July Healthy Hair Goals

I'm a few days late with my hair goals for July, but better late than never! As I stated in my previous post, I'm on a mission to get my natural kinks in curls to its optimum state of healthy! When trying to reach and major goals it is important to break it down into smaller subsections or goals. Below I will be sharing my July 2016 goals.

Ø  Wash hair at least 1x a week

Ø  Deep condition 1x a week (with heat at least every other week)

Ø  Try 3 different styles

Ø  Apply castor to bald spot at least 1x a day and massage for 5 minutes

Ø  (Yup I have a bald spot and will share more on this soon)

Ø  Oil scalp at least 2x a week

My goals this month a pretty basic. I wanted to make sure my goals were simply and achievable. If I do too much too soon I'm setting myself up for failure. These are goals that will work for my lifestyle. Make sure that your goals work for you.  Let me know in the comment section below what a few of your hair goals are this month!

Back Again??

I can't believe it's been over a year and a half since my last post! So much has happened in my life and so much has happened with my hair!! Read below to find out what I have been up to and what is going on with my hair. 

Life Update:

During the last year and a half, I have been adjusting to married life and life with 2 very busy children. I've been learning how to care for my daughter's hair which is a totally different texture and density than mine. I've recently decided to take her to a salon and get her hair braided every 3 weeks. My daughter is extremely tender headed and caring for her hair can be overwhelming for us both. I do plan to learn how to braid so I can start braiding her hair on my own. In the meantime, going to the salon has been working for us. I don't have to style her hair daily and her hair is continuing to thrive. Also during this time, I started a new job and moved. The move was unexpected and stressful! Recently I have made another career move and I'm in the process of relocating to another state. So far this relocation process has been much smoother! I'm looking forward to what the future holds for my family and I. 

Hair Update: 

I have become extremely lazy with caring for my hair. I stopped deep conditioning weekly, moisturizing and sealing like I should, and even trying new styles. I've completely stopped oiling my scalp, pre-pooing, and doing hot oil treatments. Because of this my hair is not as healthy as it should be and I know I'm not retaining the length that I could be. Recently it has been more dry than normal and I have been experiencing hair loss. The hair loss was due more to stress than lack of caring for my hair. My hair just isn't as healthy as I would like it to be. 

I've decided to rededicate myself to my healthy hair journey. I plan to use this blog to share my journey with others as well as use as a reference for myself. I feel that when I was actively blogging in the past, it forced me to be accountable and consistent with my journey. So I'm back like I have never left! In the future I will be sharing product reviews, wash day routines, style attempts, my daughter's "hair journey" and much more! So stay tuned to all of the great things I have in store!

Wash Day (Last Week)

FYI: This post was written last week after my wash day. I didn't get around to publishing the post until today. 

This wash day went very smoothly. My main focus was moisture. Since becoming fully natural in January I have been having a hard time trying to maintain moisture in my hair. Being able to maintain moisture seems to be a very common battle amongst new naturals. After a couple months of trial and error I think I may be close to finding my solution, but first let me share the steps to my wash day. 

1. I decided to pre-poo with coconut oil for about 30 minutes with saran wrap and a plastic cap. This was my first time pre-pooing in a very long time.  I think I will be adding this to my regimen because it definitely contributes to moisture.
2. Cowashed once with Shea Moisture Mango and Carrot Extra Nourishing Shampoo from the kids collection. I used this simply because it was the only other shampoo I have at home is a VERY stripping and drying Ion Clarifying shampoo. The Shea Moisture Shampoo is the one I use on my daughter's head and thus I used it to remove any product build up I may have had from my wash and go last week. I then followed up with a lather of Tresseme Naturals Nourishing Conditioner. Did I tell you all how much I love the Tresseme Naturals Conditioner?!!
3.  Next I deep conditioned with L'Oréal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm overnight with a Saran Wrap and Plastic Cap (total about 20 hours). I finger detangled with this conditioner in my hair under running water.  My hair was amazingly soft afterwards.
4. I t-shirt dried for about 5 minutes and then added my leave in conditioner by As I Am. I then sectioned my hair and did a protective style using  Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream and sealed with Jamaican Black Castor Oil.

Here I am 24 hours later and my hair is very moisturized. To keep this style up over the week I worse a bonnet overnight and retwisted/rebraided 2 days later. I find that there are a few products in my stash that keeps my hair amazingly soft and moisturized:

• Tresemme Naturals Nourshing Conditioner
• As I Am Leave In
• Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream
• Castor Oil

 I also realized that pre-pooing with an oil is a must along with moisturizing and sealing every 2-3 days. I don't find it necessary to moisturize and seal my hair daily. I also plan to make my own spritz using Aloe Vera Juice.

New Year, New Hair (My Transition/ "Big" Chop

I have been wanting to cut off my relaxed ends for so long!!! You guys have no idea how I struggled not to cut off those relaxed ends. My main reason for not cutting was because I wanted my hair to be a certain length before cutting. Well I made the decision some time in November that I would be completely natural by January 3, 2015. I decided to big chop my own hair and completed 25% before realizing I could not distinguish between my natural hair and my texlaxed ends. I guess I left more texture in my hair than I thought during my texlaxing days.

First chop vs Second Chop

I decided to that going to a salon would probably be best. I went online and found a natural hair stylist one and a half hours away. For some reason I have not had success finding a stylist in my area  so I was willing to travel to see a stylist. Well this stylist ended up canceling on me the morning of my appointment. I felt this was very unprofessional since I had made the appointment with her personally 2 days prior AND she knew how far I was traveling for this appointment. I think her work is phenomenal, but she will not be getting my business.

My Hair after Transition Chop, but before 2nd Co-Wash

After that fell through I decided to just do it myself. If I were to cut some of my natural hair in the process, it was a risk I would take. I co-washed my hair with Pantene Pro V Truly Natural Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner. I jumped out the shower and with my hair soaking wet, added some Tresseme Moisture Rich Conditioner, and began cutting off those relaxed ends. It took me approximately 1 hour to big chop.  After I chopped off the relaxed ends I jumped back in the shower and co-washed. I then deep conditioned with an oldie, but goodie Creme of Nature Argon Oil Conditioner. I then styled my hair in a twist out using the As I Am product line. I will be doing a review on this line very soon! By the next morning my hair had not dried completely and twist out was a fail. I just put it in a puff and it actually turned out well. Below are the pictures of my natural hair. I'm so excited to embark on this new hair journey and share it all with you!

All Natural!

Rebuilding My Regimen

I know you have heard many transitioners or naturals talk about how their hair and its needs have changed over time. I can now attest to this. Products that use to work for my hair no longer work or don't work as well. Techniques that use to work are also no longer valid.

Here is an example: I use to wash my hair in one big section. As I got further into my transition I realized this method did not work as well for me. I experienced more breakage and tangles with this method. I learned quickly that I had to change my technique of detangling my hair to sectioning my hair into 2-4 sections depending on my hair's current state.

Because of changes in the state of my hair I realized I needed to rebuild my regimen. Figuring out what your regimen will be can be quite complicated if you make it. So many questions may run through your mind. How often should I wash my hair? What products do I use? Should my regimen change with the seasons? The truth of the matter is that you may not always know the answer to these questions right away. It may take some trial and error to discover what works for your hair. Your regimen could and should change over time. Keep in mind your should be consistent with your regimen to have a fair evaluation of what works for your hair and what does not. Remember no two head of hair is alike and what works for someone else may not work for you.

Some key components and steps that should be the basis of every hair regimen (in my opinion) include:

• Cleanser (shampoo or co-wash)
• Deep Condition
• Leave in conditioner
• Moisturizer
• Sealant (Butter or Oil)

Some things that you may want to include in your regimen, but may not be necessary for everyone includes:

• Pre-poo or pre shampoo treatment
• Hot oil treatment
• Tea rinse
• ACV Rinse
• Henna
• Clear rinse
• Steam treatment
• etc.

For my regimen I have had time to discover what works for me and so my regimen was created. These are the steps that will almost always be completed on my wash days:

1. Co-wash every two weeks. Clarifying my hair will replace a co-wash at least 1x a month.
2. Tea rinse at least 2x a month to reduce shedding
3. Deep condition either before or after co-wash/shampoo. When using a clarifying shampoo I will always deep condition after washing. When deep conditioning before I co-wash, I will follow up with a conditioner rinse. Conditioner rinse is referring to a 3-5 minute conditioning treatment to put moisture back into my hair.
4. Apply a leave in leave-in and possibly follow up with moisturizer (Note: My leave in may also be my moisturizer).
5. Apply a sealant which will more than likely be an oil.
6. Style as desired.

A few things that I may incorporate whenever I feel necessary will be clear rinses, pre-poo treatments, hot oil treatments, and oil rinses. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about my new regimen let me know. Again, thanks for following my journey! 

Guess Who's Back......

I know I have been MIA for a VERY long time! Life just got in the way. I had to learn how to balance being a mother to two active children, working full-time as a registered nurse, being a wife, and still making time for myself. Exhausted doesn't even begin to explain how I have been. Along with being busy, I honestly just lost interest in my hair journey. During my relaxed hair journey I focused a lot on health AND length. Seeing my length goals obtained helped motivate me to keep going with my journey. While transitioning the frequent cuts trims made it difficult for me to see the progress my hair was making and thus I became bored.

 I've decided to come out of my hiatus and recommit to my healthy hair journey. I miss trying new styles and being interactive with you all. I also noticed that I was more accountable for my hair when I was joining challenges and interacting with other hair bloggers. I honestly miss obsessing over taking care of my hair.

I'm going to cut straight to the chase and answer the question you all want to know: What is going on with your hair? At this moment I'm protective styling with box braids. I have had these in for exactly 2 weeks. I went to an African Hair braiding shop in my area to get them done. I'm not sure how long I will keep them in, maybe 6-8 weeks. I do not have a regimen yet. I'm still researching dry shampoos and seeing if I want to implement that into my regimen while in box braids. Have you ever tried dry shampoo? Share your experience with me along with what brand(s) you recommend!

Front view of my braids (about 3 days old)

Back view hours after they were done

As far as my natural (non-weave)  hair, I believe I have about 3-4 more inches of texlaxed hair before I'm fully natural. I did notice heat damage at the top of my head where I had a leave out from my sew-in in June. I plan to grow that out and slowly trim the damaged areas. I will be sharing my products and regimen in a later post. I have a transitioning/big chop date in mind and I will be sharing it once I commit to it. 

Straight hair after a trim in late September. 

I look forward to continuing to share my journey with you! I'm back and more motivated than every to reach my goal to long healthy hair! With that being said, welcome back to Blutiful Blaq Hair! I'm back.......

p.s. I have been keeping up with many of your blogs via Bloglovin'. Even though I don't always comment, I do read them. 

Sexy Saturdays

I have decided it is time I recommit myself to the gym! During my pregnancy I let fitness take a back seat to everything else going on in my life. I convinced myself that this was the last time I could partake in eating whatever I wanted without worrying about weight gain. Sadly those bad eating habits have continued long after the birth of my daughter and has now caught up to me. I'm now struggling to get rid of these last few baby pounds. I also noticed my energy level is not as high as it could be. I will be starting a series on my blog called "Sexy Saturdays". This section will be dedicated to fitness. I know people usually share their journey for "Fitness Fridays" but I wanted to share my results at the end of the week.

I plan to share my monthly goals and weekly progress towards those goals. I may even share some recipes. If there is anything in particular you'd like me to share please let me know.

When planning my goals I want to make sure they are realistic. I don't want to overwhelm myself or discourage myself by setting too many goals. Below are my goals for the remainder of March through April.

1. Go to the gym 3 times a week for at least 30 mins.
2. Take stairs at work instead of elevator. The only exception is when I first get to work due to time and how I enter the building.
3. Limit myself to 1 soda a week. I plan to scale back until I'm down to an occasional soda by the end of the year.

What are your fitness goals?

Transitioning Hair Top 5 Yays and Nays

As I approach the one year post relaxer mark I can't help but think, "Where did the time go?". Transitioning to natural hair has been easier than I expected. Don't get this confused with it being easy. During this transition I discovered that my hair responds differently to some of the products that I have used in the past. In this post I will share my top 5 products that I feel is a must have during my transition and the 5 products that I could do without. 

Top 5 Must Have Products

1. Water- I find that my hair remains moisturized and easier to manipulate when I mist it with water first. It's funny how water is a relaxed girl's worse nightmare, but a natural girl's BFF!
2. L'oreal EverStrong Sulfate Free Shampoo- This was a staple when I was relaxed and it remains a staple for my transitioning hair. This shampoo is so moisturizing! I highly recommend all to give this a try if you have not already!
3. ORS Hair Mayo- Even though this is considered a moderate protein treatment it leaves my hair very moisturized. I find myself using this often to strengthen my line of demarcation. I don't use this weekly, but have done so biweekly with no problem.
4. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Spray- I won this leave in conditioner in a giveaway and I am so happy I did. This product is amazing!!! It leaves my hair moisturized, soft, and easy to detangle. I will have a full review of this product up soon. 
5. Ampro Silk Edges- I won this product in a giveaway and this product is nothing short of amazing. I especially love it for my edges when I straighten my hair. My only regret is I have yet to find this product in my area. I will have to purchase online until I find this locally.

Top 5 Dumped Products

1. Tangle Teaser- This thing is the devil. It worked okay for my relaxed hair. All it did was cause serious breakage for my transitioning hair. I will no longer use this product
2. Ouchless Hair Ties- My hair has gotten too thick for the traditional ouchless hair ties. I now uses the thin head bands to put my hair in a pony tail.
3. Elasta QP Mango and Olive Oil Moisturizer- This was a staple for my relaxed hair. I feel like it only coats my natural hair and does not offer enough moisture. I will not be repurchasing this product. I'll probably use it to moisturize my hair when straight or stretched.
4. Eco Styler Gel- Lately I noticed my hair flakes up a lot with this product. It causes a lot of buildup and make my hair feel dirty. It does give me a very sleek look for the first few days of use. I don't think I will be repurchasing again if I can't figure out how to prevent the flaking.
5.  Aphoghee 2 Minute Reconstructor- I really can't find a reason to keep this in my regimen. I was using this as a mid-step protein treatment during my relaxer process. Now that I no longer plan to relax I have no use for it. I will not be repurchasing this item.

What are your top hair products/tool? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?

Revisiting Old Habits

Photo credit: Google Images

As I look back at old post I realize that my hair is more healthy now than it has ever been. I credit this success being from the products I used, but most importantly the techniques I used. When I first started my hair journey I washed and deep conditioned my hair every week and moisturized and sealed often. Pre-pooing, or pre-shampooing is the one technique I feel contributed significantly to my health of my hair. Pre-pooing is a treatment applied to the hair before shampooing. 

The purpose of a pre-poo is to maintain or add moisture to your hair after it shampoo. Shampoo is known to strip the hair of it's natural oils. Pre-poo is most commonly done with an oil or conditioner. However you can use other things such as honey. I have used them all and I feel they all work great. If I had to choose a favorite it would definitely be honey. Although it can be messy, it leaves my hair amazingly moisturized! When I pre-poo with a conditioner I MUST follow up with a deep conditioner in order get the best results. 

Some time ago I cut out pre-pooing my hair. I started deep conditioning on dry hair and felt this was the same thing as pre-pooing. I failed to realized that I skipped a key step, following up with a conditioner after shampooing. Even though I use a sulfate free shampoo, some of my hair's natural oils are still stripped. This leave my hair not being as moisturized as it should be. I am currently 8 months into my transition. As my natural hair becomes more prevalent, I notice my hair is more dry. I need to do everything I can to retain as much of my hair's natural oils and thus I have decided to make a few changes in my hair regimen.

First I will go back to deep conditioning after I shampoo. This will ensure that I'm adding the moisture back into my hair after it is stripped from the shampoo. Next I will begin pre-pooing again. I will probably pre-poo mostly with oils and/or honey because these two work best. I'm hoping that by adding these two steps, my hair will become more healthy and moisturized during my transition. I will have a post on my "revised" hair regimen soon. 

What are some techniques that you simply can not live without during your wash day? Do you Pre-poo? What's your favorite product to pre-poo with?

Quick Update & Future Plans

Wedding planning has consumed a lot of my freetime. Forgive me for not posting but I plan to have some post up at the end of the week and next week. I want to share with you what I have been doing to my daughter's hair including the products I have been using. I also want to update you on my transition and share one of my hair inspirations with you. Be on the lookout for some new blog post soon! 

Hair Cut and Huge Announcement

Yesterday I posted a picture of 3-4 inches (my estimate) of cut hair on my Instagram account. The picture above is the one posted. I also sent a picture message to my best friends and they demanded to know what I had done. I know you to are dying to know what I have done. Before I share that story let me start from the beginning.

As most of you know my last relaxer was last June. What you didn't know was that after relaxing my hair I started to have regrets. My last stretch lasted 6 months and during this time I contemplated transitioning to natural hair. After finding out I was having a daughter I wanted to teach her all about growing healthy and long natural hair. I wanted her to be able to properly care for her natural hair so that if she decided to relax her hair it wouldn't be from a lack of knowledge. I then decided what better way to teach her than to show her. Later I decided this was not enough for me to make the commitment to transition. My hair was starting to break badly at the line of demarcation so at that time I felt the best thing to do was end my stretch

After texlaxing my hair I became bored with my hair and my hair journey. I found myself gravitating more towards those styles that look better with natural hair, well in my opinion anyways. After having a discussion with one of my best friends she shared with me that she had interest in going natural as well. Long story short I decided to make the commitment to transition to natural hair! I honestly didn't plan to share this information until I was a year post relaxer. I wanted to make sure I was fully committed to this journey and I am. I decided I want to do a long transition over a course of 2 years. Instead of big chopping I plan to do a couple mini chops. 

This brings me to my Instagram picture. I planned to do my first cut after my wedding in June, but now that I'm leaning more towards a sew-in, I figured the length of my hair wouldn't matter that much. I have been having the urge to cut some of my hair because I want to see what my natural texture will look like. Today after seeing some pictures on IG of beautiful natural hair of all textures I went to my bathroom and found my hair shears. I brushed my hair straight back and grabbed half my hair and cut. I then grabbed the second half and cut. After cutting I wasn't upset nor did I have any regrets. I actually felt that I am closer to reaching my ultimate goal of becoming fully natural. I actually thought "It's just hair!". My hair is a little uneven, but I am okay with that for now. I plan to do a 2 month no direct heat challenge so the next time I straighten my hair I will make sure it is even. My next mini cut will probably take place after my wedding. 

I can't believe I'm finally sharing that I am transitioning to natural hair! I hope you continue to follow me as I embark on a new hair journey. I will be sharing my ups and downs as I have been doing with my relaxed hair journey. I'll also continue to provide information on all hair types. This will not turn into a natural hair only blog. All information I have provided and will continue to provide can be applied to hair of all types.

About 3 weeks before mini chop

Post Mini chop

The Liebster Award!

Source

I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Anything Hair Related and Healthy Hair Diary. Check out their blogs by clicking on the links. They provide tons of great information of healthy hair care! I want to thank both of you for thinking of me and my blog. The rules are stated above. Instead of answering 22 questions I will pick 6 questions from each of the ladies to answer below.

11 Facts about Blutiful Blaq

1.      I'm getting married June 14, 2014.

2.      I love the giant dill pickles with lemonade Kool-Aid sprinkled on top.

3.      I hate bugs! They creep me out.

4.      I use to love reality TV, but not as much since I gave it up for a season.

5.      I day dream a lot!

6.      I love getting my feet massaged! There is just something about a good foot massage that drives me crazy!

7.      As a kid I thought smoking cigarettes was cool because my mom did it. I am so grateful that I never picked up that habit.

8.      I hate talking on the phone and would much rather text. I'm the type of person who will decline your call, but answer your text a few minutes later.

9.      As a teenager I was not allowed to wear make-up or nail polish. I was not even allowed to get my ears pierced and thus got them done at age 18.

10. I love flowers! When I get flowers I keep them until they are dead and crunchy! 

11. I get sleepy when it's cold and I'm wide awake when it's hot. Weird, I know. 

Questions from Anything Hair Related

1.      If someone asked you to give them a random piece of advice, what would you say? Keep God first in all that you do!

2.      Do you have a hair crush? I have tons! Here are a few in no particular order: KissSeventyseven, CoCogLam22,  MahoganyCurls, Moknowshair, Fusionsofculture, Shorty2sweet59, and Ebony of Longing4Length.

3.      Do you prefer towel drying, blow drying or natural drying your hair? I actually prefer t-shirt drying and then air-drying in a bun.

4.      What did your last Tweet/Facebook post say? My Last FB post "The first batch of save-a-dates are in the mail! Don't forget to register on the website and check back frequently for updates!"

5.      In a movie about your life, which actor or actress would you like to play your character? Sanaa Lathan because she is so beautiful and talented!

6.      What's your favorite iPhone/Android app? Probably would be YouTube since I use it almost daily. 

Questions from Healthy Hair Diary

1.      How many blogs do you follow? 70 through blogluvin

2.      What length do you consider long hair? Probably somewhere from BSL to MBL depending on the height of the person

3.      What is your most expensive hair purchase to date? My LCL Hairdryer for $129 plus tax.

4.      Do you have any hobbies, share at least 2? I collect postcards and watch YT videos. Can the latter count as a hobby?

5.      What is your favourite TV series? Criminal Minds and Law and Order SVU run neck and neck.

6.      Are you left or right handed? Right handed

I nominate whoever is reading this blog! Share your link in the comment section below. I love reading random facts from bloggers and vloggers I follow.

My questions:

1.      What is your goal length?

2.      Where is your dream vacation?

3.      What do you do for a living?

4.      What is the weirdest thing/food you have ever eaten?

5.      What's your most used phrase or word?

6.      What is your favorite hair product?

7.      What's your most annoying habit?

8.      What state do you currently reside?

9.      Who is your hair crush?

10. What's your favorite season?

11. What is your favorite place to eat?

Goodbye 2013 & Hello 2014!

It seems that 2013 has flown by! I still can't believe that in a few hours 2014 will be here. This year in my hair journey. I neglected my hair a lot this year and because of that I suffered my first set back. Instead of letting this set back have a negative affect on me I used it as a set up. After all, this set back was totally preventable. Below here is a little spill on the good and ugly of my 2013 hair journey.

The Good

• Got a much needed trim!
• Tea rinses- I don't know how I didn't realize how wonderful they are! This stopped my postpartum shedding and saved what was left of my edges.
• Discovered some great protective styles!
• Successfully stretching my relaxer. Currently 7 months post relaxer and still going strong!

The Ugly

• Postpartum shedding- It caused my hair to edges to disappear which I am currently working to grow back.
• Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque- It left my hair dry and tangled.
• Queen Helene Garlic Shampoo- I never did an official review on my blog but this product left my hair completely stripped and dry! It was a waste of $4.00.

I'm looking forward to what 2014 will bring for my hair. I plan to continue to my stretch and focus more on health than length this year. Thank you all for sticking by me even when my blog post became non existent. I plan to continue to use this as a platform to share my journey as well as introduce my daughter's natural hair journey! Happy New Years to you all. Be safe and I will chat with you all soon!

Hair of the Day

I wanted to write a quick blogpost showcasing a new protective style recreated. I saw this on MsVaughnTV's YouTube a while ago and I decided today was the perfect day to give it a try. This style can be worn as a casual/everyday look of as a formal style. Check out the video for more information. I basically followed what she did except the products I used were Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter Moisturizer, Ecostyler Olive Oil Gel, and Ampro Silk Edges. Enjoy!

Quick Hair update and Wash Day!

I can not believe I let an entire month go by with out updating my blog! Work and taking care of a busy toddler and feisty infant has left with little to no energy. I'm making a change in my career soon and hoping that with it brings more time and energy to spend with my family as well as blogging. I'm coming up on my 2 year hair journey and blog anniversary in December. I will be hosting a giveaway so please be on the look out.

Just a quick update with my hair:

Shedding has decreased tremendously. I think I may even be back to my normal shedding rate. I contribute this to tea rinses, hair trim/cut I got in September, and ORS Hair Mayo!


I went to the salon and got a flexi-rod set for a wedding two weeks ago. Although the hairstyle was totally different than what I was use to I liked it. Only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that she spritzed my hair! I didn't even know salons still used this stuff. She did it before I realized it and oh my goodness was my hair dry and crunchy! This prevented my curls from falling the way I wanted and thus the style didn't last but a couple days.


I'm currently 5 months post relaxer and it has not been so bad. I think washing biweekly is much better for my hair! I discovered that less is better for me.


I have been seriously considering a sew-in. I have done a ton of research and the amount of information out there is overwhelming. I consulted with a stylist who specializes in sew-ins two weeks ago. She seems pretty knowledgeable and I’m impressed with her work. I will be considering her. She also provides hair, but not sure if I want to go with her since I’m not sure about the quality (not that I’d really know if I saw it). I think I’d much rather purchase from a reputable vendor whose reviews I can find online.

Now on to my wash day.

Step 1:

I decided to try this new detangling method that I saw YouTube. I followed her method almost exactly except I used a different conditioner. For those who can’t pull up the video or wish not to here is what I did. I sectioned my hair into for big sections. Each section was then subdivided into two sections, making a total of 8 sections total at the end of my detangling section. I sprayed each section, massaged the water in, added EVOO, and then twisted my hair. After doing this to my entire head I added a plastic shower cap and a hat to add heat. I left this on for 30 minutes and then came back and added Tresseme Moisture Conditioner to each section and retwisted in preparation for washing.

　

Step 2:

Washed with Crème of Nature Argon Oil Moisture and Shine Shampoo for one lather.

　

Step 3:

Tea Rinse with Black Tea

　

Step 4:

Deep Conditioned with L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm. This was my first time using this conditioner and so far I love the way it smells and they way it melts in my hair! I left the conditioner on with a plastic cap and winter hat for about 4 hours before rinsing.

　

Step 5:

Added Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment for 5 minutes.

　

Step 6:

T-shirt dried then added GVPs Paul Mitchell The Detangler

　

Step 7:

Added Tresseme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray and blow dried my hair or medium warm heat.

　

Step 8:

Used One N Only Argon Oil as a finisher to smooth my hair and add shine. My hair was feeling pretty dry after the blow dry. Not sure if it was the heat protectant or the heat. I then placed my hair in a loose ponytail.

First Major Set Back: Salon Visit/Trim (Pic Heavy)

As you all know I recently started battling postpartum shedding. Due to this shedding and improperly handling of my hair during stretching I suspected that I had a set back. This was confirmed when I went to the salon on September 26th. I couldn't get in contact with the stylist I usually go to so I decided to finally use one my co-worker suggested. When I entered the salon this stylist was the only one working. She was washing someones' hair at the time. After that she roller-set the other client's hair. When I looked at my watch I realized I had waited 18 minutes without being serviced. Waiting after my appointment time is one sure way to annoy me and loose me as a customer. By this time 2 other women had entered the salon. I think I may have waited 25 minutes total. It wasn't too terrible and luckily I wasn't that pressed for time.

I hold my head in shame as I admit that I don't know what products she used in my hair. I was sort of preoccupied with my daughter. I do know she shampooed, conditioned, and then detangled my hair. She used a spray heat protectant before blow drying and then a cream based one before curling. Somewhere in between these steps she informed me that I had major breakage in my crown and my ends were in pretty bad shape. She asked if I wanted her to trim to which I obliged. She then told me because of the shedding my hair was uneven in some parts and it would be better to cut my hair in layers. I'm assuming she meant I would loose less hair with the layers. I had been thinking about layers anyway so I said go for it!

Directly after leaving salon

My hair turned out fabulous! When I say my hair was laid, hunty!!! My hair looks and feels healthy! I did notice a decrease in shedding during the first week. I think it was due to manipulating my hair less. Also I didn't have to worry about those infamous fairy/single stran knots! I was starting to have single strand knots galore! I will definitely be going back to this salon. She did an amazing job and was reasonably priced.

Birthday dinner for my Fiance. Good friend of mine did the make up! 

Surprise birthday party for my fiance. Day 2 hair!

**Update: After my curls fell and I was able to see the length I became a little sad. I miss my length already! I will be on a plan to get my length back and fast! Check out The Beauty Biologist Blog for all things beauty! She did my make up in the above and below pic! My face was beat!!

Side bar: My hairline is really suffering from this shedding. My edges are becoming non existent and wearing a pony is probably not going to happen anytime soon! A lot of women experience the postpartum shedding in the hairline. Hopefully with Castor Oil and being consistent with my haircare I can repair this damage. 

It now appears that I am full shoulder length again. Le'Sigh! I was really hoping to make BSL by December but that goal will have to be put on hold. Right now I just want to focus on slowing down this shedding and regrowing my edges hence why I have not had a monthly goal post. I plan to keep my hair straight for a while with roller-sets to see if the shedding decreases. I will also be incorporating tea rinses in my hair regimen. As always I will keep you updated with my progress. Until next time happy hair growing!

Official length check! T-Shirt from JustGrowAlready. 

Operation Terminate Postpartum Shedding

Dirty hair before washing. I'm in need of a trim!

Unfortunately the monster known as postpartum shedding has arrived with a vengeance. During my last wash day I noticed an increase in shedding. My hair was shedding double what it normally does. I won't go as far as to say it was coming out in clumps, but it was above my comfort level. For those of you know don't know what postpartum shedding is, let me explain.

During pregnancy you have an increase in hormone levels. One of those hormones is called estrogen. The increase in estrogen causes your hair to shed less. On average we normally shed about 100 hairs a day. During pregnancy many will see a significant decline in this number, hence fuller hair during this time. After you give birth your hormones start to balance out and your hair enters a resting phase. You then notice an increase in shedding. Not all women experience this. I am a part of the "lucky" few who is/has.

After having my son I shed significantly for over a year. At that time I was going to a salon on a biweekly-monthly basis. My then stylist recommended protein treatments monthly. I'm not sure what products she used, but it did not decrease my shedding. After a while the shedding became "normal" to me and I stopped trying to fix it. This lead to thinner edges and uneven broken hair. Now that I know better I plan to do better. I immediately ran to my local BSS and picked up a few supplies. I purchased Queen Helene's Garlic Shampoo and ORS Hair Mayonnaise. While there I also discovered they sold Alter Ego Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Mask. These items ranged from $21.99-$29.99. I was tempted to purchase the hair mask, but decided to give the Queen Helene a try first. After all I only paid $3.99 for the Queen Helene.

Last Saturday (8/30/13) I decided to try out my new products. My first impression of the shampoo is that is is extremely drying to the hair. I had to follow up with a lather of my EverStrong Hydrating Sulfate-free Shampoo to add moisture back to my hair. This dryness almost made me not want to follow up with the ORS Hair Mayonnaise because I figured it would make my hair even more dry. After all it is said to be a medium protein treatment. Well I'm glad I decided to use the ORS Hair Mayonnaise because it left my hair super soft and moisturized. So far I am impressed with this product. I will be giving a full review of both products after a month or so of using them. I will say that the shedding has slowed down a little. I also noticed a decrease in breakage! Now that it is the end of the week I'm noticing the shedding has picked back up, but I will be using the Queen Helene shampoo on my next wash day. I will be keeping you posted on my quest to slow down this shedding.

Have you or anyone you know experienced shedding? What action did you or they take? Suggestions are greatly appreciated. Until next time happy hair growing!

Hair Blab!

• I relaxed my hair on July 21st after stretching for seven months. I'm in the process of finishing the blog post. I just have to edit my pictures.
• Jen from JustGrowAlready inspired me to organize my hair products. Well that and seeing how messy my cabinets in my bathroom are. I will definitely share pictures once everything is complete. 
• I think I may be suffering from my 1st set back. I experienced some breakage from stretching my hair so long and not properly caring for it. I'm sure no matter how I moisturized and sealed I would still have some breakage, but not to this magnitude. I will be sharing more about this in my relaxer update
• I used Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle as a co-wash and I'm in LOVE!!!!!! I will be sharing a more detailed review of this product next week!
• I contemplated transitioning to natural hair during my 7th month stretch. I decided against it for a few reasons. One, I'm still learning about my relaxed hair and don't want to start a new journey until I fill like I've been successful at this one. Secondly, I'm not ready to have short hair and I would definitely have to BC to minimize damage to my hair (breakage). 
• I'm really hoping and praying that I don't have postpartum shedding as I did with my son. I shed terribly for a year. This is what led me to information on starting my healthy hair journey.
• I really need a good trim. I think I will wait until my next relaxer which I plan to do in 16 weeks. 
• I'm really happy that I have the energy to do my own hair again. I missed giving my hair the proper TLC it deserves
• I miss the smooth sleek look of my bone straight relaxed hair. I do love that my hair is much thicker and healthier now.
• I want to try Hairfinity Vitamins, but I need to check with my doctor and pharmacist first. Yes, I check with my pharmacist before taking medications. They know the medications better than physicians IMO. I actually read every paper given to me by the pharmacy before consuming and medications or giving my children any medication. Maybe it's the nurse in me. 
• I will be trying more styles soon! 
• I look forward to growing my daughter's hair. I think by me being relaxed and her being natural I will have the best of both worlds.
• I need to start babying my hair again. When I first started my HHJ I was faithful with mixing my d/c, oiling my scalp, and pre-pooing. My hair thrived from this. I'm going bk to weekly washes and deep conditioning. 

New Products

Over the course of my pregnancy I have purchased several new items. Some I have used and some I have not. I will be doing product reviews in the future. I use products for at least one month before I feel I'm able to give an accurate review. Below is a list of the products I have purchased.

1. GVP Conditioner Compare to Paul Mitchell's The Conditioner

2. Aussie  Moist 3 Minute Miracle Deeep Conditioner

3. Aussie Moist Split-End Protector

4. African Shea Butter

Have you used any of these product? Share your thoughts on them below!

July Goals Recap/ August Goals

July Goals

• No direct heat (with exception of the time I used it 7/2/13) Success!
• Steam hair for at least 30 minutes using homemade steam method. Fail
• Do set of medium two strand twists Fail. I relaxed my hair so this is why I didn't complete this goal. 
• Do braidout. Success!
• Make homemade shea butter. Fail
• M&S every other day and as needed Fail! I'm terrible at this. 
• Use castor oil on scalp and edges every other day and as needed. Fail. Again something I'm terrible at.
• Return to weekly or biweekly wash days. Success!
• Start back working out at least 3 times a week. Fail! I have an accountability partner who will be helping me keep this goal starting this week 8/4/13.

I'm getting terrible at keeping my goals. I realized that this is largely due to the fact that I forget the goals I've made until I'm recapping at the end of the month. I plan to keep a copy of my goals on my bathroom mirror and cross them off as I complete them. To reach my goal of M&Sing and Oiling my scalp, I plan to keep a calendar on my mirror. I sure hope this helps.

Here are my goals for August

• No Direct Heat
• M&S every day
• Oil Scalp 3 times per week
• Workout 3x per week
• Saran roller wrap

What do you do to make sure you meet your monthly goals? Comments and suggestions are appreciated!