Wash Day + Length Check | (Giveaway Reminder - $25 Ulta eGift Card)

So here we go! Another wash day post. Well this wash actually occurred two weeks ago. I'm trying to hang on to this work I put in, since I ended up doing a flat iron and length check! And it was definitely work! But let's get on to the deets.

Detangling
I did the same method I did the last couple of wash days. I parted my hair into the same four sections and saturated with Mane and Tale Detangler.  I then hopped into the shower and used my detangling brush along with the running water to detangle my hair. I had to grab my Aussie Moist to help with a few knots from the twist and curl set.

Shampoo
I shampooed with Mane and Tale Shampoo. At this point my hair was in 8 braids as shown in this post here.

Deep Condition
Overnight with my new favorite conditioner TGIN  Honey Miracle Hair Mask.  I'm planning to stock up. I will have to do a review soon.

Leave-Ins Plus Blow Dry
After rinsing and thoroughly detangling I applied my leave-ins and blow dried my hair on the cool setting.  Once my hair was completely dry, I flat ironed using my Sedu Revolution and trimmed as I went through each section. So I don't have a before trim pic, but I wasn't too worried about it.

Leave-ins and Heat Protectant

On a side note - I really like the blow dryer I've had for the past couple years. I don't really mention it much, but I love that it has a cool air setting; not the cold shot button like a lot that I've seen, but it actually has a cool air setting and you can change the speed of the air as well.  On the cool setting the display screen turns blue, when off the display screen is orange. I rarely use it on the heat setting; only if in a rush.

I tried to get a decent length check pic. (My sis took this. I had to beg her so I took what I could get. LOL!) My hair did not stay flat at all after I finished. By the time I got home from work my hair just felt frizzy and dull. To get a true length check I tried to stretch it the best that I could. I think I'm around line 12 which is right at the top of my bra strap.  I haven't retained much length which is to be expected with me transitioning and all. I still have some bone straight ends that need to be chopped away; and then to grow out the texlaxed section!

Wearing my JGA Lengthcheck Tee

Length Check

Looks like BSL

And there you have it! My Wash Day Experience!  Which I'll be sharing on the Wash Day Experience Link-Up hosted by S.O.S and JGA! Head on over and add yours too!

BTW Don't forget about my 3 Year Blog Anniversary Giveaway. Click here to find out how to enter! I am giving away a $25.00 Ulta Gift card. The giveaway is eligible for U.S. residents only at this time. But I will try to include my International friends on the next one for sure!  


Thanks for visiting and for all your support!

Wash Day and Length Update

I don't know what it is, but I am constantly wanting to cut my hair. I don't want to cut my hair, but I want to cut my hair....if that makes since. I never feel like my ends are as thick as I'd like.  I think my last trim was around August and I think I cut quite a bit; around 2 or 3 inches. With my wishy washy transitioning/stretch (LOL) I guess my lack of length retention might be expected.  Going from bone straight, to texlaxed, to maybe natural...my hair is probably as confused as I am!

Since I really wanted to go ahead and get this trim out of the way, this wash day was all about protein and moisturizing in preparation for my flat ironing and trim session.  Here's how this wash day experience went down.

The Cast of This Weeks Wash Day Experience

Silk Dreams Wheat Germ Butter Conditioner|ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo|
ORS Hair Mayonnaise|Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea Conditioner|Argan Oil|
Kinky Curly Knot Today|ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Reconstructurizer
GVP Silk Remedy

1. I parted my hair into four sections and applied Silk Dream's Wheat Germ Butter conditioner as I detangled. No particular reason for this, I was just trying to use up product.

2. Shampooed with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo to clarify my hair.

3. Deep conditioned under my heating cap with ORS Hair Mayonnaise for a protein boost.

4. Next I applied Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea Conditioner and Argan Oil to seal in the moisture. I had planned to steam rinse and blow dry, but I was so tired I ended up leaving it in overnight.

5. The next morning I sat under my hair steamer for about 20 minutes with the conditioner and oil in my hair and allowed my hair to cool off before rinsing.

6.  Next I towel dried my hair for about 20 minutes, then I applied my leave-ins which were:  Kinky Curly Knot Today, ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Reconstructurizer, and GVP Silk Remedy as my sealant and heat protectant.

7. I blow dried my hair using the cool setting which feels more like look warm when I turn up the air speed on the blow dryer.

8. Finally I flat ironed using the comb chase method and trimmed my ends.

I clipped about 1 to 1.5 or so inches from each section as I flat ironed my hair, so I didn't get a before and after comparison pic.  I figured it would be quicker to trim as I flat ironed so I didn't have to go back through all over again.  This was my first time trimming this way.  I wanted to make sure to trim off any thin, damaged, or split ends.  After I finished trimming by section, I pulled my hair back in a low pony tail and snipped a little off the tip. I don't think it turned out too bad. I could probably trim a little more.

Looks like I'm still at APL, which is about where I was back in October.  This year I haven't been so concerned with my length retention as much as just overall healthy hair and learning about how to manage my natural texture.  My nape has also been a major focus. You can read about my most recent update here.  My ultimate goal is still to reach a long thick and healthy MBL length and I definitely plan to get there.

So how was your wash day?  Have you met any of your ultimate hair goals for 2014?

Thanks for reading and HHG!

Recent Wash and Length Check (Am I at APL?)

So I finished up my two part wash day last night. I started it Friday by prepooing with Wen Sweet Almond Mint overnight. I shampooed Saturday using It's A 10 Miracle Moisture Sulfate Free shampoo (just finished off the bottle and will be reviewing it soon). I then DC'd with Silk Dreams Chocolate Bliss Conditioner which I also emptied and plan to review soon.  Yay for emptied products! LOL!

I DC'd under my heating cap for a couple of hours before finally rinsing. After applying my leave-ins (Darcy's Daily Leave-In and Matrix Biolage Thermal-Active Repair Cream) I decided to blow dry my hair on cool. I then did a couple of length check shots just to see where my hair is.  To me, I almost want to claim APL but I probably have another inch or so to go maybe.







Back half after blow drying on cool

Fully blow dried hair



The gap in the middle in the first pic bugs me to no end. That is why I keep wanting to do a major cut which would put me back at shoulder length.  Overtime this weak area of mine has become even more visible to me especially as I'm transitioning to texlaxed. I guess it's not too awful. I just keep PS-ing to hide this area and protect my ends.  I want to keep with slowly trimming until it's all even, but man oh man do I want to just cut it right now. Ah the woes of HHJs.

 

I just realized that I'm about one year into my hair journey. Well I officially started blogging in October, but I kind of started trying to practice healthier hair techniques after my last professional relaxer in Sept. I can't quite pin point the date, so I will plan it for the anniversary of the date of my first blog post which was Oct. 25. Wow! Time sure does fly when you are having fun.

 

So what do you all think? Can I officially claim APL?

 

 

Thanks for reading!

   Andrea

Relaxer Update (Very Overdue)

Hey ladies! It has been a looooong while since my last post it seems.  Like many of you all, life has been happening and so I haven't been making the time to post any updates on my hair, although I have continued to stalk you all's blogs.  I get excited to see you ladies' progress. I feel like we are all in this together, supporting and rooting each other on.  It's amazing!



Length check before trim

So what's been happening with my hair since my last post?  Well, I ended my 12 week relaxer stretch back on August 9.  This stretch seemed so easy.  I've been incorporating a lot of the techniques I've learned from many of you ladies and it has made life so much easier. Seriously!

For my relaxer, I did the half and half method as I usually do.  I was worried that I ended up with bone straight results; especially on the left back side which is the side I started on, so it had a bit longer processing time than the right side.  The rest of my hair seems to have reverted a bit since my last wash, but the left back still feels a bit straight.  I'm hoping this will not cause any issues at my next relaxer. My plan is to coat my new growth with my Silk Remedy (Sally's comparison to Chi Silk Infusion).  I usually only try to coat my previously relaxed hair, but next time I will try to coat the new growth as well.  I also plan to begin relaxing on the right side instead of the left.

Other than the "over-processing" scare (well not really), my relaxer touch up turned out to be successful.  I did a regular roller set and tried out the saran wrap method again. I've tried this before unsuccessfully, but never posted on it.  This time was definitely a success.  It was like I had flat ironed my hair without a flat iron. Perfect!



Finger combed hair into bun

After my relaxer I decided to go for a trim at Super Cuts.  My ends were in pretty good shape as far as health, but I've mentioned before that my ends are much thinner than I like, so I've decided to gradually snip away until I'm happy with the thickness.  I snapped a length check pick before the trim but never got around to taking a post-trim pic.  The day I went for my trim it was raining and humid. My hair turned into a puffy mess so I didn't bother.  As far as length, it looks like I reached around line 6-ish again which was the length I was at before my last trim back in April. I think she took about an inch off for this most recent trim. Not too drastic.

Since relaxer day I have been in bun city and loving it! I've barely been manipulating my hair other than to moisturize or massage castor oil into my scalp.  I'm hoping this is good enough for my M&S-ing though it doesn't seem to be too thorough  I've been trying to get the moisturizer into most of my hair as much as possible without having to part or manipulate it into sections.  It seems to be working so far.




Back view

I'm hoping to do an update on my nape soon. It's not where I want it to be but definitely making progress.  I've definitely gained some length and thickness there.  I can even get some small rollers back there.  This was not possible before starting my journey.

So far so good on this journey of mine. I may be starting my wash day tonight. I have not washed in two weeks. I have been so busy studying I couldn't even take the time for my weekly wash and my hair is screaming for a cleanse.




I hope all is continuing to go well with everyone's journey!

Thanks for reading,

   Andrea

Relaxer Update/L4LPSC Update

So I relaxed this past Saturday after a little over 6 weeks.  I know I know....to soon right.  Well I have been texlaxing so I wasn't worried to much about over-processing any previously relaxed hair.  The main reason was because I wanted my hair to be decent and manageable for my visit to to see my family next week.  I think I may have been able to go a little longer now that I've got my new ponytail roller set routine going.  My hair has been a lot easier to deal with since starting that and I've been finger combing a lot more as well.  Next stretch, I'm hoping to go 8 weeks.  Now on to the deets...

I switched from my mild relaxer to the ORS regular strength relaxer.  I mentioned that I was planning to switch this up a while back.  My synopsis is that ORS regular strength is similar to the mild relaxer I had been using, as far as the texture left to my hair.  I went over the 10 minutes per each half of my hair that I meant.  It may have been more like 15 or so but I still had some texture.  I think this should be labeled as a mild relaxer.  So I used the half and half method as I have previously.  This time I did my halves vertically instead of horizontal.  Once I rinsed the relaxer I did my protein step and neutralized using ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo.  After neutralizing I applied French Perm Stabilizer Plus to my hair (worked into a lather and let it sit for 1 minute).  This is a low pH (2.5) conditioner that helps return the hair to its normal acid balance after relaxing.  I will have to do a review on this to give a lil more detail.



Please excuse the mess in the background

  After rinsing the French Perm Stabilizer and the applied Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner and sat under my steamer for about 30 minutes.  After I finished DCing I wanted to let my hair cool off before rinsing a laid down to watch a little TV.  Well I was doing my hair kind of late so I actually fell asleep with the condish in my hair for a few hours. LOL!

 

After rinsing out my deep conditioner I applied my leave-ins (DB Daily Leave In Conditioner - Sweet Creme and PMSS Serum).  Finally I was able to pull of a wrap! Haven't been able to do that in a while.  I missed my wraps.  I tied on my silk scarf and let my hair air dry overnight.  The next day I flat ironed my roots because I had planned to go get a trim, but didn't quite make it that far.  Here were the results:



without flash; wearing my length check tee from JGA



with flash; I hate how thin my ends look; texlaxing should nip
this in the bud in time

L4LPSC Update
After mentioning the flat ironing, I think I am officially DQ'd from the L4LPSC.  I also used the flat iron at my last relaxer on Jan. 16. :-(  But those were the only two times.  I've been doing pretty well with the protective styling, though not creative.  I didn't even think about it until just now.  Oh well, I think I'm doing okay for a struggling newbie.  I will have to do better though.  Well, until next time. :]

Thanks for reading!

Andrea

My Very First Length Check

Pretty good progress, I think. Hoping as I trim more over time my ends will be a little thicker. I'll do another check at my next relaxer touch-up.

Smiles :-)
~ Andrea