Product Review | Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque

Product:  

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque

Price:  

$11.99 for 12 oz jar at Sally's Beauty Supply

Ingredients:  

Deionized water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Argan Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Emulsifying Wax, Sea Kelp Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B-5),Essential Oil Blend, Avacado Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (sage) Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, Soybean Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil

Promises:

SheaMoisture's Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque deeply moisturizes and repairs dry, damaged

Relaxer Touch-up at 11 weeks post

So yesterday I finally relaxed after an 11 week stretch.  I decided to end my stretch mainly because I just wanted to get my relaxer out of the way and I was ready to have some "straight-er" hair.  Relaxer day was pretty long of course, but I think it went well. It was a long day/night I'll just say.

I started out by detangling and sectioning my hair into four parts.  I then coated the length of my hair with  GVP Silk Remedy that I got from Sally's (it's supposed to compare with CHI Silk Infusion) and Roux Porosity Control to protect from relaxer runoff.  I planned to begin with the back half (doing the half and half relaxer method that I've used before).  I placed metal duckbill clips along the horizontal part between the front and back half to separate the front section of my hair.  I clipped the two front sections with butterfly clips and covered with a plastic clap.

Used metal clips to separate front half

Clips help to keep plastic cap in place

I finished prepping the back half by parting each section into one inch sections and twisting to keep them separated.  I based my scalp with Vaseline as I went along.  I relaxed the back half using my green sprush. For my relaxer I used the same on that I used the last time: ORS Lye Relaxer in Normal Strength. I had my timer set for 11 minutes but I went quite a bit over.  I immediately jumped in the shower and rinsed then applied Redken Extreme Strength Builder for my midstep protein treatment.  Neuatralized with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo 3 times and then I used my Elasta QP Neutralizing Shampoo to double check that all the relaxer was gone.  This particular shampoo turns pink when there are still traces of relaxer so it made me feel better to see the white lather.  I followed up next with French Perm Stabilizer Plus for extra precaution (low pH conditioner that also aids in stopping the relaxer process.  Man oh man does my hair feel smooth after using this stuff!

Next I relaxed the front half in the same manner, first making sure that my hair was not damp from working on the back half.  Since I am texlaxing, I was almost worried that I'd left the relaxer on too long.  The roots in the back half seemed to be straighter than I expected, but I'm hoping to see some reversion there after my next wash.

I deep conditioner using my ORS Curls Unleashed under my heating cap for several hours.  I fell asleep wearing the heat cap then I just took it off and went on to bed.  When I rinsed again my hair felt so soft and smooth.  After rinsing the DC I t-shirt dried for maybe 30 min and then applied Darcy Daily Leave In and Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.  I allowed my hair to air dry with my silk scarf tied around my edges and then ended up pulling it into a bun.

Looks a little thicker and fuller than usual :-)

I think this relaxer day went well even though it was long.  I can't wait to do another almost 3 month stretch.  I figure I'll wait a little bit before going for another trim/dusting since I just had one last month.  Planning on a lot of PS-ing and no heat during this stretch next stretch.  Well until the next post folks! :)

How was your most recent relaxer touch-up?  Do you self relax and if so what's your method?

Thanks for reading,

   Andrea

10 Weeks Post and No Plans to Relax Just Yet

I just had to share this because I cannot believe that I'm not mid relaxer at this point. I usually couldn't wait to crack open that tub of relaxer and go to town on these naps! Lol!  I must be ill or something. But seriously, I've been doing really well. I haven't used any heat since the last time I flat ironed. I've been trying to use some more creativity with my styles. Early in the week I used my curlformers to achieve heatless curls. Before that I tried out a "twist" and curl which did not turn out the way I hoped, but I still got compliments.  I washed my hair on Thursday night and allowed my hair to air dry in a bun. Heat free, kinky roots, and still not relaxing.

It seems to be getting easier for me getting through my wash day with the longer stretch.  Before I was just so worried about causing a lot of breakage.  I would also worry about how I would style my hair with all that new growth popping.  Using all of the proper techniques my wash days have been a breeze. Washing in sections, DC-ing, proper detangling, using my Magic Star Jumbo Rake, and making sure I have the time to dedicate to my hair. Age in ATL shared some amazing wash day tips on her blog for stretchers and transitioners which I definitely incorporate into my wash days.  Check out her two part post here and here.

On my wash days I have been trying to incorporate a lot more moisture lately.  It is SO important to keep your new growth moisturized; but you also need protein to add strength. I've been trying to use the wet strand test to determine what my hair needs.  The last couple of washes the strand snapped without any stretching from what I could tell, so I  think I need to take a little break from protein.  Last night I DC'd with a new deep conditioner (I am a severe product junkie; well I may have witnessed worse lol). I tried out the ORS Curls Unleashed Moisturizing Conditioner and so far I really like it.  Could become a possible staple.  I will do an official review after a couple more uses. I've also tried to throw in a co-wash here and there. Keeping my hair soft and moisturized is helping with my stretching and getting through my wash day.  I think I had about 5 shed hairs and VERY minimal breakage during my wash.  I could not believe I did not find a clump of hair in the shower with 10 wks of new growth. No clumped, matted, or tangled hair.  No ripping, tearing, or breaking (which I would have experienced pre-HHJ.).  I must be doing something right.

I guess one other reason I'm not slapping that cream on my head is because now that I'm self relaxing I don't look forward to it as much.  Relaxer day can be long and exhausting. This may be my motivation for stretching....or even going natural. Hmmm....

Tiny curl I tried to capture at 8 wks post;
just makes me want a head full of curls :-)

I am still trying to see how long I can go.  If I don't relax next weekend, I will definitely be relaxing for sure at  12 weeks post. Another week down, two more to go???

How is your stretch going?

Thanks for reading,

   Andrea