. Rinse conditioner out, making sure that the last rinse is with cold water. It sucks, but it works.
5. Spray leave-in conditioner throughout hair and detangle to make sure the hair is covered from the roots to the tips.
6. Mini-twist hair with Murray's Gel Loc-Lock and my shea butter mix. Murray's Gel Loc-Lock can be found at any local BSS. Costs $3.99.
7. LIGHTLY spray Natural Hold Locking Spray on. This stuff can leave you crunchy if you go overboard.

That's about it. My hair is MUCH softer now and seems really healthy to me.

Any thoughts on the Jane Carter Solution? Or what products you're using right now?

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

Natural Hair MISTAKES

When I first BC'ed, I thought that I had reached my goal. And I did to a certain extent. I was fully natural. What I didn't know was that my BC was only the beginning. I knew enough about natural hair to get by, but during those first few months, I did my hair so wrong it was ridiculous.

1. I distinctly remember blow-drying my hair EVERY day. Yes, every day. My hair was longest when it was blown out so I figured that blowing my hair out every day was the ticket. Unfortunately, extensive blow outs literally blew my hair out of my head!
2. I did not LISTEN to my hair. I used the wrong products AND the wrong hair care methods. My product line-up was BioInfusion Curls Shampoo, Cantu Conditioner, and Shea Butter as my moisturizer.  I experienced lots of breakage, excessive  shedding, AND dry hair. Bad situation. The only reason I used the shampoo was because I was under the false impression that it would 'curl' my hair for me. Yea. I didn't know about the concept of hair typing yet.

3.  But the worst product of all was my Black Power Metal Pick.  The handle was black with a fist in the middle and it had maybe 5 or 6 long (like 3/4 of my forearm) metal prongs. Metal should NEVER go in a natural head. After each day, there would be a HUGE clump of hair at the base of the pick. Disgusting, but true. Go plastic people!

4. My products didn't match. At one point, my regimen consisted of 5 different hair care lines! Real quick, this is WHY your products should match.
1. Products are DESIGNED to work together. Even IF the hair care line sucks, mixing and matching will make any product suck more. For example, if the shampoo strips the hair, the conditioner will MOSTLY LIKELY counteract the shampoo. 
2. If your hair responds UNFAVORABLY to your regimen, you won't know what's causing the problem! Is it the shampoo? Or the conditioner? Or maybe a combination of both?

These are just MY experiences. I am NOT a natural hair care expert. I'm new to this too.

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

Transitioning Tales!

After my big decision to go natural in May of 2009 I was at a loss! There was SO much information (and I didn't even know YouTube was poppin like that yet). I didn't know what information was right or wrong. After that first month of no relaxer I couldn't just wear my normal hairstyle.

 So after a little research I found a hairstyle on YouTube. The link will be posted at the bottom. Once I found that hairstyle, it became my signature transitioning look! I like to call it the Twist and Curl. It lasted about a week before my relaxed ends flattened out. I think it's one of the best hairstyles that blend the two textures together. The only difference was that I used LottaBody and shea butter. That mixture was FABULOUS. 

During my transition, the hair wasn't even the problem! It was the negativity associated with it. I think I was told, "You need a perm!" at LEAST 100 times by some person or another. Of course, I was too shy to retort back, "You need some edges! Going natural while you're still in high school can be both rough AND rewarding.

What helped me most during my transition as it pertains to people who were all up in my business was to ACT like I had it goin on. Yes, you could be trembling inside, but I know for a fact that if YOU don't act like there's a problem with it, they'll be less inclined to give you a negative comment. Attitude people, attitude!

What ways do/did you use to cope with the craziness of transitioning?

What hairstyles do/did you use during your transition?

Comments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  welcome.

Thanks,

Lexi

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8X8xtcOdgA