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Sunday, April 28, 2013

8 Weeks Post and Counting

So in many of my posts I have mentioned my biggest obstacle in my HHJ is stretching my relaxers.  Some of you ladies make it look SO easy, but I've been having the hardest time.  Well lately it seems not to have been so bad.  I'm at 8 weeks post now and feel like I can make it to 10.  This could be because I have straightened my hair since the end of the L4LPSC.  Speaking of, I DQ'd on this one as I broke the one heat pass rule a while back.  However I was not happy with the state of my hair before the challenge anyway, and knew I would end up losing length from my need to get a trim.  Back to my stretching, I flat ironed my hair on April 16 to do my length check shot (couldn't get any good ones on my own) and I had planned to get a trim because if you've been following me I had been noticing some breakage and split ends which I was dying to get rid of for a while.  Unfortunately I didn't make it that day to get my trim so a week later I tried again.  Of course i had to flat iron again to make sure my roots were straight and went on down to Super Cuts.  My girl was not there so someone else did my trim (I couldn't wait any longer). He probably could have taken off a little more so I may make another trip soon, but we'll see. I may wait until after my next relaxer.  This was the best I could do with no help taking my pics. Sorry about the quality.

Looking close to APL
At line 5 or maybe 6 but ends kind of stringy
About an inch away from APL
After Trim(between line 3 & 4) :-(
The bad thing is, I'm going to have to flat iron yet AGAIN after this wash because I have an interview on Monday.  I'm not trying to be fighting with these kicking roots so easy solution is to flat iron.  That will be 3 weeks in a row :(.  I contemplated going ahead and relaxing but I would have to flat iron anyway.  Besides I really want to keep this stretch going, and once I get to closer to week 10 I may decide to push it up to 12 weeks. WOW 3 months without a relaxer.  That was just unimaginable for me!

So what's been helping?  Washing my hair in sections for one.  It has made it SOOO much easier to detangle which can be an issue when the new growth starts "kickin". Lol! Also thanks to my Magic Star Jumbo Rake I've been seeing much less breakage.  I'll have to say that my French Perm Stabilizer is helping with softening and detangling as well.  I've been using it at the end of my washes. Moisture Moisture and more Moisture! This makes my new growth happy. Also after washing, I let my hair air dry until its about 80% dry and then I will pull it into a little bun to finish air drying with my silk scarf tied around my edges.  This helps stretch out my new growth.  I also have to give credit to my Sedu Revolution for the past couple of weeks. I don't plan to use this after this week for a while.  I have been taking precautions though.  I DC to boost moisturize, I use a heat protectant and I'm using a low heat setting (about 220 degrees).  So hopefully I'm not doing too much damage.

I'm not sure what I'll be doing from here since I'm not planning to flat iron anymore.  I wanted to continue my rollersets, but for some reason I feel like I've been getting a lot of breakage doing these so I'm afraid to continue. Am I applying to much tension  maybe?  I especially worry about how much tension I've been applying in the back which I feel is my weak area as it always seems to be very thin there.  I even let my hair dry a little so detangling is easier and re-wet when I get ready to set the roller, but that's when I notice the hair coming out.  I would air dry, but then my hair would look like a big poofy mess. If anyone has any tips to get smooth airdrying results, please let me know. I tried on some wigs last weekend and I just felt like I looked silly.  Some can really rock them, but unfortunately not me.  I'm still trying to figure this out, if anyone has any suggestions please comment below! Maybe I'll try braid outs again or a braid and twist.  I don't do them much because I hate how they look with my thin hair, but it may be worth a try to keep my stretch going.



Thanks for reading,
   Andrea
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10 comments:

  1. Age in ATLApril 28, 2013 at 5:05 PM

    When I first started my HHJ, I couldn't IMAGINE going more than 8 weeks. I was used to getting relaxers every 6 weeks, so 8 weeks was pushing it. As I began to add a week or two to each stretch, I realized that it became easier and easier. It really is about finding the right products to make your hair manageable. For rollersetting, I had the exact same issue with breakage until I changed my leave in and used a serum to help make detangling easier. When you apply your leave in, does it make your hair harder to detangle or easier? Does your leave in have a lot of slip?

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    1. AndreaApril 28, 2013 at 7:25 PM

      I usually use Darcy's Daily Leave-In(which I'm considering replacing soon) followed by Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, and I usually get decent slip. Once I rewet my hair and start rolling as I'm pulling I get a few strands coming lose onto my fingers. I dont know if it's normal but it scares me because my hair is already fine and not very dense. I wonder if maybe my moisture/protein balance is still a little off. Do you think that could be a possible issue?

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    2. Age in ATLApril 28, 2013 at 9:40 PM

      Ok, I think I see what you are saying. I had the same issue. You work a lot more shed hairs out when rollersetting because you are using a fine tooth comb to detangle. As long as it isn't an issue of breakage, then you are fine. Those shed hair have to come out one way or another, so don't worry if you are seeing that hair in the comb. Just be sure it isn't breakage as that is a sign that your moisture/protein balance is off and that you need to correct that before continuing to rollerset.

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    3. AndreaApril 29, 2013 at 8:13 PM

      Next time I rollerset I will try to check for bulbs to see if its just shedding or breakage. The moisture/protein balance is so tricky because after that one time I had moisture overload(very mushy/gummy hair that stretched when I tried to comb) I got so scared I tried to incorporate protein as much as possible, but I may be overdoing it on the protein now.

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  2. UnknownApril 28, 2013 at 6:42 PM

    Great job on making it to 3 months without a relaxer. We know it can be hard...lol. I agree with Age in ATL about the serum. A anti-frizz serum like Oragnix coconut serum. What helped me was paul mitchell smoothing super skinny daily treatment to control the frizz. But again trying different products really does help to see what your hair likes and dis likes.
    Great post HHJ

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    1. AndreaApril 28, 2013 at 7:34 PM

      Thank you, Kenesha! Actually I'm only at 8 weeks now but I thinking I might make it to 12. I have the Organix Coconut Anti Breakage serum but haven't used it in a while so I may have to pull it back out. I want to try a new leave in conditioner as well. If you have any suggestions please share!

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  3. AnonymousApril 28, 2013 at 9:53 PM

    I use the Pantene pro v "moisture mist" detangler on my roots. its helped soooo much. First i sprits some water on my hair, then i part my hair and sprits the moisture mist directly to my new growth (as you would do with the relaxer). Then i use whatever moisturizer on the length of my hair then seal with the organix coconut milk ant breakage serum. My magic rake glides from my new growth to the ends with virtually no breakage (maybe 2 or 3 hairs).

    I am 9 weeks post with 4abc (idk which ones lol) thick hair.

    http://www.amazon.com/Pantene-Pro-V-Detangler-Conditioning-Moisture/dp/B008Q8XMV2

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    1. AndreaApril 29, 2013 at 12:57 AM

      I don't think I've heard of this one. I need to look into this and the price isn't too bad either. Thank you so much for the suggestion!
      I don't know my hair type either. I think I have a mix of 4a/b...but i'm just guessing on that. lol

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  4. Tomes EditionApril 29, 2013 at 8:19 AM

    I use the Mane n Tail detangler and it works wonders for my knots. I normally use it after 10weeks post but I haven't had a need to use it yet. After you apply your leave in's and serum, tie a scarf around your edges and just let the rest of the hair hang down, occasionally run your fingers through it, that seems to work for me.
    You can try bantu knots, french braid or dutch braid, good luck

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Thoughts and suggestions are welcome. :)