2yrs 100% Natural

July 9^th marked my two nappiversary and the day came and went without me noticing which is why this post is late. These last few months have been loaded with “life” events that I missed the day. Yet, I’m excited to have reached 2years natural and 3.5 years relaxer free. As you know I transitioned for 16 months before cutting all the relaxed ends. Each of the last two years has been very different for my hair.

Year 1

During this year I was totally obsessed with length. Reaching APL was the highlight of my life, at the time, because my hair never grew passed my shoulders. Also during this year I had a strict, die hard regiment and wore protective styles 90% of the time. This is when the obsessions reared their evil heads. The first obsession started with length and having to keep up with length checks.

Year 2

This past year I was still a little obsessed with length BUT the obsession branched off to “desiring the perfect curl”. The perfect curl translates into the perfect braidout, twist out, wash n go, flat twist out, and any other curl defining method. Then the obsession started to transform into jumping on new product bandwagons.

Year 3

The goal for year 3 is to simply do less to my hair and enjoy the length accomplished thus far. No more length checks this year which is why the posts stopped. No more obsessing over having the perfect curl. Frizz was the enemy and I refused to embrace it not understanding that a little frizz can add character to your style. Now don’t get me wrong having a big frizz ball on top of my head is never the desired look. However, a little frizz on day 3 hair is not the end of the world; making it ok to stretch to day four and wear a pin up.



1wk post bc



As far as products, STOP JUMPING ON BANDWAGONS!! Water, conditioner, eco-style gel (Argon Oil) and cocoa nut oil are the only products that will penetrate my hair for now. The less I do the more my hair thrives and that’s what I have to constantly remind myself.

Last but definitely not least, I plan to enjoy my hair out in its full glory as often as I want.

For daily updates, please follow me on twitter and instagram (lakitiamarie).

Quick Hair and Life update

These last couple of months has been really busy for me. Between my 9-5, my niece, my business, workouts, and balancing a healthy relationship my plate has been full. Despite being constantly on the go, I’m enjoying every minute of it. Taking care of two heads of hair hasn’t been easy because I’m dealing with my niece’s two textures. She arrived last year relaxed and I refused to give her a touch up. The plan is to slowly grow out her relaxer while she is here and my sister plans to keep her natural from there. In order to make sure both our heads are getting the proper attention I had to split up our wash days.

I must admit our wash days have not been consistent all the time and there were times I skipped a week but never to go beyond two weeks. My niece hair is thriving and growing beautifully; not to mention my hair which is doing quite well. This year I decided to switch up my routine and not focus so much on protective styling. About two maybe three months ago I gave myself a trim taking off at least an inch which setback my length goal. This doesn’t bother me because the health of my hair is the best it’s ever been. The two styles I love right now are two strand twists and twist outs.

Since I work out 5-6 days a week I have to wet my hair constantly. The two strand twists provides protection and an extra day for my hair to dry eliminating direct heat. Unfortunately, my hair does not dry over night unless I sit under the dryer for 20 minutes prior to going to bed. The next day I wear my twists in a side pony tail or bun with a headband or flower. Surprisingly, I love how my hair looks pull back and the twists are so convenient especially during my workouts. The day after I take the twists down for a twist out and it looks so pretty. So far this is my routine and it works for me which helps so much during my workouts. Soon I will post my daily upkeep of my twists and twists out while working out.

Until next time… Ciao!!

Bonus**
Check out RJ

CG Method: The Handbook Review

New Year/New Hair Routine

Since November I’ve experimented with the “Curly Girl” method because my hair stayed dry and brittle for some reason. Before trying the method, I experimented with different sulfate free shampoos and still no change for some reason. In order to follow the method correctly I read the book by Lorraine Massey, “Curly Girl: The Handbook”. I will give a review and my thoughts on the book in a separate post.

Surprisingly, my hair has responded quite nicely to the method and it stays moisturized. From now on shampoo is no longer a part of my regimen including sulfate free shampoo. The one concern I had but did not experience was itchy scalp. Right before experimenting with the method my scalp was very itchy and dry but not since eliminating shampoo.

Another change in my regimen is how I detangle. Instead of four sections my hair is split down the middle and my fingers are used to remove tangles. Of course my hair is saturated with conditioner before detangling. When I jump in the shower to cleanse my scalp I continue to run my fingers downward to remove the rest of the shed hairs. At the same time, since I’m using a racking downward motion my curls are nice and define by the end.

This new method has shaved even more time off my wash day and it’s totally simple. After about a month and a half of this method, I was able to see a difference in the definition of my curls. Plus my twists out are starting to last longer. If you haven’t already try the method out or at least researched it to see if this is a possibility for you. Until next time…

Straight Hair for the Winter

Every year I straighten my hair in December because the weather is cooler with less humidity. This time I infused much needed moisture into my hair to help with the straightening process and avoid heat damage. The process was recorded but for some reason I’m having problems uploading the video. Once I figure out what’s going on I’ll post the video.

During the first week my hair did great until the rain started to creep in the forecast. To combat the humidity infringement when I walked RJ I wore a plastic cap. That seemed to work and my curls lasted all day. But at some point my hair did succumb to the humidity and it was frizz city. Since I was not ready to wash because my straight hair needed to last two weeks I used my flexi rods.

Flexi Rods

Using the flexi rods were very simple. First I moisturize my hair with ORS Olive Oil moisturizing lotion and added flexi rods to big sections. The next day I was amazed at the results because all the frizz was gone and I was left with bouncy curls.





For fun I decided to try bantu knots for the first time. The plan was to put my hair up into a pony tail but when I saw the results I decided against it.

The back seems flat because there was a section I retwisted back into the knot. The knot was left there for another 30 minutes for more definition.

Here is a picture of my hair straight and this is towards the end of the two week stretch. Unfortunately, I had to use my flat iron again because my initial plan to avoid it did not work. I will discuss further in another post.

Have a bless week!!

To poo or not to poo??

For the last year or so Giovanni Smooth as Silk has been my go-to product line. As you know I use the shampoo, conditioner, and leave in conditioner and my hair loves it. Recently, I’ve noticed that the shampoo has left my hair very dry and brittle on several wash occasions. This is a total shocker because the shampoo has always left my hair very moisturized before. Now this change happened once the weather started to get cooler here in Texas. So I’m uncertain if the cooler weather is adding the harshness to my hair.

In an effort to remedy this issue I tried the Giovanni Tea Tree shampoo. After the first use my hair was very dry and brittle. Then the same results the next week which forced me to re-read the bottle. When I purchased the Tea Tree I didn’t realize it was more on the clarifying side than moisturizing. Well I decided to step out from the Giovanni line and try the Shikai Tea Tree shampoo and conditioner. The conditioner is ok but I do not like the shampoo. The shampoo made my hair very dry not brittle but dry. I’ve also used this product on Kiddie Kurls' hair and received ok results.

For the last 16 months my regimen consisted of a shampoo and conditioner. Maybe my hair is telling me it’s time for a change. Maybe it’s time to incorporate co-washing into my regimen and eliminate shampoo, for now. For the next 30 days I plan to put this little experiment to the test and see how my hair responds.

Kiddie Kurls Hair Regimen

As you know my 10 year old niece has come to live with me for two years. To my surprise she was relaxed after being natural for 9 years. At this time I have no plans to continue her relaxers even though my sister complains about the thickness and unruliness of her hair. For now I plan to mock my hair regimen for Kiddie Kurls and use the same products for awhile and assess the results.


The past year has been trial and error for me but I finally have a solid routine that is working so far. Every now and then I want to try a new product but the basics stay the same. Of course our regiment will have some differences because of our two textures. Again I plan to document her journey here so any and all advice is welcomed.

Weekly Routine (Basics)

Detangle (out the shower): Cheap conditioner wide tooth comb

Shampoo: Giovanni Smooth as Silk or Tea Tree Shampoo

Conditioner: Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner

Leave in: Giovanni Direct Leave in (used for my conditioner mix)

Monthly Routine (Basic)

Deep moisturizing conditioning – ORS Replenishing Conditioner

Protein Conditioner - Aphogee

These are the basics that will happen every week and month. Right now I plan to experiment with current products to find the best daily moisturizer for her hair. Since I flat iron my hair once a year and air dry only, Kiddie Kurls' hair will not experience direct heat for a while. She loves to wear braid outs and rod sets so I plan to keep her hair in a textured state often. Once her new growth starts to come in I plan to use water and glycerin to manage it. This mix worked wonders for me during my transition. For now her wash day is Sunday and mine is Friday so both our strands can get the care it needs.

Are you a mom? If so please feel free to share your tips!!

Confessions – Tangled and Knotted Hair

Between the massive heat wave, exercise routines, work, and business my hair has taken the back burner. For the last couple of weeks I’ve washed and conditioned in the shower or co-washed without properly detangling or deep conditioning. The result after weeks of this and sporting my favorite protective style was massive tangles and knotted hair.


Luckily the tangles and knots did not lead to massive hair loss but I did lose more than normal. Even though I co-washed mid week to add moisture my hair was still dry. Last wash day I decided to give my hair some much needed attention. For detangling my hair is divided up into four sections. In each section I took smaller sections detangled, moisturized and twisted. That night I slept with my silk bonnet with hopes to a decent twist out the next day.

Normally flat twists give me the desired look since my hair is on the thin side. To my surprise I had the best and biggest twist out ever. Amazingly, soft moisturized tangle free hair over night that I absolutely love. Every night I re-moisturized, twisted my hair up, and slept with my bonnet. Since my workouts are in the mornings after untwisting my hair is pinned up in a protective style. The twists give my protective style texture which is adorable to me.

In order to reach my end of the year goal I have to get back on track. This is my new routine until the end of the year.

Revisiting Old Products

 The summer is coming and humidity is no joke in Texas. This summer I want to rock more curly styles but I have to get the moisture balance in check first. Now that I’m completely natural and recently learned my hair is highly porous things have changed. For me I need added protection and hold to battle the humidity if I want to wear my hair curly. Unlike some naturals I’m not a product junkie and I refuse to pay for expensive products.

So in order to keep my routine simple I decided to revisit an old product, aloe vera gel. Before when I used the aloe vera gel on my transitioning hair it left my hair hard and crunchy. Everyone raves about this gel but for some reason it didn’t work for me. Now that I’m 100% natural I decided to give it another try. Boy I’m glad I did because the gel gave me hold without all the “crunch”. An added bonus is that my curls lasted for 7 hours of humidity, heat, and wind before starting to frizz. By this time I was at home for the rest of the day and proceeded to moisturize and seal my hair.

Now the plan was to try to get 3 days worth of curls from this braid out. For moisture I used my Hawaiian Silky 14-n-1 and sealed with my Shea butter mix. Yes Hawaiian Silky has mineral oil in it but again I’m not an ingredient Nazi. This product worked wonders on my transitioning hair so I was excited to see the results. The next day my hair was very soft and moisturized but after an hour of being outside, frizz city! For now I plan to continue experimenting with the aloe vera gel.

Eye opening experience on Hair Porosity

Last month when I flat ironed my hair I was really worried about heat damage for some reason. My intent was to wear my hair straight for two weeks but between working out and dry hair I decided to wash after a week. Luckily for me my hair reverted with no problem. However, I had a discovery about hair porosity during my short stint with straight hair.


After research I discovered the sink or swim test for measuring porosity. Unfortunately my hair sunk which means my hair is overly porous. Overly porous hair means the cuticle layer is raised and moisture is released quickly because the cuticle is not closed causing dryness and frizz.

Since I could not retain the moisture in my hair I ventured to Sally’s for a new product. While there I did not buy anything because a lot of products have alcohol in it and my natural hair hate it. Now I’m not an ingredient Nazi but alcohol definitely dries my hair out. As I walked up and down the aisles looking for a “miracle” product I thought to myself “I need to just keep it simple. I know what my hair loves….water. Why am I here?”

On the ride home many thoughts ran thru my head about what works with my hair. Now I have to admit that my conditioner mix was dropped by the waist side simply due to laziness. Since I ran out of kinky curly knot today I didn’t want to pay $12 to buy it again which stopped me from making my mix. But something had to be done to get my hair on track and make my length goal at the end of the year. At the same time, I want to enjoy the length that I have but the summer is coming and humidity is a beast in Texas. Until the dryness and frizz problem is conquered hair freedom is not in the immediate future.

After learning about hair porosity I “reinvented” my conditioner mix in a spray form. The answer for me was that I needed to close my hair cuticle in order to retain the moisture. A ph of 5 usually does the trick for my hair. This lesson about porosity and my battle with retaining moisture was an eye opening experience for me. Thank goodness I had this discovery early because down the road I could have experienced a setback.

Giovanni Smooth as Silk Products – First Impression

Normal wash day was last weekend and I used the Giovanni (GSS) shampoo and conditioner. The reason for switching up my shampoo and conditioner is to rid the dryness from my hair after shampooing. Well I must say that these products fulfilled my desire.


After using a dime size of shampoo for each section of hair, my hair felt very soft and moisturized. Following my shampoo I dc’d for 30 minutes using my heat therapy wrap and followed up with the direct leave in conditioner. To air dry I simply twisted my hair in sections after applying the direct leave in. My hair loved these products and I’m impressed. This morning my hair felt so soft and moisturized to the touch. All I added was cocoanut oil and styled, that’s it. Even now five hours later my hair still feels soft and moisturized.

Since my first impression was a great one I will continue to use this product line. At the end of the month I’ll give a follow up review. If you are looking for a natural/sulfate free product line then I recommend Giovanni. These products are found at your local Whole Foods store retailing $7.99 per bottle.

Until next time…chao!

Giovanni Hair Products

The first step to BSL hair this year is changing out my hair products. Currently, I’m using Kera Care ph balanced moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Now I love Kera Care products but I wanted to use a non-sulfate shampoo. Lately, I’ve noticed that my hair is really dry even after using a moisturizing shampoo. Now Kera Care does have a sulfate free line but I wanted to try something new. So I opted for Giovanni smooth as silk deep moisture shampoo and conditioner.


My first encounter with Giovanni’s products was with the direct leave in conditioner. This conditioner is amazing for my hair and it spiked my interest into other Giovanni’s products. This weekend is wash day so I will use the shampoo and conditioner for the first time. Next week I’ll give my first impression on the products.

Just a side note, I had to order a new digital camera and hopefully it arrives tomorrow. Once I received my new camera I’ll post my starting point for my growth challenge. Please share your hair goals or any goals you have for the year. Also, if you have used Giovanni’s hair products please share your opinion.

Chao for now!

Hello

What a busy year?! I apologize for falling behind in my posts but between work, holidays, and family obligations I’ve been busy. For the most part I kept up with my weekly wash and deep condition routine. The last couple of months my hairstyle alternated between flat twists and puffs depending on my mood on wash day. On December 8 I decided to straighten my hair with the intention to wash my hair the following Sunday which is my normal wash day. Instead I decided to continue rocking the straight look and may stay straight for the rest of the year since there is only two weeks left.

KCCC Teaser 2

Here is a picture of my bangs this morning after using Kinky Curly Curling Custard.

Kinky Curly Curling Custard Teaser

The hunt for the perfect product for a braid out on my hair has initiated. Before, my Shea butter used to do the trick on my relaxed and transitioning hair. Shea butter gave me the most defined curl pattern and left my hair very moisturized and shiny. Now, my natural hair just laughs when it comes to curl definition. After watching a few you tube videos I decided to splurge on Kinky Curly Curling Custard.


Tonight is wash night and my weekend hair is a braid out. The anticipation was overwhelming so I decided to take it for a test run last night.

This section of hair has a very loose curl pattern than other areas of my hair.

First I washed with Kera Care moisturizing shampoo

This is the texture of my hair without product

Used KCKT leave in conditioner (plain)

Wet hair and applied the KCCC

Here is my hair 2 hours later

As you can see the KCCC really defined my curls so I'm looking forward to my braid out results. My hair felt kind of crunchy but hopefully cocoa nut oil can fixed that. All in all, I loved the results and full review coming soon!

Adding a little Honey to my Wash Routine

Last weekend I experimented with honey. There are many videos on you tube stating that honey is a perfect moisturizer for the hair. Honey is known to add shine and moisture so I decided to give it a try. Any type of honey is ok but I used raw honey because this is what I have. Since the honey is in a raw state I heated it for 5 secs in the microwave. This step is not necessary.




Here is a picture of my hair after taking down my Janelle M. inspired style.

Next I divided my hair into 4 sections for detangling. Each section was sprayed with water and lightly combed from ends to roots gently with my shower comb.



After detangling I applied a small of amount of honey to each section. A little goes a long way because too much can cause stickiness. Surprisingly the honey was easy to apply to my hair.



As soon as the honey hit my hair my curls started to pop (see picture above). My hair immediately looked shiner than the other sections of my hair. Plus my hair immediately started to shrink as well. LOL!

After applying the honey to all sections I used my heat therapy wrap for 30 minutes. Then, I followed my normal wash and deep condition routine. My hair felt oh so soft and moisturized without the greasy feeling. The honey washed out easily and did not feel sticky. The results were amazing and I plan to prepoo with honey for now on.


**Bonus pictures**
Impromptu length check:

BC-July 2010

2 months post BC-September 2010

My Leave in Conditioner Mix - Kinky Curly Knot Today

Finding the right leave in conditioner was a major task for me. During my search I was transitioning so finding a leave in that worked with both textures was tough. A couple of weeks before my crochet braids I bought Cantu Shea Butter (CSB) leave in based on the rave reviews from other naturals. Since my transitioning hair loved Shea butter I thought this conditioner will work and gave it a try. Before my crochet braids I only used the leave in once and I had great results.


After taking out the crochet braids, naturally I went back to the CSB but with a twist. This time I will use the CSB in my leave in conditioner mix (thanks Kimmytube for the recipe). The mix consisted of CSB, aloe vera juice, cocoa nut oil, and castor oil in order to have a leave in with the right ph balance for my hair. The ph for this mix was a 5 and CSB alone is 6 on the ph scale. After using this mix for two days I was disappointed because the mix left white residue in my hair. Plus my hair was a little dry the next day. So I went back to the mixing board.

The next attempt I used CSB, aloe vera juice, and jojoba oil. Unfortunately, I didn’t test the ph for this mix because I didn’t have my ph strips. This mix was better than the first attempt but not the best. Since I still experienced the white residue I blamed the CSB as the culprit. For the next attempt at perfecting my mix I bought the Kinky Curly Knot Today (KC).

The new mix consists of KC, aloe vera juice, cocoa nut oil, and castor oil. The ph for this mix is 5 on the ph scale. This time it worked and I found my leave in concoction. The next day my hair still felt moisturized, soft, and not greasy. My honey loved the fact that my hair was not greasy. Remember this mix worked on my transitioning hair. Once 100% natural, I was eager to use the mix. The KC worked amazingly on my natural hair and gave definition to my curls. Amazing and exciting!! Again, the next day my hair was very moisturized, soft, and non-greasy. Perfect. Now, I wish it would have given my hair more shine but my trusty cocoa nut oil does the trick every time. Next on my list to try is the Kinky Curly Curling Custard since I had wonderful results with the leave in. Of course I’ll keep you ladies posted!!

Thermal Turban Heat Wrap

On my second wash day since the big chop I used the heat therapy wrap purchased from Curl Mart. Before ordering it online I searched several Sally’s in my area but none had the wrap. The wrap comes in two colors and I opted for the chocolate color. The reason I ordered the wrap is to have freedom to move around while deep conditioning my hair. Another reason is to eliminate time sitting under the dryer because it’s summer time and the heat index in Texas is off the charts. Additionally, the instructions states the wrap can be worn while bathing, showering, relaxing, or cleaning the house.  

The instructions states to heat the wrap in the microwave in 10 second intervals for 8-10 rounds. The wrap has three pockets with Velcro strips to hold the gel packs in place. The gel packs are used to distribute the heat evenly around the wrap. The gel packs can be removed in order to wash the heat wrap when needed.

After the fives round in the microwave, I was skeptical to continue so I stopped there. When I took the wrap out the microwave I was unsure if this wrap will give me the same results as a blow dryer. The instructions also stated the wrap conditions for up to 30 minutes.

Once I put the wrap on quickly I realized that my thoughts were wrong. The wrap was very much heated and I can feel it working the conditioner. The wrap was very easy to use and afforded me the freedom to clean my house. The heat lasted 30 minutes and then started to cool. Afterwards, my hair felt so soft and manageable. I love this wrap and I recommend it to anyone who wants freedom to move around while deep conditioning. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if you can purchase in the store but the shipping with Curl Mart was very fast. Do you have the heat therapy wrap? If so, what were your results?

Success and Disaster

For the past month or so I’ve been experimenting with baking soda/ac vinegar rinse for cleansing my tresses. Before using this method I will experience dry and frizzy hair even after I DC. After several experiments I’ve decided to incorporate this method into my routine permanently. The baking soda/ac vinegar rinse leaves my hair so soft and frizz free. As a follow up, I DC with ORS Replenishing Conditioner and pre-poo with cocoa nut oil as an added bonus. My wash day was a success.

Now for the disaster, I roller set my hair and flat iron for a length check after my mini chop. Surprisingly, my hair was quite even and an additional trim is not needed at this time. However, my set was horrendous. The process of rolling my hair was less than 40 minutes but I didn’t apply enough tension in order to smooth my new growth. Needless to say wearing my hair down was not an option. Instead I rocked a messy bun with flat twists on each side. Unfortunately, no pictures to share and hopefully the description provide a visual.

Permanent Wash Day Routine for Transitioning Hair

1. Pre-poo with cocoa nut oil either overnight or w/heat 15 minutes

2. Wash with baking soda and water mix

3. Rinse with apple cider vinegar and water mix

4. Rinse again with water only

5. D/C ORS Replenishing Conditioner for 20-25 minutes

6. Apply leave ins (still working on staples)

7. Air Dry

8. Wear protective style of choice

Shampoo Experimentation and Results

Moisture is my hair’s best friend. So I’m constantly trying to come up with the perfect concoction for my transitioning hair. The more new growth comes in the more I realize that old “staples” are not having the same effect. Honestly, this awkward product stage, as I call it, is not fun. Through many failed hairstyling attempts I learned that dry hair equals frizz and frizz is not my friend.


Since my hair craves moisture I decided to experiment with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. I watch many, many you tube videos on this technique along with my own research. I found that the baking soda and apple cider vinegar mix makes the perfect ph balance for hair. Also, every video I watch gave great reviews on using one or both of these products but it’s best to use both. Since I’m not a big fan of “lather” during a shampoo giving this experiment a try was not an issue.

Instead of washing my hair in the shower I opted to use the sink due to complete laziness. Here are the steps followed:

1. Section my hair down the middle with H.E. “None of Your Frizzness” conditioner on dry hair

2. Detangled with my shower comb

3. mixed ¼ cup baking soda with 16 oz of water

4. mixed Apple Cider Vinegar (didn’t measure) with 16 oz of water

5. Poured baking soda mix concentrating on my scalp only

6. Rinsed with ACV mix

7. Rinsed again with tap water

8. DC with ORS Replenishing Conditioner – 30 minutes w/heat

Styling:

1. moisturized with my KKHC/Glycerin mix

2. added Totally Twisted styling gel

3. EVCO to seal

4. Spritz with water

5. rolled hair with magnetic rollers

Results: Surprisingly, soft and moisturized curls! After the no’poo treatment my hair felt really soft even softer after DC’ing; plus I used styling gel. I was so shocked because usually my hair feels crispy after a wash. Then I have to dc in order to add the moisture back but not this time.

The next day my hair felt soft and moisturized but I still added a little of Hawaiian Silky for good measure. The plan is to use this no’poo method for the next month before deciding to give up shampoo.

Here are a few pics of my curls the next day after taking out the rollers.